Speaker numbers apply only to this recording.
The Roswell Mayor and Council met on Monday, September 28, 2026, for a regular public meeting. The meeting opened with an invocation by Pastor Annie Lender of Cross of Life Lutheran Church and the Pledge of Allegiance led by U.S. Air Force Major Travis Shepherd. The agenda included proclamations, recognition of the police department's accreditation, a consent agenda, and several regular agenda items. The most heavily debated item was the second reading of an ordinance to adopt a millage rate of 5.900 mills for tax year 2026, which after extensive public comment and council discussion was amended and passed at 5.232 mills.
Good evening, everyone, and welcome to the city count the City of Roswell Mayor and Council meeting on Monday, September 28th, 2026. I am Mayor Mary Robichau, 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 Zach. I will now turn it over to City Administrator Randy Knighton to explain how the meeting is run. Mr. Knighton. Thank you, Mayor Robeshow, and uh welcome to everyone this evening. In accordance with section chapter 3.70 of the city code, the city council shall hold regular public meetings. The purpose of 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, which can be uh found on the city website and accessed prior to the meeting. Public comments and questions are essential for Mayor and Council to consider as they contemplate each decision. If you wish to speak on an agenda item, we ask that you please fill out a comment card and hand it to one of the staff members, Miss Karen Zitamer, is there with comment cards. If you would like to speak on an agenda item, we ask that you fill out those comment cards because we want to ensure we have an accurate record of the meeting for um any minutes and um uh future um discussion of the meeting. We ask that, of course, that everyone observe the principles of mutual respect and display the appropriate demeanor during the course of the meeting this evening uh with respect to the proceedings. Uh we ask that the attention is given to the person speaking. Each person speaking on an agenda item as you fill out your comment card will be given up to five minutes. Uh and we ask that you would address your comments directly to uh the mayor and council. Uh the comment cards uh will be called in the order in which they are received for each agenda item. Um the mayor is the presiding officer of the meeting, and for public comment, uh City Attorney Joe Cusack will ensure that we move um expeditiously uh but thoroughly through the meeting and to ensure that everyone has an opportunity to speak fully on each item. We encourage everyone in the view in the audience, the viewing audience uh to visit our city website for information on news events and meetings. Um we also would ask that at this time if you would silence uh any phones or electronic devices, and if it's necessary during the course of the meeting this evening for you to have an independent conversation that you would exit the rear doors to the vestibule area. Um there are a number of items, of course, on the agenda, and we want to make sure that um every person who wishes to speak is given that opportunity. Thank you again for joining us this evening. Uh we appreciate your presence. It's very important to this process, and we look forward to a very successful meeting this evening. Mayor Robeshow. Thank you, Mr. Knighton. I would now like to invite welcome Pastor Annie Lender from Cross of Life Lutheran Church to deliver the invocation. Thank you, Mayor and Council and Community Members. It is a blessing to be here with you tonight. I invite you to please pray with me as you feel comfortable. Holy and Almighty God, we thank you for the gift and blessing of these public servants and for our community members who have passion in their hearts for the future of their community. We pray your blessing on the public servants in the government of our city of Roswell. May they do their work in the spirit of wisdom, charity, and justice for all people of our community. Help them serve faithfully and to promote our common life, seeing your divine image in the faces of our diverse citizens. God send your spirit to guide tonight's meeting for all our community members and leaders to work together in peace for the prosperity of all.