“The 12 winning students each received a cash prize, and their photos were turned into notecards to be distributed throughout the county,” according to Cobb County government, and their entries will be displayed April 9—May 15 at the Mable House Arts Center in Mableton.
Six of the students are from Lassiter: Alex Hood, Dayton Davis, Katelyn Garrow, Sarah Joseph, Marissa Meyer and Rushna Ahsan. The others are Ashleigh Lafferty and Neyla Lamont from Sprayberry and Charlie Sayler and Jonah Suarez from Wheeler.
The contest invited students from the Cobb County School District and Marietta City Schools submit a photograph in one of six categories: Water at Play, Water at Work, Water in Nature, Water and People, Protecting Water, and Conserving Water.
Click the link below to view a slideshow of all of the winning photos from the East Cobb students.
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
Deputy Cobb County Attorney Debbie Blair has been named to succeed William Rowling, who has retired as Cobb County Attorney.
The appointment was made official last week by Cobb County Manager Jackie McMorris after being recommended by Cobb Commission Chairwoman Lisa Cupid.
Blair has been in the deputy’s role since 2019 and has been with the County Attorney’s office for the last decade. Rowling retired last week after 25 years in the department. She has focused on zoning and land-use matters and has handled “all sectors of public sector law, including constitutional issues, governmental transparency ethics, zoning and codification of laws,” according to a statement from the county.
“The Cobb County Attorney’s Office assists in the preparation of legislation and resolutions, provides legal opinions, and negotiates and reviews contracts,” the statement continued. “It represents the county and its officials in civil litigation matters ranging from civil rights and constitutional cases to land use and zoning disputes.”
Blair leads a staff of 12 other in-house attorneys, including Lauren Bruce, who has been named the new deputy county attorney.
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
Nikeya Savala, a Cobb County government veteran of more than 20 years, has joined the office of District 3 Cobb Commissioner JoAnn Birrell as her staff assistant.
The four district commissioners each have a full-time assistant to handle constituent matters, coordinate schedules and conduct other tasks of the office.
District 3 includes most of East Cobb.
Savala has previously held jobs in county government in the Community Development, Water System, and Purchasing departments.
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
Relocating the East Cobb Library is among the proposed projects on a 2028 Cobb SPLOST project list.
Cobb County government is soliciting public feedback for a SPLOST renewal referendum that will take place in November.
Cobb commissioners recently voted to hold a referendum to extend the current Special Purpose-Local Option Sales Tax, starting in 2028, for another six years, with estimated collections of $1.15 billion.
The county has prepared a brief online survey for citizens to fill out stating their preferences.
If approved by voters on Nov. 3, those projects include relocating the East Cobb Library branch at a cost of $25 million away from Parkaire Landing Shopping Center to a standalone building on county-owned property to be determined.
Library officials said the branch needs more space and that the annual rental costs are $263,000, with the current lease expiring in July 2029.
Also on the proposed project list submitted by county department heads are renovations at the Tim D. Lee Senior Center and to purchase additional Tritt property next to East Cobb Park.
The biggest ticket item on the list is the construction of a new Cobb State Court building, to the tune of $174 million. The current buildings on the Marietta Square are more than 60 years old and have been overcrowded for years.
Other proposals call for $135 million in road resurfacing projects, $30 million to replace the Cobb Central Aquatic Center in Marietta and $18.5 million to build a new recreation center in an unspecified area.
Among the proposed traffic improvements on the list, the following are in East Cobb:
Shallowford Road at McPherson Road ($3.5 million)
Canton Road at Canton Road Connector ($6 million)
Lower Roswell Road at Old Paper Mill Road ($1.5 million)
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
During its regular meeting last week, the Board of Commissioners appointed Alicia Giddens as the new Cobb Water System director. Today, Feb. 2, was her official first day in the role.
Giddens, who has been with the agency for more than 30 years, previously served as the deputy director. She joined in 1995 as an environmental compliance technician. Since then, she has held numerous positions, including laboratory technician, biologist (quality assurance/quality control manager), laboratory superintendent, environmental compliance division manager and water protection division manager.
She holds a Bachelor of Science in biology and minor in chemistry from Kennesaw State University. She is certified as a wastewater laboratory analyst and wastewater operator class III by the Georgia Board of Water and Wastewater. Giddens was also chairperson of the Georgia Water and Wastewater Institute Board of Directors and a member of the Board of Directors of the Georgia Association of Water Professionals. She is also an alumnus of the Cobb County EXCEL Leadership program.
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
An East Cobb News reader-submitted photo of a fallen tree at Indian Hills Country Club.
