Meeting discussionsStart with a topic.

So, this agenda item is to um allow for net planner systems and uh access control and AV systems to be our on call for low voltage Thank you, Mr. Jones. Any questions or discussion? All right, I'll entertain a motion. Approval by Mr. Oglesby. Second by Mr. Pickkins. Beat you out just a little bit, Mr. Gold. All those in favor, please vote. That's approved. 70. Item B, authorization for recommendation to move the city workers compensation program to Bitco Insurance Companies for an annual premium of $488,749 and authorize the mayor to execute all related documents. Mr. Jones, anything else to add on background? Uh, Mr. Mayor, just add that uh the current firm Associated Claims Administrators been with the city for the past two years. Um even though our claims have continued to decrease, there's a number of significant service issues with ACA. Uh just briefly, uh our total cost for this this uh service was a little over $700,000 last year. Uh the bid that we have for bid code is $488,749. Our recommendation is for approval. Thank you. Any discussion or questions from council? I'll entertain a motion. Passed by Mr. Pickkins. Do I have a second? Second by Mr. Lindley. Everyone, please vote. Approve 70. Item C. This is a public hearing um to approve an amendment to section 402 and 712 of the zoning ordinance uh relating to vape shops to define vape shops um elementary and secondary schools and principal product line. specify restrictions on vape shop locations. Mr. Jones, any background, please? Uh, mayor, the primary purpose of amending the section 402 and 4 712 of the of the zoning ordinance is to provide a permitted use for these vape shops in a zoning category and then provide some limitations on that use. And with that, the staff recommends approval of the amendment to these sections.

So right now if I without this if I wanted to open up a vape shop in the city of Smyrna it falls under what zoning category? That's a good question for our community development director. Uh right now vape shops are not defined. So they just fall under general retail. So this allows us to put some restrictions on. Yes. So right now under general retail it fall under limited commercial neighborhood shopping oi. And with this request we're putting a definition under general commercial. to have a little more control. Yeah. So, we're limiting the number of properties that's allowed in. This would generally provide protections or distances for the location of elementary and secondary schools businesses. Um, Miss Wilkinson, um, would that also include preschools or is it just It would include preschools as well. Any other questions or before we have our public hearing? All right, seeing none, if there's anybody who wants to speak for or against this item, please come up and be sworn in now. Seeing nobody, we will close the public hearing and I will entertain a motion on item C. I move approval by Mr. Lindley, second by Mr. Pickkins. Everyone, please vote. That's approved. 70. We're now moving on to item D. Obsby. Yes. Uh, Mr. Mayor, I like to recuse myself. One of those doors and we'll grab you when we're done with this item. Item D is approving an amendment. Smyrna ordinance is dealing with elected or appointed officials holding a license to sell alcoholic beverages. Mr. Jones, anything to add background related? Uh, yes, sir, Mr. Mayor. So, this is sort of an outdated provision of current section 6125 of the Smyrna code. Specifically, it prohibits elected or appointed officials from holding a license to sell alcoholic beverages or even having an interest in a business that retains that license.

Uh this amendment will revise that ordinance that allow these officials to hold a license or have an interest in a business holding a license in certain circumstances provided they're publicly declared and they don't have uh any official city interest regarding the actions for the license. Um staff recommends the approval um of the ordinance change. Thank you, Mr. Jones. Any questions or comments from councel? Right. I entertain a motion on item D. So move approval by Mr. Gould. Have a second. Second by Mr. Welch. Everyone please vote. That's approved 6 with Mr. Oglesby having recused himself. They went quick because they're they're eagerly anticipating roasting you on when you come before the council for you. All right. Item E, ordinance amending section 66 of the Smyrna code ordinances to add petty trespass to our code. Mr. Jones, background, please. Mr. Mayor, this uh comes to us from the Smyrna Police Department. Uh has to do with um a provision that would allow a citation to be issued uh by a police officer if the owner or management of a particular location is advised someone to leave the premises or if they remain on a premises after leaving. Presently, this would cause a warrant to have to be issued, an arrest to be made, and this would be adjudicated in state court. Issuing the citation allow this to be handled locally and instantly. Thank you, Mr. Jones. Any questions or comments from council or the police department has every tool in their toolbox to effectively protect us. So, I'll entertain a motion on item E. Move approval by Mr. Oglesby, second by Mr. Lindley. Everyone, please vote. And that's approved 70. Few more items under formal business. Item F, I am particularly excited about authorization for the approval of an intergovernmental agreement with the Cobb County School District for lease of use of facilities at Campbell Middle School and authorize the mayor to sign and execute all related documents.

