including 18 years in Cobb Schools, Mike Cappucci is stepping into his newest role as principal of Mableton Elementary School. His journey from school aide to school leader reflects his deep commitment to supporting students at every level and building a school culture rooted in collaboration and incredible potential,” shared Principal Cappucci “I am truly honored to join this amazing team and student has a unique role to play in creating a culture of excellence—and I’m excited to partner with the Mableton community.”  Principal Cappucci is driven by one guiding question in all decisions: “Is this what’s best for kids?” For him success means more than academic achievement—it’s about developing the whole child and empowering every student to thrive.  Principal Cappucci shares more about his vision for Mableton and a few fun facts about life beyond the school day.  Answer: “Student success means developing the whole child—academically It’s about helping students find their strengths and leave our school ready to thrive in life Every child deserves a champion who will advocate for them and celebrate their progress.”  Answer: “I believe in honoring what’s already working while creating space for collaboration and families to dream big and work together to reach new heights.”  Answer: “Parents and the community are vital partners in student success I believe that everyone—no matter their role—can be a Champion for Kids or simply showing up with love and encouragement the community has the power to help change the life of a child.  Local businesses can be Champions for Kids by partnering with the school in meaningful ways—offering resources recognizing student and staff achievements or providing real-world connections to learning and businesses come together with a shared commitment to kids we create a village where every child can thrive.”  Answer: “What I have loved most about being an educator is witnessing the moment a child realizes they can do something they once thought was impossible Those moments remind me that we are truly in the business of changing lives Helping students believe in themselves is the heartbeat of why I do this work.”  Answer: “When I’m not at school I enjoy spending time with my amazing wife who’s currently a student at the University of Georgia (Go Dawgs!) I also have a growing sneaker collection—emphasis on growing Michelle says I’ve got enough to open a small shoe store.. but there’s always room for just one more pair The electronic translation service is hosted by Google Translate The quality of the translation will vary in some of the languages offered by Google Google Translate is a free service and currently offers translation in over 50 languages this does not capture all languages or dialects The basic translation’s goal is to capture the general intention of the original English material The Cobb County School District does not guarantee the quality accuracy or completeness of any translated information the District encourages you to confirm any facts that are important to you and affect any decisions you may make The Cobb County School District is committed to parent and it is our hope that by providing this tool on our website that we are making our information more accessible to families whose first language is not English and thereby enabling better engagement in public education the City of Mableton assumed all zoning and code enforcement services within their city limits.  Cobb County officials had been working with city officials to make the transition smooth Not sure if the address is within the city limits of Mableton?  Check out this interactive map at https://bit.ly/3YIirg2 Code enforcement inquires:  alejandro.ferrell@mableton.gov  Zoning inquiries: christopher.wheeler@mableton.gov Mableton has also been handling business licenses in the city Mableton’s business license portal:  https://mableton.gov/business-licenses including those for businesses selling alcohol Cobb alcohol business license information: https://www.cobbcounty.org/community-development/business-license/alcohol-licenses Powered by I.F. We have the address for the funeral home & the family on file If you're not happy with your card we'll send a replacement or refund your money The family of Joseph Tyre Hall created this Life Tributes page to make it easy to share your memories © 2025 Davis-Struempf Funeral Home & Crematory Made with love by funeralOne Q:  What are the Cobb County government and the City of Mableton negotiating A:  Following the expiration of Mableton’s transition period on May 31 Mableton has “all powers possible for a city to have under the present or future constitution and laws of this state” per its charter.  Also following the transition period the Georgia Constitution provides that the county may no longer provide services within Mableton without an agreement with Mableton.   State law requires new cities that do not provide comprehensive services to negotiate agreements on how those services will be provided to residents.  In this case Mableton has requested that Cobb County provide the city with animal services  The city is also considering an agreement with the Cobb County Sheriff to house city inmates charged with city ordinance violations in the Adult Detention Center only two of these agreements have been approved by Mableton agreement has not been reached on Police and Transportation services and 911 are funded by other mechanisms.  For example sewer and stormwater management are funded directly by the users of those services.  Similarly 911 is mostly funded by the phone subscribers; and fire protection and EMS is funded via taxes assessed directly to residents of the fire district established by a local constitutional amendment which will remain as is.  However other sources of revenue that the county used to help pay for those services such as police and right of way maintenance and planning are now being collected by the city to fund its operations.  These revenue sources include: If Mableton does not pay the county the cost for the services it would like the county to provide then the residents of the other cities and the unincorporated area would be forced to subsidize the city’s services to its residents Q: Why will Mableton need to pay for services that its citizens received from the County in the past it becomes the primary provider of most of the services for its residents.  By law the county can continue to provide services that are countywide does not allow the county to provide the listed services within a city without an agreement (or unless otherwise provided by law).  The city may choose to provide these services either directly or indirectly by contract.  However if it elects to contract with the county or another city to provide those services it must pay for the actual cost of those services in order to maintain the tax equity required by the Service Delivery Strategy Act Q:  Why did the County wait until the first meeting of elected officials before sharing the costs of police and transportation services A:  The County has been working and communicating regularly and collaboratively with the city since June 2023 about the need for agreements and payments for costs if the city wanted the county to continue providing services per the Georgia Constitution.  