If you’ve met me, I’ve probably invited you to an upcoming Cobb Commission meeting or spoke at length about their importance. It’s shocking how much impact these meetings have on our lives yet far too often, the attendance is shockingly low. And typically, those who do attend or speak up are often against the things we advocate for here at A Better Cobb: better mobility, safer streets, and more attainable housing.
A great example of this occurred with a proposed code change to define Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) and create a very restrictive Special Land Use Permit process to allow them. Although we have a critical housing shortage crisis and this proposal would have seen little use, the fearmongering and hyperbolic lies were out in full force. During the public hearing to discuss these changes, I was the only resident supporting the proposal while 27 people spoke against it.
In another meeting, a proposed bike lane was met with opposition stating “Bike Lanes are failed communist tactics”.
Long story short: the Cobb County Commission has recently shifted to a progressive majority, but the elected officials can’t make the changes we want to see if we don’t show up and speak up.
A Better Cobb has a goal to increase engagement and attendance at Cobb Commission meetings, and it’s important that you come and join us at an upcoming one.
This guide will summarize who is on the Cobb County Board of Commissioners, what impact they have on your life, and the preparation and process of attending and speaking at a Board of Commissioners meeting.
Who are the Board of Commissioners?
Cobb County has a population of 776,743 with 516,840 registered voters. The county was founded in 1832 with 5 commissioners. After over 190 years, the population has grown from 7,539 to 776,743 yet the number of commissioners has remained the same. I say this because the amount of oversight and impact each commissioner has is shockingly great, and you have an equally great opportunity to have an impact by showing up and being heard.
Of the 5 Commissioners, 4 are District Commissioners and 1 is elected county-wide to serve as Chair. See the table below for the list of Commissioners and the map below for which district each Commissioner serves. To find which Commissioner serves you, go to this link.
| District | Area | Name | Elected Year | |
| Chair | County-wide | Lisa Cupid | lisa.cupid@cobbcounty.org | 2020 |
| District 1 | NW Cobb | Keli Gambrill | keli.gambrill@cobbcounty.org | 2018 |
| District 2 | Marietta & Smyrna | Unseated | 2025 | |
| District 3 | East Cobb | JoAnn Birrell | joann.birrell@cobbcounty.org | 2010 |
| District 4 | South Cobb | Monique Sheffield | monique.sheffield@cobbcounty.org | 2020 |
What does the Board of Commissioners do?
As much attention is put on national politics, there’s an argument to be made on if local government has more impact on your life. Your local commissioners vote on items that include public safety spending, property and sales taxes, land use and zoning policies, infrastructure investment and maintenance, and other public services like parks, libraries, and senior services. From the house you live in and the roads you drive on to the water you drink and the police that protect you, your local Commissioners have authority over it all.
Transit expansion, bike lane construction, and attainable housing can all be accomplished with 3 out of 5 commissioners voting in support of a project.
State and federal policies and funding to play a significant role, but it still comes down to your local commissioners on how things are executed.
When are Board of Commissioners meetings?
Board of Commissioners meetings occur twice every month:
- The 2nd Tuesday at 9AM
- The 4th Tuesday at 7PM
These dates can change during the holidays, so you have to keep an eye on the County Calendar or follow us to know about those changes.
In general, a meeting lasts between 2 and 4 hours, and if you plan on speaking during public comment, I would arrive an hour before the start time.
What should I expect at a Board of Commissioners meeting?
These meetings generally follow Roberts Rules of Order and adhere to the following agenda:
- Announcements, Awards, and Proclamations
- Public Hearings (Unlimited speakers, 3 minutes each)
- Public Comment Round 1 (10 speakers, 3 minutes each)
- Consent Agenda (All items voted at once)
- Regular Agenda (Each individual item voted separately)
- Public Comment Round 2 (10 speakers, 3 minutes each)
- Board Appointments
- Commissioner Announcements
You can find previous meeting minutes and upcoming agendas at this link:
https://cobbcoga.portal.civicclerk.com
Some other things to note:
- You enter the building and go through security that includes a metal detector and an X-ray machine for any bags.
- Once through security, keep going straight through the double glass doors into the meeting room.
- The dais will be directly in front of you with multiple TVs throughout the room. Usually media and assistants sit in the very front and county staff sit in the far back. You can sit anywhere.
- When the meeting is taking place, decorum is expected and required. Keep talking to a minimum, do not be a disruption, and limit your reactions.
Where are Board of Commissioner Meetings?
Board of Commissioner meetings are held in the Board Meeting Room at the following address:
100 Cherokee St NE
Marietta, GA 30090
For evening meetings, try to find free parking around the square. For morning meetings, your best bet is to park in one of the paid hourly lots or decks so you don’t get a ticket.
What do I do if I want to speak?
As mentioned above, there are 2 different speaking opportunities: Public Hearing and Public Comment.
Public Hearings are on a specific topic and can have an unlimited number of speakers. For certain topics, this can last HOURS while other topics have no speakers. Each speaker has a maximum of 3 minutes to speak and you simply stand up and walk up to the speaking podium located on the left. There is a timer that starts when you start speaking. Remember, you must speak on the specific topic related to the Public Hearing.
Public Comment is an opportunity to speak about anything that is on your mind, including items on the posted agenda. Speakers are also limited to 3 minutes and are selected from a sign up sheet that gets filled out before the meeting begins. Typically, you sign up in the order that you arrive in and the County Attorney will call your name to come up. There are 10 speaking spots at the beginning of the meeting and 10 speaking spots available after the meeting.
Here are some tips:
- You must state your name for the record.
- You address the Chairperson in your comments, and they do not respond to questions.
- Be nice and civil. Don’t just go up there and complain. Be supportive and offer a solution.
- Keep it simple. When I first started, I would go up and try to squeeze as much as I could in my limited time but truthfully that takes away from the point.
- Breathe and take your time (this tip is more for myself than anyone else)
- I always suggest people to just share their own personal story. In a day and age where science, facts, and truth can somehow be debated, no one can argue against your own personal experience, needs, and wants.
- If you plan on speaking on a topic relevant to an agenda item, I would try to get there early enough to speak in the first half of public comment.
- It’s a total guess on how many public speakers there will be, but usually if you arrive an hour before the start, you should be selected in the first half of public comment.
That’s pretty much it! These meetings can sometimes be pretty dry and slow, but they are often pretty lively and volatile. I’ve noticed that they are more tolerable and enjoyable when I’m attending with someone so I encourage you to come join us at a future meeting! Let us know if you plan to attend and we’d be happy to guide you and answer any questions you have.
Email us: abettercobb@gmail.com