Savannah City Government

SUMMARY/FINAL MINUTES

COUNCIL WORK SESSION & CITY MANAGER’S BRIEFING

April 26, 2018 – 10:00 a.m.

Present: Mayor Eddie DeLoach, Presiding (left at 12:00 p.m.)

Aldermen: Julian Miller (presided from 12:00 p.m. until Council meeting began), Brian Foster, Tony Thomas, Van Johnson, II (arrived at 10:15 a.m.), Bill Durrence, John Hall, Estella Shabazz (left at 10:20 a.m. returned at 12:18 p.m.)

Absent: Alderman Carol Bell

Rob Hernandez, City Manager

Brooks Stillwell, City Attorney

William Shearouse, Assistant City Attorney

Jennifer Herman, Deputy City Attorney

Mayor DeLoach called the meeting to order.

City Manager Hernandez briefly reviewed the agenda.

Pete Shonka, Executive Director Arena Development District, introduced the Project Management team Jones Lang LaSalle, along with their local partners Greenline Architecture and Pelote Corporation.

Heath Hahns, Project Executive with Jones Lang LaSalle, thanked the Mayor and Council for allowing them to work with the City on this project. He then briefly introduced Don Laderville, National Director for Sports Practice and an in-house expert for this building type. Mr. Hahns stated he has been working with the Barrett feasibility report and doing a confirmation and verification process to validate the study that has already been done.

Mr. Laderville presented the overall development vision, current status, next steps, and program overview for the project. He stated currently they are working on the design team, to include architects and designers, and an RFQ was issued in April. An RFQ for the Construction Manager will be issued April 27^th and Arena Operator selections will begin in May.

The new Canal District Arena will be the anchor for a complete entertainment development of the Canal District.

The Arena will have:

• A maximum capacity of 10,000 patrons for special events;
• Approximately 240 seats in Suites settings and another 450 Club/Loge or premium seats;
• Flexible to host sporting events such as hockey, basketball, arena football and indoor lacrosse as well as concerts and family shows; and
• The ability to convert from one event type to another quickly and efficiently will be a primary emphasis.

Alderman Foster asked why have any suites and what the advantages and disadvantages are? Mr. Laderville replied usually there’s a limited number, but there are still a few corporations that view suites as an opportunity to have a captive audience. Many buildings aren’t doing them, rather bunker suites which are underneath the seating bowl.

Alderman Miller stated the number of seats concerns him as too many seats works against you. He stated he recalls conversations about 9,000 and then a reduction to 7,000. He stated the concern isn’t having empty seats, its ticket sales because most people don’t make the purchase until the day of the event.

Alderman Foster referenced the Savannah Bananas who have sold out every game and their season hasn’t began. He stated that is a great example of what the community will do.

Mr. Laderville stated the Barrett Study did a lot of research on the demographics, touring and routing the events will do. The operator and promoter will size it appropriately, as balance is very important.

Alderman Thomas expressed his concerns about promotion considering the City of Savannah is between Charleston, SC and Jacksonville, FL both of which who have larger arenas. He asked how do you attract to a facility like this?

Mr. Laderville replied one way is the ease of getting in and out. Additionally, Savannah has a lot going on that will attract people to the City. But much of it will have a lot to do with the promoter who will route appropriately. He also stated any new facility has a honeymoon period.

Alderman Shabazz stated this is the largest project the City of Savannah will take on for many years. She stated she has always believed 10,000 seats at a minimum is best for the arena because it’s not being built for today. She concluded stating she believes the City will grow by leaps and bounds in the next few years.

Alderman Durrence asked if there will be enough area for event goers to stay out of the weather while going through security?

Mr. Laderville stated new rules on public assembly facilities have a lot to do with it and states you have to plan ahead. Everyone must be screened as they come in, therefore covering is mandatory. It’s no longer an option, it’s a necessity that those things are done as it is an essential part of buildings.

