Georgia Councilwoman Says She Is Not Responsible $14K Utility Bill

East Point councilwoman Sharon Shropshire says she is not responsible for the $14,000 utility bill at her and her mother's residence.

A city council member in East Point, Georgia, is under fire for owing a past-due utility bill of $14,000.

Sharon Shropshire, a member of the council, spoke with WSB Atlanta about the outstanding balance. The councilwoman stresses that she did not incur the bill as she lives with her mother. Shropshire has been a caretaker for her fully disabled mother for years. As a result, she has been a resident of the property for 12 years. Yet, she contends that since the bill is not in her name, she is not responsible for payment.

“The water bill and the utility bill are in my mom’s name. Who is 72 years old and 100% disabled,” Shropshire said.

It is unclear how a senior citizen, who is fully disabled, will be able to clear such a large debt. Yet, Shropshire insists the septuagenarian is working on it.

”At the end of the day, my mother will continue to work with the city to get the debt paid,” she insisted.

Residents have questioned why a lien has not been put on the home. Additionally, residents believe Shropshire should not continue serving the city with such a massive debt levied against the home.

Shropshire’s situation was revealed during a forensic audit of the city’s finances and council members. In 2023, East Point Mayor Deana Holiday Ingraham claimed the town fell victim to an email scam in 2021. According to Fox 5 reporting, four invoices were sent using city email addresses soliciting $1,219,287.

Then-Mayor Holiday Ingraham promised residents complete transparency. A forensic audit then began, which revealed that the missing funds were not the result of fraud or embezzlement by insiders. However, the missing money was the result of poor accounting, wasteful spending, and improper documentation.