Similarly the county has shared the need for the city to comply with the Service Delivery Strategy (SDS) Act at the expiration of the transition period in these meetings.  Throughout the county provided preliminary cost estimates for these services.  More finalized estimates have been shared with city staff and officials well over a year ago during these meetings.  A meeting was set for February 4 for county and city staff to discuss SDS requirements and service agreements.  It was postponed where all services agreements and the costs were discussed with city staff Q:  What about water and stormwater services A:  The Cobb County Water System will continue to serve Mableton residents with revenue coming from water bills.  There is no additional cost to the county to provide this service to Mableton Q:  When do these negotiations need to be completed A:  The IGAs need to be submitted to the Georgia Department of Community Affairs by the end of April in order to comply with the state law process of a thirty-day review period by DCA.  Mableton will begin full city operations on June 1 and must provide its citizens with all services GA – Cobb County’s Board of Commissioners and members of Mableton’s City Council held a day-long discussion on how the two governments will work together to provide services to residents of the new city These service delivery conversations are intended to form Intergovernmental Agreements (IGAs) The IGAs will outline which government is responsible for which services and how the costs for those services will be allocated “We have had a great working relationship so far and it is my hope that continues,” said Chairwoman Lisa Cupid Mableton Mayor Michael Owens echoed that spirit of cooperation “Citizens of Mableton will also be citizens of Cobb County,” Owens said “The work that we do is collaborative; our sole purpose is to improve the quality of life for those who live in Mableton.” the two sides disagreed on the cost of certain services including transportation and police coverage which Cobb County will continue to provide While Mableton residents will still pay into Cobb County’s general fund through property taxes other revenue sources that Cobb uses to help fund police services will instead be redirected to the city Both parties made progress on closing the funding gap and plan to meet again next week to discuss the next steps IGAs are due to the state by the end of May ahead of Mableton’s transition to full city operations in July 2025) — As Cobb County's newest city nears full operation the Cobb County Board of Commissioners will meet with the Mableton City Council to discuss the continuation of essential services for residents The two governing bodies will meet Monday at 9 a.m at the Switzer Library near downtown Marietta Discussions will cover services such as police and transportation as well as the Intergovernmental Agreements (IGAs) that define how the county will continue serving residents within Mableton city limits "We've had a strong partnership with the new City of Mableton as they've transitioned services from the county," said Cobb County Board of Commissioners Chairwoman Lisa Cupid "Our teams have worked hand in hand to ensure seamless service delivery and we desire these discussions around essential service IGAs to proceed just as smoothly." The City of Mableton assumed responsibility for code enforcement and zoning last month and is set to take full control of its selected services on July 1 The city has opted to provide specific services The Georgia Department of Community Affairs requires the city and county to submit finalized IGAs by the end of May Norfolk Southern will be performing general maintenance and safety inspections on the train tracks that run across Nickajack Road near Fontaine Road in Mableton The railroad crossing at Nickajack Road will be closed to all traffic from Cooper Lake Road to Fontaine Road for the duration of these inspections Please use East-West Connector as a detour during this closing Mableton Elementary School recently invited students and families to slip on their pajamas for Bedtime Stories Literacy Night to celebrate reading in a cozy Some students sported fuzzy slippers for an evening designed to foster a love for reading while promoting literacy in English and Spanish.  they were greeted with snacks to enjoy before settling in for story hour beaming with excitement as they prepared for a magical night of storytelling The bilingual bedtime story hour featured engaging tales in both English and Spanish allowing all students to connect with the stories in a meaningful way Parents and students alike were all smiles intimate atmosphere where reading took center stage The event helped build excitement around reading and reinforced the importance of nightly reading routines—a key part of the “best practices” emphasized throughout the night From the comfy pajamas to the shared joy of listening to bedtime stories Bedtime Stories Literacy Night successfully brought the Mableton families together and reminded everyone that a great story can be the perfect way to end the day At its regular meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025, the Mableton City Council appointed Jason Gaines as chairman of the Mableton Development Authority Gaines already served as chair of the South Cobb Redevelopment Authority which became the Mableton Development Authority when the Georgia legislature amended the enabling legislation for the authority in May of 2024 The revised bill that passed the Georgia House and Senate described the purpose of the Mableton Development Authority as follows: The revitalization and redevelopment of the development area as defined in this Act develops and promotes and employment opportunities and promotes the general welfare of the state by creating a climate favorable to the location of new industry and commerce and the development of existing industry and commerce within the City of Mableton and the State of Georgia Revitalization and redevelopment of the development area by financing projects under the Act will develop and promote and employment opportunities and will promote the general welfare of the state It is therefore in the public interest and is vital to the public welfare of the people of Georgia and it is declared to be the public purpose of this Act to so revitalize and redevelop the development area Gaines is no stranger to planning initiatives in Mableton. In 2017, as the Cobb County planning division’s manager, he participated in the public input sessions for the Veterans Memorial Highway/Mableton Parkway Design Guidelines included with the council meeting agenda packet Jason Gaines currently serves as the Director of Planning for W&A Engineering a consulting firm specializing in civil engineering Jason spent nearly 20 years working in local government serving