College Park City Council
April 20, 2026

Good evening. Welcome to our workshop session of the mayor and city council of the city of College Park. I'm Mayor Bianca Mley Broom. We have a quorum present with council members McKenzie, Arnold, and Gay. And so we will get started at 6:02 p.m. Madame Clerk. First item. >> First item is a presentation by the Shaka Foundation in recognition of National Autism Month. This item is sponsored by Councilman Rodrik Gay. I think um Oh, they are they are going

through security right now. Um I walked in. Can we just let them know that they're they're up? If anyone could let them know. Thank you so much.

If not, we'll go to the Okay. Good evening. >> Thank you, Mr. Curry.

Good evening. >> Good evening. >> If you would just introduce yourself for the uh record and share with us. >> Absolutely. >> Thank you. >> Good afternoon. >> Good. My name is Lisa Elie Watson and I want to say thank you to city council and thank you so very much for having us today. Uh we appreciate being placed on the agenda where we're able to speak about the initiatives of the foundation. >> Can you make sure you keep your voice up just for the for the >> Can you hear me now? >> Yes, ma'am. Thank you.

So today's presentation is on our playground communication boards which I believe everyone has a a copy of in their package. I'd like to share with you the mission of the Shakhan Foundation, which exists to uplift overlook communities through advocacy, education, wellness, bridging local healing journeys with global movements for peace, equity, and empowerment. Our vision is to ensure that in this world every voice is heard,

every mind is valued, every community has the resources to heal and thrive both locally, locally and globally. I want to highlight our purpose which brings us here today through the spirit of partnership that we have with the city of College Park which is to empower individuals and communities through inclusive programs,

creative expression and acts of service that ripple out to change the world. We have three initiatives which are very important to the foundation and we believe to the community at large. And the very first one, if you look at the executive summary on page two, we have the playground communication boards. The playground communication boards, the very first one that we installed as this initiative is here in College Park.

And we're deeply proud of your support and your ability to just see the vision and to grasp the vision and to understand that we want to make playgrounds and spaces, recreational spaces, more inclusive for children. I just invite you to think for just a moment about children wanting to play and you see him running on the playground and and then that little child that's lingering in the background a moment full of anxiety and not really

able to join in. And it is that that we wanted to address with the playground communication ports. We want them through that device to be able to say, "I want to play. I like you. I'm cold, I'm scared, whatever it is. And to be able to communicate with neurotypical children who are just playing. And it also gives them the ability to play too. And so that they can play together. During the ribbon cutting, we installed one of

these playground communication boards. And suddenly out of the crowd of children came four children to the board pointing at the symbols. It was like we staged it. It's like but we didn't. But they recognized how valuable this tool was for them and they were able to share. And that's some of the pictures that you'll see further. We want to make sure that the so that's the very first initiative. The second one is that we fund the programs and I

won't spend a lot of time on these because the focus of tonight's presentation is really on the playground communication board is that we want to provide therapy speech therapy, physical therapy and occupational therapy for neurode divergent children. And just to give a a simple explanation, neurode divergent children think differently. Their brain works differently. How they communicate is different from what we classify now as a neurotypical child. But nevertheless, we want them to have the

right, the ability to express themselves creatively. And the final one is beyond 25. And I'll spend a moment here because beyond 25 addresses the need of neurode divergent children and their families after 25, after insurance, after programs, after they're not so cute and cuddly anymore, what happens then? And so we embrace that as our founder Shaka Khan and her sister Tammy Michelle there Shaka's

nephew Tammy's son Talon who's 28 years old now nonverbal what about his life after his mom and others in the family aren't there what programs do we have to support individuals like Talon So our belief on page three is through the program ecosystem that from stage one through the playground through their early stage of life through the middle

stages with therapy and support and through beyond 25. So we want to encompass that whole entire life cycle with our programs. So our work is building a safe, supportive, stigmafree umbrella of services for neurode divergent communities, embracing them at all stages of their life. So we took a moment and just thought about how many children

would be impacted by our playground communication board. If we have 250 children visiting the park routinely in the parks that we have available in Atlanta and in the surrounding areas of College Park and so forth that 90,000 children would be impacted. That's huge. That's significant. That means more children are included in educational play. And if you look right here, you can see on

Shaka with the children. And that was again just a child who walked up to the board and started pointing and sharing and saying he wasn't too happy that day. Was a little hot. He's like, "I'm hot. I'm sad." And just was communicating. And she loves children. And so it was easy for her to be there. And for those of you who were there that day, and I think you're you could see that. So on the communication board you have the symbols which you can see here and and

get a a closer glimpse of what I'm actually speaking of. And again, our our goal between Los Angeles and Atlanta is to install 30 customized communication boards by partnering with parks and recreational centers in Atlanta, Chicago, where Shakan is from, and Los Angeles. The purpose of course is to provide visual communication tools so that they can play and interact.

And so I've already described in some detail how many children who are nonverbal struggle in their communication skills. But what we may not know is that one in five children are now being classified as neurode divergent. That's startlingly. It doesn't mean that there weren't any before. But what it does mean is that through better diagnostics, we're able to now see and as a result we have an opportunity to support

So looking at our citywide roll out and again I just want to say that it was significant that College Park embraced us at the very beginning. So you're on the forefront and thank you Councilman Gay. You're on the forefront of this opportunity to make playgrounds more inclusive. So we intend to engage and to keep engaging with corporations who are headquartered in Atlanta to make them

partners so that we see these spring up everywhere and know that that effort originated here. So I'm going to turn to the partnership opportunities page which you have in your package and just speaks about the opportunity to sponsor playgrounds. Um if we sponsor 10, 20 or 100 playgrounds around which we're not suggesting we fill up college park with them, but we're just

speaking about having them across the board. So, if you turn to the budget, the cost of each board is $4,500 per board. Each board is customized with the business or the city's logo on it as well as the Shakhan Foundation. And these are premium boards and they're they ship rapidly.

So I would like to just say thank you very much for allowing us to make the presentation. Our ask is that you would put communication boards in the remaining parks and recreational centers in College Park and we thank you for the opportunity to present our proposal to you tonight. If you have any questions, I'm happy to answer them. >> Thank you so much. We'll start with Council Member Mackenzie. >> Well, first of all, I want to thank you for coming out. I was there that day at

Phillips Park and I was like, "Oh, I need this >> in ward one." >> And uh so I'm so happy that you all have come come back to us as a city. I I'm all the way in. I have no questions. I'm just grateful. >> Thank you so much. Thank you, >> Council Member K. >> All right. Thank you for coming out. Uh great program, great presentation. I appreciate it. No questions. Council member Arnold, >> thank you for the presentation. I

believe we were all there that day and we were all amazed um at this this board, this communication board and so um I'm very supportive of it as well. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> And like my colleagues, I too support it obviously, but I also want to give a a special thank to y'all for your time and this endeavor and particular to Miss Khan for coming out to our community. We were honored to have her >> and thank you. Thank you, Council G.

Thank you. >> Well, I guess we're just we are rowing all in sync. And I want to thank Miss Lovelace for her advocacy as well and her support of this initiative. She is a College Park resident and has been super enthusiastic and a great ambassador for the Shaktakhan Foundation in College Park. and I just appreciate you choosing us to to have this partnership. Um, we this is an unbudgeted item. So, do we

know where the funds are going to come from? >> We'll find you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> All right. >> Thank you so much everyone. Thank you. Appreciate it. All righty, >> Madam Clerk. >> Second agenda item presentation from United Action for the Advancement of Humanity on WLE City Ward by Ward Citywide Initiative presented by Dr. Chulo, United Action for Advancement of Humanity, Inc. This

item is sponsored by Councilwoman Dr. Jamal McKenzie. >> Uh, good evening, Mayor. Good evening, >> Mayor Pro Tim. >> Evening, >> council, council members. I'm uh so stimulated, excited, and I'm praying to communicate clearly this great possibility that we have started on here in College Park.

