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[I. OPENING]

[00:00:10]

ME WELCOME EVERYONE TO OUR. TUESDAY, JULY THE 21ST, 2026 BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS MEETING.

WE'RE VERY HONORED TONIGHT TO HAVE PASTOR BRANDON BROOKS FROM PROSPECT CHURCH HERE. THAT'S GOING TO GIVE OUR INVOCATION. HE HAS BEEN HERE BEFORE, BUT WE APPRECIATE HIM BEING HERE. AND IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THAT, WE'LL HAVE THE PLEDGE TO THE FLAG, AND I'M GOING TO ASK COMMISSIONER THRAILKILL TO LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE TO THE FLAG. BUT IF EVERYONE WOULD PLEASE RISE FOR OUR INVOCATION. WOULD YOU JOIN ME IN PRAYER? FATHER, IT IS WITH HUMBLE HEARTS THAT WE BOW BEFORE THE KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS THIS EVENING. AND I THANK YOU, GOD, FOR THIS BODY. AND I PRAY THAT EVERYTHING THEY SAY AND DO, NOT ONLY TONIGHT WOULD BE TO THE HONOR AND GLORY OF YOU. FATHER, I PRAY THAT THEIR DECISIONS WOULD BE INFORMED, THAT THEY WOULD HELP AND BENEFIT THOSE THAT ARE IN MOST NEED, LORD, THAT THEY WOULD LOOK AFTER OUR COMMUNITY AND GOD IN THIS MOMENT. WE THANK YOU FOR THIS COMMUNITY. WE CONTINUE THAT YOU TO TO OPEN THE WINDOWS OF HEAVEN AND POUR OUT A BLESSING. GIVE US WISDOM. GIVE THESE MEN WISDOM. AND LORD, WE'LL PRAISE YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO. THANK YOU, JESUS, FOR YOUR GOODNESS TO US. IN CHRIST'S NAME WE PRAY. AMEN. AMEN. THANKS. GLAD 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. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU, BRANDON, FOR BEING HERE

[III. APPROVAL OF AGENDA/MINUTES]

WITH US THIS EVENING. ALRIGHT. THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA AND THE MINUTES. SO FIRST I HAVE APPROVAL OF THE FINAL AGENDA. DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVED. DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. OKAY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? RIGHT. OKAY. MOTION CARRIES. NEXT IS APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS WORK SESSION, WHICH WAS HELD ON JULY THE 7TH, 2026. DO I HAVE A MOTION? THEY BE APPROVED. SO MOVED. ALRIGHT. DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. OKAY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL RIGHT. ALRIGHT.

MOTION CARRIES. AND NEXT. FINALLY, THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM TROUP COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BOARD MEETING, WHICH WAS HELD ON JULY THE 7TH, 2026. DO I HAVE A MOTION? THEY BE APPROVED. SO MOVED. WE'RE SECOND. ALL RIGHT. SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL RIGHT. OKAY.

[IV. Special Business]

MOTION CARRIES. NEXT WE GO INTO SPECIAL BUSINESS. SO AT THIS TIME I'LL TURN IT OVER TO THE COUNTY MANAGER. THANK YOU. CHAIRMAN. COMMISSIONERS. FIRST ITEM ON TONIGHT'S SPECIAL BUSINESS IS A CITIZEN ADDRESS. THE BOARD WILL INVITE RALPH HOWARD FORWARD TO ADDRESS THE BOARD.

I WANT TO THANK YOU, GENTLEMEN, FOR PUTTING ME ON THE AGENDA TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB. GETTING STARTED WITH THE PROGRAM IN 2026. IT'S SORT OF A SHAME THAT IT COMES DOWN TO YOU, GENTLEMEN, TO HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION LIKE THIS, BUT WE LOST OUR CLUB IN 2022 DUE TO A LACK OF ATTENTION FROM THE PUBLIC, AND THE CLUB WAS FLOUNDERING AND IT WAS NOT BEING OBSERVED. YOU KNOW, SOMEHOW WHEN YOU HAVE SOMETHING GOOD GOING ON AND YOU DON'T WATCH IT, TIME GOES BY AND YOU TURN AROUND AND ALL OF A SUDDEN IT'S GONE. AND THEN IT'S HARD TO GET BACK BECAUSE THERE WAS TWO, TWO ENTITIES INVOLVED. THERE WAS THE LOCAL BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB, AND THEN THERE WAS THE NATIONAL BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB. AND SO THE ARGUMENT WAS BETWEEN THE NATIONAL BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB AND THE LOCAL BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB, AND THE LOCAL BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB WAS NOT MEETING THE, THE THE REQUIREMENTS OF BEING A BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB. AND OUR CHARTER WAS PULLED IN 2022. I THINK YOU GENTLEMEN KNOW A LOT ABOUT IT ALREADY, SO I, I DON'T REALLY THINK I HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF TIME. I COULD SPEAK FOR A LONG TIME BECAUSE WE STARTED WORKING ON THIS IN 2022. AS SOON AS WE HEARD THAT IT, WE HAD LOST THE CLUB. WE WERE VERY CONCERNED. A DAY LATE AND A DOLLAR SHORT. WE WERE CONCERNED. WE NEEDED TO HAVE BEEN CONCERNED IN 2017, 18, 19, 20 AND 21 WHEN THE CLUB WAS FOUNDERING. BUT WE DIDN'T. I WASN'T I ACCEPT THE GUILT. I THINK THE CITIZENS OF LAGRANGE CAN ACCEPT THE GUILT. WHOEVER

[00:05:05]

WAS SUPPORTING THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB WHEN IT GOT STARTED AND SUCCEEDED FOR 35 YEARS, WE ALL WENT TO SLEEP AT THE TRIGGER. WHAT CAN I SAY ABOUT THAT? DARN TOO BAD. BUT HERE WE ARE AGAIN. SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING FOR FOR, FOR FOUR YEARS NOW TO TRY TO GET THE CLUB BACK.

ORIGINALLY WE HAD NO RESPECT FROM THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF AMERICA. THEY SAID, LOOK, WE'VE WORKED WITH THE TROUP COUNTY, WE'VE WORKED WITH THE PEOPLE IN LAGRANGE FOR FOUR YEARS. THEY CAN'T DO IT. I NEVER BELIEVED THAT THAT WE COULDN'T DO IT, BUT THAT WAS THEIR ATTITUDE.

THEY WERE VERY FRUSTRATED. AFTER FIVE YEARS OF NONCOMPLIANCE, YOU CAN SORT OF UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT ANYWAY, WE PERSISTED. WE DIDN'T. WE BELIEVED IN THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB. WE REMEMBERED HOW GREAT IT USED TO BE. WE KNEW WHAT IT COULD BE, AND WE HEARD STORIES.

FOR EXAMPLE, I HEARD A STORY FROM ONE OF THE MEN IN MY SOCIAL CLUB, IN MY IN MY CIVIC CLUB, WHO SAID THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB SAVED HIS LIFE. HE WAS AWAY FROM THE STREETS IN ATLANTA, AND HE WAS TAKEN IN BY THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB WHEN HE WAS ABOUT SEVEN YEARS OLD AND WOUND UP GETTING A PHD LATER AND BEING THIS ASSISTANT SECRETARY, ASSISTANT SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT IN FLOYD COUNTY FOR 40 YEARS COULD HAVE BEEN THE SUPERINTENDENT IF HE'D WANTED TO BE. BUT HE WAS HAPPY DOING WHAT HE WAS. GREAT GUY, GREAT STORY. I HEARD SO MANY STORIES OF PEOPLE WHO WERE IN THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB, AND IT SAVED THEIR. IT SAVED THEIR LIVES HERE IN LAGRANGE. I'VE HEARD STORIES. I CAN'T TELL THEM ALL TO YOU, BUT YOU'VE PROBABLY HEARD SOME YOURSELVES. I BET YOU HAVE. I BET YOU HAVE. SO TO TO TODAY. I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION I HAVE FIVE MINUTES. SO ANYWAY, I CAN'T. I DON'T WANT TO RAMBLE ON. I'M HERE.

I'M HERE TO ASK FOR THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS TO VOTE TONIGHT TO ALLOW THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB TO LEASE A SMALL PORTION OF THE WESTFIELD ROAD SCHOOL FACILITY AND SHARE IT WITH THE WITH THE WITH THE PARKS AND RECREATION. WE ARE VERY FLEXIBLE. WE CAN GET BY WITH SIMPLY TWO TWO OF THE ROOMS. IF WE CAN USE THE GYM WHENEVER IT'S AVAILABLE. IF WE COULD USE THE THIRD ROOM WHENEVER IT'S AVAILABLE, WE NEED A PLACE TO MEET. WE WERE. WE WERE TOLD AND ASKED TO TRY TO FIND ANOTHER, ANOTHER, ANOTHER BUILDING. THAT WAS BACK IN FEBRUARY. WE HAVE TRIED TO FIND ANOTHER BUILDING. UNFORTUNATELY, I THINK WHAT HAPPENED WAS WHEN THE CLUB, WHEN THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB LOST ITS CHARTER AFTER YEARS OF DECLINE, THERE WAS SORT OF A BAD TASTE IN A LOT OF PEOPLE'S MOUTH, AND A LOT OF THE PEOPLE WHO HAD BUILT IT. SOME OF THE CHURCHES, FOR EXAMPLE, THEY WERE SORT OF AFRAID, AFRAID TO, TO, TO TAKE IT ON. THEY WERE AFRAID TO TAKE IT ON. BUT WE NEED A BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB, I ASSURE YOU. I DON'T THINK THAT YOU GENTLEMEN ARE, YOU KNOW, MORE THAN ANYBODY YOU HAVE PEOPLE COME BEFORE YOU ASKING.

