Cobb County Board of Commissioners Meeting - February 24, 2026
Cobb County Board of Commissioners Meeting - February 24, 2026
The Cobb County Board of Commissioners met on February 24, 2026, at 7:00 PM (presumed) for a regular meeting. The meeting opened with a moment of silence and Pledge of Allegiance led by Boy Scout Troop 312. The agenda included recognitions, public comments, consent agenda, transportation items, and commissioner addresses. All votes were unanimous 5-0.
Consent Calendar
- The consent agenda was approved unanimously (5-0) without discussion, including routine approvals and authorizations.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Taylor Arnold (first speaker) expressed concern about Cobb County's partnership with Flock Safety, arguing the contract includes video feeds, AI analytics, and a perpetual, irrevocable license for Flock to use customer data. She urged reconsideration, citing privacy risks and the company's patent for searching by gender, clothing, body type, gait, and race/ethnicity.
- Gerald Rose, President of New Order National Human Rights Organization, voiced concerns about the death of Kyle Basinga, a 21-year-old found hanging in Fair Oaks Park on February 18, 2026. He noted clothing still at the scene and questioned the police investigation. He called for an independent review and said the family does not believe it was suicide.
- King (New Order) formally requested the board support an independent investigation by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation or external forensic experts, providing contact information for tips.
- Stephen, a Kennesaw State University senior, echoed concerns about Kyle Basinga, citing historical distrust of law enforcement in Black communities and demanding transparency. He referenced similar cases (Trey Reed, Leon Haynes, Rayner Johnson, Travante Schubert Helton) and said the community will not accept a narrative without evidence.
- Grace Bloomberg (Party for Socialism and Liberation) stated that the crime scene tape was removed the day after Kyle Basinga was found, and a police report was blank. She argued the death should not be hastily labeled a suicide and called for an independent investigation.
- Monica DeLancey (District 4, We Thrive on Riverside Rental Association) shared community highlights: Cynthia Elementary School career day, Thrive Youth Leadership Day, and Black History Month programs. She offered prayers for the families of Kyle Basinga, fire victims at Concord Crossing Apartments (three deaths, two children), and a staff member who passed away at Maplet Elementary School. She announced a Rental Rights Summit on March 15, 2026.
- Denny Wilson (District 4) criticized Austell Gas for price gouging, with bills two to three times normal. She said the company backed off after community backlash and will refund overpayments. She noted the City of Austell raised property taxes 158% last year, and Mableton signed a 30-year contract with Austell Gas, leaving residents with no alternative.
- Jacob Williams (second public comment period) expressed concern about deforestation from new housing construction, particularly on Barrett Parkway. He asked if the county could do more to preserve trees. Commissioners responded explaining zoning codes, buffers, and reforestation programs like Keep Cobb Beautiful.
Discussion Items
- Board Response to Jacob Williams: Commissioners Gambrel and Sheffield explained that development projects must preserve portions of land (e.g., 40% on Midway Road) and replant trees when removed. They invited him to participate in tree planting events.
- Chairwoman Lisa Cupid's Address: Responding to earlier public comment from Ross Cabot about delays in hiring county leadership, Chairwoman Cupid defended her commitment to open competitive processes to avoid a
Meeting Transcript
Good evening, everyone. It's good to see you here today. Welcome to our border commissioners meeting this February 24th, 20 and 26. I don't believe I see our pastor here for our invitation. So in lieu of that, we will have a moment of silence, which will be followed by the pledge, which will be brought by Boy Scout Troop 312, chartered by Turnal Chapber Chapel and May Church. For those of you who are willing and able, please join me for both our moment of silence and for our pledge. For our troop, you can join us up front here and then lead us in our pledge. The flag is this way. Thank you. Thank you. Appreciate you. You may now be seated. Please give our scouts a round of applause. All right. We are now at the presentation portion of our meeting. And our first presentation is to recognize three Eagle Scouts for their accomplishment. For those Eagle Scouts who will be recognized this evening, I ask that you please join me up here front for any of your scout masters. We'd like for you to join them. And once we're done with the recognition, we will call up parents and the rest of the troop. So my project, as I said, was speech in a bag. So at a young age, I learned from my mama telling me that I had speech issues as well. I took lessons at children's health care, which she told me that I did great and I excelled at it. And then when I became an Eagle Scout and I had to do a project, she told me that I should do by paying you for it and should be able to bring it back to the school I grew up with. So I took it back to the elementary, um, got permission from the teachers there, new principal as well. And I was able to help with all the other kids, and my project is still being used to the day to help all of the schools in Cotth County as well today. Thank you. Congratulations. It's amazing to see someone use their challenge and overcoming it to help others overcome theirs. It's wonderful. Our next certificate is for Mr. Robert Brown. If you may join me over here. Thank you. Yes, thank you. We also commend you for your leadership and dedication to supporting children in our community. Your Eagle Scout project, Wellness and Wonder Kits, provided 150 kits to help lift the spirits of children facing challenging circumstances. You assemble kits with activities to engage and comfort the recipients during difficult times. And through your dedication, you have earned the prestigious Eagle Rank, reflecting your strong character, perseverance, and commitment to service. And we thank you for your meaningful difference that you are making across the families and in the lives of families across Cobb County. This the 24th day of February 2026. All right. So my project was called Loneliness and Wonder Kits. These are activity kits that were made for the patients of Children's Health Care of Atlanta. And I want to pursue a nursing, uh, specifically trauma ER. So I chose the ER shift a lot. And in the ER, I saw the mood of everybody, and I saw the people, and they were just they were just there. And um it really struck me because they were waiting for family, and sometimes their family couldn't even visit them, or they were just uh sleep and just waiting to eat, to drink. So I thought of a way that there could be a way for the patients to get their mind off the pain and focus more on a happy healing than a miserable healing. So that was one thing that really struck me. And um, it's a blessing that I could get this uh accomplished.
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