East Cobb News

East Cobb Cityhood group slams Vinings referendum lawsuit

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East Cobb Cityhood bill signed
Members of the Committee for East Cobb Cityhood at the bill-signing ceremony with Gov. Brian Kemp in February.

A lawsuit was filed this week trying to stop a referendum on Vinings cityhood, with implications for similar upcoming votes in East Cobb and Lost Mountain.

That’s because bills passed by the Georgia legislature this year calling for referendums in those three areas of Cobb on May 24 include language that’s being challenged on state constitutional grounds.

The lawsuit was filed Monday in Cobb Superior Court by Joseph Young, a Vinings resident who is a state lobbyist and was legislative director to former Gov. Roy Barnes (you can read the suit by clicking here).

The suit, filed against Cobb County and Elections Director Janine Eveler (her name is misspelled as “Everler” throughout the court filing), alleges that the Vinings bill is unconstitutional because it violates Georgia’s home rule laws.

The lawsuit, assigned to Cobb Superior Court Chief Judge Robert Leonard, is asking that the referendum either be removed from the May 24 ballot or delayed to the Nov. 8 general election.

A hearing has not been scheduled.

Georgia cities must provide at least three services from a list of 14 specified under state law.

But home rule laws also give cities and counties discretionary powers to choose which services they provide. The lawsuit alleges that the legislature cannot dictate what services a city can provide under a local law, which the Cobb cityhood bills were.

Young’s lawsuit contends that the Vinings bill would require a new city, if approved by voters in a referendum, to provide specific services: planning and zoning, code enforcement and parks and recreation.

A spokeswoman for the Committee for East Cobb Cityhood said Friday that the Vinings lawsuit “is a flagrant attempt to legislate from the bench.”

In response to an inquiry from East Cobb News, Cindy Cooperman said that the Vinings, East Cobb and Lost Mountain bills “are modeled on the laws that created other municipalities in Georgia, like Sandy Springs, Milton, and Stonecrest.”

She noted Young’s political ties and wondered why he didn’t testify against the Vinings bill when it was being considered by the legislature.

Section 1.12 of the East Cobb bill (you can read it here) states the following about service provision, in lines 157-161:

“Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, the city shall exercise the powers enumerated in subsection (a) of this section only for the purposes of planning and zoning, code adoption and enforcement, parks and recreation, police and law enforcement services, fire and emergency services, and those items directly related to the provision of such services and for the general administration of the city in providing such services.”

Lost Mountain’s bill includes a charter calling for the provision of planning and zoning, code enforcement and sanitation services.

All three bills have been signed into law by Gov. Brian Kemp. A fourth Cobb cityhood bill in Mableton is yet to be signed, but it doesn’t contain the same language about specific provision of services.

A Mableton referendum would take place in November.

“We are confident that the Court will see this lawsuit for what it is, frivolous, and not permit this interference with any of the cityhood referendums,” Cooperman said.

The response echoes comments by the Vinings Exploratory Committee, the group behind Vinings Cityhood, which called the lawsuit “an attack on the democratic process.”

The lawsuit comes as debates are nearing for the East Cobb cityhood referendum.

The first, on April 19, is being sponsored by the East Cobb Business Association. Another, on May 4, is being organized by the Rotary Club of East Cobb at Pope High School.

Cobb County government is continuing its series of cityhood town halls with a session on Tuesday at the Cobb Civic Center, starting at 6:30 p.m.

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East Cobb senior receives Delta Credit Union scholarship

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Erik Tekenbroek, a senior at Johnson Ferry Christian Academy in East Cobb, has been named the recipient of a $5,000 scholarship by the Delta Community Credit Union.Erik Tekenbroek Johnson Ferry Christian Academy

The scholarship is based on outstanding academic achievement, community involvement and an essay submission.

Tekenbroek is considering Hillsdale College and Cornell University with plans to major in finance with a career goal of becoming a financial planner.

He is one of five students in Georgia to receive the Delta scholarship.

“We are proud to support these hard-working students so they may focus on pursuing their academic goals,” Delta Community CEO Hank Halter said. “We hope these students will, in turn, achieve their career aspirations and develop as leaders in their chosen professions who share our commitment to foster collaboration and prosperity in local communities.”

In addition to its Scholarship Program, Delta Community also offers an annual Philanthropic Fund, more than 160 free financial literacy classes and workshops annually through its award-winning Financial Education Center, and quarterly scholarships for students attending Historically Black Colleges or Universities.

