Oscar Party to Feature Kennesaw Mayor

The black-tie affair will serve as a fundraiser for a non-profit that helps homeless families become self-sufficient.

Kennesaw Mayor Mark Mathews is expected to join other area leaders tonight at Oscar Experience 2013, the only Academy-sanctioned Oscar party in the state. The Center for Family Resources (CFR), an Atlanta non-profit that helps homeless families become self-sufficient, is hosting the black-tie affair, which serves as a fundraiser for the organization. Since 1994, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has allowed local charities to host viewing parties. The money generated from the parties remain in the communities where it was raised. In past years, the Center for Family Resources has raised more than $300,000. It has hosted a local viewing party for the last 13 years. This year's soiree at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre …

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It's College Colors Day

Officials at Kennesaw State University want you to wear black and gold in support of the Owls.

KSU Gears Up For College Colors Day

College Colors Day is Friday.

Kennesaw State University is celebrating College Colors Day on Friday, and officials are asking local residents to wear black and gold in support of the Owls. College Colors Day, which has been celebrated throughout the country for the last seven years, is a chance for colleges and universities and their supporters to brag about their schools by donning their colors. "We're very proud of them, and we hope everyone not just in metro Atlanta but across Georgia are proud of KSU," President Daniel Papp said. "The Black and Goold is an athletic program that is absolutely unmoved." Papp, along with Kennesaw Mayor Mark Mathews and Acworth Mayor Tommy Allegood, on Wednesday signed a proclamation naming Friday College Colors Day. "This university …

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Mayors to Honor KSU Colors Day

Kennesaw Mayor Mark Mathews will help proclaim College Colors Day honoring Kennesaw State University's new “Black and Gold” sports logo.

Kennesaw Mayor Mark Mathews and City of Acworth Mayor Tommy Allegood will sign a proclamation designating Friday, Aug. 31, as “College Colors Day” at Kennesaw State University. This Wednesday at 2 p.m., the mayors will join KSU President Daniel S. Papp and Vaughn Williams, Kennesaw State’s director of athletics in the Presidents’ Board Room. The joint proclamation calls on students and community members to show their school spirit by wearing Black and Gold Kennesaw State-branded attire as the Owls celebrate 30 years of intercollegiate athletics. College Colors Day has been celebrated nationally for the past six year. It kicks off the fall semester’s intercollegiate athletics season and strives to advocate higher education through increased…

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Mayor Talks Development, Budget

Mayor Mark Mathews told residents about construction projects and the proposed fiscal year 2013 budget during a town hall meeting on Thursday night.

Residents attending a town hall meeting Thursday night heard an overview of what's going on in Kennesaw. It's been a good year for the city in terms of development and revenues, Mayor Mark Mathews said. "We've got ourselves in a pretty good position, I think," he said. Several commercial developments either have been completed or are in progress, including the new University Park II housing complex at Kennesaw State University; West 22 at Cherokee Street and McCollum Parkway; Metro Bank at Cobb Parkway and Kennesaw Due West Road; Brothers Pizza on Main Street; a new CVS pharmacy at Cobb Parkway and Jiles Road; and U Club on Frey Road, which Mathews said was 100 percent pre-leased before construction was completed. "They're wait-listed …

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Mayor to Hold Town Hall Meeting

The meeting will be held at 6 p.m. at the Ben Robertson Community Center.

Kennesaw Mayor Mark Mathews will hold a town hall meeting tonight. One subject that could be addressed by residents who attend the meeting is the recent ethics complaint filed against Mathews by David Ermutlu. The complaint alleged that Mathews violated the city's ethics code by using his city-issued cell phone for personal business and meeting with city officials on behalf of MetroAtlanta Ambulance, the company for whom Mathews works. The complaint was dismissed by the city's Board of Ethics, which determined that the city's personnel policy doesn't apply to elected officials.  The town hall meeting will be held at 6 p.m. at the Ben Robertson Community Center. Don't miss any of the news you care about. Subscribe to our free newsletter, "…

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Eaton-Welsh: Ethics Code Reform Needed

Councilwoman Cris Welsh said during Monday night's council meeting that the city's ethics code needs to be revamped.

One member of the Kennesaw City Council said the city's ethics code needs to be reformed. Cris Eaton-Welsh told the council at Monday night's regular meeting that in light of a recent ethics complaint filed against Mayor Mark  Mathews, the ethics code needs to be revamped, including clarifying goals and defining expectations. "No one knew there was a problem until there was an issue," Eaton-Welsh said. Last month, Kennesaw resident David Ermutlu filed the complaint alleging that the mayor uses city equipment for other business and that he has been facilitating meetings between his employer, MetroAtlanta Ambulance, and the city manager. He also asked for Mathews to resign last month. But, at a called meeting on July 24, the city's ethics …

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Ethics Board Member Resigns

Eileen Alberstadt said her resignation was driven by a meeting held on Tuesday to review a complaint filed against Mayor Mark Mathews.

One member of Kennesaw's Board of Ethics said she has resigned effective immediately after being "blindsided" at a meeting on Tuesday to review a complaint filed against Mayor Mark Mathews. Eileen Alberstadt said she sent the a letter this morning to members of the city council. City Manager Steve Kennedy confirmed that Alberstadt had sent an email regarding her resignation to the city clerk. Mathews said it was unfortunate that Alberstadt resigned. "I feel like she is a great representative of our community and was put into a position that she indicated that she wanted to serve," he said. However, members of an ethics board have to be aware that at some point they likely will hear cases against elected officials, the mayor said. "Having …

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Board: Mayor Didn't Violate Ethics Code

Kennesaw's Board of Ethics voted to dismiss a complaint filed against Mayor Mark Mathews.

The Kennesaw Board of Ethics voted on Tuesday night to dismiss a complaint against Mayor Mark Mathews, determining that the allegations in the complaint don’t violate the city’s Code of Ethics. In the complaint, which was filed by resident David Ermutlu, one allegation was that Mathews used his city-issued cell phone for personal business. Scott Cochran, an attorney advising the board, said that, while the city’s personnel policy prohibits employees from using city property for personal business, elected officials aren’t considered employees. “A city supervisor can’t terminate an elected official,” Cochran said. “They can’t lose that position through a disciplinary procedure.” Cochran said that he’s always seen incidental use of property …

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