City of Stockbridge Financial Update: Amphitheater at the Bridge – Fiscal Year 2025 (As of August 31, 2025)
The Amphitheater at the Bridge is currently experiencing a significant revenue shortfall, necessitating an amendment to its budget. Below is a summary of the financial situation and proposed adjustments:
Revenue Shortfall: The amphitheater budgeted $2,600,000 in revenues for fiscal year 2025. However, actual revenues to date amount to $1,057,637.10, representing only 41% of the original budgeted amount.
Expenses Exceed Budget: While $2,600,000 was budgeted for expenses, actual expenditures have already reached $3,664,364.90 – exceeding the budget by $1,064,364.90.
Funding Adjustment: To address the shortfall, the difference between revenues and expenditures will be covered by a transfer from the General Fund. This transfer will be used to balance the Amphitheater Enterprise Fund and ensure the operation remains financially viable.
My more nerdy readers will again note the fact this document was authored in the City of South Fulton by Nina Robinson in September 2019. At this point I assume Mr. Milazi keeps a blank of this Power Point and edits in the new details per each presentation. So when the file is saved it preserves the original creator and date in the EXIF data. I’m not saying Ms. Robinson authored this document for the city currently.
They just made this up yesterday. “inaugural” as of May, probably, when all this started coming out.
My fingers are chapped. I don’t think I’m covering the ethics board anymore. There’s no point and I’m not into wasting my time. No offense to the people that follow it or file complaints. I’ve just seen these type of bogus awards and roadside attractions before.
I do have a comic coming out on the 24th though. It’s called Barnè the Duck, Attorney at Bird. It’s gonna be about a water fowl in the lost city of Atlantis. Before it was underwater, so like, now. Her compatriot is a chicken named Fanny Twillis. The theme is fighting for fowl to migrate because the evil Cajuns have built a wall.
A big wall. Right down there on the Southside.
Reach out your hands. Better make a friend if you can. Oui, se bon…
“Please note that the city is consistent with its use of software for Finance” – Cassandra Lester. 5 days after we found out $33 million dollars in grand larceny just happened. Notice, with this grand excuse generated by GPT, there is no JustFOIA code & there was no document attached. Let’s quit trying to yank my chain, folks. All you’ll achieve is outing yourself as a fool to the whole wide world. Every holiday you pay for amphitheater show advertisement will bring thousands of people to the front page here. Thereupon they’ll read of your many failings. Then, eventually when you get sued by me or your co-workers, you gotta go look for a job. Then they come find all this shit you did.
This is what Ronald Reagan called, “a Mexican standoff.”
What follows is the only thing they’ve consistently done. Deflection from fulfillment. Over and over and over. It doesn’t matter I sued HCPD. Doesn’t matter their own co-workers can’t stand them. Nope. It’s always the same tired old games from Vanessa Holiday’s Clerk’s office (at Eagle’s Landing City Hall).
This is what they signed, which lists the $32,936,517.98 discrepancy and $76,679,404.28 total 2024 budget amendment.
Nowhere does the Henry Herald mention the amount $32,936,517.98. They characterize this Grand Larceny as “budget troubles” & “Stockbridge Amphitheater […] exceeded its expense budget, ending the year about $4 million in the red.” with $4,000,000 being the highest number they were brave enough to print. Hannah goes on to say, “The amphitheater did bring in $500,534 more than was expected over the year” which is a logical fallacy. You can’t be $4,000,000 under and $500K over.
We are bayou deep in the mudhole we stomped. As always, I think this is the beginning of the story. While the PR machine thinks they’ve put the issue to bed. Until we know which companies were payed what money by which city employee, we know nothing. I do know where to start asking though…
Just next month in August there will be city tax millage rate hearings. Set aside the $32,936,517.98 Budget Amendment for a moment. They need another $392,000 for a sound booth. That’s right, $32,936,517.98 on top of the $30,000,000 original amphitheater complex cost didn’t buy the soundbooth. And, no I don’t care to argue the amphitheater bond was only $7,000,000. Nor do I care to hear reiterated the payoff date on that bond. That cost isn’t the “amphitheater complex” cost.
