Kennesaw mayor’s veto stands to continue benefits
The veto by Kennesaw Mayor Mark Mathews of a measure that would have stopped giving pension and health care benefits to elected officials was upheld Monday.
While the vote was 3-2, a vote of at least four was needed to overturn his veto.
Supporting his veto were Councilmen Leonard Church and Tim Killingsworth who also opposed the original proposal.
Opposed to the veto were Councilwomen Cris Eaton Welsh, the measure’s sponsor, and Debra Williams and Councilman Jim Sebastian.
In a statement to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Mathews said on July 15, “I have said all along that I feel that benefits should be an individual decision. Offering pension and health care benefits to elected officials is common place throughout the state for all levels of state and local government.”
“I have no problem with each official being able to make their own decision as to whether or not they choose to participate,” added Mathews whose term ends this year.
On her Facebook page at
, Welsh posted Monday, “Tonight the veto stands … pensions and benefits will remain for Kennesaw city council elected officials. Hopefully a new Mayor and Council can rectify the situation in January.”
These benefits would have ended for Mathews on Dec. 31 and the current council members at the end of their terms - Dec. 31 this year for Welsh and Killingsworth and 2017 for Church, Sebastian and Williams.
