Good afternoon, council president, members of council. We have council president Doug Shipman, present. Council member Michael Julian Bond, post one at large. Council member Matt West Morland, post two at large, here. Council member Isa Collins, post three at large. Council member Jason H. Winston, District 1, here. Council member Ferro, District 2, here. Council member Byron D. Amos, District 3, here. Council member Jason Dozer, District 4. Liliana Bactiari, District 5. Council member Alex War, District 6. Council member Howard Shook, District 7. Council member Marin Norwood, District 8, Council Member Dustin Hillis, District 9. Council member Andrew Elon, District 10. Present. Council member Marcy Collier Over Street, District 11. Council member Antonio Lewis, District 12. Mr. President, we do have a quorum of members present. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Next, we'll move to the adoption of the agenda. If there are any changes, I would entertain them now. Otherwise, I would entertain a motion to adopt the agenda. Moved by council member one, seconded by council member Shook. Any discussion on the adoption of the agenda? We do this unanimous consent. Without objection, any objection to the motion to adopt the agenda. Madame clerk, please sound the count on unanimous consent on the motion to adopt. 12 zs. 12 zs. The motion to adopt the agenda carries. Next, we will have our invocation. Um, we are glad to welcome back today Bishop Mark House, who is the longtime chaplain at the Atlanta Police Department to provide our invocation. Let us pray. Gracious and eternal God, we pause in this moment to acknowledge you, the source of all wisdom and justice and peace. We thank you for the privilege to gather together for the responsibility entrusted to these leaders who serve the great city of Atlanta. Today we ask for your divine presence to overshadow this chamber. Let your wisdom flow like a river guiding every discussion and every decision and every direction taken on behalf of the people. Bless the hearts and minds of our council members. Give them clarity beyond opinion, courage beyond fear, compassion beyond politics. Let them serve not just with intellect but with integrity. May their voices echo the cries of the underserved, the dreams of the youth, and the hope of every family in our city. Father, we ask you to cover our city with peace, protect our streets, prosper our neighborhoods, strengthen our communities. Let Atlanta continue to be a city known not just for its history, but for its hope and forward progress. Unite us beyond party, race, and background. Let this be a place where solutions are born, bridges are built, and the future is forged. We humbly ask all these things in your mighty matchless name. Amen. That's a bad handwriting. While we are still in a moment of reflection, I would like to ask if there are any remembrances that my colleagues would like to bring forward at this time. Council member Boon. Thank you, Mr. President. We would like to offer prayers for the family of the late Vivian Miner who lives 50 years on Cascade Road. We would like to offer condolences to Sabrina and Derek Miner. They lost their mother. And our own Deborah Colbert who works for Dean lost her mother, Mary Colbert. Please keep her in your prayers. And our staff member from the city of Atlanta clerk's office lost her longtime companion. Prayers offered for Shante Williams on the passing of her partner Jason Stein. Please keep them in your prayers as well. Thank you. Thank you. Any others? Council member Bakiari. Echoing uh Council Member Boone. I know a lot of our staff here at city hall has been struggling. Um, but I again am going to continue to use my platform to speak out on other certain atrocities. So, I wanted to make people aware that with the new bill that was just passed, ICE has a bigger fund than FBI, US Bureau of Prisons, DE and the DEA combined. So, I just want to continue reminding people of the current crisis that we're in. um to any of my constituents or anybody in the city that continues to need help. I will continue to post resources on my page, on my website, on my social media. Um please reach out if you have any questions at all. But even though we can't preempt or stop things that are happening on a federal level or even on a state one, this is where hyper local community comes in. So I just wanted to take a moment to draw my draw our attention to that and to remember what is happening outside of this building on a daily basis. Thank you. Thank you, Council Member Over Street. Thank you, President Shipman. Um, want to send a condolence to the Samson family. Um, we lost uh a pillar in the last few days. Um, Thomas G. Samson, Senior, he was a pioneer. He was a co-founder of the very first blackowned law firm. His family is good friends of mine and my family. Um, and you probably know quite a few people in his family. It's a huge loss. So, we want to send out condolences to um the host Samson family. Thank you. Thank you. Any others? Council member Collins. Yes. Good morning. Good afternoon. Sorry about that. Um, wanted to send condolences out to the family of Lawrence Perino. He is a He was the APS teacher that um tragically died in the car accident on 20 and 285 last week. Um we mourn his loss. He was an amazing teacher, a Douglas High School graduate. Um so shout out to the Astros in the building and just a truly dedicated community leader and deacon of his church. We will celebrate his life tomorrow. But I definitely wanted to uplift um Atlanta public school, the Atlanta public schools family and the Parino family as we celebrate an amaz live lived. Thank you. Thank you, Council Member Shook. Thank you. We all need to send our prayers out to the good people of uh Central Texas uh who now must bear the unbearable. Thank you. Any others? For these and for those left unsaid, would you please join me in a moment of silence? Thank you. Would you please join me in the pledge of allegiance? I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Just before we move to proclamations, I want to just take a moment to acknowledge that it is uh intern season at the city of Atlanta. There are many um interns who are joining us for the summer from various high schools, colleges, and other destinations and offices and throughout the functions of city council. If you are one of our summer interns, would you just stand so we can welcome you properly to uh your work this summer? We appreciate you coming and being a part of Thank you all. Now we'll move to proclamations, commendations, and other special awards. I'd like to invite council members Boone and Winston forward and all of those who are here to honor District 2 council member Amir Farroi to please join us up on the podium. Come on up. If you are here to honor the great District 2 council member Amir Feroi, will you please come up? Please come forward. I see those on the left. We have Jason Carter, Howard Franklin, Tails Win, AJ Robinson, Nice to meet you. Both ways, too. I know, but I don't want them all. Good to see you. Can we get the members of the Atlanta City Council? Members of the Atlanta City Council, if you all would come a little closer. Members of the Atlanta City Council, will you all come a little closer? Members of the Atlanta City Council, will you all come a little closer up? Thank you. What a great day in the city of Atlanta. I am Council Member Andrea El Boon. I am joined by the Honorable Jason Winston and members of the Atlanta City Council to honor our colleague, the Honorable Council Member Amir Ferro. And now a short video. Yeah. Today, Atlanta honors a bridge builder, a friend to the community, the Honorable Amir Fo. We will now have remarks from a young man that we met in 200 n 2009 who has been more than a friend, more like a brother. And now we will hear from Howard Franklin. Thank you, council member. Uh glad to still be thought of as a young man up here. Uh good afternoon or yeah, good afternoon everybody. Howard Franklin, as was mentioned, um, Council Member Boone is mentioning that she met Amir and I in 2009 when he was seeking an open seat on Atlanta City Council. Um, funny enough, I'll just I'm going to step back just a minute before that. I met Amir 20 years ago in ' 06 and we were on opposite sides of a race for I think Secretary of State. Um, and we continued to stay friends. we got to know one another and uh when the opportunity arose in 2009, he called me up about working with him for his Atlanta City Council race. Both the ' 06 encounter and the 2009 encounter were unsuccessful, funny enough. And they say a little bit about the man who was standing up here today. Um in ' 06, as I mentioned, we were on opposite sides of a campaign. It was a hard-fought campaign. Uh but it took no time for us to become friends and put aside our differences. And I think as council member Boom mentioned uh on these last almost eight years as a council member, council member Feroki has shown the capacity and the willingness to do the exact same thing to put aside differences to work with folks and to find consensus. Uh, additionally, in 2009 when he ran for Atlanta City Council, he ran for a post at large seat. And although he is presenting today and being honored today as a district 2 council member, um, someone has been in addition to a friend, my actual council member, he really loves the entire city of Atlanta. And that's really what sparked his desire to run for a citywide post in the first place. And then I'll I'll be brief and finish by saying even though what 31 years old at the time I think I was 29 30 you know this was obviously a very ambitious gambit. Uh we we I think we made a lot of noise and we got pretty close made into a runoff. I think in addition to being a bridge builder, in addition to being someone who puts aside differences to work with folks, in addition to being someone who loves the entire city, one other thing I just want to say about Amir Ferro in in this case is that he has no shortage of ambition. I know his colleagues who are up here today and all the folks who are here to support and to celebrate him also can celebrate the ambition that he has brought to this August body for the last eight years and I know he's going to continue to bring to the city of Atlanta. So, congratulations, brother. Thank you for inviting me to speak and I'll let the next person come on up. Thank you. We have been joined by the first Froi that we all met at Mars Brown College. His father, Dr. Feroi. Thank you for honoring us and being here today as we honor your son. Next remarks, Mr. AJ Robinson. Thank you very much. I'm going to be very short and brief, but like Howard, I met Amir after he lost that 2009 election. And I saw in him someone who cared deeply about the city of Atlanta and the state of Georgia. And he and I went off on a journey to try to change the state of Georgia and created an organization called Georgia Forward. and we had some success bridging the gaps between Atlanta and the state. But what I learned in the process and air went on and got elected the district two. Um I run Central Atlanta Progress downtown. We used to be in district two. We're we're losing part of district two, but during this his time in office, he's been a great supporter of all things downtown and all things of the city. And I echo what Howard said there. you won't find someone who cares more deeply not only about District 2 but about the city of Atlanta. And the mayor, we wish you well. We thank you for your time in office and um it's been a great pleasure serving with you. Thank you. [Applause] And now our friend Jason Carter. Um thank you very much. Um, so I knew Amir. I didn't even know he was a politician. Uh, and but he was my cousin James's best friend from high school. And they, uh, was he became in that way sort of a member of our family. Um, and as we so over those however many years ago that was, a mere 30. Um, we've known him in a host of ways, but I will say this, AJ underrated uh, the work that they did. Um, and I think underrated Amir's desire to get things right. And Amir literally traveled this state going to Perry, Georgia, going to Americas, Georgia to talk about what cities can do for people. And Amir was has been since he got elected my city council person. I live in Canandler Park. Um, when by the way, if you think you want the job of representing Candler Park, you don't because you'll never get it right. Um, but it is it is a it is a remarkable testament to Amir's intellect, to his love for community that he dives into these issues again, whether it's in Perry or Americus or anywhere else in the state, but Atlanta as his home. Every time you call air and say whatever it is you have to say about what this city is doing, he has an understanding of it. He cares about it and he has a lens through which he analyzes it that says what are we doing to make this city better for its people. That is exactly the kind of person that we want. It is exactly the kind of leadership that Amir has brought to this group. Um and I think it's why everybody's standing up here is because he thinks hard. He loves people. He does it for the right reasons. and he spends the time and the energy to get things right. So, we all will miss you certainly. Uh and I'm still going to call you when I have a water mane break or whatever, but but uh we appreciate you and all the hard work. [Applause] Tony, come on up. Tony, thank you for all you have done for us. Come on, Miss J. I'm Tony Lucadamo. I've been Amir's legislative director for seven and a half years. I'm looking for Jay Triby, who's also been on the staff. Seven and a half years. He's probably watching on TV. Um, so in in 2018, I applied for a couple jobs at city hall and got two offers to work on Atlanta City Council uh with Air and I won't say with who else, but somebody else who's no longer here. Uh, and I asked a friend, who who should I work for? What do you know about these people? and they said, "Well, Amir is too much like you. You guys dress the same and you look the same and you act the same. Don't go work for him." And we went to lunch today and his daughter said, "Why do you two look so similar?" Um, I'm really glad I ignored that person's advice and took the job with Amir and seven and a half years later, I'm still standing here, which I think is the greatest testament to air and who he is is I don't know how many people can get through two terms on city council and have the exact same staff they started with. So, um, that's a testament to his integrity, um, the innovative spirit that he brought to this job every day, um, and how fun he made it to come to work. So, Amir, thank you, uh, for all you've done for me and for the city, and best of luck in your next venture. [Applause] Hasn't been nervous yet. Yeah. Yeah. He's saying he doesn't want to speak. He really wants to speak. The first bari we know. I've been party for a long long time. You know, nothing new. But something I remember about him when he was in Duke University. Martin Luther King birthday wasn't official. He started his political career in Duke University. That's all I can say. for second year you fight and fight. Finally, Duke University officially announced the holiday for Martin Luther King. And that's all I can say. I can talk on and on. I'm not going to say anything. I'll let anybody and I have been also working the black and white community for over 50 years. And I do appreciate it all of you are coming. Thank you very much. It's a pleasure to see all of you. Have a good day. And before we hear from our colleagues and the Honorable Doug Shipman, we will see a short video. He is really in tune with what's happening, not just what what's happening here in the state of Atlanta, but what's happening from a national and global perspective. I was very very excited to get elected in 2021. And one of the reasons was I would finally get to work with Amir as a colleague on council. Atlanta City Council member Amir Faroki's impact on Atlanta stretches far beyond his district. Elected in 2017 and reelected in 2021, Faroki made history as the first Iranian American- elected official in the American South. History never defined him, but his service did. In the summer of 1997, I interned for a city council member after my freshman year of college. and the world of municipal politics and governance opened up to me. That summer with council member Doug Alexander set the course for his political career. From that internship came a vision for what Atlanta could be. He felt compelled to be part of its future. I wanted to offer myself to be at the table to try and push us uh to be the city that I think we all wake up knowing Atlanta can and and should be. The son of educators, service and scholarship were in his DNA. His mother, the late Dr. Beth Dupri Ferro and father, Dr. Nezola Ferro instilled the importance of giving back. I grew up in a family in which public service was viewed as a a way to do good. He grew up on this yard. He play soccer. He was little kid, three years old, four years old. During summer, my wife was working Georgia State and I was here, you know, on the campus with two, three other children. They grew up here. Rooted in the legacy of Morris Brown College, Amir's upbringing was a lesson in determination. We're raised by the village of the college in some ways, but also the role that Morris Brown plays in the H.B.CU ecosystem, being the only one in Atlanta that was founded by former enslaved people. um and and the role it played is oftentimes a school of um that gave first generation college students a chance to earn a college degree. Fogi put the values he learned into practice at city hall with legislation with listening and with leadership that put people first. Anything that gets done in this building is not a a solo effort and it requires the votes of your colleagues, the support of your colleagues. requires the mayor's side of the house, the executive branch to be on board. So those projects that you want to see come to fruition, whether big or small, take time. One of his most notable initiatives, turning tax dollars into democracy with participatory budgeting. I realized I had about a million dollars in remaining peace funds that had been dedicated to downtown. So we asked folks, how should these dollars be spent and we let folks vote on it? He also fought with legislation to protect the voiceless move to ban the sale of dogs and cats from puppy and kitten mills. But if you ask him about his most transformational work, I think the thing I'm most proud about didn't actually happen through city council, but was spinning off the Georgia Resilience and Opportunity Fund. Not only did he believe in the mission and in the work, but he really took a chance on me. He has been an incredible mentor. He has been an incredible thought partner. He brings such wisdom and insight and thoughtfulness to everything that he does and really grateful that he's uh been my board chair. I've gotten to better understand this landscape, this city with his wisdom and guidance. [Music] Now Fogi returns to the very hallways where his academic journey began and the place that his mother led for 2 years, the Galloway School. To be given the opportunity to go back and leave the school made for a tough decision because I've loved serving on council, but my heart said you have you have to do this. His title may be changing, but his purpose remains. He told me to put people over politics and it's something that has really resonated with me and really excited for this new chapter for him. He is, you know, resourceful. He's a kind. I don't I should not brag on my own son, but reality I have to say what it is. Thrilled for Galloway. I know Amir's going to do a fantastic job because all he has to do is what he did here. just bring that same calm, thoughtfulness, preparedness and approach and it will work wonders for him and for Gway. [Applause] Greg Clay, Office of Mayor Andre Dickens. Thank you, council. Well, good afternoon everyone. My name is Greg Clay. I serve on the executive office of Mayor Dickens. And while Mayor Dickens could not be here today, he's provided some words for Councilman Ferro. As the 61st mayor of the city of Atlanta, I'm honored to join your fellow members of the Atlanta City Council and the people of this great city in recognizing your outstanding service to the people of District 2 and the entire city. Council member Heroki, it has been a pleasure serving the residents of Atlanta alongside you. Your time on council stood out for steady leadership and a focus on delivering results for your constituents. While serving together on the Atlanta City Council and through my time as mayor, we've partnered on important efforts that have helped move Atlanta forward. From working to improve public safety and building stronger trust between our communities and offices to expanding housing access across neighborhoods we both care about. Your work has made a meaningful impact. Your contributions on committees such as public safety, transportation, and zoning has shaped policies that will influence this city well into the future. Though I was disappointed to hear of your decisions to leave the council, I'm grateful for the time and effort you gave to the city. You've helped move Atlanta in the right direction, and I know you'll bring the same passion and leadership to your role as head of school at the Gallery School. The young people and families there are fortunate to have you. You have been an inspiration to this city, leading with integrity, vision, and a commitment to a more equitable Atlanta for all. And so on behalf of the people of the city of Atlanta, your council colleagues, and our entire city government, thank you and congratulations. It has been an honor to serve alongside you, and I look forward to all you will continue to do in this next chapter. Sincerely, the 61st mayor of the city of Atlanta, the Honorable Mayor Andre Dickens. Thank you. the Honorable Doug Shipman, president of the Atlanta City Council. Thank you. Um, the mayor, we met almost 20 years ago and hit it off immediately, both working with AJ Robinson, and it was apparent that you were in the best sense a policy nerd. you loved talking policy of all kinds at all hours in all ways, national, local, etc. And some folks know that we ended up getting to work together even more closely at Brighthouse. And I distinctly remember the conversations that we had as you were contemplating running for office and the things that you wanted to accomplish, the reasons why you wanted to actually serve. And I would say that standing here today, that version of yourself would be proud of this version of yourself. You have fulfilled in the best ways the visions and intentions that you had to run. I also stand here and I think about the night you were elected. I came over to your house and Howard was there and a few of us were there and your mom and dad were there and they were so proud of you for good reason because you had run the kind of campaign that you wanted to run and I know that she would be proud of you today and for what you've done and I would say that my friend it's been an honor to serve with you for the last four years and it's been a joy to be your constituent like Jason Carter and I look forward to the youth and the minds that you're going to help shape in your next chapter. So with that, it is my pleasure to unveil this that is standing behind us, which is a small but large token of our appreciation from your colleagues on Atlanta City Council. But before I do that, I want to say one other thanks. You've done this job full body, which means that your family has had to sacrifice. and Julie who I think may have is right over there in your seat. I know how much you've given to the city of Atlanta to let all of the things happen and that you have done together. So, I just want to acknowledge Julie all that you've done to allow this great service to happen. It's not easy. So, thank you on behalf of all of us. So, with that, let me let me unveil this gift that we have for you. Yeah. come over right here. It's just a token of some of your highlights and a nice recognition in the middle of your service, including you marching in one of your favorite parades as you love to do in front of your son. Thank you, Amir, for everything, my friend. [Applause] Oh yeah. Come here. Let's come up here. Let's get all the colleagues around. Okay. Come on. a special presentation. The Honorable Jason Doer, District 4. Set this here for a second. All right. Good afternoon, everyone. Uh, as Council Member Jason Doier, I represent District 4 on the Atlanta City Council. And in my three and a half years on the city council, I've been very proud to serve alongside this man right here, Mayor Feroki. Uh I don't think I've had a more in sync in line colleague on issues that are so critical to our city around transportation, around housing, and air has always been willing to be my first co-sponsor on a lot of key pieces of legislation to make our city safer for pedestrians and for cyclists. Whether it's uh no turn on red downtown, whether it's whether it's expanding our bicycle infrastructure. Um I've been so proud to fight along this man day in day out. And uh I think that the portions of District 2 that are going to District 4 next year are uh uh I don't think there's going to be much to do over there because you've already done all the hard work over the last uh seven years. Um and one thing I'm really going to be sad about with losing uh my colleague here is that we have kind of an informal uh caucus of young dads. Uh so myself, Council Member Winston, Council Member Hillis, and Council Faroki all have kids under the age of five and uh it's really made us uh very sensitive to the challenges that our city employees are facing, our young parents that have to uh support our neighborhood meetings, our NPU meetings or uh uh anything that is out in the public during non-traditional work hours. And so uh we're going to keep carrying that fight to support our younger families. But you've been such an amazing father in this space. It's been amazing seeing uh the kiddos here at committee meetings, at council meetings, um and it's inspired us to to do more, bring our kids here more often and so they can see their city government at work as well. And uh I want to extend to you a token of our appreciation. Cool. And uh just want to say thank you so much for your many years of service to this body city. Gorgeous. Beautiful. My office is full already. Members of the Atlanta City Council, at this time you will have an opportunity to give remarks. The Honorable Byron D. Amos. Well, there's a lot being said, but I know that air patiently and humbly um hate loan proclamation presentation. So, I'm going to take this to be quick. Um, thank you. There has never been a time that I lean to my right when we was up here that you didn't have an answer. There has been even some times I have called or text that if you didn't have the answer, you can at least point me in the right direction um to do so. So that made me a stronger, better council person for district three. Um, you know, this picture says a lot. Um, it's it's a wonderful thing when in my opinion when the accolades of the dad passes on to the son and the legend of the family is taken on by the sun and you have carried the name of Froi very well. So thank you sir for everything you have done to help me to be better but more importantly thank you for everything you have done to make my city better. Thank you very much. The Honorable Marcy Cer over street. Thank you. So, congratulations, Galloway. You're getting a good one. And congratulations to you, Amir. Congratulations. Um, wanted to definitely lend my thank you for always being a good sounding board. We have definitely had nice conversations about about quite a few issues which has always been good. Like I think that we've been uh on wonderful terms. That's first of all. Just don't read into that y'all. We've had a really good relationship. Amir is more council member Faroki is more than just a pretty face. he really can give you details of why he feels the way he feels and that has really been instrumental in the shaping of our legislation around here. Um, and we bond quite frankly on uh transportation in a big way for the last eight years. That is how I see you and I really got to appreciate you once I met your dad. That's when I saw that service, the empathy, uh the equity, um and when I knew that you were totally approachable and that I could say and do whatever it was that I felt. Um and you were always open to those conversations and and same to me when when you thought it got twospirited, I would get a phone call from Amir and he would say whatever it is we talked about behind the scenes. and it has really been really, really, really good getting to know you. So, I appreciate the work that you've done here on council. I look forward to visiting Galloway. I love Galloway. I think that it's a beautiful fit for you. It is certainly on brand for you. Um because you like to go in and really make a difference where it matters the most. So, I appreciate that about you. So, thank you. [Applause] The honorable District 5 council member Liliana Batiierra. Oh no, I'm okay. Mayor, I just kicked your present. Um, sorry about that. Um, Council Member Feroki, uh, my fellow Iranian, you know, most people think that I tell people that Amir and I know each other because we get our eyebrows done together because that's a very Iranian thing. It's not true. No, because they're just naturally beautifully arched like that. Um, it's really funny because how many of you believe it? But no, we we don't actually do that. Um, he has been a longtime standing friend and community member. Baba Faroki and my family go back a long way. And my father and Amir's father, um, and many of our family share the same journey. So given that we were the first city, municipality to have more than two Iranian people left it at one time, which is my god, LA, where were you on that one? Um, but you have been a friend to me. You have been somebody who's been here during my hardest at times. You were one of the first people to ever speak for me when I was running for office at 29 and had no clue what I was doing. And um, I I will miss you. In my opinion, you're one of the strongest policy minds on this council. you brought a different level of thinking. Um, you are a complete differentiation from the Atlanta way and that brought in a cross culture on this council that I think is incredibly important. You are not someone who bends or breaks. You stand by what you believe in. You are not a vote that can be changed. I think that is so admirable and something that we look for in our electeds. And I will miss you and your perspective so much. and you're I mean I'm still your friend. I'm gonna annoy you all the time, but um I'm just so grateful and I really wish you weren't going and I will miss you tremendously. [Applause] And from one Iranian to another, Data, the Honorable Howard Shook, District 7. Um, air and I are uh future uh council escapees in training. A difference being I didn't pack a shoot. Um, the best uh thing best way I can uh think of to thank you for being a colleague is to remind you uh of my standing offer that if you ever need anyone to teach American history, you know where to find me. Appreciate that. The Honorable Michael Julian Bond. How you doing, doctor? Well, I'll be brief. I remember air uh when he was very very small on the campus of Mars Brown College at the knee of his great great father. And uh of course we want to mention your beautiful mother who obviously had a tremendous impact on you as well. But when I was a freshman council member, Amir was an intern in Doug Alexander's office in the at large position that uh West Morland now now holds. And so this is your second trip uh through the Atlanta City Council, but this is one that you have excelled at. You have become an exemplar of one who holds these positions. You are a great statesman in your youth. You have had a tremendous impact upon our city and our hearts. And you go on to even though you have a quote unquote private sector job, you're still in public service shaping the hearts and minds of children in our city. Uh we both have a tremendous love of Galloway. My siblings and my niece, well, my nephew actually graduated from Galloway. My mother is still mad at me for convincing my father to let me go to Douglas instead of going to Galloway. Uh but uh you have done exceedingly well. And like the great Catis, I know that your turn at public service is not over. I know if the city calls, if the people call you, you will respond. You are that man, a great man of Atlanta. Congratulations again. Appreciate it. You're welcome. [Applause] the honorable Alex Juan, District 6. Um, so yeah, I I'm like many others in 2009 noticed Amir and knew that he would be someone to watch and that has fulfilled itself in so many ways ever since that one election. um was thrilled to see that