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 Ara Faroke, District 2, here. Council member Byron D. Amos, District 3. Council member Jason Doser, District 4. Present. Council member Lana Bactiari, District 5. Council member Alex, District 6. Council member Howard Shook, District 7. Council member Mirror Nori, District 8. President Prom Dustin Hillis, District 9, present. Council member Andre Elon, District 10. Present. Council member Marcy K over Street, District 11. Council member Antonio Lewis, District 12. Mr. President, we do have a quorum of members present. Thank you, Madam Clerk. I'll now entertain a motion to adopt the agenda. Moved by Council Member Shook, seconded by Council Member Winston. Uh we can take this by unanimous consent. Madame Clerk, if you'll stand the count of unan of members present, [Music] nine yay, zero nays. Lewis. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Nine yays, zero nays. The agenda is adopted. Uh we uh do not have a pastor for the invocation. So, I will collect any uh thoughts and uh members from members. I would like to have a moment of silence for any council members. Council member Doer. Thank you, Mr. President. Pro Tim. I do want to acknowledge uh the unfortunate incident that took place in Minnesota earlier this weekend. Uh the passing of state representatives uh Melissa Hortman, her husband Mark, and then the wounding of state senator John Hoffman and his wife Evette. And so recognizing the environment that we're in, the political climate that we're in. Um, as elected officials, uh, I think it's important that we stand in solidarity with all of our, uh, members across the country to denounce the senseless acts of violence that are being conducted against political uh, uh, elected officials across the country. Thank you. Thank you, Council Member Doer. Any others before we move into a moment of silence? Okay. Uh, everyone, please uh, join me in a moment of silence as we remember those mentioned and those unmentioned. Thank you. If you'll now stand and 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. Moving on to our proclamations. I would like to ask Council Member Bond is not present yet. So, we will move to I would like to uh welcome Council Member Winston as well as Council Member Lewis and those here for the elementary school proclamations. Uh Kandzia Gideonss, TH Slater, and Parkside Elementary School. Please join us on the DAS for these three proclamations will be taken together. Thank you. [Music] Wait. Yes. All right. Thank you everybody. Uh I'm Jason Winston, council member for District 1. And today we have members of the Atlanta Citizens Review Board uh as we are honoring students uh and schools who won the art, essay, and verbal expression contests uh that we have today. Um but before I get started, I want to welcome Deputy Executive uh Director Myola Smith to tell us about the awards that they're giving away today. Thank you, Council Member Winston, and all the honorable members of the Atlanta City Council. Um, first of all, I don't believe all of our uh contestants are up here, so would you please come to the uh podium? Thank you. I am um deputy director overseeing community outreach for the Atlanta Citizens Review Board along with Naomi Bonman, community affairs coordinator, Cree Cornish, office manager, and Charles Curry, outreach specialist, public information officer. From August 2024 through January 2025, the Atlanta Citizens Review Board sponsored an art and essay contest. The title for the contest was My Dream for a Just World. One city, one team, citizens and police working together. Today inside of Cafe 55, in honor of these contest winners and schools, we held a reception prior to the council meeting to award gifts, prizes, and certificates. We want to use this time before the city council and the city of Atlanta to public publicly acknowledge these winners and thank their families and friends for supporting their desire to enter the contest. Thanks to uh Blick Art Supplies for making art supplies available to the public schools and youth clubs in Atlanta. We'd also like to thank the thank the entire uh ACB staff, executive director Reed, uh Sheena Robertson, deputy uh executive director uh and the rest of the staff. I won't go through the rest of them. Um, we would also like to thank in particular Council Member Winston and Council Member Lewis for supporting us and getting us on today's agenda. At this time, I would like to introduce the executive director of the ACB, Mr. Samuel Lee Reed. Good afternoon. Thank you, President Shipman, and honorable members of Atlanta City Council for allowing us this opportunity to present and recognize our our honored guests, the winners of the 2025 ACRB arts contest, the kids, adults, families, and participating schools and community groups. The reason we host this contest every two years is to promote safe neighborhoods and positive relations through artistic expression, academic instruction, and meaningful dialogue among children, families, and law enforcement. to understand any issues that could potentially lead to mistrust and unrest within the local communities. ACB creates all creates, offers, and promotes events and programs like the art and essay contest and our excuse me, the art and essay contest, the mediation program, and our know your rights trainings to foster preschool relationships between citizens and those who have the most the sworn power to protect and serve them. This year, we had over 400 entries. That's a new record for us. Thank you. Thank you. As Deputy Director Miss Smith uh stated earlier, the contest ended in J in January and the votes the winners were voted on and selected based on the number of votes they received for their art, essay, and verbal expression. Without further delay, let's recognize the winners of 2025. Mr. Curry, please read the names of the winners in ACRB art nay contest verbal expression. Thank you. Thank you, Director Reed. Winners, as I call your name, if you are present here today, please step forward away from the others so that everyone can see who you are and then step back in line. Starting with City of Atlanta Elementary School, grade 1 through 5. City of Atlanta Elementary School Art. First place, Genevie Alishine, Parkside Elementary School. [Applause] All right, second place, Tahari Perry, Bolton Academy. [Music] [Applause] Third place, Ava Seagal, Parkside Elementary School. [Applause] Honorable mention Khloe McMillan, Centennial Academy. Moving on. Ma Coyate, Ron Clark Academy. [Applause] Second place from Ron Clark Academy and Dehei Fatu Gar. Third place, Morgan Rose Jordan. [Applause] Honorable mention, Valentina Loen, Ron Clark Academy. City of Atlanta Middle School essay. First place, Christian Mahentennial Charter Academy. [Music] Second place, Atlanta Salam, Luther Judson Price Middle School. [Applause] Third place, Zariah Salam, Luther Judson Price Middle School. [Applause] Honorable mention from Wesley International Academy, Kingston Carter. [Applause] Kudos to our middle school winners. Moving on to high school, grades 9 through 12. City of Atlanta High School essay first place, Mariam Hasham, North Atlanta High School. [Applause] Second place, Malachi Rose Pitts, South Atlanta High School. Congratulations to our middle school winners. Moving to college and university, City of Atlanta College University essay, first place, Ryan Imwo from Morehouse College. [Applause] Second place, Alicia Edwards, Atlanta Technical College. [Applause] Third place, Sam Aqua, Georgia State University. [Applause] College University, City of Atlanta. Verbal Expression. First place, Majesty Kibbru. [Applause] And now the special open entry category for city of Atlanta and surrounding counties. Special open entry art category, first place, Naomi Thorne, EC West Elementary School. Second place from Oakley Elementary School, Carmen Matthews. [Applause] We have two honorable mentions in this category. First from Oakley Elementary School, Michaela Murray [Applause] and Shana Hawkins. [Applause] Special Open Entry essay. First place, Trinity Watson. Second place from Southwet High School, Carmen Barnes. [Applause] Honorable mention, Alfreda Johnson. Special open entry, verbal expression, first place. Mario Encosi Howell [Applause] from the Soul Food Cipher. All right, second place, Jamie Hall. [Applause] Honorable mention, Hadasa Felix. Congratulations to our special open entry winners. Now it's time to acknowledge the schools and faculty for their contribution. Council member Woodson. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. And and congratulation to all of our arts essay contest uh winners, those who participated. Can we get another round of applause for everybody that participated in this? Uh it's so great to see everyone that was part of this. Um you know, I like to tell my colleagues that we say district one is number one for a reason. Uh and I'm and I want to send a special shout out to all the schools that were in my district that participated in this. We had Ron Clark Academy, we had Parkside Elementary, Wesley International, uh we had Slater, we had uh Price Middle School. So congratulations to all of those that participated that were from District 1. I know Council Member Lewis is behind me. he'll have a little something to say about the schools in his district as well. But just want to go ahead and give out the spirit award uh to the two schools that participated. So we'll have uh principal Foster from Parkside Elementary and I think we have principal Moltry from TA Slater. Would you would you both come forward? Um we have a representative from Slater. Uh I think that was here as well, but we'll we'll get this award out to you both. But I have proclamations uh and I'm going to read them together because they basically say the same thing for both of you. Um, so in recognition of Parkside Elementary and TH Slater Elementary School, whereas the Atlanta City Council is pleased to recognize support and participation of public schools, libraries, colleges, recreation centers, and community centers from Atlanta and surrounding counties in the Atlanta Citizen Review Board's 2025 art, essay, and verbal expression contest. And whereas hundreds of students and adults from Atlanta and surrounding counties participated in the contest using their unique skills, perspectives, and experiences to respond to the theme, my dream for a just world, one city, one team, citizens and police working together. And whereas the 2025 contest engaged more than 400 students and community members of all ages, highlighting the power of creative expression to foster dialogue and understanding. Whereas Parkside Elementary and TH Slater schools exemplified due diligence by ensuring students entries were prepared accurately and submitted on time to main their eligibility. And whereas the Atlanta City Council and the Atlanta Citizens Review Review Board does recognize these schools and their principles for their steadfast commitment to the arts and communities they serve. Now therefore be proclaimed that we the members of the Atlanta City Council on behalf of the citizens of Atlanta do hereby recognize TH Slater Elementary School and Parkside Elementary School as it recognizes with the spirit award for showing exemplary spirit in the Atlanta Citizens Review Board 2025 art essay and verbal expressions contest. Congratulations to everybody. [Applause] Go. Yes, sir. And now I'm going to turn it over to my colleague, Council Member Antonio Lewis. Did y'all hear what he said a little earlier? He had a lot to say about District 1. Right. But my district, District 12, I don't know if y'all know it had just as many individual contest winners as district as district one. So when you look at the numbers, right, when people actually doing it and and and and he and I both know that Prior Road is the dividing line. And so if he mentions the two schools, Slater and Price, Prior Roads, they sit on Prior Road. So we share those. So, not only did District 12 have the second largest group of collective winners selected from AC from following schools, Atlanta Technical College, Atlanta Metropolitan State College, and my beloved alma mater, South Atlanta High School. You you can clap for that. We got some purple and teal in here. Right. Uh, today I would like to acknowledge and honor District 12 schools and one school in particular, one school in particular that was selected to receive the spirit award for the student for the student body having the most school spirit. Today we would like to award that to Kandzi Kandzi at Gideon's Elementary School. Kandzi Kandzi, I apologize. I I want to say say something else. In district 12, the first thing I did when I got elected was create the arts task force, district 12 arts task force. And the leaders of that arts task force were from the Pittsburgh community. And so to see Price Slater and G and Gideon's all win, it it means a lot to to our area. So congratulations again. But before and before I pass this to you, similar to my colleague, I would like to read the proclamation to you. Similar, it says the same thing, but I got you. Whereas the Atlanta City Council is pleased to honor the support and participation by Atlanta and surrounding counties, public schools, libraries, colleges, recreations, and community centers in the Atlanta Citizen Review Board 2025 arts essay and verbal verbal expression contest. And whereas hundreds of students and adults in in Atlanta are sorry hundreds of students and adults in Atlanta and surrounding counties completed in the competed in the 2025 arts essay and verbal expression contest using their unique skills, abilities, thoughts, and experiences to draw or write a response to the contest theme. My dream for a world just for a just world. one city, one team, citizens and police working together. And whereas the 2025 arts essay and verbal expression contest was supported by some 400 plus citizens and students of all ages in Atlanta and all surrounding counties who entered and competed. And whereas Kandezi at Gideons Elementary School was deemed by staff as being supportive and encouraging the student body to get involved. And because they submitted more entries than any other school, college, recreation or community center in the city of Atlanta and whereas the city of Atlanta and the citizen and the Atlanta citizen review board acknowledge can Desi Ed Gideon's elementary school is student body principal Owens and Miss Kenneka Winfrey Miss Kenneka Winfrey Dope DOP Miss Kenneka Winfrey DOP family and community engagement specialist for their unwavering commitment. to the arts and community they serve. Now therefore, it be proclaimed that we, the members of the Atlanta City Council, on behalf of the citizens of Atlanta, do hereby bestow the spirit award in honor of Kandzi at Gideons Elementary School, a key stakeholder of the Atlanta Citizens Review Board 2025 Arts and Essay and Verbal Expression Contest. [Applause] [Applause] [Music] Now we share that. We I apologize. Thank you, Council Member Lewis. Now, we we have Frenchy banter about the schools, but um you know, in all honesty, I know that we both love and respect all the schools and all the students that live in our districts, and so just happy to support each and every one of you. Uh before I turn it over to Executive Director Reid, I just wanted to see if any of my colleagues had anything. Um seeing none, I'm going to turn it over to uh Oh, sorry. Council member Collins. I know what she represents in our community right there. Yes. Right there. Yes. I just want to take the moment. I'm just so um for me it's just so honor. It's such a full circle moment to see some of the great leaders I used to work with at uh APS when I served on the school board and just to see the great work that's coming out of Kandzi at Gideonss. I remember the hard work we've done in that that space. So, just wanted to thank the leadership for making sure that our students have these opportunities and are aware. South Atlanta, I'm always forever dial um Hornet and just to Atlanta public schools and thank you so much to the city and city counts for making sure that the school system and our students are showcased wherever we can. So, congratulations again to all the beautiful babies that have won. We're really excited for you all. and even our older babies, even though you're still a college, you're still our children of the city. So, um, congratulations again. Welld deserved. [Applause] Thank you, Council Member Collins. And at this time, I will bring up, uh, Atlanta Citizen Review Board's executive director, Mr. Samuel Reid. All right. Thank you, Council Member Lewis and Council Member Winston for supporting the schools in your district and for this important contest as it gives us children gives our children an opportunity to have a voice and to be heard. Finally, ACB would like to recognize the school that had the most entries in the entire contest. In fact, they they had over 100 in the special open entry category, which did not have which did not have an age limit and was open to the city of Atlanta residents and few other county neighbors. We have uh any representatives from Cedar Grove Elementary School, Principal Norman Thomas or our director Dr. Dova triplet. Ah, here we go. [Applause] We want to thank you for participating in our contest. Um, so on behalf of Thank you, Dr. Triplet. On behalf of the ACB Cedar Grove Elementary School in Ellenwood, it is our privilege to acknowledge your school and student body with the school spirit award for submitting more entries than any other school, college, un recreation or community center in the eligible 2025 contest. Special thanks to you uh for all your hard work to make this our largest contest to date. Thank you to you and uh principal Thomas and Dr. Turbette meaning you thank you. All right, that's okay. So again, thank you everyone uh for being here and participating in this art and essay contest. Uh expressionism is so important especially for our youth and just so glad to see so many people participating in something that brings our communities, our our police officers and our public safety officials together uh for something positive. And so that's very important. I say one more time, we'll give him a round of applause for everybody that participated. Um and as council member Bond says, we'll do what we do best. We'll all come up and take a photo. So come up together. [Music] Thank you everyone. Thank you. All right. At this time, while everyone clears out, I'll welcome Council Member Michael Julian Bond up for a proclamation and recognition of Miss Kesha Walker. [Music] Yeah. City. Oh, okay. Oh, come on, man. That's us. I know. That's why grabbing us. [Music] Is she here? Thanks for presenting. Oh, yours. I was looking for you the other way. How are you? I'm doing pretty good. How are you doing? I appreciate you today. Oh, no. It's no problem. Is this you? You don't have any people here? Oh, okay. She shot exact opposite of me. All right. This one. Yeah. Well, I'd like to say good afternoon to everyone. It is a pleasure to be here today. People still moving. Oh, yeah. Yeah, if I can have everyone's attention, please. Thank you. It is really a pleasure and an honor to be here today. I'm presenting a proclamation on behalf of our president, Mr. Doug Shipman, but I'm glad that it fell upon me to do so to honor someone that I have known uh for a very long time, a very good friend of mine, Miss Kesha Walker. And I understand that her mother is in the audience. [Applause] Where is mom? Mom, wave your hand. Let's give mom a big round of applause. [Applause] And so we have here today a proclamation in in recognition of Miss Walker and it reads in pertinent part in recognition of Miss Kesha Walker. Whereas in October of 1998, Kesha Walker launched what would become an award-winning agency, Insights Marketing, and Promotions, specializing in corporate sports marketing, promotions, and special events, created to the uh urban and professional consumer segments of of marketing managers and 28 in 28 cities throughout the United States. And whereas based in Atlanta, Georgia, Insights has crafted and curated events nationally during noteworthy ventures, including NFL Super Bowls, NBA Allstar Weekends, the Kentucky Derby, and the Essence Music Festival to name a few. Whereas having worked with the powerhouse individuals and corporate brands such as Beyonce, Covergirl, Magic Johnson, Bristol Myers, Squib, and Victoria Secret, Miss Walker intuitively knew that that the footprint and impact could be expanded. And whereas uh Kesha learned to through her longtime love of gaming and has founded the Black Collegiate Gaming Association, making history in the process and becoming the first African-American woman to own a collegiic sports and gaming company. Whereas Yeah, that's great, isn't it? Whereas BCGA is D is a double minorityowned collegiic uh sports and gaming company with with the goal to create a pipeline for black uh blacks and women of color, college students to gain corporate roles within the gaming and tech industries. And whereas BCGA specializes in sports and gaming education, producing professional gaming uh summits and conferences, connecting student talent and top companies for internship and career opportunities, touching corporate partners for scholarship and mentorship opportunities to the H.B.CU BCU colleges and students that are formerly known as charter member institutions of BCGA. And whereas as a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Incorporated, an alum of Florida&M University, Miss Walker engages her networks and like-minded peers to support others in their entrepreneurial and educational pursuits. She highly values family and credits her mother with instilling in her the importance of education and working tirelessly to ensure that she's had appetite opportunities to excel. For more than 26 years, she has taken barriers and set sten barriers and has set standards in industries not traditionally welcoming to women. And now therefore, we the members of Atlanta City Council on behalf of the citizen city of Atlanta hereby proclaim this day of June as the Kesha Walker Day in our great city and witness thereof. We have set our hands and have caused the seal of the city of Atlanta to be here in a fix. Congratulations. Thank you. You're welcome. Thank you. Thank you. Are there any comments from our colleagues? Okay. Sority sister. You want to say something? All right. Right. That this is her sority sister. Okay. Y'all good? Okay. All right. Thank you. Now we hear from our honory, Miss Walker. Please, the podium is yours. Thank you everyone. Good day. And to God be the glory. I appreciate this opportunity. And to all the young women in the room, know that if you put God first, anything is possible. Um, he is the reason why I'm here. I want to thank all of our 19 member H.B.CU institutions, especially Morris Brown College right here in Atlanta. They were the first H.B.CU to offer a gaming degree in the country uh to students and paving the way of which there were three graduates, one a female and two men. So, we're super excited about what we're doing, building gaming and innovation labs around the country to help students understand that through gaming they can love, embrace, and be successful in the technology industry. I want to thank all of my colleagues, uh, all the young men and women who've had a chance to work with me the past 26 almost 27 years. I've been happy to be since day one based here in the city of Atlanta. We start off in Midtown and we've been at Buckhead the last 19 years. I love the city of Atlanta. I'm also on the board of Hosea Helps and Love giving back in the community and supporting those who are the working poor and less fortunate. And I ask that you all continue to support those that are less fortunate. You never know who your neighbor who you're working with may be u poor and more importantly homeless and in need. We've got to support now more than ever our communities and embrace our communities and support those who are less fortunate. uh to the divine nine and to all of the amazing people who uh support the work that we do and continue to help us to be successful at. Thank you uh Councilman Bun. We've been working in this a long time. Uh you we also have the chance to make history this year to being the first female owned agency to produce both the SWAC and the SIA basketball tournaments. Um one of which took place right here in Atlanta at Morris at Morehouse College and and um and Clark Atlanta University. So, we're super excited to continue to make history and to let women know we are amazing and can do anything and everything with God's grace. Thank you so much. And mom, I love you. [Applause] Oh, and to President and to President Shipman who wasn't able to be here, thank you for the honor and safe travels. Oh, and Mayor Dickens, you know, I love you. [Music] Right. [Laughter] [Applause] For our next proclamation, council member Michael Julian Bomb will remain with us and we will welcome up to the DAS community and youth advocate Brenda Davenport and her friends for her. Will all those who are here in support of Miss Davenport, please join us as many as possible. [Music] We're going to put it in this chair and then raise up. Okay. [Music] Yeah, that's what I'm saying. She's going to raise up. Yeah, we got the chair. It ain't going to move. Yeah, I feel a lot better. Yeah, thank you. Hey, man. That was great. Saturday morning. They're giving us [Laughter] [Music] [Music] y'all doing good. So, you doing good? be standing next to you. So, okay. All right. That's what we do. Bring Ael here. Yeah, she she needs to be right. Excuse me, ma'am. Excuse me, y'all. [Music] [Music] smile. Is that everyone? Is that everybody? Not yet. Porter and Judge. Where is Judge Paty Porter? You need to come a little closer, Mr. Are there any other elected officials