Mayor Khalid Kamau, who is often referred to as “Mayor Kobi” has announced he is dropping out of the mayoral race for City of South Fulton and will not seek reelection to the office
The City of South Fulton County, located just east of Atlanta took action against its beleaguered mayor, Khalid Kamau who became one of the city’s first city council members when it was incorporated in 2017, and was later elected mayor in 2021. Earlier this year, Kamau was barred from municipal properties and business as city officials investigate allegations of unauthorized use of city resources, noncompliance with established policies, and conduct unbecoming of a public official. removed from office and is facing charges of first-degree burglary and criminal trespass.
Kamau was also arrested in July 2023 and booked into the Fulton County jail where he was later released on an $11,000 bond, according to jail records.
Kamau allegedly broke into and entered a South Fulton County lake house which he says he believed was abandoned and was considering purchasing. When the rightful owner of the property showed up and ordered Kamau to “stay put” while he pointed a gun at him and called police authorities, Kamau allegedly retorted with, “Do you know who the f— I am? I’m the mayor, and I’ll wait for my police force to get here and see what happens then.”
The police report also stated that the mayor apologized and thought the home was abandoned. He told cops the property was his “dream home” and he wanted to purchase the house.
Kamau’s time in office has also been marred with infighting and contentious relationships with five of the seven other council members who filed a lawsuit for his removal from office for abuse of power and recording “confidential executive sessions of the City Council — against the expressed wishes of City Council members.”
The City of South Fulton City Council took action in response to the concerns regarding the abuse of office and issued a statement outlining complaints against the mayor:
It is the consensus of the Council that Mayor Khalid Kamau engaged in actions constituting a breach of public trust. As a result, the Council implemented the following temporary measures, effective immediately, to protect city assets and uphold transparency and accountability:
- Revocation of Mayoral Budget Access – The Mayor’s budget access is revoked, except for his salary and benefits.
- Removal of Pool Table from Mayoral Suite – The Council has ordered the removal of the pool table from the Mayoral suite.
- Employee Directive – The City Manager will issue a memorandum to all employees, effective immediately, instructing them to cease and desist all interaction with the Mayor consistent with the City Charter. Any violation of this directive will result in immediate disciplinary action by the City Manager.
- Return of Unauthorized Equipment — Film studio equipment procured without proper authorization shall be returned to the vendor. If a return is not feasible, the equipment will be transferred to the Public Affairs Department for official city use.
- Reallocation of City-Owned Devices — The three Mac devices purchased for the mayoral suite will be redistributed to the IT Department.
- Reclassification of Personnel – The Film and Media Manager position will be reclassified as a Special Projects Manager and will report to the City Clerk.
- Surrender of Equipment – All equipment, including the drone, must be turned over to the City Manager by the close of business on February 12, 2025.
- Security Measures – The General Services Director shall secure the mayoral suite.
- Revocation of Access – The Mayor’s access to all city buildings and facilities is temporarily revoked.
- Mayoral Vehicle Policy – The electric vehicle assigned for mayoral use shall be revoked. A travel allowance will be reinstated until a formal policy concerning the mayoral vehicle is established.
The Council remains committed to ensuring the responsible stewardship of taxpayer resources and maintaining the integrity of city operations.
These temporary measures will remain in place where feasible until all city investigations are complete.
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