Clayton County BOC and Development Authority Special Called Meeting - April 29, 2025

The Clayton County Board of Commissioners (BOC) and the Development Authority of Clayton County (DACC) held a joint special called meeting on April 29, 2025, at 5:34 PM. The meeting featured updates on economic development projects, a review of the strategic economic development plan, and discussion of the intergovernmental agreement (IGA) between the two bodies. Public comments were received after the agenda items.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Mickey Garner (County resident): Asked for clarification on Tax Allocation Districts (TADs), noting that only business owners in the district are taxed, not homeowners. He advocated for impact fees on new businesses and opposed tax breaks for businesses, stating that homeowners need tax relief.
• Orlando Gooden (District 3): Criticized the lack of communication between the BOC and DACC, calling the IGA “a joke.” He referenced a prior “black eye” for the development authority and questioned the need for a proposed million-dollar sports facility. He urged the boards to work together for the people.
• Henry Anderson (District 3, unincorporated Hampton): Called for full transparency regarding the Roman United deal, noting that over $500,000 was lost and the story has not been completed. He expressed concern that the IGA is not being followed and that both boards share fault.
• Patricia Slater (Senior citizen, Clayton County resident): Requested a property tax exemption for seniors aged 66 and older, stating that many seniors on fixed incomes struggle to afford rising property taxes. She noted that Fulton County offers such exemptions.
• Drew Andrews (Unincorporated Jonesboro): Expressed frustration over a $3,000 increase in his property tax and criticized the lack of action on the CARES study recommendations from four years ago. He urged the boards to be more proactive, especially in preparation for the World Cup.

Discussion Items

• Updates from the Office of Economic Development: Kayla Chase reported on upcoming events: an Aerotropolis Brokers reception, and Economic Development Week events on May 15-16, including a small business open house and a community developers roundtable.
• Development Authority Presentation: Dr. Braddy (DACC Chair) gave a comprehensive overview of the DACC’s role, emphasizing the need to “own the story” of Clayton County. He highlighted successes:
  • A $238 million bond for Toto’s expansion, adding 300 jobs, 278 of which are Clayton County residents, with wages ranging from $60,000 to $120,000 per year.
  • A bond issuance for Clorox during COVID-19, which helped produce disinfectants.
  • Completion of the Gilbert Road and Mountain View projects.
• Executive Director Search: Dr. Braddy referenced the Chasing Group’s executive search, noting that the title should be “President of the Development Authority” rather than “Executive Director.” He stated that the search is ongoing and that an executive director is not a “savior” but needs collaboration.
• Strategic Economic Development Plan: The existing plan from 2021 is outdated and needs updating. Dr. Braddy proposed that the BOC and DACC collaboratively update the plan rather than hire an outside consultant.
• Consolidation of Economic Functions: Dr. Braddy recommended consolidating the Office of Economic Development under the DACC, citing the Chasing Group’s recommendation that the DACC be the single point of contact for economic development. He noted that this would reduce duplicative services and could relieve the county’s budget deficit.
• Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA): COO Dietrich Stafford pointed out that the existing IGA is not being followed, and that both boards should revisit it to clarify roles. Dr. Hines (Clayton State University) noted that “economic development is a team sport.”
• Quarterly Meetings: Commissioner Hambrick proposed moving from annual to quarterly update meetings as specified in the IGA. The DACC agreed to this schedule.

Key Outcomes

• Quarterly Update Meetings: The BOC and DACC agreed to hold quarterly meetings as per the IGA, starting immediately. The DACC will coordinate with the chairwoman to set the schedule.
• No Formal Votes: No formal votes were taken on consolidation of the Office of Economic Development or on the executive director position. The discussion remains exploratory.
• Next Steps: The DACC will continue its executive search with the Chasing Group. Both boards will collaborate on updating the strategic economic development plan. The DACC will also work with individual commissioners on district-specific projects.
• Meeting Adjourned: The meeting was adjourned at approximately 6:30 PM after public comments. No executive session was held.