presid council member Michael Julian Bond post one at large council member Matt W Morland post two at large here council member eay Collins Post three large present council member Jason H Winston district one here council member arer foki district two council member Byron D Amos District three council member Jason Dozer District Four here council member Liliana backer District Five here council member Alex one District Six council member Howard shook District Seven council member Mary Norwood District 8 council member Dustin Hillis District nine council member Andre Alon district 10 present council member MOSI ker over Street District 11 council member Antonio Lewis District 12 Mr President we do have a quum of members present thank you council member Hillis has joined us as well uh next we'll move to the adoption of the agenda I would to make one note that the third Proclamation is actually in recognition of black midwives day um that was the one in the printed agenda was uh mistake otherwise are there any uh Corrections or updates to the agenda if not I'd entertain a motion to adopt there's a motion by councilor one there's a motion by councel Juan seconded by councilman bachari to adopt the agenda is there any discussion on the motion to adopt the agenda we do this be name as consent without objection any objection mam clerk please sign the count nams consider the motion to adopt the agenda 12 y0 12 y0 is motion to adopt the agenda carries next we'll move to our invocation we don't have a guest speaker today um so we will take a moment of silence but I would ask if there are any remembrance that folks would have Council Bo thank you Mr President I would like to offer condolences on behalf of this body to Ambassador Andrew Young and his entire family for the loss of Lisa young Austin who is a daughter of the Cil Rights Movement a member of First Congregational Church a vibrant vibrant spirit in the city of Atlanta and Beyond please keep Ambassador young Mrs Carolyn young and that entire family in your prayers thank you thank you Council Maran um thank you Mr President um I'd like to ask everyone to keep the friends family and fans of Dean Ratliff probably better known to all of yall is Dennis Dean um the caterer that was very active in nonprofit sector in terms of sponsorships and providing events um to help support them so let's please keep them in our thoughts thank you any others council member vakari um not anyone that's passed but we have city employees that are have a number of sick parents Mr Lamar Parks whose mother um is in the hospital right now and struggling uh as well as Miss Donna who has whose mother's uh has broken her back three different times and is currently in the hospital so if we can please keep both of them and their families in our prayers thank you councelor Boon Mr President please keep the family of Mrs Olivia Parks Woods who was the clerk in this body for nearly 26 years as my colleague mentioned Lamar Parks is a valued member of our staff Miss Olivia Parks Woods is struggling at this moment please please keep her and her entire family in your prayers thank you thank you any others for these and for those left unsa would you please join me in a moment of silence thank you would you please join me in the Pledge of Allegiance I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all first I'd like to invite council member West Morland forward and all of those who are here to honor hope Atlanta's 125 years of service to please join us up on the DI come on up Jesus indeed all right good afternoon everyone um and welcome to those of us those who are joining us today uh to honor hope Atlanta's 125th anniversary um hope Atlanta story began back in 1900 uh in response to a growing number of unsheltered women and children in the city nine Atlanta churches came together to form something called the Atlanta Women's missionary Association um years later that organization changed his name to traveler Aid uh and in the 1920s was one of the first nonprofits in Atlanta to integrate its staff travelade established an Office of Support at the airport back in in 1953 which is support services that this organization still provides 72 years later in the 1980s and 1990s Travelers Aid focused Focus shifted a bit um in response to the HIV and AIDS crisis and then it took an outside role after Hurricane Katrina uh and helping reunite displaced families uh who had moved here to Atlanta seeking Refuge 16 years ago this organization rebranded as Hope Atlanta focusing on both the causes of homelessness as well as aiding unsheltered residents and last year they became a very visible partner to this city in our rapid rehousing effort for those of you who have been to the melody or to 729 Bonaventure it is Hope Atlanta staff who is providing support to our unsheltered residents as we aim to build 700 units of Rapid rehousing all across Atlanta um and it is for that that they are here today so that on behalf of this body we can present this Proclamation from the members of the Atlanta City Council on behalf of the citizens of Atlanta who do do hereby recognize the immeasurable contributions this vital Community organization has played by declaring March 17th 2025 as Hope Atlanta day in the city of Atlanta in honor of your 125 years of transformative service congratulations I will look briefly at my colleagues to see if anyone wants to make the comment looks like council member bakari is going to lead us off don't worry I'll try to be quick um I which is you know hard for a politician to say um I have loved Hope Atlanta for a very long time as somebody who has worked in direct service and also experienced homelessness and knows what women face on streets um the work you do is extraordinary I was lucky enough to work with Hope Atlanta and see the work yall did during Co the extraordinary work you did where the nation where we actually led the nation a lot of the rehousing efforts and that's do in large part to you all um homelessness is a nationwide issue and one that is not going away so we are going to be spending Millions if not billions of dollars as a country in the foreseeable future and we cannot turn away from this work we do not have a choice and we shouldn't have a choice because people that aren't sheltered are human beings as well we have not only the housing efforts to do but changing culture around this because people on the streets are not asking to be on the streets people on the streets did not fail in life systems failed them we have a lot of work to do and I'm proud to say that by the end of my first term I will have our district will have had five Supportive Housing buildings built in my district alone and I'm going to do everything I can to continue to uplift your mission along with my colleagues um and I just so grateful for the work you all do because it's not easy and for those who don't know competitive wages for case managers and people that work in this field starts at $50,000 that's nothing that's considered competitive wages My Hope Is that our city and I do believe Atlanta along with Hope Atlanta um and other Continuum ofare agencies will lead this country and ending homeless homelessness and set a new standard here I believe that with all my heart so I just want to thank youall for your extraordinary work I just I adore you this is not easy and I can't think of people that are more critical to our city at this time thank youall so much all right next up I want to welcome back to the building we used to call him commissioner um but today I'm going to call him board chair um Rocky Atkins to say a few words thanks Matt uh as Matt mentioned I'm board chair for Hope Atlanta uh I have uh actually been in this room before it's been a few years it is really lovely to see some uh old friends and familiar faces here uh I just wanted to say on behalf of the board uh how grateful we are to members of the Atlanta City Council to Mayor Andre Dickens and to the mayor's team for this recognition and for their ongoing support of Hope Atlanta um I will say it's been a privilege to serve on Hope's board for just over eight years now and I've done that through uh three different city administrations and uh I will tell you the commitment and Leadership shown by this Administration to issues dealing with homelessness and affordable housing in this city are unmatched and they are an inspiration we are very grateful for the partnership uh with the city and we are looking forward to partnering for years to come and I would like to turn the microphone over to our CEO thank you rocki good afternoon um I want to Echo uh R's comments uh on behalf of the over 6,000 clients that we serve in the annual basis uh we're very grateful for this recognition um uh very amaz about the intentionality and the focus that the city of Atlanta City Council have put around homeless l and affordable housing and mental health more than ever this is much needed hope Alana receives over 3,000 inquires every day every month about individuals that we call situational homelessness they're not homeless yet and so I do appreciate um the support and the partnership I also want to recognize the village that have been around Hope Atlanta for 125 years we still here because of all of you the community Our Community Partners our board of directors our advisory counsel and my team who put out their hearts uh and they work really hard around the clock to ensure that homelessness is something that we can eliminate or is non-recurring so really really thank you for this recognition all right we're going to Bunch up a little bit and move forward um and then take a picture with this gentleman right here yeah right here e next I'd like to invite council member Michael Julian Bond and all of those who are here for the recognition of morous school of medicine's 50th anniversary to please come forward and join us up on the [Applause] Das are you able to do this as well all I'll try thank you [Music] so [Music] I'm not going up there I'm going to take out [Music] [Music] [Music] now this is like the price is right come on down come on down no no we got plenty of room just Squatch in Squatch in plenty of space I was well I'd like to say good afternoon to everyone good it good afternoon is really a pleasure for me to be here today uh to honor the morous school of medicine uh it's personal uh for me and I I had hope that uh former representative Calvin SMY would have been here as well uh because when the medical school was first formed he carried the legislation in the house and my father uh carried the legislation in the Senate to Aid in the creation of the school and so my grandmother's house which still exist there that apartment building right across from spelman's uh parking lot Dr Gloucester used to park at my grandmother we rented him a space uh at my grandmother's house and so we often heard uh around the table about the formation of the school which has done magnificent work over the last uh 50 years and so it is really great great for me but it's great for not just uh the Atlanta Community but for our country to have the Morehouse School of Medicine in our community let's give them a big round of applause you know the history of morouse college and the creation of doctors actually goes back probably almost another uh at least another 40 years before the establishment of the school of medicine uh we've all heard of the of the novel and film Gone With the Wind uh but it was the author of that book uh that gave money to Dr B me Ma at morouse to fund student scholarships along with other philanthropist both black and white uh to send morouse college students then to mahary uh to for the creation of doctors uh in the African-American uh community and so there's a long Rich Legacy uh there and so we thought it not robbery to have this tremendous institution uh to be honored here uh in our chamber for their great contributions to our city I will read uh the proclamation and then we will have comments from uh my colleague um Jason uh where where did we oh you're back here and and any other members of the city council who are present as we're Jo joined here by by lustrious Dean and so the proclamation reads as follows in recognition of the morehous SCH School of medicine's 50th Anniversary whereas Dr Lewis Brown of an internal medicine physician in Atlanta brought the idea for a new medical school to the presidents of the Atlanta University Center institutions in 1969 whereas the josea Macy Jr Foundation supported the feasibility study to investigate the idea of a new medical school and then more house College president Dr Hugh M glester expressed interest in starting a medical school at the college and whereas in 1975 Morehouse College recruited Dr Lewis W Sullivan a Morehouse graduate to serve as the first president and academic dean of the medical education program at morouse college with the vision to diversify the health care Workforce and provide Primary Health Care in underserved rural and urban communities and whereas morouse School of Medicine began at a single trailer on the campus of morouse college in the summer of 1978 with an inaugural class of just 24 students in a two-year medical Sciences program with the ability to transer transfer to four-year institutions to complete their education and whereas the medical school was incorporated in Georgia in 1980 officially became an independent institution in 1981 and established a 4-year medical school in 1985 as the as the morouse school of medicine and whereas 3,283 students includ including [Music] 1,867 Physicians have graduated from the morous school of medicine and approximately 60% of the m graduates who have completed residency are practicing both in Atlanta and across Georgia and the nation and whereas the Met Medical School the morous school of medicine has dramatically expanded the physical footprint academic programs including research initiatives and physician class sizes under the leadership of its first and only woman president and CEO Dr Valerie Montgomery rice and whereas it is abundantly proper and fitting that the accomplishments and the distinguished Atlanta institution be appropriately recognized on this occasion on its 50th Anniversary now therefore we the members of Atlanta City Council on behalf of the citizens city of Atlanta here by Proclaim this day March 17th 2025 as the morouse school of medicine day in our Fair City in witness thereof I have set my hand and have cause the Seal of the city of Atlanta to be here into a fixed congratulations morouse School of [Applause] Medicine a Qui quick [Applause] one all right but wait there's more like to ask oh we have a video so if we turn our eyes to the monitors we have a brief video for everyone 95% of our MD students match to their residency training program and [Music] 88% receive the specialty of their first choice that equals [Music] success from its humble beginnings to International Acclaim Morehouse School of Medicine has evolved into a pivotal Institution focused on addressing disparities in healthcare while advancing medical education with a spotlight on underserved communities in 1969 Atlanta internist Dr Lewis Brown shared the idea with Morehouse College president Dr Hugh Morris gler and other presidents from each of the schools within the Atlanta University Center it didn't take long for the concept to gain momentum a feasibility study funded by the Josiah Macy Jr Foundation confirmed the viability for The Venture Dr Lewis Selvin was selected to take the Reigns as president and Dean a few years later 1978 one single trailer on the campus of Morehouse College would house the school of 24 students in its 2-year medical Sciences program former Georgia state representative Calvin SMY helped secure funding for the school and I got the call from Dr Sullivan that they would like for me to serve on the board and uh we were instrumental in getting the first million dollars from the state of Georgia to come to uh uh the Moa School of Medicine we had to have a good plan because uh it's it's a private institution and it was getting public funds the school was incorporated in 1980 becoming an independent institution in 1981 and officially establishing the four-year medical school in 1985 and the rest as they say is history I think our secret source of this is that we actually invest in our students one student at a time Dr Montgomery rice believes a good doctor patient relationship starts with a doctor's ability to understand someone else's story and relate to their challenges which she says can be turned into opportunities and they come to a place like Morehouse School of Medicine who equips them with the knowledge and the skills and the competency and the compassion to be able to do that in a way that's meaningful and meets people where they are will the candidates for the master of science and physici studies degree please rise when I think about L Sullivan and Hugh Gloucester uh when they thought about the concept of amor high school of medicine and the impact it could make I mean and the mission that was focused on all the way back 50 years ago that that mission remains today it is as vibrant as ever um and and we're delivering on that mission as these students come here uh with a dream our responsibilities to help fulfill that dream Kiana Murray is a fourthe medical student at morous school of medicine the amount of support and the teaching and the tutoring that I got here was just insurmountable like the words cannot ex just describe and I just felt so well supported here my MCAT score jumped 15 points and I had a 4.0 throughout the entire program and just it was just it was home it was my home away from home we get to measure our impact by the number of students who walk across that stage in December now we have a graduation and in may we have a graduation cuz we've gotten that big and we get to see it now in the over 57 counties that we have a more house school of medicine graduate or we get to see it and now 94% of the counties we touch someone we have someone who graduates from a high school who will apply to one of our 16 degree granting programs so we know we are delivering on the return on investment our 50th Anniversary says that they see us and they see the value that we are adding to the city of Atlanta and we are a core component I think of the growth and the potential of this City for it to be able to allow every citizen to reach their optimal level of [Music] Health council member do thank you council member B um I'm gonna keep my remarks brief uh I just just want to say uh representing District forn Atlanta City Council I am immensely proud to represent present the mor house school of medicine on this body I know today is St Patrick's Day and a lot of folks are wearing their green today but I want to make sure I wear my morous school of medicine blue to Showcase how proud I am to support y'all and to work with y'all to make sure that uh we can continue this partnership with the city to support positive Health outcomes uh for communities not only across the city but especially in my district uh even though I've only been on this body for three years uh I've known the work of the mor house school of medicine uh for a very long time I live in the Mechanicville Community uh which is just south of downtown Atlanta and unfortunately my home neighborhood has some of the worst Health outcomes in this city uh when you think about I75 and 85 and I20 all bordering our neighborhood we have high rates of children's asthma when we think about issues we've been experiencing around gun violence we we have some larger public health challenges that we've been working through to try to solve but every step of the way more household of medicine has been there in our community working with our schools working with the city at our neighborhood center working with our community members to make sure that they have a better positive Health outcome and can call continue to call Atlanta home uh for Generations um and so I just want to say thank you all for being such an amazing Community partner uh I've enjoyed seeing y'all's work and working with y'all to expand that work and I look forward to contining to do so but I appreciate everything y'all done for us in this city so thank you you thank you [Applause] councilwoman boom thank you Mr BN thank you for honoring morouse School of Medicine thank you morouse school of medicine for saving lives especially those lives in southwest Atlanta and Northwest Atlanta and throughout this region we love you we appreciate you I would like to recognize Dr James f denler a member a pioneer in southwest Atlanta a living legend the First africanamerican pediatric surgeon in the United States