Well, good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen.

Welcome to the Make and Bip County special call meeting.

Today is Tuesday, April the twenty first, and the time is approximately three thirty.

I'd like to welcome you everyone here to City Hall to begin our meeting.

Motion by Commissioner Stewart.

We have a second.

Second by Mayor Pro Tim Wien.

I got a motion and second.

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

That motion carries and we sent the appropriate spot.

The first one is item A.

This is a resolution making big county commission authorizing acceptance of the state grant for emergency subgrant award for the central criminal justice council and amount of sixty-five thousand.

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

Opposed nay.

That motion carries naturally.

Item B is the resolution making Bibb County authorizing the acceptance of a criminal justice coordinating council violence against women or VAWA grant award.

And this time an amount of eighty-four thousand five hundred and sixty-three dollars with local match fund requirements having been weighed for this grant cycle.

And this is for the district attorney's office.

Uh and that is for uh therapists for the victim, victim therapist.

Uh this time we'd entertain a motion to approve.

A motion by who is that commissioner Bailey?

You got a second?

Second by Mayor Pro Tim.

And we have a couple questions.

Uh Commissioner Stewart, you have your light on, sir?

No, I just want to do that as a co-sponsor.

Yes, sir.

We'll do that.

Uh, Mayor Pro Tim.

Thank you.

And uh Commissioner Cato.

Same thing.

Okay, and Commissioner Bailey, we got you as well.

All right.

All these happy sponsors.

I like to see that.

All right, we have a motion and second and various co-sponsors.

At this time, we call for a vote.

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

Opposed, nay.

That motion carries unanimously.

Item C is the resolution of Making Bibb County Commission authorizing acceptance of a criminal justice coordinating 2025 Violence Against Women Act.

Uh, this time is going to be for the solicitor's office, and that's for the purpose of salaries uh for victim uh advocate there.

And the amount is 75,874 uh with local match fund requirements having been away.

Can I get a motion to approve?

Now mayor pro tem second by Commissioner Howell.

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

Opposed nay.

Those that had your lights on, I assume you want to be a co-sponsor.

That's Stuart and Wynne.

And uh, you can just let Miss Ross know from now on.

Um thank you very much.

And we're gonna move on to item D, which is a resolution of Making Bibb County Commission authorizing acceptance of 175,914 and 54 cent.

Uh the first is a Ford F 250 uh for animal control, and the second is a 2025 Mustang for the Sheriff's Department.

Both of those are grants.

Uh for again the total 175,914.54 cents.

And get a motion to approve.

Motion by Commissioner Wilder, second by Mayor Pro Tim.

Uh Ms.

Kato, would you like to be a sponsor or you got a question?

Sponsor.

Thank you very much.

Commissioner Wynne.

Gotcha.

All right, we've got a motion second.

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

Opposed, nay.

That motion carries unanimously.

Thank you very much.

Gonna be on the contracts and agreements, and we do have one, two, three, four, five of those tonight.

The first is a resolution of Macon Bibb County Commission ratifying the signing of an agreement with Tyler Technologies in a matter of six hundred and eighty nine dollars, uh $689,399 for annual software as a service fee payable from the general fund information technology IT infrastructure.

Okay, a lot to be said.

And I believe this is a single source from Tower Technologies there.

Uh so at this time we'd entertain a motion to approve.

Motion by Commissioner Cato, we have a second.

Second by Commissioner Bailey.

We have a motion second.

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

Opposed, nay.

That motion carries unanimously.

Item B is a resolution of the Making Bibb County Commission authorized the mayor to execute an agreement with AMI of Georgia LP for lifeguard and aquatic management services in amount up to 150,000 to be paid from the Toby Sovke Recreation Area Fund.

This is only for Tobasovkin.

This is a one-year extension.

Uh the contract expired, I think, on May the 7th of this year, so this is a one-year expansion only for Toby Soviet.

All the other recreation centers handle those on their own budgets for those that are interested.

At this time, we uh get a motion to approve.

Motion by Commissioner Wilder.

We have a second.

Second by Commissioner Bailey.

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

Opposed nay.

That motion carries uh those of your lights on.

I assume you're going to be co-sponsors.

Okay, Commissioner Wynn, go ahead.

All right.

Is that is that the same company we used before?

Yes, ma'am.

This is a one-year extension for the previous company.

Okay, thank you.

And Commissioner Cato, you had a question?

I like to be a closed one.