As roads are clearing around Cobb County on Monday, many activities and business will be back to usual on Tuesday.
The Cobb County School District announced late Monday morning that all Tuesday classes and activities will resume as scheduled.
The same goes for Marietta City Schools and most private schools.
The district said in a statement that “after overnight monitoring of our schools and consultation with Cobb Emergency Services, conditions are expected to be safe for travel and school tomorrow.”
Cobb County government said that all major reads Cobb DOT crews have been treating and monitoring are open, but that “residents are urged to use caution on neighborhood and secondary roads, as road temperatures across the county remain below freezing.”
If you do get out today—and you’re asked to avoid travel if possible—use caution on neighborhood streets and in parking lots which may have some ice and in particular black ice.
Cobb DOT said the storm caused some falling power lines and trees, and that 29 trees around the county blocking roads had to be removed.
All Cobb government offices, including courts and libraries, also will resume their regular schedules Tuesday.
The rain from Winter Storm Fern ended mid-evening on Sunday but temperatures dropped into the 20s overnight, and Monday’s high is only around freezing.
Winds also are high on Monday, with gusts as high as 30 mph. A cold weather advisory will be in effect in Cobb from 8 p.m. Monday to 9 a.m. Tuesday.
The sun will remain this week but it will continue to be cold, with Monday’s lows possibly falling into the low teens and Tuesday’s high in the high 30s.
Reported power outages in the East Cobb area were rare and sporadic; Cobb EMC is reporting a few outages near the Catholic Church of St. Ann and in the East Piedmont Road area and has sent crews with an estimated restoration time of mid-afternoon Monday.
If you have any other information or photos/videos to share of storm damage, get in touch: editor@eastcobbnews.com.
Stay safe, and thanks for your readership!
Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up and you’re good to go!
Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up and you’re good to go!
Several months after rejecting a request to spend $1 million to help finance a veterans memorial, Cobb commissioners on Tuesday unanimously approved allocating $2 million to help get the long-awaited project started.
After some discussion, commissioners agreed to revise the 2022 Cobb sales tax (SPLOST) revenues to allocate an additional $2 million to help close a funding gap for the memorial, to be built near the Cobb Civic Center.
That project, begun by the private Cobb Veterans Memorial Foundation, is expected to cost a little more than $6 million, and design revisions will be necessary.
Donna Rowe
In August, commissioners rejected a proposal by Commissioner JoAnn Birrell of East Cobb to use $1 million from her contingency account, citing issues with a memorandum of understanding and concerns over rising costs stated by the private group.
However, on Tuesday, commissioners said the situation was different, and that the $2 million isn’t diverting funding from other needed projects, or those on the SPLOST project list.
Commissioner Erick Allen, whose District 2 includes the area where the memorial will be built, said there were no other viable funding solutions to start the project, which has been more than a decade in the making.
There are unresolved administrative issues, and Cobb PARKS director Michael Brantley said that a project designer needs to be hired to develop a new conceptual plan.
Cobb commissioners previously approved spending $3 million in what’s been billed as a private-public-partnership. Cobb has more than 60,000 veterans
The original cost was priced at $8 million, but private fundraising struggles have delayed the project. Commissioner Keli Gambrill asked Brantley if doubling the spending request from last August would be enough to complete the project.
He said it would not, “but it would be extremely close” based on the latest estimates “on what it would take to build out.”
Brantley added that there is not a designer hired yet to provide more specific renderings and details, and that there are several options available.
He said “having the funding in place” would ideally be needed to “move forward to start looking at those options.”
Gambrill also said she was disappointed other community projects weren’t included in the vote. Deputy county manager Bill Volckmann told her another list would be forthcoming, but this one was submitted to reflect “the priorities of the board.”
Birrell, who has been vocal about supporting the veterans memorial, said the memorial was always slated to be a county park. She said a new MOU will be produced and said that “there is still work to be done, but what we’re trying to do today is to get to the $5 million and solidify this once and for all.
Donna Rowe, head of the Cobb Veterans Memorial Foundation, a former Army nurse in Vietnam, told commissioners before the vote that “I cannot deeply express the gratitude of every veteran in Cobb County and Georgia, or those that I served with in battle, but I do want you to do know that the hours spent, the months spent by you do not fall on deaf ears.”
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
Cobb County Government offices will be closed in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Monday, Jan. 19. Many county services are available online at cobbcounty.gov.
