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OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

DeKalb County Board of Commissioners Committee of the Whole Meeting - October 7, 2026

Board of Commissioners & Committees — Wednesday, October 7, 2026

BodyDekalb County, Georgia

SessionBoard of Commissioners & Committees

DateWednesday, October 7, 2026

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 2:15:12

Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

Speaker numbers apply only to this recording.

Unassigned speaker

0:09

Good

Speaker 1

0:10

evening, everybody.

0:11

I am Commissioner Skyber Johnson, your presiding officer and district four commissioner.

0:16

Welcome to the nighttime committee of the whole.

0:18

And I want to give a big thank you to the City of Dunwoody for hosting us tonight in this amazing facility.

0:24

Thank you so much for that.

0:26

It takes great partners to run government, so it's always good to connect with our cities as well.

0:33

Before we get going, I had just two huge announcements.

0:37

Happy belated birthday to Mr.

0:39

May and happy birthday.

0:46

And also happy birthday to Director Fulham.

0:53

All right, so now we will get into our committee reports.

0:56

Commissioner Terry, are you ready with finance?

Speaker 2

0:59

Yes, thank you, Madam Chair.

1:01

So the finance audit and budget committee uh last met on September 29th.

1:07

Uh joined by myself, um Commissioner Shara Johnson and Commissioner Michelle Longspears.

1:12

And we did go over the mid-year budget um adjustments.

1:17

There will be, I believe there's a placeholder item on this agenda uh to um uh allow for the FAB committee to uh finish working with the departments and the commissioners to finalize that mid-year budget um amendment, and so that is planning to be on the calendar for um October uh 12th.

1:41

So next Monday we'll have a special call FAB meeting at one o'clock uh to finish going through that.

1:46

We did hold several items in committee, and then we did approve um the item number 0839 uh request for proposals for the financial advisor services and um and then we did talk a little bit more about the um the LSPE program and so more uh discussion in committee to come on that point.

2:06

I'll yield back.

2:07

Thank you.

Unassigned speaker

2:08

Thank

Speaker 1

2:08

you, Commissioner Terry, Commissioner Messiah for the PECS report.

2:12

Thank

Speaker 3

2:12

you, Matthew Braveing to all the Matt Pia Commissioner Messiah.

2:17

I had the honor to serve as your ex-chair alongside of the committee members, Commissioner Lyra Patrick with District One, Commissioner Long Spears and District 2.

2:27

Thank you, Commissioner Patrick for presiding over our last PECS meeting.

2:31

Everyone, go out, go get your brew shots.

2:34

Make sure that you are well throughout this uh this winter season.

2:37

I'll tell you caught up with me.

2:39

Uh but are also had the pleasure to attend family and uh parents and family you can uh LSC aware two of my children are their students, go tigers.

2:52

Our last room or the scheduled meeting was held September 29th, 2026.

2:57

Those in attendance were Commissioner Longskier's Commissioner Teary and Commissioner Hydro.

3:02

Presentations were given by decide the cap from President Dorian DeBar, Tiffany Wills, and Ken Neighbors on TAD Advisory Committee.

3:11

The team will res uh reschedular call back and provide additional TAD financials and the update to the rest of the PECS committee.

3:20

In addition, the presentation for zone decap planning and sustainability from Yvonne Tremel and Whitney Fuller was started, but due to our time constraint, we had to uh plan to schedule uh the continuance in the future.

3:38

Commissioners asked specifically that the presentation be finished at the next PECS meeting, which we will try to accommodate.

3:45

There were nine printed items on our agenda, three of which were recommended for approval.

3:51

Six of those items were deferred and recommended to be heard at our next PEC meeting, which will take place on October Dart 2026.

4:01

Thank you so much, Matthew.

4:03

This includes our PEC.

Unassigned speaker

4:05

Thank

Speaker 1

4:05

you, Commissioner Saiyan.

4:06

Commissioner Bolton.

Speaker 4

4:09

Good afternoon, everyone.

4:10

I am Ladina Bolton, our deputy presiding officer, Commissioner for Super District 7, as well as the Chair of ERPS Employee Relations and Public Safety, also serving on that committee with me.

4:24

Our Commissioners Nicole Masaya and Commissioner Marita Davis Johnson.

4:29

Our last meeting was actually just a few hours ago.

4:32

It was today, beginning at 2 15.

4:35

And Commissioner Long Spears as well as Commissioner Terry joined us today.

Unassigned speaker

4:40

We had a really great discussion on the operational assessment update where we learned what areas of efficiency each of the departments under this committee's jurisdiction, the areas in which they were in progress, their commitments were met, um, areas where they had not been started, and they are making great progress.

Speaker 4

5:03

We learned today that the police department has a 90% retention rate.

5:08

They have more officers this year than they have had in the past couple of years.

5:13

And they had an increase of nearly 10% since last year.

5:20

So they're doing an amazing job.

5:23

We heard a discussion regarding our 2027 Medicare retiree rates.

6:08

So we were delighted to support that item.

6:12

Also we talked through some support for human resources and merit system.

