Three minutes.

I'd like to call the city council agenda review session to order, please.

The first item of business is the June 10th, Juneteenth, June the 10th, 2026, regular meeting minutes.

Is there a motion?

Make a motion to approve.

Second.

All those in favor, please raise your right hand.

Motion carries 7-0.

City Council agenda review.

Tonight we're delighted to presentation of a renewed office with the mayor of the police department.

And I guess the chairman of personnel and the chairman of public safety join them.

Mr.

Chair, do you mind presenting that?

I don't know if I have the proclamation, but I'm happy to present it if I can.

It's up there.

Schedule appearances.

We have uh four people signed up.

The two minutes for Juneteenth and June 23rd are on consent.

Any of the objection to those?

No objection.

The next item is a motion to table.

No objection.

Next item is which one is that.

D6 North Hill Quest.

Thank you, Mayor.

No new information related to this request tonight.

See nobody say anything.

The next item is 25 Crescent Circle.

Yes, sir.

We also have no new information related to this request as well.

55 Powers Ferry Place.

Yes, sir.

Um this morning staff was provided with an uh letter of stipulation update um dated today by Mr.

Parks Huff, the representative of the applicant.

Uh within that letter of stipulation, they've outlined certain things they are agreeable to in relationship to noise attenuation, some other factors related to the site.

Um that email was provided to council, and I believe we have it at your uh seats as well.

But if you have any questions, be happy to answer those.

The uh let the letter was also posted online at the upcoming hearings page, correct?

That's that's correct.

Okay.

Well, the clarity when we what I understood when we left, it was they were talking about 12 megawatts.

But but the whole package is 18 meals and 12 just for IT and but it's gonna be 18 additional mega watts.

Yes, sir.

And they broke it down into purpose, so that's correct.

Is this question?

The stipulation letter in our package.

It's on your desk.

It's on the desk to the right.

It was submitted after the packets were presented, so you've got it separately on the desk.

This is the mission proof.

Well, there's one that says uh July 8th.

That's it right there.

Uh it's uh the right one.

Yes, July 8th.

You need a copy, I can provide mine.

Here we go, we got a copy.

Okay.

Yep, thank you.

Today's date, yeah.

He's gonna back row.

Can do we need to turn up the volume from the diocese?

Yes.

It's kind of hard to hammer the people that are staff.

Can you hear up there at the top?

Okay.

Is there a way to turn it up?

Thank you.

So they just got loaded.

Next item is 782 Franklin Gateway.

No new information for this project, Mayor.

285, 295 victory drive.

The same, no new information to share.

Revised fan for Atlanta NWSL.

We have no new information.

It was left off of consent, so if there's any questions that we can answer, we will be happy to do that.

We also do have a representative from the applicant here as well.

Okay, so and that's not a public hearing.

So yes, sir.

Unless everybody's happy we can put on consent.

I don't know.

I ask one question.

Yes, sir.

Um Mr.

Attorney, Mr.

Haney.

Yes, sir.

Um for uh for this particular one revives detail plan.

I know that it was done, uh, original was done with the uh zoning.

So this uh this one does it fall on the definition of zoning decision, or is it outside of that?

To me, we can approve it tonight.

If you approve the uh item that's on the agenda tonight, it will be a valid approval.

Um Mr.

Cummings submitted something that says uh minor changes in use do not require the process to start all over.

366 4 also does not require that the process start all over.

This I would call this a minor change, they're just moving what one of the gates it's the security shack that's going from one location to the other.

Otherwise, there's no change, and it can be approved if you like on consent.

With that, Ms.

Mayor, I have no objection to consent.

No objection.

Consent all right, consent.

Now claims on consent.

Is that all right?

And Mr.

Mayor I have one to add that came in.

You knew he was gonna do it Monday.

I was getting ready to add you were gonna do it.

This claim came in Monday before uh after the agendas went out, and I would request that you add that to consent for denial.

It's it's at your desk under a red table.

I'll uh can't do it until seven the seven o'clock meeting.

I can't do it at six, right?

So if I I'll be willing to make a motion at seven.

Okay.

The first two items on page eight, the tree replacement and land acquisition funding.

The wrong consent.

Any objection to those?

No objection to the next one is 1440 Sumter.

Yes, sir.

