East Cobb Government Archives

Cobb schools closed Wednesday; county included in state of emergency; updated closures/cancellations/delayed openings

January 17, 2018 11:58 AMJanuary 16, 2018 4:55 PM by Wendy Parker

Updated Wednesday story, 12 p.m.

Cobb government closed; roads remain icy; Wednesday East Cobb closings/delayed openings/cancellations

UPDATED, 8:35 P.M. and 10:55 P.M. Tuesday

Shortly before 8:30 tonight, the Cobb County School District announced that Cobb schools will be closed on Wednesday, for students and staff, “due to road and travel conditions.”

Gov. Nathan Deal has declared a state of emergency for 83 counties in Georgia, including Cobb, and non-essential state government offices will be closed Wednesday.

Cobb DOT crews are working in 12-hour shifts, starting at 5 p.m. today, and switching to fresh crews at 5 a.m. Wednesday, to treat major roads with a salt and gravel mix as between a half-inch to an inch of snow is forecast to fall on Cobb, and turn to ice as temperatures reached freezing.

Cobb County government is on a delayed opening Wednesday until 10 a.m., including libraries.

With the wind chill, temperatures in the morning could feel as cold as several degrees below zero. A winter weather advisory is in effect for Cobb and most of north Georgia until 10 a.m. Wednesday and a wind chill advisory is in effect until 7 a.m.

CobbLinc will delay the start of all bus services until 10 a.m.

Snowfall began falling in East Cobb a little after 7 tonight, as temperatures fell to around the freezing mark.

The Walker School also is closed on Wednesday, as are Mt. Bethel Christian Academy, the Wood Acres School, Gracepoint School and Faith Lutheran School.

All campuses of Kennesaw State University are closed on Wednesday, but dining services will continue. All campuses of Chattahoochee Tech also will be closed Wednesday.

The Eastside Christian School open house scheduled for Wednesday has been postponed a week to Jan 24 at 9:30 a.m. All classes are cancelled Wednesday.

The St. Catherine’s Episcopal preschool is closed Wednesday, as is the St. Ann Catholic preschool.

At Transfiguration Catholic Church, preschool, PREP classes and Adult Education classes are cancelled Wednesday, and perpetual adoration will be closed until noon.

The Northeast Cobb Business Association luncheon Wednesday has been cancelled.

The East Cobb YMCA and Northeast Cobb YMCA are delaying opening until 10 a.m.

Olde Towne Athletic Club is opening at noon Wednesday.

More updates will posted here as they become available.

ORIGINAL REPORT, posted 4:55 p.m.:

With public and private schools already having cancelled Tuesday evening events, here’s the latest Cobb winter storm update. We’ll keep posting additional information as we have it, including any news about Cobb schools for Wednesday.

The Cobb County School District has been saying this afternoon that “a decision about school for Wednesday will be made either late tonight or early tomorrow morning.”

Send your news about cancellations/postponements to: editor@eastcobbnews.com and we’ll add it here.

Weather Conditions

From the National Weather Service, precipitation is expected to come through a line from Carrollton to Canton and into northeastern Georgia around 6 p.m. tonight (as shown in map above), and as temperatures plunge dramatically.

Temperatures were in the high 40s in the East Cobb area around 4:30 p.m., but dropping temperatures, along with the wind chill, could make it feel a few degrees below zero overnight and into early Wednesday morning.

Closings/cancellations/postponements

Cobb County government, including libraries, is closing at 6 tonight, and programs and events scheduled for tonight are cancelled or rescheduled. All government offices, agencies and facilities are slated to open on a delayed basis on Wednesday at 10 a.m.;
The East Cobb and Northeast Cobb YMCA branches are cancelling all after school activities, as well as paid programming. The branches plan to stay open until 7:30;
Transfiguration Catholic Church is cancelling all evening parish activities and meetings, PREP classes and adult ed classes, and Perpetual Adoration is closed from 6 tonight to noon Wednesday. Tonight’s 7 p.m. Mass will be held “as long as the weather holds up,” according to a social media post from around 1 p.m.;
St. Ann Catholic has cancelled Wednesday Mass services at 6:30 a.m. and 9 a.m.;
The Walker School is cancelling all after school-activities, including practices and games;
The Wood Acres After School Tree House is closing at 5 p.m.
After-school care at Mt. Bethel Christian Academy is closing at 5 p.m. and North campus athletics are cancelled;
All after-school activities at Eastside Christian Academy will conclude at 5:30, and pickup is required by that time. JV basketball games at Mt. Paran are cancelled;
All campuses of Kennesaw State University are closing at 5 p.m., and all night classes after that are cancelled;
The same goes for all campuses at Chattahoochee Tech, closing at 5 p.m.;
The Walton High School wrestling team’s picture day and senior night event scheduled for Wednesday has been postponed a week, to Jan. 24.

Cobb DOT/Roads

The Cobb DOT road maintenance division has been pretreating roads with brine this morning and is treating roads with salt and gravel mix on designated major routes this afternoon. Between a half-inch and an inch of snow is expected in Cobb. A total of 15 crews will be rolling out by 5 p.m., with another similar number of crews to follow at 5 a.m. Wednesday.

Emergency Information

The Cobb 911 office issued this information around 3 p.m. Tuesday:

Cobb County and much of North Georgia is preparing for the possibility of hazardous weather. Here are some numbers that you might need. Call these numbers instead of 911 if there is not an emergency. Call 911 if you need the fire department, an ambulance or the police. 911 is unable to give time frames on power outages.

Do Not Call 911 unless it is a life-threatening emergency. This would include someone who is utilizing life-sustaining equipment that requires electricity. 911 will not report your outage to any utility company.

Cobb EMC
770-429-2100
CobbEMC.com

Georgia Power
888-660-5890
GeorgiaPower.com

Marietta Power & Water (Marietta City)
770-794-5150
MariettaGA.gov/151/Power-Water

Cobb County Water System
770-423-1000
CobbCounty.org

Cobb County Police (non-emergency)
770-499-3911

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East Cobb seniors sound off on proposed fee increases at town hall

January 12, 2018 6:16 PM by Wendy Parker

East Cobb Senior Town Hall meeting — *Cobb commission chairman Mike Boyce faced a full house at the East Cobb Senior Center Friday (East Cobb News photos by Wendy Parker)*

Before Cobb Commission Chairman Mike Boyce made his case for increasing charges for senior services, including the creation of an annual membership fee, he issued an apology.

Not for the idea of raising fees. As he reiterated several times, often to the derision of some in attendance at a town hall meeting at the East Cobb Senior Center Friday morning, “We’re all in this together” in addressing Cobb’s mounting budget problems.

