Council President Overstreet hosts first presidential town hall for the community

Atlanta City Council President Marci Collier Overstreet hosted a Presidential Town Hall in the Community on Wednesday evening at the Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs.

The town hall provided residents with an opportunity to engage directly with city leadership, hear updates on key initiatives, and access valuable community resources.

The town hall comes at a pivotal moment, marking the completion of the first quarter of President Overstreet’s first term as Council President. The event brought together city departments, state legislators, and community-based organizations to share information and respond to questions from the public.

Overstreet said this town hall is about accountability, transparency, and connection.

“As we move through the first quarter of my term, it is critical that I hear directly from the people we serve, provide a clear update on our progress, and ensure residents have access to the resources they need. Our work is strongest when it is informed by the voices of our community,” she said.

The event also featured representatives from various city departments, including MARTA, City Planning, and Constituent Services, to address community needs.

Collier highlighted the importance of community input, especially with the upcoming FIFA World Cup.

State Senator Sonya Halpern spoke about her focus on making government work for people, including lowering costs, protecting consumers, and strengthening schools. She stressed the importance of collaboration between different levels of government and her role as a connector to ensure community voices are heard at the state level.

“My focus is making sure that government works for people in real ways, and in the State Senate, where I have been for six years, I just completed my sixth session, which means lowering costs, where we can protect consumers, strengthening our schools, and making sure our communities are safe, healthy, and positioned to grow,” she said. “Georgia is an absolutely growing state, and so making sure that we are best positioned to make sure that the success we see at the state level is shared.”

Also, Michelle Arrington, assistant general manager of external affairs for MARTA, highlighted the transit agency’s initiatives, including affordable housing through transit-oriented development, food security partnerships, and community engagement programs like station soccer pitches.

“MARTA is ready. People keep asking, and so we’re excited,” she said. “We’ll have transit ambassadors. We’ll have to make sure, make sure passengers are safe and secure. Atlanta is unique and has five stations and walking distance, and not a lot of cities have that. We’re encouraging you all to use that we are busy and engaged, happy to be a part of the fabric of Atlanta.”

MARTA also launched a bus network redesign, a ride-share service, and a bus rapid transit line, and will introduce new fare collection in May and rail cars on June 4.

The agency is also preparing for the World Cup with transit ambassadors and says they are ready. Also, there are no plans for fare increases during the World Cup, according to MARTA officials.

The town hall also included focused on community services and initiatives with key points including the five priority areas: housing, jobs, education, public safety, and quality of life.

Commissioner of the Atlanta Department of Transportation Solomon Caviness emphasized ongoing infrastructure improvements and the Vision Zero initiative to reduce traffic fatalities.

The introduction of the Atlanta community response and diversion dashboard allows residents to compare 311 and 911 calls and review outcomes.

“We are here to improve the quality of life for all Atlantans and folks that touch us. This administration is focused on improving and moving Atlanta forward,” he said. “We have been nonstop paving, building sidewalks, improving cascade, making sure that we see the difference and we are that change. We are here for all of those most vulnerable, we want to make sure that you can cross the street.

He says by 2040 they want to get the death and injury rates to zero.

During the town hall meeting, many residents discussed the need for infrastructure improvements on Oakland Road, sidewalks on Hamilton Road, and the disparity between Campbellton and Cascade Roads. Another resident asked Overstreet and Halpern, what does the city need from the state legislature to accelerate sidewalk expansion and expand transit expansion system.

Overstreet said one of their goals is for the city to buy into MARTA.

“MARTA needs help from the state,” she said.

Halpern said she isn’t sure what the state can do on sidewalks in Atlanta-on-Atlanta streets.

“I’m not sure what we can do on sidewalks, necessarily, but I will say that Georgia is the only state in the nation where the state is not helping to subsidize their public transit system, so Marta does not get money from the state to operate,” she said. “What the state does do for MARTA is allow them to do the referendum for the penny, which then goes into their operations, which then helps them do the projects that they do.”

Halpern says there is a relationship between the state and MARTA in that way. The other thing, she says, is they’ve got a share-like ride fund that exists as well.

“We’re not changing the world tonight, but we want to make sure your voices are heard, and you get the resources you need,” Overstreet said. “This is how we make Atlanta better.”

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