Mayor Khalid Kamau’s misuse of city equipment was brought up in South Fulton, Georgia’s May 13’s council meeting, leading Kamau to walk out of the meeting.
Councilmember Helen Willis said the issue has been ongoing and is not limited to the mayor.
“We need clear guidelines, and we need to make sure when people use our city vehicles, they are only used for city use and not personal use,” she said.
In February, Kamau was stripped of his city-issued vehicle due to alleged misuse.
Emails from 2022 reveal that former finance director Karen Slaton-Dixon raised concerns about the mayor’s request to use a city vehicle for a retreat, noting it could be considered “double dipping” since he already received a monthly car allowance intended for personal vehicle use on city business.
The council is now considering proposals to establish comprehensive policies to ensure city vehicles are used appropriately for business-related trips.
The outgoing mayor has faced significant scrutiny over his financial practices during his tenure. A city council audit revealed that Kamau spent approximately $26,000 on international travel to destinations such as Ghana, Colombia, and France, as well as on office furnishings, including a $1,800 pool table.
Kamau defended these expenses as efforts to promote South Fulton to the global diaspora, aiming to attract economic development to the city.
“We’ve been chasing these Fortune 500 companies, trying to get them to invest in our city, and all we get are warehouses and data centers. When I started talking about us being the blackest city in America, we started getting invitations from all over the world.”
Despite his justifications, the city council took action, stripping him of most of his privileges, including access to the mayoral budget and city buildings.
Additionally, Kamau’s wages were garnished after he failed to pay a local small business for an unauthorized mural in his office. Facing mounting controversies and financial challenges, Kamau announced he would not seek re-election. His term ends this year.
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