Council adopts legislation to urge vaccine eligibility expansion
The Atlanta City Council approved legislation during Monday’s remote meeting to urge the Georgia Department of Public Health to revise the 1A+ population designation within the Georgia Immunization Program to include the full set of essential workers identified by the Centers for Disease Control Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and to urge every eligible person to receive a COVID-19 vaccination (Legislative Reference №21-R-3108).
The Council also approved legislation urging the City of Atlanta to work with the Environmental Protection Division of the state of Georgia and/or the Georgia General Assembly to determine if there is a manner to address the environmental nuisance of gas-powered leaf blowers (Legislative Reference №21-R-3109).
Other items approved Monday include:
• A resolution to expand the boundaries of the Fulton Industrial Community Improvement District (CID) as authorized by the Georgia General Assembly in the Fulton County Community Improvement District Act (Legislative Reference №21-R-3106). The CID was created by the Fulton County Commission in 2010 and the boundaries were later expanded by the Council. This additional expansion will include several parcels in Council District 9.
• A resolution requesting the chief financial officer conduct a feasibility study for creating a new water bottling and distribution municipal enterprise for the City of Atlanta (Legislative Reference №21-R-3110). The resolution seeks to explore avenues to create new revenue streams and establish a workforce development program aimed at creating middle-wage jobs. The legislation follows Administrative Order 2020–21 issued June 17, 2020, which acknowledged the challenge of wealth inequality and the entrepreneurial spirit of Atlanta’s young water vendors, commonly called “the water boys,” who are known to sell water at street corners and on exit ramps.
• A resolution authorizing a memorandum of understanding between the Department of Aviation and the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department (AFRD) for the lease of property at 5155 Clipper Drive in College Park for a term of five years (Legislative Reference №21-R-3041). The facility will be used by AFRD as a fire-fighter training facility and for its administrative offices.
• An ordinance to waive certain competitive source selection requirements and allow the mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs to enter into various agreements with performers, artists, and sponsors for the 2021 Jazz Festival (Legislative Reference №21-O-0042).
Legislation was introduced to be considered in committee next week, including:
• An ordinance to amend the City’s charter to designate the two youth serving organizations that will each appoint a member between 18–30 years old to serve on the Atlanta Citizens Review Board.
• A resolution requesting that the mayor takes into consideration and funds priorities that the Atlanta City Council recommends being included in the Fiscal Year 2022 budget.