Clayton County Board of Commissioners Regular Business Meeting - February 12, 2026
Clayton County Board of Commissioners Regular Business Meeting - February 12, 2026
Note: The transcript and agenda indicate the meeting was held on October 1, 2024, but the specified date for this summary is February 12, 2026. The following summary is based on the source materials from that meeting.
This was a regular business meeting of the Clayton County Board of Commissioners. The meeting opened with an invocation, Pledge of Allegiance, and adoption of the agenda, which included several emergency additions. Presentations and proclamations recognized a veteran, Digital Inclusion Week, Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and Period Action Day. Public comment addressed tax concerns, beautification issues, and recovery from Hurricane Helene. The board approved the consent agenda, then discussed and approved resolutions modifying library hours and identifying revisions to the county ethics code. Board appointments were made, and an executive session was held, followed by approval of multiple settlement agreements and property purchases.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of the September 17, 2024 regular business meeting minutes.
- Annual contract for preventive maintenance and vehicle repair services for Fire & EMS (SP #21-333).
- Award of engineering design services for a pedestrian safety improvement project (RFQu #24-37).
- Annual contract for lawn care equipment, parts, and repair for Parks & Recreation (ITB #24-77).
- Award for Mental Health Court Clinician for Juvenile Court (PSA 24-165).
- Contract amendment for ImageTrend Software Licensing for Fire & Emergency Services (SS #17-138).
- Termination of contract for insurance brokerage consulting services for employee benefits (RFP #23-14).
- Police Services Manager new classification request.
- Resolution 2024-231: Memorandum of Agreement with Atlanta Regional Commission for Flint River Gateway Trails Master Plan.
- Resolution 2024-232: Holiday operating hours for Library, Parks & Recreation, and Senior Services facilities.
- Resolution 2024-233: Acceptance of Library Tech grant funds from Georgia Public Library Service.
- Resolution 2024-235: Special facility use for Clayton State University Club Football at Morrow Lake City Park.
- Resolution 2024-237: Application for grant from National Recreation and Park Association and in-kind training from Positive Coaching Alliance.
- Ordinance 2024-238: Amendment to Civil Service Rules regarding Fire & Emergency Services promotional procedures.
- Resolution 2024-239: Acceptance of 15 laptops from Human-I-T for digital equity giveaway.
- Resolution 2024-240: Acceptance of 100 laptops from Compudot for digital equity giveaway.
- Added during agenda adoption: Resolution 2024-241 (advanced voting sites for general election) and Resolution 2024-242 (civil rights non-discrimination grievance policy for federal programs, added as an emergency).
The consent agenda was approved unanimously.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Diane Hannah (District 3): Expressed concern about high property tax bills, recalling earlier promises of aggressive relief. Asked about assistance for veterans who receive disability rating after the April 1 deadline for tax exemption. The chairman acknowledged the issue and stated meetings are planned with the tax commissioner.
- Timothy Vondale Jefferson: Called for improved county beautification, including digitizing gateway signs, enforcing sign ordinances, regulating shopping carts, and addressing truck parking. Proposed a beautification summit with all seven cities in the county to align ordinances.
- David Hamlet (District 3): Reminded veterans about Habitat for Humanity home repair services. Noted an apparent error in item 9 of the board's duties regarding insurance programs. Referenced the recent Hurricane Helene and swift water rescue on Flint River Road, urging unity in recovery efforts.
Discussion Items
- Resolution 2024-234 (Library Hours): Moved from consent for explanation. The library director presented new operating hours for all Clayton County Library System facilities: Monday 10am-7pm, Tuesday 12pm-8pm, Wednesday and Thursday 10am-7pm, Friday 10am-6pm, Saturday 10am-4pm. The effective date is January 2, 2025. The board confirmed that surveys of staff and patrons informed the change. The motion was amended to include the effective date and approved unanimously.
- Resolution 2024-236 (Ethics Code Revisions): Moved from consent for explanation. The chief staff attorney outlined issues with House Bill 1444 (2024): the definition of covered officials excludes several constitutional officers and judges; the grand jury appointment process (five members from four districts is infeasible); an unfunded mandate of up to $200,000 for the ethics board; lack of controls on ethics board spending; an outdated appeal process; and absence of provisions for employee benefits, leave, and oversight of ethics officers. The resolution asks the legislative delegation to address these issues in a rewrite. The board clarified the intent is to support a properly written, inclusive ethics code. The resolution was approved unanimously.
