[0:00] Then we call the roll, please. Councillor Member Beckett Chase Williams is absent, council member district and council member Jim Iyer, district 2. Here, council member Bates Madison, district 3. Here, council member Joe Gavia, district 4.

[0:20] Present. Mayor Davis, we have a call. All right. No opening remarks agenda meeting meeting agenda review.

[0:44] All right, Mr. Mayor and council members.

[0:48] On the, I'll go to the city council agenda and we'll swing back around.

[0:57] We're back this year.

[1:03] We have a very short city council agenda this evening and I'll just run through that quickly.

[1:15] You do have meeting minutes from October 8 both the work session and for the regular council meeting.

[1:22] The third item on the consent agenda is to ask the council to please authorise the mayor to execute the contract for be for how we implement plan and economic development strategy.

[1:34] That is to enable us to move the project forward so that we can get the public engaged and have a kickoff meeting we're looking at kickoff meeting in early November.

[1:45] What I would like to do is we aren't unnegotiating currently the cost for that and I would like to send that back to you all.

[1:55] Right now we have a budget estimate that is still being negotiated and not agreed to at this point of $121 to cover the cost of those services and that includes three different consulting firms that are that make up that firm.

[2:11] So we're working on that we're looking at the number of meetings looking at the deliverables so that would be the threshold not to exceed but working hard to lower that.

[2:22] So we'll be asking you this evening just in an effort to be able to launch this plan to move forward give the mayor authorization to execute the contract.

[2:34] That we should be finished with that probably sometime early next week if if not by the end of this week and then once we have that we'll go to contract and that'll be turned over to the city attorney to prepare the contract.

[2:49] I'm not providing to me their customary contract which Tom will be taking the look at but in the interim that may be some tweaks to that he may advise us on so.

[3:01] This is just to be able to move it along to stay on time with what we're trying to do to be able to deliver the beef or how we improvement plan in the spring.

[3:12] And again we're trying not to get too deep into the holidays either because we'd like to have to kick off meeting before that and remember we'll be kicking off the comp plan the transportation plan and the parks and right plan in December.

[3:25] So that's that the other item on the agenda the last item agenda is under announcements.

[3:33] We have a new formation of a group called the friends of Brookhaven Shannon Cameron who serves on our planning commission has been elected the president there 501c3 and they really are I would call them.

[3:47] They almost serve as a booster city booster for the community and are looking for ways to partner with the city one initiative that they have agreed with us to.

[3:57] Partner on is to fundraise within the community so that we can purchase defibrillators for each of our police officers so they can have that in their cars.

[4:08] As well as additional defibrillators that will be in city hall and in the parks buildings so they are moving forward on this and are very excited to be a part of the.

[4:20] Program that we are picking together is that they're expecting to raise 30,000 dollars and we will fund 30,000 dollars to match that through the city's budget.

[4:29] You'll be seeing that later on when we get into budget hearings and I'll point that out to you.

[4:34] Where we have some community initiatives.

[4:36] This is truly a piece of valuable equipment for the police officers.

[4:40] So we're thrilled that the community is stepping forward and wants to engage in that there.

[4:46] Their participation is only to fundraise.

[4:49] The chief will be speccing out what those defibrillators will be.

[4:54] They will not be purchasing the defibrillators. They're not going to be donating any defibrillators.

[4:59] Their job is just to raise funds.

[5:01] Present those to the city we're planning on that during the city's one year celebration.

[5:07] Week in December and it's expected that they will present a check to the city.

[5:12] So this will be an introduction of Miss Cameron and what the efforts of her group are.

[5:17] Friends of Brookhaven and and discussing the launch of their first initiative in partnership with the city.

[5:26] And that is the end of the agenda.

[5:33] All right.

[5:35] I have a question on that the consent and I guess it's a really more requested for council.

[5:40] Are we prepared to move forward on number three tonight without.

[5:45] I guess I like that.

[5:47] I was hoping we'd see more of what the scope of work and deliverables were going to be before we approved this.

[5:54] And and without that I'm not comfortable with the kind of dollars you're talking about moving forward.

[6:00] This is a consent agenda item.

[6:02] Well, I can go over what the mandatory requirements are for the deliverables because that was part of the request for qualifications proposals that they had.

[6:12] I mean we were very clear on what the plan would include and what is we're calling mandatory.

[6:18] I mean we specified that in terms of being mandatory requirements.

[6:22] So I can go over that list for you right now.

[6:26] Definitely looking at economic developments strategy developing that.

[6:31] Funding sources to stimulate economic development and economic growth, business expansion, corporate recruitment, job creation and retention.

[6:39] Housing initiatives and workforce housing and sustainable practices.

[6:43] What we expect to come out of each of these requirements will be and in the presentation of the firms.

[6:50] We're basically this that there will be a full analysis of the built environment.

[6:56] With the infrastructure along be for highway that will be all of the water, the sewer, what capacities are available and and.

[7:04] And can be expanded upon for new development the road improvements along be for highway incorporating.

[7:10] Those design elements that DOT is now installing but also to take a look at those core intersections that the nodes themselves.

[7:18] Where we have the major arterials and collector rows that are emptying into and intersecting with a beautiful highway and to see if there's a way to.

[7:28] Except the DOT plans are if there's a way to soften it to allow pedestrian traffic to enter into those sidewalks in addition to the vehicles that are using those areas looking at funding.

[7:42] And that's going to include a number of grants I've talked with you about an enterprise own opportunities own you know looking at some tax abatements to incentivize.

[7:53] Opportunities for recruitment especially in the employment based side.

[7:58] We also want to take a look at and this is in conjunction with the apartment inspection program that we're conducting right now and that is to look at.

[8:08] What is the viability of the current housing that is located along be for highway and the type of housing and most importantly the occupant.

[8:18] We we have a very high rental occupants along be for highway.

[8:24] We wanted to take a look at the ability that if there were some tear downs and taking analysis of what we're finding on our apartment inspections.

[8:34] From the standpoint is is there market and could we support owner occupied units whether they're attached or even detached.

[8:40] So we're looking at a combination of those as well as examining the workforce housing as you know I'm working with DECAP County and they are providing funds to us and those funds have been committed to us to look at.

[8:55] Further incentive program to our owners landlords of the apartments so that we can help them accelerate.

[9:02] The code issues that we're finding in the inspections that they can bring their properties up to code.

[9:08] Corporate recruitment there will be an identification of all the businesses that are currently there and then a listing of support services and businesses or even the expansion.

[9:20] Business is related to the core businesses along be for highway so that we have a real recruitment plan who are we going to try and go after.

[9:26] The firm that we have selected has a great history and success rate on identifying even down to the restaurant type.

[9:33] That would be able to be supported locating along be for highway so we're excited about that.

[9:40] Again this would relate back to job creation and retention you know how do we retain that the Department of Community Affairs has a very aggressive job opportunities program and there's a tearing effect and there's a way that.

[9:53] Certain employment taxes can be waived or abated or reduced over time if improvements of expansion of jobs are created and even those that are retained so we're going to be examining and investing in all of those.

[10:08] I mentioned already work for housing that we are again looking at a stronger partnership with Decap County housing initiatives and this is not all about you know multi-family attached housing or rent or occupied it's how do we mix.

[10:21] Other types of uses and opportunities and we have a number of owner occupied residences that are out that that's at high.

[10:29] Many of these apartment communities so we want to look at that and look at opportunities there for furthering those types of housing product.

[10:38] Sustainable practices there'll be a listing and recommendations and many of the recommendations that will come out of this will then take us to a next step that will be.

[10:50] Enable the plan to be developed that will be a modification of our zoning ordinance it might be development and creation of.

[10:58] Standards and practices on streetscape of what we want to see how do we create a theme if you will so that it's it's easily recognizable along be for highway so that there are points of demarcation as you follow along be for highway.

[11:12] Whether that street lives or planners or benches and how do we coordinate and work with Marta on improving the bus stops that are out there and how do we provide connectivity.

[11:22] There's a lot of discussion in the interviews presentations about the connectivity view for highway back deep into the residential communities tying in the cross keys initiative which is a very strong initiative with Decap County and we'll enable us to.

[11:36] Further our participation with them on this first 500 thousand dollars that they're going to be providing to it so.

[11:42] I'm very confident on the deliverables that they are listed as mandatory they will be part and parcel to the contract that the city attorney is going to prepare because if they fail to perform they will not be paid.

[11:56] So this is going to be a plan that will be shepherd by Susan Cannon and her department because it will come under the umbrella of community development as a tool again when we get to the point of codifying.

[12:09] But it will be a valuable tool for the development authority to use as they promote all opportunities.

[12:17] For engagement with our development community along before highway. So the cap is a hundred and twenty one thousand.

[12:24] I'm working hard to lower that because I think there is some room to trim but I don't see us and nor would I recommend that we exceed that amount.

[12:37] The question about the we discussed adding a member of sort of a third member there team.

[12:45] The guy I forget his name.

[12:48] Senior fellow at the Brookings Institute where we'll thought later and never.

[12:53] Yes, he's part of that. He's part of the same team.

[12:59] And they're under the umbrella of Princeton engineering urban partners and then the acre.

[13:05] Right. Great because I think it's a really fantastic team and I can tell you from having sat in all the interviews for that team that was chosen.

[13:17] They've got a tremendous wealth of experience and in their proposal.

[13:24] They have a step by step sequence of all of the stages that they'll be going through in this process of developing a essentially a master plan for the Beaver highway corridor improvement.

[13:36] So I don't know if we have that document. They're proposal public on the website.

[13:43] I don't know if the council has it but it may be something that we can do.

[13:48] I'm happy to provide that and those documents all we had nine vendors submit proposals to us and some of the council members picked those up had copies of them and reviewed and I got some input from some of you all.

[14:02] The last thing I do want to say about it is that this is a time since the issue and some of the issues that we face even on the zoning decisions we make up here.

[14:11] We we're doing we're flying by the seat of our pants and some of the decisions and not having a well-thought out plan before this process will take what four months.

[14:23] Four months to develop the results.

[14:26] The sooner we can get started on the better.

[14:29] That's why I urge moving forward and giving authority to the mayor and Marie to execute this contract when it's finalized.

[14:39] Because we are going to have redevelopment opportunities that we're going to have to deal with on Beaver highway as part of this apartment inspections program.

[14:50] And the sooner we have a plan to have a well-thought out vision for what how we make the best highest and best use on Beaver highway.

[15:00] May I weigh the federal fee? Jim, do you have any more questions about that or any comment about that?

[15:06] No, I just, I guess, conceptually, and whether it's just, or others, I just, I still have a problem

[15:13] approving things that aren't fully fatted and fully, the contract had been finalized

[15:20] and for council to approve something that is not fully complete, isn't it, she would make?

[15:26] Well, I think I guess that we kind of trust our city manager to that.

[15:32] I mean, if I'm wrong here, I'm going to make sure, but if we kind of give general instruction,

[15:38] and then we trust Maria, do what she does, I think that's what we should do.

[15:45] But when do you think you will have the final contract?

[15:52] Well, it's not so much the final contract, because the final contract will rest with our city attorney.

[15:56] It's the dollar amount. All of the deliverables are met.

[15:59] This isn't I have already met with the team to go over the meetings that they're going to have,

[16:04] the engagement process, and what deliverables will be completed in the 16 week period,

[16:10] and even leaving that to when we'll start holding public hearings for the planning commission for the council

[16:15] to the point of adoption.

[16:17] It's really down to the final number.

[16:21] And once I get to that final number, which will either be by the end of this week or

[16:25] Monday or Tuesday, no later than, because I need to include it in the budget.

[16:29] And that's my issue.

[16:31] I have $121,000 in the budget.

[16:33] I think that we can get it for less.

[16:35] And I think there are ways to trim down that amount without diminishing the end product.

[16:41] Once I get that final number, it's a phone call to the town,

[16:46] and it's to transmit their customary contract that they use,

[16:50] and for him to take a look at it.

[16:52] So, you know, a week, ten days, maybe at the most, if it's that long,

[16:56] I mean, I'm certain there would be communication back between him and their attorney.

[17:01] If they're posting their phone, bring it that.

[17:04] My colleague.

[17:06] Excuse me, the review would be within a week.

[17:09] Yeah, right.

[17:11] And possibly quicker than that.

[17:13] So, you just want your approval so that that can happen quickly.

[17:15] So, the $121 is the case.

[17:17] It's the cap.

[17:18] I don't want it to exceed that.

[17:19] That's what they're at right now.