Mr. Jones, I'm going to take the background on this one. Uh, and whatever I miss, you can you can fill in. Uh, this is something that that I'm been passionate about and I'm thankful to Scott Cochran for uh, working with the school district's legal team. Um, I have spent so much time out at Campbell Middle School for different sporting events, whether it's Friday night lights or soccer or or whatever it is over the last couple of years. And and I think anybody who's spent any time out there would agree that that it is um it it's been maintained in that the grass has been cut, but that facility, the old high school, um and the 13 or 14 acres over there is in is in need of some love. And so I I just met Superintendent Ragsdale out there one day, just asked him, would you just meet me, just you and I go out there and and lay eyes on this. and we wanted to talk about some um possibilities for a partnership that would allow the city to commit resources to make that a premier recreational facility for our residents. And he was very receptive. Uh his staff at the school board have been very easy to work with on this. And the result is this agreement which is which is a 50-year uh lease from the city of Smyrna uh well from the district for the city of Smyrna. And we we're going to begin, if this is passed tonight, uh putting some pen to paper about what's possible over there. Uh some of the high level concepts uh that I'm thinking about and our staff has put forward include baseball fields, tennis courts, pickle ball courts, multi-use fields, an eight lane track, um adaptive an adapted field for special needs uh individuals in a adapted playground.

I think this is um a huge opportunity for the city of Smyrna and I am enthusiastically supportive. What did I miss? Well, I walked it with you and I think it's fantastic. It provides for a joint use between the board of education property and providing additional recreation to the city. Uh for clarification, it's 15.26 acres uh at Campbell Middle School. The board of education will demo the existing football structure and um we will have preliminary plans for what could be uh located on that property by the end of the year. Did I do something wrong? I'm excited, too. I I don't know if anybody could tell. All right. Is there any uh commentary questions from council on this? No. Ricky Oglesby doesn't have anything to say about an eight lane to say if absolutely excited about this development. Uh I think it will bring so much uh new much needed uh recreational space for as we seen all our youth right athletes uh I believe a track is involved in this with eight lanes we know that's needed uh so we're excited uh absolutely excited to vote on this today. Thank you Mr. Mayor. Thank you Mr. be Mr. Gold. Uh just to echo similar comments, it's just, you know, there's not no other land in the in the city of 15 acres that's uh that's suitable for this type of uh athletic uh complex Friday nights. Right now, you have flag football league, right? Thousand kids out, thousand people out there on the Friday night. It's just a wonderful piece of property. And thank Mr. Cochran, mayor, your leadership there to make this happen. Jones, did you have something else you wanted? I I just wanted to make sure that Councilman Oglesby knew that uh as we were walking the uh the site a couple of weeks ago, the mayor looked at me and specifically said, "Councilman Oglesby going to want eight lanes for a competition track."

I do listen. I do listen. Anybody else have anything on this item? I'll entertain a motion. Oh, Miss Wilson, I was just going to ask because G mentioned uh flag football. Was that that what? Say that one more time. They are recreational co-ed. Yeah. And they go from age five or six all the way up through high school. It is if you haven't been over to Campbell Middle School on a on a Friday night. Um they just finished the championship um last Friday. But it is it is a true community event. thousand a thousand people are over there and I know because Laura just texted me that my son is watching this and I have to say that his team won the his age group championship and my little baseball player had three touchdowns that's more touchdowns than he had in his whole life in that one game and it was a lot of fun. So, so with that, I want to add that with the parks and recreation master plan that we did a few years ago. One of the needs that was identified was uh areas for girls sports in Sperna. So, that's why I was asking that and I'm happy to hear that. Thank you. With that, I will entertain a motion. Move passed by Mr. Pickkins, second by Mr. Welch. All those in favor, please vote. excited to say that's passed 70. Thank you very much. Item G for approving amendments to the intergovernmental agreements. Uh this is utilities use at Rose Garden Hill School and Argo Road Park. This is amendment renewing the ex and and extending the existing terms of the agreement for five more years. Jones, anything to add? No, sir. Any questions or discussion from council? Finley, are you okay? All right, you gonna make it. I'll entertain a motion then on item G.

