[{"_1":2,"_86":-5,"_87":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},"mediaId",6372552,"mediaKeyId","2147536-510523b5b93931378a5a7ea6faac5f0c","parentId",2147536,"title","Council holds charter amendment altering Office of Inspector General governance after sustained public comment","audioSeconds",8382,"startMs",2715000,"endMs",11097000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2147536-510523b5b93931378a5a7ea6faac5f0c&start=2715&end=11097","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2147536-510523b5b93931378a5a7ea6faac5f0c/thumbnail_2715000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6372552/Atlanta/Fulton-County/Georgia/Council-holds-charter-amendment-altering-Office-of-Inspector-General-governance-after-sustained-public-comment","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6372552-ab64ae189d86e501a04837f1fb6a9504/orig.mp4?Expires=1775522871&Signature=XWjqM500wvHkbLPe5cT21B3NmOuqTdjZYDBGtaIYQRyYb-RdivW8PyMrBCUzJc8ZXRcdzG3tv~S3xLY6eiwplhWlIRJCrwzcPcBsS06X1QkyobjOtUohDjVSd8tq87IpJ5VlG38J9Uw877yuHZiGJg~10sIkRD4SCwIe7tNjh5cbRuVor2eI7tO8l80bNx45-Q28NeQk7tWqzjBT6RF~VfwJmpZoE9ojbMgAQTGumYj8DnHytKC0xEtY5d27qyr9va4qJIrAAWXcqyX5y9IXCMF65o8htnzqDD8jGUU1SneBj4w2Y9V~AhZeR-ZdqGpLgAuGnlchPzarPvpzuQzwLA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-01-23T22:29:34Z","article","The Atlanta City Council voted to hold proposed charter amendments that would change the authority and governance of the city’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) and ethics office after extensive public comment and committee discussion.

The ordinance in question, referred to in meeting materials as 25-O-1009, would create separate governing boards for the OIG and the ethics office and revise authorities and appointment processes. Supporters of the current OIG governance and outside experts told council the draft contains provisions that would meaningfully reduce investigative authority, constrain evidence access, and reduce community representation on oversight boards.

Devin Franklin, senior movement policy counsel at the Southern Center for Human Rights, described multiple problematic draft provisions. He said the proposed language narrowing investigative authority — which would prohibit the OIG from conducting criminal investigations — and a revised records-access clause that would require voluntary surrender of city property before subpoenaing it would “unnecessarily complicate, convolute, and delay meaningful investigation into actions of potential harm to the city.” Franklin warned the language was ambiguous and could “kneecap” the OIG’s ability to pursue waste, fraud and corruption.

Board members and oversight experts also objected to governance changes. Andrew Cohen, who identified himself as a member of the OIG governing board and director of research for the Gene B. Blumenfeld Center for Ethics at Georgia State University, said versions he had seen appeared to allow the mayor’s office to appoint representatives to boards whose role is to oversee the OIG. “To me, without fully appreciating what's going on, that just looks like self dealing,” Cohen said. Nicola Hines, chair of the governing board, said proposed removal of seats nominated by the League of Women Voters and seven universities would “jeopardize the trust and balance that has been foundational to our oversight role.”

Union and city employee speakers expressed mixed views. Gina Pagnotta, a union leader representing city employees, said some employees welcomed OIG investigations that brought attention to mismanagement; other speakers said OIG practices had sometimes been mishandled and urged clearer protections, including representation rights for employees during OIG interactions.

Committee action and council votes: the ordinance was forwarded from the finance and executive committee without a recommendation, and the council took several procedural votes during the meeting. Councilmember Liliana Bakhtiari asked to have her sponsorship removed from the ordinance; that amendment was accepted by unanimous consent. A motion to hold the ordinance — to pause final action and schedule a work session for further review — passed on a recorded vote of 13 yays, 0 nays. Council leaders said they expect a work session to be scheduled within roughly 7–10 business days to allow focused discussion with the law department, OIG and ethics office staff.

Speakers urged clarity on specific contested clauses before the council acts. Key issues flagged included: whether the OIG may pursue criminal investigations; whether the OIG’s access to city-owned property and records should be subject to a voluntary-surrender requirement before subpoenas; how compelled-statement language would affect future prosecution; and whether the composition and appointment process for oversight boards should be changed by charter amendment. Several public speakers volunteered to meet with council staff and taskforce members to refine draft language.

