[1:50] Good morning everyone.

[1:51] My name is Byron Amos.

[1:52] I'm chair of committee on council.

[1:54] I'd like to officially call the meeting to order.

[1:56] To my far, far left, we are joined by my colleagues.

[2:00] Council member, Dozier, Council member, Berkshire,

[2:03] which is moving to my right, and council member Senegal.

[2:06] Therefore Council member Winston as well.

[2:09] Since we are all here, we make a quorum.

[2:12] I like to make a motion to adopt the agenda.

[2:14] Motions to be made a second in the discussion.

[2:17] Seeing. Now please open the vote to choose.

[2:19] Your favorite

[2:21] vote is open.

[2:35] Vote is closed for a zero nays.

[2:37] The agenda has been adopted.

[2:39] Thank you. Make a motion to approve the minutes.

[2:42] Motion has been made.

[2:43] The second and discussion.

[2:44] Seeing none. Please open the vote.

[2:47] Vote is open.

[2:51] Vote is closed for a zero.

[2:52] Nays in the minutes have been approved.

[2:55] Thank you. I make a motion to adopt the full council agenda.

[2:57] Is there a second motion has been made?

[2:59] The second in the discussion.

[3:01] Seeing. Now. Please open the vote.

[3:04] Vote is open.

[3:07] Vote is closed for a zero nays.

[3:09] The full council agenda has been adopted.

[3:10] Thank you. That brings us to.

[3:12] Next on the agenda is the public comment section.

[3:15] I remind you have three minutes that'll be shown on the,

[3:19] schedule, I mean, on the screens.

[3:22] And please keep your comments directed

[3:23] toward the committee and respectful.

[3:25] Have first up, mr.

[3:27] Devin Franklin.

[3:36] Good morning, council members.

[3:38] My name is Devin Franklin.

[3:40] For those who are viewing,

[3:42] I am your movement Policy Council

[3:44] at the Southern Center for Human Rights.

[3:46] This morning I come to offer comment

[3:48] in support of legislation 2601483,

[3:52] also known as the People's Voice Act.

[3:55] This legislation was first brought before this committee

[3:58] about two weeks ago on September 8th.

[4:01] At that point in time, the sponsor for the bill

[4:04] made a request for the bill to be held

[4:06] for additional language to be to be put forth.

[4:09] And today, as I understand

[4:11] that that language has been reviewed by law.

[4:13] There are no issues with that,

[4:15] that language, that language that has been proposed.

[4:17] And I again, I'm here

[4:19] to advocate for the passage of the People's Voice Act.

[4:22] The initial piece of legislation was very simple.

[4:26] It simply sought to address the fact that

[4:28] certain members of the public were being called,

[4:33] not in the ordinance which they had signed up to speak at public comment.

[4:36] The original piece of legislation

[4:37] sought to ensure that if I signed up at 12:00,

[4:40] regardless of whether or not I had

[4:41] someone seed time to me or not,

[4:43] that I would speak before someone who signed up at 1:00.

[4:45] For example, the additional amendment

[4:47] that has been introduced,

[4:49] specifically goes towards concerns that were expressed by

[4:53] Council President

[4:56] Marcy Collier Overstreet and a conversation that she and I had

[4:58] and specifically, we talked about kind of

[5:01] what the genesis of the concern was for

[5:04] people having to stay throughout council to raise their hands

[5:08] at whatever point to show that they were present.

[5:11] And they had, in fact, seeded time to, a chosen speaker.

[5:15] The amendment here, that is, we expect to be

[5:18] formally introduced today and to be considered.

[5:21] Simply allows for that verification process

[5:24] to be done earlier during City Council.

[5:27] So in this way, the concerns about whether time and actually been seated or

[5:31] are being met, as well as the inconvenience

[5:33] that members of the public who are sitting time

[5:35] have, are having, is also being addressed as well.

[5:38] So this appears to be

[5:40] one of the examples of what happens

[5:42] when we're able to have conversations

[5:44] about the things that are important

[5:46] to us and impact us, and what it looks like

[5:48] when we have an opportunity to work together.

[5:49] And I'm simply here to watch and hopefully enjoy

[5:52] the conversation and debate around the legislation.

[5:54] And I hope to see us. Passage.