Okay, I got you, Commissioner Committee.

Kato, you had a question?

Yes.

I wanted to know are these are they gonna hire any of the youth under this program for the summer out there as lifeguards?

Or is that under our program?

This is a uh pro this is a private company, and they have they interview and hire on their own.

We're we hire them as a subcontractor.

Is that correct?

Yep.

It's a it's a private company that hires our own employees, and we hire them.

Uh they do all the training and and um those requirements, and this is a renewal from last year.

So we did have a motion second.

We've already taken a vote on that.

All righty.

We're gonna move on to the next item, which is a resolution of making Bibb County Commission authorizing the mayor to execute an amendment to the purchase agreement with apparel authority, LLC for extending the agreement until June 30th of 2027 for the purchase of fire department uniforms on an as-ordered basis to be paid from the fire department budget.

A lot to be said.

Uh Commissioner Hewitt, I know you're a co-sponsor on that.

Anybody else that wants to be a co-sponsor, please let Ms.

Ross know, and not me.

But if there's any questions, I'll entertain those questions now.

Here are no questions.

I'd ask for a motion to approve.

And I'll ask for a second.

We have a motion and second.

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

Opposed nay.

That motion carries unanimously.

Item D is the ordinance of the Mac and Bibb County Commission to authorize the mayor to enter into a professional services agreement with TVS design in a matter of 1,159,505 dollars to provide design services for the convention center and hotel project to appropriate that same amount from the interest earned on American Rescue Plan Act funds.

As y'all recall, when we were on our field trip, oh how has it been?

Several months ago.

We got a chance to go up on the top floor of the building just across from the site where the old Hilton Hotel used to be.

And we looked down upon that site, and y'all saw the drawings.

This is the company that did those drawings.

Now we got to move into the architectural phase where they actually do all the plumbing, electrical, and all those things, counting bricks, still and all that stuff.

And it's based on a percentage of what the project will be.

So this is something we've already done.

We're finally bringing the contract to you.

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

Motion by Commissioner Zeby.

Okay, we have a second.

Sorry.

Second by Commissioner Howell.

Got a motion second.

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

Opposed, nay.

That motion carries unanimously.

Gonna move on to a resolution of Macon Bibb County Commission authorizing the mayor to enter an agreement with one accord technologies in the amount of 1,271, 811.

For network configuration service for the Makin Bib County Courthouse to be paid from the 2018 splice funds, public safety.

IT upgrade property line item.

Commissioner Hewitt, I got you as a sponsor already on that.

Uh would someone like to make a motion to approve?

Motion by Commissioner Howard, we have a second.

You heard that got a second.

I've got a motion and second.

Any questions?

Hearing no questions, all those in favor of the motion, please say aye.

Opposed nay.

That motion carries unanimously.

We're gonna move on to appropriations and transfers.

Uh we have a couple of those prior to executive session.

Uh item five A is an ordinance of Making Bib County Commission to authorize an appropriation in the amount of up to 150,000 from the late Toby Sovke fund balance for the late Tobusovki, uh, which is the item we voted on just a moment ago.

So we approved uh the AMI for a one-year extension for lifeguards.

This is appropriate in those same funds.

So this time we entertain a motion to approve.

Motion by Commissioner Wilder, second by Commissioner Bailey.

Any other questions?

Hear no questions.

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

Opposed nay.

That motion carries unanimously.

Uh, we're gonna move on to item B, which is the last item prior to executive session.

This is the ordinance of the Making Bibb County Commission to authorize budget transfers and a total amount of 257,167 as provided herein to fund various departmental expenses.

Uh, just to give information in case you're not familiar with this, uh, each year toward the end of our budget cycle, we have um departments who at the beginning of their budget set aside a certain budget we approve uh in our normal process.

Uh, throughout the year, they may have uh some budget items that uh exceed the buckets they were placed in.

For example, if they had the mayor's budget and I had uh money in travel, didn't need that money on travel, but I also needed a copy of your money.

I couldn't just take that money from one place to the other without the permission of according to our policy of the commissions.

So anytime they move items from one item to the other item, uh it requires it to go before commission.

So as we get down toward the end of the year, it's not unusual to uh get these transfers in because people are getting down toward the end of their money in their budgets.

So, what we'll find a lot of times is they maybe went over a little bit on their their office costs for papers and things like that, uh, but have some savings and say they didn't do travel or food items and things of that nature.

So this is just a travel uh transfer within their budget items, and that's what this is for kind of accounting.