Earlier today, um staff and council did receive a letter from the attorney representing uh the the group that's uh pursuing the preliminary plat approval, essentially outlining um different statements or responses to statements that have been made in a letter of objection, and so that was provided along with a um an outline or a plan that would show ways infrastructure could be placed around where the uh considered drive uh area is in order to be able to accommodate that.

Uh but those are the only pieces of new information that staff have tonight.

Any other comment?

Not at this time.

I'll think we have public comment on this one, correct, Mr.

Mayor.

Yeah, 15 minutes.

Yes, yeah.

I'll probably save most of my questions for that.

I have a question if I could.

So I received something.

I don't know if it was just me or everybody received it regarding water mitigation.

Oh, yes, that's a great point as well.

Um, along with that packet was a letter from the engineer for the applicant committing to um follow essentially follow all you know stormwater regulations and to bring the site to a point to where the flow is improved today as of compared to what it or approved tomorrow as compared to what it is today.

Okay, thank you.

Yeah, as far as the public hearing, that the committee hearing is basically gonna be the folks that are against it.

More likely and then the regular presentation will be just before the council.

Okay.

And my understanding, in order for them to donate the land, all five would have to agree if they were to donate, bring it up to whatever city standards are and donate if they're if they do not agree.

Still have a right to uh develop the property and pass that easement on to the new residents that would be living in that.

I think ultimately that will be a question between the owners of that easement and those trying to develop the project.

Um what the letter from their attorney did express was that they would be willing to um as an alternative turn it into private drives should they not be able to reach some sort of agreement.

Um but that would not be something that the city would arbitrate.

But what if it turned into a private drive would that exclude the owner of that property from moving forward with this development?

I guess my question if it's turned into a private drive, that makes uh creates new issues.

And let me uh I'll go further with Mr.

Kent, but we've we've looked at the title, uh, and uh there are significant legal issues regarding the title.

Mr.

Anderson raised a good point Monday night.

Can you deny a preliminary plant if the title is in question?

And under the code, um you could, but I would want to put some disclaimers in the record if you approve it that the city is new neutral on the title, and actually, Mr.

Kent, there are six individuals that have an interest in this road, and I will tell you it is uh it's kind of a hard title to look at.

We've done it since Monday, but there are issues regarding the title that I'll discuss with you at seven.

All right.

I'd like to give my opinion.

I know we we're allowed to shoot quasi judicial for zoning matters, but I don't think we have the right to be quasi-judicial over real property matters.

You are so right, Mr.

Mayor.

Personally, I'd like to suggest working with the parties to it that we table it until they work it out.

Or send it to a judge and let a judge well that's what I meant by working out, yeah.

But I don't think we have uh I don't think this body could rule on a land dispute, a boundary dispute.

You're exactly right.

Just to take it one step further, under 728.04, this is a preliminary review, but it has to come back for a final review, and as part of the final review, the applicant has to give the city a certificate of title as to who owns it, and I don't think the city council should be the arbiter at that point either.

So how how it's get gets unraveled, uh I'm not sure.

And I'll be glad to discuss it more now or at seven o'clock either way.

Well, I think it's it's not important to be executive session, and I don't think we can address it.

But I guess we could just discuss it at the hearing, but we'll give a hint the way I feel Franklin Gateway Park Committee.

We went ahead and took the uh the item that was submitted uh by the council member and uh went ahead and added that in as the resolution, so that dictates uh how the committee would be formed and how it would operate.

There were a couple changes we made in there uh as far as recommend to the council instead of it would be appointed.

Yeah, you okay with it, Mr.

Everybody else is good at it.

I'm I'm good with it.

Person who wrote it did a fantastic job.

Who was that?

They went to law school and use a uh using the Roberts Rules as modified by our code.

As long as what is using Robert's rules as modified by our code.

Yeah.

And then it says accept where the provisions establish a different procedure, in which case those procedures shall control.

Probably should just say accept is revised by our city rules and procedures or something like that.

Since I think that's how we follow the raw with Robert's rules plus the rules is modified.

I'm fine with that change.

Yeah.

I think it's a work in process.

I don't think we need a motion for the change.

Yeah.

Any objection to input it?

Now did you correct your 25 clerical mistakes that Mr.

Ghostine called?

Did I what?

Correct your 25 clerical mistakes that you I'm sure that I didn't correct all of them.

I'm sure there's a there's a comma splice or a hanging chat or something.

I don't know.

You didn't miss the truth.

So that's all right.

To put that on consent as revised.

No objection.

Thank you.

520 West Atlanta Street.

Thank you, Mayor.

