Cobb County Board of Commissioners Meeting Summary (Jan 13, 2026)
Cobb County Board of Commissioners Meeting: January 13, 2026
The Cobb County Board of Commissioners held its regular meeting on January 13, 2026, beginning with an invocation by Pastor Malcolm Lewis and a special ceremony designating January 13th as Korean American Day. The meeting focused on approving budget increases for the Veterans Memorial Park, advancing transportation contracts, and addressing public concerns regarding water services and parking access. Key discussions involved funding for the Veterans Memorial Foundation and the preliminary list for the 2028 SPLOST projects.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Patricia Burns: Expressed strong opposition to recent immigration enforcement actions, drawing parallels to historical discrimination against Cherokee, African American, and Hispanic populations. She called for the protection of neighbors and cited the need to avoid repeating historical mistakes.
- Catherine Heitu: Expressed significant frustration and dissatisfaction with Cobb County Water services. She detailed issues regarding exorbitant billing, lack of customer service (specifically representatives hanging up), and an inability to access historical billing data on the new portal. She questioned the County's handling of a 1.7% rate increase.
- Denny Wilson: Requested support for a sign identifying the location of the Master Gardeners Volunteer of Cobb County at the Extension Office, noting the program's 240 members and critical role in soil testing and community education.
- Donald Barth: Expressed opposition to the proposed funding source for the Veterans Memorial (specifically the Parking Garage MOU), arguing that it lacks sacrifice compared to the veterans. He advocated for opening the parking garage to the public more broadly to maximize tax revenue, asserting that the County has excess money.
Discussion Items
- Korean American Day Proclamation: Chair Lisa Cupit and representatives from the community, including Bethany President Church and a Korean national, discussed the historical significance of the date (commemorating 1903 immigration) and the strong ties between Cobb County and Song Dong-gu, South Korea. The community expressed gratitude for the recognition and highlighted the contributions of Korean Americans as taxpayers, volunteers, and veterans.
- Veterans Memorial Park Funding: An extensive discussion took place regarding an additional $2 million increase to the 2022 SPLOST budget for the Veterans Memorial project. Commissioner Gambrell raised concerns about the lack of a final designer in place, the status of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Veterans Memorial Foundation, and the absence of other project funding options. County officials clarified that while legal and procurement hurdles remain, the funding brings the project significantly closer to full financial viability, with potential value engineering to address remaining costs.
- 2028 SPLOST Project List: Deputy County Manager Bill Vulkman presented a preliminary list of projects for the 2028 Special Purpose Local Options Sales Tax intended to educate the community. The board approved the list to facilitate public feedback ahead of the final April 28th approval. Public meetings were announced for Districts 3 and 4.
- Department of Transportation (DOT) Items: Commissioner Gambrell opposed a cooperative purchasing agreement for nine compressed natural gas buses. The board reviewed and discussed several contracts for trail planning, corridor crossings, bridge replacements, and road repairs, including a $7.6 million transit bus agreement, a $454k thoroughfare plan, and various grant applications for pedestrian and transit improvements.
- Appointment Tab: The board reviewed the reappointment of Sheriff Craig Owens and Dr. Roger Tuttereau to the Employees Pension Board of Trustees and the appointment of Sarah McAletto to the Planning Commission.
Key Outcomes
- Korean American Day: Proclaimed officially by the Board on January 13, 2026.
- Consent Agenda: Approved unanimously, 5-0.
- 2028 SPLOST Preliminary List: Approved unanimously, 5-0, for the purposes of community education and engagement.
- DOT Items:
- Approved cooperative purchasing agreement for 9 CNG buses (7.6 million): Approved 4-1 (Commissioner Gambrell opposed).
- Approved trail design contracts and grant applications: Approved 5-0.
- Approved various road and ADA improvement contracts: Approved 5-0.
- Approved project to prepare for Kremlin Transit Center: Approved 5-0.
- Veterans Memorial Budget Increase: Approved an additional $2 million for the Veterans Memorial project and a $703,000 increase for city distributions based on SPLOST revenue. Approved 5-0.
- Appointments: Approved 5-0 for the reappointment of Sheriff Owens/Dr. Tuttereau and the appointment of Sarah McAletto.
- Next Steps: Public meetings for the 2028 SPLOST are scheduled for January 15, 22, and 29. The County will provide a list of other potential projects to Commissioner Gambrell after she requests it. A new MOU for the Veterans Memorial is expected to be finalized by the County Attorney's Office and Foundation.
Meeting Transcript
Good morning, everyone. Thank you for being here and happy new year. Welcome to our Board of Commissioners meeting this January thirteenth, two thousand and twenty-six. Thank you. You may now rise for the pledge. We did have a moment of silence. I do see our pastor has entered. If you would indulge me further, Pastor Malcolm Lewis of Beacon of Light Church. We know God is able, but sometimes just unable to move traffic as we all know of life. Thank you very much. You're very welcome. Thank you for being here still. How are y'all doing this morning? Wonderful. Thank you. Father, God, in the name of Jesus, we thank and praise you. We give you honor and glory to O God in this new year that you've given us a year we believe of great opportunities, great unity and just great expansion. We thank you, Father, today, just for yet another day of your grace and your mercy. Thank you, Lord, for Cobb County community. Thank you for all of our commissioners, our commissioner chair, all of our department heads. We thank you, God, for the extraordinary work that you would do through them this year, God, as servant leaders of this community. Thank you for all the residents and the business owners and just everything that this community and this county touches. It has been awesome in this county, oh God, how you have elevated this county. So we're believing you for greater. And so we pray today, oh God, for the affairs and the agendas that have been set aside to be discussed this morning. We pray that you were sanctified, that you are caused it to flourish, oh God. This is a year that we need so much unity, God. So much is going on. But we believe, God, that when we come together as community, we come together, oh God, with right hearts and right minds, that there's nothing that is impossible. So we thank you again, God, for all that you're going to do. Uh, we pray, God, for everything that is done will be done according to your will. Uh, we do ask for your wisdom. We ask for your strength and courage, especially our servant leaders, God, who's leading us in a charge that we've never seen in a time that we've never been in, but we know and we're confident and fully persuaded that we have the right leaders to go before us, and God that they will lead us in this very important hour. So we thank you today, and we pray to bless upon us, meeting we give it over to you now for your glory in the name of Jesus, amen. Amen. Thank you. Thank you. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States and to the republic for which it stands. One nation, under God, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. Thank you, Chief, and thank you, Pastor, for that powerful invocation this morning. We are so grateful to have heard you today. With that, our meeting is now called to order, and I am very pleased this morning that we have a presentation designating today, January 13th as Korean American Day in Cobb County. For those who are a part of this presentation, I ask that you please join me up front. First, just thank you for a wonderful, wonderful prelude to this morning's meeting and hosting uh light snack breakfast treat for all of us and just reconnecting with Cobb County as we know that we've been in partnership for several years. Commemorates the arrival of the first Korean immigrants to the United States in 1903, and marks the beginning of a proud legacy that honors the contributions of Korean Americans. And whereas the United States and Korea formally established a relationship with the signing of the 1882 Treaty of Peace, friendship, and commerce. And while early exchanges included diplomats, students, and business leaders, the first wave of permanent Korean immigration began in December 1902, when 102 immigrants sailed to Honolulu, Hawaii. And whereas Korean Americans have demonstrated service and sacrifice, supporting their communities and the nation during World Wars One and II, and the Korean War, and through subsequent generations of immigrants, including families formed through military service and adoption, enriching the cultural, economic, and social fabric of the United States. And we're asked Cobb County is home to a growing Korean American population.
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