Single-vehicle accident on Oak Lane in East Cobb sends driver to hospital

Thanks to reader who lives in Chadds Walk for asking us to check out what she said was a “bad accident” shortly after midnight Monday on Oak Lane, and that prompted fire/rescue as well as police presence.Oak Lane accident

A Cobb Police spokesman told us that the accident involved a single vehicle that struck a tree at 12:03 a.m. on Oak Lane near Wyeth Walk (that’s east of Johnson Ferry Road).

Officer Neil Penirelli said a white 2009 Mazda RX8 driven by Evan Jones, 27, of Marietta, was negotiating a curve on Oak Lane when the car left the road and hit the tree.

Penirelli said Jones was taken to Wellstar Kennestone Hospital and is listed in critical but stable condition, and that speed and alcohol are possible contributing factors in the accident.

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East Cobb Robotics team wins Georgia State Championship

East Cobb Robotics team

Thanks to Lisa Hatch, executive director of the East Cobb Robotics team, for the information and photo:

East Cobb Robotics FRC Team 4910 is excited to announce that for the 4th year in a row, its students have earned a spot at the FIRST Robotics World Championship in Houston, Texas. East Cobb Robotics (ECR) is a community-based organization providing STEM education to high-school aged students through its participation in the FIRST Robotics Competition. Each year, over 3600 teams from around the world are provided a ‘game,’ challenging them to design, build, and program a robot in order to compete. ey have just six weeks to accomplish this goal, followed by tournaments where teams strive to outperform the robots of other teams. At the end of these tournaments, the top 400 teams world-wide earn an invitation to the Championship event.

This year, at the Peachtree District/Georgia State Championship, East Cobb Robotics and their alliance won the event, and ECR also placed rst among the top 45 teams in the state. Joining ECR on the winning alliance were teams 2974 Walton Robotics and team 2415 Westminster WiredCats. We are very proud of all their accomplishments and can’t wait to see what the future has in store for them.

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Cobb Community Foundation names its 2019 Philanthropist of the Year

Submitted information:Bob Kiser, Cobb Community Foundation

Each year since Jim Rhoden was named Cobb’s first Visionary Philanthropist, Cobb Community Foundation has recognized and honored a Cobb business and community leader who makes significant contributions to the community through gifts of time, talent and treasure. The individuals named have all exhibited visionary leadership and have utilized their influence in ways that have truly improved quality of life for Cobb residents. On Friday, April 26th at Cobb Community Foundation’s 2019 Partners in Philanthropy Luncheon, Bob Kiser will be recognized as one of those individuals.
 
Following fourteen years as a pilot, six with the United States Air Force and eight for a commercial airline, Bob began a very successful career with Moore Colson. In 2009, he succeeded Greg Colson as Managing Partner. Colson commented at the time, “Bob’s experience and respect in the industry coupled with his unique relationship building abilities will afford the firm continued success going forward. Bob’s strong bond with the firm’s other 13 partners and admiration by the staff is a direct reflection on his leadership skills.” During his tenure as MP, Moore Colson was named one of America’s 2013 Best of the Best Top 50 CPA Firms by INSIDE Public Accounting Magazine (which annually honors only 50 Firms in America), one of the Fastest Growing Atlanta Firms (revenue and professionals) and also began what is now a long-standing tradition of being named one of Atlanta’s Top Workplaces by the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

Throughout his career, Bob’s focus was not only on helping his clients achieve their objectives, he also wanted to see others in the community achieve theirs. “We’re all in this together,” he says. Bob served on the board of Cobb Community Foundation (“CCF”) from 2006 to 2011, including chairing the board in 2009. Despite the turbulent economy, under his leadership, CCF still made grants totalling over $800,000 to the non-profit community.

After four years as a board member of The Center for Family Resources (“the CFR”), Kiser took on the role of board chair in 2011. Two years later, he chaired their annual gala and raised $366,000 for the organization. That year, the CFR Chair presented him with their Founder’s Award which recognizes a company, organization or individual who best exemplifies the organization’s work and mission. CFR’s annual report for that year reported, “He has always given generously of both his time and resources…. Bob’s hard work was instrumental to the success of the Center for Family Resources during the time he served on our board and as committee and gala chair.”

Bob stepped down from the managing partner role at Moore Colson in 2014 and for the past few years has been focusing his time on travelling with his wife, Phyllis, spending time with daughter, Jean Ann, son-in-law, Steven Murphy, and their sons Matthew and Jonathan, and visiting son, Tim, and daughter-in-law, Katie, who live in Chattanooga and are expecting their first child.

Even so, Bob’s commitment to the community has not even slightly wavered. Many do not know that two years ago, Bob, an active member of Marietta Kiwanis, was also instrumental in ensuring that the mission of United Arts of Cobb, an organization created by Ron Francis, continued and that Ron’s legacy remained strongly intact. Bob worked to transition the governance of the fund to the club and now chairs the Marietta Kiwanis Art Fund Committee, continuing the mission of United Arts of Cobb and overseeing the grant review and awards process.

Kiser is frequently consulted by and continues to advise the CFR and CCF, and he still continues to fundraise for organizations whose missions he supports. Just ask Marietta High School’s Student Life Center. Last year, the Marietta Country Club Thanksgiving Golf Tournament that he and fellow club member, Steve Fisher, co-chaired raised a record $75,000. Marietta Kiwanis, a co-sponsor of the tournament, added an additional $25,000, resulting in a $100,000 total contribution to the organization.

