During a time of political flux and at times turmoil in recent years, JoAnn Birrell said her tenure on the Cobb Board of Commissioners reflects a record of steady leadership that continues to be needed.
A Republican first elected to represent District 3 in 2010, Birrell is seeking a fifth term in the May 19 primary against Chris Wasserman, a first-time candidate.
She said that continuing her advocacy for improving public safety salaries and benefits, working to establish a Cobb veterans memorial and seeing through various renovations and other initiatives in her District are her priorities as she seeks re-election.
“I am seeking another term to ensure the projects I have initiated come to fruition and to continue serving the people of District 3 and Cobb County,” Birrell told East Cobb News.
Birrell’s website can be found by clicking here. The winner of the GOP primary on May 19 will face Democrat Kevin Redmon in November.
Early voting began Monday and continues through May 15; consult our early voting guide for more information. Our profile of Wasserman can be found by clicking here.
District 3 includes most of East Cobb (see the map). In 2022, Birrell was easily re-elected with similar boundaries. There has been some speculation since then that she would not seek another term, especially as tempers flared on the board over redistricting, a conflict she called “two years of hell.”
Wasserman has said that the five-member board needs new energy and ideas, and that Birrell bears some responsibility for occasionally fractured proceedings.
But Birrell responded by saying that she’s forged deep connections that reflect a high level of energy that she will continue to exert if re-elected.
“I have faced primary opposition in all four of my previous terms, so this was not a surprise,” Birrell said of Wasserman’s candidacy.
“Regarding the need for ‘new energy,’ a constituent recently compared my pace to the ‘Energizer Bunny.’ I have built strong community relationships and business partnerships over many years of leadership. I would be interested to know what new ideas are being proposed that have not already been explored.”
Wasserman has been critical of what he says is the board’s inability to separate needs from wants in budgeting, and that the focus should be on what he calls “core services.”
Birrell countered that she’s advocated fiscally responsible spending in county government, and that her top priorities have been public safety and reducing the amount of general fund money the county receives from Cobb Water revenues.
“I am committed to reducing the water transfer to zero percent,” Birrell said (the current rate is 4 percent, and it has been as high as 10 percent during her time on the board).
She also voted against imposing a stormwater fee for that reason, saying at the time that “I can’t justify any more revenue. I just can’t.”
In addition to supporting the gradual installment of a pay-and-grade salary structure for public safety personnel, Birrell also pushed for the creation of a new police precinct in Northeast Cobb that eventually will be full-service.
“Public safety has always been my top priority,” Birrell said. “I am dedicated to supporting our law enforcement, firefighters, 911, EMA, and animal services to ensure the safety of our citizens, businesses, and visitors.”
Birrell also pulled together a variety of sources to fund the rebuild of the Gritters Library, which now houses the Northeast Cobb Community Center.
But it’s more recent projects that have prompted objections from Wasserman. He’s against the proposed relocation of the East Cobb Library, and thinks the $20 million price tag could be even higher, perhaps more than double that amount.
Birrell recently proposed shifting $5 million from that project to address flooding issues along Columns Drive and for park upgrades in District 3.
In 2017, Birrell suggested closing the East Cobb library during a budget crunch (and when it was not in her district.) Now, she is justifying the need for a new library facility not just for financial but also for space reasons.
It’s the second-busiest branch in the Cobb library system, and the county pays $400,000 annually in rent at the Parkaire Landing Shopping Center. The proposed relocation would be to county-owned property that hasn’t been revealed.
That lease ends in 2029, and she said that “it is fiscally prudent to use SPLOST dollars to build a county-owned facility rather than continuing these lease payments.”
She added that the original cost for the relocation came to $35 million, but that has been reduced by keeping the square footage comparable to the current size.
“Despite receiving very little negative feedback directly, we still reevaluated and scaled back the costs, and the final survey showed significant community support,” she said.
In March, Cobb PARKS officials “paused” plans to redevelop Shaw Park after softball families complained a field would be taken out for pickleball courts.
Wasserman accused Birrell of waffling on the issue, saying that the pause on park plans is only because “she’s seeking re-election.”
But she said in acknowledging a miscommunication on the issue that the fields that are being relocated are being spread out, not reduced.
Birrell said previously that some critics were “trying to make it sound like we don’t care about girls softball. I’m a girl. I care.”
She said she’s stressing to voters a long history of keeping their priorities and their pocket books in mind, especially when it comes to taxes.
“Keeping taxes low and maintaining fiscal discipline remains a primary focus,” Birrell said. “My conservative record reflects this; I have never voted for a millage increase in 16 years.”
Related:
- Cobb Commission candidate profile: Chris Wasserman, District 3
- Seven East Cobb precinct locations to change for 2026 elections
- East Cobb Early Voting Guide for the 2026 primary election
- East Cobb News explainer: How we cover politics and elections
- Ga. bill making most Cobb elections non-partisan passes
- Primaries loom in East Cobb commission school board races
- MORE: Visit the East Cobb News Politics & Elections Page
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