“I don’t think any candidate in this race wants to go out and raise taxes on homeowners,” Owens said.

Both also agreed that the city government needs to provide the level of service residents were promised, and give those who voted against cityhood a reason to stay.

“It’s up to us to show the value of what the city can be,” Carman said. “We have to be successful and work to do this well for both sides.”

By far, the biggest difference between the candidates is that Carman voted against cityhood and supported the unsuccessful effort to remove portions of the city from its boundaries — known as de-annexation.

Owens said he voted in favor of city formation.

“The reason (Carman) is in this race is because he is there to represent the de-annexation movement,” Owens said. “And the de-annexation movement is about ensuring that certain precincts, homes and people do not live within the city limits of Mableton.”

Not true, Carman said.

“I’ve never run solely on just that alone,” he said of de-annexation. “I want to be a representative for all of Mableton. For me, it was never that I was going to be de-annexed. I didn’t run ... to be in the way of this area being put together well and being successful, because I live here.”

‘A new government to stand up’

The city of Mableton, encompassing the southernmost point of the county up to borders with the neighboring cities of Austell, Powder Springs, and Smyrna, was pitched to South Cobb voters as a means to redevelop and improve the quality of life for folks in an area many feel has been neglected and overlooked.

The services proposed by cityhood advocates included planning and zoning, parks and recreation, code enforcement, and sanitation, which are geared toward local control over developing and improving the community.

Early tasks in creating the city from the ground up include hiring a city manager and city attorney, who will help negotiate service delivery contracts with the county and establish a city budget. The mayor and council will also decide together which services to provide.

Carman and Owens both intend to pursue code enforcement, planning and zoning, and parks. Sanitation is a point of disagreement between the candidates — and many residents.

If officials decide to take on sanitation, they could contract with one or multiple companies to serve the city.

Contracting with multiple providers could give residents more negotiating power, and give the companies a guaranteed customer base, Owens said.

Credit: Provided

Credit: Provided

“My goal with that is to, number one, keep small local businesses employed here,” Owens said. “It can actually reduce the cost of trash service at a household level, and the city can also then provide oversight to ensure a high level of service.”

Carman does not want the city to provide sanitation services but said city officials do need to address littering and illegal dumping.

“I think those are addressed through partnerships and through programs, versus trying to institute a mandated (trash) provider for residents,” he said.

Four council races are also in the runoff election — District 2 will be Monica DeLancy or Dami Oladapo; District 3 will be Keisha Jeffcoat or Yashica Marshall; District 4 will be Patricia Auch or Cassandra Brown; and District 5 will be TJ Ferguson or Cheryl Davis.

Credit: Cobb County

Credit: Cobb County

Other newly created cities in metro Atlanta have faced hurdles in the transition process: in the city of South Fulton, conflict plagued the mayor and council during the city’s first three years.

With clear division across Mableton over cityhood and de-annexation, the mayor and council’s ability to come together will be critical — particularly because of the diversity of needs in different areas of the city.

“The representatives are going to have different desires that they want to see come together,” Carman said. “To me, that empowers that city council person and shows that I trust them and that we’re going to work together to address the issues they’re passionate about in their district.”

Owens said the city is going to have challenges, and the best way to move forward and mitigate conflict among council members is for voters to elect “pro-city candidates.”

“When we all start from the basis of, we want to see the city succeed, we believe in the viability of the city, and we understand the different challenges, needs and wants the city has that will keep us, for the most part, moving forward in the right direction,” Owens said.

‘Chief advocate’

The mayor will be the chair of the city council without power apart from any other council members. But he will play a crucial role in advocating for the city, leading the council and fostering civic engagement.

Owens said having one leader to advocate for the city is something the Mableton area has been lacking.

“Someone that can go out and make it their mission to talk with business owners, developers, and community leaders about what we want and what the people deserve the have,” he said.

A big way to show residents and business owners the benefits of cityhood will be shaping and presenting its identity, Carman said.

“We’ve got to come up with the branding for our city,” Carman said. “What is it going to look like? How are we going to sell it to future residents and future businesses to come to Mableton to set up shop and grow roots?”

Credit: Provided

Credit: Provided

Carman wants to form committees for community leaders to explore areas of focus in the city, including cultural and performing arts, diversity and inclusion, and public safety.

“I think those things are going to provide the focus of this area they haven’t had at that level,” he said.

Owens said he plans to jump-start Mableton’s development by fostering and leveraging relationships with the county, other nearby cities, major businesses and the South Cobb Redevelopment Authority.

“I want to make sure we have entertainment, destination places to go to,” Owens said. “The vision that I have is creating much more of a walkable space that is connected from a pedestrian perspective.”