CITY GOVERNMENT
OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS OF CITY COUNCIL
SAVANNAH, GEORGIA

PRESENT: Mayor Eddie W. DeLoach, Presiding

Aldermen Carol Bell, Julian Miller, Brian Foster, Bill Durrence, Van Johnson, Tony Thomas, John Hall, Estella E. Shabazz

Rob Hernandez, City Manager

Brooks Stillwell, City Attorney

Jennifer Herman, Deputy City Attorney

The regular meeting of Council was held this date at 2:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers of City Hall. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited in unison followed by the Invocation by Alicia Johnson, Living Hope Community Fellowship Church.

A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND ALDERMEN OF THE CITY OF SAVANNAH AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO SIGN AFFIDAVIT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION.

BE IT RESOLVED by the Mayor and Aldermen of the City of Savannah as follows:

At the meeting held on the 21st day of December, 2017 the Council entered into a closed session for the purpose of discussing  Personnel and Real Estate. At the close of the discussions upon this subject, the Council reentered into open session and herewith takes the following action in open session:

1. The actions of Council and the discussions of the same regarding the matter set forth for the closed session purposes are hereby ratified;
2. Each member of this body does hereby confirms that to the best of his or her knowledge, the subject matter of the closed session was devoted to matters within the specific relevant exception(s) as set forth above;
3. The presiding officer is hereby authorized and directed to execute an affidavit, with full support of the Council in order to comply with O.C.G.A. §50-14-4(b); 17
4. The affidavit shall be included and filed with the official minutes of the meeting and shall be in a form as required by the statute.

ADOPTED AND APPROVED: DECEMBER 21, 2017 upon motion of  Alderman Bell, seconded by Alderman Shabazz, and unanimously carried.

Upon motion of Alderman Bell, seconded by Alderman Shabazz, and unanimously carried item 59 was moved under the Approval of Minutes.

Fire Chief Charles Middleton recognized Captain Justin Crane for rescuing a woman drowning in the Forest River. Engine 11 arrived within four minutes after being dispatched  to the dock at 27 Heroes Way, where a fast moving current had taken a woman downstream with  another woman in a kayak trying to hold on to her. Firefighter Scotty Miller ran along the bank to keep eyes on her while Captain Crane and the water rescue team went to the dock. Crane, a former Army Ranger who has served 14 years with Savannah Fire, jumped in and pulled the woman and kayak back. His hard work and training paid off as he pulled the woman through the cold murky river to safety.

Approved upon motion of Alderman Bell, seconded by Alderman Shabazz, and unanimously carried.

Approved upon motion of Alderman Bell, seconded by Alderman Shabazz, and unanimously carried.

Command Sgt. Major Wilkerson and Lt. Colonel Dwyer presented the Wreath for Warriors Walk to the City of Savannah. Annually, wreaths are laid at each of the 468 trees planted as memorials to honor the sacrifice made by Fort Stewart/Hunter Army Airfield soldiers since the start of the Global War on Terror in 2003. In turn, a wreath is presented to the Mayors of the surrounding communities.

Linda Wilder Bryan appeared to invite members of Council and the community to attend "Voices for Savannah, Survivors of Rape, Domestic Violence and Murder." The event will be held at the Armstrong State University in the Ogeechee Auditorium on January 13, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. Ms. Bryan stated this is the first time victims of rape, domestic violence and murder have come together under one roof to discuss their stories of survival. Kristy Edenfield, #MeToo spokesperson, was also present and stated the concern of many citizens is that elected officials don't come to community vigils, and when asked they say they were given short notice. Ms. Edenfield stated because of this the announcement is being made early to accomodate the schedules of elected officials. This event is being co-sponsored by Moms Demand Action, LB4 & After Foundation, and Savannah Taking Action for Resistance (S.T.A.R.).

Representatives of the Center for Jubilee, Reconciliation and Healing received a Proclamation declaring December 21, 2017 as "Jubilee Freedom Day" in Savannah. Jubilee Freedom Day is a cultural heritage celebration of the emancipation of enslaved Africans on December 21, 1864.  This year marks 153 years since General William T. Sherman and 225,000 Union soldiers arrived in Savannah on their "March to the Sea."

Hearing closed upon motion of Alderman Hall, seconded by Alderman Miller, and unanimously carried.

Approved upon motion of Alderman Hall, seconded by Alderman Miller, and unanimously carried per the City Manager's recommendation.

Hearing closed upon motion of Alderman Hall, seconded by Alderman Miller, and unanimously carried.

Approved upon motion of Alderman Hall, seconded by Alderman Miller, and unanimously carried per the City Manager's recommendation.

Hearing closed upon motion of Alderman Hall, seconded by Alderman Miller, and unanimously carried.

Approved upon motion of Alderman Hall, seconded by Alderman Miller, and unanimously carried per the City Manager's recommendation.

Hearing closed upon motion of Alderman Hall, seconded by Alderman Miller, and unanimously carried.

Approved upon motion of Alderman Hall, seconded by Alderman Miller, and unanimously carried per the City Manager's recommendation.

Hearing closed upon motion of Alderman Hall, seconded by Alderman Miller, and unanimously carried.

Approved upon motion of Alderman Hall, seconded by Alderman Miller, and unanimously carried per the City Manager's recommendation.

Hearing closed upon motion of Alderman Hall, seconded by Alderman Miller, and unanimously carried.

Approved upon motion of Alderman Hall, seconded by Alderman Miller, and unanimously carried per the City Manager's recommendation.

Hearing closed upon motion of Alderman Hall, seconded by Alderman Miller, and unanimously carried.

Approved upon motion of Alderman Hall, seconded by Alderman Miller, and unanimously carried per the City Manager's recommendation.

Hearing closed upon motion of Alderman Hall, seconded by Alderman Miller, and unanimously carried.

Approved upon motion of Alderman Hall, seconded by Alderman Miller, and unanimously carried per the City Manager's recommendation.

Hearing closed upon motion of Alderman Hall, seconded by Alderman Miller, and unanimously carried.

Approved upon motion of Alderman Hall, seconded by Alderman Miller, and unanimously carried per the City Manager's recommendation.

Hearing closed upon motion of Alderman Hall, seconded by Alderman Miller, and unanimously carried.

Approved upon motion of Alderman Hall, seconded by Alderman Miller, and unanimously carried per the City Manager's recommendation.

Hearing closed upon motion of Alderman Hall, seconded by Alderman Miller, and unanimously carried.

Approved upon motion of Alderman Hall, seconded by Alderman Miller, and unanimously carried per the City Manager's recommendation.

Hearing closed upon motion of Alderman Hall, seconded by Alderman Miller, and unanimously carried.

Approved upon motion of Alderman Hall, seconded by Alderman Miller, and unanimously carried per the City Manager's recommendation.

Marcus Lotson, Metropolitan Planning Commission: Essentially, 18 and 19 are related. Actually item number 19 was a petition that was filed by an applicant to rezone property at 234 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard from B-C to BC-1 the intent of that rezoning is that the petitioner's client is intending on redeveloping that property for commercial uses. One of the uses that they wanted to have within that new development is a craft distillery. So they were requesting a rezoning for that case. In review of that petition we believe that it was a better course of action to consider a text amendment to the zoning ordinance which is number 18 to allow that use in the current zoning of that property as well as in the B-B zoning classification which is Bayfront Business which appears on River Street. There are many uses within the current B-C zoning classification that are far more intense in terms of commercial uses than the proposed use. So we believe that made sense to add that use as an allowed use. This use was just created back in 2015 and frankly at the time it should have been added to this zoning classification and wasn't. So if the City Council chooses to approve number 18 which is the text amendment that was recommended by the MPC the petitioner I believe will withdraw number 19. So I'd be happy to answer any questions on those if there are any.

Hearing closed upon motion of Alderman Durrence, seconded by Alderman Miller, and unanimously carried.

Approved upon motion of Alderman Durrence, seconded by Alderman Miller, and unanimously carried per the City Manager's recommendation.

Harold Yellin, Agent for the petitioner stated in light of Council's approval and voting of item 18, they will withdraw item 19.

