Politics & Government

City Council Votes for Members to Be Elected by Post

The change would mean contenders will vie directly against other candidates.

City council voted in a special session on Thursday to change the way members are elected by creating posts for the council, which would allow contenders to vie directly against other candidates, not just for a seat on the council.

Under the present system, the three people with the most votes would be elected to the seats open in November’s ballot. With the change, the seats of Mayor Pro Tem Chakira Johnson Sallee, Richard Mailman and Cyril Mungus, whose terms end this year, will be assigned a number, and potential candidates would have to run for one particular post number.

The change would “allow voters to decide whether they want that particular person on the council,” said councilman Steve Higgins after the session. The council members’ responsibilities will still be at-large.

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The change needs the approval of the Georgia legislature, but that shouldn’t be a problem, Higgins said. Most cities use the post system, he said.

The post system “holds the council a little more responsible,” said City Manager Barry Amos, giving the voter more power.

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The council also voted to expand the community garden project by adding a plot on Gordon Street between West Mountain and Cloud. It will be at an old baseball field behind the post office.

During a working session that followed the special session, the council discussed the possibility of buying the MARTA parking lot on Fourth Street amid concern that MARTA might sell it to a buyer with intentions not beneficial to the city's development. MARTA first has to declare the lot as surplus, meaning it can’t find a use for it, before it can be sold.  Amos put forward the idea of a first right of refusal should the lot be put up for sale.

Downtown Development Authority Interim Director Kim Delaney reported that the organization is gearing up for May 14, billed as the Second Saturday in May, when there will be a bluegrass festival, pottery show, food vendors and more downtown.

Main Street Stone Mountain, a nonprofit organization, is also planning to show a series of movies outside in the summer, called Movies on Main. More than $6,ooo has been raised in sponsorships and ads, and the effort has just started, Delaney said.

Police Chief Chancey Troutman said warrants had been issued for two people in the Weeyums Philly Style robbery and shooting. One is in Detroit, and the other is in Conyers.  Giving a report to the council for January, Troutman said there were a total of 49 arrests and 279 calls that month.


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