Well good afternoon, everyone.

Welcome to Macon Bibb County Board of Commissioners Pre-Commission meeting.

Uh today is Tuesday, October the 21st, 2025, and the time is approximately 530 p.m.

First of all, I would like to welcome everyone here to our meeting tonight.

Those of you in person, those of you are watching at home.

And I'd officially call this meeting to order.

We're going to begin our meeting with uh item 2A.

Item 2A is the appointments of authorities, boards, and commissions.

Uh we this is item we moved from last week to this week uh to make one change on there.

So this is a resolution of the Making Bibb County Commission appointing Weston Stroud to serve as a member of the Macon Bibb County Transit Authority, and he will take the place uh Mr.

Ken Blair.

Uh can I get a motion to approve?

Commissioner Bronson.

Say goodbye, Commissioner Stewart.

Uh all those in favor of the motion, please say aye.

Opposed, nay.

That motion carries, and we sent the consent agenda tonight.

Uh, we're gonna move on to agreements, contracts, and purchase orders.

We have two of those on the agenda tonight.

Uh item three A is a resolution of the Making Bibb County Commission, authorized the mayor to execute a professional services agreement with next level community development center in amount of 25,000 dollars for the provision of after school program services payable for make and violence prevention fund contract labor, contractual services line item uh that is sponsored by myself and commissioner Joey Hewitt.

Um also in the chamber tonight with us, Miss Lakeisha Toomer.

Raise your hand.

She is here tonight.

She's been a great advocate for the students of Making Bibb County, and they have a gap in financing, and we agreed to consider $25,000 tonight to fill that gap uh while they continue to serve many, many youth in our area, and while we continue to have some uh challenges on the on the national front as far as grants and nonprofits are concerned.

So uh I would uh let Mr.

Hewitt make that motion to approve.

Do we have a second?

Second by Commissioner Bronson.

He beat you to the to the wheel there, Miss Bailey.

Um we have a motion and second.

Uh Commissioner Bronson, do you have a question or a comment, sir?

I'd like to add on as a sponsor as well.

Thank you guys so much for the hard work you do for our students.

Okay.

Okay, we'll add you down as a sponsor.

We do have a uh Commissioner Clark, mayor program.

Yeah, I just I'm just curious what um grant program, Mrs.

These are federal grants that are held up in some form or fashion or have been canceled.

I was just curious what program.

It's just a gap.

Um they have a lot of financing coming in, and they get her a lot of money from the feds, and it's just a little delayed right now.

I don't think there's anything discontinued.

They were in last year's budget.

Uh and of course, we're about to start our new grant program for Making Bibb County for our making violence prevention programs through the community foundations, and that hasn't started yet, so we have a slight gap there.

Uh Commissioner Stewart.

Thank you, Ms.

Tumer.

She knows this personally.

I want to thank her for all the work that she and the organization uh have been doing for years.

Long before Making Bibb County.

Uh Commissioner Bryant.

Yes, thank you for looking out for the youth.

And I just want to know for the people watching what schools do you uh offer the after school programs.

If you don't mind, uh Mr.

Speaking to that mic, first of all, just uh identify yourself and the organization that you're with for everybody at home.

So I'm Lake Shia Teamer, and I'm with Next Level Community Development Center.

We service 14 different schools here in Making Bib, so we service um Veterans Elementary School, uh Ballard Hudson Middle, Southwest High School, Middle Middle, Central High School, Vinefield, Heard, Porter, and Skyview, and and Alexander two schools.

Rutland Middle and Rutland High as well.

That answer your question for you.

It does.

Um is everyone every child that needs help.

Are they able to get help?

Do they have to sign up for it or so?

Um and with the funding that we receive from you all in the city, it's allowed us to expand um a lot.

Uh we serve 263 kids this past summer in camp sign to uh 2025.

We have 98 kids right now currently being served at our after school program.

Uh we we are very intentional in serving those who need us the most, the young and the most vulnerable.

So, yes, it is an application process.

Um, it's income-based, and we take those kids that need us the most.

Okay, thank you.

Thank you, Commissioner Bryant.

