East Cobb Government

Ott cancels town halls; Cobb announces Coronavirus measures

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Bob Ott

Concerns over the Coronavirus outbreak have prompted Cobb government officials to cancel some events and announce other related measures.

Commissioner Bob Ott (above) said Wednesday afternoon that two upcoming town hall meetings he had scheduled in East Cobb are being cancelled “out of an abundance of caution.”

They were to have taken place next Tuesday at the Chestnut Ridge Christian Church and April 21 at the East Cobb Library.

Cobb Commission Chairman Mike Boyce has cancelled six upcoming SPLOST open houses for the rest of March, due to concerns over large crowds. The open houses began last week, and those scheduled for April and early May are still on for now, according to a release issued by the county Wednesday afternoon.

“Boyce considered this a prudent move based on concerns of residents and the desire to help staff focus primarily on protecting our community by handling other issues as they develop,” according to the county statement.

The West Cobb Library was closed Tuesday and remains closed until further notice after county officials said an employee there reported possibly being exposed to someone with a confirmed case of Coronavirus.

The county release said all senior centers, including the Tim D. Lee Center on Sandy Plains Road in East Cobb, will be cleaned on the weekends. Seniors are considered a high-risk group for contracting Coronavirus.

The county has issued travel guidelines for employees and established a task force that is meeting daily, composed of health, public safety and other administrators to address the continuing Coronavirus situation.

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More than 100 people from a cruise ship near San Francisco have been brought to Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Cobb to begin a 14-day quarantine period under the auspices of federal health officials.

Another plane with cruise ship passengers is expected to arrive at Dobbins shortly.

There are six confirmed cases of Coronavirus in Georgia, including one in Cobb County. That individual, who is in home isolation, recently traveled to Italy, which is on a nationwide lockdown and has had hundreds of Coronavirus-related deaths.

Late Tuesday, Gov. Brian Kemp said the number of “presumptive positive” cases of Coronavirus in Georgia has grown to 16, and Cobb County has the most, with six.

Presumptive positive cases are those that have been conducted by state health officials but still require confirmation by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.

The county is asking anyone needing information or having questions about its Coronavirus response to visit its resource page or the CDC website.

 

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Cobb Planning Commission changes include new District 2 appointment

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Galt Porter, Cobb Planning Commission
Galt Porter

Tony Waybright, a civic and school activist in the Smyrna/Vinings area, is the new District 2 appointee to the Cobb Planning Commission.

District 2 Commissioner Bob Ott formalized the appointment at Tuesday’s Cobb Board of Commissioners meeting.

The vacancy occurred when Planning Commission member Andy Smith of East Cobb resigned last week. He’s running for the District 2 seat after Ott announced his retirement last month.

Planning Commission members hearing zoning cases and make advisory recommendations to county commissioners.

District 2 includes some of East Cobb and the Smyrna/Cumberland/Vinings area.

Waybright is active in the Campbell High School Community, having served as a member and chairman of the school council and being involved with other school-related organizations.

He also was the CEO of the West Vinings Civic Association and has spoken before public bodies, including the Planning Commission and county commission, on behalf of the Oakdale Alliance, a civic group in the Smyrna area.

Waybright will begin his duties in April. The Planning Commission has another new member in Alice Summerour, a former member of the Cobb SPLOST Citizens Oversight Committee and a civic leader in Marietta. She was appointed by chairman Mike Boyce and began in February.

The five-member planning board, appointed by commissioners, also will have a new chairman.

Galt Porter, who has represented District 4 from South Cobb, will be the new chairman. He succeeds Judy Williams of Northeast Cobb, who has stepped aside as chairwoman but remains the District 3 member.

 

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Cruise passengers to be quarantined at Dobbins for Coronavirus

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Another day, another Coronavirus update from Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, who said Sunday morning that Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Cobb will be a quarantine venue for California cruise passengers as soon as Monday.Cobb coronavirus statement

He said after late briefings Saturday night, 34 Georgians and other passengers on the Grand Princess cruise ship are headed here, and that they will be “securely transferred.”

The release didn’t indicate how many more people will be coming beyond the 34, and how long they’ll be quarantined.

The ship was not allowed to port in San Francisco and was being detained offshore after two passengers were confirmed to have Coronavirus.

Related story

Cobb Commission Chairman Mike Boyce said Sunday he’s been in touch with the White House and the governor’s office about the arrival of the Grand Princess passengers and reiterated that “they are not people who have the virus.”

In a video presentation with several county health and public safety officials, Boyce said the Dobbins setup is “a contingency that has been planned for several weeks.”

Dr. Janet Memark, the Director of Cobb and Douglas Public Health, said the quarantine at Dobbins is a “low-risk operation” and added that 80 percent of those who have been diagnosed are having “very mild” health issues.

She urged citizens to stay home if they’re not sick or feeling well and to take other precautionary measures such as regular hand-washing.

She also said the Georgia Department of Public Health has set up a Coronavirus hotline for anyone with questions. They can call 866-782-4584 to get more information, and the agency has provided this information and prevention tip sheet.

 

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Cobb public health officials issue coronavirus statement

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As the first cases of coronavirus in Georgia were revealed, the Cobb and Douglas Public Health Department has issued a statement about the outbreak.Cobb coronavirus statement

The alert was issued prior to a late-night press conference Monday by Gov. Brian Kemp confirming two cases of COVID-19 in Fulton County.