communities across the Atlanta Region His leadership has been instrumental in developing comprehensive plans writing and administering zoning regulations managing economic development incentive programs Jason’s journey from front-line service to leadership roles demonstrates his commitment to smart His deep understanding of both operational and strategic aspects of local government operations will help ensure seamless collaboration between the City of Mableton and the Mableton Development Authority The packet lists his experience in planning in Cobb County as follows: Planning & Economic Development Division Manager – Cobb County As the Planning & Economic Development Division Manager Jason was responsible for budgetary and administrative oversight of a 12-person staff Long-Range Comprehensive Planning: Jason was responsible for maintenance of Cobb County’s Comprehensive Plan which is the long-term growth and development strategy for the County Economic Development: Through existing County programs Jason’s team provided more than $200,000 in incentives to businesses expanding in or relocating to Cobb He also worked with local Economic Development partners to help create a small business grant program that provided a total of $50 million to over 3,000 businesses in Cobb impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic Gaines has a Master’s degree in City and Regional Planning from Georgia Tech He will serve as chairman of the Mableton Development Authority until 2027 Below is the resolution appointing Jason Gaines to the chairmanship: the City of Mableton (“City”) is a municipal corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the State of Georgia; the duly elected governing authority of the City is the Mayor and Council (“City Council”) thereof; the Mableton Development Authority is a body corporate and politic created by Ga vested by law with powers granted under the laws of the State of Georgia; the purpose of the Mableton Development Authority is to revitalize and redevelop Mableton as defined by 2024 Ga the purpose of the Authority is to develop and promote and employment opportunities and promote the general welfare of the state by creating a climate favorable to the location of new industry and commerce within the City and the State of Georgia; state statutes creating the Mableton Development Authority and the by-laws of the Mableton Development Authority state that “The Chair shall be one of the members of the authority appointed by the governing body of the City of Mableton and shall be designated by such governing body as the chair of the authority;” the City Council through this Resolution desires to appoint the Chair of the Mableton Development Authority for a period commensurate with the person’s term on the Mableton Development Authority; and this Resolution is enacted to safeguard and promote the public health The City Attorney and the City Clerk are authorized to make non-substantive editing and renumbering revisions to this Resolution for proofing and renumbering purposes The effective date of this Resolution shall be the date of adoption unless provided otherwise by the City Charter ___________________________________Susan D ___________________________________Michael Owens ___________________________________Emilia Walker-Ashby presenter (photo courtesy of Cobb County) Porsha Winfrey the coordinator of Cobb County’s Drug Treatment Court Here are the 52 new businesses issued licenses by Cobb County on the week ending Friday These are only licenses for businesses in unincorporated Cobb County The following are scores for the past week for restaurants and other food service facilities in Cobb County from the Georgia Department of Public Health gasoline prices in Georgia showed little movement over the past week Prices rose one cent to an average cost of $2.92 per gallon for regular… The National Weather Service forecasts sunny skies here in Cobb County on Monday Tonight it is expected to be mostly clear,… The City of Mableton is taking steps to implement its new solid waste management ordinance taking over management of trash pickup from the county The ordinance was approved at the special meeting of the Mableton City Council on Tuesday with one opposition vote from District 4 Councilwoman Patricia Auch Auch objected to the rate specified for the Environmental Management Fee (EMF) and proposed reducing it (the rate is set at 6 percent of gross receipts for residential haulers and 13.5 percent for commercial) When the other council members were resistant to reducing the rate Auch suggested specifying the use of the EMF revenue in the ordinance “Is there anything we can do to specify that the environmental management fees we’re collecting will be used to improve the service?” she asked “… that it will be used to a fund dedicated to improving sustainability … and not just the general fund.” you would have to be incredibly careful with the wording because … you don’t want to limit your vision with respect to the scope of solid waste by placing that cap at this point,” she said Hauling companies that meet the criteria outlined in the ordinance will apply to the city to be added to the list of approved companies and residents can choose from among those firms The criteria include such things as certifying that their drivers have Commerical Drivers Licenses and agreeing to schedule trash pickup at least once per week per customer The Courier submitted three questions seen on social media to Emily Groth Is there a projected time frame on assembling the contracts the renter or the landlord?  My assumption from the wording in the ordinance is that in larger apartments it would be the landlord but in single-family home rental it would be the renter.  Is that specified?  Is the new system likely to result in higher trash hauling rate for consumers The office of Mayor Michael Owens distributed the following news release announcing the adoption of the ordinance and providing other details: The Mableton City Council has approved a new sanitation and recycling ordinance aimed at improving waste management and enhancing the city’s cleanliness which was passed during a special-called meeting on Tuesday establishes guidelines for solid waste collection residents will continue to have the ability to choose their own trash service provider provided the hauler is registered and approved by the City of Mableton all waste haulers will now be required to offer recycling services The ordinance also makes littering officially illegal within city limits and includes accommodations for disabled residents by allowing them to receive off-curb trash collection service the ordinance includes an Environmental Management Fee (EMF) which is set at 6% for residential waste collection and 13.5% for commercial service The revenue generated from this fee will fund city beautification initiatives the ordinance introduces a Waste Vendor Sustainability Incentive Program which encourages haulers to adopt environmentally friendly practices by offering financial benefits for using alternative fuel and