Cobb Makes New Hire, Honors Volunteers

The county Tuesday night approved the hire of Willie A. Hopkins Jr. as its new support services director, and tabled court officials' request of a grant to fund the county’s first mental health court.

The Cobb Board of Commissioners recognized volunteers and community leaders, and made a new hire to its management team Tuesday night. The board approved the appointment of Willie A. Hopkins Jr., the assistant city manager of Pompano Beach, Fla., and former director of general services for Fulton County, as Cobb's new support services director. The position manages a staff of 320 people in the area of property management, information services purchasing, and government service centers. Former director Virgil Moon retired last September to become the chief financial officer at Cobb and Douglas Public Health. Hopkins is expected to start in his new role on April 15, and receive a salary of $136,000, said Cobb County spokesman Robert Quigley…

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Cobb to Appoint New Support Services Director

The county is expected to hire a new director after Virgil Moon retired in September to become the chief financial officer at Cobb and Douglas Public Health.

The appointment of a new support services director is on tonight's agenda for the Cobb Board of Commissioners. Former director Virgil Moon retired last September to become the chief financial officer at Cobb and Douglas Public Health. The county is expected to hire Willie A. Hopkins Jr., the assistant city manager of Pompano Beach, FL and former director of general services for Fulton County, as the new support services director at tonight’s meeting, according to The Marietta Daily Journal. The position manages a staff of more than 300 people in the area of property management, information services purchasing, and government service centers. County spokesman Robert Quigley told the MDJ that 104 people applied for the job and the salary …

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Acworth's Commissioner Proposes Illegal Immigrants Study

Cobb Commissioners are thinking about ways to keep tax dollars out of the hands of illegal immigrants.

After a 3-2 vote last month against the IMAGE Certification Program, the Cobb Board of Commissioners is now considering ways to stop county funds from going to illegal immigrants. Discussion led by District 1 Commissioner Helen Goreham on forming a committee to study illegal immigrants is expected to be on the agenda for the next board meeting. County Chairman Tim Lee told The Marietta Daily Journal that Goreham's proposal is "in response to the proposed IMAGE code amendment" to make sure the county is doing the right thing and being "effective and efficient" when it comes to this matter. Last month, the board voted 3-2 to reject the IMAGE Certification Program, a proposed code change that supporters say would ensure jobs paid for with …

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Questions Linger for Backyard Chicken Foes

Cobb commissioner JoAnn Birrell explained the ordinance change to area residents.

After the Cobb Board of Commissioners voted to adjust its code for chicken owners on small residential lots, opponents of the measure still had plenty of questions. At a Wednesday meeting of the East Cobb Civic Association, District 3 commissioner JoAnn Birrell outlined the new policy before an audience that wasn't thrilled to absorb the news. The ECCA opposed the changes, which would permit owners to apply for a variance that would allow them to keep one female chicken -- but no roosters -- per 5,000 square feet of property. Applicants also must provide written consent from two adjacent neighbors, either in support of or in opposition to their petition. Birrell and Cobb Commission Chairman Tim Lee voted against the change, but it passed 3…

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Backyard Chickens Prevail in Cobb

"I would much rather have a couple of chickens in my neighborhood than a couple of my neighbors," Maxine Saless of Marietta said.

If you live on a lot less than two acres in size and you want chickens in your backyard, Cobb County will at least consider your request now. With Chairman Tim Lee and and District 3 Commissioner JoAnn Birrell opposed, the Board of Commissioners Tuesday night voted 3-2 in favor of a code amendment that allows Cobb residents to apply to the Board of Zoning Appeals for backyard poultry on lots of that size. The final vote didn't sit well with several East Cobb residents who urged commissioners earlier in the evening to oppose the amendment. "I know first-hand what backyard chickens can do," Melanie Skinner said. "I had a neighbor who illegally was raising them on ¾ of an acre. When you have poultry in your backyard, it's going to bring the …

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Rodney Thrash

4:45 pm on Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Thank you for participating in the discussion. We're going to close the comments on this story. Feel free to comment on other stories on any of the eight Cobb sites.   more ›

Cobb BOC Rejects IMAGE Certification Program

The vote was 3-2 against the proposal.

Contractors who want to do business with Cobb County will not be required to apply for certification through a federal program intended to stop undocumented workers from obtaining employment through fraudulent means.  It was standing-room only at the Cobb County administration building Tuesday night. And despite passionate arguments from speaker after speaker in favor of the proposed code change, county commissioners decided that the federal IMAGE program was not the best way to solve unemployment or the issue of illegal workers in Cobb. "That objective can be obtained through quite a few different ways," Chairman Tim Lee said before the board voted 3-2 against the ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) Mutual Agreement between …

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Observer

5:43 pm on Friday, March 1, 2013

Richard, you need to stop reading Rousseau and start reading Huntington. Your martyr complex is getting the better of you.   more ›

Cobb Town Halls Begin Monday

Residents will have six opportunities to get updates from elected officials.

The first in a series of town hall meetings intended for Cobb residents to hear directly from their district representatives will begin Monday. Cobb County Commission Chairman Tim Lee will host the first one, which begins at 7 p.m. Feb. 11 at the Smyrna Community Center, 200 Village Green Circle. Residents will have five more opportunities to get updates from their elected officials. Here's the schedule for the remaining town halls:

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Angela Chao

11:18 am on Monday, February 11, 2013

Chairman Tim Lee’s town hall tonight in Smyrna has been canceled. Lee is under the weather and will reschedule soon, according to Robert J Quigley, Cobb County's Director of Communications.   more ›

Reminder: Diversity Nominations Needed

The deadline is Jan. 25.

Nominate a North Cobb Diversity Champion

The deadline is Jan. 25

The Cobb Board of Commissioners and the Cobb Community Relations Council are accepting nominations for the 2013 Creating Community Awards. The purpose of these awards is to recognize an individual, team or organization that has done something unique in making a positive contribution to the inclusion of diverse communities in Cobb. Those groups could be identified as race or ethnicity, age or generational, religious, disabled or handicapped and gender. The awards not only recognize good works in the county, but also provide a model of inspiration for the rest of the community. Each county commissioner will receive nominations from his or her district. An independent committee will choose each recipient. Nominations should be turned in to …

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