For as long as I can remember the taxpayers in Cobb have been footing the bill for the East Cobber Magazine's annual parade. For those that are not aware, this parade is held annually in East Cobb of course on Johnson Ferry Road. Unlike any other parade in Cobb, this parade is done with ON DUTY police personnel as well as ON DUTY Fire and DOT personnel. All other parades in Cobb are required to adhere to the county ordinance in relation to parades (see cobb ordinance 118-273). The East Cobber parade not only violates the ordinance every year but it operates the parade at no cost to the owner for county employees appointed to the parade. With any other parade in Cobb, police officers are hired by the entity wishing to conduct the parade for security, traffic control, or road closures etc. The East Cobber parade takes around 40 police officers away from their normal duties for this event. Don't forget the road closure on Johnson Ferry Road either. That inconveniences thousands of cars along that route for several hours, again at no cost to the East Cobber Magazine. Numbers have been calculated and presented to the East Cobber Magazine denying the permit in years past due to the high cost to the taxpayers and the rampant disregard for the county ordinance. It cost Cobb County over $13,000 a year to supply manpower and resources to this private entities parade. When the parade permit gets denied guess what happens. That's right folks, the Cobb Board of Commissioners approve the parade anyway. And you always see one or two commissioners riding in the parade on the back of a convertible waving to the taxpayers that so graciously are paying for said parade.
So how is it that one entity can get free services from the county commissioners and violate the parade ordinance year after year while others are held to the fire in compliance and have to pay for their parade costs? The answer I guess "its the cobb way"
