Great day, everyone.

My name is Nicole Messiah, and I have the distinct honor and pleasure to serve as your District 3 Commissioner, along with the Chair of PECS, Planning Economic Development and Community Services.

I serve along my other colleagues and PECS committee members, Commissioner Longspears from District 2, and Commissioner Robert Patrick from District One.

I also recognize that we have Commissioner Ted Terry from District 6 along with today.

If you've had an opportunity, committee members to review the minutes, I will entertain a motion.

All right, I have a proper first.

Second.

And a second.

Thank you so much, Commissioner Longspears, for your second.

All those in favor?

Aye.

Aye.

Thank you.

And that is for agenda item 2026-093.

The next area is appointments.

And for those that are following along, we're midway through the page.

That is 2026-0756.

All commissioned districts to appoint Jeremy Cole PhD to post nine of the Fulton County, I mean Fulton DeCab Hospital Authority.

And if you wouldn't mind, Mr.

Cole, can you please join us?

Thank you so much for coming.

But there's here today, sorry you're so far away, but thank you again for joining us here in PEX.

And we typically will start interviewing the same way we do others, and that's just you know, communicating some things uh about yourself, your previous experiences, and uh specifically highlighting those that are relevant to your service um potentially on the hospital authority.

Great.

Uh thank you so much, Commissioner.

Um Jeremy Cole, I'm currently the executive director of Mosaic Health Center, which is a uh health center in Clarkston, Georgia, that serves folks without health insurance.

I've been fortunate to spend my whole career in the nonprofit sector 26 plus years doing a variety of work both locally and Clarkston in the 2000s, and then I went uh global to UNICEF United Nations Children's Fund for 11 years and came back to Clarkston as the executive director of Mosaic Health Center in 2023.

So, in terms of the first of all, I'm honored to be um to be nominated for this position, and I should say that in terms of my work uh in health care specifically.

Certainly my time at UNICEF USA working globally.

I learned a lot about um global health issues, but all those issues are often issues that we face here uh right here in DeCAB and in the metro area.

And uh specifically my time at Mosaic Health Center of you know, learned a lot about the need to strengthen our health care ecosystem to care for the less fortunate and to provide uh for all in the community.

So that gives you a little bit of my background.

Thank you so much.

That's exciting.

So um if appointed, can you tell me what your top priorities as a member of the hospital authority would be and how specifically would you contribute to advancing the mission strengthening health care outcomes and ensuring the long-term sustainability and effectiveness of the hospital operations and partnerships?

Well, I think um top priority um top a few of top priorities would be one first to continue to strengthen the relationship between the Fulton DeCav Hospital Authority and Grady.

Um I know that that's a relationship that's ongoing and has been strengthened over the over the years, and that's an important relationship for the city.

Um so that would be uh first.

Um second, I would be uh second priority would be about strengthening the health care ecosystem generally.

From my vantage point, I think we have a lot of great assets in the community.

We've got to figure out ways to work uh better together, uh both between hospitals, but certainly also from uh the hospital perspective to clinics uh like like mine and like many clinics across Metro Atlanta.

Um a lot of the uh the solutions are in place.

We've got to got to connect the dots, and so I think uh that would be another priority for me in terms of you know strengthening the overall health care ecosystem in Metro Atlanta.

I think all of that speaks to uh the need to serve a widening gap in those who are not being served.

We see in the state and across the country, lots of folks are losing losing health insurance as those costs rise.

And that puts a lot of financial pressure on hospitals like Grady, hospital systems.

And so to your sustainability question, we've got to focus our efforts on, you know, at the hospital authority board on you know strengthening the case for expanding access to care rather than contracting it, which is what's happening now.

And not only when you when you contract access to care, folks can't see a doctor, but also again the hospitals struggle financially because they have more folks without health insurance coming in through their doors, and no one can pay.

So I think from a sustainability standpoint, uh it's a comprehensive approach, you know, to expand access to care.

I can appreciate that.

And so I will um in in one second I will um open it up to uh my other colleagues, and then I have one question, I'll come back with Commissioner Patrick.

Do you have any questions?

Uh yes.

I'm gonna take the easy one.

I I know you already, I've had an excellent tour of your facility.

Uh I get the mission, uh, I get where you're coming from and agree with it 100%.

Um are there any professional, financial or personal circumstances that could present a potential conflict of interest or otherwise affect your ability to serve impartially and fulfill your responsibilities to the hospital authority?

No, they're not.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

Easy enough, easy breezy, right?

Thank you.

Commissioner Long Spears.

Thank you very much.

Before I go into my comment and then two questions, I have received a couple of messages from members of the public that the live stream is not working for this meeting.

So heads up, DC TV.

Uh you might want to double check and make sure we're in good shape.

All right, thank you so much.

Um Dr.

Cole, always a pleasure, and I have really enjoyed to kind of get to know you over the last year and certainly appreciated the time and energy you put into the tour for the district two team.

And I'm very excited to see what is in the future for Mosaic as well with your expansion.

Um I do have a question that I'm gonna ask, Madam Chair number four, but before I do so to the degree that you're comfortable, could you just articulate any concerns that you have right now in end of May 2026 about public health in general in DeCab County, state of Georgia, around our country, and again, whatever you're comfortable saying.

If you're not comfortable responding, then I accept that as well.

I'm happy to say a few things because it's important, it's an important question, and thank you for the very important question.

Um we face uh an access crisis in our country and in our state, and therefore in our in our county in DeCav.

Um far too few people are speaking about expanding access to care, and far too many people, or at least those in power are talking about contracting access to care.

As I say all the time, and many others say contracting access to health care just makes no sense.

It's like taking food away from people who are hungry.

Everybody needs health care.

And the more of us that are walking around sick and unable to see a doctor, the harder it is for all of us to function.

And so I think we have to be uh we have to be focused.

Um we have to be focused on on uh expanding access to care because I do believe we have a a crisis, and when fewer people can see the doctor and get the medications they need, more people are getting sick.

Those sicknesses then cost the entire system more.

And I would finish with that point.

Um, preventive care and providing access on the front end is so much cheaper than waiting for somebody to get really sick.

Thank you for sharing your uh wisdom and concerns with us.

And I do want to acknowledge that um the governing authority, we did support mosaics expansion and our current annual budget.

So thank you all so much for doing that, recognizing that access continues to be a problem, it's getting worse and worse and worse, and we have institutions like Mosaic who are aggressively ensuring that we still have access here in DeCap County despite what's going on at other levels.

All right, uh, number four question.

It's same line of questioning, but slightly different.

Uh, what do you believe are the most significant challenges and opportunities currently facing healthcare systems and public hospital authorities, both locally and more broadly?

How would you use your role to help the authority navigate these issues, provide effective oversight, and support informed strategic decision making?

Yeah, I'll say a few things.

I think you know the the largest cuts to Medicaid in our history last year affects all of us.

Georgia being a state that didn't expand Medicaid means it won't affect Georgia as much, but it's still affecting Georgia.

And combined with the lapsing of the subsidies for the Affordable Care Act, you know, DeCab citizens know, all of us know that our health care costs are going up significantly.

So I kind of keep beating on the same drum.

I think you know that the major issue we've got to address is getting people access to care in the communities where they are and meeting people where they are.

And by the way, Commissioner, thank you for your comments about Mosaic and thanks to the commission in general for the support of our work.

You know, because we can't just have Grady emergency room filling up with folks that you know could get access to care in their neighborhoods with the medications that they need.

So many emergency room visits these days are just primary care visits.

Folks don't have anywhere else to go.

And so I think, like I said earlier, strengthening the ecosystem, uh, you know, things like referral systems between Grady and clinics in the community, so then when someone is being discharged from a hospital without health insurance, they have a place to go to get the blood pressure medication that they need on an ongoing basis, strengthening referral systems to address social determinants of health so that we can refer to social services for food and affordable housing and any other needs that folks have because all those things obviously affect people's health.

I think these are some of the things that uh the the authority needs to continue to work on.

They've they already are working on it, working in partnership with organizations like Archie and other organizations that are doing good collaborative work in the Metro Atlanta area.

Thank you so much, Dr.

