MABLETON, Ga. - The City of Mableton held a town hall meeting on Monday night to discuss a proposal to break away from Cobb County's police service agreement.

 The bottom line is how much does it cost,  said one resident who spoke, Corey Jiggetts.

He and some of his neighbors were not immediately sold on the idea of separating Mableton from Cobb County Police Department.


However, the service contract Mayor Michael Owens signed Monday will end May 31, 2027.

 I'm happy we were able to get to this agreement,  said Owens.

The contract agreement was behind deadline because Owens wanted to change a portion of the contract. He wanted Mableton's Municipal Court to handle certain city ordinance violations instead of the state or county court system.

 The sooner we can get on the same page and stop looking at each other adversarial and look at each other as partners, the more reflective it will be of us having a good relationship moving forward,  Cobb County Chairwoman Lisa Cupid said.

She said while Mableton stands itself up to have its own public safety unit, the partnership will last far beyond any one-year agreement.

Mayor Owens said council wants Mableton to have a public safety division, not just a police force.

 More than just law enforcement,  said Owens.  It covers emergency management preparedness, code enforcement, community outreach, technology support and municipal court coordination. 

City Council said at a recent meeting that Mableton would have to establish a special service division tax to pay for that.

Right now, Mayor Owens said the estimated about of that millage rate would be 4.5.


That rate would mean the owner of a home worth $350,000 would pay the city an extra $630 a year.

The mayor said council expects to confirm the millage rate at the next meeting.

He said council wants to ensure specific carveouts for seniors and veterans with 100% disability.

The Mayor said studies have shown this plan to be more cost-effective than paying Cobb County $22 million a year for police patrols.

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