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County approves vaccine incentives citing ‘significant impact’ on services
BY TIFFANY MORGAN newsroom@appenmedia.com
FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. – At a work session on Sept. 7, commissioners discussed a county-wide rise in COVID-19 cases and approved a proposal to incentivize vaccinations for county employees. In his presentation to the commission, County Manager Kevin Tanner said that widespread COVID-19 outbreaks have damaged the service and productivity of the county government due to rampant exposure and resultant quarantine requirements. Tanner said employees have reported more than 4,000 hours of lost work due to the virus since July 25, marking a “significant impact” on the continuation of county services. Based on these numbers and after looking at surrounding jurisdictions, Tanner proposed a $500 incentive for full-time county employees and a $250 incentive for part-time employees to get fully vaccinated. Employees who are symptomatic or have tested positive for COVID-19 would be required to be fully vaccinated. Tanner’s proposal comes with an estimated $700,000 price tag which he said could be covered by funds the county received through the American Rescue Plan. With the incentive program, Tanner said, the county hopes to get 75
Qualifying leaves Brumbalow, Stone vying for mayoral seat in Cumming By CHAMIAN CRUZ chamian@appenmedia.com
TIFFANY MORGAN/APPEN MEDIA
County Manager Kevin Tanner presents a proposal for COVID-19 vaccination incentives for county employees at the Sept. 7 Board of Commissioners work session.
to 80 percent of employees vaccinated before the next spike in cases which he expects to occur after Thanksgiving. Currently, they estimate that fewer than 50 percent of county employees have been fully vaccinated. The proposal also called for countyemployee vaccination clinics which would be facilitated through the Forsyth County Emergency Management Agency. Additionally, Tanner requested that employees be granted paid leave to receive the vaccine. The Board approved the measure as presented with Commissioners Cindy Jones Mills, Alfred John, Todd Levent and Laura Semanson in favor and Commissioner Molly Cooper absent.
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CUMMING, Ga. — Qualifying for the city’s Nov. 2 election closed Aug. 18, officially setting the race for mayor into motion. Residents will see two candidates for mayor on the ballot as Cumming attorney William Allen Stone III seeks to unseat first-term Mayor Troy Brumbalow. Meanwhile, incumbents Chad Crane, Post 1, and Jason Evans, Post 2, are running unopposed for City Council and will also appear on the ballot. Along with the city’s election, there will be a county-wide referendum on whether to continue a 1-cent special purpose local option tax for education, or E-SPLOST, for Forsyth County Schools. Brumbalow was first elected in 2017. He is both a builder/remodeler and owner of a tanning salon. One of the cornerstones of his first campaign was the building of the City Center, which is set to open in the coming months. When it opens, the City Center will feature local restaurants, retail shops and entertainment. According to Brumbalow’s campaign website, it will bring “significant benefits” to the city, including an estimated 20 percent increase in additional revenue to the city’s budget. Brumbalow also touts a 10 percent to 18 percent decrease in the city’s budget
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expenses and a police department that has doubled in size since he took office. However, when his challenger announced he was running in July, Stone said it was because of the “high-density development and uncontrolled growth” in the city. Stone added that although the City Center will be built regardless of who wins the mayoral election, his issue is with how it will be managed when it is finished. Stone is a 2006 Forsyth Central High School graduate. He went on to earn degrees from the Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia, Georgia State College of Law and received an LL.M. in Taxation from the University of Florida’s School of Law. Advance voting will begin Monday, Oct. 11, and run through Friday, Oct. 29. It will include two Saturdays — Oct. 16 and Oct. 23. The Forsyth County Board of Elections and Cumming City Hall will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. during those dates. Additional polling sites will open at Midway Park, Sharon Springs Park and Hampton Park Library starting Saturday, Oct. 23, through the final week of advance voting. Voting on Election Day will run from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Only city residents will be allowed to vote in the City of Cumming General Election. For more information on the election, visit cityofcumming.net/news.