Meeting discussionsStart with a topic.

So, hope everybody can join us. Will Zoya be open by then? My luck, it will open that day. But uh we've got hope hope to have a good crowd to recognize uh Dr. Martin's many contributions to the community. Mr. Welch, Miss Wilkinson, no report. Thank you. Mr. Ghoul. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Just two quick things. Number one, want to thank uh all the folks that came out to support the Campbell High School Educational Foundation today at our annual golf outing, the 28th annual Susan T. Pearson Memorial Golf Tournament. So, it was a beautiful day and a lot of fun was had. And then, um, coming up on next Wednesday, April 29th, we'll have a Smyrna education town hall featuring our two Cobb County School District representatives, uh, Becky Sailor from Post 2 and Michelle Davis, Post 6. It's sponsored by the Smyrna Education Foundation. So, come on out to the community center 6:30. ask questions, hear some updates from our school board representatives, and uh should be a good turnout for us. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Uglesby. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Uh just a note, u wart 7 voters are we have a new temporary voting precinct which will be at the Indian Cultural Center. Um and we'll see if that's long term, but for now, that's where we'll be voting. So, please take note. and to Councilman uh Lindley. There is another restaurant just on the other side of the park. They'll be open. I I yield back. And that location is for election day and the early voting is all at the Baptist church. Okay, Jeffrey, anything you have for us? Miss Heather, anything you want to talk about? I would love to speak about advanced voting if I could, sir. All right. I hope I didn't steal your thunder. You did not.

Just a note to Smyrna residents, advanced voting is being held April 27th through May 15th at Smyrna First Baptist Church in their fellowship hall. That will be Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Saturday 9 to5. This location does not have Sunday voting nor has a dropbox. However, there are several locations um within a short driving distance that do and you can access that information on our city website or the Cobb County election website. We've also posted um paper copies here at city hall and there's some at the reception desk for you if you would like one. On Tuesday, May 19th, you will need to vote at your assigned polling location from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and you can find a link to check your location at the my voter page. And we have links on our city website as well as Cobb County elections for you to follow that and find your specific location. And thanks again for all your hard work and for the the folks at the Baptist church accommodating us for the early voting. Uh it's going to be good to have that downtown at a place with more parking. Uh if there's no other business be brought before this body, we will say good night from the Jonal city and adjourn at 7:24.

How are you? Hey, good to see you again. retired but not unemployed but retired. So it's still Yes. Take down. Thank you. Okay. Come on. Let's see here. All right, we'll go ahead and call this meeting to to order. Welcome everybody. Um, we've got a relatively short agenda this evening. Um, we'll invite first uh, pastor, pastor Pedro Silva, Covenant Church, 3375 Atlanta Road to lead us in the invocation and pledge of allegiance. Everybody, please rise. Thank you for joining us tonight. Let us pray. Heavenly Father, we we come before you tonight with gratitude and humility. On this day following Easter, the day we remember and celebrate Jesus Christ, the the risen King, we are reminded of the hope and renewal and the new life that come through your grace. We thank you for the opportunity to serve and to lead and to seek the good of our communities in MNA. We ask you for wisdom upon this council. Grant clarity in every decision, integrity in every discussion, and unity in purpose. Help these leaders to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly as they serve the people in this city. Give them discernment to navigate complex issues, courage to do what is right, compassion for every family, every neighbor, every voice represented here. May this meeting be marked by respect, cooperation, and a shared commitment to the flourishing of our community. And may all that is done tonight contribute to peace, prosperity, and a common good. Let her presence be known here in Smyrna. Not just in decisions, but in lives being changed. We surrender this time to you, Jesus. Be glorified in all that is said and done. In the powerful name of Jesus, we pray. Amen. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you, pastor. Thank you for being with us and thank you to Covenant Church for being such a great community partner. We appreciate you a lot. We don't have any agenda changes tonight. Um for the mayoral report um just have a couple of events coming up on um April 25th and 26th is our spring jungle festival. Uh a favorite of the community and um we've got a lot of great vendors and folks participating in that. Should be a great weekend. on Saturday uh May 2nd is our uh jungle jog and I know registration will be opening that opening for that this week. And then I just wanted to report that I had a visitor down at the Capitol um I guess it was several visitors la a couple of weeks ago. The Campbell state champion Campbell High School soccer team came down there and were recognized in the Senate and had a great day. Uh and that was a pleasure to have them down there. uh and I understand that they're doing well uh this year too and on the way to the state state tournament. So really excited to have them. Um we have a couple of uh proclamations and presentations this evening. The first is one we've done for several years now. This is a proclamation in recognition of the month of the military child. And um Travis, you you have uh connection to the family that brought this forward. and uh if you'll handle the proclamation and tell us a little bit about it. Yes, thank you, Mr. Mayor. And uh good evening, everybody. Uh we actually have with us here the uh the Clark family. Uh so it's good to see them in mass. I got to visit with them for a minute. Uh all are accounted for but one. Uh but uh we have with us Tim Clark, his wife, uh I just lost my place, Tracy.

