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We want our parks: JoAnn Birrell proposes issuance of old, new parks bonds

9/28/2016

Marietta Daily Journal Article We want our parks: JoAnn Birrell proposes issuance of old, new parks bonds
Jon Gargis
Sep 28, 2016

MARIETTA — Cobb’s fiscal 2017 budget will not include funding for the $40 million parks bond approved by voters in 2008, despite an audience that clamored for such an inclusion on Tuesday. But parks proponents were offered an olive branch by one commissioner who proposed measures that could see tens of millions of dollars earmarked for new county green space in the coming months.

The budget vote came after commissioners heard from nearly 20 community members who weighed in on the funding plan. Many of those who spoke were members of the Cobb Parks Coalition and others who supported their effort to see the county fund parks bond.

Several dozen community members in the audience wore green to bring attention to the issue, with members of the Cobb Parks Coalition and supporters displaying signs with messages such as “Note Our Vote: Buy Parks” and “Trees Please.”

Two-thirds of Cobb voters approved a $40 million parks bond in November 2008, but the bonds approved by voters were never issued by then-county Chairman Sam Olens due to a tanking economy and a tax increase he said would come as a result of the bonds’ issuance.

Commissioners have yet to take action regarding the approved parks bonds, but Commissioner JoAnn Birrell prior to the budget vote told those in attendance that she planned to propose next month a resolution to increase the county’s debt service millage by 0.13 mills to fund the $24.7 million in park bonds the county would legally be able to issue out of the approved 2008 bonds.

Birrell on Wednesday said the 0.13-mill increase would equate to a $10.40 annual property tax increase on a $200,000 home.

“Through the budget talk, I’ve been working with staff and legal to find out what we can do to get the balance, the $24.7 million, moved forward,” she said. “Because of the way the bond is structured, it depletes annually even though it was never issued … we have to do a resolution and vote on it to issue the bond.”

Birrell said she planned on introducing the resolution at the commission’s Oct. 25 meeting.

Commissioners next month are also slated to receive from the county’s recreation board a list of properties that could become future county parks. The county held a public nomination process from late January through April 15, with 166 properties nominated for purchase by the county to increase green space. The recreation board is expected to narrow that list down and present its recommended properties to commissioners.

“The $24.7 million in bonds can be issued in December of ‘16, and we can purchase properties beginning in January of ‘17,” Birrell said.

NEW PARKS BOND PROPOSED
With Cobb residents expected to head to the polls on March 21 to vote on a renewal of the 1 percent Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax for Cobb County and Marietta City Schools — neither school board has authorized the ballot measure but are considering it — Birrell said Tuesday night she would also propose putting on the same ballot a referendum for an additional $40 million parks bond. Her proposal would have to earn approval from her fellow commission members to be placed on the ballot.

“I know it’s not what everybody wanted as far as a full $40 million now, but if we can purchase park land at $24.7 million in 2017, and issue a new bond for $40 million, that will give us $64.7 million total in the next two years,” she said.

Birrell’s announcement earned applause from the audience, who earlier had booed as commissioners said they had planned to vote on Chairman Tim Lee’s “continuation budget.” That budget was approved by a 4-1 vote, with Commissioner Lisa Cupid the sole dissenting vote.

Janine Eveler, director of Cobb Elections, said commissioners have time to put a new parks bond referendum on the March special election ballot.

“We like to have notification of it 60 to 90 days ahead, because it takes that long to plan the election,” Eveler said, but added that the absolute deadline to move forward on adding the ballot initiative would likely be in January.

Several of Birrell’s peers on the commission Wednesday expressed a desire to issue the proposed parks bonds. Bob Weatherford said he would “fully support” the resolution to issue this year the $24.7 million remaining in the previously approved parks bonds, as well as a measure to have a March vote on the new bonds.

“The timing is perfect,” Weatherford said. “There’s already something on the ballot, so it won’t be a special election, as it will coincide with the school boards’ referendum.”

Commissioner Bob Ott said he had “no problem” with the issuance of the $24.7 million. “The public voted on it, and the associated millage increase, the public knew that when they voted on it,” he said.

But Ott said Tuesday’s meeting was the first time he had learned of Birrell’s proposal for the new parks bonds.

