Good morning, everyone.

Today is Tuesday, October the 14th, and the time is uh nine o'clock.

We appreciate everyone being here for this call meeting today, as we had uh said on several occasions that we'd have several call meetings uh throughout this time because we're going to as soon as we get these roads uh approved and going through this process, we want to bring it before commission so uh the new companies that are on board can go ahead and get started working on those things to try to get them completed uh hopefully by the end of this uh calendar year.

So I'd like to welcome everyone here and officially call this meeting to order.

We are uh very excited today.

We've got a presentation that we'll do today in preparation for our our Hispanic Festival that's coming up, as well as the uh honoring the Hispanic Month.

So at this time, I'm gonna go ahead and take the liberty of going down to the lectern uh to read the proclamation for Hispanic Month and ask anyone that's interested in that uh from the audience to uh meet me out front, and we'll do a presentation.

And whereas Making Bibb County is strengthened and enriched by diverse traditions, values, and achievements of its Hispanic residents, who make up approximately four percent of the county's population and contribute significantly to our community in areas such as education, business, arts, health care, public service, and beyond.

And whereas the residents, businesses, and organizations of Macin Bib County benefit from the leadership, dedication, and cultural contributions of Hispanic Americans, which helped make our community vibrant, inclusive, and strong.

Now, therefore, I Guster M.

Miller do hereby proclaim September the 15th through October the 15th, 2025 as Hispanic Heritage Month in Macon Bibb County, and I urge all citizens to embrace this month by learning, appreciating, and participating in many of the cultural events and activities that honor Hisparic Hispanic Heritage.

And witness wherever I'm here to accept my hand and cause the seal of the consolidated government to be affixed this 10th day of October 2025 is when I signed it.

Lester M.

Miller, Mayor of Macon Bibb County.

As a reminder, we do have the Hispanic Festival planned for this week.

Looking for a very exciting, safe event for all to attend, and certainly we welcome all of our folks in Bip County to attend that.

It's this Saturday from one o'clock till seven o'clock, is that correct?

Uh down on Cherry Street.

So look forward to seeing it all there.

It is on, and we look forward to making sure that we provide a great atmosphere for everyone.

Mr.

Ross, did you have your light on, sir?

Oh, actually, my bad.

Okay.

All right.

Approval of the minutes.

We have the approval of the minutes from the September 23rd, 2025 special call meeting.

Can I get a motion to approve?

Lord.

And got motions and seconds over there.

There's like one voice.

All those in favor of the motion, please say aye.

Opposed, nay.

That motion carries.

Now you have something to say, sir.

Real quick before we get started, and thank you again for the opportunity.

I just wanted to say that this past weekend, I know it's a point of privilege here, but um this past weekend, myself and fellow commissioners had the opportunity to go down to the leadership conference, ACCG leadership conference.

And I just want to give a quick shout out to uh Bill Howell for earning a specialty track for community engagement and uh Ray Wilder, Commissioner Way Wower for uh completing public safety.

Uh myself, I completed the finance and revenue.

So uh this great opportunity for the commissioners to get out and better equip themselves to be better servants to the people here.

And I just want to give a quick shout out to those guys for that.

Congratulations.

Appreciate it.

Mr.

Ray Ray.

Uh we have uh we had one appointments to authorities.

We're gonna put that off till next Tuesday at our meeting there.

Uh we had one change on that.

It was going to be a replacement of Ken Blair, who has uh resigned to take other opportunities in another community, and he will be replaced by Weston Stroud.

We'll do that next week uh in error it had uh him replacing someone else that will come off the board at a later time, but not this particular transaction.

So we'll go ahead and remove that and we'll move on for the rest of the agenda.

Item five is grants.

5A is a resolution of Making Bibb County Commission authorizing the mayor to execute an agreement with rebuilding making, granting a community development block grant in amount of 70,000 to provide for rebuilding making volunteer youth program.

Can I get a motion to approve?

Motion by Commissioner Bailey, we have a second.

Second by Commissioner Howell.

Any questions?

I know we have someone here today, if you don't mind, raise your hand from there in that organization.

We appreciate you being here today.

We appreciate your partnership with Macon Bib County.

Uh, we're excited about this opportunity that we can uh approve these funds that are already been in our budget for a while for this obligation.

So we have a motion and second if there's no further questions.

All those in favor of the motion, please say aye.

Opposed nay.

That motion carries.

