Marietta council approves SDS resolution authorizing legal action; OKs talks with Mableton on service contracts

Marietta City Council approved a resolution authorizing special counsel to pursue legal action related to an SDS matter and voted to authorize staff to hold discussions with the City of Mableton about providing SDS-related services, the council said at a May 30 special meeting.

Council members first went into an executive session to discuss pending or potential litigation, then returned to the public meeting and approved both measures. Mr. Goldstein moved to approve the SDS resolution; the motion passed by a 6-0 voice vote. Council subsequently approved a motion authorizing staff to negotiate with Mableton about SDS services and to bring any contracts back to the mayor and council for final approval.

The measures were taken after legal staff briefed the council on the status of recent mediation and potential administrative sanctions. Mr. Haney, a city staff member, said a mediation agreement reached the prior Friday was voted down by one body 4-3 and that, as a result, the parties were facing automatic sanctions under the DCA process. "When the agreement was voted down 4 to 3, that put everybody in sanctions," Haney said. He added that the sanctions would take effect around midnight the following day and last about 30 days, and advised media inquiries be referred to him or to "Andy."

The executive session was convened to discuss the litigation posture and next steps with counsel. After the closed session, the council returned to the public meeting and proceeded with the motions. During debate on the authorization to talk with Mableton, a council member said the discussions were intended to provide interim operational support to a newly incorporated city and to offer expertise or short-term contract services while Mableton builds staff capacity.

No specific contract terms, dollar amounts, or timelines were presented at the meeting. Councilmembers said any contracts that might result from talks with Mableton would return to the mayor and council for final approval.

Council members and staff also discussed coordination with other agencies if the DCA posts sanctions publicly; Haney said the DCA posts compliance status on its website and that other agencies would be notified when sanctions are in place. Representative Wilkerson was mentioned as a possible contact if the city encounters trouble accessing funds while under sanctions.

Actions recorded at the meeting were: a motion to go into executive session to discuss pending or potential litigation (approved), a motion to approve the SDS resolution authorizing special counsel to take legal action (approved, 6-0), and a motion to authorize staff to discuss SDS-related services with the City of Mableton and return any contracts to the mayor and council for final approval (approved).