Despite requests from Cobb County government officials for a delay, the Georgia House Governmental Affairs Committee approved the East Cobb Cityhood bill Thursday morning.
After a nearly 90-minute discussion, the committee voted 9-4 to send the bill to the full House.
The bill, if passed by the legislature, would call for a November referendum for voters in the proposed city of 55,000 to decide on incorporation.
It’s the first of four cityhood bills in Cobb County to be considered this year, and drew the attendance of Cobb Commission Chairwoman Lisa Cupid and two of her department heads.
(You can watch a replay of the meeting by clicking here.)
HB 841 has been revised from when it was proposed in March 2021 by East Cobb Republican House members Matt Dollar and Sharon Cooper (substitute bill as approved here).
A substitute bill was made available at Thursday’s meeting but has not yet been posted online; the bill has an additional co-sponsor in Republican Rep. Ed Setzler of West Cobb, who’s the main sponsor of a Lost Mountain cityhood bill.
On Wednesday, a subcommittee heard the East Cobb cityhood proposal, which includes police and fire, planning and zoning and code enforcement services.
Public safety services were added to a feasibility study that concluded in November that a proposed city of East Cobb would be financially viable, with an annual surplus of $3 million.
Those issues prompted remarks by Cupid to the committee that she wanted the community to have an opportunity to better understand “the merits of what’s in the feasibility study.”
She said she wasn’t opposed to cities, but “I’m opposed to persons having to vote and not having clear and accurate information beforehand.”
When pressed by committee member Rep. Barry Fleming if she would campaign against an East Cobb referendum, she said it was her role to represent all Cobb citizens on an issue that would have a financial impact on the county.
“So you’re in opposition to the bill, correct?” Fleming asked her.
“I don’t believe I stated that sir,” Cupid said.
“I’m asking,” he said.
Cupid said that “I’m in opposition to a bill being passed that has not been made clear, with information that is incomplete or is inaccurate so voters can make a wise decision.”
When he pressed her further if she opposed the bill as it is written now, she said, “at this time, yes.”
While cityhood bills in Georgia must have a financial feasibility study, they’re not required to include a study on how a new city would impact its county.
Bill Volckmann, Cobb’s chief financial officer, told the committee he wanted to have more time to examine how the city of East Cobb’s proposed major revenue mechanisms would impact the county.
The other three Cobb cityhood bills—Mableton, Vinings and Lost Mountain—do not include public safety services.
The East Cobb feasibility study includes the proposed transfer of 2.6 mills in the current Cobb fire fund to provide most of the city’s revenues.
Volckman said that would negatively affect the county’s general fund and its 911 fund and while he was not for or against East Cobb cityhood, “that is something we would like to have some time to go through and share those impacts with the citizens so they can make an informed decision.”
Cobb public safety director Randy Crider noted that the Cobb Fire Department—of which he was formerly chief—has a top insurance rating and was “curious to know how [East Cobb] residents would have a better fire department.”
Marietta also has what’s called an ISO 1 rating, and has six fire stations. Smyrna has five fire stations. They’re the only two cities in Cobb with separate fire departments, and Cobb Fire provides support for major fires and in special situations.
Crider said that given that the proposed East Cobb fire department would have only two stations serving a city with 25 square miles, “how much are we going to be relied on to provide support?”
Committee members didn’t question them, but some were concerned about another aspect of the bill, its governing structure.
According to the proposed East Cobb city charter, a six-member city council would be elected, with three members coming from three separate districts and three others elected at-large.
Council members would then choose a mayor among themselves to serve a two-year term.
Dollar said the reasoning behind that structure is that “we’re wary of one person coming in with a vision for East Cobb.
“We wanted this to be a true city council,” he said.
State Rep. Teri Anulewicz, a Democrat who formerly served on the Smyrna City Council, isn’t on the committee, but participated remotely.
She said such a structure could conceivably concentrate power to potentially having four council members from the same neighborhood, down to the level of a cul-de-sac.
“That’s not a city,” Anulewicz said. “That’s an HOA.”
But supporters of the bill from the Committee for East Cobb Cityhood reiterated points they made to the subcommittee Wednesday about the need for local representation closer to the community level.
Setzler questioned whether East Cobb residents now are getting an adequate level of police and fire services.
Craig Chapin, the cityhood group’s president, said he and other supporters don’t feel like their concerns are being heard on a Cobb Board of Commissioners whose four district members each represent nearly 200,000 people.
“This isn’t a criticism of Cobb or its leadership,” he said. “We want the ability to have local control.”
The next step for the cityhood bill will be to be placed on the calendar for the full House to consider.
Related content:
- East Cobb residents sound of on cityhood bill at hearing
- East Cobb Cityhood bill to get first legislative hearing
- Cityhood, reapportionment top 2022 Cobb legislative agenda
- East Cobb News Cityhood page
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