Paulding County. Senate Bill 630, sponsored by Republican Sen. Jason Anavitarte, would transfer the city’s duties and obligations to Paulding County and eliminate Hiram’s current local government. It would not require a vote from residents to approve these changes. The bill says “concerns have arisen around the financial condition and long-term viability of the City of Hiram.” At the Hiram City Council meeting, residents criticized the proposal and questioned the motive behind it. “It’s either money or power behind this,” one resident said. “Fight for what is yours and tell the senator to stop messing with our town,” another resident said. Hiram Mayor Frank Moran said he was “blindsided” by the bill, and that he, the city council, and the city manager met with Sen. Anavitarte. “He was invited here tonight as well as the three representatives. They were all invited. They all declined,” Moran said. “We had a meeting with the senator. Then we find out a couple weeks later, he puts an ad in the paper that he’s going to dissolve the city — which was not mentioned in the last meeting we had,” Moran said. Moran said no discrepancies have been found in city’s audits sent to the state for

Read original article