Alderman Johnson stated anything beyond the arena is a decision that has not yet been made and he has been working hard to focus people to bring them in for the here and now. He stated there is a cost benefit analysis for the arena and for him it has to be based on data and needs to be supported by data. He continued stating he doesn’t want lost revenue by seats not being sold and would like to keep the focus on the arena and make it something that is the right size for our community and our region going forward.

Alderman Miller stated Mr. Shonka sent Council information asking Council to decide on the location of the arena as it relates to moving it back or leaving it up front. He stated it hasn’t been designed yet and questioned whether the flexibility is needed to place it in the right location once the designer comes on board, rather than making a decision now.

Mr. Shonka replied originally he was asked to do an in-house feasibility study for the site location in which he placed it on the north end. When Barrett did their study, they placed it next to the Water Works building. Both locations worked however, when it’s placed next to the Water Works building it locks in the architecture of the arena and there would be a waiting period for the City Lot’s relocation to begin the work. Mr. Shonka continued stating with the arena on the north end of the site there are two huge advantages. The first being the project can begin sooner and the second it frees up the architecture to be whatever the City wants it to be.  He stated public input will be sought to get their feelings on the design. Additionally, there will be room for other developments as it will be a mixed use site.

Alderman Miller asked what the other two buildings are in this plan. Mr. Shonka replied mixed use, residential, entertainment, the ground floor bar/restaurant or whatever is envisioned and upstairs would probably be residential. A compatible use for the Water Works building was also being looked at and a hotel was suggested but no final decisions have been made.

Alderman Foster asked how large the parking deck was. Mr. Shonka replied there is one next to the arena on the far north end that is attached which varied from 500 to 700 spaces. There is an additional one that fronts Stiles Avenue that also varied between 500-700 spaces. He stated it is understood that the need will be for one that has 2,500-3,000 spaces.

Alderman Johnson asked how long is the delay from when the new City Lot would be completed and all resources off the current property? Mr. Shonka replied about two years from today.

Alderman Johnson then asked are there options to temporarily relocate the City Lot to accelerate the process?  Mr. Shonka there are a number of things on the City Lot, including a huge fueling station including tanks in the ground, diesel and gas. The traffic control center that has a lot of fiber run to that building, including cameras and some street lighting which are very hard to relocate. There is a truck wash that has an oil/water separator, and the City’s trash trucks have a lot of hydraulics in them, and the hydraulics are never completely sealed. He continued stating that doesn’t include the offices and all those other things and specific facilities that are needed on the City’s Public Works site.

Alderman Johnson asked Mr. Shonka if he was saying there’s no other facility in the City that can offer those things now? Mr. Shonka replied that is correct. He also stated if the City starts working on the project with the first site plan the City would be limited to a design bid build delivery method.  Whereas, if the project begins now we would have access to all of the project design delivery methods.

Alderman Johnson stated the park was a part of the arena project because it was land that was ancillary but he didn’t see it in the plan. Mr. Shonka stated it is there on the north side on the far edge as it is important to establish that connectivity as part of the project which is another piece that needs to be worked on.

Alderman Foster stated as he recalls 1,000 going up from 9,000 seats to 10,000 seats would cost $10 million. Is this still in the ballpark? Mr. Shonka replied a seat in the arena when all site work is considered is approximately $16,500-$17,000. So every seat added, adds approximately $17,000 to the bill.

Mr. Hahn introduced some of the members on the project team from JLL and Greenline Corporation.

Alderman Foster stated to City Manager Hernandez based on previous conversations the City did not have enough SPLOST funding, and asked has the price gone up, and do we have a financial plan where we can get to that number?

City Manager Hernandez stated he does not have an updated financial plan as of yet, staff needs to give Council some updated numbers on the total project cost. The SPLOST will probably come close to the arena building itself, but not the ancillary work.

