Good evening, everyone, and welcome to the city of Roswell, Mayor and Council meeting of Monday, January twelfth, twenty twenty six.

I am Mayor Mary Robichot, and I would like to.

And I would I would like to take this opportunity to introduce our council members present, Councilmember Sarah Beeson, Councilmember Alan Sells, Councilmember Christine Hall, Council Councilmember Jennifer Philippi, Council, Councilmember Aaron Bromley, and Councilmember Chris Zach.

I now would like to turn this over to our Chief Administrative Officer and City Administrator Randy Knighton to explain how the meeting will run.

Mr.

Knighton.

Well, thank you all so much for being here this evening, obviously.

This is a very large crowd.

Glad to see everybody, and we certainly invite you to all of our mayor and council meetings.

Um the purpose of city council meetings are for the public to be informed and participate and speak on agenda items that constitute formal decisions by the elected body, and these items are listed on the published agenda, which can be accessed via the city website prior to the meeting.

Public uh comments and questions are essential for mayor and council to consider as they contemplate each decision.

And tonight uh there are certain items on our agenda that do uh require formal public hearing.

Um and if you wish to speak on an agenda item, we just ask that you fill out a comment card to ensure an accurate record of meeting and provide that comment card to the receptacle uh next to the podium.

Uh, once you are recognized by the mayor to speak.

Again, we thank you all for being here this evening.

Thank you, Mr.

Knighton.

I would like to invite Dr.

Savan Strickland, pastor of Pleasant Hill Baptist Church to come forward and give the invocation.

We're gonna begin, of course, with a moment of silence, and then I will commence in our prayer.

Grant them unity of purpose, even amid differing perspectives.

Help them to work t together with mutual respect, open hearts, and a shared commitment to the common good of our great city.

May integrity guide their decisions, wisdom shape their conversations and insight illuminate their path forward.

Give them the the courage to do what is right, the humility to listen well, and the discernment to lead faithfully.

Bless the city of Roswell, our neighborhoods, our families, our businesses, and our future, along with the many agencies that helped this city to operate as it should.

May this council serve with diligence and compassion, and may their work bring peace, progress, and hope to all.

It is in the name of your son that we do pray this prayer.

Let us all say together, Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Thank you, Pastor Strickland.

We'd now like to invite United States Air Force Master Sergeant Eric Evans to lead us in come forward and lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance.

And to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

So we will be starting the with this program with the installation ceremony for the newly elected.

But also at this time, I would like to just um invite everyone, all the elected to join me down in the front of the desk.

So at this time, our city clerk Nancy Long will be reading my um oath of office.

I solemnly swear that I state your name.

And that I will in all respects observe the provisions of the charter and ordinances of the city of Roswell.

And that I will in all respects observe the provisions of the charter and ordinances of the city of Roswell.

And I will well and truly perform the duties of the Office of Mayor.

And I will well and truly perform the duties of Office of Mayor.

And that I will to the utmost of my skill and ability endeavor to promote the interest and property of said city.

And that I will, to the utmost of my skill and ability endeavor to promote the interest and property of said city without fear, favor or affection, so help me God.

Without fear, favor or affection, so help me God.

I solemnly swear that I, Jennifer Philippi.

Will support the Constitution of the United States and the State of Georgia.

That I will and all respect observe the provisions of the Charter.

An ordinance of the city of Roswell.

And I will well and truly perform office of a member, the office of a member of the city council.

I will to the utmost my skill and ability.

Without fear, favor or affection.

So helping God.

Repeat after me.

I solemnly swear that I state your name.

I solemnly swear that I, and I will support the Constitution of the United States and of the State of Georgia.

We'll support the Constitution of the United States and of the State of Georgia.

And that I will, in all respects, and that I will in all respects observe the provisions of the charter and ordinances of the city of Roswell.

Observe the provisions of the charter and ordinances of the city of Roswell.

And that I will, to the utmost of my skill and ability.

And that I will to the utmost of my skill and ability.

Endeavor to promote the interest and property of said city.

Endeavor to promote the interest and property of said city.

Without fear, favor or affection.

Without fear, favor or affection.

So help me, God.

So help me that solemnly swear that I state your name.

I solemnly swear that I, Chris Ack.

We'll support the Constitution of the United States and of the State of Georgia.

We'll support the Constitution of the United States and the State of Georgia.

And that I will, in all respects.

That I will in all respects.

Observe the provisions of the Charter and Ordinances of the City of Roswell.

Observe the revisions of the Charter and Ordinances of the City of Roswell.

And I will well and truly perform the duties of the office of a member of the City Council.

And I will well and truly perform the duties of the office of a member of the City of Roswell.

And that I will to the utmost of my skill and ability.

That I will to the utmost of my skill and ability.

Endeavor to promote the interest and property of said city.

Endeavor to promote the interest and property of said city.

Without fear, favor or affection, so help me God.

Without fear, favor or affection, so help me God.

Thank you.

I'm not sure how we're going to take these back.

So, ladies and gentlemen, citizens of Roswell.

We're going to rearrange a little bit.

So, as my first public act as mayor, I am honored to ask to present to Master Sergeant Eric Evans, a valued member of the Roswell Fire Department, the esteemed official proclamation highlighting his service and honoring him as the esteemed veteran of Roswell.

Master Sergeant Evans honorably served in the United States Air Force and Air Force Reserves for a total of 23 years.

He was trained as an aeromedical space technician and a field medical technician.

A Master Sergeant Evans supported critical medical readiness missions throughout his entire career.

