Redevelopment Authority Takes Steps to Bring Businesses, Opportunities to South Cobb

Part 1 (in a three-part series): What is the South Cobb Redevelopment Authority?

South Cobb has its own governing body, but many may be unaware of it and its actions since two of its three meetings have not been announced to South Cobb citizens on the county’s websites or through regular county communications.

The South Cobb Redevelopment Authority has been rejuvenated after almost six years of sitting dormant, thanks to a recent legislative action which allowed for the expansion of the authority’s boundaries.

The Georgia General Assembly voted in May to expand and change the name of the organization, which was originally chartered by the Georgia Assembly in 1982. In 2001, the organization, then called the South Cobb Development Authority, received a $1 million grant from the State of Georgia.

Most of the grant money, $658,000, went towards funding consultants who were retained for planning initiatives. A breakdown of the grant expenditures from Cobb's Economic Development Director Michael Hughes is attached to this article.

The organization has several powers, including the power to sue and be sued, to lease and hold property, to execute contracts and agreements, to borrow money and to issue revenue bonds.

Members and officials of the SCRA hope the revitalization of the organization will help push many recent initiatives created to breathe life into South Cobb, like the Mableton Form-Based Code or the South Cobb Implementation Strategy.

In July, county commissioners selected four members of the authority, who will serve four-year terms. The commissioners appointed Mableton Improvement Coalition Chairwoman Robin Meyer, Mableton businessman Ford Thigpen, Mableton resident and businessman Darhyl Watkins and Six Flags Over Georgia Park President Melinda Ashcraft.

By October, South Cobb state representatives, Rep. Alisha Morgan (D-Austell) and Rep. David Wilkerson (D-Austell), had selected the remaining members to serve one-, two- and three-year terms respectively.

Morgan appointed Damon Duncan and Adrienne Lucas of Mableton. Duncan owns ClesiaVentures. Lucas founded Kid Entrepreneurs Need Opportunities (KENO), an organization that helps young entrepreneurs grow their businesses.

Wilkerson appointed Ed Richardson of Smyrna, who owns Richardson Management Group, LLC, a recruiting and staffing business in Smyrna.

No members of the organization will be paid.

The members met for the first time in mid-October, but no decisions or votes were made. Since then, the SCRA has held two additional meetings.

For more information about the authority’s latest actions and plans for 2012, visit South Cobb Patch this week for Part 2 of this report.