Information is posted on this site about various Kennesaw issues. The site is not connected to the City of Kennesaw, all opinions are those of the blog author. Contact via: consumer2014@aol.com
Sunday, April 8, 2018
FRIDAY, APRIL 6, 2018
FACEBOOK - Interesting FB sites you might want to look at
I have a few FB accounts but I never paid much attention to details about how things work at BFB, in fact I still don’t.
On one of the Fox programs this morning one comment was made about 2 FB sites that people should be aware of.
I took a look at both and will probably spend some time blundering around them looking at stuff.
You might want to take a look also, maybe bookmark them for later or hit 'share' and pass the info on to others:
https://www.facebook.com/help
https://www.facebook.com/policy
4/7/18
DOING REQUIRED REPORTS FOR THE STATE I only know what I read at the online sites, sorta seems like a lot of folks don’t know or don’t care about filing these pesky reports with the state. Some owe fees from long ago races. Here is the MDJ article on such reports, then a short list of folks who it seems should have filed such reports and a few that owe some fees for not having filed.
“Campaign finance reports to be filed this week”
Staff reports - Apr 2, 2018 - MDJ
Reports detailing the fundraising and spending by state and local candidates participating in this year’s elections are expected to be filed this week, according to the state office that tracks campaign finances.
The reports will include all campaign finance activities through March 31. Candidates are required to file their reports by Friday at midnight or they will begin being charged late fees, according to the Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission.
The deadline applies to candidates seeking local offices, seats in the Georgia Legislature or an office elected statewide. Candidates running for U.S. Congress follow a different filing schedule and are required to file their reports by April 15, according to the Federal Election Commission.
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FINANCIAL REPORTS - SEARCH RESULTS
Below are the names of Kennesaw candidates with this comment on the State’s site:
Personal Financial Disclosure Statement(s)
“No Reports Have Been Filed With The State Ethics Commission.”
Charles Derek Easterling
David B Blinkhorn
Terry Steven Creason
Yvette M. A. Daniel
James W. Eaton
Patrick M Ferris
Chris Henderson
Jeffrey Oparnica
Nimesh R. Patel
Also here are a few candidates who owe $ for not having filed their Contribution Disclosure Reports:
DICKENS SR., JIMMY DEVALL
Filing Office: State Ethics Commission
Report Type: Campaign Contribution Disclosure Report
Fee Owed: $125
WELSH , CRISTINA ANNE EATON
Filing Office: State Ethics Commission
Report Type: Financial Disclosure - Public Officials
Fee Owed: $125
WASHINGTON , BRIGGETT A
Filing Office: State Ethics Commission
Report Type: Financial Disclosure - Candidates For Public Office
Fee Owed: $125
WASHINGTON , BRIGGETT A
Filing Office: State Ethics Commission
Report Type: Campaign Contribution Disclosure Report
Fee Owed: $125
SCAMIHORN , RANDALL ALLEN
Filing Office: State Ethics Commission
Report Type: Financial Disclosure - Public Officials
Fee Owed: $125
=================
My comment: Perhaps those who have not submitted the required reports or paid their past due fees should not be able to run for another office until those missing reports are filed and any fees owed for non-filing have been paid?
VOTE BY MAIL
Primary is May 22nd.
Don't stand in line to vote, get your Vote By Mail Application, fill it in and mail, fax or email it back so you can have them send out your Vote By Mail ballot.
In Cherokee you can call 770 479 0407 and ask for the ballot application to be sent (or print out the one pictured). See the website at voter.cherokeega.com.
In Cobb you can call 770 528 2581.
These applications can be filled out and either mailed back, faxed or scanned/emailed.
1) Do you support ‘term limits’ for Mayor and Council posts?
2) Would you support asking the legislature to approve an amendment to the City Charter so that the artificial and useless ‘Posts’ are done away with for elections and the candidates with the most votes take the available Council positions?
3) Since the City provides a major share of the operating costs of the Museum, out of taxpayers dollars, should residents of Kennesaw have free access to the Railroad and Civil War Museum over and above the one free day each year when no admission is charged to visit?
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Since it is unlikely that there would be any 'debate' between candidates it would be interesting to know what each thinks about the above questions.
Tracey Floyd Viars Replied:
1) I think elections ARE term limits...if the voters aren't satisfied with a representative's work, they vote them out.
