Message from the Executive Director: Welcoming New Partners

The Cumberland CID owes much of its success to the dedication and support of our partners. On behalf of the Cumberland CID, I am pleased to welcome several new partners, including new Cobb Chamber executives David Connell, Demming Bass and Brooks Mathis and Georgia’s new Governor Nathan Deal.

From left to right: David Connell, Demming Bass, Brooks Mathis

David Connell will serve as Cobb Chamber President and CEO. A former chairman of the Chamber, Connell joins the Chamber team after 40 years with Southern Company and its subsidiaries where he most recently served as a region manager for Georgia Power.

Demming Bass brings more than 15 years of Chamber leadership experience to his new role as Chief Operating Officer. Bass’ extensive background includes serving the last five years as vice president of communications and public policy with the Gwinnett Chamber. He will also serve as secretary for the Cumberland CID.

Brooks Mathis joins the Chamber as Vice President of Economic Development. Mathis most recently served as a business development manager at Electric Cities of Georgia, and has also worked at the Rome Chamber of Commerce and Georgia Department of Economic Development.

Lastly, we would like to welcome Governor Nathan Deal to office. We look forward to building a strong partnership with the new governor to help realize our vision of an even more accessible, livable and pedestrian-friendly community in Cumberland.

The Cumberland CID would like to thank all of our partners including businesses, property owners and public officials for their continued support. We look forward to a successful 2011.

Best,

Malaika Rivers
Executive Director, Cumberland CID

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Cobb County Receives $1.3 Million FTA Funding Award for Rail Efforts

The Cobb County Department of Transportation (DOT) was recently awarded a $1.3 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to aid in funding analysis of a proposed a light-rail system along the U.S. 41/Interstate-75 corridor that could link to the MARTA Arts Center station, as well as other alternatives to ease traffic congestion.

A total of $25.7 million in grants was awarded by the FTA through the Alternative Analysis grant program to help community officials in 15 states evaluate and select the best options to help place new or expanded transit systems in their communities. Cobb County was among 24 transit agencies selected as a beneficiary of the program from 67 applicants from across the country.

The $1.3 million FTA award, the largest granted in Georgia and one of the largest given out nationally, will require a $340,000 match by the county.

Read more in this recent article from the Marietta Daily Journal.

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Project Update: Construction Complete and Underway

The CID continues to identify and actively pursue relevant funding sources to advance the active projects currently in our portfolio. Below is a snapshot of several of our projects.

The Spring Road portion of Kennesaw Mountain to Chattahoochee River Trail, which extends from Spring Road to Cumberland Boulevard to the Cobb County Transit station, is scheduled to be complete this April.

We hope you’ve seen the landscaping, hardscaping, lighting and signage at the Cobb Parkway and I-285 interchange. Improvements are also underway along Akers Mill, Cumberland Boulevard, Cobb Galleria Parkway and Interstate North Parkway

Four gateway signs have been installed as part of our Gateway Signage Program, and keep an eye out for area directional signage to be installed this year.

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Cobb County SPLOST Vote March 15

On March 15, Cobb County residents will decide whether to approve an extension of the existing Special Local Option Sales Tax designed to raise more than $492 million in public improvements throughout Cobb County. The one-cent sales tax would provide for the immediate needs of parks and recreation, transportation, county facilities, public safety and municipal improvements.

If voters agree, the new SPLOST will focus on projects aimed to revitalize and preserve the county’s infrastructure, including projects proposed by the Cumberland CID. Officials plan to leverage any SPLOST funds, which would begin collection in January 2012, with other sources including funding from federal, state and Community Improvement Districts. The current one-cent SPLOST expires on December 31, 2011. For more information, visit www.cobbsplost2011.org.

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Commuter Club Holiday Lunch

This holiday season, Commuter Club thanked vanpoolers for their participation and provided an opportunity for other Cumberland area employees to learn how they can save money while improving both their quality of life and the environment at the Commuter Club Holiday Lunch and Ridematch event.

Nearly 100 current and prospective vanpoolers attended the event and won prizes, networked with other vanpoolers, learned about the benefits of vanpooling and found a convenient vanpool route in their area. For more information about starting or joining a vanpool, visit Commuter Club online. And check out the vanpool routes (at left) with seats currently available.

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