[0:00] Thank you, mayor. We're recording. All right. Welcome, everybody. I'd like to call this meeting of the Johnson Creek City Council to order this Monday, February 12th, 2024 at 7.19 p.m. Thank you. This time I'll call roll. Please. Councilmember Tunkey. Here. Councilmember Skinner. Here. Councilmember Aramelli. Present. Councilmember Kaufman. Present. Councilmember D. B. O. C. Here. Councilmember Ellen. Here. Thank you, mayor. We have a quorum. Fantastic. Next item. Lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance.

[0:29] It's this evening.

[0:57] It's time for Mayor's opening remarks.

[0:59] Sure.

[1:01] All right, so great to have all of you here with us tonight.

[1:05] We had a great Lunar New Year celebration this past Saturday.

[1:09] I think we just kind of barely squeezed it in

[1:12] with some decent weather.

[1:14] It was great to see so many people come out to celebrate.

[1:18] And later tonight we'll be recognizing the volunteers

[1:21] who plan the event and help make it

[1:23] the special event that it was.

[1:25] and I would like to share with you that the state of the city will be presented on Wednesday, March 6th, at Northview High School.

[1:34] There will be a reception at 6 o'clock and program at 7 p.m.

[1:39] And just to let you know last year, I think the whole program was about 45 minutes, so it shouldn't be too long, but we'd love to have you come out.

[1:45] And for any other information, for other events, be sure to visit our website at johnscreatega.gov

[1:52] and you'll find more great things that are coming up in the future.

[1:57] All right. Thank you.

[1:59] Thank you, Mayor. The next item is the minutes.

[2:02] Do you have the January 22nd work session summary?

[2:05] Council meeting minutes, as well as our January 27th and 28th council strategic retreat.

[2:09] agreed.

[2:11] All right.

[2:12] Any motions?

[2:15] I'd like to make a motion.

[2:16] Go.

[2:17] Mayor, I'd like to make a motion to approve the minutes as presented.

[2:20] All right.

[2:21] Thank you, Council Member Skinner, for the motion.

[2:22] Is there a second?

[2:24] I'll second that.

[2:25] All right.

[2:26] Thank you, Council Member D. Biasco for the second.

[2:27] Discussion on the motion?

[2:30] All those in favor?

[2:33] Okay.

[2:33] Next slide.

[2:34] Thank you.

[2:34] The next slide.

[2:35] I miss approval of the meeting agenda.

[2:37] Yeah.

[2:38] All right.

[2:38] All right, was there a change that you were looking to make?

[2:41] Okay.

[2:42] Anybody have a motion?

[2:48] Make a motion that we, we, and we approve.

[2:53] We approve the minutes, not minutes, the agenda has presented.

[2:57] Yep, all right.

[2:57] Thank you, Council Member Aramelli.

[2:59] Is there a second?

[3:02] All right.

[3:02] Thank you.

[3:03] Council Member Skinner.

[3:04] Is there a discussion?

[3:06] Seeing none, all those in favor.

[3:10] Next item.

[3:11] Thank you, Mayor.

[3:12] The next item is the consent agenda.

[3:13] There are two items.

[3:14] ordinance 24-0202 and resolution 24-0201.

[3:19] This is an ordinance to allow for limited commercial use permits and parks and park facilities.

[3:24] And also a resolution to amend the fee schedule to allow for limited commercial use permits.

[3:29] There's an action item.

[3:31] This is approval to amend the police department.

[3:33] Police position allocation chart to temporarily increase positions given military deployments.

[3:39] All right.

[3:39] Council vet your consent agenda and the motions.

[3:42] I make the motion to approve the consent agenda as planned.

[3:48] All right.

[3:49] Thank you for that.

[3:50] Councillor Aramalis or second.

[3:51] Second.

[3:52] Thank you.

[3:53] Councillor McCollough.

[3:53] One is our discussion.

[3:55] Seeing none, all is in favor.

[3:58] All right.

[3:59] Very good.

[4:00] Next slide.

[4:01] Thank you, Mayor.

[4:01] The next item is a proclamation recognizing Arbor Day and our tree city, U.S.A. certification.

[4:08] Everyone will come down.

[4:08] Yep.

