Being a part time blogger doesn’t make me a journalist in the eyes of the Atlanta Press Club.

Several months ago I discovered that the Atlanta Press Club, located just blocks from my office; hosts monthly luncheon events with relevant newsmaker speakers. I sat through and thoroughly enjoyed the speeches by Governor Perdue & CDC Director Gerberding and these events allowed me the opportunity to take my nose off the grindstone (if for only an hour) of the everyday job that pays the bills. I figured that I should officially join this esteemed organization, if for no other reason than my future lunches would then be reduced. I signed up for their mailing list and was soon invited to attend a presentation titled “Ethics & New Media: How the blogosphere is Affecting Journalism and Business”.

Since at least one Georgia politician believes that I have used my site as a public whipping post and therefore need to be more ethical in my news coverage. I reviewed the prices and noted that APC members were free to this event where non-members were asked to pay, because of this I figured it was a great day to register to be a member. Looking at the membership dues of $40.00 for active journalists and $90.00 for non-profit organizations, I figured that this little blog would qualify me for the better rate. After applying, the nice people at the APC didn’t reject me straight out but they wanted to know my qualifications as a journalist, they wanted writing samples of my published works.

I forwarded my submission as requested, yet in the end, I was only offered membership in the nonprofit category, probably because of the way their bylaws are written. Hey, I fully understand the decision, rules need to be followed and in the end I’m only doing this blog thing as a service to community I represent. I’ll probably pony up the increased nonprofit dues since I wouldn’t want to miss lunch with the new Braves GM, the new Falcons Head Coach & Barbara Walters.

Below was my attempt to prove that bloggers could be considered journalists, but maybe my application should be redirected to a group of misfits that would have someone like me?

Dear Atlanta Press Club, thanks for giving me an opportunity to apply as I am sure the name of my organization does not represent the press or a media organization to the casual observer. I am the President of my neighborhood civic association and I attempt to effectively use the social media through my blog to further my agenda of quality governmental services for the 1,000 homes in my neighborhood. Be it DeKalb County, the DeKalb School Board, the Police or the future City of Dunwoody, I tend to be equal opportunity pain in the ass. The two motto's I try to follow when I publish items on my blog are, When I have the ability to make a difference, I have a responsibility to do so and transparency in Government breeds self-corrective behavior. If I could follow those two items then I figure I’m doing well and making a difference in the community.

I have learned that the squeaky wheel in DeKalb gets the grease & I use my little blog to the advantage of the community I serve. I have a tendency to print direct statements from politicians /governmental officials and shine a light on what they said. I also make open records requests when I believe that the government is hiding information and I then post 1,000’s of pages of documents on line, many of which are embarrassing to those involved. I am also one of the few bloggers in the Dunwoody area and as a highly involved community leader my site can be news worthy in the coming push for cityhood.

I work downtown at Peachtree Center and have attended several of the Press Club lunch events, including Governor Perdue & CDC Director Gerberding presentations. When the blogging event came out, I figured that I needed to attend and that it was time to officially pay my dues if I was eligible to do so.

I have attached a few of my recent items and I look forward to your reply.

John Heneghan, President
Dunwoody North Civic Association
http://dunwoodynorth.blogspot.com Blog Site
http://www.dunwoodynorth.org Website

The blog entry immediately below highlights several DeKalb County news stories that have not yet been shown in the mainstream media. On this day the County was thinking about giving the Police a pay raise so I suggested that a different story angle was found on the Anonymous DeKalb County Police Blog which states that it is the mismanagement of the department and not pay as the main reason for the retention issues. I then discussed a $200,000 waste of County money on a ten year parks master plan that was just done just 5 years ago and the county is on the verge of a lawsuit because of breach of contract. I obtained over 1,800 pages of public records (which cost me over $500) and posted numerous embarrassing items including an e-mail which shows that the county and the contractor were purposely withholding information from interested citizens and news organizations. Finally in the same blog entry, I posted more embarrassing e-mails showing DeKalb Counties lack of playground maintenance.

http://dunwoodynorth.blogspot.com/2008/03/if-i-were-reporter-in-dekalb-on-tuesday.html

This blog entry highlights Representative Jill Chambers discussing bloggers in the well of the GA House of Rep whereby she feels that she has been mistreated. Since she did everything but mention me by name, therefore I had to respond.

http://dunwoodynorth.blogspot.com/2008/03/jill-vernon-sitting-in-tree-ugh-i-feel.html

Below is a link to pretty much everything I ever posted on Ms. Chambers.

http://dunwoodynorth.blogspot.com/search/label/Jill%20Chambers

Below is the main post on the parks master plan screw up as well as the photo of the embarrassing e-mail.

http://dunwoodynorth.blogspot.com/2008/03/dekalb-parks-200000-wasted-and-lawsuit.html

Below is a link to a number entries on the Peachtree Charter Middle School intersection issue that I helped solve by blogging on the issue and posting embarrassing photos, e-mails and County documents. My posts were the reason for a number of AJC & Dunwoody Crier articles.

http://dunwoodynorth.blogspot.com/search/label/Peachtree%20Charter%20Middle%20School

My blog entries were the cause of at least one piece of State Legislation on speeding because I highlighted the screwed up laws and the lack of due diligence of the DeKalb County Police.

http://dunwoodynorth.blogspot.com/search/label/Speeding

DeKalb passed a $500,000 no bid contract extension on what was originally a $1.3 million contract and I documented the issue with an open records act request.

http://dunwoodynorth.blogspot.com/2007/10/dekalb-lack-of-open-records-regarding.html http://dunwoodynorth.blogspot.com/2007/11/documents-provided-by-dekalb-county-but.html

Depending on how much I post, my influence rankings on BlogNetNews goes up & down. Last week I was ranked the eleventh most influential political blog in the State of Georgia, this week I am sixth, it means very little to me but it may mean something to you in making your decision.

http://www.blognetnews.com/Georgia/influence-index.php

Parents start petition over Dunwoody 4th-5th Grade Academy Concerns

Dunwoody elementary school parents from Austin, Vanderlyn, Chesnut and Kingsley are ready to start passing a petition based on the concerns they have over the proposed Dunwoody Academy listed below. These concerned parents also hope to meet with the Hightower community in order to include them into the discussions. While they truly appreciate the efforts of the school system, the concerned parents believe this Academy compromise is not the best solution for the Dunwoody cluster and they want them to go back to the drawing board.

If you are a Dunwoody homeowner or a parent of an elementary school child be prepared to sign this petition. If you are a member of the school board or an administrator of the school system, please be prepared to address these concerns.

• The overcrowding problem in our cluster needs to be treated as a cluster-wide problem and therefore needs a cluster-wide solution. It seems unreasonable that the proposed “Academy” leaves two of our schools still over capacity...Austin and Vanderlyn at 111% capacity. If this issue were seen as a cluster-wide problem, then an under populated school would not be located less than 2 miles from an overcrowded school, while simultaneously spending several million tax dollars to construct a new school only one mile away. The ONLY equitable solution is to redraw the attendance lines so that every school in our cluster is sufficiently utilized, and all of our students have the same opportunities for a quality education.

