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OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

Sandy Springs City Council Swearing-In and Organizational Meeting – January 6, 2026

City Council — Tuesday, January 6, 2026

BodySandy Springs, Georgia

SessionCity Council

DateTuesday, January 6, 2026

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 1:05:28

Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

Speaker numbers apply only to this recording.

Speaker 1

0:02

Good evening.

0:04

Good evening.

0:04

Thank you for being here this evening.

Unassigned speaker

0:06

My

Speaker 1

0:07

name is Eden Freeman.

0:08

I serve as the city manager of the city of Sandy Springs, and I am thrilled and honored to welcome you this evening to join us in the swearing in of the sixth city council since the founding of the city in 2005.

0:19

Please rise and join us in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Speaker 2

0:24

I pledge allegiance to the

Speaker 1

0:26

flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands.

0:32

One nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty

Speaker 3

0:36

and justice for all.

Speaker 1

0:38

Thank you.

0:38

You may be seated.

0:40

This evening I am honored to be joined by the Honorable Justice Sean Ellen Lagrua of the Georgia Supreme Court, who will be celebrating her fifth anniversary on the court tomorrow.

0:50

Thank you, Justice Lagrua, for making time out of your very busy schedule to be here for such an important and auspicious occasion for the city of Sandy Springs.

0:59

With that, I'm going to turn it over to Justice Lagrua.

Unassigned speaker

1:05

Thank

Speaker 4

1:05

you, Eden, and thank you again for having me back.

1:08

I'm a proud resident of Sandy Springs, which makes it even more special to be here tonight.

1:15

I want to congratulate all the council members and in particular our mayor for the election.

1:23

But I also want to thank all the staff of the Sandy Springs administration here that makes this possible, and a special thank you to the Sandy Springs Police Department that provides us such great protection in our city.

1:38

I can tell you, having been a prosecutor for much of my career, the Sandy Springs Police Department is exemplary.

1:48

One of the best and candidly well thought about across this state, but also across the country.

2:00

In fact, they were one of the few departments that responded to another state a couple of years ago when there was assistance needed.

2:10

So I just think we're very lucky to have all of the people that serve Sandy Springs.

2:17

So with that, Mayor.

Unassigned speaker

2:23

And it's coming.

Speaker 2

2:34

And if it's okay, can you all hear me?

2:37

Yes.

2:38

Okay.

2:38

I've never been quiet in nature.

2:41

And it's easier pictures to be taken if they don't stand in your back to the altar.

2:48

If that's okay for everybody.

Unassigned speaker

2:51

So

Speaker 2

2:51

it looks like we have a few more.

2:59

Come on out here.

3:03

And you've done this before.

3:05

Can you place your left hand on the Bible and raise your right hand?

3:08

And repeat after me.

3:10

I do solemnly swear or affirm.

Speaker 5

3:12

I do solemnly swear.

Unassigned speaker

3:14

Or

Speaker 2

3:14

affirm.

Speaker 5

3:15

Or affirm.

Speaker 2

3:15

That I will faithfully execute the office of mayor of the city of Sandy Springs.

Speaker 5

3:20

And I will faithfully execute the office of mayor of Sandy Springs.

Speaker 2

3:23

And will to the best of my ability support and defend.

Speaker 5

3:26

Well, to the best of my ability, support and defend.

Speaker 2

3:29

The Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Georgia.

Speaker 5

3:33

The Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of Georgia.

Speaker 2

3:37

And the Charter Ordinances and Regulation of the City of Sandy Springs.

Speaker 5

3:41

And the Charter, ordinances, and regulations of the City of Sandy Springs.

Speaker 2

3:45

I further state I am not a holder of any unaccounted for public money.

Speaker 5

3:50

I further state I am not the holder of any uh unaccounted

Speaker 2

3:55

for

Speaker 5

3:55

public

Speaker 2

3:56

money.

Speaker 5

3:56

Public money.

Speaker 2

3:57

Do the state for any political subdivision.