[17:20] But you know, the season, I have both looked at it.

[17:22] I do think that there's a way to come down on that.

[17:25] And frankly, if it's $80,000 or $121,000,

[17:31] the requirements are that they must provide each of those deliverables

[17:36] that I just reviewed.

[17:37] There's, you know, out on that, or otherwise, we need to go to another firm.

[17:41] Which is the firm that we're, the Yager Group, who is in partnership with Urban Partners,

[17:47] as well as Cranston Engineering.

[17:50] Cranston Engineering has a very minor role.

[17:53] It's examining the beef and highway improvements.

[17:57] But the Cranston, excuse me, Urban Partners is really going to be doing the market analysis

[18:04] and the study of who do we get?

[18:06] What should be the incentives or the listing of the types of incentives?

[18:09] I mean, ultimately, you all have to make those decisions and recommendations will come from

[18:14] the development authority.

[18:16] This is just a valuable tool for them to go out and recruit.

[18:19] And to be able to say when XYZ Corporation comes and looks for bond

[18:24] and disment that this is what we're expecting.

[18:27] And it's not just what we're giving away part of this plan on our side.

[18:31] We'll be here at the thresholds you have to meet.

[18:33] You have to create jobs to get this amount of bond and disment.

[18:36] You have to retain these kind of jobs.

[18:38] If you, you know, expect to receive any other improvements or assistance.

[18:42] So it really will be almost like a business plan model for us to use to promote beef or highway.

[18:50] And I think it will give us a great step forward as we look at promoting other parts of the city

[18:56] because we'll have the outline to do that.

[18:58] We'll just have to tweak it depending on if it's North German Hills or it's Ashford Dunwoody

[19:05] or it's Peach Tree Road.

[19:06] I mean, we'll have a good exercise in establishing what that framework should be.

[19:12] The list of deliverables that you just ran off.

[19:15] And you said this, you've talked about a list of meetings and the process.

[19:20] Is that in writing somewhere that we could get copies of that?

[19:23] Yes, it's still in a draft form because we're going through that.

[19:26] I mean, I'm happy to supply it to you, but until we are really confident of what the meetings are

[19:35] because each meeting has a certain price to it.

[19:37] And I think what we can do is we can collapse some of those meetings and still achieve the same outcome.

[19:42] I mean, I share some of Jim's concern of just signing up on $120,000

[19:48] because I'm having something more driving in front of me.

[19:51] But I like what I hear.

[19:54] I hear the need to go forward on this.

[19:59] I just want to make sure that we vet it as much as we can.

[20:04] We trust you to hear it this fall forward.

[20:08] But it's $120,000.

[20:10] It is.

[20:11] And the budget that I have budgeted is anywhere from $100,000 to $105,000.

[20:16] So we're looking at ways to turn that.

[20:21] Did I hear that Chris Lymeburg can be part of that team?

[20:25] They're part of that.

[20:26] He is going to be a consultant to that.

[20:28] To the younger.

[20:29] Right.

[20:30] But not.

[20:31] You're not going to see a lot of him.

[20:32] It's really internal to their operation of what they'll solicit from him and review and suggestions.

[20:41] All right.

[20:44] Well, I guess what I'd asked though is if we can.

[20:48] And again, this is a question of counsel really procedureally when we get into the mean.

[20:53] We can pull this off the consent agenda and add it to the regular so that we can change and add the cap that that

[20:59] see manager so that what we approve does have a price tag attached to it rather than just a general approval,

[21:06] as it's written in the consent agreement.

[21:09] I like that.

[21:10] That's fine.

[21:12] I like that.

[21:13] Just make that motion and we'll get there.

[21:15] All right.

[21:17] Next.

[21:18] Okay.

[21:19] That is the council agenda and then we'll go over to the work session agenda.

[21:25] Beginning with item E.

[21:28] An update on sidewalks and council districts.

[21:31] I will be sending to you a list of sidewalks.

[21:36] Well, first of all, in the back up.

[21:38] You'll remember at the when we had amended the budget.

[21:44] I guess six weeks ago now maybe.

[21:46] But we're in the next budget season.

[21:48] So I'm trying to remember when that was, but sometimes in the last within the last two months.

[21:53] In that, I included funds for sidewalks.

[21:57] $400,000.

[21:59] And that includes enough funding to provide a thousand feet of sidewalk improvements in each of the

[22:07] districts.

[22:08] And then the mayor also has funding that is available to him, whether to provide yet a new connection of sidewalk or to piggyback off of perhaps one of your projects.

[22:20] I have been working with the public work director.

[22:23] And as you know, when we were doing the laser truck and looking at all street improvements in the conditions of those roads,

[22:30] he also launched review of all the sidewalks.

[22:33] And the conditions thereof.

[22:34] And he has a grading system.

[22:39] Many of the sidewalks that are on that list that have, in his opinion, a sense of urgency that we can connect the dots or that there's a lot of foot traffic in particular areas that we should create a sidewalk.

[22:51] He has listed those.

[22:52] I want to send those out to you all so that it might give you a good idea.

[22:57] But not to keep you within the bounds of that list because you know your districts better than anybody has to perhaps there might be a better location for a sidewalk.

[23:08] What we're looking at, and I'll just give you an example.

[23:12] I went out to Jim's district and we looked at a segment where it will connect the connects two streets.

[23:21] And this particular sidewalk because of the shoulders that are there will require very little work from the standpoint of engineering.

[23:31] It can almost just be, you know, footings dug out and you know, bring the concrete and pour it and go.

[23:37] So that's what we're looking for because we don't want to get into a lot of heavy design because that will hold up the project.

[23:44] The reason behind the funding in the amended budget was to allow you to have some visible impact this year.

[23:50] We'd like to make it before Christmas, at least it's going to be well underway at Christmas.

[23:55] And so when you see the rankings of this list that I'll send to you for just your review and consideration.

[24:05] It will show, you know, how many feet are there and what the estimated cost is?

[24:11] Is this new sidewalk or?

[24:13] This would be like new sidewalks.

[24:15] It could be repairs.

[24:16] And it's up to each of you on what you would like to do, but what you're finding.

[24:20] What what what mess this is there already a separate budget to for repair of sidewalks.

[24:25] Yes, we have that.

[24:26] So for some of these people doing that.

[24:28] Okay.

[24:29] Also for the 2014.

[24:30] This is just a one time deal that we wanted to do something to give something back to the public through the host tax dollars.

[24:38] And it is permissible under the requirements of host.

[24:42] It is infrastructures improvement.

[24:44] So we thought we could get out very quick very early and have some demonstration of work being done.

[24:51] And to be able to provide you a way to answer another calls and request that you get from your constituents on.

[24:57] What about this missing gap?

[24:58] It doesn't have to be a missing gap.

[25:00] It could be an extension of what's already there.

[25:03] And maybe we create yet a missing, you know, another gap by the extension of a sidewalk.

[25:08] But that's good too because they'll fit into our plan for improvements.

[25:12] I'd like to see this as and what you'll see it in the 2014 budget.

[25:16] I'd like to see this as a customary budget and item that gives you the ability to do something in your particular districts as we do something.

[25:27] So we're really excited about it.

[25:29] What we're going to do is have a bid process that will be on a pre unit basis.

[25:35] We're looking at a lump sum.

[25:37] You know, just X,000 of feet of sidewalk.

[25:40] What width?

[25:41] We're looking at a minimum of five feet.

[25:43] But again, it just depends on where your sidewalk improvement will be.

[25:48] And Jim's district, and he and I'm not talking about this, but when I went down the hill,

[25:53] I'm looking at it more closely.

[25:55] We've got a catch face in top that we've got to address, but good news is,

[25:59] that's just the top.

[26:00] We don't have to fool around with the basin itself.

[26:02] So, but it might be a few of those things.

[26:04] Another example in his area, there's a very short stretch where we'll probably have to put a retaining wall in and some handrails.

[26:11] But the majority of that area, and just again, to give you an example,

[26:16] doesn't have to fit within your guidelines for your particular district.

[26:19] But his is literally digging out six inches, forming it and pouring.

[26:26] I mean, that is a few days project.

[26:30] I mean, which is why I'd drag you over there to look at it.

[26:33] And thank you for taking the time.

[26:35] Yeah.

[26:36] And we already bid it.

[26:37] I mean, so that once the list is approved, we can begin construction.

[26:40] Where are we with that?

[26:41] Well, what we're trying to do is just waiting.

[26:44] Is he here?

[26:46] There he goes.

[26:47] As any engineer, he's very eager to get started.

[26:51] And he has his priority listing.

[26:54] But he understands that this is your priority.

[26:57] And we will bid these out.

[26:59] How we package him depends on the sections.

[27:01] And, you know, whether we are going to need some level of plans or details.

[27:06] But also, you know, the preference would be to unacospid him.

[27:12] You know, per cubic yard of concrete or square yard of concrete.

[27:15] When you put a handrail, so curb and gutter.

[27:18] Those kind of things we have to look at to see when we.

[27:21] In each of these sections.

[27:23] You know, like in the section, she's talking about with yours.

[27:27] We don't need to do curb and gutter.

[27:28] But we probably need to do handrail.

[27:31] Uh, erosion control items are a thing.

[27:33] We still have to follow erosion control guidelines.

[27:36] You know, grassing even just the cost for grassing afterwards.

[27:40] Things like that.

[27:41] So there's lots of free points for author.

[27:43] You can reuse some of that.

[27:45] Yeah.

[27:46] So those are things.

[27:47] You know, the idea would be to do a more of a unit cost that way.

[27:50] If we're only paying for what we actually put in.

[27:54] Do you have your list up and can you meet with counsel beginning when?

[28:00] I'm available.

[28:01] You know, I've been I think Maria's asked you all to get with me.

[28:05] And so I know my calendar, both tomorrow and Thursday is pretty wide open as far as

[28:10] if, you know, and I think she's directed that.

[28:13] It's okay to meet with me on this issue.

[28:16] So counsel, I would strongly encourage you to meet as soon as you can because it's November.

[28:21] Weather changes.

[28:22] And it's going to take a little bit of time.

[28:24] So we want this in by the end of the year, which I do.

[28:27] You know, I'd like to see this white new concrete in throughout the city by the end of the year.

[28:33] Please take the time this week or early next week to get with Rachel.

[28:38] So that we can come up with a final lesson.

[28:40] You can do what he needs to get it installed because it.

[28:43] It's a relatively easy project, but it's not going to happen overnight.

[28:46] Just simply because of the hopes that we have to jump through to get it done.

[28:48] Richard, you report on the sidewalks just to clarify.

[28:51] I'm going to chose the status of the condition as they stand today.

[28:57] Plus where the gaps are.

[28:59] Mainly this list that she has is mainly the gaps.

[29:02] I mean, there's a couple on them where when we did it, we just kind of listed like

[29:06] Dresden and North Florida the two where we just said general sidewalk repairs.

[29:10] But I didn't I was focusing more on new sidewalks.

[29:13] So most of the detailed ones on the list or where there's gaps in the sidewalk anywhere from 400 to 1000 foot.

[29:22] Try to pick ones that were things that could be relatively easy to build.

[29:27] Although there are some really difficult ones are going to need some real detailed survey and engineering in order to build those segments.

[29:35] But that but in those are reflected somewhat in the cost to when you see the costs.

[29:41] You know, though I kind of took a stab is okay, this one's going to need a little bit more work.

[29:46] So I'm going to bump the cost up a little bit on that.

[29:49] So when you look divided out on a cost per foot or cost per 1,000 foot,

[29:53] it's you're going to get a higher cost per foot for some of those.

[29:57] So this list is where?

[30:00] Okay, great, thanks.

[30:05] Is there a, Richard is there a standard for the entire city that we can look at for what the handrails will look like.

[30:13] And, you know, sometimes concrete has a gray shade to it, or, you know, is there a similar?

[30:20] The simple detail would be used with a Georgia DOT detail for handrails, which is a kind of a, I guess, it's a deal into the half-two line pipe rail.

[30:32] It's basically pipe rail, which I guess it's about four foot high and it's got a pipe rail in the middle, and it's got, I think, I can't remember, it's like four to five foot, post every four to five feet.

[30:44] It's kind of a standard for just a kind of standard generic can rail, and that's usually like aluminum, he kind of aluminum steel, the gray coating of it.

[30:53] I mean, if we wanted, there are other places that get in, of course, it gets into a cost thing, where you get into, you can spec that if you want it green or black, instead of the, you know, where they can do that, obviously there's going to be a more expensive cost.

