Meeting discussionsStart with a topic.

So each year the cost of living and pay adjustments and merit increases for staff members, they're included in the the annual budget as a contingency line item for each fund. Uh this action will validate the actual dollar amount that will come from the general fund. Uh the federal estimate was 3.6% for COLA. We're adopting 3% and then there will be cola there will be additional merit increases of up to two and a half percent. Those will be based on ratings for each of the employees. Um, I've received calls from three department heads. They've let me know that their staff very much appreciates uh what the mayor and council has put forward after year and it does not go unnoticed. Certainly, we recommend approval of this act. Thank you very much for your concern. I would venture to say that our turnover here in Smyrna is unlike other other municipalities that turn through folks, people tend to stay here because we take care of them and we've got a great staff. Um, is there any discussion? Okay. May I have a motion? Do pass by Mr. Lindley. Do I have a second? Second. Second by Miss Wilkinson and Mr. Ghoul at the same time and Mr. Oglesby. Um, Miss Hines, the affirmative that's approved 6. Thank you all. Item J, uh, this is a renewal of, um, Georgia firefighters cancer benefit program with GMA and Germa for 2026 for an annual premium of $7,145.50. 50 cents. This is something that we have to do every year to continue this program. Mr. Jones, anything to add? Sir, this was uh falls out of House Bill 146 was adopted back in 2018. So, all legally organized fire fire departments in the state of Georgia required to provide this coverage and it provides financial protection to the firefighters as well as their families in the event they contract cancer attributed to the job.

The program provides a lump sum cancer benefit as well as long-term disability coverage for the fire. Certainly support this going forward. Any discussion? May I have a motion? Move approval by Mr. Pickkins. Do I have a second? Second by Mr. Lindley. Everyone, please vote. Miss Hines be quicker than that. Miss Wilson voted in the affirmative. Okay. And that's approved. 6. Item K, authorization to approve RFP 26-011 trenchless trenchless rehab storm and sanitary sewer pipelining as recommended by the evaluation team's assessment to three uh companies that submitted proposals. Utility Asset Management, Federal ECL, LLC, and Ken Construction and Rehabilitation Services. Mr. Jones, any background, please? Uh, so this is a necessary utility maintenance item for both sanitary storm and sanitary sewer lane and storm drain rehabilitation. U, this also covers emergency responses as requested. We sent out RFP 26-01. We had eight responses and we are recommending retaining three of those eight. Thank you. Any discussion? None. Motion by Mr. Lley, second by Miss Wilkinson. Everyone, please vote. Miss Hines, I vote the affirmative. That's approved unanimously. Item L, this is Ricky Elglesby's almost million-dollar dock. Authorization to approve Board Safe Docks, a Soul Sourcebased contractor to perform the Riverview Park dock redesign and reconstruction at an amount not to exceed $994,257 to be funded from the 2022 Splast. This is the the dock down in Ward 7 that got wiped out when the when the flood happened and all the the river rose. And we're going to put it back much better than um much better than we had it. um that has handicap accessibility and some connection points that Mr. Jones will describe to us. Yeah. So, this was the dam the damage was done by Hurricane Helen back in September of 24. Uh significantly damaged the dock. Anyone who lives down in the Riverview area is very familiar with this.

Um so we looked at a different a couple of different options and we went with a contractor that designs it, builds it, oversees the construction of it. Um, this is being done in partnership with the Trust for Public Land. They're putting a trail through and we had the contractors redesign the dock that was there. So, this will allow disability access directly from the trail directly onto the dock and will also provide kayak launch. So, it's much much better than what was there before and it'll be fully integrated for what the Trust Public Land is already investing down in that park. Dr. Oglesby, anything to add? No, he covered it. I think the region as a whole are going to benefit and love it. U we're definitely going to be happy to see the big tree going off the dock and uh we're excited. Thank you. I yield back. May I have a motion? Move approval by Mr. Oglesby. Do I have a second? Second by Mr. Pickkins. Everyone, please vote. Miss Hines be affirmative. Approve 6. Thank you. Item M, authorization to amend the fiscal 2026 adopted water and sewer fund budget to increase the water distribution departmental budget in the amount of $50,000 to provide additional funding for sewer outfall clearing. Mr. Jones, the background, please. Certainly. So, this is some additional maintenance that needs to be done to the to the sewer easements where the sewer lines run to allow maintenance and access to those lines. Uh, in 2026, the adopted budget included $65,000 for the sewer outfall clearing. We have exhausted those dollars and are asking for another $50,000. Um, and full disclosure, that probably will not get us where we need to be. These uh easements have gone ignored for many idea is that we'll get these things cleared and be doing this on an annual basis.

