SOUTH FULTON, Ga. — An ongoing feud between a mayor and city government led to a sizable police presence showing up at a South Fulton park and shutting down an Easter egg hunt.
It sounds strange and may be hard to believe, but the scene that played out at Creel Park became the latest chapter in an ongoing feud between South Fulton's mayor and parts of the young city's government.
As 11Alive worked to get answers, organizers told us one thing and the city told us something else.
To make matters worse, organizer Torrey Tomlinson was slapped with a ticket ahead of the hunt.
"I've been cited for having an unsanctioned special event," Tomlinson said as he showed his citation as he stood outside the blocked entrance to the park.
Tomlinson said he hated disappointing the kids and child entrepreneurs he invited.
"The community raised over 13,000 eggs. This is my fourth, annual egg event. The city knows that I have this event," Tomlinson said, "So, it should be a walk in the park."
It was no walk in the park, literally. When volunteers showed up to Tomlinson's hunt Saturday afternoon around 12:30 p.m., South Fulton Mayor Khalid Kamau said police shut down Creel Park.
"I believe that a lot of this is retaliation on behalf of the police chief, whom I've had to have referred to the GBI for investigation," Kamau said.
The City of South Fulton is singing a different song. City officials said in a statement the event was canceled for "not following appropriate approvals through the City of South Fulton's special event process." You can read their full statement at the bottom of this story.
"I was never told why I couldn't get my permit. I was just left at a standstill," Tomlinson said.
Partner Jill Lindsey said she didn't receive notice either.
"People's time has been wasted. People's money has been wasted. The kids in the community are disappointed," Lindsey said.
Lindsey said the community should show up to the polls.
"Someone in District 6 does not want the taxpayers to have events in their district," Lindsey said.
Tomlinson said the event was originally supposed to happen last Saturday. He showed me an email from the city's Parks and Recreation explaining the reason for the first shutdown. It was because previous rain could leave the fields drenched with water, but Tomlinson said it didn't rain on Easter Sunday.
Mayor Kamau said the rescheduling was denied due to incomplete or incorrect paperwork, so they refiled. Then, Kamau said South Fulton Police explained there was a lack of staff for security.
"Clearly, they have police officers that are available to shut down the event, but they didn't have police officers available to work the event," Kamau said.
Councilwoman Natasha Williams-Brown had a phone conversation with 11Alive's Tresia Bowles. She told her the city did make Mayor Kamau aware, several times, that the event was not approved. Kamau and Tomlinson are accused of trying to circumvent the proper protocol, which Tomlinson denies.
Tomlinson asked the city to provide evidence that they made him aware of the denial. He said Parks and Recreation also waited until the last minute to approve or deny his permits.
"I told them that the fees are gonna be paid. I usually rent the stage from the city every year," Tomlinson said. "They told me that the state was broken. The stage was used to date at another event. So, I'm being lied to."
Community members were turned away from entering the park. Kamau said the back and forth has got to stop.
"This is a tragic story about how the politics of the petty has stopped an event for children," Kamau said.
Williams-Brown also told me on the phone that the reason this year was shut down versus other years is that there is a new parks and recreation director that's actually enforcing the rules. The City of Fulton had a city-sponsored, Easter egg hunt the same day.
City of South Fulton Statement:
"Today, an event coordinated by Old National Entertainment (ONE) and Mayor Khalid was canceled for not following the appropriate approvals through the City of South Fulton’s special event process. The event was deemed unsanctioned and will not take place.
The safety of South Fulton residents is a top priority for the city, and all events must follow the necessary procedures before being approved. The city is committed to ensuring that all events held in South Fulton are safe and enjoyable for everyone.
The City of South Fulton encourages organizations to submit their special event applications early in order to ensure that they are approved and sanctioned in a timely manner."