You can join in the celebration of the life and legacy of Dr. King at an event filled with meaningful performances, 10 a.m. – noon Monday, Jan. 19 at the Jennie T. Anderson Theatre, 548 S. Marietta Parkway, SE, Marietta. The annual event, hosted by the Cobb NAACP, will showcase singers, dancers, musicians, spoken word performers and more.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is an opportunity to start your year in the spirit of volunteerism and service while continuing his legacy. Here are some ways to participate with service events in Cobb and Metro Atlanta:
Acworth – A Welcome Breakfast and Unity Walk will be held at the Roberts School Community and Education Center 8:30 a.m. Monday, Jan. 19. The walk will be followed by a program and day of service at 10 a.m. at the Tanyard Creek Overlook at the Acworth Community Center. Get Acworth event details here.
Kennesaw volunteer day will be held 9 a.m. – noon Monday, Jan. 19 at Smith-Gilbert Gardens. Volunteers will assist with a garden entryway beautification project. Get Kennesaw event details here.
Austell’s Community Cleanup will help beautify streets and Keep Cobb Beautiful Adopt-A-Mile areas. Volunteers of all ages are needed Monday, Jan. 19, from 10 a.m. -1 p.m. Meet at Destiny World Church, 7400 Factory Shoals Road, Austell. Get Austell cleanup details here and sign up using the QR code or sign up here.
Chattahoochee Cleanup – Monday, Jan. 19, noon – 2 p.m. at the Paces Mill Unit of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area. 3444 Cobb Parkway, Atlanta. For ages 10 and older. Get Chattahoochee cleanup details and register here.
Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
The Tim D. Lee Senior Center offers a wide variety of programs and services that are high in demand, and that have prompted waitlists. ECN file photo.
A major expansion of the Tim D. Lee Senior Center is on a submitted project list for an extension of the Cobb Special-Purpose Local-Option Sales Tax that may be up for referendum later this year.
According to the project list for the proposed 2028 SPLOST (you can read it here), funding to complete the purchase of the Tritt property next to East Cobb Park and to begin building that out also is being requested.
The Cobb Board of Commissioners will be asked Tuesday to approve the project list totaling nearly $795 million and that was submitted by county government department heads. The 2028 SPLOST would begin collections on Jan. 1, 2028 for six years, with nearly $1.15 billion expected (the rest would be collected by Cobb’s seven cities).
The first of several public engagement meetings about the proposed 2028 SPLOST takes place next Thursday, also at the Tim D. Lee Senior Center (3332 Sandy Plains Road).
The one-percent sales tax collects revenues for county and municipal government construction and maintenance projects
The expansion for the Tim D. Lee Senior Center (formerly the East Cobb Senior Center) is being budgeted for $8.2 million. Cobb government spokesman Ross Cavitt told East Cobb News this week that the facility is of one of Cobb Senior Services’ busiest locations.
“Demand for programs and services has increased significantly in recent years, resulting in full classes and long waitlists,” he said.
“With participation rising sharply and Cobb County’s senior population continuing to grow, expanding the center is essential to ensure seniors can continue to access the programs, services, and social opportunities that support healthy, active aging.”
Cavitt said the expansion would build out more space for programs and services, reduce those waitlists and overcrowding in popular classes, and provide capacity for elections.
Cobb PARKS officials have asked for $2 million to make additional purchases of the Tritt property as they continue to build out the larger East Cobb Park concept.
In 2018, commissioners approved spending $8.3 million to buy 22 acres of land owned adjacent to the park by Wylene Tritt, who also donated 7.7 acres.
The vision for that property would be to extend connections with East Cobb Park in keeping with its passive nature, including additional walking trails and possibly converting the Tritt home into an environmental education center.
Another $1 million on the SPLOST project list is being requested for the development of a master plan for that work, which Cavitt said “is to ensure we are ready to formulate a master plan and at least begin construction once we have acquired the property.”
The biggest ticket item on the list is the construction of a new Cobb State Court building, to the tune of $174 million. The current buildings on the Marietta Square are more than 60 years old and have been overcrowded for years.
Other proposals call for $135 million in road resurfacing projects, $30 million to replace the Cobb Central Aquatic Center in Marietta and $18.5 million to build a new recreation center in an unspecified area.
Among the proposed traffic improvements on the list, the following are in East Cobb:
Shallowford Road at McPherson Road ($3.5 million)
Canton Road at Canton Road Connector ($6 million)
Lower Roswell Road at Old Paper Mill Road ($1.5 million)
Johnson Ferry Road Corridor ($2.5 million)
Shaw Road Corridor ($2 million)
The full proposed SPLOST list can be found here, with additional background information.