he got elected in 2017 and was even happier when I got reelected in 2021 that I would get the chance to work with him as you saw in the video. Um the story I like to share is that um our council districts abut and those that other districts you know that can either go one way or another. Um and in our case it's it's gone in the best way possible. Um we are remarkably aligned on a lot of issues. So sorry, Midtown, even though we shared you, you couldn't go to one parent and then try and get a different answer from the other parents. Um, but I wrote down some words that I just that come to mind when I think of air. And I I I know that you're going to take this to Galloway and and do some amazing things, but reasoned. A lot of these you've already heard from other people. Reasoned, fair, principled, visionary, innovative, but I think the one that stands out the most is the one that Council Member Bond just said, but a true statesman. I mean, we we need that more now than ever in terms of public service and and you have have embodied that. Um, I will leave with one detraction, however. Uh, the one thing that we weren't aligned on was the Georgia Tech Duke rivalry and so I look forward to the results of every football season uh game. So, maybe we'll see each other at that game if not before. So, congratulations, [Music] [Applause] Amamira. I will be brief, but thank you for caring about district 10, three, four, nine, just like you love district 2. I would come to you and the answer was always yes. No hesitation. The answer was always yes for the people of District 10. So for that, thank you and we love you. Our next speaker, the Honorable Eay Collins. Thank you. Well, I'll make it I'll make it brief. As the newest member on council, uh, today marks my oh, six the day of my sixth month on council. I've had the honor of knowing Amir just as a young attorney many, many years ago and also had the privilege of just working closely with him um, on just education issues and issues in this city. And one thing that I can say from a a lawyer to another lawyer um I got I understood it and I just want to thank you so so much for picking up the call the phone when I called um in every aspect whether it was understanding an issue getting your guidance or advice and also meeting the famous dad. Um thank you so much for all that you've done. I was honored to be able to serve with you and kind of bittersweet that I won't be able to serve with you on council, but I'm so when I heard that you were going to stay in education um at the Galloway, I was extremely excited because I know many families that are there and I know that they're going to be in great hands and so just wanted to thank you so much for your service. Thank you so much for your leadership and service over the years and I look forward to supporting you in whatever you need in your next journey. Thank you for everything. the Honorable Mary Norwood, District 8. And Amir, I want to welcome you to District 8. You're going to be in my council district, so I'm the one who's going to get the phone calls when there's a problem at the school. I get that. But in your capable hands, I will expect very few. and I will expect that you will already have several very good recommendations as to how we can solve it together. So, congratulations on your new job. I look forward to serving you. The Honorable Matt West Morland. Two thoughts. Um, one in October of 2007, college sophomore Matt West Morland had a chance to speak at an ARC breakfast and at the end this guy walked up to me um, and introduced himself and offered to go grab Cuban sandwiches at Poppies on Ponds. Um, and that started an email back and forth that continued throughout my entire time in college and actually took a person who was always interested in politics but mostly at a national level and brought it to this city in this region. Um and I think it's part of the reason why I'm sitting on this dis today. Um and it is awesome that you are going to be in a position to influence thousands of young people's lives um over the years to come and I am personally looking forward to the ribbon cutting on a new upper school next August. Um and then second is that we've been through some fairly significant fires here over the last seven and a half years. Um and in every single one you never bent no matter how fierce the political winds. Um and that was frankly something that I needed to see in a colleague um so that I would hold strong too. So thank you very much [Applause] the honorable Dustin Hillis district 9. Thank you council member Boon. Me and uh air met when we were both running for open seats in 2017 on Atlanta City Council. uh we were both thankfully successful uh as were five of our colleagues. So back in 2018 this body had seven new members uh on this body. So we not only learned from you know those had that had been here for uh a few terms but we also had to lean on each other a lot for for learning and consulting and etc. So, just want to u thank you for for being a voice and someone that that could listen and and offer advice. And again, as many colleagues have said, starting with Council Member Doer, know what it's like having a family um a wife and uh a daughter and what what that what that means to them and you know what they have to give up. And so, I want to thank them as well for for them lending uh you to the service here in the city. And again, as has been said, I look forward to seeing your work at Galloway and molding and shaping uh the young uh men and women of this city and metro area. Thank you. Thank you. Appreciate you. We have one of our former city attorneys here, great brilliant legal mind, Jeremy Barry, please come forward. [Applause] Thank you. Uh it's good to be back in in city hall and I especially so to to spend this time honoring Amir. Amir and I I think first met in 1998 or 1999 and our friendship goes way back and in in many different hats as summer associates at a law firm, working at the law firm together. Um, you know, as you moved on, uh, spending time with you, Julie, Kaneko, and Cass, even trying to teach me skills on the olive farm. Uh, we we've spent a lot of time together. There are two qualities, Amir, that really stand out to me about you that I admire and respect. And the first is your your thoughtfulness. Um, no matter the issue, you will think through it and I think come to the right conclusion or what you think is the right conclusion. and you'll stand and remain steadfast in your belief no matter the the current or anything else that you may face and I respect that. The second is that you are one of the most genuine people that I know who I know. The same person who is up here is on the deis is the same person on the streets of Atlanta. Um what you see is what you get and that's not often often the case with a lot of elected officials. No, no nothing uh nothing meant with anyone else here but no what you see is what you get. the same person who you are today is who you have always been and I I respect and appreciate that those two qualities will continue to serve you well at Galloway as you shape the future uh with our young leaders. So, thank you for your time and thank you for being allow uh allowing us to be a part of your life. [Applause] And because of air's love for public safety, we wanted to hear from Teao Swin, Atlanta Fire Foundation. Thank you and good afternoon everyone. Uh, Council Member Forki, I just want to say thank you so much on behalf of the Atlanta Fire Rescue Foundation. as president and CEO of the foundation, I want to thank you because coming into my capacity, you welcomed me with open arms and even when it came down to seeking funding and seeking ways to better work with the council, uh you didn't just provide a yes or no, you provided the why. This work matters. Uh you provided guidance in terms of how to go about how to structure things. And it's because of you that now our foundation is being able to assist firefighters in a greater capacity. uh specifically with our housing relief program uh granting up to $1,000 for housing assistance to live in the city of Atlanta. And that's a tribute to who you are. And not only did you help uh see through the structure of that program, but you made a personal donation as well. And so I just want to say thank you so much on behalf of the Atlanta Fire Rescue Foundation. We wish you the absolute best in your continued endeavors and you always have a friend with Atlanta Fire. Thank you. Appreciate you. And now for the official reading of the proclamation, the Honorable Jason Winston. Thank you. And I get I get to hold on the rear here. Um I'm going to ask other council members to come up as I as I read the proclamation. But first, I just want to say, you know, Amir's been my seatmate. Uh which has been something that's been very special to have him near me um at our council meetings and and being on council. Four years ago, um I had the opportunity of uh going to a forum and I think each one of my colleagues know what it's like as a first-time candidate. Uh the nerves that you have when you go to your first forum. Uh and I had the opportunity to sit next to a mirror at that at that forum. and just his presence being next to me uh gave me a sense of calmness that helped me get through that that first forum and and seeing how he carried himself the way he answered the questions the way he had so much knowledge about our city about our city uh just gave me you know the courage to be able to do the same and so I just really appreciate him um but it's been more you've heard about the accolades what he's done on council for me it's been a lot more than that u about a month after I was elected uh I found out my wife was pregnant with our second child and Amamir was one of the first people that I called to let him know because I had saw that the year before that he had also had a child on counsel uh and saw that how much he had put family first um even though he was able to strike a balance with this this position. So um it was something that I really admired uh seeing him and his family Julie out in the community all the time u with their family um is something that you know my wife and I look at um as you know guidance for us u something that we've tried to do together. you know that u you all have been a package deal to not just uh district 2 but to the city of Atlanta uh and being out and just seeing all that you've done and so um I just want to say thank you uh for being someone that I could lean on, somebody that I could call, somebody that we could talk basketball with. Uh someone had a love for candy. Uh most people on council know that I have a candy drawer since I don't have another uh council member sitting next to me. Um, and lucky for me, this guy over here likes to eat the Almond Joy that no one else likes to eat in that bag. So, I do have a bag of Almond Joy for you right over here. Okay. So, you can continue to eat the candy that I will not want to eat, but please share that with me. Um, so I'm going to read the proclamation honoring District 2 council member Amir Ferro. Whereas council member Amir Ferro has served Atlanta's district 2 with the distinction since first being elected in 2017 and reelected in 2021 representing downtown Midtown Old Fourth Ward, Emman Park, Puny Highland, and Canler Park. And whereas a lifelong Atlantan and native of metro Atlanta, Council Member Ferro resides in the old fourth ward with his family, holds distinguished leadership credentials, including leading US programs for Care USA, working with a global uh consulting firm, founding and managing nonprofit organizations, practicing law, and is a graduate of Duke University and Duke University School of Law, becoming the first Iranian-American elected official in American in the American South. And whereas his exemplary leadership has been recognized in Georgia Trends magazine's most influential Georgians 2011, 2013, and 2018 as a Marshall Memorial Fellow in 20 2011, a graduate of lead Atlanta in 2006 and leadership Atlanta in 2013 and a civil society fellow with the Aspen Institute. And whereas throughout his tenure on council, Amamir has been a champion for public safety and community development, serving on the public safety, transportation committee on council and zoning committees and authoring landmark legislation such as the community safety housing program and securing 500,000 in funding to support affordable housing for first responders. And whereas on February 27th, 2025, council member Feroki announced he will resign from the city council in July to head become head of school at the Galloway School in Buckhead, a full circle return to his alma mater where his mother previously served as head of school and he himself served on the board of trustees. And whereas in making his this humbling and bittersweet transition, air expressed deep gratitude for his public service and pride in district 2's walkable, inclusive, safe, diverse, and culturally vibrant neighborhoods, commending the district's leadership role u commending the district leadership's role in defining urban life for Atlanta and the south. And whereas the council, the city council wishes to honor Amir's outstanding service, visionary leadership, and continued commitment to community development and ex educational excellence. Now therefore, be proclaimed that we, the members of the Atlanta City Council on behalf of the residents of Atlanta, do hereby extend our deepest gratitude to air FOI for his unwavering dedication to District 2 and to the city of Atlanta. We recognize his leadership on critical issues including public safety, affordable housing, and urban development, which has left a lasting and positive impact on our city. We extend our best wishes for success in his new role as head of the Galloway School, where he will carry forward his passion for education and community, and we affirm our continued respect and support as he embarks on this next chapter of service and leadership. Signed by council president, all members of the Atlanta City Council. Congratulations, my friend. [Applause] And before we receive the official photo, we also like to recognize one of the greatest political minds in this city who is a great supporter. Just raise your hand, Mr. Ron Zapoli. [Applause] And now, the Honorable Amir Faroki. Thank you. Uh, this feels like a cruel joke because as most of my colleagues would attest, there's very little I hate more about serving on city council than long proclamations and uh and and so I I uh karma has come back to to serve me justice as I as I leave. Um, but to those of you in the audience, thank you for your patience. Um, today, I know we're already an hour into the meeting. Uh I had a couple pages of remarks. I've had it to half half a page of remarks. Um but I want to thank first of all my colleagues for um your kindness and generosity. Um just to recognize the work that I did which in my mind is really nothing special. I serving just less than two terms. Many of you have served a much longer tenure than that and accomplished many great things. And I want to acknowledge um the hard work and dedication of all of you because there's the remarkable stories in everyone's service in this body and that will be true long after us. And so, um, thank you. It's I told my wife, I was I would have been happy walking out the back door, but when Andre Boon says to do something, one thing you learn on city council is you do it. Uh, and I want to thank Council Member Boon and Council Winston for pulling this together today. It's um kind and humbling and a nice send off in ways that uh I I don't think I expected to cherish as much as I have. So, thank you. Um, I just want to acknowledge a few people before I uh we get to more proclamations. Um, the first is Dr. J. Triby, who I don't think is in the chambers, but has been my chief of staff, was my predecessor's chief of staff. Uh, in true fashion, he's an introvert uh to the extreme, but he makes our office run. And I wanted Jay, if you're watching in the office, uh, thank you for eight years of service. Um, you are the heart and soul of a lot of what goes on in district 2. Also acknowledge Tony Lucamo who spoke earlier. It's it's very rare and nice to have the same people with you from day one all the way through. And I'm I'm grateful I had uh such a a terrific selfless uh and smart team. Um Howard Franklin going I don't know if Howard still here or not, but uh thank you for uh for being with me along the journey. And as has been mentioned or intimated, I I wouldn't have sat served on city council if not for uh my father, my late mother who um made me believe that politics is a way to do good even when it's easy to be cynical. And I still believe that to this day. Uh and they gave me the courage to to stick your neck out and do things like this as many of my colleagues have found uh similar courage. And so I'm I'm grateful for them. And of course, um, as Council Council President Shipman mentioned, um, my wife Julie, my daughter Kaneko, my son Kasra, um, politics is not made for raising young children. Uh, it's made doubly hard when you have a spouse who, um, has her own or their own demanding career, which is the case with us. And so, I want to say thank you to Julie um, for your patience, uh, and [Applause] I know that's true for a lot of other people in this body. It's it's it's a bit of a juggling act. And so I uh want to just thank thank you Julie for um your love and patience in this role. Uh I won't belabor uh the issue. I I have been really blessed to have served almost two terms at the the grace and willingness of the residents of District 2. I will briefly champion District 2. I know one neighborhood leader, Courtney Smith, is here who's led Midtown Neighborhood Association for a number of years. Uh, district 2 is the smallest council district in the city because it is the most densely populated. Uh, if you spend time in Atlanta, you're spending time more often than not in district 2. It is a collection of neighborhoods, uh, six neighborhoods from our skyline trickling east through Emman Park and Canler Park, Old Forth, Pony Highland, uh, that is very comfortable trying new things. Uh we're comfortable embracing new folks. It continues to add residents hand over fist year after year for the last 20 years. Uh and it is um a very exciting place to represent. It is the some ways the geographic, cultural, economic, historical hub of the city, the the King Center, King's birth home is there. Um we have cultural institutions. And so it's just been I told Tony the other day, whenever I drive into town and you see the skyline, my heart still skips a beat a little bit knowing that that's the district I've been able to represent. And um even just the last eight years, seeing the skyline change in those eight years is a testament that what's happening in this part of our city is in many ways um at the vanguard for what urban living in the south can be. And I'm very proud to have been uh able to represent those neighborhoods during this uh rocket ship of a ride as we grow and grow and grow. Um I have always preferred policy over politics. It makes me a pretty mediocre politician uh at times. They've been kind enough to say that I don't waver sometimes, which is good, but also it could be more helpful sometimes if I did waiver. Um but it but it it has led me to really um embrace what I've tried to champion which is innovative public policy in part because the district I represent is comfortable with with big ideas for participatory budgeting to uh spinning off the growth fund to run one of the largest guarant programs in the country uh zoning reform nation's one of the nation's first police fire housing programs uh that has been possible because my district likes likes those types of things and so I want to thank my colleagues for indulging my flights of fancy sometimes. Um, and I'll just say this, this body, um, is a special body. This is only my second term. We have council members who've been here a long time and have tremendous historical and institutional knowledge. Uh, but the council that sits up here now is remarkably collaborative and collegial and and in partnership with a mayor who is also collaborative and collegial. uh and it makes policym uh and politics uh um not just comparable, but it it serves the residents of this of this city really well. And so I'm grateful to have served at a time with council members who have the city's best interest at heart, who look out for one another, uh and who make it a human experience and not just a political one. So I I'm grateful u because that's a rarity in politics and I think we're all well served by it. So all that said, uh it's been a joy and honor. Thank you to the residents of District 2. Thank you to all my colleagues. Uh, may we continue to rise far and high above the ashes that birthed this city 70 some odd years ago and into the echelon of America's great cities. Thank you all. Council member Ferroi, will you please join us for a photo with the council members first and then family join in? The council members first. Council members right here, please. family. This is cute. I can tell myself. What's that? [Music] President Shipman and the honore. President Shipman and the honore. President Shipman. [Music] And now we would like for all of our guests to join in. Please come forward. All of our guests, one group picture, please come forward. Thank you. One more photo. Just squeeze in. [Music] Congratulations. [Music] [Music] Oh my goodness. [Music] All guests and visitors, please meet us in front of the mayor's office. Please meet us immediately in front of the mayor's office. We would like to give a special thank you to our chief of staff, Santana Kimson Wright, Zenna Lewis, Phyllis Jackson, and the entire team that put this together, including Mr. Scott Hno and Miss Latoya Joseph and our clerk, Karine Lindo. Please meet us in front of the mayor's office at this time. [Music] Next, I'd like to uh ask Council Member Bond and Council Member Norwood to come forward and all of those who are here for the recognition of Civic Leader Amanda Brown Olmstead to please join us up on podium. Get our Jason. Oh yeah. [Music] [Music] It feels good. Okay. All right. So, we're gonna be right here. Y'all all come around. Everybody come around. So, a couple people want to say something afterwards. Is that it? Um, well, yeah. I think we should read the population and we did that at the very very first [Music] Y'all coming on up. Come on. On either side. We got a camera photographing us. So, everybody come around. [Music] Okay. And on both sides. So, y'all just come on in. It is my pleasure as uh with along with my colleague Councilman Michael Julian Bond to recognize Amanda Brown Olmstead. So I'm going to read the proclamation and then we will have remarks from whoever would like to have um a few remarks to to say. Recognizing public relations civic leader Amanda Brown Olmstead. Whereas Amanda Brown Olmstead, president and CEO of A Brown Olmstead Associates, is one of only approximately 700 global fellows of the Public Relations Society of America, where she has been a member for more than 50 years, serving in leadership roles, including chair of the Bronze Anvil Award, member of the SI Silver Anvil and Accreditation Committees, and chair of the counselor's academy. And whereas Miss Brown Olmstead's honors include Ball State University's 2002 National Public Relations Professional Achievement Award 2024 Lifetime Achievement Awards from the Atlanta Business Chronicle and the University of Mississippi and a gold medal from the New York Film and TV Festival. And whereas her firm has dedicated directed 64 awardwinning client programs including historic campaigns such as the launch of the step aerobics, the 1986 Goodwill Games in Moscow, a nationwide environmental initiative with waste management, the creation of marketing plans for the Ritz Carlton hotel chain, and a silver silver anvil winning officer recruitment campaign for the Atlanta Police Department. And whereas Amanda Brown Olmstead has made significant contributions to the civic and cultural fabric of Atlanta through leadership initiatives including the launch of the National Black Arts Festival, the reopening of the Cycllorama and Probo service for city agencies such as watershed management. And whereas her board service reflects a deep and enduring commitment to Atlanta's growth and well-being, including appointments to the Metro Atlanta Chamber, the Georgia Conservancy, Central Atlanta Progress, the Carter Center Board of Counselors, and Georgia Forward, as well as academic advisory roles at Georgia State University, Emery University, and the University of Mississippi. And whereas Miss Brown Olmstead has also demonstrated leadership in women's advancement through her work with the International Women's Forum and the YW.CA's salute to women of achievement and helped establish programs such as the young careers at the High Museum of Art and the outstanding Atlanta's awards. And whereas her recent work continues to reflect the breadth of her expertise and vision with clients such as the Andrew J. Young Foundation, helping Ukraine US and the Georgia Ports Authority, and her firm's orchestration of the Forever Young, a tribute to Andrew Young event, showcasing her enduring impact on public life and storytelling in Atlanta. Now therefore, be it claimed that we, the members of the Atlanta City Council, on behalf of the residents of Atlanta, do hereby recognize and commend Amanda Brown Olmstead for a lifetime of groundbreaking achievements, in principled leadership, and extraordinary contributions to the civic and cultural life of Atlanta. Congratulations, [Applause] Wow, that was some kind of proclamation. Loved it. And now we'll have comments from he uh from the members up here. Yes, Mr. Shibon. Uh Dr. Derling. Dr. Darling. Amanda, you mean so much to so many of us. Even though I'm standing here alone, I'm representing the Wii. The Wii meaning those of us who came through the civil rights movement for so many years. Andrew Young, James Orange, CT Vivian, Bernard Lafayette, all of us who came through and you were always there. You broke down many barriers. I speak on behalf of the concerned black clergy of Atlanta when we were going through many challenges during the missing and murdered child. You were there. You were putting the right message out for the right time, for the right reason, for the right moment because you're the right person. So, I want to thank you on those behalf. I want to thank you for my good colleague that I met when I was 18. He was 20 years old, an old man. John Lewis, when you worked in the Vine City area to work along for the Mims Cook Park, it meant a lot to us. It was a lot of challenges. You caught some flack during that time, but I love an unsung she can stand and take the flack. You took the flack in so many instances when communities were going left and right. You stood the test of time. And that's what it's about. The two words that kept us strong during the civil rights movement. and you exemplify those two words that kept us strong, that keeps me going at 83 years old today. What are you willing to sacrifice and what are you willing to risk? You were always willing to sacrifice and step out on the limb and risk using your background, using your integrity, using your consciousness. You did it. So, I want to thank you for all that you've done for those of us from the civil rights movement, from the religious community here in the city because you crossed interfaith lines. You brought us together when there was challenges between we talked about different points in the Middle East. You were always the reasonable voice in the room to bring us together to make some sense of it. So today, and I'll never forget when you went to the Home Depot and raised the money and on behalf as chair of CT Vivian Foundation years ago when we were talking about the books that would bring about uh information to so many people, you helped raise those funds and it's going on now. Because of you, many of us are deeply indebted. Don't give up. Don't quit. Don't bend. Don't bow. And don't back up. Thank you so much. I have to follow Reverend Dur. I I've had the pleasure of long serving on the board of trustees of the Carter Center. And I remember one night we were at an event and President Carter came up to you and gave you a big hug and a big kiss and started rem reminiscing about your role in the peanut brigade supporting his campaign in 1976. Another example as Dr. Durley was talking about of you being at the right place at the right time and helping in so many ways. I would simply say that in knowing you more than 20 years when I started working on the center for civil human rights when you call your idea is always a good one and your explanation for why you're doing it is always the same. Why not? Why not? Why can't we do that? Why can we not get it done? Why not? You are a person who simply sees possibility in spite of the obstacles. you see optimism in spite of any of the challenges and because of that so many things in this city can be traced back to you. Many people won't see it but hopefully this proclamation in a small way recognizes the giant achievements that we are all indebted to your service for. Thank you Amanda. [Applause] Good afternoon. My name is Robert Bolton and 39 years ago armed with my Morehouse College degree, I um went into the field trying to get in to break into the field of PR. Um most of the corporate firms would not hire me. Um did not hire me. But a brown homestead associates, Amanda took a chance and I was her first minority male that she hired at her firm and I stand today on behalf of the hundreds and hundreds of young people that she has given a start to. Um, we started as interns and um, but it was it was the Amanda sweat shop, but we learned a lot and we gained a lot of experience and left from there and went on to have um, great careers. And so I will be forever indebted to Amanda um, for again taking a chance on me and taking a chance on the many other young people that she has helped change the trajectory of their lives. Thank you, city council, and thank you, Amanda. [Applause] Good afternoon. My name is John Theelins. Uh, I'm Amanda's first cousin once removed. Um, in the South, people understand the mathematics of cousinhood. Um, so I can explain it that way. Um, my mother was, um, an only child in Jackson, Mississippi back in the 30s and 40s. Um, and she had the good fortune to live down the street from, uh, another set of Browns, uh, Amanda and her brother and sister. Uh, and they grew up as, as sisters really. Um, and so I wanted to say just how how much I think Amanda's concept of family um, is is so powerful and extends beyond our organic family. I moved my family here to North Fulton County 16 years ago um, from California and we had come from Manhattan. So, this is a very different environment from that. Um um but as we've gotten to know Amanda and our extended family uh here in Georgia, what impresses me is the is the wake of other families um that she drags in behind her. We've met dog people. We've met old miss people. We've met work people. We've met church people. Um and I think all of us in some sense are part of Amanda's extended family. She'll say as she looks at my daughter who looks like me and I will go my mother, "Oh, you're a brown. You're a brown. you're a Brown. Um, and I think then, um, you know, all of us are Browns, um, who've worked with Amanda and know her, um, know her community. So, congratulations, Amanda. Thank you. [Applause] So, without further ado, we're going to bring up our honore. And before she takes the mic, another uh, nugget of city related history. If you've ever heard of the mayors giving the Phoenix awards, Amanda is the person who created it and designed it. I'm talking about the original one, the beautiful one, the bird with the Phoenix bird and the and the seal. So, that's just a little tidbit. So, without further ado, the woman of the of the day, Amanda Brown Homestead. Thank you, Michael. And and and thank you to my friends and family that that made it here short notice. and we are delighted to be here and to experience sitting in this room where the decisions for this wonderful city take place. I must say the the quality of our leadership here is so outstanding. I just had an opportunity to bring all the living mayors together to honor Andy Young. And as I sat at that table and thought about this great city, thought about how we've what we've accomplished in the 60 years that I have been here, August will represent the 60th year that I got to work in Atlanta, hired originally by Dick Rich, and I've been giving back to this city every day since because I love being here. I love to get the clients involved. I love to give time to the city. We've done many projects over the years uh for the city of Atlanta and it is indeed a pleasure for me to be here with friends and family and to be a part of the decisions, the accomplishments, the future