The Stockbridge City Council welcomed its newly reelected members and finalized a number of committee appointments at its first meeting of 2022.
Mayor Anthony Ford and council members LaKeisha Gantt and Alphonso Thomas were sworn in January 10 by Municipal Court Judge Matthew McCord at the start of the meeting, with each one giving a brief statement. McCord was then reappointed to his post by unanimous vote and sworn in by Ford.
Julie Kert was named solicitor for the Municipal Court and will be sworn in at a later date, as will Council on Aging representative DeRitha Barber.
Shomari Furtch, Willie Hopkins, Greg Horton, Linda Jones, Anika Potts and Mildred E. Reed were sworn in for new terms on the Main Street Advisory Board.
Sworn in for the Youth Council Advisory Committee were Jodie Alexander, Alfreda Gourdine, Arvia Hall, Shameka Jones, Aaniyah Kendrick, Derius Peurifoy, Keely White and Sharika Zellars. It was noted that Kendrick was an inaugural member of the Stockbridge Youth Council and is now a committee member.
New members of the Youth Council include Zipporah Barnes, Kaitlynn Nash and Simone Walker.
City Council member Yolanda Barber was appointed mayor pro term by a 4-0-1 vote with John Blount abstaining. The vote to confirm city attorney Bell Washington was also 4-0-1 with Barber abstaining.
Appointments to the Downtown Development Authority board were postponed until the January 25 council meeting. A motion to appoint Barber as DDA liaison failed, and the matter was tabled.
Thomas was appointed liaison to the Main Street Advisory Board by unanimous vote.