DeKalb County ERPS Committee Meeting - August 18, 2026
DeKalb County ERPS Committee Meeting - August 18, 2026
This meeting of the Employee Relations and Public Safety (ERPS) Committee of the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners convened at 12:00 PM on August 18, 2026, under the chair of Deputy Presiding Officer Ladina Bolton (Super District 7). Commissioners Nicole Masaya and Marita Davis Johnson were present, joined by Commissioners Patrick, Long Spears, and Terry. The committee considered contracts, ordinances, intergovernmental agreements, and resolutions related to public safety, animal control, surveillance oversight, and non-discrimination. Multiple items were deferred for further review or presentation.
Consent Calendar
- Minutes of July 7, 2026 ERPS Meeting (2026-1145): Approved unanimously.
- Background Screening Services Contract Renewal (2026-1008): First renewal option exercised for HR True Check Inc., not to exceed $689,375. Approved unanimously.
Discussion Items
- Fire Rescue Ratification – Safety Equipment (2026-1049): Originally listed as $215,467 but the correct amount was $114,566.45 from a FIFA grant. Confusion over the agenda description led Commissioner Davis Johnson to request clearer documentation. A motion to defer for two weeks passed.
- Emergency Ambulance Services Contract Amendment (2026-1050): Administrative change to extend contract start date to July 1, 2026, with term through December 31, 2031, for AMR. No additional funds. Approved contingent on confirming it was not a duplicate.
- Animal Restraint and Transportation Ordinance (2026-0596): Commissioner Long Spears presented a substitute ordinance (dated June 15, 2026) banning unsupervised tethering. Discussion focused on funding for enclosures for low-income residents. Lifeline Animal Project proposed a pilot program costing $2,000–$3,500 per enclosure, but Director Fulham had not been consulted. Commissioner Davis Johnson requested data on tethering cases and costs. Deferred to September 10, 2026 ERPS meeting.
- Pet Shop Sales Regulation Ordinance (2026-0728): Commissioner Long Spears requested a deferral to allow presentation by stakeholders. Deferred to September 10, 2026 ERPS meeting.
- Civilian Oversight of Surveillance Infrastructure Resolution (2026-0769): Commissioner Patrick introduced a resolution for independent oversight of DeKalb County's $19 million Digital Shield program (Flock LPRs, drones, cameras, etc.). He cited an Atlanta Journal-Constitution report of employee misuse. Commissioner Davis Johnson requested a presentation from DeKalb Police on policies, complaints, and disciplinary measures. Deferred for 30 days to allow a police presentation.
- Blasting Operations Ordinance (2026-0218): Commissioner Terry’s ordinance to regulate blasting had been held pending the noise ordinance. After clarifying that the blasting ordinance references the noise ordinance, the committee approved it unanimously. Commissioner Long Spears and Terry co-sponsored; kudos given for collaboration.
- Non-Discrimination Ordinance (NDO) Amendment: Commissioner Long Spears (co-sponsored by Terry) proposed strengthening DeKalb’s NDO to include protections in housing, employment, and business services, and raising penalties. Commissioner Davis Johnson suggested a second violation instead of third for license non-renewal. Commissioner Patrick noted his earlier resolution led to the original NDO in 2023. The item was deferred to allow law department review.
- Fire Station IGAs:
- Brookhaven Lease (2026-1246): 50-year lease for fire station at Blackburn Park, $1 per year. Approved.
- Tucker Land Purchase (2026-1247): Purchase of 1,200 sq ft at 4345 Cohen Road for $58,000 for fire station. Approved.
Key Outcomes
- Approved: Consent calendar items (minutes, background screening renewal). Items 2026-1050 (ambulance contract amendment), 2026-0218 (blasting ordinance), 2026-1246 (Brookhaven IGA), and 2026-1247 (Tucker IGA) all received favorable committee recommendations.
- Deferred: Items 2026-1049 (fire rescue ratification – 2 weeks), 2026-0596 (animal tethering – to Sept 10), 2026-0728 (pet shop sales – to Sept 10), 2026-0769 (surveillance oversight – 30 days), and the NDO amendment (to Sept 15).
- Motion to Adjourn: Passed.
Meeting Transcript
Good afternoon, and thank you for joining us. I am Ladina Bolton, your Super District 7 Commissioner, Deputy Presiding Officer and Chair of Employee Relations and Public Safety. Also on this committee are Commissioners Nicole Masaya and Commissioner Marita Davis Johnson, and I just want to welcome and thank Commissioner Patrick, Commissioner Long Spears, and Commissioner Terry for joining us. We do have quite a few ordinances and resolutions that we want to give attention to each of them. So we're gonna start first with our contracts, get through those and then give time to those important items on our agenda. So we're starting with item 2026-1145. This is for all commission districts. It's the minutes for the July 7th ERPS meeting. Do we have a motion for this item? Yes, motion to approve. Second, all in favor. Aye. Motion carries for approval. And we're gonna jump on to page two under human resources and merit system, item 2026-1008, all commission districts, contract number 2000 349. Background screening services. This is an annual contract with four options to renew for use by the Department of Human Resources and Merit System to obtain pre-employment background screenings. Exercising first renewal option through September 30th, 2027, awarded to HR True Check Inc. Amount not to exceed 689,375. How are you doing? Is your microphone on? Let's try it again. Good morning. Good afternoon. Um Commissioner Bolton, as you stated, this is for my background screening services, just exercising our first renewal option. Um as you all know, we do background screenings on our employees to make informed business decisions on whether or not we want to move forward. Um basic checks include education verifications, um, criminal checks, um, employment verifications, motor vehicle review, and in some cases we may also verify certifications and run credit. Awesome. Do we have any questions from committee members? No, from commissioners. All righty. Do we have a motion for this item? Motion to approve. Second, all in favor, aye. Motion carries recommendation for approval. Thank you. Thank you. Moving down to fire rescue item 2026, 1049, all commissioned districts. This is a cooperative agreement. Public safety and emergency preparedness and related service, Omnia Partners contract number 44008468. It's an exemption for use by fire rescue to obtain multi-user hardline communication system, handheld gas detector, and portable air distribution box. Ratifying previously issued purchase order awarded to Safeware Inc. Amount not to exceed 215 215,467 dollars. Yes, sir. Hey, good afternoon. How are you? Wonderful. Great. Um, so this is a ratification to adjust this amount for the equipment that you just described uh to 114,566 uh dollars. This is a FIFA. We received these on uh as a part of the FIFA grant.
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