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Council approves Aug. 23 retreat after internal disagreement over scheduling; mayor and council members debate process
Summary
The council approved a retreat for Aug. 23 at the Marriott Gateway after debate about how the date was chosen. Some members said the city manager used availability from a majority of councilmembers; others said wider input should have been sought before fixing a date.
The East Point City Council voted on Aug. 4 to hold a council retreat on Saturday, Aug. 23, at the Marriott Gateway from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., after an extended debate about how the date was selected.
Council members debated whether the city manager had appropriately solicited availability and whether a date set by a majority represented sufficient outreach. Council member Mitchell said a majority consensus of available dates is standard practice; other members said they had provided availability to the city manager and expected broader follow-up so more members could attend. Council member Cummings moved to set the date; council approved the motion with the time and location specified, and the city manager said facilitator Heidi Smalls would lead the retreat.
City staff said they solicited availability by email and used the dates that produced the greatest consensus. Several council members said they had submitted availability as requested but others said they had not received or responded to the scheduling requests. The mayor and staff said the retreat is intended to focus on internal protocols, council-staff relations, and team-building rather than campaign activities.
Why it matters: Retreats shape council governance and internal rules about interactions with staff and the public. Council members said the session is intended to clarify engagement protocols, communications and shared expectations; a facilitator has been identified and staff will finalize logistical details.