Cobb Community Foundation board chair, Bruce Clayton (who nominated Kiser for the award) refers back to the CFR’s annual report and the Greg Colson quote. “They said it best,” he says. “Bob always gives generously of both his time and his resources, and his personal relationships and leadership abilities allow him to make an impact on everything he gets involved in.” Clayton continues, “This community is fortunate to have him. He makes it better just by being here.”

Bob Kiser will be recognized as the 2019 James L. Rhoden, Jr. Visionary Philanthropist of the Year at Cobb Community Foundation’s Partners in Philanthropy Luncheon on Friday, April 26th. For more information or to purchase tickets, go to https://e.givesmart.com/events/cCz/.

PAST RECIPIENTS

2018 David and Brittney Bottoms
2017 Governor Roy Barnes
2016 Valerie Voyles
2015 Ron Francis
2013 Doug Hertz
2012 Bob Prillaman
2011 Doug Chaffins
2010 Fred Bentley, Sr.
2009 Sam Olens
2008 Jerry Nix
2007 Earl Smith
2006 Larry Freeman
2005 Bob Moultrie
2004 Bob Elsberry
2003 Jim Rhoden

 

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Cobb events scheduled for Crime Victims’ Rights Week

Submitted information:Crime Victims' Rights Week

Cobb Acting District Attorney John Melvin announces that the DA’s Office is partnering with various groups to mark Crime Victims’ Rights Week, April 7-12. In addition, the Georgia Office of Victim Services will host a Victims Visitors’ Day in Augusta later in the month.

“Victims suffer emotionally, physically, and financially from the criminal acts committed against them. As a community and as service providers, we have an obligation to recognize the impact of crime on victims and to provide resources and assistance to help victims heal,” said Kim McCoy, Director of the Victim Witness Assistance Unit in the Cobb DA’s Office. “These events reinforce the theme of this year’s week of recognition in that we honor our past through events of remembrance and celebrate hope for the future in gathering items needed for service delivery programs.”

Local Crime Victims’ Rights Week events will begin April 7 with a Homicide Memorial Service, sponsored by the Crime Victims Advocacy Council. The service will be from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. April 7 at Vinings United Methodist Church, 3101 Paces Mill Rd., Atlanta.

The Georgia Criminal Justice Coordinating Council will host a ceremony on April 8 to mark National Crime Victims’ Rights Week. The ceremony, from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., will be held at the Forsyth County Administration Building, 110 East Main St., in Cumming.

On April 9, the Cobb Board of Commissioners will present a proclamation to mark Cobb County Crime Victims’ Rights Week during the Commission’s 9 a.m. meeting at 100 Cherokee St. in Marietta.

The Cobb DA’s Office will host a “stock the shelves” party at 2 p.m. on April 12 to support liveSAFE Resources and SafePath Children’s Advocacy Center. Both organizations directly support crime victims in their immediate time of need. Requested items include mini water bottles, juice boxes, variety snack packs, tissues, and toilet paper. Bring an item and receive an ice cream cone!

On April 24, crime victims or their family members can discuss their offender’s case confidentially with representatives of the Department of Corrections, the State Board of Pardons and Paroles, and the Department of Community Supervision during Victims Visitors’ Day. The event will be held at Augusta Technical College, and appointments are available between 10:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. To schedule an appointment, contact Darrell Reid at 404-651-6544 or darrell.reid@pap.ga.gov before April 23.

 

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Hyde Farm Tours take place the 2nd Saturday of each month

Hyde Farm tours

The Cobb Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department conducts tours at Hyde Farm (726 Hyde Road, off Lower Roswell Road) the second Saturday of each month that are free to the public.

The next tours take place on April 13, and here are the details:

Take a leisurely walk through history and explore a local property that has been farmed since 1840 during tours of Hyde Farm. There are two 45 minute tours between the hours of 10 a.m. and noon. To register, visit cobbparks.org or call 770-528-8840.

The 135-acre Hyde Farm contains cultural resources, natural features such as the Chattahoochee River and forests and manmade features such as agricultural fields, pastures, an orchard, meadows, a home and farm outbuilding sites. Guests can also enjoy the pond built on Mulberry Creek, with geese, ducks, herons, turtles, beaver and fish.

 

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East Cobb small businesses included in Cobb Chamber of Commerce’s Top 25

Out of the Cobb Chamber of Commerce’s Top 25 small businesses of the year that were announced this week, the following are based in East Cobb:Williamson Bros. BBQ, East Cobb small businesses

  • Artisan Custom Closets (600 Wylie Road)
  • Deluxe Athletics (80 Scott Drive)
  • InPrime Legal (1640 Powers Ferry Road)
  • SpeedPro Imaging (200 Cobb Pkwy North, Suite 130)
  • Three-13 Salon, Spa & Boutique (2663 Canton Road)
  • Williamson Bros. Bar-B-Q (1425 Roswell Road)

Here’s more from the Chamber about what happens next:

An overall winner will be selected among the Top 25 and announced on May 6 at the Small Business of the Year Breakfast at the Cobb Galleria Centre. The top winner is determined by a thorough selection process including applications and site visits by a panel of outside judges. The breakfast will honor the Top 25 Small Businesses of the Year and the Small Business Hall of Fame inductees.

