Before Mayor Motley Broom ran in 2019, she knew it was essential to do her homework – to understand how our city worked before entering the race. She sat down with every department head, the city manager, mayors across the region, and other stakeholders to learn the demands of this important role.

Since taking office in 2020, Mayor Motley Broom has continued the work to educate herself to College Park’s benefit. While every newly elected official in Georgia is required to take six hours of training, she has gone above and beyond what is compulsory. Mayor Motley Broom has taken over 170 hours of training through the Georgia Municipal Association and the University of Georgia’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government (CVIOG). She has earned a Certificate of Excellence from CVIOG as a result of these efforts.

In 2020, the mayor made all city council meeting agenda packets available before every meeting. This removed the cumbersome process of residents needing to complete an inconvenient open records request after each meeting. In addition to securing the availability of this vital information for residents, the mayor started monthly one-on-ones and the city now provides a “budget in brief,” providing greater context and clarity around our complex budget. Mayor Motley Broom strongly believes everyone deserves a real-time, front-row seat to our city’s operations.

Mayor Motley Broom has worked to efficiently and sustainably operate our city’s business, as evidenced by an improvement in the city’s general fund reserves. These fund reserves protect our city as we plan for the future, face unexpected expenses, and pursue new opportunities. Under Mayor Motley Broom’s leadership, Standard and Poor’s also upgraded the city’s credit rating.

College Park elected officials and staff have demonstrated their commitment to simultaneously addressing quality-of-life issues and public safety concerns. There have been substantial investments in public safety, with over $2 million allocated for equipment and technology enhancements for the police department - including the purchase of 25 new cars last year and 20 budgeted for this year - and over $1.5 million for the fire department. Since December 2022, the College Park Police Department’s vacancy rate has decreased by half, with police officers having access to the resources they need to keep our community safe.

Mayor Motley Broom has also joined forces with 45 other mayors statewide to advocate for common-sense gun reform, including mental health support and universal background checks. Their efforts address critical issues affecting marginalized communities.

College Park is a safe and promising place for seniors. A referendum on the ballot this November will allow low-income seniors and residents with disabilities to qualify for a homestead exemption, making it more affordable to stay in their homes. The mayor championed this legislation, ensuring those most in need receive the tax break they deserve. Mayor Motley Broom started a Senior Summit in 2021. Now in its third year, it gives seniors access to crucial information, including home renovations, health care plans, healthy living, and more. The city also became a member of the AARP age-friendly network - a collection of nearly 800 cities nationwide committed to supporting the needs of all residents.

Additionally, Mayor Motley Broom is working to upgrade housing options for neighbors in the College Park Housing Authority. For decades, residents have not received the services and facilities they deserve. Mayor Motley Broom is committed to addressing this issue head-on - without residents losing their housing.

Mayor Motley Broom has continuously advocated for issues like housing access and homeownership because she understands that stable housing is a cornerstone of social equity.

College Park leaders are laser-focused on youth development, seeing it as a direct investment in our city's future. Mayor Motley Broom's advocacy for the Promise Career Institute is a prime example of this commitment, ensuring our youth are equipped for the workforce of tomorrow in collaboration with Fulton County Schools, Aerotropolis Atlanta, and other partners.

The city’s renowned recreation department offers various programs for all ages. Through Mayor Motley Broom’s leadership, College Park secured a $70,000 investment for a climbing wall from Adidas and partners, fostering diverse opportunities for our youth.

Our parks have also seen significant investments, including $1 million at Phillips Park since 2020.

Mayor Motley Broom is looking ahead to launch a formal summer mentorship program in 2024, partnering with local businesses and supporting a basketball program to promote fitness and mental well-being among our youth.

Mayor Motley Broom continuously champions equitable access for minority-owned businesses, made evident by multi-million dollar investments in College Park throughout her term. South Park Cottages, the only minority-developed microhome community in the United States - and the largest microhome development in Georgia - generated $3.5 million of economic activity for our city. When our police department needed new vehicles, College Park leaders awarded the $800,000 contract to a minority-owned dealership.

Mayor Motley Broom has ensured the City of College Park takes every opportunity to strengthen equity in our community, including participation in the National League of Cities’ Southern Cities Economic Inclusion Initiative, forging ties with the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta and embarking on an overview of city practices to align with our core values.

The mayor’s commitment to social justice is evident through initiatives like the In Her Hands program, a privately-funded guaranteed income program benefiting 200 Black women facing financial insecurity. Because of the relationships Mayor Motley Broom has forged over the years, the program was brought to College Park.

Thanks in part to participation in critical discussions and the strategic use of long-standing professional, political, and personal relationships, Mayor Bianca Motley Broom has successfully elevated College Park's profile. She has ensured the city's inclusion in important dialogues and decision-making processes where College Park was previously overlooked.

Two of the many impactful connections she has leveraged are particularly significant for College Park. In 2020, Mayor Motley Broom facilitated the opening of our convention center as a safe and accessible voting location during the pandemic, emphasizing her commitment to civic engagement. Additionally, she spearheaded the transformation of the GICC into a COVID-19 vaccination site, personally coordinating with city staff to ensure this vital service was available in our community. This initiative resulted in administering over 65,000 vaccinations to fellow Georgians, with the College Park community benefiting first and foremost from this crucial effort.

Click here to watch Mayor Motley Broom advocate for the GICC to be a vaccination location.

College Park used Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (TSPLOST) funding to build Lottie Miller Boulevard to jump start the Six West project. City leaders are working hard to complete the pedestrian bridge across Camp Creek to connect the GICC to Six West by this fall. The city has engaged one of the premier brokers in the country who understands College Park’s commitment to minority development in this project. Mayor Motley Broom introduced the plan to install historical markers in the Six West area to preserve the rich history of our original African-American residents.

College Park officials are actively pursuing innovative solutions to make housing more affordable despite increased property values. The majority of your property taxes are invested in public safety. City leaders raised firefighters’ salaries to retain optimal service across our city. Mayor Motley Broom is collaborating with city leaders to explore tax relief options through a millage rate review, addressing pressure from inflation while maintaining our city's viability.

College Park is not your average city of nearly 15,000 residents. Our operations include the second largest convention center in the state, an arena, and our own electric utility. Additionally, we have a number of funds that play a major role in our finances, including hotel-motel tax and car rental tax funds. Mayor Motley Broom has done her homework to understand these complexities so she can advocate on your behalf on the local, state and national level. That work is not possible without a clear command of the facts.

Mayor Motley Broom is motivated to serve and has the business acumen and problem-solving experience needed to lead through all circumstances.

As the daughter of a veteran, Mayor Motley Broom understands the deep sacrifices of those in the armed services. This is why she worked directly with local veterans’ organizations to help host events to connect our nation’s heroes to secure the services they deserve. These efforts have allowed veterans face-to-face meetings with representatives from the VA, the Georgia Department of Veterans Services, and other organizations that support and acknowledge their contributions to our country.