She serves as social superintendent for schools in Archdiocese of Atlanta.

Where she leads initiatives in district accreditation programs and teacher certification.

She previously served as Principal St.

John Angel School and Hillary.

This is Wagner brings 22 years of experience as a Catholic school principal and 16 years of teaching in both public and Catholic schools.

She's a recipient of the NCEA Distinguished Principal Award and served on the ACE Principals Academy Design Team at the University of Notre Dame.

Good morning.

Good morning.

Good morning.

Thank you so much.

Everyone in this room is here because a woman believed in them at some time.

A mother, a grandmother, a mentor, someone who encouraged us, challenged us, helped shape the person we are today.

Good morning to everyone.

Thank you so much, presiding Commissioner Johnson and all of the other honorable commissions and distinguished guests.

Thank you for allowing me to give this little reflection during women's history month.

This year's theme is women shaping a sustainable future.

And sometimes when we hear that word sustainability, we think of preserving our natural resources for the next generation.

But really, sustainability is much more than that.

It goes beyond environmental concerns and to encompass things like ensuring financial stability, building those resilient communities that foster hope, and developing leaders of the future so that each generation is prepared and has an opportunity to thrive.

As an educator and as civic leaders, we share in that goal.

The decisions you make, commissioners, each and every day, build those stronger communities of tomorrow.

They impact families, neighborhoods, and opportunities, often in ways that aren't immediately seen, but have a lasting impact that are felt over time.

We see these in the schools.

We see this in the schools.

When families are supported by those strong communities, they come to school well prepared to uh thrive.

They come to school supported, they come to school ready to learn.

And I want to thank you for the work that you do.

Women have long been shapers of our future.

We can think of women like Rosa Park, whose quiet courage changed the course of history.

Mother Teresa, who showed the world the power of compassion and of service.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who championed women's equality, and who remind us to fight for the things that really matter and bring people along the way to join us.

These women, they left a lasting impact.

They opened the doors for the next generation.

But when we think about women who impacted our own life, you're probably not going to find them in the history books.

For me, it starts with my mother.

My mother was a strong woman of faith and unwavering moral character.

Growing up in the direct in the depression, she certainly knew how to stretch that dollar, how to manage a household, how to care for others, even when the resources were pretty scarce.

When my father was diagnosed with a brain tumor, I was 10 years old.

Our world changed drastically.

But not my mother.

She was unwavering, steadfast, a woman of uh faith and courage.

She taught me to put God first to always do my best, and that you can always reach out to others, no matter our resources.

That's the beautiful way she lived her life every day.

My community played a really important role during that time.

I was involved in youth programs, programs that you like you support here in DeCab County, so important, I believe, to our youth.

The coaches that I had mentored, this shy little girl gave me confidence and showed me skills I didn't know I even had.

They provided a stability, encouragement, a normalcy, and a difficult time.

They showed me something I have never ever forgotten.

The strong communities are built when people come together and support one another and foster hope.

That's how leaders are formed.

Later in my life, working as a teacher, as an administrator, I continue to be surrounded by strong women.

Women who mentored me, encouraged me, share their gifts with me, trusted me with responsibilities that helped me stretch and grow.

And because of them, I made it my goal to do the same.

And I know that many of you have had similar experiences with that kind of mentorship, and you carry that same responsibility to pass it on.

And that's how you build a sustainable future.

One person investing in another.

Across communities and across generations, women have been working faithfully towards that same goal building a stronger and more sustainable future.

So today, I invite each of you to reflect for a moment.

Who are the strong women that shaped your life?

Who believed in you?

Who challenged you?

Who encouraged you to be the people you are today?

You tell their stories by the way you lead and by the way you treat others.

And by the way you serve this great community of DeCab County.

Because sustainable change doesn't happen only through programs and policies.

It happens through people.

People who pass on their wisdom, their character, their hope from one generation to the next.

Their names may never appear in a history book, but their legacy lives on in us.

And the greatest way that we honor them is by coming, becoming that same source of strength and hope for generations that follow.

Thank you, and may God bless the great work you do here in DeCab County.

Thank you, ma'am.

And if you'll stay around a little later on, we'll get a picture and a pen with you.

Thank you.

So at this time we have our Pledge of Allegiance led by Commissioner Michelle Long Spears.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for the United States.

Liberty and Justice Thank you, Commissioner Long Spears.

And now we'll have our presentations.

We do have two.

First one is for the executive director of We Love Beauford Highway.

And then we have one from the administration, well, two from the administration for employee appreciation and National Procurement Month.

So if commissioners would like to Okay, we'll do employees first.

Zach, you're up first, and Commissioners, if you'll meet us down on the floor.

Good morning, everyone.

Oh, let me try that again.

Good morning, everyone.

Someone I used to know used to do that a lot.

On behalf of CEO Lorraine Cochran Johnson, I'd like to take a moment to recognize something truly important.

The people who make DeCab County work every single day.

Our employees, the heart of this county.

They're the ones who show up often behind the scenes to show our to serve our residents, solve problems, and keep our operations moving forward.

And while much of that work may not always be visible, its impact is felt across every community in DeCab County.

CO Cochrane Johnson often says that our success as a county is driven by our people.

And that could not be more true.

What makes this workforce so special is not just what they do, but how they or how we do it with care, with commitment, and with a deep sense of purpose.

Many of our employees have dedicated years, even decades of their lives to public service.

That level of dedication matters, and it doesn't go unnoticed.

Today is an opportunity to thank our employees.

To say that you are seen, you are valued, and that your work makes a difference every single day.

And while we recognize employee appreciation day to day, the CEO's commitment to this workforce extends far beyond a single day.

It's reflected on how we continue and how we continue to invest in, support, and strengthen the people who serve this county.

The 65 over 6,500 employees who show up, work hard, tell the truth every day, and serve the over 780,000 residents.

Because when our employees thrive, DeCab County thrives.

At this time, on behalf of CEO Lorraine Cochrane Johnson, it's my honor to present this proclamation recognizing employee appreciation day in DeCab County.

And if I could have HR professionals come on out.

Madam Clerk, if you would.

I need to know which one is which.

Do you want to read this one?

And I'm sure it's merely coincidental that they're all wearing blue.

I'm just saying we need to get them out.

And I wouldn't say it's coincidental, I'm wearing blue, but I only have two suits.

So you had a 50-50 chance.

Madam Clerk.

Whereas DeCab County government hereby acknowledges that its greatest achievements are made possible only through the extraordinary dedication of its people.

And whereas we honor all of DeCab County's public servants who form the backbone of effective, responsive, and compassionate service through their professionalism and teamwork.

And whereas DeCab County's average employee tenure of eight years reflects a deep commitment to public service and a continuity of experience that strengthens operational excellence across the organization.

And whereas the DeCab County Human Resources Department provides leadership and employee-centered programs that strengthen and empower this awesome workforce to make the county's mission possible across every department.

And whereas approximately 6,600 employees deliver necessary services that ensure the safety, health, and well-being of more than 780,000 residents each day.

And whereas DeCab County boasts of having close to 800 employees with more than 20 years of service, 57 with more than 30 years, and six with more than 40 years, a significant demonstration of loyalty, institutional knowledge, and long-term dedication.

And whereas collectively, these employees represent more than 55,882 years of combined service, a testament to the expertise, resilience, and collaborative spirit that drive the county's success.

Now, therefore, I, Lorraine Cochran Johnson, Chief Executive Officer, on behalf of the citizens of DeCab County, Georgia, do hereby declare March 6, 2026 as employee appreciation day in DeCab County.

We proudly commend the exceptional employees of DeCab County government whose dedication, courage, and pursuit of excellence propel this county forward.

We wholeheartedly celebrate your accomplishments, honor your steadfast service, and affirm that our collective strength will allow us to continue our mission possible and a shape and shape a future worthy of the communities that we serve.

Proclaim this 24th day of March 2026.

Thank you.

And I would like to uh offer the opportunity for Ms.

Haynes just to say a few words representing the employees.

Good morning, everyone.

On behalf of the 6,600 employees, I am honored to accept the employee appreciative proclamation.

Thank you to the CEO and the Board of Commissioners for recognizing the dedicated employees of DeCab County.

Our employees are the backbone of this organization.

Each day they serve with care, commitment, passion, professionalism, and this recognition is a meaningful reminder that their contributions matter.

To my fellow DeCab County employees, thank you for your service and the important work that you do every day.

You make the mission possible every day.

We appreciate you and we celebrate you.

And I also just wanted to acknowledge my HR team.

Just want to thank you all for your support and everything that you do every day.

Thank you for this honor.

Thank you, Ms.

Haynes.

And before we conclude, if I could have all employees just stand up and give yourselves a round of applause for the work that you're doing.

Thank you.

Thank you.

You're making a difference.

Thank you.

And as our wonderful HR team takes their seats, there's another important proclamation that I would like to call everyone's attention to.

And that's the procurement department or procurement proclamation.

So on behalf of CEO Lorraine Cochrane Johnson, I'm honored to take a moment to recognize a group of professionals who work is essential to how DeCal County operates every day.

Our procurement team.

Public procurement is a critical part of government.

It ensures that our departments have the tools, services, and resources they need to serve our residents effectively.

But procurement is not just about process, it's about impact.

It's about making sure public dollars are managed with integrity, transparency, and accountability.

It's about creating opportunity for businesses across our community.

Through outreach partnerships and programs like the local small business enterprise certification, our procurement team is helping to open doors for businesses of all sizes, ensuring that more companies have access to compete and to grow.

And what makes this team exceptional is not just what they do, but also how they do it.

As recognized during National Procurement Month, this is a profession that may not always seek the spotlight, but it's consistently, it consistently delivers results that keep our county moving forward.

At this time, on behalf of CEO Lorraine Cochrane Johnson, it's my privilege to present this proclamation recognizing the dedicated professionals of DeCab County's Department of Purchasing and Contracting.

Let's give a round of applause, and if you guys can come up.

Whereas public procurement and a vital force that keeps cities running, schools equipped, roads safe, and essential services accessible to all.

And whereas the National Institute of Governmental Purchasing recognize this March as National Procurement Month for the communities it serves, a celebration of a profession that rarely seeks the spotlight, yet consistently delivers.

And whereas during the month of March 2026, DeCab County proudly recognizes the Department of Purchasing and Contracting, professionals who uphold the highest standard of integrity, transparency, and accountability, and the stewardship of public resources.

And whereas procurement uses modern strategies that drive innovation, impact cost savings, maintain operational efficiencies, and ensure opportunities for businesses of all sizes.

And whereas DeCab County's procurement professionals foster new relationships with businesses, provide outreach to small and diverse enterprises, and oversee the certification of local small business enterprises, LSBEs under the DeCab First ordinance.

And whereas procurement supports departments across the county by securing the tools, equipment services, and resources essential to fulfilling DeCab County's strategic goals, enhancing public safety, modernizing and strengthening infrastructure, promoting responsibility, transparency, and best practices, expanding housing accessibility, investing in the economy and workforce, and advancing accessibility and quality of life.

And whereas DeCab County's procurement professionals come from a wide array of careers, including finance, project management, operations, engineering, sales, and law, just to name a few, all bring a robust skill set encompassing analytical thinking, effective communication, fair negotiation, and strategic insight.

Now, therefore, I, Lorraine Cochran Johnson, Chief Executive Officer of DeCab County, Georgia, together with the DeCab County Board of Commissioners and our more than 780,000 citizens, do hereby encourage all residents, businesses, and communities to recognize and celebrate the monumental contributions of the dedicated professionals comprising procurement.

Proclaim this 24th day of March 2026, Chief Executive Officer Lorraine Cochrane Johnson.

Thank you.

And uh Director Butler, would you like to make a few remarks?

Thank you for recognizing National Procurement Month, and thank you for recognizing the professional staff that make up the Cab County's purchasing and contracting department.

I am honored to uh recognize and celebrate these procurement professionals who on a daily basis demonstrate their commitment to public service and local government procurement and their integrity.

Thank you.

We're taking the picture.

Thank you.

Appreciate it.

Thank you.

Good morning, everyone.

I hope you all can hear me.

Thank you.

Keep the roar down, please.

We want to we have some people sleeping here in the house.

We don't want to wake them up.

Uh good morning, everybody.

How's everybody doing today?

Thank you.

Wow, hey, there's coffee in the back.

Um so today is uh we're honoring Women's History Month.

Uh it is truly an honor and privilege to stand here before you today as we celebrate Women's History Month.

Each year this month gives us an opportunity to recognize the countless contributions women have made to our communities, our nation, and around the world, often in ways that are unseen but always deeply impactful.

It is also a time to uplift those who continue that legacy of leadership, service, and advocacy.

Women's history month reminds us that progress is built on courage, compassion, and commitment, and that the work of shaping stronger, more inclusive communities continues with each generation.

Today I am proud to recognize someone who embodies those qualities.

Uh Lily Paiben, uh executive director of We Love Beauford Highway, we love Boot High is how I remember, uh, has been a tireless advocate for multicultural families, not just here in District One, but throughout DeCab County.

Her work has helped bridge cultural gaps, connect families to critical resources, and ensure that every resident, regardless of background, uh feels seen, supported, and valued.

Quite simply, her work saves lives.

I have known Lily for quite a few years, and I can personally say how grateful I am for her help and partnership in District One.

She leads with her heart, with purpose, and with unwavering commitment to community because of leaders like Lily, our country is stronger, our community is stronger, more connected, more connected, and more compassionate.

And at this time, I'd like to ask the clerk to read the record.

Whereas Lily Pabian, executive director of We Love Buford Highway has dedicated more than 30 years of it to advancing community-centered leadership across nonprofit, corporate, and consulting sectors, bringing visionary strategy together with meaningful grassroots engagement.

And whereas, as a first generation Chinese American who emigrated to the United States as a child, Lily's journey began along the Buford Highway corridor, where she learned English, became a citizen, and built lifelong connections, shaping her enduring commitment to uplifting immigrants and communities and preserving their stories.

And whereas, through her leadership, Lily has championed the cultural, economic, and social vitality of Buford Highway, working to protect and celebrate one of the region's most diverse and vibrant corridors, while ensuring its future remains inclusive and community driven.

And whereas Lily's ability to bridge high-level strategy with on the ground action has resulted in impactful programming, strengthened partnerships, and expanded opportunities for small businesses, families, and multicultural communities throughout Metro Atlanta.

And whereas her service extends beyond her professional role, including leadership on local boards and commissions, and recognition with numerous honors, including the Georgia Department of Education, Parent Leadership Award, and distinctions from the Atlanta Business Chronicle and Asian Americans Advancing Justice.

And whereas, as a proud Atlanta native, devoted wife and mother, and civic leader, Lily continues to inspire through her unwavering commitment to equity, culture, preservation, and community empowerment.

Now, therefore, be it resolved that on this 26th day of March 2026, I, Commissioner Robert Patrick, in partnership with the DeCab County Governing Authority, recognizes Lily Paddyan as the 2026 District One Women's History Month Trailblazer Award honoree for her outstanding achievements and steadfast commitment to serving DeCat County.

There you go.

Wow.

Good morning.

Thank you, Commissioner Patrick, for this honor.

I am so deeply humbled to receive this recognition.

To be named a trailblazer is something I hold with a lot of humility.

Because the truth is, none of us walk alone.

We move forward because of people who believe in the work and choose to build something together, even when the path is uncertain.

There are so many people in my life who have shaped how I lead and serve.

People like Mrs.

Juana Alzaga, who is here today, who I first met as her student and has become my advocacy rock, still teaching me every day how trust shows up in action.

To my Buford Highway sisters, Rachel, Vaughn, Delia, thank you for your heart and commitment to this corridor.

And to my dear friend Angela, who's also here today, my childhood friend, who I met as a 10th grader, both of us raised by strong single moms with immigrant dreams, and who now stands beside me in service, keeping us grounded in who we are, where we come from.

How lucky am I to be greeted with morning affirmations like you can do it, and I believe in you.

I don't always say much back.

I didn't grow up knowing how to take compliments, but after more than 34 years together, he's never stopped giving them, and the truth is it has carried me in ways that matter more than words.

I dedicate this moment to my ultimate trailblazer, my big sister Leah, a decab entrepreneur, a nurturer, and a warrior who battled cancer for over 30 years.

Sorry.

I believe people like her never leave us.

They live on in how we show up and the courage we carry and in the work we choose to do.

I feel her with me every day.

This work through We Love Buford Highway is not mine alone.

Thank you.

It belongs to every family, every small business, every child, and every neighbor who shows us what it means to build community with dignity, culture, and care.

Women's history month reminds us that the justice we voice today was once built through unseen acts of courage.

What we choose to build now will become the history our children inherit.

In times like these, we're all called to be trailblazers.

And I hope we don't just create that history.

I hope we get to live it.

Thank you.

Yeah, absolutely.

Um could I ask Angela, Juana, and Rachel who are here from Wheel of Buffett Highway to step forward with the pictures, please.

Come on in.

Okay.

One, two, three.

It's uh you're appreciated and you know, thank you.

And Miss Wagner, if you'd like to come forward.

I don't hear it.

Is it on?

Okay, Miss Fogner, if you'd like to come forward and take a picture and we'll pin you.

Also, she is the aunt of my communication specialist, Miss Carrie Cordes.

So, Miss Carrie, if you'd come forward as well.

Thank you.

Okay, so that was really fun.

Thank you so much.

She's in you.

She hasn't now.

Thank you, everybody.

