Statham City Council tables rezoning, approves Vintage Billiards license and road dedication, then meets in executive session

STATHAM, Ga. — The Statham City Council on Sept. 16 amended its agenda to add two closed-session items, tabled a rezoning request and approved two routine items before taking the meeting behind closed doors to discuss real estate and pending litigation.

Mayor Debi Krause called the meeting to order at 6:31 p.m. at the Statham Community Center. Councilmember Patterson offered the invocation and the council recited the Pledge of Allegiance. Present were Mayor Debi Krause and Councilmembers Terilli, Bogenrieder, Patterson and Burnette; Councilmember Penn attended by phone. City Clerk Nicole Sapp and police department personnel were also listed as present; City Administrator Cheryl Venable was absent.

Early on, Councilmember Patterson moved to amend the agenda to add two executive-session items: V.1 to discuss an option to purchase or lease real estate subject to a subsequent public vote under O.C.G.A. § 50-14-3(b)(1)(E), and V.2 to consult with legal counsel on pending or potential litigation under attorney-client privilege. Councilmember Burnette seconded the motion, which passed 5-0 (Terilli, Bogenrieder, Patterson, Penn and Burnette).

On voting items, the council approved the minutes from Sept. 2 and Sept. 5 by unanimous vote. Councilmember Patterson then moved to table Rezoning Application R-25-01 to the council’s Oct. 7, 2025 meeting; Councilmember Terilli seconded and the motion passed 5-0.

The council voted to approve a new business license for Vintage Billiards, owned by Naushad Vadsariya; Councilmember Terilli made the motion, Councilmember Bogenrieder seconded and the item passed 5-0. The council also approved the dedication of roads for the Statham Place development after a motion by Councilmember Patterson and second by Councilmember Burnette; that motion likewise passed 5-0.

At 6:36 p.m., Councilmember Patterson moved to enter an executive session to discuss the two added items, and Councilmember Terilli seconded. The motion passed 5-0, and the public portion of the meeting temporarily closed. Councilmember Penn left before the council entered the executive-session room.

The council returned to open session at 6:54 p.m.; Councilmember Bogenrieder moved to exit executive session and Councilmember Patterson seconded. The motion passed 4-0 (Penn had left). City Attorney Jody Campbell stated, “All discussions held during the Executive Session are protected as Attorney/Client Privilege and no votes were conducted during the session.”

Following the closed session, the council adopted a written resolution ratifying that the closed-session discussions were within the statutory exceptions and authorized the mayor to execute the required affidavit for inclusion in the official minutes, as provided by O.C.G.A. § 50-14-4(b). The notarized executive-session affidavit, sworn by Debi Krause as presiding officer, lists the real-estate option exception and the attorney-client litigation consultation exception as the bases for closing the relevant portions of the meeting.

Councilmember Terilli moved to adjourn; Councilmember Bogenrieder seconded and the meeting adjourned at 6:54 p.m.

Votes at a glance • Agenda amendment to add executive-session items — motion by Councilmember Patterson; seconded by Councilmember Burnette; vote: Terilli, Bogenrieder, Patterson, Penn, Burnette — 5-0 — approved. • Minutes (Sept. 2 and Sept. 5) — motion by Councilmember Bogenrieder; seconded by Councilmember Terilli; vote 5-0 — approved. • Rezoning Application R-25-01 — motion to table by Councilmember Patterson; seconded by Councilmember Terilli; vote 5-0 — tabled to Oct. 7, 2025. • New business license, Vintage Billiards (Naushad Vadsariya) — motion by Councilmember Terilli; seconded by Councilmember Bogenrieder; vote 5-0 — approved. • Dedication of roads, Statham Place — motion by Councilmember Patterson; seconded by Councilmember Burnette; vote 5-0 — approved. • Enter executive session — motion by Councilmember Patterson; seconded by Councilmember Terilli; vote 5-0 — entered executive session at 6:36 p.m. • Exit executive session — motion by Councilmember Bogenrieder; seconded by Councilmember Patterson; vote 4-0 — exited executive session at 6:54 p.m.

What happens next The rezoning application R-25-01 is scheduled to appear on the Oct. 7, 2025 council agenda. The council authorized the mayor to file the sworn executive-session affidavit and the adopted resolution with the official minutes to document the statutory basis for the closed session.