of America who is here with us today Dr Dr Dr denler was honored by the city of Atlanta in March of 2023 he is accompanied by his wife Mabel Den a community leader and servant in the flamingo Autobon Forest Area thank you all are there any other com oh M council member Lewis as a as a HBCU graduate I'm always looking at ways wa to help HBCU grow and one year ago in 2024 I had opportunity to read a study about the central hospitals training the next generation of black pH of black medical doctors and the Black History Month talked about Americans essential hospitals and they're proudly spotlighting the four Essential Health Systems that are dedicated to helping us right and that's Howard University they have Howard University Hospital then you got M McCary Medical College they go to Nashville General Hospital then you got moreh house school of medicine at Grady Memorial Hospital right and Charles Drew at the Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center while doing that I also looked across the country to see at other medical schools to see if they had their name on hospitals and to see Emy to then go live in Philadelphia to see Drexel to see Temple to see Thomas Jefferson University Hospital to understand that they were intentional with the schools being able to train not only their students but then being able to practice and take care of folks to understand that Grady is the place that more house is practicing but we have two hospitals that just closed in Atlanta alone and I'm a Grady baby right and so so part of the reason that gr is doing so well with black people is because we got more house doctors in there touching on us when we born the city of Atlanta the state of Georgia the county of foron we have to be looking across the country and seeing what other people are doing for them and I'm I'm a praying man right and my grandma always told me she told me tell God don't get jealous she said I see what you're doing for other people right and so as a city that they just ch closed two hospitals in and we see what doing for other people I know morous has the appetite for it right I'm on Cleveland Avenue so I got South Forton hospital that just closed their doors on us it just left us and when we live downtown on Boulevard it just left us and so if there's any kind of appetite I I I I'm on board I'm on board I think that the state the city the counties all of them need to get on board with making sure that morouse school of medicine puts their name on these buildings and they got their students and they're taking care of us as well uh uh and they clapping these are the experts they're clapping because they they know what that would do for us when we talk about asthma we talk about Sickle Cell we talk about HIV and AIDS right this who going to fix it let's put the pressure on them this who going to fix it they GNA recruit the students and more students will come if we give them a hospital they're already packed right now but more students will will come if we give them a hospital so I I truly appreciate your service to our city I truly appreciate what you're doing for the nation and the world cuz we know Atlanta influences everything we run this world right and and y'all going to help us grow if we invest in you all so thank you for your investment I can't wait until I just put the call out there right and I'm full on board I'm a fighter I'm full on board I'll fight for you if you're a little nervous right so you can put me in front of you you need somebody to take a few punches but we have to fight for them and so that's what I'm at thank you again thank and Miss Adrian Sano she she's here right now and I want to I want to mention this this my fourth young counsel for the past three years I've been going to the morouse school of medicine health fair Health Resource fair right do it once a year and the first year I showed up on a on a on a whim because she invited me the second year I showed up they let me speak a little bit last year they actually put me on a program you know what I did at the end of that I asked them to come to Atlanta Technical College or Atlanta Medical College Metropolitan State College because I want that resource right here in my area I know what y'all are doing so I truly appreciate y'all and I'm with you and call your State Rep call your your your county commissioner tell them y'all to do the work tell them to invest in you you'll do tell them to give you what they gave the other folks right and watch what you do you don't see what they did for other people thank you and let's keep going now we'll hear from Dean tendle you on up we are small but we're Mighty and we're powerful so I want to say thank you first of all um presentent Shipman and entire Atlanta City Council um we are grateful uh for this incredible honor I want to thank you for recognizing the contributions that moral School of Medicine has made in diversifying the healthcare Workforce and serving underrepresented populations and reducing Health disparities council member Bond it's not too long ago when you appeared at a certain annual engagement we have locally that was council member Bond council member dosier Lewis council member Collins all participated in our annual community engagement day at the Antioch urban ministries where morous schools medicine provided free health screenings and information to citizens of Atlanta and surrounding metro area and when council member Bond learned that Mor house school of medicine was about to celebrate 50 years he told us that he wanted to do something special for the institution and that's why we're here today so I want to say thank you Mor school of medicine is a proud member of the Atlanta University Center and as you've heard with Dr leis C Brown we had a vision to start a medical school and the idea went straight to then president Hugh Gloucester and with Dr Sullivan we began a school of medicine and you heard a class of 24 in 1978 and today we support over a thousand students in our campus 16 degree programs 17 research institutes making impact not just in the city of Atlanta and South Fon County and the state of Georgia but all over the nation and you heard walking history right here with Dr James danler the first African-American pediatric surgeon in the country and a professor at Mora School of Medicine thank you for always being here and not forgetting where you have always been there's no place so important the morous school of medicine when we think about the mission of Health Equity there's no place more important than our position here in southwest Atlanta there's no place more important than the work that we actually do to serve our community and to support everyone in our own quest to actually achieve Health Equity but more importantly today to achieve Health Justice this is a wonderful day and I want to thank you all again for being here Mor house school of medicine started with humble beginnings but we're in a place today where we're making history and we will continue to make history so again thank you so much for the honor and for being here and thank you to every one of our members of the morous school of medicine Community for participating in today's Proclamation thank you gather up closer no no hold up did you get it I just saw you pick your camera up okay we're get in the move to take our large shop of I want the no hold up I want I want people to know who's here so everyone who's a part of the staff at the morouse school of medicine please raise your hand really quick okay now all those who are doctors please raise your hand quickly Physicians all those who are medical professionals please raise your hands quickly are there any graduates here from the school help them with their financial aid that was a joke so we have students here actually oh and how many students are here today well okay all right so we'll move in front of this Podium to uh take our photo and doctor and this address that y'all come up front you hold that if there any other members please come to the front please come to the front anyone else associated with the school or support get your right here go 3 2 one [Music] than are you sing you're not my daughter oh she she's right there next I'd like to invite council member bakari forward and all of those who are here to honor black midwives day to join us up on the Das know can I get you with that too you want to get in yeah yeah right thank you great you got to send those I need that picture how you doing [Music] was to thank you all I'm G to wait till it quiets down a little bit so we can start this Proclamation process thank you um today this Proclamation is in recognition of black midwives day [Applause] that does deserve a lot of Applause and Georgia being ranked in top 10 states for Hospital shutdowns we've had three or four this past year I mean sorry since I've taken office three years ago thanks to nonprofits alleged nonprofits like WellStar I'm going be Shady um I have to point out that black Midwifery is not something new this is something that's been happening for centuries black women have led the way in this when I was lobbying for Planned Parenthood against HB 481 for those of you who don't know what that is it was our abortion ban in Georgia Six Week abortion ban that same year a group of non-black midwives came to try to license Midwifery to add essentially to add obstacles in place these women behind me have been leading the way in this field for as long as I've been working in this in these causes the purpose of this and I have to thank you all because the number of lives you have saved in this state and Beyond in a state where we are second highest for maternal mortality Alabama beat us out for that I'm sorry Louisiana beat us out for that but we are number two in the country for maternal mortality now and it is safer for a woman to give birth in the Middle East than it is here and if you make that black woman that number and maternal mortality rates go up even higher so I am honored that you all asked me to do this I'm going to give you an opportunity to speak um perhaps the individual that's been the longest practicing Midwife and the founder but I want to give you all the opportunity because in my eyes you're some of the biggest Heroes of the state so [Applause] please good afternoon there we go so I am honored to be standing here before you all and with my sister midwives here um as it was stated mitt wirey is not a new profession it's been around since the very beginning of time and some of you all just by looking at you I'm sure that maybe your grandmothers or your great-grandmothers had their babies at home or perhaps they were midwives themselves and over the decades they have tried to extinguish midwives but we're here and we've always been here and midwives are going to continue to be here Georgia does rank second or first depending on which year highest the maternal mortality and more and more families are choosing to have their babies at homes or at birthing centers with midwives who are going to invest the time and caring for them we are the ones that help to bring down the infant mortality and the maternal mortality rates and we just need to recognize that we need everybody to recognize in this state that there is a place for home birth there is a place for midwives integrating Midwifery into the Health Care system is a must it's been proven to work in other countries around the world and incorporating traditional home birth traditional home birth midwives um into the maternal Health Care System the landscape here in Georgia is a must I have been I am the longest lasting I've been delivering babies at home since well not since but for 45 years now this month made my 45th year and during Co the home birth rate increased even more we were on demand beyond measure and and we're not quite as busy as we were then it has simmered but everybody every Midwife that I know is carrying a uh healthy practice and that's because people are choosing to have their babies at home a lot of them feel safer having their babies at home and so the demand is there and there is a bill that is um in the capital right now that we are pushing for and it's House Bill 520 and it's published so when you get a chance pull it up online and read it and bring back that DNA memory in yourselves and realize that midwives many families stand on the shoulders of midwives especially during the post slavery and during Jim Crow and during the silver rice movements and um a lot of you all may not be here but it wasn't for a granny Midwife whose shoulders I stand on as well as the rest of my sister midwives here and so I want to thank the national black midwives Alliance the black feminist future for um putting us here on this platform to be able to present to you thank you greetings everyone my name is Jamara ammani and I am a Florida licens Midwife however I began my Midwife training here in the state of Georgia with Mama Saron who just spoke um I was really blessed to be able to sit at her feet and to learn from a midwife who's been practicing longer than I've been alive um it was an honor to get her wisdom to learn from the grand midwives to learn from the traditional midwives how we care for families how we honor the ancestors who came before us how we take care of the Next Generation and make sure that we are protecting the health of mothers and babies and birth people that is what I learned here in Georgia however because of the restrictive laws around Midwifery here in the state of Georgia I had to go to Florida to finish my midwif free training and there are many who share a similar story and so as Mama Saran said we need to make sure that midwives can practice legally in this state and in every state in the United States because our maternal Health our perinatal healthare system is abysmal um we are ranking towards the bottom in terms of Nations on par with the United States and that has a lot to do with the fact that midwives have been pushed out of the system and so black midwives day was a holiday that I founded um a few years ago this is our third annual black midwives day that we just celebrated on March 14th um and we founded this holiday in order to honor the contributions of black midwives to elevate the consumer demand for black midwives and for home birth and access to more natural holistic care options and also to address the perinatal Health crisis that is plaguing our communities and disproportionately impacting black birthing people we also founded black midwives day to build our base of supporters so all of you right here right now under the sound of my voice are now supporters of black midwives day so thank you for joining the fight because we need all of us so if you're are in support of ending the perinal Health crisis in the United States just raise your hand real quick do you support ending the perinatal Health crisis thank you and we need all of us to do that and midwives are going to be Central to the solutions we need to make sure that midwives can practice legally to the full scope of their training whether they are home birth traditional midwives whether they are certified professional midwives whether they are certified nurse midwives whatever pathway they come from they need to be able to access full training and be able to have the legal status to operate freely in their communities they also need funding there are student midwives here student midwives put your hands up student midwives need scholarships they need funding they need support to be able to finish school to be able to find a preceptor to be able to attend births and do their clinical training so that they can become that next generation of midwives so I'm calling on all of us to stand up for families to stand up for midwives and to do whatever we can to build the the movement for birth Justice and for black Midwifery so that we can end this maternal health crisis and build a brighter future for black families and All Families thank [Applause] you good afternoon everybody my name is Paris Hatcher and I am with my colleague yimy kehi would you like to join me we both we work at black feminist future a National Organization headquartered here in Atlanta and today I am wearing flowers because every day that we can honor black midwives and give them their flowers we should we know I think more of us about the work or not the work but the the number of around infant in maternal mortality but too many of us do not know about the life saving work of black midwives they are tradition Keepers culture bearers and Life Savers so I am really excited to partner with Southern birth Justice Network and the national black midwives Alliance to ensure that March 14th in the city of Atlanta is known as black midwives day and because we are headquartered here in the city of Atlanta to keep moving this city and the state of Georgia to ensure that there are resources not just for the day but for student midwives that actually requires resources to change the numbers and the and the statistics that we are seeing so again I'm really proud that black feminist future has worked in Partnership to ensure March 14th is black midwives day and much more excited to make sure that we get resources into the hands of black midwives current and budding black midwives to ensure that the tradition and the culture continues yimy would you like to add anything thank you all I just want to honor all of the grand midwives and Granny midwives um who are here with us in spirit whose shoulders that our current midwives stand on um and who have done so much to bring us here here um black Midwifery is not going anywhere and like Jamara said it's not just up to Black midwives um to keep that tradition alive it's up to all community members so I hope that you all feel empowered by this feel like you got some knowledge and are ready to join us in the fight to um end the horrible conditions uh that birthing people are facing in this uh City and in this state so thank you all so much [Applause] hello everyone my name is Haiti sales I am the founder of gad's Group LLC it started off as Doula services and has now pivoted into assisting midwives for the last five years I have had the privilege of being welcomed into home births and as a birth assistant and attendant it has been such a great honor to continue the tradition of many black indigenous Hispanic people who have walked these Halls these streets these mountains and into these homes I stand with my sisters my mothers my grandmothers behind me and many more in front of me and I'm so so grateful to have this platform right now to bring attention to the fact that we are here to celebrate midwives and all the hard work that they have done and all the things that they have encountered obstacle after obstacle to stand in the way of helping assisting and supporting mothers bringing life into this world let's take a breath for that we're bringing life into this world and we're facing obstacles by institutions by facilities and by people who have sworn to protect and serve in health care today I stand very very proud and very very loud and saying that midwives have been the maternal crisis man managers we have been the managers and we are assisting these mommies in our families some of our families are professionals educated and they are still being discriminated against this is the time to come together and to continue moving forward in positivity our numbers speak volumes our babies cry out loud from the very moment they are welcomed into this world by either a midwife's hands or their very own father's hands that's a privilege that should be honored continuously birth is all about Evolution and maternal care needs to be standing and uplifted with the fact that we will continue to be here making changes each and every time we need to we will come up to this capital and make whatever amendments we need to because that is our right that is our indigenous right as birth [Music] women midwives are the resource we have the great reputation and we are the resolution thank you so [Applause] much greetings my name is Dr Pandora Hartman proud certified nurse Midwife of 30 years I stand Here honoring the collaboration that this represents as I look around this room councilwoman over street I was at Midwife with your husband who started that practice at Atlanta Medical Center we did a lot of good in this city when we talk about collaboration standing here with our colleagues what a day more house school of medicine guess what they're doing next year starting a nurse mid free program in Georgia yeah here with their Dean and their uh director of clinical strategies and also our Georgia affiliate of the American College of nurse midwives