Rather, Boyce regretted the way the announcement was handled in November, when commissioners voted to impose an annual $60 membership fee to use Cobb senior centers and in some cases charge steep increases in renting rooms for events at those facilities.

Those new charges are set to go into effect on Feb. 1, but because of strong pushback from seniors, Boyce scheduled a series of town hall meetings this month.

The first was at the East Cobb center on Sandy Plains Road, one of the busiest of the five senior centers run by the county, and with a robust schedule of activities and organizations that meet there.

“You’re angry because you feel like we’re shoving this down your throat,” Boyce said to a standing-room only crowd. “That’s why we’re here.”

Many were angry about any increases in general, with some citing living on fixed incomes, and wondering how much the new charges would help solve a budget deficit projected to be $30 million or more for fiscal 2019.

“I’m hoping it’s only $30 million,” Boyce said, rattling off a long list of things that the county isn’t buying these days—including public safety and senior services vehicles—due to the budget crunch.

He deflected criticism that the county’s obligation for SunTrust Park is contributing to the budget woes, which were $20 million for fiscal 2018. Cobb pays $8.4 million annually for its share of the new home of the Atlanta Braves.

When an attendee charged that the county is “Mickey Mousing us around” instead of addressing funding for the stadium, Boyce was adamant:

“The Braves didn’t create this hole. All they did was accelerate the inevitable.”

Of the $405 million fiscal year general fund budget for 2018, around $170 million is earmarked for required services under state law: public safety, courts, roads and water.

A longer list of “essential” services includes code enforcement, finance and budget and planning and zoning. That totals another $146 million.

The longest list of all, “desired” services, has the smallest budget sum of the three: $86 million, and it’s where the budgets for popular programs for parks, libraries and seniors all come from.

Each senior center costs around $250,000 a year to operate, but county officials estimate only 6,100 of Cobb’s 165,000 seniors use them at all.

When a senior asked why the elderly are being asked to share the burden this way, Boyce offered his standard response—”because we’re all in this together”—to a chorus of boos and groans.

“You may not like the answer, but if we don’t fill this [budget] hole, we may have to close places,” he said.

Boyce faced greater opposition to the room rate increases, which in some cases would be 200 or 300 percent higher than what they are now, as well as class fees.

Currently, the Foxtrotters Dance Club pays $120 for its monthly events, and the Marietta Golden K Kiwanis Club pays the same amount for several meetings a year at the East Cobb center.

Those rentals would go up to $200 an event. Class fees would go up from $48 to $112 and $160 for painting classes and from $30 to $50 for yoga and tai chi sessions.

Some worried that their fellow seniors may drop out of coming to the centers, which have become a vital social hub.

One suggestion Boyce said he definitely would take back to the commissioners is a $5 monthly fee, which may be more affordable for some seniors who can’t pay $60 in advance.

After the town hall meeting, East Cobb senior resident Chris Vail said he appreciated Boyce taking the heat, and for apologizing at the outset.

Vail is member of the Golden K Kiwanis, which has met at the East Cobb Senior Center for 22 years. He’s concerned that higher charges for room rental and other club activities would cost the organization $12,000 a year, about the same amount of money the group raises for various children’s charities every year.

“That would put us out of business,” said Vail, a retired police officer from Albany, Ga., and a former Congressional investigator. “There’s a lot of benefit for us to be here.”

He said a user fee for seniors would be fine with him “as long as it is reasonable.” Vail said while he was glad for the chance to be heard, “I only pray that they will listen to us.”

Additional town hall meetings will take place week at the North Cobb, West Cobb, Freeman Poole and Marietta senior centers. The commissioners will discuss the feedback at a work session later this month before scheduling a vote on the new fees.

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Keep Cobb Beautiful recycling grant to expand list of plastics in pilot project

January 11, 2018 2:47 PM by Wendy Parker

Thanks to a $50,000 grant, selected Cobb County residents will soon be able to recycle some plastic items that now get sent to landfills.

The Hefty EnergyBag program will allow Keep Cobb Beautiful, an agency of Cobb County government, to divert currently non-recyclable plastics—including a variety of basic household items—for recycling.

The grant, awarded by Keep America Beautiful and Dow Packaging and Specialty Plastics, was announced last week, and implementation details are still to come, including a timeline for the start of the program. Cobb County and Boise, Idaho were selected as local governments to receive the grant funding.

KCB will purchase orange Hefty EnergyBags that will be distributed to households participating in the pilot project. Plastics that are now commonly thrown out with general trash—such as chip bags, juice pouches, frozen vegetable bags, pet food bags, candy wrappers and utensils—will be collected in the bags and set aside for curbside pickup with regular trash bags.

Instead of being sent to a landfill, however, the orange bags will be delivered to a WestRock materials facility in Marietta, and recycled plastic items will be converted into renewable energy resources. Other participants in the Cobb program include the hauling company American Disposal and other local groups to be announced later.

The Hefty EnergyBag program was launched by Dow in 2014 and the first full-scale program got underway in Omaha in 2016.

“Keep Cobb Beautiful Inc. is excited about this innovative program and is looking forward to bringing plastic recovery options and technology to Cobb County residents,” Kimberly White, executive director for Keep Cobb Beautiful, said in a statement.

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Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center hailed as ‘the library of the future’

January 9, 2018 6:36 PM by Wendy Parker

Tuesday’s ribbon-cutting at the Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center came a month after the multi-use facility opened on Lower Roswell Road, next to where its predecessor, the East Marietta Library, once stood for nearly 50 years.

Pieces of the old building were distributed to the dozens of guests and dignitaries who crowded the new facility’s black box theater for presentations, and the honorary ribbon-cutting that followed.

As the long history of the venerable East Marietta building was recounted by several speakers, the vision for what’s replacing it was spelled out in excited detail.

Related coverage

With more than 28,000 square feet, the Sewell Mill branch easily dwarfs East Marietta, which opened with 8,600 square feet in 1967.

But it’s the scope of the offerings at the new facility, and its joint association between the Cobb library and parks and recreation departments, that is novel, reflecting what Cobb commissioner Bob Ott described as the “phenomenal” vision of the staffers who saw the project through over several years.

“This truly is the library of the future,” said Julie Walker, the state librarian of Georgia.

In addition to traditional library space, the Sewell Mill branch includes the black box theater, an outdoor amphitheater and cultural “maker” space with digital audio and video recording equipment.