 

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East Cobb Church plans taking shape after rezoning conflict

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Jamey Dickens, East Cobb Church
Rev. Jamey Dickens 

Before a lengthy process that culminated last fall in controversial fashion, East Cobb Church Senior Pastor Rev. Jamey Dickens was fond of saying of his congregation that “we want to love where we live.”

The leader of the newest of the North Point Ministries family of churches said community goodwill has been a focal point of its efforts to build a new facility at Johnson Ferry and Shallowford roads.

During months of delays for site plan and other revisions, Dickens said that “I had so many personal conversations [with nearby residents]. I walked in the neighborhood.”

But while nearby residents had no issue with the church, some heatedly objected to the high-density residential component of the mixed-use development, as well as traffic and stormwater issues.

And they were incensed in October when a site plan was filed days before Cobb commissioners were set to vote on the rezoning case, and without seeking community input.

Commissioners voted 3-1 to approve the project, which includes 44 townhomes and 51 single-family detached homes in a zoning category opponents said is too dense for the community.

“I never wanted people to feel divided,” he told East Cobb News in a recent interview.

But he said taking the time to work through site plan, traffic and stormwater details were worth it.

“I’m proud of the fact that we did spend so much time talking about it,” Dickens said. “That’s what the process is there for, and I do think it made [the development] better.”

In December, North Point completed the purchase of all 24 parcels of the 33-acre tract from the land development company of retired attorney Fred Hanna and his wife’s homeless ministry non-profit for an estimated $10 million, according to county deed records.

The Hannas insisted on selling their land all at once, complicating the rezoning case. A leader of a group of residents in opposition publicly stated it may not have been approved had a church not been applying. So did a member of the Cobb Planning Commission.

The Cobb Republican Party came out in opposition to the rezoning, and the case has been caught up in East Cobb Cityhood politics.

The Committee for East Cobb Cityhood has cited the North Point rezoning as an example of the need for more local control of planning.

But a resident near the North Point development, attending a meeting of the anti-Cityhood East Cobb Alliance, said his concerns about the rezoning were satisfied and “it made me a believer in local government” at the county level.

Dickens said the church has submitted an application for a land disturbance permit, and groundbreaking for the 125,000-square-foot church building and accompanying parking lot could take place by the end of the year.

North Point has sold 20.3 acres of the property assemblage for for the residential portion to be developed by Ashwood Atlanta.

A floodplain study was completed by the Federal Emergency Management Administration to determine the number of homes that could be built.

Cobb government spokesman Ross Cavitt said in a statement that the study “apparently resulted in a larger floodplain than expected, resulting in the loss of 20 units by the developer.”

We’re working to get more details of the site plan changes that have been made since the post-rezoning review process.

Dickens said a “conservative” estimate for the church opening would be in the first quarter of 2024.

“We’re taking it one step at a time,” he said.

Meanwhile, East Cobb Church is continuing to hold Sunday afternoon services at Eastside Baptist Church.

(On Easter Sunday, however, the church will have a 10:30 a.m. service at East Cobb Park.)

Dickens said the church currently has around 600-700 members, and it could grow to more than 1,000 in the new building.

“We just want to be a church that loves our community,” he said.

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‘Music in the Park’ concert series begins at East Cobb Park

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Sunday Funday East Cobb Park

What has been dubbed “Sunday Funday” at East Cobb Park for several years—a series of spring free concerts—has a new name.

“Music in the Park” debuts Sunday, but otherwise the event will feel similar to concert-goers.

The Friends for the East Cobb Park volunteer organization has scheduled four concerts through the middle of June at the concert shell in the back of the park.

And Wellstar remains as the presenting sponsor.

Sunday’s concert lasts from 4-6 p.m. and features the indie folk duo of Rusted Melody.

Other concerts are slated for May 8 (LooSe ShoEs band); May 29 (Bach to Rock—performed by and for kids) and June 12 (The Woodys—a Fleetwood Mac and 70s rock cover band).

You’re welcome to bring your own food and drink, chairs and blankets to enjoy the music on the back quad.

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Tommy Nobis Center to hold Galaxy of the Stars luncheon

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Tommy Nobis Center Galaxy Stars Luncheon

Tommy Nobis Center, a Marietta-based nonprofit that helps individuals with disabilities enter or return to employment, will host its 24th Annual Galaxy of Stars Luncheon Friday from 12 to 1:30 p.m. at the Georgia Aquarium.

Galaxy of Stars is Tommy Nobis Center’s premier annual fundraising event and awards ceremony honoring the incredible talents of people with disabilities and the community champions who help empower individuals on their journey to independence and success.

