[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6595666,"mediaKeyId","3026785-b68a4885997e3290b0cd0d8a968ddf55","parentId",3026785,"title","Fulton County rejects absentee‑ballot printing bid after debate over local vendor preference; commissioners direct rebid","audioSeconds",828,"startMs",8999000,"endMs",9827000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3026785-b68a4885997e3290b0cd0d8a968ddf55&start=8999&end=9827","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3026785-b68a4885997e3290b0cd0d8a968ddf55/thumbnail_8999000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6595666/Fulton-County/Georgia/Fulton-County-rejects-absenteeballot-printing-bid-after-debate-over-local-vendor-preference-commissioners-direct-rebid","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6595666-a916d5f9b0bbc32063f9edca42b6eccb/orig.mp4?Expires=1770432711&Signature=McZ182mCsAU6SAnA~7yvpppgJE~Hcl-uvuzaaXeBdFD6QEnTCb7skX~TWXhLHaPrg5Ls49MBuucE9Miy0YREylMriFkXZ9nv2yE-jOSb-UksQnIUFON5y1UxZh~apfuoAf5PlVDPTlSGogez37EV1FnhGLh0WShRoLKSB7sGaRv-O0lz1NJmXy3AVA39rV4vYBDzrXJWpx1kNO2Zioqx-LbbGlMW1OYI0cXZMPyR9oXF5ncRSwOlGbnnjn5jaz5eRBRyQoBy7vnJewk2d5yS~8SKwuXkDrqn8fX5X9DmKrHap800Bj27KZ9mzqutaFxRb~D7geg5Uisk7wby5vvGPQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Fulton County Georgia ","date","2025-04-16T22:57:36.103Z","article","Fulton County commissioners unanimously voted on April 16 to reject all bids for the county’s absentee ballot printing contract after public comment, departmental staff and several commissioners raised concerns about awarding the work to an out‑of‑state vendor rather than a local company.

Why it matters: The county’s Elections Division is preparing for the June elections and asked for a contract to print absentee ballots and related materials. Commissioners and public commenters said awarding the contract to a vendor based in Albany, New York, raised chain‑of‑custody, turnaround and local vendor‑preference concerns.

What happened in the meeting: The county’s chief procurement officer, Felicia Strong Whitaker, explained the solicitation was a low‑bid procurement and that the advertised specifications did not require a local firm. Elections staff said the recommended low bidder, Fort Orange Press, had experience printing ballots for other jurisdictions. Several commissioners and public commenters urged the county to rebid to favor a vendor with a local presence and faster physical delivery options.

Purchasing and elections offices: Whitaker said the procurement rules required awarding to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder unless the solicitation contained a local‑preference requirement; the published solicitation did not. Elections staff advised there could be timing pressure to re‑solicit but confirmed the county could run a new solicitation and try to accelerate the procurement schedule. One commissioner noted that some independent absentee operations need four physical deliveries and that using a local vendor could reduce potential chain‑of‑custody touch points.

Board action: After discussion the board voted 6–0 to reject all bids and directed purchasing to resolicit the ballot printing contract with expedited timing so that a new award could be returned to the board in time to meet June election production needs.

Ending: Purchasing said it would resolicit and accommodate department requests about delivery or local‑presence requirements if those specifications are permitted under procurement law; Elections staff said they would work with purchasing to expedite the new solicitation and provide recommended language on preferred logistics and contingency handling.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Fulton County Board of Commissioners Meeting - April 16, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Fulton County commissioners unanimously rejected all bids for absentee‑ballot printing after objections about awarding the work to an out‑of‑state printer and directed purchasing staff to rebid the contract on an expedited schedule.","taxTitle","Fulton County, Georgia","taxId",2952,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6595671,"Fulton County commissioners approve using TAD increment for three Westside projects after debate over future commitments",4726,17902000,22628000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3026785-b68a4885997e3290b0cd0d8a968ddf55&start=17902&end=22628","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3026785-b68a4885997e3290b0cd0d8a968ddf55/thumbnail_17902000.jpg","/articles/6595671/Fulton-County/Georgia/Fulton-County-commissioners-approve-using-TAD-increment-for-three-Westside-projects-after-debate-over-future-commitments","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6595671-1b52e1ab55d0116eaaa8d6d51b3b5392/orig.mp4?Expires=1770432711&Signature=ibiy8VHFmcGcIA0lhKbC~5C8mli-TE4oqmV4QrlOJGpvFDNImkTEmTke6Q5t7KHiAhmcAjvWXJ2Kadjk9v2FWpfCqe6OW2qp32X5LSF-~9VSHvtwclIM3M6s0Eg-uAgpYqJlP6x4E-PGtcND71PrM-ucfgAWEJBVoGC4G2Lig1i2NbxTRKZm7tKws6Tm9UJ1zdWCgzj69ojKvHG7YfGJHKFUURE3EVwbgCZwtDFlgKBO7O-EDBzNGx1PSKz9VSIShee0vmrHx4eBqV0er4yvd3~D2Be7XMktgKLH-rhYk8Nc~1ay7GC72J23XCZ0nsZjijYwmyQpAoslCeTdFOT2MQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Fulton County Board of Commissioners voted 4–1 with two abstentions on April 16 to ratify use of the county’s portion of tax increment financing in the Westside Tax Allocation District (TAD) to support three redevelopment projects, including the early phase of a redevelopment at 143 Alabama Street in downtown Atlanta.

