Come [Applause] [Music] [Applause] on. Good afternoon. Welcome to the August 5th, 2025 meeting of the Atlanta City Council. My name is Dustin Hillis, president, Pro Tim of the council. Uh the president is unfortunately out today due to the passing of his father, and we hold the president and his family in our thoughts and prayers. I would like to ask the clerk to please call the role. >> Good afternoon, Mr. Council President Prom. We have council member Michael Julian Michael Julian Bond, post one at large. >> Council member Matt West Morland, post two at large >> here. >> Council member Esha Collins, post three at large. >> Here, council member Jason H. Winston, District 1, >> here. >> Council member Amir Feroki, District 2. Council member Byron D. Amos, District 3, >> here. >> Council member Jason Dozer, District 4, >> present. >> Council member Liliana Bacteri, District 5. >> Council member Alex Juan, District 6, >> present. >> Council member Howard Shook, District 7. Hi. >> Council member Marin, District 8, >> present. >> Council President Prom, Dustin Hillis, >> present. >> Council member Andrea Elon, District 10, >> present. >> Council member Marcy Collier, Over Street, District 11. President. >> Council member Ottonia Lewis, District 12. Mr. President, we do have a form of quorum of members present. >> Thank you, Madam Clerk. >> I will now entertain a motion to adopt the agenda. >> So move. >> Second. >> Moved by who is the mover? I'm sorry. >> Council member Isai Collins. Second by council member Howard Shook. We can adopt this by unanimous consent. Madame clerk, please sound the count on the a motion to adopt the agenda. 12 >> 12 yay zero nays. >> Thank you. Uh before we go to invocation, um I will take any requests from council members or anyone that needs to be lifted up in uh prayer or remembrance. Council members, council member Juan. >> Thank you, Mr. President. Prom colleagues, I would ask that we keep um the f friends and family of John Wolfinger uh in our hearts and minds. Uh he passed away on July 19th. Um y'all may recognize his name. He was the safety chair for Virginia Highland Civic Association as well as MPUF. Served on the board of Keep Atlanta Beautiful. Um active participant, an advocate for the citizens academy programs for APD. Um and an avid gardener. Um he was really a strong advocate in terms of knowing your neighbors as the best way of uh building community and um looking out for each other. And he will be sorely missed. So I ask that you keep him in your mind. Thank you. >> Thank you, Council Member Vaugh. Council member Amos. >> Yes, sir. Thank you, Mr. Proam. Um, as we are international city, of course, we all mourn the deaf and um keep the family of Malcolm Jamal Warner um in our prayers as we lost that great superstar. But um since um we all local um just like to raise the family of um coach Aaron Haynes um Hines I mean um Coach Ball um for the Georgia Rattlers who lost his life as well. Want to lift up his family and prayers as well. >> Thank you Council Member Amos. Council member Bakiari. >> Thank you. um number of people to keep in our prayers today, but also wanted to raise the passing of Tom Cousins um who if for those who don't know worked tirelessly with Eva Davis and East Lake to create the villages and to create the model for a third, a third and a third in terms of housing and really really defined mixed income and mixed community um which we know makes every community stronger. and I would just appreciate if we kept them in our prayers, that family in our prayers today for all the work they've done. Um, it's really a big loss to the city. So, thank you. >> Thank you, Council Member Brocki, Council Member Collins. >> I was going to recognize and pay respects to the family of Tom Cousins, Lillian, and um, and Greg Jernelli and the family as we mourn law. So, thank you, Council Member Batiari, for uplifting their family and our spirits. Council member Boon. >> Yes. Thank you, Mr. President. Pro Tim. I too would like to offer condolences to the family of Doug Shipman who lost his father suddenly. Um he is a member of the Arkansas clan in Atlanta. And we just want to offer our deepest condolences on the sudden passing of his father. Thank you. >> Thank you, Council Member Boone. Any other council members? Council member Lewis, >> I would like to offer condolences to the family of Desan Johnson, young man murdered in Empire Park over the p over the past two weeks. Desan Johnson offer condolences to his family. >> Thank you, Council Member Lewis. And I will again uh raise up President Shipman and his family on the passing of his father, Charles Eugene Shipman, over the weekend. And also uh before we go into the invocation, if there are no objections, uh I would u like to hear from the mayor would like to say a few words uh in honor of the president and his father, Mary Dickens. >> After the invitation. >> After the invitation. Okay. All right. So for the invocation, I would like to invite up Bishop Craig Oliver, who is a senior pastor at Elizabeth Baptist Church. [Music] May we bow in a word of prayer. Oh God, our creator, how we thank you and how we praise you for this day in which you have made. Wherein we resolve that we will rejoice and be glad in it. Even as we gather on this day, we ask for your wisdom. We ask for your grace. We ask, oh God, that you would show yourself to be who indeed you are, a refuge, a high tower, our pavilion. Even as we gather to deliberate and make decisions, we seek your prudence. We seek your vision. We seek your heart. I pray for every representative, every steward, every leader that is gathered in this chamber. We pray God that you would give us a heart of transparency, a heart of honesty, a heart of integrity. With the multiple complexities within our communities and within our city, we ask, oh God, that you would anoint this body of leaders to be solution strategists that are able to look beyond the problems and see a solution as well. Father, even for the names that have been called out, those who are dealing with moments of bereiement, we ask for your peace and for your comfort. We pray as well that you will continue to lead and guide this great city and many of the trailblazers who've gone beforeward, has gone forward, who are now part of that great cloud of witnesses. We pray oh God that even as we fulfill our obligation in this generation and within this particular time that we would do so in such a way that it serves the common good of humanity but most importantly advances your cause in your kingdom. This is our humble prayer and we pray it in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. >> Amen. >> Thank you so much. >> Thank you Bishop Oliver. And now at this time we will hear from the mayor of Atlanta, Andre Dickens. [Applause] >> Good morning. Good morning. Uh good afternoon now. Good afternoon everyone. I wanted to come over here today. Uh my list of reasons to come by today have grown as the day has taken shape. Um, and so thank you, uh, Councilman Hillis for running a great meeting today. And I know the reason why you're running is because our friend and colleague, the president Doug Shipman, uh, is experiencing a loss in his family. Uh, I talked to him over the weekend once uh, in the beginning when his father was having difficulty and then thereafter after his father passed away. So, thank you uh Reverend Oliver for those prayers and everyone for your words of uh condolences and encouragement to that family, the Shipman family uh as he's one of us and uh working hard on behalf of the people of Atlanta. I also came um as we talked about Tom Cousins and his leadership is remarkable leadership across the city and really demonstrated the group project as I call it where business folks, nonprofits uh also with government and community leaders can make a awesome outcomes together and so he was uh living testimony to that and so uh with regards to him and his family we give our condolences as well. Um also uh on this day we are celebrating a number of people and institutions um from Deborah Scott uh we give give uh her her flowers today on her birthday and uh in regards to her and then I see also the Shepherd Center uh is being honored today on your 50th anniversary. The Shepherd Center means so much to the city of Atlanta. Um and uh as I was running the Peace Street Road race this year, I passed by the Shepherd Center. It gave me an excuse to stop uh stop running on that hill so I can say happy 50th birthday to y'all. It was a good excuse to catch my wind. But um 50 years of really providing help to everybody that comes into your doors, including my former chief of staff, OD Donald. He got his recovery from not being able to move to being able to walk, to jump, to move around because of the life-saving and um remarkable work of the Shepherd Center and to uh of course Elizabeth Baptist Church, a hallmark of our community, uh these great uh clergy leaders and individuals. So, shout out to all of you. Um and again, Georgia stand up with Deborah Scott. And the last thing I want to come over here was two two other reasons was to welcome you all back from recess. It's been lonely without y'all. I've been walking over here every day looking for you guys. No, excuse me. I hope you enjoyed your break. Welldeserved break. You guys work very very hard. Um and a welldeserved break. And now back to the back to the to the action at hand. Um today is the first day back for school uh for Atlanta Public Schools and a lot of our school districts around the region. So, welcome back to school for our students, for our parents, of course, for our educators, our teachers, our principles, administrators, bus drivers, cafeteria workers, custodians. Um, give them a hug all when you see them in the community cuz they are back to taking care of our most precious asset, our children. Um, so I just came by here to uh lay eyes on y'all and shout you out. And um, yes, also Miss uh, Deborah McCarti. Um, thank you as well. I didn't know that that was uh I'm trying to look at all the list of everybody we're honoring today, but thank you for your leadership and your support. Um, and I'm glad that we are honoring all of our honores today. I see our union leaders and others here. So, just want to come and I see Mayor Shirley Franklin in the audience. Good to see you, Shirley Clark Franklin. [Applause] You drive in on Shirley Franklin Boulevard. You did. >> All right. >> Good deal. That's all I had. God bless you all and thank you for this time. Thank you. >> And if you will now rise and join me and Mayor Dickens in the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. [Music] All right, we will now move on to our proclamations. So, first I would like to invite up council member Mary Norwood in recognition of the Shepherd Center's 50th birthday and everyone here from the Shepherd Center that has joined us uh please come up to the DAS to join us. Okay. [Music] Give me a pen, too. >> All right. And I read from this [Music] I am joined today on the DAS for the Shepherd Center with Jamie Shepard, CEO of the Shepherd Center and grandson of founder Alena Shepard and her husband Clyde Shepard. And so this is so wonderful that we have this incredible organization in our city. and I will read the proclamation in recognition of the Shepherd Center's 50th anniversary. Whereas Shephard Center was founded in Atlanta, Georgia as a private not-for-profit six-bed hospital on August 18th, 1975 and is celebrating 50 years of service. And whereas Shepherd Center's mission is to help individuals with temporary or permanent disabilities caused by injury or disease to rebuild their lives with hope, independence, and dignity while advocating for full inclusion in all aspects of community life and promoting safety and injury prevention. And whereas Shepherd Center has made a profound impact on the citizens of Georgia and countless individuals worldwide by providing personalized rehabilitation and medical care for those experiencing brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, multiple scerosis, chronic pain, and other neurological conditions. And whereas Shephard Center has played a vital role in the community by leading the 1996 Atlanta Parolympic Games Organizing Committee, founding the wheelchair division of the AJC Peach Tree Road Race, advocating for accessible public accommodations and transportation, and bringing honor as a global leader in neuro rehabilitation research and innovation, advancing recovery, improving lifelong health, driving discoveries and maximizing independence for those it serves. And whereas each year in the United States, approximately 300,000 people are newly diagnosed with spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, and multiple scerosis. underscoring the critical need for the specialized care and rehabilitation provided like an institution like the Shepherd Center. And whereas the Shepherd Center's culture of hope, humor, and heart continues to inspire its patients, families, staff, and the broader community. Now therefore, be it proclaimed that we, the members of the Atlanta City Council, on behalf of the residents of Atlanta, do hereby recognize and celebrate the outstanding legacy and transformative impact of the Shepherd Center and declare August 18th, 2025 as Shepherd Center Day in our great city in honor of its 50 years of compassionate care, groundbreaking innovation and unwavering commitment to restoring lives and strengthening our community. Congratulations. [Applause] Um I thank you so much for being here today. Thank you Council Member Norwood for this. Um my name is Liliana Bactiari. I just wanted to step up and say thank you because a few years ago my grand not my grandfather although he did come to see all as well my uncle uh had a terrible accident and fell and badly bruised his neck walked into a hospital suffered malpractice and left paralyzed from his chest down due to a local hospital uh lack of >> thank you lack of care. I was trying to be a bit nice. The words you came out with was much more PC than what I was going to say. So, I appreciate that. Um, but I I still obviously carry a lot of grief in my heart about it, but he has not regained his full mobility, but thanks to you all, he gets to spend every day with us. And thanks to you all, he has gain regained some of his mobility and is still in physical therapy with you all, but you all have saved my uncle's life. And I will forever be grateful for the work that you all do. So, thank you. Thank you, Council Member Norwood, for uh putting together this proclamation. Uh I don't have a family story to share or a story of my chief of staff to share like the mayor did. But as an ICU nurse that worked at Emory University Hospital and one of in the neuroscience ICU, I can say that the Shepherd Center has changed many lives, not just here in Atlanta, but across Georgia and across the southeast. and uh Atlanta is a much better place because of the work that you all have done for 50 years. So, thank you so much. [Applause] >> I want to thank Councilwoman Norwood for uh bringing this honor forward for the Shepherd Center. And like Council Member Hillis, I don't have a personal story to share, but I have many friends that have had folks serviced by the Shepherd Center. And I guess a few years ago, uh, I got to interview your grandmother for the City Channel here and she she was able to talk about all how the Shepherd Center got started and all of their amazing work. And we've got that video somewhere. We'll we'll make sure that we get it to you. Uh, but you do God's work uh, within uh, the framework of the medical community. what you all have done and continue to do is a light uh internationally uh for folks to come here and to get the kind of care that they simply can't get anywhere else. So, God bless you, Godspeed, and please continue to serve others. Thank you. >> Any any other colleagues? All right. Uh Jamie, it's yours. >> Thank you, Councilwoman Norwood, for those kind words. Thank you, Councilwoman woman, for your kind words and thank you to the mayor for his kind words. Uh on behalf of Shephard Cent's 1,800 plus employees, graciously graciously accept this proclamation. Uh it is truly an honor to think about how we've grown over the last 50 years. You know, we started as a six bed hospital in 1975, leasing uh space from a for-profit hospital on West Paces Ferry Road. Um and and really didn't know how things were going to work out. So to fast forward to today, five decades later, to be one of the one of the world's, you know, arguably the one of the world's premier institutions for brain injury and spinal cord injury rehab is is just really so inspirational. And, you know, it started with my father uh his injury in 1973. He broke his broke his neck body surfing in Brazil um and had to come back and and went to rehab in Colorado because there was no specialized care uh anywhere in the southeast. And so that's what that's what started the hospital. Um but alongside my father and my grandparents, Dr. Dr. David Apple help helped found the institution. Uh my grandmother and Dr. Apple are still with us, still come in every week. My grandmother is 90 years young, comes in every day, has been an unpaid volunteer on August 18th. She'll be an unpaid volunteer for 50 straight years. Um >> y and and refuses to take a paycheck uh despite my grandfather's urging along the way over many years. But it is super meaningful for for all of us in the family, you know, to give back to this community who des so desperately needs uh this type of medical care which is not found uh almost anywhere else in in the country, certainly in the state. And so we're honored to do the work. It's an incredible place to to to be and to give back. And just want to say thank you to the council. Thank you to the city for being great partners over the last 50 years. We've had a lot of projects together um and look forward to the next 50. So thank you. [Applause] Okay. Picture. >> Take a picture. >> I'm so old I forget about >> only children get older. >> You better take another one. I wasn't one more. Better. Okay. One. Thank you. [Music] They won't just need [Music] breakfast. [Music] Baptist Church. >> All right, moving on to our second proclamation. Like to invite Council Member Andrea El Boone up in recognition of Elizabeth Baptist Church and EBC Cares Community Outreach Initiatives. Council member Boom. >> For all those that are here representing Elizabeth Baptist Church and EBC Cares, please come up. Please join Bishop Oliver. Please come up. [Music] It's a great turnout. >> Hey. Hey. How you doing? Good to see you. >> Good to see you. right here. >> Okay. >> Oh, I know this lady right here. She on the ground. >> Baker. Miss Baker. Miss Lisa. Miss Lisa Baker. Miss Lisa Baker. Where is she? >> Lisa. She's over there. [Music] Today, the city of Atlanta honors EBC Cares Community outreach initiative, Elizabeth Baptist Church. And now we will see a short video. [Music] At EBC Cares, we're committed to living out a mission of compassion, generosity, and kingdom impact. Through intentional investments both near and far, we're helping build stronger, healthier communities. To date, EBC Cares has extended over $400,000 in strategic contributions, empowering individuals churches schools and organizations that are actively transforming lives, and bringing hope where it's needed most. EBC Cares continues to grow by supporting and strengthening the church, advancing education, serving local and global communities, engaging in civic efforts, and promoting food justice through the EBC farm. Each reflecting our commitment to lasting impact. >> So, I just came here today uh to actually enroll my babies in um daycare, and I just happened to stumble upon I saw some diapers hanging out the truck, and I was just like, I don't know if it's something they're selling. and come to find out that they were gracious enough to give me a box of two boxes of diapers for my twin girls. And I'm really appreciative because today at the beginning of the day, I literally had less than $20 in my account [Music] and I don't get paid tomorrow, but I know I'm going to need diapers for them and stuff like that. So, like when I say on time, he's a on time guy. So, I thank EBC Cares for coming through when they didn't know, but they knew and he knew that I needed it. So, I I thank them so much. Thank you. >> Strengthening the church. EBC Cares has collectively given over $550,000 in support to partners like Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship International and provided Victory Bible Church of Pasadena with resources for fire recovery and community relief. Additional contributions have helped churches like 2819 Church, Capacity Church, and Ambassador Fellowship grow their missions and infrastructure. Investing in education, ABC Cares has awarded over $60,000 to support colleges, universities, and schools such as Payne College, Granling State University, Lyola University's BLSA fund, Payton Forest Elementary, and so many more. >> In 97, >> I'm just a baby yet. I got another couple years to go. I'm the oldest mother and happy to be the oldest mother. EBC has always cared for me, baby. Since the time I first came, they said, "You mother given?" When I say, "Yes, I am." They said, "Well, we got you." And I said, "I'm so glad." >> Serving both local and global communities, EBC Cares partners with organizations like the Bonus Club and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes to support youth and leadership development. Over $10,000 has been contributed to the Urban League of Greater Atlanta along with growing partnerships with ministries around the world, including in South Africa. Civic and community engagement efforts also included a combined gift of over $7,500 to organizations such as Mary Hall Freedom Village for Women's Recovery and FCA for Camps and Disciplehip impacting coaches and student athletes in South Fulton and APS. As part of our food justice efforts, the EBC farm harvested nearly 754 pounds of produce in early 2025 with quality offerings such as cucumbers, yellow squash, and green beans with 95% distributed to partners like Goodter Community Market and the Parents of Learning Center. The EBC farm is more than just a garden. It's a ministry in motion, nourishing bodies, strengthening families, and stewarding God's creation with excellence. These contributions reflect EBC Cares living out its mission of compassion, generosity, and kingdom impact. Empowering communities and advancing hope through every act of service. Whether responding to natural disasters, equipping the next generation or partnering with ministries that share our mission. EC Cares leads with purpose, building a legacy of faith, impact, and transformation for generations to come. We thank every member, every partner, and every prayer warrior who makes this possible. The impact is real, the vision is clear, and this is only the beginning. >> Thank you, EC Cares. On last summer, 32 families totaling 24 children were burned out on Faraban Road. We immediately called EBC Cares. And Lisa Baker answered the phone. She said, "Well, what do you need?" I said, "I need sheets." She said, "I have those." I said, "I need lamps." I have those, too. I said, "I need diapers and towels and anything else." And from then on, they made sure that those families were made whole. So, we want to thank EBC Cares for not forgetting the Adamsville community where your church started. Thank you, Bishop, for all you all have done. When the seniors on Farurn Road and Adams Drive did not have air condition, they brought a van full of fans, not three or four. When those were without heat, their furnishes were out. They supplied heaters to those seniors that did not know who to call. So for that, we are grateful. And now for the official proclamation recognizing EBC Care's community outreach initiatives. Whereas during the unprecedented challenges of the CO 19 pandemic, a renewed awareness of community needs inspired the vision of Elizabeth Baptist Church, Bishop Craig L. Oliver, Senior, leading to the formation of EBC Caris, Inc. in 2021 as a vehicle for meaningful local, national, and global outreach. And whereas founded on the mission to love our neighbors, EBC Cares works tirelessly to bring hope, security, and dignity to undeserved and vulnerable communities through a wide range of ministries and outreach programs. Whereas the operation uplift program responds to national disaster relief efforts, the dental days program provides vital dental care to uninsured adults. And the fourthcoming ministry incubator program seeks to support local entrepreneurs with mentorship and financial assistance to launch impactful ventures. And whereas the innovative needed cascade urban farm established in 2021 has produced thousands of pounds of natural and organic produce distributed weekly to over 100 seniors, families, and individuals facing food insecurity while also expanding into poultry farming, composting, and plans for systems food access partnerships, youth vocational training, and food aggregation infrastructure. And whereas EBC Caris, Inc. supports educational excellence by partnering with schools to provide tutoring in core subjects, healthy snacks during testing and farming education, offering these services free of charge to students and adults alike. Whereas the EBC Cares Center gift in kind program in partnership with World Vision and nearly 75 other organizations has distributed essential goods to thousands in need including those in emergency housing, single mothers, seniors, disasteraffected families and the unsheltered. Now therefore be it resolved that we the members of the Atlanta City Council on behalf of all of the members do hereby proclaim today in Atlanta, Georgia as EBC Cares Day in the city of Atlanta. Thank you, Bishop Oliver. [Applause] Councilwoman, thank you so much. And to the entire council and to each and every one of you that are here today. I appreciate certain c certainly the uh proclamation as it has given an overview of the work of EBC Cares. And so I'm going to at least save some of my voice from preaching on yesterday and just explain how this whole vision came about. As indicated again, it was in the throws of co 19 as the church was shut down as many other institutions were as well shut down that I wrestled and grappled with the question how can the church respond in that we have often times done a great job as it relates to having church and sometime we've done somewhat a poor job in being church and I think there's a difference between having church and being the church and we sought to be the church >> uh as it relates to responding to the concern concerns and the cares of those throughout our city and not just our city but also throughout the nation and even the world. And one of the ways wherein EBC cares has been able to finance the various endeavors that has just been listed and communicated is that during this same time as well we did something that um really was a step and a challenge of faith for us. It was doing again co 19 that um the Lord laid upon my heart to take the entire offering raised on the first Sunday of December and to give it all away. Not one brown dime, one brown penny, excuse me, a shiny dime was placed in the coffers of EBC. And on that particular Sunday, we raised close to about 300,000. And every single Sunday thereafter as it relates to the first Sunday of December, uh, every single offering that we receive on that particular Sunday, we give away. And the largest that we raised on one single Sunday was a million dollars to which we did not accept any of those funds to go towards the operational expenses of our church. And so our