Welcome

“Who left the fridge open?” Winter is still definitely here, and I hope those of you on Winter Break this week have managed to stay warm and enjoy (yet another) break from school.

A quick election update: The Special Primary for County Commission Districts 2 and 4 was held on February 11th. District 4’s Democratic and Republican candidates were chosen for the upcoming General election, as well as District 2’s Republican candidate. However, the District 2 Democratic race is heading to a runoff! Erick Allen and Jaha Howard are asking D2 voters to return to the polls on March 11th.

Anyone who pulled a Democratic ballot for the Primary OR anyone who did not vote in the Primary may vote in the runoff. Advance voting and Election Day details are on the Cobb Elections website.

What’s Happening in the District 

Cobb Library Spring Book Sale!

From the Cobb County Public Library website:

“It's the moment you've been waiting for! The Spring Book Sale will be held at Cobb Civic Center March 7-9, 2025.

Materials for sale include books for all ages in both hardcover and paperback, DVDs, Books on CD and audiocassette, magazines, and puzzles. Prices range from 10 cents to $4.00.

Find a price list here.

Cobb Civic Center is at 548 South Marietta Pkwy SE, Marietta, GA 30060. Hours for the sale are Friday and Saturday from 9 am to 5 pm and Sunday from 1 pm to 5 pm. There is plenty of free parking.

Acceptable forms of payment are debit, credit, cash, and checks -- Visa and MasterCard only.

On Friday, until 1 pm, electronic (scanning) devices are not permitted. While we hope you will buy lots of materials, we are only able to sell up to 2 boxes of items at a time on Friday until 1 pm. Please plan to pay and take items to your vehicle before coming in to shop some more.

On Sunday, we will be working to sell out the Civic Center, so please come to buy, buy, buy!

Sunday is BYOB (Bring Your Own Box) Day: fill any size box (you can bodily get back to your car) for a flat rate -- $10 upper level only; $20 lower level only; $20 mixed.

All profits from this book sale go directly to buying more items for Cobb County Public Library’s 15 branches and bookmobile. For more information, please visit cobbcat.org.”

Community Spotlight 

I’ve put a spotlight on this before, but I thought it was worth bringing back up as the needs are only growing. My neighbor Carolyn Benkowitz introduced me to a wonderful group called PORCH Communities. It is a grassroots organization with over 2000 volunteers across 10 states and over 550 neighborhoods. They are mobilizing to create sustainable hunger relief programs in their local areas. Carolyn stepped up to be a coordinator for our neighborhood, and there are opportunities for you to help as well.

How does it work?

• Once a month, neighbors set food out on their front porch

• Volunteers collect donations from the porches

• Volunteers sort and deliver food to designated pantries and partners

How can you help?

• Donate non-perishable goods through their monthly food drives

• Give contributions to help support local food purchases

• Volunteer at a PORCH event

The Big Story 

This month, Dr. Michael Cunningham was appointed the new Cobb County Fire Chief, becoming the seventh person to hold this position in the county's history. The Cobb County Board of Commissioners confirmed his appointment and acknowledged his twenty years of service with Cobb Fire. His career began in 2005 as a firefighter, and he has since advanced through various roles, including Chief of Staff. His official tenure as Fire Chief started on February 17th.

Dr. Cunningham served in the U.S. Air Force and holds a doctorate in psychology and multiple degrees in computer science and professional aeronautics. He has also completed leadership programs at the University of Georgia and participated in Leadership Cobb.

During his confirmation, Dr. Cunningham said, "To the men and women of this department, I am truly honored to stand alongside you and uphold our tradition of excellence in service to this community. I'm excited about the future."

Cobb County's Public Safety Director, Michael Register, applauded Dr. Cunningham's appointment, stating, "I believe we have one of the greatest fire services in the country, and I know you are honored to lead it."

He succeeds Fire Chief Bill Johnson, who retired in late 2024 after a distinguished 30 year career with Cobb Fire. Mr. Johnson implemented several key initiatives that improved the department's operational efficiency and community engagement. His leadership was characterized by a commitment to innovation and the professional development of the department's personnel.

BOC Meeting Recap 

The Cobb County Board of Commissioners held their Regular Meeting on February 11th 9:00am. The meeting began by recognizing the Budget Division of the Finance Department for receiving the Government Finance Officers of America's Distinguished Budget Presentation Award, highlighting the County's commitment to financial transparency and accountability. Public hearings were conducted regarding the South Cobb Water Reclamation Facility Biosolids Thickening System Replacement and the opt-out of the statewide adjusted base year ad valorem homestead exemption.

The consent agenda featured a wide range of approvals and community-focused initiatives. Notable items included grant applications for the Cobb County Mental Health Court, Veterans Accountability and Treatment Court, Drug Treatment Court, and various juvenile and DUI court programs. The Board also approved agreements for water and sewer infrastructure improvements, including final funding for stormwater management projects. Transportation enhancements were advanced with resolutions supporting the CobbLinc Agency Safety Plan and the preliminary engineering design for Villa Rica Road at Irwin Road. Additionally, several parks and senior services initiatives and technology updates for county-wide surveillance and access control systems were funded.

During the regular agenda, the Board prioritized key infrastructure projects, approving contracts for East-West Connector Corridor Improvements and significant developments within the Cumberland Sweep. Multiple agreements were secured with the Georgia Department of Transportation and the Cumberland Community Improvement District to enhance transportation connectivity. Parks projects included concrete replacement, fence upgrades, and electrical improvements at Rhyne Park. The meeting concluded with appointments to the Board of Family and Children Services and the Neighborhood Safety Commission, along with a community development hearing on an alcoholic beverage license application.

Important Dates

February 25th: Board of Commissioners Regular Meeting

March 3rd - 7th: Advance voting for County Commission District 2 Special Primary Runoff

March 11th: Election Day for County Commission District 2 Special Primary Runoff

March 11th: Board of Commissioners Regular Meeting