DeKalb County Finance, Audit and Budget Committee Meeting - February 10, 2026

This meeting of the Finance, Audit and Budget (FAB) Committee, chaired by Commissioner Ted Terry and joined by Commissioner Shakira Johnson, convened after a lengthy earlier session. The committee addressed a water customer bill of rights resolution, several consent items, and budget presentations from the District Attorney, Tax Commissioner, and Public Defender. The meeting ran past 6:00 p.m., leading to apologies for the late hour.

Consent Calendar

• Meeting Minutes (Item 0338): The minutes from the February 9th special call meeting were approved unanimously via motion and second.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Michael Mullis (resident): Stated he has been disconnected from water service since March 2025 without notice, after the county alleged a leak that two county representatives and two private contractors could not find. He reports losing access to his children and grandchildren.
• Kat Maddox (DeKalb Water Watch): Spoke about Mr. Mullis’s case, noting the lack of notice and that he was not informed about assistance programs (amnesty, RAP, DeKalb Repairs). She also relayed a story on behalf of a disabled resident with a billing dispute from 2016 resulting in $10,000 in debt. The resident faced an inadequate mediation process and a confusing payment plan offer, despite the debt exceeding the four-year statute of limitations. Maddox emphasized that the county's Watershed Department is threatening Mullis with arrest for tampering, separate from his landlord dispute.

Discussion Items

• Item 2025-1525 – Water Customer Bill of Rights (Commissioner Terry): Commissioner Terry introduced a substitute resolution to establish a clear set of rights for water customers, aiming to ensure residents know about shut-off protections, amnesty programs, and the customer advocate office. After public comment, COO Williams requested 30 days to review the changes and provide feedback, including updates from the Urban League on water-related programs. Commissioner Terry agreed, and the item was deferred to the March 24th BOC meeting.
• Item 0161 – Solicitor General Lease Change Order: A change order to increase the lease term and add office space for the Solicitor General’s office at 160 Claremont Avenue, with a cost not to exceed $348,000. Approved unanimously after brief discussion.
• Budget Presentations:
  1. District Attorney Sherry Boston: Requested 13 positions totaling $1,262,942, including a grant-funded human trafficking investigator (grant ends April 30), operations staff (legal office coordinator and systems analyst), five digital forensics analysts, one HR staff, one receptionist, and a grand jury team (senior ADAs and legal secretary). Noted a 668-case increase in indictments over the prior year and that caseloads are growing. Emphasized that the digital forensics unit requires expensive certifications. The DA will present again on February 25th.
  2. Tax Commissioner (Commissioner Golden): Requested funding for nine vacant positions ($408,286.20) and reclassification of IT and payroll staff ($37,620.20) to align job titles with actual duties. Highlighted successful senior center pilot programs and desire to expand to Stonecrest. Noted low pay and difficulty retaining staff. Total request: $445,906.40.
  3. Public Defender (Ms. Deland): Described caseloads of over 500 cases per state court attorney and up to 300 per felony attorney, with a 40% turnover rate. Requested a scaled-down package: positions to address the new Georgia Survivor Justice Act (HB 582, effective July 2025), which requires mitigation reports. Also requested continued funding for two client advocates (grant expiring in May). Will provide revised proposal with annual and 10-month costs.

Key Outcomes

• Minutes approved unanimously.
• Water Customer Bill of Rights deferred for 30 days to the March 24th BOC meeting.
• Solicitor General lease change order approved.
• Budget requests will be further deliberated at FAB meetings on February 18th and 25th. Commissioners requested additional documentation and stressed the need for coordination among justice system partners to avoid bottlenecks. The committee aims to finalize recommendations by February 25th for the February 26th BOC meeting.