cuz yes we stand with our sisters in herberth you've heard the talk about Midwifery for the Continuum of Care cuz many of our black indigenous and immigrant mothers such as myself we're there taking care of them in the hospitals as well we're working on seamless transfer protocols that have definitely impacted and contined to impact care here in the city and in rural Georgia and as I represented the Americas on the international stage know the world is watching the world is watching Georgia I was in Switzerland at a wh meeting two weeks ago and get was what was the topic Georgia Georgia law templating What's Happening Here No we're going to reach out to you as collaborators because each of you can do something to help not just birth but the sexual reproductive Healthcare rights that midwives take care of the world over we are like some of us Shadow walkers from home to hospital and Beyond Midwifery is ancient as wisdom but also as modern as time thank you for what I know will be your continued support [Applause] okay thank you all so much um I think something important to note is that many of us don't realize that these individuals are going to increasingly be putting their safety on the line by doing this work in this itical climate uh they are heroes we need to support them the number of lives they have saved and not to mention that we're seeing an increasing issue in hospitals of women's birthing programs being taken from them of them being cut open of them having their babies ripped out of them without their consent and how it is done and it is increasingly safer for this to take place and in an area where we have lost hospitals and doctors in rural communities these are the people that are going to be saving lives and making sure that those babies are delivered safely and that those mothers don't die so I am so honored that y'all ask me that you will ask me to sponsor this I'm honored that Paris and yimy are here because they have taught me more than I could ever know Paris also holds me accountable and she terrifies me in the best way um but thank you all for being here for this holiday and for for this day because like I said um these women and this tradition that they've carried on has been going on for centuries if not thousands of years so all the progress we have is built upon their shoulders and I'm so grateful for you all um and I'll go ahead and read the proclamation now and recognition of black midwives day whereas the Atlanta City Council recognizes the essential contributions of black midwives in improving maternal Health outcomes addressing disparities and providing culturally congruent care to Black birthing people and the black midwives day campaign founded in 2023 by the national black midwives Alliance designates March 14th as a day of awareness education advocacy Community engagement to uplift the Legacy and ongoing work of black midwives black maternal Health in the United States remains in crisis with black birthing people experiencing significantly higher rates of maternal morbidity and mortality irrespective of income education or socionomic status and Georgia counties face higher rates of maternity care deserts compared to the national average where women of childbearing age do not have access to hospitals or birth centers offering maternity care or obstetric providers and integrating midwives into the maternity care system has been shown to improve improve birth outcomes reduce medical interventions and decrease racial disparities in maternal and infant health and black midwives have historically provided holistic Community centered care yet have been systematically excluded from Health Care Systems through restrictive policies and regulation the Atlanta City Council affirms the importance of investing in Black Midwifery expanding access to Midwifery Education and Training and ensuring Fair compensation and support for black midwives and the Atlanta City Council supports and recognizes the longstanding and invaluable contributions of black midwives to maternal and infant Health in the United States now therefore be it proclaimed that we the members of the Atlanta City Council on behalf of the citizens of Atlanta do hereby honor and celebrate today March 14th as black midwives day in the city of Atlanta Georgia [Applause] go here take the photo [Applause] better so thank you thanks for the great words finally today I'd like to ask council member Andrea Boon to come forward and all of those who are here for the recognition of Reverend Africa mlat spiritual leader and Community Advocate to please join us here up on the [Applause] Das will those that are here to honor Reverend Africa mclady and members of the St Peter Missionary Baptist Church please come forward congratulations right here right here today we are joined with members of St Peter Missionary Baptist Church Reverend Shan Smith of new New Horizon Baptist Church and many family and friends today is a very special day for us Reverend mlady you have been a distinguished leader in the city of Atlanta and today we honor you and now remarks Reverend Eric Thomas senior pastor of St Peter Missionary Baptist Church thank you so much to those that the gathered to the council today I just want to take a moment to thank councilwoman Boon for taking the time to uh acknowledge rever mlady rever mlady interesting enough and I connected initially in Ministry when I needed an extra Alto at the church and subsequence of that she's become a a force uh in our community that we serve at St Peter but also a for us in other communities around Atlanta uh and St Peter just initially she began the uh uh food the clothing bank Ministry which clothed the unclothed and that was something that continues today uh as a result of the seed that she plan it some 15 years ago uh as well she's done fantastic work um with our youth uh and the youth in the community not just the Youth of St Peter but the youth in the community and finally she has done Yan's work in the in the in the area of HIV AIDS prevention education uh and Direction and so we're grateful for the organization she's worked with in addition to St Peter uh sister love is one of organizations now she works with Grady but she is done a a great work and it's just a pleasure to be here to join in with honoring her uh for the community work we done sometimes people think that uh Ministry is in the church but Reverend mlad is showed us very clearly that Ministry takes place outside of the church and I think that is truly uh in the example that we see in in the Bible with our savior Jesus uh work for the Lord takes place in the community so I want to take a moment just to say thank you councilwoman Boon uh and the city council city council president Shipman and all others for uh acknowledging and honoring Reverend Africa MCC as a spiritual uh leader in the community Advocate and activist on this day remarks Reverend Shan Smith new Unity New Horizon Baptist CH Church Senior Pastor located in Council district 10 Reverend Sean Smith um I find it a with great joy to be standing here and celebrating with mlat who I think the Hallmark of any true servant is their consistent availability even in the most inconvenient of circumstances and their first response is sure and not maybe I'll think about it maybe if I could move something so anytime I've had to call on her it has always been an enthusiastic yes to have a heart for Ministry is to have a heart for people to understand that people uh the only way we'll make it is to do it together so she truly understands the complete meaning of what it means to be community and we praise God for her influence her consistent participation to improve the lives of everybody in Atlanta evangelist Kela Jackson Emmanuel Baptist Church good afternoon now if you don't know Minister Africa mlady you're missing out on someone special she is definitely a Powerhouse all by herself she has done what most people aim to do and to take Ministry outside of the Four Walls of the church and so through her power Cafe Ministry she has created a space where Faith meets real impact and where people don't just sit and listen but they move boldly and because of that she's been able to bridge a gap between faith and health and it has tremendously helped us not just here in the city of Atlanta but I know that it's going to take us abroad and so we just are happy to be here to honor you and thank you for everything you do um she really creates that space and so if you have not tapped into everything that she offers I think it will just truly be a blessing to you as she is a blessing to all of us she is joined today by mother eich and we would like to thank both of you all for what you all are doing on the campus of the Atlanta University Center and now for the official Proclamation whereas Reverend Africa mlady is a distinguished spiritual leader Visionary and Community Advocate whose profound commitment to Ministry and service has transformed countless lives and whereas as a proud native of Augusta Georgia Reverend mlady is the founder of the power Cafe Ministry an Innovative spiritual empowerment initiative designed to awaken the Divine potential within individuals equipping them to walk boldly in their God ordained purpose while inspiring others to do the same and whereas Reverend mady's academic achievements including a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and master of science in business Administration from the University of Phoenix exemplify her dedication to lifelong learning and the integration of strategic leadership with Ministry and Community Development and whereas as the executive pastor of St Peter Missionary Baptist Church Reverend mlady has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to service spearheading initiatives such as the church's clothing closet which provides essential resources to hundreds of individuals each month ensuring that all members of the community have access to dignified clothing and support and whereas rever mlat has been a leading advocate for nearly a decade in the fight against HIV and AIDS working diligently to bridge the gap between faith-based institutions and public health agencies promoting education awareness and resource accessibility and whereas the city of Atlanta is proud to pronounce today is Reverend Africa mlady day in the city of Atlanta [Applause] Georgia and now Reverend Africa mlady good afternoon as councilwoman boom was reading I thought to myself who is she talking about however I'm thankful for all the opportunities that have been given to me by many of the people you see standing here and some that did not come up with me I'm thankful to my mother and my grandmother who imparted into me the importance and as a mandate for me to serve the community I thank God for the requirement he placed on my life for to serve the community I thank God for the call that he placed on my life to teach and share with the community to uplift and empower the community and so today I'm grateful I'm ecstatic and I'm hopeful that as I move forward the community will move forward we can all move forward together to continue to make this community the best that it is and has always been thank you again councilwoman Boon thank you to all of you that have supported me and those that will continue to support me as we lift up the city of Atlanta mother eich thank you for being here and thank you for all you do mother eich and now we will take our official photo for [Applause] you for we'll now move to remarks of the public like to remind everyone that you will have two minutes unless you've been yielded time on the list uh from someone else you can't yield time at the mic and um I will do my best to call everybody name apologize in advance if I get any of them wrong please do correct the record first up will be Henry Jordan you have up to two minutes give now to the spirit of God everyone that's here and who is he will harm you if you be followers of that which is good 1 Peter 3rd Chapter 13th verse we should seek to obey his goodness because we need Christ help when a man ways please the Lord he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him proverbs 16th chapter 7 verse wisdom Praises in the first person her own moral Excellence apart from wi wisdom to seek to obey Jesus appears to be a curse but it is a blessing be not deceive God is Not Mar for whatever a man Seth that shall he also reap Galatians 6ter 7th verse Mar outwitted out Fox to disobey God's command and then Escape divine punishment will be to out witht God thus making a mockery of him and his word you seek to treat me like a dog and Jesus says not so James Griff actions told Jesus he don't desire to be my husband to seek to make me his wife is to ask for death trust not in oppression and become not vain in robbery if riches increase set not your heart upon on them Psalm 62 and10 at least five nouns describe God's protection Rock salvation defense glory and refuge Jesus see you robbing me and your oppression against me draing others God warns you about evil actions you know when you doing evil and God promised a curse against evil not just me but his word of God said it and God cannot lie thank you next will be brother Muhammad brother Muhammad next will be La pink mam is here oh is's here okay you want to go ahead and go la pink you'll have up to eight minutes due to yield of time all right so good evening good morning whatever it is at this point in particular time um I come here today on several different um situations that's taking place here um in Atlanta um one um I've got a call from Miss Mildred about the homeless um downtown up under the bridge one had passed away and during her passing the medical center or the Grady Hospital Grady amulance whoever somebody from Grady um came to her was supposed to be coming to her rescue and was asking and questioning her about um what she on drugs she's saying she can't breathe she winds up passing away um right out there and by the time they got her to the hospital she was deceased so by the time her family got to the hospital they're asking for her organs okay organs yeah her eyes they were Pacific so is this what's happening to our homeless are they not even making it out it home because their organs are being taken I mean I have no clue like this was the first time she was on the phone um and allowed me to hear them questioning her about um her cousin's organs and I was very disturbed because if this is what's happening to our homeless other than being crushed and other things U um happening I mean this is sickening it's sad it's it's it's very disturbing not only that she brought U Miss Margaret brought to my attention as well that um and they have brought to my attention that some of the homeless have went to jail for cooking up under the bridge the fire but she like Miss um um Miss marer said there out delivering cans to them some organizations giving cans how are they supposed to warm this food up if they're being given cans if they don't start a fire so then they start a fire and they're taking to jail nine of them went to jail up under the bridge nine we already know what this jail is we know what this jail have become it doesn't need any more people especially not anybody homeless they will never make it out you got people in there that don't get a bond that go to work every day so we know when the homeless goes off in there how are they going to get out how are they going to survive because as we know we have an incompetent Sheriff along with guards and and and and one of the guards was stabbed in the throat and they can say oh it was because they don't they're underst staffed but from my understanding the gentleman that stabed him wasn't even supposed to be in the location he was at he was supposed to be admitted on 3 North on the on a whole another floor but they had him mixed in the crowd with all of the other inmates like Sheriff leut always do so when you guys are making decisions about should we give him this should we give him that until we get a new sheriff until the community receives a new sheriff nothing should be given to this jail nothing should be given to this incompetent narcis and this came from his wife check these emails um these text messages if you want them she said it out her mouth on social media we dealing with a narcissist so why we have people defending the mayor the defending the sheriff defending these incompetent Das funny Willis on GRE Goose getting loose she said it we didn't spending unnecessary money when we sit up here and we talk about oh this is a red State y'all all blue y'all blue every Democrat that sit up here is blue and you ain't did nothing we got black Mayors we got black city council we got black sheriffs we got black Das we got black Commissioners and y'all got the nerves to talk about red that's the blood coming for you that ain't doing your [Music] jobs so for the ones that's checking in getting a new job y'all just came to the floor don't get comfortable cuz if you have not in ain't coming here to do your job for the people and you came here for friendships your time is limited your time is limited cuz we not coming for you like I said I ain't here to make friends I ain't here to make enemies I am here about my father's business and I will never take a seat cuz he came he sent me to get yours he sent me to get you up out them seats for those that ain't doing their job I'm here for your seat and I'm here to remove you not take it cuz see my job is in the street so I can come for your seat time limited just know that so y'all could be scared of Elon must if you want to but I'mma help him show him I'mma help him come for every dollar y'all took from every Elder's property been taken sure am cuz you're Crooks and if the shoe fit weird if not don't force your feet into it so those know who I'm talking to that already got corruption already in bed with the enemies those that ain't paying attention but trust me these names came up we watching we are watching every single thing you do so for somebody to tell you that I'mma disappear they going to have to kill me and I don't mind dying I was born to die for time just as this so for those that's friends with pull pit Jamal Bryant y'all pull pit pastor that said we we we we we on the Run what he call us runaway slaves that's what harri Tubman was and we running towards y'all that have destroyed our communities that have taken advantage over our elders ignored our homeless we coming for your j o thank you next will be brother Muhammad due to yield of time you have up to eight minutes about St mam it's okay like sister La pink said it's not so much you Mr sh some of the staff that that been working in these offices know they ain't got nobody going to hold them accountable but every time I see you make a I'mma hold it say t we just talked about that why is that something I'm saying you don't like you dark antimatter people you don't like yourself when you look in the mirror this brother is Thorp Thorp is the WIS of one he lived 16,000 years in Egypt his family was 36,000 in the Atlantis add the numbers he wrote over 22,000 some say 36,000 books and all the story about what you got in that box and all that other religion we studed from to Buddha we got it from this brother we created the mistress systems what was with school to teach you how to tap into that spirit and that knowledge of self the soul I am that I am the power a spark represent notu the name you call G my Soul honors your soul honor the place in you where the entire universe resides are under the light the love the truth the Brut and peace within you and sering these things we are united we are the same We Are One Namaste Mr Mayer I want to let know Mr may we all a part of a family of the original peoples of the earth my family right here in Jos they were the first people before the P come here we go all the way back to Louisiana Missippi we have land never had been on nobody boat this brother I said it was out of Atlantis but wherever there was Earth they Trav not only this one brother there was thousands other people that were running around this Earth bringing in knowledge how to build the greatest civilization that you could ever find they look like this brother and what's happening in the 21st C Mr Bond we got James toown Virginia 1712 he came and told him Mr will Lance you need to stop killing all them do people that's your property some of y'all ancestors you know what the story was really Lynch he said I got a plan that you can save your property and continue to have we for the next 300 years but how you going to do it sister La pink we going to divide them the light skin against the brown skin and that dark skin like this brother and the