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Record of Proceedings

Kennesaw City Council Regular Meeting - May 18, 2026

City Council — Monday, May 18, 2026
BodyKennesaw, Georgia
SessionCity Council
DateMonday, May 18, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:32:23

Original source
Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

Speaker numbers apply only to this recording. Names come from transcript evidence. “Possibly” marks uncertain attribution.

Speaker 1

4:08

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.

4:10

Welcome to this our regularly scheduled council meeting for Monday, the eighteenth of may twenty twenty-six.

Unassigned speaker

4:37

Father, we thank you for our basic department, and Father, we have thank you for each one.

Unassigned speaker

5:00

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands.

Speaker 1

5:07

One nation under God, indivisible with

Speaker 2

5:10

liberty and justice for all.

Speaker 1

5:13

With that, the meeting is officially called the order.

5:16

If you would um if you're going to speak tonight for any reason, if you would stand and be sworn in,

Speaker 2

5:22

please by our city attorney.

5:23

Thank you, Mr.

5:24

Mayor.

5:24

Yes, if you're gonna be making any kind of public comment or presentation before this council this evening, would you please raise your right hand?

5:30

Do you swear or affirm that the presentation you'll be making before this council this evening will be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?

5:37

If so, say I do.

5:39

Thank you.

5:39

You may be seated.

Speaker 1

5:48

Yes, ma'am.

5:48

You can sign when you speak.

5:50

Um the public comment.

5:53

This section is for public comment on any item that is on the agenda.

6:02

Hearing none and seeing none, the floor for public comment is closed.

6:08

On the consent agenda, there are twelve items.

6:12

Is there any reason or any any question by counsel that would like to have uh an item revisited?

Unassigned speaker

6:19

Okay,

Speaker 1

6:19

I'm gonna uh entertain a motion for uh yeah, there are twelve.

6:26

Uh may have a motion to approve the uh consent agenda in gross.

Unassigned speaker

6:30

So

Speaker 3

6:30

may, Ms.

6:31

Mayor.

Speaker 1

6:31

Thank you.

6:31

May I have a second?

6:33

Second.

6:34

Thank you.

6:34

All those in favor of approving the consent agenda in gross signify by raising your right hand.

6:41

That's five.

6:42

Those opposed to no motion is approved by unanimous vote.

6:45

Chief, your crime stats for April.

Speaker 4

6:53

Yes, good evening, Mayor and Council.

6:55

Like you mentioned, uh, do have the crime stats for April 2026.

6:59

I'll highlight the uh significant increases and decreases that I see throughout the list here on the group A offenses.

7:06

Uh number one being drug and narcotics offenses.

7:09

Uh we had an increase of 22 over the same time period for last year at 46.

7:14

Uh and fraud offenses, we had an increase of 17 of six to seventeen uh over eleven from the same time period last year.

7:23

Dispatch calls for service were eight fifty-two.

7:27

Self-initiated activity at thirteen eighty-one, traffic citations six eighty-nine, traffic warnings at five twenty-six, arrest at seventy-three.

7:36

We had ninety-seven auto accidents, seven accidents with injury, nine hit and runs, hit and run with injury was at one, and persons hit by auto with injury was at one.

Speaker 1

7:48

Okay.

7:49

Thank

Speaker 4

7:49

you for that.

7:50

May

Speaker 1

7:50

I have a motion to accept the crime stats as presented?

Speaker 2

7:53

So made.

Speaker 5

7:55

Second, Ms.

7:56

Mayor.

Speaker 1

7:56

Thank

Unassigned speaker

7:57

you.

Speaker 1

7:57

All those in favor of accepting the crime statistics as reported for April, signify by raising your right hand.

8:04

That's five.

8:04

Those opposed to no.

8:06

Motion is approved by unanimous vote.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural███████████████████████████████████████████43%
Personnel Matters██████████████████████████████████████████42%
Public Safety████████8%
Parks and Recreation███████7%
Summary of Proceedings

Kennesaw City Council Regular Meeting - May 18, 2026

The Kennesaw City Council held its regular meeting on May 18, 2026, at 6:30 PM in the Council Chambers. All six council members were present. The meeting covered a 12-item consent agenda, the April 2026 crime statistics, extensive public testimony focusing on Woodland Park, appointments to city boards and committees, and a closed executive session for personnel matters.

Consent Calendar

  • The council unanimously approved a 12-item consent agenda (5-0). Items included approval of minutes from previous meetings, a Temporary Use Permit for Super Show Fireworks, the 2026 Hazard Mitigation Plan, surplus of body cameras, network infrastructure for the Public Safety Building, engineering design services for the 2250 Lewis Street parking project, a CDBG Cooperation Agreement with Cobb County, the Holly Days Drone Show award, lawn mowers for Parks and Recreation, and a Main Street Affiliate MOU. (Motion by Mayor Pro Tem Jones, seconded by Councilmember Bothers).

