Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Cobb Commissioners voted 3-2 Tuesday to accept a state grant to establish the county's first mental health court.
The Cobb Board of Commissioners gave the green light to funding the county’s first mental health court Tuesday. The board voted 3-2 to accept a state grant to create the mental health court, with commissioners Helen Goreham and Bob Ott opposed. The new court will be overseen by Cobb Superior Court Judge Mary Staley, using a $53,615 state grant commissioners accepted for the remainder of the fiscal year through June 30, said county chairman Tim Lee. Lee said the current grant can pay for 10 participants, but it is uncertain whether a second grant will be given to the county for the next fiscal year until more state guidelines come out in June. Last year, the state gave $353,676 in grants to 20 courts including the Cobb Family Dependency …
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
The county approved Tuesday to hire Willie A. Hopkins, Jr. as its new support services director, and tabled court officials' request of a grant to fund the county’s first mental health court.
The Cobb Board of Commissioners recognized volunteers and community leaders, and made a new hire to its management team Tuesday. The board approved the appointment of Willie A. Hopkins, Jr., the assistant city manager of Pompano Beach, Florida and former director of general services for Fulton County, as Cobb's new support services director. The position manages a staff of 320 people in the area of property management, information services purchasing, and government service centers. Former director Virgil Moon retired last September to become the chief financial officer at Cobb and Douglas Public Health. Hopkins is expected to start in his new role on April 15, and receive a salary of $136,000, said Cobb County spokesman Robert Quigley. …
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Chairman Tim Lee said the county is in strong financial standing.
Cobb County was recently recognized for its fiscal responsibility by the top three bond rating agencies, Fitch Ratings, Moody’s and Standard and Poor’s. Fitch assigned its highest rating for tax anticipation notes issued to Cobb, and also affirmed the AAA rating on bonds issued by Cobb Solid Waste Management Authority. The rating agency stated in a press release that the county’s “general fund operating results were strongly positive for the second consecutive year in fiscal 2012.” According to Cobb Commission Chairman Tim Lee, some of the key rating drivers include sound cash flows, stable operating results, low debt, credit profile, a favorable economic profile and budgetary balance in fiscal 2013 and 2014. "This confirms the county’s …
Monday, February 18, 2013
Check out the latest updates on road constructions, delays and detours around Cobb County.
Here are the latest updates on road work being done around Cobb County, according to Commissioners Bob Ott, Helen Goreham, JoAnn Birrell and Lisa Cupid. Davidson Road to Willow Point Pkwy Willow Point Pkwy to Timber Ridge Road Karls Gate Drive to Lake Fjord Pass GDOT I-285 Top-End Resurfacing Project Expect delays as Georgia DOT continues working on a $56 million resurfacing project on I-285. Crews will resurface 10 miles of I-285 between Paces Ferry Road in Cobb County and Ashford Dunwoody Road in DeKalb County. Most work will take place nights and weekends. The project is scheduled to complete in August 2013. Click here for more information. Detour Scheduled for Multi-use Trail From Monday, Feb. 18, to Monday, March 11, parts of the …
Thursday, January 31, 2013
The four-year 1 percent sales tax will be collected until December 2015 and must be spent on voter approved projects.
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Thursday, January 31
The Cobb Board of Commissioners recently approved several items funded through the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax. These actions included: County staff and Acworth Mayor Tommy Allegood also provided commissioners with an update on collections and expenditures from the current SPLOST. This four-year 1 percent sales tax will be collected until December 2015 and must be spent on voter approved projects. Each quarter the county commission receives an update on collections and expenditures. Click here to watch the presentation.
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Fernando Wise was removed after refusing to give his name during a public hearing.
A Cobb County man was released after being escorted from the Cobb Board of Commissioner's meeting Tuesday night in handcuffs when he refused to give his name during a public hearing. "There is nothing in the first amendment requiring me to give my name to speak," Fernando Wise said. Chairman Tim Lee, who asked Cobb County police officers to remove Wise from the meeting room, said there are processes and procedures that must be followed. "I apologize it has to come to this, but we must be consistent," he said. Members of the standing room only crowd yelled, "Let him go!" as Wise was escorted from the room. In the foyer, residents in favor of allowing backyard poultry in Cobb County - of which Wise's father, Lamar, is a member - gathered, …
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
The revocation comes after an employee with an expired permit sold alcohol to a minor.
A Marietta convenience store has lost its beer, wine and Sunday sales licenses after an employee was caught selling alcohol to a minor. The Cobb County Board of Commissioners voted Tuesday to follow the recommendation from the License Review Board and revoke the licenses for the Roswell Road Food Mart located at 3782 Roswell Road following an almost two-and-a-half hour hearing, during which the cashier, Kazi Hossain, admitted to overriding the cash register's safety measures to make the sale without entering a birth date. "It is my belief that the License Review Board's recommendations are warranted," said Commissioner Bob Ott, who represents the area where the convenience store is located. Sgt. Amie Herd with the Cobb County Sheriff's …
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
The roundabout at Holly Springs and Davis roads was completed this summer.
Although some Cobb residents weren't sure what to think about a roundabout installed at the intersection of Holly Springs and Davis roads, District 3 Commissioner Joann Birrell said during Tuesday night's Board of Commissioner's meeting that she has heard nothing but positive feedback since the project has been finished. "Not everyone was sure about it when we started," Birrell said. "It's been a great improvement." The Board of Commissioners on Tuesday approved a final change order for the project with a savings to Cobb County of $47,577.68, which was due to variations between the original and final plan quantities, including an overrun in construction allowance. The project was an intersection safety and operational improvement project …
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
JoAnn Birrell was joined by Commissioner Bob Ott in opposition to the vote.
The two commissioners who voted against a property tax increase last year voted against maintaining the rate at 11.11 mills. “I couldn’t justify voting to keep it the same if I didn’t vote to raise it last year,” Commissioner JoAnn Birrell said, according to the Marietta Daily Journal. The Board of Commissioners voted 3-2 to keep Cobb County’s property taxes as is. Birrell was joined by Commissioner Bob Ott in opposition to the vote. Before the meeting District 2 Commissioner Bob Ott, who represents East Cobb and Smyrna-Vinings, told The Marietta Daily Journal he will vote against maintaining the same rate because it preserves last year's millage rate increase. The property tax rate will remain 7.72 mills for general fund, 3.06 mills for …
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Cobb County Commissioners awarded contracts for several local construction projects.
The Cobb Board of Commissioners awarded contracts for four Northeast Cobb construction projects and recognized the Georgia DOT (GDOT) for their assistance with a fifth during their regular meeting Tuesday morning. GDOT will be assisting Cobb County to construct a diverging diamond interchange at Interstate 75 and Wade Green Road. Jeff Lewis, GDOT board member, praised the Commissioners for their good working relationship and described the benefits of the new interchange, citing the similar interchange at Ashford-Dunwoody Road. According to Lewis, the Ashford-Dunwoody interchange reduces the number of traffic conflict points by 50 percent. The Wade Green interchange is projected to reduce traffic signal waiting times by 60 percent and to …