Um, oh, helps if I read the right section. Daughters Grace and Elizabeth and Shawn are all here with, uh, Caroline, their daughter, is not here this evening. But, uh, longtime Smyrna residents, a tribute to, uh, their love for Smyrna. They have been literally all over it looks like the country and uh, have all roads lead back to Smyrna. So, we're glad uh, glad that they're back here. Uh, just uh, just a moment uh, of personal privilege, Mr. mayor. Um, Lieutenant Colonel Clark, recently retired from the US Army. I want to want to sort of brag on him because it is an impressive uh list here. Served nearly 40 years. Uh, enlisted in the US Army Reserve in 1985 as a private first class. Uh, Lieutenant Colonel Clark commissioned in 1996 as a second lieutenant through the Illinois National Guard Officer Candidate School while pursuing his bachelor degree at Loyola University in Chicago. Um, he served in a variety of tactical, operational, and strategical units during his almost 40 years of service. Um, Mr. Mayor, here's the scary part. He uh, he too, like you and I, have a BA in political science. So, God bless you. you didn't follow our path into elected office, but um he officially retired June 1st of 2023 uh at what I know is Fort Benning, Georgia. Uh so thank you, sir, for your many years of service. If everybody will join me for a minute and a round of applause for him, So, and uh we've done this, I believe, pretty much off and on for the last couple of years. I know in my I'm in my seventh year as our number of folks up here. Uh so, thanks to his wife Tracy for always sort of reaching out and leading this effort. A very important uh is as noted. Uh they have moved uh and that is the story of uh the military family.

I know my mother uh was spent a good time in bit of her childhood in Europe and I'm convinced that's sort of my love for travel. Her two siblings were born overseas. I often argued they probably should have been left over there but nonetheless they brought them back but uh it is the tale of the military family always on the go. So thank you again for your commitment. Um, a proclamation uh by the mayor of the city of Smyrna in recognition of the month of the military child, April 2026. Whereas thousands of brave Georgian served in the military and have taken the oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic. And whereas the children of these brave men and women make significant contributions to our schools, communities, and the state of Georgia despite prolonged and repeated absences of both or at least one parent. And whereas Georgia's military children are a source of pride and honor to us all. And it is a fitting that we take time to recognize their contributions, celebrate their spirit, and let our men and women in uniform know that while they take care of us, we will take care of their children. And whereas the recognition of April as month of the military child provides a special opportunity to pay tribute to military children for their commitment, their sacrifice, and their unconditional support of our troops. And whereas Georgia's Georgians are encouraged to observe this month by connecting with military children and families to provide support to all Georgia children affected by the deployment of parents and other caring adults in their lives. Now therefore, I, Derek Norton, mayor of the city of Smyrna, Georgia, do hereby proclaim April 2026 month of the military child. That is our proclamation. Mr. Mayor, is there anything you'd like to say?