church literally operates off of 51 offerings as opposed to 52. And ultimately, it's the vision that our church will one day be able to operate off of 11 months of offerings as opposed to 12 as we'll give an entire month of offerings away to the community. Because often times we hear the narrative hear the narrative of some churches always receiving, but our church seek to be that church that is also giving. And so let me conclude by saying thank you to each and every person that are standing alongside of me. The volunteers and those who give their time, those who give their uh sweat equity to support the EBC cares initiative. It could not happen without each and every one of you. So as your pastor and as your friend, >> I say thank you so much for all that you do. And again, Councilwoman, thank you so much for your partnership, for your leadership. Thank you for always thinking about EBC and if again there's ever a need, don't hesitate to reach out. We love you and we appreciate you. Thank you so much. >> Miss Shirley, >> one of EBC Car's partners. Thank you so much, Councilwoman, and thank you, CBC Caris. You guys are a godsend to us. I'm Shirley Henderson Coleman, and I'm with the Satie G. May's Health and Rehabilitation Center. And yeah, since uh we started this relationship with EBC Cares about three years or ago or so, they have been so generous, so helpful with everything you can imagine from cases and cases of adult briefs to toothpaste to fresh produce from the farm and even a brand new guitar for one of our residents. So you name it, they've got it and they share it and it just means so much because it saves us money so that we can put it into care for our residents. So um thank you for that uh uh Reverend Oliver and the vision that you had. It's so impressive what you guys do at Elizabeth Baptist Church because your Golden Years ministry also helps us. So, we're just the beneficiary of all of your love and your care for your community. So, on behalf of Satie G May's Health and Rehab Center, I just want to say thank you so much and keep up the great work. And Lisa and your team are fantastic. Always so well organized and so helpful. So, we appreciate you. Thank you, >> Reverend Gerald Durley. And we'd also like to thank the team that came out to Clark Atlanta University's campus and gave the students toothbrushes, toothpaste. Where are those volunteers that came to Clark Atlanta? Where where thank you all. They came out on the campus and took care of the students. So, we want to thank you all so much for that. And we're looking forward to partnering with you all again. >> Reverend Gerald Durley. In our lifetime, so many of us have heard the statement, "I'd rather see a sermon than hear one." I think EBC Cares demonstrates that particular statement. We see what they have done, but not only what they have done, but what they are doing and what they will do. We live in a world where when everything is up and growing and growing, everybody can pat you on their back. But these people were invisible in what they were doing. They were raising them funds, talking to people, raising the crops. And I can't say enough about my good friend who represents all of us in the clergy, Bishop Craig Oliver. I've known him a long time. And on behalf of all the other clergy in this city, the concerned black clergy and all of us, you set an exemplary model for us to follow so many times. And I'm sick and tired of cliche Christians. If I never see another cliche Christian, I'm fine. What is a cliche Christian? Darling, the Lord will make a way out of nowhere. Blessed be the name of the Lord. The Lord is ever to. But you all don't run your mouth. You do the work. I'm glad to see a sermon. This is what EBC can. Thank you, Bishop, on behalf of all of us in the clergy. Thank you. The honorable Marcy Carer over street was really just trying to make sure uh Reverend Durley came over to speak, but um I am a witness. I love the work that EBC Cares does. Thank you so much for always including my office or council period to be part of this amazing venture that you guys have just taken off with. You saw the videos, you hear the direct testimony. It has really been amazing watching the work that you all are doing in the community uh as as late as Junth. Oh my gosh. >> Y >> Oh my gosh. I mean, when I look back at those videos, you know how Siri pops them up on your phone now, I am like what a day. And that was all EBC Cares in in in in a place where you worship. Amazing. Congratulations. I'm here for you. Uh and just keep up the great work. Thank you. [Applause] >> And I want to recognize all these super volunteers. Super volunteers. I see so many wonderful, wonderful volunteers. and those members from council district 10. Miss CC Torrance is here, Miss Susan J. Ross. I see so many here. >> Yes. >> Thank you. Thank you, Councilwoman Boon. I will make it very brief, but I um had the opportunity to really get connected with EBC's when I was actually a school board member and I um represent part of at that time I represented part of district 11 and 12 with U. Marcy and Councilman Lewis. And I got a swarm of calls from parents that needed school supplies. And the first person I called was Lisa. And Lisa said, "What do you need?" I said, "I need whatever you got." And I had, she said, "Well, can you get a truck to the warehouse to get those things to us?" And I said, you know, and I said, "We'll do just that." And before you know it, the kids had markers and book bags and um pencils and slime and just everything. And just to see just to see the smiles on their faces and just the relief from parents is just never ending. And so to now be on city council and be able to continue to support and work with um Elizabeth Baptist Church and pastor Oliver for embracing me as an educator and as a public servant um is just immense and extremely grateful. But I want to also acknowledge as council woman boom I talk about the volunteers we know you all like I'm sitting here Dr. tagger um the um lead with ke with Kelly and the family um Cece and just everyone and that and that speaks that speaks eons into the magnitude of the service of this organization. So whatever you all need, let us know and it's been an absolute honor to um to honor you and boom, thank you for pulling this together. We really appreciate it. >> Thank you. >> Let's keep EBC Cares alive. Let's keep EBC Cares alive. We need EBC Cares in our community. And now we will take an official photo. Bishop, >> everyone please join. [Music] [Music] I'm ready. Good job. Get off the airport. Could [Music] y'all go to the get everybody to the reception to the reception? All [Music] right, at this time we'll move on to our third proclamation. I'd like to invite council member Michael Julian Bond up and everyone here in recognition of Georgia Standup for 20 years of civic engagement and social equity leadership. Uh everyone please come up to the DAS and join us here from Georgia standup. [Music] Okay, right. Okay. [Music] >> Hello. >> Hi. How are you? >> Things are good. Nice to see you. >> All right. just moved here. [Music] >> Come on around. We got plenty of room. Come on around. Yeah, come on around. It's like the jail or the church. There's always room for one more. >> Okay. Is that everybody? >> They're still coming. Oh yes. Please join us up here, Madame Mayor. >> Hello, Madame Mayor. It's good to see you. >> I found this. >> Come on down. I know it feels funny be to be on this side of of cuss them out, >> but come on down. [Music] >> Is that everyone? >> We got a chair back here. >> You sure? You sure? >> We got the president's chair. You can >> let him Let him sit here. >> All right. Well, I'd like to say good afternoon to everyone. And uh though we're already high on what we have seen in the way of the greats that have been honored here today in the giving, there's also a different type of giving. It's called conscious giving. It's called a reminder of what people's duties and responsibilities are to the greater good. And I would submit to you today that Georgia Standup does just that. And so we are pleased to be here today to honor this organization on its 20th anniversary. Uh but before the proclamation is read, uh we have a video. So let's let's watch the the video. >> I'm scared. It is time for us to not just organize. We have to strategize and stop working in silos. This is the time because guess what? Our lives, our future, our children's lives depend on us. Georgia Standup is a nonprofit committed to leveling the playing field in public transit, healthc care, housing, the voting booth, and any other issues affecting black and workingclass communities. >> I can join with people on the side of me and multiply exponentially my own personal impact because it's not just about me. It's about us and our collective experiences. Just one step inside its East Point headquarters and you'll find yourself surrounded and inspired by the H.B.CU pennants, the large framed newspaper clippings highlighting the civil rights movement, the image of late Congressman John Lewis, the orange room which honors Reverend James Orange. The mission is clear. Georgia's standup is where history meets progress. Holding the reigns is Chief Executive Officer Deborah Scott. She's been in this role for two decades. >> My husband actually helped to start Georgia Standup. He and Charlie Fleming saw this great idea. Lorenzo actually saw it in Denver of this labor community partnership of organizations and labor really working together on community and labor issues. He brought the concept back to his boss. They brought Charlie Fleming who's our board chair and they decided to launch this organization. They had an interim executive director before me. So, it was actually started at my kitchen table. >> They spent 15 years at the IBW building in Atlanta before transitioning their operations here. Scott calls the organization and its work a love letter to the community. >> Whether it's community benefits, workforce development, leadership development, or even standing up for voting rights, it's social justice. Scott met SCC co-founder Reverend Joseph Lowry in Syracuse, New York. She was a 10th grader. Seeing Atlanta as the black mecca, she took a leap of faith, moving here from Ohio, psyched unseen. 3 days before I was coming to Clark College at the time, my mother's car broke down. I arrived in Atlanta in 1983 in August of 1983 on the Greyhound bus >> and my mother gave me $50. She did the best she could and I am so grateful for it. But I understood food insecurity. I understood housing insecurity. I understood transportation insecurity. I understood that I had to have three jobs and I wanted to go to the one uh that had lunch because I was that college student that needed to eat. >> That time granted Scott an even deeper level of sensitivity and grace for those in need. She would train under the leadership of the SCC. Every experience, including her time working here at city hall, would fuel the passion behind the acronym. Georgia Strategic Alliance for New Directions and Unified Policy's objective is to serve as ambassadors with the community for the community by the community. People don't understand how city hall really works, how the county really works, what the responsibility of the state versus the county is. And so part of what we do is we peel that back so that they understand if you're talking about the street light, you need to go here. If you're talking about affordable housing, you need to go here. And did you know about Invest Atlanta? We want people to understand that this city, this region, this state is complex, but they have the power because all of those elected officials work for them. I was a former uh NPU chair and I um my NPU received support from standup. I was a new chair. I had never held um such a public office before. So just having, you know, if I needed something, Deborah was always there. Standup was always there to help. >> Underneath its vast umbrella, an avenue for training and jobs in construction, tradeup, buildup. So when we first started, we were placing people in all of the apprenticeship programs. Now we're very specific. Are there jobs right now? When our people graduate, can they go to work? And now we're training for those jobs that are coming on the front side. So we're getting ready for our our next class that will be starting in September. She attempts to treat everybody the way they ought to be treated, not necessarily because of what they so-called deserve. When we elevate people, we elevate them to where it is they can go rather than elevate them just to a position. >> The team is gearing up for a fundraiser and will soon celebrate its 20th anniversary. There is much work to be done. Staff, interns, and volunteers want to ensure everything is in place. >> I take a lot of pride in having Miss Scott as my mentor because she genuinely is someone who puts people first, being able to shadow her and just kind of watch how she maneuvers. While this is an organization that is supposed to be, you know, progressing communities forward, she makes sure that love comes first. All right. All right. Thank you. Okay. When our rights are under attack, what do we do? >> Stand up. Fight back. >> I said, "What do we do?" >> Stand up. >> I said, "When our rights are under attack, what do we do?" Stand up, fight back. Stand up, fight back. Stand up, fight back. Stand up, fight back. >> Stand up, fight back. Stand up, fight back. Stand up, fight back. Stand up, fight back. Stand up, fight back. Stand up, fight back. Stand up, fight back. Stand up. Stand up. [Applause] >> Well, that was that was good, Deborah. >> That was a good that was a good video. We can watch that again. But I want to acknowledge a couple of people here before we read the proclamation uh proper. We were joined by State Representative Park Cannon. >> Hello, >> Representative Cannon. You're free now. You don't have to stay in the back. You come up to the You can come up to the front. And of course, Reverend Bright. Where's Reverend Brightite? >> Rebrite. >> Let's give Reverend Bright environmentalist environmentalist crusaders. And I also want to bring greetings from Charlie Fleming who sends his regrets. He could not be here today. Uh but as you we saw in the video from Deborah's testimony, he was very instrumental in the founding of this organization. Let's give him a round of applause since you and we would be remiss >> if we did not have uh our mayor emeritus >> uh address us here today. You know, with what has gone on in in Washington DC with PBA, I'm going to borrow a phrase from a favorite childhood song. Can you tell me how to get how to get to Shirley Street? Ladies and gentlemen, uh, Mayor Shirley Franklin. >> Thank you. Thank you. That that was a wonderful video. Uh, I had the opportunity to actually be in office when Standup was um, launched. Um, and um, I have watched with great interest um, how it the organization has matured uh, and grown over the over the years. I have been on the other side of the bullhorn rightfully so. Um important to hear all voices to hear to to not just to hear but to listen um and listen and learn. Uh and Deborah Scott is one who brings voice uh to the issues uh that are often talked about in hush hush terms uh but brings them up in very demonstrative uh ways. So I respect her. Um we've had our disagreements um and probably will again. No, I don't I don't mean that in a negative way. I mean, we debate the issues, we understand the issues. Um, we take the opportunity to hear different perspectives. Uh, not to take it personally. Um, not to overintellectualize it, but to understand that people have a right to speak with passion. >> We have a right to have a point of view. We have a right to petition government and our elected officials. Those are rights that are in our constitution hopefully are going to be sustained by Supreme Court. >> Um but until we are certain of that organizations like standup make a huge difference. Um, in case we haven't noticed, a lot is riding on local government and state government these days. >> We can't count on other people to take care of our issues. >> And standup is part of that guard, that guard on our constitutional rights, our voting rights, our rights, our civil rights, our human rights. and I I am here today not to speak but really to honor standup. Thank you very much. >> Next we'll have uh Reverend Durley. Reverend Durley. First of all, let me thank the city council and certainly city councilman Bond and Boone and others who are honoring this great organization to my leader and mentor Shirley Franklin. Thank you so much for all you've done. I was honored when asked to make a few comments on why Georgia's standup is being honored today. And I could summarize it. It has simply earned it and is welld deserved. Thank you. Over my 66 years for fighting for justice, equality, and equity for all Americans, I've witnessed a numerous organizations, CORE, SELC in ' 61 when we sat down in Nashville and put together SNIK. I was there. uh National Association of Colored People, the Urban League, all of the marches, the sitins, the dieinss, the jailins, the protest, and the deaths. All of these things, much has been achieved over the last several decades, and now the torch has been passed on to another organization, a tremendous organization, Georgia Standup. Today we recognize Georgia's stand up for its unique ability to do executive coaching, strategic planning, program management, political consultants, engaging and empowering the not the next generation, but the strength that I see is that they're doing it to the generation that's now. If you've ever been to the movement center, you see young people getting a new grasp on life and what it's about, even in the face of a orange-haired Georgia standup is where history meets progress. I want to congratulate Deborah Scott. I am so proud of you. I never forget when we first met. You are a a young 18-year-old freshman student at Clark when I was the dean and she came up and she said, "What am I doing?" She had just got off the bus. I didn't know you had $50 in your pocket when you got off the bus. But she got off and she became a strong student leader at Clark Atlanta University working with others in terms of working through and she was right on point when we were facing a major city challenge. You remember Miss called Freaknick. She was right there in Freaknet with James Orange and the rest of us. And so today Georgia standiff has always been a part of that. So since n since 2004 so today we honor you all of you who are volunteering today. All of you who are on paid pay payroll, all of you who understand that this is not our first lynching that we're going through in America, what we're going to do is pull this old crazy body down and keep on marching just like Georgia Power, just like Georgia stand up has done. And I've learned one thing. Whenever the system fails me, when anybody gets across and wants to fight me, you know what I do? I stand up and >> I stand up and >> fight. >> You will not sit me. I will not bend, bow, back up, nor break because I will fight. I will do what? God bless you. >> Next, we'll hear from Reverend Carl Tippido. Reverend, >> good afternoon everybody. >> To the city council. Thank you for honoring Georgia Stand Up and thank you for honoring all these people that make Georgia Stand Up what it is. And certainly Deborah Scott, I I want to just share a couple words. Um, spiritually, I believe the spiritual has a there's a spiritual root to everything. And I know that we are familiar with the words of Frederick Douglas that I'm if you don't stand for anything, you will fall for everything. And so, um, Jesus was asked to the question of what are the two greatest commandments? And he said to love God. And he said to love God's people. And so when we stand before Georgia stand up and all that Deborah Scott and her team and everybody she pulls together, she is teaching people how to be the importance of God's people. The importance that everyone has value, everyone has purpose and everyone is important. And then secondly, uh I simply want to say that Jesus told the story that when he had to finish his work here and he was going up to heaven, he said, "I'm going to send the Holy Spirit down so that you will have power to do even greater things than I." And what happens with Deborah Scott in Georgia stand up is she teaches everybody she comes in contact with that they have power in them. They may not know it's the Holy Spirit, but they certainly know that they have power. >> And so we uh or I'm thankful as her pastor, as her neighbor, we are right across the street from each other. We share resources, we share people, we share ideas, we share vision. I am honored to be here to be thankful for everything that they have done. And the last thing I want to share, you know, success is not about what you do individually. It's about you teaching somebody else and bringing them along with you. I have never seen Deborah Scott not make sure that all the people she's around know exactly what they are doing, why they are doing it, and why they are part of it. And I've seen her, as you saw in the video, each and every time that she's around somebody, her staff, her volunteers, anybody in her circle, she inspires them because of making sure that not only do they understand what they are doing, that they're understanding why they are doing it. So, I'm thankful for Georgia Stand Up and Deborah, thank you for giving everybody a voice, >> to giving everybody a vote, and giving everybody a vision. Thank you. Councilwoman [Applause] Bakiari. >> Hey, >> good afternoon. Thank you so much. Um, oh, that I first made the joke when I come up here is Deborah, should I tell them that all the time? She told me to shut up. And before Deborah could answer, Mayor Franklin said yes. So, um, something about, uh, about Deborah, um, who I got to meet in in organizing and in labor and in everything long time ago, who's really, um, had a hand in helping me grow up and understanding, uh, what it is to consistently show up to take care of yourself, to show that self-care, which has been, I'm going to talk about whitewashed a lot up here. self-care, which has been uh taken and whitewashed and not seen as a form of self-care and protest and revolution. >> Um that's someone who's taught me that. And an important note from Mayor Franklin, I sat down with her once and I asked her about people that she trained that came into positions of power and became something completely different. And she told me, you know, when you attain power, you have a choice in who you want to become. >> Some people take the path less righteous, less uh collaborative. Um, anybody who tells you I I I I I've done I've done this is probably not somebody who should be in power. >> I've never heard those words leave Deborah's mouth. >> Um, as long as I have known Deborah, as long as I have known this organization. Um, there are some people they haven't, you know, they have this uh founder syndrome. >> They can't separate the identity from the organizations they work for. >> That is not Deborah. >> This is somebody who has understands the meaning of beloved community. is not just something to tout for likes or for and for money quite frankly because it's a title we sell off a lot as a city. Um it's about community. It's about collaboration. It's about bringing people together and as we see as Reverend Derley talked about in Orange um as we see continued attacks on health care on education. Uh when we see increased hospital shutdowns by corporations masquerading as nonprofits it comes down to the community and hyperlocalism. It's not federal government. It's not state well in some instances state government but here hyper localal municipalities and counties that's what's going to affect our day-to-day lives but also this doesn't say Atlanta stand up it's Georgia stand up >> yes >> so this is about thinking of our entire region >> and working together and for anyone who finds issue with that because of this is not a partisan organization that's not what this is about because survival and thriving is not a partisan issue >> humanity is not a partisan issue and what I appreciate about this about this leader and the folks that she has with her um is that civics's education is going to be incredibly important now more than ever where folks need to know where to go because otherwise there's a lot of anger and when you say with anger long long enough you realize it's grief and we have don't have an outlet for that we act it out on each other and the work of this organization to show people how to turn that anger that pain that grief into collaborative positive action I can only say that's God's work and it gives people hope and hope is something and hope and faith are going to be the two things that carry us through every day. And so I thank you for all that you've taught me, for all that I hope you continue to teach me. And it is an honor and I love you deeply. >> Thank you, [Applause] >> Council Member Do. >> Good afternoon. I'm council member Jason Doer. I represent district 4 on Atlanta City Council and before I was a baby city council member. I was a baby community organizer and I got my start uh almost over a little over a decade ago uh with the Turnerfield Community Benefits Coalition. And at the time Georgia Standup was at the IBW building in my home community in Mechanicsville. And as a new uh member of that community, as someone who wanted to get involved and didn't know how to get involved, all I had to do was look at Deborah Scott and Georgia stand up and do all the things they were doing to know what right looked like and know how to carry myself in my community, how to advocate for my community because of how they spoke truth to power, how they came down to city hall, the city council and and the mayor's office and all the powers that be to make sure that our communities got what was owed to us. our communities got what what was deserved and Deborah the the tremendous impact you've had not just in the mechanical community but across my district I mean I see so many of my district 4 community leaders see uh Miss Judy Walker uh Reverend Bright uh Dr. Naki. Um, and I saw Karen Babino on the presentation earlier. The the amount of impact you had across my district is immeasurable and I'm so proud to lead these communities because of the impact that you've had on me. You've been a northstar for me the entire time I've been on this body and I I never want to be on the opposite side of any issue. So if I ever know want to know how to how to think or what to do, I always see where uh Deborah is and I make sure I'm on the same side as her. Uh but I just want to say thank you for your years of leadership, for your mentorship. You may not have known how much you meant to me in this journey that I've been on, but I just want to say thank you publicly and for the people to know that you have played a major part in my role and the reason why I'm here today is because of you. So thank you and thank you for another 20 years of Georgia Stan. I'm still a little sad that, you know, I'm proud of Georgia stand having its own digs. I'm still sad y'all left my neighborhood, but I know we're going to continue to do great work across the city. So, thank you so much. >> Council member Amos, >> uh, good afternoon everyone. You know, I had to say something on this one because as um an elected official on the Atlanta Board of Education, to be on the other side of that bullhorn being held by Deborah Scott holding a conversation about redistricting and reduction in force, trust me, that's a very uncomfortable situation and position to be in. And you