of this city we share and love. Thank you so very much. [Applause] And now we'll gather ahead of the podium uh for a photo. Yeah. Everybody come up. Come in and come up. [Music] insurance baby. Ready? [Music] That's [Music] what [Music] Okay. [Music] [Music] Thank you. Now I would like to invite like to invite council Winston forward and all of those who are here in recognition of July as parks and recreation month to please come forward. commissioner and uh everyone else who's here. Thank you, sir. Like, is this all of us? [Music] How's everybody? [Music] All right. Good afternoon everyone. I am Jason Wilson, council member for district 1 and also the community development human services committee chair. So, I get the distinct honor today as we celebrate uh National Parks and Recreation Month. Um this 40 years of National Parks and Recreation Month is being celebrated. Uh and this year's theme is build together, play together. Uh which is uh so great as we continue to build so much around our green space and our recreation around the city of Atlanta. Um I'm honored to have the Department of Recreation team behind me, including Commissioner Justin Cutler. Uh his team has just been doing a tremendous job. If you've all been out and seen all the great work at all our parks around the city of Atlanta, you've truly seen such tremendous progress in terms of the investment that this city has been making. Uh that goes to everyone that has worked from making sure that our parks are clean, uh from those that are running programs from our youth, including our summer youth employment programs that are happening right now. We've got Camp Best Friends, uh I think has one of the largest uh attendance that we've had in our in our city's history. And that's just a testament to all the women and men uh that are part of the Department of Parks and Recreation Department that have truly come together and makes made our program one of the best in the nation. Um so at this time I'm going to welcome up uh Commissioner Cutler and then I'll read a proclamation. Great. Well c thank you council member Winston and thank you council president Doug Shipman and thank you members of city council. Justin Cutler, commissioner of parks and recreation. As the council member said, this is the 40th year for July being uh parks and recreation month. This year's theme is build together, play together. And each July, we come together and we celebrate and acknowledge the tremendous amount of work that the parks and recreation professionals do across the country and the impact it has on our communities. The Department of Parks and Recreation endeavors daily to make welcoming and accessible programs and parks for all, regardless of zip code or council district. Together, we are building and maintaining sustainable parks, green spaces, and programs for both current and future generations. We're also building thriving communities focused on health and wellness through highquality programs for all ages, including older adults as well as preschoolers. Thanks to the mayor Dickens and his administration, the city council, and our partners, we've made remarkable accomplishments in this past year. First and foremost, Atlanta now ranks 21st on the 20 2025 park score index, climbing four spots ahead of last year's 25th 25th place rank. The park score index is a national comparison of park system across the 100 most populated cities in the United States. This year's ranking is attributed to DPR's efforts to increase in the areas of investment, access, amenities, equity within the parks and recreation system. We're excitedly, we're most proud of the fact that 82% of Atlantans now live within a 10-minute walk of a from their home to a local park. In addition to that, we took center stage in 2024, hosting the National Recreation Parks Association conference, welcoming over 8,000 uh members of our professional community. The city of Atlanta also ranks top 10 best cities for recreation nationwide uh based on our leisure offerings and entertainment experiences. And and in relation to community recreation programs, we have one of the largest senior programs now with over 2,000 participants, many of which are here with or one of which is here today and will be participating in Iowa at the senior games, Miss Me McCollum. And this last year, we recently broke ground on the new John A. White Golf and Seniors Activity Center. This is the first dedicated city sponsored activity center, and this will open in uh the the latter part of 2026. We also opened a new Goodter grocery store at William Walker, the first of its kind that offers uh local food to over 100 families that come to the community center. And we have our award-winning teen leader academy program which supports teens ages 13 to 18. This program won both the youth provider of the year award um as recognized by the Atlanta Police Foundation and the Outstanding Program award as awarded by the Georgia Recreation Parks Association. And our Teen Leader Academy programs increase participation by over 30 34%. And there's so much more. We also added a skate park at Harper Park. We revitalized a good neighbor center at CT Martin and renovated the one at Pitman Park thanks to the Atlanta Hawks. And last but not least, we created a new green space at Standing Peace Tree Park, which now has the first ever river access to the Chattahuchi River, which is a big promise that mayor made that we'd get Atlantans to the river and in the river um by the end of by by 2026. So, we're really excited about that. So again, I just want to acknowledge the hard work of the men and women that you see behind me, as well as the men and women that are currently out serving our community through our camp best friends program, which is now in its 44th year. Next year will be number 45. So we'll have some big celebration. Uh but there is so much happening at the Department of Parks and Recreation. We also want to give a special recognition to our golf team, our aquatics team, our forestry team, and our skilled service team, which keep the lights on and keep everything working. So big thank you to the men and women of the Department of Parks and Recreation that are here with me today and those that couldn't make it. So, thank you for this honor and thank you for the recognition. Thank you, Commissioner Cutler. Before I read the proclamation, I'm going to turn the floor over to uh Council President Shipman. Thank you. I I just wanted to briefly stand and say that a couple of years ago, council made a historic investment in parks and recreation, increasing the millillage that had not been increased in decades. And it is clear from your remarks, Commissioner, and from what we can all see on a daily basis that that has been money extremely well spent and invested. We see clean parks, we see improved infrastructure, we see increased programming, and on a daily basis, you just see people enjoying our parks, enjoying our programs. And it takes daily effort. daily effort to empty trash cans, daily effort to make sure that benches are working, daily effort to show up to make sure that our youth and our seniors have programs that are operating. And so I just want to say on behalf of council and on behalf of myself, a big park user, that I really appreciate every single person in the department who every day wakes up and says, "I'm going to go do my job today so that others can enjoy their day a little bit more." Thank you for all the work you do. Thank you. My colleagues, Council Member Michael Julian Bond. Thank you, Council Member Winston, for presenting one of Atlanta's best. I don't want to say that all of them are good, but this is one of the best in interacting and serving the public, the parks and recreation department. I just want to give kudos to this amazing staff and the leadership of parks and recreation for the service that they provide to the citizens. It's a little known fact that my first job was working for parks and recreation all the way back in 1980 when I was 13 working for a man by the name of Eddie Murphy at not that Eddie Murphy but this Eddie Murphy was a Fulton County deputy at night and coach during the day over at the John F. Kennedy Center and uh at the John F. Kennedy pool and one of the that was the I believe one of the first years if not the first year of camp best friends. One of the things that parks do is that they provide a safe haven and an interactive space not only for our citizens but for our youth. It's one of the one of the best ways to keep our youth engaged and active in the community. And now we have such a proliferation of senior programs that benefit our seniors who have saved the city and have paid their taxes and now getting a large return on their investment and their recreation. So we just want to say thank you to you. Thank you for what you'll continue to do and we are blessed to have you all in the service of our citizens. Thank you. Thank you. And now I'll read the proclamation. Uh, in recognizing July as Parks and Recreation Month, whereas the Atlanta City Council is pleased to recognize the city of Atlanta Department of Parks and Recreation in observance of park and recreation month 2025. And whereas park and recreation month is celebrated to promote building strong, vibrant, and resilient communities through the power of parks and recreation, which are an integral part to neighborhoods in Atlanta. And whereas DPR promotes health and wellness, improving the physical and mental health of people who live near parks. And whereas DPR is a leading provider of healthy meals, nutrition services, and education. And whereas these programs play a critical role in youth crime prevention by providing safe spaces, mentorship opportunities, and constructive activities that promote positive development and community engagement. And whereas DPR services support seniors in an aging in place by offering accessible recreation opportunities, wellness programs, and social connection that enhance quality of life and independence. And whereas this year's theme, build together, play together, marks 40 years of park and recreation month and is a reminder of the outstanding contributions of more than 500 full-time park, recreation, administrative, and operations professionals along with the hundreds of part-time workers, seasonal workers, and volunteers who made our who maintain our city's parks and recreation facilities. And whereas parks and recreation greatly enhance a community's economic prosperity by raising property values, expanding the local tax base, attracting tourism, retaining and drawing businesses, and contri contributing to crime reduction. Now therefore being proclaimed that we the members of the Atlanta City Council on behalf of the residents of Atlanta do hereby declare July as Parks and Recreation Month in our great city. We express our sincere appreciation for all the hardworking members of the department and recreation uh and urge all residents to take advantage of the widely wide range of DPR programming and resources available to them. Signed by Atlanta City Council, all members of the Atlanta City Council and our council president. Thank you all so much. Come out. I'll take a photo. [Music] [Music] Thank you. Next, I'd like to invite council member Uber Street and all of those who are here in recognition of accessibility awareness and disability pride month to please join us up on the dis. [Music] [Music] Okay, now I'm talking about [Music] [Music] Hello everyone. We are here for I believe this is our last proclamation of the day. No, it's not. Wow. Okay. Well, thank you for bearing with us because all are important. All of them are. Um, but this particular proclamation is important. It is recognizing accessibility awareness and disability pride month. And I'm going to first of all go ahead on and read the proclamation, but let's just state the obvious. These are things that uh make a city a welcoming, wonderful city. Um and I am thankful to be in leadership where we are actually prioritizing these types of initiatives and not just talking about it but being about it like you see the installations and you see the work and we you know that you are at the table when it is time to to uh make a difference um on in our everyday life. So, I'm thankful that I was chosen to do this particular proclamation. And it says on behalf of Atlanta City Council, recognizing accessibility awareness, disability pride month. Whereas, the city of Atlanta is committed to fostering an inclusive, accessible, and equitable community for all of its residents, including individuals and disabilities with disabilities, and recognizes the importance of accessibility in ensuring equal participation in all aspects of public life. And whereas July is recognized as disability pride month, a time to celebrate history, culture, and achievements of individuals and disabilities while also raising awareness about the ongoing challenges faced by the disability community. And whereas the month of July provides an opportunity to emphasize the importance of accessibility, both physical and digital, as a critical component of building a truly inclusive society. And whereas accessibility involves the removal of barriers to physical spaces, transportation technology communications, and opportunities for full participation in social, civic, and economic life, ensuring that all individuals, regardless of their abilities, have the resources and support needed to thrive. And whereas disability pride month serves as a vital platform to educate the public about the contributions of individuals with disabilities and to encourage efforts toward eliminating barriers creating more accessible. Whereas the city of Atlanta has made significant progress improving accessibility across the across our public spaces, services, and programs through the establishment of the division of disability access and ADA compliance with the mayor's office of equity, diversity, and inclusion and continues to work towards and making Atlanta a model city for universal design, inclusivity, and equitable access for all residents. Now, therefore, be it proclaimed that we, the members of the Atlanta City Council, on behalf of the residents of the city of Atlanta, do hereby recognize July as disability pride month and celebrate accessibility awareness during this month. Thank you all so much for coming to celebrate with us. Now, who will our speakers be? All right, Miss Candace, you come on up here and speak. All right. Well, first, thank you, Council Member Overreet, for being so thoughtful in presenting this proclamation to our team. Um, I'll just be brief before you all. Um, I want to say thank you to our interpreters who are in this room. Um, they have been interpreting for almost two hours at this point. Um, that is quite a bit of time and it's a reminder of what it takes to make things accessible and that's why they're in the room today. The running joke is that I've been signing since I was 15. I learned in the church, which means I only sign gospel songs. Thank you. Um, but I want folks to know that many of you just get to walk into this room and experience what city council does. You get to hear what's necessary. Um, oftentimes we caption things so we can provide accessibility, but it's important that we're thoughtful, that every constituent in the city of Atlanta who desires to engage in this process can. Today reminds me that the work of equity and accessibility is not a sprint. Two years ago, when I was hired by the mayor to take on the role of chief equity officer here at the city, I thought about disability awareness. I thought about accessibility as a critical core function of the work. It took me a year and a half almost to get Angela Bowers, who's up here, um, as our new citywide director for accessibility, and we are so grateful um, for all that she'll accomplish this month, our first disability bride pride month, and and even beyond that. I'll finally say that um, I'm grateful to the Modi team that's up here. Um, this team works really hard to remind you of the voices that sometimes get lost. The folks who need us to rem be reminded that, hey, wait a second, maybe you need to do a little bit more to make sure I can be in the space. And that's what our job really focuses on. And I and I'll remind people that one of the biggest equity questions we always need to be answering is what does economic mobility look like for communities who have the most impacted experiences in our world. So my challenge to you this month, disability pride month, spend time with someone with a disability, whether that's a senior citizen, whether it's someone who's deaf or heart of hearing, whether it's someone with a physical disability, spend time with them. Ask them about their experiences and think about how you can serve in a way that makes Atlanta more inclusive and more accessible for every person who lives, works, and plays in the city that we also deeply love. Thank you for being here, and happy disability ex disability pride month. Next, we're going to have another Sora, Miss Angela Bowers. Just keep us putting that out there. All right. Well, happy disability pride month. This is major. I am Angela Bowers. I have some some statements uh a statement prepared just because I want to make sure that I give you all the good information quickly. Uh council member, mayor's office, disability community, and all gathered here today. I'm Angela Bowers. I proudly served the city of Atlanta for 18 years, but just eight months ago on the 7th, like today, I stepped into a new role as the city's first director of disability access and ADA compliance. It's an honor to serve not only as a public administrator, but as an advocate for those with disabilities. So, the first thing that is up today, I want you all to look at this flag that I have here. When you all think of disability pride, I know what you think. This is what I've heard. Oh, wow. Last month was Pride Month. Uh, now LGBTQ this t LGBTQ plus gay people have another month. No, Angela, that's not what this is about. This is about being disabled and proud. And each uh color on this flag represents a different disability. So if nothing else, the education campaign begins today. So red on this flag means for is for physical disabilities. Gold is for neurodeiversity. White is for invisible or undiagnosed disabilities. Blue is for emotional or psychiatric disabilities. Green is for sensory disabilities. Black mourns victims of abbleist violence. And an abbleist is just someone who can't see outside of they themselves. If if it's not like them, it's it's not right. So we're looking at people with disabilities as something is wrong with them. And then finally, the diagonal strikes stripes just are breaking for baking breaking barriers. So I just want to say that and just thank my my team who has been assembled today. We have an internal working group and an external working group. Internal working group is representative of all different departments of the city of Atlanta. We have ATL, DOT, aviation, HR, public safety, parks, ATL 311, watershed planning, and many more. And together, we are examining our systems and policies and culture to make Atlanta more accessible for all. And we're also supported by a powerful external team of accessibility partners, CIDI at Georgia Tech, the state ADA office, Synergy's work that helps with entrepreneurs with disabilities, culture city which is represented at the end by Dan there, and Showability who represents the art and culture city represents show um our sensory and they actually built a sensory room over at Con Park through a partnership with with the Atlanta Hawks. So, just thank you so much for this opportunity. We have a series of events that are happening in this month. Our office is dedicated to three key focus areas. Compliance. We want to make sure that we're getting it right. There's a lot that's going on in the city and it's living and breathing. So, one day you're compliant and another day you may not be. What we're asking for is for our citizens, employees, and visitors to keep us aware. It's not going to hurt our feelings. We're going to get out there and make a plan to to fix it. Our customer experience and advocacy. We're going to listen to your feedback and and just create meaningful solutions and of course education and celebration which is why we're here today. We're going to promote training and celebrate achievements in the disability community. So I thank you so much. There's a saying in the disability community that says there's nothing about us without us which is why we bring people that are from that community to the table. So, right now, I'd like to bring up Karen Graham, who will share some remarks. Um, and that will close us out. Thank you all so much. [Applause] Thank you, Angela. Um, my name is Karen Graham and um, hey, Douglas High School. Um, um, for those of you who may know, I live I lived a very different life uh, before I stood here as the co-CEO of Sine One News and S1 Studios. And um my where's Jabari right there? That's my uh co-CEO. And when the last time you saw me was on television saying I was leaving to do something for the deaf community. I didn't know what it was. Um but now I know that it was providing content in American Sign Language. The same content that you see every day. We just added an interpreter to make sure that the deaf community could know what someone was saying. Very simply. Thank you. But what however what we have learned over time and this is the one nugget I want to leave with everyone watching today is as we were studying the analytics of our viewing community we thought we were looking at just one viewer but what we realized that around one deaf viewer was a secondary community of family and friends and a tertiary community of supporters like interpreters and school teachers who are teaching at the deaf schools and then a what's The fourth one, quadinary community of just the ecosystem of disability. And so we were now able to understand that just by providing accessibility for one viewer, we were touching, as we found out within two weeks of launching 45 countries. We couldn't figure out how that was happening, but now we know. We realize now that one view could be a classroom of 30 children at a deaf school learning and watching from anchors like Martha who look and sign just like them. We learn from one viewer. It could be a complete county who has contacted us to realize that there are constituents attached to one deaf viewer. And now we know at the city level we're so grateful for Modi and to be in partnership with you guys for doing the work that you're doing. and we're so honored to be here. So accessibility quite honestly is not about them. It really is about all of us. And so I'm grateful for all of the people on the stage here from Showability and everyone whose organizations who are part of this ecosystem that I'm talking about. And of course I'm hearing I I wanted to bring Martha here because she has been with us almost since day one. Um believing in the mission and I wanted her to speak for herself. Um, I'll I'll voice for her, but she will say what she wants to say. Uh, Martha, go ahead. Thank you. Thank you. I can go all day on this, but I'm gonna try to keep it really short because Karen warned me. I'll try my best. Uh, first of all, thank you so much. Um, hello. My name is Martha Anger. I'm an MMJ, a multimedia journalist. I'm a photographer. I'm an editor. Um, I do everything beside one news really. Uh but not just that, you know, on the side, I've studied film. I'm a director. I'm an actor as well. I've won awards as as well in horror film in the genre and so in the film industry. And so I've kind of worked in both groups. I enjoy it. I love the accessibility that is being provided for the deaf community. And really, I am really blessed and very lucky to come from a family. Um it's not a deaf family, it's a hearing family. But they always raised me um with discipline and they taught me and they empowered me and they taught me that you're going to face challenges in life and they warned me to not let anything stop me. Whatever I want to do, I'm doing that thing. And I've got proof that I've done that. [Applause] And so now for the past 40 years, I'm kind of living proof that how I've been able to succeed because I I'm fearless. Hold that thought. And so I've um believe and had a dream. I've never changed the dream that I've had that this passion that I want people I want to make movies so that the world can see life through my deaf lens. So honestly, I've been working in film, in the television industry, big Hollywood studios like Marvel, DC. Um, I've been involved in a Francis Ford Copa film. I was an actor in one of his films. Um, my experience has been amazing. I've got so many colleagues and friends that I fellowship with that are hearing but it's been amazing. And yet, I still feel so alone. uh still because there's no accessibility. Not 100%. I know that's never going to happen 100%. Just just a quick example, the new Superman movie that's coming out recently, uh coming out soon, that's coming out July 11th. I was involved with that. I was on the crew and I went to the Fox Theater. You know, I was excited because there was going to preview for the crew. Of course, the number one problem was what? Accessibility. And so, I called the Fox Theater. And I was like, "Hey, is there anything going to be accessible for me?" And they're like, "Unfortunately, sorry. Traditionally, we don't provide movies like that in our theater, so we can't accommodate you." I was like, "What?" And understand accessibility is not just for deaf people. It's for everyone because deaf people have so many different diverse backgrounds. U we do depend on interpreters. There are people who have autism, or disabilities who can't speak. They need interpreters as well. They need accessibility. And then of course immigrants as well. You know, hearing coming in, they don't understand English. Of course, they need interpreters as well. So accessibility really is number one and so important. So is is it 100% perfect? No, it's not. But it doesn't matter no matter the cost. Accessibility is so important. And so it's a human thing. It's just a human thing. No accessibility means their lives have been they've been uh deprived of life. And lastly, I promise lastly. Oh, but but I still have hope. I do. I still have so much hope. I have hope that accessibility will happen. And I hope that when there is accessibility for everyone, it will make my dream come a reality as well. Thank you so much. Okay, anyone else? That was beautiful. Okay, with that we're going to Oh, colleagues, anyone? Any colleagues? Okay, we're going to grab the proclamation and head to the photo area. [Music] Thank you. [Music] These [Music] are beautiful. That's fantastic. Is that yours? It was just extra. Finally, today I'd like to ask council members Norwood and Over Street and all of those who are here in recognition of the Atlanta Rugby Football Club to come forward and join us up on the dice. [Music] [Music] Councilwoman [Music] Marcio Street, we want to present y'all with this proclamation recognizing the Atlanta Rugby Football Club's 2025 USA men's division 2 national champions. Whereas the Atlanta Rugby Football Club, founded in 1974, is one of the most historic and decorated rugby organizations in the Southeast. Rooted in a rich legacy dating back to its founding by Bo Brock Bach, Bob Langley, David Fry, a Dan Fry, and David Branch. It has upheld the values of leadership, excellence, and community for over 50 years. And whereas in its golden 50th anniversary season, they competed with unwavering determination in the 2025 USA Rugby Division 2 National Championships Tournament, advancing to the national final for only the third time in its history after runnerup finishes in 2005 and 2019. And whereas on May 25th 23rd, 2025 at Stadium in Indianapolis, the men's division 2 team delivered a masterful performance, dominating Boise United with a decisive 39-8 victory to secure the club's first ever USA Division 2 National Championship title. And whereas guided by head coach Francesco Belas and led on the field by captain Zachary McAfee, the team displayed exceptional physicality, discipline, fitness, and composure, outscoring their opponents through powerful set pieces, clinical strategy, and steadfast defensive effort. And whereas this landmark victory is a culmination of decades of perseverance, ambition, and communitydriven excellence from national semi-final and final appearances to tours across the globe, including England, Wales, New Zealand, and Scotland, and honors all generations of club members who have contributed to its success. Now therefore, be it proclaimed that we, the members of the Atlanta City Council, on behalf of the residents of the city of Atlanta, do hereby congratulate and honor the Atlanta Rugby Football Club on their historic achievement as 2025 USA Rugby Division 2 National Champions. Congratulations. And would any of the members like to make some comments? Colleagues. Okay. Thank you very much. First of all, thank you very much for the city of Atlanta for giving us this opportunity to be recognized. Um, it's only taken 50 years. Um, but we hope we'll be bringing you home another one next year. Um, we beat about 300 other rugby clubs in the nation. Uh, proudly representing the city of Atlanta. Uh our logo, as you'll see here, is quite recognizable as the city of Atlanta's logo. We've been proud to wear that logo for 51 years representing your city. Uh thank you to to Mary Marcy, Jim Elga, who helped put me this together, and Jim King, one of our older athletes, but nonetheless a rugby player within our mists. Um we stood on the shoulders of 51 years of rugby players here in Atlanta. And a special thank you goes out to our founders that Mary had kindly mentioned. Without them, none of this club would be here. Um, also a big thank you to the Atlanta Rugby Foundation um, who provide our facility and field. It's a 20 acre facility off of Cascade Road and 285. So, if you're ever short of doing something on a on a Saturday afternoon at about 1:00, look up atarrugby.com and we'd love to be able to host you at our home field. Um, we lost this national championship twice. We finally brought it home. We um on our journey beat Nashville Rugby Club by 30 points, Texas Austin Blacks by 50 points to zero. We went to Indianapolis. We beat the Irish Boston Wolf Hounds by 40 points. And then we met met our rival in the national final for Boise Idaho um United and we beat them by 30. So, a big thank you to all of our players, our players partners who let their loved ones go and get beat up every Tuesday and Thursday and play rugby on Saturdays. Uh, thank you. We have about a hundred men and women active that play rugby in our in our wonderful rugby club. And, uh, I would take this opportunity to if you are interested in the sport of rugby, the greatest sport on earth, uh, please check out atlantar rugby.com. Uh we'd love to teach you the sport and give you the opportunity to become a fine athlete wearing our colors. So thank you for the city of Atlanta. Absolutely. Anyone else? Anyone else want to speak, colleagues? Let's have a trophy. Yeah, let's let's look at this trophy. Goodness gracious. All right, we're gonna go right to the front. Here we go. I'll speak the old tip tiptoes. Yeah right. Awesome. Thank you. Congratulations to your dad. We're just getting started. Yeah. Well, that's true. Tell me about Of course. Thank you. Absolutely. [Music] What else? [Music] This is your job. [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] Thank you all. Next, we will move to remarks of the public. I would remind everyone that uh you have up to two minutes unless you have been yielded time by someone else on the list. You can't yield at the podium. Um so I will call out the time that we have listed from yielded time as well. Um I will do my best to pronounce everybody's name. We have a number of speakers today. So I would ask that everyone do their best to um to uh get themselves to the podium and uh stick to the time because there are others who are waiting to speak behind you. Give me just a moment. I will make sure we have all the yielded time correctly noted. Right. First up today will be Valerie Anderson. Duty yielded time. You'll have up to six minutes today. Good afternoon. Um, well, Mr. Farooqi Nahes, I wanted to tell Mr. Farooqi um, congratulations and good luck. And I'm going to miss seeing him up there asking the hard questions because he did from day one. And Mr. Bourne is not here either. So I would like to also thank him because his ward is bond in getting me an appointment with the district attorney's office and he has been there from day one also. So, I wanted to send those thank yous out and to the people that works in the building, the one that comes up to me and um pray with me, you know, hold my hand, talk to me. I want them to know that I really appreciate it. I really do appreciate their concern