Why it matters: The Westside TAD is a long‑running urban redevelopment district whose tax increment proceeds have supported large downtown and westside projects. Several commissioners used the discussion to question whether Fulton County should continue to commit increment to long‑running TADs given competing county priorities and a large cash balance in the Westside account, while others argued the projects are shovel‑ready and that county support is necessary for them to proceed.

What was approved: The resolution ratifies Invest Atlanta’s commitments to three Westside projects previously brought to the county for approval. Krista Barrett, who introduced the item, said the projects are small‑ and mid‑size redevelopment and affordable‑housing components including 143 Alabama Street (a downtown adaptive‑use / housing project), a fourplex conversion and scattered home acquisitions in District 6. Barrett said if the county did not approve the increment the projects “will not go forward.”

Debate highlights: Vice Chair Bob Ellis urged a review of the TAD’s long history and finances and noted the Westside TAD has generated substantial tax increment over three decades; he argued the county should consider preserving its increment for other county priorities. Ellis highlighted the TAD’s reported holdings — more than $100 million in cash and equivalents on hand against roughly $62 million in debt obligations in 2024 financials — and asked if the county should continue new commitments to the district. \"I feel like it's generally met its intended purpose and we shouldn't continue to allow our increment to be built up in there,\" Ellis said.

Invest Atlanta response: Aloisia Clemente, Invest Atlanta president and CEO, said the agency could not move the three projects forward without Fulton County’s approval of the county increment. Invest Atlanta staff said the agency has a pipeline of projects under consideration and that existing, previously awarded funds in the TAD could not be reallocated to these projects without action by Invest Atlanta and the TAD governance.

Legal and alternatives: County legal staff said they had not found authority that would prevent Invest Atlanta from using other uncommitted TAD funds if Fulton County declined to contribute its incremental share; Invest Atlanta said those decisions involve programmatic and intergovernmental dynamics that go beyond the county’s vote. Commissioners also discussed whether the county should instead pursue renegotiation of long‑term TAD commitments; multiple commissioners asked for a future, broader briefing on TAD policy and county participation in redevelopment finance.

Vote: After extended discussion, the motion to ratify the county’s participation passed 4 yeas, 1 nay, and 2 abstentions. The action allows Invest Atlanta to continue the projects with the county’s certified incremental support as part of the Westside TAD financing structure.

Ending: Commissioners asked Invest Atlanta and county staff to provide additional documentation about the TAD’s cash position, commitments and options for renegotiation, and several commissioners asked that the board schedule a follow‑up policy session to review the county’s participation in TADs countywide.","After a lengthy debate about tax allocation district policy and the county’s broader funding priorities, the Board approved a resolution allowing Fulton County’s portion of Westside TAD increment to be used for three affordable‑housing and redevelopment projects; the vote was 4 yeas, 1 nay and 2 abstentions.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6595676,"Fulton County staff outline rollout plan for House Bill 92 changes to property tax notices and homestead filing window",816,5668000,6484000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3026785-b68a4885997e3290b0cd0d8a968ddf55&start=5668&end=6484","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3026785-b68a4885997e3290b0cd0d8a968ddf55/thumbnail_5668000.jpg","/articles/6595676/Fulton-County/Georgia/Fulton-County-staff-outline-rollout-plan-for-House-Bill-92-changes-to-property-tax-notices-and-homestead-filing-window","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6595676-b065d29ddb1709c9d76465a20c86c8d0/orig.mp4?Expires=1770432711&Signature=VqfRPrQKQHDpjQEdg7cg4I~rFDhIbDM3awA34VSEqn4VgXlQNoMLWh~w3OST9smI1K~Qe7yUi5fkRHjWaCcqH~dUQC-0xD-SkfVN4le8XYFWUnpO1zMguWO11ubyIvxdbrY8bx5TidLsrmmHJowo128~g7WM~0RJkowRkExFlTIZZGg8ripek3mnGQYJUeTXjjqwshpy0j8ULjr~lZrJQCDmh~mpYzergrFthnpTBuH4qqG7wRUP4dRH7G~K9ixqNaDfFstuYIBhrOp236csTRFkeo4jnlt6iI-UbXvUnB2PA42VmV7TwFp14VTbdzEPQo-swmcjga9965L2TUL5xw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Fulton County staff told commissioners on April 16 they are working to implement changes from the 2025 state legislative cleanup to property tax law known as House Bill 92, and described an accelerated programming and testing schedule to ensure assessment notices and tax bills are ready on time.

