Follow the Money — Edition 01
Joe Carn
Mayor Pro Tem Joe Carn
College Park, Georgia

Follow the Money

Public dollars. Questionable receipts.
Zero accountability.

5 flags from Joe Carn's reimbursement records
All under $10,000
01 Trash cans on the city's tab — then allegedly reimbursed again to Joe Carn personally Double Charge
02 Same event supplies on a city reimbursement AND a campaign disclosure Campaign / City Overlap
03 Bulk gift cards purchased with zero explanation of public purpose No Documentation
04 Liquidation outlet purchase — no description of what or why No Purpose
05 Restaurant tabs, pizza, wholesale — pattern of vague reimbursements Pattern
See the Receipts

Joe Carn Wants New Rules for the Mayor — Not for Himself

Joe Carn's Agenda Item 10A proposes spending restrictions that apply only to the Mayor. Not to other Council members. Not to Joe Carn.

What Joe Carn wants for the Mayor Must get a Council member's permission before any enhancement spending — even under $10,000 — can be placed on the agenda. A single Council member could block the full governing body from even discussing it.
VS
What Joe Carn keeps for himself Current rules. City Manager approves under $10K per Charter. No individual permission required. No extra gatekeeping. The same system every prior mayor operated under — just not this one.

The Rules: Current vs. Proposed

What Joe Carn's Agenda Item 10A would actually change — and who it targets

✓ Current Rules (City Charter)

How It Works Now

  • $900K per official in FY 2025–26 ($500K capital, $400K non-capital)
  • City Manager approves up to $10K within adopted budget — Charter authority
  • Over $10K goes to Council for approval
  • All officials treated equally — same rules for Mayor, Council, Mayor Pro Tem
  • No individual veto power over another official's agenda items
✕ Proposed Changes (Item 10A — Joe Carn)

What Joe Carn Wants

  • Mayor must get a Council member to sponsor any enhancement spending before it reaches the agenda
  • Applies to ANY amount — even under the $10K threshold the Charter gives the City Manager
  • One Council member can block the full body from even discussing the Mayor's proposal
  • Only targets the Mayor — Joe Carn and other Council members keep current rules
  • No prior Mayor faced this — not in the Charter

What the Charter Actually Says

Any reforms to spending should apply equally to all elected offices — not single out one. These are just a few of the flags found so far. All under $10,000. All adding up.