So now we have community um comments from the public.

Madam Clerk, if you'll read in the instructions.

The purpose of public comment is to allow the public to voice county-related requests, concerns, or opinions during the commission meeting.

Speakers will only have the opportunity for one public comment per meeting.

Each speaker must please complete a speaker card and present it to the clerk before the beginning of the public comment portion of the meeting.

Cards turned in to the clerk from the time the general meeting is convened, generally 9 a.m.

And by the beginning of public comment portion, generally following presentations on the agenda.

The clerk will accept cards on the first come first serve basis.

Prior to the clerk's call for public comment, speakers who are residents of DeCab County shall be allowed to speak before residents of other counties are allowed to speak.

Speakers will be allowed to speak for three minutes each, and public comments shall not exceed 30 minutes in length.

When the buzzer sounds to indicate that time has run out, the speaker will be expected to immediately cease speaking and to yield the podium.

Those who submitted speaker cards but did not speak because of the time allotment will be allowed to speak first at the next regularly scheduled commission meeting without regard to residents.

Speakers should always talk directly into the microphone and begin by stating their name, full address, and the name of any organization they represent.

Abusive, profane, a derogatory language, holding up signs, clapping, yelling, standing, a laying in the aisles to show support for opposition to a speaker will not be permitted.

But a show of hands, acquiring standing in place, will be permitted to show support for opposition to a speaker's position.

Thank you, ma'am.

First speakers.

Good morning, Miss Dunaway.

Jan Dunaway, Stone Mountain, and at DeCab Solomon Water Conservation District Supervisor.

I'm not an expert, but I do know the challenges there are for water and stormwater systems.

I ask that you approve the data center text amendment brought forward by Commissioner Terry and limit the data centers to no more than 5500,000 square feet, plus add steps to prevent clusterings of these small smaller centers.

The data center text amendment continues to not include protections from discharge of the chemically treated water or from immersion solution into our waterways or soil, which has become a major issue throughout the country.

Water treatment facilities are unable to filter the glycol, heavy metals that are collected in the water, and immersion solution, which suffocates the oxygen from our streams and rivers, or even PFAST.

They cannot be discharged into the stormwater system for every scientific article published.

The CEO and the MS4 regulations will not take care of this situation.

There are solutions that must be required.

Many companies offer the services to remove these dangerous compounds from the discharged water, and it should be required.

Additionally, quarterly reports with specific parameters determined by scientific study, which must be made available to the public within 30 days.

The public must be notified of any spells from these centers immediately, not unlike what's done for sanitary sewer overflows.

There must be a plan immediately, not unlike oops, and consequences for these data centers who discharge these dangerous compounds into our soil and rivers or spills.

You must protect the citizens and our downstream neighbors.

Later this morning, the BOC will vote to uh to request an allocation for $300,000 for research analysis on how the county's water and sewer system function can be best managed to ensure long-term health and stability of the water and sewer assets.

This is to tell if the water and sewer and enterprise fund should be reorganized, outsourced in whole or in part to or the creation of a water authority.

So, does this mean you don't know if the million dollars that you've spent to expand the Snapfinger Creek water treatment plant will carry us into the future?

How can we approve discharges from data centers?

Not one, but three or four or more, if you do not know what the capacity is now or in the future.

How do the citizens and taxpayers of DeCab trust that our best interest is front and center, or that the increases in our water and sewer rates are worthwhile?

We are here.

We will continue to speak out in favor on behalf of our citizens of DeCAP.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next speaker.

Rosalind McIntyre.

Good morning, Ms.

McIntyre.

Good morning.

Rosalind McIntyre to Cab County, and I'm representing myself.

For all the benefits the data campuses bring to the digital world, there is a disproportionate negative environmental impact and social impact.

What's more accurate, a return on investment?

Listen to the results of these 2025 studies.

UC Riverside and Caltech, Cornell University, and the National Institutes of Health all reported exceedingly premature deaths and over 600,000 asthma cases.

Totaling an annual public burden of more than 20 billion dollars by 2028.

Georgia examples, worsening air quality in Metro Atlanta, unhealthy ozone days rose from 1.8 in 2023 to 5.5 in 2024.

A trend correlated with the state's 211% surge in data center development.

Sleep and stress due to noise pollution in South Fulton and Cowita County, environmental injustice in South DeCab and South Fulton, which already bear a disproportionate burden of industrial pollution.

Water contamination in Fayette County with the Flint River keepers identifying pollution attributed to data campuses.

Examples from other states, Northern Virginia, 14,000 asthma cases annually with a cost of between 220 million and 300 million.

Shelby County, Tennessee, 160 million in annual health damages.

California, public health impacts triple between 2019 and 2023.

Morrow County, Oregon, dangerous levels of nitrates leading to miscarriages, rare cancers, and other complications, such as a kidney removal.

So I asked AI of this question.

Why don't local governments learn from the mistakes and concerns from other local governments when deciding to permit data campus development?

The answer it comes down to a gold rush mentality where the perceived short-term economic wins outweigh the long-term health risks.

The non-disclosure agreements companies use, keep the public and even some low-level officials in the dark until the deal is nearly done.

Commissioners, a true assessment of return on investment is more than the promise of money.

It factors in the accounting for total community impact.

As the inspirational speaker stated, sustainability happens through people, not just money.

Thank you.

Thank you, ma'am.

Next speaker.

Donna Brown.

Ms.

Brown, good morning.

Good morning, Chair, Commissioners, and staff.

My name is Donna Priest Brown, a resident of South DeCab.

I'm speaking today regarding the proposed text amendment for data centers and the use of the special land use permit, commonly referred to as a slut.

Within the draft text amendment for data centers, a slut is required.

This means developers must agree to conditions outlined in the permit, which may include standards related to infrastructure, environmental impacts, buffering, operational limitations and community protections.

However, the concern is not simply what is written in the slump.

The concern is what happens after approval.

Currently, once an applicant is approved to operate under a slump, there appears to be very little to no follow-up process to verify ongoing compliance with the conditions that was agreed upon.

In many cases, sluts are not systematically reviewed, monitored, or audited to confirm that the developer of business is operating consistent with what was approved by this board.

Importantly, this issue is not limited to data centers.

This appears to be occurring with all special land use permits across the county on all land sluts.

When compliance is not tracked, enforced or revisited, the conditions written in the slump approvals risk becoming symbolic rather than enforceable, like our Commissioner Spears long stated.

This particularly is concerning when discussing developments such as data centers, which may have impacts related to land use, water usage, energy consumption, and so forth and so on.

I respectfully request that the board considered the following.

This reflects ineffective leadership by our county government.

This is about strengthening governance and ensuring that approved developments operate in alignment with the commitments made to this board and to the public.

And I just want to say your mission statement says to improve the quality for the stakeholders for DeCab County through governance, representation, and accountability.

That's what we expect from our board of commissioners.

Thank you.

Thank you, ma'am.

Gina Mangum.

Ms.

Mangum.

Good morning.

Gina Mangum, I'm a resident of Southeast DeCab.

You've heard it.

You've heard statistics.

More importantly, you've heard from your constituents, the voters.

So I'm not going to belabor that we don't want data centers in DeCab County.

However, we have tried in our time to continue to work with you.

I'm here to speak on the substitute amendment, and it's a reasonable start.

We do need a slope for every proposed development.

We do need emphasis on green energy.

We need all of that.

We really do need, however, to limit the size, and we've done that.

But once again, there's a big loophole.

What's the point of having a limitation in size and eliminating the campus designation?

If you can create a campus by putting data centers next to one another, it defeats the entire purpose.

So what we're asking for is to do what you say and hold your word.

So first, as Commissioner Ladina Bolton has stated, she no longer uh is against data campuses.

However, she did say that she supports data centers, but not near neighborhoods.

Near neighborhoods, what does that mean to you?

Right now there's only a 500-foot requirement.

Less than tenth of a mile.

To me, that's near neighborhoods.

So what we're asking for are distance requirements, both for data centers as well as keeping data centers from neighborhoods, schools, and other vulnerable populations.

This has to be part of this text amendment.

If in fact we want to limit the size, limit campuses, and keep them away from neighborhoods.

So we are asking, although health experts say around five miles, we're asking for a minimum of a mile, given that we're trying to limit the size of data camp data centers.

The goal is no data campuses, right?

No data campuses.

And we must close that loophole.

The other thing we need to do, you've heard it.

We've got to have some water compliance.

I mean, we've got to have a water plan to protect our citizens.

That should be obvious.

And compliance, as Commissioner Long Spears so well put it the other few meetings ago.

What good is the plan without compliance?

Without a compliance plan, it's only worth the paper it's written on.

So we're asking that you look at these things and add these provisions.

Thank you, ma'am.

Ashley.

Good morning.

Good morning.

My name is Ashley Heredia.

I'm a resident of Jacob in Commissioner Ted Terry's district.

I'm a wife, a mother of a four-year-old, and I'm also an attorney who practices in Dacab.

In January, Commissioner Terry proposed a resolution condemning ICE's unnecessary use of force, the killings of Renee Good and Alex Predi, and stating affirmative lead that ICE presence in this county was unwelcome.

Like so many other people in our country, I was at that time and still am wrestling with profound anger, grief, and fear about the state of due process and civil rights in our country.

So when this resolution was proposed by Commissioner Terry, I felt something I hadn't felt in a while.

I felt hope, relief.

I was proud of my county for bringing this issue forth.

Despite what some of you all claimed when debating this issue, this resolution mattered.

You had the opportunity to make clear that DeCab chooses civil rights over fear, due process over brutality, communicate community safety over federal intimidation.

Sadly, that opportunity was squandered.

You all spent far too long discussing the fact that as a county government, you could do very little, if anything, to control ICE or the actions of the federal government.

Commissioner Davis Johnson, you often led that discussion.

You went so far as to say that the resolution would mislead the public.

Please hear me.

We were not and still are not confused.

We understand the limitations of a county government as opposed to the federal government.

We know that a resolution is a statement, not a more substantive action.

We were not asking your for for your protection from the federal government.

We were simply asking that the county state clearly where it stands.

You also emphasize repeatedly that you should we should focus on what this county can actually do.

What are you doing?

Your suggestion that this should be about action, not words, was a false choice.

While you cannot, as a county body, control the actions of ICE or the federal government, you certainly have the power to denounce it.

This resolution was not symbolic, it was a declaration of values.

It would have told our residents that this county sees them, believes them, will speak up.

When thousands of your residents are demanding accountability, a public statement from their elected officials carries weight, and doing so would have been action.

Instead, after all this public engagement and amendments to fix the language, you all chose to withdraw it.

Commissioner Patrick, you sir, were the one to propose that.

Governing out of fear of a hypothetical retaliation of what the federal government may or may not do is not leadership.

It is fear shaping policy.

It is risk avoidance disguised as prudence.

We saw this for what it was.

This was not a question of authority or language or process.

This was a question of whether you're willing to do something and say something when it mattered.

Leaders will be remembered not for what they can control, but what they can what they chose to speak about, and you guys will be remembered.

Thank you, ma'am.

Jocelyn O'Neill.

Good morning, Miss O'Neill.

Morning.

Morning, all.

And ditto ditto ditto.

Ditto ditto ditto.

I can't repeat all that's been said, but I want to say the entire amnesty that's going on.

That's a good thing, but the public needs to be more aware of what we're looking at.

I started to come up here for the HR uh recognition because I work really hard in DeCab County for no money.

Okay.

Work really hard.

I run over a lot of potholes.

I run over a lot of metal plates.

And you know, when we talk about the tires and tires, if we would get our roads and streets in good shape, we probably wouldn't have as many used tires to throw away.

The yellow strips and orange strips that need to go on the metal plates.

I'm running over, I ran over one yesterday.

No, I mean it was a metal plate, a hole and a metal plate.

Come on now.

And tires are expensive.

Just like with the data centers, the insurance is expensive for the people that have to go in for the devastations that these polluted data campuses do.

Now we can't substitute three buildings for one massive building.

If you go to Fayetteville Highway 54 West, that thing is humongous and it is simply scary.

QTS.

Please take the time to go down there and look at it.

We have a problem, simple problems that we can resolve.

Street striping.

I don't know why we don't have a machine in DeCab County as many roads as we have that could keep the streets up.

Bouldercrest, River, River Road, I mean, even parts of Glen where there's no panola right in front of Walgreens or whatever that is right there.

You can't even tell which lane to get in.

Why don't we have our own machine?

As much money as we pay out.

We pay out a lot of money for a lot of things, but we're not getting the results for what we really really need.

We need safety.

We need health.

I just want to say, I just don't understand what the problem is, and I'm about to get the ADA involved with uh Glenwood Road Hill ditch from La Mesa to Glenmar.

It is no reason for us not to have some money put aside.

And I know we're working with the property and and all that type of stuff, but it's past time.

I've been asking for years.

People have been killed on that heel.

We had the opportunity.

Uh Commissioner Messiah, Commissioner Bolton, and your teams walked up that hill to see how dangerous it is, and even to pass for someone to pass you going east or west.

We had to step up on a slight heel.

Let's get these things done.

We got a lot of money for a lot of things, but let's get our health and safety first.

Thank you, ma'am.

Joan Malow.

Ms.

Monroe.

Good morning.

Um, I just want to thank Lorraine Cochrane Johnson, uh, Ladina Bolton and Ted Terry and Stacey Greer for all your assistance without your help.

Um, item 2026 0491 wouldn't be on the agenda today.

So I thank you very much for bringing it to the commission.

Thank you, ma'am.

Next speaker.

Stephen Benny.

Good morning, Mr.

Benning.

Good morning, Commissioners.

I need a little help this morning.

The county's website doesn't seem to have any spill reports in the system after 2017.

I know we've had sewer spills over the last six years.

Where do I find them?

The county also hasn't posted any news releases on the watershed department websites during the last two years.

Where can a concerned resident find this information?

Does anyone here remember Ryan Milsap?

He once served as a chairman of Advanced DeCab, a nonprofit branch of Decide DeCab committed to building economic opportunities within DeCab County.

As he rose to prominence, Mr.

Milsap cultivated important relationships with black leaders and Jewish colleagues and won accolades for his commitment to diversity.

In January 2019, Millsapp told the congregation at Welcome Friend Baptist Church near where he was planning the expansion of his movie studio about all the benefits of a pending land swap deal.

The attendees were promised $3.8 million in public approvements, including the creation of a new public park and potential new restaurants.

Support from the community would be key in convincing the county commission to approve a land swap deal, along with over $8,000 in campaign contributions.

It was and is a con job, and the county fell for it hook line and sinker.

Five years later, there's no new park, no expanded movie studio, no workforce, no new restaurants or green space funding.

Entrenchment Creek Park has now been closed to the public for years, and the land is in disrepair.

Some residents recognize this as a con job, a bad deal, and push back on claims about the deal, including original promises made in receiving the original park plan.

During Mr.

Millsef's negotiations with DeCab County, he sent an email stating that he quotes laments' political work with African Americans and his distaste for having to do it.

On other emails, he has urged he has used the terms effing black people and nasty Jews.

Millsap concluded one time that no friendship comes before money in that tribe.

Ryan's public persona is different from who he is, according to Milsap's former attorney, adding that Ryan works hard to mislead and hide the truth, and he is very good at it.

Mr.

Millsap never planned to build additional studio space with this portion of the land swap or keep any of the promises he made.

Now he wants to sell the land to a developer who wants to put a data center on this one-time piece of park land.

Before you know it, district three is going to be known as data central, data center central.

It is amazing what 30 pieces of silver buys nowadays.

This county sold its sold to the devil, but now it has the opportunity to undo the harm it has done and still refuses to do so.

I guess doing business with racist crooks and con men is just the the Cab County way.

I want our parkland back now.

Beverly Dapney.

Good morning, Miss Dabney.

Good morning.

Good morning.

Beverly Dabney, Dunn Dry, District 3.

I come before you today.

We have tried unsuccessful for over four times trying to get speed bugs on Dunn Dry.

We we submitted just as recent as in January.

We submitted, she said, yes, you have the necessary approval of 25 signatures out of 67.

However, 13 are business owners.

Some you need to get a copy of the divorce decree.

You need things on business from the state.

All kinds of laws so that we cannot get these speed bombs.

Today I need a commissioner's help in assisting us to get these speeds bumps from done dry before children or mature adults are no longer with us.

We have climbed heels numerous times.

It seems like everything that we have to do in this community is a pushback on.

And I would like your assistance in us getting speed bumps on Done Dry.

Thank you, Matt.

Cheryl Dudley.

Ms.

Dudley.

Good morning, Cheryl Dudley, unincorporated Stone Mountain.

First, um I would like to thank the uh the code people and the commissioners for taking care of some things in my neighborhood.

That's the positive comment.

Um the next one's not really well not negative, but I come before you today um to ask again as I ask at um two of uh Commissioner Bolton's uh town hall meetings last year to please come up with a plan to keep immigration customs enforcement now known as ICE that was supposed to be for immigration borders security and not for anything else.

Um the new person that is replaced Christy No as the um homeland security person has already commented about sending ice to polling places.

Uh that was beautiful today about honoring um the Beauford Highway people and women's history month and progress and the gentleman who said of continuing progress.

We will not have continuing progress if we do not have free and fair elections.

And as the attorney who more eloquently spoke than I can noted, um again, I understand the difficulty of opposing the so-called federal government these days, but there needs to be a plan in place to keep ICE away from the polls.