here? If they're elected officials, please move closer to the podium. Where's Judge Sykes? Small terms. Okay. All right. And we got, of course, Reverend James Durley with us. We have a lot of Atlanta and regional and national notables here. And so, uh, I'm going to ask at a certain point that we acknowledge people, you know, down the line. But we want to we want to get to honoring uh someone who has been not only a servant leader in our community, but one who has continually, faithfully ardently persistently washed the feet of others in our community. [Applause] Brenda Davenport has served uh the greater community uh for many many years and has really have been the the the glue and the underpinning of and working with many other civil rights leaders over those decades. And what has often been said, but not often enough acknowledged in the human and civil rights movement, where men are often projected as the head or the leader, is that there'd be no movement. That's right. There'd be no success. There'd be no marches. There'd be no activism. There'd be no work without women in the movement. [Applause] And so with that, before I read uh the proclamation, uh we have a video that we will now show. [Music] I want to remind you of something that Mrs. Parks also told me as my friend, as my mentor, my spirit was tired, not my body. Amen. So, we thank you, Mrs. Rosa Parks, and we will continue to fight to make your birthday a national holiday. Brenda Davenport is determined to make a difference. Each year, she joins with city leaders, parks family members, and residents to commemorate the birthday of Rosa Parks, who's considered the mother of the modern-day civil rights movement. During this acknowledgement of National Transit Equity Day, Marta featured a replica of the bus parks boarded in Montgomery, Alabama in 1955. because I had the pleasure of working with her and knowing her personally, I feel obligated to keep the story going. That sense of obligation also compels her to impart the knowledge and words of wisdom she received from Parks to everyone she encounters. Her passion only intensified over decades of meetings planning training and marches. like a fire. It was sparked after the Southern Christian Leadership Conference selected her as youth director. Brenda always said, "We got to go make a difference. So, let me go out here and make a difference in the community." Felicia Stanley Johnson is the founder and CEO of Madio, Inc. For 21 years, this nonprofit has been providing mentorship, tutoring, and life skills training for young people. It's an organization so inspired by Davenport, her mantra became the organization's acronym. Maddio is making a difference in our community. Davenport spoke at her school when she was only 13 years old. Brenda immediately put us to work. Uh she was like, "We getting ready to have convention. We need these letters mailed out. We need these stamps on the letter." and we was just sitting at the conference table and we was filling the letters and we was just but we were so excited to be in the SDLC building. Jeremy Ponds refers to Davenport as his aunt but also sees her as a mother figure. He met Davenport in 1997 right before his 12th birthday. He was already an accomplished public speaker making news reciting the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. She told me Dr. Larry is retiring um July of this year. This is 97. Uh and also it's our 40th anniversary. We would love for you to come uh speak for his retirement. That opportunity paved the way for the Panama City native and Morehouse man to engage in the movement. He would meet many of the civil rights heroes he had only read about. He would go on to make history as the youngest person to open an SCLC chapter in Panama City. He was 17. She brought a whole delegation from Atlanta down to this installation service. And when you looked at that church, you had black, white, Latino, Asian. It was just pretty much community. Deborah Scott met Davenport as a student activist at Clark Atlanta University. my third or fourth day here, I would walked into and there Brenda was in her brilliant self organizing us as youth. So Brenda and I go back 40 plus years. She says Davenport taught them the importance of discipline and the use of non-violent principles as they organized two major projects. They were protesting Nelson Mandela's imprisonment. their students against apartheid movement while simultaneously working with Getta Scott King on establishing a national holiday for Martin Luther King Jr. Brenda was that bridge with us with the rest of the students on campus. I was a campus leader. I was vice president of student body. At the same time, um Bernice King was vice president of student body over at Spellelman. So, we had this trifecta of what we call the blue crew. I did put my heart into breathing everything I had into our young people because I wanted them to be the best young person they could be. I wanted them to to learn early about our history, about our story, and then help build your own story. Only so much falls on fertile ground. And as many as I could touch that would be that fertile ground to take the message and go a little step higher. That's what I wanted to do. I know I gave it my best. I know that I wanted them to be the best that they could be because a lot of times all they need is the encouragement, the empowerment, and the opportunity to see life differently. She's touched so many of us that she deserves this honor. She deserves this award. And I'm just glad to see her get her flowers while she's living. She is definitely an unsung hero. I run Georgia Standup because of Brenda. My mom's been deceased since 2017, my grandmother 2020, my dad 2022. So I pretty much lost everybody in my music family, but it's one person I still have left. That's Brenda Davenport. I'm sorry to do this, but you know, I can't, you know, hold this emotion in because she she has done so much stuff and not ask for nothing in return. So for her to receive this uh celebration at this juncture is a blessing is is long overdue. All right. [Applause] I'd first ask, are there any colleagues that'd like to say a word? Council Council Bloom. Yes, that's my first. I'd like to thank my colleague, the Honorable Michael Julian Bond, for honoring this warrior princess for the people. Not of Atlanta, but for this region. Yes. When Brenda calls, we answer. When Brenda calls, we answer. That's right. And then she says, "I want more. I need more. I need more. I need more. So, thank you for what you have done for not only the seniors but for the children, making sure that they have not forgotten their history. Thank you for taking care of the late uncle Reverend Fred Taylor. Amen. He taught us so much, taught her so much, loved her, and was so proud to call you daughter. Thank you. So, Brenda, this is just a small token of our appreciation. Yes, it is. And everyone, let's support the Rosa Parks Consortium. Let's support Brenda when she calls. Let's continue to pick up the phone. And I want to thank Phyllis Turner and Vanessa Manley who who have always worked side by side to help her do what she wanted to do. Thank you. Thank you. Amen. Next, we'll have a city council alumnist and the former state representative. She's very shy, but we know her affectionately as Abel Mayel Thomas. First, first giving honor to God is the leader of my life. It's always a blessing to be with family because that's who we are. The family that prays together stays together. So we must continue to pray for each other specifically Brenda because Brenda is a organizer, a creative mind. And when Brenda says she wants to make Rosa Park a national holiday, we got to get on board with that and just go and make that happen. No matter what's at is at the top, the top top is the Lord. And if the your you see the Lord is on our side, but in the spiritual realm, we got to get on the Lord's side. And we can do anything but fail. The people united will never be defeated. The people united will never be defeated. The people united will never be defeated. And another thing is they say get back. We say fight back. That's right. We got to fight back, y'all. But Brenda actually changed the trajectory of my political life when Andrew Young was running for mayor of the city of Atlanta. All the people that I was hanging with was with Regginal A Regginal Eaves. And so I was with the I want to be with the uh Reggie Raiders. Okay. and and and I met uh Reggie E and he was so charismatic and wonderful and all my friends were there and when I told Brenda I was going to go with the mayorship with the Reggie Raiders, she said, "Oh no. Oh no." She said, "You cannot do that. Come on with me. Let's go over to the Andrew Young campaign for mayor." And that changed my life. You get what I'm saying? I would have picked the wrong candidate starting off in the beginning and would have missed Deborah Scott, Marsha, Dwey Mlan, and all the other people, Brenda, that became a part of what we affectionately call the blue crew. We was the meanest machine in the street. All right. Okay. When it get to organizing and making things happen, but Brenda said, "Oh no, that one." Oh no. and then took me to the Andrew Young campaign and the rest is history. Amen. Let's give a round of applause for her bringing me in the game. Yeah, she brought me in the game, y'all. Y'all got to understand. So, Brenda has always been a blessing. Always looking out for the other person, you know, no matter what situation she was in, she made sure everybody was taken care of. Uh Brenda uh uh told me about a story where she was u doing this march and she marched 26 miles. I'm like, "Brenda, how did you march 26 mile?" She said, "I just kept putting one foot in front of the other." All right. Okay. Okay. And when she got there to the thing to the final, she was the last person to finish the race. And when she got there, she had won a prize. But it wasn't any prize. She won a brand new car. So, so being persistent and committed to others, the Lord will always bless you. So take so continue to give because just the other day I was in one place my house needed done and all of a sudden three black men three black men uh Clifford Palmer, Michael Sterling and Re and Randy Hazelton put the came together and did a $200,000 plus renovation of my home in the bluff with new roof and solar. Come on now. Oh yeah. Because the Lord will always do more for you than you expect him to do for you. Amen. He will go exceedingly abundant above what is expected. And the bottom line, you got to be a servant leader. And there's no greater servant leader than Brenda Joyce Davport. Thank you. Come on up. Good afternoon. I am Pure Sights. I'm one of 10 judges on the Atlanta Municipal Court. And uh I'll be brief, but I'll say if there is uh any young leader in this city, nine times out of 10 they have been under the tutelage or impact of Brenda Davenport, uh she has been a youth advocate for several decades. And although she doesn't look it, um you know, we consider ourselves older. We're in our late 30s and 40s, but stop it. to the other other generation. We are we are the young leaders here. Uh but Brenda's biggest lesson to me was no matter what your station is in life, you can help somebody else. You can help somebody else. I I I I'll say my my first time leaving the country. I was a teenager here, grew up in Atlanta, uh was Brenda Davenport bursting into the room and saying, "Y'all, we're going to Venezuela." And we were all not sure if she was serious, but uh her her point was that we were going there to do uh mission work and to pass out school supplies, bring books and other things to uh folks then living under a dictatorship rule in Venezuela. And I thought, you know, as a kid who grew up in Vine City down the street from from Abel Mabel, I thought we were the charity. I thought we were the poorest. Uh so uh but it it was life-changing and altering for me to you know be where I thought I was the on the bottom of the totem pole as the working class and go to another country and see far worse poverty to realize that there are folks who don't have shoes on a daily basis. There are folks who lack the necessary basics uh to function in life. And so I took a lot from that. Now I won't talk about how we missed our flight coming back and we got sucked but what I will say is um it was very eye opening and and when we often talk about youth uh we don't talk as much about uh empowering those youth. We talk about just making sure that they have financial things met but we also need to empower them. We need youth to know that you can do something regardless how powerless you feel, regardless of where you come from. you have connections and you have folks like Brenda in your corner building you up, giving you the tools you need. So, thank you, Brenda. I love you. You are a huge impact on my own life. And uh I see several folks here, too, who are other leaders and officers and folks who are leading this city. So, we all owe it to you. Thank you. Thank you, Judge. Thank you, judge. Now, we'll have the president of SCC come on up. Amen. Hey man, how's everybody doing? All right. I tell you, it is um hard to get up here and try to keep your words short. The brother told me to keep my words short. Um I would have to be remiss if I didn't acknowledge something that's very real about Brenda Davenport. You know, when you do this work, there are a lot of people who love to show up for these. They love microphones. They love cameras. Well, they love crowds. They love to give their opinion when they will do no work to help that opinion come through. It's a lot of those folks. When I got in this seat at SLC in September, one of the first people who called me to talk about doing some work was Brenda Davenport. And I think about what SLC means to this city, what it means to this country. And I think we forget sometime it's that second seat for Christians, right? Where we are right now today. The scripture says, "If my name be lifted up, I will draw all men unto me." Brenda lives a Christlike life. Yeah. Brenda does Christlike work. Yeah. So when they lifted her name up today, we fill this hall up because his name was up right here. The embodiment of Christ lives in the work of a Brenda Davenport. And that's why we're all here today. SLC will always be eternally grateful to Brenda Davenport, not just for the work that she does, but for for the actual embodiment. Brenda Davenport is everything that SCC will ever be and everything should be. And we are more than excited and elated to stand here and applause and support our sister who we love on this day. Thank you. Thank you. And now finally, we will have the pastor emeritus of Proidence Baptist Church. And also, uh, I want to dispel the rumor that he's under contract at the city council. Often, he is often here to provide God's word to us. So, without further ado, the esteemed Pastor Reverend Gerald Durley. Thank you. [Applause] I could not give my three-hour remarks unless I acknowledge the few names who are standing here with you. Reverend Joseph and Evelyn Lowry, CT Vivian, John Lewis, James Orange, Bernard Lafayette, Tyrone Brooks, JT Johnson, and all of those that are standing here, all of those that have gone on before. When we stand to places like this now, so many are gone. Joe Boom, I could call the road. and to stand here today and so many times we sing I wonder was there a song that could summarize your life and I believe it was written by Jerry Butler only the strong survive only the strong survive but she's not a survivor she is an inspirer you've inspired all of us for so many years when I came to Atlanta and the way you would move and the way that you would talk and the way that you would smile and And you know, I'm around a lot of a lot of people who complain. Well, who complain? How many of y'all ever saw Brenda complain about what she did not faith? She was all in there. She was always speaking to two. So today, you exemplify a song that we sing in the church. And I I'm very particular. I told them, "Don't sing that song for me anymore." The song was, "You see them singing, the wigs fall off, the teeth fall out, call I'm on the battlefield." Oh yes. But don't sing that around this lady here. She wasn't on the battlefield. She was in the battle. There's a difference between being in the battle. And on the battle, I know a lot of folks been on the battlefield and never got a scratch, never had a divorce, never had a debt. Brenda has always been in the battle. So today, we honor you for staying in the battle because only the strong survive. God bless. [Applause] Okay. I would be remiss if I didn't uh recognize one of my favorite constituents when I began my political career. Judge Paty Porter. All right. Where are you? Right here. Where is she? Right here. Behind you. Right. Oh, you're behind me. Right behind you. Everybody. Uh, it's good to know the judge. Amen. Amen. Judge, would you like to say something? Yes. You come to Good afternoon, members of the Atlanta City Council. Uh, it is my absolute honor to be here today with some of my heroes. Uh, Abel, Mabel, Thomas, Tyrone Brooks, Gerald Durley, and I'm so glad today that we're celebrating my childhood friend, uh, Brenda Joyce Devonport. Uh, can anything good come out of John Hope Atlanta public schools, Walker Street Elementary School, Book of Talifair Washington High School? Andre, can anything come out of there? It absolutely did in the person of Joyce Davenport. Many of us went to college to become doctors, lawyers, teachers, heads of industry. But do you know what Brenda Joyce Davenport's title is? Foot soldier. A foot soldier is someone that does all the heavy lifting behind the scene. so that when the main attraction come on they can shine and look good. Civil rights advocate Rosa Parks Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Ketta Scott King Dr. Joseph Lowry do you all hear me? Brenda George Devport is listed her job title and description is foot soldier and civil rights activist. And I hope one day it is a real job title that we pay with benefits 401ks. pensions, sigly vacation, all the things that all of us have done. Brenda Joyce Devonport gave it up for all of our kids. So, you're right. Whenever she calls, whenever Tyrone Brooks calls, whenever Abel Mabel calls, these are the people who every time something going on. You all, we all call them to say, "Help us out." But we got to take care of them. So, I hope I live to DC the day when a civil rights activist and a foot soldier will have a job title that comes with the same benefits as the heads of Delta Southern Company, CocaCola because without the foot soldiers and the civil rights leaders of Brenda George Devport, she gave up her career for our kids so that we have each of these young men and women who spoken. So, my shirro, my friend, I just say I'm so very proud of you. And I just say this, don't believe that she's all softspoken and easygoing because I can tell you uh and when she comes to tell you that we fought every day, she started the fight. I did not pick a fight with her. But I love her dearly. And there's not a moment in my life that I don't think of her and our amazing friendship of over 60 years. That's how long is since kindergarten. and no matter what has happened in my life, wherever I've been, I'm going to see her head somewhere in there. I love you dearly and I just wish you continued success in all that you do. And Councilman Boone, Councilman Bond, and all the ones who are around here, we need a job title with a pay scale and benefits for civil rights activism. [Applause] Oh, Ebenezer. Who's representing Ebony? Oh, Reverend, come on up. I will be brief. I'm Reverend John Vaughn, executive pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church, Brenda's Home Church. Yes. Yes. I bring you greetings on behalf of our on behalf of our senior pastor, the Reverend Dr. Raphael G. Waro. Ebenezer is in the house. Yeah. Right. Yeah. and we are grateful for you and so much unseen behind the scenes in terms of your commitment to children and youth at Ebenezer. And so for that we indeed are grateful. So God continue to bless you and keep you in all that you do. Amen. Amen. [Applause] I wanted to also acknowledge Brenda's sorority, the Sigma Gamma Row Incorporated. Are you all here right now here in the front? Are you all going to step at all? Not today. Well, we'll get to the moment at hand. We have a proclamation from the city of Atlanta. A proclamation issued by the governing authority of the city of Atlanta, which is the Atlanta City Council, is the highest award that the city can present to a person, a place, or occasion. And I have the distinguished privilege and pleasure to present this proclamation on behalf of our president and all 15 members of the Atlanta City Council. It reads in pertinent part in recognition of community youth advocate Brenda Davenport. Whereas Brenda Davenport has been a steadfast advocate for youth empowerment and civic engagement throughout Atlanta and the broader southern region. whereas she played a pivotal role in organizing voting rights workshops in March of 1982, leading efforts to produce and involve young people in the movement for freedom and democratic participation. Whereas through the coordination with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and other grassroots organizations, Miss Dabport has tirelessly supported voter education, ensuring underrepresented communities are informed and empowered to exercise their rights. And whereas her unwavering dedication to civil rights, social justice, and community development has inspired countless individuals, especially the youth, to engage in public service, advocacy, and activism. And whereas Mr. Davenport's leadership exemplifies the highest ideals of citizenship and service, reinforcing Atlanta's cherished values of inclusivity, educ equality, and collective betterment. Now therefore, we the members of Atlanta City Council on behalf of the citizens of Atlanta hereby proclaim this day as Brenda Davenport Day in our fair city and witness thereof. I have set my hand and have caused the seal of the city of Atlanta to be here. [Applause] Now we'll hear from our lead. The woman herself, the great lady of the civil rights, [Applause] [Laughter] [Applause] Can y'all hear me? Yes. Do I need to start over? Yeah. Yes. Thank you so much. You have certainly earned your crown because you saw it fit to recognize so many of us that may get an honorable mention. And I thank you so much from the bottom of my heart for allowing me to be where my leader stood. Reverend Frey Douglas Taylor. Yes. Leader. And it is with much heart that I say to you. You have added to one of the biggest memories that I will always share as part of the city of Atlanta that I love and all of you that love me. I say thank you to the sorority sigma to my family, my sister. I have my only sister living. I had cousins that came in from Ohio. Dietra, thank you for coming. My college roommate came. Now, y'all cannot ask her any questions unless you're asking her about while at Shaw University when I painted when I worked with the ones that painted the student government or halls red, black, and green. I was also the one that had to paint it over when they found out. or when I walked around in the march on the president asking for better food and asking for well not well we were demanding but we ended up with a little bit better food and better dorms and with brother Macas if he was here he would always say ready to go home you ready to go home and I'd say I need to stay there just a little bit longer to put my footprint where Ella Baker was. And so I say thank you for that. I thank you for my sister, my nieces who are here. Some I didn't even know was coming showed up cuz they saw it. Thank you. It has been a plum pleasure to serve, not work. Cuz work you get real pay. I serve because my heart was in it. Well, I thank you to the AD King Foundation, SELC, SLC Women, and my beloved Ebeneza Baptist Church. I thank you for uh the Rosa Parks Consortium and members of the Rosa Parks family is here. And I thank you so much for sharing in this moment. Uh we are more than just showing up for Rosa Parks. You guys have been like family to me and I thank you for that. I thank you for allowing me to serve at the level that we were able to serve. I I would be in the room with all those names. Reverend Durley named some of those names. Reverend Taylor, Reverend Osbborne, uh E. Randall T. Frederick Moore, Reverend Love, and I would be the only female in the room and the youngest female in the room and the toughest. And the toughest Someone said that she is really there was a story and she's here today and I don't want her to really repeat it but y'all know for the ones that know it was Rita Samuels and Rita was hitting hard on me that day and I knew my friend from Ebeneza was there so I was trying to beat Ebenea but Rita just hitting so hard. So, I had to come out to that other person. And my girlfriend said, "I didn't know you had that in you. I've never seen you talk like that." I said, "You ain't never met Rita Samuels." Amen. That other person has to come out. But at every point of that, the best that is within me was always first. That's right. Because I understood that I had a mission to respect and give glory to God. Yes. In every step that I make, I never start a project without asking God for direction. Yes. And sometimes some of my friends say, "Can you tone it down? Can you tone it down when I have to come back to you another time and another time and another time?" Is because they telling me to tone it down cuz I'm asking for too much. But I don't ever think I'm asking for too much. Reverend Durley, I love you and I appreciate you. Abel Mabel, there's no words for our friendship and our relationship. I thank you, Ebeneisa, for being there. Demar, I'm sorry, President Demar Ligins, I am so proud of you and you