Tickets to the breakfast are $35 for members and are $60 for general admission. Visit www.cobbchamber.org/SBOY for more information and event registration.

The 2018 Small Business of the Year awards are presented by LOUD Security Systems and S.A. White Oil Company.

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Simple Needs GA to hold 5th anniversary celebration with open house

Simple Needs GA

Submitted information and photo:

Simple Needs GA’s My Birthday Matters program is marking its fifth birthday at an open house on April 13.

“Last year, our My Birthday Matters program brought birthday presents and other useful items to approximately 256 homeless schoolchildren from across Cobb County, up from 217 the year before,” said Brenda Rhodes, an East Cobb resident who founded Simple Needs GA in 2010. “Since MBM is turning five this year, we thought it would be a great idea to throw an anniversary ‘birthday party’ and invite the public to learn more about the program.”

The Open House/MBM Birthday Party, sponsored by longtime SNGA supporter FHLBank Atlanta, is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Simple Needs GA’s Marietta warehouse, 991 Industrial Park Dr.

“We’ll be giving tours, chatting with old and new friends and introducing newcomers to our MBM and six other programs,” Rhodes said. “Clients will be on hand to share their stories, and we’ll have some yummy snacks along with sandwiches and salads generously donated by Newk’s Eatery (1975 Cobb Parkway in Kennesaw).”

Those who plan to attend may RSVP by emailing brenda@simpleneedsga.org.

“Feel free to bring friends or colleagues who might be interested in learning more about how our work benefits people in need,” Rhodes said. “And thanks to event sponsor FHLBank Atlanta and all of the amazing donors and volunteers who have enabled us to help hundreds of homeless schoolchildren over the past five years!”

 

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Cobb SPLOST funding subject of citizens town hall meeting

Thanks to Jan Barton, an East Cobb resident who’s helping organize a citizens town hall meeting next Tuesday about Cobb SPLOST funding, for the meeting notice and information below:Cobb SPLOST Funding

She says her group, called the Citizens Accountability Taskforce, “will present the real story about our findings and your Cobb County SPLOST taxes. You will hear how we are attempting to hold the County accountable and what you can do to help.”

They’ve been critics of long-term Cobb SPLOST collection periods (the current 2016 SPLOST ends on Dec. 21, 2021) as well as how much of the money is being used.

The group grew out of concerns over how Cobb officials brokered the stadium deal with the Atlanta Braves in 2013 and last year raised questions over increased property taxes that said could have been avoided had excess SPLOST funds been used to pay down debt.

At some budget hearings last year, they pressed Cobb Commission Chairman Mike Boyce on the latter issue, but he told them that “there’s nothing left.”

Last month, in an East Cobb town hall meeting ahead of the upcoming fiscal year 2020 budget process, Boyce said he would be seeking a SPLOST renewal next year to start in 2022, preferably for only four years.

Next week’s citizens town hall meeting takes place at 7 p.m. at the Cobb GOP offices (799 Roswell St.).

Here’s more about what’s on their agenda, and their Facebook page.

 

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For Pets’ Sake benefit returns to Olde Towne Athletic Club

For Pets' Sake Benefit

Thank you to Caron Olson, the organizer of the 2nd annual For Pets’ Sake Benefit, for the submitted information about Sunday’s event, from 1-5 at Olde Towne Athletic Club (4950 Olde Towne Parkway), where there’s free admission and parking:

We present a unique opportunity for animal lovers to come together and enjoy meeting rescue representatives and local crafters while raising funds and awareness for causes that support our furry friends. Attendees will enjoy a comfortable indoor ballroom setting with ample parking and an on-site restaurant. Admission is free.

The net proceeds from booth fees, sponsorships, gift basket raffles and other fundraising for this event will be divided equally among Georgia pet-related organizations including the following 501(c)(3) nonprofits:

*Cooper’s Cupboard is a pet food pantry whose mission is to provide temporary pet food assistance to families struggling financially. Their goal is to keep pets at home and out of shelters.

*Fancy Feline Rescue of the South is a small no-kill cat rescue with a big heart for the “Fancy Feline” breeds—particularly Persian, Himalayan, Siamese, Exotic, Ragdoll, Birman, Maine Coon and other CFA/TICA-recognized breeds and mixes.

*Mutt Madd-ness is a no-kill rescue made up of community volunteers dedicated to saving dogs whose lives are in jeopardy. Their pups come from high-risk facilities and are cared for both emotionally and physically by foster families prior to adoption into loving homes.

*PAWSitive Supporters was founded to help the Cobb County Animal Shelter with enriching the lives of the dogs and cats while at the shelter. The current focus is to provide low- and no-cost spay/neuter services to the Cobb County community.

*Trinity Horse Rescue provides sanctuary, rehabilitation, and rehoming for unwanted, abandoned, neglected or abused horses within Georgia and the Southeast.

For more information, visit Facebook.com/ForPetsSakeBenefit.