Speaker 5

4:00

Or any political subdivision.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Procedural████████████████████████████████████████████44%

Community Engagement████████████12%

Arts And Culture██████████10%

Traffic Safety███████7%

Economic Development██████6%

Cannabis Regulation█████5%

Facility Management█████5%

Intergovernmental Agreements█████5%

Zoning And Land Use███3%

Summary of Proceedings

Sandy Springs City Council Swearing-In and Organizational Meeting – January 6, 2026

On Tuesday, January 6, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. in the Studio Theatre at Sandy Springs City Hall, the city held its sixth city council swearing-in since the city was founded in 2005, followed by a regular council meeting. City Manager Eden Freeman welcomed attendees; Georgia Supreme Court Justice Shawn Ellen LaGrua administered the oath to Mayor Russell K. Paul and council members John Paulson (District 1), Melody Kelley (District 2), Melissa Mular (District 3), Frank Roberts (District 4), Mary Ford (District 5), and Andrew J. Chinsky (District 6). The meeting adjourned at 8:20 p.m. after an executive session on real estate and litigation.

Swearing-In Ceremony

Justice LaGrua, a Sandy Springs resident, congratulated the mayor and council members, praised the city staff and the Sandy Springs Police Department, and noted that tomorrow would be her fifth anniversary on the Georgia Supreme Court.
Mayor Paul stated that the title of mayor is temporary and held in trust, and that his only goal is to make Sandy Springs better every day for the people it serves.
Council members were sworn in together and then took individual photos with family members.
In brief remarks after the oath, Councilmember Chinsky emphasized deliberate listening, patience, humility, and collegiality; Councilmember Ford thanked supporters and highlighted the upcoming comprehensive plan; Councilmember Mular cited public safety investments, City Springs Phase 2, North End redevelopment, and parks and trails; Councilmember Kelley focused on a holistic North End vision and the Trowbridge/Roswell Road intersection; Councilmember Paulson said he believed the council was up to coming challenges; Councilmember Roberts thanked voters and staff.

Consent Calendar

The council approved the meeting agenda for Tuesday, January 6, 2026; motion by Councilmember Paulson, seconded by Councilmember Kelley.
The consent agenda was approved by voice vote; motion by Councilmember Mular, seconded by Councilmember Ford. No individual consent calendar items were enumerated in the available transcript.

Public Comments & Testimony

Laura Kurlander, a Sandy Springs resident and secretary of the Fulton County Development Authority, spoke in opposition to agenda item 2026-011. She said she was disappointed in the proposed resolution, described the authority as a statutory organization that works with Select Fulton to facilitate economic development, and cited the Mercedes-Benz development in Sandy Springs as a successful project. She asked for collaboration rather than independent action and referenced the Reserve at Ridgewood project dispute. She was accompanied by Sarah Elizabeth Langford, executive director of Developed Fulton. Mayor Paul responded that the authority had not come to the city to collaborate; Kurlander acknowledged she had been on the board for about a year and a half.
Vladimir Shonsky spoke in favor of safety improvements on Roswell Road near a daycare. He described a crash on January 5, 2026, on that road, noted a pedestrian fatality on the same stretch less than a year ago, and said vehicles have repeatedly driven toward the daycare and destroyed property. He requested bollards or guardrails to protect the daycare, sidewalk, bus stop, and children, and noted a long-delayed sidewalk improvement project.

