Council Lack Votes for Indep Auditor

The vote was taken today and the motion for an independent auditor to review the $5 Billion proposal to develop The Gulch.  Eight “yes”votes were needed and they only had six.  Unfortunately the motion failed.  As you can see, three Council members were absent:  Young (who has been having medical treatments), Dickens and Shook.  Bond was in the Chamber earlier, but was not there during this crucial vote.

This 40 acre downtown property, with three owners, is prime real estate.   It is a 600 page detailed proposal.  Originally, the Council was asked to vote without reviewing the detailed proposal. Hmmm.

Councilwomen Shepherd, Overstreet, and Boone (just out of the camera view) talk with Rashad Taylor, from the Mayor’s Office, before the vote.

 

If The Gulch deal is as good as the Mayor and Council members who voted  “no” say it is, would not an independent auditor come the same conclusions??

In the words of Councilwoman Ide, ‘I am an attorney and I need this audit to better understand this.  It is like going to the doctor to get a second opinion…”  Why not get a second opinion?  What’s the problem?  What’s the rush?

Taking another two to four weeks to vet a 30 year deal that has been several decades in the making is problematic for whom??

The Mayor?

Council members?

CIM Developers (who have no African Americans among its’ 26 member executive team on their website)?

The independent audit is what 95% of public speakers at today’s City Council members Support.  Does the will of the residents/voters matter?

The Atlanta City Council has shown everyone to whom they owe their allegiance.  And, voters are more informed now than ever.

What is your opinion on this??

 

Homeless Camp at Local Post Office

As most people did today, I put on several layers before venturing out in the 29 degree Atlanta weather.  Nice and warm. I warmed up my car,  turned on the heat and drove over to the Ben Hill post office to drop off mail.

However, when I entered the door, a peculiar odor was in the air.  I discovered there was a homeless man camped out there. He startled me.  Seeing the look on my face, he said “M’am, you know it’s real cold outside.” I agreed.. Knowing he needed  transportation to the  City’s closest warming center over at the Old Adamsville Rec Center on M.L. King,Jr. Drive at DelMar Lane, I called Atlanta Police Department (APD) Zone 4 to ask if they could send an officer or someone to take him over to the warming center.  The officer said, ‘of course they would’ and she thanked me for calling.

When the Officer Polencia arrived, he spoke politely to the homeless man who said his name is Dave.  Dave said he is an Army veteran who is waiting for his friend who lives a few houses down to get off from work who he stays with overnight.  Polencia offered to take Dave to the warming center, but he refused saying he is okay.  Polencia told him he could not stay there.  Dave assured the officer he was going to leave.

I left and checked five hours later at 9:20pm and not only was Dave still there, but another homeless guy was also.

This is not good!  Unfortunately, these are  not the only two homeless people in southwest Atlanta.  So, I sent an email to Councilman Andre Dickens, NPU-P Chair Reginald Rushin and CBS 46 TV.  They all responded within minutes.  Yet none of them mentioned transportation to the warming center.  With a shortage of APD officers, do we really want them to run a shuttle service?

With no one else to call, I called Zone 4 again. This time I spoke to Sgt. Bowers who said they would send someone over.

So, is Atlanta a city too busy to have a plan in place for transporting its homeless to warming centers when we experience frigid temperatures?  This is winter. Weather forecasts are pretty accurate.  Frigid temps are always in the forecasts.  Where is the plan?  Where is the compassion from our city leaders?

Tomorrow there will be an Inauguration for The new Mayor, Keisha Lance Bottoms.  This is her district until then. Will her successor, councilwoman-elect Marci Overstreet, and the other city council members (half are new) devise a plan to help our most vulnerable citizens?

Time will tell whether Atlanta will be too busy to devise and implement a plan.  Will you hold them accountable??

League of Women Voters ATL Host Holiday Party

League of Women Voters Atlanta-Fulton held their annual holiday party today at the home of the Clevelands.  There was good food, good conversations, and lots of FUN for all who came out despite the frigid temperatures.

Invitees included recent winners of the metro areas 2017 elections. Above, District 11 Atlanta City Councilwoman-Elect Marci Overstreet addresses the attendees.

Atlanta City Councilman Andre Dickens joined us for the festive occasion.

The home of the Cleveland’s was beautifully decorated for the occasion.

 

Also, the food was delicious!!

The League of Women Voters Atlanta-Fulton Chapter is the oldest League in the nation.  Started back in the 1920’s to help educate women on candidates and issues.  Their most recent forum was the Atlanta Mayoral Candidate Forum for runoff candidates held on November 30 held at the Center for Civil and Human Rights. It was a very informative event, packed with an overflow crowd.  For more information on the League, visit http://www.lwvaf.org