Cole, and again, I'm so glad to see you here, and I am very grateful for your partnership.

I yield back.

Thank you, Commissioner.

Thank you so much, Commissioner Terry.

Thank you.

Are there any other random questions?

All right, I'll just shoot one.

Um, just in and around the fact that we've identified certain areas of DeCab County, as you are well aware, including South DeCab, where there are health care deserts.

And so we're grateful and fortunate to organizations such as yourself and Grady for trying to provide those services.

And at the same time, um there are certain constituents who have shared, you know, just the updates in the newspaper, for instance, and on the news about the development of a hospital in Bilton County, for instance.

And so it was a partnership where the DeCap Board of Commissioners, the um Grady and the DeCAP Hospital Authority, all um cohesively give $300,000 for the building of a 900 or million dollars facility.

And so, what are your thoughts in and around what we can do and how you being on that board could advise things that we can work on so that we can get a hospital, particularly one with um trauma one center, um, or you know, just triage something more uh emergent here in DeCab County, particularly where the health care deserts exist.

Yeah, well, I think from my perspective, and obviously I'll uh learn as I joined the board if I'm if I'm if my nomination is approved, um, more of the details, but generally speaking, from my perspective, we need more hospitals.

Um we have hospitals that are closing across Georgia.

And uh, as you referenced, we need more hospitals in areas where the need is clear.

Um what I would say about that is we need to follow the data.

Uh we know the data on public health is clear.

We know in DeCab County, South DeCab, pockets of Central DeCab, where we are in the Clarkston Stone Mountain area, and pockets in the north side, particularly in the Buford Highway Corridor, there are a significant number of health care needs, and there are significantly worse health care outcomes for those communities.

Um the challenge is that health care often follows the money, and um it becomes a money game when and wherever the dollars are uh, you know, uh that's how you can be sustainable understandably, but at the same time, um, you know, for my perspective, uh, human health, my health, and your health is not a profit-making business.

Uh from my perspective, it's about you know, giving people the core that they need to be able to be economically productive.

And so I would look closely at how we can expand.

I'd have to learn more about the finances and the dollars, but how we can expand, you know, uh additional uh hospitals, particularly in areas of need like South Decal.

Thank you for that.

I appreciate you.

Uh Dr.

Cole, I mean you have a PhD, and I'm one I recognize when folks are uh doctors, so uh my apologies for that referencing you as Dr.

Cole previously, but Dr.

Cole again, I appreciate your answers, your response, and thank you so much for joining us here in Impex Committee.

Someone from Central Staff will be uh reaching back out to you.

Thank you for joining us here today.

Thank you so much, Commissioners.

Appreciate it.

Thank you.

Enjoy the rest of your day, we say.

The next appointment is 2026-0757.

And that is all commission districts to appoint Mr.

Jerome Edmondson to post three of the DeCab County Housing Authority.

Great day, Mr.

Edmondson.

How are you doing today?

Hello.

Okay, I found it.

I'm doing fantastic.

How are you all today?

All right.

Sometimes we have to shrink that microphone, and sometimes we need to raise it up a bit.

So just bear with us, you're a bit taller.

No problem.

I think I'll be okay with that.

Well, thank you again for uh being here with the PECS.

We're gonna start off with uh same question we actually asked Dr.

Cole in terms of um you know the skills, the experiences, a little bit about yourself that will make you um a good candidate and relevant to serving the housing authority here.

Well, great.

First of all, thank you all for having me and uh thank you all uh uh and the entire board uh for the um nomination.

You know, entrepreneurship has been a part of my career for the last 30 plus years.

Uh the late Reggie White and myself had an idea that if we could own our own homes and own our own businesses, we could revitalize our own communities.

And from there, if you go to Urban Hope CDC.org, you'll see the Urban Hope Home Ownership Center.

Uh we've been urban, we've been home buyer counseling agency for HUD and for various parts, and just helping so many people get into their homes because I feel that it's impact imperative that we do own our homes.

Uh homeownership and affordable housing is important to me.

Uh, why am I excited about the potential appointment to this committee is simple that you know my my daughter and four grandkids moved in with us about four years ago.

Uh now the goal was to move to Atlanta.

It wasn't to move with mama and dad, but uh, you know, we I had a front row seat of what affordable housing and interest rates rising and that passion for her and her family own our own home.

Now we are empty nesters, and you know, uh I I I've enjoyed being empty nesters, but nevertheless, uh uh I do want to begin to possibly look at public-private partnerships that we've done throughout our entire life as an entrepreneur and in owning our own homes.

We have helped uh anywhere from TD Jake's ministry with Metroplex Economic Development Corporation with their housing development new birth.

We had an amazing housing development and and uh homeownership process there as well.

So, what I'd like to do is just really bring all those years of success, my entrepreneurial career into this housing area and see what we can do together and learn more about the vision here in DeCab for homeownership for all of us that uh desire to own our own home.

Thank you so much.

I really do appreciate that.

And I am about to be an empty nester myself, so I feel you.

My daughter just graduated two Saturdays ago, so I'm looking forward to packing her up.

So I feel the sense.

Well, all right, so there is a a difference in real estate background, um, in addition to legal background, but knowing there's a difference between affordable housing and housing that is affordable.

How do you see the authorities' role in assort supporting not just affordable housing, but housing that's affordable and in the broader area of economic development and that support, how do you see those things sort of coming together and shaping to serve the needs of the housing needs of um of folks?

authorities role in assort supporting not just affordable housing but housing that's affordable um and in the broader area of economic development and that support how do you see those things sort of coming together and shaping to serve the needs of the housing needs of um of folks well you know it it's it's I I think something unique that we can do that we have done in the past is that when we focus on this this language not just a uh a quote but when we look at public private partnership and and talking to our financial institutions and hopefully our new uh we have a new fed share in the country and hopefully that's going to lend uh some opportunities to home buyers but really looking at the you know the financial institutions one thing that we were able to do in the past is start a neighborhood lending uh process for black and brown communities with Bank of America to where you know uh you know if you if a person went in to get a mortgage and they were denied they would come to home urgent like Urban Hope or the Cab County Housing Authority and we would get them home ready.

To me no means not yet some people just don't know what it means to own a home.

So the educating what homeowners the education part of it the economic development part of it and then the public private partnerships part of it and then learning more about this organization and what the what the expectation is for us as a county as a whole I think that these you know uh with 30 plus years uh uh with so many relationships and resources throughout the country that I can lend some some some relationship support to bring these opportunities here to our decad thank you for that that's exciting all right I'll open up the floor to my colleagues Commissioner Patrick all right thank you madam chair uh pleasure to meet you thank you for for your interest in this I think you sort of answered this question already but I'm still gonna ask it uh are you aware of any emerging trends opportunities or challenges in the affordable housing market or I guess in housing in general uh briefly describe how you plan to support DeCab County residents and families with access to quality sustainable and affordable housing during your tenure yes um to me the number one area that as a training company I have an entrepreneur training school and and again we had a home buyer counseling school it's all about educating what homeownership means a lot of folks didn't know what homeownership means I remember the first time that we went into a church uh and we asked everyone to stand up that didn't own a home it was maybe 60 70 percent of the congregation stood um we began to register them and to our surprise uh the majority of them had 700 plus credit scores but mom and dad rented you know they were taught rent and so rent became a part of the culture of just hey getting out of mom and dad's house and go rent me a place to stay and all of that I I want I'm a homeowner I want all my children to be homeowners so the goal is to really look at education to really you know uh you know we have great financial institutions in this county that I know but previous experience that we can sit down and begin to look at some of those relationships and look at really putting together a strategic process to get folks into affordable housing now affordable doesn't mean lack of knowledge affordable doesn't mean cheap you mean affordable to me means something that you can appreciate something that you can enjoy and if you can imagine uh a process with uh you know our committee and the Kab County Housing Authority that you know folks begin to get homes and and and then those homes are recognized as going through an educational affordable housing process so really just looking at what we have and then providing some past experience and relationships to help uh move this vision forward.

Yeah absolutely um thank you for the answer also want to say you have an amazing background and resume so thank you very much again for your interest.

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

Thank you very much.

All right so thank you so much for being with us today sir.

