Councilwoman Wants City Manager to Resign

A member of the Kennesaw City Council would like to see the Kennesaw City Manager quit his job, the Marietta Daily Journal writes.

Chris Eaton-Welsh says that Steve Kennedy’s 11-year tenure as city manager has caused problems for the city due to his poor leadership style. According to the councilwoman, Kennedy does not and cannot have his finger on the pulse of the city because he does not live in Kennesaw,

Eaton-Welsh told the MDJ that Kennedy’s failure to get the city council into face-to-face meetings with the group of Muslims who will soon be worshipping in a Kennesaw strip mall caused the situation to spiral out of control and become national news.

Kennedy is at the end of his current contract, but the city council has delayed a vote on extending the contract twice, the MDJ says. Eaton-Welsh wants Kennedy to resign.

Mayor Mark Mathews would like Kennedy’s contract to be renewed, and stands by his city manager. Mathews praised Kennedy’s leadership and skill in balancing the personalities and plans of council members with the realities of the city’s day to day operations.

Eaton-Welsh’s comments on Kennedy are just the latest piece of unflattering news written about the city council this week; Councilman Leonard Church, who is under indictment for child molestation and sexual exploitation of children, was allowed to attend a city council work session on Wednesday.

Additionally, the city is facing a federal lawsuit that is meant to keep the council from preventing the opening of the Muslim Suffa Dawat Center after they reversed an early December decision to reject the mosque proposal.