Item B is a resolution of Making Bibb County Commission to authorizing the mayor to execute an agreement with rebuilding making, grading granting a community development block grant in an amount of 160,000 to provide for minor home repairs to homes of low uncle low-income homeowners.

Uh this time I entertain a motion to approve.

Got a motion and a second.

All those in favor of the motion, please say aye.

Opposed, nay.

That motion carries.

Unanimously.

Item C is a resolution of the Macin Bibb County Commissioner authorizing acceptance of a scrap tire abatement reimbursement program grant in the amount of up to 42,148 dollars from the environmental protection division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources with no local match required.

I just let you know we have not planned the date yet.

We'll be uh strategizing with our team there to set an appropriate date up and location.

I know last time we have such overwhelming attendance to that, and people uh dropping off these tires, which we want them to do, but it it created a big uh traffic jam, so to speak, at a lot of places.

So we're making sure we address those and we'll be uh glad to announce those at the appropriate time in place.

So at this time we'd entertain a motion for approval.

Motion by Commissioner Water.

We have a second.

Second by Commissioner Stewart.

That we're still right.

Any other questions?

Here are no questions.

All those in favor of the motion, please say aye.

Opposed, nay.

That motion carries unanimously.

Item D is a resolution of the Macon Bibb County Commission to authorize the mayor to execute an independent contractor agreement with River Edge Foundation for the construction of two adult community residential alternative group homes, the amount of 700,000 dollars to be paid from 2025 home fund.

Who will be making that presentation today?

Anyone here talk about that?

Cass?

Sorry, sir.

Mr.

Hatcher, my apologies.

Some reason I couldn't see you back there.

Appreciate you being here today, and I'd ask uh Mr.

Hatcher to be here just to give you a little bit more background information.

This is a very large expenditure, but also something we all can be proud of.

So I want to make sure he was able to be here, do a small presentation and answer any questions that you may have.

Yes, thank you very much, on thank you very much uh for this opportunity for this investment.

Uh this uh these two homes are based on the initiative from the state.

Uh the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Development Disability is gonna build several of these homes throughout the state uh for the purpose of getting people out of the state hospitals who have intellectual development disabilities.

So they're investing some money, county is investing some money, and these homes will be used for people who are coming from the state hospital to put them in a residential setting and to basically get rid of uh people living in the state hospitals for the rest of their lives.

River Edge will provide the wraparound services.

We will have nurses on staff, full-time staff to help them with their hygiene, fix meals for them, and do various stuff for them to make sure that they stay comfortable and safe in their home.

So this is a big initiative.

Uh, the neat thing about this is that the new building that we just completed behind the jail will basically kind of be the starting point.

People will come from the state hospital, come there, be stabilized, and then we'll move them to a residential setting, and they will live there for the rest of their lives.

And so this is a great initiative by the state, and we're happy to be a part of it, and I'm happy that the county support this uh this effort.

Thank you for that information.

Commissioner Wayne, you have a question?

Yes, sir.

Cass.

Good morning.

Thank you for being here.

Um, just a question about I I just heard you say this is permanent housing, they'll stay here for the rest of their lives.

Is that correct?

How many will each they're two houses, right?

There may be a total of four bedrooms in each home.

Okay.

And the homes are going to be designed for basically for persons in crisis.

So we have to design it to special standards uh in terms of the materials that we use, anti-ligature for they can't be able to harm themselves, and so basically these will be each home will house up to four individuals.

Who assesses the individuals that are coming in there to come there?

Just say that again, ma'am.

Who who is going to assess the individuals that are we will, and so they will come to our diagnostic center in the new building we just built.

They will have a full assessment, determine what their cure they uh are, and then the level of services they need.

They may need one-to-one services in terms of one person overseeing them, and maybe uh two to one uh individuals.

So River Edge will provide all the assessment and all the treatments in those homes.

Thank you.

This is a very needed thing, so thank you very much.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Commissioner Bryant.

Good morning.

Where are my vocations?

She's asking about it okay.

Yeah, location would be property that we own on uh basically on uh College Crossing of Columbus University uh Columbus Drive behind the university.

We have a uh basically a treatment center there called Life Springs.

In front of that area, we own about nine acres of land, and so we are donated the land for the purpose of these two homes to be to be located at.

Okay, I noticed you said um people coming from the state.

What's the qualifications?

