OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Clayton County Board of Commissioners Regular Business Meeting - May 6, 2025

Board of Commissioners — Thursday, February 12, 2026
BodyClayton County, Georgia
SessionBoard of Commissioners
DateThursday, February 12, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:10:16

Transcript — Verbatim
0:08

All right.

0:09

The Clayton County Board of Commissioners meeting is now called to order.

0:13

The date is May 6th, 2025, and the time is 6 o'clock p.m.

0:18

At this time I will do roll call, district one, district three, present, district two, and district four.

0:26

Present.

0:26

Thank you.

0:28

Item three, our implication and will be done today by Chaplain Jay Smith with Change Church in Duluth, Georgia.

0:35

Would you please stand?

0:36

And after that, we will do the pledge of allegiance to our flag.

0:46

Good evening, Commissioners.

0:48

Thank you so much for having me.

0:50

Let's go before God in a word of prayer.

0:53

Oh, Father.

0:55

We come into your presence, Lord God, lifting up our hands without wrath or doubt.

0:59

Father, in the name of Jesus, we stand before you lifting up and standing in the practice for first the state of Georgia.

1:06

Your word says that we should pray for those who are in authority over us.

1:10

So we pray first for our president, our vice president, our government, our governor, our mayor, and all elected and appointed officials.

1:19

Father, we lift up our communities, our neighborhoods.

1:22

Clayton County as a whole, and we decree and declare safety and protection over it.

1:27

We decree and declare that there's no shortage or lack in Clayton County.

1:33

Oh, Father, we declare that Clayton County operates as one.

1:38

We progress, we thrive, we operate in a county that we're proud of and that the community is proud of.

1:45

We thank you for that, Father.

1:47

Father, we lift up the plans and the development and the agenda of this county.

1:52

We pray for everyone involved.

1:54

Oh God, I ask right now that you cover every commissioner and their family.

1:59

May they have a hedge of protection around them, no hurt, harm, danger, incident, or accident to conclude their dwelling.

2:06

I thank you right now, Father, they are covered through and by your blood.

2:20

Oh God, we give you honor, we give you glory, and we give you praise.

2:26

This day in the name of Jesus, we pray.

2:29

Amen.

2:29

Amen.

2:30

Amen.

2:32

Next we'll have our pledge.

2:33

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands.

2:41

One nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

2:47

Amen.

2:50

All right.

2:51

Next, we will have the adoption of our agenda.

2:54

Mr.

2:54

Reed, will you please come up for any additions to the agenda?

3:02

Good evening, uh, Madam Chair, my vice chair.

3:06

I've got two items to be added or requested to be added to the agenda.

3:11

First is resolution 2025 94, which is a resolution authorizing Clayton County to enter into a sublease agreement with the Clayton County Health District and positive impact health centers for the lease of space at 1117 Battle Creek Road.

4:12

Um benefit in that regard.

4:17

And the and the funding, we're not sure when it's going to happen, so the quicker we have somebody in space when it stops that there's no lapse in service.

4:26

And the second uh for the taste of Fort Valley for uh 2025 95 is so uh because the event is scheduled to happen before the next board of uh commissioners meeting.

4:38

So those the two reasons and the two agenda items.

4:42

All right, at this time um I need a motion to adopt the agenda with the two additional items 2025-94 and 2025-95.

4:52

So move.

4:53

All right, I second that.

4:54

All right, is there any discussion at this time?

4:57

All right, no discussion board members.

5:00

Oh, well, I have a few items that I want to uh move from the agenda to the regular agenda.

5:05

Okay, that's the problem.

5:07

What items are there?

5:12

I would like to move item number nineteen.

5:22

And item number twenty two.

5:29

Courtney, do you have that nineteen and twenty-two?

5:31

I'm clear.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural█████████████████████████25%
Budget Equity Analysis█████████████13%
Economic Development█████████9%
Internal Audit█████████9%
Veteran Services████████8%
Public Safety██████6%
Public Engagement██████6%
Fiscal Sustainability██████6%
Senior Services█████5%
Summary of Proceedings

Clayton County Board of Commissioners Regular Business Meeting - May 6, 2025

The Clayton County Board of Commissioners held a Regular Business Meeting on May 6, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. The meeting included presentations, proclamations, a sheriff's office audit update, public comments, approval of a consent agenda, discussion and votes on regular agenda items, board appointments, a settlement approval, and interim personnel appointments.