elderly like myself standing here had a young against them had the light of one near me the Bri one can come and stick around but we going to always keep it going even if he gone do what you doing what you doing Mr Amos why do I say Mr froi you have this brother you call on your $20 beer Andrew Jackson the fin and father of the democratic party 1820 Andrew Jack became the final father of the democratic party but what did he say I'm against the Bish men slav slaver who were Andrew Jackson the Trails of Tears For You don't know the 13 col Georgia Alabama all South just go look at it Google in the 21st century they moved my people off this land my mom my grandma was a SEMO a real semor but that was dark in this m but we always had the Chinese to come in here before and start lighting it up but we had respect for one another but in the 21st century brother Maya we want you to tell the people the knowledge of self all you got to do is read your books this book's about this man this book's about that tree of life y'all got in that bot you Ain got nothing to deal with a tree you got to deal with your K energy coming from your cry shark all the way down to your foot all I'm suggesting in the 21st sister Mr War it's time for us to change and want to do for those that can't do for their self you got these brothers and sisters out here like the sister say you gave yourself a ra you wanted more than what today for what I've been coming down Mr bar for 15 years begging you to go and finish the street I send you emails all of you at the same time telling you how we need to come together Mr overse tell me brother one vote so I said let me make it known I'm not just want to move myself up to the front I live on the street over 100 houses there with families in been there but you got my PID C I asked to get it done but I asked you to finish that and recently you did some workout there Mr Mayor I told you when you be paid but thank you and you promis that when I come back I do that but you got workers in your tritation pocket tritation Department won't even to listen to Mr Solomon he say I got it done we gonna go back out there and get it there Mr bar they did this stuff about 6 months ago finished those striping but they won't even stripe The Pedestrian walkway even r a church my wife go to you won't do that look at you sting over there like you and lost your mind the same way you sit over there in the school board I used to go over there and I was one that help them start that afan infusion program then y'all watered it down like car you w c I don't want to tell the truth they say I take your money to be boys and look at us today but I'm going ask you this I asked the oig I'm talking to the laws they don't want to say nothing oig trying to tell me they got something else going on but they give my opportunity to talk to them about it I don't think it's right for us to have you legislator can't come together for the benefit of information that you know ain't being done and if you're going to sit in that seat have a way to give a recognition for the other people that you might not like me I don't care about what you don't like about me cuz I know I'm standing on the Square but you're going to realize soon like sister said and a lot of more y'all you ain't going to be to keep hanging out here getting this money and sing your people suffer but you'll bring Dei I was so glad when Mr Trump signed Dei as exective order he end as I am myself I say I say IAM Alum may I make Hotel thank you thank you next will be Margie McLoud you'll have up to two minutes very short good afternoon everybody I know you're Wide Awake I've been coming down here for two years for cap rent control at the capital no one passed the bill no one you know why because we don't work together number two they are landlords down there and I had a senate I should call his name out that he didn't believe in rent control he because he had property and he want to make money um Mary Norwood I want to ask 581 we went all through the Ops and out we should amend and this what I want you to do and I think that you could do it since y'all me that build the 581 um the homestead can you amend and put a cap on that rent it can be done because y'all say what y'all can't do but you did that say 2.69% so can you amend that because we are hurt the people say you don't care about them that's Michael Jackson you don't care because mayor you have the power and you need to use your power because we have to put a cap on the rent say 3% whatever because we cannot wait until next year next year going to look like what all this money I find out hope say they help 3,000 people a month I'm just like I was shocked wait a minute now I could refer you cuz where I go at I see them under the bridges so what I'm saying mayor you have the power and you want me to to vote for you I got to see what you are doing okay hey please Mary nor can you do that because you were who gave us that information you had three meeting but a lot of people didn't show up men that bill that's a that is a state of Georgia since you've addressed me individually I can answer coun nor just want to make sure she finishes your time okay sorry that's all I'm asking you because we cannot wait until next year cuz you know people getting fired you know people going to have homeless we're going to be just like La we are La now time has expired thank you counil Norwood okay that is a state of Georgia bill that is not something I can go and amend as a municipal elected official not a state of Georgia elected official I know exactly what you're saying and it breaks our hearts up here too because we have um we have issues with landlords we have issues with people people living in substandard dwellings and and we have exorbitant rents so we are very much aware but but to change a bill at the state legislature is not something we can do we have to find a state representative they have to introduce the bill it has to go across the um chamber so it's got to make crossover day from one to the other uh what we did was to give city of Atlanta residents information on what was available to them as homeowners because that was a homeowner Bill not a rental bill that was at the state legislature and the city decide the city wanted to do its own homeowner exemption and those were the information sessions that I was hosting and the information that I sent out so it's a different issue but I hear your concern and I know everyone up here here's your concern and we will do what we can okay what I'm saying to you that's just for homeowners how about the tenants you're not looking out for them thank M that's impossible that's what I'm saying thank you but y'all getting an increase because of cost of living are your people going to get cost of living too thank you Mr McLoud next will be garv Omar Pur do two yield of time you have up to six minutes hello everyone um my name is G amarpuri and uh I'm a um um a volunteer with a nonprofit organization called conscious Planet thank you for declaring March 21st as the safe soil day in uh 2020 un estimated that we have 50 to 60 years of Agriculture left on this planet just think about it only 50 to 60 years of agriculture left on this planet in the US over 52% of the soil has completely um detated if we continue to maintain the status quo by 20145 we'll be producing 40% less food than what we are producing um um today and while the population is expected to increase from 8 billion people to 9.3 3 billion people and it is not just about the quantity it is also about the the the quality over the last 100 years the average mineral content of calcium magnesium and iron in produce such as cabbage lettus spinach Tomatoes has fallen 80 to um 90% this is clearly evident in the rising cases of um um um nutrition and vitamin um um deficiency compromising our immune system and impacting our overall well-being soil degradation is costing $45 billion annually in the US so safe soil is a global people's W wind launched by conscious planet to address an existential crisis the rapid um degradation of agricultural soils over the last three decades soil safe soil has implemented a holistic Strat y for soil revitalization through scalable farmer-driven projects policy advocacy and citizen awareness programs the movement is working with a number of governments across the globe to shape soil policies and is supporting over 250,000 farmers in transition to various uh regenerative agriculture practices including tree braced agriculture often referred to as agroforestry safe soil is backed by un environment program un food and agricultural organization un convention to comact um desertification world food program and iucn among others conscious Planet a nonprofit organization was founded by sguru on March 21st 2022 safe soil uh Global movement was launched by sguru through 100 day loan um um motorcycle journey across 27 Nations to raise awareness the movement addresses the soil degradation crisis by uniting um um citizens to stand up for soil and support electric um um Representatives uh to to enact policy for healthy soil safe soil aims to have policies that work towards increasing organic matter in agriculture soils to safeguard s soil health for future um Generations soil Health needs supportive policies in every uh every city every state everywhere around the world policies needs people support people support needs awareness that is why um the Declaration of March 21st as the safe soil day is important step in increasing the awareness we can all uh we can all come together to to reverse the soil um degradation crisis here in Atlanta we've had uh walkth hor uh joyful Community walks and Hikes and Outreach programs at the public um um um library and schools for both children and the adults we understand that soil health is human health we invite you to join us uh for the future community events so please see us uh uh after this uh uh after this if you wish to get involved you can also go to sail.org and click action now to get involved thank you again for declaring March 21st as the safe soil day in the city of Atlanta thank you thank you next will be Del Anthony you have up to two minutes hello my name is delil and and I'm here on behalf of a Grassroots organization called the tree neck store um it's interesting that uh conscious Planet just spoke I actually met them outside before this meeting um this group here may not be able to sell I me may not be able to preserve soil around the world but you can preserve it here in Atlanta I'm here to speak about ordinance 250 11129 this morning several of us met with commissioner over Street to see if we could add some things to the ordinance to improve it um commissioner I I excuse me city council member over Street I have not seen an updated ordinance yet therefore I'm speaking to the last ordinance that we have in which the city is exempting itself from the TP for all public infrastructure projects including the Atlanta Belt Line and path which includes uh the Atlanta the um Trails um ATL that means a lot of trees are going to come down without any oversight any permitting and the ordinance also says that they will only be assessed a recompense of $30 per inch whereas right now you all have to pay you have to actually replant inch for inch but we're willing to negotiate and say okay rather than just having to re replant it's okay to pay recompense but at least pay the recompense that's being required in the proposed TP the first year which is 11750 to go all the way back to $30 is saying you only want to replace a 10th of the trees that you're taking down other things we had was we wanted to make sure that we had a sunset clause in there that we removed a cap on recompense and that no project could be terminated in the reapplied for in order to capitalize on this great deal that you've got going on for recompense right now thank you thank you next will be John stop you'll have up to two minutes hey thanks um I wanted to address something that happened to me on the way in with Liliana bakar's Chief of Staff I think his name's Nick Capone um if you can hear me now yeah my dad's name uh my dad's name is Mike that's not my name but I guess y'all know my full real name I'm not sure if that was supposed to be like a intimidation tactic or whatever but um anyway I I am actually gratefully brought that up because um it was my dad's 70th birthday yesterday and he did uh 20 years like like I mentioned in the United States Air Force and retired a lieutenant colonel and uh as I mentioned previously too we moved down here right before my 10th birthday to a little town south of Warner Robbins Air Force Base and um you know I wouldn't really wish that experience on anybody it was pretty rough and um I don't really like my legal name first name which is Joel congrat ulations y'all know my real legal name John stop was just a joke that started with uh the stop signs um you know I went home after the last meeting and I was reinvigorated and I went back to the decator is website and reread all the comments on those articles and something struck my fancy so I went to chat GPT and just punched in a few keywords and when I turned up the allegations Kate kle made back in November 8th of 2021 I was just a little befuddled and the track record's been there it is what it is y'all know what it is I got a new gig coming up Monday as I ain't gonna be back uh y'all have a great rest of the uh meeting and great rest of y'all's careers thank you you next will be Alan Lee due to yielded time you'll have up to four minutes good afternoon members of the council I am Allan Lee on behalf of the Federation of Public Service employees I come as one I stand as many um I actually came to talk a little about um some HR issues but every time I come to the city council of Atlanta I am never amazed at the entertainment for lack of a better word um so I'm maybe I'll give you guys a little enter a little a little entertainment um now I'm reminded that Plantation politics is real I believe we ought to to hold public officials accountable I believe not all black politicians are my friends nor all white politicians my enemy but I refuse to believe that my mayor my da and everybody else is corrupt we can disagree with them I believe in honest disagreements but I refuse to upgrade and downd dress every black politician they don't walk on water and even if they did some would just complain they can't swim we have to be real because these are real times and real issues impacting real people I'm about that life and I'm from the street too streets are real not enough re resources lot of problems in our schools a lot of privatizing to some rich developers of our school some real issues that we can address gentrifying or making it plain making a sip turning our black communities into white communities and sending them to Clay real problems we can address but I'm just not sure coming up here being funny on serious stuff is the solution you know it's ironic we keep talking about holding people accountable we just had some elections they reelected the sheriff just had some elections they reelected fonnie so I believe in political engagement believe in holding people accountable believe in being politically believe in knocking on doors believe in running candidates against other candidates in fact we'll probably see some of that this November and I intend to lock load and fully engage and try to be the change that I want to see but I'm not going to come up here and this Andrea Boone who has given more to this community than most not going to do it it's funny but we at serious times what I actually want to come talk talk about today and I got a little digressed what I wanted to talk about today was our HR department and I need to stay focused you're right and I think we all need to stay focused as a community we got to stay focused cuz people are dying we got to stay focused because people are hurt and we got to stay focused and we got to respect people we can't just talk cuz I as other people were talking I didn't say my comments I stay focused so I'll stay focused and I'll save my comments for the HR department next time I'm before you thank you for the opportunity to be heard thank you next will be Deon Franklin you'll have up to two minutes good afternoon council members my name is Deon Franklin senior movement policy council at the southern Center for human rights um Mr Lee said something really interesting that I want to piggy back on um he mentioned that he does not come to this Podium with the um belief that our elected officials are somehow corrupt inherently um what I would like to speak to you all about is whether our elected officials are in fact men and women of their word on August 8th 2022 mayor Andre Dickens stood at this very Podium and told everyone that it was his personal Constitution to not be in the jailing business very long he spoke about severe penalties for Fulton County if they were to occupy the Atlanta City Detention Center longer than the four years um that they all were contracted for for the lease the lease of course is the one that I come to you all and speak about very often about how it has been a failure of policy how people have continued to die in uh F County custody in R Street and in ACD since the point in time that the lease was signed including the most recent death which occurred on March 4th of this year which was the second of um this year during that speech mayor Dickens also made other words um other comments that I hope he will keep true to he spoke to the repurposing of the Atlanta City Detention Center the the words that he used with the vision for repurposing thec the the uh diverence the um ACDC has been set he spoke to getting the process of putting in requests for inquiries so that businesses could submit their ideas about how the the building would be repurposed and we are halfway through that leas and I believe that now is the time for you all to act on the the uh the promise in the legislation to begin the stage with draw Mr Lewis um of Fon County detained persons from ACDC time has expired counc amamos did you want to is that okay Council Lewis I would say thank you similar to in 20122 I understood the need for for then I understood that the foron county jail had issues that needed to be relieved in any kind of way possible the city Atlanta should have helped at the time period I understood that they requested 700 beds even up to today they've never used over 400 and more than 100 for the and I understand that we the black men that are laying on the floor in white right Street were not the people that are moved were never more than 100 beds for the black men that we talked about that were land on the floor in right street that I saw land in the crates in right Street and so today I know I've been since that legislation I've been reaching out to every attorney in the city every attorney organization Progressive and and not Progressive trying to find out ways who can come up the best solution on what was happening uh to see the state legislator this year actually take a stab at snatching the jail and put forth legislation that could that it was like a catchall so any any county in the state of Georgia could have happened to but it was only happening in Atlanta and foron County so the to see that legislation come forth and to know that we were talking about this last year cuz I knew that at one point that lease was going to end I know if you anybody who rents anything in the country knows that at one point lease is in and sometimes the organization that owns the lease may want to sell it sometimes they want to lease it to someone else but it belongs to them right and so I just want to make sure that right now because that legislation ass saw this this year that was moving through the State House I it sound like the state or the county were trying to take the city of Atlanta jail and move in a different type of Direction so today I actually have legislation thankful to working with the smart attorneys that ain't in this building we got super smart attorneys in this building but I wanted to get get a little bit I wanted to get some information from the outside people who are not a part of this to give me an unbiased opinion and so we were able to receive some legislation and I actually have two council members that that have seen it but they say they're going to be signing on with us and the goal is to give power to our to three branches of government three branches of government the goal on this side is to make sure that we are putting forth legislation to make sure that the other side is able to do what we ask and so I hope that my colleagues saw the state trying to take our Jail from