We do have a motion and seconds.

There's no further questions, we'll call for a vote.

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

Opposed, nay.

That motion carries unanimously be sent to consent agenda.

Item 3B is a resolution of Making Bibb County Commission authorizing the mayor to execute a professional services agreement with route analytics LLC, an amount of $75,000 for the provision of outreach services to people experiencing homelessness payable for the Make and Bib County Violence Prevention Fund, contract labor, contractual services line item.

Uh just to give you a little bit more information.

We have always provided outreach services for those experiencing homelessness and making a lot of those funds were paid out through various grants.

Uh, that grant that we uh Jake Hall wrote a couple years ago through United Way has expired, uh, and we're in the process of going through the process to get some additional grants in.

So this is gonna fill the gap between now uh and March of 2026, and there's approximately three people that work on this, both full and part-time.

Uh, they're also gonna be working in conjunction with our uh program that we have for making works and our several initiatives that we have at the jail.

Uh we have some people that get out that may be experiencing homelessness or other uh mental health issues, and they'll be uh helping to connect the wraparound services directly from someone instead of going back on the street, perhaps can go to Brookdale other services to River Edge and also get the mental health uh treatment they need and help us with our programs that we have there for follow-up after care and also for the electronic monitoring.

So that we're gonna add other duties and responsibilities.

That contract will still be negotiated uh with them for scope of work and our attorneys are working on that.

But we want to go ahead and get this funding out there so we don't have any gap in services.

Uh Commissioner Bryant, do you have a question how do they choose who they're gonna help?

Are they gonna be at the jail when people leave or are they gonna do a survey that says, do you have anywhere to go?

So, first of all, right now they're out there now for our encampments before we have an encampment that's maybe removed or otherwise uh taken care of.

They go out there several days ahead of time and provide um information to them about where they can go get treatment at, looking at the app that we have to see how they got here, how long they've been here, what the issues are.

So it's not just the jail part that is a component of part, but we are working out with the jail now and through our um through the sheriff's department as well as a specific officer that's designated over there before anybody's released on one of the make and violent prevention bonds or orders uh that they contact us first.

So they in some instances they'll be picking these folks up to take them where they need to go, but otherwise they'll be directing them to services that they need.

So they'll be specifically identified uh by the courts uh or the DA and the and the public defenders office.

Everybody signs off at one time on this.

Okay.

Uh this time we would entertain a motion to approve.

Motion by Commissioner uh Bay and Bryant, uh second by the other.

We have a motion and second.

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

Opposed, nay.

Thank you.

That passes unanimously be sent to the consent agenda.

Uh, we do have two paving contracts uh as well, which we've been talking about that all the time, which is why we had one of the reasons we had the call meeting last week.

Uh these are going to be wrapping up probably the final two contracts and bids that we can get out before uh the end of this year paving.

Although we're already started working on continuous lists that'll start back in February, March as we uh beat the season as far as the temperatures are concerned, and we'll do some striping uh for areas on during the cold times.

The first is a resolution of making Bibb County Commission to authorize the mayor to execute an independent contractor agreement with professional paving services LLC for asphalt paving and resurfacing services in an amount of two million three hundred and twenty-six thousand three hundred and thirty-two dollars and fifty-four cents to be paid from the two thousand twenty-five supplies funds, ROS, property line item.

Um as always you can go on and get that list.

Clay Murphy's been great about making sure that we have the list prepared and the bids are still looking good, meaning we're able to pay more roads and save money, and all these are licensed contractors, and they must be the stringent bonding requirements and also follow GDOT rules.

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

Motion by Commissioner Wilder, we have a second, second by Commissioner Wynne.

Commissioner Wynn, do you have a follow-up?

Question is professional paving a local company?

They are a local company, and they've done several jobs with us.

And we we have several local companies now, so they're local to make and bip county.

I just know that coming down Vineville today, it looks fantastic.

I don't know if you've been down at all.

I've been down there many times, but very slowly because there's a speed zone camera out there in front of I.

Yeah, of course, yeah.

