EAST POINT, Ga. — Some seniors in East Point are worried about a city program getting cut that helps them with rent, utility payments and yard work they can’t afford.
It’s all part of a new budget that was supposed to be adopted June 30, but Channel 2’s Tyisha Fernandes said some council members refuse to approve it.
Many elected officials are blaming the city manager.
“Y’all as council manage him. He do not manage y’all,” said a former East Point city councilwoman Jacqueline Slaughter, who was talking about current East Point city manager Redmond Jones.
Slaughter didn’t like the budget Jones first presented to council back in April for fiscal year 2027. Neither did a majority of council, so they didn’t pass it.
Two months later, at a July 6 meeting, a majority of council still didn’t like the budget on the table, and that’s why they missed the June 30 deadline.
Fernandes walked into city hall to speak to Jones about the budget, but after sitting in the lobby for 30 minutes, Fernandes left.
“It is an urgent matter,” said Tremayne Mitchell, the councilman for Ward C.
He said he didn’t vote to pass the budget because an important program for seniors in his district was cut.
The city-funded program helped seniors with rent, mortgage, yard work and more they can’t afford.
“There was a program that did home repairs for seniors that needs to be funded. I believe there are 40 people on the waiting list now,” Mitchell said.
During the July 6 meeting, Councilwoman Carrie Zeigler said she wants to move forward with the budget city manager Jones proposed.
“This budget contains a lot of really important projects,” she said. “I know a new website is in this budget, and citizens are really frustrated by how slow things have been. And we can’t do any of those projects until the budget is passed.”
Also cut out of the budget was training and traveling for city workers. Some people told Fernandes off-camera they’re worried about losing their certifications.
And when it comes to the 2024 financial audit, many people in East Point are waiting as it’s ongoing, Fernandes was told.
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