So let me begin by saying our purpose today is to present this comprehensive psychosocial approach of united action for the advancement of humanities programming which takes us to achieving our organizational mission and our model city initiative. This comprehensive 30 23 slide presentation will illustrate our grassroot community effort to

activate mobilize and unify our community inspired by Dr. King his teachings to become a model city. And finally in this presentation we will request your continued support for our initiative. Next slide please. What I want to point out in this slide is that United Action for the Advancement of Humanity

program and services are are vehicles vehicles to promote and transmit and share the scientific remedy to empower females to enlighten males and to foster racial unity throughout the city. This photo taken at the state capital. We introduced the model city initiative at the state capital to Georgia's legislators. Dr. Enosy,

the founder, the developer of this new science human culture is in the middle and right behind him I'm standing there. This is our next slide please. This is our virtual administrative team for UFAH. These are the individuals that take take care of all the heavy lifting, the planning, the providing what is

needed to keep this organization on track to accomplish this mission. Next slide. turning Dr. King's dream into a daily reality in College Park. Can you imagine that? We are aware the challenge we face in implementing programs that is unique, interconnected,

and transformative and comes from the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s I have a dream speech. With success, the results will be enormous for College Park and its citizens. Although it is to be expected that most people will be slow to jump aboard right away and not see the benefits for themselves, their children, and their

children's children. We just needed just a few good people to start. Just a few snowflakes until we have a snowball. Until we have a a snowstorm. Next slide. What the model city initiative could mean to the people of College Park. an enormous return on their investment.

Putting community action behind the city core values and mission. It brings the core values and missions into the community. It allows us to come together and thrive. And as the city thrives, why the model city? Here's what the model city initiative can mean to College Park. Economic growth, community engagement, environmental,

sustainability, public safety. It's all there. Rise up, College Park. Rise up, mayor council. Let us rise up together. Did you know the pledge is a motivational tool? It will build and strengthen our connection with each other. It will stimulate thoughts and behavior change. It also translate to

the responsibility of citizenship. Being a neighbor, a friend. Let us rise together by the application of the model city community pledge. I rise up. I will live out the true meaning of the American creed. I hold these truth to be self-evident that I am human and all are created equal. I hold that human beings are the most

extraordinary species on earth. Our human attributes provide humanity with the ca capacity for thought, vital organs, body parts, skin tones, and creativity which establish our fundamental equality in every crucial way. I actively practice these abilities daily, using the essential characteristics of my birth to enhance our future and those I love. Together we

rise up for freedom. Empowered by our collective humanity to strive towards justice, compassion, equality, human unity to reign supreme. Rise up. Rise up. College Park. What is your capacity to love and have reverence for others? Next, I'm sorry. Next slide. Next slide. Thank you. Okay. What is your capacity

to love others and have reverence for others? Do we ever talk about this? Why is it important? Shouldn't we have unconditional support for our well-being, our growth and development as a human being? Shouldn't we love ourselves at 100%. How do we do that? Who talked to us about that? Why should we do that? Why have reverence for ourselves? Why

have a deep sense of devotion to self and others demonstrated by acts of kindness, gestures of goodwill, seeking the BEST FOR SELF AND OTHERS? WHY? WHY? Why should we talk about that in our community? Can we talk about that in in a community? Join us. Join us in a love and reverence movement started in Ward One. Next slide, please.

Next slide. The wrong way. That's good. Next one. Thank What to expect in the love and reverence movement. Can we create a greater city? Can we honor Dr. Martin Luther King? Will we realize the power of love and

reverence for self and others? Can you imagine the motivation of our children by the model city community pledge? We got something nobody else has. How to realize Dr. King's dream right now in our lives. How we carry it up. Next slide, please. We started our community outreach

here in College Park one with our love feast dinner. Honoring people, honoring overcomers, all honoring women. We planted the seed of the model city initiative. That was our first step. Next slide.

The next step was our love feast workshop to give more details, give people time to ask questions about why the love feast, why reverence, why a model city. We introduced love and reverence movement. What that meant? Love and reverence. new terms, new ways of making it a reality in our lives and in our associate, in our fellowship. Why not

love everybody? Why not have reverence for it, man? We got the capacity. We're human. Build a community support. Yeah, that's that's what we're doing. That's what we've been doing. Building the support. Next slide, please. After support, we realized we needed a team. A team.

We started building the team, seeking committed individuals who desire to continue to want to know more and participate and take action and represent the model city initiative. We started building a team We planted the seed. Okay. So now what we're building team what this 10 what is this team going to do? At our sixth meeting we agreed

and united to become the love and reverence model city ambassadors. Now we have a template a template on how to do this. a structure, a foundation. It's built. We built it. The template can be duplicated. But what we need to do is to take the next step. And the next step is taking

the model city initiative and love and reverence movement throughout the city. Next slide, please. Let's go back once a lot. Okay. Okay. Not uh one I'm sorry. Go one more

forward. One more forward. Okay. Thank you. Not only do United Action for Advancement Humanity design and implement events and programs that's laced with the psychosocial science human culture that allows us to accomplish our mission, United Actions mission. But we also participate and support other city events throughout the year ensuring community involvement.

These are some of our community events photos. Next slide, please. Now, you might ask yourself, what did six events build in Ward One? What what what did it do? Awareness and action. The foundation is set. Before this six events, most resident had never heard of the model city

initiative, love and reverence movement. And now we have a community pledge. There was no framework, no volunteer team, no organiz organization or organized effort to bring Dr. King's have a dream vision into our daily neighborhood and life. A dream dying, a legend being all this has changed in college park

starting with nothing UFH in partnership with one ward ward one purple sheep consulting DG dowels and other supporters we built the foundation and infrastructure on how to unite and activate people in our community to participate and take responsibility for improving the city together. That's what we built. Next slide.

List of all our accomplishments. They were many. Next slide, please. bring the model city initiative to your ward. The big picture when all four wards have completed the implementation phase. When every ward in College Park has an ambassador team

member and the love and reverence core values are acted on, sharing the model city pledge in our homes, our neighborhoods, our schools, churches, and business, College Park will earn something no other city in Georgia has. The right to stand before the nation and say, "We did it. We did it. Supported the work in each war. We will

become the first model city to take action on Dr. King's I have a dream speech to continue the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Kretta Scott King while accomplishing the core values of our mission and our city government. Win. Next slide please. Our request.

Our request. Now we have activated what was built. We established the ambassador team as a grassroots movement. They have the pledge. The team has been assembled war one. What has not yet happened is the implementation, the structure, the goal

driven phase where ambassadors move from commitment to measurable community action. We are requesting from Ward One up to $21,583 for our next 12 month programs in Ward One. Next slide, please. Our second request

is expanding into each war. Two, three, four. We will replicate and improve on what worked. The same six events start up. Create an ambassador team in each ward. Deploy them throughout College Park. Total cost to each ward 21,582 for 2026.

Total for three wars 64,746. This would not include the venue. However, it would include the food. Next slide, please. We need a program coordinator coordinated the startup and the implementation in ward one. to start up in East Ward. Uh

we estimate $9,000 for a part-time person to start up. Next slide. Therefore, we are requesting funding for a part-time coordinator to support both wards, all wards, at a total request of $95,328.

That is our ass. The city that did it. The city that did it. What has been built so far is the I'm sorry. Yeah. Thank you. What has been built so far is the results of trust. The trust placed in UAF by the city of College Park and his elected leadership. Because that support we were able to

introduce the model city initiative bring res residents together that develop a working framework. That is what you had made possible. Mayor Bianca Mley Broom, Mayor Pro Tim Joe K, Council Member Tracy Arn Councilman Rodri Gate, Council Member Dr. Jam McKenzie.

Together, together you have helped establish the foundation. We can see together So, we're asking we're asking you to take the next step by continuing to fund United Action for the Advancement of Humanity in this upcoming budget. The city that did it.

The city that did it. Thank you. Any questions? >> Thank you, sir. Council member Mackenzie, >> Dr. Chisulo, thank you so much for coming and presenting uh tonight. You know that I'm definitely an advocate. Um actually before I was ever in office, you were preaching the model city initiative to me. It was something that you had been working with different elected officials to try to you had a vision for the city of College Park. And

I can say that I agreed with that vision because when I moved to College Park back in two 10 years ago, I thought it was the best city in the whole wide world. It was truly I I could feel the the love. I was embraced immediately by the the community. I mean, I went to a meeting and as people were grabbing me and I was next thing I knew it, I was on the women's club board. I was on the HCPNA board. It was just uh going to dinner with folks every Thursday night.

