OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

City Council Meeting Summary - January 5, 2026

City Council Archive View — Monday, January 5, 2026
BodyMarietta, Georgia
SessionCity Council Archive View
DateMonday, January 5, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
Meeting Thumbnail
⇩ GET FROM SOURCE

STREAMING COPY IN PREPARATION — RECORDING AVAILABLE FROM THE ORIGINAL SOURCE

Transcript — Verbatim
0:00

Motion to come out of executive session.

0:02

Second.

0:03

All those in favor, please raise your right hand.

0:06

Motion carries.

0:11

Would you I would like to make a motion to suspend the rules and add an item to the agenda relating to the arbitr um arbitration we're currently in with the county on its owning.

0:24

Second.

0:28

All those in favor, please raise your right hand.

0:31

Motion carries.

0:34

Okay.

0:36

Mr.

0:36

Attorney, can you help me with this motion, please?

0:38

Sure.

0:39

I think you would uh you're looking for a uh motion to agree to a 60-day continuance and the arbitration process for the uh annexation and rezoning that's proposed at what's the address?

0:57

Powder springs, whatever we can insert the powder springs road address there.

1:01

Do we know?

1:02

The powder spring, the powers of springs annexation is on before the on the planning commission.

1:05

It's on the planning commission.

1:06

That's fine.

1:07

Uh and say it's subject to consent of county per se law.

1:12

That's right.

1:13

That's my motion.

1:15

Second.

1:17

Second.

1:19

Any discussion?

1:21

Hearing none, all those in favor, please raise your right hand.

1:24

Motion carries.

1:26

That was a second step.

1:31

You have another one?

1:33

We're gonna read the letter.

1:35

I make a motion to adopt the let the letter is stated on the agenda.

1:40

Yeah, second.

1:41

Okay.

1:42

And we'll have a we have to spend the rules first.

1:46

It's on the agenda.

1:47

Notice of notice of intent to object rezoning.

1:49

That's all right.

1:50

It just says motion to abdot the notice intent.

1:53

It made it.

1:54

That's wonderful.

1:55

So it's it's already on the agenda.

1:57

I will have something I will need to spend the rules on, though, further after this, but that's on a different item.

2:02

Okay.

2:03

No more to think about that Barshi hot dog.

2:06

I'm starving.

2:08

I'll it'll be it'll be quick.

2:12

Um where we're going.

2:13

I promised it divorced you.

2:15

I'll follow you.

2:17

Or you get 40% off at match now.

2:27

Hey, you're the next day.

2:29

Excuse my buddy.

2:32

The motion is before us.

2:33

All those in favor, please raise your right hand.

2:36

Motion carries.

2:37

And Mr.

2:37

Mayor, may I have one other one other item for discussion?

2:41

Um the visit Marietta appointment for the city council.

2:45

Um visit Marietta, the our that's our uh domestic marketing organization who handles our um uh tourism dollars.

2:54

Uh we have an appointment to that every um every few years, and uh their next meeting is before our next city council meeting.

3:01

So we might need to make that appointment uh now so that we have someone on that board next Tuesday.

3:07

Um I've been on that the last eight years and I'm willing to do it.

3:11

Is it okay if I add that to the agenda?

3:14

Mr.

3:15

FC Council, please make a motion to suspend the rules.

3:17

I make a motion to suspend the rules then item item agenda relating to the appointment of a council member to the visit Marietta board.

3:23

Second.

3:24

All those in favor.

3:27

Your motion, please.

3:29

Um I'd like to make a motion to reappoint Councilman Goldstein to the visit Marietta board.

3:39

Second.

3:40

We have discussion.

3:42

This this comes under my new committee that I haven't started yet.

3:46

Tell me more about it.

3:47

Understood.

3:49

Um visit Mary visit Marietta.

3:54

Visit Marietta is our uh used to be known as the Marietta Visitors Bureau.