Council leadership said the hold is intended to allow targeted work sessions and to resolve differences identified by staff, board members and outside experts. No final vote to adopt the charter amendment occurred at the meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","#Atlanta City Council Regular Session January 23, 2025 #atlpol","oneSentenceSummary","The Atlanta City Council voted to hold proposed charter amendments affecting the Office of Inspector General after experts, board members and union representatives raised concerns about changes to investigative authority and board composition.","taxTitle","Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia","taxId",2959,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6372556,"Public outcry after Cornelius Taylor killed during encampment clearing; speakers urge moratorium on sweeps and 'housing first'",4879,1697000,6576000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2147536-510523b5b93931378a5a7ea6faac5f0c&start=1697&end=6576","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2147536-510523b5b93931378a5a7ea6faac5f0c/thumbnail_1697000.jpg","/articles/6372556/Atlanta/Fulton-County/Georgia/Public-outcry-after-Cornelius-Taylor-killed-during-encampment-clearing-speakers-urge-moratorium-on-sweeps-and-housing-first","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6372556-1d1e23db348366323ac8ad2559a37c46/orig.mp4?Expires=1775522871&Signature=PESWtAwFfitDYw~KOluav90ShtBBLoHq94T4-74wBu852nv~Wtd9sddC-0hRdo6WXJcnxEV7PzRoM8u39o8SuwYpZIlcq37neoQmmb1KMLSrmmmTj-OE5VwX-FTXaDNXlc8DPxRIWcN8UOxW1PmFHTsJlEYc9e3muKgkrjnHHK3lKhVuG6crwjxpS623gb2yhNJJibhOGjuLcIh3cHJLZlHeU1JyfKfMdNhk7NHREgW8OoLEcrVDAfg43xY6qAuOjlQUhJBOMqLRyisDg9GGtgpY86dEz2HjsS5aP6dhl~eEw6t1DvsgdxwMsNrAoqEIgAVjzVIvJHP9gDmpJg~iOw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At a City of Atlanta council meeting, family members and dozens of public commenters demanded action after Cornelius Taylor, an unhoused man, was crushed by a city sweeper during an encampment clearing. Speakers called for an immediate moratorium on encampment sweeps and pushed the council to accelerate housing-first options and clarify spending by the Continuum of Care.

The death drew sustained public comment and direct appeals to council members and the mayor. Councilmember Liliana Bakhtiari said the council would press the Continuum of Care for a public briefing and said she had a paper calling for “a moratorium on all sweeps until we understand.” Bakhtiari cited federal and local funding figures during her remarks, saying, “The 2024 HUD award gave them $14,500,000. They were awarded an additional $4,600,000 by the mayor. And with construction included, that's $24,000,000. Where is the money going?”

Family members described Taylor as treasured and pleaded for policy change. Darlene Chaney, who identified herself as Taylor’s sister, recalled first learning of his death from a voicemail and said the message simply told her, “your brother’s dead.” She urged council members to treat him as a person, not a statistic.

Residents and advocates pressed the council for concrete steps. Jonathan Holly, who said he lived near the site, urged the city to prioritize “Housing First,” pointing to other cities’ results and suggesting a vacant lot next to the site — formerly Wheat Street Garden Apartments land — as one immediate location for housing. Kat Leatherwood, who works with neighbors assisting people experiencing homelessness, summarized a common demand: “Less sweeps, more housing.”

Speakers also faulted the administration’s outreach and shelter policies. Several commenters said warming centers and shelter access are inadequate or low-barrier options are unavailable; others called for the city to retain and pay outreach case managers living wages so they can maintain relationships that move people into housing.

Council procedure briefly shifted to allow a former council member to speak on the matter. The council voted to move into a committee of the whole to hear former Councilmember Derek Bozeman; that motion passed on a recorded vote of 11 yays, 0 nays. Bozeman urged the council to reexamine encampment-closure policy and argued unelected entities should not set policy for homeless response.

The meeting produced no immediate policy vote to halt sweeps. Several council members said a moratorium request and a fuller briefing from the Continuum of Care would be scheduled. Multiple speakers asked the council to produce a rapid timeline and to meet directly with Taylor’s family.

The public comments concluded with repeated requests that the city treat unsheltered people with dignity and accelerate housing investments rather than clearing encampments as a primary response.","Family members, unhoused advocates and city residents addressed the Atlanta City Council after Cornelius Taylor, an unhoused man, was killed when a city vehicle ran over him during an encampment clearing. Speakers demanded a moratorium on sweeps, immediate housing-first investments and transparency about Continuum of Care spending.","actionData","errors"]

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Council holds charter amendment altering Office of Inspector General governance after sustained public comment

Public outcry after Cornelius Taylor killed during encampment clearing; speakers urge moratorium on sweeps and 'housing first'