It was community and I loved that and I felt like that was 10 years ago. We were on our way to being that model city. But two and a half years ago, this city experienced something that I never thought would happen. It was called an election. And that was the most probably the most nastiest election that we've ever had uh since I've been in the city. And for

the last two and a half years, it has been turbulent in this city. And the community that I love still that I embraced that I felt embraced all people became a divisive group of people neighbors that had beautiful homes and beautiful streets were not treating one another with love and reverence. And it broke my heart. not because of me,

>> but to think that the change of a governing body could change the entire outlook of a city. And so when you approached me about this again, I was looking for answers because I still believe in the college park that my husband and I were greeted by in June of 2020, 2016. Actually, we started building our house in February. That college park, I know that it still

exists. >> Now, what is the issue? The issue is that there are some underlying things and that we need to grasp as a community. So obviously for us to be where we're at or where we came to, what I thought we were wasn't really where we were because we needed something. We needed to learn. See, love is not just in word, it's in deed and in truth. And

reverence comes when we reverence ourselves, >> we can reverence others. So, what I came to understand over the past two and a half years, and I've written a book about it. It's coming out in the next few days. What I've come to learn is that we it has to start here. If it starts here, it can stay here, but we have to allow it to get into here. So, yes, I know you were asking my other

colleagues. I don't know if you asked everybody, but I know you reached out. I know that you were specifically specifically speaking to me and the mayor and you wanted to see us come together because I felt that that was one of the keys if me and the mayor could come together because we both live in the same 12 block radius. And that was where a lot of the issues were. And the problem was not war two. It was not war three. It was not war four. It was ward one. my ward, my home,

my neighborhood, my community, my electorate, my residence. And so when nobody else took the bait, I said, "Doc, if you can heal us, if you can sew up the wounds and your team, let's do it." So, we put $9,600 out because at that point, I didn't even know if I was going to get the support. So I said, "Well, let me go with the level that I know. If I can get the city manager to agree, we get started." And

you did. You did a great job. Yes. We were on channel 11 for the things that you were doing. You were working with the Martin Luther King Center. You got at least 75 of our citizens involved in this. And we started seeing some change because change is not what you look on for on the outside. It's what you experience in the inside. And I think that if we could talk to some of the persons that were part of this initiative, they would tell you that their outlook has been increased. Their

love for themselves in the city. And I think, guys, that's what we need. So, I want to talk more to you off the record about the charges uh for this this year, but I definitely want to continue this program in the upcoming fiscal year. I think that we need it. I think we need all hands on deck right now. I think that we need to look at every single way possible to make this beautiful city. This city is not just a diamond in the rush rough. It is a

diamond, but it is a diamond that's been covered with dirt and darkness and lies and deception and division. Something that I believe that love and reverence can have. So, you're on to something. >> Thank you. Yes. >> And it begins with Dr. King's dream. So, I want to thank you for your tenacity. I want to thank you that you don't give up. I want to thank all the members of United Action for the humanity for the advancement of humanity for showing up because one of the ways

that we come together as a community, which I still don't see like I'd like to. I still see us operating in silos. One person has a meeting, you get a certain group that comes to that meeting. Another person has a meeting you get. But you guys come to everything and you're showing us that we are all one community. We are not. Yeah. Our color of our skin may be melanated or non-melanated, but all of our blood is blue or red rather. All our blood is red, right? We are all

the human. We are all the same race. And that race is the human race. Absolutely. So I I I want you to keep hammering it in. >> Thank you. >> Because until my residents get it, >> we got to keep on doing it. Till I can see people stop putting negative things and fighting people on Facebook and these groups. Till I can see neighbors supporting the different initiatives that we have. Till I can see my governing body walking in love and reverence for each other. We need this.

Say no more. >> Thank you. Thank you, >> Council Member Cart. >> Uh, evening, evening, good doctor. >> Uh, great presentation. Um, yeah, we we're all neighbors and, uh, I think we're all obligated to simply just look out for one another. That's what it's all about. So, I think you're headed in the right direction. Thank you, >> Council Member Arnold. >> Thank you, Dr. Chisulo. Thank you for

the presentation, for the information. I don't have any questions um or any other comments. Thank you very much. >> Council. >> Yes, ma'am. Thank you, sir, for the presentation. No questions. >> Thank you, sir. Appreciate it. >> Thank you. Next agenda item, presentation from Destination College Park, presented by Karen Jeremy, founder and president of

Destination College Park. This item is sponsored by Councilwoman Dr. Jamal McKenzie. >> Hello governing body. >> Hope you're having a good evening today. I am so excited to share with you today some updates. We have been busy and I'd like you to know that I brought some guests with me. Um, a great colleague of mine, Margaret, um, is coming from Clear

Media and I'm going to yield some of my time. She has some exciting information for us. We've been working since February >> of last year, >> February of 2025. And um, So, we've got some great information to share and Margaret, I think it's time to really unveil. So, I'm going to cut part of my presentation short so that I can share this podium with her. Um, I want to skip to um we all know that my contract was

to do three things. It was to help us prepare for the world games that are coming. And in doing so, I was asked um I was secured to offer my professional services to bring a visitor center and to explore what type of tourism we could have here in College Park. I am not the official DMO. I say that every time I come up and I want to please hammer that home. We have the great um Atlanta airport district and I am not there to

replace. I am doing a totally different thing with historic tourism. And so I always bring that up. And so I but I was brought here to do those things to do infrastructure preparedness to look at opportunities for economic and business growth through tourism as well as to talk about resident benefit focus. And I want to talk about how some of the things that we've done, we've created two. I'm going to discuss with you very quickly so that you can get our project

development plan as well as our marketing strategy roadmap that we put together to get us to those two places. Um we came up with a con campaign concept Margaret and I over a year and a half ago and it's called First Stop College Park where we would consider working with the airport and with Marta to actually um create effective campaigns and we've done that. I think we've done that successfully and we're ready to share that. In addition, uh Margaret was very very helpful in

helping us to create audience targeting and a lot of that data that we did and that she's going to share with you actually helped to identify who were the visitors that were coming to College Park. We we didn't have a good handle on that information, but now we know who's coming, how many people are coming, how much long are they staying here. And so Margaret's going to share that with you. and we did a really really deep dive I think into finding out that information to help create an effective marketing campaign. We also did um market research

as I shared initially. I've gone to several visitor centers to see at a local, state, national, and I even had the opportunity to go to an international location on my own vacation. and it was an amazing opportunity to see what was trending in best practices and so that we could bring some of that best practice to the city of College Park. In addition, we talked about um launching campaign execution. So, we came up Margaret and I worked very hard to come up with um

rates. We negotiate rates and campaigns with Clear Media. And so we have a funding request that we have sent to the Atlanta airport DMO and that has been pending since December and so it's under consideration. And in addition to that, we created local field cards that could be executed with a QR code to help people go to destination parkpark.com so that they would know all of the listing of all the restaurants that are here, some of the amenities we have like the wellness spot, um, and all of the

restaurants and other types of parks and things all over the city. Um, we came up with campaign development as a part of that marketing strategy for that first part of the contract. It was tourists traveling through Atlanta. We came up with a campaign called landing in Atlanta, visit College Park, Georgia. We also came up with something called C is for College Park and Mark is going to talk more about that using gate C in the Atlanta airport to help people understand that when they come to the airport, they are landing in College