us this year all right they the things that we've asked the state for a rent control that ain't happening but but then at the same time we ask them for rent control they tried to snatch our jail so they do what they want to do over there right we ask for reform or insurances and then they do Tor reform and I understand Tor reform but we ask for them to make it to where insurance companies can no longer drop us and so that's not a part of the Tor Reform Bill legislation so today we will be dropping very specific legislation and handing it over to the administration and I appreciate you and the attorneys that working on the outside for for helping me with creating this thank you again next up will be andrin Kong due to yeld of time you'll have up to eight minutes hey everyone I am not nervous um thank you guys for having us here today um I'm here to speak on a situation I brought before you guys back um I believe it's January 23rd the day that a lot of protesters came when Cornelius Taylor had passed um in an unfortunate situation firstly I would like to thank you again for having me um councilwoman Dr bakari I'd like to thank you so much for all of your help um you've been here from the very beginning before my issues became any issues so I'm just going to reiterate if you don't remember me um this is my son Samuel and this is Casey and I'm andreen and um I was here last time to tell you guys that I had a fire that happened in November um and my property marshan managed by gyar um they had raised my rent that was negotiated down to something that was reasonable back and I paid that back in October and November and the property manager um who was working alongside um you know the property owners and councilwoman um Liliana they he had passed away and then new management came in and after the fire um that I had burned my hands I had told them about the issues you know that we weren't even home I had to put out the fire because the extinguisher was inoperable and um I just need a little bit of time to make sure I could pay for December and so then on December 6th they you know gave me a pay or leave notice and you know fast forward to the end of December I got a um notice on my door that you know they wanted to evict us so I came um the rate at that time went from 1554 to over $2,800 and I you know took everything that I had I'm I'm a entrepreneur I had been laid off working in cyber security um for like over a year now and life has been hard trying to find work and there are a lot of layoff so I just been working as an entrepreneur so um I was able to get the funds um through working hard and I got a cashier check and they denied me on December 31st and I wasn't sure if that was right of them and I thank God I did a voice recording of me just asking in the same tone that I'm speaking to you now like I'm not a yeller I just was asking them can you please explain to me you know why you won't accept this payment and they let me know that they wanted to evict me that they would not accept any payment from me until I left the property and um this was you know obviously met with huge concerns to me because I thought I was in a place where they wanted to help me get back on my feet and just you know stabilize my life but um with this new management they did not want to do that so um I had already informed um Nick Capone and council member B tiari about what had been going on and um then I came to you guys in January and I had um even gotten more assistance through um Dr Woodson and Mrs Carla Wells who had gotten involved and they two were met with rejection from Marshon gyar that um they wouldn't provide any documents even documents I had personally requested um to see you know what was really going on because the numbers kept changing and they did not want to accept payment so I'll be facing my court hearing tomorrow morning and um they had even filed a motion to file a rid of possession sooner before my um hearing to remove me and my children and I would be glad to leave but I don't want to leave with an eviction on my name you know what I mean especially because I'd make it even more complicated for me and my children to have a place to live so um sorry I just want to leave in peace and I'm um here to see if anyone can get involved to see what can be done um if we need to leave and be rehoused then I I just want to leave without this being on my file and um I just want to take care of my kids in peace um I informed them of the fire and it wasn't any they didn't want to provide provide any documentation as far as the um inspector that they had come out who was hostile towards me I asked them to please not allow anyone to come into my unit without me being present because I want to be informed and I just want there to be honesty but um it just felt like all of this is just a retaliation from that fire and from that point moving forward um so I'm just here to you know give you guys an update of what has been taking place and what is happening and moving and what could possibly happen this very week um I want proper notice of with that is within my lease agreement for them to give us 60 days of notice and time to move and just to move without having to um you know face hardship and trying to find a new place to live it's already been hard enough being an entrepreneur it's not like I have mentorship I'm just out here doing what I can with the knowledge that I have working with what I have so I thought I need all this time but I'm not sure I just say do you have anything that you wanted to say Yes um I am thankful for anything that you could possibly do to support my mom with the in with the with the in uh I'm sorry I have a starting issue with the eviction problem did do you want to say oh God thank you no baby talk Mr she wants to say m Mr Golden St okay we're going to say that for next time okay baby um I I did like you know prepare a letter or whatever just to you know say whatever I need to say but I feel like this is the gist of everything um of course I want to express my gratitude but this is an urgent matter and it's something that cannot wait um and I I absolutely appreciate all the effort that has been made to this point but I'm here to just inform you that this is what's happening right now so that concludes everything I have to say h thank you so Council B was first and I'll come down the dice Council B I got you we're g to sort it out I've already started looking at in terms of we're working on the additional housing keeping you in that Community I'm trying to get you right across the street so we're going to keep working on that and in terms of the eviction sounds like it's time for me to go visit management again okay thank you so much I got you thank you councelor Bond very pleased to hear that councilwoman bakari is on top of situ situation as far as the relocation is going but for you and any citizen that's listening uh we passed the legislation almost four years ago that any citizen that needs advice or counsel uh concerning an eviction can call the office of the public defender over at Municipal Court Mr day and they will give free legal advice and assistance with representation so I will come down and give you the number um over there do you have a attorney to go with you to court tomorrow oh so y working on that okay well I'll make sure that you have that number so that um you know in the future or if you need to pass it along to someone else but anyone can call the office of public defender at the Atlanta Municipal Court and receive uh legal assistance uh from those attorneys thank you um I don't know if it's okay for me to just add I did want to say that throughout this process I you know did document just you know when I tried to pay them back in December um and I recorded when they rejected me um and just let it be known that they weren't going to accept any payment and then they did again um with with Dr Woodson and Mrs Wells and so yeah this is where we are at this point and I don't obviously don't want my children and I to be uprooted from our community we've been here for all their lives so C ma'am ma'am is the eviction already on your record no hearing is on tomorrow so we want to connect her with the volunteer lawyers tonight so that we can make sure because you are very young and we want to make sure that that eviction is that St is not on your record so I want to connect you to the volunteer lawyers council member Byer we want to connect her with the volunteer lawyers today so that that eviction that's very important even if we come up with the $3,000 is 3,000 how much is the balance they're not accepting anything from we've got to get in touch with the volunteer lawyers immediately you going to do it now don't do it now CI yeah um so real quick I wanted to also note um I noted this last time but miss Kong was also used by this agenc by this apartment complex to at the opening of this at the ribbon cutting to speak about how this property helped house her and her children um I think it is abhorent that they did that and are now trying to evictor um we're going to fight this eviction you've done everything again that we've asked for and I want to give a shout out to the housing help C and as you said Dr Woodson and Miss Carla Wells um I have found you a lawyer with Atlanta Legal Aid who fights eviction processes so we're going to get to work on that and thank you so much we're going to take it a day at a time but we're going to get there thank you thank you guys because um yeah I'm not going anywhere so they're gonna they're gonna have to keep answering questions and to my colleagues they have refused to accept any more for money as a point of eviction so on it guys thank thank you for hearing me even in my time of being nervous thank you thank you next will be Minister and Breedlove due to yield of time you'll have up to four minutes go greetings everybody I pray that everybody's well this afternoon I have a message for you all today I was on a journey on a trip and I had to come back here to tell you all the message is that you all are God God's people and God gave me a word he said because you are his children and he is the king he's Lord of Lord and king of King and this is what you are it's no way on this face of the Earth that we are people cannot come together the word is in Psalms 20 95 in chapter and 11 40 years long was I grieved with this generation us and God said it is the people that do error in their hearts and they have not known my ways unto whom I swear in my wrath that they shall not enter into my rest now I'm here listen that all this is going on this morning or this afternoon it is and I am a real true warrior of Atlanta Georgia I worked in that English Avenue for years suffered to see how the people was mistreated and because I was wealthy yes it was and I was arrested for evil people that did not like me but God still blessed at me from sickness of a size zero couldn't walk talk or eat from my arrest that I was put in this hot van with the air off sweating crying out 13 years in poverty I left my children for four years and as I look at this ordinance here about English Avenue I guess is is your bill um Byron H English Avenue Westside Village has suffered people Michael was one of those that stood he stood for English Avenue Vine City you all the newcomers many of you are here you don't know the struggle that us Elders had to go through and for you though to sit and listen at what is going on in this city is a shame you all can come together and make an impact because I know for a fact that the Republicans is coming and they're going to come and get every record and every person that done evil and did not do Under The Oath of you swearing it's going to be a change you never know when you're going to be homeless or from a paycheck you're got to look at yourself what the did I do wrong Lord I need to repent and people it's repenting time it's time to come together and make this city a better City Mad Dickerson God still said repent come together with your people the council people here loves you we do too and God bless you next will be Hades Sal sorry Salas Hades Salas next will be Saron Henderson next will be alalu Wun you have up to two minutes I wish I could have the people that didn't show up at time to mind but I don't think that's how that works but yes uh thank you good afternoon ladies and gentlemen um Council um I'll be brief since I only have two minutes um there I'm still in business with what we spoke about um however I just want to share some other stuff with um things that I've experienced in Atlanta um you know I'm not looking for any special treatment or anything um there's you know want to talk about things with police misconduct rental property issues the digital system um first of all police misconduct like nobody's really looking for any special treatment but then the way that the the officers treat the citizens you know they're here to they're here supposed to help people not harass people and there's some things that happened um in my situation that they're going to have to answer for because I have lawyers um but it's just now it didn't happen one time two times and I'm a nice guy I think I am you know um next thing is the rental property um the lady um that actually uh divine feminine that just actually spoke um same thing happened to me but luckily I have resources and I was able to get a lawyer and everything went to court um I don't have to pay anything they did put it they they put it to where I couldn't even get an apartment with whatever they put on my record but luckily the judge said I don't have to pay anything so um next I'm trying to go because I have two minutes um there's lots well a little so next thing is the judicial system um there are some places that I went and I I had all my evidence and I I know if I don't have a lawyer and you know I'm going against somebody not most likely going to go in my favor I know the last um so but yeah we just need to stay mindful stay peaceful a lot of people are wondering why I'm so calm about all these things because I I I have a A Higher Learning basically with with what I do um on the healing side and on the mental side so I'm able to handle all these things but I appreciate you guys and since I had two minutes that's all thank you thank you next is uh Greg L you have up to two minutes good afternoon everyone uh Greg LaVine with trees Atlanta and uh I'm want to talk about the legislation the three ordinance changes from inch per inch and making it into a uh which making it into a the recompense um which is proposed I appreciate um commission council person over streets work on this um generally speaking most people support changing the inch per inch but the way it's being changed is actually bringing down protection for trees so instead of making the development Community do better the city is going to do worse we' we've made several changes many of the council people have been sent them I'm sorry I've been sent to all the the council people uh I they did put a sunset on it which we appreciate but right now we're you're bringing it down to to uh basically $30 an inch which is about a tenth of what it actually cost to plant a 2 and a half inch caliber tree it's been low for 25 years and now with the tree ordinance keep on being pushed back back and back we're just getting in front of it and saying well we're going to make it even easier to cut take down trees for the city whether we change the tree ordinance or not I hear that it's going to be voted on shortly we've heard this for decades at this point a couple of things that really do need to happen there needs to be removal of the cap for the inch PR inch we need to follow the rest of the tree ordinance it's still not clear in there at all that we have that the city has to follow the tree ordinance it just says the inch per inches is uh moved down to $30 a couple of other changes are oh well there some big ones I guess in the end H here if we're going to do if you're going to do this you're going to vote this through you really got the ordin got to get this ordinance changed it needs to be changed not part which we're hearing from the commissioner right now going to like split it in half yet again the ordinance needs to be improved because we're losing canopy and canopy are the lungs of the city and we're losing him time expired next will be thank you next will be Paris Hatcher next will be Jamara Amani next will be Jill Johnson you have up to two minutes uh good afternoon council members I'm Jill Johnson with Atlanta BeltLine Inc and I brought with me today our director of design Kevin Burke um I want to speak quickly to ordinance 25129 and thank council member over Street and council member Hillis for their work on um discussing a difficult matter um as you know Atlanta belt line Inc Works closely with trees Atlanta the city's Department of parks and wreck professional arborists and Design Consultants to Route our Trail alignments and design them in a manner that protects as many highquality trees as possible um while the construction what we're currently experiencing is the construction of the 22 Mile Mainline Belt Line Loop is accelerating greatly and that's in in large part thanks to the council support of the Belt Line Special Service District and generous philanthropic funders at the same time we now find ourselves facing PL constraints serious planting constraints and replanting constraints for those trees and we have maximized the area available to us under the current tree protection ordinance we want to do the best we can I want to provide if it's all right um Mr Burke with a couple of minutes to provide some more context on how we handle these issues at the Belt Line uh good afternoon and thank you all I'm sorry you can't yield time on the flly Miss Johnson your time sorry okay okay apologies um so I think the the thing that I'd like to share is that we are um the good news is we've received more than $40 million in federal funds to advance the construction of the Northeast Trail and the northwest trail in order to stay on schedule in order to not endanger those funds we need permits to move forward to do so this summer we we need to be able to figure this out um we would definitely you know welcome the opportunity and to move forward in a way that will not delay um the permitting of these projects that will allow us to be good stewards to protect the tree canopy and also to ensure that we can build and provide Regional connectivity through the construction of the Northeast and northwest trail around the city and the region thank you thank you Council over Street yes I just wanted to add just a little Clarity around the two um amendments that came about today those are the two that with stod councel and law um even after we spoke today we began we know we continued to and I'm speaking to um you trees Atlanta and um D I wanted to make sure that you all understood that I heard everything that you said um the main thing is that we want to get the tree protective ordinance pass in its totality and everyone's on that page from what I understood um however um that's not going to happen today and we want to make sure that the sunset was in there and also we talked about um the rep permitting law does have uh information on that for you and when it's time for us to vote they're going to opine just so you'll have more clarity about where we landed all right thanks next will be Pastor uh James dport je two two minutes thank you first giveing honor to God who I often times call my conductor y'all know I don't have a PhD but I do have a GLD uh recently I mentioned to you all a little bit about my mama I don't even think I mentioned the fact that back in the 60s she went in business with Hank Thomas Junior BN J re they open the wishbones and a and a Dair Queen I said that to say this every since more than 50 years our family have done our for lives at Washington Park first black Park in Atlanta but it's sad my family don't want to go back there's no grass near the Pavilion water runs down the side of the Pavilion water runs right beside of the grill one of the saddest part is that urine creeps from the walls of the men's bathroom and it's been like that for years for for years it's been this way and I'm fighting to keep it that we still go to Washington Park but a lot of my family members says no it's sad that for years there has been one Earth moving equipment at that Park been sitting there been sitting there it's it's it's a shame shame y'all it is a shame and y'all know how compassionate I am about my Heritage as you see what I'm wearing now the very first black high school in the city of Atlanta for this part to go neglected