We do have uh some new pieces of information related to this request to share.

Um first of all, the the church uh is pronounced um basil, not basil, so that was a point of clarification I'd like to make.

Uh secondly, they've provided some responses to staff comment and clarified that it is not their intention to place more gravel on the site, um, but rather the grass has been growing up and they would like to use the partially graveled, partially grass uh grassed area as a point of uh uh as a place to for them to park their vehicles.

Um so that was one of the things that they brought up.

Another was that they provided an email from the owner or a representative of the Geminological Society where they intend to have their off off-site parking.

Um essentially that email uh gives them permission in order to do so.

Um and then um I think there is a third if there was a third one.

That may be all we have the I just have a question if I could.

Um is parking on grass an acceptable surface?

It's not thank you.

And I with that question, I did have time to remember the last piece.

Um they have modified the plan and resubmitted it that does not show any parking on city right of way.

If you'll recall there were 10 spaces that were parked along the grass along City Ride of way on one of the submittals that's no longer there and was in front of you tonight.

Yes, sir.

No new information to share tonight, but happy to answer any questions 102 Murnap.

No new information for this item as well.

Next item is on the temporary moratorium is on consent.

The objection?

No objection.

No objection, sir.

No object um no objection.

Ask one quick question, just make sure I have the have it understand it fully.

Says this moratorium shall expire on December 31, 2026, or at such time the city council's properly amended the city's ordinances regarding data centers.

That's the earlier of those two because we can't have an indefinite moratorium per state law.

Correct?

Say that again, Josh.

I'm sorry.

The line says moratorium shall expire on December 31, 2026, or at such time as city council is properly amended, the city's ordinances regarding data centers.

That it's meant to say the earlier of the two because we can't have an indefinite moratorium, correct?

Correct.

Okay.

Correct.

So just wanted that that clarity in the on the resolution.

Is that on page nine?

No, that's on the now, therefore be it resolved.

Uh the moratorium item.

And it's on the first page of the resolution.

I don't have it was in our packet that came yesterday.

All right.

And I got it.

All that said, Red Ron Consent.

No objection.

Without without clarification, no objection.

We got 36 minutes, Mr.

Burton.

Okay.

Um, we actually have a lot of uh uh news stories and uh videos that we'd like to show uh before we get to the department heads.

So uh we'll go through some of those.

Um if we can put those up, we'll start pulling them on.

I guess the first one we can do is the uh WSB uh Polk Street.

Yep, that's it.

Channel 2 Cobb County Bureau Chief Michelle Newell is live in Marietta.

Michelle, the crosswalk they were using was a further walk from the school.

It really was, and Linda, you can see right where the work is happening.

But just to give you an idea of that walk, parents were actually walking their children all the way up this hill to safely cross the street, but then they had to walk down the hill on the opposite side just to get to school.

But this new crosswalk right here will safely take students directly across the street, right there to the elementary school on a street that has over five thousand drivers a day.

The kids walk down this sidewalk, so we put the crosswalk here.

This is the closest, safest place we could get it.

As students enjoy the summer break, Marietta City crews are working to make Polk Street safer before students return.

The project comes several months after parents expressed concerns to the city about walking their children to Westside Elementary School.

They had no safe way to cross here, so they had to go back up to the intersection on top of the hill, cross at the intersection, and then come all the way back down the hill.

We definitely want to make sure that they're safe.

Public works director Mark Rice says the new crosswalk is equipped with about 14 different lights, with most built into the ground, more advanced than traditional crosswalks.

It's fairly new.

The very first one that we understood it was installed in the area was at the middle school.

The company actually had to bring in the factory reps to help uh everyone get it installed and wired up properly.

The project costs about 143,000 dollars.

There is another crosswalk just like this one at Well Star.

Of course, Polk Street is closed right now, it will be closed tomorrow.

Uh crews should wrap up officially sometime next week, but this road should reopen on Saturday.

Live from Cobb County, Michelle Newell, Channel 2 Action News.

Then the next one we want to go to is AF new segment, which is Meredith Square Businesses and the fourth.

Obviously, the fourth of July holiday.

So businesses in Marietta Square are seeing a surge now in foot and sales traffic.

And Bridget, some businesses that may normally close on holidays actually decided to remain open tomorrow.

Carly Wale, that's right.

They really just didn't want to take that risk on missing that big opportunity to make some big money this weekend because all this is going to be covered in people.

