Roswell City Council Meeting - August 24, 2026
Roswell City Council Meeting - August 24, 2026
The Roswell Mayor and Council meeting on Monday, August 24, 2026, included recognition of retiring City Attorney David Davidson, appointment of new City Attorney Joseph Cusack, acceptance of a $48,000 donation from the Roswell Arts Festival, and approval of a resolution authorizing temporary tax collection relief due to delays in the Fulton County tax digest. The meeting also set a future closed session date.
Consent Calendar
- The consent agenda was approved unanimously with no speakers or discussion.
Public Comments & Testimony
- No public speakers were present for any agenda item.
Discussion Items
- Recognition of Retiring City Attorney David Davidson: Mayor Mary Robichot and council honored David Davidson for 26 years of service. The city named the legal department conference room the "Davidson Conference Room." Davidson expressed gratitude, noting his family and colleagues were present.
- Appointment of Joseph Cusack as New City Attorney: Council unanimously approved the appointment of Joseph Cusack as city attorney, effective September 2, 2026. He was sworn in by retiring City Attorney Davidson.
- Roswell Arts Festival Donation and Budget Amendment (Item #10586): Taylor Smith, Deputy Director of Recreation and Parks, presented a $48,000 donation from the Roswell Arts Festival to fund three projects: $16,000 for Liberty Square Park (picnic tables, benches, bike rack), $25,208 for shade structures at East Roswell Dog Park, and $6,792 for seating and movable platforms at the Crab Apple Center Performing Arts Studio. The donation marks the festival's 60th anniversary, having raised over $1.6 million for Roswell parks since 1966. Valerie Morelli, committee chair, highlighted the festival's history and family legacies. Roswell Rotary presented a community painting from the previous festival. The item was approved unanimously.
- City Attorney's Report – Tax Collection Relief Resolution: Assistant City Attorney Joseph Cusack (then-holding that role) explained that due to Fulton County's failure to submit a preliminary tax digest, the city needed authorization to file a petition for temporary tax collection. The resolution allows collecting at 85% of last year's digest if necessary. Councilmember Alan Sells expressed concern about avoiding two tax bills to prevent mortgage escrow disruptions, urging heroic measures. The resolution was approved unanimously.
- Closed Session Authorization: Council unanimously approved a motion to go into closed session at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, September 14, 2026, to discuss personnel, litigation, and/or real estate.
Key Outcomes
- Unanimous approval of consent agenda.
- Unanimous approval of Joseph Cusack as city attorney.
- Unanimous acceptance of the Roswell Arts Festival donation and budget amendment.
- Unanimous approval of the resolution authorizing temporary tax collection relief.
- Unanimous approval of the closed session date.
- Mayor's birthday was celebrated with cake following adjournment.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening and welcome to the City of Roswell, Mayor and Council meeting of Monday, August 24th, 2026. I am Mayor Mary Robichot, and at this time I would like to introduce my colleagues and council members present, Mayor Pro Tem and Councilmember Sarah Beeson, Councilmember Alan Sells, Councilmember Christine Hall, Councilmember Jennifer Philippi, Councilmember Aaron Brumley, and Councilmember Chris Zapp. I will now turn the meeting over to City Administrator Randy Knighton to explain how the meeting is run. Mr. Knighton. Thank you, Mayor Robushow. And again, uh good evening, everyone. In accordance with section chapter 3.70 of the city code, the city council shall hold regular public meetings. And the purpose of these city city council meetings are for the public to participate and speak on agenda items, which constitute formal decisions by the elected body. These items are listed on the published agenda, uh which can be accessed via the city website prior to the meeting. And public comments and questions are essential for mayor and council to consider as they contemplate if each decision. If you desire to speak on an agenda item this evening, we do ask that you complete a comment card, which can be found at the back of the room. We have several staff members in the back who can assist you. Speakers will be called by the city clerk for each agenda item in the order that cards are received. We encourage everyone in attendance in the viewing audience to visit the city website for information and updates of meetings. We also encourage you to participate in the numerous offerings and activities offered by the city of Roswell. And visit Roswell 365.com for a calendar of events. We look forward to a very successful meeting this evening. Mayor Robichell. Thank you, Mr. Knighton. We would now like to welcome senior pastor, Reverend Derek Porter, to the deliver the invocation and the Pledge of Allegiance. Let us pray. Almighty God, we thank you for this evening. We thank you for the ability to gather. We thank you for this amazing community in which we all call home. We also thank you for all of these elected officials for the passion that they bring for their community and for its citizens. Bless the work that they are doing. Bless the work that they will do so that they will continue to be strong and active and the tremendous leaders that they continue to be. Help us to remember and to honor and to love every soul that moves through this community. Remembering the great gift of life that you give to us all. And in Christ's name we pray. Amen. Thank you, Pastor. So first on the mayor's report is the recognition of City Attorney David Davidson's retirement. If City Attorney Davidson and Council members, would you if you would join me down in front, please? Yes, of honor. You're so used to standing off of the line. So for those of you who may or may not know, um, Mr. Davidson, or we're gonna call him David, um, has um served the city faithfully for 26 years. Um has been an amazing our my short term, but has served numerous mayors faithfully doing what believes to represent the city to try to keep us out of trouble as a city. Sometimes that's not as easy. But I'm not one to read a lot of um this and we will post it, but again, his he has always been professional, welcoming, honest. Um, at least in my I know in all terms, and I'm sure to all of our council members, his wisdom is always I'm gonna give you the lawyer's advice, what is legal, but then also what's best for the city. And that's really what I appreciate so much being able to go through that. So we just want to make sure we recognize and honor you for your 26 years of service. We know there's gonna be a lot of photo ops, his lovely family is here with us too, and we have some other exciting news to go through. But with that, what has been done, so you'll have that. Well done. Because of David's um dedication to the city, his team in the legal department asked, and we approved that we are now naming the conference room in the in the legal div department of the city of Roswell City Hall, the Davidson cock conference room.
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