like that we talking about the same part that Arthur Blank tried to get time could touch it couldn't touch it so y'all tell me what should we do time has expired let say it thank you next will be Dr dwan Robinson that concludes remarks from the public I want to thank everybody who came down today to speak to council and with that we will turn to the report of the journal Madam clerk good afternoon Mr President mayor and and members of council I Rene Lindo municipal clerk of the city of ATL Landa do hereby certifi that the minutes of the regular meeting held on Monday March 3rd 2025 or true and correct if there are no additions or edits to the journal I would entertain a motion to adopt move by Council Juan seconded by council bakari is there any discussion on the motion to adopt the journal we do this be unanimous consent without objection any objection Madam clerk please sign the county unanimous consent 14 y 14 y z 14 y z a motion to adopt the journal carries next we move to Communications Madam clerk first item is 25c 0042 this a communication from mayor Andre Dickens reappointing Mr dargan Burns to serve as a member of the city of Atlanta audit committee disappointment is for a term of four years to begin retroactively on December 7th 2024 and expire on December 6th 2028 staff recommendation to refer to finance executive committee and committee on Council but the item follow that course item number two was 25c 0043 this's a communication from mayor Andre Dickens appointing Mr Marlon Campbell to serve as a member of the city of Atlanta fton County Recreation authority this appoint is for a term of four years staff recommendation to refer to Community Development Human Services committee and committee on Council look the I follow that course item number three is 25c 0444 this a communication from commissioner Solomon C cavanis the fourth Atlanta Department of Transportation appointing Mrs Michelle W to serve as a member of the city of Atlanta Americans with Disability Act advisory committee member staff recommendation to refer to Transportation committee and committee on Council let the item follow that course item number four is 25c 0045 this a communication from Council Members Dustin helis District N9 Andrea Boon district 10 and ISE Collins Post three at large appointing Miss aricia MC MCM Michael to serve as a member of the water and sewer appeals board this appointment is for a term of three years staff recommendation to refer to City Utilities committee and committee and Council let the item follow that course Mr President if I may take item five and six of the block without objection please proceed item number five is 25c 0046 this a communication for mayor Andrew Dickens appointing Mr Kevin Norton to serve as a member of the office of buildings technical advisory committee this appointment is for a term of two years item number six is 25c 0047 so communication from Council members Jason Winston District 1 Amir foki District 2 Byron Amos District three Jason dozers District Four and Michael Julian Bond post one at large appointing Dr Charlotte Alexander to serve as a member of the artificial intelligence commission for those items staff recommendation to accept and file by both items follow that course that concludes a communication I Mr President thank you is there any ril legislation for consideration there are none is there any unfinish business thank you madam clerk next we'll move to the consent agenda section one these are items that begin on page four they are for second reading uh the appropriate motion will be to adopt but first let me ask if there are any items to be removed from the consent agenda councelor Winston thank you council president I'd like to remove um on page 10 item number five which is 25 R 3220 25r 3220 thank you council member one thank you Mr President um I'd like to on page 12 poll number 14 which is 35r 3223 and that's 25r 3223 page 12 number 14 thank you councelor Amos yes sir Mr President um item starting on page number 10 ending on 11 item number nine that's 25- r- 3219 25 R 3219 any others that's for some reason my I think whenever press this it's coming up as counc me am okay okay sorry about that that's okay do you have one to remove Council Lewis yes can I take off 25r 3221 page 14 item number 22 and to send it to the mayor post haste uh we'll have to adopt it first we send 25r 3221 correct sorry yeah Council M Lewis are you pulling off consent or you to be considered separately or you just want to move it post taste okay so let's let's hold let's hold that for a moment uh and then we'll do that after we adopt any others to be pulled we've got three items removed from the consent agenda hearing none I would entertain a motion to adopt the consent agenda section one with three items removed sorry who councel bakari moved seconded by councelor ran is there any discussion on the motion to adopt the consent agenda section one with three items removed hearing now move to vote Madam clerk please open the vote on the motion to adopt the vote is open everyone please vote will everyone please vote the votes closed 14 yay zero Nays 14 y z Nays motion to adopt carries council member Lewis can you please move 25r 3221 on page 14 item number 22 two to the mayor post haste coun Lewis makes a motion to move 25r 3221 post haste the mayor's office is there a second second by Council M over street is there any discussion the motion move post haste this item we do this name consent without objection any objection mam clerk please sound the count consent to move this item post haste 14 y z 14 y z n is the motion to move this item post haste carries we will now move to the consent agenda section two these are items on page 22 they are uh first read so the appropriate motion will be to refer first let me ask are there any items to be removed from the consent consent agenda section two hearing none I would entertain a motion to refer mooved by Council m one seconded by Council Bak tiari any discussion on the motion to refer the consent agenda section two hearing none move to a vote Madam clerk please open the vote on the motion to refer the vote is open will everyone please vote the votes Clos 14 y0 14 y0 a is a motion to refer carries we will now move move to the report of standing committees first up today will be cdhs chair Winston thank you council president uh first item is 25- r- 3160 the resolution by council member Winston authorizing the mayor or his design on behalf of the city of Atlanta to enter into a contract with the number listed for pools and splash pads maintenance services with standguard Aquatics ink on behalf of the Department of parks and recreation in an amount not to exceed $2 million and0 cents annually and for other purposes uh like substitute to include the account strings and the io report I'll make a motion to refer uh refer to substitute so this came fa favorable out of condition correct correct sorry to bring forth The Substitute sorry so so there's a motion coming out of committee to adopt it doesn't need a second to have a motion to bring forth subit by councilman Winston seconded by councilman Bach tiari is there any discussion on the motion to bring forth The Substitute we do this for unan consent without objection any objection the motion to bring forth substitute mam clerk please sign the count unan consent on the motion to bring forth The Substitute 14 y 14 y z motion to bring forth substitute carries we are now back to the motion to adopt as substituted I'd like to make the motion to adopt as substituted it's there's a there's a motion to adopt a sub on the floor is there any discussion on the motion to adopt this item as substituted hearing none move to vote Madam clerk please open the vote on the motion to adopt as substituted the vot is open will everyone please vote how do you want your vote counc Winston I the votes close 14 y0 a 14 y0 a motion to motion carries thank you council president um being that pool season is aund us and we need this contract to go through pretty quickly I'd like to make a motion to send this to the mayor post haste there's a motion to move this item uh post haste by council member uh Winston seconded by council member Le us any discussion on the motion move post haste we do this vious consent without objection any objection M clerk please sound the count on unanimous consent on the motion move post taste 14 y 14 y motion carries thank you um my last item was the item removed from consent agenda on page 10 item number five 25-r 3220 a resolution by council members Marcy caller over streak and Andrea El Boon as amended by Community Development Human Services committee to formally recogniz the Cascade Heights commercial historic district and for other purposes I'd like to make a motion to amend to change the name to the cas Cascade Heights commercial historic district there's a motion by council member Winston to amend this item seconded by council member over Street any discussion on the motion to amend this item I think given the name change this name's consent any objection to the amendment mam clerk please sign the county n's consent on the motion to amend 14 y 14 y mtion to amend carries thank you I'd like to make a motion to approve as amended there's a motion to adopt as amended by Council Winston uh it doesn't need a second came out of committee on uh favorable so um any discussion on the motion to adopt this item as amended hearing now move to vote Madam clerk please open the vote on the motion to adopt as amended the vote is open will everyone please vote the votes closed 14 y z a 14 y0 n the motion adop to amend the carries thank you this does conclude my report thank you next up will be Transportation committee chair amamos thank you Mr President we have two items first is um found on page one item 36 um 25- r- 321 um2 a resolution by council member Jason doery requesting the mayor his designed to prohibit parking on both sides of Ogden Street Southwest from Atlanta student movement Boulevard to its dead end to authorize the Atlanta Department of Transportation to install silent along the prohibited area and for other purposes the motion coming out of committee is to file there's a motion coming out of committee to file 25- r- 3212 it doesn't need a second is there any discussion on the motion to file this item hearing none we move to vote Madam clerk please open the vote on the motion to file the vote is open well everyone please vote one moment the V CL 14 y z a 14 a motion file carries thank you next item is the one that was pulled off of consent that is 25- r- 3219 that is this substitute actually changes the caption so as a resolution by council member Mary Norwood is substituted by the Atlanta City Council authorizing the mayor his design need to to exercise renewal option number um for ifb contract number listed intersection Improvement projects on mors Mill Road at two in locations with br rtu Construction Incorporated on behalf of the Atlanta department of transportation for the term of onee effec of March 22nd 2025 through March 21 2026 and for other purposes motion um to adopt on substitute yeah motion to bring forward the substitute this came out of committee favorable so it's a there's now a motion to substitute by council member Amos is there a second seconded by councilman Norwood any discussion on the motion to bring forth the substitute we do this V name's consent without objection any objection the motion bring forth substitute 14 y z n 14 y motion to bring forth The Substitute carries motion to approve the substitute now back to the motion to adopt on substitute it does not need a second is there any discussion on the motion to adopt this item as substituted hearing none move to vote Madam clerk please open the vote on the motion to adopt as substituted the vote is open one moment the vot is the 14 y z 14 y z a motion to adopt substitute carries thank you Mr President and my report thank you next up will be Finance exec chair shook all right the first of our three items is 25129 this comes forward uh favorably on substitute this is an ordinance by council members over Street and Hillis is substituted by cdhs and FEC to exempt All City of Atlanta public infrastructure projects administered uh by Watershed and transportation and deem um and Atlanta belt line Inc and the PATH foundation ink from the code section indicated here to provide that notwithstanding this exemption that the city shall continue to plant replacement trees within the project site to the maximum extent feasible according to the replacement Provisions applicable thereto contained in the tree protection Ordnance and shall otherwise contribute to the tree trust fund the replacement value of any trees removed and excess of the trees replaced in the course of any such public infrastructure projects according to the recompense formulas applicable theto contained in the TPO to provide that where any public infrastructure project shall cause the need to remove trees from private property the portion of the project impacting private property shall be subject to the site plan review process set forth in division three of the TPO uh and for other purposes this comes forward favorably on substitute there's a motion come in out Comm to adopt 25-- 11129 it does not need a second is there a discussion on the motion to adopt Council over Street I have an amendment please have copies of the amendment been distributed yes okay well in via email correct did you see it okay so I am Distributing them right now I I don't mind making copies I'll make and oh thank you and and we're getting ready to send it via email also while we are waiting I want to explain the amendment that I just gave away oh I have another one our initial legislation um started with the the I just want to give a little backstory so that everyone will know that we've been working on this and we really are um somewhere where no side is happy and that a lot of times is is the right place to be unfortunately um we initially started in order to get these projects off of these um this this goodness this it's it's like a a bottleneck of our projects because of the trees we initially said we would take a moment where the city would be exempt from recompense um and now of course that's now where we are we've worked on the paper several times and now we are saying that we're going to stick at the the um the space where the city is paying um the same as uh developers and we are going to also Implement a sunset which is 31726 the sunset is in effect if we do not um ratify the TPO the Tre protective ordinance beforehand once that ordinance is ratified this all of these go away um and we will be under a new tree protective ordinance we are closer than ever I know those that have heard us say this many times don't believe that um because um it's been a long time before the since the tree protective ordinance was uh beginning its its course running through city council and the the communities and back and forth to the different um special interest groups and um we really are close now we really are so that's where we are and the Amendments for today that I am proposing will also um add that um Sunset date for the entire tree protective ordinance um and it also will can I do both amendments at the same time yes it also will and I will read this specifically whereas the calculation of the caliper inches of trees that must be replanted in order to satisfy the tree protections replacement requirements are applicable to projects undertaken in compliance with Federal consent decree and to other public infrastructure projects shall not be altered pursuant to this ordinance it was important that [Music] um it was important that we spoke to all parties to make sure that our amendments uh reflected uh a true collaboration between Council and the community about something that we can all agree on uh we love our trees so this is where we are so my Amendment there two of them the first one is the sunset of March 17 20126 and specifically that reads now we all have them whereas Public Utilities including those related to power water sewer transportation and Public Safety facilities are already exempt from tree protection requirements under state law and therefore it is appropriate and consistent with state law of the at city of Atlanta to also exempt its own public infrastructure projects under the management of DMW I mean d DM dwm ATL DL t d a m Abi and path until March 17 2026 a new updated tree protection ordinance that already contemplates these exemptions is adopted by the Atlanta City Council and approved into law whichever shall be sooner and section two will remain the same shall be amended such that it shall read as follows with permanent additions in underlying font and permanent deletions in strike through section two temporary exemptions this exemption shall remain in effect until March 17 2026 or until the adoption and approval into law of a revised tree protective ordinance by the Atlanta City Council which will take into account both the need for Urban Development and public infrastructure Improvement and the city's environmental and sustainability goals whichever shall be sooner so those are my two amendments um and we will speak about the two that didn't make it after the vote so I is there a second second by Norwood please repair that oh yeah there's a motion by council member over Street to amend I think everybody has copy second by council member Norwood is there any discussion on the amendment council member bakari thank you um first I do want to thank my colleagues council member over Street and council member Hillis for working on this I'm struggling with this one um I do understand I want to note the importance of the balance here because we are ridiculously behind on our infrastructure projects and these are things that our our taxpayers paid for and it's been the feedback from my constituency um on the infrastructure projects they have been quite upset so I understand the need to move those forward I do want to and I appreciate the Sunset date because we have a lot of people who have lost faith that we all tackle the TPO um what I do want to say why this is Super Why this is extraordinarily important for us to tackle the TPO and yes I understand voting yes today to move infrastructure projects forward but I do want to say that I will be fighting to tackle the TPO this year why because for not just for the several reasons that we have here in Atlanta being ranking top five for rapidly worsening air quality and heating rapidly top five in the country and obviously we have the urban heat outet effect which disproportionately affects black communities in our city due to redlining uh Industrial Development being put in low-income communities so yes that's extraordinarily important to me and I think right now I know right now that finding the balance between housing and our tree protection is extraordinarily important especially as we see the EPA completely gutted and due to our tariff forth Canada um the offer to sell our national forest and cut down hundreds of Acres of trees and while that may not feel like it affects Atlanta it does um because climate change is felt by everybody at the same time I do want to say that I understand the need to balance housing with trees because we are also seeing our city and our country manufacture a homeless population at rapid rate so we have to find a balance but I do want to be transparent and say that my condition for voting for this today was the sunset clause but I will tell you right here and now that I will be fighting tooth and nail for us for us to tackle the TPO this year um my constituency wants it we've been dragging this on forever and it is our responsibility to focus on hyper localism and it's far easier to change a local environment than it is a national one so this will be one of my biggest fights this year thank you councelor ju uh thank you Mr President um this question is for law um I believe m Robinson was the one who drafted this I want to understand um the amendment whereby we are putting in the expiration date on this it says that it uh until a new updated tree is adopted and improve and approved into law which ever shall be sooner so I understand the TPO draft right now contemplates A January 1 2026 date I just want to make sure that's the date we be working off not when Council approved a TP because if it's sooner than that then we create a situation where there's a gap just kind of this flex period so I I just wanted to make sure that the language would reflect when the new TPO if adopted would take effect not when it becomes law or maybe they're the same thing good afternoon Amber a Robinson city of Atlanta