Mayor & Commission Meetings

GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES Monday, September 16, 2024 Committee Members Present: Committee Members Absent: Commissioner Patrick Davenport, Committee Chair Commissioner Mike Hamby Commissioner Tiffany Taylor Commissioner Melissa Link Commissioner Dexter Fisher Staff: Niki Jones, Acting Manager Solomon Smothers, Affordable Housing Sherrie Hines, Deputy Chief Attorney Coordinator Austin Jackson, Senior Assistant Attorney Jeff Montgomery, Communications Director Courtney Davis, Senior Assistant Attorney Jean Spratlin, Clerk of Commission (Phone) Chinesia Thompson, Recorder Sarah George, Assistant to the Manager Committee Chair Davenport called the meeting to order at 12:01 p.m. A. Approval of Minutes: Commissioner Fisher made the motion to approve the Minutes of the August 19, 2024 meeting. Commissioner Taylor seconded the motion and it passed by unanimous vote. B. Commission Identified Items of Interest: Develop a plan to restart the Land Bank Authority (Mayor Girtz assigned to GOC on October 3, 2023) Acting Manager Niki Jones opened the meeting by acknowledging staff's readiness to address questions about the land bank authority (LBA). He noted that information from Rome and Floyd counties' existing LBAs had been forwarded to committee members prior to the meeting. The discussion began with clarifying the fundamental purpose of an LBA, with Acting Manager Jones explaining its primary role in acquiring and disposing of government-owned property, including potential affordable housing initiatives. The committee requested data on county- owned properties suitable for affordable housing, which Jones agreed to provide via a GIS link. A significant portion of the discussion focused on organizational structure. The committee explored whether the LBA would assume property management responsibilities from the Central Services Department. Jones clarified that this decision would ultimately rest with the commission, noting that the LBA could either manage all government properties or focus specifically on affordable housing properties. The committee concluded that maintaining current Central Services and Public Works functions while establishing a specialized LBA staff focused on affordable housing would be most effective. Legal considerations were addressed regarding the existing dormant LBA, which was established by resolution. The committee explored options for dissolving the current resolution and creating  a new LBA through ordinance. Attorney Austin Jackson indicated that while the LBA could be established through either method, it could be disbanded by resolution at the mayor and commission's discretion. Attorney Sherrie Hines commented that the Attorney’s office will further research on this matter. The discussion then turned to defining the LBA's mission, with focus on acquiring properties for affordable housing and establishing partnerships with private entities for networking and charitable giving. Solomon Smothers provided valuable context, noting that many counties are adopting LBAs to manage land more effectively than traditional local government methods allow. LBA’s offers flexibility not typically available to local governments This topic concluded with several action items. Acting Manager Jones stated the Attorney's office will investigate board composition and bylaw amendment options and staff will draft a mission statement for committee review. Recommend updates to BAC procedures as recommended by Manager’s Office, Public Information Office and the Clerk of Commission (Mayor Girtz assigned to GOC on July 19, 2022) Concerning Boards, Authorities, and Commissions (BACs), Acting Manager Jones provided an overview of previous discussions before turning the floor over to Assistant to the Manager Sarah George. Given the gap since January's last discussion, George presented a comprehensive summary of developments to date. According to the latest count, there are currently 63 BACs. The Committee mentioned the Mayor recently adding four more. George provided historical context of this topic's progression through the Government Operations Committee (GOC). The committee focused on several key areas. Those were establishing a consistent process for BACs, identifying opportunities to consolidate existing BACs, determining which BACs could be dissolved, and developing a process for handling dormant BACs. Jeff Montgomery shared a relevant example involving Rails to Trails, where the BAC had effectively concluded its work but lacked formal dissolution. To streamline the cleanup process, the committee recommended having the Mayor review the current list to identify and formally dissolve BACs that have either completed their purpose or are no longer needed. Staff has compiled all necessary information for this review. George concluded the presentation by outlining key considerations for the committee's future discussions. The committee requested a list of which Boards, Authorities, and Commissions (BACs) could potentially be consolidated, while identifying those that should remain independent beyond the established Tier One. Acting Manager Jones indicated that staff would prepare a categorized list grouping BACs by shared functions and departmental affiliations. However, he emphasized that while staff would provide this organizational framework, they would not make specific recommendations regarding which BACs should be dissolved. Commissioner Link made a motion to adjourned the meeting. Commissioner Fisher seconded. The motion passed by unanimous vote. The meeting adjourned at 1:25 p.m. Government Operations Committee Meeting Minutes Page 2 09162024