BALDWIN — Baldwin officially ushered in a new era of city leadership Monday night, swearing in a new mayor and council members before turning to a work session that previewed potential changes to public safety operations, city ethics policy and employee scheduling.
Outgoing Mayor Stephanie Almagno called the meeting to order and opened with remarks thanking city staff, council members and residents for their service to the community.
“You have an opportunity to work for your neighbors and help solve the everyday issues that matter — sanitation, public safety and quality of life,” Almagno said. “Our residents are the reason we do what we do.”
Almagno praised city employees across departments, noting that police, fire, water and wastewater staff serve the community around the clock
“They are the face of our community and the heroes we call when we need help,” she said.
She also thanked council members for their service and acknowledged the demands of public office before congratulating newly elected officials.
“Thank you to the citizens of Baldwin for allowing me six years of service, including two years as mayor,” Almagno said. “I wish you all peace and good health.”
Doug Faust was sworn in as Baldwin’s new mayor, along with new council members Joe Elam and Mike Tope.
Faust told Now Habersham his top priorities include improving water and sewer infrastructure, restoring confidence with residents and pursuing responsible economic development.
“I really want to work with Baldwin to improve our infrastructure, particularly water and sewer,” Faust said. “That was one of the commitments I made during my campaign.”
Faust said rebuilding trust between city leadership and residents will be critical moving forward.
“I think one of the biggest issues right now is restoring confidence with residents, so they understand the opportunities ahead,” he said.
Elam, who previously served as Baldwin’s mayor, told Now Habersham that fiscal discipline
will be one of his main focuses as he returns to council.
“One of my top priorities is right-sizing the city’s budget,” Elam said. “Recent spending has grown at an unsustainable rate.”
Elam also asked residents for patience as the new council begins its work.
“I would ask the citizens of Baldwin to give us a little grace and some time to make changes that can’t happen overnight,” he said. “As one member of a five-member voting body, I will always keep the concerns of the citizens in mind, even if I end up standing alone on a vote.”
Following the swearing-in, the council moved into a work session with no votes taken.
Police items before the council
Baldwin Police Chief Chris Jones outlined plans to restructure the city’s code compliance position, recommending the sworn role be moved back under the police department. Jones said the city has been without a code compliance officer since late summer.
“I don’t have the exact date, but it was around August or September, so roughly four months,” Jones said. “A good code compliance officer is proactive — they’re out riding the streets, not just waiting on complaints.”
Jones said the position could also assist with court security and investigative overflow without increasing costs.
“When the investigator is tied up on a felony case that requires outside forensic interviews,
the code compliance officer can step in and take an initial report,” Jones said. “That allows us to keep investigations moving.”
Jones also addressed school resource officer budget items, noting the position is fully reimbursed by the Habersham County Board of Education and carries no cost to the city.
“This was a rare opportunity built on trust,” Jones said. “We’ve made significant strides in that relationship.”
Firefighter schedule changes
Fire Chief Ross Jackson presented a proposed pilot program to test alternative firefighter schedules aimed at improving rest and family time without increasing costs.
“This doesn’t change anything budgetary or the number of days firefighters work,” Jackson said. “It simply gives them more time to recover and be more present with their families.”
Jackson also discussed a proposal to sell the department’s mini pumper, saying the apparatus no longer fits the department’s operational needs.
“In theory, it was meant to get us started on a call, but in practice, you can start with it and you can’t finish,” Jackson said.
Ethics Ordinance
City Attorney David Syfan presented a draft ethics ordinance, describing it as the city’s first formal step toward establishing an ethics framework for elected officials and employees.
“This is the city’s public commitment to becoming a city of ethics,” Syfan said.
Elam and Tope both urged the council to allow more time for review before bringing the ordinance to a vote.
“Any ordinance like this needs time, especially for new council members,” Elam said.
No votes were taken during the work session, with several items expected to return for consideration at the council’s regular monthly meeting at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 20.