• Will Kingsley, Hightower, and the Academy be “receiving schools” because they are under capacity? If so, then while some of our cluster schools are over crowded, other cluster schools will receive students? How does this solve the over crowding problem in our cluster?

• If the Academy concept is the better choice academically, then why aren’t the Kingsley and Hightower students included! Why isn’t this new standard for all of DeKalb County? Parents who are praising the benefits of the new academy – full-fledged music programs, state-of-the art science labs, foreign language instruction for all, etc. – should see the unfairness of offering these benefits to only a portion of our students?

• This additional layer of schooling...now 4 schools...will add to difficult task of coordinating school events like Open Houses, PTA meeting, etc. Not to mention asking too much of our community with fundraising, Partners in Education, and donations!!!

• How many homerooms will there at the Academy...15+ classes??? The teachers and students work very hard to form a class relationship. This is challenging enough with a class of 80, thus it will be impossible with a class of well over 300. This Academy changes the whole dynamics and identity of their grade. It is forcing them into a middle school type setting as 4th and 5th graders. Academically and socially that is a lot to "compete" with at this age. It is essential that we remember that these students are still children. There is absolutely no need to rush them growing up -- society does enough of that already. If we simply replicate a middle school model, we are doing a huge disservice to the children.

• Will testing be a problem? Since we seem to be teaching to the test these days...an effort to coordinate between Austin, Vanderlyn and Chesnut will be needed...to make sure nothing is missed when they switch to another school for 4-5 grade?

• Will there really be enough points to have chorus, band and orchestra teachers? Will the Austin students continue German? What about Spanish for Vanderlyn and Chesnut students? Will the 4th-5th Austin/Vanderlyn/Chesnut teachers become the teachers at the new school...or is that only a possibility?

• Fourth and Fifth grade students will not be the “leaders” in their school, because they will be the only students in their school. Leadership and being a role model is so important. With all the traditions...safety patrol, 5th grade celebration, fifth grade trip, space camp, student government, announcements in the morning, mentor to beginning readers...all add to the concrete experience of growing up and "leading". This is equally as important to the younger students of the school; they look up to these older students as role models!

• Patrols are actually very helpful both to students, parents and teachers. Patrols open car doors and school doors; the large doors are too heavy for younger smaller students. Plus, the patrols take their monitoring very seriously...escorting younger children to the trailers in the mornings, helping to keep the students quiet and safe. If we take the patrols away, the teachers will have less time to prepare for class, etc. The patrols work both morning and afternoon shifts. These approximately 30 patrols will need to be replaced by teachers and staff, because certainly this role can’t be performed by 3rd graders.

• At PCMS, we have a very difficult time filling PTA (PTCC) positions with just 3 short years...it’s going to be almost impossible to do this in just 2 years (two year terms especially). We also think that it will weaken the elementary level PTA. Typically, committee heads are filled with parents of older students. The PTAs from the elementary schools will need to work together and be willing to allocate funds to “start up” the new school’s PTA, plus slate officers while still in elementary school for the fall. Now we will be asking parents to divide their time again, remember these parents are volunteers...if the process gets too difficult...they will not be supportive and simply will not volunteer!

• Fourth and fifth grade students will not be attending their “neighborhood school”. These students really enjoy walking and riding their bikes to and from school because they are finally “old enough”. This independence will be lost riding the bus.

• Gas prices are going up...yet we are not staying in our neighborhoods for school to conserve gas! This also impacts our air quality! Isn’t this contrary to Dekalb becoming a Green School System?

• What about those children that don’t ride the bus to their elementary school? How will parents walk one child to the elementary school, and get the other child ready for the “Academy”?

• A 4-tier bus system won’t be necessary...yet will more buses be purchased??? 90% of the students attending Austin are walkers, they are not on a bus, so additional buses will be necessary to transport these students. Won’t it cost the county more to provide additional buses?

• Is it really realistic to expect students to arrive at school 45 minutes early...assuming that the K-3 students are dropped off first, then 4th-5th are dropped off (or visa versa)? Sitting in the cafeteria waiting for school to start is not an acceptable solution.

• Many families choose to drive (rather than use the bus) in the morning, because they don’t want their students sitting in the cafeteria unnecessarily. Won’t it waste the county money to spend more in gas for those buses to travel farther to pick up children in buses that will be less than full?

• This will force even MORE cars onto the road, further aggravating the traffic on Roberts Drive with the morning commuters, plus the Austin, Davis Academy, and Dunwoody Springs parents. The traffic in the Womack – Vermack area will be a nightmare with Georgia Perimeter, DHS, Vanderlyn...and now parents carpooling from the Chesnut and Austin school districts.

• Will they need to make any modifications to the new school design??? Certain areas were designed for specific ages. This should be an easy fix...but it’s still a change and all change orders cost money and time. Thus, will the new school really be ready by 2009?

Life as a city not perfect, but still worth it - AJC Jim Osterman, "Around Sandy Springs"

Yesterday morning after church a few people who know that I am involved with the city movement here in Dunwoody stopped me to discuss the pros & cons of future cityhood. I answered many of the questions to their satisfaction but there was one question that I couldn't answer. Are the residents of Sandy Springs happy that they formed a city and if they had the chance to do it over again, would they?

Since I don't live in Sandy Springs, I only know from word of mouth that they have a solid police force and are in control of their own zoning & code enforcement. Besides these items I couldn't answer if the everyday resident was happy with the decision to form a city or not. Later in the day I read Jim Osterman's "Around Sandy Springs" column in the AJC and thought it was worth sharing since his feelings on Sandy Springs mirror mine regarding Dunwoody.

Has Sandy Springs cityhood been worth it? You betcha
By Jim Osterman, AJC, April 28, 2008

Unless something radical happens our neighbors in Dunwoody will vote this summer on becoming a city, the way we did here in Sandy Springs almost three years ago.

The whole thing reminds me of those days when I was a kid and couldn’t wait to grow up. I imagined life was perfect as an adult. I could come and go as I pleased, I could stay up late, I could eat at McDonald’s every day, I could watch all the TV I wanted to, etc. Of course I didn’t consider getting and keeping a job, paying bills, laundry, paying taxes and some the other things that come with being an adult.

Many people had the same wishful feelings before Sandy Springs became a city - once we were out from under Fulton County life would be great. But at a recent forum in Dunwoody someone floated the question - did the folks over there want another level of government?

And I started thinking if we were asked about whether being a city was worth it, what would we say? Are we better off now, than we were when we were part of Fulton County? Is being a city everything we thought it would be?

Or perhaps the question should be do we feel like we’re better off? Has it been worth the effort.

On the plus side of the ledger we’re no under the Fulton County Commission, a group many people felt (myself included) did not have our best interests in mind. It was okay to collect our taxes but the money seemed to have a strange way of ending up elsewhere.

Indeed, this week I got an e-mail from our neighborhood association about the non-emergency police contact number. Several people have said they used that number and got an indifferent response. Digging a little deeper it was discovered those calls were still being routed to Fulton County Police, not the local Sandy Springs officers.

On other fronts there might be some homebuilders who aren’t happy with us being a city. I’ve heard complaints that the permitting process is slow. Likewise the city stepped in to make sure a builder couldn’t buy a piece of land and bulldoze every tree of the property - something else that didn’t make a lot of builders giddy as schoolgirls.

