[{"_1":2,"_110":-5,"_111":-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",[32,74,86,98],{"_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":56,"_73":56},"mediaId",6271633,"mediaKeyId","3028829-8473bef1f481e8687ff7f28a240fec0e","parentId",3028829,"title","Votes at a glance: council transmits CIE to regional agency and declares surplus property","audioSeconds",832,"startMs",6141000,"endMs",6973000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3028829-8473bef1f481e8687ff7f28a240fec0e&start=6141&end=6973","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3028829-8473bef1f481e8687ff7f28a240fec0e/thumbnail_6141000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6271633/Sandy-Springs/Fulton-County/Georgia/Votes-at-a-glance-council-transmits-CIE-to-regional-agency-and-declares-surplus-property","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6271633-bbd77d08eb9b4873a753870516d9b2bf/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448150&Signature=WfH4ozHYyyFwBDg8LrYGgO2hVXe18jrzi6FA~Zr~hszT0AS2wmpzOoYCrraZvqOppQEC-JE7fjF4GU3fXIXHWgFk~z-AWqzIYDN8nHBGQPUV8PDGZIscvE3MPqR4iCLfbAIV6ywEDsDQ8TSk2Sy0mbShmwso8S9MWFYUuHlepCyAqC9Is-HIH~G5Y9MMDnA7whdD0ObVx4dcJOYG9CM1W7HlLfU1Q1iZ3hmTKN7Q6tSE94hzP87v4-7BTAGlTKw7y3T-~yeKRz0k2OB4pg-cUoQWkSp6Xvwq~ALXWYZOXj~wvGf5~UtE0sFqxa7UdLrbrty3bJnNMUatXkh7BHQiow__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-04-17T00:45:06.56Z","article","The Sandy Springs City Council recorded several formal actions during the April 15 meeting in addition to agenda and consent approvals.

Transmit annual Capital Improvements Element: Council approved a resolution to transmit the draft annual Capital Improvements Element (CIE) — the impact‑fee financial report covering public safety, parks and roads — to the Atlanta Regional Commission and the Georgia Department of Community Affairs for review. Planning and Zoning Manager Michelle McIntosh Ross presented the item as agenda item 2025‑083; Dr. Melody Kelly moved the resolution, Councilmember John Paulson seconded, and the motion passed on a recorded voice vote with no dissent noted in the meeting record.

Surplus city property: Captain Andrew Spears presented a list of city property identified as surplus after the police department’s move to new headquarters, largely furniture and equipment. Councilmember John Paulson moved to declare the listed items surplus and to direct disposal; the motion was seconded and adopted by voice vote with no dissent recorded (agenda item 2025‑085).

These votes were recorded as routine consent or new‑business items in the meeting minutes; council did not record roll‑call tallies in the transcript for these items beyond the voice approval captured on the record.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of Sandy Springs City Council Meetings - 6 p.m.","oneSentenceSummary","At the April 15 meeting the council approved transmitting the annual Capital Improvements Element to regional and state review and declared a list of surplus items following the police move to new headquarters; both passed by unanimous voice vote.","taxTitle","Sandy Springs, Fulton County, Georgia","taxId",2960,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6271638,"Council adopts Safe Streets action plan, sets 2040 target to eliminate roadway fatalities and serious injuries on city streets",1509,6259000,7768000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3028829-8473bef1f481e8687ff7f28a240fec0e&start=6259&end=7768","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3028829-8473bef1f481e8687ff7f28a240fec0e/thumbnail_6259000.jpg","/articles/6271638/Sandy-Springs/Fulton-County/Georgia/Council-adopts-Safe-Streets-action-plan-sets-2040-target-to-eliminate-roadway-fatalities-and-serious-injuries-on-city-streets","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6271638-965cec8500415677ce5dd87231290f70/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448150&Signature=dRMhqEcctW2JOZHJ6bQhU45wBzSeVgATtur4r2--GzrbmCIXcvBHhBhyUFmERlKvl6S0rgHM0ODh8H9UdAC4-HRFCxT5pgXn8e8UaVD2EfSt34GfOh1xJgwyej2xv-3WDukWqcbC6JZuuvcS~QcvMyyA~j6XSsnR6aV-9OVKnZH9V43PX6wALYTmIP2a2aFHFcoAGq8-xL~2Kyus-ZUS3YJ5oFdLUo1SaDAGbUsK6gmKX78UvgeON4LNUCMKwzIxfTPBayTSH~EEign6CCngElSRDa3f-OeDtWwfglmZzlGfSgLx1ocZsgz38HtjA1BQ18R~csWs4IuBnYBx14qYRQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Sandy Springs City Council voted April 15 to adopt the city’s Safe Streets action plan and to set a target date of 2040 to eliminate roadway fatalities and serious injuries on city‑owned streets.