My pleasure I was reviewing your bio and it says that you're a veteran so I am a veteran I'm an Air Force veteran.

Wonderful thank you for your service to our country.

Thank you so much I appreciate that.

All right I'm gonna ask a question that's on our interview guide.

The authority works closely with local agencies, community partners and residents how would you strengthen these relationships while also ensuring meaningful engagement with stakeholders to understand and respond to community needs I I think that is key to the success of what we discuss when it comes to housing and affordable housing is building a stronger bond with those relationships and understanding that we're a team you know we're you know we're we're the uh you know we're New York I'm I'm sorry I meant uh San Antonio uh Lee uh you know we're you know that the building we can New York is okay uh sorry uh I I'm a sports guy and I always believe in team I played college and and high school sports and uh you know I do believe that teamwork makes the dream work and and if we can begin to look at our partners look at some of their ideas you know look at technology and how technology is changing the way that we do business even in the housing I have a smart home you know that makes my home more affordable because I begin to look at technology and things of that nature so again just uh uh bringing together closely and sitting down with those relationships uh listening to them apparently they're doing something right to be in those uh ownership and leadership positions but just bring some of those ideas into what our vision is and see how many uh new homes and new um uh housing uh

I have a smart home, you know, that makes my home more affordable because I begin to look at technology and things of that nature.

So again, just uh bringing together closely and sitting down with those relationships or listening to them.

Apparently, they're doing something right to be in those uh ownership and leadership positions, but just bring some of those ideas into what our vision is and see how many uh new homes and new um uh housing uh leadership are more how homeowners that we can get in DeCAP.

All right, does it question a question?

All right.

Well, thank you so much again.

I appreciate you, Mr.

Edmondson, for being here with us um at PECS and joining us and someone from Central Staff will uh be reaching out to you.

Thank you for coming with us today.

Thank you all so much.

Thank you.

Thank you.

We will um travel back to our previous agenda item that's 0756, and that's to appoint Dr.

Jeremy Cole and PhD to the post nine of the Fulton County Hospital Authority.

Um if you are okay committee, we will move ahead and I'll accept the motion.

Motion to approve second.

All those in favor?

Aye.

Thank you so much.

And um Mr.

Edmondson um has left us, and we'll go ahead and move on to that at the next agenda item uh as well.

That's agenda item ending in 057.

All commission districts appoint Mr.

Jerome Emmitt to post three of the Cab County Housing Authority.

Yeah, motion to approve.

Second.

All those in favor?

Aye.

Thank you so much.

And then next we have um human services give me one second.

I do believe we have a little bit of a shift there in terms of this agenda I've been provided.

All right, the discussion for today is going to be TAD Financials, and um we're gonna get an update from VP Tiffany Wills.

Great afternoon, Miss Wills.

That you can come up to up here closer, yes, please.

How are you this afternoon?

Good afternoon.

Great afternoon.

Take it away when you're ready.

How's everyone doing today?

Hope everyone had a great holiday weekend.

Never never long enough.

Um Tiffany Wills, Vice President of Redevelopment and Strategic Initiatives with Decide to Cab.

I'm here to present our Q1 2026 TAD Financials along with some other updates.

Um we'll start on page two.

Um current TAD fund balance across all five TADs is 34.4 million.

That includes DeCab County held assets, um, which there is an adjustment from our last quarterly update.

Uh we worked with both tax commissioner's office and then also office of OMB to do a final audit to prepare those funds to be transferred to decide to cab.

So there is a new balance of county held TAD funds, which is just under 8.1 million.

Um and we typically see a lot less tax increment being generated the first half of the year since tax bills don't start becoming due until uh July, and then a second payment in the fall.

We typically see most of our increment generated in the second half of the year.

Um so to date across all five tags, we've generated about 288,000 dollars, um 72,000 in interest, an additional 50,000 in expenses.

So our year-to-date net income is just at 310,000.

Uh previous TAD awards were six.

We have made one new award um in the Briarcliffe TAD, which we'll review in a moment.

Um so total awards to date, including pay as you go reimbursements is at 77.2 million, um, outstanding TAD awards or applications that we feel um confident are going to move forward to full board approval.

Um that um outstanding awards to pay out is 75.8, and then our pending requests that we have received full applications on that we're currently underwriting and negotiating terms is going to be a total of 18.8 million across all five TADs.

Um for Avondale Columbia.

Um, if we were to award the full amount that it's being requested for all of the pending applications, we obviously would be oversubscribed between our funds and the Cab County's health funds.

So we will be making adjustments to the actual awards that are made to ensure that we are not oversubscribing.

So the award that we made this past March was in the Briar Cliff North Druid Hills TAD.

It is South Peace Tree Creek Trails segments three and five.

Our initial award is only for 915,000 to cover the soft costs, acquisitions and easements, public right-of-ways, negotiations.

So once that scope of work is completed, which we anticipate will be sometime in 2028, we will return back to the board most likely with an additional request for authorization to fund the hard costs and construction of that trail.

So we have added some dashboard information based off of a lot of the feedback that we receive, both from our county commissioners and also from DeCab County staff.

So the next few slides are going to be summaries of pending TAD awards, and again, these are just ones that we have actually received applications for.

We do have an additional pipeline, but have not received formal request for funding yet.

Districts six and seven will obviously include those regular districts that are located in their geographical area.

But currently we have 4.7 pending in Avondale, another 7.4 in Briarcliff, 2.6 in Kensington, 55,000 in Market Square, and then Southwest to CAB also has another $3.6 million application pending.

So TAD performance.

We're going to be updating our website in the next 60 to 90 days to include some historical TAD information.

It will include how much increment has been generated to date for each of the individual TADS and how much has been accrued in the current existing year.

We'll also include a total across all five TADs.

So we'll always have interest accruing as required by state law.

So our pending awards again, or I'm sorry, our prior awards per TAD are provided in the chart below, and we've also included an interactive map.

Once it's published on our website, you'll be able to see where the projects have been awarded and project details and also funding amounts.

So we are updating our TAD guidelines this year.

So we will have pre-development loan fund, the urban renewal fund, which can be a loan or a grant, and also the small business property improvement grant are available in all five of our tax allocation districts.

Currently, pay as you go and TAD bonds are going to be available only in Briar Cliff, Market Square, and Southwest to CAB TADS.

That's because they have the longest terms remaining with Avondale and also Kensington set to expire in 2029.

And as always, we have our interactive GIS map on our website, and I'm happy to answer any questions.

Thank you so much, Ms.

Wells.

Um, Commissioner Patrick, do you have any questions?

Any moment?

Uh no questions at this time, but I may have something later.

Alrighty.

Thank you so much, Commissioner Longspeed.

Thank you, Miss Lil, for being with us today.

I have really um grown to admire you, by the way, for your knowledge on TADs and just watching you over the last couple of years and have been really pleased with the partnership that my office cultivated with.

Decide to cab.

Thank you.

So thank you very much for everything.

Um I did want to go back and make sure I'm 100% understood you correctly.

So I'm going back to the Q1 2026 financial update, and some of this information just continues throughout the presentation.

But the Briar Cliff North Druid Hills TAD, the 18,680,989.

That is the that's the total for that TAD because I think in my first year we discovered some was under tax commissioner, some was under decide to cab.

So that's the total.

You have merged it behind the scenes, all now under Decide DeCab, and that is where we're at with that, right?

Uh so they have not been merged, but that is the total between DeCide DeCab's account and DeCab Counties.

Are you able to merge them?

Is there okay?

We are currently in the process of doing that now.

Um so we've been working with um Office of O and B and we are working on having those funds transferred to Decide DeCab.

Wonderful.

It just makes I don't know how TJ would respond to this for uh Mr.

Dabar, but it just seems to make a lot more sense to have it under one umbrella and not two different entities.

Correct, and it is a requirement.

My predecessor was like, oh no, they should have a lot more than that in there.

That's what inspired that whole uh like exploration into actually what was in that TAD.

So awesome.

And how long will that take, do you think to merge the two under psych?

I would have to refer to um DeCab County, um, either Zach or TJ or um and Dorian.

I know those are ongoing conversations.

Um we had a meeting last week and are working to have those funds dispersed.

Okay, very, very good.