Traffic on Roswell Road is still a pain in the buns.

If I was talking to the folks in Dunwoody and I had one minute to tell them how I felt about life after incorporation I guess I would say this:

If you think becoming a city is going to solve all your problems think again because what is a problem to me is a non-issue to my neighbor.

If you think electing your mayor and city council will make your lives better from Day 1, you’re mistaken because those folks can’t say yes to everything. And they shouldn’t.

If you think everything that bugs you will get better overnight, think again. Situations that bother us are usually years in the making and can’t be undone in the blink of an eye.

But is it worth it to have the opportunity to control our own destiny, not to mention our day-to-day lives? Absolutely.

Michael Rothenberg of Dunwoody North runs for DeKalb Superior Court Judge

Dunwoody North resident Attorney Michael Rothenberg will seek the Superior Court seat currently held by Gail Flake. Lawyer, part time judge, advocate and counselor, Michael Rothenberg has dedicated his career to the legal profession and to the principle that all people deserve equal justice under the law. Rothenberg currently serves the citizens of Dekalb County as a part time judge in the Dekalb County Recorder's Court.

“I know that judicial elections do not get the attention others do, but judges affect the lives of ordinary DeKalb citizens maybe more than any other elected official. They have the power of life and death; the power to take away your freedom, your property, your children. I know my opponent has said and will say that she has so much experience and has been there so long she deserves to continue. However, when things just are not working, and decisions are getting overturned because they miss the mark, it costs taxpayers money and is just wrong for the county.“

“The incumbent Judge Flake, she is one of the most reversed judges in Georgia, meaning that the appellate courts overturn her decisions more often than most anyone. Judge Flake was appointed by Zell Miller and has not been seriously challenged since 1996. "

"This election is, amongst other things, about bringing real change to the court, improving how my division will be run from an efficiency standpoint as well as a technological standpoint, with the intention of making the division better for the lawyers and litigants before me" Rothenberg said.

“I want to be a candidate and a judicial officer that is accessible to people. I am just a regular guy who cares deeply about our county and I am willing to humbly put myself forward for the challenge. What I am really asking for is a chance to make a difference and I ask that we citizens hold our publicly elected officials accountable for the job they do.

Michael Rothenberg is a founding partner of Rothenberg & Barnes, LLC, a full service law firm based in Atlanta. Rothenberg practices in the areas of criminal defense, family law, catastrophic injury, complex civil litigation and real estate. Rothenberg has tried cases throughout the State of Georgia covering a wide array of areas of law.

Check out Michael's website & blog.

Has Brook Run been properly cleaned up or was it just buried? Show me proof & test results.

Brook Run the 102 acre park in Dunwoody has had its share of problems through the years but it has so much potential to be a spectacular park. The county just tacked on $500,000 change order to a $1.3 million dollar demolition contract to do asbestos abatement and the citizens of area want to make sure the work was done properly.

A thorough review of previous documentation shows that building materials were allowed to be buried on site even though initially that was not suppose to happen. What is troubling is the fact that those buildings were completely destroyed inside & out prior to demolition and asbestos was strewn everywhere including outside the buildings.

I have filed what I hope to be the final open records request on the Brook Run demolition so that the county and their contractors can prove that they did the proper abatement and removal of the asbestos.

Open Records Request for Brook Run Final Cleanup

Electronic Waste Recycling Day - Sat @ Turner Field

Atlanta City Councilmember Carla Smith will host the city's annual Electronic Waste Recycling Day on Saturday, April 26 from 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. in the GOLD Lot of Turner Field.

Residents are encouraged to bring their old computers and household electronics to this Earth Day event. An astounding 75,583 of electronic items were collected in 2007 – the largest amount ever collected. "We are out to beat that record," said City Councilmember Carla Smith, whose office has hosted E-Waste Recycling Day for the past six years.

"Each year we collect more electronics than the year before, which shows there is a tremendous need for residents to properly dispose of these unwanted items." The goal of this initiative is to promote the recovery, reuse, and recycling of obsolete electronic equipment and to encourage the design, manufacture, and purchase of environmentally responsible electronic equipment. The electronics industry is one of the fastest growing and most innovative industries in the world. Every year, newer and better products are being sold to consumers. While electronics account for up to five percent of landfill volume, the products contribute up to 70 percent of the toxins found in landfills.

The following items will be accepted at the city of Atlanta's E-Waste Recycling Day:

• Computer monitors
  
• Televisions ($10 fee required)
  
• Microwave ovens
  
• Computer cpu's
  
• Stereos
  
• Telephones
  
• Laptops
  
• Copiers
  
• CB radios
  
• Printers
  
• Video machines
• CD players
  
• Disk drives
  
• Vcrs and dvd players
  
• Portable radios
  
• Floppy drives
  
• Camcorders
  
• Cell phones
  
• Test & networking equipment
• Cameras
  
• Keyboards
  
• Modems
  
• Record players
  
• Scanners
  
• Circuit boards
  
• Speakers
  
• Electrical panels
  
• Typewriters
  
• UPS / battery back-up
• Fax machines
  
• CD roms
  
• Projectors
  
• Cables
  
• Computer mouses

The following items will not be accepted: consoles, projection televisions, vacuum cleaners, refrigerators, washers, dryers, freezers, de-humidifiers or humidifiers, gas-powered equipment, tires, household trash and NON-electronic equipment.

For more information, please call Councilwoman Smith's office at (404) 330-6039.

Volunteers Needed, Dunwoody 4th of July Parade, the theme is Celebrating Freedom

The Dunwoody Homeowners Association has announced the theme of the Fourth of July Parade as Celebrating Freedom! The Grand Marshals will be: Fran Millar and Dan Weber.

LOTS of volunteers will be needed this year, more than ever, since we will probably be the biggest 4th of Parade in Atlanta Area. As an election year, with the Cityhood referendum soon following, street marshals are especially needed (great way to watch the parade). You will get a marshal t-shirt, a whistle and all the candy that your kids & grandkids don't want to eat.

You will only need to attend one very short meeting to prepare.

June 29th at 2:00 PM, the Sunday before the fourth
Dunwoody Methodist in the Fellowship Hall

Don't miss this great opportunity to serve the community, not to mention the freebies being handed out. If you have any questions, please contact Pam Tallmadge at ptall@bellsouth.net

Summer Camp for Children @ Brook Run Park. Registration this Saturday.

DeKalb County Parks and Recreation Camp Superstars is the hot spot for kids this summer. To embark on the total summer camp experience, look no further than Dunwoody's Brook Run Park where the children will enjoy field trips, visits to the local pool, arts and crafts, fun with nature, athletic activities, cultural experiences, team games and much more.

Camp will be held June 9-August 1 but will not be in session on Friday, July 4 due to the holiday.

Registration begins this Saturday, April 26 @ 9 am- 1pm at Brook Run Park, across from the Veteran's Memorial near the Theater . We recommend you register early as the camp will fill up within a few hours.

The summer camp hours are 7am – 6:15pm, Monday thru Friday and the weekly fee is only $55 per child, $50 for each additional child from the same family. Full payment for the first week of camp is due at the time of registration. A reservation fee of $10 per child per week is required to secure registration for additional weeks. The reservation fees are non-refundable and non-transferable.