Public Comments & Testimony

  • General Public Comment (6:33 PM - 6:47 PM):
  • Andrew Bramlett (presented by Lewis Bramlett): Presented a historical overview of Kennesaw's World War II-era blackout ordinance.
  • Samuel Rusch [City Resident]: Expressed frustration over unmet meeting requests and a lack of response from city staff. He raised concerns about Woodland Park's safety and ADA compliance, specifically criticizing the chained driveway entrance and a steep sloped access point. He also questioned the city's failure to repair a park light and its prioritization of parking over a smoke-free park zone.
  • Laura Lyons [City Resident, Fresh on Forest Owner]: Advocated for the reopening of Woodland Park, emphasizing the need for safe, accessible green spaces for children. She stated the chained entrance creates confusion and accessibility barriers.
  • Jory Lyons [City Resident]: Shared a disappointing encounter with city staff at Woodland Park. He criticized the SeeClickFix system, noting his service requests are frequently bounced between Cobb County and the city without resolution. He pointed out that the city's own records deem the park's access point "unfit for pedestrian travel."
  • Annette Conn [City Resident, 2574 Dobbs Drive]: Dispelled internet rumors regarding the Woodland Park chain. She clarified that the City of Kennesaw installed the chain and lock, and that former resident Vick True was granted permission to add a personal lock and PVC pipes. She explicitly stated her husband, Wayne Conn, did not install the chain.

Discussion Items

  • Crime Statistics – April 2026: Police reported the April crime statistics. Drug and narcotics offenses increased by 22 over the previous year, totaling 46. Fraud offenses increased from 11 to 17. Total dispatch calls for service were 852, with 1,381 self-initiated activities. There were 73 arrests, and 97 auto accidents (7 with injury, 9 hit-and-runs). The report was accepted unanimously (5-0, motion by Councilmember Viars, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Jones).
  • Mayor's Appointments: Mayor Easterling appointed Alexis Gaddy to the Cemetery Preservation Commission, Chrislyn Turner to the Sister Cities Commission, and filled slates for the Mission, Vision and Values Assessment Committee (18 members) and the 2027 Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee (14 members). Councilmember Orochena noted she had only received applications for the first two appointments. The appointments were approved unanimously (5-0, motion by Councilmember Viars, seconded by Councilmember Orochena).

Key Outcomes

  • Consent Agenda: Approved unanimously (5-0).
  • April Crime Statistics: Accepted unanimously (5-0).
  • Board and Commission Appointments: Approved unanimously (5-0).
  • Executive Session: The council voted unanimously (5-0) to enter executive session at 6:50 PM to discuss personnel matters. The council reconvened at 7:58 PM and unanimously approved an affidavit confirming the closed session complied with the open meetings law.
  • Next Meeting: The meeting adjourned at 7:59 PM. The next work session is scheduled for May 26, 2026.

Meeting Transcript

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to this our regularly scheduled council meeting for Monday, the eighteenth of may twenty twenty-six. Father, we thank you for our basic department, and Father, we have thank you for each one. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. With that, the meeting is officially called the order. If you would um if you're going to speak tonight for any reason, if you would stand and be sworn in, please by our city attorney. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Yes, if you're gonna be making any kind of public comment or presentation before this council this evening, would you please raise your right hand? Do you swear or affirm that the presentation you'll be making before this council this evening will be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth? If so, say I do. Thank you. You may be seated. Yes, ma'am. You can sign when you speak. Um the public comment. This section is for public comment on any item that is on the agenda. Hearing none and seeing none, the floor for public comment is closed. On the consent agenda, there are twelve items. Is there any reason or any any question by counsel that would like to have uh an item revisited? Okay, I'm gonna uh entertain a motion for uh yeah, there are twelve. Uh may have a motion to approve the uh consent agenda in gross. So may, Ms. Mayor. Thank you. May I have a second? Second. Thank you. All those in favor of approving the consent agenda in gross signify by raising your right hand. That's five. Those opposed to no motion is approved by unanimous vote. Chief, your crime stats for April. Yes, good evening, Mayor and Council. Like you mentioned, uh, do have the crime stats for April 2026. I'll highlight the uh significant increases and decreases that I see throughout the list here on the group A offenses. Uh number one being drug and narcotics offenses. Uh we had an increase of 22 over the same time period for last year at 46. Uh and fraud offenses, we had an increase of 17 of six to seventeen uh over eleven from the same time period last year. Dispatch calls for service were eight fifty-two. Self-initiated activity at thirteen eighty-one, traffic citations six eighty-nine, traffic warnings at five twenty-six, arrest at seventy-three. We had ninety-seven auto accidents, seven accidents with injury, nine hit and runs, hit and run with injury was at one, and persons hit by auto with injury was at one. Okay. Thank you for that. May

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