The theater offers regular film screenings and concerts will be a regular part of the schedule. There’s also a teen room and space for writers and filmmakers meet-ups, and classes in digital photography, podcasting, comics, art and music appreciation.

The entire Cobb Board of Commissioners, State Rep. Sharon Cooper, State Sen. Kay Kirkpatrick, former Cobb County Manager Dave Hankerson and appointees to the Cobb library and recreation boards were present for the event, which also included a special presentation to longtime Cobb Library Foundation board members Carol and Jim Ney.

For their financial support, the Neys were honored by having the Sewell Mill branch’s art gallery named after them, as well as an outdoor patio that adjoins the main reading room.

Cobb commission chairman Mike Boyce and his wife, Judy, also had a study room named in their honor. Boyce said they made a $5,000 donation, but to him, “it was self-evident” to support such a project.

“People are going to have to come see this to appreciate the benefits,” said Boyce. In his ribbon-cutting remarks, he said that “we have gone to great lengths to create a library that I am convinced is revolutionary.”

But its evolution has been a long one, primarily for financial reasons.

The Sewell Mill Library cost $10.6 million to build, with all but $2 million coming out of SPLOST funding (the rest came from state sources). Ott, who was first elected in 2008, said discussions about replacing the East Marietta Library predated his time on the commission.

He recalls hearing his District 2 predecessor, the late Joe Lee Thompson, say to him that a new library was inevitable. “Every year, he told me to be patient,” Ott said. “It’s coming. I don’t know if he thought it would be like this.”

Those plans were put on hold in the wake of the recession. Last fall, as commissioners were haggling over budget details, they temporarily delayed full funding of the Sewell Mill branch, which has additional staff positions.

Commissioner JoAnn Birrell of District 3 in Northeast Cobb also touched off a controversy by suggesting closure of the East Cobb Library due to the expanded Sewell Mill services.

Those positions were funded and the Sewell Mill library opened on Dec. 4. But as a new year beckons, commissioners are facing a projected $30 million shortfall for fiscal 2019. Soon, department heads will be asked to bring forth proposed budget cuts, and libraries and parks are certain to be among them.

What about those who may regard the Sewell Mill concept as an extravagance?

“Only if you consider your children and grandchildren as an extravagance,” said Boyce, who’s beginning his second year in office.

He noted that while those of an older generation may envision libraries in a more traditional, print-focused way, the multi-platform educational, intellectual and cultural options for younger people need to be accommodated.

“This is not the old library,” Boyce said.

The Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center has the same address (2051 Lower Roswell Road) and the same hours as the former East Marietta Library:

Monday-Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.;
Thursday-Friday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.;
Saturday, 1-6 p.m.;
Closed Sunday.

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Post Oak Tritt-Hembree Road intersection project takes first step

January 9, 2018 1:31 PM by Wendy Parker

The Cobb Board of Commissioners on Tuesday approved spending $13,865 for preliminary engineering work and utility relocation in advance of the Post Oak Tritt-Hembree Road intersection project, which could feature the construction of a roundabout.

The $2.2 million project (here’s the brochure) is included in the Cobb Government 2016 SPLOST. Other aspects of the project include additional street lighting and sidewalk improvements.

The intersection has no traffic signals, and only a stop sign on Hembree and a left turn lane from Post Oak Tritt eastbound onto Hembree offer traffic control.

“This has been a long time coming,” Cobb commissioner JoAnn Birrell said, noting the intersection’s proximity to Pope High School, further north on Hembree Road, where a roundabout was completed just before the start of the current school year.

The Post Oak Tritt-Hembree Road intersection project is expected to get underway this spring, with an expected completion date in mid-2019.

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Start of horror flick series closes 2017 events at East Cobb-area libraries

December 29, 2017 3:09 PM by Wendy Parker

The last day that East Cobb-area libraries will be open for 2017 is Saturday, and the newest branch will be kicking off a new film series in the final event of the year.

The new Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center (2051 Lower Roswell Road) keeps adding to its film screenings with the showing of “Videodrome,” a 1983 Canadian science fiction film starring James Woods and Deborah Harry (of “Blondie” fame).

Woods plays a television executive who chases down the source of a broadcast signal that shows violence, and who loses touch with reality in what’s dubbed a “techno-surrealist” film.

It’s the first of a “Horror Movie Saturday” series that continues every other week through Feb. 24. Saturday’s flick, and all the others in this series, run from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and you’re free to bring your own food and drink.

Please keep in mind that this series is for adults only (and “Videodrome” certainly is loaded with adult material), and some films are rated R.

All Cobb library branches will be closed Sunday and Monday, and will reopen Tuesday, Jan. 2 at regular hours and with several events scheduled. Among them is an orientation of the new programs and services offered at Sewell Mill from 7-8 p.m., including the chance to register for classes and programs.

The library opened on Dec. 4, with a formal ribbon-cutting taking place Jan. 9.

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East Cobb Government Service Center meeting rental fees take effect Jan. 1

December 28, 2017 2:35 PM by Wendy Parker

Last week we noted the closure of the business office only at the East Cobb Government Service Center, which technically takes place tomorrow, Friday, Dec. 29, since it’s the last business day of calendar year 2017.

The rest of the facility at 4400 Lower Roswell Road is staying open, including the community meeting rooms near the back of the building. It’s where early voting takes place, and has been a regular meeting spot for the East Cobb Civic Association.

Starting Jan. 1, there will be a $25 fee charge to reserve the meetings rooms, and Cobb government has provided instructions and on how to do that, and to sign up.

The fee is part of a set of fees and service charges approved by Cobb commissioners last month for public use of a variety of county facilities, including libraries, parks and senior centers (see yesterday’s post here about town hall meetings in January for the senior fees).

The South Cobb Government Service Center on Austell Road is also part of the new reservation fee structure.

The large meeting room at the East Cobb center has a capacity of 88 and a smaller conference room holds up to 10 people.

The reservation fee goes into effect for bookings starting in February.

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Cobb government holiday schedule released, including for libraries and transit

December 23, 2017 10:36 AM by Wendy Parker

Released by Cobb County government:

All Cobb County Government offices will be closed Monday-Tuesday, Dec. 25-26, for the Christmas holiday. In addition, Switzer Library — which is the only county library usually open on Sundays — will be closed Sunday, Dec. 24, for Christmas Eve. Cobb County offices will also be closed for New Year’s Day, Jan. 1.

There will also be modifications to CobbLinc’s commuter service for the holidays, with no bus service, Paratransit service or Paratransit reservation service on Christmas Day or New Year’s Day. For more information about transit service, click here.

