Cobb County touts top credit rating, renews 10-year service-delivery deal and stresses employee pay increases

Cobb County leaders said Wednesday the county retains the highest credit rating available and has renewed a 10-year service-delivery agreement with its six cities.

"Every year we've been fortunate to get the highest credit rating that can be earned by any organization," Chairwoman Lisa Cupid said, praising county finance staff and commissioners.

Cupid said the county completed a multi-year negotiation to renew a 10-year service-delivery agreement with the six cities that provide municipal services inside the county. She thanked mayors, county attorneys and a mediator who helped finalize the complex contract.

The chairwoman also described personnel improvements. She said the county has raised its minimum wage from about $9 an hour to $17 an hour and is planning a wage-assessment process to evaluate regular cost-of-living adjustments. "We have got to start providing annual cost of living adjustments for our employees," she said.

Cupid noted the county faced a recent district-line legal dispute: "We fought diligently ... but we had to ultimately and rightfully accept the ruling of the courts," she said. She did not cite the court name or case number.

Officials tied the county—s fiscal standing to careful personnel and service decisions and said ongoing wage planning will be part of next-year budget considerations. No new board vote on pay scales or wage policy was taken at the address.

The chairwoman also referenced $136,000,000 of new investment in the county and said the county will continue to use its financial standing to attract economic growth. She asked residents and partners to support county efforts and follow budget updates as staff complete the wage-assessment work.