electric vehicles for trash collection Mayor Michael Owens emphasized the significance of the ordinance highlighting the collaborative effort behind its passage “This ordinance represents a year of dedicated work and community engagement,” said Mayor Owens “It is an important step toward a cleaner The new guidelines will not only improve sanitation services but also foster greater pride in our city.” District 2 Councilwoman Dami Oladapo also expressed her appreciation for the public’s involvement in shaping the ordinance “It’s been a long road of discussion trying to make sure we craft what works for our community and trying to make sure we engage the public in the process,” she said “We’ll continue to get the opportunity to refine this (ordinance) based on what we hear from our residents and what our community needs.” Mayor Owens reaffirmed the city’s commitment to ongoing improvements “We are taking a significant step forward as a community,” he said “I am excited about what this means for Mableton’s future.” For more information and to review the full ordinance, visit www.mableton.gov/council-meetings. Haulers with questions can contact Director of Sustainability, Waste and Beautification Emily Groth by phone at 470-413-6327 or by email at emily.groth@mableton.gov Below is a statement distributed by Mayor Michael Owens about Wednesday’s proceeding before the Georgia Supreme Court regarding the challenge to the legality of Mableton’s cityhood We reached out to the attorney for the plaintiffs in the case When there is a response from the plaintiffs we will run it: and Community Development Director Juliana Njoku attended a pivotal hearing at the Georgia Supreme Court held at the Nathan Deal Judicial Center in Atlanta This session marks a critical point in the continued legal battle over the legitimacy of Mableton’s cityhood challenges the constitutionality of the City of Mableton’s incorporation questioning the single-subject rule as it relates to the city’s founding legislation the Cobb County Superior Court ruled in favor of the City of Mableton White and her co-plaintiffs sought further recourse by appealing to the Georgia Supreme Court former Chief Justice of the Georgia Supreme Court and the City’s legal representative from Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders LLP presented oral arguments on behalf of Mableton “We were privileged to have a highly experienced legal team “I am confident that the case presented today was strong and while I respect the rights of these few residents to bring this case to the Georgia Supreme Court I firmly believe our time and money would be better spent supporting the residents and businesses of Mableton.” Despite the continued legal costs borne by taxpayers Mayor Owens emphasized the city’s determination to uphold the decision made by Mableton’s voters has already had a very clear ruling in favor of our city the will of Mableton voters continues to be challenged forcing us to spend taxpayer dollars as we are compelled to defend our existence we remain focused on building a prosperous unified future for Mableton,” Owens stated Cobb County Superior Court Judge Sonja Brown dismissed the case filed by a group of plaintiffs challenging the legality of the referendum that created the City of Mableton The plaintiffs argued that the referendum wording on the ballot authorizing the city to set up a Community Improvement District (CID) violated the state’s single-subject rule (only one subject can be addressed in a referendum) The plaintiffs were represented by attorney Allen Lightcap former Georgia Supreme Court Chief Justice Harold Melton argued that the CID was germane to the city’s creation The two sides presented their arguments to Judge Brown in a hearing on March 6 Judge Brown ruled in favor of the City of Mableton Read Judge Brown’s ruling by following this link. The Mableton City Council will meet this Wednesday Among other agenda items (see agenda below) the council will hear a first reading of the city’s Code Enforcement ordinance and updates to the Planning and Zoning ordinance There will also be swearing in of code enforcement and inspection staff and several ordinances related to the environment (outdoor lighting During the pre-meeting work session Mableton Development Authority Director Jason Gaines and Dana Johnson will give a presentation on Special Services District We’ve included the agenda below, but to download and read the complete agenda packet with supporting documents, follow this link. Editor’s note: CivicClerk is a good system See the screenshot of a past meeting announcement below and note the little down arrow with the line under it in the lower right-hand corner Selecting it gives you the option of the agenda (text or PDF) or the entire agenda packet with supporting materials (also in text or PDF) Here is a screenshot of what you will see when you select the arrow: contact the City Clerk at (404) 927-9502 or susan.hiott@mableton.gov at least three days prior to the meeting Clerk’s office located at Riverside EpiCenter All Cobb County School District schools are fully operational and will be open on a normal schedule on Monday We look forward to seeing all students in school and on time This website is unavailable in your location It appears you are attempting to access this website from a country outside of the United States therefore access cannot be granted at this time the Mableton City Council made a variety of decisions dispatching most of them quickly and unanimously Mableton adopted a resolution recognizing Arbor Day and then chose the willow oak as the city’s official tree Waste & Beautification (SWB) Director Emily Groth presented the resolutions In introducing the Arbor Day resolution, Mayor Pro Tem Keisha Jeffcoat, who was filling in for Mayor Michael Owens, briefly commented on Arbor Day’s origin in Nebraska in 1872 and stated that Mableton intends to become a Certified Tree City One requirement for that certification is that Arbor Day be celebrated in the city each year The council approved Karen Ellis as Mableton’s Finance Director. Ellis had been the Finance Director for the City of Milton since 2022 City Manager Bill Tanks said that Ellis “comes to us with a broad-based experience in every aspect of a finance department She has purchasing experience she has accounts payable she has participated in bond ratings … the whole package which will make “a beautiful commute” compared with her previous job in the City of Milton Tanks introduced a resolution to allow Mayor Michael Owens to finalized and sign an agreement with Croy Engineering to provide plan review and engineering services related to land use and zoning Tanks said that Croy’s services would complement services from the county during the time Mableton lacks in-house engineering staff and that the services from Croy would be ala carte Croy presented a price list along with the proposed terms of its agreement, which you can view by following this link The city also passed resolutions on the licensing of online systems for permitting The meeting