WE WANT TO INCREASE THE BUDGET FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. WE WANT TO INCREASE THE BUDGET FOR THE JAIL. WE NEED TO INCREASE THE BUDGET. WE NEED TO INCREASE ALL THE BUDGETS, THE EXPENSES THAT WE PAY DUE TO PEOPLE NOT COMPLYING WITH THE LAW. IT'S IT'S IT'S TRUE. WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE, IN THE WITH THE KIDS TODAY IS TRAGIC. SO OUR, OUR REQUEST IS, IS RELATIVELY SIMPLE. WHERE IS HERE? RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME. I KNOW WHERE IS IT THOUGH. IT'S RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME. THE TO TO LEASE THE. PARDON ME FUMBLING HERE, BUT I STILL GOT TOO MANY PIECES OF PAPER I THINK. SO THE. YOU. YOU HAVE RECEIVED LOTS OF INFORMATION AND YOU'VE GOT.

YOU'VE HEARD THIS BEFORE. YOU'VE RECEIVED DOCUMENTS, I KNOW I GAVE DOCUMENTS TO THE TO THE COMMISSIONERS TO TRY TO KEEP THEM INFORMED. I DIDN'T WANT TO COME IN HERE AND SURPRISE ANYBODY WITH WHAT'S GOING ON. WE ALL KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON. WE ALL KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON. WE GOT TROUBLE. WE'VE GOT TROUBLE RIGHT HERE IN RIVER CITY, RIGHT HERE IN TROUP COUNTY. WE'VE GOT TROUBLE AND AND WE CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. AND AS A MATTER OF FACT, THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB CITIZENS IN THIS COMMUNITY HAVE ALREADY COUGHED UP, PLEDGED $250,000 EVEN BEFORE WE HAD A PLACE TO START. NOW, SOME OF THESE PEOPLE DID IT ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT WE WERE GOING TO BE IN THE WHITE RIVER ROAD FACILITY THAT I MENTIONED, WE THOUGHT WE WERE. I THINK EVERYBODY IN GOOD FAITH THOUGHT THAT WE WERE, BECAUSE THE COLLEGE HAD HAD A SMALL CLUB THERE AND WE WANTED TO FOLLOW ON IN THE CLUB, BUT WE FAILED TO. WE FAILED TO POLITIC. WE. WE JUST ASSUMED. AND YOU KNOW WHAT ASSUMED WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU ASSUME SOMETIMES YOU GET IN TROUBLE AND WE'VE BEEN IN TROUBLE. BUT TONIGHT YOU GENTLEMEN CAN GET US OUT OF TROUBLE. AND WE HOPE THAT YOU DO. MANY PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM DO, BUT THE BOYS AND GIRLS OF THE COUNTY ARE DEPENDING ON YOU TO GET US OUT OF TROUBLE. SO SPECIFICALLY, WE WANT TO LEASE TO PAY THE COUNTY, NOT TO ASK THE COUNTY. WE'RE NOT ASKING THE COUNTY FOR MONEY. WE'RE ASKING THE COUNTY TO ALLOW US TO SPEND MONEY AND LEASE TWO OF

[00:10:03]

THE FOUR LARGE MEETING ROOMS NEAR THE NORTH DOOR BETWEEN 2 AND 530 ON WEEKDAYS. THAT'S THAT'D BE APPROXIMATELY 3 TO 4 HOURS ON WEEKDAYS. TWO OF THE ROOMS WE WOULD USE THE NORTH DOOR. WE WOULD NOT USE THE ENTRANCE AND WHEN AVAILABLE TO USE THE THIRD ROOM BECAUSE WE WILL WE EXPECT TO HAVE 40 KIDS TO START WITH. AND BELIEVE ME, IF WE GET THE 40 KIDS THIS YEAR, BY THE TIME THE ONES THAT ARE IN THE FIRST GRADE GET INTO THE FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADE, THEY'LL BE READING AND THEY'LL BE GOOD KIDS. YOU CAN COUNT ON. YOU CAN COUNT ON THAT. ALSO, WE WOULD LIKE TO USE THE GYM WHEN IT'S AVAILABLE. IF IT'S NOT AVAILABLE, NO PROBLEM. WE HAVE A RATIO OF 20 TO 120, NO MORE THAN 20 STUDENTS FOR ONE TRAINED TEACHER. AND ALSO THE TEACHER HAS ASSISTANTS THAT IS ALSO THE DIRECTOR AND IS ALSO A AN ASSISTANT. THE DIRECTOR HAS AN ASSISTANT. THIS IS A THIS IS A WELL FUNDED. THIS IS A WELL FUNDED ORGANIZATION THAT THE COUNTY CAN BENEFIT FROM IN MANY WAYS, IN MANY WAYS, BY JUST HAVING A BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB THAT CAN GROW. AND WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, BY THE WAY, AND WE THINK IN THE NEW YEAR THAT WE'LL PROBABLY BE ABLE TO EXPAND THE CLUB INTO A MIDDLE SCHOOL. THE. WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO START WITH THE WITH THE GREAT GRAMMAR SCHOOLS, THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, WE CAN GET THEM. WE CAN GET THEM GOING EASILY. IT'S A LITTLE TOUGH ONCE THEY GET TO BE 12 OR 13 YEARS OLD, IT'S TOUGHER. YOU FELLAS KNOW THAT. WE ALL KNOW THAT. SO ANYWAY, WE WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO PLAY OUTSIDE. SO THE FIRST YEAR, THE FIRST YEAR.

HERE'S THE PROBLEM. THE FIRST YEAR IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT FOR THE WHOLE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB IN TROUP COUNTY, BECAUSE WE GOT TO REGAIN FAITH, NOT ONLY FAITH IN OUR ABILITY TO, TO, TO COMPLY WITH THE RULES AND REGULATIONS, TO BE A BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB, BUT ALSO OF THE PARENTS WHO HAD KIDS WHO WERE IN THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB DURING THAT DECLINE, THAT WAS A VERY DIFFICULT TIME, AND A LOT OF THE PARENTS ACTUALLY FELT VERY BAD ABOUT IT. THEY WERE DOWN ON THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB. WE'VE BEEN FIGHTING AN UPHILL BATTLE FOR FOR YEARS. YOU FELLAS CAN END IT TONIGHT, AND I CERTAINLY HOPE THAT YOU WILL. I'D LOVE TO SEE A UNANIMOUS VOTE. TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH, WE HAD A WONDERFUL WE HAD A WONDERFUL LETTER AND RECOMMENDATION FROM BART MCFADDEN. I'M SURE MANY OF YOU WHO'VE BEEN HERE A WHILE KNOW, AND A LOT OF THE PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE PROBABLY KNOW ABOUT BART MCFADDEN. HE'S A WONDERFUL BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB DIRECTOR. HE CAME HERE WHEN WE HAD 45 MEMBERS, AND WE WERE WE WERE STRAPPED FOR CASH WHEN HE LEFT. THERE WERE FOUR CLUBS. THEY WERE SERVING ON A DAILY BASIS.

400 400 KIDS WERE COMING ON THE AVERAGE ON A DAILY BASIS. AND DURING THE YEAR IN AND OUT THERE WAS ANOTHER 600. SO OVER, OVER, OVER A THOUSAND KIDS TOUCHED BASE WITH THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB BY TOUCHING BASE. THAT HELPED BEEN BETTER IF THEY COULD HAVE STAYED THERE. BUT ANYWAY, HE WAS ON THE WAY. HE WENT ON UP TO VIRGINIA, NOT TO VIRGINIA, TO TENNESSEE, AND TOOK OVER 13 CLUBS. THIS WAS THIS WAS ABOUT 19. THIS WAS PROBABLY IN 16, 2016. I'M 2015, 2016. NOW THERE'S 27 CLUBS. THIS IS A GREAT BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB DIRECTOR. HE WAS OUR DIRECTOR. HE SENT US A LETTER WHICH I SHARED WITH YOU GENTLEMEN, AND I'VE SHARED WITH SOME OF THE PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT HE SAID THE, THE, THE, THE PARKS AND RECREATION AND THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB ARE NATURAL TO WORK TOGETHER. THEY ARE NATURAL TO WORK TOGETHER.