Contract for Cobb school bus traffic cameras extended by commissioners

December 22, 2017 1:01 PM by Wendy Parker

ATS school bus camera — *An external school bus traffic camera made and monitored by American Traffic Solutions.*

After hearing some emphatic comments from school bus drivers, the Cobb Board of Commissioners on Tuesday voted to extend a contract with the Cobb County School District for the use of cameras that record traffic violations at bus stop points.

The measure, which passed by a unanimous 5-0 vote and extends the contract with American Traffic Solutions for a year, was necessary since it had expired due to legal reasons.

At issue is whether citations issued from the cameras are enforceable under state law.

“All of us on the board support the program and we are glad to renew it,” Commission Chairman Mike Boyce said. “We are already working with our legislative delegation to fix the issues that were raised.”

The extension allows the Cobb County Police Department to review the recordings of suspected violations and approve issuing citations.

Before the vote, some drivers urged commissioners not to delay any further. Some said they are troubled how many drivers still ignore stop-arm signs and threaten the safety of children getting on and off buses.

“People don’t know what danger their children are in at the bus stop,” said a Meredith May Banks, a driver who mentioned that drivers are trained to tell students to “stay back” and “stay alive” and not stand near the street.

In 2011, the Georgia legislature passed a law permitting stop-arm cameras two years after the death of Karla Campos, a kindergartener at Mountain View Elementary School. She was killed when she was hit by a car after getting off a bus.

Two Northeast Cobb mothers, Sheri Lewis and Mandi Call, began Operation Stop Arm to campaign for the law.

In 2012 Cobb County government and the Cobb school district entered into a five-year contract to purchase cameras and issue citations.

The CCSD has estimated that fewer than 1,000 citations are issued, down from around 2,000 or so when the cameras were first installed.

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East Cobb Government Service Center business office closing Dec. 31

December 21, 2017 1:02 PMDecember 21, 2017 11:49 AM by Wendy Parker

Earlier this fall the Cobb Board of Commissioners voted to close the East Cobb Government Service Center business office at the end of the year.

Everything else in the building at 4400 Lower Roswell Road—tag office, Cobb police and fire stations and the community meeting room—will remain open.

But if you have used the business office to renew a business license, pay county property taxes or water bills, apply for a property tax exemption or a handicapped parking permit, you’ll have to do those things differently.

Most of those services will now be available across the hall at the tag office. In addition to renewing your vehicle tag, you can apply for a handicapped parking permit, pay property taxes and apply for property tax exemptions there. The tag office is open Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

You can also visit the Cobb Tax Commissioners Office website or call 770-528-8600.

Water bills can’t be paid at the tag office, but payments can be made online at the Cobb Water Department website or in person at 660 South Cobb Drive. Business hours are 8-5 Monday-Friday, and the drive-through hours are 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Friday. The night deposit drop is 24/7 but customers are advised not to leave cash. The phone number is 770-419-6200.

If you need to renew a business license, that can be done at the Cobb Community Development website. Applicants must have in their renewal package an instruction sheet with a PIN number at the bottom of the page.

In-person applications or renewals can be made at the business license office at 1150 Powder Springs Road in Marietta. The hours are 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday and the phone number is 770-528-8410.

Closing the business office is a savings of more than $94,000, and commissioners transferred that amount to fund the Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center that opened earlier this month.

Groups that want to reserve meeting room space at the East Cobb Government Service Center now must pay $25 per event, and make reservations online. Those changes also begin on Jan. 1, and here are more details on how to proceed.

For more information on other services no longer available at the East Cobb Government Service Center, please click here.

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East Cobb Weather Update: Monday openings/closings, road reports and more

December 10, 2017 7:15 PMDecember 10, 2017 5:55 PM by Wendy Parker

East Cobb Weather update, Snowy Marietta Campground — *Trees at the Marietta Campground covered with snow. (East Cobb News photos by Wendy Parker)*

We did get out and around East Cobb Sunday afternoon, as did many other East Cobbers needing food and other provisions (including Christmas trees) and trying to get back to normal.

Many businesses and restaurants were also open, and most roads with downed trees and power lines had been cleared.

As was reported earlier today, Cobb schools will be closed Monday, due to icy roads expected in the morning, and because some schools still do not have electrical power.

We haven’t gotten details on which schools were without power, but icy road conditions across the county are expected for Monday; temperatures are expected to reach into the low 50s, along with the same sunny skies we’ve had since Saturday.

Send us your photos and news!

Share your winter weather pictures, and we’ll post them, as well as business or other closings or cancellations. E-mail editor@eastcobbnews.com.

As of 5:20 p.m. Sunday, Cobb EMC estimated that about 5,000 of its customers are still without power (outage map), and that a broken power line on Ebenezer Road in Northeast Cobb is still among those needing repair.

Earlier today we also noted that there was only one road in the county that was closed, and that was the roundabout at Holly Springs Road and Davis Road. It was open when we drove through there shortly after 3 p.m. (photo just below); if you’re heading north on Holly Springs you may notice a few tree limbs hanging close to a power line, which apparently had been the cause of the closure.

We then traveled eastbound on Shallowford Road, from Sandy Plains to Johnson Ferry, there were some patches of ice, since there wasn’t a lot of direct sunshine. In particular, there were icy spots in the right eastbound lane on Shallowford between Sandy Plains and Lassiter Road, so if you’re in that area, take precautions and slow down, especially at the intersections of Wesley Chapel Road, North Hembree Road and Old Suttons Way (just below).

Johnson Ferry Road was well traveled around 3:30 p.m., and as traffic increased for the Johnson Ferry Baptist Church Christmas Festival service that began at 4 p.m. There’s another service at 7 p.m., and there are police officers directing traffic.

Heading westbound on Lower Roswell Road was almost pure slush, especially between Indian Hills Parkway and Old Canton Road. Unlike Shallowford, this stretch of Lower Roswell was getting a lot of direct sunlight, but with temperatures freezing overnight it figures to be treacherous for Monday morning traffic.

Here’s what we have on openings/closings for Monday as of 5:30 p.m. Sunday. Please e-mail your news/photos to: editor@eastcobbnews.com:

Cobb public libraries will be open;
St. Catherine’s Episcopal Church preschool and St. Ann Catholic preschool are closed Monday;
Classes at The Walker School are closed Monday. The U.S. Science exam will start at 12pm, the campus will open to U.S. arrivals at 11:30am. This is the only exam tomorrow and includes 8th grade students taking the Biology exam. The Lower School chorus concert will occur as planned at 7 p.m.;
Ronald Sachs Violins will be open from 3-6 on Monday;
High Meadows Schools will be closed Monday;
East Cobb Pediatrics will be open on Monday;
A Monday holiday concert of the Sprayberry High School chorus also is cancelled since there will be no school tomorrow.

