Great day, everyone.

My name is Nicole Messiah, and I have the honor and pleasure of serving as your DeCab County Commissioner, District 3.

Also the Chair of PECS Planning Economic Development and Community Services.

Thank you so much working and welcome to the PECS Committee meeting today.

I serve alongside with my other colleagues, Commissioner Longspears from District 2 and Commissioner Robert Patrick from District One.

Recognized today along with is our Madam PO from District 4, Shikaira Johnson, and also Commissioner to Terry.

There you go, George, District 6.

And so thank you so much, colleagues, for joining us.

And with that, we will jump right in and go through the agenda as printed.

We're on for those following along with us, page one, and that is agenda item 2026 stash 0546.

All commission districts and minutes for the February 26, 2026, Planning, Economic Development and Community Services Committee meeting.

If my committee members have had an opportunity to review those minutes, I will entertain a motion.

Motion to approve 0546.

Second.

All those in favor?

Aye.

Thank you so much.

And we're going to jump down to the bottom of page one.

And there's an agenda item that is under um GIS department.

And that's agenda item 2026-0491.

All commission, I'm sorry, Commission Districts 4 and 7, in which we have the District Commissioner from District 4 here with us today.

And that is a motion to consider consenting to the DNA de annexation of property located at 5499 Woodsong Trace Stone Mountain, Georgia 30087.

So Commissioner.

I just not in opposition to this, but one of clarification.

So I just was curious if we needed to clarify that in the agenda item.

You can update that.

That was really my only question on it.

It was just that clarification.

He said they can update that.

All right.

So just to be clear, you know, um, that will be updated.

So that is made abundantly clear.

Yeah, we would be happy to do that.

We'll offer substitute at the regular meeting.

Okay.

Fantastic.

So with that, I will entertain a motion.

Uh motion to approve 0491.

Second.

All those in favor?

Aye.

Aye.

Colleagues.

That motion uh is approved.

You're more than welcome.

The next uh going back under the appointments.

That is agenda item 2026-04 or two, all commission districts, the appointment of Mr.

Sheldon Fleming to post eight of the recreation parks and cultural affairs board.

And my understanding is that Mr.

Fleming is here with us today.

Great afternoon, sir.

And Jenny, if you wouldn't mind.

See, there we go.

We do have them right here.

Thank you so much.

I appreciate it.

So we have our interview packet, and we were just making sure we receive that so that we can uh go ahead and ask Mr.

Fleming a couple of questions.

Thank you.

Welcome, sir.

Thank you for joining us here in PECS committee.

And so um I like to just jump in by asking, you know, for you to formally just introduce yourself and describe any previous experiences or skills that you have that may be relevant to your service with the RPCA Citizens Advisory Board.

Okay.

Thank you for the opportunity.

I uh start my career off by uh working with the DeCab and Fuller County Extension Service.

Uh from there, I uh became the horticulture manager for the City of Atlanta Parks Bureau, uh, followed by a district manager position.

And uh my district was Maddox Park and Chastain Park.

And uh from there, um some of you all may know where the Port of Stanford forming our center there.

There used to be a garden there called Wonderland.

I was the founder and executive director for that for 20 years with the uh contract from DeCab County Parks.

And I am currently employed with the City of Stonecrest Park Department.

Fantastic.

Well that's very diverse.

Thank you so much.

I appreciate that.

And so just as a brief follow-up, what do you perceive your roles, duties, and responsibilities to be in servitude of the RPCA Citizens Advisory Board?

Well, as projects uh come before the board, I see myself as an the opportunity to uh speak for the community in regards to uh you know needs and uh you know what does it look like and uh the what the how well is the community being engaged uh in this process?

And uh so being the community's voice as well as uh you know, because my background is what it is, you know, I uh have a certain skill set that I think even from a professional standpoint, you know, with uh director uh advice, I think I could lend a hand.

I appreciate that.

Thank you.

Commissioner Longspears, you're more than welcome to any question you might.

Of course.

Um nice to meet you, sir.

Thank you for being with us today.

My pleasure.

My question is as an appointee to the RPCA Citizens Advisory Board, CAB, what top priorities would you focus on during your tenure, and what outcomes do you hope to achieve as a result?

Would you repeat the question?

Sure.

So it's a two-part question.

Don't you love those?

Yes, thank you.

Uh part A is what are your top priorities that you would focus on during your tenure on the CAB board?

And second is what outcomes do you hope to achieve as a result?

So the priorities and then what you're hoping to achieve with those priorities.

That's a hard question.

I realize the hat.

Yeah, that's all I look at.

Um I wish I had been given his questions earlier.

But let me let me just say, you know, you know, you have active parks and you have leisure parks.

And you know, you know, participation, you know, we can create a park, you know, but there's still at the end of the day, we want participation.

You know, what is the impact?

You know, how are the community, what how is the community being served?

You know, what outcomes, you know, has the parks department looked at in terms of is it active rec is it is it leisure?

You know, do you have the strollers, you know, and the dog park in the same area?

Ummunity gardens, you know.

If you have community gardens and you have no one planting the vegetables, then should there be a community garden there?

Umcomes I I think at the end of the day, you know, because I again as I mentioned, I work with the city of Atlanta, the city of Stonecrest Parks.

And you know, back 20, 30 years ago, you had you know uh a crossroads, common grounds, you know, where you could reach reach the people.

You don't have that, you know, now you have uh a Facebook and getting the information to the to the public isn't as easy as it used to be.

And so uh I think having a participation in the parks is one of the outcomes that is going to be challenging.

Um how do we meet that?

I can't really necessarily at the state answer that, but I think that should be one of the goals.

Thank you so much.

These are prescripted questions, and um I realize that was a hard one.

The reason I chose to ask that though is um my predecessor was Jeff Rader, and he was in office for who you probably know him for 16 years, and they did a lot of parkland acquisition, but because of the uh values and district two, the land values, his suggestion to me coming into office is that I focus more on enhancements.

And so I was just trying to kind of get your perspective on you know, if you could only do enhancements, we because you can't, at least in my district, buy the land is what enhancements, I guess.

Maybe it's this kind of a part C.

Do you think appeal to people now?

More benches, um bird houses, that kind of thing.

Do you have any wisdom to share on that?

Yeah, and that's why I mentioned the leisure, you know, recreation.

We do a wonderful job with active recreation.

It's the leisure, you know, that I think we're missing somewhat of a opportunity.

You know, we want those trailers, those those strollers, you know, that are spending that two hours in the garden.

Uh uh, you know, playgrounds.

We've got plenty of playgrounds.

That those are easy ones, you know, to hit, you know, but just sitting down reading a book, you know, leaving your computer home, reading a book, you know, are those opportunities, you know.

Certainly, you know, uh you know our canopies are really important, you know.

So our are trees getting planted.

Uh not uh, you know, uh our city tree is the uh bald cypress.

Well, a bald cypress is going to live to be a hundred years old.

You know, are we planting you know our canopies, you know, such that we have longevity, you know, with our parks.

Um benches.

Absolutely.

You know, again, the goal in my mind should be having a client in the garden for that two hours from a leisure standpoint.

All right, thank you, sir.

I appreciate your thoroughness.

I yield back.

Thank you so much.

Uh Commissioner Long Spears.

Commissioner Patrick.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Uh Mr.

Fleming, thank you for being here.

First of all, uh public service in these times can be a little challenging.

And uh thank you for willing being willing to put your own time into this, so it's much appreciated.

Um I'm gonna give you uh I hope a softball.

How do your personal values align with the mission of parks and record?

You know.

Could you read the mission of the parks?

Because I was not provided that information, but maybe I should have.

Well, I'll I'll tell you what, how about this?

Uh what is it that you like about parks and rec in general?

Uh and you spoke a lot about the the the canopy, the need to replant the canopy.

Uh the idea of of uh passive enjoyment at the parks, put down your tablets and your devices and read a book.

Take it from there.

Sure.

I I'm originally from Anchorage, Alaska.

And uh so I grew up with glaciers, you know, behind my eyelids before there, you know, they had restrictions and so forth.

You know, so uh being in nature is just who I am.

And so I know the impact, you know, of the the role nature plays on the human body.

And so again, you know, we have a wonderful opportunity, you know, the the act of recreation, but again, it's that leisure, you know, for the therapeutic gardening.

Um, you know, what does what does that tree you know do for the for us?

You know, it's more than the shade, you know, being grounded and so forth.

So uh for me, I am uh one of these tree huggers, you know, that uh when I'm walking through a garden, you know, I'm I'm looking or I'm looking to see how people are enjoying themselves.

Um, you know, are they laughing?

You know, I mean there's nothing better to see than you have a couple at two o'clock in the afternoon on a Thursday, you know, having a picnic.

That's what you want.

You know, again, stopping and smelling the roses is a physical action, you know, and it requires creating the spaces, you know, for our clients, you know, to have those opportunities to sit on the grass, you know, to sit on that bench, you know, and allow Mother Nature to do what mother nature's here to do.

So creating those spaces is is a holistic opportunity, you know, for parks department, you know, that we should strive to meet.

That's a great answer.

And I I totally agree with you.

Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you so much, Commissioner Patrick.

Commissioner Terry, yes.

The only question I have for Mr.

Fleming is can you dig it?

I want to hear more about your TV show.

Yes, yeah, I I did have my 20 minutes of fame.

So thank you.

It became a good rerun.

Well, we got we have our own TV station here, DC TV, channel 23.

I would I would like to do that.

Maybe we can bring something back like that.

I I like what you're thinking.

All right, keep that in mind.

Yes.

Thank you so much, Commissioner Terry.

With that, we all thank you again, Mr.

Fleming, for being here today and your willingness to serve.

And someone from um staff will be back in touch with you.

Thank you so much.

And let me just add one other piece.

Of course.

I moved here in 1976.

You know, so I I have been here.

I I've planted a lot of trees.

I've I've planted trees that have matured in South DeCab.

You know, so South Decab De Cap County is very dear, you know, to me and my family.

Fantastic.

Uh as Commissioner Terry just shared, a lot of seeds.

Uh yes.

Well, thank you again for your service and um for being here and investing in so many ways in the Cab County, particularly being willing to raise your family and spend your leisure on time, your volunteer time and everything else.

Thank you.

It's my pleasure.

Thanks for the opportunity.

Enjoy the rest of the afternoon, sir.

Thank you.

The next we're gonna go through a couple more of the agenda items.

For those following along on page two, we have at the top agenda item 2026-0384, all commission districts, a cooperative agreement for information technology products and services.

That's Omnia Partners contract number 2024-02 for the use by the Department of Planning and Sustainability, consisting of purchasing of the and it says purchasing off, so we might need to uh make that correction, but purchasing of the competitive ledners contract for contract number 2024-02 for implementation of a cloud-based short-term rental monitoring and compliance platform.

Award it to the card technologies.

This request also seeks to ratify purchase contract number 506515 for the amount not to exceed 120, 720 and 43 cents.

And I see Miss Bragg or Deputy Bragg uh coming.

And again, uh congratulations to your promotion.

Thank you so much.

I really appreciate that.

Um, and I'm actually gonna turn it over to Raquel Jackson who's going to tell you a little bit about the project.

Um we're happy to answer questions, but it is a very straightforward request.

All right, fantastic.

Good afternoon.

I am Raquel Jackson, and I am the uh project manager for the short-term rental implementation.

So the county engaged with RentalScape, which is powered by Decker Technologies as our short-term rental compliance and management vendor.

We selected this vendor through a cooperative purchasing agreement to expedite the implementation and ensure we met the May 20th deadline.

This allowed us to move uh forward quickly with a proven turnkey system rather than going through the longer procurement process.

From a functionality standpoint, the vendor will provide all of the items that we need.

So a comprehensive platform that supports registration, permitting administration of the 8% excise tax, as well as up as required by the ordinance.

In addition, the system will identify and monitor short-term rental listings across the platform, support enforcement efforts, track complaints, and provide real-time reporting to staff and leadership.

Ultimately, it places us in a position to better uh manage the short-term rental process as we go through um the the process to implement it.

Thank you so much.

I appreciate it.

Just uh um I better just a quick question.

And so you said manage uh complaints.

In what way will it the system um manage the complaints?

So residents can uh submit a complaint online that will come directly to one of our staff members for us to then triage the complaint to determine if it's uh police code enforcement, and from there we'll um we will send the code enforcement or make a request for code enforcement if it's police, then in real time they will be instructed to contact the police, but for code enforcement type of complaints that will come to us for us to triage and manage.