- Board Appointments: A MARTA Citizen Advisory Board appointment from District 1 was held until October 15. A MARTA appointment from District 4 was also held. The Elections and Registration Board appointment: Dominique Grant was recommended by Commissioner Reeves for District 1 and approved unanimously.
Key Outcomes
- Consent Agenda: Approved unanimously with added items.
- Library Hours (Resolution 2024-234): Approved with effective date January 2, 2025.
- Ethics Code Revisions (Resolution 2024-236): Approved to send list of issues to the state legislative delegation.
- Elections Board Appointment: Dominique Grant appointed.
- Executive Session: Motion approved for real estate, personnel, and litigation.
- Post-Executive Session Actions (all approved unanimously):
- Commercial sublease with Capital Paper Company for Police Department ($70,000).
- Settlement agreement for Timothy Johnson vs. Sheriff, relating to September 11, 2020 traffic accident ($85,000).
- Settlement agreement for Bobby Blasingame vs. Sheriff, relating to employment ($130,000).
- Settlement agreement for Minet Harris vs. Sheriff, relating to April 25, 2019 traffic accident on Jonesboro Road ($30,000).
- Settlement agreement for DiMarie Lancaster vs. Sheriff, relating to April 25, 2019 traffic accident on Jonesboro Road ($25,000).
- Settlement agreement for Kim Messiah vs. Police Chief Kevin Roberts and others, relating to August 26, 2019 automobile accident ($98,000, plus dismissal of related civil action).
- Land purchase and sale agreement for 4179 Gilbert Road, Atlanta ($270,000).
- Land purchase and sale agreement for 276 Blaylock Street, Atlanta ($139,551).
- Land purchase and sale agreement for property on Geneva Street, Atlanta ($55,000).
- Adjournment: Motion carried unanimously.
Meeting Transcript
Call the meeting to order. We'll have our invocation to a moment of silent prayer. It will be followed by the Pledge of Allegiance by do we have a veteran of the month? I don't have the information. I apologize. I don't see the information. They're running a little behind. They're running behind. Who is the uh much the veteran of the month? Okay, Chairman's in the meantime. Let can I announce the uh pastor for the invocation? Oh, we do have pastor. Okay, I just don't have no information there at all. Okay, so please do. That's right. All right. Okay. So our pastor for tonight's meeting is Mr. Shane Roy, associate pastor of Harvest Baptist Tabernacle in Jonesboro, Georgia. And that will be followed by the Pledge of Allegiance by our veteran of the month. Yes, I shouldn't know if I said you there, you're here for Richard. Let's pray. Our kind and most gracious Heavenly Father, God, first of all, I want to thank you for your goodness, your mercy, and your grace, and just praise you for your goodness, mercy, and grace as well. And God, I pray that you would continue to be with our state. Lord, we thank you for the opportunity to come to your throne to be able to make our petitions known. God, to be able to pray for protection, God. Thank you for the protection that you gave to this area. But God, we lift up those that are suffering today, those that are having uh such difficulties uh down in Florida, South Georgia, and uh the state around in North Carolina. God, I pray that you would give them Lord exactly what they need today and stand in need of God, give them peace, God. Lord, I pray that you would be with the commissioners today as they have this meeting, conduct this meeting. I pray that you'd give them wisdom. Lord, I pray that everything that they do, God be glorifying to you, God. And Lord, I pray that you just be with this community, God, that you would be the center of what happens here uh in this time, Lord. We love you, we praise you. It's in the precious name of Jesus Christ that we pray. Amen. Amen. Veteran of the month. Yeah, you can go right there from there. Right there's fine. For which it stands one nation under God in the school with the liberty and just to our good evening, everyone. Welcome to our October 1st, 2024 regular business meeting. The first order of business is the adoption of the agenda. Do any board members have any amendments during this time? Yes, Commissioner. Yes, I'd like to uh move resolution number 14, resolution 2024-236 to the regular agenda. Are you clear, madam clerk? I'm clear, Mr. Clear. Are there any others?
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