[5:01] So, we have a very special presentation for Arbor Day, and I've asked that Dilt Tunky, our

[5:11] Mayor Proton, read this to you tonight, and we have started, I think, doing a much better

[5:18] job of recognizing the importance of our trees in our community, and we have a proclamation

[5:24] to that point, and then I've got a little bit of news to share after that.

[5:35] Thank you, Mayor.

[5:38] We are asked the first Arbor Day was celebrated in 1872 as a special day for planting trees

[5:46] and is now celebrated across the state of Georgia and the United States.

[5:51] And we are asked in accordance with the Arbor Day Foundation's three-city USA certification

[5:56] requirements, the city must acknowledge and celebrate Arbor Day every year.

[6:01] and whereas the community frees improve public health, reduce erosion of precious

[6:09] soft soil by the wind and water, provide habitats for wildlife, support,

[6:14] biodiversity, produce oxygen and purify air, improve water quality, and provide

[6:21] natural filtration. And whereas trees are the renewable source that give us paper

[6:28] would for homes, fuel for the fires, footstables and support or diet, and provide countless other

[6:36] materials we use and consume every day.

[6:39] And whereas trees increase property, values and economic vitality in business areas,

[6:48] increase energy efficiency through shade provision, and first reduce heating and cooling costs.

[6:53] and whereas trees are a source of joy and spiritual renewal that supports the city's

[7:01] mission of promoting health and wellness.

[7:04] And whereas trees are an indelible cornerstone of our community that beautify our neighbourhoods,

[7:11] parks, streets and city as a whole.

[7:15] On behalf of Mayor and the City Council, Georgia Proclaim, February 16, 2023 as Arbor Day.

[7:24] Thank you.

[7:31] Thank you, Mayor Pratton-Tunkey.

[7:34] So, here is the thing.

[7:36] For a long time, the City of John Screek has been in pursuit of becoming an official Tree City

[7:42] USA.

[7:44] I'm happy to announce what the requirements are for that.

[7:47] That one is to have people on staff that are dedicated towards the endeavor of maintaining

[7:55] the health of our trees.

[7:57] We certainly have that.

[7:58] The other is to have a tree care ordinance, we implemented that last year, to spend at

[8:04] least $2 per capita on forestry of our trees here in the city of John's Creek and through

[8:10] our parks, our maintenance of right away, et cetera, many different ways, our landscaping,

[8:14] et cetera.

[8:15] we definitely do that as well. The fourth requirement is that we celebrate Arbor Day,

[8:20] and obviously we are doing that. For this, we are now a tree city USA in the city of John

[8:37] Council, you want to come up and let's do what we do best, take a picture.

[9:14] And I do want to thank everyone on our staff who has been involved in the effort, Olivia,

[9:23] you have definitely been a big part of that effort.

[9:27] I ask Bill to read the proclamation because of your involvement when you're on the board at

[9:33] auction mill nature preserve, and also you've been involved in some of our sustainability, a lot

[9:38] of our sustainability efforts. But with that, I believe our next item is.

[9:43] Yes, Mayor. Councilor Field-State on here and next item is recognition of our Lunar New Year

[9:47] volunteers, and we have our volunteer coordinator, Gross.

[9:57] So, before I just hand you the knife, you know.

[10:00] I'm going to hold it just for a second longer. So, Stacey Gross has been our events coordinator

[10:09] of volunteer quarter now for about two years or over two years, under two years, but during

[10:17] that time you have done a tremendous job of really implementing the vision of the council

[10:24] for us to build greater community through more events,

[10:28] bigger, better, more diverse, reaching more parts

[10:30] of our community geographically and whatnot.

[10:33] And you've done a great job for that

[10:35] and we very much appreciate that.

[10:38] With that, I'm going to turn it over to Mrs. Gross.

[10:40] Thank you, thank you.

[10:41] Thank you very much for those kind words.

[10:44] And thank you, all of y'all standing here.

[10:47] George, oh,

[10:53] thank you.

[10:54] It is an honor and I say this every time I get to recognize

[10:57] one of the committees working on these amazing events.

[11:00] It is an honor to get to know the residents of the city.

[11:04] It is an honor to work with you on something

[11:06] that you're so passionate about.

[11:08] And thank you for allowing me to be a part of that with you.

[11:13] I have had experiences with all the different cultural groups

[11:18] in the city that I could never have imagined.

[11:21] And I'm so honored, just honored.

[11:24] I think it's the only word for it.