But uh, I have a lot of time to ride on a smooth road, and certainly uh I think the state had arranged for those particular uh folks to pave that, uh guys that we continue to work with, and it does look really nice all the way up to uh college.

And I'm well aware of that camera, by the way.

So uh at this time we uh we we already had a motion second, we're taking care of that one.

We'll move on to item B.

Item B is a similar um resolution of a resolution of Making Bibb County Commission to authorize the mayor to execute an independent contractor agreement with Atlanta paving and concrete construction for asphalt paving and resurfacing services in the amount of one million eight hundred and twenty thousand three hundred and fourteen dollars and seventy-two cent to be paid from the two thousand twenty-five supplies funds roads property line items.

Before I get a motion and second, I'll hear a question or comment from Commissioner Bronson.

Hey, just out of curiosity, and and the name slips my mind, and please forgive me.

So when we're repaving these roads, um as a as a member for as a team lead with bike walk making, right?

One of the concerns we've been having is as far as when we repave the roads.

Is there a group that's out that is pretty much managing say for instance when we repave?

Do we need to that that works coincide, coincides with um walkways, sidewalks, those type things that can kind of say, hey, we need to make sure we're doing this as we're going along that we're not having to repave it and then come back later on and redo it?

Am I making sense?

I think I'm making this out.

We are working with our engineers, making war authority and other agencies.

If we have a new change to a road that's not just general maintenance, then of course it'll be going through our our complete streets and that process, so it'll go through that board for recommendations and advisory.

At the same time, we'll begin to look at our we already looked at I know Commissioner Bryant has asked for some uh sidewalks in her area that looking at pricing uh through that.

Uh so any new roads or design changes will go through a different process, but right now these are just general maintenance and repaving uh as well as stripings, but sidewalks is part of the program.

It was improved by the voters too on the spots, and that's part of the 50 million dollars that we talked about earlier.

And and the com I mean, I think you mentioned the group on so complete streets.

Are have they had any any heavy play in this deal, or is it just kind of a when we get when we need them in any sense, right?

Are they are they in the forefront of the conversation when it boils down to our projects?

They're always part and processable with every major project, but general pavement and maintenance, and that's why there's an exception there, which is why the reason we uh asked for those changes to be made to make sure we expedite the process for general maintenance.

Uh like Vineville, if we have to make changes on Vineville, Forest Hill, many of those examples I can think about where you have to have a actual physical change in the road work, uh, maybe some incidents that have happened there, some sidewalks that are needed, uh, those types of things, but just general maintenance like uh Good All Mill Road or Fulton Mill Road, and those types of roads are just long roads that you're not gonna have sidewalks down.

Okay, uh that's just us sweet deal.

Thanks, sir.

Commissioner Vin, do you have a question?

I just want to be added as a spot co-sponsor on this and the last one, Janice, please.

Thank you.

So uh that brings us to a point of a motion.

We'll have a motion to uh to accept.

We did on this one too.

No, no, no.

Not on this one.

That was all it's I got on Commissioner Wynn over there, and we got a second.

Second, I got out of Bailey, even though Bronson said it first.

I got a motion, second.

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

Opposed, nay.

That motion carries will be sent to consent agenda.

Uh we have an appropriations and transfers.

This is an ordinance to make and bip county commission.

Hmm, you got an item?

Not showing them here.

No, I don't mind.

You want to say something?

Really?

Now it's on.

Now it's on.

Yeah.

Commissioner Raymond Wilder from District.

What do you just say?

I did just I want to make a short comment.

This in package seven here.

It is mostly uh I don't know if you've looked at it, Valerie, but a lot of Bass Road there.

So that's something you've been interested in.

But the uh for anybody in District Six out there listening, I've had multiple calls about this little section of Columbus Road.

It runs from Eisenhower over to Hopewell.

This is in this package.

Just wanted to make sure I brought that that to everybody's attention out there.

Columbus Road from Eisenhower over to Hopewell, and then back over to Eisenhower is part of this package.

Uh thank you, Commissioner, for looking at that.

Uh item 5A is the ordinance of Macon Bibb County Commission to authorize appropriations in the amount of 24 million seven hundred and fifty-four dollars 403.03 from the 2025 splash bond appropriates to pave the road projects, the jail expansion and renovation project, the arena project, and various public safety projects as specified here in.