Alderman Foster replied but there is some bond type financing and capital financing and asked if the City Manager could tell Council that we will have a plan that works to cover the difference.

City Manager Hernandez replied yes. Especially as we get close to the finalization of the design and get a guaranteed maximum price for the arena itself, at that point we will know. These are rough numbers as it hasn’t been designed yet. There will have to be some contribution in SPLOST 7 or some bonding in order to finish all of the elements associated with the arena project.

Alderman Thomas asked what is current price of the project?

City Manager Hernandez replied $140 million for the arena, which includes site work.

Alderman Johnson stated there was some Federal money for the widening. Mr. Shonka stated they never got through the Federal process.

Heath Hahns stated they have a very confident and firm handle on the budget for the project. He stated they believe it to be current, accurate and true that the hard costs for the building itself is $120 million. The amount does not include site work, parking structures off the site, offsite improvements for Gwinnett and/or Stiles. He stated they have gone deeper and began to analyze what’s not in the total, which are soft costs. Construction cost are about $120 million, total for just arena, $140 million which includes soft costs, FF&E, total project start to finish will be about $160 million. Mr. Hahn concluded stating they are working with the City Manager and Mr. Shonka on identifying funding opportunities, like sponsorships, and they will be taking a little bit of a real estate approach.

Alderman Thomas asked if money were no option, how long would it take to complete?

Mr. Hahns replied for construction of the arena and site work, about a 24 to 30 month build.

Alderman Johnson stated it is not a mutually exclusive project as there are adjacent communities that have their own character and this needs to dovetail into it and more of a blend.

City Manager Hernandez asked can we walk away with consensus or affirmation that we are heading in the direction of a maximum capacity of 10,000 seats and placement of the building shifted to the north end?

Council provided confirmation.

Melissa Carter, Budget Officer, reviewed the supplemental budget appropriations to closeout FY17 and adjustments in operations to FY18. She reviewed the recommendations for the $10 million surplus for 2017 which included to support the goals of the Strategic Plan, fund existing projects, reduce debt, strengthen reserves, as well as other long-term benefits to relieve pressure later.  Items 22 and 23 on the Council agenda for today have attachments which include a review of the journal items for FY18.

Alderman Miller expressed his concerns with the Greenscapes Division being understaffed and underfunded.

Alderman Hall asked what the Greenscapes Division is composed of? City Manager Hernandez replied it’s the old Park & Tree with other elements added to it. 

City Manager Hernandez reminded Council that at the last workshop an announcement was made that FY17 ended on a very positive note as a result of additional revenues that were not planned for and a decrease in expenditures. He asked for direction of Council on how to move forward with the surplus to closeout FY17.  He stated staff has put together a list for Council to consider for key operational needs today. He stated there will be another opportunity during the mid-year conference to address the 2018 budget. He stated the Cultural Arts Center is not an overrun, it is a reprogramming based on the decision not to sell a portion of the property. He continued by reviewing the entire list of recommendations.

Alderman Johnson asked if we are going through an active merit appraisal process now? City Manager Hernandez replied what he plans to do, should Council direct him to proceed, would be a one-time increase that will be granted to non-probationary full-time employees that have not had any formal disciplinary actions within the last year. Alderman Johnson replied that is not necessarily merit. 

Alderman Miller stated he would like to offer an alternative to that as his management experience has taught him that an across the board bonus is meaningless in terms of motivation, although employees would be glad to get it, it doesn’t say you did a good job. He continued stating he would like to see the money set aside to make employees whole rather than an across the board bonus.

City Manager Hernandez replied we will have to budget or reserve money to deal with issues that are present in many departments, but particularly police and fire, as there are many pay and equity issues. He suggested setting the funds aside in a wage adjustment reserve.

Alderman Miller stated many of these individuals have been in their positions for a year or year and a half and we are going to owe them money.

Alderman Durrence stated the reserve sounds like a better idea.

