GENERAL BODY MEETING MINUTES

West End Neighborhood Development Inc. 

Tuesday, March 4th, 2025, 7:00 PM 

Hybrid Meeting

2025 Officers:

Marquise “Tony” McNeal, President – president@atlantawestend.com 

John Mitchell, 1st Vice President – firstvp@atlantawestend.com 

Kimberly Carlisle, 2nd Vice President – secondvp@atlantawestend.com 

Troy Farina, Treasurer – treasurer@atlantawestend.com

Mallerie Shirley, Secretary – secretary@atlantawestend.com 

Melba T. Furlow, Recording Secretary recordingsecretary@atlantawestend.com

Kim Scott, Past President – kimscottmanagement@gmail.com

Terry Ross, Parliamentarian – t-ross01@hotmail.com

 

INTRODUCTION (Tony McNeal, President)  

Call to Order 7:20 PM

  • Please excuse the delay in starting due to technical difficulties related to being hybrid.
  • Welcome and Adoption of March 2025 Agenda.
    Motion to adopt and seconded with call for discussion.
    Favor: 25+6. Oppose: 3. Abstain: 1
  • Approval of January 2025 General Body Meeting Minutes
    Motion to approve and Seconded with call for discussion.
    Favor: Favor: 20+5   Oppose: 1+3    Abstain: 5
  • Approval of February 2025 General Body Meeting Minutes
    Motion to approve with an amendment to correct that the open principal position is at Washington High School, not Herman J Russell West End Academy.
    Motion seconded.
    Favor: 27+9  Oppose: 0    Abstain: 4

 

COA REPS/ Elected Officials 7:30 PM

  • Atlanta District 4 Council Member Dozier’s Office – DeMicha Luster, Director of Community Engagement. Office: 404-290-2174 EMAIL: DLuster@atlantaga.gov
    • Thanks to everyone who attended the District 4 Town Hall this past Friday. 
    • May 18th will be the first Atlanta Streets Alive in the West End of 2025. The anticipate that the route will alternate monthly between Peachtree Street and Ralph David Abernathy +Georgia Ave.
    • Redistricting – West End isn’t getting redistricted, but please share with adjacent neighborhoods.
    • Keep eyes peeled for District 4 mailer.
    • Residents thanked CM Dozier for crosswalk legislation at 235 Peachtree Street as well as for the recent town hall.
  • APD District 4 – Lt. Henry
    • Crime has been primarily auto thefts. Don’t leave your keyfob anywhere near your vehicle, because push start will work.
    • A resident expressed concern about loitering and double-parking near Lee St and RDA. Officer Henry noted and thanked her for her comment. 
  • Fulton County District 4 Commissioner Mo Ivory’s Office. Kysha Ferguson, Director of Constituent Services & Strategic Partnerships. 404-612-8259 (o) 404-386-0889 © kysha.ferguson@FultonCountyGa.gov
    • Fulton passed a 989M budget. However there were budget cuts due to the Federal Consent Decree related to the Fulton County Jail.
    • Community members are encouraged to apply for available positions with the Fulton Board, which are posted at www.fultoncountyga.gov
    • Commissioner Ivory’s office has been busy ramping up to be ready to fulfil her duties and meet her constituents’ needs. The office is ready and eager to be of service. Please reach out.

 

