Meeting discussionsStart with a topic.

And that's approved. 70. Item D, authorization to approve preliminary engineering design for the proposed

pedestrian crossing improvements located at Hawthorne Avenue and Atlanta Road Railroad Crossing with the design work to be performed by CSX Design Consultant in an amount not to exceed $48,500. And this will be funded out of the 2022 Splast traffic calming line item. Mr. Jones. Yes, sir. Mr. Mayor, so this request is based on a need that after review of the safety of the pedestrian access that's located Author Avenue at Atlanta Road Railroad crossing. Um there are some valid concerns that have been brought forward that need to be evaluated and addressed. Uh we've also received numerous citizen complaints, concerns about pedestrian safety at this location. This project will be performed in two phases. The initial phase is design and most of that data has already been collected and then a construction phase will follow. Recommend approval and an amount not to exceed $48,500 to be funded out of the 22. Any questions or comments from council? This is in W three. Mr. Lindley have motion do pass. Do I have a second? Second by Mr. Pickkins. Everyone please vote.

That's approved. 70. And lastly, item E, authorize the closure of the city of Smyrna jail facility, authorize an intergovernmental agreement with Cobb

County regarding housing Smyrna jail inmates, and authorize the mayor to sign and execute all related documents. Mr. Jones, background, please. Uh, please, mayor and council, after we've analyzed this, the city decided to close its jail and work towards a plan to repurpose the facility. So current Smyrna jail inmates and future inmates will be housed at the Cobb County detention center pursuant to the turn of the intergovernmental agreement with the Cobb County Sheriff's Department and the Cobb County Board of Commissioners. U this is very similar to the operations of that other Cobb County cities have already implemented. In fact, the city of Smyrna is the very last municipal jail to turn over inmate actions to the care of the Cobb County Sheriff's Office. Uh we recommend approval. Thank you, Mr. Jones. And I know that um chief and the police department and everybody's done a extensive deep dive into what this looks like from cost perspective and from executions u perspective getting the people where we need to go to the to the sheriff's department and working with the other cities. So I'm I'm I'm pleased at all the work that's gone into uh putting forward this proposal. Is there any discussion or questions from council? All right. Hearing none, I'll entertain a motion. Motion do pass by Mr. Lindley. I think it was a tie, but I'm going to give it to Mr. Gould. Uh has a second. Everyone, please vote.

And that's approved. 70. We'll now go to the consent agenda. Mr. Jones, can you please read the consent agenda for council approval? Mr. Mayor, uh the consent agenda contains four items. Uh the first item is approval of the February 12th committee the whole meeting minutes. Second item, item B is approval of the February 16th pre-consil meeting minutes. Item C is approval of the February 16, 2026 mayor and council minutes. And item D, 2026-082 is an approval of a special event permit for the American Legion Post 160 to host the quote be the one legion run. That'll be on Saturday, May 23rd, 2026 from 7 am to 9:00 am with roll rolling road closures along the pre-selected and pre-approved race route. Do I have a motion to approve the consent agenda? So moved by Mr. Lenny, second by Mr. Oglesby. Everyone, please vote. Sometimes I can't hear who it is. We need two, three more votes. Okay, now we need two. Miss Wilkinson and Mr. Oglesby both vote in favor. Yep. So that's approved. 70. We're now into the citizen participation portion of the meeting. Uh first is public comment. Did anyone sign up for public comment? Nobody signed up. We'll move on to warden and staff reports. Mr. Glenn Pickkins. Thanks, Mayor. I'd just like to thank Latonia and her committee for uh throwing another great Black History celebration uh Friday night. So, it was another well attended event and a lot of fun. So, thank you, Miss Hind. Thanks. And thank you so much for this council. There would be no way that we'd be able to do these events if we didn't get your support. So, thank you for your support and uh us being able to have the events. Thank you for uh coming to the event as well. So, uh we did something a little bit different this year.

We did a taste of Black History celebrating a 100red years of Black History Month being celebrated. And uh we had a lot of locallyowned um restaurants come out and there was samplings and tastings of those. And uh Chef Garvin from Food Network and uh Fame um who also has a restaurant here, Low Country Steak, uh was our guest judge and threw a little bit of a wrench in the the plans. um he found two uh of the vendors to be best all-around. So uh giving a shout out to renown um worldrenowned catering uh who was one of the recipients and then the other one I believe was Meyers Catering and um then the people's choice was Auntie's House right here I believe in uh Ricky's W seven at uh Ward 7. So um it was great. So it was great to have everybody out and just have fun. So it was nice. was Meyers Gourmet. Yes, Myers Gourmet. And the reason I know that is because my son Jack was there helping me with the award and he practiced that. He he originally said gourmet. That's why I remember Well, I greatly appreciate him being helping out with the uh handing out of awards. It was a It was a happy night. And um once again, reminder about Women's History uh lunchon. Thank you guys again for helping support that. And that will be going out uh at the end of the week with Parks and Wreck. So, um, a lot of great things in Smyrna and I'm so happy that we celebrate everyone. Thanks, Mr. Lindley. Uh, thank you, Mr. Mayor. Just to echo, uh, Council Member Pickkins, a huge thanks to Miss Hines. Uh, she not only has the event in February, but a big event in March, too, on top of a very busy schedule. So, a huge thanks and congratulations to a job well done, Mr. Welch.

No report this evening, Mr. Mayor. Miss Wilkinson. I'll say that it was a very nice event on Friday night and um I'll thank the Latonia uh Hines uh for her involvement in the planning of it. U but also I'd like to um say thank you to the staff that worked really hard to get it all set up and uh make it a success, too. Thank you. Looks like you've got some of that hot sauce from that night on your desk there. I did. I got some hot sauce. Mr. Gold. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Uh again, just kudos to Latonia and your whole committee for really wonderful, enjoyable evening celebrating Black History Month. Um just one um one comment, tomorrow night, the Campbell High School girls varsity basketball play in the state playoffs for the Elite 8. The Elite 8. And they're going to play Loudens. And if I looked that up, Lowdens is down in Valdasta. That's a far long way. So I think we'd have a shot. They know they got to drive all the way up there. That's where it is. No, they're playing at home tomorrow. playing at home six o'clock tomorrow night at Campbell High School. That's awesome. That is awesome. So hopefully they they take care of business and we'll see them in the semi-finals. We'll see. Mr. Ugles. Yeah, that's awesome. Hey, good luck to the ladies, young ladies. Uh thank you, Mr. Mayor. Uh I want to say congratulations to all the uh the caterers and the restaurant owners Friday. It was an awesome event. A lot of great food. Really brought the community together. It was really really beautiful to see. Definitely. It's always good to see uh Garvin. Uh I've stole a lot of his recipes, but I bought the book, so I guess I bought the recipe.

I want to congratulate and and encourage uh our spring athletes to do well this year as we always do here in Smyrna. I know uh Smyrna Elite Junior Spartans track team, they have their first meet on Sunday. Uh so good luck to those individuals and u good luck to all our spring sport athletes. I yield back to you, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Jones. Um, Mr. Mayor, as a as an Air Force veteran, I'd like to mention that we have airmen, soldiers, and sailors and marines that are currently serving in harm's way overseas. And no matter how you may feel about the larger actions, I just ask that we keep these warriors and their families, some of whom live right here in the city of Smyrna, in your thoughts and prayers. Well said and thank you for that, Mr. Cochran. Miss Heather, Miss Jill, anything. All right. There's no other business be brought before this body. We'll say good evening from the Jonqual City at 7:26.