Friday, August 29, 2014

Nancy Jester of Dunwoody considering run for DeKalb County Commissioner


As soon as the announcement that DeKalb County Commissioner Elaine Boyer was resigning, names of possible replacements started pinging off the various corners of the internet.   The name at the top of the pile with the best chance of winning and effecting positive change within the County is that of former DeKalb County School Board Member Nancy Jester and in a blog statement copied below she is now considering the position.
The now former, DeKalb County Commissioner, Elaine Boyer is facing Federal charges and likely, a jail sentence, for stealing the public’s money. Recently we also learned that Commissioner Sharon Barnes Sutton has a proclivity for paying her boyfriend to “consult” for her. Last summer’s indictment of the CEO was, apparently, just the tip of the iceberg. In fairness, other counties and government officials outside of DeKalb haven’t been immune to corruption and bad decisions. But, here, in DeKalb, the sheer volume is proving that incompetence and corruption are the norm rather than the exception.

Many friends, citizens and leaders in DeKalb and around the state, have urged me to run for this vacant seat on the Commission. I am giving this careful consideration. The county as a whole needs sound, disciplined, and effective financial stewardship. The new District 1 Commissioner must work to reestablish public trust. That’s going to take hard work and new ideas about what the public should expect from elected officials and government workers regarding disclosure and transparency.

Confidence in DeKalb government has been shattered. I’m a small government conservative. I also believe that the operations of government should be carried on with a vigorous commitment to competence and credibility. Right now, we have the worst of both worlds; bloated government that has shown to be incompetent and corrupt.

As I consider this office, I have thought about what I would do for the citizens of District 1 and DeKalb as a whole. Of particular importance to me is the need for real-time financial disclosure of government agencies and offices. Other states have implemented on-line check registers that show how your tax dollars are being spent on a daily basis. If I were a DeKalb County Commissioner, I would institute an on-line check register for my office. Had this been in place, it would have been difficult, because of the immediate disclosure, for a commissioner to abuse their p-card by paying for personal expenses. It would also have provided an uncomfortable spotlight on the consulting fee/kick-back scheme as it was happening. It’s simply a good idea for the public to have easy, timely access to how their money is being spent.

In addition to improved disclosure, I would seek to lower the cost of the commissioner’s office and rebate that back to the taxpayer. I would continue my habit of hosting community “Coffee Talk” – something I’ve done for several years both as a citizen and an elected official. I would examine the budget with the same level of scrutiny that I brought to the DeKalb school system. That scrutiny resulted in me being the first person to recognize and document that the school district’s budget was, at best, a weak suggestion on how to spend money and, at worst, a document based on deception. I routinely published my findings on my website. Dealing with the budget and the entrenched opposition to correcting the spending problem was difficult and unpopular. But it was the right thing to do even as it came with consequences that affected me.

Elected offices do not belong to any individual. They belong to you. It is the job of an elected official to do the right thing especially when it is difficult. It is the job of an elected official to protect and, indeed, enhance the credibility of the office. That’s the way it should be and one Commissioner can show the way.

Update from Dunwoody Councilman Denis Shortal

Good afternoon my fellow citizens … the following are some update items of interest …

1. Paving 2014 … All the 2014 paving that was scheduled and, that can be done has been completed. This amount to about 30% of the paving that was scheduled for 2014. Of the roads that were not completed only Vernon Ridge has the possibility of being finished in 2014 … we are awaiting final water line work by DC on Vernon Ridge. The big projects and of course most visual that were scheduled and that will not be completed in 2014 are Chamblee Dunwoody Rd from Roberts Dr to Cambridge and Mt Vernon Rd from just east of Ashford Dunwoody Rd to Vernon Oaks. These two projects will be pushed back to 2015. The reason for this is the water lines, many of which run under these roads, must be replaced by DC prior to paving. I don’t like this delay any more than anyone else but we have taken steps to move this process forward. We have signed an Inter Governmental Agreement (IGA) with DC to include the roadwork, paving and water line replacement in one bid. The bid will go out as one bid — which we control — but DC will pay for and supervise the water line replacement and the city will supervise and pay for the roadwork and paving. Our thrust is to have the water line replacement completed by the spring of 2015 in order for us to initiate and complete the roadwork and paving. The remainder of this year’s paving funds, approx. $1.4 million will be rolled over and will be in addition to the approx. $2.5 million that will be budgeted for 2015 paving.

2. Cost of Infrastructure Improvements … As the economy has improve we have noticed the construction costs has increased due to contractor being busier than in the last 2 - 5 years as we’ll as the cost of materials has increased.

3. Sanitation … The “once a week pilot” ended July 31 in DC. Until a final decision is made we will stay on whatever pick up frequency that you were on during the pilot program. My “gut feeling” is that DC will go with the once a week pick up as the norm. It appears that the “three/four times a week pick up” may remain as an option but at a higher cost than the current rate of $265/year … (this rate has remained the same for several years). To date we do not know what that additional cost will be. I am doing my own survey so I need your response. Do you favor “once a week pick up” … Yes or No. Secondly, if you are in the “once a week pilot program” give your rating of the pilot program from 1 to 10 with 10 being the best. Also include any comments. To answer questions about the size on the containers … DC is considering the current 65 gal can and a 35 gal can (35 gal is the size I was using prior to receiving the 65 gal can from DC). DC is also considering a can for recycling just like the green cans only colored blue. There has been no hard final decisions by DC to date.

4. City Updates … We are putting out updates via our city email list … we have over 11,100 folks signed up to receive these email updates. I recommend you sign up to stay informed. Go to the following website to sign up … https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/DUNWOODYGA/subscriber/new or check our website at http://www.dunwoodyga.gov. The City DOES NOT GIVE OUT YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS TO ANYONE. An unlike my emails, you won’t have to correct the spelling.

5. Dunwoody Village Parkway (DVP) … Like everyone else, I am not happy with the progress of the construction. Yes, we had a lot of rain thru the early months of the year and as we were replacing all storm water pipes we found issues. One such issue was by Mellow Mushroom where the storm sewer pipes were never properly connected … thus as many of you saw we had to dig down 23’, with some of the digging required to be done by hand to correct the problem. On a positive side, since we got the first two lanes paved the progress rate has increased. What you see completed is a 22’ wide strip with 6-8” on aggregate, 3” of base asphalt and about 2” more of adhesive asphalt. There will be an additional 10’ width of paving added. When it is done there will be an additional 1.5” top/finish-coat of asphalt added over the entire paved surface. Outside the curbing on each side will a 6’ landscaping buffer (the trees will be planted here) and outside the landscape buffer will be a 6’ sidewalk. My optimistic estimated completion date is 31 OCT 2014.