[31:09] We haven't developed a standard, I mean, you know, it's got, some is going to depend on what the costs we can adhere to, and we only put handrail in where the slope drops off right behind the sidewalk, we do have to put the handrail into it is going to be a requirement.

[31:24] I mean, if it's not going, I don't think there's going to be a lot of handrail or Brooklyn, but I'd like to see where, you know, what the options are.

[31:31] There's something that's a little better, they're nice for looking at more, it's definitely pleasing just to see what the cost benefit would be.

[31:37] We could do that, we could do that, I had a, you know, I knew we had to put handrail in, I hadn't gotten into some of those details yet, as far as that goes.

[31:45] And we want to be sensitive too, as to, you know, where the sidewalk is, if there's already some kind of decorative finishes, or we want to mimic that and repeat that, we don't want to come into something that's so different.

[31:57] You know, where Jim is on his project, you know, that really will be perfect, they'll fit perfectly in the environment and what's so nice there, we're not going to have to ask for slope lessons from anybody because it's ours.

[32:11] It's cheap and easy, we're roaders, but I would weigh.

[32:15] Yeah.

[32:16] But you do understand that the sidewalk survey map isn't fact on our GIS system.

[32:24] The existing sidewalk, there is a layer where all the existing sidewalk is shown on our GIS.

[32:30] And so you could pull that up and look at, it will tell you where there's existing sidewalks.

[32:35] And that was how one of the ways we used to identify where the gaps are, because you can easily see if you're going along.

[32:40] And mainly, I looked at the more, obviously, more major roads in the city, not getting into the neighborhoods that much, with that list, it took kind of fill the gaps on the main road to the city.

[32:54] But that where that is shown, there is a layer that you can pull into the GIS map that is at the sidewalks.

[33:00] That covers from your survey.

[33:03] Yes, from our survey, yes.

[33:07] Is there a weather aspect to, is there a temperature cut off of how we can fork it?

[33:15] For concrete, you got a lot more leeway with concrete.

[33:19] Yes, if we had, if our high is only getting into the 30s, it would be, which is not that common here.

[33:27] We can do sidewalk construction in the winter time, because it's the, even rain, I mean, if we don't get sustained rain,

[33:35] the area that makes it difficult with the cutting grading or anything, but it's sporadic rain.

[33:39] You can even pour concrete relatively easily in the rain too.

[33:43] So it's, we're not as sensitive to weather in the winter time with sidewalks as we are, we say, resurfacing.

[33:52] What about crosswalks in the part of this?

[33:55] I'm not a part of this.

[33:57] My intent is to include where, where the sidewalk segments touch,

[34:04] existing roads and crossings is to also include ADA upgrades on all the corners that affect it, and crosswalk,

[34:12] striping, upgraded crosswalk, striping, and all the crosswalks for all the corners, all the legs that, that touched you.

[34:19] So if we did an intersection, you know, for example, one of the ones on the list that I have is northeer, it heals in front of crosskeys high school.

[34:27] That touches the intersection with northeer and Curtis and northeer with north cliff valley.

[34:32] The intent would be on all four corners of those intersections to upgrade the ADA and upgrade the crosswalks while we're doing this.

[34:41] What about a little bit out of the preview of this, but my intent is to come back to you on the Woodwood Elementary School,

[34:48] and we also need flashing lights for notification of crosswalks right by the sidewalks.

[34:54] And as well as maybe a ribbed road around the curb to, and alert drivers, you know, there's a dangerous curve.

[35:02] That's kind of what I was interested in, you know, enhancing the crosswalks we have or, you know, where is that?

[35:09] How about if we just use these funds to maybe do a project and if the cross is over?

[35:14] Correct.

[35:15] Yeah, we could look at, I'm sorry, you're allotted a certain amount per your district.

[35:19] So if it can capture that, then absolutely, we can do that turn key.

[35:25] The mayor also has funds.

[35:28] And he is, you know, going to select an idea from site, but if there's any money left over, those money's then could be made available to, you know, and working together.

[35:38] We're hoping that perhaps where your district ends or sidewalk ends, that maybe there is cooperation to pick it up and continue it on,

[35:47] so it becomes a longer segment.

[35:49] And there are some opportunities on the list to do that, especially where you share borders.

[35:55] You know, the road, you might be able to get a lot of bang out of the buck there.

[36:00] So that's why we'd like to sit down with you and go over that and happy to go out and walk it and take a look at it.

[36:07] Because, you know, well, the mayor has already told me on this favorite councilman song for you.

[36:11] I did these on that money.

[36:13] The park funds.

[36:21] The park funds.

[36:23] The park funds are also, that was part of the amended budget.

[36:26] Okay, so there's a difference between that and what we're doing in 2014.

[36:30] There's $200,000 in that.

[36:34] And that is set up so that you and I will review any requests for funding.

[36:41] And that can be, and I'll give you a little bit of history of why that's being set up that way.

[36:47] And talking with a couple of the friends of certain parks in the community.

[36:51] In the past, they've been accustomed to filing park pride applications or filing to the county for assistance.

[36:59] And there is a gate fee to be able to belong to park pride.

[37:04] But there's no guarantee if you pay that fee that you will even be considered for an application.

[37:10] And I felt that, you know, going through that exercise for the community and not having assurances that they would even receive anything.

[37:19] And of course, the gate fee would have to be paid by the city, which I think was $15,000.

[37:25] Wouldn't that money be better served in making an improvement in a park that the community could enjoy.

[37:31] So in talking with these, there's a couple of different friends groups that have,

[37:36] we're preparing themselves to make applications.

[37:38] They have continued that and are readying that to submit to the city along with, you know, your suggestions as well.

[37:45] You know, what you want to do, and then we'll review that and then make a determination on where we can not only afford that improvement,

[37:54] but how quickly can we see it come out of the ground so that the community can enjoy it.

[37:59] And that's another recurring fee that I hope the finest structures listening that I want to build on each year.

[38:05] So that, you know, we'll have our own park improvements, our own capital improvement plan that will get out of the parks and recreation master plan.

[38:11] But I still want to set up a separate fund where we can launch quick projects.

[38:16] The community can see them quickly and be able to enjoy them in a short order.

[38:20] Well, we need to know from some of the friends groups or what areas in their parks they'd like to see.

[38:28] Some of us have been looking at parks. I've been asking around and I'm looking for both athletic and the natural side.

[38:33] And I've gotten a few ideas and I know there's obviously a lot of activity at Broward Park.

[38:38] Sure, there's some stuff at Asher Park and Blackburn, but we need to know.

[38:41] So we get a council's got to sort of ask around too.

[38:45] Have you been asking anybody?

[38:46] Well, just a 10 or 15 thousand dollar project.

[38:49] Right. The concern I have is there has been discussion among some of the friends groups or just park people of, like,

[38:56] painting a pavilion, repairing some things.

[38:59] And it seems to me that that's the kind of thing the city really ought to be doing.

[39:02] Or might come on, you know, will eventually, we might even replace some of those pavilions that are rotten and whatever.

[39:09] So I almost hate to encourage them to spend their money on something like that.

[39:13] So I would hope that we would.

[39:15] Well, what I've been asking is identify a project that we can match funds with y'all on and then we'll see if we can move forward.

[39:25] But I just don't want to make an improvement to a park that really nobody cares about or wants.

[39:29] And I want to, you know, I want the neighbors to kind of tell us what they want to see or what project they can.

[39:34] And it doesn't have to go on that.

[39:36] I was just going to say, we've got to be careful that we don't do something that's going to be in contradiction to what that master plan is going to show and what those capital improvements are.

[39:47] Well, this money's going to be spent this year there, right?

[39:50] Right.

[39:51] I don't want to carry that over.

[39:52] I'd like to see some improvements this year.

[39:54] And again, that's.

[39:55] So we don't have a master plan yet.

[39:57] I mean, there got to be some things that can improve the parks in a basic manner that people will.

[40:02] Well, you know, there's some examples of taking down the raise of wire on offense and making some improvements or creating more of an improved gateway or an entrance.

[40:16] It could also be, you know, dressing up some of the playground equipment that, you know, something that's already there that needs to be replaced.

[40:24] That would not be out of character work to what could come about through the engagement of the community and creating this master plan.

[40:32] So it's, it's those sorts of things.

[40:34] Rebecca's right.

[40:36] You don't want to go in and fix up a billion that really should be torn down, but you might want to replace it.

[40:41] Or you can do some of her sidewalks in a fall.

[40:43] Or you can use for sidewalks or replacing that in cages.

[40:46] I mean, there are trails.

[40:47] There are lots of things that can be done with the funds.

[40:50] And it doesn't necessarily have to be depending on, I guess, of course, on the project size.

[40:55] And again, this is limited money.

[40:57] It's not a lot.

[40:58] But it doesn't necessarily have to be a project that requires a match.

[41:02] It could be a $15,000 project and we could handle that.

[41:05] What amount of money are we talking about?

[41:07] I have 200,000.

[41:09] I wonder if it would be helpful.

[41:11] If we would identify just like you said, the raise a wire or some other projects that we could suggest to them.

[41:19] They may not think along the same lines as we are, so that we don't do all the things we just talked about.

[41:26] Right.

[41:27] Exactly.

[41:28] And I'd like to, you know, solicit that from your Mr. Gabby.

[41:31] We just got to know.

[41:32] Mark and his, in his district.

[41:34] So, but there are some efforts.

[41:36] But there's a dare-what-touse that's for sale for $15,000.

[41:39] Or they can tear down and make an acre park.

[41:40] I hope that we'd like to get.

[41:42] How much is it?

[41:43] Let's see how much it is.

[41:44] Well, thanks a question.

[41:45] Can you give me any update on where we stand with the Cap County School Board and try to do a land grant?

[41:53] Yeah, sure.

[41:54] Because once that's done, I'm not going to have any trouble.

[41:57] I know you aren't.

[41:58] I will tell you, I did have a meeting with them last week, and they were not as cooperative as I had hoped.

[42:05] They basically requested that they get a full plan on what exactly we intend to do when I asked for copies of the site plan.

[42:19] They said they were available down the hall, but they didn't know if the guy was available to provide them.

[42:25] So, where I am right now is they said that this would have to travel all the way to the school board for final approval.

[42:34] What I want to be careful of, especially in your district, there was mentioned made that there are

[42:39] Splospons that they are intending to use.

[42:42] And I said, well, I'd like the list of the couple improvements that you're planning to make.

[42:46] And they suggested that we visit the website to look at that.

[42:50] So, what really needs to happen is you and I need to sit down with the principals and find out what's going on there.

[42:57] The school, according to them, is heavily used.

[43:03] But there was no familiarity with where it was.

[43:07] So, there's a lot of opportunity there.

[43:11] I think what we need to do is I do want to contact Mr. Thurman's office so that he understands that there's a level of seriousness from us that we'd like to do something.

[43:23] But there needs to be a conversation with the principals.

[43:27] I think it's a good Marshall involved in this too.

[43:30] You all know what we're talking about here.

[43:32] Well, the idea is to do a land share agreement between city of Brookhaven and the Cape County School where the city would have the right to use the land on course keys high school as a park during weekends.

[43:47] And then that would allow us to make necessary improvements in the park for situation.

[43:54] I think I've let it feel behind the screen.

[43:56] I'm talking about athletic field.

[43:58] We're talking about everything.

[43:59] Lighting, track, putting in, you know, the preparing the field for soccer play.

[44:07] Things that, you know, for weekend.

[44:10] We can't use.

[44:11] Is the why not participating?

[44:13] Didn't they have a program where they were?

[44:14] No, I think that was turned over to Crossfire.

[44:16] Wasn't it?

[44:17] Was it at a time court?

[44:19] At a time court?

[44:20] Yeah.

[44:21] Okay.

[44:22] Concord.

[44:23] And they were actually hand in the baseball field.

[44:24] I'm not mistaken, which was down the road from Woodward.

[44:27] But, you know, where we're in a dire situation with.

[44:32] No funding at all being put into that school for the most part.

[44:35] So this was good way to not only bring it to the community.

[44:38] And allow it to be used as a park, which would be the first park in the fourth district.

[44:42] But at the same time, we could be making some very valuable improvements.

[44:46] That would not only benefit residents from a park standpoint, but also the students from a school standpoint.

[44:51] They'd have a double whammy.

[44:53] Is it just that soccer field has lighting field behind Cross Kings that you're talking about?

[45:00] As I envision it right now, we could also include that I need to get a further understanding of what's going on with that baseball field, because that could be a key area for activity.