 

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Chick-fil-A Woodlawn Square opening date has been announced

Chick-fil-A Woodlawn Square reopening

You can go over to the Chick-fil-A Woodlawn Square Facebook page for a lot more, including a full video presentation of the store’s long awaited announcement about its reopening.

Starting at 6 a.m. sharp on Monday, April 15, they’ll be back in business, after closing in July for a complete rebuild of the restaurant and a reconfiguration of the parking lot to accommodate a double drive-through window.

So Tax Day will be known for something more pleasant, at least in East Cobb.

We’re going to miss giving you these periodic updates, since so many of you have asked from time to time (but we’ve compiled links to them below):

Initially, the store was to have opened in January. But heavy rains over the fall and winter prompted the delays.

Some have wondered why so much attention has been given to one fast-food place among many in East Cobb, but it is on Johnson Ferry Road. And it is Chick-fil-A, whose home base is in Atlanta but which elected officials in Buffalo and San Antonio have used to score political points.

No such thing is likely to happen here, at least in the heart of one of the busiest corridors in our community.

Related stories

 

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Holt Road safety improvements announced after Wheeler students were hit by car

Holt Road safety improvements, Wheeler High School

Cobb DOT and the Cobb County School District said Tuesday they’ve drawn up a number of safety improvements that will be made on Holt Road in front of Wheeler High School following serious injuries to two students who were hit by a car.

The accident took place around 7 p.m. on a Saturday, March 9, as they were moving gym equipment in the crosswalk.

One student, Malik Spellman, is facing a long recovery after suffering multiple injuries. The other student has not been identified. The 73-year-old driver of the car who hit them has been issued traffic citations but was not charged with anything else.

According to Cobb County spokesman Ross Cavitt, here’s what’s going to happen on Holt Road, in front of Wheeler and the parking lot of the former East Cobb Middle School:

Installing a “rectangular rapid flashing beacon” device at the crosswalk, which would include a raised median providing a pedestrian refuge in the middle of the road. This is similar to a pedestrian crossing currently in place on Lower Roswell Road just outside of the Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center.

Relocating the crosswalk away from a nearby side street and combine it with another crosswalk north of the current location.

Close an exit from a parking lot across from the high school near the crosswalk.

Install updated signage warning of the pedestrian crossing.

Upgrade street lighting in the vicinity of the relocated crosswalk.

Cavitt said the county government and school district will share in the costs, which haven’t been determined.

He said Cobb DOT was planning to conduct a pedestrian survey on Holt Road before the accident, with cameras and other devices recently installed.

Cobb DOT had planned a pedestrian survey on Holt Road before the incident happened. They installed cameras and other devices and are still studying the results.

 

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Cupid announces campaign to become Cobb Commission Chair

Lisa Cupid of South Cobb, the only Democrat on the five-member Cobb Board of Commissionrs, announced Tuesday she’ll be seeking the countywide office currently held by Republican Mike Boyce of East Cobb. Lisa Cupid, Cobb Commission Chair campaign

She said on her Facebook page she decided to run after “much prayer and conversation with my family,” and offered a brief explanation why:

“Cobb County is on the move. We have new challenges and new opportunities and as we move forward, we must do so in the best interest of all the county.

“We have an opportunity to embrace what is to come and continue to make our county the best place in Georgia to live, work and play. We cannot allow the comfort of the present to scare us from the possibilities of tomorrow.”

The official campaign kickoff event is next Wednesday, April 10, at the Embassy Suites Hotel on Akers Mill Road.

Cupid also has launched a campaign website, Cupid for Cobb.

Cupid was first elected in 2012 after defeating incumbent Woody Thompson. Her background is in mechanical engineering and she is an attorney.

She was the only vote against the 2013 memorandum of understanding with the Atlanta Braves to build what’s now known as SunTrust Park, mainly because of the way the deal was handled.

Since Boyce was elected in 2016, Cupid has been his most reliable ally on the commission, vocally supporting his call for a property tax millage increase. It passed 3-2, over the objections of East Cobb commissioners Bob Ott and JoAnn Birrell.

Cupid, who has advocated for greater economic and business development, transit and community-based policing, also has been Boyce’s vice chair for the last two years.

But the political profile of Cobb, which has been Republican-dominated for years, is changing. Hillary Clinton carried the county in the 2016 presidential campaign. Last year, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams easily won Cobb, as did most other statewide candidates in her party.

Even East Cobb, which has been heavily GOP, now has Democratic representation in Congress (Lucy McBath), one post on the Cobb school board (Charisse Davis) and a State House seat (Mary Frances Williams).

The last Democratic county chairman was Ernest Barrett, who served 1965-1984, shepherding Cobb through dramatic change as it was becoming suburbanized.

Cupid also would become the first female and the first African-American to lead the county government.

Boyce has said he is seeking a second term but has not formally announced his campaign. Ott, who is the longest-serving commissioner, first elected in 2008, will be completing his third term in 2020.

He has not indicated whether he will be running again for his current District 2 seat, which includes some of East Cobb and the Smyrna-Vinings-Cumberland area.

 

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Ott says he doesn’t support replacing Cobb public safety director

In response to concerns about staffing, salary and retention issues for Cobb public safety personnel, Commissioner Bob Ott said last week he has a few plans to save money. One of them calls for not having a public safety director.Cobb commissioner Bob Ott

At his town hall meeting at the Catholic Church of St. Ann, Ott drew applause from constituents when he said that “I won’t be voting for the position of a new public safety director.”