6. Coming Events:
SEP 3rd … Walk to School Day at all of our Dunwoody Schools … Even if you don’t have children in school join the walk and meet our great teachers and children.
SEP 4th … 9 AM … DC Ribbon Cutting Ceremony … N. Shallowford and Till Mill booster pump station.
SEP 7th … 7:30 PM … DHA Meeting
SEP 8th … 6 PM … City Council Meeting
SEP 18 … 2 PM … DWC Conservation Dept. dedicating an “Adopt A Bench” to the DWC passed Presidents at the DNC.
SEP 30 … The last date to pay the first installment of you DC Property Tax.
OCT 1 … 9:30 AM - 3 PM … DWC Annual Home Tour.
OCT 19 … “RunDunwoody” …Rotary Club of Dunwoody’s 5K/1 Mile/Tot Trot Fun Run. Most of the proceeds stay in Dunwoody. More info .. www.RunDunwoody.net
NOV 1 … Dunwoody Volunteer Coordination Committee’s annual .. “Clean, Fix and Shine Up Dunwoody Day .. More details later.

 7. That is all from here this afternoon. I trust all of you will be enjoying yourself with family and friends this beautiful Labor Day weekend. Remember we are all neighbors so lets be kind to each other. Please pass this update on to your friends, neighbors, members of your HOA and anyone you think maybe interested.

If you would like to be added to my update email list just let me know and I will make that happen. I appreciate your thoughts and comments so keep them coming.

Let Us Continue To Build Our City Together

Denny Shortal
Dunwoody City Council, District One, Post-1 Mayor Pro Tem
denis.shortal@dunwoodyga.gov PH (O) 678-382-6700 (C) 678-246-9006

Thursday, August 28, 2014

Dunwoody Citizen Connection - meeting with Councilmen Denis Shortal and Terry Nall. Tonight 7 pm at Nature Center


Get Involved and Join the Conversation. 

to hear from you! Become an active part of your local government by sharing your thoughts and ideas at the Citizen Connection Meeting for District 1!

Date: August 28, 2014
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Dunwoody Nature Center
5343 Roberts Drive


This is the chance for District 1 residents to participate in authentic conversation with their representatives, Councilman Terry Nall and Councilman Denny Shortal, on pertinent community issues related to District 1. Topics are selected by the participants.

I will be missing this event for a school function that takes priority (three boys in three schools) so I look forward to reading others recaps.  Thanks.

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

CALL FOR DEKALB COUNTY SPECIAL ELECTION TO FILL VACANCY IN THE OFFICE OF DEKALB COUNTY COMMISSIONER DISTRICT 1


TO THE QUALIFIED VOTERS OF DEKALB COUNTY:

YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that the DeKalb County Board of Registration and Elections do hereby call for a special election to be held on November 4, 2014, to fill the vacancy in the office of DeKalb County Commissioner, District 1. If a runoff is required, it will be held on December 2, 2014. The special election will be held to fill the unexpired term of Elaine C. Boyer, who has resigned.

Qualifying is to begin on Monday, September 8, 2014 at 8:30 AM and end at 12:00 Noon on Wednesday, September 10, 2014. The qualifying fee is $1,151.24. Qualifying will be in the office of the DeKalb County Board of Registrations and Elections, 4380 Memorial Drive, Decatur, GA 30032.

The last day to register to be eligible to vote in this special election is October 6, 2014. The special election will be held in all the regular polling places in Commission District 1, DeKalb County, in conjunction with the General Election. The polls will open at 7:00 AM and close at 7:00 PM.

If a runoff is required, it will be held on Dec. 2.

This call is issued by the DeKalb County Board of Registration and Elections.

H. Maxine Daniels, Director
For: The DeKalb County Board of Registrations and Elections

MARTA discusses Connect GA 400 Transit Initiative with Dunwoody City Council

http://jkheneghan.com/city/meetings/2014/Aug/MARTACityCouncilPresES2_Final_GA400_082514.pdf

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esIW1xKBPwo
 Video - go West young man!

http://www.itsmarta.com/north-line-400-corr.aspx

Dunwoody Crier - Residents want MARTA west of Ga 400

AJC - North Fulton homeowners hope to steer MARTA rail west of Ga. 400

Creative Loafing - MARTA eyes North Fulton expansion

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Monday, August 25, 2014

Peachtree Charter Middle School 5th Annual CV Classic Saturday, October 18th, 8:00 am - 10:00 am This Year's Theme: COMMIT 2B Fit


Join us at the 5th Annual CV Classic here at Peachtree Charter Middle School (PCMS).  Both courses will start and end on the PCMS track.  5K begins at 8:00 am and 1 mile Run/Walk begins at 8:30 am.

As part of our theme "Commit 2B Fit", Northside Hospital is offering FREE screenings for persons over 18.

Registration forms are available at http://www.peachtreechartermiddleschool.org/cv-classic-registration---2014.html.

Individual registration is $20 by September 5, $25 Sept 6-Oct 18; family sponsorships are available for $100 (includes two registrations). All proceeds will go to the PCMS Foundation to provide a school nurse for our students.

Race Number Pickup: Thursday Oct 16th from 4-6 PM, Friday Oct 17th 10am - 2pm in PCMS gym. Race numbers are also available day of event starting at 7am.

Parking available at Peachtree and neighboring Chesnut Elementary.

Panera Bread, Pinkberry and Varasano's Pizzeria will add dining options to Perimeter Mall in Dunwoody.


Full story courtesy of Tomorrow's News Today - Atlanta

Friday, August 22, 2014

Dunwoody City Council Agenda for Aug 25, 2014

Monday, August 25, 2014
Dunwoody City Hall

41 Perimeter Center East
Dunwoody, GA 30346
6:00 pm - Work Session
7:00 p.m. - Voting Meeting
Watch Live at 7 pm on City Site

Agenda 6 pm (blank)  &  Agenda 7 pm

Presentation of Atlanta Paint Recycling Award.

MARTA GA 400 Transit Study Presentation.

Presentation of the 2014 Government 101 Class

Presentation of CVBD Mid-Year Budget and Financial Report.

Award of Contract With Federal Signal for Public Safety Video Project.

Resolution Streamlining Resident Catering License Fees.

Approval of Agreement with Georgia DOT for Signal Communications Network Project.

 SECOND READ: Ordinance Authorizing the Granting of an Easement to Atlanta Office Investment for a Crane Swing Easement.

AP 14-084: Appeal of Administrative Decision for the Approval of a Revised Final Plat at 5258
Vernon Lake Drive, Dunwoody, GA 30338. The Tax Parcel Number is 18 374 03 017.  Original application docs provided to Council - excluding legal interps?