It is difficult enough as it is right now, unfortunately, um, with the Georgia legislature and the Georgia election board trying to do everything to suppress votes, and then to put up with um ice scary ice people who have masks on, who have murdered two American citizens in front of the whole world, who were countless numbers of people that they don't even know have died in these so-called concentration camps, a term I would never have used years ago because um I am Jewish and I always felt no that that's the Holocaust, but believe me, being a historian, a history teacher, I am seeing so many bad comparisons between what's going on and that period of time.

So I ask you protect the citizens.

That is your one of your jobs, keep ice away from the polls, do something, show people like this little social circle city did when they cut the water and the and the off and the to that warehouse by by the way.

You might want to investigate how many properties in this county are owned by Russian oligarchs.

Thank you.

Thank you.

David Holcomb, Mr.

David.

That's our last speaker.

Thank you, ma'am.

Good morning, sir.

Yes, I'm David Holcomb from South Decad.

Uh I understand there's a proposal to compensate the families of public safety members that have been killed on the job.

And I understand that, but I'll also like to ask you to include anybody in the county that's killed on the job because they need it as well.

The that's all I have.

Thank you, sir.

Sir Last Speaker.

That was our last speaker.

Thank you.

Um moving on to item D.

There is no public hearing today.

There are also no appeals, so now we're moving to appointments not requiring board action and for information only.

Good morning, Mr.

Wells.

You beat me to the punch.

Good morning, Commissioners.

Good morning.

If you would like to sound the first item.

Yes, sir.

Item 2026.

This is a district two item.

2026-0508, Commission District 2 record the appointment of Ben Bell to the friends of the DeCAP Sports Commission as the district two representative.

So, Madam Presiding Officer, we've double checked this item, and it appears that the executive order that created this position or we created this board actually allows for one collective position from the board, not individual appointments.

So we would suggest this item is right for withdrawal, and then conversation between you all as to a uh collective representative on the sports council.

Understood, thank you.

Can I get a motion?

Motion to defer this item for two weeks, and I may change that.

And request to speak.

Second.

Second.

Were you able to hit the button?

I cannot.

Unfortunately up on the screen for us to hit.

You can hit the with um you can actually hit it there, it does.

And you second it, Commissioner Terry.

If you'll hit the button.

All right, Commissioner Long Spears.

Thank you so much.

Um I appreciate um attorney Welch for you grabbing me this morning and letting me know that we needed to further review the executive order.

So my understanding initially was that each commissioner received a non-voting appointment to the sports board.

However, after reviewing the executive order, Mr.

Welch reviewed it first.

I went back and reviewed it like three minutes ago, and he is correct.

Um there is one appointment that is voting on behalf of the board of commissioners to the sports commission.

And I just wanted to draw y'all's attention to something.

On the last page of that executive order, it states that this order shall be effective upon signature and remain in effect until June 30th, 2026.

And right above that in section oh Lord, well, number nine, the term is the DUSC, that's the the CAB United Sports Commission, shall continue until June 2026.

So my point is this is that if we're going to make an appointment to the sports commission, we should probably do it soon because it does conclude by the end of June of this year.

And so if you all would consider Mr.

Ben Bell serving as our collective appointment, that would be wonderful.

Obviously, it would require four votes.

Or I just deferred it if you'd like to review his information, or it can collectively bring another candidate forward.

I yield back, thank you.

Thank you, Commissioner Terry.

Thank you, Madam Presiding Officer.

Um so I the kick off and on you have to get in the middle of it, Attorney Welch, but the we all went to the Sports Commission launch, and it was stated that commissioners will be making appointees to the sports commission, and then we were emailed like the next day to say, you know, let the intergovernmental affairs director know who our appointments are.

And so I did that like three months ago.

So there was a meeting last week, and my person went to the meeting.

So I mean, why are we just now learning we have to have an official appointee?

That's fine if we have an official appointee, but are the people that the person I sent to the meeting are they being recognized, or is it just are they just showing up and they're just a person from the public?

I can't address that, sir.

I wasn't in attendance at any of the meetings you're referencing.

All right.

All I can go by is the words of the executive order, which in section five A four, give one appointment to the DeCab County Board of Commissioners.

All right, well, this will be our reminder for the BOC side of the aisle to read the executive order, uh, or at least maybe ask for it once it's been announced, so we don't have to like read it three months later and understand what's in it because sometimes we hear an executive order and then it doesn't like at materialize until a few a few months later, then we read the fine print.

And then we have to change everything after we've told people and given expectations.

So it's just not fair for us to be told one thing and something else happened three months later.

It's fine if that's if the executive order says that that's fine.

Just don't tell us something else.

So in regard to the our appointee, I mean, can we madam presiding officer?

Can we literally just put out a call for applicants, ask central staff to review it, maybe winnow it down to a couple representatives, and let's just pick someone from the public who might be interested quickly because it's you know, but I thought I I thought the sports commission was supposed to go on for a few years.

Like I don't understand why we would end it June 30th.

Isn't that doesn't the World Cup go past June?

I thought we were talking about like college playoffs and Super Bowls and all these things.

Commissioner Terry, not to interrupt, but I believe we need to get that explanation from administration and not from attorney Welch.

Well, I mean So let's ask Zach to come back with an explanation.

Oh follow up.

Yeah.

Okay.

Well, um, so just in terms of the picking our appointee, um, you know, I'd I mean I I know Ben, he's with my district council appointee.

Um, but since we only have one voting member, which I'm still not sure what we're voting on at these sports commissions, because I don't I didn't know they had a budget or I mean I'm not really sure what's the actual plan there.

Um but if we have to appoint someone if we could just develop a process to so we can kind of reach consensus quickly.

Thank you.

Understood, thank you.

Commissioner Davis Johnson.

Thank you.

And my point would be why would we be first something that we know we don't have the authority to appoint?

And why don't we withdraw?

And in fact, that's gonna be my substitute motion to withdraw this item so that we can all get together as a board and decide who we would like our representative to be.

And so my substitute motion is to withdraw uh this item.

Second.

We have uh substitute motion and a substitute second, if we could update the machines.

Thank you.

Are you um yielding the floor, Commissioner Davis Johnson?

Yeah, and then my last one was if time is of the essence, that's the reason I want to do this so that we can go on and uh get a consensus as to who we want to want.

So that's it.

I feel bad.

Thank you, ma'am.

Commissioner Long Spears for your second opportunity.

Thank you very much.

And so, Commissioners, I'd like to point out is that the language in this appointment is record the appointment of Ben Bell to the Friends of the DeCab Sports Commission as the district two representative.

So initially I had planned on withdrawing.

However, based on the unclarity, I think some of us are feeling about what that appointment looks like.

Perhaps there's an opportunity for Mr.

Bell to serve in a non-voting capacity, as it sounds like at least one individual has already been doing on the sports commission.

And again, I reached out to him.

I think it would be gracious of all of us to allow me the opportunity to tell him what's going on with this before we just simply withdraw the item.

Yield back.

Commissioner Terry, for your second opportunity?

Yes, I just want to point out that after, again, I'm just and I'll forward this email to everyone.

So this has been known for it four months now, it looks like so.

I after the sports commission launch, and there was the announcement, and we were asked to you know identify people that we we would send.

I don't think it was ever meant to be voting, it was just meant to be like advisory.

I don't see a problem with that.

I mean maybe we could just ask the CEO to amend the executive order.

That'd be simple, right?

Attorney Welch, executive orders can be amended, right?

Simply by changing the exactly.

Okay, and is that just simply a matter of changing language and just sort of pronouncing this is the new executive order?

Is it what's the bureaucracy to change an executive order?

How how quickly can it be done?

Uh that's fully within the CEO's purview.

Okay, but that let okay.

So let me ask a procedural question.

How does an executive order get changed functionally?

Is it just changing it and then saying here it is?

I believe traditionally a new uh executive order is generally uh issued to replace a previous one if changes are made, but there's any number of ways that can be accomplished procedurally.

Okay.

Okay.

Well, Zach, maybe that would be something to consider.

Um because I got because again, I emailed um the administration point person on November 10th, and just yeah, I'd like this person, Eric Carlton, who's very interested in the sports commission to be my appointee and got uh an email back saying great, we'll look forward to seeing an invitation.

I mean, it just every there was no indication that the person wasn't you know welcomed or isn't following the executive order, it was just great looking forward to it, and we'll let you know when the quarterly meetings are.

And so they've they were they attended the meeting last Thursday.

So anyways, it's just the problem is that we got constituents who were excited about the sports commission.

And if I have to go back and tell them, just kidding, you're actually just there to I guess observe.

You know, it just makes me look like I don't know what I'm talking about, makes us look like we don't have our stuff together.

This should be very straightforward.

It's just I mean, I understand the point of the point of the sports commission, it's just meant to you know create ideas and programming around the world cup and maybe future sporting events, so it shouldn't be this dramatic.

Hopefully, we can just go forward with our appointees, kind of like the arts council.

I mean, it seems like that's generally a fine approach.

Yield back.

Thank you, Commissioner Bolton.

Thank you, Madam PO and uh Commissioner Spears, that's very reasonable your position, and um, which is one of the reasons that I did second the withdrawal.

I had a person just like you guys who were attending the meetings and they go back and they report to the community.

Um, and I too would hate to have to explain to them why now they can no longer serve, but then there's still an item on the agenda where it appears that someone else may be getting the opportunity.

So if there is a way for us to continue to allow our appointees to attend the meetings and report back, I would support that.

Uh, but I I would also say if the withdrawal does fail, Commissioner, I will support your deferral.

But um, considering that I do have to go back and explain to my appointee and then the community that he reports to, uh I I would rather it be withdrawn because I don't want to cause any confusion with the folks that have already been attending the meeting.

I yield back.

Thank you.

Commissioner Messiah.

Thank you so much, uh, Madam P.O.

And so just um to echo my expectations and and thoughts based on being in attendance for the rollout and other conversations um in and around this particular issue is my understanding that each commissioner, if they so chose, would actually have an appointee.

Additionally, um I had even asked that in the absence of uh because of my interest in what's going on, um, that in a commissioner could actually um attend and participate um in their stead.

So absent an appointee, they could actually be the their own representative.

Um we do have not just the World Cup coming up, we also have Super Bowl in two years, and I specifically from this dais mentioned that we have ongoing sporting effect um events, including the FedEx Cup that takes um place right in one of my district uh neighborhoods right in in my community.

So being um, you know, the only cityhood I have, City of Atlanta, a stone throws away from uh downtown Atlanta, uh district three bears the brunt of a lot of direct sporting events that take place in and around um the city of Atlanta and downtown specifically.

So um I would like to be able to further flesh out and have a conversation to see if she may be amenable to an amendment to the order, think opposed to um taking a demand approach or all or nothing, just trying to see if we can have a conversation.

So I think a deferral would allow for that uh opportunity to take place.

Additionally, if there is um that possibility and it materializes, then I wouldn't want to withdraw an item that would allow a commissioner to have their appointee to move forward, and with that I yield back to you, Manipio.

Thank you, Commissioner Davis Johnson, for your second opportunity.

Yeah, um what I would yeah, yeah.

What I would uh just like to say is this is that I don't think if I think everyone has appointed someone to disposed, and if by chance the CEO umends her position, because I would like my person to serve I appointed uh my chief of staff.

I'd like him to serve but and I'd like to give him the advantage to stay on.

I'm sure like everyone else would want to do, but if the CEO changes her position, then fine, but if not, uh we shouldn't have, in my opinion, to give anyone the appearance of an advantage to be appointed for this position by the board when most of the board members have appointed someone.

So that is my position because if there's a withdrawal and we come back and the com and the CEO determines that she's going to a man, it's amended, and no one has a preference.

And no one is given an a perceived advantage.

And we can collectively choose a person if necessary.

But it's my hope that it's amended, because I like to keep my person on as well.

I guess I could have done a I guess I could have done a substitute to put my person on here.

But I didn't, because it wouldn't be fair.

It's a perception that advantage that I'm concerned about.

So I yield back.

Thank you.

Commissioner Patrick.

Thank you, Madam Presiding Officer.

Ideally speaking, um what I would love to see happen is is at our cow this Thursday.

There's a sort of an explanation from the administration of where things are, where things could be going.

Um and um not necessarily make a kerfuffle up here over a commissioner's request to have someone placed on that that board.

Um I know we have a vote we have to get through, but ultimately I'd like to see us where we get some more information again from the administration, uh perhaps uh legal uh can walk us through on the details a bit more clearly.

Um we we need to come together.

This is not a thing to have a fight over, honestly.

Come on, Ted.

We can live together.

Thank you, Commissioner Patrick, and I will echo that.

So what excuse me, what I would like to request from you, C O C O O Williams.

If we can get clarification on the individual appointments, because it was actually my understanding that the commissioner appointments didn't actually need to be an official appointment, but that one official appointment did need to occur.

So if we can get that clarification, I think that would allow the individual commissioners to keep their person on, but we make one collective appointment.

That was my understanding of the process.

So if we can get that clarification and if the executive order needs to be amended to reflect that, I would appreciate that.

All right, thank you, sir.

Um, seeing no further request to speak, the motion on the floor at this time is a motion to withdraw this item, which is 0508.

If we can open the machines for the vote.

Can I ask the question?

Yes, ma'am.

My question is this is this if we vote, is this to record district two's appointment?

Just like everyone else's appointments have been recorded.

So this item does purport to record an appointment from District 2.

I've just checked while we've been standing here, and I don't see where any other commissioners put an appointment through this recordation process.

Correct, which I think is part of the reason that we've just caught it.

But yes, if approved, this item would reflect District 2's appointment, which again, I don't see an allowance for that appointment in the executive order as currently written.

Okay.

Okay, that was my that was my so.

So would do you feel that we could get a different understanding of what you just stated at the next Cal meeting.

I will have to defer to the administration.

The executive order says what it says.

Yeah, that's what I'm saying.

Would we get a different understanding?

Could we get a different understanding of what you just stated at the Cal meeting?

From legal I I'll look again, ma'am, but the words on the page are very plain.

There's one appointment from the Board of Commissioners in the voting section, it is called as a collective appointment.

I'm not suggesting that you cannot have monitors attend.

Um simply reporting what the words of the executive order say.

Okay.

So the motion on the floor is still with to withdraw, so the machines are open.

Motion to withdraw is does not pass.

So we'll go back to the original motion to defer for two weeks.

Friendly amendment.

What's your friendly amendment?

Uh just to ask if the uh administration can come back by the committee of the whole with a way we can kind of tweak some of this this agenda item and maybe another agenda item.

I mean, that was my request, but I don't think we need that as a friendly amendment to the deferral.

It's gonna happen.

Well, I was looking for it to be an official you know acknowledgement from the board for Zach.

So my request isn't official.

Yes, Thursday.

It is Thursday.

All right, so we have a motion to defer, seconded by seconded by Commissioner Bolton.

Please open the machines for a vote.

Thank you guys.

All right, motion to defer passes.

Please stay up, Attorney Welch.

Yes, ma'am.

Next item, item 2026-0521, Commission District 2 record the appointment of Kyle Williams to the Friends of the DeCAB Arts Council as the District 2 representative.

Madam Presiding Officer, I'd like to, if I can, provide a little clarity as to the appointments to the Arts Council.

These points will apply to the item you just sounded, 0521, as well as items 0535, 0512, 0527, and 0543, as my read of the agenda shows that all five of those uh purport uh to appoint district representatives to the arts council.

So just for clarity, the official name of the entity is the DeCab Arts Council.

All five of these appointments should reflect appointment to that body, the DeCAB Arts Council.

Again, just for clarity, each member of the Board of Commissioners per this executive order can appoint a standing member to the DeCAB Art Council.

Only standing members can vote, and only standing members count towards the quorum.

So under this executive order, you do all each get an individual appointment of a voting member.

The term for each member is four years, given the date of uh sort of inception of uh this council.

We have assigned uh term dates of March 1st, 2026 through February 28th, 2030, to all five of these appointments, so they will remain uniform.

So uh I say all that simply because there is uh a little bit of differentiation between uh the names of the organizations between these five items.

A couple of you have identified your appointees as standing members.

That is correct.

They are all to be standing voting members on all five.

Happy to address any questions, but hopefully that brings some clarity to this appointment process.

We we have questions.

Okay, Commissioner Longspears.

Um would you like me to make a motion first or go into my comments?

I actually would like to have comments.

We'll make the motion and then because I think I can clean this up by reading it correctly.

But if you want to defer.

No, actually, I would um I motion to approve item 0521 with uh possibly a few friendly amendments, but I wanted to ask Mr.

Welch what I'm reading in the EO.

And my what I had planned to do when I was reading the appointments for the record was to read it correctly.

So attorney Welch, is that suffice?

And then all the appointments would just be recorded into the record that way.

Correct.

And technically, you know, there's no vote required on these items, though I understand procedurally for discussion purposes while you're going the way you're going.

But uh to answer your precise question, Madam Presiding Officer.

Yes.

If you if you read the appointment with the proper name of uh the organization and as a appointment appointee to the as a standing member, I think the record will reflect accurately and before we move on to questions, let's make sure I have this correct.

So it would read, for example, record the appointment of Kyle Williams as a standing member of the DeCab Arts Council for as the district two representative.

Yes, ma'am.

All right, do the you still have questions because um Mr.

Welch, I am reading I'm on page two of the executive order, DeCAB Council for the Arts that was initially executed in November of 2025.

We have gone back and forth on this item over and over again.