Alderman Foster suggested combining the $300,000 for the pay and comp study with the $600,000. 

City Manager Hernandez stated he prefers that the amounts be separate.

Alderman Johnson stated to be able to fix demonstrated issues can be done in-house. City Manager Hernandez replied he thinks there are some that are easy to correct but there are some that will need bigger fixes.

Alderman Durrence asked if part of the issue is due to the restructuring. City Manager Hernandez replied when the restructuring was done, staff took their best guess in determining the appropriate salary grade new positions would be in. He stated they did not do a comprehensive analysis of each and every job description.

Alderman Hall stated in the case of the police and fire departments, how long before that is corrected, can some of this be used for that? City Manager Hernandez replied absolutely and that is the purpose of doing the pay and comp study. He reminded Council that there is active litigation against the City currently and he has to be careful what he discusses in open session. The study will allow staff to look at the pay issues across the organization to resolve the pay and equity that exists. 

Alderman Johnson stated money may not be an issue for everyone but it can be a motivator, but in turn can also be a demotivator. Some things can be corrected immediately and do not need as much analysis.

Alderman Foster asked how long the study will take? City Manager Hernandez replied typically it will take about 4 months to get a consultant on board and about 6-8 months to complete. Alderman Foster asked will it be completed this year? City Manager Hernandez replied realistically it will be done by mid-year next fiscal year. 

Alderman Hall asked what will a new study tell us that the old one didn’t? Alderman Johnson replied the market does change, and people are seeking to find good employees. His concern is with the delay, how many good people the City will lose that have been trained for other jurisdictions. 

Mayor DeLoach asked for a consensus on placing the issue. Alderman Johnson suggested waiting until a decision is made on everything else.

Mayor DeLoach stated he has a recommendation that he would like to add for Council to consider. 

Mayor DeLoach presented a recommendation to use $1 million to use towards a three year old educational program. He suggested using the first $1 million to get the facility ready, and take a chance on a new program that will separate our community from other communities. He stated he wants to make it a level playing field for all children. This is contingent upon getting an MOU from the Savannah Chatham County Public School System.

Alderman Thomas asked where the facility is that’s being recommended. Mayor DeLoach replied it’s on the eastside. Alderman Thomas then asked who’s making the decisions on that. Mayor DeLoach replied the School Board. Alderman Thomas asked if it is a School Board facility? Aretha Rhone-Bush, Interim Chief Academic Officer, Savannah-Chatham County Public School System, replied yes it is a School Board facility, owned by the School Board. 

Alderman Johnson asked if the facility has been identified. Mrs. Rhone-Bush replied yes that information can be provided. 

Dr. Cheryl Dozier, President of Savannah State University, stated she serves on the committee with other educational entities and has discussed the needs in the community for this type of facility. She stated at their most recent meeting they had an opportunity to tour Port Wentworth Elementary School, which is a Pre-K to 2nd grade facility. During the visit they had a chance to see some of the remarkable work that’s being done. She concluded stating with all the work being done, she believes and supports the idea of putting funds aside for early childhood education as it is a critical need. 

Alderman Thomas asked Dr. Dozier if Savannah State will be participating financially? Dr. Dozier replied stating Savannah State will be providing teacher education and preparing teachers to work with early childhood education with partners Georgia Southern and Savannah Tech, not dollars, but in-kind through training teachers.

Thomas Koballa, Dean of the College of Education at Georgia Southern University stated he is very supportive of this initiative, as it promotes emotional and social development and enables children to learn how to take care of themselves and others. He concluded stating every child deserves an education and it begins with early childhood education and Georgia Southern is committed to this initiative. 

Alderman Thomas asked Dean Koballa if Georgia Southern will be participating financially? Dean Koballa replied they will just as Savannah State by preparing educators for this experience and engage in the best learning experiences as they do currently throughout Savannah-Chatham. Alderman Thomas stated it will be in-kind participation? Dean Koballa replied very much so, but when you think about in-kind, to him that is real dollars as it is budget that has been redirected from something that might occur on the university campus to something that is actually happening in the schools.