Remember just a couple weeks ago, it seems like a long time ago, but we uh set aside a preliminary budget uh designating certain amounts of money for different projects, and these are just basically now going to uh fund those projects like the roads that we're paving, we're starting to get the bills and things of that nature in.

And of course, we're starting the uh the jail project as well, and we'll get bills in that, and then we started getting we'll start getting some bills in on the arena for the architectural.

Uh so um that's what this money is for something we've already discussed, but this is another step in the process.

Uh Commissioner Bailey, do you have a question?

Yes, I would like to be added to this.

Okay, we'll add you as a sponsor, Commissioner Bronson.

So I I guess in my in my whole dealings, right?

When you say various projects, my concern has always been in ensuring that we're putting money into areas such as East Making, um, South Making, especially South Making House and Avenue area.

Is there a list of various projects that we can take a look at?

I know we're gonna vote on this tonight, but is there a way that we can either A take a look at the list and or if add on the needed projects for our particular districts within our districts?

Well, this list right here is specifically for the projects that you already approved, and this is specific items.

Those pavement projects cover the entire Macon Bibb County, all those pavement projects go across the district.

Uh Mr.

Water just knows exactly which roads are being paid in his district, so he talked about those because he's got people that are asking him out there.

So uh every part of Macon Bibb County is getting getting uh funding on various parts.

This is the initial fifty million dollars or so that we budgeted for these specific items.

Uh, these are not your projects in specific neighborhoods, so to speak, as a as opposed to the public safety things that we have to have for the radios and things like that, for the towers that we've we've got in place uh and for requests that the sheriff had for the roads project and of course for the arena and the jail project.

So these are specific projects.

Um we just have a lot more to do on the entire supplies, these are just the initial part that we borrowed the money for for the projects that have to start now, otherwise they won't get completed, and we have to lock in ahead of any potential raise and steel prices or other tariffs, etc.

Is there anything in the near safe ransom in the next three to six months or should I say second quarter where we get able to go back in and review some of the projects?

Um I know in in talking mean you had a discussion in regards to the MLK project that I've been working on and then the development for house housing avenue I've been working on.

So I just want to make sure that we're putting that on the on the hit list for this year if that's possible.

Well, I I think that you're driving the the trend.

I know it's a different different different animal, but just want to make sure that when we start talking about various projects.

When the public hear projects, I want to make sure they understand that which projects we're referring to and so forth.

Well, if you got a specific project in mind, of course, you along with myself and at least five other commissioners can make that decision at any point in time.

But uh I imagine after we get these initial projects that we funded from come from, uh, we'll get several proposals on how to spend the remaining 400 million dollars.

Yes, sir.

Thanks.

These are these are items that we we address from the beginning.

Commissioner Wheeler.

Just what he was saying.

Um, various public safety projects can be any a lot of things.

Yes, ma'am.

But but there are they specific to any district or just all over.

Do we know what they are yet?

The public safety was what passed in the sponsor, but there should be an attachment as far as an exhibit to tell you exactly where this money is going to.

So if you look in the back of your package, uh it lists an itemization of how much money is going in.

I think it does check a particular box like a public safety.

These I think were towers.

Ums Moore.

Yeah.

Yeah, uh, that's what this is for.

But that always is part of that.

Now I can't tell you where that car is gonna go or where that tower is gonna be at, but that's gonna be all across the all all across our our county.

But um, as we focus on other expenditures as we bring it back before commission to look at a more timeline over the next several years.

We'll do things like remember the fire department we talked about.

If you have a new fire apartment out on that road after the gentleman that came here, or a new fire station has to be done in this particular area, or certain things that the sheriff have asked for.

Uh, those things will be brought on a case-by-case you know basis.

Um, but right now these are just the the highlight, the big areas that we have that we had to do the initial fund because we borrowed the money ahead of time.

Okay.

Thank you.

Commissioner Stewart.

I was just uh piggybacking on on what uh commissioners Wynne and Bronson was saying as far as various public safety projects, because we're the ones that have to go back out and talk to the constituents.