The Cobb commissioners meeting begins at 9 a.m. Tuesday in the second floor board room of the county office building at 100 Cherokee Street, Marietta. You can view the full agenda by clicking here.
You also can watch the hearing on the county’s website and YouTube channels and on Cobb TV 23 on Comcast Cable.
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
A replacement for the East Cobb Library branch at Parkaire Landing Shopping Center is being proposed in the initial project list for an extension of the current Cobb Special Purpose-Local Option Sales Tax.
According to the project list for the proposed 2028 SPLOST (you can read it here), which was submitted by county government department heads, Cobb library officials want to construct a new facility at a cost of $25 million.
The East Cobb Library branch, which has been at Parkaire since 2010, is the only branch in the system that leases space. Cobb government spokesman Ross Cavitt said the county spends $360,000 a year in rental fees for the East Cobb Library.
Cobb officials next week will begin public meetings on the proposed 2028 SPLOST, which would have to be approved by voters in a referendum in November. The first of those meetings is next Thursday at the Tim D. Lee Senior Center in East Cobb.
In response to a request for information from East Cobb News, Cavitt said Wednesday that the county wants to relocate the East Cobb Library to “a freestanding facility on county property” and vastly expand the space for what’s become the second-largest circulating library in the system.
He said a new location is still undetermined, but that the county is looking at several options.
Cavitt said that the 20-year lease at the Parkaire space ends in July 2029, and that “costs related to the lease of this space have increased exponentially throughout the span of the lease.”
Eight years ago, the rent was $263,000 a year, and was one of the reasons cited by Commissioner JoAnn Birrell in 2017 in recommending the branch be closed due to county budget cuts.
Parkaire Landing is managed by Jamestown LP, a commercial real estate management company that also operates Avenue East Cobb, Colony Square, Avalon and Ponce City Market.
The East Cobb Library has 17,000 square feet of space, and includes study and meeting rooms as well as a community meeting space. Cavitt said the plans are to expand that space.
“To better serve the community today and into the future, a new facility is needed. To meet the needs of future growth, this permanent facility is proposed at 28,000 square feet.”
The East Cobb Library had more than 132,000 patron visits in 2024, trailing only the main Switzer branch in Marietta.
“It’s one of our more popular locations,” Cavitt said of the East Cobb Library. “Those who use it are very passionate about it.”
Public outcry surfaced quickly after Birrell’s proposal to close the branch, and then-Commissioner Bob Ott vowed that wouldn’t happen.
The East Cobb Library formerly was located in the Merchant’s Walk Shopping Center, and opened near what is now the Seed restaurant in 1979.
The Merchant’s Walk redevelopment company paid the county to relocate the library to Parkaire; high land prices were cited at the time for leasing space for the East Cobb Library instead of building anew.
The 2028 SPLOST would continue the one-percent sales tax collections for a variety of projects, including roads and transportation, public safety facilities, parks and libraries upgrades and maintenance and more.
Cobb commissioners would have to vote to call for a referendum, and Cavitt said that such a vote could come as early as April.
That’s when county officials and leaders from Cobb’s seven cities will have to finalize their project lists.
The public meetings that continue through March 10 also will help finalize the project list. Another such meeting in the East Cobb area will be Jan. 29 at the Fullers Recreation Center.
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
2022 SPLOST funding was used to resurface Robinson Road.
Cobb County government will next week begin a series of what it’s calling community engagement meetings for a proposed Special-Purpose Local-Option Sales Tax referendum later this year.
The first meeting on the proposed 2028 SPLOST takes place next Thursday, Jan. 15, from 6-8 p.m., at the Tim D. Lee Senior Center (3332 Sandy Plains Road) in East Cobb. Another is scheduled for Jan. 29, also from from 6-8 p.m., at the Fullers Recreation Center (3499 Robinson Road).
The meetings are a chance for the public to express their preferences on projects that would be funded with the tax.
The SPLOST collects sales-tax revenues for a variety of projects, including roads and transportation, public safety facilities, parks and libraries upgrades and maintenance and more.
A vote to extend the one-percent sales tax would take place later this year, with collections to begin in 2028. Cobb commissioners would have to vote to call for a referendum.
Last year, county officials asked commissioners to consider to have such a vote, although key details, such as a collection amount and a collection period, were not specified.
According to an overview, a proposed amount for the 2028 SPLOST would last for six years and collect $1.15 billion, if approved by voters.
That would be the largest SPLOST collection in any single period; the current Cobb 2022 SPLOST is expected to collect $750 million over six years.