PUBLIC HEARING - SECOND READ: RZ 14-081: Pursuant to the City of Dunwoody Zoning Ordinance, Applicant, Stacy Patton, on Behalf of Minerva USA, LLC, Seeks Permission to Rezone Property Currently Zoned Office-Institution (O-I) District to Multi-Dwelling Residential (RM-100)   District to Allow for Construction of 55 Townhomes. The Subject Property is Located at 4330 Georgetown Square, Dunwoody, GA 30338. The Tax Parcel is 18 345 03 007. (Steve Foote)

Adoption of Sustainability Plan.

Discussion of Six Month Review for City Code Chapters 16, Land Development, and Chapter 27, Zoning.

Award of Contract for Replacement of Playground Equipment at Windwood Hollow Park.

Approval of Renewal of an Intergovernmental Agreement with the Chattahoochee River 911 Authority for 911 Call-Taking and Police Dispatching.

Thursday, August 21, 2014

Brook Run Trail Fun Run - Saturday, August 23 - 9:30 am

The Trail Loop is complete!
Date: Saturday, August 23, 2014
Time: 9:30 a.m -arrival
Location: Brook Run Park
4770 North Peachtree Road

Join us for the fun (3K-ish) run, walk, and roll. We are celebrating the completion of the Brook Run Trail and want to celebrate with you! This event is open to participants of all ages and abilities. The run/walk is not timed.

It is time to have some fun and celebrate the GRAND OPENING of the Brook Run Trail! Join us for the fun 3K(ish) run, walk, and roll along the completed trail loop. We’ll begin gathering at 9:30 a.m. with the ribbon cutting and run/walk/roll beginning at 10 a.m.

The Trail Fun Run start and end location is located near the main entrance to the playground. Participants are asked to meet in the parking lot between the playground and skatepark.

This event is open to participants of all ages and abilities. Water and refreshments will be available and registration is not required. We look forward to seeing you at the Trail Fun Run celebration!

Creative Loafing's, Atlanta City Guide features the City of Dunwoody

Dunwoody

Dunwoody - entry for the Atlanta City Guide.   Click the Dunwoody link above to see a few of the highlights of our town through their eyes.  (Besides the largest 4th of July Parade in the State, Lemonade Days, Nature Center, and switching out the Hickory House which is a longstanding restaurant that just went out of business; what else would you change or add?)

While it's no less affluent these days, this city of 46,000 has started to more closely resemble an urban core, with 28 million square feet of office space — more than downtown Atlanta — a major regional mall and satellite shopping centers, and a bevy of popular dining spots. Dunwoody also boasts the 100-acre Brook Run Park, home to a world-class skate park.

Today, Creative Loafing launched the Atlanta City Guide, a project roughly nine months in the making. The name is pretty self-explanatory — the Atlanta City Guide is an insider's guide to the city. But it's more than just some top 10 list (although it does include those). The Atlanta City Guide contains information on more than 1,000 locations in more than 40 ITP and OTP neighborhoods via streamlined new web and mobile sites. The Atlanta City Guide can also be found in print as a condensed annual edition in select locations around town, at visitor's centers at state lines, and as an e-publication on the Atlanta City Guide site.

We wanted to create a resource that would be equally useful to locals, visitors, and new residents, so the Atlanta City Guide contains everything from major attractions and annual events to interesting new restaurants and under-the-radar neighborhood hangouts. We'll regularly publish See & Do lists (gotta get in on that Internet list game) as well as Q&As with locals to help you find new places to try. I've lived in the city for eight years and I'm the editor of Creative Loafing and I regularly draw blanks on where to go for dinner or drinks. The Atlanta City Guide will help me be less flaky. It can do that for you too.

Cityguideatlanta.com is organized to make it easy for you to find what you're looking for, even if you don't know what that is yet. Save your favorite locations and make custom lists of different places that you want to visit. The beautiful photography for each location allows you to glimpse a spot before dropping by. My favorite part of the project is probably the new mobile site. It's good looking and easy to use — something that's important to me because I use my phone constantly, as I'm sure many of you do too.

John and Kristin Heneghan - ALS Ice Bucket Challenge in support of Chesnut Charter Elementary in Dunwoody

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKz6PToRg-I

My wife Kristin and I were both challenged within the last day or so to do the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge therefore we decided that the couple who gets dunked together - stays together.   

In other words, we had fun laughing at ourselves, we raised the issue of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) which is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord, and we donated a few funds to a worthy cause close to home that could really use the support.  Enjoy the video and a special thanks to my lovely bride for being such a good sport!

Monday, August 18, 2014

City of Dunwoody INSIGHT - Operational Stats for the First Six Months of 2014

The City of Dunwoody is committed to providing the highest quality services to the citizens of our community.

In an effort to sustain our service levels, strive for excellence, and push for continued improvement, the city developed Key Performance Indicators for each department and government service contract. The data included is a highlight of some of those performance and workload measures and is designed as a window into the activity levels in City Hall for the first six months of 2014.


Linked is the Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) for each department and government service contract for the 2nd Qtr of 2014. 2014 Q2 KPI Report  2014 Q1 KPI Report;

Interesting Dunwoody related items to cross my desk.

Tonight - 7 pm

Common Core Meeting comes to Dunwoody High School tonight. State Board of Education member Barbara Hampton will host a public hearing on Common Core Tuesday from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Dunwoody High School.  The hearing will be the second hosted by state board members, who have been ordered by Gov. Nathan Deal to review the national set of academic standards known as Common Core.   To speak at the hearing, Board of Education officials say those attending must sign in upon arrival.

You can contribute to the education fund of the 13 year old daughter of last week’s murder suicide victims.

I am a huge fan of Dads' Bucket List - and really looking forward to the "Checklist Challenge" happening at Brook Run Park in Dunwoody on Saturday October 25th and the early bird registration ends on August 31st.   Wives, do yourself a favor and register Dad and the kids now as there is limited football happening that day (Georgia off week).  Prices go up soon.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sB5y1W-TnE8

A new indoor ice hockey facility is under construction at Northwood Drive & Roswell Road in Sandy Springs. (The site is basically at 285, opposite the soon-to-move Ruth's Chris Steakhouse.) Squire Inn, Inc. previously operated a Days Inn hotel on the property, but it was demolished in 2007. Former Sandy Springs mayor Eva Galambos referred to the development as "a first-class ice hockey facility." The facility will reportedly be 31,000 square feet and be open year round. Onsite amenities will include a rink for skating and hockey, locker rooms, a snack bar and a pro shop. The plan is to have the facility ready for guests late in the first quarter of next year.

 Wanted - Dunwoody Municipal Court Clerk

Coffee with a Cop - The Dunwoody PD are a positive part of our community!