Marcus Lotson, Metropolitan Planning Commission: Similarly to items 18 and 19, items 20 through 24 are also related to one petition. Essentially what you have before you is item 20 is a zoning text amendment and items 21 through 24 are map amendments that are associated with this proposed development. Just briefly this petition came before us quite some time ago and there's been a lot of hours of collaboration between staff and the Planning Commission and the applicant and a number of meetings both between us and between the applicant and the public including the neighborhood association. This is related to property, a block of property really, between Montgomery Street and Jefferson and north of Anderson Street down to 31st. This is, as most of you probably know you, used to be the Joe Addison property, it's currently vacant. The petitioner has purchased this property and their intent is to establish a residential development on that property. What's interesting here is that the property is within two different Historic Districts, it's within the Mid-City District as well as a Victorian neighborhood. The petitioner had requested a number of zoning changes for those various properties. What it really boils down to is that those properties the Planning Commission had an alternate recommendation from what the petitioner had proposed. The petitioners are in favor of that alternate recommendation and they're proposing that the existing 3-B zoning be partially extended for properties that abut Anderson Street and that the property at Montgomery and 31st Street be changed from the B-C zoning classification to the TC-2 classification. That's what the zoning action is on those items 21 through 24. The text amendment information relates to allowing multi-family in certain areas in the B-C zoning classification. Also to expand the location where upper story residential uses are permitted and to amend the Victorian District's standards to allow greater density which we felt was in keeping with Council's previous recommendations on multi-family in the greater downtown area​.

Alderman Miller: Would the text amendment then refer only to the property we're discussing now or all properties in the neighborhood?

Marcus Lotson, Metropolitan Planning Commission: Well as with all property, as with all text amendments, it does apply throughout the zoning ordinance. However this is written in a way that it is unlikely to impact other properties.

Harold Yellin, Agent for Petitioner: I do want to add just one quick item. It was a pledge that we made our group met with Mid-City neighborhood. We also met with the Victorian Neighborhood Association. The Mid-City group was perfectly fine with the plan. The VNA approved with the request that we not allow any package stores in our neighborhood and we agreed and told them that we would tell you on the record that we agree to that proposal. So everything that Mr. Lotson has told you is absolutely true and we support staff recommendation but we also want to have the additional condition that as a part of the minutes we will agree that a package store as we know that definition to mean in our ordinance will not be permitted on the block area. That's before you today. So we state that for the record.

Richmond Fergerson: I am a resident of the MLK Corridor and I approve of this redevelopment. However, I disapprove of the rezoning for the following reasons it is not sufficient parking in that area. In addition to the units requested you're also renovating units across the street which impacts parking. So I don't know how you could put 105 units in such a dense area with no parking which is a serious problem. Also the size of the units is of concern. You have units as small as 450 square feet and according to HUD standards it discriminates against families with children and that area, and I've been familiar with that area for the last 40 years, is primarily African-American working class people who would like to move up and stay in the area and this prevents them from doing so. The late Floyd Adams said that the Southside will be the next ghetto. I think this development with the density, I know you've increased the density but along with density you have to also consider the parking, and the parking is a big issue as we know from Downtown parking. Also, even though I would not like to admit it this report from the MPC is lacking in details, the design is lacking in details, the conceptual drawing does not give a definitive design which would be adhered to. They will be able to change the design after it's approved. There's a cottage on the property that was built in 1890 which is similar to the King Tisdell Cottage and I think they have approved the removal of this cottage from the Victorian district to the Mid-City district without a COA or any approval. So I think this is giving them authority. 

Marcus Lotson, Metropolitan Planning Commission: I'll be happy to respond to some of Mr. Fergerson's points. I just want to say regarding the historic cottage there has been no approval yet to remove or move that building. The petitioner is aware that there is a process in which to request that but that process is not underway and there has not been approval to move it so at this point there will be if this gets approved and they go forward with this development they'll have to figure that out down the road. As it relates to the parking question, you know we agreed that parking is a very important issue. This is a zoning action so this is not specific yet to the site plan but it is my understanding that the petitioner will be able to meet their required parking for the units that they would be constructing if approved, and relative to the design of the buildings that is again not a part of this process but going forward that will be reviewed by different body.

Alderman Hall: Mr. Fergerson did you appear before the MPC to express your objections?

Richmond Fergerson: Yes I did appear

Alderman Hall: And they approved it and sent it over here?

Richmond Fergerson: They just approved it at first October 31, it was voted down 6 to 5. Unfortunately your City Manager voted for this in a losing cause and on the text amendment you know it's ironic that they want to be specific about location. I also want to note I was not notified and the community was not fully notified of this meeting due to the lack of signage being placed in the proper position and I took some pictures of the sign it was not specific as to what the zoning was for.

Mayor DeLoach: Was a date on it?

Richmond Fergerson: It was a date on it but there was no sort after date.

Alderman Thomas: Rich when you were making your reference about the Southside what context was that and what you're talking about here.

Richmond Fergerson: Well I was just basically going on the movement from the community to the Southside and based on what the late Floyd Adams said years ago as to the gentrification.

Alderman Thomas: Well I want to tell you because it was to me that that conversation was occurring when Floyd Adams and I had that conversation with Michael Brown the then City Manager and that was 17 years ago. The exact quote was "if we don't start taking proactive measures the Southside could become the next ghetto." Every district in this City has an area that can be identified as a ghetto. I wouldn't make a blanket statement that the Southside because well you can dispute it all you want, it's a landmark and most people in the City can't afford some places on the Southside and I'm just going to tell you don't make a blanket statement that the Southside is a ghetto because certainly [inaudible] Coffee Bluff, Wilshire, Windsor there's places [inaudible].

Alderman Hall: He was specific, he said Windsor Forest. Anyone can go back to the records and get that.

Alderman Thomas: Well it's in the records John and I know exactly what's in the records and I know who was who had the conversation. You weren't here, I was.

Alderman Hall: No, I'm a resident of Savannah and these proceedings were televised. You are in these proceedings were televised these proceedings. So just because I was not up here that didn't mean I didn't hear it.

Alderman Thomas: Yeah, but you're taking it out of context. I could say the same about Savannah Gardens and that area.

Alderman Miller: I have a question Mr. Lotson, did I understand you to say that the developer has provided the required parking for this development.

Marcus Lotson, Metropolitan Planning Commission: My statement was that in review of the concept plan that we've seen so far, because we're not at the site plan review stage right now, that what we've seen so far that they are able to provide their required parking.

Alderman Miller: Did I understand you to say you're in favor of the project, but you're not in favor of the zoning that would allow the project.

Richmond Fergerson: Yes the density would be increasing and I would say parking should be available on site. You know I've been working with this area in the last 12 years and Mr. Addison was trying to develop the site. One of the reasons why he couldn't get it was because of the compliance with the Victorian district and that part of it plus the cottage.

Alderman Miller: Okay, so your concern with the density was because of the parking that would be required for it.

Richmond Fergerson: It was recommended at one point that the City sell that lane which would provide additional parking or you could go underground. That's the option that he was given back in 2009.

Mayor DeLoach: Thank you

Clinton Edminster: Merry Christmas. I'm the President for the Thomas Square Neighborhood Association. My name is Clint Edminster. But I'm not here today speaking on behalf of the neighborhood association, basically just up here from my own findings and as a concerned citizen. I'm actually here in favor of density. I don't have a car and I live in the neighborhood. There's this idea of sort of like location proximity where you can get I get 80 to 90 percent of everything I need in my life by walking or biking there. And I only get that because the density of residential units around there allows a mixed use neighborhood to thrive and that to me is that is the biggest value in my life. I don't think I'd move to any other city because anywhere else I move I'm not sure if I'll have that location efficiency. We just simply need housing units in this district period. I can't say enough about how many more housing units we need the more housing units we build the less that when somebody wants to move into the neighborhood they have to kick somebody else out. So the more housing that we do build that allows more people to come into the neighborhood more support for all the businesses there. It's simply I see it as a good thing. Yes there are concerns about parking. Yes there are concerns about possibly too many people. But as Jane Jacobs said the more eyes on the street the safer we all are. So I'm in favor of both sort of increased density and also of this project. I think it'll be really helpful. And again I just want to reiterate the more housing units that we can build the less that people will come. I think be affected by the negative effects of gentrification that could happen. We just need more housing and this is a mixed use development and I'm quite in favor of it. Thank you.

Mayor DeLoach: Okay thank you a lot.

Marcus Lotson, Metropolitan Planning Commission: I just want to clarify one thing because a statement was made regarding the Planning Commission's recommendation. This action item came before the Planning Commission, it was continued to October 31st where they recommended approval of this alternate recommendation that's before you today. 

Alderman Durrence: I'd like to say you know I've looked at conceptual drawings for this. I believe they've addressed the parking issues. As far as displacing anyone in this neighborhood these four blocks except for the historic home that was mentioned and three other houses that are on one of those four blocks there's nothing there. So no one's being displaced. This is actually creating housing in a place where we have no activity at this point. 

