Atlanta Journal-Constitution,
Donsky, Paul;
Dec 29, 2005
A year ago, Jill Chambers was a little-known Republican state legislator from
north DeKalb County still looking for a prominent role at the state Capitol
after completing her first term in office.
When the Republicans took control of the state House last January and named
Chambers chair of the Legislature's MARTA oversight committee, few expected
anything to change. The sleepy committee had generated few headlines over the
years. It was a legislative Siberia, a place for inexperienced politicians like
Chambers to cut their teeth.
But under Chambers' leadership, the MARTA oversight committee, known as
MARTOC, has reinvented itself.
Depending on whom you ask, the committee has become either the vigorous
watchdog it was always meant to be or has morphed into an overly aggressive
bully bent on destroying MARTA.
The committee's hearings have become contentious, daylong affairs, featuring
Chambers and other members grilling top MARTA brass over details of contracts
and the wisdom of past decisions and present business strategy.
Chambers demanded that MARTA turn over boxes of financial documents and other
records, poring over them like a lawyer gearing up for trial and seizing on
anything she considered evidence of wasteful spending.
Most critical for MARTA, she has locked up two bills that passed the state
Senate last year that would give the cash-strapped transit system more
flexibility over how it spends its money.
Chambers said she is just following state law, which establishes the
committee's responsibility for monitoring the transit system's finances and
protecting taxpayers who support the agency.
"This is the first time in the committee's history that they've looked this
closely at the spending of MARTA," Chambers said. "And I'll admit that has
created some tension, because they've never had to explain where the money had
gone in the past."
Today, Chambers is expected to release her first committee report, an annual
update on the committee's business.
Chambers won't reveal any details of the report, but it's unlikely MARTA will
come out unscathed. Chambers has hammered MARTA executives all year on a wide
range of issues, from how the agency buys its fuel to failing to provide
information in a timely fashion.
The report comes at a crucial time for MARTA. The transit system says it is
in financial crisis and continues to lose nearly $4 million a year on its
operations despite a recent round of layoffs and service cutbacks.
MARTA has asked the Legislature to extend a provision that allows the system
to spend 55 percent of its revenues on its operations instead of the 50-50 split
between capital and operations spelled out in state law. MARTA also wants to be
allowed to subsidize its operations budget with interest income earned on its
capital budget surplus.
Chambers said her goal is to root out what she sees as MARTA's culture of
wasteful spending. Only then, she said, will MARTA receive financial support
from the state and get the bills out of her committee. MARTA is the largest
transit system in the country that doesn't receive any state operating funds.
Vincent Fort, a state senator from Atlanta who serves on the committee, said
he believes Chambers' true motivation is to smear MARTA in order to pave the way
for some kind of state takeover in the event a regional transit agency is
formed, as is being discussed by local political and transportation leaders.
"It's almost as if there's a crusade against MARTA," said Fort, a Democrat.
Indeed, Chambers has said she would like to see a regional agency take over
MARTA and the area's suburban bus systems, saying that is the best way to secure
additional funding to improve transit service across metro Atlanta.
Stand alters business style
The committee's aggressive stance already has begun to change how MARTA does
business. Routine decisions are often parsed for how they will be seen by the
committee, and by Chambers in particular. At a recent MARTA board retreat, for
instance, members discussed the need to travel for conferences and to observe
other transit agencies, but they worried whether the committee would see the
expenses as wasteful.
"She's taken her job as chairman of MARTOC a lot more seriously than had been
in the past," said Michael Walls, MARTA's board chairman. "And it has taken some
getting used to."
MARTA officials tread carefully when the subject of Chambers is raised, given
the high political stakes involved.
MARTA lobbyist Scott Smith said he felt the exhaustive examination may, in
fact, help MARTA prove that the system needs additional financial help.
"All we can really do is continue to answer all the questions the best we can
so that everyone understands the way business is conducted here at MARTA," Smith
said. "And hope that the truth unfolds and is told."
For example, Smith and other MARTA officials say the agency has gone a long
way to address a lot of its problems. MARTA has significantly increased
advertising revenue and is installing a new fare system and upgrading its tracks
and trains.
MARTA General Manager Nathaniel Ford said he felt the committee's examination
has proved that the transit system is doing a good job of managing the public's
money.
"We're not asking for any new money," Ford said. "What we're asking for is
the flexibility to manage the money we're currently receiving."
Chambers has won some fans, like Ernie Brooks, president of the union that
represents most MARTA workers.
"She is trying to do the right thing," Brooks said. "There's been
mismanagement and wastefulness, and I think Ms. Chambers is trying to find out
where the money went."