IT'S NOT A EITHER THIS OR THAT IN ORDER TO HAVE A SUCCESSFUL. WE HAVE A WONDERFUL PARKS AND RECREATION, AS YOU GENTLEMEN KNOW, AND THE PEOPLE KNOW, I KNOW I GO SWIMMING IN THE SWIMMING POOL. I APPRECIATE THE PARKS AND RECREATION, BUT WE ALSO DON'T HAVE A BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB. PARKS AND RECREATION DOES WHAT PARKS AND RECREATION DOES. BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB WORKS ON DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF CHARACTER BUILDING AND SO FORTH. READING. READING IS MY PET PEEVE, MY PET PEEVE, MY PET CONCERN, AND MY BELIEF THAT WE CAN IMPROVE THE READING LEVEL OF THE KIDS. THE BOYS AND GIRLS CAN DO SO MUCH, BUT UNLESS YOU GENTLEMEN ALLOW IT AND I GUESS IT'S TONIGHT, IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN IN 2026. MAYBE IT'LL HAPPEN NEXT YEAR. I HATE TO PUT IT ON YOU THAT WAY, BUT THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENED. TIME HAS SLIPPED BY. WE WE WE WE, WE MADE A MISTAKE OF NOT GETTING EVERYBODY ON BOARD ALL ALONG. I APOLOGIZE, I CAN'T GO BACK. I CAN'T GO BACK AND SAY, LOOK, WE GOTTA START TALKING TO THE TO THE COMMISSIONERS. WE WERE TALKING TO OURSELVES. WE WERE WE WERE SO ENTHUSIASTIC AND FIRED UP. WE FORGOT TO. WE WE FORGOT TO POLITIC. WE'RE NOT POLITICIANS. WE DON'T KNOW HOW TO POLITIC. BUT WE LEARNED. AND I GUESS I'M. I GUESS I'M POLITICKING NOW BY ASKING YOU TO SUPPORT THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB GETTING STARTED IN 2026 BY AUTHORIZING US TO PAY THE COUNTY GOOD FUNDS TO GET SOME OF OUR KIDS OVER THERE AND TO A CONSTRUCTIVE PROGRAM. AND ALSO, WE'RE NOT OPERATING ALONE NOW.

WE HAVE MANAGED TO CONNECT THROUGH THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB IN AMERICA WITH THE GROUP DOWN

[00:15:06]

IN COLUMBUS. THIS IS A GREAT ORGANIZATION. WE HAD SEVEN OF OUR TEN ADVISORY COMMITTEES MEETINGS TO GO DOWN THERE. THREE OF THEM HAVE SENT TESTIMONIES ABOUT WHAT A WONDERFUL ORGANIZATION IT IS DOWN THERE. THEY GOT A GREAT ORGANIZATION DOWN THERE.

THEY'VE GOT MONEY, THEY'VE GOT BACKGROUND, THEY'VE GOT PROFESSIONALS, THEY'VE GOT PEOPLE THAT WRITE GRANTS. THEY'RE GOING TO HELP US. THEY'VE AGREED TO HELP US. IT WASN'T EASY TO GET HELP. IT WASN'T EASY. BUT TONIGHT I'M ASKING YOU GUYS TO HELP US. I, I THINK I'VE SAID ENOUGH. I'LL ANSWER ANY QUESTION ANYBODY WANTS TO ASK. I THINK MY FIVE MINUTES IS PROBABLY UP 1 OR 2. SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO SAY. ALL RIGHT. ANYONE HAVE ANY COMMENTS QUESTIONS HERE FROM LANCE MR. LANCE DENNIS I'M SORRY, I HAVE A LITTLE HEARING PROBLEM. I'M GONNA HAVE TO SAY A FEW TIMES. I LIKE FOR THE PARKS AND RECREATION DIRECTOR TO COME UP AND GIVE US AN OUTLINE ON WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW THAT WHITESIDE ROAD. OKAY, WONDERFUL. WONDERFUL. THAT'D BE GREAT, BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW. WE DON'T KNOW. IT COULD BE IF WHAT'S HAPPENING OUT AT THE WHITE ROAD IS A GREATER BENEFIT TO THE YOUTH OF TROUP COUNTY, WE'LL WITHDRAW. WE'LL LET WE'LL LET WE'LL LET WHITES ROAD TAKE CARE OF IT. AND THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB WILL JUST FADE AWAY. SO WE'LL LET GO AHEAD. LANCE OF ASK LANCE DENNIS TO COME UP AND SPEAK. GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS. GOOD EVENING. I WILL HAVE TO SAY THIS THAT I ADMIRE MR. HOWARD'S PASSION AND HE IS DEFINITELY PASSIONATE ABOUT A GOOD CAUSE. BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB CAN DO GREAT THINGS FOR THE COMMUNITY AND HE'S VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT IT. BUT I'VE GOT TO STAND UP HERE BECAUSE ME AND MY STAFF ARE EQUALLY PASSIONATE ABOUT PARKS AND RECREATION AND MEETING THE NEEDS OF EVERY MEMBER OF TROUP COUNTY AS A WHOLE. AND RIGHT NOW AT WHITE'S ROAD SCHOOL, WHICH IS THE TODD TENTLER SPORTS COMPLEX, WE ARE SLAMMED FULL EVERY DAY ONCE SCHOOL STARTS BACK, STARTING FROM 515 ON, WE START OUR PRACTICES AT 530. WE WILL BE HOSTING SOCCER, VOLLEYBALL, FLAG FOOTBALL FOR THE GIRLS, TACKLE FOOTBALL AS WELL AS OUR OFFICIALS MEETINGS, OUR COACHES MEETINGS, AND THEN WE SCHEDULE ROOMS FOR BIRTHDAY PARTIES, STUFF LIKE THAT, AS WELL AS WE HAVE PROBABLY 75 TO 100 PEOPLE THAT COME USE THAT PLAYGROUND ON A DAILY BASIS. OUR PHILOSOPHY HAS BEEN, AND MINE HAS BEEN THE WHOLE TIME, IS I WANT TO HELP AS MANY PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY AS I CAN, BUT I HAVE TO DO WHAT'S BEST FOR THE WHOLE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE. AND SO WE STICK TO A POLICY THAT WE DON'T ALLOW ANY ENTITY TO RENT OR USE MORE THAN TWO DAYS IN A WEEK. THAT ALLOWS OTHERS TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY.

I CAN TELL YOU THAT IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS, I'VE HAD MULTIPLE PHONE CALLS FROM ORGANIZATIONS THAT WANT TO DO THE EXACT SAME THING AS THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB. I HAVE MISS TONYA WILLIAMS CALLED. SHE WANTED TO RUN A PRESCHOOL PROGRAM THERE THAT STARTED BEFORE SCHOOL FROM 6 TO 8, AND THEN TOOK THE KIDS IN THE AFTERNOON AS WELL. BUT SHE WANTED FIVE DAYS A WEEK, AND SHE WANTED TO DO UNTIL 5:00 EACH DAY. AND IT JUST COMES DOWN TO ME AS PARKS AND RECREATION DIRECTOR, WHERE DO I DECIDE WHICH ONE IS THE MOST VALUABLE? WHERE DO I HOW DO I TELL SOMEONE THAT WANTS TO START A DIFFERENT GROUP? NO, BECAUSE I LET ANOTHER GROUP DO IT FOR THE WEEK OR ANOTHER GROUP DO IT FOR THE WEEK. SO MY POLICY AND OUR STAFF'S POLICY IS ALWAYS TO TRY TO, YOU KNOW, DIVERSIFY WHAT'S IN THE GROUP, KEEP IT THERE. AND IF SOMETHING'S FAILING, THEN WE CAN ALTER AND PUT SOMETHING ELSE IN THEIR PLACE INSIDE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF OUR FACILITIES. I WILL TELL YOU THAT THE TODD TAYLOR COMPLEX IS GOING TO BE THE MOST USED FACILITY IN TROUP COUNTY, MORE SO THAN THE MIKE DANIELS CENTER. YOU KNOW, ONCE SCHOOL STARTS BACK, IT WILL BE THAT WE JUST SIGNED CONTRACTS TODAY FOR TWO DIFFERENT TOURNAMENTS TO BE THERE. THERE'S A TACKLE FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT COMING FOR THE LAST WEEKEND OF NOVEMBER. IF THEY'RE GOING TO BE IN THERE FRIDAY, SATURDAY, SUNDAY, AND THEY'RE GOING TO PLAY ALL DAY LONG AND THE TEAMS ARE COMING FROM ALL OVER OUT OF STATE. AND THEN WE HAVE A SEVEN ON SEVEN TOURNAMENT THAT WE JUST SIGNED FOR MARCH 13TH. THEY WILL BE TAKING OVER THE BUILDING ON FRIDAY, RENTING AND THEN PAYING AND THEN USING ALL THE FIELDS ON THE 13TH AS WELL. BUT WE TRY TO KEEP IT OPEN SO WE CAN HAVE A VAST, YOU KNOW, ARRAY OF DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES. IF SOMEONE CAME WITH ME TOMORROW AND SAID, HEY, I WOULD LIKE TO START AN AFTER SCHOOL ART PROGRAM AND I NEED A CLASSROOM, I WOULD BE, YOU CAN HAVE 1 OR 2 DAYS A WEEK, AND I HAVE A FACILITY THAT YOU CAN PAY ME RENT TO USE, JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE IN THE COUNTY IS PAYING THE EDUCATIONAL COMPONENT. WE TRY TO DEAL WITH THAT THE BEST WE CAN. WE AS FAR AS THE READING AND STUFF, WE HAVE FOUR PROGRAMS CURRENTLY.