Uh so we ask for an additional $50,000 to complete to to continue this work. Thank you, Mr. Jones. Any discussion? Have a motion. Do pass by Mr. Lley. Do I have a second? Second. Second by Miss Wilkinson. Everyone, please vote. the affirmative approve 6. Um item N is approval of resolution 2026-001 for the implementation of adopted dates, times, and place for regular business meetings of this mayor and council. Mr. Jones, any background? This is regular maintenance for the city moving forward. We adopt at the end of each year. Any discussion? May I have a motion? Passed by Mr. Lindley. Do I have a second? Second by Mr. Gold. Everyone, please vote. Miss Hines. The affirmative. That's approved. 6. Item O. Uh this O, P and Q are um resolutions that we have to do every year on our 911 charges. So the first one is authorizing this is item O authorizing a 911 charge on postpaid Wline Wireless and voiceover internet protocol telephone servicesvicing within the city of Smyrna. Mr. Jones, any anything on these three items? Uh no sir. So the state public service commission asked that the council vote on these independently. One is mayor just just read out. The second one will be prepaid and the third one will be the official adoption and continuence of the 911 service. Any discussion council on this? Okay. Uh may I have a motion? Motion do pass item O. Uh, do I have a sec? Second by Mr. Pickkins. Everyone, please vote. Miss Hines. All right. I'll entertain a motion on item P. Pass as previously read by Mr. Gold. Um, do I have a second by Mr. Lley? I think you got in there. Um, everyone please vote. Miss Hines, that's approved. 6. And then I'll entertain a motion on item Q as read by Mr. Move approval by Mr. Pickkins. Do I have a second?

Second. Second by Miss Wilkinson. Everyone, please vote. Miss Hines affirmative. Almost there, Miss Hines. Almost. That's approved. 6. Now we're on to item R. Um, we had a presentation on Thursday and there's been an agreement in the works and this I'm excited about this because this is going to make uh city of Smyrna residents safer. Um, this is authorization to enter into an agreement with Flock Group, Flock Safety. um for subscription to to flock safety, the safe city program to include unmanned air support service addendum, the drones law enforcement product addendum and safe city program addendum. Um together with the integration and implementation services for a cumulative total amount of $5,717,500 to be paid over a 10-year period with the right to terminate if the city so chooses. So, we're not hamstringing future councils. Um, and this is a tiered uh tiered contract where we we pay a little at the front and then it goes from there. Um, this is from the uh 2026 adopted general fund budget and we're increasing the police administration departmental budget in the amount of $123,500 which is the amount due at signing. This is also from general fund. Mr. Jones, background please. Mayor, you use the word excited and certainly we are. Uh we've we've had flock come in. They've given us multiple presentations. There's there's amazing examples of how this will be used. We currently using the service and they're expanding it by about 70 additional camera and license plate. We have 11 I believe today. So, um, to give you an idea of how that compares, the city of, uh, Dunwoody has about in place. Uh, so we're getting there. This will also, um, allow two remote launched aerial drones to provide oversight coverage uh, to incidents, whether that be fire, um, civil discourse, police events.

Um, again, you you mentioned this is a 10-year contract and that the city does reserve the right to terminate if it chooses not to appropriate uh at any time during the course of this agreement. We strongly recommend approval and endorsement of both the fire department and the police department. And we're excited about getting started. And this is not only the license plate readers that that catch the bad guys that are either in our town or come through our town from somewhere else, whether it's a incident in Atlanta that we've all experienced where they end up up here and they they the camera triggers a red flag and it goes to goes to PD. But it's also been explained to me that this is a force multiplier for our for our uh public safety personnel. For instance, if there's a wreck at Atlanta Road and Concord Road, uh they send a drone to see if that's a a fender bender or if it needs more attention rather than sending two police cars, a fire engine, a ambulance, and everything else. So, without having to use all of those resources, just being smarter with our with our resources uh and quicker to respond. They said those drones can get to those incidents in less than three minutes anywhere in the city. It's incredible. We'll have one located on the north part of the city and one on the south part of the city. And and the way these things are used, it just it it it continues to impress um how program could be rolled out. Uh we get Amber alerts on our phones, our cell phones all the time. This is an additional 71 eyes that do nothing but look for those things. And uh it doesn't matter what what the issue is, they're always watching. You put that data in there.