Hearing closed upon motion of Alderman Durrence, seconded by Alderman Miller, and unanimously carried.

Approved upon motion of Alderman Durrence, seconded by Alderman Johnson, and unanimously carried per the City Manager's recommendation.

Hearing closed upon motion of Alderman Durrence, seconded by Alderman Miller, and unanimously carried.

Approved upon motion of Alderman Durrence, seconded by Alderman Johnson, and unanimously carried per the City Manager's recommendation.

Hearing closed upon motion of Alderman Durrence, seconded by Alderman Miller, and unanimously carried.

Approved upon motion of Alderman Durrence, seconded by Alderman Johnson, and unanimously carried per the City Manager's recommendation.

City Manager Hernandez: Mr. Mayor, staff requests that the City Council reconsider item number 23 for the point of clarification. There seems to be some confusion as to exactly what happened.

Harold Yellin: Mr. Mayor the formatting that you have today is a little different than what we're used to seeing. 23 and 24 were the original petitions brought by the petitioner but 20, 21 and 22 is what was actually approved by MPC and what should have been approved. Just like the other one where there's an extra item 23 and 24 should be withdrawn because they are inconsistent with 20, 21 and 22. So the motion for approval should only be with respect to agenda items 20, 21 and 22 and not for 23 and 24.

A motion to reconsider this item was made by Alderman Durrence, seconded by Alderman Miller, and unanimously carried.

Harold Yellin: For the record items 23 and 24 are now withdrawn by the petitioner.

A motion to reconsider this item was made by Alderman Durrence, seconded by Alderman Miller, and unanimously carried.

Harold Yellin: For the record items 23 and 24 are now withdrawn by the petitioner.

Alderman Shabazz: The overlay districts for this particular item number 25 it is a motion to amend the zoning ordinance regarding the Alcoholic Density Overlay District and this particular item is involved or include the three areas that the Overlay Alcoholic Density District is talking about which are the West Bay Street Overlay that Alderman Johnson will probably make comment about, the ones that's concerning my district are the Montgomery Street Overlay District and portion of the Ogeechee Road Overlay District. So we're sort of in this thing together.

Hearing closed upon motion of Alderman Shabazz, seconded by Alderman Hall, and unanimously carried.

Approved upon motion of Alderman Shabazz, seconded by Alderman Johnson, and unanimously carried per the City Manager's recommendation.

Bernetta Lanier: Bernetta Lanier Hudson Hill/Bayview/Clearview Community Organization this is in reference to number 26. We have been talking and working with the MPC. Mr. Lotson and his team have come out because we have really been trying to just get a good Smart Growth and Development Plan for a long time now, many years. We are working now with CNU, the Congress of New Urbanism, who's coming to Savannah in the Spring in order to do a Smart Growth and Development Plan for the West side that we've really been trying to get passed. The question I have is I'm trying to get an understanding. So are we amending the zoning map because if we are whatever has been decided I think I missed one meeting this year but they haven't come back and presented to the community what the change would be.

Alderman Johnson: What she's saying is we've been working with the Hudson Hill Community to create a community plan. In that community plan is a substantial part dealing with zoning and so she's asking because we have not gotten back with them regarding the zoning piece. Does this affect the zoning piece of the plan which I'll be working on, right?

Bernetta Lanier: Correct.

Alderman Johnson: Right and it does not. This just deals with alcohol in that area which was a part of the plan you talked about. But it does not affect anything else. 

Bernetta Lanier: So what does it say? The people of Hudson Hill and I'm taking a guess but I would think 90 to 99 percent have no idea what this amended zoning map says and my point is it may be good. We just don't know.

Mayor DeLoach: Ronald and them came in and directly asked us to do this.

Bernetta Lanier: We don't think that's what happened we came in and we brought and gave everyone up here and I spoke that day and gave everyone up here a letter that was written by our attorney that was asking for a Growth and Develop moratorium. After the discussions that day we ended up with an alcohol moratorium which would have been a part of the Growth and Development moratorium but we didn't go there far. Hopefully we will get the opportunity to do that with the Congress of New Urbanism in the Spring but the people of Hudson Hill after a lot of discussion for many years, maybe about 12 we were concerned about alcohol but we're not against alcohol because we want growth and development in businesses. But we just don't know what this is saying and it's being passed.

Alderman Hall: It's keeping places like The Stage on Bay out. Didn't you protest The Stage on Bay.

Bernetta Lanier: No I didn't protest. I wish you'd go back and look at that because I never protested that and I was here.

Mayor DeLoach: All I'm saying is we got something on the table has been going in trying to make sure we get it in place so that we don't have something come through the back door.

Bernetta Lanier: So today we are changing the density overlay map for Hudson Hill and Bay Street and we don't know what it is and we would like to know what is it that we're changing because we don't have to live by this. And today we don't know.

Alderman Bell: I have a question Mr. Mayor but I don't know who the questions should be directed to staff or whoever. Now, I know you are the upcoming President

Bernetta Lanier: And the Past President.

Alderman Bell: Was Hudson Hill informed of the changes. I mean I understand Mr. Williams may be, but was her organization?

City Manager Hernandez: ​​​I don't know about her organization specifically Mayor Pro Tem, but we have been working with representatives in the neighborhood from multiple neighborhoods not just with Savannah on this as the Mayor mentioned for last nine months or so.

Alderman Johnson: That's right to include community meetings.

Alderman Bell: Well specifically though Alderman, you're the representative.

Alderman Johnson: Well you're the representative too.

Alderman Bell: Tell me has Hudson Hill been involved? 

Alderman Johnson: Hudson Hill was involved, the President was one of the ones who petitioned forward that.

Mayor DeLoach: What we're trying to do is okay just let us get this overlay done on this alcohol thing so we can get it taken care of and then we'll deal with the other issue at another time. But this issue is strictly alcohol stopping the proliferation of alcohol by the package all over the place in West Savannah and the expansion of businesses.

Bernetta Lanier: We're not really against alcohol but responsible alcohol.

Alderman Johnson: For months, for the past two years people have come before this body every time there was alcohol license that basically by law we had to approve because our alcohol ordinance basically said we had to have a legal reason to deny. And so this came about from people saying well what can we do? What can we do within the law to be able to not only protect the rights of those people seeking a license but also the residents that live there and hence this is where we've come from and this only deals with alcohol density. It doesn't deal with anything else.

Bernetta Lanier: So we're making a change today and we have no idea what that changes. I guess we will find out after the fact how this is going to affect our community.

Alderman Shabazz: Well let me say this because I'm talking in reference to the Alcoholic Overlay District which all three areas are it's not packaged together but item number 26 we're going to make the motion for all of them to be in this group on this particular item. Then item number 26, 27 and 28 breaks it down per area. My area is item number 27 and the neighborhood association presidents and the residents from the Cann Park Area, Jackson Park, Feiler Terrace, Feiler Park, and Tatumville areas asked for the change and they've all been going through this for several months. This is to help stop the density of the amount of alcohol licenses that has been given out in the area in my district. We're talking about a span from Victory Drive to DeRenne Avenue there are eleven convenience stores that have alcohol licenses that has come before City Council and we by law had to approve them. But the citizens were saying enough was enough and I'm thinking that's what happened over in your area. 

Alderman Johnson: While he's coming up let me just add while specifically Ms. Lanier it was in terms of your community it was Bay Street specifically from East Lathrop to West Lathrop and then from there to the river. So it's just in that Bay Street corridor which is really just the outskirts of the Hudson Hill community. 

City Manager Hernandez: Mr. Mayor it might be helpful if the speaker looks at the backup for item number 25 that might give you the details that I think you're looking for.

Ronald Williams: Mr. Mayor, City Council, my name is Ronald Williams I am the President of the West Savannah Community Organization. As for the density of alcohol it was on record in 2005 I came and spoke before Council when Dr. Johnson was the Mayor. I asked him because we were in opposition of a person trying to open up a lounge or Millan and Bay Street. At that time I thought it was too many alcoholic establishment in the area, although I wasn't president at the time. But as I became president I thought it was more important that we eliminate some of the alcohol establishment in that area. Now it's already seven establishments in that one mile stretch on Bay Street and I think that's too much to have any kind of alcohol. I've been working with Mr. Shane Corbin and he has come up with a plan as far as density and stuff like that and he worked very hard. He's been working on it for months and his recommendation is what I hope Council will go with today. 

Hearing closed upon motion of Alderman Shabazz, seconded by Alderman Hall, and unanimously carried.

