Cobb County, Mableton reach agreement on police services

Cobb County and Mableton on Monday announced an agreement for the county to continue providing police services to the new city for another year.

The $13 million deal comes a couple of weeks after the previous agreement expired when Mableton Mayor Michael Owens objected to a section of the agreement involving fines and court revenue. The new deal specifies that the city can keep fines ordered by the municipal court.

“These changes matter because they recognize Mableton as a fully functioning municipality with its own governmental responsibilities,” Owens said in a news release.

“The City invested significant resources establishing a municipal court, administrative systems, and local governance structures. It was important that those institutions be recognized and respected.”

A county spokesperson said there were some “non-substantive changes” to the language of the IGA, but the terms to which the city and county agreed in mediation did not change.

Cobb County Commission Chair Lisa Cupid said in a statement that the signed agreement provides continuity of service as the city prepares to establish its own public safety operations.

“Throughout this process, our priority has remained the safety and well-being of the community,” Cupid said. “This agreement provides stability for residents and officers while allowing both governments to focus on serving the public.”