So, on top of 60-70 million dollars, thousands of new residents annexed in, and a tax immediately forced on them. I hate to warn you they’ll be after much more very soon. Do not miss the Millage Rate Public Hearing on August 04, 2025 & the two after. https://stockbridgega.portal.civicclerk.com/event/3557/files
Stockbridge, Georgia, a city grappling with significant financial irregularities and a cascade of lawsuits, finds itself under intense scrutiny. Recent revelations concerning its budget and the conduct of some elected officials paint a troubling picture, leading to demands for a comprehensive investigation into potential corruption and even racketeering.
The Murky Waters of Stockbridge’s Budget
The financial management within Stockbridge City has come under fire, with multiple sources pointing to a lack of transparency and adherence to proper procedures. The City Council is the sole authority with the power to allocate funding and transfer money between different funds; the City Manager does not possess this authority. However, there have been instances of non-budgeted spending. Audits for 2021, 2022, and 2023 consistently found that the city’s financial reporting did not meet required standards, and established procedures for grant receipts were not followed.
A particular point of concern is the Stockbridge Amphitheater. Initially designated as an “enterprise” fund, meaning it was expected to be self-sufficient, the amphitheater has demonstrably failed to achieve this goal. Its expenses have reportedly soared from $2 million to $8.1 million. Most alarmingly, there appears to have been a deliberate concealment of amphitheater expenses, with costs being charged to an unrelated fund without the knowledge or approval of the City Council. This practice was described as a “let down” of the citizens. Despite city policy requiring adjustments over $50,000 to come before the city council, despite OCGA 36-91 stating anything over $100,000 must be bid out, this rarely happened. Council members noted almost no budget amendment requests between 2022 and 2024, despite significant discrepancies known since September & March of 2024.
Council members, especially Yolanda Barber, repeatedly sought accurate financial reports for the amphitheater but were often provided inaccurate or incomplete information, which sometimes claimed the venue was breaking even or incurring minor losses, even as actual spending was much higher (e.g., $2 million budgeted in 2024 versus $8.1 million 2024 budget amendment in June 2025). Are we to hear next year in June or July 2026 that we need to amend the 2025 budget for what Harold Young got up to before he was terminated for breach of contract? It seems like a likely scenario judging by the many months of subterfuge to cover up what we all knew was over-budget and never bid.
A Pattern of Alleged Misconduct and Retaliation
The financial concerns are amplified by a series of recent lawsuits detailing alleged harassment, discrimination, and retaliation by city officials.
• The Arick Whitson (BBQ Masters) Lawsuit: Arick Whitson and Georgia Championship Barbecue Company, Inc. d/b/a BBQ Masters, sued the City of Stockbridge and City Council member Elton Alexander, alleging deprivation of constitutional rights, retaliation for protected speech, equal protection violations, and defamation. Whitson claimed that Alexander attempted to extort free food in exchange for city business in May 2016. After Whitson refused, Alexander and the City allegedly initiated a series of retaliatory actions, including directing Code Enforcement officials to harass BBQ Masters with unwarranted inspections and citations. The City also denied building plans and sign permits without valid reasons, causing financial harm. After Whitson filed an Ethics Complaint against Alexander in January 2017, and the complaint gained public exposure via WSB-TV, Alexander allegedly escalated his campaign of public disparagement. He made false remarks about Whitson and BBQ Masters, calling the restaurant a “dump” and falsely reporting illegal remodeling, domestic violence, “bad check” allegations, sexual assault, “revenge porn,” and labeling Whitson a “serial offender” via emails and Facebook. The City also allegedly refused to process BBQ Masters’ alcohol permit, resulting in substantial income loss. The lawsuit contended that these actions were part of an official policy and custom of the City. Ultimately, Arick Whitson received a $1.7 million settlement from the city’s insurer. This outcome led the Mayor and other council members to call for Alexander’s resignation, citing the “shame” brought upon the city.