know, as an elected official, we were taught who to look out for, the union leaders, the union field workers. But when Deborah showed up, that's not who she showed up with. She showed up with your neighbor. She showed up with your deacon. She showed up with your third grade teacher. And a couple of times she showed up with family members because that's what standup is about. But you know, no matter what side of the issue and and just like Doer, I hope it's the right side cuz the other side is very uncomfortable. Um when Deborah Scott showed up, you called her by her whole name. It's not Deborah, it's not Miss Scott, it's Deborah Scott. Trust me, when she show up, you better believe she's standing up and she's fighting for the least of these. So, um, thank you for everything you have taught, but more importantly showed me and I appreciate you and love you. >> Council member Old Street, >> you came in. Well, I will be absolutely quick, but I definitely wanted to get in on Appraisathon because it's well welld deserved. Um, I am so thankful for the work that you do, Deborah Scott, alongside your beautiful Georgia standup. I'm loving the orange, of course. Uh but just last election season, you all had a hand in really and truly sending in your your your troops into organizations. We did so many things in different organizations at different times. I could not believe how you all fanned out to make sure that we were getting to the polls. And that's just one little thing you do. The most important thing to me that you do is where you say history meets progress. >> Now more than ever, we cannot erase history. >> And on a a major scale, it's trying to happen. >> You should have heard some of the things that I heard just last week where history is trying to be erased. And we can't let that happen. So I know Georgia standup will be fighting back to make sure that this election cycle, last election cycle, the next 20 years of election cycles, that we're making sure that our history is meeting progress. So thank you for that. Thank you. >> Thank you, >> Councilwoman. Thank you. >> Thank you. I tell you, >> Deborah, we have been together a very long time. I met you in 1991 when you were a young staffer for the Honorable Debbie McCarti. >> She's over there. >> And it and it was something special about you then and it's something special about you now. Thank you for providing jobs. for folks that have a hard time finding jobs. They can come to you and pay their rent and their bills. Two weeks ago, we were in Jonesboro with those Kroger >> truck drivers, >> Teamsters, >> the team with the Teamsters, and I looked at you and said, "She hasn't changed at all." So keep fighting, keep doing what you are doing. We appreciate you. We love you. Congratulations and we will see you at the party on Friday. >> Council member Lewis. >> Friday. >> Friday. >> Friday. you for selling out >> and and I'd be remissed if I didn't speak for Miss Deborah Scott and I call it Miss Deborah Scott and I haven't been on the other side yet, but it may happen one day, right? It may happen. It may happen one day. So, I understand I respect that portion. I was clapping before Miss Deborah Scott came up because I understand her energy. She's an organizer. When I heard the story today of how you got how the how the Georgia standup started from a program in organ in Colorado, >> me myself, I actually learned to organize in Colorado. >> And so when I came home, I graduated college knowing there were no opportunities to organize here in our state. That that's what I graduated to. I went to Colorado. I worked for President Barack Obama. I stayed there. I worked for Senator Mark Ud Doll. I stayed again for the current mayor, Mike Johnston. But what I saw was different organizations that forced Colorado to turn purple. >> It forced it. And so if you see now Georgia Stand Up is still here. You hear the work that you said four years ago and eight years ago and we saw all the money coming to the state coming to our city, but it didn't go to the right programs, right? We know they spent a hundred million dollars one year. We know they spent we saw that stuff happen in our state, but the only one that is still here is Georgia standup. The way that you sustain what Colorado did, Colorado is no longer purple. They're blue. It's blue. The way that you do that is you work with the people on the ground. So, super proud of the work that you're doing. And now even more happy to know the story because I know what we're going to do. So, let's go. Let's get it. What do you do? >> Stand up. Fight back. >> What do you do? >> Stand up. Let's go. [Applause] >> And now to the matter at hand. You know, Deborah, after listening to everyone speak and seeing the video, I realized there's only one issue that we varied on, and that was freak neck. We seem to be on the wrong side. Freak Nick and Freak Nick at John White Park was okay. >> It was okay for me, too. >> It was okay. It was okay. >> That was back in the day, though. That was back. That was back before the traffic jam. >> Yeah. >> Oh, Matt, where is he? >> Matt, you know you don't have to stay in the back either. >> One quick comment. Um, so for the last 12 years, four across the street at Atlanta Public Schools and eight in this room, I've had the honor um of sitting on a dis and listening to you speak truth to power. Um, but what's more important than that is that you do it honestly authentically and constructively. Like you come into this room and you tell us what we're doing wrong and how we can fix it. >> Yeah. >> And that is all too rare. And I am very grateful um for the that spirit that you bring to this work and to your advocacy. Um, and congratulations on 20 years. >> Thank you. [Applause] >> Anybody? Okay, looking down the room. All right, to the matter at hand, I have a proclamation from the Atlanta City Council, which is the city's highest award, recognizing Georgia Standup for 20 years of civic engagement and social equity leadership. Whereas Georgia Standup was founded in 2004 by missionary leaders Lorenzo Scott, Charlie Fleming, and Kathy Howell. And under the leadership of executive director Deborah Scott, who assumed the role in 2005, the organization served as the think act tank for working families, advancing uh the engagement and education and registration, workforce development, and equitable public policy while forging powerful alliances in community between labor, academia, and government partners to address housing transit and environmental uh justice with economic opportunity in Atlanta. And whereas over the last two decades, Georgia Standup has registered tens of thousands of voters, challenged uh voter suppression throughout with innovative tools like the Orange Book and the Parties at the Polls, and funded the Policy Institute for Civic Leadership, training more than 500 grassroots leaders to champion progressive change. Whereas Georgia Standup has established its workforce development affiliate trade up buildup which uh received the national recognition from the US Department of Labor and now leads programs in construction trades energy transition and climate resilience. And whereas through the strategic collaboration with the city of Atlanta, the Atlanta Belt Line and the local stakeholders, Georgia standup has secured community benefit agreements that prioritize neighborhood character affordability and anti-displacement efforts. And whereas over the last two decades, Georgia Standup has enhanced quality of life in Atlanta through innovative innovation through such revitalization of the Reverend James Orange Park preservation historic fire station number seven and the creation of the civil rights murals honoring unsung heroes in the historic West End. And whereas the Georgia Standup has been instrumental in adv advancing trans uh transit equity, mobilizing voters in the 2016 Tesplash referendum, supporting MA martyr expansion, and championing transit uh oriented development that intentionally integrates affordable housing, public transit, and job access to underserved communities while advocating for community benefits such as the local hiring, workforce training, and providing a livable wage. Now, therefore, we the members of Atlanta City Council have the citiz [Music] 20th anniversary. I have set my hand and have caused the seal of the city of Atlanta to be here into >> Ael Mabel a fixed. Congratulations, Georgia. Stand up. [Applause] [Music] When our rights are under attack, what will we do? >> Stand up. >> I said, "What will we do?" >> Stand up. >> When our rights are under attack, what will we do? >> Stand up right now. >> That's right. Thank you so much. This is Let Jaden hold that and come right here. This is an honor. Um, as life comes full circle, this is like my life on a on a dis. Um, so I just want to say thank you first to Mayor Shirley Franklin for being here and always just giving grace and space and we've been strategizing for a long time together and and even though we were often not often one time on the opposite side, we we figured out how to come together. So, thank you. This is a full circle moment. As I said, I came in 1983 on the Greyhound bus. And this is my lovely mother >> coming through. Where's my Clarkites? Coming through Clark Atlanta University. Right. So Clark Atlanta University and everybody from Ohio. Hey, my cousins and my family from Ohio. But I'm actually from Boston. So, I started my journey on a bus um desegregating schools in Boston and then I went to Ohio and there we started a black awareness club and then I saw that Ebony magazine that said Atlanta was the black mecca and I believed it. I believed it and I told Reverend Lowry when I met him in 1981 in Syracuse, New York that I was coming to Atlanta and he said, "Where I was where was I going to school?" And I said, "I don't know." And he said, "Clark College." And so that's how I got to Clark College between Larry Barklay and Reverend Lowry. >> I got here on a Greyhound bus and I had $50. The third day I was here, I was at SCLC's office because I was an activist and I didn't know Mabel. We didn't know we were activists then. We just did what we had to do, didn't we? >> Right. We didn't know it was called activist and organizing. We didn't know where we would be. Um but Mabel, you were the youngest state representative of the time. Right. So, we've been through a It's been 40 years, honey. >> 40 something year. Blue crew. So, shout out to the blue crew and blue crew. Shout out to SCC. Shout out to everyone that we have been in the the trenches with. All of our our leaders. I see you, Miss Harris and Judy Walker, and all all our leaders. Thank you. Because we're here because we're together. We're gonna stand up together. Sandra Williams and labor. Where is labor? Where my labor family at? >> That's right. Mayor Teresa Thomas Smith, who is the mayor of Pamea, Georgia. We we met 20 something years ago as a labor organizer and now you are the first black mayor of Pamea. >> That's right. And Park Cannon was an intern. What year was that? >> Uh 2012. >> Before she ran for office, she was an intern at Georgia Standup, right? >> Yes. Thank you, Miss Deborah. I just want to say I was so worried about so many issues and I did not know where to take it. My internship with Georgia Standup changed my life. I'd like to thank you for continuing to pour into young people. We see ourselves, but we just don't know how to show it. And so, I'm proud to be in Orange today and all days with you. Thank you, Miss Deborah. >> And and to my husband, Lorenzo Scott, who actually started Georgia Standup, >> the unsung hero. Uh he and Charlie Fleming conspired with Cassie Howell to start this organization. I did not know I would be running it. Um I thought it was going to be a three-month contract and it's been 20 something years. >> But but I want to say a couple things. First to my team, Georgia's standup team and trade up and build up. Where are you? >> Who are we? Stand up, right? And build up. So our guys, you should see them in blue and black. They have the trade up and buildup program. That's one of our greatest accomplishments. In 2012, we got a White House award from President Obama for starting this program because it is important to seed into young black men that want to skill up, that want to trade up, that want to build up, and that's what we do. So, we have a class of 30, Steve, coming up. >> Who are we? Build up. All right. We have a class of 30. We still have some openings, but we want 100% placement on all of those students. Um, so, so we want to be about it. But this is a couple things. So, first of all, thank you for every everyone who's up here in all this spoke, particularly these ministers. You know, I hang out with these ministers because I got I get in good trouble, right? And so, sometimes I just need prayer. But in this moment, I want to remind our residents of the city of Atlanta that you have power, >> that you have power. And I have an assignment. I need you to check your registration and make sure you're still registered. After you check your registration, check everybody in your family's registration because they're doing some funny business and we're not going to stand for it. So, we want you to check your registration. We want you to check your property taxes. Make sure you're not losing mom and them's house. Right? There are programs here in the city of Atlanta that could help you save your mother's house, your grandmother's house. Don't let that property go. It is valuable. And as this city is going through a transformation and getting ready for FIFA and the World Cup, remember the least and and and left out. Remember the legacy residents that actually live here that after the games are over, they're still going to be here cleaning up trash. So make sure you take care of them. Not now, right now. Right before the world comes to Atlanta, we need you to take care of the legacy residents in NPU XYZ WV. all the southside, all of them. So, but I have an assignment for you all. I need you all to come up with your comm community community issue platform. Organize your community. Come up with a community issue platform. This is a hiring process. Every one of these elected officials, and I love a lot of them, every one of these elected officials work for you. >> That's right. >> You get to hire them. So, this is a hiring application right about now. Everyone in the city of Atlanta will be voting for a municipal election for city council, for mayor, for um Fulton County. These are your candidates. Make sure that they're speaking to your agenda. That means you have to have an agenda. So have an agenda. Make sure you invite these elected officials and those that are running to your community and you tell them what your agenda is and then you hold them accountable and give them a report card how they do. And the way in which you elect them is after you do your research, after you make sure they're telling the truth, after you make sure that your homestead exemption is on the ballot, after you make sure that your water bill is on the ballot, after you make sure your affordable housing is on the ballot, then you vote with a conscious mind, right? Adopt your neighborhood, adopt your community, clean up your parks, and don't let not one piece of land go. >> Not one piece, not one parcel. And then as you're organizing your communities, remember to collaborate. Labor is your friend. Where's Labor? Sandra Williams, I see you. Labor is your friend. They're in the IBW building. Labor is your friend. Labor and community and churches. We work together. We know that there's no power with one organization. The community power rests in Mrs. Johnson and Mrs. Jackson that goes to church in a union hall and then to her community meeting. It's the same person. We don't see any difference. Right. So, union power, worker power, labor power, community power is all the same. We have the power. This is the great experiment right here in Atlanta. Atlanta influences everyone. Everything. So, let's do it with pride. Let's do it with grace. And let's make sure our legacy residents are still here to enjoy it. Peace and power. I love you. I thank you. I appreciate Michael Bond and Andrea Boon. Thank you. Thank you for this honor. And to our board of directors, we appreciate you. Thank you for always standing up for us and our community ne relatives, our community members. We thank you for coming out. This is your day. This is not my day. This is your day. This is our day. We are stand up. When our rights are under attack, what will we do? >> Stand up. >> Thank you. [Applause] As we >> as we move up, we'll move up to the podium. Want to thank Vanessa Man. Where's Vanessa? >> Let's give Vanessa a round of applause for help to organize. >> And I've got to call his name. Jim Maddox said that what the city council does best is take a picture. So, we're going to get up here and take You you not that tall. Stand up. >> Okay. >> Where are you? >> Where's Now y'all turn your shoulders in so we can squeeze it. Turn your shoulder. [Music] [Music] Where are they? >> Beautiful. >> That's beautiful. Thank you. All right. And right here, 2. >> We need to do one with the chant. >> We need to do one with the chant. One more with the ch. One more with the ch. >> All right. >> Do wait. Look. Look that way. >> Video. >> All right. Video. >> When our rights are under attack, what will we do? >> Stand up. Fight back. >> What will we do? >> Stand up. Fight back. [Music] >> And vote. >> Don't move. Don't move. >> Step one. >> Mayors. You insist on getting out of the way to have your shot. >> I want you to come closer though. >> I'm going stand up. You're You're the matriarch in my mind. You are my matriarch. [Music] >> What do you need that? >> Okay, y'all. Y'all been there for many, many >> What happened right here? Everybody lean in. Put your chin forward. Smile. >> Shard. >> Where is Shard? [Music] Thank you. >> One more. We got one more. >> Look at the camera there. [Music] >> Did we get one with >> Mabel? Uhuh. She was right here. >> Where is Babel? >> Mabel Thomas. >> She was supposed to be somewhere. I don't see her going down. >> She was here in the >> I don't see her going down. and take her to the >> Do you know we went to elementary school together? >> Me and Dion, >> I told her we went to elementary school. >> Y when I tell you right everybody in the world. Take this picture right here. [Music] take photos. [Music] >> Nars, are you kidding me? Well, how about the people? [Music] >> Yes, sir. Yes, sir. [Music] Narris [Music] >> thank you. >> Okay. All right, we're going to be moving on to our next proclamation. >> A little rearranging calling up council member Norwood and council member Bond in recognition of the honorable former council member Deborah Mccardi. >> So, Miss McCarti, council member Mccardi could come up. Council member and council member Norwood, please. >> Those that are here to honor the honorable Debbie McCarti, please come forward. If you are here honoring the honorable Debbie McCarti, please come forward. Mary. Come on. >> Oh, no kidding. Oh, no. I'm coming to be part of it. >> Already done. All right. >> Well, I'd like to say good afternoon to everyone. We are here today to honor someone who has left an indelible mark on the city of Atlanta, who has not only served as a member of this August body, uh, as I guess you were the first woman elected to District 1 Atlanta City Council and also was the first female uh, parks and recreation commissioner if I recall. So, a trail blazer in that regard. But more so than all of that, someone who was an ardent, dedicated, deliberate public servant who felt that it was not robbery to wash the feet of others. We have a proclamation recogn recognizing one of our distinguished alumni, Miss Debbie Mccardi. Let's give her a big round of applause. So, I'm going to ask uh our colleagues if they have a a word or two to say, Madame Mayor. >> So, um I came to city hall uh as a volunteer um in the Jackson administration in um 1973. And uh there were a group of people who were much better uh at organizing than I uh in those years. And Debbie McCarti is at the top of the list. She was always focused on the people's business, always listening and actually did she did it quite quietly. Um she was a collaborator. She found partners. Um but she was dogged in her determination um that all people um would be represented at the table. Uh and in those days uh Mayor Jackson even for the volunteer uh programs that we did uh you could present him with the scope of the idea uh the the pros and cons uh and then he would say well tell me who you're talking to and if you were talking to Debbie Mccardi he believed you had actually reached someone who was working uh at the grassroots level and at the neighborhood level. But Debbie but Debbie knows this to be true as well. Um if you called a meeting for Mayor Jackson, Mayor Jackson, he wanted to see who was going to be at the meeting. Uh and he would count the number of women who were going to be involved in the discussion. uh he would count uh the number of legacy residents and he would count the number of business people and he was always looking for a balance um a balance of opinion and perspective. Uh and Debbie McCarti follows that tradition. She wants to hear all sides. Uh she is thoughtful. She's raised a great family. Uh she's never ever ever given up on a hard fight. Uh and she wins most of them. So Debbie, I am thrilled to be here um to acknowledge your leadership uh your friendship and your vision. Thank you. [Applause] >> Oh, okay. Any other comments from our colleagues? Deborah, would you like to say something about your former boss? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> And then we'll bring a moment. >> So, um, one of the things, um, I have had the pleasure of working for Debbie McCarti when she was a city council member. I think it was 19 right after Mayor got elected, elected the third time. It was 1989. And so when we were I was her council aid, my baby shower was actually in the council chambers. Um, but then Maynard tapped Maynard Jackson tapped Debbie to be the commissioner of parks and recreation and I was honored to go over to parks and recreation with her. Uh, where we spent at least five or six years together over there. So, thank you so much. Congratulations for this honor and all that you've done. You trained me. You really did. You I you know because it was an attention to the community members. You were really clear about making sure every voice in your district was heard. and I would have to count how many people called to say yes or no on the issue and you really decided based on what your community members said. So, thank you for that because you listened and I carry that forth today. Thank you so much. >> All right. I am helping my colleague by beginning the proclamation recognizing Deborah Oni McCarti where she has spent her distinguished career advancing equitable policies, strengthening communities and shaping institutions across Atlanta beyond her service as a public official, an executive, educator, and civic leader. And whereas Miss McCarti served four terms as a member of the Atlanta City Council representing District 1, where she was a trailblazer for progressive public policy, serving in leadership roles, including chair of the zoning committee, council president prom, and a member of the influential finance committee for nearly a decade. And whereas as commissioner of the city of Atlanta's Department of Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Affairs, she oversaw transformative investments, including securing over 300 30 million in bond funding for park projects, building enduring public private partnerships, and preparing the city's parks and cultural facilities for the 1996 Olympic Games. And whereas as president and se and chief operating officer of the Colombia Association in Maryland, she successfully negotiated major development agreements, secured bond rating upgrades, and completed the master plan buildout for one of America's most renowned planned communities. And whereas through her leadership as executive director of research Atlanta and the regional Atlanta Civic League, Miss McCarti convened forums, led groundbreaking policy studies, established lasting regional relationships, and and founded the Metro Atlanta Mayor's Association, advancing sound public decisionmaking. And whereas her endearing commitment to education, theology, and ethical leadership has included teaching at the Canler School of Theology and completing prestigious fellowships at Harvard and and the London Business School and earning recognition as a White House Fellowship National Finalist. and whereas she has served on numerous boards and commissions including the Metropolitan Atlanta Olympic Games Authority, Piedmont Park Conservancy, PATH Foundation and Park Pride, always working to ensure access, sustainability, and equity in the public realm. And whereas her contributions have been recognized through numerous accolades, including Women of Achievement by the Capitol City Business and Professional Women, 10 Outstanding Young People of Atlanta, the Atlanta City Council President's Award for Outstanding Member of Council, and the Southwestern University Outstanding Alumni Award. Now the city of the city of Atlanta hereby proclaim this day as Demi Mard in our city and witness thereof I've set my hand and have caused the seal of the city of Atlanta to be here into a fixed congratulations Deb. Well, I want to thank my mayor, Shirley Franklin, and the members of the all the members of the Atlanta City Council, especially Council Member Bond, Council Member Norwood and Council, and thank you all. It's sort of like old home week. When I came to the Atlanta City Council, I was 27, so I really grew up here and loved my 20 years of being here. U the last 20 years, I've been raising sons and I'm very thankful to have my sons Benjamin here with me and my friends Margaret Elliott Hooker and of course Deborah Marshall Scott. So thank you so much for this honor. I really appreciate it. You know, I just began as a neighborhood person and got very involved in my own community and believed that each of us has to rise to the challenge of just changing a little bit and making our own little piece of the world better so that we leave the planet and the city and the community better than we found it. So, I'm very thankful for my years of training here and for the work that all of you all do over time. So, thank you very much for this honor and I appreciate all of you being here today. >> And I'd like to ask our colleagues to join us up front to take a picture with our students. >> Mayor, >> mayor family. >> Yeah. >> Come on, guys. >> Come on in. >> And your descendants. Yes, >> we got everybody in. >> We did. >> Okay. Congratulations. [Music] [Music] >> Okay. All the city council people. >> City council >> people. >> How you doing? >> Thank you. [Music] >> I'll be back. >> Can y'all slide >> here? [Music] Thank you. >> It was so fun to read about turnless Thank you. >> Fantastic. >> Thank you. >> Congratulations. >> Oh, just the girls. >> Just the girls. [Music] Thank you. Fantastic. >> Congratulations. >> So good to see you all. >> All right. But at this time I will have council member Lewis who serves as the chair of our city utilities committee uh come up and give a proclamation in recognition of department of waterershed management's Georgia Georgia association of water professionals platinum award for hempill water treatment plant GAWP water distribution system excellence platinum award an outstanding achievement in water services infrastructure and everyone here from watershed uh please come up and