Chesnut Charter Elementary School in Dunwoody will have a completely new management team in place when the kids go back to school. It was announced this week that both Principal, Dr. Angelique Conner and Assistant Principal, Ms. Ellen Malka are leaving Chesnut to pursue other opportunities within DeKalb County.
Both positions have already been filled and I am told the applicants resumes look very strong with great skills and will bring many positive things to Chesnut. The new principal will be Dr. Richard Reid, a veteran principal who comes to us from Forrest Hills Elementary School in Decatur. The new Assistant Principal will be Ms. Veronica Williams, a current 4th grade teacher at Montgomery with VERY strong academic and instructional skills.
Both are very aware of the Charter and all that comes with it and both are very aware of Chesnut's history of “intense” parental involvement and are welcoming to both.
Welcome to Dr. Reid and Ms. Williams.
Friday, May 30, 2008
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Video: Barnes hired to Fight Dunwoody Cityhood
The City of Dunwoody legislation was approved by both the Georgia State Legislature and the U.S. Department of Justice in order to move forward with a referendum vote on July 15.
Because of a recent open records request made by the Dunwoody Crier, it was discovered that in April of 2007, Vernon Jones hired former Gov. Roy Barnes to contest the state legislation allowing a referendum on a city of Dunwoody and the apportionment of Homestead Option Sales Tax funds. The DeKalb Board of Commissioners who just learned of this were shocked that the expenditures have been taking place for over a year without their knowledge, but under the CEO form of government the BOC are helpless besides not approving further expenditures above the $100,000 CEO spending limit.
The lawsuit if filed by DeKalb County will be against the State of Georgia not the against the city or citizens of Dunwoody.
All residents of DeKalb County need to fight to change the current form of government in DeKalb County. The first step happens on July 15th with the election for our next CEO and then in November there is the SB 52 referendum which will limit the CEO's powers.
I am hoping that a reasonable candidate for CEO emerges who understands that Dunwoody will always be part of DeKalb, as will the businesses in the community. Lawsuits are just a waste of money.
Because of a recent open records request made by the Dunwoody Crier, it was discovered that in April of 2007, Vernon Jones hired former Gov. Roy Barnes to contest the state legislation allowing a referendum on a city of Dunwoody and the apportionment of Homestead Option Sales Tax funds. The DeKalb Board of Commissioners who just learned of this were shocked that the expenditures have been taking place for over a year without their knowledge, but under the CEO form of government the BOC are helpless besides not approving further expenditures above the $100,000 CEO spending limit.
The lawsuit if filed by DeKalb County will be against the State of Georgia not the against the city or citizens of Dunwoody.
All residents of DeKalb County need to fight to change the current form of government in DeKalb County. The first step happens on July 15th with the election for our next CEO and then in November there is the SB 52 referendum which will limit the CEO's powers.
I am hoping that a reasonable candidate for CEO emerges who understands that Dunwoody will always be part of DeKalb, as will the businesses in the community. Lawsuits are just a waste of money.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
GA Speeding Laws need to be Changed - here is just another example.
I have harped on the Georgia State Laws which tie law enforcements hands when attempting to enforce reasonable speed limits, I have passed out Slow Down signs to my neighbors and even influenced legislation attempting to affect change.
In the end, the laws were not changed and here is yet another example for the legislature to address when the next session starts.
In the end, the laws were not changed and here is yet another example for the legislature to address when the next session starts.
Knitternall asks: What if we had to stay home?
One my favorite Dunwoody bloggers cuts to the quick regarding the gas crisis and a possible return to a simpler (yet harder) way of life.
What if the gas-driven economy truly, permanently lead to a back-to-basics, only the truly wealthy can afford to travel, eat out, etc. etc.? When my grandmother was a girl, a trip to the beach was a once-in-a-lifetime event, even though she lived just six hours away by car. The cost was just inconceivable. A family had to be able to own a car, afford time off from work, able to pay the cost of a hotel as well as meals out.Check out Knitternall
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
DeKalb hires Roy Barnes to oppose city of Dunwoody
The Dunwoody Crier is reporting that former Gov. Roy Barnes has been on the DeKalb County payroll since April of 2007 to contest the state legislation allowing a referendum on a city of Dunwoody and the apportionment of Homestead Option Sales Tax funds.