Approved upon motion of Alderman Shabazz, seconded by Alderman Johnson, and unanimously carried per the City Manager's recommendation.

Hearing closed upon motion of Alderman Shabazz, seconded by Alderman Hall, and unanimously carried.

Approved upon motion of Alderman Shabazz, seconded by Alderman Johnson, and unanimously carried per the City Manager's recommendation.

Hearing closed upon motion of Alderman Shabazz, seconded by Alderman Hall, and unanimously carried.

Approved upon motion of Alderman Shabazz, seconded by Alderman Johnson, and unanimously carried per the City Manager's recommendation.

Attorney Stillwell: You'll recall that that is the Gateway/204 project. The attorneys for both the petitioner and the objector have agreed to a continuation until the next meeting and I'm going to meet with them next week and try and work out some kind of accommodation if possible.

Alderman Shabazz: Mr. Mayor before we move forward with this I just want to inform the public on what we are talking about. This particular item is talking about the proposed housing development out on Gateway Boulevard off of 204 near 95 where there is a proposed 274 units of affordable workplace housing project to hopefully be developed in its proper form. So I would like to make a motion to continue this item.

Continued to the meeting of January 4, 2018, upon motion of Alderman Shabazz, seconded by Alderman Hall, and unanimously carried.

Ordinance read for the first time in Council December 21, 2017, then by unanimous consent of Council read a second time, placed upon its passage, adopted and approved upon a motion by Alderman Bell, seconded by Alderman Durrence, and unanimously carried.

Ordinance in its entirety on file in the Office of the Clerk of Council.

Approved upon motion of Alderman Miller, seconded by Alderman Foster and carried. A board vote was taken with the following voting in favor: Mayor DeLoach, Aldermen Bell, Miller, Durrence, Foster and Hall. Aldermen Johnson, Thomas and Shabazz voted against the motion.

Ordinance in its entirety on file in the Office of the Clerk of Council.

Approved upon motion of Alderman Miller, seconded by Alderman Durrence, and carried. A board vote was taken with the following voting in favor: Mayor DeLoach, Aldermen Bell, Miller, Durrence, Foster and Hall. Aldermen Johnson, Thomas and Shabazz voted against the motion.

Ordinance in its entirety on file in the Office of the Clerk of Council.

Alderman Bell: I think it's important that the public understands and I'm sure Council has been given this information. But before we vote on the proposed budget by staff I think it's important that the citizens understand that with the institution or the authorization of a Fire Fee it affords us the opportunity to fund the restoration of services and the enhancements from the original budget that nobody as the Budget Director stated favored. Without the Fire Fee we will have:

A Lower Quality of Life

• No funding for programs benefiting poor and elderly residents, the social services programs 
• No funding for cultural arts agencies
• No funds for special events, sponsorships and community celebrations including fireworks and holiday decorations
• No expanded community center hours for youth in those two regional neighborhood community centers

There will be:

Less Money for Better Neighborhoods

• No enhanced grass cutting, tree pruning and tree removal services 
• No funding for Casey Drainage Basin Pump Station improvements 
• No funding for improvements to Joe Tribble Park on the Southside 
• No funding for Phase II of Waters Avenue Streetscaping Enhancements, that half million dollars
• No funding for assessment of street paving condition 
• Less money for street, sidewalk, lighting and park improvements in Edgemere/Sackville, over in John Hall's area

In addition we will have a less safe community without these funds that are freed up from the General Fund for Fire:  

• No funding for 13 additional police officers 
• No funding for Cold Case Investigative Unit 
• No funding for one police information systems analyst position 
• No emergency medical technician training for fire rescue personnel 
• No funding for one fire engine, one ladder truck, and a fire boat 
• No funding for 34 existing firefighter positions and two fire inspectors

And last but not least we will have a: 

Less Efficient Government

• No funding for new budget software system 
• No cost of living increase for City employees 
• No funds for new facilities management and code enforcement software 
• Less funding for operational emergencies

I think it's very important that our public understands that if we don't have increased revenue all of those things, the aforementioned items, cannot be funded.

Alderman Hall: I'd like to thank Council for approving the hardship assistance fund for $400,000 to help those residents who are struggling to pay and who have to pay this. Hard decisions are made up here, after listening to everything and after seeing what was going to be unfunded and less money going to it, I felt like it was necessary for me to do this and vote in favor of it. It is my hope that at some point some time that this fee will sunset, but that's down the road. I just want my constituents to know that I want you to be safe. I want you to have police and fire protection and I want to leave this City in a better way than I found it. 

Mayor DeLoach: I want to add a point on this I was on the County Commission for 8 years previously in 92 to 2000. In those 8 years I was on the side that had to do this every time. I happen to be a Democrat at that time when you ran in party. But on that we had the Republicans ride every budget that we ever did. They would ride and they would give suggestions like my fellow constituents that are voting against the budget and against it have given a number of items on this budget that they want in this budget. For instance Tribble Park and the $319,000 we had to have for keeping the areas open at night for our kids was very important to Dr. Shabazz . At some point you have to have statesmen and people who are willing to run the program and the others can ride which they did back in 92 to 2000 a number of times. But this is a time whenever you have to choose what's important for the long term. The cupboard is bare and we had to do what we had to do and we tried to move forward. I appreciate all of you that work with us to make sure we get down the road and we take care of all these items on this list so that we can come back to the citizens and say we did what we said we would do.

Alderman Miller:  In light of what you said I also need to point out that when this current Council was elected we had people who were afraid to go out of their houses at night. We had run this City on the backs of the Police Department, we had 120 vacancies and that was created and about $11 million worth of funds that we weren't using and were using it for everything else. Crime was going rampant. People forget about that. Now the big concern is people stealing things out of cars. We still have crime, it's still not acceptable but we've made such a huge dent in it that people have gotten away from remembering what was going on. Part of what we just funded was the continuation of that program. Crime is going down, it's going down incredibly fast for the community where crime was going up we reversed that trend. We're going down I think it's 5 percent across the City and across the jurisdiction. In some areas it's down as much as 30 percent in the areas we're concerned about it's down that much. We have a long way to go. We still have 15 year olds shooting and 15 year olds and that takes a whole different type of policing. At the same time we discovered that so many other City departments were in just as bad a shape and that's what we're trying to address at this time. We couldn't cut the grass; we couldn't trim the trees; we couldn't take care of the sidewalks; we couldn't take care of the trees; our infrastructure was failing; our storm sewers were falling; our overflow sewers were falling in and still are and they have to be addressed. Our plan was to repave streets every 75 years. We've got to do better than that. We have to have more money to do it and this is the fairest way to do it. I'm kind of proud of the steps that we have taken.

Alderman Johnson: Thank you Mr. Mayor I promise I'll be brief but since they went there I'll just go ahead and say this to them. Alderman Miller talked about the dent in and crime and the vacancies. I'll remind him and I'm sure the Chief will attest that the reason why the vacancies were filled they were filled before this Council took over. Hiring a police officer takes over a year to be able to do so I mean you know we all understand it's all part of a continuum. We understand that nothing happens in and alone but we have to make sure we keep the issues where they are. Ultimately this is a very difficult part of what we do. It is the most difficult part in my mind. Certainly this has been extremely contentious. You have nine individuals that are elected by the people and they have to be able to respond to the needs of their constituents. So certainly I'm not mad or anything, I still love all of you. Life still goes on. You know I've been on the losing side before. My opinion, which is my opinion, is also based off of where I sit and where I stand and where I serve and those who I serve. So you know life still goes on. Everything is still well. But we have to keep in mind that when we talk and plan for the long term there are people that have short term issues, short term issues in terms of today. There are still individuals who don't have enough food to eat. There's still individuals that live in their homes that are wondering where their next meal is coming from or how to provide for their young people. That's where I serve, that's why I fought so hard for individuals who are being reduced to force. The way you, the way you counteract poverty is not to make your employees part of the poverty. I think that you know the fire is going to be an adjustment. My concern has been not necessarily against the fire fee concept which I've always said I agreed with but I think the issue is really the fact that this was really happening at a much faster pace than our citizens who have never paid before would be able to accept it. Alderman Hall talked about the $400,000 for people who are homeowners that are affected by it. That's all well and good but most people in poverty don't own homes. So if you're a tenant this is being passed off, we have still not found a way to be able to deal with those folks. Those are the elderly and those that are infirmed that all of the sudden now this is a new expense for them. We don't have those issues and I'm glad we're blessed not to have those issues but we have to remember there are still a sizable part of our population, 26 percent individuals, one out of approximately four individuals where life is hard and every single dollar counts. So again I'm not blaming anybody for how they voted, I mean again I wasn't even going to say anything about it but you know since we're going there fine. I love this City as much as anybody else and I want the City to be financially stable just like anybody else. I just say you know hey I lost this one and as Kenny Rogers said and I quoted earlier I know when to hold up and when to fold up. I didn't have the votes. I folded up. 

