Clayton County Board of Commissioners Work Session - February 12, 2026

The Clayton County Board of Commissioners held a work session on February 12, 2026, at 10:30 AM (noted as 5:30 PM in the transcript) to discuss several major items: quarterly updates from MARTA, the introduction of a new lobbying firm, a significant data center proposal at Fort Gillem, and financing options for new fire apparatus. No formal votes were taken, but commissioners provided direction on next steps.

MARTA Quarterly Update (Quarter IV)

• Interim CEO Jonathan Hunt presented operational and capital updates. Ridership on bus and rail is expected to increase in 2026 due to the Better Breeze fare system (launching in April 2026) and upgraded service. The streetcar remains closed due to Georgia Power utility repairs, but prior to closure ridership was at pre-pandemic levels.
• Capital projects: Airport station rehabilitation is underway with a second elevator installed; MARTA Rapid South Lake (BRT) final design has begun, though federal shutdowns may delay the CIG grant. The Clayton Operations & Maintenance (OM) facility demolition is 85% complete; hiring for drivers, maintenance, and police officers is ongoing. The Justice Center Transit Hub has reached 100% design and will bid in Q1 2026.
• Community engagement: MARTA hosted grocery pop-ups in Ellenwood and Jonesboro, with more planned. A job fair for the OM facility was requested by Commissioner Hambrick and agreed to.

Introduction of New Lobbyist – Georgia Link Public Affairs Group

• Arthur Edge introduced his firm’s team, including former legislators and a former deputy chief of staff to Governor Kemp. The firm will represent Clayton County on legislative priorities: airport revenue equity, flood mitigation, healthcare access, transportation infrastructure, beautification, workforce development, elevation of Southern Regional to a Level 1 trauma center, and increased detainee fees for airport arrests.
• The firm will provide weekly reports, bill tracking, and regular in-person updates. Commissioner Davis emphasized prioritizing airport revenue equity, noting past revenue was lost when a legislator changed the fee structure.

Fort Gillem Data Center Proposal (Digital Realty)

• Scott Glenn of Digital Realty presented plans for a data center at the former Fort Gillem, comprising two buildings (hyperscale and co-location) totaling nearly 2 million square feet and 216 megawatts of IT capacity. Total investment is approximately $2.5–$3 billion. The site will be remediated (over $100 million) and use closed-loop water systems, sound-dampened generators (75 dB at 50 feet), and a new substation. It will create 100+ permanent on-site jobs and over 3,000 construction jobs.
• Forest Park Economic Development Director Rochelle Dennis noted the city is negotiating a community benefits agreement with Digital Realty. The project requires tax abatement approvals from Clayton County, the school board, and Forest Park. Ed Wall (financial advisor) detailed the abatement: 10-year, starting at 50% declining 5% per year. Without abatement, county taxes over 10 years would be $143 million; with the abatement, $90 million – a $53 million incentive. The property currently generates no taxes because it was owned by the Forest Park Urban Redevelopment Agency.
• Commissioners raised concerns about revenue loss, water usage, noise, and power grid impact. Digital Realty clarified that the closed-loop system uses minimal water, the substation will not affect residential power, and generators are tested monthly during daytime. The company is working with Georgia Power to ensure new transmission costs are borne by the data center. Commissioner Reeves noted two data centers are already in District 1. The board will continue to evaluate the abatement.

Discussion of Master Lease Agreement for Fire Apparatus (Pumpers)

• CPO Carol Rogers, Chief Sweat, and Financial Advisor Edmund Wall presented financing options for six custom pumpers totaling $5.11 million (after discounts and trade-ins). Two options: finance five pumpers ($4.22M) and buy one with cash ($889K), or finance all six. Chief Sweat preferred keeping annual payments around $950,000; financing all six would require a $1.14M annual payment. Two banks offered rates: PNC at 3.82% (no prepayment in years 1-2, then penalties) and Truist at 3.88% (no prepayment penalty). Wall recommended financing all six with Truist to allow refinancing if rates drop, with potential savings of up to $138,000 over four years. Commissioner Davis supported Truist due to prepayment flexibility.
• Ownership structure: Title cannot be held by the county (due to anti-gratuities law) nor by the bank (property tax risk). Instead, the county will use its existing Public Facilities Authority (PFA) to hold title. Attorney Reed noted the PFA needs to meet soon; the board must decide before the December 6 purchase deadline (30 days from signing). Chief Sweat stated he could budget the full $1.14M payment to avoid future budget amendments.
• No formal vote was taken, but commissioners indicated a leaning toward financing all six with Truist and using the PFA.

Key Outcomes

• MARTA update was informational; a job fair for the OM facility will be organized.
• Georgia Link will begin work on legislative priorities, with a focus on airport revenue equity.
• The data center tax abatement remains under review; no decision made. The board requested detailed financial projections and community benefits agreement.
• For fire apparatus, direction was given to proceed with financing all six pumpers via Truist and to use the existing Public Facilities Authority to hold title. Final approval is expected at the next regular meeting to meet the December 6 deadline.