for me. And Mr. West Mlin, I have something to say to you because I felt like you dismissed me and you disrespected me when I addressed you. The most you could have done instead of shaking your head was that say something to me because I called your name three times and instead of you you could have said something to me especially me speaking to you for the first time in 11 months. You understand what I'm saying? So, I felt like you should have said something to me, never speaking to me and me addressing you. So, with that said, it's been 11 months since my son was murdered by Melvin Potter. I I I don't know what's going on as far as Fton County with the obstruction charge against Melvin Potter. Haven't heard anything about that. Haven't heard a lot about much or nothing. So, we back to the same thing as far as where is the justice? I'm so tired of asking like where is the justice? Why is Melvin Potter getting away with so much stuff unlike if it was my son? That hurts me more than anything else. That's why I'm going to keep bringing it up because Melvin Potter is the murderer. My son is the victim, not the other way around. Saw her outside. So in in 11 months that my son has been murdered and I can't even get a straight answer from no one because I haven't been able to get an answer a straight answer from no one as far as questions as to why two judges warrant was denied why the um the blood draw from the jail was denied. why his Melvin powder blood draw from the hospital was denied. All these things that was denied that if it was my son, would they have been denied? Let me say this. If my son had murdered Melvin Potter, I'm pretty sure my son would have been in prison by now. My son would have been in prison by now if he was the one that murder Melvin father. So why is Mel um still has a job? Why? And then all of a sudden now it's like the system want to dot their eyes and cross their tees when if they had did that before he would have they would have fired his ass and my son would have been alive today. Okay. My son would have been alive today. Oh, thank you. because his records show and I have been consistent since Melvin Potter murdered my son drawing the contrast between Melvin Pock and my son. I have been consistent in doing this. So there's no crossing no tees and dotting no goddamn eyes for me. I have said everything publicly that everybody could see and go and find Melvin Potter record that nothing I've said has been no untruth. Okay. So why again is Melvin Potter still home collecting a check? Next month the 5th of next month will be one goddamn year I lost my son. One year coming up next month, August 5th, that Melvin Potter murdered my son and I know nothing. All I got to say is we're investigating. Investigating what? What you what you all investigating? that he's a drunk because I mean his records show he's a drunk and one thing I have to say that my son always say and hear me please the only time you get to mess with me and mines is never okay never and believe me when I Hey, Melvin Potter murdered the wrong mother son. You understand what I'm saying? Because he will never get no peace from me. I'mma run his ass to the ground if I've got to. Time is expired. [Applause] Mr. President Morland. Thank you, Miss Anderson. An apology first of all when you referenced Council Member Mccllins and myself last meeting. I appreciated the um comments that Council McCollins made as an attorney and I agreed with all of them and I should have said that out loud and so I didn't want to sit here in silence for a second time. Um and I appreciate you calling me out and I'm sorry that I didn't say anything at the last meeting. Well, I appreciate you saying that. Thank you very much. Yes ma'am. Thank you. Next will be Josh Meritch. Due to yielded time, you have up to 10 minutes. Thank you for the opportunity to speak here. Bear with me for a second. I stand here as a father of six, as a Georgia resident, as a concerned citizen. Um, the last 20 years of my life is spent to serving others. I spent five years in the Marine Corps where I got an honorable discharge and then I was a fireman for about seven years and then I was in law enforcement for seven years. I've worn a lot of different uniforms over these years and my motivation has always been the same. it's been to serve. And law enforcement sworn officers are held to a higher standard because they wield significant power. You have the power to detain someone. You have the power to arrest someone. You even have the power to use force, even lethal, when necessary. Maintaining high standards of conduct, integrity, and professionalism, is essential to earning and keeping the public's trust. Without this trust, community cooperation will break down. And what happens is it makes policing less effective and more dangerous for not only law enforcement, but the citizens that law enforcement interacts with. The culture at any agency often reflects what leadership tolerates and encourages. High standards promote a culture of ethics, respect, and responsibility. And when expectations are clear and high standards are enforced, corruption and toxic behaviors are less likely to take root or be present at an agency. High standards in law enforcement are essential. They help protect rights. They can help protect save lives. They can uphold the integrity of the justice system that is supposed to treat everyone and protect everyone equally. High standards help ensure officers uphold the law fairly and consistent consistently. High standards reduce the risk of misconduct on and off duty. They help reduce an abuse of power. They help minimize and reduce unjust treatment. And they can even help reduce the loss of life. This is especially important among vulnerable and marginalized communities. When the public sees that an officer is held to a higher standard, it reinforces that belief that the justice system applies equally to everyone. It fosters much needed trust. On June 28th, 2021, I was a deputy with Kawita County Sheriff's Office. I was on patrol when I observed a red BMW traveling south on I 85 doing well over 100 miles per hour. It was in the middle of the night I initiated a traffic stop and I made contact with the driver who I later identified as Melvin Potter, an officer with Atlanta PD. Within seconds of talking to Officer Potter, I had concerns that he was intoxicated. I requested his driver's license and he handed me his driver's license, but he was sure to hand me his Atlanta police ID as well. On the passenger seat next to him was his duty weapon, not in a holster. I returned to my vehicle per our policy, checked out his ID, called for another unit, and when I returned up there, Mr. Potter had repositioned a sweatshirt that was in the back seat on top of his firearm to make sure that I could read that it said Atlanta Police Department. I started asking him more questions, investigatory, to determine just how under the influence he was. And Mr. Potter did something at that moment that I'll never forget and stuck with me. He pointed over to his duty weapon and he pointed to his sweatshirt and he said, "We're on the same team." He tried to use his position as a law enforcement officer for Atlanta PD to avoid accountability for his actions that night. And he was absolutely right at that moment. We were on the same team. I arrested Mr. Potter for DUI. He was incredibly inooperative to the point that I had to wake up a judge at 2 in the morning to get a search warrant so I could physically take his blood from him. I called internal affairs with Atlanta PD and they came down and responded very quick. They had a separate discussion with him that I wasn't privy to. They had their own phabboamist that drew blood. Now, as a result of that incident that night and my arrest of Mr. Potter, he was convicted and found guilty of DUI. My understanding is that he was placed on probation for three years, which was to end at the end of 2024. Today, in 2025, Melvin Potter is still a sworn officer with Atlanta PD. And as a sworn officer with Atlanta PD, he is at the center of a homicide investigation that's been led by the GBI for an incident that occurred in 2024 in South Fulton while still on probation. During that altercation, it's apparently a party where lots of officers were off duty and present. It's been reported by witnesses that he was intoxicated. Some kind of altercation happened that I was not present and cannot speak on. But after that altercation, Mr. Potter shot and killed Devon Anderson. During the initial investigation before it was turned over to the GBI, it's my understanding that South Fulton had obtained several search warrants from judges to try to get his blood, but he was so uncooperative they weren't even able to physically get it from him. that resulted in his arrest by South Fulton for obstruction of justice. I didn't come here today to point fingers. I wasn't there. I just came here to raise awareness. What happened in 2021 could be seen as a one-time lapse of judgment, but it could also be seen as a warning sign. what happened in 2024 and the tragic consequence of appears to be what the tragic consequence of what can happen when we ignore those warning signs and we do not enforce those high standards. High standards must be enforced for law enforcement. The uniform should never be a shield from consequences. It should be a symbol of those high standards. It should be a symbol of accountability. The community deserves those high standards and accountability. Atlanta PD deserves those high standards and that accountability. And Devin Anderson and his family deserves the accountability and those high standards. Thank you. Thank you. Next will be Maggie McCullum. Maggie McCullum. Next will be Jonathan Holly. You'll have up to two minutes. I'm sorry. Right now or is there somebody before me? Sorry. Is there somebody before me or it's me right now? This you. Okay. Thank you. Hello. My name is Jonathan. I'm resident of Old Fourth Ward. Of all the people in this room who are lucky enough to have reliable access to shelter, I probably live the closest to the old Weed Street encampment. And that is why I'm here. The last time you conducted a sweep of this area, you killed a man. You killed my neighbor, Cornelius. A coalition of citizens twisted your arms until you agreed to a pause on the sweeps. And now, rather than working with the coalition that is actually interested in solving the problem, you are lazily revisiting the old playbook and sweeping the street again. Is an unimaginable, callous act of cruelty. Thank you. Let me ask some simple questions. What exactly is your plan here? You sweep the street. You destroy some tents. And then are you under the impression that the people who live there right now will simply disappear? That they won't be your problem anymore. A sweep is not just violent and inhumane. It is a laughably inadequate solution. It is shortsighted and stupid. We are fortunate enough to be in a position where the right thing to do is also the smart thing to do. The elected leaders of the city must get back to work with the citizen leaders like my friends at Housing Justice League and the rest of the coalition for Cornelius Taylor. They have found the necessary service providers. They have found the 28 units needed to house the neighbors perman these neighbors permanently. All they need is your cooperation. I will add that the number is 28. It is not 14. It is not that low. There are 28 people who live there. You need 28 units to house them. Every single unhoused person on that street and elsewhere in this city represents a policy failure on your part. Your previous strategy of sweeping this problem away, literally sweeping it out of sight, is no longer tenable. Please work with the people in this city to make homelessness a thing of the past in this city. Thank you. Thank you. Next will be null Heatherland. Excuse me. Council member. Next will be N Heatherland. Council member. Yes. Oh hi. Can I speak? I'm Maggie McCullum, please. Thank you so much. Maggie McCullum, you will have up to four minutes. Okay. Thank you. Good afternoon and thank you all for being here to actually listen to the concerns of the city and most of all the concerns that I have as a senior citizen. I am speaking on behalf of seniors that may not have a voice or know what to say or how to say it. I come to be that voice today. And I wanted to speak to this entire body because it happens all over the city of Atlanta. And on behalf of Commission on Aging, which I am a part of, and quality of life and safety that I work on those committees. So I wanted to speak today about Nehemiah project and I know that you all know about Nehemiah project. I happen to be one that receive some investment from them actually that they came to me and did some work for my home and in the process of doing work for my home I needed a toilet. They gave me a toilet. The toilet is so hard until I actually called the office to try to get somebody to come out and help me with this. But I was told that it was free and that this is the way it's going to be. And I was like, a senior citizen should not have to sit on a toilet filled like bricks. Another thing for the safety of seniors, the toilet needs to be raised. We don't need to go down falling trying to get to the toilet or hold on to something to sit on the toilet. So, I'm speaking on behalf of those that need these items in our homes. I had a better toilet than the one they put in. I also had faucet that was replaced. I had a push down faucet, not the pull up faucet that you have to take all the strength to pull it up. I would like things to be comfortable as a senior citizen. We have worked, we paid taxes, and we put you all in office. And not only that, the city funds these organizations. It comes through this city. Why can't we be treated like senior citizens? I would like for you all to think about this. And I know I do a lot of things and I'm going to the Olympics, but before I get there, I got to take care of things that needs to be done here before I leave cuz I want everybody to be right. I work hard at what I do. Thank you all for being here and thank you all for listening. I need some help and I expect it to come from you. And that's all that I have to say. Thank you. [Applause] Thank you. Next will be Noel Heatherland or Hello, my name is Noel Heatherland. and I'm the statewide organizing manager for Georgia Equality and also a resident of the city of Atlanta. Before I go on, I just want to say y'all knew there were people waiting to share today about murdered sons and significant others. And I think it's actually despicable and disgusting that it wasn't planned differently. So grieving people didn't have to wait for over two and a half hours to speak. My partner and I live in the English Avenue neighborhood. We live in English Avenue, not far from the MercedesBenz Stadium. We want to live in peace and be left alone. Cornelius Taylor was also a resident of the city of Atlanta who wanted the same thing. And I'm here with the purpose of uplifting his name and asking for protections for all of our neighbors and residents. As a part of the LGBTQ plus community, we know our community is significantly represented in the population of homeless. We stand alongside our military veteran neighbors and disabled neighbors and anyone else at higher risk. Being a queer person increases risk factors that lead to needing to live on the streets. A lot of people may be fortunate to have family members who could help them out when they need a roof over their head. Personally, I know what it's like to be unable to rely on any family when I'm going through hard times. I want that same empathy and compassion extended to others as I would hope to have given to myself. We are all human. In the name of humanity, we call for an immediate halt to the evictions at Old Wheat Street. We call for a swift adoption of the housing first plan already developed with the input of residents. We want and expect transparency and accountability from all of you. And lastly, we are all closer here to being unhoused than being a part of the elite and wealthy 1%. So why are we forcing out our neighbors and our residents for the comfort of and to be ecstatically pleasing to rich people coming into our city for sporting events. That's not only cruel, but it's shameful. I believe Atlanta can do better. Please choose to let love and kindness lead your policies for our unhoused friends and neighbors. Thank you. [Applause] I just want to thank Noel for correcting me and if anybody else if I mispronounce your name, please do the same at the mic for the record. Um, Taylor Jordan is next. You have up to two minutes. Yes. I want to share the sentiments of um it's outrageous to sit here and listen to you guys congratulate yourselves for two hours and and your cronies. the people. It seems like there's people like y'all and the people who work the committees and such who come here to work and get to make these long statements at the beginning and people like us who come to advocate our interests have to wait till the very end just to get ignored. I was here for the longest public comment in this city's history against Cop City and it didn't move the needle one inch. That's why I don't expect any help to come from y'all. Y'all sit up here and act like you care about public trust or community cooperation. Why should we trust you when you all are doing less than nothing? All that we ask is nothing. If y'all would stop this eviction, you would have met our demand and avoided this public comment. Instead of acquiescing to the plan that the coalition and the residents of that encampment put together, y'all want to create your own plan. Handpick the people who want to do what you already want to do and then say it was your idea all along. It's exactly what you did with Cop City. Because y'all don't care about residents interests. When dollar signs get into your eyes, all human well-being goes out the window. And then y'all start feeling the fire of the public outrage. You killed a man on MLK day. His re his family is here to call you out. And when that happens and when we call you out and come into coalition against you, all you do is put the hold off until you think we're not looking again and you can continue with these cruel sweeps. Stop the sweeps. Thank you. Next is Marcus Sundal. You have up to two minutes. Hello. About two days ago, I didn't know who Cornelius Taylor was, but I'm here today. And the reason is is because I have a conscience. My question to y'all is if you do, because no one, no good citizen of Atlanta would just let someone die like that. That is disgusting behavior. And that is what my conscience is telling me. And that's what I want to ask you. Do you have conscience? That's genuinely all I have to say. [Applause] Thank you. Next is Jason Klein. You have up to two minutes. Hello all. Good afternoon. My name is Jason. Uh, I grew up around Atlanta. This city is a home to me, a home to all of you, and it's a home to every single person living at the old Weed Street encampment. Let's be clear, we are not talking about sweeping the streets. We are not talking about preparing the city for the World Cup. We are talking about removing residents of Atlanta from their homes in the most vicious, unethical, and brutal way possible. One man, Cornelius Taylor, has already been murdered. This is not a matter of policy. This is a matter of morality and justice. Atlanta is the home of great men and women of our past like Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., John Lewis, and Rosalyn Pope. They fought their entire lives to protect this city and all of its residents from injustice. They would be ashamed to see this city moving forward with such a gross example of incompetence and immorality. We have one demand today. Stop the evictions. Stop the sweeps. Stop them now and stop them forever. Protect our fellow Atlantans and protect our brothers and sisters in the name of all who came before us. It's time to stand up and fight for freedom and justice. We're done sitting down and we're and we will not allow this to continue. Justice for Cornelius Taylor, justice for the old wheat street encampment and justice for Atlanta. Thank you. [Applause] Thank you. Next will be Devon Bington Ward. Due to yielded time, you'll have up to 10 minutes today. Good afternoon, council members and members of the public. I'm going to keep it a buck with y'all. We don't trust this police department in this city because y'all let them get away whatever the hell they want. There's no standards. There's no consequences. And the same rules that apply to the rest of us don't apply to them. And to be frank, it's y'all's fault. For those of you who don't know who I am, my name is Devon Bington Ward and I'm a spokesperson with the National Police Accountability Project. I am also a lifelong Atlantan and today I'm coming to you not just as an advocate but as someone who has lived through the trauma that this system continues to produce. When I was just six years old, I watched my father get beat by the police at South Dab Mall when I was going to an eye doctor's appointment. I watched his face hit the ground. I watched him be pummeled by several large police officers and I watched those police officers walk away. No consequences. That day changed my father. It changed me and it showed the both of us what power without accountability looks like. It showed me what injustice looks like, what it feels like, what it sounds like. And sadly, I see the same injustice here today in the form of officer Melvin Potter retaining his employment with this city. Let's walk through this. Potter was arrested by this man in 2021 for DUI and reckless driving. He was placed on probation at the same time of the fatal shooting of Devon Anderson. He refused a breathalyzer and was charged with obstruction of justice by the city of South Fulton. He has a domestic violence allegations from a fellow APD police officer. And yet with all of this, he remains protected by this government and remains on the force. Let me ask you, if that isn't enough to get fired, what is? Is killing a man not enough? Is violating your probation not enough? Is obstructing justice not enough? Who are these rules for? Georgia is an atwill state. Is it not? Which means workers across the state can be fired for being late, for posting something distasteful on social media, or for no reason at all. So why the hell is Melvin Potter with a DUI arrest, a probation violation, obstruction of justice, and a fatal shooting still getting a check from the city of Atlanta? Make it make sense. Why is being at will good enough for the rest of the employees of the city of Atlanta, but not for the officers with a pattern of misconduct and violence? It's time to stop pretending that this is normal because it is not. And if you think it's just one bad officer, please think again. Last week, officer Garrett Roof, the man who shot and killed Rashad Brooks in 2020, made headlines again for allegedly starting a bar fight. And to add insult to injury, despite landing four punches on a bartender who was just doing his job, this officer wasn't even arrested. The victim of his assault was arrested. The charges have still yet to be dropped. You think the people at that bar can trust APD after seeing that? That they just let their colleague walk away after committing a criminal assault all because he has a badge. It's the most outrageous abuse of power. This is the second time his violent behavior has made headlines. And yet, like Officer Potter, he remains on the force. The message is being sent loud and clear by this government. If you are a police officer in Atlanta, you can do whatever the hell you want. and still keep your job. So I ask you council members, why should the public trust this police department? Why should we believe that this body has any power or authority if you all won't use it? And why why are we still promoting an APD discipline system that protects violent officers instead of protecting the public? So here's what we demand today. fire Melvin Potter today. And to my friends at the law department, please stop telling council that they can't do anything. They can introduce a resolution urging the mayor to fire him today. Apply pressure. Use your bully pool pit. Act like you give a damn. investigate Garrett Roth thoroughly and publicly. Audit this police department's disciplinary system and probation enforcement and build a real system of transparency and accountability. Because here's the truth. Devon Anderson should be alive today. Ray Brooks should be alive today. And no six-year-old in this city should have to watch their father get brutalized by the people who are sworn to protect and serve them. I do this work today so that my fourmonth-old son will never have to witness or experience police violence because I'll be damned if my son has to live with that type of trauma and grow up in that type of city. You can be the change. You have the power. You hold the cards. You are the checks and balance. So use it. And finally, if you are more offended by my tone and the choice of my words rather than the content of my remarks outlining this violence and lawlessness of your officers, I have one message for you. Get over yourself. Thank you. [Applause] Thank you. Next will be Bianca Garcia. You'll have up to two minutes. I'm Bianca Garcia and I am a resident and voter of district 1. I am deeply deeply concerned by the actions of this council as it again chooses to act in a way that is uncompassionate and inhumane towards our fellow Atlantans living in old wheat street. Not even six months ago, Cornelius Taylor died because of your housing encampment sweeps. That's on your hands. Now you're acting like the city murdering a man means nothing. you're back at it. These evictions are just saying that you're treating these folks like they're trash in the street to be sweeped up and that is disgusting. It's disrespectful and it is absolutely unacceptable. Shame on all of you. The city of Atlanta claims that progress is a priority, but these evictions prove otherwise. True progress is decriminalizing homelessness and it is adopting a housing first approach. Having a plan that's already collaboratively happening with residents that is community centered and would provide the stability, security, and dignity that every Atlanta deserves. Many of us are living paycheck to paycheck and honestly are just one emergency room visit or unexpected life event away from being unhoused ourselves. We expect a city council that serves the people. That means every citizen. And that does not place hierarchy on the value or dignity of an Atlantan's life based on how much money they have or what their current housing situation is. do the right thing. Stop the sweeps. End criminalizing homelessness in Atlanta and adopt a housing first approach now. Thank you. Thank you. Next will be David Lee. Hello to two minutes. All right. How you doing? Um, I'm a lone resident of Atlanta. Um, each one of you council members, I thank y'all for your service. Um, but we do have a problem in our system. We not have only have a problem in our system. We got a problem with our officers too. I'm not going to go all in into that situation, but I'm standing here. I'm homeless today. I done been in every um situation to see about homelessness. Everybody giving me this place, giving me that place. Nobody could just tell me where to go for men's. Um, this is our city. Everybody got from district one all the way around. Y'all got a part to do in me cleaning up your community. It's no way in the world I can go in the community and see certain stuff that needs to be done and y'all can't. somebody else that y'all represent or representing y'all needs to go in the community and see what's happening. It's it's it's so much happening for y'all not to see it from just the messes, from the garbage, from just everything to make your community better. So, you know, just be more mindful of your community, your district, cuz if each one of y'all do y'all part in y'all district, then that'll make Atlanta better. And y'all police department, that's a handful. That's a lot to say, but y'all got to get that under wraps cuz I'm standing here now homeless. Homeless from helping my city. I've been helping my city 15 years and now I'm homeless. Don't have nowhere to go because I did this. Thomas, thank you. [Applause] Next will be Jonas Hoe. You have up to two minutes. Thank you. Thank you to Atlanta City Council, President Shitman, and the general public. My question is, what is Atlanta City Council and APD going to curb road illegal electric dirt bikes, mopeds, and motorcycles on our city streets and shared pathways? Electric dirt bikes, mopeds, and electric motorcycles are not ebikes. They exceed the federally 28 miles an hour and have no bicycle pedals at all. A matter of fact, the signage you see in front of every share path, no motorized vehicles, exactly what they're talking about. The last vehicle vehicular death because of these devices was in Columbus, Georgia on June the 15th. With that being said, here's some more factoids. Things you can do on an electric bike, dirt bike, mopeds, and motorcycles that you can't do on a motorcycle that otherwise get you arrested or your motor vehicle impounded. Doing dangerous willies on our s on our city streets and on shared paths. Allowing a minor to ride a motorcycle without a motorcycle license insurance or registration. Riding with a DUI or a license suspension. Riding without no front lights, no turn signals or no back brakes. electric dirt bikes, mopeds, and motorcycles on share path such as a belt line, several comment trails, and anything that could that says prohibited no motor vehicles. These devices are defined under OCGA as a motorcycle with our neighboring city as Petri City. They have started citing citation and started impounding them as the deterrent. We can use the same MMO in order to solve this problem. It can only get worse and not get better. We need to get ahead of this problem and not behind it before we have more deaths and more injuries than our city limits. Time is expired. Thank you. Thank you. Next will be James Alexander. You'll have up to two minutes. Good afternoon, council members. My name is James Alexander. I was born and bred in Atlanta. I have a business I would like for you all to uh consider for me opening up here in Atlanta. Golf cart transportation because I see it going on in Atlanta. So what I did is I did my homework to try to find out what I have to do to make it legal so that I won't get no ticket. I won't get fined and I can't I can't do it. I don't understand. I'm a disabled vet. I'm a senior citizen and I'm trying to make it. I need help. So, what I'm giving to you is I got packets that we're passing out for the city council to encourage me and try to help me get my business rolling so I can get it. Thank you. Thank you. Next will be Nicholas. Arnold Arnold microphone. You have up to two minutes. You have a microphone. Good afternoon, members of the council and president Shipman. Um I would just like to know which council committee would be best addressed in um in the question I had for uh sidewalk repairs and sidewalk upkeep. Oh. Oh, yeah. Um, I would just like to know which council committee would be best targeted towards my concerns on the sidewalk repair and sidewalk upkeep transportation. Go ahead, Council Member Over Street. transportation every second and fourth Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. Excellent. Thank you so much. Um I have a great idea to offer. That's all. Thank you. Thank you. [Applause] Next will be Whitaker Chapllet. Due to yield to time, you'll have up to four minutes today. Good afternoon. A group of friends and I have been coming to Old Wheat Street every Wednesday since January. We bring a warm meal and whatever supplies we can scr up. I'm so grateful for the way that the residents at Old Wheat at Old Weed Street welcomed me and my friends in and allowed us to share their space with them. Every week they teach me new things. As soon as I met him, Gus taught me about how to weave words into weapons, how to say the truth when powerful people want you to lie. My friend, who likes to be called whatchamacallit, taught me about Maya Angelo, about how to find poetry in every moment. He taught me about growing up in Jamaica, and we bonded over our experiences moving to New York as children. Lolita teaches me with her strength, with her kindness. Another friend who prefers not to be named has taught me about how to care for others in the most concrete ways. When we first met, it was 19° and it was nighttime and he was making sure that everyone stayed warm safely. Since then, I've watched him fixing people's bikes, patching up their tents, fixing neighbors cars. He shows me every week that we're stronger when we help each other. Two days ago, he told me, "I don't want a hand out. I want a hand up. There is so much that the residents of old week give to this city, to