So we'll also have someone uh real-time monitoring capabilities to be able to help ascertain you know who needs to be dispatched or how the issue that comes in or complaint that comes in needs to be addressed.

Yes, all right, fantastic.

Um again, I think this is something that's great.

I've had a resident that recently asked whether or not we had it.

This was Saturday.

We had a HOA POA COA boot camp, and there was a resident that asked whether or not we had implemented this system additionally ahead of having the World Cup and some other sporting um engagements coming into um you know, Georgia and the CAB inevitably.

I think it's fantastic that we're getting this up and going.

So thank you for all of your work.

Thank that, Commissioner Patrick.

Oh uh thank you, madam chair.

Um thank you for being here this afternoon.

Appreciate your time.

Uh just following up on the 911 calls.

So uh you said the system will basically tell them to call to contact 911.

Does it have something that can also give a heads up to the police department?

No, so it will only identify 911 calls.

So what what belongs in 911, the will with the wheelhouse of 911?

It won't uh direct them to 911, but on the complaint and form, it will say these are the types of events that warrant 911 versus co-enforcement.

I gotcha.

Okay, all right, perfect.

Um, and then uh I was at a recent online meeting and they were talking about hotel bookings, and um there's a way, I guess, uh, through some type of database that they can monitor hotel bookings across the country or within a very specific area.

Will this be able to track the amount of bookings that we have within the county?

Is is it something that can sort of project out all of the Vrios and Airbnbs that we have available?

Yes, and then say, hey, we're operating at 50% of capacity or 90% of capacity, it has that ability to do that.

Yes, so any online platform that is utilized, they will be able to pull from their database or to track their online listings, and then we'll be able to send um notification out to say, hey, you need to register with the CAP County, so that's Airbnb verbo and your mom and pop, you know, operations that aren't as wide widely known as Airbnb and Verbo, but it will be able to provide us with that real-time data.

Okay, I appreciate that a lot.

Thank you very much.

Uh thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you so much, Commissioner Patrick.

Commissioner Long Spears.

No question.

Commissioner Carey.

Uh thank you, Madam Chair.

So I see the uh the base product pricing.

Um, so it looks like they they do have um, I guess, like a an outreach campaign component that's included in a letter campaign to inform of STR legal operators regarding compliance requirement requirements and procedures.

So they'll be sending letters to the actual registered owners.

Absolutely.

Okay, and then um is it only gonna be letters?

Are we gonna make phone calls?

Uh letters for right now.

So it's two rounds, I believe.

The first letting them know, and then there's a second, and then after that, um, they'll provide us the data as to who has not registered, and then we'll just have to, you know, from a staffing perspective, determine the best way to manage that process.

Okay, gotcha.

And then they're gonna provide a tax payment portal.

Yes.

So right now um we receive taxes from Airbnb and I believe verbo, but for those online um accounts that aren't affiliated with those two um companies, okay.

The applicant or the homeowner or the registered agent will be able to submit their their eight percent tax payments via that portal, and then we will receive the check on a monthly basis.

I believe it's monthly.

Okay.

Do we think that there's a lot of properties that would have to use this?

Uh, for as of right now, so we're going through the um build-out phase, and right now I believe they've they have identified at least eleven hundred and unincorporated to CAP County.

1100 that are not like on the main platforms.

That are on the main platforms.

Okay, and we have like around 2,000 that it may be, but right now it because it's still in the build out phase, they're still you know trying to determine the the true amount and keep in consideration that as we approach you know World Cup, you'll have more come online too.

So more will come online?

I believe so.

I don't know about that, Rachel.

I get that that change in for the homestead exemption.

Um then uh because it's a hundred and twenty thousand dollar contract that's annual price.

Yes, sir.

Okay, and then is the are the fees that we're charging for the licensing, are those going to cover the cost?

Yes, it will.

They will.

Yes.

Okay.

All right, let's monitor that.

Okay.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

You're welcome.

Thank you so much, Commissioner Terry.

And I just have just uh a brief follow-up in terms of um the access to the information, um, particularly um as it relates to some of the um potential offenders and um challenges, those that may not be good stewards of the opportunity um afforded to them uh with the registration and you know essentially the capacity or the ability for the commissioners to be able to ascertain the information um and be able to follow up because inevitably if there is a um a problem, you know, we're gonna hear about it from uh constituents from the neighbors, you know, um the folks in the community that are experiencing some of the challenges, and so uh is there a mechanism in which we can get some type of reporting or someone for us to reach out to to get more details if there is an incident that takes place or if we're getting a number of continued calls related to a property and be able to have um a system or something to follow up to have some other things that may need to happen take place?

Yes, ma'am.

So um we currently have a dedicated short-term rental inbox, and that is being managed by at least three staff members right now.

So if there are complaints and you need immediate attention, someone will reply immediately.

However, we will also come up with a plan to address your immediate needs outside of the short-term rental inbox so that there's no you know lag in response time.

Very encouraging.

Thank you so much.

Well, um, I don't have any other questions.

Do you have anything else to add?

Well, if there are no other questions or comments, I'll entertain a motion.

Motion to approve uh 0384.

Second.

All those in favor, aye.

Thank you so much.

Just um before we get too far, I'm wanting to circle back to page one as it relates to uh the appointment reading agenda item 2026 das 04 or 2.

All commission districts, and um, this is for the appointment of Mr.

Sheldon Fleming to post eight of the uh parks and rec's uh cultural affairs board.

With that, we've all seen uh his interview.

I'm willing to entertain a motion, motion to approve.

Second, all those in favor?

Aye, all right, thank you so much.

All right, going back to page two under uh I should say uh recreation parks and cultural affairs.

There we go.

Agenda item 2026-0433, commission district four, CA cooperative agreement for playground, water play, and aquatic equipment, site amenities and outdoor fitness equipment with related accessories and services, source well contract 101625-plp for the use by the Department of Recreation Parks and Cultural Affairs, consists of purchasing through the competitively let source well contract number 101625-PLP for renovations and upgrades to the amenities park parks playgrounds and recreational areas.

This request is for the replacement shelter at Lithonia Shelter and uh Lithonia Park Shelter and modifications to playground at Cedar Park awarded to Play Power LT Farmington Incorporate for an amount not to exceed 134, 170 and 97 cents.

Great afternoon, Mr.

Bass.

Uh good afternoon.

Uh we recommend approval for this item.

Um, this is a uh cooperative agreement with Playworks to replace the shelter at uh Lithon Yu Park that was um burned down.

Um it also includes uh adding the additional playground elements for Cedar Park renovation.

Thank you so much.

I appreciate it.

Is there any questions from any of the committee?

Commissioner von Spears.

I don't have any questions, but I did want to from me to you formally to say welcome aboard.

We have just spoken very, very briefly a couple of times.

And commissioners, have y'all noticed his email address?

It's C Bash.

I had to I love it.

Anyways, welcome aboard, and I very much look forward to working with you.

Thank you.

You'll back.

Thank you so much, Commissioner Long Spears, Commissioner Patrick.

Uh again, uh no questions.

Uh I didn't realize you were fisherman, but uh it's always great to have uh sportsman's in the in the parks direct department.

So that's right.

Um District One needs more parks, just so we can we can start that out and uh look forward to talking with you more directly on some other items as well.

Thank you for being here.

Absolutely.

Thank you so much, Commissioner Terry.

Oh, yes, uh can't beat that.

No gag gifts isn't like a singing fish on a wall thing.

Oh, yeah.

You might get um I was just curious.

The um I was trying to go through the agenda item, but it's kind of detailed.

What are the um Cedar Park playground changes?

So there's um uh that park is uh currently under renovation, so it's adding some additional playground components to slides and swings to that particular part to go ahead and finish that one for completion.

Okay, gotcha.

Um the packet has a bunch of um a lot of is there just like a picture or like an image or something you can share with us?

Yes, sir.

What it is, yes, sir.

We can send you the uh rendering, or maybe it's just this little slide thing, right?

These little that's it's basically that.

Yes, sir.

Gotcha.

Okay, so just adding that into the design.

Okay, thank you, madam chair.

Thank you so much, Commissioner Terry.

With that, uh, I'll entertain a motion.

Motion to approve.

Uh second.

All those in favor?

Aye.

Thank you so much.

The next is also a park and rec item that's 2025-1759.

Commission districts four and seven.

Park Pride Atlanta incorporated grant for Wade Walker Park.

So for this one, we're recommending an approval as well.

Um, this is to accept the grant funds from Park Pride for the purpose of installing a wayfinding signage at Wade Walker Park.

Um, and that grant total is 47,000.

And just so I'm clear there's no match from the county.

There's no match for this.

Fantastic.

With that, are there any questions from committee members?

Just a comment, Madam Chair.

Yes, Commissioner.

Unfortunately, I was not able to attend the Park Pride event this past weekend.

Uh, but partnerships with organizations like Park Pride is valuable.

Um, obviously, uh 40,000 47,000 is not a small commitment of money to the community.

So I'm grateful we still have that partnership, but I'm great that Park Pride is there as an organization.

Thank you.

I agree.

Thank you so much, Commissioner Patrick.

Commissioner Longspears.

Thank you very much.

So I'm just reading through the item and just want to make sure I'm clear.

So the item states it shall not exceed 150,000, but it's for a three-year term.

Is that how you got to the what do you say 47,000 annually?

Yes, ma'am.

That's how we got to the total from uh Park Pride.

Okay, all right, very good.

Just wanted to be crystal clear.

Thank you.

Yield back.

Thank you so much, Commissioner Longspears.

Commissioner Terry.

All right.

And seeing no other further questions or comments, I'll entertain a motion.

Uh motion to approve 1759.

Second.

All those in favor?

Aye.

Motion carries.

The next agenda item is 2026-0409.

All commission districts approval of a contract between DeCab County government and the DeCab School District.

County School District.

May I make a quick point of clarification?

I apologize, Director Bass.

I was actually reading from this item 0409, not 1759.

Right.

Okay.

So please disregard my previous comments.

Yield back.

Thank you so much.

And all uh commission districts, the approval of a contract between DeCav County government and the DeCav County School District.

Mr.

Bass.

Yes, ma'am.

So we are recommending approval for this item as well.

Um this is for our um annual contract for uh school transportation uh for our summer camp program, the um school system uh traditionally have allowed us to um use 16 of their school buses for our team members to transport our kids over the summer for summer camp programs, field trips, activities, and things of the of that nature.

Um, and one um change this year is this is a three-year agreement versus the annual agreement, so it goes between 28.

Nice.

So that means we don't have to renegotiate next year, and we have it ongoing and making sure that we have that transportation option for it for the students.

Um fantastic, love hearing that.

With that, I will um open the floor up for committee members, Commissioner Patrick.

All right, thank you, madam chair.

Um, so I have for several years been wanting to have some type of a summer camp program at uh Pleasendale Park as a sort of a pilot program within the district.

Uh how can we have a conversation with the Board of Education to see if we could use one of their schools in particular uh for summer camp and then find out what the cost would be associated with that, and they have some programming, maybe some outdoor activities during the morning hours, uh, some lunch, and then you know, some activities in the evening until their parents are able to pick them up for the day.

How can we have those conversations get started?

Yep, this comes at a perfect time.

We um actually have a four-hour work session to talk about summer camp this Friday with our internal team.

Okay, so what we'll do is see what we can come up with, identify a potential location and put some numbers together and then um see what the school system would be open to to doing in the end bring a recommendation for okay.

Uh and the reason I say Pleasantdale is uh that's an area that um to my view hadn't had a lot of uh attention or investment over the previous years.

Um, and uh we've managed to put in like traffic lights, we've got uh pedestrian crossings, we've done some cleanup uh within the community, um, and this right here to me would be another great thing for that community.

There's a phenomenal amount of uh apartment complexes, uh and those kids would be able to safely cross the street to get to the school.

They're already familiar with the school, uh, as well as I should say there's also some uh single family residential neighborhoods nearby that again it'd be very convenient, uh easy walking to get to those schools and a great opportunity uh for those kids to have something better than uh cell phones and and and tablets to play with over the summer.

Absolutely.

Okay, we can do some research and we can make it.

Please, thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you so much, uh, Commissioner Um Longspears.

Do you have anything else?

Commissioner Terry.

All right, and um just to note and I'm gonna respectfully ask that the uh the amount being the agenda item ex time.

