[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-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",[32,75],{"_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":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6477863,"mediaKeyId","5711147-a05d4f489985303612ad690b9c1af670","parentId",5711147,"title","Fulton County commissioners split on multiple supplemental spending requests; motion-to-file practice shapes outcome","audioSeconds",1599,"startMs",2360000,"endMs",3959000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5711147-a05d4f489985303612ad690b9c1af670&start=2360&end=3959","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5711147-a05d4f489985303612ad690b9c1af670/thumbnail_2360000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6477863/Fulton-County/Georgia/Fulton-County-commissioners-split-on-multiple-supplemental-spending-requests-motion-to-file-practice-shapes-outcome","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6477863-4db02f947d9157dde10a5f65ae7488e6/orig.mp4?Expires=1770845080&Signature=iTVNgeHCCeU3qzvTPWAE1msP~Vnx4S-uk0EeVDVSGFtxwb1sFvnl2anRk5AgWjUbQVv75STCY8xm5mbBMG8j~~QrlwWMhJzfflP1qw5BX-XkkkrlibzDmCfJ4u5y5gPfPP5WnB~rrc~eV9UV2UR6MIQlwJdBMee5tyRryUkOSnYJql7jEb0XNGvGKtwM717qkOLCDnmQKfiOJEBVXhsaqxTQTUTvuJYp6J1YEevUZGyqzynIHsWAeQSRubS12L10vla6F8gqA21bxaCf70k1Tw3y0peejaAkG7lEVutvJIRsVlWkG4yTCbSfLnaDj0ZbzqeCmdDqP0MwqDk0RgB8YQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Fulton County Georgia ","date","2025-09-03T19:06:30.767Z","article","Fulton County commissioners on Wednesday debated and in several cases postponed or rejected supplemental budget requests that would have increased departmental funding for the magistrate court, the county public defender, senior services, community-development items and the arts.

The contested items were introduced as commissioner-sponsored actions (several by Commissioner Moe Ivory) and were the focus of extensive public comment from judges, arts leaders and nonprofit representatives. Commissioners repeatedly invoked a long-standing but uncodified procedure called the \"motion to file,\" which some said is a customary way to remove items from future consideration without recording a formal 'no' vote.

Why it matters: The votes affect service providers and safety‑net operations in Fulton County — including court staffing, public defense and cultural organizations — and expose friction among commissioners over transparency and procedure.

Key contested requests and outcomes (agenda IDs and transcript references):
- 25-0-6-44 — Magistrate Court: request to increase the Magistrate Court budget by $611,939 (sponsored by Commissioner Moe Ivory). Motion to approve was made by Commissioner Marvin Arrington and seconded by Commissioner Moe Ivory; a substitute motion to \"file\" was offered by Vice Chairman Bob Ellis and the motion to file carried (transcript: \"And the vote is open on the motion to file. And the motion passes for yeas, 3 nays.\"). Outcome: filed.
- 25-0-6-45 — Office of the Public Defender, Atlanta Judicial Circuit: request to increase departmental budget by $4,897,313 (sponsored by Commissioner Ivory). Motion to approve was made by Commissioner Arrington and seconded by Commissioner Barrett; a substitute motion to file was offered and adopted (transcript: \"And the vote is open on the motion to file. And the motion passes for yeas, 3 nays.\"). Outcome: filed.
- 25-0-6-46 — Department of Senior Services: request to increase departmental budget by $294,000. Motion to approve failed (transcript: \"And the vote is open on the motion to approve. And the motion fails 3 a's, 3 nay's, 1 abstention.\") A subsequent motion to deny passed (transcript: \"And the vote is open on the motion to deny. And the motion passes for yeas, 3 nays.\"). Outcome: denied.
- 25-0-6-47 — Department of Community Development (veterans funding on agenda): request to increase departmental budget by $1,000,000. Motion to approve failed and a subsequent motion to deny passed (transcript records the motions and the final motion to deny carried). Outcome: denied.
- 25-0-6-48 — Department of Arts and Culture: request to increase the arts contracts-for-service budget by $1,700,000 (sponsored by Commissioner Ivory). Motion to approve failed (transcript: \"Vote is open to approve. And the motion fails, 3 a's, 3 nay's, 1 abstention.\"). Outcome: not approved.