[5:56] If any of you all have any detailed questions,

[5:58] I am here

[5:59] and able to answer questions that the sponsor otherwise

[6:02] would be able to answer.

[6:04] And of course, that sponsor is a council member, Kelsey Bond, as well as Liliana.

[6:09] Thank you. Okay. Thank you sir.

[6:11] The next to ladies on

[6:14] our public comment is Miss Powell and Miss Shields.

[6:18] But understand that you are here for appointments.

[6:20] You still can get your three minutes if you want.

[6:22] If not, I understand we can move on to the next people.

[6:25] So you're going to speak during the appointment time?

[6:29] Okay. Perfect.

[6:30] Now we have Miss Thomas.

[6:42] Oh, I could just start speaking.

[6:45] Speaking to the mic for me.

[6:47] There you go. There you go. Okay.

[6:48] My name is Thomas, and I'm here today to talk to you guys

[6:54] about the issue with Marta in the transportation.

[6:58] And, like, on my street, they took our bus,

[7:02] and now we have to in order for us to get where we're going,

[7:05] we have to schedule a blast.

[7:07] But the community so big, it's like the bus.

[7:10] It's only one bus for morning, afternoon.

[7:12] So it'll take like hours for us to get where we're going.

[7:16] Like, even for school.

[7:18] I couldn't get a ride one day and Missy had to come pick me up

[7:21] because they said the bus was full in one letter.

[7:23] Schedule a bus. And

[7:26] it's very inconvenient

[7:27] because people we can't get to where we need to go on time.

[7:32] Sometimes I'm late for school.

[7:34] Sometimes we like to go pick ourselves

[7:37] up from school. And.

[7:44] They really shouldn't have to like because

[7:47] at first it was like two busses,

[7:49] like two vans for like the morning and afternoon.

[7:52] But now we're just one.

[7:54] Even though it's like not a lot of areas that the bus come around,

[7:58] like the Marguerite's come around and.

[8:03] I don't know, I don't think they're going to fix that part,

[8:06] but I feel like we

[8:08] need our busses back because it's very inconvenient.

[8:12] The busses come every like our that's closer to our house.

[8:16] But our bus before that we had come like every 15 minutes.

[8:20] So it'll help us, like get to school faster.

[8:30] And get some places where we need to go.

[8:31] I'm so sorry.

[8:32] My head just everywhere.

[8:36] You know. Good.

[8:37] What else? Take your time.

[8:40] Oh, yeah, I we had I think the bus was like

[8:43] 183 on county line.

[8:45] It took us to

[8:48] want to say Lakewood station.

[8:50] I don't I don't really remember being a minute,

[8:54] but they took it like April 18th

[8:57] and now like with the new Marta stuff, like,

[9:00] we gotta do all this extra stuff just to get to where

[9:05] we're going.

[9:06] So yeah. That's it.

[9:08] Okay. Thank you.

[9:09] Thank you. Leave.

[9:11] Miss Thomas.

[9:12] You said it's county line is the area.

[9:15] Yes, sir.

[9:16] What's that? Wayne Martin 11, district 11.

[9:18] Okay, because I won't. I won't get her to her.

[9:21] You okay?

[9:22] So this is Miss Collins, citywide.

[9:25] So this will have a resident as well.

[9:27] I know exactly what you're talking about.

[9:30] Okay, so we want to make sure we get you to the right person to

[9:32] to share your grievances with.

[9:33] But thank you for coming down.

[9:37] With that being said. Been joined by my colleagues, council member Boone

[9:39] and of course, vice chair, Council member Collins.

[9:43] That is

[9:46] that's the end of public comment,

[9:47] but yes, recognized council member.

[9:49] Thank you. Chair,

[9:52] you know, I wanted to thank you for coming down here.

[9:55] It's not easy to come down to City Hall.

[9:59] Marta made these changes

[10:02] with the with the facade of community input.

[10:06] They moved, they came, and they said community hearings.

[10:09] And they got our feedback.

[10:10] And the response was, we'll pray on it.

[10:12] And then they didn't incorporate any of it.

[10:14] So they were supposed to come and present to transportation,

[10:18] I believe, this past week and rescheduled.

[10:20] So they were supposed to present this week,

[10:22] from my understanding, they rescheduled to October.

[10:26] But I'll go ahead and say on the mic that I have had

[10:28] so many busses removed from my community

[10:30] where new infrastructure was just put in.