They’re a father and son, and one of them had traveled back recently from Milan, Italy, which is experiencing an outbreak of the virus.

During the press conference, state health officials said the two individuals were in home quarantine and in communication with their doctor.

More than 90,000 people have contracted coronavirus, a highly contagious illness, in nearly 80 countries around the world. More than 3,000 deaths have been reported, mostly in China.

The only deaths thus far in the U.S. have been in Washington State, where on Tuesday a ninth fatality was confirmed.

The Cobb/Douglas statement contains a basic explanation of the virus, along with preventative measures, such as thorough hand-washing, and that all testing is being done by the state at this time.

The statement said coronavirus spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes, and that symptoms appear between two and 14 days after exposure. They include:

  • runny nose
  • headache
  • cough
  • shortness of breath
  • fever
  • a general feeling of being unwell.

Here’s more about the local response, as the number of cases is expected to grow:

  • Cobb & Douglas Public Health (CDPH) is preparing internally, as well as with the state and the CDC to slow or prevent community spread. We are working with our partners, including the local governments, healthcare organizations, businesses, first responders, and local school districts to ensure our community is prepared for a potential COVID-19 outbreak.

  • We are reaching out to our county Boards of Health, emergency management agencies, chambers of commerce, and other partners who may need our guidance and are sending them guidance on how to prepare their organizations.

  • CDPH staff receive frequent updates from the CDC and the Georgia Department of Public Health. These updates include information on the current situation abroad and in the U.S., testing, surveillance, quarantine, and more. This helps shape our local response.

  • CDPH  has a previously-developed pandemic influenza plan that can serve as a template for responding to other outbreaks of severe respiratory disease, like COVID-19. We are reviewing our plan and are also prepared to implement specific COVID-19 guidance from the Georgia Department of Public Health and the CDC as the situation evolves.

The Cobb County School District last week sent out a notice about the coronavirus, including a statement from the Georgia Department of Public Health, as well as an updated FAQ Tuesday following the confirmation of the Georgia cases:

The District will continue to stay in constant communication with Georgia Department of Health officials and will follow their guidance every step of the way in order to keep our students and staff safe. Our schools continue to remind students and staff on how to prevent the spread of illness including hand washing, covering mouths when they cough, and keeping their hands away from their face. Parents are urged to keep students at home if they have any symptoms of sickness. 

Should a staff member or student become ill, Cobb Schools already has a reporting protocol in place regarding infectious diseases, which is part of the District’s Infectious Disease Response Plan. The District will use guidance from public health officials to update and apply the plan to respond to COVID-19.  

DPH has also issued guidance about the coronavirus, which was first diagnosed in December in Wuhan, China.

The federal Centers for Disease Control has issued its highest alerts for China and Iran, recommending against non-essential travel there, and that entry by foreign nationals from those countries has been suspended.

U.S. travelers are being advised against non-essential trips to South Korea and Italy, and older adults or those with chronic medical conditions not visit Japan.

More CDC coronavirus information can be found here.

 

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Cobb 2022 SPLOST draft project list released as open houses start

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Cobb Fire Station 12
Replacing the aging Fire Station No. 12 near Shaw Park is included in the Cobb 2022 SPLOST draft list.

Public safety infrastructure in Cobb County would get a substantial overhaul if the Cobb Special-Purpose Local Option Sales Tax for county government (SPLOST) is renewed by voters later this year.

A draft project list for the six-year, $810 million 2022 SPLOST collection and other information has been released by the county as a schedule of 20 open houses gets underway Tuesday at the Piedmont Church in Northeast Cobb.

The open house takes place from 6-8 p.m. The church is located at 570 Piedmont Road. Citizens can view the proposed projects, offer feedback on them and ask county staff about them as well.

The SPLOST, if renewed, would succeed the current 2016 SPLOST, which expires on Dec. 31, 2021. The one-percent sales tax pays for a wide variety of government projects, including transportation, public safety, parks, libraries, information services, property management, community centers and senior services.

Each of Cobb’s six cities would also collect sales-tax funds for projects in their municipalities. The 2022 SPLOST would be collected through Dec. 31, 2027.

The draft list (you can read through it here and see an overview here) includes $18 million for renovating the former Lockheed Georgia Employees Credit Union building on Fairground Street in Marietta for a new Cobb Police headquarters, and for a new police training center and firing range.

That’s part of a $82 million tab to be spent on public safety under the 2022 SPLOST.

Another $24 million would be spent for renovating fire training facilities, and to build a new Fire Station No. 12 to replace the existing building on Brackett Road in Northeast Cobb, near Shaw Park.

Replacing radio public safety equipment would cost $16 million, and a new Cobb animal shelter is pegged at $15 million.

Replacing police vehicles and building a new E-911 center would come in at $10 million each.

The biggest chunk of SPLOST spending, nearly $361 million, would be for Cobb DOT projects, with $227 million for repavings alone, along with bridge repairs, traffic management, and sidewalk improvements countywide.

The principal traffic projects in East Cobb would be $3.9 million to improve the intersection of Holly Springs Road and Post Oak Tritt Road, $2.4 million for Canton Road corridor improvements, and $701,500 to improve the Shallowford Road-Gordy Parkway intersection.