As you can see, they're preparing right now for the fourth in the park.

A lot of business owners I spoke with, they say they want to fellowship with their neighbors as well as making money as America prepares to celebrate its 250th birthday.

But there's no place I feel in the South in Atlanta where you can come and you can park safely and you can mine and dine and arts and culture.

Marietta Square is busy on any given weekend.

We have, I believe it's over 40 restaurants now representing 35 different nationalities, and there's old and young.

But at July 4th festivities, along with ongoing World Cup visitors from other countries, you're bound to see more people this weekend.

In today's times, just unity and excitement and happiness and joy that we can all come together, the world coming together to celebrate.

Donna Kruger, who owns DK Gallery says she might have normally closed on the Fourth of July, but could not miss out on the action this time.

Now there's such an energy.

Um with obviously with the World Cup going on here and with the band tonight and the Fourth of July and Saturday.

Now Michael Mellers, on the other hand, usually is open on holidays, but he has seen an increase in sales over the last few weeks.

Before you came in, I had to explain to a guy what mom might was.

They he wanted to know what it tasted like and what they were showing the matches.

My gosh, it was busy around here.

You know, the weather was good.

Festivities will go on at the square Friday night, and then of course the finale with the fireworks on Saturday night.

Businesses are welcoming all the action.

If you're on the square and there's something going on, you need to be open.

And I'm told tonight this whole area is going to be covered in local artists showcasing the artwork that they have, and of course, trying to get those uh local customers to give some art to buy some of their art.

And I'm told the band that's on the stage preparing right now is driving and crying, and I heard they're pretty good.

We're live from Marietta Square.

Bridget Spencer, Atlanta News First.

And then next we'll go to fourth in the park recap.

And then the next one we're gonna do is a very serious uh situation that actually ended up uh about as good as it could.

And we want to let you hear about that, and that's uh lightning strike response.

Amazing.

In the parking lot of a church, as it turned out.

That's video of that lightning strike.

Fox Size Denise Dylan is live in Marietta tonight.

Denise, uh, today that woman is healthy and was able to meet the first responders who helped her that day.

Yeah, and what a special reunion that was.

Jeannie Menna was near her car, which was parked right about here when the lightning hit.

Right over there, used to be a tall tree, but that lightning strike blew it into a million pieces.

The lightning hit the tree, split it in half, hit my car, and then hit me.

Jeannie Mena was loading items into her car when she was struck by lightning in the parking lot of St.

Joseph's Church in Marietta last month.

I went into cardiac arrest.

She was unconscious, not breathing, and had no pulse.

Marietta Police Officer Lutvig was close by and was the first to arrive at the church.

There was just debris everywhere.

She was laying face down right next to her car.

I checked for a pulse, realized that she had no pulse, so I immediately started CPR.

Fellow officer Haney arrived a short time later.

In the pouring rain, they continued CPR until Marietta Firefighters pulled up.

They performed life-saving measures, including using a defibrillator.

And now, weeks later, she is meeting her heroes.

They are truly God's angels on earth.

To have a call like this, uh, and then to get to meet the person.

I mean, it's rejuvenating, right?

For what we do.

Glad we were close enough to be able to have the opportunity to do that for her.

Very much so.

Jeannie says she doesn't remember much about that rainy day, but she has seen the photos and heard the stories, and she's grateful for the first responders who were there.

I'm not sure why God saved me.

I feel like my life still has a purpose, and I hope I can fulfill that.

It's probably to help someone, and maybe it's just to help one person.

I don't know.

And Jeannie says she has been given a clean bill of help from her medical team.

Now she says she just wants to help others any way she can.

Reporting live in Marietta, Denise Stillin, Fox Five News.

She just looks great, and what a blessing for all of them to have been involved in something so positive.

Denise, thanks so much.

And uh, since we do have that one up there, I'd like to ask uh looking up to see if Chief is up there.

Yes, Chief, if you could come down and talk about it.

Yeah.

Um we run a lot.

I'm sorry, I came back from the Academy.

I was taking taking a FEMA class, so uh had to run back.

That's why I got the hat and kind of dishoveled.

Uh it's not a call we run a lot.

Uh talk to the medical director.

This is uh, I mean, this is a call that's like a once-in-a-lifetime for our for these these crews.

Um, you know, traumatic arrests, they usually have a one percent uh uh recovery rate.

Um it's usually because of quick defibrillation, effective CPR.