Um, I'm not I'm not You don't have to, but come on if you want to. So, I wanted to take this time to thank the mayor and city councilman Lindley, as well as the rest of you for um acknowledging our military children with this proclamation. Um, there is a saying within the military community, military kids will have to say goodbye to more significant people by age 18 than the average person has to do in their entire lifetime. And as you know, in previous years, um, Georgia hosts the fifth largest military population in the United States. Within the population are our military dependents. Military life is not for the faint of heart. This chosen lifestyle definitely has its challenges. Frequent moves, changing schools. Our oldest daughter um during her educa K through 12 attended seven different schools both in the United States and in South Korea where we were stationed um as well as leaving friends and numerous deployments. However, these challenges instill in our children important life skills, patience, flexibility, teamwork, and most of all, resilience. I have witnessed firsthand many military-raised children use these skills to become successful members within our society. Doctors, lawyers, accountants, military members, as well as entrepreneurs. Our own children demonstrate these on a daily basis as they navigate their college years. Our oldest, Grace, is concluding her junior year at Kennesaw State as a nursing student. Our son Shawn is finishing his freshman year at KSU as a geospatial science major. Our daughter Elizabeth is finishing her freshman year at Kennesaw State as a biology major. And our daughter Caroline is completing her freshman year at Chattahuchi Tech with a concentration in business. So, we have four in college, triplets, freshmen. With this year being the 250th anniversary of the founding of our nation, it is especially important not to lose sight of how much of an impact military children have had and continue to have for our nation.

from the children of our patriots who assisted the war effort by farming, tending livestock, and working in family businesses. Some even acted as messengers to deliver at times crucial information for our forces. This commitment has continued through generations of military families, ours included. Our children have a distinct honor of multigenerational military service to this nation far beyond 250 years. Today, service members rely heavily on their families. Military children work to keep households running by helping to watch younger siblings maintenance of the home, dishes, laundry, um, vacuuming, um, offer at times some needed comic relief to their parent and offering assistance to their neighbors and similar situations. By assuming these tasks, it allows our war fighters to focus on successful missions and return safely to their loved ones. So, please accept a very heartful thank you on behalf of all military children, even those grown and flown on acknowledging their important contributions to keeping our country safe and strong. And God bless America. We're going to come down and get a photo with y'all. Okay. Okay. Thank you. in addition to all the other things that they talked about their kids. Uh their daughter Grace is very helpful to the Norton family uh with some of our kids. So, uh we thank you for that. All right, we'll move on now to a proclamation and recognition of National Child Abuse Prevention Month and National Crime Victim's Rights Week. Uh we have with us Irene Barton and the executive director of the Cobb Collaborative who does so much in our community and others. And uh Councilwoman Hines is going to handle this tonight. I'll turn it over to you. Thank you, Mayor, and thank you so much for allowing us to do this proclamation today. Um, for those of you who are who know me, I've been uh in prosecution for over 20 years.

And um there is nothing more heart-wrenching than um to have a child victim, especially one that has had the who's been hurt as a result of people who should have been taking the best care of them. And of course, any victim um becoming a victim of a crime, no one ever asked for that. and um to be able to be able to support um victims is very important and making sure that we are empowering them and giving the resources that they need. And so um I'm so happy to be able to have Irene Barton here who will tell a little bit more about the um initiatives that we are doing with regard to the child abuse prevention month. But Cobb Collaborative does a lot in our uh community and three of the things that they focus on is mental health, literacy, and civic engagement. And she'll be able to tell more about that. But once again, mayor, thank you so much. We have here a proclamation by the mayor of the city of Smyrna in recognition of National Child Abuse Prevention Month and National Crime Victim's Rights Week. Whereas children are our most valuable resource and they are also our most vulnerable, all of Georgia's children have a right to be safe and an opportunity to thrive, learn, and grow in an environment that fosters healthy development. And whereas in the fiscal federal fiscal year 2023, approximately 4.4 million reports were made to pro child protective services nationwide. And whereas child trauma, childhood trauma can have long-term psychological, emotional, and physical effects throughout an individual's lifetime and impact future generations for of their family. And whereas child abuse and neglect can pre can be prevented by supporting and strengthening Georgia's families, thus preventing the far-reaching effects of abuse and neglect and providing the opportunity for children to develop healthy trusting family bonds and consequently building the foundations of communities.