Um I wish the public could see the presentations that we have all seen. It's impressive and it absolutely is a force multiple other cities around metro Atlanta that have this capability. Dunwy has I think 80 cameras, Brook Haven. Um it's it's just going to be a great thing for our city uh keeping us safer. Um is there any discussion or commentary from council? No, I just want to say I'm very happy about this. Oh, Miss Hines, say that again. I just want to say I'm very happy about this as a person who's been a prosecutor for something years. So with that make a motion to approve. Well, did you have something you wanted to say first, Mr. Gar? She's kind of stole your thunder. No, I mean just in support of what Miss Hines said, right? You said Mr. just helps us use our public safety personnel smarter, more effectively protect our residents, and uh keep keep our uh keep our community safe. All right, we got a motion on the floor from Miss Hines uh to approve. Do we have a second? Second by Mr. Lindley. Everyone, please vote. I think he was about to make a motion and then Miss Hines got in there before he did. That's That's pass 6. So glad. All right, we're now on to the consent agenda. Jones, please read the consent agenda for council approval. You want to you want to take a breath before you get started here? This is the first time I've seen a a consent agenda that has double letters at the end. So, y'all kick back and relax a minute while Mr. Jones does his thing here. If this was a football, this is where we would do the halftime show. Uh, so there are 28 items on the longest consent agenda I've ever seen. Uh, the first three items of these are council meeting notes.

uh the November 13th committee, the whole meeting, the November 17th pre-consel, and the November November 17th council uh um meeting. The the next ones, items D through R are reappointments to various boards. Um we have urban design commission appointments, downtown development authority appointments, uh keep Smyrna Beautiful board appointments, reappointments for parks and recreation commission. Uh there are a second appointment approval of a reappointment for parks and recck, a third parks and rec reappoint, a fourth parks and recck reappoint and an appointment to Smyrna Planning and Zoning Commission, a second Smyrna Planning and Zoning Commission, and then we have an approval of reappointment to the Smyrna Housing Authority. And we have a approval of a reappointment of award five resident to smarks to smrna parks and rec commission for a two-year term. And we have a approval and reappointment of a war two resident to the keep smrna beautiful board also for a two-year appointment appro have a reappointment of award two resident for the smrna planning and zoning commission for a two-year appointment and approval and reappoint of award seven resident for keeper beautiful for a two for a two-year appointment and approval and reappointment of a ward five resident to Smyrna planning and zoning commission for a two-year appointment approval of amendment number five to the community development block grant. This is for fiscal year um 20 let's see PY23 sub recipient agreement CD23- C23S8 and extends a termination date for the agreement to June 30th of 2026. There's a approval of amendment four to an existing community development grant. This is a PY 24 subreient agreement CD24-C24S8. We have an approval of amendment number two to an existing community development block grant PY25. This is a subreient agreement number CD25-C25S8. We have an approval for a special event permit for Atkins Park through Redbird Events to hold the annual Oyster Fest in Smyrna Market Village.

An approval of a special events permit for Atkins Park and Zuka through Redbird Events to hold the annual St. Patrick's Day festival. Approval of a special event permit for Atkins Park through Red Redbird Events to hold the 24th annual Crawfish Boil in the Smyrna Market Village. We have approval of the Smyrna Little League opening day parade on Saturday, March 24th of 2026, starting at 8:30 a.m. with rolling road closures and police presence. Authorization for installation of new parking signage on Reed Street between Church Street and Love Street. And the approval to use council chambers for the 2026 quarterly joint ward meetings for wards 1, 3, and 6 on January 4th, April 5th, July 12th, and October 4th of 2026. And finally, authorize the final dismissment to Baldwin Pavement for Windy Hill Boulevard project, withholding $175,000 of that as liquidated damages back to the city and approval of settlement of actions between Baldwin and the city for dismissal and mutual lease of all claims and formally approve the authorized outstanding change orders that were made in the field during the project and then authorize the mayor to sign the documents finalizing this project. Thank you, Mayor Norton. Just one quick correction, please. On item Y, the date of the parade will be March 14th, uh, not the 24th. March 14th, not the 24th. Okay. Did I hear you say final Wendy Hill action? I did indeed. And am I glad about that? I know everybody else is, too. May I have a motion to approve the consent agenda? We have a motion to approve by Mr. Lley. Do I have a second? Second by Mr. Pickkins. Everyone, please vote. Signs. Oh, she's gone. Okay. All right. And that's approved. 50. We uh now to the citizen participation um portion of our meeting. Is there anybody I don't have anybody signed up. Is there anybody who wishes to speak tonight?