Tritt property
The tree-shrouded home of Wylene Tritt next to East Cobb Park is located on nearly 30 acres the county has purchased for current greenspace. (ECN file)

In the category of what’s called “community impact projects” is a line item for the purchase of additional Tritt property next to East Cobb Park.

Last year, Cobb commissioners spent $8.3 million to buy 29.7 acres from Wylene Tritt, with the possibility of purchasing more.

She owns 54 acres that she had tentatively agreed to sell for a senior-living project that was denied by commissioners following community opposition.

Tritt and Isakson Living had agreed on a $20 million purchase price, and both later sued the county.

The SPLOST draft list line item indicates only “TBD” in a purchase price column next to “Acquire Tritt Property.”

Another $5 million would be dedicated to repurposing Shaw Park, and $3 million would go to construction of the new Ebenezer Downs Park in Northeast Cobb.

Another $24 million would be earmarked for Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs, including a variety of renovations and upgrades at Sewell Park, Fullers Park, Terrell Mill Park, Hyde Farm, the Mountain View Aquatic Center, Noonday Creek Park and The Art Place.

Paving work would be included for East Cobb Park, Fullers Park and Terrell Mill Park and video surveillance cameras would be installed at several Cobb library branches, including the Mountain View Regional Library.

The Cobb County SPLOST Renewal Page has more information, including dates and times for the open houses.

In East Cobb, those events will be on April 1 at the East Cobb Library, April 14 at the Tim D. Lee Senior Center and May 5 at the Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center.

 

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Self-service car tag renewal kiosk opens in East Cobb

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East Cobb Government Center, Cobb Police Precinct 4

Like several other locations in Cobb County, the Georgia Department of Revenue has opened a third self-service car tag renewal kiosk in East Cobb.

The kiosk is located at the East Cobb Government Service Center (4400 Roswell Road), near the Cobb tag office located there.

It’s open from 6 a.m. to midnight daily, and motorists who need to renew their tags can do so quickly, with the following requirements:

  • A vehicle must be registered in a county with self-service availability;
  • A motorist must have a valid Georgia State driver’s license;
  • A motorist’s address must be correct on the renewal notice;
  • A motorist must have proof of liability insurance on file;
  • A motorist must have a vehicle emission inspection form.

Georgia DOR has installed similar kiosks in Cobb at the Cobb tag office (2932 Canton Road), which is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday, and at the Shallowford Falls Kroger (3162 Johnson Ferry Road), which is open from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. daily.

After a customer’s renewal is approved, the machine prints new tags.

For more on the self-service kiosk centers, click here.

 

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Cobb SPLOST renewal open houses include 4 East Cobb venues

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Sandy Plains road work, Cobb SPLOST renewal
Road work on Sandy Plains Road funded in the current Cobb SPLOST was recently completed, after several months of delays (ECN file).

The current Cobb government SPLOST (Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax) runs through the end of 2021, but on this year’s ballot a referendum may be included to extend the one-cent tax for six more years starting in 2022.

No project list has been made public yet, but Cobb government will be holding open houses starting next week through early May to get feedback from citizens.

The first meeting, in fact, will be held next Tuesday, March 3, at the Piedmont Church (570 Piedmont Road) in northeast Cobb.

The SPLOST pays for transportation projects, maintenance and technology upgrades for county government facilities (including parks, libraries and senior centers), public safety equipment and maintenance (here’s the January update for the current 2016 SPLOST) and related expenses.

The other meetings in East Cobb will be at East Cobb Library (April 1), the Tim D. Lee Senior Center (formerly the East Cobb Senior Center, April 14) and the Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center (May 5).

The full schedule is listed below; all sessions run from 6-8 p.m. and times, dates and locations are subject to change (you can track them here).

The open houses will include potential projects to be considered (by county staff and commissioners) and will allow citizens to ask questions of department leaders and offer feedback and suggestions.

Cobb commissioners would have to pass a resolution to place a referendum on the November election ballot.

More on the SPLOST program can be found here; and the current 2016 SPLOST list of projects can be found here.

 

Tuesday, March 4 Piedmont Church 570 Piedmont Road
Wednesday, March 4 South Cobb Community Center 620 Lions Club Drive, Mableton
Thursday, March 5 Vinings Bank 4135 Atlanta Road, Smyrna
Tuesday, March 10 Acworth Community Center 4361 Cherokee St., Acworth
Wednesday, March 11 West Cobb Regional Library 1750 Dennis Kemp Lane, Kennesaw
Wednesday, March 18 Smyrna Community Center 200 Village Green Circle, Smyrna
Thursday, March 19 Ben Robertson Community Center 2753 Watts Drive, Kennesaw
Wednesday, March 25 Freeman Poole Senior Center 4025 S. Hurt Road, Smyrna
Thursday, March 26 Threadmill Complex 5000 Austell-Powder Springs Road, Austell
Tuesday, March 31 Shiloh Hills Church 75 Hawkins Store Road, Kennesaw
Wednesday, April 1 East Cobb Library 4880 Lower Roswell Road
Thursday, April 2 South Cobb Recreation Center 875 Riverside Parkway, Austell
Tuesday, April 7 St. Benedict’s Episcopal Church 2160 Cooper Lake Road, Smyrna
Tuesday, April 14 Tim D. Lee Senior Center 3332 Sandy Plains Road
Wednesday, April 15 Cobb County Civic Center 548 South Marietta Parkway
Thursday, April 16 Cobb Senior Services 1150 Powder Springs St., Marietta
Tuesday, April 21 Ron Anderson Recreation Center 3820 Macedonia Road, Powder Springs
Wednesday, April 22 West Cobb Senior Center 4915 Dallas Highway, Powder Springs
Thursday, April 23 North Cobb Senior Center 3900 S. Main Street, Acworth
Tuesday, May 5 Sewell Mill Library & Cultural Center 2051 Lower Roswell Road