This year’s theme is “45 Years of Empowerment.” Tommy Nobis Center will look back at its rich history of serving the community and celebrate the thousands of people whose lives have been changed by their programs and services over the years.

“We look forward to a meaningful event commemorating an incredible four and half decades of empowering people with disabilities and their families,” said President & CEO Dave Ward.

Honorees include former Atlanta Falcons Coach Dan Reeves for Lifetime Achievement, Community Champion Jim Budzinski, Family Member Advocates Marlon and Libby Longacre, and Tommy Nobis Rising Star Clarence Wine.

There will be an online auction accompanying this event starting March 28. For more information, go to https://tommynobiscenter.org/galaxy-of-stars. Funds raised through the event and auction directly support programs and services for youth and adults with disabilities.

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East Cobb Food Scores: NaNa Thai Eatery; Panera Bread; more

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Nana Thai Battery, East Cobb Food Scores

The following Cobb food scores for the week of April 4 have been compiled by the Cobb & Douglas Department of Public Health. Click the link under each listing for inspection details:

Firehouse Subs
2745 Sandy Plains Road, Suite 102
April 5, 2022 Score: 93, Grade: A

ManorCare Rehabilitation Center
4360 Johnson Ferry Place
April 7, 2022 Score: 100, Grade: A

My Friend’s Place
1205 Johnson Ferry Road, Suite 127
April 8, 2022 Score: 100, Grade: A

NaNa Thai Eatery
2940 Johnson Ferry Road, Suite C
April 5, 2022 Score: 100, Grade: A

Panera Bread
1430 Terrell Mill Road
April 4, 2022 Score: 88, Grade: B

Sam’s BBQ 1
4958 Lower Roswell Road, Suite 116
April 8, 2022 Score: 90, Grade: A

Scooter’s Cafe
2943 Canton Road
April 6, 2022 Score: 100, Grade: A

Smoothie King
2525 Shallowford Road, Suite 600
April 5, 2022 Score: 96, Grade: A

Sunrise at East Cobb
1551 Johnson Ferry Road
April 5, 2022 Score: 90, Grade: A

Taco Bell
2169 Roswell Road
April 6, 2022 Score: 99, Grade: A

Tandoor Restaurant
279 Powers Ferry Road, Suite F
April 7, 2022 Score: 64, Grade: U

Touchdown Wings
2856 Delk Road, Suite 301
April 5, 2022 Score: 95, Grade: A

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Cobb students, schools honored by Georgia Dept. of Education

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Wheeler name change town hall
10 students from Wheeler High School have been named 2022 Georgia Scholars by the state Department of Education.

All six high schools in East Cobb and several students from those schools have been honored by the Georgia Department of Education and state school superintendent Richard Woods.

The state last week released its list of 2022 Advanced Placement Honor Schools, and are broken out in six categories. Kell, Lassiter, Pope, Walton and Wheeler are included in five of those categories, while Sprayberry is named in four categories.

Kell, Lassiter, Pope, Walton and Wheeler are named among the AP Schools of Distinction, which have at least 20 percent of students taking AP exams and have at least 50 percent earning a score of 3 or higher.

Kell, Lassiter, Pope, Sprayberry, Walton and Wheeler were named AP Humanities Schools (at least five students testing in an ELA course, two history/social science courses, one fine arts course and one world language course).

All six East Cobb high schools also were named AP Humanities Achievement Schools, including the description above and having with least 50% of all AP Humanities exams earning scores of 3 or higher.

Kell, Lassiter, Pope, Walton and Wheeler are AP STEM Schools, having at least five students testing in at least four AP STEM courses.

Those five also are AP STEM Achievement Schools (description above, and at least 50 percent of all AP STEM exams earning scores of 3 or higher).

In addition, Sprayberry was designated among the AP Access and Support Schools, which have at least 30 percent of AP exams taken by students who are African-American and/or Hispanic and 30 percent of all AP exams earning scores of 3 or higher.

The Georgia Department of Education also has named its 2022 class of Georgia Scholars. They excel in the classroom, participate in athletics and/or other extracurricular activities and take part in leadership opportunities.