So it does what she just read as a standing member.

That is not what's in the executive order.

In the executive order, it states under section five membership.

Standing members with voting privileges are the 11 members of the board of directors for destination decab, which are the same board members for discovered deCAB.

And second is the executive director and CEO will be the chair of the board with non-voting privilege privileges.

So that is the executive director of the arts council that has recently been appointed.

Section B states If I could, ma'am, you that that executive order has been replaced.

There was a second executive order issued on the 25th day of February 2026.

Okay.

Um I believe that has been provided, but again, those don't come through law.

Um hold on.

Um does anybody else have this one?

I haven't looked for but attorney while you're looking at attorney welch, if you can continue.

Yeah.

And so what it states under membership, section five, standing members, a one, one appointed by the chief executive, a two, one appointed by each member of the DeCab County Board of Commissioners.

As a standing voting member, as a standing member, yes, ma'am.

And then Section B outlines agencies and organizations invited to participate as friends of the DeCab Art Council, and then there's a section C with discretionary participants as invited.

Okay, so um we're still in my time.

So this was issued you said on February 25th, sir.

Uh it looks like it was executed on February 25th, 2026.

Yes, ma'am.

Okay.

Um, well, just to confirm.

So in the new February executive order, it states that each each of us not collective, have one voting member to the arts council.

Yes, ma'am, a one standing members.

Okay.

One appointed by each member of the DeCab County Board of Commissioners.

All righty.

Well, um, my motion stands to approve, and I absolutely accept joyously your friendly amendment so that Mr.

Williams can be a voting member of the arts council.

That is exciting.

And unfortunately, I don't recall seeing that executive order, so if you wouldn't mind sending it, are maybe other folks received it, but I don't recall that I did, but I wish I would have.

Thank you so much, and I yield back.

Right.

So I will let Commissioner Davis Johnson speak, but I'm actually gonna request that you withdraw so I can go through the procedure of recording it correctly.

There's no vote needed.

Okay.

I'll just read it correctly into the record.

All right.

All right, yes, that's what I was trying to explain.

It's not in the wrong section section.

We were just getting explanation before I continued.

I'm assembled.

Yes, Commissioner Davis Johnson.

And this is for saying because I I do remember discussing um it was a discussion about an advisory role as opposed to a standing role voting roll.

So that has since been changed from the administration.

Is that is that what uh Matthew was saying?

Yes, for from presiding officer to the commissioner.

Yes, that's what Mr.

Welch is saying.

Matter of fact, I'm trying to look up the uh the executive order, but yes, I believe the revised executive order um allows for a voting member uh appointed by each commissioner.

That's what okay.

All right, thank you.

So I can continue reading the appointments in for the record.

Great.

All right, thank you.

Thank you.

Item 2026-0521, Commission District 2.

Record the appointment of Mr.

Kyle Williams as a standing member of the DeCAB Arts Council as the District 2 representative.

Also, item for District 2, item 2026-0545, all commission districts appointment of uh Roseanne Blakeney to the DeCab County Women's Commission on to District 3 items.

Item 2026-0535 to the to record the appointment of Camille Gilmore as a standing member of the DeCAP Arts Council as the District 3 appointee.

District 5 appointments, item 2026-0494.

Um, an item to record the appointment of Ms.

London Hornsby to DeCab County Women's Commission.

Item 2026-0512, an item to record the appointment of Ron Mayo as a standing member of the DeCab Arts Council as a district five appointee.

Top of page four, item 2026-0528.

Um, an item to record the appointment of Caitlin Brewster to the District 5 Community Council Board.

Item 2026-0529, an item to record the appointment of Peter Butts to the District 5 Community Council Board.

District 6 item record the appointment of Lauren Kiefer as a standing member of the DeCab Arts Council as the super district six appointee.

Super District 7 item 2026-0543 record the appointment of Dolores Burgess to as a standing member of the DeCab Arts Council and from the Chief Executive Office Item 2026-050.

All commission districts record the appointment of Mr.

Maryam Williams to post eight of the DeCab County Planning Commission for the tax commissioners.

We're on top of page five.

Record the appointment or item 2026-0417 to record the appointment of Joyce L.

Neal to the position of T Chief Deputy Tax Commissioner.

That concludes all the ones to be read into the record.

We're now on appointments.

Yes.

So that one is for the city of Doorville's slot, I believe.

Commissioner Long Spears.

Pardon me.

I'm restate your question, please.

The O five-four five, the women's commission.

That is correct.

Ms.

Blankney.

Um for Doraville.

For doorville.

Okay.

And would it be possible, Madam President?

The future of the title would just be a good question.

Yeah, we actually have that in.

In our agenda setting for Cal, we recognize that the District 2 appeared to have a bunch of women's commission appointments.

So we're going to try and clarify that so it does not look inappropriate.

But I did not catch that one.

Thank you.

And that is Dorabelli.

That was Dora Bill.

Make sure the records reflect that.

Thank you.

All right.

Appointments.

Um this is for district three.

We're in the middle, top of page five, item 2026-0533.

Appoint Miss Denise Carter to Post 3 of the Recreation Parks and Cultural Affairs Board.

Is there a motion?

Motion to approve.

Thank you.

Is there a second?

Second by Commissioner Terry.

Please open the machines for the vote.

Motion carries.

Thank you.

These are Chief Executive Office appointments.

Item 2026-0191.

All commission districts appoint Mr.

Hunter Hines to the Shamley Dorville Community Improvement District Board.

Move for action.

Thank you, ma'am.

Item 2026-0302.

All commission districts.

Excuse me, appoint Dr.

Sarah Petnod to Post 2 of the DeCab Regional Land Bank Authority.

Move for action.

Top of page six.

Item 2026-0308.

All commission districts.

Appoint Reverend Dr.

James Todd Speed to post one of the DeCab County Hospital Authority.

Move for action.

Item 2026-0309.

All commission districts appoint Elizabeth M.

Roberts Roberts Esquire to post one of the DeCab Regional Land Bank Authority.

Move for action, Madam P.O.

I have a motion and I move to approve agenda items ending in 0191 0302 0308 and 0309 as approved out of the PECS committee.

Thank you.

Is there a second?

Second.

If you hit the button, Commissioner Patrick.

Thank you.

Seeing no request to speak, please open the machines.

Motion carries.

We are now on the consent agenda under Airport.

Are you ready, Madam Deputy Presiding Officer?

Yes, ma'am.

All right.

Item 2026-04919.

Um Commission District 106.

Termination of standardized T Hanger Speech Space Lease Agreement for Charles E.

Taylor.

There is no cost to the county.

Move for action.

Under Board of Commissioners.

Item 2026-0523.

Approval of minutes of the March 17th, 2026 Committee of the Hole Meeting.

Move for action.

And we will pull or pulling item 0557.

So under District 2, item 2026-0507.

Allocation of $5,000 from the District 2 Reserve for appropriation to pause Atlanta to support their pet food bank.

Move for action.

Item 2026-0548.

Allocation of $59,263 to 100 black men of DeCab County to support the DeCab Youth Explorers Program.

Move for action.

District 3 item.

Move for action.

Move for action.

Item 2026-0544.

An item to allocate $5,000 to the CAP School's Educational Foundation Inc.

from the District 7 Reserve 4 Appropriations Funds for the State of the District supporting educational programming.

Move for action.

Item 2026-0551 and item to allocate $2,000 of reserve for appropriation funds to 100 black men of DeCav County.

Legacy is not extinct event for enhancement of educational programming for you.

Actually, we're going to pull that item and come back with a substitute.

Thank you, ma'am.

So moving to item 2026-0552, an item to allocate $2,000 of the reserve for appropriations district seven funds to Black Boy Blueprint for student participation in Blueprint Legacy Summit.

Move for action.

Item 2026-0553, an item to allocate 1,000 of the District 7 Reserve for Appropriation Funds to Horizon over the spectrum for sensory friendly family programming.

Move for action.

Top of page 9.26-0554.

An item to allocate $2,000 of the District 7 Reserve for Appropriation Funds to the DeCav Symphony Orchestra for 2026.

DeCav Symphony Orchestra Outreach Concert.

Move for action.

And last item from the CEO's office, 2026-0518.

Approval of the minutes of the Board of Commissioners meeting of March 10th, 2026.

Move for action.

And with that, Madam Presiding Officer, I move to approve items 2026-0499.

2026-0523, 0507, 0548, 0536, 0530, 0544, 0552, 0553, 0554, and 0518.

Thank you.

Is there a second?

Second.

Motion and a second.

Please open the machines for the vote.

Consent agenda is approved.

We will go back to item 2026-0557.

All commission districts to amend item 2025-1598 as previously adopted on November 2nd, 2025, adopting the Board of Commissioners 2026 regular business and committee of the whole calendar.

If I can get a motion to approve, and then we can have discussion.

Move to approve this item.

Second.

Okay, thank you.

Motion to approve and um the printed agenda item.

We had discussed um our adding the night cow meetings as well, and we have gotten communication with Mr.

Siegler about when we could have a meeting to approve the millage rate.

So I believe when we had these discussions in November, Commissioner Terry had brought up an idea of trying to have a little bit of a break in July.

So Mr.

Siegler has worked on this item and he's coming forward.

Um it looks like we can there's two options.

We could approve the millage rate on June 30th, but also on July 7th, have no cows in July, and then meet again on July 28th.

Um would you like to speak to the millet rate, sir?

Yes, good morning, Madam PO.

Uh the two options that we looked at were either doing it um, well, originally we were tenderly scheduling the milled rate adoption for July 14th, so it could be done either July 7th or June 30th.

Um that is from just uh a practical and legal standpoint that we do think that's possible to do.

Uh there were some concerns or issues raised by the property or the chief appraiser that there might be some changes through the uh general assembly to some of the assessment notices that might change that schedule, but until that actually comes out, we don't know what those changes would be and what impact that would have on the schedule.

So and um if Attorney Phillips question for you, putting you on the spot.

I didn't know we were injured, sir.

He worked so hard he injured himself for the county.

Just see the other guy.

Good morning, Attorney Phillips.

Good morning.

Um it's my understanding we have to have two BLCs um per month.

So if we had a meeting at the BLC on June 30th, but not we would end up only having one on July 28th.

Is that acceptable or do we have to have the two?

We are supposed to have two action meetings per month.

Okay.

So as much as I like the idea of June 30th, I think we we would have to have it on July 7th.

So that is the amendment additional amendment to the calendar that I am proposing at this time.

There might be some later on, but at this time that is the proposal.

Commissioner Long Spears, you've requested to speak.

Thank you.

Okay.

Um I don't have anything in writing with what you're proposing.

So the first thing that that I could find, by the way.

Um the first thing that I'm trying to understand is that you're proposing two night cow meetings.

What dates are those?

Oh, was it on the agenda?

That is on the agenda item.

Okay, could you just tell me off the top of my head?

I can't.

Anybody June 2nd is a night cow?

Thank you, Ms.

McKenzie.

October what?

As proposed on the agenda item, um, there would be one for June 2nd for 5 30 p.m.

and also October 6th, 5 30 p.m.

Okay, and I guess location is still TBD.

Yes.

Here we are.

Thank you very much for this.

That's helpful.

All right.

Um the next question I have is um, so what we have written on here on our initial calendar was June 2 cow, which is now gonna be ninth, June 9, Biz, yes, which is the 9th, June 18th, Thursday, Cal.

June 23, this meeting, which gives us our two meetings in June.

And then July, um, you were suggesting that the cow remain on the 7th.

Is that no?

But July 7th, make that a business meeting.

Okay, so July 7th will be bid.

July 28th will be business, and there would be no meeting on July 14th or July 21st.

So we'll have two business meetings in July, but no cow.

Okay, all right.

Um thank you very much.

You'll back.

Thank you, Commissioner Terry.

Thank you.

Um I am good with the night committee the whole changes.

Um thought maybe that might help us achieve some of the goals we were setting out to do.

Um we talked about this in November.

Um, is if we actually had a um July 7th and July 14th BOC meeting, and then the 21st, 28th would be summer recess, basically, and then August 4th would be a cow.

Um potentially could move that cow as well.

Let me make sure I understand what you're saying, sir.

So a BOC on July 7th, and then a BOC on July 14th, and then nothing on the 21st or the 28th.

Exactly.

And I might propose moving the August 4th as well to the Monday before the um 11th.

So you I think everyone needs to process that.

Do you need to have anything else to speak on, or I'll go to Commissioner Davis Johnson?

Well, maybe maybe just to keep things flowing.

Uh, does anyone have any thoughts on that?

You can use my time to answer.

Could you conclude what you're proposing?

Yeah, basically just front loading the the fit the required two meetings in July.

So the last two weeks of July there would not be meetings, and then um the small amendment to that is to have the August 4th cow move to August 10th.

So just so I understand, so July 7th and 14th would both be business meetings, then we wouldn't have another cow until when in August?

August 10th.

So effective will it be going from July 14th to August 10th or 11th.

It says 11th on this.

Yeah, I think the 11th would still be on the calendar or just move the cow.

Moving cows to the Monday before.

Okay.

Um acceptable for the administration.

I we can't do an agenda for the cow meeting on the 10th of August and then have the BLC meeting the very next thing.

That's not enough time.

Right.

I think if we to do that, I would have to set the agenda for the 11th.

The presiding officer.

Do you even have the process?

Everything from cows, you know.

But if I'm sitting there, you have to give different um deadline dates.

Okay.

Yes.

And then the presiding officer would have to set it as we're I will have to set it in July for the 14th as well.

I'm okay with that.

Okay.

Do you have a question in general or a question for Commissioner Terry?

Yeah, well, I guess.

Go ahead.

Maybe both.

I'm just not sure if he needs to yield his time or not.

Okay.

So we are not looking at a meeting for August 4th, right?

Uh my suggestion would be to move the committee of the whole to the 10th.

So okay.

But we can't do that.

But she could send the committee of the whole.

Yes.

Okay.

So we wouldn't do the August 4, correct?

So I'm good with that.

Okay.

Okay.

Anyone else have any thoughts on that?

I'm still on your time.

Okay, just making sure, because I have something I'll have to reschedule.

Okay, so our last meeting would be July 14th, and we would not meet again until August 11th.

Correct.

Yes.

Okay.

Thank you.

All right.

Um, I appreciate that.

That's 28 days.

28 days.

Other commissioners weighing in.

Um, and I do want to acknowledge that um many larger jurisdictions, including Atlanta, actually take, and I don't know if it's written into their their organizational act, but they take like a like a month off, basically, it's a summer recess.

So it's a pretty common thing considering that we do meet all the time.

We meet every time.

Um and and I don't think um, and maybe just to acknowledge that the um that there might be a longer meeting on August 11th, because there might be some things that might be kind of in the queue.

Um, but as long as the administration is clear that there's no pressing, you know, operational you know, things, right?

Because I think like part of part of our agenda are policies and resolutions that we discuss that aren't related to service delivery.

So I wouldn't want to not have a meeting and then you know, a road paving contract or a a contract for vital services get delayed for no reason.

So if Mr.

Williams can confirm that all the departments are not gonna have any, you know, like they can time it to make sure that those contracts for vital services are taken care of on um the um on the 7th and the 14th, and then that way we're there's not any emergencies, but of course, if there is an emergency, I mean we can always be called in.

I mean, I think that's written in our code as well.

Be happy to yield to Mr.

Williams.

Uh Madam Presiding Officer to Commissioner Terry's direct question.

If um if the board is contemplating taking uh a break for a couple of weeks in August, um if we know that now or next week or so, that gives us sufficient time to manage our calendars, contracts, and so forth to avoid the circumstance like Commissioner Terry just mentioned, where in there there is an urgent um item that that needs to happen during that time period.

So the sooner you make that decision, we will just manage accordingly.

Okay, thank you.

Great, thank you.

All right, yield back.

All right, do you still have a question?

Commissioner Davis Johnson.

No, Commissioner Patrick.

Uh thank you, Madam Presiding Officer.

Um I'm comfortable with what's been suggested.

Uh want to put on people's radar that in September I may have uh a couple of dates where I'd be asking if we could change our meeting dates uh to later in the week instead of on a Tuesday, maybe move it to a Thursday, but I don't have anything confirmed yet, but still want to let y'all know that that might be coming.

Thank you.

Okay.

So if we are comfortable, and sounds like we are with the amendment from Commissioner Terry.

If you can make a friendly amendment, Commissioner Terry to the motion to approve.

Yes, so the the friendly amendment to the motion to approve um is for the for July July 7th and July 14th to be a official BOC uh action meeting date.

And then in lieu of the August 4th committee of the whole, the presiding officer will set the agenda for the August 11th BOC meeting.

Correct.

That sounded right.

Okay.

Everyone is comfortable with that.

All right.

We have a in your motion and second stand.

Yes.

All right.

Let's open the machines for a vote.

Thank you, everyone.

That motion carries.

All right.

So let's go back to the item from District 7.

That was pulled from consent.

Item 2026-0551.

An item to allocate $2,000 of reserve for appropriation funds to 100 black men of DeCap County.

Legacy is not extinct event for enhancement of educational programming for youth.

Is there a motion?

I move to defer this item for two weeks so we can prepare a substitute.

Second.

Please open machines for the vote.

Motion to defer carries.

Thank you.

We are now in the middle of page nine preliminary items.

Excuse me.

This is under community development.

Item 2026-0497, Commission Districts 4 and 7.

Extension of the contract time provision for the City of Tucker ADA transportation plans.

