After months of fiery public meetings and contentious public comments over a proposed stormwater fee, the Cobb Board of Commissioners decided Tuesday to table consideration of the measure indefinitely.
Commissioners voted unanimously (5-0) to hold off action to impose a fee based on impervious surface amounts after being unable to find consensus on such a proposal, which would have involved code amendment changes.
The board voted in March to delay taking up the matter again until August, and had publicly advertised public hearings for Aug. 11 and 27, with possible action on the latter date.
But during a brief discussion Tuesday, Commission Chairwoman Lisa Cupid conceded there’s plenty of division on the board about the issue.
“We were very close to bringing this in August but there are some minor details we’re still looking to get some consensus on,” she said before the vote, but didn’t specify what they might be.
“Taking care of our infrastructure is very important and that includes our water infrastructure.”
She had been leading the charge for a fee, saying the Cobb County Water System doesn’t have adequate funding and staffing to handle stormwater issues as it is.
The fee would have changed how stormwater services are charged to customers, who currently are billed based on water usage.
The other two Democrats on the commission have been generally supportive of making such a change, saying Cobb cannot handle stormwater management with $8.4 million currently allotted annually in the water system budget.
The board’s two Republicans have been opposed to the proposal, including JoAnn Birrell of District 3 in East Cobb.
She held a town hall meeting on the stormwater fee proposal in March, and it drew a full house of citizens opposed to what they have decried as a “rain tax.”
But those three Democratic-held seats are up for re-election this year. Cupid and District 4 commissioner Monique Sheffield are seeking re-election (the latter is unopposed in November).
District 2 commissioner Jerica Richardson of East Cobb is stepping down after one term after a redistricting dispute that’s still in the courts and her unsuccessful run for the U.S. Congress.
Also on the Nov. 5 general election ballot is a transit tax referendum that would impose a one-percent sales tax for 30 years that has drawn some public opposition.
The vote to place that referendum on the ballot also split 3-2 along the same partisan lines.
The stormwater fee proposal crafted by the Cobb Water System included a fee schedule that ranged from charging $2 to $12 a month for most residential customers, in addition to their existing water and sewer charges.
The motion to table the measure had been on the commissioners’ consent agenda, but was moved to the regular agenda.
Birrell asked how it might come up again.
“They could be brought to the board in the future if directed by the board,” Cobb Water System director Judy Jones said.
“But there is not a target date for bringing this up. Unfortunately we couldn’t come to a meeting of the minds.”
Sheffield thanked Jones for her agency’s work putting together a comprehensive approach to addressing long-term stormwater needs.
Jones said that “we’ve put a lot of time in the office on this and our personal staff put a lot of time into this.”
Cupid told her colleagues that additional funding for stormwater could come up in the upcoming fiscal year 2025 budget that’s set to be adopted by the end of the month, because “there will be a need to fund stormwater and we’ll have to figure out how.”
But in reference to tabling the measure, Cupid said “this was a wise decision,” It is important that we have consensus of the board in order to move forward.”
Related:
- Cobb revokes health spa license for Canton Road business
- Cobb Water System probing Lake Allatoona wastewater spills
- Proposed Cobb FY 2025 budget raises property taxes
- Cobb approves $7M Lower Roswell Road project
- Cobb voters to decide transit sales tax in November referendum
- East Piedmont Road lane closures in effect due to sewer repairs
- Cobb adopts new policy for traffic-calming in neighborhoods
- Cobb approves ridership survey for transit tax referendum
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July 9th was a good day for Cobb taxpayers.
And proof that getting involved makes a difference.
1. The Board of Commissioners indefinitely tabled the proposed Stormwater Fee.
2. The School Board canceled the $50M Special Events Center.
Both were unanimous votes.
There needs to be a forensic audit on the spending of Board of Education and the Board of Commissioners.
Got a funny feeling there are lots of shenanigans going on, especially with the Board of Commissioners Chairwoman.
I guess this was before Lisa Cupid left the meeting early because she had another appointment. The 2nd time she has left the meeting early.
We have and arrogant and incompetent Chairwoman and I pray she is voted out of office in November.
The future success of this county depends on it.
I have live in this county since 1989 and am shocked by the behavior of the democrat commissioners and especially Lisa Cupid.
It is a disgrace.
Well Jim, as we know, humility and competence are not factors considered when electing democrats… Race, sex, and wokeness level are the only relevant qualifications. Although not a requirement, extra points are awarded if the blue candidate is gender-fluid, non-binary, or non-heterosexual.