Alderman Shabazz: Thank you Mr. Mayor. As I stated and it is on the record from our last City Council meeting and at that time my percentage has actually gone up. I repeat there is approximately at that time from the last City Council meeting I was in agreements with about eighty six percent of what this fire fee is talking about. At that time I was 14 percent in question and knew that there should be other measures that should be taken and not to go down this line of assessing a fire fee on our citizens. Since that time we've had several meetings and good things have come out of those meetings and my percentage has actually gone up in reference to the fire fee. There's about 10 percent of what I disagree about this fire fee and there's 90 percent of what I do agree with. So to help the Mayor and his statement in reference to the $319,000 of extended hours for our community centers from the hours of 8:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. it's going to be a great thing and it was a part of that percentage of what I did agree on. But in reference to the other part and the other percentage that I believe that we could have taken a different route and a different road, and that is because there is still the poor, the working poor that live among us. There are still those who cannot speak, who cannot see, and who cannot hear, it is those people who sent me down here to represent them and in representation of them I will represent them 100 percent. So therefore my vote no is for those citizens who will have a short shortfall who some of us, like Alderman Johnson stated, we are fortunate. Now I'm sort of on the other side, the leaning side, of somewhat fortunate not to be in that category, to be able to afford to pay for my fire fees that we are about to embark on in September of 2018. But then there are some where $10, $15, and $25 will make a significant difference in their household. So my vote no is for those persons, along with the houses of worship, it is that which I came here. It was the embodiment of me that I came here with on City Council and is what I presently do in the area of representation of the houses of worship and that is where I am going to continue to be. So I support those who have to make budgets, who have to keep the doors of the church and the doors of the worship centers open for those who need to come in and to be dealt with in reference to the work that we do in the houses of worship. That is the reason why I am voting no on today.

Alderman Johnson: Mr. Manager, Ms. Carter and staff thank you all so much. I know we were throwing a bunch of stuff at you. I'm sure I threw enough at you but thank you all the arch of professionalism is to remain professional and not get involved in the politics. I appreciate you all.

Alderman Thomas: I want to explain my vote no on this budget. To begin I want to echo what Van said the staff did not have an easy job. We did not have an easy job but there were things that were disturbing about this budget that I just have never seen and worked with before up here. I want to begin Mayor by addressing a comment that you made about Tribble Park. Tribble Park is the perfect example of what government shouldn't do. Tribble Park improvements were promised to the citizens of Windsor Forest years ago. It was put in the capital budget then taken out of the capital budget to balance prior budgets and then put back in the capital budget to be delayed with no funding and then made into what I could only think because everyone keeps saying Tribble Park, Tribble Park as some kind of bargaining tool that should have forced me to say yes in order to not vote no against the other things that I think that are concerning about this budget. But as it looks now you'll have the votes to pass the budget and Tribble Park improvements will come and I'm appreciative of that and for all the hard work that I've done in the years before in order to make that happen. What was an answer though in this budget process was the amounts of money from utilities that wasn't collected and I heard that from other people that have asked that question that we still haven't gotten an answer. How much money is still out there? There were you know we all ran away from talking about the negotiated settlement of the police the merger cost. City taxpayers are getting hosed millions of dollars by the County not paying for their share. Now we ended it with this what I would think is this amenable agreement between the City and County governments to get out of this divorce but it's still millions of dollars that aren't being paid back to taxpayers that are owed. Now we can say that the 911 Call Center and all of that I haven't seen anything permanent on that yet so I don't know. You know I also want to remind the public too that when this Council and this administration took over we put $2 million over there to the County in order to keep the merger together at that time. So that money was forgotten and that's part of when this is all looped together there's two million more dollars. You know we talked about Memorial and all of the new hotels and things that are coming on the economy that's starting to crank back up and we keep talking about the mid-year review. I think we're going to have a rosy mid-year review and that's going to allow us to do some things that if we had not done them now we could have done them then and prioritize them and done them then. Everyone up here keeps talking about the sale of City assets you know there's monies that are coming in from there. We never talked about our own budget, the Mayor and Aldermen have a budget, we never talked about if we can make cuts, if we could look and see where any areas of cuts could be made and that that budget which is part of the larger budget. You know the other $2.3 million for the Savannah Renaissance Project that hit us out of the blue or hit some of us out of the blue, some folks seem to know about it, all of us didn't. But we made the adjustment on that and we said we would revisit it at some point down in the future but there are still many questions. We were being asked to support two million plus dollars of tax dollars for something that the superintendent of the schools could not really give me clear direction on what the itinerary was and what we were doing, location of the place where this was all going to happen. You know I have concerns that the City doesn't have the ability to truly implement and enforce the fire fee. What if one of these non-profits doesn't pay their bill? Are we going to go you know we ask the questions about what was going to happen. Is it a lien? Are we going to enforce it? Are we going to force a sale? Are we going to work with them? I mean none of those questions were answered. And finally it's the timing I'm not going to go back into this but we were not given enough time to really get with the constituents in order to what I would say for them to be asked to support and pay for what they are being asked what they're being forced to pay for now. We did not have enough time to go back and have the meetings necessary in order to find out what we could do and if there were other options out there that we may not have already explored. The City Manager was quick in providing options to me when I asked but I'm sure there's other best practices out there, or some other practices that we could have looked at. And finally what bothers me the most about the fire fee is that it seems like the fire fee is going to pay for everything but the Fire Department. It seems like you know that bargaining chips of the Tribble and everything else but yet we're going to cut Fire Department personnel, we're taking away things from the Fire Department but we're putting all this money into other things. Now if we have a budget shortfall next year should we expect some other fee to pop up in order to create another pool of money in another situation like this that would make us vote to you know pass a fee on to our residents. And in conclusion I'll tell you I've talked to hundreds of people in my district and nobody, I mean nobody, said I'm in support of the fire fee and I'll rest at that.

Alderman Hall: One other observation, I received a call just prior to the meeting and there was a lady who told me that she is going to pay her fire fee but there's one stipulation she asked that we do. Mr. City Manager no commingling of fire fees, fire fees are for fire fees and the fire apparatus whatever to support a fire department.

City Manager Hernandez: Mr. Mayor and members of Council, the fees that are generated as a result of the fire fee will be deposited in a separate fund, the Fire Services Utility Fund. Those funds will not be commingled with the general fund dollars and on an annual basis those funds will be audited just like the rest of our funds to ensure that they are in fact separate and used for their intended purpose.

Alderman Foster: Savannah is a regional City where many regional non-profit operations are headquartered from hospital, colleges, museums, to governmental agencies that pay no taxes or fees for public safety. Under the law, a fee can be charged as long as it is charged to every property owner as is done in other areas all over Georgia and other states in our country. Over ten percent of parcels in our City are currently paying for no public safety services. This has put an incredible strain on our taxpaying property owners. We currently have the highest property tax in our area. Our City provides services for an average population of around 400,000 people daily coming here to visit or work for tourism while the actual population of our City is only 145,000. We have fully staffed our police as recommended for the first time in over a decade and increased their compensation and their training. This is in response to our residents who demand it. During the same time period our City infrastructure has been neglected and streets sidewalks and neighborhoods have been allowed to deteriorate due to lack of capital funding. The fairest way to address this financial imbalance is the City Manager's fire fund recommendation. Many of the more complex structures in our City that require highly trained firefighters and equipment pay no taxes or fees. By funding the fire fund, this service is ensured without disruption from a bad economy or political diversion. At the same time, property owners can get some relief from high taxes in the form of a millage rate decrease, while more general fund dollars can go to our police and infrastructure.

Approved upon motion of Alderman Miller, seconded by Alderman Foster, and carried. A board vote was taken with the following voting in favor: Mayor DeLoach, Aldermen Bell, Miller, Durrence, Foster and Hall. Aldermen Johnson, Thomas and Shabazz voted against the motion.

Alderman Bell: I would like to amend the vote we just took to include adding a 2% Cost of Living increase for the City Manager, Clerk of Council and City Attorney. The motion was seconded by Alderman Durrence and unanimously carried. 

Ordinance in its entirety on file in the Office of the Clerk of Council.

