Here are some of the highlights from today’s meeting of the Atlanta City Council meeting.
The council adopted a resolution introduced by Councilmember Andre Dickens establishing a task force to repurpose the Atlanta City Detention Center. Two appointments to the task force were made Monday, including council members Matt Westmoreland and Antonio Brown. The mission of the task force is to evaluate a use of the detention center that could benefit the community.
The council also adopted a resolution introduced by Councilmember Amir Farokhi opposing Georgia House Bill 481, commonly called the “fetal heartbeat bill.” The resolution urges the Fulton and DeKalb County District Attorney’s offices not to prosecute anyone under the law that was adopted this legislative session by the Georgia General Assembly and signed into law by Gov. Brian Kemp earlier this month.
Also Monday, the council approved an ordinance to close a portion of George Street SE to facilitate the construction of the Memorial Drive Greenway Project. The vision for the project includes a park with greenspace, seating and pathways, as well as other park and infrastructure-related improvements such as prioritizing pedestrians on streets near Historic Oakland Cemetery to create space for festival tents and markets.
The council also approved a resolution executing an intergovernmental agreement with Fulton County Board of Health to provide pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to high-risk populations within Atlanta for one year in the amount of $100,000 for the prevention of HIV transmission.
Additionally, the council approved an ordinance to acquire approximately 7.1 acres on Browns Mill Road from the Conservation Fund for development as a park and food forest in City Council District 1.
A resolution was approved authorizing the Atlanta-Fulton County Recreation Authority on behalf of the Stadium Neighborhoods Trust Fund Committee to award a grant in the amount of $100,000 to Houseproud, Atlanta, Inc. from the Stadium Neighborhood Trust Fund account to cover the costs to complete repairs for up to 12 households with eligible residents who are either low income, elderly or veterans.