5/5/2025 Meeting Preview
You’ll see below some of the agenda highlights for our first meeting in May. I’ve added information from the council agenda memos and background on items that may be of particular interest, along with my thoughts on those issues. You can watch our meetings on the city’s Facebook and YouTube pages. Our meetings are on the first and third Mondays of the month. Workshop session begins at 6:00 pm; regular session begins at 7:30 pm; executive session, if necessary, takes place at the conclusion of the regular session.
You can access the full agenda packets here.
We welcome your attendance at our meetings and public comment is available near the start of the meeting, before any actions are taken. You can submit an e-mail with your name, address, and comment or remark to pcomment@collegeparkga.com no later than 7:30 pm on the evening of the meeting. The City Clerk will read your name, address and comment into the official record. If you have feedback for Mayor and Council directly, you can e-mail us.
WORKSHOP SESSION
3. Presentation: Establishment of a Farmer's Market in Ward 1. Sponsored by Mayor Pro Tem Jamelle McKenzie.
The proposal indicates that the farmer’s market will be fully funded and operated by the organization leading the efforts after the first year. I look forward to the conversation.
5. Discussion: Proposed Public Comment Policy & Procedures. Sponsored by Mayor Pro Tem Jamelle McKenzie
This is a continuation of the discussion started at the previous meeting. The proposal in the packet is more detailed and largely follows suggestions from a resident who shared his thoughts about how we could make the policy clearer.
REGULAR SESSION
9. Consent Agenda
As I’ve noted before, “[a]ccording to the Georgia Municipal Association’s Handbook for Mayors and Councilmembers, a consent agenda can be a useful tool when a governing body has a lot of business to cover. It typically includes noncontroversial items or those previously discussed and needing final approval, such as permit issuances, street closures, or bill authorizations. While a consent agenda can save time, it should never be used to bypass public participation or stifle open dialogue.”
We regularly utilized consent agendas in 2023. The items on the consent agenda were part of the workshop session for discussion and then approved in the regular meeting. Any member of the body could pull an item off of the consent agenda in the regular session for individual consideration. This process ensured each elected official understood the business at hand before a vote. This hasn’t happened with the use of consent agendas in 2024 and so far in 2025.
While I was optimistic from our last meeting we were turning a corner regarding consent agendas, this one is big and has a number of items that should be discussed in additional detail. I hope my colleagues will take time to consider some of these issues in greater depth.
A. Consideration of and action on a request to approve a fence for Chess Patio located at Charles E. Phillips Park for the cost of $12,202 from RSW Services. This is a budgeted item. (G/L Account # 100 6122 54 7851). This is located in Ward 4. Sponsored by Councilman Gay.
Our procurement policy requires jobs in excess of $10,000 to go through a bidding process, not just the gathering of quotes. Based upon the information in the packet, I’m concerned we have not followed the policy for this agenda item.
B. Consideration of and action on a request to approve a replacement fence for Phillips Park Basketball Court located at Phillips for the cost of $14,900 from RSW Services. This is budgeted item from Community Enhancements G/L Account # 100 6122 54 7851. This item is requested by Councilman Gay. This is located in Ward 4.
Our procurement policy requires jobs in excess of $10,000 to go through a bidding process, not just the gathering of quotes. Based upon the information in the packet, I’m concerned we have not followed the policy for this agenda item.
G. Consideration of and action on a request to approve the existing OnDemand Water & Sewer Construction Services until April 2026, to allow continuous repair within our Sanitary Sewer and Water Distribution System. This item is requested by Tim Lewis, Water and Sewer Superintendent. This item is budgeted (G/L Account 505-4400-52-5800). This affects City Wide functions.
Our contract with our on-demand water and sewer construction services providers expires at the end of this fiscal year. Our staff currently has additional work orders that have not been completed. This extension will allow us to complete our current projects. The funding for these projects will come from the Municipal Option Sale Tax (MOST).
I. Consideration of and action on a request for the approval of the disbursement of the Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia (MEAG Power) 2024 Year-End Settlement (YES) refund in the amount of $1,303,609. This request is from Power Director Hugh Richardson. This is a budgeted item (G/L Account #510-4600-53-6030). This will service all wards.
From staff: Annually, MEAG Power provides each participant with an annual budget that identifies the next calendar year's forecasted operating costs and debt service requirements. At the end of each year, MEAG Power compares the aggregate amounts billed to the participants to the actual cost amounts through the year-end settlement process. Any over recovery of funds from MEAG Power Projects is refunded to the participant.
We will use this credit to help offset power costs and keep bills as stable as possible.
J. Consideration of Mayor and Council to authorize the City Manager through the Purchasing Department to conduct a Request for Qualification (RFQ) for Project Management Services and Design Build for the planned Botanical Gardens in the City of College Park. This item is requested by Councilman Roderick Gay. The solicitation of the RFQ for Project Management and Design Build is no cost to the city other than publishing the solicitation in the City Legal Organ and GPR website if required at a nominal budgeted cost.
This would get the process moving for the planned botanical gardens in Ward 4. The money will come from Tourism Product Development (TPD) funds.
K. Consideration of and action for cameras (1PTZ and 1 fixed) to be installed at The Hawthorne Station. The cost is approximately $7,723.10. This item is requested by Councilman Joe Carn. This is a budgeted item (G/L Account #100-3223-54-7580). This will service Ward 2.
There is no supporting documentation for this item in the agenda packet.
Update (5/5/2025, 3:17 pm EST): The city manager’s office sent me the documentation and you can see it here.