join us on the dis Council member Lewis [Music] [Music] How you doing, sir? Trying to get some of your stuff again. >> I got you. Take your time. >> I'm good. Same here. >> Y [Music] [Music] >> I know. Yeah, they go however you want to do. [Music] There there's actually going to be a slight change in this, right? And so Miss Miss Pam Bernett actually when we get everybody from Watershed up, we're actually going to put a slight change in the program. And so to enter this this change, I would like to bring up Miss Pam Brunette. [Music] boards first. >> Tell me when to go. >> Commissioner, how commissioner, how are you, sir? And so, Commissioner, we wanna want to present something to you first and we want to bring up Miss Pam Bernett to make the original original pres presentation. >> Sounds good. >> Well, I appreciate it. I have to tell you um following all those extroverts is not an easy act because I am representing 13,000 introverts who uh a lot of them are standing right behind me today. The water professionals in your community are by and large quiet behind the scenes people who get the job done 247 and with very little recognition. So, this is really uh this was a very exciting day to see all of the things in people in orange um strong voices, strong messages. Now, we're going to change the tone. These people are introverts, but they're heroes. Everyday heroes every day. They're doing something for everybody in this community by bringing them clean, safe drinking water reliably around the clock. So, um, my name is Pam Bernett. I'm the executive director of the Georgia Association of Water Professionals. I'm here today with our president, Gary McCoy. Where are you? Gary McCoy is over here. He's going to be he's he's holding these um beautiful awards which the uh the Department of Watershed Management um earned uh and we presented these in two different conferences. We had a fall conference and we presented a distribution award and we had a spring conference and we're recognizing two facilities. I wanted to tell you about these awards a little bit because first of all we uh we are a statewide organization so every utility competes with each other for these awards. They're not easy to get. They're uh they require 100% permit compliance with the Georgia Environmental Protection Division and EPA. So that is difficult right there. Permit compliance can mean anything from how the plant is run and how the staff prepares their paperwork to submitting the paperwork on time. So if if uh something shows up even a day late, that's a violation and that you don't receive the awards. So this is uh this is a big important award. Um I'm going to talk about the distribution center award first. The the water distribution system of excellence award. So to earn this award, you have to achieve a a score of 95 out of 100 points. And there's a rigorous evaluation. This is the second time that the city of Atlanta has received a platinum award. And to receive a platinum award, you have to receive five consecutive gold awards, which again, when I tell you that the compliance has to be achieved every single time, that is not an easy accomplishment. It takes a big team of people doing their job consistently and at a high level. So, the city of Atlanta did win the platinum award for the water distribution system of excellence and that award was presented and we're going to represent it right now to Commissioner Irely. [Applause] And I would like to also recognize distribution manager Howell Branford, director Lou Pucket, and Deputy Commissioner Quinton Fletcher for their outstanding dedication, leadership, and pursuit of excellence. Gentlemen, please wave your hands. Let people know who you are. And like I said, they're introverts. It's hard to get them to do anything out front. So that that was a great accomplishment. Congratulations. And I have two more awards. I don't think you can hold the next two. They're they're pretty good size, too. These are the gold and platinum drinking water facility awards. This is recognizing the facilities, but remember, without the people operating those facilities, it's it's just a thing. So, um this is really recognizing not only the quality of the facility, but the quality of the people that are operating those facilities. So we honor the consistent these facilities consistently deliver safe clean drinking water maintain high standards and the gold and platinum awards recognized that excellence again by meeting all permit requirements and regulations for the previous calendar year. Again not one violation through that time period was uh occurred. So again, we have gold awards for the or we have the platinum award for the Hempill water treatment plant and this is the second year in a row that uh the Hempill plant has won the platinum award. Again, that's after five golds, two platinums. That's a great accomplishment. And we have the gold award for the Chattahuchi water treatment plant. And I'd like to ask plant managers Tony Cash with the Chattahuchi plant and Bobby House with the Hempill to also be recognized. [Applause] We as a statewide organization, we count on the Department of Watershed Management, the city of Atlanta to be mentoring others across the state. You are the leaders. You are the largest facilities in the state. And as I said, we're introverts, but we're really great at talking to each other one-on-one. We share details. We share our knowledge. We share our expertise. And these fine folks here do this all across the state at our conferences and we really at GAWP we really appreciate that. Thank you so much. [Applause] Want to take a photo first? >> Let's take a photo with these awards first. Right. >> Okay. >> All right. So we step up the folks with the awards you step up. [Music] This is not right here. Say success. >> One, two, three. >> Success. >> They say winner on three. >> One, two, three. >> Winner. >> One, two, three. So I I feel extremely extremely proud to be the chairman of the utilities committee at a time like this. When you look at the awards that they won today and you say 95% out of 100%, right? 95 out out of 100% you have to to actually be within that range. and we've won gold for five consecutive years. I think that deserves a round of applause. [Applause] >> And and I wanted to make sure I'm correct in some of my notes. And so that's five years straight we were on the platinum board or gold? >> Gold. You do gold for five years and after that two more years as platinum. >> Okay. And so the past two years I've been the chairperson. And so I would like to say that the past two years the watershed department have been taking pristine care of those buildings. Right. And so I'm excited about that for being platinum there. Also want to say thank you to for to our former commissioner to our former commissioner who was actually commissioner Wiggins actually commissioner Wiggins the former commissioner of water. actually move into another portion, but for us to win at this time period, he was here all the way until this year. So, I know he had he played a big part in that. So, I want to say thank you to our former commissioner and also our mayor. Our mayor is running a a really good city. This shows our mayor is running a really good city. I grew up with the city of Atlanta being sued by the federal government. Uh we we I grew up drinking knowing that we could not drink water out of our faucets again. I'm a part of the generation that actually went from that went to water bottles and so extremely proud of commissioner our new commissioner Greg Early is extremely proud of you and thank you so much for what you're doing. So I'll go right into reading this proclamation and then we'll bring folks up and because there are three I'll they they pretty much read the same except one different sentence. So, I'll insert that sentence when it's time to. Recognizing the Atlanta City Council recognizes the Department of Watershed Management for the GAWP Gold Award for Chattahuchi Duck Water Treatment Plant for Watershed Management. GAWWP Platinum Award for the Hempill Water Treatment Plant and also recognizes DWM for GAWP water distribution system excellence platinum platinum award. Whereas under the guidance of Commissioner James Greg Early Arley, the city of Atlanta's Department of Wershed Management has evolved into a staff numbering over 1,400 that serves 1.2 2 million residents and visitors daily who rely on the city to provide clean safe drinking water and RAZ. The dedication of the office of water treatment and reclamation that combined commitments of the department's office of engineering services, office of linear infrastructure operations, office of watershed protection, office of facilities management, office of information management and office of safety, security and emergency management has been recognized as the GAWP is recipients of the 2024 platinum award for hemp water hemp hill water treatment plant for all three. >> The GAWP Platinum Awards is an annual statewide recognition of treatment plants in the water and wastewater industry for having no maximum containment level and national pollutant discharge elimination system. Permit violations or pre-treatment violations for five consecutive years during the calendar year 2024 and 2025. And whereas built in 1983 1893 with a maximum capacity of 136.5 MGD the Hemp Hill Water Treatment Plant insert name has a staff of 50 dedicated employees and supplies approx approximately 55% of the water to the city's residents and vis visitors. This prestigious award recognizes outstanding achievements in in the water treatment, environmental stewardship and operational efficiency. The platinum award recognizes the hard work and attention to detail of the operations team which manages the complex processes of water treatment with professionalism and precision and res. For the second consecutive year, the department was awarded the GAWWP water distribution system excellence platinum award for its top tier water distribution system in the state of Georgia. Utilities must earn a a inspection score of 95 points of higher for five consecutive years to earn a platinum award. Now therefore, it be proclaimed that we, the members of the Atlanta City Council, on behalf of the residents of Atlanta, do hereby recognize and congratulate the employees of the water department of the department of watershed management for demonstrating exceptional efforts to operate and maintain the city's water distribution system. Thank you. Start passing these out and I bring up the commission. I think we're supposed to take another picture now. [Music] Feel like it's the Hall of Fame weekend. Somebody got to put that up in the air. [Music] [Music] Win >> win. winners. [Music] >> Three, two, one. two. [Music] [Music] >> So before our commissioner speaks, does any of my colleagues have anything? >> I do. I do. >> Councilwoman Boone, Council Member Hillies, after that. briefly just wanting to say congratulations to this dynamic dynamic team. If you have never tried them, you should try the Department of Watershed Management. I want to thank every last one of you all that helped make this city the great city that it is. when constituents need help, you all are right there to help them. So to Deputy Smith, thank you, sir. Mr. Anu, the commissioner, Miss Dorothy Henry, and all of those that take care of our seniors. Thank you all. You all are dynamic and do a wonderful, wonderful job. This is so welld deserved. Council member Hillies. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just want to say thank you to Watersheds uh from the commissioners all the way uh down to the people that work on the streets and in the plants. Uh all of these plants are actually located in District 9. And while they serve, you know, the entire city and points even beyond our city, uh we we treasure them in District 9 and and glad that we have a great team here at Watershed taking care of them. and we thank you for all you you all do day in and day out. Thanks so much. >> Now, anyone else? Any of my other colleagues? Commissioner, >> uh thank you for sticking around. Uh I can't say I fall into the uh introvert crowd but >> it's it's not only the commissioners before me that are part of this. It's it's actually generations and legacy residents of Atlanta. The Hemp Hill treatment plant is over a hundred years old. And to get a platinum award and a double a platinum award, we take 975 samples a month, there's 21 tests that that has to that that have to pass for each of those samples over the course of six years. That means it's they don't when it comes to samples and water quality, it's it's not the 95% they have to get right. It's 100%. So that means over the course of six years, that's 1.1 million tests they got right in a row. >> I don't know who gets things right. 1.1 million times. We do recognize here in watershed that we have a lot of work ahead of us. We know that. We see the breaks. We see the restorations that need to take place. We see that customers bills are not always right. But we're working towards that and we need to celebrate our success along the way. Our staff never sleeps. They're working all the time. We have to fix our treatment plants while they're running. That's like a plane that has to fix itself in mid-flight. We are here working all the time. While you sleep, watershed is working. While it's raining during a thunderstorm, watershed is working. When it's 105° heat index, Watershed is working. When there's a Super Bowl playing, Watershed is working. And this is just a few of the folks that represent the 1544 people that work in watershed because you know where the rest of watershed is right now. >> They're working. >> So yes, they work heads down. They do not get the recognition they deserve. And today is just a small thank you for what you provide, not only for the city of Atlanta, but the 1.2 million people that call this region its home. the world's busiest airport. There is no Coca-Cola without Atlanta water. So, thank you for all the sacrifices you make. It's really their work and those who were before me, it's their work as well. [Applause] >> Anyone else? All right. Thank you. >> Thank you. Excellent. >> Excellent. Excellent. Excellent. >> How you doing? >> You got the right shovel right there, man. Yeah, we got our trouble going. >> Oh, that man trying to keep I stay right here. >> You hear me? Cuz every little That's that's what I was like 13. There's got to be some more coming. [Music] This is really cute. [Music] >> How are you? >> Thank you. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you, Sheree. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> Great job. Commission. [Music] >> Y'all thank Miss Dorothy Henry for us. Okay. She take y'all sing. >> Look, she take care of singing. >> Congratulations y'all. Great work. lunch. >> Yeah, I was in. [Music] All right, that concludes our proclamations and we will move on to public comment. Uh, first I do have one elected official signed up for public comment. Representative Park Cannon would like to go first. You have 10 minutes. >> All right. >> Thank you so much. Nice to see everyone. You know, I come and see y'all every now and then. I serve in the House of Representatives and Atlanta is the only city within District 58. I want to start off on not such a great note. Um, I learned about the story of Rayard Brooks because it was a situation that took place in District 58 and even started a nonprofit. Um, and even up to this past weekend, did a back to school event with his sister. I would just like to ask for y'all to look at the termination of Officer Garrett Rolf and then while you're looking into that, also look into the termination of Melvin Potter. I don't think there' be fitting citizens to be on our police force. The second issue I'd like to bring to your attention is around Cascade Road. Many neighbors have been calling me, reaching out to me asking questions about the state of the construction going on. And unfortunately, it the state is even looking at it now because it rides straight up to 285. And so I've reached out to Georgia Power. They've helped some constituents and some businesses with some of the higher uh bills that they've had, but they've stated that there's only so much that even Georgia Power can do. So, just want to ask you directly to compensate the business owners who have been impacted by this new project, which is a great project. Um, but I do think that some of the neighborhood members feel some parts of it are too large or too small or they've been tried to have been bought off by different contractors around it. So, just consider supporting those business owners. The third thing would be to ask you to please partner with us at the state who care about voting rights. We are seeing our state make this decision to purge possibly up to 400,000 almost 500,000 Georgians. Many of those live here in Atlanta. So, please use whatever resources you can on the city level to have folks check their voter registrations and to be a part of the voter solution. I'd like to also address um something so close to home. You know, I live in the fourth ward, so Edgewood Avenue is super close to where I live. Um, I had already been on Edgewood earlier the evening of the mass shooting that took place and I would like to just ask you to partner with the council person to find more funding. There used to be some Main Street projects at the state level and many of those went to rural counties and we're hopeful that we can ask for some more Main Street funding when we get back in the state legislature in January. If you hear us asking for those, please support them and anything you can do in the meantime to show that we have tried will also be helpful. I do think that the issue with the shooting is because our state has decided that guns can be everywhere except for the state capital. Um, and so as we do that work, we might get push back and we just need your support. That leads me to asking, you know, what bond dollars for infrastructure are being held up? What are we working on? What do we need to do? Happy news. I am glad that the top position in the LGBTQ affairs um division has been filled and hope that y'all will be available to come and to meet with the new top director Dwayne um on Friday as he will be here and continue to support the hiring of transgender Atlantans who still are very much unseen and underpaid in the workforce and therefore have reported the need to participate in other types of work that then gets them arrested. So, please continue to see how on your staff you might hire a transgender person. Um, I'm not trying to go too deep into this, but just to say um I'm one of the only elected officials at the state level with transgender um staff members and it is quite interesting to hear the ways that our government agencies might run differently if there are different folks who are on the other side of the phone. The last thing I'll ask you to do, and I'm looking for partners in this, is to figure out how to fund doulas at the Atlanta level. Yes, I know the city does not have the duty of health. I understand. However, I would like for you all to look into New York City's program. New York City appropriated $4 million and found a way to um give doula access, which doulas are emotional and physical support people during birth and helping people have more equitable births experiences. Um they found a way to pay those doulas so that lowincome or high-risk expectant families could receive additional care. And just with the state of health care in Georgia, as many of you know, our state does not do well with statistics related to maternal mortality or infant mortality. And so doulas might be a solution that the city of Atlanta could could consider to be an opportunity. I thank you for all that you do. I know you have difficult jobs, but I wanted to come to you today since I was already in your house to just tell you some of the things that were on my mind. Thank you very much. Thank you, Representative Cannon. Moving on from comments for the public. First, I have Trayvon Worth. [Music] Hello. Um, my name is Travon Worth and the reason why I'm here today is community advocacy and um, I'm from Greensboro, North Carolina. I've been here roughly three months. This is my fourth time coming to the city. Every time I've came here, I've been successful, but this time has been a little bit hard. I got a couple of pointers I just want you guys to get notice of of what's going on in the city before this World Cup gets here. Um, first of all, the providers that you have in the city, Gateway, Central Presbyterian Church, and Safe House, which supposed to be a safe place, but so many people go in and out of them doors unsafe. So, um, I wanted y'all to know the disarities between these people that's supposed to be helping us and the housing assessments are supposed to be going on. So, they have unlimited amount of people they need to house, but on a limited amount of housing assessments. I've been approved for an assessment myself. I've been put in the queue, but I've been scapegoed, and that's the now new modern terminology of gendrification, scapegoating. So, you know, you know how that goes. So, I wanted to um bring knowledge to the mental health facilities, the lack of mental health facilities and um Woodruff Park and all the casualties that have happened there within the last 90 days that I've been here from North Carolina. Um and what I see is there's no designated food distribution place. And um and I just wanted to bring an initiative together um for just Woodruff Park so they don't stop the street car and everybody that's traveling by to get to work and everywhere just to have a distribution place for these people to get food, clothing, and better partnerships to help clean and build and make it a better Atlanta. I do have a nonprofit organization, active snacks and things. I moved my business here and I named my business, rebranded it Underground Most Wanted Enterprise and I appreciate your time today and I just had two minutes. Maybe next time be longer. Appreciate you guys. Next up is Brother Anthony Muhammad. Due to yield of time, you'll have 10 minutes. >> Yes, sir. Namaste. Name, namate. I greet you from my soul that we all have a soul. I say from my soul, I love you people. I love the energy that you represent 99.99%. We have rules. We have the right to be under the law of nature. We have the right to be with our people as my arts. We also have her husband, my brother. We have emulet tablets that were written thousands of years ago that represent civilization culture represent the energy and teach you how to use your energy for the benefit of becoming holistic for the benefit of being one with self and nature. There are laws in nature. There are laws in the consciousness that represent that 99.99% that you are. It's energy. We are one. We have to be able to come back to that oneness and be able to love and have that for your brother that you have for yourself. Now, the reason I'm here today, Marie, Mary Reed, I talk about Mary Reed because he did something for me in 2010 that most of these council members does not want to finish the work that Mal Reed gave me in 2010. But I want to talk about this mayor Dickson. The Democratic Party. The Democratic Party is the oldest voter-based party in the United States for you people that call yourself those that want to love and be one for the whole. The Democratic Party was started by Andrew Jackson. Listen now. It was started by Andrew Jackson on your $20 bill. Andrew Jackson was responsible for the gulls, the movement of indigenous people of this land, what we used to call Tur Island, North America, the dark antimatter people that look like me, was originally people. I can ch change I can walk my family tree from Georgia all the way down to Mississippi all the way before there was any Caucasian on this land. But why do I bring that up today Democrats? Because the Democratic Party had the first finding father, Andrew Jackson, who killed and forced people off their land from Mississippi, all up in Colorado, all up in the Washington State, anywhere that he could get them out of the land of the 13 colonies starting from Georgia is one that I talks about. Have always did a lot against our people and still hadn't been fair with our people. We the fourth largest people of institutionalization for jails in the state of Georgia and right today being the fourth largest state of people in prison right over there in Fton County just couple years ago 20 people died under leadership of people little like myself we got peoples in Fton County were fight for the president to get locked up and get char Mr. Trump, but you want to clean up that environment for the benefit of the people. Now, why do I say this to Democratic Party, Mr. Mayor, and I want to thank you, ma'am, what you did on Marley King, West Lake, Mr. Mart, you came in, you used your influence and got something started. You also use your influence to help young people have access to some kind of way to improve their economic empowerment. I want to thank you, ma'am. But let's talk about the problem now with your people that you got in here that look like you, the city council member. I have in my district 11, Miss Over Street. In the last couple years, I've been proud of Miss Over Street. I've been coming down here for 15 years. Why is I'm proud? Because she have been listening to the problem we have had in our community. When Mr. right left and went out a couple years a few years back but in 2010 when Miss Shirley Frankie y'all saw here early in 2009 n I think it was maybe been 10 she filed over 400 workers that look like me let me say why I'm talking about it talking about our people like this I love my people but when you have a constitution that had a 14 15 and 13th amendment with the 14th amendment is the one that gave my people who was under what they call American descendants of slave. We have suffered under the leadership of Carces for 400 years and we have been given a right in 1868 by the Congress and the Senate voted that whatever rights the Caucasian will have. Whatever rights that they had in public and private entities, you should give that to them who look like myself. But why not in the 21st century? You member of council, Mr. Mr. Amos, I've been talking to y'all in your district. You know we talked about it. 25,000 people live in your district. You come down here with 500 people that vote. You got the fraternity elect all these public people get the proclamation. You see how they come? They know one another. They be part of this group, part of that group. But they not speaking on behalf of the poor. You wouldn't make me have to wait eight hours, Mr. Reverend. Eight hours. But I sit here waiting to suffer in the pain that I do because I know you can do something about if you can have my brother his second term. Not even his second term, right? He going for his second term. He came in at the end of Miss K last year. In four years he have contributed a lot. I give him credit. But you remember Mr. Russell, Miss Amos said and Mr. Those y'all not doing anything to change the condition of your people living on the street. You don't got $5 billion of my tax money. My taxes went up almost $1,500 treating you and what is fen county. Now tell me what I ain't got nothing else in that house other than what I put in. But now 2025 the house next door Mr. Bond I got mine for less than 100. this 220,000 and they ain't did nothing to it. You got people moving in I talk miss old street got dogs don't want to follow the audience we got you ain't going to keep doing the things to us that or people that don't paid the house bought our stuff and you want change to make it more feasible so we can be able to enjoy our lives but now the people that come in house I feel for them they ain't been taught to be civilized if they have they have lost it but I'm going to remind them with the law cuz I call them Mr. born cuz I've been told that you got the laws you going to govern. Come over there and check them folks out Saturday night when he left them dogs on that property. Name moved in. But let me say this. This is my main problem is Mr. Trump y'all calling him every name that the Bible don't say is good. But Trump been in a Mr. Trump in a six month. I ain't never known the president since John F. Kennedy that came on the scene in 1963 to tell Alabama Governor George Wallace, you know how much you shoot me? No way. He said, "If you don't change that school to let them dark antiatter people in there that look like me, I'm a national guard your people and we going to make you move out the way." What he said? I mad. 1968 then put a bullet in your head and kill. He was showing Marley Ken and all us we may have a voice in the White House. 