A project list submitted by county department heads (you can read it here) includes several proposed transportation improvements in East Cobb:
Shallowford Road at McPherson Road ($3.5 million)
Canton Road at Canton Road Connector ($6 million)
Lower Roswell Road at Old Paper Mill Road ($1.5 million)
Johnson Ferry Road Corridor ($2.5 million)
Shaw Road Corridor ($2 million)
Here’s the full schedule for the upcoming community engagement meetings for the proposed 2028 SPLOST:
Jan. 15 – Tim D. Lee Senior Center, 3332 Sandy Plains Road, Marietta
Jan. 21 – Public Safety Training Center (Mableton, Austell, Powder Springs), 2435 East-West Connector, Austell
Jan. 22 – Public Safety Training Center (Mableton, Austell, Powder Springs), 2435 East-West Connector, Austell
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
Cobb County government sent out the following message to the public a little after 5:30 p.m. Tuesday:
“Repairs following a construction incident involving an excavator and electric lines will result in a power outage in the Pinehurst Lane/Lower Roswell Road area for the next few hours. Crews were working on Pinehurst Lane when the incident happened.”
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
Cobb County Government recently unveiled its redesigned website at cobbcounty.gov. These changes, which can be viewed on any personal computing device, are designed to improve searchability, readability, and access for the public.
The work is ongoing. As staff continues updating links across the site, you may occasionally see a “Page Not Found” message. If that happens, please use the site’s search feature or navigation bar to find the information you’re looking for.
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
Submitted by the Cobb County Public Library System:
The Cobb Library Foundation is proud to announce the launch of The Cobb Library Shop, a groundbreaking merchandise store with a mission-driven purpose: to strategically fund marketing and outreach initiatives for the Cobb County Public Library. This first-of-its-kind fundraising concept uses merchandise sales not only to generate revenue, but also to expand the library’s brand into new industries and strengthen its presence in the community.
Founded in 2003, the Cobb Library Foundation is a tax-exempt nonprofit dedicated to enhancing the library experience for over 700,000 residents through funding critical programs and infrastructure. The Foundation has consistently stepped in to provide financial support to marketing and outreach initiatives— ensuring the library remains visible, relevant, and deeply engaged with the community. Recognizing the need for a sustainable, ongoing source of funding for these efforts, Slone Williams, (CUE) Community and User Engagement Division Manager, Cobb County Library, advocated for a dynamic solution— establish a permanent, virtual-inventory merchandise store designed to generate ongoing funding for this essential mission.
“This project reflects the Cobb Library Foundation’s commitment to investing in innovative partnerships that strengthen the library and our community. Together, we’ve transformed a vision into a meaningful way to support the library’s mission, and I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished,” said Sandra Morris, Executive Director, Cobb Library Foundation.
All revenue generated by The Cobb Library Shop flows directly back into the Foundation, fueling initiatives that elevate the library’s visibility, deepen community engagement, and strengthen connections.
“With over 400,000 active library card holders, our community’s passion for the library is undeniable—and we’re equally committed to serving them. What started as a passion project has blossomed into a dynamic platform that goes far beyond merchandise sales. We are building a vital bridge between the library and our community, opening fresh opportunities to celebrate our shared love of reading and lifelong learning. To ensure sustainability and impact, I’ve requested a 6-month trial period with less than a $700 investment in startup costs. The shop represents a bold, innovative marketing channel that amplifies our brand, reinforces the library’s forward-thinking spirit, and extends our reach like never before,” said Slone Williams.
The Cobb Library Shop will debut with six themed collections that celebrate the library’s culture, community, and creativity. Featured collections include: Library Holiday Market, a curated holiday collection of library-inspired gifts; Once Upon a Fam’, a family-centered line; Bookmobile Buddies, inspired by the library’s beloved mobile outreach; Librarian Said What?!, a playful nod to the wit and wisdom of library life; Legacy: Unleashed, blending Georgia’s shifting seasons with bold, modern design; and The Legacy Collection, showcasing staff favorites with the signature Cobb Library logo.
In addition to staff-designed collections, the shop welcomes community participation. Anyone can submit designs for consideration, and if selected, the store will give full credit to the artist in product descriptions and may feature them in promotions. This initiative ensures the shop reflects not only the library’s identity but also the creative spirit of the people it serves.
The shop offers a diverse range of fashion-forward, library-themed apparel, accessories, and home essentials emblazoned with the library’s signature logos and department mascots, Dewey Decimal and Rita Book. Community members and staff are invited to contribute designs and ideas, fueling an ever-expanding lineup of creative products that inspire pride and connection.
