August 18th Mayor And Council Meeting Notes
Tuesday, August 19th, 2025
The Dalton Mayor and Council met Monday night for their second session of August. The relatively brief meeting agenda was highlighted by a pair of presentations from department heads to update the Council on the Parks and Recreation Department's summer pool season and a national television appearance for the Dalton Convention Center.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO OF MONDAY NIGHT'S MEETING
Tourism Director Margaret Thigpen opened Monday's night's meeting with the presentation of a brief video from the Bloomberg TV series "World's Greatest" which recently profiled the Dalton Convention Center. The Convention Center's appearance ran on the network on July 19th and July 26th. Thigpen showed the video to the Mayor and Council and also reported that the Convention Center has already booked events for all but three of the weekends in 2026. You can watch this portion of the meeting and the "World's Greatest" segment by clicking here.
Parks and Recreation Director Steve Roberts updated the Mayor and Council on the department's summer aquatics program and summer camps. Roberts reported that the pool at the John Davis Recreation Center was incredibly busy this summer after being closed for construction over the past two summers. In an abbreviated swim season, the pool hosted 6,126 swimmers during open swim periods, an average of 123 people per day. The DPRD's swim lessons at the pool were also well-attended, with all but two of the 390 slots filled. Roberts also reported that the annual Summer Fun Camp at the Mack Gaston Center grew in 2025, with 70 campers signed up and an average of 56 kids attending each week. The department also held camps for children with special needs, and also sports camps and a fishing camp. City Administrator Andrew Parker pointed out that an article on daltonga.gov (A Summer Of Fun At The Parks And Rec Department) included much more information. To watch this portion of the meeting, click here.
In the only action item on the meeting agenda, the City Council voted 3-0 to approve Resolution 25-17 to authorize the City to participate in the Georgia Municipal Association's Direct Lease Program (Councilmember Dennis Mock was not present and Mayor Annalee Sams typically only votes in the event of a tie). The GMA program offers 100% financing of certain real estate or personal property with flexible payment terms and competitive interest rates for municipalities in compliance with OCGA 36-60-13. Participating in the program allows the City to finance purchases more easily without having to issue bonded debt. To read Resolution 25-17, click here. To watch this portion of the meeting, click here.
The Mayor and Council closed the meeting in an executive session to discuss real estate matters. No action was taken after the Council exited the executive session to adjourn the meeting. Mayor Sams announced that the Mayor and Council meeting scheduled for Monday, September 1st has been cancelled in observation of the Labor Day holiday. The next Mayor and Council meeting is scheduled for Monday, September 15th at 6:00 pm in the Raymond A. Elrod Council Chambers.
Click "Play" below to watch the video of Monday night's meeting
