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Residents at Brookhaven meeting decry lack of notice, say City Hall move appears predecided
Summary
Residents told the Brookhaven board they believe a decision to move City Hall to the former funeral home was effectively made without adequate public notice, urged more town-hall style meetings and said canceled sessions and newspaper notices left citizens confused.
Residents and faith leaders told the Brookhaven Board of Aldermen that public outreach on a proposed move of City Hall to the former funeral home has been insufficient and, in some cases, misleading.
Several speakers during the public-comment period said paperwork and news reports suggested a final decision already exists. "It felt kind of offensive to have a meeting to talk about something that was pretty much, the decision was already made," said Ron Holmes, a resident who raised concerns about registry paperwork dated June 2023.
Why it matters: The remarks frame a broader complaint about transparency and notice. Speakers said canceled town-hall meetings and reports in the local paper left many residents unaware of proposals affecting neighborhoods, redistricting and the courthouse — topics they said merited fuller public explanations.
At the meeting: Stacy Wilcher (introduced by the chair) told the board she had collected complaints from Ward 1 residents about late or canceled meetings and said some people learned of proposals only through newspaper notices. "All the lies took place when it come written up in the paper," Wilcher said, accusing officials of hiding details and of poor communication about meeting schedules and substantive proposals.
Pastor Philip Sterling urged a different format for discussion, asking city leaders to convene a community meeting "not talk government, not not not go through Robert's Rules" but an open session where every side could be heard. "At least we can come to a consensus," he said, adding that Brookhaven is growing and that changes to facilities should be carefully explained.
Board response and next steps: Officials acknowledged the community concerns and said follow-up meetings had been planned; the mayor noted earlier discussions on June 21 and a scheduled follow-up. Late in the meeting the mayor asked for a motion to go into executive session, signaling the board still had business to complete.
The board did not adopt a final public decision on the City Hall move during the portion of the transcript covering public comment; speakers asked for clearer notice and more inclusive forums before action is taken.