State Sen. Bill Stephens (R-Canton), chairman of the Senate Transportation
Committee, praised Chambers for raising the committee's profile and fighting to
hold MARTA accountable. "She understands that one has to make some noise
sometimes to get people's attention."
Charm belies doggedness
Chambers, 42, grew up in Clayton County. Quick to laugh, with a short bob of
wavy brown hair framing her soft, round face, she looks more like a PTA mom than
a legislative pit bull.
Chambers displays a self-deprecating charm that emerges even during the most
strained encounters. But it belies a fierce intelligence and political
determination. During committee meetings, she often downplays her understanding
of issues and topics, saying she's nothing more than a small business owner,
before launching into detailed questions that put seasoned bureaucrats on their
heels.
For the past 16 years, Chambers and her husband, Albert, have owned a small
art gallery in Buckhead that caters to the interior design market.
Chambers said running the gallery led her into politics. The more taxes she
paid, the more she wanted to know about how the money was spent. She describes
herself as a "hard-core" fiscal conservative and a social libertarian. Chambers
last year was the lone Republican in the state Legislature to vote against a gay
marriage ban.
Chambers jumped at the chance to lead the legislative committee, even though
she only uses MARTA on rare occasions, such as trips to the airport. She notes
that her district includes the Doraville and Chamblee MARTA stations.
It didn't take long for Chambers to signal that the committee would be far
different under her control.
The day she was named the committee's first Republican chair, Chambers
recalled, she received a visit from a MARTA lobbyist who congratulated her and
asked how many rail tokens she needed. It is common practice, the lobbyist
explained, to provide the committee chair with tokens to give to constituents.
Chambers dressed down the lobbyist, demanding to know why, given the bleak
financial picture she had heard so much about, MARTA tokens were being given to
an elected official. She ordered an immediate end to the practice.
A short time later, Chambers said, she was invited by MARTA General Manager
Ford to join him for lunch at the posh Buckhead Club. Chambers bristled,
demanding to know whether taxpayers were paying Ford's membership fee to the
private club. She says she never got an answer, and the two later lunched at a
restaurant near her gallery.
In Chambers' eyes, the incidents show MARTA needs to change its ways.
"It's a culture of, 'It doesn't matter how much we spend, the taxpayers will
always bail us out,' " she said. "That is the culture we are trying to change at
MARTA. We are not trying to attack MARTA. We are trying to get them to operate
more like a business."
Ford, who has resigned to lead San Francisco's transit agency, was out of
town this week and unavailable for comment. MARTA spokeswoman Joselyn Baker said
MARTA has had a corporate membership at the Buckhead Club for a number of years.
Budget closely scrutinized
Chambers has delved into the minutiae of MARTA's budget. She criticized, for
example, a MARTA contract that provided employees of a private engineering
consortium benefits such as tuition reimbursement and travel expenses not
available to regular MARTA workers.
At a recent committee meeting, she pressed MARTA officials about the transit
system's long-standing practice of "hedging" future fuel costs, which MARTA says
makes budgeting easier and protects the agency from price spikes.
Chambers is perhaps most angry at what she sees as MARTA's failure to provide
her with all the information she seeks. For example, Chambers requested an audit
of the engineering consortium's expenses. After repeated requests, Chambers said
MARTA delivered a stack of photocopied check stubs and timecards.
"It left me feeling like they didn't take me seriously," she said. "It was
almost like a brushoff."
Smith, the MARTA lobbyist, said the agency has provided Chambers with
everything she has asked for, at times pulling staffers to compile reports.
Chambers said she was hopeful that relations will improve, noting that MARTA
will soon be getting a new general manager and board chairman.
Fort, the Atlanta Democrat serving on the MARTOC committee, said Chambers
seems to be looking for a "Perry Mason moment" during committee meetings when
she barrages MARTA officials with questions.
"It happens at every MARTA meeting --- she has a long list, question after
question after question about MARTA's practices --- and there's no there there,"
Fort said. "She hasn't proven her case."
Chambers says she has become convinced that MARTA's budget problems are
largely of its own doing. "MARTA has all the money it needs to operate a safe
and secure system, if the money is spent in a prudent and reasonable manner."
Friday, December 29, 2006
Thursday, December 28, 2006
Brook Run - Skate Park Clear Cutting
Posted for Mr. Lowry to the original DNCA website.
