Speaker numbers apply only to this recording.
The Sandy Springs City Council met in regular session on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, at 6:00 PM in the Studio Theatre at Sandy Springs City Hall. Mayor Rusty Paul presided; Councilmembers John Paulson (District 1), Melody Kelley (District 2), Melissa Mular (District 3), Frank Roberts (District 4), Mary Ford (District 5), and Andrew Chinsky (District 6) were present. The council approved the consent calendar, completed public hearings on the millage rate and an alcoholic beverage license, approved a two-part citywide digital service delivery project, approved the temporary Fire Station No. 1 build-out contract and associated budget amendments, re-adopted ethics principles, heard reports, and entered executive session for real estate and litigation. All recorded votes were voice votes with no opposition.
Digital Service Delivery Project (2026-290 and 2026-291): Director of Data Strategy, Analytics, and AI Integration Keith McMellen presented both items together: a Salesforce licensing contract with Carahsoft Technology Corp. and an implementation services contract with StackNexus. He said the project replaces Lucity, which the city has used for about 20 years, has a mid-1980s architecture, more than 1 million service requests, more than 100,000 work orders, and limited integration and reporting. An initial broad RFP was cancelled after high cost estimates, the scope was reduced, and direct negotiations were authorized. A cross-department team of about 30 people evaluated Lucity, CityWorks/Trimble, OpenGov, and Salesforce and selected Salesforce, with the Indiana Department of Transportation's asset management integration and other references cited as confidence factors. Mr. McMellen said implementation costs are significantly higher but stated the licensing cost is about the same as Lucity maintenance; Councilmember Kelley asked whether the year-over-year licensing cost was about five times more than Lucity, and the transcript does not show a correction. Kelley asked how the increase would be funded; City Manager Freeman said it would be built into future annual budget assumptions, noting the city is cautious and typically ends years with surplus funds. Kelley recalled that about $1 million was budgeted for the project in FY 2027.
Council members expressed support for the digital service delivery project. Councilmember Mular praised the resident self-service portal, optional Slack, included Tableau analytics, AI visibility into recurring repairs, and alignment with council priorities. Councilmember Paulson asked about other municipal users; staff cited Cobb County, City of Atlanta, and DeKalb County. Councilmember Chinsky called the project important and noted the cost difference is mostly first-year implementation. Councilmember Ford appreciated the reduced scope and asked about the timeline; Mr. McMellen said implementation would likely start in January 2027 and run about nine months, phased with CRM first, resident portal in the middle, asset management near the end, and AI features later.
For the StackNexus implementation contract, Mr. McMellen said the rollout will be phased, will include a brief side-by-side period, three weeks of hyper care, optional managed services, at least three rounds of testing, and training. Some closed call-center tickets will not be migrated, and ticket types are being cleaned up before go-live. Council members asked for high-level milestone information, council participation in testing and training, and a resident communications plan; staff agreed.
Both resolutions were approved by unanimous voice vote. Motion on 2026-290 by Councilmember Mular, seconded by Councilmember Ford. Motion on 2026-291 by Councilmember Mular, seconded by Councilmember Ford.
Temporary Fire Station No. 1 Build-Out Contract (2026-292): Director of Facilities/Capital Construction Dave Wells said the city is preparing to demolish the existing Fire Station No. 1 to build a permanent station and needs a temporary station at 8615 Roswell Road. ITB 27009 was issued September 15, 2026. Three bids were received: F.H. Paschen, S.N. Nielsen & Associates, Inc. at $515,000; Diversified Construction of Georgia at $567,098; and Integrity CRR at $990,000. F.H. Paschen was the lowest bidder; the available project balance was $262,401.50, so a budget amendment was needed. Councilmember Paulson asked staff to ensure construction parking is managed so contractor vehicles do not overflow into nearby neighborhoods; staff agreed. Council approved the contract award and authorized the city manager to execute it. Motion by Councilmember Paulson, seconded by Councilmember Roberts.