do have I will put everything I can to help your administration be the best administration for if we don't move forward on with SCC this time. If we don't move forward with SCLC this time, I'll stop right there. So, we're asking you for your support. We're asking you to help us build and rebuild because we are the conscience of America. That's right. That's right. And I do what I do because that conscience is in me. I sat at the foot with too many people to go to sleep. The Rosa Parks, the Johnny Carr, Ketta Scott King, Evelyn Lowry, That was not a mistake. That was God divine work in me. As Mabel wanted to say a little bit more, I came into this world at two two pounds. So they had already given up on me. Oh Lord. And my mother taught me that you came in here fighting to stay here. I really came in here to fight for us. M that's why I had to fight so hard to stay here. Yes. And I haven't given up yet. That's one more battle. That's one more battle that I'm fighting right now. But today, you all had given me the courage to fight harder. Yes. Yes. We're going to get a kidney. Yes. And you all going to help me say that. Say that. That kidney. That kidney. What's your name? We need a kidney. We need a kidney. And we need your help to get that kidney. Amen. That fight is one that I cannot I really think I have control over a lot of stuff, but this one I don't have control over. It is all about our community that would help me get that kidney, and I'm depending on you this time to be my back. That's all right. I thank you so much for allowing me to be here today. Um, sometimes we think sometimes we think that is almost over. Sometimes we think that nobody's watching. Sometimes we think that what we're doing is not what we're supposed to be doing. But I have lived long enough and seen too many young people that come to me as they have said today. Thank you. As we travel to Selma, I think it's this has been my 40th year traveling to Selma with our young people. But the one I remember was this young lady crying when we got back on the bus. And I got nervous because see I don't like children to cry because that make it like I did something wrong and then they gonna tell their mama. And the young lady I called her up and I said what's the matter? She said they don't teach us this in school. I don't know. I didn't know any of this. I will always vote, Miss Brenda, because you h allowed me to walk on hollow holy ground and meet people that I I never knew about. And then she said, "Why don't they teach this in school? Why don't we learn about Selma in school?" And then I said proudly because that's our responsibility, our community to go to exit step. Amen. So, we cannot allow our history to go unwritten. That's right. Or allow them to take our history. That's right. We got to do it. And as I close, my leader would tell me, "Time, old time. Oh, time is winding up. Time old time, oh, time is winding up. So much corruption in the land. Why don't the people take the stand? Time is winding up. Tell president, time is winding up. Tell the president, time is winding up. So much corruption in the land. Why don't the people take a stand? Time is winding up. Thank you and God bless you. Thank you. Let's give Bren another round of applause. Get another one. Give Come on. Give it to him. And we're about to move to take take a photo. Bren, I wanted to make sure that I told you that your cousin James Davenport says his re his regards. He cannot be here uh today. Oh, he he he made it. Yeah. So, you you escaped from Grady. Is that what happened? Good to see you. And so, we're going to move up to uh take a photo. But as you move forward, I want you to know something. You don't ask for too much because you have always given more than anything you've asked for. So, you keep doing it. You keep pressing. All right, let's gather up. As we gather around, let's just lift up Brenda in what made us all strong during the movement. Just speaking with God, eternal and almighty, divine, righteous God, we have gathered in a co Chyros moment to thank you for the life, the legacy of Brenda Davenport. We thank you, God, for all that she has, all that she is doing. And God, we heard a request today something about a kidney. I believe God, we know that you're able. So all those in agreement today said, "God, here hear our plea. Our plea. Give Brenda, give Brenda what she needs." What she needs. And we're thanking you right now. Thank you for the deliverance. In the name of all the great prophets and our Lord and Savior. Everybody who agrees with this said, "Amen." And give Brenda the round of applause. she deserved. Let her hear it downtown. Let her hear it at the Capitol building. Let her hear it in Washington DC. Brenda, you have done it. [Applause] Oh, [Music] freedom over me over me. And before I'd be a slave, I'd be buried in my grave and go home to my Lord and be free. [Music] Oh, freedom over me. Over me. And before I'd be a slave, I'd be buried in my [Music] free. Hey everybody. [Applause] [Music] What's up, Yes, sir. Hey, you. [Music] We need everyone to move quickly to the left and the right. Please move quickly to the left and the right. We need everyone to move quickly to the left and the right. We need everyone to move quickly. [Music] Start [Music] down. Them knees. I I managed to stand. We need everyone to move quickly. [Music] Come here. Good to see you. Glad to see you, too. We need everyone to clear the chamber as quickly as possible. Please clear the chamber as quickly as possible. [Music] Will everyone please clear the chamber as quickly as possible. [Music] Last but not least, All right. At this time, we're going to move on to our next proclamation. So, if everyone will clear the chamber, I welcome up council member Amir Ferro. We'll be presenting a proclamation for immigrant heritage month. Council member Ferro. Is she speaking out for me? Welcome council member Fokei and everyone here for the proclamation for immigrant heritage month. Please join us on the dis. Thank you president promis. I'll wait till I'm joined by the attendees and we'll get going in one second. picture. Oh yes. Okay. You know what? Two weeks. [Music] All right. Welcome. Welcome. Coming around. Yeah. not in trouble, are we? And I'm Council Member Amir Farro, and in partnership with Council President Doug Shipman's office, I am honored today to be presenting a proclamation in celebration of immigrant heritage month. I am both a ninth generation Georgian and the son of a immigrant from Iran. And that would be enough for me to present this proclamation. But we're also um living in a time in which it feels like we have sometimes forgotten that all of us barring any Native Americans in the room are here from somewhere else whether forced or voluntary. Uh, immigration is part of all of our stories and has built this country, continues to build this country in ways that sometimes gets lost in today's political rhetoric and action. And so it is with great honor today that I get to present uh this proclamation in celebration of immigrant heritage month which applies to all of us. Uh and if you'll indulge me uh I will read briefly from this proclamation and then invite um Himemeay to to give some remarks. Um whereas generations of immigrants from every corner of the globe have contributed to the unique character characters and robust econ excuse me robust economies of the city of Atlanta and the United States of America. Atlanta has long been a welcoming city and currently sustains 70 consular and trade offices, 31 bational chambers of commerce and 17 sister city relationships. And whereas immigrants contribute richly to the development of our landscape through accomplishments in business, technology, and innovation, leadership, arts and culture, along with adding to the fabric of the faith community, bringing distinctive perspectives, customs, and ideas to the forefront, our immigrant communities adds substantively to the growth of our society. And whereas the celebration of immigrant heritage month began in 2014 with the purpose of giving immigrants and refugees the opportunity to explore and celebrate their backgrounds, an added purpose of the recognition is to raise awareness of how diversity and immigration are both essential elements of our social fabric. The city of Atlanta is proud to do its part toward the realization of these objectives and I'm honored today to procla today proclaim today June 2025 immigrant heritage month. Um, you know, again, I present this with a little bit of a a heavy overhang as I mentioned at the top because we do exist at a moment uh where um our origins and our stories are being judged in ways um that fail to remember that we're all we're all from somewhere and we all have the same dreams and aspirations. And often times what distinguishes being American from being from somewhere else in the world is just access to opportunity. We laugh at the same things. We have the same aspirations for our kids and our families. We contribute to society in meaningful and substantive ways no matter what our professions are. And our American story is a very short one without the power and richness and hard work and sacrifice of immigrants. Um, so I'm really thrilled to be able to present this today. I Council President Shipman's office asked me to do so in his absence and I just feel blessed that I was able to do so. I notice off to my right my colleague Council Bakiari and I we're both children of immigrants and I see her here. I'm hoping she's going to say something. Uh, I will turn it over to her before I turn it over to Yu if that's okay. And then we'll uh we'll hear from our guests and take a take a photo. Couniest. Uh, thank you, Council Member Froi, and thank you to you all for being here. Um, God, a number of things to thank you for. Uh, as Council Member Faroki said, the time that we're in, and I speak to y'all today, uh, knowing that my father's hometown was bombed over the weekend and that I'm having to talk with my family about, uh, having to evacuate them from their country and their home. Um, and I have to thank you because my father came here on the American dream because of folks in organizations like yours. And we're living in a time where our immigrant communities are under attack simply for existing when when our immigrants are the foundation of everything that we do and all success. In fact, I would love to see some of those people who claim that their jobs were stolen take to the fields and farm themselves. Guarantee they wouldn't even last an hour. But all of our labor and all of our success is built upon the backs of the communities that come here seeking a better life and and doing so give more to us than they give to themselves. Um, it is especially important now to champion and to speak out and to be there and to include and to invests and to make sure that we are using our platforms and our voices to tell the stories of those who are too afraid or intimidated out of telling their own. So, I thank you all for being here. I thank you for the life-saving work that you are doing. and I stand alongside my colleague um in making in in the dedication that we will do everything that we can to continue to support and council president to continue to support the immigrant populations that contribute so much to our city and to our country. So thank you all. [Applause] Hello everyone. My name is Himerangel and I'm the regional government d government relations director at forward us. We are a bipartisan organization working to reform our nation's immigration and criminal justice systems. I want to thank President Doug Shipman and members of the Atlanta City Council for issuing this proclamation recognizing June as immigrant heritage month, also referred to as IHM. I also want to take time to recognize and thank the mayor's office of international immigrant affairs welcoming Atlanta along with our partners here on stage who by the way many of them could not be here unfortunately who work who are working diligently to provide services and advocate alongside our elected officials to promote friendly immigrant policies. IHM um is a nationwide effort that takes place in June each year to gather and share inspirational stories of immigrants and the unique diverse heritage of millions of people across the country. Spearheaded by the I stand with immigrant campaign by forward us. This year marks 12 years sharing the diversity that forms American unique story. The Atlanta immigrant community brings immense value to our state's culture and economy. We all have witnessed the contributions of immigrants as we've all indulged in the city's amazing cuisine. We've seen our skyscrapers reach for the heavens. We've seen the contributions of immigrants when we root for our sports teams. We've seen the contributions of immigrants when we go visit our hospitals. And as there's an in the immigrant contribution here in Atlanta is vital to every sector. There's an estimate 1 million immigrants living in the Atlanta metro area collectively having 39.2 billion in annual spending power and paying 12.6 billion in combined taxes. And that's just in the metro Atlanta area. While we reflect and celebrate Atlanta's immigrant community this month, I also want to remind you all of the work that still lies ahead. I want to assure the great people of this city that despite any challenges that come before us, we will not let ye we will not let fear and we will not yield to fear and let anyone anyone undermine the values that make us the capital of the south. Everyone on the stage will remain committed to working alongside our leaders to ensure that our city remains strong and prosperous for anyone seeking a better tomorrow. Thank you so much. Um, Councilman Doug Shipman, members of the city council, Mayor Andre Dickens for all the work y'all are doing. Uh, we're here to be a resource and God bless y'all. Thank you. [Applause] You want to say briefly? Hello everyone. My name is Jean Luke Graa and I'm the deputy executive director of Latino Community Fund Georgia. I just want to take this time to thank city council and president Shipman for honoring immigrants during immigrant heritage month with this proclamation and also for the partnership we have with the mayor's office of uh international immigrant affairs. It's an honor to work with you all every day uh to support all our new arrivals um with all the work that we do through the welcome Atlanta program. So just thank you all for this recognition. It means the world and um we will keep fighting for immigrants. [Applause] Hello everyone. My name is Elias. I represent the Latin American Association and the Latin American Association want to thank you um city of Atlanta for the support that provided to the immigrant community and we want to say that we are here to here to continue providing services to the im immigrant community and the kids that they are US citizens. You know, we want to recognize the value of the contributions of the Latina community and the immigrant community and we want to thank the city of Atlanta for the support you provided to us as a community as a whole. Thank you. [Applause] All right, thank you everyone. That concludes our proclamations for today. We'll now move on to public comment. I do not believe we have any elected officials that have join us that have signed up for public comment. So, we will move on to our first public commenter, Miss Henri Jordan. days please the Lord. He maketh enemies to be at peace with him. 5 verse 16 chapter 7 verse wisdom praises in the first person her own moral marrow moral excellence apart from being apart from wisdom to seek to obey Jesus appears to be a curse but is a blessing be not deceived God is not mock whatsoever of a man sow that shall he also reap Galatians 6 7 verse are outwitted. To disobey God's command and then escape divine punishment would be to outwit God, thus making a mockery of him and his word. You see to treat me like a dog, but Jesus disagrees. James actions told Jesus, "He don't desire to be a Christlike husband. Who so digth a pit shall fall therein and he that rollleth a stone it will return upon him. Proverbs 26 chapter 27 verse the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. While it is said today if you will hear his voice hard not your hearts as in the provocation. Hebrews 3r chapter 15 verse. First the people offer a hymn that serve as a call to worship and prayer. Then the priest or prophet answers with a warning that he that the worshippers must not fall prey to hardness of heart as did their ancestors. Satan is not bigger than Jesus. It is a trust and an appearance. But we want the power to disobey Satan. The power to be our Lord Jesus Christ. Thank you. And obey Jesus. We do have uh former council member and state representative Ael Mabel Thomas. Let's see if we can get this down. Okay. The side. Is it better? That might feel good. Yeah. Right here on the side. All right. Testing one, two, three. Okay, good. I first give an honor to God who's the leader of my life. It's the honor to be with family. Uh because I do consider myself as a part of the alumni of the Atlanta City Council and I do appreciate the work you do. I know it is not easy work, but it's h e a r t hard work and continue to serve with your heart so that the people of Atlanta will prosper and be safe. I come today to talk to you about an issue that is egregious and I want relief from yourselves and the networks that you have. We were called to a meeting at the middle of April by Southern Company Georgia Power and they said to the community, "We are going to put a second substation electromagnetic substation in your area." We already got one. So we would be the only little little area in Georgia probably that got two substations. We don't want it. We say get back. We don't want it. That's right. We don't want it. And so we asked the question, "How long have you been working on this situation?" And they say, "Two years." But two years they had been working and never brought it to the community. and they said to us on June 5th we will have a groundbreaking. Now that's how they came to the community and so we know it is a health hazard for our children. Anybody who know the area on North Side Drive know that Bthome Elementary School used to be there and there's a gifted school there. So that's two blocks away. They know that this area is not the area that they're trying to provide electricity to. Everybody knows it's the goat in Centennial Yards with about 50 acres. So what we say is why not put it at Centennial Yards or the GOC you if it's going to go underground, put it underground there. We don't want to be even if they talking about putting something underground. We don't want it. Pick another neighborhood, but everybody should be able to to fight back because it's not a slap in the face of English Avenue and Vine City. It's a slap in the face of the whole city for corporate conglomerates to treat our community the way that they do when they had ample time. So now I'm not going to order a process. I've been in politics too long to or process. They did us wrong. But what we want now is remedy. And the remedy is pick another site. Move, but stop trying to kill off poor and workingclass people throughout this city. Give us a chance to live and prosper as everyone else. And who wants to live in a neighborhood with two substations? You know, that's ridiculous. And if you would, Stephen Muhammed is from Dian City Civic Association, and I'd like them to say just a teen bit of words. Uh, thank you, Mabel. But you, you said enough. You think back about health about soil contamination? Well, the soil contamination and you're going to put a power two power stations and a school, our babies in between. That's egregious. That's absolutely horrible. And we know that Georgia Power with their schoolyard bully boy tactics where they push people around, they run this public service commission. It's it's very difficult to deal with them. But we are going to challenge them. David and Goliath is a biblical prophetic story that applies to this situation. You have Mabel who was served on this council, who has served this city very well, and she has to get up out of her bed, out of her new home that was just renovated to come fight. Now, we're having another protest Thursday, Junth. Every two weeks, we're going to come out and we're going to come after Georgia Power. And we have other remedies that we're going to do also. But we're saying that we need your help. We know it goes to the GOC. The Gulch can't get any money without this council. The Gulch can't get any money without the mayor and this council. We're saying tell the Gulch to take it over there. You're not going to give them that 1.9 billion. This an election year. It's 1.9 billion involved with the Gulch. We know that two acres for a power station represents a 100 million. It's a $5 billion project. That's a hundred million per acre. That's $200 million times 10 exponentially. That's a $2 billion potential. We understand that Georgia Power is looking at making millions of dollars on lights. We understand the economics of it. Take it over there and they deal with it. Georgia Vine City is not going to benefit off those billions. So why is it being put in Vine City? We feel it needs to go where it's going to benefit those people. Those people and let it stay there. Thank you. So, we have a campaign called uh GPAC, Georgia Power Accountability Campaign. Georgia Power must be accountable. Let's hold Georgia Power accountable. Six I think six rate hikes since 2003 and they were asking for one for January of 26. Uh, but I think that they the public service may have done something positive and I think they've made them delay on that one. But six rate hikes on our bills since 2023. That's enough. Thank y'all. Thank you. I'll leave this up here. Joel Stevens. Okay. Thank you. Okay. Oh, nice. I thought y'all might have skipped me. I was looking for shipment on the screen out there. Um, uh, I got four. Should not. It's not indicated that he has four minutes. He should have the regular two minutes. I'm not. All right. Daniel, just one second while we start. Okay, go ahead. Oh, yeah. Thanks. I was just uh in the time since I had been up here last, I was keeping my eye on the case of uh um Devin Anderson, and I was wondering if uh specifically you, Mr. Lewis, might have any insight on to what the holdup would be with having that case move forward. Um, I spoke with her a minute ago outside and I know in previous instances it would just seem like a case that might move a little faster and I was wondering if there was any reason why charges would not have been brought at this point uh to Melvin Potter for for the murder of her son. And I just had that question and that was why I showed up today. So, thank you for your time. Council member Lewis, thank you for for addressing me and pointed directly at me. Mrs. Anderson and I, we talk all the time. I think what she was talking to me about today was about our conversations that we have about why the cases are moving forth and I was telling her about some more cases that are moving the same exact way. And so I've been the advocate making sure to ask all of the questions that she needs me to ask. I've tried to be her entire voice. I've asked her to act out. She can use my voice. Not trying to be her voice. I tried to let her use my voice. And I know also our public safety committee has also been moving forward with her as well. So I truly appreciate you for advocating for this. And I know you overheard a little bit of the conversation, but that was me making sure she can use my voice. But thank you again. the hopes that you to answer your your question. The she I didn't hear anything you said. I was just following the news. I saw like back in May there was an article. But Mr. Steven, this is not a back and forth. You done with your time and council member Lewis, I believe, is now done. Correct. Okay. Thank you. Next is Aake Williams. [Music] Good afternoon everyone. Uh my name is Aake Williams. I'm a business major at Morris Brown College with a 3.9 GPA and a proud voice of Atlanta's west side. I'm here to strongly support the trails ATL plan. Right now only about 40% of Atlantans live within a 10-mi walk of a safe trail. And this plan um set forth will put 94% of residents within a 10-minute walking of a trail by 2022. Um that's assets that's equity that's real opportunity for every part of the city. I want to give a big shout out to Eric with the PAL Foundation for continuing to support the 327 miles of trails and help bring in over $444 in total investments and also just being able to, you know, push this project along. I would also like to say um thank you to the community human services committee for also pushing this through committee um last week. That was a major um stride. And yeah, I'm all in support for the trails ATL plan. While I have a little bit more time, I would also like to say something about Georgia Power. Um a lot of residents on the west side are becoming what they known as energy burden. And with energy burden, um I think it's time for I know it's not y'all's job as the public service commission to hold them accountable, but to be a little bit more vocal with the public service commission to let them know like our residents are being impacted by your lack of regulation with the utility provider. They're running like it's a monopoly. And so we're just asking for a little support spec specifically over in Vine City where um when we went to the community engagement meeting every um executive person they had at the meeting said that they would not live near this substation build. So making sure that we get something out of this deal as community members. Thank you. Next is Dr. Dwan Robinson. You'll have 10 minutes due to allocated time. [Music] Good afternoon. Afternoon council. Often time we take things for granted like life. So I try to be grateful