Um so uh the contract amount should not exceed shall not exceed 150,000 according to the the details we have in our agenda packet just to make the public uh aware of that, and that's all the questions and comments.

Um I'll entertain a motion.

Motion to approve 0409.

Second, all those in favor?

Okay, thank you so much.

And I let me see.

I think we might have one additional.

That's it.

That's all parks and recs.

Thank you so much, Director Bass, for being here as always.

Yeah.

The next item comes from the office of the CEO.

That's 2026-0458.

All commission districts authorizing nine million sixty-seven thousand five hundred and twenty-five dollars no cents of splash two funding for facilities improvements, including the uh roof and HVAC system repairs replacement for DeCab County physical and mental health facilities, Mr.

Kingsbury and COO.

Thank you, madam chair.

And uh while Mr.

Kingsbury comes up, I believe we have a substitute item that we will be presenting that incorporates uh a few more uh um items as expressed not only from our facility condition assessment, but also from our conversations with both Claritel and the Department of Health.

So, what we'll be looking to do is present um a list of items that are gathering um that we'll just got the paper copies.

Okay, um, so we're gonna be distributing the paper copies, and what it does is essentially goes through each of the facilities and all of the items that we'll be looking to uh to have repaired or replaced.

Here comes the paper copy, Mr.

Kingsbury.

I think yeah, you'll find it pretty self-explanatory as she hands it out.

So this allows us to fix the roofs, the elevators, HVAC, and all the deferred capital items, those eight buildings needed.

If you go to the very back page, I think, which maybe it's just a one page.

Yeah.

I will let David walk through the individual line items.

Okay.

So the first page shows uh let me get on page one.

Uh the first page shows the uh rich starts with the Richardson Health Center, and it goes down through each health facility and it shows what's needed.

Uh like Richardson Health Center has uh replacement of H VAC unit, uh condenser pump sled, modernized two elevators, uh re-roofing, parking lot repairs, and then there's our project assessment report, and if you go down at the bottom down there on page one, it shows that there is uh 1.6 million uh that's going for interior refresh for painting, carpet tiles, minor repairs, restroom refresh, door locks, hardware, ceiling tiles, and that amount is divided up among the buildings.

Um page two shows the breakdown of the roof.

The first the first tab shows the decab crisis center at 451 way.

That one's actually um ClairTale has started a project there, and they need uh this one million dollars in uh funds to to finish that project, and then it shows roofs, HVAC systems, elevator modernization, parking repaving, new security, the uh interior refresh, LED lighting, and uh the total is uh right at 13 and a half million, and that would take care of all the uh the needs of the health facilities the uh pages three through ten or the breakdown for each building.

Thank you, Damon.

I think we also I see BJ back there.

Okay, and and uh and Claire Tell I'm sorry and our friend with Claritel.

I forgot I apologize.

No, no, no.

Um so we've had a number of discussions.

Um we've gone through, we've done the facility conditions.

Is he coming up?

Um Claire Tell the coming.

Yeah, I mean please thank you.

And this this uh what you see is a result of conversations between facilities, SPLOS, Claritel, and uh Department of Health.

Uh these are the needs for the health facilities.

Right, the personality Dr.

Chester.

Dr.

Chester, yeah.

You're not Dr.

Baxter.

So um would you guys like to say anything?

Yes, please, thank you.

I'll just say we want to thank uh CO Zach Williams here.

We're definitely needing these um much needed infrastructure repairs.

Um our staff, our patients, our clients.

Um this is probably one of the biggest complaints we get.

Yes, I would say on a weekly basis, something about the HVAC.

Um right now uh East has water coming in through the floors.

So hopefully it's not sewage.

Um, this is just my kind of daily life that we're living right now, so these are much needed repairs that are just needed.

All right, again, I'm I'm Dr.

Chester on behalf of Claritel.

Um and I can ditto much of what BJ is saying.

We just brought in a new hire orientation class today yesterday, and they had no air.

Um yes, they had no air.

Um we are continuing on with our renovations of the uh DeCab Regional Crisis Center, and as we continue to take down walls, we find new things.

Um of our support beams was actually rusted through.

So not only is that that that's a serious like life safety issue, and we've already repaired that.

Um and we continue to find things such as that like one of the units is completely out at the crisis center, but we still have to continue to serve individuals.

Our kitchen um equipment doesn't work.

We've had to bring in um basically residential freezers at this point to keep the food cool.

So we're not asking for you know things that we don't really need.

These are things that are that are much needed for us to be able to continue to provide services uh for the individuals um here in the DeCav County area.

Thank you so much.

And to that end, just a quick question, because I see, for instance, the modernization of the two elevators.

Um what's the condition in general of the elevators and what modernization efforts are going to be made?

Um the two elevators at uh Richardson, is that the ones you were talking about?

No.

Uh well, yes, yes, sir.

I'm sorry, yes.

Yeah, the elevators uh modernization includes upgrades to renew the equipment and bring it up to standards.

Uh those uh elevators at Richardson and um at uh West Cab Mental Health Center, they're both aged elevators are beyond their approaching their useful life.

So 25 years is about what you get with an elevator.

And how much they're operational right now.

All right, so 25 years and what uh what's the age of them presently?

Uh they're right at 25 years, maybe a little bit more.

All right.

And then in terms of um the Department of Health itself, I understand some of Claritel, but uh in terms of Department of Health, uh where specifically what's the total there?

Because I think you just gave the total in terms of Claritel, but a Department of Health.

You're talking about uh Richardson or uh crisis building.

It's not the crisis center, yeah, uh is uh 1.25 million for the repairs there.

All right, so 1.25 and right at 1.1 million two hundred ninety-five thousand.

I'm sorry.

Okay.

I'll open the floor for um colleagues, Commissioner Long Spears.

Thank you very much, and I agree there is certainly a need for repairs uh with Claritel and uh Department of Health facilities.

So thank you for that focus.

I do have some questions though regarding the SPLOSS to proposed expenditure.

So if I'm understanding you clearly, is that this the original item was at 9.387 million, and then it has increased to roughly 13 and a half million.

You said you'd prepare a substitute for the business meeting, correct?

The next business meeting.

Yes, ma'am.

And I can speak to the then I'm going back to the SPLOS 2 project list that was approved by the voters for the physical and mental health facilities at 15 million dollars.

So this 13 and a half million wouldn't leave one and a half million dollars in that line item, plus or minus.

Approximately, yes.

So initially discussions were around using that 15 million dollar for a crisis center.

Has there been conversations with Claritel who runs our crisis center that the funding has that was going to be allocated for a crisis center?

Over the course of the next what four it'll be four years come March 31st, April 1 we have left?

Is it four years left of split?

Okay, that's what I think.

Four years left of SPLOS.

So has there been conversations that we're losing all of that money?

Well, not losing, but it's being redirected over for HVAC and other repairs.

And Dr.

Chester is with Claritel and Fabio has been at the meetings, as has Dr.

Chester, as have Dr.

Paxton and uh BJ.

Um yes, so everyone is crystal clear that in the SPLOSS there is only this allocation.

But uh we have all come to the conclusion that these needs um are pressing uh and need to be addressed, and the likelihood, quite frankly, of building a facility, I just don't think that that's something that has the requisite support, has the necessary funding, and time is not going to assist us with these issues.

So, you know, our professional opinion is let's address these issues with this funding.

Okay.

Um thank you very much.

I will certainly circle up with Claire Tell and may have additional questions either prior to the next business meeting or at the meeting itself.

Yes, ma'am.

Just confirming everybody's on the same page with that.

All righty, thank you so much.

Yield back.

Thank you so much, Commissioner Longspears.

Commissioner Patrick.

Yeah, thank you, uh Madam Chair.

This is a a large request to begin with at nine million, and then it's gone up to 13 million.

Yes.

Um the gone up to, I think, is really so when we did the initial facility condition assessment, um all of the, I believe all of these items were uh listed.

We initially came forward with these are the roofing items and the HVAC items, and there were certain items, quite frankly, that the Department of Health and Claritel um had expressed interest in that we hadn't included.

After meeting with them and talking more, um, quite frankly, I felt it would be pointless to not address all of the issues that are known because there is no fluff in here.

So let's go on and you know be aggressive, quite frankly, and bring all of our facilities up to a standard that we can be proud of.

And so that's that's how it went from 9.5 to 13.5.

Um and so my my question was going to be because this is over the three million dollar threshold, at least for PWI.

Um is there a time crunch on this?

And could we have Mr.

Campbell just do his usual double check on things?

We we absolutely couldn't.

I I don't know that if it's we we've done that already.

I I thought we had has he since he's good.

Supporting the original amount.

Okay.

It's in progress.

Right.

So he supported the original amount.

We have not heard back on the additional.

Um I guess a question for the committee is is would you be comfortable if we approve this on the assumption that we get Mr.

Lavois Campbell's report back in time for the 14th is our next VOC meeting?

Is that correct?

Yes, and I can't imagine that he would not, but yes, if you and then if it comes back unsupported, defer it another substitute of some sort would come along.

So that way it's still moving.

I don't want us to uh have uh structural issues as uh as the doctor meant should as well as uh you know um my mental health needs air conditioning in the subject.

Yeah, and that's what I was going to address.

It it might help other folks if that that stuff is there.

Right.

If you do keep it moving, because I I can just see now I don't have a crystal ball, but HVAC, you know, although it's only March, but the sooner we get that moving the better.

Yeah, agree.

And so I'm more comfortable with, you know, since the original amount came back um out of audit than approving that um amount and then coming back um with the additional amount and having those specifically and it'd be great to be able to have Fabio um back here as well along with so I'm comfortable with the original amount.

It came back substantiated and um from audit and it's gonna address the major issues, including the roofing and the HVAC, which is definitely you know it's already hot out there.

So I I'm comfortable with that and have you guys come back on rest.

Yes.

Thank you, madam chair.

So if the board would approve what is before them, or the committee would recommend what's before them, understanding that we've already requested uh Mr.

Campbell to look at the substitute, and if he approves it between or supports it between now and the board meeting, we would be in a position to present the substitute at that time.

Does that work?

And what happens if it's not substantiated?

Well then we go with the nine million.

Right.

And so that's why I'm saying we just I'm agreeing with what you're saying, but recognizing that there's a substitute out there committee.

And if there's ever any questions, then it would get kicked back to committee.

That's fine.

But they need to be.

If there's a if we're comfortable, I think that'd be a way to go forward.

I'm okay with that too, because our next business meeting is not till April 14th.

So you guys knew that we were going to uh ask about a an audit as it relates to the difference.

And so needing to substantiate the total amount, especially with that um that uptick versus um what has been presented.

With that, I'll entertain a motion.

All right.

Uh motion to approve opening.

I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Commissioner Terry.

My apologies.

Thank you.

Just real quick.

Thank you for the opportunity, Ms.

Madam Chair.

The um so I wanted to acknowledge in the uh the budget there are several LED lighting retrofits.

Um so I think it would be good.

I assume that's a similar contractor we did uh for the Maluke building where we sort of looked at the energy savings.

Um so if we could, if you don't mind, just pull out the potential cost safety.

With with the um LED lighting improvement, series series series I hear voices is not sure about that one.

Um definitely support the uh the parking lot repairs because I know at several of the facilities that were like really massive yes, not potholes, but like credit little ponds.

Absolutely.

Um the generators, it looks like there's just one generator at the crisis center.

Is there are there any other generators that I'm missing?

Yes, most of the facilities do have generators, especially the board of health for their pharmacies.

You know, they do have backup generators.

Okay, and we did have we've had this conversation with the data centers about sort of the class, I think they're class four generators that are sort of the kind of the ones you have to test the least amount.

They have sort of better emission standards.

So are we uh what type of generator are we um projecting for the crisis center um uh line item 2.3 point three and you can get that information later.

I'm just yeah, we'll we can provide that later.

I'll we'll have to look into it this time.

Okay, and if it's if it's like a lot more, just help us understand sort of the difference if a class four costs more.

Um it seemed like the air quality measurements uh or metrics were better.

Um and we're since we're dealing with generators near public health facilities, you know, it might make sense to try to pick the most um sort of cleanest air version.

Um and then um this may be a little bit crazy for me to say, but I see there's three EV chargers for the crisis center for 33,000.

That seems kind of low though.

I thought you had to like run conduit and it became I thought that was a lot more expensive if you have to, but it obviously is the lines already there and just installing a charger.