 

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Boyce recommends Cobb deputy county manager for top job

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Cobb Commission Chairman Mike Boyce will ask his colleagues Tuesday to make deputy county manager Jackie McMorris the new county manager.Jackie McMorris, Cobb County Manager

The proposal is included in next week’s meeting agenda (you can read it here).

McMorris, who was named Cobb’s first deputy county manager in October 2017, had been designated as the interim county manager effective April 1, when current county manager Rob Hosack retires.

Hosack, of East Cobb, had been county manager since longtime county manager David Hankerson retired in 2017, and announced last month he would be stepping down.

The resolution to be voted on Tuesday calls for a contract for McMorris through the end of 2023.

The county manager directs the day-to-day governance of county government departments and a workforce of 5,000.

McMorris came to Cobb in 2013 as the director of the Cobb Public Services Agency, following jobs as the chief of staff for the Fulton District Attorney’s Office, and for Cherokee County government as community services director and special assistant to the county manager.

In her job as Cobb deputy county manager, McMorris’ duties included serving as the county’s official lobbyist to the Georgia General Assembly, as well as working with the Board of Commissioners and business and community leaders.

She holds a doctorate degree in adult education, training and development from the University of Arkansas.

Tuesday’s meeting begins at 7 p.m. in the second-floor board room of the Cobb government building, 100 Cherokee St., in downtown Marietta.

On Monday, commissioners will meet there at 1:30 a.m. for a work session, which includes annual updates about the Cumberland Community Improvement District and Truist Park (formerly SunTrust Park) and The Battery.

 

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Proposed Cobb short-term rental ordinance changes delayed

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During a long meeting Tuesday to make amendments to the county code, Cobb commissioners voted to delay making changes regarding short-term rentals.Johnson Ferry-Shallowford master plan

The proposed changes include limiting rentals to 30 days and requiring owners to have an occupancy license and hiring an agent who could respond to complaints or other issues on short notice.

(You can read it here, on page 2, under Section 134-291. Details are on page 32.)

But after hearing from some property owners, civic leaders and advocates for the short-term rental industry, commissioners said they’ll wait.

That’s because of a bill introduced in the Georgia legislature, HB 523 (you can read it here).

The bill, sponsored by four State House members from other parts of Georgia, would bar local governments from issuing different regulations for properties used for rentals (including through such services as Airbnb) than any other residential properties.

HB 523 also would prohibit local governments from requiring a license or registration for owning a rental property, or from doing inspections or permitting.

The sponsors say local restrictions intrude on personal property rights, but the Association of County Commissioners of Georgia sees the bill as a preemption of local control.

The Cobb code amendments were proposed by East Cobb commissioners Bob Ott and JoAnn Birrell. The Cobb Planning Commission had asked for a delay to further craft the proposed changes.

“We believe there is a need for the regulation of this very large industry,” said Carol Brown of Canton Road Neighbors, whose group supported holding the short-term rental changes.

An East Cobb resident who spoke at Tuesday’s meeting said she rents out a portion of her home to bring in extra income after her husband died.

“Some proposals would make it impossible for people like me,” she said. “I’m just trying to make ends meet. The gig economy is here. You can’t put the genie back in the bottle.”

Katie McClure, a board member of the Short-Term Rental Owners Association of Georgia, said to commissioners that “we ask you to work with us to improve this ordinance.”

In making a motion to hold the short-term rental changes, Ott called for the creation of a task force to include relevant county staff and citizens to work on the ordinance and to monitor HB 523.

The bill has been reported favorably out of the House Regulated Industries Committee and awaits action by the Rules Committee before going to the full House.

 

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Ott announces ‘farewell tour’ of town hall meetings

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Bob Ott, town hall meeting
Commissioner Bob Ott presides over a 2018 town hall meeting at the Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center.

A few weeks after announcing his retirement, Cobb commissioner Bob Ott said Tuesday he still plans to have town hall meetings during his final year in office.

Ott said the first of those town halls will be March 17 at the Chestnut Ridge Christian Church in East Cobb, followed by another town hall at the East Cobb Library in April, as well as one more in Smyrna in May.

Ott’s has regularly held town hall meetings since joining the commission in 2009, and at times they’ve become popular and well-attended affairs, especially depending on the subject matter.

He typically updates constituents on what’s happening in the county as well as District 2—which covers most of East Cobb and the Cumberland/Vinings area—then takes questions.

The biggest turnout, he said, was last March, at the Catholic Church of St. Ann, when he invited members of the East Cobb cityhood group to make their debut presentation to the community.