Dunwoody High School to host charter system hearing on Thursday, Aug. 28, 6 p.m.

DeKalb County Subcommittee on Incorporation and Annexation - Wednesday, Aug. 20, at 6 p.m.

Cities look to improve pedestrian safety, access

2014 Speed Trailer Results
08-08-14 Cambridge Dr. (SB) @ Courtleigh Dr.
07-30-14 Dunwoody Club Dr. (EB) @ Jett Ferry Rd.
07-21-14 Vernon Ridge Dr. NB @ Vernon North Dr.
07-14-14 Old Springhouse Ln. (WB) at Old Georgetown Trl.
04-22-14 Vernon Lake Dr (NB) @ Houghton Ct.
04-15-14 Manhasset Dr. (WB) at Manhasset Cove
04-07-14 Winters Chapel Rd. (SB) at Winterhaven Ct.
04-01-14 Trumbull Dr. EB @ Meadowlake Dr.
03-25-14 Bunky Way (WB) @ Martina Dr
03-17-14 Wickford Way (NB) at Mt. Vernon Rd.

Holy Skyscraper! It's the Tallest Suburban Tower in the Country (blocks from Dunwoody border)

This Is Your Gross Skin Under Too Much Sun - Wear Sunscreen

The Pub is now open - 4400 Ashford Dunwoody with nice menu.

Dunwoody Preservation Trust welcomes Apple Cider Days to Perimeter Mall October 22-26th

Friday, August 15, 2014

Information for I-285 at SR 400 Interchange Reconstruction with Drawings. Meetings Tuesday / Thursday at Dunwoody Baptist.

https://por.dot.ga.gov/projectInfo/0000784/JPG/I-285%20at%20SR%20400%20Interchange%20Reconstruction%20PIOH%20Project%20Display.pdf

General Description: The proposed project would include operational improvements along Interstate 285 (I-285) and State Route (SR) 400 in the vicinity of the I-285/SR 400 interchange in Fulton and DeKalb Counties. The proposed improvements would include construction of barrier-separated collector-distributor (C/D) lanes along I-285 and SR-400, reconstruction of existing ramps, and new flyover bridges, as well as reconstruction and widening of existing bridges in the interchange area. Grade-separated, braided ramps would be constructed in the vicinity of Ashford Dunwoody Road and Roswell Road to eliminate conflicts between traffic entering and exiting SR 400 and traffic entering and exiting the Roswell Road and Ashford Dunwoody interchanges.

Open House Plans
Dunwoody Baptist Church (gymnasium)
1445 Mt. Vernon Road, Dunwoody, GA 30338
 Tuesday August 19, 2014, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Thursday August 21, 2014, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.


  • I-285 at SR 400 Interchange Reconstruction PIOH English Handout.pdf
  • I-285 at SR 400 Interchange Reconstruction PIOH Spanish Handout.pdf
  • I-285 at SR 400 Interchange Reconstruction PIOH Project Display.pdf


  • The proposed project aims to:
    Reduce the substantial amount of vehicular weaving that occurs along I-285 in the vicinity of the I-285/SR 400 interchange due to the closely spaced interchanges in this area (Roswell Road, Glenridge Drive, SR 400, Peachtree Dunwoody Road, and Ashford Dunwoody Road). This weaving  currently results in congestion and safety concerns in this area.

    Improve ramp capacity at the I-285/SR 400 interchange. The existing ramp capacity is insufficient to accommodate traffic demand, and leads to long queues approaching the interchange, which contributes to the congestion and safety concerns in this area.

    Improve deficiencies in the existing configuration of the I-285/SR 400 interchange.

    What is the proposed project?
    The proposed improvements would include construction of barrier separated collector-distributor (CD) lanes along I-285 and SR 400, reconstruction of existing ramps, new flyover bridges, as well as reconstruction and widening of existing bridges in the interchange area.

    Grade-separated, braided ramps (where one ramp crosses over the other) would be constructed to eliminate conflicts between traffic entering and exiting SR 400 and traffic entering and exiting the Roswell Road and Ashford Dunwoody interchanges.

    Along I-285, the proposed project would begin west of Roswell Road and continue for a distance of approximately 4.3 miles, ending east of Ashford Dunwoody Road. Along SR 400, the proposed project would begin just south of the Glenridge Connector and extend north to the Hammond
    Drive interchange area, where it would tie into an adjacent project (Georgia DOT P.I. No. 721850). The total length of the proposed improvements along SR 400 is approximately 1.2 miles.



    An interesting point, in looking at the close ups, the new construction starts just to the East of the Georgetown Swim Tennis complex and they as well as some in the Georgetown community have been petitioning for sound barriers to to be placed between them and the highway.   I think their case just got much stronger and maybe they could be installed as part of this project.

    Thursday, August 14, 2014

    Dunwoody Butterfly Festival is this Saturday Aug 16 from 10am to 5pm at Dunwoody Nature Center.



    This year’s event will feature two enormous tents - each filled with hundreds of live butterflies. join us for a day of great activities including a Birds of Prey show, live animal encounters, games, educational booths, crafts, music, food and drinks. Early member preview begins at 9:00 with general admission at 10:00. Click on the side links for a complete schedule of events, festival map, and more information from throughout the day.

    This is a rain or shine event.

    Online Pre Purchased Admissions:
    Plan enough time to park, take the shuttle and get your hand stamp at admissions. Pickup your timed Tent Entry wristband at the “Tickets Pre Purchased Online” tent. We recommend a 30 minute lead time prior to your tent entry. Come early! There is plenty to enjoy throughout the day, both before and after your butterfly encounter, and you won’t want to miss a minute of the fun.

    Day of Admissions:
    • $10.00-Adults
    • $   5.00-Child (ages 4-12)
    • Free – Children 3 and younger
    Plan enough time to park, take the shuttle, pay your admission, and proceed to the “Tickets Purchased Today” Tent Entry wristband area. Purchases that are made on the day of the festival include entry to the butterfly tents on a fist come, first served basis until we reach capacity. There is plenty to enjoy throughout the day, both before and after your butterfly encounter, and you won’t want to miss a minute of the fun.

    Other Info
    This is a Rain or Shine Event
    • Park at N. Atlanta Church of Christ (5676 Roberts Drive, Dunwoody, GA 30338)
    • Shuttles will run continuously throughout the day.
    • Please note:  there is no parking at the Nature Center;
    • Concessions?  Of course! Have lunch, a cold drink, and some frozen treats with us—concessions are cash only.
    • Games, Crafts, Live music, Magic, Birds-of-Prey, Reptiles and Butterflies. We’ve got it covered! See you Saturday, 10:00 am - 5:00 pm

    There are only a limited number of available times for the Butterfly tent and once we reach capacity, we will no longer allow entry to the tents (although you can still come to the festival to participate in our games, crafts, and other activities). 