their neighbors, even while sleeping on the ground every night. Imagine how much they could give if they had a home to invite us into. I was going to tell you up there to stop calling people by their situation and start calling them by their names. But actually, it matters much less to me what you call them than what you do. You've all gotten pretty good at saying the right things, but you are pitiful at doing the right things. This is one camp. 28 people, not 14. By the way, you just spent millions of dollars on a cop playground, but you can't house the 28 friends of a man you murdered. Is this what you mean by justice, by public safety? Waited out for six months so you can literally sweep your crimes under the rug once the news cycle has forgotten. You disgust me. We know what's coming. We know the World Cup is on the horizon. We know that the city is planning to do what Atlanta has done every time a major sports event happened or a new stadium stadium opened. Literally bulldoze the black, poor, and working class who built this city. Your cowardice and wanting cru cruelty in the guise of liberal democracy is as astonishing as it is predictable. But you don't have to do to do the same thing you have always done. You have the opportunity to change. Today, we called your bluff. The mayor is now willing to push back the eviction and meet with the coalition. How embarrassing that it took us bringing our elders all the way here for to just for him to agree to a meeting. Postponing an eviction is meaningless if it doesn't lead to real housing solutions that people actually want. We are not going to let you bulldo our friends lives in silence. There will be no rest for you until everyone in this city is housed. Thank you. [Applause] Next will be Henry Jordan. You'll have up to two minutes. Give it to the spirit of God. Everyone that's here. Judge me, oh God, and my cause against an ungodly nation. Oh deliver me from deceitful and unjust man. Psalms 43 and1 using the refrain hope thou in God as a marker. The poem years three stanzas. Your trust is in to work deceitful and unjust actions. James Griff Jesus will deliver me and ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free. St. John 8:32. They will not be sinless or blameless, free from the power of sin. A lie will not set you free. God told me I cannot work your job. So I attempted to get a business license and was rejected to obey Jesus is the real power. And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Matthew 28 chapter 18 verse all power authority is now in the hands of Christ in heaven and on the earth. Your power is not greater than Jesus power. Christ's word created the income not my word. I cannot take the the credit or the glory. I'm just a vessel for his use. He that workketh deceit shall not wear within my house. He that tellth lie shall not tear in my sight. Psalms 1017 verse. The ideal kings sings to the Lord. Keep his personal life pure and administers justice. When you seek to work against justice, then you ask for destruction. We need Christ more than he need us. Thank you. Next will be Amber Burks. Duty hold the time. You'll have up to 10 minutes today. All righty. Good afternoon, council. Thank you for the opportunity to speak. My name is Amber Bergs and I stand here with my neighbors as a representative of the Aviary Park Town Home Community located off Greenbryer Parkway in Southwest Atlanta District 11. Council members, you should know by now, but for those who do not, Southwest Atlanta residents strongly oppose the construction of a gas station at 3397 Greenbryer Parkway. We've stated our concerns before and we're here to lay them out for you again. Gas stations are dangerous. They're environmental travesties. They attract crime. If this gas station is built, it will be located directly in front of a senior home and near a daycare affecting our most vulnerable residents. Not to mention, there are already enough gas stations in Southwest Atlanta. There are already seven gas stations up and down Campbell Road and Greenbryer Parkway where this gas station is supposed to be built. We do not need another. These concerns aside though, this gas station is in direct violation of Greenbryer's special public interest hereafter, referred to as Greenbryer SPI20, which is legislation the city of Atlanta adopted on July 14th, 2022. Councilwoman Overreet, this is legislation that you helped pass which prohibits gas stations on Green Ber Parkway. And I'd like to emphasize that planning issued a permit for this gas station after Greenbryer SPI20 was adopted. We're here today to ask yet again that Atlanta City Council helps uphold the law. After public comments in June, you suggested council councilwoman Over Street suggested reaching out to commissioner Johnny Prince, Director Kietta Holmes, and city attorneys Patrice Perkins Hooker and Amber Robinson. We did exactly that and have gotten no response. It's been a month since we last spoke at a city council meeting and we residents have no more information today than we did then. This lack of communication is a huge barrier to getting this matter resolved. We need to know what's happening in regard to rectifying this mistake. At the June coun at the June 2nd council meeting, Councilwoman Over Street stated, "This is a complex situation. Respectfully, I disagree. The permit for the gas station was not submitted until after the legislation was passed. To allow this development to proceed is to tell the city of Atlanta that laws are mere suggestions and not the protective regulations put in place to maintain order in our society. What's the point of passing a law if it's not going to be followed? Greenbryer SPI20 was adopted into law on July 14th, 2022. The special administrative permit for this gas station wasn't even applied for until August 23rd, 2022. Councilwoman Over Street, you made it clear that you don't have the ability to give a final say so on the matter, but you in addition to the rest of city council are elected leaders sitting at this panel have the influence and power that we as residents do not. We are here again to implore you to use the power and influence your constituents gave you when we voted for you to represent our district to actually represent our district. You stated at Nauseium that you are on our side in this matter and we appreciate that. Your support was never in question. What your constituents would appreciate is concrete action that demonstrates your support. Since the commissioner and planning offices are not responsive to us, perhaps they will respond to you. At that last city council meeting, Councilman Michael Julian Bond suggested an audit into the office that issued the permit for this gas station, and we would like to initiate the audit so that we may finally have resolution to this matter. There has been much back and forth between residents and city council over this gas station. At this point, residents have done everything within our legal ability. We've reached out to the neighborhood planning unit. We reached out to city council. We reached out to the planning and zoning department. We've done our part. And now we're asking city council to do its part. We come to you, our elected leaders, to formally request an audit into the permitting of this establishment so that we can put an end to this matter and hopefully continue to uphold the laws to protect our city and prioritize the interest and safety of citizens over corporations. We are citizens who are dedicated, persistent, and we will continue to show up as many times as we need until the city upholds its own laws. Thank you. [Applause] Thank you, Council Street. We shall have the victor. Miss Berg, I would like to first of all, yeah, I would like to first of all, thank you for being persistent. I do appreciate that. Um, I've been persistent, too. And for some reason, you seem to not understand that I am supporting you. I said that at the same time, you're saying those are just words and they're not. So, I gave you a moment, just a moment. I would like to also let you know that the audit idea came from the June meeting that we were speaking about. I actually did ask for them to do all of the things that I said I was going to do, and I have circled back with them several times. Unfortunately, they're not saying the things that I'd like to hear or you would like to hear. At this point, I would love for law to opine to actually let you know what I've spoken to them about. They have actually gone all the way in with the audit to talk with city planning to make sure that what city planning was saying was actually the truth. And that came because you came to speak and I told you I was going to do something and I did just that. I have been standing with you for the entire time. I do not want the gas station. I said that in 2022 when we actually passed that SBI, my name is stamped on there for a reason. We do have enough gas stations. I do not want another gas station. I actually stood in front of the area with the bulldozer to actually state that publicly and I'm stating it again. I don't want it. I'm doing all that I can to make sure that we don't have it. However, that is not going to be enough at this point. I will let O law speak to you about it again. But they've spoken to me. I've spoken with city planning again. They know we don't agree. They know I do not agree with them. I do not agree. I I do agree with you and we don't agree with them. So, however it needs to be said, I do not support the gas station. You understand? I do not want the gas station. I don't want any more gas stations around there. And I've had at least three more companies to come to my office in the last eight weeks for more gas stations. And I tell them the exact same thing. So I don't want it. I have done more than just talk about it. I am standing with you. So um Amber Robinson, if you can speak to it. I think Patrice, our city, uh, our city attorney, has already walked out, but she will tell you where they are with everything. I'm not happy about it. That's all we want is a response because it's we've gotten radio silence, so that's why we're here today. Okay. Well, so the radio silence is probably because you continue to make it seem as if I'm not working with you, and I am. So, I'm working with them. As a matter of fact, as a matter of fact, I spoke with them earlier today to let them know that I wanted them to speak with you because I saw you out here. So that is where we are. I am with you responsible for then I wouldn't even be here today. Oh no. I told you what I was going to do directly. Exactly. That was a month ago and I haven't heard anything from anyone for a month which is why we are here today. Okay. So here's the thing. Once I told city planning to speak with you and I also told law to speak with you. So now they haven't. I'm having her speak with you now. Okay. That's where we are. Miss Robinson. Good afternoon. Amber Robinson, City of Atlanta Department of Law. In in this particular matter, the application submission date is actually legally considered to have occurred in May of 2022. um rather than August 2022, which is the date of the formal application submission, there was a meeting with um the applicant and city at department of city planning staff. There was an exchange of documents between city of Atlanta staff and the applicant and confirmation that the application met the zoning at that time. Uh in July of 2022, the zoning of the location changed. However, the submission of the application was legally considered to be effectuated in May of 2022, not August 2022. Is that May date in the publicly available file for that permit? Because we only see the August date, which is after the law changed. So, here's the thing. This is what I'm asking for now. I'm going to ask that they provide this information to you. City planning I'm going to need you to provide this written written information, make it public to my office as well as you, Miss Amber. And um we can you can meet with me directly anytime. My office is always open and accessible. So I'm happy to meet with you about it so that we can go over what it is they're going to send you. Okay? because I think that's important for us to at least understand that we're on the same side. We don't want the gas station. No one wants another gas station. And can you just um Miss Robinson repeat the date of the application that you're referring to that the applicant applied for the special permit? On Friday, May 20th, 2022, representatives of the property met with staff the Office of Zoning and Development. On May 31st, 2022, communication from the Department of City Planning was provided to the applicant in which it was stated that the application uh met the legal requirements of the zoning at that time. July 14th, 2022, the council adopted the text amendment to the SBI zoning district regulations, which then prohibited automobile service stations and convenience stores in all sub areas. But it wasn't signed until August of 2022. Is that correct, Miss Burks? I'm I'm gonna ask that if if you need to continue with the conversation, let's take it offside. We've got a lot of public comment that's waiting. So, if you if you would like to continue to get information, by all means. I just ask that folks step off to the side. We will for sure. But just so you know, on the record, all of this information is going to be provided to you. We can work through it together to make sure that we're all on the same page. However, we're not going to agree that this that that we're not doing all that we can to make sure that this gas station isn't is not erected. Like, we are doing all that we can. When I say we, I'm speaking about my office and you and your our constituents. We're on the same page. Okay. Okay. So, I'll meet you over on the side. Thank you. Next will be Jaylen Nyers. Naers, you have up to two minutes. Oh, yes, sir. Um, I just want to say I love Atlanta. Um, my name is Jaylen Myers and um, I'm here with my my neighbors as well. Just be short, sweet. Um, thank you Miss Og Street again for being able to help us get rectified on this as well. I'm going lift this up a little bit just in case you guys cannot hear me. Um, after hearing my people speak, um, my wo seems so small. This gas station is a bigger problem that's going to fester into a bigger problem. We love the tax dollars. We love the economic growth. And we admire the city expansion that we have from district 2 on up the amazing skyline. Atlanta is so beautiful. But on my side of town, we are brilliant and we are headed by a chemical engineer. So instead of pumping gas, let's funnel the consumer goods into our grocery stores, the Kroger's, the Publix, the Targets. We have those places. And let's build something for our kids to grow. The AI race is happening. And this will allow us to build our district to the dreams that we never imagined. I'm a chemical engineer as well, a Tus University graduate and me, my people from District 4 on to District 11 that I can speak for, we're amazing, and Atlanta's amazing and we seeing it growing and we just want to grow with it. Thank you. Next up will be Eva Dickerson. Eva, Eva Dickerson. Next will be Alexi Henry. Duty time. You have up to four minutes. All right. Good afternoon. Greetings, council. Um I'm here to um speak to the council and bring an issue at the Atlanta airport um to you all's attention. Um uh we've been here before and it has to do with the independent shuttle operators at the um Atlanta airport um and decisions made um at the Atlanta airport. that have pretty much been unfair and is threatening to run these operators out of business. Um to give a little bit of context to the situation, the independent shuttle operators depend heavily upon um walk up traffic for um their shuttle shuttle business. And for that um is very important to be accessible to those individuals arriving at the airport who do not have um pre-planned um reservations for a shuttle ride. They do offer reservations but the vast majority of their business is walk up. Um recently decisions have been made at the um airport that have moved these um moved the independent shuttle drivers to an area that shared with a regional transportation um um operator groom transportation. Um so they're in a shared area that's pushed back away from where the foot traffic is. So it basically puts them at a disadvantage while a newly um formed operation um which is grown Uber has um become available at the airport to also provide local transport. This organization has been put at the stall B3 that's the premium stall for walkup traffic. And so these independent operators have been operating at the airport for well some in some cases over 30 years. They're independent operators, local businessmen um operating here in the city. Um and so right now the big challenge is that they're in addition to um to being in a nonpremium spot and being moved back in favor of a group that's been there less than 6 months um they're also being asked to remain in their shuttle until they're loading or unloading. A lot of this well one of the things is very important is when you're doing business you have to appear to be ready to do business. So that means a shuttle driver standing outside of their van so that they can make eye contact with people who are in need of rides is a vital part of what they do. If they're sitting in the van behind the wheel and people are walking by, it's very hard for a person to believe that you're ready to you're available and ready to work. Conversely, the groom Uber drivers are allowed to get out and walk around. They're not required to sit behind their wheel while they're waiting for customers to come and approach them for rides. So, that's where the unfair treatment comes in. And it's vitally important to understand that these shuttle drivers are are roughly 19 to 20 independent operators. as I said has been operating at the airport for up to um 30 years or so. And um they are local. There is a diverse group and right now we have to understand that local small businesses are important to Atlanta. Diversity is important to Atlanta. Atlanta is an international city and we need to continue to represent in a way that um that really um offers inclusion and brings in and in includes the smaller businesses that we want to retain here. Thank you. [Applause] Representative Collins or Council Member Collins, sorry. Yeah, excuse me. I just have one question for clarity as I was listening to your narrative. So, normally with the Uber drivers, they do have the permitted piece in terms of, you know, being able to trans, you know, to be be able to pick up commuters or travelers from the airport. Do these independent shuttle drivers have any uh permit or are they required to get any permit? Yes, they they do have permits for um shuttle. And I want to clarify that we're not talking about the Uber car drivers. We're talking about Uber shuttle. This is a this is um a a company Uber has um combined with a company called Groom in order to provide shuttle service local shuttle shuttle service. Yeah. So these shuttle drivers also are permitted. They So you're saying the you're the independent drivers that you're speaking of they are permitted to transport Yes. travelers from the airport. You're saying that they're being denied the opportunity to actually recruit travelers to use their shuttle services. Yes. Um, well, I won't say they're being they they don't necessarily recruit travelers. They are available for them. They're they're being put in an area where they're not as accessible to the walk up customer as the um as the new company, the Groom um Uber company. Okay. So groom currently is able to go right to the gate in a shuttle, pick up a shuttle service versus if I if I was to order a U individual Uber, I would have to go down the escalator, go through the parking deck, go and wait at the numbered Yeah. deal the Collins, can I can I ask you the same? Can you can we actually instead of going back and forth, can we Yeah. Yeah, that's fine. I just wanted to get as much information while I have him here. Public comment. We got a lot of got a lot of public waiting to make their comments as well. No problem. I'll I'll connect with you. Okay. Thank you. Thank you so much. Next will be Demetrius Allen. Due to yield to time, you'll have up to four minutes today. Hello, council members. My name is Demetrius Allen and I'm here in representation of the um independent airport seller drivers as well. And to clarify something that a question that you asked, we are I'm one of the I'm one of the uh companies. I've been in business for over 15 years going on some of 20 years. Some of those guys have been there over 30 years and uh we have been harassed time after time and um this new company that he that Alexa was referring to is groom powered by Uber. It's a new shuttle company that they're allowing to operate out of the airport. And we have been there. We have been a pillar of the airport who've been there for the airport who helps the airport during increment weather times when um um the the train is down. We're the one that's standing by the airport providing shuttle service for these particular people taking them where they need to go and where they need to be. A couple a couple of weeks ago, we had some uh over a thousand uh flight cancellations where we stepped in and helped the airport deliver these people to where they needed to be. And Uber were charging, you know, $125 to go downtown based on the volume of people that was at the airport that night, you know. But what we're here in front of you all today is to let you know that there are some unfair practices going on, some discrimination going on. They're asking us to sit in our vans and they're letting other people get out of their vans and walk around. I mean, what what kind of sense does that make for them to have us to sit in the van? I mean, we have been there for over 30 years, you know? So, we're just trying to uh get some uh rectifying of this particular matter so we would be able to be to have those front spaces that we had before they allow a company to come in who has only been operating for a few months. Basically, this new shuttle thing has been implemented due to the new incorporation of the new area that we all have been transported to. They they have just opened this new area and all of us have have been directed to this new area. Previous to that uh when Mayor Dickin was on on on the council board, we had a problem and he assisted us with this problem and it was determined at that time he determined that we should be left alone and we should be able to have availability to the customers where we will be able to provide for our companies. And um they are giving Groom/ Uber the opportunity who have just only been there a few months to be in front of us and we have been a staple of that airport for all that time. It's just not fair and that's why we're here today. Yes. Thank you. Next will be Stanley Moo. have up to two minutes. Greetings, council uh president and um the executives. Um I'm just trying to support what uh Mr. Demetric had just echoed. Um there is some sort of soft harassment going on. uh probably because a lot of us are foreigners and um I know that city of Atlanta is a diverse environment where people come uh with genuine intention to uh promote the culture and um uh you know diversity. So, um I'm just pleading if it is possible, you know, every time we get moved from one for the past five or 10 years, we've been moved uh from one spot to another for about we've been relocated for about, you know, four or five times and that's a little bit of an impact to our businesses. But that is not the concern. The most important concern is that this Uber slashgroom local uh shuttle pro uh provider that just started couple of months ago and I don't know how they made their way to come to be in our front with over 15 to 17 uh local shuttles that have been existing for more than 30 to 40 years. So, um I believe that uh it should be looked into and um see why they claim that they have volume. I don't know and I don't see how a company that just started three months ago will have volume more than 30 uh you know year uh companies. Uh so um what we are saying is we've been side by side with the taxes and we have pro you know provided efficient services and we uh look forward to providing uh that you know um as long as we stay at the airport. Thank you. Thank you. And and one more thing one more thing um Uber Thank you. I think Uber should have consulted with with one of the minority business company. I'm born and raised right here in Atlanta and they should have reached out to one of the minority companies before they reached out to a superpower company like Groom. Thank you. Next will be Tiara Sanford. duty to yield a time y up to four minutes. Yeah. Um in support of the earlier comments u made by my neighbors. My neighbors and I are here this afternoon to address the illegal gas station under construction at 3397 Green Bar Parkway. This gas station, as we have tirelessly stated, is in direct violation of the zoning laws outlined in the Greenbryer Special Public Interest 20 regulation. Which I have here, which was passed July 14th, and Marcy Collier over street signature is on that. She is in full support of that of the SBI which prohibits gas stations in the area. Um, the owner of the affforementioned gas station development did not submit an application for a permit until a month later on August 23rd, 2022, which I have here. But we've been informed that there was an email exchange being used in an email exchange in May of that year being used as a formal application. Um, the planning the the city of Atlanta planning and zoning department still granted the owner a special application permit based on that email, allowing him to continue building the gas station regardless of the laws put in place to prevent this from happening. This situation begs a fundamental question. What is the purpose of our city's laws? And what is the purpose of this esteemed body of lawmakers if not to uphold and enforce the regulations we establish for the well-being of our community? And how can citizens have faith in the legal systems if laws can simply be disregarded at will? Thank you. Thank you. Next will be Jennifer Brooks. You have up to two minutes. Thank you all for your good work and for your attention and your patience today. Two quick things. Uh you know what I feel about the micromobility extension and if it's not feasible to have a moratorum on deployment of that equipment. Could you please uh require that they limit the speed to 5 miles an hour just like an ADA approved mobility device such as a wheelchair. I've never complained to you about any wheelchairs harassing me on the sidewalk. So, as long as the vendors can't keep them from riding on the sidewalk, could they just limit the speed to 5 miles an hour? My other point is I'm haven't put on my plan A t-shirt today, but I do want to make sure that we underscore the mammoth effort of the department of city planning commissioner Prince and her staff. especially for their robust and unforeseen or never-beforeseen uh community engagement and I hope everybody can take a page from that playbook and uh seriously commit to community engagement going forward. Thank you. Thank you. Next will be Madre Giles. Madre Giles. Next will be Cat Leatherwood. Madre Giles, you have up to two minutes. Okay. Good afternoon, members of the council. I am Madre Giles, organizing director for Federation of Public Service employees. Um, I bring you greetings on the behalf of 2,000 members, including 500 city workers of Atlanta. Uh, we are pleased to announce that Miss Rory Ellison, a junior at Maynard Jackson High School, is the recipient for our year-long FPSC Ralph Miller public service internship. She will earn $20 an hour and will get hands-on experience and exposure to government, public service, politics, and labor unions. We are thankful that worry is working with city member council council member Boone today learning about the workings of city council and city hall. Uh it is our hope that uh course of her internship that worry and her path and your paths will cross. I am reminded that Martin Luther King Jr. said we can all be great because we can all serve. Being on city council is hard and subjects you to ongoing criticism. But let me say on the behalf of FPSC, we appreciate your service. Do well and be well and I appreciate the opportunity to be heard today. Thank you. Thank you. Next will be Cat Leatherwood. You have up to two minutes. Uh I'm a resident of East Atlanta. Um, and my family has been touched by homelessness and um, I have experienced um, you know, climate change related damage to my own home during Hurricane Katrina. Um, I'm and I'm here on behalf of the uh, Justice for Cornelius Taylor task force. Um, as I came back up here, I was struggling to find the words I wanted to say today. Um, I can typically talk all day, but speaking in public is not my strength. But as I was making notes on my phone, a friend posted a quote that felt like it expressed my feelings perfectly. I have no mercy or compassion in me for a society that will crush people and then penalize them for not being able to stand up under the weight. This Malcolm X quote was followed by a post by the Atlanta Journal Constitution where they quoted the mayor discussing the Sysophian task of housing the people, the unhoused residents of Atlanta. and I quote, "We want to make sure those unsheltered individuals don't come anywhere downtown and throughout the city of Atlanta, not just during the World Club, World Cup, but always." The division is stark, but it's a reminder the city fails its unhoused residents, and it fails to protect its its most vulnerable residents. It's not surprising that disdain carries for working-class residents of the city, too. from holding fully funded martyr projects to to ignoring 116,000 signatures to build cop city. City Hall stages photo ops and under reportports the numbers of homeless folks across the city and in old wheat street in order to cover up the failure of partners for home CEO Kathern Bassel's work. They also pretend to not know the developer who slashed tents and shot at residents of old wheat street. As the city fails our unhoused neighbors and commits to these failed policies, I remember our bar gathering 100 tents and residents finding shelter in the cold. It was a Justice for Cornelius Taylor task force that helped them clean the encampment and help them find some dignity. And I just wanted to emphasize that it was community efforts so far as the city has failed. Everyone else has said what needs to be said. Thank you. Next will be Matthew Nury. Matthew nurse is not here. Next would be Julius Khaled. Khaled, sorry. Due to the old time, you have up to six minutes today. Greetings. How y'all doing today? Um, I'm Julius Khali, the founder of Young Generation Movement, a organization that was founded right here in Atlanta. I'm a land of native organic. And this organization was based off of me being incarcerated, changing my life, and giving the youth in my community an opportunity to be a part of something positive. Because in 2013, gangs really just came in Atlanta. And so I created an alternative so young people can be a part of something that's positive in their community. So for the last 13 years I have done over 3,000 hours worth of community service and over a thousand youth that's a part of my organization has graduated and went to college. So, um, in 2014, I had a piece of property that was donated to our organization, and we created a community park right here on the west side of Atlanta, right behind Cascade Skating Ring. And we also started our first um, it's called a Y urban farm. So, we teaching kids how to grow food and we teaching them all about agriculture. Thank you so much. And um what happened was I was coming back from New York. I had met Obama. I took some of the kids and I went to New York to meet Obama based off of the community service and things I was doing in the community. And when I got back, I went to the hospital come to find out I had a bleeding ulcer. So sitting in the hospital for over a month, it really led me to go on my wellness journey. Learning about food, learning about different holistic practices. When I got out, I created an alternative. Our first campaign was pants up, guns down, stopping community violence because I was a victim of gun violence. But when I came when I when I came from the hospital, I really wanted to dive deep on a wellness with the youth. starting this journey with the youth, teaching them about uh plant-based diet and educating them on food and health and really coming to find out that one of our main concerns and issues with our youth. This has something to do with their diet. Noticing that changing the diet of these youth really gave them a better opportunity to sit down and just focus and listen. And it showed them a form of selflove. because once you start eating better, you start