This week Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and the Atlanta City Council reached an agreement to transfer some of the Atlanta Public School property deeds possessed by the City of Atlanta back over to the schools. The school system and city split in 1970 but some of the property ownership was still in question. Under former Mayor Kasim Reed he agreed to turn over the deeds but then changed his mind for unknown and unclear reasons. The back and forth and unclarity as to his true reason created a tense relationship between the school board and city resulting in litigation and Reeds well known temperament to be displayed.
With new mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms at the helm, she kept a campaign promise to turn over 31 of the deeds with the remainder still under legal review. This is a great a positive change from the previous administration. Mayor Bottoms is showing in several ways she is not her predecessor. It may be a good sign that some of the pettiness has been washed away from City Hall.
Word around town that this is just one example of how Mayor Bottoms intends to separate herself from the previous administration. Mayor Bottoms is heard to be more congenial and collaborative during meetings with staff, placing value in quality staff members, and treating everyone (not just donors) with respect. Although it would seem like these things should be expected of leadership and not something to celebrate, after two terms of the previous administration the bar is set extremely low. It seems fitting to give credit where it is due and encourage Mayor Bottoms to continue separating herself from the previous tone and tenor of the previous administration.
However, somethings never change. Councilman Julian Bond was the sole “no” vote on transferring the deeds. Bond claims he voted no on “principle” because a lawsuit should have never been filed. However, outside of a fist fight at the bus stop at 3pm, APS had little options to get the deeds returned. Negotiations with the previous mayor failed. Some would argue that maybe there was good reason, outside of ego, for Reed to hold onto the deeds with a death grip. However, the speed in which Mayor Bottoms has returned them suggests otherwise.