Students (and we hope some adults!) get to enjoy a continuation of a most unexpected winter wonderland in East Cobb, two weeks before Christmas.

East Cobb Weather Update, Willow Ridge Christmas — *The entrance to the Willow Ridge subdivision at Robinson Road.*

Send news of opening/closing/cancellations and photos of the snow near you to: editor@eastcobbnews.com.

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Cobb schools closed Monday; latest on road/tree/power issues, openings/closings and more

December 10, 2017 5:06 PMDecember 10, 2017 12:48 PM by Wendy Parker

UPDATED, 1:05 P.M. SUNDAY:

Cobb schools posted this notice on its Twitter account just a few moments ago:

All Cobb County schools are closed Monday, December 11, for both students and staff, due to continued power outages at multiple schools and poor travel conditions on secondary roads in the northern part of the county.

ORIGINAL REPORT, POSTED 12:47 P.M. SUNDAY:

By noon Sunday, East Cobb was still digging out of snowy and icy weather as temperatures gradually began to rise above freezing.

Work crews were out early Sunday morning, treating roads, removing trees and restoring power. Some areas of East Cobb were affected.

The only remaining road closure in the county is in East Cobb, at the intersection of Davis Road and Holly Springs Road, according to Cobb DOT. There, power lines were tangled with trees, and even after repair work is complete, motorists are advised not to travel through that area (where the roundabout is located).

Bill Shelton, Cobb DOT’s road maintenance manager, said in a statement that “We hope to have the majority of trees cleaned up by mid-afternoon. We’ll spend much of the week picking up the debris off the right-of-way. It will be a long week, but we are up to the task.”

Cobb DOT crews treated roads overnight Saturday into Sunday, treating “black ice” on roads as temperatures dropped into the low 20s, refreezing melted snow and water. More than 50 locations were treated.

Cobb DOT crews also are dealing with tree removal issues on major roads and in county right-of-way areas today. A total of 55 calls were addressed by right before 8 a.m. Sunday, with another hundred or so remaining.

Send us your photos and news!

Share your winter weather pictures, and we’ll post them, as well as business or other closings or cancellations. E-mail editor@eastcobbnews.com.

Some East Cobbers were still without power this morning, some for more than a day since several inches of snow began falling on Friday afternoon.

East Cobb United Methodist Church, on Roswell Road near East Piedmont Road, did not hold services today because it’s still without electricity. The same was the case for St. Andrew United Methodist Church on Canton Road, which also cancelled a holiday concert scheduled for Sunday.

By mid Sunday morning, Cobb EMC reported that it was still working on repairing several broken utility poles in the county, including Ebenezer Road in East Cobb.

Around 5,000 Cobb EMC customers, some of them in East Cobb, were still without power by mid-morning. The agency said it cannot estimate the time when service might be restored.

As noted here Saturday, a good number of outages in East Cobb were above Sandy Plains Road.

Earlier this morning, Cobb EMC said it is still working in that area, and in portions along Paper Mill Road, to restore electricity. Here’s an outage map that indicates more detail; those who haven’t reported outages should call 770-429-2100.

Georgia Power offered some general time blocks for restoring power to affected areas, including by 3 p.m. in metro Atlanta and by 6 p.m. in Atlanta North.

Its latest outage map shows that most customers in metro Atlanta who have lost power have had it restored, with most remaining issues in north Georgia.

OPENINGS/CLOSINGS, ETC.

Here’s the latest on what we know, at around noon Sunday. Send your news/photos to: editor@eastcobbnews.com and we’ll add it here, or in future posts:

Lutheran Church of the Resurrection cancelled all Sunday services and is postponing today’s Christmas Pageant and Advent Dinner to a later date;
Cactus Car Wash is open from 12-6 today;
The Pope Showcase of the Arts that was scheduled for today has been postponed to Sunday, December 17th at 7:30 p.m.;
As of now (around 12:30 p.m. Sunday), the Atlanta Youth Wind Symphony concert at 4 p.m. at the Lassiter HS concert hall is still going on as scheduled;
The Johnson Ferry Christmas Festival concerts at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. are still scheduled as of now, and a makeup concert from Saturday will take place at 7 p.m. Monday;
Sunday ChrisTeen classes at Transfiguration Catholic Church (4:30 and 7:30 p.m.) are cancelled;
The Carols for Christmas concert at Mt. Bethel United Methodist Church at 6 p.m. is still scheduled;
The St. Nicholas Holiday Market scheduled from 12-4 today at Holy Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Catholic Church is being postponed to next Sunday, Dec. 17, as power at the church was only restored at midnight;
The Empty Bowl Brunch today at The Art Place-Mountain View also is being postponed a week, to Sunday, Dec. 17. If you have tickets and cannot make it next week, please contact The Art Place on Monday for a refund; the event is a benefit for MUST Ministries;
A Monday holiday concert of the Sprayberry High School chorus also is cancelled since there will be no school tomorrow;

Here are some social media postings yesterday and today from around East Cobb; we’ve also been iced in at East Cobb News and are going to try and get out a little bit today!

Shots from #SnowPocalyse❄️ pic.twitter.com/nnnCGlckGK

— Walton2018 (@WaltonClass2018) December 10, 2017

@McCleskey_MS pic.twitter.com/V3sSzTglvy

— Connie L. Erb (@connieerb) December 10, 2017

All Cobb Schools are closed tomorrow Dec. 11 for students and staff. pic.twitter.com/6CaEO7237s

— McCleskey Middle (@McCleskey_MS) December 10, 2017

Send news of opening/closing/cancellations and photos of the snow near you to: editor@eastcobbnews.com.

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EAST COBB WEATHER CLOSINGS: Schools, government, roads, businesses, holiday events and more

December 8, 2017 9:11 PMDecember 8, 2017 12:53 PM by Wendy Parker

UPDATED, 8 P.M. FRIDAY:

The National Weather Service has extended its winter storm warning that includes Cobb to 10 a.m. Saturday, as a second wave of snow and winter weather passed through metro Atlanta and north Georgia late Friday afternoon.

Cobb was expected to get between 2-4 inches of snow overall, but those amounts are likely to vary.

Roads in Cobb and elsewhere are becoming increasingly treacherous, as Cobb DOT, Georgia DOT and other crews work to brine roadways, bridges and overpasses overnight Friday. Temperatures have generally dropped below freezing in Cobb and Saturday’s high is expected to be only 40 degrees.