Motion to approve from Miss Hines. Do I have a second? Second. Second by Miss Wilkinson. All those in favor, please vote. Mr. Gold approve 70. Item H, this is authorization for another exciting item tonight. Recommendation of award of RFP 26-00002 for the Talison Aquatic Center to Reeves Young LLC. Jones, the background, please. This is this is an exciting project coming to the city of Smyrna. Uh we sent out uh some requests for some bids. There were five firms that responded. We had five very very good quality firms. Um, one of those bids was rejected on its face. Uh, incidentally, it happened to be the highest of the of the five bids submitted. The other four bids were very tight. Um, Corey Engineering was retained to do the design. Uh, I think they did a fantastic design. We got uh, very good bids. We had an engineers estimate of 18 million and the recommendation for Reeves Young, which is the uh, the the firm that Corey Engineering recommended as the lowest respons responsible and responsive bidder whose bids met the criteria set forth be awarded the contract in the amount of 16,228,52969 with a project to be completed uh on their schedule by the end of March of 2027. We have set a deadline for opening by the 1 of May 2027. You repeat that last part one more time. Completed by when and open by when? So, uh, the bid as set forth the contract allows them, they they provided an allowance for a schedule to be complete, substantially complete by March, end of March 2027. And our deadline for opening Tison Park Athletic or Aquatic Center is May of 2027. Thank you. I just want to make sure I heard that right. Any questions, comments from council? Really excited about this and I'm glad the bids came in like they did.

That that means that the bid package was was effects were put out. Well, um if there's no discussion, I'll entertain a motion. Motion do pass by Mr. Lindley. Do I have a second? Mr. Pickkins beat you to Mr. Oglesby and seconded that. All in favor, please vote. That's approved. 70. Item I, approval of the dedication of Concord Linear Park. Dr. David Martin. This is the park right over by um Zoya, the old the old Wes. Um Lenley, anything you want to say on this? Uh yeah, thanks, Mr. mayor and thanks to Richard Garland and the parks department for helping sort of shepherd this through. But uh in uh I guess late August uh Smyrna lost one of its pillars and David Martin uh who was active in many things, the Optimus Club uh his church and uh was known throughout Smyrna for beautifying Smyrna every day by picking up trash on thorough affairs throughout the city. Ironically, I would always see them on Concord Road. Um, so we thought it fittingly appropriate to name the park uh in his memory. Uh, we'll have a dedication and a monument sometime. Uh, it sounds like in early February, so we'll we'll be back and hopefully make that a big community event. That motion do pass. Thank you, Mr. Lindley. Second by Miss Hines. All in favor, please vote. Fitting tribute. And that's approved 70. And then the last item under formal business is item J, which we voted to add at the beginning of the meeting. This is approval to close King Street between Bank Street and Powder Spring Street indefinitely, effective November 21st, 205 between the hours of 3 p.m. Friday and 6 p.m. Sunday. allow pedestrian traffic during peak hours of use at the village green space. Really glad we're doing that.

I think that the community I think we were well intentioned when we when we sunset it for daylight savings time but but didn't anticipate the weather or that it would be continue to be used that that space has been such a success. Any questions or can I do have a question and I know we talked about it in pre-consel but for the record what is the timeline on permanent ballards uh with the vote of the council tonight we'll move forward we have a ballard plan in place and we'll implement that following tonight's meeting an update on when those be he's asking the question because of the the not so sightly orange and white barriers uh those will go away and we will have nice looking ballards that we Um, do I have a motion? So moved by Mr. Lindley, second by Mr. Welch. All those in favor, please vote. And that's approved. 70. Thank you. Uh, we'll now move. Is there drum roll? We'll move on to privilege, license, and show cause hearing. The new request, liquor, beer, and wine. You can start walking down there if you want to. Uh, Black Diamond Business Ventures doing business as the Indigo Room at 821 Concord Road Southeast Smyrna, Georgia 300080 with Ricky Null Oglesby Jr. as the agent. That's Noel, Mr. Mayor. Thank you. [laughter] Tell us about what you tell us about what you want to do. Yeah. Hey, thank you for this opportunity. Uh hopefully next month I'll be living out a 25-y year dream, which is to open a fullervice jazz restaurant here in the city of Smyrna in the city I love and call home. Uh we have a I have a wonderful staff. We're putting together a great part uh business partner here and he'll be able to introduce himself soon. We have an excellent executive chef who is from Jamaica, uh, grew up in New York City.

