SOUTH FULTON, GA — South Fulton Mayor Khalid Kamau is facing renewed scrutiny after the city council voted to deduct a little over $5,000 from his salary to repay taxpayer funds used to commission an unauthorized mural for his city office.

The city council voted unanimously to pay the artist for the mural ordered without approval, and get back the cost from the mayor’s $47,000 annual salary. The decision comes amid mounting frustration from both city officials and residents over Mayor Kamau’s use of public funds.

“We’re tired of the shenanigans,” said Councilwoman Carmalitha Gumbs. “That mural was improper.” Gumbs added that the unauthorized use of a city expense card and other spending decisions have damaged the city’s reputation. “Making our taxpayers uncomfortable,” she said. “They’re tired of being on the news for negative stuff.”

Despite growing concerns, the council will not pursue efforts to remove Kamau from office. “Let me be clear, we are in the business of not harming small businesses,” Gumbs said, referring to the council’s decision to pay the artist while holding the mayor personally accountable. “The voters will decide later this year.”

The incident adds to a series of financial controversies surrounding the mayor. Just last month, the council voted to temporarily restrict Kamau’s access to his office and remove any unauthorized purchases. He is currently the subject of both a financial audit and an ongoing ethics investigation.

City officials say they must now follow a legal process to determine how the $5,283.85 will be garnished from the mayor’s paycheck.

WSB’s Steve Summers contributed to this story