DeKalb County Operations Committee Meeting - September 10, 2026
DeKalb County Operations Committee Meeting - September 10, 2026
Chair Marita Davis Johnson (District 5) presided, joined by Commissioners Robert Patrick and Ladina Bolton. The committee approved several change orders, reviewed a presentation on the PDK Airport air quality and noise study, and discussed the draft 2027 legislative agenda. The meeting began at6:00 PM UTC.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of Minutes (Item2026-0374): The minutes from August18,2026 were approved unanimously.
Discussion Items
Facility Management Change Orders
- Item26-1149: A change order for on-call pressure washing and painting services (contracts2000310 and2003112) was approved, increasing funding to a total not to exceed $1,850,000. Discussion covered painting of water towers, graffiti removal on retaining walls, and coordination with beautification departments. The item passed with a motion and second.
- Item26-1323: A sixth change order for on-call plumbing services (contract1297570) was approved, adding $1,269,307 to fund building performance assessment audits. The audit will inventory county facilities and identify needed repairs and preventive maintenance. Clarification was provided that the item covers assessment, not immediate repairs, but will inform a multi-year capital plan. The item passed unanimously.
Innovation & Technology
- Item26-1198: A change order for Fuel Master software maintenance (contract200149) was approved, extending the term through December31,2030 and increasing funds by $266,286 to ensure continued support and licensing for the county fleet's fuel management system. The item passed unanimously.
Voter Registration & Elections
- Item26-1238: Approval of a bid award for emergency/provisional ballot printing and absentee ballot mailing services, split between Tech Mail Solutions and Ford Orange Press, for a total not to exceed $121,297.50. The committee discussed offline handling of certain questions. The item passed unanimously.
PDK Air quality and Noise Study Update
- Representatives from HMMH (Gene Rindell) and CDM Smith (Gwen Pelletier) presented findings of a two-year study. The study used2018 as a baseline and projected2040 conditions with and without implementation of the airport master plan. Key findings:
- Air quality emissions increase marginally due to assumed longer taxi times; concentration differences are less than2% of National Ambient Air quality Standards.
- Noise levels (cumulative metrics like DNL) are essentially unchanged between scenarios; a slight1.5% reduction in repositioning flights was assumed with new hangars.
- Human health risks from air pollution are negligible (cancer risk below one per million).
- Noise health effects literature supports reducing exposure to aircraft noise, especially at night.
- Questions addressed the2018 baseline choice (avoiding COVID years), the negligible increase in emissions, and qualifications for future noise mitigation programs (no residences currently in65 DNL contour). The item was informational; no vote taken.
2027 Legislative Agenda Development
- John Dan from Intergovernmental Affairs presented a draft consolidating priorities from the recent legislative retreat. The original top four priorities were expanded to five by splitting tenant protections and strategic housing investments. The committee discussed elevating annexation equity as a top priority, citing concerns about cities absorbing county parks and infrastructure without compensation. Commissioners Davis Johnson, Patrick, Spears, and Bolton strongly supported elevating the annexation issue. Staff will revise the document and bring it back for committee approval on September22,2026, with full board approval expected in October.
Key Outcomes
- Four change orders and one bid award were approved unanimously (Items26-1149,26-1323,26-1198,26-1238).
- The PDK Airport study was received as information.
- The2027 legislative agenda draft will be amended to include annexation as a top priority; further committee action scheduled for September22,2026.
Meeting Transcript
Good afternoon, everyone. I am uh Marita Davis Johnson. I am the fifth district commissioner, and I'm also chair of uh the ops committee, those that serve on the committee with me, uh Commissioner Robert Patrick, and Commissioner Ladina Bolton. So with that said, uh Commissioner Patrick, have you had an opportunity to read the minutes? I I'd like to make a motion to approve agenda item 2026-0374. And that's the minutes of uh August 18, 2026. Okay. Um I second that motion, all in favor. I okay. The minutes are approved. The next item, a new agenda items. The first one is um chief executive officer. Excuse me, Commissioner. That one was moved to PECS this morning during the Cal. Okay, it was moved to PACS. Yes, ma'am. It was assigned to Pegs during the morning cow. Oh, okay. Yes, ma'am. And why is that uh this items under housing and community development? Oh, okay. Okay, then we'll um go to facility management 26, 1149, commission district three. It's a change order to contract number 2000 three one zero and two zero zero three one twelve on call pressure washing for county uh parts, annual contract with two options to renew for use by recreation parks and cultural affairs, facility management, star rescue, and the department of watershed management to obtain on-call painting and pressure washing services. Seek an increase to contract funds awarded to A and D painting ink and facility management, I mean facility maintenance and service group total not to exceed 1,850,000. That's uh 1149. Okay, good mor good afternoon. Good afternoon, madam chair and commissioners. Um this request is for facilities management, watershed and partner's. Um this is for painting and pressure washing for recreation centers, concessions, restrooms, water treatment plants, and uh 22 stories track tanks at watershed, and also decab jail and some other projects. Okay, and this is the change order. Yes, yes, ma'am. Uh-huh. And what is it changing? We're just uh requesting the um addition of the uh funds for the uh these projects. Oh, okay. Are there any questions? Okay, any questions from committee first? Okay. With the extension or with the change order, excuse me, does that extend through the June 30th, 2028 date? Yes, the change order is ending the contract at June 30th of 2028. Yes, ma'am. Okay, I yield back. Okay. Uh thank you, madam chair. Uh I know that um the water tower in Dunwiddy has been needing to be painted. This is is this does this handle this or is this handled uh through another contract? I believe this is handled through this contract. Yes, that's what um watershed has their own uh user request here. Okay, that they're asking for 950,000 to do the um 22 storage tanks and also some of their water treatment facilities. Okay.
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