If a suit is to be filed, it would be the taxpayers of DeKalb suing the state of Georgia, not the residents of Dunwoody.
At the time of Barnes’ hiring, the bill allowing a referendum on cityhood had just been defeated in the state House, but HB 264, the distribution of HOST funds to cities including Dunwoody, had passed and become law. The Dunwoody legislation passed this spring and was signed into law.
Last month, DeKalb’s chief executive, Vernon Jones, took the Board of Commissioners into executive session to discuss litigation and it is believed that another executive session was again scheduled for this morning.
PDK Good Neighbor Airshow, Sat. June 7, 2008 (Noon to 5 p.m.)
Saturday June 7, 2008
12:00 noon – 5:00 PM
12:00 noon – 5:00 PM
DeKalb Peachtree Airport’s Annual
Good Neighbor Day Airshow and Open House
“From Camp Gordon to the Future”
2000 Airport Road, Atlanta, GA 30341
(Enter off Clairmont)
(770) 936-5440
www.pdkairport.org
Good Neighbor Day Airshow and Open House
“From Camp Gordon to the Future”
2000 Airport Road, Atlanta, GA 30341
(Enter off Clairmont)
(770) 936-5440
www.pdkairport.org
Monday, May 26, 2008
Dunwoody 4th of July Parade 2008 @ 9:30 a.m.
Dunwoody Salutes Celebrating Freedom Fourth of July Parade!
Red, White and Dunwoody!
On Friday, July 4, 2008 at 9:30 a.m.,
the Dunwoody Homeowners Association and the Dunwoody Crier Newspaper will host the annual 4th of July Parade featuring five marching bands, floats, clowns, animal units and local celebrities. Last year the parade attracted over 2,000 participants and 25,000 spectators!
Here are ways YOU can get involved!
Become a Cash or In-kind Sponsor
We offer many levels of sponsorship ~ a customized sponsor package
can be designed to fit your needs. Sponsors are included in various levels of our advertising program. We will work with our sponsors to create the best ways to showcase their business or organization. Options range from building a float, having your mascot ride in a convertible, getting your employees involved, to sponsoring an existing parade unit.
Participate in the Parade
Grab your friends, family and coworkers and show your community support. Get creative build a float, get in costume, or decorate a vehicle. We can help you come up with the perfect idea.
Volunteers Needed
If you are interested in volunteering for the parade,
please contact Pam Talmadge (PTALL@BELLSOUTH.NET).
Positions include Registration, Parade Route Marshals,
and the Family Festival area after the parade.
Spread the Word
Display parade posters / flyers in your office, business or organization
Forward this to your friends, family and coworkers.
Contact us today: 404-577-4212 ~ mullholl@bellsouth.net
Post-Parade Festival
Join us for a family festival in the parking lot of Dunwoody Village.
We invite all parade participants and spectators to join us for live entertainment, kids activities, and BBQ. Tickets for the BBQ can be bought onsite for $7.00.
Presenting Sponsors | |
Platinum Sponsors | |
Gold Sponsors | |
Silver Sponsors | |
Bronze Sponsors | |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Parade Route?
The parade route is 2.5 miles. It steps off from intersection of Mount Vernon and Jett Ferry at 9:30 a.m., proceeds west on Mount Vernon to Dunwoody Village Parkway. Turn right and follow the right side of median to Holway’s, turn left into Dunwoody Village parking lot. Volunteers will guide you to parade parking. It takes approximately 1 hour to walk the entire parade route. You can view a map of the parade route on the Dunwoody Crier website – visit www.thecrier.net.
How do I register for the Parade?
You can register right here.
What roads will be closed and when will they close?
Mount Vernon Road between Jett Ferry and Dunwoody Village Parkway will close from 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Remember the reason for the holiday.
In 1868 our country set aside one day to “…cherish tenderly the memories of our heroic dead who made their breast a barricade between our country and its foes”.
Monday morning at 9 a.m. there will be a Remembrance Ceremony at Brook Run Park to honor all veterans that have served this great country. The guest speaker is Dunwoody resident Denis L. Shortal, Brigadier General, USMC, retired, a friend of mine whom I respect and admire on many different levels.