NOW THAT WE FUNCTION OUT OF THE GRIEG CENTER, THEY ONLY GET 1 TO 2 DAYS A WEEK. THE LITERACY VOLUNTEERS OF TROUP COUNTY, WE DO TUTORING THERE TWO DAYS A WEEK, EVERY WEEK, YEAR ROUND.

[00:20:01]

ACTUALLY, THEY DO ON THEY DO ON JUST TUESDAY. I'M SORRY, BUT MISS TONYA WILLIAMSON, SHE COULDN'T HAVE THE FIVE DAYS AT WHITE'S ROAD THAT SHE WANTED. SHE'S DOING EVERY MONDAY AND THURSDAY AT THE GRIEG CENTER. THEY'RE IN CLASSROOMS, TUTORING, WORKING WITH THE KIDS AND MENTORING THEM. WE ALSO HAVE THE EMPOWERED YOUTH BY BETHANY CHRISTIAN SERVICES. THEY'RE DOING EVERY WEDNESDAY, EVERY SECOND WEDNESDAY, BUT THEY'RE DOING IT OUT OF THE GRIEG CENTER, AS WELL AS THE BROWN GIRL INITIATIVE JUST STARTED, AND THEY'RE GOING TO START EVERY SECOND SATURDAY. SO WE'RE TRYING TO GET A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT THINGS GOING SO THAT WE CAN HAVE SOMETHING FOR EVERY PART OF EVERY PERSON IN TROUP COUNTY. WE HAVE WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL IN THERE AND WHEELCHAIR SPORTS OLYMPICS THAT WE DO. YOU KNOW, OUR VOLLEYBALL CLUB, THEY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE IT FOUR DAYS A WEEK. THEY CAN'T. WE GIVE IT TO THEM TWO. THEN THE WHEELCHAIR AND HANDICAP GAMES GO IN THE OTHER TWO. AND THEN AAU FUNCTIONS IN THERE FOR BASKETBALL TOURNAMENTS AND PRACTICES WHEN THEY CAN. SO IT'S A LOT. WE TRY TO JUGGLE, BUT THAT'S JUST BEEN OUR PHILOSOPHY THAT WE TRY TO MAKE IT OPEN TO EVERYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY AVAILABLE FOR THEM TO HAVE. AND WE JUST FEEL THAT IF WE HOW DO WE DECIDE? WHO DO WE LET HAVE IT FOR THE ENTIRE WEEK? AND IS THAT GOING TO HURT TROUP COUNTY AS A WHOLE FOR ALL THE OTHER CONSTITUENTS THAT WANT TO USE IT, WANT TO COME THERE, WANT TO PLAY, WANT TO DO STUFF? THAT'S JUST MY PHILOSOPHY. I'LL FOLLOW THE LEADERSHIP OF THE BOARD AND EVERYONE ELSE, BUT I JUST WANT TO KIND OF LET THAT DO. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. ALL THIS STARTED PLANNING BACK AT THE BEGINNING OF 25, RIGHT? THE PLANNING FOR THE FOR THIS, ALL THIS, YOU HAD ALL THIS LINED UP. OH, YEAH. YEAH. WE KNEW WHEN WE STARTED. WE KNEW WHEN WE STARTED BUILDING THOSE FIELDS THAT WE WERE GOING TO PROBABLY BE LOSING CALLAWAY STADIUM, WHICH WE DID. SO NOW WE EVERY YOUTH THING WE HAD AT COWBOYS STADIUM NOW GOES OVER TO THE TEMPLE COMPLEX. I REMEMBER TALKING THAT WAS OUR WHOLE PLAN. THE WHOLE. THAT WAS WHY WE BUILT IT. THAT'S WHY THAT WAS THE WHOLE PURPOSE. AS WE STARTED, WE NEEDED A COUPLE EXTRA SOCCER FIELDS AND THEN WE JUST SAID, LET'S GO FOR IT. LET'S WE GOT SOME GRANT MONEY. LET'S, LET'S GO FOR IT AND TRY TO MAKE IT WHERE WE CAN BE A MULTIPLEX COMPLEX FACILITY THAT CAN HOST ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING. BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE AT THE MIKE DANIELS CENTER OR THE GRIGSON.

WE'RE FULL THERE EVERY NIGHT. WE HAVE SOMETHING IN EVERY CLASSROOM, AND SOME OF THE STUFF WILL TRANSITION OUT OF THE CLASSROOMS THERE TO THE WEITZEL ROAD LOCATION, LIKE ALL OUR DRAFTS, BECAUSE NOTHING'S WORSE THAN TRYING TO DO A DRAFT FOR FOOTBALL COACHES MEETINGS.

AND YOU'VE GOT A ZUMBA CLASS GOING ON NEXT DOOR, AND IT'S SO LOUD YOU CAN'T EVEN HEAR THE NAMES CALLED. SO WE'RE JUST TRYING TO TRANSITION TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING STAYS USED BY AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE. WELL, THAT WAS ONE OF MY CONCERNS, BUT I'M GONNA BACK UP THREE YEARS AGO TO 23 WHEN I WAS ON THE ELECTION BOARD. AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAD THEN WAS WE WERE STILL HAVING PRECINCTS IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. SO THERE WERE SEVERAL MEETINGS THAT WENT ON DURING THAT TIME WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD TRYING TO GET THOSE PRECINCTS OUT OF THOSE SCHOOLS BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY OF THE KIDS, THE THE MEETINGS, THE, THE NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS WE HAD TRYING TO MOVE PRECINCTS IN DIFFERENT LOCATIONS. AND BACK IN JANUARY, WE MOVED THE PRECINCT EARLY VOTING AND THE ELECTION BOARDS OUT TO WHITES ROAD. SO NOW IT WOULD BE BACKING UP TO ME TO PUT MORE KIDS IN THERE. WHEN WE WENT TO THE TROUBLE OF TRYING TO GET THEM OUT THREE YEARS AGO, THE SCHOOL SYSTEM FOR THE SAFETY OF THE KIDS NOW BEING.

YOU'RE KNOWING WHEN THE. WE KNOW WE. WE CAN WE DON'T SCHEDULE DURING ELECTIONS, RIGHT. OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. WE HAVE. WE ALSO. THEY GET FIRST PRIORITY BECAUSE THEY DO THEIR ELECTION TRAININGS IN THERE DURING THE DAYTIME, YOU KNOW, AND MR. RALPH EVEN SENT AN EMAIL TO US THAT HE HAD WENT BY DURING ELECTIONS, THAT THERE WAS EMPTY CLASSROOMS THERE. AND THAT'S WHY FOR THE SECURITY OF THE KIDS AND BECAUSE DURING ELECTIONS, THE DOORS ARE OPEN TO ANY AND EVERYBODY, AND IT'S HARD TO SECURE FACILITIES WITH THAT MANY PEOPLE COMING AND GOING WITH THE KIDS IN THE BUILDING. THAT'S THE SAME PROBLEM WE RAN INTO WITH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND GETTING THEM OUT OF THE SCHOOLS AT THAT TIME. SO ON MY SIDE OF IT, IT'D BE HARD FOR ME TO JUSTIFY OPEN IT BACK UP FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS, YOU KNOW? AND IT'S NOTHING AGAINST THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB. I'M ALL FOR IT. IT'S JUST THE FACILITY ITSELF, YOU KNOW. AND WE'VE ASKED THE COUNTY MANAGER IN THE PAST IF THERE'S ANY OTHER BUILDINGS THAT WAS AVAILABLE FOR THEM. AND I THINK HE LOOKED AND, YOU KNOW, HE CAME UP WITH A FEW, BUT IT DIDN'T DIDN'T WORK OUT. SO THAT WOULD BE MY CONCERN ABOUT LETTING THEM DIRECT DEPARTMENT FOR SIDE OF IT AND THE ELECTION SIDE OF IT, LETTING THEM USE THIS FACILITY. THAT IS WHERE I STAND WITH THAT. SO. WELL, SINCE YOU'VE BEEN HERE, THERE'S TWO COMMISSIONERS SITTING UP HERE THAT WAS HERE DURING THE WHOLE PROCESS OF WHEN THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS WAS WORKING WITH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM TO WORK A DEAL TO GET WISER ROAD, AND THE DEAL WAS THAT THE COUNTY WOULD PAY $500,000 ON THE WATER LINE TO GO TO ROSEMONT SCHOOL. AND IN RETURN, TROUP COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS WOULD RECEIVE THE WHITE ROAD SCHOOL THAT HAD TO HAVE BEEN AROUND 2022, 2020, 20, 2022, SOMEWHERE ALONG IN THERE. AND HERE'S WHERE I AM WITH THIS, BECAUSE

[00:25:05]