What's that happened in this situation?

I mean, she was she was down, she had a she had quick CPR from the officers.

Our crews got on the scene within four minutes, uh started life saving life-saving uh measures with um uh quick attachment of an AED, uh, got our monitor, got her shocked, got her life saving drugs on board, and then we transport her right to the hospital.

So uh it's not something we see uh a lot at all.

Um so we actually did an internal um an award server for ourselves, gave all our guys a uh a lifesaver coin, um, which it represents a person that uh was clinically dead, bring them back to the hospital, and they walk away with quality of life.

So we congratulated them uh along with uh the medical staff.

Thank you.

Obviously, it was a multi-department response, and so wanted to let Chief also have something to say about this.

So, yeah, uh Officer Luftig just happened to hear me now.

Officer Luftig just happened to be literally right around the corner, which was of a great benefit.

Um it was uh just a happenstance, but she was able to get there, and then Officer Haney right behind.

Um we also did uh some meritorious service awards uh last week.

Um they both received one along with three other officers.

Officer Rutledge, will you wave?

Will you wave your hand?

Just want to recognize you, thank you.

Thank you.

And you really can't top that video, but we do have some other videos to show.

Um, the next is Park and Recreation Month recognition.

And the city of Marietta is proud to recognize the parks and recreation professionals that help make our community a great place to live, play, and connect.

Every day in Marietta begins with a team whose work is unseen but never unnoticed.

The skilled trades and facilities maintenance team cares for every city-owned space from public safety facility to parks and trails that families cherish.

They make our celebrations possible, keep our sidewalks safe, and preserve the places where memories are made.

Their work touches all of us.

Join us throughout the month as we celebrate the people behind the parks, programs, and events.

Next we have uh to celebrate the 250th in Marietta in the United States.

We have what's called the Passport to the Past, which involves a lot of our museums and the community, and so I want to show a video on that.

250th of summer.

This July, the gone with the wind museum, is proud to participate in Marietta celebration of America's 250th through our Passport to the Pass program.

Pick up your passport at any of the six participating museums or the Marietta Welcome Center, then spend July exploring Marietta's incredible history.

Collect it, stamp in each location, and once you visited all six museums, bring your completed passport back to the Don Within Women Museum to receive a special commemorative gift.

It's a fun way to discover Marietta's rich history while celebrating 250 years of America's story.

Please be sure to check each museum's website in advance for current hours of operation.

We have a scene this summer.

The museums that are participating are the uh Gone with the Wind Museum, the Old Zion Heritage Museum, the Marietta History Center, the William Root House, the Aviation History and Technology Center, and the Marietta Cobb Museum of Art.

So encourage everybody to visit all those great places.

Um what uh individuals find out when they try to do some of the jobs that our wonderful employees do.

And so uh this this last one is uh the weather channel segment uh called Hot Jobs, and it's actually with the Marita Fire Department to the danger zone to trade spaces with true heroes.

He's feeling the crushing heat and pure exhaustion of the firefighting life firsthand.

It helps him survive the toughest ship of his life.

Carhartt equipped him with their most durable gear.

Let's see if he can take the heat.

I've been a broadcast meteorologist for more than two decades, and and during that span, have had the opportunity to work up close and personal with first responders.

Now for Carhartt's hot job challenge, I cannot imagine a taller task, a higher job than working with the Marietta Fire Department.

They've been in business since 1854.

Lieutenant, what we got here.

So we have a person that's trapped in this car.

We're gonna take the door and get the person out of the vehicle.

So next we would send somebody in.

Okay.

All right, so now that we have the door open, we're gonna take the cutters.

There we go.

This is so much harder than it was.

I'm giving this up to a pro.

Wow.

Didn't expect it to be that heavy.

Obviously, the the heat is an absolute killer.

How do you prepare for a day like today?

I start hydrating the day before, I make sure I eat good, I get good rest.

Because everything that I take in that day is what I'm gonna use as fuel the next day.

Next up, we've got to climb in our ladder truck.

It goes 109 feet.

The worst part is the soft in the eyes, sweat in the eyes.

We use it to get on the roofs, perform rescues to get up there, ventilate roofs, cutting holes and stuff.

Guys I gotta catch my breath.

I am dying in this city.

Holy crap.

Normally we would uh wear air packs and everything carrying tools, saws, things like that.

Cooler crack.

Oh man.

So I saw you when you got to the top, off that ladder.