Also attending the ceremony will will be DeKalb CEO Vernon Jones.
Monday morning at 9 a.m. there will be a Remembrance Ceremony at Brook Run Park to honor all veterans that have served this great country. The guest speaker is Dunwoody resident Denis L. Shortal, Brigadier General, USMC, retired, a friend of mine whom I respect and admire on many different levels.
Also attending the ceremony will will be DeKalb CEO Vernon Jones.
Memorial Day Ceremony
Monday 9 a.m.
Brook Run Park Auditorium
4770 N. Peachtree Rd.
Dunwoody, GA 30338
Monday 9 a.m.
Brook Run Park Auditorium
4770 N. Peachtree Rd.
Dunwoody, GA 30338
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Absentee Ballots now available for July 15th City of Dunwoody Referendum
If your going to be out of town on July 15th and want to retain your right to vote, the application for an absentee ballot is now available here.
SAMPLE BALLOTS FOR JULY 15 GENERAL PRIMARY
Democratic Sample Ballot
Republican Sample Ballot
Nonpartisan Sample Ballot
Democratic Sample Ballot
Republican Sample Ballot
Nonpartisan Sample Ballot
Monday, May 19, 2008
DeKalb School Referendum for July 15th
In viewing the ballot for July 15th I see that the DeKalb Board of Education will be having a referendum on the ballot. Since this is the first time that I have heard of the up coming referendum, I figured I would publicize it. The vote looks to continue the homestead exemption that was scheduled to end on December 31, 2007 but the way it is worded it is very confusing and people looking at this for the first time in the booth may get this wrong.
Hell I'm not sure if I'm even reading this correctly, so I am guessing that this is suppose to be purposely confusing so that we get this wrong and lose our exemption. Why else would they put this on the ballot in this format?
Below was the explanation that I found on the BOE website from the March 3rd meeting, as well as a supporting file; but it reads much different then what is on the ballot.
Maybe I need to ask my Third Grader?
Requested Action
It is recommended that the Board approve the resolution requesting the DeKalb County Legislative Delegation introduce local legislation granting DeKalb County residents a homestead exemption from school district ad valorem taxes by reducing the value of their homestead by $2,500 for any year during which a special purpose local option sales tax for educational purposes is in effect in DeKalb County.
Police Take Home Cars / Gas Prices vs. City Housing Stipends
I have said previously that I believe that police officers should be paid enough to afford to live within, and be an integral part of, the communities they serve and protect. John's Creek offers housing stipends to it's officers who choose to live within the City and I believe it's step in the right direction in giving these officers a stake in the community as well making them available for emergency calls if the need arises.
Georgia Law prohibits public employees from being required to live within the boundaries of a municipality as a condition of employment. However, there are cities that have cleverly gone around such laws by requiring their employees to live not necessarily in the municipality, but within a certain distance of their work station.
If Dunwoody were to become a city, I'm not sure if the City Counsel would set such strict requirements on residency, but like John's Creek they may choose to offer reasonable housing benefits for those who do decide to live in the city limits.
What Dunwoody resident wouldn't want a Dunwoody Police car parked in the neighborhood from time to time and think of the huge gas savings on those take home cars.
Just an idea that was reinforced after seeing this news clip.
Georgia Law prohibits public employees from being required to live within the boundaries of a municipality as a condition of employment. However, there are cities that have cleverly gone around such laws by requiring their employees to live not necessarily in the municipality, but within a certain distance of their work station.
If Dunwoody were to become a city, I'm not sure if the City Counsel would set such strict requirements on residency, but like John's Creek they may choose to offer reasonable housing benefits for those who do decide to live in the city limits.
What Dunwoody resident wouldn't want a Dunwoody Police car parked in the neighborhood from time to time and think of the huge gas savings on those take home cars.
Just an idea that was reinforced after seeing this news clip.
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Living a Mayberry Fantasy in Dunwoody, GA while reporting on the push for Cityhood.
