DeKalb PECS committee reviews midyear TAD finances, approves appointments and contracts and defers several ordinances

DeKalb County commissioners on Tuesday received a midyear financial update on the county’s tax allocation districts, approved several appointments and contract changes, and deferred multiple proposed ordinances for further review.

Tiffany Wills, vice president of redevelopment and strategic initiatives at Decide DeKalb, presented a midyear TAD report covering first‑ and second‑quarter activity and the status of current awards and pending applications. Wills said the “total tax increment revenue generated in the first six months of this year was approximately $1.1 million.” She reported that TAD fund balances vary by district, noting Avondale’s cash balance at about $5 million, Market Square at roughly $580,000 and Southwest DeKalb around $626,000; she said Kensington and Briarcliff also have standing balances and that Decide DeKalb was reviewing eight pending TAD funding applications totaling about $22.5 million in requests.

Why it matters: TAD funds are local public incentives intended to spur redevelopment in targeted areas. Commissioners pressed Decide DeKalb and legal staff on process, transparency and coordination with district commissioners before TAD awards are finalized.

Discussion and follow‑up

Several commissioners asked for clearer, earlier notification when developers submit TAD funding requests for projects in their districts. Commissioner Ted Terry asked whether funds collected since Decide DeKalb began managing TAD special funds in 2018 are under Decide DeKalb’s control; Wills explained that Decide DeKalb manages awards but that disbursements of county‑held cash typically require county action for funds collected prior to 2018. Terry and other commissioners asked Decide DeKalb to share project fact sheets once underwriting is complete and before the board of directors takes action.

Commissioner Michelle Long Spears pressed the administration on the termination date for the Briarcliff/North Druid Hills TAD; Wills said the original 2007 plan did not include a stated expiration date and that setting a termination date now would require county legislative action. Wills said she would confirm the legal limit for a TAD term and provide further details.

Wills also told commissioners that some pending applications require additional information from applicants and that several projects, including an affordable housing application (identified in the meeting as “Cottages of Midway”), are moving toward the Decide DeKalb board for consideration.

Appointee interview and vote

The committee heard an interview for Stephen P. Smith, Esquire, nominated under agenda item 2025‑1070 to serve in Post 8 on both the DeKalb County Development Authority and the Private Hospital Authority. Smith described himself as an environmental attorney with prior experience at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and said his practice focuses on environmental due diligence, brownfields redevelopment and permitting. He told commissioners he is a Forest Hills resident whose children attend DeKalb schools and that he serves on several local boards, including as a trustee of Morris Brown College.

Commissioners questioned Smith about brownfields remediation and the Memorial Drive corridor. Smith said he has worked on brownfields grant reviews at EPA and offered to assist the authority in leveraging federal funds and incentives to promote sustainable redevelopment. The committee voted to approve the appointment (agenda item 2025‑1070).

In‑home services contract assignment

The committee approved a consent item (agenda 2025‑1138) to assign the county’s existing in‑home services contract — which covers homemaker, personal care and non‑medical respite for older adults and persons with disabilities — from REMKicks Healthcare Center Services, Inc., to Coastal Home Care, LLC (d/b/a Help at Home). Mike Scott, speaking for the Department of Human Services, said the assignment preserves service continuity after the previous provider stopped operating.

Commissioners asked about funding sources and wage levels for caregivers. Scott said the program is funded as part of the county’s larger senior services allocation; when pressed, he said he would supply a funding breakdown for the contract. Commissioner Ted Terry and others expressed concern that many home‑care aides earn between $13 and $15 per hour and urged the administration and purchasing to explore whether contract specifications or future procurements can raise pay for direct caregivers. The committee approved the assignment with a request that administration return with additional detail on funding sources, salary breakdowns and the next procurement timeline.

Presidential Parkway / Embry Hills small‑area plan

The committee approved a scope increase and timeline extension for the Presidential Parkway/Embry Hills Arts and Cultural Small Area Plan (change order to contract 2000067 with Pond & Company, agenda 2025‑1135). Senior project manager Lillian Alhaddad told commissioners the consultant team recommends expanding the plan boundary to include adjacent commercial and residential areas and adding a mobility, open‑space and community‑design focus. The change order request includes a schedule extension of roughly six to seven months and additional fee authority (up to $110,000) to cover the expanded engagement and analysis.

Bouldercrest overlay master plan appropriation

Commissioners approved a related planning appropriation (agenda 2025‑1190) to begin development of a Bouldercrest overlay district master plan. The committee approved an amendment to add roughly $50,000 in additional planning capacity and to include Sigma Works as part of the consultant team; the administration will prepare a substitute agenda item for formal county commission consideration.

Deferred ordinances and next steps

Several draft ordinances and resolutions were deferred so county legal, planning and other stakeholders can coordinate: a proposed amendment to the nuisance ordinance to add closure authority for chronic nuisance properties (agenda 2024‑1237), a proposed article on blighted properties and a proposed vacant‑property “board‑up” permit ordinance (agenda 2024‑1238 and 2024‑1239), a resolution related to a land exchange with Blackhawk Real Estate (agenda 2025‑0681), and two items on sound regulation and a rebate program for electric landscape maintenance devices (agenda 2025‑0015 and 2025‑0017). Deferrals ranged from 30 to 60 days depending on the item and the staff requested input from specific offices including the county attorney, development and housing staff and outside stakeholders.

Votes at a glance

- Appointment: Agenda 2025‑1070 — Stephen P. Smith, Esquire — approved by the committee. - Contract assignment: Agenda 2025‑1138 — assign in‑home services contract from REMKicks to Coastal Home Care (Help at Home) — approved; administration to return with funding and wage details and procurement timeline. - Small area plan scope increase: Agenda 2025‑1135 — Pond & Company change order for Presidential Parkway/Embry Hills SAP (up to $110,000) — approved. - Bouldercrest overlay planning appropriation: Agenda 2025‑1190 — additional $50,000 and inclusion of Sigma Works — approved (substitute agenda item to follow). - Ordinances/resolutions 2024‑1237, 2024‑1238, 2024‑1239, 2025‑0681, 2025‑0015, 2025‑0017 — deferred (30–60 days) for further review.

What’s next

Commissioners asked Decide DeKalb to provide project fact sheets for pending TAD award requests after underwriting is complete and before the Decide DeKalb board acts. The Human Services director will provide a contract funding and salary breakdown for the in‑home caregiver contract before the next procurement. Legal and planning staff will coordinate with committee offices on the deferred ordinances and return with drafts and stakeholder input in the requested timeframe.

Ending

The PECS committee recessed briefly and scheduled remaining briefing and legislative items for follow‑up; several agenda items were referred to future BOC meetings or to interdepartmental review as requested by commissioners.