He has earned numerous honors, including Air Force Commendation for Medal, the Air Force Reserve Meritus Service Medal, and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.

Following his retirement from the Air Force in 2016, he continued his commitment to service by joining the Roswell Fire Department.

And I know they are very happy to have him with us.

Where he now serves as a firefighter, protecting our community.

His service, both in uniform and here in Roswell, reflects the highest ideals of duty, honor, and selfless service.

Now, therefore, I, Mary Robishot, mayor of the city of Roswell, do hereby name Master Sergeant Eric Evans, an esteemed veteran of Roswell, and call call upon all of our citizens to recognize his outstanding service to our country and to our community.

Well, I really don't have a whole lot to say.

Thank you.

Thank the city council.

Thank I want to thank my chiefs who allowed me the opportunity to uh be a member of the United States of Air Force Reserve for 23 years.

Thanking everybody here at Roswell.

That's it.

More pictures.

Thank you for a second.

One more to honor.

Um so this will be a proclamation that we would the esteemed Roswell Public Safety Employee Award for Communications Officer Destine Presswood as the communication officer of the year for 2024.

So she has been with the Roswell Police with the department for three years, and during that time she has served on our at our 911 call center.

Um she in March, she calmly and effectively handled an officer-involved shooting.

In October, she handled two fast-paced incidences at the same time and proved herself to be invaluable at that time.

And I'm not reading all of her accomplishments because they are varying, there are many, and we all know what they are.

Um and just that we as the citizens of Roswell want to say thank you.

And I'm gonna have Chief Conroy say a few words too now.

Of course, you know, the the heroes behind the telephone are 911 uh communications officers that people rarely see.

It's important that we recognize them.

They're there with us 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

They are on the same squad as our officers, and Destiny's a proud member of our D squad.

Thank you so much for your service to the citizens of Roswell.

Having been in healthcare for many years, I know what it's like right in the 911 Center, and the you keeping people calm is what saves lives.

Thank you.

So the last item on the mayor's uh report is the election of Mayor Pro Tem for the year 2026.

Do I hear a nomination for Mayor Pro Tem for 2026?

Mayor Roboshaw, I'd like to make a nomination.

Sarah, Councilmember Sarah Beeson.

A nomination has been made to elect councilwoman Sarah Beeson as the mayor pro tem for twenty twenty-six.

Do I hear a motion?

Yeah, so uh I second that motion.

Would you like me to make a motion to that's fine?

All those in favor, please raise your hand.

Sarah, you're supposed to raise your hand.

Well, gotta make so the item passes unanimously.

So please welcome uh Mayor to attend Sarah Beast.

Next on the agenda are the agenda or the consent um items.

So clerk city clerk Nancy Long, are there any speakers for the consent agenda?

There are no speakers for the consent.

Does council have any comments or questions regarding the consent agenda?

Do I have a motion to approve the consent agenda?

Mayor Robishaux, I make a motion to approve the consent agenda.

Do I have a second?

Mayor Robeshaw, I second that motion.

All those in favor, please raise your hand.

Again, the item passes unanimously.

Last on tonight's agenda is the city attorney's report to the attorney David Davidson.

Please read the first item.

Thank you, Mayor.

The first item I have is approval of a resolution to impose a temporary emergency moratorium on the establishment of new data centers in the city of Roswell.

City Clerk Nancy Long, are there any speakers for this item?

There are no speakers for this item.

If there is anyone in the audience currently that would like to speak now, if you'd like to raise your hand and come forward.

Please state your name.

Hi, my name is Derek Wood.

So I agree with this moratorium.

I've been uh homeowner in Roswell for 12 years and as well be also be my seventh year as a little league baseball coach, and it's been a great city to be in, and I'm looking forward to continuing that.

I think a data center for Roswell is a misappropriation of resources in terms of land use.

Data centers do not employ a whole lot of people if you've done work in data centers.

It's mostly the security guards, and then occasionally you have some technicians in and out.

Takes up a big footprint, not to mention the utility that is going to be used by that.

I think it would be a better use of land to look at how we could make a better future for people in Roswell by looking into developing something of a co-op for energy, whether it's through digesters or some other means.

But this I see is a maybe a short term win.

I'm sure there's some attractive revenue that goes with having a big data center with big tech names behind it.

But long term, it'll be something that people in this city 30 years from now will regret.

And I think it's a good move to at least pause this so we can have greater discussion.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Wood.

Is there any other comment?

Does the council have any comments or questions regarding this item?

Councilwoman Beeson.

Mr.

Wood made an excellent point, and I think that's honestly why we as an elected body right now are reassessing that and how it looks within our code and how we are growing moving forward, especially given the fact that it's not only a strain on land and space, but also a strain on utilities, the power grid, water, um, as well as noise, so potential sound pollution for the residents in the area.

So really it's just us taking a look at our code and seeing if that fits anywhere and where that possibly would.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Any other council person?

Do I hear a motion?

Councilwoman Beeson.

I'm out of practice.

Uh motion to approve a resolution to impose a temporary emergency moratorium on the establishment of new data centers in the city of Roswell.

Do I have a second?

Councilmember Sells.

All those in favor, please raise your hand.

This item passes unanimously also.

City attorney David Davidson, please read the last item on the agenda.

Thank you, Mayor.

Final item is a recommendation for closure to discuss personnel litigation and or real estate.

Do I hear a motion to go into closure?

Councilmember.

Mayor Pro Tem B.

Sorry.

Do I have a second?

Councilmember Sells.

All those in favor, raise your hand.

It passes unanimously.

I guess my dad.

No, it was you know when they're looking forward to the market.