Alderman Miller asked for further clarification. Dean Koballa replied what they do is work closely with Hesse K-8, Georgia Southern professors are being reassigned to work with Hesse K-8.

Alderman Miller replied, following up on Alderman Thomas’s question, there are real dollars going into this program, and asked if he could tell what they are later down the line. Dean Koballa replied certainly and believes that in-kind is a misnomer.

Alderman Miller asked Dr. Dozier if she can also come up with an estimate? Dr. Dozier replied she would say Savannah State would be doing the same in the areas that the teachers and programs have the expertise in. She continued stating they will be submitting soon to add early childhood education as one of the new programs. She stated currently the Savannah Chatham County Public School System hires many Savannah State graduates, many that are not necessarily in teacher education. She stated Savannah Tech is not present but does a large part currently in preparing teachers in early childhood education and are actively involved.

Alderman Johnson asked what is more important early childhood for three year olds or preparing high school students to enter your institutions or be prepared to work? Dean Koballa replied he doesn’t think it’s a choice. There is a need to work with both ends, and the initiative the Mayor is proposing is of extreme value, if children can be engaged at a young age there will be advantages as they move forward.

Mayor DeLoach stated there are children that are not being provided educational opportunities. He stated in the long term they feel they will be able to get funding from other sources that will alleviate a lot of the cost but results have to be shown in order to get there.  

Mrs. Rhone-Bush thanked Mayor DeLoach and Council for the opportunity to speak about this initiative. She then provided an update on the program plans stating the School Board accepts its responsibility to ensure students are graduating on time, but it is not enough. She stated the MOU will be critical for the success of the program. 

Alderman Thomas asked what the total budget for the program is? Mrs. Rhone-Bush replied the total budget depends on what Council approves. She stated if you look at the document that has been provided, the word proposed is used because it is a fluid document, and depends on how many classrooms are approved.

Alderman Thomas expressed his concern that a total budget could be given and followed up by asking how many students will be served? Mrs. Rhone-Bush replied if six Pre-K classes are added, each class can accommodate 8 students maximum with a teacher and paraprofessional. Alderman Thomas replied that’s 48 children and the total budget is how many millions? Mrs. Rhone-Bush replied just for the three year olds the budget would be the facility enhancements as indicated plus the teacher and paraprofessionals salaries which is budgeted at a little under $2 million. She also stated the State of Georgia has committed some funding for four year classes. 

Alderman Thomas stated the City is being asked to put $1 million in now and then will be asked at mid-year for another contribution? Mr. Rhone-Bush replied yes. 

Georgia Southern and Savannah State will provide the professional development to the teachers that is needed to run the program, they will also provide student teachers, and create a model school for professional development. 

Alderman Thomas asked if this was going to be at the East Broad Street School? Mrs. Rhone-Bush replied that is what is being proposed. 

She stated the document is fluid in terms of as funding become available. Additional funding sources have been applied for.

Alderman Thomas stated grants would be great if they come in as that would relieve some of this. He then asked if the County was involved. Mrs. Rhone-Bush replied no. Alderman Thomas stated City taxpayers are being asked to fund this program. Mrs. Rhone-Bush replied it would fund students in the City. Alderman Thomas replied but they are in the County as well. 

Alderman Johnson stated if Council approves this use of one-time money they would be committing future Councils annually, creating recurring obligations which is what the City Manager advised against. 

Mayor DeLoach expressed his concerns about the commitment of the program.

Mrs. Rhone-Bush stated the School Board is committed to housing the facility.

Alderman Johnson stated essentially the School Board would be hosting the program and the City would be subsidizing it. Mrs. Rhone-Bush replied actually the School Board will be hosting, hiring the teachers, and running the program.

