Meeting discussionsStart with a topic.

7. Adjournment Mayor Derek Norton adjourned the January 16, 2025 Committee of the Whole meeting at 7:41 PM.

1. Roll Call Present: 8 – Mayor Derek Norton, Councilmember Glenn Pickens, Councilmember Latonia P. Hines, Councilmember Travis Lindley, Councilmember Charles Welch, Councilmember Susan Wilkinson, Mayor Pro Tem / Councilmember Tim Gould, Councilmember Rickey N. Oglesby Jr. Also Present: 1 – Scott Cochran Staff: 3 – Joe Bennett, Jill Head, Russell Martin

2. Call to Order Mayor Derek Norton called to order the January 9, 2025 Mayor and Council Mini-Retreat Work Session held at A. Max Bacon City Hall in the HR Training Room at 12:08 PM.

3. Formal Business

A. 2025-016 12:00p – 2p Mayor & Council Mini Retreat – Work Session (with lunch)

4. Enter Executive Session Councilmember Charles Welch made a motion to Enter into Executive Session at 12:10 PM to discuss Land Acquisition; seconded by Councilmember Travis Lindley. The motion to approve carries with the following vote: Aye: 7 – Councilmember Pickens, Councilmember Hines, Councilmember Lindley, Councilmember Welch, Councilmember Wilkinson, Mayor Pro Tem / Councilmember Gould, Councilmember Oglesby Nay: 0 – None Recuse: 0 – None HR Training Room

5. Return to Regular Session Councilmember Travis Lindley made a motion to Return to Regular Session at 1:55 PM; seconded by Councilmember Charles Welch. The motion to approve carries with the following vote: Aye: 7 – Councilmember Pickens, Councilmember Hines, Councilmember Lindley, Councilmember Welch, Councilmember Wilkinson, Mayor Pro Tem / Councilmember Gould, Councilmember Oglesby Nay: 0 – None Recuse: 0 – None

6. Other Business Councilmember Travis Lindley • City communications, including agendas, to citizens who sign up. Joe Bennett stated Carson Haynie is working on options. Councilmember Rickey N. Oglesby, Jr. • Unhoused, working class, laborers – south side of Smyrna has motels full of unhoused families • There are school bus stops going to the hotels • Cannot act like this is not happening or ignore it • Unhoused individuals are roaming neighborhoods and sleeping out in the open • Some homeowners are allowing some unhoused families to stay in their basements overnight • Nickajack Elementary, the largest elementary school in Cobb County, has a huge population of kids with free or reduced lunches • Very intentional about the conferences and talking to others about this issue • City of Marietta built a tiny home community • Would like to have meaningful conversations about this issue this year • Councilmember Susan Wilkinson – Rebuilding Together Atlanta helps with homes to allow people to stay in their homes and age in place. There are a number of Habitat for Humanity homes built in ward 5. There are 10 apartment complexes in ward 5, and another five complexes in the county that border ward 5 with many saying they have vacancies. • Nickajack Park – Cobb County will sell the park to Mableton for $1.00/acre because they are required to sell a certain number of parks to Mableton. He would like to continue to pursue obtaining the park. City Attorney Scott Cohran stated it is likely happening because of the 489 plan. Mayor Norton will speak to the Mayor of Mableton. Mayor Pro Tem Tim Gould • Staff did a great job with the holiday lights • Traffic Calming – wants to reduce speed limit on Atlanta Road from Ridge to Windy Hill. Joe Bennett stated they have tried twice, but the state has denied it both times.

Mayor Norton suggested they get Kash Trivedi, the city’s lobbyist, to pursue that. Councilmember Hines (left meeting earlier, was present by phone temporarily) • Rose Garden preservation Councilmember Susan Wilkinson HR Training Room • Would like a speed limit reduction on Powder Springs Street • There is confusion on Windy Hill around the speed humps and what the speed limit is • There should be more speed humps leading up to the crosswalks Councilmember Charles Welch stated that he is fiscally conservative. He thinks it is the council’s charge for everyone to be that way. He would like all not to forget that the priorities should be infrastructure and public safety. Joe Bennett, City Administrator • HB 581 – a decision needs to be made to opt in or opt out • If the city does nothing = opt in – three different values have to be calculated and kept up with • If the city opts out, the city is required to hold three public meetings, similar to the budget process • Smyrna’s homestead exemption is better than this proposed exemption, so it does not affect citizens • The vote needs to take place prior to March 1, 2025 • Council expressed they would like to opt out • Meeting dates to be announced

7. Adjournment Mayor Derek Norton adjourned the January 9, 2025 Mayor and Council Mini-Retreat Work Session at 2:37 PM. Facilities are provided throughout City Hall for the convenience of persons with disabilities. ******************************* THIS MEETING WAS PROPERLY NOTICED AND POSTED AT THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE NOTICING STANDARDS AS OUTLINED IN O.C.G.A. 50-14-3: The City of Smyrna website – www.smyrnaga.gov City Hall, 2800 King Street SE, Notice Boards

1. Roll Call Present: 8 – Mayor Derek Norton, Councilmember Glenn Pickens, Councilmember Latonia P. Hines, Councilmember Travis Lindley, Councilmember Charles Welch, Councilmember Susan Wilkinson, Mayor Pro Tem / Councilmember Tim Gould, Councilmember Rickey N. Oglesby, Jr. Also Present: 1 – Jeffrey Tucker Staff: 14 – Jennifer Bennett, Joe Bennett, Mark Binicewicz, Richard Garland, Jill Head, H. Houze, Bo Jones, Russell Martin, Paul Osburn, Eric Randall, Kristin Robinson, Joey Staubes, Andrea Worthy, Ashley Youmans Call to Order Mayor Derek Norton called to order the January 6, 2025 Committee of the Whole meeting held at

A. Max Bacon City Hall in the HR Training Room at 5:03 PM.