and move in love more often around my birthday. So often time I come down here talking about the things that's going on um in a city that could be wrong or could be fixed. So for today I'm going to take a different approach. I would like to start off by thanking all who work hard and all who have crossed my path at city hall. Start on the first floor with special events. Aaron, thank you for all your help. First floor watershed department. Thank you for everything and always making sure that our seniors and all the citizens of Atlanta move fast and make sure they get the help that they seek. Planning department, Rashene Learu, thank you for all your help. The entire finance department, I don't want to call each and every last one of you, but thank you. Constituent service under Greg Clay. Thank you, uh, Raondo Davis for Midnight League basketball. Thank you, Ashley and Sandra for for ticketing for nonprofits. Thank you for all you do. All of the procurement department, thank you for always making sure that the vendors who want to get help and want to contract with the city are helped and treated with respect. Thank you. second floor. I would like to thank our mayor and I would like to think that this administration has been more most accessible than any administration I paid attention to since I've been down here at city hall. No matter what I've said or what I've done, what whether or not the administration agree or not, I do thank you guys for open access. Landre Burks, thank you. Peter Aemon, thank you. Theo Pace, thank you for all your work and all your conversations, whether or not you want to have them or not. Courtney English, I thank you for always willing to talk and at least try to make amends on whether you want to or not. My friend, my Douglas High alumni, our chief of staff, OD Donald, I personally will miss you, brother. I don't think most people understand how hard the chief of staff work is. I will miss you. I wish you much success in your next endeavor. It have made me proud, man, to watch you online working out and get your strength back and being able to walk, man, where your kids can really enjoy a quality of life with you. Amber Diggs, who also work in the mayor's office in the alcohol department. I appreciate every email. I appreciate every return phone call. I really thank you. Melly mail and Bridget at the front desk and council office. I thank you so much uh Mr. Julian Bond, Councilman Amos, Councilman Lewis, and Councilman Boone. Your whole staff who I normally work with and try to get things done. I thank you, Santana, and your whole entire staff. I thank you, Miss Corine, and the whole clerk staff. I thank you, Sean Brown. I thank you a lot, brother, for all your hard work and everything that you do and your whole staff. Moving on to the third floor. Miss Kenetta Holmes and your entire staff in zoning. I thank you so much for answering all my questions. Even I get on y'all nerves with all my questions and my projects. I thank you. Miss Jubie Thompson, I thank you. Greg Pace and your whole team's in buildings. I know things start out a little rocky. I sure appreciate you. Uh, Megan and Courtney, I appreciate you guys so much for always returning emails. Even if I come up there at 4:45 p.m. on a payday Friday, y'all still stay and make sure that you answer everything and help me. So, I thank you. Congrats to another Douglas High alumni, Mr. Calvin Blackburn. Welld deserved, man. Um, as the new commissioner of HR. Thank you, April Weeks, Kim Finley, Mike Morning. Thank you guys for loving employees and loving Atlanta. Commissioner Garmin and public works. Thank you so much, man. Chris Davis and the dean staff and especially my brothers downstairs who work hard setting up at city hall all the time. Thank you. And to my brother, I know he probably not listening. My um my Asian brother that clean city hall and do a tremendous job. I thank whoever gave him that job. I really thank him for that because he take pride in his work. I thank you. to our DOT staff and everybody up there that making these projects work. Even though sometimes seem like it's taking a little longer than others, we still have the people behind the scene that work hard. Mr. Keith Hillsman and Cman, thank you. And the whole legislative team up there, thank you guys doing a great job. CFO Baller and your team um and Yolanda Carr, I thank you guys so much. and our city attorney, Miss Patrice, I thank you so much for answering questions as best as you can from a legal standpoint. I thank you so much, my guy Al Wiggins, Mr. Do everything and try to help everyone if he can. I thank you so much, man, for everything that you do. And last but not least, the city employees. Those who keep the exterior and the interior clean. Those who work on the back of the garbage trucks. In a time where we have social media where people can make fun of you and taking videos, you are up early taking pride in your work because no city can live with trash all on the streets and our water um not working properly. So, thank you. So, I want to give a special shout out um to Councilman Mir Feroi uh who I know stepped out in here. He created this thing called In Her Hands. Something that I found that's very profound to help black women um secure housing and take away that burden and being able to find jobs. I think that was so important that he don't boast about it. He don't brag about it. I had to find out from a woman who live in this district, man. So, I had to find that out. So, I thank you for that. U Mr. um Councilman Feroki, and I do um wish you great endeavors in your next term in life. And um I noticed today we have um Councilman Hillis serving as the president. So, that mean u Mr. Shipman have been out um sometime. So, I wish you um um um I hope your wife doing well and whatever's going on with your family, I wish you well, man. because I noticed you're absent. So, I just want to make sure um that I don't forget that if you're not. Um and for all the fathers in the building and on council, happy belated Father's Day from yesterday. Um um as I leave and take a 14-day trip, man, I just want to say, hey, no matter how much I come down here, man, I do move in love and I do appreciate you guys because I'm somebody that can respect uh honest no. Um, I respect each time I pull you guys to the side and you speak and answer the question whether you want to or not and try to help as best as you can. Oftent time I think overall we've done a bad job from a city standpoint um as to um really making sure that people understand the functions of the city. Sometime we ask questions and you guys, you know what I'm saying? It's not your job, you know what I'm saying? But you still try to do it and it's other people job that we think it's city council job or the mayor, you know what I'm saying? or whomever. But you guys do a great job in trying to facilitate that. like often time even employees you guys don't get in the business of speaking on employees behalf getting advanced but you guys can ask questions but it's not your job and often time I think certain people put their hands in it and the public think it's council job um and actually it's not and so today you know I just want to just come give you guys appreciation and love because tomorrow is not promised and though I want to be someone known to fight for people, but I also want to be someone that move in love and respect people because that's the principle that I live on. And so I just want to leave here today and say thank you guys and um well wishes um because I know you guys are what taking off sometime in July. Yep. So well wishes and God speed. Thank you Dr. Robinson. Next is Valerie Anderson. Due to allocated time you have eight minutes. Um, good afternoon. Um, I'm here today to see that if there's any information on the murder of my son, Devon Anderson, from Atlanta police officer Melvin Potter. It's been 10 months and I haven't heard anything about why Melvin Potter, who was on probation for DUI, murdered my son. Now, Miss Collins and Matt West Men, I'll be speaking with you or addressing you for the first time. And like I said, Miss Collins, I enjoyed our conversation we had when you met me. I wanted you to look into as to why only now Post is investigating Melvin Potter. Melvin Potter murdered my son 10 months ago and as far as I was told he was supposed to be investigated at the time of the murder and that has not happened which he also did not report to his probation officer. So again, why is Melvin Potter keep getting away with whatever he choose to do? Because he murdered my son. Fulton County arrested him and they allowed him to choose not to take a a blood draw. They allowed that because if it was someone else, they would have been arrested for murder. So, how do he get to choose that he's not taking a blood draw and got charged with obstruction after you just murdered my son? So, yes, I need to know why this dysfunctional, ineffective system, like I said before, that I have to rely on is not doing the job. Because first up, if APD had did their job, Melvin Potter should have been fired a long time ago a long time ago, Melvin Potter should have been fired. And my son would have been alive today if they had did their job. But they let him get away with everything. His record, his um excessive force, his abuse, DUIs, you name it. and Kawita County stepped in and did their job while we have a DUI conviction on him for 36 months. And like I said, he was on probation when he murdered my son. And you're telling me he's still home collecting a check? If my son murdered him, and like I said, I'm always going to say this. If if if it was my son that murdered him, my son would have been dragged to jail, if they didn't kill his ass before he got to jail. And that's a fact. So why is Mel Vim Potter being treated differently than any any one of us? If we any one of us in here, police pull us over for a DUI, we were going to jail. We were going to jail. So why is the drunk policing us? Why is post not policing them, but they're out here drunk policing us? I need answers. It'll be 10 months I lost my son to murdering Melvin Potter. Lawless drunk murdering my son. another goddamn thing has happened because all I know is Melvin Potter was the one who murdered my son because he said so 10 months in. So in two months I would have lost my son. Lost my son. And I still don't know why up to this day. I still don't know why APD has not reached out to me. The district attorney office Willis has not reached out to me. So am I, like Mr. Lewis had stated one time, am I supposed to be my own Sherlock Holmes person? Cuz I had to do a whole lot to get the GBI to to um talk to me. Am I not suffering enough? It's so goddamn disrespectful how the city treats the victims of murder. It's disrespectful that I lost my son and you the system act like I rented my son out to them. I did not rent my son out to the goddamn city. Okay? I did not rent my son out to the city. Melvin part took my son from me. He murdered my son. And then I got to deal with this with the city not telling me nothing. I got to be begging or feel like I am to find out what the hell happened to my son? Am I not suffering enough? What the hell more you all want me to do? When I say I am frustrated, I you all can't even understand how frustrated I am as a mother. And and and let me say um thank you to all the folks, men and women who walks up to me. Some pray with me, you know, and some just talk to me. That means a lot. Strangers come up to me and say, "Miss Anderson, stay strong. Stay strong, Miss Anderson. Stay strong and keep the fight up." And I want to thank those people. The last time I was I was here when I said I didn't get the kiss and I didn't get the hug on Mother's Day, which Mother's Day was my son's birthday. And I was and as I was leaving, a young man, hugged me twice, and said, "Happy Mother's Day, ma'am. Happy Mother's Day." So, it's just not men and women. It's all of us. Do you know what I'm saying? It takes a village. It takes a village. My son should not have died the way he did. My son should not have been murdered by a lawless drunk officer who APD is covering his ass because he has gotten away with so much. And if it was my son, he would not gotten away with none of none of it. None of it he would have gotten away with. So, and and then when you have some lawless executive Chris Harvey saying that no police is above the law, but you know, people normally do get um DUIs. I don't normally get DUIs because I'm a responsible person and I know that I could run the risk of killing someone while I'm out there drinking and driving. And I guess evidently murdering Melvin. Don't know that. Okay. But if I get caught out there drunk, what's going to happen to me? They're gonna take me to jail. And if I refuse a blood draw, I might be dropped on the goddamn ground and beat up, too. What is wrong with you all not um holding accountable these police officers? But like I said over and over and over again, I'm not going anywhere until I get justice for my son. I don't give a damn how long it takes. Do your job that the people put you all in there to do. You understand? You all work for your constituents. Thank you, Miss Anderson. That completes your time. Miss Collins and Mr. West M West Mlin um would you care to address anything that I have to say as far as asking for your help in finding out why Post is not um only now investigating Melvin part and why he wasn't investigated before. Yeah, I don't mind replying at all um at all. I mean what I could do is find a status for you. What I shared with you before is when you do have officer officer involved shootings, the GBI investigates investigate those matters and it's currently in Fulton County, which we don't have jurisdiction over. But what we can do is connect with Chief Sheerbomb to see in terms of what they can disclose on the investigation. Like I shared with you before, you want this you as the victim's mother, you want this investigation to be not only as thoroughly as possible, but you also want them to do the deep dive in the history that is public. Like, so we all know that this off I mean this it's 11 11 Live News is covering it. It's in the in the newspapers. So I will do my best to see as much information that I can get to communicate with you without tainting this investigation on your behalf. And so as your city council as your city council representative again but I don't want again as I always state I do not want you to think take our silence as if it's an ascent or we are taking sides or anything. So I do appreciate you offering this opportunity for us to reply but I know on my end and this is just coming from me as a defense former defense attorney. I I will connect with I will see what we can get that is public enough to honestly not taint this investigation. You want this done right because the last thing you want to happen is he get into court and if any piece of this investigation has been tainted with he can possibly also get this dismissed under fruits of the poisonous tree. So you want to be very very very very careful and let the key indiv entities do their investigation not only to make sure it's done right but also to make sure justice serve on your behalf for your son. So, I do want to say that. Well, I do appreciate you. And you're right. I I want a thorough investigation, but I also want to know that what is being done. Can you you um Miss Anderson, your time has been completed. Miss Anderson, you as a mother, you supposed to reach out to me to say something to me in 10 months. I have no clue. [Music] know what happened to my son. I always said I want everything above. You understand what I'm saying? But where is the respect for me as his mother? Where is respect? It's racial like I said that no one reach out to me. I am his mother. He has a mother, a father and family. So that's what I'm talking about. The disrespect Next is Nikki Bugs. Due to allocated time, you have four minutes. Good afternoon. I am going to start off playing something for you and then I'll I'll I'll commence to what I came here for today. [Music] All right. [Music] I live at the landmark. I stand before you again about the same manner we've been talking about for over three years now. The same manner. We have predatory property investors that have taken over our building in its entirety. What you just heard was a party that was taking place in our building at 11:30 last night. 11:30 last night. The police eventually showed up at 3:30. It was louder. It was more contankerous than what that was. This is what we're dealing with in conjunction with the flood that took place in the building yesterday, yesterday evening. None of the investors that are on the board or employees came back to the building because they don't live in the building. Something else I'd like to show you. This is what we deal with with the investor people that come in for Airbnb that stay in the building ringing our doorbells, knocking on our doors. This was emailed to you. No reply from anybody though. Inside of this envelope are xenophobic photos that were sent to us. I will leave this with you. I will not show this on camera because it's disturbing, but I will leave it with you. You do have it on email as well. This is what we deal with. No one has done anything yet. We're unclear what else we need to do to get you to step up. We just need to know. We just need to know. We have very few homeowners left. These people have your cart blanch to do what they're doing now. They're setting up to file leans on people's property and nobody's there to help us. Now, if I showed up and with a gun and I I I shot off the place, I would have your attention, right? I would. I absolutely would. When my taxes are due, you have no problem finding me to get those taxes paid. Correct. Let's have a conversation. Let's talk about it. You see, because if you're permitting these people to come in and singlehandedly take our homes, my generation that I could pass on to my kids and so forth, we don't have that anymore because no one's stepping up to say anything or do anything. The state's pointing at you. You're pointing at the state and then the police officers. Everybody's passing the buck. We don't deserve this. We don't. It was a community. It was a great community. We don't have anyone to stand up for us. If I get injured, I become incapacitated. I disappear. I die. Finding this cause with these people. Please know what is in this envelope. You will have a full handle on what we're dealing with. Thank you. Next is Costco Jones. To allocated time, you have four minutes. I'mma let him hand that out before I start talking. The clock is running, so you want to dig into your time, you may. But uh I How did how did it start running if I didn't start talking? Time starts when you get to the podium. So, please proceed. Okay. God don't like ugly. I'll say that first. Happy belated Father's Day. Uh thank you. Um thank you for having me up here. Uh I'm I'm distributing a document, but while that document is being distributed, uh I'm here uh actually representing um the Building Performance Association uh National Contractors Advisory Board. Um, I'm on a few other advisory boards, too, but I'm going to speak on that one right now. Uh, I'm an energy auditor, as we know. Uh, Atlanta has been dealing with a lot of energy burden, things of that nature. People are having a hard time affording affording their homes. And I'm trying to find a way to help mitigate this problem. Um, bringing forth a potential uh policy from a from an ordinance standpoint that could that should be actually picked up. Uh, I'm going to let y'all read the where's, but I want to go to the back and I just want to read some parts. I'm going start with section two. So, section two, energy audit is a parallel pathway to a real estate inspection. Uh, residential properties within the city of Atlanta shall undergo an energy audit in in lie of or in addition to a traditional real estate inspection at point of sale. Now what that would do is help people to qualify for the IRA tax credits as well as the GEA program which is in pallet. will help get some validity behind that so that that program could be adapt adopted uh more vigorously to help the people that are within the 80 80% AMIs um go ahead and take advantage of their take advantage of these these programs that have come down from the federal level as well as um whenever the weather program rolls back out they they will be able to be able to participate in that as as well. Uh, let's see. It was going down to section three, compliance and reporting. Buyers can basically when they buy a home, they get an energy audit before they close the home. A lot of people don't know this, but if you're you purchasing a home through a 203k, which is a a way of purchasing a home where you wrap the uh wrap the renovation cost into the actual into the mortgage, you can actually take advantage of the IRA tax credits during during that uh during that purchase. So, that would help a homeowner or someone that's purchasing a home when they're moving into the home. The point of them getting an audit before they move into the home is so that it's involved in the decision-making. People are 60% more likely to do a project on their home when they're first moving into a home. So, let's say if they're doing their kitchen, whereas the real estate inspection would simply say that the dishwasher, the oven, and all of those things are working. The energy audit will also say that in that kitchen they need to make sure that it's uh the kitchen exhaust is exhausting to the outside the cabinets are not uh basically giving off volatile organic compounds and if it's if it's on the exterior wall there would be air sealing opportunities as well to help with the building envelope. The the building envelope is typically the first thing that you deal with from a building science perspective um as far as reducing energy bills. Um there's a labor shortage. We all know about the skilled labor shortage and the labor shortage with skilled labor as far as electricians, plumbers, things of that nature. It's the same thing with uh with energy auditors as well. So, I bought a draft up here, full draft. Um I'm just looking for a sponsor. I'm looking for a sponsor. So, we're going to we're going to we're going to that's all I wanted to do. And um thank you for your time, Council Member Lewis. and the uh we did get your draft. I reached out to the attorneys right now. So, they're going to be looking into this to see if it's something we have to to see if it's viable and see if it's something we can do. But, I truly appreciate you for taking this effort. I can see the intention. I can tell that this is your wheelhouse. Yeah, I I understand that the city the city controls the uh certificate of occupancy. So, that's something that you do have power over. And I do also understand that when you're doing a down down payment assistant program through Invest Atlanta, the uh uh um inspection is required then. So it's that's an easier way to go ahead and roll out a pilot program. I understand there's no back and forth. I just wanted to say that. Mr. Hillis, y'all have a great day. Thank you. Next is Kimberly Jones. Excuse me ma'am. Okay. What is your last name? Brooks. Brooks. Kimberly Brooks. Thank you. Um being saved, sanctified, Holy Ghost, filled, fire, baptized as Pentecostal. And um I come to you today because you guys took an oath on a Bible that you swore. That oath is not to me. It is not to the city, but it is to God. And it goes something similar to the thought process of we the people of the United States in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the welfare and secure the blessings of liberty, do underdame this established the constitution of the United States of the Georgia constitution of the state of Georgia, of the council and ordinances and powers that grant you the powers that be. Yet you continuously come before the people and do not act in the good faith of democracy, which makes me question your ability to perform your duties as counsel. As I look at affordable housing, um I'm idealizing that the Atlanta public school system is selling black kids to the um to the private sector. We're going to say ordinance 25.0-13-13. Number five, 25- 0-344. 