2) I can see a case for either way...not sure I have a preference...something i'd have to put more thought to. Dont feel strongly either way
3) No. Free admission all the time would cause the museum to lose potential revenue from those who wish to visit (residents or otherwise) . I would need to study the admissions trends more but I'm guessing the museum sees more non-resident visitors than resident visitors as a general point. A museum is not a community center...and the Smithsonian affiliation, while valuable, can't be inexpensive to uphold. Residents don't take free classes at the community center (though they do pay lower fees than non-residents)..why should they expect to get into the museum for free? I consider the museum an amenity for the city, and a draw for tourism...I don't believe any museum is a profit center but with that said, smart use of taxpayer funds should always be a priority and amenities like the museum or other venues should make every effort to do the most they can to cover as much of their own expenses as possible.
There are ‘approx’ 13,900 registered voters within the City of Kennesaw.
The last election in Nov. 2017, where Ferris, Henderson and Blinkhorn, were elected had 1,223 voters turn out.
That is about a 9% turnout, which is rather pitiful, but that is what it was.
Normally an election where the Mayor is being decided would get about 1,750-1,950, but without a big draw like Mayor, folks just don’t bother.
In a ‘Special Election’ with just one candidate you won’t be getting even that 9 % turnout.
You can make your own guess on the coming election as far as turnout but it probably will be about 700-900. If you don’t like that guess then make your own estimate.
What you have is a pretty well known local figure vs. someone who is unknown.
I don’t see much chance for Ms Carlson. A debate would give Ms Carlson some publicity and might get her a few more votes, but you have to be realistic and the turnout would still be insignificant and even with a slight bump for Carlson it wouldn’t do much for her total.
My guess is that Tracy gets 3 votes for every Carlson vote.
A small town mayor got some national publicity for himself and Kennesaw when he spent 5 minutes on Fox & Friends at 6:15 a.m. Sat 3/10/18.
The topic was the 1982 'Kennesaw Gun Law' which required all heads of households in the City to own a gun. This was put through in response to Morton Grove, Illinois's ban on having any firearms within their city limits.
The Mayor didn't knock it out of the park, but he did a decent job for a small town mayor on national TV, even if it was at 6:15 a.m. on a Saturday.
Kennesaw has gotten some good publicity on this 36 year old law both on Fox and in print media, and this appearance by the Mayor negates the negative publicity he got a few months ago when he attended a gala in drag.
Cobb sees drought restrictions dropped Mar 8, 2018 MDJ
Georgia's Environmental Protection Division on Thursday lifted the Level 1 drought response for Cobb and 11 other metro Atlanta counties, which allows residents to conduct most outdoor watering activities at all times but limits landscape watering to before 10 a.m. and after 4 p.m. daily. Cobb is among 12 north Georgia counties that had its Level 1 Drought Response lifted Thursday. The lifting means that the entire state is now under a non-drought outdoor water use schedule. The county under the Level 1 Drought Response had been required to conduct a public information campaign to explain drought conditions and the need to conserve water.
With the Level 1 Response no longer in place, residents are allowed to do most outdoor water uses at any time, such as irrigation of new and replanted plant, seed, or turf in landscapes, golf courses, or sports turf fields during installation and for a period of 30 days immediately following the date of installation. Irrigation of personal food gardens, drip irrigation or irrigation using soaker hoses is also allowed, as well as hand-watering with a hose with automatic cutoff or handheld container. But the Water Stewardship Act of 2010 limits landscape watering to before 10 a.m. and after 4 p.m. daily to limit evaporation during the warmest part of the day. The drought level for Cobb last dropped back in September ahead of the Georgia arrival of Hurricane Irma, after above-average rain through the first eight months of the year led state officials to lift some drought restrictions on the county. Through Wednesday afternoon, the metro Atlanta area had seen about 10.24 inches of rain for the year — slightly higher than the normal year to date average of 10 inches, according to measurements taken at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport and reported by AccuWeather.
Cobb County News Updates
Counties in addition to Cobb that moved from the Level 1 Drought Response to the non-drought outdoor water use schedule Thursday were Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Habersham, Hall, Lumpkin, Paulding and White. “As expected, winter rains have refilled Lake Lanier, which serves as an important water supply for much of metro Atlanta,” EPD Director Richard Dunn said in a news release Thursday. “Drought-related restrictions were eased in other areas last fall, but the Level 1 Response was left in place to help the lake recover.” Lake Lanier is a federal reservoir and as such, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers manages its water levels, as well as the other reservoirs in the Chattahoochee River Basin south of Atlanta. More information on the state’s non-drought schedule can be found at https://epd.georgia.gov/non-drought-outdoor-water-use-schedule. Georgia town requires all residents to be gun owners to deter crime
The Grio
KIA MORGAN-SMITH Mar 7th 2018
In Kennesaw, Georgia, residents are technically required to own a gun because of a local law, according to CNN.
