[{"_1":2,"_110":-5,"_111":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,86,98],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6607972,"mediaKeyId","2945408-d85af6beb4a9db4cfb25f2be0907a813","parentId",2945408,"title","Agenda review: council approves minutes, enters and exits executive session on litigation","audioSeconds",363,"startMs",3000,"endMs",366000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2945408-d85af6beb4a9db4cfb25f2be0907a813&start=3&end=366","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2945408-d85af6beb4a9db4cfb25f2be0907a813/thumbnail_3000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6607972/Marietta/Cobb-County/Georgia/Agenda-review-council-approves-minutes-enters-and-exits-executive-session-on-litigation","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6607972-9a8f863eb948ba63bf08f949e6813bf0/orig.mp4?Expires=1771115139&Signature=LpGaBuKOmlBRZAaeD2rhn7guyd8blRPvyOVM5iffg5AZSS6YLpQnlqNs3nUWrzM6Q8KP-Tt8PQuP29y3-09i3p6vSX482g9jJ2mrVE47XWrTmsZb7rmhC0t~ydt8rQYCoBghyq6CA3OPtqY7iN9jd0G~rjkHz3~H5eIooN-81UyRWVB3lILLV2cNwRHuvpme9VLCLzAnyeaC9zkURd-oJWeC-rUzmvFRhFthijEKBHlXwizAKvRBs7bqjjIACF4lVyoZZ~MQsRr9mWBKJNHNSjaBiFD0LeQRlRYKfP-IEOx~iXEAyxJjbLLBoDNhfVKpbprN~MBppRTu63v4fjzuhA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Marietta","date","2025-04-09T18:03:00Z","article","Marietta city council members approved the minutes from the March 12 regular meeting and voted to convene and later end an executive session regarding pending and potential litigation during the agenda-review session.

The council took a voice vote approving the March 12 minutes; the chair declared the motion carried. Later in the meeting, a motion to enter executive session for pending and potential litigation was made and seconded and the council approved it. After a short executive session, the council reconvened and approved a motion to come out of executive session.

Why it matters: Executive sessions for pending or potential litigation allow the council to receive confidential legal briefings before returning to open session; formal approval of minutes finalizes the record of prior meetings.

Meeting actions at a glance:
- Motion: Approve minutes of March 12 regular meeting. Mover: not specified. Second: not specified. Vote: \"All those in favor, please raise your right hand. Motion carries.\" Outcome: approved.
- Motion: Enter executive session for pending and potential litigation. Mover: not specified. Second: not specified. Vote: carried. Outcome: approved (entered executive session).
- Motion: Come out of executive session. Mover: not specified. Second: not specified. Vote: \"All those in favor, please raise your right hand. Motion carries.\" Outcome: approved (returned to open session).

No ordinances, resolutions or other formal legislative items were voted on during the agenda-review portion recorded in the transcript.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Marietta - CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REVIEW SESSION on 2025-04-09 6:00 PM - Apr 09, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","At an agenda-review meeting, Marietta council members approved the March 12 minutes by voice vote and voted to enter and later exit an executive session for pending and potential litigation.","taxTitle","Marietta, Cobb County, Georgia","taxId",3937,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6607977,"Police: new vehicles, equipment and staffing progress; fire department readies engines and training events",0,2579000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2945408-d85af6beb4a9db4cfb25f2be0907a813&start=2579&end=2579","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2945408-d85af6beb4a9db4cfb25f2be0907a813/thumbnail_2579000.jpg","/articles/6607977/Marietta/Cobb-County/Georgia/Police-new-vehicles-equipment-and-staffing-progress-fire-department-readies-engines-and-training-events","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6607977-bf7b41c5dacc88a34220e96ad843ebe2/orig.mp4?Expires=1771115139&Signature=MdWFtkBtPfG-YXMh2E~7W4yKJagTNddCNqwBDjmFHTnclVrV9aXc4X~BB0SHt5z8YoXUtjiMlVaGNNGecbpZzi49UBA0PL2CXTIagEHt9-qos~0uaZdVAUbk04CV1k3L9dNI3Tdhc1COwH8hgYvH56VOqZb4WJMtOUtlQ8b0OzYXu2cjJoiPcizLtHqLcCeRCGM1gpqNLYhPmFYaH--H9Ao8JC8iR4lYglqNfol7u59HOb37V~ydM1HM2xDk8oaJZjZako5IZWGB3fr8PN1QAWp76aGbeXCJAk2b8aN0aHZ123qvB~Z2EOg1IIanROQBNWvciXCHdSL2RFb3pPAdug__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Marietta Police Department said it is preparing to put eight new SUVs and a transport van into service and has ordered rifle suppressors for officer hearing protection. Chief Beam told council members that funding for suppressors came from local drug-forfeiture funds. The department also reported new traffic vests for K9s and plans to buy a ballistic vest for a growing K9.