It could be that uh facility is actually a raised facility, it's got a parking deck underneath.

Yeah, so it could be that it's it's already there, yeah.

So it would be there, close to the deck basically okay.

Okay, all right.

I was just curious.

All right, thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you so much, Commissioner Terry.

I mean, can Patrick Thank you.

Uh just a follow-up question.

Um so uh we come back April 14.

What's the turnaround time to be in the construction, and then what's the time frame for the actual project itself?

We will I will say it like this.

We're going to move as quickly as possible.

Okay.

Um and the beauty is these are varied projects with a number of on-call contractors.

So literally those if contractors haven't already started walking the space, they can do that between now and the 14th.

Okay.

All right.

That DC working.

Um get the AC working.

And get the yeah, right, because summers coming early.

Right.

Gotcha.

Okay.

Yep.

Thank you.

All right.

Thank you.

Uh so I'll make a motion to conditionally approve uh the $13 million dollars uh on the assumption that we have uh the report from uh Mr.

Campbell's uh department in time for our uh April 14 BOC meeting.

Second, and it's substantiated the amounts of substantiated oh so the one question I would have on the generators is because I I'm sorry, can you come back uh really briefly?

There's one additional question in terms of generated from Commissioner Patrick.

Yeah, uh just a question on the generator.

So uh as Commissioner Terry referenced, we've been hearing that level four generators are the way to go.

Uh but I've also heard that there's a backlog on those.

So can you give us you know I know you guys are have a time frame to execute, but but let us know what the way best we can get within the construction time frame if that's possible.

Oh sorry.

Uh we'll have I'll have to research that and see what uh the time frame is.

I I'm gonna have to look and see what the specs are on this particular generator they've got spec'd out.

So we'll let you know that.

Thank you much.

Appreciate it.

All right.

Yep.

And thank you so much, Commissioner Patrick.

With that.

Thank you.

I think we're all set now.

Um we have a conditional approvement.

We uh approval.

We had a second.

All those in favor?

I thank you.

And the uh next agenda item is from board commissioner district one.

Well, you know what?

Um we'll circle back to page one uh before we get into our commissioner um led initiatives here.

And we have a uh county operational assessment from MJ.

Specific to the PECS committee and those PECS departments.

So I just want to uh make that reference because I know we've seen um a few thus far, but this is specific to the department under the PECS purview.

Great afternoon and welcome back.

Thank you, madam chair.

Good afternoon, everyone.

Thank you uh for having me back.

I will be efficient with time to your point.

Uh, and I'll skip to the um countywide dashboard insights and then move directly into the insights for the PECS department, uh PECS aligned departments, and in this case, the departments that were included in the uh operational assessment uh that will be up for discussion, or uh will that I'll be providing a status uh update on our code enforcement and planning and sustainability.

All right, well, this feels okay.

Just the countywide view before we dive into the uh PEC specific department.

So uh as it stands in that report, there are over there were over 266 operational improvement recommendations across the uh 19 departments that were assessed.

59 have been met, 11 recommendations remain blocked, and over 123 uh recommendations require some sort of additional support in order to progress them.

Okay.

As it pertains to the PECS committee, um, code enforcement and planning and sustainability again, uh total of 41 recommendations here.

Uh nine have been reported as being met so far.

We have zero recommendations uh being reported as blocked, and nine recommendations ironically, also uh being reported as requiring some sort of additional support in order to progress forward.

Okay.

So as it pertains to these two departments across the board, um uh the three uh most emergent issue areas where governance issues, uh, or structure challenges and training deficiencies.

Um in the appendix of your printed report in the back, there are now definitions to describe what we mean or what Maltin and Jenkins meant um when they develop these categories.

All right, this projected implementation timeline uh for the PECS committee looks very similar to many of the timelines that we've seen in the other committees, and uh what we've discussed so far is uh our desire to support departments with finding ways to accelerate the uh implementation of some of these recommendations that you are are seeing on the screen uh being reported as as deferred or anticipated to be complete, um, mostly in 2027 and beyond.

Um of the ways we intend to enhance this report um the next time we come and see you all next quarter uh is to identify um uh the quarters in the year so we know uh when departments are reporting that they anticipate they will complete a recommendation in 2027.

Are we talking about the first half of the year, for example, or is it closer to 2028?

We'll give space for departments to align their uh projected timelines to a quarter uh any time from this summer through 2028.

Okay.

So the support needed by type.

This is uh always sort of an interesting breakdown to understand um how we could potentially support departments uh in this committee with um uh more rapidly rather improv uh implementing these recommendations.

Uh we know this cross-departmental support in addition to additional funding um and staffing together represent a majority of the identified resource needs.

Uh I've mentioned this before um on the operational side.

Uh we're working on making recommendations and even implementing new management practices to better uh enhance cross-departmental collaboration across the board this year.

So that's something we're working on.

Um, and then we've uh at length had the discussion around items that were reported by departments as requiring additional funding.

Um, both the Office of Management and Budget and the CEO's off COO's office are in conjunction with ourselves.

Uh we are working with departments to sort of evaluate and assess those needs further, and we'll be able to provide additional details in the next report.

All right, uh summary of insights.

So some interesting points specific to code enforcement and planning and sustainability.

Uh most of the recommendations that require that were reported, self-reported as requiring funding, are also self-reported as requiring uh training or staffing support.

And so that's an area that that's something unique that we hadn't seen come up in some of the other uh committee reports.

And so we'll do our due diligence due diligence to try to get a better understanding of what uh specific training needs are required.

For example, if these are central training needs coming out of human resources or something more specific to the function of the department.

So uh we'll try to get a better understanding there.

And of course, you know, staffing support is is evident as well.

Um we know some departments put in requests for new roles, et cetera, and um the most recent budget, but in the um next conversation where we we we do our best to understand these needs further, we'll we'll try to dissect the additional type of support required.

Um number two is most of the staffing needs identified were reported by the planning and sustainability uh department.

I know that they've got a variety of different um initiatives that are underway and they've been making a lot of progress.

So that's just a note that you know um of the 10 recommendations that require staffing, eight belong to planning um and sustainability um and two uh belong to code enforcement, respectively.

Um number three, um, up to ten recommendations that are currently reported are currently reported as expected to generate at least some cost savings.

Uh which is great, uh, with most of them coming from planning and sustainability.

Um we'll be you know monitoring this closely.

These are this is exciting.

We are asking departments to self-report operational efficiencies that are yielding cost savings.

Um we have not yet gathered information about the quantity or projected quantity, uh, but that is uh information that we intend to collect uh in the future.

Just so I'm clear, so uh we don't know the specific amount of what the cost savings would be.

Okay, all right.

Yeah, and we did not ask the departments that just to be clear, and we intend to um in the next cycle.

So uh as time goes on, we should be able to bring uh specific numbers, which is gonna be exciting.

Absolutely.

And then number four uh says resource needs for recommendations targeted for 2027 vary, um, including waiting for, and this is an interesting one, so waiting for some larger anchor initiatives to be completed, such as the pay and class study and the Opal implementation.

Uh that's some of the additional information that was self-reported by departments as why um some recommendations are held up.

Perhaps you might see them in progress uh because they have dependencies, is what that says.

Um that I'll I'll conclude there and open it up for questions if there are any uh questions about the insights for this committee.

All right.

Commissioner Patrick.

Um thank you, madam chair.

Uh good to see you again.

You as well.

Uh from last week to this week.

Uh, first, I just want to start by saying that uh uh district one held a town hall uh and it was uh primarily focused around sustainability as well as code enforcement and a little bit of the courts and the legal process.

Um director Tanza Clark was good enough to attend the Saturday uh or that Saturday uh event.

Um the residents love code enforcement.

Uh the idea that uh this is a friendly group of people that can come through and and help um get a neighborhood back to the nice condition it was in the past.

I think that's something that everybody really gets behind.

So um to the extent that uh if there is a request for funding support for training for some of their equipment, I haven't had a chance to read through everything that you had detailed out here, but reading the overall report that uh you put out, I guess, last year.

Um, again, code enforcement is a phenomenally important department.

Um they are the friendly folks that can help clean up the neighborhood.

Uh and and in my experience, you know, they can do a lot of things um on the friendlier side than what the police department is able to do.

And I love the police department still.

But uh code enforcement is really truly that much of an important resource.

So um thank you for this.

Um I think that you know, as you said, training is a large component of these uh improvements, and if we can get that done, I think there was some talk about equipment as well, radios, making sure everybody can communicate with one another.

Uh then I think if I remember there was a conversation about making sure that code enforcement is engaging with other sister departments to sort of uh achieve their mission as well.

Um those are a lot to do in a short time frame that you guys have laid out as a big task, but uh whatever you need to be able to support to get to that mission successful, yeah.

Please know I'm gonna help you out.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you so much for the Commissioner Patrick, Commissioner Longspears.

No questions, thank you.

Commissioner Terry.

Yes, I haven't had a chance to go through all of the um updates.

Um I wanted to just saw a couple I wanted to flag here.

Um COD R23.

This is under code enforcement, although I think we call it code compliance actually.

Um but then the the context is about radio checks and compute computer aid dispatch.

It might be a miss a misprint, maybe.

It seems like it's talking about a different um a different uh category.

So maybe it just got the spreadsheet got messed up.

Um it looks like COD R24 might be related to a finance department thing.

Um because the context is talking about um like what code compliance like where's out in the field.

So um maybe just a quick check to see of all the make sure all the fields are aligning.

Um and you know there's a lot of them, so I'll if we can get the up just get the updated or if you could just like send like the spreadsheet for like all of them and then I'll just work through them because we don't have time to go through all of the things here, but um but yeah, I'd love to now that we've I think this is it's the last committee you've presented that I'd love to um this month kind of have the one spread until next quarter, um the the one spreadsheet with the tabs maybe for all of the recommend the detailed recommendations in the appendix is what you're referencing.

Okay.

And like one document that's possible, and then um that'll give us time maybe to kind of just go through it in one place.

Sure.

And just wanted to confirm uh Commissioner Terry, the two recommendations you said to check and ensure they were assigned correctly.

Yes.

C O D R23 and C O D R24.

I believe that's right.

I um see uh lost a page on already, sorry.

I've I documented that, so we'll check and review the recording.

Okay, thank you.

Commissioner Patrick, one more follow-up uh question.

So from all of the different committee reports that or committees that you've been to, is there a way that you could sort of um compile all of the different uh things that are in these Excel spreadsheets into one document where we can send it out to our residents more conveniently as opposed to these large large tons chunks and then um I think that would be helpful.

That's a an uh summarized version, um a public facing summarized version.

Right.

Um, this is actually something that we were talking about following last week, and we just wanted to wait until we got through um all of the committees and so work with COO to try to consolidate this and then um hopefully have a follow-up to disseminate that.

But I think that's a great idea.

And I know that that request came through, we want to be able to provide that across the board, so for sure.

And and I I like how you guys have laid it out.

It's it's very uh bullet point oriented, so a specific charge, and then the talk about how to get it implemented.

I think that's very, very uh very helpful.

So thank you.

All right, thank you so much, Commissioner Patrick.

Um has everyone had an opportunity to all right.

Any other questions or comments?

All right, so just briefly, um, yes, I think it would be exceptionally helpful, looking forward to being get that um tabulated um document.

I'm just always curious as to the recommendations that were rejected.

Okay.

Um and there had been some conversations in um prior committees as to you know um what led to that.

We talked about some of the financial implications, and even though I participated virtually, shared that um we essentially funded what we were asked to fund and where there's an opportunity to uh maybe put a little bit of our money where our mouth is, um, where we really want to see it done, uh maybe use the resources that we have um directly from our budgets to try to implement where at all possible.

Um but with that, there is a um a list in terms of the expertise in applying a specialized tool.

And one of the things that was realized is that there's not that um benefit of the um technology and a continual system to be able to be utilized in terms of um you know tracking and um you know the officers utilization and being able to um record and access that information, particularly when they may go to court.

And one of the things that was realized is that there's not that um benefit of the um of technology and a continual system to be able to be utilized in terms of um you know tracking and um you know the officers utilization and being able to um record and access that information, particularly when they may go to court, and so that could lend it to having um an ineffective or even um documents documentation that isn't you know completely there that they may need that's a missing.