6 to8 Mr. King said I got a friend called me Mr. You know I'm rebal talk about my worker like we talk about the public work people. What did the king say? I go he my friend put a bullet in his head. >> But now we ain't had no one like that since you had Jesse Jackson. But I think they did like they did when W boy told Marcus Garber, the Rockefeller Foundation, all the other foundations said, "I throw you some money to teach them just how to be workers, your people, and don't let them want to be about having some type of education that would not be able to follow my order." Understand what y'all doing today? Mr. Winston, Mr. Amos, Mr. Do your peepers in the west end area, Scott Holland that they all lose. Some of them going to be next week on Fson County. You know what for County does on the courthouse step on a Tuesday? They sell the house and you got negro. I'm going to call you with the under. I'm going to call you a negro. Someone don't have the knowledge of the self. Antonio, but I love you though, brothers and sisters. Get the knowledge cuz you got one later, Miss Bak. I got to tell her I got to tell it, Miss Colin. And I thank you. I go to the committee on council. I talk about AAI Atlanta Commission on Women. Atlanta Commission was started in 1994. Y'all saw Miss Sher from he never had a body of people representing that commission until this lady, Miss Bakar came in a couple years later maybe last year and said we going to open back up, Brother Muhammad. We going to start it back. Now tell me, do she look like my brothers? I told she part of the family tree, but they ain't want to look like me. Your time is up and you got a day to answer your call. I greet you as I did not greet you. Ialamikum a so be. Thank you. >> Next up is Walter Reeves. Walter Reeves, uh, work time. You actually have six minutes. >> No, I'm sorry. I misspoke. Never mind. You have, you do have two minutes. >> Okay. Walter Reeves, uh, workers representative, opero of Atlanta Waterworks. It has $1.9 billion dollar worth of debt. If a city, uh, were to go into chapter 9 municipal bankruptcy, vulture funds would swoop in, uh, pick up that debt on, uh, pennies on the dollar and then, uh, seize the property. And uh uh a solution to that would be the Reeves uh quantitative ease plan. It is certainly possible to uh uh through Atlanta Fed to sweep all that debt under the rug and then uh city would of course be debtree on Atlanta waterworks and it would uh save an institution. Um the Jackson Hole Economic Forum is on August 21st to 23. It is sponsored by the Kansas City Fed. Uh the theme this year is labor markets in transition. The greatest macroeconomic fear is that the US might default on the federal debt. If that were to happen, then the city of Atlanta would have to move quickly into a chapter 9 municipal bankruptcy. The top four economic theories are modern monetary theory, Zolan Posnar Bretonwoods 3, Walter Reeves Bretonwoods 4, and Steven Mirren's Marago accord. An issue of great concern to European central bankers uh in Frankfurt uh is the ongoing issue at the US embassy in Brussels. Those are okay. You know what I'm talking about with Thank y'all. God bless y'all. >> Next is Alan Lee. Due to yielded time, you'll have six minutes. [Music] Good. Good afternoon, members of the council. I am Alan Lee. I come as one. I stand as many. I don't believe I will need six minutes cuz I'm going to fall off script because some people have urged me to be cool. Um, let me say I'm glad I was glad to see council members Doure, Juan, Amos, and Over Street at the Westside Belt Line, and I appreciate them hanging out with some of the FPSC runs. Special shout out to Alex Juan who um ran the 8K. Um, I would like to invite all the council members to join the FPSC run buds at our next 5K that we'll be participating in supporting our law enforcement members at the Atlanta Finest 5K. You know, I've been before this council for greater than 20 years. some of the old-timers as Shook and Mary Norwood, Alex Juan, I'll count you as a as an old-timer, of course, good Councilman Bond. But I think those were probably the only folks that were here when I was originally here. And I've never had the occasion to upgrade or downdress a member of the city council. I usually act like I got some sense, but today I have planned to Dewan Robinson a particular council member whose conduct was not only unprofessional, it was univilized. But I'm reminded by scripture that he that is slow to anger is mightier than the strong. and he that ruleth his spirit than he that ruleth his city. Had this councilman been a man, I surely would be in the care, control, and custody of my good friend, Sheriff Labot, because their abuse and assault would not have been tolerated. And if this council member ever but ever make the mistake for coming for me again lest I sin for them, they will understand that my response will be swift and certain. This council has generally been a good council. I've been through the politics of the moment. I've been through the heated debates. Sometimes I've even been heated at this podium. But I've been careful never to cross the line of disrespectful. And I've learned as a little boy, and hopefully our parents taught us as little children, that we can disagree without dividing and disagree without being disrespectful. I will leave it at that for the moment. I look forward to the days of Atlanta. Thank you. Next is Trinket Lewis. You have four minutes due to allocated time. >> Good afternoon. My name is Trinket Lewis. I am the owner of More Life Juice Co. and Cascade Heights. And I'm here to talk about the Cas complete Cascade Road project. We opened our doors in 2022 and we were thriving, averaging 900 orders a month in our first year. Today we are down to 380 orders. Traffic outside more life has gone from a steady flow used to be bumper to bumper um to just a trickle sometimes one to two cars an hour. The construction has been slow. It's it's been like a a a silent crisis. It's killing more life. It's killing a Cascade business district. And no one has been held accountable. I'm in the juice business, the healing business. So, I make everything from scratch. I'm now there open to close, working overtime. I'm down to two staff members. Um, and is just to keep the doors open and two part-time staff employees just to keep the doors open. I am a mom of a 10-year-old son. I've had to change my hours because I can't afford after school care. I live down the street from the Juice Bart off of Cascade and Lynhurst. I've had to change my tires three times within the last 13 months due to the construction. So, it's affecting the business. It's affecting my livelihood. Um, and Cascade didn't just get hit with construction. We got hit with silence. no recovery program, no meaningful outreach, no real investment. We were um we have been grateful, well, let me say this, thankful and grateful for Marcy's fight, Marcy's support, Marcy over street. Um but we were offered a loan, a a 50% forgivable loan. Why would we take on a loan when we are already in debt? Makes no sense. So, and the question is how far does this go? How far does this continue? Like when who is here to help us? Who is here to support us? Other neighborhoods are seeing millions of dollars in infrastructure and tax district funding. We get detours. We get potholes. We get loans. And we've gotten empty promises. I've lost loyal customers. And it's not it's not to anything I've done. It's not because of the product. It's not because of the experience. It's because they just cannot get to the juice bar. It's impossible. So, we say equity is a city value. Then I say prove it. Small business owners in southwest Atlanta should not be punished for where we operate. Two years of disruption is still no plan, no compensation, no recovery strategy. And again, if the city won't help, who will? So, I stand today with my business owners and over 1,000 community supporters, residents who have signed our petition saying that we need action. We need relief and we need a doubt now. Like now, do you hear me? I got 52 minutes. I can say now over and over and over. We are at the end of the rope. And it's not because of anything. We have not no timelines. We've had meetings with Department of Transportation, with the mayor's office. Marcy has pulled all the stakeholders together and it's still nothing. Thank you. >> Next is Rodney Mullins. >> Thank you. Come with me to Cascade Road. Come with me and you'll see wonderful, brilliant businesses that are struggling. They're struggling with a cancer. That cancer is eating their business. Many of them have closed. They're no longer with us. So, we're asking you to open the road. But it's bigger than opening the road. Open your minds. Open your policy and see that the humanity of Southwest Atlanta is equal to the humanity of Buckhead. Midtown and downtown because when Buckhead and Midtown screamed about the water mane break, you all responded and I commend you. But they only struggled for four days. The group to my right and all of us have struggled for over 912 days with a road closure that has never end. And sometimes we never see anyone working on the road. Open your eyes. Open your hearts. Open your policy. Implement your policy the same way to all business districts. Southwest Atlanta's struggling with a number of policy issues. They called two years ago when this whole issue started with the road closure. No response. They've been waiting for ATL DOT with no response. Now they need emergency response. It's an emergency. We need you to respond. We need you to provide the same relief and even more relief based on the algorithm that you use for Buckhead, which was number of days, number of businesses. They should see receive quadruple the amount of funding that was given to that community. Let's be fair. Let's be the city of civil rights. Marion came to our meeting the other day and said he got it wrong. He said, "You know what?" He said, "We failed and infrastructure for Southwest Atlanta. Now it's your chance to get it right." >> Next is Gabriel Heammons. Gabriel Hemans. Greetings. My name is Gabriel Hammonds and I was born and raised in district 11. Um I'm coming here today uh more so as a researcher um biomedical researcher um to explain a little bit about the vaccine and um it may help a lot of uh constituents um especially my neighbors in the Cascade area about really what's going on. And so basically um the vaccine um it it it it doesn't have an animal source and it never elicit a you a it never elicit a immune response. And the reason behind this is because you know how like you think something and you look in your phone and there's a ad. you can think something now and you go to a computer terminal and your ideas are being turned into profit for corporations and also um it is like impairing people's motor skills where like you're either silent or you don't say anything or you don't have anything to say and a lot of people are left clueless. Um so for example like the Beyonce concert in the Martyr um and the wheels not spinning and not working. um district 11 with the gas station like it's not supposed to be being built but it's being built. Um and just different issues like um some of these u murders are not really murders or when the murders happen they're not being caught on camera. In my situation being a biomedical researcher um we had Dr. Timothy Cunningham pass. Um so um I just wanted to pass out some of these things right now to show you guys a little bit about what's going on. Basically, it's like um Jewish people, they're like Zionists. And basically um the first holocaust happened in South Africa to the HeroA and Hea people and the second holocaust happened to Jewish people so that they could steal our inheritance. And um Trump is actually holding on to gold for us for a lot of black people. Um you're seeing output of an input that they're putting into him. So, on the back of these, I know um but on the back of these, you'll have my um email, you'll have my social media on the back so that we know what's going on. And the more people that know what's going on, >> your time is expired. >> The more our ancestors can talk to us. Thank you. >> Oh, thank you, >> Trent Floyd. Assalam alaikum rastafari. >> Good afternoon council members and community leaders. My name is Trent Floyd and I'm the owner of JR Cricuts on Cascade located at 2348 Cascade Road. I opened our doors in January of 2023 with pride and purpose. The community response was overwhelming in the best way. We were welcomed with open arms, great reviews, and strong business. I had invested over a million dollars into this restaurant land and building, confident it would be become a cornerstone of Cascade Road. But that changed overnight. Shortly after opening, the city blocked both ends of Cascade Road. Access to our business was immediately cut off. What had been projected to be a million-dollar operation suddenly became a struggle just to pay bills. Not because of a lack of demand or poor operations, but because our customers simply could not get to us. Now, two and a half years later, the major access point near I285 is still closed. That means no lunch traffic, no driveby business, and a near constant stream of cancellations and confusion. We are operating in survival mode. I'm here today not just to voice my frustration, but to ask for your partnership. Small businesses like mine are the heartbeat of Atlanta. We create jobs. We serve our neighbors. And we believe in the communities we build in. But we cannot survive without access. We need answers. We need support. And above all, we need a clear, realistic timeline for when this construction will finally be complete. Thank you for your time and for listening. I still believe in Cascade Road. I just need to know the city believes in us, too. Thank you. Next is Angela Ingram. Due to yielded time, you have four minutes. >> Okay. Hello. Good afternoon, city council members. My name is Angela Ingram and I'm the proud owner of Cafe Bartik. Cafe Bartik is Cascad's coffee haven. If you haven't been, you should go. I come to you today not only as a small business owner, but as a third generation restaurant tour from a small town in Mississippi. My mother, my grandmother, my aunts, we all own they all own restaurants. So when I moved to Atlanta, it was my dream to live in a community and also own a business in a in a community. So I had choices about where I could live and I chose Southwest Atlanta. The Cascade historic Cascade Business District is historic to Southwest Atlanta. Um, former mayors live here, former business leaders, um, former civil rights icons, all in my neighborhood where my coffee shop lives. So, legacy lives in Cascade. For two years now, construction along Cascade Road has disrupted um, not just the traffic, but it's also disrupted livelihoods. Um, despite our five-star reviews, um, our handcrafted coffee and our fabulous pastries, um, we also have exceptional customer service, but none of that really matters if we have customers calling every week trying to figure out how to get to us in less than 25 minutes when it's normally a 7-minute drive. I got a call this morning because school started today and I had a parent who wanted to pick up coffee really quickly before they dropped their child off at school, but the GPS told her it took 12 minutes to get there when she lived 5 minutes away. That's unacceptable. Um, we're doing everything we can right now to survive as business own small business owners in Cascade Heights corridor. I shouldn't have to just be surviving. I should be able to thrive when I've poured my entire life savings into my business, into my community. Like I just said, I not only spent every dollar we had to open up a business, we also bought a home in Southwest Atlanta because it means that much to us. Um, we need the construction completed now, today, ASAP. Uh, we need to know so we can be able to tell those people who've potentially tried to come to our to our businesses how long they should expect to see these detours, when is the when is this going to be better for them to be able to be a part of this community and to be a part of the businesses that offer all these different things to Southwest Atlanta. Um, we need the city's help to not just persevere and preserve the historic area, but to empower it. Um, we keep talking about the World Cup coming in 2026. I'm trying to survive in 2025. [Applause] >> Um, so we're here and we're committed to to to this community. We're committed 100%. Um, my fellow business neighbors and I sit down far too often every evening over a set of wings at JR Crickets or a beer. Now the Bianca's but smoothie and ice cream from my streamu. um all those places to kind of uplift each other and support each other. It's like a a club. We got a club now, not a club that we any of us want to be a member of, but we do support and and and and honor each other and listen to each other and all the issues that we have. But we also brought those issues to you today. We brought them today because we want you guys to help us find solutions. We want partnership. We want resources, whether they be financial, uh technological, whatever those resources are to help us thrive. That's what we're looking for. U we want Cascade Heights to be a a place where people want to visit and we think that we offer a quality product. We offer great service. We we want to offer walkable streets if we can get the partnership we need from the city to help us get that. Again, we're committed to this community. Um we're committed to success. We just need the resources and the access to continue pouring into it. even if we just pour into our community one cup at a time. Thank you. >> Next up is Lorraine Lane. >> Good afternoon and thank you for listening. My name is Lorraine Lane and I'm an investor in Arthas at the Point. As some of my peers have said, we want to be in Cascade Heights. We love where we are, but we need your help. I'm not going to repeat the same things that they said because what Angela said, I'm a member now of a club that I didn't really want to be a member of. I enjoy the community that I work in and we're giving it all. Our life savings. We're paying payroll out of our own pockets, not because of something that we did be, but because we're in a community where the bloodline for our community has been cut off. The Southwest community welcomed us when we opened up Arthas at the Point. Our two main owners are Chef Deborah Vanrice and Sha Imbry. Deborah envisioned this place as a representation of the soul of mothers in her travels and we've done that and people enjoy that restaurant. I love going there. Even when I'm off, I go there to get a good meal and enjoy the community or either I'll walk over to Jr. Crickets at the end of a night that I have to work now and go and have me some scattered and battereds and a really nice cocktail. I say these things because it represents a small community of people that want to do big things for a community. These challenges that were not self-inflicted are challenges that we're dealing with and we need your help. I want to leave you with a quote from a famous black American poet, Langston Hughes. And he asked the question, "What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun or fester like a sword then run? Does it stink like rotten meat or crust and sugar over like syrupy sweet? Maybe it's just sags with like a heavy load or does it explode? Atlanta council, I'm asking you, don't precipitate a dream deferred for those of us in the Southwest Atlanta and Cascade Heist District. [Applause] Next up is Courtney Rucker. Good afternoon, members of city council. My name is Courtney Rucker, co-owner of Natalie Bianca, a restaurant serving progressive southern food with the Mexican influence in the Cascade Heights community. We opened in September 2024 with great optimism and genuine belief in our city's commitment to complete this corridor project in a timely way. We opened in Cascade Heights excited to honor a neighborhood rich in history and culture to build a space where neighbors gather where someone could walk in alone and leave with a few new friends. We poured ourselves into the community from youth movie nights, back to school events, and fundraisers for our local elementary and high schools. And to be a welcoming hub for this historic corridor, we come to you today urgent, grounded in history, and seeking equitable relief. This neighborhood has endured systemic obstruction from crop stripping construction barricades in the 1960s to economic obstruction in 2025. Yet Cascade Heist has persevered, built success, and most importantly created community. We now seek fairness, restoration, and recognition. We trusted the complete streets project would uplift Cascade Heights, improve connectivity, increase safety, and make it easier for folks, including local professionals driving off of 285 to access our corridor. Instead, construction has cut us off. Detours have made the drive cumbersome, and access from 285 has all been but severed. We love Cascade Heights. We love the people. But this moment, this ongoing open-ended disruption is tearing at the fabric of what we have all built. We come here believing in the city support, but what's been offered so far are loans if you qualify, not emergency grants, adding to debt on top of a major loss of revenue. Today, we ask for equity. We ask you to provide emergency grant funding, not loans, to offset the loss of revenue of businesses that chose to invest in this community with the trust and timeline and mission. We ask for commitment to transparent communication in regards to this project. Please stand on the right side of equity and stand with us today. Thank you. [Applause] Next is Ivon Oliver. Good afternoon, city council members. My name is Ivonne Oliver and I'm a licensed real estate agent with Homes Smart, proudly working in Southwest Atlanta. I'm here today not only as a real estate professional, but as someone deeply invested in the long-term success of our community, especially the businesses and families that call the Cascade Corridor their home. Our brokerage currently has several listings in this beautiful area, well-maintained homes, competitively priced, but we're struggling to sell them. And the number one concern we hear from potential buyers, the prolonged construction project that's now in its second year with no clear end in sight. The corridor should be a vibrant gateway into the community, not a barrier. The delays are more than just an inconvenience. They're hurting small businesses that depend on walk-in traffic and discouraging investment in one of Atlanta's most historic and culturally rich neighborhoods. Southwest Atlanta has so much to offer. Beautiful green spaces, a proud legacy, and a tight-knit community. But when the infrastructure doesn't keep up, it sends the wrong message to home buyers and business owners alike. I urge the council to provide transparency and a clear timeline for completion of this project. Let's move the barriers that are holding our community back. I believe in Cascade. I believe in Southwest Atlanta and I believe we can do better. This would not happen in other neighborhoods. Thank you. [Applause] Next is Henry Jordan. Thank you. Give not to the spirit of God everyone that's here. Is not this David of whom they sang one to another in dangerous sayings? Saul slew his thousands and David his 10 thousands. 1st Samuel 29th chapter 5th verse. David's actions are again accurately recorded but without comment or consideration. What Jesus did through me is for his glory because Christ encouraged me to obey him not James or you. For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, a mighty and a terrible which regardeth not persons nor taketh reward. Deuteronomy 10th chapter 17th verse. If that which hinders is cut away, there will be and there will be a submission to the will of God in the end of stubbornness. Help us not fight against you, Jesus, because we need you. Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people. Proverbs 14, chapter 34. First, national righteousness and national sin have opposite effects. Exhortation versus reproach. Christ died to give us power to fight sin. I tell ye nay, but except you repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Luke 13 chapter 3 verse. Jesus remind that all have all that all are deserving of a violent fate that can be avoided only by turning in repentance to merciful God. I have tempted to purchase property to set aside for those who are godless sorry for their sin. Properties owners who do not honor Jesus as savior might not save be saved when the enemy attack. We need Christ's help more than he need us. >> Next is Monica Ivory. >> I'm back. >> Due to allocated time, you have four minutes. I'm >> back. Not cuz I want to. Y'all grand rising. Once again, this is my water coming out my faucet. Mr. Amos, I saw you over there west side at the booths on the ground looking very well over there. I still haven't seen you in my neighborhood. Can I come to somebody house and wash my hair, please? I have my my shampoo with me already. Can I go and wash my hair at somebody's house? Cuz I have a place, but it's not even it's not fit for me to wash my hair. So, let alone to keep a dog in and give it to it. So, I don't even have a pen anymore. Uh, here we are again. You know, I should be at home sipping on Jin and Juice. Although I don't drink it. I do do Modella. Here my pictures and my pictures is proof. Once again, they haven't did anything. I heard about the statement about what the state was doing and holding up the money. I heard about that. It came down to me from up there. The big the big Scotty in the sky. I got to reading and the papers in my phones already. I just had to print them up for you all. Y'all know I'm like a picture perfect person, but uh the things that you see highlighted, if anybody want to come and grab them again, I just have to talk as I go cuz before I learn, you don't get two minutes, but I learned how to do four this time. So, I can still uh do a little skip a beat this round. But, uh it's not fair. They're holding up a project over there. Why they holding it up? I don't know who the wise guys or the girls are in the crowd around here, but I know apparently it couldn't be you guys, you know, because you're just one person, each one of you. And I know the big bucks is not coming out y'all front side pocket wherever you keep your big main bucks at. It's not coming It's not coming from y'all pockets. Okay? And if it was, you wouldn't have the project where I'm living at to put your money into these projects. That's a fact check. Now, is this who's this who's f to buy me out down through there referees? Is this who's buying this property down through there? They names up there. Is this who's buying the property? I'm just wondering because it's four people in the unit where I'm living. Four. But they say they sell them as as as remodeling them as town houses. But mold and mildew. I just haven't pulled out all my nasal stuff cuz I have to pull out everything. Might as well bring my whole house here and let y'all see how I'm living now. My humidifiers. I have to sleep by it and everything. The under crawl space. Has nothing been dead. Nothing has been done about it yet. Still a toilet stool up under the under the house. Why would it be there? So they know how to flip the system now. All they know to do seek code enforcement is going to clean up what they can see. They not going to go. Now I've learned some things along the way coming here. I I really 63 years old. I'm still can use it. I can turn it around at 36. I still have to hold on something to pick it up though if I drop it. Don't get that twisted. But at the same token, you see how empty these are? Y'all see how empty these are? I'm living around there with that. Yeah, I'm not afraid. But it's not a it's not a pretty sight for me to be living like that. You know, that's that's that's my area. That's my motorcycle that's in the shop right now. That's that's where I live. And the only reason why I'm got this much cuz I'm on I'm on the bus this morning. Well, my thing is I'm asking now, who are the wise people? Who is buying up the things around here now? Because like I say, y'all sit there. I can tell the difference of the energy of the swag when the when when when the proclamations are over with. Everything's down. When the bellies are full, everything's down. Everything's real soft and dry now. But it was all a hyped up room before, but once we get up in here, it's like it's like it's about time for us to go. Just let them get in our phone and see what we done post now. It's like we're just here now, you know? So, and and and I haven't seen but one or two that face has faced us as I have sat out there and watched. I've seen one or two that have noticed the panel that's been up here. Now, I'm not taking time out to look who's noticing me because you know if if it walk like a duck and quack like a dust if if I'm AFLAC. I'm here. So, I'm not going to take the time out. But I can I can I I read the room. I read people as well as I'm I'm sure somebody's reading me up in here. Y'all have a nice one. >> Next is Reverend Gerald Durley. got still got so I'm going to give it to >> guess I'll follow AFLAC. Uh I want to thank our district person Marcy Overreet and also uh Andrea Boone. I'm Gerald Durley, pastor emeritus of Providence Missionary Baptist Church in the heart of a vibrant, thriving, re-energizing business community, District 11. I stand say ditto to everything that we've heard today. For more than 25 years, I've consistently worked with the community and the businesses to enhance the economic development in this community. I've seen the optometrist come. The dollar store, the ice cream store, the restaurants, orthas, nally biancas, Jr. Cricket, the beautiful, the coffee shop. All of these are things that we work for for 25 years to come. And now the inaccessibility of people, the traffic, the walk-ins to come to that area has devastated and is devastating those community leaders. Many of them have lost a lot of money. I don't know what city council can do. I don't know all the little private funds, but I do know that there could be through invest Atlanta. I heard someone get up today and talk about loans. Why should you borrow when you're already in debt? The city council, we have to have some kind of ethical moral consciousness to say that if cities are to have equality across the city, then all the parts of the city must have uh equity. you and this uh body, this distinguished body. I've been here for hundreds of proclamations and I think she said something earlier about it seems to die down, but this is the heart of this vibrant city and so we've got to come and my goal is to work with you, maybe get a committee together to find some money to help them during this very tough time. We don't know when the time is. They said November when we met at Barbara King Church, but they need some help and they need it now. And we're coming to you. I'm coming as as one who lives in this community, one who's passed in this community, but one who knows what this community can do. And when we join with the city council, we all win. Thank you. Next is Pam Smith. Uh, stay strong. >> First, it's a pleasure to have a moment of your time and attention. I thank each and every one of you accordingly. I didn't plan to be standing here today. This is a Georgia standup orange on my around my neck, but I'm actually standing here because the crown jewel of Atlanta is the Cascade community in Southwest Atlanta. I didn't plan to be here, but as I walked in, several business owners spoke with me, and I couldn't turn a blind eye. I don't even need two minutes. Atlanta is the crown jewel globally. Atlanta put Georgia on the map. It is a sister city >> in South Africa. You Atlanta, you invested, the Atlanta Historical Society actually invested millions of dollars in the corridor that these business owners are talking about. So, as a person who actually has lived in that community for 40some years, actually probably about 44 years, I want to bring to your attention that to pay attention to the Cascade Corridor is to pay attention to the lifeline, the brand reputation of this city. Lastly, I will say this. When you make sidewalks wider than the street [Music] and neighbors, community members have all been replacing their tires. I I like the stone curb, but not when it only gives me three inches of wiggle room. And so I I say that to bring to your conscience. This is about Atlanta's brand reputation. And this is the crown jewel of Atlanta and it is a legacy historical community. So please give it the attention that is needed. Please give it the attention that it's needed. Our homes are being trashed. Our properties are being trashed daily. School buses expire. >> Thank you. Cannot navigate those streets. So they're tearing up our properties. Please give it some attention. Thank you. >> Apologize for any misprononunciation but uh Zajad Green. >> Good afternoon everybody. My name is Aasia Green. I'm a rising senior political science major on the pre-law track at Spellelman College and I have had the incredible honor of interning under Councilwoman Collins this summer. This experience has been nothing short of transformative as I've had the chance to work on affordable housing legislation, attend council and committee meetings such as this one, and connect with residents at events like Seniors on the Lawn and several back- to-school events. It gave me a firsthand look at how local government truly functions, not just in political discussions, but in real face-to-face community work. And what made this internship so special was witnessing her commitment not only to her constituents, but to us as interns. The dedication of her and her team extended beyond policy. They made space for us at the table and encouraged our growth while making sure we left with more confidence than we came in with. This summer has reaffirmed my passion for public service and the law. And I'm leaving this internship more inspired, more prepared, and more determined to build a future rooted in service and advocacy. I'm so grateful to Councilwoman Collins and her team for investing in us and reminding us that young voices do belong in these spaces. Thank you. >> Thank you, Aasia. I thought you guys were just coming to observe. Thank you. I appreciate you all. I appreciate you so much. It's been an honor and we all had opportunities to host interns. So, it's my hope that every intern was able to gather that. But thank you. That was really sweet. Thank you. >> Campbell Bryan. >> Good afternoon everyone. My name is Campbell Bryan and I'm a recent graduate of Lyola University New Orleans and I'll be pursuing my mers of public policy at Georgia State this fall. Alongside previous speaker, Miss Green. Thank you. Alongside previous speaker Miss Green, I had the opportunity this summer of interning with Council Member Collins. And I can truly say this has been the best internship experience I've had throughout my college career. I wanted to be in a setting that challenged me, allowed me to explore my interests, and be hands-on in my own community. And this can, I can say, allowed for all three. This summer, I've been able to work on projects that focused on community engagement strategies and potential legislation for social issues across the city. From learning about affordable housing initiatives to code enforcement to helping with senior activities at Old Adamsville every Wednesday to even attending the numerous back- tochool events, I've been able to see my home of Atlanta in a completely new light that goes and everything that goes into running a city. I am truly grateful for this summer and I especially want to say thank you to Council Member Collins and the city of Atlanta for even making this opportunity possible. Thank you. Jess Jessica Saxton. >> Good afternoon. One day they'll ask why we didn't back down and we're going to respond because our children were watching. My name is Jessica Saxon. I'm a civil rights advocate and litigator from Washington DC. I need to provide public notice to the Atlanta City Council today. This is in accordance with USCS rules of civil procedure as well as rule 17 and rule 20 of the United States Supreme Court. The Constitution for the United States of America is the overarching requirement that every state must follow. I don't think anyone here would disagree with that. States are not able to enact their own alternative legislation and substitute it for the guarantees of the Constitution. That would mean that your state laws are in fact more powerful than the Constitution and that would be unlawful. Clause one of amendment five states that no person should be held to answer for a capital or otherwise infamous crime unless on presentment or indictment by a grand jury. The state of Georgia unfortunately has enacted its own alternative legislation that permits prosecuting attorneys and police officers to charge by way of information as opposed to indictment. That is unlawful. An emolement violation is when you pay a public official to commit a crime. There are two areas of the constitution that reinforces this. The first is article 1 section 10 where it states that no state shall create any law that shall impair the obligation of contract. So police officers, prosecutors, and judges all of whom you all pay are under a contract, a contract to perform based on the oath or affirmation that they that they took. The second that re uh part of the constitution that reinforces this is the 14th amendment where it says that no state shall create or enforce any law that shall bridge the privileges or immunities of United States citizens. Privileges and immunities of the United States citizens are at a minimum those that are enumerated in the bill of rights and the first 10 amendments. I'm asking you honorable individuals to please take a look at clause one of amendment five. confirm what I'm saying to be true and direct your public officials to act in a lawful constitutional manner that is consistent with the obligations codified in the Constitution of the United States. I have a notice I would like to put on the record. Thank you so much. Next is Tanawa Dowing Downing. >> Good afternoon. My name is Tan Downing. Uh Miss Sax, provide a little bit of a lead in. I'm a civil rights advocate litigator from Washington DC. I'm about to advocate or litigate this case to the United States Supreme Court on behalf of the more than 700,000 people that are currently in prison here in America illegally and unconstitutionally because the states have failed to follow the proper procedures and processes codified enumerated in the Constitution United States for the adjudication of crimes. Now, no state can create their own alternative legislation substituted for the guarantees constitution and go out and enforce that. That would obviously be unconstitutional. State of Georgia has done just that. And uh so we're not here to get people into trouble. We're here to let you guys know that you guys pay law enforcement to do their job. Law enforcement is going out and performing arrest because they're relying upon an inferior state statute uh that deprives a person right that's guaranteed by the constitution. That would mean that that police officer is actually committing a crime. It's called deprivation of rights under color law title 18 subsection 242. What that law states is it says any person who under the color of any state statute, ordinance, custom or regulation deprivives any person of any rights cured by the constitution commits that crime. When that police officer then takes it to a judicial officer, one of your judges, and says to that judge, "Hey, I'd like you to hold this person over." That judge has a duty and responsibility to make sure the power he exercises consistent with his authority. If he chooses to exercise power because the police officer abused his, then of course he's also engaged in the same crime as well as also committing a crime of uh conspiracy to private rights title 18 subsection 241. Now, I know that you guys are going to go to your attorneys right after this. You're going to ask them, "Is this true? Is what he's saying real?" And they're going to say, "Well, no, not really." They're going to point to a case from 1884 from the United States Supreme Court called Herertado versus California. And before you guys choose to rely upon that as the foundation, I want to remind you the Constitution of the United States of America is the foundation, not a judge made ruling. Supreme Court of United States has no constituted authority to be able to alter amend or destroy any of the provisions of guarantees constitution because that must be done by an authentic act of people in accordance with the special amending procedure of article 5. Furthermore, judges do not have power to legislate. We know that because of clause one, article one that says all legislative power is vested in Congress of the United States. So I implore you, please step up, discharge the duties of your office, fulfill the obligations and promises that you made to people of state Georgia and please protect, defend, and preserve the constitution for United States of America. Thank you so much. >> Texas Kevin Bacon, >> I got you know there's a solution, one word solution to all the problems. You know what that is? Communism. Yes. Oh, no, no, no. My bad. Democrats. We need to give the Democrats absolute power. That is the solution, right? Okay. But not but I'm not here for that. My concern is the murder and torture that is going on in in Fulton County Jail. The question I want to pose is, do black lives matter or was the death of Mr. Floyd used only for political purposes? Was his death in vain or do we really believe that the deaths of black men and women under police custody or supervision is unwarranted? If it is the latter, then why do we not care to act to stop the depths and brutality of those under police and government super supervision at the Fulton County jail short of the county building another jail. They can work. You and the county can work together to house low-level offenders and those capable of rehabilitation at the pre-trial facility. The policies in place do not keep the community safe as those who are short term shortterm in Fulton County if they make it out alive they come out worse. Pre-trial detention helps with the overcrowding and if done right will serve to rehabilitate those whom we say lives matter. Marginalized men such as Mr. Floyd Floyd whom the system obviously Hey man y gota y got to do something man come on. Next is Valerie Anderson. Due to yielded time, you will have six minutes. Good afternoon everyone. First, I would like to say um thank you to Miss Staban for um the meeting tomorrow. Uh the things change. >> Thank you. And Amber Madison for that. And tomorrow the 5th of August would make one year, one year that I lost my son to APD officer Melvin Potter. one year that that quick. And I would like to talk a little bit about my son who was greatly loved. >> And now my son is my ribbon in the sky. What happened to my son should have never happened. Should have never happened. My son should be here today. And before I go into that, I would like to um thank Councilman Shook for introducing himself to me today. Nice meeting you. And Mr. Wes Smalling. Thank you. But yeah, what happened to my son should have never happened. And like I said it from the beginning, I am not going to rest. I am not giving in. I am not giving up in getting justice for my son. That's not a if, it's a given. And I would also like to say that whoever is more concerned about me coming down here and wanting to know why I'm coming down here, let me just say this respectfully. I'm not your business. I'm not your business. What happened to my son should be your business. I'm coming down here to get justice for my son and any way I choose to go to get justice for my son and hold Melvin Potter accountable for murdering my son. So you worrying about the wrong thing. Why I'm coming down here? So let me just put that out there. I'm holding Melvin Potter accountable for murdering my son. However long it takes tomorrow would be one year. So if one year turn into two, three years that you all got to be seeing me, that's a you problem. It's not a me problem. You understand? I am going to fight for my son till I drop. And I want you all to understand this. I'm not going anywhere anyway. I'm not going anywhere because my son, this is my son. Okay. My beautiful Mother's Day baby son. My son is not wasn't perfect and the last time I checked, none of us was. But he was a son that I am proud of that I love deeply and immensely. And I know my son loved me also. My son was humble. My son was loving and my son was very giving. And I hate to say was because I feel his presence is still here. He's still here. So, I'm not going to let anybody who is worried about the wrong things distract me from doing the right thing. That's not going to happen. It's not going to happen. So, with that said, I don't know if um all of you know, but I have an um date tomorrow. Well, not a date, an appointment with District Attorney Fanny Willis at 1:00 tomorrow. So, you know, I'm going be present. definitely be present. So I need to know and I would like to hear the movements of what's going on with my son case. It's been one year tomorrow and Melvin Potter has not been held accountable for the murder of my son Devon Anderson Junior. Do I'm starting to think like I've never used two words I've never used in all the time of coming down here. corruption and cover ups. Never used those words before. Now I feel like I have to. Why is Melvin P being treated the way he has been treated? Again, if it was my son, you all would they would have fasttracked him to jail. My son would have been in jail if he was the one that murder Melvin Potter. fast track to jail, to prison. Not even to jail, to prison. But Melvin Potter, good old Melvin Potter is home still collecting a check off for the taxpayers. Why? If that's the case, I should get a check for coming down here a whole year. Now, if that's the case, because it looks it looks to me like you the best job right now is to be a APD police officer because you could be a police officer in uniform and you could be a APD officer out of uniform and be a murderer at the same time. That's what it looks like to me. Because in um off duty, on duty, he's still a police officer. In uniform or out of uniform, he is still a police officer. So I don't understand what's the difference between, oh, he was off duty. Wasn't he still a police officer? Didn't he have his gun on him? That's what he shot my son with. So what's the difference? I don't want to hell. He was off duty minding his own business cuz my son was minding his business when he shot and killed my son and shot my son at close ridge three times. My son didn't have a chance to live. Okay? My son did not have a chance to live. Not where he shot up my goddamn son. My son could not have made it. But yet you home collecting a check and I'm supposed to be all right with that and people worrying about why I'm coming down here. Yeah, worry about me coming down here and what I'm doing. But like I said, I'm not your business. What happened to my son should be all of you business because the shoe could be on the other foot. The shoe could be on the other foot. But like I said and I've stated before, from the beginning, I am not going anywhere. Not now, not never until I get justice for my son. And that's a promise because I said, Melvin Potter, you murder the wrong mother son. And I'mma hold you accountable until I get justice. There's no transparency in a whole year. In a whole year that my son has been murdered, my son who I love dearly and I'm very proud of. My son, love him to death. >> Thank you, Miss Anderson. Your time's expired. >> To hell and back. You understand what I'm saying? To hell and back. So, I am going to show up and be present for my son. I want you all to hear me. I'm going to show up and be present for my son. I thank you. Next is Anyana Loftton. [Music] Good evening to all councilmen. Um, thank you for the opportunity to be able to speak before you today and you give ear to what I have to say. Um, first of all, I'm inana Loftton, the wife of Keith Loftton. Uh, Keith was shot by a former Apex officer back on July 25th, 2021. And at the same time, another gentleman was killed, which was Gabriel Sam Parker. And my reason for being here before this great council is to appeal to you once again. Um I'm usually at the public safety meeting. Uh, but I'm here to this regular meeting to appeal to all of you um in regards to the process of what's going on with my husband. He's currently in prison and he was actually charged with the murder of Sam when he was uh shot and permanently injured, something that he'll have to deal with for the rest of his life. And um when he did not do that um it's one thing to have pure evidence and it's another thing to just go on information and overlooking the actual facts that would exonerate my husband. Now as I've said before Atlanta is a great city. Our families combined have over 80 years of history here in the city. Um it's a city of opportunity for all races of people. um which is great, but I'm asking you all with the authority and the influence that you have to encourage um the APD uh as far as giving a thorough and honest review of the charges that they alleged uh concerning my husband. One thing I want to leave with is first of all um a quote by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. And also a scripture from the Bible, Proverbs 11 verse 10, it states, "Through the blessings of the upright, a city is exalted. But by the mouth of the wicked, it is destroyed. And the mouth of the wicked being destroyed that will represent lies and things that are done that brings about an end." >> Your time is expired. >> Thank you for listening to me. Have a great evening. >> Next is Dr. Dewan Robinson. Right. Next is Devon Barington Ward. >> Due to yielded time, you'll have four minutes. Good evening. Uh, thank you for the opportunity to speak. I want to speak with you all about two matters today. The first is the Cascade Road uncomplete streets project. Uh for the last two years, black businesses in the Cascade Road community and area that I live in um have suffered from a construction project that was meant to bring safety and revitalization. And instead, the prolonged infrastructure work has brought economic devastation to many of my friends and neighbors. One of those friends and neighbors is Trinket Lewis, who owns More Life Juice Bar in the Cascade Heights community, and she estimates that she has seen a 72% drop in sales. Restaurants and retailers in this area report declining foot traffic, lost hours, and even permanent closures. Some people are just not coming back. Let me be clear, this didn't have to happen this way. The delays, the detours, and the half measures have only made it quite impossible for many customers to reach these businesses, many of whom are minority and familyowned. And despite the promises of an accelerated schedule and an expanded scope, the road remains under construction, and we don't really know when it's going to open back up. And that's not acceptable. What we do know is that there has not been a significant offer of financial assistance or grants to the businesses so that they can make up the losses of revenue. I remember last year I was successful along with other community organizers and advocates getting this government to invest millions of dollars in a recovery fund for businesses who were impacted by the water crisis. I don't understand how this is any different. And so the only difference is that this is a community below I20. We are tired of being seen as the red-headed stepchild of the city of Atlanta. And so what we need is a transparent and updated timeline for the construction. What we need is a financial recovery fund and grants, not loans offered to the businesses who have been harmed by this project. What we need is transparency. What we need is updates. What we need is timeliness. Because let's be clear, people have invested their whole lives into these businesses and they need the city of Atlanta to recognize and honor that investment. We begged for businesses to come to this side of town and now that we have them, we need to do right by them. Please do right by my neighbors and my friends. The second issue that I want to turn to is Officer Melvin Potter. He remains employed with the Atlanta Police Department despite his dangerous history of DUI arrest, despite his refusal to take a breathalyzer examination which caused for obstruction of justice and his violent offduty behavior. And despite the fatal shooting of that woman's son, Valerie Anderson, this man still remains duly employed with the city of Atlanta. This is not isolated. Officer Garrett Roth, who shot and killed Rashad Brooks in 2020 and now recently started a bar fight in Midtown. He remains employed with the Atlanta Police Department. Four APD recruits were recently terminated because of their actions off duty where they discharged a firearm at in the city of East Point at a local bar when they were asked to leave because of their drunken, belligerent behavior. This is not behavior that is befitting of public safety officials who wear a badge that represent the city of Atlanta. And so my question is, if those four APD recruits were fired, why is Melvin Potter still having a job, obstruction of justice, DUI, and an internal affairs investigation because he allegedly beat up a female APD employee that he was romantically involved with? This is ridiculous. Today, the National Police Accountability Project has sent correspondence to the city of Atlanta in the form of a foyer request where we are requesting information about the disciplinary processes for APD. We hope that you all will remain transparent and that we can get the information, but more importantly, please fire Melvin Potter. This is ridiculous at this point. Thank you. [Applause] >> Next up is Nikki Bugs. Due to yielded time, you will have four minutes. Good afternoon. I hope you all had a great vacation. Um, we