Alderman Johnson then asked what will be done for the people on the west side as the demographics are similar. 

Alderman Miller stated how he understands it is a request is being made to add money to a program that already exists, to extend it to a number of three year olds, but that number is unknown at the time? Mrs. Rhone-Bush replied yes three year olds where the school district cannot allocate funds. 

Alderman Miller stated to Mayor DeLoach that he is pushing this as a poverty issue and not an education issue although it is education and asked if a conversation has been held with the County? Mrs. Rhone-Bush replied they have not been in conversations with the County in terms of this particular program.

Alderman Thomas asked if the Board has discussed this issue? Mrs. Rhone-Bush replied the School Board is aware that discussions have been held. She stated the next conversations with them will be how they would like to proceed with the program as no funds can be committed until Mayor DeLoach talked with Council, which is why an MOU would have to be worked out. 

Alderman Thomas stated the cost would be $41,000 per student which is a lot of money and believes the County needs to be involved. He stated he feels for the children but he cannot personally commit until we can get some other players to the table. He stated he feels this is premature.

Bill Hubbard, President Savannah Chamber of Commerce, stated they have been involved in the discussions as well as the business community. He stated there isn’t a lot being done for Pre-K students and more resources need to be put into doing more. He believes Council will find support among the Board members. He concluded stating there are some risks and it is expensive, but if we don’t try it we won’t know what the outcome could be.

Alderman Thomas asked will the Chamber contribute? Mr. Hubbard stated they could, there are 376 business partners currently spending money in the schools. 

Alderman Thomas stated some people may view this as double taxation and before he can commit to this the County needs to be brought to the table.

Mayor DeLoach stated this is an issue that needs to be addressed and we need to try. He stated he feels we owe it to the children to give them a fresh start. He stated it will not go forward without an MOU in place and asked Council to approve it.

Alderman Thomas stated he is not against the program but would like to see more contributors before he will consider voting for the project. 

Alderman Johnson stated he doesn’t buy the poverty reduction side of it. He stated if you want to get children out of poverty find a way to get their parents out of poverty. He stated he’s supportive of the program, but the fire fee is an issue as it is putting parents into poverty. He suggested finding a way to restore the 18 firefighters that were cut. He continued stating funding was cut from StepUp Savannah, our poverty reduction experts, and the Early Learning College which helps parents be better parents to their kids. He proposed a summer basketball program City-wide, which will cost approximately $35,000, and stated if the City can utilize some of the school gyms for the program, for free, he will support the Mayor’s initiative.

City Manager Hernandez stated staff will need to be given direction from Council for the items on the Council meeting agenda related to the discussions.

Alderman Johnson asked City Manager Hernandez if he had an opportunity to consider ways to return the fire fee to the citizens.

City Manager Hernandez briefly discussed the hardship program. He stated the application process for the discounts have been streamlined. The hardship program had not been finalized but staff is planning to bring it to Council on May 10th.

Susan Broker, Director of the Office of Special Events, Film and Tourism, appeared to present a PowerPoint Presentation on the restructuring of the Tourism Advisory Council. She stated the committee was established by the 1977 Tour Service for Hire Ordinance. It is a 13 member committee appointed by Council. Currently 12 of the member’s terms expired in 2017. Ms. Broker informed Council of some of the TAC’s recent successes which include prohibiting double-decker buses, prohibiting development of a cruise ship terminal, the revision of the Horse-Drawn Carriage Ordinance, and crafting the Tourism Management Plan (TMP).

The TMP is recommending the following changes:

• Ordinance Revision: Ensure the ordinance is revised to have the TAC composition reflect a balanced stakeholder representation including the tourism industry, residents, and preservationists, as well as their involvement in supporting the development, implementation, and results-reporting of tourism management.
• Revise TAC Role & Purpose: Delineate role and purpose as an advisory body to ensure effective deliberation and strategic, proactive focus on tourism-related issues and regulations, tourism trends, and other factors impacting Savannah’s tourism and hospitality industry, quality of life, and preservation efforts.
• Guidelines would be established to ensure full clarity of roles and responsibilities of serving in an advisory capacity, the correlation of the mandate to the City’s broader strategic vision, and their role in supporting the goals within the Tourism Management Plan.

