By Milton Kirby | Decatur, GA | January 31, 2026

As Georgia’s 2026 legislative session officially gets underway, Lorraine Cochran-Johnson, CEO of DeKalb County, met virtually with members of the DeKalb County House Legislative Delegation to outline the county’s priorities and highlight areas where state partnership will be critical in the months ahead.

The meeting marked the first formal engagement between county leadership and the delegation since the annual legislative dinner and coincided with the launch of Georgia’s constitutionally mandated 40 legislative-day session. That session, led by the Georgia General Assembly, is scheduled to conclude April 2.

Against the backdrop of hundreds of bills expected to be introduced, debated, and voted on before final measures reach the governor’s desk, Cochran-Johnson emphasized three core objectives: reaffirming alignment between the County’s executive leadership and Board of Commissioners, sharing updates on issues that have evolved since the last meeting, and identifying areas where collaboration with state lawmakers will be essential.

Top Legislative Priorities for 2026

DeKalb County’s 2026 legislative agenda reflects a unified approach to housing stability, infrastructure, governance reform, public safety, and long-term sustainability. The county’s top five priorities include:

Regulatory authority over vacant and rental properties.
County leaders are seeking authorization to establish and maintain a comprehensive registry of all rental and vacant properties, regardless of business licensing status. Officials say a verified in-state contact list would improve accountability and help ensure properties meet basic safety, health, and maintenance standards.

Annexation and new city reforms.
DeKalb is calling for revisions to state law governing municipal annexations and the creation of new cities. Proposed changes include repealing restrictions related to the sale of parks, reviewing the 60 percent annexation method, removing barriers to de-annexation, opposing legislative annexations advanced without county support, and limiting the use of taxpayer funds for annexation consultants.

Tenant protections.
The county is backing legislation requiring property owners to clearly disclose all lease-related fees, including junk fees, before a tenant signs a lease and in all housing advertisements.

NextGen 911 funding.
DeKalb is seeking increased and more flexible funding to support next-generation emergency systems, including integration with the county’s Real Time Crime Center and technologies that allow video, text, and GPS capabilities during emergency calls.

Expanded authority for Community Service Aides.
Proposed legislation would allow Community Service Aides to handle minor injury and property damage accidents, freeing sworn officers to focus on higher-priority public safety needs.

Public Works Leadership Update

In addition to outlining legislative priorities, Cochran-Johnson announced the appointment of Robert L. Gordon as Director of Public Works, effective immediately.

Gordon brings more than 40 years of leadership experience in public works and fleet management. Most recently, he served as Deputy Director of Fleet Management, overseeing procurement, maintenance, and lifecycle management for county vehicles supporting public safety and infrastructure services.

“Robert Gordon is a proven leader with a deep understanding of the complex operations that keep DeKalb County running,” Cochran-Johnson said, citing his institutional knowledge and commitment to service delivery.

As director, Gordon will oversee Fleet Maintenance, Roads and Drainage, Sanitation, and Transportation, while advancing initiatives aimed at improving infrastructure reliability, operational efficiency, and customer service. His career includes managing preventive maintenance for more than 600 heavy trucks and earning national recognition from the American Public Works Association, including induction into its Public Fleet Hall of Fame.

Gordon holds an associate’s degree in business management, professional certifications from the University of Georgia’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government and currently serves on the board of Clean Cities Georgia.

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