JONESBORO, GA — Mayor Donya Sartor stunned City Council members during a Thursday special session by offering her resignation, only to retract her decision hours later, announcing that she will remain in office.

Sartor, who made history as the first Black mayor of Jonesboro in 2023, has faced numerous tensions with other city leaders during her time in office, including accusations of racial bias and ongoing conflicts with members of the City Council. The resignation announcement caught everyone by surprise, including Council Member Billy Powell.

“We’ve got some conflicts of interest, and conflicts of personalities,” Powell said. His remarks reflected the underlying discord that has been brewing within the city’s leadership since Sartor assumed office.

The shock resignation was brief, however, as Sartor quickly reversed her decision, stating that she would continue to serve the citizens who elected her. In a follow-up statement, she cited the need to uphold her responsibilities as mayor and emphasized that the city’s charter outlines specific procedures that must occur for a resignation to be finalized.

A press conference has been scheduled for 10:00 this morning, where Sartor is expected to address the situation in greater detail and provide clarity on her decision to stay in office.

Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story.

WSB’s Graham Carroll contributed to this story