The controversial law says, “every head of household residing in the city limits is required to maintain a firearm.” The Mayor, Derek Easterling, believes the measure will serve as a deterrent to criminals.
“If you’re going to commit a crime in Kennesaw and you’re the criminal—are you going to take a chance that that homeowner is a law-abiding citizen?” When the law was enacted in 1982, “It was meant to be kind of a crime deterrent,” said Lt. Craig Graydon. “It was also more or less a political statement because the city of Morton Grove, Illinois, passed a city ordinance banning handguns from their city limits.” As the gun debate rages in Washington and legislators push for stricter gun laws, resident Wayne Arnold supports the law and was proud to share with CNN that he has an arsenal at home. Among the weapons he keeps at home are an AR-15-style .223 caliber rifle, a variety of handguns. “It gives me the ability to protect myself as opposed to being somewhere where you weren’t allowed to have a firearm or it was frowned upon,” said Arnold. However, even though the law is on the books, it’s not being enforced. Kennesaw, Georgia reportedly has about 33,000 residents and has had only one murder in the last six years.
QUALIFICATIONS AND REGISTRATIONS FOR THE KENNESAW SPECIAL ELECTION IS NOW OVER
As of 3/7/18 at 12:30 pm the window to qualify and register for the May 22nd 2018 Special Election to fill Post 2 of the Kennesaw City Council has closed.
Monday there were 2 registrations.
There were no registrations on Tuesday.
There were no registrations on Wed.
The candidates are:
Tracey Viars
Kemela June Carlson
An official update should be posted on the Cobb County Board of Elections site today about 4:30 pm as to the final slate for Post 2.
The mission of the Elections Department is to register citizens of Cobb County to vote; to ensure that elections are free, impartial, fair, accurate, convenient…
COBBELECTIONS.ORG
NO NEW CANDIDATES FILED TUESDAY FOR THE KENNESAW POST 2 COUNCIL SEAT
What will Wed. bring?
Will the field grow of will it just be the 2 candidates?
KENNESAW CITY CANDIDATES MAY 22, 2018 SPECIAL ELECTION – CITY COUNCIL POST 2
Tracey Viars v. Kemela June Carlson
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Police: Construction worker hit, killed in Kennesaw neighborhood
MDJ STAFF 3 / 6/18
A 23-year-old construction worker from Cumming was hit by a dump truck and killed Monday in a neighborhood along Bartleson Drive off Stilesboro Road in Kennesaw, police said.
Dario Mejia-Ortiz was working near the road in an area of new construction about 3 p.m. when a dump truck driven by 49-year-old Bart Wilbanks, of Cartersville, struck him, said Sgt. Wayne Delk, spokesman for Cobb Police.
Investigators say Mejia-Ortiz was hit by the front right corner of the truck, which knocked him to the ground and continued over him. He died at the scene.
Wilbanks stopped his truck and waited for first responders to arrive, Delk said.
The incident remains under investigation and anyone with information is asked to call Cobb police at 770-499-3987
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So far there are 2 competing for the Post 2 City Council position.
Not that anyone actually reads this blog site but 'The Kennesaw Watch' (ie: me) Supports Tracey Floyd Viars for Post 2 on the Kennesaw City Council.
-------------------------------------- "Tracey Floyd Viars- It's official! I qualified this morning to run for Kennesaw City Council Post 2! I would love to have your support! I've lived in Kennesaw for 21 years, served on the very first Kennesaw Citizens Advisory Committee, served on the Kennesaw Downtown Development Authority for 6 years (chair since 2015).
I served on the events committee for 2 years and played a major role in the city's Dinner at the Depot event and the Kennesaw Beer & Wine Festival.
You could say I'm passionate about the city and its people! #LetsDoThisKennesaw Please help me spread the word by sharing this post with your group!"
LIVEABILITY INDEX FOR KENNESAW
The score for Kennesaw is 79
Did You Know? In Kennesaw 62.81% of the population is Caucasian. In Kennesaw 24.47% of the population is African American.
MARIETTA — Responding to reports that several libraries and their staff could be cut this fall, several Cobb residents strongly urged county commissioners Tuesday to back away from the proposal.
The remarks from seven citizens came in the wake of a publicly released county proposal to close eight of the county’s 17 libraries in an effort to address a budget shortfall. Under a draft plan authored by Helen Poyer, who heads the Cobb County Public Library System, the county would also cut 124 positions to save about a quarter of the library system’s nearly $12.3 million budget in fiscal 2018.
