Chris Payne was one of hundreds of angry Cobb County residents who shouted out their frustration at a meeting with county officials about flood rebuilding Wednesday.
"The flood plain lines are way off!" Payne said as others yelled, "Yeah!"
In a confrontational session, three Cobb County officials were surrounded by about 300 unhappy residents. So many people showed up at the South Cobb Government Service Center that officials moved the meeting to the empty bays of a fire station where there was standing room only.
Officials used bull-horns to answer questions. Residents yelled and some nearly cried as they related their stories.
Payne's house in unincorporated Cobb, where at least 700 homes were damaged by the flood, washed off its foundation by 80 feet and landed on his garage. The water reached the attic.
"I'm walking away from it," Payne said. "I'm going to leave the keys hanging on the gate for a house that is not there."
Calvin Patton said the county should buy up houses in his area on Rugosa Way and put up a reservoir.
"Ugly Houses said they wouldn't pay more than $4,000 for my house," Patton said. "I might as well throw it in the creek. All I'm looking at is foreclosure."
It could be as long as 18 months before money for home buyouts becomes available, Cobb County Community Development Director Rob Hosack said.
One resident called out that they should all go to County Commissioner Woody Thompson's town hall meeting Monday night to vent their concerns and then follow up by attending the county commission meeting Tuesday night.
It was difficult to hear responses from the county's directors of storm water management, community development and permitting because of the noise.
Afterwards, residents crowded around county officials in little circles, straining to hear advice and waiting their turn for an individual question.
Dana James' voice practically cracked with emotion as she charged the county was allowing too much development and it was changing the hydrology of the area, leaving people vulnerable to flooding. Her house in the Five Oaks subdivision in the Powder Springs area is not in the flood plain but was flooded this time as well as four years ago.
"I don't have enough money to repair it," James said.
About 85 houses in unincorporated Cobb County have still not been cleared to begin rebuilding and about 40 new people signed a list Wednesday saying their houses need to be assessed.
The Town Hall meeting is next Monday at 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Ron Anderson Recreation Center at Wild Horse Creek Park, 3820 Macedonia Rd., Powder Springs.
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