    Click on the links on the left tab to learn more about our activities, download a festival map, a schedule of performers, concessionsparking and more!

    Tim Redovian Memorial Foundation Annual Summer Concert featuring this years scholarship winners - Sat Aug 16th, 7 pm at Dunwoody Baptist


    Atlanta's got talent and you can see and hear it in person at The 6th Annual Summer Concert featuring Tim Redovian Memorial Foundation scholarship winners! The performance takes place Saturday, August 16 at 7:00 pm in the Dunwoody Baptist Church Chapel at 1445 Mount Vernon Rd., Dunwoody, GA 30338. Admission is free and a reception follows the performance. The Tim Redovian Memorial Fund provides scholarships to students of the performing arts in memory of Tim, a talented young entertainer who lost his life to a rare respiratory illness. For more information visit www.timredovian.org.

    The Tim Redovian Memorial Fund perpetuates Tim's memory by providing financial aid to talented high school performing arts students so they can attend summer programs designed to help them develop as actors, singers, dancers and instrumentalists.

    2014 TRMF
    SUMMER SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS
    DeKalb School of the Arts
    Jody Chamberlain
    Imani Duhe
    Eboni Goar
    Sophie Heeden
    Isaiah Hutchinson
    Christianna Mariano
    Amelia Stork

    Buford High School
    Will Davis
    Hugh Entrekin

    Pebblebrook High School
    Cobb County Center for Excellence in the Performing Arts
    Lily Kren
    Paige Pinniger
    Austyn O. Rich

    North Springs Charter High School
    Ryan Walden
    Tyleene Brown

    Home Schooled
    Abigail Harrison
    Donevon Howard

    Wednesday, August 13, 2014

    Dunwoody Georgetown Kroger Manager's Act of Kindness will not be forgotten by a frazzled mother of four.

    Kroger Store Manager Mr. Al Landi

    I noted a wonderful feel good story on Facebook as told by my neighbor Mrs. Sherrie Gonzalez-Rubio that really touched me and after talking to her, she has gladly allowed me to share the story on the blog.   Sherrie is a mother of four children and she recounts a recent frazzled trip to the Georgetown Kroger, during the evening rush with children in tow, where she forgot her wallet.   After panicking a bit searching through her belongings, looking for a way to pay, with the line behind her growing ever longer; the store Co-Manager Mr. Al Landi came up to her and said to take the groceries home and pay at a later date. 


     Sherrie was completely floored by the gesture as she explained in a later comment,...
    "Here is another lesson I learned from this. I need to be a more gracious receiver. When he offered this, I of course took him up on it, & thanked him profusely, but kept stammering about how sorry I was, and embarrassed I was, & I would get back ASAP to pay him. I left feeling very grateful, but also embarrassed that I was leaving with groceries I couldn't pay for.  How selfish of me! Someone did something amazing for me, & I let my ego take over. LAME! While I thanked him, not once did I tell him that he really made my day, or that people like him are what make the world a better place."
    Sherrie's timeline has filled with "Likes" and numerous comments about how this small gesture of kindness was an amazing gift to a frazzled mother who was just trying to put dinner on the table.    I believe a personal heartfelt thank you was given to Mr. Landi earlier tonight and if I know Sherrie, Al got a huge hug.

    Kudos Mr. Landi, you have cemented the loyalty of many neighborhood shoppers with this one kind act and in doing so you have personally returned the word "community" to the neighborhood grocery store.   Thank you.

    DeKalb County Watershed Management provides City of Dunwoody 377 water test results over the last six months.


    Based on this story, limited annual reporting and problems being reported in other cities; I decided to request information on the water quality testing being done by DeKalb within the City Dunwoody.   The City of Dunwoody trusts through an intergovernmental agreement that DeKalb Water will provide clean efficient water service to our citizens but as the person raising the possible issues with service (and being an elected official), I saw it as my responsibility to verify quality compliance.

    Below is the reply from Mr. James Chansler, the Director of DeKalb Watershed Management where he provided me with three attachments including a spreadsheet of the tests conducted within the City.   I have reached out to Mr. Chansler, thanked him for the information and offered him an opportunity to present these results and other pertinent information to the community during a City Council Meeting.  In fact it is a standing offer, welcome anytime.

    If anyone has questions regarding the tests conducted, methods of testing or the results; please feel free to reach out to me any way you like but I would prefer that the questions and comments be posted to the comments section in this blog in case another member of the community (or DeKalb) might have the answers.

    Dunwoody Lab Results Jan thru July 7 2014.xlsx
    Bacteria Definitions.docx
    Water Production Laboratory Background.docx

    Thanks,

    John


    Mr. Heneghan,

    I’m sorry it took a while to put together the package of information to respond to your request, but I wanted it to be comprehensive--I think a cursory response would only leave more questions. I’ve attached an overview of USEPA/GEPD guidelines, the DeKalb County DWM laboratory and testing procedures, and spreadsheets for results from water sample testing done for Dunwoody this year. To be sure, drinking water system protection regulations are multi-layered and conservative at every level.

    I am new to the Department of Watershed Management. I came to work for DeKalb County after the August 2013 event noted recently in the media and referred to in your email. First let me say that there was no “cover up” and never any "poor water quality" associated with the August 2013 boil water advisory.  I know stories in the media have only a limited time to get their point across, so I hope to share more information with you here...

    Boil water advisories are issued in an abundance of caution and they happen at all water utilities (I have been through hundreds in my career.). The area determined to be included in an advisory is a judgment call based upon many things including--among many other potential factors--an evaluation of calls regarding reduced flow or pressure, exclusion of an area being cut off for non-payment, and a review of available plant telemetry information. And this judgment call is often made in "the heat of battle''' when employees are rushing and struggling to restore service.

    In a follow-up review with our regulatory partner after the August 2013 event, we conceded that this advisory area might should have been larger. However, it is important to note that all water quality sampling after the event showed that there was no contamination of the system (I have never seen contamination after a pressure drop in a system). These test results confirm that no DeKalb water customers in or outside of the boil water advisory area were at risk as a result of the August 2013 event.

    We are using the event as a  learning experience...and so are making some changes to help these folks that are in what is always a scramble to restore service. For example, we are installing more pressure reading devices in the system to help us better gauge the extent of issues of this nature in the future…and assigning the person responsible for determining boil water advisories to a group not involved in "the heat of battle" noted above.

    The dedication and loyalty I've seen from the many professionals in our water industry is the reason that we have a safe and reliable water supply throughout our nation. I hope this background information helps to put the process into a larger perspective.