Alderman Johnson: City Manager how man additional fee increases are we proposing in the 2018 Revenue Ordinance?

Melissa Carter: Alderman Johnson, we haven't counted them but they range from cemetery fee changes, as parking fee changes, in addition to some of leisure services/recreation fees, licenses, and permits as well as establishment of some additional, of course water, sewer, and sanitation rate increases. These were discussed at previous budget workshops, I believe they were budget workshops 2 and 3. 

Alderman Johnson: We did discuss them I think, obviously I think my point is is that in addition to fees where we have more fees that are a little less publicized but folks have to pay them as well.

Approved upon motion of Alderman Miller, seconded by Alderman Foster, and carried. A board vote was taken with the following voting in favor: Mayor DeLoach, Aldermen Bell, Miller, Durrence, Foster and Hall. Aldermen Johnson, Thomas and Shabazz voted against the motion.

Ordinance in its entirety on file in the Office of the Clerk of Council.

Alderman Thomas: First I want to thank Jen for all the work that she's done on this ordinance and I want to thank the County and all the folks that worked on this ordinance to try to create a uniform ordinance countywide. There are a couple of little changes. I have exchanged e-mails and discussion with the Director regarding the number of dogs that are kept in City limits. If you will recall from the last meeting I stated that for example using my own place I could have up to like 66 dogs. Well she did get back to us and that was an oversight by the ordinance from the County and they have corrected it and I think Jen has gotten the right language. 

Jennifer Herman, Deputy City Attorney: Right, I have the section from them and have to put it into our section.

Alderman Thomas: That would limit and maintain our ordinance at how many dogs?

Jennifer Herman: Five.

Alderman Thomas: One thing I did like about what Kerry and them were doing at the County was that they are taking a different approach to what we are calling now community cats. They have taken a different approach and a more humane approach versus a punitive approach to that issue and I think that we're going to be continuing to work on this in the years ahead. And also there were a couple of folks who spoke here regarding other opportunities for the City to participate and I hope that we will keep in touch with them to see how we can work with them for these animal welfare issues.

Jennifer Herman: Alderman Thomas to your point there is an escape valve provision in this ordinance that gives the Director some discretion to vary from its terms. I think that's designed to address some of these issues that I think are going to be phased in at a later point in time.

Alderman Miller: Are you going to make a presentation?

Jennifer Herman: No, you all had a presentation by the County attorney. I'm just here to answer questions.

Alderman Miller: There's one thing I want to get on record because we've all been contacted by quite a few people on both sides of this issue. The point I want to confirm with you is this isn't dead, it's continuing to be discussed particularly where it applies to cats. Once this ordinance is done and is accepted that doesn't mean that's it forever, we'll continue to evolve it.

Jennifer Herman: That's correct. Just by way of background you know the County went through this process extensively some time ago and vetted the ordinance and worked with groups to arrive at the product that we have today. What they said to us is if we want Animal Control to enforce it you have to adopt what we've done. Articles A, B, and C of our ordinance mirrors the County ordinance so that animal control will have uniformity. Our [inaudible] consists of carryover provisions from our prior City ordinance, things like a prohibition on fishing in Coffee Bluff  and items along those lines and we needed to continue on.

Approved upon motion of Alderman Miller, seconded by Alderman Bell, and unanimously carried per the City Manager's recommendation.

Ordinance in its entirety on file in the Office of the Clerk of Council.

Alderman Johnson asked City Manager Hernandez to explain this item for the viewers.

City Manager Hernandez: Mayor and members of City Council I believe in 2014 the voters of City of Savannah authorized the Mayor and City Council to approve a phase out of their Freeport Inventory Tax. Essentially it is a property tax on inventory maintained by manufacturers. The voters in many places in the state of Georgia communities have done away with the Freeport Inventory Tax and the voters decided I think back in 2014 that in order for the City of Savannah to be competitive it too must phase out the Freeport Inventory Tax much like other communities have done in such. The voters directed that City Council develop a plan to phase out this tax over a five year period and as such we have been phasing out 20 percent of the total tax and this will be the third year of that five year phase out and that's how we get to the 60 percent level. So we have two more years to go to comply with the voter wishes. 

Mayor DeLoach: Which is really a very important item for us to continue to develop as a business center for the southeast Georgia and the Southeast.

Approved upon motion of Alderman Miller, seconded by Alderman Foster, and unanimously carried.

Resolution on file in the Office of the Clerk of Council

Approved upon motion of Alderman Johnson, seconded by Alderman Hall, and unanimously carried per the City Manager's recommendation.

Approved upon motion of Alderman Johnson, seconded by Alderman Hall, and unanimously carried per the City Manager's recommendation.

Approved upon motion of Alderman Bell, seconded by Alderman Hall, and unanimously carried per the City Manager's recommendation.

Approved upon motion of Alderman Bell, seconded by Alderman Hall, and unanimously carried per the City Manager's recommendation.

Approved upon motion of Alderman Bell, seconded by Alderman Hall, and unanimously carried per the City Manager's recommendation.

Approved upon motion of Alderman Bell, seconded by Alderman Hall, and unanimously carried per the City Manager's recommendation.

Approved upon motion of Alderman Bell, seconded by Alderman Hall, and unanimously carried per the City Manager's recommendation.

Approved upon motion of Alderman Bell, seconded by Alderman Hall, and unanimously carried per the City Manager's recommendation.

Approved upon motion of Alderman Bell, seconded by Alderman Hall, and unanimously carried per the City Manager's recommendation.

Approved upon motion of Alderman Bell, seconded by Alderman Hall, and unanimously carried per the City Manager's recommendation.

Approved upon motion of Alderman Bell, seconded by Alderman Hall, and unanimously carried per the City Manager's recommendation.

Approved upon motion of Alderman Bell, seconded by Alderman Hall, and unanimously carried per the City Manager's recommendation.

Approved upon motion of Alderman Bell, seconded by Alderman Hall, and unanimously carried per the City Manager's recommendation.

Approved upon motion of Alderman Hall, seconded by Alderman Shabazz, and unanimously carried per the City Manager's recommendation.

Approved upon motion of Alderman Johnson, seconded by Alderman Miller, and unanimously carried per the City Manager's recommendation.

Approved upon motion of Alderman Johnson, seconded by Alderman Miller, and unanimously carried per the City Manager's recommendation.

Alderman Shabazz: Mr. Mayor the reason I wanted to briefly pull this one before we voted on it is this item that is talking about or working with the Georgia Department of Labor to award fiscal year 2018 SNAP Works 2.0 grant totaling  $541,663.64 to the City of Savannah and the WorkSource Coastal to serve Bulloch, Chatham, and Glynn Counties. I just want our public to know that this is about to take place and I've asked our City Manager to help to provide a little more detail to our public so that they can know what's coming down the pipeline in 2018 with this particular item.

Mike Tucker:  Good afternoon Mayor and Council, I'm Mike Tucker with WorkSource Coastal. These federal funds for the SNAP grants that's the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program pays for job training and job readiness activities for folks that are what we call ABAWD those are Able Bodied Adults Without Dependents. So those are folks that will apply for the food assistance who have no children. But this is part of a pilot program serves two populations, one population does not get services, the other population is referred from DFACS which is the Division of Family and Children Services to Georgia Department of Labor through job readiness. Once they're ready they are sent to WorkSource for us to fund job training activities or scholarship for trainings for in-demand jobs. Those dollars are do primarily go to Chatham County because of the population.

Aldeman Shabazz: All right thank you so much City Manager. Thank you so much Director. I just want our public to to hear what is going on and to move yourself forward towards making a better life for yourself and to take advantage of what the City and programs that the City are providing. This additional funding that is coming down to us so that we can help our citizens.

Approved upon motion of Alderman Shabazz, seconded by Alderman Foster, and unanimously carried per the City Manager's recommendation.

Approved upon motion of Alderman Johnson, seconded by Alderman Miller, and unanimously carried per the City Manager's recommendation.

Approved upon motion of Alderman Johnson, seconded by Alderman Miller, and unanimously carried per the City Manager's recommendation.

No Action Necessary

Alderman Hall: Mr. Mayor, in regards to item number 57 former Clerk Dyanne Reese has retired and the appointment of an Acting Clerk of Council was necessary while a national search for a permanent Clerk of Council is underway. I move that. Ms. Luciana Spracher Director, of the City's Municipal Archives and Research Library Department be appointed Interim Clerk of Council.

Alderman Bell seconded the motion. 