[10:32] And this council has brought up a number of issues

[10:35] with the bus program, including this app.

[10:37] And if we are going to have true equity in the city, then they

[10:41] actually need to start.

[10:43] They have to do better.

[10:44] And the bus situation is a big one.

[10:46] My district has been complaining

[10:48] about it and reaching out quite a bit,

[10:50] and making it more difficult for students to get to class.

[10:53] So I just want you to know that when they come

[10:54] next month, there's going to be a lot of questions.

[10:59] And you've been heard today and you did a great job at the mic.

[11:03] Thanks. Okay. Thank you.

[11:07] Is that it? So that takes us to communications, Mr. Overton.

[11:10] Thank you, Mr. Chair. This brings us to item number 126 C 5076.

[11:14] A communication from Council member

[11:15] Dustin Hillis, district nine, reappointing Miss Johanna Powell

[11:18] to serve as a member of the Atlanta Commission

[11:20] on Women Disappointments for a term of two years,

[11:22] to begin retroactively on February 5th, 2026,

[11:25] and expire February 4th, 2028, and for other purposes.

[11:28] Understand?

[11:29] Miss Powell is here,

[11:31] so step up to the mic, give us your name

[11:33] and why you're interested in serving and continuously serve.

[11:37] Good morning everyone.

[11:39] My name is Joanna Powell

[11:41] and I am a member of Atlanta Commission on Women.

[11:45] And this is a great organization to be a part of.

[11:48] I've learned so much and I've helped with the healthcare.

[11:52] I was the vendor sponsor person who all the vendors

[11:57] had to come to me in order to participate in our healthcare,

[12:01] and I've never done that before.

[12:04] So that was eye opening, and I appreciate learning all the different roles in that.

[12:08] And, I just love Acle,

[12:12] so I would like to continue my membership.

[12:15] Thank you very much. Councilmember.

[12:16] Yes, Joanna, just thank you so much for your willingness

[12:19] to continue to serve this wonderful organization.

[12:22] You all have truly, truly done tremendous work with town

[12:26] hall meetings, health fairs, financial literacy seminars.

[12:30] A special thank you to our attorney,

[12:32] miss Amber Robinson,

[12:33] who has helped with the bylaws and just procedures.

[12:36] So thank you all so much and we look forward to continue

[12:40] to support you all.

[12:41] And miss TK who's in audience.

[12:43] We do not take you all service for granted.

[12:46] Thank you. Thank you. So,

[12:49] I said that sounded like a motion that has been made

[12:51] in second,

[12:54] in the discussion saying please open the vote.

[12:57] One moment. Yeah.

[13:00] Vote is open.

[13:06] Vote is closed. 680. And a is the item is favorable.

[13:09] Thank you, Mr. Power. Staff will be in touch for the next steps.

[13:11] Thank you.

[13:13] Miss Overton brings us to item number 226 C 5077.

[13:17] A communication from Council member Antonio Lewis.

[13:19] District 12, reappointing Mr. Shields.

[13:21] Serve as a member of the Atlanta

[13:23] Commission on Women Disappointment

[13:24] for a term of two years, to begin retroactively

[13:26] on May 6th, 2026, and expire May 5th, 2028.

[13:30] Miss shields, this year in the office.

[13:32] Miss you.

[13:39] Good morning.

[13:41] Good morning.

[13:43] Just give us your name and tell us why you want

[13:46] to keep serving. Okay. My name is a shields, and I would like to continue

[13:50] to serve on the Atlanta Women Commission.

[13:52] As you see, we have again served

[13:55] so many different women in each community.

[13:59] The town halls, the mental health affairs,

[14:03] the financial literacy and the importance

[14:05] of bringing young ladies like this to be able to come in,

[14:09] learn their community

[14:10] and to be able to advocate on their community.

[14:13] And Lana's Women's Commission gave me the opportunity

[14:15] to share my voice and to share my voice is the reason why we

[14:20] go out in the community, and we teach these young ladies to share their voices

[14:23] and know who their community representatives are.

[14:25] So having this opportunity to learn more,

[14:28] consecutively, is very important to me,

[14:32] and I truly appreciate all the opportunities

[14:35] that you all have provided for me to myself.

[14:39] Thank you ma'am. You, Councilmember Collins.

