Ever since police and fire services were included in a financial feasibility study for the proposed City of East Cobb in November, supporters of the initiative have been posed a continuing question:
Why?
When the cityhood effort was revived in 2021, the Committee for East Cobb Cityhood said it had considered public feedback in proposing what’s called a “city light” set of services—planning and zoning, code enforcement and parks and recreation.
New concerns had been raised since the initial cityhood effort began three years before, especially high-density zoning cases. An adult retail store opened on Johnson Ferry Road in June 2020, after skirting code issues to get a business license.
For most of last year, as they conducted virtual information sessions with the public and commissioned the feasibility study, cityhood proponents didn’t mention public safety.
Eligible voters in the proposed City of East Cobb will decide on May 24 on whether to form a new city, made up of around 60,000 people and centered along the Johnson Ferry Road corridor.
Three other proposed new cities in Cobb—Lost Mountain, Vinings and Mableton—are sticking with “city light” services designed to preserve those communities or enhance desired redevelopment.
Police and fire services were included in the initial East Cobb cityhood campaign that was abandoned at the end of 2019.
But as the East Cobb cityhood group met with community members last year, public safety “continued to come up in various ways,” said spokeswoman Cindy Cooperman.
They’ve also held information meetings with neighborhood, civic and business groups over the past year, and she said that public safety “continues to be a consistent theme.”
During a special Feb. 16 Cobb Board of Commissioners work session, county public safety officials said the information provided thus far about proposed police and fire services in East Cobb isn’t sufficient.
They said they’re concerned about increased response times and are uncertain about what they may be asked to do in support (see map at right).
When asked about concerns over the expenses involved in having public safety, Cooperman said “I get that. But the [feasibility] study looks at comparable cities . . . that have done it over the long haul.”
Specifically, those include Milton and Johns Creek in North Fulton, which both have police and fire services.
“It’s not that risky,” Cooperman said, and referred to a recent interview with the East Cobb cityhood study researcher about how the feasibility process works.
While a feasibility study isn’t a budget, the East Cobb study doesn’t detail public safety salary and benefit costs, nor continuing training and equipment expenses.
The East Cobb cityhood group has worked up a page with fire and emergency services information in part to counter a cityhood page created by Cobb government that cityhood leaders includes misleading information.
The East Cobb group explains how mutual aid agreements would be worked out over the two-year transition period, and that the new city would contract with the county for police and fire services in the interim.
But that page doesn’t indicate how an East Cobb fire department would be structured. There’s been speculation that East Cobb may follow the City of Roswell, which has many rank-and-file firefighters serving in moonlighting roles from other departments.
Cooperman said while she’s heard those rumors, the transition period would provide the time for “experts in the field” to work through those details.
It’s a process, she said, “that isn’t something new.”
The late changes to the proposed city services and governing structure have prompted complaints by an opposition group, the East Cobb Alliance.
The East Cobb cityhood bill sponsored by former State Rep. Matt Dollar was changed three times in the legislature, including moving the referendum from November to May, and having the mayor elected citywide after the initial bill called for council members to choose a mayor among themselves.
East Cobb Alliance leader Mindy Seger also testified before the Georgia legislature that having the vote six months earlier than originally planned won’t give voters time to “thoroughly vet the proposal and the impact it will have on our community.
“Why the rush?” she said when contacted by East Cobb News after the bill had been approved, and after Dollar stepped down from his seat.
“It’s been 4 years, 3 maps, 2 feasibility studies, 2 House bills and one untimely resignation of the legislative sponsor,” said Seger.
“The simple referendum language doesn’t begin to encompass the full weight and responsibility of incorporation and the lasting impact to our community..”
Related:
- East Cobb Cityhood group to hold in-person town hall
- East Cobb Cityhood bill signed into law; May referendum set
- Cobb officials question East Cobb police and fire proposals
- East Cobb Cityhood bill gets final passage in Ga. legislature
- Cobb government, Cityhood advocates ramp up talking points
- East Cobb Cityhood bill passes Senate; returns to House
- Editor’s Note: Why the rush with Cobb Cityhood bills?