“These collections were created by dedicated library staff: Katherine Zavala, who provided creative input and designed promotional materials; Kristin Gwin, Jordan Graham and Kami Greene, whose illustrations bring the Once Upon a Fam’ and Bookmobile Buddies collection to life; and Slone Williams, whose vision led to building the website, developing the inventory, and designing the Legacy: Unleashed line. Together, they created a one-of-a-kind product line we’re proud to present and confident will be embraced by the community,” Morris added.
Looking ahead, The Cobb Library Shop has ambitious plans to further elevate library engagement. Upcoming initiatives include fashion shows, limited-edition collections created with community partners, community design competitions, and exclusive merchandise tied to signature library events.
“We’re proud to set a new standard for library fundraising that’s creative, sustainable, and deeply connected to our community’s culture and spirit—pioneering an innovative model that blends merchandise, marketing, and community engagement in ways that redefine how libraries engage and fundraise,” Williams added.
For more information or to shop the exclusive collections, please visit cobblibrary.shop. Have a design idea or artwork you’d love to see on our products?
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
Cobb County’s Chief Financial Officer will take on new duties after County Manager Dr. Jackie McMorris named him the county’s next Deputy County Manager. Bill Volckmann will assume the role currently held by Jimmy Gisi, who retires later this month.
Volckmann has served with Cobb County government for two decades and was named CFO in 2017. He has guided the county through multiple budget cycles, and under his leadership, the Finance Department has received numerous accolades for financial reporting and presentation standards.
“Because of an excellent group of candidates, this was one of the most difficult decisions I’ve had to make,” said County Manager Dr. Jackie McMorris. “As our CFO, Bill has been involved in every significant aspect of county government. He has developed a stellar reputation among our elected officials and department managers and will be able to immediately step into the role in the midst of several critical projects.”
Volckmann has already been working closely with Gisi on preparations for the renewal of the 2028 Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST), which will go before Cobb voters next November.
“I thank Dr. McMorris for her confidence in me, and I look forward to continuing to work with her for years to come,” said Volckmann. “We have a tremendous leadership team in place, and I look forward to working with them to continue Cobb’s reputation as a great place to live, work, and play.”
Gisi retires from Cobb County after more than 35 years in government service. He departs as Deputy County Manager following a long tenure as PARKS Director and previous service as Executive Director of the Georgia Recreation and Park Association (GRPA). He was inducted into the GRPA Hall of Fame in 2023.
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
“Why would anyone want to move here?” East Cobb resident Rebecca Smith said of her issues with stormwater repairs Cobb County said it wasn’t responsible for.
Despite pleas from citizens—including some East Cobb residents affected by devastating floods four years ago—the Cobb Board of Commissioners Thursday approved the creation of a stormwater utility fee.
Near the end of a meeting that stretched for five hours, commissioners voted 3-2 to charge residential customers a flat $4.75 a month for stormwater services, with commercial and institutional users to be charged $4.75 based on each 3,700 square feet of impervious surface on their properties.
Many citizens who spoke during a public hearing earlier Thursday wanted them to delay a vote to create a master plan for stormwater management, among other things.
Some argued that another tax won’t solve the issues many of them have with stormwater, and that there are enough revenues to address the problems.
East Cobb resident Hill Wright, who’s been long critical of what he calls a rain tax, told District 2 Commissioner Erick Allen during the public hearing that if he supported the fee, it should be called “the Erick Allen Rain Tax.”
But Allen said shortly before the vote—which took place close to 11 p.m.—that “the position of do-nothing doesn’t solve the problem.
“This creates a mechanism to start helping our neighbors that are having these issues.”
Allen was among the three Democrats who voted in favor of the fee, with the two Republican commissioners opposed.
Currently Cobb stormwater customers currently are charged through their water and sewer bills based on the amount of impervious surfaces on their properties. The fee would apply to customers in unincorporated Cobb and the City of Mableton, whose stormwater management is handled by the county.
Republican Commissioner JoAnn Birrell of District 3 in East Cobb said while the proposal would create a dedicated enterprise fund, she’s opposed to a stormwater fee while the county continues to transfer portions of its water revenues—currently four percent—to the county’s general fund.
“I know it’s legal but if we had not done that we’d have a lot more money to be addressing this now,” she said.
“I can’t justify any more revenue. I just can’t.”
Members of the audience applauded, but earlier, during the public hearing, they made pleas to table the fee proposal that were eventually ignored.
Among the concerns expressed were that the county has never created a complete inventory of its stormwater infrastructure, nor developed a master plan for managing it.
Under the proposal homeowners associations also would be charged the institutional fee for impervious surfaces. That prompted Richard Grome of the East Cobb Civic Association to ask to table the measure.