We'll come back to you with yet another one or two before we get through uh this year's.

But this is something we like to do on a regular basis to try to keep them on budget and keep our monies correct.

So this time we'd entertain Mr.

Wien, you got a question?

Yes, um so it stays within the same budget, but it's a different item, different type of item, I suppose.

For example, if we've got uh the communications department that has a budget of 200,000 and they uh had a certain line item that's uh he said I don't have that budget, certain line item that that has um equipment in there, but they haven't used all of it from another, they can move it from one line to the other, but it's it's within their budget already.

So they're not going over budget, just within their budget, right?

It just transferred within their budget.

Commissioner Cato, you have a question?

Okay, all right.

We already had a vote.

Okay, at this time we entertain a motion to approve.

Motion by mayor pro tem.

We have a second.

Uh somebody says second every one of the guys.

We have a motion and second.

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

Opposed, nay.

That motion carries unanimously.

Uh, ladies and gentlemen, we're gonna move into a point where we go into executive session.

Uh, before I entertain a motion for executive session, I do want to make a brief um informative item.

Uh this is part of our meeting.

We'll be doing an executive session.

This executive session is gonna be a little lengthy.

We will not return here uh out front until approximately six o'clock at 601.

At six oh one, we have a hearing in this room.

And at the completion of that hearing, um, we'll vote on one item and then we'll go home.

That's going to be this is a call meeting.

This is not a regular schedule meeting, so we don't have the normal processes that we always have.

But we will be going to executive session right now for the purposes of consulting with our attorney legal counsel to discuss pending or potential litigation.

A motion by Commissioner Cook and second by Commissioner Wilder.

Opposed now.

So thirty minutes.

Make it a motion to come out of executive session.

Motion by Commissioner Bronson, second by Commissioner Stewart.

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

Opposed, nay.

We're now at executive session.

Thank you, everyone from waiting patiently.

The time is now 601.

We're going to take a brief recess for a public hearing we have.

And I'm going to turn it over to our county attorney, Mr.

Duke Groover, to handle the hearing hearing before we take a vote on a resolution.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

Thank you, Commissioners.

I call the public hearing to order involving a resolution that is going to be considered and acted upon tonight by the Commissioner.

For those in the audience that are here on any properties involved in eminent domain or condemnation procedures, let me tell you what's going to happen.

If you are interested in any of these properties, own any of these properties, have anything to say about any of these properties, that's fine, just come to the podium, uh, identify yourself by name, and then identify the property you want to speak about, and then you can say your piece, and we'll have a we'll receive your comments.

Um and then as needed uh after the commission meeting is over, I would probably like if if you're agreeable to have a little conversation after the commission meeting for those of you who have inter interest in any of these properties.

Um any without any further ado, I'm going to start reading the resolution and listen closely, please to the properties that will be affected by this resolution.

Uh they're also published uh as part of the public records in this in this hearing.

A resolution of the Macon Bibb County Board of Commissioners authorizing the use of Macon Bibb County's eminent domain powers to remedy blight posed by multiple identified properties.

Whereas Macon Bibb County, Georgia possesses the power of imminent domain under Georgia law, and whereas the county has determined that blight or blighted properties within the county pose a threat to public safety and health as provided in OCGA 22-1-1, subsection one, and whereas to remedy blight or blighted properties within the limits, the county, it is the public benefit and in the public interest for the county to acquire blighted properties through the county's power of imminent domain.

And whereas the county declares that the following properties which are located at 2607 Peacock Street, Macon, Georgia, 2075 Napier Avenue, Macon, Georgia.

1141 Duncan Avenue, Macon, Georgia.

1137 Carling Avenue, Macon, Georgia.

60 Davis Street, Macon, Georgia.

3809 Lake Street, Making Georgia.

2368 Napier Avenue, Macon, Georgia.

1311 Duncan Avenue, Macon, Georgia.

1239 Duncan Avenue, Macon, Georgia.

672, Franklin Street South, Macon, Georgia.

15 516, Robert Henry Street, Macon, Georgia.

545 Heard Avenue, Making Georgia.

535 Heard Avenue, Making Georgia.

564 Cleveland Street Making Georgia.

Whereas the County finds and determines that the properties are to be acquired for the public use and the county's acquisition of the fee simple interest in the properties is necessary to remedy blight.

And the county has conducted due diligence to identify persons with legal claims to or interest in the properties based upon the public records and information reasonably available to the county.