“There’s been no discussion as to the resolution we’d craft, would it be issued the same way as the one in ’08 was supposed to be issued — she just threw it out there. I think there’s a lot of discussion that needs to happen,” Ott said. “This is committing the county and the board to something before the new chairman’s there to have a chance to weigh in on it, because you’re talking about at least another .2 to .3 mills on top of the .13 for the $24.7 (million).”

Lee reiterated Wednesday that his fiscal 2017 budget had been designed as a “continuation budget” in light of his term ending in December. He is expected to be succeeded by Mike Boyce, who defeated him in the Republican primary runoff in July; Boyce has no Democratic opposition in the November primary.

Lee said he did not yet have a stance on the issuance of the $24.7 million from the existing bonds, due in part to Birrell’s proposal being newly introduced.

“We’ll have to see what it looks like when it gets to that point — last night was the first time I had heard that, so we’ll have to have a conversation about that,” Lee said. “As to anything that happens in 2017, I’ll have to leave it to their discretion.”

Lee added that he did not have a leaning either way on a vote for a new $40 million parks bond. It remains to be seen if commissioners would have to consider authorizing the ballot initiative this year or could wait until after Lee’s departure from office.

“I’m going to leave it up to their leadership and their best judgment,” he said.

Next Blog to Read: 3 Ways the BoC Denied Funds Earmarked for Park Bond 2008 + 2 Positive Developments for the Future of Park Bond 2008

Showing some of the history at Hyde Farm, saved in part with Park Bond 2006 funds

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MDJ Article: Commissioners approve Lee’s fiscal 2017 budget

9/27/2016

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UPDATED: Commissioners approve Lee’s fiscal 2017 budget
Jon Gargis

MARIETTA — Cobb’s fiscal 2017 budget will not include funding for the $40 million parks bond approved by voters in 2008, despite an audience that clamored for such an inclusion. But parks proponents were offered an olive branch by one commissioner who proposed measures that could see tens of millions of dollars earmarked for new county greenspace in the coming months.

Commissioners approved by a 4-1 vote, with Lisa Cupid in opposition, Chairman Tim Lee’s $858 million fiscal 2017 budget. Based on the current millage rate of 6.66 mills, Lee had proposed the budget as a “continuation budget” as it included no new initiatives from him as part of an effort to not bind other county leaders or his successor, presumptive Chairman-elect Mike Boyce.

Prior to the commissioners’ vote, Cupid said she could not support Lee’s budget as the county had the ability and responsibility to fund the parks bond and other needs, such as Sunday bus service.

“I think that we are sensitive to your needs, but we are lacking in some intestinal fortitude to make it happen. I think we made a decision which has put us in a hole in setting back our millage further than was ever committed,” Cupid said, referring to the commission’s July vote to reduce the millage past the budgeted millage of 6.82 to the rollback rate of 6.66.

The budget vote came after commissioners heard from nearly 20 community members who weighed in on the funding plan. Many of those who spoke were members of the Cobb Parks Coalition and others who supported their effort to see the county fund parks bond. Several dozen community members in the audience wore green to bring attention to the issue, with members of the Cobb Parks Coalition and supporters displaying signs with messages such as “Note Our Vote: Buy Parks” and “Trees Please.”

Two-thirds of Cobb voters approved then $40 million parks bond in November 2008, but the bonds approved by voters were never issued by then-county Chairman Sam Olens due to a tanking economy and a tax increase he said would come as a result of the bonds’ issuance.

Commissioners have yet to take action regarding the approved parks bond, but Commissioner JoAnn Birrell, prior to the budget vote, told those in attendance that she planned to propose a resolution next month to increase the county’s debt service millage by 0.13 mills to fund the $24.7 million in parks bonds the county would legally be able to issue out of the approved 2008 bonds.

Commissioners next month are also slated to receive from the county’s recreation board a list of properties that could become future county parks. The county held a public nomination process from late January through April 15, with 166 properties nominated for purchase by the county to increase greenspace. The recreation board is expected to narrow that list down and present its recommended properties to commissioners.

“The $24.7 million in bonds can be issued in December of ’16, and we can purchase properties beginning in January of ’17,” Birrell said.