They have to have an intellectual and development disability and be basically in the state system in terms and basically in the state hospital where they're currently being treated at right now.

Will this be for the residents of Make and Bib only, or are you taking residents?

You taking um state patients from other places also?

They'll be from anywhere in the state.

So this is just two homes.

The state is going to build about 10 of these homes throughout the state, and so basically these will be if they're a rest if they are making residents, they will they could be, but if they are not, it could be someone outside of Macon to stay here as well.

So what does this look like for our mental health people that are in need of homes that may have not been able to get into the state institution?

Well, right now we have some 13 homes that we already have right here in Macon Bibb County that we own that we have people with intellectual development disabilities that we house.

We also provide housing for people with none but who are basically having behavioral health issues.

Right now we house River Edge House is close to about about 500 individuals throughout Macon Bibb County who either have a behavioral health of diagnoses or have intellectual developmental disabilities.

And so we basically we are providing that services right now.

Are you including those homes that are on full to meal?

Four to meal.

And you say 500?

Uh four to meal, four to meal, full to meal.

No, those we don't have any homes in fourth mill.

That's just a crisis unit in Fort Mills.

We have actual single family homes that we've designed and built here within Maconville County that uh are scattered out throughout the county.

Okay.

Full to Mill is mostly a crisis unit where they stayed up for about seven to ten days and then they'll release back into their to their homes.

So that is basically temporary uh services that we provide in Fortune Bill.

Did it change when you say crisis?

Because um, you know I'm probably law enforcement, and I'm I'm not going there with you, but I know it's some people that's been out there a long time in those apartments.

Oh the colour.

Okay, those apartments, those apartments are permanent supportive housing.

Okay, and so those apartments that are behind Fort to Mill is basically we would call our harm reduction.

These are individuals who've been in River Edge for almost all their lives.

Uh they basically lived in other apartment complexes and can no longer stay there.

And so we provide those homes uh next to our crisis units for those specialized individuals.

And it's kind of remind me of uh of like Andy Griffin with Otis.

Those individuals know that they basically may use again, and we continue to watch them, but they have the opportunity to walk right across the street to our crisis units and check themselves in.

Okay.

So these are people who've been in our programs for it's a conception of our behavior health program.

Okay, thank you.

Commissioner Bailey.

Huh?

Commissioner Bailey.

And thank you, Mr.

Hatcher, for all you do for those that are suffering with mental illnesses that are here in the Macon Middle Georgia area and abroad.

And for those that are in our audience that are presently living with individuals that have mental ill illnesses, can you tell us how to begin the process getting into your river edge?

Sure, be happy to.

Right now, we have an open door policy.

There are no closed doors at River Edge.

Anyone who needs treatment can just walk over to our main building on Emory Highway and check themselves in.

Uh it's open policy there.

We basically go ahead and do a diagnostics right there on this on the scene.

Uh basically assigned them to a doctor if they want the services.

If they want group services, we provide that.

If they want housing to qualify for housing, we provide that to them.

We also have a pharmacy.

We provide medications for all of our clients who are basically uh who need medication at no cost.

You know, we pay for that medication to provide those services.

So we have a full gamut of services we provide uh from behavioral health services, but also substance abuse disorder services that we provide as well.

And we also serve children and adolescents.

Uh let me make a point.

We also don't serve adults, we also serve child adolescents in our program as well.

Okay.

Thank you, Mr.

Hatcher.

Um, I do want to state that all of our commissioners and many of our officials here have had the opportunity to view a lot of the agencies that Mr.

Hatchess Rivers Edge has already established.

And these are very fine living conditions, very beautiful homes, a very beautiful estate that they're living on.

In fact, I would love to live at one of them.

It's so nice.

Well, we always say it's hard for anybody to recover if they don't have a roof over their head.

And so we provide that services, and so basically giving them the dignity and respect that they need in terms of not only providing the the housing, but also the wraparound services is key.

Without that wraparound services, the individual cannot stay stable in their home if they don't receive the medication and the and the treatment that they deserve.

And thank you, Mr.

Hatcher.

That makes me very proud of what we do at the city of Macon when we can look out and we can see the evidence of how we are treating those that are least fortunate than we are.

I'm very proud and very proud to return, you know, these efforts that God had given has given us.

So thank you, Mr.

Hatcher, for all you do and your team.

Thank you very much.

Thank you, Commissioner Bailey.

Uh, Commissioner Stewart.