Park when they come to the terminal, Delta baggage claim, gates A, B, part of C, and the car rental. And so we explored how can we get people to not only stop if they have the time, if they have long layovers, how can they then pivot some of that as well as if Margaret came up with a great idea. I wish I could take credit for it, but I can't. Margaret came up with a great idea of a lot of times our neighbors in Sandy Springs, Roswell, Ephetta, they don't want to. They have those first 6:30 a.m. flights. How do we get that

traffic to come here, enjoy the city before or either the flight before they face the traffic going home. And so that's a part of C is for College Park as well. And we also came up with Discover College Park and that's targeting local visitors. That's the discover college park discovery targeting local visitors from metro Atlanta. And we wanted to also approach Martyr with First Stop College Park and we are now in the process of evaluating that. And Margaret's going to

talk a little more. And let me talk one more piece that I think is important is if we can go to the next one please is the visitor center road map and museum just to give you a heads up of where we are with that. Um we are refurbishing the event space and front entry and I'm very happy to say that the museum piece is completed. >> Y so we are on schedule to open the museum in June. The historical society I wish I had a picture of everyone today. They're

curating those exhibits. There's some great information there. We've got documents that go all the way back to the 1840s and 50s. And so, we are really curating, finding, we're looking at how the native Indian population influenced and knowing that I I didn't know this that um Highway 29 Main Street was an Indian trail long before it was a state highway. And so, we're going to document all of that. Um so we are doing the refurbishment there. If you'll look at

the um also with the historical society, the conservancy has made a huge um investment in and in investing in that property to get it so that it can be a resource center for the city and we will be doing a please stand by for an invitation that will come in May. that will be the um grand opening for that where a lot of homes and I've gotten a lot of businesses and homes that are interested in tracing all of their genealogy of their homes and business buildings and sites and we'll be able to

offer that to them. Um so we've developed the main design and the features of a center prototype for all of those spaces. Um the event center space layout has been developed. Um the museum research has been we've contacted um our local entities like Atlanta History Center. um the historic preservation trust. We have brochures that have been developed. Um the great thing that College Park um we're working with our businesses. I'm so excited about this too. The um destination College Park has set aside um a large

amount of money to uh not large to me, may not be large to others, but it's large to my small business um to translate all the menus of all of the restaurants in English and Spanish and Haitian Creole. So they will be able to when the visitors come um for um the World Cup, we will our businesses because of Destination College Park will be able to translate um their services for those guests. So we're excited about that initiative. Um we have done two

already with um Breakfast Boys and the Wellness Spot. And so we're keeping going down the street as we go. Um we also have um created a staffing plan for all of these centers. We have worked with you Ignite. There is a program that I'm excited that we plan to take advantage of where if you hire seniors, um AARP will actually pay for those seniors or at least a portion of their minimum wage to actually have them come and work in your your center. So, we're

going to be working with Ignite to bring that um as part of our staffing plan. We have a punch list and we've done media planning um with clear media to see how we can also do um bring put the visitor center on the map as well. And we hope to have a soft launch May and the grand opening May June. We're doing a ribbon cutting in May and we also will have a media launch and that's going to be ongoing. Okay. and I'm going to yield the rest of

my time because what Margaret has to share is so impressive and important. So, and I'll be here to answer questions as we go. >> Okay, great. Pleasure to meet everybody. Good evening. Um, let's see. Do we have this done already? Yes. Here we go. So, you can go ahead to the next slide. Um, so basically, you know, why um why now? This slide really covers why now um Atlanta is the busiest

airport um on the globe. And um here are just some statistics overall about airport advertising in general. So 81% of Atlanta flyers notice airport advertising and uh 85% read the ad and 58% actually act on noticing that ad. So either um they visit the location, they follow up with an online search or they visit the website to find out more information. Um so why Atlanta? Um the

proximity to College Park, it's unmatched, right? You guys are right here. Like you said, the airport sits on the city. So, I think it is really important to kind of pair that and show that, you know, there's community here and that um College Park is the closest city to go and visit um to dine, to experience um especially when people have layovers and stuff like that. Um so, here's um just a couple more information on the Yeah, we can go to the next slide on just some of the

demographics. So, the age um the average age is 46. Um 61% of flyers are married. Um and about 28% of those folks um are under the age of 18. Um and then when you look at the financials um you know the the average household income for this is somebody who's a frequent flyer um is about 250,000 and then their average neck neck income is about 1 million. So we would love to take some of those dollars and put them right here

in College Park. Um, so this would definitely help boost revenue for the city. Um, you know, here we have, um, Atlanta air travelers agree information on this would be beneficial. Dining, things to do, tourist attractions, local events, shopping, retail. Um, and then 58% um, of Atlanta air travels travelers shop locally. And then just another side note, um over one in four plan to buy their first or

second home in the next year. Um I made a good point and us talking about, you know, the airport being the uh largest employer in the state with over 60,000 employers there and the traffic that happens in Atlanta. You know, it would be great to convince those people to relocate here, right? Have a shorter commute, be right down the road from where you work. Um so I think that is important to think about as well. Um, and we can go to, yep, the next slide. Um, and this is really where it all started was the, you know, FIFA's

coming to town. It's less than 55 days away. Um, there's going to be over a million dollars, you know, impacting um the economy of Atlanta. There's projected to be um over 300,000 visitors coming. Um and then here 40% of Atlanta's job creation historically driven by indirect investment expected to grow post World Cup. Um so we're seeing you just some of the statistics here as well for the summer traffic. So

in June we're expecting um over 9.7 million passengers. In July over 10 million and in August over 9 million. Um, so there's a lot of folks coming through and would love to see College Park capture that business. Um, so we can go to the next slide. So this is sort of our uh clear channels uh approach to, you know, um advertising, right? We have this fly, drive, walk approach. So um 69% of

frequent flyers visited a location after learning about it at the airport. um 81% of adults took an action after seeing an out ofome ad, so a billboard. Um and then um for the walk effect, 42% of adults reported out ofome ads had an impact on um their purchase decisions. So, I do think that these numbers are are important to see and to show you look at how many people come through and and what percentage we can gain from that. Um, and you know, how to really um

embrace College Park and promote it as a place to stop and visit or even potentially move here. Um, so this we'll go over in the next slide. Um, we have this uh tool called Radar Connect. So, any ad that you do with us, you can add this in addition. And so what this does, um, it extend extends your campaign reach. So, uh, it goes beyond the airport. We're able to geoence the airport or geoence an arena. Um, you

know, even a a conference center or hotel that might be having an event. Um, and so we can retarget those folks on their mobile, their um laptops, their desktops, whatever it may be. >> And cell phones. Right. Exactly. Um so it basically brings an offline touch point online helping brands drive traffic to their sites. Um active client touch points detailed weekly monthly reporting is provided via performance dashboard that keeps clients engaged throughout the campaign. Um and then

clear channel fully manages this service for you. Um so you would have added account support. Um this really kind of gives you the data that you want um that you know a lot of people need to prove out of home and its value there. And then here is just um on the next slide a great visual for me um and it's showing you how you can geoence certain areas. So like a dining district or hotel or the airport um even restaurants, right? Um so the strategy and timeline for

event retargeting you know at the initial campaign is to geoence you know two week two weeks before the event um to get people interested right hey this is right around the corner um and then when the event begins reach the event attendees um activate the geoence around the conference center and capture attendees that way and then postevent continue to engage attendees um captured in the um event at the center and reinforce your message and remain top of mind with a valuable audience. So I

think especially with a lot of people going to um the Georgia International Congress Center, I think you know you want to go grab a coffee, maybe you don't want to eat there in the morning, you can come right down to College Park um and take take um lunch, dinner, whatever it is here um that you want to do also or even visit a museum that's opening. Um we have um just this great um performance and sort of like a case study on the next slide um regarding

Georgia State University and how they they did a sponsorship there and their objective was to boost brand awareness for Georgia State um among the millions of people who who travel there. Um, so they were able to, um, with the QR code, um, they were able to do over 12,000 scans and they were just under 6,000 new subscribers. Um, and that equated to 47% new subscribers opting in for that. So