The chance of “black ice” is one of the major concerns, as well as the possibility of falling trees and reduced visibility on roads due to the unexpectedly heavy amounts of snow.

Cobb libraries will be closed on Saturday, after closing at noon on Friday along with other Cobb government offices and facilities.

The second blanket of snow came through metro Atlanta later Friday evening, behind early afternoon storms that prompted school, government, business and many other closures, and as commuters, buses and other vehicles created an early, messy rush hour.

Check the Georgia DOT 511 Navigator for updated conditions, including closures and accidents.

Georgia DOT is urging motorists to treat an intersection with traffic light outages as a four-way stop. They should also call 511 to report outages when they reach a safe destination.

Georgia Power and Cobb EMC were reporting scattered outages. As of 6:30 p.m., Cobb EMC reported that its outage reporting channels were down and they’re working to fix the problem.

Cobb EMC customers who have lost power can download an outage on the Cobb EMC app or call 770-429-2100. The web link still wasn’t working as of 7:30 p.m. but an link can be found here that will link to detailed outage information when it’s available online.

(At 9 p.m. Friday an East Cobb News reader called to say that the Cobb EMC power outage phone number was down, and had been down for about an hour.)

Most of the estimated 5,500 Cobb EMC customers without power as of 8 p.m. were in western and north Cobb, with outages also being reported in several parts of Northeast Cobb.

Georgia Power is asking its customers to consult its outage map but has indicated it is not able to estimate when power may restored to an affected area.

Some closings for Saturday to report are below. E-mail us at: editor@eastcobbnews.com with your news of closings, and any weather photos to share. We’ll keep updating as long as we’re in a pre-Christmas Winter Wonderland:

Holy Trinity Lutheran Church has postponed Saturday’s Breakfast With Santa until next Saturday, Dec. 16, at 9 a.m.;
All events/classes at Studio 348 for Women have been cancelled for Saturday;
East Cobb Pediatrics will be closed Saturday;
Club Pilates East Cobb is closed Saturday;
St. Andrew UMC is postponing its Christmas concert to 6:30 p.m. Sunday (updating information below in this post about a 2 p.m. start);
All parish activities at Transfiguration Catholic Church will be postponed until noon Saturday. The Saturday 9 a.m. Mass will be held if weather permits.

Original report, with some updates from earlier Friday afternoon:

We’re keeping an updated tab on East Cobb weather closings for Friday, with the announcements earlier today of the early release of Cobb schools and the closing of Cobb government at noon.

Here’s what Cobb DOT sent out around 1:15 p.m. Friday:

“With conditions on Cobb County roadways deteriorating faster than expected, Cobb County Department of Transportation called in crews early and began treating trouble spots. By 12:30 traffic slowed to a crawl on many of the county’s roadways and crews manned trucks with salt to head out to the worse areas.

“DOT’s Road Maintenance Division planned on running full shifts until 2 pm Saturday, concerning falling temperatures could cause icing. Some crews concentrated at areas around schools where Cobb’s Elementary Schools, the last to dismiss early, would send buses out at 1:30 pm.

“The division’s full complement of trucks, 15 vehicles in all, will run predetermined routes treating much of the county’s 2500 miles of roadways, including state highways.

“Traffic maps at cobbcommute.org showed many of the county’s thoroughfares either running very slow or at a standstill. Officials urged people not already on the roads to avoid going out until the system moves away.”

Temperatures in Cobb and metro Atlanta are staying around freezing all day, and will be plummeting below that by Friday evening.

Information about closings is coming via e-mail, social media posts and other sources. If you know of closings (schools, businesses, churches, organizations, etc.), and especially planned activities, please let us know and we’ll share it with the community. E-mail news, photos, etc. to: editor@eastcobbnews.com.

Related coverage:

Cobb schools are on early release, with the last phase elementary school students at 1:30 p.m. There will be NO extracurricular activities, including the ACT testing, which will be rescheduled

Most private schools in East Cobb are either under an early release or have closed.

Cobb government closed at 12 p.m., including libraries, which will be monitoring road conditions to determine whether to open on Saturday.

The Cobb government closures also include The Art Place-Mountain View (3330 Sandy Plains Road), and tonight’s Center Stage North performance of “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” has been cancelled.

Send us your photos and news!

Share your winter weather pictures, and we’ll post them! If you know of school, church, business or other closings or cancellations too! E-mail editor@eastcobbnews.com.

Here are the latest updates about openings/closings for local businesses, organizations, churches (especially for holiday events):

The Piedmont Church’s Christmas at Piedmont festival scheduled for 5-9 Friday has been cancelled; updates about Saturday’s 10-5 session will be posted on its Instagram account;
Mt. Zion United Methodist Church has postponed its Breakfast With Santa, which was to have been from 8:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. Saturday;
All Fidelity bank branches were closing around noon Friday;
The Lockheed-Georgia Credit Union also closed Friday around noon;
Tonight’s Christmas concert at St. Andrew United Methodist Church (3455 Canton Road) is being postponed until Sunday at 2 p.m., with a reception to follow;
Friday’s Bethlehem Walk from 7-9 at Mountain View United Methodist Church is cancelled; the final session of the holiday event is still on for the same time on Saturday;
At The Avenue East Cobb, carriage rides from 4-7 have been cancelled, but Santa Claus will be in the Santa Suite next to J. Jill for visitors and photos during that time;
The Carols for Christmas program Friday at Mt. Bethel United Methodist Church has been cancelled. In its place will be a service at 6 p.m. Sunday
East Cobb Pediatrics closed at 1 p.m. Friday;
All J. Christopher’s locations closed before the normal 2 p.m. closing time;
Olde Towne Athletic Club has closed and will delay Saturday opening until 12 p.m.;
Chicago’s Steak & Seafood is closed Friday;
Seed, Stem Wine Bar and Drift are closed Friday;
The British Swim School of North Atlanta is cancelling Friday lessons and offering free makeup lessons;
Book Exchange is closing early Friday, but an author open house is still scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday;
Righteous Que is closing at 3 p.m. and is not accepting any more phone orders Friday;
Johnson Ferry Baptist Church offices have closed for Friday, and all Friday activities are cancelled. As of 2 p.m. Friday, the Christmas Festival services at 4 and 7 Saturday and regular Sunday worship services are still scheduled;
Big Peach Running Co. closed at 2 p.m. Friday and will update Saturday opening based on weather conditions;
WellStar Medical Group offices closed by 2 p.m. Friday. All WellStar Urgent Care locations were closing at 3 p.m. and are scheduled to open at 10 a.m. Saturday;
All CobbLinc public transit services will be suspended at 8 p.m. Friday and will open Saturday, with service times TBA.