The draft was obtained by the MDJ through an open records request and was created in response to county commissioners’ directive in late October for Poyer and other county staff to cut nearly $2.9 million from the library system in an effort to address a projected $30 million shortfall in the fiscal 2019 budget.
“What’s the cost? It’s people’s lives, people’s futures,” said Marietta resident Peggy Pool, who argued that shuttering libraries to save county funds would affect adults who may go to the library to search for jobs as they have no online service at home, while children could go without access to books to build their vocabularies or scholarly resources come research paper time.
Pool also expressed concern that the library system could lose state funding if several branches were closed — a worry that had also been aired by Poyer in an email obtained by the MDJ last week. Poyer in that email said she had been contacted by State Librarian Julie Walker of the Georgia Public Library Service, who had questioned the support for state funding for the county system based on news that branches would be closed.
Also speaking to commissioners was Susan Kendall, a Powder Springs resident and volunteer ESL teacher with the county’s adult education program. She said the libraries are helpful to immigrant populations when they move into the county because the facilities play a role in helping them assimilate into the American and local cultures.
“These are people who want to be good, American citizens, and what they need are tools. As an ESL teacher, I also include library databases — citizenship, American GED, small business — these are all library databases that I include in my program,” Kendall said.
County Chairman Mike Boyce said the possibility of closing libraries remains just a proposal as the county remains months away from crafting a framework for the fiscal 2019, which he said would be taken around the county and presented to the public at town hall-style meetings this spring.
The library reduction proposal, he said, had been made public knowing that it would draw comments as the county stands within the initial stages of putting together the budget.
“We have five months as we put together our budget for 2019,” Boyce said.
But library proponents, such as Rachel Slomovitz, say they intend to speak at future commission meetings to continue to voice their desire to keep branches open. The east Cobb resident, who considers herself a frequent visitor to the East Cobb and Mountain View libraries, said she planned to attend the 7 p.m. meeting on Feb. 27 after being unable to attend Tuesday’s meeting.
Slomovitz began a change.org petition in mid-December titled “Save Cobb County Libraries with Millage Rate Increase,” which as of Wednesday afternoon had more than 1,200 signatures.
Several of those who spoke on the library topic Tuesday morning said they would support a millage increase to keep library sites from closing.
MARIETTA — Responding to reports that several libraries and their staff could be cut this fall, several Cobb residents strongly urged county commissioners Tuesday to back away from the proposal.
MDJONLINE.COM
2/12/18 CLASS ACTION SUITS - Are they worth it? Now and then on various sites someone opines that this or that company should be the subject of a ‘class action suit’. Frequently the offender is Comcast who has terrible service. Below are some points to consider on such suits. Just today, Feb 12, 2018, I got a final disbursement from a class action suit against Wells Fargo. It was $2.22. Prior to this final check there was the initial payment of a bit under $13, I remember thinking that it would just about pay for one meal at Zaxby’s, so it was not a real memorable amount. Most results are similar, only the lawyers walk away with any real money. So what do I think about such suits? I have absolutely no problem with class action suits but you should be aware that there are some problems with them. Here are things to consider, not in the order of importance, just pot luck. The first issue is to get past the initial agreement you went with, which almost surely that any disputes will be heard in arbitration. OK, so let’s say you get past this roadblock (but you might not). A) Finding a law firm to represent the proposed ‘class’. No individual or even small shop will take on something like this, far to labor intense and far to long to reach a conclusion. B) These things drag on for years, not months, years, and it favors the organization being sued to have this happen. It wears down the opposition. C) Just because you get a dozen or so initial plaintiffs there is no guarantee that a judge will certify it as a class action. This is an up hill struggle to get certification. D) You may be filing first in a state court, BUT Comcast will easily have it removed to Federal District Court due to what is called ‘diversity of citizenship’, which just means that the proposed class is in more than one jurisdiction and/or that the state filed in originally is not where Comcast has its corporate HQ. So one way or another it will be in a Federal District Court. E) It is a long shot for it ever to be certified and reach a trial. Most likely is a settlement with those original filers and such settlements are almost always ‘confidential’, which means that you might ‘win’ in theory but you can’t tell anyone what you got and the suit will show as being dismissed with predjudice. Note: If it isn’t certified as a class action, those party to the original filing can still proceed with the suit. F) One stop along the way is arbitration, usually sent there by the trial judge to see if there is some way to avoid a few more years in his/her court. If no agreement it is back on the Court’s calender. G) Who is paying for the representation for the suit? Even if the law firm agrees to bear the costs for 40% of the eventual payout, they might want the plaintiffs to at least pay for the various filing fees, costs of depositions etc. Something to work out before you start out. ----------------------------------------------------- Misc: I have been involved in 3 civil suits. 2 filed against me, one by Target Corp for having published their ‘security manual’, that suit lasted 23 months in Fed Dist Ct Atlanta before being tossed out. see: http://targetfiling.blogspot.com/search?q=jason+rubner Another where a realty firm sued me for having taken them to task for their way of doing business (dismissed by plaintiff)
Last was where I sued my condo for not enforcing the CA’s of the association. This lasted about 3 yrs and was ‘settled’ with them paying me $7,000 for my legal expenses and of course they agreed to correct their errors of ignoring the condo documents. See I didn’t ‘win’ on the record but I did really win. Part of my agreement with the Board was that the results would not be confidential, so I got to tell the other 100 or so owners what went on. Usually this isn’t done, and it is confidential, but I had them over a big barrel so they agreed to that stipulation.