3:58

Um is an organ it's the organization is kind of the past the organization for our uh tourism dollars, our tourism grants, which we do every usually every May.

4:11

The tourism grants themselves go to different organizations, and uh the visit the visit Marietta passes on through as part of the contract, and that's a state law requirement that we have to have yes to go through that organization.

4:26

Actually, I think it might be a state constitution requirement because of the way it uh that's the only way it's getting around the gratuities clause of the constitution.

4:33

Um council makes those decisions and then the board the visit marijuana board would then have to adopt that contract thereafter and then make sure it passes through the money appropriately.

4:43

Okay.

4:43

Um that's done, that's through the auto rental taxes.

4:46

There's some hotel motel rental tax hotel motel tax.

4:49

We also do the visit Marietta is currently a tenant of the of the city at the uh at the old train depot.

5:00

Um so per their lease and everything, some of the hotel motel dollars go towards paying the lease and other and then they also that's where most of their budget comes to be able to do those tourism stuff to help support organizations around the city.

5:13

So that on top of their other fundraising they do for vi with the taste of Marietta and then the joint thing they do with uh cop landmarks with the Marietta Pilgrimage.

5:21

The council member being appointed to per their bylaws, which I um when it was created back in the 80s, um the city council had the right to appoint one of their council members to the board.

5:37

Um uh again to let them let them know if there's anything with anything to do with council.

5:42

Of course, you can't vote on both of the tourism contracts, and then because you're you'd be on both sides of the contract, you can basically vote on the council side.

5:51

Well, on the visit marriage side, you'd have to abstain on that one.

5:54

Um but other than that, it's kind of the organization itself works closely with staff during their meetings.

6:02

They hold the meetings over here at the fire museum right now.

6:05

We usually have uh communication director or economic development or someone from economic development come and give updates on the hotel motel taxes and auto rental taxes, see how they're doing, as well as other general updates from their organization as a non as a nonprofit board.

6:23

Uh 501c 6, I believe is what it is.

6:27

So that's the interaction it's been and while I haven't been on parks recreation the these eight years.

6:34

I was appointed to I was appointed to this board back in eight years.

6:37

If someone else wanted to do it, they can I was just pop playing saying I'm willing to do it.

6:45

Um that answer all your questions.

6:48

I think for now I didn't I would have it went on the agenda, so I didn't really dive into that.

6:54

And if we need if we need to do the appointment only for this next meeting, we can do that too, and then have it back up in January for full discussion.

7:01

Any other thoughts from anybody that's been here?

7:05

Well, my opinion is Mr.

7:06

Goldstein's knowledge would not go away.

7:09

And it's unbelievable in that area.

7:13

It might be appropriate to make our tourism chairman more effective if he was if we had a subteam motion appointing.

7:27

Best way to learn is to jump in the fire.

7:32

Mr.

7:32

Ghost, he'll be there whether he's elected or not.

7:36

Yeah, he won't.

7:38

Because I'm not speaking against you, I just know I go to a lot of meetings.

7:43

Um I'll be if you're the appointment for that, I'll be there at the first meeting to give stuff on over, but and let you know and introduce you to the board at that point.

7:55

That's up to up to you on that.

7:58

Yeah, I mean, I'm not trying to that's what I brought up for you.

8:02

I mean, it makes sense.

8:04

It does make sense, and that was what was in my mind.

8:06

Yeah, and the the only option is if you want me to be on there for a little bit and you start coming in and we switch off maybe at a certain time certain, that's also a possibility too.

8:14

If you if so you can get to know what the board does and then switch into the position after that if you want to do that instead, too.

8:20

Up to you.

8:22

Uh Andre, what's your background from your experience of last year?

8:29

Um background regarding parks, recreation, tourism.

8:37

Well, I think it's good that you'll be a part of that, actually.

8:41

So I think that would be a good idea, Mr.

8:43

Mayor.

8:44

Somebody make a motion.

8:46

Yeah.

8:48

Uh suspend the rules.

