DeKalb County Operations Committee Special Called Meeting - April 14, 2026\n\nThe Operations Committee (OPS) of the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners held a special called meeting on April 14, 2026, chaired by Commissioner Marita Davis Johnson, with Commissioners Robert Patrick and Ladina Bowden present. The committee discussed three proposed amendments to the board's standing procedural rules: commissioner speaking time limits, committee chair authority over agenda items, and unanimous consent for acting on preliminary or walk-on items. No formal votes were taken; the committee's recommendations will be forwarded to the full board.\n\n### Discussion Items\n\n1. Speaking Time Limits for Commissioners\n- Chair Davis Johnson proposed reducing the current 10-minute initial speaking time plus 10-minute rebuttal (20 minutes total per commissioner) to 5 minutes for the first presentation and 3 minutes for rebuttal (8 minutes total). She noted that committee meetings are the proper venue for detailed discussion.\n- Commissioner Robert Patrick expressed comfort with the suggestion. Commissioner Ladina Bowden stated support. Commissioner Long Spears (referenced but not present as a voting member of OPS? Actually transcript mentions Commissioner Long Spears as supporting in previous meeting) supported the 5-3 split. Commissioner Shakira Johnson (deputy presiding officer) also favored 5-3. The committee agreed to recommend the 5-minute initial, 3-minute rebuttal limit.\n\n2. Committee Chair Authority to Exclude Items from Agenda\n- The committee reviewed a proposed rule stating "the committee chair does not have the right to exclude items from a committee agenda." Chair Davis Johnson noted past instances where items were kept off an agenda for nine months. Commissioner Patrick suggested that the previously discussed 90-day cycle (a quarterly special call meeting for items not heard within 90 days) already addresses the concern, making the explicit prohibition unnecessary.\n- The committee agreed to remove the sentence about the chair not having the right to exclude, relying instead on the 90-day cycle. Commissioner Terry (not on OPS? He participates in discussion) asked about a majority of the committee adding items over the chair's objection. Attorney Phillips explained that current rules allow any commissioner to add an item, and the 90-day cycle provides a safety valve.\n- The committee also confirmed that the 90-day special call meeting would be mandatory, and any item deferred would be heard with explanation from the sponsoring commissioner.\n\n3. Unanimous Consent for Acting on Preliminary Items (Walk-Ons)\n- The committee discussed when items that have only been read once or are walk-ons can be acted upon immediately. The original proposal required unanimous consent of all commissioners. Commissioner Long Spears suggested a two-thirds vote (five of seven) instead.\n- Chair Davis Johnson noted that in previous conversations, the law department strongly discouraged acting on same-day items and preferred unanimous consent. Commissioner Patrick argued that a five-vote threshold could create political division, while unanimous consent fosters unity. Commissioner Bowden pointed out that some discretionary fund allocations do not require board approval and are only recorded for transparency.\n- Attorney Phillips advised caution, emphasizing that the key consideration should be the reason for the action (whether it is truly "necessary"), not the vote count. He warned against using "necessity" as cover for a failure to prepare.\n- The committee appeared to lean toward a five-vote requirement (two-thirds of the full board) with the qualifier that the item must be deemed "necessary" rather than merely "urgent." No formal motion was made; the discussion concluded with the understanding that the language would be refined.\n\n### Key Outcomes\n- The committee reached consensus to recommend reducing commissioner speaking time limits to 5 minutes initially and 3 minutes for rebuttal.\n- The committee agreed to remove the sentence "A committee chair does not have the right to exclude items from a committee agenda" from the rules, relying instead on the mandatory 90-day special call cycle for items not heard.\n- On unanimous consent for walk-on items, the committee discussed a two-thirds (five-vote) threshold with a "necessary" justification, but no final recommendation was adopted. The item will be further refined at a future meeting.\n- The meeting was adjourned without a formal vote; these discussions serve as recommendations to the full Board of Commissioners.