[45:11] But Murray, we will talk on this. I would like to work with you putting that proposal together, finalizing it, and also working with the school to find out what kind of commitment they have for those on weekends.

[45:23] I don't see anything ever really going on there when I go by.

[45:26] If you get Superintendent Thurman, I wouldn't, I would just have a Marshall, I don't have the superintendent.

[45:32] Yeah, and that's well, that's where I started and then was directed from his office.

[45:37] Exactly. That's what I was just telling the city attorney was a courtesy call.

[45:41] And so I'll go back to that. But just for the record, you know, what we're talking about is a joint use agreement, but it is not for a fixed term.

[45:53] It is for and perpetuities. We're talking about city of Roswell does a great job doing that with their schools.

[45:59] And in fact, they do a fabulous job with that. And really I've said the example.

[46:04] And I explained that to the script that I was talking to, that's what we're trying to do is to enhance and be able to use their more custom to dealing with a lion CA on a one year fixed term agreement that you come in and you provide soccer.

[46:19] And that's just what they understand.

[46:22] Learning curve forever.

[46:23] Exactly. So, you know, and fairness to them, you know, we want to give them an opportunity to benefit from our interest in doing something there.

[46:30] But we do need to be wise to what their splost intentions are because we don't want to provide something that the citizens are paying for that they need to perform and where we can enhance that.

[46:41] We certainly can and how we can make improvements that everybody can benefit from.

[46:48] I saw a, just sort of, it's not an own part.

[46:52] I saw a post on the book given post about basketball leagues at Linwood Park.

[46:58] Is that something that the Eric knows about?

[47:00] Yes.

[47:01] Yes.

[47:02] All right.

[47:03] And I guess I'd like to get with Eric about maybe some things he sees that, you know, I'd like to do in concert with him.

[47:10] Because we have $200,000, although it's not a lot of money, it's more than, and they've been having in the past and

[47:16] you know, with 11 parks, you know, we could probably do something in every park or a little bit more than some of the big ones.

[47:22] I just think that they all need to be addressed.

[47:25] And there's got to be some desire, some ideas from some of the communities that surround these parks.

[47:30] Hey, we'd like a water fountain, or we'd like a bathroom, or we'd like a, you know, a fence, something.

[47:36] But we have to know that and we need to know it quickly, just like the sidewalk program.

[47:40] Right.

[47:42] I can tell you that the Murphy Canler Conservancy, one of the first things they did was put out a poll and ask people what, what that thought was needed in Murphy Canler.

[47:52] And so they've, they've actually collected some pretty good numbers and I was interested in the fact that.

[47:57] Besides the erosion on the lake, which is a constant concern, probably outside the purview of this, there's no bathrooms on the west side of the lake.

[48:06] And in fact, if you have an event over in one of those civilians, you have to agree to rent a party John or something.

[48:12] So it could be that maybe even something like that, of course, that that might be more expensive than we could have more of when she didn't have plumbing and.

[48:21] So worse and stuff.

[48:23] But I know for sure that they've done an assessment as well.

[48:26] I'd love to see that.

[48:27] Yeah.

[48:28] Doug and I.

[48:29] Progress.

[48:30] Because time is of the afternoon.

[48:32] Right.

[48:33] Yeah.

[48:34] Yeah.

[48:35] Do we have, do we have an electronic PDF copy of the governor's commission report on Parks and Recreation?

[48:41] I don't think so, but.

[48:46] I'd be mailed one of there.

[48:50] You know, I'm trying to say trade.

[48:52] You've got, you've got there report on the website.

[48:54] Great.

[48:55] On your website.

[48:56] Great.

[48:57] Okay.

[48:58] You know, I think that way to go, way to be on the spot.

[49:03] The reason is, I think into the mic, please.

[49:07] The reason is that I know a lot of those things were part of the discussions and that you've got a lot of active citizens.

[49:17] It's all.

[49:18] And got very engaged in that process while we were all knocking on doors.

[49:23] These particular, you know, and that reports all the parts of Rec people putting forth their ideas.

[49:29] So it's a good starting point for us to look at.

[49:32] And the second thing is that, as we, as we move down the path as a city to get to this point where we're, you know, reinvesting into the taxpayers money into their own city and choosing the areas for sidewalks of Parks improvements.

[49:48] I'd like the communications department to, to consider as the website street balance.

[49:55] One of the things that we've talked about is figuring out a way that we can have an electronic dashboard through our website that actually provides an opportunity for citizens to sort of give those opinion polls.

[50:12] But how do you, you know, how do you think we're doing as a city, what, you know, maybe we pop up different surveys that we can sort of train our citizens that this is a good easy point to go to for our city to provide feedback to us that allows us to make better decisions.

[50:32] Just, I know in the website redevelopment, I think it'd be nice for them to have that consideration back there.

[50:40] I think that's a good idea and something that we'll want to solicit.

[50:45] You know, we need to provide all sorts of venues for the community to make comment and we're getting ready to launch now four plans.

[50:55] And we're going to be engaging the community, but it needs to be more of an outreach than just come to this meeting.

[51:01] If you can't, we still want to hear from you and maybe that is the vehicle that they do it through is, you know, here's where we are.

[51:08] Almost like chapters, if you will, this is the chapter we're on and what we're doing now in the comp plan or the rec plan or the transportation plan and get, you know, some of that, that input.

[51:19] You know, my biggest concern is, you know, it's not a lot of money, $200,000.

[51:24] I think the criteria should be, you know, what is the quickest and most visible impact and usage that the community can receive out of this improvement without taking away from the efforts of the committees that,

[51:36] that launched the survey of recreational, you know, needs and be able to engage the public again now that they're, they're here a year with us too as a city residents and what do they see and what would they like.

[51:51] So, you know, the goal is, I think, you know, and if we can just be a little bit patient on this, I think what we can see is, you'll see a quicker launch of the sidewalks.

[52:02] But we, and completing those sidewalks, we have the ability to complete many of, you know, the sidewalks that should be coming up with.

[52:10] Hopefully we'll be able to complete some of the park improvements, but the goal is to have every one of them under construction and some way or form so that we can see that.

[52:20] And hopefully we make it to the end of the year with all of them, that's certainly that's going to be the priority, but some of them may be a little bit larger and may carry over a few more months, but they'll be funded out of the 2013 budget.

[52:34] So, speaking of visible improvements are open where are we on signage for the city.

[52:41] Signage on the city is being worked on between communications and public works.

[52:46] The road works, the road works that's doing it or who's the fabricator.

[52:52] Right.

[52:54] The color.

[52:56] And those designs are going to come back before the council to take a look at and we'll bring those back in a work session.

[53:02] So you all can see what's the time for them on that.

[53:06] Are we talking about in the next council meeting or.

[53:10] Okay.

[53:11] Great.

[53:13] Okay.

[53:15] All right. Thank you.

[53:17] Next.

[53:18] Okay.

[53:19] Update on the budget process.

[53:20] You all are going to be experts.

[53:22] By the end of this year.

[53:24] Okay.

[53:25] This is your third go at it and I'm excited about what the 2014 numbers are looking like.

[53:33] This report is not to go into the details of the numbers right now, but just to go through the process for you.

[53:38] I would like to stop these times with each of you if you could plan from 45 minutes to an hour.

[53:44] So that I can sit down go over the budget.

[53:47] It is still a work in progress.

[53:49] I do want to come back to you all and I haven't even said this.

[53:54] Discuss it with our city attorney early on in the formation of the city.

[53:58] There were a number of policies and ordinances that were being presented many in a in bulk.

[54:05] And one of them was the requirement that the budget be provided and made available to the public 60 days prior to the adoption date.

[54:16] Well, that makes it a little difficult.

[54:18] Especially our fiscal year is January to December.

[54:22] You know, revenues are starting to come in with tax dollars.

[54:25] Host is always a moving target and so we're trying to get our numbers on that.

[54:29] And we also have vendors and their contracts parallel the city's fiscal year.

[54:35] And so that requires negotiating or rebitting.

[54:39] So with all of that said, I'd like to come back very soon with an ordinance because it was adopted.

[54:45] I thought it was a policy, but it was an ordinance that requires a 60 day notice.

[54:50] And that is in conflict with your charter.

[54:52] The charter says it has to be presented 30 days prior to the adoption.

[54:57] So I would like to go back and not during this process because we're going to follow you know the process that we've established.

[55:03] But for next year, I want to be sure when we've got more time to be able to look at some of the numbers that have been moving targets.

[55:10] So we'll we'll be coming back.

[55:12] I hope that we can do that in November.

[55:15] That's my plan and that will be for the 2015 budget cycle.

[55:20] However, getting back to where we are right now for 2014.

[55:24] We have scheduled November the 12th and the 26th as public hearings.

[55:29] That will be your council dates, your regular scheduled council meetings.

[55:33] So we'll have a separate public hearing to go over the budget.

[55:36] We are looking very good.

[55:38] In fact, we're just a little bit higher.

[55:40] We've exceeded what the Coral Vincent Institute expected and projected for funds coming in.

[55:45] We have a lot of expenses too.

[55:47] So we will hear that twice in public hearings and then on December the 10th.

[55:54] We'll be your decision date and that is also a council hearing date.

[55:59] So we'll have that as an agenda item.

[56:01] If you feel like we need a third public hearing, we can do it on that night and then move forward to adopt the budget.

[56:09] So I will be reaching out to you all to sit down and meet with you.

[56:14] I'll have Bonnie with me so that we can go through the numbers.

[56:18] Tell you the origin of the numbers what our expectations are.

[56:22] And if you will be patient with me, the number on administrative services which are the vendors.

[56:29] You know, that's still a member that's being refined.

[56:33] I'm negotiating with the vendors now.

[56:35] I have one more.

[56:36] One left to do tomorrow.

[56:38] And then there's another round of meetings that I will have with them to fine tune those numbers.

[56:44] And hopefully we'll be able to do that in an negotiated setting versus bidding them out.

[56:51] But I am prepared to bid them out as well.

[56:55] So I'll go over and great detail what that is.

[56:58] I'll be talking to you about some of the expenditures that we're expecting in each of the departments.

[57:05] Some of the departments are growing.

[57:07] And I'll explain to you why and what the reason behind that is and why the need is to have certain revenues in those departments.

[57:16] We're going to go over where your actual revenues are coming from.

[57:21] And what we think, you know, for 2014, you know, these are very conservative estimates.

[57:26] They could change.

[57:27] We're hoping they'll go up.

[57:29] But we're trying to at least come in with a figure we have some confidence.

[57:32] And so that's where we are.

[57:35] And like I said, I'll be getting with you very soon to go over that.

[57:40] And you'll be getting updates as this gets refined.

[57:44] So that one you can have some input where you see some adjustments.

[57:48] I want to hear what that is.

[57:50] And then continue having some dialogue as we move through the process of these vendor greeners.

[57:58] That's that's one of the biggest matters that has to be addressed and then finalized.

[58:04] I'm hopeful that within the next two weeks we'll have that finalized or I will inform you that we're bidding it out.

[58:12] Whatever service that might be.

[58:17] Let me see if there's anything else I want to.

[58:21] So in two weeks you'll know if you're going to bid it out and if you bid it out to another 30 day process.

[58:26] Correct.

[58:27] We'll be into December minimally.

[58:30] Right.

[58:32] And you said number will still be a floating number.

[58:35] Right.

[58:36] But I do know the worst case scenario.

[58:38] And that's what I put in there.

[58:39] So it only can be improved upon.

[58:41] There's the worst case scenario based upon with the previous.

[58:44] Yes.

[58:45] Holder of that escalation numbers in it.

[58:48] Which I'm not recommending approval on at all.

[58:50] So just just as a guidance here.

[58:52] What is your drop dead date for hopefully coming to.

[58:55] Conclusion with all of the vendors.

[58:57] Well, I'm glad the vendors are here because they can hear this too.

[59:01] So we're all in the same page.

[59:03] My drop dead date.

[59:15] We'll be probably October 30.

[59:26] So we let me make clear when do you want to start meeting with us this next week?

[59:31] I would like to next week.

[59:33] I really would because there's a lot in here because as these numbers change,

[59:36] I want you to recognize.

[59:38] Exactly.

[59:39] I want you to recognize that.

[59:41] So it might be, you know, we'll have our first initial meeting next week.

[59:45] But if you could be available to me during this process because as these numbers change,

[59:50] I want to give you full explanation.

[59:52] So as your constituents ask, you have a full understanding of what that is.

[59:56] And there may be opportunities for yourself too as as we.

