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And it was it was a fun night. I appreciate some of y'all that were there and um I know that we'll continue to do that bigger and better every year for our most outstanding students here in Smyrna. I want to remind everybody that next Monday, April 28th in the large gym at the community center from 5:30 to 7:30 is a public input dropin session for the expansion of the downtown at the Baptist Church site. Uh again, that's this this coming Monday, the 28th, 5:30 to 7:30, uh in the large gym at the community center. And hope as many of you that can be there uh will be there to voice your um your preferences and get information. Um we had a over the last several weeks, we've had a survey out there. Really, we want this space to be what y'all want it to be. It's nine acres that is the Smyrna First Baptist Church. And I was told right before this meeting we had over 2,000 individual responses to that. So I'm I'm thrilled that um the public is engaging on this that it's important to you all and we look forward to hearing more from you so that we can get this right and do it the way that you want to do it. Um and then the last thing I had is tomorrow um at lunch I'm speaking to the Rotary Club which has now turned into all Smyrna civic clubs and from what I understand anybody who wants to come. So, I'm just going to be given an update on uh city projects and answering questions. And I look forward to seeing everybody tomorrow at noon. And with that, we'll move on to our proclamations and presentations. First, we have uh recognition of Campbell High School Key Club and a 100red years of Key Club International.

I know we have several of our uh Key Club here with the current president. And I'll turn it over to Councilwoman Hines for this recognition. Thank you, mayor. Um, so on March 23rd, 2025, KeyClub International celebrated 100 years of service, leadership, and positive contributions to our community. Um, KeyClub is an international student-led organization which provides its members with opportunities to provide service, build character, and develop leadership. Keyclub is the oldest and largest service program for high school students. What makes Key Club so successful successful is the fact that it is a student-led organization that teaches leadership through serving others. Members of Kiwanas uh Kowanas International family key club members build themselves as they build their schools and communities. Um, Council Member Oglesby and I had an opportunity to be there um and observe their uh celebration that they had at the um at Campbell High School. Um, by the way, Campbell High School, as we can all say, is a great high school. Um, and uh, thank you so much to Council Member Lenley who joined me in um, doing this presentation today. And I want to um, recognize a couple of people. Uh Joe Deose is the Kowana sponsor for the Key Club and um has participated in a very uh Key Club has participated in a variety of service opportunities including food and clothing drives. They've helped facilitate school cleanups for our Smyrna keep sma beautiful and children's events. Um so he was one of the sponsors and brought this to our attention. And then um we have Marina Flegel who's here who is and I hope I said your name correctly. Marina who is the president of Campbell High School's chapter of the Kuanas Ski Club and um is here and I want to invite her to have an opportunity to come up and just say a little something and then we'll have all the students come up and we'll take a picture.

So, Marina, if you'd like to come up and during the presentation when we were there, we're able to see um I think it was the sister of uh one of the founding members of the Key Club there at Campbell High who who came and it was really special. Marina, thank you. Um I would just love to say thank you so much for inviting us and thank you so much for the recognition. Over the past several years, I have gotten to be a member and eventually an officer in the Campbell High School chapter of Key Club. And I have absolutely loved the welcome that I have received from the city of Smyrna, from the Campbell community, and from the Kuanas community overall. I have absolutely loved being able to participate in events that help grow my community and help me grow as an individual. Um, these events include things like helping out with the library and helping out with my school community by helping clean it up and help really grow our sense of belonging in our school and help grow our sense of belonging in this great beautiful city. And I just want to say thank you again to everyone who has made me feel so welcome and so wonderful as part of the Smyrna the Smyrna community and part of the Kowanas and the Key Club family. Thank you so much. Thank you, Marina. And thank you so much to the Key Club students. And so if you guys uh don't mind, if you'll come on up and we'll get some pictures with the mayor. Thank you. While everybody's coming up, I um I was a past Key Club president and attended the 50th International Key Club Convention about 50 years ago. So, uh, and I did learn get a little bit of leadership quality from it, but it was certainly a good group back then.

I don't bite. Come on. Get everybody in it. Yeah, you got to get in here, too. You know, she's the professional. Appreciate y'all being here. You don't have to stay. If you want to stay for civics lesson, you're welcome to. Or you can go home and do some homework if you have it. Appreciate y'all being here again. Thank you. The next item under proclamations and presentations is proclamation and recognition of coach James Gwyn and coach Randy Mccclure Campbell High School. And this is It's okay to clap. Yeah, it's okay to clap. That's good. This uh this is timely. Um there have been, as y'all have seen in the news or may have seen in the news, some um difficult conversations and some difficult situations uh recently, none of which we're going to go into tonight because you control the things you can control. What we what we control is the ability to say how much you've meant to this community over the last many many years and all of the all that you've meant to our youth and and I've got a proclamation that I want to read that states how we feel about y'all if that's all right with you. It's a proclamation by the mayor of the city of Smyrna in recognition of coaches James Gwyn and Randy Mccclure. Whereas the city of Smyrna takes great pride in honoring coach James Gwyn and coach Randy Mccclure for their extraordinary impact over the past three decades at Campbell High School. Three decades. And whereas coaches Gwyn and Mccclure have dedicated their careers to shaping young athletes and students, amassing a remarkable 1,200 career wins and multiple state tournament appear appearances combined. And whereas James Gwyn, a dedicated educator with 30 years at CHS in school administration and longtime head coach of the Spartans boys varsity basketball team, amassed an impressive 583 career wins, leading his teams to eight quarterfinal appearances and a state semi-final birth.