For my loyal readers, please excuse me taking a day away from the blog to live in my “Mayberry Fantasy” existence whereby I was able to work all day to earn a living, attend my son’s grade school musical and then close out the evening, dancing with my wife as I was able to support a Dunwoody neighbor in need. I am truly blessed.
Thursday night’s meeting on the incorporation of Dunwoody was well attended, in spite of the rain, with over 300 residents having their questions answered by the forum arranged by the Dunwoody Homeowners Association. In the end, there was little controversy with the Citizens for Dunwoody panel easily answering most, if not all of the questions and the “opposition” panel being silent for most of the night. Possible tax increases was the big subject of the evening and the Citizens for Dunwoody handouts quickly identified that the actual taxes going to the city is about $200.00 depending on the assessed value of your home and that possible future tax increases are capped at 1 mil unless there is a referendum approved by the citizens. They also stressed that all homestead & senior citizen exemptions would remain in place if the city were to take over therefore your tax bill would be essentially unchanged.
Yvonne Williams, President of the Perimeter Community Improvement District, who was forced to sit at the “opposition” table though she and her organization are truly neutral on the subject; clearly dispelled all of the rumors that have been floated through the press in the last week by Rep. Jill Chambers. Ms. Williams stressed that the PCID legislation which enacted their charter would easily transfer to the new City for the area of the PCID in its jurisdiction. She stated that the vitality of the Perimeter Business District is an essential part of our community, the County, the State and the Southeastern United States.
DeKalb Commissioner Jeff Rader, who represents an area outside of the proposed city limits tried to stress that the county as a whole might lose $18 million dollars in lost revenue (out the 1 Billion Dollars the county brings in annually) and because of that loss the county may have to raise taxes on everyone in the county to make up for the loss in revenue. What Mr. Rader forgot to mention was that the county would not have to serve the city with the services it currently provides the Dunwoody area, therefore expending less of the revenue which they would be receiving. By some of the estimates that I have seen, the total revenue loss to the county after reducing expenses and services currently offered to Dunwoody, would be about 6 million dollars. It’s a shame that Commissioner Rader was willing to threaten the 300 plus county residents in attendance with a possible tax increase over such a small loss in revenue (at least percentage wise) when the County has been proven to waste millions of dollars in “improper” purchasing & contracting procedures. It is this inefficiency and lack of stewardship over our tax dollars which makes the cityhood issue so attractive to many of the residents who were wearing Dunwoody Yes buttons.
The true winner of the evening, besides the citizens who obtained the information they were looking for, was DeKalb Superior Court Judge Cynthia J. Becker who wowed the crowd with her personality, wit and charm. She was an outstanding choice as the moderator who made the evening enjoyable, treated the panelists fairly, and ensured that this informational meeting ran smoothly.
Thursday night’s meeting on the incorporation of Dunwoody was well attended, in spite of the rain, with over 300 residents having their questions answered by the forum arranged by the Dunwoody Homeowners Association. In the end, there was little controversy with the Citizens for Dunwoody panel easily answering most, if not all of the questions and the “opposition” panel being silent for most of the night. Possible tax increases was the big subject of the evening and the Citizens for Dunwoody handouts quickly identified that the actual taxes going to the city is about $200.00 depending on the assessed value of your home and that possible future tax increases are capped at 1 mil unless there is a referendum approved by the citizens. They also stressed that all homestead & senior citizen exemptions would remain in place if the city were to take over therefore your tax bill would be essentially unchanged.
Yvonne Williams, President of the Perimeter Community Improvement District, who was forced to sit at the “opposition” table though she and her organization are truly neutral on the subject; clearly dispelled all of the rumors that have been floated through the press in the last week by Rep. Jill Chambers. Ms. Williams stressed that the PCID legislation which enacted their charter would easily transfer to the new City for the area of the PCID in its jurisdiction. She stated that the vitality of the Perimeter Business District is an essential part of our community, the County, the State and the Southeastern United States.