Public Works Director Marty Martin presented the plan, noting that the city had received a grant through the U.S. Department of Transportation to prepare the action plan and that staff analyzed tens of thousands of crashes to identify high‑priority locations and strategies. \"The focus of the plan is to eliminate, over time, fatal and serious injury crashes,\" Martin said, and he described a multifaceted approach combining engineering, education, enforcement and emergency response.

Councilmember Jody Rochelle moved to adopt the plan and set the goal and timeline; Dr. Melody Kelly seconded the motion. Councilmember John Paulson proposed a substitute amendment to shorten the target from 2050 to 2040; Paulson moved the amendment and T. V. DeGiulio seconded. The council adopted the amendment by voice vote and then approved the amended plan; no dissenting votes were recorded in the meeting record.

Council debate cited both behavioral and engineering elements. Paulson and other councilmembers urged a more ambitious timeline, arguing that a shorter target would better focus capital planning and behavioral programs; others described the goal as aspirational and noted capital costs and multi‑department coordination needed to reach a zero‑fatality outcome. Public safety, emergency response time improvements and post‑crash care were discussed as elements that also reduce serious injury outcomes.

Staff said the plan’s leadership commitment and goal‑setting were required by the federal grant and that the grantor encourages jurisdictions to set ambitious targets. Councilmembers asked staff to return with financial implications of accelerating the timeline and to consider traffic calming policy adjustments and program funding as part of the FY26 budget process.

Action details in the record identify the item as agenda item 2025‑084; the council’s voice vote approved the amended resolution without a roll‑call dissent noted in the meeting transcript.","The council approved the city’s Safe Streets action plan — a federal Safe Streets and Roads for All grant deliverable — and amended the staff recommendation to set a target year of 2040 (staff had proposed 2050); council discussion focused on traffic calming, project costs and enforcement.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6271642,"Council reviews SWOT recap; staff to fold themes into FY26 budget and recommend comp plan timing",1736,2783000,4519000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3028829-8473bef1f481e8687ff7f28a240fec0e&start=2783&end=4519","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3028829-8473bef1f481e8687ff7f28a240fec0e/thumbnail_2783000.jpg","/articles/6271642/Sandy-Springs/Fulton-County/Georgia/Council-reviews-SWOT-recap-staff-to-fold-themes-into-FY26-budget-and-recommend-comp-plan-timing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6271642-22b8ee4a725880176bbe06d3bb19b352/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448150&Signature=nMMLTKcAV20tshV0mo8cTXzJZA-SUXxKic-S~AhBcvwZXiUYc~MKu4a9hjPfAzULa5s1B1hERQEzjeKqKNcBwbH~61QR~GcRAXP4U2sHT~1qO3k0R6~3vvBFj~Wgn3pk84o6qaqRjN16WKXUPduTLBLiFxB0qDQGLSD4LkCzLd0xXVrFESdsW1W4v7BZBEatc6Ckuw8JW~LNsACCUV4KzjvDMRbU41CM1bWElzWkAx6EF0sp31KUY40D8VI0ZO1ZWtgVMYovCu~9mFQyaGVmRCnt-0IB~ATlas2iARWknj2ZHW-hoYaFVZ2iMUl02Z89v89vMG2VGsKU2XVe2Noq9Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City Manager Eden presented a recap of a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) exercise conducted at the council retreat and explained how staff proposes to use the themes to inform the FY26 work plan and budget.