L. Consideration of and action to approve a contract for a College Park Legislative Aide for Ward 1 in the amount of $70,000. This item is being requested by Mayor Pro Tem Jamelle McKenzie. This is a budgeted item (G/L Account #100-1300-51-5211).
At the last meeting, council approved each member of the governing body to have a legislative aide. The supporting documentation for this request is available here.
M. Consideration of and action on a request to approve the contract for the World Cup Global Visitors' Readiness Initiative between the City of College Park, GA and Destination College Park in the amount of $80,000 plus incentives for services rendered. This item is requested by Mayor Pro Tem Jamelle McKenzie. This is a budgeted item (G/L Account #1009980-52-6130 - Main Street Depot Tourism Welcome Center).
The proposal intends to fund a visitor center, business preparation efforts, marketing, and a yet-undefined “incentive package.” While the idea of leveraging the World Cup to boost local engagement and visibility is worthwhile, there are several significant concerns with this proposal as presented. First, the scope of work is vague—there are no specific deliverables, benchmarks, or a timeline, making it difficult to assess what this funding will actually achieve. There is no explanation of how the visitor center will operate, what “business readiness” entails, or how marketing efforts will be structured. The reference to an incentive package is particularly concerning, as it lacks any detail. It's unclear whether this would involve grants, reimbursements, or other forms of financial support, who would be eligible, or what criteria would be used to distribute those funds.
Additionally, there appears to be potential overlap with the work of the ATL Airport District, our official convention and visitors bureau. Without coordination, this could lead to duplicated efforts or inefficient use of funds. Moreover, there is no proposed mechanism for evaluating success or providing public reporting, which raises transparency and accountability concerns.
N. Consideration of and action on a request for approval of payment to Ignite Resource Center who has been contracted to reimburse seniors for payment of in-home plumbing service as presented by Rose Stewart, Director of Human Resources and Risk Management.
This request is for approval of a $12,500 payment to Ignite Resource Center to administer an water and sewer line insurance program for seniors, with a total of four payments anticipated. While the intention to assist seniors with unexpected and often burdensome home expenses is commendable, the manner in which this program is being executed raises several serious concerns—legal, ethical, and constitutional. According to the Georgia Secretary of State, the City’s current Director of Human Resources and Risk Management is listed as the CEO of Ignite Resource Center. (This information was current as of 5/5/2025 at 3:00 pm EST.) I am concerned this creates a conflict of interest. A sitting city employee should not simultaneously serve as the head of an organization while receiving public funds from the same city.
In addition to the potential conflict of interest, I am concerned there may be a violation of the gratuities clause of the Georgia Constitution (Article III, Section VI, Paragraph VI), which prohibits public entities from granting any donation or gratuity, or forgiving any debt or obligation, without receiving a clear, substantial public benefit in return. Paying for insurance for individuals on their private property could be construed as an unlawful gratuity. This is particularly risky when the funds are not tied to a broader public health initiative (e.g., lead abatement or sewer line failures affecting public systems). The City must tread carefully to ensure that any public funds expended result in a tangible benefit to the broader community and are not simply private subsidies.
Given these legal and ethical risks, I believe this item should be pulled from the agenda. While supporting seniors is a worthy goal, it must be done ethically, within the bounds of the law and with complete transparency.
O. Consideration of and action on a request to prepare an Authorization for the City Purchasing Manager to Solicit Bids for Construction of a Citywide Dog Park at Herschel Road and Main Street. This item is sponsored by Councilman Roderick Gay. This is a budgeted item (G/L Account# 1006122-54-7851) This item is located in Ward 4.
From staff: Fulton County Government transferred 0.5 acres of land, appraised at $224,000.00, to the City of College Park. The property is deed-restricted for passive greenspace use. After review, the highest and best use for the land was determined to be the development of a canine dog park and cyclist rest stop. To date, the City has completed significant work on the project, including heavy grading, foundational landscaping, utility installation (water and electricity), and a landscape rendering prepared by a certified landscape architect. The final phase of the project requires the selection of a qualified general contractor through a competitive Request for Proposals (RFP) process.
P. Consideration of and action on a request to approve a fence to establish a Dog Park located off Herschel Road for the cost of $9,950 from RSW Services. This item is requested by Councilman Gay. This is budgeted item from Community Enhancements G/L Account # 100 6122 54 7851. This is located in Ward 4. Sponsored by Councilman Gay.
The city manager has informed the governing body this will be removed from the agenda.
10. Regular Business
C. Consideration of and action on a request to award Façade Improvement funds in the amount of $10,000 to McKenzie Brothers Realty. This item is requested by Interim Economic Development Director Brian Hooker. This is a non-budgeted item. (Transfer from G/L Account # 100 7520 52 6130). This item is being sponsored by Councilwoman Tracie Arnold. This item is located in Ward 3.
This business was awarded a façade grant in 2020 but due to administrative issues never received the funds.
D. Consideration of and action on a request for approval of a professional services agreement with Brian Hooker for the management of Economic Development and BIDA services, as presented by Rose Stewart, Director of Human Resources and Risk Management.
From staff: Brian Hooker has been serving as a consultant under contract with Sumter Local Government Consulting since October, 2024. With the expiration of Sumter's contract, it is recommended that an independent contractual agreement be made with Mr. Hooker to prevent any delay in economic development services to the City. The recommended compensation for this contract shall be $6,000 biweekly from May 16 through December 31, 2025.
11. City Attorney’s Report
The memo provides some detail about the work of the city attorney’s office. Our April 2025 bill was $62,491.32.