• The Lindell Yvette Miller Lawsuit: Lindell Yvette Miller, formerly of the City’s Procurement Division, filed a civil action against the City of Stockbridge, City Council members Yolanda Barber and Alphonso Thomas, and City Clerk Vanessa Holiday. Miller alleged discrimination based on national origin and violation of the Georgia Whistleblower Protection Act. The lawsuit claimed that Vanessa Holiday made discriminatory remarks about “island people”, and that Barber, Holiday, and Thomas subjected Miller to a campaign of public retaliatory harassment after she reported Barber’s interference with a landscaping contract. They allegedly made false public statements about the Procurement Division’s effectiveness, and Holiday engaged in irrational and invasive behavior, including tampering with confidential files. An independent climate study reportedly confirmed “overwhelming evidence of bullying and harassment by Holiday and Barber” and a “hostile and very stressful environment” at the city. Despite multiple reports to HR, Miller’s complaints of harassment based on national origin were allegedly not investigated. Miller resigned due to the ongoing harassment and hostile work environment, which caused her to suffer a panic attack. A cease and desist order was even issued to Councilwoman Barber to stop making false claims about Miller.
• The Camilla Moore Lawsuit: Camilla Moore, an African American woman who served as Administrative Services/Community Development Director and then Assistant City Manager, filed a lawsuit against the City of Stockbridge, former City Manager Randy Knighton, and Council members Elton Alexander, Yolanda Barber, and Alphonso Thomas. Moore’s claims included race, sex, and intersectional discrimination, retaliation (under Title VII and 42 U.S.C. §1981), and age discrimination. Moore alleged sex discrimination when Randy Knighton, was hired over her for City Manager, with former Mayor Neal reportedly stating the City wasn’t ready for a “Black female City Manager.” Councilman Alexander allegedly commented that the City “wanted a man” and “didn’t really need a woman anyway”. Alexander, Barber, and Thomas are accused of publicly undermining and berating Moore, making false assertions about her performance, and using City Clerk Vanessa Holiday to harass her. Moore also alleged that Knighton ignored her complaints, and she was directed to hire a less qualified white economic development director based on his race. Furthermore, Knighton, Alexander, Thomas, and Barber allegedly pushed to hire more white people and fewer Black people in closed meetings, with comments such as “City is too Black”. Moore’s Assistant City Manager position was eventually eliminated, which she believed was discriminatory and retaliatory, leading to her termination. Her age was also allegedly cited as a factor in her termination.
Call for a Racketeering Investigation in Stockbridge City, Georgia
The documented financial mismanagement, coupled with a pattern of alleged extortion, harassment, and retaliation against those who speak out or report misconduct, raises serious questions. The independent climate study’s findings of a “toxic” environment, “abuse of power,” and “lack of management accountability” controlled by certain individuals further underscore these concerns.
The $1.7 million settlement in the BBQ Masters case, directly linked to a council member’s alleged attempt to extort free food and subsequent retaliation, highlights a severe breach of public trust. The allegations in the Miller and Moore lawsuits describe a systemic pattern of abuse of power, discrimination, and retaliation by multiple city officials, including council members and the city clerk.
Considering the following:
• The blatant concealment of public funds for the amphitheater, diverted without council approval.
• The pattern of alleged extortion and subsequent harassment against a business owner who refused.
• The systematic retaliation and public disparagement against city employees for reporting misconduct or questioning financial practices.
• The consistent failure of financial oversight and the provision of erroneous reports to the city council.
• The prior call for a forensic audit in 2011 due to alleged financial irregularities.
These cumulative allegations suggest a potential for organized illicit activities that go beyond isolated incidents. It is imperative that authorities launch an immediate and thorough investigation into whether a pattern of racketeering activity has occurred within Stockbridge City, Georgia. The citizens of Stockbridge deserve complete transparency and accountability from their elected officials and city management.
Original meeting; https://stockbridgega.portal.civicclerk.com/event/2907/files/agenda/4474 Federal audits from fac.gov are embedded below. If you scroll to the bottom you’ll find the recommendations for financial control that blow away any argument that “the council relies on staff” and couldn’t possibly have known how bad the situation is. Setting aside many of us e-mailed council when we saw how bad things were in the original amphitheater open records request by Conserve Henry that started the many citizen led investigations. In closing I find it pertinent to mention that the April 2022 audit wasn’t done (according to “Acc date”) until 2024. The City at large has been aware of the many suggested corrective actions since September & March of 2024.
