Roswell City Council Open Forum Meeting - August 31, 2026

The City of Roswell held its fifth Monday open forum meeting on August 31, 2026, beginning with a special ceremony to swear in 17 new firefighters and a vote on an audio-visual system purchase for the emergency operations center. The remainder of the meeting was dedicated to public comments on a variety of topics, including automated license plate reader (ALPR) cameras, traffic calming on Grimes Bridge Road, transit, and city maintenance.

Discussion Items

• Swearing-in of 17 New Firefighters: Fire Chief Troch presented 17 new members to the Roswell Fire Department, highlighting the investment in operational readiness. The firefighters were sworn in by Mayor Robichot after family pinning.
• Approval of AV Equipment for Emergency Operations Center (EOC): Chief Troch requested approval of $92,031.26 from bond funds for the design, purchase, and installation of audio-visual technology from NDE VIO, piggybacking on a Barrow County School District contract. The original quote was $120,000; the cooperative purchase saved $28,000. The system includes multiple large displays, simultaneous feeds, and conferencing capabilities. Councilmember Hall made a motion, seconded by Councilmember Beeson, and the motion passed unanimously.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Davis Vaughan (licensed clinical social worker, Roswell resident): Expressed strong opposition to Flock ALPR cameras, calling them warrantless surveillance and a violation of Fourth Amendment rights. Urged the council to review the police department's contracts with Flock.
• Cameron Hood Cre (lifelong Roswell resident): Advocated for expanded public transit, including microtransit and bus service, to prepare for future growth and reduce car dependency. Requested cooperation with state and county agencies.
• Ramona Mays (55-year resident): Questioned the city's stance on Sharia law, referencing a situation in another city involving a street naming.
• Mark Bonner (Grimes Bridge Road Alliance, 46-year resident): Presented concerns about the Grimes Bridge Road corridor project (T-SPLOST project). Criticized the 30% design for focusing on the multi-use trail instead of traffic calming, proposing retaining walls to preserve tree canopy, right-of-way acquisition issues, and a two-phase implementation. Requested design modifications and a timeline.
• Deborah Zink (Grimes Bridge Landing resident, 40 years): Supported Mark Bonner's comments, highlighting increased truck traffic, speeding, and noise. Urged use of retaining walls to minimize tree destruction and requested a clear project timeline.
• Marissa Pereira (Grimes Bridge Alliance, 30-year homeowner): Emphasized the need for continued collaboration between the city and residents to avoid past conflicts and achieve beneficial outcomes.
• Lucas Chapman (Roswell resident): Raised concerns about Flock ALPR cameras, questioning the city's analysis of their effectiveness. Noted 95 cameras under a five-year contract totaling $1.19 million, data sharing with other agencies, and lack of robust auditing. Requested a public hearing, moratorium on expansion, public accounting, and an affirmative vote on continuation.
• Unnamed speaker (seventh speaker): Complained about seven mature trees cut down without permission on Maple Street, a golf cart parked illegally in Heart of Roswell Park, and the dilapidated municipal complex sign. Called for a digital sign, benches, and better maintenance.
• Eighth speaker (data privacy expert, 21 years): Argued that Flock and similar systems violate the spirit of the 1974 Privacy Act and Fourth Amendment, warning of irreversible loss of privacy. Urged the council to block such surveillance.
• Betty Price (President, Roswell Historical Society, 25-year Adopt-a-Road volunteer): Thanked the city for collaboration, requested favorable budget considerations, support for the America 250 time capsule, signage for the museum, and partnership on the Masonic Lodge and Teaching Museum. Also asked for removal of Adopt-a-Road sign.
• Alan Landers (Roswell resident): Opposed Flock cameras, describing them as treating everyone as a suspect until sorted into silos. Cited a personal experience of being pulled over due to a false stolen tag alert. Called for state and federal legislation before deployment.
• Anonymous speaker (tenth speaker): Criticized city design and construction projects, calling Green Street a disaster, overpriced, and poorly designed. Cited specific costs for grading, riprap, and street trees. Also complained about lack of landscaping on Rucker Road compared to neighboring cities.
• Sarah Collier (Roswell resident, mother, veteran crisis line responder): Expressed deep concern about Flock cameras, calling them authoritarian and un-American. Noted the dense surveillance network, risks of misuse, false alerts, and cost. Requested cancellation of contracts and removal of cameras. Reminded the mayor of her duty to protect constitutional rights.

Key Outcomes

• Approved: Purchase of AV equipment for the EOC for $92,031.26 (unanimous vote).
• Public Comments: All questions and concerns raised during public comment will be answered in writing within two weeks and posted on the city website.
• Next Steps: The council will consider the requests for a public hearing on Flock cameras, design modifications for the Grimes Bridge Road project, and other items raised by speakers.