What separates South Cobb from others?
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“Dollars that are not spent in our Community and Leadership”
Last week, SPOTLIGHT raised the question regarding the Cares Act funds and the $10 million allotted to other communities in Cobb, but not to Mableton. We pointed out some of the needs of our community and how such funding could be used to build a new community center to replace the deteriorating ones we are forced to endure, such as the Lions Club and the Six Flags Recreation Center. Our aperture was opened a little wider this week as the County announced plans to close the South Cobb Regional Library for months for repairs. Here is yet another example of where a $10 million allotment to Mableton could be used in our community, providing a new state-of-the-art library in the South Cobb community, similar to the state-of-the-art facility that the citizens of East Cobb get to enjoy each day.
I am talking about Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center located at 2051 Lower Roswell Road, in Marietta. In addition to a large collection of books and other materials, the 32,000-square-foot facility features music practice rooms, arts studios, a ceramics studio, a black box theater, many individual and group conference rooms, and an open-air amphitheater. Built through a partnership with Cobb County Public Library System and Cobb County Parks and Recreation, Sewell is described as a unique hybrid facility that opened its doors to the East Cobb community in December 2017 at a reported cost of $10.6 million.
I share all of this on Sewell so that members of the community can juxtaposed it to the South Cobb Regional Library. Instead of giving our community a new facility, decision makers are closing the library to do the latest round of patch work for the “regional” library that has seen better days.
Cobb’s announcement read as follows: The South Cobb Regional Library, 805 Clay Road in Mableton, will be closed temporarily for a major renovation project starting Aug. 2. The library is slated to be closed for three months with the anticipated re-opening on Nov. 1.
The operative word here is “major”. The work needed for our Regional Library is substantial and includes interior and exterior repairs. Cobb County Property Management Department officials listed the work as:
- Significant plumbing repairs to correct issues with the existing sewer line that have resulted in several emergency repairs;
- Improvements of the public restrooms;
- Installation of new flooring, tile, partitions and other fixtures; and
- Exterior work, including restoration of the site’s retention pond, landscape improvements, and retrofitting the parking lot lights to LED fixture.
In their announcement, the County said, “the project is designed to enhance the functionality and appearance of the public facility as a safe and engaging community space.” What would be safe and engaging to our community is a new facility that speaks to it being a regional library, similar to our fellow citizens in the east.
Where is Mableton’s portion of the Cares Act funds that have been allocated to other communities in Cobb? We continue this drum beat as we look around our community and see the lack of leadership that is occurring, and the lack of funds being spent to improve our quality of life in South Cobb. Yes, we started the discussion, and it will not be silenced.
What separates South Cobb from other communities are the DOLLARS that are not spent in our community and the LEADERSHIP that we continue to lack to get things done. Contact Chair Lisa Cupid and ask her where the funds are for Mableton. It’s time to hold Cupid and others accountable to our community. It starts now and it requires each of you speaking up for our better quality of life.
Chair Lisa Cupid
(770) 528-3305