Dear Mr. Vernon Jones,
A large stand of park trees (about 5 acres) has been clear-cut in Brook Run Park along Peeler Rd. The trees were cut all the way to the fence on 12/19/06 and 12/20/06 along an entire block. The trees will be replaced with about 4 acres of concrete, asphalt, stadium lights, stadium speakers and will operate into the night hours until 11:00 PM according to DeKalb County Code Book Code Section 19-26 Hours.
http://www.co.dekalb.ga.us/parks/rules.htm
Here is information published on DeKalb Greenspace.
http://dekalbgreenspace.com/
The skate park's final design will be a commercial, revenue producing facility complete with food services, delivery trucks, etc. The revenue will be used for other parks in DeKalb County. This facility will cause traffic and public safety issues in Dunwoody. Dunwoody has always been commited to protecting our forest, reforestation, parks, zoning, development, traffic, quality of life, and property values.
A skate park was supported in public meetings for our post-playground children and teenagers. The skate park was to fit in with the existing topography and save trees. There was strong public support to keep Brook Run as a passive, natural greenspace, and even add to greenspace with the demolition of existing abandoned buildings and parking. There was opposition to adding parking, hardscape and active areas such as ball fields. We have plenty of that in the surrounding area.
The skate park design greatly changed from the original design. The final plan was never made public. DeKalb Parks (Marvin Billups) said they would hold a public meeting to present the final plan to the public. No meeting was held. No plan was made public. 'These facilities would be sculpted to fit into the existing topography and wooded areas', according to the original EDAW Plan for the park. Some of the planning documents can be referenced on the Dunwoody North web site www.dunwoodynorth.org . Reforestation was planned after the construction of the Childrens' Playground. Reforestation did not happen. Many of the small stick replacement trees have died.
Now, this will be the largest skate park/stadium in Georgia with an additional 200 parking spaces, and one of the largest in the country. The skate stadium would be OK for an abanded Wal-Mart site, but not in existing natural park land. The lights, sound, traffic and trash will pollute Dunwoody, late into the night. The worst will be in front of Dunwoody North, but will affect all of Dunwoody as we get additional regional visitors into our communities from every direction.
A mistake and lack of representation for the public support has occurred. We have been misled. This has been taken in a direction by DeKalb County that we did not want and is not needed. A vote for parks and greenspace and bonds has been wrongly used. Most areas of the state, and country are preserving greenspace. This has turned into a DeKalb County revenue producing commercial facility in the wrong location.
It should have a Stop Work order and a public review before the topography is destroyed soon by the grading bulldozers, and certainly before concrete and asphalt cover our greenspace. It is possible to reforest, reduce the size back to the original supported plan, or move the park to an area occupied by vacant building hardscape or commercially zoned property. We should act fast. The construction will be complete in six months.
Dunwoody will suffer permanently because of serious DeKalb County planning mistakes.
Hundreds of stumps are being cleared this week. Surveyors were staking Wednesday for Land Disturbance (grading) to begin within a few days.
Land Disturbance (grading) is done by large earth moving equipment. The natural rolling terrain will be further destroyed and flattened into a plateau, like a shopping center. This is done in a 'cut and fill' grading process. It will have a steep, unnatural slope to a storm water retention pond.
Approximately 1 acre of trees were clear-cut just for the retention pond which is required for this project. The retention pond is along Peeler Rd at Cherring Dr. You can see the pile of tree debris where the retention pond will be located.
All the trees were clear-cut in 1 and 1/2 days by monster sized Timber equipment. The grading will quickly and permanently destroy the rolling terrain.
Some mothers have commented that without trees at the Childrens' Playground, the equipment is sometimes too hot to touch. With fewer trees now, everything in the area will be even hotter.
It is shocking what is happening to Brook Run Park and Dunwoody's forest.
This project should have a Stop Work order issued before the grading begins. The project should then have appropriate reviews.
Thank you.
Paul Lowry, PE Licensed Engineer
Laura Potts, AIA Licensed Architect
Dear Mr. Vernon Jones,
A large stand of park trees (about 5 acres) has been clear-cut in Brook Run Park along Peeler Rd. The trees were cut all the way to the fence on 12/19/06 and 12/20/06 along an entire block. The trees will be replaced with about 4 acres of concrete, asphalt, stadium lights, stadium speakers and will operate into the night hours until 11:00 PM according to DeKalb County Code Book Code Section 19-26 Hours.
http://www.co.dekalb.ga.us/parks/rules.htm
Here is information published on DeKalb Greenspace.
http://dekalbgreenspace.com/
The skate park's final design will be a commercial, revenue producing facility complete with food services, delivery trucks, etc. The revenue will be used for other parks in DeKalb County. This facility will cause traffic and public safety issues in Dunwoody. Dunwoody has always been commited to protecting our forest, reforestation, parks, zoning, development, traffic, quality of life, and property values.
