CITY MANAGER’S REPORT
JANUARY 21, 2025
DR. EMMANUEL ADEDIRAN
CITY MANAGER
DR. EMMANUEL ADEDIRAN
To the Mayor and Council, resident and business owners in College Park:
Happy New Year and a belated Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday. As we sit here on the southside of the city of Atlanta and adjacent to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, it remains humbling to me that we are so close to the center of the Civil Rights Movement and so close to the birth home of MLK, Jr. as well as the King Center.
We have come so far as a nation, and yet we still have a good ways to go. Similarly, your City of College Park and its government have also made progress, and we enter 2025 even more optimistic about our future.
For a modest-sized municipality of just under 14,000, I cannot name or think of any who o ered more holiday celebrations and the sharing of bounty than our city. From the Light Up College Park Night on December 2nd, to our annual College Park Police Shop with a Cop on December 5th, to our Christmas Parade down Main Street on December 8th and later Santa's Coming to Town event on December 14th, and a Turkey Giveaway for Seniors on December 15th (and this list is not complete), there was a holiday o ering for everyone, in each ward across this city.
The winter storm of January 10th brought nearly four inches of snow and wintry mix across metro Atlanta, downing trees and limbs across the city and temporarily knocking out power to 1800 residents. Our Streets & Highways, Public Utilities and Public Safety personnel worked nearly around the clock heading into and out of that weekend. Laying down salt and brine to pre-treat our main roadways, and planning and being ready as soon as power was lost to dispatch crews and remove the limbs and trees causing the power outages.
Within half a day, full power was restored, and limbs and fallen trees were cut up and removed across our community. Working together, we were all safe, comfortable and dry in our homes and businesses by nightfall on Saturday, January 11th.
Looking ahead to February, legendary entertainer Peabo Bryson will bring his 50th anniversary Love Tour to our Gateway Arena on Saturday, February 15th. I want to recognize and thank Councilman Roderick Gay, who represents our 4th Ward, for making arrangements for Peabo Bryson to add College Park to his national tour, as well as for our Senior Citizens to attend this concert for free.
There is nothing but more of the best ahead for our residents and this airport city of College Park.
Sincerely,
Dr. Emmanuel Adediran City Manager City of College Park
BUILDING AND PROPERTY SUSTAINABILITY
SeeClick Fix program is being used by Code Enforcement which enables our residents to report non-emergency issues, share feedback, and request information about our community.
OCCUPATIONAL TAX DIVISION BY THE NUMBERS
The 2024 Alcohol License renewal season is underway. All approved businesses in the state of Georgia that have alcohol licenses must have a City of College Park alcohol license before selling alcohol within the city. Our team will work with Code Enforcement to issue any citations for those who are not in compliance with the ordinance. The issuing of alcohol licenses for 2025 has begun.
COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC INFORMATION
The O ce of Communications and Public Information (OCPI) celebrated the holidays with the City of College Park’s residents and visitors by covering the following events:
• Light Up the City – Dec. 2
• In-Person Neighborhood Meeting (Ward IV) – Dec. 5
• Gun Safety and the Law Community Forum – Dec. 5
• The “Keith James” College Park City Auditorium Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony – Dec. 5
• College Park Police Shop with A Cop – Dec. 6
• COCP 48th Annual Christmas Parade – Dec. 7
• Sky Hawks Games – Dec. 10
• Councilwoman Arnold for Her Final 2024 Town Hall and a Holiday Reception – Dec. 11
• Mayor Pro Tem Roderick Gay and Councilwoman Jamelle McKenzie’s served as Ambassadors for the COCP during the 15th Electric Cities of Georgia’s (ECG) Annual Meeting – Dec. 11
• Santa’s Coming to Town – Dec. 14
• Mayor Bianca Motley Broom Visits the White House for the Holidays – Dec. 15
• Senior Turkey Giveaway - Dec. 15
• Ludacrismas – Dec. 16
• 5th Annual Christmas Toy Giveaway – Dec. 16
• Nouveau Winter Wonderland Experience & Toy Drive – Dec. 17
• BIDA Awards – Dec. 19
• Christmas on Godby – Dec. 20
• Adopt a Family Holiday Giveaway – Dec. 20
• Helping Hands Holiday Dinner – Dec. 21
• Warm Winter Coats, Hot Meals, and Gas Giveaway event – Dec. 24
• Unity Day – Dec. 26
• United Action for the Advancement of Humanity, Inc. (UAFAH) and FAVOR HOUSE Food Distribution – Dec. 27
• Jimmy Carter Remembrance – Dec. 30
• Lenovo Chromebooks and Apple iPads to the residents of Godby Road - Dec. 31
• Councilwoman McKenzie appointed Mayor Pro Tem of College Park for 2025 – Jan. 7
• Return to the Rock Wall – January 12
Additionally, we disseminated the following Public Notices, Media Alerts, and Press Releases.