[14:41] Yeah, I just want to just want to also,

[14:44] echo TC's work and also really excited

[14:47] to see you be reappointing to the Commission on Women.

[14:51] I truly feel that you really, along with the other women,

[14:54] but particularly for district 12, have really uplifted

[14:57] what the issues and also how the how women can be

[15:02] a part of the solution as well.

[15:03] So just really excited and always going to champion

[15:07] to have you at the table

[15:08] because you are truly, truly representing district 12.

[15:11] Well, so with that Mister chair, I make a motion to approve.

[15:15] Oh, sorry.

[15:17] There's there's a motion. Is there a second?

[15:19] I second. So for the discussion, I just wanted to take

[15:23] you have truly been the heartbeat of that organization.

[15:27] You have truly, truly, gone out into the communities

[15:31] where folks would not normally

[15:33] want to go spreading the word about what

[15:35] the Atlanta Commission on Women does.

[15:38] Thank you, thank you. Thank you for your sacrifice and making all the meetings

[15:41] and bringing all the suggestions and just bringing the podcast

[15:45] to the organization.

[15:46] And I invite all the council members to,

[15:50] come to one of their meetings and see what they are about.

[15:52] They are a truly, truly a spectacular group of women.

[15:57] Thank you. Congratulations.

[15:59] Thank you. That's a motion that has been made in the second.

[16:01] Any more discussion?

[16:03] Sinan, please open the vote.

[16:05] Vote is open.

[16:08] Thank you.

[16:14] What is close?

[16:15] 680 nays. The Ottoman favorable.

[16:17] Thank you for being in touch with further directions.

[16:19] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

[16:22] Committee members, before we move forward.

[16:25] I've been asked by our council chief of staff to make a presentation to us.

[16:29] Miss Kempson, right there she is.

[16:37] Good morning, Mr. Chair. Committee member. Santana. Right.

[16:39] Just a brief update in this morning's

[16:42] chairs meeting, Council President Overstreet

[16:46] announced that during the full council meeting, you all will begin noticing

[16:50] a basically a cohesive timer with the clerk's timer

[16:54] that will be shown during proclamations.

[16:57] It is somewhat of an overlay, a transparent overlay

[17:00] that will be up during any videos that are shown.

[17:03] Just making it public and on the record

[17:06] so that everyone is aware you will notice it

[17:08] starting today during proclamations.

[17:11] Okay. Thank you. Are there any questions

[17:14] saying thank you?

[17:15] Thank you, Miss Overton.

[17:21] This brings us to our communication resolutions.

[17:23] Item number 326R4026A resolution by Committee,

[17:28] Development and Human Services Committee appointing Mr.

[17:30] William Clark,

[17:31] the City of Atlanta Special Event Technical Advisory

[17:34] Group as a city council appointee

[17:35] representing Piedmont Park event

[17:37] security coordination experience and for other purposes.

[17:39] This item was favorable on the 15th of September

[17:42] and the Community Development and Human Services Committee.

[17:47] So is Mr.

[17:49] Clark here? He appeared before his committee for the committee.

[17:53] Motion has been made and second, to approve any discussion

[17:57] saying please open the vote.

[18:01] Vote is open.

[18:08] Vote is close 680.

[18:09] And as the item is favorable,

[18:11] brings us to item number four under resolutions 26 R 3985,

[18:15] a resolution by Finance

[18:17] Executive Committee appointing Miss Alicia

[18:18] More to the Ethics Board

[18:19] as a representative of the Atlanta Planning

[18:22] and Planning Advisory Board for a term of three years, said

[18:24] term to commence upon approval of this resolution

[18:26] and for other purposes.

[18:28] This item comes to the Committee

[18:29] on Council, favorable by Finance

[18:31] Committee on the 16th of September.

[18:33] Miss Moore appeared before the committee on that date.

[18:35] Most to approve.

[18:37] Is there a second? Second.

[18:39] Most has been made in second in discussion.

[18:42] I do have

[18:44] I know we have,

[18:45] members of the finance committee,

[18:49] on this committee as well.

[18:51] I just wanted to hear any additional conversation

[18:55] about, in terms of the selection,

[18:57] you know, selection of Felicia

[18:58] more of former council member Felicia Moore,

[19:01] the depth of the depth, the depth of involvement

[19:04] with the ethics board and things of that nature.