DeKalb Commissioner Jeff Rader, who represents an area outside of the proposed city limits tried to stress that the county as a whole might lose $18 million dollars in lost revenue (out the 1 Billion Dollars the county brings in annually) and because of that loss the county may have to raise taxes on everyone in the county to make up for the loss in revenue. What Mr. Rader forgot to mention was that the county would not have to serve the city with the services it currently provides the Dunwoody area, therefore expending less of the revenue which they would be receiving. By some of the estimates that I have seen, the total revenue loss to the county after reducing expenses and services currently offered to Dunwoody, would be about 6 million dollars. It’s a shame that Commissioner Rader was willing to threaten the 300 plus county residents in attendance with a possible tax increase over such a small loss in revenue (at least percentage wise) when the County has been proven to waste millions of dollars in “improper” purchasing & contracting procedures. It is this inefficiency and lack of stewardship over our tax dollars which makes the cityhood issue so attractive to many of the residents who were wearing Dunwoody Yes buttons.
The true winner of the evening, besides the citizens who obtained the information they were looking for, was DeKalb Superior Court Judge Cynthia J. Becker who wowed the crowd with her personality, wit and charm. She was an outstanding choice as the moderator who made the evening enjoyable, treated the panelists fairly, and ensured that this informational meeting ran smoothly.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Dunwoody Homeowners Association sponsoring Thursdays forum on City of Dunwoody
Informational Forum
City of Dunwoody
Dunwoody United Methodist Church, Fellowship Hall
Thursday, May 15, 2008
7:30 PM to 9:00 PM
City of Dunwoody
Dunwoody United Methodist Church, Fellowship Hall
Thursday, May 15, 2008
7:30 PM to 9:00 PM
Sponsor: The Dunwoody Homeowners Association
Panel Participants:
Citizens for Dunwoody, Inc.
Perimeter Community Improvement District (PCID)
DeKalb Chamber of Commerce
Also Invited:
DeKalb County Administration
DeKalb County Commission
Moderator: Superior Court Judge Cynthia J. Becker
Neighbor Newspaper, By Tom Spigolon 5/14/08
Gordon Jackson does not believe Thursday's forum designed to air facts about potential incorporation of Dunwoody is a water-shed event in his organization's 40-year history. But the Dunwoody Homeowners Association president believes it could rank highly for his community and the direction its 40,000 residents want to take. The association is scheduled to host the meeting from 7:30 to 9 p.m. at Dunwoody United Methodist Church on Mt. Vernon Road near Ashford Dunwoody Road. Jackson said it is designed to inform residents about each side of the issue of incorporation, which Dunwoody voters will decide in a July 15 election." As laid out in our bylaws - we have to be nonpartisan. DHA has not taken any side on the city issue," he said."We do, however, feel that as an overall entity in Dunwoody representing the homeowners of the entire area that it's incumbent on us to try to host a meeting for the purpose of simply allowing people to ask questions and getting a response to those questions," Jackson said.
Jackson's group will not be represented on the panel, but has invited representatives from the DeKalb County government, Board of Commissioners, DeKalb Chamber of Commerce, the Perimeter Community Improvement District and Citizens for Dunwoody, a fact-finding group which commissioned a University of Georgia study on the effects of incorporation.
DeKalb County Superior Court Judge Cynthia J. Becker will serve as moderator. Each representative will be allowed to briefly speak, followed by them responding to questions from the audience - which Jackson said could total at least 300 people. The association's members wanted to invite groups who had factual information about incorporation, he said."We wanted to go to groups who had real information to put out, in other words, if you're an advocacy group strictly for the purpose of being an advocacy group, we did not feel that they would have any kind of independent information," he said." I don't know that (all groups will) have specific information about taxes and that sort of thing - they may or may not," he said. "They may have a different perspective."
District 40 state Sen. Dan Weber, R-Dunwoody, said he was glad the event had been organized. Weber led the three-year effort to approve the state legislation needed to allow the incorporation vote. "The people have a right to be well-informed before they vote. We have some good citizen groups who are working hard to make sure that happens," he said. Weber, an ex-officio member of the association's board, said he has had no involvement in organization of the event. He said he anticipated possibly being asked to provide some factual information at the meeting.
"I like the fact that the incorporation effort is sort of a citizen-led effort rather than an elected representative or a politician," he said.
