Accomplishments

              Health:

  • Board of Health 2018 budget enhancement of $2,007,012:
    • Including $693,067 to help eradicate HIV: funding for the Fulton County Test and Treat program to expand the availability of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis and to expand rapid entry into care services for all individuals who test positive for HIV, and those individuals who were never linked to care.
    • Every October I am honored to host the Joan P. Gardner Walk and Health Fair in the Historic Washington Park

              Department of Senior Services:

$1,863,519; Including:
$807,064 for transportation services
$500,000 to support small home repairs
$89,555 to support the Fulton County Kinship Care program
  • I continue to advocate on the behalf of Fulton County Seniors, has successfully resulted in Fulton County’s Senior SURGE: a plan to improve infrastructure needs and modernize systems which are foundational in delivering best in class service. A total investment of $4,726,246.22 has been placed in our Senior Multipurpose Facilities as well as Fulton County Neighborhood Senior Centers including visible enhancements to the centers such as:
    • computer network upgrades
    • computer lab updates
    • increased security
    • lighting upgrades 
    • HVAC upgrades 
    • front lobby desks 
    • furniture 
    • carpeting
    • painting
  • I have partnered with the Atlanta Beltline Partnership to host four quarterly tours of the Atlanta Beltline for Fulton County Seniors. 

              Public Safety:                    

2018 budget enhancement of $300,000 to support the Atlanta/Fulton County Pre-Arrest Diversion Program

It was brought to my attention that the Atlanta/Fulton County Pre-Arrest Diversion Initiative (a coordinating agency that strives to reduce the number of people in jails who would be better served by social and behavioral health services) is not reaching as many individuals as it should. The program’s diversion levels are quite low, so I have developed a task force of stakeholders to address how we may improve this program and increase its success. This group, called the Fulton-Atlanta Justice Equity Working Group, includes Fulton County Executive Staff, Fulton County Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, Fulton County Justice Partners (including but not limited to the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office, Courts, DA’s office, Solicitor General’s Office), Atlanta Police Department, Health Partners (including but not limited to Grady Hospital and Emory University Hospital), Community Partners (including but not limited to Southerners On New Ground (SONG), and Black Futurists Group), the Office of Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and countless others. Together we work to streamline the Pre-Arrest Diversion Initiative to create a more successful program. A successful Pre-Arrest Diversion Initiative is a step in the right direction to addressing the needs of our District 4 homeless neighbors. 

I successfully requested an allocation of $500,000 in the 2019 budget to support the District Attorney’s Project Level Up juvenile recidivism program. Project Level Up is a juvenile recidivism program for youth with three arrests with goals to not only end the adversarial relationship within the juvenile justice system, but also provide an alternative aftercare program for the youth through dedicated service providers, including the Atlanta Police Foundation’s At Promise Center.

I successfully requested an allocation of $249,715 to Fulton County’s Magistrate Court to support the Chief Magistrate Court Judge’s initiatives and operations. Of that funding, $165,715 was used to support the Misdemeanor Mental Health Accountability Court program 

I voted in favor of budget enhancements for Superior Court via resolution 19-0611. This resolution allows Superior Court judges to compensate their staff in standard with jurisdictions across the state.

After conversations with residents about the lack of access to public information in The Fulton County justice system, I worked closely with county executives as they created a dashboard that would increase the transparency and accountability within our Justice System. You can access the public safety dashboard here.

              Youth Services:

 2019 Budget Enhancements include:
$200,000 for the Fulton County Summer Youth Internship Program 
$500,000 for Youth programing
$500,000 for at risk youth – allocated to the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office to support his Project Level-Up Juvenile Recidivism Program

I currently host two youth conferences a year. They are open to all Fulton County high schoolers (Fulton County Public Schools, Atlanta Public Schools, private schools, charter schools and homeschooled students invited). The two conferences, Careers Entrepreneurs Opportunities (CEO’s) of Tomorrow and Empowering Young Men to Excel, a conference for graduating high school senior males, reach nearly 500 students a year. 

              Housing and Homelessness:

In 2019 I voted in favor of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between Fulton County Department of Behavioral Health and the Atlanta Homelessness Continuum of Care, Partners for HOME to provide Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) and supportive services for persons experiencing chronic homelessness. Under this MOU Fulton County will provide case management and wrap around services to support successful PSH participation and housing stabilization to the Atlanta Homelessness Continuum of Care, Partners for HOME’s approximately 550 new permanent supportive housing units within Fulton County.

I sponsored and introduced a resolution urging the Housing Authority of Fulton County, Georgia and the Atlanta Housing Authority to participate in developing a plan to jointly engage in affordable housing initiatives, projects, and programs, along with implementing policies to support affordable housing.

In December of 2019, a few of my colleagues voted to relinquish Fulton County’s status as a HUD Entitlement Community via resolution #19-1152. The entitlement community status allows Fulton County to receive funding from the Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to support our communities in the following areas of need: natural disaster relief, affordable housing, neighborhood stabilization, and homelessness, as well as others. In February of 2020 I introduced resolution #20-0079, to repeal resolution #19-1152 so Fulton County Government can continue to support Fulton County residents in these areas.

I serve as a board member of the Atlanta Homelessness Continuum of Care Governing Council (Atlanta CoC). The Atlanta CoC brings together local providers to enable a comprehensive approach to lead to systemic change in addressing the issues of Atlanta’s most vulnerable population.       

              WorkSource Development and Economic Development:

2019 budget enhancement: $1,000,000 to support Fulton County workforce development including the purchase of a new mobile unit.

To address the lack of sustainable employment and training opportunities within Fulton County and the City of Atlanta, I sponsored and introduced legislation urging WorkSource Fulton and WorkSource Atlanta to work together on joint projects to benefit both jurisdictions.

I was one of twenty county officials selected by the National Association of Counties (NACo) to participate in the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Economic Mobility Leadership Network which allows me to connect and partner with County Officials across the United States to address the challenge of economic mobility in communities across the country. Many Fulton County District 4 residents struggle with economic security, and many of our District 4 families are challenged with multi-generational poverty. Without the skills to achieve stable employment, these residents and families face housing instability, food insecurity and overall lack of opportunity. Through this initiative, I am able to explore the county role in addressing District 4 residents’ economic security.                                             

In 2018 in partnership with UPS I hosted a series of Hiring events at the Andrew and Walter Young YMCA.  Through these hiring events, UPS was able to not only reach, but hire hundreds of individuals for positions at their new smart hub located on Fulton Industrial Boulevard.

Other: 

I was appointed by the Mayor of Atlanta to the Reimagining the Atlanta City Detention Center. Together, I work with my fellow Taskforce members to device a proposal for turning the the Atlanta City Detention Center (ACDC) into a community space that can be enjoyed by all of Atlanta residents. 

I was nominated by the Association County Commissioners Georgia, as the sole Georgian to participate in the National Association of Counties’ (NACo) County Leadership Institute (CLI). CLI is a rigorous four-day program offered by NACo that enhances the capability of county officials to identify and implement innovative solutions to complex challenges facing county government. Attendees learn how to effectively address the demands of personal leadership in a new era of government. This era is characterized as a “permanent crisis” by CLI Program Developer and Cambridge Leadership co-founder Marty Linsky.

I supported Adams Park Foundation in their successful efforts to expand the Charles R. Adams Park’s listing on the National Register of Historic Places to include the Adams Park Golf Course. 

In June of 2019 I successfully introduced a resolution to recognize June as Pride Month in Fulton County. 

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