South Fulton council tables proposal to allow alcohol at council-or-mayor park events amid safety, liability concerns

City Council members on Tuesday tabled a walk‑on proposal to allow alcohol at certain mayoral or council events in city parks after multihour discussion about safety, liability and enforcement.

The discussion began as Tannar Turner, director of the Department of Parks and Recreation, told the council, “It's a safe space for kids to go to.” Turner said the department has worked to make recreation centers “a safe, nurturing environment” and that allowing alcohol in parks would threaten that work.

“The number one liability to me again is the kids,” Turner said. “The kids saying that, oh, you know, they were drinking in the recreation center.” She said the city’s recreation programs include after‑school and summer camps where children are present, and that staff oppose introducing alcohol into those spaces.

Chief Keith Meadows of the South Fulton Police Department urged caution. “It’s kinda counterintuitive when we talk to [young people] about drugs and alcohol, and then we see our park rangers engaging with people that might be partaking inside of our city parks,” he said. Meadows said any change would require additional police staffing and new operational rules.

City Attorney Sarah Kelly outlined a narrower option she and staff drafted as a “walk‑on” solution that would restrict alcohol to mayoral or council‑hosted events, limit servers to a small roster of certified vendors, require additional insurance and training for vendors and city staff, and change the security personnel matrix for affected events. She also cautioned about the financial exposure: describing another jurisdiction she said, “there was a situation out of Broward County where someone was drinking before they came to a city event. They had 1 drink. They left the event, got into a wreck. There were 2 fatalities, and that was a $30,000,000 settlement.”

Council members were divided on whether the city should permit alcohol even in narrowly defined events. Councilwoman Keosha B. Bell, who hosts a residents‑only jazz event, asked council to allow one glass of wine for ticketed, 21+ events and proposed ID checks, small containers and waivers for attendees. Councilman J.C. Sebastian and others repeatedly said they were uncomfortable with any expansion of alcohol in parks and asked for stronger vendor oversight, higher insurance minimums and absolute guarantees that no children would be present in or near event spaces.

After extended debate, Councilwoman Helen Z. Willis moved — and Councilman Sebastian seconded — to pause action and bring back a comprehensive paper that incorporates council feedback. The motion to table passed 5–2. Council later considered a separate, last‑minute motion to authorize wine service at Councilwoman Bell’s specific Saturday event; that motion “failed to receive 4 affirmative votes,” the clerk announced.

City staff and the city attorney said a path exists for council to authorize alcohol at specific events, if the council chooses: vendors must produce certificates of insurance, servers must be certified to cut off intoxicated patrons, additional police resources would be required, and no city funds may be used to purchase alcoholic beverages. Attorney Kelly called the draft walk‑on “the best way” to proceed if council moves forward but said the resolution represents the “bare minimum” on insurance and training she would recommend.

Council members said they want clearer language on insurance limits, whether private vendors can be required to provide higher coverage, how the city will limit youth exposure and how police staffing will be adjusted. Council directed staff and the city attorney to rework the draft and return with a single, consolidated proposal that incorporates the council’s conditions.

What’s next: The council will consider a revised resolution at a future meeting after staff and the attorney fold in council feedback. Council members said they also want a clear, case‑by‑case special‑use permit process for any request to serve alcohol at a city‑sponsored or council‑sponsored park event.