East Point City Council Calls Special Meeting Thursday, July 16th @ 5 P.M.: The Topic Is Policy Direction Over Controversial Budget

The City Of East Point’s Council has called a Special Meeting for Thursday, July 16 at 5 P.M. According to the City’s Facebook page, the topic will be “Policy Direction” as it relates to this year’s budget but the meeting’s purpose has some residents wondering what the meeting’s resolution will be.

East Point’s budget was due to be completed by June 30 however, Georgia cities have submitted late budgets before, including East Point.

Last week, Ward C Councilmember Tremayne Mitchell spoke with WSBTV’s Tyisha Fernandes about budget priorities including support for seniors that was left out of the current budget, a concern shared by not just Councilman Mitchell but many residents as well. A number of senior residents appealed to Councilmembers for information about the budget prompting Mitchell and fellow Ward C At-Large Councilmember Starr Cummings to hold a series of budget town halls in the Ward to ensure residents’ questions were answered.

In the interview with Fernandes, Councilman Mitchell was also clear that he could not support a budget that would not include assistance for seniors.

“It is an urgent matter”, said Mitchell.

Ward D Councilmembers Latonya Martin-Rogers and Andrea Caldwell also hosted a budget town hall last month in their Ward.

But Ward B Councilmember Carrie Ziegler led Ward B At-Large Councilmember Shean Atkins, Ward A At-Large Councilmember Japera Hemming, and Ward A Councilmember Eric Friedly in the effort to pass the budget last week, even as community members continued to express frustration over an apparent lack of clarity, and the fact the budget appeared incomplete.

At last week’s Council meeting, Ziegler, Friedly, Atkins and Hemming advocated for passage of the budget even though adopting it after several amendments were added last-minute would have resulted in a violation of Council Rule 16, which prohibits passing an ordinance or budget unless it is ready to be adopted in its final form.

In the midst of the Council standoff, Ziegler drew broad criticism and calls for her to either resign or be defeated in next year’s election after she said, “That boat has sailed” on community input over the budget, verbally expressing her frustration that the Council would not adopt the budget as-is.

“I don’t understand why we’re still sourcing opinions from residents and other constituents”, Ziegler said at the meeting.

The budget has not only stirred controversy but has also featured an anonymous robocall that was distributed throughout the city last month, advocating for the budget’s passage, while accusing public speakers, who are former elected officials in East Point, of holding the city back by voicing their budget concerns publicly.

The parties behind the call have remained unidentified.

Thursday night’s Council meeting will start at 5 P.M.