Friday, November 1, 2002

Kenn angered by staff cuts

By JOHN THOMPSON
jthompson@TheCitizenNews.com

Fulton County Commission Chairman Mike Kenn condemned a vote last week by his fellow commissioners that cuts his staff in half.

The county's Democratic Commissioners, including South Fulton's Bill Edwards, voted to cut the chairman's staff from seven to four and add a staff member to each of the other commissioners' staff.

The vote now gives each commissioner, including the chairman, four staffers.

"Five of the seven commissioners represent populations of about 170,000 people. I represent the interests of the county as a whole and cannot do it with the same resources as those who have much smaller interests," Kenn said.

Shortly after the vote, Kenn closed two of his offices in north and south Fulton County.

"It's the taxpayers and the citizens of Fulton County who are being burned by this political power play. Obviously, some commissioners are more interested in playing politics than making sure the needs of the taxpayers are tended to," he said.

Commissioner Bill Edwards could not be reached for comment.