QR codes is another way that can be very impactful on ads and how to track that. Um, and then here are some examples of, you know, other local cities that have been doing airport advertising. So, if we go to the next slide, I'll show you the Douglas County um ad. So, they wanted to promote Douglas County where they wanted to get visitors to come there. Um, so they took advantage of the baggage claim arrivals unit um to inspire visitors as they land by showing off activities and lodging and nearby proximity to Atlanta. Um so it boosted

the county's awareness um and consideration among Atlanta flyers. Um if we go to the next slide, this is another great example. Um this is um Lacus and this is a city about 50 miles outside of the El Paso airport. So they did all these different kind of creative ads as you can see. um and they've been annually dominating the El Paso airport as part of a long-term campaign to increase visitation um to their vibrant city and they're 50 miles from the

airport. Um so think about how impactful it would be for somebody who's at the airport. Um and then the last one I want to show you um we've been working with the city of Rosemont um in Chicago for over 10 years. Um so over a decade now they've strategically invested high impact digital bag claim advertising throughout the airport. Um showcasing premier dining, shopping and festivals. Um they consistently positions itself as a dynamic destination just beyond the

airport. Um turning every arrival into an invitation to experience the energy of the city. Um, now you can skip over to the next two slides and I just want to show you some of the options that we do have available for FIFA if that is something of interest because we're pretty close to it. Um, we wouldn't be able to do anything print right now. Um, but we have iconic digital, direct view digital, video walls, arrival digital. So really an like a plethora of advertising opportunities um that you

can just do digitally. Um, we also have some new inventory um that's come out on the plane train uh I'm sorry, the sky train. So now we have these interior window wraps which I think would be perfect for College Park because you're going to uh the rental car area. You're going over to um the GIC. So, um, that's just giving you an example of some of the things and I have this appendix in here if you want to go, um, just one more slide. Um, and we won't have to go

through all of these, but I wanted to give you this information to have. So, this isn't highlighting all Atlanta advance that are happening activities. So, we have the NBA finals coming up, the World Cup, we have the Atlanta Dream games happening. Um, what are what are the other ones that we were talking about the other day? >> NBA finals. No, I did NBA Finals are in Atlanta this year >> and then the College Park Skyhawk season, too. So, um I I just kind of wanted to give you two some um you know,

dates that you know, these are big events that happen in the city that could definitely drive business um to College Park. So, um if you have time, take a look at the remaining slides because I don't want to take up all of your time today, but I wanted to give you as much information as you have. Um, any questions that you have for me? >> We'll start with Council Member McKente. >> Well, I have had my questions answered and first of all, I want to thank you for hanging in with us. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Because we have been working on this

since February. Yeah. >> Um Karen, when did you how when how >> we started it? I did it even before the contract because I just thought I was >> This is before we even had Destination. you were still >> I was Destination College Park was there, but I did not contract with the city and I started doing the work with Margaret before we even had a contract because I think this is such an important initiative and that College Park can really benefit from grabbing some of the tourism that goes through the airport as well as the car rental

places because a lot of people actually go to car rental just to get a car. They don't even get on the plane. And so we could capture some of that. we could capture some of the bike races that come through town. There's just a lot of opportunity for us to advertise. >> And when you were on the DMO, this was one of the things that you presented to the DMO and got laughed off and put out, but that's neither here nor there. Um, when I before I got sworn in, I was sitting in a conversation with some council members from city of Atlanta and they were talking about all these big

bucks that are coming. The FIFA games, World Cup is coming to Atlanta. And I'm like, whoa, we got to capture some of this for our College Park community, our businesses. And it has been like pulling teeth. Uh so we submitted to the ATL district >> the deck that you put together correct Margaret >> and we we we had this together since about last November actually October >> November >> um maybe September but by the time we

our first submission was like October. >> Yes. >> And that was for a package for a little bit over 200,000 but it would have featured the city of College Park all over the place. And I'm glad Gerald Walker is here. He because Gerald's been passionate about how can we get more advertising out for the city of Koshark. We've had several conversations. I'm very happy to have our new economic development director, Miss Doure is here and you know because these are the type this is the type of thing that brings

uh more to our economy. See we can't we are not a high school. We are a fortune $200 million company here in the city of College Park. We're a corporation and if you fail to advertise, you are planning to fail. And so I have been adamant about this. I want to thank city manager Hicks for saying we will put this on because I can't put a lot of stuff on the agenda, but he let us put this on the agenda

because he sees the vision as well. He can speak for himself. So basically what I'm saying is that um if not when if not now when and um we we also have to really make sure that you know I don't know where this money is going to come from and and Mr. Hicks, I hope that we can work on this over the next few weeks because if we miss out on this opportunity, the tragedy is is that people fly into Atlanta and when they get here, they

think they're in Atlanta, but you're in College Park. >> And College Park is suffering. We're suffering because we have all we're this, like I said, we're gold mine. We are we're gold. We're diamond. I said diamond before. But nobody gets to see us shine. And if we don't toot our own horn, I was interviewed earlier today and I said if you don't tell your story, then you leave it up to someone else to tell what they want to tell about you and the narrative will never be your story. And so we have got to learn how

to tell our story. We've got to make the investment because we have some of the finest I mean I and I know her name has been mentioned her company but we have one of the top spas in this region right on Main Street and the proprietor is sitting right there. She owns half the block and many other businesses. But when you walk into that wellness spot you are in what College Park is. We are fine. We are refined. You know we are a class. We are distinction. But people

think about us, they look at, oh yeah, all that crime in College Park. That's only a piece. And a lot of that is not even in our zip code. So I would like to see I I know we only have 55 days. It pains me when I get off that plane. You know, I travel a lot. My husband just landed and sent me a message thanking me for making dinner. That's what I was doing this morning barefoot in the kitchen. and um so that when he got home from his trip, he'd have a meal. But uh it pains me to walk through that airport

and you know how I feel too, Margaret, and I see other cities. I see Douglas County. I see Clayton County. >> M >> I see Mon. >> Yeah. >> I is Hayville in there. >> They were okay. I SAW THEM. >> They have a billboard. >> Why are we not there? So, um, I was told one time that we couldn't advertise in the airport. >> I was told that when I got on the DMO. >> So, um, I'm just asking, you know, like I said, I'm glad that the the powers

that be that are concerned with advertising economic development in this city are sitting in the room right now. This is a discussion that we cannot let slide and I would like to find a way in the next 10 days or so, Mr. Hixer, I assume we can to be able to utilize some funding from somewhere to make sure that city of College Park is acknowledged not just for the World Cup, but for the worldclass businesses that we already have. People come from all over. They

fly in to go to some of our restaurants on Main Street. The rest of the world needs to know about that. And the people that land, I know I'm passionate today, y'all. These are my two agenda items. If I don't speak up, if I don't tell my story, if I don't stand on my own soap box, ain't nobody else gonna do it. So, I want the record to reflect that it will be a travesty for the city of College Park to not be recognized to be seen in either the baggage claim, the gates, the sky

train. We have got to be seen during this period and we need to continue to advertise. To think that a destination marketing organization in this city exists only to put heads in beds is a freaking freaking freaking mistake. Okay? It's a lot more for showing a destination than putting somebody in a hotel. And one of the things we've understood is that the hotel rates, the

hotel, there may be a lack in how many hotel rooms are being used, but there's still people coming through this airport >> and they a 100,000 people come through this come through this area every single day. >> I think they just had like so many canceled flights like over 230 canceled flights just this weekend. So, you know, how are those people displaced? If they have canceled flights, where are they going to go? How are they going to know have the opportunity to reach them on their phone as well? So, we do think it is impactful. >> Margaret had a great idea of a campaign

idea of if you're stranded at the Atlanta airport, you're not really stranded. You're in College Park. Come on over to us. We'll take care of you. >> Yeah. I'd like to have something pop up on your phone when you land. You know, sometimes when you're in the airport, the thing pops up about Wi-Fi and stuff like that. I'd like to have something pop up say, "WELCOME TO COLLEGE PARK." >> YEAH, we do actually. >> Oh, we have that ability. That's what I'm saying. That's what exists. >> Council member Cart. >> All right. Uh great presentation, ladies. Uh really wonderful. Uh city

manager. We got a spa in College Park. Oh, wait a minute. The wellness spot. Oh, we got a great spa. That's right. Uh wonderful presentation. Uh you all look very springlike here. You know, >> great mind thinking alike. Thinking alike. Uh, Miss Jeremy, are you a member of a certain sorority? >> Owl for Cappa. Owl for sorority incorporated. >> Oh, okay. I I didn't know. I was just checking colors. Um, yeah, we uh we we