Chief Beam said the department had one recent retirement, Officer David Auld (retired April 1), and multiple candidates in process to fill that vacancy plus openings for a public safety ambassador, a prisoner transport officer and a public police services representative. He told the council he expects those positions to be filled within a few weeks and that the department will increase enforcement details, traffic checkpoints and targeted \"task force\" operations.

Fire department staff reported two new engines are arriving soon and will undergo final inspection; staff said it takes time to outfit new apparatus before placing them in service and that the city will announce a traditional apparatus-in-service event. Fire officials said the department was selected to host two training programs at a regional firefighter conference because of its training tower and burn building, and staff view the selection as a recruiting and professional-development opportunity.

Both departments said they are still working through report backlogs created by a recent cybersecurity incident affecting a partner agency (Cobb County). IT staff told the council that Marietta severed its connection to Cobb while Cobb addressed an unauthorized user on its network; that outage lasted about 12 days and impacted police report-writing, creating a backlog of roughly 800 cases for police to recover.

Why it matters: Equipment, staffing and training affect emergency response capacity and public-safety operations; the cybersecurity-linked backlog shows operational dependencies on intergovernmental IT connections.

What's next: The police department expects hires within weeks and will phase in new vehicles and equipment; the fire department will announce dates for apparatus-in-service events and will host regional training sessions.

","Police Chief and fire officials reported equipment purchases and staffing updates, recruitment activity, and training opportunities; police report backlog from a cybersecurity disruption remains a recovery item.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6607982,"Public works updates: Whitlock crossing fixed; East Dixie Trail and landfill capping continue",109,1705000,1814000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2945408-d85af6beb4a9db4cfb25f2be0907a813&start=1705&end=1814","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2945408-d85af6beb4a9db4cfb25f2be0907a813/thumbnail_1705000.jpg","/articles/6607982/Marietta/Cobb-County/Georgia/Public-works-updates-Whitlock-crossing-fixed-East-Dixie-Trail-and-landfill-capping-continue","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6607982-d76335bf5621bc11b3ac0b65ecf1529a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771115139&Signature=lW6~Ip0mqGwrrdoFiyIzopsiwi1YALud2Nl-gfprIbylyA7hHtxJsogASEeq4ExVKUkeHRkYNYc4B~6HA7Ujgnybh2PNTuBRNo9vIM3SXnU6bEGkW6tqSs-N2OW3NJKNCOVMrK5rSqTqpLgVmhFpkFl1W6Y19URjdgLZjr~pDZZesyKnsk2fzVWxVrvTstTD0bWh~xlOeRT0Hlkk6Q1RVD~G~HxY9WKchMtmbERksDTAiaFkbMU1PzpB1lQBzzUNuAQoEZAoWztz49Q8LYXAHpdFjYieZ38AQAf6Kzq79CPmeRwIG26l0ZLH6VeSKILH7gJhlCg9joDK44TFrYrwLg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Public works staff told the Marietta City Council at an agenda-review session that a temporary electrical problem with a CSX crew's wiring affected a Whitlock railroad crossing and briefly disrupted traffic before crews and police controlled the scene.

Public works staff said the outage to the crossing arm took about an hour and a half to two hours to isolate and fix, and thanked the police department for traffic control. The department reported no lingering damage and that the crossing was repaired.

Staff also provided project updates: East Dixie Trail work continues and Merida Water contractors are on schedule, with a sidewalk-trail project expected to start in late May or early June. The Merritt Road landfill-capping project was described as about 50% to 60% complete. The city's street resurfacing program is underway but not yet halfway finished, and the Roswell Street four-lane gap project is out to bid with bids expected in the next few weeks.

Public works noted upcoming staff events: Building Safety Month proclamation at the next council meeting, Public Works Week the third week in May and an employee appreciation lunch scheduled for Wednesday, May 21 at noon at operations on North Marietta Parkway.

Why it matters: The updates affect traffic, ongoing construction schedules, capital projects and event planning across the city.