The OCPI is also completing two major projects for the COCP: 2024 Achievements Book 2024 Accomplishments Video
Finally, the OCPI is preparing for future city and holiday events.
CONVENTION CENTER, ARENA AND GOLF ENTERPRISES
DIRECTOR’S OVERVIEW
October was a stable month in that we hosted Chick fil-A for the entire month at the Convention Center and hosted three very impactful events at the during the month at the Arena. On October 27th, we hosted the 2819 Church, a free event that reached the Arena’s capacity.
Additionally, we had several holiday celebrations to include the Beauty Master’s Scholarship Foundation Gala and the City’s Toy Giveaway at the Arena sponsored by Ward 1 and Main Street’s Nouveau Restaurant to wrap up the month.
HISTORIC COLLEGE PARK GOLF COURSE
As we enter the true winter months, we are pleased to observe a consistent rise in daily golfer participation, even with the drop in temperatures. Our grounds crew is diligently working on several exciting improvements to our golf course, designed to enhance the overall experience during this winter season. In the coming weeks, we anticipate temperatures falling below freezing. To safeguard our putting greens from potential damage, the crew will be covering them with protective tarps, which will be removed once the frost has dissipated. Additionally, work will soon begin on the washout located beneath the event center stairs and the railing along the cart path.
SITE & BOOKINGS
• Site visit with Kaiser Permanente for an event in September 2025 for 900 people
• MACK Founders Day booked with us for Jan 2025 – 1st time event
• BLK PRIME - Presents: Wilder vs Harper (Boxing) – April 26, 2025
• NEW BOOKING: AEW Productions LLC - AEW DYNAMITE (Wrestling) – Feb. 5, 2025
ELECTRIC POWER
WINTER STORM OF 2025
The new year began with challenges of cold temperatures and wind, followed by snow and ice. Power outages started on January 10 at 5:40 p.m. and ended on January 11 at 2:25 p.m.
College Park Power was ready with 20 people who made up 5 crews including the Prosource contract team.
Most of the damages were due to fallen trees and limbs, and repairs were a matter of clearing the power lines and replacing fuses or closing breakers. There were also a few broken poles to replace and a few broken power lines.
Over 1800 customers were without power at one time and the crews eventually restored power to over 2000 throughout the night.
Storms of this type will typically cause damages in the power lines or hanging limbs that may show up days later for additional outages.
Power crews responded well and worked safely. The call center handled 173 calls during the recovery period and over 100 customers utilized the web page to report power outages.
We thank all of the citizens in the city for their patience and understanding during these severe weather restorations.
ENGINEERING
• In the e orts to update and plot the fire hydrant’s location information, a field collection map for mobile devices was created and tested for functionality. The mobile devices are being used by fire departments for data collection now.
• In the e ort to create a GIS map for City owned properties and hotels, we are collecting data from di erent departments. The hotel layer is created.
• Our GIS Coordinator completed ArcGIS-Phyton online training.
• GIS data research and analysis support provided to the city planner and code enforcement.
• Six West map updated and created.
• Analysis and review were conducted for FAA site data.
PLAN REVIEWS
INSPECTIONS: SITE INSPECTION SUMMARY
FINANCE
LET’S POWER UP OUR NEIGHBOR PROGRAM
In July, the Let’s Power Up Our Neighbor Program was launched to allow College Park residents to donate to community members who need assistance paying their utility bills. Donations are made through the Customer Portal or the One-time Payment Portal. Donations are accepted via cash, check, eCheck, Visa, Mastercard, and Discover. There are no fees and no minimum donation amount, and every dollar donated will go to neighbors in need of assistance with their utility bill. In 2024, the “Let’s Power Up Our Neighbor program” has awarded $3,600 towards utility bill assistance funded entirely by City of College Park neighbors to City of College Park neighbors.
CUSTOMER SERVICE
In December, the Customer Service Department’s 2024 Employee of the Year went to Customer Service Representative II, Andrenica McCaskey. Andrenica exemplifies the dedication, professionalism, and teamwork that define the spirit of our department. She is a well-liked team member who consistently works hard to support her colleagues and meets any need that arises. Her responsiveness to coaching and her commitment to excelling in all aspects of her responsibilities have been instrumental in her success.
FIRE RESCUE
FLEET UPGRADE
The Fire Department received a new Incident Command Vehicle. The upgrade ensures availability of a valuable piece of equipment for the Battalion’s emergency response. The new command vehicle replaces the current high mileage 2016 Ford Expedition.
FIRE ESCAPE PLANNING
You have less than 2 minutes to get out safely once the smoke alarm sounds.
HUMAN RESOURCES & RISK MANAGEMENT
EMPLOYEE BENEFITS AND PAYROLL
On November 15, 2024, the United States District Court of the Eastern District of Texas struck down the Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division’s (DOL) final rule. This rule would have significantly increased the required minimum salary level to be exempt from overtime and minimum wage requirements under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The court’s order vacates the rule nationwide e ective immediately, meaning that employers do not have to comply with the final rule. The final rule raised the minimum salary level from $35,568 to $43,888 in July 2024. The final rule would have raised the minimum salary level to $58,656 in January 2025. Under the order, the minimum salary threshold will revert to $35,568, or $684 per week.