And then um a question on market square.

So that increment I guess the the really before it becomes of um of substance will obviously be when you know they open their doors and that is hopefully scheduled at least phase one by Q3 of next year, is that right?

Correct, if not Q2, yes, but the first phase the publics will be opening in spring summer of 2027.

Okay.

And part of my question you've kind of answered already is that the pay as you go increment that markets where does have.

And so that increment will start to, you know, it's I guess you know, tiny tiny, and they'll just probably start to compound growth actually once they um start open their doors to some business there at Lula Hills.

But you said that um the pay as you go option is really only available to um TADS that have lengthy sunset or expiration dates, such as Briarcliff, which is in here and I think it's 2057, and then market scare square 2047 and Southwest DeCabit 2048.

Um to me that seems like an advantage because it just gives you another tool when you you know you push out that sunset date for so long.

Is that how you view it or correct?

So the earlier a project is awarded TAD funds within the term of the TAD, the longer the term for there to be increment that's generated.

So for Kensington, for example, that expires in 2029.

Right now, we're really only working with two full tax cycles in order to give a pay-go award, and that's typically not enough time to generate sufficient um increment.

So for Candler Crossing, the new publics at um Candler and Glenwood that we awarded last year in Southwest to CAB, they have 23 years under their pay go to reach a 2.6 million dollar um award.

So that will be an annual increment that's generated.

Now, if there's a major redevelopment in that TAD that increases the property values, then that will be faster, or if DeCab County School Districts decides to participate in the TAD, then that of course would cut that time frame in half.

Uh but yes, it is absolutely more advantageous to apply for TAD funds in the beginning of a TAD where you have longer leeway in time in front of you to really be able to generate that increment.

Okay, very good.

The paygo option, um, what is I guess the minimum years in terms of sunset?

You know, what would be the minimum that you would recommend recommend, like utilizing that tool?

10 years, 20 years, 30 years, et cetera.

It depends quite honestly on the individual project.

Um if it's going to be a hundred million dollar redevelopment of a vacant lot, then they could maximize increment in five to ten years.

Um if it's going to be a smaller project, so Candler Crossing is only 26 million, that's going to need a longer lead time.

Okay, all right, very good.

All right.

Well, thank you so much.

I appreciate it and yield back.

Thank you so much, Commissioner Longspears.

Commissioner Terry.

Yes, thank you, Madam Chair.

Um, thank you, um Tiffany for the update.

The Kensington Memorial Draw.

Can you put the map back up on the screen?

So for Kensington Memorial Draw, that's kind of you know, sort of a small area that you know, I know we have several projects underway.

Um ourselves at 4380 Memorial Drive, and hopefully Kensington Marta TOD can make some progress.

Um go to the GIS map, if you don't mind.

There you go.

Okay.

So what are y'all's thoughts about closing this TAD this year?

And then starting hopefully soon the kind of the what do we call it?

The uh the the economic study, what's the what is the terminology?

The market.

So it's a tad redevelopment plan.

Redevelopment, thank you, um, for a potentially larger area.

Is that something that we can be expecting this year?

So we are exploring that.

Um we were selected by the Urban Land Institute for a mini technical assistance panel or an MTAP to reimagine both the Kensington and Avingdale TADS and potentially create a new TAD that is either all of Memorial Drive corridor or two TADs that might be outside 25 inside 285.

We are in the process of reviewing their findings and recommendations and also identifying enough catalytic redevelopment opportunities or enough of the smaller redevelopment projects that will justify creating the new TAD.

We don't want to create a new TAD, and then in 10 years we're where we are with Kensington and Avondale, who had a lot of slow growth due to the economic downturn of 2008.

So we're currently in that process.

We know that we will need to be very strategic with our timing.

If we close the TADS this year, the Board of Commissioners could simultaneously approve creation of the new TAD, and then the new TAD can start January 1, 2027.

If we miss this year's approvals, then it will start January 1, 2028.

Right, understood.

And we had a good meeting with the Board of Education and Board of Commissioners about a month ago.

The group that myself and Commissioner Messiah were in, Mr.

May and Williams were there, was gaming out a plan to partner with the school system on building a convocation convention center arena, something that would have kind of a multifaceted use, would support the school system's desire to have you know convocation graduations and other events, but also you know, a larger sort of facility.

Um and to me that seemed like the opportunity for us to partner on a tax allocation district because there would be a mutual benefit there.

Um and really, if you look at just where our regional center designations are, um the Kensington Memorial Drive TAD really is right, is already positioned where we have the highest density capabilities.

And I think that was the thing that came up is you know, when you build a 5,000 seat sort of center, you know, you have to have a lot of capacity for cars, transit, you know, multimodal, as well as that density.

So as the ULI uh TAP MTAP program moves forward, will y'all engage the school system to consider being part of that stakeholder committee in reference to how those TADS might potentially grow in the future?

Sure, absolutely.

We are in active conversations with DCSD on not just participating in a new potential TAD, but also the existing TADS, Friar Cliff, Market Square, and Southwest to CAB.

Um so it is fully our intent and our hope that they will agree to participate in the existing TADs and any new TAD.

Um the only point I would make about a convocation center is for the TAD strategy to be effective.

The redevelopment projects will need to be generating property taxes.

Uh so if there is a way that we can partner or do a P3 where it's not tax exempt, um, then I think that would be a great strategy as well.

Yeah, absolutely.

And yeah, maybe there's a structure there, or there's simply just sort of that's there's a catalyst kind of venue that can build more housing and commercial development, you know, around it as well.

So maybe there's you know different strategies that could support the growth of the town.

Absolutely.

Thank you.

Yield back.

Thank you so much, uh, Commissioner Terry.

Um Commissioner Patrick.

Thank you.

Um not sure if you're aware, uh, but uh in district one and the unincorporated areas, we're wrapping up a small area plan, sort of focused around 85-285 area, uh, Embry Hills, Northcrest are some of the large neighborhoods that are there.

Um there's also a lot of uh vacant office or underutilized office that um I would love to be able to sit down once we have that final um report put together and adopted by the BOC, uh, come back and talk with you and Dorian about the potential of or the viability of uh a TAD in the area to help spark some redevelopment of office that is uh seemingly not well utilized at this point, and then find out from a market survey what would be some good type drivers in that area uh and then see what we can do as far as a TAD or any of the other economic development engines uh tools that are out there, so possibly a CID or any other options that are out there.

Absolutely.

Thank you.

All right, thank you so much, Commissioner Patrick.

Uh Ms.

Wells, um, I have just a brief um follow-up and piggybacking a little on uh my colleague here in terms of um potentially splitting or starting another TAD.

So it's it's possible to, for instance, take the Abondale Columbia TAD and to end that TAD and start a Columbia TAD for instance if necessary.

Correct.

Okay.

And um you said that's something that you know, for instance, theoretically, if we were at the start of new tad, that's something that we could start off January 2027 if we chose to.

Yes, we would need to the fastest, the county and decide to cab have created a new TAD was six months.

So we're right at the end of May.

So if we wanted to make it by December, we would need decide to cab would need to be issuing the RFP for a consultant, third party consultant to come on board um and help with that redevelopment plan and community engagement in order to make a December deadline.

Okay, yeah, I think that would be great.

And I'll follow up with you offline regarding the same.

Thank you so much for that.

Are there any other questions or shares?

No, seeing none, thank you so much.

Appreciate you for coming as always.

Enjoy the rest of your day, and I hope you enjoy your you enjoyed your memorial day.

Thank you.

Thank you.

The next agenda item for those following with us is page two.

That's agenda item 2026-0457, all commissioned district change order number five to contract number one two six nine four nine meal services for seniors for use by the Department of Human Services to obtain congregate and sell shelf stable meals for senior citizens annual contract with two options to renew, seeking to extend the expiration date through October 31st, 2026, and to ratify previously provided term increase awarded to Meals on Wheels, Atlanta Inc.

contract terms increase only.

Thank you so much for being here, Director Scott.

Welcome.

Good afternoon, Madam Chair, members of the PECS committee.

Um seeking your approval on a change order uh for meals for seniors on an existing contract to change order would extend this existing contract where we already have the funding in it uh out to October 31st, 2026, which allows time for the RFP to be completed that's underway.