CIP Budget Amendment (2026-293): Dave Wells presented the FY 2027 Capital Improvement Program budget amendment for the temporary Fire Station No. 1 build-out. Total project cost, including owner's contingency, was $561,350; current available budget was $262,401; additional funding required was $298,948.50. The amendment transferred $300,000 from Capital Contingency C999 to project F2602. Design services were contracted in April 2026, and a two-year lease with JAT Partners, LLC was signed in May 2026. Councilmember Kelley asked about permanent fire station sequencing; Mr. Wells said Reeves Young is developing a guaranteed maximum price expected December 1, with Fire Station No. 4 starting first and Fire Station No. 1 following. Council approved the amendment. Motion by Councilmember Paulson, seconded by Councilmember Roberts.
FY 2027 Budget Reallocation (2026-294): Interim Fire Chief Jesse Bernard requested reallocating $216,000 to cover the first-year lease of the temporary Fire Station No. 1 and placing $318,500 into the fire department's general contingency. The funds became available because the first lease payment for two new fire apparatus is not due until FY 2028, freeing $534,500 in the current budget. Councilmember Chinsky asked about paying off apparatus early; staff recommended carrying the funds forward because of the lease schedule. Councilmember Paulson asked whether the funds were designated for fire department vehicle replacement; Chief Bernard clarified they remain within the fire department general contingency. Council approved the reallocation. Motion by Councilmember Paulson, seconded by Councilmember Roberts.
Ethics Principles Recertification (2026-295): City Clerk Raquel Gonzalez presented a resolution to re-adopt the five ethics principles for recertification as a Georgia Certified City of Ethics. The five principles are: serve others and not ourselves; use resources with efficiency and economy; treat all people fairly; use the power of position for the well-being of constituents; and create an environment of honesty, openness, and integrity. The city has participated since 2006 and renewed two or three times. No fee is required, and successful recertification would be recognized at the January 2027 Cities United Summit. Councilmember Ford asked that the ethics values be posted on the city website; City Manager Freeman agreed to add them to the city council page. Council approved the resolution. Motion by Councilmember Kelley, seconded by Councilmember Chinsky.
So I would like to call this meeting the Sandy Springs City Council to order for Tuesday, November, 2026. Public comment cards are always available online. As I call roll, please confirm your attendance. Mayor Rusty Paul. Present. Councilmember John Paul Sing. Here. Councilmember Melody Kelly. Here. Councilmember Melissa Mueller. Here. Councilmember Frank Roberts. Here. Councilmember Mary Ford. Here. Councilmember Andrew Chensky. Here. Please join me for the Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag. Underground. Madam Clerk, have we received any public comment cards? Yes, we received one this evening. Okay. Andrew Bauman. Oh, Mr. Bauman. Good evening, Mayor and Council. I'm Andy Bauman, 4705 Kitty Hoff Place. With fire station number one on tonight's agenda, I want to raise a related issue. As part of the redevelopment, the city is removing an existing telecommunication tower serving ATT and T Mobile and many Sandy Springs residents and businesses. I'm here representing Prime Tower Development, which has been working with the carriers to identify a location for a replacement poll, and I'm concerned about the consequences of removing this infrastructure without a replacement. T-Mobile has already removed its equipment in June. It advised the city in writing that this location was critical to maintaining its network coverage. To my knowledge, ATT's equipment remains operational, but they have provided engineering information identifying potential coverage degradation, particularly indoors. Given ATT's role in First Net, the nationwide public safety broadband network, we should understand any implications for first responders communications. We are not suggesting a catastrophic loss of service, but the consequences of diminished coverage may be greatest precisely when reliable communications are needed most. Potentially affected users include nearby residents and businesses, including Dunwoody Springs Elementary School and the Davis Academy. I understand the city's position is that no responsibility, it has no responsibility to provide cellular service. But legal obligations shouldn't be the end of the inquir inquiry for mayor and council as policymakers. Therefore, I'd respectfully ask council to raise three questions with staff tonight. First, what do the available engineering assessments tell us about the anticipated impacts on wireless coverage and public safety? Second, how will affected residents, schools, and businesses be informed before they discover the problem for themselves, watching their signal bars disappear during a call or finding they can no longer get reliable service? And third, what role might the city reasonably play in facilitating a solution? Let me be clear. I'm not asking council to resolve a zoning matter or reconsider the fire station project, which I fully support. I'm asking that these concerns receive appropriate attention while there's still an opportunity to address them. Thank you. And I did it within time.