Conyers council adopts open-records ordinance, tighter underage alcohol and vape rules; renews police mental-health co‑responder agreement

CONYERS, Ga. — The Conyers City Council on April 16 adopted several ordinances and agreements intended to clarify records access, tighten enforcement on underage alcohol and vaping, and continue a police mental‑health co‑responder program.

The council voted to adopt Ordinance 14‑21, formally establishing the city’s open‑records rules and designating the city clerk and the police department records custodian as custodians of records. “It mainly tracks the Georgia state law,” city staff member Carrie said as she described the measure, adding that the ordinance codifies the city’s existing online procedures and designates where requests should be routed.

The council also approved Ordinance 14‑22, authorizing Rockdale County to conduct the City of Conyers’ 2025 municipal election, a recurring administrative step that the city typically updates biennially.

On public-safety regulations, council members approved three ordinances tightening penalties and enforcement for underage possession and purchase of alcohol and vaping products. Ordinance 14‑26 makes sale of alcoholic beverages to anyone under 21 a grounds for revoking a city alcohol license. Ordinance 14‑27 classifies consumption or possession of alcohol by persons under 21 as a city ordinance violation eligible for municipal citations rather than criminal misdemeanor charges, keeping enforcement inside municipal court. Ordinance 14‑34 places the sale of tobacco and vaping products to those under 21 under the city’s alcohol‑license enforcement regime, allowing license revocation when an employee of an alcohol licensee sells these products to a minor; staff noted state law limits what the city can adopt for vaping products compared with alcohol.

Councilmembers said the package was intended to clarify enforcement and make it easier for residents to find the correct records custodian. When the council called the votes, members answered “aye” and the motions carried; one earlier procedural vote to approve minutes included an abstention from a member who said they had not attended the referenced meeting. Where the transcript does not record roll‑call tallies, the council used voice votes and declared the motions carried.

The council also renewed a service agreement with Viewpoint Health to continue assigning two qualified mental‑health professionals to the Conyers Police Department, continuing a co‑responder model the city first adopted more than four years ago. “These are the boots on the ground. These are our experts,” Kim Lucas told the council, introducing the clinicians Amber and Malia in the audience. Lucas said the city added a second clinician in 2022 and the two clinicians are embedded with the police department; the council approved the renewal by voice vote.

City Manager Cameron presented and the council approved a memorandum of understanding with Rockdale County to use the Georgia International Horse Park as a point of distribution for disasters and emergencies. Cameron noted the location previously served as a drive‑through COVID testing site and said the MOU makes that arrangement official for future emergency operations.

The council also approved the appointment of Ludmila Mansvik to the Conyers Housing Authority as a resident member (term to 09/11/2025) and accepted routine committee and event updates from staff, including a ribbon cutting for a new disc‑golf course at Bald Rock Meadows, reports on recent retirements, and festival attendance estimates.

Before adjourning for an executive session on real‑estate litigation with the city attorney and chief operating officer, the council recognized community service with a proclamation for Augustus Lett Sr. and thanked volunteer group Changing Your Life Inc. for removing about 150 pounds of litter through an adopt‑a‑street effort.

Votes at a glance - Approval of minutes (March 19 meeting): carried; one member abstained (absentee from prior meeting). - Ordinance 14‑21 (Open Records; implements OCGA 50‑18‑70; designates records custodians): approved; second reading waived. - Ordinance 14‑22 (Authorize Rockdale County to conduct 2025 municipal election): approved; second reading waived. - Ordinance 14‑26 (Sale of alcohol to persons under 21 — license revocation permitted): approved; second reading waived. - Ordinance 14‑27 (Consumption/possession of alcohol by under‑21s — municipal citations): approved; second reading waived. - Ordinance 14‑34 (Sale of tobacco/vape products to under‑21s — license enforcement): approved; second reading waived. - Service agreement with Viewpoint Health (two clinicians for police co‑responder program): approved. - MOU with Rockdale County for Georgia International Horse Park as point of distribution: approved. - Appointment of Ludmila Mansvik to Conyers Housing Authority (resident member; term to 09/11/2025): approved.

The council held these votes by voice; formal roll‑call counts were not recorded in the meeting transcript for most items.