[11:25] So and and I've made friends and we've made memories and it's just been awesome and Saturday was incredible

[11:33] So that's because of y'all all of y'all. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you

[11:37] So I yeah council, please come I'd love to get a picture with you and I know it's just the hard work that these

[11:44] This group is done

[11:47] Yeah

[11:47] Yes, you would be, as you were, would you say anything about it?

[11:50] Oh, I'm okay.

[11:51] Oh, tell me, are you telling me about it?

[11:53] That's beautiful.

[11:54] As you're seven of the microphone.

[11:56] Yeah, you'll get to our question.

[11:57] Okay.

[11:58] Yeah, so because tomorrow is the Valentine's Day.

[12:03] So besides the gift card, we bought you a chocolate.

[12:07] Thank you.

[12:09] And this is beautiful.

[12:10] And this is from Kishan.

[12:12] So as part of his personal appreciation to your work.

[12:19] So I think what they want us to do is to do that.

[12:25] Oh, thank you.

[12:33] All right.

[12:34] We're going to get in front of you.

[12:36] And you can, here, you come up here.

[12:38] Oh, no.

[12:40] What are you doing?

[12:41] I don't know.

[12:44] I don't know.

[12:45] Let us do this.

[12:46] This is not really about me.

[12:48] It is about y'all.

[12:49] So let's play here.

[12:52] All right.

[12:53] Okay.

[12:54] Just play here.

[12:56] Ready?

[12:57] Here.

[12:58] One.

[12:59] Three.

[13:07] There it is.

[13:08] Thank you.

[13:09] Thank you.

[13:10] Thank you.

[13:12] Thank you.

[13:14] Thank you.

[13:16] Thank you.

[13:19] Thank you.

[14:03] Thank

[14:17] you the next item is public comment I don't have any cards before me is there anyone

[14:23] that wishes to speak anybody for public comment all right I'm on up

[14:30] appreciate what you're

[14:32] we're doing with the glass recycling in the city, and I would just maybe request that someone look into there is the John's Creek Environment Center, maybe Rivermont is a huge community, and we'd love to have closer access to recycled glass, and maybe that's a good location for another station.

[14:51] That's not 15 minutes away.

[14:52] Is it?

[14:53] Is it?

[14:53] Zach, will you just state your name for the record, you're full name?

[14:56] Zach Han.

[14:57] Thank you.

[14:59] Thank you.

[15:00] report, any other? Anybody? All right, saying none. Next slide. Thank you. This evening, we have nothing under reports. I do have just a couple of quick announcements. The Planning Commission scheduled for tomorrow evening is canceled. Just a quick reminder. City offices are closed Monday, the 19th for President's Day. The Board of Zoning Appeals meeting scheduled for the 20th is cancelled and our Recreation and Practice Advisory Committee scheduled for the 21st is cancelled.

[15:28] We are back here on Monday, March 4th, for 5 p.m. work session as 7 p.m. council meeting.

[15:34] Thank you very much.

[15:36] Thank you.

[15:37] The first item under old business is ordinance 2023-1125.

[15:42] This is consideration to approve the revitalization plan for the intersection of Medlock Bridge Road and State Bridge Road.

[15:47] We have director Song for presentation.

[15:49] Good evening, Mayor and council.

[15:51] The revitalization plan was brought before you in November 28th.

[15:54] It was deferred to tonight's meeting.

[15:56] I took the feedback and I appreciate you all meeting with me in the month of January and providing the feedback that I needed.

[16:04] And so I've engaged the consultant again so that we could produce new plans to revitalize our plans.

[16:10] And to get back sort of a concrete sort of working plan that I could share with you sometime in March before I bring this back in April.

[16:19] So I would humbly request that this item be referred to the April 15th meeting.

[16:25] Thank you. Thank you director Song. Council is there a discussion or a motion. Mayor I'd like to make a motion to defer.

[16:39] The considerations to approve the revitalization plan for the intersection of Medlock Bridge and State Bridge Road until March, April 15th.

[16:47] April 15th.

[16:51] Okay.

[16:51] Thank you for the motion, Council Member Schenner, is there a second?

[16:55] Thank you, Council Member Aramelli for the second.

[16:58] Is there a discussion on the motion?

[16:59] I'd like to just say, all your projects are complicated and you work hard, but I know you've

[17:05] worked extra hard on this one.

[17:06] It's with the community engagement, second time, back revitalizing, so I wanted to thank

[17:11] you and your staff for the efforts.