Alderman Johnson: Thank you Mr. Mayor. As I stated last week, I stated again that I think that Ms. Spracher is an exemplary public servant and City employee. That being said, we do currently have two qualified and certified employees in the Clerk of Council's Office who are both designated by this Council as Deputy Clerks and I just simply believe they should have been given the opportunity to serve until the Council appoints a Clerk.

Approved upon motion of Alderman Hall, seconded by Alderman Bell and carried. A board vote was taken with the following voting in favor: Mayor DeLoach, Aldermen Bell, Miller, Durrence, Foster and Hall. Aldermen Johnson, Thomas and Shabazz voted against the motion.

Mayor DeLoach opened the public hearing and Melissa Carter, Chief Budget Officer, appeared to give an overview of the Proposed FY18 Service Program and Budget.

Following the presentation the below citizens appeared to voice their concerns as it relates to the FY18 Budget:

Alicia Blakely: Hello everyone thank you for allowing the community to speak in reference to this budget and fire tax fee. I saw something on Facebook yesterday that Alderman Tony Thomas put on his page and I want to tell you Alderman Thomas thank you for putting that information out there. My question is to the City Manager have you all decided to add opening up the community centers for young people into this proposed budget and also the $34,000 I believe it was that's supposed to be fixing Waters Avenue, is that fund not already in the SPLOST money?

City Manager Hernandez: First question deals with extended hours at the community center that it is two community centers that is in the proposed budget for 2018. The second question is Waters Avenue Phase 1 has already been completed. There is money in SPLOST for Phase 2. However it's not enough to complete the project. So in our proposed budget we are proposing an additional $500,000 so we can move forward with Phase 2.

Alicia Blakely: And that's for Waters Avenue

City Manager Hernandez: Phase 2 Waters Ave

Alicia Blakely: The amount that I saw on your page Alderman Thomas I believe it said almost 600 and some odd thousand dollars for the community center was that correct?

Mayor DeLoach: That's not correct

City Manager Hernandez: Off the top of my head I think it was like $314,000

Alicia Blakely: And that's over the course of five years?

City Manager Hernandez: No that's just for one year.

Alicia Blakely: That's kind of expensive. I just wanted to put that out there. Thank you.

Mayor DeLoach: Okay thank you.

Linda King: I'm here to speak one last time for the Savannah Chatham Fair Housing Commission. I want to thank you Mr. Miller for responding to my e-mails. I really appreciate that. I'm not here to be a thorn in the side of this of this Council. I understand the difficulty of making a balanced budget and finding pockets of money. Everybody has their hand out, everybody wants money. As a realtor we realize the value that this organization gives to the City of Savannah. They have been responsible for winning major cases anti-discrimination cases bringing in thousands and thousands of dollars' worth of funds to the government for people in this area who have committed violations. I'm afraid if we do away with this organization for lack of funding who are we going to have in place that understands how to proceed, and how to take care of what is necessary to maintain our HUD grants. It's not an easy task and these people are very knowledgeable and well-trained and one of two councils in the state of Georgia that have received the kind of recognition they have. I understand the budget is pretty much made now. Y'all have gone over and over it with a fine tooth comb. What I'm here to ask you is to try to find a way to work with the board of the council to come up with some way to keep them in business. I know you're going to relook at the numbers later down the line. They're on a zero budget now and also depend on grants and those grants have not been forthcoming. Anything you can do to maintain this organization is a strong benefit to the citizens of Savannah. Savannah is one of the most diverse communities in Georgia culturally as well. We cover all of the protected classes in our housing department. And I really would appreciate you trying to find a way to work with them to keep them in business.

Mayor DeLoach: Thank you.

Kesha Gibson-Carter: Good evening Mayor DeLoach and Council. I'm Kesha Gibson-Carter, Executive Director of our local Rape Crisis Center here in Savannah. We serve seven counties as I have previously stated. I want to acknowledge a correction to some numbers I reported at the last meeting. What is correct is that we have responded to 123 cases in tandem with Savannah Metro of rape victims at our three local hospitals and 87 of those cases resulted in a sexual assault rape examination kit and of those 13 were anonymous and that means that the victim wanted to report anonymously and did not want to go forth with the investigation as it relates to law enforcement. I also want to acknowledge appreciation once again to Dr. Estella Shabazz for her support and her facilitation of a meeting with the City Manager and I. I want to publicly thank Mr. Hernandez for inviting us to the table and acknowledge great appreciation for being professionals who can agree to disagree and move on and still respect each other accordingly. I do as many have stated here that we have a lot of work to do and it takes a lot of leadership, attention, and time to run this City and everybody cannot have everything. However I would be remise as the Executive Director of our local rape crisis center if I did not reiterate the fact that we are an essential service. We are in fact like a police department, an ambulance service, and a fire department. You can't exist without us, law enforcement is incapable of doing its job effectively without the support of a rape crisis center. And so by virtue of the fact that we are as well first responders 365 days a year, 24 hours a day our organization's staff and volunteers are responding to individuals who are experiencing the worst hurt that a person could live through. And so while I accept what the City Manager has decided with regard to the budget again I would be remise in not acknowledging the need of our City as well as the County to recognize that this is an organization that should not have to compete for funding against other essential non-profit organizations. As a result of my advocacy since our presentation here at the last meeting, I can tell you that I have been met with attacks and threats of arrest and charges and so I want to publicly acknowledge to our fine District Attorney Meg Heap and to our Chief of Police Jack Lumpkin I have retained counsel and if and only if you decide to go forward with those pieces I want to let you know that in addition to providing resources and advocacy the organization also provides prevention education which includes bullying and this is workplace bullying at its finest. So bullying is described as an imbalance of power that happens continuously and consistently. I won't give up, let up or stop or keep quiet.

Alderman Thomas:  She's made a very serious charge and I'd like to know has that come from anyone in the City organization?

Kesha Gibson-Carter: Chatham County.

Alderman Thomas: Chatham County, not the City of Savannah?

Alderman Johnson: No one under the employ of the City of Savannah?

Kesha Gibson-Carter: If the District Attorney or one of her Assistant District Attorneys is a City employee, I don't know. Well just let your City officials know. 

Alderman Johnson: Well no. I think we have control over the City of Savannah. I want to make sure that the charges that you're levying, which are serious charges in a public forum, that if it involves any member under the City of Savannah, Mayor and Alderman, City Manager. 

Kesha Gibson-Carter: I think I named who it was.

Alderman Johnson: Okay I just want to be very clear.

Linda Wilder Bryan: I'm an accidental activist and I just need to tell you that the budget leaves me and people like me who work in this City who operate at the mercy of wonderful citizens in a particular imbalanced environment. All of the resources that you give to people like Ms. Kesha is going to affect a population that's already suffering and damaged. So all I ask each of you to do is be mindful of the suffering in this City and stop putting if you say you're going to cut the budget, what happens is you're scaring people because you're saying if I cut this then you're not going to have protection, if I cut that this is why we have to cut. It's confusing and it's frustrating so I just pray and ask that when you decide to make this vote they're going to be already people who are suffering and whether you call it a fee or a tax, it's poor people who are going to have to come up with money that they no longer have. So thank you for what you do but please consider that this is going to cause a lot of people some frustrating and some more money that they don't have. And I'd also like to tag on what Ms. Blakely said there was an interview about the ministers in the City and they say the City Council was working with them. So hey I'll just be the devil's advocate again not only are we saying that you guys have to open these centers, there are ministers in this community that have social halls. They need to open those too. Thank you.

Kenneth: Why isn't it being looked at with the fire department with their joyridin? Incessant trucks riding to go to restaurants, they go to these exercise places, they go to Wal-Mart just to walk around. Why can't they put exercise equipment at the fire stations and they eat at the fire stations, it's become incessant. Also if you pass a fire fee what about these homeless organizations like Salvation Army, this Lutheran Church down here, it's going to hurt we in the County are going to have to pay this. The school tax goes up its going to hurt everybody it's not a ripple effect it's a wave effect. They need to be held accountable for the excessive waste these trucks on the road incessantly. They check these fire hydrants with them things to the City water department can do that. They need be held accountable for the daily waste that has witnessed every day by everybody.

Mayor DeLoach: Thank you.