definitely need to step up the marketing game uh in College Park. And uh you know, we're a small close-knit community, but we're a hospitality center and we're still an international city as well. Even though we're still, you know, oldfashioned with the southern hospitality, you know, um sometimes I'm making uh barefoot in the kitchen making dinner too for my message. Oh yeah, absolutely. I like to cook, but uh we we we definitely want to bring more people in and bring more attention to uh what

we've got here and what we're doing and the the convenience of Hospitality is going to be one of the strong points. So, let's uh keep working on it. >> Okay. >> We won't give up. >> Council member Arnold, >> thank you. I mean, that was a excellent presentation. Very valuable information. Thank you for sharing it with me. I don't have any questions, >> but thank you again, >> Council Gay. >> All right. Um, I do have a few um and a

couple of points. Um, thank you for the presentation. I appreciate it. Um, gate C is not in our city limits. >> Part of gate C. >> No, >> half of half ofates half. It's it's the T gates, the A gates, and half the B gates. Got it. C is not in the city limits. >> Um, and thank you. >> The NBA finals may be here depending on how the Hawks do, but typically the the NBA finals are in the host cities of the of the final teams. So, there's no guarantee that it'll be in Atlanta, but

but hopefully, we'll see. Um, and I had a couple questions, Miss Jeremy. Is the report that we got in our packet the final report that you submitted? >> I'm not sure what you're asking. >> The the presentation that you had, is that your final report for the year? >> I submitted a report to Councilwoman McKenzie. And so that would be the report that was attached to the invoice.

So, is that the one you're request you're speaking of? Because these are highlights from that report and the report is like 50 pages long and I know I don't have enough time to go over the entire report. So, the answer would be there's a more extensive report that has gone to Councilwoman McKenzie along with an invoice. >> Okay. So, I've seen the invoice and I've seen the payment for the the bonus, but I have not seen the present the the final presentation. And that was approved that contract with Destination

College Park was approved by the council. So, can we please get a copy of that report, Mr. Hicks? Thank you. If we if the entire body could have it, I would appreciate it. Um, but I know that some of the benchmarks that were in that contract included exceeding a 10% local tourism increase to receive the bonus. Is that correct? >> Let me ask you a question before so we can let our guests go. Do you have any more questions for her? I'm more than willing to answer any of those

questions. >> Sure. >> Do you have >> I don't have any more more questions for Clear Channel. Thank you. Appreciate it. >> I'm in the hot seat now. How can I help you? >> I the there were three criteria upon which your bonus was the $24,000 bonus was paid. Is that correct? >> You That's a legal question. So, I think you should refer that to the legal counsel as I was told what to do based

on the contract that I got and I was contracted through Ward One. I did as I was instructed based on the response to ward one as defined by councel. And so I I really am trying to understand what you're asking me. You're asking So say that again because I am not sure what you are asking me. If if it was paid that means that I met what was paid. They would never have paid me. That

would be illegal. And I don't think you're suggesting that we're doing anything illegal. Are you, >> Miss Jeremy? I'm trying to understand how you exceeded the benchmarks to receive the bonus. >> Could Could you refer to the people who made the determination that I did? Because you're asking me to evaluate myself based on a contract that was written by the city and approved by Dr. Jamal McKenzie. So based on my understanding, I did. And if there's a question about the evaluation, I probably am not the person you should

probably be asking. >> What was your understanding? >> Oh, I just gave it to you. >> What was your understanding for reaching the benchmarks that that allowed you to receive the $24,000 bonus? >> I am I order? >> Yeah, I'm not >> point of order. You don't have to say anything, Miss Jeremy. Okay. >> I'm saying a point of order. Council member >> Mayor, are we trying to handle this as though it is a courtroom? Are you being a prosecutor at this moment? Because I

think Miss Jeremy has been very clear, and I'm sitting right here. Miss Jeremy has been very clear that the determination of any bonus would be paid as per the person that contracted her involving the city manager, the law firm. So, if you have any more questions, I'm asking that you not badger, the presenter who happens to not only be a business owner, but a resident of your

ward. And I'm asking that you would refrain that the chair at this time would refrain from badgering. Miss Jeremy, >> thank you, council member. My question is, how much did was there There were three criteria in in the contract regarding the bonuses. Exceeding 10% of local tourism, exceeding the initial target visitor center engagement by 10%, and that all deliverables were met and

final reports submitted 30 days before the end of the fiscal year. That's that's in the >> I understand um what you're asking me, but nothing I don't know why my answer is not sufficient. And I I will again refer you to Dr. Jamal McKenzie, legal counsel, and the city manager because they made the evaluation based on my performance and based on what I did and the outcomes that were presented to you. And I am I'm still trying to understand

the point of this. Now, here's what I do know. Mr. Hicks before he was city manager explained to me that we track traffic every day and that there is a counter that exists. I for one know that if there are no people on a Saturday and I bring 10 people I've increased it by 100%. But and you know that so and you know are aware that we track the foot

traffic of College Park on a daily basis. So I don't think that this is being asked of me in good faith and here's why I don't think that when I come here let me ask you a question please if may I >> No ma'am. >> Okay. It's a It's a I'm I'm trying to understand. >> May I help you by asking a question to help clarify?

>> Hold on one second. >> I mean, can I Who has the data? Who has the data that our local tourism has improved by over 10% in the last year? >> That is not what my contract says. And I know that says that it that was to bring events to the city. Now you are being semantically um questionable here. My job which I fulfilled was to bring

events to the city and I've done that not on one not on two but three occasions. And my question to you, if you are ever permit me to ask this question, is why was this question not asked of the Atlanta airport DMO who has the contract to increase tourism for the city of College Park by more than just 10%. But you tend to want to position me continuously as the DMO for Atlanta, I mean for College Park. And I am not. my

contract. When I did an event for a watch party in February, I met the objective of my contract. It was not a continuous 10%. And both you and I know that, but there's a semantical game going on here. And I and I don't understand it. And and it seems to always go on when I come before you. I have been working very diligently. And the question is not what did I do when I gave you $300,000 worth of value for a

$80,000 contract. I could be asking as a resident and I will what you did with the $400,000 for a capital campaign to improve the city. You've not spent a dime. >> Okay. So, we're back on the performance bonus. We are back on. You have not seen one dime of $400,000 given to you through the community enhancement grant that you haven't done anything to improve College Park. So in me with Miss Jeremy,

>> I understand >> me with $40,000 more than you. >> Miss Jeremy, you're out of order. Mhm. >> The question is about the bonus you received >> contract president. My question is this is not the opportunity for you to ask that question >> because you deem it so. >> Yes, ma'am. And I'm the chair and so the performance bonus is not to deem should not I'm trying to deflect right now Robert's rules of order and the chair is

not of dictatorship and authority. Miss Jeremy, the performance bonus for 10% for $8,000 says exceed 10% local tourism increase. >> How was that accomplished? >> Jingle mingle. >> Okay, >> Mr. the performance point of order again. >> Council member Council member, I'm in the middle of questioning. You're out of order. >> The chair is out of order. Council member McKenzie, >> I would like, in fact, I know this is

this council member so that I can make a motion. >> I'd like to make a motion to override the chair at this time and end this discussion until the chair can learn how to respect Miss Jeremy. The chair is continuously disrespectful to Miss Jeremy. And I shouldn't even be calling her Miss Jerry. She's Dr. Jeremy. This woman is a renowned individual who does not deserve to be

treated like this. And I, the mayor, may feel like it's okay to belittle one of her residents. But Miss Jeremy is not just a vendor or a contractor from another place. She is a resident of Ward One and I represent her and I will not in good conscience sit here and allow anyone to disrespect a person who's going beyond the call of duty. she received her organization, not her. And I also have a problem with it

going out to the public that Karen Jeremy has received 340 something thousand when indeed we are discussing two separate organizations, two nonprofit organizations, not Miss Jeremy. Miss Jeremy is not even the contractor. She works with the organization that has been contracted by the city of College Park. So, if the presiding officer and this meeting has an an issue, Miss Jeremy's not the only one to talk to. There's a whole board