Ott said Tuesday that what he’s calling his “farewell tour”—a bit tongue in cheek—will conclude with a few more town halls in the fall.

 

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Cobb commission pulls proposal to ban pet store animal sales

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Good Mews 30th birthday, Dr. Judy Johnson
Dr. Judy Johnson, veterinarian at the Good Mews cat shelter in East Cobb, criticized commissioners for abandoning a proposed pet sale ban. (ECN file)

The Cobb Board of Commissioners voted Tuesday to withdraw a proposed ordinance that would ban the sales of cats and dogs at commercial pet stores.

After that, they heard plenty of complaints from animal advocates, including a veterinarian at an East Cobb cat shelter, for not taking action.

Last month, commissioners were deadlocked 2-2 on the proposed code amendment (read all of them here). Bob Ott, of East Cobb, who missed that meeting, voted Tuesday to shelve the proposed pet sales ban.

During a lengthy public hearing, several citizens and advocates told emotional stories of purchases of pets from Petland in Kennesaw—the only pet store in Cobb that would have been affected by the ban—that were sick or later died.

Animal advocates have long said commercial pet stores purchase animals from puppy mills, sell them to the public at a high price, and don’t address health concerns.

At last month’s meeting, the tie vote occurred after discussion about a ruling from the Georgia Attorney General’s Office that local animal ordinances should not supercede state law.

Some animal advocates argued that the opinion doesn’t have the force of law.

Judy Johnson, a veterinarian with the East Cobb-based Good Mews cat shelter, had been a veterinarian at emergency facilities that treated Petland animals, saying they were ill and little was done when she and others complained to state officials.

“They retain a profit from the purchase, even if the puppy dies,” Johnson said during the public hearing. If pet store animals survive, “they have other health issues, which carry financial burdens.”

She cited growing veterinarian suicide rates, with a leading factor being what she called “compassion fatigue” and eventually left the emergency medicine field.

The pet illnesses and other issues stemming from treating Petland puppies was “emotionally exhausting. . . I had to get away before I became another statistic.”

Related story

Other animal-related measures before the commissioners also are being held for reconsideration.

One is related to a “trap, neuter and release” practice involving feral and stray cats—referred to as community cats—that animal advocates say has proven effective.

Elizabeth Finch, a Good Mews board member and East Cobb resident, said since the shelter took over Cobb TNR cases since late January, it has sterilized 76 cats—45 of them females—who have then been sent back outdoors.

She estimated that has reduced the births of a few hundred kittens.

“Clearly the method works,” said Finch, who said Good Mews’ goal is to neuter or spay 1,000 community and feral cats in Cobb this year.

The commissioners did approve an amendment regulating backyard chickens without a permit, with a limit of one for every 5,000 square feet of lot space on residential lots that are 80,000 square feet or smaller.

The new ordinance permits only hens, which must be kept in a fenced area behind the home and cared for in a manner that eliminates “potential negative effects,” such as odors, pollution, noise and pest and rodent issues.

The new measure also prohibits hens from being slaughtered on the premises.

 

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Gritters Library to host WorkSource Cobb Mobile Career Center

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The Cobb County Public Library System is getting out word that the non-profit WorkSource Cobb Mobile Career Center will be conducting several events at Gritters Library this month.CobbWorks employment workshop series

The first session is next Thursday, Feb. 13, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and here are more details about what’s coming up:

Gritters Library is added to the MCC’s monthly schedule after years since its last visit to the library, said Jim Montgomery, WorkSourceCobb/CobbWorks MCC Coordinator.

A Resume Workshop program inside the computer lab on wheels is scheduled during the February 13th visit at 11 a.m. The MCC offers free workforce and job skills development services, wi-fi and more.

Gritters Library Manager Pamela Finley said she expects many Gritters area residents will welcome Mr. Montgomery and the MCC to the library. Gritters Library is located off Canton Road at Shaw Park in northeastern Cobb County.

“I know there is a community need for this service,” she said. “Many of the computer users at Gritters are working on resumes, job applications and job searching.”

The second February visit to Gritters Library is Thursday, February 27, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The Mobile Career Center’s February schedule includes late morning and early afternoon hours at public libraries and other locations across Cobb. Resume workshops are included on select dates.

For the full February MCC schedule, visit www.worksourcecobb.org/news-events.

For information on upcoming programs at Gritters Library, visit www.cobbcat.org or call 770-528-2524.

 

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St. Ann Catholic to hold Cobb emergency preparedness training classes

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Submitted information:

Cobb CERTThere are two Cobb County Community Emergency Response Team training opportunities in February and residents are encouraged to sign up now.

Cobb Senior Services Wellness Center, 1150 Powder Springs Street, MariettaClasses will be held from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. on three consecutive Wednesdays (must attend all three classes), Feb. 5, 12 and 19.To register, contact Tracy Shehab at tracy.shehad@cobbcounty.org.

St. Ann’s Catholic Church, La Salette Hall, 4905 Roswell Road, MariettaClasses will be held from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. on three consecutive Saturdays (must attend all three classes), Feb. 22, 29 and March 7.To register contact Linda Walsh, RN at LWalshRN@st-ann.org or call 770-552-6400 ext. 6019.