Yeah, no, I really just wanted to echo that.

I just want to say thank you.

I grew up in a family where my great aunt Mosetta Miles was uh uh first black supervisor of social workers here in Macon.

Graduated spelman in 1929.

So I I heard the stories of how she tried to make people's lives better and what you're doing and what your team is doing.

Uh it makes all of our lives better here as Macon Knights.

So thank you so much.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Thank you, Mr.

Stewart.

Commissioner Bailey, you'd like to make that motion to approve.

Okay, we have a second.

Second by Commissioner Wynne.

All those in favor of the motion, please say aye.

Opposed, nay.

That motion carries as well and passed unanimously.

Item 6A, we're gonna pass on that until after executive session.

We'll move on to item 7A.

Item 7A is the ordinance of the Macon Bibb County Commission to authorize the appropriation of up to $960,500 from the sponsor program, schools on cameras, to be allocated to the sheriff's office for the renewal of the axom contract for body cameras and tasers.

That's my motion.

Can I get a second?

Second by Mr.

Wilder, Commissioner Wilder.

Uh Commissioner Bryant, you have a question.

Sure.

Um what kind of tases are they going?

Um are they going to?

And I'm asking because I know about year, two years ago, they just got new tasers.

So I'm just wondering which ones are going to.

You have to ask the sheriff that is it.

This is his request, uh, his requested item, and I'm not sure which ones they're going to be using.

Okay.

Mayor Proch and Clark.

I'd just like to be added as a co-sponsor, please.

Yes, sir.

We do have a motion in second.

If there's no further questions, and we'll call for a vote.

All those in favor of the motion, please say aye.

Opposed, nay.

That motion carries unanimously.

Item B is the ordinance of the Making Bibb County Commission to approve a supplemental appropriation from the general fund fund balance in a total of amount of $553,000.

First, various dispensers are specified in the exhibits that you receive.

Of course, we do this every year.

We generally do this about halfway through the year, but this year we decided to do it per quarter, so we can make sure we we keep track of our finances for the year.

So those items are attached uh to your exhibits.

At this time, we'd entertain a motion for approval.

Motion by Commissioner Howell.

We have a second.

Second by Commissioner Bailey.

Any further questions?

Here are no questions.

All those in favor of the motion, please say aye.

Opposed nay.

That motion carries unanimously.

Item C is the ordinance of Macon Bibb County Commission to authorize the appropriation of 2018 spots and 2018 spots interest to be allocated to authorized recreation projects at Ferrin Ushery Park, Frank Johnson Recreation Center, Fillmore Thomas Park, and Carolyn Creighton Park.

I did have Mr.

Murphy here today, but he doesn't have to say anything, but he's here for any questions.

But you know we've been combining all these consolidating all those 2018 spots to make sure we complete all the projects.

Uh this is the final one of the final completions of all these projects that we're doing to move money to allocate to those projects.

So uh this time we'd entertain a motion for approval.

Yeah, I got a motion and second.

All those in favor of the motion, please say aye.

Opposed nay.

That motion carries unanimously.

Item 8A is a resolution of the Macon Bibb County Commission authorizing the mayor to approve issuance of purchase orders to Tyler Technologies for annual licensing fees for new world ERP software in amount of 116,959.50 cent payable from the IT budget repairs and maintenance software licenses.

Uh, this is a budgeted item.

Uh, this is a renewal of a existing license that we have to have for our technology.

So at this time we entertain a motion to approve.

Motion by Commissioner Bronson, we have a second.

Second by Mayor Pro Tim Clark.

We have a motion and second.

All those in favor of the motion, please say aye.

Opposed, nay.

That motion carries until item B is a resolution of the Macon Bibb County Commission to authorize the mayor to enter into an agreement with journal technologies for the annual renewal of eCourt software, inclusive of maintenance and hosting services, in amount of 213,810.64 cent.

Likewise, this will be paid from the information technology IT budget, repairs and maintenance, software license and maintenance line item.

Again, this is another IT purchase annual renewal uh that we do each year, and we have to do that to get the program renewed.

So this time I entertain a motion for approval.

Motion by Commissioner Bronson, we have a second.

Second by Commissioner Stewart.

Uh Commissioner Wynn, you have a question.

Is this um amount greater than what it was before?

In both this case and the last one we voted on.

I suspect they're going up some because everything's gone up from since last year, but I'm not sure the year over year.

