Marietta’s vacation dialogue shortly turned a debate on why Juneteenth needs to be added to the town’s vacation calendar when it omits Veterans Day. Longtime Mayor Steve “Thunder” Tumlin stated that was the first purpose he vetoed the merchandise.
“I’d hate to do one and never the opposite,” Tumlin stated throughout the Metropolis Council assembly, emphasizing the town’s connection to army places together with Dobbins Air Reserve Base and Lockheed Martin. “Veterans Day is terribly vital.”
The veto, which occurred greater than three hours into Wednesday’s assembly, prompted a number of residents and activists to voice their disappointment.
I’ve been fairly happy with the town that I lived in, however I need to say with nice disdain that I’m extremely disenchanted that that is even a dialog that we needed to have,” Jeriene Bonner Grimes, president of the Cobb County NAACP, stated throughout the assembly.
The price of including a vacation
Wednesday wasn’t the primary time Juneteenth was mentioned in Marietta.
The NAACP has held an annual Juneteenth competition on Marietta Sq. for greater than 15 years, and Cobb County voted final 12 months to make it a county vacation. It’s been a subject of debate in metropolis conferences and committees as effectively.
Richardson tried to carry the merchandise to the town’s personnel and insurance coverage committee, which she chairs, however the proposal didn’t go as a result of opposition from Councilmembers Griffin Chalfant and Johnny Walker, the Marietta Each day Journal reported. Nevertheless, Richardson was in a position so as to add the merchandise to Wednesday’s common assembly agenda, prompting Juneteenth’s comparability to Veterans Day.
Richardson, who stated she’s the one veteran on the Metropolis Council, added that she can be open to creating each Juneteenth and Veterans’ Day metropolis holidays, however she stated that wasn’t what they had been discussing Wednesday.
“I believe that’s a separate vote,” she stated. “As you (Tumlin) stated, (Veterans Day) has been round since 1918… and it’s not been introduced up as a vacation prior to now. And I believe to place them on collectively is to say that the one manner one will probably be supported is that if each occur.”
The town at present has 10 paid holidays for workers and might add extra, however each reportedly prices about $50,000 to $55,000, based on Metropolis Supervisor Invoice Bruton.
The vote handed 4-3, with Joseph Goldstein, M. Carlyle Kent and Andre Sims becoming a member of Richardson by voting sure. Chalfant, Walker and Andy Morris all voted towards the vacation. After the mayor’s veto, the vote to override the veto fell alongside the identical voting strains and failed as a result of the override wanted 5 votes.
Tumlin, who stated he was in favor of each Juneteenth and Veterans Day extra intently, didn’t instantly reply to the AJC’s request for remark about his veto. However he informed the Marietta Each day Journal after the vote that Veterans Day is “a number of occasions extra inclusive” as a result of “everyone has veterans of their household.”
Along with the county’s NAACP president, 4 different neighborhood members spoke on the finish of the assembly to chastise the mayor’s determination.
“I’m the grandson of a World Conflict II veteran,” Gerald Griggs, a Cobb resident and legal professional, stated. “I’m the son of a Vietnam veteran who labored within the metropolis of Marietta as a postal clerk. He can be ashamed of what you simply did, so don’t speak to me about veterans. I really like veterans. I’m the son of a veteran, however I’m additionally the great-great-great-grandson of a slave.”