began with an executive session GA) – The Mable House Complex is thrilled to announce its upcoming holiday event "Mable House Lights the Night," scheduled to take place on Saturday This festive occasion will mark the commencement of Tree Jubilee a 12-day holiday programming spectacular filled with delightful activities for the whole family Set against the picturesque backdrop of the historic Mable House home and amphitheater "Lights the Night" will illuminate the entire campus with holiday cheer from 4:00 -  8:00 p.m Attendees can expect a magical evening featuring: trees have been transformed into stunning holiday masterpieces by local artists will be displayed and available for purchase Nov each accompanied by a gallery tag detailing the decorator Purchased trees will be delivered to buyers Dec Join us as we embark on this joyous celebration to ring in the holiday season with warmth, light, and community spirit. For more information, please visit https://mablehouse.org/ or contact us by phone at 770-819-6735 Email: 12DaysMHAC@cobbcounty.org Arts Coordinator at Mable House Arts Center 770-419-6301 / tonya.mccain@cobbcounty.org The City of Mableton announced the schedule for its Planning Commission meetings Other Planning Commission Regular Meetings will be held on the following dates (the location will be determined at a later date due to the upcoming move of city offices) : The family of Floris Austin Dunn created this Life Tributes page to make it easy to share your memories The City of Mableton distributed the following press release: Mayor Michael Owens traveled to San Francisco to participate in a unique event designed to explore cutting-edge technologies for local governments Driving Innovation: Mayoral Leadership in Silicon Valley the event was hosted by the Cultural Leadership Fund at Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) and brought together a select group of mayors from across the United States to learn how technology and innovation can shape the future of city governance and growth During the three-day trip last week (March 24-26) Mayor Owens had the opportunity to meet with Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz and network with leaders and innovators from top technology companies The event offered a valuable platform for mayors to gain insight into the latest advancements in public safety and education—all of which are playing a transformative role in cities nationwide The trip highlighted several innovative technologies and solutions that could significantly benefit Mableton Mayor Owens explored the use of autonomous drone technology to enhance public safety and streamline code enforcement efforts He also learned about new public health platforms that deliver actionable data to improve residents’ well-being the time spent with a16z provided insights into digital solutions that could help optimize local government services such as permitting ultimately improving service delivery and community engagement for Mableton residents The Mableton City Council held an initial reading of its Solid Waste Management Ordinance in its December 11 meeting and approved several other resolutions and appointments Solid Waste Management of the City of Mableton Code of Ordinances would establish procedures for the collection disposal and recycling of solid waste in the city Mayor Michael Owens said the goal of the Ordinance would be to protect residents’ ability to choose their waste management vendor rather than allowing a single large hauler to monopolize the city contract Wednesday’s meeting was the first reading of the ordinance which will be followed by a public hearing at least two weeks after the initial reading The council and city attorney will then have time to incorporate public feedback with a vote for adoption planned for the council’s January 22 meeting Fité to the Board of Cobb & Douglas County Public Health and Corey Ferguson to the Mableton Development Authority Also nominated by the Mayor and approved by the council was the appointment of Alejandro Ferrell as the city’s inaugural Director of Code Enforcement the council also approved the purchase of three fleet vehicles for the code enforcement department Also approved in Wednesday’s meeting was the resolution recognizing and authorizing the Cobb Housing Authority to operate the Turnkey Program The program is a down payment assistance effort available to program-qualifying home purchasers in the city predicated upon the Cobb Housing Authority continuing to direct that fees that would otherwise accrue to Cobb Housing Authority for mortgages originated within the city limits of Mableton being transferred to the City of Mableton The next city council meeting will be on Tuesday Madi Sutter has been reporting on city events from local council meetings to K-12 education for over four years she developed a love for Georgia politics and communities She received her Masters degree in Journalism in 2022 from the University of Missouri at Columbia and currently resides in Little Rock When she’s not covering Cobb County events you can find her with a book in one hand and a coffee in the other on her porch Mableton will hold elections for three of the six Mableton City Council seats on Tuesday and 6 will be on the ballot in this year’s municipal election The council members now representing those districts are Dami Oladapo (District 2) Patricia Auch (District 4) and Debora Herndon (District 6) elections for Mableton’s mayor and city council are held on odd-numbered years and staggered among the seats elections will be held for mayor and districts 1 Follow this link to download a copy of the Mableton City Charter as approved by the Georgia legislature the first steps were taken in planning for the election Resolutions were passed that set the qualifying fees for those offices determined the dates and times for interested candidates to qualify and determined other details involved in managing the upcoming elections City Clerk Susan Hiott explained the reason for taking up the fee during the meeting “It seems early to be announcing this but state law requires that all cities in the state of Georgia publish their qualifying fee for those who are going to be running for office,” Hiott said and it will be advertised in the paper that the qualifying fee for districts two four and six will be $600,” she said “It’s the same as it was previously.” with an hour for lunch at the Mableton Administrative Offices at 1245 Veterans Memorial Highway Hiott was designated as the superintendent of Mableton’s election After an agreement between the county and the City of Mabeton is reached the Cobb County elections department will conduct the elections The county already conducts municipal elections for the other cities in the county Yesterday afternoon I walked along the Chattahoochee RiverLands trail adjacent to Discovery Park in Mableton but I made a video of the walk from the entrance at the Discovery Park trail to the overlook where you can get a close look at the river I recorded the footage on a phone after having already