So in terms of you know the recommended um rejected items, is there do you go into details in terms of the cost associated or the uh plan or a policy in terms of implementing um these particular recommendations again to the extent that a commissioner um is willing to take the initiative and/or you know the cost to get these things going?

Is there a way for you to provide you know that if you if it's not a part of well is not a part of what we have presently, but is that something you assess or what would be necessary to go into that detail?

Sure, yeah.

So currently in the process, we are uh asking for uh departments to self-report, obviously to this stage.

We've asked them to self-report what they accept, the status of that, uh, and whether or not they reject it.

In the instances where they're asked if they reject your recommendation, we ask them to justify the rejection.

And I believe that should be also included in the appendix if there are recommendations that were rejected associated with this report.

Um, but that is the process.

So we asked them to provide justification.

The next step in the process is actually for us to um take an inventory of all those rejections and in a few weeks we actually submit those to the COO for his own review discussion directly with the departments.

And what we could do is in our next uh BOC report next quarter, we can come back with the COO's recommendations on his review on what was rejected and then open the discussion up item by item from there if you'd like.

Yeah.

And actually, I would like a copy of the rationale for the um rejections.

That's not a part of our appendix, and you know, to the extent that's shared with um the COO, again, in the spirit of trying to remedy things as much as possible, particularly when we're talking about um you know, code enforcement and planning sustainability, and that being one of the um higher areas of um of challenges and opportunities, I will say, when it comes to constituents and where we're hearing it in so many different ways.

I would like to have immediate access to um the rationale behind rejections and how we can um you know particularly resolve that I can be of aid to doing that.

No problem.

No problem there, right, COOMER right, yeah.

Because I mean, we're paying for this, uh we we're paying for the study, we're paying for the implementation, right?

As Board of Commissioners, um, we're we're funding it.

And so where there's recommendations that are being rejected that were made, then we should arguably have access to what rejection what uh recommendations were not implemented and to understand why not.

So um it's it's data we're tracking, so we'll gladly pull it.

Right.

Please, thank you.

Yeah, and and and I'm I'm just thinking in terms of the final disposition because there may be some that are currently showing as rejected that may ultimately not be rejected.

Sure, and we'll be able to track those as well.

So, but to be able to have it, you know, um we'll we'll of course be able to track where something had been implemented and ask you as a follow-up if we need to, or you be uh able to provide us an update or when M and J comes back and you know provides us with another update, we'll be able to have that too.

So all right.

Well, are there any other questions or comments?

Seeing none, I appreciate you again for coming um and being here with here today.

Absolutely take care of thank you.

Thank you so much.

The next uh agenda item that we are going to address is um for those following along, page three, and we are at the um board of commissioners, and we're gonna go to district two, and that's agenda item 2026-0385, all commission districts, a resolution of the governing authority of DeCab County, Georgia urging adoption of the unhoused support and services plan, establishing implementation and expectations and accountability and for other lawful purposes.

Commissioner Long Spears, um your sponsor of this item.

Go right ahead.

Thank you very much.

And I appreciate Madam Chair, you taking this item out of order, because I do have to leave shortly.

But just a little background and context on this item.

We had a behavioral health uh design team, basically a um planning committee that ran for several months and came out with some behavioral health recommendations.

That stakeholder group agreed to also continue their work focused on unhoused plan recommendations.

And so there was over two dozen stakeholders involved with that process, and it was led by a lady named Carol Dotson.

So the resolution that was initially submitted was the um list of recommendations and their ideas around a plan from the stakeholder group.

Today I distributed to all of you guys up here a substitute which does incorporate suggestions from Dr.

Ferguson and Dr.

Ferguson and Dr.

Director Ferguson and Director Mitchell.

So thank you so much for um taking the time to both of you gentlemen to go through this.

And so Dr.

Ferguson, if you wouldn't mind coming to the podium and talking a little bit about the changes that you made, but while you're making your way up here, is that there are eight um work group core recommendations that um have been featured in all of the um um uh items so far.

So the original, I think we had one sub and then a second sub.

I think it's where we might be in the legislative process.

Um but he did have some great recommendations, and I thought it would be best if you to speak to to what you um asked that we amend and remove, and I'm in full support, Dr.

Ferguson, of everything that um you suggested to us.

And I'm sorry.

Thank you so much.

And I'm gonna actually ask if uh Director Mitchell will come as well, because I know that he did have some input and we might have some questions uh for him as well.

So I'm gonna ask him to come um also.

Sure.

Absolutely.

Thank you.

Well, uh, you know, thank you, uh chair uh of PECS committee uh as well as commissioners here for having an opportunity to speak on this.

So, you know, uh Commissioner Spears, as you mentioned, um, you know, the stakeholder group came and they presented you know their plan, you know, January 6th, 2026.

Yes, sir.

Yeah, at that particular point in time, I said, you know, it's great.

We really hadn't had a chance to digest it, uh, but that we would review it and we would try to incorporate it, you know, in the things we do in the path going forward in terms of opening up housing opportunities really for all the CAP residents, and that includes you know, the homeless and the underhoused uh, you know, here in DeCab County.

So, you know, with that having been said, for this particular resolution, that's the ultimate goal.

We want to take um you know what they presented in their plans, you know, the eight recommendations you know that they've listed.

Um I want to convene together a stakeholder working group that'll include not only you know members of the stakeholder group that prepared this plan, but also members of our community development department as well as representatives from our CLC, so that we can all come to a collaborative effort around these recommendations, the prioritization of these recommendations in terms of what moves first, uh, but then also making sure that whatever ends up being a part of the comprehensive housing plan, which we're recommending that this becomes incorporated into that plan, you know, is actually operational, fiscally responsible and legally permissible.

Uh so I anticipate there are going to be a number of different pathways for us to kind of get you know to the end goal in regards to all of this, the recommendations that they put forward, you know, just on their surface.

You know, you can't say, well, you know, this seems like a bad idea.

They all seem like great ideas, but we just need to make sure that they're integrated within the comprehensive housing plan and that we can actually implement the recommendations in a reasonable time, you know, that they presented.

So that's essentially the gist of the changes that I've made here.

It allows for us to form and convene that working group, you know, that I mentioned.

It allows us an opportunity to really figure out what are the best pathways forward and it makes sure that whatever gets lifted up out of this plan gets incorporated into the comprehensive housing plan.

That's really gonna serve as our guidepost, not North Star for all housing opportunities for out the CAD going forward for the next several years.

Thank you so much.

And I believe that um several, and I guess maybe Director Mitchell could confirm this.

Several members of the stakeholder group are members of the continuum of care.

So I'm delighted to hear that you're gonna continue this conversation, but with a broader group, and just to confirm and make sure everybody understands the ultimate goal is to finalize this plan and then feed it up into the broader comp plan.

Absolutely.

And be um woven into that so that we make sure we have everything under one umbrella, if you will, and we don't have our unhoused plan dangling over here and another plan dangling over there.

Yeah, exactly.

Okay, fantastic.

Exactly.

We want to proceed again with one comprehensive housing plan, really touching all areas you know for the Cab County.

And so the notion is to vote avoid really kind of different standalone.

Understood making sure that we're having a coordinated effort around all of our activities.

Director Mitchell.

I I'm excited because uh we got a chance to participate uh in uh that's the most exciting thing about it.

My team is here, and you're right.

People on the committee were a part of the COC.

But uh, we think that a lot of the uh subject matter experts were not listened to attentively, so I think we'll bring that to bear.

We all get excited about being able to come together, and I think the end product will be great.

So I'm in agreement with what Alan said, and I'm in agreement with uh the recommendations so forth.

Thank you.

Well, thank you, gentlemen, for supporting the recommendations.

I truly appreciate it, and again, accept all of your amended um changes to the substitute as well as the sections that you removed.

Uh great wisdom behind it.

Thank you.

Yield back, ma'am.

Yes, and thank you so much.

Um Commissioner Long Spears.

Commissioner Patrick.

Uh yeah, thank you, Madam Chair.

Um, just for clear, you guys are good moving forward.

Excuse me.

You're good moving forward with us.

Okay.

Commissioner Terry.

Oh, my sponsor.

Oh, I apologize.

Um, earlier today, Commissioner Terry asked to be a co-sponsor, Madam Chair.

So if we could add that to the to the item, that'd be great.

Thank you.

So do you would you have anything to say, Commissioner Terry?

And I'm good with the substitute, yes.

Thank you.

Fantastic.

Um, just uh appreciate you guys' wisdom, your effort, your input, and you guys are the experts, so I'm always gonna look to you for us to uh make sure we're doing things that are impactful, and so I'm appreciative that we were able to get through it and go through it and and get to yes in a productive way.

Um with that, I will entertain a motion.

Motion to approve.

I'll second with just one quick follow-up comment.

Yes, sir.

All right.

This is an idea I've had for a while, and it it it doesn't fit into the broad goals that you have right here.

But um, what I've noticed with a lot of the homelesses is is uh some of them will have access to a cell phone and some many do not.

If there was a way that we could have old county cell phones that are not going to be used for anything else, we're not giving them a data service plan, but they would have access to Wi-Fi where they could then contact family members.

Um that would be a suggestion if if when you guys are working through ideas, if I could throw that out there.

We're gonna make you a co-sponsor too.

It sounds like uh an amendment to me, a substitute.

Uh but no, I think that's a great idea, actually.

I I really do, and it allows for a communication um of the unhoused with family and others, and you know the knee because sometimes they even need to uh get 911, right?

When they have an emergency, so I think that's a great idea.

Yep, yep.

All right, all right.

Well, there you go.

Um, with that, we got a first and a second.

All those in favor?

Aye.

Aye.

Thank you so much.

Thank you, gentlemen, for all of your heart.

Thank you all and patience.

Thank you.

Thank you, committee.

Thank you.

The next we have a status update uh from community academy 101.

And I thank you so much all for your patience and trying to get through this agenda.

I appreciate you so much.

And then you are over there.

Hello, hello.

Um, hi, commissioners.

Nice to see you all again.

Um, my name is Eva Chavot.

I am a planner with Planning Sustainability of the Long Range Division, and I'm here with my name is Lasanya Marshall.

I'm the lead for the DeCab Community Academy.

And what we're here today to automatically give you an update on what we're doing as far as the video, we will show what the CAB Community Academy is all about.

Fantastic.

Let's go.

Imagine having the power to shape the future of your neighborhood.

In DeCab County, you do.

The community academy 101 gives residents the tools, knowledge, and confidence to step up and make a difference right where they live.

The community 101 Academy is important because DeCab is entering a period of unprecedented growth.

It's important that residents understand the various types of land uses and how they affect our communities.

At its core, this program is about building bridges between government and community.

Between vision and implementation.

And now the Academy is expanding its reach, offering tailored training for residents in unincorporated DeCab County.

It's about making sure that you have the information necessary so that you can understand how what we do, particularly in planning and sustainability, impacts you and your neighborhood.

The Academy gives dedicated community members inside knowledge about services offered through the DeCab County Department of Planning and Sustainability.

This Academy helps us to inform DeCav residents on our comprehensive planning efforts and the various types of density.

Our long-range plan is key to manifesting the future development we desire.

Every resident is a stakeholder.

So let's build our communities together.

This program is an opportunity for you, for our citizens, our residents to engage with DeCab County on everything from roads to housing to zoning matters.

This is a program, a tool where we can hear from you.

From zoning and building permits to supporting neighborhood groups, DeCav's planning and sustainability department ensures development is smart, sustainable, and forward thinking.

This is an opportunity for us to educate, engage, and empower you as citizens to do the things you know that you deserve to live a better quality of life.

Through the Community Academy 101, you'll discover practical ways to strengthen your neighborhood using the tools you already have.

This is almost like a Civics 101 from back in high school, but better.

This tells you what's happening real time within the county.

Bring the community together so that they can have a greater understanding about what planning and sustainability actually does.

This is really about the future of DeCab coming together to make sure that we see what we want to see happen not only now but also for the next generation.

DeCab County's Community Academy 101 program is looking for you to make this a thriving community, a great economy, and a place that you can call home.

Ready to get involved, find out when and where Community Academy 101 is happening and how you can join in.

Call 404-371-2155 or email plan at DeCab County GA.gov.

Community Academy 101, a bridge for community empowerment, education, and action.

Hey, I think that is Emmy Worthy.

How about you?

Oscar's Emmys, all of that.

I don't know if y'all remember actually probably doing that, but it has been a while since we have filmed it.

But um, we just want to give you all an update on what we're actually doing with DeCab Community Academy and how it's grown.

