Marietta City Council Special Meeting - May 30, 2025
STREAMING COPY IN PREPARATION — RECORDING AVAILABLE FROM THE ORIGINAL SOURCE
Marietta City Council Special Meeting - May 30, 2025
The Marietta City Council held a special meeting on May 30, 2025, to approve two resolutions related to the service delivery strategy (SDS) dispute with Cobb County and to authorize staff discussions with the newly formed City of Mableton. The council also received an update on the status of SDS mediation, including the potential for automatic sanctions.
Discussion Items
- Resolution 20250494 – Authorizing legal action regarding SDS dispute: Councilman Goldstein made a motion to approve the resolution, which was seconded and passed unanimously with a vote of 6-0. The resolution authorizes certain actions to secure legal action to resolve the service delivery strategy dispute with Cobb County.
- Contract Services 20250495 – Authorizing staff discussions with Mableton: Councilman Goldstein moved to authorize staff to have discussions with the City of Mableton, if requested, regarding the provision of services in accordance with the service delivery strategy. The motion was seconded and approved. The mayor noted that Mableton is a new city and the offer of expertise (e.g., engineering, municipal court) could help them get started.
- Update on SDS mediation status: Following the votes, the mayor informed the council that a mediation agreement reached the previous Friday was reneged by one party and subsequently voted down 4-3. As a result, automatic sanctions will take effect at midnight on May 31, 2025, and will last for 30 days. The Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA) will list the noncompliance on its website. Council members were advised to refer any press inquiries to the mayor or the city attorney.
Key Outcomes
- Resolution 20250494 approved 6-0.
- Resolution 20250495 approved.
- Council directed to refer media questions to the mayor or city attorney.
- Automatic sanctions for SDS noncompliance to begin May 31, 2025, for 30 days.
Note: The agenda included an executive session for legal, personnel, and/or real estate matters, but the transcript does not reflect discussion of that session.
Meeting Transcript
Why were you well it's is to uh discuss the uh SDS resolution and authorized special council action. Mr. Cummings and I were on a one o'clock call today that just ended. So I would recommend that. Yes, sir. Well we're gathering unlike just check them up. It was a good choice. Right in recognition Mr. Gosh to make a motion on the first item resolution. I'll make a motion approved resolution. Just make sure staff knows it's the final resolution has come back for city council and mayor for final resolution. Any discussion? All those in favor, please raise your right hand. Motion carries 6 0. Um since Mr. GovC was it at every one, I'd like to like to recognize Mr. Govstean to make the contract service motion. Um I'll make a motion to approve authorizing staff to have discussions of the city of Mapleton if requested regarding the provision of services in accordance to SCS. And if any contracts come out of that, that final approval success come back to mayor and council. Second. And just for the discussion, I'd that to be on, but that's just kind of Mapleton's a new city, and it's just there's some engineering or one day in our municipal court, just whatever we could do. Just contract laboring, if nothing else. Just to offer our expertise. There's a lot to hire in a staff and and have them hit the ground running. So however just just you know while they get started. But any further discussion? I'd like to call the question in. All those in favor, please aid right hand. Motion carries. Anything else to come before us? No, sir. Can I ask one question? As far as this has a bunch of people in it. If the press ask any of us a question, should we refer them to you or to the overall attorney? Either one. Either one. There are a lot of moving parts here as of today, even the uh as you will recall. Uh there was an agreement in mediation last Friday night. One party reneged on it, and then they voted the uh uh agreement down. So when the agreement was voted down four to three, that put everybody in sanctions. And whether they're gonna have time to revote between now and the next several days is unknown. There are many discussions going on about that right now. But as of now, we're in sanctioned territory as of midnight tomorrow night. So refer them to Andy or myself. Okay, and then the sanctions did they start today at do they have to declare the sanctions? It no, sir, they're automatic. And DCA says they don't even have authority to to to uh put them in a band. So midnight tomorrow night or 1201 tomorrow night, they're they're there for 30 days. They'll they'll list it on their site on the DCA site because they have it on there whether people are in compliance or not, and that'll immediately go on at that time, and the minute that happens, the other agencies are notified, and we would all be notified. If we have trouble getting money, we can call Mr.
openpublica.com