Inside City Hall: Proclamation problems

Atlanta residents who make the trip to City Hall to speak in front of council members are often in for a surprise when they have to wait sometimes over an hour before they are able to do so.

In the beginning of every full council meeting, lawmakers honor community members with proclamations — a performative process that eats up time before public testimony.

Council members run through a slog of speeches detailing acts of bravery, dedication to community service or notable sports victories before any piece of legislation is read. Critics say the showboating is undemocratic and dissuades residents from making the trip to voice their concerns.

Credit: Jenni Girtman

Credit: Jenni Girtman

During the full council meeting last Monday — when nearly 300 people waited to speak to against the proposed public safety training facility — proclamations ended after more than an hour. On April 17, proclamations took up closer to two hours of the meeting.

A new ordinance introduced by the Committee on Council moves the proclamation section of council meetings to 11 a.m. ahead of the usual 1 p.m. start time. The change up is part of an effort to encourage public participation while still allowing noteworthy Atlantans to be honored for their actions.

It’s not the first time the proclamation process has been questioned. In 2016, Atlanta City Council President Ceasar Mitchell stipulated that there would be only three proclamations per meeting that would run no longer than 15 minutes. And no council member could perform more than two per meeting.

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MARTA woes: MARTA and City Council are still butting heads after the agency postponed it’s regularly scheduled quarterly presentation in front of the Transportation Committee. President Doug Shipman gave scathing remarks in their absence.

“This briefing that we receive quarterly is not a courtesy,” he said. “It is not tradition. It is actually part of the intergovernmental agreement between the city and Marta that was signed in 2020.

“This is a very, very disappointing moment. And I trust and I hope that this is not a precedent that is going to be set.”

The rift doesn’t look like it’s going away anytime soon. Shipman drew attention to the fact that MARTA made a presentation to Fulton County last Wednesday.

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Destination Tomorrow: That’s the name of a Black Trans-led LGBTQ+ center in Atlanta. It’s also a recipient of Atlanta’s largest investment in the Transgender community. The group received $25,000 to open a LGBTQ mentoring pilot program in Atlanta.

“This grant will allow us to expand our services and help to fill the undeniable gap of resources for Trans and Gender Nonbinary/Nonconforming individuals in the South,” said Destination Tomorrow founder and executive director Sean Ebony Coleman. “This signifies a growing recognition of the unique challenges faced by our community.”

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Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

Eyes on 2025: Dickens is only two years into his first term, but the mayor has already updated his campaign website for his reelection bid. The page previously outlined his 2021 campaign promises under an “issues” tab, as well as his endorsements and media stories. That was all replaced this year with a review of 2022 and his administration’s progress in addressing crime and other matters last year.

Dickens has maneuvered himself into being a prominent voice for the Democratic party and recently was announced as one of 50 high-profile Democrats taking on leadership roles in President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign.

The members of Biden’s 2024 Campaign National Advisory Board will take a front facing role in spreading campaign messaging and engaging voters, according to Biden’s campaign. U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock is the only other Georgia Democrat in the bunch.

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