A skate park was supported in public meetings for our post-playground children and teenagers. The skate park was to fit in with the existing topography and save trees. There was strong public support to keep Brook Run as a passive, natural greenspace, and even add to greenspace with the demolition of existing abandoned buildings and parking. There was opposition to adding parking, hardscape and active areas such as ball fields. We have plenty of that in the surrounding area.
The skate park design greatly changed from the original design. The final plan was never made public. DeKalb Parks (Marvin Billups) said they would hold a public meeting to present the final plan to the public. No meeting was held. No plan was made public. 'These facilities would be sculpted to fit into the existing topography and wooded areas', according to the original EDAW Plan for the park. Some of the planning documents can be referenced on the Dunwoody North web site www.dunwoodynorth.org . Reforestation was planned after the construction of the Childrens' Playground. Reforestation did not happen. Many of the small stick replacement trees have died.
Now, this will be the largest skate park/stadium in Georgia with an additional 200 parking spaces, and one of the largest in the country. The skate stadium would be OK for an abanded Wal-Mart site, but not in existing natural park land. The lights, sound, traffic and trash will pollute Dunwoody, late into the night. The worst will be in front of Dunwoody North, but will affect all of Dunwoody as we get additional regional visitors into our communities from every direction.
A mistake and lack of representation for the public support has occurred. We have been misled. This has been taken in a direction by DeKalb County that we did not want and is not needed. A vote for parks and greenspace and bonds has been wrongly used. Most areas of the state, and country are preserving greenspace. This has turned into a DeKalb County revenue producing commercial facility in the wrong location.
It should have a Stop Work order and a public review before the topography is destroyed soon by the grading bulldozers, and certainly before concrete and asphalt cover our greenspace. It is possible to reforest, reduce the size back to the original supported plan, or move the park to an area occupied by vacant building hardscape or commercially zoned property. We should act fast. The construction will be complete in six months.
Dunwoody will suffer permanently because of serious DeKalb County planning mistakes.
Hundreds of stumps are being cleared this week. Surveyors were staking Wednesday for Land Disturbance (grading) to begin within a few days.
Land Disturbance (grading) is done by large earth moving equipment. The natural rolling terrain will be further destroyed and flattened into a plateau, like a shopping center. This is done in a 'cut and fill' grading process. It will have a steep, unnatural slope to a storm water retention pond.
Approximately 1 acre of trees were clear-cut just for the retention pond which is required for this project. The retention pond is along Peeler Rd at Cherring Dr. You can see the pile of tree debris where the retention pond will be located.
All the trees were clear-cut in 1 and 1/2 days by monster sized Timber equipment. The grading will quickly and permanently destroy the rolling terrain.
Some mothers have commented that without trees at the Childrens' Playground, the equipment is sometimes too hot to touch. With fewer trees now, everything in the area will be even hotter.
It is shocking what is happening to Brook Run Park and Dunwoody's forest.
This project should have a Stop Work order issued before the grading begins. The project should then have appropriate reviews.
Thank you.
Paul Lowry, PE Licensed Engineer
Laura Potts, AIA Licensed Architect
Friday, November 3, 2006
Doraville Annexation of Ridgeway & Van Fleet
The City of Doraville has announced its intention to hold two Public Meetings for November 14th & December 12th in order to discuss the annexation of the Ridgeway & Van Fleet properties which are located between the Carver Circle section of Doraville & the Dunwoody North subdivision.
These public meetings will take place at Doraville City Hall at 6 pm on the dates above. Further details may be available on the City of Doraville website. http://www.doravillega.us/
These public meetings will take place at Doraville City Hall at 6 pm on the dates above. Further details may be available on the City of Doraville website. http://www.doravillega.us/
Sunday, March 12, 2006
Dunwoody won't become city this year
Bill delayed until 2007 Legislature
Charles Yoo - Staff
Sunday, March 12, 2006
A bill to make Dunwoody a city will be withdrawn from the current legislative session and instead reintroduced next year, said the legislation's chief architect on Saturday.
State Sen. Dan Weber (R-Dunwoody) said the postponement of Senate Bill 568 would give plenty of time for voters to assess the benefits and disadvantages of incorporating the north DeKalb community, which has an estimated population of 40,000.
The passage of the bill would have let voters decide in a referendum whether they'd like a city government of their own with a mayor and council.
Weber's announcement came at a forum to unveil the findings of a feasibility study to determine the costs of Dunwoody's incorporation on taxpayers. Fewer than 100 attended the meeting at Perimeter College's Dunwoody campus.
"It might be better" to delay the process, said Weber. "After all the questions have been answered."
Weber said he'll reintroduce the bill next year and shoot for a referendum in July 2007, pending the state Legislature's approval.