[1:00:00] Get through this a couple of times that maybe there's still a few questions and certainly meet with Bonnie on that, so that you can get some better answers, but, you know, the goal is for she and I to be sure you understand the origin of the revenues and the reason for the expenditures, and we're looking at creating capital improvement plan. And remember we're going to have for 2014, just thinking ahead when we get to mid your budget adjustment, which we will do that early.

[1:00:30] We're going to do that in months six. So that way we can see a six-month history of activity and what we see moving forward to the end of fiscal year.

[1:00:42] And then we're also going to be looking at in that mid your budget adjustment, creating a more firm and confident capital improvement plan, because we'll have three of our plans completed by then.

[1:00:54] We'll have a view for how we improvement plan, the transportation plan, and the parks and recreation plan, all of which will have capital improvement elements to it in a short term version, as well as long term planning purposes.

[1:01:08] As part of that budgeting cycle to get to the amendment to the mid your budget adjustment, I want us to have our retreat.

[1:01:17] Before that time period, so that you can hear from the department has what's going on in their department, so that you'll have some familiarity with some of the adjustments that will be proposing.

[1:01:30] So we adopt a budget once a year, but we work on it every day, constantly, with certain demarcation points.

[1:01:41] Certainly, it's nice to see a full year's budget. I tell you, I remember this.

[1:01:46] With some predictive ability.

[1:01:48] Yeah, really. And I'm glad to hear that that's a conservative estimate on your part.

[1:01:52] How much is in this rough budget and for our contingency?

[1:01:58] Currently, we have a million, and consistency reserve for this one, two million.

[1:02:04] Okay.

[1:02:05] Does that include the million dollars put in the size for this year?

[1:02:08] Okay, great.

[1:02:09] We want to build on that, and that's what I sit down with you individually.

[1:02:13] I want to talk to you about opportunities of how I think I can grow that for you.

[1:02:17] Since we're talking about that, I'd just like to make a recommendation that we minimally set aside a minimum of four months, up to six months max, as a guideline.

[1:02:26] And I'd like to open that up to conversation here.

[1:02:29] Yes.

[1:02:31] Okay.

[1:02:32] Are you talking about?

[1:02:33] Correct.

[1:02:34] Yeah.

[1:02:35] I think that's a good measure.

[1:02:36] I think we need to set a goal.

[1:02:38] We need to have an objective that we want to achieve, and it is achievable.

[1:02:42] And I think it's nice to have a million dollars, but I think we need to have that comfort level that's really going to make sure that we are protected as a city.

[1:02:49] Right.

[1:02:50] And the other thing that we're looking at, too, is we never know what kind of employment weather we're going to have.

[1:02:56] And what kind of storms are going to come through.

[1:02:58] And, you know, we have to plan, you know, for worst case scenarios.

[1:03:03] And so we have some dollar set aside for storm cleanup or who knows what.

[1:03:08] Maybe there's a recall on some of our police cars, and they may have to be completely replaced.

[1:03:15] So, you know, I want to have that in there as well and looking for those kind of opportunities.

[1:03:21] The idea of rolling funds over that are unspanned.

[1:03:25] I'd like to check those into our reserve.

[1:03:27] You know, if we haven't spent it, that's where I'd like it to go.

[1:03:30] And when a big project comes up, we have a source in which to, to go to.

[1:03:34] So, you'll hear all of that when we sit down and go over this.

[1:03:38] Is there a, I'll just, I'm not trying to quiz you on the budget.

[1:03:43] Because it's not official, yeah, right.

[1:03:45] You're shield.

[1:03:47] The Parks and Rec.

[1:03:49] Is there a capital improvement portion from the Parks and Rec or now?

[1:03:53] Is it really?

[1:03:54] At this point.

[1:03:55] Yeah.

[1:03:56] I mean, that's not to the point of what we are expecting in our Parks and Rec plan.

[1:04:00] Okay.

[1:04:01] Yeah.

[1:04:02] There's a, there's a part of what we like.

[1:04:05] So we know.

[1:04:06] Right.

[1:04:07] There's a second to the last page.

[1:04:08] Okay.

[1:04:09] Yeah.

[1:04:10] What's it on again?

[1:04:11] Careful.

[1:04:12] Careful.

[1:04:13] Careful.

[1:04:14] Okay.

[1:04:15] Thank you.

[1:04:16] You know, I, I remember don't get stuck on that.

[1:04:17] Not getting stuck on.

[1:04:18] Okay.

[1:04:19] Okay.

[1:04:20] Just gotta start thinking.

[1:04:21] Okay.

[1:04:22] I also want to go back to the council.

[1:04:23] I've commented about the, the four months.

[1:04:25] I think we need to also remember that those are two separate funds.

[1:04:28] I mean, the city manager mentioned reserves versus contingency.

[1:04:32] You know, I agree with you that the contingency is a, it's four to six months of operating costs.

[1:04:37] But we also have a reserves that are in addition to that.

[1:04:40] So we, we don't need, you know.

[1:04:41] Yeah.

[1:04:42] Thank you for bringing that up.

[1:04:43] As long as the savings account and once an emergency.

[1:04:45] Exactly.

[1:04:46] And we need to build the savings account for long term capital projects.

[1:04:50] Or also, you know, when we, if and when we do decide we need to bond the capacity.

[1:04:55] That money will be very valuable when it comes to establishing ratings and those types of things.

[1:05:00] So let's make sure we have our, our funds straight and that yeah, I agree that four to six months for contingency.

[1:05:06] But we also have reserves that we need to continue to build as, as quickly and as strong as we can.

[1:05:12] And I'm so glad you brought that up because again.

[1:05:16] And we talked about this before, but this really is a tool in preparation and hopefully by year three or four will last for bond rating.

[1:05:26] And I think we'll be very good to secure a very good rating.

[1:05:31] But Jim is correct.

[1:05:33] And we'll be reviewing that and going over what the difference is and how important that is to what we're doing.

[1:05:42] All right.

[1:05:43] Thank you. One last point on the budgeting.

[1:05:47] As you reviewed the vendor contracts, we talked about it in the past.

[1:05:54] If we can find ways to create a mutually beneficial incentive for these vendors so that if they come in under budget,

[1:06:03] they get some kind of incentive in a bonus and building that.

[1:06:08] You know, creating a, and incentive for them to be more cost conscious within the costs that they built to the city city.

[1:06:18] Or so.

[1:06:19] I don't know how you did that, but you know, it loves to have that built in so that they don't go all the way up to their contract amounts.

[1:06:28] They really do have an incentive to try and find efficiencies within their own operations.

[1:06:33] And I am looking forward to having that conversation with each of you.

[1:06:40] Looking forward to it.

[1:06:41] Is that part of it now or is this something that will be novel with the new contracts?

[1:06:46] We're going to be making some changes on how the contract is established and what the parameters are.

[1:07:02] Right now we have a lump sum contract and I am moving towards a time and materials contract.

[1:07:10] So we can be.

[1:07:12] We have more predictability and we have a better delivery of service for what you all are agreeing to pay for.

[1:07:24] I'm just like to make one more suggestion it was conversation pretty much bird by councilman.

[1:07:30] Jim, this is in relationship to the.

[1:07:33] We talked about the three plans that are coming down the pipe here on the beautiful highway, the transportation and the parks.

[1:07:39] And suggestion that you came up with or creating a fourth plan.

[1:07:45] Which would be probably just taking the participation.

[1:07:48] And have that be as a separate plan a PDF plan and not a PDF.

[1:07:53] Or I get Joe and I were talking about, you know, how do we how do we as a council better understand what what our opportunities are.

[1:08:02] And obviously we're going to have that conversation a little bit today, but.

[1:08:07] There might be an opportunity and in my mind and you may have a better idea.

[1:08:11] And it to include as a as a as a component of the comprehensive master plan.

[1:08:16] A component that more closely looks at the manifestation of what's happening to me around it so that.

[1:08:23] You know, so that we're not adding, you know, obviously the shred, you know, basically those are what's happening with the shred.

[1:08:28] But it becomes something that that, you know, is is better tailored to what.

[1:08:35] What Brookhaven with the council, what the what the citizens want.

[1:08:38] And we're, you know, trying to figure out, do we do it now, do we do it later?

[1:08:41] And my suggestion was, you know, that may be a specific component of the comprehensive master plan, not adding another plan per say, but just making sure.

[1:08:50] The chapter within it.

[1:08:51] Exactly.

[1:08:52] That that that that character area is looked at even a little more closely than the other areas that we're going to be looking at.

[1:09:00] I think that's I think that's a very good idea and I think and we'll be talking about in just a moment, but at least take the opportunity now to make mention of.

[1:09:12] You know, one of the most important ingredients in that plan is is to have an established identified and committed relationship with Marda.

[1:09:21] You know, they're we've seen in her different commentary coming out of the shred and who's representing who and who truly is not.

[1:09:31] And, you know, I don't want there to be any kind of false sense of an expectation that can't be delivered upon by group who's not authorized.

[1:09:41] And so the idea of focusing on that as a character area all by itself and what does that mean.

[1:09:49] And as part of the overlay, part of the city, how, how does that drive the bus if you will?

[1:09:56] And no pun intended that it's marda, but but truly, you know, that whatever happens there is going to have a ripple effect and we need to understand how far out that ripple goes and what that means.

[1:10:10] And what that determines for many and I think that's an excellent idea and we can we can include that in our conversations when we start interviewing the different firms.

[1:10:22] Absolutely.

[1:10:23] I've come from a timing, from a timing standpoint.

[1:10:27] Well, first of all, let me just say, I'm in favor of this for a couple of reasons.

[1:10:31] One is because what happens over at the modern stations is probably going to be defining statement from all of us on what we think and what happens here in the city of.

[1:10:39] I think what we really want to make sure that we're doing is that we're working in concert with the folks from modern.

[1:10:49] And we want to do it loudly with commitment with purpose with performance.

[1:10:55] I think by separating or having this be part of the mesh to plan, it allows us to really identify that.

[1:11:01] It's be able to speak very, very specifically towards that concept.

[1:11:07] You had mentioned something before about people making expectations that can't be fulfilled.

[1:11:12] One of the concerns I have is having expectations that are too low.

[1:11:16] So it's the other side of the coin.

[1:11:18] We have one time to do this right.

[1:11:20] And I would very much encourage us as a city to step out on our own in complement any of the work that's being done out there and take the best of both ideas.

[1:11:34] So I'm from a timing standpoint.

[1:11:36] I think the shreds do to finish in six months, which probably takes a March April, maybe May at the latest.

[1:11:43] And I think we'd want to be timed accordingly.

[1:11:48] Well, you know, I mean that's probably too soon.

[1:11:51] But because it's a clock ticking, if this is something that we agree on.

[1:11:56] And we probably want to be moving ahead and full.

[1:12:01] I mean, that there's a lot of moving parts to all of this into the shreds that's occurring right now.

[1:12:09] Jim's idea of focusing on on the mortage station and how that affects and impacts the rest of the area.

[1:12:18] And we need to identify what that area is.

[1:12:21] I mean, how far out does it does the ripple effect occur.

[1:12:24] But what is going to be critical?

[1:12:26] What is going to be absolutely critical to the success of whatever happens there at the mortage station.

[1:12:32] Is to come to an agreement and an understanding on both sides.

[1:12:36] We have a quasi-government that's martyr that receives federal funds that owns the station that owns the land surrounding it.

[1:12:44] And that they have certain desires.

[1:12:47] My understanding is they don't want to sell it, but they will do a land lease and that they have certain expectations on their own.

[1:12:53] But I think we need to be clear with them, too, that we want to partner with them, that whatever their desires are,

[1:12:59] have to be enabled by this body through zoning, through sight plans, through density, entitlements.

[1:13:06] All of that has to be because at the end of the day, your job and my job in working with you all is to ensure that we can afford delivering services at the same level.

[1:13:17] This citizenry has come to expect in demand of you all.

[1:13:21] And we've got to be assured that whatever is being entitled and agreed upon can be paid for.

[1:13:28] Because it's not martyr's job to police it.

[1:13:32] It will be the city of Brookhaven's job to police it.

[1:13:35] It's not martyr's job to address, protect, or prevent precedents that are setting.

[1:13:44] It will be your job to do that so that whatever is coming out of whether it's this charret or whether it's martyr doing something.

[1:13:52] They can't do it in a vacuum.

[1:13:54] They have to do it in partnership because you are the authority by charter and creation of the city that you have the police powers over planning and zoning.

[1:14:05] And that's where it rests.