The day camp accepts children ages 5-15 and your child must be 5 on or before June 9th, to attend. Verification of age is required so please bring an appropriate means of identification for your child.

Will I need to send a lunch with my child? No, unless your child has a restrictive food diet. Breakfast and lunch will be available at all sites for all participants through the USDA Summer Food Program.

Do you offer a camp for special needs children? Camp Superstars Inclusion Camp is designed and staffed especially for children with mild to moderate disabilities. You can register at any center; space is limited in this camp so please register early.

All- American Soapbox Derby comes to Dunwoody, May 31st @ First Baptist Atlanta

THE KIWANIS CLUB OF DUNWOODY
and
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH ATLANTA
are bringing the
ALL-AMERICAN SOAPBOX DERBY
to Dunwoody on May 31, 2008.

The Kiwanis Club of Dunwoody will hold its First Annual All-American Soap Box Derby Saturday, May 31. The race, dubbed the Greatest Amateur Racing Event in the World, will take place at First Baptist Church of Atlanta. Race Director Susan Swanson made the official announcement this week.

The Derby is open to both girls and boys between the ages of 8 and 17 who reside in Clayton, DeKalb, Gwinnett, Henry and Rockdale counties. The Stock Division is open to children 8-13; Super Stock is open to children 10-17. The winner in each division will go on to Akron, OH to compete in the World Championship finals in August.

Mrs. Swanson noted that The Soap Box Derby “is a youth racing program which has run nationally since 1934. We are excited to be introducing this event for the first time in Dunwoody and hope the community will support our efforts.”

Race cars may be obtained directly from All-American SoapBox Derby through their website: http://www.aasbd.com/SBD_rules.htm. The link to the Online Store can be found on the right-hand side under “About Us.” For the first time, new colors are being added to the standard red, white or blue cars. Green and pink cars may now be ordered. They are limited, so it’s first-come, first-served.

Children and their families are encouraged to find sponsors to help defray the cost of their cars. Construction “clinics” will be given by Kiwanis Club members. Mrs. Swanson also noted that the Club is looking for companies and/or organizations interested in sponsoring the race as well as volunteers for the actual Race Day. A number of opportunities are available and can also be found on the Club’s website.

Interested individuals may contact Mrs. Swanson at 770-668-0935 for Race Information and Addie Alberghini at 770-394-3905 for Sponsorship/Volunteer Information. Additional information can be found on the Dunwoody Kiwanis Club website – dunwoodykiwanisclub.org

Dunwoody Academy for 4th & 5th grade and No Redistricting. Crier Article

By Cathy Cobbs for The Crier, April 22, 08

Citing the inability to end overcrowding with a proposed redistricting of Dunwoody area elementary schools, DeKalb County School Superintendent Dr. Crawford Lewis has put forth a completely new plan - to create a fourth and fifth grade academy in a facility originally slated for a new elementary school. The new plan calls for fourth and fifth grade students from Vanderlyn, Chesnut and Austin elementaries to attend the Womack Road facility, which is slated to open for the 2009-10 school year. Kingsley and Hightower, which are underpopulated facilities, will remain K-5 facilities.

The previously redrawn attendance lines, revealed last year, will be thrown out if this plan takes affect, Lewis said.

“What we tried to do was make the right recommendation that was best for the children,” Lewis told a crowd of about 400 people at an evening meeting at Peachtree Charter Middle School. “This plan provides maximum relief to overcrowded schools, balances enrollment across the area, leaves the attendance lines unchanged, keeps neighborhoods together and provides for a smooth transition for all students.”

The plan would reduce the student population at Austin, which now has 760 students and is predicted to reach 869 in 2009, to 608, according to school officials, and allow for the removal of all but three or four of its 14 portable classrooms on the school grounds. Vanderlyn’s student count would shrink from a projected 990 to 695 and see the removal of 23 of its 27 portable classrooms. Chesnut’s projected population of 585 would be reduced to 385 with the change.

Austin would be operating at 111 percent of its capacity, Vanderlyn at 116 percent and Chesnut at 65 percent after the transfer of the students to the new academy. Lewis said the county forecasts enrollment in the area schools to remain steady through 2012 and decrease through 2018.

Parents speaking at the meeting were supportive of the plan, for the most part.

“I’m pleased to see this proposal,” said Lynn Deutsch. “Is it the perfect solution? No. But many families in this area have made the decision to send their children to Kittredge (Magnet School) and have split up their families.”

Tammy Anderson, an Austin parent, said she was concerned about the traffic conditions on Womack Road after the new school opens, and questioned whether the explosive growth of multi-family housing was considered before launching the new plan.

School officials said they had considered the recent influx of multi-family construction in the area before devising the new academy solution, and in fact, didn’t consider the recent downturn in the economy in their projections.

Other parents questioned why Kingsley and Hightower students were not included in the academy. (See comments to my previous post.)

“Hightower and Kingsley are already small schools with open seats,” Lewis said. “If we moved fourth and fifth graders from Kingsley, we would certainly be looking at closing that school down.”

In the plan’s other details:

Lewis said the community would have a voice in the selection of the new academy’s principal, which he hopes to announce before the end of this academic school year.

Start and end times for the new school will be staggered with the elementary, middle and high schools in order to accommodate buses and private transportation, although school officials didn’t have specific details about those times yet.

Sidewalks will be installed on Womack Road in front of the school in order to better accommodate bike riders and walkers.

The county will incorporate “green” building concepts when building the 107,000-square foot facility, including bike racks, special parking for low emission and fuel-efficient vehicles, low-flow plumbing and energy-efficient lighting and lamps.

Nix-Fowler Construction has been selected to build the school and construction documents are 95 percent complete, according to school officials. The plans are now being reviewed by DeKalb County, with groundbreaking expected during the summer.

A committee continues to discuss uses for the former Chamblee Middle School site on Chamblee Dunwoody Road, but no recommendation has yet been made for its use.

Wine Tasting to benefit Stage Door Players at Fresh Market of Dunwoody

It's once again time for "Toast of the Town," a wine tasting event held at the Fresh Market of Dunwoody to benefit Stage Door Players.

Tuesday, April 22
7:00 - 9:00 PM
Fresh Market
5515 Chamblee-Dunwoody Road
Dunwoody, GA 30338

For those of you who attended last year, you know what a great evening it turned out to be, and tickets are twenty-five (tax-deductible) dollars.

Dunwoody North Swim Team Schedule

DNDC Swim Team starts practices on Wednesday, May 14th after school.

Swim Meet Schedule
Thursday, May 29th against Kingsley (home meet)
Tuesday, June 3 against Mill Glen (away meet)
Tuesday, June 10 against Vermack (home meet)
Tuesday, June 17th against Roxboro (away meet)
Tuesday, June 24th against Gainsborough (away meet)

Picture day is Monday, June 2 during practice.

If you have not already registered, please turn in your forms to Kristie Van Winkle asap. The deadline for avoiding a late fee is May 1. However, it looks like we may have to start a waiting list due to our team’s size which cannot exceed 150 swimmers. Any forms that come in between now and May 1 will give priority to club members (anyone who has already registered is on our roster). After May 1 we cannot assure a spot for those who have not already registered, so please turn in forms now!!