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Cobb public safety step-and-grade plan approved unanimously

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Susan Hampton, Cobb public safety advocates
Susan Hampton

Cobb public safety personnel will be receiving a new salary structure that becomes effective in March.

The Cobb Board of Commissioners voted 4-0 Tuesday night to implement a step-and-grade plan that will provide for incremental pay boosts, based on years of service and other factors.

Details of the plan were revealed last week as a “next step” toward increasing salary and benefits for Cobb public safety workers. Commissioners last year approved a seven-percent raise and a one-time bonus after coming under pressure from public safety personnel and community activists.

“This is a step forward,” South Cobb commissioner Lisa Cupid said before the vote. “It is not a panacea.”

The new plan kicks in March 22, and all qualified personnel in Cobb police, fire and sheriff’s departments will move up a step at that time.

The additional funding will come to $5.7 million for the current fiscal year 2020, which goes through the end of September.

The step-and-grade plan would increase starting pay for entry-level police officers, sheriff’s deputies and firefighters from $41,000 a year to $46,000.

Salaries for the highest police officer and firefighter positions would range from $67,290 to $103,626. For rank-and-file sheriff’s deputies, that top-end range would be $48,435 to $74,590.

Unlike other step-and-grade pay models—including the Cobb County School District—the Cobb public safety raises would not be automatic, and would have to go before commissioners during the annual budget process.

East Cobb commissioner Bob Ott was absent from the meeting.

“We still have work to do, but a lot has been done in the past 11 months,” said Susan Hampton of East Cobb, an advocate with the Cobb County Public Safety Foundation.

She urged commissioners to “never allow public safety to be removed as the No. 1 priority in future budgets.”

But another public safety advocate, Kimberly Peace Hill, was irate, saying “this scale does nothing for retention.”

She told commissioners that “if you’re going to do this, don’t drop the ball. Give them [public safety employees] a commitment.”

Cobb Sheriff Neil Warren, whose department is understaffed, said the step-and-grade plan “is outstanding. It’s long overdue.”

The commissioners’ comments were brief, with East Cobb commissioner JoAnn Birrell pledging that “as long as I’m in this seat, [public safety] will be my No. 1 priority.”

North Cobb commissioner Keli Gambrill voted for the measure, but wondered how the plan will be financed in the long haul since the county brings in $21 million less in property tax revenues ($392 million) than it pays for county employee salaries ($414 million).

She wanted future public safety raises to be tied to additional revenues from the state tag and ad valorem tax, the source of most of the funding for the step-and-grade costs.

“I hope our actions over the last year will show we are moving in the right direction.” Cupid said.

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Revised Cobb public safety step-and-grade would cost $5.7M

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Cobb County Chairman Boyce, revised Cobb public safety step and grade

With a new budget season on the horizon, Cobb Commission Chairman Mike Boyce said this week his agenda for 2020 is clear-cut.

He told members of the East Cobb Business Association on Tuesday that his top budget priorities are to keep the current property tax millage rate in place, and continue reducing the amount of money the county borrows from the water fund.

Another major objective he’s bringing up next week is a revised step-and-grade salary proposal for public safety personnel that he said “is a really big deal” for police officers, firefighters, sheriff’s deputies, sworn personnel and others.

“There’s nothing else on my plate,” Boyce said during a luncheon at the Olde Towne Athletic Club.

After the Cobb Board of Commissioners approved a one-time bonus, a seven-percent pay raise and an outline for a step-and-grade plan last year, Boyce floated a more detailed proposal last fall that fell flat with some of his colleagues or public safety leaders.

On Tuesday, Boyce will present a revised proposal that would cost an additional $5.7 million annually: $2.1 million for police, $2 million for fire and $1.6 million for the sheriff’s office.

Boyce wants to fast-track this proposal as well, having it take effect for the pay period starting on March 22, if approved.

According to a summary of the proposal included in the commissioners’ meeting agenda, $3.3 million of that new revenue would come from state title and ad valorem tax (TAVT) collections, with $1.1 million coming from the county’s general fund, and another $1.1 million from the fire fund.

The step-and-grade structure is similar to what Cobb County School District employees receive—annual, incremental and automatic raises based on a combination of factors, including years of service, promotions and performance reviews.

Under the revised proposal, the starting salary for an entry-level police officer, sheriff’s deputy or firefighter would jump from around $41,000 a year to $46,000, with the highest salary at that position earning $70,840.

Salaries for the highest police officer and firefighter positions would range from $67,290 to $103,626. For rank-and-file sheriff’s deputies, that top-end range would be $48,435 to $74,590.

The pay raises would be around three percent; under the draft proposal, however, they would not have been automatic and the salary boost would be subject to a performance review.

The revised numbers are slightly higher than what was presented in October. (For the full step-and-grade breakdown chart, click here, and for other proposed public safety salary ranges, click here.

After the ECBA luncheon, Boyce told East Cobb News said he is confident the new formula “is the issue that will restore confidence” to current public safety personnel, and will help with recruiting and retention.

He said that “we’ve engaged the officers,” and that “the key to me is, can we do this without a millage increase?”

For those critical of the draft proposal in October, the revision may pose similar concerns. East Cobb commissioner Bob Ott said then that the plan wouldn’t be step-and-grade if it needed annual budget approval.