GUEST PRESENTATIONS 7:40 PM

  • Willie Watkins Funeral Home – Andre Gates
    • Announcing the 32nd Annual Willie Watkins Community Appreciation Day Festival, to be held at Howell Park on May 26 from 2p to 6p.
    • R&B and Gospel Artists will be performing and “This is it” BBQ is catering.
  • 100 Black Men of Atlanta 5K Race – Temilola Marshall
    • The event is now in its second year. This year, the 5k will be an out-and-back loop course on the Beltline, starting at the Grady Clinic at Lee + White.
    • There will also be a walk for Peace and well-being, which starts at MLK Chapel at Morehouse and proceeds down Lee St.
    • The Grady Clinic will be providing free screening services such as mammograms, cholesterol tests, BMIs, and more.
  • Atlanta Habitat for Humanity – Stephanie Gough. 404-465-1068. Stefanie.gough@atlantahabitat.org
    • The Repair with Kindness Program is a home repair program designed to facilitate aging in place. It just expanded into the West End a couple of weeks ago. Funds and completes projects to promote health, wellbeing, accessibility of home. Assists with a wide variety of projects, from foundation work, plumbing, electrical, hazardous trees, etc. Also helps with accessibility projects, like installing grab bars and walk-in bathtubs and showers. Eligible homeowners are eligible for up to $22,500 in assistance. They offer a 5 Year forgivable loan program, and as long as the owner stays in the home for 5 years they don’t have to pay anything. There is no waiting list, but don’t wait. There will be an expansion in a few areas, and AHA only does about 85 repair with kindness projects a year.
    • The basic eligibility requirements can be found at atlantahabitat.org, but the main points are that the house has to be at least 15 years old and the owner has to have lived in it for a year. The house must be up to date  on taxes and have homeowner’s insurance. There is an income limit, which is <80% of AMI, but it only counts the income of the people whose names are on the deed. There is no age requirement.
    • https://www.atlantahabitat.org/programs/critical-home-repair
  • Peeples Street Master Plan – Presentation by Matt Bedsole
    • https://www.audaps.com/peeples-street
    • The recommendations after the various community meetings are to include a mix of ownership and rental, with a strong preference for 2 & 3 bedrooms, and home designs on the perimeter of the property that match the size and character of the surrounding homes. They’re proposing 125 parking spaces for 67 units.
    • APS will be reviewing the recommendations at their meeting on April 15th.

 

PRESIDENTS REPORT 8:20 PM     

  • Two WEND Board Officers attended CM Dozier’s Town Hall this past Friday.
  • Tomorrow, March 5th, a WEND Board member will be attending the Lee+White tenant + community meeting.
  • On March 13th, the WEND President will attend the Good Shepherd Church leadership meeting.
  • On March 22, the WEND President will attend the Mayor’s Neighborhood Summit

 

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION N/A     

 

COMMITTEE REPORTS 8:25

  • Events – Doug Cain
    • Porch party, March 15th at 4pm at Tony’s house.
    • Join us for the Food Hall Friday event each last Friday of the month at 6pm.
      The next one will be on March 28th.
    • Annual Egg Hunt will be April 12th at noon in West End Park. Looking forward to another great turnout (80+ people came last year).
  • Zoning, Land Use, & Code Enforcement – Larry Frazer
    • MOSE (Mayor’s Office of Special Events)
      • 100 Black Men of Atlanta 5K Race – April 5th.
        • Motion to support and seconded, with call for discussion.
        • Favor: 27+11   Oppose: 0    Abstain: 0
      • WW Appreciation Day – May 26th
        • Motion to support and seconded, with call for discussion.
        • Favor: 33    Oppose: 2    Abstain: 1
  • Preservation & Urban Design
    • 494 Hopkins being reviewed tomorrow.
    • Demolition permit was approved for the house on 485 Culberson.
  • Beautification & Environmental Health
    • Beautification needs a new chair.
    • If you need litter collection supplies, please contact Lorelyn.
  • Friends of Parks Groups – Kristen Koehneman
    • Waiting on approved plant list for Rose Circle Park
    • Trying to set up a site visit for storm water issues for Howell Park and West End Park.
    • The friends-of groups have found a few state-level grants to help us improve our parks, but we need people to help us apply for them! Please reach out!
  • Education – Krista Verdelotti

Click here to view the education committee slideshow

    • Membership Concerns and Community Relations 
      • Membership Committee meets each month on the third Thursday at ASW at Lee+White.
      • Join the membership SLACK channel
  • Transportation
    • CM Dozier has been helping the community get more streetlights
    • Join the transportation SLACK channel

WRAP-UP AND ANNOUNCEMENTS 8:40 PM

  • March NPU-T meeting will be on 3/12.
  • WEMC held a membership mtg last week at ATL Golf and Social, with 35 attendees. There was an extensive presentation from Invest Atlanta, which has a new round of funding for small businesses.
  • June 28th will be our West End Tour of Homes and Gardens. We are still seeking homes for the tour! 

 

ADJOURN 8:45 PM