If you have questions, please call Carolyn Facteau at 770-936-8633 .

Kindergarten Boys wanted for Cub Scouts

CUB SCOUT PACK 477 Kingswood United Methodist Church Dunwoody, Georgia USA Hightower Trails District Atlanta Area Council

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PACK TWILIGHT CAMPOUT and TIGER ROUNDUP, 4/27/08, AT BROOK RUN

This celebration of spring is our Pack's way of getting the scouts outside and playing. The twilight campout is everything we adults like about camping, without sleeping on the ground. The Pack will get together Sunday afternoon at 4 pm, play a bunch of games, learn some outdoor stuff, and eat a bit. The focus is on fun!!

This activity is also the Pack's first recruiting event for rising Tigers (other recruiting efforts are performed in the late summer / early fall). We will be showing those parents what cub scouting is all about. If you know any parents of boys presently in Kindergarten, please forward this e-mail to them.

If we have a rainout, we will have a regular Pack meeting at the Church, at 7:00 PM on Monday. The program for that meeting is our famous Oreo Stacking contest.

Pack 477 Cubmaster

Rodney Walden,
e-mail: cubmaster@bsa477.com

Pack 477 Committee Chairman
Harris Sheinman

e-mail: packchair@bsa477.com

Do you know someone who would make an outstanding school board representative?

In DeKalb County, we pay about two thirds of our property taxes to the DeKalb County School Board. As a parent with several children in the DeKalb County School System, I have observed many passionate parents who fight for quality education in our schools, many of whom would make outstanding members of the school board. I am so impressed with several of these dedicated parents that I wish one of them would step forward and serve the community at large.

If you know someone who might be interested, please let them know that the opportunity is almost at hand.

Cassandra Anderson-Littlejohn of District Eight is the Board of Education member up for reelection that serves the Dunwoody area. Her district includes half of DeKalb County covering approximately the northwest to the southeast portion of the County. See Map.

Registration to run as a candidate starts Monday April 28th and ends Friday May 2nd, the qualifying fee $540.

If a candidate from the Chamblee/Dunwoody area were to step forward, I'm sure they would get the support of the community behind them.

Further information can be found at https://dklbweb.dekalbga.org/voter

City Operations, Task Force Kickoff meeting for the future City of Dunwoody. Monday 7 pm

The Citizens for Dunwoody Committee knows that the community contains technical experts and people who are passionate about various subject matters related to creating a city. We could use your help.

City Operations
Task Forces Kickoff
Dunwoody United Methodist Church
Monday, April 21st
7:00 p.m.

Citizens for Dunwoody will hold an organizational meeting to establish operational task forces to begin outlining the needs of the new city. Anyone interested in volunteering to serve on a task force should attend. Task forces will help define the necessary level of services in the following areas:

* Police
* Parks and Recreation
* Admin/Finance
* Information Technology
* Code Enforcement, Permits, Inspections
* Roads, Sidewalks, Drainage, Stormwater
* Courts
* Ordinances
* Zoning/Planning
* Human Resources

The meeting will take place at Dunwoody United Methodist Church at 7:00 pm. Task Force Chairs will introduce themselves and form groups which will research and document startup tasks and service levels.

Lemonade Days - Best Carnival in Town

Free SLOW DOWN Yard Signs from PEDS.org

Our SLOW DOWN yard signs are back, this time in black. Paid for by the Governor's Office of Highway Safety, these yard signs are available to metro area residents at no charge. You can pick up signs at these distribution events:

Saturday, April 19, 2008
Decatur: Oakhurst Village Earth Day celebration.
10:00AM to 2:00PM. MAP.

Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Lenox Square Mall: Earth Day event in the parking lot.
10:00AM to 2:00PM. MAP

Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Roswell Area Park: Near the first parking lot on the left.
2:00PM to 6:00PM. MAP.

Sunday, April 27, 2008
Grant Park: In the Zoo Atlanta parking area, at the traffic circle, in front of the Cyclorama.
2:00PM to 5:00PM. MAP.

You can see all these locations on one map. We encourage you to coordinate with your neighborhood association so that one person picks up signs on behalf of the community. Please spread the word by forwarding this email to others. Quantities are limited.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: We need to load the signs in a car or truck, get them to distribution sites, hand them out and bring back the leftovers. You'll receive a lot of appreciation, plus a "My way or the highway" PEDS t-shirt, access to our Bushnell Radar Gun for a week and a chance to meet other people working to tame their streets. If you can help out, or if you want to coordinate a distribution day at another location, contact Michael Orta at 404-522-3747 or collaborate@peds.org.

No Change to DeKalb School Boundaries - New School for many Dunwoody 4th & 5th Graders.

This evening Dr. Crawford Lewis announced that the current school boundaries will remain intact for the Dunwoody school cluster. The new Dunwoody area elementary school planned adjacent to the Georgia Perimeter College on Womack will now serve all 4th & 5th graders from Austin, Chesnut & Vanderlyn elementary schools. Kingsley & Hightower being smaller schools that are not exceeding maximum capacity would remain intact through the fifth grade.

The large crowd assembled at Peachtree for the announcement was receptive to the idea, yet many questions were raised on transportation logistics, curriculum development and how it would affect the elementary schools that were being downsized. Questions about whether the various special programs that each of the schools now offer will be continued at the new school and/or be eliminated at the old school. School staffing questions were raised and it was announced that a principal would be assigned to the school as soon as possible to work out the logistics and PTA structure of this idea that has not been done in the DeKalb system previously.

The new Dunwoody School would be a two story facility with 107,200 square feet, 60 class rooms sitting on 17 acres which could house 975 students. The site will include 126 parking spaces, a media center, state of the art gymnasium, a cafetorium, performing arts music room, visual arts lab and a science lab.

Multi children families (like myself) who will be trying to coordinate between three schools will have some transportation coordination to overcome and it will not be an easy adjustment. A number people commented on the traffic congestion on Vermack, Tilly Mill & Womack that already exists and adding additional vehicles from all over Dunwoody to the GPC & High School 8 a.m. mix will not be a pretty sight.

I believe to assist the children in getting to school, additional sidewalks along Womack will need to be installed and dedicated bike lanes with pedestrian friendly school cross walks will need to be explored. Any other suggestions for this possible traffic nightmare?

Principals aren’t tenured and are never safe, not even in DeKalb Charter Schools.

Chesnut Elementary lost the beloved principal Dr. Alexander and many wanted her to stay forever, the same is now happening to Vanderlyn’s Principal, Charlene Burger.

Vanderlyn parents have been signing petitions and requested meetings with Dr. Lewis but they have not been successful in scheduling such a meeting. Tonight Dr. Lewis should be attending the redistricting meeting at Peachtree Middle School where he may be presented with the neighborhoods plea to keep Ms. Burger.

The parents who are upset over Mr. Lewis’s decision to transfer Ms. Burger will be wearing Blue shirts (school color) in support of Ms. Burger.

Between the redistricting and forced principal changes, this might be an explosive meeting.

AJC Article & Crier Article

Fifty Plus Fair at DUMC on Saturday May 3rd.