8:50

We're going to spend it.

8:51

We're on the we're on the motion is via substitute motion.

8:54

I make a motion to um select Councilman Waters to lead the visit Marietta.

9:05

Um be the visit the appointment to the visitors.

9:11

Board of directors.

9:12

Board of directors.

9:13

This would be a subject motion.

9:14

Yes.

9:15

Yes.

9:17

Second.

9:19

Any further discussion?

9:21

I'll um Jason, I'll join you in the first meeting next week.

9:24

Okay.

9:25

Yeah.

9:30

We're going to have salute and talk about it.

9:33

All those in favor of the subject motion concerned, Mr.

9:36

Waters, please raise your right hand.

9:39

She said mo that is now the motion before us.

9:43

All those in favor of the new motion, please raise your right hand.

9:48

Motion keys and welcome board.

9:51

And I would say thank you for your good service, Mr.

9:53

Ghostly, but you won't stop.

9:58

You already know about it.

10:01

Mr.

10:02

Mayor, can I uh before uh not to keep anybody from food from the chili dogs, but uh uh there was a question earlier about uh uh interviewing candidates and executive session and all that, and uh I looked at the open records.

10:16

So it's actually an open records issue that Mr.

10:17

Goldstein was thinking about in terms of releasing names and that just that open rec open meeting or excuse me, the open record statute says if there's uh like materials that are records for those candidates for an executive head of agency, those have to be made available 14 days ahead of time, but we don't that's not these are just names that you're considering.

10:36

So there's no implication there.

10:38

That's not actually in the open meetings provision, it's in the open records provision.

10:42

So you're good to go.

10:43

Uh there's no concerns about any of that.

10:45

I just wanted to since I'm looking give everybody that same information while we're here.

10:49

Okay, that that's that's what I was looking for to see make sure that we weren't running foul of anything there.

10:54

So thank you.

10:56

Anything further?

10:57

No, sir.

10:58

I have one question before we go, though.

11:00

Once we decide that on uh our next meeting, does does the current prosecutor get any note?

11:11

I mean it's not given like a 30-day notice or anything if it's changed, it's just absolutely done that day.

11:18

He has a contract on 10 to the 10th, yeah.

11:22

So we're either renewing it or we're not.

11:24

It's a contract.

11:25

Okay.

11:28

Contract department.

11:30

Very definite and where you're buying lunch.

11:40

There are sandwiches upstairs.

11:41

We're just well, there were supposed to be, but they are not.

11:46

Yeah, there are people trying to starve me.

11:48

I know they're uh they were supposed to have been, but they're uh I will make up for it.

11:54

I think we're supposed to stand up here and take a picture.

11:56

Actually, Kelly wants that.

11:58

We are he wants the picture of all of us.

12:01

At least I won't have ketchup on my shooting.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Tourism█████████████████████████████████████████████72%
Procedural██████████████████28%
Summary of Proceedings

City Council Meeting Summary - January 5, 2026

The City Council convened on January 5, 2026, following a motion to emerge from executive session. The meeting focused on procedural agenda changes, a motion to object to a county rezoning, and a strategic discussion regarding the appointment of a council member to the Visit Marietta board. The Council unanimously acted to suspend rules to accommodate new items and subsequently made key decisions regarding arbitration continuances and leadership appointments before adjourning.

Consent Calendar

  • No specific items belonging to a traditional consent calendar were listed; however, the Council unanimously moved to adopt a "Notice of Intent to Object" regarding rezoning, treating the motion as if it were already on the agenda.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • No public comments or testimony from members of the public were recorded in this transcript.

Discussion Items

County Arbitration and Rezoning Notification

  • Motion: The Council moved to agree to a 60-day continuance in the arbitration process concerning the proposed annexation and rezoning at Powder Springs Road. The motion included language stipulating that the action is subject to the consent of County law.
  • Discussion: Staff and legal counsel confirmed the location of the issue on the Planning Commission agenda. The motion to adopt the official letter of notice regarding the intent to object to the rezoning was also made and carried.
  • Positions: No speakers expressed support or opposition; the discussion was procedural and unanimous.