[1:14:07] And so it is just imperative to the success of any property owner whether they're martyr or they're a Mister developer and some of the part of the city.

[1:14:18] They can't do anything unless the project is entitled.

[1:14:21] And that entitlement is delivered by the elected body.

[1:14:24] So I love the idea of focusing on that and making it part of the complaint.

[1:14:31] It needs to be a focus too when we do the transportation plan as well.

[1:14:34] And yet another focus when we do the parks and right plan because if we've got people living there they're going to want to recreate.

[1:14:40] And the closest park is Brookhaven.

[1:14:42] How much capacity can that park take? What is it's capacity? What's it's bandwidth?

[1:14:46] So we're going to have to look at all of that.

[1:14:48] So I'm saying I like the idea and I'd love to take that focus all the way through all the plans because we can't look at it with blinders.

[1:14:57] We have to be open to how that's going to affect.

[1:15:00] In fact, all services and impact, all the cost of delivering services for the city.

[1:15:05] The, just maybe, premature, because I think we're going to talk about this.

[1:15:11] But, bates, and I were just at a, before we came here, and the gal who's the staff person for the city of Decayter for the downtime development

[1:15:21] was speaking to the group to the development authority folks about how they operate.

[1:15:28] And she kept saying, you know, we have a plan, and every day we work the plan.

[1:15:32] We said, well, what plan is that?

[1:15:34] And she said, it's a strategic plan.

[1:15:36] We do, you know, we updated every five years, and it's the result of a vision of the community that's come together.

[1:15:43] And, and, and I guess that's been my concern on this, the short thing is that the complaint hasn't been done in the, and the complaint is really going to be our strategic vision.

[1:15:55] And that's why if you're suggesting that the two need to match, absolutely, because I'm, I have a little bit of a fear that there's, there's one train going on this track right now.

[1:16:07] And I agree, but ahead of us, I agree, and people are making decisions.

[1:16:11] I mean, the one group I sat in today was deciding on terminology to use in the RFQ.

[1:16:18] Right, and that's the authority does not rest with them.

[1:16:22] You know, and, and this is just a, you know, this is a charat that was brought to the funded by another part of the city's not paying for it.

[1:16:31] Yeah, but I have to ask.

[1:16:33] I have a little bit of ideas, maybe, and we'll, and we'll.

[1:16:36] But I will tell you that they, they have, I heard it again today, they said, we have partnered with the city and we are working for the city.

[1:16:45] Who's, who's saying this?

[1:16:48] Well, let's rob it, though, he's selfish.

[1:16:51] But, you know, but.

[1:16:52] Yeah, but that's not who's going to be taking advantage of it or making use of it.

[1:16:56] Those are the ones you want to part of with.

[1:16:59] But they're going to go back to the RFQ.

[1:17:01] I mean, obviously, you know, I think what they were discussing was Marta's RFQ for developers for the property.

[1:17:07] And, you know, I don't know that we as the city right now have much say in that.

[1:17:13] We, we can see it after the fact.

[1:17:15] I mean, once they've selected the developers, and obviously, you know, we've got a regulatory role, but, you know,

[1:17:21] I know, as I understand that the cater has done sort of an idea, which, I don't know how,

[1:17:27] I think it's beginning to fall apart a little bit, just simply because Marta has taken a little bit of a different direction.

[1:17:33] So, you know, I guess at the end of the day, where our, what my concern is, and where I believe our preparation needs to be is on the regulatory side,

[1:17:41] to make sure that we are prepared to ask for and fully review whatever it is that we feel is necessary to get a full picture of what's happening out there.

[1:17:52] I mean, you know, at the end of the day, when they come back in for a rezoning, that's going to be our first and best chance to make all of this happen.

[1:18:00] Obviously, there's going to be, as things are available on the way, but, you know, we've got to be prepared as, as a council,

[1:18:06] we've got to be prepared as a city to accept those plans and understand what it is that we want those plans to look like,

[1:18:14] so that we can then deliver back to them, our vision and make sure that we're in sync from that standpoint.

[1:18:20] Because the rezoning is going to be where, where we get to see and where we get to, to exert any,

[1:18:25] where you'd be one of them to discuss what we talked about and are, are your reaching out to Marta.

[1:18:32] Yes, I was just, thank you.

[1:18:34] I have, I shared with all of you last week, the letter I received from Marta, giving everybody notice that others will not plan for them.

[1:18:43] They will plan for themselves and the authority rest with them on what they're going to do with their own property.

[1:18:49] As a result of what I'm hearing from the public, too, that South Face is saying they're partnering with the city and they're representing us.

[1:19:00] There's a whole host of concerns that get conjured up with that.

[1:19:04] You know, we don't want the community to be misled, that certain things are going to occur when we don't know what those are yet,

[1:19:10] but I have contacted Marta, and I've left a message asking for a meeting,

[1:19:16] and based on how we're talking about it today, that, you know, to even get with the general manager of Marta and just say, look,

[1:19:22] you know, we want to partner with you and just, describe exactly what I just went over with you all, that there has to be an acceptance that

[1:19:30] Marta and the city have, need each other, like it or not, good or bad, they need each other to help enable what they'd like to do and to help prepare the city for how they serve.

[1:19:45] And so that call has been made, and a request has been made, because I think, you know, at this point,

[1:19:53] obviously there was some frustration on Marta's part, otherwise they wouldn't have written that letter to set the ground rules of who's in charge,

[1:20:00] and that's basically what it was, it was a who's in charge letter, and they said they were in charge of the property they own.

[1:20:06] So, I think that that is a supreme opportunity on our part to say we'd like to sit down and want to partner with you,

[1:20:13] we want to work with you, they're going to need us at some point in time, and I think going to where Jim was headed with his comments,

[1:20:20] let's make that early than rather than later, because I really don't want you to be engaged at the time that they prepared their plans and you're reacting.

[1:20:28] I want you to be in a proactive role that you're planning to determine what is best for the city and what compliments their needs and their desires,

[1:20:39] because you've got a whole lot of overlay left over with the community, and there's properties that are in the contract that I've been informed of,

[1:20:49] that have a desire to do something somewhat to what Marta's talking about.

[1:20:54] And the question now is bagged and asking, is there enough capacity? Do we need that?

[1:21:01] How much do we have of multi-family in the city?

[1:21:05] So, it's a perfect time right now to have that engagement with them and to be able to walk together,

[1:21:14] because I'd like to see them as a part of our overall plan.

[1:21:17] I mean, I want them involved in the BF, let's take a look at the bus stops that are along the BF,

[1:21:22] how do we get them to the Marta station? How do we get them? How do we we're going to talk about workforce housing and we're going to try and get corporate America to locate?

[1:21:30] How do we transport the employees if their first choice is not going to be by car?

[1:21:36] We do that. You know, they've got to be a part of all of this.

[1:21:39] So that's part of my offering to them is, we need your help and you need ours.

[1:21:44] Yeah, that was part of Jager's post on BF, right?

[1:21:48] Yeah, that was connectivity to the Marta station.

[1:21:50] That's right.

[1:21:51] But just want to reiterate that every indication from Marta so far, all of their officials has been that they are very much looking to partner with the city of Berke,

[1:22:03] and the work in cooperative fashion to get our input in how we make the best use for that site.

[1:22:11] Well, one of the things that we talked about in the Sharet today was that they had a number of members of our development authority.

[1:22:19] And I remind of them that development authority, not Marta, has tools for bond inducement, tax abatements and things that would be great incentives to attract developers.

[1:22:34] And so in the same way that invested Atlanta has been vital in the whole stadium developments.

[1:22:41] You know, we have some things that they don't have.

[1:22:44] So we've got all long that our development authority was needed to be stood up in order to be ready after this opportunity.

[1:22:52] Now, as you know, they've asked to present to us their final findings on Thursday morning, and I know there's a conflict with some other things going on.

[1:23:02] Can we find another time, or should we just, what do we want to do about this?

[1:23:09] I would have that we could keep that time.

[1:23:11] I mean, I'm not sure if we need to talk about this further, but I think it's important for us to hear from one understand they've brought all the consultants together for that time.

[1:23:25] And if not all at least, there will be representatives from each of the groups or each of the big presentations to us.

[1:23:34] So the way is the council can have a better understanding of what's going on.

[1:23:37] And I think it would be important for us to have that opportunity to not only see what they've presented, but also have a frank and open discussion about it.

[1:23:48] Later that evening of Thursday evening, they're obviously doing the public presentation, which, you know, well, that's going to be some of the same information.

[1:23:58] For me, I think it's very important for us to see that prior to the public presentation, so that if there are some expectations that may be may need some adjustments, or if there are some things that may need to be realign.

[1:24:13] Then we have that opportunity to do that. Also we have an opportunity to see what's going on and what will in fact be presented.

[1:24:19] So I hope that that Thursday morning we are, or can be available because I think this is important.

[1:24:28] It's an important first step for us to understand what's going on and also provide input into the process before the final presentation is made that evening.

[1:24:39] Well, there is a conflict for that morning, and I would just say that, you know, if this is what you want to do and schedule.

[1:24:51] Right, I was going to say that.

[1:24:53] Open in the afternoon, I mean could we carry this over because the conflict can't last all day.

[1:24:59] Now it's in the morning.

[1:25:00] It's in the morning, so by the threats there, I think, until three o'clock.

[1:25:04] What if we worked with Robert Reed to see if we could do it for the afternoon?

[1:25:09] Let's try that. Just for clarification purposes for people who are not really sure what we're talking about.

[1:25:16] There was the second court case on the Century Center taking place at Superior Court on Thursday morning.

[1:25:23] And it's going to involve city staff, which was important.

[1:25:27] They also will be a part of the city council meeting here.

[1:25:30] Tray, are you going to be filming at the courthouse?

[1:25:33] Do you have the ability to also film and get permission from that?

[1:25:38] Yeah, he did.

[1:25:39] Do you also have the ability to film city council meeting at the same time?

[1:25:44] Just now in equipment-wise?

[1:25:47] Well, you know, two different people, two different cameras.

[1:25:50] You have the calendar.

[1:25:51] We have our own.

[1:25:52] Okay, great.

[1:25:53] Okay, good.

[1:25:56] Okay, thanks.

[1:25:57] Do we know if that's just the court calendar at 9 o'clock or do we think that our arguments are actually scheduled for 9 o'clock?

[1:26:03] 9 o'clock.

[1:26:04] 9 o'clock.

[1:26:05] I've been told it's been 9 o'clock.

[1:26:07] Let's say, especially set.

[1:26:10] I've been talking with Lenny.

[1:26:13] I asked him specifically what time and he said 9 o'clock.

[1:26:17] Okay.

[1:26:18] 9 o'clock.

[1:26:20] All right.

[1:26:21] Yeah, right.

[1:26:22] Are we any of us going to testify, are you?

[1:26:25] Well, I asked about that.

[1:26:26] You know, they're not planning on it, but they could.

[1:26:29] And so I'm planning to bring the boards and everything just in case.

[1:26:34] Okay.

[1:26:37] Say, who has got to talk to Robert about rescheduling.

[1:26:42] Okay.

[1:26:43] You got to come.

[1:26:44] And early afternoon is good for the council.

[1:26:47] If they scheduled it, say, 1, 1, 30, 30 afternoon is that.

[1:26:52] I think that'd be good.

[1:26:53] You know, that good for council.

[1:26:54] It's a thing.

[1:26:55] So 24.

[1:26:56] 24.

[1:26:57] 24.

[1:26:58] 24.

[1:26:59] Let's see.

[1:27:00] It's five for me.

[1:27:05] Or is it there or are Sunday for me?

[1:27:08] What was your work there?

[1:27:09] Sunday.

[1:27:10] Saturday?

[1:27:11] Sunday?

[1:27:12] Sunday.

[1:27:13] Sunday?

[1:27:14] There's past.

[1:27:15] They're happening.

[1:27:17] Just Phil, everything.

[1:27:18] We almost want to.

[1:27:19] Yes.

[1:27:20] The first one.

[1:27:21] These are five.

[1:27:22] Maybe, you know, the fifth.

[1:27:23] They drink alcohol, they should have right.

[1:27:26] Yeah, okay.

[1:27:27] I think we do have a, they give us a list.

[1:27:29] They add to the list, but it's not on there.

[1:27:31] I mean, Michael.

