Chairwoman Cupid holds Town Halls across Cobb
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June 30, 2022 - Chairwoman Lisa Cupid held the second in a series of Town Hall meetings at the Tim Lee Senior Center on Tuesday, June 30th. Several dozen residents came to talk with the Chairwoman on a variety of topics, including the county’s budget process that is currently underway.
One resident asked why the county wasn’t planning on rolling back its portion of the millage rate at a time when the tax digest was rising, saying many were stretched by today’s tough economy.
“We are all stretched,” Chairwoman Cupid said, citing the county’s large amount of vacancies among county departments that are impacting critical county functions. “If we don’t address these issues, it will cut services at a time people need them the most. We have departments that are running 30% to 40% below their regular staffing level right now. So the people who are doing those crucial things, from fixing the roads to keeping the water running to responding to 911 calls, they're stretched, you're stretched, we are all stretched.”
Cobb’s proposed FY23 budget does not include a millage rate increase but is larger this year due to a more than 12% rise in the tax digest. The budget implements a rise in the minimum hourly rate for county employees to $17 an hour, puts a pay and class study in place, and adds around 140 new positions to the county workforce.
Other topics discussed ranged from trash collection to streetlights to heavy traffic in subdivisions.
(Previous story) June 23, 2022 - Cobb County Board of Commissioners Chairwoman Lisa Cupid discussed a variety of topics with dozens of residents at the first in a series of Town Hall meetings. The June 23rd event took place at the West Cobb Senior Center, followed by a June 30th town hall at the Tim D. Lee Senior Center.
The Chairwoman touched on the upcoming budget process, saying this has been a difficult year for the county when it comes to staffing - especially in critical field positions. Cupid said it has become apparent the county has balanced the budget and kept millage rates low on the backs of county employees, many of whom have seen only sporadic raises over the past decade. "These employees are leaving the county in droves," the Chairwoman said reiterating the need to address a pay and class student presented to the board earlier this year.
Cupid has three other Town Hall scheduled in the coming weeks. They will run from 6:30 pm until 8:30 pm.
• Tuesday, July 12 at South Cobb Community Center
620 Lions Club Drive, Mableton
• Wednesday, July 20 at Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Arts Center
2051 Lower Roswell Road, Marietta