Sam Heaton retired as the Cobb Public Safety Director last week, and a replacement hasn’t yet been nominated to succeed him.

But Ott said he thinks the county should go back to having each of the public safety department heads—police, fire/EMS, 911, emergency management and animal services—report to the Cobb County Manager, as has been done in the past.

Heaton is a former Cobb fire chief who was named public safety director in 2014, and was making $156,000 at the end of a 33-year career with the county.

He replaced Jack Forsythe, who resigned in protest, citing a lack of resources and staffing shortages that have come up again as commissioners prepare for the fiscal year 2020 budget.

At their last meeting in March, commissioners were pressed by current and past public safety employees and citizens to address what they called a “crisis.”

Among the pleas were to be more proactive in filling 82 open police officer positions, out of a total county sworn-officer force of 700.

Ott said the county receives around 100 applications a week for police officers, but a typical batch that size is whittled down to around 25 who meet Cobb’s qualifications.

The cost of filling all 82 positions is estimated at around $10 million. All five Cobb Police precincts have open slots in what are called patrol “beats,” including Precinct 4 in East Cobb. Cobb Fraternal Order of Police head Steven Gaynor said Precinct 4 is the least-staffed of all, with eight officers for 10 beats.

(Public safety staffing also has been cited by those pressing for East Cobb cityhood, with police and fire proposed as municipal services.)

Ott’s priority would be to fill the open beat positions. “How many of these 82 slots are needed to have all the beats [in the county] being covered?” he said.

Police officers have said having take-home cars is important for them. In the 2016 Cobb SPLOST, Ott said there was a $9 million line item sum for new police cars, and that last year he offered another $9 million, but his request was taken out of that wish list.

The biggest difference Ott said he has had with how public safety spending has been used is over compensation, benefits, raises and retention incentives.

(He’s expressed his concerns over these matters before, especially after last year’s budget adoption.)

Although he has voted for salary increases for police officers and sheriff’s deputies as part of recommendations from a consultant’s “pay and class” study in 2017, Ott said the practice is not sustainable.

He regrets the “pay and class” vote and prefers implementing a “step and grade” process for public safety employee raises that’s similar to what’s done at the Cobb County School District.

He said he and fellow East Cobb commissioner JoAnn Birrell have been discussing such an option.

Ott also would like to move all county government employees to a defined-contribution retirement system “because defined benefits don’t work.”

Ott and Birrell voted against the fiscal year 2019 Cobb budget that included a property tax hike, and Ott insisted last week the resources to address public safety shortages existed before that.

“There’s money all around, which is why I didn’t vote for the budget and millage rate increase,” he said.

 

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Georgia Area 3 Civitans Clubs accepting nominations for ‘Servant’s Heart’ Awards

Several north metro Atlanta Civitans Clubs, including East Cobb, are accepting nominations for the Georgia organization’s annual “Servant’s Hearts” award.Georgia Civitans Servant's Heart Awards

The awards, which began in 2018, are given to “unsung heroes” in a community who “support families and individuals who are affected by intellectual and developmental disabilities.”

The other chapters include Chattahoochee, Marietta, Bartow and North Cobb.

Nominations can be made through May 6 and should be sent to: pambrems@mansourcenter.com.

The Area 3 Civitans will hold a reception to honor their 2018 recipient on June 6 at the Mansour Conference Center in Marietta.

For more information, and to download a nomination form, visit the Georgia Civitans website; you can download a nomation form here.

 

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EDITOR’S NOTE: Taking on the tough sell of East Cobb Cityhood

David Birdwell, East Cobb Cityhood

During Thursday night’s town hall meeting about East Cobb Cityhood, David Birdwell was patient, polite and completely earnest as he took the slings and arrows of a citizenry dubious about what he’s trying to sell.

As a new spokesman of a cityhood movement that stumbled out of the gate earlier this winter—one which refused to identify individuals, thus raising questions about its motives—Birdwell is stepping into the void at a critical time.

Joining the Committee for Cityhood in East Cobb, Inc., in January, after the release of a feasibility study and after those forming the group had already hired a lobbyist in the Georgia legislature, Birdwell had to face an overflow audience at the Catholic Church of St. Ann by himself.

Rob Eble, a technology consultant who’s been designated the other half of the new public face of the cityhood effort, couldn’t attend after suffering a knee injury.

While that may serve as something of a metaphor for how some see the idea of part of East Cobb becoming a city, Birdwell is adamant that it’s an idea that “makes enough sense to explore.”

A semi-retired real estate entrepreneur, Birdwell has lived in East Cobb for the last 22 years—like many in the cityhood group, the Atlanta Country Club area to be specific—and said after reading the feasibility study he was intrigued enough to learn more.

After being contacted by those in the cityhood group—which still hadn’t gone public even as legislation and a city charter were being drawn up—Birdwell agreed to put himself front and center, something he found improbable.

“I can’t believe I did it,” Birdwell said after the meeting, as the church lights were being turned off and the doors to the parish hall were being locked.

“We don’t have a lot of answers now, but I feel convinced of the reasons why I’m doing this,” he said.