Boyce: Raise taxes or risk several library branch closures Jon Gargis MDJ 2/7/18 MARIETTA — Cobb Chairman Mike Boyce believes concern over the possible closing of eight county library branches will lead residents to support a property tax increase to keep them in operation. “My hope is that by getting this proposal out early there will be sufficient public input that will convince the Board (of Commissioners) to raise the millage rate to keep libraries open,” Boyce wrote in an email thread to a Cobb resident Wednesday morning, a thread obtained by the MDJ. “If your neighbors want to keep libraries open they'll need to send emails to the Board members to approve a millage rate that will keep them open,” Boyce wrote. The “proposal” referenced by Boyce is a draft plan authored by Helen Poyer, who heads the Cobb County Public Library System, to close nearly half the county’s 17 library branches and cut 124 positions to save about a quarter of the library system’s nearly $12.3 million budget in fiscal 2018. The draft was obtained by the MDJ through an open records request, and was created in response to county commissioners’ directive in late October to cut nearly $2.9 million from the library system in an effort to address a projected $30 million shortfall in the fiscal 2019 budget. The idea to close libraries is not new. A similar debate occurred under the administration of Boyce’s predecessor, Tim Lee, who faced a $30 million deficit in 2011 and in response proposed closing 13 of the 17 county libraries. The plan faced significant backlash from library supporters, leading Lee to back off the plan and instead, with commissioners’ support, increase property taxes by 15.7 percent that year. EAST COBB BRANCH, OTHERS SUGGESTED FOR CLOSURE Suggested branches to be shuttered as part of the county’s 2019 budget include the East Cobb Library, which drew 249,000 visitors in 2016 — the last full year for which data is available — making it the second busiest library that year. Closing the branch, according to Poyer, would save an estimated $771,000, making it the second largest cost-saving portion of her plan. “I saw the list, so I called Commissioner (Bob) Ott, and said ‘You’re going to see the list, and I’m going to ask you to do one thing and one thing only — don’t shoot the messenger,’” Boyce said late last week. The library branch is in Ott’s district. Ott says that while he has “repeatedly said that libraries that are underperforming should be consolidated,” he has never supported closure of the East Cobb branch. Rumors of a possible closure of the branch swirled last year after Commissioner JoAnn Birrell suggested closing it in an effort to consolidate county services. She previously said that users of the library would still have two regional libraries within a 7-mile radius of the East Cobb Library if it were to shut its doors. She also said the closure would save hundreds of thousands of dollars in costs spent to lease the library’s space within a shopping center, which could go to other county purposes such as hiring police officers. Another $353,000 would be saved through the reduction plan’s suggested closure of the Kemp Memorial Library in west Cobb. Other closures would affect branches that in 2016 each saw less than 32,000 users walk through their doors — the Lewis A. Ray Library in Cumberland, the Sibley and Windy Hill libraries near Windy Hill Road and the Sweetwater Library in Austell. Lastly, the plan calls for the consolidation of the Acworth and Kennesaw libraries, which are scheduled to be replaced by the future North Cobb Regional Library, scheduled for a 2019 opening. The plan does not affect the recently opened $10.6 million Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center, which opened its doors to the public in early December and replaced the East Marietta Library next door, which was demolished to make way for part of the new library’s parking lot. The largest portion of Poyer’s budget reduction proposal, however, would affect people rather than facilities, as it would eliminate every part-time position in the system — 124 people employed as technicians or assistants. Though the move would save the system nearly $1 million, Poyer noted the branches would lose “skilled frontline staff” who provide numerous services to library patrons, and would further reduce service hours at the nine libraries that would remain open under the proposal. Earlier in the same email thread in which Boyce had referenced a possible millage increase to keep libraries open, Poyer had shared system funding concerns with several Cobb Library Foundation board members, including Abby Shiffman, Stephen Hughes and president Gilles LaMarche. Poyer said she had been contacted by State Librarian Julie Walker of the Georgia Public Library Service, who had questioned the support for state funding for the county system based on news that branches would be closed. “Please encourage family, friends, neighbors, coworkers, and other library supporters to email/text Commissioners, speak at BOC meeting and/or attend meeting with (Cobb Library Foundation) heart,” Poyer wrote. BOYCE: LIBRARY FUNDING LIKELY ISSUE IN COMING MONTHS Boyce said he believes the library closure proposal will be discussed in public hearings to be held later this spring ahead of consideration on a fiscal 2019 budget, which would be voted on during the summer. He says that while he personally does not want to see branches closed, shuttering sites that see less use may be inevitable.
