At the end of the Cobb Board of Commissioners meeting on May 11 the elder stateswoman of the all-female body got a surprise recognition.
JoAnn Birrell, who is in her third term representing District 3 that includes most of northeast Cobb, was recognized in remarks by board chairwoman Lisa Cupid.
Cupid said she could “no longer keep the cat out of the bag” when Birrell’s husband David was spotted in attendance in the socially-distanced audience, and he later joined her at the front of the board meeting room.
This year Birrell is marking her 10th anniversary as a member of the board, and in showing a photo montage Cupid said she is “a tireless advocate in representing her constituents in District 3.
“She’s just been a friend and advocate to so many of us here.”
Birrell (full bio here) was first elected in 2010 to succeed then-chairman Tim Lee, and was re-elected in 2014 and 2018.
She moved to the top of the board’s seniority list when former commissioner Bob Ott of East Cobb retired in December, after serving three terms.
Among Birrell’s key priorities as commissioner includes advocating for public safety, Keep Cobb Beautiful, the Keep It In Cobb program for doing business with the county.
She also supports Superior Pets for Patriotic Vets, in which military veterans adopt animals at the Cobb Animal Services Shelter, with the fees paid by Superior Plumbing.
“I can’t thank you enough for surprising me,” Birrell said.
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