6:20

There was a 300,000 dollar request for a renewal of the contract for future leadership development.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Public Health████████████████████20%

Procedural███████████████15%

Procurement Policy███████████11%

Public Engagement████████8%

Community Engagement███████7%

Public Safety██████6%

Capital Improvement Planning██████6%

Budget Equity Analysis█████5%

Healthcare█████5%

Summary of Proceedings

DeKalb County Board of Commissioners Committee of the Whole Meeting - October 7, 2026

The DeKalb County Board of Commissioners held a nighttime Committee of the Whole meeting on October 7, 2026, hosted by the City of Dunwoody. The meeting included committee reports, review of the proposed executive agenda with walk-on items, public comments, a discussion on the independent CIP monitor, and presentations on health care expansions by Mosaic Health Center and MedCura Health.

Committee Reports

Finance, Audit & Budget (FAB): Commissioner Terry reported the committee met on September 29, 2026, and reviewed mid-year budget adjustments. A special FAB meeting is scheduled for October 12, 2026, at 1:00 PM to finalize the mid-year budget amendment. The committee approved an RFP for financial advisor services (Item 0839) and discussed the LSPE program.
Public Works, Environment & Community Services (PECS): Commissioner Messiah reported that the committee met on September 29, 2026. Presentations were given on the TAD Advisory Committee (scheduled for a follow-up) and on zoning and sustainability (to be continued at the next meeting). Nine agenda items were reviewed; three were recommended for approval, and six deferred to the next PECS meeting on October 14, 2026.
Employee Relations & Public Safety (ERPS): Commissioner Bolton reported the committee met on October 7, 2026. The police department has a 90% retention rate and nearly 10% increase in officers since last year. Discussions included 2027 Medicare retiree rates, a $300,000 contract for future leadership development, a $2.1 million request for a safety radio simulcast backup system, and the tethering ordinance (with focus on avoiding penalizing unhoused individuals).
Public Works & Infrastructure (PWI): Commissioner Johnson reported a special call PWI meeting on October 12, 2026. Previous meetings covered watershed CIP updates and the CIP monitor presentation (to be revisited).

Consent Calendar

Airport: Two standardized T-hangar space lease agreements (Items 1309 and 1422) with Spencer Clark and Raymond Dale at no cost to the county.
Fire Rescue Walk-Ons: Two grants added as consent items:
- Item 1428: Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) for 400 cancer screenings and seven vehicle exhaust capture systems. Total budget $410,520.32 (federal $373,200.29, county match $37,320.03). Deadline to accept: October 22, 2026.
- Item 1453: Fire Prevention and Safety Grant for 4,688 smoke/CO detectors. Total budget $267,216.00 (federal $254,491.42, county match $12,724.58).
Board of Commissioners Preliminary Agenda Items (Consent): Approval of minutes for October 6, 2026 COW meeting; District 7 allocations: $10,000 to National Council of Negro Women for youth STEM, $10,000 to Stone Crest Fest, $5,000 to Juvenile Justice Council, $3,000 to Southwest DeKalb High School career day, $5,000 to DeKalb Chamber of Commerce for business education.
Other items scheduled for consent after committee stops (not voted on at this meeting).

Public Comments & Testimony

Joyce Clemens (60 Perimeter Center, Dunwoody) expressed privacy concerns about flock cameras near her apartment, asking about camera range and who views the footage. Staff will follow up.
Gina Mangum (8179 Pleasant Hill Road, East DeKalb) spoke against a surprise new data center text amendment, stating it lacks protections for residents. She urged the board to work with the community, referencing an alternative proposed by the DeKalb Citizens Coalition that limits size and location.
Rosalind McIntyre (Brookhaven) contrasted the proposed data center in South DeKalb (5 million sq ft, Shadow Box) with a smaller 88,000 sq ft data center in Dunwoody, noting the latter will not have 100 diesel generators. She asked for similar protections for South DeKalb residents.

Discussion Items

Independent CIP Monitor Update

Chief of Staff Lee May and Policy Analyst Marcus Allen presented updates on the proposed independent CIP monitor (Item 1234). Key points:

The original 2025 resolution allocated $800,000 from the watershed fund; that funding has lapsed but can be reallocated when needed.
The selection process has been changed from an RFP to an RFQ to ensure independence from administration. Central staff will vet qualified firms from purchasing and recommend a list to the board.
The monitor will report directly to the board, with no duplication of duties with the Office of Independent Internal Audit.
Timeline: Goal to have a firm selected and contract in place by Q1 2027, ideally January 2027.
Commissioners expressed concerns about the cost (expecting lower than $800,000 annually), the independence of the selection process, and the need for subject matter expertise in vetting. The item will be on the October 13, 2026 agenda for further discussion.

Mosaic Health Center Presentation

Dr. Carlin Tunnell presented on Mosaic Health Center’s services and expansion plans funded by DeKalb County.

