Atlanta Community Press Collective

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Atlanta City Council meeting Monday, Nov. 19, 2026 live thread.

SCHR is seeking both the documents and civil penalties levied for the failure to follow the Georgia Open Records Act. The act allows for a $1,000 fine on the first offense and up to a $2,500 fine for subsequent violations within 365 calendar days.

Marty Cowherd, and investigator at the Southern Center for Human Rights, says his work takes him inside ACDC and Fulton County jails regularly. He notes that SCHR has won lawsuits against Fulton County over how the county treats its incarcerated persons.

Atlanta City Council meeting Monday, Nov. 19, 2026 live thread.

Jennifer Brooks asks the council to adopt a pedestrian's Bill of Rights. She told me earlier today that she presented the legislation to Council member Jason Dozier in hopes that he would bring it forward.

Braden Feldman of the Southern Center for Human Rights announced that the organization is suing the city for alleged failure to turn over open records documentation regarding the sale of the Atlanta City Detention Center.

Atlanta City Council meeting Monday, Nov. 19, 2026 live thread.

Allen Hall, an organizer with the American Friends Service Committee, says Atlanta's diversion services, particularly PAD, should be better utilized before expanding jail capacity.

Tim Franzen, also an organizer with the American Friends Service Committee, says it is deeply inspiring to see Starbucks workers come out in support of each other, despite potential risks to their employment. Franzen also calls on the city council to reconsider the sale of ACDC.

Atlanta City Council meeting Monday, Nov. 19, 2026 live thread.

"They consider us replaceable, and they have shown this by closing over 750 stores with less than two days notice," Stolton says.

Christina Kittle, an organizer with the Legal Defense Fund, says reducing jail populations reduces the problems that are plaguing Fulton County's jails. Kittle says, "it's not enough to believe in a better Atlanta, you have to do the work to make it so."

Atlanta City Council meeting Monday, Nov. 19, 2026 live thread.

Steven Dingle says the city is moving "way too fast" on the sale of ACDC to Fulton County. "There's just so much going on that I can't even form an opinion for myself as a constituent," Dingle says, adding that information remains in flux.

Danielle Stolton, a unionized Starbucks worker, says the company is violating labor laws and her fellow employees are struggling to make ends meet while the company refuses to come to the negotiating table.

Atlanta City Council meeting Monday, Nov. 19, 2026 live thread.

Michael Collins, executive director of Play Fair ATL, says Fulton County has not demonstrated an actual need for ACDC's jail beds. Collins adds that Fulton County's own plans call for greater investment into diversion services and expedited processing, not more jail beds.

Matthew Nursey, an organizer with the Housing Justice League and Atlanta DSA member, is here in support Starbucks workers fighting for unionization. Nursey says, "democracy should extend to the workplace...and unions are workers coming together...to participate in democracy."

Atlanta City Council meeting Monday, Nov. 19, 2026 live thread.

CFO Mohamed Balla said Bond's budget resolution would be burdensome for his department, which is required to present a balanced budget. Balla explained that they need time to gather income projections for the next year before presenting that years budget.

The first proclamation has concluded. It clocked in at almost double the allowable length.

Atlanta City Council meeting Monday, Nov. 19, 2026 live thread.

One resolution that will likely not move forward today is Council member Kelsea Bond's resolution that would move up the timetable by which the mayor's office and the Department of Finance must present the annual budget to the city council.

The Finance/Executive Committee voted to file Bond's budget resolution last week. Committee members said that they had not heard from Bond regarding the legislation.

Atlanta City Council meeting Monday, Nov. 19, 2026 live thread.

Outside of the jail sale resolution, the Council will also consider a resolution of support for Starbucks workers seeking to unionize and a resolution that would grant Delta two of the gates previously dedicated to Spirit Airlines at Hartsfield Jackson International Airport.

atlpresscollective.comAtlanta spent $370K on consultants who promoted mayor's NRINRI consultants failed to disclose financial ties and were partially paid through Atlanta’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund.

The City Council will also consider a resolution that would require quarterly reporting for departmental spending from certain special-use funds, such as the Affordable Housing Trust Fund that ACPC reported on earlier this year. atlpresscollective.com/2026/06/09/a...

Atlanta City Council meeting Monday, Nov. 19, 2026 live thread.

As of early this afternoon, it wasn't clear if the mayor has the votes required to adopt the ACDC sale resolution today. We can expect some council members to offer amendments to the resolution when it is brought forth, which should happen at the toward the end of the meeting.

If there are not enough votes to adopt the jail sale resolution, the city council could either hold it for two weeks or send it back through a committee or the two original committees for additional review and amendments. They could also vote to kill the resolution, but that is unlikely.

Atlanta City Council meeting Monday, Nov. 19, 2026 live thread.

There are just two proclamations on today's agenda.

The big ticket item today is the resolution that would authorize the city's sale of the Atlanta City Detention Center to Fulton County for $68 million. The resolution made it out of the Finance/Executive Committee Wednesday with just two yes votes. Three committee members abstained from voting.

Atlanta City Council meeting Monday, Nov. 19, 2026 live thread.

youtube.comAtlanta City Council MeetingYouTube video by ATLChannel26

Live stream: www.youtube.com/watch?v=9A25... Agenda: atlantacityga.iqm2.com/Citizens/Det...

City Council President Marci Collier Overstreet is traveling this week, President pro tem Andrea Boone will preside over the meeting.

atlpresscollective.comGeorgia decides: 2026 advanced voting updatesRegular updates from ACPC about the Nov. 3, 2026, general election throughout the advanced voting period in Georgia

Want to stay up to date with the latest happenings during the advanced voting period for the Nov. 3 midterms? Check out our rolling updates.

atlpresscollective.comVoting in Georgia? What you need to know for the Nov. 3 electionA step-by-step walkthrough of voting in the Nov. 3, 2026, General Election in Georgia, including who is on your ballot.

Early voting in Georgia begins today. Questions about your ballot? Check out our guide.

bookshop.orgAtlanta Community Press Collective X Bookish For The Public GoodTo craft this list, Bookish worked closely with our friends at the Atlanta Community Press Collective to select titles focusing on policing & surveillance, voter access, media literacy, civic part...

We're super excited to announce that we've partnered with Bookish Atlanta to offer selection of books on policing & surveillance, voter access, media literacy, civic participation, and journalistic memoirs! 20% of the sale price from this ACPC-curated list goes directly to supporting our work.

Have you used AI to help you navigate your ballot for the upcoming election? Are you open to talking about your experience with us for a story? Reach out to inbox@atlpresscollective.com

atlpresscollective.com2026 Midterms: Metro Atlanta’s local races to watchHere are the competitive downballot races across Metro Atlanta that ACPC is watching ahead of the Nov. 3, 2026, general election.