ALL THE PROCESS THAT TOOK PLACE OF GOING OUT THERE, DOING CONSTRUCTION, TEARING DOWN THE BUILDING TO START WITH, TO GET THE LEAVING THOSE FOUR CLASSROOMS IN THAT GYM, IN THOSE FOUR CLASSROOMS, WHEN THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS WENT IN THERE AND LOOKED AT IT, IF PATRICK REMEMBER, WE DECIDED TO LEAVE THOSE FOUR CLASSROOMS IN CASE A HOME ECONOMICS WANTED TO COME IN AND USE ONE OF THOSE CLASSROOMS FOR HOME ECONOMICS. SO THAT WAS ONE OF THE REASONS THOSE CLASSROOMS STARTED TO BE LEFT AT THAT OLD SCHOOL. AND SO THE PROCESS WAS GOING ON. THEN ONCE THE DEMOLITION TOOK PLACE AND REMODELING OF THE OLD TROUP HIGH SCHOOL, ALL THIS TIME, BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB WAS NEVER MENTIONED. MR. HOWARD JUST GAVE US THE DATES THAT WHEN THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB WAS DISCONTINUED HERE, AND DURING THAT TIME, WE HAD DRAWINGS OF WHAT WAS GOING TO TAKE PLACE WITH THE WITH WHITE FUR ROAD, WHAT OUR ANTICIPATIONS WERE WITH THE EVENTS THAT YOU JUST MENTIONED THAT WAS GOING TO TAKE PLACE OUT THERE. THEN ONCE THAT WAS COMPLETED AND WHEN MR. LUKEN HAD HIS CLASS OUT THERE, IT WAS SEVERAL OF THESE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS UP HERE THAT KNEW NOTHING ABOUT THAT AT THE TIME. WE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON OUT THERE BECAUSE IT WAS STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION. AND THEN ONCE THE CONSTRUCTION WAS COMPLETED, THEN WE GO TO ROME, GEORGIA, JANUARY OF 2026, AND WE'RE SITTING HERE AND IT GOES BACK TO WHAT COMMISSIONER THREADGILL JUST SAID. WE DISCUSS IN WHITE'S ROAD ON WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO WITH THE ELECTIONS BOARD TROOP. I HAD THE OLD BAND ROOM IN THE BACK OF THAT SCHOOL BUILDING THAT WAS SITTING THERE THAT COULD BE USED FOR SOMETHING. IF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS HAD KNOWN, AND I'M GOING TO GO BACK TO MR. RALPH, HE SAID, DON'T GO BACK IN THE PAST, BUT YOU GOTTA GO BACK INTO THE PAST TO GET TO THE PRESENT. THAT BOARD, THAT BAND ROOM BACK THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN AN EXCELLENT ROOM FOR BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB. IT'S NOT THAT ONE OF THESE COMMISSIONERS UP HERE, NOT FOR BOYS AND GIRLS, BUT WE WERE MOVING THE ELECTION DEPARTMENT OUT THERE. NOBODY SAID ANYTHING ABOUT BOYS AND GIRLS. THE VERY NEXT MONTH, IN FEBRUARY OF 2026, MR. HOWARD COMES IN HERE AND DISCUSSES BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB. AND WE'RE SITTING HERE JUST FLABBERGASTED BECAUSE WE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT WAS TAKING PLACE. SO I HATE THAT HERE WE HAVE A FACILITY, AND IT TURNED OUT THE TYPE FACILITY THAT THIS BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS WANTED TO CONTINUE INTO, CONTINUE WITH IT INTO TO GET IT GOING. AND THIS CAME UP. AND IT'S SAD BECAUSE ALL OF THOSE MONTHS, ALL OF THOSE YEARS DURING THE CONSTRUCTION FROM POINT A TO POINT Z, NOTHING WAS EVER SAID. AND SO NOW WE'RE IN THE PROCESS.

WE GOT OUR WHOLE TENURE LINED UP WITH WHAT OUR INTENTIONS ARE FOR WHITES ROAD. AND, AND I KNOW THIS BOARD ASKED OUR COUNTY MANAGER TO LOOK AT THE PLACES AND LIKE COMMISSIONER THREADGILL SAID, HE LOOKED AT UNITY SCHOOL. HE LOOKED AT MIKE WILSON HAD A NEW VENTURES BUILDING THAT WAS POSSIBILITY. AND THE BUILDING THAT'S OUT ACROSS FROM THE CHRIS JOSEPH PARK, ACROSS FROM THE CALLAWAY CENTER WHERE IT USED TO BE A. I THINK, FOR YOUNG PEOPLE.

DAYCARE. AND I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THAT BOARD EVER WAS EVEN MENTIONED THOSE PLACES. SO AT THE TIME, I AGREE WITH MR. HOWARD. YOU CAN'T GO BACK. WE GOTTA MOVE FORWARD. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE'VE ALREADY PUT WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE. WHITESELL ROAD FOR THE COMMUNITIES AND FOR THE CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTY IN PARK AND RECREATION. I'LL JUST SAY THIS, THAT AS FAR AS STAFF GOES, JAY, ERIC, EVERYBODY THAT WORKS ON IT, WE DID AN EXCELLENT JOB THERE BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE CALLING NONSTOP, WANTING TO USE THAT FACILITY, WANTING TO HAVE SOMETHING THEY'RE WANTING TO KNOW, ANYTHING THEY CAN DO THERE. JUST COMING TO VISIT IT IS A VERY POPULAR FACILITY, AND IT'S ONLY GOING TO GROW AS MORE PEOPLE SEE IT. MORE PEOPLE START CALLING ME AND WANT TO KNOW WHEN THEY CAN RENT IT, HOW THEY CAN RENT IT, WHAT THEY CAN DO. THAT WAS PLAYING. THAT WAS THE WHOLE PLAN FROM THE GET GO. ANY MORE QUESTIONS OF LANCE? ALRIGHT, I KNOW THAT MR. RALPH WOULD LIKE AN ANSWER TO THAT, AND I KNOW THIS IS IN OUR CITIZENS ADDRESS SECTION, AND WE DON'T NORMALLY TAKE A VOTE DURING THAT TIME. BUT PLEASE TELL ME WHAT Y'ALL'S PLEASURE WOULD BE IF WE IF WE'RE GOING TO GO FOR A VOTE, I WANT IT.

[00:30:02]

THIS WAS NOT INTENDED TO BE VOTE TONIGHT. THAT'S RIGHT. AND SO IF THIS IS GOING TO COME UP TO A VOTE, I WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE THIS UNTIL ALL FIVE COMMISSIONERS ARE SITTING UP HERE TO VOTE. IF WE'RE GOING TO CARRY IT ON IN THE VOTE. OKAY. AM I COMFORTABLE WITH THAT? OKAY. LOOK, ANYBODY KNOW, I MEAN. I THINK IT WAS GOING TO VOTE ON IT, BUT WHATEVER THERE IT IS NOT AN ACTION ITEM. YEAH, IT'S NOT AN ACTION ITEM AT ALL. AND SO I MEAN, AGAIN, WE'VE LANCE AND I HAVE DONE OUR BEST TO CONFER THE MESSAGE TO, TO THE BOYS AND GIRLS FOR THE CONVERSATION TONIGHT. I THINK I'M PRETTY, PRETTY MUCH WHERE I STAND. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE I COULD DO. YES, I, I HAVE SPOKEN TO EACH BOARD MEMBER AND I FEEL LIKE WE, THERE'S A CONSENSUS THAT THERE'S NOT SUPPORT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE VOTE BECAUSE THERE'S REALLY NO NEED TO TAKE ACTION BECAUSE THERE IS NO ACTION TO TAKE. THAT'S A FAIR STATEMENT. MR. RALPH, I BELIEVE WHAT I'M HEARING IS THE THIS WHAT I'M HEARING, I, I THINK THE CONSENT, THE MAJORITY OF THE VOTE OR THE VOTE OR THE I SHOULDN'T CALL IT THE VOTE BECAUSE IT'S NOT A VOTE. THE MAJORITY OF THE SAY THAT AGAIN, THE MAJORITY OF THE OPINION IS THAT THAT PROPERTY IS ALREADY BEING FULLY UTILIZED BY THE RECREATION DEPARTMENT. AND I THINK THERE'S JUST ELECTIONS AND ELECTIONS. AND THEN THEY THEN THE THEN THE COUNCIL HAS A DUTY. WHEN I WENT OUT THERE. LET ME MAY I SAY ONE MORE THING? OKAY. I WENT OUT THERE DURING THE ELECTION, ON ELECTION DAY, ONE OF THOSE CLASSROOMS, ONE OF THOSE MEETING ROOMS, HAD THE ELECTION IN IT. ACROSS THE HALL, THERE WAS AN EMPTY ROOM. THERE WAS AN OFFICER SITTING IN THERE.

THE TWO BACK ROOMS WERE COMPLETELY EMPTY. THE ONES WE WANT RIGHT BY THE BACK DOOR, THE TWO THAT WE WANT ARE RIGHT THERE, COMPLETELY EMPTY. THE GYM WAS LOCKED. NOW WE LET IT LET YOU GENTLEMEN KNOW WE CAN WORK AROUND THIS. IF THERE'S SOMETHING GOING ON, WE DON'T HAVE TO BE THERE. WE'VE GOT WE WE WE WOULD. WE JUST HAVE 40 KIDS WE'RE TRYING TO WORK WITH.