loving yourself better and that's how we was able to create more create more uh positive uh attitudes amongst the community in my community. So in 2022 I had an opportunity to create the first farmtotable wellness cafe right here in Atlanta. And last year, the city of Atlanta, by the grace of God, we partnered with you guys and you gave us three young people to come and work at our wellness cafe. Not only did it change the hearts and the minds of these young people to make them think think different and love theirelves, but it also gave us the matrix to see that young people are really interested into trying to eat healthy again. And so we had a U event with Robert F. Kennedy. He came to the cafe and he loved what we was doing and it sparked the idea in me that I really want to ch challenge the city of Atlanta to join forces with this initiative to make Atlanta's youth healthy again. And we have our leadership camp coming up in uh the end of July. And by the grace of God, Jason Doer has started the campaign off with supporting one of the youth. And the goal was to have one youth from each uh city council person to sponsor a youth to kick this program off this health initiative with this leadership camp and to join forces with this campaign to make uh Atlanta healthy again with our youth. So I'mma pass around this program. It's called the Y urban green program. And this is a good solution for our youth that that's I'm I'm one of the ones that I started off in a in a community surrounded by violence. So my superhero gift was I was able to relate to the ones that's in a community surrounded by violence. And so what happens these young brothers they come and join forces with me. They just getting out. This guy just did two years. He just got just did some time. So when they get out of jail, they don't have this type of uh re-entry program. So our cafe is going to be the hub for young people who just getting out and want to make a difference and have job employment. So but it's hard and I need you guys support to help push this uh program which is the first farmtotable wellness cafe right here in Atlanta. And so I'm excited about that because health is the true wealth. And so if we can build uh financial health, I mean uh uh pretty much creating a a hub in Atlanta where young people can go and have plant-based wellness foods in the community, I think is much needed and we don't really have that. So teaching the kids, this program not only will teach the kids how to prepare healthy foods. We're also the first zero waste uh community uh cafe where everything we teach them sustainable how to go from the garden to the kitchen to teaching them all about uh plant-based uh culinary. They will actually get a um they will get a certification in plant-based culinary arts. And so, not only that, we also are creating a documentary, a docu series about making Atlanta healthy again. And so, that's what we're doing today. And we I really want you guys to join forces with our initiative to make our youth healthy, giving them healthy alternatives through this YG urban program. So, thank you guys so much. [Applause] Thank you. Next up, next up will be Cesaly Chandler. Cesaly Chandler. Next will be Jamie Stokes. Um, I'm here. Um, I'm also speaking on behalf of the people at Old Wheat Street. Um, and I know y'all have heard it, you know. Um, we've been talking about it. Um, but I just really wanted to emphasize, you know, there's there's there's 28 people there. So if you hear somebody patting themselves on the back that they got housing for 14 people, that means there's 14 elderly, disabled people, human beings who have just months ago watched their friend be murdered and they have no housing. All right? They have nowhere to live. They have nowhere to lay down their head and they're in this sweltering heat. It was 19 degrees this winter. And the city was not there providing food or housing. All right? But people there, you know, we were there were people there and we didn't have no help from any of y'all. And now that's 90 100 degrees and they're still out there. These are people these are like my grandparents age. Okay? My grandma is not going to be out on the street because she has family support. These people, you know, don't have somebody who can just take them in. But y'all can. Y'all have the resources. These are human beings. There's only 28 people and y'all can't provide housing for them. So, that's all I got to say. It's It's not that hard. Y'all are making it harder than it needs to be. Thank you. Thank you. Next will be Carrington Peterson. Okay, we'll go to the next speaker. If you could just ask her if she wants to come back. Uh, next will be Princess Diana. Next will be Nikki Bugs. Duty yielded to time. You'll have up to eight minutes today. Good afternoon everyone. Thank you. This is Judy Clement. I meant to explain last time I was in front of you guys, the reason her arms are bruised is because the investor manager that's over the property crushed her arms in the door because she said that she stank and she wanted her out of her office and she disrupted the scent of her office. So, she pushed her out of the door and then crushed her arms in the door. I speak for everyone that's afraid to speak in the landmark. There's a group of us and then this is for Judy and all of the homeowners that had to move out of their home because there's no standing up. So, I'm going to make this quick and I'm going to say your name so that you can respond to me if you decide to. So, Council Member Shipman Bond West Morland Farooqi, congratulations on your your next move. Uh, Doure, Winston, Amos, Bakiari Juan Shook Norwood Hillis Boone, Over Street, Lewis, Collins. So now you have that avenue. If you want to respond to me, you're more than welcome to. I welcome it. So first, I hope you all had a great holiday, Fourth of July. We didn't because what ended up happening is that we had the investors guests come in and shoe off firecrackers and and um little fireworks in the parking lot right outside my window right outside of all of our windows. So we had to suffer through that. Cops showed up one time, cops showed up a second time. So that was really interesting. We also told you we're being systematically forced out of our homes. We weren't certain how many times you had to say that, but we we are and we still are. So, we're being forced out mentally, physically. We also told you that we're being forced to live around constant barrage of various sorts of Airbnb people, visitors running in and out of the building. Um, loud noises parties screaming banging doors, ringing our doorbell, weeds, vagrants, lewd acts, name it, we have it. People walking by my unit throwing up gang signs. My unit coming up the side of the stairwell. My unit. Guy half-dressed, hand in his his front area. My unit. People coming back up the stairs. Not using the elevator. Not using the security system to get in. Gang sign. My unit. And my all-time favorite, this person. This is what we get to come home to. This is what we get to come home to. And this is something that they're banging on our doors, ringing our doorbells, and we've been begging for what, this is almost August, four years now. Cannot talk to the anybody on the board because they won't address us. We're not good enough to be in their presence. They won't address us. We have questions. We send emails. we we get them in person will not respond. This woman shows up in front of my unit, walks straight from the elevator, my unit, and ends up taking pictures of my unit. I don't know who this woman is. So now what's happening is that now we have to figure out how to protect ourselves other than using, you know, a doorbell or cameras inside of our homes. We told you that our rights have been stripped away. We're not afforded due process, our freedom of speech obliterated because if we ask questions via a person, email, or we're ignored or accused of somehow being disorderly. We've asked, why haven't the procedures, protocols ordinance rules regulations, something put in place to protect us? But here we still are asking the same question. the same question. We told you the opportunity to live in peace is purposely being pounded away each day. Why? Because the building is being deliberately distressed, prime for intolerable, to be unaffordable, unlivable, unsellable. That is the Landmark condominium. The C Landmark condominium used to be a great place. You would mention that in in throughout the city many years ago and people would be really amazed by that. The caliber of people that used to live in the building. You have failed us officially. We told you that most of us have to have doorbells on our doors now. Instead of just saying, "Hey, who is it?" or looking through the peepphole, we have to have doorbells. We have to have cameras inside of our units now because why? They want to come in our units now and pretend that there's something wrong or they have to fix something or they need to inspect something. We're not renters. We are homeowners. When we ask them for help, then they say, "Go get a plumber. You figure it out yourself." But most of the time we can't approach them. We told you that we're not acknowledged throughout the building. The very people that took over our board. They don't acknowledge us only when money is due. When the the monthly HOAs, which is $1,300 a month, double billing of water and gas, that's all we get. Full assessments, capital assessments, this assessment. That's then then they can they contact us. Then they have time for us. We told you that the constant construction that could ultimately lead to the demolition of the building and the building coming down. I have a friend, his grandparents lived in Florida, the Surfside condominium, the one that that that completely folded. We're right there. This building is right there. And I would hate for you to get to the point where something happens awful to the rest of us like Judy because we have nothing better to do. So congratulations on giving them cart blanch for taking us over. Then it dawned on me that nothing's going to be done that you're actually not going to do anything that we're not actually going to get the assistance that we need from somebody. You know, someone that knows someone that knows someone that can pass that on. We're getting to the point where every time we come here, we say, "If something happens to me, if I become incapacitated, if I die, if I get sick, please at least investigate that." Nobody seems to care about that. What I would don't understand that. So, I had a Eureka moment for that. So, at this point, the World Cup's coming in, right? Fantastic. Lot of money. Lot of money coming in. Five big events and then the Stitch Project. We're on prime real estate. You got to think about it. Gee, is this all a constructed plan? Do they really want us out of the building so that they can just completely take over because no one's coming to our defense? And as I said, if I ever walked in there and I shot up the place, I would have your attention. I would have your attention. You would be horrified. You'd be mortified by my actions. You're probably mortified that I'm saying that now, but think about it. People get pushed to the ledge. There was a woman that that that had a problem with the manager and she begged for help. She came to the city as a matter of fact. She's in jail now. You failed us. That's it. That really is the truth of it. You failed us. And again, if you don't have the power to set some type of regulation or something over that building to protect us, then you know someone that can help. You know an office that can help. I just find it hard to believe that it just stops here and then we go we just kind of go away with it. Thank you. So my my point to it is that public safety we don't have. We're residents. We're homeowners and you had a group of people come in and take over a building in plain sight and we've done nothing about it. Like I said, when my taxes are due, you'll find me. If I got a ticket, you will send me multiple letters. But when we're begging for help, nobody knows who we are. That's a shame. [Applause] Thank you, Council Bond. Thank you. Well, thank you for calling my name today. You're welcome. And uh I do have a response for you. Sure. The current uh short-term rental ordinance is still being held, but there is legislation that is being prepared to be introduced today to split off the provisions in that ordinance specifically for multifamily and condos to address in part your issues. And so I've spoken to council member Amos and council member Baktiari about it. And so they're supposed to have it ready for us to introduce today. Okay. And I'll take that and I'm going to respond to him. So um and but my thing is and thank you. I understand what you're sharing. We are almost four years too late. What's going to happen? This those people are not going to leave the building. They're not going to leave the building just, you know. Okay. Well, fine. We see the ordinance. We're That's not going to happen. They're doing construction as we speak to this week. The water's being turned off. The AC's being turned off. Last week we had no hot water for three days when the 4th of July came in and those their guests were coming in. Then all of a sudden the hot water was back on. We are in an autotocracy. This is a fanta this is a fantastic civics lesson for anybody that lives in this state. This is where you can learn civics. Forget going to class. Come here because come to Georgia because you will get it firsthand. And that's what's unfortunate about it. That's what's unfortunate about it. Underneath the current law, the provisions for people operating a short-term rental is either their home or their home in addition to one other property. Correct. That is correct. Right. So underneath what we will be introducing today will be the in not only the further enforcement of that but condo associations specifically will have to vote themselves to say that they are going to allow short-term rentals in whatever property they have. And of those that decide to do that, only 10% of the total units can be short-term rentals. Yes, I I did read that. And so and so if there are persons currently or after this passes are violating that, those that have occupied those units will will have to either give them up as short-term rentals or they'll be disallowed. Well, that's going to be interesting because these people voted themselves on the board. They took over our board and they voted themselves on the board. And just to simply Well, I mean, but even if they vote themselves on the board and they say, "Hey, we want short-term rentals in the building." Only 10% of the units in that building can be short-term rentals. Well, they don't feel account. Nobody holds them accountable. So, they feel empowered. Now, there has been a lot. I want to reassure you that the help that we can provide on the municipal level, okay, that we're we're doing everything that we can to help help you because we've heard you. Thank you. Over and over and we want to help you. I remember when the Landmark was the premier condo building in Georgia. Y, not just Atlanta. So, we understand what you're going through and we're going to use every to the limit of our legal authority to assist you. Thank you, Council Member Collins. I appreciate that, Councilman Bond. I mean that was part of the questions and I'll get a update um from council um from council member Batiari as well but I mean in terms of under you know you you in your comments you asked in terms of the ordinances and those protections on the municipal space and councilman bond responding to what we're proposing you know what's going to be proposed on an ordinance level municip you know as a municipality I know it's not a question back and forth But you I think you all need to I mean you know you have the legal protections at state on the state level from the Georgia Yeah. from the Georgia Property Association Act, the Georgia Condominiums Act. There are state protections that you have as a community to be able to galvanize and file your own suit and force those spaces. So, I know this not a I'll get with with council Councilman Batari on it, but I do think it's, you know, we're doing I I feel that that that we're doing the enforcement piece on the municipal side, but I don't want you to walk away from this conversation that we can only lean in as a city. But as a on the state level, there are legal protections that you have and legal enforcement proceed, you know, grounds that you have to enforce. Now, it's going to it's going to cause you to mobilize your your owner, you know, other property owners and other individuals in terms of over, you know, I mean, you hear about it overthrowing your board, all of those things. So, I mean, it's a side conversation to have on the side in terms of the state space, but I think that I know for a fact that's where you are. So, I want to make sure that you are aware of the Georgia Property Owners Association Act and the Georgia Condominiums Act that is designed particularly to protect what you are experiencing happening. And while that is happening and hopefully that is something that helps you move the helps move the needle and resolution then you know that your city leadership is leaning into the municipal side of the short short-term rental piece and how we are as a city entity leading into that but also the enforcement. So I'm happy to I you know you have my contact information I'm happy to discuss it on on the end but I definitely want to emphasize you know emphasize that piece. Well, if I can help you guys in any any way to um get on top of this for other future homeowners that are experiencing the offense, I will be glad to uh participate in the best way that I can. Um financially, that's a financial thing, but yeah, we are well aware of the cond. And that means getting an attorney. You got to still pay your HOAs and the assessments that they're doing. And by the time that happens, we're destitute, which is what's happened to a lot of homeowners, which is by design. Yes, by design. We have a we have a different set of group of people here and their goal is to get that building and that is the truth of it. There are some services that can help you with help with that and uh that's on a a whole another realm out of this. So we'll talk on the side. Thank you. Thank you. Um real quick again and thank you council member Collins if we can also start having these as side conversations as well. So Miss B, we've talked so many times. Yeah. I have asked repeatedly for y'all to reach out to the state. I even said, "Email me and I'll connect you to your state representatives." It has been about three to five months and that still has not happened. No, we have. No, you have not. So, we have you have not emailed me. I I've checked my email regularly as I have gone and I have repeatedly come to the condominiums. I'm not done. We have repeatedly done this. The city the city cannot sue on your behalf. I cannot. There is invest. I'm not done. I am not asking. Council council president, can you please please help? Thank you. So, I have gone repeatedly. There's a full investigation occurring. The state needs to be engaged. We cannot help you with the HOA. We are preempted. We are preempted. APD has come out repeatedly. Fire has come out repeatedly. I have told you repeatedly. I cannot I am we are preempted on so many things. There is an investigation going. I have been there. We cannot sue for you. We didn't ask you to sue for us. We have done everything. And it wasn't an HOA thing in the beginning. It was not. It was not. So, we're shifting the blame, but it was not. And we I we have emailed you. I've been in your office if you not remember that. The reason we didn't email you, but we can talk about this on site, but when the police don't try to embarrass me like this because that's not going to happen. We did contact you. And then again, we told you what was happening with the homeowners and we told you what was happening with them and and them being afraid. That's why I'm here all the time. So, all I'm saying is that I understand what you shared. We did reach out to them. All you have is me and a few other people because everybody else is frightened to death. I've been working on this for four years. I'm aware. And if you can if you can please connect me if you can connect me with your state rep, but if you can please do that. Thank you. And again, um, Miss Collins, if you can speak to me as well, so you can be brought up to speed instead of doing that on the mic, it would be greatly appreciated. I I was outside, Miss. So, next up, Carrington Peterson. You have up to four minutes. Thank you so much. I don't want to be super repetitive or redundant. Thank you all for being here today. My name is Carrington Peterson. I am a resident um at Aviary Park in Greenbryer. First, I just wanted to recognize and say thank you to Councilwoman Over Street for her support and her dedication to making sure that we under have a very clear understanding and we are on the same page in regards to the gas station. Um I'm here today to still express strong opposition on behalf of many residents including my neighbors behind me. There are already four gas stations, as you all know, within.3 miles of my home in Avary Park. I know this is redundant. I just want to get it in everyone's head and I understand Councilwoman Over Street is doing her best work to make sure that this is happening and we are on the same page and thank you again, Councilwoman. Um, just the last this last month, there was a shooting within our neighborhood complex. Adding another gas station increases the risk of similar incidents. Obviously, placing something that's 247 right in front of our neighborhood gate directly threatens our security and quality of life. Beyond safety, I want to acknowledge health. Gas stations contribute to air and noise pollution, which impacts everyone, especially children, seniors at Park View senior homes and those with health existing existing health conditions, excuse me. These emissions don't just disappear, they linger, and they harm. While I'm super thankful for the opportunity to speak in front of you all today, um this development in the beginning seemed like it was ignoring the importance of community voice. So I just want to encourage the increase of being able to express our voices, but also apply the knowledge that you hear in front of you and through your peers and through locals and the city of Atlanta. Um this isn't just about what we don't want, it's about what should be happening. We are in the SPI20 special public interest district governed by chapter 18 of Atlanta zoning code. That code exists to ensure balance, development, and environmental protection. The permit of this gas station was issued after zoning changes were already in effect. And yes, I know this has already been said. Again, repetition, repetition, repetition. That makes it legally non-compliant. This violates the very laws meant to protect our community. An emailed application should not be deemed viable. by email to get into a school but didn't go through the proper protocol or the proper portals is that make me a student of the school? I don't think so. Lastly, instead of duplicating existing service, introducing unnecessary risk, and trying to increase market shares, I think it's important to consider other alternatives, not just addressing the problems here. Um, just five minutes from this site of Aviary Park is Greenbar Mall, a space that is underutilized and right for revitalization with proper vision. It could be a community plaza, a cultural space, or a thriving mixeduse development that brings lasting value and an and even employment to that area. As for the land in front of Avary Park, a simple green space or walking trail will be more than enough. It doesn't need as much foot traffic as you may think. As a project manager, I always ask, what problem are we solving and who benefits? This gas station solves no pressing problem and benefits no one but the developer at the community's expense. There's no unmet demand. The current gas stations with our neighborhood all serve the same customer base. This isn't growth. It's oversaturation. To be honest, it's kind of selfish. If this project moves forward despite violating zoning regulations, ignoring public safety and community input, then what message does this council or whoever is in charge? So, if it's already the council taking responsibility and they're passing it on to higher ups, what does it say about the community it's supposed to serve? Because it won't just be a gas station at our gate. It'll be a permanent reminder that when residents raise concerns, those who are in charge chose silence over stewardship or a good dollar over good deed. I'd prefer to for it to be like what councilman Amir said earlier today, people over politics. This is our home, not just a business opportunity. So, I asked you with everything our community has already expressed here today over and over again, probably irritating you guys and getting in your heads, is this really the best we could do with this lamb? I want to be clear, we're not anti-progress, we are pro community. Thank you so much for your time. I hope you consider everything we took and apply the knowledge you learned today. Bye-bye. Thank you. [Applause] Next will be Patrick Sephorovich. have up to two minutes. Good afternoon, city council members. Um, I am in I am here in support of uh reszoning application Z-24-89 for 728 Monroe Drive. Sadly, I zoning comments can only be taken at zoning or ZRB. Okay. Sorry. Yeah, no problem. Uh, next up will be Dez Luke. Dez Luke. Next will be Lolita Griffith. Thank you. Let me just skip over Lolita Griffith for a moment. Minister Breezel Love. Mr. Breezes Love still with us. Rachel Handler. Oh. Hold on just a second. Minister Breeze love. We're going to take Rachel Handler back to you. Rachel Handler. Go ahead. It's fine. You'll have two minutes. Thank you. Uh good evening, council members. Uh and uh with all due respect, it is a little bit disappointing to wait here for about three and a half hours for the chance to address about half of the council. So I I think a lot of these folks probably share my frustration there. But all that said, uh I'm I'm appreciative of the chance to talk to you. My name is Rachel Handler and I serve as the housing policy manager at Georgia Equality. But today I really speak from my own perspective as a person of conscience, a resident of Atlanta, and a supporter of the folks who live at the old Wheat Street encampment. I'm here today to demand justice for Cornelius Taylor. We will not stop saying his name in these chambers. And I'm also here to say that we are done with the sweeps. Whether at Old Weed Street or anywhere else, we're here to say no more. The city has spent decades pursuing a policy of eviction, destruction, and displacement in response to homelessness. That's that's been the approach. And not only has this approach failed, it's caused immeasurable harm. I measurable harm. This approach and its violence crushed Cornelius Taylor to death in this city in January. And this city right now at this very moment is determined to run that whole thing over again and do it exactly the same way. What we're here today to remind you folks of is that there is another way. We do not have to do this again. residents have crafted a plan, a truly housing first plan, and they've delivered it directly to the city. And as of now, they have had to claw for multiple months just to get a meeting with the mayor. Frankly, that's unacceptable. It'd be unacceptable for any member of our community, even more so for the folks who have the least among us. We're done with the sweeps. We are done with criminalizing homelessness. We've given you the plan and all you need to do is implement it. So, respectively, I am asking you to implement that plan. Thank you. Thank you. Lolita Griffith, did you say breathe? Mr. B, Mr. Breeze Love, you're up. You'll have up to six minutes to yield to time. Thank you. Praise God. I'm here people because I have a lot to tell you and I hope I can get this done. First, I want to congratulate you young men, councilman. I knew your father but you didn't know me. But I have so many great blessings that came from what you have done in this city. So my congratulations to you. Uh to the council, we must pray. It's time to pray people. Now we seeing what's happening in Texas. We as mothers and fathers being touched in this nation. What is going on? So we got to understand there is something that God is not pleased with us. And he sent me here because I was on another trip because I'm a 43y year missionary and a minister of the gospel who loved Jesus. And he said, "Go tell the city of Atlanta," Mayor Dickerson, the Lord said to make a change in this city. We all must repent. And the Lord said, "If you're his people who is called by my name, humble themselves and pray and seek him and turn from your evil ways." He said, "I'll hear your prayers and I'll heal the land." The land need a healing people. And I'm so glad, Councilman uh Bonds, you came back to sit down. and also uh Byron Amos because Jesus is our savior. And today is Monday, July 7th, 2025. The motto is to everyone, let not let not you be silent. Your voices matter, people. We have to stand up and be who we are. If you're not going to stand up, don't sit in these seats and play games with people lives. As I constantly come on these streets and feed and feed the homeless and they're addressing issues to me. Yes, I live in a beautiful home and I live real well and my birthday is July 4th. And it's not easy for me to go home and tell my great grandchildren what it's like to be in the city of Atlanta to hear the homeless children cry. And you all have great knowledge, opportunities that you can do better. Don't let one or two people deceive you. What God has put in your heart to do better to stand for the people and do what's right. I don't care what the president say, the mayor, or whoever. You know in your heart what is right and what is wrong. Now, as me spend thousand and thousands of dollars in the English Avenue community and I took care of that neighborhood 80% of my own monies and this city arrested me on something I did not do. And God told me to tell you today to give me justice. I'm going to be sending you all all a letter and a copy of my book who is is published all over the world. about how I was so mistreated and I almost died in that police truck. But I heard the word from the Lord said, "Vengeance is mine, said the Lord, and I shall repay." Now you all just had a tornado come to Atlanta and God ain't finished yet. He said, "Tell you all to give this widow woman justice. I have things to do for the kingdom of God. I need my money. This city owed me $300 million. I'll compromise with some of it. But Mayor Dickerson, the Lord said for you to repent and make changes in this city. And to all you council people, you are special. You're loved by God. I love you. But you need to stand for justice. Don't let nobody change your hearts. Council Bonds, there is a lesson for you now. You must take your role and stand as your dad taught you. Stand for justice. No matter who deceive you, you stand up. and all the rest of you. And these two young ladies right here, Street and Bones, I love y'all. I pray for you all the time because of many people don't understand what we as women's go through. And to only have you and also Mary Norwood, we go through a lot, but you stand. You do what's right. People going to hate you. Yes, we all going to be hated. But you do what you can do right in your from your heart. And when you do that, your children and grandchildren, great grandchildren like myself will call you blessed. I love you and God bless you. Thank you. Next will be Don O'Neal. News man. Next will be Sher Williams. Next will be Dr. Dwan Robinson. This will be Malik P. Have up to two minutes. Uh, I'm going to keep my remarks as brief as possible because we've been here for like 3 4 hours. But we've heard today from a community seeking to stop a corporation from further polluting their street. We've heard from grieving widows of men who were run over by Atlanta city construction equipment. We've heard from unhoused people. We've heard from elders being abused. We've heard from what was once the landmark, no pun intended, of housing in this city now being neglected over and over again. And I just wanted to impress upon all of you that in no way are these disconnected issues. At the end of the day, a budget is a moral document. And you have all shown us time and time again that you care more about armed thugs patrolling our streets, collaborating with ICE, collaborating with Gilly, and militarizing what is already one of the most violent police forces in the country than taking care of your own citizens. What reason do any of us have to continue having faith in democracy, in the American dream, or the