PWI.

Yeah, thank you, Madam Presiding Officer.

Uh, based on the recommendation of PWI from the March 17 meeting, uh motion to approve.

Is there a second?

Commissioner.

I think he forgot he's back on PWS.

Come on, Ted.

Please open the machines for a vote.

Motion to approve carries.

Thank you.

Item 2026-0550, district three to adopt an ordinance to amend the code of DeCap County to address public safety vagrancy, unauthorized camping, and certain public new nuisance behaviors.

Motion to defer to the April 28th with a BOC with a stop and PECS on April 14th, so it can be heard.

Thank you.

Motion and a second, please open machines.

That motion is for carries.

Top of page 10.

Item 2026-0478.

All commission districts an allocation of up to 300,000 to contract with a firm to perform research and analysis for the county's water and sewer system.

This analysis will determine how the county's water and sewer function can best be managed to ensure the long-term health and stability of the county's water and sewer assets and whether optimum service delivery would be achieved through the existing structure, reorganizing or outsourcing in whole or in part of the or the creation of a water and sewer authority.

Is there a motion?

Thank you, Madam Presiding Officer.

Um, based on the recommendation of PWI motion to approve, and I do have a comment.

All right, is there a second?

Second.

We have a motion to approve and seconded by Commissioner Messiah.

Commissioner Patrick, you have the floor.

Thank you again, Madam Presiding Officer.

Um some of the discussion, some of the comments I made during PWI uh last week when this item came up was was initially when this was brought forward.

I was absolutely opposed to it.

Um I believe that this commission, the CEO, uh and our staff are doing a really a fantastic job at getting the county in line and with expectations for water and service as well as with what the courts are looking for.

Um that said, if there is an opportunity for improvement, if someone can at least give us an assessment on play ways to improve our functions, our processes, um, that is what I am supporting right here.

So just because I'm saying I'm comfortable moving forward with this, uh, doesn't mean that I'm for the creation of the water and sewer authority without the data.

Um, and even then it will be a hard sell because I I do believe we've done a good job, and I think that the residents have said very clearly to all of us fix it, make it work.

Um, in a modern day American city, we should have the best water service system, and we're getting there.

Um, but we also have the residents reminding us that we we make that a priority.

So with that, thank you very much, madam presiding officer.

Thank you.

Commissioner Long Spears.

Thank you, Madam Presiding Officer.

And um I appreciate you, Mr.

Williams, um, distributing the memo from March 23rd, and then recirculating that.

And I am looking at this document and have a few questions.

My first question is has vendor selection occurred yet?

No, okay.

Can you talk to me a little bit about what the plan is for that?

Assuming this passes.

Yes, that you have Madam Presiding Officer to Commissioner Spears.

What we'll do is work with purchasing to determine what is the best course of action in terms of pursuing a firm.

We have developed a scope of work and we would you know spend some time refining that scope of work and determine are there opportunities out there in terms of piggybacking, quite frankly, or is it most appropriate to issue an RFP?

And if so, we would do that as quickly as possible.

But we we don't have a foregone conclusion as to what the procurement method would be at this point.

Okay.

All right.

So no vendor selection has occurred.

No, ma'am.

And you're looking at two options piggybacking on a current vendor's contract or an RFP, which takes considerable time.

Right, yes, ma'am.

Yes, of statewide contract, the current municipal contract RFP.

Yeah.

Because though, you know, it's really the gamut of options as it relates to procurement.

This is not a sole sourceable item, so that is off the table.

Um so we would see what is the most appropriate and most expedient method.

So in my experience with DeCab County, the RFP process, while we do our best, is tends to be it slow, you know.

It is what it is.

They're meticulous, they're vetting the potential vendors.

Um if you were to go to the piggybacking method, would that be quicker in your opinion?

It would be.

It would be.

Yes, ma'am.

Okay, thank you.

Um the next question I have, and you might be waiting on receiving a scope of work or someone to respond to an RFP if you end up going that route, is the timeline.

So after the vendor is selected, whomever it might be.

So from start to finish, how long do you perceive this process to be?

Or is that still TBD?

I think it's TBD, but our our goal would be by the end of summer, I think, to have this concluded.

Oh, assuming a quick start.

So I guess it's all in and when we start, right?

Exactly.

Okay, and so um I may have additional questions, Madam P.O.

I'm just reading through what was sent.

But so for now, um you do include all of these different deliverables, and I was thrilled to see that um you are certainly looking at a way to monitor and evaluate the options and then certainly the progress.

Right, and and and hopefully you'll see our intent would be to thoroughly evaluate several uh potential options, and there may be something that we haven't thought of, and we do mention uh quite frankly, whether it's um maybe privatizing or outsourcing some components, consolidating, uh which would be bringing uh the UCO back under watershed or underwater shed.

There could be a whole host of things, and we want to thoroughly vet that, and I would anticipate some level of conversation, probably through PWI as we progress.

And if at all, but how do you see this entity intersecting with the urban league?

The entity, I'm sorry, if whatever this so right now we're looking at current the evaluation, right?

Project background is possibly considering the creation of a water and sewer authority.

Yes.

Are is that if that were to happen, would that replace the Urban League?

Would they still be in place performing the duties that we contracted them to do?

Is there a vision on that yet, or we're still working for the details?

Right.

I think we would still be working through the details because I believe where you're you're talking about is if the authority is created, right?

Correct.

Okay, so yes, we're stated.

Yes, right, right.

So if that happens, all contracts that the county currently has would be um become, and you know they're gonna give us the legal analysis as to how that happens, but the authority would be responsible for those contracts ultimately, including the urban league.

Has the law department um had a chance to consider that as an option or this authority would be ultimately responsible, I guess for the would it be the selection of the vendors or just monitoring the contracts?

So if you have an authority, and it all of it, I guess that the devil would be in the details, but in thinking it out, an authority if we and that's that's a number of steps down the road, because there may be a host of other options, Commissioner, but an authority would be responsible for the oversight management and governance of water and sewer.

As such, they would be responsible for everything.

All right.

Um Commissioner Long Spears, if I can.

I it sounds like you have some very detailed questions that I don't think we have answers for at this time because what I believe administration was wanting to know is is there an appetite to start this process?

Start the study.

That's start the study.

Your questions seem to be wanting to have some detail on outcomes from the study that they wouldn't have the answers for.

So I'm just trying to make sure that we're not putting the cart before the horse kind of thing.

Understood.

All right.

Um my next question, sir, goes to um a statement in here somewhere that said you were going to build off of information received from another vendor.

Can you talk to me about that?

I'm looking for it right now.

Yes, I believe what what that is speaking to is under Maldon and Jenkins.

Yes, the operational assessment from last year.

Okay.

Well, let me let me okay, thank you.

When the board approved the 10 by 10 um rate increase.

One of the stipulations in the resolution was an operational assessment of watershed.

We used Malden and Jenkins.

Understand they did they were not part of the other study that we did with the 266 findings.

There is a separate assessment that is ongoing right now that will be concluded in the next 30 days or so of watershed specifically by Maldon and Jenkins.

So that will be something that will be used to inform the information and the study conducted here.

So that study will be complete in the next 30 days.

I believe so, yes, ma'am.

All righty.

Very good.

Um okay.

I will hold the remainder of my questions, but I am requesting CO Williams a meeting offline to go through this and just try to understand the Urban League, Maldon and Jenkins study that's currently going on.

Absolutely.

And um comments related to what uh Commissioner Patrick said as the PWI.

I yield back.

Thank you, Commissioner Messiah.

Thank you so much, Madam Hio.

Just um very briefly, I'd like to see, and I'm glad that we are taking at least the step and having the foresight to look into the creation of this authority.

Um just attending a class at ACCG, a CIP, and it was a discussion in and around the water authority, some of the other jurisdictions and local counties have them.

Carroll County, Cobb Marietta, um, Henry County, Clayton County, and just you know, background coming from New York, we have a water authority, and they are responsible for um a number of the concerns that I think that we would that we're dealing with even here today, including like an application process if we're talking about data centers and monitoring of the water and water quality, that's something that they would be responsible for and be able to provide an oversight as to any potential pollution of our water and anything affecting our water quality.

And then I think it would help consolidate um some of these different um aspects of uh water service um providing that we do in the county.

So I am glad um just we're looking into um the creation of one.

But with that, um, had there been thought in terms of um you know, if we do an RFP or even who we're looking at in terms of a vendor, uh just seeing whether or not they have familiarity with any uh oversight of the water and any potential water pollution so would that be something that would be considered under their purview at this point, just a consideration um from the administration.

Right.

So I I think that whatever firm is selected to conduct this study, one of the things we would want them to assess is our current um state of compliance with various regulations, right?

And also by their evaluation, does any form of governance improve the current state or you know that type of thing?

So um that would be part of their evaluation, all of the whether it's managing assets, whether it's employee retaining, you know, there's a whole host of things that they would be evaluating, and they would look at each form of governance to see, you know, is there a difference?

Okay, I got to appreciate that.

I mean, because I would um presume that you know any water authority that we uh created if that if that's the route we go, then they would have to work closely with the EPA uh GA EPD and so just considering um some of what we are dealing with as a realization um presently on our table as it relates to water.

So thank you for that answer.

With that, I yield back to you, Madam P.O.

Thank you.

Thank you, Commissioner Terry.

Thank you, Madam Presenting Officer, thank you, Zach, for sending the um RFP draft.

Uh the only thing that I would like us to um see if we can just strike from the onset is the studying of outsourcing or privatization.

Um I really cannot find any example of where a privatization of a of a government, a local government asset ended up or a service ended up being a good thing for the the ratepayers.

If a for-profit entity is running, you know, water and sewer, electricity, um, natural gas, what we have seen as the precedent is rates will go up higher than they otherwise would have because there's a profit motive.

And so the concern would be that if we give away our right to set the rates to a for-profit company, then the profit motive will guide how they set those rates.

And then of course, oversight is a whole other ball of wax um because the history is that the private entities will try to, in order to make those uh profits will cut services, or they will um have a a stronger uh cutoff regime.

Um Georgia Power is a great example.

They um cut off more uh customers than any other utility company in the nation.

155,000 people were disconnected from their power last year.

Um and Georgia Powers regulated by the PSC, but again, they're a for-profit company, so they're allowed to do things.

So I I'm I I mean the the the creation of a water authority is not a bad idea.

I was at the uh Park Pride event on Sunday and spoke with someone from the Clayton County Water Authority, and I was kind of joking that you know we were considering this and you know, telling you know what should we be concerned about.

Um and the person did acknowledge that the board of commissioners makes the appointees to the water authority.

So there is uh uh uh a tie to the elected body and ostensibly the board that votes on rates and hiring the director, those are things you're sort of putting into the authority uh you know, bailiwick.

And so uh you know, if we did create an authority and it's an you know an independent authority, it wouldn't truly be independent in the sense that it would be sort of uh unaccountable.

It's it's like a lot of other authorities, right?

Um so that would be my only uh friendly amendment to the uh motion to approve Commissioner Patrick um from PWI is is I just don't even think we should go down the route of studying privatization or outsourcing.

I just I don't see it ending in that result that we are going to like and um and if it saves us time and money, then it I think we better focus on the other attributes of the RFP.

Right.

Any thoughts?

Yeah, if I could.

And and I definitely see see your point, uh Commissioner Terry.

But there may be I think it may be worth discussing if they look at because there's a whole host of components, and I listed like plant management, your billing, you know, there may there may be components, maybe it is not in the evaluation privatizing the entire system.

I believe the city of Atlanta had done something like that.

Um but I don't think it's necessarily uncommon where you have maybe plants or billing or different components that are outsourced.

So that's kind of what I was thinking for just to get a full of evaluation as possible.

Okay.

So in the line, the first line where it has outsourcing or the first bullet point of the three sort of I guess main options outsourcing, reorganization, and then creation of an authority.

So um so yes, you do say in whole or in part to include, and then you can do the different uh so um would it be acceptable to just remove the privatization part of it?

Yeah, but I think but if you do, I mean if it's I think it's fair to look at all the different operations and and if it makes sense, in essence, I guess it would be a vendor under watershed running that component.

I guess kind of how we do our isn't don't we outsource billing to another company?

No, but um or the mailing of it or something.

Animal animal services would be probably the best example.

Okay, yeah, that's a good point.

Yeah, but I thought the the water billing it got mailed to another address and well, right, but our staff manages it all.

Okay, but someone handles that.

The actual mail out part, yeah, yeah.

So if we have all exactly we have a vendor, but yeah, it's our staff.

Okay.

So um Commissioner Patrick, that'd be my suggestion uh as a friendly amendment if you're ex amenable to just take off the table the full privatization.

But if we left the outsourcing section in here, I think that would cover what Mr.

Williams is trying to get get at in terms of the study.

Um if it's all right, I'd love to hear some of the other commissioners that have their names up here.

I'll take my name off of this.

But um I don't have a big problem with that, but but love to hear what everyone else has to say before going all in.

Okay, I'll I'll yield back and let the discussion continue.

Okay, Commissioner Bolton.

Thank you, Madam P.O.

Um, before I get into my question, I did want to just say um I I agree with you, Commissioner Masaya.

I appreciate with the authority there being the capacity for oversight over both residential and commercial.

So when it comes to data centers, we do actually have someone watching the water usage.

I know that would make the community and us as leaders comfortable as well.

Um and then I wanted to iterate as well that I when I first saw the privatization, I did have concerns about that.

So I do appreciate you indicating there would be a separation of power, so to speak, where operationally we would have more support, but uh when it comes to rate setting and some of those more critical things that will st that could potentially um if we decide to go through with this study, that would stay under the umbrella of what we will continue to authorize and have control over.

We we don't want these things to get away from us because this is definitely a slippery slope.

So um I I do appreciate you bringing that up.

But um I wanted to just ask you again, uh COO to clarify between the current M and J study that you indicated will be done in about a month or two or so versus what you're requesting here, uh just to make sure that the community is clear that we're not duplicating efforts since we're talking about multiple studies for the same department.

Yes, ma'am.

Thank thank you for the question.

And currently, Mulden and Jenkins Jenkins is in the process of conducting an operational review, much like they did with 18 other departments this time last year.

So that is the basis for the study that is going on.

They're looking at operational efficiency, effectiveness, and systems within the watershed department.

What we're talking about here would be reviewing the oversight management and governance of the county's water and sewer assets.

So, in many ways, what it would be looking to do is to see is our system of governance and oversight the most efficient and effective for delivering this service to the public, or are there other systems or ways of doing it?

So uh ultimately what I'm hearing is that this is an attempt to um look holistic holistically at the concerns that we've gotten from residents uh residents, excuse me, with respect to operations and how they're impacted by it, but also the way we're being governed, so we're trying to hit it from all sides so that the CSAW is balanced and not tipped to one end or another, where you see an impact in one place but still frustrated in another.

I I I think that that hits the nail on the head, and and by way of an example, a question worthy of asking is if you look at our history, and and right now Commissioner Patrick is spot on.

Um, and this last year has been the best year ever in our uh water and sewer uh department, the functions, the money, everything because the administration and the uh board of commissioners has aligned and and staff is behind leaning in getting the work done.

Thirty years ago, that could not have been the case, or we would not have had a consent decree.

Okay.

Um and so the question really becomes 30 years from now, when the residents of DeCab are looking back, what was most successful?

And what we will be determining with the study like this is to is what we're doing likelihood going to get us the most success, or is a change likely to get the most success for the residents.

Thank you, sir.

I yield back, Madam Pio.

Thank you.

Um Commissioner Patrick, since you made the motion, and Commissioner Terry had the friendly amendment.

Would you like to revisit that again?

You're just striking the word privatize or full privatization.

Yeah, Zach, were you okay with that?

Because I think the outsourcing would get would look at all the components, and so that opens up the look at all of the levels of service without keeping full privatization.

Yeah, I I think so.

I mean everything is probably worth looking at, but if the board does not have the appetite for looking at a full privatization, that's fine.

I mean, there's there's major components still, you know, that can be studied.

Um I'm good with that with the outsourcing if that's what the board is.

My my ultimate point is is is as you said 30 years down the road, what's the best that this commission can do for the residents going forward.

Um again, I'm I'm convinced we're doing a good job.

Our eyes are focused on this, but uh I do think we need to ask the question to just verify so that the ratepayers know what they're getting is is truly the best at this time.

Um but I'm I'm comfortable Commissioner Massai, I think.

I see opinions though.

Yeah, I mean I just think that and with it being in an inception and we're trying to um identify what options exists and determine what the best options would be.

I would be hesitant to put a limitation as to whether or not it would be a private entity.

Now my preference would be for a public opposed to a private, but what I don't want to do is pigeonhole us and then we only have to look at public and then sometimes if it's you know becomes a nonprofit and them being able to meet you know all of the needs, and then we find ourselves supplementing in different ways.

And so for me, with this just being let's look into it and look at our options, I would not want to eliminate any of our options.

Commissioner Terry.

Yes.

Um so I think the RFP uh with the amendments that I'm proposing um doesn't limit our options.

And what I'm most concerned about is that we'd be paying a consultant to study something that ultimately is never gonna fly.

So you know, I mean it might save I don't know, 10 or 20 hours of work.

I don't know.

It's it's more just it's the if the if the ratepayers and the customers in DeCab County think even for a second that we would even consider privatizing DeCab water and sewer, which would be at their expense, then now we're gonna have people come into the commission meeting saying don't do it.