It's a budget of item that was would have been approved in the approach.

I don't know how much though, I'm just curious.

Do we ever look for anybody else to do that?

We do when it was required to come up to be able, but these are just annual licenses renewal.

We do generally three one-year renewals or up to five year.

Okay, thank you.

You're welcome.

We do have a motion and second.

All those in favor of the motion, please say aye.

Opposed nay.

That motion carries.

We got four paving the way projects.

Uh, we like we told you last time we had uh multiple days where people will come in for bids, open all the envelopes are open in this uh chamber here.

Each one of them is read individually, which generally the companies in uh in the room at the same time.

They have to be licensed, insured, and bonded to make sure they meet all the requirements that we have.

And uh upon each one, the most qualified bidder with the least price uh wins the uh the contract.

So these are four individuals that we're doing now in order for them to get started on the process and hopefully get completed uh this calendar year.

The first one is gonna be the resolution of the Making Bibb County Commission to authorize the mayor to execute an independent contractor agreement with McElroy Inc.

for asphalt paving and resurfacing services in amount of 1,840,490.85 cent to be paid from the 2025 supply bond funds.

These are 2025 that we just approved.

I see several likes popped up, so let me uh like special uh Mr.

Wilder.

Um yeah, I'd just like to start saying this is an awesome, not just a great, but an awesome day for all of Bibb County and especially district six for me.

We are, you know, two of these involve district six, two of these packages, and I just want to let everybody know out there that's watching.

One of the big things I've been emphasizing on all over, especially district six is to try to hit some of the big roads to benefit everyone.

And we are doing that today uh on these packages, a section of Mount Pleasant Church Road, most of Knoxville Road, the other end of Fulton Mill Road, two sections of Dixon Road and a large section of Rogers Road are on these packages.

And I just want to just thank everyone for being patient.

And I have been working on this and pushing it since day one five years ago, and I'm just glad to see it here.

Thanks.

Thank you, Commissioner.

Commissioner Wynne.

Yes, thank you.

Um, these out of town companies, all of these companies.

No, not all of them.

Keep looking over there to be on a different from different.

I've already been doing road work here in Macon.

So I noticed they were on two of them, two of the jobs, and I didn't know.

They are.

And and by the way, like we said, we broke these packages down into somewhat smaller packages to allow people that have lower bonding standards to meet.

That's why we've had eight to ten instead of one or two that show up.

Uh, but I think I believe they're well, I consider them local because they've done local contracts already here.

I'm making professional paving is another one that's local.

So we had several local that come forth uh for do that.

I think maybe Atlanta paving maybe on this one.

Yeah, Atlanta paving on this one.

They're the ones that did good all mill road, did a good job there.

Of course, the name hints are not here.

A lot of these are also getting asphalt from local uh businesses in Macon as well.

So the reason I ask is if if we have any problems, it's easier to get with someone that's uh local rather than out of town from somewhere.

I I know we I don't think we've had any problems, but well, I would say that because they're bonded on this right here.

We have no problem getting touch with anyone because they don't get paid until it's been inspected, and then we can we have an action back against them under their bond that they're required to put that up.

It costs money.

Uh so we are we're licensed and insured for each of these.

Uh as uh Commissioner Wilder, I'm happy to see all this being done.

I saw some paving on Vineville.

I didn't know they were gonna do that.

But anyway, I'm happy to see all this happen.

They're doing some patches on Bible since we finally got that the light system working there with the state.

Uh we asked them to address some other issues there, but that's that's the state, so we're not gonna take credit for their work uh on that.

Commissioner Bryant.

Okay.

Um I'm thankful that they're paving the roads also.

I thought we had the worst roads, but I went to Philadelphia about three weeks ago, and they have some bad roads also.

Um but I've had some people that's calling me and they're saying the roads are being paved, but they're not um, I guess filling in the potholes, but you just answered the question about making sure that the roads are done right, that they're filling in potholes before they pave them so that the roads are not right and bumpier than what they were before.

So you kind of just answered it.

I invited them to come to this meeting, but they're not here and tell them to um tell you about their roads because they're not in my district.

Yeah, we we well if people want roads to be paved and they get paid, and of course they think it's a brand new road that you've completely gutted and putting down a new road.

That's not the case.

So if you had waves or bumps before then, no matter how much asphalt you're gonna have, you're gonna do that.

We do mill these roads.