Fifty Plus Fair
Saturday May 3, 2008
10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Dunwoody United Methodist Church
1548 Mount Vernon Road, 30338

Who should attend?

This is a community-wide event designed for people beyond 50 years of age, children and relatives of the elderly, caregivers, senior service providers, educational/recreational specialists, students of geriatrics - and even baby boomers who want to look ahead. Groups are welcome. And, of course, the facilities are handicapped accessible.

When and where is the Fair?

The Fair is in the Activities Building behind - but attached-to - the Sanctuary of Dunwoody United Methodist Church on Saturday, May 3 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Free parking is located beside the Church. Signs will direct you.

Workshops

Four informative workshops are scheduled during the day and will be conducted by well-qualified leaders in their fields. Each workshop will be fifty minutes in length.

10 a.m. to 10:50 a.m. • Memory Lost and Found: How to Remember What You Are Starting to Forget. Presenter: John Thames, former Family and Community Services Director of the Alzheimer’s Association and current Evening-at-Emory teacher of “How to Keep Your Brain Healthy.”

11 a.m. to 11:50 a.m. • CPR, AED, Heimlich. Presenter: Nancy Francis, RN, AHA. Nancy is a nurse educator in the Grady School of Nursing and in the Emergency Clinics at Grady as well as Head Nurse in Grady's Surgical Intensive Care Unit. She is a Basic Life Support Instructor with the American Heart Association and First Aid Instructor with the American Red Cross.

Noon to 1:00 p.m. Well-known Mike Kavanagh of WSB Radio will be the keynote speaker.

Mike Kavanagh is a fee-only CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER ™ and is also a veteran broadcaster whose career has included work in Washington, D.C. and New York as well as Atlanta. He is WSB Radio Host of “Money Matters,” one of the longest-running financial advice shows in America, and winner of critical acclaim, including the Edward R. Morrow Award for work investigating investment scams. Mike also airs daily money reports for Atlanta’s Morning News on WSB and serves as an advisor to consumer advocate Clark Howard. Clark, as quoted on the Money Matters website, calls Mike “a financial genius who can help you make sense of the complex world of money.” Mike’s presentation style is practical, experienced and dynamic.

1:00 p.m. to 1:50 p.m. • Safety in The Home and Beyond. Presenter: Reggie Ackie, Operations Manager for Piedmont Hospital. He has been a leader in the Georgia Crime Prevention Association and is an assistant instructor at the Fulton County Public Safety Training Center where he teaches Defensive Tactics for Police and Correctional Officers throughout the state.


2:00 p.m. to 2:50 p.m. • Advance Directives. Presenter: Charles Hampton, Elder Care Attorney. Mr. Hampton has been practicing law for thirty years in the areas of taxation, estate planning, retirement benefit planning and corporate law. He received his Masters of Laws in Taxation from Emory University School of Law and his Juris Doctor Degree from Ohio Northern University. He is a member of the Atlanta Estate Planning Council and a member of the American, Ohio, and Georgia Bar Associations (member, Fiduciary Law Section).
Exhibits

Continuously throughout the day, over 50 exhibitors will provide free information and advise – no solicitation – in areas including:

* Health and Wellness
* Financial and Legal
* Home Care and Medical Services
* Enrichment and Leisure

Health Screenings

Throughout the day, Piedmont Hospital will provide free cholesterol and glucose screening. Wampler Wellness will conduct free blood pressure testing as well as Stress Assessments to indicate the impact of stress upon your health and Trigger Point Massage which is both therapeutic and diagnostic.

Lunch - A light lunch will be available for purchase, or you may bring your own.

Door Prizes - Attendees will have the opportunity to register for many door prizes to be given away.

Fontainebleau 5K Run & Walk, Saturday May 17th to benefit Prevent Child Abuse GA

Fontainebleau 5K Run & Walk
Saturday, May 17th
7:30am registration/8:30am start

FEEL GREAT getting some exercise while supporting a good cause! Proceeds from the event will benefit Prevent Child Abuse Georgia and the Fontainebleau Swim & Tennis Club!

CHOOSE from a 5 Kilometer (3.1 miles) route or 1-mile fun run starting and finishing at the Fontainebleau Swim & Tennis Club.

RECEIVE a t-shirt and great goodie bag with fabulous free stuff including Waffle House coupons, Chic-fil-a coupons, free smoothies and more! Awards will be presented to the overall Male & Female top finishers.

REGISTER TODAY for only $15 per person before May 2 or $20 on event day. A special family rate of $40 applies to families with 3 or more adult participants. The family rate includes 2 adult and 2 kids t-shirts. Children under age 12 are free and will receive a finishers medal!

Download a registration form at WWW.FSTC-ATL.COM

2008 Local Sponsors

• Anchors Chiropractic
• Chalpan Insurance
• Douglas R. Thompson, P.C. Attorney at Law
• Dunwoody Renovators, LLC
• FEDEX Kinko's
• David G. Godchild, Jr., D.M.D
• Genesis Bible Church
• Heaven'Lee Balloon Creations
• Jane Jones - Certified P.T.R. Professional 770.394.5097
• Operation Boot Camp
• Patriot Bank of Georgia
• Prevent Child Abuse in Georgia
• Robek's Fruit Smoothies & Healthy Snacks
• Tony Guadagnino/Prudential Georgia Realty
• The Red Rabbit Team-Keller Williams Realty Atlanta Perimeter
• The Suits Team at Keller Williams Realty

Last Year’s Participating Neighborhoods Include: Ashford Chase, The Branches, Brook Farm, Dunwoody Club Forest, Dunwoody Close, Dunwoody North, Deerfield, Fontainebleau, Kingsley, Lockridge Forest, Mayfair, Oxford Chase, Redfield, Spalding Lake, Village Mill, Waterford

PLEASE HELP US MAKE THIS YEAR'S EVENT ANOTHER SUCCESS!!

Dunwoody Elementary School Boundaries are Changing - Meeting Tuesday!

Second Reminder - These Boundaries are changing!

On Tuesday April 15, 2008 at 6:30 p.m. there will be a community meeting at Peachtree Charter Middle School to discuss the new Dunwoody Area Elementary School, attendance lines as well give an update of the school construction project. Previous information provided by the county is available here.

This meeting will affect all Dunwoody elementary school age families and will probably have an effect on property values citywide, since I have heard rumors that a number of home purchases were canceled after the last change was proposed by the school board.

The schools effected by this meeting are, Austin Elementary, Chesnut Charter Elementary, Vanderlyn Elementary and Kingsley Charter Elementary.

Neighborhood Directory Available Soon.

The 2008 Neighborhood Directory listing all 1,000 homes is now at the printer and will be mailed to all paid DNCA members. If you are not yet a member and are interested in receiving a copy, please update your information and pay your $20.00 dues by clicking here.

Click here for a sample of what you will be receiving in the mail.

We would like to thank our advertisers who made the directory possible.

N. Peachtree Rd & I-285 - 70,000 sf of Office Space & 665 Apartments. Meeting Wednesday.

Perimeter Crest Office Park which is located behind the former Hanwoori restaurant (across from Pets are People Too) at I-285 & North Peachtree (just south of Savoy) has applied for a rezoning and special use permit. The application states...

