MARIETTA — From the start of her speech, Lisa Cupid, chair of the Cobb County Board of Commissioners, emphasized that she’s just like her constituents.
Seated among the crowd, she began her State of the County address by pointing out that she too is a resident, a taxpayer, a mother and a wife. She went on to pull no punches when discussing her critics.
“You go from being a neighbor, and then when you win the election, all of a sudden you get little horns on the top of your head and you become the other,” Cupid said as she made her way to the stage. “I’m with you. I love my county.”
Cupid delivered her remarks at the Jennie T. Anderson Theatre to an audience that filled about half the venue.
While she ticked through a long list of successes and challenges, she was also frank about what she sees as unfair criticism of her leadership.
The chairwoman said the attacks on her administration were unprecedented and implied they were racially motivated.
“We still deal with the polarity that comes with all the changes that are here. We deal with political polarity that comes,” Cupid said. “I shudder to think maybe it’s gender or demographic. But I tell you, I’ve never seen prior boards or commissioners get treated the way that we do. I have never seen it.”
Cupid also took swipes at the media and residents who speak at Board of Commissioners meetings.
“And I’ll take it, because, you know, nobody ever said that serving in this role would be easy. And to be honest, I’ve got more important things to do than to sit here and read a gossip column about what people think the BoC is doing. Or to get my panties in a bunch when people come and criticize us during public comment. We have lives to help, we have a county to move forward, we have agencies to run. We have a difference to make in our future.
“But really it’s a shame,…
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