Uh, we had one that we had some complaints on in uh South Bib, and there were a couple of areas there that people um were complaining about.

The uh local vendor on their own went out there and repave the whole road.

They want to make sure that their product is uh meets the standards that we have here, although they have met GDOT standards uh and the road rides very smooth.

But it's not a brand new road, but it's about as close as you're gonna get.

So they put an additional inch of uh asphalt out there to make sure it works.

They do mill these roads.

Sometimes there are um in particular we ran into another subdivision that when they had their roads initially installed, did not use the what we consider our code uh for the number of inches and foundations in that.

And when you go pave over that road, that's a problem with the road, but something that happened underneath, not necessarily the paving.

There's also been some ripples that we've had for a couple locations, but that involved usually underground utilities or water that unaware to us is what created the problem.

So we get those situations, we'll go right back out there to uh make sure it's taken care of, but some of those you don't know until you pave.

So I appreciate you bringing that up.

Um Mayor Poach and Cork.

Yeah, I just wanted to um put a finer question on the the state paving program on Vineville.

That's that that is as we under as I understand that that's confined to Vineville and not the cross streets that we maintain, right?

Uh they they may do some ingress and egress.

I've noticed them doing that, but they're they're not.

And I know Vineville has special situations and we've heard from the neighborhood association.

They have concrete roads, and uh, quite honestly, from what I understand from most of the folks in in that area do not want the roads paved in asphalt.

Um that was that was that's the kind of the premise and other line point of my question.

I was just concerned in passing that concern on.

In particular, I can think of Stanislaws over there, and one reason they don't want it is because they believe these a smoother ride is going to create uh a faster traffic.

And these are concrete roads that have to be treated entirely different.

You can imagine on some roads you may be able to put asphalt on, but otherwise you have to um bust it all up, put concrete can be more expensive.

But if you put asphalt on top of it, it's not gonna line up with the curb, so it's not just a simple process on those concrete roads.

So we'll ask all of y'all if you if you uh have a concrete road, uh let your commissioner uh get some information on whether you believe that that's a good thing or bad thing.

Right now we're hearing from the neighborhood associations, uh, which have kind of led our way to holding off on some of those roads in the Vineville area because they are concrete.

You have other roads that are long stretches, like on Napier, we're in the process of uh paving, I believe the entire Napier Avenue uh and parts of Hillcrest there are concrete, but those are kind of a long distance road that's not gonna have that same problem with the curb.

So believe me, this is not just as easy as coming through here and just getting it done.

I I want to take the personal privilege myself to thank Clay Murphy.

Uh Clay's the reason we've got over 100 something roads out to bid or been awarded right now.

Uh and that's no small feat.

You're talking about 12 years of roads, we're already gonna get done by the end of this year, and we had promised 20 years by the end of next year.

So we're well on the way uh of those roads.

And uh continue to if you've got a problem area, you can reach out to us and we'll pass it on to Clay, uh, Mr.

Murphy, because that's what he's doing for us, and he's doing a real good job of that.

And quite honestly, um Miss Maryweather's not here either, but as long as we keep getting these contractors that are want to make money and do a good job in making, and we keep spreading the pie out, it grows for everybody.

So we're off to a great start, and we'll we'll address the issues that they come up.

Um as we get a complaint, if it's something that we believe is legitimate, we'll address that issue.

We just ask people to be patient.

Uh we've already got some quests from people like there's paving going on everywhere after drive around it.

Well, guess what?

That's progress.

Uh, and we we we like that kind of progress.

So um appreciate that.

Commissioner Water, I'm gonna let you make that motion to approve.

We have a second.

Second by Commissioner Wynne.

All those in favor of the motion, please say aye.

Opposed nay.

That motion carries unanimously.

Item B is a resolution to make a Bibb County Commission or authorize the mayor to execute an independent contract agreement with McElroy for asphalt paving and resurfacing services and amount of one million seven hundred and sixty-three thousand six hundred and nineteen dollars and thirty-four cent to be paid from two thousand twenty-five splice bond funds.

Can I get a motion to approve that?

Motion by Commissioner Water.

We have a second.

Second by Commissioner Bailey.

Uh, we have a motion and second.

Commissioner Wall, do you have a question?

Uh yeah, just want to emphasize one thing on this particular one.

Fulton Mill Road up to Bethel Church and Mount Pleasant is being done and we discussed, and I do just want to make it public too that intersection will be addressed in this situation.

