Cobb County - VOTE (Page 3)

Note that the article fails to mention to important influence BT and this thread had on the election outcome.

In all seriousness, in an election with so few votes cast even a 100 or so votes have an impact.  It will not be known how many of those Ott voters were cyclist but I suspect that a number were.  Cyclist by and large fit the demographic with a high propensity to vote.  That is why cyclist are often given credence by elected officials

Ott triumphs over 16-year vet Thompson 
By Elizabeth Farnsworth
Marietta Daily Journal Staff Writer
Published: 08/06/2008

EAST COBB - Challenger Bob Ott defeated incumbent Joe Lee Thompson in Tuesday's Republican runoff for the District 2 Cobb Commission seat.

Thompson, a 16-year incumbent, was running for his fifth term as commissioner of the southeast Cobb area. But Delta pilot Ott proved to be more than Thompson could handle. With 43 of 44 districts reporting, Ott had 4,125 votes (64.9 percent) to Thompson's 2,229 (35 percent). The only precinct not reporting is the provisional ballots, which will be approved by the Board of Elections at their Friday meeting.

"You can't take away from Commissioner Thompson the things that he's done. This is not about taking away any of the things he's done. It's not a personal thing. It's just, I think people are ready for a change," Ott said Tuesday evening, in the middle of what was turning very quickly into a victory party at Christo's Pizza on Delk Road.

Thompson said his 16 years as district commissioner are longer than any district commissioner has served.

"It was a wonderful 16 years. I've seen a lot of great things happen in Cobb County and I'm just glad to have been a part of it," Thompson said Tuesday.

Thompson said he's proud of many things he's accomplished during his term in office, including the widening of and improvements to Atlanta Road, an under-construction bridge over the Chattahoochee River, and the East-West Connector in south Cobb.

"The voter has a mind of their own, and they felt like it was time for a change," he said. "I sincerely appreciate the opportunity to have represented the district for 16 years."

In the July 15 primary, Thompson garnered 44 percent of the vote, while Ott took 40 percent. Since then, Ron Sifen of Vinings, who finished third place in the race, has endorsed Ott.

"At least in Vinings, I do think it had an impact. I think a lot of people voted for Bob because of my endorsement in Vinings," Sifen said as he sat in the midst of Ott's party.

Ott's wife, Judy, said the campaign process has been "time consuming" as her husband has canvassed southeast Cobb.

"I'm really relieved," she said.

Ott said his major concern now is to go out and convince the 35 percent of voters he didn't win yesterday that he is the man for the job.

"I'm really proud of the people that worked on the campaign and made it happen. We'll just continue doing what we've been doing this whole time," he said.

Ott will not have long to savor his victory - the Delta pilot hits the skies today, flying to Anchorage, Alaska.

"The big thing is, how do we get the community back into what's going on?" he said.

At least one runoff voter said she picked Ott because she was ready for a change.

"Joe Thompson's been around for years and years," Renee Stewart said, after she voted at Sedalia Park Elementary School on Lower Roswell Road. "Bob Ott is some new blood. I just like him. I've been to a couple of town hall meetings, and I just think we need some new blood."

Stewart said she had supported Thompson in the past and liked the longtime commissioner, but believed the time is ripe for fresh ideas - like the ones she says Ott offers.

Turnout was light across the county for Tuesday's runoff. Sedalia Park Elementary poll manager Bill DeMonye Sr. said he expected about 10 percent turnout in the runoff - about average for a runoff.

"But we've heard some others have not done as well," DeMonye said.Ott will face Democrat James Royal in the Nov. 4 general election.

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http://www.mdjonline.com/content/index/showcontentitem/area/1/section/15/item/116258.html

Thompson went down and the get out the vote effort from cyclists was tremendous. Cyclists should stand up more in politics for better treatment.

Regarding "big john h" and his post. It is a lot of BS. As a cyclist, a Cobb County resident and a homeowner on Columns Drive (yes I live there- it is also my blog linked to in this thread), little if any of the actions attributed to cyclists have ever occurred.

1st off, it was not the homeowners who wanted Thompson to ban cycling. It was 12 homeowners out of hundreds (600+) who testified at commission meetings for this ban. None that I know of from the houses, all from the townhouses and  condos. People move to Columns because of the recreational opportunities, which include the park, Sope Creek trails, the park on Johnson Ferry, the river and Columns Drive itself. Cycling, running, and skating on Columns has been going on for well over 20 years. Don't buy a home near an airport and complain about the noise. There are close to 600 homes, townhouses and condos on Columns, plus 2 entrances to Atlanta Country Club. A bitter minority of folks should not establish rules that are unfair and that contradict state law. I know more triathletes who live on Columns than the number of people who spoke for the ban.