for Destination College Park. There's a board of directors for the historical society. Now, the bonus has been paid. Everything that was required has been completed. If the mayor would like to make a change of behavior and actually have a conversation with this who is her resident, this person who is her resident, the mayor refuses to speak to me, to send emails, to make

phone calls. I receive, for those of you that are listening, my my office receives an a report from Destination College Park every single Monday. I know everything that is going on. I'm aware of the statistics, but I whom a member of the governing body who can be spoken to any kind of way anybody up here wants to speak to me because we're all in the same boat have never ever

been asked for any information. However, I see a trend that is very disappointing. I see persons who come here and do workshop presentations and they just are able to smooth right through. But there's not one time and I want you all to look very very closely. Watch closely because every time Dr. Jeremy has come up here, even if it was to share with us

an update on anything, she has been harassed by the chair. No one else in these seats but the chair. because the chair has an issue with Jamal McKenzie and takes it out on the persons that are helping us build Ward One better. I have said this when Dr. Chisulu came down earlier. I invite the mayor of this city and the chair of this meeting to have a sitdown conversation with me

face to face, not on Zoom. It can be in a room just like this. It can be in a conference room with the city attorney and the city manager to try to iron out the differences as to why she continually attacks anyone and everyone that is a vendor or contract for Ward One. So, I'm challenging the chair at this moment to a meeting, but until that happens, I am not going to sit here and I will never sit here and allow any

person who has rolled up their sleeves, gives her their time. This woman has been in the historical society building since 10:00 this morning, went home to change clothes, and is back here at city hall to make sure that our city looks beautiful. She's working with business owners. She's had multiple multiple events that have brought hundreds of people into this city that would never have stepped foot in College Park without her event. The data is there. The proof is in the

pudding. The contract has been exceeded in every form and fashion. And the decision to approve payment was mine. So, I'm the one that needs to have that discussion, not you, Miss Jeremy. So, I apologize to you. >> Thank you. >> Because we knew this was going to happen today. >> Absolutely. >> But you still showed up anyway. You knew you were going to be questioned like this. You knew they were going to be on Facebook >> because I am not. >> You knew the computer bans. Wait, let me

finish. Let me I still have the floor. >> No, you knew a second that people were going to be talking against you about you. >> Council member, I've given you wide council member. >> And this is all because you're being disrespected by the head of this meeting, the chair of this meeting. When the chair begins to respect you, her citizens will respect you. But until the chair shows respect to you, >> council member, you're out of order. >> Then the chair will continue to say to the residents of the city of College Park that it's okay to not show love and

reverence to every individual regardless of sex. >> Still out of order, >> ethnicity, religion. >> Council member, you're still out of order. >> Then have me escorted out the building. >> Council member. >> Okay. If I'm that out of order, have one of the officers come take me out because enough is enough. I'm not going to disrespect anybody. I'm not going to disrespect the chair, but I'm making a point that right is right and I still am in a point of order >> and I am still in the discussion regard

I have not finished my discussion and I'm being cut off. We're not even discussion yet because you keep on talking. >> I am still in my motion. I have a motion that may be 16 paragraphs long, but I am still in my motion and I am still discussing. >> Council member, council member, we're not in discussion. >> I'm still in my motion. Council >> member has motion to override the chair. >> Again, for what? >> For being disrespectful to the presenter. >> Is there a second?

>> Second. >> Okay. Discussion. >> All right. So, as I was saying that every single individual that comes down here should be given respect. There was one time where I was not the best and I had to apologize for that because I realized what it takes for a person first of all to come down here and to explain what they'd like to do for the city or to give a report on what they have done. And Dr. Jeremy, if you were to express all the work that you have

done, we would be here till midnight tonight and beyond. I want to thank you for continuing to show up to continuing to be softspoken as you are when you know you have had all types of attack on your person. You have been misre misrepresented. You have been lied on. You have been slandered in this city because the people believe what one person is saying

about you and that is not fair. And then we come into these meetings and that individual continues to show disrespect. You are not only a member of this community, a member of my ward, but you are a woman and you are a black woman. And I remember my colleague Arnold saying, "There is a hot place in hell for any woman that refuses to support other women." I believe that you deserve

respect, especially from the female members of this governing body because we all know how difficult it is for us as women to be able to rise to these points where we are right now. It is not easy. And I'm not just saying black women. I'm talking about all women. And so I salute any woman that can do what you have done and continue to show up even though you are continuously

disrespected. And I'm sure that even on the College Park Facebook page right now, they're going crazy. And they think they're right because they have been given permission to be wrong. They can talk about me all they want. I signed up for this, but you didn't. So, I apologize to you. And whether this motion goes forward, I've already spoke my piece, but I think I've made it clear

if you roll back all the videotapes, all the tapes of every time this precious woman who is a friend of mine, I didn't give her the contract because she was my friend. I gave her the contract because she earned it. And there's no one that has a contract from Jamal McKenzie that is not all that in their field. I happen to know a lot of people who are professional and I have know people that are truly invested in the city of College Park. And as I

said when Dr. Chula was here, I believe in College Park. I believe that we're better than this. We're better than this show up here right now. We're better than putting out false information on council members and members of this community prior to meetings so that people can come in here with their with preconceived notions that are not true. We're better than that. And if it's anybody that has to be a champion for

what's right in this city, it's the five members sitting up here in this deis. If we don't promote what we want to see in this community, if we don't champion the people that are making a difference in this city, if we don't celebrate the efforts of economic development in this city, we have no right to sit up here because when I open my mouth, I represent every single

person in Ward One, whether they like me or Not I represent everyone and when I do something whether it's out there in the field or here it's a representative of the city of College Park and College Park deserves better than this Miss Jeremy. >> So I invite you to keep on doing what you're doing. Thank you for following through. In fact, you called me and

followed me so much it almost gets on my nerves. But I appreciate it. You wear me out >> because you always have an idea. >> But when you have the idea, you put feet to it. We got some stuff we're working on right now that is going to transform >> Main Street. >> Yes. Yes. >> And now you have gotten some phenomenal people on board with you that are change makers. >> Yes. >> And I want them to know you're the right person.

Everything people are saying, anything that anybody's saying that makes it seem like you're up to something nefarious or getting some money you didn't deserve. Girl, you earned it. And the one thing I do know, you didn't pay yourself. That's one thing I love about you. WHEN I RAN IGNITE, I DIDN'T PAY MYSELF. I paid the people that made this thing happen. So, thank you. Thank you for loving College Park. Thank you for traveling all over this country. Thank you for fitting into my suitcase and making sure that I'm you're where I'm at. so that you can go to some museum or you can

visit some visitor center. Thank you for being a true friend not just to me but to College Park. >> Thank you. >> Coun. >> Uh thank you, Miss Jeremy. Um we appreciate what you do for us in the city. Thank you. >> I just uh

uh apologies u I guess from up here. You know, we've got to keep in mind that uh it's sometimes very unnerving uh to come down here and you know before this body sometimes and present. Um we always want to treat our community partners and particularly our residents. um some hospitality. Um but but if there are more questions, I would suggest city manager uh perhaps uh maybe you arrange

a meeting with uh the mayor and councilwoman Kenzie and and uh sit down and uh have a proper discussion about it. Um so uh uh I do believe that there is an serious need for increased marketing uh in our city. No question about that. So uh uh keep your head up. It's going to work out. >> Thank you. >> Any further discussion?

Move it to a vote. All those in favor? >> I >> um that I'm out of order and disrespecting >> I think No, there's call for a vote. >> All those in favor? >> I've already finished. There's no need for >> There's There's a There's a motion and a second on the floor. All those in favor? >> I said I. >> And Council Member K said I. All those opposed. Any abstensions?