Department of Law you're correct that the amendment and uh and the the current um version of this ordinance has a Sunset date of the date of approval of a new TPO into law um it it could say it could be amended to say upon the effective date of a new tree protection ordinance which seems to be what you are asking about but that is not what it says it is on the date of approval um of the new tree protection ordinance into law or um March 17th 2026 whichever shall be sooner thank you for that clarification and yes that would be my intent I don't think we should go into a situation where yeah we would end up having a different set of standards and requirements if the TPO in implementation date is different it just makes it odd so I if in this current form I'm not going to support this amendment um but I would if the author would receive it change the amendment so that it it reflects the effective date of the TP not the approval date so I don't know if the author has a response to that or not actually I was told that the TPO would be would would start on January the 1st if adopted right so the way this is written and we approve it uh if the TP gets adopted say June then you create a six-month period whereby this is expired but the new TPO doesn't take effect January 1 so I was talking to my coate um so so the the suggestion that law had was to make it uh as the effective date not the approval date correct I like that so if you're open to that then I would ask you amend your Amendment I am open to that for the effective date not the adopted date right yes okay so is it so so is there is there any we can do this be unanimous consent uh since it's a a it's a word change is there any objection to the to the amendment to change to effective date and Madam Miss Robinson that is the correct terminology right we switch to the effective date and and eliminate the approved into law if if it is a desire to have the um sunet date be the date that the new TPO is effective rather than the date that the new TPO is approved into law then that is correct thank you that that is my intention okay any objection to the amendment to change it to the effective date mam cler please sign the county name's consent 14 y there an a a okay so we are still talking about these two amendments uh with that update to the wording uh council member Collins oh no my question was my question has been answered but just for clarity for the community just I mean if we can re I'll let you guys guide it but just restating it because I know there's been a lot of convers you know a lot of conversation just happened right now so for the community to understand what we just did would probably be better just you want to reread it out councilman um over street so what was actually stated was that once the TPO is adopted it doesn't go into effect until January 1st 2026 this legislation will stay in effect either until the Sunset date well this this amendment will stay in effect until either the Sunset date which is 31726 or January 1st 2026 whichever um comes first without uh with with an adoption of a TP or without so those are our dates either January 1st 2026 or March 17th 2026 depending on where we are with our TPO adoption okay we're still on discussion on the motion to amend council member shook thank you I want to commend um my two Intrepid colleagues for taking this on this is territory from which very few people emerge unscathed um Miss col over Street I appreciate hearing from you I'd like to ask your co-sponsor what his thoughts are about these amendments I'm sorry to say it again I'd like to ask Mr Hillis what his thoughts are regarding if You' like to respond well just to rehap rehash a little bit first you know this started out as a total exemption of City projects from um the tree ordinance which is what a majority of governments do um for their safety uh and infrastructure projects um and in cdhs uh we added back recompense or cdhs add back recompense I'm not on that committee uh recompense for the city projects and then as you know chairman chook and FBC I offered a substitute uh that also readded back u a Max maximum amount possible of replanting on each of these sites um and now today the amendment is to uh add the two um that makes brings more clarity around the uh quote unquote inch per inch requirement which is not really spelled out specifically in uh the tree ordinance as it stands today uh but add some clarity there and then the second one uh that we just heard from councilman Ro Street about the date um you know I I'm hopeful that we can adopt some form of a tree a new tree protection ordinance uh by uh either of these dates so I'll I'll be in support of the Amendments thank you nothing more other discussion on the motion to amend hearing none move to vote Madam clerk please open the vote on the motion to amend 25129 the vote is open open will everyone please vote no she the vot Clos 14 y z n 14 y z the motion carries we are now on the M motion to adopt as amended is there a discussion on the mo on the main motion to adopt this item hearing none move to vote Madam clerk please open the vote on the motion to adopt 24129 as amended the vote is open will everyone please vote just one moment 13 y 13 y a the motion to adopt as minuted carries Council over Street yeah uh just one more thing I did want to talk about the two things that did not make it to the amendment um page the final Amendment page and I would like for law to speak to the um the reason why we didn't add the No Cap to the recompense as well as um just a second my cheat sheet has so many notes on it right now oh the no rep permitting project please explain why that would would would not have been um a viable Amendment thank you Amber a Robinson city of Atlanta Department of Law in in as it concerns the um request that there not be a recompense cap um here this being an exemption rather than an amendment to the um to the tree protection ordinance as it stands today as it's codified today the there is no policy change concerning the uh application of the recompense calculation it is to be applied in accordance with the code as is currently applicable to the city um either for um projects subject to Federal consent decrees or other public projects that this is the same um policy as uh is currently in the code um and as it relates to the rep permitting request the exemption is to the process and it provides that while um recompense and and replanting shall still be effective in accordance with the code that the permitting processes um are are what are being Exempted in in the main and many of the projects that um that are to be subject to this exemption would be automatically excluded if the rep permitting prohibition were to be added thereby um negating the purpose of the exemption ordinance thank you and I'm going to have conversations with anyone interested in speaking about that um afterwards so thank you for that clarification and I yield councilor Hillis make a motion to the sen of the mayor's office post haste there's a motion by Council Hillis to send this item to the mayor's office post haste seconded by Council Maran is there any discussion on the motion move post haste we do this be name's consent with that objection any objection mam clerk please sign the count on name's consent on the motion post haste 13 y z nay 13 y z n motion carries chair shook thank you we have a resolution 25r 32222 this is a resolution by shook as substituted by FEC requesting that the mayor takes into consideration and funds priorities that the Atlanta City Council recommends being included in the FY 26 budget and for other purposes I would like to move uh to bring forward a substitute that updates the document um actually can I ask you to make a motion to adopt first and then a motion to bring forth through substitute because it came out of committee without a recommendation motion to adopt there's a motion to adopt this item by council member schook seconded by council member ju now we'll move to discussion on the motion to adopt council member shook motion bring forth sub there's a motion to bring forth The Substitute by Council schook seconded by Council Juan any discussion on the motion to bring forth The Substitute we do this V's consent without objection any objection mam clerk please sign on the count any's consent on the motion to bring forth the substitute 13 y a 13 y a motion bring forth substitute carries we're now back to the motion to adopt as substituted any discussion on the motion to adopt this item and substitute it hearing n move to vote Madam clerk please open the vote on the motion to adopt 25 R 3222 as substituted the vote is open will everyone please vote 13 yay there 13 Y is the motion to adopt as substitute carries uh finally pulled off consent by Mr Juan was 25r 3223 uh otherwise known as item 14 on page 12 this is a resolution by uh West Morland bti doer and Winston authorizing a donation to the Atlanta volunteer lawyers Foundation pursuant to the section of the charter listed here to continue support for that organization's access to Legal councel program uh that provides eviction defense services to eligible city of Atlanta residents authorizing the mayor's designate to enter into any necessary agreements to effectuate the donation to authorize the CFO uh to make the donation authorized hereby from the council herein and for other purposes there's a motion to adopt Comm out of committee 25 r- 3223 is heing discussion on this item Council one thank you Mr chair colleagues uh we are working with the administration on on this and um need a little bit more time so I'm going to move to table there's a motion by Council ju to holding the breast of council I believe to hold the breast of councel seconded by Council Bach tiari this is not debatable so we'll move directly to a vote majority vote of eyes will hold in the breast of council Madam clerk please open the vote on the motion to move hold in the bre of council the vote is open will everyone please vote the votes closed 15 y Zer n 15 y z nay is the motion to hold the breast of Council of carries that completes her report Council Morland yeah thank you Mr President just I don't know if this is a vote explanation comment or not we'll count it as such thank you um Ved just look forward to I think we heard an incredibly compelling case in public comment today about the value of the right to counsel for someone faced with an eviction um and so I look forward to receiving the information that has been requested on January 22nd and February 25th as it relates to the housing trust fund so that this paper can move forward um along with other vitally important initiatives to support housing efforts in this city thank you next we'll move to the committee on councel chair Collins you m thank you thank you c um Mr President we have one item on the agenda for today uh it is item 25- c-33 h a communication from Council Members Jason Winston district one Amir farooqi District Two Barron Amos District 3 Jason doer District 4 and Michael Julian Bond post one at large appointing Mr Philip Perry to serve as a member of the Board of zoning adjustment and this appointment is for the term of two years there's a motion coming out of committee to uh adopt 25 c33 it does not need a second any discussion on the motion to adopt this item it's communication so we do this V name's consent any objection mam clerk please sign the count name's consent on the motion to adop this item 15 y0 n 15 y0 N is a motion to drop this item car great thank you and that's end that's the end of our report thank you next up will be the zoning committee chair West Morland without objection we can uh come back to the zoning report any objection so next we'll take up Public Safety legal Administration chair Boon thank you Mr President we do not have a report today thank you next up will be City Utilities committee chair Lewis and thank you Mr President good afternoon please turn to page 63 of your full Council agenda for the standing committee report on the City Utilities committee for item number one the 25 c004 item number one page 63 a communication from Danielle Hampton chair audit committee submitting the perform performance audit report controls over fuel consumption motion is to accept and fact motion coming out of committee to accept and file 25 C-4 it does not need a second is there any discussion on the motion to accept and file this item hearing none will we move to vote we do this consent without objection any objection motion to accept to file this item mam clerk please sign the count on un consent 15 y Zer Nays 15 y Zer Nays motion to accept and file carries that that end ends my report thank you Mr President thank you give us just a moment we'll go back to the zoning [Music] [Music] committee Council council president just correcting the last vote uh West Mor was off the floor so that's 14 14 y z a uh on the previous vote to accept and file for unanimous consent um we will go ahead and move to um personal papers and we'll come back to the zoning committee without objection we have one immediate consideration paper today council member Bond uh I would invite you forward for immediate consideration paper thank you Mr President and I'd actually like to ask for other signatures for this legislation didn't get a chance to pass it around it is elm's number 37624 a resolution by council member Michael Julian Bond urging the United States Department of Agriculture to reinstate cancelled local food programs and for other purposes whereas access to nutritious affordable and locally sourced food is essential for the health and wellbe of residents in the state of Georgia and the City of Atlanta whereas local food programs funded and supported by the United States Department of Agriculture the USDA have historically played a critical role in addressing food and security supporting local farmers and strengthening communities based uh Food Systems in Atlanta and whereas the recent cancellation of certain USDA funded local food programs has created a significant has created significant challenges for vulnerable populations who rely on these initiatives as well as for small scale farmers and food producers to participate in them whereas the reinstatement of these local food programs would align with the city of Atlanta's goals to promote Equity public health and Economic Opportunity for all residents whereas the Atlanta City Council recognizes the importance of advocating for policies and programs that uplift and support the needs of our communities whereas now therefore be it resolved by the Council of the city of Atlanta Georgia that the Atlanta City Council hereby urges the United States Department of Agriculture to reinstate the celed uh local food programs to ensure Equitable access to nutritious food to support the resilience of Local Food Systems be it further resolved that the Atlanta City Council and the City of Atlanta reaffirms its commitment to addressing food insecurity and promoting sustainable uh agricultural practices through advocacy Partnerships and local initiatives we it finally resolved that the final approval of this resolution uh the municipal clerk shall cause a copy to be transmitted to the governor of Georgia the Georgia state legislature the president of the United States the Secretary of Agriculture and all members of Congress like to move approval there's a motion by Council bond to adopt Elm 37624 is there a second second by Council Lewis so let me let me just ask who would like their name added to this and we'll do this in one quick Amendment who would like their name added council member Lewis Council baktiar council member Juan council member Doer uh council member Amos council member foki council member Winston council member Hillis council member Boone council member all of council so we've got all of council to be added um Council Bon can I ask you to motion to amend that with all signatures motion to amend Mo to amend second by Council B in discussion do this unan consent any objection Madam clerk please sign the count on consent on the motion to amend 15 y z name 15 y z a it's now back to the motion to adopt any discussion on the motion to adopt this item as amended hearing n we'll move to a vote Madam clerk please open the vote on the motion to adopt El 37624 is amended very nice the vote is open will everyone please vote will everyone please vote will everyone please vote the vote is closed Mr Bon is yes I'm a y with 14 14 y z 14 y z motion to adopt thank you Mr President thank you colleagues thank you uh we'll go back for a moment to the zoning report chair West Morland we have no report excellent thank you so much we will then proceed on with personal papers for referral I don't believe there are any others for for immediate consideration so we'll go to those for referral first up is Council emis thank you Mr President first AMS ID 37539 in ordinance by council member Byron dam was waving article 10 division four of the procurement code real state code of the city of Atlanta Georgia Code of ordinance to authorize mayor or his design on behalf of the city of of Atlanta to execute a contract with Global Travel investment limited to enable Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport to serve as the host of The Air Service World Congress 2025 in an amount not to exceed 500,000 $515,000 to be paid for conference related costs all contracted work shall be charged to and paid from account numbers listed here in and for other purposes homes ID 3753 will be refer to the transportation committee MS ID 375822871 not to exceed $863,000 5855 all funds to be charged to and paid from account number listed here and for other purposes Els ID 375822871 thank you council president elm's ID 37620 an ordinance by council member Liliana bakari to wave section 157.6 of the land subdivision ordinance of the city of Atlanta for the purposes of facilitating an acknowledgement of 2 2856 Tupelo Street Southeast as two separate Lots substantially consistent with the historic configuration and prevailing plat pattern and for other purposes ID 3762 will be referred to the cdhs committee thank you that concludes my personal papers councelor Bond CER Bond all right thank you Mr President have elm's ID number 3768 I'm sorry 37638 an ordinance by council member Michael Julian Bond and ordinance to amend chapter 10 of the city of Atlanta's code of ordinances to permit restaurants licensed for sale of alcohol for consumption on premises to secure additional and separate licenses for the retail sale of Malt Beverages SL beer and or wine for off premises consumption to provide that any restaurants choosing to apply for and secure separate licenses for the retail sale of Malt Beverages uh beer and and wi for off premises consumption shall meet the qualifications and requirements for such package sales licenses including the distance requirements and the payment for all applicable license fees in addition to meeting the qualifications and requirements for license to sell alcohol for premises consumption as as a retail restaurant and there and where there shall be any conflict conflict between such qualifications and requirements the uh more stringent shall control and for other purposes El ID 37638 will be refer to the pslaa committee okay next we have elm's ID 37580 in ordinance by council member Michael Julian Bond authorizing the mayor or his design on behalf of the city of Atlanta to ex execute a ground lease agreement with partners for home for property located at 405 Cooper Street Southwest Atlanta 30312 Atlanta Fulton County Georgia tax parcel num ID number uh listed property for lease term not to exceed 20 years to be used to develop quick uh delivery housing on public land as a part of the city of Atlanta's rapid Housing Initiative waving the the competitive procurement Provisions contained in article 10 procurement and real estate code for the city of Atlanta ordinances and for other purposes Elms ID 3758 will be referred to the cdhs committee have elm's ID number 37 598 in ordinance by council member Michael Julian Bond authorizing the Chief Financial Officer to create the affordable uh Workforce housing inl fee trust fund uh uh for the purpose of anticipating and appropriating the proceeds of inl fees and administrative cost revenues generated in Li of fees and administrative costs paid pursuant to the city's various affordable Workforce Housing Programs to apply These funds towards the production and preservation of affordable Workforce housing Citywide and for other purposes hes ID 3759 will be referred to the Fe C have elm's ID number 3760 in ordinance by council member Michael Julian bond to amend the 1982 Atlanta zoning ordinance