To the more than 500 East Cobb citizens who heard him out this week (or in some instances, heckled him), Birdwell also was firm about something else: “I am not a political person,” he said, prompting howls of disbelief.

They returned a short time later when he insisted that “nobody is doing this for any personal gain.”

The laughs—hearty guffaws—were deafening. Yet Birdwell carried on with his message that cityhood is about more local control, better services and a chance for East Cobbers to shape the future of their community.

Related coverage

I believe Birdwell’s sincerity about what he’s saying, and since East Cobb News began publishing about this issue in December, we’ve heard from many others who feel the same way.

It’s a familiar refrain coming from those who’ve been behind cityhood, yet who still remain in the background. But his job now is to convince tens of thousands of East Cobb residents who remain highly skeptical, if downright cynical, about what they’re being told.

What was reassuring is that there will be another town hall to continue the conversation, on April 29, at Chestnut Ridge Christian Church.

Quite frankly, he’s got a very tough sell to make.

That’s because many of those who question cityhood think the services they get from Cobb County for the taxes they pay are just fine. Some are absolutely convinced their taxes will go up, which Birdwell and the cityhood group say will not happen. Others see a number of people involved in the real estate industry who are behind this effort and get suspicious.

Birdwell may not be political, but from the get-go the cityhood effort smacked of rank politics. The map that was drawn up, and is now part of the legislation and charter submitted on Friday, to the letter matches the boundaries of the East Cobb portion of Commissioner Bob Ott’s District 2.

It doesn’t include a big chunk of what many consider East Cobb. Only the Walton, Wheeler and part of the Pope and Lassiter attendance zones are included in this map. I’ve heard from those living near Sprayberry, Kell and the rest of Pope and Lassiter: Um well, what about us?

Others have suggested, only slightly tongue-in-cheek: Are they gonna call this the City of Walton?

East Cobb cityhood legislation

Ott, who told me before the town hall this is by far the biggest such meeting he’s ever held, has been coy about his interest in cityhood. But several of his appointees served on an ad hoc citizens committee that made recommendations about the feasibility study.

Riley Lowery, Ott’s longtime political consultant, is now advising the cityhood group, which was formed in the fall, not long after Cobb commissioners narrowly voted for a tax increase. Ott voted against it, and has said often that some of his constituents are upset that the district provides 40 percent of the county’s tax revenue but doesn’t get the services in return.

Dee Gay, a member of the East Cobb cityhood steering committee, lived in Sandy Springs when it became the first of the new cities in metro Atlanta to spring from a cityhood movement.

“I like it,” she said of Birdwell’s presentation, noting that Sandy Springs cityhood was 20 years in the making. The East Cobb group wants a referendum in the 2020 primaries and actual mayor and city council elections in the 2020 general election.

The problem Birdwell faces is more than perception.

There’s a sense that unlike some other cityhood efforts in metro Atlanta, there isn’t a grassroots uprising to form a City of East Cobb. That those who were skeptical weren’t given many details for months only enhanced their concerns.

Hence, the reactions at Thursday’s town hall.

“There’s such a dearth of information right now, and people are making an emotional decision,” said Linda Carver, president of the East Cobb Civic Association.

Her organization, which represents around 10,000 households, is officially remaining neutral on cityhood.

If there was a groundswell for cityhood, she said, “I think we would have seen that a long time ago.”

This will be Birdwell’s toughest selling point, even though the cityhood group is now eager for volunteer input as town halls and other public meetings will be taking place.

“It’s important for this community to consider,” Birdwell said.

While that is true, he’s got to persuade those who live outside the Atlanta Country Club, or aren’t well-placed in the Walton High School community, or don’t belong to Ott’s kitchen cabinet.

Birdwell was dealt a poor hand, and now he’s got to play it.

 

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East Cobb cityhood bill filed; calls for referendum, initial elections in 2020

State Rep. Matt Dollar, East Cobb cityhood bill

Here’s the first look at the East Cobb cityhood bill, HB 718, filed on Friday by State Rep. Matt Dollar.

To read through the 46-page bill, along with the proposed city charter, click here; the legislation, put in the hopper on the next-to-last day of the Georgia General Assembly, has no co-sponsors for now.

The cityhood bill still must be sponsored by a state senator whose district includes part of the proposed city. The only senator who qualifies is Kay Kirkpatrick, who has said she has no position on the issue for now.

If the legislature passes the bill next year, the East Cobb cityhood group wants the referendum scheduled for the 2020 primary election, with a date to be determined and likely in the spring.

Should voters approve that referendum at that time, a special election would be held for mayor and all six city council spots during the general election in November 2020.

The charter information ranges from how the city government would be set up, the services provided, the levying and collection of tax and other revenues, government functions during the transition to a municipality and the makeup of elections and council districts and appointed city boards and commissions.

Among the provisions is an valorem property tax rate that would not exceed 2.96 mills “unless the millage rate is increased, pursuant to general law.”

The cityhood group commissioned a feasibility study last fall that includes the provision of police, fire and community development services, including zoning.

The Committee for Cityhood in East Cobb took its case to the public in an occasionally contentious town hall meeting Thursday, with many residents skeptical of the need for another layer of government and amid claims that property taxes would not be higher than what they currently pay as citizens of unincorporated Cobb County.