Included in the recommendation in Tuesday’s budget item is language that would “authorize the County Manager to proceed working with county staff to develop a policy to review the Step & Grade Plan on an annual basis to determine effectiveness including an annual step as a top priority in future adopted budgets.”

Boyce, a Republican from East Cobb, is seeking re-election in November. His declared opposition includes South Cobb Democratic commissioner Lisa Cupid and East Cobb Republican Larry Savage, who ran for chairman in 2012 and 2016.

Two years ago, Boyce angered fiscal conservatives with a millage rate increase that didn’t address public safety staffing shortages and morale problems over pay and retention.

During last year’s budget deliberations, public safety staffers and advocates, as well as community leaders, implored commissioners to take measures to address what they termed a “crisis.”

One-time bonuses approved in May were promised as a “first step,” and when commissioners approved the fiscal year 2020 budget in July, it included a seven-percent raise for public safety employees.

Tuesday’s commission meeting is at 7 p.m. in the second floor board room of the Cobb government building, 100 Cherokee St., downtown Marietta. You can read through the full agenda by clicking here.

 

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Cobb Census ad casting call slated for Sewell Mill Library

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Cobb Census ad casting call

Submitted information and graphic:

The Cobb County Census Committee is searching for volunteer, resident models to feature in upcoming Census 2020 outreach advertisements. Come help us receive an accurate count in the 2020 Census! Casting is open to Cobb County residents of all ages and backgrounds.

The committee will be at Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center in the Studio Gallery Green Room, 2051 Lower Roswell, Rd., Marietta on Tuesday, Jan. 21 from 5-7 p.m. Stop by and bring the family!

 

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East Cobb Library to hold U.S. Census data presentation

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Submitted information:Be Counted in Cobb

Data.census.gov is the U.S. Census Bureau’s new platform for access to data and digital content. Leaders of non-profits, businesses, government, faith communities and educators are invited to the Guide to Census Data for Grant Writers and Community Analysis presentation by Anh “Luke” Nguyen, Data Dissemination Specialist of the Census Bureau, on Tuesday, January 28th at two Cobb County Public Libraries.

The Census Data programs are scheduled for:

  • 10 am at the North Cobb Regional Library, 3535 Old 41 Highway NW, Kennesaw 30144. 770-801-5320
  • 2:30 pm at East Cobb Library, 4880 Lower Roswell Rd., Marietta 30068. 770-509-2730

The January 28th programs are free and open to the public.

Census data impacts funding for education, healthcare, transportation, emergency services and social services. The Census results are used to shape the boundaries for federal, state and local government elected representation. Census data is “big data” for decisions about philanthropy and small business growth.

The U.S. Census Bureau “Shape Your Future. Start here” education and outreach campaign’s goal is for the 2020 Census to count everyone who lives in the U.S. Census Day is April 1. Beginning in mid-March, households can respond online, by phone or by mail. For more information, visit www.census.gov.

 

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Cobb Board of Commissioners recognizes retired Sen. Isakson

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Cobb Board of Commissioners recognizes retired Sen. Isakson

On Tuesday the Cobb Board of Commissioners issued a proclamation to retired U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson, who stepped down on Dec. 31 due to health reasons.

The East Cobb resident is the only Georgian to serve in both the state house and senate and U.S. house and senate. Isakson also served as chairman of the Georgia Board of Education during a 45-year career in public office.

“It’s been a pleasure representing this county for a long time,” Isakson said upon receiving the proclamation.

“I appreciate all you’ve done for me and all the nice things you’ve said about me.”

Isakson also commended outgoing Cobb County Manager Rob Hosack (at far right in photo), who is retiring in April.

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Cobb precinct changes approved over Democratic objections

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Caroline Holko
Caroline Holko

Updating last week’s post about precinct changes in Cobb, including a few in East Cobb: Those measures got final approval on Monday by the Cobb Board of Elections.

But the head of the Cobb County Democratic Committee and a Democratic candidate for a State House seat in East Cobb objected, saying they were made with little time to spare before the March presidential primary and the general primary in May.

They spoke during the public comment portion of the Cobb Board of Commissioners meeting on Tuesday. The precinct changes will affect 43,000 registered voters in Cobb.

The changes come as Cobb and other counties in Georgia will be installing new voting machines for the 2020 elections, and with turnout expected to be high in a presidential election year.

Cobb voters will go to the polls in the presidential primary March 24, with early voting from March 2-20.

Jackie Bettadapur of East Cobb, the county Democratic chairwoman, said she and the party’s appointed member of the elections board attend those meetings regularly, but “none of us were aware that these changes were planned.”

Making such changes on a “short notice, just under the wire” basis “has the makings of a perfect storm.”

Nine precinct changes were made, as the Cobb elections office is gradually moving away from schools for security reasons. Three of those changes are in East Cobb:

  • The Dickerson precinct will now be at the Lutheran Church of the Incarnation (1200 Indian Hills Parkway);
  • The Dodgen precinct will relocate to the Episcopal Church of St. Peter and St. Paul (1795 Johnson Ferry Road);
  • The Marietta 6A precinct at Lockheed Elementary School is moving to the Redeemed Christian Church of God-Heaven’s Gate Church (816 Pickens Industrial Drive).

