Council debate grows over proposal to realign cultural affairs and housing functions

Councilwoman Heming reopened a discussion on May 4 about creating two divisions — Cultural Affairs & Public Art and Housing Stabilization — that would centralize cultural programming, blight remediation and coordinated housing supports.

City Manager Redmond Jones told the council some positions previously funded through ARPA would be transitioned into other departments as the city plans a balanced proposed budget. He said one housing manager position would be absorbed into Economic Development and social‑work‑style community resource positions would be reassigned to the police department to support noncriminal, mental‑health related calls.

The city attorney cautioned that any program using public funds to assist private individuals must satisfy Georgia constitutional limits on gratuitous transfers and be narrowly tailored with objective eligibility criteria and a demonstrated public purpose. "You can use city expenditures to serve a valid public purpose," the attorney said, citing Georgia Constitution Article IX, and added that assistance cannot be race‑, gender‑ or age‑based without legal risk.

Several councilmembers, including Dr. Martin Rogers and Councilwoman Cummings, said the manager’s personnel realignments appeared to dismantle the Office of Equity, Inclusion and Empowerment without clear council directive or written scope. Dr. Martin Rogers said the office had served more than 1,000 residents with housing, utility assistance and workforce services and urged that changes be made publicly rather than in one‑on‑one meetings.

Heming said her proposal was intended to tie together existing functions into clearer divisions and asked the city attorney to draft an ordinance for council consideration; she later withdrew that motion to allow more time for budget details and staff follow‑up. Several councilmembers asked for side‑by‑side comparisons showing what functions move and how those changes appear in the proposed budget before acting.

Councilmembers repeatedly said they want clearer measurable outcomes, staffing lists, and funding sources before creating new departments. The discussion ended with a commitment to continue the policy and budget conversations in upcoming work sessions.