25- 0134 25- 01346 25-1331 25-1332 25-1325 the taking method of OCGA 32.31 of being able to take people's properties from them um wrongfully so we sung songs today about the civil rights we sung songs things like that the state of Georgia terminated me from my job two months ago for doing my job and they don't understand that I am a child of God I will always do the work. So now I have time for you. All the time for you that I need. Councilman Bart, I just want to thank you for the services you've ever rendered. You are the epitome of what council should be. If anyone comes to this council and says anything to you, despite the doctoral degree they say they have from a peanut butter and jelly college because my credits are fully accredited from the degrees that I have, please know that that black community does not speak for the black community that I serve. God bless you all. Next is Chad Tisdale. Due to allocated time, you'll have six minutes. Clear cutting developers are killing Atlanta's best trees. They're destroying Atlanta's brand as the city in the forest. They're creating a tree loss crisis. And we learned recently that the clear cutting is contributing to a serious air pollution health problem. Let me focus on that a minute. Last year, the American Lung Association gave Atlanta a C for ground level ozone pollution. This year, we have an F already, and we haven't entered the really hot days in July and August where ozone levels will go even higher. Ground level ozone is a serious health threat to our children and to the elderly and all of us. We also have a failing grade for particle pollution. Again, a serious health threat to children, to the elderly, and to everyone. So, we have an air pollution problem in addition to a tree loss crisis. And what can be done? This city council has a duty to act in the face of an environmental crisis and an air pollution health crisis to take action to address that. When the Koya Hoga River caught fire in Ohio in the late60s several times, public outcry resulted in Congress passing the Clean Water Act, probably the best environmental law ever passed. You have the power. We have a lot of TPOS's out there. The January 2025 TPO is the result of four years of negotiations. It's a very good tree protection ordinance. It could be used. Let me go back a second. The 2001 tree protection ordinance does not protect trees. It protects developers who clearcut and pay a small amount of recompense. The June 10th TPO that Jana Prince presented last week does not protect trees. It again enables developers to clear cut. This time they have to pay more recompense. They can still clear cut. What is missing? An essential element in any tree protection ordinance are provisions that protect trees and we call it a tree preservation standard. There's a very good tree preservation standard in the January 2025 TPO approved by the law department law department reviewed by the NPUs. It grants the owner or the developer the right to build to cut down the trees that need to be cut down. And the only thing that it restricts is the ability to clear cut, but that's very important. We need to end clear cutting on single family residential properties and we need to take action now. How do we get this done on the federal level, the state level, which I'm more familiar with? What happens when a governmental agency doesn't respond to an emergency? someone files a lawsuit that that's happened and it'll happen again. I got sued by Adam Brock. He needed to sue me because the tree commission had made a decision that needed some attention and we're friends. It didn't bother me at all and it led to work working out a resolution for Adam Brock and Brock Bell Holmes. I'm happy to be sued if it's for a good purpose and it may come down to someone having to take action against y'all. I would hate for that to happen because I think I know you are good. You care about this city and you can take action, but you've got to take action. Jana Prince says the tree preservation standard needs to be tested. It has been tested by David Zaparannic and Andrew Walter. She says it might conflict with the zoning ordinance. I assure you it will not. I'm a good enough lawyer to make that judgment. If there is a problem, it can be fixed. You need to pass a tree protection ordinance with a tree preservation standards to address our clear-cutting crisis and to address the ozone pollution and the particle pollution which threatened the health of our children, our citizens, our our adults who are elderly. I watched some children play yesterday afternoon with their mothers and wondered if they knew they were being exposed to unsafe levels of ozone and particle pollution. We've got to do something about this on the federal level, on the state level, which is where I'm most familiar. When we have a crisis, we take action. When we found that people were dumping hazardous waste into the ground, contaminating soil and groundwater, we passed the comprehensive super fund law. you have the power to do it. People ask me, Chad, you've been working on this a long time. Can you do anything? My answer is only the city council and the mayor can. And I don't think the mayor wants to be known as the clearcutting mayor. But the June 10 to that was proposed last week would foster clear cutting. I know you don't want to be viewed as the clear-cutting city council and you have the power to take action. It's time to recognize we have a tree loss crisis. We have an emergency with respect to air pollution and the health of our citizens. We've been at this too long. I've only been at it 5 years. Some people here been here 10 years longer than I Morland's been there longer than I have. And it is time for us to take action. It should not be put over to another council. I know that many of you said have said you want to get something done and you can. It's not the June 10 ordinance. That would not be an an accomplishment. That would be an embarrassment. But you have the power. You have a the January 2025 tree protection ordinance in front of you that was negotiated with everybody involved. My friend Michael Paris was there. And it is time for this action to be taken by this city council. Take the January 2025 one or take another one and add the very good tree preservation standard. It will address our tree loss crisis. It would help with our health crisis. It needs to be done now. We don't need to delay it. We don't need to put it off to another city. Thank you. Next is Mindy Bogs. [Applause] Good afternoon. Um, I have two minutes. Okay, it's been varying here while I've been waiting. Um, I have a a personal statement that I would like to give to everyone here on the council, but just from my heart, I want to say that I've been working on getting with so many people. And so I really feel like I'm speaking on behalf of friends, colleagues, and their families, my family, who have been working and hoping that the city council would pass a real meaningful tree protection ordinance. And I've been doing this for eight years, and other people here have been doing it longer. And it I it was alarming to hear that uh pressure has been put on the mayor and also city council members to do nothing to go backward to go you know where there's just zero um protection and clear cutting and as Mr. Tisdale was explaining the science and the facts behind this. You know, it's harmful to everyone. When this happens, our health, our well-being, the city, it causes flooding, it causes erosion, our our tree canopy, people don't understand how important it is. And when you talk about storm water management, saving our trees are part of that. So I just hope that today today will you will make the difference for now and for the future of the people of this city and pass a meaningful tree ordinance today. Thank you. Next is Dil Anthony. Hi, my name is Dil Anthony and I've been up here many times before. I am one of those people who have actually been at this working on a new tree ordinance for 15 years. I don't want to spend another 15 years. I don't have that much of life left to be quite honest. Um I understand that there was a new ordinance that was dropped today around 11:00. I had a very brief moment to look at it. It looks like there was some marginal improvements made to that ordinance compared to the June 10th one, but it still doesn't go far enough. However, I'm aware that the plan is to go ahead and pass this ordinance today. So, I'm going to ask you for several things. One is I want a commitment from city council that this is not the end of the road that you will be taking this testing and integrating it with this uh 2.0 0 zoning ordinance seriously that there will be tracking and monitoring of how that's going and that there will be a date in which we will have a phase three ordinance passed with tree preservation standards in there. Otherwise, just like Chet and Mindy said before me, we've really got nothing here other than an increased recompense rate, which is only 50% of where it needs to be to fully fund what we are taking down. The other thing that I would like to have is tracking on what we are spending on the 14.5 salaries that are now going to be coming out of the tree trust fund so that we are not actually spending less on tree replanting going forward. And finally, I'd like to ask that this ordinance, if passed today, be made effective immediately. You all made effective immediately the ordinance you passed to exempt city public infrastructure projects from the tree ordinance. There's no reason we can't make this effective immediately. So, we start collecting the higher recompense immediately. Otherwise, we're going to go another seven months at $30 per inch. And that's despicable. Thank you. David Mitchell. I fell as number 29, but I I'm good. I'll take it. You want to set me up here because I want to make sure I'm doing it correct. All right. My name is David Yopen Mitchell. I'm the executive director of the Atlanta Preservation Center. I'm here to speak to you on ordinance 25-0-1340. This, of course, is the Skybridge. I'd be remiss if I didn't tell you off the bat that we'll be the only state in the entire country that has a sky bridge on our capital. We will have something that makes us look like a shopping mall on our capital for eternity. You you have the chance today to grant perpetual permission for us to have a shopping mall as the representative of our capital. Um the next thing is will be uh 40 days a year. 40 days a year is what you're giving this to. It deforms it molests our capital building. And the next thing will be the Georgia capital is one of the few remaining buildings of the Capitol Hill neighborhood. The Capitol Hill neighborhood is an Atlanta neighborhood and struggles to keep its significance as it is constantly um working punching a hole in the side of this building. I'm sorry I'm so emotional about this. I'm just drained. This whole thing is the transportation committee last week did something noble and courageous and it put this thing on a table and said, "Let's stop. Let's look at this thing. Let's have a better discussion. Let's approach this differently. But now here we are. This there was an old saying, two wolves a lamb know what's for dinner. And I can tell you right now, if it smells like it, it looks like it, it is it. This is a moment for you to have vision to protect our city, to protect our historic landscape, to to respect our historic structure. But most of all, the big thing about it is represent Atlanta. I'm proud to be the executive director of the Atlanta Preservation Center. I think we're a great city. I think we're one of the I think we are the best city in the country. I'm proud of it every day. We can do a lot of great and amazing things. We have a great city council. We have a great uh situation with this building with all these different things. And we're about to give per perpetual permission to the state of Georgia to have something that makes us look like a shopping mall in perpetuity. We can do better. And I beseech you, don't do a bait and switch. Just let it be good. Represent Atlanta and be proud of it. Thank you. Next is Garrett Wy. Good afternoon, council members. My name is Garrett Wy. I'm the vice president of government affairs for the Greater Atlanta Homebuilders. Um, our members are in the business of providing housing options for all Atlantans, uh, including builders that offer affordable housing and builders that offer market rate housing that is affordable. Um, we believe that this new TPO provides balance. uh today. I you know I I wouldn't chalk it up as a as a win for the development community and I wouldn't chalk it up as a loss for the development community. Uh we've had so many discussions on this and um you know there's things that that we don't like in it and um but at the same time have have worked through this process with all of you and and want to continue to work through it. Um as we as we run through the testing phase um in zoning 2.0 have um our association believes that tree canopy is vital to our city's identity and our city's environmental objectives. Uh we want to continue to work together to build up the tree trust fund. Uh and that includes the 200% increase in recompense fees in this ordinance. Uh let's build it up and use all of that money to replant and then do it all over again. Um we from the very beginning of this process there's been nothing but honest and realistic expectations of the communication between um the stakeholders and um and all of you um and we believe that the time that you've taken is a responsible approach to legislation and uh we look forward to the continued discussion. passing um a piece of legislation with the expectation that you will be sued over it is not responsible. So, we appreciate uh the removal of the um tree preservation in the previous ordinance. Um we believe in protecting the rights of homeowners and property owners and uh we look forward to um continuing this process again through the testing phase in zoning 2.0. Thank you. Next is Sean Fiser. Good afternoon. Uh my name is John Fischer. I'm here representing NPUM and the Atlanta Downtown Neighborhood Association. Uh I'm also here to speak to legislation uh 251340, which I understand is being held in committee. Um, we're here to ask the full council to please reject the sky bridge over MLK at the state capital. Um, we currently have sky bridges that have been installed downtown a generation ago that have contributed to the stagnation of growth in the center of the city as it keeps res pedestrians off the sidewalks and no activation. Uh studies have shown that street level activation helps reduce crime, uh provides opportunity for small businesses, reduces vacancy rates, and increases property values. The state of Georgia building authority claims that with the Skybridge, legislators won't even have to leave the building, and that there's nothing else in the area. Well, obviously that director has never left the capital building because less than two blocks away is Underground Atlanta. the developers of Underground Atlanta in the last two years have spent much time and effort providing opportunities for small minority owned businesses. Nightife has thrived, but we're still struggling on Upper Alabama Street with daytime businesses for food and uh beverage. So, obviously activation daytime traffic would help there. City of Atlanta spent tens of millions of dollars to make downtown welcoming to the World Cup and to uh participate and patronize local businesses. Should we not ask the same of our state legislature? So, NPUM would please request that we uh reject the Skybridge proposal. Thank you, Matthew Nury. Uh, hello. Thank you, council. Um, my name is Matthew Nury. I am an organizer and policy advocate with the Housing Justice League. Um, I wanted to talk today about the situation at Balden Town Homes. I know uh Councilman Doer is familiar um with what's going on there and um continuing to reach out to help and I appreciate that and we will um of course you know work with you and um the residents there but I just wanted to in case the rest of the council is not aware which I'm sure you are um in the Oakland City West End area Balden Town Homes um is going through with a mass eviction currently um you know about 70% of the property um around 40 residents, most of whom have said they've paid their rent. Um there was a worker in the property management in the in the leasing office um that took off with $30,000 and I understand that Mr. Balden is in litigation against that person, but that should not, you know, fall onto um the tenants to carry that burden. We have tenants again who have said they paid their rent, have documentation of this, who are being called squatters, their power's been turned out off in the middle of the summer, no AC, they can't get access to their mailboxes, water shut off, trash piling up, uh ceilings caving in, mold, you name it, the works, the place is just completely blighted. And this uh Mr. Balden has a history of this. evidently city council in 2020 Joyce Shepard um you know looked into one of his other properties and um I don't know what came out of that I couldn't really find uh through the articles I was reading but we need to look into you know executing nuisance abatement you know putting this into a receiverhip or something uh slumlords need to know that if they are not going to operate in good faith the city will seize their property thank you Michael Paris. Good afternoon, Mr. uh Council President Pro Tim and members of the city council. My name is Michael Paris and I'm president and CEO of the council for quality growth. First want to start by thanking the city council and all members of the staff here, especially city uh planning uh commissioner Prince for all the hard work that everyone has put into this tree ordinance over the years. It has been quite a long time. Like everybody says, we're glad to be here today. So our ask from the beginning of this long process has been simple. create a balanced policy for the city of Atlanta that recognizes the inherent need to protect tree canopy while valuing the importance of housing and economic development for the city. So achieving this balance means that everyone still has items on the table. That's what a balance is going to look like. We all have things we wish was in the ordinance. The development community certainly has those share of those. But we believe this draft reflects the consensus from various interests across the city and that's what it's important and I've even enjoyed working with my good friend Chad Tisdale all the way through and in the future will included in this substitute is an increase in recompense fees and a significant increase in maximum recompense caps increases in max the maximum penalty for illegal tree removal and increased arborous staffing to enforce the ordinance and the registration of tree tree service companies across the city. From the beginning, we have argued that meaningful recupits increases, tree service, meaningful recapitus increases, tree service registrations, and illegal clearcutting penalty increases will go a long way to address the community concerns around CA canopy loss. The substitute before you also recognizes the importance of affordable housing and focuses on the lowincome senior citizens. So, thank you again for all the hard work you've done and I appreciate all the effort that's gone into this orbit. Thank you. Frankie Elliott. Hi, good afternoon. My name is Frankie Elliott. I'm vice president of government affairs for the Atlanta Commercial Board of Realtors and the Atlanta Realtors Association. I also want to just echo Michael Paris. I don't want to take a lot of time. We really appreciate the effort and energy that everyone here on council as well, staff has put into this issue. This issue, like many others, it's very long. It was very complicated, and I'm not sure anybody walks out of that feeling great about what we've come up with, but I do believe it's the best version that we could do right now. It does still protect trees. It does increase the recompense fund, which will allow additional trees to be built. And I think it also kind of lays a good groundwork for the testing of zoning 2.0 that we can always come back and take a look at the ordinance if it needs to be readressed next year. So, thank you again and please pass the ordinance as it presented today. Thank you, Greg Lavine. Good afternoon, everyone. Uh, I don't want to sound like a broken record, but uh, I will say this, trees really are important for the health of the people that live here. And as much as this ordinance has these drafts have had some improvement in them, they're still just not doing enough. Uh the recompense fee is an an improvement but there are lots of discounts and opportunities to not pay that full 10 is it 40 I can't remember 160 uh the uh the minimum trees that chart that was added in today is certainly helpful that certain percentage of trees will be planted on every developed property which can help in growing new canopy which we did not have in the last version and uh you know with the community has done a lot of work and y'all y'all heard a lot and I'm sure your heads are spinning as mine is uh there's so much when you change one thing it affects another part of this ordinance and if you really are keeping track of it it's it's definitely uh a little bit it gets confusing what I would say is that in the end we need to have uh that cap needs to be uh higher because R4 and R5 are so much of what gets developed in single family that right now if uh you save the 30%. Oh wow, that's so much. Uh 30 30% uh you get you're going to pay for a R4 lot like $3,700 in recompense, which is nothing for a new development. This is just not doing enough. It was a step in the right direction, but it's not. And of course, the preservation um needs to be addressed and it needs to be addressed in that next six months as uh um Commissioner Bond as Council person Bond um has trying to address and make sure that happens. Thank you, Molly Reed. Woo. Thank you all for hearing uh our opinions and thank you for leading the city in good ways. When we stood today and said the pledge of allegiance, the thing that struck me most is the ending liberty and justice for all. And when I see today as we've honored our civil rights heroes, as we've honored our immigrant communities, I appreciate Council Members Ferro, specifically Council Member Baktiari. Thank you for that. Thank you, Council Member Bond for highlighting the civil rights history that we have and share. I'd especially like to thank my councilman Howard Shook and Mary Norwood for staying in the council as long as since my mother was down here talking and doing a good job for us all. It's hard work, but it's a work of liberty and justice for all that you do at the local level. We all need trees. Please take your time and make sure we have a tree ordinance that protects the liberty and justice for all to live and breathe in this city. When you clear cut, you basically tear out your lungs. And not just your own lungs. It happened to me right next door to me. Neighbor clearcut an old growth forest. He might have paid $20,000 to do it. and he stole a lot from everybody who needs those trees to breathe, who needs those trees to cool the air. We're in a difficult situation. So, I wanted to thank also Abel Mabel who came down here. And please also consider uh listen that Georgia power station can go in the gulch. When you give somebody a $ 1.9 billion dollars bonus, put the damn power station in the gulch and don't demean Vine city anymore. Um, anyway, thank you council members for doing a good job. I appreciate it and thank you for standing up for liberty and justice for all. Deborah Pearson Somebody left their phone. With great respect and appreciation, I welcome you all. I am Deborah Pearson and I have served the city of Atlanta by working as a classroom educator for 30 years and half of that time was spent at Frederick Douglas High School. Councilman Bond, the planet is warming. The science and the data are clear. Global warming is not a hoax and the resources of the planet are not infinite. Trees are a way to mitigate the warming of our planet. Trees provide life through the release of oxygen and the storage of carbons. I do not understand why efforts to save trees are met with skepticism. A skepticism that often feeds greed and profit. My home is situated in a small forest amongst hundreds of trees and I was lucky to find my home. The builder did not clearcut the lot. Instead, he built around the mature hardwood trees that existed. Thus, I know building and tree preservation can and must exist. allowing builders to destroy the earth by beating it into submission by removing every tree on a build site for the purpose of profit is not sustainable. These building practices are destructive shortsighted and pessimistic. Please support legislation that protects one of Atlanta's most valuable resources, its trees. Thank you. [Applause] Nataki Osborne Joel. I should have four minutes to dedicated time. Yes, ma'am. All right. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Um, good afternoon, members of council. I'm Nitaki Osborne Joel, speaking on behalf of the West Atlanta Watershed Alliance, or WAWA. Our mission is to improve the quality of life within the West Atlanta watershed by protecting, preserving, and restoring our community's natural resources. We are key stakeholders and a focus group participant in the Trails ATL plan development. We've shared feedback at multiple junctures with members of the Trails ATL plan partners. And one of our guiding principles is that the process is just as important as the results. We asked the Atlanta City Council to consider an external community engagement firm to support ongoing engagement methods throughout the design and implementation phases of the trails ATL master plan incorporation. While the MPU model and other meetings are helpful, many residents are still left out and their voices are not always adequately incorporated into the details of developing plans. A separate entity could help equitably amplify the existing engagement efforts and ensure that all voices are heard. As a resident of the Cascade Road Corridor, where we have been dealing with several challenges with the implementation of an important improvement project that is needed and valued by many. I can attest to the fact that actually listening to and incorporating the feedback of impacted communities into the project and design is both vital to meeting the project goals and meeting the community's needs. Ideally, with external community engagement leadership, we may see our second request met, which is to develop comprehensive community benefit strategies that advance anti-displacement efforts across the city. Amongst relevant key stakeholders, we'd like to see greater attention towards policy creation that protects existing and legacy residents from displacement. Importantly, um we also um submit that um ordinance 140-1614 should be considered in the trails ATL finalization. There is strong evidence in our city's recent history that anti anti-displacement policies must be in place before development to effectively protect longtime residents. According to a national a recent national community reinvestment coalition study that highlighted the gentrification and displacement of black Atlanta residents with a multitude of development projects. These drastic changes disrupt existing social networks and the cultural identity of residents leading to a sense of loss and alienation and revitalization efforts often do not benefit the residents that originally advocated for changes in the community. Ultimately, um it's also important um that we put anti-displacement measures in place that require coop cooperation across departments in the city. For this plan to be successful in providing equitable access to green space and and connectivity to resources, the city must work to further integrate the work of the departments of watershed management, parks and recreation, and transportation to align with equitable development practices and to hold one another accountable. In short, we cannot shrug off things because trails will be implemented across the city. If we are not careful, all of the amenities that even I, as a resident of the city wants and look forward to, will only be accessible to a few. Ultimately, Wawwa strives for solution creation to occur alongside the trails ATL implementation process. Atlanta is at a critical proc at a critical pro uh crossroads um and its ongoing development and sustainability and resilience uh and planning for the future are critically important. Our community is strengthened by legacy residents who embody the history and spirit of Atlanta. They deserve to benefit from access to green space without the risk of being priced out. We are committed to working together with all partners and the community to see these goals forward. Thank you. Next is Servas Gami. [Music] I came to Atlanta 15 years ago and uh it has been a wonderful time. U it's a welcoming city and uh as exemplified by the declaration you just made before this uh about immigration and welcoming. Thank you for that. Uh so the first thing I noticed uh while driving around Atlanta is when I look up those huge tall beautiful trees, right? Uh it's not just me. Many people who land in Atlanta, the first thing they notice is the beautiful tree canopy. You pretty much see or you can't even see the buildings. Uh so not only that uh after that I uh I mean based on my childhood memories uh these are so beautiful how can I climb them right? So there is Atlanta tree climbing club which I came to about and then I joined and um we climb trees uh a few times a month. Um, so we have a t-shirt which says u the slogan on the t-shirt is uh get high climb trees. So that's not just a slogan. Uh it's actually the uplifting elevation the life energy of the trees right you feel it. So uh I I would like to thank and appreciate the leadership that u uh Matt West um Matt West Morland and u and of course there are others which whom I we don't know about who is working with various environment groups like save soil movement the Atlanta tree uh Atlanta tree uh tree association and there are other environmental groups groups that are that spoke before Chad Distill and Deborah Pearson. So, so taking leadership in balancing the economic development with your time is expired. Economic development with trees. Thank you very much. Royce man. Hello Council. My name is Royce Man. I am a community advocate and a lifelong Atlanta resident from the Lake Clare Canler Park neighborhood. I first want to express my solidarity uh with Miss Anderson who spoke about her son Devon Anderson's murder. Um for too long Atlanta has allowed um folks in badges to uh break our laws um and um not be held accountable for it. Um, and if we want true public safety, it's time that we stop allowing uh killers with badges to patrol our neighborhoods. Now, I want to talk about the proposed um tree protection ordinance. In Buckhead, the average life expectancy is about 87 years. In Bankhead, it's about 64 years. This disparity is unacceptable and it is a tragic reflection of the fact this city has for too long overlooked certain communities. We know this disparity is a result of an insufficient supply of affordable housing, a lack of highquality health care, and inadequate access to healthy and affordable food. What we often fail to recognize is that it is also an issue of climate justice. In Atlanta, the presence of environmental hazards has been shown to have a direct correlation with lower life expecties. Countless studies have further shown that access to clean air and clean water are vital factors in producing positive health outcomes. The presence of trees is an important aspect of this. Trees not only produce positive health outcomes, studies have shown that the presence of trees around schools even help increase educational outcomes. Too often the city bows to demands of developers at the expense of low-income and black and brown communities. And this proposed tree ordinance, while it has a number of good aspects, feels like yet another example of this unfortunate pattern. So, I'm here to urge the council to please consider reinserting um the important tree preservation standards for single family residential developments and if you do pass this ordinance today to please continue your work to protect Atlanta's vital tree canopy. Thank you. Next is Sher Man Stewart. Hello council. Um, it's wonderful to see some people here I've worked with in the past and I consider friends. I am also here today to speak uh for the trees. I feel a bit like the Lorax. Um, but I don't have notes. I'm just speaking from the heart. I'm someone who was born here in Atlanta in 1961, which I'm pretty sure makes me uh older or have having had more years here uh than many of you. Um doesn't make me better, but it it does give me some perspective over these decades. Um I've really appreciated how many voices have have been here today um speaking on the same side of things as I am for the trees. I'm not a member of any official organization. Uh so I didn't know if there would be other uh speakers here today about it, but I'm so glad there are. Uh I do however um stay in contact. I live in a community. Some of you have even been there for various events uh over in Lake Clair and um we have a number of families who live in a it's called a co-ousing community and we have about 15 households on one acre of land. But so we've been emailing about this issue for the past period of time and so I do feel that I can represent some of those other voices as well. Uh many of them could not be here today because of work and other commitments. But the point being that the trees are so important to uh seniors as well as our youth and you've had other speakers um refer to that today. And so I just encourage you to make sure that you're representing the citizens and uh those who don't have as loud voices as developers or folks with large amounts of money. We elect you to represent us who have um individual voices. So thank you for the work you're doing and please protect the trees. Margie Mloud, Jody Williams, Jody Williams. Hello again. I'm here concerning the homeless and mainly my sister's house. Most of the women that was once homeless and has completed the program at my sister's house needs lowincome housing. They were given six months to save money and secure an apartment. There is so many stipulations to securing housing in Atlanta. First, they need good credit, which they probably don't have because a lot of them were evicted. And then you need no evictions. Most of the ladies at my sister's house work in the city of Atlanta. One thing that I need you all to uh recommend is that some of that money that the mayor gave to u invest Atlanta, mainly the $200 million. Maybe they can return some of that money and um not build but buy uh a housing complex for these ladies. they have jobs and they've only saved for six months. So, because they passed that 404 bill that they have to pay um two times the rent and it's so expensive that they'll be right back on the streets. So, if you guys can recommend that the mayor give them give some of that money to build, not to build, but to purchase one of those uh apartment complex that the um Invest Atlanta has built so that he can house these people. And I guess I'll um stop talking at this point, but them and their children will be right back on the streets. It's about 200 of them. So, if you can um request that the mayor help them out, you know, since he's taking this money and given it to the investors. Thank you. Oh, I want to thank Eay for um giving the budget that I had been asking for be before she came to the city council. So, I just want to say thank you for doing such a great job. Correct. finger grass. Oh, I was I knew I had to go out cuz it's so cold. Good. Good afternoon. Um, I'm Craig Pentagrass and I'm speaking about the tree protection ordinance. I'm a uh lawyer focused on real estate, land use, and environmental law. and I'm also a litigator of on issues relating to those matters. Sometimes the current draft of the uh was issued last week of the TPO is deficient in not including an objective numerical tree preservation standard. that defect would be to the detriment of both developers and community members. U when it comes to the process, it has narrative standards, but just as in zoning, it's important to have numeric standards. the January version of the TPO and the May one version had those numeric tree preservation standards. The version that just came out doesn't. If you don't have numeric standards, you're setting the stage for litigation on all fronts. If you don't have numeric standards, then you are going to have appeals to the tree commission that are going to occupy its time. You're not going to have the guidance to the arborist division to be able to make good decisions based on numeric standards. It's going to be vague. I heard one threat of litigation about the TPO but it didn't take that into account. The threat of litigation would be oh if it's applied as to a particular property so that it becomes a regulatory taking then that could be the subject of litigation. That's the subject of every zoning decision. It's not across the board. Okay. Thank you. I have to go out. Yes. I'm sorry Miss Mloud. Come back to you, Margie Mloud. It's cold. These seniors, we got arthritis. But this, if anybody can hang it up in here, it's you. I need to take the air condition home. But while I'm here, I'm constantly going to come rent control. But I'm going to make y'all do homework. Tyler Perry have a movie. And I want each one all of you to look at this movie. It's not I'm pushing this movie. The name of a straw. S T R A W. When you see this movies, this movie, you'll see why I come down here and say we need rent control. Put a cap on the rent. The movie was made right here in the city of Atlanta. And that's why I'm here because you had graduation. when you had the kids that they could be able to live in their neighborhood, not to move. Just like all of y'all was able to stay in your neighborhood and graduate. This what I'm out here for the youth. And Dusty here also you I want you this what I want you to do some homework. I want to check how many children that went in foster care by being homeless. So when I come back again, I want you to tell me how many children have went in foster care because of homelessness. Take care. Rent control matter. Katherine Cole. Good afternoon everyone. I'm Katherine Cobb. I've done a lot of work with tree ordinances and many of the stakeholder groups uh for the last eight years or so. Um as everyone probably knows at this point, the city of Atlanta has spent over a million dollars on coming up with uh trying to come up with a with a tree ordinance. We had the biohabitats consultants. They failed to write a tree ordinance, but they were paid. Uh the uh planning director hired another um consultant group. They failed to write a tree ordinance. The mayor uh said we should have a task force. We spent a year on one task force. Then we skipped a year, spent yet another year on another task force. That was in 2024. all of the uh input that has been gathered from community. The city has spent literally probably over a million dollars gathering that input. The input all says we need to protect more trees in city of Atlanta. We're losing too many. We're losing too many at an unsustainable rate. Um there was an ordinance that had tree protection standards. a single family tree protection standard was vetted by the uh the uh u planning department and put through the NPUs and it was moving forward. Uh the planning department added a commercial standard. I I don't think that was perfect, but we had a preservation standard at least for single family residential in the May one draft. Within a very short period of time, probably a week, perhaps even hours, all of the tree preservation uh uh requirements were struck from the ordinance. And that happened be under pressure from the development community. The development community has said that this is a balanced ordinance. It isn't at all. They got every single thing that they wanted. Every single piece of tree protection was struck. That is not right. It's not good for the city. The process was a failure and the result is a failure. I know that we're going to be moving forward after this and I hope that you all will consider uh really putting in something of value. This tree ordinance that you're passing forward today does not include that. Thank you, Christina Felder. Hello, council members. My name is Christina Felder and I am a resident of Southwest Atlanta District 11. I'm here today to voice concerns that reflect not only my thoughts but the thoughts of many of our community especially regarding the land development amongst Greenbryer Parkway and Cascade Row phase one streetscape phase one. Let me start with Greenbryer. It's disheartening to see how much land is being used or should I say wasted to build yet another gas station in our area. We already have enough. And this isn't about what's being built. It's about what could be built instead. Southwest Atlanta deserves better. This land could be used for something that truly uplifts the community. For example, a public library, a community park, a cultural park, or um a marketplace that residents and small businesses or even just local businesses across the board can be utilized, this particular place for a marketplace to grow our community and also to create more jobs. These types of investments strengthen our neighborhoods, not more concretes and pumps. Now, I want to call attention to the Cascade Road face one streetscape project. This isn't about again what's being built, but how it's being built and managed. This has been in the process for years and the delays poor planning is questionable and it's been frustrating and extended process has created rich challenges for local residents especially concerning the streetscape of how it's being implemented. Commercial sidewalks are being built within a residential area making it into a one-way street and hard for two-way cars to cross. Because of this, it's been really difficult to navigate within our areas and for residents to be able to cross and navigate within that area as a whole. City council time has expired. Want to wrap up? Yes, Atlanta is growing and we know that. But our neighborhoods deserve to grow with the city and not left behind or mismanaged within the process. Let's build Southwest Atlanta that reflects the pride, history, and potential of his people. Thank you, Steven Muhammad. Steven Muhammad. Okay. Well, that concludes the public comment section of the meeting today. I'd like to thank all the members of the public who joined us and provided comments to the council. We next we'll move on to the report of the journal. Madam clerk. Thank you, Council President Prom and members of council. Good afternoon. I, Karen Winda, municipal clerk of the city of Atlanta, do hereby certify that the minutes of the regular meeting held on Monday, June 2nd, 2025 are true and correct. So without um we can take this by unanimous consent. Madam cler, please sound the count on the motion to adopt the journal. 11 yay, zero nays. Moving on to communications. Madam clerk, we have one item uh Mr. Council President Prom. That's 25 C 0080. This is communication from council members back district 5, Alex Juan, District 6. Howard Shook, District 7, Mayor Nora, District 8, and Math West Morland. Post two at large, appointing Mr. Matthew Reeves 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 and counsel. Let it follow that course. Madam clerk, that concludes the communication. Thank you, madam clerk. Is there any veto legislation? There are none. Madam clerk, is there any unfinished business? We do have one, sir. I believe that is 25 R3449 out of the transportation committee, but I don't see that council member Amos is with us. uh I'll ask the sponsor to take this since that is the case. Thank you Mr. President Pro Tim colleagues uh this has been something that we've been discussing uh largely transportation committee for the last couple cycles. This is legislation that essentially authorizes Central Atlanta Progress also uh uh of the Atlanta Downtown Improvement District to conduct uh wayfinding work uh ahead of the FIFA World Cup coming next year. uh the idea to make it easier for people to navigate downtown Atlanta. Uh the original legislation uh calls for a $3 million allocation to ensure that that work can happen. Uh we do actually have a substitute. Uh so we've had some conversations both with the administration with the Department of Transportation as well as ADI. Uh and I think we're finally in a good place. And so uh the substitute that I'll ask to bring up uh one allocates additional monies. Uh so instead of $3 million, it's $4 million. And then separately, uh there are some clarification about account strings and updates to uh the exhibit that is in the legislation. And so I would like to we will uh since it is unfinished business, we'll need a motion to adopt first and then you make a motion to bring forth a substitute. I'll move to adopt. Second. There's a motion by council member Doer to adopt, seconded by council member Juan, who is now before us. And then I'll Oh, we've got a vote, right? No, we we'll do the substitute first. Okay. Then I would like to move to substitute. And I believe we all have the copy of the substitute. A motion to substitute by council member Doer. Second by council member Juan. Please prepare the vote on the substitute. The vote is open. Will everyone please vote? The votes closed. 14 yay, zero nays. And colleagues, I would like to adopt that substitute. And does does the substitute change the caption? Yes, it does. If you'll read it in, please. The new caption is as follows. A resolution by council member Jason Doan and Mayor Feroki as substituted by Atlanta City Council authorizing the mayor Dex on behalf of the Atlanta Department of Transportation to execute a project management agreement with the Atlanta Downtown Improvement District for downtown pedestrian way finding in an amount not to exceed $4 million. All contract all contracted work to be charged to and paid from the fund department organization account numbers listed here and for other purposes. And I move to adopt a substitute. There's been a motion to adopt a substituted by council member Doer, seconded by council member Juan. Please prepare the vote on the motion to adopt on substitute. The vote is open. The votes closed. 15 yay, zero nays. Thank you. 15 yay, zero nays. That item is adopted on substitute. Moving on to the consent agenda. Are there any items to be removed from the consent agenda? Council member Wes Morland. Thank you, Mr. Chair. I need to remove item three on page five. It's 25133. 25 1133. Any other items, colleagues? All right, I'm a motion to approve consent agenda section one by council member Juan, second by council member Baktiari. Please prepare the vote. The vote is open. Will everyone please vote? Council member Council Member Collins. The vote's closed. 15 yay, zero nays. 15 nay, zero nays. Council member Shook. Uh, thank you. My motion is to send the following five items to the mayor's office post haste. 251297 251318 251343 25R 3102 and 25 1317. So the last one was 1317. Uh yes sir. Council member Wine, you add additional items. Yeah, I'd like to add um to Mr. Shook's motion add on page four, item number two, 251326. So page four, item two, 251326. I'll second and I'll second. Madame clerk or council member Winston. Thank you. Uh yes, I'd also like to add two items. uh one on page five um 25-R3584 and 25-R3585 on page six. Thank you. All right. Any other items to be rolled under this motion to send post to the mayor which I believe was you first. Are you clear on all those items, madam clerk? Yes. Motion by council member Shook, seconded by council member one. And I believe uh we can do this by unanimous consent. Mr. Parliamentarian, unanimous consent. Yes, acceptable. Uh, madame clerk, please sound the count of unanimous consent on the motion to send those items posted to the mayor. That's 15 yay, zero nays. 15 yay, zero nays. Motion is favorable and those items will be sent to the mayor's office post. Moving on to the consented agenda section two. Motion to refer these to their proper committees. Moved by council member one. Is there a second? Second by council member Baktiari. Please spare the vote. The vote is open. The vote is closed. 15 yay, zero nays. 15 yay, zero naysay. Those items will be referred to their committees. Moving on to the report of standing committees. First up, we have public safety and legal administration, Chairwoman Boon. Uh we she's been requested to uh come back to her. Next up is city utilities committee council member Lewis. Good afternoon. Please turn to page 34 of your full council agenda for the standing committee report for city utilities for item number one 125R 3552 item 13 page 34 a resolution by council member Dustin Hillis or authorizing the mayor or his designate to enter into an intergovernmental agreement with Cobb County Georgia on behalf of the department of watershed management for the provision of water and sewer treatment services for certain areas of the city by the Cobb County water system. All contracted work will be charged to and paid from the fund department organization and account numbers listed herein and for the purposes this item was favorable on condition. The condition for this legislation was for DWM to submit the IG to be attached to the legislation as an amendment. The condition has been satisi satisfied. Motion to amend and add this attachment. There's been a motion to amend by council member Lewis, seconded by council member Juan to add an attachment to the legislation. Please prepare the vote. The vote is open. The vote's closed. 15 yay z. Motion to adopt as amended. A motion to adopt as amended. by Council Member Lewis. Is there a second? Second by Council Member Shook. Please provide the vote to adopt as amended. The vote is open. The votes closed. 15 yay, zero nays. Council president 15, zero nays. That item is favorable as a adopted as amended. Council President Pro Tim. This concludes my report. Thank you, Chairman Lewis. Next up is Community Development Human Services, Council Member Winston. Thank you, colleagues. The first item 24-01691. Um, you all has a have a substitute um that you've been able to uh receive in your inbox. So, I'm going to make a motion to bring forth the substitute. There's been made a motion to bring forth a substitute by council member Winston. I believe that was second by council member Norwood. Please prepare the vote. The vote is open. Will everyone please vote? The post's closed. 15 yay, zero nays. Thank you. 15 yay, zero nays. That item is amended. That was amendment. Substitute. Substitute. Bring forth the substitute. Substitute is before us. All right. 