The Swainsboro City Council met for a special called meeting on Thursday, November 13, 2025, at City Hall, where members approved a major budget transfer and voted to add two full-time firefighters to the city’s fire department.
Mayor Pro-Tem Bobbie Collins presided over the meeting in the absence of Mayor Greg Bennett. Council members Julian Sconyers, Roddrigus Foster, Gregory Quarterman, Lafonda Kelly, and Johnny Ray Stafford were all present. Swainsboro Police Chief Ashley Riner opened the meeting with the prayer of invocation, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.
The main item on the agenda involved the new City Administration Building. After discussion, the council voted unanimously to authorize a $200,000 transfer from the General Fund Balance and Water & Sewer Fund Balance to the Finance & Administration Site Improvement and Water & Sewer Site Improvement for the first payment on the City Administration Building.
Fire Chief Ali Mims then presented recommendations to fill two vacant full-time positions within the Fire Department. The council voted unanimously to hire Kaatlyn Tate and Brian McRee as full-time firefighters. Chief Mims also updated the council on a potential purchase of a new firetruck; however, no action was taken on that matter.
Council members briefly discussed rescheduling the December meeting to December 8, but ultimately decided to keep the meeting on its originally scheduled date of December 1, 2025.
A short discussion was also held regarding council pay rates. No action was taken, though Mayor Pro-Tem Collins requested a review of previous minutes to determine when the last pay rate occurred.
Under the consent agenda, the council approved a business license for Sarah’s Play House LLC, which will operate coin-operated machines at 229 South Main Street.