were at the landmark still fighting for our property and our lives. Um, this was the building that I mentioned that the investors that took over our building could have could have purchased. It's one of them. There's another one where it's completely abandoned. They could have taken over that building and made it their own. Instead, they decided to come in and steal our homes. At this point, we have exorbitant fees, fines, assessments, um what whatever you can throw at us is what we actually have. Um due to the procrastination and non-action of city council, and again, we we offer to help. So, I don't we don't know what else um that we could possibly add, but this is actually August 1st, the anniversary of this fight that I've been on for four years. Judy Clement, who died during this fight, had been on this this fight, forgive the redundancy, uh two years prior in 2022. As a matter of fact, she was in contact with the commissioner who spoke at your last committee hearing um where she stated, "Well, I heard there's only 10 people left at the landmark." Well, let's think why that is. What's important about this is I want to apologize to the landmark homeowners. I failed you. I went to a city and a state and a government and was redirected and rerouted multiple times seeking assistance. So this is what I have. This is a xenophobic packet that we sent you guys just to let you know what was happening. We sent that to you guys already. You have it. And then after that, we ended up getting a defamation lawsuit threatening the people only the people that spoke, but there actually three of us on there and and none of us know each other. and the xenophilic package is in there, but I'm we're being accused of doing something wrong, which we had not. We're being um targeted because we're speaking out. It's about doing the right thing. And then foreclosure, this is what you've been waiting on. We told you it was going to happen. So, now I'm that targeted person. So, congratulations. All three are there. This is the building they could have actually purchased if they wanted to take over a building. It's beautiful. Has a great structure. Just go and refurbish it themselves. Xenophobic packet. Lawsuit. lawsuit. Now, forgive me for that. And now a foreclosure. So, next time you see me, if this doesn't get resolved, I'll be out on the street. But you know what? I will still be here in my raggedy suit with my afro puffy hair, my cat, and whatever books I have that I can read in the car because I won't have any electricity. And I'll be here every day fighting for all of the homeowners that are in the state of Georgia that are going through investor property predatory tactics. and the city and the state and the government have yet to do anything about it. That's where I am. So, having said that, I don't know what else to tell you. This has been awful and this has been now six years, including Judy Clement's time. Four years for me and we're still fighting the same thing. These people are still operating as if nothing has changed, that you've given them permission, and they're still doing construction in a building. This weekend we had kids running up and down the hallway. The youngest one was 18. They were sweet kids, but they were running up and down the hallway. I eventually came out at midnight 30 and asked, you know, "Hey guys, could you could you knock this off?" He said, "Well, we're just trying to have fun. I'm not trying to take away your fun. People live in this building. People reside in this building. The building is now a motel. If you get a chance, please come and stay at the landmark unannounced. Stay Thursday, leave Monday, you'll be right here up the street and come straight to work so you can experience it firsthand. What we're experiencing, we should not have. This is a legacy that we have that even speaking with the the the Cascade people, it's a legacy that's being stripped away from us with your permission. That's what we have. Thank you. Next up is Minister Breed Love and due to allocated time, you'll have four minutes. You're welcome. >> Praise the Lord. >> I just s this this is this is the law. Whatever. >> People of God, I'm I'm here. I'm really crying in my spirit because as I hear the mother's cry of her son, and there's no justice to this, do we search our hearts? Are we here to just have a job and we don't understand what a father and a mother is to her children? Why do we take positions and we don't want to understand what is really is urgent? We are God's people. You all are precious jewels. You are God's assignment to do a job. Not to just sit in your seats and listen, but to rise above and say no longer will we accept this. It's wrong for officers to do certain things. You are the one that has the pin in your hand. You have the knowledge that God has given you. And there's no way that we should accept the things that we hear come to this establishment. The mayor is here and everything is being said and his mother and father did not raise him to be injustice and neither are you. I have so much confidence in you all. I have been through a war myself and still fighting the war with English Avenue community. $250 million empowerment zone monies. Where is it? What happened? I have mothers still crying out to me as I pray with them. Children are dead in their graves. Elderly of community that suffer from poverty where it should not have been. Today is a lesson for all of us people. It's a lesson that we must learn to grab hold and say, "Will I leave a legacy for my children and grandchildren and great grandchildren?" Now, Cascade is one of the old old neighborhoods. I lived in that neighborhood for years. I owned it a lot of property. And when I was arrested in Atlanta from my restaurant, who I helped at 80% of English Avenue, put in Mayor Aba Thomas in her position, Byron Amos, Michael Bun I support, Ivory Young, many others, Shirley Franklin. My legacy put millions of dollars in my hand for my ancestors and I gave it to support people. And I ask you all today, you all pray, ask God to lead you and guide you into truth because did you all see what just took place not long ago from Washington DC? They are sending people here to investigate this city and we must pray and be accurate on what we do and say and live up to that. Now, Cascade, I ask that you all to really look at that daughter boom and street, Michael, all of you all. That is a legacy laid neighborhood where John Lewis laid his head and many other great warriors. So, I thank you all and God bless you. My prayers are with you. Next is Deborah Jean Arnold. >> Greetings, council. Um to um the head council, Doug Shipman. Um I am Deborah Arnold. I am a resident of Mechanicsville in PUV. I am a mother, a grandmother, a college grad of of a Christian university, Liberty Christian University. You know, God said in his word that your greater days we be better than your past. And what I have left is what I'm asking God to use for a vessel. I come here today um on behalf of who I am, my state, my standard, where I stand for my um my myself, my family, my community, and what I contribute um to my community, my family, and for loving myself. And I'm asking um the council to assist me in security to assist in investing believing in me. Um I have got to a point I believe I believe believe my almost my my city my community to almost want to just leave because I feel like you have forgotten or don't believe in me anymore. But I believe in Deborah Jane Arnold and I believe, praise God, I believe that through creativity that it would assist with change, with uh careers, with advocacy, change across the board, health, finances, housing, and that's where I find my strength. And I'm asking you to believe in me on that. wise um just spoken before we do have someone from DC. I'm ask you to help me whoever and wherever this investigation is coming from. >> Um >> thank you. Time is expired. >> Okay. Whether it's power, whether it's voting matters, I'm asking you to assist me. Thank you so much. >> Next up is Destiny Marbley. Destiny Marbley. Daniel Maria. Good afternoon, Mr. Shipman. Today I don't have brimstone and fire. It's been two years since the last time I've been here and uh at that time I was a cancer patient and concerned about losing my job and I lost my job. But what I would like to do first is thank you. President Shookman, Councilwoman Miss Norwood, Councilwoman Miss Buri, Councilman Farooq, Councilman Michael Julian Bourne, and council members. Y'all have been the kindest people to me. And if I start crying, don't worry. I I'll get through it. So y'all have been the MLA lady, right? Y'all have been the kindest. But during that time, the same people, Eric Ross, Tony Smart, and now we're going to drop a name and we're going to add a name. Jeffrey Howard does not have and did not have the ability to do what was done to me. So, I've been retaliated against in my workers comp and I'm asking y'all to investigate my workers comp issue. It's been going on since the last time I was here. And uh >> thank you sir. Your time has expired. >> The the board has issued a sum not a summon but they want the WC1 that was never submitted by Eric Ross. Nor did he submit the doctor's note which is the reason why I was denied. The same doctor's note Miss Daniel Jones did not submit to the board. And that's the reason why I've been denied. Thank you. And if I could have copies, I didn't have the money. >> I went >> some someone will come down and get those for me. Thank you, sir. >> Just a copy for everybody. That's >> Thank you. >> Well, with that, that concludes the public comment portion of our agenda. Like to thank all members of the public for providing comments to the city council. And next we'll move to the report of the journal. Madame clerk, >> good afternoon council president prom and members of the council or good evening rather. Now I, Knee Linda, municipal clerk of the city of Atlanta, do hereby certify that the minutes of the regular meeting held on Monday, July 7th, 2025 are true and correct. >> Thank you. We handle this by unanimous consent. the members present. >> The count >> is 12. Yay. Zays. >> All right. >> Thank you. >> Now we'll move on to communications. Madam clerk, >> Mr. uh President Prom, if I may take item 1 to three as a block, >> please. >> Item number one is 25 C0092. This is communication from council members Jason Winston, district 1, and mayor Ferro, District 2, Byron Amos, District 3, Jason Doser, District 4, and Michael Julian Bond, post one at large, appointing Miss Eve Hightower, to serve as a member of the Beltline Affordable Housing Advisory Board. This appointment is for a term of two years. Item number two is 25 C0093. This is communication from Mayor Andre Diggins appointing Dr. Tina Dunley to serve as a member of the Atlanta Urban Design Commission in the artist category. This appointment is for a term of three years. Item number three is 25 C 0094 district communication for Mayor Andre Dickens appointing Miss Teresa Austin Given to serve as commissioner of the department of labor and employment services for the city of Atlanta. Staff recommendation to refer all these items to community development human services committee and committee on council. >> Let those three items follow that course. If I may take items four and five as a block. >> Please do. >> Item number four is 25 C0095. Mr. Communication for Mayor Andre Dickens appointing Mr. Calvin Blackburn III to serve as commissioner of human resources for the city of Atlanta. Item number five is 25 C0096. This a communication for Mayor Andre Dickens appointing Miss Shandra Houston to serve as a as chief procurement officer for the city of Atlanta. Staff recommendation to refer to finance executive committee and committee council for both those items. >> Let those two items follow that course. >> Item number six is 25 C0097. This is a communication from Nicole Nicole Panzani, president of the Georgia chapter of Association of Certified Fraud Examiners. Submitting the appointment of Mr. Tim Foster to serve as a member of the governing board of the office of the Inspector General. This appointment is for a term of two years. Staff recommendation to refer to committee on counsel. want to follow that course. >> Item number seven is 25 C 0098. This a communication from council members Lana Bactiari district 5, Alex Juan, district 6, Howard Shook, District 7, Mary Norwood, District 8, and Matt West Morland plus two at large appointing Mr. Tyler Scriven to serve as a member of the artificial intelligence commission staff recommendation to accept and file. >> Let that item follow that course. >> That concludes the commun communications item. Mr. President, prom. >> Thank you, Madam Clerk. Is there any vetoed legislation? There are none. >> Madam clerk, is there any unfinished business? >> There are none. >> All right, moving on to the consent agenda. Are there any items to be removed from the consent agenda? Council member Winston. >> Yes. I'd like to um pull item on page nine, which is item 225-R 3661, off the consent agenda. >> Okay. Any other items, colleagues? >> There's been a motion to approve the consent agenda section one by council member Juan, seconded by council member Shook. Please prepare the vote. >> The vote is open. Will everyone please vote? [Music] >> The votes closed. That's 12 yays, zero nays. >> 12 yays, zero nays. The consent agenda is adopted. Council member Winston. >> Thank you. I'd like to send item 25-R3735 post haste. >> Any other items? Send post haste. Colleagues. All right. Second. >> There's the a motion to send that item post haste by council member Winston. Second by council member Juan. May we do this by unanimous consent? If so, please sound the count of members present. >> 12. Yay. Zero nays. And that item will be sent unanimous consent to the mayor's office. Moving on to consent agenda section two. Is there a motion to refer these to their proper committee? >> Motion. >> Second. >> Sec. Motion by council member Juan. Second by council member Shook. >> Please refer the vote. The vote is open. Will everyone please vote? >> The votes closed. 12 yay, zero nays. >> 12 yay, zero nays. Nays. >> 13 yay, zero nays. >> 13, zero nays. Those items will be referred to their respective committees. And now moving on to report of standing committees. First up is the Community Development Human Services Committee, Chairman Winston. >> Thank you, President Pro Tim. Uh the first item is 25-R3661. This was the item that was pulled off consent agenda. Um I'd like to make a motion to substitute this item which has the correct funding stream. >> Second. >> Second. >> Motion and seconded. Please prepare the vote. >> The vote is open. [Music] >> The votes closed. 11 yays, zero nays. >> 11 yays, zero nays. >> Council member Colin, what is your vote? >> I'm sorry. Yay. >> That's 12 12 yays, zero nays. >> 12 yay, zero nays. Substitutes before us. >> Okay, I'll read the the caption. A resolution by council member Dustin Hillis authorizing the chief financial officer or his design on behalf of the city of Atlanta and pursuant to the section number listed of the city of Atlanta's charter to accept a donation of funds from trust for public land in an amount not to exceed $200,000 toward Atlanta's section of the proposed Chattahuchi Riverlands and the Chattahuchi brick study the donated funds and for other purposes. I'll make a motion to approve as substituted. Is there a second? Motion by council member Winston, second by council member Baktiari. Please prepare the vote. >> The vote is open. Will everyone please vote? The vote's closed. 12 yays, zero nays. >> 12 yays, zero nays. That item is favorable. >> Thank you. And if there's no objections, I have uh three CDP papers that we need to file. I'd like to take those as a block. >> Please proceed. First item 25-1074 CDP-250004 an ordinance by Community Development Human Services to amend the land use element of the 2021 Atlanta comprehensive development plan so as to redesate property located at 383 Laneir Street Northwest from the highdensity residential 016 units per acre land use designation to the high highdensity residential land use designation and for other purposes. is next item 25-1263 CDP-25-006 an ordinance by community development human services committee to amend the land use element of the 2021 Atlanta comprehensive development plan so as to redesate property located at 481 485 and 495 Westlake Avenue Northwest 1594 159567 1617 and 1625 North Avenue Northwest 1590600 168 186 1621 and 1626 Hasty Place Northwest 480 and 492 Elmwood Road Northwest from the low density residential for 0 to 8 units per acre land use designation to the low density residential land use designation and for other purposes and then 25-1268 CDP 25-016 and ordinance by community development human services committee to amend the land use element of the 2021 Atlanta comprehensive development plan so as to redesate property located at 335 Saltale Avenue Southeast Southeast from the medium density residential land use designation to the m mixeduse low density land use designation and for other purposes I'd like to make a motion to file all three papers a motion to file by council member Winston is there a second by council member Octiari please prepare the vote to file The vote is open. >> Will everyone please vote? >> The votes closed. 12 yay, zero nays. >> 12 yays, zero nays. Those items will be filed. >> Thank you. That does conclude my report. >> Thank you, Chair Winston. Next up is the report of the transportation committee. Chair Amos. >> Yes, sir. Mr. President, prom items. The first is item 25-1391. Ordinance by transportation committee authorizing the mayor or his designate to execute the first amendment to agreement listed security guard services for 2025 Atlanta streets alive events with RLP Network LLC respectfully on behalf of the city of Atlanta to add the Atlanta Department of Transportation as authorized user for services under agreement and to add funding in the amount not to exceed $1 million. All contracted work will be charged to and paid from the fund department organization and account number listed herein and for other purposes. This was forwarded to the com uh forwarded on condition. Um the conditions have been met. Um but however further discussion um needs to take place. So I think there will be um a motion made to handle this um item. >> Thank you chair. Council member Juan. >> Uh thank you Mr. President Prom and thank you Mr. Chair. Yes. Uh there is more work that needs to be done on this paper. Therefore, I'm making a motion to refer it back to committee. >> Second. >> Second by council member Lewis. Please prepare the vote to refer this item back to the transportation committee. [Music] Hey, what's this? [Music] Will everyone please vote? >> Winston Lewis is yes. >> Mr. Winston Winston, Council Member Winston, what is your vote? >> The vote is closed. That's 13 yay, zero nays. >> 13, zero ns. That item is referred back to the transportation committee. >> Thank you. Next item is 25-R3589. A resolution by council member Byron D. Amos Dustin Hill is a Marcy car over street as amended by the transportation committee authorizing the mayor or his designate to enter into contracts listed 2025 roadway construction and maintenance large citywide contract listed ATL Paving JV BRTU Construction Inc. and Carolyn's Halding Incorporated, JV, GS Construction, Inc. and Lewis Contracting Services LLCJV Stewart Brothers and P2KJV to provide construction services to the Atlanta Department of Transportation on a task order basis for an initial term of three years with two one-year renewal options to establish a joint task force under fund in the amount not to exceed $120 million with all funds to be charged to and paid from the project and account numbers listed here in and for other purposes. Motion to adopt. >> Motion to adopt coming out of committee. Does not need a second. So, please prepare the vote. >> The vote is open. The vote's closed. That's 11 yay, zero nays. >> Thank you. Your next item, um, 25-R3663, a resolution by council member Marcy Carar, Over Street, and Andrea L. Boon as amended by transportation committee authorizing the mayor or his designate to execute an agreement with Georgia Power Company on behalf of the Atlanta Department of Transportation for the maintenance and repairs of the city interstate lighting network within the Atlanta city limits and for other purposes. This comes out of committee as motion to adopt. The >> motion coming out of committee is to adopt. Please prepare the vote. >> The vote is open. The votes closed. 13 yay, zero nays. >> 13 yay, zero nays. That item is adopted. >> Thank you, Mr. President. Pro Tim, that ends my report. >> Thank you, Chair Amos. Our next report is from the Finance Executive Committee, Chair Shook. Thank you, President Prom. Our single paper today is 251406. This is an ordinance by uh Mr. Amos supplementing that certain 38th supplemental bond ordinance adopted by the Atlanta City Council on the date listed and approved by the mayor on the date listed to among other things set forth the terms of the city of Atlanta airport customer facility charge revenue bonds series 2025A uh as well as the airport customer facility charge revenue bonds 2025B uh within certain parameters previously established by the city including the original aggregate principal amounts, interest rates, maturity amounts, maturity dates, redemption provisions, and debt service reserve requirements with respect there too. Firm satisfaction of the additional bonds test with respect to the 2025 CFC bonds. Ratify certain prior actions to the city council uh and certain officers and agents of the city with respect to the issuance and sale of those bonds. Ratify and approve the execution and delivery of a bond purchase agreement. ratify and approve the preparation, use, and distribution of a preliminary official statement and the execution and delivery of a final official statement in connection with the offer and sale of the 2025 uh bonds. authorized the city finance officer to create the series 2025A uh customer charge uh revenue bond fund and series 2025B customer uh facility charge revenue bond fund and amend the FY 2026 uh budget by adding to anticipations and appropriations bond proceeds in the aggregate principal amount not to exceed $310 million for the series 2025 CFC bonds provide an effective date and for other purposes. Uh this comes forward out of condition uh comes forward with the recommendation that I uh move to hold this in the breast of council which I now make that motion and we'll take it up at our Wednesday this coming Wednesday special call meeting at 9:30 here in this chamber. >> There's a motion by council member Shook to hold this in the breast council. Second by council member Baktiari for this to be handled a special called meeting this Wednesday. Please prepare the vote. The vote is open. Everyone please vote. >> The votes close. 13 zs. >> 13 zs. This item will be held on the breast of council. >> That is all. >> Thank you, Chair Shook. Next up is the committee on council. Council Chair Collins. Thank you, Mr. President. Pro 10, we have three items on the report. If there are no objections, may we take items one and two as a block, >> please proceed. Communications 25- C-0000801. A communication from council members Liliana Biari, District 5. Alex one, District 6, Howard Shook, District 7, Mayor Newwood, District 9, and Matt West Mland, Post 2 at large, appointing Mr. Matthew Reeves to serve as a member of the City of Atlanta Americans with Disability Act Advisory Committee. Second item 25- C-000083 a communication from council president Doug Shipman appointing Miss Lucy Sharp to serve to serve as a member of the city of Atlanta Americans with Disability Act advisory committee. These items receive favorable recommendations from their committees of purview. Therefore, it is our recommendation to adopt. >> Thank you. The recommendations to adopt does require a second. Please prepare the vote. >> The vote is open. [Music] The vote closed. 13 y z. >> 130 z. Those two items are adopted. >> Okay, great. Next item is 25- C-000093. A communication from municipal clerk, election superintendent Karan Lindo as amended by committee on council to inform the Atlanta City Council that the municipal clerk must call an election on November 4th, 2025 in accordance in accordance with state bill 330, which provides that the municipal election superintendent of the city of Atlanta shall call and conduct an election for the purposes of submitting a question to the electors of the city of Atlanta Independent School District. district for approval or rejection as to whether to provide a homestead exemption from city of Atlanta from from from the city of Atlanta independent school district abalorum taxes for educational purposes in the amount of $50,000 and0 of the assessed value of the homestead for residents of that school district who are 65 years of age or over with an aggregate cap of 400 487 7,8004 84,000 487,84,878. A copy of SB330 is attached to this communication. This item comes before the council favorable as amended and it is our recommendation to adopt. This >> item is favorable by the committee. Does not require a second. Please prepare the vote. >> The vote is open. Okay. The vote is closed. That's 12 yay, zero nays. >> 12, zero nays. That item is adopted. >> I'm sorry, Council Member West Morland, what is your vote? >> That's 13 yay, zero nays. >> 13 yay, zero naysay. That item is adopted. >> Great. Thank you. We have one resolution uh 25-R33, excuse me, 25-R3737, a resolution by committee on council to author authorize contingency funding for city council communications support in an amount not to exceed $45,000 for the fiscal year 2026 budget and for other purposes. This item comes with favorable recommendation from COC and it is our recommendation to adopt. >> The recommendation of committee is to adopt. Please prepare the vote. >> The vote is open. >> Will everyone please vote? The vote's close. 