The Cobb school district has 23 students named Georgia Scholars, including 10 from Wheeler High School. Here are the students named from East Cobb schools:

  • Pope: Christine Werts
  • Sprayberry: Riley Smith, Hannah Fischer, Jeremy Thomas, Kelynn Johnson
  • Walton: Kunling Tong, Shruthi Maharajan, Isabel Buyers, Alexa Weston, Fiona Guo, Joseph Walter
  • Wheeler: Achyutan Narayanan, Nandini Joshi, Angela Francis, Nimai Patel, Navan Kothari, Leah Caldwell, Amy Huang, Jared Loncar, Samyukta Iyer, Sujit Iyer

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East Cobb elections update: Runoff in Ga. House District 45

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Ga. House District 45 special election results

UPDATED, 9:51 P.M.:

Republican former legislator Mitch Kaye and Democratic newcomer Dustin McCormick will vie for a Georgia House seat from East Cobb in a May 3 runoff.

In Tuesday’s special “jungle” election, Kaye received 2,272 votes, or 42 percent, to 2,207 votes, or 39.8 percent, with all 12 precincts reporting, according to the Georgia Secretary of State’s office.

Georgia elections law requires a runoff when the leading candidate does not receive a majority of the votes.

Two other candidates, both Republicans, also were running. Pamela Alayon received 733 votes, or 13.67 percent, and Darryl Wilson got 242 votes, or 4.49 percent.

The results are unofficial, but McCormick and Kaye have been leading all evening.

Both have have both come out publicly against East Cobb Cityhood; Dollar has been the chief sponsor of a Cityhood bill that passed the Georgia legislature calling for a May 24 referendum.

The special election was called by Gov. Brian Kemp to determine a successor to former State Rep. Matt Dollar, who resigned on Feb. 1. The winner will fill out the rest of his term this year.

McCormick is the only candidate in the special election who has qualified for the May 24 primary election in the new District 45.

Current State Rep. Sharon Cooper of District 43 and Carminthia Moore have qualified as Republican candidates.

The winner of the November general election will assume office in January, when a new legislative session begins.

ORIGINAL POST:

The polls have closed in a four-way “jungle” special election in Georgia House District 45 in East Cobb, and East Cobb News will be providing updates as they become available.

The Georgia Secretary of State’s office is providing real-time results at this link; as of 7:49 p.m., two candidates appear headed for a May 3 runoff.

Dustin McCormick, the only Democrat, has 1,153 votes, or 46.89 percent, while Mitch Kaye, a Republican former legislator, has 47 votes, or 38.5 percent.

Two other Republicans are in the race: Pamela Alayon, with 268 votes, or 10.9 percent, and Darryl Wilson, who has 91 votes, or 3.7 votes.

Here’s how advance voting went: McCormick 998; Kaye 887; Alayon 233; Wilson 79.

And absentee votes: McCormick 155; Kaye 60; Alayon 35; Kaye 12.

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Cobb included in flash flood warning into Tuesday evening

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Cobb flash flood warning

A flash flood warning has been issued for Cobb County and much of metro Atlanta as heavy thunderstorms rolled into Georgia Tuesday morning.

The National Weather Service in Peachtree City issued the warning at 2:45 p.m. Tuesday, and it continues until 8:45 p.m. for Cobb, Cherokee, Fulton, Douglas, Clayton and DeKalb counties.

A flash flood warning means weather conditions are suitable for flash flooding to occur, especially near lanes and along rivers, streams and creeks.

Roadways also can flood easily during heavy thunderstorms, and in areas with drainage problems and low-lying areas.

The NWS said radar has indicated that between 1.5 and 3 inches of rain have fallen in the flash flood warning area since Tuesday morning, and that up to another half-inch of rain is forecast.

Cobb government said that some road are experiencing flooding, including George Busbee Parkway east of Frey Road, which is closed due for the time being.

Motorists are urged to use caution when traveling in heavy rains and to turn around if they see flooded roads.

The Cobb and metro area remains in a hazardous weather outlook area into Wednesday.

Portions of Georgia south of Atlanta have been under tornado watches and warnings, but none are forecast for the metro area.

Highs Tuesday in Cobb are forecast to be in the high 60s. The chance of rain in Cobb Tuesday night is 30 percent, with low temperatures around 60.

On Wednesday, the chance of rain will be 20 percent during the day and 70 percent into the evening.

The highs Wednesday will be in the upper 70s and lows in the high 50s.

Rain moves out of the area on Thursday, when it will be sunny with highs in the mid 60s.

Sunny weather is in the forecast for the rest of the week, with highs expected only in the mid 50s to mid 60s before warmer temperatures return next week.

For more information on local weather, click here.

 

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Chairwoman Cupid delivers ‘All In’ State of Cobb County address

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Cupid State of Cobb County address

Cobb Commission Chairwoman Lisa Cupid’s 2022 State of Cobb County address last week was entitled “All In,” with messages of an expansive community laced throughout the presentation.

