Tree removal at Roswell's historic Mimosa Hall sparks political uproar

• In Roswell, a poorly communicated plan to remove four acres of trees to improve the grounds of historic Mimosa Hall proved too much for residents at odds with Mayor Kurt Wilson and the City Council.

Driving the news: On Wednesday, 21 former Roswell elected officials demanded the city conduct third-party audits on city spending, including consulting contracts, and halt work on the Mimosa Hall project.

• The plan to create a marquee event lawn on the grounds and link the property with other historic sites started on awkward footing.
• The city OK-ed the removal of roughly 35 trees, some of which were reportedly 150 years old.

At a Wednesday press conference, Jere Wood, who served as Roswell mayor for nearly two decades, accused the city of violating its own tree and historic preservation ordinances.

• "I'm here today, and we're here today, because they are destroying our city," he said. "They're doing irreparable harm […] that cannot be repaired by the next administration."

The other side: City Councilmember Allen Sells told Saporta Report that the former elected officials represent a vocal minority, not a silent majority.

• He said Wilson and his colleagues supported historic preservation efforts that past leaders, including Wood, ignored.

Roswell city spokesperson Julie Brechbill disputed the allegations and said Wood could file a lawsuit if he felt the city broke the law, the outlet reported.

• The city did not respond to Axios' questions Thursday morning, including whether the stadium proposal, which city officials last discussed in September 2024, is moving forward.

What we're watching: Roswell, like Atlanta, will hold municipal elections in 2025. Qualifying begins on Mon., Aug. 18 and ends at 4:30pm on Fri., Aug. 22.

• The former elected officials told Axios they neither planned to run nor endorse candidates as a group.