A dispute between a popular restaurant owner and city officials in College Park, Georgia, has escalated into a public controversy after the city’s mayor openly sided with a business owner who claims her establishment has been unfairly targeted by code enforcement.
The owner of Big Back’s Cajun Kitchen, a well-known restaurant on Camp Creek Parkway, says repeated inspections, citations, and enforcement actions amount to harassment. The allegations have sparked debate over the relationship between local government officials and small businesses.
The issue gained even more attention when College Park Mayor Bianca Motley Broom publicly defended the restaurant and criticized what she described as inappropriate conduct by elected officials.
“That’s not what we should be doing as elected officials,” Broom said in a video addressing the controversy. “That’s not our job. That’s not our purview. And it’s not right.”
The mayor’s remarks came after restaurant owner Shawn Perkins accused city officials of repeatedly targeting her business through code enforcement actions and law enforcement visits.
According to Perkins, officials have visited the restaurant demanding permits, issuing citations, questioning business operations, and ordering gaming machines to be unplugged despite the business maintaining a valid state gaming license.
The restaurant owner expressed frustration over what she views as selective enforcement.
“Why me all of a sudden on a Monday morning?” Perkins said. “I was harassed the first day.”
Perkins and her business partners believe the scrutiny originated with College Park Mayor Pro Tem Joe Carn, whom they accuse of influencing enforcement efforts against the restaurant.
However, the city’s legal department strongly rejected those allegations.
In a letter released by the College Park city attorney, officials stated that Carn “did not direct code enforcement to target, harass, or otherwise initiate enforcement action against the business.”
The conflicting accounts have created an unusual public disagreement within city leadership, with the mayor appearing to challenge the actions of a fellow elected official.
Broom took to social media to discuss what she called harassment and suggested that elected officials should not be influencing city departments in ways that could unfairly impact local businesses.
The dispute has resonated with many small business owners who often express concerns about navigating local regulations while trying to grow and sustain their operations.
Big Back’s Cajun Kitchen has built a following among residents and visitors to the Camp Creek area, making the controversy particularly visible within the community.
The situation also highlights broader questions about transparency, accountability, and the proper role of elected officials in municipal enforcement matters.
As of the latest reports, Mayor Pro Tem Carn had not publicly responded to the accusations. Meanwhile, the city maintains that enforcement actions taken against the restaurant were lawful and not politically motivated.
For Perkins, however, the central question remains unanswered: why her business suddenly became the focus of such intense scrutiny.
The controversy is likely to continue drawing attention as city leaders, business owners, and residents debate where the line should be drawn between legitimate oversight and perceived harassment.