    Thanks. -James


    Overview of testing and results.
    The Water Production Laboratory is a branch of the Operations Division and their primary function is to conduct all required sampling under the USEPA Safe Drinking Water Act for a large system. Georgia has Primacy from the USEPA and conducts all of the reviews, regulatory investigations and compliance activities through the Environmental Protection Division (EPD). As part of this process the laboratory is required by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division to monitor the water quality of the distribution system of DeKalb County.  The lab samples and tests the source water from the Chattahoochee entering the treatment plant and the final treated water as it enters the distribution system.  Internal process samples are conducted by the plant operations staff under their licensure as part of the plant process control. Our staff is well educated, experienced, trained and certified individuals who also maintain the lab certification to be able to conduct these tests.

    Chemical and bacteria testing are performed daily on the source water.  The results of these analyses are used as part of the process control to establish chemical treatment rates.  During the treatment process, the water is monitored hourly, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by the licensed plant operators.  Bacteria samples are collected every 8 hours for total coliform and heterotrophic plate count. 

    Based on DeKalb’s population of around 700,000, the system is required to be sampled in at least 720 distribution different sites.  DeKalb currently has 769 sites so that if a site becomes un available anywhere in the County we will not go out of compliance.  These sites are required to be sampled every three months to assure a minimum of 240 samples per month.  The distribution system is divided into different areas for our sample routes.  For example, on Mondays samples are collected in the Dunwoody area, Tuesday is North and Central Decatur, Wednesday is Central and West DeKalb, Thursday is Lithonia and South DeKalb and then Friday is the Tucker area.  A total of 65 samples per week are collected routinely Monday through Friday.  

    The primary focus on this sampling is to check for chlorine residual and total coliform.  Chlorine is the residual disinfection chemical we maintain in the system to protect the system from any additional contamination that might occur after the water leaves the plant and before I arrives at your tap for use. Total coliform testing is used to monitor the system for any potentially harmful bacterial contamination that could occur from compromises in the system such as leaks, cross connections or other issues. 

    This is one level of protection in a variety of measures in place that include backflow control valves at business and industry sites, backflow devices in residential meter sets, operation of a Call Before You Dig location system to help prevent hits on our water lines, construction/building inspectors, plan reviewers, and several hundred employees working in the field who also protect the system. We do have staff for the field 24 hours per day. These components work together to provide a very thorough system to protect our water quality. As part of the sampling tests for pH, fluoride, iron and temperature are conducted.

    If a sample tests positive for total coliform, the lab analyst returns to the site to do a resample at that site and also at sites upstream and downstream of the original sample point.  The majority of the time all of the resamples are negative for total coliform.  Occasionally, the original sample is positive again, but the other samples are negative.  In this case, the lab calls the business that had the positive sample to inform them they need to call a plumber to check the faucet.  The lab has never seen an instance where all the resamples came back all positive which would indicate a problem in the system. 

    In addition to the required routine sampling, the lab also samples for main break events or any other situation when there is a possibility of water contamination. The number and area of samples is situational dependent on the size of main break, type of break and the area affected. The production laboratory also samples for new main sterilizations and renewals before these systems are allowed to be connected to the main distribution system. This type of sampling is done as needed when contractors call for an appointment. It takes two consecutive clear samples on separate days for the lines to pass.  

    The lab is also responsible for handling customer calls and sampling if determined necessary to assist the customer with their water quality concerns. Many of these calls turn out to be aging piping systems in the houses that are leaching iron which causes a discoloration of the fixtures and water in the house, failing hot water tanks which contribute granular forms of water hardness in the plumbing or as simple as air in the water which causes a grey discoloration and clears upon standing.
    Annually the lab also puts together the SDWA required Consumer Confidence Report which tells about the water quality for the pastyear to include any violations that have occurred related to the required elements.  This is sent out and placed on our website, DeKalbWateshed.com at this time of year.

    Attached to this is a spreadsheet showing the sample results for the Dunwoody area for the first six months of this year.

    The map shows the distribution of the sample sites in Dunwoody Corporate limits of the 159 sites in this part of the County we use. We try to use business type sites so we have access to the site at times we need to sample. Residential sites pose access issues for taps that are used frequently enough to refresh the water from the main to the inside tap.

    Tuesday, August 12, 2014

    Gary A. Rapp of LR Kimball gives update on City of Dunwoody CAD to CAD Interface project.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dp-_niRIngM


    http://jkheneghan.com/city/meetings/2014/Aug/Duplicative%20Intersections.pdf


    Update on CAD to CAD Interface by Gary A. Rapp, LR Kimball

    In July 2014 the city of Dunwoody partnered with LR Kimball (Kimball) to manage the completion of the Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) to CAD interface project. Kimball has been tasked with reviewing the work completed to this point, diagnosing the feasibility of project completion, and motivating the CAD vendors to complete any necessary development work in order to utilize the interface in the live environment.

    Based on a review of the work done to date, the CAD to CAD interface appears to be fully functional with the exception of validation of calls involving intersections. The Intersection problem is related to the different ways that the 911 centers identify these locations and supplemental information attached to the intersections. This supplemental information attached to the intersections by DeKalb, such as odd or even numbering or association with fire response configurations, ends up identifying a two street intersection as up to 4 different locations. So rather than seeing, as an example, Mount Vernon and Chamblee Dunwoody as a single location, it could be identified as 4 different locations.  This results in a pop-up window asking the DeKalb call-taker to confirm the location. Not all intersections have this supplemental information. The DeKalb CAD vendor is unaware of how the source data came about and does not produce this data, simply being a user of the database.

    We will review the database of Intersections and their supplemental information to determine if the supplemental information actually impacts how a call will be handled by emergency services personnel. If the supplemental information is not useful for the immediate response of emergency services we will review the process to exclude it from the call process. If the data is required, we will review the steps necessary to produce the supplemental information for each call so the intersection can be fully identified sufficiently. Even if not required for the immediate response of emergency services, the data should not be deleted as it may be used in other ways. It would simply not be used for this process. Given the recent transition to Kimball for project management, we are still diagnosing the feasibility of project completion. Ultimately, the project’s success or failure is externally dependent upon CAD vendors for both 911 centers serving the city.

    Appeal of Administrative Decision on Dunwoody Club Forest was deferred for two weeks as Council asks for more information.


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CS0EZ11X02Q

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZ9KjI6lJXU


    Appeal of Administrative Decision for the Approval of a Revised Final Plat at 5258 Vernon Lake Drive, Dunwoody, GA 30338. The Tax Parcel Number is 18 374 03 017.

