Welcome

Welcome to our second newsletter! This will be published every Thursday, following the two monthly Board of Commissioner meetings that take place on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month.

If you're new to our newsletter, you'll find a lot of exciting news about the campaign, the maps, and other important events happening around Cobb County. This platform will keep you updated about upcoming campaign events and essential issues in the county. Additionally, we'll share critical meeting recaps, including those from the Board of Commissioners meetings, zoning meetings, and the significant Elections meetings that will be taking place in 2024.

Campaign News

The Kevin For Cobb campaign continues to be focused on its core mission of empowering the community with accurate information on how the county operates and the resources available to everyone.

During this journey, I have been asked numerous questions regarding the happenings in the county, such as "What is the progress on this project?" "How can we get help with this issue?" and "What steps are the county taking to solve this problem?". To answer these questions, I have met with nearly all of the directors of Cobb County’s agencies and departments.

You can follow @KevinForCobb on Facebook, Instagram, and X to learn about what I have discovered regarding each county agency and how they affect our lives.

Regarding the Board of Commissioners map, we are still waiting on a final ruling from the Supreme Court of Georgia. If the case remains on the expedited timeline, we expect to hear something by the end of this month.

Here is the statement I made in January about the Superior Court’s decision:

“While the recent court decision has created some uncertainty about our district lines, I remain committed to representing my community as a commissioner and working with you to create positive change for our future.”

What’s Happening in the District 

Have you ever taken a tour of Hyde Farm in East Cobb?

This Cobb County Park offers a glimpse into the area's agricultural past, spanning over a century of farming history. The farm is 135 acres with features including a trial to the Chattahoochee River, terraced agricultural fields, a lake with Catch & Release fishing, and original structures used by the Hyde family that lived there until 2004

On the second Saturday of each month, you can take a guided walking tour to explore the farm's historical and natural elements.

During last summer’s annual Fishing Rodeo at Hyde Farm, as the District 2 Community Cabinet East Cobb Liaison, I organized the Cobb Family Day for the community. Here's a video I made of the event…

What’s Happening in the County 

Cobb County is celebrating Black History Month with several events, including seminars, exhibits, and cultural festivals. Notably, a seminar on the Tuskegee Airmen, titled "Flying for a Double Victory," was presented at KSU’s Museum of History, focusing on the experiences of the first Black pilots in the U.S. military. There was also an African American Inventors Exhibit at Sewell Mill Library, showcasing inventions by African Americans.

The Cobb 4-H plant sale has kicked off. This event is part of an annual initiative titled "Bee the Change," aimed at supporting pollinators and Cobb 4-H youth development programs. It involves the pre-sale of plants, with the pickup scheduled for March 16 at the Jim Miller Park covered pavilion. This fundraiser supports a great cause and encourages community members to contribute to local youth and environmental stewardship efforts.

The Big Story 

The Lower Roswell Road 2011 SPLOST project (Project #E6020) was delayed again at this past Tuesday’s Board of Commissioner’s meeting. Commissioner Richardson tabled the project’s motions on the agenda so the community and affected businesses could have more time for input.

Currently, this project is in its fourth redesign based on community input from the following meetings:

- November 2012, Public Information Open House
- January 2013, Public Information Open House
- November 2017, Stakeholder Engagement Meeting
- July 2019, Stakeholder Engagement Meeting
- April 2021, Public Information Open House
- June 2022, Stakeholder Engagement Meeting
- August 2022, East Cobb Civic Association Meeting
- October 2022, Public Information Open House
- June 2023, Public Information Open House
- September 2023, Indian Hills Civic Association Meeting

Cobb DOT states, “This project will provide safety and operational improvements through a combination of intersection improvements, raised medians, and a multi-use trail.  A raised median along Lower Roswell Road between Johnson Ferry and Davidson Road will reduce left turn conflicts and therefore reduce the number of angular crashes.”

“It’s really about safety,” the DOT says. “This portion of Lower Roswell Road has a crash rate approximately 4.5 times higher than the statewide average for the years 2015 through 2017. The crash rate along Lower Roswell Road within the project limits (half-mile section) is approximately 2,900 crashes per 100 million vehicle miles. The statewide average for similar facilities is approximately 640 crashes per 100 million vehicle miles. Intersection delays and traffic congestion play a role in these crashes and have a negative impact on vehicles trying to make turning movements during the AM and PM peak travel periods. The real purpose of this project is to provide safety and operational improvements to Lower Roswell Road from Woodlawn Drive to Davidson Road. Alternatives were evaluated based on potential crash reductions, capacity, probable costs, property impacts, property access and improving pedestrian/bicycle accommodations. The preferred alternative was identified as having the best balance of these considerations.”

This is a very visible project for the community that lives and commutes through this area. I will keep you posted on any new details as they become available.

Meetings Recap 

The February 13, 2024, Cobb County Board of Commissioners meeting included various items such as recognitions, grants applications, public hearings, and consent agenda items across multiple departments, including the District Attorney, Superior Court Administration, Juvenile Court, Water System, Transportation, Parks, Library System, Senior Services, and others. Additionally, there were items related to public safety, including donations to the Fire and Emergency Services and various contractual agreements for services and construction projects.

Aside from the Lower Roswell Road project, the other item that took up a lot of time was the discussion around the Finance agenda item regarding reallocating the Chairwoman’s contingency funds over to her operating funds. After some robust discussion, it was agreed that the expenditures would go through the same procurement process, and the item was passed 4-1 (Gambrill voting no)

The new Elections Director, Tate Fall, made the most notable agenda item. She asked the Board for three new full-time positions: a GIS Analyst, a Communications Specialist, and an Elections & Registration Division Manager. According to Fall, each of these positions will fill crucial gaps in their ability to carry out their duties effectively. With no debate, this item passed 4-1 (Gambrill voting no).

Important Dates

February 21st: Board of Commissioners Zoning Meeting

February 28th: Board of Commissioners Regular Meeting

March 7th: Planning Commission Zoning Hearing

March 14th: Solid Waste Management Authority Annual Meeting

March 14th: Board of Commissioners Regular Meeting