And whereas Randy Mccclure in his 39th year as a devoted science teacher at CHS and esteemed head coach of the Campbell Lady Spartans has guided his teams to 617 victories, securing 12 regional championships, 10 time region runnerup honors, 11 quarterfinal appearances, and four state semifinal bursts. And whereas the legacy of coaches Gwyn and Mccclure was permanently honored in 2020 with the dedication of the 3500 seat Gwyn Mccclure gymnasium at Campbell High School. A lasting tribute to their leadership, success and profound profound impact on generations of students and I remember being there with y'all that day and I was pleased to be there. And whereas coaches Gwyn and Mccclure not only build a championship caliber basketball program, but more importantly shaped generations of student athletes into leaders both on and off the court. Their influence reached far beyond the game, leaving a lasting mark in the classrooms, hallways, and hearts of our community. And whereas these two coaching legends have set a standard of excellence that will be remembered for years to come. and we are grateful for the dedication and passion they have poured into our students and our community. Now therefore, I, Derek Norton, mayor of the city of Smyrna, Georgia, to hereby recognize Coach James Gwyn and coach Randy Mccclure for their remarkable achievements and lasting contributions to our community. I encourage all citizens to celebrate their legacy, honor their dedication to student athletes, and express gratitude for the profound impact they have made on Campbell High School and beyond. I'd like to invite you up and if you have anything you'd like to say, this would be the time to do it. Y'all come on up together. Y'all come on up together. Yeah. got something to say. You got your family, some family and friends here. Thank Thank you, Mayor Norton, and for the entire council.

I know I've had the pleasure of working with two of uh Mr. Ghoul's children over the years at Campbell in two different sports. So, and uh I enjoyed that tremendously. Uh and uh we just really we really appreciate the support that we've had from Smyrna through this process and then even doing this tonight. And I'm again I'm also congratulating Coach Mccclure because I'm just getting started. I'm at 30 years. He's at 39 years. So he always reminds me of that. But uh we really appreciate just what we've been able to do in city of Smyrna and in the community of Smyrna with the Smyrna residents. And uh we uh stay tuned. Thanks. I too would just like to say thank you uh to the mayor and the council. Uh it's a privilege and an honor to serve at Camp High School and it is a calling for us. It's not a job. Um this is my 39th year. I've had my entire career at the same school. I actually started at FT Wills and when we combine schools I followed down on Atlanta Road and so uh all 39 years and I don't know people don't do it like that. I don't know why, but when you find a good place, you shouldn't leave it. So, I felt like I'm at the best school. So, I've stayed there. I want to thank my wife, my family, my kids, Coach Gwen's wife and our kids are here, and they uh they have to tolerate what we go through. You guys know a lot about that. Your families get to uh experience some of the stuff that you have to deal with whether they choose to or not. They don't sign up for it. But I want to thank them for that. And just been a great opportunity. And uh we hope that maybe that opportunity hadn't come to an end yet.

We don't know. We'll know something soon. But uh it's just a privilege and an honor to represent. I always like hearing the mayor say, you know, Campbell's our school and and what's what's good about one of the good things about our city and our community is our school. So that always make you feel good. And then when we go out and do some things and we've been able to have a lot of great kids, they make you look like you know a lot more than you do. When you have good players, they make you look good. And so we certainly had a great community because we've had a lot of great kids. So again, just thank you. Humble till the end. I love it. I love it. Don't go anywhere. So it's it's customary it's customary for um for me and maybe a council member to come down and get our photo taken with you, but in this case, I'd like all the council to come down and get get our photo taken with you, too, General. It's not every day we get to have our picture taken with you. Somebody else on this side. We appreciate you a lot. Yes, sir. Of course. coaches. I I just want to say um your legacy and your impact. It it's bigger than any position or title. And the grace that you show in adversity is a lesson that is is something that is is priceless to your students. So, thank you as you continue to serve with dignity. This is another one of those times. Well, you can cl [Applause] Yeah. Another one of those times. We're going to move on with our agenda and you can stay, but you sure don't have to. So, don't feel obligated. This is your chance. Appreciate you. I have two grandid. [Laughter] All right, we'll move on now to community development items.