Our goals are still the same.

We're still elaborating on the work being done to educate and empower DeCab County residents.

We're still engaging with community members through interactive and collaborative activities, and we're still producing strategies and recommendations for implementation based on priorities.

So this tailoring, um, this trained uh tailoring program or this training that has been tailored to residents to teach them about DeCab County planning sustainability has not changed either.

We're still working on ensuring that we are driving individuals to empower themselves and the community around them through long and short-term goals.

Um, and Lasana, do you want to talk about the purpose a little bit?

Yes.

The purpose that we um with the academy is to educate our residents and most of all get them engaged in different activities that we have in um activities during that time.

And most of all, empowering them.

And by empowering them is making their community a better community.

So our program objectives have not changed either.

We're still working on economic development, planning process education, pedestrian improvements, and cultivating community engagement.

And we do this through choosing community districts, which are based on the high school boundaries.

We also host four meetings, so that's two steering committee meetings and two public meetings, and those are interchangeable throughout the course of six months.

And then finally, once we've actually concluded the community academy, we select an ambassador for each community district that we go through, and then we follow up with them throughout the year through trainings, and then they can choose to implement the recommendations that they've already come up with through an action plan, etc.

Um, but we'll get into that a little bit later as well.

Just to give you an update, we have completed Magnair community, Redan community, as well as Columbus, Columbia.

And we're currently now in Towers, and with BNN Towers, we have completed the steering committee in the Towers community.

Cool.

And we have 14 more communities to go, so we're working on it.

So just a quick overview of all of our program successes.

Um in quarter two of 2025, we started selecting ambassadors for completed community districts.

So we started this process last year, uh and then we presented to PECS.

I don't know if you guys remember seeing us, but quarter three presented to PECS and were able to start our engagement in the Redan area and then completed that in late 2025, um, early 2026.

And that is also when we released our official ambassador handbook and community 101 guide book, which is sitting in front of you in that packet, um, or it should be.

Uh, and then we're also now preparing for towers going into 2026-2027 and building on new programming strategies.

Giving you a gist of what the community 101 booklet is that you have in front of you.

So, what we are doing is the expect expecting program timeline.

You'll see that as well.

I'm sorry.

Um, you'll also how to make the priorities matrix.

Um, also you will see the activation steps of the method methodology and cases that we have done within REDN as well as the Columbia.

We have the ambassador program, which we have already started.

It was the orientation that we had, and the ambassador booklet.

This is the um experience in which the goals in which the ambassador has to do.

And you will see ambassador expectations steps on how building action plan as well as a quarterly timeline meeting with them as well.

So we want to first and foremost thank you guys so much for all the work and effort that you guys have put into community academy behind the scenes as well, um, just promoting it in general.

We have seen a lot of growth from this.

Um, so in Columbia, our final public meeting had 24 participants, but then when we went to Redan recently, we had 55.

So that's a pretty big jump, especially for public engagement on this level.

Um, so we really appreciate it.

Um, our visitor uh summary for DeCab Community Academy and Ambassador Webpage has grown exponentially as well, and we're seeing those numbers slowly tick up.

Um, so more people are becoming aware of this, and we cannot thank you guys enough again and again again for promoting this on your engagement newsletters, etc.

So thank you guys so much.

Um, some just to go over the data gathering and methodology, this is kind of what we do with the community members.

We do in-person activities, so this can range from mapping, workbooks, table activities, um, forums that are supported by SWAT data.

This is the strength weaknesses, opportunities and threats data, um, and then the community input.

We also do online engagement, so we operate primarily through engaged to cab, which is the planning sustainability website that we have through online surveys as well as our RGIS story maps.

Um we do this for each individual community district.

The one-on-one guidebook um and marketing channels, uh, well, I'll go over marketing channels first, but marketing channels, we use newsletters, DC TV, um, and online news outlets, and so much more.

We're still trying to expand those marketing channels, and then officially our one-on-one guide book, which is going to be the cohesive direction that we take with community 101, and that is going to allow us to build on strategies that can be replicated and followed not just into CAP County but throughout the region.

So, to talk about the new programming, we're adding three new things in addition to our community workbook and SWOT analysis.

We're adding a pedestrian infrastructure analysis, playground programming, and complete street test.

Um, and so these will actually help enhance the community priorities, those being built on community feedback.

So, going into the new programming, I'll just briefly go over these, but the pedestrian infrastructure analysis will offer more input on the visible conditions of a community and what intersection strategies can be offered.

The playground programming will focus on four key community groups that being children and youth, uh, transit-dependent individuals, small businesses, and elderly residents.

And then the complete street test will design a score, will is designed to score a major and minor arterials within a community so we can actually determine whether or not it can become a complete street.

So Lisana, do you want to give us a quick recap of priorities?

Yes, I can.

So the priorities with Columbia is we that we found out as their priorities with the economic development, the pedestrian infrastructures, the communication and education, and most of all building a network.

Yeah, right.

With Redan priorities, we found that they came up with urban health, com um commercial growth, workforce development, and safe streets.

And as for towers, since we have already just begun in towers, and from the SNER committee was revitalization, community activation, transit orientation development, and multi-model infrastructure.

And I just want to quickly introduce her 2026 community ambassadors.

Um these are all posted on Engage the Cab, a little bit more information about them.

Um but we have Shelley Basin from McNair.

Uh she is a project manager and has been in the community for a very long time, and she has a lot of experience in civic engagement as well.

Uh Janea Dix for Columbia, who's a strategist and real estate specialist, and then Mara Wright with Redan, an architectural designer with 21 years of experience, who has also been in this community for a very long time.

But we've selected these three individuals to be essentially our pilot for um our well, our pilot cohort for the 2026 community ambassadors uh for these three communities.

So we're extremely grateful to them and we're looking forward to what they do.

So thank you guys.

Thank you.

You're making us all you guys are making us all excited.

We all have smiles, it's been a long day, but we are up here smiling, so that that means you guys are doing phenomenal.

It's hard to get us all smiling up here.

I want to also invite Mr.

Washington to come to the podium if you wouldn't mind, sir.

Because I know that he has been extremely instrumental in all of this taking place, and um, you know, has been no short of amazing um with the work that you all are doing.

And I know that it takes um you know a team and it takes a village to get done.

So I think that you should be here um as well and appreciate you coming to the podium.

Thank you, madam chair.

Yes, go ahead.

So if you'd like to speak to they are doing an amazing job.

There's not nothing else I need to add to it.

Um I commend them on the work that they're doing, they're working very hard, and they will be in every district in the county.

So we're excited about that, and we're excited about the feedback that we will be getting back from the community.

Yeah, and the recommendations that we'll get back to be able to implement and make them more tangible.

And then not only that is teaching how to shoulder responsibility.

Uh it just doesn't lie on the county, uh, but it's a um shoulder responsibility that um they take ownership as well.

Yeah.

So we're excited about educating uh our community, and then they can come before the board more educated and informed and uh be able to petition uh the government for what they want.

So I'll turn it back over to it.

I I I completely appreciate that and agree.

And I'm gonna need I'll I'll just say um we're probably all gonna need some of the ambassador handbook um and also community guides so that we can be able to disperse them as well during our events that we're having throughout the Canon County, so that our constituents get have it.

So um Commissioner Patrick.

I I feel like I've come to my people.

You guys are awesome.

Like everything you said, I was like, that's it.

That's what you do.

That's that's how you build a community, that's how you get engagement.

Uh the fact that you guys are having sort of a high school uh platform approach uh seems very very sharp to me.

Um would one comment would be is uh um because district one is heavily municipalized, uh and I don't think there's a high school specifically in unincorporated district one, it might be in uh district four and district two.

Um perhaps maybe some type of engagement with the municipalities.

I know the Board of Education is building a new high school in uh in Doorville off of Aztec Road, and so um that might be a good partnership to have with the city as well as Dunwoody and Shambley, they have their own high schools as well.

Um this is fantastic.

I didn't recognize that there was a guy with a bald face on there, and I didn't recognize him either.

But uh, you know, you guys are fantastic.

Um when I worked as a planner, uh what I what I felt people didn't really realize was planning can set the comfort and safety levels within a community.

You can say it's appropriate or not appropriate to have uh certain activities, uh read you know, uh massage parlors were a big thing of a problem in Doorville and Norcross.

Uh alcohol sales can be another issue, whether it's for restaurants or whether it's standalone liquor stores.

And so, you know, even the location of a gas station on a corner can set the the environment for an entire neighborhood, and that's the value that you guys do is is get into those details uh and try and correct neighborhoods or keep neighborhoods on the right path.

So thank you very much for what you do.

Uh when you're ready to come up to District One, please uh I'm ready and waiting for y'all.

Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you so much, Commissioner Patrick, Commissioner Terry.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Great job, y'all.

Keep up the good work.

Um you had me at complete streets.

Uh so keep on keep on that uh that process.

Uh we're very suburban in DeCab, so um it's kind of hard to even like think.

Are there any complete streets in DeCab County?

Um maybe a few, maybe like Amory Village and at least some of our cities probably, because they have downtowns, uh, maybe the future Kensington might have a little bit of that flavor, but that's probably maybe the biggest challenge we have is you know, car dependency, and then trying to kind of shrink things a little bit so we're a complete street could be a viable option.

Um I imagine moving forward in community academy 101 that you'll be getting more questions about like school closures, maybe.

Yes.

So uh I'm I'm wondering, I'm hoping that um some of the work the long-range planning team is doing on you know, cluster by cluster of where there are seat capacity gaps, and then sort of having some of that data about how many housing units you know would be needed and you know theoretically to fill those seats.

And we're I know um uh Larry Washington team and are working on that for the the Cedar Grove cluster as sort of a test case, but hopefully there can be kind of a template formula so when you do go to other clusters, you don't you know high school clusters, right?

Yes.

Um that if that come comes up, you could just you know, up front introduction, say you know, here's our analysis based on the school system's formula of how many units and what types equal how many students seats they need to prepare for.

Um, just because I think part of the equation of what we're finding is there does need to be some additional housing in a lot of the clusters, uh because I think every cluster has school closings happening.

Yes.

So that'll be interesting to kind of you know just tease out and just have that data point.

So as we move forward with the larger housing um discussion, uh getting communities in the mindset that um we're gonna have to figure out multiple housing solutions.

And thankfully there are lots of different product types and configurations, and if we can get them to kind of help direct the type of housing products they want to see, it might help um you know address those long-term growth issues um for the neighborhood, but as well as the schools.

Um and then the other question I had what was what's your next um community academy locations you're doing?

At the towers.

It'll be Stevenson.

Stevenson, okay.

And you're just doing like one at a time basically.

Yes, yeah, we're trying to go through South DeCab.

It's like a snake motion almost.

Okay.

So that's what we're trying to do.

So do Stevenson is like every three every quarter.

It's very like every three to four months.

It is it takes us about that lift to get through all the meetings and stuff.

We try to complete, yeah, we try to complete in six months.

So maybe like two a year.

But yes, we're looking at trying to optimize it.

That's kind of why we released the guidebook as well.

Um, is to help kind of optimize how we move through these communities without actually compromising that data gathering and that information resourcing.

So gotcha.

Thank you.

All right, thanks, Mr.

Thank you so much, Commissioner Terry, again.

And and thank you all for being rock stars.

Thank you for uh willing to listen to feedback and you know, uh respect feedback and very much appreciate the work that you all are doing.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

If you enjoy the rest of your day, thank you as well.

Now, unless you like to join us for the rest of the evening, though just all right.

So thank you so much.

That was informative and entertaining.

Really appreciate it again from what the team is doing.

Those following along with us, we're on the top of page three.

Um at this point under Board of Commissioners and their initiatives.

And so for District One, it is agenda item 2024-1237, all commission districts a request for the director of planning sustainability to amend the DeCab County nuisance ordinance to add a closure of chronic nuisance properties ordnance chapter.

And so Commissioner Patrick, as uh Yes, sir.

Is uh legal ready to speak to this yet?

All right.

Uh-oh.

Limp biscu limp biscuit over here.

So Commissioner, we have gone over these um and at this point we believe that the only outstanding issue is the operational concerns from those who will have to implement it.

So I would defer to them to go over in detail any concerns that they had.

Okay.

But I I am confident that we have an item that we can approve as the form, provided there aren't any substantial tweaks to it for an operational consideration.

Okay.

Okay.