Normally, that's just the beginning, right?

We climbed the ladder and then we've got to go to work.

Next, we gotta get you suited up because we're gonna go in that burn building.

So we've got to make sure you've got all your gear on, make sure you've got your air pack, make sure no skin is exposed because the temperature up towards the ceiling will be around 1200 degrees.

I mean, be honest, I am apprehensive.

But there's also the surge of adrenaline.

I don't know how these guys do this.

We're gonna send you in with a team of two.

We're gonna have to go around corners, down hallways.

So you gotta have a team to kind of help you pull that hose line and get you to where you need to go.

It's called high jobs.

This was like being in an oven.

This was hotter than anything.

But once you're in there and you you're dealing with all the emotions and the fight, the flight kind of thing, keeps it adrenaline rush.

You've got the hottest of high jobs.

If there is a kid out there that wants to follow in your footsteps, what advice we give?

Thank you, Ross.

Absolutely.

Lieutenant, tell me how I did.

Well, you you've got a day job, right?

So we're we're done for the day, right?

But I still get to drive the fire truck.

No, no.

Hot jobs presented by Carhartt.

We make the gear, you make it possible.

There again, we with what you saw there, we'd like to thank the council again uh for the support that we've had for that training center and to be able to put all that equipment in so that our firefighters can be trained as well as they are, uh, and don't have to go to other jurisdictions to do their training, which takes them away from all of us.

Uh and and they wouldn't be able to respond if we needed them, which was happening before when we had to send them out of the city.

So really appreciate that.

Um next, I'd like to ask uh Eric Black, our parks and rec director and facilities to come down and talk about what's going on, but also if you can give us an overall brief of everything that happened over the last five or six days, because we had an awful lot going on in the city.

We sure did.

Uh so first I just want to start by thanking uh our staff who worked very, very hard over the last uh really last month and a half, but especially at this past weekend.

Um so they were really asked to do more than normal uh just to celebrate the World Cup and 250th uh anniversary of our country, and as you would expect, uh they rose to the occasion, they're professional and did a great job.

Um then, based on uh uh social media comments, um, our community noticed that uh and really appreciated all the extra work our staff did.

So um I think they did a great job.

Uh, do you want to give a special thank you to uh uh Byron Gersner and Maggie Moss who do a lot of work behind the scenes that you may not always see, but they uh a lot of the stuff that happened over the last month and a half, they're really the ones who who coordinated and made sure all that all that happened.

Um so we don't uh we don't have final numbers from uh Monday's watch party, uh, but I will say uh we did have a great turnout um for all of our uh watch parties combined, not including Monday.

We had right at a right at 7,000 people attend those, so we had really good really good attendance.

I think the I was at all those, the crowd, the crowd really enjoyed that.

Um I did as well.

Uh we do have totals from Fourth of July weekend.

Um for our uh Independence Eve concert with Driving and Crying.

Uh we had 4,400 people attend that concert, so that was a good turnout.

Uh for the Fourth of July parade.

Uh we had 6,100 people attend the parade uh this year, so a lot of people, and then uh the day of the fourth, uh, just all the festivities on the square.

Uh we had uh 18,400 people attend that day.

So it was a lot if you were there, it was a lot a lot of people.

Um so those totals were our highest total since 2019.

So we had a really good turnout and and everybody seemed to have a really good time.

Um so uh just with all that more or less wrapped up.

Just uh what we have coming up this month is our uh uh Glover Park uh concert.

Uh so this month is uh seven bridges, which is an Eagles uh cover band uh for this month.

Um and then of course, as we move into the fall, we'll have uh uh our Harvest Fest.

And so um with that, just don't forget to start thinking about your Scarecrow on the Square for this year uh and doing that.

Um but anyway, I get just again want to thank our staff for all their hard work.

They they put in a lot of uh extra time and and they they did a great job.

Uh but that's what I have uh for updates this month.

Appreciate it, thank you.

Uh next would like to ask uh Ronnie Barrett to come down.

Uh he's got a couple things he can talk about.

Uh, one is a grant that we just received that we're excited about, and then some other updates.

So a few months ago um we came to council and we had an opportunity to apply for a grant uh to look at technology to help us with uh transportation in and around Marietta.

Uh we applied for the grant um and we were informed a couple weeks ago, about a week and a half ago, uh, that we we were awarded the grant.

Um so the grant will help us build the digital twin of the tra transportation network.