Then, with Cobb residents already scheduled to head to the polls in March to vote on a renewal of the one-cent special purpose local option sales tax for Cobb County and Marietta City Schools, Birrell said she would propose putting on the same ballot a referendum for an additional $40 million parks bond. Her proposal would have to earn approval from her fellow commission members to be placed on the ballot.

“I know it’s not what everybody wanted as far as a full $40 million now, but if we can purchase park land at $24.7 million in 2017, and issue a new bond for $40 million, that will give us $64.7 million total in the next two years,” she said.

Birrell’s announcement earned applause from the audience, who earlier had booed as commissioners said they had planned to vote on Lee’s “continuation budget.”

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More Letters to the Editor on Park Bond 2008 Funding

9/21/2016

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An open letter to the Cobb Board of Commissioners on parks bonds
Sep 21, 2016

Mr. Chairman/Commissioners:

As a supporter of the 2008 Parks Bond initiative since day one and having heard the proposed 2017 budget discussions of Aug. 23 and no response to public comment on the matter at the Sept. 13 Board of Commissioners meeting, I am concerned about the lack of results in putting Cobb County voters’ authorization of November 2008 back on track. As you understand better than I, this is mighty “late in the game” of finalizing the 2017 budget, having nothing to show for all that’s been written and said about making good on county leadership’s commitment established by the 2008 referendum decision.

Unless I am mistaken, only two commissioners have expressed any real support for finding the solution in 2017. As I understand the others’ views: A do-over on the referendum is not right; packaging it into a SPLOST initiative that can’t be voted on before March next year and then actually resourced many months later is nearly as wrong as the idea of starting all over; and then leaving it entirely for the next chairman to deal with ... what is up with that?

In a way, it’s unfortunate that the recreation board’s effort you directed won’t be complete before late October. But that’s not to say that you can’t commit funding in the 2017 budget to act on their findings and recommendations. And God forbid that another cycle of volunteer citizen effort of this scale at your behest could be wasted.

As I pointed out earlier, the decision was made in 2008: $40 million. A millage rate increase to cover it is not anathema to me and surely a majority of Cobb taxpayers would share that view if that’s what it were to come to. Wouldn’t you go for it rather than cut a different line on the budget to accommodate it? The only question remaining should be which properties to save from development.

So I wrap this up with a plea to make the $40 million dollar green space acquisition happen without further delay and a thank you in advance. I am confident you will come up with the right answer. Thank you for your time.

Dave McDaniel
Mableton

Full $40M park bond should be funded immediately
Sep 8, 2016

RE: Funding of $40 million Park Bond - MDJ Around Town, Aug. 6

Dear Commissioner (JoAnn) Birrell,

I could not agree with you more. The full $40 million Park and Greenspace bond should be funded ASAP! You state that $19 million is left in the 2008 bond so just divert $21 million from some other source such as the water system or our property taxes to fully fund the bond. The BOC obviously had no problem diverting funds from the water system to the general fund. Also, absconding with, without our permission, almost $9 million per year for 30 years to a private organization, the Braves, from our property taxes. With the Park Bond, you were given our permission with an overwhelming vote of 67 percent in favor of the $40 million. Since the BoC funded the Braves with $400 million it should be a snap for the BoC to come up with (divert) a paltry $21 million.

In a recent opinion article in the MDJ, Mr. Yarbrough compared Chairman Lee with Mr. Iacocca of Ford Motor Co. He said that the Braves may turn out to be Lee’s Mustang. Am now beginning to believe that it may be his Edsel!

Robert F Roth
Marietta

A question of honor
Sep 6, 2016

DEAR EDITOR:

Eight years ago, a promise was made by the Cobb County Board of Commissioners to its citizens to abide by the results of a referendum which unambiguously asked whether the board ought to issue a bond of indebtedness in the amount of $40 million for the purchase of land to be used for public parks. Sixty- seven percent — a supermajority — of those voting answered in the affirmative. Yet eight years later, no action has been taken to comply with this mandate, and the latest working budget allocates no money for park land. The promise has not been kept.

This is a question of honor. A promise has been made by Cobb County which it can and must keep. Failure to do so flouts the will of a supermajority.

