
Park supporters double down at BoC meeting
by Meris Lutz
Read more: The Marietta Daily Journal - Park supporters double down at BoC meeting
MARIETTA — Greenspace supporters are not backing down from their demand that the county come up with $40 million for new parks, making their case — once again — before the Board of Commissioners at Tuesday’s regular meeting.
Half a dozen residents came out to affirm their support for a 2008 referendum authorizing the county to issue $40 million in bonds for parks. Those bonds were never issued by then-County Chairman Sam Olens and later by Chairman Tim Lee, who both said they would not issue the bonds if it required a tax hike.
Momentum for parks picked up again last year as the economy showed signs of recovery, culminating in a proposal by Lee directing the recreation board to review and compile a list of potential properties to be purchased with the yet-to-be-issued parks bonds.
The board unanimously approved Lee’s proposal, but the chairman and county finance director, Jim Pehrson, have said they cannot issue bonds worth the full $40 million and another funding source has not been identified.
Park advocates, including those who spoke Tuesday during the public comment portion of the meeting, insisted that if the county could issue $400 million in bonds to build a new stadium for the Atlanta Braves, it could find money for greenspace.
The advocates are part of a group called the Cobb Parks Coalition, which Joe O’Connor, of east Cobb, described as a “single-issue” team of volunteers from around the county who simply wanted the board to follow through on voters’ wishes.
“Not one park bond has been issued, and not one acre of land has been purchased for our parks,” O’Connor said. “This is dereliction and tragedy.”
O’Connor warned that angry voters would take out their frustration over the parks at the ballot box. Lee, along with Commissioners Bob Ott and Lisa Cupid, will first have to win their respective parties’ nominations on May 24 before running in the November general election.
Kaye Klapper of Smyrna also voiced support for immediate funding of greenspace.
“Our communities are being inundated with rampant and unrestricted development … (by) developers who only care about how much money they can make on a single property and who do not care about saving trees and native plants,” Klapper said. “It is truly unacceptable that you make excuses about why you can’t buy properties now.”
Cynthia Patterson of Marietta decried a “lack of true commitment” by the board to what she called the “priceless legacies” of clean water and air.
Speaking to the MDJ after the meeting, Lee said he was serious about acquiring more parkland.
“They’re very, very passionate about something that’s important to them,” Lee said of the greenspace supporters who have consistently turned out to public meetings in force for months. “I’m totally committed to seeking dollars to fully fund it … I think I’m doing what they asked me to do.”
Lee said he has not discussed alternative funding options with the finance director yet, saying that they would look into that when the county prepares its budget this summer.
The Parks and Recreation Department is soliciting proposals for potential greenspace until April 15 through the county website, by mail or at one of several scheduled public input meetings. The next meeting is scheduled for March 17 at the South Cobb Community Center.
Once a list of suitable properties is compiled, it will be presented to the Board of Commissioners for approval at a yet-to-be-determined date. The board has not yet made a decision whether to issue the parks bonds.
Read more: The Marietta Daily Journal - Park supporters double down at BoC meeting
by Meris Lutz
Read more: The Marietta Daily Journal - Park supporters double down at BoC meeting
MARIETTA — Greenspace supporters are not backing down from their demand that the county come up with $40 million for new parks, making their case — once again — before the Board of Commissioners at Tuesday’s regular meeting.
Half a dozen residents came out to affirm their support for a 2008 referendum authorizing the county to issue $40 million in bonds for parks. Those bonds were never issued by then-County Chairman Sam Olens and later by Chairman Tim Lee, who both said they would not issue the bonds if it required a tax hike.
Momentum for parks picked up again last year as the economy showed signs of recovery, culminating in a proposal by Lee directing the recreation board to review and compile a list of potential properties to be purchased with the yet-to-be-issued parks bonds.
The board unanimously approved Lee’s proposal, but the chairman and county finance director, Jim Pehrson, have said they cannot issue bonds worth the full $40 million and another funding source has not been identified.
Park advocates, including those who spoke Tuesday during the public comment portion of the meeting, insisted that if the county could issue $400 million in bonds to build a new stadium for the Atlanta Braves, it could find money for greenspace.
The advocates are part of a group called the Cobb Parks Coalition, which Joe O’Connor, of east Cobb, described as a “single-issue” team of volunteers from around the county who simply wanted the board to follow through on voters’ wishes.
“Not one park bond has been issued, and not one acre of land has been purchased for our parks,” O’Connor said. “This is dereliction and tragedy.”
O’Connor warned that angry voters would take out their frustration over the parks at the ballot box. Lee, along with Commissioners Bob Ott and Lisa Cupid, will first have to win their respective parties’ nominations on May 24 before running in the November general election.
Kaye Klapper of Smyrna also voiced support for immediate funding of greenspace.
“Our communities are being inundated with rampant and unrestricted development … (by) developers who only care about how much money they can make on a single property and who do not care about saving trees and native plants,” Klapper said. “It is truly unacceptable that you make excuses about why you can’t buy properties now.”
Cynthia Patterson of Marietta decried a “lack of true commitment” by the board to what she called the “priceless legacies” of clean water and air.
Speaking to the MDJ after the meeting, Lee said he was serious about acquiring more parkland.
“They’re very, very passionate about something that’s important to them,” Lee said of the greenspace supporters who have consistently turned out to public meetings in force for months. “I’m totally committed to seeking dollars to fully fund it … I think I’m doing what they asked me to do.”
Lee said he has not discussed alternative funding options with the finance director yet, saying that they would look into that when the county prepares its budget this summer.
The Parks and Recreation Department is soliciting proposals for potential greenspace until April 15 through the county website, by mail or at one of several scheduled public input meetings. The next meeting is scheduled for March 17 at the South Cobb Community Center.
Once a list of suitable properties is compiled, it will be presented to the Board of Commissioners for approval at a yet-to-be-determined date. The board has not yet made a decision whether to issue the parks bonds.
Read more: The Marietta Daily Journal - Park supporters double down at BoC meeting