Obviously, a lot of you know I'm from South Carolina, so our cuisine will be a mix of both. We'll have some Caribbean, some geiga, uh, some soul food and some comfort food, too. So, we'll have a little bit of everything for everyone. Also, some live jazz and neo soul music. Some really good music. We'll feature a lot of artists, local artists here, giving them a platform uh uh especially our jazz artists. So, we're looking forward to that. Um want to introduce yourself? They know me. [laughter] Good afternoon, council. Uh my name is Justin Gillette. Um as you know, partners with Ricky um and this great venture that we feel would be great for the community. I'm bringing great music, great food, and a great uh community partnership. Um, I myself bring over 20 years of global FMB experience. Um, from from the front of the house, the back of the house, you name it. So, really want to bring a great business to this great community. So, everybody's clear on where we're talking about. It's a shopping center off Concord. Um, adjacent to Burger Crush. I guess that's the most that's that's the landmark. Yeah. Right there on that same side of the road. Mr. Lindley, this is in your ward. Yeah, Mr. mayor. It was originally the one of the first PO folks restaurants in in town. Um you've uh read and I understand taken the Could you recite what you learned please? Yes, I learned a lot. What was the opening date? Uh projected December 5th. Okay. Very good. Lord willing. Well, thank you for doing business in Smyrna. With that motion do pass. Have a motion do pass. Do I have any other before we before we have a second? Uh, I'd like to let some other council members ask questions. Uh, Mr. Welch, I have some questions.

I told you we going to drill you. The first night I was on council, I had a license come before me and Susan Hyatt was a city clerk and she was very kind to hand me a cheat sheet. She said, "Answer these, ask these three questions. Did you go through the licensing?" I'm sure you did. Do you know that the city council goes through I mean the city police goes through checks and and so forth and checks on our businesses upholding the licensing law. I just want to make sure you knew of all of those things. Congratulations. Look forward to eating that. Thank you. Look forward to taking care of you. Miss Wilkinson. So I have a question that uh the audience would probably like to know. all those people watching from home. Uh what uh what are your hours going to be? Right. So, uh we'll be open for lunch. So, we'll start at 11:30 a.m. Um so, and we will have some late hours on Friday and Saturday to 2:00 a.m. uh to unwind for the long week. Right. Sunday, we will be open for brunch. We'll start at 8:00 a.m. for brunch. Thank you. Uh, Ricky, congratulations, buddy. We know what you're in for. Good luck. Great. Hans, it's always great when we able to have a good uh restaurant uh location here in the city. So, thank you uh Councilman Oglesby for bringing that here. And I think reiterate we all look forward to coming there. Thank you. Jones, you don't get a vote, but is there anything you want to say? Hold on. Let me get my list out here. No, no. Congratulations. I know you'll be successful. We're looking forward to having you in the city. We have a motion on the floor. Do we have a second? Second by Miss Hines. All those in favor, please vote.

Lucky I didn't call on Mr. Cochran. Vote by hand, please. All those in favor? That's approved. 6. Thank you. Thank you. All right. Congratulations. Take your seat back up here. We got some other stuff we got to do. All right. The last thing on here is the consent agenda. M. Jones, can you go through the consent agenda for council approval? Yes, sir. Um, there are six items on the consent agenda. The first three are approval of minutes. approval of the October 16, 2025 committee, the whole minutes, approval of the October 20th pre-consil meeting minutes and approval of the October 20th mayor and council minutes. The fourth item is an authorization to renew the uh Georgia first responders PTSD program is required by House Bill 451 with an annual premium of $29,26. The fifth item is authorization to approve a subreient grant for the trust for public land for the HUD community project grant. This is the Riverland Smyrna Bridge and authorize the mayor to sign and execute those documents. We'll be working with the city of Atlanta. We we will have one side of the river and they will take the other. And the final item is an authorization to approve three reclassifications within the engineering department and one reclassification and one title change within the water and sewer department. We have a motion and we have a second. All those in favor, please vote. That's approved. 70. We're now to the citizen participation portion of the meeting. Uh I don't have anybody signed up for public comment. Is there anybody that wanted to say anything this evening? All right, we'll close that. We'll move on to ward and staff reports and start now with Glenn Pickkins. Uh thank you, mayor. No report this evening. Miss Hines, just a reminder about the Smyrna Optimus pancake breakfast that'll be next Saturday. Uh thank you, Mr. Mayor.