All right.

So with your approval, uh the extensive date to October that allowed our entire process to be completed for the new off fee.

Fantastic.

Thank you.

Are there any um questions?

Commissioner Patrick.

Um Damon, if you just said it, if you wouldn't mind repeating, how many how many uh meals do we provide through this?

About 120,000 annually.

Okay.

Um and that's throughout the county.

Yes, no focus.

That's all districts.

All districts, okay.

All right.

Um but that does that number doesn't include uh some of the shelf stable and emergency meals that we provide situationally, and I can provide you that updated number of the universe for congregate meals is about 120,000.

Okay, thanks so much.

Appreciate it.

Yes, thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you so much.

And to the extent that you um extend and provide that to Commissioner Patrick, be great to share uh with myself as well.

All right, thank you.

I appreciate that.

And me too.

Might as well just send it to all the board of commissioners, right?

Save yourself some time.

Well that's it.

Thank you so much.

Um with that, I will entertain a motion.

Motion to approve.

Second.

All those in favor?

Aye.

Aye.

Thank you so much.

The next item is director, I mean is uh recreation parks and cultural affairs.

I'm calling your name, Director Bass, and I haven't read the whole agenda item yet.

Um all commission districts LB invitation for bit number two zero two five-134, ITB landscape maintenance services for county parks, three-year multi, three-year multi-year contracts with two options to renew for the use by the department of rec and uh parks and recs consists of providing landscape services for county parks recommended to the most responsive and responsible bidder.

The Simmons Group LLC, wow, landscapes, um LLC and universal landscapes LLC, the total amount not to exceed 573,000 um 576 dollars.

Welcome.

Good afternoon.

Good afternoon.

Cool push the button.

All right, there we go.

Good afternoon.

Great afternoon.

Uh we are recommending approval for this uh three-year multi-year contract.

Um this consists of uh landscaping and maintenance services for all of our county parks.

Um work includes uh but not limited to mowing, trimming around our playgrounds, we removal, um, edging, litter pickup, trash removal, um blowing, um, and uh tree pruning for our park systems.

Um this is uh recommending three groups the Simmons Group LLC, Grand Landscapes LLC, and Universal Landscaping LLC, and an amount of 573,576.

Thank you so much.

Commissioner Patrick.

Chris, um I know in PWI we've had several maintenance contracts, but I also feel like we just had another one recently out of uh PECS, didn't we?

We did.

How was this one different than the the previously adopted one?

Yes, sir, great question.

So that one was specific to our sports wheels, so we are synthetic turf fields and so this one is more landscape.

Everything else.

All right, thank you very much.

Yes, sir.

Commissioner Long Spears?

No question.

Commissioner Terry.

All right, and so um we have the Simmons group.

Um have we done business with them before?

Um we've used them as a sub for previous contractor, but not um directly.

All right, and uh um what was that contract amount?

Do you recall?

Um that was for 368,000.

So are we still using that contractor now or the Simmons group?

Uh no, the other one where you said there was a sub for 368,000.

And so I'm sorry, I'm misunderstood the question.

That was for the current 368,000 is for the current.

Um, I don't have the exact amount for the previous sub.

I can find that out and get that over to you.

If you don't mind, and then um also how long have we been using the Simmons group would be great.

Yep.

Um and the invitation um to bid um just information in and around that would be fantastic if you wouldn't mind.

Absolutely.

All right.

Well, that's all the questions I have there.

Um no other questions.

Fantastic.

I'll entertain a motion.

Um motion to approve 0487.

Second.

All those in favor?

Aye.

Aye.

All right.

I I and I'm actually gonna uh my all those denial that would be myself.

Um I want that information if you don't mind related to that group before I am um in a position to feel comfortable with moving forward on that.

Thank you.

All right.

The next agenda item is 20, I'm sorry, 2026-0550, Commission Districts 3 to adopt an ordinance to amend the code of the Cab County to address certain public safety vacant vagrancy authorized camping and certain public nuisance behaviors, and we do have a sub on that particular item.

Um Chennin, do you have the sub?

Uh did you already provide it to us?

Okay.

Okay.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I was looking around like I don't remember Dan coming up here and delivering this TV.

Yes, and and and so this um again, I spoke briefly to it before the purposes uh behind it and coming on the heels of um some of the other um ordinances that are being put forth by local and um policies efforts, other jerk local and jurisdictions, and with uh some of the responsibility putting um put forth for different municipalities um related to this particular um issue.

It has gone through legal um with the support inform um from legal exception the um substitute that you have previously does change the word vagrancy to drifting.

And with that, I'll open the floor up for questions.

Commissioner Longspears.

Thank you very much, madam chair.

Um I do have a list of questions, but I did want to elevate a uh transparency and technical challenge with this particular item.

We use a system called legislatar and legislat where items are posted online and where members of the public can go to the legislatar site and pull the items.

Today, um unfortunately, we uncovered that the attachment, which is the um actual ordinance itself, and certainly now we have a substitute was never placed into the legislatar system.

So it is has been unavailable to the public.

So I'm still have a list of questions, but I would certainly recommend a deferral of two weeks at least to get it uploaded into the legislatar system so that it is readily available to the public.

My office has taken in about a dozen calls, emails, text messages, um, just expressing concern of it not being available publicly.

So I wasn't sure, Madam Chair, if you were aware of that.

But that is an issue.

So and I'll just briefly speak to that because um I think there is an importance to have a continuity as to how we approach any uh agenda item.

And so we certainly um and in my office, what we will do, uh, particularly when we are introducing introducing legislation is we go specifically to legal so that we can get the input from legal opposed to just drafting and going through a number of iterations.

We will consult with legal to ensure that we get proper uh form first.

Um there is an opportunity to weigh in and make any necessary tweaks that way when it gets before this board that we are being respectful of the board's time and being as efficient as possible.

And so uh with this particular agenda item, it was no different in that we wanted to make sure we consulted with legal first, got everything uh in um acceptable in form and went through whatever tweaks needed to be made in the language before I um shared it or we shared it um with the board of commissioners, in which case, uh of course this was sent to your office when request, and fully an opportunity for all of the people that you just shared that had concerns about it not being uploaded and opportunity to share that information um with them and to be able to seek input and to be able to provide that um in this committee.

Again, it is presently in committee now and gives us a full opportunity to make any discussions going forward with that.

Commissioner Longspears.

All right.

Um respectfully, I wholeheartedly disagree with you.

I believe that the purpose of Legistar is to have a mechanism where when an item is introduced that we are deliberating on, that we're debating on the system is to include it into Legistar, the attachment, and then of course it appears in front of a committee.

So if the last committee meeting when this was discussed, it was not in Legistar then either.

A hard copy was distributed to the commissioners.

So in effect, the public has not been able to view the item since it was introduced, what, 30 days ago or whenever it was introduced, because it hasn't been in Legistar.

Our process at the Board of Commissioners is that you and um certainly some of the chiefs of staff can speak to this is that you uh you initiate the item, you attach the original ordinance or the original resolution into legislar, and then you have it publicly in the public domain at that point, and then you continue the conversations in committee and cow in a board meeting, whatever.

So today you've passed out a substitute, which doesn't really even qualify right now.

You can't actually acknowledge a substitute during a committee meeting.

You can only acknowledge substitutes during an actual business meeting in case we happen to take action on it.

So I would just suggest that um it is in my humble opinion, best to be transparent with the community the second we start talking about an item is to include it in legislar.

So they have the opportunity, such as the dozen people reaching out to my office, to go grab the item, take a look at that, then be able to show up at public comment or write emails to the commissioners or to the CEO about the initial form of it.

And that I think to me that gives an opportunity for the public to provide their input and then hopefully help develop a stronger ordinance, a stronger resolution, whatever it is that you're working on.

So that's my two cents on that one.

Um I do have a list of items.

I recognize it's 432, so I will not consume all of our time, but I did want to ask a few questions.

Um you had mentioned, Madam Chair, that you looked at other municipalities.

So were you able to um look at all of the other 13 cities, either located wholly or partially in DeCab County, and see, you know, what I have I have copies of several of them now.