24-01691, an ordinance by council member Michael Julian Bun as substituted by the community development human services committee to amend the Atlanta city code part two general ordinances chapter 158 article 2 treat protection to adopt a new tree protection ordinance for the city of Atlanta and for other purposes. Uh colleagues, this came out of committee favorable with 4A's 1A and one extension. Um there's any questions about the substitute? Um just so colleagues know that the substitutes before you right now uh is the first substantial update to our tree protection ordinance I think in over 25 years. Uh we currently have a tree pro protection ordinance. So what this does is um in addition to uh the current standards that we have now. It doubles funding uh for low-income senior uh assistance programs to $400,000 a year for pruning, removal, and planting. uh introduces recompense reductions for affordable housing. Um it sets minimum tree density requirements by zoning. It establishes m maximum recompense limits to provide uh financial predictability. Uh it increases tree recompense rate to $140 an inch which will be adjusted annually for inflation. It doubles the penalty for illegal tree removal from 100,000 uh to $200,000 per acre. It incentivizes tree planting by granting a 1.2.5 credit for caliber inches planted. It requires inchby inch replacement for uh replacement or recompense for trees removed on city-owned property. It applies tree protections to affordable housing built on public land. It establishes a clear presence for tree replacement over payment. In addition, it adds 10 plus staff positions including an arborist and an ecologist funded by the tree trust fund and general fund and launches a a registration program for tree professionals. And lastly, it provides guidance for homeowners navigating insurance related tree removal. Um, coming out of committee, I will make a motion to approve that substituted. A motion to approve a substituted by council member Winston. Is there a second? Second by council member Doer. Please prepare the vote. Oh, actually we have some comment first. Council member Baktiari. Council member Vaughn, you're first. Thank you, Mr. President Pro Tim. And of course, thank you, Mr. Chair. And as has been stated by many speakers today, this is yet another step in what has been a arguous journey uh to perfect a tree protection ordinance for our city. Uh I know some of the speakers referenced uh that the some of the items that were very important uh for tree protection have been stripped out. One of the sticking points in getting uh the legislation to this point to be voted on was the argument uh that our commissioner made really throughout since the original uh iteration of this ordinance was introduced some months ago that it should travel uh or become effective when the zoning rewrite uh is made effective in January uh without the tree protections that were referenced that were removed, I didn't feel that that was necessary and hence that's why I res uh abstained in committee. But after more conversations and considerations with uh the commissioner and administration if they want to follow that particular process of course you know I had said in committee I wasn't going to be a block uh to that progress because even though and I want to reassure uh activists that are here today and those who are in the development committee we both know that people did not get everything that they wanted out of this iteration of the ordinance. But I also want to make clear that the movement to improve tree protections uh in Atlanta is not over because this passes. One of the things that uh we came to an agreement with the administration uh at the suggestion of the commissioner was that we would monitor and report back to the committee on the activities of reconciling the zoning applications and development hence the development applications along with our tree ordinance and its impacts. And so to make sure that that policy takes place, there is legislation drafted and I've circulated it amongst those who were here a few moments ago and am open of course for additional signatures from other council members who weren't present uh to make sure that that process happens over the next six months. So I'll be introducing that at the end of the meeting uh so that we can have an accountability process for the balance of the year. So I will be supporting this piece of what is a tapestry that we are working on over a large period of time to protect and preserve the trees in our community. And so people who did not get everything that they wanted, the process with this passing, the process is not over. We're still going to continue to work. We're still going to continue to monitor to try to protect the trees in our community. And so, please don't feel defeated uh because you didn't get everything that you needed with this. I took some solace. Uh I'm not a Buddhist, but I use Buddhist practices. And Buddha once said that be grateful for any amount of progress, even if it's only the distance of a grain of of rice. And so we have not gotten to uh the finish line on fully protecting our trees in the in our Atlanta community. Uh but we're still on that journey, right? And we still want to have uh a city that's in the trees, a city that protects us with its beauty, with, you know, with its tree canopy and one where people who want to move here, who want to have a home in the city can live. And you know that goes hand inand with those who provide those places to live. So this is just one more step on that journey. And so you know we look forward to introducing and passing the legislation that we have. I know some some of you out of the room but I'm going to recirculate that paper so that we can have the accountability we need going forward for the next six months. So I withdraw. Thank you council member von. Council member Collins. Great. Thank you for that, Coun. Um, thank you for that, Councilman Bun. It kind of sums up sums up just um some of my thoughts as well. I really just wanted to thank the committee um and the community for just the the depth of conversation and dialogue over the last few months. I've been, you know, following the multi multiple revisions of this and truly appreciate the work that has been done. And I definitely just wanted to uplift the additional the importance of the improved oversight implementation piece. Um I think um me and all of our colle colleagues what I've gotten from all the emails there's a lot of misinformation about the the t the tree protection ordinance or what entail. So, as we move forward this process, just really want to encourage um encourage the Department of City Planning and us as your your elected leaders just to take every opportunity to educate the community fully on all of the new pieces of this. But, um I uh new pieces of this as we move forward with it, but also ensuring that this is lock in step with zoning 2.0. So, I was really appreciative to hear the community comments on that piece as well. Um, so I just wanted to uplift I just wanted to um uplift that particularly the oversight and implementation piece and the concern of making sure that's funded as well. So thank you. Thank you council member Collins. But I will also be very transparent and that I'm going to be the thorn in multiple people's sides until we get this right. So I'm dealing with clear cutting my community. I need some way to push back on it. This is a start. But to my colleagues and to everyone listening, I'm not done. So, I just wanted to be very transparent about that. Thank you. Thank you, Council Member Bakari, Council Member Lewis. Similar to Council Member Bakiari didn't go far enough for me, the legislation that Council Member Bond put forth is what I feel confident in. Trees Atlanta sits in my district. So, I truly understand, I truly hear, and I know the experts are speaking loud on this. And so it didn't go far enough for me, but to not be the what I've learned as a council person and being here is that you you can't kill it because you didn't get everything you wanted because it can't just be my idea. And from what I see, no one's happy. Uh both sides are like, "Give me more, give me more." As a union person, we kind of like that. And I think that's way we can make this even better piece of legislation. So, thank you, Council Member Bond, for your experience. Thank you, Council Member Baktiari, for fighting this, for punching through the wall to make sure we can add some more stuff to it. But, um, standing with Council Member Bun on this one. Thank you again for your experience, sir. Thank you, Council Member Lewis. Any other colleagues? If not, we have a motion to approve in front of us. That was seconded by Council Member Doer. Please prepare the vote. The vote is open. The votes closed. 15 yay, zero nays. 15 a zero nays. That item is favorable on substitute. Council member Bond. Have a motion to send to the mayor's office. Post haste. Second. It's been a motion to send to the mayor's office post by council member Bond. Second by council member Lewis. Please prepare the vote. Louis, the vote is open. Will everyone please vote? 14 yay zero nays 14 nays zero nays and 240691 will be sent to the mayor's office post haste thank you and I just want to congratulate colleagues on passing what is probably one of the most substantial updates we've made to our tree protection ordinance in over 25 years. Uh this was a step forward. It wasn't a step backward. We just modernized our tree protection ordinance for the city of Atlanta um while strengthening Atlanta's canopy than it more than it was a few seconds ago. Uh and so I'm I'm proud of everyone who worked on this. Um shout out to the uh planning department who put in countless hours. I see Commissioner Prince in the back room, Council members and colleagues on the community uh community development human services committee who put countless hours in you uh in in on this. So, thank you to all everyone who who put their voice out uh to help us strengthen what we had today. So, thank you all for being part of that process. Um, I'll move on to the second item that we have, uh, which is 25-01339, an ordinance by Council Member Michael Julian Bond to wave section number listed of the land subdivision ordinance of the city of Atlanta for the purpose of facilitating acknowledgement of 1052 Hurst Street Northwest as two separate lots substantially consistent with the historic configuration and prevailing PL f pattern and for other purposes. Um colleagues, this came out uh favorable on condition uh that we received a substitute. That substitute has been received. Um so I will make a motion to bring forth the substitute. Motion to bring forth substitute by council member Winston, second by council member Bakiari. Please prepare the vote on the substitute. The vote is open. The votes closed. 15 yay and zero nays. 15 yay, zays. The substitute is before us. I'll make a motion to approve as substituted. Motion to approve as substituted by council member Winston. Is there a second? Second by council member Bakiari. Please prepare the vote on the motion to approve on substitute. The vote is open. The votes closed. 15 yay, zero nays. 15 zs. That item is adopted on substitute. Thank you. And then lastly, there was an item 25-0133 which was on page five that was pulled from the consent uh agenda. Um like to make an uh read, sorry, I'll read it. Uh an ordinance by council members Matt West Morland, Bond, Collins, Winston, Ferroi Amos Doer Baktiari Juan Norwood, Boon, Kora Street, and Lewis to adopt the trails ATL plan as the city of Atlanta's master plan for a citywide network of trails to incorporate the trails ATL plan into the city of Atlanta comprehensive development plan A and for other purposes. So, would like to make a motion to amend to add Council Member Hillis's name. I second. There been a motion to amend to add council member Hills's my name second by council member Baktiari. Please prepare the vote. The vote is open. Council member Collins. The votes closed. 15 yay, zero nays. 15 yay, zero nays. Uh, the item is now amended and before us. I'll make a motion to approve as amended. Been a motion to approve as amended by council member Winston, second by council member Bakiari. Please prepare the vote to adopt as amended. The vote is open. Open our screen. Oh, our screen isn't updated with the current ordinances. Just want to give you Sorry about that. Thank you. Will everyone please vote? Council member one, what is your The votes closed. 15 yay, zero nays. 15s, zero nazs. That item is approved as amended. Adopted as amended. Does conclude my report. Thank you. Thank you, Chairman Winston. Council member Bakiari. Yeah, this was I just wanted to also note the passing of that paper and I wanted to thank council member Winston as well as Eric Ganther, the path team and parks and wreck for this huge lift. Thank you all so much. And I know Eric, you're very happy. So, congratulations. Uh council member Lewis. And same thing, the only thing I I actually wanted to make one change to it because we've been talking about names of trails in our district and I know that Southside Trail we want to make sure we name Maurice Stone Maurice Stone Davis Trail. So, uh, those are some only things I want to do, but continue to do the work you're doing. Thank you for showing me paths, things we've been taking our entire life in our area truly trails and they should have been trails. Thank you for showing me paper streets in our community are truly trails and they should be streets. Thank you again. And if there's no one else, I just want to say also that this is a a big step forward for the city of Atlanta adopting our first ever citywide trails master plan. This was a vision we had last budget year uh and was adopted as a budget amendment to fund the study. So uh now let's get to building some more trails across the city. Thank you all. Next up, we will hear from public safety legal administration, Councilwoman Boon. Thank you, Mr. Council President Pro Tim. We have one item today 25-00-1260 item number one page 31 an ordinance by council member Alex 1 as substituted by public safety and legal administration committee to amend Atlanta city code part two code of ordinances general ordinances chapter 10 alcoholic beverages article two dealers and manufacturers division two license subdivision one general provisions section 10-52 advertisement of content to engage in business to revise the notice signage requirements for alcohol license applications and for other purposes. This item comes before the body favorable for 1 nay. Accordingly, the recommendation is to adopt. Motion to adopt. A motion to adopt out of committee. Please prepare the vote. The vote is open. The votes closed at 14 yay and zero nays. 14 14 zero nays. That item is adopted. This concludes our report today. Mr. President prom. Thank you, Chairwoman Boon. Next up is transportation committee, council member Amos. Yes, sir, Mr. President. Pro Tam. Um item 25-1324, ordinance by transportation committee authorizing the mayor on behalf of the city of Atlanta to execute all documents necessary for the acquisition of certain property interests necessary for the Cleveland and Avenue sidewalk installation project. Authorizing negotiations with property owners for the acquisition of such property interest. authorizing title search, appraisal, surveys, and other items necessary for the acquisition of such property are unsuccessful to institute condemnation proceedings pursuant to the declaration of taking methods OCGA 32-3-1 waving certain provisions of article 10 real estate and procurement code of the city of Atlanta code of ordinance all contracted work and payment for pro property interest to be paid from account numbers listed here and for other purposes this coming out of committee with a motion to file. There's a motion to file before us. Please prepare the vote. The vote is open. Will everyone please vote? The vote is closed. 14 yay, zero nays. 14. 14, zero nays. Uh, the motion to file is approved. Thank you, sir. Um, Mr. President, pro Tim, there is a need to enter into committee of a whole. So, I'll make a motion to enter into committee of a whole. Second. There's been a motion to enter under committee a whole by chairman Amos, second by council member Bond. Please prepare the vote. The vote is open. Will everyone please vote? The votes close. 13 yays, one nay. 13 yays, one nay. We have now entered into committee of a whole. Thanks, sir. This is item 25-1340. Ordinance by council member Michael Julian Bond as amended by transportation committee authorizing the mayor his designate on behalf of the city of Atlanta to grant temporary permanent and perpetual easement under above upon under and across a portion of rightway of Martin Luther King Jr. Drive Southwest consisting of approximately 1,865 square ft for the construction, repair, replacement, maintenance, and operation of a aerial pedestrian bridge with a top bridge elevation of 1,198.82 82 ft and bottom bridge elevation of 176.76 ft to the Georgia Building Authority body corporate and politic and instrumentally of the state of Georgia and a public corporation created and existing under the laws of the state of Georgia and waving any conflicting provisions of article 10 division 14 subsection 3 of the Atlanta city code of ordinance and for other purposes. Motion to adopt. And a motion to adopt by chairman Amos. Is there a second? Second. Second by council member Overreet. Please prepare the vote on the motion to adopt. The phone is open. President Proip, I have a couple questions. Coun Council member, who was that? Sorry. Collins. Yes. Council member Collins. Yeah. So just really quickly, um, Chair Amos, I know this is the the the Skybridge, you know, the Skybridge project and one just still trying to understand, um, in terms of the con in terms of the concerns of safety and also uh, you know, the the issues of safety, but also this growing concern in terms of community engagement and voice. I think it would I would be remiss not to bring that up in this space knowing that you know there's been comments make you know comments about it but also there's been attention that has been brought to it. So any additional context in terms of this will be will be great. So I don't know if there's anyone here from the administration that can answer that question and I don't see anyone or from transportation. And I doubt if legal can answer that at this particular time. Um so those are definitely answers we can get back to you. Um, I can give you my own personal insight, but I don't think that's what what you're what you're looking for. Or just any information. I mean, with no one hopefully someone comes in, but just in terms of any information that came from the transportation committee meeting from from last week will be, you know, would be great. Well, I mean definitely in the meeting we had someone from deem that was there who just spoke about giving the state the authorization and the air rights to actually um do this development which will be the aerial bridge. It'll be connecting the um state capital to the new legislative building that is being um built as well. They talked about safety. They talked about um inclement weather and things of that nature. So those was the basic things that was talked about the need for it. [Music] I complete your council member Collins. as I complete your questions at this moment. Marcy, you want to say anything because I know you are committed. So the final thing if I may prom president, the final thing that they spoke about was the fact that this really was about just air rights. Um they're not asking us for any funding. They're not asking us for anything. This is really a bridge in between one state building to another. No pedestrian uh commercial zona bottom as the concern was uh indicated. you you know of course with the interaction with uh with other other members that would it would usually uh prohibit them from interacting on a commercial basis on the on the lower level. This one is not that type of um bridge and they really talked about the fact that the only reason they're coming to the city is because of air rights not funding or anything else. We just have to permit air rights. So reg okay. So regardless the state could easily build a bridge. Correct. And but then also I know there's a writer there's a rightway piece. I think also one of the big pieces just to emphasize is also just ensuring public access um to you know to the br you know to the bridge. I know we talk about it, but I think there is there is a concern regarding the fact that we do have other bridges from other entities that the public don't have as easy access to. That's not this project. This project is from one state building to another state building. So, still the requirements of anybody that going to it's a public building. So, anyone that needs requirements going to a state building will still have access to this this space. Okay. Any other questions? That completes your questions, council member Collins, at this moment. Um, yeah, I think so. Yes. I just I wasn't sure if anyone else came in that wanted to share anything. All right. Council member Lewis and not speaking to Council Member Collins, but standing with Councilman Member Collins, I had people in my area reach out the same. I want to say thank you for explaining this to us that it cost the city of Atlanta nothing. But but standing exactly what council member Collins is, understanding that I've had we had a lot of questions about it today and I had people actually reach out to me personally. But thank you all for explaining this to me. All right. Any other speakers? If not, we have a vote before us. Will everyone please vote? Will everyone please vote? The closed 10 ys, two nays. 10 yays, two nays. That item is adopted. And now we will need a make a motion to come out of committee of a motion to come out of committee of a whole by council council member Amos. Second by council member Juan. Please prepare the vote. The vote is open. Will everyone please vote? The vote is closed. 11 yay, zero nays. 11 yay, zero nays. We're now back in regular session. Thank you, Mr. President. Pro Tim. I make a motion to adopt all things adopted in committee of a whole. Mo motion been made by council member Amos to adopt all items engrossed and made in committee of a whole. Second by council member Juan. Please spur the vote. One moment. The vote is open. Will everyone please vote? Will everyone please vote? Council member Collins, what is your vote? Yes. Council member in the case she's a yes. That's 12 yays, one nay. 12 yays, one nays. That item all all items adopted in committee of a whole are now adopted in regular session. Thank you, Mr. President. Pro Tam. At this time, I' like a motion to send 25-1340 to the mayor's office. Post haste. There's been a motion to send this item to the mayor's office post haste. Is there a second? Second by council member Shook. Please heard the vote to send this item to the mayor's office post. The vote is open. Will everyone please vote? The vote's closed. 11 yays, two naysay. 11 yays, two nays. The motion to send this to the mayor's office post is favorable. Thank you, sir, to answer our report. Thank you, Chairman Amos. Now for finance executive committee. Uh, Chairman Shook. Thank you, Mr. Presiding Officer. We have two papers. Um, I will make a motion to bring forward a substitute for 251328. There's been a motion to bring forth a substitute. Is there a second? Anyone? Second by Council Wes Morland. The vote is open. Okay, council member B. The vote's closed. That's 12 yay, zero nays. 12 yay, zero nays. That substitute is before us. All right. The caption of the substitute is the same. Uh this is an ordinance uh by Shook as substituted authorizing the transfer of funds from various council carry forward accounts to the respective council distribution and expense accounts to continue serving the Atlanta community uh by funding projects for the public good within their district or or donating funds for charitable purposes and for other purposes. I move approval on substitute. Been a motion to approve on substitute by chairman shook. Is there a second? Second. Second by council member Baktiari. Please prepare the vote. The vote is open. Council member Bond. The votes closed. That's 13 14 yay, zero nays. 14, zero nays. That item is favorable on substitute. All right. Lastly 251338 is an ordinance by Miss Boon waving the code sections listed here to exercise a second renewal option for a co-op agreement number of which is listed. uh cellular and wline router services utilizing Georgia Technology Technology Authority contract which is listed with AT&T Mobility National accounts for wireless data services on behalf of Watershed APD AIM and Atlanta Fire Rescue for a term of one year retroactively effective from the dates listed through the dates listed to ratify services rendered in connection with the agreement retroactively beginning on the date listed through exercise the second renewal option to exercise the third uh amendment to the agreement to add funding in amount not to exceed $ 109,000 all contracted work to be charged to and paid from etc. Motion is to file. Motion to file is out of committee and is before us. Please prepare the vote. The vote is open. Will everyone please vote? Council Bond indicated he was a yay. That's 13 yay, zero nays. 13 yays and zero nays. That will be filed. Thank you. That is all. Thank you, Chairman Shook. Next is Committee on Council, Chairwoman Collins. [Music] Good afternoon and thank you, Mr. uh Council President. We have one item on the report for today's committee on council. Item number for communications 25- C-000060. Uh item number one, a communication from Tony Roberts, executive director and CEO of the Atlanta Bar Association, submitting the appointment of Mr. Miguel Dominguez to serve as a member of the Atlanta Citizens Review Board. This appointment is for a term of three years. It is favorable by the public safety and legal administration committee. Um and this item becomes favorable out of the committee on council um as well and it is um we make um it excuse me the recommendation is to adopt. We have the item in front of us and the recommendation out of committee is to adopt. Please prepare the vote. The vote is open. Will everyone will everyone please vote? That's 14 yay, zero nays. 14 yays and zero nays. That item is adopted. Great. Thank you so much, Mr. uh President. And that is all that we h have for the committee. Thank you, Chairwoman Collins. Next up is the zoning committee. Council member West Morland. Mr. President, we do not have a report. Great job. Somehow. Well, that completes the reports of the standing committees. We will now move to personal papers. I didn't have not received any items for immediate consideration. So, we'll move to Council Member Amos. [Music] Yes, sir. AMS ID 38166, a resolution by council member Byron D. Amos, Dustin Hillis, a Marcy car over street, authorizing the mayor or his designate to enter into contract listed roadway construction and maintenance large citywide IFB con.25-01250139A 25-1250139A Atlanta Paving Joint Venture IFB Con.250 2521250139 BRTU Construction and Carolyn Holdings joint venture if B do T25021250139C GS construction incorporated and Lewis Contracting Services LLC Joint Venture IFB Co DOT 255021250139D Stewart Brothers and PK P2KJV to provide construction services to the Atlanta Department of Transportation on a task order basis for initial term of three years with two one-year renewal options to establish a joint task order fund in an amount not to exceed 120 million dollars with all funds to be charged to and paid from the project and account numbers listed here and and for other purposes. No, it would refer to the transportation committee. AMS ID 38196, an ordinance by council member Byron D. aim was authorizing the city of Atlanta to wave the competitive source selection provision contained in section 2-187 of article 10 procurement and real estate code of the code of ordinance of the city of Atlanta, Georgia as well as other conflicting code provisions to execute an amendment for the soul source operations and