And to me, just take it off the table from the very beginning, because we don't need to give any possibility of something that I and my research just has never worked.

And if a and have it has been done, it has meant higher bills, less accountability, more cutoffs for customers.

So these so the public utilities, if you put public utilities and private hands with a profit motive, it just does not end well.

So it's not saying that we can't say yes, plant operations, maybe there's a private vendor that we would contract with, so it'd still be under our control, but even the notion of full privatization to me just would be a disaster.

So on one side I'm just opposed to it philosophically, but I'm also opposed to some spending money to study something that I just don't think we're ever going to support, even if it said it'd be great, which I don't even think it would.

Um I think that you know might honestly be we'd pay someone to tell us something we already know.

So I'm just looking to just be a little more efficient with our contract, um, focus on the things that I believe make could make sense.

And Mr.

Williams acknowledged that you know just looking at the outsourcing that component of it does give them the discretion to look at all of the service components, and you know, like I guess they could look at outsourcing every single component, but that still wouldn't privatize.

Right.

So is that right, Mr.

Williams?

Right.

The outsource components of the department, it still would not mean privatization.

So right.

So my my thinking in this was privatization, and and I'm going to not where we necessarily would turn over or sell the assets to a private company.

So with that being said, I mean, maybe outsourcing may work in this context where the county retains ownership, you know.

So you have so option one would be an outsourcing of components.

Um county retains ownership, just like the animal service is the best example.

We don't retain ownership of the assets.

Option two, reorganize and things stay as is with in-source staff, right?

And then an option three is a creation of an authority.

So yeah, exactly.

So I just think the word privatization has another definition than the first part of the RFP that said outsourcing, and then you lay out the different components.

You can accomplish the same.

So if I'm here, you're correctly, Commissioner Terry, strike privatization.

But generally, you're fine with the looking into the notion of outsourcing.

Yes.

Yeah.

Okay.

Okay.

Commissioner Davis Johnson has requested a speak now.

Commissioner.

Yeah, that was pretty much I'm an agreement with what Commissioner Terry will say.

Please mark that on the calendars.

Motion to adjourn.

Yeah, I just think the else we'll say.

So I'm I'm good.

Okay.

Okay.

Thank you, Commissioner Davis Johnson.

So, Madam Presiding Officer, I guess uh accepting.

Uh right.

Accepting the friendly amendment to remove the the word privatization, but otherwise moving forward with what was approved out of uh PWI um last meeting.

That's my motion, and I hope my second still stands.

Thank you.

If we will open machines for a vote, please.

And thank you, Commissioner Davis Johnson for allowing us to chuckle at you.

Thank you.

We are now in the middle of page 10 under finance item 2026-0504, all commission districts.

A resolution authorizing the issuance of and sell of a tax anticipation notes, TAN 2026, due December 15, 2026, and an aggregate principal amount to be determined to a bidder to be determined for the purpose of obtaining a temporary loan to pay current expenses during the 2026 calendar year.

Is there a motion?

Commissioner Terry.

Yes, and Mr.

Williams.

I think we're planning to we're gonna hear this in Fab today, but ultimately this is a placeholder for it.

Do we agree the eight the 14th was the date?

C O Williams.

Is that right?

I believe so.

Vote would be on the April 14th.

Okay.

Okay, so uh defer this item to the April 14th BOC meeting.

We'll have a brief discussion today, but I think ultimately it's a placeholder to you know go out and um get the right the best bid um I think that morning.

So um and I believe it was my understanding that it has to happen very quick, so we'll get those information and we'll need a vote on it quickly.

Day of day of yes, so this is a placeholder, but before we vote, the blanks will be filled in.

Okay, thank you.

Is there a second?

Okay, Commissioner Long Spears, thank you.

If we can open the machines for the vote, motion to defer carries under risk management 2026-0513, all commission districts, the 2026-2027 health care benefits.

This is an ERPS item.

Move for action.

Yes, ma'am.

2026 0555, Commission Districts 5 and 7, intergovernmental agreement between the city of Stonecrest and DeCab County for land exchange.

I'll move for action, and with that, madam presiding officer, on behalf of the ERPS committee, I move to approve items 2026, 0513, and 0555.

Is there a second?

Second.

Thank you.

Seeing no request to speak, please open the machines for the vote.

And that was motion to approve or defer, I'm sorry.

Motion to approve, approved, thank you.

Motion to approve carries, and now we are on top of page 11 from the GIS department item 2026-0491, Commission Districts 4 and 7 to consider consenting to the de-annexation of property located at 5499, Woodsong Trace, Still Mountain, Georgia, 30087.

Motion to defer to the April 14th BLC with the stop impacts to be heard by committee today.

Thank you.

Is there a second?

Uh second.

Motion to defer.

Okay, seconded by Commissioner Patrick.

Please open the machine.

Motion to defer carries.

We are now on purchasing and contracting.

These are ERPS item.

Item 2026 dash 0281, cooperative agreement, source well contract 10424, VKN, firefighting, PPE and related equipment cleaning for use by the Department of Fire Rescue.

This request seeks to ratify purchase order number 5058768 for the purchase of 65 Tricertified Viking Shield Gear to be used by firefighters throughout the county awarded to Viking Life Saving Equipment America Inc.

Hair of Central Alabama training solutions amount not to exceed 110,175.

I move to approve item 2026 0281.

Thank you.

Is there a second?

Second.

No request is open the machine for the vote.

Motion to approve carries.

Top of page 12.

Item 2026-0339.

All commission district cooperative agreement, heavy construction equipment with related attachments and technology, source well contract number 011723 KOM for use by public works fleet management to be used by the Department of Watershed Management.

This request seeks to purchase from the competitively let source well contract for the provision of two komatsu rubber tire wheel loaders with attachments for the purpose of clearing debris, dirt, and rocks, as well as loading items into dump trucks at various work sites throughout the county, awarded to Komatsu America Corporation, Care of Tractor and Equipment Company, amount not to exceed 48 489,396.

Move fraction.

Thank you, ma'am.

Item 2026-0340, all commission districts, cooperative agreement, grounds maintenance equipment and related attachments, source well cooperative contract number 112624 KBA for use by public works fleet management to be used by the Department of Watershed Management.

This request seeks to purchase from the competitively let Sourceville Cooperative Contract for the provision of one Cabuta Mini Compact Excavator with attachments and two Cabuda Compact Track Loaders with attachments for the purposes of excavating various work sites throughout the county as well as cleaning up debris and landscaping awarded to Cabuta Tractor Corporation Care of Lashley Tractor Sales Amount not to exceed 268,143 and 58 cents.

Move action.

Yes, ma'am.

Top of page 13.

Item 2026-0401 cooperative agreement heavy construction equipment with related attachments and technology source well contract number 011723 JDC for use by public works fleet management to use by public work sanitation.

This request seeks to purchase from the competitively let source well contract for the provision of one John Deere Compact Track Loader for purpose of mulching and maintenance and around retention ponds, sweeping roadways, picking up yard debris, loading and unloading supplies, and return routine maintenance at Seminole Landfield, awarded to John Deere, Construction Retail Sales, a Division of John Deere Shared Services LLC, doing business as John Deere, construction retail sales, care of Dobbs Equipment SE LLC, amount not to exceed 192,515.

Move for action.

Item 2026-0402, change order number two to contract number two zero zero zero one two zero, police pursuit and special service vehicles for use by public works, fleet management.

This contract consists of purchasing off the competitively let statewide contract to support law enforcement and emergency responders in carrying out their daily duties that rely on the use of these pursuit and special service vehicles.

This request seeks to increase contract funds in terms through October 31st, 2027, awarded to Hardy, Chevrolet, Buitt GMC, Inc.

Amount Not to Exceed 16,000 16,223,265.

Move for action.

Top of page 14, item 2026-0405.

Excuse me.

Change order number one, the contract numbers, bunch of contract numbers, administrative vehicles for use by public works fleet management.

These contracts consist of purchasing off the competitively let statewide contract to supply the county with administrative vehicles like sedans, SUVs, vans, and trucks to be used for daily operational tasks that necessitate the use of each of such vehicles.

Alan V Hill Ford Lincoln Incorporated Family Ford Inc.

doing business as Hardy Family Ford and Atkins Ford LLC.

Total amount not to exceed $6 million, 763 dollars.

Look for action.

Item 2026-0410 statewide contract number 9999 SPD SPD 0000219010 networking equipment and related services for use by Department of Innovation and Technology consists of purchasing from the competitively led statewide contract for the annual technical support and maintenance of Palo Alto Network software utilized throughout the county awarded to Palo Alto Networks Inc.

care of MGT Impact Solutions LLC Amount not to exceed $699,316 and 86 cents.

Move faction.

I mean in options.

Yes, ma'am.

If you hook the machine for me, and is there a second?

Okay.

Second.

One more time.

There we go.

There's a motion and a second to defer those items.

Please open the machine for the vote.

Motion to defer carries.

We are now on the top of page 15.

Item 2026-0414.

Change order number two to contract number 1349754.

Um for use by the Department of Innovation and Technology.

This contract consists of providing low voltage and security camera installations as well as moves, additions, and changes of data, voice, and multimedia cabling at various facilities within the county.

This request seeks to increase contract funds of the continuation of necessary cabling and installations at various county facilities.

Awarded to RB Communications Inc.

Amount not to exceed 500,000.

Move for action.

Item 2026-0439 Commission Districts 1 and 6.

Invitation number 2025-158 ITB airfield crack seal and remarking at the DeCab Peach Tree Airport for use by PDK Airport.

Consists of repairing, sealing, and remarking the airports runway and surface treated pavements for the purposes of maintaining the safety of aircrafts that are taking off and landing on the runways.

Recommend award to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder highlight airfield services LLC.

Amount not to exceed uh 835,275.45 cents.

Uh look for action.

Uh Madam Saddam Office, I make a motion that uh 260414 260439 be approved.

That's approved in the OPS committee.

Thank you.

Is there a second?

Commissioner.

Second.

There's a motion and a second to approve.

Please open the machines for the vote.

Oh, I'm sorry.

Yes, Mr.

May.

It's not for this vote, it's for the last um votes for those items that were deferred.

Um commercial read adoption.

This vote real quick.

So that's what that motion to approve carries.

Go ahead, Mr.

May.

Uh we just wanted to clarify.

Um the motion was to uh send item 0339 through 0441.

441 414 0411.

Yes.

Um we want to clarify for the record that it will be going um moving to return to this meeting on April the 14th.

It was just referred to that it will go to committee, but we want to clarify as well that it will be coming back to this meeting.

Committee on the 26th, but back to the BOC on April 14th.

Absolutely.

Absolutely.

Correct.

Thank you.

Thank you for the clarification.

Okay, thank you.

We are now under PECS items, top of page 16.

Item 2026-0384, cooperative agreement for information technology products and services for use by the Department of Planning and Sustainability.

Consists of purchasing of the competitive competitively let omnia partners contract, implementation of a cloud-based short-term rental monitoring and compliance platform awarded to Decker Technologies.

This request also seeks to ratify purchase order number 5066 515, amount not to exceed 120,720 and 43 cents.

Move for action.

Yes, ma'am.

Item 2026-0433, Commission District 4, cooperative agreement for playground water plate and aquatic equipment, site amenities, and outdoor fitness equipment with a late related accessories and services for use by the Department of Recreation Parks and Cultural Affairs.

Consists of purchasing through the competitively let source real contract number 101625 PLP for renovations, upgrades to the amenities at parks, playgrounds, and recreational areas.

This request is for the replacement shelter at Lithonia Park Shelter and modifications to the playground at Cedar Park awarded by Play Power LT Farmington Inc.

Amount not to exceed 134,170 and 97 cents.

Move for action.

So they can be heard in committee to deferring them to the April 14th BLC with the stop and PECS today.

Looking very much forward to the discussion in and around 0384 in terms of being able to monitor some of our short-term rental uh compliances.

Second buttons.

We have a motion and a second to defer.

Please open the machines for the vote.

Motion to defer carriages.

All right.

We are now under PWI purchasing and contracting items.

Item 2026-0406.

Um contract number 2000 201, rock crushing.

Um for use by the Department of Public Works Sanitation.

This contract consists of crushing of rock granite stone and hauling materials to and from seminal landfill.

This request seeks previously provided contract term increase.

This request also sees to exercise the first renewal option through February 28th, 2027, awarded to ATL aggregates LLC amount not to exceed 175,000 dollars.

Uh move for action.

Top of page 17.

Item 2026-0462, all commission districts.

Change order number three to contract number 1378-111.

Beverages for the use by the Department of Public Works Sanitation and Beautification, Fire Rescue Department, the Cab Emergency Management Agency and Public Works Roads and Drainage Contract consists of providing beverages for county employees working primarily outside throughout the summer season.

This request seeks to add police service police services and the department of watershed management to the contract to increase the contract funds and terms through May 8th, 2027.

Awarded to Coca-Cola bottling company united incorporated amount not to exceed 185,000 dollars.

Uh move for action.

Madam Presiding Officer, I'd like to make a motion based on the recommendations of PWI to approve 2026-0406 and 0462.

Thank you.

Is there a second?

Oh got it.

There is a motion.

Was it to defer or approve?

I'm sorry.

Approve.

Approved.

There we go.

It's corrected now.

Please open the machines for the vote.

Motion to approve carries.

Um middle of page 17.

Recreation parks and cultural affairs items.

Item 2025-1759, Commission Districts 4 and 7.

Park Pride Atlanta Inc.

grant award for Wade Walker Park.

Move for action.

Item 2026-0409.

All commission districts.

Approval of a contract between DeCap County government and the DeCap County School District.

Move for action.

Madam PO have a motion to defer agenda items ending in 1759 and ending in 0409 to the April 14th BOC with a stop and pegs to be heard by committee today.

Thank you.

Second.

We have a motion and a second to defer.

Please open the machines for the vote.

Motion to defer carries.

We are now under airport items, top of page 17.

Item 2020, I'm sorry, top of page 18.

Item 2026-0388.

Commission districts one and six.

Resolution to accept G dot tentative allocation of state funding assistance associated with project with the project for airfield crack seal and remarking at P3 DeCab Airport.

There is a matching cost to the county.

This is an ops item.

Um motion to approve the I'm sorry.

Motion to approve this item was approved in the ops committee.

Uh second.

There's a motion and a move, right?

So you want to do no, no, it's a motion to approve.

Motion to approve.

Okay.

Commissioner Bolton, you've requested to speak.

I did.

Can you iterate um or come share with us what your response is to the concern that was brought up in committee?

Morning.

Good morning.

I'm here in place of uh directors.

Okay, good to see you.

You as well.

Um, yeah, so he's uh sent me uh the email that he said he sent to you all regarding there was a question about the uh cost.

Yeah, we wanted some clarity because there was an item.

Um, I think this was requesting like 936,000, but then there was an amount of 800 and something, and we just wanted clarity on both the actual amount needed, the um, and the match amount if that was changed as well.

It was just some conflicting numbers that we needed clarity on.

Yeah, absolutely.

So as you know, the the contractor bid was the eight hundred and thirty-five thousand two hundred and seventy-five dollars and forty-five cents.

Uh, there was uh G dot administrative and engineering um inspection services that totaled 101,363.

So that brought the total project amount uh to 936, 638 dollars and 45 cents, and so uh G dots uh 75 percent uh share uh in the cost is the 702,478 dollars and eighty-four cents, and uh the local share, which will be from the airport is two hundred and thirty-four thousand one hundred and fifty-nine dollars and sixty-one cents.

Okay, all right, thank you, sir.

I yield backer Davis Johnson.

Yeah, and I think that at the last meeting, uh, those figures was sort of turned around.

And uh that was the valid question that was before us, but hopefully, you know, with things like that, you can just talk offline and let us know because it was uh somewhat obvious that we wasn't given 75 percent.

Right.

We were given the so and I just say that so that we can move along.

So uh Zag.

Yes, ma'am.

You know, so if you can answer those questions offline rather than coming here to do so, we can move the meeting on okay, yes, ma'am.

Okay, so I got a motion.

Thank you, Commissioner Um Davis Johnson see no further request to speak.

There's a motion to approve.

Please open the machine for the vote.

That motion to approve carries middle of page 18, item 2026-0286.

A resolution of the Board of Commissioners of DeCab County reaffirming the county's prior authorization.

Wait, there is a substitute for this one.

Hold on a second.

Yeah.

Send it to me.

Yes, there is a substitute for this.

A resolution of the Board of Commissioners of DeCab County, Georgia, reaffirming the county's prior authorization to seek recovery of costs of impoundment and care for court held dogs pursuant to OCGA 41.8, urging the CAB County Law Department to resume filing cost of care petitions and to create a court held dog coordinator position.

Is there a motion?

Okay.

It's an ops ops.

Okay.

Uh-huh.

I make a motion to approve the substitute with the language that we discussed at the um at the last ops committee meet.

Second, Commissioner Long.

Second.

And you've requested a speak.

Go ahead.

I have.

Um, thank you so much, madam presiding officer.

So big shout out to our interim county attorney Phillips for all of your work on this and working in the background with Mr.

Welch, other members of your public safety team, as well as uh members of the district two team.

So thank you kindly for that.

Um, could you come to the podium and just provide if you have oh shoot, I'm so sorry, I forgot you have an injury.

My sincerest apologies.

Maybe we should put a mic down there by your seat so you don't have to get up and down.

I'm fine.

Has there been any um new petitions or any movement on this since last time it was discussed?