Debra Simmons: Good evening, to the Mayor, Aldermen and everyone here. My name is Deborah Simmons. I am the Director for Neighborhood Improvement Association and I am here on behalf of the Savannah Coastal Empire Asset Development Coalition and the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program which is known as VITA. I am asking the Mayor and Aldermen to consider giving our program the extra $2,500 that we requested and I will let you know why. The VITA program is a federal program that offers free tax help to people who generally make $54,000 or less, persons with disability, and limited English speaking tax payers. We have a coalition of about 15 stationary and mobile sites located in or near low to moderate income areas. Some of our sites are our organization which is NEA on Abercorn Street, St. Mary's Community Center, Economic Opportunity Authority, Hispanic Community Center, Savannah Technical College, Moses Jackson Community Center, Windsor Forest Community Center, and the Savannah Entrepreneur Center. Some of our mobile sites are Memorial Health, Rose of Sharon, Housing Authority of Savannah, and Savannah Gardens and one of our other partners is Step Up Savannah. Over the years the VITA Program has saved taxpayers millions of dollars in tax preparation fees. I'm going to give you the results for 2017. We prepared approximately 5,000 tax returns. We saved the taxpayers approximately $1 million in tax preparation fees. The tax payers claimed approximately $3 million in Earned Income Tax Credit and about $716,000 of other refundable credits and when you put those credits together along with the federal withholding that's about $6.2 million. When we looked at the Earned Income Tax Credit according to the IRS this is a benefit for working people who are low to moderate income to qualified the taxpayer must have earned income and they may have to meet other qualifications. When we're looking at the Earned Income Tax Credit that comes back into the City and the benefits of this program we look at about $6.2 million and again this is money that comes back into the City of Savannah. We are asking you to consider the $2,500 because we have to purchase a sign that the City said we have to have which is permanent sign and that is about $800. We would also like put signs on the CAT buses and that's about $945 and we would like to purchase some supplies. So we are asking you to consider that $2,500 that was taken from the budget. 

Alderman Durrence: Point she brings up about one of the things that you want to spend money on is put signs on the CAT buses. CAT buses are no longer accepting any advertising. 

Debra Simmons: Oh okay because they did send us a quote [inaudible] speedy sign to cooperate. Thank you.

Alderman Hall: Are you getting any funding. Are you getting any funding from any other governmental agency?

Debra Simmons: We get funding from the IRS.

Alderman Hall: No one else here in the City?

Debra Simmons: Right we get money from the IRS.

Alderman Hall: How much did you receive from the City?

Debra Simmons: $47,500.

Alderman Hall: You received $47,500? How much did you receive from Chatham County?

Debra Simmons: We haven't gotten anything yet.

Alderman Hall: Okay thank you ma'am.

[clarification: Alderman Durrence was referring to exterior CAT advertising and Ms. Simmons was referring to interior CAT advertising.]

James Brown: Good evening Mr. Mayor, Aldermen. I'm here speaking on behalf of Parent University. It's a program that started some 19 years ago when I was there and as a result of it we have learned a lot of things from it. These are my grandkids who are love Parent University and we are continue to move on with that program. There we have learned a whole lot of things that has been taught from the various classes that been taught at Parent University, talking health care, talking all sorts of different programs to come in there to help out with our community, helping the children and my grandkids plus more others love it. With the School Board helping out and we are trying to reach every child we can reach, every parent, every grandparent that we could possibly reach because we want to educate them based upon what's happening today as well as in the future. Through Parent University we have learned so many different things about what life is all about. Thank you

[Summary by Clerk's Office]: Mr. Brown introduced his grandchildren, who attend Beach High School.

Chester Ellis: Good afternoon let me make sure that the record goes out right and that the minutes reflect my name is Chester Ellis. I'm the Senior Pastor of the St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church for which I come to represent today day. I don't come to represent the County nor any other entity except St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church today. I come to speak on behalf of the Pastor, Officers and members of the St. Paul Baptist Church located at 624 Waters Avenue which have been there for 119 years. We have never used the fire service in those 119 years but I come specifically to speak to Mr. Mayor, Ms.Bell, Mr. Foster and Mr. Durrence. At our November conference of the St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church the members present that at the conference wrote a petition that we want to give to each one of you since you are our representatives. We want to let you know that we are adamantly and fervently opposed to the fire fee, and as our representative who is supposed to represent our best interests we are demanding and commanding that you vote no on the budget that will include a fire fee. If you want to know some of the reasons why just listening to your Budget Director as she talked about a rollback of $58 to members, for a 1 mil rollback, yet you are charging $256 for a fire fee. We also need you to know that in our congregation there are thirty eight members who are senior citizens who this fee will affect, three of those members only get $675 a month from Social Security, that's their total income. So to add $256 to that the members that were present at the November conference feel is unjust, unwarranted, and undue pressure upon them. You're talking about folks having to make a choice between staying in their homes which they've had for more than 30 years and getting the proper medication or paying a fire fee. Let me say to you all who I'm speaking to and I'm only directing it to the four that the congregation asked me. This letter of protest is written to you and I would like to present that to those four that they sent these letters to because you represent the members of St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church.

Mayor DeLoach: Thank you sir.

Kristy Edenfield: Hello again I just want to say that I am not with the Rape Crisis Center I'm just a citizen. But after hearing Miss Kesha speak I just want to reiterate that it is important that the Rape Crisis Center be considered a frontline service. It is our community would not be the same for women that are raped. My 16 year old son recently had two of his friends in the last few months that have been raped that he goes to school with. One was just coming out of her freshman year and one was just starting to drive. She's 16 years old and she has given me consent to tell you about her story but not her name, I've asked her this. She was driving in her car, she was a brand new driver and she was driving her in a car downtown Savannah and she had a flat tire. She got out of her car looked at her flat tire, somebody hit her over the head pulled her into an alley and raped her, 16 year old child. When she presented to officials at the Police Department that she had been raped, the first thing that they and I'm not please understand I'm not accusing anybody of anything but it's just a question. The first question was asked was what she was wearing. She was wearing jeans and a long sleeve t-shirt. If it weren't for both of my sons my 16 year old sons young friends one of them who's 16 and one of them who I believe is 14 or 15 when she was raped just a few months ago if it wasn't for the Rape Crisis Center these young children would not have had somebody by their side in the hospital holding their hands. I can't tell you enough how important it is for you to fund the Rape Crisis Center, this is a frontline service. These women, these men, these children that are raped need somebody 24/7 from the Rape Crisis Center to meet them at the hospital and be there for them and hold their hands when they're being the reports are being taken. I've talked to women who I mean it takes is one woman recently told me she was at the hospital for ten and a half hours. It's a very invasive exam, they take pictures. I mean I can't I don't even want to describe how invasive it is. But for the Rape Crisis Center to have somebody there to hold their hands. It is essential.

Mayor DeLoach: Thank you ma'am.

Alderman Bell: I have a question for Wayne. So Wayne how much funding did you receive from the City this year, 2017.

Wayne Dawson: We received the contract for Community Development Block Grant Funding for $33,925 and we picked up the contract today; and then we were allocated $10,482 out of the general fund funding.

Alderman Bell: So that would have been $44 thousand and change?

Wayne Dawson: Yes.

Alderman Bell: So did you actually receive those funds?

Wayne Dawson: When we were given the original contract we've been providing five times as much service as we've been paid for and so we marked the contract and said okay we'd like to provide services but we can't provide the same amount of service. You know for what you've given us because our general fund money was cut in half and somehow now it's been portrayed that we wouldn't sign the contract. I would sign the contract today and we've already provided the services. ​​​​​​

Alderman Bell: So you never received your funds for ​2017 from the genral fund?

Wayne Dawson: No ma'am.

Mayor DeLoach: Okay thank you.

Dale Arkwright: [inaudible] ex City worker and ex-military retiree. I come to let y'all know ain't nothing in y'all budget for retirement [inaudible]. Y'all pension plan y'all might think it's a good plan but it's not. [inaudible] You making poverty, taking insurance money out every month  and I been gone three years. Now the fire thing you said [inaudible] I don't own no house but the rent lady that own the house gone [inaudible] how can we afford to stay in there with the high rent. I don't see it, it might be a good plan but then you got the President raising tax on the rich and cutting on the poor [inaudible] you got people raping young children [inaudible] you need an organization that's gone [inaudible] So I don't advise you to cut nothing [inaudible] 

Mayor DeLoach: Thank you sir I appreciate your time.

Hearing closed upon motion of Alderman Johnson, seconded Alderman Durrence and unanimously carried.

Approved upon motion of Alderman Bell, seconded by Alderman Shabazz, and unanimously carried.

Approved upon motion of Alderman Durrence, seconded by Alderman Bell, and unanimously carried per the City Manager's recommendation.

Mayor DeLoach and Council wished everyone a Merry Christmas.

There being no further business, Mayor DeLoach declared this meeting of Council adjourned.