“This isn’t 1965 anymore, this isn’t 1975, this is 2018. The use of the library shifts over time, and you have to be realistic — if one library gets x number of people, and another library gets y number of people, it’s a reasonable approach to say, ‘Well, they’re not getting the service they used to, so do we still need that?’” Boyce said, but added that county residents will be asked if keeping branches open is something they would be willing to pay for through property taxes. “When we start trying to please everybody, you please nobody,” he said, “so we’re going to have to take a good, hard look at the product that the library put out, and then we’re going to have a long discussion about what part of that plan we’re going to implement.” Boyce last week also said a property tax increase was seemingly the only way left for the county to raise additional needed revenues in the wake of Cobb legislators’ chilly response to a proposed sales tax referendum. Commissioners last month passed a resolution seeking the referendum for a 1-percent sales tax that was dubbed an Other Local Option Sales Tax or OLOST. The tax had been proposed by Commissioner Bob Weatherford. ================================ MY COMMENTS ARE:
I have said for years that the 'Director' and 3 Regional managers are paid to much. Reduce their salaries and if they don't like it they can find other work. The library system was poorly managed as I laid out in my blog of several years ago. I am no longer in Cobb but I doubt there have been any 'good' changes to that system. See: http://cobbcountylibrary.blogspot.com/ Kennesaw special election set for May 22
Staff reports MDJ 2/6/18
Kennesaw city officials have chosen May 22 as the date for a special election to fill a vacant seat on the city council. Council members voted 4-0 Monday to set the election date, qualifying dates and fees associated with filling the fifth seat on the council, which has been empty since Yvette Daniel abruptly resigned in January. The winning candidate will fill the remainder of Daniel’s term, which expires Dec. 31, 2019.
City officials say setting the special election to coincide with primary elections also taking place on May 22 saves the city as much as $12,000. Adding the race to the ballot costs about $2,000, according to City Clerk Debra Taylor, while a standalone election could cost as much as $14,000.
Kennesaw elects its council members city-wide — as opposed to using districts or wards — so all eligible city residents can vote in the special election.
Candidates looking to get their names on the ballot must qualify for the election March 5, 6 or 7 at Kennesaw City Hall. Qualifying is scheduled to take place from 8:30 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4:30 p.m. on March 5 and 6 and 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on March 7.
To qualify, candidates must be at least 21 years old, a qualified voter in the city and a “bona fide” resident of Kennesaw for one year prior to Election Day, May 22. Those convicted of a felony cannot qualify unless they have received a full pardon and had all rights of citizenship restored, according to the city.
Qualifying also requires a $360 fee, which represents 3 percent of the $12,000 salary council members receive.
The election is nonpartisan, and there will be no primary. Kennesaw is unique among Cobb cities in that it does not allow for runoff elections: the candidate with the most votes on May 22 will be declared the winner.
Former council members Jim Sebastian and Jimmy Dickens, who were ousted in November, both said they don’t plan to run for the vacant seat. Dickens told the MDJ earlier this month that he plans to run for mayor next year.