What's next: Staff said bids for Roswell Street will be returned in the coming weeks and the sidewalk-trail work timeline remains late May to early June pending weather and contractor schedules.

","Public works staff reported a temporary railroad-crossing electrical fault on Whitlock, progress on East Dixie Trail and Merritt Road landfill capping, and schedules for surface projects and community events.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_47":104,"_49":105,"_51":106,"_53":107,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":108,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":109,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6607986,"Marietta cites smart-grid upgrades, meter modernization after Digital City Award",673,1417000,2090000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2945408-d85af6beb4a9db4cfb25f2be0907a813&start=1417&end=2090","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2945408-d85af6beb4a9db4cfb25f2be0907a813/thumbnail_1417000.jpg","/articles/6607986/Marietta/Cobb-County/Georgia/Marietta-cites-smart-grid-upgrades-meter-modernization-after-Digital-City-Award","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6607986-d10a56f41c9e0139d9900c7be5076f65/orig.mp4?Expires=1771115139&Signature=h1Jje94YMrCf2zPs0qsUXJkC1PN1X2d~ULzJd3aGAMbJEQigii38E-diBZOXjYEsU-jK7ovAgKymJvISMjhXozJ5-3S7i4U5-bzM8OlJ9XqmqHCButhlUmfKnIP1zDolXuooaPr1Dkq33beCkfB4BpAF-JFBYW2nQLJxqf0Qh2yHOnJHzbtB7TUh6MNox82CyG8fNmgZsmLeRVXFP~vfY7nefFupPnHM2g88AsRgX2jG1iTf9kwff3TtgN7vmzgQngM995VzUoBdl0qB82tdluLk7yauYrVnjPRaQnts0WHthB-zErZkCjN5mDO-VlFLu8i-iHJ5QN9DVfhHuXXqXw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Marietta city officials and staff used an agenda-review session to describe technology projects that helped the city win a Digital City Award and to outline ongoing cybersecurity upgrades backed by federal grants.

City water and electric staff told the council that the utilities have shifted from manual processes to automated systems and advanced metering, and that the city is participating in national pilot projects to expand grid monitoring and control.

Kim Holland, Director of Water and Wastewater for the City of Marietta and a member of the Board of Lights and Water, said Marietta moved from manual meter-reading to an advanced metering infrastructure that now covers the city's electric and water meters. \"I'm Kim Holland, Director of Water and Wastewater for the City of Marietta and Board of Lights and Water,\" Holland said. She described SCADA monitoring of tanks and pump stations, a digital water meter system that supports more accurate billing, and field crews using tablets for real-time data and GIS asset mapping.

City staff said the utilities use large-data analytics to improve reliability and are piloting automated outage restoration and expanded sensor networks. The utilities also described internal software work, online customer self-service and a digital marquee for public information. Marietta staff said these systems are layered with cybersecurity protections.

IT staff described two federally funded projects supporting security and grid monitoring. One project uses a state-administered federal grant to upgrade switchgear and add cameras and logging at substations; staff said they have identified 10 substations with connectivity and expect that project to finish before July 1. A separate multi-year Department of Energy project run in partnership with Georgia Tech was described as beginning this year; staff said Marietta will be a co-recipient and that equipment ordering and design have started.

Staff also addressed a recent cybersecurity incident involving Cobb County. City IT staff said Marietta severed its connection to Cobb County after Cobb reported an unauthorized user on its network; the connection remained down for 12 days while Cobb obtained third-party attestation it had remedied the breach. City staff said the interruption affected police report-writing and left a backlog of roughly 800 cases the police department is working to clear.

Why it matters: City officials said the technology and security projects underpin customer services such as faster outage detection, more accurate billing and online account tools, while the cybersecurity work is intended to protect those systems and city operations.

What's next: Staff said the DOE/Georgia Tech project will run about three years and that the switchgear/substation work tied to the state-administered federal grant should be completed by July. The city is publicizing videos about its digital initiatives and has received outside media attention.

","City staff and Marietta Power & Water highlighted advanced metering and grid-control projects and outlined cybersecurity work and a federal grant partnership while accepting a Digital City Award.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Agenda review: council approves minutes, enters and exits executive session on litigation

Police: new vehicles, equipment and staffing progress; fire department readies engines and training events

Public works updates: Whitlock crossing fixed; East Dixie Trail and landfill capping continue

Marietta cites smart-grid upgrades, meter modernization after Digital City Award