Mayor and City Council Work Session

Mayor and City Council Work Session Tuesday, March 18, 2025 at 6:30 PM City Hall, 875 Main Street, Stone Mountain, Georgia 30083 Minutes 1 Mayor and Council: Dr. Beverly Jones – Mayor | Post 3 :Mayor Pro Tem Ryan Smith 2 Post 1: Council Member Anita Bass | Post 2: Council Member Mark Marianos 3 Post 4: Council Member Gil Freeman | Post 5: Council Member Shawnette Bryant 4 Post 6: Council Member Teresa Crowe 5 6 Staff: Shawn Edmondson - City Manager | Maggie Dimov – Assistant City Manager/Economic 7 Development Director/DDA | Shavala Ames - City Clerk | Jeff Strickland - City Attorney 8 9 Call to Order 10 Mayor Jones called the meeting to order at 6:33 P.M. 11 12 Determination of Quorum 13 PRESENT: Council Member: Post 1 Anita Bass, Council Member: Post 2 Mark Marianos, Mayor Pro 13 14 Tem: Post 3 Ryan Smith, Council Member: Post 4 Gil Freeman (Zoom), Council Member: Post 5 15 Shawnette 14 Bryant, Council Member: Post 6 Teresa Crowe, Mayor Beverly Jones 16 17 Invocation and Pledge 18 Mayor Jones led the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by the invocation 19 20 Citizen Comments – Including comments from public/stakeholders 21 22 Citizen Comment 1: Erin Parks - In favor of removing confederate symbols in cemetery. 23 24 Citizen Comment 2: Zakiyah A. Lewis-Mohammad - Experienced harassment from neighbors related 25 to their funeral home business. Council Member Crowe’s husband and the funeral home’s staff were 26 involved in an exchange, and everybody guns were drawn. The Police Department was contacted, and 27 a report was filed due to concerns about safety and perceived racial targeting. Another neighbor 28 requested the hearses to be moved, I said no. 29 30 Citizen Comment 3: Joan Monroe - Assistant City Manager is not doing the pledge of allegiance to, 31 two forensic audits, long-term facility use, rules of decorum are ludicrous. 32 33 Citizen Comment 4: Dave Thomas - Thanked police department during Mardi Gras and thanked 34 Events Coordinator. 35 36 Citizen Comment 5: B. Patterson - Cannot hear anything on Zoom; Four council members voted on 37 2023 budget and no information was provided regarding how to spend city funds; no one knows how 38 much money the city has. 39 40 Citizen Comment 6: Cheryl Dudley - Mentioned the resolution of city council. Residents, citizens, and 41 council need more time to speak. Mayors have more time to speak across the state 42 Page 1 of 6 43 Citizen Comment 7: Theodosia Compton - Hearing music from the car wash constantly; Does not 44 want the laundromat. 45 46 Citizen Comment 8: Marcus Patton - History, heritage, and the past; Patriotism is a part of heritage. 47 Racism has been a problem. In objection to confederacy being honored. 48 49 Citizen Comment 9: Andrew Zonneveld - Devastated to hear about Zakiyah neighbor situation. There 50 is no obligation to allow confederate monument. In support of item #11. 51 52 Citizen Comment 10: Rhonda Morrison - Opposed the laundromat because there are plenty of 53 laundromats already. loitering at laundromat; recommend other retail shops 54 55 Citizen Comment 11: Clifford Jones - Opposed laundromat. Water bill will increase. No one thinks 56 about the residents. 57 58 Citizen Comment 12: Ms. Thomas – Was told to shut up by Crowe, Bass, Smith, Marianos. Deleting 59 audio is illegal; Clerk could not find minutes to an Executive Session; 4 to 2 voted to cleanup and pay 60 for confederate cemetery; Laundromat already been approved 4 to 2; Reached out to the auditor on 61 own personal time, included City Clerk and City Manager - 2023 and 2024 audits are behind. Auditor 62 told her he is willing to speak about audit – wanted a townhall; Should be able to talk at the meetings, 63 we want answers. 64 65 Citizen Comment 13: Clint Monroe - Mentioned no one would benefit from opting in to HB 581. 66 DeKalb County opted out, only those interested are realtors. Son of Confederates Veterans put up 67 confederate symbols. 68 69 Citizen Comment 14: Juliana Pierre - Mentioned she reported during the last meeting on the Stone 70 Mountain Community Garden, not Jackie Marshall. 