Discussion Items

Alcoholic beverage licenses (public hearings). Three applications were approved by separate voice votes:
- Agenda item 2026-004 (ABL 28258): Starlight Lounge LLC d/b/a Starlight Lounge and Grill, 8610 Roswell Road, Suite 690; new license for on-premises consumption of wine, malt beverages, distilled spirits, and one additional bar; applicant Arvind Dodupanini. Motion by Kelley, second by Paulson.
- Agenda item 2026-005 (ABL 28289): 5345 Mobile Food Mark Inc., 5345 Roswell Road; change-of-ownership package wine and malt beverage license; applicant Alton Mishvarani. Motion by Ford, second by Chinsky.
- Agenda item 2026-006 (ABL 28273): Beyond the Corner LLC d/b/a WAGA Groceries, 5975 Roswell Road, Building D, Suite 237; new package wine and malt beverage license; applicant Takashi Atsoka. Motion by Mular, second by Paulson.
Mayor Pro Tem election. Councilmember Roberts nominated Councilmember John Paulson for mayor pro tem; seconded by Chinsky and approved.
Public Facilities Authority appointments. City Attorney Dan Lee presented agenda item 2026-008, a resolution to appoint the city council members to the Sandy Springs Public Facilities Authority, as required by its legislative charter. Approved on a motion by Paulson, seconded by Chinsky.
Long Island Drive and Mount Vernon Highway intersection project. Public Works Director Marty Martin presented agenda item 2026-009, recommending award of the construction contract to Sole Construction LLC (also rendered Sol/Saw Construction in the transcript) in the amount of $769,719. Six bids were received; the engineer's estimate was $1,116,942. The project includes a new traffic signal, widening Long Island Drive, realigning the Arlington Memorial Park driveway to align with Long Island Drive, new sidewalks and crosswalks, and intersection lighting. Martin estimated mobilization in about six weeks and roughly a one-year construction period, with utility relocations and neighborhood access to be handled during construction. Approved on a motion by Mular, seconded by Ford.
Fulton County arts grant application. Performing Arts Executive Director William Haggett presented agenda item 2026-010, recommending application for the Fulton County Department of Arts and Culture FY2026 Contract for Services grant in the full amount of $50,000, with a required $50,000 city match. The funds would support the Juneteenth celebration, Bluestone Arts and Music Festival, and new educational programming. Haggett noted that in 2025 Fulton County awarded $3 million to 172 organizations, and Sandy Springs previously received awards of $10,500 and $17,000. Council discussion covered award timing and reporting requirements. Approved on a motion by Kelley, seconded by Mular.
Fulton County Development Authority resolution. City Attorney Dan Lee presented agenda item 2026-011, citing House Bill 155, now codified in O.C.G.A. 36-62-4.1, to declare that the Fulton County Development Authority shall not operate within Sandy Springs without prior consultation and preliminary agreements by the mayor on proposed inducement opportunities. Mayor Paul said a previous informal consultation agreement had stopped being followed and that development authority inducements can affect the city's land-use policies; he committed to consulting with council members as part of the process. Approved on a motion by Mular, seconded by Kelley.

Key Outcomes

All listed motions were approved by voice vote with no opposition heard.
John Paulson was elected mayor pro tem.
The council approved three alcoholic beverage licenses, the $769,719 construction contract award, the $50,000 arts grant application, the Public Facilities Authority appointments, and the Fulton County Development Authority resolution.
The council moved into executive session for real estate and litigation, reconvened in regular session, and then voted to adjourn at 8:20 p.m.

Meeting Transcript

Good evening. Good evening. Thank you for being here this evening. My name is Eden Freeman. I serve as the city manager of the city of Sandy Springs, and I am thrilled and honored to welcome you this evening to join us in the swearing in of the sixth city council since the founding of the city in 2005. Please rise and join us in the Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands. One nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. You may be seated. This evening I am honored to be joined by the Honorable Justice Sean Ellen Lagrua of the Georgia Supreme Court, who will be celebrating her fifth anniversary on the court tomorrow. Thank you, Justice Lagrua, for making time out of your very busy schedule to be here for such an important and auspicious occasion for the city of Sandy Springs. With that, I'm going to turn it over to Justice Lagrua. Thank you, Eden, and thank you again for having me back. I'm a proud resident of Sandy Springs, which makes it even more special to be here tonight. I want to congratulate all the council members and in particular our mayor for the election. But I also want to thank all the staff of the Sandy Springs administration here that makes this possible, and a special thank you to the Sandy Springs Police Department that provides us such great protection in our city. I can tell you, having been a prosecutor for much of my career, the Sandy Springs Police Department is exemplary. One of the best and candidly well thought about across this state, but also across the country. In fact, they were one of the few departments that responded to another state a couple of years ago when there was assistance needed. So I just think we're very lucky to have all of the people that serve Sandy Springs. So with that, Mayor. And it's coming. And if it's okay, can you all hear me? Yes. Okay. I've never been quiet in nature. And it's easier pictures to be taken if they don't stand in your back to the altar. If that's okay for everybody. So it looks like we have a few more. Come on out here. And you've done this before. Can you place your left hand on the Bible and raise your right hand? And repeat after me. I do solemnly swear or affirm. I do solemnly swear. Or affirm. Or affirm. That I will faithfully execute the office of mayor of the city of Sandy Springs. And I will faithfully execute the office of mayor of Sandy Springs. And will to the best of my ability support and defend. Well, to the best of my ability, support and defend. The Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Georgia. The Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of Georgia.

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