After a trial run earlier this year, MIC’s HOA Network kicked off its first official HOA Forum on October 22. Twenty-six people representing 15 HOA’s and one non-HOA neighborhood were in attendance. All HOA and non-HOA neighborhoods in Mableton and surrounding area are welcome!

Special thanks to Beth Taylor, HOA Attorney, as featured speaker on the topic, “How to Run a HOA.”  Everyone learned something new from Ms. Taylor’s excellent presentation.  Also, thanks to Barry Krebs of Keep Cobb Beautiful for brief presentation about the relationship between litter pickup and community value. Barry encouraged neighborhoods to “Adopt-A-Mile” in their area to keep our collective  community free of litter and looking good.  While the presentations were superb, the networking and information sharing among the HOA’s were also incredible.  It was great to see HOA participants sharing insights and resolution ideas for addressing common problems.

HOA’s represented included:  Brookview, Concord Village, Creekside at Wade Farm, Cypress Club, Harvest Pointe, Inverness, Kingsbridge, Legacy at the River Line, Milford Woods, Parkview Commons,  Providence, Silvergate, Stoneybrook, The Reserve of Old Lost Mountain,  Vinings Cove. One non-HOA neighborhood on Queen Mill Road was also in attendance.

The next forum is planned for February, 2019. The topic under consideration is “Dealing with Rentals including Airbnb,”  Future forums will be limited only to Associations that have signed up as HOA Network members.  The cost is only $55 per year. For this small donation, your association gets the benefit of local HOA networking and best practices, subject matter experts, vendor referrals, quarterly forums, MIC newsletter, and local zoning information. Click here to join now!

Advance voting comes to Mableton on Monday, October 29 through Friday, November 2 at the South Cobb Community Center, 620 Lions Club Drive  daily from 8am to 7pm. During this time, any registered Cobb County voter can vote at any Advance Voting location. This printable flyer shows the other 11 locations and their hours.

There are no polling places open on November 3 (Saturday) or November 5 (Monday).

Election Day is Tuesday, November 6 and the polling places are open from 7am to 7pm. Voters in line at 7pm will be allowed to vote. This is your last chance to vote! On November 6, you can vote ONLY in your precinct, not all of the Advance voting locations. You can find your precinct at the Secretary of State’s website.

Review the sample ballot before you go. While you are on the Secretary of State’s website, take note of your US House, State Senate and State House districts. Then click the link for sample ballot. The sample ballot will show you the statewide races (Governor, Lieutenant Governor, etc.), Congressional races, State legislative contests and the Constitutional Amendments.

Whether voting early or on Election Day, at your polling location, you’ll be required to present a valid photo ID, such as a driver’s license, passport or government-issued voter identification card. If you arrive at the polls on Election Day and are unable to show one of the required forms of identification or there is an issue with your voter registration, you can request a provisional ballot. You will have three days from the close of polls to present acceptable identification to the county elections office for your vote to count. Voting must be readily accessible to disabled and elderly voters.

For more information or any questions, call Cobb Elections at 770-528-2581.

Commissioner Lisa Cupid and Planning Commissioner Galt Porter will hold their monthly Community Zoning Meeting on Wednesday, October 24 @6pm at the South Cobb Community Center, 620 Lions Club Drive. Among the cases to be discussed are:

Z-49 KO Management – a 10 unit subdivision on Mableton Parkway at Wood Valley Road

Z-61 EMAE, LLC – a 14 unit townhouse development on Factory Shoals Road

Z-80 Embry Development Company – a 96-unit townhouse development on Old Bankhead Highway

Z-82 IGBO Union Atlanta – rezoning for additional parking for the IGBO Union

LUP-14 Reneika Rogan – a renewal of a land use permit for a personal care home on Golden Circle

V-107 Estate of Jere Furr – building setback variances for existing self-storage warehouses on Old Floyd Road

This meeting is an excellent opportunity to ask questions and voice your opinion to your local officials in a round table setting – right here in Mableton. If you are concerned about one or more of these applications, don’t wait until the hearing to get involved.

More information about zoning.

One of the most talked-about subjects in our Facebook group is restaurants. MIC’s Economic Development Committee decided to visit Mableton restaurants periodically, and provide some basic information about them — or in other words, “shine a spotlight” on the restaurants in our community. MIC does not endorse the restaurants; the Spotlight exists simply to introduce Mabletonians to restaurants in Mableton.

Date of visit: Thursday, October 4, 2018, around 12:30pm

Food type: Soul / Down-home Southern “comfort” food

Takeout/Delivery: Call-in available for takeout

Location:  705 South Gordon Road SW, Mableton GA 30126 (very small but has tables/booths)

Phone: 678.402.1792

Hours:  Monday:  closed; Tuesday, Thursday, Friday:  1130am – 8pm; Wednesday:  1130am – 7pm;  Saturday/Sunday:  1pm-7pm

Website:  N/A

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WillieBSistersSouthernCuisine

Food Safety Score:  96, FS, 3.30.17

Ambience:  Like a family kitchen, straightforward utilitarian

Wifi: yes

Parking: adequate

Experience:  Super-friendly service; all food fresh daily, and the cook even came out to say hello and ask how our food was.  Had delicious roasted tilapia, yellow rice, collards, cornbread, mac ‘n cheese, and rib sandwich served Texas-style (whole ribs on white sandwich bread, no sauce). Meals served in Styro boxes, all include rice, 2 sides, and cornbread or roll.  Everything seasoned wonderfully.  Willie B’s also caters, and operates a very busy Food Truck, present at many large events (i.e. Sweet Auburn Music Fest)…and has made the top 7 Soul Food restaurants in Atlanta in the AJC for last 5 years. Read the AJC article.