South Fulton mayor and city manager cite growth, land purchases and public-safety investments; mayor proposes moratorium on asset forfeiture

At a city anniversary event, City Manager Sharon Soubaden and Mayor Kobe detailed what they called several years of fiscal growth, property acquisitions and public‑safety investments while announcing administrative programs and urging the city council to consider a moratorium on the local use of asset forfeiture.

Soubaden said the city has moved from having no interest‑bearing investments in 2023 to holdings that have generated $14,500,000 in interest. She told the audience the city has acquired hundreds of acres for future municipal use and that recent land transfers and purchases—reported as 231 acres acquired plus a 93‑acre transfer from Fulton County—totaled 424 acres at a cost of $15,500,000, with negotiations under way for another 250 acres.

Those investments, she said, were made “without incurring any debt,” and the city is renovating and expanding facilities from fire stations to cultural centers. Soubaden credited tightened fiscal controls and growing staff capacity for a lower turnover rate and increased program delivery.

Why it matters: the city reported large increases in staffing, revenues and capital control that will shape service delivery and siting of…