East Cobb resident Rebecca Smith, whose backyard and home were flooded in the 2021 storms due to a collapsed stormwater pipe, said she and her neighbors had to spend $96,000 for repairs because the county didn’t have it included on a surveyor’s plat.
They’re having to spring for an additional $20,000 to repair the new pipe, which hasn’t worked properly. Flood insurance covers none of those expenses, she said.
“Why does Cobb County think it’s okay to make homeowners responsible for those repairs?” Smith said, her voice cracking with emotion.
“How do you think anyone would want to continue to live in this county if they are forced to take ownership of these repairs? Why would anyone want to move here? Instead of doing what’s right, you’re choosing to do what’s politically expedient.”
Her husband, Orion Smith, followed her, and said as soon as they fix the stormwater pipe, they’re putting their house up for sale and “leaving Cobb County forever.”
He said he’s not opposed to paying taxes for government services and is a “life-long Democrat,” but “well-run is the key component.”
The real problem, he added, is that Cobb County has “woefully incomplete records of it stormwater inventory and refuses to even reconsider to make any repairs to any infrastructure not found in its spotty records.”
Like other speakers and Birrell, he pointed out the stormwater revenues that were transferred to the general fund along with water revenues over the years.
In the current Cobb fiscal year 2026 budget, that transfer amount is $11 million, but only $300,000 comes from stormwater revenue.
Cobb is spending more than $9 million in FY 2026 for stormwater services; the proposed stormwater fee would generate around $17 million a year.
East Cobb resident Debbie Fisher, a Republican member of the Cobb Board of Elections, also spoke against the fee, although she once favored such a thing.
She lives in the Loch Highland neighborhood, which has two private lakes that she and other residents have had to pay to dredge, due to stormwater runoff from the Sweat Mountain area.
Fisher said, however, that in the two years since a stormwater fee was first proposed, “we still don’t have a plan. We still don’t have the number of miles of piping, of sewer pipes, of water pipes. You don’t even know what kind of money you need.
“This is not ready for prime time.”
The fee is slated to go into effect on June 1, 2026.
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
Cobb County Public Library is excited to announce the return of the beloved Cobb Library Book Sale, taking place March 13-15, 2026, at the Cobb Civic Center.
After the cancellation of the Fall 2025 sale due to storage limitations, Cobb Library is pleased to share that suitable storage has now been secured. Because of this, book donations have resumed and are currently being collected at most branch libraries. Check our website for donation guidelines at cobbcat.org.
The community’s support has always been the cornerstone of the book sale’s success. Cobb Library looks forward to welcoming back patrons, volunteers, and book lovers for this highly anticipated spring event.
In addition to the main book sale, the Library will continue offering in-house book sales throughout the year through its popular Book Nooks, conveniently located inside branches across the county.
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up and you’re good to go!
Cobb PARKS was recognized by the Cobb Board of Commissioners this week for being named the Agency of the Year by the Georgia Recreation and Park Association.
Department officials and staff were present at Wednesday’s BOC meeting. The agency award is the second given to Cobb in recent years, following 2019, and Cobb PARKS Director Michael Brantley was recognized in 2024 as the GRPA’s Distinguished Professional of the Year.
GRPA is a private, nonprofit institution to support and promote the recreation and park industries within the state of Georgia. According to agenda item for Wednesday’s meeting, it is “the only state organization that serves as an advocate for quality recreation and park areas, facilities, programs and services at the local level.”
The Agency of the Year Award is presented to five population groups within the state. Cobb County is in the largest population category—150,000 and over. More from the agenda item:
“The rating period for the award was September 1, 2024 through August 31, 2025, a year that has been a transformative one for Cobb PARKS, marked by achievements that not only provided improved facilities and operations but also strengthened our commitment to equity, community and quality of life.
“A tremendous number of initiatives and projects — from transformational facilities like the Milford Recreation Center and Rhyne Park, to systemwide upgrades, strategic partnerships and organizational improvements — illustrate a year of growth, innovation and service. Each represents a commitment to ensuring that Cobb’s parks, facilities and programs are not only maintained but continually improved for the benefit of all who call this community home.”
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
Flooding along Columns Drive in East Cobb after a storm in 2024. ECN file photo.
The first of two public hearings on a proposed stormwater fee in Cobb County and other code amendments will take place next week.
The hearings are scheduled for 9 a.m. Wednesday before the Cobb Board of Commissioners. The hearings, during a regular BOC meeting, are being delayed by a day due to Veteran’s Day holiday on Tuesday.