Dollar’s bill calls for a council-city manager form of government, with six council members elected by district and a mayor elected across the city. The terms would be for four years each, and elections would be staggered in biennial fashion in odd-numbered years.

The mayor would vote to break a tie, and is limited to serving two terms, although he or she could run for the council after that.

The mayor also would appoint a full-time professional city manager, subject to the confirmation of the city council.

The charter also calls for a city attorney who is not a municipal employee but who is an independent contractor. A law firm also could serve that function. The city attorney is chosen by the mayor.

The mayor also would select a city clerk, and the City of East Cobb would have a municipal court with a chief judge and other judges “as provided by ordinance.” The judges would be appointed by the city council.

Should a City of East Cobb be approved by voters, a transition period would begin on Jan. 1, 2021, with elected officials taking office, the city collecting taxes and beginning to perform other services (except for city courts).

The full transition would last two years.

The city also could exercise planning and zoning powers during the transition, although existing county zoning and land use provisions would remain in effect until they expire.

David Birdwell, one of the new co-leaders of the cityhood group, said another town hall meeting would take place on April 29 at Chestnut Ridge Christian Church.

Related coverage

 

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Taste of East Cobb returning to Johnson Ferry Baptist Church

Taste of East Cobb
The Taste of East Cobb raises funds for Walton band programs. (ECN file photo)

Thanks to Beth Compton for the information below:

Organizers of the Taste of East Cobb are announcing that the annual food and community event will be held on Saturday, May 4, 2019. 

Known as “the most delicious Saturday of the year,” the Taste of East Cobb event will be held on May 4th from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the parking lot of Johnson Ferry Baptist Church, 955 Johnson Ferry Road, Marietta, Georgia 30068. 

“Taste of East Cobb is our way of bringing people of all ages together to celebrate our vibrant community,” said Gregg Maynard, event chair. “Join us for a great day of family, food, and fun!”

Taste of East Cobb showcases the best of East Cobb’s local restaurant talent with chefs offering a delicious variety of tastings from their menus. All restaurant featured ‘tastes’ will be offered at only 1-5 tickets per serving, so make sure to arrive HUNGRY!

Come for the food — stay for the fun.  Event goers can discover unique products from local vendors as well as participate in a silent auction with a lot of unique opportunities for great deals on valuable items.

Local high school jazz bands will provide music throughout the day — come hear some of the best emerging music talent from local neighborhoods. Our kid zone features inflatables and hands-on activities.  Also, Taste of East Cobb is pleased to welcome Atlanta United 2 to the event — soccer ticket discount codes will be available on site for a game later in the evening.

Taste of East Cobb tickets are available for purchase on the day of the event for $1 each. Tickets can also be preordered online at www.TasteofEastCobb.com.

 

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East Cobb cityhood leader: Idea ‘makes enough sense to explore’

East Cobb cityhood group
David Birdwell said “preserving and enhancing what we’ve got in East Cobb” is behind the cityhood initiative. (ECN photos by Wendy Parker)

Before a standing-room-only crowd at the Catholic Church of St. Ann Thursday night, the new face of what had been a stealth East Cobb cityhood group faced plenty of skepticism and more than a few barbed questions as the effort to incorporate part of the community was presented to the public for the first time.

David Birdwell, a real estate entrepreneur who lives in the Atlanta Country Club area, spoke to more than 500 people crammed into a parish hall, admitting that there’s a lot he still has to learn.

But for many in the public who’ve been frustrated by a lack of information coming from the Committee for Cityhood in East Cobb, Commissioner Bob Ott’s town hall meeting was a chance to demand answers that are still to be determined.

Some questioned the motives, others wondered about whether their taxes would go up and some worried about the impact on public schools.

On the tax issue, Birdwell was clear: He pledged there would be no increase in taxes, and noted that of the 10 most recent areas to become cities in metro Atlanta, nine have not raised taxes since they incorporated.

“I am not for a tax increase and I wouldn’t be standing here if I thought there would be one,” Birdwell said.

East Cobb cityhood
State Rep. Matt Dollar is sponsoring the East Cobb cityhood bill.

Some citizens groaned at that statement, and they broke out into wild applause when East Cobb resident Ki Porter wanted to know why there was “such a rush” to file local legislation calling for a referendum.

The cityhood group wants to have a referendum in 2020, and state law requires a two-year process. State Rep. Matt Dollar, an East Cobb Republican, said at the town hall he would be filing the bill on Friday, on the second-to-last day of the Georgia General Assembly.

With citizens lining the wall of the parish hall, and some even sitting on the floor, Birdwell methodically repeated some of the cityhood group’s reasons for wanting to create a municipality.

Mostly, it’s about more local control of government. Ott serves a population of 185,000 as one of four Cobb district commissioners, and he’s repeatedly said some of his constituents have complained to him that they don’t think they’re getting their tax money’s worth in public services.

It’s a similar argument that’s being made by community leaders in Mableton, who have had a local cityhood bill introduced in the legislature.

Related coverage

The East Cobb map would include only a portion of the community, Ott’s District 2 that’s east of I-75 and in unincorporated Cobb, excluding the Cumberland CID area.

That’s still 97,000 people, and would make up the eighth-largest city in Georgia if it becomes a municipality.

