How to Watch Live Feed of Cobb County Commission Meeting July 9

Bob Ott

As he spends his last few months in office, Cobb commissioner Bob Ott is getting invited to speak about his 12-year tenure.

Ott addressed the East Cobb Area Council of the Cobb Chamber of Commerce last week, reviewing business and economic development, zoning and land use issues, infrastructure, health care, libraries, parks and more.

(You can watch his full presentation at this link).

"Indeed it has been a ride," said Ott, who announced in January he would not be seeking a fourth term.

Ott is a former president of the East Cobb Civic Association and served on the Cobb Planning Commission. In 2008, he defeated commissioner Joe Thompson, who had appointed him to that board.

The Republican who lives in the Powers Ferry-Terrell Mill area has represented District 2, which includes most of East Cobb as well as the Cumberland-Smyrna-Vinings area.

Ott said the biggest economic driver was the construction of the Atlanta Braves stadium, now called Truist Park, that he said has generated 22,000 jobs in the district.

"We didn't just get a stadium" he said, referencing the adjacent The Battery Atlanta development and the 22-story Thyssen-Krupp tower that's opening soon.

Another major development that he steered is the MarketPlace Terrell mixed-use project that's underway at Powers Ferry and Terrell Mill.

It's the centerpiece of the Powers Ferry corridor that was the subject of the first of four master plans that have been developed in District 2.

"If we get certain things to go, everything else will follow," he said, referring to nearby businesses that have upgraded, including a BP station across the road.

A Wendy's restaurant has opened at the MarketPlace Terrell Mill, with other restaurants and eateries coming on line soon, as well as an apartment complex. The anchor will be a Kroger superstore.

Ott said that in his time in office, 5,000 apartments have been built in District 2, with around 3,500 of them in the Cumberland/Battery area, "where they should be."

The other master plans included Vinings, design guidelines for the Johnson Ferry corridor and last week, when commissioners approved one for the Johnson Ferry-Shallowford area.

He said those plans include 60 percent of land in District 2, and give developers a solid guideline for developers.

For the most part, Ott said, "if they develop according to the master plan, the community is going to support it."

In November, District 2 voters will choose his successor. Republican Fitz Johnson, a Vinings resident who serves on the board of the WellStar Health System, will face Democrat Jerica Richardson, a first-time candidate who lives in the Delk Road area.

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Cobb Commissioner Bob Ott announced Tuesday he would be retiring at the end of the year. Last night, he distributed the text of his prepared statement that he made during the commission business meeting: Bob Ott, East Cobb Restaurant Row

It's hard to believe this is the 12th year I have had the honor and privilege to serve the people of District Two. As I reflect on those years during the holidays, I am so thankful for all of the people who help me every day.

None of this would be possible without the support of my best friend; my wife Judy. She along with Katie and Chris continue to accept the late nights and weekend phone calls that come with this job.

I also need to recognize all the volunteers and appointees who have accepted appointments to the numerous commissions and boards. Without them, Kim and I wouldn't be able to serve the citizens of District Two.

Many of them are now the chairs of their respective groups. Together, we were able to accomplish so much for our citizens. The challenges started early, and the group showed it was ready and willing to jump right in.

In 2009, we had the great flood. Less than nine months after starting as the commissioner, the county experienced what the experts say was a 750-year flood event. Parts of the district were under over 20-feet of water. The Chattahoochee River crested at 29-feet above flood stage. The citizens of the district, especially those along Columns Drive and in Vinings needed help. County staff literally came to their rescue.

There couldn't have been a worse time, as the county was feeling the effect of the Great Recession. Budget numbers went south, the county instituted furloughs, much to my disappointment. To many county employees it was a wake-up call that even Cobb County wasn't immune to the devastating impact of the recession. But out of all the down times, we got the commissioners to agree to the creation of a Citizens' Oversight Committee. They were tasked to look at all aspects of the county operations and recommend where things could be done a better way. Thank you to all the members of that committee.

Although it took some time for all the proposals to work their way into the system, eventually, the county started to pull out of the recession. Along with the recovery, there was a new SPLOST proposal, that for the first time was not the usual six years of questionable spending. With the help of Commissioner Powell, we cut the SPLOST to a four-year list of projects saving over $200 million.

The Braves will begin their fourth season at the new ballpark, soon to be renamed, Truist. As the new season begins, ThyssenKrupp's new tower is beginning to rise, and the final phase of The Battery is nearing completion.

These successes will bring more opportunity to the district. I look forward to what the future will bring to the county and the district.