    Friday, August 8, 2014

    A busy Monday night agenda for the Dunwoody City Council


    Agenda 6 pm  &  Agenda 7 pm

    Update on the CAD-to-CAD Interface Project from L.R. Kimball. (Gary Rapp)

    Presentation of Financial Report Through June 30, 2014. (Check Register?)

    Kingsley Safe Routes to School Update. (GDOT Project - design change denied - options?)

    Proclamation Recognizing Bobbi Sedam. (also makes wonderful banana bread & pumpkin pies!)

    SECOND READ: Amendment to Chapter 2 Administration - Terms of Boards and Commissions.

    Discussion of Renewal of an Intergovernmental Agreement with the Chattahoochee River 911 Authority for 911 Call-Taking and Police Dispatching. (5 years @ 1.125 Million per Yr)

    Appeal of Administrative Decision for the Approval of a Revised Final Plat at 5258 Vernon Lake Drive, Dunwoody, GA 30338. The Tax Parcel Number is 18 374 03 017.

    FIRST READ: RZ 14-081: Pursuant to the City of Dunwoody Zoning Ordinance, Applicant, Stacy Patton, on Behalf of Minerva USA, LLC, Seeks Permission to Rezone Property Currently Zoned Office-Institution (O-I) District to Multi-Dwelling Residential (RM-100) District to Allow for Construction of 55 Townhomes. The Subject Property is Located at 4330 Georgetown Square, Dunwoody, GA 30338. The Tax Parcel is 18 345 03 007.

    Discussion of Sustainability Plan Adoption.

    Discussion of RFP 2014-09 Replacement of Playground Equipment at Windwood Hollow Park.  (Was hoping for something more original?)

    Discussion of Agreement with Georgia DOT for Signal Communications Network Project.

    FIRST READ: Ordinance Authorizing the Granting of an Easement to Atlanta Office Investment for a Crane Swing Easement.

    Discussion of Streamlining Resident Catering License Fees.

    Discussion of Contract With Federal Signal for Public Safety Video Project.

    Thursday, August 7, 2014

    Convention and Visitors Bureau of Dunwoody Celebrates Five Years!


    Tourism in our small community is an important part of Dunwoody's economic landscape and the Convention and Visitors Bureau of Dunwoody (CVBD) is proud to celebrate five wonderful years of supporting Dunwoody tourism!

    Established in August 2009, the CVBD is the official destination marketing organization for the City of Dunwoody. A non-profit 501(c) 6 organization, the mission of the CVBD is to generate economic development for Dunwoody by effectively marketing the facilities of the community and the surrounding areas as a preferred business, convention and tourism destination. The sole source of funding for the CVBD is provided by the dedicated portion of the hotel/motel tax, as required by Georgia law.

    The CVBD team is comprised of five employees who work diligently to promote Dunwoody as a destination for leisure and business travelers. Hosting unique promotions, such as Dunwoody Restaurant Week, seasonal campaigns promoting Dunwoody hotels, and expanding the various shopping and dining opportunities, the CVBD is able to focus their marketing on the strengths that this thriving community has to offer. A central location allows the CVBD to target Metro-Atlanta residents and visitors who regularly enjoy Atlanta's attractions and events, while up-scale hotels and meeting space makes this destination a wonderful option for corporate meetings, weddings, family reunions, and other group business. In five short years, Dunwoody has developed into a perfect destination to visit and it's the CVBD's job to assist in driving that interest.

    While most of the CVBD's efforts are directed outside of Dunwoody to attract visitors, meetings, and groups, it offers resources that residents can enjoy and use. All are free and easily accessible. All residents are invited to take advantage of the CVBD's services and resources to promote Dunwoody as a destination to help the businesses, hotels, and City thrive. For more information about the Dunwoody Convention and Visitors Bureau services and how the CVBD can benefit you, please visit www.CVBDunwoody.com or call 678-244-9800.

    "Thank you for supporting the CVBD for the past five years! We are blessed to have the opportunity to be a small part of this thriving community and there is no place else we would rather be." -The Convention and Visitors Bureau of Dunwoody Team

    1965 new home brochure from Dunwoody North subdivision showing various models and a list of orginal members of the swim tennis club.

    Full Brochure pdf & jpg

    DUNWOODY NORTH represents "The Ultimate in Luxury Living." There is none finer! Here you have an unsurpassed combination of features comprised of fine homes superlatively designed and meticulously constructed, select land with an abundance of gracious trees, and accessibility to downtown and all conveniences. Dunwoody North truly defies description and must be visited to be fully appreciated ... it's just that extraordinary! No effort or expense has been spared to establish Dunwoody North as a place to reside, absolutely without equal.

    Another interesting discovery was the original list of members of the Dunwoody North Driving Club which is the neighborhood swim tennis association.  These original members, borrowed money / put their houses up for collateral to fund the construction of the facility as well as put in an extraordinary amount of their own labor to build the club.  I was told that Peachtree Industrial was just under construction during this time and the members hauled excess dirt from that project in their pickup trucks to fill what is now the four tennis courts.



    Below is a historical account from one of the original members.

    The Dunwoody North Subdivision was developed in 1963 / 1964 by Tom Cousins -- an area still considered "far out" to most of Atlanta's residents at that time. However, Mr. Cousins' first venture in residential development proved to be a huge success. The first homes were built on North Peachtree, East Kings Point Circle, Kingsfield Ct, Brookhurst, Huntington Circle, and Vintage Lane. At the initial development stage, East Kings Point Circle and Brookhurst ended at their intersection, and the southern segment of Huntington Circle extended to Stonington Road, which ended at that point. Original home owners (Davis, Ruffin, Griffith, Coley, Dimling, Curran, Welton, and Dierks to name a few) may still live in Dunwoody North, a tribute to the wonderful neighborhood we all share.

    In 1964 shopping, restaurants and entertainment were not plentiful, or easily accessible, like Perimeter Mall is now. Chamblee Plaza was the only place to shop, and Sandy Springs and Brookhaven had the nearest restaurants. 1-285 only went from Roswell Road to Chamblee-Tucker, and Stonington Road had not been extended to Tilly Mill!

    The beautiful area where our Driving Club is located was rough land with gullies, donated by Tom Cousins to the residents of Dunwoody North Subdivision with the stipulation that the Swim & Tennis Club to be built there would be used exclusively for the residents of Dunwoody North Subdivision. That way he could advertise his homes as having club facilities, while his competitor developers in Dunwoody Trails, Andover Estates, and Laurelwood Farms could not. That restriction was binding until all lots were sold and the residents of Dunwoody North paid off the note on land improvements, pool and tennis facilities. The second phase of Dunwoody North across Tilly Mill was developed as a result of the huge success of the first houses built on the North Peachtree side.
    The story goes that Barbara Keel, a real estate agent and resident, was taking some paperwork to DeKalb County Courthouse to be filed for the club facility, The clerk asked her for the name of this new club facility, and being familiar with the Piedmont Driving Club and the prestige associated therewith, Ms. Keel gave the name Dunwoody North Driving Club. The name has remained and the club is still known as the "Driving Club."

