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DeKalb County works to fill polling positions By KATIE ANDERSON newsroom@appenmediagroup.com DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — DeKalb County is still looking for residents to help staff the polls on Nov. 3 for an anticipated busy election day. To become a poll worker, residents of DeKalb County who are at least 16 years of age, speak and write in English, and have not been convicted of a felony may apply online on the DeKalb County website. Poll workers must also not be related to any of the candidates or hold a public office. While there is no hard deadline, the DeKalb County Elections Office says it is looking to fill spots as soon as possible. While COVID-19 has created some roadblocks, many polling sites faced issues during the June 9 primaries due to lack of poll workers and new machinery. In the 2018 general election, six in ten poll workers were over the age of 61, and 27 percent of those over 61 were over the age of 70, according to government data from that year’s Election Administration and Voting Survey. Previous years had seen similar demographics of older poll workers. Due to COVID-19’s effect on the elderly population, many of the usual poll workers are opting to stay home this November. “Due to the pandemic, you never know what is going to happen,” DeKalb County Communications Manager Andrew Cauthen said. “Also, it is a good
City Council lays groundwork for next year’s spending plan Officials begin process with departmental cuts By CATHY COBBS newsroom@northfulton.com
way to practice your civic duty.” The DeKalb County Elections Office is working with various civic organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union, Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce and the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office. The county offers two other options for voting for those not comfortable with going to the polls. Citizens can request a ballot by email and send it in by mail, or they can take advantage of the 24/7 drop boxes at one of nine locations. Neither method requires interaction with the staff. Currently, voters can request an absentee ballot as late as Friday, Oct. 30. Poll workers will be compensated $110 per election and $15 per training session. Minimum hours are 6 a.m. till closeout.
DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody homeowners can take heart that city spending for next year is not expected to take a bigger bite out of their wallets. That’s the word after members of the City Council Budget Committee spent two days poring over line items in preparation for the 2021 budget. The committee met Sep. 9 and 10 to discuss cuts and adjustments to a budget expected to fund the city through the COVID-19 crisis. The $20 million general operating budget reflects a 4.1 percent cut in services and an infusion of more than $5 million from the reserve funds, which will result in a balanced budget without an increase in the property tax rate. However, several city officials warned that it may be necessary to look at a change in the millage rate if the pandemic continues to significantly affect the world and Dunwoody’s economy through 2021 and beyond. “We’ve always planned in Dunwoody for a downturn, we’ve always had a healthy reserve and now it’s time to use it,” Dunwoody City Manager Eric Linton said. “We’ve made adjustments to reflect a COVID economy — note that I am not
saying a ‘down’ economy because in some areas, our economy is thriving.” A summary of the proposed budget compiled by Linton warned that a “decrease in commercially based revenue may be long-term and a millage rate increase might be warranted, in this upcoming year or the next.” Budget highlights include cuts to virtually every major department, except technology, according to Dunwoody Assistant Finance Director J. Jay Vinicki, who led the committee through a Power Point presentation. The budget cuts include reductions of: • $431,000 (12 percent) to the Parks Department, which includes reductions in repairs and maintenance, as well as a decrease in supplies for special events. • $290,000 (14.8 percent) to Community Development, achieved through savings from rebidding services, as well as eliminating hazardous waste recycling events in 2021. • $130,000 (1.4 percent) to police by leaving two vacant positions open and reducing other administrative costs. • $236,000 (8.8 percent) to the Public Works Department with delays to the repair and maintenance of streets and lights; • $135,000 (22 percent) to the Communications Department by structural changes and eliminating the printing of the Dunwoody Digest until at least the
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