Across Atlanta’s 137 boards and commissions — created to tackle topics from how to redesign the city’s outdated fire stations to the controversial task force reviewing the inspector general’s office — more than a third of seats are unfilled.
Of the total 1,421 seats in these specially-created study groups, 475 are vacant, according to the clerk’s office. And some community leaders are being appointed to boards that aren’t even actively meeting.
Nearly 90 individuals are currently sitting on boards that aren’t regularly meeting — some boards have never met or haven’t had enough members to meet quorum for years.
It’s a problem that’s been unchanged for years. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported in 2022 that three years ago nearly 500 spots sat unfilled on the 123 commissions established at the time.
Atlanta City Council is slowly taking steps to rectify the issue. In September the body passed legislation that created a process to sunset study groups and required the clerk’s office to gather statistics on the vacant seats.
Atlanta far outpaces the number of boards and commissions in other similar-sized cities: Austin, Texas has around 90 boards and commissions while Charlotte, North Carolina has 38.
The two cities also don’t have a problem with vacancy rates, with all but 5% to 7% of the positions filled.
Atlanta has been exploring ways to reduce its vacancy numbers from sunsetting inactive boards to moving engaged members to open seats on other regularly meeting commissions.
“We do have folks in our community that are hungry to go to meetings and give fresh ideas,” Council member Andrea Boone said.
Council member Howard Shook also suggested they do away with term limits so as not to prematurely force out board members who still want to contribute.
“There are some boards where it takes 10 years to learn an incredibly complex subject matter and if you don’t understand it or you make a wrong decision, it can cost the city a lot of money in a lawsuit,” he said. “I think it’s a shame that we’re forcing some really good people out.”
Shawn Brown, legislative compliance manager with the clerk’s office, said that some cities use a management system or portal to better keep track of their filled and vacant seats.
“The purpose is to target codified boards that need a quorum,” he said.
In 2023, the city established 13 new boards and commissions including Atlanta’s Fatal Crash Review Commission, the commission determining how to honor Former Mayor Shirley Franklin and the Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta Airport Atrium Task Force.
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Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC
Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC
The temporary task force reviewing the Office of the Inspector General has a little more time to craft its recommendations. Atlanta City Council members voted last meeting on legislation for immediate consideration that extended the original 45-day timeline by two weeks.
The controversial task force was created amid a heated battle over how much authority Atlanta’s inspector general has to conduct investigations. Inspector General Shannon Manigault has consistently accused the city of setting up the task force in an effort to strip away the watchdog office’s power.
But the Dickens administration says the city needs more clear guidelines around how the office pursues misconduct complaints and that, as it stands, the office has unchecked access to employees and city documents.
The task force, chaired by Former Chief Justice Leah Ward Sears, has expressed concern over the tight deadline to hear both sides and review information on national best practices for inspector generals.
As a result, council voted to extend the deadline by 14 days to Nov. 8, giving the group a little more time to hash out issues.
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Credit: Miguel Martinez
Credit: Miguel Martinez
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