So, today, I am officially announcing that I will not be running for re-election in November and will be retiring from the commission at the end of the year. I want to thank all of the citizens of District Two for allowing me the honor and the privilege of serving as your commissioner.

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Cobb commissioner Bob Ott, who has represented part of East Cobb since 2009, announced Tuesday he won't be seeking re-election to a fourth term.

Ott, a Republican who is the longest-serving member of the commission, made his announcement at the end of the board's business meeting on Tuesday.

He rattled off a long list of developments and accomplishments in District 2—which includes part of East Cobb and the Cumberland-Vinings area—during his tenure, reading from prepared remarks.

(READ: Ott's announcement that he's retiring)

His announcement appeared to have caught his colleagues by surprise.

"Wow," said commissioner JoAnn Birrell, who represents Northeast Cobb.

Chairman Mike Boyce said "I for one will miss you, and I say that with all genuineness. . . . I'm sure there will be time for accolades later," but Boyce said he looked forward to working with Ott through the end of the year.

Speaking later to East Cobb News, Ott said he decided a couple months ago he wouldn't be running again.

"It just seemed like the right time," said Ott, a Delta Air Lines pilot who turns 63 this year and must retire by the age of 65.

Ott, who travels on long haul routes to San Juan, Hawaii and Rome, said he wanted to enjoy the rest of his flying days as much as anything.

Ott said he told outgoing County Manager Rob Hosack and a few other people of his decision, but not his commission colleagues before Tuesday's announcement.

Ott got involved in civic affairs in East Cobb through the East Cobb Civic Association, which he served as president, was a member of the Cobb Board of Zoning Appeals and was appointed to the Cobb Planning Commission by former commissioner Joe Lee Thompson.

Ott challenged Thompson in the 2008 Republican primary and defeated the incumbent. He didn't have any opposition in seeking a second term in 2012. In 2016, Ott was opposed by attorney Jonathan Page, but prevailed in the Republican primary and did not have a Democratic foe.

Ott said his main reason for seeking a third term was to "see through" the opening of the new Atlanta Braves stadium in 2017.

This fall, Ott declined to indicate his future plans, saying he would make an announcement after the first of the year.

He's occasionally been regarded as a possible candidate for chairman, including for the upcoming 2020 election, and sparred regularly with Boyce and previous chairman Tim Lee.

He said he thought "a little bit" about running for chairman this year but decided against it. Boyce and South Cobb Commissioner Lisa Cupid have announced they're running for chairman.

Larry Savage, an East Cobb resident who ran for chairman as a Republican in 2012 and 2016, is running for chairman for a third time.

Ott said he understands why some have thought he's harbored larger political ambitions, but cited a quote from Ronald Reagan, about what can be accomplished without caring who gets the credit.

"This has never been about me," Ott said. "It's been about serving the people of this district."

"I'm not surprised that he's looking for some downtime after three pretty intense terms as commissioner," said Linda Carver, outgoing chairwoman of the East Cobb Civic Association. "We appreciate the positive things he's done for District 2 and the county."

In recent months, Ott also has deflected speculation that he might be interested in running for mayor in a possible City of East Cobb (in what's now a stalled cityhood effort).

Former 6th District U.S. Rep. Karen Handel, who's close to Ott, called him "one of the finest public servants I have ever known. He leads with integrity and great care, always putting the interests of the people he serves first."

She cited his work in addressing Cobb's opioid crisis (the county has the highest overdose rate in the state) with awareness and prevention programs.

During his remarks, Ott recalled entering office just as major flooding hit Cobb County, along with the recession that forced budget cuts and prompted staffing furloughs he says he opposed.

He pointed to the creation of the Cobb Citizens Oversight Committee to recommend budgeting and spending priorities in the wake of the recession, and touted the creation of the first citizen-led master plans in the county, including the Powers Ferry, Johnson Ferry and Shallowford-Johnson Ferry corridors.

Addressing growth and revitalization in those and other areas and improving communications with constituents are among what Ott said are his most satisfying accomplishments.

He's held many town hall meetings, launched a newsletter and has hosted a TV show on Cobb's public government access channel and a podcast on the county website.

Ott said he doesn't have any future civic activities lined up for now, but that "you don't just walk away. I don't plan on moving."

Ott said another reason for stepping aside now is that he feels that "you want to leave with things better than when you got it. Some things are a lot better than when we got them."

Among the lingering challenges for the commission is grappling with public safety staffing shortages and county employee pension obligations.

Declared candidates for the District 2 seat include Democrat Jerica Richardson,who announced in July and who has not run for office before, and Lloyd "Shane" Deyo of East Cobb, who did not indicate a party affiliation.

An Ott appointee said Tuesday he'll be seeking to replace him.