Yes.

Awesome.

Let's hear it.

We had a proceeding yesterday in court on a cost of care petition.

We are waiting for the results of that activity.

I believe don't hold me to it, Commissioner.

I believe there was one animal that would have the court held to maintain the court hold removed based on yesterday's activity.

But I think the judge took it under advisement.

We're waiting for a final decision from the court, but we were actually in a proceeding yesterday.

That's the most recent thing that occurred.

We checked the numbers and we revised this document to show that in the last few months, we have been able to get a release on seven animals.

So that is in the document itself.

We continue to work consistently.

Um there is a report that we are working on to issue.

This is before we get the new position filled.

That will just give everyone in the governing authority a status update on where we are with court held animals.

As you know, and I hope all of you can recognize at this point, we are regularly monitoring the animals at the shelter that are court held, the proceedings that are taking place, and strategically identifying where we will file a motion to dispose because defendants, the human defendants are not responding, and we want the court to just order a lift on them being held and asking the prosecutors to assist us.

We are also monitoring when we should file cost of care and working to do both as frequently as we think is is reasonable and appropriate under the circumstances.

Um we are having progress.

Seven animals this year have had the hold lifted, and we hope that number continues to grow monthly.

Okay.

Wonderful news.

And I look forward to continuing to receive these ongoing reports with the progress.

Just one thing I wanted to flag is sometimes the data that we've received in the past when y'all were previously giving us reports, did not sync with the data that lifeline has.

So I just want to flag to you that you might want to get with someone there just to confirm the accuracy of it.

And then um, second point is related to the court dog coordinator that will be housed under Little L department, as well as the court dog coordinator that will be in police.

Have y'all had a chance to discuss how these two positions will work together?

Those discussions are initiated, but we're first gonna have to make some decisions about exactly how we will complete our individual roles and then make sure they mesh properly.

But we're continuing to grow and trying to find what we think is appropriate for our office, and we'll we'll work with the police obviously, but we've had an initial discussion.

We'll continue having them.

Wonderful.

And so a shout out to uh director Fulham and Chief Patrick for being open to this idea, and particularly Director Fulham for spending as much time as you have with the advocates attending the Animal Services Advisory Board meeting, talking to me with some frequency about this.

We're just really thrilled that you have kind of wrapped your arms around it and kind of digging in to improve the quality of lives for our very friends.

So high fiving, and thank you so very much.

I yield back.

Thank you, Commissioner Long Spears.

So you know have another comment.

Yes, Commissioner Davis Johnson.

Of course, these updates are given in the ops committee.

And so you know, I mean, so that we can move our meetings on if you could come to the ops committee as questions.

The updates are given in the ops committee.

If there's any particular commissioners that has particular questions, please ask them before the board of commission meeting.

Or come to the ops committee rather than waiting to come to the board to give a spill.

So uh with that, we can continue on.

Thank you, Commissioner Davis Johnson.

Please open the machines for the vote.

Motion to approve the substitute carries.

Top of page 19.

Another substitute.

Thank you, ma'am.

Item 2026-0385, a resolution of the governing authority of DeCab County, Georgia, urging adoption of the unhoused support and services plan establishing implementation expectations and account accountability for and for other lawful purposes.

Move for action.

Move for action, yes, ma'am.

Item 2025-0015, all commission districts in ordinance to amend the code of DeCab County, Georgia, chapter 16 pertaining to regulation of sound and for other purposes.

Madam PR, I have a motion to defer agenda items ending in.

Well, actually, we can we can do the next one as well.

The next one as well.

Yes, okay.

Thanks, ma'am.

So we're actually on top of page 21.

Item 2025-0017, all commission districts.

A resolution to create an electric landscape maintenance device rebate program to encourage switching from gas-powered landscape maintenance devices and for other lawful purposes.

Thank you.

Um a move for action, Madam PO.

I have a motion to defer the items ending in 0385, 0015, and 0017 so that they can be all heard in PECS today, but they're going to be deferred to the April 14th BOC.

Um yes.

There we go.

And to clarify for 0385 is deferral of the subject.

Substitution, correct.

And we have a second by Commissioner Long Spears.

Please open machines for a vote.

I requested to speak and somehow it went away.

Okay, I didn't see it.

There you go.

Go ahead and speak.

Okay.

Um thank you very much, Madam Presiding Officer.

Uh, shout outs to both directors Ferguson and Mitchell.

We had a chance, I had a chance with both of those gentlemen to talk about this item.

Um, the substitute does incorporate the changes that we've received so far from both director Mitchell and Director Ferguson.

There may end up being additional changes to the substitute and the PECS meeting, but I'm certainly looking forward to that discussion this afternoon.

Yield back.

Thank you, Commissioner Terry.

Thank you.

Um, I do support item 0385, and so I wanted to ask uh Commissioner Long Spears if she would uh accept me as a co-sponsor.

I would be happy to.

Thank you.

All right.

See no other requests to speak.

Please open the machine for a vote.

Madam Presiding Officer Number 2026 0385 should be deferred substitute.

Defer the substitute, that was correct.

Maybe it'd be taken by us.

We need to do that one separately.

Okay, thank you.

So we can vote on deferral of 0015 and 0017.

Yeah.

Okay.

That's on the machine.

Okay.

So we'll go back to 2026-0385.

And a motion to defer that substitute.

Thank you.

Is there a second?

Second.

Thank you.

Please open the machine.

Yes, also to April 14th with a prior stop and packs.

Thank you.

Thank you, madam.

Thank you, Clerk Team, for keeping us straight.

So now we are on page 22.

Item 2025-1506.

All commission districts to approve a resolution to ensure that the county's judges receive the same benefits as the judges of superior court or the cab judicial circuit, county employees, and judges in other counties.

It is twelve oh two.

We are on top we're on page twenty-three of thirty-six.

Okay, hit your buttons and fight over it, please.

Oh hand vote.

Now hit 'em.

There we go.

Okay.

So the vote is to adjust for recess for lunch.

I want to get some more done.

My machine's not working, I thought yes.

Good afternoon, everybody.

If I can get a motion to come out of recess.

So moved.

And a second.

Second.

All right, we have a motion and a second.

Should we hit the buttons or take a hand vote?

Hit the buttons, please.

Um, please open the machine for the vote.

And we are out of recess.

So back to our normal program.

We are bottom of page twenty-three.

Um this is a fab item.

Item twenty twenty-five dash one five two five, all commission districts, a resolution by the DeCap County Board of Commissioners establishing a DeCab County Water Customer Bill of Rights.

Thank you, Madam President Officer.

We'll hear this in Fab today, so I'll move to defer this item to the April 14th meeting.

All right, thank you.

Can I get a second?

What do you say?

April eighteenth.

And my fellow Fab committee member is not present.

If someone could second, thank you.

Second.

Please open the machine for a vote.

Motion to defer carries.

So uh motion to defer to the April 14th meeting.

Thank you.

Can I get a second?

Second.

Motion and the second to defer.

Please open the machine for the vote.

Item twenty twenty-six dash zero two four four.

All commission districts.

A resolution requiring a baseline assessment of the Cap County's health, social economic, and environmental status, and a third party analysis of the CAS proposal, proposed data center regulations.

No.

Okay, go ahead.

Do we need a recess for five minutes?

Okay.

Still move.

Second.

All right.

All in favor.

I we're in recess for five minutes.

Anyone opposed.

Good afternoon again.

Sorry for the delay.

If I can get a motion to come out of recess.

So move.

Second.

We're hitting the buttons, ma'am.

Hit the button.

Yes.

We have a motion and a second.

Please open the machine for the vote.

Motion to come out of recess is approved.

Thank you.

I believe we were on item 2026-0158.

I cannot remember if we took a vote on that one.

I think it just says we were I'm gonna start that one over.

2026-0158.

Commission.

We took a vote on that one.

Yeah, yeah.

So I'm on thank you, ma'am.

Item 2026-0244, all commission districts, a resolution, excuse me, requiring a baseline assessment of DeCAC County's health, socioeconomic, and environmental status, and a third party analysis of the CAS proposed data center regulations before issuance of a land disturbance permit for data centers.

Move for action.

Move for action.

Thank you, ma'am.

Item 2026-0245, all commission districts, an allocation not to exceed $15,000 of the DeCab County General Fund to be considered for the 2026 budget to science for Georgia to conduct a baseline assessment of DeCab County's current health, socioeconomic and environmental status, and provide a third party analysis of DeCab County's proposed data center regulations contextualized by the county's current health, socioeconomic environmental status.

Move for action, Madam PO, I'd like to move to defer agenda items ending in 1244 and 0245 to the April 28th BOC as uh requested in our um in our PECS committee.

Um apparently these items needed a bit more work.

And we will convene with a stop in PECS on April 14th.

And to confirm is 0244.

Yes, it's 0244 and 0245.

Thank you, ma'am.

Caesar second, thank you.

Hit the button, please, ma'am.

Please open the machines for the vote.

Motion to defer carries.

We're now on the top of page 26.

Item 2026-0341.

All commission districts, a resolution of the DeCap County Board of Commissioners requesting the administration and planning department to update the recommended substitute for text amendment 2025-0972 regarding data center regulations.

So um that was approved out of committee, but I am going to make a motion to defer to the April 28th BLC with the stop and pecs on April 14th.

As um I've communicated in the past, and we've heard even just as recent as this morning from um our constituents, there's still yet some work to be done in terms of a decommissioned a bond and some um actual regulations.

So my motion is to defer this to the April 28th BOC with the stop.

Um April 28th BLC, and it could either go back, and I'm open and amenable to whether it goes back to PECS on April 14th or whether or not we continue to discuss it as a board for them to weigh in as well.

Second for purposes of discussion.

Commissioner Terry has requested a speaker on the floor.

Thank you, Madam Presiding Officer.

Um I did uh note over the weekend that the uh Columbus, the City of Columbus passed a um a data center ordinance with um, I guess they called it like an oversight commission, uh, which I thought was similar to what we've been hearing from members of the public.

Um the the one thing that we might have uh well I think we actually already approved this in the environmental justice commission was some language about you know potentially receiving input or um advice um what are we saying it was it like advise Commissioner Davis Johnson um on data centers so um that was gonna be my suggestion for how we approach sort of the auditing and oversight of some of the regulations after the fact.

Um the nature of this resolution really was focused on specifically the amendments that seem to be the consensus from the community about limiting the size, requiring a special land use permit, and then the incentives for renewable energy.

So I I would prefer us to move forward on this today because the the planning department is sort of uh on hold until we kind of give them some more clear directions on how we wanted to fine-tune um the last pieces of the text amendment.

Um and then certainly I think if if anyone was interested in the motion, I mean I think it'd be completely acceptable, and I would take a you know an amendment to this resolution to ask the planning department to look at those additional um you know attributes, whether it's the um the decommissioning, the bond, um the uh uh the the glycol um PFAS sort of uh uh pre-treatment thing.

That's something that isn't quite spelled out in the ordinance.

Um, but again, Commissioners, this resolution at the end of the day is just simply requesting that the planning department uh provide some additional amendments for us to consider ahead of uh the actual agenda item that's coming back to us in um early May back.

Thank you, Commissioner Davis Johnson.

Was that a substitute or no?

Well, I was gonna let us discuss it first, but why don't uh well for my time I would like uh planning to come up and discuss it.

I don't know that I see planning.

I know director and Juka had an emergency and had to leave.

Okay, so she's not available to speak.

Okay, well Zach knows everything.

Okay, we're gonna try and get right.

Rachel.

Okay.

Uh she's on the same.

Yeah, we we can table it and bring it back at the end of the meeting, and then we can get all right.

So if someone would like to amend that motion.

I am in my motion.

My motion is now to table agenda item ending in 0341.

Second.

Motion to table carries.

Middle of page 26, item 2026-0218.

All commission districts establish regulatory oversight of blasting operations in DeCab County through the adoption of control blasting and safety ordinance to promote public safety, environmental protection, and community stability, and for other purposes.

Uh, on behalf of the ERPS committee, well, it it was approved.

Uh the recommendation was made for approval in committee.

However, I do understand that there are um some things that need to be adapted.

So I'm gonna make the motion to defer the substitute.

Second.

It keeps going away.

If someone can hit their second, thank you.

There is no attorney Wilch.

Just for clarity, we continue to work on the sub.

That's part of the reason we're asking for the deferral.

Uh, just for the information of the commissioners, the what came forward is in great shape.

But one thing that we didn't see was what to do if we needed to consider suspending or revoking a permit.

So we're looking at that.

The other thing that was implicated, there's a reference to fireworks.

Fireworks have been regulated by state law since our code was last adjusted.

So we're looking at that as well to make sure we don't inadvertently cause any issues.

But we should have that ready um back, ready to move on 414.

Perfect, thank you.

Seeing no further requests to speak on this item, please open the machine for the vote.

Motion to defer carries.

Top of page 27.

Item 2026-0441.

Approval of the minutes of the Board of Commissioners meeting on February 26, 2026.

Can I have a motion?

Motion to approve.

Second.

Motion and a second.

Commissioner Loxburgs, thank you.

Please open machines for the vote.

Motion to approve the minutes passes.

Thank you.

Item 2025-1577, all commission districts.

Resolution of the DeCarb County Governing Authority regarding the Charter Review Commission's report and recommended changes to the organizational act.

Madam Option Chair.

And I have a comment.

All right.

Commissioner Patrick, your seconding.

All right.

Commissioner Davis Johnson, as you have the floor.

Okay.

Yeah, I'm um, I just want to say I'm trying to get both of these through the rule committee and the charter review.

Uh through uh I've said some special call meetings that we just haven't been able to make, and one of them was today.

And so we haven't been able to make, so I'm doing a special call meeting on the um on April the 16th at 9 30 p.m.

I mean a.m.

AM.

Yeah.

That's at least 9 30 a.m.

So that we can dispose of these issues and that special call meeting.

But in the meantime, I'm keeping my special call meetings on the Board of Commission meetings.

Each um each commission meeting.

And hopefully I'll get some through.

Can you repeat the date of the special call?

Did you say April 16th at 90?

16th at 9:30.

930.

Okay, thank you.

It's not on the calendar yet.

Thank you.

Thank you, Commissioner Davis Johnson.

Seeing no further requests to speak, please open the machine for the vote.

You hit the buttons too fast.

Oh, can you hit it again, Commissioner Patrick?

There we go.

Motion to defer carries.

Top of page 28.

Item 2026-0458.

All commission districts authorizing 9 million sixty-seven thousand five hundred twenty-five dollars of SPOS 2 funding for facilities improvements to include roofing and HVAC system repairs and replacements for the CAB County physical and mental health facilities.

Motion to defer to the April 14th BOC with a stop impacts to be heard today.

Thank you.

Is there a second?

Second.

Thank you, ma'am.

Seeing no request to speak, please open the machine for the vote.

Motion to defer carries.

All commission districts to appropriate SPLOS 2 funding to purchase, install, and repair Lew Walker Kitchen Equipment.

Motion to approve as it is approved out of committee.

That's it.

We have a second Commissioner Davis Johnson.

Beat you to the punch, Commissioner Long Spears.

I know that's your committee.

But it's your district.

It doesn't matter.

And district seven.

We all get the we've all gotten the complaints.

Please open the machine for a vote.

That is approved.

Thank you.

Top of page 29.

This is Fab Committee Item.

Item 2026-0316.

All commission districts change order number one to contract number 2000 316 for a statewide contract and user computing for use by the Marshall's office.

This contract consists of the purchase of laptops, surface pack, service package bundles, and related accessories.

Awarded to Panasonic Connect North America Division of Panasonic Corporation of North America.

Motion to approve as recommended by the FAB committee.

Second.

We have a motion and a second.

If you'd hit your second, please, ma'am.

There we go.

Please open machines.

We're on middle of page 29.

These are ops items.

Item 2026-0243.

All commission districts.

Renewal of multiple contracts for tire services.

These are annual contract first renewal of two options to renew for use by public works fleet management.

These request contracts consist of outside tire repair services for county vehicles for emergency road incidents.

This request seeks to exercise the first renewal option through May 31st, 2027, awarded to Southern Tire Mart LLC, SETCO, Inc.

doing business as set code solid tire, Atlanta Commercial Tire, and Action Tire.

Total amount not to exceed $510,000.

Move for action.

Yes, ma'am.

Top of page 30.

Item 2026-0260.

Change order number five to contract number one five 1258332.

Change order number two to contract number 12534.

And change order number one to contract numbers 1258333 and 1258335.

Soil and materials testing surveying services and structural analysis multi-year contract for use by the Department of Facilities Management, Recreation Parks, Cultural Affairs, Public Works Transportation, Roads and Drainage, and Watershed Management and Planning and Sustainability.

These contracts consist of providing these services for the evaluation of engineering constructibility and our potential environmental risk of multiple sites throughout the county.

This request seeks to ratify previously issued purchase orders in the amount of $56,148.82 cents for contract 1258333.

This request further seeks to increase contract funds for Department of Wittershed Management and Planning Sustainability Awarded to Matrix Engineering Group Incorporated.

Corporate Environmental Risk Management LLC Accurate Engineering and Consulting Services Inc.

and United Consulting Group LTD.

Total amount not to exceed 436,148 dollars and eighty-two cents.

Move for action.

Yes, ma'am.

Item 2026-0327.

All commission districts.

Change order number one to contract number 1358690.

Cloud Solutions and Services for use by Finance Office and Management and Budget and the Department of Innovation and Technology.

