After first voting to allow a Hispanic heritage event in Smyrna, the city council reversed itself in a 5-2 vote upholding the veto of the event by longtime Mayor Max Bacon.
A little background on this: Smyrna is probably economically the most important city in Cobb County at this point. It’s adjacent to both SunTrust Park (the Braves stadium) and the Cumberland Community Improvement District (an influential CID in the county).
Smyrna proper has been a development powerhouse since revamping its downtown.
I’m the editor and publisher of the Courier, and have been getting complaints from members of a committee set up by the city to support diversity that the city was routinely blocking initiatives from the committee, including a Black History Month event, and now this.
So the city has a generally progressive reputation, but is obstructive of attempts to address racism and highlight the increasing diversity of the city.
So Haisten Willis, who covers Smyrna for me, filed this story from last night’s Smyrna City Council meeting.
The reason given for the veto, by-the-way, is a joke that writes itself. They said it conflicted with a “Casper Festival.” After all, what could be whiter than Casper the Ghost?