as amended city of Atlanta code of ordinances part 16 zoning so as to direct in Loop fees paid in according with the requirements of chapter 36a affordable Workforce housing Belt Line overlay District chapter 37 Westside affordable Workforce housing district and chapter 41 Westside Park affordable Workforce housing overlay District into a Consolidated trust fund to support the production and preservation of affordable housing and for other purposes El ID 3760 be referred to the zoning committee have elm's ID number 37611 and ordinance by council member Michael Julian Bond and Iana bakari uh authorizing in the mayor's office or his design on behalf of the city of Atlanta's Department of Parks and Recreation to amend the operating and lease agreement between the city of Atlanta and the East Atlanta kids club Incorporated and to exercise the second of two one-year renewal options commencing on April the 5th 2025 and ending on April the 4th 2026 to allow East Atlanta kids club Incorporated to continue maintaining operating and providing programming at the Brownwood Park and Recreation Center and for other purposes Elms ID 37610 will be referred to the cdhs committee have elm's ID number 37596 an ordinance by council member Michael Julian Bond authorizing the Chief Financial Officer to create the Midtown affordable Workforce housing inl fee trust fund for the purpose of anticipating and appropriating the proceeds of the inlo fees and administrative costs paid pursuant to the affordable housing density bonus program provided in spi6 Midtown special public interest District to apply These funds toward the production and preservation of affordable Workforce housing in the Midtown neighborhood and for other purposes 37596 will be referred to the FEC I have elm's ID number 375 93 e pursuing ordinance 190156 and for other purposes home 37639 will be refer to the FEC thank you thank you councelor Boon thank you Mr President president 's ID number 37636 an ordinance by council member Andrea Boon to authorize the city of Atlanta to accept donations for the purpose of supporting the Atlanta Commission on women Community initiatives and events through December 31st 2025 to authorize all donations to be deposited into the Atlanta Commission on women trust account listed and for other purposes hes ID 37636 will be referred to the cdhs homes ID number 3758 one an ordinance by council member Andrea Boon authorizing the mayor or his designity on behalf of the Department of city of planning to amend special procurement agreement SPS DCP 22111 23158 short-term rental software with gratus saas LLC to add two one-year renewal terms in an amount not to exceed $194,500 all contracted work to be charged to and paid from the account listed herein to wave certain provisions of the city of Atlanta procurement code and for other purposes Elms ID 3758 1 will be referred to the cdhs committee elm's ID number 37635 ordinance by Council council member Andrea Boon Dustin Hillis Michael Julian bond to authorize the mayor on behalf of the city of Atlanta to execute a collective bargaining agreement with the Local 134 for International Association of firefighters IA in accordance with section 78- 36 of the city of Atlanta code of ordinances and the State firefighters mediation act ocg ca 2-5-1 for a term not to exceed one year and for other purposes F 37635 will be referred to the FEC thank you Mr President thank you councilor mollins just Cop made thank you all so much um wanting to read um M's ID 37574 which is an ordinance to wave chapter 2's article excuse me chapter 2 article 9 Division 1 Section 2- 910 of Grant applications to retroactively authorize and ratify the Atlanta the city of Atlanta's submission of the Grant application to to the Georgia Department of Community Affairs for the fiscal year of 2025 for the historic preservation fund Grant on behalf of the Department of cting planning in the amount not to exceed $25,000 and0 in order to identify and preserve the legacy of African American civil rights leaders and other purposes Elms ID 37574 will be referred to the cdhs committee right thank you second elm's ID 3758 for a resolution authorizing the mayor or his designate to execute an agreement to accept an ink kind donation of services and materials from the Georgia Power Company on behalf of the mayor's office of sustainability and resilience and the department of Enterprise and a um um Asset Management to conduct a building audit and Implement Aeros seal HVAC sealing technology for municipal buildings in a amount not to exceed $142,500 and0 and for other purposes ID 37584 will be referred to the City Utilities committee thank you so much Mr President that's all I have thank you council member [Music] doer thank you Mr President I only have one item for today is Elms number 37626 in ordinance by council member Jason doer I'm sorry correction this we need to amend and um the the actual capture but in ordinance by council member Jason doer requesting the mayor or his design need to install no parking signs to restrict parking on both sides of Octon Street Southwest from Atlanta student movement Boulevard to is dead in to W city code section 15092 of the Atlanta City code of ordinances and for other purposes 37626 will be refer to the transportation committee that's all I have thank you thank you Council foki all right Elms number 37631 a resolution by council member Amir fooki requesting the mayor for his design install an always stop at the intersection of 9th Street Northeast and Taft Avenue Northeast and for other purposes Elms ID 37631 will refer to the transportation committee Elms ID 37606 in ordinance by council members froi Winston doer to amend section 146-200 will be referred to the FEC Elms ID 37607 in ordinance by council members foki uh doer and Winston authorizing the city of Atlanta the um invest Atlanta the Atlanta Urban Redevelopment agency and the downtown Atlanta Community improvement district together with the Atlanta downtown improvement district Inc collectively adid to proceed with the implementation of the Stitch project within the boundaries of the Atlanta Stitch Special Service District providing for definitions authorizing and approving the financing of the project by Aura and adid whether directly or indirectly as necessary or appropriate authorizing the preparation use and distribution as the case may be of an intergovernmental agreement between between and among the city invest Atlanta Aura and adid among other documents and agreements in connection therewith providing for parameters for set financing and for other related matters providing for severability and providing for other purposes El 37607 will be referred to the FEC and then finally Elms ID 37604 an ordinance by council member Mir foki creating the Stitch special services District designating the boundaries of such District providing for definitions and for other purposes and sorry that's that's joance by council members froi doer and Winston Els ID 37604 will be referred to the FEC thank you that's all I have thank you Council M Hillis Elms ID Systems USA Inc pursuant to section 2- 1191 of the Atlanta City code on behalf of the Department of watershed management for a term of three years with two one-year renewal options and an amount not to exceed 4,167 355 and0 subject to an expressly contingent upon adoption of the fiscal years 2026 2027 2028 2029 and 2030 budgets all contracted work shall be charged to and paid from the fund Department organiz ation and account numbers listed herein and for other purposes Elm 375 92 will be referred to the FEC Elms number 37454673 to allow a holder of a state low THC oil and product dispensing license to operate within a 1,000 ft radius of a covered entity pursuant to ocga 16-1-2 15 to set forth certain requirements for said special use permit and for other purposes ID 3744 will be referred to the zoning committee completes my items those at 545 she 54 correction elm's ID 3754 five will be referred to the zoning committee CES Lewis thank you Mr President the resolution Elms ID 37633 a resolution by council member Antonio Lewis the resolution to establish the Merl M Davis Legacy commission to honor his contributions as a faith leader and as a community advocate Elms ID 37633 will be refer to the cdhs committee Elms ID 37630 a resolution by council member Antonio Lewis resolution to establish the Maurice Stone Davis Legacy commission to honor his contributions to the community as a business owner and a community leader and for other purposes whereas Maurice Stone Davis has been a dedicated and entrepreneur and an owner of a longstanding tire Stop Shop you don't have to read the word which you'd like to your go ahead I think the family outstanding man in our in our city whereas Maurice Stone Davis has been a dedicated entrepreneur and an owner of a longstanding tire shop providing essential services to the community and for supporting economic growth in district 12 and RZ through his tire shop Maurice Stone Davis has created employment opportunities Mentor young and entrepreneurs and demonstr a commitment to uplifting local businesses and families in Atlanta and RZ his business not only served a vital as a vital resource for vehicle maintenance but also as a Gathering Place that Fosters Community engagement and support thank you Mr President Elms ID 37630 we refer to the cdhs committee Elms ID 37627 a resolution signed by council member Jason do signed by council member Liliana bakari a resolution by council member Antonio Lewis calling for the initiation of a planning for staged withdrawal of detained people housed at Atlanta C City Detention Center under the custody of fton County Sheriff pursuant to relevant Clauses of the intergovernmental agreement between the city of Atlanta the fton county sheriff and Fon County and for purposes El ID 37627 will be referred to the public safety and legal Administration committee council member shook thank you have a plethora of personal papers Elms 37542 is a resolution by shook reauthorizing the Reemployment of City retiree Jacqueline Reagan in the position of executive assistant in the city auditor's office pursuant to the uh Charter section listed here for period not to exceed 130 business days compensation being charged who and paid from Etc in an amount not to exceed $ 36,400 37542 will be referred to the FEC Elms 37 543 is a resolution by shook authorizing the CFO to refund customers for overpayments to Water and Sewer accounts in the amount of blank all all funds to be charged to and paid from Etc Elms ID 3754 3 will be reford to the FEC Elms 37544 is a resolution by shook authorizing the commissioner of watershed management to adjust water and sewer service charges on certain customer accounts in accordance with the code section listed here in the amount of blank home 37544 will be referred to the FEC Elms 37625 is in ordinance by shook amending the code section listed here so as to repeal the exemption from the distance requirements between businesses seeking licenses to sell Al alcoholic beverages or consumption on the premises on peachree road and residence schools churches libraries parks and other places and for other purposes Elms ID 37625 will be refer to the psla committee thank you Elms 37546 ordinance by shook waving the competitive Source selection Provisions contained in the code section indicated to ratify by services rendered in connection with the co-op agreement number of which is listed uh this would be Wireless voice data services with T-Mobile USA Inc and authorize the mayor's designated to execute the Fifth Amendment to the agreement on behalf of aim to extend the term on a month-to-month basis for a period not to exceed 6 months retroactively from the date listed through the date listed in an amount not to exceed $652,500 uh for a further period not to exceed six month effective July 1 of this year through December 31st of this year contingent upon the renewal of the underlying State contract in amount not to exceed $652,500 all contracted work being charge you and patr Etc Elms ID 37546 will be to the FEC Elms 37547 is an ordinance by shook waving the competitive Source selection Provisions contained in the listed section of the city code to ratify uh services rendered in connection with the co-op agreement number of which is listed Wireless communication Services voice and data services with Verizon Wireless Services LLC to authorize the mayor to execute the Fifth Amendment to the agreement on behalf of aim to extend the term on a month-to-month basis not to exceed 6 months retroactively effective from Jan one of this year through June 30th of this year in an amount not to exceed 2, 22,690 .55 for a further period not to exceed 6 months effective July 1 of this year through December 31st of this year contingent upon the renewal of the underly state contract in amount not to exceed 2, 22,690 37547 will be refer to the FEC and lastly The Elms 37603 resolution by shook authorizing mayor was design to execute special procurement agreement uh the number of which is listed occupation tax Recovery Services with blank on behalf of dep Department of Finance pursuant to the city code section listed here for a term of five years with two one-year renewal options all contracted work to be charged to and paid from the recovered proceeds and for other purposes ID 37603 will be referred to the FPC that is all thank you councilor Juan thank you Mr president Elms 37617 a resolution by council members Juan btari West Morland Boon Winston doer Hillis Bon Collins over Street in Norwood to authorize additional funding for the initiative established under 23r 4453 in support of place based Street Outreach and rehousing through in town Caris and for other purposes Elms ID 37617 will be refer to the cdhs committee uh Elms 37637 in orance by council members Alex Juan Dustin Hillis and Jason Winston authorizing the mayor or his design to enter into an agreement between the city of Atlanta and live Thrive Atlanta Inc uh for the operation of multiple centers for hard to recycle centers uh for hard to recycle materials charm locations to wave article 10 of the city of Atlanta procurement and real estate code to authorize annual payment in an amount not to exceed blank and for other purposes Elms ID 37637 will be refer to the City Utilities committee all right Elms 37628 and ordinance by council member Alex Juan authorizing a donation in an amount not to exceed 5 $0000 from the district 6 carry forward account to Midtown neighbors Association to support the Midtown garden stroll pursuant to section 6306 of the city of Atlanta's Charter and for other purposes El 37628 will be referred to the FEC thank you Mr President council member West Morland and guest Elms ID 37632 in ordinance by West Morland authorizing a donation amount not to exceed $1,500 to Atlanta Technical College Foundation pursuant to 6306 of the charter and for the purposes 376 32 will be refer to the FEC 3762 West Morland donation not to exceed $3,000 to the Midtown neigh Association pursuant to 636 of the city of Atlanta's Charter and for other purposes Elms ID 376 29 be refer to the FEC thank you thank you councilman Winston thank you council president um I have three items the first is elm's three 37 37634 in ordinance by council member Winston authorizing a donation in an amount not to exceed $1,000 from The District 1 carry Ford account to the South River Watershed Alliance pursuant to section number listed of the city of Atlanta's Charter and for other purposes Els ID 37634 will be referred to the FC elsid 37595 an ordinance by council member Winston to reone property located at 335 salel Avenue from R4 single family res residential to mrc1 mixed residential commercial to modify the official zoning map and for other purposes ID 37595 we refer to the zoning committee MMS ID 37572 a resolution by council members Winston and Boon authorizing the mayor or his design need to execute the Second Amendment of the agreement listed maintenance agreement for permeable pavers with Maran marani Enterprises doing business as Castro landscape on behalf of the Department of watershed man to add funds to the agreement in an amount not to exceed 720,000 3750 for p restoration restoration services all contracted work will be charged to and pay from the fund Department organization and account numbers listed here in and for other purposes 37572 be refer to the City Utilities committee thank you thank you we have one more paper for immediate consideration council member Bond thank you Mr President have elm's ID number 37 sorry 37623 signed by all members present a resolution uh urging the United States Congress to replace the statue of Alexander Hamilton Stevens with a statue of President Jimmy Carter in the national uh Statuary Hall of the United States capital and for other purposes whereas Alexander Hamilton Stevens served as the vice presidency of the Confederate States of America an entity that fought to preserve the institution of slavery whereas the it is important to acknowledge and learn from our history while also striving to represent values of equality Justice and progress whereas Jimmy Carter as a native of Georgia served as the 39th president of the United States and has dedicated and had dedicated his life to Public Service a human Public Service humanitarian work and to the promotion of peace and democracy whereas President Carter's contributions include the Camp David Accords efforts in global health and housing through the Carter Center and his tireless advocacy for human rights whereas President Carter's legacy reflects the values and aspirations of all people of Georgia and the United States as a whole now therefore be it resolved by the Council of the city of Atlanta that the Atlanta City Council hereby urges urges the United States Congress that the statue of Alexander Hamilton Steven and the national Statuary Hall at the US capital be replaced with the statute that commemorates President Jimmy Carter be it further resolved that the Atlanta City Council also request the joint committee on library on the Library of Congress to approve this replacement be it further resolved that the Atlanta City Council encourages other cities and counties within the state of Georgia to support the initiative by passing similar resolutions hosting public discussions and promoting awareness of President Carter's achievements and Legacy be it finally resolved that following the approval of this resolution the municipal clerk shall cause a copy to be transmitted to the governor of Georgia the Georgia state legislature the Georgia Congressional Delegation and the joint committee on the Library of Congress like to move Mo approval there's a motion to adopt Elms 37623 by Council Bon is there a second seconded by council member shook is there discussion on the motion to adopt this item hearing none we can do we'll move to vote we do this to the unanimous consent without objection is there any objection the motion to adopt this item Madam clerk please sign the count on unanimous consent 11 y0 11 Z is the motion to adopt carries I'd like to move to move it to the mayor's office post taste there's a mo there's a motion by Council bond seconded by Council bakari to move Elm 37623 to the mayor's office post haste is there any discussion on the motion to move post haste weew this un's consent without objection any objection Madam clerk please sign the count on un's consent on the motion to move post haste 11 y z a 11 y z a the motion move post carries thank you Mr President thank you colleagues thank you councelor Bond next we'll move to General remarks uh I'd like to begin um and I want to protect their privacy but our colleague Lamar Parks had a terrible loss today uh and I just wanted to ask if we take a moment of silence for the family um to recognize this moment thank you we will keep the family in our prayers other General remarks hearing none we will move to the final roll call Madam clerk council president duck Shipman present council member Michael Julian Bond council member Matt West Morland post two at large council member Isa Collins Post three at large council member Jason h H Winston District 1 council member ARA foki District 2 council member Byron D Amos District 3 council member Jason Dozer District Four council member Liliana bter District Five council member Alex Juan District Six council member Howard shook District s Council M Mary Norwood District 8 council member Dustin Hillis District nine council member Andre albon district 10 council member Marcy col over Street District 11 council member Antonio Lewis District 12 without that objection we will stand adjourn thanks everybody thank you that