A group of former Roswell elected officials has sent a second letter to Mayor Kurt Wilson and the City Council, saying their concerns about city spending and the destruction of historic property have been ignored for over two months.
What’s Happening: The letter, sent today by 15 former council members and two former mayors, comes just over a week before the November 4 election. The group says they received no response to their first letter in August and calls out the mayor of calling them “silly and unserious.”
- The former officials represent over 200 combined years of service to Roswell and is made up of elected officials who were not known for getting along with each other.
- Wilson has accused the group of using their first letter to launch a political campaign against him.
What’s Important: The letter criticizes Wilson for saying “nothing” was done in Roswell before his election, which the former officials call “patently false.” They are asking voters to consider the city’s response to their concerns when they cast their ballots.
Catch Up Quick: In August, 21 former Roswell elected officials sent their first letter raising concerns about the destruction of historic Mimosa Hall grounds, city spending, and lack of public input on major decisions. They asked for specific actions including pausing development at Mimosa Hall, conducting a financial audit, and holding public forums.
Between the Lines: The timing of this second letter, arriving just days before the election, will likely fuel Mayor Wilson’s claims that the former officials are trying to influence the race. The group does not endorse any specific candidate, but tells voters to “pay close attention” to how their concerns were handled. Just after the first letter was sent, one of the signers, former councilman Steve Dorvee announced he was running against Wilson.
The Big Picture: Roswell has seen growing tension between current and former leadership over the city’s direction. The dispute centers on how much public input should guide major decisions, how taxpayer money is spent, and whether campaign promises about roads, parks, and free parking are being kept.
Still Developing: The Georgia Sun reached out to Mayor Kurt Wilson late Friday night to get his response to the second letter. We will update this article if we receive a response.
The Sources: Letter from former Roswell elected officials dated October 24, 2025; Georgia Sun Archives.
The Letter: The full text of the letter is below so you can read it for yourself.
Dear Mayor Wilson and Roswell City Council,
It has been over 2 months since virtually every former City of Roswell elected official asked for meaningful dialogue and action in regard to the destruction of the Historic Mimosa Hall grounds and lack of financial stewardship. We not only have received no response, but the continued destruction at Mimosa Hall and extreme spending has continued with no end in sight. Instead, we as individuals who stepped into the arena to represent Roswell have been called “silly and unserious” after raising concerns brought to us by constituents and businesses that are worried about the direction this administration has taken. With an election upon us, you have doubled down and belittled the contributions, sacrifices and accomplishments of every elected official for the past 40 years by saying “nothing” was done prior to your election which is a patently false statement.
We as a group denounce this harmful political rhetoric and applaud the contribution of every employee, volunteer, partner organization, elected official, business owner and resident that has made to this great City in the past and made it one of the top places in the USA to live many times over. While we do not know what the election on Tuesday, November 4th will bring , we have witnessed the utter disrespect for those who represented Roswell for over 200 collective years. Therefore, as a group we call on you to re-read the first letter we sent and respectfully acknowledge our correspondence and questions. We also call on the electorate to pay close attention to the disregard for the issues we raised and your continuing transgressions when they make their decision at the voting booth.
Approved this the 24th day of October, 2025.
Nancy Diamond Council – 2010-2017
Rich Dippolito Council – 2008-2015
Lori Henry Council – Council , 2002-2009 , Mayor – 2018-2021
Catherine Hibbard Council – 1993-1998
Sean Groer- seangroer@gmail.com
Don Horton Council – 2015-2017
Matt Judy Council – 2018-2021
Betty Price Council – 2009-2015, State Representative – 2015-2019
Ed Tate Council – 1991-1999
David Tolleson Council – 2000-2009
Matt Tyser Council – 2018-2021
Marie Willsey Council – 2018-2021
Paula Winiski Council – 2000-2007
Jere Wood Mayor – 1998-2017
Becky Wynn Council – 2008-2015
B.T. Clark
B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.