Presentations & Proclamations

  • Veteran of the Month: Corporal Damian Luton, U.S. Army, was honored for his service, including deployment to Kosovo and Iraq, and receiving a Purple Heart.
  • Proclamation – Life of Retired Sergeant Major Eddie Turner: Commissioner DeMont Davis presented a proclamation honoring the late Sergeant Major Turner, a 30-year Army veteran who served in Korea and Vietnam and was the father of former Commission Chairman Jeffrey E. Turner. The proclamation was accepted by Jeffrey Turner.
  • Older Americans Month – May 2025: Chairwoman Dr. Alieka Anderson-Henry proclaimed May 2025 as Older Americans Month, encouraging residents to celebrate seniors.
  • National Tourism Week (May 4–10, 2025): Chairwoman Anderson-Henry highlighted tourism’s economic impact: $768.9 million in direct visitor spending (a 19% year-over-year increase), 6,519 jobs supported, $51.7 million in state and local taxes generated, equivalent to $494 in tax savings per Clayton County household.
  • Sheriff’s Office Audit Update: Deputy COO Landry Merkison reported on the audit requested following the April 1 board meeting. The audit focuses on three areas: overtime, non-budgeted accounts controlled by the sheriff, and income sources required to be turned over to the county. As of the meeting, the sheriff had not yet provided requested documents (bank statements, personnel rosters, policies, etc.). The audit committee has started analyzing overtime data: the sheriff’s office budgeted $4.5 million for overtime in FY2025 but has already spent $6.6 million, with an estimated year-end total of $7.8–$7.9 million. For January 1 to May 6, 2025, 48,812 overtime hours were recorded at a cost of $1.829 million. The committee expects more information by the next board meeting.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Dr. Henry Anderson (District 3): Continued presenting his performance evaluation of the Board of Commissioners, covering criteria #9 (competency, capabilities, skills) and #10 (use of projection screens to show relevant information). He stated he uses these 10 criteria to determine a numerical grade for the board.
  • Orlando Gooden (District 3): Expressed frustration with board behavior, citing a reporter’s presence at the April 15 meeting, the chair cutting off presentations from the public defender and development authority, and a $63 million unaccounted expenditure. He reported non-payment for services under a contract that expires June 11 and requested immediate payment. He also criticized “petty political nonsense” for deterring developers.
  • Jean-Pierre Bourget (District 4): Discussed economic development strategies, focusing on “smokestack chasing” (attracting large businesses with tax incentives). He argued that such incentives shift tax burdens to homeowners, often do not provide local jobs, and can increase inequality, citing a 2020 study “Chasing Disparity.” He urged adoption of future-facing strategies that build local entrepreneurial ecosystems.
  • David Hamrick (District 3): Commented on state tax cuts (HB 101, HB 112) and questioned why three local state senators voted against them. He urged the county to reduce expenses, noting that even Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens asked departments to cut 5–10%. He advocated running the county like a business and holding department managers accountable.
  • Mickey Garber (District Unincorporated Rex): Thanked Commissioner Tashay Allen for a town hall on flooding in lower Clayton County. He stressed that flooding affects all districts and called for an immediate moratorium on any runoff into creeks until the problem is corrected.
  • Melissa Scott: Announced her two businesses on Upper Riverdale Road (Diamond Salon Suites and a new holistic care store opening June 29) and invited the board to support them.

Consent Calendar

  • Approved minutes from April 18 (Regular), April 22 (Special Called), and April 29 (Joint Special Called) meetings.
  • Approved monthly settlement report (Risk Management/Chief Staff Attorney, January–April 2025).
  • Awarded bids: ITB #25-09 (Small Business Incubator Remodel), ITB #25-12 (Lakeview Events Center Amphitheater), ITB #25-15 (Archives and Records Building Renovations).
  • Approved nine resolutions (2025-79 through 2025-86, 2025-88) regarding library grants, MOUs, facility use, court program grants, transportation funding, right-of-way donation, and food/beverage MOU.
  • Approved Ordinance 2025-89 (workers’ compensation definitions), Resolution 2025-90 (Juneteenth partnership with Jonesboro), Ordinance 2025-92 (civil service rules revisions), and Resolution 2025-93 (legal level of control for FY25 budget).

