By Rebecca Gaunt

Candidates Donovan Giardina and Jon Bothers are vying for the Kennesaw City Council Post 3 seat, soon to be vacated by incumbent Pat Ferris, who is not running for reelection.

The Courier provided questions via email. The responses are posted as received. 

The election is Nov. 4. Information on early voting can be found on the Cobb County website: Advance Voting | Cobb County Georgia.

Age: 27

Education:

BS, Public Management and Policy. Georgia State University

PhD Candidate, Criminal Justice and Criminology. Georgia State University

Work:

State Justice Statistics Fellow, Georgia Crime Analytics Lab, GSU

Pre-trial research Partner, Federal District of Northern Georgia

Volunteering:

Volunteer with the Kennesaw Downtown Development Authority (KDDA) ~4yrs.

Through KDDA, helped run the Kennesaw Farmer’s Market, 4 seasons.

Website/contact info: DONOVAN FOR KENNESAW

Part of your platform is to improve collaboration between Kennesaw and surrounding municipalities regarding public safety. What specific strategies are you hoping to see jurisdictions throughout the region improve or enact?

I want to see Kennesaw work with neighboring cities like Marietta to link existing bike lanes, sidewalks, and trail systems, creating safer and more convenient routes for residents. For every person on a bike, that’s one less car on the road, reducing traffic and making our streets safer for everyone. By improving access to alternative transportation options that lead to places people actually want to go, like downtown areas, and local businesses, we can make getting around both safer and more enjoyable. There are already three bike trails that I am aware of between Kennesaw and Marietta that are not safely connected. By taking advantage of the infrastructure that already exists, we cut down on construction time and costs while also capitalizing on previous transportation efforts.

Equally important is improving data-sharing and communication among local police and emergency service departments. Cities in our region should operate from the same information about crime patterns, response times, and community concerns. By expanding shared databases and coordinating regular inter-agency meetings, we can ensure that departments are proactive when addressing public safety challenges. This will also help local police agencies identify what has been working well in other jurisdictions that might aid them in addressing issues within their own respective cities.

How does your plan for improving the downtown area differ from previous efforts?

I want to take a more intentional and targeted approach to downtown development. My plan focuses on expanding grant opportunities that help recruit the kinds of businesses that make people want to spend time downtown: restaurants, breweries, boutiques, and other unique local shops. For example, the City of Acworth offers a grease-trap installation grant to attract new restaurants. Kennesaw’s Downtown Development Authority already provides small grants for initial surveying and planning; I see my vision as an expansion of those existing efforts to draw more destination businesses to our core.

In addition to supporting new business owners, I also plan to work directly with existing property owners, particularly those holding underdeveloped or vacant parcels, to identify the unique challenges preventing progress and find creative ways to get those spaces activated. Revitalizing downtown requires both recruiting the right businesses and removing the barriers that keep good projects from moving forward. Regardless of where you live in Kennesaw, downtown should be a revenue generating entity that helps fuel the maintenance, community building, and connectivity of the rest of the city.

City staff are currently working on streamlining the land use/business license renewal process for small businesses. What other steps would you like to see the city take to ease the burden for local businesses?

As a volunteer with the Kennesaw Farmers Market for the past four years, I’ve seen firsthand how complicated it can be for small business owners to get started. In my own neighborhood, for example, a home-based cookie decorating business had to take pictures of their regular kitchen “workspace” and present them before City Council just to get licensed. That’s a colossal waste of both the business owner’s and council’s time.

I’d like to see the City remove outdated or nonsensical requirements like this and focus on streamlining approvals for low-impact, home-based businesses. By simplifying the process, we can help local entrepreneurs get up and running faster, support innovation, and make Kennesaw a friendlier place to do business.

Kennesaw is growing rapidly. What is your approach to urban development (land use and zoning)?

Kennesaw needs to be intentional about future development and thoughtful about how each area of our city evolves. That means taking a step back to define what we want different parts of Kennesaw to become and identifying which community needs—housing, business growth, recreation, or connectivity—each project should address.

The recent Lacey apartment development on South Main is a great example of intentional placemaking. Its mixed-use design adds both new housing and space for local businesses, contributing to a more vibrant and walkable downtown.

We also have one of Georgia’s largest universities on our doorstep. As Kennesaw State continues to grow, we must plan for the increased demand for housing and services that comes with it. Any future development strategy should incorporate the needs of the university community while maintaining the character and livability that make Kennesaw unique.

Should the city allow accessory dwelling units, and if so, under what parameters?

In short, yes — I support allowing accessory dwelling units (ADUs) in Kennesaw. They should be required to meet all existing building and safety codes, but I see no reason to impose additional restrictions beyond what already applies to a property. At its core, this is a property rights issue: if a homeowner follows code and obtains the proper approvals, the city shouldn’t stand in the way.

ADUs can provide flexible benefits for our community, such as creating affordable housing options for students, supplemental income for homeowners, and independent living space for aging parents. Cobb County already has ordinances that limit the percentage of a lot that can be covered by roofing, so reasonable size guidelines are already in place. I would also defer to HOA or neighborhood covenants where they exist, as those community bodies should retain jurisdiction over local restrictions.

 What does transparency and accessibility as an elected official mean to you?

To me, transparency and accessibility mean meeting people where they are and being willing to answer tough questions honestly. Throughout my campaign, I’ve made it a priority to seek out residents, listen to their concerns, and make myself easy to reach. I’m in one of Kennesaw’s parks every Wednesday morning talking with people, and I always post when and where I’ll be so anyone can stop by. Additionally, we’re hosting a Town Hall event on October 23^rd where I will be taking any and all questions from the public.

My campaign has already knocked on nearly 600 doors across the city to connect directly with residents, and that level of openness won’t stop after Election Day. If elected, I’ll continue attending city events and spending time downtown so constituents can easily share their ideas and concerns. Public officials who put up barriers to communication or avoid accountability don’t serve the people, they serve themselves.

 What else should voters know about you?

I’ve built my life and career around service; both to my community and to the people who make it strong. I’ve spent the past four years volunteering with the Kennesaw Downtown Development Authority, helping organize the Farmers Market which has brought people together while also supporting local business. Professionally, I work in program evaluation and public policy research, focusing on how government programs can better serve their communities through accountability and results.

I’m running because I believe Kennesaw’s best days are ahead, and that thoughtful, data-informed leadership can make our city safer, more connected, and more vibrant. I’m not a career politician, I’m a neighbor who wants to see our city continue to grow in a way that benefits everyone. My goal is simple: to make it easier for residents to do business, raise families, and enjoy everything Kennesaw has to offer.