College Park City Council · March 16, 2026
5 findings
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Financial Scandal · 36:28

Attorney Blocks $4.8M 'Emergency' Roof Deal

“We cannot call something that we've known about for years an emergency. Delayed maintenance, those things don't constitute an emergency.”

— City Attorney Winston Denmark

City attorney torpedoes nearly $5 million roofing contract, citing state law violations in blistering legal memo

Meeting Briefing

What started as a routine consent agenda item exploded into a 45-minute legal showdown when City Attorney Winston Denmark blocked College Park's $4.8 million 'emergency' roof repair contract, declaring it violated Georgia bidding laws. The heated debate exposed years of deferred maintenance at GICC that has cost the city $67,000 in client refunds, while council members struggled to find a legal path forward for a project they've been discussing 'for years' — the very fact that undermined their emergency claim.

All Findings
Financial Scandal

Years Of Deferred Maintenance Now Crisis

“Mercedes Miller tried for years to get this roof fixed and each time it came before the budget process, it was kicked out. And so now we're now we're at a place where we're in...”

City manager admits former manager Mercedes Miller 'tried for years' to fix GICC roof — always got 'kicked out' of budget

1:07:18
Power Plays & Dysfunction

Botched Bidding Process Creates Legal Chaos

“Initially, yes, it was put out to the public, but after discussions, I felt it was best to go to the cooperative. So, to answer your question, yes, it was initially, but that's...”

City put roof project out for public bid in November, then abandoned it for cooperative contract — now scrambling to justify the switch

56:43
Power Plays & Dysfunction

Council Crafts Complex Legal Workaround

“I would entertain recommending approving this contingent upon the city attorney's review of this bid to make sure that this is the same result of the fair bid process that...”

After 45 minutes of confusion, council approves contingency plan: attorney reviews old bid, or city rebids immediately

1:15:14
Power Plays & Dysfunction

City Manager Criticizes Attorney's Selective Enforcement

“I certainly want to see the same type of energy from the city attorney on some other things that I've seen on the agenda before that we didn't get any kind of effort, memos,...”

Hicks takes veiled shot at Denmark: wants 'same type of energy' on other questionable procurement items

1:31:09