In addition, the Bells Ferry 3 precinct was divided, with a new Bells Ferry 4 precinct being created. Around 3,500 voters will be voting in the new precinct, located at Shiloh Hills Baptist Church (75 Hawkins Store Road). Bells Ferry 3 voters will remain at Noonday Baptist Church (4120 Canton Road).

“I just think it’s too close to the election,” said Caroline Holko, a Democrat who’s running for the State House District 45 seat in Northeast Cobb, and who ran for Cobb commission District 3 in 2018. “I haven’t seen a real plan to notify voters of the changes and why.”

Janine Eveler, the Cobb elections supervisor, told commissioners that voters whose precinct locations have changed, or who have been moved into new precincts, will get new precinct cards in the mail.

In addition, she said they will get a first-class letter delivered to their home address, and that signs will be posted at old precinct locations.

South Cobb commissioner Lisa Cupid, the only Democrat on the five-member board, voted against all three agenda items to split precincts, saying she wanted to see “some actual data to show that there’s a true problem . . . at this point in time.”

East Cobb commissioner Bob Ott said the board “doesn’t need to get into the minutiae” of elections board business, and Cupid snapped back.

“If it was to be a rubber stamp it wouldn’t come here,” she said. “This is a proper forum to have these discussions.”

With the approved precinct relocations, Eveler said roughly half of the 60 precincts at schools have moved.

She said there won’t be any more precinct changes this year, but that the process will continue in 2021.

Other recent precinct changes and new locations in East Cobb include:

  • Addison 1, Legacy Church (1040 Blackwell Road);
  • Bells Ferry 2, Christ Worship Center (3393 Canton Road);
  • Blackwell 1, Northeast Cobb Community Center (3100 Jaycee Drive);
  • Davis 1, Mountain View UMC (2300 Jamerson Road);
  • Elizabeth 2, Covenant Presbyterian Church (2881 Canton Road);
  • Garrison Mill, Unity North Church (4255 Sandy Plains Road);
  • Hightower 1, Woodstock Church Shallowford (3662 Shallowford Road);
  • Lassiter 1, Pilgrimage Church of Christ (3755 Sandy Plains Road);
  • Mabry 1, Hope Presbyterian Church (4101 Sandy Plains Road);
  • McCleskey 1, Shallowford Free Will Baptist Church (1686 Shallowford Road);
  • Nicholson 1, East Cobb Baptist Church (1940 Shallowford Road);
  • Pope 1, East Cobb Senior Center (3332 Sandy Plains Road);
  • Shallowford Falls 1, Harmony Grove Baptist Church (4207 Shallowford Road);
  • Simpson 1, Mountain View Regional Library (3320 Sandy Plains Road).

For more information, visit the Cobb Elections website.

 

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Ott releases prepared statement announcing retirement

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Cobb Commissioner Bob Ott announced Tuesday he would be retiring at the end of the year. Last night, he distributed the text of his prepared statement that he made during the commission business meeting:Bob Ott, East Cobb Restaurant Row

It’s hard to believe this is the 12th year I have had the honor and privilege to serve the people of District Two.  As I reflect on those years during the holidays, I am so thankful for all of the people who help me every day.
 
None of this would be possible without the support of my best friend; my wife Judy. She along with Katie and Chris continue to accept the late nights and weekend phone calls that come with this job.
 
I also need to recognize all the volunteers and appointees who have accepted appointments to the numerous commissions and boards. Without them, Kim and I wouldn’t be able to serve the citizens of District Two.
 
Many of them are now the chairs of their respective groups.  Together, we were able to accomplish so much for our citizens. The challenges started early, and the group showed it was ready and willing to jump right in.
 
In 2009, we had the great flood. Less than nine months after starting as the commissioner, the county experienced what the experts say was a 750-year flood event. Parts of the district were under over 20-feet of water. The Chattahoochee River crested at 29-feet above flood stage. The citizens of the district, especially those along Columns Drive and in Vinings needed help. County staff literally came to their rescue.
 
There couldn’t have been a worse time, as the county was feeling the effect of the Great Recession. Budget numbers went south, the county instituted furloughs, much to my disappointment. To many county employees it was a wake-up call that even Cobb County wasn’t immune to the devastating impact of the recession. But out of all the down times, we got the commissioners to agree to the creation of a Citizens’ Oversight Committee. They were tasked to look at all aspects of the county operations and recommend where things could be done a better way. Thank you to all the members of that committee.
 
Although it took some time for all the proposals to work their way into the system, eventually, the county started to pull out of the recession. Along with the recovery, there was a new SPLOST proposal, that for the first time was not the usual six years of questionable spending. With the help of Commissioner Powell, we cut the SPLOST to a four-year list of projects saving over $200 million.
 
The Braves will begin their fourth season at the new ballpark, soon to be renamed, Truist. As the new season begins, ThyssenKrupp’s new tower is beginning to rise, and the final phase of The Battery is nearing completion.
 
These successes will bring more opportunity to the district. I look forward to what the future will bring to the county and the district.
 
So, today, I am officially announcing that I will not be running for re-election in November and will be retiring from the commission at the end of the year. I want to thank all of the citizens of District Two for allowing me the honor and the  privilege of serving as your commissioner.

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