Speaker numbers apply only to this recording. Names come from transcript evidence. “Possibly” marks uncertain attribution.
The Kennesaw City Council met on Monday, August 17, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. in Council Chambers (2529 J.O. Stephenson Avenue, Kennesaw, GA). Mayor Derek Easterling presided, with Mayor Pro Tem Antonio Jones, Councilmembers Madelyn Orochena and Jonathon Bothers present in person, and Councilmembers Tracey Viars and Anthony Gutierrez-Leon participating by teleconference. The meeting adjourned at 7:43 p.m. All votes were unanimous, 5-0.
Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to this our regularly scheduled council meeting for Monday, seventeenth August 2026. We're delighted that you're here with us. We have a pretty full calendar. If you would, Anthony, would you acknowledge that you are present? I am present. Tracy. I am here. All right. And with that, if you would, if you would stand for an invitation, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. Heavenly Father, we thank you for this day. We thank you for the opportunity to let our voices be heard. We pray that the meeting will be conducted well and respectfully. Watch over us, guide us and direct us, and it's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. And I'm gonna ask the scouts if you would you would uh lead us in the Pledge of 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. Thank you. And with that, the meeting's officially called to order. If you're going to speak tonight, and this also includes uh people that want that will be uh testifying during the planning and zoning zoning hearing, uh, please stand and be sworn in by our city attorney. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. As he indicated anyone that will be making any sort of comment, presentation, or testifying in either the zoning hearing or in the alcohol license hearings that we have on the agenda tonight. Please stand and raise your right hand. Do you swear or affirm the testimony or presentation you'll be presenting to 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. All right, thank you, Sam. All right, um, the first uh uh item on the agenda is a recognition piece, and it's the Southern Museum, which is awarded a national medal for museum and library science. Even with glasses, I miss them. Okay. So we have anybody here. Oh, there's Richard. I didn't see you in the back. Come on down, Richard. He told me to go inside, so it's not good. So, mayor and council. No. We have some staff on vacation today, but uh the rest of the staff come on because they they're the ones behind all of this. Uh Mr. Hughes and I were able to go to uh Washington, DC. We receive the medal, and so only five museums receive it annually, and it's for excellence in education, exhibitions, and uh community. Share that with our audience.