Atlanta way when this is the representation of the so-called democracy that you give us? All I have to say to end my remarks is that I agree with the good minister that the chickens will come home to roost and that we need to start taking our obligations to humanity seriously because the same system that killed Cornelius Taylor is the same system that killed Deon Anderson is the same system that killed Tortuga is the same system that killed Rashard Brooks is the same system that killed Oscar Kaine. is the same system that disappeared all our comrades after the Ferguson uprising, which is linked to the same system that sent the military to my home state and is dropping bombs on little kids across the sea. Right now, you have power. Why is it that your people have to come begging to you for you to use it? How long do you think people will keep begging before they just take it back? [Applause] Next will be Jesse Pratt. Duty yield a time. You have up to four minutes. Hello. Um, my name is Jesse Pratt. At 23 years old, um I was able to raise $2.5 million um towards um a homeless organization for black trans women during 2020. And I was we were and the organiz the organization exists today. Um we were able to do something that the city has consistently shown unable to do, showing up for our unhoused neighbors in the city of Atlanta. Why is it that a 23 year old was able to raise and allocate $2.3 million towards housing people when the city has has a budget every year and is unable to allocate this to towards housing. Um you heard from many people today about Cornelius Taylor. There is a proposal on the table that you're unwilling unwilling to accept. We just heard from our unhoused neighbor, Lolita Griffith, who was unable to speak because instead she was meeting with the mayor and instead wasting her time for over two hours because she instead of offering a solution that was actually viable for her housing, they were offered one more day and they're still going to they're still going to sweep the encampment on Friday. Shame. I simply it it doesn't seem to work to appeal to moral issues to with y'all, but it it simply so I'm going to highlight the contradictions and the the way you are approaching your positions in power. It cost way more money to the city to y'all to have homeless people in the street. It cost it costs way more money in in paying in people going to the hospitals being being in and out of jail than people simply being housed. Why is it that people y'all continue to allocate resources towards the police and when it has been consistently proven that it costs less money to house people? We're demanding not only no more sweeps but as but actually providing viable options for people and allocating resources towards this. Welcome house and the organizations that I have worked with have consistently proven that they don't follow housing first models. They don't listen to the experiences of people who are homeless and they consistently are forcing people through hoops in order to stay to receive housing. They require people to be sober and they don't give people they put people in shel in situations that no one wants to live in. Many of the residents at Old Weed Street do not ex do not accept this option. There it has been six months since Cornelius Taylor was killed. Why has there Why has there only been two meetings with the mayor with the coalition? Can Frooki, can you answer me that please since it's your district? I would like a direct answer because there has been simply not enough information. Every we we meet every week with the neighbors. Every Wednesday we we meet with the residents of Old Weed Street. I I have only heard maybe twice of of from them of organizations coming and talking to them and finding housing solutions that that they they that work for them. So it that's all I have to say. I would like a direct response. Yeah, happy to talk with the outside, but I I split that street with council bactari. It's not entirely my district. We share that block together, but happy talk with the outside. Thank you. Next is Parker Deemos. [Applause] A lot of these organizations quit the task force out of They'll have up to two minutes. This morning there was someone who lived there and he refused to come because he said really directly to me. He said the council thinks that we're turds. Like he thinks that that's the perspective of all the people who didn't show up today. They think that y'all think that they're like the on their shoe, which I find really pitiful. That's so degrading. It kind of makes me want to cry. Like they think that y'all think they are Each of you, that's so sad. Um, I feel like y'all put on your steeltoe boots every day and you come to work so white remote workers from Chicago can move down here and move into new build luxury apartments and go on hinge dates on the belt line. And like I guess that's what y'all want Atlanta to be. All my elders in the city say that um Atlanta is dead and it used to be turned like 15 20 years ago. And I think like when you you sterilize everything so like Zillow can up the housing market and you like run over people with bulldozers so you can have a clean looking street. You're going to have like a pretty boring ass city. It's really not a city most people are interested in. It's a violent fascist city. I'm kind of just curious. Um is that what y'all want? I'm not asking that rhetorically. I know we're like throwing a lot of like at y'all. Um cuz it's really appalling. I'm just genuinely so curious. Like I would love actual responses from anyone. Like do y'all care about the homeless population? Like do you understand you have ample resources? Why are you acting like you're broke? APD has so much money for no reason. I see Teslas everywhere. Like are we a broke city? So I'm just curious. Does anyone have anything to say? Councelor Bond. Thank you, Mr. President. I'll respond to you. You know, of course, we care about those citizens in our city that are unhoused. And the city of Atlanta spends hundreds of millions of dollars over I know that we have over the course of the last 10 years in trying to ameliate homelessness. There are two issues uh as I see it that prevent the city of Atlanta from spending more money. One, the city's charter. We have we are required to spend money on things that our charter specifically designates. Part of the reason why our city charter doesn't exclusively focus on housing is because in the early 1930s during the great depression our housing our Atlanta housing authority was established and that is specifically their role. Now, over the last 25 years, there's been a policy change federally at HUD, which supplies 95 99% of the funding to the Atlanta Housing Authority. They changed their rule uh in the way of the housing that they uh provide. their rules change. So, they can't build temporary uh homeless shelters or anything of that kind or they cannot they can no longer build uh housing developments that are exclusively for lowincome persons. What that did the emphasis was that was to break up quote unquote poverty in blocks of public housing. But the result of that has been when you build mixed use, you have shrunk the number of lowincome units, when you when you're mandated to build market and, you know, medium, you know, medium units. And so the city of Atlanta does spend we have housing bonds that we have let over the last few I think it totals almost $800 million, right, over the last five to six years. So, we do spend a lot of money on homelessness, but of course, it's not enough. And now, our housing authority that is charged with providing housing for our residents, they are limited by their, I guess, the federal dictate not to build that type of housing. A few months ago, this council passed a resolution that I sponsored to study whether or not we needed to create a uh affordable housing authority as a sister to the Atlanta Housing Authority and it's it's been about 6 months. So, we're waiting on the report from the administration. So we do care very much you know all of us that are here for sure about those who are unhoused but we also have to understand that even though there are a lot of people who've been unhoused some for decades there are many reasons why they remain unhoused and of course there are constantly people coming to Atlanta who are seeking this type of help because it is Atlanta and the the region um how How can I say this tenderly? They promote those who are unhoused in their regions to come here. So that creates an inordinate demand and weight on the city of Atlanta to not only provide housing for those who are unhoused, who might be residents, but there's a tremendous amount of people who travel here on a daily basis that need that type of service. And so that's part but not all of why uh that takes place where you don't really see in the budget as much money. we have to finance it and but there we it is a work in progress trying to address it and those persons should not feel even though I know uh when you're in that situation it's a negative situation you can you that the people in this government don't care or the people on this council don't care but that's not the case and so we've allocated much money and will continue to do so to try to address this issue I think that idea with having like an affordable um I guess different separate municipality feels like systemically and more long-term it could be viable immediately in this situation that is really like plain that has a lot of you know media attention and continued public support that we're seeing 6 months in. Do you feel like there's anything y'all's municipality can do or what I don't know if that's the right word immediately to address the dispersal and violence going to be inflicted upon these neighbors? Well, I believe that there are programs and the operation in I guess the uh constituent services office helps to identify emergency housing for individuals. Uh but I would have to defer to the office of human services for that and their expertise because they're constantly uh I guess filtering people through the through the system like that. But as far as the plan that you all have talked about or the meetings with the mayor, you know, I don't keep the mayor's schedule. I can't speak to that. Thank you. Your time's expired. Okay. Next will be Zach Simons or Simmons. Next will be Yavon Allison. They have up to two minutes. Good afternoon everyone. Uh just want to just want to just quote a um part of a scripture Matthew 5:48 that talks about there's none perfect but the father. That being said, I want to refer you quickly to an article that was written um published on April 12th, 2023 uh by ATL WF uh great news. It goes to say, "A family attorney in Georgia says a man died in a county jail after being eaten alive by insects and bed bugs." According to the attorney, Michael D. Harper, LeShawn Thompson was at the Fulton County Jail for three months before he was found dead in a jail cell. What Mr. Thompson was housed in was not fit for a diseased animal. Harper said he did not deserve this. Thompson was arrested on a misdemeanor battery charge in Atlanta in June 2022. He was taken to the Fultony County Jail and placed in the psychiatric wing after officials determined he had mental issues. And my purpose in bringing that up is to my question is have they began to start break ground on a new Fulton County jail? And if not, why not? Because although the gentleman may not have been in jail, he's a human being. He was a human being, should I say, councelor Ron? No, Fulton County has not begun plans for a new facility, but in 2017 or 18 during the pandemic, Fulton County had a proposal to build a medical unit that would have cost $110 million. Uh they were lobbyed not to build the facility, so they didn't build it. And after that time, I believe 14 or 15 people died in the Fulton County Jail. Okay. So, is my has my time expired? I was trying to keep it short. Just a few seconds. Okay. So, you say it was lobbyed. I'm trying to learn about when you said lobbyed. Lobby means it more or less. Can you break it down a little bit for me? I'm not. They were lied college degree by activists who could not support or did not support further I guess the the the expense okay of what they perceived as further incarceration. So they were going to build a medical unit that cost $110 million during the pandemic. And so they were lobbyed by those activists. Fulton County decided not to build the facility as a result of that lobby. And so those improvements were never made. Okay. Was was it the people who lobbyed was it a problem with where they were going to build it or the amount that it cost or a combination of the two? They did not support what they proclaimed was the increase in incarceration. Your time is expired. So be happy to take that to the side. Okay. Thank you. Final speaker today be Royce man. You have up to two minutes. Thank you, council. Councilman Farroi, congratulations. Best of luck at Galloway. My name is Royce Man. I'm a 23-year-old lifelong Atlantan, a community organizer, a resident of District 5. And today, I'm here to ask, Atlanta, have we not learned our lesson? In the leadup to the 1996 Olympics, what was supposed to be a moment of unity and celebration became a period of terror for Atlanta's unhoused population. Atlanta's Olympic legacy was forever stained by the brutal tactics this city used against many of its own residents. Police conducted sweeps of homeless encampments across Atlanta, rounding people up, detaining them, and in some cases sending them to far away places where they had no friends or family. Now, this may sound familiar. As we rightfully condemn the use of these tactics against our undocumented neighbors, we must also stand firm in demanding dignity for our unhoused neighbors. People who stay in this city despite the best efforts of developers to push them out. Who love Atlanta even when it rarely seems to love them back. We claim to be the city too busy to hate, but too often it seems like we're really just the city too busy to give a damn. Atlanta, let us not make the same mistake we made 30 years ago. Let's stop the evictions. Let's stop the sweeps. Let's ensure housing for the residents of Old Wheat Street, Old Wheat Street, and people across this city. And let's honor the life of Cornelius Taylor with action and not more empty promises. Thank you. Sky yielded time to someone else. Uh I had a downers yielded. Sorry. And then uh I didn't see Ethan. What's the last name? also yielded. Sorry. Uh um if you're if it's yielded, I can't do anything about that. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. We can't I can't If you yield it, you yield it. That's all that's the way that the the regulation reads. I want to thank everyone who's come down for public comment today. We'll now move on to communications. Madam clerk, the journal, I'm sorry. Report of the journal. Madam clerk my apolog. Yes. Good afternoon, council president, members of council. I, Karin Lindo, municipal clerk of the city of Atlanta, do hereby certify that the minutes of the regular meeting held on Monday, June 16, 2025 are true and correct. If there are no changes or edits to the journal, I would entertain a motion to adopt. Moved by council. Is there a second? Second by council member Shook. Any discussion on the motion to adopt the journal? We do this via unanimous consent. Without objection, any objection, the motion to adopt the journal. Madam clerk, please send the count of nan's consent. 11. Yay. zero nays 11 z motion to adopt journal carries next we'll move to communications madam clerk thank you Mr. President first item is 25 C 0082 this is communications from Jonathan Gails PhD professor and chair of the department of Africana studies at Georgia State University appointing professor Akili Hujomo to serve as a member of the city of Atlanta reparation study commission staff recommendation to refer to community development human services and committee on council. Let the item follow that course. Item number two is 25 C0083. This is a communication from council president Doug Shipman appointing Miss Lucy Sharp to serve as a member of the city of Atlanta Americans with Disabilities Act advisory committee staff recommendation to refer to transportation committee and committee on council. The item follow that course. If I may take item 3, four, and five as a block. Without objection, please proceed. Item number three is 25 C 0084. This is communication from council president Doug Shipman appointing council member Matt West Morland to serve as a member of the artificial intelligence commission number four 25c 0085 a communication for mayor Andre Dickens appointing Miss Candace Franklin to serve as a member of the Pedmont Park Conservancy. This is appointment for a term of one year. Number five is 25 C 0086, a communication from municipal clerk Lindo submitting a report of administrative corrections made to previously adopted legislation between the regular council meeting dates of June 16, 2025 and July 7th, 2025 to Atlanta City Council in accordance with section 2-275 of the Atlanta City Code of Ordinances um correction made to 25 1041 and 25R 30 338. Although three items staff recommendation to accept and file. Let all three items follow the course. Item number if I may take items six and seven as a block. The objection please proceed. Item number 25 is I'm sorry. Item number six is 25 C 0088. A communication from Donald Penovi, CP CPA, chair audit committee, submitting the performance audit report, Department of Watershed Management, contract amendments, extensions on alternative procurements. Item number seven is 25 C 0089. This is a communication from Donald T. Penovi, CPA, the chair of the audit committee, submitting the performance audit report, recycling both those items. Staff recommendation to refer to city utilities committee that the items follow their course. And the last item, Mr. President, is item number eight is 25 C 0090. This a communication from Donald T. Penov CPA the chair audit committee submitting the performance audit report beltline special service district financial review 2025 staff recommendation to refer to community development human services committee and the finance executive committee. Let the item follow that course. That concludes the items. Are there any items of vetoed legislation for consideration? No. Are there any unfinished business? No, there's none. Thank you, madam clerk. Next, we'll move to the consent agenda section one. These are items beginning on page five. Uh they are all items for second reading. Therefore, the appropriate motion will be to adopt. But first, let me ask whether any items to be removed for the consent agenda. Council member Ferroi. Thank you, Council President Shim. I'd like to remove 251383, which is item six on the first consent agenda. 251383 Council Hillis. Thank you, Mr. President. Like to remove 25107, page 10, item number 20 from the consent agenda. Thank you, Council Member Winston. [Music] 25R 3591. Correct. 3591. Any other items for removal from the consent consent agenda section one? I would entertain a motion to adopt with these three items removed. Moved by council Hillis, seconded by Moved by Council Hill, seconded by council one. Is there any discussion on the motion to adopt the consent agenda section one with three items removed? Hearing none, move to vote. Madam clerk, please open the vote on the motion to adopt the consent agenda section one with the items removed. The vote is open. Hold everyone, please vote. Will everyone please vote? The vote's closed. 11 yay, zero nays. 11 yay, zays. The motion to adopt the consent agenda section one carries. Council member Shook. Uh, yes. I'd like to make a motion to send 25R3605 to the mayor's office post haste. That is item five, page 14. Second. There's a motion to move 25R-3605 to the mayor's office post haste by council shook. Second by council. Let me just pause. Are there any other items to move post haste for? Any other members? Okay. Is there any discussion on the motion to move this item post haste? We do this unman's consent without objection. Objection. Madam clerk, please sign on the county names consent. Motion to move this item post. Yay. 10 yay, zero naysay. 10 yay, zays. The motion to move post carries. Next, we will move to the consent agenda section two. These are items that begin on page 20. The materials. They are all for first reading. Therefore, the appropriate motion will be to refer. First, let me ask, are there any items to be removed from the consent agenda section two today? hearing. None. I would entertain a motion to refer. Is there a motion to refer council? Motion to refer by council shook. Second by council. Any discussion on the motion to refer the consent agenda section two? Hearing none. We move to vote. Madam clerk, please open the vote on the motion to refer. The vote is open. Will everyone please vote? The votes closed. 11 yay, zero naysay. 11, zays. The motion to refer carries. We'll now move to the report of standing committees. First up today will be the city utilities committee vice chair shook. Uh, thank you. No report. Thank you. Next, we'll move to the CDHS committee. Chair Winston. Thank you, Council President. Uh, the first item is the one that I pulled off consent, which is 25-R3591. I'd like to make a motion to bring forth the substitute. There's a motion by council Winston to bring forth the substitute on 25R3591. Seconded by council Juan. Um it does the substitute change the caption. Yes. Substitute. Yeah. So why don't you read the uh substitute caption, please? Thank you. Resolution by council member Liliani Bakdare as substituted by the community development and human services committee as substituted by the Atlanta City Council. A resolution authorizing a contribution of a total amount not to exceed $20,646 and0 to the historic district development corporation to support the commercial economic financial intro industrial and civic interest within the old fourth ward and authorizing the chief financial officer to make payment from the account number listed herein and for other purposes. Is there any discussion on the motion to bring forth the substitute for this item hearing? None. Move to vote. Madam clerk, please open the vote on the motion to bring forth the substitute on 25 R3591. The vote is open. Will everyone please vote? Is that the most closed? 11 yay, zero nays. 11 yay, zero nays. The motion to bring forth substitute carries. Thank you. I'll make a motion to approve as substituted. There's a motion to approve the substituted 25R3591 by council Winston, second by council. Is there any discussion on the motion to adopt as substituted? Hearing none. Move to vote. Madam clerk, please open the vote on the motion to adopt a substitute 25 R3591. The vote is open. Will everyone please vote? The closed 11 yay, zero nays. 11 y z. Motion to adopt substitute carries. Thank you. The next item is 25- C000081 in communication from Community Development Human Services Committee to accept the draft 2025 2022 consolidated plan and 2025 annual action plan on behalf of the Department of Grants and Community Development to outline proposed activities and federal resources awarded to the city of Atlanta by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. I'd like to make a motion to accept and file. There's a motion coming out of committee to accept and file. I'm sorry. So it does not need a second. Is there any discussion on the motion to accept and file this item? We do this with unanimous consent without objection. Any objection? The motion to accept and file. Madam clerk, please sign the count consent on the motion to accept and file. 11 11 yay, zero nays. 11 yay, zero nays. The motion to accept and file carries. And the last item is 25-R 3651, the resolution by Community Development Human Services Committee authorizing the mayor or his designate on behalf of the city of Atlanta to exercise the first option to renew the contractual agreement for the number listed for miscellaneous repairs and construction services under 250K for ADA and other improvements with Kingsbury Kings Kissberg Parker Fry JV Lighty Commercial Construction Inc. and Soo Contracting Company for a one-year term beginning July 28, 2025, and ending on July 27th, 2026 with one additional one-year renewal option remaining to provide for ADA compliance and other improvements on behalf of the Department of Parks and Recreation on a task order basis in an amount not to exceed $12,500,000. All services will be charged to and paid from funding numbers listed in and on on an annual basis and for other purposes. This came out of committee favorable with five yays and one abstension. So I'll make a motion to approve. There's a motion coming out of committee to adopt 25R 3651. It does not need a second. Is there any discussion on the motion to adopt this item? Hearing none move to vote. Madam clerk, please open the vote on 25R 3651. The vote is open. Will everyone please vote? [Music] Did you go? Okay. Make sure we're gonna Will everyone please vote? box just the post clos 11 yay zero nays 11 zs the motion to adopt carries That's 12 ya z 120 nays. A motion to adopt uh carries. Thank you. And there was one other item that was pulled off consent which is 25-01383. Uh this is item number six on page six. An ordinance by council members Dustin Hillis Bond Morland and Collins authorizing the mayor or his design or the chief procurement officer or her design on behalf of the city of Atlanta to acquire from the conservation fund real properties located at 2400 DeForests Ferry Road Northwest and 2465 Warren Road Northwest Atlanta Georgia comprising approximately 20.39 acres for a total purchase price knocked at C4,900 60,000 61 sorry let's read that 4,936,130.14 authorizing the mayor or his design or the chief procurement officer on her or her design to execute all documents necessary to acquire the the property. This was a a motion coming out of committee because it was on consent. Um, is there any discussion on the motion to adopt this item? Council member Feroki. Yeah, just noting that I will abstain on this vote as it involves my employer. Thank you. Thank you. Any other discussion on the motion to adopt this item? Hearing none, we move to a vote. Madam clerk, please open the vote on the motion to adopt 251383. The vote is open. What's it? But they're still I'm waiting on them to bring in the substitute. So I'd like to come back to it. That's not it. For introduction or no for a moment, please. The agenda student movement for The vote's closed. 10 yays, zero nays. Mr. B. Oh, 10 ys and one abstension. 10 yays, one absention. The motion carried. Motion to adopt carries. 11 yays, one abstension, Mr. Bong. Thank you. 11 yays, one abstension. Motion carries. Council member Hillis know what number it is. Yeah. I just want to quickly thank my colleagues for their support on this. Um the SWAD probably the first um athletic complex and fields in district 9. So parents and others uh like myself will never no longer have to travel to other council districts or even other municipalities for their their kids to participate in youth sports and other activities. So thank you again. Thank you, Council President. That does conclude my report. Thank you. Next up will be transportation. Chair Amos. Yes, sir. Mr. President, I have two items. First one, item 25-1367, a substitute ordinance by transportation committee authorizing the chief financial officer to create separate projects within the capital finance fund to receive and expand revenue collected from sidewalk waiver fees for each of the 12 city council districts on behalf of the Atlanta Department of Transportation to close existing trust accounts established for sidewalk waver fees and transfer those funds to the projects created herein. and to amend the capital finance budget and the amount set out here in and for other purposes. This came to us favorable on substitute on condition. The condition was department of finance to actually answer the questions of committee members regarding um the effect of moving revenue from collected sidewall fever waves uh waiver fees to a trust fund account to capital trust fund. That condition has been met. But however, there is an amendment um that has been distributed, should have been contributed to council that would add language requiring the respective district council members to approve any project funded through their newly established capital finance fund prior to implementation. Um since this amendment doesn't change the caption, I make a motion to amend. There's a motion to amend 251365 by council Amos, seconded by council Juan. Um is have you has everybody received the amendment? Everyone should have. Yes. Okay. Any discussion on the motion to amend this item hearing? No. Move to vote. Madam clerk, please open the vote on the motion to amend. The vote is open. Will everyone please vote? The votes closed. 12, zero nays. 12A, zero ns. The motion to amend carries. Motion to adopt as amended. There's a motion to adopt 251365 by council member Amos as amended. C. Second by council one. Any discussion on the motion to adopt as amended? Hearing? No. Move to vote. Madam clerk, please open the vote. The vote is open. Will everyone please vote? Will everyone please vote? The vote is closed. 12 yay z 12 z. The motion to adopt is amended carries. Thank you sir. Next item is 25-R3596, a resolution by council member mayor Ferro as substituted by transportation committee authorizing the mayor or his design on behalf of the city of Atlanta to execute an agreement between the city of Atlanta and Emory University to accept funds for the installation of a pedestrian crosswalk on Lynen Avenue northeast between Peere Street Northeast and West Peereree Street Northeast pursuant to the standards and prescribed evaluation methods used by the Atlanta Department of Transportation and for other purposes. This comes with to us with a motion to adopt. The motion committed out of committee to adopt 25 R3596. It does not need a second. Is there any discussion on the motion to adopt this item? Council number one. Thank you, Mr. President. Colleagues, I will be abstaining on this due to employer conflict. Thank you. Any other discussion on the motion to adopt this item? Hearing none, we'll move to vote. Madam clerk, please open the vote on the motion to adopt 25R 3596. The vote is open. Will everyone please vote? The votes closed. 11 yay, one absention. 11 yays, one absention. The motion to adopt carries. Thank you, Mr. President. That brings us to the end of my report. Just like to make one announcement if possible. Yes, please go ahead. Just want to remind everyone that the long- awaited must anticipated desire on street parking management RFP work session is scheduled for this Wednesday, July the 9th at 1000 a.m. in the Laredle committee room. So once again, the On Street parking management RFP work session is scheduled for this Wednesday, July the 9th at 10 a.m. sharp in the Laredle Committee room. Mr. President, that ends the report. Thank you. I appreciate your salesmanship on that item. Next up will be finest exact chair shunk. Uh thank you. Two items. Uh first of which is uh 3501385. And I will make a motion to bring forward a substitute. There's a motion by council, second by council to bring forth the substitute for 251385. Does it change the caption? Uh no. Okay. Could you just give us a brief overview of what the substitute contains? I'm sure everybody has it, but just for the public. Uh, yeah, it it fills in all the needed account information. Great. Uh, any discussion on the motion to bring forth the substitute? Madam clerk, please open the vote on the motion to bring forth substitute. The vote is open. The vote is open. The vote is closed. 11 yay, zero nays. Motion to approve on 11, z. Motion to bring forth substitute carries. Motion to approve on substitute. Council member Shook has made a motion to approve this item as substitute. Is there a second? Second by council member Doer. Any discussion on the motion to adopt a substitute 25385? Hearing? None. Move to vote. Madam clerk, please open the vote. The motion to adopt. The vote is open. The votes closed. 