This contract consists of purchasing of the competitively let statewide contract to purchase open gov software for budget development management reporting and transparency.

This request seeks to increase contract funds for continued use of open gov software awarded to CARASOF Technology Corp, not amount not to exceed 413,451 dollars.

Move for action.

Yes, ma'am.

Top of page 31.

Item 2026-0328.

All commission districts.

Excuse me.

Change order number three to contract number two zero zero zero two zero seven.

Network professional services and monitoring.

Annual contract with four options to renew for use by the Department of Innovation and Technology.

This contract consists of providing managed network services and maintenance support for the county wide voice and data network.

This request seeks to increase the contract's term through September 30th, 2026 and funds awarded to MGT Impact Solutions LLC.

Amount not to exceed 491,450.13 cents.

Move for action.

This request also seeks to increase contract funds and term through September 30th, 2026.

Awarded to Powerhouse Termite and Pest Control Inc.

Amount not to exceed $65,000.

Move for action.

Top of page 32.

Item 2026-0393.

All commission districts.

Change order number 10 to contract numbers 1213631, 1213634, and 1213635.

Commercial janitorial services for use by the Department of Facilities Management and Recreation Parks and Cultural Affairs.

These contracts consist of the development, management, and monitoring of high quality commercial janitorial cleaning, custodial services, and day porters.

This request seeks to increase the contract term and funds through June 30th, 2026, awarded to building maintenance services, Clean Star National Inc.

and A Action Janitorial.

Total amount not to exceed $984,786.

Move for action.

Item 2026-0394, all commissioned districts.

Contract number 1367915.

This request seeks to ratify a previously provided contract term increase.

This request also seeks to exercise the second renewal option through February 28, 2027, awarded to Summit Lighting Solutions, amount not to exceed 125,000.

Move for action.

Thank you.

If you'll hit your button, is there a second?

Second.

Thank you.

Seeing no request to speak.

Please open machines for the vote.

Motion to approve those items carries.

We're now on PEX items, top of page 33.

Item 2026-0307, all commission districts.

Renewal to contract number 2000132.

Pressure washing services for county parks for use by the Department of Recreation Parks and Cultural Affairs.

This contract consists of providing pressure washing services for county parks.

This request seeks to exercise the first renewal option through May 31st, 2027, awarded to Facility Maintenance and Services Group LLC.

Amount not to exceed $63,000.

Move for action.

Yes, ma'am.

Item 2026-0395, all commission districts.

Renewal to contract number 1360830.

For use by RPCA, this contract consists of providing tree cutting and removal services for county-owned facilities.

This request seeks to ratify a previously provided contract term increase.

This request also seeks exercise a second renewal option through January 31st, 2027, awarded to Cessmus Tree Services LLC, total amount not to exceed 250,000 dollars.

Move for action.

Yes, ma'am.

Top of page 34.

Item 2026-0426, all commission districts.

Change order number three to contract number 1269307, and change order number two to contract numbers 1269 304 and 1269305.

This contract consists of providing asbestos abatement, demolition and debris removal.

This request seeks approval to ratify a previously issued contract term increase and provided services.

This request also seeks approval to increase contract funds and term through December 31st, 2026, awarded to Southern Demolition, LLC, KISSBR Construction Incorporated, and Diversified Environmental Management Incorporated, total amount not to exceed 480,525 dollars.

Move for action, Madam PO.

I move to approve the item following items.

Agenda item ending in 0307 0395 and 0426 as it was approved out of the PECS committee.

Second.

Thank you.

If you hit your button, Commissioner Hall.

Thank you.

See no request to speak.

Please open the machine for a vote.

That motion to approve carries.

We are now on PWI items, middle of page 34.

Item 2026-0241.

All commission districts.

RFP number 2025 023 RFP Shell Creek Trunk Sewer Section 1 Construction Management Services for use by the Department of Watershed Management.

Consists of providing pre-construction services, construction inspection, and other field services, as well as scheduling and attending meetings and preparing progress reports during the construction phase of the Shell Creek Trunk Sewer Relief Section 1 Project.

Recommend award to the highest scoring proposer benchmark management LLC.

Total amount not to exceed 5,648,923.50.

Move for action.

Yes, sir.

Top of page 35.

Item 2026-0277.

All commission districts.

Identified through assessment and the ongoing sewer assessment and rehabilitation program and the maintenance management systems program.

Secondly, this contract will also be used to perform sewer rehabilitation to reduce INI and provide additional capacity for potential development.

Recommend award to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder, Southeast Pipe Survey Inc.

amount not to exceed 21 million forty-two thousand four hundred sixteen dollars and forty-five cents.

Move for action.

Consists of installation and maintenance of valves within its potable water system that have been previously identified as failing.

Recommend award to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder GS construction inc amount not to exceed 19 million eighty-eight thousand one hundred and sixty dollars.

Move for action, Madam Presiding Officer.

I make a motion to approve the following items.

I would like to add that each one of these items exceeded three million dollars.

Uh that staff had put these budgets and uh contracts together for us.

Mr.

Lavois Campbell's department uh reviewed each one of these and found that they were supported.

And um with that uh I'd make the motion to approve.

Thank you.

Is there a second?

Thank you, Commissioner Terry.

Seeing no request to speak, please open the sheet for the vote.

Those motions to approve carry, and we're at the end.

We made it, y'all.

Hold on, um a tabled item.

Sorry, one more motion to take item 0341 off the table.

So second what page is that?

Page 26, top of page 26.

Yeah, hit the button, please, ma'am.

And the motion is to take the item off the table.

I got so excited.

You and I move.

Please, the machines are open.

Commissioner Terry.

All right, the item is off the table, so I will reread the item.

This is item 2026-0341, all commission districts, a resolution of the CAB County Board of Commissioners requesting the administration and planning department to update the recommended substitute for text amendment 2025-0972 regarding data center regulations.

Is there a motion to so we can have discussion?

It's a PECS items.

That's fine.

Okay.

What is the motion?

To defer.

Yes, the motion is to um defer to the um April 28th BLC, but uh um a stop in PECS in April 14th.

And so hit the button.

Yeah, yeah, we're there.

We go.

Thank you.

We have a motion and a second.

Commissioner David Schohnson has requested a speak.

Yeah.

Yeah.

I requested the last time to have uh request that the last time to have uh planning to come up and talk about um commissioner Terry.

What did you I know it was coming behind you?

I hate to say that.

That's twice in one day.

I mean, that was coming back.

Coming to support me.

No, no, what was that?

You just say well, just I think maybe lightning strikes more than once.

Um the uh just if director Bragg could just um I know, yeah, yeah.

Yeah, you were saying about the amendments, yeah.

Additional considerations that they might say this is consideration if this was passed.

Yes, if there could be additional considerations for amendments that the public uh may have.

Is that what you yeah, just to see if um from the the floor adding some additional things that we can ask them to look at for consideration in a new draft.

Right.

Um if they could take those additional thoughts because those did come up from Commissioner Messiah and others.

Um so I my understanding of the question is if this uh if the recommended substitute is updated, then would planning staff also take into consideration other um amendments to the text amendment?

Is that is that the question?

Um that may come later.

That may come later.

Um yes is the short answer.

Um the longer answer is I think we'll need to come up with some kind of process um because the planning text amendment as currently proposed, um we feel like is complete, right?

So our recommendation remains for approval of the planning drafted text amendment.

If a substitute is substituted, um then we will of course um uh we'll move forward with that substitute.

Um but then generally the way that it works is the author of that substitute or the author of that legislation really has ownership of that legislation and and moves it forward.

So this has happened with other commissioner sponsored items like our short-term rentals um and other items where the authorship then belongs to the the commissioner who's proposing that new draft.

Um so if you wanted planning to take that new draft on and then make additional amendments to it, um the the question is like where do we stop, right?

So our goal is to have land use policies in place that protect um against potential adverse impacts from data centers.

So we think the current draft of the amendment does that, but if there are other considerations, um we would we need to come up with a process in order to take everybody's comments into to effect and draft essentially another piece of legislation.

Um I think some kind of general policy direction would be helpful in order to allow us to do that.

Um that's that's something more than just addressing the potential adverse impacts or the land use impacts of of data centers.

So I know that this is kind of a lot, but that's that those are my initial my initial thoughts.

Thank you.

You yield Commissioner Davis Johnson.

Yeah, okay, thank you.

Commissioner Longspears and then Commissioner Cracker.

Thank you very much.

Um appreciate coming to the podium, Ms.

Bragg, of course.

I have not had a chance to get with you on this item and do have questions, so I'm gonna request a offline meeting.

But for today's vote, I will abstain.

Thank you.

Yield back.

Commissioner Pratt.

Um Thank you, Madam President Officer.

You know, uh actually going through the ops committee were the review of the blue book as well as the uh proposed legislative changes.

Um that might be a good framework to use to approach this, which is we have sort of what staff has come up with as uh also just say complete version.

Um and then perhaps we have a discussion that sort of lays out these other items and and um the main thing being this is a I don't know if it's a committee of a whole conversation or if we have this at one of our planning meetings, but but um the public has been very clear uh on their stance uh somewhere's between no and hell no, um and we just want to make sure that we're listening to them very clearly on on uh on this.

This is um this is a national issue.

Uh this is a regional issue.

Uh this affects anyone that has electricity, anyone that has water, uh anyone that has concerns about other environmental uh issues, uh pollution in particular.

So um I don't see this as uh any reason to go faster than making sure that we've got the public sort of walking with us or we're walking with them in their cadence to to get to something that that ultimately works.

So um that would be my uh suggestion.

Thank you.

Thank you, Commissioner.

Commissioner Terry.

Thank you.

Um what certainly support uh setting up a process in the future.

Um, and if that's in the rule book or just how we sort of handle things, um you know open to that.

I don't see a problem with that.

Um I wouldn't want to delay this for us to figure that process out.

Um I think the reason why this is being brought forward is because the staff recommendation is um is what it is, and the the nature of us amending the staff recommendation can only take place at the actual meeting where we take the agenda item.

Right.

So in other words the the public thinks that what is in the staff recommendation ultimately is what we're going to be approving potentially and what I'm trying to do here is is not us not force us to delay things even further honestly because we might get to the next meeting and then we have discussion and then we we say we haven't figured it out and we'll we'll have to defer it again.

And so the the the three things in the resolution to me are just sort of the are pretty straightforward and in fact actually the um the law department did actually draft the actual amendments um ahead of time with this resolution so there wouldn't be an additional work that's needed to actually um uh assist the planning department except maybe just to put it into the right form um but again commissioners the the three things here are reflecting what we've heard from the public uh that would be to limit uh the each application um below 5000 square feet so in other words no campus uh size definition in the code um every application would require a special land use permit uh regardless of where it's located and then the third piece actually is not a requirement it's an incentive the incentive is to you know incentivize using more renewable energy um within their overall uh power usage of the data center either on site and through a virtual power plant model which is in essence they would install renewable energy somewhere else on Georgia Powers grid you know the neuron or the um electron might not directly make it to the data center but it is offsetting other electrons so it's just it's a whole energy market thing we don't need to get into so uh but in regards to additional things that might need to be added um I mean that was really the request if there are additional things that commissioners think really need to be in this text amendment um let's go in get the request in for the planning department to at least look at it um it seemed like on the auditing front it's just a matter of maybe just establishing what is the auditing protocol um in the ordinance that one hopefully wouldn't be too difficult to wordsmith um and then I think we discussed sort of the pre-treatment option that one seemed pretty straightforward before there was a flush of the the HVAC um closed loop uh slug what they call it the basically the same water gets used over and over again for six months in the closed loop system and they have to they have to sort of reset the the water um amount in that system and the the what we've heard from the public is that it should be uh run through a a pre-treatment process usually that means they would bring out a charcoal mobile filtering unit they would process that through the charcoal filter then they would you know in essence flush it down the the sewers uh for treatment and that would uh hopefully pick up some of the heavy metals PFAs um that people are concerned about um and then in terms of oversight again I think the environmental justice commission um can serve as uh a potential just you know other body to monitor generally what's going on with data centers into the future I mean you know data centers take a minute to build so we might not even be looking at setting up a a strict regulatory framework in a practical sense until later next year potentially um so there is time to work out you know what all of that oversight and accountability looks like um so I'm happy like to kind of keep talking about those specific items but the three things in this resolution I think are about as straightforward as we can get limiting campus sized data centers uh incentivizing renewable energy and then just assuring that every application has a public review thank you commissioner Davis Johnson for your second time are do I commissioner Patrick hasn't gone yet so commissioner Patrick first um so some of the components you've talked about I suspect are already handled under water treatment regulations as it is so um just reflecting on my time as a staff person I don't necessarily want to duplicate one section of the code and another section of the code and then that initial section of the code changes are updated and then it's it's missed when we have this other version.

So um I guess that's where I would really want to again suggest respectfully that review process that we're doing in ops where we're looking at the the blue book and then all of the proposed changes and and sort of line by line going through it to verify that that one the commission is comfortable with it but two the residents are very knowledgeable about that.

Um I believe we have a moratorium that ends in June.

Yes that correct?

So we we we do have the time.

There would be a way to build this into the calendar so we can talk specifically to these suggestions that you've come up with and just have that larger conversation with the residents, which I ultimately I think is where we need to make sure we're targeting our conversations too.

Um so again, Commissioner Terry agreeing with everything you said, but let's do that review process where it's it's understood.

Thank you, madam chair.

Yes, Commissioner Davis Johnson for your second opportunity to speak yeah, I sort of agree with Commissioner Terry and sort of agree with it.

Patrick, it's the beauty because if we had an audit and over site conversation about the process, you know, then we would still have to deal with the consequences if they do not comply.

You know, so I like the since we in June, I like the premise of going through it, like we did the child review and the rules, so that everything can be considered and dealt with uh in that process.

I I I will say it it does seem like there's um a lot of ideas and a lot of conversation to be had, so maybe the appropriate place for this conversation is in a committee where we dive deep into the text amendment, we can even pull it up and walk through it together.

Um, because I I do um I don't I don't think that this is necessarily the appropriate time for me to get into you know the staff reactions to all of these different proposals either.

Um of course, you know, we do have our professional opinions as well, but then of course look to you for the overarching policy direction.

So I would suggest that maybe we could have a special microphone, please.

Special calls and I would suggest that maybe we could could have a special call meeting in fact just still in this yeah, I think that would be appropriate.

Okay.

So the motion on the floor, do you yield?

I'm sorry, Commissioner Davis Johnson.

You sound like you were done.

Okay, thank you.

A motion on the floor is to defer.

Um please open machines for the vote.

How long was the deferral?

It was to uh the April 28th VOC with the stop in PECS and pretending uh pending, let me uh um amend that pending a potential special called election.

I mean that we're saying special call meeting as well.

I'm doing no more special no more special elections.

I think a special meeting will be a special meeting will be more than that.

All right, if we can open the machines for that vote, please.

Thank you.

Thank you, Miss Brack.

Okay, the motion to defer carries.

Mr.

Williams, what are you doing to him?

Why don't you do it during Madam Presiding Officer?

You didn't look happy to see me.

Not right now.

One quick item.

Item number 0393.

Um, and you approved it, but we had a substitute that was presented in committee.

Commissioner Bolton had uh questions that I think we'd responded.

Here's what I would recommend.

Can we just if you'd reconsidered that can we send it back to committee, get everything cleared up there, and then bring it back?

0393, top of page 32.

That is in ops.

Back to ops, yes, ma'am.

Top of page 32.

32.

What item was it?

0393, first item on page 32.

Okay.

Oh, yeah.

So I would need a motion to reconsider.

Let me okay.

That was the commercial general 12 bills.

Yes, ma'am.

And what was the problem with that?

Microphone.

What was the problem with that?

Yes, ma'am.

What we had done is um we'd presented a substitute item that recalculated how the funding was going to each department.

Then the 900 and 84,000.

984,000 was allocated one way in the original, then we updated it with a substitute, and I believe we'd provided answers to how the funding was being redistributed.

That was a question that was asked at a previous ops meeting.

So you don't have the substitute.

Yes, I believe the substitute has been provided.

Um I was just in the interest of time, I was going to send, but whatever works, it's ready to go, I think.

What was the we did not approve the substitute here today?

So what if we reconsider and approve the substitute?

That works.

I don't you may not have said substitute.

That was submitted.

Yeah.

Yeah.

We have copies.

But I don't think we have subject.

Yeah, we didn't.

We didn't say suck.

So if I can get a motion to reconsider zero.

Motion to reconsider.

Second.

If you'll hit your buttons.

Thank you.

Open the machine.

Because we didn't say so.

Thank you.

That motion to reconsider carries.

So I will reread the item.

Motion.

Oh.

If I needed to motion to a design.

No, I don't know.

Okay.

So this is item 2026, 0393, and it is for the substitute that is being distributed.

Is there a motion?

Motion to approve the substitute.

Second.

Second.

All right.

See no further.

This request to speak, please open the machine for the vote.

Motion to approve the substitute carries.

Now can we do it?

Motion to approve.

Motion to a second.

Second.

Second.

Everybody second.

Oh, you got it.

I had the voice.

What time is Fab, Mr.

Chair?

Yes.

Ten minutes ago.

We will take a 10 minute break.

Ten minutes to let's say 225.

225.

Thank you, everybody.

Uh-huh.

Somebody didn't vote.

Too late now.

They're still in the meeting.

He wanted to stay.

Oh, he wanted this thing.