Public and civic leaders delivered those messages, and during a nearly two-hour-long event at Jim Miller Park on Thursday, greetings and entertainment included the Atlanta Braves Heavy Hitters drum corps.

After being sponsored for many years by the Cobb Chamber of Commerce, Cupid opted for a county-funded event. She couldn’t get her colleagues on the Cobb Board of Commissioners to approve the spending, however, and other entities, including Wellstar Health System, provided sponsorship.

Speakers came from the Atlanta Regional Commission and Cobb Chamber of Commerce.

During her remarks (which begin around the 58-minute mark below) Cupid, noted the increasing demographic diversity of the county.

She also said political changes in Cobb—with the Cobb Board of Commissioners going from Republican to Democratic control in the 2020 elections—being most notable.

Cupid is the first Democrat to head county government since the 1980s, and leads a 3-2 Democratic majority that’s made up of black females.

But Cobb Republicans in the Georgia legislature steered through reapportionment maps aimed at limiting Democratic representation on the Cobb commission, school board, legislature and Congress.

In addition, four cityhood referendums will be taking place in Cobb, including one in East Cobb in May.

“It has become very clear to me that the increased sensitivity to this board making similar decisions as boards in the past, and historic redistricting and cityhood efforts are signs of these shifts.

“They have been overwhelming at times, but I would not be standing before you if I did not see a silver lining in the challenges facing our county.”

She discussed the county’s desired response to inclusiveness, transportation, COVID-19 and public health, the county budget, public safety, affordable housing, innovations through technology, the proposed Unified Development Code.

“Our diversity is just not racially or geographically,” she said. “It’s economically. We are one of the state of Georgia’s most affluent counties, yet 70,000 of our residents live in poverty.”

She also asked how Cobb can “retain our strength as an affluent suburban county” without leaving other types of communities behind.

Cupid alluded to a total of nearly 700 new county employees that have been requested by government department heads to meet service demands for a county of more than 700,000 people.

“This is hard work that the board is going through,” she said, “but it is necessary work to get where we want to be.”

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Cobb Library System introduces Chromebook checkouts

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For the first time the Cobb County Public Library System is allowing patrons to check out Chromebook devices.Cobb library tax forms

The checkouts are designed for patrons who don’t have devices or don’t have reliable Internet access for their devices.

Patrons will be able to check out the devices for up to three weeks (renewals are not allowed), and must have a Google account.

Those eligible must be 17 years of age or older and must be returned in person at a library branch.

For more information click here.

 

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East Cobb real estate sales for the week of March 21, 2022

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875 Saints Drive, East Cobb real estate sales
St. Andrews Park

The following deeds for residential East Cobb real estate sales were filed the week of March 21 with the Cobb Superior Court Clerk’s Office Real Estate Department.

The addresses include ZIP Codes and the subdivision names and high school districts are in parenthesis:

March 21

2842 Baccurate Drive, 30062 (Covington Ridge, Pope): Open Door Property, LLC to Shahim Khoshkam and Hoda Abbasimajdabadi; $607,000

3053 Gateland Square, 30062 (Garden Gate on Lassiter, Pope): TR Capital Ga., LLC to Cheryl Beaudreault; $632,000

1495 Keener Lane, 30066 (Romans Ridge, Sprayberry): Lot One Homes of Georgia, LLC to Joseph Pons and Vanessa Watorek; $616,538

2249 Addison Road, 30066 (Sprayberry): Sandra and Johnny Brooks to Bradley and Helen Freriks; $695,000

537 Flintwood Drive, 30068 (Beverly Hills Estates, Wheeler): Ronald Mann to Laurika and Jon Lamoreaux; $588,500

1339 Golden Rock Lane, 30067 (Ivy Crest town homes, Wheeler): Sarah Roppoli to Muzaffer and Hamida Lakdawala; $545,000

March 22

4199 Summit Way, 30066 (Windsor Oaks, Lassiter): Judith Davis to Avin Properties, LLC; $395,000

4307 E. Summit Court, 30066 (Windsor Oaks, Lassiter): James Barbour to Alexander Hvostik and Katherine Thomas; $725,000

2330 Castle Lane, 30062 (Pope): MP-50 Inc. to 2330 Castle Lane, LLC; $920,000

2136 Lamplight Drive, 30062 (Chadds Walk, Pope): Suzanne Duncan to Brian Penabad and Spinelli Asti; $620,000

1970 Addison Road, 30066 (Sprayberry); Robert Wise to Francisco Chavarria; $200,000

March 23

875 Saints Drive, 30068 (St. Andrews Park, Walton): Andrea Kenney to Matthew and Alessandra Kauffman; $975,000

3023 Coach Lane, 30062 (Mar-Lanta II, Pope): Margaret Stewart to Bradley LeBlond and Eleanor Safarpour; $432,000

March 24

1949 Willeo Creek Point, 30068 (Jackson’s Creek—The Bluffs, Walton): Christopher Galla to Brian and Carolyn Marek; $775,000

