By Madi Sutter

The Mableton City Council voted unanimously in its August 28 meeting to authorize the resolution allowing Mayor Michael Owens to execute an agreement with JP Morgan Chase Bank for the provision of a purchasing card agreement to be used for the procurement of goods and services for council use.

The city purchasing card would be utilized by authorized personnel to purchase approved supplies and services for city council activities.The cards’ use will be monitored by the finance department and/or the Program Manager and requires no additional city funding. 

City Manager Bill Tanks presented the resolutions as Mayor Owens was unable to attend the council meeting.

This decision came after the Council unanimously approved a resolution to authorize the adoption of a Purchasing Card Policy (P-Card) with the addition of a provision that cards will not be issued until official training and sign off on requirements has been rendered. The added provision came at the urging of District 4 Councilmember Patricia Auch, who expressed concerns about a lack of written procedures safeguarding misuse. 

Also approved during the Council meeting was an agenda item authorizing the purchase of a corporate recruiter’s seat with LinkedIn for $11,785. As the City grows, 15 supervisor level hires are required over the next year. A LinkedIn recruiter’s seat will assist the Council with recruitment efforts while being a cheaper option than traditional headhunting firms. 

It was clarified that the LinkedIn recruiter’s seat fee was separate from the scope of services covered by the City’s HR Consultant, HR Knowledge, which was hired to update the compensation plan, create a benefits package and to review and update job descriptions to ADA compliance. 

Also discussed during last Wednesday’s meeting was the consideration of the Financial Consultant Services Agreement with Chris Pike, the City’s Financial Consultant. After reviewing the changes made by City Attorney Emilia Walker-Ashby, which had not yet been reviewed by Pike, a motion passed to allow Mayor Owens to further negotiate and execute a new agreement not to exceed the stated amount of a $3,000 flat fee or $100 an hour. 

The public session of the Council meeting concluded with several councilmembers commending the importance of Women’s Equality Day, which was recognized in a proclamation read by Mayor Pro Tem Keisha Jeffcoat at the beginning of the meeting. Several council members also urged citizens to check their voter registration status and reiterated the importance of casting their vote in the upcoming election this November. 

The next Mableton City Council meeting will be held Wednesday, September 11 at 6:30 PM. 

Madi Sutter has been reporting on city events from local council meetings to K-12 education for over four years. As a graduate of Emory University, she developed a love for Georgia politics and communities. She received her Masters degree in Journalism in 2022 from the University of Missouri at Columbia and currently resides in Little Rock, Arkansas. When she’s not covering Cobb County events, you can find her with a book in one hand and a coffee in the other on her porch.