[17:13] Thank you.

[17:14] Yes.

[17:14] Thank you, Ben.

[17:15] Thank you.

[17:16] All right.

[17:19] Anybody else?

[17:21] Anybody else?

[17:23] Okay.

[17:23] Director Son, thank you.

[17:28] All those in favor?

[17:33] And we'll see you on April 15th.

[17:36] All right.

[17:36] Next item.

[17:37] Thank you.

[17:38] The next item on the agenda is resolution 2422.

[17:42] This is to appoint members to the Planning Commission.

[17:45] All right.

[17:46] And did you want to do any consolidated?

[17:48] I was going to do one, if you don't mind.

[17:51] Okay, if no one has any objection, I'd like to make a consolidated motion for items M1 through M5.

[17:57] That's our 2024-0202, 0203, 0204, 0205, 0206, and 0207.

[18:04] Resolutions to point members to our various committees.

[18:07] All right, thank you for the motion, is everyone clear on the motion?

[18:11] Especially, we're taking up everything M1 through M5, is there a second?

[18:17] Second. Okay. Thank you, Mayor Pro Tem. Is there a discussion on the motion?

[18:21] Mr. Mayor. I'd like to commend Chris Jackson for showing up here. He's been appointed to one of the boards.

[18:29] I wish rest of the people who have been appointed take cue from him,

[18:34] because when you, when somebody like him, he's proven himself again and again.

[18:40] I wish his example is followed by rest of the people who get nominated for this.

[18:46] Please allow us to come and have a look at you folks and also come here so that you present yourself.

[18:57] I'm also grateful for Mr. Jackson for all of the work that he's done for our city and that he's continuing to serve in a new role.

[19:03] So looking forward to that.

[19:04] We do have another committee member here.

[19:06] I believe Mr. Hahn is also a committee member.

[19:08] I was trying to remember the ACE committee, yeah, and we do have a nominee Mr. Scott Brainerd here who's been nominated for ACE committee

[19:15] So we have one more council member, I don't know, Erin Mellie

[19:19] Good, correct. Thanks. Yeah, just like to thank everyone who is willing to serve our city

[19:25] I would like to I would like to echo that sentiment. I think if anyone that wants to spend their time here and help in the city and all the residents around it

[19:34] Big hand for you guys. Thank you

[19:36] And we do appreciate the people that have served, the people that are signing up to serve in the future.

[19:44] Chris Jackson, maybe you're a glutton for punishment, right?

[19:49] So you get done. How many years did you do on our package chair?

[19:54] All right, all right. So now we're fortunate hopefully to have you as being on the Plan Commission.

[19:58] Any other?

[20:00] Any other discussion? I just want to thank like everybody else. All the members coming forward to serve on the committees. Look, it does add a lot of value. Like your experience and expertise, definitely helps help us, like make the right decision. So thank you. Anybody else? All right. Seeing none, all those in favor? Thank you. The next item is resolution 2428. This is a resolution regarding the acquisition of parcel one for the Jones Bridges, Sargent and Douglas Road Project.

[20:31] And our attorneys here this evening could be having any questions.

[20:36] Mr. Crawler, did you have a presentation or?

[20:46] Mayor and council, next to agenda items M6 and M7 are for the acquiring right of way in easements for the intersection improvements at Jones Bridge, it's Sergeant Road, the dressing M6 first.

[21:01] the first is parcel one is a very smart parcel right away probably the tenth

[21:08] of the size of this room and then there's some easement for slopes. We need to

[21:15] acquire that property because it's one of those situations where we find

[21:20] this a lot with apartment complexes and townhound developments. They don't have a

[21:25] very effective way of getting all of the owners together to vote to approve the

[21:30] to the city. So we are entering into a friendly condemnation. The amount at issue is $16,400

[21:41] dollars and the owner that townhound development is perfectly satisfied with that amount.

[21:49] They just need a mechanism to go ahead and convey it. And the condemnation is the only way

[21:56] to do that. So we were asking for you to adopt the resolution that's attached to authorize

[22:03] the acquisition by the domain of those easements.

[22:12] All right. All right. Thank you, Mr. Carothers. Anybody have any questions of the attorney? Any

[22:21] Any motions?

[22:22] No, make a motion.

[22:23] Okay.