1/26/18 KENNESAW CITY COUNCIL ELECTION DATES The date of May 22, 2018 is going to the Council for approval to be set for a Special Election to fill a Council vacancy on Post 2 the qualifying to dates to register to run are March 5 and 6, 2018 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (closed for lunch from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.) and March 7, 2018 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
City Council
Work Session Meeting Agenda
January 29, 2018 6:30 PM
Council Chambers
VII. NEW BUSINESS A.Approval of RESOLUTION to set qualifying fees for 2018 May Special Election to fulfill a vacancy on Council Post 2 and authorization to advertise said notice and fees. The Georgia Election Code §21-2-131 requires the governing authority of any municipality to set qualifying fees and publish such fees at least 35 days prior to a special election for each office to be filled. Due to the resignation by Yvette Daniel, in 2018 a vacancy exists for Council Post 2 therefore it is necessary to call a special election to fulfill the term of office which expires December 31, 2019. The City Clerk recommends approval of the 3% qualifying fees for the May 22, 2018 special election to fulfill a vacancy on Council Post 2 hereby set at $360. Staff is directed to publish the required notice in the Marietta Daily Journal. B. Approval of RESOLUTION authorizing the 2018 Special Election qualifying dates, authorizing the Mayor to execute the contract with the Cobb County Board of Elections and Registration to conduct the City's Special Election to be held May 22, 2018.
The City of Kennesaw shall have a Special Election on May 22, 2018 to fulfill a Council vacancy on Post 2 due to the resignation of Yvette Daniel and will be elected at-large. In accordance with the City of Kennesaw Code of Ordinances §42-2, the Council shall appoint the Cobb County Board of Elections and Registration to perform all duties as superintendent of elections. In accordance with O.C.G.A. §21-2-540(b) and Kennesaw Charter 5.02 the qualifying period will be for a minimum of two and one-half days, and hereby establish the qualifying dates of March 5 and 6, 2018 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. closed for lunch from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. and March 7, 2018 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The City Clerk recommends approval of the Resolution and to authorize the Mayor to sign and execute the contract agreement with Cobb County Board of Elections and Registration.
Here is something of interest for both homeowners and renters about the
RoundUp Concentrate Class Action Settlement You might want to spend 5-10 minutes online to put in your claim at:http://www.classactionrebates.com/settlements/roundup-concentrate/ Class Eligibility - All persons in the United States, who, during the Class Period, purchased in the United States, for personal or household use and not for resale or distribution, Roundup® Weed & Grass Killer Concentrate Plus or Roundup® Weed & Grass Killer Super Concentrate in packaging whose neck or shoulder label stated that the product “makes up to” a specified number of gallons Estimated Amount - Varies You will receive up to 50% of the retail price of the item purchased less if there is high participation Proof of Purchase - No Claim Form Click here to complete RoundUp Concentrate Claim Form Case Name - Joshua Rawa, et al. v. Monsanto CompanyCase No. 4:17-cv-01252-AGF District Court for the Eastern District of MissouriElisabeth Martin v. Monsanto Company,Case No. 5:16-cv-02168 District Court for the Central District of California Case Summary - Settlement resolves a class action lawsuit pending in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri (the “Court”) against Monsanto Company, the manufacturer of the above two concentrated Roundup® products. The lawsuit alleges that Monsanto advertised these Roundup® products as making more spray solution than the products were capable of making. Monsanto denies these allegations and any wrongdoing. The two sides disagree on what relief, and how much, could have been won, if any, if the Class won at trial. The Settlement avoids costs and risks to you from continuing the lawsuit, provides relief to affected persons like you, and releases Monsanto and others from liability for the related claims. Settlement Pool - $21,500,000 Settlement Website - RoundUp Concentrate Class Action Settlement
Deadline - 03/06/2018 ---------------------------------------------- The Kennesaw City website has finally removed the bio information for the recently departed Post 2 Council member Yvette Daniel.
The space now reads: "Council Post 2 – VACANT Term Expires 2019" ---------------------------------------------
GDOT: Managed lanes project speeding toward September opening
Signage facing the opposite direction of traffic going south on I-75 will direct motorists along the managed lanes. The project is expected to be open in September 2018.
MARIETTA — Cobb drivers should expect to see shorter drive times to and from Atlanta through the county starting September.
That’s when state transportation department officials expect to open the $834 million Northwest Corridor project, which includes about 30 miles of reversible toll lanes that will run south in the mornings and north in the evenings.
County commissioners received an update on the project during their work session on Monday.
Crews have completed about 85 percent of the project, which follows Interstate 75 from Akers Mill Road in Cumberland to Hickory Grove Road near the Cherokee County line and along I-575 from I-75 in Marietta to Sixes Road in Holly Springs, according to Jill Goldberg, spokesperson for the Georgia Department of Transportation.
Northwest Express Roadbuilders, the company building the managed lanes, broke ground on the project in September 2014.
Toll rates will vary based on traffic conditions, Goldberg said, and drivers will be able to see the prices on overhead signs before entering the managed lanes.