WE CAN WORK AROUND. WE CAN WORK AROUND THE THE PARKS AND REC. BUT WHAT WHAT'S NEEDED IN THIS COUNTY IS FOR THE PARKS AND REC TO. WE TALKED ABOUT FOOTBALL. WE TALKED ABOUT BASEBALL. WE TALKED ABOUT ALL THE SPORTS. I LOVE SPORTS. SPORTS ARE GREAT. HOW ABOUT READING AND WRITING AND ARITHMETIC? HOW ABOUT CHARACTER BUILDING NOW? NOW, BELIEVE ME, I KNOW THAT THE COACHES DO A GREAT JOB AND A LOT OF THE KIDS THAT ARE IN SPORTS PROGRAMS LOOK TO THE COACHES LIKE FATHER FIGURES. I APPRECIATE THE COACHES. I APPRECIATE THE ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT. WE NEED THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB, GENTLEMEN, AND I COME HERE TO ASK YOU TO VOTE, AND I BELIEVE THAT YOU OWE IT TO THE COUNTY. I HATE IT THAT THAT DOCTOR MCNAMEE'S NOT HERE.

WE. RIGHT. BUT ANYWAY, IT ONLY TAKES. IT ONLY TAKES JUST VOTING YAY OR NAY. WE CAN USE THE BOYS AND GIRLS. THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB WOULD BE ABLE TO SHARE THIS WITH THE WITH THE WITH THE PARKS AND REC. HAPPILY, WE SHARE. HAPPILY. PARKS AND REC DON'T WANT NOTHING TO DO WITH THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB THOUGH, AND THEY TALK ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE WANTING. I WENT THERE ANOTHER TIME. THERE WAS A LADY OUT THERE TEACHING BASKETBALL. SHE HAD FOUR GIRLS IN THAT TEACHING BASKETBALL. I SAID, HOW DO YOU HAPPEN TO BE HERE? WELL, WE RENTED IT. THE PARKS AND REC RENTS, THE BUILDINGS. WE'RE ASKING TO LEASE IT. WE'LL GIVE YOU A YEAR LEASE. THEY LEASE IT. WE'LL PAY YOU UP FRONT. THEY LEASE IT FOR TWO DAYS. COME ON, FELLAS, I'M JUST TELLING YOU. SO LET ME SUPPORT THE. BUT, MR. RALPH, WE'VE HAD ME. AND YOU'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS ON THE PHONE. MATTER OF FACT, YOU CALLED ME ON EASTER DAY. I'M SORRY. YOU CALL ME ON EASTER SUNDAY ASKING ABOUT IT. AND I'VE TOLD YOU ALL MY CONCERNS SEVERAL TIMES. AND I'VE TOLD THEM AGAIN, OKAY. AND EVERY TIME I'VE TOLD YOU, I DON'T SEE WHERE THERE'S AN OPENING WHERE WE COULD LET YOU ALLOW YOU TO USE THAT BUILDING. BUT WHAT WE ALREADY HAD PLANNED FOR IT AND BECAUSE OF ELECTIONS. FINE. OKAY. YOU, SIR, ARE ONE VOTE. YOU CAN VOTE HOWEVER YOU WANT TO VOTE. I HOPE, REX, AND I HOPE THAT MAURICE LOOKS AT IT A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY AND THAT THEY CAN SEE THAT WE CAN WORK TOGETHER. WE DON'T HAVE TO BE UNANIMOUS ON EVERYTHING. WE CAN HAVE DIFFERENCES OF OPINION. WE CAN WORK WITH WITH THE PARKS AND RECS. BY THE WAY. SURE YOU CAN INSTRUCT. YOU'RE THE BOSSES, PARKS AND REC. THEY DON'T PULL THE TRIGGER, YOU GUYS. YOU'RE THE ELECTED OFFICIALS. WE'RE LOOKING TO YOU. I'M NOT LOOKING TO PARKS AND REC EMPLOYEES TO TELL YOU GUYS WHAT TO DO. I'M LOOKING TO YOU GUYS TO TELL THEM WHAT TO DO LEGALLY. I MEAN, THAT'S WHY WE ELECTED. THE BOARD CAN VOTE TO AMEND THE AGENDA, BUT WE GOTTA GO BACK AND AMEND THE AGENDA. THAT'S CORRECT. YOU CAN AMEND THE OR OR THE OTHER OPTION WOULD BE TO WAIT TILL DOCTOR MCCAMY IS ME SOMETIME BETWEEN NOW AND THE NEXT MEETING TO TRY TO GET THAT

[00:35:04]

A I THINK COMMISSIONER JONES POINTED OUT. GO AHEAD. YOU KNOW, WE CAN PUT IT OFF TILL THE NEXT TIME. YOU GO AHEAD. YOU DON'T MIND ME. CONTINUE. NOW GO AHEAD. I'LL DO IT RIGHT NOW I DON'T CARE. YOU WANT TO VOTE NOW? WELL, I THINK. I KNOW WE'VE BEEN BEATING THIS THIS HORSE TODAY SINCE FEBRUARY. AND AND I KNOW IT'S BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION AND A LOT OF CONCERN ABOUT THIS. BUT AND I KNOW WHERE COMMISSIONER THREADGILL IS. I KNOW WHERE COMMISSIONER JONES IS AT IN THIS PICTURE. SO BUT I HAD RATHER WAIT UNTIL DOCTOR MCCAMY. COMMISSIONER MCCAMY HERE IN IN THAT EVENT, IN THAT WAY, WE AIN'T GOT TO GO BACK AND AMEND THE DOGGONE AGENDA WE HAD, BUT I THINK THAT'S THE BETTER OPTION. BUT IF I HAD KNOWN THIS HAD TO HAVE BEEN A VOTE TONIGHT, I WISH WE ALL HAD KNOWN WE COULD HAVE PUT IT ON AS A VOTE. IT'S NOT AN ACTION ITEM NOW, SO THERE'S REALLY NO NEED TO DO A MOTION TO TABLE TONIGHT. IT WASN'T ON THE AGENDA FOR IT WASN'T ON THE AGENDA TO VOTE. RIGHT. I THINK THE BEST OPTION IS IF WE WANT THAT, YOU KNOW, OUR OTHER COMMISSIONER TO BE HERE, THE BEST THING TO DO IS TO IS TO WAIT UNTIL THAT TIME, OR WE HAVE THE OPTION OF AMENDING THE AGENDA AND VOTING TONIGHT. YEP.

SO WHAT WOULD WHAT WOULD THE MOTION BE? I MAKE A MOTION TO CONTINUE FOR TWO WEEKS. OKAY.

DO I HAVE A SECOND? OKAY. DO I HAVE A SECOND? I MEAN, YOU YOU CAN CERTAINLY DO THAT. BUT TECHNICALLY WE'RE NOT. IT'S NOT AN ACTION I DON'T HAVE. YOU DON'T HAVE TO TABLE ANYTHING.

YOU CAN JUST PUT IT ON THE NEXT AGENDA. IF IF YOU SO CHOOSE. RIGHT? RIGHT. IS THAT YOU GO ALONG WITH THAT ONE. JUST DELAY IT TWO WEEKS. BUT. YEAH, YOU'RE OKAY WITH THAT. IS IT GOING TO CHANGE ANYTHING? I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO CHANGE ANYTHING, BUT I THINK WE JUST NEED TO BE FORWARD AS FAR AS OUR AGENDA GOES. WHAT YOU WANT TO DO. RIGHT. I THINK THE THE READ THE TEA LEAVES. IF WE'RE GOING TO DELAY IT FOR TWO WEEKS UNTIL THE NEXT COMMISSIONER IS BACK WITH US AT THAT TIME AND AND READDRESS THE MATTER AT THAT TIME. RALPH. OKAY. LET ME JUST SAY THIS. PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE. IF NO MICROPHONE. I'VE TRIED TO WORK VERY QUIETLY WITHOUT GETTING THE PUBLIC INVOLVED IN THIS. WE HAVE A LIST OF 150 PEOPLE WHO'VE PLEDGED TO HELP THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB. SO I DON'T WANT TO I DON'T THEY'VE BEEN WANTING THEY'VE BEEN ASKING WHAT'S GOING ON. I DON'T WANT TO TELL THEM WHAT'S GOING ON. I CAN'T GET A VOTE OUT OF THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. OKAY. YOU KNOW, JIMMY'S NOT HERE. MY GOODNESS, I'M SO SORRY HE'S NOT HERE. BUT ANYWAY. FINE, FINE. WELL, WE'RE WE'RE HAPPY TO WE'RE HAPPY TO CONTINUE TO CONTINUE TRYING. OKAY. BUT I'M I WISH WE DIDN'T HAVE TO, BECAUSE AS SOON AS WE GET A POSITIVE VOTE, IF WE GET A POSITIVE VOTE, WE GO INTO WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? WE'RE GOING TO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A GREAT COMMUNITY WIDE MEETING. EVERYBODY'S GOING TO STAND UP AND SAY, YEAH, THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ARE BEHIND THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB. WE'RE BEHIND THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB. LET'S GET THAT FUNDRAISING THING GOING AGAIN. BRING IT BACK THE WAY IT WAS. GET SOMETHING NEW. WE'VE HAD PARKS AND REC EVER SINCE. WE'VE HAD PARKS AND REC. WE USED TO HAVE THE BOYS AND GIRLS. WE DON'T HAVE THEM ANYMORE. THEY WERE DOING GOOD WHEN THEY WERE HERE. WE NEED THEM BACK. WE'VE STILL GOT PARKS AND REC. IF THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS HERE, WE'VE STILL GOT PARKS AND REC. I'M NOT GOING TO SAY ANYTHING ELSE.