3995 Rock Mill Parkway, 30062 (Rock Mill, Lassiter): JDAD, LLC to Brandi Shirey; $314,000

March 25

620 Oakland Drive, 30067 (Forest Ridge, Wheeler): David Bork to Priscila and Carrijo Savio de Sousa; $284,000

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The Extension breaks ground for new men’s recovery facility

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The Extension groundbreaking
Pictured from L-R Michael Paris, President & CEO of Council for Quality Growth Amy Clear, Coxe Curry & Associates Penny Warren, Committee Member David Schwickerwrath, Committee Co-chair & Vice-Chair of The Extension Board of Directors Kim Gresh, Committee Co-chair, Owner & President of SA White Oil Company Dr. Michael Unger, West Cobb Psychiatry, LLC, Board member Renee McCormick, Director of Community Relations, The Extension Skip Harper, Board Chair of The Extension Dan Priester, Coxe Curry & Associates

Submitted information and photo:

On Friday, April 1st, 2022, The Extension celebrated the groundbreaking ceremony for its new men’s campus in Marietta. Members of The Extension’s board and staff, donors, community leaders, and friends of the nonprofit gathered to mark the start of construction on the 22,000 square foot facility. The nearly one-hundred-year-old building that has served as the first permanent home of The Extension will be torn down to make room for the new building located on Church Street Extension. The new men’s facility will include a 56-bed dormitory with meeting rooms, recreational areas, and a cafeteria. The building is scheduled to be completed in the fall of 2023 and will increase The Extension’s capacity to help men struggling with homelessness and substance abuse in our community by seventy percent. 

In 2021, The Extension served more than 330 clients, providing a lifeline to men and women who desperately wanted to reclaim their future from chemical dependency. With their current facilities at maximum capacity, The Extension had to turn away more than 500 individuals (65% of them men) to an uncertain and often perilous future. To meet the community’s growing need for services, The Extension’s Board of Directors and Capital Campaign Committee launched the Building Solutions capital campaign in 2020 to raise funds for a new men’s facility. According to Capital Campaign Committee Co-chair Dave Schwickerath, “Almost every donor to our campaign has been touched by someone they know affected by addiction. Almost everyone we asked to contribute has stepped up to help.”

The Extension’s Building Solutions campaign launched with a lead matching gift of one million dollars from AssuranceAmerica. This company’s support served as the single largest private gift in the organization’s history and set the tone for the campaign’s fundraising success. Guy Millner, AssuranceAmerica’s Executive Chairman and Founder, stated, “We are so excited to be a part of this remarkable progress. This team is doing incredible work, truly transforming lives, and we are thrilled to be a part of it. Now we want other companies and family foundations to join in to help this team of strong change agents say yes to those people waiting to join the program. Congratulations to all involved at The Extension for making a difference every day.” AssuranceAmerica has a proven history of charitable activities, giving 5 percent of its annual pre-tax earnings to The Extension and two other organizations that serve the local homeless population in Atlanta and Tampa. The Building Solutions campaign has raised nearly 90% of its fundraising goal and is on track to complete the campaign this year thanks to the remarkable generosity of the community.

For further information about The Extension, click here.

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Legislative special election in East Cobb to be decided

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Early voting has ended in a special election for Georgia House District 45, and final balloting will take place Tuesday.Georgia runoff elections

Eligible voters in the current District 45 boundaries—not the new lines that will be in effect for the May 24 primary—will be able to vote at their normal precincts on Tuesday.

The polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Absentee ballots also must be returned by 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Cobb Elections has more information on who is eligible to vote in the special election, what the current District 45 boundaries look like, and how you can check your registration status.

The Cobb Elections office said there are 12 precincts with voters who are eligible to vote in the special election:

  • Chestnut Ridge; Dickerson; Dodgen; Hightower; Murdock; Mt. Bethel 1; Mt. Bethel 3; Pope (portion); Roswell 1; Roswell 2; Sewell Mill 1 (portion); Timber Ridge

As of Thursday, Cobb Elections said 1,861 people have voted in the special election in person. A total of 204 absentee ballots have been accepted.