[19:07] But I also respect and recognize her

[19:09] as a devoted citizen in Atlanta,

[19:11] but very familiar with the work.

[19:12] And just to be curious in terms of any feedback, that

[19:16] any conversation that came from FEC in regards to this, so I can speak to that.

[19:20] There was no conversation because Miss

[19:22] Moore was the appointment by a PAP.

[19:24] Okay. So we respectfully are. Yep.

[19:27] Appointing her to that seat, if the body shall agree to it.

[19:30] Got it. Yep.

[19:31] And so a quick question, Mr. Overton.

[19:33] Does she need to appear before us?

[19:35] Will it come back on our. No, ma'am. This is the.

[19:38] She appeared before finances equities.

[19:40] Got it.

[19:40] Sounds good. Okay. Thank you.

[19:42] No, no. Sounds good. Thank you so much.

[19:44] Council member Winston.

[19:46] So there's a motion that has been made.

[19:47] And second, in more discussion seeing.

[19:50] Please open the vote.

[19:51] Vote is open.

[19:59] Vote is closed five years and the item is favorable.

[20:02] Mr. Taylor brings us to our dual referred item, for which

[20:04] we will take no action as the item remains held on FEC.

[20:09] This brings us to our papers held in committee,

[20:11] for which we have been requested to bring one off of held item

[20:14] number 926 R I'm sorry.

[20:17] 2601483.

[20:19] There is a request to substitute this item.

[20:23] A motion to bring forward a substitute

[20:25] motion has been made in a second in discussion.

[20:28] Seeing none.

[20:30] Well, actually, Councilmember Dozier.

[20:32] Okay, open a vote.

[20:34] Vote is open.

[20:39] Can repeat the seconder.

[20:42] Oh. Vote is open.

[20:52] Vote is closed. 680 nays. Substitute item is before the body.

[20:54] This is number 92601483.

[20:59] And ordinance by Councilmember Kelsey Bond,

[21:01] as substituted by the Committee on Counsel

[21:02] to amend the City of Atlanta Code of Ordinances,

[21:04] part two, chapter two, article two,

[21:06] Division two, subdivision two, section 2-104.

[21:11] To expand the opportunity to provide public comment

[21:13] by allowing members of the public

[21:14] to speak in order of sign up during public comment,

[21:16] at city Council meetings, and for other purposes.

[21:20] For the record, the substitute adds language allowing the presiding officer

[21:22] to verify the presence of individuals, yielding time

[21:25] at the beginning of public comment,

[21:26] then excusing those individuals

[21:28] after that point, and adds other language to improve

[21:31] clarity and formatting throughout the legislation.

[21:36] Council Member Dozier, you're up.

[21:39] Thank you, Mr. Chair.

[21:40] Colleagues, this is the legislation

[21:41] that we discussed a couple of weeks ago.

[21:44] I know we didn't substitute our men at that time, but this was the substitute

[21:47] that we had discussed in the previous meeting.

[21:49] I recognize that there's still some questions or

[21:54] concerns about the legislation, what it will do,

[21:56] and I'll defer to the author to clarify

[21:58] any additional information about that.

[22:00] So I'm I recognize in the respect

[22:02] of having those giving providing opportunity in space for those

[22:06] parts of conversations,

[22:09] I'm okay with it being held, and I'm happy

[22:11] to have a conversation with the author legislature.

[22:14] I know they don't serve on this commission,

[22:16] on this committee, but I want to make sure that y'all have an opportunity

[22:18] to have those conversations as well.

[22:19] So I want to make the motion to hold or or keeping on hold.

[22:24] I guess we have to make a motion to keep it on health.

[22:27] I'll make a motion to keep it on held.

[22:29] And, well, if there's any,

[22:32] continued reticence, all defer to the rest of the committee

[22:34] to share that. But one of the.

[22:37] Put that motion out there. Thank you.

[22:38] There's motion that's been made I was seconded.

[22:40] So we shall continue conversation.

[22:43] Discussion. Great. Yeah, I wanted to

[22:47] I was going to support that that that motion to hold as well.

[22:50] Just wanting to I know I need to get back

[22:53] with a couple of people to get more details.