Discussion Items

  • Resolution 2025-90 (Juneteenth Partnership): Resolution authorizing partnership with Jonesboro. Commissioner Reeves asked about funding source; staff confirmed it would come from the general fund. Approved unanimously.
  • Resolution 2025-93 (Legal Level of Control): This resolution lowers the threshold for line-item transfers, requiring board approval for transfers across divisions within a department. Commissioner Reeves and Commissioner Allen sought clarification; staff explained it sets the legal level of control at the division level for FY2025, and the board can re-adopt annually. The motion passed with one nay (Commissioner Hambrick abstained? Actually the transcript shows one “nay” from an unspecified board member; Commissioner Allen later voted “nay” on the second roll call. The final count was ayes with no abstentions, but one nay was recorded. The motion passed.)
  • Budget Amendment 2-38: $1,250 for a financial advisor for a maximum of five hours. Approved.
  • Board Appointments:
    • Development Authority: Reappointed Jean-Pierre Bourget (term expires March 2029).
    • Behavioral Health & Development Disabilities Region 3 Advisory Council: Appointed Ophelia Norrum.
    • Family and Children Services: Reappointed Tia Simon.
    • Housing Authority: Reappointed Robert Payne (noted as a District 4 appointment per a 2022 resolution).
    • Library Board of Trustees: Appointed Isaac Shepard (Commissioner Reeves). A second appointment was held until the May 20 meeting (Commissioner Allen).
  • Executive Session: Entered for personnel and litigation. Reconvened.
  • Settlement – Mary Collington v. Sheriff’s Office: Settlement of $295,000 for a 2018 traffic incident. Approved with one abstention (Commissioner Reeves stated “pending legal opinion”).
  • Interim Personnel Appointments:
    • Patrick E. G (interim Economic Development Officer): 10% salary increase ($22,264 paid from hotel/motel tax, not general fund) effective April 16 until a permanent hire is made.
    • Matthew Hutchison (interim Chief Information Officer): Grade 38, step 23, salary increase cost of $18,249.
    • Angela Jackson (interim Chief Financial Officer): Effective May 24.

Key Outcomes

  • All items on the consent agenda were approved unanimously.
  • Resolution 2025-93 (legal level of control) passed with one nay vote; it tightens budget transfer oversight for FY2025.
  • Budget Amendment 2-38 ($1,250) passed.
  • All board appointments were approved.
  • The $295,000 settlement was approved with one abstention.
  • Three interim personnel appointments were approved: Economic Development Officer (temporary salary increase), interim CIO, and interim CFO.
  • The next board meeting is scheduled for May 20, 2025 (third Tuesday).

Meeting Transcript

All right. The Clayton County Board of Commissioners meeting is now called to order. The date is May 6th, 2025, and the time is 6 o'clock p.m. At this time I will do roll call, district one, district three, present, district two, and district four. Present. Thank you. Item three, our implication and will be done today by Chaplain Jay Smith with Change Church in Duluth, Georgia. Would you please stand? And after that, we will do the pledge of allegiance to our flag. Good evening, Commissioners. Thank you so much for having me. Let's go before God in a word of prayer. Oh, Father. We come into your presence, Lord God, lifting up our hands without wrath or doubt. Father, in the name of Jesus, we stand before you lifting up and standing in the practice for first the state of Georgia. Your word says that we should pray for those who are in authority over us. So we pray first for our president, our vice president, our government, our governor, our mayor, and all elected and appointed officials. Father, we lift up our communities, our neighborhoods. Clayton County as a whole, and we decree and declare safety and protection over it. We decree and declare that there's no shortage or lack in Clayton County. Oh, Father, we declare that Clayton County operates as one. We progress, we thrive, we operate in a county that we're proud of and that the community is proud of. We thank you for that, Father. Father, we lift up the plans and the development and the agenda of this county. We pray for everyone involved. Oh God, I ask right now that you cover every commissioner and their family. May they have a hedge of protection around them, no hurt, harm, danger, incident, or accident to conclude their dwelling. I thank you right now, Father, they are covered through and by your blood. Oh God, we give you honor, we give you glory, and we give you praise. This day in the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen. Amen. Amen. Next we'll have our pledge. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands. One nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Amen. All right. Next, we will have the adoption of our agenda. Mr. Reed, will you please come up for any additions to the agenda? Good evening, uh, Madam Chair, my vice chair. I've got two items to be added or requested to be added to the agenda. First is resolution 2025 94, which is a resolution authorizing Clayton County to enter into a sublease agreement with the Clayton County Health District and positive impact health centers for the lease of space at 1117 Battle Creek Road. Um benefit in that regard. And the and the funding, we're not sure when it's going to happen, so the quicker we have somebody in space when it stops that there's no lapse in service. And the second uh for the taste of Fort Valley for uh 2025 95 is so uh because the event is scheduled to happen before the next board of uh commissioners meeting. So those the two reasons and the two agenda items. All right, at this time um I need a motion to adopt the agenda with the two additional items 2025-94 and 2025-95. So move.

SUMMARIZED BY OPENPUBLICA AI
TRANSCRIPT VIA PUBLIC VIDEO
openpublica.com