Norman Fagge

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3 Ways the BoC Denied Funds Earmarked for Park Bond 2008 + 2 Positive Developments for the Future of Park Bond 2008

9/13/2016

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Showing some of the history at Hyde Farm, saved in part with Park Bond 2006 funds

At the August 23 and September 13, 2016 Board of Commissioners budget presentations, we learned the surprising & unfortunate fact that the 2017 Budget does not include Park Bond 2008 Referendum funding, despite the Board re-starting the property selection process earlier this year for purchasing land as parks.

The irony? The Board of Commissioners could easily have funded the 2008 Park Bond Referendum voters overwhelmingly approved AND the new Braves stadium with the .33 available in the Debt Service Fund.

Why doesn't the 2017 Budget include Park Bond 2008 funding? 3 Reasons.

1) The Board officially shifts the earmarked tax money for Park Bond 2008 into the new Braves stadium bond account for 30 years. The Park Bond 2008 could have been quickly paid before shifting the money in just a few short years because the Braves money is actually moving 2 years earlier than planned because of the extra funds in the Debt Service Fund due to the booming economy.

2) At the previous July 26 meeting, the Board of Commissioners lowered the Debt Service Fund rate, which pays for park bonds, by the exact amount needed (.1 millage is equal to an $8 refund for the average homeowner this year). This .1 reduction zeroes out the Debt Service Fund for future Park Bond funding, because the Braves will take the rest of the millage in that fund, .23 of the total .33 millage currently available.

The Board's shifting the Debt Service Fund taxes into the Braves stadium leaves the Debt Service Fund at an unprecedented zero. The Debt Service Fund is like the County's credit card, so no new bonds can be taken out without raising taxes. We continue to ask that the County restore the Debt Service Fund. See history of Cobb County Debt Service Fund rate above and below.

History of the Cobb County Debt Service Fund 1999-2016 + Proposed 0 for 2017

3) To add insult to injury, after delaying the Park Bond 2008 funding for years, Chairman Lee now says only a certain amount of the park bond remains, $24.7 million out of $40 million. The full $40 million voted for by referendum in 2008 should be available via the Debt Service Fund for many reasons.

First, the Park Bond Referendum on the actual ballot in 2008 did not have a time limit.
Second, since Park Bond 2008 has never been issued, of course no bond requirements or repayment schedules can be linked to how the $40 million referendum. A new bond request should be secured.
Third, since Park Bond 2008 was postponed until the economy improved, there is no loss of funds. If there was a certain amount remaining, either the county would have been repaying a debt or Park Bond 2008 would have been issued years ago as soon as the Board knew it would transfer the earmarked tax money into the Braves.

Cobb County is basically taking away $15 million from a $40 million voter approved referendum before the 2008 Park Bond game even starts. It's like a baseball game, if a game is postponed due to rain, the next game doesn't start with the home team down 15 runs. Or like when a timeout gets called, again, the home team doesn't come back to find the other team is 15 runs ahead. It's a timeout.

"Cobb County is basically taking away $15 million from a $40 million voter approved referendum before the 2008 Park Bond game even starts. It's like a baseball game, if a game is postponed due to rain, the next game doesn't start with the home team down 15 runs. Or like when a timeout gets called, again, the home team doesn't come back to find the other team is 15 runs ahead. It's a timeout."

When the Board finally fully funds Park Bond 2008 after postponing it, they should fund the full $40 million. We know that financially funding Park Bond 2008 can be & should be done first. We continue to ask the Board of Commissioners to restore the .1 millage to the Debt Service Fund in the 2017 Budget.

The 2 Positive Developments:

1. The Board restarted the Park Bond property evaluation process in January 2016, and the Parks Department has reported their Committee will announce the park nominations for purchase in October 2016.

2. The Incoming Chairman Mike Boyce centered a good part of his Chairman campaign on funding the 2008 Park Bond, and he has publicly reported he will fund the Park Bond in the Marietta Daily Journal and on WABE radio.

The Park Bond will ensure a great legacy for any Commissioner who funds it, and that is what should happen in our great American democracy for any voter-approved Referendum.