The cityhood group commissioned a financial feasibility study that focused on three areas of services that may be provided: Police, fire and community development (which also includes zoning), and concluded that the proposed City of East Cobb can be created without a tax increase, and even start with a multi-million-dollar budget surplus.

“East Cobb is about built-out,” Birdwell told the crowd. “We want to decide what comes here, not Cobb County.

“We’ve seen great things happen in other cities. It’s about preserving and enhancing what we’ve got in East Cobb.”

East Cobb cityhood legislation

Porter told East Cobb News after the meeting she’s been living in the area since 1980 and remained skeptical of the “no new taxes” pledge. She noted that a recent referendum failed on Skidaway Island because cityhood leaders there would not place a guarantee in the proposed city charter against a tax increase.

That’s what she wanted Birdwell to address, and another citizen told her “you hit the nail on the head.”

“I’m not for anything where there’s smoke and mirrors,” Porter said.

A few signs in the crowd alluded to that concern, with one saying “Our taxes are definitely going up.”

Each of the existing six Cobb municipalities have higher general fund millage rates than unincorporated Cobb.

Birdwell said that earlier on Thursday, he was encouraged after meeting with the assistant city manager in Milton, which has held the line on property taxes.

He also told the East Cobb audience the north Fulton city has improved services, including public safety, which has been the subject of new concerns in Cobb over staffing levels, salary and retention.

Birdwell said there will be several forthcoming town hall meetings with the public to continue the cityhood discussion, starting April 29 at Chestnut Ridge Christian Church.

The cityhood group is revising its website and is asking for volunteers as it continues to gauge public reaction.

“We don’t have a lot of answers right now,” Birdwell said, adding that after 22 years as a resident of East Cobb, he is certain about one thing: “This makes enough sense to explore.”

East Cobb cityhood

 

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Cobb traffic alert: I-75 southbound lanes reopened after police activity

I-75 Southbound reopened
I-75 Southbound near Terrell Mill Road after the lanes were reopened around 11:30 a.m. Friday (Ga. DOT camera)

UPDATED, 5:45 P.M.:

Marietta Police say the man they took into custody on the interstate is suspected of an armed robbery at the customer service desk of the Walmart store at 201 Cobb Parkway South, near the Big Chicken.

Police said the suspect fled the scene before they arrived, but they were able to get a description from a video surveillance camera at the store and learned he left in a gray Honda Civic.

A Marietta officer discovered a vehicle fitting the description and initiated a traffic stop on I-75, and the driver ultimately pulled over on the shoulder near Windy Hill Road, police said.

Police said that because they thought the suspect was armed, they didn’t approach the vehicle, and began negotiations with him by phone.

That’s why they decided to shut down the southbound lanes, and a standoff took place lasting more than an hour.

More from MPD:

After negotiating attempts failed, members from the Marietta SWAT Team approached the vehicle and the driver was removed and taken into custody without injury/incident.

The male, who is not being identified at this time, is currently at a local hospital receiving a full medical evaluation.

ORIGINAL REPORT:

If you’ve been stuck in a miles-long logjam on Interstate 75 southbound in Cobb County this morning, you’re free to move about.

But it may take the rest of the afternoon to clear up traffic that was tied up for more than an hour due to police activity.

All southbound lanes were shut down at I-285 for more than an hour due to what Marietta Police initially described as “a traffic stop with an armed non compliant driver.”

The motorist is believed to be a suspect in an armed robbery at a Walmart store on Cobb County in Marietta.

The driver pulled over on the shoulder on I-75 and a standoff with police ensued, and the suspect was taken into custody. Some southbound traffic was diverted onto Windy Hill Road.

Possible detours around the congestion include the managed lanes and Atlanta Road, but Cobb Parkway also figures to feel the brunt of the traffic clear-up.

I-75 Southbound reopened

 

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East Cobb Better Homes and Gardens agent earns sales award

Jean Brosius East Cobb Better Homes and Gardens

Submitted info and photo:

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Metro Brokers held its 2018 Awards Event on March 5 at the Cobb Galleria, and 24 members of the Cobb County offices located in Marietta and Powder Springs were awarded for their stellar performance during the previous year.

Jean Brosius (above, with President and CEO Kevin Levent) was named Top Sales Associate Companywide as well as the overall Top Individual Sales Associate for the East Cobb office. Jamie Hook was awarded Top Team Sales Associate for the East Cobb office.

In addition, Brosius received the Emerald Elite Award; Hollenkamp, and Hook received the Platinum Award; Stacy Benson, Kim Pitchard, John Grimes, and Shala Hainer received the Gold Award; Larry Walker, Allyce Arnold, Derek Whitner, and Louise Keating achieved the Silver Award; and Paula Brinston, Waine Gray, Ryan McCauley, Kelli Godfrey, Brian Miller, George Esper, Andrea Paulinelli, Ryan McCauley, Jeff Przybyla, Shawn Griffin, Ola Osunneye, Shay Brunson, Corena Francis, John Reilly,  Joseph Nelson, Yvonne Leon, Sharon Lydick, and Bernard Brown, Jr.  were honored with the Bronze Award.

The Cobb offices include 139 sales associates at two locations – 2157 Roswell Road in Marietta, GA and 5087 Dallas Highway, Suite 500 in Powder Springs, GA.

 

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