Whereas it is necessary that the properties and other rights, if any, be acquired expeditiously and without delay, so that the county may remedy the blight, and whereas the county made reasonable and good at faith efforts to acquire the properties by negotiation as provided by law and documentation of such efforts is included in the exhibits attached to this resolution.

Whereas with respect to each of the properties, an independent appraiser was retained to determine just an adequate compensation.

Inspections were conducted or properly waived as reflected in the corresponding exhibits attached to this resolution for each property, and the amount of just compensation was established based on the appraisers, and whereas with respect to each of the properties, the county provided written notice of its determination of just compensation and an offer to acquire the applicable parcel, and the county has been unable to reach a voluntary acquisition, whereas the county finds the resolution is desirable to properly promote the general welfare of the county and its citizens.

It is hereby declared and authorized that the public necessity for the county to expeditiously acquire the properties by and through its eminent domain powers so they may remedy blight posed by the properties, and it's hereby declared an authorized that the circumstances are such that it is necessary for the county to proceed with condemnation procedures as provided by law is further declared and authorized that the county attorney and its representative shall institute according to the law a blight condemnation proceeding in the Superior Court of Bibb County to seek a determination that each of the properties is blighted.

It is declared an authorized that any of the properties that that are deemed blighted in the Superior Court, uh the county attorney or his representative shall institute an in-rim condemnation procedure to determine just inadequate compensation, and that any in rem condemnation proceeding instituted according to law, the county attorney and its representatives are authorized to select a county assessor to determine value, and that it is authorized that any interested party may also seek their own assessor to determine value, and it is authorized that those two assessors shall uh choose a third assessor, the panel of which shall determine value in accordance with the law.

It is hereby declared that any of the properties identified in the resolution is determined by a court of competent jurisdiction to be improperly included or otherwise not subject to condemnation.

Such determination shall not affect the validity of the resolution, and is further further resolved that this resolution become effective upon passage by commission and signed by the mayor.

So that is a mouthful, but that is what we're doing today.

And does anybody have any interest in any of the properties that I called out?

Did you say 980 Emory Avenue?

Emory?

No, ma'am.

No, ma'am.

Okay, so you'll you'll raise your hand if you got an interest.

Yes, sir.

If you don't mind coming up to the microphone, yep.

Turn that microphone off.

You can speak into that microphone, sir, and identify your name and the property that you're here on.

Good afternoon.

My name is Mark Quiz Brady, and I'm interested in all of the properties that you guys mentioned on Duncan Avenue.

Okay, what is your interest in the Duncan Avenue properties?

My nonprofit organization has invested heavily into that neighborhood already.

So we want to try to continue to keep doing that.

Okay.

So here's I appreciate that.

Um so you're an interested, you're interested in acquiring these properties?

Correct.

Okay.

So what we're doing today is simply authorizing the county to proceed with condemnation on these properties.

Once that is completed, you will, and I can talk to you offline.

You and I can have a discussion about what can be done in terms of purchase.

You would not be purchasing it from the county.

These properties will ultimately be transferred to the land bank authority.

So but I'll be glad to talk to you after the hearing to talk about what you know what you can do in that regard in terms of purchase.

Okay.

Is that is that all you is all you any more comments?

Okay.

Thank you very much for your time.

Anyone else?

Yes, sir.

You can come to the podium, please.

And speaking of the microphone, state your name and the property you're interested in.

Good afternoon.

My name is Carlos Treple.

I'm the owner of 672 Franklin Street South.

Uh I've been working on the property, but I had to stop the dual financial uh situation, but I'm ready to start working on the property again.

So I mean, I boarded off the house.

I reinforced their structure, so the house won't fall or anything.

I gotta work on the roof and I got a dual mayor um repairs, but I mean I'm willing to do it.

Okay.

So you what I'm hearing you say is you want to try to fix your sit fix up the house to take it out of the blighted condition.

Okay.

What's your what's your last name, sir?

Restrepple, R E S T R E P O.

Thank you for that.

If you don't mind uh staying after the hearing, I'll be glad to get your information and talk to you about it.

Thank you.

What was the property number you say for Emory Avenue?

Because I think that's owned by Little Rock Church.

We don't Emery.

Uh-huh.

There was no Emory on this Peacock, Napier, Duncan, Carling, Davis, Lake, Franklin, Robert Henry.

That may be what you heard, Robert Henry Heard, Cleveland Patterson, and Nelson and Hanson.

