Gainesville Mayor Sam Cuvillon and the city council unanimously approved a slate of organizational actions at their Jan. 8, 2025 meeting, including an emergency interim successor order, several appointments and the city’s recertification under the Georgia Municipal Association’s City of Ethics program.

The actions set an order of succession for the mayor’s office, reappointed Hammond Law as the city’s administrative hearing officer for a one‑year term, named The Times as the city’s legal organ, recorded a list of ex officio board assignments for council members, approved minutes from December meetings and appointed the mayor as the city’s representative to the Georgia Mountain Regional Commission. Council also approved resolution BR 2025‑02 to pursue the GMA City of Ethics recertification.

The emergency interim successor order lists Mayor Sam Cuvillon, followed by Mayor Pro Tem Zach Thompson, Councilwoman Barbara Brooks, Councilwoman Julie Hayes, Councilwoman Abigail Guzman and Councilman Danny Dunigan as the order of interim succession. Council voted to accept that order without recorded opposition.

Council reappointed Hammond Law to serve a one‑year term as the city’s administrative hearing officer and designated The Times as the city’s legal organ; both motions passed unanimously. The council also approved a slate of ex officio board assignments assigning council members as the city’s liaisons to local boards and authorities (examples recorded by council: Barbara Brooks — Airport Advisory Committee; Julie Hayes — Area Parks Commission; Sam Cuvillon — Economic Development Council and Hall Development Authority; Zach Thompson — Gainesville Redevelopment Authority; Abigail Guzman — Housing Authority; Danny Dunigan — Historic Preservation Commission). The full list was presented to council and accepted by motion.

During the consent agenda the council approved minutes from the Dec. 12, 2024 work session and the Dec. 17, 2024 mayor and council meeting; that motion also passed unanimously.

City Manager Bridal Lackey summarized resolution BR 2025‑02, the Georgia Municipal Association City of Ethics recertification: “This will be, if you choose to approve it, our 3rd recertification since, initially being certified in 2009,” Bridal Lackey said, noting that council members would need to sign the form and that the city would be recognized at the GMA annual convention in Savannah if recertification is approved. Council moved to approve the recertification and voted unanimously in favor.

All of the actions on the agenda were adopted by voice vote with no recorded opposition. Several motions in the transcript were moved and seconded without a recorded individual mover; the meeting record shows each motion passed unanimously.

The council briefly reviewed city manager, city attorney and city clerk reports; no additional actions were taken before adjournment.