Um I'll tell you what, uh Zach, for our next uh uh one-on-one meeting.

Let's go ahead and plan to have these two items on the agenda.

And then uh if there's any concerns from the administration or any final input from the administration, uh let's go ahead and have those taken care of and then um uh try and get these two items uh uh off the off the radar.

Hopefully approved.

Yes.

Um for these two items.

Let me make uh I'll make a motion to uh defer these for 30 days apiece.

So it um okay.

Well what would we like to do?

I'm sorry.

I I as this as sponsor respect this sponsor, I just okay.

All right.

Well, motion to uh defer for 30 days uh agenda item uh 2024-1237 and 2024 uh 1239.

All right, if we if we could just take them uh one by one because I didn't read the other one.

So um one, two, three, seven.

If you like, I'd go ahead and read the other one out.

Um that is agenda item 2024-1239.

That's all commission districts and ordinance to amend the code of the Cap County, Georgia is revise the 1988 Chapter 18, Article 3.

Property manage maintenance to establish a minimum standard for vacant properties, require property owners to apply for a board up permit and other purposes.

And I'll just um say briefly that this was one of the other items um in terms of a uh a board up and properties that a constituent asked about, and I proudly shared that we actually have it on our agenda, so it's not something that we're just um you know saying we're gonna do something about that we're actually working on diligently to try to get done.

So thank you for that sincerely.

Absolutely and interim county attorney well.

I mean it's Harry.

Sorry.

Maybe it was the lamp, I'm sorry.

I'm gonna behave because it's late, Commissioner, no problem.

Commissioner Patrick, I think this item fits the same status as the previous item.

We have worked closely with Commissioner Patrick to identify one that we feel we could approve as the form, and any considerations would be operational considerations that we would defer to the administration.

And we would hope that we wouldn't have to change anything, but there would be consideration on how they're gonna actually implement proper monitoring and enforcement, which is ultimately the issue with these.

Correct.

Okay, yep.

Okay.

All right, thank you so much.

I apologize.

Uh you know, I took a page from Mrs.

Uh Atwater's about three weeks ago.

But I know you're gonna get me back.

That's okay, that's okay.

So with that, uh entertain a motion.

Uh motion to defer 2024-1237 and 2024-1239 for 30 days.

We have a second.

Myself.

All those in favor?

Aye.

Aye.

And just noting Commissioner uh Long Spears uh did have to leave.

So it's myself and Commissioner Patrick as a committee, and of course, uh, Commissioner Terry joining along with the next agenda item still on page three about the board of commissioners and that is super comper district six.

That's agenda item 2025-0015, all commission districts and ordinance to amend the code of DeCab County, Georgia, Chapter 16 specifically pertaining to the regulation of sound and for other purposes.

Commissioner Terry.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

We have um Mr.

Michael Petty from the law department who has worked with um attorney Welch and Phillips and others.

And um if you don't mind give us the uh the main point, you don't go through every single thing, but um you all have worked on this for many, many almost said years, but it's only been like two years.

Um Mr.

Betty, if you don't mind, would you just kind of give the the main points as it relates to the daytime and the nighttime noise sort of regulation differences with decibels and then plainly audible because I think that's gonna be the crux of what the policymaking is for the committee.

Can you make uh commissioner?

Oh get the mic.

Good evening, commissioners.

Um so we we currently have a sound order noise ordinance right now.

It does not have any standards for the daytime hours.

It has a standard for the nighttime hours, and that standard is um if it's audible within a sealed build building, which has been a I think difficult thing to enforce at times because the officer has to go into the building.

So this amendment to this noise ordinance would establish daytime sound levels, which would be um 65 decibels during the day.

And then at night, the standard would be audible at 100 feet from the source of the sound.

So those are the sort of the main points.

Yeah, thanks, uh Attorney Petty.

Um thank you for all your work on this.

And I know you've been reaching out to Athens Clark County for kind of like seeing how they're because they've done a similar update uh moving away from decibels to plainly audible across the board.

Yeah, um they've for a while they have had the plainly audible standard in Athens.

When I I worked there before I worked here, and so it was there then, which was several years ago.

Um but I think they're looking at it now, but they do use that plainly audible standard at night and in the daytime.

The daytime.

So commissioners, the the main policy thing that we're still grappling with, but at this point we just need to bring it to y'all to get your input is one, we do believe in Zach um and uh uh police chief patrick is here.

Uh so one of the biggest issues when it comes to nighttime noise is someone having an officer come into their house to see if the noise from a party house or something is audible.

And so that's been a big barrier between actually enforcing it.

Um so the one change that we feel like actually hopefully is has department approval is an officer can simply just go out to the property and within that 100 feet can just make a determination themselves from the property line.

And so that would sort of maybe hopefully allow the cap police after hours when code compliance are not available to enforce enforce the noise ordinance uh for loud party noises um after 11 p.m.

Sunday through Thursday and then midnight Friday and Saturday.

Is that right?

That's right.

Okay.

Um the other more controversial portion is the daytime noises, which really come to two main things we've heard complaints about.

One is basically leaf blowers being really loud.

Um, and then um we do have a couple complaints from neighbors of neighbors basically yelling all day long and producing human sound um to the point where it's become sort of uh an extreme nuisance and there doesn't appear to be anything in the code that allows during the daytime a human produced noise to be enforced, and I can send you the videos if you really want to listen to them.

Um so apparently that this is happening, I don't think it's widespread, but we do have a couple neighbors uh I think in district three, district six, Commissioner Maziah, who have asked for us to do something to address an individual in particular.

Um but the issue I think that we're coming across is that in the daytime the way it's currently written is um anything above 65 decibels.

And Zach, I think the um oh, and Director Clark's here too.

Um I think the the main issue we've discussed is the enforcement of the decibels involving having a decibel meter calibrated and then able for code compliance uh that operates during the day to uh to use it effectively and then be trained and etc.

So that's where we're we're kind of stuck at.

Um, staff's preference was that plainly audible.

Yeah, no, I know that's that is true.

Um and I'm I'm okay to honestly, I'm fine to like go in that direction if that's what staff prefers.

I I will know that in the data center ordinance uh we've laid out regulations for decibels.

Um so if we do go into that plainly audible, we might just need to make sure that those align and we're not you know having because there's other parts of the code, right?

Mr.

Petty that have decibels, I think construction noises and other things that do have decibel limits.

Yeah, in the industrial zones, I believe is the place where it hasn't um decibel limits.

Okay.

Well, we're not uh changing that in here because we had we weren't contemplating going to plainly audible across the entire uh enforcement of the noise ordinance.

Um but this is really again for the committee to kind of opine on about what direction you think we ought to go.

And I think as Mr.

Petty pointed out, Athens Clark County moved to plainly audible across day and nighttime uh noise uh a year ago or maybe more two years ago.

Um it's been like that for uh for a while.

They've had it for a long time.

And apparently they it's working out well for them.

So um there's one jurisdiction that I think has had I think success with it.

Um so I'm I'm open to you know having it be just plainly audible across the board um if the decibel meters is um something we want to move away from.

So happy to yield back if there's any thoughts and questions from the committee members.

All right, just wanting to see if uh Mr.

Petty or COO or Director Clark have anything to share or um Chief Pedro, because I mean I think any um policy, any rule, any law is only as good as your ability to enforce it.

And to the extent we don't have clear cut mechanism to enforce, um, then that presents a challenge.

And so it sounds like there would be a lot of discretionary there.

Um I appreciate having you know general um a general idea in terms of uh you know, the definition of um audible and having it plainly audible versus the uh idea that we've got uh it that it needs to register at a particular decibels, not unless we're going to outfit our code of compliance and our officers with the capacity to be able to um to actually measure it.

Um if we're not gonna provide them the mechanism to be able to do that, then they have to rely on their own interpretation and that is um really subjective as to um what's plainly audible, but um I'm open to um additional dots that the rest of the committee has.

What I don't want to do, and I could appreciate very much um, you know, because to your point, Commissioner Cherry, there are constituents that complain about noises, and some folks are just bad neighbors and um don't consider uh the peace and enjoyment of others, but in our role and responsibility in terms of putting something forth, I want to make sure we're not uh complicating and creating more challenges um than what we have the capacity to really resolve.

So I'll open it up to uh Commissioner Patrick if you have anything additional that you want to add as well.

Yeah, thank you, Madam Chair.

Um as I've said before in the past, the uh noise ordinances are are are difficult uh because it's it's truly uh near neighbors are at their wits end already.

Uh and then the government comes in and tries to make it better, and we don't always do that.

Do you guys or can you get us sort of maybe a year or two's worth of data on noise complaints and give us a breakdown for time time of day?

I'm just trying to see how much how widespread this issue or this pain is that we want to come in with another solution that that we're going to be sort of changing parameters for other communities that may not necessarily have been having the concerns that are mentioned.

And then uh and I'm sorry, while you're adding to that really quickly, um Commissioner Patrick, um while we're talking about adding to that and considering there is an option for a um civilian to sue someone as a tort for a nuisance in terms of um violation of quiet title and enjoyment.

So where they're creating a nuisance by the constant noise, there's I mean, you know, famous cases in terms of you know pollution, air pollution, and there's noise, and so there is a remedy in terms of um someone suing their neighbor if they so chose to for violating their capacity to enjoy um their home because of a nuisance, right?

That noise nuisance.

So I just want to also make sure that we are not reinventing the wheel and creating um, you know, an ordinance that it's already exists by matter of law through a remedy of a civil suit, particularly where we don't have a you know um a real remedy and mechanism of enforcement, unless we're saying we're gonna find them and then we gotta think a lot further past that, but there's a remedy presently, right?

I'll defer to legal um, you know, about that.

Can't uh civil um civilians sue their neighbors, sue someone if they're in violation of their acquired enjoyment and and peace uh through noises.

I think you're right about that.

I don't know what the standard is for the civil action as far as noise goes.

Yeah.

Madam Chair, if I could bring some wisdom of Robert Frost.

Good fences make good neighbors, and and um there's always the legal option, but I I uh would hope we we wouldn't encourage everyone to run to the courts every time there's an issue and and we somehow have to make it work together.

So um I guess just going back to my original quest of just the data maybe for the last two years on noise complaints in general would be helpful.

And then in particular to what commissioner Terry mentioned, you know, time of day, I think would be another concern.

Um again, working in a permit office uh when you have new construction, uh the the crews of people out there building a new house, grading the land, uh planning in the landscaping can be very noisy, can be very loud and can be irritating.

Uh I've I've uh dealt with builders who had issues up in Sandy Springs and and neighbors were very aggressive seven o'clock, not 658 in the morning, and the code enforcement was there and was issuing tickets, and so I want to do whatever we can to not create that kind of uh adversarial client uh atmosphere between between neighbors and builders or anything that's gonna be happening in communities.

And I guess that that extends all to to the to the um landscapers.

Um my other concern would be how does this impact the airport?

Because I know we already receive uh the airport already has their noise monitoring and noise reporting mechanisms in place, and and um you know uh we've had situations where five people have reported like eight hundred and fifteen uh complaints in a month.

And so um I just want us to be very cognitive of what we're getting into.

Uh and it may be moving away from the decibels that sort of I had seen from Norcross and and uh Doraville as uh good ways to address the issue.

Uh but uh I would lead a little more information on the audible noise standard if if this means a side conversation or perhaps a Zoom meeting we set up and you guys walk me through that, I would appreciate that.

Um and then the the final question is always, and this is true for any noise uh ordinance that comes out is is the enforcement component.

So, you know, um again in the municipalities I worked in, it was the police department that was responsible for that.

Um and I would uh um public safety is sort of uh the priority that it is for safety of the in the neighborhoods, and so I'm not sure what the what the prioritization is on the police department from uh public safety issues to uh neighborly complaints.

Um and I'm not sure if there are any solutions as someone else that can enforce this aside from the police officers, or if that's the the community service workers uh uh agents that are we have.

I'm I'm very open to that conversation, but I would want to get more data on it before I sort of move forward and say I get it, and this is direction that I think we we want to move in.

And uh those are my comments.

Thank you.

Thank you so much, Commissioner Terry.

Thank you.

Um on page uh eight of the ordinance, section 1630, there are several exclusions.

Um aircraft operations.

I know there's like 17 exclusions, so you know there's a lot of noises out there that just come with society, right?

Like we're not talking about public safety sirens or they even have protests in March, uh are not covered by the noise or so you can go out and protest and make a little noise.