The “jungle” special election includes three Republican candidates and one Democratic candidate who are vying to fill the remainder of the term of former State Rep. Matt Dollar.

If the leading candidate does not get a majority of the votes, there will be a May 3 runoff.

Dollar, a Republican who had been in office since 2003, resigned Feb. 1, and his successor will serve only through the end of 2022.

The Republican candidates are former State Rep. Mitchell Kaye and Darryl Wilson and Pamela Alayon, both of whom have been involved in Cobb GOP activities.

The Democratic candidate is Dustin McCormick, a project manager at McKesson.

Kaye and McCormick have both come out publicly against East Cobb Cityhood; Dollar has been the chief sponsor of a Cityhood bill that passed the Georgia legislature calling for a May 24 referendum.

McCormick is the only candidate in the special election who has qualified for the primary election in the new District 45. Current State Rep. Sharon Cooper of District 43 and Carminthia Moore have qualified as Republican candidates.

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The Art Place to hold 30th anniversary celebration event

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The Art Place

Next Sunday, The Art-Place Mountain View (3330 Sandy Plains Road) will mark its 30th anniversary with a free celebration for the community.

The event takes place from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. and will include a gallery exhibition, music, a pottery demonstration, food and a theatre performance.

No reservations are required and all members of the public are invited.

The Art Place is a service of the Cobb Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs that offers a wide variety of arts classes and leases art and theatre space for community organizations.

Activities include summer camps for children and performances of the Center Stage North Theatre, a community theater group.

Cobb County converted restaurant space in East Cobb into an arts center in 1986, opening the Steeple House Arts Center the following year at Johnson Ferry Road and Paper Mill Road.

But demand for arts programming grew quickly, and the county embarked on building a larger facility that became The Art Place.

The volunteer support group Mountain View Arts Alliance was formed in 1993 to partner with The Art Place for programming, events and outreach.

The facility currently serves 20,000 members of the public on an annual basis, and holds a number of other community events.

 

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Cobb tax digest projected to rise by 10.49 percent in 2022

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Residential property values in Cobb are expected to rise by 13.15 percent in 2022.

Cobb Tax Assessor Stephen White is predicting that the county’s tax digest will grow by more than 10 percent this year, the first double-digit yearly increase in more than two decades.

In a release issued by Cobb government, White said that the projected rise of 10.49 percent is based on an additional $5 billion increase in the value of residential, commercial and personal property as of March 31.

That includes a predicted growth of 13.15 percent in residential values, an increase of 6.56 precent in commercial values and 0.83 percent more in personal property values.

The tax digest is the overall value of property—real and personal property, motor vehicles and public utilities—adjusted after such things and homestead exemptions and the senior school tax exemption.

For 2022, the tax digest is projected to be a record $48.4 billion. The 2021 tax digest is $36.1 billion.

In a statement accompanying the county release, White said that due to the strong real estate market in Cobb “it is apparent we need to make changes to values that are reflective of what properties are worth. Many neighborhoods have properties selling for more than our value. The majority of our residential properties will see an adjustment in their Fair Market Value on their assessment notice because our value for last year is no longer reflective of what properties are worth.”

The final 2022 tag digest numbers will be revealed in July. Residential assessment notices go out to Cobb homeowners in May and commercial assessments are issued in June.

White’s prediction comes as Cobb commissioners are bracing for a summer budget season.

In recent weeks, they’ve been hearing budget requests from department heads that total around $1.2 billion, an increase of nearly $180 million more than the current fiscal year 2022 budget.

Much of that comes from combined requests to add nearly 700 county employees to address staff shortages in a number of departments.

Only four new full-time positions were filled in the current budget and none were approved for FY 2020.

Commissioners are expected to adopt a fiscal year 2023 budget by the end of July.

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Willeo Creek Bridge reopens after 10-month closure, delays

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Willeo Creek Bridge reopens

Work crews were putting the finishing touches on the newly reopened Willeo Creek Bridge Friday, 10 months after it closed for an overhaul.

There were construction trucks on the Cobb County side of the bridge and the roundabout linking Azalea Drive in Roswell with Lower Roswell Road and Timber Ridge Road when we drove by.

A few pedestrians were making their way along the expanded multi-use trails on either side of the $3 million bridge, which replaced a 60-year old bridge.

The joint project between the City of Roswell and Cobb DOT was delayed several times by the contractor.

