County officials recently submitted a legal advertisement to “opt out” of the House Bill 581 homestead exemption. The ad involves a referendum approved by voters in the November general election, which implements a statewide adjusted base year ad valorem homestead exemption.

While the homestead exemption automatically applies to all local governments and school districts, these jurisdictions may opt out of the homestead exemption for their jurisdiction by following specific procedures by March 1. Cobb County currently has a floating homestead exemption, which benefits taxpayers more.

No decision will be made on opting out until the end of the public hearing period. The notice was published to comply with a timeline set by the state and ensure the county can hold three public hearings to allow residents to speak on the topic. These hearings are set for 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 28, 9 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 11, and 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 25.

If the board decides to vote on opting out of HB 581, it must do so during its Feb. 25 meeting, just before the state-mandated deadline.

Go here to learn more about HB 581.

Cobb County Chairwoman Lisa Cupid will hold a series of community meetings in various locations to discuss HB 581 and other issues for the coming month.

The Cobb Chamber awarded the 2025 Mack Henderson Public Service Award to County Manager Dr. Jackie McMorris at the organization’s annual dinner Saturday.

The Mack Henderson Public Service Award is presented annually to an individual who is outstanding in their commitment and dedication to enhancing the quality of life for the citizens of Cobb County. A longtime resident, Henderson served as county manager and in 1984 became the Chamber’s chairman. The Board of Commissioners appointed McMorris as county manager in 2020.

Advance voting begins at the end of the week in the primary for the upcoming Special Elections for Cobb County Commission Districts 2 and 4.
• Feb. 1 - 7 - Advance voting at any location listed. Find Advance voting locations here.
• Feb. 11 - Special Elections Primary. Vote at your polling place only.
• March 11- Primary runoff elections if needed
• April 29 - The General Special Election

Only Cobb Commission Districts 2 and 4 voters will be eligible to vote in this special election. Go to Find Your Commissioner online to identify the district where you live.

Read more election information here.
Read what candidates qualified to run.

Celebrate International Book Giving Day with the Cobb County Library System this year. Drop off children's books in good condition at the North Cobb Library in Kennesaw or the Powder Springs Library by Saturday, Feb. 8, and receive a ticket for each book donated (up to 10). Then, starting on Monday, Feb. 10, redeem your tickets at the North Cobb Library or the Powder Springs Library to receive up to 10 new-to-you books. The swap ends Saturday, Feb. 15.

Help raise money for Cobb 4-H while sprucing up your garden. The 4-H Plant Sale is accepting pre-sale forms now. Most of the plants in the selection are not only full of color but will invite beneficial pollinators to your yard, all while adding color to your landscape throughout the year. 

The sale offers many tried and true varieties as well as some new plants that will add a pop of color to your landscape, all at a great price. Plant Sale pre-orders will be taken through Feb. 28 at the Cobb County Extension Office. There are limited quantities of all varieties. Plants are sold on a first come, first served basis. Plant Sale pick-up day will be held 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. Saturday, March 15, at Jim R. Miller Park in Marietta. 

Stop by the Cobb County Extension Office 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., Monday - Friday, to pre-order your plants. Place your order in person with a Visa/MasterCard/Discover Card, cash, check, or money order. You can also mail your plant sale order form with a check or money order. The mailing address is 678 South Cobb Drive, Suite 200, Marietta, GA 30060. Make all checks payable to Cobb Extension/4-H.

View the varieties in the sales brochure available here.

You have a chance to join the Cobb County Sheriff's Office Citizen's Academy. The classes will be held 6:30 - 9 p.m. on Thursdays starting Feb. 27 and running through April 3. Explore the world behind the badge, gain firsthand knowledge, and engage with your local law enforcement. Participants must be able to attend at least five of the six days.

The last day to register is Feb. 21. Candidates must be age 18 or older, possess valid government identification, complete an application submitted to the Sheriff's Community Engagement Unit and successfully pass a background investigation. Go to this page to sign up.

The Cobb County Civil Service Board will hold an election for Post 5 next month. Candidates must qualify 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. weekdays between Jan. 27 and Jan. 31. Members of the board represent the public in the improvement of public administration. Their duties include hearings on employee claims of improper treatment or actions.

The primary will be Feb. 24 - March 9. A runoff, if needed, will be March 14 - 28. Only county employees covered by the Civil Service Board can vote. The election is for a four-year term starting April 1. More details about candidate qualifications are located here.

The Federal Trade Commission is providing the public with information this week to help prevent people from becoming victims of fraud. Today, Jan. 27, marks the start of Identity Theft Awareness Week. The FTC and others will host free podcasts, webinars, online interviews and other events focused on avoiding and recovering from identity theft as well as spotting scams.

Go to the FTC web site here to learn more.

Save the dates of March 7 - 9 for the next Cobb County Public Library book sale at the Cobb County Civic Center in Marietta. There will be thousands of gently used books, DVDs, CDs and more at incredibly low prices. Proceeds will support library programs and services. 

Cobb County has partnered with FindHelp to create a new online resource that connects residents with local, vetted assistance programs. On the site, you can search for free or reduced-cost services like medical care, food, job training, and more. Residents can access this new portal by visiting findhelp.cobbcounty.gov. The initiative is funded through an allocation of the American Rescue Plan Act.