Serves uninsured patients; 40% increase in volume in 2026 vs 2025.
2025 impact: nearly 2,000 patients, 20,000 free medication refills.
Planned expansions: Mosaic Mobile (in-home primary care for homebound or those afraid to visit clinics due to immigration status), food distribution program (launched that day, 9,000 lbs), mobile dental van (January 2027), partnership with Claritel Behavioral Health for mental health services, and a larger facility in Clarkston.
Funding from county ($1.5 million) not yet received; contracts finalized within last 30 days. Commissioner Longspears requested a memo on the funding timeline and ability to expend funds by year-end.

MedCura Health Presentation

Jeff Taylor presented on MedCura Health’s services.

Operates 18 sites in metro Atlanta, 13 in DeKalb County; served 25,000 individuals in DeKalb in 2025.
County funding ($1.5 million) will support: expansion of maternal health services, renovations at a pediatric facility (1760 Candler Road), and a mobile unit serving DeKalb County (focus on Buford Highway corridor and school-based health services like sports physicals and immunizations).
Funding not yet received; contracts in final stages. Commissioners asked for DeKalb-specific patient data to ensure taxpayer dollars benefit county residents.

Key Outcomes

Two fire rescue grant walk-ons (Items 1428 and 1453) were added to the consent agenda.
Agenda items were assigned to committees for preliminary review: FAB (Item 1319, 1181, 1431), PECS (Items 1411, 1413, 1142, 1208, 1233, 1316, 1330, 1344, 1372, parks grants), ERPS (Items 1390, 1426, 1336), OPS (Items 1329, 1440, 1451), PWI (Items 1257, 1285, 1290, 1305, 1313, 1345).
CIP monitor discussion will continue at the special FAB meeting on October 12 and at the October 13 board meeting.
Commissioners requested that both Mosaic and MedCura provide data on the number of DeKalb County residents served and the percentage of funding used for DeKalb-specific services.
COO Williams agreed to compile a comprehensive list of all county health investments and partners within 30 days.
Commissioner Longspears requested a memo from COO Williams by October 10 (Friday) regarding the funding timeline for Mosaic and MedCura to ensure funds are not lost.
Motion to adjourn passed unanimously.

Meeting Transcript

Good evening, everybody. I am Commissioner Skyber Johnson, your presiding officer and district four commissioner. Welcome to the nighttime committee of the whole. And I want to give a big thank you to the City of Dunwoody for hosting us tonight in this amazing facility. Thank you so much for that. It takes great partners to run government, so it's always good to connect with our cities as well. Before we get going, I had just two huge announcements. Happy belated birthday to Mr. May and happy birthday. And also happy birthday to Director Fulham. All right, so now we will get into our committee reports. Commissioner Terry, are you ready with finance? Yes, thank you, Madam Chair. So the finance audit and budget committee uh last met on September 29th. Uh joined by myself, um Commissioner Shara Johnson and Commissioner Michelle Longspears. And we did go over the mid-year budget um adjustments. There will be, I believe there's a placeholder item on this agenda uh to um uh allow for the FAB committee to uh finish working with the departments and the commissioners to finalize that mid-year budget um amendment, and so that is planning to be on the calendar for um October uh 12th. So next Monday we'll have a special call FAB meeting at one o'clock uh to finish going through that. We did hold several items in committee, and then we did approve um the item number 0839 uh request for proposals for the financial advisor services and um and then we did talk a little bit more about the um the LSPE program and so more uh discussion in committee to come on that point. I'll yield back. Thank you. Thank you, Commissioner Terry, Commissioner Messiah for the PECS report. Thank you, Matthew Braveing to all the Matt Pia Commissioner Messiah. I had the honor to serve as your ex-chair alongside of the committee members, Commissioner Lyra Patrick with District One, Commissioner Long Spears and District 2. Thank you, Commissioner Patrick for presiding over our last PECS meeting. Everyone, go out, go get your brew shots. Make sure that you are well throughout this uh this winter season. I'll tell you caught up with me. Uh but are also had the pleasure to attend family and uh parents and family you can uh LSC aware two of my children are their students, go tigers. Our last room or the scheduled meeting was held September 29th, 2026. Those in attendance were Commissioner Longskier's Commissioner Teary and Commissioner Hydro. Presentations were given by decide the cap from President Dorian DeBar, Tiffany Wills, and Ken Neighbors on TAD Advisory Committee. The team will res uh reschedular call back and provide additional TAD financials and the update to the rest of the PECS committee. In addition, the presentation for zone decap planning and sustainability from Yvonne Tremel and Whitney Fuller was started, but due to our time constraint, we had to uh plan to schedule uh the continuance in the future. Commissioners asked specifically that the presentation be finished at the next PECS meeting, which we will try to accommodate. There were nine printed items on our agenda, three of which were recommended for approval. Six of those items were deferred and recommended to be heard at our next PEC meeting, which will take place on October Dart 2026. Thank you so much, Matthew. This includes our PEC. Thank you, Commissioner Saiyan. Commissioner Bolton. Good afternoon, everyone. I am Ladina Bolton, our deputy presiding officer, Commissioner for Super District 7, as well as the Chair of ERPS Employee Relations and Public Safety, also serving on that committee with me. Our Commissioners Nicole Masaya and Commissioner Marita Davis Johnson. Our last meeting was actually just a few hours ago. It was today, beginning at 2 15.

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