Traffic Study / Road Configuration for Womack - New Dunwoody Academy
Dear Ms. Pope,
When you and I last communicated, I was acting as President of the Dunwoody North Civic Association and was concerned about the traffic signal and intersection improvements at Peachtree Charter Middle School, which is directly adjacent to my neighborhood. I’m very happy that the intersection is now complete (except for the countdown timers which the county has promised) and I would like to thank you again for your professionalism in assisting me in rectifying that situation.
Has a final engineered traffic site plan been developed for the site which would show all needed road, striping & signal improvements?
If neither a traffic study nor a final traffic site plan has been developed, I would like to request that both be conducted in the very near future so that the information can be presented to the community in order to alleviate their concerns over the location of the school and the related traffic patterns.
As my committee is also looking into storm water compliance, we are also interested in obtaining these plans and other technical drawings / reports on the construction of the new school. At the meeting at Peachtree which initially introduced the Academy concept, you stated that all drawings and construction plans were and would remain available on line. That evening I reviewed your website and downloaded everything which was available but just recently the documents were taken off the web and or transferred to a different internet location. Could you please provide me (as well as the community) the internet address to continue reviewing these documents as they become available from your shop, the DeKalb County Government and/or the construction contractors? The old address to find the documents was http://sammoss.dekalb.k12.ga.us/Bids/closed.htm
If road and or signal improvements are required to be done by the new City, I fully expect that we be informed of these needed improvements ASAP so that we can budget them appropriately. I also expect that all engineering and design plans of the needed infrastructure improvements be handled by the County government currently in place.
I look forward to working with you.
Sincerely,
John Heneghan, Chairman
Roads & Transportation Task Force
Citizens for Dunwoody
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Electronics Recycling @ Brook Run, Saturday May 24 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
4770 North Peachtree Road
Dunwoody, Georgia 30338
Dunwoody, Georgia 30338
Keep DeKalb Beautiful will offer residents of DeKalb County and metro Atlanta another opportunity to recycle their old electronic items properly and reduce the environmental liability of hazardous material entering Seminole Landfill.
It’s estimated that there are at least 4.4 million PCs and 8 million Televisions in 3 million households in Georgia. This e-waste will eventually become 334,800 tons of e-waste that will end up in our landfills.
Our goal 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.
For further details on the equipment accepted for recycling, click here.
For details on "recycling" a 42 inch or larger plasma flat screen TV along with the accompanying Wii system, please click here.
DeKalb County School Board approved a 4th-5th Grade Academy for the Dunwoody cluster in a unanimous vote
This evening I was unable to attend the DeKalb County School Board Meeting but received word of their decision to finalize the plans for the 4th & 5th grade academy prior to vetting the idea to the community in a meeting which was scheduled for this coming Wednesday evening. I have already received a few e-mails on the topic and wanted to share one of the better ones which also sums up the situation very well. Mr. David Clinch has children in Austin & Peachtree and sent the following e-mail to over 160 individuals, including the entire school board.
The DeKalb County School Board approved a 4th-5th Grade Academy for the Dunwoody cluster in a unanimous vote at their meeting this evening.
Dr. Lewis had told the Dunwoody Chamblee Parents Council meeting at Peachtree Charter Middle last week that he would ask the Board to delay the vote and that they “usually” adhered to such requests from him. In fact, he told the Board only that he had been asked by people at that meeting to make the Board aware of their request for a delay but that he himself was committed to a 4th-5th Grade Academy. While there was some discussion and commentary by some Board members about asking for a delay, it was clear that there was a consensus to vote on the issue this evening and not to delay. Per Board meeting rules there was no opportunity for people in the large crowd to comment.
Dr. Lewis also told the Board that the purpose of the Community meeting that has been set up for this coming Wednesday is not, and never was, to get more input from the community before making a decision on this issue but was arranged only to discuss concerns about why Kingsley and Hightower are being left out of the Academy. This was not the way the meeting was described at Peachtree last week.
There will hopefully still be an opportunity for those that did want a delay in order to get more information to voice their concerns about being denied that opportunity and perhaps also a chance to get some answers for the questions many people still have about an Academy and the affect of this decision on our Elementary Schools.