Public comment and advocacy
Magistrate Judge Cassandra Kirk asked the board to fund six essential support positions for the magistrate court, saying the office is understaffed and that daily case processing numbers had dropped. \"We have 3 exhausted staff supporting 26 judges in 9 courtrooms,\" she said in public comment (transcript: comments in support of 25-0-6-44).

Arts organizations mounted sustained appeals to restore the $1.7 million that had been removed earlier in budget deliberations. Christopher Escobar, Patton White of Beacon Dance and Lisa Adler of Horizon Theatre described canceled programs and fragile nonprofit financial positions if county support was not restored. \"The reinstatement of the $1,700,000 would be a true lifeline,\" said Patton White (public comment).

Discussion highlights
Commissioners who opposed immediate approval said they wanted greater transparency and individual conversations before adding money to departments mid-year. Several commissioners criticized the use of the motion-to-file practice, calling it an avoidance of accountability; others defended it as a longstanding practice dating from 1982 that permits the board to manage recurrent agenda flow.

Several commissioners also raised fiscal concerns about a projected large capital need for a county jail and the potential for future tax increases, and said those long-term needs argued for caution before approving supplemental recurring budgets now.

Votes at a glance (selected contested items)
- 25-0-6-44 (Magistrate Court, $611,939): substitute motion to file adopted (transcript reference). Outcome: filed.
- 25-0-6-45 (Public Defender, $4,897,313): substitute motion to file adopted (transcript reference). Outcome: filed.
- 25-0-6-46 (Senior Services, $294,000): motion to approve failed (3 yes, 3 no, 1 abstention); subsequent motion to deny adopted. Outcome: denied.
- 25-0-6-47 (Community Development, $1,000,000): motion to approve failed; subsequent motion to deny adopted. Outcome: denied.
- 25-0-6-48 (Arts and Culture, $1,700,000): motion to approve failed (transcript shows failure). Outcome: not approved.

Other county business
The board approved a handful of noncontroversial operational items earlier in the meeting, including an extension to an ERP consultant contract ($577,190), contract awards for hotel abatement and demolition ($1,467,000), fuel-purchase cooperative using an amount not to exceed $2,331,442, and other public-works and IT items (see minutes for full consent votes). In executive session the board approved a $90,000 contract for a compensation and benefits study to support compliance with the county jail consent decree.

Ending
Commissioners said they would continue to press for clearer, codified rules on use of the \"motion to file\" and urged colleagues to meet before placing sizable spending requests on the agenda. Several department leaders and nonprofit advocates said they will return to the board with more information and continue outreach to commissioners.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Fulton County Board of Commissioners Meeting - September 3, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Fulton County commissioners debated and in several cases postponed or rejected supplemental budget requests for the magistrate court, public defender, senior services, community development and arts after an extended public-comment period and repeated use of a long‑standing \"motion to file.\"","taxTitle","Fulton County, Georgia","taxId",2952,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6477868,"Fulton County delays vote on GOP nominees to elections board, tables decision until appeals court rules",14448,2486000,16934000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5711147-a05d4f489985303612ad690b9c1af670&start=2486&end=16934","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5711147-a05d4f489985303612ad690b9c1af670/thumbnail_2486000.jpg","/articles/6477868/Fulton-County/Georgia/Fulton-County-delays-vote-on-GOP-nominees-to-elections-board-tables-decision-until-appeals-court-rules","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6477868-dccc4c8432a453c22d15a10823fbc67a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770845080&Signature=U-n5xBGLjem5hLb5gvdANexPuc6nLmYTncZKhnvWoqIAkggHrKQUSjvr4j2nkZac5NoNxdW8OY2uUcHWGFu0ZO6DgGMdkuQldEvvo0DiJ6LZTSXup76qAPW9OLgs5unwO~epqUtDeBoHKh0b-G3BtS1N0CxhE7mF3BEl5zLs0-ld1zVXYI0zegJ3QVCT~P0tHN-eMQwEXkeRaNk55KF2nm3cZzEuvq9FhOVAbPxoKAFjz8HEGizdPSWbP1meSjL-kuFO0-2yvuRwhQ6K~f8LT0~8n1S-m4PkQY3h4c44KJueEey1NCXyvvGdPHlmTSaxBpdAl9XqHm-enHxF1~cDRw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Fulton County Board of Commissioners on Wednesday voted to table the appointment of two Fulton County Board of Registrations and Elections nominees — Julie Adams and Jason Fraser — until an appeal in the courts is resolved.