Originally set to reopen last September, the bridge reopening was pushed back to last December, then March 2022 when Baldwin Paving Co. said it couldn’t meet that deadline.

The county threatened to issue fines for any further delays. On Wednesday, with just a day left in March, all forms of traffic reopened, just in time for spring break for the Cobb school district and the start of a busy spring and summer season for recreational activities along the Chattahoochee River.

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Public invited to demolition of Sprayberry Crossing Bruno’s

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Sprayberry Crossing Shopping Center

Cobb commissioner JoAnn Birrell got in touch to let us know a few more details of the start of the demolition of the Sprayberry Crossing Shopping Center.

As we noted a couple weeks ago, the first building to be torn down will be the former Bruno’s grocery store on Monday, April 11.

Birrell said that process will start at 1 p.m. and that the public is invited.

Joe Glancy of the Sprayberry Crossing Action Facebook group that’s been pushing for redevelopment of the blighted retail center posted on Wednesday that fencing is starting to go up around the property that will become a mixed-use development.

“Cut throughs connecting Post Oak Tritt to East Piedmont will no longer be possible,” he said.

Construction on a project to include senior apartments, townhomes and some retail is expected to begin in August.

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East Cobb Food Scores: Willie Jewell’s; schools; more

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Willie Jewell's, East Cobb food scores

The following Cobb food scores for the week of March 28 have been compiled by the Cobb & Douglas Department of Public Health. Click the link under each listing for inspection details:

Addison Elementary School
3055 Ebenezer Road
March 28, 2022 Score: 100, Grade: A

Eastvalley Elementary School
2570 Lower Roswell Road
March 28, 2022 Score: 100, Grade: A

J. Buffalo Wings
2580 Windy Hill Road, Suite 400
March 28, 2022 Score: 84, Grade: B

Keheley Elementary School
1985 Kemp Road
March 28, 2022 Score: 100, Grade: A

Kell High School
4770 Lee Waters Road
March 28, 2022 Score: 100, Grade: A

Lassiter High School
2601 Shallowdford Road
March 29, 2022 Score: 100, Grade: A

McCleskey Middle School
4080 Maybreeze Road
March 29, 2022 Score: 100, Grade: A

Mt. Bethel Christian Academy
4385 Lower Roswell Road
March 30, 2022 Score: 100, Grade: A

Nicholson Elementary School
1599 Shallowford Road
March 29, 2022 Score: 100, Grade: A

Sope Creek Elementary School
3320 Paper Mill Road
March 28, 2022 Score: 100, Grade: A

Timber Ridge Elementary School
5000 Timber Ridge Road
March 30, 2022 Score: 100, Grade: A

Wendy’s
1312 Johnson Ferry Road
March 29, 2022 Score: 92, Grade: A

Wheeler High School
375 Holt Road
March 31, 2022 Score: 100, Grade: A

Willie Jewell’s Old School Bar-B-Q
2550 Sandy Plains Road
March 29, 2022 Score: 100, Grade: A

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Anti-Cityhood sign to be removed from East Cobb Crossing

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East Cobb anti-Cityhood sign removed

Earlier this week we saw not one, but two, giant signs against the May 24 East Cobb Cityhood referendum that were posted along the edges of the East Cobb Crossing Shopping Center.

They were produced by the East Cobb Alliance, the main group opposed to cityhood, and were planted in prime viewing range in the heart of the community—the Roswell Road and Johnson Ferry Road corridor.

But the Alliance noted in a Facebook post Wednesday night that the signs will have to be removed because “there was an internal miscommunication with the property owner/manager.”

The message didn’t indicate what the miscommunication was.

East Cobb Crossing is managed by The Shopping Center Group, and recently it welcomed a new Publix store.

East Cobb News has left a message with The Shopping Center Group seeking more information.

The sign above fronts Roswell Road at the intersection of East Cobb Drive; another is adjacent to Dick’s Sporting Goods on Johnson Ferry Road.

The Alliance has been handing out smaller signs with a similar design that have been placed in residential yards.

There are a few along Robinson Road and the Chimney Springs subdivision, as well as Indian Hills.

Some pro-cityhood signs were spotted along Paper Mill Road in the Atlanta Country Club area.

Representatives for the Committee for East Cobb Cityhood and the East Cobb Alliance will be squaring off in debates: April 19 by the East Cobb Business Association, and May 4 by the Rotary Club of East Cobb.

As for the East Cobb Crossing signs, the Alliance is asking that “if you have locations for these bold beauties let us know.”

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