Those would be only streets.

Thank you.

Anyone else have an interest in one of the properties that we mentioned, please come to the microphone?

You can identify yourself and the property that you're have an interest in and tell us what that interest is, please.

My name is Nancy Bonson.

I am the owner of 1239 Duncan Avenue.

I was having extenuating circumstances since I took over the property.

We did get it boarded up to try and and make it last, but I was down for the count for a while.

And um just getting back together, and I would like to pull it down and build new.

You want to tear it down and rebuild it?

Yeah, our assessment was that the foundation was very poor, so it's either gonna cost a lot to fix it or we have to start over, as much as I'd like the heights of the ceilings in that place.

I don't think it's saveable without very high cost.

116 okay.

What's your last name?

Bonson, B-A-H-N-S-E-N.

Ms.

Bonson, if you could stay after, I'll be glad to talk to you about it.

Thank you very much.

Um I'm let me think I'm sorry.

Um I've been informed that we have a Carling Avenue, Michael.

Carling Avenue?

Yes, sir.

Okay.

The address on Carling Avenue is 1167, not 1137.

It's properly identified in the exhibits.

It was improperly identified in the resolution, and I'd ask for a motion to amend the resolution at the appropriate time to get the right address.

But is anybody from 117?

We'll do that in a second.

Anybody from 1167 Carling Avenue have an interest in that address.

Okay.

Anyone else have any uh further interest in any of the addresses I called out?

Yes, sir.

Hello, my name is Eduardo Pons.

I'm interested in the 1311 Duncan Avenue as I am the owner of that property.

Um we are actually planning on tearing down the property.

We tried two, three years ago to repair it, and unfortunately the resources that we brought uh in about a week, they were gone.

So we're just gonna be tearing that down and deciding on what we'll be doing afterwards.

Okay.

Like you've heard I said before.

If you could stay after, I'd be glad to take your information.

I appreciate that input.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Anyone else on any of these properties?

Yes, yes, sir.

I'm here to uh what's your name, please?

I'm Melvin Broadnax.

Okay, and we're talking about uh 2075 Napy Avenue.

Yes, sir.

Um we will be interested in speaking with you after, but we just wanted to let you know that we were here to regarding that property.

Okay.

Thank you.

Be glad to talk to you about it.

Okay.

Thank you.

Anybody else?

Okay.

If we can have an amendment.

Yeah.

Yeah, let's do that first.

Uh, commissioners you heard the uh explanation regarding 1137 um Carling Avenue.

At this time, I want to entertain a motion to amend the uh item on the agenda to change the uh address to 1167.

Can I get a motion to do that?

Motion by Commissioner Stewart, second by Commissioner Howell.

All those in favor of amending that, please say aye.

Opposed, nay.

Thank you very much.

Uh at this time I'm calling for any final uh persons interested in have a vested interest in any of the properties that we mentioned earlier as part of the zip but before our vote on this resolution having seen no response, and our attorney will be talking to you after this meeting uh regarding the properties that he had identified earlier.

At this time, I'd entertain them.

Yes, ma'am, you have a question.

Um 3809 Lake Street.

Have you guys called that one?

Can you repeat that?

I can't hear you.

Yep, I got it.

Have you called that already?

We've we've called it.

What what's your but you can speak on it?

What is your name?

Um my name is Marshall.

My name is Marshall, and this is Du Caroy.

We're basically have the property secure.

The intention is to renovate and rent the property.

Okay.

And y'all own the property?

Yes.

Okay.

If you could stay after, and I'll be glad to get your information and talk to you about the process.

Okay.

Thank you very much.

Anyone else have a vested interest in one of the properties that we mentioned earlier uh that you would like to speak with us about or address it this time prior to vote on the resolution.

Hearing none, we'll proceed with the uh a motion.

At this time, I entertain a motion to uh on the resolution to make and Bibb County Board of Commissioners authorizing the use of making Bibb County's imminent domain powers to remedy blight opposed by multiple identified properties mentioned today in this hearing.

Can I get a motion to approve?

Motion by Mayor Pro Tim, uh second by Commissioner Cook.

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

Opposed, nay.

Thank you.

That motion carries.

Can I say one more thing?

Yes, sir.

All of those who wanted to speak to me after the hearing, if you could just meet me down in front uh once the uh meeting is adjourned.

Thank you.

Uh thank you, ladies and gentlemen.

This this hearing and this uh meeting is hereby adjourned.