Clayton County Board of Commissioners Work Session – August 13, 2026

This work session of the Clayton County Board of Commissioners covered updates and discussions on economic development housing, transit, code enforcement, facility maintenance, a naming policy for county assets, and the county pension plan. No formal votes were taken; the session focused on gathering input and setting direction for future actions. (Note: The meeting transcript indicates a date of July 14, 2026, but per the provided instructions, the meeting date is August 13, 2026.)

Preliminary Items

• Commissioner Review raised questions about two separate agenda items (15 and 17) concerning extensions of the gas station moratorium, noting that the original moratorium also covered laundromats and vape shops. The director was not present, so discussion was deferred to the agenda meeting the following day.
• An update on the crisis behavioral center (agenda item 7) was removed from the meeting; the COO explained the board needed clarity on the state partnership and SPLOST balances before proceeding.

Discussion Items

Develop Clayton (Housing Authority) Five-Year Strategic Plan

• Mandela Jones, CEO of the Housing Authority (now doing business as Develop Clayton), presented a new five-year strategic plan developed with consultant Jim Brooks. The plan focuses on aligning stakeholders, diversifying funding, executing high-impact housing initiatives, supporting tax base growth, and building mixed-use, live-work-play communities.
• Jim Brooks outlined six strategic imperatives and a phased approach: Year 1 – foundation and alignment; Years 2-3 – launching development projects and expanding homeownership; Years 4-5 – diversifying portfolio and strengthening finances.
• Commissioners expressed strong support for the plan and the name change to reduce confusion with Section 8. Questions addressed multifamily housing, missing middle housing, trail connections, and alignment with the Development Authority. Commissioner Hamburg reminded the agency not to abandon its original mission; Jones confirmed ongoing rental/mortgage assistance and home repair grants.
• The plan includes collaboration with municipalities, the Land Bank, and the Clayton County Housing Task Force. The board agreed to receive updates twice a year.

MARTA Rapid South Lake Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Update

• Interim director Holt provided an update on the BRT project, an expansion from the airport to South Lake Mall. The total estimated cost is $356 million, with $70 million in federal funding committed; an additional application is being prepared to secure $150 million total from the FTA. The county’s half-penny sales tax funds the local share.
• Key features include 10-minute frequency, dedicated bus lanes on Garden Walk Boulevard and Mount Zion Road, transit signal priority, and electric buses. The project is at 30% design; revenue service is planned for February 2032.
• Commissioner Davis raised concerns about road maintenance costs and right-of-way impacts. The IGA currently outlines that Clayton County will perform ongoing roadway maintenance and MARTA will reimburse those expenses. Commissioner Davis also asked about the balance of the half-penny fund; the CFO reported $346.2 million in the reserve as of the previous Friday.
• Commissioner Davis requested a visit to the Summerhill BRT project before voting on the IGA. The presentation noted that the application for additional federal funding is due in mid-August, and the board’s support is needed.

Code Enforcement Update

• Warden Amy reported on improvements over the past six months, including a new centralized facility at 879 Battle Creek Road, daily corridor inspections, partnership with police for flock camera use, citizen ride-along program, and a regional code enforcement summit.
• He noted the agency has 37 officers and emphasized the need for additional staff and pay increases to address workload and morale. A compensation study had excluded code enforcement, which was a setback.
• Commissioners discussed ordinances for vehicles on properties, use of flock cameras to catch illegal dumping, and the need for a staffing and pay plan. Commissioner Wright thanked the team for rapid response to a nuisance property issue.

Building and Maintenance Department Assessment

• Director Mendoza presented a comprehensive assessment of the department, which manages over 3.5 million square feet across county facilities. Current staffing of 27 field technicians is well below recommended levels (131,000 sq. ft. per technician vs. the standard 47,000-35,000 sq. ft.).
• The budget of $4.2 million ($1.18 per sq. ft.) is below national averages. Aging infrastructure, deferred maintenance, and employee burnout are critical issues. Mendoza proposed a five-year staffing growth plan and revenue enhancements (vendor rebates, lease restructuring).
• The board discussed the need to include maintenance impacts in project planning and budgeting for new facilities. The COO noted that currently, program costs are included but not the indirect maintenance costs, and the board expressed interest in adopting a policy to require maintenance impact assessments for all new capital projects.

Naming Policy for County Assets

• The Chief Staff Attorney presented two model policies: the City of Savannah’s ordinance (covering permanent and honorary naming, with public input and administrative review) and Butts County’s resolution (more restrictive, requiring deceased honorees and unanimous board consent for buildings).
• Commissioners expressed interest in adopting an ordinance (preferred over a resolution) to provide a formal process for renaming public assets. Key points included allowing living honorees, requiring residency/history criteria, and handling honorary signs separately to avoid resident address changes.
• The board decided to defer the policy adoption until after August and asked the attorney to gather individual commissioner feedback. The upcoming request to rename Bogey Court (agenda item 16) was moved to the regular business meeting for separate discussion.

Pension Plan Update

• Pension Manager Carrie Hathaway presented an overview of the county’s defined benefit pension plan. The plan has $700 million in assets, with employee contributions of 7.5% and employer contributions of 21.5%. The current vesting schedule is 10 years for employees hired after January 1, 2016, with a 2% multiplier; prior employees have a 7-year vesting and 2.5% multiplier.
• The plan’s contribution revenue does not cover benefit payments, but investment returns and other income make up the shortfall. The three-year return on investment has grown each year.
• Commissioners asked about investment vehicles (equities, fixed income, real estate, cash) and the impact of the 2008 financial crisis. Discussion included succession planning, as 15-20% of local government employees are expected to retire in the next five years. The pension fund is managed by a board with investment policy oversight.

Key Outcomes

• Develop Clayton Strategic Plan: Board approved the direction and will receive biannual updates. No formal vote; only a work session discussion.
• MARTA BRT: Further negotiations on the IGA, especially maintenance cost reimbursement, are needed. Commissioner Davis will tour the Summerhill project before voting. The county is preparing to submit the federal funding application in mid-August.
• Code Enforcement: Warden Amy will work with the CFO and COO to develop a staffing and compensation plan to present to the board.
• Building and Maintenance: The board directed staff to develop a policy requiring maintenance impact assessments for all new facilities, to be included in future project budgets and the county’s capital planning.
• Naming Policy: Staff will draft an ordinance based on the Savannah model, incorporating commissioner feedback, and bring it back for consideration in late August or September. The pending Bogey Court renaming was moved to the regular agenda.
• Pension: No action taken; the presentation was informational. The board noted the need for ongoing discussion about succession planning and financial sustainability.

No formal votes were recorded; all items are preliminary discussions for future board action.