Horses at Mabry Park

nvironmentally, Cobb’s stated goal in the 2030 Plan is to save at least 10.5% of county land as greenspace. Currently Cobb has less than 7 percent saved, so Cobb needs to purchase more than 8,000 acres to achieve their 10% goal. For perspective, the very popular Park Bond 2006 saved fewer than 400 acres, and no parkland has been purchased in Cobb for nearly a decade.

Having nearby parks:

helps the roads have less traffic
keeps the water table high with drinkable water
ensures less flooding due to impervious surfaces
creates healthier and safer communities

Parks also increase home values, tourism, and the overall quality of life.

Park Bond 2006 was a huge success and purchased Green Meadows Preserve, Hyde Farm, Mabry Park, and Price Park among others, which is why 65% of voters approved Park Bond 2008 and we continue to press for it to be funded.

Some more history: The Cobb Parks Coalition met with each Commissioners in the Fall of 2015 and noted the Board could easily use .1 millage of the .33 millage to pay for Park Bond 2008 exactly as planned in 2008 under Chairman Olens. Chairman Olens completed the property evaluation process for Park Bond 2008 but chose not to buy the properties in 2009.

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Boyce commits to $40M for parks

9/10/2016

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MDJ Article: Boyce commits to $40M for parks

Ricky Leroux
Sep 10, 2016

Retired Marine Col. Mike Boyce, set to become the chairman of the Cobb Board of Commissioners next year, said this week he is committed to finding a way for the county to spend $40 million on new park land because that was the amount approved by voters in a 2008 referendum.

However, he said needs to get more information about the options available before committing to a method of funding the land purchases.

In an hour-long interview with the MDJ’s editorial board on Monday, Boyce said he wants to “keep a low profile until Nov. 8,” when he is officially elected chairman. Boyce defeated incumbent Tim Lee in a runoff for the Republican nomination for the chairman’s seat in July, and without a Democratic, third-party or independent challenger, he is assured a win on Election Day.

Still, Boyce said he wants to wait for the general election before scheduling meetings with county staff, “so that when I go into a meeting with a staff person, I am the chairman-elect, and not the presumptive.”

Below are Boyce’s answer to a variety of questions the editorial board posed to the incoming chairman, though some have been edited for clarity.

Q: One of the big issues for your campaign was the parks bond. (we) know you haven’t sat down with staff yet, but what are your preliminary thoughts on how the county should handle it?
A: Again, I don’t want to put the cart before the horse. They’re still working through the budget, but I think you don’t have to go back to my campaign to find that I’m committed to find a way to pay for the bond. I think that in 2008, the people spoke, and I think that’s still a standing commitment that we should honor. And the challenge we’re going to have is finding a way to do that. But I want to let the chairman and the board work through that issue before I get involved in it.

Q: So you’d have to get more information before deciding what options are out there for you? What’s on the table, what’s not on the table?
A: Yeah, the bottom line is I have to see — I have to work with the budget they produce. But I think I bring the skillset to the table to be able to do that. And again, whatever decision I make regarding any topic, including the bond, has to be worked through the board.

Q: But eventually, you’d like to see that $40 million number realized?
A: Yeah, in some way.

Q: As you told (us) in the last month, a tax rate increase is off the table. That’s a non-starter.
A: Yeah, it has to be for me. It’d be political suicide. First off, I’ve said that I’m not going to raise taxes. And (second), we’re fiscally conservative. The way you keep government small is you starve them of money. I forget who said that, but there’s a lot of reality to that. But the other side is you’re still expected to provide them certain public services. So I think the only challenge might be the parks bond because there, the people have already indicated that they want the bond. Now, how are we going to pay for that? There’s a lot of options on the table. Again, how we do that, that’s going to be tough. But if I articulate the argument that they’re the ones that want the bond, they voted for it, we’re just delayed in how we do it. That’s really not my decision, I’m just executing it. But I have to communicate it in a way that they understand, on both sides, why we’re doing what we’re doing. So, $40 million is not a small amount of money. We’re not going to just pull that out of a hat. We’re going to have to find ways to do that, but again, I can’t make any decisions on that until I see how the board votes on the budget.
...
Q: What’s your interaction with the district commissioners?
A: I’ve had coffee with them, I’ve had breakfast with them. I’ve texted, emailed. It’s been informal, but again, everything I pretty much need to know, I read in the paper.

