Watkinsville Mayor Attempts To Veto Budget, Proposes Cuts

Watkinsville Mayor Bob Smith, on June 30, the final day of the last Fiscal Year, attempted to veto the nearly $2 million budget for the current fiscal year that had been passed in a 5 to 0 vote by the Council on June 17.

Smith sent out a press release on June 30 saying he was vetoing the budget because the Council “ignored” his request at the June 17 meeting to cut 12 percent from the budget and was instead using anticipated federal pandemic relief funds and the city’s reserve funds to balance the budget.

Smith submitted a copy of the budget with hand-written notes that, he said, would cut $158,000 from the budget passed by the Council.

Watkinsville City Manager Sharyn Dickerson, in an email message on July 1 copied to Smith, Council Members, and City Attorney Joseph Reitman, said “We do not believe the approved Budget Resolution (with attachments) was affected by the Veto Attempt.”

The City Charter provides language about vetoing ordinances but not resolutions, Dickerson explained in a separate email.

In addition, she said, Smith signed the resolution on June 26 and then struck through his signature and did not put into writing his objections within the 10-day window allowed in the Charter for vetoing ordinances.

For more on the story, and a video of a recent Mayor and Council meeting during which Smith again voiced his complaints with Council, please go to Oconee County Observations.