walked a considerable distance and I won’t prioritize editing out extraneous noise The Cobb County Department of Transportation and the Trust for Public Land hosted the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the first phase of Chattahoochee RiverLands on December 2 The river trail highlighted during the ceremony is the first of a network of trails and destinations connecting 19 metro Atlanta cities and seven counties. It stretches from Buford Dam on the north to Chattahoochee Bend State Park in Coweta County on the southern end This section of trail is behind Discovery Park at the River Line in Mableton and will be maintained by Cobb PARKS According to the county news release about the ribbon-cutting: The project was led by the Cobb County Department of Transportation with pivotal support from Commissioner Monique Sheffield who secured $1 million in SPLOST funds to kickstart the initiative Trust for Public Land contributed an additional $470,000 to help bring the project to completion Chairwoman Lisa Cupid and the Mableton Improvement Coalition have also been instrumental advocates rallying community support throughout the process The Chattahoochee RiverLands is a planned 100-mile-long network of parks and trails running from Buford Dam on the north to the Chattahoochee Bend State Park in Coweta County on the southern end The project vision page on the Chattahoochee RiverLands website describes the project as follows: “The Chattahoochee RiverLands will reunite the River with the Metro Atlanta Region and rural communities into a continuous 100-mile public realm.  the RiverLands is a linear network of Greenways that will bring people to the water’s edge promote stewardship and conservation of the river and reveal the subtle magic of the Chattahoochee to all.” The first Mableton City Council meeting of the year is on Tuesday instead of Wednesday The meeting will include a public hearing on “an Ordinance Creating Chapter 12 to Establish Procedures for the Collection and Recycling of Solid Waste and for Other Lawful Purposes.” it is about how the city manages trash pickup We’ve included the agenda below, but download and read the complete agenda packet with supporting documents, follow this link. but it doesn’t provide much guidance Note: Persons with special needs relating to handicapped accessibility, disability, or foreign language may contact the City Clerk at (404) 927-9502 or susan.hiott@mableton.gov at least three days prior to the meeting The Clerk can be located at the City of Mableton Offices The Mableton City Council and the Cobb County Board of Commissioners will meet together on Monday The purpose of the meeting is to discuss Intergovernmental Agreements (IGAs) to ensure the continuation of services that were covered by the county before Mableton was incorporated “We’ve had a strong partnership with the new City of Mableton as they’ve transitioned services from the county,” said Cobb County Board of Commissioners Chairwoman Lisa Cupid, quoted in the announcement on the county website “Our teams have worked hand in hand to ensure seamless service delivery and we desire these discussions around essential service IGAs to proceed just as smoothly.” An IGA is a legally binding contract between two or more government entities—commonly between a city and a county that defines how they collaborate on providing services An IGA also outlines who pays for the services IGAs are authorized by the Georgia Constitution (Article IX, Section III, Paragraph I) and further regulated by state law. To read the details on IGAs, start with this link Mableton took over code enforcement and zoning last month and will take over the remaining services the city has selected by July 1 the Georgia Department of Community Affairs requires the city and county to submit finalized IGAs by the end of May The Mableton City Council work session will be held this evening The city council will hear a presentation by Rausch Advisory Services a consulting firm the city engaged in managing a recruitment drive for the city’s Finance Director According to the description in the agenda packet: The City of Mableton has met difficulties in recruiting a Finance Director which underscore the competitive nature of the market for this vital role.The city manager foresees similar difficulties in recruiting an IT Director and therefore intends toengage professional recruitment services the recruitment planfor the Finance Director and IT Director was presented These positions were identified ascritical for the city’s transition into active status and operational readiness has a proven record ofdelivering valuable services to the city as our internal auditing agency The city manager isconfident they will bring expertise and a broader candidate pool to the hiring process the city manager aims to secure highly qualified candidates who candrive financial stability and technological advancement essential components of the city’sgrowth and efficiency The council will also hear presentations on building status To download the complete agenda packet for tonight’s meeting, follow this link Persons with special needs relating to handicapped accessibility, disability, or foreign language may contact the City Clerk at (404) 927-9502 or susan.hiott@mableton.gov at least three days prior to the meeting The clerk can be located at the City of Mableton Offices I live where Mableton and Smyrna share a ragged border along Oakdale Road It’s on Mableton’s eastern part and Smyrna’s southernmost part This morning, while the snow was still falling, I took a walk along Brookside Drive, Roberts Drive, Oakdale Road, and Veterans Memorial Highway the few vehicles out seemed able to navigate the hills As the roads became slick with packed snow I saw a few cars and trucks unable to climb the hills So my guess is that even if you think right now that you can safely drive somewhere your return trip might be dangerous as ice forms So if you don’t have to drive … don’t The City of Mableton will hold a special meeting tomorrow The primary purpose of the meeting is to decide on a solid waste management (trash pickup) ordinance The meeting will be live streamed at https://www.youtube.com/@ikonfilmworks/streams and at https://mabletonga.portal.civicclerk.com/ At the last regular city council meeting on January 22, the resolution was tabled until this special meeting for further discussion. To view the ordinance in the form it was in during that meeting, visit the Mableton City Council calendar The ordinance has been undergoing revisions so the one in the packet might not be what’s presented at the meeting Persons with special needs relating to handicapped accessibility, disability, or foreign language may contact the City Clerk at (404) 927-9502 or susan.hiott@mableton.gov at least three days prior to the meeting According to a press release from the office of Mayor Michael Owens, the City of Mableton will not adopt a millage rate for 2025 This marks the third consecutive year since incorporation that the city has opted not to levy a municipal property tax This