Ms. Broker reviewed the current structure of the TAC which includes: 4 tourism representatives, 4 preservation representatives, 4 residents, and 1 member at large. The TAC proposal for the new structure includes: a 12 member committee with 6 tourism representatives, 2 preservation representatives, 3 residents, and 1 non-tourism representative which could be either a preservation or resident representative.

An alternative proposal was suggested by Alderman Durrence which includes a 10 member committee with 4 tourism representatives, 1 tourism/preservation (museum house) representative, 2 preservation representatives, and 3 residents.

Ms. Broker concluded the presentation stating the next steps in the process would be to determine the number and make up of seats for the committee, submit ordinance revisions to include Pedi-cab, special event and quadricycle, and select new members.

Alderman Durrence stated he believes the current criteria for representation needs to be changed with a move away from term limits since we are looking at institutional representation.

City Manager Hernandez asked Alderman Durrence if he is suggesting that the appointments be done by the TAC and then ratified by City Council?

Alderman Durrence stated it can be ratified or just a notification to Council. He feels if members are there to represent the organization he doesn’t see any reason why Council should override it. He stated in basing this on institutional representation it will take a longer-term view. Additionally, he suggested including an attendance requirement.

Alderman Miller asked Alderman Durrence to explain his reasoning for his proposal versus the proposal coming from the TAC. He stated he has been contacted by several individuals that favor the TAC proposal.  

Alderman Durrence stated as it relates to the tourism representation there may be times when specific knowledge is needed but representation can be provided by Visit Savannah. Additionally moving forward anytime there are major issues Task Forces will be created to address them. He feels having the lodging industry and tourism is redundant and the smaller the committee the more flexible and easier to work.

Ms. Broker stated Vaughnette Goode-Walker, TAC Chairman, had to leave but she conveyed to her that the TAC proposal was one that was agreed upon by the committee, that was worked on by the them with equal representation from all areas, and they feel are committed to it.

Michael Owens, serving member of TAC in the member at large position, stated the TAC believes the designee positions will help with attendance. Additionally, TAC feels its proposal is fair and equal across the board and has been vetted and is unanimous. In the alternative proposal it’s not and used the Museum House appointment as an example stating if it is represented by the Davenport which is owned by Historic Savannah Foundation (HSF) it could go either way.

Alderman Durrence stated until a few years ago the current Constitution of Council was in violation of its own rules in making appointments as there is currently a disproportionate representation of membership.

Mr. Owens stated people should still have a voice if they aren’t a member of an organization. He concluded stating the TAC is trying to make a plan for the future not based on mistakes of the past.

Alderman Miller asked Alderman Hall to work with Alderman Durrence and other stakeholder's to provide staff direction.

Due to time constraints this presentation will be held at a later date.

Due to time constraints this presentation will be held at a later date.

Due to time constraints this presentation will be held at a later date.

Upon motion of Alderman Shabazz, seconded by Alderman Foster, and unanimously carried Council went into Executive Session for the purpose of discussing Real Estate, Litigation and Personnel.

Upon completion of this session, a motion was made to come out of Executive Session by Alderman Johnson, seconded by Alderman Shabazz, and unanimously carried.

City Manager Rob Hernandez presented the City Manager’s Briefing of the agenda items for the Council Meeting of April 26, 2018. The agenda can be found online and will be made a part of the permanent record.

There being no further business, Mayor DeLoach declared this Work Session adjourned.

The video recording of the Council meeting can be found by copying and pasting the below link in your url:

https://savannahgovtv.viebit.com/player.php?hash=oT7PR6OOuYHb