The board voted to table the nominations after more than an hour of public comment and extended debate among commissioners about the legal and financial risks of acting while litigation is pending. Commissioner Bridget Thorne, Vice Chairman Bob Ellis, Commissioner Moe Ivory, Commissioner Marvin Arrington Jr., Commissioner Khadijah Abdul Rahman, Commissioner Dana Barrett and Chairman Rob Pitts took part in the discussion; the motion to table was made by Commissioner Dana Barrett and seconded by Commissioner Khadijah Abdul Rahman. The motion carried (transcript: \"And the vote is open. And the motion passes 5 yeas, 2 nays.\").

The item, listed on the agenda as 25-0-6-49, had drawn repeated public comment over months and two prior votes by the commission. Dozens of speakers during the public-comment period urged commissioners either to refuse the GOP nominees because of alleged ties to groups that push election challenges, or to approve them on the grounds that the county must follow state nomination procedures.

Why it matters: The nominees have been at the center of litigation and public controversy over election administration in Fulton County. Commissioners said acting now could increase the county's legal exposure and cost taxpayers while opponents argued the county should not be barred from performing its appointment duties.

What speakers said
- Josh McLaurin, state legislator, told the board he had \"grave concerns\" about the GOP nominees and urged the commission to reject them, saying the nominees \"have the intention to undermine our elections.\" (public comment)
- Trey Riddle, district chief of staff to Congresswoman Nikema Williams, read the congresswoman's letter stating: \"These nominees handpicked by the Fulton County Republican Party have embraced conspiracy theories about our elections. And that makes them unfit to serve on a board charged with upholding free and fair elections in Fulton County.\" (public comment)
- Rachel Glover, associate director of the ACLU of Georgia's Voter Access Project, said Adams and Fraser \"pose a danger to the rights of hundreds of thousands of voters\" and said their prior work had \"the impact of both undermining elections and disenfranchising voters.\" (public comment)
- Commissioner Moe Ivory argued the nominees are part of a broader, coordinated strategy and urged the board to \"stay the course\" and protect what she described as threats to voting access. \"When someone shows you who they are, believe them,\" Ivory said during deliberations.
- Commissioner Marvin Arrington Jr. framed the dispute as a legal-question also rooted in longstanding appointment practice and said his reading of law and precedent supported the county’s discretion; Arrington urged caution about changing long-standing practice.

Legal and fiscal context
Commissioners and county attorneys described ongoing litigation over prior nominations and a judge's earlier contempt finding and fine in the related case; the transcript records references to a $10,000-per-day contempt assessment that had been subject to further filings and a supersedeas order. Commissioners expressed concern that acting while appeals are pending would add additional legal fees and costs. One commissioner cited an estimate that outside-counsel bills incurred so far had reached roughly $3 million (approximate, from discussion).

Board procedure and next steps
The county attorney told commissioners the subject matter was eligible for executive-session discussion; commissioners first moved the item through public debate and ultimately voted to table the nominations to a date certain — specifically, until the appellate court issues a ruling. The county attorney also confirmed the board had been given written legal updates in advance of the meeting.

Votes at a glance
- Agenda item 25-0-6-49 (appointment of Julie Adams and Jason Fraser to the Board of Registrations and Elections): motion to table until the appellate court rules. Motion made by Commissioner Dana Barrett, seconded by Commissioner Khadijah Abdul Rahman; outcome: tabled (transcript: \"And the vote is open. And the motion passes 5 yeas, 2 nays.\").

Ending
Commissioners said they will revisit the matter after the appeals court issues its decision or if the parties provide a new, uncontested pair of nominees. In public comments and in the board chamber, speakers on both sides urged commissioners to consider transparency, the independence of election administration and the fiscal impact of prolonged litigation as the dispute plays out.

","The Fulton County Board of Commissioners on Wednesday voted to table the appointment of two Fulton County Board of Registrations and Elections nominees — Julie Adams and Jason Fraser — until an appeal in the courts is resolved.","actionData","errors"]

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Fulton County commissioners split on multiple supplemental spending requests; motion-to-file practice shapes outcome

Fulton County delays vote on GOP nominees to elections board, tables decision until appeals court rules