Eden said council members had identified four primary strengths — city staff, conservative financial management, public safety and the local business community — and that staff collated many other items into the draft work plan staff will use to build the FY26 recommended budget. The first budget workshop is scheduled for the council’s May 6 meeting, Eden said.

Council members commended the exercise as a useful starting point but repeatedly cautioned that the exercise was subjective and should be treated as directional rather than definitive. Councilmember Melissa Mueller and others said the retreat activity used a limited number of sticky‑note votes and that the memo should not be interpreted as supplanting the retreat’s full discussion.

Several council members pointed to recurring themes staff had identified. Redevelopment and economic development were listed both as weaknesses (for example, aging properties and lengthy project timelines) and as opportunities (if the city can better streamline processes and embed art and public realm elements in capital projects). Housing and neighborhoods, financial pressures, water reliability and an erosion of volunteer‑based community engagement were identified among the top threats.

Councilmember John Paulson urged the city to develop clearer outreach and staffing approaches to sustain volunteer energy and incentivize private investment in redevelopment. Councilmember Andy Baumann said the city should meet communities where they are and expand public engagement channels. Councilmember Dr. Melody Kelly encouraged refinement of the methodology and said she viewed the exercise as a creative prompt for policy discussion.

Eden told the council staff will propose specific FY26 enhancements tied to the SWOT themes, including continued conservative budgeting, investments in technology and a centralized data platform, tools to encourage redevelopment of aging properties, streamlined project processes and an update to the 10‑year comprehensive plan and housing needs assessment. The presentation said staff intends to request that the comprehensive plan update be included in the FY26 budget and that a steering group for the comp plan will be selected by the next mayor and council when the formal process begins.

The council directed staff to include the SWOT‑driven items in upcoming budget materials and to provide clearer documentation of how the retreat input was collated so the public and council can understand how staff translated themes into budget proposals.","City staff presented a recap of a February council retreat SWOT exercise and a draft staff work plan; council members praised the themes but cautioned about methodology, asked for clarity on how the exercise informs the FY26 budget and sought stronger follow‑up on redevelopment, housing and community engagement.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_47":104,"_49":105,"_51":106,"_53":107,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":108,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":109,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6271647,"Art Sandy Springs asks council to shift sculpture funds indoors, revives 20th‑anniversary turtle walk",2619,107000,2726000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3028829-8473bef1f481e8687ff7f28a240fec0e&start=107&end=2726","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3028829-8473bef1f481e8687ff7f28a240fec0e/thumbnail_107000.jpg","/articles/6271647/Sandy-Springs/Fulton-County/Georgia/Art-Sandy-Springs-asks-council-to-shift-sculpture-funds-indoors-revives-20thanniversary-turtle-walk","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6271647-eced46f2a033c9035e5d0e79416dcd24/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448150&Signature=eYq4fX6nxW6uNOdoGpCaq77CzWj1Wpl9S--FzsuufDPkFHlbvBOgmoiLiS2AX8PevdVkiouV8GGSFXStFPC3b~cckf~2-GL5fiemCmTDCnwtWzZ~-IDPwTUF7sjCjtiTkLYsJ5tdwY7pQJzggoAx2kM43~8eeq~67zo~bLXqR8de9PwuPpztQIPR6bzVpXekmefvb9QqJVW6KkGVBmtw6UQazs3LO1-6xGpzjLPkjpgVlxFRBaJ21d5m842u7NF4l50dwYbhMIigvvnNSdfbymN98BS2AAUoxs5Rmg5rzDMOdrOa6~xZE2IB4quRJVK5rJlwdaWzJxqyP9RQ~patrg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Sherry Morris, head of art initiatives for Art Sandy Springs, told the Sandy Springs City Council on April 15 that the nonprofit wants to repurpose outdoor sculpture funding to install a curated, permanent collection inside City Springs and to manage donated works for public and office spaces.