I'm continuing to collect them, but see what those ordinates say, because I believe if there is some wisdom and there being one ordinance that's consistent between the county and the municipalities, because at the end of the day, you know, there might be borders for us, but for people our unhoused community for people that are living out there, there really isn't a border.

They don't know if one side of the line is Dunwoody, another side of the line is unincorporated, maybe another line up here is Brookhaven, et cetera.

So did y'all have a chance to get with the other 13 cities?

All right, so I'm gonna back up just a bit because it's um a bit of a loaded question if you don't uh mind Commissioner Longspears, in that this was provided to uh committee weeks ago, and it was my understanding that the holdup was the opportunity for you to meet with law and that you were traveling and had asked for um a deferral, an extended deferral based on that, and that you had intended to meet with law with all due respect.

We on several occasions will pass a substitute when there has not been a substitute scene and have a discussion on an agenda item when the agenda item has not been presented.

So I think one, to the extent that there was an issue there, there certainly was an opportunity before now, especially since it was sent to the whole committee and sent to your office specifically at your request to uh request the same and have that discussion.

The next is in terms of uh procedure and procedurally it was good for the goose is good for the gander, in that we cannot pick and choose when we execute on a specific process.

And so again, meeting with legal, conferring with legal, and getting it to a place where it was ready to present and have a discussion for the committee, which is exactly what we're doing now.

It is a three-pager, two pagers, because actually one page is really just signature, is a two-page um document that again is available where we could review it, and it will definitely be before the uh public and in legislature, the full, including the specific um language of the ordinance prior to any vote that's taken um by the board of commissioners as a whole.

So the purpose for it now is a discussion, which this is something that we have done when it comes to other um ordinances and other agenda items in the past.

The next, in terms of your question, and that just deals with that, because again, to the extent that was a concern, I do definite believe that that's something that could have been addressed offline.

Um, but I get you trying to make a point as it relates to um engaging with other municipalities.

I don't know when we consult with the other 13 cities that we have in um DeCab County prior to putting forth an ordinance, and um I'd like to understand when that has um happened um and I don't know when that's ever been a question.

Also, just based on cities, counties, state, and supremacy, and just sort of how that thing works, it becomes a situation where we confer at times you have conversations and putting forth an ordinance that we believe that's gonna best suit the residents of our counties as a whole.

So um unless that is something that you're proposing and that you feel necessary to add into the blue book that we confer with the rest of the 13 cities prior to drafting an ordinance, I really don't understand um why that's suggested here.

Now, if there is a specific city um that has voiced a concern that you would like um for me to have a discussion with, or better yet, if you have some specific ideas based on your interaction with that city, please.

This is a committee, and feel free to have a discussion in this committee now.

With that, um, do you have anything else to add?

Sure.

So um back to the initial topic of it not being in legislatar, you and I will simply have to agree to disagree because at this point in time, that item has not been available to the public to review.

I am an adamant, adamant supporter of transparency, and if it was not in legislatar before this meeting started, and I did go to a couple of folks, and it was not in legislatar unless it was hidden somewhere in Legislature.

Okay.

Um so I I think that we need to probably have the county attorney, if that is the best entity to do it, is just to outline what is the best practice so that we can ensure that we as local government are transparent in items that we will be deliberating on during our committee meetings or during our business meeting.

Because this, to my knowledge, and having Miss McGraw check it, my staff check it.

Um it was I don't know if Madam Clerk was able to go do it, but I brought it to several folks' attention, not trying to do anything to harm you, but simply saying, Oh my goodness, it's not even in legislation.

Mr.

Ms.

McGee, if you wouldn't mind, because again, um what I don't think is um fruitful here is to go back and forth on something that is not um always uh the process in terms of what we do.

So um if Ms.

McKee could speak to that, then that would be fantastic.

Thank you.

Uh Commissioners the process is for items that have been walked on, substitute items that have been walked on during the Board of Commissioners meeting will then be added to Legistar.

If the substitute has not been added during a Board of Commissioners meeting, it would not show in legislator.

Thank you.

But the original item is also not in legislatar.

There the original item that is inlet star does not have an attachment.

Right.

So the ordinance is not in legistar, and the fact that a substitute was walked on during a committee meeting is we're not taking formal action on our all our committees do is make recommendations.

So at minimum, you need to have the initial one in legislatar.

So I mean I recognize we're getting outside of to some degree discussing this item, but at the end of the day, I think all seven commissioners want to remain as transparent and ethically grounded in ensuring that the public has access to what we're talking about up here.

Okay.

May I?

Sure.

You you can go, yes, you you you may, as a chair, you may.

Thank you, madam chair.

I I'm gonna offer what I think is um instructive for what we're discussing.

The commission voted for an item that did not have an attachment, approved an item without an attachment.

And the law department took the position prior to my tenure as county attorney that it was important to have an item to revisit that and correct it by adding an item.

We had questions about what is it we are to review when there was nothing attached, and the entire board voted to approve it.

So we went back and corrected it.

I offer that as an example to Commissioner Spears' question about best practices.

I couple with that problem where an item is not added, you actually approved it, but we don't know what it is you approved because it there was no attachment to the fact that we have items that have to be withdrawn and written over and over because we didn't get a chance to look at them first.

So I think there's a happy medium since you ask my opinion of best practices.

As a body in your committee discussions about your standing procedural rules, two things have been discussed that I think are instructive.

Number one, what it takes to get an item on the agenda, and whether or not you should have operational review by the administration so that you know you can actually implement it and how it will be enforced.

Number two, legal review to make sure you have the authority to do it and there's no legal prohibition to what's being proposed.

Those things can be helpful, but until you change your standing procedural rules, what has guided whether or not an item is added is two things.

First, individual commissioner decisions about how they would process their individual items.

Your blue book says one commissioner can enter an item.

Secondly, the procedures that your clerk has driven, as Ms.

McKenzie just spoke to about how and when things get added, what's acceptable and what's not acceptable.

A very common experience we have is you get an agenda item, we have to have a substitute just to include the attachment where the agenda items not there.

Some items are just being entered on the front end.

What is critical so that we can keep up with it all is following the procedures that the clerks require because they're keeping the record for us and following their procedures allow us to have a reasonable record.

I hope that's helpful.

It is.

Thank you so much.

Thank you for ensuring that that is clear.

In response to the second portion of your question, um, the 13 cities in DeCab County, partially or wholly.

Um you asked for an example.

There are uh many examples, at least my office has used in the past where we have, as we're building out an ordinance or resolution, gone and reviewed what other municipalities are doing.

So there is precedent in that.

An example, a current example in the last 12 months, I guess, is the litter registry.

So the litter registry is a um uh companion animal ordinance that we passed last year.

And so it was brought to our attention, of course, that it doesn't make a lot of sense to move forward with this litter registry if it's not countywide.

And so we've had other cities such as Doraville want to implement exactly what we have.

Transient sales is another example of that.

So quite honestly, I believe it is good practice to the very best of your ability to either um just at least do a cursory review of what other municipalities within DeCab County are doing.

But I think our North Star here and the litter registry and transient sales, et cetera, is to have the same language for all of the different municipalities.

So there isn't a question about what's okay in Doorville, is not okay in unincorporated, which is partially okay in the city of Decatur, et cetera.

So that is my um my um I guess recommendation.

And again, the fact that the item has not been available for the public to review, I still would like to support a two-week deferral.

And if it gets into legislatar, then folks will have an opportunity to review it before it goes in front of the Board of Commissioners and to for whatever amount of time.

If you could um yeah, because uh I think you misunderstood my question.

My question was as you were writing your policy, are you conferring with all of the 13 cities that may be affected as we're writing policy for the county as a whole?

So you pointed to one or two, you didn't point to whether or not you've consulted to or answered whether you consulted with the other 13, uh the 13 as a whole.

So that was specifically my question.

But if I I I could um we do have because we are spending a tremendous amount of time on things to be quite frank, we really could have discussed prior to with just sending of an email and then maybe you conferring with legal for them to iterate.

I have sought legal advice, but thank you for making it.

Excuse me, excuse me.

Uh okay.

I am yeah that I'm sorry for you.

Um again.