So we'll be able to look at uh predicting where traffic is, um, if there are any uh requested mitigation type devices uh for traffic calming, we can look at putting those into that that platform and then we can kind of predict how traffic will be impacted, where it will move because I know there are times where mitigation devices are approved, uh and then it it creates unintended consequences.

So that's some of the exciting parts of it.

So we'll be able to do that soon.

Um hopefully um we'll bring that item to you all again to approve uh the match uh so you'll see that at the end of July.

Um and then we can move forward with um moving forward with that project.

So we'll be excited to show you all how that works.

Um and as soon as we have it up and running, you're welcome to come by and look at it and see how we're working with transportation, public works, and IT to make uh traffic uh flow more easily and better through the city of Marietta.

Um the other thing is is we have uh continued our um fishing campaign to make sure our employees are safe in terms of what they're doing.

So you guys have seen all of the um training that make sure that you guys are receiving that, and yes, some of those emails that you're emailing me about and asking me if those are are a test, uh they are a test.

So uh please continue to do that and encourage the others to do it as well.

As far as the legislature at this point, they had the special session.

Yeah, they had the special session.

Um they were really focused on um what they could do to alleviate property taxes um in the state of Georgia.

Um there was a lot of local legislation that was pushed forward or presented.

Uh none of it passed, so none of the local legislation passed, no property tax bills uh changed.

So we are working with, we've got a meeting set up with GMA to review that with the tax department and the finance department to go over all the different changes that came through the previous session, not the special session, um, and what that means for the community and how uh tax can prepare better for that to present the information that they're required to present to the public.

Um fortunately, no more changes were made during the summer session because I think that would have made it a lot more confusing and probably chaotic come tax time.

And I guess the real good news on all of that is that uh we're one of the few jurisdictions in the state that's had a freeze um since 2002 uh on homesteaded property.

So uh that's what the state is trying to go to and is going to now.

Um their version that the rest of the state's gonna have to abide by allows uh up to three percent increase every year.

Ours since 2002 is at a zero percent increase every year.

So ours is still better than the rest of the state as far as benefiting property owners that that own houses.

Yeah.

And that should be it.

Okay.

Thank you.

Appreciate it.

Can I ask for question?

Yeah, Ronnie.

As long as we're talking about and also when you see a property tax increase, that's that's mostly properties that might have just been a lot the year before.

You know, when you say Mary had it might go up 6.5%.

I mean, most of the houses don't go up at all.

No.

And they don't go up 6.5, but yeah.

What say when you build a new subdivision, that's going from a nominal?

So it's not an increase on every parcel.

No, yeah, absolutely, Mayor.

And that's kind of confusing to folks when they're trying to understand exactly how that works.

Uh basically, uh, we're required to go out and publish uh documents in the paper and other places that say that there's X amount more money that we're gonna receive, and that's where they get this percentage increase from.

Uh so if it says there's gonna be three percent or four percent or whatever increase, well, that's the extra amount of money that we're gonna get in uh over what we brought in the prior year.

Well, since especially with Marietta, since we're mainly um zoned business areas and industrial areas and high commercial areas, uh, that's why it goes up here is because those properties get reassessed and they do have to pay more.

Um, and the new development that comes in, as you just said, um, that then goes on the tax roll, and so then they're paying.

But uh all the property owners we have in the city that own individual houses they live in, they never see an increase from the city.

Um they will see an increase from the school system, but they will not see it from the city because the city is frozen uh all those assessments since 2002.

So if somebody bought their house in 2015, it was frozen right then.

If they owned it in 2001, it was frozen in 2002 and stayed that way until they sell it.

And when they sell it, it just goes to whatever the sale price is, and that's for the new owner.

And then it freezes again.

So if they own it 15 years, it stays at what it was.

So we're still getting the same amount off of individuals that have owned their homes since 2002.

Uh, we're getting the same amount we got in 2002 and no more.

So uh that a real distinction, I'm glad you pointed out, so that we would be able to say that.

Thank you, Ronnie.

Yep, thank you.

Um, next I'd like to ask uh Keisha Register to come up and talk about HR.

Hello.

I just want to first of all say thank you to all of the employees for making it such a special weekend for everyone.

It was so much positive energy in the city, um, and they're really proud of the work that they've done.

Uh we just joined together with uh company called One Digital Digital to be our new insurance partner.