The Subject Property currently houses a 1960's-style industrial park, which is only 26% occupied. Once redeveloped, the Subject Property will contain 70,000 sf of office space. The office buildings will front Perimeter Park Drive and will be moved closer to the street to create a more urban and pedestrian friendly environment. An application for a setback variance will be filed in conjunction with this application.

The Subject Property also will contain 665 multifamily residential units (to include workforce housing) and an 8,000 sf community center. The multifamily units will be contained in 3 buildings: a 7-story, 340 unit structure wrapped around a 6-story parking deck; a 4-5 story multi-family structure wrapped around a 4-5 story parking deck, and a 4-story, 80 unit structure. The applicant is filing contemporaneously herewith an application for a Special Use Permit to allow the heights and types of high-rise development the project contemplates. Overall, the residential density will be 37.5 units per acre (a base density of 30 units per acre plus a 25% density bonus for workforce housing).

The Ashford Alliance (much like the Dunwoody Homeowners Association) Planning and Development Committee will be holding an open meeting with the developer this evening (Wednesday) at 7 pm at St. Martin in the Fields Episcopal Church 3110 Ashford Dunwoody Road Atlanta, GA 30319 Enter through Gable Hall entrance, Follow through Gable Hall, Meeting room straight ahead.

This issue will also need to be reviewed at the DeKalb Community Council Meeting on April 22 at 6:30 PM at the Chamblee Library prior to being heard by the DeKalb Board of Commissioners on May 6th.

The Dunwoody North Civic Association will be attending these meetings and we encourage you to join us.

Thanks.

Dunwoody H.S. Soccer Coaches offer soccer camp to children ages 5 to 12.

Dunwoody North's Mike Mey is again offering M&M Soccer Camp for rising soccer stars ages 5 to 12.

Coaches Mike Mey of Olgethorpe University and Dunwoody High School and Mike Fleming of Dunwoody High School offer four summer sessions to children ages 5-12. This is a half day camp running from 8:30am – 12:30pm with early drop off availability at 8am. The cost is $80 per child.

Application available here.

For more information call Mike Mey at 404-403-2274 or Mike Fleming at 770-294-6590 or e-mail at ameyzing@comcast.net

Last Minute Dunwoody Property Transfer Bill Fails & Future DeKalb CEO Loses Power - GoDeKalb

Sunday, 06 April 2008
Mary Swint of broadcastatlanta.com

With about five minutes left in the 2008 session on April 4, Rep. Fran Millar of Dunwoody attempted the legislative equivalent of a Hail Mary pass. He moved for adoption of House Bill 1015, which had been amended in the Senate to provide for the transfer of county property to a newly created city. The motion failed by a wide margin.

When HB 1015, sponsored by Rep. Jan Jones, passed the House on February 20 by a vote of 159 to 0, it only dealt with the provision of county services in noncontiguous areas after the creation of a city.

Later the Senate State and Local Governmental Operations Committee amended it extensively to cover the transfer of property from a county to a newly formed city and gave the bill a sunset date December 31, 2009. The bill was tabled in the Senate on April 2 but on April 4, the last day of the session, it was taken off the table and passed the Senate. The House would not accept the Senate’s amendment to the bill.

Millar told the House the bill would only apply to Dunwoody. Earlier in the session the legislature passed SB 82, which will allow the residents of Dunwoody to vote in a referendum on July 15 on whether to form a new city. The companion bill SB 83, which remained tabled in committee in the House, would have set prices any new city would pay their county to acquire property.

Under HB 1015, Dunwoody or DeKalb County could have petitioned the court for mandatory mediation if the two governments could not reach an agreement on the purchase price for a police station, fire station, or park. If no agreement was reached at the conclusion of the mediation, either the county or city could have petitioned the superior court to resolve the dispute. The bill did not set specific prices for the properties.

The amended bill also would have allowed the city to pay for the property purchases over 25 years with interest. It also provided for the payment to Dunwoody of bond revenue that the county had designated for projects in that area, such as improvements to Brook Run Park. Also the bill would have prevented the county from rezoning property inside Dunwoody before the new city could take over planning and zoning inside its borders.

After another DeKalb legislator objected to the extensive revisions in the bill, Rep. Jill Chambers indicated the bill was important to Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle. This was significant because House Speaker Glenn Richardson had angrily criticized Cagle several times that evening for blocking his tax reform bill and even called for a new lieutenant governor.

After the session ended, Millar said, “Rep. Chambers continued her misstatements by saying the Lt. Governor really wanted the bill.” Millar said the legislation was not necessary.

In other actions on April 4, the House adopted Senate Bill 52, which the Senate had passed on Feb. 14, 2007. This legislation would allow DeKalb voters to vote in a special election on whether DeKalb CEOs should be prohibited from presiding at Board of Commissioners meetings and setting agendas for the meetings. However, the bill said the election should be held in 2007. It is not clear whether the date was changed before the local delegation approved the bill.

Another bill supported by some DeKalb legislators, SB 89, did not come up for a vote in the full House although a committee gave it a favorable recommendation on March 20. That bill would have established the procedure for creating townships to control zoning and land development.

Anderson Community Rally - May 16th @ Kingsley Racquet & Swim

THE ANDERSON COMMUNITY RALLY
benefiting The Anderson Project

Many of you have heard of the tragic death of Matt Anderson in January; a loving father and husband from Dunwoody Club Forest. Several weeks have passed since he died and a group of friends, family and neighbors are pulling together to organize events to support the family during this difficult time and for the future. We need your help. On Friday, May16th 2008 we will hold the Anderson Community Rally, to benefit the Anderson Project. We hope you can join us and appreciate your support.

Tickets are $75 each for an evening of food, fun and music.
There will also be a live and silent auction in support of the event at

http://theandersonproject.org

The Kingsley Racquet and Swim Club
4870 N. Peachtree Rd., Dunwoody 30338
Friday, May 16th
7-11pm

You can also purchase tickets by sending a check to:
The Anderson Project,
PO Box #320, 5579-B Chamblee Dunwoody Road,
Dunwoody, GA 30338
(Payable to The Anderson Children’s Scholarship Assistance Fund)

What is the Anderson Community Rally? This is an opportunity for the community to rally around Nancy and her three children, Jason, Ellie and Kinsey; to show them our love and give them our emotional and financial support.

What is the Anderson Project? The Anderson Project was born out of Nancy’s desire to raise awareness and provide resources for families of both depression and suicide. Please visit http://theandersonproject.org for more information.

How Can You Help?

1. Plan to be at The Anderson Community Rally on 5/16/08
2. Donate, Donate, Donate items, food & beverages and services for the live and silent auction. Local advertising will reach over 30,000 Dunwoody and Sandy Springs families.
3. Please also consider helping with this event as a volunteer
4. Regularly visit http://theandersonproject.org to purchase your Anderson Community Rally Tickets, get updates and invaluable suicide and depression resources. It is Nancy’s hope that something positive will come from something so tragic.