[1:27:32] I'm going to just say I have a conflict at two o'clock. I will try and move that and I'll

[1:27:47] say one o'clock then. Yeah, I mean one o'clock would be perfect as long as I can

[1:27:52] I didn't even get there for the two o'clock. It's an on-site meeting. Let's see what it's

[1:28:00] doing. I mean, yeah. Well, check the various times. It may even be later than that

[1:28:09] that it could be available like three o'clock or few. Yeah, I'm going to try and move

[1:28:14] the meeting if I can. Basically, we're all available all day if we have to be on Thursday

[1:28:19] for this. Okay. All right. Looking at just one hour. Is that what you're looking at as a presentation

[1:28:25] of their findings? They had a two hour block, but you know, whatever. I mean, hour and a half.

[1:28:31] Tom, speak to them. All right. Next. I wanted to just give you an update to our apartment inspections

[1:28:43] and managing that. Well, the inspection program is born very well. As you know, we have 66 apartments

[1:28:51] that we're doing the inspection on. We're beginning inspection number 12 this week. And as a matter

[1:28:58] of policy, what we do is create a note book on each apartment complex that we inspect. The reports that

[1:29:04] we're seeing range anywhere from 20 pages to 500 pages, so they vary in length. All of the reports

[1:29:11] include photographic inventory as well as the code section that are being reviewed. We've had

[1:29:17] two complexes that we have had to issue a court citations for. One has already had a court date and that

[1:29:22] was dismissed and there were about 75% complete with the corrections I needed to make. We had an additional

[1:29:28] apartment complex that will be going to court in November the first week of November. We do have one that

[1:29:33] now is fully compliant. And I do meet with inspector every Monday morning and then he is now beginning

[1:29:40] to provide a report to me every Friday. He had to have something to report on. So every Friday

[1:29:45] I do receive a report from him. I feel like we're really on schedule. We did receive by the way this week

[1:29:53] a request for a demo of an apartment complex. So we're hearing a lot of different things about. Where is that?

[1:30:00] We have a complete process of that, but we do have a request for demolition of that apartment complex.

[1:30:15] I don't remember the number of units I apologize. I think it's fairly small, fairly small.

[1:30:20] Is the one that's, tell me, on the court in November, is that a result of a continuous, or is that just a later four days?

[1:30:27] No, that is a new court date for that particular complex that we've only had two and they're different complexes.

[1:30:36] We're moving right along. As planned, I think our inspectors doing a very good job.

[1:30:45] I have not received any complaints from the field directly to me about him. I did receive one complaint about not knowing that he was there.

[1:30:55] So, at this point, we're moving, we're actually a little bit ahead of schedule.

[1:31:03] The climate curve is at the R2 project.

[1:31:06] Yes, it is.

[1:31:07] Okay. Thank you.

[1:31:11] So, this book, these reports, will they available to your office first to look at or?

[1:31:15] We are maintaining two copies on each complex. And of course they, yes, they are available.

[1:31:20] They're updated repeatedly because as things are corrected, that goes in the book as well.

[1:31:25] So, it includes the notice, what happened, what everything that's going on, we're keeping a public record on, what's occurring in each complex.

[1:31:33] So, what have you possible for us to go out with the inspector on a typical inspection? Not necessarily.

[1:31:39] I don't know how long they last if they're one day, five days, whatever. Just to get a better feel for what they're looking at.

[1:31:46] I'm sure he wouldn't have a problem with that. We would just need to know, you know, when you'd want to do that, the next inspection will be this Thursday.

[1:31:55] We can certainly coordinate that for you.

[1:31:58] As you've been meeting and reviewed, are we getting, are we maintaining a consistency from, from complex to complex so that we're now sort of looking at the same things and, and are we getting tougher or are we backing off on some things?

[1:32:14] What sort of the focus and and what do you see as you look at the reports, what are, what are the, some of the violations or the enforcement issues that are seem to be coming time and time again.

[1:32:27] Well, I think with anything, there's a learning curve as you, as you take on something new, but but he does have a checklist that he follows that everyone was provided.

[1:32:35] And I do think he's consistent in his approach. Those things that are life safety matters, we do not waste time on because it's important to deal with life safety issues.

[1:32:46] And we are granting flexibility for things that require bidding and we're aware of that. So, I mean, everything can't just be black and white, you try to make it black and white where you can.

[1:32:57] But there are, there are things that we have to give a little bit of we at C2 and courtesy to as long as it's not a life safety issue.

[1:33:04] Is there a process for requesting extensions or how does that work if, if somebody needs, wants to get the latest and they go through, they feel they need additional time.

[1:33:14] Well, the inspector has been working with them in the field and actually the latest update I have indicates that he's provided extensions to some, and some of them are going out until December.

[1:33:26] It depends on the nature of what, what it is.

[1:33:29] If they're having to re-reef an entire complex and they're have to go out to get bits to do that, they need time to do that, but if they need to put a guardrail along the sidewalk where somebody could fall and get hurt, they need to get that done.

[1:33:41] So, there's a degree of subjectiveness that has to occur.

[1:33:47] I've heard from one group that they, they were hoping to extend some of the things in one life safety issue, but they were hoping to extend some of the things into the next fiscal year, which obviously, you know, is beyond December.

[1:33:59] Looking at things like that, and when people are requesting extensions, I mean if they come in with, with a, with a, with if the request is more of a budgetary than anything else, they would push these improvements into the 2014 budget rather than the 2013 budget.

[1:34:18] Are we working with them on that level?

[1:34:21] Well, I haven't been approached in that regard. I don't know that things spectra has, and until it's brought to my attention, I don't know about that, but certainly we need to look at those things.

[1:34:31] We need to make sure that they are truly are moving forward with progress.

[1:34:35] And if we see that it's a stall tactic, though the goal here is to make a better quality of life situation for all of the things that live in these apartment complexes, and if we see that it's a stall tactic,

[1:34:49] we're going to do what we can to try and motivate them to move forward.

[1:34:54] That's the best way to answer your question.

[1:34:57] That's what I was looking for, I just, there will be special situations, but I also agree that it could be used as a stall tactic.

[1:35:07] Right, and if I don't know about the situation, there's not a thing I can do about it.

[1:35:11] Do you know any more details about the citation that was dismissed in court?

[1:35:17] My recollection is that the one that was dismissed in court, they were actively moving forward, and they were showing demonstrating that they were 75% into the corrective measures.

[1:35:30] And today, that was the last report, today they're probably even further along.

[1:35:37] So that's what I know about that.

[1:35:43] And one of the question I know that there was, I understood that that fire that occurred at part-town north happened shortly after we hit finished our inspection there and come up with probably one of those 500 page reports.

[1:35:57] Do you know if we reflected potentially fire safety hazards there, was that just somebody actually started?

[1:36:05] All of the life safety issues in that particular complex were corrected prior to that fire.

[1:36:12] Any other questions?

[1:36:17] Thank you.

[1:36:19] Thank you.

[1:36:20] Mr. Mayor, the next item is the Marta Shirat and we've already covered that unless there's any other questions.

[1:36:26] No, that's not, that's not.

[1:36:28] I just want to thank City staff for getting that, that schedule up on the home page as a website.

[1:36:36] Let's public know what, what times and dates they can go for public input in that process.

[1:36:44] All right, thank you.

[1:36:46] Nassmas?

[1:36:47] Am I having a nassmas?

[1:36:49] 29th of October at Cross Keys High School.

[1:36:55] Michael Thurman is going to be there with Marshall, and they're putting on a public meeting.

[1:37:03] And I would encourage all of us to be there because it's going to be a great time for us to be making our statements for the type of support that we want for our school systems.

[1:37:14] It's particularly the only high school that we have in the City of Brookhaven.

[1:37:19] I believe it's set for you the 6.30 or 7.

[1:37:24] Maybe cornering about the Cross Keys Park thing.

[1:37:27] Well, we can do everything there.

[1:37:30] Now, it appears that this has not been well advertised event.

[1:37:35] So I'm making sure it gets advertised.

[1:37:38] Yes, next Tuesday.

[1:37:43] All right.

[1:37:44] I have a little bit of announcement just to give everybody a little update.

[1:37:48] Joe and I attended a roundtable last Wednesday, Joe.

[1:37:56] Yes.

[1:37:57] With citizens concerned about our SOB ordinance.

[1:38:03] And it went very well.

[1:38:05] It was well behaved.

[1:38:07] It was probably, what did you say?

[1:38:09] 25 or 30 people there, Joe?

[1:38:10] Yeah.

[1:38:11] They were a lot more than that.

[1:38:12] Were they?

[1:38:13] Probably closer to 60.

[1:38:14] 60 folks.

[1:38:15] Maybe 70.

[1:38:16] I don't know.

[1:38:19] And there were a lot of folks there, and there were a lot of thoughtful discussion.

[1:38:23] And there were some very good questions.

[1:38:25] Because some of the questions we didn't know the answer to, but there were some good points brought up.

[1:38:30] And I've asked a couple of them.

[1:38:34] But I've also asked the citizens to please email.

[1:38:37] So the ideas and questions they had about our SOB.

[1:38:41] One idea that did come out that Joe and I kind of thought was a good idea.

[1:38:44] And of course, as we've done in concert with Tom and Marie and the Council.

[1:38:49] Of course.

[1:38:50] As they had asked, one of the questions was, do we have different opinions from attorneys?

[1:38:57] From different attorneys?

[1:38:59] And we were debating our SOB.

[1:39:01] And of course, answered, we had, we had Mr. Curves, one of them that we had Bob Dallas.

[1:39:06] And we had, of course, Scott Berkold.

[1:39:09] I think the desire from these citizens was that we kind of reach out a little further and see if we can have some consultation

[1:39:16] or some one or two more attorneys with some experience in the field.

[1:39:20] And I thought that was a good idea.

[1:39:23] Just to either reiterate our ordinance and kind of give us a more firm ground on what we've done and what we're doing

[1:39:31] and give us confidence in that, that what we're doing is the right thing.

[1:39:35] Or to possibly give us ideas about other options that may be out there that we didn't want to wear of.

[1:39:40] It's just a suggestion that we kind of affirm or open up our understanding of what our SOB is.

[1:39:51] And I thought that was a good idea. I think Joe did too.

[1:39:54] Definitely did.

[1:39:55] So I'd like to say in the next couple of weeks, I'd like to coordinate with Tom and see if we can get some one or two more attorneys to kind of give us their perspective on our ordinance

[1:40:08] or they either affirm what we've done or so maybe we could tweak this or that or strategy for going forward.

[1:40:14] I would like to suggest that Tom, you present us with people that you think that we should open this up to.

[1:40:21] Let us have a review of who they are so we can assess their professionalism in the area and give us maybe several suggestions and let us choose from amongst those.

[1:40:33] I have a bit of an objection to this. I personally think that we reached out early on and have presentations at a work session of this.

[1:40:44] We also reached out to Wendell Willard and some other city attorneys as well.

[1:40:49] We've made our commitment. We're in a lawsuit.

[1:40:54] I think if we have any doubts and then we ought to just rescind our SOB ordinance but I mean.

[1:41:02] I wouldn't agree that I don't agree that we have any doubts. We should rescind our ordinance.

[1:41:07] There were some questions that came up that I think we need to answer to in order to affirm what we've done in a more positive manner.

[1:41:15] We had members of the community come up to us and consistently state this point and I think as representatives of the citizens that we have an obligation.

[1:41:26] I don't really think it has anything to do about what are current stances or backing out of us.

[1:41:36] I think we just need to follow through and see.

[1:41:39] And if the general consensus of a removal of attorneys is that we're heading down the right path, do you think that's going to change any of the comments that you received from the.

[1:41:48] You know, I don't know but.

[1:41:52] I think I think I think it might address some of the questions that I didn't have the answer to and I'd like to have answers to and Tom could probably provide some of them.

[1:42:01] If there are specific questions and yes but I don't have to provide a general review.

[1:42:07] I think I started off by saying there were some questions that I didn't have the answer to that I think it would be good to have answered.

[1:42:13] Some different opinions on it I think it'd be good for us to give us a more full understanding of and a way to defend what we've done.

[1:42:21] But if there are things that that are indefensible we would when they need to be pointed out for purposes of our strategy going up going forward.

[1:42:28] My message to the constituencies that we took a measured through these folks we took a measured careful decision on adopting or SOB which I support and Joe supports and I think we all support.

[1:42:40] And that was very clear about that and I said if there are any questions or concerns that maybe we hadn't heard of or considered.

[1:42:48] We'd like to hear them and frankly there were just there were a couple things that that.

[1:42:52] I didn't have answers for that I want answers to and I'm not talking about having a.

[1:42:57] I'm a consortium of attorneys come up just one or two possibly to maybe one to kind of address those questions from a different perspective.

