Sunday Sales on Ballot, Council Promotes Tuesday's School Redistricting Meeting

On a night when it unanimously passed a resolution to place a referendum concerning Sunday alcohol sales on the November General Election ballot, the Smyrna City Council took time to celebrate some of the city’s brightest educational stars, while also paying tribute to one its former leaders.

Mayor Max Bacon began Monday’s council meeting with the news that former Smyrna Mayor Frank Johnson had passed away earlier in the day.

“He was a good man and he gave a lot to the city,’’ said Bacon of the former Georgia Power employee and Smyrna mayor (1978-81).

Added Councilman Pete Wood, “I’d like to express my condolences to the Frank Johnson family. He will definitely be missed and was a very important part of the community for many years.’’

As for the referendum, the council voted 7-0 to put it on the November ballot, and should it pass, it would be effective Jan. 1, 2012.

That’s an issue, though, that is several months down the road. Monday night, however, signaled the spring semester presentation of the For the last half-dozen years, the mayor and city council have asked the principals from the 12 Smyrna schools to choose an exemplary student, volunteer and faculty member.

City Hall was wall-to-wall packed with educators, volunteers, students and of course, lots of proud parents on Monday eve.

“This has grown,” said Joanne Robblee, principal. “It was a vision that Max and the council came up with. And I can tell you that educators and excellence in education really doesn’t get praised enough, so this is really a wonderful moment for the special people in this room.”

Councilman Ron Newcomb agreed.

“It does remind you that when you see the teacher, volunteer, student being recognized…each one of those folks figuratively speaking, they’re sitting on a pedestal inside that school everyday for what they do for that school. I sincerely applaud each and everyone of them.’’

Check back at Smyrna-Vinings Patch Tuesday for more coverage of Monday’s council meeting and the Mayor’s Education Awards.

And we’ll provide a preview and continuing coverage of Tuesday night’s school redistricting informational meeting at . Several council members encouraged Smyrna citizens to attend, where community stakeholders will be provided an outline of what the redistricting process will look like over the coming year regarding the three replacement elementary schools to be built in the Smyrna/South Cobb area.

Those include the new Smyrna elementary school, set to open in fall 2013, and the Mableton and Clarkdale elementary schools to be finished in August 2012. Tuesday’s 6:30 p.m. public forum at CHS will gather input from the community regarding issues that will impact the development of the new attendance zones, but no redistricting maps will be presented.

“The website has the criteria that we follow,’’ said Cobb County School District Area 2 Assistant Superintendent Dale Gaddis. “Basically the focus will be to lay out the parameters of the process, to introduce the study areas for the schools involved.’’

Alternative redistricting map proposals for public review could come at the next public forum to be held the first week of June at . Once the review process is done, a final redistricting proposal will be submitted to the Board of Education for its approval.