I think Commissioner.

We have a motion and second.

All those in favor of the motion, please say aye.

Opposed nay.

That motion carries.

Uh one other comment I like to make on the roads is that when we started this process, uh, we were having to pay somewhere upwards of 300, 350,000 per mile per road.

Because we've got 10 people, uh, can companies bidding on the roads, we've seen that gap narrow substantially to the point that we're in 185,000 range per mile per road.

Uh when you do larger stretches and you do areas that are grouped, you get a better price.

You don't have to pick the equipment up and drop it all across Making Bib County like we did under LMIG and LRAs.

That's why it's is it's equally important to have uh Mr.

Murphy working on those because he can look at the the scores that came in and he can hit the neighborhoods around these areas so we can kind of expand on that.

So you'll see some lists grow sometimes.

We're using a savings of that road to pave more roads.

So we're getting more roads paid for a less amount of money and getting the same quality project.

I don't want anybody to think because they're less expensive to be paved, uh, that we're doing anything differently.

We're putting the same asphalt, the same milling, addressing it the same way.

But it's a competition.

The competition drive prices down.

Uh, and having ten people at the table as opposed to having one or two uh makes a big difference, and we're getting more more for our buck.

So uh we do have a motion in a second.

Well, we got a new item, my bad.

Item C is a resolution of making Bibb County Commission to authorize the mayor to independent contract agreement with professional paving services for asphalt paving and resurfacing services.

The amount of this project is one million five hundred and ninety thousand one hundred and forty one dollars and four cent to be paid from the two thousand twenty-five splash bond fines.

I get a motion to approve.

Motion by Commissioner Bryant, second by Commissioner Bailey.

All those in favor of the motion, please say aye.

Opposed, nay.

That motion carries unanimously.

Item D is the final paving the way project for this agenda here.

It's a resolution of the Making Bible County Commission to authorize the mayor to execute an independent contractor agreement with Atlanta paving and concrete construction for asphalt paving resurfacing services and amount of one million eight hundred thousand seven hundred and seventy three dollars and thirty six cent to be paid from two thousand twenty-five splash bond fines.

I get a motion to approve.

Motion by Commissioner Baylor.

Do you have a second?

Second by Commissioner Wilder.

All those in favor of the motion, please say aye.

Opposed, nay.

That motion carries unanimously.

We do have a need to go in executive session for consultation with the county attorney or other legal counsel to discuss pending or potential litigation settlement claims, administrative proceedings, and other judicial actions brought on behalf of Macon Bibb County.

This time we entertain a motion to go into executive session.

Got a motion by Commissioner Wilder.

We have a second.

Second by Commissioner Hewlett.

All those in favor of the motion, please say aye.

Was that Hewlett?

You throw in your voice over here too?

He was just looking at me.

And he hasn't said anything the whole meeting.

So I want to give him a shout out, right?

He's in the record books now.

So we got a motion and a second.

All those in favor of the motion, please say aye.

Opposed, nay.

We're not an executive session.

I get a motion to come out of the second session.

Motion by Commissioner Bronson, second by Ms.

Bryant, Commissioner Bryant.

We have a motion second.

All those in favor of the motion, please say aye.

Opposed, nay.

We're now at executive session.

I'm going to go back to item 6A that we uh passed on earlier.

Item 6A is changes or additional uh to additions to the code of ordinances.

In order to make and bib county commission under item I A to amend Article uh what's that 12 of chapter 26 of the Make and Bib County Code of Ordinances relating to the community redevelopment tax incentive, the blight tax program for the purpose of amending the advilorum tax multiplier to body structures in Making Bibb County to include the Board of Education Advilum taxes in the blight tax program.

So I want to give you a little information regarding the the blight taxes.

You recall some five or six years ago, blight tax was passed uh with a seven multiplier uh just for the county, and the county only did not include the other taxing authority, which is the the Bibb County school system.

At that time, the millager rate was about 21 actually, and then the subsequent years has gone down to as this last year, 9.5.

So you can see we've reduced a millage rate for over um 50 percent, but the blight taxes stay the same.

So what does that mean?

It means people who have not done what they're supposed to do, mostly absentee uh owners from other jurisdictions, uh have let their property go down, but yet they haven't been paying the same amount, they've been paying a lesser amount.