Why it matters: HB 92 alters how homestead exemptions and rollback/estimated tax notices are presented and creates an additional 45‑day opportunity after notices are mailed for homeowners to file or apply for homestead exemptions for the tax year. That affects the county tax digest, the timing of the millage rate adoption and the county’s billing calendar.

What staff reported: Mike Rowecki of the county’s Strategy and Performance Management Office and representatives from the tax assessor and tax commissioner described an intense testing schedule with Tyler Technologies (the county’s assessment/billing vendor) to reprogram forms and mail templates approved by the Georgia Department of Revenue.

Rowecki said staff had refreshed a testing environment and were conducting staff tests; he said Tyler and county IT are resolving form and data‑transfer issues and that a proofing cycle for a new tax bill layout was expected in May. He said the assessor’s office and Tyler were reformatting notices received from the Department of Revenue and working through programming and testing. \"Testing for staff is currently underway…and staff is working with a vendor on processing and speeding up how our data is actually being transferred,\" Rowecki said.

New notice types: Roderick Connolly of the Board of Assessors told the board the law will result in three different notice types this year: notices that include an estimated rollback rate for all taxing jurisdictions that have provided it; notices that include only estimated taxes for parcels where the taxing jurisdictions did not provide an estimated rollback; and “hybrid” notices for parcels where some jurisdictions provided rollback estimates and others did not. Connolly advised that the assessor’s office and external affairs will prepare an explanatory insert and website text to help taxpayers understand the new formats and their rights.

Homestead filing window and timing: Staff emphasized that the law preserves the April 1 deadline for most homestead filings but creates an additional window: once the assessment notices are mailed, a 45‑day appeal period will allow homeowners who missed the April 1 deadline to file for homestead for the current tax year. Rowecki said the county plans to prepare an insert and outreach materials in May so taxpayers and elected taxing authorities understand changes.

Questions and risks raised by commissioners: Several commissioners asked whether the additional 45‑day filing window could delay submission of the tax digest or the county’s ability to adopt a millage rate and send bills on the planned timeline. Tax and revenue staff said the digest process already includes short turnarounds and that assessors typically finalize large pieces of the digest close to the deadline; the 45‑day window could extend the timeline and staff said the digest adoption target is mid‑August and that bills are tentatively planned to go out in August subject to final timing. Fiscal staff said digest and appeals timing has required frequent, rapid adjustments in past years and that the county will monitor whether the extended homestead window produces digest shifts this season.

Operational notes and follow‑up: The tax commissioner’s office said new bill paper and envelopes must be ordered to the new format and that the vendor estimated a 10–12 week turnaround once the design is approved. County staff committed to provide a final communication package for commissioners in May and to prepare public insert materials explaining the new notices and the homestead filing options. They also said they will run targeted outreach to taxpayers they identify as potentially eligible for late homestead filing based on system queries after the appeal window closes.

Ending: Commissioners asked staff to return with an updated implementation timeline and examples of the new notice layouts once testing is complete; staff said they will provide a briefing in May and will continue twice‑weekly program coordination with Tyler Technologies until notices and bills are ready for production.","County assessor, tax commissioner and IT staff told commissioners they were on a tight schedule to reprogram assessment notices, tax bills and systems for House Bill 92 changes — including a new 45‑day post‑notice homestead filing window and new notice formats — and asked for patience as testing continues.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6595679,"Fulton County officials report jail population rise, longer stays and progress on Rice Street \"blitz\"",159,3181000,3340000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3026785-b68a4885997e3290b0cd0d8a968ddf55&start=3181&end=3340","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3026785-b68a4885997e3290b0cd0d8a968ddf55/thumbnail_3181000.jpg","/articles/6595679/Fulton-County/Georgia/Fulton-County-officials-report-jail-population-rise-longer-stays-and-progress-on-Rice-Street-blitz","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6595679-7a0b0b18f6b7edef043de22c14039788/orig.mp4?Expires=1770432711&Signature=XfiUbDi2Q4iFHs94hIv6-xYDsTV4znLVpHxwxyq-PgzV3mOSpdJmAV~TnWaeMtR5TXzAU0uBK6-sdrckf0a7H8JNKc1-tj3IyvMheB3VxSIyl5JiDPQtfSsQdS-YheHkpcgPqx4Qa5IZdr3phWAiq5qJ~JZUNobp6VxDaJL9Ca5qLbDC7~-pl7XdCotWqTUdR2FL3QYEYO8Qx-mPJg0B9xrytoA1nUmVjIZMdQXxMVyYe~nYXwrusOksv7siIXQGfnsGq3zacqOivetEFc-eq1g5snFZnibas04~zGylqlHBUjKFRY6o8nzEq2Hbpp0KKDch45IjCPfS6YY0wF4f9Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Fulton County officials reported an uptick in jail bookings and longer average stays at the county jail during the Board of Commissioners’ April 16 meeting, and managers outlined ongoing maintenance work aimed at returning hundreds of beds to service.