So if you get any communication from them, um it's not Ronnie trying to fish you, it's actually a company that is gonna help us do a lot a lot more with our benefits and um bring in a lot of wellness initiatives that we're looking forward to.

So as we get through the summer, we're gonna start things like our memo grand bus up again.

We're gonna partner with FIRE and do some um CPR classes and things like that.

So our fund is coming, just be patient as we transition with our new partner.

That's it.

Thank you.

And if uh could just remind everybody we just closed out our budget year, so uh that was successful, everything went well in the end.

Uh we just started back up July 1st with our new budget, balanced budget uh the council passed.

Um happy to say that as we were talking about individual taxes for homes, uh the council there again did not raise taxes overall for anybody.

Uh and that is um there again since 2002, basically, since uh there's been any tax increase uh from this council or the the councils before.

So uh the the millage has actually stayed the same since then, except for one exception.

Uh, there actually have been four years out of the last six where the council reduced taxes and uh went in and took the bond millage and reduced that.

So the overall tax burden to our citizens over the last five years has gone or six years has gone down four of those six.

So uh real real excited about the the ability to do that as a city.

Um also uh want to say that the uh 250th for the city, we appreciate the tourism money that we were able to get for that, uh, and obviously for the World Cup.

The World Cup's still going on.

We still got people that are gonna be in here over the next two weeks until the final.

Uh but the 250th goes the rest of the year.

So it is the entire year, and we have activities that you'll be seeing all throughout the year.

Um, one of the big ones which you're very aware of and you've heard of uh recently is gonna be the field of flags.

And so uh I know the um organization and the other individuals that worked to put that together is very appreciative of the money which was given by this council to assist with that.

Uh it does take a lot of money to make that happen.

So uh wanted to they've expressed their appreciation, so I wanted to thank you personally uh on that and just as a note on that with the field of flags.

I believe I believe Kwan is having another uh flag up flag build day in preparation for that on July 18th, the same location as previously.

Um probably the event up we're sure can be found on Facebook under the Kawanas page.

Okay, very good.

And uh, if you know uh Mr.

Needle Neely Young, uh he actually just published a book which is about the Georgians uh who were patriots and uh their stories, and so uh he's got the um individual signed the Declaration of Independence and he goes into all that.

Um he's having an event over at the museum at our museum, the history museum this weekend, uh, to uh kind of present that and tell those stories himself.

And I think is there no I was okay.

I didn't know if you had something else to add to that.

Okay.

Just realized my mic was yeah, I will say um one thing we did hear that yeah, we we've turned up the volume as much as we can, but if you can pull your mics a little closer, that will make them uh a little bit easier to hear uh as we go forward with this.

Um would also like to say that we did have a lot of news coverage uh besides what you even saw this past week.

Uh we had two different uh stations that were with us during the parade and all the things that happened on the fourth uh in the square area, uh, which was great, and they were doing it throughout the day.

Um we also had uh two different stations that were here for the watch party uh that we had on Monday, and uh they were broadcasting live um while the World Cup was going on, uh, which was great.

Uh one thing that was really interesting is that when we did the other uh watch fest weekend where we had a U.S.

game, but we also had a lot of other games, and we had we probably showed six games that weekend.

We actually had a news crew from Brazil uh that came up and was broadcasting from the square uh because we had a lot of Brazilians that were up here for one of their games, a lot of Colombians that were up here for one of their games.

So want to uh just point that out of the international coverage we've gotten on this also, not just local.

And thank you.

Any questions on any projects or anything going on?

I will add because we didn't touch on it, but we did have the watch fest that also took place on Franklin Gateway, and uh that was a good success.

We had uh Atlanta United, we had the YMCA, we had uh different soccer programs, uh Top Hat and other groups that were all out there uh along with um Yells and uh different and a lot of parks and rec staff doing games and activities for kids, and I had council members that came uh and I think that was really good for the street and for the community.

Everybody seemed to really appreciate that.

We also had watch party going on at the same time with a screen out there with what we were doing.

I just want to announce that I'm gonna have a town hall meeting on July the 30th at 6 30 at the Marietta Fire Department training room.

I guess I will uh piggyback on that.

I'm gonna have a uh Ward Six Town Hall meeting on uh July 22nd at the um station 56 on Sawyer Road time of that one.

Oh, that'll be 6 30.

Thank you, sir.

6 30 to 8 30 a little over a minute and uh until we hit the time for the regular meeting.

I'd like to adjourn this meeting regroup it in three minutes, two minutes.