Some budgetary questions were answered on Saturday through the feasibility study, conducted by the Carl Vinson Institute of Government at the University of Georgia at Athens. According to preliminary findings, homeowners may have to accept a tax hike.
The study examined three metro Atlanta cities --- Kennesaw, Peachtree City and Duluth --- and assessed how much the municipal governments spend per capita. That number was $491. But, for Dunwoody to match the services and spend that much, it would need at least an additional $65 per capita in income, according to the research.
"Something for nothing, which a lot of people think [about], doesn't exist," said Paula Yeary, the chief researcher of the feasibility study.
Supporters have argued that Dunwoody, a pricey real estate market in DeKalb, deserves a better, smaller government to determine zoning and public safety issues. Their effort has been emboldened by Sandy Spring's success in creating a municipal government.
But still, many folks are undecided and anxious to know exactly how much such a dream would cost in additional taxes.
If Dunwoody becomes a city, it will include Perimeter Center, a corporate corridor with Perimeter Mall and the county's largest tax base, which DeKalb officials say contributes $21 million a year to the county's budget.
Charles Yoo - Staff
Sunday, March 12, 2006
A bill to make Dunwoody a city will be withdrawn from the current legislative session and instead reintroduced next year, said the legislation's chief architect on Saturday.
State Sen. Dan Weber (R-Dunwoody) said the postponement of Senate Bill 568 would give plenty of time for voters to assess the benefits and disadvantages of incorporating the north DeKalb community, which has an estimated population of 40,000.
The passage of the bill would have let voters decide in a referendum whether they'd like a city government of their own with a mayor and council.
Weber's announcement came at a forum to unveil the findings of a feasibility study to determine the costs of Dunwoody's incorporation on taxpayers. Fewer than 100 attended the meeting at Perimeter College's Dunwoody campus.
"It might be better" to delay the process, said Weber. "After all the questions have been answered."
Weber said he'll reintroduce the bill next year and shoot for a referendum in July 2007, pending the state Legislature's approval.
Some budgetary questions were answered on Saturday through the feasibility study, conducted by the Carl Vinson Institute of Government at the University of Georgia at Athens. According to preliminary findings, homeowners may have to accept a tax hike.
The study examined three metro Atlanta cities --- Kennesaw, Peachtree City and Duluth --- and assessed how much the municipal governments spend per capita. That number was $491. But, for Dunwoody to match the services and spend that much, it would need at least an additional $65 per capita in income, according to the research.
"Something for nothing, which a lot of people think [about], doesn't exist," said Paula Yeary, the chief researcher of the feasibility study.
Supporters have argued that Dunwoody, a pricey real estate market in DeKalb, deserves a better, smaller government to determine zoning and public safety issues. Their effort has been emboldened by Sandy Spring's success in creating a municipal government.
But still, many folks are undecided and anxious to know exactly how much such a dream would cost in additional taxes.
If Dunwoody becomes a city, it will include Perimeter Center, a corporate corridor with Perimeter Mall and the county's largest tax base, which DeKalb officials say contributes $21 million a year to the county's budget.
Saturday, February 25, 2006
Dunwoody Update, including Map & Senate Bills
On Feb 23rd the State and Local Government legislative committee met for the second time to consider four bills introduced by Senator Weber. Bills 566, 567, 568 and 569 were discussed & passed committee by a unanimous 5-0.
http://www.dunwoodynorth.org/images/568Dunwoody.doc
http://www.dunwoodynorth.org/images/567Doraville.doc
http://www.dunwoodynorth.org/images/566Chamblee.doc
http://www.dunwoodynorth.org/images/569AdminCityChanges.doc
These bills set the boundaries for the proposed City of Dunwoody as compared to our neighbors the Cities of Doraville & Chamblee as well as the City of Dunwoody's governing structure. The bills ensure that the entire Dunwoody North Community will totally be within the proposed City of Dunwoody boundaries if the city charter is enacted via an election. The new city boundaries will now stretch to the Gwinnett County line at Winter Chapel Road & Peachtree Industrial with Doraville retaining the properties already under its original jurisdiction. Doraville will also be gaining the Ridgeway Drive and Van Fleet Circle properties as well as the service station on the North West corner of Tilly Mill & Peachtree Industrial.
