Donya Sartor will remain on the job, provide details at morning news conference
More than 150 people packed the city hall in Jonesboro Monday night. Most were there to support the mayor who at last week’s meeting initially resigned but hours later withdrew her resignation.
The city attorney has advised council members that state law allows the mayor to withdraw her resignation since the Council never voted to accept it and because it was not to take effect immediately and she has vacated her office. The place was so packed the council created an overflow viewing room of the meeting down the hall from the council chambers.
During public comment, more than two dozen citizens spoke before the council and the walls in the chamber were alignedwith demonstrators holding huge posters in support of the city’s first black mayor.
The mayor spoke to the news media after the meeting, and said she’s moving forward, and putting the episode behind here. However, Councilmember Don Dixon says he disagrees with the state law and still wants to show her the door.
In an official statement Sartoror said:
During the Special Called meeting [last week] I gave the public an indication that I would resign on April 19, 2025. After speaking with numerous residents and business owners and other stakeholders in the City of Jonesboro, I have changed my mine and I will not offer a resignation as mayor.
Specifically speaking, when I gave the indication, I was under duress by several colleagues who may have nefarious reasons for trying to force me out of my duly elected position. I believe that although it would be personally favorable to my family and me, I cannot, in my heart, let down the thousands of citizens who are depending on me to fulfill and complete the term of office to which they elected me. Also, as a proud graduate and alumnus of Emory, Georgia State and Clark
Atlanta Universities, I must finish the job as mayor—and I will.
Atlanta Universities, I must finish the job as mayor—and I will.
Accordingly, after consulting with counsel, and under Georgia state law and the Charter of the City of Jonesboro, there is no vacancy in the Mayor’s Office, and there is no resignation from the mayor.
Also, it came to my attention via a social-media post that some members of the Council called a special called meeting of the Council for Friday, at 6 p.m. to accept my resignation.
Secondly, according to state law and the city charter, there can be no special called meeting without first providing the mayor and council members with 48 hours personal notice. That notice would have had to be delivered personally to me and all council members by Wednesday, March 5, 2025, at 6 p.m. Therefore, I will not be attending an unlawful meeting, and there can be no lawful meeting of the Council tomorrow evening to accept a resignation that does not exist and has not been tendered.
The council will meet again the first Monday in April.
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