The proposal centers on implementing the City Springs master art plan in phases: purchasing and curating permanent pieces for lobby and third‑floor public areas, creating a rotating lobby gallery and a large City Hall feature wall, and converting the annual outdoor sculpture competition into the City Springs Collection. Morris said the group already manages the Abernathy Arts Center under contract with the city and runs the City Gallery and Arts in the Open programs.

\"We are asking that for the continued budgeting,\" Morris said, adding that Art Sandy Springs has $25,000 remaining from this year’s sculpture budget and that the city typically budgets $60,000 per year for public art. She presented artist price guidance the group collected, saying estimates for a major feature wall ranged from about $60,000 to $150,000 and larger commissioned works could reach the upper end of a $75,000 to $220,000 range depending on scale and material. For the Third Floor conference‑level collection, Morris said the plan contemplates roughly 29 pieces with an approximate budget in the $90,000 range if purchased over one to two years.

Dina Chimney, executive director of Art Sandy Springs and the Abernathy Arts Center, outlined a proposed Turtle Walk on City Green to mark the city’s 20th anniversary. The exhibit would place roughly 10 privately owned, restored turtles on existing concrete bases from the outdoor sculpture program from mid‑June through early September; each turtle’s sign would identify the donor and include a QR code to historical material.

Council members raised implementation and budget questions. Councilmember Jody Rochelle asked whether donated pieces could be displayed in public spaces; Morris said donations could be considered for public display, but donated collections often require management to prevent stylistic clashes. Councilmember John Paulson and Councilmember Andy Baumann emphasized preservation of the original outdoor turtles and suggested photo galleries and historical exhibitions as lower‑cost ways to celebrate Sandy Springs history. Paulson said refurbishing the outdoor collection could cost in the range of $25,000 to $50,000, a figure Morris confirmed as a working estimate to strip and restore multiple turtles.

Councilmember Melissa Mueller and others pressed for a clear process for selection and curation. Morris described a mixed approach: curated purchases for the most visible spaces and expanded outreach to solicit donated works through community networks, artist groups and civic organizations. She said the city already has a gifts policy governing benches and sculptures and that Art Sandy Springs would work with city staff to place any donated pieces according to that policy.

Morris and Chimney said the group will coordinate with parks and capital projects planning to embed public art early in project design — for example by reserving easements or conduit pathways where sculpture or murals are planned — and to prioritize art in upcoming capital work on Mount Vernon Highway, Path 400 and Hammond Drive.

Councilmembers generally voiced support for the concept while urging deliberation on which elements to fund first. Councilmember Baumann said public art should be visible across the city, not only in City Springs, and suggested leveraging private‑public partnerships. Councilmember Paulson asked not to rush permanent installations and urged a process similar to the veterans memorial competition that used shortlisting and committee review.

Morris asked the council to continue the city’s annual public art budgeting and to work with Art Sandy Springs and staff to determine whether to begin with the City Hall feature wall, the Third Floor collection or other phases.

The presentation closed with council direction to include the topic in forthcoming budget discussions and follow up with staff on project timelines and procurement details.","Art Sandy Springs outlined plans to convert the outdoor sculpture program into a permanent City Springs collection, proposed a City Hall feature wall and Third Floor gallery installations, and described a mid‑June–September 20th‑anniversary turtle exhibit; staff and council discussed budget timing and refurbishment needs for existing turtles.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: council transmits CIE to regional agency and declares surplus property

Council adopts Safe Streets action plan, sets 2040 target to eliminate roadway fatalities and serious injuries on city streets

Council reviews SWOT recap; staff to fold themes into FY26 budget and recommend comp plan timing

Art Sandy Springs asks council to shift sculpture funds indoors, revives 20th‑anniversary turtle walk