Um says animal vocalization, which are given as a warning to the presence of an intruder.

So y'all definitely did kind of think about all the the layers of things that you know wouldn't we wouldn't want to crack down on like noisy things, but the the main two things that we're really dealing with in this um ordinance revision is party noises at night.

Um because we've heard from the police department, they they just most people do not want them to come into their home, and so they can't actually do anything, maybe other than just tell the the neighbor, hey, you're being too too loud.

So the enforcement, at least on the party time, nighttime noises has been an issue.

Um the only issue that I see that and this is where we just need some direction from the commissioners because we have decibel levels in the existing ordinance and we do not have decibel meters.

So the existing ordinance for co-compliance quite frankly can't even be enforced now because we just don't have decibel meters.

They're not calibrated, there's no one in charge of that.

So it's just it's at some point we have to just decide we have a law on the books, we can't even enforce it.

So we either need to like go get decibel meters and put someone in charge of calibrating them and making sure they're working, or we need to go to plainly audible and give that a try.

So that that's what I'm looking for here.

Okay.

Kind of diverging policy approaches.

Um Mr.

Petty, I think we'll get back with Athens Clark County with more details, hopefully, from them about specifically how it's working for them and is it enforceable with the plainly audible?

Right.

And I've spoken with them.

Oh, you did you already did?

Yes.

Okay, so they're still good with it.

They're they're still good with it.

They've had some minor issues, but they from my conversations, they think that the decibel standard would be more difficult to enforce is what we're doing.

More difficult.

Okay.

So and I don't want to like belabor the point, but commissioners, if y'all could just think about that.

Those two questions, right?

One, let's change the nighttime noise for police.

And I know Chief Patrick's here, so you might want to just comment on that.

Yes, and that's what I was gonna ask next.

Yeah, yeah.

And then the second question is do we stick with decibel or do we go to plainly audible?

And if we can get a kind of a consensus on that, that'll help uh the law department sort of put the fine touches on this ordinance, and then we'd have something sort of ready for decision.

Uh just for clarity, the what we have in our agenda packet is something dated to 1217 24.

Is that the most current version we're working off of?

Uh it should be the first page uh three twenty-five-25, I think.

Is that the most recent?

Yeah, I believe that there was a substitute.

Oh, the there was one.

The original was from that December day, but then there was a substitute.

Okay.

Okay.

Uh let's make sure we get the substitute.

I know we made a couple changes, but it's it hasn't changed that much.

No, it wasn't significant.

So we'll make sure we if you can send around to the most recent substitute.

Okay, Mr.

Petty.

Madam Chair, if I couldn't just wanted to add to what we were talking about when you brought up the issue of the um civil action.

Um you're right about that.

And I think these were these totally separate, they're not mutually exclusive, so that you could go through both of them.

I think the point of um an ordinance like this is to be uh uh to respond more quickly, right?

So um something that you were taking somebody to civil court in, it might drag out for a while.

This could possibly be something that you address it that night when you're having the party noises, for example, would allow um police to address it immediately.

Yeah, and I think uh the point is to just make it stop when those noises are taking place, people just want it to stop and not happen again.

Um, but I would love to be able to hear excuse me from Chief Pedrick and from Director Clark.

Um, because again, yeah, um our efforts are great, but we have to have a mechanism to enforce and to be able to address the uh standing issues on the table um posed by Commissioner Terry.

So welcome, Chief Pedrick.

Thank you so much.

Good afternoon, thank you for having me.

And yes, I believe this uh journey started at about 2019 when I was a uniform division commander uh when we started looking at this, and I was heavily involved back then, and we had pulled multiple different agencies and looked at their noise ordinance and their enforcement mechanisms that they had, and we did land uh finally on Athens Clark County.

It's it's uh you know, University of Georgia, a lot of the parties from a police perspective, that's what we are looking at on the noise enforcement side.

We get multiple calls, and in many cases, neighbors like like Commissioner Terry said, they don't want us in their house, first of all, not so much because it's police, but they don't want the neighbor to know that they called on them and then have retaliation on that side as well.

So that creates a enforcement barrier for us.

Uh the decibel meters, we don't have them.

Uh there are different industry standards, uh their calibration standards, it's just it's not cost effective for the amount of noise complaints we have to outfit an entire department with the decibel meters, then pay for the calibration, the maintenance, and so on and so forth.

So we were looking at another way to address this, and it is the plainly audible, and we have found that Athens Clark County has been successful with those.

It uh again, it is gonna be discretionary, and in most cases, depending on the complaint location, depending on the response that the officers get, it may simply be a warning.

Uh, but then we can escalate that just like officers have that, you know, jurisdictional authority or um that leeway to to enforce as they need to, but they would still have to have the probable cause and meet the legal standards to enforce it.

Thank you so much.

I appreciate that.

And director Clark, do you have that you would like to add and share?

Yes, good afternoon, commissioners.

In reference to the number of noise complaints we received, we don't receive a lot of noise complaints, you know, compared to the grand scheme of all the complaints that we do get.

However, those noise complaints are the most difficult to resolve because of the time of day that they happen.

If it's during the day, currently we don't have the decibel meters in place, and there are different standards for day daytime noise versus nighttime noise.

Our officers um stop working at 7 p.m.

And so after 7 p.m., you know, PD goes out, they can't um enforce until after a certain time.

I think it's um 1059 p.m., 11 uh p.m.

And so there's a disconnect in what we can do.

And what we find is those cases drag out, it's where you have the most um dissatisfied neighbors because they can't get a resolution to the noise, and we're spinning our wheels, you know, trying to even get a case.

And we go out there, like for example, you know, we have Frasier Road and some of the others where we actually visit those properties three times a week on the weekend.

Our last visit to those properties is 7 p.m.

before we leave.

And so the officers we assign them to visit the property and then head home.

And we never, you know, catch them in the act.

It's almost like they know we're coming at that time because they figured it out.

And then the minute we leave at about eight, nine o'clock, then the police department again, those complaints coming in.

They go out, and still it's not as easy to enforce.

So we are able to um, even with the plain and audible, enforce the code.

We have measuring wheels, we have um different tools in place so where we can actually go a hundred feet away from the source of the noise or the ordinance also stipulates for during the day 300 feet away.

And so we have measuring tools that if we can observe the noise at that distance, then we'll be able to um enforce.

And so we will more likely catch those that are between 8 30 a.m.

and 7 p.m.

Monday through Saturday, and then that relieves the burden from the police department.

However, if it's noise associated with criminal activity where we need to uh radio and have PD comms, then we'll do that and they'll assist us in in that manner.

So we will probably do the heavy lifting during the day, and then our partners in the police department will do the heavy lifting at night.

That that makes a lot of sense.

I appreciate you both for sharing that and giving us that insight.

And but I'm um what I'm hearing is the plainly audible um standard is going to most likely be easier for um both of your officers um to be able to enforce, and I love that you guys would work in tandem to uh address it and giving an a mess a mechanism outside of and they pursuing each other.

I mean, let me just say I'm not encouraging that.

I'm just saying in terms of you know, there are remedies that are available.

Um, you know, but thank you so much for your your input.

I think it's really helpful.

Um with that, are there any other questions or concerns?

Anything else that you all would like to share?

Well, um, I might just you know, because Athens Clark County has had pretty good success with it.

Um, and you know, again, I think the nature of these complaints are seems like you know, but definitely support warnings first.

Um but ultimately, I mean, they might it might be a case before the magistrate court, right?

Like if it's actually given a citation, and so hopefully that's sort of where we can begin to I guess further tease out the actual the the true standards of what's like an egregious sort of noise making versus you know, like you said, Commissioner Patrick, like a neighbor just as mad at a neighbor, and you know, they'll just report anything, right?

Yep.

Um and and I think we should be prepared to try something different and see how it goes.

And if it looks like it's not working out, you know, come up with something different.

But I think the fact that we just can't even enforce the existing ordinance because we just don't have the equipment means we should just go in a different direction, give that a try um and see how far we go and see if it works.

So that's my big my suggestion is if y'all could just think about the plainly audible policy, if there's unless there's like huge heartburn around it, but I or thoughts, concerns respectfully, you know, there was uh um there was uh there were some parties happening on McElroy Road.

Uh lots of noise was being was being generated.

Some folks were trying to go to sleep, some folks were having a good time.

Um, and um officers arrived.

And so, regardless of whether you're on decibels or any other standard, I I I still need to understand how we're gonna how we get to the enforcement component on it.

So if if if and Chief, I'm willing to talk with you and Tonzo as well, willing to talk with y'all, but I just need to understand how are we going to engage uh and actually be effective in this new ordinance.

And then also, you know, some ideas on the data of how frequent we get these complaints and times a day that we get these complaints would be helpful for me, and then I'm able to make a better decision at that point.

Because I I get where you're coming from, but um, but uh those two points are things enforcement in particular has always been the issue.

Yeah, that I just want to get some understanding on how we're gonna what's the plan for the for the interaction for the engagement on those topics.

So thank you.

Makes sense, appreciate that um Commissioner Patrick.

Yeah, and you know, um, even if we went the plainly audible route, I think there would need to be some training and at least some general consensus with support.

Yeah, and you know, um even if we went the plainly audible route, I think there would need to be some training and at least some general consensus with support, because I don't believe in you know um putting training without putting a mechanism of support for that training, including financial backing as to what that would look like in a structural organization, um, because it is in terms of what's plainly audible, how well do you hear?

All right.

Um and so um, you know, I I think to come to some general consensus of what that sounds like, um, literally, what it may be helpful and some things in place in in order to give some direction, but um clearly we have um a few more things to sort of flush through um as it relates to this.

So with that, I will entertain a motion.

Um motion to defer for 30 days.

Is that yeah, if y'all don't mind getting with um the directors, chief and director, um, just uh if they could meet with the committee members to just share um what changes y'all would like to see, honestly.

I mean, this is I'm I started out with doing like leaf blowers.

I was just trying to get some leaf blower ordinance, but then they changed the state law to say we couldn't regulate leaf blowers, and then we kind of scratched the surface, and then that's when director Clark and Chief Pedrick were like, actually, now that you're talking about it, here are some things that could really help us out.

So if y'all don't mind, just share what is gonna help make y'all do your job in the most efficient effective way possible, and if we can just work together to you know create an ordinance that like Commissioner Patrick says can be enforced, can be um upheld, and you know, I think also considering the where it ends up in the court at some point uh and how that actually would would go about.

Um something that is enforceable but also I think could withstand uh a court discussion as well.

So, yeah, 30 days is good if that's enough time for y'all.

Okay.

Second.

All those in favor, aye.

Aye, thank you so much.

And we are on our last agenda item.

I was trying to get us out by six, but we're gonna uh a little um further here.

Agenda item uh again from um board of commissioners, super district six two zero two five-001 seven.

All commission districts, a resolution to create an electric landscape maintenance device rebate program to encourage switching from gas power, landscape maintenance devices, and for all other um purposes.

And I'll just sponsor it.

I'll just share very quickly the these are two companion items because if we do um sort of go in the route of quieter landscape equipment, um the electrical landscape equipment is quieter by about 30 decibels on average.

Um so the goal here and sort of recogni uh replication of other jurisdictions who have actually banned gas leaf blowers um is to provide rebates for people to basically trade in their gas-powered leaf blower for an electric one.

Um and so that if we went forward with the the changes on the on the previous item, then my proposal would be to provide some support each year for rebates, kind of how we do for the um the low-flow toilet rebates.

It you know, helps us out.

So the idea there is just to help individuals who um might be in the landscape business, might be a homeowner, and they'd like to get a quieter uh leaf blower, quieter equipment, they could apply for these rebates.

Um we put about a hundred, I think a hundred thousand dollars was just sort of the fiscal impact annually.

Um so that's of course, you know, up for debate um on in any budget year.

Um, but happy to def you know defer that one since it's related to the other um ordinance.

All right, so and so what I'm understanding is since it's a companion to the previous item that you are willing as a sponsor to support a deferment for 30 days.

Yes.

Uh with that, I will entertain a motion.

Um so moved.

Second, all those in favor?

Aye.

Aye.

Well, thank you guys so much for being here and staying late at PECS.

I got us out at 6.02.

Close enough to six o'clock.

Enjoy the rest of your afternoon, your evening.

Motion to adjourn.

Uh so moved.

All those in favor?

Aye.

Aye.

Thank you.