71 72 Citizen Comment 15: Gina Cox - Glad to see speed bump back on agenda. Grandboy almost side 73 swiped. Mardi Gras traffic, need more signs for closure. 74 75 Citizen Comment 16: Jelani Linder - Laundromat is a concern for a lot of citizens. No policy on how 76 to grow the city and economic development. Put things on the agenda for the community. 77 78 79V. Review of the Journal (City Clerk) 80 1. Consideration of an action on a request to approve the March 4, 2025 City Council Meeting 81 Minutes, requested by City Clerk Shavala Ames. 82 83 ACTION: MOTION TO APPROVE MARCH 4, 2025, CITY COUNCIL MINUTES 84 Motion made by Mayor Pro Tem: Post 3 Smith, Seconded by Council Member: Post 1 Bass 85 86 Voted Yea: Council Member Post 1 Anita Bass, Council Member: Post 2 Marianos, Mayor Pro 87 Tem: Post 3 Smith, Council Member: Post 6: Crowe 88 89 Voted Nay: Council Member: Post 4 Freeman, Council Member: Post 5: Bryant 90 91 MOTION PASSED 92 93 Reading of Communications 94 95 Adoption of The Agenda of The Day 96 Page 2 of 6  97 ACTION: MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA OF THE DAY 98 Motion made by Mayor Pro Tem: Post 3 Smith, Seconded by Council Member: Post 1 Bass 99 100 Voted Yea: Council Member Post 1 Anita Bass, Council Member: Post 2 Marianos, Mayor Pro 101 Tem: Post 3 Smith, Council Member: Post 4 Freeman, Council Member: Post 5: Bryant, Council 102 Member: Post 6: Crowe 103 104 MOTION PASSED (UNANIMOUSLY) 105 106 Committee Discussion Items 107 108 Stone Mountain Community Garden - Julian Pierre gave an overview of activities for Stone Mountain 109 Community Garden. 110 111 Planning Commission - Andrew Zonneveld stated there were no updates for Planning Commission. 112 113 Historic Preservation Commission - Elaine Vaughn gave an overview HPC and the request for one 114 Certificate of Appropriateness and a new member needs to be sworn in. 115 116 Parks and Recreation Committee - Orea Parker gave updates on Parks and Recreation which included 117 requesting the Public Works Director to attend all meetings and recommend recommends having Parks 118 and Recreation Director. 119 120 Staff Reports 121 122 Public Safety- Police Chief- James Westerfield Jr – Police Chief gave an overview of all police statistics 123 and updates for the Month of February. 124 125 Administration - City Manager, Shawn Edmondson, gave an overview of all staff reports. Assistant City 126 Manager, Maggie Dimov also gave an overview of reports, including traffic calming for Shermantown. 127 128 ACTION: MOTION TO SET A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING TO FINISH AGENDA ITEMS FROM THE 129 MARCH 18, 2025 MEETING 130 Motion made by Mayor Pro Tem: Post 3 Smith, Seconded by Council Member: Post 1 Bass 131 132 Voted Yea: Council Member Post 1 Anita Bass, Council Member: Post 2 Marianos, Mayor Pro Tem: 133 Post 3 Smith, Council Member: Post 4 Freeman, Council Member: Post 5: Bryant, Council Member: 134 Post 6: Crowe 135 136 MOTION PASSED (UNANIMOUSLY) 137 138 City Manager’s Report 139 140 City Manager, Shawn Edmondson, gave an overview of the handout of the City Manager’s report. The 141 City Manager introduced the new Communications Specialist Kimberly Clarke. 142 143 Unfinished Business 144 145 1. Consideration of an action on a request to declare the city is out of covid protocol and to move 146 forward with removal of plexiglass in city council chambers, requested by Council Member Teresa 147 Crowe. 