College Park considers public comment changes amid controversy over investigation

Public comment during College Park City Council meetings has often been contentious, with residents voicing frustration over government transparency and city policies. Now, city officials are planning to introduce a new policy aimed at maintaining decorum — one that could limit what the public can say, particularly regarding city employees or lawsuits.

According to a spokesman for the Georgia First Amendment Foundation, the proposed parts of the policy could infringe on the public’s right to express grievances. Among the restrictions being considered is a rule prohibiting commenters from discussing lawsuits in which the city is involved, city spokesman Bill Crane said earlier in March. Crane is now recovering from surgery due to colon cancer.

The city’s move to curb public speech has raised legal concerns. Richard T. Griffiths, a spokesman for the Georgia First Amendment Foundation, warned that banning public discussion of lawsuits could violate the Open Meetings Act.

“The public should be able to comment on anything that is relevant to what’s going on in the city,” Griffiths said. “Very often, the things that get people worked up are the subject of litigation.”

Unease was evident during Monday’s council meeting when resident Mose James IV was unable to complete his comments when the three-minute window of time ran out.

He had been speaking about a court appeal of a lawsuit against the city over rezoning approval for a lithium-ion battery energy storage facility in a residential neighborhood. No council member motioned to grant his request to finish his remarks.

“You betrayed this community,” James IV told the council before his time ran out.

Resident Stanley Muhammad and his connection to the new policy

While some residents face strict enforcement of time limits, others have received more leeway. Over the past year, outspoken commenter Stanley Muhammad has frequently used racially charged language in his criticism of Mayor Bianca Motley Broom and residents in the chamber. Unlike James IV on Monday, Muhammad has been allowed to finish his statements on multiple occasions.

Last summer, Muhammad referred to “plantation politics, “house negroes” and “white supremacy” before admonishing Motley Broom over her seeming resistance to moving then-interim City Manager Dr. Emmanuel Adediran into a permanent role. 

Muhammad told SaportaReport that when he made those remarks, he was referring to a system and not the mayor. 

“I know who I am,” Motley Broom said. “Nothing that anyone says at public comment about me will change that.”

Another layer to the city’s push for stricter public comment rules would prohibit speakers from personally attacking anyone except elected officials, effectively shielding city employees from verbal criticism.

A public battle

A dispute between Muhammad and the director of Recreation and Cultural Arts, Michelle Johnson, recently led the city to hire the Starkey Law Group to conduct an independent investigation. Muhammad has been upset that he was unable to rent space at Brady Gym for Nation of Islam services.

Johnson believed that the city did not protect her safety from Mr. Muhammad and his accusations. She filed a police report last year that states she felt “berated, intimidated and threatened” during their interactions, which were audio-recorded. 

Muhammad publicly shared the outcome of the investigation during public comment at a February council meeting, stating that he believed the director had exhibited racial bias against him.

The law firm investigation found that there is no written policy that would prohibit College Park from renting the gym to Muhammad and that he did not violate any laws or city policies involving violence or harassment.

In addition, the law firm reviewed the audio recordings and found they were not as Johnson had described in her statements. 

“She was wrong,” Muhammad told SaportaReport. He added that he has filed an ante litem notice or pending lawsuit against Johnson and the city of College Park.

The Starkey Law Group and College Park attorney Winston Denmark did not return phone calls to SaportaReport regarding the independent investigation. 

Johnson referred SaportaReport to city spokesman Crane. 

“I think the world of Michelle, and I think Mr. Muhammad has the wrong impression of her,” Crane said.

Numerous city employees voiced words of praise and support for Johnson during the public comment period of the March 3 meeting. 

Following the meeting, Motley Broom told SaportaReport that their remarks of Johnson reflect the person she has come to know since 2020. 

“I’ve had the opportunity to work with Michelle Johnson over the past 5 years, and I find her to be an outstanding professional who cares deeply for our community and especially the children in our community.”