Bill Byrne, former chairman of the Cobb County Commission, is the first person to announce that he will run for the District 1 commission seat being vacated by Helen Goreham at the end of the year.

Byrne, who has been critical of chairman Tim Lee and the $300 million commitment to build a stadium for the Atlanta Braves in the Cumberland area, said his campaign will focus on public safety, economic development, and governing based on conservative principles of limited government.