Cyclists were not picking fights and keying cars. However, motorists were swerving into the shoulder/Pedestrian lane brushing back cyclists, throwing things at cyclists, cussing at cyclists and endangering them. Were cyclists cussing back? Hell yeah! I cussed out several motorists, including my next door neighbor, who was one of the people pushing Thompson on this ordinance. I saw him swerve into a lane almost taking out two cyclists while his horn was blowing, only yards in front of a lady pushing a stroller. When I saw that SUV parked I stopped to talk to the guy and his FAMILY. He was telling me how were not allowed and blah, blah, blah. He was wrong. He was stupid. When he got aggressive, I unloaded on him. (BTW, he had just closed on his home and had not even moved in yet) I have also called the police on the guy. He gives cyclists a very wide berth now. His car was never keyed, but I would have found that hilarious if it had been.

Sure there are some bad cyclists, but trying to group all cyclists on Columns into that group is just idiotic. The vast majority of cyclists on Columns are very aware of traffic. We work very hard to coexist safely with runners, walkers and motorists. I watch cyclists and runners pick up trash on a daily basis. The biggest problems have always had to do with new cyclists and runners who do not know the unwritten rules yet. TNT was bringing lost of folks down there for a while, but seemed to have backed off. Their runners staying 3 abreast all the way down Columns were causing lots of problems. New cyclists who do not stay aware of traffic behind them and make room are another concern, but they seem to get educated by other cyclists.

All "big john h" posts in this thread ring untrue and rather bitter. Columns has always been a great area. I meet some of the friendliest people there. I bought there because of my experiences training there. With the exception of car break-ins at the parking lot and a motorist/contractor pulling out a gun, there is little criminal behavior by anybody. The police patrol heavily there. They have been there two days in a row with radar guns, and the cyclists like that. The road is much safer if the homeowners follow the speed limit and other laws. If we could get rid of the few angry, bitter and dangerous motorists who deliberately target cyclists, it would be better. I suspect if those angry, bitter and dangerous motorists got laid every now and then, they would not be so angry, bitter and dangerous. That is speculation, however.

Hey Tim, 

Welcome to BT ... as you can see from the Georgia forum, there are a lot of Atlantan here - most of whom you will see at the races, on the Comet, at Cartersvile and *gasp* riding/running at Columns Drive.

Thanks for being active for cyclist before the Cobb Commission.  It helps make a huge difference!

Pop - 2008-08-06 3:10 PM Just dang!  I've accused Neal of being a sand-bagger, but never a douch-bagger

NOW... you have hurt my feelings! 

 I have no problem with that! None what-so-ever.

Then do not lie. You posted many falsehoods and much second hand and made up information. If you repeat a lie, you are a liar. Just because you read something on the internet, does not make it true. If you are spreading that information, you have an obligation to verify it. Blaming everything that happens at Columns on cyclists is intellectually dishonest, which is another form of lying. Yes, there have been confrontations,  but they do not happen in a vacuum. If a cyclist yells at a motorist it is because of something the motorist did, either on purpose or by accident. I have been cycling  and running at Columns since 1993. I have never seen a cyclist yell or cuss at a motorist just because it seemed like a cool thing to do. Something proceeded it. And even if the cyclist was behaving badly by cycling in the middle of the street or something, that gives a motorist no right to menace the cyclist with their car.

 And no we will not agree, and for that I am grateful. I nailed you after reading your first post, and every following post  reaffirmed that opinion.

Tim, 

Actually, I think you may be a bit off here.  I thought the same thing when I first read John's post.  I will even agree that the subsequent post are a bit confrontational and lack a certain diplomacy.   However, as I read them I noticed  some "nice guy" stuff sprinkled in and I dug a bit further.  His personal blog address is on his BT blog so I checked it out mainly because my first response to his original post lacked a certain diplomacy also.    To make a long story short, I have concluded John is as ok as any of us.  We have even exchanged a few PMs.  I have invited him and I am also inviting you to come ride with us some time.  We usually post our rides on here or on out club website at http://www.northatlantamultisport.org/.  We actually have a meeting tomorrow night at the Roswell Rec Center at 7:00 pm.  We have a diverse group of people who are a lot of fun.  We usually go to Taco Macs after the meeting.  We usually ride the Roswell Loop on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6:00pm, starting at the Roswell Rec Center and Courtney usually sets up a ride somewhere on the weekends.

Lastly and I think this will be my last post on this thread because it seems to have become the Brett Farve story of BT.  It has taken on a life of its own and it won't stop after being dormant for so long.  I want to congratulate Dan for starting the thread.  I think this one is the 60th post of the thread and I will try to restrain myself and make it my last post to it.