I WANT TO ASK YOU SOMETHING. HAVE YOU BEEN. I THINK IT'S TIME FOR ME TO BE QUIET. WELL, HAVE YOU BEEN BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL IN THE MAYOR OF LAGRANGE? WELL, WELL THEY THEY THEY'RE NOT THEY'RE NOT INVOLVED. THEY THEY'VE SAID HOW DID WE GET INVOLVED? BECAUSE YOU OWN THE BUILDING. YOU OWN THE ONLY AVAILABLE BUILDING. WE KNEW NOTHING ABOUT THIS TILL FEBRUARY OF 2026. I'M SORRY. Y'ALL OWN THE ONLY AVAILABLE BUILDING. WHEN YOU TOLD US TO LOOK FOR OTHER BUILDINGS, WE LOOKED AT OVER 13 OTHER BUILDINGS AROUND. WE COULD NOT FIND ANOTHER BUILDING. THIS IS A GREAT BUILDING. THIS IS A BUILDING THAT THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB COULD BUILD ON. THIS IS A BUILDING THAT THE COUNTY EVERYBODY CAN FOCUS ON. THIS IS A BUILDING THAT COULD BRING US BACK TOGETHER AND HAVE A GREAT BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB AGAIN. WELL, BUT IT DEPENDS ON YOU FELLAS AND I OBVIOUSLY. I'M SORRY, BUT I DON'T SEE HOW IT'S DEPENDENT ON THIS BOARD WHEN WE ARE JUST ONE BODY IN THIS COUNTY. WE'RE. ONE OWNS THAT BUILDING THAT OWNS THE BUILDING. BUT THERE'S. YOU'RE ELECTED OFFICIALS. I CAN'T GO, I CAN'T GO TRY TO ARGUE WITH PARKS AND REC. I'M NOT. THEY WORK FOR YOU. YOU'RE THE BOSS. MY WIFE. TONIGHT. I WASN'T GOING TO ARGUE. YOU ARE THE BOSS. DON'T ARGUE YOUR DECISION. I, I HAD TWO OTHER MEETINGS WITH TWO OTHER BOARD MEMBERS FROM THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB, AND I EXPLAINED TO THEM

[00:40:02]

EXACTLY WHAT HAS BEEN EXPLAINED TONIGHT. YEAH. AND THEY BOTH UNDERSTOOD. AND THEY'RE NOT EVEN HERE TONIGHT. WELL, YOU WANT THEM HERE. THEY SAID. THEY SAID, I UNDERSTAND. WE'LL LOOK ELSEWHERE. YEAH. WHATEVER. WHATEVER WE'LL BE, WE WILL CONTINUE. WE WILL CONTINUE TO TRY. BUT BUT AND UNTIL UNTIL WE GET A VOTE, WE'LL CONTINUE TO WE WILL GET A VOTE. GENTLEMEN.

THERE WILL BE A VOTE. YES. AMEND THE AGENDA, THEN VOTE NO FAIR, NO FAIR. IF OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS TO DODGE VOTING. NO, I'M NOT DODGING. I DON'T WANT TO SAY THAT I'M READY. I'M. MR. CHAIRMAN, I'M READY TO AMEND THE AGENDA AND VOTE TONIGHT. I'LL SECOND THAT. OKAY. I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO AMEND THAT. THEY WANT TO VOTE. SO HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR AND ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, THEN VOTING. AND I GUESS THE MOTION IS TO IS THE MOTION TO AGENDA. MOTION TO AMEND THE AGENDA. EXCUSE ME SIR. I, I CAN'T PROCESS AT ALL. AT THE SAME TIME, THE MOTION FIRST MOTION WOULD BE TO AMEND THE AGENDA TO ADD AN ITEM. ADD THIS AS AN ACTION ITEM ON THE WHITE SCHOOL ROAD OR THE TOWN TEMPLAR CENTER LEASING PROPOSAL. OKAY.

ONCE THAT IS APPROVED BY MAJORITY VOTE, THEN YOU COULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON THAT AGENDA ITEM. OKAY, OKAY. I HAVE A MOTION IN A SECOND TO AMEND THE AGENDA TO ADD THIS AS AN ACTION ITEM. SO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. OKAY. MOTION CARRIES. NEXT. THEN I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON THE ITEM. MAKE A MOTION TO DENY THE ACCESS TO USING THE TODD TINKLER SOCCER COMPLEX FOR BOYS AND GIRLS THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB. ALL RIGHT. SO I HAVE A MOTION. DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. OKAY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALRIGHT. THE MOTION, THE MOTION IS CARRIED. AND UNFORTUNATELY IT HAS BEEN DENIED. CONGRATULATIONS, GENTLEMEN. ALL RIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT ITEM. THE NEXT ITEM IS THE CONSIDERATION FOR THE RESOLUTION TO AFFIRM THE TROUP COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM 2026 MILLAGE RATE. I BELIEVE WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVES HERE FROM THE TROUP COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM. IF YOU GUYS Y'ALL WANT TO COME UP. Y'ALL A CHANCE TO MEET OUR NEW CFO WITH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.

GOOD EVENING. I'M STEPHANIE WORKMAN, THE NEW CFO FOR TROUP COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT. ALL RIGHT. ULTIMATELY, THE OUR AND AGAIN, I SHOULD HAVE ASKED OUR TAX COMMISSIONER, MR. SHANE FRALEY, TO BE HERE SO THAT HE CAN EXPLAIN SORT OF THE WHAT WHAT EXACTLY WE'RE DOING HERE TONIGHT. MR. FRALEY, WOULD YOU MIND COMING FORWARD? THIS REALLY DON'T HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH ME. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I LOOKED UP IN THE LAW. I WOULD BE GLAD FOR MARK TO READ IT.

SINCE 1919. IN THIS. OCGA 48-5-401 ANNUAL RECOMMENDATION BY COUNTY BOARDS OF EDUCATION TO COUNTY GOVERNMENT AUTHORITIES OF SCHOOL TAX RATE AND IN THE LAW, IT STATES THAT THE COUNTY IS A LIVING AUTHORITY, WHICH. WE HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO COLLECT THE TAXES.

THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IS A RECOMMENDING AUTHORITY, WHICH THEY HAVE TO BRING TO THE LEVELING, THE LEVYING AUTHORITY TO COLLECT THE TAXES. THEY CAN'T COLLECT TAXES BY LAW BECAUSE THEY ARE RECOMMENDING AUTHORITY. AND I DON'T KNOW WHY WE'RE GOING THROUGH THIS. I MEAN, THIS HAS BEEN THE LAW SINCE 1919. IT WAS LAST UPDATED IN 1978. I MEAN, IT'S IT'S BY LAW. WE HAVE TO HAVE THIS TO PUT THE DIGEST TO THE STATE OF GEORGIA. IF WE DON'T HAVE IT, I CAN'T COLLECT TAXES. AND I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND. I REALLY DON'T. BUT THAT'S THE LAW. AND IF Y'ALL WANT TO LOOK AT IT, MARK, YOU CAN LOOK AT IT. I, I DO NOT NEED TO SEE THAT HE PROBABLY KNOWS IT. THE THE SCHOOL BOARD SETS THE MILLAGE RATE. THIS BOARD DOES NOT HAVE DISCRETION TO ALTER THAT MILLAGE RATE. RIGHT. THE BOARD LEVIES AUTHORIZES THE LEVY.

THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT. OKAY. SO WHAT WE ARE REQUESTING IS TO KEEP THE MILLAGE RATE AT THE 17.35 THAT IT WAS LAST YEAR. RIGHT. ANY QUESTIONS? YOU WOULD JUST BE APPROVING THE

[00:45:07]

RESOLUTION THAT I PREPARED THAT AUTHORIZES TO LEVY THAT THAT AFFIRMS THAT MILLAGE RATE. WE NEED TO PUT THAT IN MOTION. YES, SIR. WE HAVE TO VOTE ON THAT. SO. RESOLUTION. YES, SIR. SO THE MOTION IS TO AFFIRM THE BOARD OF EDUCATION'S MILLAGE RATE FOR 20. DO I SAY 2027. IS THAT WORD I USE 2626 OKAY. MOTION WILL BE TO AFFIRM AND TO AUTHORIZE THE CHAIRMAN TO SIGN THE RESOLUTION AS PRESENTED. OKAY. YOU JUST ADD THOSE FEW WORDS TO THE MOTION I ORIGINALLY MADE, WHICH ALL AUTHORIZED AUTHORIZED ME TO SIGN THAT. RIGHT. DO I HAVE A MOTION? SO MOVED. RIGHT. DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. OKAY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU. MOTION IS CARRIED. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALL RIGHT. OUR NEXT ITEM IS THE REQUEST TO ACCEPT THE GRANT AWARD FOR JUVENILE COURT. THE AMOUNT IS $422,662. THERE IS NO MATCH REQUIREMENTS. MISS COSTELLO IS HERE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. IF THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS, THEN I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE REQUEST TO ACCEPT THE JUVENILE JUSTICE INCENTIVE GRANT FOR $422,622. DO I HAVE A MOTION? SO MOVED. DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. OKAY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? THANK YOU. MOTION CARRIES. ALL RIGHT. THE NEXT ITEM IS THE NEW POSITION THAT WAS DISCUSSED THIS MORNING BY OUR SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE PALMER. AND THIS NEW POSITION WE TALKED ABOUT, WE WOULD HAVE NEED TO WE SORRY. SIGN HAS PREPARED A BUDGET AMENDMENT TO APPROVE THIS NEW POSITION. THE AMOUNT IS $75,383. THAT IS BOTH THE ACTUAL SALARY AS WELL AS THE BENEFITS ASSOCIATED WITH IT. I DID SPEAK WITH JUDGE PALMER AS WELL AS MISS MOBLEY THIS MORNING. THERE IS ALREADY A SPACE AVAILABLE IN SUPERIOR COURT, AS WELL AS OFFICE FURNITURE AND COMPUTERS WILL BE IN. PHONES WILL BE ALLOCATED BY SUPERIOR COURT SYSTEM. SO ONCE IT'S APPROVED, THAT POSITION WILL CAN GO AHEAD AND HIT THE GROUND RUNNING. THEN ON SECOND FLOOR, THIRD FLOOR, THIRD FLOOR, STATE COURTS ON THE SECOND FLOOR IS ON THIRD. WE DIDN'T WE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT THIS MORNING. BUT WHEN IF THIS WAS APPROVED, WHEN WILL THIS POSITION START? WELL, SO THE FIRST STEP THE PROCESS TALKED ABOUT THIS MORNING IS THAT MISS MOLLY WILL HELP ME FINALIZE THE ACTUAL POSITION DESCRIPTION. AND ONCE THAT'S DONE, WE'LL SUBMIT IT TO BE ADVERTISED. WE SEE THAT JOB DESCRIPTION WHEN THIS. OF COURSE. YES, SIR. THIS MORNING JUDGE SAID THIS WAS GOING TO BE 42,000. 42,000 IS THE ACTUAL SALARY. THEN THERE'S A BENEFIT.

AND HE SAID THE BENEFITS WILL BE 71,000. IT'S 70. THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT IT IS, $75,383.

ALRIGHT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS. ALL RIGHT. IF NOT, THEN I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE REQUEST FROM SUPERIOR COURT FOR THEIR NEW POSITION. ARE WE GOING ARE WE GOING TO REVIEW THE JOB DESCRIPTION? IS THAT SUBJECT. I CAN SEND IT TO YOU THAT DOWN THE ROAD YOU'RE APPROVING THE POSITION TONIGHT. OKAY. AND WE'LL WE'LL MOVE ALONG AS QUICKLY AS TIME, SIR. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. DO I HAVE A MOTION, A MOTION? ALL RIGHT. DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. OKAY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. MOTION CARRIES. ALL RIGHT. NEXT UP IS THE ADOPTION OF THE TROUP COUNTY DISASTER AND RECOVERY REDEVELOPMENT PLAN. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, LIZ IS IN THE ROOM. RIGHT. ANY QUESTIONS? ALRIGHT. IF NOT, THEN I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE ADOPTION OF THE TROUP COUNTY DISASTER RECOVERY AND REDEVELOPMENT PLAN. DO I HAVE A MOTION? SO MOVED. ALL RIGHT. DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. OKAY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALRIGHT. THANK YOU. MOTION CARRIES. ALL RIGHT. NEXT IS THE REQUEST TO APPROVE THE PURCHASE OF REAL PROPERTY. THE PROPERTY WAS DISCUSSED. THIS IS AT THE CORNER OF WHITE HILL ROAD AND BIRCH CHAPEL FOR A POTENTIAL NEW FIRE STATION. THE TOTAL COST OF THE OF THE CONSTRUCTION IS 50,000. SORRY, 52,000 IS WITH CLOSING COSTS.

SO. OKAY. ANY QUESTIONS? 52 INCLUDES THE CLOSING COSTS. YES. PURCHASE PRICE PLUS THE CLOSING.

ALRIGHT. ANY QUESTIONS. ALL RIGHT. IF NOT, THEN I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE. THE MAKE AN APPROVAL TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE PURCHASE OF THE REAL PROPERTY ON THE CORNER OF WHITESVILLE ROAD AND BIRCH CHAPEL, FOR THE PURPOSE OF CONSTRUCTING A NEW

[00:50:02]

FIRE STATION FOR $52,000. QUESTION AND EVERYTHING DOWN THE ROAD HAS BEEN FINALIZED.

IT'S GOOD TO GO. YES, SIR. OKAY. YES, SIR. THERE. SO THE NEXT STEP, THE THING THAT YOU'LL APPROVE NEXT WILL BE THEN TO ALLOW US TO PUT IT OUT TO BID, WHICH WILL BE ALL THE ENGINEERING AND THE DESIGN OF THE BUILDING. SO. OKAY. DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THAT US MOVING FORWARD WITH THE PURCHASE OF THE PROPERTY. OKAY. DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? THANK YOU. MOTION CARRIES. OUR FINAL ITEM UNDER SPECIAL BUSINESS IS THE APPROVAL TO MOVE FORWARD WITH PUTTING OUT AN RFP FOR DESIGN ENGINEERING OF THE NEW STATION ONE TO BE LOCATED AT THE CORNER OF BIRCH CHAPEL AND WEITZEL ROAD AT THE SAID PROPERTY. OKAY.

AND IF I UNDERSTAND CORRECTLY, THIS MORNING WE'RE GOING TO PUT TWO BIDS OUT. ONE IS A THREE BAY AND ONE IS A TWO BAY. THAT'S CORRECT. YES, SIR. OKAY. THIS IS BASICALLY AN IDENTICAL FIRE STATION IN WHAT'S BEING BUILT OFF ROANOKE ROAD FOR STATION 14. RIGHT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT. IF NOT, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE DESIGN, ENGINEERING AND PUTTING OUT AN RFP FOR THE NEW FIRE STATION. PROPOSED NEW FIRE STATION FOR WHITES FOR ROAD AND BIRCH CHAPEL. DO I HAVE A MOTION? MAKE A MOTION. DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. MOTION CARRIES. OKAY.

[V. Public Hearings]

THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS PUBLIC HEARINGS. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION THAT WE COME OUT A REGULAR MEETING AND GO INTO PUBLIC HEARING TO DISCUSS OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT EXPENDITURE.

ANNUAL UPDATE 2026. SO MOVED. DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. OKAY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. MOTION CARRIES. GOOD AFTERNOON. SO AS WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER THIS MORNING, PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD RAN FROM JULY 7TH JULY 21ST. THERE WAS NO PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ANNUAL UPDATE. BASICALLY, WE'RE COMING BEFORE YOU TO ASK PERMISSION TO GO AHEAD AND SEND THE RESOLUTION OF THE DRAFT TO THE THREE RIVERS COMMISSION, AS WELL AS GEORGIA DC. A. OKAY, ANY QUESTIONS? THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING. SO IF THERE'S ANYONE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF THIS ITEM, YOU'RE WELCOME TO COME FORWARD. HEARING NONE. IF THERE'S ANYONE YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION TO THIS, YOU'RE WELCOME TO COME FORWARD AND SPEAK. ALRIGHT. HEARING NONE, THEN I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO WE APPROVE THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT EXPENDITURE ANNUAL UPDATE FOR 2026. DO I HAVE A MOTION? SO MOVED. DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. AUSTIN, YOU WOULD BE JUST VOTING TO ALLOW THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT OFFICE TO SEND THE DRAFT TO THREE RIVERS AND TOWARDS GEORGIA DC FOR THEM TO LOOK OVER IT. ONCE THEY SEND IT BACK. THEN YOU WILL WILL ACTUALLY APPROVE IT. OKAY. SO WE'RE APPROVING A MOTION TO APPROVE SENDING THAT THE CIP ANNUAL UPDATE 2026 TO 3 RIVERS FOR THEIR REVIEW. THE DRAFT FOR THEIR REVIEW WAS OKAY. DC DO I HAVE A MOTION TO THAT EFFECT? SO MOVED. ALL RIGHT. I HAVE A SECOND. SECOND. OKAY. ALL THOSE IN. WE ALREADY VOTED ON. I HAVE A MOTION IN A SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. MOTION CARRIES. ALRIGHT. THAT'S THE FINAL ITEM UNDER PUBLIC HEARING. I'LL NOW ENTERTAIN A MOTION THAT WE COME OUT OF PUBLIC HEARING. GO BACK INTO REGULAR MEETING AND ADJOURN. SO MOVED. DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. OKAY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. MOTION CARRIED. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.