Please consider being part of this very worthy cause. The Anderson Project Support Group is: Terra and Bill Calhoon, Christina Hermetz, Louis and Marianne Hibbs, Jimmy & Jenny Hibbs, Mark & Vicki Hibbs, Lynn Jobe, Sam & Mary Lou Kale, Shelley Levy, Jim & Ellen McCormick Kevin & Lea Mitchell, Randolph Page, Joe & Maureen Santoli, John & Jacque Shaffer, Jan Slimming, Brandi & Lawrence Stevens, Dunwoody United Methodist Church.

To Donate or if you have questions, please contact: Shelley Levy (770-730-0176) Jan Slimming (770-350-8253) Brandi Stevens (770-396-0063)

Becky Springer Fund - Order Pine Straw for a good cause.

Dear Neighbor,

My name is Mary Emma Carlisle and I am writing on behalf of my neighbor, Mrs. Becky Springer. Mrs. Springer caught a rare strand of the flu and went into septic shock. She has been in ICU for over a month and has endured drastic measures to save her life. However, she is in good spirits and appreciates everyone's prayers. I am looking to help the family with the many challenges that lay ahead such as, child care, physical therapy, four prosthetics, and home renovations.

We have contracted with Atlanta's leading supplier of pine straw, mulch and pine bark. They have been serving Atlanta for over twenty years and work with St. Ives and St. Marlo with their annual fund raisers. St. Marlo recently sold over 5,000 bails this year. My goal is to surpass them with the help and support of the Dunwoody community.

I will be donating all proceeds to The Becky Springer Fund that has been set up through Dunwoody United Methodist Church. Please consider making a tax deductible donation directly to the fund if you do not have a need for any of the included products.

Attached please find an order form with order instructions and pricing. If possible, I would ask that you e-mail an electronic copy to scar5@bellsouth.net and then send a check made payable to Springer Landscape Drive. I will also accept hard copy and phone orders. Please do not hesitate to call with an order or any questions you may have.

If you can please have all order forms and payment completed by April 25th. Delivery is schedule for May 5th. Thank you in advance for your support in making this a successful fund raiser for the Springer family!

Sincerely,

Mary Emma Carlisle
scar5@bellsouth.net
Phone: 678-231-3365
1026 Redfield Lane
Dunwoody, GA 30338

Dekalb County Plumbing Retrofit Rebate Program

On February 26, 2008 DeKalb County approved the Inefficient Plumbing Fixtures Replacement Plan. This ordinance calls for any home built prior to 1993 to have low flow toilet & plumbing fixtures installed before the homeowner can obtain water from the county.

The County is now offering a $100.00 rebate on each replaced water efficient toilet, up to a maximum of three toilets per household. For guidelines and more information on the Toilet Retrofit Rebate Program as well as updated outdoor water restrictions and conservation tips, please visit the DeKalb County Department of Watershed Management website at www.dekalbwatershed.com.

Effective June 1, 2008, Sellers will be required to disclose the DeKalb County Ordinance when selling their homes and before the new homeowner can obtain water service, they must provide written proof from a home inspector, licensed plumber or a Department of Watershed Inspector. This certificate will be required with their application for water service. Single family homes & condos will need to have the following:

1. Toilets can have a max 1.6 gallons per flush
2. Shower heads can put out a max 2.5 gallons per minute
3. Lavatory faucets can put out a max 2.0 gallons per minute
4. Kitchen faucets can put out a max 2.2 gallons per minute

Based on average home sales statistics, DeKalb County foresees saving 360,000 gallons of water a day by enacting this ordinance and predict it will take more than 33 years to replace all of the older water guzzling toilets & fixtures.

Now there are some exemptions to this ordinance and they include the following:

1. Foreclosure Sales
2. Family Sales from spouse to spouse or from parents to their children
3. Homes that will be demolished after the sale
4. Circumstances where the cost of the toilet will be over $1,000.00 per toilet to change out

If you violate these new laws, you are subject to the following penalties:

1. 1st violation will be a warning
2. 2nd violation (within 12 months of first violation) will be $250.00
3. 3rd violation (within 12 months of first violation) will be $500.00

New Dunwoody Elem - Attendance Lines & Project Update Meeting on Apr 15

On Tuesday April 15, 2008 at 6:30 p.m. there will be a community meeting at Peachtree Charter Middle School to discuss the new Dunwoody Area Elementary School, attendance lines as well give an update of the school construction project. Previous information provided by the county is available here.

This meeting will affect all Dunwoody elementary school age families and will probably have an effect on property values citywide, since I have heard rumors that a number of home purchases were canceled after the last change was proposed by the school board.

The schools effected by this meeting are, Austin Elementary, Chesnut Charter Elementary, Vanderlyn Elementary and Kingsley Charter Elementary.

Tuesday April 15 @ 6:30 p.m.
Peachtree Charter Middle School
4664 North Peachtree Road
Dunwoody, Georgia 30338

Get there early, it will be crowded.

Doraville Annexation matches Dunwoody's Border

On April 2nd the Georgia Senate passed House Bill 1378, the Doraville annexation legislation. The bill calls for a referendum in the area to be annexed as part of the General Election on November 4. Gov. Perdue will have to sign the bill and the Justice Department will have to approve it before the referendum can take place.

The Dunwoody North Civic Association worked closely with the Citizens for Dunwoody and the City of Doraville in order to hammer out the proper boundaries between the two cities. The final plan is identical from that of a January 2006 proposal except that it was decided that the Dunwoody & Doraville boundaries would now extend all the way to the Gwinnett County Line.

Below is a brief recap of the Doraville Annexation as it relates to Dunwoody (& the Dunwoody North Subdivision).

The new City of Dunwoody will snake along the Southern portion of I-285 and cross at the Doraville line, go behind the Gardens of Dunwoody (located on N. Peachtree Road) and will follow the Carver & Ridgeway property lines until it reaches the creek behind the gas station.

The Carver Circle area which is land locked between I-285 & Peachtree Industrial is already part of the City of Doraville and is only accessible by the PTI access road. Ridgeway Drive is a small subdivision in unincorporated DeKalb just North of Carver that is only accessible by the same access road. For the efficient delivery of city services (like police) it made sense to allow Doraville to annex the Ridgeway property since they are already serving the Carver area and it didn't make sense to force Doraville to travel through Dunwoody in order to service an existing part of Doraville.

The intersection boundaries at the Northwest corner of Peachtree Industrial & Tilly Mill were cleaned up by allowing Doraville to annex the gas station on the corner so that there would be no ambiguity over future road maintenance and law enforcement. Doraville City Limits will control the Tilly Mill Road right of way up to it current boundary and one lot on the east side of the street will be annexed into Doraville. At one point the city boundaries were going to meet in the middle of the road, but when auto accidents happen under those circumstances both police departments have a hard time proving jurisdiction, therefore it was decided that Doraville would have the official responsibility of maintaining and policing Tilly Mill Road located between the two cities.

The new City of Dunwoody boundary line will cross Tilly Mill just N of Stonington Rd. heading E to follow the current Doraville boundary until it meets the Peachtree Industrial access road. Dunwoody will control all access roads north of the main Peachtree Industrial roadway until it meets the Gwinnett County Line at Winters Chapel.

The City of Doraville of course will retain all jurisdiction on the main Peachtree Industrial Boulevard within it's boundaries, so lead foots beware.