Currently Cobb stormwater customers are charged through their water and sewer bills based on the amount of impervious surfaces on their properties.
Commercial and institutional customers would also be billed $4.75 month per 3,700 square feet of impervious surface.
The fee would apply to customers in unincorporated Cobb and the City of Mableton, whose stormwater management is handled by the county. Five of Cobb’s six other cities charge their own stormwater fees; Marietta does not.
At a BOC work session last month, Cobb Water System director Judy Jones said that a stormwater fee is badly needed because not enough revenue is being generated to maintain the aging system, and to address a growing backlog (you can watch a replay here).
Those issues were made more urgent following flooding in 2021 that damaged the homes and properties of many East Cobb residents, some of whom said a new stormwater fee wouldn’t solve their problem.
That’s because homeowners were on the hook for expensive repairs if the county couldn’t determine if their property was on a county plat. Other critics have condemned what they have called a “rain tax.”
Commissioner JoAnn Birrell of District 3 in East Cobb has been opposed to an additional fee since the county transfers revenues from the water department to the general fund.
Jones admitted during the work session that a fee is not going to solve all of the county’s stormwater issues, but it “allows us to enhance our services. We need to get caught up with what we have outgrown.”
She also said the revenues transferred from the water system to the general fund aren’t enough to fund stormwater repairs.
In the current Cobb fiscal year 2026 budget, that transfer amount is $11 million, but only $300,000 comes from stormwater revenue.
Cobb is spending more than $9 million in FY 2026 for stormwater services; the proposed stormwater fee would generate around $17 million a year.
You can click through the slides presented at the work session below; the county has provided further information at a special Stormwater Funding page. Another hearing will be held Nov. 20 prior to a BOC vote on the stormwater fee and other proposed code amendments.
The BOC meeting begins at 9 a.m. in the second floor board room of the county office building at 100 Cherokee Street, Marietta. You can view the full agenda by clicking here.
You also can watch the hearing on the county’s website and YouTube channels and on Cobb TV 23 on Comcast Cable.
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
Flooding along Columns Drive in East Cobb, which is routine after heavy rains.
A year and a half since dropping a proposed stormwater fee, Cobb commissioners on Tuesday will be formally presented with a revised plan to impose a dedicated charge for all customers.
Currently customers are charged through their water and sewer bills based on the amount of impervious surfaces on their properties.
Commercial and institutional customers would also be billed $4.75 month per 3,700 square feet of impervious surface.
The fee would apply to customers in unincorporated Cobb and the City of Mableton, whose stormwater management is handled by the county. Five of Cobb’s six other cities charge their own stormwater fees; Marietta does not.
The Cobb water system also has prepared a stormwater credit manual to further break down how it’s intending to charge for stormwater management
The initial stormwater fee plan, first presented in late 2023, would have imposed a charge for residential customers ranging between $2 and $12 a month, based on the amount of impervious surfaces on their properties.
Cobb water officials have been asking for a separate stormwater fee for years, saying they can’t manage an aging, overextended stormwater system, which has been budgeted $9.5 million in the current Cobb fiscal year 2026 budget.
The request was accelerated by severe floods in the fall of 2021 that badly damaged many homes and yards in East Cobb.
Citizens protested a proposed stormwater fee at an East Cobb town hall meeting in March 2024.
But when the county introduced a fee proposal, citizens protested en masse, at public comment sessions and other events, including a fiery town hall meeting in East Cobb.
They blasted the proposal as a “rain tax,” and said it wouldn’t help those affected by the flood damage.
At that town hall, Cobb Water System director Judy Jones said that “the way we’re charging now, residential customers are paying more than commercial customers. I’m trying to fix that. But I have to have more money to do that. The way we do it now is not equitable.”
Cobb’s two Republican commissioners, JoAnn Birrell of East Cobb and Keli Gambrill of West Cobb, opposed that fee.
Former Commissioner Jerica Richardson of East Cobb, whose constituents were affected by the 2021 floods, called for the initial motion to table the proposal in March of 2024, saying that stakeholders sessions should be conducted to go over what she called “a big issue . . . but it’s complex.”
Commissioners will hold public hearings on the proposed stormwater fee in November.
The work session on Tuesday will not include public comments, but there is a public comment session scheduled for the Cobb Board of Commissioners meeting Tuesday night.
That meeting begins at 7 p.m. in the second floor board room of the county office building at 100 Cherokee Street, Marietta. You can view the full agenda by clicking here.
You also can watch the hearing on the county’s website and YouTube channels and on Cobb TV 23 on Comcast Cable.
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
