Mableton residents continue to fight the Cobb County School District's bus depot plan

By Rebecca Gaunt

Mableton residents expressed their opposition to the Cobb County School District's proposed bus depot at 440 Veterans Memorial Highway when they spoke publicly at the school board's work and voting sessions last week.

On Tuesday there were 249 signatures on a petition against the depot.

The district purchased the 6.9-acre property with unanimous consent and $1.1 million in 2022, but never publicly discussed its intentions for the property. Residents reported that work on the site began in August this year and a project manager told them it was a bus depot.

Robin Meyer, who wore the same green “I heart Mableton” shirt as some of the other attendees, said, “For over a year we have been considering the county's purchase of this important property in our community and now we know why. We understand that the district is exempt from the county’s comprehensive plan and zoning ordinance, but we expect the district to follow the wishes of our community as expressed in this plan.”

Becca Ford, co-chair of the Mableton Improvement Coalition's zoning committee, also spoke at the afternoon work session.

“With our city’s recent incorporation, I hoped that stretches like this area of ​​Veterans Memorial Highway would see real improvement that would benefit the community and allow for redevelopments such as density housing and consumer-focused retail. A school bus depot on valuable property off a main road accomplishes none of this,” she said.

At the evening meeting, Nickolas Dimondi told the board that his home was on district property.

“Not only would it cause real disruption to my neighborhood and my two young children, but it would also hinder the changes needed to make Mableton attractive to more residential investment, which is desperately needed, particularly at the Veterans Memorial, which many see as the main gateway. “to Mableton,” he said.

MIC member Cassandra Brown expressed disappointment that neither Superintendent Chris Ragsdale nor anyone in the district responded to inquiries from Mableton leaders until they contacted the Marietta Daily Journal.

School board Chairman Randy Scamihorn's comments in an Oct. 4 article in the Marietta Daily Journal were the first official acknowledgment of the district's plans, according to speakers at Thursday's meetings.

Scamihorn told the MDJ that the location was a place where buses could be positioned closer to routes.

He also gave responsibility for community concerns to the two board members representing Mableton schools – Tre' Hutchins and Becky Sayler.

“These two had multiple opportunities to allay the fears of residents,” Scamihorn told the MDJ.

Before Scamihorn shared the plans with the MDJ on Oct. 4, Sayler responded to the Courier's questions about the depot rumors by saying that no public information was available from the district, but that she hoped the district would communicate with and engage the community.

The Courier reached out to Scamihorn to clarify whether the board had the authority to publicly discuss the plans before its published comments and, if so, what information the district was allowed to share with board members. He was also asked why a month passed between the Mableton Improvement Coalition's first formal contact with the district and his public comments confirming the plan. Scamihorn did not respond to any questions.

According to Mableton resident Brandeis Thompson, Scamihorn told former MIC education chairman Nate Smith that he would speak to the community.

“The invitation has been extended, but now Mr. Scamihorn doesn’t have time,” she said.

In a joint statement to the Courier Sunday, Sayler and Tre' Hutchins, who both represent Mableton schools, said: “The best way to allay residents' fears is to include them and the new town of Mableton officials in the plans. “ this land and its use. We believe this is still possible and are committed to it.”

Hutchins added, “It is the superintendent's responsibility to address operational issues, not the school board.” As a board member, my job is to present community concerns to the superintendent. I started this process over a year ago.”

The Courier reached out to the district and asked if there were plans to work with Mableton leaders or provide additional information to the public. The district declined to comment.

To view all comments in full, visit the district's Watch Meetings Online website (cobbk12.org).