I just wish there was something a little more tangible for us to put our hands on to uh translate back to our constituents.

So perhaps going forward, uh you, Mr.

Mayor and the legal team can come up with something a little bit more concrete for us, the commissioners.

Thank you.

Well, well, together as a team, we'll have something more concrete.

This is something that we talked about on several occasions.

These are the big projects that we've already voted on, so we're just basically expending those funds that we borrowed the money for.

And also we borrowed that money for a specific purpose, and the people who are backing those bonds have to know we're using it for those purposes, and that's why we're doing that.

But certainly uh we're a team here at mind input, and certainly uh even without the mayor here, any five commissioners can do whatever they want to do on any given occasion.

So uh we at this time we do need a motion uh to approve, so I'll have a motion to approve by Commissioner Hewitt, who's a co-sponsor.

Do we have a second?

Second, second by Commissioner Bailey.

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

Aye.

Opposed, nay.

That motion carries to be sent to consent agenda.

Item 6A is a grant, it's an ordinance of Making Bibb County Commission to authorize the application keyword application of 2.5 million dollars from the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Program, GOSP, and acceptance of awarded funds for the expansion of the Omuggy Heritage Trail and development of conservation park appropriation up to six hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars if we get the grant from two thousand eighteen supplies funds, other Old Muggy Heritage Trail to be used as local match for the GOSP funds.

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

Opposed nay.

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to Making Bibb County Board of Commissioners regular meeting.

Time is now six o'clock.

Today is October the twenty-first, two thousand twenty-five.

Appreciate everyone being here with us tonight.

Uh, we have several items on the agenda that's uh a part of our consent agenda from the previous meeting that we had already today.

We also have a couple of proclamations that we'll be presenting at the very beginning of the meeting.

But today we'll begin our meeting like we always do with the official call to order, followed by a prayer.

So those of you that can and will please stand for the prayer followed by the prayer leisures.

And tonight we have Miss Barbara Griggs with a hope for the heart of Georgia to lead us in a prayer.

Thank you.

Good afternoon, everyone.

Just to say thank you.

Lord, you've been mighty good to us.

And Lord, we thank you for these your people who have gathered tonight.

Lord, that you will give them what they need to make decisions concerning your people.

I pray, O God, in the name of Jesus, that they will seek wise counsel.

Because there's a lot at stake.

And Lord, you said to lean not to our own understanding, but in all thy ways, acknowledge him, and he shall direct your path.

And I pray tonight that we will do just that.

We will seek counsel from the Almighty God.

Because we know if we seek wise counsel from him, we know everything will be all right.

And Lord, we will honor you with praises and glory, because it all belongs to you.

Because we realize, oh God, that there's none like you.

And there will be none before you, and you are a man that cannot lie.

And so we just ask, oh God, that we're laying it and putting it all on the altar tonight, and that everything will be done decent and in order.

Say Amen.

Thank you.

Pledge allegiance.

And I've asked uh Commissioner Bailey, who is a retired educator herself, uh, to read that proclamation.

And at this time, I'd ask all the interested parties, and I see all them in their their colors tonight to come forward.

Stand up there to take a pretty picture, and we'll give a proclamation to you, and we'll be there in just a moment to have our staff take a picture as well, and they'll be happy to use your phone to take one if necessary.

So let's get them all in place first, Commissioner, before you begin.

And we'll see if she uh see if she uh uh takes my advice on that.

Make sure I got the microphone on first.

They will go you good.

Thank you, Ms.

Bailey.

You shall begin.

Whereas the governor of the state of Georgia has proclaimed the day of Sunday, November the 2nd, 2025, as retired educator's day in Georgia, and whereas there are more than a hundred and forty-five thousand retired educators in Georgia, 34,000 plus of whom are members of the Georgia Retired Educator Association, and whereas the retired educators of Georgia donate thousands of hours of volunteer service and make invaluable contributions to the welfare of their respective communities across this state, whereas it is appropriate that a day be designated for citizens to express their appreciation for the contributions that retired educators have made and continue to make for the betterment of human lives and for society, and whereas local churches will recognize those lasting contributions made by retired educators in this community.