Republican Andy Smith of East Cobb, named to the Cobb Planning Commission in 2018, has not formally declared his candidacy.

The owner of a commercial interior construction company in East Cobb, Smith said he's previously told Ott—with whom he attended high school in New Jersey—of his desire to run for commissioner at some point.

Smith, who's been involved in community service work through Mt. Bethel United Methodist Church, said he doesn't have a specific set of priorities for his campaign for now.

"I have the desire, and I think I have the time," Smith said. "I see this as an opportunity to give back to the community."

Smith also has served on the Cobb Neighborhood Safety Commission.

Candidates for office in Cobb must qualify in early March, and Smith would have to resign from the planning board upon filing his paperwork.

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Cobb Fire Station 12

The purchase of three parcels of land on Canton Road for a new Cobb Fire Station 12 is on the Cobb Board of Commissioners agenda next Tuesday.

The current station, located at 810 Brackett Road in the Shaw Park area, is 55 years old. It's one of four stations in the Northeast Cobb area but the only one serving the Canton Road corridor.

On the agenda is a request to purchase property located at 3852, 3592, and 3686 Canton Road owned by Chastain, LLC, and to be assembled with a parcel at 3587 Centerview Drive, which also is on the agenda.

According tothe agenda item, the total purchase price for the three Canton Road properties is $1.1 million. They are located on the east side of Canton Road, between Kensington Drive and Chastain Corners Road.

The purchase price for the Centerview Drive property, currently owned by the Cochran Family Trust, is $263,000.

The cost to construct a new facility is estimated to be $4.1 million.

Also on Tuesday's meeting agenda is a request from Cobb DOT to condemn four parcels of land for the planned Windy Hill-Terrell Mill Connector. DOT says that while negotiations continue with property owners, condemnation is needed for right of way acquisition if talks fall through.

The four parcels are 1.4 acres at 1557 Terrell Mill Road (Forest Ridge at Terrell Mill Apartments), and 1,206 square feet each at three townhomes located at 1631 Turnberry Lane, 1617 Turnberry Lane and 1613 Turnberry Lane.

The land is located near the northern portion of the road project, close to its intersection with Terrell Mill Road.

It would be the second such condemnation of property in the path of the Connector, an 0.8-mile stretch. Commissioners voted in November to condemn portions of apartment complexes near Windy Hill Road.

Tuesday's meeting begins at 9 a.m. in the second floor board room at the Cobb government building, 100 Cherokee St., downtown Marietta. The full meeting agenda can be found here.

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Cobb commissioner JoAnn Birrell has been sworn in for her third term in office.

Birrell, a Republican who represents District 3, took the oath on Wednesday at the Northeast Cobb Business Association luncheon at Piedmont Church. Cobb commissioner Birrell sworn in

She narrowly defeated Democrat Caroline Holko in the November elections, receiving a little more than 51 percent of the vote. Birrell, who was first elected in 2010, thanked her constituents and supporters in her weekly newsletter on Friday:

"Together, we have brought new businesses to the district, connected neighbors through various homeowner associations, worked to ensure we are fiscally responsible stewards of your tax dollars, added parks/green space, and supported our public safety team who is second to none. There are not enough words to express my gratitude to you for being so engaged, passionate, and supportive of our community."

Birrell also has been appointed to serve as vice chair of the Cobb Board of Commissioners in 2019. That appointment was made by chairman Mike Boyce.

The only other commission election this year was in District 1 in North Cobb, where incumbent Bob Weatherford was defeated by Keli Gambrill. She also was sworn in this week.

The new terms for Birrell and Gambrill officially begin in January.

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East Cobb Lions Club

From the office of Cobb Commissioner JoAnn Birrell, who recognized the East Cobb Lions Club at Tuesday's meeting:

The East Cobb Lions Club has a legacy of service that spans 60 years! They received their charter July 14, 1958 from the Lions Clubs International to serve the eastern portions of Cobb County. The East Cobb Lions have conducted fundraisers of every kind and have worked tirelessly to benefit the citizens of East Cobb and Cobb County.

Their efforts over the past 60 years helped lead the expansion of the Cobb County Library System and they have been vigilant in providing eye exams and glasses for countless children and adults.

The East Cobb Lions' work is not limited to services in Georgia for they have provided training and dog guides which restore independence and mobility through Leader Dogs for the Blind in Rochester Hills, MI and Southeastern Guide Dogs in Palmetto, FL.

As part of their greater mission they support Lions Clubs International Foundation which provides disaster relief both within our state and internationally and works to eradicate measles and preventable causes of blindness throughout the world.