EMPLOYEE HOLIDAY PARTY 2024
The O ce of Human Resources hosted a memorable Masquerade-themed Annual Holiday Party, fi lled with great food, fun games, and lively entertainment. Highlights of the evening included a thrilling game of Musical Chairs and a Best Dressed competition, where employees showcased their creative outfits. Kanika was honored as Employee of the Year, and employees with 5 to 30 years of service were recognized for their dedication. It was a night of celebration, recognition, and camaraderie enjoyed by all.
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
QUALITY OF LIFE
New Computers for Tracy Wyatt, Conley and Brady Recreation Centers: Our cable contractor, Netplanners, has pulled the network cabling for all 3 locations this week (01-13-25). We have adequate power for Conley and Brady but not for Tracy Wyatt. I submitted a quote to Shawn Francis to review. We are awaiting computers from Dell.
STEAM PROGRAM
I am working with Dr. Lethia Williams, Mayor Pro-Tem Jamelle Mckenzie and Councilwoman Tracie Arnold to purchase and install a minimum of 6 computers at Conley Recreation Center and 5 at Brady Recreation Center for the STEAM program. The objective is to have the computers installed and program up and running soon. There are several factors to consider involving Fulton County Schools, specific instructors, and use case for the computers…More to come.
PUBLIC SAFETY/SECURITY
Technology: Soon everyone will be required to have (2FA) Two Factor Authentication. This simply means before you can log on to your computer, you must verify that it is you by receiving a phone call asking you to click the approve button on your city issued cell phone. I am putting together the plan and will release it to department heads.
POLICE
PHYSICAL AGILITY TEST
In our continuous e orts to recruit eligible candidates for the police, background and recruitment investigators held its first physical agility test of the new year on January 9, 2025. There were 11 potential candidates, who traveled from near and far to showcase their agility and strive toward the noble goal of joining the College Park Police Department. It was a true display of grit, passion, and commitment to serving the community.
GODBY ROAD PRECINCT UPDATE
Twenty-five (25) car fobs were delivered on yesterday. These fobs will be issued to personnel working out of the South Precinct. The technician with Integrated Security Technologies is scheduled to program the doors on January 15, 2025. We hope to have this project completed soon.
SENIOR SOCIAL
This year the police department and Councilman Gay are working together to bring a night filled with love, music, and memories for our annual Senior Social.
We are asking College Park Seniors (only), who plan to attend the event, to please contact Ms. Jewel Dunlap at 404-305-2071 by February 7, 2025, to make your reservation.
PUBLIC WORKS
BUILDING AND GROUNDS
The Building and Grounds team is set to surpass their landscaping goals this year, both in terms of e ciency and cost-e ectiveness. They have successfully acquired one of their most coveted pieces of equipment. A special thanks to the Mayor and Council for approving the purchase of our city’s very first Boom Tractor. This machine, with its extended arm, is a standout in the field of agricultural landscaping. It allows the team to be more e ective and e cient when clearing those harder-to-reach areas within our city. The Boom Tractor can be equipped with various attachments, such as mowers, sprayers, or loaders, enabling it to perform tasks that go beyond the capabilities of regular mowing equipment. As noted last year, the Buildings and Grounds team is one of the most underrated divisions within the Public Works Department. This team not only plays a crucial role in the city's infrastructure, but the wide range of responsibilities they handle surpasses, in my opinion, all expectations.
Recently, our team was approved to travel and collect books for Ward II. Always ready to assist, consistently responsive, and unwaveringly resolute, this team has become the go-to for tasks both big and small.
RECREATION & CULTURAL ARTS
2025 WEIGHT ROOM MEMBERSHIP
With the new year upon us there is always a kicko and focus on eating right and getting healthy. The Recreation & Cultural Arts Department has two weight rooms, Conley Center and the Wyatt Center, which can assist with meeting your goals of being fit and stronger. The membership cost is $75 per year for ages 18-54 and $50 per year for ages 55 & up. Membership is valid until December 31, 2025. You can purchase the membership online at www.collegeparkrca.com or in person at either the Conley or Wyatt Center.
PROGRAMS
Zumba at the Conley Center on Wednesday’s from 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm for $8.00 per class or $30.00 per month.
Karate is also o ered at the Brady Recreation Center. Master Ferguson Karate Program. Ages 3 and up, visit www.collegeparkrca.com.
The Recreation & Cultural Arts department has partnered with Silver Sneakers to o er free access to our Weight Room, Pickleball, and Senior Line Dancing programming. If you're 65 or older and have a Medicare plan that includes Silver Sneakers, you're eligible to work out for free at our Brady, Conley, and Wyatt Centers. Simply scan your Silver Sneakers membership card upon arrival.