County strategy staff said the average length of stay for the jail population rose “to 47 days,” while a one‑day snapshot of currently incarcerated people showed an average duration of about 222 days as of April 11. Commissioners pressed staff on how the numbers were calculated and asked for regular trend charts to help track progress.

Why it matters: Commissioners cited public‑safety and budget implications tied to higher jail populations and to people waiting in intake because housing beds are unavailable. County managers said returning beds to service and improving diversion are essential to easing pressure on the jail system.

The report: Steve Naraki, deputy director in the county’s strategy office, walked commissioners through the justice system scorecard. He told the board the county had resumed automated reporting of its unindicted population and that the unindicted share of the jail population was 18 percent for March 2025. Naraki also said the felony clearance rate improved to 76 percent for the month of March and that felony dispositions within 180 and 365 days had improved.

Naraki said the county’s average daily jail population was rising: March’s average monthly population was about 2,539, and a one‑day snapshot in mid‑April showed about 2,632 inmates. \"For this one‑day snapshot of 2,632 inmates, about 55 have been in jail 90 days or less, and about 17 percent on the opposite end have been incarcerated for over a year,\" Naraki said.

Maintenance and beds: Joseph (Joe) Davis, director of real estate and asset management, gave a status update on the county’s jail blitz maintenance program, saying crews had completed roughly two‑thirds of the planned work and were beginning blitz work in housing areas that require clinical cleaning. \"As of this morning we’re 64% complete with the blitz,\" Davis said, and he said a closeout walkthrough for one unit was scheduled the same day. He described larger zones taken offline for major repairs and said 575 beds remained unavailable because of maintenance and the blitz work; he projected overall completion between July and August.

Electronic monitoring and diversion: Commissioners pressed staff about use of electronic monitoring and diversion. Naraki reported 805 participants were on the county‑funded ankle monitoring program as of March 31 and that about 69 percent of that group had been on monitors a year or less. He said the county set a cap for the monitoring program at roughly 1,500 participants. Vice Chair Bob Ellis asked for trend bars showing the year‑to‑date totals so the board could see whether monitoring use is increasing or decreasing; Naraki agreed to add comparative charts.

Several commissioners asked whether judges and law enforcement consistently cite monitoring or diversion as alternatives at booking and what data record why officers do or do not divert someone. Naraki said superior court, the public defender and Atlanta Police Department have regular case review meetings and that APD records reasons an individual is not diverted; he said the county and justice partners were working to obtain those data to analyze whether diversion is being used where it might be appropriate. \"There’s a monthly or quarterly Justice Policy Board meeting,\" Naraki said. \"We are told by APD in those meetings that officers are required to fill out a reason why an individual would not be diverted.\" He added that the county was still working to obtain the raw reason codes for independent analysis.

Justice partners and follow‑up: Several commissioners asked that the sheriff’s office, superior court, public defender and APD be asked to brief the board on how they use monitoring and diversion, and whether process changes could increase appropriate diversion. Naraki and county staff agreed to request more detailed reporting from justice partners and to add trend charts and the items commissioners asked for to the monthly operational report.

Public safety and next steps: Commissioners said they want the board to see recurring, comparable trend visuals for monitoring and diversion and to receive a clearer explanation of who remains in the jail for long stays (including competency, medical, or other reasons). Staff committed to expand the operational report to include more repeatable visuals and to follow up with justice system partners on data about non‑diversions.

Ending: County staff asked commissioners to direct any specific metrics they want tracked and promised to return with more granular trend charts next month and with a request that justice partners present on monitoring and diversion practices.","County staff reported a rise in jail bookings and longer average stays in April, described progress on the Rice Street maintenance \"blitz,\" and discussed limits of electronic monitoring and diversion programs as officials pressed for more data on who is eligible for ankle monitors and diversion.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Fulton County rejects absentee‑ballot printing bid after debate over local vendor preference; commissioners direct rebid

Fulton County commissioners approve using TAD increment for three Westside projects after debate over future commitments

Fulton County staff outline rollout plan for House Bill 92 changes to property tax notices and homestead filing window

Fulton County officials report jail population rise, longer stays and progress on Rice Street "blitz"