    The note for the original club facility was paid off in the mid-80's and membership to the Driving Club opened up to the adjacent subdivisions. This came at a time when members were aging and their children were leaving home and not using the pool facilities. The Club lost members and struggled to maintain itself. Then membership was opened up to anyone who wanted to join, providing they were sponsored by a member in good standing. In 1990, a new clubhouse, designed by our neighbor, Steve Lyman, was added to the Driving Club to attract more members and make the Club membership more attractive to residents who wanted more than just swimming and tennis.

    The original residents worked harder than we can imagine to develop this area into the beautiful neighborhood we now take for granted. It took a lot of foresight, determination, and pure physical labor to get things going. For instance, the pool and driveway area at the club were located in a ravine. Arrangements were made with DOT for the dirt being removed from the Chamblee-Tucker/1-85 interchange to be brought in to fill the area. Well, guess who had to get it smoothed out and packed down!

    The first pool was treated with chemicals in buckets. It wasn't until the early 70's that a chlorine system was installed and enough money was available to upgrade the bath house facility. Around 1970 the first two tennis courts were built, with lights added later. Peachtree High School was completed in 1969, two years ahead of schedule, due to the diligent work of neighborhood parents who completed a survey of the area showing the number and ages of every child in the area. They took this information to the County proving enough enrollment potential for the school to be completed. Before Peachtree High opened, students attended Sequoia in Chamblee and elementary children went to Hightower on Tilly Mill. Chesnut Elementary was opened in the early 70's.

    Over the years Dunwoody North had an active Civic Association overseeing area development and keeping a watchful eye on zoning to maintain the residential character of our community. Everything was quiet and under control in the late 1980's when the Civic Association went dormant for about five years. In 1993 nude clubs, traffic, and air plane noise were the dominant topics that brought the Civic Association to life again. One of the first items on the agenda was to add the adjacent subdivisions of Dunwoody Trails, Laurelwood Farms, Andover Estates, Briars North and Brafferton to the Dunwoody North Community.

    Today our neighborhood is thriving and real estate prices are soaring because of our "close in" location. New houses are being built along Tilly Mill and young families are revitalizing the area schools. Just recently the parents of Chesnut Elementary elected to convert to a Charter School where the Parents are setting the standards and helping the administration run the school. The Dunwoody North Driving Club has just completed a major overhaul of the facilities by resurfacing the pool, renovating the pool house and reconstructing the four tennis courts. The Club also has the highest membership total in the thirty five years of existence.

    What once started out as a "far out" suburb has now become the premier location in all of Atlanta to live. We have easy access to transportation, shopping and dining, yet are just minutes from the high tech commercial and medical districts of the Atlanta metro area. We have mature tree lined streets with good schools, low crime, well built housing and nearby recreational facilities. Dunwoody North has it all going for it, and the Civic Association is working hard to make sure that it doesn’t change.

    Note: Information for this article was provided by Frank Welton, one of the Founding Residents and his information was originally published in a 1994 Civic Association article.

    Tuesday, August 5, 2014

    Tools of the Press in the Digital Age - Arrests, Mug Shots, Grand Jury Presentments, Public Records, Open Records Requests and Social Media.

    News Tidbits for Reporters looking for stories.

    One of my favorite websites has been shut down for about three weeks now and it is probably gone forever, therefore some reporter out there looking for a story might want to check out why http://www.dekalbmugs.com and its sister www.gwinnettmugs.com is now shutdown.  Much like my grandmother who use to read the obits to see if she had passed, I looked forward to the daily e-mail from the Community Watch service of DeKalbMugs telling me who was arrested in the zip codes around Dunwoody.  (It also highlight by address which apartment complex had the residents who were arrested and on what offense.)  Sad to see it go and I will have to remember to pull up the Dunwoody Daily Bulletin and the DeKalb OJS for similar info.

    Question - Why does the DeKalb DA fail to populate Grand Jury Presentments on its website and a better question to ask might be why was the only item posted in over a year, posted at all?   Was it because it was a negative reflection on DeKalb County Government and the running of the jail by the Sheriff?  Was it posted for political reasons or was the lack of everything else not posted for the same or different political reasons?  When only select public documents are posted, it raises concerns as to the reason behind the posting.   FYI, I did an open records request back in 2011 after DA Robert James was in office for awhile where I was looking for the Grand Jury Presentments as they are public records and to remind him and his office that they should all be posted online.  It looks like I will need to do another open records request once again?

    About a week ago, I received an anonymous email to review a website pointing to documentation on DeKalb County Commissioners "supposed" use of purchase cards for possible unauthorized reasons.   Someone went to quite a bit of trouble to review years of documents to find and post at least one questionable purchase on five of our current commissioners.   When I received the email, I figured it was sent to a large bcc list of folks and that I would see it in the news.  Since I hadn't, I sent out this tweet and because of it I am still getting requests from various reporters asking for the details.  For what it is worth, the email asked me to look at http://www.dekalbopenrecords.com unfortunately like the situation with the DA's office above, highlighting limited documents, limits the credibility of the source.  I wish the DeKalbOpenRecords site scanned and posted all of the purchase card records for everyone, to see everything.   Maybe that is the FBI's job?

    Back on July 9th, I posted a report from WSB-TV that showed that our DeKalb Water System wasn't properly warning us of issues and that they were fined for the infraction.  I mentioned this at a Dunwoody City Council meeting and then decided to personally reach out to DeKalb to verify for myself the level of testing that was being done on the water we drink.  On July 14th, I requested water testing data from Mr. James Chansler the Director of DeKalb Water and I received a nice reply on the 16th stating... "I have asked our operations folks to gather the sampling information and will reply to your inquiries soon."    In light of the EPD violation and the recent issues in Toledo and West Virginia; three weeks is enough time for me to wait as the official time limit for open records is much less.   I will post all documents upon receipt.  

    Since I am a long time member of the Atlanta Press Club (though not considered a journalist) - I figured I would share a conference that I will be attending entitled "Journalism Next - Thriving in a Digital Age" that is being put on by the APC and the Center for Collaborative Journalism at Mercer University.   I am really looking forward to a number of the sessions, in fact it looks like I will miss my friend David Clinch's presentation on "We’re in the Curation Business" for the personally relevant "Hyperlocal - Locally Sourced News" conversation.   It should be interesting, if you are into this type of thing.