The DeKalb County Board of Commissioners held a regular meeting on January 28, 2025, addressing several key issues, including infrastructure concerns, appointments, and procedural improvements.

The meeting began with public comments, where a speaker raised significant concerns regarding the county's sewer capacity and a letter sent by former CEO Michael Thurman to state and federal officials on his last day in office. The letter indicated that DeKalb County would miss a federal deadline to upgrade its sewer system, prompting questions about the commissioners' awareness of the situation and the adequacy of the information provided by Thurman's office during his tenure. The speaker criticized Thurman for not allowing a smooth transition to the new administration and for failing to address long-standing infrastructure issues, despite raising water rates only once during his eight years in office.

Following public comments, Charles Bailey Musgrave expressed gratitude for the newly elected commissioners and emphasized the need for collaboration to address ongoing challenges in South DeKalb. He highlighted the importance of supporting various county departments to ensure community needs are met effectively.

The meeting proceeded with several appointments, including the approval of Hillary Gardner to the DeKalb County Public Library Board of Trustees and the reappointment of Ruben D. Jones to the DeKalb County Airport Advisory Board. The commissioners discussed the need for clarity in the consent agenda process to streamline future meetings, with a suggestion to simplify the approval procedure.

As the meeting transitioned to public hearings, the commissioners outlined the rules for citizen participation, ensuring that all voices could be heard in an orderly manner. The session concluded with a commitment to address the pulled items from the consent agenda after the public hearing.

Overall, the meeting underscored the board's focus on addressing infrastructure issues, enhancing communication, and fostering collaboration among newly elected officials and community members. The next steps will involve further discussions on the raised concerns and the implementation of procedural improvements for future meetings.