September 2025 General Body Mtg. Minutes

GENERAL BODY MEETING MINUTES
West End Neighborhood Development Inc.
Tuesday, September 2nd, 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
Dave Mardis, 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  –  7:03 PM

  • Welcome
  • Motion to adopt September Agenda properly seconded and approved. (Melba F. & John M.)
    Favor: 28  Oppose: 0    Abstain: 2
  • Motion to approve August 2025 Minutes properly seconded and approved. (Melba F. & Brooks P.)
    Favor: 26   Oppose: 0    Abstain: 3
  • Motion by K. Carlisle to amend agenda to remove Z-25-046 : 1247 Ralph D Abernathy from the agenda. Properly seconded. Call for discussion.
    Favor: 9  Oppose: 0  Abstain: 0

 

PRESIDENT’S REPORT  –  7:14 PM

  • National Night Out Make-up was supposed to be the first Tuesday of October, but it looks like we’ll be moving it further back in October.
  • Candlelight Concert will be September 27th. We’re very excited. It will be a wonderful concert. Ticket sales are going well. Buy a table, buy a ticket, bring someone. This is one of our biggest fundraisers of the year, and we need all hands on deck. We need stagehands, ticket-takers, hosts, runners, etc. We’re promoting on WCLK’s website. There is still time to become a sponsor, please refer them to WEND President.

 

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION  –  7:17 PM

  • $24,534.47 –  Monthly Ending Balance

 

PRESENTATIONS  –  7:20 PM

  • ALCO-0625-41000 : EZ Market – 516 Lee St. SW
    Frank Redding presenting. This is a change of ownership application. This is the BP that is at Lee St. and I-20. Per Mr. Redding, some changes have been made, with a regular crew cleaning up. Will be improving the cameras and will have security there at night. No liquor sales, only beer and wine. Applicant is in possession of a temporary license. Mr. Redding states that the goal is to get the cameras connected to ATLConnect, but there is no timeline. Per Zoning Chair, Larry Frazer, the applicant will stop serving alcohol each day at 11:45pm. Mr. Redding states that the applicant will become a corporate member of WEND and also provide financial support of an upcoming neighborhood event. 

 

COMMITTEE REPORTS, Pt. 1  –  7:30PM

  • Ad Hoc Committee – Elections Committee – Brooks Payne
    • The Committee met last week to discuss the three positions.
    • President, 2nd VP, and Recording Secretary positions are open.
    • You can nominate yourself. 
    • The officers currently serving in those roles have been nominated for re-election. No other nominations have been received so far.
    • Nominations will be accepted through the end of the month.
  • Zoning Committee – Larry Frazer – 7:35 PM
    (Meets the third Monday of the month at 7:00pm. If you’d like to join, email WENDZLUCE@gmail.com and visit the committee page
  • ALCO-0625-41000 : EZ Market – 516 Lee St. SW. Recommendation from committee is to support.
    Favor: 20   Oppose: 5   Abstain: 9  (Subject to verification by Recording Secretary
  • Zoning Committee will be meeting with Peeples Street Master Plan Focus Group on Sept 4th.
  • 1247 RDA will come up again next month.

 

CITY REPRESENTATIVES & ELECTED OFFICIALS 7:40PM  

  • Atlanta City Council District 4, Jason Dozier’s Office. DeMicha Luster – Director of Community Engagement. Office Contact 404-290-2174. dluster@atlantaga.gov. Cou
    • Atlanta Streets Alive, West End to Grant Park, will be on Sunday, 10/26 from 2p-6p. The streets will be blocked starting at 1p. Visit www.atlantastreetsalive.org for more info
    • Moving West End Park project forward. Two weeks ago, Ms. Luster met with ATL Parks team d/t some miscommunications about the project to reset expectations. Parks and Recs were supposed to give a plan that includes what can be done with the $100k budget. Fixing the flooding issue is going to cost more, and Ms. Luster is reaching out to different departments to. Parks will need to have a survey done.
    • Ms. Luster has been monitoring the Lowery and I-20 exit. There was a piece of legislation in front of City Council to authorize Georgia Power to do light maintenance under the state/federal highways. 
    • ASA will be  the day after Trunk or Treat, which will be in collab with Westview’s Block Party
    • Member Comment: Regarding Music in the Park, a community partner of ASA. Applicant requests assistance from D4’s Office. Organizer has put a formal request with Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs four weeks ago but hasn’t gotten any response from them. D4 Rep asked organizer to go by in person.