And whereas effective child abuse prevention activities succeed because of the partnership between child welfare professionals, education, health, community, and faith-based organizations, businesses, law enforcement agencies, and families. And whereas communities must make every effort to promote programs and activities that create strong and thriving children and families. And whereas we acknowledge that we must work together as a community to increase awareness about child abuse and contribute to promoting social and emotional well-being of children and families in a safe, stable, and nurturing environment. And whereas prevention remains the best defense for our children and families. By providing children with a safe, nurturing environment free of violence, abuse, and neglect, we can ensure that our children will grow as the next generation of leaders, securing the future of this state and our nation. Now therefore, I, Derek Norton, mayor of the city of Smyrna, Georgia, do hereby complain uh proclaim April April 2026 as National Child Abuse Prevention Month in the city of Smyrna and recognize April 19th through the 25th, 2026 as National Crime Victim's Rights Week and urge all citizens to recognize this month by dedicating ourselves to the task of improving the quality of life of all children and families. amilies and victims of crime. Thank you, U, mayor. And, uh, if we could have Irene come up, good evening, everyone. It's so good to see you. Thank you again, Councilwoman, for having us and all of the council. Um you mentioned our three initiatives and really we just talk about that as the power of connection and how important that is from our earliest years all the way into adulthood being connected to loved ones, family and community. So um it's just wonderful and that's how we build resiliency. We were Leslie and I were talking about the military family because resilience was one of the things that was mentioned as a hallmark of their upbringing and and the power of connection there.

Leslie's going to share a little bit more about uh uh what we're doing specifically this month with the pinw wheels. So yes, yes, we are so grateful for this acknowledgement and it means so much for our work and our impact and just our families in this community and um they need to be strengthened, right? We need to uplift them. So this helps in that. Um the CAP month theme, child abuse prevention month theme is pin wheels of possibilities. Um so really shifting away from the negative impacts that children might experience um being in the system, being affected by um crimes against them to the protective factors and positive experiences that we can help uplift and support in their childhood. Um and really that is the sole work of prevention is starting from the the beginning of the stream making sure that they have access to resources and supports um so that when uh challenges may rise they have the the people to look to and the connections to get them back on their feet um instead of being in this loop of uh adversity. So that's really what our our goal is this month is to uplift that. Um we have several events and ways to acknowledge that. Um wear blue day is a big uh day for us as well. So we encourage you on April 10th to wear blue. Um maybe even just snap a selfie and um help us acknowledge in that way. Um and this Friday we will actually be um in a um and doing another event. So we're not just in Sarno, but we're all around Cobb which is really wonderful as well. But we come back to SMO because this is where our office is and this is our roots and this is where we want to um spread all of our work. So we're just so grateful um for this acknowledgement.

We appreciate you all being here. You don't have to worry about this Smyrna crew not want to wear blue. We're good with we're Spartans. Uh you want to go down and get a photo? Okay. Thank you guys so very very much. How do you want how do you want us to be? You want to put Leslie and the pin wheels in the middle right next to the council. Perfect. Put that down so it's not away. You want to hold your I'll take one of these. Thank you so much. This right back here. Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you. Good to see you. Oh, thank you. I hope you feel better. So, we'll get with the police department about their pictures. Okay, sounds good. There we go. Thank you. Yes. Okay. Council, are we allowed to? You can come on. You gonna give those to us? Yeah, sure. appreciate y'all. All right, we don't have any community development items tonight. We've got two privilege license and show cause hearings. Um item A is a package license request beer and Sunday sales retail package 2431 Cobb Parkway Southeast. Super Lavia LLC doing business as Super Marcato Levia with Nancy Kavarubius. How'd I do? Pretty good. All right. As the agent, um, and this is in ward one. You want to come on up. And I'll turn it over to Mr. Pickicket. Thanks, Mayor. Uh, thanks for being here tonight. Can you just tell us quickly about your, uh, business and your, uh, Yes, we're Mercia. It's on Parkway and um we're a Mexican grocery store. Okay. And it's next to Isn't it in the uh Olive Garden Shopping Center? It is next to Taco Levia. Okay. There you go. And uh you've taken all the necessary courses and training to uh obtain this license. Yes, I have. I'll make a motion to approve LIC 2026-006.