The Gastonia City Council met on November 19, 2024, at 6:00 PM in the City Council Chamber. The meeting included proclamations, presentations, multiple public hearings, and action on rezoning requests, a transit grant, and a scooter program. No public expression was held (no sign-ups). Key decisions included approval of consent agenda items, a Federal Transit Administration grant, a scooter program contract, and continuances for two rezoning hearings.
And myself, I'd like to welcome you to the November 19th, 2024 meeting. I call the meeting to order now. Councilman Gallagher will lead us in the indication. If you're so inclined, please join me in prayer. Dear Lord, thank you for all the blessings that you have bestowed bestowed upon our city, Gastonia. I pray for all our citizens, staff, all our employees, the city council that will be traveling during this upcoming upcoming holiday season. That you provide us with traveling mercies, Lord. I also ask you, Lord, to provide us with wisdom tonight when we're doing the city's business. I ask you in your son's strong name, Jesus Christ. Amen. Chief, would you lead us in the Pledge of Legion? And to the Republic for which it stands, my nation, under God, liberty, liberty, and justice for all. Thank you, sir. Everybody should have the uh agenda in front of them. Are there any questions, additions, deletions of the agenda as presentation? Mr. Mayor, like to make a motion that we accept the agenda as presented. We have a motion. Do we have a second? We have a second by Councilman Odom. All those in favor? It's unanimous. All of you should also have the minutes in front of you. Uh can I have a motion to approve those from the November 7, 2024 meeting? We have a motion. We have a second by Councilwoman Barber. All those in favor, it's unanimous. Next up, we will have a proclamation recognizing the season of agape, and the recipient will be Pastor Johnny Brown. He is with the Genesis Church, and our presenter will be Councilman Dimitri Casupius. Oh, doing great. Thank you for being here. All right, I will begin with the uh proclamation, whereas National Alliance of Mental Health reports in 2024 an estimated 57.8 million adults, 19% of the country had a mental illness, but only 43% received any kind of mental health care, and 64% of people with a mental illness report that their condition worsens during the holidays. Most have experienced loneliness, too much pressure, and unrealistic expectations and find themselves remembering happier times in the past, contrasting with the present, or unable to be with loved ones. Whereas the Genesis Church has made a conscious choice and effort to bring some form of solace, happiness, peace, and joy to as many lives as they can while spreading agape throughout the season. A season as a season that transcends array of emotions throughout the holidays. And whereas the Genesis Church will cover specific areas throughout the community and project-based activities centered around outreach. The anticipated outcome of each session is for every participant to experience the season of agape. The benefactors will include child agencies, nursing homes, hospital patients, detention centers, and the families of slain victims. And whereas the Genesis Church has set aside Thursdays and Saturdays throughout the months of November and December to create monumental moments to help bring awareness throughout the season of Agape. The primary purpose of this movement is to foster an atmosphere and diversified approach that will reach those who may be considered displaced, wounded, disassociated, and challenged by life circumstances. It will always serve, it will also serve to bolster the tenacity to recover, restore, revive, restructure, rejuvenate, and to restart. Now, therefore, be it resolved. I, Richard Franks, mayor of the City of Gastonia, and the City of Council of the City of Gastonia, do hereby proclaim Thursdays and Saturdays throughout the months, November and December of 2024 as the third annual season of agape in the city of Gastonia and urge all citizens to create monumental moments throughout November and December in support of this movement. In witness thereof, I have hereunto set my hand and cause the seal of the city of Gastonia to be affixed this 19th day of November in the year of our Lord 2024. Signed by the mayor, Richard Franks, and attested by Suzanne J. Gibbs, our city clerk. And I'd like to present this to Pastor Johnny Brown from the uh Genesis Church. And I kind of find it fitting that I was selected to present this because agape is a Greek word, which means anybody else? Love. So it's it's it's kind of ironic that I'm standing up here practicing my Greek with the word agape.