decision maintains Mableton’s position as the only city in Cobb County without a city-level property tax on its residents Owens is expected to formally notify the Cobb County Board of Tax Assessors and Cobb County Tax Commissioner Carla Jackson of the city’s decision within the next 60 days The press release stated that Mableton’s continued commitment to a zero millage rate highlights the city’s approach to building a municipal structure without placing financial pressure on homeowners Mableton funds city operations through commercial occupational taxes The city recently adopted a Sanitation and Recycling Ordinance which requires private trash haulers operating within Mableton to register and pay a fee Revenue generated from this program is intended to support community-focused efforts such as beautification projects and a storefront improvement program designed to help local businesses upgrade their façades Mableton has steadily taken over key municipal services from Cobb County The city assumed responsibility for business licensing in early 2024 all of which officially transitioned to city control in March 2025 The press release describes this gradual assumption of services as a strategic effort to grow operational capacity while preserving its commitment to affordable homeownership “We are proud to continue serving the residents of Mableton without raising taxes,” said Mayor Owens in the release “Through thoughtful planning and strong partnerships we’ve shown that it’s possible for us to transition essential city services from the county while keeping homeownership affordable We remain committed to working hand-in-hand with Cobb County and our community as we grow—without the need for a city-level property tax.” “As Mableton continues to build a strong foundation for the future our city council and staff remain focused on innovation and financial responsibility—always keeping residents at the heart of every decision.” One is to grant City Manager Bill Tanks and Finance Director Karen Ellis the ability to make deposits and withdrawals from the city’s Georgia Fund 1 (LGIP) account Georgia Fund 1 is a money market-like investment pool It’s basically a shared savings account for government entities in Georgia Instead of each city or school district trying to invest on its own and the State Treasurer’s office manages it professionally The second is a presentation on additing signatories to The third is the first reading of an ordinance to form the Mableton Municipal Court Accessibility Note: Persons with special needs relating to handicapped accessibility, disability, or foreign language may contact the City Clerk at (404) 927-9502 or susan.hiott@mableton.gov at least three days prior to the meeting Mableton leaders are objecting to the Cobb County School District’s alleged plans for a 6.9-acre property it owns at 440 Veterans Memorial Highway The $1.1 million property was unanimously approved by the school board for purchase in September 2022 but there has been no public discussion or information released by the district regarding how it will be used The district declined to comment Monday on its plans for the parcel chairman of the Mableton Improvement Coalition (MIC) sent a letter to board members Leroy Tre’ Hutchins and Becky Sayler Sayler told the Courier that the district has no public information that can be shared about plans for the property but that she and Hutchins have asked the district to open communication with the community on the matter According to the letter, 2MNEXT A manager on the site informed a resident that a school bus parking lot is planned for the property MIC and the community are opposed to this plan for many reasons The deviation from established design guidelines for the VMH corridor and the incompatibility with the neighborhood leads the list of concerns Cobb County’s Comprehensive Plan denotes the southern part of the property as a Neighborhood Activity Center which should contain businesses supportive of our neighborhoods not a parking lot which is better suited to an industrial area.The remainder of the property is planned for residential development the bus garage will introduce traffic congestion air pollutants and other environmental concerns We are also opposed to another automotive use on Veterans Memorial Highway The urgency of this request for your support is based on inquiries from citizens and the recent activity at the site.  no community involvement has occurred nor have information requests about this property been answered There is an urgent need to engage the Cobb County School Board to better understand their plans for the school bus garage and to express our concerns regarding this development in our community.  the District 4 Mableton City Council member told the Courier she has not received any information from the school district “The main concern I have at this time is that constituents are asking me questions about that parcel that I can’t answer because information from the school district isn’t being shared with the public,” she said an MIC board member and co-chair of the zoning committee sent the following response to the Courier: Both the Board and the committee would like to see the land developed as is currently laid out in the Comp Plan… neighborhood supporting retail or commercial use on the front and low density residential in the back There are a number of single family homes adjacent to this property and an intense automotive use such as a bus depot is completely inappropriate Factors such as noise (especially early morning) fumes environmental concerns will be detrimental to existing homeowners A few years ago a high density townhome development was proposed for this property and the existing neighbors were thrilled when it was defeated Imagine how they must feel when they learn what an intense project will take its place – and this time with no community input!  the Comp plan does not support vehicle parking lots in a neighborhood activity center which is what the front of the property is Another issue is the CCSD has not demonstrated how a bus depot in this location provides any benefit to the community It just uses valuable land that could be part of a consumer oriented redevelopment of VMH one of the focus areas of the City’s Comp plan which is currently under development Ford confirmed that the MIC has received no additional details from the school district since Smith’s Sep Rebecca Gaunt earned a degree in journalism from the University of Georgia and a master’s degree in education from Oglethorpe University After teaching elementary school for several years The meeting will start with a work session at 5:15 p.m To read the complete agenda packet with supporting documents, follow this link. the page you’ll reach if you follow the preceding link and note the little down arrow with the line under it in the lower right-hand corner.  