Atlanta City Council: Publish petitions calling for public safety training center ballot referendum

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - On Monday, the Atlanta City Council approved a resolution to instruct the city clerk to scan and publish all petitions gathered as part of an effort for Atlanta voters to decide the fate of the future public safety training center.

Councilmember Liliana Bakhtiari introduced the resolution in the final minutes of Monday’s Council meeting.

After referring to the city attorneys, the resolution was passed unanimously by the council.

“It’s a small step. But it’s a step towards moving the count forward, or at least making it public,” Bakhtiari said.

“We’re encouraged by these steps, and we call on the entire Council to support legislation to put Cop City on the ballot without delay,” said Britney Whaley, tactical lead for the Cop City Vote Coalition and Southeast Regional Director of Working Families Power.

BREAKING: The Atlanta City Council just unanimously approved a resolution to instruct the City Clerk to start scanning & publishing the 116,000 petitions calling to have the issue of the public safety training center on an upcoming ballot.
— Patrick Quinn (@PatrickQuinnTV) September 18, 2023

Organizers against the public safety training center said they collected more than 116,000 signed petition forms.

Those forms, in 16 boxes, were turned in to the city clerk on Sept. 11.

“I fully support the action taken by the city council today,” said Mayor Andre Dickens, in a statement provided to Atlanta News First on Monday. “As I have stated before, I support allowing the process to run its course in an open and transparent manner. Like many, I want to know exactly what is in those boxes and this moves us one step closer.”

I fully support the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center because our law enforcement and first responders deserve the best training we can provide so they can keep themselves and the communities they serve safe.

Training our police officers, firefighters, and first responders…
— Brian Kemp (@BrianKempGA) September 18, 2023

Attorneys for the City of Atlanta said the city clerk could not begin verifying the signatures until the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals issues a final ruling on recent challenges to the signature-gathering process.

“We can’t start counting, but the public and other members and other election experts and other folks can,” Bakhtiari said. “It will begin to give us an idea of did we, did the public achieve going out in the hottest summer on record and gather all these signatures? Did they in fact meet the threshold for fifty-eight thousand (votes) to get this on the ballot?”

Activists with the Cop City Vote coalition were encouraged by Monday’s action, but also expressed privacy concerns.

“It is essential that the Municipal Clerk take all possible steps to safeguard the privacy and safety of the over 116,000 signatories and witnesses of the petitions,” said Tiffany Roberts, Policy Director at the Southern Center for Human Rights. “In an already heated political moment, it is imperative that sensitive information like signature, phone number, and street address be redacted from any documents proactively posted online by the City, to ensure that this information is not misused by bad actors seeking to chill free speech and intimidate.”

Councilmembers ensured that private information would be redacted in accordance with the state’s Open Records Act.

RELATED: The Atlanta Public Safety Training Center | A timeline of violence, controversy

Bakhtiari told Atlanta News First that the city council anticipates the clerk will publish all petition forms on a city website by Sept. 28.

While the clerk can still not review the forms, the public will be able to.

The City Council released the following statement,

This afternoon, the Atlanta City Council unanimously approved legislation directing the Office of the Municipal Clerk to scan and publicly disclose the forms related to the Public Safety Training Center referendum submitted on September 11. Petition-driven ballot initiatives in Georgia are relatively new. The procedural and administrative authority still needs to be settled in state law. From the beginning of this process, we have encouraged organizers to participate through the democratic process, and we have no reason to believe that they have operated in anything but good faith. On multiple occasions, this extraordinary legal process has prevented the public and the Council from moving forward. We recognize that we are in unprecedented times. While we await a ruling by the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on this issue, the Atlanta City Council acknowledges the public interest in continuing to advance the democratic process. In place of the Municipal Clerk’s legal authority to formally begin validating signatures, it is incumbent upon the city — for the common good — to immediately unseal, digitize, and disclose to the residents of the city of Atlanta — by Friday, September 29 — the contents of the submitted petition boxes.
Atlanta City Council

Atlanta City Council member Keisha Sean Waites released the following statement,

My allegiance to the people of Atlanta, mainly those systemically marginalized, has never been a secret. I believe in second chances. Those who have should be responsible for assisting those who lack—those who can help those who can’t. My constitution of service has always guided my desire and efforts to provide a Diversion Center for those in our community struggling daily to keep it together while experiencing various forms of mental illness.
What makes America great is that we get to choose our elected officials and make decisions regarding our government. I am honored that the voters across the entire city of Atlanta chose me to be their voice. And because of this honor bestowed on me, I decided to champion the issues and concerns important to my constituents. My commitment to serving our residents sometimes differs from my colleagues’ personal or political agendas. It baffles me that some scoff at any evidence of independence in thought.
I have recently been made aware of several statements erroneously attributed to me. While I have my suspicions about the motivation, at this time, I will address only the inaccuracies of these malicious statements. For the record, I never have, and will never, share confidential and attorney-privileged information. Therefore, today, I am requesting and supporting a full investigation by the OIG (Office of the Inspector General) to reveal the truth.
Most unfortunately, a misinformation campaign claims that I am anti-law enforcement. However, my voting record speaks for itself. As a public safety committee member and during my campaign, I was outspoken regarding APD officers receiving the highest salary in the region. Utilize the $67 million to increase compensation and provide our sworn officers with take-home vehicles.
During my tenure in the General Assembly as a State Representative, I authored the Fallen Hero Bill that provides free tuition to the dependent children of fallen heroes. This act is a testament to my support for law enforcement and their families.
The petition process surrounding the recent events has lacked integrity from the beginning. The threat to verify signatures is tantamount to voter suppression. These tactics erode public trust and confidence and cause the voters to tune out and believe that the government does not support or work for them.
Today, I had planned to join my colleague in introducing legislation to allow a referendum vote on the public safety training facility issue. However, I was advised the Council lacks jurisdiction and authority.
In conclusion, focusing on the more significant issue at hand is essential. The concerns raised about the PSTC, and our responsibility towards the mentally ill should not be dismissed or overshadowed by personal disputes. My final thoughts are that if the Council has the jurisdiction and authority to approve the $67 million price tag, the Council should have the same authority to ensure the democratic process is transparent and fair. In conclusion, focusing on the more significant issue at hand is crucial.
I remain committed to serving the people of Atlanta and fighting for the issues that matter to my constituents. As a lawmaker, I will continue to uphold the principles of integrity, transparency, and fairness. In conclusion, focusing on the more significant issue at hand is essential. The concerns raised about the PSTC, and our responsibility towards the mentally ill should not be dismissed or overshadowed by personal disputes.
The Mayor and Members of the Council must engage in meaningful conversations that address the needs of the citizens and ensure the efficient use of public resources. We can only serve as good stewards of public confidence and tax dollars through open dialogue and collaboration.
Keisha Sean Waites

READ THE FULL RESOLUTION BELOW:

Copyright 2023 WANF. All rights reserved.