11 yay, zero nays. 11, z. Motion to adopt a substitute carries. Uh, thank you. 251386 uh also requires uh a substitute. I'll move to bring it forward. There's a motion by council member Shook, seconded by council Juan to bring forth a substitute for 251386. Could you just give us a sense of what the substitute includes? Uh yeah, and the caption is different. So, let me read that. This is an ordinance uh co-sponsored by all members of council is substituted by the Atlanta City Council authorizing a donation uh to the Atlanta Pride Committee in an amount not to exceed $53,000 on behalf of the city council to support the 2025 Atlanta Pride Festival. uh pursuant to the listed section of the code charter here uh and for other purposes and u this provides an update of all the members um and their contributions. Any discussion on the motion to bring forth the substitute? Hearing no move to vote. Madam clerk, please open the vote on the motion to bring forth the substitute. The vote is open. Will everyone please vote? The both of us. That's 11. Yay. Zay. Shook and I. Yeah it's Yeah, I got it. Motion. Yeah, Mr. Shooker, you and I. Yeah, I made the motion. Yeah. 11 Z is the motion to uh bring forth substitute carries. Council Bond. No, I just wanted to make sure I was in the legislative, but I found out that I was. Great. Thank you. All right. Approval on substitute. There's a motion to adopt 251385 as uh 1386 apologies as substituted by council member Shook second by council ws. Any discussion on the motion to adopt the substituted hearing? H move to a vote. Madam clerk, please open the vote on the motion to adopt substituted 25386. The vote is open. Will everyone please vote? The post calls 11 yay, zero naysay. 11 yay, zero nays. Motion up. Substute carries. That is all. Thank you. Next up will be committee on council chair Collins. No. Okay. 527. Thank you, Mr. Council President. We have three items on our report starting with our communications. If there are no objections, may we take items one to one and two together. Yes, please proceed. Yes. Communication 25- C-000067. A communication from council members Dustin Hillis, District 9, Andrea Boon, District 10, Marcy Over Street, District 11, Antonio Lewis, District 12, and myself, Isa Collins, Post 3 at large. appointed Miss Kimberly Wright to serve as a member of the city of Atlanta Americans with Disability Act Advisory Committee. Second one, 25- C-000074, a communication from Tanya Greer, County Clerk to the Fulton County Board of Commissioners, submitting the appointment of Mr. Ree Adams McCrainy to serve as a member of the Beltline Tax Allocation District Advisory Committee. This appointment is for a term of two years. These items come before the body with favorable recommendations from their committees of purview and the committee on council and accordingly our recommendation is to adopt. Motion to adopt 25 C67 and 074 coming out of committee does not need a second. Is there any discussion on the motion to adopt these items? These are communications. So we do the needs consent. Any objection to names consent on these two items. Madam clerk, please on the count of consent a motion to adopt these two items. 10 yay zero nays 10 yay z naysay motion to adopt these items carries great thank you that brings us to our regular agenda agenda item resolution item number three 25-R3658 a resolution by committee on council authorizing the mayor to enter into an intergovernmental agreement with Fulton County to conduct the 2025 city of Atlanta municipal general election and any special elections held in conjunction therein therew with excuse me therewith on November 4th 2025 and if necessary to conduct a city of Atlanta general runoff election to be held on December 2nd, 2025 or such other authorized date to appoint the Fulton County Board of Registration and Elections with the director of the Fulton County Department of Registration and Elections acting as an agent as municipal municipal election superintendent for the purpose of conducting said elections as absentee ballot clerk and as municipal registar. and for other purposes. This item comes before the body with favorable recommendation from the committee on council and accordingly the recommendation is to adopt. There's a motion committed committee to adopt 25R 3658. It doesn't need a second. Any discussion on the motion to adopt this item? Hearing none, we'll move to a vote. Madam clerk, please open the vote on the motion to adopt this item. One moment. One moment, please. Just one moment. is open. Thank you for your patience. The vote is open. Will everyone please vote? The vote's closed. 10 yay, zero nays. 10 yay, zero nays. The motion to adopt carries. Great. Mr. Council President, that concludes our report. Thank you. Next up will be the zoning committee, Vice Chair Hillis. Thank you, Mr. President. First item is 251092 U2447 2489 Fairway Circle Southwest. Ordinances for a special use permit for a personal care home. The recommendation of the committee is to adverse. Motion coming out of committee to adverse 25-1092. Does not need a second. Is there any discussion on the motion to adverse this item? Hearing none, we'll move to a vote. Just remind you that an I vote is to adverse. A nay vote is to not adverse in this situation. Um yes, please madam employer please open the vote. The vote is open. Sure. Will everyone please vote? Did you vote? Will everyone please vote? Councelor Bond, how do you want to be on the motion to adverse? I The vote's closed. That's 10 yay, zero nays. 10 yay, zero naysay. A motion to adverse 11 yays. I'm sorry. 11 yay, zero nays. 11 yay, zay. A motion to adverse carries. Next item is the item pulled off consent to this 2517 Z2489 728 Monroe Drive Northeast. ordinance is to reszone from C1 belt line to MRC2 uh condition belt line and there will first be an amendment. It updates the legislation uh to correct some points in the legislation where it was referred to as MRC3. Uh it um updates that correctly to reflect MRC2 and also attaches ZRB recommendations of nine conditions. So I'll make a motion to amend. There's a motion to amend by councelor Hillis 251017. Uh there's a second by councelor Juan. Is there any discussion of the motion to amend this item hearing? No. Move to vote. Madam clerk, please open the vote on the motion to amend. The vote is open. Mr. Bond, have you vote? The votes close. 11 yay, zero nays. 11, zero nays. The motion to amend carries. I'll now make a motion to adopt as amended. There's a motion to adopt. 251017 as amended. Is there a second? By council member Hillis. Is there a second? Second by council member Feroki. Any discussion of the motion to adopt as amended? Madam clerk, please open the vote on the motion to adopt 251017 as amended. The vote is open. The vote is open. Will everyone please vote? Mr. Pont, how do you vote? The closed 11 yay, zero nays. 11 yay z. Motion to adopt as amended carries. Thank you, Mr. President and colleagues. That completes the item for the zoning committee. Thank you. Finally today among standing committee reports, public safety, chair Boone. Thank you, Mr. President. Good afternoon, colleagues. We will need to convene as a committee of the whole to address our outstanding business. I would like to enter into a motion to enter committee of the whole, second by the honorable Dustin Hillis. The motion motion by council member Boone, seconded by council member Hillis to move in committee of the whole to undertake the uh PSLA committee. Any discussion on the motion moving committee of the whole? We do this for unanimous consent. Any objection? Madam clerk, please sound the count on unanimous consent to move a committee of the whole. 10 yays, 11 yays, zero nays. 11 y 11 yay, zero nays. The motion moved in committee of the whole carries. We are now in committee of the whole. Chair Boone. Thank you, colleagues. The public safety legal administration items are found on page 55 on your agenda. We will first take action on all claims. I would like first like to motion to approve all claims with favorable recommendations. There's a motion by Council Boon, seconded by Council Hillis to approve I believe there are 15 claims um uh coming out of committee. Again, these are on page 55. Is there any discussion on the motion to approve the favorable claims? Hearing none, move to a vote. Madam clerk, please open the vote on the motion to approve the 15 favorable claims. Yeah, the vote is open. Will everyone please vote? Council member Bond. She wants it. [Music] 11 yay, zero nays. 11 yay, zero nays. The motion to approve the favorable claims carries. I would like to make a motion to adverse all claims with unfavorable recommendations. There's a motion by council member Boone, seconded by council member Hillis to adverse the 18 unfavorable claims that begin on page 57 of the materials. Is there any discussion on the motion to adverse these claims? Hearing none. Move to vote. Madam clerk, please open the vote on the motion to adverse. The vote is open. Will everyone please vote? Will everyone please vote? The the vote's close. 11 yay, zero nays. 11 yay, zero nays. The motion to adverse these items carries. This brings us to our resolutions. If there are no objections, we will take items 34 through 40 as a block. Item number 34 25-R3639, a resolution by Public Safety and Legal Administration Committee authorizing the settlement of all claims against the city of Atlanta in the case of Demarcus Greer versus City of Atlanta, civil action number 2E 23E V001354 pending in the state court of Fulton County in the the amount of $250,000. The settlement amount authorizing the settlement amount to be charged to and paid from 10001 general fund center number 20001 non-EP departmental account 52120005 litigation expenses and functional activity number 1512000 accounting and for other purposes item number 352-R3640 resolution by public safety and legal administration committee authorizing the settlement of all claims against the city of Atlanta in the case of LJ Remainder LLC versus City of Atlanta EA civil action file number 124 CV 00866 TWWT pending in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia in an amount of $45,000 the settlement amount authorizing the settlement amount to be charged to and paid from 10001. General fund center number 20001. Non-EP departmental account 52120005. Litigation expenses and functional activity number 1512000. Accounting and for other purposes. Item number 3625-R3641. A resolution by public safety and legal administration committee authorizing the settlement of all claims against the city of Atlanta in the case of Baron McClendon versus city of Atlanta civil action file number 24 EV001352 pending in the state court of Fton County state of Georgia in the amount of $55,000 and0 the settlement amount authorizing the settlement amount to be charged to and paid from 10001 general fund center number 20001 non-EP departmental account 52120005 litigation expenses and functional activity number 1512000 0 accounting and for other purposes. Item number 3725-R3642, a resolution by public safety and legal administration committee authorizing the settlement of all claims against the city of Atlanta in the case of PionaRum versus City of Atlanta ETA, civil action file number 24E0299 penned in the state court of Georgia, Fulton County, state of Georgia in an amount of $16,250. $50. The settlement amount authorizing the settlement amount to be charged to and paid from 10001. General fund central number 20001 non-EP departmental account 52120005 litigation expenses and functional activity number 1512000 accounting and for other purposes. Item number 3825-R3643, a resolution by public safety and legal administration committee authorizing the settlement of all claims against the city of Atlanta in the case of Benjamin Moch versus city of Atlanta ETA civil action file number 2480053 pending in the state court of dicap county state of Georgia in an amount of $55,000 the settlement amount authoriz authorizing the settlement amount to be charged to and paid from 10001 general fund center number 20001 non-EP departmental account 52120005 litigation expenses and functional activity number 1512000 accounting and for other purposes item 3925-R3644 a resolution by public safety and legal administration ation committee authorizing the settlement of all claims against the city of Atlanta in the case of State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company as Subrig G of Angelo Pres versus City of Atlanta civil action file number 24V005504 pending in the state court of Fton County, Georgia in an amount of $3,552 the settlement amount authorizing the settlement amount to be charged to and paid paid from 10001 general fund center number 20001 nonep departmental account 52120005 litigation expenses and functional activity number 1512000 accounting and for other purposes item number 40 25-R3645 a resolution by public safety and legal administration committee authorizes the settlement of all claims against the city of Atlanta in the case of Shawana Miles versus City of Atlanta, civil action file number 24E1774 pending in the state court of Fton County, Georgia, state of Georgia in the amount of $29,000 settlement amount authorizing the settlement amount to be charged to and paid from 10001 general fund center number 20001 non-EP departmental Account 52120005 litigation expenses and functional activity number 1512000 accounting and for other purposes. I would like to make a motion to approve these items. There's a motion by council Boon, second by council Hillis to adopt these seven resolutions. Is there any discussion on the motion to adopt these seven items? Hearing none, we'll move to vote. Madam clerk, please open the vote on the motion to adopt these seven items. The vote is open. Will everyone please vote? So those close at 10 yay, zero nays. 10 y z. The motion to adopt these items carries. Colleagues and Mr. President, this concludes our legislative items for today. I would like to make a motion to exit committee of the whole. There's a motion by council, second by council doer to exit committee of the whole. Any discussion? We do this v unanimous consent. Any objection? Madam clerk, please sign the count of unanimous consent on the motion to move out of committee of the whole. 10 zero nays. The motion carries. We're now back into the regular session. Chair Boon, I would like to make a motion to ratify all actions taken in committee of the whole. There's a motion by council member Boon, second by council member Hillis to adopt all the actions taken in the committee of the whole. Is there any discussion of this motion? Hearing no move to vote. Madam clerk, please open the vote on the motion to approve all the items that were done in committee of the whole. The vote is open. The post closed. 10 yay zero nays. 10 naysay nays. A motion to approve all the items carries. Thank you, Mr. President. This concludes the report of the public safety and legal administration committee. Thank you. Thank you, Chair Boon. Before we move to personal papers, uh, Council Bond. Thank you, Mr. President. During the community development committee report, I was waiting for a substitute that did not arrive until just a few moments ago. So, I'd like to make a motion to go in the committee of the whole to have that item considered. It's a paper that has been held the requisite amount of times for the author to call it up. is 25-0-1163. [Music] And I'd like to make a motion to go in committee of the whole for the sole purpose of considering that paper. There's a motion by council Boon to go in committee of the whole. Let me just reread the paper for everybody. 251163. It's on page 28 of the materials. Is there a second to council Bond's motion? Seconded by council Boon. Is there any discussion on the motion to move in committee of the whole? We can do this unanimous consent. Any objection? Madam clerk, please sound the count on unanimous consent on the motion to move in committee of the whole. 10 yay zero nays. 10 y z naz. We are now in committee of the whole. Um I would defer to chair Winston if he would like to run the committee of a whole or I'm happy to. I said, "Council member Winston, I'm happy to defer to you since it's a CDHS paper. I'm happy to to run the discussion of it." Okay. So, 25163, Council Bond, I believe you have a substitute to bring forward. Yes, I have a substitute. I believe all of you should have a copy of it. The I'll reread the caption. It's an ordinance by council member Michael Julie bond as substituted by the Atlanta City Council to amend the FY2025 budget to transfer funds in the amount of $250,000 cents to the Atlanta Student Movement Trust Fund pursuant ordinance 1901 11156 and for other purposes. So I'd like to move to bring the substitute forward. There's a motion to bring forth substitute by council member Bond for 25163. Is there a second? Second to by coun by council member Winston. Any dis colleagues have the substitute? Nobody has it. I can give you mine. Okay. Any discussion on the motion to bring forth the substitute? Council customer one. Thank you, Mr. President. I just looked at the substitute uh and quickly glanced and it doesn't have a funding source. It has a funding destination and that begs the question, has finance looked at this? And I'd rather wait to hear from them. I know they're not in the room, but they they have. That's why I was waiting on the substitute. It's on the back under section two. This paper has been before the council before, but it was referred back because they didn't have the funding items listed. So now we do. Okay. All right. Thank you. Thank you. Uh other discussion on the motion to amend hearing. Now move to vote. Madam clerk, please open the vote on the motion to amend 251 11 or to bring forth substitute 251 1163. Yeah sorry. The vote is open. Will everyone please vote? 10. Yay. zero nays. 10 naysay zero nays. The motion to bring forth the substitute carries. Like to move approval. There's a motion by councelor Bond to adopt 251163 as as substituted. Is there a second? Second by councelor Winston. Any discussion on the motion to adopt as substituted this item? Hearing none. Move to vote. Madam clerk, please open the vote on the motion to adopt as substituted. The vote is open. Will everyone please vote? The vote's closed. 10 yay, zero nays. 10 yay, zays. The motion to adopt as substituted carries. I'd like to refer this to the full body and close committee of the whole. So there's a motion to uh exit committee of the whole by council bond. Is there a second? Second by councelor Winston. Any discussion on the motion to move out of committee of the whole? We do this van's consent without objection. Any objection? Madam clerk, please sound the county name's consent on the motion to exit committee of the whole. 10 yay, zero nays. 10, zero nays. The motion carries. We're now in general session and I would entertain a motion to approve the actions of committee of the whole. Council Bond move approval. There's a motion by councelor Bond to approve the actions taken in the committee of the whole. Is there a second? Second by council member Hillis. Is there any discussion on the motion to approve the actions of committee of the whole hearing? No. Move to vote. Madam clerk, please open the vote. The motion to approve the actions taken in committee of the whole. One moment. The vote is open. Will everyone please vote? The vote's close. That's 10 yay, zero nays. 10 yay, zero naysay. The motion to approve the item second committee. The whole carries. Council bond. I'd like to move it to the mayor's office post haste. There's a motion to move this item post haste to the mayor's office by council member Bonds. Is there a second? Second by council Amos. Any discussion on the motion moved post haste? We do this with unanimous consent without objection. Any objection? Madam clerk, please sign on the count of unanous consent on the motion to move this item post haste. 10 z. 10 y z. The motion to move post haste carries. Thank you everyone. I appreciate it. Given there are no other legislative items, we'll move to personal papers. And the list is in a different order than usual. So we will begin per the clerk with council member Shook. Bless you. Uh Elms 38362. Is there a resolution by Shook authorizing the Commissioner of Watershed to adjust water and sewer service charges on certain customer accounts in accordance with the Atlantic code section listed here in the amount of blank and for their purposes? Elms ID 38362 will be referred to the FEC. Uh thank you. Elms 38363 is a resolution by shook authorizing the CFO to refund customers for overp payments to water and sewer accounts in the amount of blank with all funds to be charged to and paid from etc. Homes 38363 will refer to the FEC. Thank you. Thank you, Council Hillis. Two items. First item is ELMS 38286, an ordinance by council member Dustin Hillis authorizing a donation in an amount not to exceed $12,5000 cents from the district 9 carry forward account to the westside homeill community improvement district to support the westside stride pursuant to section 6306 of the city of Atlanta's charter and for other purposes. Elms ID 38286 will be referred to the FC. Second and last item is Elms ID 38356, a resolution by council member Dustin Hillis authorizing the chief financial officer his designate on behalf of the city of Atlanta and pursuant to section number listed of the city of Atlanta's charter to accept a donation of funds from the trust for public land and 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. Homes ID 38356 will be referred to the CDHS committee. Please items. Thank you. Thank you, Council Collins. Council Collins. You're fine. All right. Um, reading in Elm's ID number 3815, an ordinance by council members Isa Collins, Councilman uh Jason W Jason Winston, Matt West Mland, and Michael Julian Bond authorizing the mayor or his designate on behalf of the Department of Transportation to grant award funds from the Atlanta Region Commission to authorize the chief financial officer to amend the fiscal year 2026 budget by adding to anticipation and appropriations an amount of $900,000 and0 cents for preliminary engineering for the path Lakewood Trail phase one from the Atlanta Beltline Southside Trail/Carver High School to Prior Road and to enter into agreements with the Atlanta region commission for implementation of grant acceptance and participation and for other purposes. Elms ID 38315 will be referred to the transportation committee. Thank you. Next is M's ID number 38355, an ordinance by council member Isa Collins authorizing the mayor or his design on behalf of the city of Atlanta to execute a non-exclusive franchise agreement between the city of Atlanta and Google Fiber, Georgia LLC for a term of 10 years with two with two successful two-year renewal options to encroach on and occupy the public right away for the purposes of constructing, installing, and repairing, maintaining maintaining, operating, and if necessary, removing the fiber to the premises network and related network facilities to offer broadband services and voice over internet protocol services to residences and businesses within the city of Atlanta to require a franchise fee in the amount of 2% and for other purposes. ID 38355 will be referred to the transportation committee. Okay. Okay. All right. Um, Elms ID number 38305, a resolution by council members EA Collins, Matthew Matt West Men, and Michael Julian Bun to establish the Derek Boseman Legacy Commission to honor his contributions as a community leader, radio personality, advocate for equity, education, youth empowerment, and civic activism, and for other purposes. City 38305 will be referred to the committee on council. Sounds good. Thank you, Councelor Boone. Thank you, Mr. President. Elms ID number 3816, a resolution by council member Andrea Oon and Marcy Car over street authorizing the mayor his designate to execute an agreement with Georgia Power Company on behalf of the Atlanta Department of Transportation for the maintenance and repair of the city's interstate lighting network within the Atlanta limits and for other purposes. ID 38316 will be referred to the transportation committee. Elms ID number 38364, an ordinance by Council Member Andrea Elbone to amend the City of Atlanta Code of Ordinances, Chapter 110, Parks and Recreation, section 1103, feast schedule, article 2, swim lessons to allow for free swim lessons for youth from lowincome households at all city-owned pools and natitoriums on a regular basis and for other purposes. Elms ID 38364 be referred to the CDHS committee. Elms ID number 38290, an ordinance by councilor Andre El Boon to authorize the chief financial officer to pay invoices for services rendered in connection with 122015 on call postcertified officers with Cloverhurst Aaron JV on behalf of the Department of Public Works to add additional funding for security services and for other necessary functions rendered at various department of public works facilities beginning October 1st, 2024. 4 through March 18th, 2025 an amount not to exceed $334,03.14. All contracted work will be charged to and paid from the fund department organization and account numbers listed herein and for other purposes. That was 38290 referred to the PSLA committee. Thank you, Mr. President. Caser Bond. Thank you, Mr. President. have Elm's ID number 38287, a resolution by council member Michael Julian Bond authorizing the mayor his designate to exercise the first renewal option for agreement RFPC120116A annual contract for major mechanical repairs and services with Lakeshore Engineering on Tesla Construction. uh JV LLC on behalf of the Department of Watershed Management for a term of one year effective from August 23rd, 2025 through August 22nd, 2026 and an amount not to exceed $7 million and 0. All contracted work will be charged to and paid from the fund department and organization account uh member listed therein and for other purposes. 838287 we refer to the city utilities committee and if I could ask council member Hillis to step in just for a moment. Okay, proceed. I have Elm's ID number 38288. Mr. President Pro Tim, a resolution by council member Michael Julian Bond authorizing the mayor, his designate to exercise the first renewal option for agreement RFPC-1220116B [Music] annual contract for major mechanical repairs and services with Ruby Collins SC Consortium JV LLC on behalf of the Department of Watershed Management for a term of one year effective from August 23rd, 2025 through August 22nd, 2026 in an amount not to exceed 25 billion437,000 [Music] cents. All contracted work will be charged to and paid from the fund department, organization, and account number listed herein and for other purposes. Audi 38288 will be referred to the city utilities committee. Okay. And I have M's ID number 38367. And I don't know if Miss Bakiari or Mr. Amos wants to sign on to this. An ordinance by council member Michael Julian Bond to amend part three land development code part 20 shortterm rentals of the city of Atlanta code of ordinances to establish a short-term rental license requirement for multif family residential complexes and for other purposes. Elms 38367 will be referred to CDHS committee. Okay. I think that's it. Which is Atlanta? No, they don't have it. I don't have that copy. I just asked the staff to bring the that copy for that piece of leg for the Clark Atlanta donation. It wasn't in the folder. So, whenever they bring it. All right. Council member West Morland. Thank you, Mr. Presiding Officer. Elms 38 yikes 359, an ordinance by Baktiari and West Morland to amend section 16-2A. 06 to the city Atlantic code ordinances for the purpose of revising the sidewalk repayment requirements in the Cavishtown Landmark District for other purposes. 38359 will be referred to transportation committee and 38358 by Morland and Baktiari to amend ordinance 2401691 adopted by the city council on June 16th, 2025 by amending the effective date and for other purposes. 38358 will be referred to CDHS committee. Thank you. Council Ramos. Yes sir. Um understanding I'm the last three thing between Faro and Freedom. I be quick. AMS's number ID 38326 ordinance by council member Byron D. Nameless series 20 2025 AB supplemented pricing ordinance supplementing that certain 38 supplemental bond ordinance 25-1343 adopted by the Atlanta city council on June 16th 2025 and approved by the mayor on June 1725 to among other things set forth the terms of the city of Atlanta airport customer facility charge revenue bond series listed and two airport customer facility ly charged revenue bond series listed within certain parameters previously established by the city including their original aggregate principal amount, interest rates, maturity amounts, maturity dates, redemption provisions and debt service reserve requirements with respect there to affirm satis satis satisfaction of the additional bonds test with respect to the series 2025 CFC bonds. ratifies certain prior actions of the city council and CERN officers and agents of the city with respect to the issuance and sales of the series 2025 CFC bonds. Ratify and approve the execution and delivery of a bond purchase agreement. Ratify and approve the participation, use and distribution of a preliminary official statement and the execution of delivery of all final official statements in connection with the off the offer and sale of the series 2025 bonds. Authorize the city finance officer to create the series 2025A taxable charge customer charge revenue bond fund 5518 and series 2025B customer facility charge revenue bond fund 5518 and amend the FY26 budget to by adding to um anticipations and appropriation bond proceeds in the aggregate principal amount not to exceed $310 million. for the series 2025 CFC bonds provided an effective date and for related purposes 38326 will be referred to the finance executive committee and I will gladly hand this back over to President Shipman that one bond didn't have that one check thank you sirs ID 38318 a resolution by council member Byron D Amos authorizing the mayor or his design on behalf of the department of city planning to accept the liver cent's initiative LCI study grant from the Atlanta region commission in order to conduct a LCI study in the Ashby Marley station transit area to authorize mayor his designate to execute any required grant documents and to enter into necessary agreements with ARC related there too and for other purposes. Homes ID 38318 will be referred to the CVHS committee. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you. Are there any other items for personal papers today? Council Bond. Thank you, Mr. President. And I have Elms ID number 38366, an ordinance by council member Michael Julian Bond authorizing a donation in the total amount not to exceed $1,000 from the post at large carry forward account to Clark Atlanta University to support their athletic program pursuant to section 6-306 of the city of Atlanta's charter and for other purposes. Elms ID 38366 will be referred to the FEC. Okay. Any other items? We'll now move to general remarks. Let me just remind my colleagues in case you haven't done it yet. The campaign disclosure is due tomorrow. So, please don't forget to fill out online your campaign disclosure. Council member Boon. Yes. I would like to wish our colleague, council member from district 4, Jason Doer, a happy birthday. Happy birthday, Jason. Thank you for all you do for the citizens of Atlanta. Birthday boy, Council Member Doer. Thank you, Mr. President. Uh, colleagues, I know uh we uh expressed uh the loss of loved ones in our communities earlier in the meeting. Uh however during the meeting it was brought to my attention uh that a member of our uh cyclist community uh unfortunately uh uh passed uh in the last few days uh Dominique Nixon who is the founder of an organization called Pedal Pusher Cycling Club. It is uh one of the a handful of black cycling organizations that we have in the city advocating for uh bike safety, advocating for communities and pedal pushers is particularly important to me because I do a lot of work in my home community mechanicsville working with atrisisk youth and getting them connected to the larger Atlanta cycling community. Uh so we are deeply saddened over his loss not only to uh folks who are uh doing work in terms of uh uh violence reduction but also in the broader cycling community here in Atlanta as well. That's Mr. Dominique Ion others we get to hear even more from council member Far just want to say thank you again for everyone's graciousness today especially to council member Boon for all of her efforts. Uh it was uh deeply appreciated. And I told Council Bashook I look forward to being invited back for his week long of festivities if uh if this is what you do for someone who serves less than two terms. But um it's been an honor and look forward to staying in touch with everyone. Thank you. Thank you. Any other remarks from the body hearing? None. I'll ask the clerk to make the closing roll call. Thank you, Mr. President and members of council. We have council member Doug Shipman present. Council member Michael Julian Burn one post one at large. Council member M West Morland post two at large. Council member Isa Collins post three at large. Here council member Jason H. Winston district 1. Council member Ara Farokei district two. Council member Byron D. Amos. District three. Council member Jason Doza. District four. Council member Lina Bakiara. District five. Council member Alex Juan, District 6. Council member Howard Shook, District 7. Council member Marin Norwood, District 8. Council member Dustin Hillis, District 9. Council member Andrea Bloom, District 10. Council member Marcy Cully, Over Street, District 11. Council member Antonio Lewis, District 12. Journal. With that, we stand adjourned. All right. Nice.