College Park City Council votes to censure mayor in heated meeting

COLLEGE PARK, Ga. - The College Park City Council has censured Mayor Bianca Motley Broom following a disagreement during a regular meeting on Monday. The unanimous vote was made during a special meeting on Friday evening. 

"Welcome to a special called meeting of the mayor...oop, I'm sorry, of the City Council of the city of College Park. I'm Mayor Bianca Motley Broom," the mayor began the meeting. 

The specially called meeting and the proposed censure stem from an exchange during Monday’s regular meeting. During this meeting, the mayor raised a legal concern regarding some agenda items because there had not been a meeting in July.

The mayor started the meeting by explaining the city’s laws on censuring as well as the censuring process under the Georgia statute. She reminded the council that, in all instances, there are steps for due process. 

"It didn't end up on the agenda by magic," the mayor inquired. "Who wants to take credit for it?" 

The acting clerk referred the matter to the city lawyer, who also did not give a response.  

"I have a right to ask that question and I have a right to response," the mayor again stated. 

"I believe everyone up on this dais, with the exception of yourself, have reached a consensus that this needs to be done if we're going to have functioning meetings," Councilman Joe Carn said. 

After minutes of the official in attendance calling for her to ‘move along,’ the mayor called a vote on the agenda and then called upon the College Park Police chief to offer a warning about outbursts to those in attendance. ""There will be no warnings this evening," the chief said. 

Many in the crowd were standing wearing shirts which read "censure this" and "United College Park." Some members of gallery had their backs turned to the council.

The clerk then took six minutes to read the resolution to censure. 

"Whereas Bianca Mötley Broom has persistently displayed her petulance, belligerent, immaturity, and her lack of leadership," the resolution read in part. 

The full resolution was posted to College Park's website, but no names were attached to it.

Immediately after, a man in the crowd began yelling towards the council, "And whereas that’s a giant pile of horse s---!"  He was quickly met with both cheers and the police, who escorted him from the meeting room. A call to clear the room was given by Dr. Emmanuel Adediran, which the mayor immediately shot down, however police began to clear everyone out.

The livestream of the meeting was then cut, but FOX 5’s Rob DiRienzo was inside the room as police removed those in the gallery.  

Two people were taken from the council chamber in handcuffs and dragged out of City Hall. 

A couple who were led away in handcuffs later told FOX 5 they were ticketed for obstruction and released.

One woman charged the dais before being blocked by officers.

The livestream returned about 8 minutes later with a unanimous vote following.

The commotion continued outside the chamber doors and the bickering inside also continued. 

Residents had lined up to hand the mayor roses, some with well-wishes written on them.

"There is no truth to what I have observed to any of that language, and it was a waste of our time," said resident Tanya Austin. 

"From day one, she had a bull’s eye on her back," said resident Marcia L. Knox. 

"You bullied me. I couldn’t go home to my children because on the news, they said, ‘Why do you let a lady talk to you like that?’" said Councilman Roderick Gay. 

"They come from a day and age where women like Mayor Bianca Motley Broom just doesn’t come into their neighborhood," said Knox. 

Gay told FOX 5 after the meeting he believes the mayor’s seat is essentially symbolic in title, and she is just there to preside, not help craft city policy. 

"The purpose of the sanction was to put a tool in place that would get her to abide by the rules," said Gay. 

"Our residents were rightfully concerned and am also concerned about the legality of the censure," the mayor said. 

Councilwoman Tracey Arnold was not present during Friday’s meeting. 

College Park mayor vs city council 

The months of infighting between the mayor and the council came to a head on Monday during a regular meeting when the mayor was accused of overstepping her role. The meeting then appeared to become chaotic as council members left the chamber multiple times and refused to allow Mayor Bianca Motley Broom to speak on motions. They doubled down on their efforts by voting to remove her from the presiding role and passing the responsibility over to Mayor Pro Tem Roderick Gay. 

Most of the agenda items during Monday’s meeting were tabled due to bickering, forcing the special called meeting on Friday. The council also prevented the mayor from finishing her question regarding the consent agenda item on electronic billing and payment services. 

The mayor was also not allowed to ask a question about one of the items on the consent agenda regarding electronic billing and payment services. Her question raised calls from council members and the city attorney that she was out of order in her attempts to discuss an item on the consent agenda. 

Monday’s meeting was the first held by the City Council since June, following the cancelation of a scheduled meeting in July. Some residents have been vocal about this, claiming there are transparency issues with the council. 

Mayor Motley Broom’s federal lawsuit against College Park 

Last March, the mayor filed a federal lawsuit against the city claiming she was being silenced from expressing her opinion during debates or discussions about legislative initiatives. In the lawsuit, the mayor alleges the city changed and tried to remove her from her duties for speaking out about their restraints. 

A judge ruled the mayor can express her opinions before and after council members deliberate on an agenda item, but not during. 

An appeal has been filed in the case.

College Park councilwoman fights recall effort 

Councilwoman Jamelle McKenzie filed a lawsuit against two individuals, including College Park Deputy Clerk Queenie Brown, to try to halt efforts to have her removed from her office. The lawsuit requested a review of the recall signatures' validity. 

The recall effort is being led by United College Park, a nonprofit political organization. The group claims Councilwoman McKenzie violated her oath of office and created a toxic work environment, leading to the resignation and firing of 18 employees and contractors. McKenzie denies the allegations.  

Those exact charges were levied in Friday’s censure resolution against the mayor. 

The recall effort gained twice the number of signatures needed to move forward, according to the organization. 

College Park employee attrition and firings

In April 2023, former city manager Darnetta Tyus and former deputy police chief Sharis McCrary filed a federal lawsuit accusing the city of sexual discrimination over the city's search for a police chief.

Tyus' replacement, Stanley Hawthorne, was fired less than a year after taking the job. The city rescinded that decision and agreed to pay Hawthorne nearly $140,000 in severance. The city never publicly gave a reason for the firing.

Sources told FOX 5 that several city employees either resigned or had been fired over several weeks. The city has disclosed little to no information to the public about the departures, and residents told FOX 5 that they fear they're being left in the dark.