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At a glance: Mableton council votes and appointments Jan. 7, 2025
Summary
The Mableton City Council took several administrative and procedural actions Jan. 7, including electing a mayor pro tem, appointing a sustainability director, approving a pay-plan update and authorizing contract negotiations for AV equipment. The council also approved a temporary waiver of business-license fines and fees through March 1.
Mableton — At its Jan. 7 meeting the Mableton City Council approved a series of routine and personnel items. Highlights: the council elected a mayor pro tem for 2025, appointed the city’s inaugural director of sustainability, beautification and waste, approved an update to the city’s classification and pay plan, authorized negotiations for an audiovisual installation at 1245 Veterans Memorial Highway and adopted a resolution allowing the mayor to waive specified business-license fines and fees through March 1, 2025.
Why it matters: Together these votes staff key positions and administrative policies that the newly formed city needs to operate, while the business-license fee waiver is intended to ease the transition for local businesses moving from county to city permitting and licensing systems.
Votes and actions (summary)
- Election of mayor pro tem: Councilwoman Keisha Jefcoat was elected mayor pro tem for 2025. The council received nominations for Jefcoat and Councilmember T.J. Ferguson; Councilmember Ron Davis withdrew his nomination. The mayor pro tem vote concluded when the council recorded four affirmative votes for Jefcoat, giving her the majority required. (Outcome: approved.)
- Appointment: Sustainability, Beautification and Waste Director — The council appointed Emily Groth as the city’s inaugural director for sustainability, beautification and waste. The mayor formally nominated Groth and the council approved the appointment with no opposition. Groth thanked the council and said she looks forward to focusing on reliable, affordable and sustainable waste management.
- Classification and pay plan update: The council adopted a resolution updating the city of Mableton’s classification and pay plan to add positions and reclassify roles (examples discussed included chief of staff, program manager for economic development, and an administrative supervisor to manage administrative staff across offices). The resolution passed with one recorded nay. (Outcome: approved; vote tally yes:6, no:1.)
- Authorization to negotiate AV agreement: The council authorized the mayor to negotiate an agreement in substantial form with Interface Systems, LLC, for audiovisual installation at 1245 Veterans Memorial Highway (the motion directs staff to secure a design prior to final contract approval). There was no opposition recorded to the authorization to enter negotiations. (Outcome: approved.)
- Waiver of fines and fees for business licenses: The council approved a resolution authorizing the mayor to waive business-license fines and late fees through March 1, 2025, to ease the business transition to city licensing. Staff explained the waiver has already coincided with an increase in licenses and revenue; council approved the resolution with no opposition. (Outcome: approved.)
- Consent agenda (minutes): The council approved the consent agenda (minutes for Dec. 9 work session and Dec. 11 regular and work session minutes) with no opposition.
Meeting procedure notes: Several motions were made from the council and seconded; when votes were taken the chair announced the outcomes on the record. For items where tallies were not read as individual named votes, the meeting minutes record the tally or whether opposition existed.
Ending: Council members said the personnel additions and administrative actions provide needed capacity as the city grows. The mayor and staff emphasized additional work on the solid‑waste ordinance would follow after public hearing input.