For those interested, I look forward to seeing you at our public meeting on Tuesday, February 28th; 6:30 pm at the Dunwoody North Driving Club, 4522 Kingsgate Drive, Dunwoody, GA 30338 to discuss this matter further with Senator Dan Weber.
http://www.dunwoodynorth.org/images/568Dunwoody.doc
http://www.dunwoodynorth.org/images/567Doraville.doc
http://www.dunwoodynorth.org/images/566Chamblee.doc
http://www.dunwoodynorth.org/images/569AdminCityChanges.doc
These bills set the boundaries for the proposed City of Dunwoody as compared to our neighbors the Cities of Doraville & Chamblee as well as the City of Dunwoody's governing structure. The bills ensure that the entire Dunwoody North Community will totally be within the proposed City of Dunwoody boundaries if the city charter is enacted via an election. The new city boundaries will now stretch to the Gwinnett County line at Winter Chapel Road & Peachtree Industrial with Doraville retaining the properties already under its original jurisdiction. Doraville will also be gaining the Ridgeway Drive and Van Fleet Circle properties as well as the service station on the North West corner of Tilly Mill & Peachtree Industrial.
For those interested, I look forward to seeing you at our public meeting on Tuesday, February 28th; 6:30 pm at the Dunwoody North Driving Club, 4522 Kingsgate Drive, Dunwoody, GA 30338 to discuss this matter further with Senator Dan Weber.
Monday, January 23, 2006
Request for Brook Run Benches & Park Security
Dear Mr. CEO Vernon Jones,
This evening I attended the Citizens Advisory Board Meeting for the DeKalb County Parks hoping to speak regarding several concerns that I, and my neighborhood constitutes have regarding the Liane Levetan Park at Brook Run but was informed that I would not be allowed to speak. I was asked to place my comments on an index card and a member of the staff would be assigned to look into my complaint. Since I was prepared, I handed out the documents that I have attached in this e-mail and look forward to your staffs reply. Members of the audience complained regarding the Citizens Advisory Board procedures and we were told that we could always write directly to you regarding our issues with the parks; therefore I decided to send this request directly to you as well.
For the safety & security for the children of DeKalb County; as well as the comfort of the many parents & grandparents who visit Brook Run each day, I ask your assistance in taking action on my requests. Thank you.
Below was my hand out of photographs of showing a lack of security & benches.
http://www.dunwoodynorth.org/brookrun/hospital/Brook_Run_Park_CAB_01232007.pdf
Dear Members of the Citizen Advisory Board,
My name is John Heneghan and I am President of the Dunwoody North Civic Association representing just over 1,000 households and whose boundaries are immediately adjacent to the Brook Run.
My children & I were at Brook Run over the weekend enjoying a beautiful sunny day, we played catch in the wide open field, they played on the playground and then we took a hike to the pavilion area & though the trees. All in all, we had a great time.
When we parked our car, we noticed the bulldozers were going strong on the stake park area forever changing the landscape of the park. The old growth trees in the skate park area are gone and the layout of the land is forever changed; neither of which will return because of tonight’s meeting. Being the father of three boys in a neighborhood bursting at the seams with children, I welcome and am thankful for the development of the Skate Park. I just question the amount of trees that needed to be cleared. It seemed excessive and am hopeful that the landscape plan will reforest where possible.
After playing catch in the open field at the front of the park, my boys wanted to play at the playground for awhile and they ran off to play with some of their friends. It was a busy day at the playground, children were everywhere & parents were trying to watch over them. It was at that point that I noticed a grandma who was forced to sit on the ground in order to be near her grandchild because there are no benches available. She physically needed to be helped off the ground and I saw this as a travesty. Millions of dollars have been spent on the development of Brook Run’s playground yet not one dollar was spent on proper benches so parents could properly look after their children. At the moment, parents are forced to sit on the makeshift benches made from flagstone set into concrete and these walls are much too low for elderly people to get up & down. These decorative walls were not made for this type of abuse; they are receiving excessive wear and have already needed repairs. If I may at this point, read a paragraph from the final Master Plan for Brook Run which is easily accessible on our neighborhood website, http://www.dunwoodynorth.org
“Children’s Adventure Garden: In keeping with the theme of nature and education, the master plan envisions something more than just a typical playground. The proposed five acre Children’s’ Adventure Garden is a prototypical, signature design that provides activities for all ages and can be duplicated throughout DeKalb County. This unique prototype combines structured play zones with discovery, nature and education. It also offers numerous trails, shelters, benches and a community gathering area and amphitheater for outdoor performances.”
Brook Run: Conceptual Master Plan Narrative March 18, 2003
I would like to point out that there is not one bench away from the several small shelters, whereby parents & grandparents could comfortably watch over their children. In the gathering area near the front of the park there is a shelter but no seating, three concrete slabs intended for benches were installed on the circular walkway but no benches were ever installed. It would appreciated by many citizens, especially senior citizens if this board looked into this oversight of proper seating at Brook Run.
