Smyrna-Vinings Government and Business News You Can Use

It’s a new week and new month and there’s plenty on tap to get it all going. Monday’s Smyrna Mayor and City Council meeting is set for 7:30 p.m. with a pair of public hearings on the agenda.

There will opportunity for public input as the City looks to adopt a 2011 millage rate of 8.99 mills, as well as discussion concerning the North Smyrna Redevelopment Plan with the intent to secure an Opportunity Zone designation.

The public is invited to attend, but you don’t have to miss a thing even if you decide not to. Charter Communications Public Access Channel 19 carries each meeting live and usually the replay will air the following Monday at 7 p.m. See the TV23 section at www.cobbcounty.org for a complete rebroadcast schedule.

Patch will have more City of Smyrna government news coming later Monday including today’s closing of the Campbell Road Bridge for approximately the next six months.

• The Cobb Chamber of Commerce is holding its First Breakfast on Monday at 7:30 a.m. at the Atlanta Marriott Northwest located at 200 Interstate North Parkway. General admission is $50 and $35 for chamber members at the door.

Monday’s featured speaker is Tad Leithead, who in addition to serving as chairman of the Atlanta Regional Commission, is also chairman of the Cumberland Community Improvement District, the 5.5-square-mile district in the Galleria area. Last Thursday, the CCID board voted unanimously to keep its millage at five mills, which is the maximum allowed and the same rate since the CID was created in 1988.

The seven-member board of directors, six of whom are elected by commercial property owners (the seventh is appointed by the Cobb board of commissioners), overseas the self-taxing public agency.

• In other CCID news, The Marietta Daily Journal reported over the weekend that CCID Executive Director Malaika Rivers, already thought to be Cobb’s second-highest-paid public worker, recently received a 5 percent raise, bringing her base pay to $162,500 and her total pay package in excess of $205,000.

The MDJ also performed a review of recent CCID’s American Express bills that showed Rivers and three other staffers charged “more than $519,000 in 2010, including meals at upscale restaurants and lodging at fancy hotels.’’

Leithead told the news outlet that it was “looking for something that isn’t there” by performing an Open Records Check on the CCID’s finances. But clearly from the reader comments about the article, the spending excess isn’t sitting well with some county taxpayers.

Wrote one MDJ reader by the log-in name of OMIPS: “Just this week we learned that unemployment is continuing to rise, economic growth is a dismal 1.3%, and here in Cobb we're raising taxes, furloughing policemen, closing senior centers and cutting back on services. But Tad and the CIDs are still flying high just like they did back in the good ole days. And, he says we shouldn't concern ourselves with their spending and raises.’’

According to the article, CCID officials contend that Rivers is not a government employee. This despite that the CCID was originally set up by county commissioners and state legislature to provide “certain government services” for the surrounding area.

• On Tuesday, Cobb Chamber President and CEO David Connell will be the featured speaker at the Vinings Business Association’s monthly meeting at Social Vinings restaurant.

The VBA will also present a check to the new Vinings Church to help assist with community projects. The meeting begins at 11:30 a.m., includes a buffet lunch and is $15 for VBA members and $20 for visitors.  

• And the Smyrna Business Association will hold its weekly Thursday meeting at the with Rep. Stacey Evans set to discuss the latest 2011 Georgia General Assembly legislative session and this month's redistricting Special Session. Evans was elected to the State House last November and represents parts of Smyrna.

The SBA is looking for sponsors for the back to school luncheon on Aug. 11 and those interested should email president@smyrnabusiness.org for more information.

Speaking of education, Cobb County schools begin the 2011-12 school year two weeks from today on Aug. 15. Smyrna-Vinings Patch will return Monday with more local education news including news of a venue change for ’s upcoming ‘Sneak-a-Peek.’