Um if there is something additional that would like to be added by central staff, now is the time for that.

And there certainly is an opportunity as it was before to continue the conversations in and around because it is very important that we confer from our operational review, and when it comes to legal, when we're putting forth legislation, and that is being transparent and being ethical so that there's not several iterations and the public's just trying to follow what in the world is going on, when and how, which is exactly what was done.

So is there um Shannon there something else to share?

Because I saw there was okay.

I just wanted to make sure.

So as it relates to are you have any more questions that you know, in terms of the process, are you good now, or are we good to talk about this particular item and any questions specifically you might have related to that?

Because I'm still a little confused.

Are we referring to me or to someone else?

No, that that is to you.

Is there anything else?

Any questions specifically during the course of us being in this committee that you would like to ask?

So that um again, are you talking to him?

No, I am speaking to you.

Is there any questions that we can discuss while this is in committee to have a conversation about while it's in committee?

All right.

So, yes, I have a long list of questions.

Um the one question around the 13 cities, I think it is a good practice to see what other municipalities are doing with the get within DeCab County, whether it's this ordinance or any ordinance.

That is my point there.

Does it have to be all 13?

No.

Does it need to be some of them?

Get an idea?

Absolutely.

Best practice.

Uh, the next question I have is um could DeCab County create a short-term safe places for community neighbors to rest and sleep, managed by volunteers, faith based, DeCab County, and others.

Okay, so to take it back, we did Tucker, so we did at least have a conversation, and that's what I was trying to make clear because there was an insinuation we had not communicated with any of the cities, and we actually wouldn't.

That was not my implication.

I just asked a question, Commissioner Massari.

If I I it would be great if we didn't talk over each other.

If you're gonna talk, I will allow you to speak, and then when you're done, I will then answer your question so that we can move on your own advice and be respectful of one another's time and not disrespectful of each other.

Um thank you so much.

I appreciate that.

So again, the city of we did consult with the city of Tucker and have a conversation with the city of Tucker in and around this.

Is there your next question?

I'm sorry.

So the question was um could DeCap County create short-term safe places for community neighbors to rest and sleep.

Um I'm not sure.

Is that something you're you're gonna put forth?

Because I guess we could.

Are you gonna put that forth?

It'd be something to explore.

Okay.

Well then have you have legislative ability just like I do.

Next question, so that we can be productive as possible as it relates to this agenda item.

I will certainly um work forward on work towards bringing a amendment to the existing ordinance on that one.

Okay.

The next one is um around a storage system, uh, create some type of storage system, so vital records, ID, birth certificate, so security are not tossed out.

Is there been any um just conversation around doing something along those lines?

I'm sorry, I think that was something that you were looking to do.

So if you have suggestions for the same, it would be great if you can send them.

That's something we discussed before, and I hadn't seen at this point unless I missed something, anything that came to my office regarding that.

Well, that's the point of the committee.

I am bringing questions forward so we can discuss it.

The next question I have are how are animals managed in the ordinance?

Our community neighbors do have pets.

Is that something else you'd like me to bring forward?

If you have a specific suggestion, as mentioned before, you are more than welcome, as we do with uh all of our items, you are more than welcome to make those suggestions and send them.

And of course, could have had the conversation with legal regarding the same.

All right.

My next question then is um the encampments.

Can we clean up, make sure no heavy equipment is used to execute the cleanup at the beginning of the process?

I think that's more of an operational question, but you probably know that you can reach out to the administration to see if that's something from an operational standpoint that can be done.

Mr.

Williams.

Yes, ma'am.

Um I'll reread that.

So again, it's around the equipment, um, heavy equipment, choosing to clean up encampments if you do it on the front end.

So we don't experience a tragedy like Atlanta.

So I'll give a little historical perspective.

And I don't know.

Um as I look at what is presented here, um, and it doesn't seem to speak directly to encampments as much as it speaks to uh those, and this is just me visualizing after reading the words on the page of the substitute, you know, the blocking of sidewalks and such, where we do have um, you know, one um of of our um uh unhoused or maybe a couple as opposed to the encampments.

In the encampments, we have historically um or in many instances needed to bring in heavy equipment.

But we do make every effort, you know, to assure that no person is endangered by the work that we're doing.

Um if this were to pass and uh the circumstances presented themselves where we needed to remove all of the belongings of a person or multiple people, we would want to, you know, determine at that time what's the best approach.

Ninety-nine times out of a hundred, though, Commissioner, it would probably not require any um heavy equipment.

Okay.

So that was in your opinion just a rarity in Atlanta?

Well, I I believe that was an encampment.

Okay.

When you have a lot of okay, I got you.

I mean so much, COL.

All right.

Uh the next one is um establishing a diversion program so that community neighbors are not arrested.

Could this be a civil citation?

Is that something that y'all have thought about, or is that something you would like for me to provide a suggested amendment on?

Again, any suggestions that you had or have had for over since this has been introduced, you as we do with every agenda item that either of us put forth, there is an opportunity to send an email and have a discussion about it with suggestions.

So to the extent you have a suggestion, then by all means send an email with the suggestion.

And so the have you thought about this, have you thought about that?

I don't know that that's the best use of um this committee time.

However, if you specifically have a suggestion and something that you vetted that you would like to put forth, then by all means, you're more than welcome to do so now.

Well, very good.

I look forward to sending you over some ideas that you can weave into your urban camping ordinance in the uh hopefully deferral period that we have so that whenever we land on what this ordinance looks like, it's a solid ordinance, it aligns with the other municipalities in DeCap County.

We are being transparent where it gives the public and the advocates an opportunity to review and also provide their input as well.

That would be fantastic, and I hope this is something that we are able to do and an expectation that we'll have going for it with every ordinance.

If that is the um the request of yourself and the will of the board.

But what we're not gonna do is suggest and have a criteria and standard from which we have not followed ourselves, and um want to make a point to to make, unfortunately, during this PECS committee time.

So I think it's very important that we keep the business of the people focused on the business of the people, and that we work as effectively and efficiently as possible and respectful as possible if we have suggestions, ideas, thoughts that we communicate that the same um beforehand, and more importantly, like I said, in a respectful professional manner.

Thank you so much for all of your suggestions and your questions, and I appreciate them, and I look forward to what you would like to contribute to this ordinance so that we can address the business about the people.

Um with that, do you yield or is there anything additional, Commissioner Terry?

Do you have anything?

Commissioner Terry.

Yes, thank you, Madam Chair.

Just one thing to I think consider um, and this is more for Zach.

So Section F talks about before the removal of any camps camping sites, the local government will engage in outreach efforts to inform individuals available services and opportunities to retrieve their belongings.

Um would it be possible for, and maybe this is like Director Mitchell and um Mr.

Phillips to uh or uh Tommy to um just have like a written protocol on how we would address, you know, so that with this ordinance passes, here's sort of the you know, the written protocol of how we would respond to you know certain situations um that might not be relevant in the actual legislation, uh, but something to refer to how we would handle um you know, in the like in the woods uh on the side of the road, you know, certain situations that might be common just you know, so it's very clear on what the enforcement of the legisl, you know, the ordinance would actually look like.

Does that make sense?

It it does.

Uh Commissioner, um as I'm as I'm listening, um what you're asking for is an SOP, um, which is something typically once the board would adopt it, we would we would you know, or develop.

But we could certainly, you know, take a look at the the words on the page and articulate, you know, some scenarios how we would implement or how would we, you know, um make it operational.

Um again, when we talk about persons in the woods as I read this.

I'm looking at public property.

So that that and unless I misreading it, I mean I I haven't spent a lot of time with it.

But I'm picturing blocking, I think, in front of businesses or sidewalks.

Uh I believe maybe parks is referenced to so I guess you could have woods and parks, but I I just want to make sure that I'm tracking as to whether it's probably mostly gonna be those situations.

Um I want to say we have some of that gray area like a G dot right away or freeways and things like that.

You know, someone's on it.

So there might be a couple of situations where it's quasi public, but maybe there's a gray area there.

Um I think that would be helpful just so we can kind of understand.

Um I I'm you know, when we went to Houston last year, there was a good um, I would call it kind of like a good cop bad cop kind of thing, where like there'd be one division that would kind of be like, hey, we're gonna come take all your stuff tomorrow.