Q: Have you met with all the district commissioners?
A: In person, all except for (Commissioner) Bob Weatherford. I just don’t ride motorcycles, and I don’t believe in going to Montana. But no, he and I have texted, and likewise with most of the mayors. I’m meeting with (Smyrna Mayor) Max Bacon on Friday, but these meetings, again, like I said before, it’s just for them to get to know me. Look, I’m an unknown. I came up out of nowhere, and they knew my name and that’s just about it. The reality is I think a lot of people thought this was a shot in the dark. … It’s not like we tried to hide the nature of our campaign. I just think people, and I mean this generally, people didn’t believe that the whole issue was that the people felt that they should have been brought into the process, something that simple. And that after two years, they’d have gotten over it. Well, I didn’t feel that way, and apparently most of them didn’t either.

Q: And the peace accords with the Atlanta Braves went well?
A: That was a good meeting.

Q: So you’re all set with them?
A: Yeah, that was a good meeting. I got a sense of their professionalism, and I also got a sense that this is a big enchilada. We have to find a way, all of us, to make this a successful enterprise. And that’s going to require a lot of work on our part because we’re now part of a business enterprise, so we have responsibilities in that regard. And we have to find a way to do our part to make that business enterprise successful. They are unique because they are so big and because of the issues, primarily traffic surrounding them, that are going to be there from day one. So I’m aware of that, they’re aware of that. Apparently, everyone is doing their best to come up with a plan, but as I told them in my meeting, I’ve heard a lot of plans in my lifetime, they usually last about a minute once you execute them. So you have to have the flexibility to adjust (when) something you hadn’t thought about occurs, but you still have to deal with it. But I think we’re all on board with it. I think they were very, very reassured that I’m here to work with them, in every way, shape or form … and I’ve committed to that.
...
Q: (Another) issue … is the bridge over I-285 near the stadium (and) how it’s being paid for. Are there any changes that you would like to see made to how that bridge is being funded? Or do you agree with the way the county has handled it so far?
A: Let me simply say that the bridge was in the (Memorandum of Understanding) (between the county and the Braves). The board signed, approved the M.O.U., they have to find a way to build it. That’s the agreement. Somebody had asked me if I had planned to go and try to find a way to change the M.O.U. The answer’s no. That is a contract. And some things are black and white to me. It’s a contract. We have to do it. So I’ll let the board figure out how they’re going to do that.
...
Q: Recently, the board was presented with this study outlining changes that should be made to staffers’ salaries. Are you familiar with what was presented in the report and what do you make of their findings?
A: I went to the board and spoke to them sometime in the last year about — it was during the budget last year — and they were mentioning this study, but they hadn’t put (in) something called a placeholder. And I went the board and I said, ‘Look, even if you don’t know the exact impact of this study, show your employees that you’re serious about doing something about it and put a placeholder in the budget to reflect that you think this is going to be an estimate of what you think this budget’s going to cost. And that sends a signal to all your employees that you are serious about this effort.’ And ultimately, they did that. So I think that’s where they are right now. I think it’s a priority to the chairman, and I think that’s terrific because the county employees certainly have worked hard for it. And I would like to — I just want to let him work this out with the board as to how they’re going to implement that study because, again, I’m aware of the issue, I’ve read some of it, but I haven’t read all of it. I don’t know all the impact of it because I haven’t talked to the HR director or the other people who are impacted by it. But it’s something that I think everyone recognizes should be done, and I think the board will find some way of at least getting started on that.
…
Q: You were saying earlier that you didn’t think the whole zoning — the way of doing it with the signs right by the property was enough.
A: No, because people are busy. The reality is that even though I went to 8,000 doors, most of them weren’t home, but a lot of them called me back. People just work hard. My sense was a lot of them, if not most of them were low-income families. They get home, they have kids, they have soccer and after-school activities that they want to be a part of, and now you’re asking them to take another part of their very busy life to focus on what’s going on in their county. Now, if you’re doing everything right, it’s like other institution — if it’s clicking on all cylinders, then you don’t have an interest because they’re taking care of you. I remember one morning, watching ‘The Georgia Gang,’ the guy — who’s that, Dick Williams, is that who runs that show? — he was making a comment, ‘Well, Mike Boyce has said the county government has got great people, they’re doing great things, you know, the economy’s growing there. What’s his problem?’ Well, Dick, obviously you missed the point because when I went knocking on doors, I wasn’t complaining about how our government was being run, I was complaining about something else. And I was trying to convince people to agree with me and vote for me. But I realized that I had to go get them. If I hadn’t done that, I probably wouldn’t have won. I’ll be realistic. What we did was what it took to win. And in the course of doing that, I just learned that we have to find a better way of getting people to vote. Something as simple as putting absentee ballot applications in the water bill or something. Just reach out to them.