Cobb DOT is urging motorists not to get on the roads if they don’t have to. Conditions are deterioarating and crews will be working to treat the roads as the day continues. To monitor the latest conditions visit the Cobb Commute site.

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 volunteers, officials honored at Keep Georgia Beautiful awards

December 6, 2017 2:34 PM by Wendy Parker

Release from the Cobb County Communications Office, dated Dec. 2:

Cobb County’s tireless efforts to keep the county clean were recognized at the Keep Georgia Beautiful Awards Ceremony in Atlanta. The county’s Keep Cobb Beautiful organization was recognized a half dozen times during the ceremony at the Marriott Century Center.

Erin Mulgrew was recognized as the Keep Georgia Beautiful “Woman of the Year.” Mulgrew was appointed to the Keep Cobb Beautiful Board by Commissioner JoAnn Birrell.

Barry Krebs, appointed to the Keep Cobb Beautiful Board by Commissioner Lisa Cupid, was named the organization’s “Man of the Year.”

The annual program honors individuals and organizations working to improve Georgia’s environment.

Commissioner JoAnn Birrell was recognized as the “Elected Official of the Year,” an award that honors a state or local elected official that strongly supports environmental and community improvement activities. Birrell had served on KCB’s Board for ten years before she was elected to the Cobb County Board of Commissioners.

KCB was also recognized with a Waste Reduction and Recycling Award, the South Cobb Lions received the 2nd place award in the Litter Prevention category, and the local organization received first place recognition as a Keep Georgia Beautiful affiliate.

Created in 1978 by Governor George Busbee, the Keep Georgia Beautiful Foundation is based on a fundamental premise that the environmental interests of the state of Georgia and the people who live here are best served when public and private interests work hand-in-hand to achieve common goals.

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!

PHOTOS: Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center opens its doors

December 4, 2017 3:40 PM by Wendy Parker

Sewell Mill Library opens — *The main browsing area of the new Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center. (East Cobb News photos and slideshow by Wendy Parker)*

With a whiff of asphalt greeting patrons—the parking lot isn’t quite finished—the Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center opened to the public on Monday, and quite a few people were waiting to have a look around.

Adult patrons, as well as toddlers, babies and home-schooled students and their parents, were the first to get a public tour of the 28,000-square-foot facility at 2051 Lower Roswell Road. It replaces the East Marietta Library, which was demolished last month after 50 years in service.

Related Coverage:

Built at a cost of $10.6 million, the facility is a joint project of the Cobb County Public Library System and the Cobb Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department.

In addition to a large adult browsing room, there’s also a roomy children’s section. The first event at the new library was a pre-school storytime session, and it was well-attended.

One of the parents watching her children was Kara Sutton, who grew up not far from the old East Marietta Library. She and her family live off Canton Road, and she brings her 4-1/2-year-old twins and a two-year-old to public libraries at least twice a week.

“We live closer to Gritters, and love it there,” she said. “But it’s great to have a newer space to visit.”

But the new branch is much more than a library with traditional library services. The “cultural center” component features visual and digital creative space, including a black box theater and an outdoor amphitheater where concerts and film screenings will be presented.

The opening events reflect that commitment to multi-media, including a photography class on the first evening, a comics workshop, enrichment sessions about classic filmmakers and classical music composers, as well as meetups for filmmakers and writers.

The cultural art space also includes “a digital maker space commons” with small recording rooms, an art gallery and art classrooms, conference and study rooms, a public computer room, a separate room for teenage-themed materials and a cafe.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

There will be a formal ribbon-cutting for the Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center at 2 p.m. on Jan. 9. It has the same hours as the former East Marietta Library:

Monday-Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.;
Thursday-Friday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.;
Saturday, 1-6 p.m.;
Closed Sunday.

Parking is available behind the building, as work crews finish paving the parking lot and complete the new entrance for Sewell Park Drive at the site of the former East Marietta Library.

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 budget process, greenways and and trails master plan on commissioners work session agenda

November 26, 2017 1:35 PM by Wendy Parker

Cobb greenways and trails, Cobb budget process — *The Noonday Creek Trail Head at Bells Ferry, which opened in 2014. (East Cobb News photo by Wendy Parker)*

On Monday afternoon the Cobb Board of Commissioners will hear a number of presentations, including an update from Chairman Mike Boyce on the Cobb budget process, at a regularly scheduled work session.

The work session begins at 1:30 p.m. in the second floor boardroom of the Cobb BOC Building, 100 Cherokee St., in downtown Marietta.

Cobb commissioners have been holding initial discussions on what’s become a projected $30 million budget hole for fiscal year 2019.

The Cobb government fiscal year runs Oct. 1 to Sept. 30, but Boyce has said he wants to get an early start on tackling that deficit. He has said he will be holding town hall meetings around the county in early 2018 to solicit public feedback.

Boyce has had a rocky first year in office, in terms of budgeting and taxes. His proposal to raise the millage rate to fund the 2008 Cobb parks referendum was rejected by commissioners, especially after a heated town hall meeting at the East Cobb Senior Center.

In passing Boyce’s $402 million FY budget in September, commissioners used nearly $20 million in contingency money and temporarily delayed funding county non-profit agencies and the new Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center.

Another item on Monday’s work session agenda includes updated information on the county’s first-ever master plan for greenways and trails.

Cobb DOT commissioned an Atlanta engineering, architectural and design firm to conduct public meetings around the county, including the East Cobb Library and Covenant Presbyterian Church, to find ways to connect assorted bike and pedestrian paths and other multi-use trails (see previous East Cobb News post here).

The DOT was expected to report back near the end of the year with results from “stakeholder” and citizen surveys and recommendations.

On Tuesday, the commissioners will hold a business meeting, also at 7 p.m. in the same room. The top items on the agenda include a proposal to charge for Saturday parking at the county-run decks in downtown Marietta.

Cobb government charges a flat $5 rate Monday-Friday to use the lots at 115 Waddell Street and 191 Lawrence Street. The proposal would charge the same $5 rate for Saturday parking, but Sunday parking would remain free. The changes would go into effect Jan. 8, 2018.

Also on the agenda is a proposal to formally adopt the 2040 Cobb County Comprehensive Plan.

The recognitions at Tuesday’s meeting include the Dickerson Middle School Percussion Ensemble, which has been selected to perform in the Music For All National Percussion Festival in Indianapolis in March 2018.

