Cobb sheriff says deal between county and Mableton doesn’t change sheriff’s duties

MABLETON — Cobb County Sheriff Craig Owens is making clear his office had no seat at the table as Cobb County and the City of Mableton work toward a proposed agreement on police, roads, and stormwater services.

Sheriff’s statement

In a statement released Monday, Owens said his office was aware of the ongoing talks but was not part of the negotiations.

“We were not a party to these negotiations,” Owens said. “Any support we provide will be driven by our constitutional commitment to the people of Mableton, not by the outcome of any political or administrative process.”

Owens said residents should expect his office to stay focused on their safety regardless of how the deal shakes out.

“The Cobb County Sheriff’s Office is aware of ongoing discussions between Cobb County and the City of Mableton regarding the future of police services,” Owens said. “I want Mableton residents to know this office takes seriously its responsibility to the safety and security of every community in Cobb County.”

Where the deal stands

The sheriff’s statement comes as Cobb County and Mableton say they have reached a proposed agreement following more than a year of negotiations that ended in formal mediation. Cobb County Chairwoman Lisa Cupid and Mableton Mayor Michael Owens each issued statements saying mediation produced a proposed deal, though neither included dollar figures or other specifics.

The agreement is not final. Attorneys are still drafting the documents, and both the Cobb County Board of Commissioners and the Mableton City Council must vote to approve it. Mayor Owens said details will be released before the city council votes. No vote dates have been set.

How the dispute started

Mableton became a city in 2023, one of the newest in Georgia, and the incorporation immediately triggered a fight over who would provide services to residents and who would pay for them.

In mid-2025, the two sides reached a temporary one-year deal to avoid penalties from the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, the state agency that oversees how local governments divide up services. Under that arrangement, Mableton paid Cobb County $9.5 million for police and transportation services.

Mableton officials called it double taxation, arguing that city residents already pay county property taxes. Cobb County said the payment was necessary so that residents in unincorporated parts of the county and in other cities would not end up paying for services they do not use. That same temporary deal also had Mableton take over zoning, code enforcement, business licensing, and trash collection.

Both Cupid and Mayor Owens said the new proposed agreement would keep police patrols, road upkeep, and stormwater drainage running without interruption for Mableton residents.