And then they would be a little harsher, and then then the other crew would be like, hey, like we actually have a place for you to stay.

And like let's help you out.

And so it was kind of it was interesting sort of dynamic, but they're really uh kind of exhausted, you know, and uh and I might even argue the 24 hours might be a little short, maybe extending it a little bit, but give folks enough time to sort of work through something that wouldn't end up um with a potential arrest, because I can imagine and Tommy actually sent me a video of a gentleman who was on our property at you know near Cross and Kensington, and he had developed an entire compound.

Absolutely.

And Tommy showed me the video of him basically threatening them, you know, and it turned in, I don't know if the got arrested, but that situation might need you know some stages before you go to clear things out, for instance.

Absolutely.

And then what I want to ensure that that as we move forward that we are all of the same understanding, again, I'm looking at this as applying to those situations where they're on public property or blocking the ability for one to use public property.

So those instances which could be gray areas, the underneath the freeway, um, the G dot type right-of-way.

And that that that is significant because if that's what we're talking about, that may require a whole different approach than the person that's blocking a sidewalk.

Tim Sang?

Thank you.

Thank you so much, Commissioner Terry, Commissioner Patrick.

Uh thank you, Madam Chair.

Umce there was some discussion on engaging with the cities, uh, a recommendation would be reach out to DeCab Municipal Association if if anyone is interested.

Um their new uh, I guess uh president or executive director might be a great resource to engage with um for that.

Um the next item I have though is is you know uh we as a board adopted a resolution, I guess uh about this time last year uh saying that we were not going to be arresting folks for homelessness in the rights of waste.

So I just want to make sure that uh if if we could have perhaps legal get involved and come back with a sort of a comparison between what that resolution stated and what the objectives of this uh modification would be, I think that would uh that would be very helpful for my understanding.

Um getting into things like short-term housing and storage of uh personal effects and animals might be sort of beyond the scope of what I think is being attempted here.

Um but it also may be that there's opportunities to to engage on that on another um another opportunity resolution.

Um and then actually one of the questions uh I really wanted to get into, I we was hoping we'd have some more discussion on, is is when the um is it the day shelter opens up is the expectation, and this might be a question for staff, you know, uh if there are people that are uh running afoul of whatever this is trying to achieve, is is the day center an opportunity to take someone there as opposed to putting them into jail.

And I'm not sure if that's a question for the Madam Chair or for staff, but that would be a question that I would love to flesh out.

Absolutely.

Absolutely.

The intent of the day the day uh shelter is to provide appropriate opportunities for the unhoused to have a place to go.

Unlike um, you know, quite frankly, currently, they're required um to find their own places because there's not really dedicated places to go.

The intent of the day shelter is to get those persons who are willing to come to the facility and use that as a front door to a whole continuum of services that otherwise would not be provided if they're going to a library or some other open facility just to be there.

Right.

Um, and then I guess following up with that, the proposed current proposed day center location I think is ideal, and then as has been suggested earlier today, uh the one that um St.

Vincent DePaul, uh, if that whatever it has to go through to make it happen, that also might be another viable location uh for that.

Um and then finally, and I apologize for asking, uh what is the distinction between drifting and vagrancy?

Because when I think of drifting, I've I'm thinking of uh uh all those movies.

And and so actually that's uh better uh uh illegal.

Um I can speak to that that's better illegal because that was a suggestion that they had made in terms of making that um that specific modification but it has to do with um just some challenges specifically with the legal term and definition and making adjustments to better fit the particular behavior.

So the point is not to um and in addressing the concerns about uh being unhoused and being treated as a criminal act or an unlawful act for being unhoused versus the specific behaviors that sometimes the unhoused may engage in, not just unhoused people in general may engage in.

So um it's more the behaviors and that public protection of the uh from those particular behaviors.

But um we have legal here.

I'll let them specifically speak to it.

I think you're you're exactly right.

There's a uh very specific legal definition of vagrancy that we I think we just wanted to avoid, which is I would suggest changing that.

Okay, okay.

Um Madam Chair, if it was possible to have this come back with uh again some of the things that have been mentioned here, uh the comparison as well between uh the the resolution we had put together earlier about no arrest um and this I think that would be for me that would be very helpful as we go through and have these conversations about that.

Absolutely, and just also to share again.

I mentioned Tucker from a city perspective, but from a county perspective, it was Chatham County.

So um comparing not just what a one of our cities in the CAP had, but also one of the other counties that are in in Georgia that we have.

Um rarely when I'm writing, I'm writing from complete and absolute scratch and just pulling it from the air or chat GPT.

It is with a lot of consideration and comparison and not reinventing the whale where it's not necessary.

Also just trying to be very mindful of some of the emergencies that we have where there is blocking of the roads, the streets, and how do we dress that in a a way that gives dignity that provides notice, but also as a county um prioritizes the safety of everyone so that there isn't someone that's there that's running into a situation that may be bulldoze and also not running into a situation where we can't get a safety vehicle where they need to.

So it was all of those considerations with that.

I thank you so much.

And willing to entertain a motion if you so have.

Two weeks.

Second.

All those in favor?

Aye.

Aye.

Thank you so much.

The next agenda item.

Uh Madam Chair, um you have another uh activity this evening that I need to get going to since we're at uh we're past five o'clock.

Absolutely.

Um I don't have a problem with that at all.

Just let me quickly just review the last two items.

There we go.

I can make it like a minute to present one question for you all.

Okay.

Um to the extent that the committee wants to I I think I can help the committee.

Um Commissioner Terry had mentioned some suggestions for the noise ordinance that he would ask law to consider giving you a solely decibel-based version.

So if you would defer that item, give us a chance to look at that with Commissioner Terry.

I think that goes hand in hand with the last one for the uh those those two items go together, both the the general noise and the um the landscape piece.

Yeah.

So if you're gonna defer them, I would say do both.

I just thought that would help given that it's a late hour, and I know some commissioners may have other commitments.

Commissioner Terry.

And Madam Chair, if I could just ask, so would the committee like the law department to draft a decibel only version of looking for a vote on that one and then they can come back and I'll I'll I either is fine for me.

Honestly, I'd like to do something that's we can work with, so we'd like to open that up for y'all to get direction.

I think that may uh present um is that just because I say yes doesn't mean I'm married to it, right?

No, no, though we draft the version.

So just to be clear.

Just for them to do a do a new version.

I want them to do a new version if it's not gonna fly.

So if that's what the committee wants, then we can work on decimal version and bring it back in two weeks.

All right.

So I I'll just say, and speaking just for one um third of the committee.

I know that it's gone through a number of um of iterations.

And um, you know, that's presented some of the challenges.

So to then ask for a redraft of the whole thing, um, you know, to the extent that there's a whole nother um agenda item that is desired, then my respectful request would be to withdraw this one and then work with legal to get an agenda item that specifically speaks to what you want it to address in conjunction with uh with the legal.

But I will let, you know, um interim county attorney, do you have some thoughts there?

I'm just I I would say just given the hour, if you would just defer it, we will continue to consult with the commissioners.

Okay.

We have the various versions plainly audible, a mix and now decibels.

You're exactly right, Commissioner Messiah.

legal to get an agenda item that specifically speaks to what you want it to address in conjunction with uh with the legal but I will let you know um interim county attorney do you have some thoughts there just I I would say just given the hour if you would just defer it we will continue to consult with the commissioners okay we have the various versions plainly audible a mix and now decibels you're exactly right commissioner masayah decision has to be made and I understand where Commissioner Patrick is in such a brief moment he can't make a commitment this warrants more discussion and everybody's opinions have to be vetted for I think that's fair commissioner fantastic with that um and we're gonna Commissioner Terry take the next two items then it will be 2025 0015 and 2025 dash zero zero one seven with that I will entertain a motion is it a deferral um commissioner patrick two weeks 30 days maybe the law department needs to two weeks they're ready if that works y'all are ready okay motion to defer for both uh 0015 and 0017 for two weeks second all those in favor aye aye thank you so much with that this concludes our apex meeting thank you so much ladies and gentlemen for your attendance motion to adjourn second all those in favor aye aye