[22:24] Make a motion to approve M.6 are 202-0208 in consideration for resolution regarding acquisition

[22:35] of a parcel.

[22:36] Partial one of the Jones Bridge at Sergeant at Jones Bridge at Sergeant in Douglas Road

[22:43] projects.

[22:44] Okay.

[22:46] Thank you for the motion.

[22:48] Is there a second?

[22:50] Second.

[22:51] Thank you for the second and is there a discussion on the motion?

[22:57] Seeing none, all those in favor?

[23:00] All right.

[23:01] All right.

[23:01] Well done.

[23:03] All right.

[23:03] You want to stay up there for M7?

[23:05] Yeah.

[23:06] Thank you, ma'am.

[23:07] Oh, sorry.

[23:08] I'll just read it in the record real quick.

[23:09] Yeah, I'll take it over.

[23:10] This is Resolution 2-9 regarding a position of parcels 11 and 12 for Jones Bridge at Sergeant

[23:16] and Douglas Road Projects.

[23:21] Members of the council, this is the same project.

[23:25] This piece of property is a commercial strip center, which is very close to the one that

[23:33] we just did.

[23:36] It's very small, taking, unfortunately, after due diligence and good faith, we have been

[23:46] unable to negotiate an amount that the property owner felt was capable of being accepted.

[23:56] So we're here to ask you to do a resolution authorizing eminent domain.

[24:01] The amounted issue which will be paying into the court is $2002,200 and we would ask you

[24:10] to approve the resolution finding it's necessary to acquire this property by eminent domain.

[24:16] Okay.

[24:18] Thank you, sir. Any discussion? Any questions or motions?

[24:25] I make a motion that we approve M7 R2040209, consideration of resolution regarding the acquisition of parcels 11 and 12 for the Jones Bridge and Sergeant Road and Douglas Road's project.

[24:38] Okay. Thank you, Councillor Arameli. Is there a second?

[24:43] Second.

[24:45] Thank you.

[24:46] Councilmember Skinner.

[24:47] Is there a discussion on the motion?

[24:49] I do have a quick question.

[24:51] So, these parcels are pretty close to each other.

[24:54] It looks like they're about the same size.

[24:56] The second one's a little larger.

[24:58] Correct.

[25:00] Do we know the cost per acre that were, because this seems very expensive, quite honestly.

[25:10] We had it appraised, and when we had the property appraised, well, all we have to offer

[25:17] the appraised value, and that's what this was, but the property owner wanted considerably

[25:26] more but I don't have the per acre value see we had that information in the

[25:34] appraisal got you yeah we're at 63 19 square feet so about an eighth of an

[25:41] acre something like that but this will ultimately be decided I'm assuming by the

[25:46] special master actually it'll be decided by the court because right of way

[25:52] The acquisitions are done by declarations of taking, which is an expedited procedure.

[25:57] You pay the money, you pay the money and file your petition into the registry of the court, and then the actual court case starts from there.

[26:06] Okay.

[26:13] Anybody else?

[26:15] I believe we have a live motion.

[26:18] So if there's no other discussion, we'll take a vote.

[26:21] All those in favor?

[26:26] Thank you.

[26:27] Five, five, two.

[26:35] Okay, next item.

[26:37] Thank you, Mayor, we have nothing under other business.

[26:40] There's another opportunity for a public comment.

[26:44] Boy, if you feel like you missed out before, you can still make it.

[26:49] Anybody?

[26:50] All right, seeing none.

[26:51] Mayor's comments?

[26:52] No, just appreciate everyone being here, appreciate all the volunteers, appreciate all the folks that we're willing to serve on the committees, and appreciate the council for their commitment to helping to just move the city forward.

[27:09] And also that we're only at 7.45.

[27:12] So anyway, with that, next time.

[27:15] Executive session?

[27:17] I think we are done with the executive session for today.

[27:21] So seeing none, the next item.

[27:24] Thank you, Mother.

[27:25] No further items on the agenda.

[27:27] Powerful and.

[27:29] I'm going to beat them to it.

[27:30] Mayor, I'd like to make a motion.

[27:32] We adjourned.

[27:34] You're going to be pretty fast.

[27:35] That's the old quick draw, Eric Melley, on the adjournment thing.

[27:40] Thank you and any discussion and seeing none, all is in favor and we are adjourned.

[27:47] Thank you.

[27:48] Thank all of you.

City Council

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