Yes, sir. You'll state your name and address for the record, sir. My name is Stephen Jones and I live at 2823 Spring Drive, Smyrna. And just wanted to make a comment and say the year is coming to a close and I want to say that appreciate each and every one of you for serving our city. I know your job is not easy. Um, and I really do appreciate all your sacrifice. And I just want to say I'm grateful to be able to live in Smyrna 49 years now. That says it right there, doesn't it? My parents 64 years. So, we're just happy to be here. Happy to be in this county. It's a wonderful county. This is just a great location and just wanted to share that my thankfulness and gratefulness to have the opportunity to live here. Thank you. Thank you for those comments. We appreciate that. I don't know if anybody wants to follow that or not, but if there's anybody else that wants to speak, uh, all right, we'll uh Did you want to speak? Come on. Hey, uh Olivia Wise, I'm chair of keeping beautiful. I just want to thank you all for the approvals and reaffirmations of several of our board members and new appointments as well and grateful for all that you all do and looking forward to 2026. So, thank you. We appreciate y'all's work and and all of these appointments and reappoints. Um these are people who are giving their time and talents to this city to serve in various ways and we're appreciative of all of y'all. So, thank you very much. as a former board member of Keeps. Really appreciate y'all a lot. We'll move on to uh ward and staff reports and start tonight with Mr. Glenn Pickkins. Thank you, Mayor. I just This is the last meeting of the year, so I'd just like to wish everyone a great Christmas and happy New Year's.

And to kick off next year, Travis Tim and I will have a joint town hall in this room January 4th at 4:30. And there'll be a there'll be a dunk tank at that meeting. Mr. Lindley. Uh thank you, Mr. Mayor, and thank you uh for the day. Great job. This has been a long meeting, so great job. Um a reminder that uh the special election, I believe, is tomorrow, Heather. Uh so for everybody in Smyrna, if you've not vote voted, please get out and vote. Uh to echo uh Mr. Pickins. Uh, happy holidays to everybody. Look forward to a great uh, new year. Uh, as always, a huge thanks to our staff. Uh, it has been a great Christmas season. Uh, in the city looks great. So, huge thanks to all of them. And, um, Stephen, thank you for your comment. Said 69. It reminded me of Tim's birthday today. So, uh, happy birthday. You don't look 69, so happy birthday. I yield, Miss Wilkinson. Um, yes. I want to thank the staff for a wonderful u Christmas tree lighting uh last Tuesday and also um tonight we had a wonderful uh Hanukkah celebration that was still going on when we left to come here for our meeting. Um I want to wish everyone a merry Christmas, happy Hanukkah, and a happy new year. Mr. Gold. Thank you. I said Mr. Gould speak up catching a little mid mid mid meeting nap. Um let's see. Again, I want to recognize the veterans committee. They do a great job uh of supporting our veterans and and really appreciate them being here to honor wonderful staff member Bert and um for all the all the hard work that he does. So uh secondly, just want to echo the comments. Tomorrow is election day. Please get out and vote. It's a selection of our state senator.

So every In these smaller elections, every vote matters. So, please come on up. Christmas and happy holidays. Happy Hanukkah. Mr. Oglesby. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Would like to wish everyone a merry Christmas and a happy new year. Uh also uh would like to let everyone know that we'll be having a ward 7 town hall meeting January the 13th at the public safety uh facility here in Smyrna near the ward. So it'll be right there in our area. Uh we als shameless plug if I might. I've recently uh doing soft openings for my my new jazz restaurant and I want to invite the community out now. I think we're ready to receive some other people that we may not know personally. Uh so this Wednesday we'll have u some wine tastings and in the evening um Thursday we'll have dinner. Uh Friday will be lunch and dinner. And Sunday we'll have breakfast, a little brunch. Okay. So, come out and enjoy a beautiful facility on 821 Concord Road about 3 minutes from here in the Concord Corners shopping center. I yield back. Concord and South Cobb Drive. The Indigo Room. The Indigo Room is the name. You can find us on Instagram. Indigo Room. Smrna Jones. Mayor, only thing I would add is um Kim pointed out that one of our staff members, Bert, was honored here tonight. And as a former veteran, this the Smyrna Veterans Committee couldn't have picked a better honore. And the the uh pastor that that that talked about Bert and said if you if you get in trouble, call a Marine. Uh but in Smyrna, if you get in trouble, call Bert. We have a lot of great employees and it's diff what any one of those do, but um Bert Turnell is is an amazing asset for the city of Smyrna. He serves tirelessly and it was fantastic to see him honored tonight.