ATLANTA, Ga. (CBS46) – On Friday, drama unfolded at a specially-called council meeting in the city of South Fulton.
Three people were escorted out as the council made a unanimous vote of no confidence against Mayor Khalid Kamau.
“You rally, supporting, and you stand behind this mayor. Stand behind this city,” said Councilwoman Carmalitha Gumbs, urging for unity across South Fulton.
The vote came after a private executive session that lasted roughly 1.5 hours.
“A vote of no confidence of Mayor Khalid Kamau is warranted, is necessary,” said Corey Reeves, Mayor Pro Tem.
Before the executive session, Mayor Kamau alerted the crowd he had served temporary restraining order lawsuits against the city attorney and each council member.
He said he also sought an injunction against this and all future executive sessions – until a declaratory judgment was met.
Kamau did not attend the executive session and said he believed it was an illegal meeting for violating the Open Meetings Act.
“This city council is doing whatever they want to do,” said Mayor Kamau on the steps of city hall.
Supporters of the mayor made up the far majority of on-lookers in a meeting at capacity.
Other residents of South Fulton we spoke with said the mayor is to blame for the turmoil between city leaders.
“Taxpayers such as myself are very upset about this,” said Daphne Jordan, a resident of South Fulton.
“I would like to have leadership. I would like to have someone in that space that understands what it meant to be a part of a team and not on some island by themselves. And that’s what we have here,” Jordan continued.
Afterward, the council said while they intended to make a strong stance against the mayor, they were not considering removing him from office.
“We do not have the power to do that and there was never any intention to come here this evening to get rid of the mayor,” said Councilmember Natasha Williams.
“We just needed to have on the record we are not in support or in favor of the chaos that’s been caused this week,” she said.
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