City Council Meeting

CITY OF STONECREST, GEORGIA Honorable Mayor Jason Lary, Sr. Council Member Jimmy Clanton, Jr. – District 1 Council Member Rob Turner- District 2 Council Member Jazzmin Cobble – District 3 Council Member George Turner- District 4 Council Member Diane Adoma – District 5 CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES July 5, 2017 10:00a.m. Stonecrest Library 3123 Klondike Road, Lithonia, Georgia I. CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Jason Lary II. ROLL CALL: Mayor and City Council members were present III. INVOCATION: Council Member Rob Turner IV. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: V. PUBLIC COMMENTS: Mr. Harold Smith spoke on keeping the public and citizens at the top of the agenda, business appointees and the Georgia Sunshine Laws. VI. MINUTES: Approval of Minutes of the June 19, 2017 and June 28, 2017 City Council Meetings Council Member George Turner had one change and that was to add the name of the Acting City Clerk. Council Member Rob Turner made a motion to approve the minutes of the June 19, 2017 meeting with the correction. Council Member Clanton provided the second. The motion carried unanimously. Council Member George Turner wanted in the minutes clarification as to what moratorium was approved. Council Member Adoma made a motion to approve the minutes of June 28, 2017 with the clarification of the moratorium. Council Member Rob Turner provided the second. The motion carried unanimously. VII. ADOPTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL AGENDA: Page 1  Mayor Lary said he would like to add as item #8 the Communication Policy. Council Member Clanton made a motion to adopt the agenda with the additional of the Communication Policy. Council Member George Turner provided the second. The motion carried unanimously. VIII. PRESENTATIONS: None IX. AGENDA ITEMS: Old Business 1. Public Hearing for 2017 Millage Rate Council Member Clanton made a motion to open the public hearing for the 2017 Millage Rate with Council Member Adoma providing the second. The motion carried unanimously. Speakers Bennie Durden Greg Wright Bernard Knight Lisa Wright Joel Thibodeau Bob Watson Jim Kelley Michael McClendon All speakers were opposed to a tax increase Council Member Clanton made a motion to close the public hearing with Council Member Adoma providing the second. The motion carried unanimously. 2. Adoption of the 2017 Millage Rate Council Member Adoma made a motion to adopt a zero millage rate with Council Member Clanton providing the second. Council Member Rob Turner said he never promised not to raise taxes and they will probably have to be raised eventually. However, he feels to raise them now is premature. Council Member Clanton said he is for a zero millage rate because there is no reason to raise them at this time. Page 2  Council Member Adoma said Economic Development is very necessary and there is no reason to raise the taxes at this time. However, there may come a time when taxes must be raised. Council Member George Turner said it was necessary to go through the process to raise taxes to see just how it should be done. He said most of the council said they would not raise taxes. Mayor Lary said there are people who have been with the cityhood from the beginning and everyone said they would contribute. All members of the Council have and must listen to their constituents. After much discussion, the motion to adopt a zero millage rate carried unanimously. 3. Lease for the City Hall for the City of Stonecrest Michael Harris, City Manager said the contract for the lease of the city hall was finalized and completed on Friday. He further said the address is 3120 Stonecrest Blvd., Stonecrest, GA. This item was for information only. 4. Insurance Provider for the City of Stonecrest Michael Harris, City Manager gave an overview on the Insurance Provider. This item was for information only. New Business 5. Resolution Authorizing Dekalb County Board of Elections to perform all duties including qualification of candidates for the City of Stonecrest November 2017 election. Council Member Adoma made a motion to approve the Resolution Authorizing DeKalb County Board of Elections to perform all duties including qualifications of candidates in the November 2017 election. Council Member George Turner provided the second. The motion carried unanimously. 6. Banking Services for the City of Stonecrest Page 3  The City Manager, Michael Harris gave an overview of the process to acquire banking services for the City of Stonecrest. This item was for information only. 7. Notice of Acquisition of Service by the City of Stonecrest from DeKalb County The City Manager, Michael Harris said the City Attorney had prepared a letter for the Mayor to sign informing DeKalb County as to when the City of Stonecrest would take over the service of Business Licenses. This item was for information only. 8. Communication Policy Mayor Lary introduced Adrian Bell the Communication Director for the City of Stonecrest. Mayor Lary said Stonecrest should be “one city one voice: all flyers, written communications, etc. related city wide for the City of Stonecrest must go through Mr. Bell. X. CITY MANAGER COMMENTS: Michael Harris, City Manager introduced the staff for the City of Stonecrest. Brenda James- City Clerk Adrian Bell- Communication Manager Nicole Dozier – Community Development Manager Audrey Mays – Accounts Manager Demetrius Ivey – IT Manager Nathan Holmes- GIS Manager XI. CITY ATTORNEY COMMENTS: None XII. MAYOR AND COUNCIL COMMENTS: Council Member Rob Turner announced he will be attending an HOA Meeting and a clean-up with Miller’s Crossing. Council Member Clanton announced his Town hall Meeting on July 10, 2017 at the Stonecrest Library at 6:00p.m. Council Member Adoma announced Coffee with Council Member Adoma on July 8, 2017 at Dunkin Donuts, Townhall Meeting July 18, 2017, Stonecrest Library, July 14th Page 4  from 10-2 Youth Intervention, Technology Hack A Thon and on Sunday, July 9th she will receive an award from her church and invited the Mayor and Council. George Turner spoke on a lady who had saved a family from a fire. He also spoke on evictions, retention ponds and house parties. Mayor Lary said if he says he is going to do something, he is going to do it. XIII. ADJOURNMENT: Council Member Clanton made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 11:21am with Council Member Adoma providing the second. The motion carried unanimously. XIV. EXECUTIVE SESSION: WHEN AN EXECUTIVE SESSION IS REQUIRED, ONE WILL BE CALLED FOR THE FOLLOWING ISSUES: 1) PERSONNEL, 2) LITIGATION, 3) REAL ESTATE Page 5