Kennesaw to Consider Resolution As Military Cuts Loom

Months after Georgia congressional leaders expressed concern that thousands of military jobs would be cut in January if a new federal budget deal was not reached, members of the Kennesaw City Council tonight will discuss a resolution that asks the federal government to do something to stave off the losses.

The automatic cuts, known as sequestration, would negatively impact Georgia's military support structure and economy, Kennesaw City Councilman Tim Killingsworth said Monday.

"It will affect defense contractors like Lockheed and those companies who supply them," he said. "It will cause big layoffs and those companies are already prepping for those layoffs."

That was the message that U.S. Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-Marietta) and U.S. Sens. Saxby Chambliss (R-Moultrie) and Johnny Isakson (R-East Cobb) shared with a group of community leaders at Southern Polytechnic State University in August, according to the Marietta Daily Journal and Fox 5 Atlanta.

"It's projected that somewhere between 800,000 and a million jobs would be lost and Georgia's going to be impacted in a very heavy way," Chambliss said at the time. "Lockheed Martin has already sent out notices that are required by law to their employees that come Jan. 2, some of them may lose their jobs."

Killingsworth said Kennesaw residents work for Lockheed and businesses that support them.

"Sequestration," he said, "will affect Kennesaw directly."

In addition to the discussion on sequestration, the council will consider a $515,000 contract with Construction Management and Engineering Services to widen Main Street to the city limits, add a northbound center median turn lane to Cathey Lane, extend the northbound turn lane into Swift-Cantrell Park and add a southbound turn lane into Swift-Cantrell Park.

Because the Kennesaw City Council's regularly scheduled work session falls on Halloween, city leaders will meet at 6 p.m. tonight instead.

For the complete agenda, open the PDF document under the photo with this story. For more on sequestration, view the YouTube clip of Chambliss.