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A LITTLE PIECE OF PARADISE’: Acworth goat farm’s open house to promote property’s park potential

9/9/2016

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Rosewood Farm Open House Saturday, Sept 9 from 1:00 to 5:00 pm

MDJ Article: ‘A LITTLE PIECE OF PARADISE’ Acworth goat farm’s open house to promote property’s park potential

Jon Gargis

Charline Cambron feeds treats to goats on her farm, Rosewood Farm, Wednesday morning. Her 54-acre Acworth property off Baker Road, on which her farm and home are located, will host an open house Saturday afternoon to show the land's potential to become a county park.

Charline Cambron's 54-acre Baker Road property in Acworth has grassy areas, which her 130 goats enjoy, as well as wooded areas. The property was nominated several years ago to be purchased as county greenspace but was never pursued as Cobb never issued the bonds to be used for park land. An open house Saturday aims to highlight the property's potential for a future park.

ACWORTH — Charline Cambron calls her 54-acre Baker Road property “a little piece of paradise,” but if she had her way, it could potentially be that and more for her neighbors and other county residents.

Cambron’s family has owned the land since her parents bought it in 1958, with she and her parents and brother moving onto it in 1965. She and her husband, Donald Perryman, continue to live there today, and in addition to their house, the land also serves as the site of Rosewood Farm, where she raises goats for meat, some of which is sold to metro Atlanta restaurants, including The Butcher The Baker in Marietta and Canoe in Vinings. She had about 130 goats on the farm Wednesday.

And while the animals now occupy a number of her property’s grassy areas, she sees those acres as well as the property’s wooded lands as the perfect site for a county park. She, along with the Cobb Parks Coalition, are promoting an open house on her property from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday to show the land’s potential for future park land.

“I would love for this to become a park,” she says. “The walking traffic on Baker Road, in the evenings and the mornings, people walking their dogs or jogging, we don’t have anything on this end of the county for Cobb County — Kennesaw has Swift-Cantrell and Acworth has Logan Farm Park. (This) is for the purpose of seeing it as a potential park and let the neighbors see what’s here that could be a park, because when neighbors get behind stuff, it does help, and a lot of people probably have no idea that this is actually in here, because you really can’t see it from the street.”

Cambron said she can imagine the land, surrounded almost entirely by neighborhoods, providing for county residents amenities such as dog parks or community garden space. Her house, she added, could be used for a county office, an event center or some other use.

“This could be a lot of things, and it would all be beneficial to the county,” she said. “To me, it would be like adding another little jewel in Cobb County’s crown, because we need greenspace. [And] the owls and the hawks and all those guys still need a place to live.”

Cambron said the county could pursue a purchase of her land, or perhaps even a life estate, where the land would be transferred to the county upon her death.

“There’s really basically probably only two endgames: I’m the last Cambron, and one day it’ll be developed or it could be a park, and I would love to see it become a park, because it is my home, and I would hate to see them (develop it), because when they develop stuff, they grade it pretty much flat,” she said. “If it doesn’t become a park, who knows what’s going to go in? No matter what (it is), people don’t like change, there’s going to be people who are for it and people that are against it. I would think that a park would enhance their property values, but of course, some of them are probably going to say no, but everybody has a different take on that.”

IS LAND ON THE LIST?
Cambron’s property had been recommended as the site of a possible county park before. In late 2008 and into 2009, a public nomination process was held to determine which properties Cobb residents wanted to see the county purchase in order to increase greenspace. The nomination period followed voters’ November 2008 approval of a $40 million parks bond, but the bonds were never issued by then-county Chairman Sam Olens due to a tanking economy and a tax increase he said would come as a result of the bonds’ issuance.

