The Roswell City Council approved a $1.3 million mid-year budget amendment on Monday, July 13, directing new money to police staffing, fire drones, school zone flashers, and park improvements. The city says every dollar of new spending is offset by higher-than-expected revenues, meaning no additional cost to taxpayers.
The vote was 4-2. Two council members voted no, though public records from the meeting do not identify the dissenting votes.
The same meeting produced two unanimous votes: a 6-0 approval of a $9,489,436.50 construction contract with BackBone Infrastructure, LLC for the Riverside Road TSPLOST project, and a 6-0 vote authorizing the mayor to sign an intergovernmental agreement with Fulton County for distribution of 2026 TSPLOST proceeds. That agreement hinges on a November 2026 voter referendum.
Mayor Mary Robichaux presided over the meeting alongside council members Sarah Beeson, Eren Brumley, Christine Hall, Jennifer Phillippi, Allen Sells, and Chris Zack.
Where the budget money goes
City departments submitted 54 funding requests totaling $7.1 million. City leadership recommended roughly $1.3 million in priority investments, according to a budget detail published by the city. Finance Director Adam Novotney presented the amendment, which was first discussed at the Committees of Council meeting on Tuesday, June 23.
Public safety took the largest share. The Police Department will receive $245,000 to maintain full staffing. The Fire Department gets $75,000 for overtime tied to severe weather and hurricane readiness, plus $32,314 to launch a drone program. The Public Safety Headquarters will receive $18,000 for ADA accessibility improvements.
Parks and recreation funding includes $136,490 for seasonal staffing and programming at Old Mill Park, $82,104 to restore janitorial services at three recreation centers, $67,610 for a custodial contract correction, and $54,438 for sediment removal at Nesbit Lake.
Other line items: $70,000 to upgrade school zone flashers to align with the city's new speed camera program, $67,775 for a new Grants Manager position, $41,884 for an Executive Assistant, and $8,500 for short-term rental enforcement the city projects will generate more license revenue than it costs.
A $222,000 Microsoft Office 365 license inadvertently left out of the original budget was restored using existing IT Fund balance, not general tax dollars.
Riverside Road and TSPLOST
Transportation Director Andy Phlegar presented both TSPLOST items. The Riverside Road project carries a total authorization of $10,721,901.50, which includes the $9.5 million construction contract and a $1,454,580 budget amendment for a Fulton County waterline improvement running alongside the road work.
TSPLOST II funds cover the road construction. Fulton County covers the waterline portion through a separate intergovernmental agreement.
The council's vote to sign the broader 2026 TSPLOST IGA with Fulton County sets the stage for a November ballot question. If voters approve the transportation sales tax, Roswell would receive a share of the proceeds for future projects.
What else happened
The council unanimously approved a consent agenda that included a resolution to apply for a National Endowment for the Arts grant of up to $60,000. Mayor Robichaux also announced board appointments, including Nate Porter to the Roswell Housing Authority, Ron Jackson to the Historic Preservation Commission, Tom Hamblin and Joe Zerkus to the Design Review Board, and Patrick Caffrey to the Downtown Development Authority.
The next Mayor and Council meeting is Monday, July 27, at 7 p.m. at City Hall, 38 Hill Street.