Visit Marietta Board Appointment

  • Proposal: Councilman Goldstein proposed a discussion regarding the appointment of a council member to the Visit Marietta board, an organization responsible for tourism grants and managing hotel/motel taxes. Goldstein volunteered for reappointment, having served for eight years.
  • Alternative Proposal: Councilman Waters suggested that it might be effective to have the city's tourism chairman lead the appointment to improve effectiveness. Another option proposed was a temporary appointment for Councilman Waters to attend the upcoming meeting alongside Goldstein, potentially transitioning responsibilities later.
  • Speaker Positions:
    • Councilman Goldstein expressed a willingness to continue his service, stating he has been on the board for eight years.
    • A Council member expressed full support for retaining Councilman Goldstein, noting his "unbelievable" knowledge in the area.
    • Another member expressed support for the concept of the tourism chairman leading the appointment to make the role more effective, suggesting Goldstein should not stop serving. They also expressed willingness to attend the first meeting with him to assist with the transition.
    • Councilman Waters expressed a position in favor of assuming leadership, stating it was the best way to learn and offering to "jump in the fire."
  • Legal Clarification: The Council reviewed open records statutes regarding candidate interviews, confirming that releasing names of individuals under consideration for an executive head of agency does not violate open meeting provisions, provided materials are not yet required to be public before the 14-day mark.

Key Outcomes

  • Arbitration Continuance: The motion to agree to a 60-day continuance in the arbitration for the Powder Springs annexation/rezoning was adopted unanimously.
  • Rezoning Objection: The motion to adopt the Notice of Intent to Object regarding the county rezoning was adopted unanimously.
  • Visit Marietta Appointment: The Council adopted a substitute motion to appoint Councilman Waters to the Visit Marietta Board of Directors, effective immediately for the upcoming meeting. The motion passed unanimously.
  • Contract Renewal: Clarification was provided regarding the current prosecutor's contract, noting it has no 30-day notice for non-renewal and changes are effective immediately upon decision.
  • Next Steps: Councilman Waters will attend the upcoming Visit Marietta meeting with Councilman Goldstein for onboarding.

Meeting Transcript

Motion to come out of executive session. Second. All those in favor, please raise your right hand. Motion carries. Would you I would like to make a motion to suspend the rules and add an item to the agenda relating to the arbitr um arbitration we're currently in with the county on its owning. Second. All those in favor, please raise your right hand. Motion carries. Okay. Mr. Attorney, can you help me with this motion, please? Sure. I think you would uh you're looking for a uh motion to agree to a 60-day continuance and the arbitration process for the uh annexation and rezoning that's proposed at what's the address? Powder springs, whatever we can insert the powder springs road address there. Do we know? The powder spring, the powers of springs annexation is on before the on the planning commission. It's on the planning commission. That's fine. Uh and say it's subject to consent of county per se law. That's right. That's my motion. Second. Second. Any discussion? Hearing none, all those in favor, please raise your right hand. Motion carries. That was a second step. You have another one? We're gonna read the letter. I make a motion to adopt the let the letter is stated on the agenda. Yeah, second. Okay. And we'll have a we have to spend the rules first. It's on the agenda. Notice of notice of intent to object rezoning. That's all right. It just says motion to abdot the notice intent. It made it. That's wonderful. So it's it's already on the agenda. I will have something I will need to spend the rules on, though, further after this, but that's on a different item. Okay. No more to think about that Barshi hot dog. I'm starving. I'll it'll be it'll be quick. Um where we're going. I promised it divorced you. I'll follow you. Or you get 40% off at match now. Hey, you're the next day.

SUMMARIZED BY OPENPUBLICA AI
TRANSCRIPT VIA PUBLIC VIDEO
openpublica.com