Mayor and Council Open Forum
Mayor and Council Open Forum
-
Sep 29, 2025 at 07:00 PM
Meeting Information
A public forum where residents address the Mayor and Council on various community matters, including property development, traffic safety, historic preservation projects, public safety operations, affordable housing initiatives, and the city's financial accountability for bond referendums.
Meeting Summary
Esteemed Veteran Recognition
-
•
Richard Hennigan, a United States Army E-4 Specialist who served two combat tours in Vietnam, was honored as an esteemed veteran of Roswell for his military service and continued volunteerism in the community. [Video 00:07:59]
-
•
Hennigan requested donations for the Veterans Fly Fishing organization and support for the Roswell Rotary Honors Air program, which is experiencing financial difficulties. [Video 00:16:33]
Bowen Road & Highway 92 Property Development
-
•
Residents expressed surprise and concern over the proposed commercial development at Bowen Road and Highway 92, questioning changes since a previous development attempt and the impact on traffic flow and park land. [Video 00:22:59] [Video 00:57:34] [Video 01:15:40]
-
•
City staff clarified that the property is zoned Parkway Village (commercial), 2.5 acres are reserved for a fire station, and the $500,000 profit from the sale would return to the general fund. Traffic impact studies will be conducted as part of the due diligence. [Video 00:25:27] [Video 00:59:38] [Video 01:01:16]
City Initiatives & Traffic Safety
-
•
A resident criticized the lack of recognition for Hispanic Heritage Month and proposed designating all two-lane roads in Roswell as 20 mph to improve traffic safety, citing issues on Norcross Street. [Video 00:29:09] [Video 00:31:31]
-
•
City staff explained that the 'Slow Down Roswell' initiative is taking a phased approach, with phase two addressing roads like Norcross Street, and that speed limit changes require Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) approval. [Video 00:33:00] [Video 00:34:00]
-
•
Concerns were raised about faded road markings and missing signs at junctions, to which staff responded that intersection ahead signs are not required to reduce clutter, but maintenance issues can be reported. [Video 01:10:00] [Video 01:14:06]
Mimosa Hall Project: Historic Preservation & Public Engagement
-
•
Residents alleged 'misinformation' and 'lies' regarding the Mimosa Hall project, specifically concerning the State Historic Preservation Organization's (SHPO) involvement, expired tree permits, lack of Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) consultation, and insufficient stakeholder engagement. [Video 01:26:12] [Video 01:27:03] [Video 01:27:46]
-
•
City staff and council members clarified that SHPO had no jurisdiction due to ARPA funding not triggering federal review, the city's Unified Development Code (UDC) was followed, and HPC was given materials for comment, not approval, as per city code. [Video 01:33:34] [Video 01:40:30] [Video 02:39:51]
-
•
Council members acknowledged poor communication regarding the project's long planning process and the impact of tree removal, but defended the project as a necessary investment to make historic assets relevant and financially sustainable, aiming for net-zero taxpayer subsidy by 2029. [Video 01:56:51] [Video 02:44:12] [Video 02:48:00]
Public Safety: Fire Department Operations & Equipment
-
•
A resident raised concerns about the city's heavy rescue vehicle sitting idle despite a consultant's recommendation, citing potential risks to firefighters and citizens, and questioning the city's public safety priorities. [Video 02:16:09] [Video 02:19:22]
-
•
Fire Chief Pavel Trosh and Deputy Chief Joe Womack detailed significant improvements in Fire Department staffing (from 64 to 79 members), equipment (new engines, ladder truck, Quake technology), and reduced response times, emphasizing the 5-year strategic plan to transition to a fully staffed, full-time department as the highest public safety priority. [Video 02:21:44] [Video 02:25:36] [Video 02:28:25]
Affordable Housing & Roswell Housing Authority Redevelopment
-
•
A resident shared a personal story about housing instability and encouraged participation in a book club discussing homelessness, while thanking the council for the Pelfrey Pines redevelopment. [Video 03:07:13] [Video 03:11:51]
-
•
Council members highlighted the city's aggressive approach to affordable housing, including the redevelopment of 199 Grove Way (Pelfrey Pines) and The Quad, increasing units from 40 to 102, with a $2 million city commitment to be repaid through CDBG funds. [Video 03:12:41] [Video 03:19:27]
-
•
Council members emphasized Roswell's role as an affordable housing solution for North Fulton, noting efforts to address the unhoused population despite being overlooked for county resources. [Video 03:14:16] [Video 03:23:05]
Bond Referendum Spending & Financial Accountability
-
•
A resident questioned the expenditure of $107.6 million for parks, $52 million for public safety, and $20 million for a parking deck from the bond referendum, stating the online dashboard was unclear and requesting a comprehensive overview of funds spent and committed. [Video 03:26:00] [Video 03:26:47]
-
•
City staff and the CFO explained that the bond dashboard tracks projects by 'tranches' and 'percentage complete' is measured by time-based input (design, planning) rather than just dollars spent, adhering to generally accepted accounting principles. [Video 03:31:33] [Video 03:35:09]
-
•
The Mayor requested staff to provide a clearer, aggregated presentation of all bond projects and their financial status at an upcoming budget workshop to address public questions. [Video 03:37:14] [Video 03:40:40]
Generated by agent_v2
on Oct 08, 2025
Attached Documents (4)
Delete Meeting
Are you sure you want to delete this meeting? This action cannot be undone. Documents will remain in the system but will no longer be associated with this meeting.
Connect Document
Loading documents...