[1:43:07] Not to undermine our ordinance or undermine our understanding of our legal position.

[1:43:13] But just when we have questions about these things in the future we have given a lot of consideration to things that we didn't necessarily consider before and we now know why we.

[1:43:23] Why the answer is what it is just more informing our decision in my opinion.

[1:43:29] It would have to be somebody with no vested interest in what's going on here or definitely nobody that has a perceived agenda.

[1:43:36] And I think that would satisfy a lot of a lot of concerns in the in the community.

[1:43:43] I'd like to just provide a little bit of clarity. I did watch the video of of the discussion.

[1:43:51] I commend y'all for going and listening to the citizens.

[1:43:57] It probably took it took guts and I know that this is a sensitive issue because it is an active litigation.

[1:44:04] But from a public perception I commend you for listening to the public and showing that we're they elected us to hear their voice.

[1:44:14] The issue that I heard resoundingly was that the citizens are concerned about the cost that the cities embarking upon in addressing this issue.

[1:44:25] And if we can look at solutions that minimize the cost of the city but produce the same results, let's let's look at those options.

[1:44:36] I think that I think the ordinance we have is a well-thought out constitutionally upholdable ordinance which protects our citizens.

[1:44:44] But we also have the reality of that we're dealing with a litigation matter that is costing the taxpayers money.

[1:44:54] So are there solutions out there which can protect the city of Brookhaven?

[1:45:00] Ultimately, achieve the same results as the course that we're currently going down. But minimizes that cost of the citizens.

[1:45:08] And I think that that's what the citizens want to see this city move forward with.

[1:45:13] Exploring those opportunities that minimize the cost and yet still achieve the same results that is protecting the future value of the city of Brookview.

[1:45:28] I guess at the end of the day, I'm confused because I'm not sure how short of changing ordinance we can minimize those costs.

[1:45:35] We're not driving that cost right now. We've not chosen to file the lawsuit. We're just simply responding to it.

[1:45:41] At this point, we're responding. We've made our position so, and I'm not an attorney nor have I played one at TV.

[1:45:50] I just, you know, the cost are what they are. I mean, what little bit I know of the legal system is that we're sort of on a train that has left the station.

[1:46:01] And sort of pulling into a siding that we choose to pull into. It's going down the track.

[1:46:09] So I'm not sure that why I understand and appreciate what you're saying. I just don't know that we have an opportunity or where we have an option to

[1:46:19] mitigate the cost because we're not driving those costs. Well, I'm responding.

[1:46:23] I'd also like a reconformation of what the litigation cost is.

[1:46:28] When we first discussed this, we talked, we were told that our max cost is going to be this issue cost city 75 grand and it'll be over in nine months.

[1:46:39] It's nine months now. We've spent 40 grand on this issue and we haven't even gotten to the courthouse.

[1:46:45] So we actually have them to the courthouse. We've been heard. The briefs are filed. We're now waiting for an answer.

[1:46:51] It's not a lengthy trial and it's not 40,000. Half of that was spent for lawyers to create the ordinance and show up at the council.

[1:47:01] I've never, I know the cost of litigation and the city will be paying the cost of litigation.

[1:47:10] There will be a tremendous amount of prep time prior to that and there will also be appeal of possibly numerous appeals.

[1:47:19] So I would like to see, you know, I frankly don't believe the quotes that we were given that about the total cost of.

[1:47:30] Let me just wrap this up. But basically, I think we're getting a little off track from what I was suggesting was not that we appeal,

[1:47:38] or appeal our ordinance wasn't suggesting that we, you know, the cost was something that did come up.

[1:47:44] But to me, if we better understand our position, you know, thoroughly from top to bottom,

[1:47:52] I think it in our options, but mainly our position as to why we did what we did, which I think we did the right thing.

[1:47:58] If we better understand that, I think it benefits our citizenry and knowing that there's elected officials have researched every in and out of this area.

[1:48:09] We had a lot of testimony on it. We did have a lot of.

[1:48:13] Consultation on this. We did have here from some other attorneys.

[1:48:17] And all I'm saying is there's some new questions that came up that I didn't know the answer to.

[1:48:21] And I frankly would like to have those answered. And having consultation with attorneys not necessarily involved in the suit would help me better defend our ordinance.

[1:48:33] If those questions are answered in such a way that I'm comfortable with them.

[1:48:38] So, again, I was very clear and Joe was clear that we supported our ordinance and we thought our ordinance was the right thing to do.

[1:48:46] And we still do think that. There were some questions that were about that weren't brought up when we were researching this and we were consulting and voting on it that I wanted to have.

[1:48:54] I think we need to have answered. And if you could go back and watch the meeting.

[1:48:59] I think you'll see, they just wanted to very cogent questions that I think will help us better understand the impact of our ordinance and better defend it to our constituents to let them know.

[1:49:12] Because my whole purpose for going to that meeting was to let the people know that we took a lot of time with this decision. There was rational thought behind it.

[1:49:20] And I think they were appreciative of that. But there were some very intelligent questions about our ordinance that I think need to be answered.

[1:49:29] And I don't like you, your point to your point, Rebecca, that you know, keep searching, keep getting answers.

[1:49:35] And then they'll have new ones to come up that, you know, we keep, that's not what I'm talking about.

[1:49:40] Just, you know, part of being an attorney or a part of being an elected official or just a business venue, you know, you review every so often your policies and procedures and to make sure that they're doing what they're intended to do.

[1:49:52] And I think to have the full more full confidence in what we've done.

[1:49:56] And I think as wise on our part and I don't want, I don't want to give the wrong impression.

[1:50:03] Again, I support our ordinance. I think our council supports our ordinance. I think it's the right thing to do.

[1:50:09] I just want to be even more certain of that and getting some questions answered.

[1:50:13] I think we'll help us convey that to our constituents even better.

[1:50:17] Mr. Mayor, if you may, let's just two points.

[1:50:20] One is, I'd like to suggest to all of us, there's a court case coming up.

[1:50:25] So pretty much, what happens after that cause that court case is going to predict what ever new we go down.

[1:50:33] I'm very much in favor of following through on this. I'm going to suggest that we pick this conversation up after that court date.

[1:50:39] And it'll make a lot more sense of what we can or should be doing in regards to how we handle this issue, if you agree.

[1:50:46] And then secondly, I just want to make, I make the comment about that evening.

[1:50:51] One of the most valuable outcomes of it, people were just generally satisfied to have us there to have a conversation.

[1:50:58] Now up to this point, we pretty much have been muscled on this issue.

[1:51:02] And we all ran on the basis of transparency and that was transparency.

[1:51:07] You know, we needed to do that. They had the right to have that conversation with us.

[1:51:12] It was valuable. We came back with information that we didn't have before, which opened our eyes and was sharing some of that with you now.

[1:51:21] That was a lesson. I mean, you can get caught in this rut sometimes.

[1:51:26] And I very much appreciated the opportunity to do that.

[1:51:30] But I suggest that we pick this back up after the, instead of deferring it.

[1:51:34] Whenever the court date is had.

[1:51:36] Well, it's not what we're waiting for is a ruling from the court.

[1:51:39] Right. Well, time certain.

[1:51:41] Yeah, I mean, we can do it. And we can have this discussion in the executive session.

[1:51:44] Okay.

[1:51:45] That's that's that's that's what I would recommend that we do since we are talking about ongoing litigation.

[1:51:52] But I'll also in the meantime, from an education standpoint, and I'll let the attorney decide.

[1:51:58] If you look at our ordinance, there are pages and pages of citations of cases that we used to make our decision on.

[1:52:05] I would like to make those cases readily available. I'd like, you know, we, we got to discuss with a bunch of information on to the extent we can put all of that information or as much as we can.

[1:52:14] Available on the website. I'd like to have that out there.

[1:52:17] So if somebody wants to absolutely take the time to do the research that we did to come up with that decision.

[1:52:22] That's that info that they don't have to go through and search case by case or, you know, impact.

[1:52:27] But, you know, let's take, let's take what we've referenced in the ordinance and make it available.

[1:52:32] So if somebody is interested in reading through, they have that opportunity to do so without having to, to find it wherever it is that they can find it.

[1:52:40] Also, the preamble to the ordinance does cite a number of those cases, Mr. Sir. So it's there.

[1:52:47] And let's make it easy for people to find that. Let's, let's us create a link, somehow, to that information, so that if they can go to one source for Kevin.

[1:52:59] Shea.gov and go from there to find that information.

[1:53:04] I think what you're, what you're talking about is educating the public.

[1:53:08] And why we made the decision made and, and I don't know that putting forth a bunch of legal court cases,

[1:53:14] the general public's not going to spend the hours that we spent reading this thing.

[1:53:20] What you're really talking about is getting more proactive information out there to the public and educating them on why the city moved in the direction it moved in.

[1:53:32] We have been very silent and supporting the decisions or really explaining the decisions that we, you know,

[1:53:44] the details of why we acted the way we acted in acting the ordinance.

[1:53:51] If, you know, if you want to do that, I think that would be a very good thing to do.

[1:53:58] And I think that was one of the things that came up under that meeting is I saw that J and Joe did address the public and sort of give a little bit more background in context of why we went down the way.

[1:54:11] Why, why we had to have an ordinance because of constitutional issues, defects in the, the Afghani ordinance.

[1:54:18] You know the point you bring it up baits are that they're not mutually exclusive.

[1:54:22] I think both of those categories probably need to be had a separate tab, I think, but those that want to do the research on this and be educated.

[1:54:30] You should be afforded to them in the, in the full, in the full mante here.

[1:54:34] And if we do it in progression of how we, if we do it in the progression of how we actually did it during council meetings in chronological order let them see how we evolved in our decision.

[1:54:47] And then a more proactive part on the, on the city here to communicate out.

[1:54:54] I think is, is definitely welcome.

[1:54:56] It became apparent from the information that we shared that night that of that survey.

[1:55:01] It was either 40 or 60 percent, it was a higher percent of people that had never heard that we were even in a position of the,

[1:55:07] of the, of controversy, 51 percent had 41 heard of this.

[1:55:10] And yet, you know, within a five minute conversation, they're apparently the majority of them, we're saying that something that we shouldn't be doing.

[1:55:18] You know, I brought up the point, I said, I think I brought it up.

[1:55:21] And if I didn't, I meant to, that, you know, we worked countless hours on this coming up with our decision.

[1:55:28] And now we're looking at a person who made a decision in less than five minutes based upon a survey.

[1:55:34] So for my, my premise has always been if you need to know the facts before you make a decision.

[1:55:41] So I'm supportive of making sure we get the facts out there for anybody who really wants to go as far as they want to go to learn what we did and why we did it.

[1:55:50] All right.

[1:55:51] Thank you.

[1:55:53] We don't need executive suggestion.

[1:55:55] There we, yes.

[1:55:56] We did.

[1:55:57] Real estate and legal.

[1:55:58] Okay.

[1:55:59] Do we want to do it now or after the council meeting?

[1:56:02] Do we have enough time?

[1:56:04] Yeah.

[1:56:05] Okay.

[1:56:07] I make a motion that we go into executive session.

[1:56:11] Is there a second?

[1:56:12] Now for a real estate matter.

[1:56:14] And litigation.

[1:56:15] And a litigation matter.

[1:56:16] Is there anything else?

[1:56:19] There's a second.

[1:56:22] A second.

[1:56:23] Any discussion?

[1:56:24] All of it.

[1:56:25] We're joining executive session.

[1:56:26] See if I still by saying aye.

[1:56:27] Aye.

[1:56:28] Aye.

[1:57:25] Hello.

[1:57:28] All right.

[1:57:29] There's your motion.

[1:57:30] Ms. Fair moves that we adjourn executive session.

[1:57:33] Excuse me.

[1:57:34] Is there a discussion?

[1:57:35] All in favor of coming out of executive session.

[1:57:37] Sit and pass up by saying aye.

[1:57:38] Aye.

[1:57:39] All opposed?

[1:57:40] All right.

[1:57:41] We're out of executive session.

[1:57:42] Just may I move that we adjourn the meeting.

[1:57:45] Aye.

[1:57:46] Second.

[1:57:47] Any discussion?

[1:57:49] All in favor of adjournment of the work session.

[1:57:52] Aye.

[1:57:53] Aye.

[1:57:54] All opposed?

[1:57:55] All right.

[1:57:56] We're adjourned.

[1:57:58] Okay.

[1:57:59] Welcome to the.

City Council Work Session Meeting

Agenda

Transcript