148 149 ACTION: MOTION TO REMOVE PLEXIGLASS FROM THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS BY THE 150 NEXT CITY COUNCIL MEETING Page 3 of 6 151 Motion made by Mayor Pro Tem: Post 6 Crowe, Seconded by Council Member: Post 2 152 Marianos 153 154 Voted Yea: Council Member Post 1 Anita Bass, Council Member: Post 2 Marianos, Mayor Pro 155 Tem: Post 3 Smith, Council Member: Post 6: Crowe 156 157 Voted Nay: Council Member: Post 4 Freeman, Council Member: Post 5: Bryant 158 159 MOTION PASSED 160 161 New Business 162 163 1. Consideration of an action on a request to approve Change Order #5: Traffic Calming on 4th 164 Street, requested by Assistant City Manager/Economic Development Director Maggie Dimov 165 166 ACTION: MOTION TO APPROVE CHANGE ORDER #5: TRAFFIC CALMING ON 4TH STREET 167 Motion made by Council Member: Post 2 Marianos, Seconded by Mayor Pro Tem: Post 3 Smith 168 169 Voted Yea: Council Member Post 1 Anita Bass, Council Member: Post 2 Marianos, Mayor Pro 170 Tem: Post 3 Smith, Council Member: Post 4 Freeman, Council Member: Post 5: Bryant, Council 171 Member: Post 6: Crowe 172 173 MOTION PASSED (UNANIMOUSLY) 174 2. Consideration of an action on a request to allow a long-term facility use agreement at Leila Mason 175 Park with Donald Jones-Buonpensiere from April 20, 2025 - September 14, 2025, requested by 176 City Clerk 177 178 Donald Jones-Buonpensiere gave an overview of what his long-term facility use request entails – 179 an adult baseball league. 180 181 ACTION: MOTION TO EXTEND THE TIME TO FINISH THE DISCUSSION ON THE LONG 182 TERM FACILITY USE REQUEST 183 Motion made by Council Member: Post 2 Marianos, Seconded by Council Member: Post 1 Bass 184 185 Voted Yea: Council Member Post 1 Anita Bass, Council Member: Post 2 Marianos, Mayor Pro 186 Tem: Post 3 Smith, Council Member: Post 4 Freeman, Council Member: Post 5: Bryant, Council 187 Member: Post 6: Crowe 188 189 MOTION PASSED (UNANIMOUSLY) 190 191 192 ACTION: MOTION TO ALLOW A LONG-TERM FACILITY USE AGREEMENT AT LEILA 193 MASON PARK WITH DONALD JONES-BUONPENSIERE FROM APRIL 20, 2025 – 194 SEPTEMBER 14, 2025 195 Motion made by Mayor Pro Tem: Post 2 Marianos, Seconded by Council Member: Post 6 Crowe 196 197 Voted Yea: Council Member Post 1 Anita Bass, Council Member: Post 2 Marianos, Mayor Pro 198 Tem: Post 3 Smith, Council Member: Post 6: Crowe 199 200 Voted Nay: Council Member: Post 4 Freeman, Council Member: Post 5: Bryant 201 202 MOTION PASSED Page 4 of 6 203 204 205 ACTION: MOTION TO DISCUSS THE OUTSIDE COUNSEL AGREEMENT WITH EMILIA 206 WALKER 207 208 Motion made by Mayor Pro Tem: Post 3 Smith, Seconded by Council Member: Post 1 Bass 209 210 Voted Yea: Council Member Post 1 Anita Bass, Council Member: Post 2 Marianos, Mayor Pro 211 Tem: Post 3 Smith, Council Member: Post 4 Freeman, Council Member: Post 5: Bryant, Council 212 Member: Post 6: Crowe 213 214 MOTION PASSED (UNANIMOUSLY) 215 216 3. Consideration of an action on request to approve an agreement with Emilia Walker for 217 blight property services as needed. 218 219 ACTION: MOTION TO APPROVE AN AGREEMENT WITH EMILIA WALKER FOR OUTSIDE 220 COUNSEL SERVICES AS NEEDED 221 Motion made by Council Member: Post 1 Bass, Seconded by Council Member: Post 2 Marianos 222 223 Voted Yea: Council Member Post 1 Anita Bass, Council Member: Post 2 Marianos, Mayor Pro 224 Tem: Post 3 Smith, Council Member: Post 4 Freeman, Council Member: Post 5: Bryant, Council 225 Member: Post 6: Crowe 226 227 MOTION PASSED (UNANIMOUSLY) 228 229 ACTION: MOTION TO SET A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING ON APRIL 1, 2025 AT 5:30 P.M. 230 TO FINISH THE REMAINING AGENDA ITEMS FROM THE MARCH 18TH MEETING OF CITY 231 COUNCIL 232 233 Motion made by Mayor Pro Tem: Post 3 Smith, Seconded by Council Member: Post 1 Bass 234 235 Voted Yea: Council Member Post 1 Anita Bass, Council Member: Post 2 Marianos, Mayor Pro 236 Tem: Post 3 Smith, Council Member: Post 4 Freeman, Council Member: Post 5: Bryant, Council 237 Member: Post 6: Crowe 238 239 MOTION PASSED (UNANIMOUSLY) 240 241 242 Adjournment 243 244 ACTION: MOTION TO ADJOURN THE MEETING AT 10:48 P.M. 245 Motion made by Council Member: Post 2 Marianos, Seconded by Council Member: Post 5 246 Bryant 247 248 Voted Yea: Council Member Post 1 Anita Bass, Council Member: Post 2 Marianos, Mayor Pro 249 Tem: Post 3 Smith, Council Member: Post 4 Freeman, Council Member: Post 5: Bryant, Council 250 Member: Post 6: Crowe 251 252 MOTION PASSED (UNANIMOUSLY) 253 254 255 Page 5 of 6 256 _______________________________ __________________________________ 257 Dr. Beverly Jones, Mayor Shavala Ames, City Clerk 258 Page 6 of 6