For the last 34 years, the East Cobb Lions Club also has delivered Meals on Wheels on Christmas Day to needy families throughout Cobb County.

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A Bells Ferry Road senior living development was approved Tuesday by the Cobb Board of Commissioners, on a chunk of green space that's been eyed for a variety of uses over the years.

They voted to rezone 35.8 acres of low-density residential land on Bells Ferry Road and North Booth Road at I-575 for 155 single-family, detached homes for seniors 55 and older. Here's the agenda item packet.

The vote was 4-0, with commissioner Bob Ott absent.

It was one of two major zoning cases on Tuesday's agenda that asked for the Residential Senior Living (RSL) category, which is becoming a more frequent request from developers in Cobb.

There was no formal opposition to the application by Jim Chapman Communities Inc., which had initially proposed 178 units. The homes will range between 1,600 and 2,400 square feet and will have an attached two-car garage. The request was supported by the Bells Ferry Civic Association.

District 3 commissioner JoAnn Birrell of Northeast Cobb wanted to have the case heard due to some e-mails she had received.

Before making a motion to approve the request, she noted that the land had drawn the interest of developers for other types of development, including commercial, which she opposed to due nearby residential communities.

The land is located across North Booth Road from Chalker Elementary School. She also said the property had been nominated to be purchased as county parkland, but that use was rejected.

"The applicant asked for what we wanted," Birrell said of the Jim Chapman proposal. "RSL is the best fit for this area."

Among the stipulations as part of the rezoning include a right turn lane to be built from Bells Ferry Road southbound onto North Booth Road, and for sidewalks to be constructed along the frontage for both roads.

Before that case, commissioners approved a similar rezoning near Powder Springs, for 123 senior homes on 53 acres on Old Lost Mountain Road, that drew opposition from nearby residents for traffic and density reasons.

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Sewell Park baseball renovations

Renovations to a concession stand building and some dugouts at Sewell Park are being proposed at Tuesday night's Cobb Board of Commissioners meeting.

The Cobb Parks and Recreation Department says the upgrades have been earmarked in the 2011 SPLOST at a combined cost of $45,191, based on low bids received.

Needed enovations tothe main concession stand building include restroom and storage space upgrades, as well as a new paint job and replacing windows. It overlooks Field 3, the main tournament field for the East Marietta National Little League.

Another agenda item would replace the dugout roofs at fields 5A and 5B, which are used for younger age-level games. Those dugouts currently have fabric tarp roofs that require maintenance and replacement. The proposed new roofs are metal.

Also on Tuesday, another item would appropriate $324,989.80 in existing 2016 SPLOST funds for the installation of a playground at Mabry Park, which has been under construction on Wesley Chapel Road since earlier this year.

It's considered the centerpiece of the park, and the Mabry Park Master Plan calls for a farm theme for the playground to conform to the surroundings that were once park of the Mabry family farm.

Commissioners also will be asked to spend $89,520 in 2016 SPLOST funds for master planning services for land purchased recently with 2008 parks bond money, including 18.3 acres on Ebenezer Road.

On the consent agenda is an item for the commissioners to approve a new Cobb parks master plan for 2018-2028, an action thatwas delayed from earlier this summer.

One other item that's sports-and-rec related: At the start of the meeting commissioners will recognize the Sandy Plains Prowlers 12-under baseball team, which recently had a standout tournament in Cooperstown, N.Y.,that we wrote about earlier.

Tuesday's meeting starts at 7 p.m. in the 2nd floor board room of the Cobb government building, 100 Cherokee St. in downtown Marietta.

The agenda is long and hefty, since a previous business meeting scheduled for this month was cancelled. You can read all that's on tap here, and we'll be reporting on some of those actions.

Every Sunday we round up the week's top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you're good to go!

Whenever the subject of a Cobb tax increase comes up, those who say "no" the loudest and most often quite often have prevailed.

Especially after I returned to the county in 1990, the "nos" have frequently had the ear of elected officials.

They have done almost anything to heed those citizens who urge them to: Cut wasteful spending. Impose a hiring freeze. Take care of needs instead of wants. Live within your means, just like we do.

These have been the bedrock principles of low-tax conservatism for as long as I can remember growing up in Cobb County.

Cobb became a magnet for new residents and businesses in large part because of low taxes. That's still a big attraction, but so are good government services and schools. As a result, Cobb's explosive growth, especially in the last 30 years, has generated another constituency.

These citizens, coming from all across the county, and representing many demographic and socioeconomic classes and interest levels, effectively countered the "no" forces during the budget deliberations that concluded this week with a general fund property tax rate increase of 1.7 mills.