>> Council member Arnold, what is your vote? >> I'm abstaining from this. This is absolute nonsense. is disrespectful to the citizens. It's disrespectful to our community partners. I'm not participating in a vote that makes no sense. Th this nonsense has got to stop. It's hurting our constituents. >> May Why don't we just move on finish? >> Council member, there's a motion. There's a second. >> So,

>> I withdraw the motion. I withdraw the motion. Thank you. Thank you very much. All right. I'd like the report to answer where we are getting the data that that destination college park has exceeded their benchmarks. What do we have to do as a body to get that? Mayor, >> Council Member Arnold, >> I believe that Councilman K has already said and we have already asked the city manager to provide the data to all

elected officials. Let let's please move on. >> All right. So, Mr. Hicks, you will be in charge of that. >> Thank you, sir. All right. Thank you, Miss Jeremy. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. I'm not going anywhere. You'll see me again. >> Item four, presentation amendment to paid time off briefment leave policy presented by Christa Gilbert, director

of human resources. >> Good evening, Mayor Council. >> Good evening. I am here uh to seek your approval for amendment to to the paid time off policy section 5.3 subsection F bereavement leave. The purpose of the amendment is is intended to better support employees during times of loss

while maintaining operational efficiency recognizing the importance of allowing employees time to grieve and manage personal responsibilities. Uh we also like to support show support um and compassion um and make this this culture a supportive workplace. The key changes to the uh policy is to adjust the number of bereavement leave days from three to five consecutive working days. And for those classified

well that's for those who are classified as immediate family members of paid leave. one working day for non-immed immediate family members. The leave must be used within 10 calendar days of of the death or when not or when the employee is notified. Um if extended leave is needed, it can be granted with the approval from the city manager and the employee will need to use the acred time for the extended um past the five

days. uh attending an employes if in the event there's a death in the city with the employees. If an employee is attending that service, we would like to grant the 4 hours leave, paid time off. Anything after 4 hours, uh the employee must take a crude leave. If this is approved tonight, the updated policy will be communicated to all employees um and any changes that were made. That

is all. Do you have any questions? >> Thank you, Miss Gilbert. Council member McKenzie. >> Nothing. >> Council member K. >> Uh thank you, Miss Gilbert, for uh bringing this up. Uh city manager, this is uh I think something that's needed, you know, in this society today. Uh, you know, things move so fast and and and things are just uh rushed when they're not supposed to be rushed certain things. And it it's just

uh you know governments nowadays and workers and corporate America they don't there's no time to even pause and breathe >> and to take in a loss and process and and move on. You know the ship of state just moves forward so quickly and and and everything is you know down to the minute. you know, uh, we're people first and, uh, you know, at the end of the day, this is a family, uh, you know,

local communities as small as us, uh, where all the workers know each other. Most of the community know a lot of these workers and, uh, we just, uh, I think this is, uh, obviously the right thing to do. And, uh, so, city manager, you all get together and figure out, you know, how to move it forward. And, uh, we want to make sure we cover our employees. uh some of our employees are residents. So I think it's very important. >> Council member Arnold. >> Thank you, Miss um Gilbert, for expanding or making the suggestion of us

expanding bereavement time for our employees. So I appreciate it. >> You council member Gay. >> No questions. >> All right. Thank you, Miss Gilbert. >> All right. Thank you. >> Agenda item five, discussion on a consent agenda policy. This item is sponsored by Mayor Pro Tim Joe K. >> Council member K. >> Well, this would be pretty short. Um, in terms of our consent agenda, uh, I'm

recommending we go back to uh, traditionally how we have things where uh, if an item uh, was to be removed from the consent agenda, it would require uh, a vote, a consensus from the body. if it is to be removed. The other thing, uh, city manager, uh, city attorney, uh, we did discuss a few things at the retreat in regards to, uh, policy and procedures in terms of bringing agenda items forth and, uh,

city attorney's office took a look at it and went through it and presented us with two different options. Um there's an option A and an option B. Um now you know they are both options. I think that only one of the options fit our form of government actually. So uh this is going to be option B. Is this on the regular agenda too or is this?

>> Nope. >> It's not. Well uh we're going to we can add it. U if we if if if uh if there's no objection um we come up to the regular session for additions I guess take a look at it then >> everybody okay with that. So that also means like at the last at the last meeting, council member, there was a um >> there was an issue there was an item on that consent agenda for about $200,000.

It was a piggyback contract on on some landscaping at the GICC. And in in actual practice, that underlying contract had expired. So we should not have voted on that. However, it got pulled off because I had questions about it and ultimately the body determined that we shouldn't move forward at that time because we needed to do a bid. In this framework,

that type of situation may not happen moving forward and we could have violations of our own policy, violations of the law, and just problematic items that don't get removed because there isn't a full understanding. And that troubles me deeply. We need to do the right thing. We need to look out for every single dollar. Whether it is in a TPD fund, whether it is someone's bonus, we need to have answers about how we are spending the public's money. I

will not apologize for that. And as we move forward, we need greater opportunities to answer the questions that our residents bring. This puts us in a position that may compromise that and could have us doing things that aren't within our framework, our policies or state law. Mayor, >> Council Member McKenzie, >> I um this this particular um document

piece of document, this piece of legislation does not say that items cannot be removed from the consent agenda. It simply says that in order to remove the item from the consent agenda, it would take a vote of the council. And with that being said, that doesn't change anything. One one one sense or one if there's an item that any member of this governing body has an issue with, they are still free to be able to bring that

item up and say, "I'd like to have it removed from the consent agenda." So with that being said, that does not we're this is not about changing an item from being removed from the consent agenda. It is about the means by which items are reviewed are removed. And with that, I see no problem. >> Understood. Any further comments? >> All right. I'll just say

>> council member counts, >> you know, I think this streamlines process back to where it makes a bit more sense. Uh items proposed for removal. Um they can then be afforded a proper discussion. >> Um and it also enables the mayor to have discussion and potentially have a vote in the event of a tie. So I think it's I think it's probably the better way to go. I see trouble ahead on this one, but hopefully not. Hopefully, we will

respect the the concerns of our colleagues if there are issues on the consent agenda. I think we've had issues with that in the past. uh and certainly the option A and option B that you discussed the difference being that I would have an opportunity to put something on the agenda but I understand that my colleagues don't think that that is appropriate um for the person sitting in this seat wasn't necessarily the case in the past but we move forward and figure out how things go and I think that's the city manager's preference as

well that I don't put things on the agenda so it is it is what it is um But I do think that it doesn't help us move forward and that's unfortunate. But that's my view on it. And y'all want to add it to the agenda tonight? I'm not sure the need for adding it to the agenda as opposed to putting it on the next uh on the next agenda. But if you do so, I'm sure that we can we can have a

rationale for that. uh because we shouldn't be changing the agenda this close to actually dealing with it. But any further comments? >> I have a question for the >> council member mckenzie. >> Um yes, Mr. Washington. Uh let's say in a situation where the council votes for an item and it turns out that that item once staff sees it, there are some problems with it. Uh how does that get handled? For instance, we what the mayor was re referring to just now was a

contract and we realized that um there may have been some issues in terms of being able to move forward with that contract as it is because of procurement situations because even after we have voted on an item, it still has to be executed. So, if we find that there's something problematic after it's voted, um, and then also my hope would be that before we did anything, and actually the city attorney did speak up that there were problems with it. So, but is there

an option? Is there a way to to to not move forward with something even though it's been voted on? >> If voted on and accepted in the public in a meeting like tonight, then it becomes effective. always go back and revise or amend but even if it's illegal or improper is still a valid legal ordinance or resolution at that point until you go back and change. >> Thank you. I wanted everybody to understand that nothing is in stone and

that there's always the opportunity to change if we realize that we've made a mistake. Hopefully, we have things put in place. And one thing that I'm knowing that's happening with our city manager currently is that staff is really very carefully um being intentional about making sure that nothing gets on this agenda without it being vetted properly and we did have a situation at the last meeting and we caught it. Um, but had we

not caught it at that time, I just want it to be understood that once we started executing that that it could have came back to us and had to be would had to been revised at that time. >> Thank you. >> If we've got an opportunity to do it right the first time, I think we should that just so if we can avoid doing things that are illegal or improper and have conversations about them, I think all the better. But um it is I think it's

madam clerk that's our last issue on the agenda. Is it that correct for workshop? >> Yes madam mayor. >> All righty. We'll pick up at 810. We'll see everybody for the regular session. Thanks.