Cedartown Commission approves FY2025 budget, TAD resolution, licenses and contracts; DDA grant passes with one abstention

The Cedartown City Commission on Dec. 16 approved a slate of administrative and budgetary items, including the FY2025 budget and schedule of fees, Resolution #12 (a TAD referendum), several alcohol licenses, the city’s 2025 contracts and committee appointments, and a purchase of taser equipment from Axon Enterprise Inc. for $148,732 to be paid in annual installments over five years.

The approvals came by recorded motions and routine votes. Commission Chair Jessica Payton called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m., and multiple motions were recorded as passing with all members voting “Aye” except one: the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) funding request to use $25,000 in ARPA funds for improvements at 20 N Main Street passed with Commissioner Dale Tuck abstaining because of her position on the DDA. The consent agenda—covering multiple alcohol license applications listed on the agenda—was approved by motion of Commissioner Ryan Casey and seconded by Commissioner Dale Tuck.

Key formal outcomes

- RESOLUTION #13, 2024: FY2025 Budget — approved (motion recorded unanimously in the transcript).

- RESOLUTION #14, 2024: FY2025 Schedule of Fees — approved (unanimous in the transcript).

- RESOLUTION #12, 2024: Tax Allocation District (TAD) referendum — approved (unanimous in the transcript).

- DDA ARPA funding request: $25,000 approved for improvements at 20 N Main Street; Commissioner Dale Tuck abstained due to her position on the DDA.

- GFL contract for 2025: approved (motion recorded as passed).

- Taser equipment purchase: Axon Enterprise Inc.; $148,732 to be paid in annual installments over five years; approved by motion of Commissioner Ryan Casey, seconded by Commissioner Matt Foster.

- Consent agenda: multiple alcohol licenses and other routine items approved by motion of Commissioner Ryan Casey.

- Committee appointments: 2025 appointments approved as presented by City Manager Edward Guzman.

Several motions named movers and seconders in the record (for example, Commissioner Tuck moved approval of the agenda; Commissioner Foster seconded). When a motion was entered into the minutes the transcript records the mover and seconder and notes that votes were recorded as “Aye” with no “No” votes in those items.

Why it matters

Approving the FY2025 budget and schedule of fees sets the city’s spending and revenue framework for the coming year. The TAD resolution signals intent to consider a financing tool that could support future redevelopment projects; the transcript records the commission’s vote to place a TAD referendum resolution on record. The DDA award uses ARPA funds for downtown building improvements and passed with a single abstention tied to a commissioner’s conflict. The approved procurement for taser equipment establishes a multi-year payment plan that will affect public safety spending in the forthcoming fiscal years.

What the record does not specify

The transcript records approvals and motions but provides limited detail on the specific terms of some contracts (beyond the Axon purchase amount) and does not list vote tallies by name for every item. The consent agenda lists several alcohol license applicants and addresses on the agenda; the meeting minutes record those approvals as part of the consent vote.

Next steps

Resolutions and contracts approved at this meeting will be reflected in the city’s official minutes and implemented by staff per usual administrative procedures. The commission entered and exited executive session on legal and real estate matters and adjourned at 7:27 p.m.