13 y z. >> 13 zs. That item is adopted. >> Great. Um, colleagues, at this time I have one item for your consideration. I will make a motion I would like to make a motion to amend the full council agenda to add a communication appointing an individual to the artificial intelligence committee. >> A motion has been made by Chair Collins, second by council member West Morland to amend. Please prepare the vote. Okay, >> the vote is open. Will everyone please vote? >> Will everyone please vote? 13 yay, zero nays. >> 13, zero nays. That is amended. >> Thank you. So, it is walking legislation um Elm's ID number 3809. A communication from council members Dustin Hillis, District 9, Andrea Boone, District 10, Marcy Collia Over Street, District 11, Antonio Lewis, District 12, and Isa Collins, post three at large, appointing Mrs. Brandeise H, excuse me, Dr. Brandeise H. Marshall to serve as a member of the artificial intelligence commission. This this appointment actually finalizes and now we have a full a AI commission that can now take place. And so with that, it this item is to be accepted and filed. >> You're making a motion. >> Oh yes, I make a motion that this item be accepted. >> One moment. Okay. Yes. I make a motion for this item to be accepted and filed. >> Yeah. And it will need a second. Is there a second? >> Second by council member. >> Thank you. >> Please prepare the vote. >> The vote is open. Will everyone please vote? [Music] >> The vote's close. That's 12 ys, zero nays. Oh, council member shook, what is your vote? I >> that's 13 yay zero nays. >> 13 yays zero nays item is accepted and filed. >> And um my colleagues, the last thing that we have is a committee announcement that we want to make sure is on your radar as there is a press release that will be released shortly after today's meeting regarding the district 2 vacancy process. And pursuant to section 5-103 subsection A part three of the city charter, the city uh the council may appoint a qualified individual to fill a vacant seat if a regular election is scheduled within one year. That appointment must be made by a majority of council members within 30 days of the vacancy. As we are aware, our colleague, Councilman uh Council Member Amir Feroki's his resignation will take place on August the 23rd, 2025, and the appointment individual will serve until January 2026 when the newly elected comm council member takes office. With that being said, the qualifications are that applicants must be at least 18 years or older, a qualified elector, a resident of District 2 for at least one year, and not employed by the city of Atlanta. This this application period will open this Friday, August 8th, and will close on Wednesday, August 27th at 5:00 pm. Applicants must submit a resume and statement of interest to the municipal clerk's office at city hall via the municipal clerkatlanta.gov email address or through our the council website at city councsil.atalantaja.gov. And so wanted to make sure you have this information if you get any calls from any constituents or um request for any additional information and just encourage all eligible District 2 residents to consider applying for this important opportunity to serve the remaining of the district 2's term for the 2025 calendar year. With that being said, Mr. President Promp, I uh that concludes our report. >> Thank you, Chair Collins. >> Thank you. >> Next up is the zoning committee, Chair West Morland. Thank you, Mr. President. Pro Tim, we do not have a report. >> Way to go. Next up is Public Safety and Legal Administration Committee Chairwoman Boon. >> Chairwoman Boon. >> Thank you, Mr. President. Pro Tim, we do not have a report today. >> Also, a great job. Next up, city utilities committee. Report being given by vice chair of that committee, Vice Chair Shook. Ladies and gentlemen, the utilities committee is pleased to present the following report. Uh I will take items one and two together. 25c0088 is the communication from Mr. Penovi. Uh CPA chair of the audit committee sub uh submitting the performance audit on the department of watershed management contract amendments extensions and alternative procurements. And we'll also take 25 C008 niner a communication from Mr. Penovi submitting the performance audit on recycling. The motion is to accept and file. >> Those two items. The motion is to accept and file on the committee. Please prepare the vote. >> The vote is open. >> Will everyone please vote? The vote's closed. 13 yay, zero nays. >> 13 yay, zero nays. Those items are accepted and filed. >> Thank you. Our final item is 25R 3672, resolution by utilities authorizing the city to donate an amount not to exceed $200,000 from the community energy partners or energy trust fund pursuant to the section of the city charter listed here to partners in action for healthy living PAHL to provide homeowner education and on-site delivery of energy efficiency audits and interventions for the weatherrise ATL program to authorize the mayor to enter uh into any necessary agreements to effectuate the donation to authorize the CFO to make all payments from the accounts listed here in further purposes. Uh this came out of committee favorable on condition of receiving supplemental information which has been emailed to all of you and so I will move approval. >> Motion to approve by council member Shook, second by council member Juan. Please prepare the vote. >> The vote is open. The post call 13 yay zero nays. >> 13 zs. That item is adopted. >> That is all. >> Thank you, Vice Chair Shook. Moving on to legislation. I am showing one item for immediate consideration by council member Baktiari. Next is 3385. >> Thank you. Elms ID 38510 resolution by council member Liliana Bactiari to establish an Edgewood corridor public safety task force to partner with businesses, neighborhood associations, law enforcement agencies, and appropriate governmental entities for the purpose of developing and and implementing a comprehensive plan to deter crime and enhance public safety along Edgewood Avenue throughout the sweet Auburn community and the greater Old Fourth Ward neighborhoods and for other purposes. Whereas on July 8th, 2025, a mass shooting occurred on the Edward Avenue corridor in the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood, resulting in the death of one person and serious injuries to 10 others. This act of violence is part of a troubling pattern of increasing violence plaguing this vital entertainment district. And the recurrence of such incidents puts residents, visitors, and business owners at risk. And Edgewood Avenue is a cultural and economic hub in Atlanta, known for its historic sign significance, vibrant nightlife, and thriving small businesses. And Edgewood Avenue deserves targeted interventions to ensure it remains a safe place for businesses and residents to prosper. And it is the responsibility of the city of Atlanta to proactively address conditions that allow violence to flourish by investing in infrastructure violence prevention, youth engagement, and responsive policing strategies rooted in building community trust and accountability. And the city of Atlanta has previously deployed successful multi- agency collaboration models with targeted investment in which neighborhoods experiencing high rates of violence or I'm sorry investment in neighborhoods experiencing high rates of violence as demonstrated by 22-R30001 which established the Buckhead Safety Buckhead public safety task force and whereas immediate steps must be taken to assess and address the causes of violence along Edgewood Avenue, enhance communication, restore public trust and prevent future tragedies though through both through both short-term intervention and lasting systemic change. And the city of Atlanta has the tools, resources, and responsibility to interrupt cycles of violence by responding carefully and urgently in a manner that can centers equity and community voices, centering equity, listening to community voices. And now therefore, be it resolved by the city council of the city of Atlanta, Georgia, that an Edgewood corridor public safety task force is hereby established to partner with businesses, neighborhood associations, law enforcement agencies, and appropriate governmental entities to develop and implement a comprehensive plan to deter crime and enhance public safety along Edgewood Avenue throughout the Sweet Auburn community and the great greater Old Forth neighborhoods. Be it further resolved that the Edgewood corridor public safety task force shall consist of the following members. Chief operating officer or designate, chief of Atlanta police or designate, city council, council member district 1 or designate, council member district 2 or designate, council member five or designate, the old fourth ward neighborhood association designate, old fourth ward business association designate, mpum public safety chair or designate and Auburn church collaborative designate. Be it further resolved that the members of the task force shall not require council confirmation. Be it further resolved, the task force shall re be shall receive staffing and administrative support by one unilateral appointment of chief operating officer and one unilateral appointment by of the district 5 council member. Be it further resolved that the task force shall meet no fewer than six times after its establishment. That the task force shall present its findings, recommendations, and proposed safety protocols to the Atlanta City Council within 30 business days of its final meeting. Be it further resolved, the task force shall sunset effective December 31st, 2025, and be it finally resolved that all resolutions and parts of resolution in conflict here with herewith and hereby wave to the extent of the conflict. >> Concludes it. >> Like to make a motion. >> Uh motion to approve, please. >> Motion to approve by council member Biari. Second by council member Juan. Please prepare the vote. >> The vote is open. Council member Winston, Council Member Collins, Council Member West Morland, how do you vote? I >> the votes closes. 12 yays, zero nays. >> Thank you. Uh Mr. Proim, I would also like >> 13, zero n >> 13, zero ns. That item is favorable. >> I would like to also make a motion to move this to the mayor's office post haste. >> Motion to move to the mayor's office post haste by council member Bakiari. Second by council member Juan. Please prepare the vote to send this to the mayor's office post haste. The vote is open. >> Will everyone please vote? >> Council member West Morland, how do you vote? >> Council member Boon, how do you vote? >> Yay. >> The closed 13 yay, zero nays. >> 13 yay, zero nays. This item will be sent to the mayor's office. >> Thank you. Thank >> you, Council Member Biori. on to legislation to be referred. Council member West Morland, you are first up in reverse alphabetical order today. [Music] >> Thank you, Mr. Prom. Elms 38518, ordinance by West Morland, Collins, and Bond authorizing a donation amount not to exceed $3,000 from the post to a large car for account to the upper westside improvement district to support westside stride and its focus on dening designing safe people oriented streets and for other purposes. That item will be referred to FPC >> 38517 ordinance by West Morland Bond and Collins to donate $1,000 to the Little Five Points Alliance pursuant to section 6- 306 of the SE Atlanta charter and for other purposes. But we also refer to FBC >> Helms 38516 an ordinance by West Morland Juan and Baktiari authorizing a donation in amount not to exceed blank to the community foundation for greater Atlanta pursuant to section 6-306 of the city of Atlanta charter to support LGBTQ outreach and the mayor's youth scholarship program and for other purposes. >> Also referred to FPC. >> Thank you. >> Thank you council member Russ Morland. Council member Winston. >> Thank you. Uh, Elms ID 38484, an ordinance by Winston authorizing the mayor or his designate to execute a quick claim deed conveying the city's interest in certain real properties located in Fton County, Georgia at 1586 South Gordon Street Southwest, 2040 Main Street Northwest, and 0 Pullum Road in an amount not to exceed $100 to the Pulson County City of Atlanta Land Bank Authority doing business as Metro Atlanta Land Bank for the public purpose of returning the properties to an effective utilization status and providing permanently affordable housing to wave certain provisions of article 10 of the city of Atlanta's code of ordinances the cured and real estate code to authorize execution of all necessary documents to effectuate the intent of this ordinance and for other purposes. >> That will be referred to CDHS. Thank you, Chair Chair Winston. Next up, Council Member Shook. Too fast. Helms 38515. Ordinance by Shook to amend the 1982 Atlanta zoning ordinance uh the city of Atlanta by replacing chapter 181 SPI 9 uh Buckhead Village district regulations in chapter 18 L SPI 12 Buckhead Lennox Station Special uh public interest district with new chapters entitled blank and for other purposes >> I will refer to the blank committee. Just kidding. >> Makes sense. Thank you. showing you have two items. You only have one. >> What's that? >> I'm showing you have two items. Do you only have one? >> Thank you. >> Elms uh 38513 ordinance by Shook to amend part 16, the 1982 zoning ordinance. City of Atlanta is amended so as to pro prohibit short-term rentals in residential zoning districts in city council district 7 and for other purposes. I will refer to the zoning committee. >> Thank you. That actually is >> Thank you, Council Member Shook. Council member Lewis, you were up. >> Thank you. Elms ID 38512, a resolution by Council Member Antonio Lewis requesting the commissioner of the Atlanta Department of Transportation to conduct a traffic study along the 600 to 700 block on Pier Street Southwest between Metropolitan Parkway Southwest and Alen Street Southwest to determine the need for any safety improvement such as traffic caling devices, reduced speeds or stop signs and for other purposes. I'll be referred to the transportation committee >> Elms ID 38397 an ordinance by council member Antonio Lewis waving sections 2-1541 comma 2-1543 comma 2-1571 comma 2-1572 comma 15 2-1573 and 2-1574 of the city of Atlanta code of ordinances authorizing mayor or is designate to acquire from Fulton County in the state of Georgia certain real property located at 2605 Faraban Road 14F district land lot 113 for county Georgia with tax ID 14F-005-L113 in exchange for conveying certain adjacent real property property owned by the city of Atlanta and located in landlock 68 8 14 the 14th district for county Georgia with tax ID 14006900002 0619 in order to clear title of said properties to execute all documents necessary to effectuate sale said property transfers and for other purposes >> I'll refer to the finance executive committee >> right Elms ID 38511 an ordinance by council member Antonio Lewis to rename a portion of Prior Road Southwest extending from Raph David Abernathy Boulevard Southwest to Lakewood Avenue Southwest is Michael Langford Senior Drive to wave certain provisions of section 138-8 of the city of Atlantic code of ordinances and for other purposes and I will refer to the transportation committee. >> I have one item. It is Elms ID 38400, an ordinance by council members Dustin Hillis, Matt West Morland, EJ Collins, and Michael Julian Bond authorizing the mayor, his designate on behalf of the city of Atlanta to execute a ground lease agreement with partners for home for property located at Reservoir Drive and 653 Green Street Northwest Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia, a portion of tax parcel ID number listed for a lease term not to exceed 75 years to be used to develop quick delivery housing on public land as part of the city of Atlanta's rapid housing initiative, waving the competitive procurement provisions contained in article Article 10, procurement of real estate code of the city of Atlanta code of ordinances and for other purposes and that item will be referred to the CHS committee. Councilwoman Collins. >> All right, great. AMP's ID number 38485, a resolution by council member Isa Collins authorizing the mayor or his designate to execute the first amendment to the WFIA master agreement between the city of Atlanta and the US Environmental Protection Agency to extend the master availability period of the loan agreement by three years to authorize the execution of any related agreements or documents and for other purposes. Um, >> refer to the city utilities committee. >> Thank you. Councilwoman Boon. >> Thank you, Mr. President. Pro Tim Elm's ID number 38504, an ordinance by council member Andrea Elbo Boon, an ordinance authorizing the city attorney or her designate to execute settlement statement on behalf of the city of Atlanta to resolve claims against peripheral proliferic acid manufacturer 3M company in the amount of $635,153.96. 6 cents. And for other purposes, >> I refer to the public safety legal administration committee. >> Elms ID number 38457, an ordinance by council member Andrea Elbone to correct ordinance number 24-0-1276, SPAPD 22121230170, body camera, police equipment, and services with Axon Enterprise, Inc. adopted by the Atlanta City Council on June 3rd, 2024 and approved pursuant to city charter section 2-43 on June 12th, 2024 for the purpose of correcting the additional funding amount for the Atlanta Police Department APD and an amount not to exceed 6,480,740. All contracted work will be charged to and paid from the fund department organization and account number listed in the initial amendment and for other purposes. >> I'll be referred to the public safety legal administration committee. Last item on ID number 38456, an ordinance by council member Andre El Boon, authorizing the city of Atlanta to amend the agreement with Community Foundation of Greater Atlanta to extend the term retroactively effective from July 1st, 2025 and ending on September 30th 2025 for the purposes of detailing the actions of the Community Foundation of Great Atlanta in support of the Early Childhood Education Investment Program. program to ratify the services provided by Community Foundation of Greater Atlanta. All funds shall be payable from the accounts listed here in and for other purposes. >> Paper will be referred to the CDHS committee. >> Thank you, Mr. President. Pro Tim. >> Thank you, Councilwoman Boon. Council member Bond, you're up next. Thank you, Mr. President. Pro Tim. First up is Elm's ID number 38464, a resolution by council member Michael Jun Bond authorizing the mayor, his designate to exercise the second renewal option for special procurement agreement SP slash no I'm sorry SP- SLE220 20 912300092 Center for Diversion and Services operator with Grady Memorial Hospital Corporation on behalf of the city of Atlanta and and for a term of two years effective from January 1st, 2026 through December 31st, 2027 in an amount not to exceed $10 million and 0. All contracted work should be charged to and paid from the the fund department fund departmental organization and account number listed therein and for other purposes. >> The public safety legal administr to the public safety legal administration committee. >> Okay. Next is Elms ID 38507, an ordinance by council member Michael Julian Bond authorizing the mayor or his designate on behalf of the city of Atlanta to enter into a lease agreement with the Trinity Flats redevelopment for 60 parking spaces at the government plaza parking deck located at 200 Central Avenue Southwest. I guess that should be Sheriff Franklin Avenue and 90 parking spaces at the city plaza parking deck located at the 133 Trinity Avenue Southwest waving the lease of the city-owned real property requirements contained in section 2-1547 article 10 of the procurement and real estate code of the city of Atlanta code of ordinances as well as other conflicting code provisions and for other purposes. >> That honor be referred to the CDHS committee. I >> have Elms ID number 38508, a resolution by council member Michael Julian Bond authorizing the mayor his designate to amend the project management agreement for the second time with the Atlanta Downtown Improvement District for the I8 I75 I 85 capping study. the stitch to authorize the mayor his designate to ex to execute the second amendment to the project management agreement with Atlanta downtown improvement district related to the stitch and for other purposes I'll be refer to the transportation committee >> all right thank you Mr. President prom >> thank you council member von next up council member Amos >> yes sir Mr. President Proam M's ID 38428 ordinance by council member Byron D. Amos authorizing the city of Atlanta to weigh the competitive procurement source selection provision contained in section 2-1187 of article 10 procurement and real estate code of the code of ordinance of the city of Atlanta as well as other conflicting code provisions to change the name of the supplier Action Janitorial Service Inc. to a Action Facility Services Inc. and to execute renewal number one in an amount not to exceed 1,616,868 uh.39 cent for contract listed janitorial services for a action facility services incorporated on behalf of the department of aviation the Hartsville Jackson Atlanta international airport for a term of one year effective August 29th 2025 through August 28th 2026 all services will be charged to and paid from the account number listed here and and for other purposes I'll be referred to the transportation committee. >> AMS ID 38472, an ordinance by council member Byron D. aim is to authorize chief financial officer to amend the fiscal year 2026 budget by adding to the appropriations anticipation and appropriations of an amount of $200,000 pursuant to the acceptance of the Atlanta Regional Commission's livable center communities initiative grant to authorize the chief financial officer or his design on behalf of the department of city planning to amend the fiscal year 2026 intergovernmental grant fund budget by transferring amount not to exceed need $50,000 to meet the local match requirement and for other purposes. >> The honor will be referred to CDHS committee. >> AMS number 38361 ordinance by council member Byron D. aim is to amend chapter 150-41D [Music] trafficking vehicles of the Atlanta city code of ordinance to update the sharable dockless mobility device permitting process from permitting base to a contractualbased regulatory scheme with the operators and for other purposes. I'll be referred to the transportation committee >> ID 38505 a resolution by council member Byron the aim was to affirm the city of Atlanta's commitment to remedy to remedy long-term blight in multif family residential developments to authorize the city attorney to initiate imminent domain proceedings in according with title 22 of the official code of Georgia annotated against multifamily properties in which a substantial portion has remained in a state of blight for 10 years or more to express the city's intent to redevelop such properties as affordable housing whereas feasible and for other purposes. >> That item will be dual referred to the CDHS committee and the finance executive committee. >> Hams ID 38506, a resolution by council member Byron D. name was authorizing the commencement of imminent domain proceedings consistent with state and city law for the acquisition of Magnolia Park and Aelia Gardens to remedy blight and advance affordable housing goals in the city of Atlanta and for other purposes. >> That'll be referred to the finance executive committee. >> Mr. Prom, that ends my report. >> There are no other items for introduction. We will move on to general remarks. Council member Doer. >> Thank you, Mr. President. Pro Tim, I just wanted to extend thank you and gratitude to colleagues, to uh Mayor Dickens, to Chief Sherbomb, to my constituents, to the general public, uh for extending well wishes to myself and to my daughter. Uh we're still recovering from uh a pretty significant bicycle crash that took place two weeks ago. And uh we're still recovering. My daughter is uh okay. We're not 100% yet. Uh, but I am so proud of her. Um, she is a tough little girl. Um, you know, I've been telling folks she's from the southside. She's from Mechanicsville, so of course she's tough, but I'm particularly excited for her because today she started kindergarten at our neighborhood school at Dumbar Elementary School. And so, uh, she's going to continue her journey in her recovery. But I just want to say thank you to everyone who who, uh, reached out to us, uh, as we were working through our recovery. And also want to wish my daughter also a happy early birthday. she turns 5 years old on Thursday, August 8th. So, thank you all so much and uh look forward to continue to advocate for uh better and safer and more accessible bicycle infrastructure across this city. I've already told our Department of Transportation, our mayor, that if you thought I was annoying about this stuff before, you ain't seen nothing yet. But it's important that all Atlantans have access to safe transportation opportunities across the city and I'll continue to fight for that. So, thank you. >> Thank you, Council Member Doer. Next up is Council Member Boone. Thank you, Mr. President. Prom, I would like to wish a happy birthday to our colleague, Matt West Morland. Please join us for cupcakes and ice cream right after this meeting. Thank you, Matt, for all you do for the citizens of Atlanta. Happy birthday. >> All right. I was trying to get us out here by 6, but we got a list here. Council member Amos. >> Yes, sir. As always, just wishing everyone a work anniversary. have Miss Glattis Jones in the clerk's office, one year. Um, Mr. Zenna Lewis over in our communications, six years. Um, uh, Miss Fenel in district 5. Um, actually, one year. And then Miss Carly Davis in district 6, 11 years. And our very own Santana Kempson, right, 20 years of service. Thank you for all of your years of service. >> Thank you, Council Member Ramos. Council member Biari. >> Thank you. Um, and Council Boon, thank you for the birthday wishes uh for Matt West Morland. He's going to be required to actually eat some of that ice cream. >> Uhhuh. Um, so no, I wanted to also just really quickly commend Council Member Doer because if anyone's seen the video of him and his daughter getting hit, I don't think I ever would have been able to remain that calm. So I'm so glad Raina's okay, but also should be noted is that you were an exceptional father and I'm really glad that you're safe as well. Um, I also just wanted to take a moment to wish my parents a happy 45th wedding anniversary and my dad a happy 67th birthday. Um, I love you both so much. So, thank you. >> Thank you, Council Member Vaughn. >> Thank you, Mr. President. Pro Tim. Uh, just wanted to announce that the ATL Fresh and Free Food Drive-Through food giveaway is this Wednesday, August the 6th at 2:00 p.m. at the Greater Piney Grove Baptist Church located at 1921 Glennwood Avenue Southeast. Uh, please come early. We have a great partnership uh with our donating agencies and we want to make sure that people get the the services and the resources they need in these uh troubled times. There's no prerequisite to participate. Just come on through. So, we look forward to seeing you on this Wednesday. Uh I also want to extend birthday wishes. We will not meet again until after her birthday, but my grandmother uh Louise Clapton will reach her centennial birthday on August the 13th. So, wanted to wish her a happy birthday in advance. Uh she does watch these meetings this and Turner Classic movies and so my mom may want to wish you a happy birthday. >> Thank council member Bond, Council Member Lewis. I want to wish all the young folks in district 12 a happy first day of school today. I had the opportunity of being the keynote speaker at Legacy and Action at South Atlanta High School. So truly want to wish the young folks a happy school year. Remember our goal for this year is plan your work, work your plan, showing up on the first day, doing your work, turning it in, and smiling on them folks. So let's let's go. Let's get it. Thank you again. >> Thank you. I'll just have a few birthdays. One, happy birthday, Council Member West Morland. Uh, two in my family. My wife had the, uh, let me just say, the 11th anniversary of her 29th birthday uh, while we were on recess and my, uh, grandmother, who we all call Nana, turned the big 80 this year and is doing well. So, happy birthday, uh, to those. And with that, I will have, Madame Clerk call the roll call. Council member Michael Julian Bond, post one at large. Council member Matt West Morland, post two at large. >> Council member Esha Collins, post three at large. Here Jason H. Winston, District 1. >> Byron D. Amos, District 3. >> Jason Dozer, District 4. >> Liliana Bactiari, District 5. Finally, >> council member Alex Juan, District 6, >> Council Member Howard Shook, District 7. >> Council member, Council Member Mary Nor, District 8, >> I mean, uh, President Prom. >> Council uh, Mayor Prom, >> I'm sorry, council president prom Dustin Hillis, >> present. Council member Andre El Boon, District 10. >> Council member Marsy Color Over Street, District 11. >> Council member Antonio Lewis, District 12. >> Right. If there is no further business, we are adjourned. Thank you, sir.