maintenance contract automated guideway transit system at Hartsville Jackson Atlanta international airport with Austin Transport USA Inc. on behalf of the Department of Aviation to extend the term on a month-to-month basis for a period up to 9 months beginning July 1st, 2025 to expire on or before May 1st, 2026 in an amount not to exceed 27,4990,000. All services will be charged to and paid from the account numbers listed herein and for other purposes. That I don't be referred to the transportation committee. AMS 38197, an ordinance by council member Byron D. Amos authorizing the city of Atlanta to wave the competitive procurement source selection provision contained in section 2-1187 of article 10 procurement and real estate code of the city of Atlanta code of ordinance as well as other conflicting code provisions to include but not limited to section 2-1292e to authorize mayor his design to execute the first amendment to RFPIT DOA 24-2-124257 public safety systems operation and maintenance with dean all PSS LLC on behalf of the Department of Aviation to add services and funding in the amount not to exceed 9 million 100 9,118656 let me go back 9,1186563 all contracted services will be charged to and paid from the account numbers listed herein and and for other purposes that will be referred to the transportation committee AMS ID 38243, an ordinance by council member Byron D. game is to authorize the chief financial officer to amend the fiscal year 2026 general fund budget to create the district 3 neighborhood engagement fund trust fund for the purpose of funding community engagement activities including but not limited to community events, outreach initiatives and civic participation programs to authorize future donations, sponsorships and transfer to be deposited into the fund and for other purposes. That'll be referred to FEC. AMS 38242, an ordinance by council member Byron D. Amos to authorize the chief financial officer to close the District 3 holiday family assistance initiative fund number listed and the District 3 senior citizens picnic fund number listed to transfer the remaining balances from these funds into the newly created District 3 engagement neighborhood engagement fund. and for other purposes. Um, will also be referred to FBC. Ham's ID 38233, ordinance by council member Byron D. Amos to rename Baker Road Northwest to JW Williams Junior Way Northwest to wave certain provisions of section 138-8 of the city code of ordinance and for other purposes. Refer to the transportation committee. AMS ID 38229, a resolution by council member Byron D. Amos requesting the city of Atlanta department of city planning to develop a senior zone designation to promote agefriendly infrastructure, accessibility, housing, and safer communities for seniors in the city of Atlanta and for other purposes. That'll be referred to CDHS. Thank you, sir. Last paper. Thank you, Council Member Ramos. Council member Bartiari. Thank you, President Prom. Uh, first paper, Elms ID 38174, an ordinance by Council Member Liliana Bactiari to amend the land use element of the 2021 City of Atlanta comprehensive development plan so as to designate designate property located at 380 Wilkinson Drive, Southeast Atlanta, Georgia 30317 to the single family residential land use designation and for other purposes. Elms ID 38. That will be referred to CDHS. Thank you. Helms ID 38147, an ordinance by council member Liliana Bactiari to zone property located at located at 380 Wilkinson Avenue Southeast Atlanta, Georgia 30317 to the R4 zoning district and for other purposes. I'll refer to the zoning committee. Elm's ID 38173 a counsel an ordinance by council member Liliana Bactiari to provide for the annexation of property located at 380 Wilkinson Drive southeast Atlanta Georgia into the corporate limits of the city of Atlanta Georgia pursuant to the 100% method to extend the boundaries of the Atlanta Independent School System to notify the department of community affairs of the state of Georgia of such annexation and for other purposes. I'll be referred to FEC Elm's ID 38238, a resolution by Council Member Liliana Baktiari authorizing the contribution of a total amount not to exceed $20,646 to the Old Fourth Ward Business Association to support the commercial, economic financial 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 and for other purposes. That one referred to CDHS and Elms ID 38237, an ordinance by council member Liliana Bactiari to wave certain provisions in section 16-32B- 0002 of the period 002 of the Atlanta code of ordinances related to personal service establishments in the East Atlanta Village commercial district so as to allow a salon and beauty school at 512 Flat Scholes and for other purposes. I refer to PSLA. Thank you, council member Bond. Thank you, Mr. President. Pro Tim. Uh the first paper I have to read in is Elm's ID number 38235 an ordinance by Isa Collins Matt West Morland um Antonio Lewis Marcy Cer over street Dustin Hillis Howard Shook Byron Amos uh Amir Ferro Broki, Jason Winston, Jason Douer, and Alex Juan. An ordinance and Mayor Norwood. And an ordinance by Council Member Michael Julian Bond to amend the Atlanta City Code Part Two general ordinances chapter 158 vegetation article 2 tree protection to allow for an optional arborous meeting early in the Oh, I'm sorry, this is wrong. Development process in lie of the preconstruction meeting at the permitting process and for other purposes I refer to CDHS and C bomb before you continue I just want to make a small correction Elms 38237 which was the 512 Flat Shoes Avenue distance waiver I'm going to instead refer that to the committee no oh okay go ahead council member bond okay we got Elm's ID number 38241 uh Resolution by Jason Winston, Matt West Morland, Eay Collins, Antonio Lewis, looks like Marcy Cer overre Howard Shook, Alex Juan, Amir Ferro, Byron Amos, Jason Doer. Uh, I think that's everyone. A resolution by council member Michael Julia Bomb requesting the commissioner of the department of city planning on Dustin Hills of city planned to include quarterly updates to the testing of the pres preservation standards with the zoning 2.0 0 rewhite initiative to the community development human services committee for the remainder of 2025 and for other purposes and also Mayor Norwood has signed on to this refer to CDHS Elm's ID number 38236 an ordinance by Michael Julian Bond by Amos Jason Doure Matt Wish Morland and Eay Collins an ordinance by Michael Julian Bond authorizing the mayor, his designate on behalf of the city of Atlanta to accept a donation of an easement from Morehouse College Incorporated for the purpose of installing a historic marker on the campus to commemorate February 5th, 1960 meeting of 15 Atlanta University students in the historic sale hall annex of Morehouse College to organize a movement to demand an end to segregation in the city of Atlanta to authorize the mirror his designate on behalf of the city of Atlanta to execute the easement agreement and for other purposes. But I don't refer to city HS. Thank you. I have a ELMS ID number 38161, a resolution by council member Michael Julian Bond authorizing the mayor, his designate to execute the first amendment to the project management agreement with the PATH Foundation Incorporated, DBA path for the Westside to Trail project on behalf of the Atlanta Department of Transportation in an amount not to exceed $475,540 and 0 cents. All contracted work should be charged to and paid from the fund, department, organization, and account numbers listed herein and for other purposes. That'll be referred to the transportation committee. All right, that concludes my papers. Mr. President Pro 10. Thank you, Council Member Vaugh. Next up is Council Member Boone. Thank you, Mr. President. Pro Tim Elms ID number 38245 a resolution by council member Andrea Boon Dustin Hillis Matt West Morland Marcy Cario over street Michael Julian Bond Antonio Lewis supporting the purchase of acreage currently located in district 9 for green space enhancements future development and direct community benefits and for other purposes I'll refer to the CDHS committee Elms ID number three 38201, an ordinance by Council Member Andrea El Boon, amending FOY 2026 intergovernmental grant fund budget by adding to anticipations and appropriations in an amount not to exceed $516,858 and0 to increase the budget amount authorized by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development on behalf of the Department of Grants and Community Development for 8 Vanera LLC. C and to authorize the mayor or his design on behalf of the city of Atlanta to enter into a housing assistance payments contract with 8 veneer LLC effective September 1st, 2025 and ending August 31st, 2026 and an amount not to exceed $516,8580 for the purpose of providing rental subsidies for 28 lowincome families at Veneer village apartments pursuant to the section 8 moderate rehabilitation program sponsored by the US department of housing and urban development all contracted work to be charged to and paid from the fund department organization and account number listed here and and for other purposes that I'm refer to Elm's IED number 38212 an ordinance by council member Andrea Elon authorizing the mayor his designate to wave the competitive of source selection provisions contained in section 2-1187 of article of the procurement and real estate code of the city of Atlanta code of ordinances as well as any other conflicting code provisions to ratify services rendered and any invoices associated there with in connection with agreement EAS1220191A emergency violence prevention and reduction program administrative services with Chris 180 Inc. and to authorize the mayor or his designate to execute the first amendment to the agreement on behalf of the mayor's office of equity, diversion, and inclusion for a term of 2 days retroactively effective from January 23rd through January 24th 25. All contracted work to be charged to and paid from the fund department organization and account numbers listed here and and for other purposes. I'll be referred to the finance executive committee. Thank you, Mr. President. Proam. Thank you, Council Mon. Next, Council Member Collins. Thank you so much. Elves's ID number 38169, a resolution by council members EA Collins, Antonio Lewis, Michael Julian Bond, and Matt West Mullen. supplement a task order fund in the amount not to exceed $482,860 for the use under contract number RFPS, excuse me, RFP- S-1220363 Sustainability on Call Airport Services at Hartsville Jackson Atlanta International Airport with the Atlanta Sustainable Aviation Partners 2035, also known as ASAP. uh joint a joint venture for the department of aviation on a task order basis. All services will be charged to and paid from this account number listed here in and for other purposes. I'll be referred to the transportation committee. Great. Thank you. Thank you, Council Member Collins. Council member Ferro, Elms ID 38234, a resolution by council member Mir Feroki requesting the mayor or his designate to install a pedestrian crosswalk on Lynen Avenue Northeast between Peach Tree Street Northeast and West Peach Tree Street Northeast and for other purposes. I'll be refer to the transportation committee. Thank you. That's all I have. Thank you, Councilman Verroi. I will read my three items in Elms ID 38230, an ordinance by council members Dustin Hillis and Mary Norwood to reszone from MR4B CBL multif family residential conditional beltline overlay to M R4BL multif family residential conditional belt line overlay for a change of conditions for property located at 1527 North Side Drive Northwest and a portion of 1541 North Side Drive Northwest and for other purposes that will be referred to the zoning committee. Next item is Elms ID 38244, an ordinance by council member Dustin Hillis to amend ordinance 2500 1256 adopted by the Atlanta city council on May 19, 2025 and approved as per city charter section 2-43 on May 28, 2025 to add and delete certain account strings and for other purposes that will be referred to the finance executive committee. a conflict of interest. My next item is Elms ID 38190, an ordinance by council members Dustin Hillis, Matt West Morland, Michael Julian Bond, and Eay Collins authorizing the mayor, his designate or the chief procurement officer or her or her design on behalf of the city of Atlanta to require from the conservation fund real properties located at 2400 to Forest Ferry Road, Northwest Atlanta, Georgia 30318, Fton County tax parial number listed and 2465 Warren Road Northwest Atlanta, Georgia 30318. Fing County tax partial ID number listed compromising comp comprising approximately 20.39 acres for a total purchase price not to exceed 4,936,13014. Authorizing the mayor or his design on or the chief procurement officer or her design to execute all documents necessary to acquire the property. Authorizing site stabilization, due diligence, and other associated procurement costs to be paid from the park impact fee north account, amending the 2026 general government capital outlay fund budgets in the Department of Parks and Recreation, and the Department of Finance by transferring to and from the accounts listed herein, to authorize the city to enter into a facility use agreement to allow the Galloway School to continue to use the track and field and ball facilities located on the properties for a period of two years in accordance with its current schedule waving section 2-1541D of the procurement and real estate code and for other purposes and this will be referred to the CDHS committee. Next, Councilman Rob Street. Thank you, President Pro Tim Hillis. Elms ID number 38148, a resolution by council member Marcy. Call your over street authorizing the mayor or his designate to issue task order number RFPD2309-1240025G1 for contract RFPDM2309-1240025G job order contracting services small with Paryani Real Estate LLC doing business as Paryani in construction for the renovation of Fire Station 5 on behalf of the Department of Enterprise Asset Management in an amount not to exceed 1,800,64130. I'll work to be charged to and paid from the accounts listed herein and for other purposes. That refer to the finance executive committee. Thank you. Elms ID number 38191, a resolution by Marcy Collier, council member Marcy Collier, Over Street, authorizing the mayor or his designate to exercise the first renewal option for SS-S1220177 EGIS software licenses, maintenance, and technical support with Environmental Services Research Institute incorporated on behalf of the Department of Atlanta information management for a term of one year effective September 7, 2025 through September 6, 2026 in an amount not to exceed $1,100,000 cents and contracted work will be charged to and paid from the fund department organization and account number listed herein and for other purposes. Notem will be referred to the finance executive committee. Thank you. Thank you, Council Member Street. Council member Shook Elms 38186 authorize uh resolution by Shook authorizing the mayor was designate to exercise the second renewal option for each of the six agreements under the RFP listed. Uh these are for A&E services with Arcadus BPA a joint venture. Um, Brimley Peterson Associates, uh, Atlanta Water Partners joint venture, Jacobs Project Management, um, CDM Smith Benchmark joint venture, Wade Trim, Inc. and Williams Russell Johnson uh and Hazen and Sawyer PC uh with HDR Rohead Fox a joint venture. Uh this is for construction uh construction control services engineering or construction control services corporation effective from the dates listed through the dates listed an amount not to exceed blank to provide professional architectural engineering design and construction management services on a task order basis for capital improvement plan projects to allocate funding to a joint uh task order fund in amount not to exceed blank for use under the six agreements for the RFP indicated all contracted work will be charged to and paid from the FDA's indicated. I'm referred to the city utilities committee. Thank you. Elms 38 uh187 ordinance by shook authorizing the CFO to amend the FY26 water and wastewater renewal and extension fund budget in the amount of blank to transfer funds from wershed reserves for appropriations and funds to the CIP A&E projects and for other purposes. I'll refer to the city utilities committee and elms 38232 an ordinance by shook authorizing transfer of funds from various Atlanta city council carry forward accounts to the appropriate distribution account to replenish funds for FY26 and for other purposes that'll be referred to the finance executive committee. Thank you. Thank you council member Shook. Council member Juan. Thank you Mr. President. Prom Elms 38239 resolution by council member Alex Juan. authorizing the contribution of a total amount not to exceed $250,000 to Ansley Park Beautifification Foundation for Yona Park Improvements. Authorizing the chief financial officer to make the payment from uh well, we'll amend this in committee. District 6 discretionary fund account listed herein and for other purposes. It'll be referred to CDHS. Uh, Elms 38240, resolution by Council Member Alex one authorizing the contribution of a total amount not to exceed $400,000 cents to Mstead Linear Park Alliance for Almstead Linear Park improvements authorizing the chief financial officer to make the payment from District 6 discretionary fund account listed here in for other purposes. That'll refer to CHS. All right. An ordinance uh 38231, an ordinance by council members Juan, Baktiari, West Morland, and Collins authorizing a donation to the Atlanta Pride Committee in amount not to exceed blank on behalf of the city council to support the 2025 Atlanta Pride Festival pursuant to section 6306 of the City of Atlanta Charter. And for other purposes, I'll be referred to the Finance Executive Committee. Thank you. I'm not reading agend. Okay, gotcha. Last but not least, council member Winston. Get to those W's. Elms ID 38146, an ordinance by Council Member Jason Winston authorizing the mayor or his designate on behalf of the city of Atlanta to enter into a lease agreement with Grant Park Conservancy for the lease of a city-owned building within Grant Park located at 880 Cherokee Avenue for an initial term that shall run from the date of the execution through March 28, 2028 with one 5-year renewal option in exchange for the Grant Park Conservy's agreement to pay for all routine maintenance costs associated with the property and its use and any necessary routine repairs thereof which would norm originally be the responsibility of the city for the purpose of furthering the mission of the conservancy and benefiting Grant Park and for other purposes that be referred to CDHS. Thank you. Thank you, Council Member Winston. All right, that completes our items to be read in. Are there any general remarks, colleagues? Council member Bond. Thank you, uh, Mr. President, Pro Tim. Just two quick announcements. Uh, it's been a sleeper, but there's actually an election tomorrow, statewide election for public service commission. So, please uh go out and exercise the one true power you're guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States, and that's your power to vote. Also, uh the 19th is Junth officially. So, we want to wish everyone a very celebratory uh Junth holiday. But thirdly, but most importantly, uh I was off the floor at the beginning of the meeting, so I wasn't aware if we had had a moment of silence, but I'd like to ask for a moment of silence for coach Thomas Jefferson Wales. He is a legendary coach in Atlanta, particularly at Morehouse College, but he's also a former employee of the city of Atlanta parks and recreation department uh for over 20 years. Uh he passed uh last week and he will be funeralized uh uh this Friday at 11:00 a.m. out at Timothy Fleming's uh church. So, if we could take a moment of silence for this great great man who had such a great impact, not only uh in track and field, but he was a mentor uh to many who uh went on to great success, including uh he ran with Edwin Moses, who went to the Olympics from Morehouse College in 76. Coach Wells had just celebrated his 50th anniversary. uh from graduating from Morehouse in 1975. I saw him uh at at the graduation there. He was there. He was the first of his class to be there in the special section uh right about 7:00 in the morning as we went to see my nephew uh James Bond graduate. So, if we could take a moment of silence on his behalf, I would appreciate it. Thank you, Council Member Bond. Let's have that moment of silence. All right. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. President. Pro Tim, you council member Bond. Council member Baktiari. Thank you. Um I didn't give a have a chance to say these condolences earlier. Um Thomasson Jefferson Wells Jr. also known as Coach Wells. Uh over he lived over at Wheat Street Towers. He was the head of his senior community. He's somebody that I loved and cared about deeply. I he was my constituent. He was my friend. Um, he passed after a long long long battle with cancer. You would not have known it talking to him. Um, he will be missed deeply. And for anyone who wants to pay their respects, he has a the family is hosting a viewing um this Thursday at the Murray Murray Brothers Chapel and a celebration of life on June 20th at Mount Carmel Baptist Church uh starting at 11:00 a.m. Um and I that is one thing I also just wanted to ask people to keep my family and our communities in prayer. um to our communities here, to our communities in LA, to our communities uh internationally, my family especially, and what we're facing in Iran right now. I ask that we continue to keep open minds and open hearts. Um not conflate people with the actions of their governments, uh especially in such a fraught time. And uh lastly, a little bit of good news. Um I want to welcome our new niece to our family. Her name is Nia and she was just born a couple weeks ago and um very very excited to have her in our family and haven't gotten to meet her yet but Nia just know that we already love you so much. So thank you. Thank you Council Member Brock Council Member Doer. Thank you Mr. President Pro Tim. Uh, first I just want to thank everyone who came out to our senior job fair that we held here at the city hall atrium last Thursday in partnership with Magnolia Club. Uh, we had 350 seniors come here to uh, not only look for job opportunities but to get resources uh, learn about how they can navigate these uh, choppy waters we're currently in. And it was a phenomenal event. So, thank you to Stimulate America for your partnership and leadership and to Magnolia Club for all that you do for our seniors. And I'll be remiss if uh I did not uh acknowledge the 250th birthday of the United States Army as a Army vet. Uh I think that um uh it's in a moment momentous occasion to to make it to 250 years. Uh the army predates the declaration of independence and uh want to make sure uh that we uh think about our military families especially with all that is going on in the world but with particular acknowledgement to our army soldiers who are uh tirelessly working day in and day out to keep our country safe. The army motto is this will defend and we'll continue to do that uh in the days to come. So thank you all. Thank you Council Member Doer and we appreciate your years of service in the Army. Council member Lewis. Thank you, Council Pres. Council President Pro Tim. I want to thank everyone who came out to our free men's health and wellness event, the inaugural Anthony Tickman Jones event. We had a couple hundred people actually come out to Rosale Fan and get screenings for myself included in our zone 3 major. First first time ever to get screening for prostate cancer. So, it's super excited to bring these resources to people. We had more than just prostate cancer checks. We had all STD checks. We had people checking their blood vitals right in Rosel Finn. So something we're going to keep going as we say bump cancer, bump cancer, bump cancer. The next thing I want to say, thank you to folks for coming out to our very busy weekend to our to our diaper distribution day last week and also to our to our community healing event in Adair Park. It both events were successes and inaugural events. Lastly, want to invite people to our to the community healing tour number two version. This it will be June 19th at 11:00 a.m. to 3 p.m. It will be hosted at Marinatha Church. Do not miss this event. Do not miss this event. Once again, community community healing tour 2, June 19th, 2025, 11:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. Marinatha Church. That is 2730 Brownsme Road. 2730 Brownsme Road. Thank you again. Thank you, Council Member Lewis. And I to say I want to thank my colleagues. This is the second full council meeting I've ran as a pro Tim uh and also the parliamentarian for keeping me mostly on track. Uh but uh our president will be back for our July meeting. So uh thank you all and I will ask the clerk to call the adjourning roll call please. Thank you council president prom. We have council member Michael and Julian Bond post one at large. here. Council member Matt West Morland, post two at large. Council member Isa Collins, post three at large. Here, council member Jason H. Winston, District 1. Council member Maria Perokei, District 2. Council member Byron D. Amos, District 3. Council member Jason Doser, District 4. Council member Liliana Bakari, District 5. Council member Alex Juan, District 6. Council member Howard Shook, District 7. Council member Mayor Norwood, District 8. Council President Prom Dustin Hills, District 9. Present. Council member Andrea Obun, District 10. Council member Marcia Colola, Over Street, District 11. Thank you, sir. Council member Antonio Lewis, District 12. here. Thank you, Madam Clerk. If there is no further business, this meeting stand ajourn.