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Commission adopts resolution seeking restoration of Chatham Area Transit Authority board membership altered by state law
Summary
The Chatham County Commission passed a resolution directing that the local act be amended to restore the Chatham Area Transit Authority board membership to the structure that existed before House Bill 756 (2025); commissioners debated tabling the resolution but ultimately voted to adopt it.
The Chatham County Commission voted to adopt a resolution asking that the county’s local act governing the Chatham Area Transit Authority (CAT) be amended to restore the board membership to the law that existed before the 2025 General Assembly session action reflected in House Bill 756.
Commissioners said the state’s change to the local law had the practical effect of vacating CAT’s board and that, in their view, the change conflicted with the Transit Authority Act, OCGA 32-9-9. Commissioner Dean Kicklighter urged that the county’s local delegation may not have appreciated the consequences of the state action: “it’s definitely my understanding and my personal belief that the majority of our local delegation really didn't realize the impact of what was gonna take place with the passage of this…,” he said on the record.
Some commissioners said they were hesitant to act immediately, asking that negotiations and discussions continue before formal steps. Commissioner Patrick K. Farrell said he preferred tabling the resolution to pursue negotiations and look for common ground, explaining his concern that the resolution "adds a lot more confusion to what's going on with the CAT board. I'd prefer that we table it and have negotiation with whoever we need to negotiate with to see if there's some common ground here." Despite those calls, the motion was moved, seconded and carried.
County staff told the commission the resolution does not affect CAT operations directly. A commissioner asked, "Does this action prevent us from entering into discussion with No. Parties in the federal government?" and staff answered that it "doesn't prevent us from doing anything." Commissioners who supported the resolution framed it as a step toward accountability and restoring the pre-2025 governance structure.
The commission read a first reading of a related ordinance amendment to Chapter 13, Article 2, Section 206 (Chatham Area Transit Authority membership) into the record and scheduled a second reading at the next meeting.
Next steps recorded in the meeting: staff and the county attorney will circulate the final resolution text and follow up with the county’s legislative delegation as part of the implementation process.
