Mableton looking for a ‘few good citizens’ to take an active role in government, serving on boards, commissions, and authorities

Mableton Mayor Michael Owens, along with members of the City Council, conducted a community presentation at the South Cobb Regional Library last week to discuss opportunities for residents to participate in the government by filling positions on 19 boards, commissions, and authorities. The meeting aimed to provide clarity on the roles and encourage citizens to contribute voluntarily, emphasizing that these positions are unpaid.

During the presentation to a standing room crowd, Mayor Owens highlighted the various opportunities available for community involvement. Owens stressed the collaborative nature of the initiative, stating, “This is a community interest meeting to see what’s coming up. We’re not doing this by ourselves. This is a partnership.” Eager citizens filled out applications on the spot and were encouraged to express their interest in serving to their district council person. Applications for available positions are still being accepted.

Addressing questions from the audience, Mayor Owens explained that the groups would meet once or twice a month, typically for an hour, with flexibility based on the workload. He encouraged residents to take advantage of the opportunity to actively contribute to the community.

Shifting the focus to another matter, there has been a growing demand from some within the community to designate the South Cobb Regional Library as a venue for future council meetings. However, the recent information meeting clarified the unsuitability of this location for such purposes. Issues such as limited seating, challenges in temperature control, and disruptions from the library loudspeaker announcing closing times during the meeting were highlighted.

The boards, commissions, and authorities outlined in the presentation include:

• A Planning Commission
• A Special Events Commission
• A Keep Mableton Beautiful Commission
• A Public Arts Commission
• A Housing Commission
• A Cultural and Immigrant Affairs Commission
• An Environmental and Sustainability Commission
• A Historic Preservation Commission
• A Film and Entertainment Commission,
• A Veteran Affairs Commission
• A Commission on Aging
• A Parks and Recreation Commission
• An Ethics Board
• An Alcohol Review Board
• A Zoning Appeals Board
• A Mableton 2045 Steering Committee
• A Downtown Development Authority
• A Mableton Development Authority
• A Visitor and Tourism Authority (“Meet Mableton”).

Interested individuals can still apply for these positions by visiting the city’s website at mableton.gov and contacting their local council member for more information.