 

COMMITTEE REPORTS, Pt. 2  –  7:50PM

  • Beautification and transportation committee met to find to find ways to work together.
  • Neighbors are working with the  owner of Food N’ Fun Mart at 785 Lee regarding items that the community would like to see stocked there.
  • Friends of the Parks Groups
    • West End Park – Submitting for Grant for 2026 Design Master Plan. Once plan is implemented next year, will begin to apply for grants to get those things happening.
    • Approval received for wayfinding signage for Rose Circle Park, with fabrication to begin in next couple of months.
    • Survey for RCP Mural, which was shared in WEND meeting chat last month and will share again this month. Currently 50 responses received, and hope to receive 50 more. Please take the survey and share with a neighbor!
  • Education Committee -Barbara Mislan, Co-Chair
    (Education does not have a standing meeting, but communicates by text chain. If you’d like to join, email WENDeducation@gmail.com)

    • Slideshow presentation link 
    • District-wide the cluster meeting 9/17 at 6pm. Location TBA
    • Elections for APS seats 2 and 8 this year.
    • APS publicized their recommendations after hiring a consultant group. They made recommendations for APS buildings. One of the recommendations was to close our Elementary School, MAJ. APS wants community feedback – you do not need to have a child enrolled in APS. A community meeting will be held tomorrow, Weds 9/3 at 6pm. Young Middle School.
    • Thanks to community members who jumped to support a family at HJRWEA in need.
  • Events – Doug Cain
    (Does not have a standing meeting, but if you’d like to join, email wendevents@gmail.com)

    • Candlelight Concert on 9/27. Call for volunteers. If you’re interested and want to give a great representation of WEND, please reach out.
    • National Night Out will be pushed back.
  • PR – Brittney Cain
    (Does not have a standing meeting, but if you’d like to join, email AtlantaWestEndPR@gmail.com)

    • Emphasizing ticket sales for concert. WCLK featured the concert on their website.
    • Trunk or Treat info will be coming up in the next few weeks.
  • Membership – Brooks Payne
    (Meets virtually on second Tuesdays via zoom. More information on committee page

    • If you have the West End Membership card, you get a discount at Joyful Jarra.
    • WEND Wednesdays doing a big launch the Wednesday before the WEND meeting.
    • Get a WEND yard sign to help us announce meetings.
    • There is a 2nd Friday potluck that happens. 9/12 at 806 Peeples at 7pm. It’s a Westview, Westwood, West End party.
  • Transportation – Matt Hawkins
    (Meets the third Tuesday of the month at 7:30 PM. For more info, visit the transportation committee page

    • Hoping to have a special guest, Jacob Tsegaye (West End Neighbor and MARTA Board of Directors Member), at the meeting this month.
    • PropelATL is a transportation advocacy organization in Atlanta. They’re currently working on updating their strategic vision. They’re conducting a survey, so please fill it out. Survey link.
    • Question regarding request for advocacy for greater signage for pedestrians crossing White St at Lee+White.
  • Preservation & Urban Design – Caleb Racicot
    (Meets the first and/or third Wednesdays at 6:30 PM, as needed. If you’d like to join, email WENDPreservation@gmail.com)

    • Reviewed 2 cases in past month
      • 558 West End Place is building out second story and rear addition that was approved by city
      • 1341 Latham St, which has been reviewed multiple times.
    • Two more applications this month
      • 651 Queen St
      • 652 Queen St.
    • The next meeting Preservation Committee meeting is on 9/17.

 

WRAP-UP & ANNOUNCEMENTS

  • President gives special shout out to committee chairs and committee members. They can always use extra hands!
  • The West End Merchants Coalition is hosting a free small business workshop starting this month called “Mind Your Business.” The topics this month will focus on Forming a Business (Sept 17) and Business Bookkeeping (Sept 23) and will be held at Self-Help.
  • NPU-T meets the 2nd Wednesday of each month.
  • Check on your legacy residents and neighbors!

 

ADJOURN 8:23 PM

 

Draft Minutes Completed on 9/3/25  by DM



By Published On: September 3rd, 2025Categories: General Body Meeting Minutes0 Comments
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