After the playground the boys & I went for a walk towards the back of the park, towards the pavilion. We cut though the woods a little bit and went behind the theater and behind a single story office building. The boarded up windows of the building had the plywood taken down, many (about 5) windows were completely broken out, the lights were on and front door side glass panel was wide open. I stuck my head in the back window and noticed signs that people had used the space in the not so distant past. I see this as a major safety factor for our neighborhood children and a lack of due diligence as to the management of this property. After our walk, we drove around Brook Run on Barclay and noticed that the fence between Brook Run & Peachtree Middle School was almost non-existent.
This lack of stewardship towards the buildings and established fence line make me wonder what the security firm is doing besides sitting at the front gate. Do they make rounds of the property where they actually get out of the car? Do they verify the security of buildings which they are there to protect? Do they file reports on incidents of security lapses and acts of vandalism and to whom? If these types of reports are filed, they would be public information & I would be interested in seeing them, and so should you.
I would like to ask this board to immediately verify the security of the buildings in the open area & to board up any windows & doors that are currently damaged. I would also like the perimeter fence especially on Barclay between Peachtree Middle School & Brook Run to be evaluated and repaired.
In order to assist you in seeing what I saw just this weekend, I returned to Brook Run just this morning to photograph some of the things I saw and have included them here in my formal written statement. Unfortunately the image of the grandma who had to sit on the ground near her grandchild is still burned into my memory and I was unable to duplicate it for you. But unless something is done to rectify the lack of seating at Brook Run, this scenario will be replayed on the next sunny day.
I would like to thank you for your time this evening, but more importantly I would like to personally thank each and every one of you for the service you provide the Citizens of DeKalb County; it is truly appreciated. Thank you.
John Heneghan
President, Dunwoody North Civic Association
This evening I attended the Citizens Advisory Board Meeting for the DeKalb County Parks hoping to speak regarding several concerns that I, and my neighborhood constitutes have regarding the Liane Levetan Park at Brook Run but was informed that I would not be allowed to speak. I was asked to place my comments on an index card and a member of the staff would be assigned to look into my complaint. Since I was prepared, I handed out the documents that I have attached in this e-mail and look forward to your staffs reply. Members of the audience complained regarding the Citizens Advisory Board procedures and we were told that we could always write directly to you regarding our issues with the parks; therefore I decided to send this request directly to you as well.
For the safety & security for the children of DeKalb County; as well as the comfort of the many parents & grandparents who visit Brook Run each day, I ask your assistance in taking action on my requests. Thank you.
Below was my hand out of photographs of showing a lack of security & benches.
http://www.dunwoodynorth.org/brookrun/hospital/Brook_Run_Park_CAB_01232007.pdf
Dear Members of the Citizen Advisory Board,
My name is John Heneghan and I am President of the Dunwoody North Civic Association representing just over 1,000 households and whose boundaries are immediately adjacent to the Brook Run.
My children & I were at Brook Run over the weekend enjoying a beautiful sunny day, we played catch in the wide open field, they played on the playground and then we took a hike to the pavilion area & though the trees. All in all, we had a great time.
When we parked our car, we noticed the bulldozers were going strong on the stake park area forever changing the landscape of the park. The old growth trees in the skate park area are gone and the layout of the land is forever changed; neither of which will return because of tonight’s meeting. Being the father of three boys in a neighborhood bursting at the seams with children, I welcome and am thankful for the development of the Skate Park. I just question the amount of trees that needed to be cleared. It seemed excessive and am hopeful that the landscape plan will reforest where possible.
After playing catch in the open field at the front of the park, my boys wanted to play at the playground for awhile and they ran off to play with some of their friends. It was a busy day at the playground, children were everywhere & parents were trying to watch over them. It was at that point that I noticed a grandma who was forced to sit on the ground in order to be near her grandchild because there are no benches available. She physically needed to be helped off the ground and I saw this as a travesty. Millions of dollars have been spent on the development of Brook Run’s playground yet not one dollar was spent on proper benches so parents could properly look after their children. At the moment, parents are forced to sit on the makeshift benches made from flagstone set into concrete and these walls are much too low for elderly people to get up & down. These decorative walls were not made for this type of abuse; they are receiving excessive wear and have already needed repairs. If I may at this point, read a paragraph from the final Master Plan for Brook Run which is easily accessible on our neighborhood website, http://www.dunwoodynorth.org
“Children’s Adventure Garden: In keeping with the theme of nature and education, the master plan envisions something more than just a typical playground. The proposed five acre Children’s’ Adventure Garden is a prototypical, signature design that provides activities for all ages and can be duplicated throughout DeKalb County. This unique prototype combines structured play zones with discovery, nature and education. It also offers numerous trails, shelters, benches and a community gathering area and amphitheater for outdoor performances.”