Now, therefore, our mayor less deMural do hereby proclaim Sunday, November the 2nd, 2025, as retired Educators Day in the Making Bibb County, and all citizens are urged to observe this day in an appropriate manner, earn honoring retired educators, and so witness therefore the hand thereon to set his hand and cause the seal of consolidated government to be affixed this second day of November 2025.

Lester in Miller.

Did I do that right?

Pretty close.

It's October.

Pretty close.

Did I do it right?

I didn't believe I thought it was stupid.

Thank you.

We appreciate all the great work they do.

I told them they have a thankless job, and I certainly appreciate all the good work that our retired educators and our current educators do to educate our children in our community.

This time we have our pre uh presentation.

This is gonna be a proclamation recognized in October as breast cancer awareness month.

And I asked Commissioner Wynne, who has very uh close relationship to this particular proclamation, and asked her to read that tonight for all to hear.

I'm not gonna add Lib in here, but I'm just gonna say something prior to reading the proclamation.

Um as Mayor said, I am close to this matter because my mother had uh breast cancer.

And let me just say this to you women and men out here.

A lot of people think that breast cancer just comes after 50 for either one of you, those groups, but my mother had breast cancer at 38, and men get breast cancer too.

I worked for a man um uh in a previous job that was healthy, vigorous, and yet he came down with breast cancer.

He said he was taking a shower and was washing under his arm and felt a lump in his lymph node, and sure enough that this healthy man didn't have breast cancer.

So, men, this is not just the women's thing, and it's not for old people, it's for anybody.

Just wanted to say that before I read this.

Now I will read from the proclamation.

Proclamation from the Office of the Mayor, Making Bibb County, Georgia, whereas, let me hold this up here so I can see it better.

Breast cancer affects 2.3 million women worldwide, and every October, um, an international health campaign is held.

And whereas the aim of the breast cancer awareness month is to inform Americans about breast cancer by advocating for early detection and increasing their awareness about treatment options.

And whereas the American Cancer Society estimates that in 2025, about 3,000 uh 33, 350,000 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in women, leading to about 46,600 deaths and wear eyes and 2024 in Georgia.

It was estimated that there will be about 9,840 new cases of breast cancer diagnosis resulting in about 1,422 deaths.

And whereas for many women, mammograms are the best way to find breast cancer early detection when it is early easier to treat and regular mammograms that can lower the risk of dying from breast cancer, according to the centers for disease control and prevention.

And whereas breast cancer is the second most common cancer among among American women, and through early detection in the form of a mammogram and regular screenings and new technology available to breast cancer treatment patients.

An important opportunity exists to unite the citizens of Central Georgia to prevent cancer deaths.

Now, therefore, I, Lesra M.

Miller, do hereby proclaim October 2025 as breast cancer awareness month and make Bibb County, and I urge all citizens to educate themselves about breast cancer treatment options and early detection so that we might begin to reduce the devastating effects breast cancer imposed in our state and witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the consolidated government to be affixed to on the 21st day of October 2025, and this is signed by Lester M.

Miller, our mayor.

Thank you.

Thank you, Commissioner Wynn, for reading that.

I appreciate your recognition on all folks that suffer that.

I do believe that we always support our local medical facilities for early detection.

Any any chance we get uh to promote that, we certainly take that advantage of that.

Uh we have no public comments on agenda items.

We do have a couple on non-agenda items, but we do have the approval of the minutes.

This is approval of the minutes from our October the 14th, 2025 call meeting that we had last week.

I got a motion to approve.

Motion by Commissioner Stewart.

We have a second.

Second by Commissioner Bryant.

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

Opposed, nay.

That motion carries.

We do have consent agenda items.

Those are agenda items that we voted on unanimously early at our meeting this this evening.

Items A through G.

So this time we entertain a motion to approve items A through G as previously indicated and voted upon.

Motion by Commissioner Wilder, second by Commissioner Bailey.

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

Opposed, nay.

That motion carries unanimously.

We had two public comments on non-agenda items.

Our first.