That’s how you will get the option of downloading the entire agenda packet on the bar representing the correct meeting date The meeting will take place at the Riverside EpiCenter 2024Time: 5:15 PMLocation: Riverside EpiCenter District 1 CouncilmemberThe Honorable Dami Oladapo District 2 CouncilmemberThe Honorable Keisha Jeffcoat Mayor Pro Tem/District 3 CouncilmemberThe Honorable Patricia Auch District 4 CouncilmemberThe Honorable TJ Ferguson District 5 CouncilmemberThe Honorable Debora Herndon 2024Time: 6:30 PMLocation: Riverside EpiCenter The Mableton Planning Commission in preparation for taking charge of land use and zoning recommendations within its city limits for an education and orientation session with Christopher Wheeler Mableton’s Planning and Zoning Manager Kennesaw’s Planning and Zoning Administrator Wheeler gave a presentation outlining the role of the planning commission. Visit this link to download a PDF version of the presentation deck slides from the meeting The presentation began with the following outline of the commission’s role and responsibilities: duties and responsibilities of the Planning Commission shall include After giving an overview of the Planning Commission’s role Wheeler described the key documents that guide the commission’s deliberations “As planning commissioners you would hear these terms and these documents over and over again,” he said “First is the Comprehensive Plan,” he said Wheeler described the comprehensive plan as the document “that guides the growth “a set of laws or regulations established by a local government (city or county) that controls how land within its jurisdiction can be used.” “The zoning ordinance is what I call the tools of the planners,” Wheeler said “The Comprehensive Plan is our cookbook while the zoning ordinance is our tool so the main Comprehensive Plan dreams come true.” which are the rules for dividing land into smaller lots or parcels According to Wheeler’s presentation “These regulations are designed to ensure that land development occurs in an orderly and efficient manner while meeting the community’s needs and maintaining the public interest.” (the subdivision regulations document) is pretty much specific standards of when we divide up land for housing developments industrial lands … those are my development standards that I review to make sure that it’s in compliance with the particular regulations (from) how big a piece of parcel is to how small a town home can be,” Wheeler said depending on the zoning regulations (or) it could be 5,000 square feet for this development standard.” “Also the subdivision regulations go into street size as well: how wide a street can be how far the sidewalks have to be placed off the street …,” he said The last documents Wheeler addressed were the specifications for special districts and overlay zones He described this type of district or overlay zone but as a more specific set of guidelines for what can and cannot be put within the district One example he gave was Community Improvement Districts like the Cumberland CID where commercial interests self-tax to make changes intended to improve the area where certain businesses might be prohibited even though they are allowed under the base zoning code Wheeler covered the process of a case moving through the zoning process ending (at least for that particular meeting) with a vote on one of the options open to the Planning Commission (Approval Withdrawal with Prejudice or No Recommendation) He also outlined the procedure for conducting public hearings including legal notifications and posting of signs He gave a rundown of the requirements of the Open Meeting and Open Records Acts explaining that each part of the deliberation process and each document generated by that process must be open to public scrutiny one commissioner passes a note to another member subject to turning over under an open records request “You can’t just talk to that one person He said it is okay for a commissioner to take personal notes but not a note to communicate with another commissioner during the meeting Wheeler also mentioned that commissioners would need to understand the ethical guidelines for their position and be aware of the requirements of the Fair Housing Act Wheeler later wrote the Courier in an email that the Mableton Planning Commission is expected to hear its first zoning case on May 1 The following people are on the Planning Commission: at Mableton City Council meeting (photo: Larry Johnson/Cobb Courier) Mableton Mayor Michael Owens has joined the Mayors Alliance to End Childhood Hunger The organization’s website has a counter that is now at 460 mayors nationwide The organization’s focus currently is lobbying the U.S the program that was formerly the food stamps program SNAP was created to end food insecurity in the U.S The program is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, recent proposals from Republican and conservative think tanks have called for cuts in the program Here is the press release from the mayor’s office: Mayor Michael Owens is part of a growing bipartisan movement of mayors from around the country asking Congress to protect funding for programs that ensure America’s children are fed Owens is one of 112 mayors to sign a letter opposing funding cuts to the Supplemental Assistance Nutrition Program (SNAP) the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women The Mayors Alliance to End Childhood Hunger a nonpartisan coalition that represents more than 400 mayors across all 50 states and Washington  sent the letter to Congressional leaders Friday The letter is in response to the budget passed in the U.S The proposed budget could cut an estimated $230 billion from the SNAP program alone through 2034 “These programs act as a lifeline for children and families that struggle with the most basic of needs,” emphasized Mayor Michael Owens “Severe cuts could put the children in Mableton and other communities around Georgia and the country who depend on them at risk.” According to Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign 84% of SNAP households had at least one person working in the past 12 months WIC helps more than 6 million people monthly including 4 of 10 infants in the United States Nearly 30 million students eat lunch at school and 72 percent of those lunches are for students whose families qualify for free and/or reduced-price meals.“The decision to cut funding for SNAP and other vital programs limits the options available to fight childhood hunger,” added Mayor Owens “I urge our lawmakers to reconsider these cuts and how they could affect millions of American children.” “Kids don’t know partisan lines,” said Mayor Paige Cognetti of Scranton who serves as Vice-Chair of the Mayors Alliance “The solutions lie not just with mayors locally and with school districts and nonprofits but they certainly lie in state legislatures and in our federal Congress It’s incumbent upon the Mayors Alliance to remind our state legislatures remind our congressional members that childhood hunger exists and that the solutions do matter at the state and federal levels.” The proposed budget would have to pass the U.S Senate before going to the President’s desk For more information, visit https://mayorshungeralliance.org/