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It’s official: Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center opening on Dec. 4

November 16, 2017 5:33 PM by Wendy Parker

The Cobb County Public Library System confirmed today that the new Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center is opening on its projected start date of Monday, Dec. 4.

The doors will open at 10 a.m., and the address is the same as the East Marietta Library it’s replacing: 2051 Lower Roswell Road.

East Cobb seniors object, but higher fees approved by Cobb commissioners

November 16, 2017 12:10 PMNovember 15, 2017 6:51 PM by Wendy Parker

Before the Cobb Board of Commissioners voted Tuesday to raise user fees for a variety of county services, some East Cobb seniors voiced their opposition to the proposals.

It didn’t prevent the commissioners from voting 5-0 to levy increases, including a first-time membership fee for seniors, as they seek to find ways to close an expected $30 million budget hole for fiscal year 2019.

The senior membership fee was reduced from a proposed $100 a year per person to $60 at the request of Northeast Cobb commissioner JoAnn Birrell, who said she was concerned about seniors on a fixed income.

Of the increases overall, she said “it’s something we’ve talked about for years, and it’s much needed.”

Hope Notice, a regular at the East Cobb Senior Center, said she thought that “the raising of fees seemed to be an afterthought.” She said the membership fees are “utterly ridiculous,” and noted that seniors in Woodstock pay only $10 and in Roswell, the annual fee is $25 and includes the use of a swimming pool.

“I realize you need to raise fees, but please find other ways to raise money,” she said. “These increases are more than the norm.”

The membership fees would apply to use of any senior center in Cobb County. Commission chairman Mike Boyce said that while the fee increases approved Tuesday apply to many other services, the only e-mails he has received have come from seniors.

Shirley Scaff, another regular at the East Cobb Senior Center, told commissioners before the vote that she meets there often as part of the Knit Wits knitting group, and also belongs to a crocheting circle. She said the socializing and other benefits of staying active through the center’s many programs are vital for her and others.

“We have members from [age] 60 to 95,” she said. “We enjoy the companionship and the fellowship” and being active “keeps the mind going.” A membership fee, she said, would be “a hardship.”

East Cobb commissioner Bob Ott supported the $100 fee structure. He noted that there is a sliding scale available and that the Cobb Citizens Oversight Committee recommended increases several years ago.

The increased senior fees will go into effect on Feb. 1, 2018, along with increases the commissioners also approved Tuesday for aquatics, athletics, gymnastics and tennis fees; arts fees; picnic pavilion rentals; rentals for the Cobb Civic Center and performing arts venues; and for recreation and community centers as well as library proctoring services and meeting room rentals.

Fees to file for zoning certificates also will go up in 2018, from $40 to $100, and from $200 to $300 for film permits.

The cost for business licenses also is increasing, and will take effect on Oct. 1, 2018. The current range is $102 a year to nearly $15,000 a year (with several tiers based on gross revenues). The new fees will range from $112 to $16,400 annually.

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!

After years of delays, Mabry Park funding finally gets approval

November 14, 2017 5:55 PM by Wendy Parker

Mabry Park Master Plan, funding for Mabry Park — The Mabry Park Master Plan was approved in 2011, but funding wasn’t provided due to budget cuts during the recession.

On Tuesday, after years of delays, the Cobb Board of Commissioners on Tuesday approved Mabry Park funding. More specifically, they authorized a construction contract that would convert a slice what was once a large farm spread in Northeast Cobb into a major passive park.

The construction contract for $2.85 million was approved unanimously, in a 5-0 vote, a month after the commissioners delayed the vote.

There was little discussion Tuesday about the contract, which was awarded to Integrated Construction and Nobility, Inc.. The park, which will be built on 26.5 acres on Wesley Chapel Road at Sandy Plains Road, is expected to be completed in 2019.

Mabry Park will include walking trails, picnic areas, a community garden, playground areas and more on land that includes a large pond.

The construction will also include the development of a paved road into the park from Wesley Chapel Road. In 2008, the county spent $4.3 million in funding from the 2006 Cobb parks SPLOST to purchase the former farm land owned by Ed and Sue Mabry.

The the land sat dormant during the recession, although a master plan was released in 2011.

While the construction funding came out of the 2016 Cobb government SPLOST, the yearly cost for operating Mabry Park comes out of the county general fund. That was the reason for delaying the vote in October, right before the commissioners held their budget retreat.

Resolving how to pay for recurring expenses from a SPLOST project was one of the subjects at the retreat. A one-time cost of $22,230 for equipment and maintenance tools will be funded after construction is complete.

Mabry Park’s annual operating cost will be $104,992; of that $72,122 will go for staff salaries and benefits, and $31,800 is estimated for yearly supplies and utilities.

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Mabry Park construction contract returns to Cobb commission agenda

November 14, 2017 6:24 PMNovember 13, 2017 3:45 PM by Wendy Parker

After being delayed last month, a $2.85 million Mabry Park construction contract is expected to be voted on Tuesday by the Cobb Board of Commissioners.

The meeting starts at 9 a.m. in the 2nd floor boardroom of the Cobb BOC Building, 100 Cherokee St., in downtown Marietta.

Approval of the contract was tabled last month at the behest of commission Chairman Mike Boyce until after a budget retreat.

One of the topics at the retreat was how to fund permanent operations out of the annual county budget for projects like Mabry Park that are approved by Cobb voters in the Special Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) referenda.

Mabry Park, which would be built on 26.5 acres on Wesley Chapel Road at Sandy Plains Road, comes with a projected operating cost of nearly $105,000 a year once it opens in 2019.

At the Oct. 24 commission meeting, Northeast Cobb commissioner JoAnn Birrell, a strong advocate for the Mabry Park project was was formerly in her district, was upset by the decision to delay, as were Northeast Cobb residents who’ve been waiting more than a decade for the park.

Boyce and East Cobb commissioner Bob Ott, whose recently redrawn district includes Mabry Park, said it was necessarily to hold off final approval, if only temporarily.

Also at Tuesday’s meeting, the commissioners will consider proposals to raise fees for a number of county-related services, including business licenses, filing fees for zoning, and for parks and recreational uses, arts classes and other public services.

Another item on the agenda would appropriate $850,000 in county funds for a number of non-profit service organizations, including the Cobb Center for Family Resources, Family Promise of Cobb County, MUST Ministries, Communities in Schools for Marietta/Cobb and SafePath Children’s Advocacy.

Commissioners delayed voting on that funding during its budget deliberations in September.

The full agenda can be found here.

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!

Updated Wednesday story, 12 p.m.

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