[22:57] And we were and and my apologies for that, just being tied up with

[23:02] the other. But for I will say the questions that I do have and would love

[23:06] to see in this legislation, there's a couple of things.

[23:09] So in section A,

[23:11] and co-sponsor Councilmember.

[23:14] So section A which says that individuals wish to speak,

[23:19] excuse me, that the clerk shall begin

[23:21] accepting individuals to speak up.

[23:24] 105 minutes prior to the start of the meeting

[23:27] and shall continue with the new addition

[23:29] until the commencement

[23:31] of the public comment section of the Council member

[23:35] for consideration. I would I'm just going to be public about that.

[23:37] Would love any consideration to change.

[23:39] Wish to sign up to speak 105 minutes

[23:42] to 30 minutes before the start of the meeting,

[23:46] knowing that proclamation time is allocated for an hour

[23:49] and could possibly go over.

[23:51] So in fact, where you're giving where,

[23:55] you're still giving more time to sign up, however,

[23:58] you are given additional individuals to come as well.

[24:02] So in essence, it will be 120 minutes total to sign up.

[24:07] If that's something.

[24:08] And I'm putting that figure out for 30 to 45 minutes,

[24:11] that also gives our clerk office to be,

[24:13] you know, enough time to set up.

[24:15] So still additional time to sign up

[24:17] if it is agreement to go once the start of public comment.

[24:21] We do know oftentimes the proclamation section

[24:24] does go over a little more than an hour at times.

[24:27] So so in this essence,

[24:30] the community is still given more time to be able to sign up.

[24:34] So that so we'll, you know, 30 to 45 minutes,

[24:38] before the meeting starts up until the end of proclamation.

[24:41] So that actually, again gives 125 plus more minutes

[24:46] versus the 105 minutes to start the second piece.

[24:51] I know that I wanted to have some questions about is also,

[24:56] having individuals that are going to six

[24:59] that's going to give time

[25:01] and kind of doing this roll call strategy.

[25:04] Also give this roll call strategy in terms of yielded

[25:10] time, I do know there were some concerns

[25:11] that was being expressed by council members and council

[25:15] leadership in terms of if that is the roll,

[25:18] the roll call at the beginning is what will what will happen,

[25:22] what is the process in terms of reducing the ten minute

[25:27] yielded time? Is it find and balance for eight minutes.

[25:29] And so that allows a person for

[25:31] you know, them and three other individuals to sign up.

[25:34] And the yield at time

[25:36] total will be eight minutes because you

[25:38] you will have more people that's going to sign up

[25:40] and have time yielded.

[25:42] Now, you know, knowing that they're

[25:45] their private constituency, I'll call that.

[25:48] They're the group that they bring with them to support,

[25:50] does not have to stay for the full,

[25:51] you know, for the full public comment.

[25:54] So that's two things I would just want

[25:56] to publicly come out for consideration

[25:59] that that has been shared.

[26:00] And we could talk more about what that looks like, but I do.

[26:03] We just want to put that out there.

[26:05] Yes, that Mr.

[26:06] Chair, I yield

[26:08] all great questions.

[26:09] I think it's wonderful

[26:11] that you asked them on the mic so that people understand

[26:12] that there's critical thinking going into it,

[26:15] especially on public comment,

[26:16] just the transparency of the discussion.

[26:19] To the point that was made by Councilmember Dozier

[26:21] with the amendment of the substitute

[26:23] giving it another cycle,

[26:24] because there are some colleagues

[26:25] who haven't had a chance to give that a read.

[26:27] And, I do think,

[26:30] Councilmember Collins brings up,

[26:33] brings up opportunities for debate

[26:35] over the next two weeks and trying to

[26:37] get those questions answered and,

[26:41] seeing if any adjustments need to be made. So,

[26:45] point taken. I'm going to pass all of this along as well.

[26:47] And with that Mister chair, I yield.

[26:51] Thank you. Seeing no more speakers, there's motion

[26:53] has been made in a second in the discussion.

[26:55] Open the vote, please. Vote is open.

[27:03] Vote is closed. 680.

[27:05] Nacional remains held in committee.

[27:10] Overton. Mr. chair, that concludes our legislative agenda for today.

[27:12] That concludes our legislative agenda.

[27:14] Any more conversation, discussion, announcements?

[27:17] Seeing. No. We stand adjourned. Thanks.

Committee on Council Meeting

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