HB 1005: Austell, City of; provide for a city manager; revise powers and duties of city council committees, the mayor, and department directors

Austell's city charter currently divides administrative oversight among city council committees, the mayor, and department directors. This bill amends that 1986 charter (as amended in 1991 and 1993) to establish a city manager who becomes the city's chief executive and administrative officer. The mayor nominates and the city council appoints the manager, who serves at the council's pleasure and can be removed through a formal resolution and hearing process. The bill spells out the manager's powers, including hiring and firing department directors (subject to council approval), preparing the budget, and supervising all departments. It bars the mayor, council, and individual council members from directly ordering city employees, requiring them instead to work through the manager except for authorized investigations. Department directors' hiring and removal authority also shifts to require the manager's involvement. The city manager provisions take effect upon the Governor's signature, while most other changes take effect July 1, 2026.

• Creates a city manager position appointed by the city council on the mayor's nomination, serving at the council's pleasure with no fixed term.
• Sets out a formal removal process for the city manager, including a preliminary resolution, a possible public hearing, and a final removal vote.
• Requires that vacancies in department director positions be filled by the city manager subject to city council approval, and limits removal of directors to the manager with council approval.
• Prohibits the mayor, city council, and individual council members from directly giving orders to city employees supervised by the manager, requiring communication through the manager instead.
• Rewrites the powers and duties of city council committees, the mayor, and department directors to reflect the new city manager structure.
• Sets different effective dates: the city manager selection process begins upon the Governor's approval, while most other provisions take effect July 1, 2026.

The Mayor and City Council of Austell, city council committees, the newly created city manager position, department directors, and city employees whose supervision and hiring or firing process would change under the new structure.

Austell residents would see a shift in how their city is run day to day, with a professional city manager rather than the mayor and council committees directly overseeing departments and staff. This changes who employees answer to and how budget, hiring, and disciplinary decisions get made inside city government.

• Section 1 revises Section 2.17 so council committees supervise the city manager rather than departments directly, following charter and legal procedures.
• Section 2 rewrites Section 2.20 on council committee structure, including chairperson duties, budgeted purchase authority limits, and liaison roles with the city manager.
• Section 3 adds new Sections 2.27 through 2.31 creating the city manager position, its removal procedure, an acting manager provision, its powers and duties, and a ban on council interference with administration.
• Section 4 revises Section 2.34 on mayoral powers, removing direct administrative supervision duties to reflect the new manager role.
• Section 5 revises Section 3.10(d) so department director vacancies are filled and directors removed by the city manager with council approval.
• Section 6 rewrites Section 3.11 on department director powers and duties to route reporting and budget approval through the city manager.
• Section 7 sets the effective dates: city manager selection begins upon gubernatorial approval, other provisions take effect July 1, 2026.
• Section 8 repeals conflicting laws.

1. 2026-05-11Effective Date 2026-05-11
2. 2026-05-11Act 532
3. 2026-05-11House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2026-04-06House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2026-02-24Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
6. 2026-02-24Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
7. 2026-02-17Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
8. 2026-02-12House Passed/Adopted (House)

• David Wilkerson (D, HD-038)Primary sponsor
• Kimberly Alexander (D, HD-066)

1. PassedHouse voteFebruary 12, 2026

   156 yea, 0 nay (11 not voting, 8 absent)

   Local Calendar : House Vote #506

2. PassedSenate voteFebruary 24, 2026

   53 yea, 0 nay (1 not voting, 1 absent)

   Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #571

• Austell city government
• city charter changes
• city manager
• local government structure
• municipal administration