That process resulted in more than 330 nominated properties. County commissioners in late October 2009 were presented by the parks bond citizen advisory committee a list of 29 properties that had been whittled from those that were nominated. Cambron’s property was one of those 29.

The parks bond issue fell off the radar until details of Chairman Tim Lee’s plan to bring the Atlanta Braves to Cobb County were released. Lee’s plan to finance the new ballpark involved increasing general fund millage just as debt service millage used for a previous park bond was paid off and decreased. The discussion prompted commissioners to authorize a similar nomination process for parkland this year, with more than 160 properties across the county nominated. The parcels are located in all areas of Cobb and range in size from 0.5 acres to more than 120 acres, Tom Bills, senior project manager for the county’s parks department, told the MDJ last month.

But county officials last month said they could not reveal if any of the 29 properties recommended in 2009 were among those nominated this year, though Bills said that at the beginning of this year, of those 29, county officials could find no evidence of development activity on 21 of them. He added that the board has an Oct. 25 deadline to present its list of recommended properties to the Board of Commissioners. Commissioners are scheduled to meet that day.

Paul Paulsen of west Cobb founded the Cobb Parks Coalition to promote the county’s $40 million parks bond.

He said the coalition wants to see the nomination list made public.

“By the county refusing to reveal the properties that are nominated, it adds a cloud of opaqueness that does a disservice to all that we’ve done. Why not do it now? People need to know what’s out there,” Paulsen said. “That’s why we want it to be open.”

Paulsen said he hopes the public will come to Saturday’s event to see a site that could one day become a source of county greenspace.

COMMISSIONERS: COMMITTEE’S JOB TO SELECT PROPERTIES

In addition to community members, organizers have also invited members of the Cobb Board of Commissioners. Three commissioners — JoAnn Birrell, Lisa Cupid and Bob Ott — told the MDJ that they each had prior commitments and would not be attending Saturday’s open house.

“I expect the coalition of Parks and Recreation board appointees to evaluate this property along with the other properties nominated for consideration,” Cupid said.

Ott said that while he has not yet seen the property in person, he believes it will be moved forward by the advisory committee.

“My understanding is it’s going to be one of the properties that comes forward,” he said. “I’ve talked to the folks who are my appointees to the committee, and they’ve kind of kept me abreast of where they are looking at properties, and they’re going to come talk to me once they’ve finished reviewing the properties.”

But Ott said it was too early to say if any property was worthy to become a future county park.
“We have a committee, so it’s important to let the committee do the work that they’re out there doing,” Ott said. “I don’t want them to think they’re wasting their time if we’re all of a sudden making decisions without letting them do the research and investigation they’re out there doing. I’m just waiting for them to finish and let us know.”

Birrell said she too had not seen the property in person, but could do so if it is selected. “Once we get the recommended list in October from the parks board, I plan to make site visits to the selected properties,” she said.

Only time will tell if county leaders pursue Cambron’s land for a future park. But what would happen if the county bought the land from Cambron?

“I’m not ready to live in a house with a neighbor that close. I’d most likely buy something else. I would like to stay in Cobb County, I love Cobb County. I would like to find a smaller piece of property in Cobb County and downsize,” she said. “But I would still have goats.”

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A question of honor

9/7/2016

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Marietta Daily Journal Letter to the Editor: A question of honor

DEAR EDITOR:

Eight years ago, a promise was made by the Cobb County Board of Commissioners to its citizens to abide by the results of a referendum which unambiguously asked whether the board ought to issue a bond of indebtedness in the amount of $40 million for the purchase of land to be used for public parks.

Sixty- seven percent — a supermajority — of those voting answered in the affirmative. Yet eight years later, no action has been taken to comply with this mandate, and the latest working budget allocates no money for park land. The promise has not been kept.

This is a question of honor. A promise has been made by Cobb County which it can and must keep. Failure to do so flouts the will of a supermajority.

Norman Fagge
Marietta

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A question of honor

Cobb Parks Coalition Blog

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