DeKalb County Finance Committee Meeting - August 11, 2026
DeKalb County Finance Audit and Budget Committee Meeting - August 11, 2026
The Finance Audit and Budget Committee, chaired by Commissioner Teteri and joined by Commissioners Michelle Long Spears and Shakira Johnson, met on August 11, 2026, to consider several financial items including a lease assumption for the Solicitor General's office, issuance of housing bonds, a financial advisor services contract, vehicle upfitting, and a water bill debt forgiveness program. The committee also approved a contract renewal with the Urban League for the customer assistance program.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of Minutes: The committee approved the meeting minutes from the July 13th committee meeting by voice vote (all ayes).
Discussion Items
- Lease Assumption for Solicitor General's Office (Item 1211): The Solicitor General requested to assume a lease for vacant office space at 160 Claremont from the District Attorney's office starting September 1, 2026. The cost is approximately $106,000 for the remainder of 2026. The Solicitor noted that this would allow consolidation, ending two existing leases and saving the county an estimated $900,000 by 2030. Committee members expressed support. The motion to approve passed unanimously.
- Housing Investment Bond Program (Item 1214): The committee considered a supplemental resolution to issue taxable revenue bonds (Series 2026) through the Housing Authority for the housing investment program. Initial funding of $25 million from bond proceeds, with an additional $15 million annual appropriation from the general fund. Cost of issuance estimated at $500,000. The recommended method of sale is a direct bank loan with 15- or 20-year terms, with a call option in year 10. Bids due August 14, with final pricing at the August 25 Board meeting. The committee approved the resolution unanimously.
- Financial Advisor Services RFP (Item 0839): Item was deferred for two weeks to allow the finance department to prepare responses to committee questions. Motion passed.
- Vehicle Upfitting Change Order (Item 1144): The Marshall's office requested a change order to upfit 10 new emergency response vehicles at a cost not to exceed $302,400.34. Approved unanimously.
- Water Bill Debt Forgiveness Program (Discussion): David Wheaton from the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund presented a proposed ordinance for a water debt forgiveness program, contrasting with the county's existing "pay one get one" plan. Key differences include: full debt forgiveness over 24 months for timely payments vs. annually matched credits; no installment plan required vs. requirement; monthly credit application vs. annual. The county's plan launches August 17. Committee discussed potential pilot programs comparing both approaches, and deferred action on the related agenda item (1525) pending further analysis.
- Urban League Contract Renewal (Item 1224): The Urban League of Greater Atlanta presented an update on the Water and Sewer Customer Assistance Program (RAP). The contract renewal amount is approximately $1.5 million. The committee approved the contract with an additional request for up to $50,000 to expand translation and navigator services for non-English speaking residents. Approved unanimously.
Key Outcomes
- Approved: Lease assumption for Solicitor General's office (Item 1211).
- Approved: Supplemental resolution for housing bonds (Item 1214).
- Deferred: Financial advisor services RFP (Item 0839) for two weeks.
- Approved: Vehicle upfitting change order (Item 1144).
- Deferred: Water bill rights ordinance (Item 1525) pending further data and potential pilot.
- Approved: Urban League contract (Item 1224) with additional funds for translation services.
- Next Steps: The housing bond bids will be presented to the full Board of Commissioners on August 25, 2026. The water debt program analysis and comparison will be conducted over the next 30 days.
Meeting Transcript
Welcome back to our finance audit and budget committee and chaired by myself, Commissioner Teteri and joined by committee members, Commissioner Michelle Long Spears and Commissioner Shakira Johnson. All right, so we're gonna jump around on the agenda today because Commissioner Spears are trying to get to the ACCG meeting a little bit later. So we'll um kind of move around a little bit for priorities. Uh but let's first start with our meeting minutes from the July 13th committee. Motion to approve. Second. All right, motion and second, seeing no further discussion. All they raise and hand say aye. Aye. Chair votes aye, motion carries. All right, let's um I see our solicitor generals here, so why don't we just do that one first? I think I think it's pretty straightforward. Um so item 1211, this is the um solicitor general's office request to assume the lease for the vacant office space at 160 Claremont from the district attorney's office as of September 1st, 2026. The cost will approximately will be approximately 106,000 for the remainder of 2026. And Madam Solicitor, welcome. Thank you. Oh, yeah, hit the button there. Thank you. Good afternoon, everyone, and thank you for allowing me to uh present this before you all today. Um this is a request to assume a lease with that presently is being held by the district attorney's office. Just to um bring go back a little bit earlier this year, my office requested additional space for employees. Um at that time, the request was denied. However, when we were broached by the district attorneys the district attorney regarding this space, it seemed like it was perfect. Um this is a space that is held at 160 Claremont by the district attorney's office. It in our request we do mention the 106,000 dollars, and that is just for the rest of this year. It's important to bring before this body, and what you should have in front of you is the breakdown that would uh assume the rest of that lease, which um extends into 2030. Let me tell you about our present status. Right now, my office has two separate leases in this building already. Those two leases, one will end in June of next year. The second will end in February of 2028. What I anticipate is that the time that those um leases end, I intend on renewing and requesting and will come before this body to re to renew those leases. Because the district attorney's office no longer needs the utilization of their space, we were broached and said, Hey, are you interested in moving from the space that you're in into this space? Their lease does not end until 2030. So their their lease is a longer period of time, um, one which we anticipate we will continuously need for the employees within my office if we were to get it. I bring this before you anticipating that if we were given permission to move forward with this, the 106,000 would be needed for this year based on the status. I believe that this is not a request at this time to um get additional funds for this year. I believe that those funds are within my office, and we would not need it for the year of 2026. However, it is important to note that there's I don't know a lease that goes for four months, so this is us really uh beginning the request until the year 2030. You will also note in there that um just to kind of give you some round numbers. If we were to move into the space and uh continue the lease until 2030, would which would also uh keep us from renewing the other two leases that we have, we anticipate a savings to the county of somewhere around 900,000 dollars. So at the end of the day, it's a benefit to um to this office as well as to the county for us to move into that space. Okay, great. Thank you, madam solicitor. Um questions, comments from the committee members. Yes, Commissioner Johnson. Question? Good afternoon, how are you? Good. Good to see. Um, just wanted to make sure.
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