The Atlanta City Council approved legislation at its Feb. 1 meeting to create a memorial for those lost in the Atlanta Child Murders from 1979 to 1981.
Designed by Gordon Huether + Partners, the metal and stone monument on the grounds of City Hall in Downtown will have an eternal flame, benches, and the names of the murdered children and young adults etched into the wall.
The council approved $280,000 for the memorial, which was recommendation from Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms’ Atlanta Children’s Memorial Taskforce, which was empaneled as the city re-examined the evidence in the conviction of Wayne Williams for the murders.
Other council action approved on Monday includes:
• The council approved legislation to amend the city’s code of ordinances to clarify alcohol license requirements for reporting food and alcohol sales at annual renewal and update the mandatory penalties for due cause findings of violations. The legislation aims to address nuisance properties and activities that are considered threats to public health and safety and ensure that establishments licensed as restaurants are operating in accordance with license requirements. Legislation was adopted in December to establish annual alcohol audits on a sample of establishments to review business records and ensure compliance with the city’s alcohol license requirements.
• Legislation to require a minimum of 33 percent of net revenue collected for school zone speed camera enforcement remitted to the city be used toward surveillance cameras and license plate readers citywide and that a minimum of 33 percent of fund allocations be used toward constructing or improving the city’s Public Safety Training facility. The ordinance is companion legislation to a resolution adopted in January to approve an agreement with Atlanta Public Schools for the School Bus Stop-Arm Camera Enforcement Program and authorize the collection and sharing of fines resulting from offenses.
• A resolution authorizing the City to apply for and accept a grant in an amount not to exceed $1 million per year for up to five years from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to assist high-risk youth and families and promote resilience and equity in communities that have recently faced civil unrest.
• An ordinance to amend the City of Atlanta Code of Ordinances to repeal the requirement that prospective employees who are not applying for employment in safety sensitive positions undergo a post-employment offer physical examination or a drug test.
• An ordinance to suspend provisions of the City’s Code of Ordinances to waive the late filing fees, penalties and sanctions that may be assessed for failure to renew licenses for the sale of alcohol by Jan. 1, 2021. The fees would be waived through Dec. 31, 2021.
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