Rates for the Northwest Corridor lanes have not been set but are expected to be priced between 10-90 cents per mile with a 50-cent minimum trip cost, Goldberg said. Rates likely to be set in July or August, she added.
Commissioner Bob Weatherford, whose northwest Cobb district abuts the west side of Interstate 75, asked whether drivers would be willing to pay close to $15 to get from the project’s northwestern most access point to Cumberland.
“You decide if that money is worth your time savings. Maybe you don’t use it every day, maybe you use it when you have a meeting,” Goldberg said.
GDOT estimates predict that drivers who use the managed lanes will save up to 43 minutes on their commutes, Goldberg said. Drivers who opt to use the interstates’ existing lanes will save an estimated 16 minutes due to drivers leaving those regular traffic lanes in favor of the express toll lanes.
Those wishing to use the lanes will be required to have a Peach Pass, which are usable on Gwinnett’s managed lanes and the I-75 south Metro Express Lanes in Henry County that opened last year. Drivers with a Peach Pass can also utilize the express or toll lanes within the states of Florida and North Carolina, with Goldberg saying future states that could one day be added onto the Peach Pass include Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma.
"The fifth member of the council, Yvette Daniels, officially became a former councilwoman earlier in the meeting. The remaining council members voted unanimously to accept her resignation, which she submitted Friday after having missed about 75 percent of council meetings last year.
There was no discussion of the resignation, but Mayor Derek Easterling said a special election to find Daniels’ replacement would be forthcoming. He said the council would discuss the matter at its Jan. 29 work session and its Feb. 5 meeting."
KENNESAW COUNCIL approves 44-acre, 83 home subdivision on Pine Mountain Road
Ross Williams MDJ 1/16/18
The Kennesaw City Council has approved a plan to annex and rezone just under 44 acres of property on Pine Mountain Road and build 83 homes.
The plan by developer Venture Homes calls for a total average density of 2.6 lots per acre, and the planned homes will be 2,400 to 3,600 square feet and cost between $350,000 and $400,000.
The council approved the plan 3 – 1, with Councilman Pat Ferris opposed.
The fifth member of the council, Yvette Daniels, officially became a former councilwoman earlier in the meeting. The remaining council members voted unanimously to accept her resignation, which she submitted Friday after having missed about 75 percent of council meetings last year.
There was no discussion of the resignation, but Mayor Derek Easterling said a special election to find Daniels’ replacement would be forthcoming. He said the council would discuss the matter at its Jan. 29 work session and its Feb. 5 meeting.
In discussing the new development, Ferris cited concerns about storm water drainage in surrounding neighborhoods, a worry shared by several nearby residents who spoke during the public comment section of the meeting.
“Twice at the end of last year, our area, my neighbors’ area had flooding where we had two to three feet of water in our yards,” said Lisa Atkins, a resident of the nearby Butler Creek neighborhood. “Where this subdivision is, it’s higher than us, therefore there’s only one way the water can go, and that’s down.”
Sean Randall, Senior vice president at Venture Homes, said the company is required by law to perform a full hydrology study before breaking ground, and cannot legally build unless the study shows it will not make the problem worse for neighboring subdivisions.
“We cannot increase the problem,” he said. “We might not be able to solve the problem, but we cannot increase the problem of the property in its fundamental state.”
Atkins and others also said they had concerns the development would contribute traffic to an already congested area.
Randall said a traffic study showed the neighborhood would contribute fewer than one car per minute to the roads during morning and evening rush hours.
The majority of the property will be annexed to the city from Cobb County.
The homes will have two-car garages and a mandatory homeowners’ association. The number of rental units is not to exceed 15 percent of the total units.
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Two-month closure planned for turn lane in front of Big Chicken
A westbound turn lane on Roswell Road in front of the Big Chicken will be closed for the next two months while crews continue to work on the state’s managed lanes project.
The closure of the sidewalk and right turn lane on Roswell Road between Hagood Circle and Cobb Parkway began Monday morning to allow for drainage work and lane and sidewalk reconstruction, according to Tori Brown, spokesperson for the Georgia Department of Transportation.
Drivers will still be able to turn right onto Cobb Parkway northbound from Roswell Road, according to Brown.
Drivers are asked to use caution when driving through these areas. The dates of the closures may change depending on the weather.
The $834 million managed lanes project will add about 30 miles of “reversible” toll lanes through Cobb and Cherokee County, lanes which will run south in the mornings and north in the evenings. Northwest Express Roadbuilders, the company building the managed lanes, broke ground on the project in September 2014.
The lanes are expected to open in the summer of 2018.