Brook Run: Conceptual Master Plan Narrative March 18, 2003
I would like to point out that there is not one bench away from the several small shelters, whereby parents & grandparents could comfortably watch over their children. In the gathering area near the front of the park there is a shelter but no seating, three concrete slabs intended for benches were installed on the circular walkway but no benches were ever installed. It would appreciated by many citizens, especially senior citizens if this board looked into this oversight of proper seating at Brook Run.
After the playground the boys & I went for a walk towards the back of the park, towards the pavilion. We cut though the woods a little bit and went behind the theater and behind a single story office building. The boarded up windows of the building had the plywood taken down, many (about 5) windows were completely broken out, the lights were on and front door side glass panel was wide open. I stuck my head in the back window and noticed signs that people had used the space in the not so distant past. I see this as a major safety factor for our neighborhood children and a lack of due diligence as to the management of this property. After our walk, we drove around Brook Run on Barclay and noticed that the fence between Brook Run & Peachtree Middle School was almost non-existent.
This lack of stewardship towards the buildings and established fence line make me wonder what the security firm is doing besides sitting at the front gate. Do they make rounds of the property where they actually get out of the car? Do they verify the security of buildings which they are there to protect? Do they file reports on incidents of security lapses and acts of vandalism and to whom? If these types of reports are filed, they would be public information & I would be interested in seeing them, and so should you.
I would like to ask this board to immediately verify the security of the buildings in the open area & to board up any windows & doors that are currently damaged. I would also like the perimeter fence especially on Barclay between Peachtree Middle School & Brook Run to be evaluated and repaired.
In order to assist you in seeing what I saw just this weekend, I returned to Brook Run just this morning to photograph some of the things I saw and have included them here in my formal written statement. Unfortunately the image of the grandma who had to sit on the ground near her grandchild is still burned into my memory and I was unable to duplicate it for you. But unless something is done to rectify the lack of seating at Brook Run, this scenario will be replayed on the next sunny day.
I would like to thank you for your time this evening, but more importantly I would like to personally thank each and every one of you for the service you provide the Citizens of DeKalb County; it is truly appreciated. Thank you.
John Heneghan
President, Dunwoody North Civic Association
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
City of Dunwoody - SE Boundaries
The Dunwoody North Civic Association is working closely with the Citizens for Dunwoody team lead by State Senator, Dan Weber to assure that the various subdivisions that make up the Dunwoody North Communities will be within the proposed City of Dunwoody boundaries. Though working to assure the cohesiveness of our neighborhood, the Civic Association does not take a formal stand on political matters. We will strive to bring you information on the issue so that you can make an informed decision come election day, if we are ever to vote on the creation of a new city.
It is our opinion that the City of Dunwoody should include the entire Dunwoody Crossing (Gardens of Dunwoody) Apartment complex at the corner of North Peachtree & I 285 since the fire & police services would be accessed off N. Peachtree Road. The Carver Circle area is already part of the City of Doraville but Ridgeway Drive just above it is not officially with in the City of Doraville but it makes sense to allow Doraville to annex it at some point since they are already serving the Carver area and it would be inconvenient for the City of Dunwoody to service the area.
As far as the East side of Tilly Mill is considered, we would want all of the residential streets that are able to be accessed off Tilly Mill to be with in the Dunwoody Boundaries and if it is accessed off Peachtree Industrial to be unincorporated or Doraville. At the moment, Doraville’s city line already covers the North East corner of Tilly Mill & Peachtree Industrial up to Chesnut Drive and would not be part of the City of Dunwoody. Below is a map of our proposal to the Citizen’s for Dunwoody Committee.
It is our opinion that the City of Dunwoody should include the entire Dunwoody Crossing (Gardens of Dunwoody) Apartment complex at the corner of North Peachtree & I 285 since the fire & police services would be accessed off N. Peachtree Road. The Carver Circle area is already part of the City of Doraville but Ridgeway Drive just above it is not officially with in the City of Doraville but it makes sense to allow Doraville to annex it at some point since they are already serving the Carver area and it would be inconvenient for the City of Dunwoody to service the area.
As far as the East side of Tilly Mill is considered, we would want all of the residential streets that are able to be accessed off Tilly Mill to be with in the Dunwoody Boundaries and if it is accessed off Peachtree Industrial to be unincorporated or Doraville. At the moment, Doraville’s city line already covers the North East corner of Tilly Mill & Peachtree Industrial up to Chesnut Drive and would not be part of the City of Dunwoody. Below is a map of our proposal to the Citizen’s for Dunwoody Committee.