So in an effort to keep up with our millage rate and to make sure that we uh handle these cases accordingly, uh we've agreed to increase that amount to make it the same equivalent amount of of uh uh taxes that we were getting in back six years ago, uh, so that they do the work.

Keep in mind that these are not homestead properties means someone is not living there as their home.

Uh these are mostly speculative properties, whether it's commercial or residential, that people are hoping to uh get additional funds if something comes near them, if there's some uh big things uh, you know, like arenas and and uh amphitheaters and and trails and things coming there, or perhaps a new uh big retail establishment, things like that, uh drive prices up sometimes, so people speculate on that.

Meantime, we have property that's getting neglected here, and we wanted to address that.

The other thing is we want to make sure that our school systems taken care of.

They've been very supportive of our senior exemption, which will allow people not to pay school taxes once they reach certain ages.

Some starts out as much as a hundred percent and goes down to as least as fifty to seventy-five percent at age sixty five, seventy-five, and eighty-five.

So we want to make sure that school system can participate in that, making Bibb County use 100% of the funds that we collect each year to re reinvest back into our blight uh initiatives.

So this allowed the school system to recover monies uh on that as well.

It also incentivize the owners to do what they're supposed to do and keep these properties up.

We have a lengthy process with appeals and things of that nature that uh anyone can go through to dispute uh a black tax being placed on their property, and once they complete some remodels of their property or make improvements to their they can get their taxes cut as much as half amount and the the number of years uh depends on how many how much work they do to the properties.

So this is what the black tax is.

We are changing this ordinance uh to accommodate those things.

Uh we believe it's something that's fair and equitable and something that's reasonable to help not only uh the citizens of Making Bibb County, but more importantly, to the school system, uh, who have had some financial challenges in the past.

So this time I'd I'd entertain a motion to approve item six A.

Motion by Commissioner Water, second by Commissioner Bailey and Commissioner Wynne, you have a question.

Yes.

Um I ask this question to Michael, I think, in there, but they when they do repairs on the blighted properties, how much do we bring their taxes down?

Does it depend on how much they put into it?

Well, they get they get 50 percent.

Uh, let me turn your mic on.

There we go.

So the discount is um everyone that that that fixes up a property and comes off the blight tax list gets gets one year at half taxes, and then um you can get up to four years total of half taxes for every if they spend over 25,000 dollars they get a second year.

If they spend over $50,000 doing repairs, they get a third year, and if they spend over 75,000 or up, they get four years total.

And so they they just have to submit their receipts and their an affidavit showing how much it costs to do the rehab.

So 50 50,000 is the 50 percent the first year.

50 percent off of their their property tax bill.

With how much work being done.

Um the zero to twenty-five thousand you get one year at fifty percent taxes, and then twenty-five to fifty you get two years of fifty percent taxes, and then fifty to seventy-five thousand you get three years at fifty percent taxes.

So the amount of repairs fee factors in here, right?

It factors in as far as the number of years you get.

I'm just kind of asking these elementary questions for me and for the public when they hear that, you know.

Yes, ma'am.

Okay, thank you, Michael.

Thank you.

Uh any other questions?

Here are no questions.

We do have a motion and second.

All those in favor of the motion, please say aye.

Opposed, nay.

That motion carries.

And Commissioner Bryant, you have a question.

No?

Okay.

Uh we have a motion second.

We're through this meeting.

And uh we look to possibly have a meeting on the 21st um of next Tuesday.

Should be an evening meeting.

Uh, we're looking at our agendas now.

Keep in mind, like I said, we are still doing our paving the way program.

We're able to call call meetings to make sure that we when those issues come up, we can get them addressed because there's a timeline on those things.

And uh likewise, I understand that the commissioners were in training last week uh had some very good training down in Jekyll Allen, and we couldn't have a meeting last week and the week before uh we had a mayor's conference that I attended for a couple of days, so therefore we've been working around everyone's schedules.

But if there's no further business that brings us here today, this meeting is here by turn.

Oh, you did have a question.

Go ahead.

Yes, ma'am just a personal privilege.

I'd like to give my condolences to the former mayor C.

Jack Ellis on losing his son.

I think it was an unfortunate experience to happen at the Perry Fair, but I don't know what it is to lose a child, but I wouldn't want to be in that space.

So I would like for everybody to just give them a prayer.

Thank you for that comment.

I appreciate that.

Okay.

All right.

Well, thank you everyone from being here today.

We look forward to seeing you at our next time.

Thank you.