- Cupid speaks out on cityhood, redistricting issues
- East Cobb News Cityhood page
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So who will represent those not within the new city but nevertheless affected by the change in service (region CC1 in the map above) at these “mutual aid agreements”? The new city has no incentive to absorb the cost of continuing this 911/emergency/fire service. The state would like to see negotiations, but don’t require services to continue.
Also, Part 2, from Cooperman: “The East Cobb group explains how mutual aid agreements would be worked out over the two-year transition period, and that the new city would contract with the county for police and fire services in the interim.”
I have yet to find any requirement in Georgia State Law that says the County will be required to agree to any kind of “aid agreement.”
Also…fun fact, “mutual aid” implies that an East Cobb City FD could provide aid to the County.
The fact is, the City FD won’t be able to help itself, and they won’t be on the same 911-service system as Cobb County FD…so the County won’t be calling on the City FD for assistance.
And, the County has already estimated the amount of money it will cost the City at minimum: nearly $12.4 million.
Taking into consideration that the new City budget only provides $5.7 million….that seems to indicate the absolute minimum “aid agreement” will be to cost the new City at least $6.7 million in operating costs per year.
Here is a link to the County’s documents, and if you look down to “Public Safety Cityhood FAQs”, and under “Fire Coverage” for East Cobb:
https://www.cobbcounty.org/communications/info-center/cityhood
Correction. What was: “…that seems to indicate the absolute minimum “aid agreement” will be to cost the new City at least $6.7 million in operating costs per year.”
Should be: “…that seems to indicate the absolute minimum “aid agreement” will be to cost the new City at least $6.7 million additionally in operating costs per year.”
But, by all means, listen and rely on a GSU “researcher” (sic) who doesn’t know how to read basic OCGA law that defines what a “Fire Station” is considered to be….and, hint, the legal definition does not include the movable fire engines:
O.C.G.A. 36-31-11.1(2): “Fire station” means any property or facility that is located wholly within the territory of a qualified municipality, owned by the county or subject to a lease-purchase or installment sale arrangement by the county, and used by the county as of the date immediately prior to the date the local Act incorporating a qualified municipality became law to provide fire protection services authorized by Article IX, Section II, Paragraph III(a)(1) of the Constitution. Such term shall include any buildings, fixtures, or other improvements on such property or in such facilities.”
Nowhere does it say in this law that “personal property” like fire engines are included in the definition of a Fire Station.
Has anyone from the pro-Cityhood Committee bothered to meet with the Cobb County Fire Department?
Also, this comment here by Cooperman is interesting: “Specifically, those include Milton and Johns Creek in North Fulton, which both have police and fire services.”
Because, both Milton and Johns Creek ended-up BUYING their fire engines when they started their departments (proof provided shortly).
Also, both Johns Creek and Milton had a much larger commercial business base than the proposed City of East Cobb does. Without that commercial base to contribute more tax dollars to the city budget, the burden will be huge on the residential taxpayers.
Here is an excerpt from the Johns Creek CAFR from FY 2008, where they disclose they purchased fire engines:
https://eastcobballiance.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/FY2008-JohnsCreek-FireDepartment-Truck-Purchases.jpg
Here is an excerpt from the Milton’s CAFR from FY 2007, where they disclose they purchased fire engines:
https://eastcobballiance.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/FY-2007-City-of-Milton-FireEngines-Extract-JPG1.jpg
So…we get back to the argument by East Cobb Alliance that if the City passes, the City will find itself buying new fire trucks…and fire trucks are expensive, and with the predicted INFLATION that will occur over the next 2 years…y’all can expect $5-$7 million for the cost:
https://eastcobballiance.com/2022-cityhood-analysis/fire-department-reality/