Whichever solution you supported in this process, the result is that we will soon have four schools in our cluster that are either completely new or structured in a completely new way...a new 4th-5th Grade Academy and the three schools (Austin, Vanderlyn and Chestnut) that will now be K-3 Elementary schools. Kingsley and Hightower also have issues of their own that have not been addressed by an Academy.
Each one of these schools will have serious educational and logistical issues to deal with and, as usual, it will be up to the residents of Dunwoody to do whatever it takes to make each as good as it possibly can be. I hope that we can find ways to work together to help all these schools provide the best possible education for all the children in Dunwoody while we also work separately to ensure that the County improves its communication and decision-making process.
I also hope that we can also find a better way to communicate on a continuous basis as a community about these issues so that we never again get caught by surprise by County decisions or become needlessly fractured along partisan lines because we don’t have an opportunity to come together to discuss these issues properly. If this process has revealed anything it has shown clearly that there is a wealth of energy and passion in this community to get the best for our children and now we need to work hard to channel that energy into creating an inclusive and comprehensive system to help us achieve that goal for years to come.
David Clinch
An Austin, Peachtree (and soon to be Academy) Parent
Monday, May 12, 2008
Dunwoody Beer Festival - Sat May 17 @ Perimeter Mall
In its seventh year, the Dunwoody Beer Festival hosts a combination of over 150 beers, malt beverages, and liquors from countries all over the world.Your admission includes great live entertainment and all the beer and cocktails you can safely consume.
The Dunwoody Beer Festival: Hops For Hope.
One great party for one great cause. All proceeds benefit Camp Twin Lakes, where young spirits soar. Camp Twin Lakes is a not-for-profit organization that offers year-round recreational, therapeutic, and educational programs for children facing serious illnesses and other physical, emotional and life challenges. With its network of partners, Camp Twin Lakes provides life-changing experiences for thousands of children each year at its state-of-the-art, fully accessible facility, located on 500 acres in Rutledge, Georgia, and at other locations throughout the state.Admission includes souvenir pint glass and all the beer you can safely consume. Festival T-Shirts will be available for purchase
Must be 21 or older to attend.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Atlanta Business Chronicle - City of Dunwoody would be good for business
The Citizens for Dunwoody task forces are working hard and interviewing various organizations that are related to operating the future City, including organizations like the Perimeter Community Improvement District. The task forces are not only on fact finding missions but I can tell you that they are building coalitions with future stakeholders so that the transition to city hood would be as smooth as possible for all involved.
Friday's Atlanta Business Chronicle has a nice story outlining the relationship between the new City of Sandy Springs and the business community, and the likelihood that the City of Dunwoody would have that same strong working relationship.
http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2008/05/12/story3.html
Friday, May 9, 2008
Dunwoody Yes group formed & Website
I discovered that a pro Dunwoody group has formed and want to bring it to your attention, their web address is, http://www.votedunwoodyyes.org.
If a citizen group is formed opposing the creation of the City, I will gladly post that information as well, but I have not found one.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Dunwoody Right to Vote Celebration - May 12th
On May 12, the Citizens for Dunwoody, Inc. are hosting a fundraising gala at Café Intermezzo (in Park Place shopping center across from Perimeter Mall.) I invite you to come and I encourage you to use this as an opportunity to provide financial support to Citizens for Dunwoody while having a very pleasant evening of wine and heavy appetizers. Tickets are $50 each.
If you would like to attend, you must have a reservation, as capacity is limited and the final tickets are going fast. If interested please contact Mary Jo Chambless at:
E-mail: MaryJo@vcmssearch.com
Phone: 770 452-9020
Address for mailing your checks is: 2577 Briers North Drive, Dunwoody, GA 30360.
Public Meeting announced by Dr. Crawford Lewis re: new 4th & 5th Grade Academy in Dunwoody
Dr. Crawford Lewis has confirmed a community meeting will be held to address the 4/5 academy, next Wed, May 14th 6pm at Dunwoody High School.
History of the topic.
http://dunwoodynorth.blogspot.com/search/label/Dunwoody%20Academy
http://www.thecrier.net/articles/2008/05/06/front/academy.txt
http://savedunwoodyschools.com
 | Dunwoody ES Enrollment and Forecasts |
| Dunwoody ES Attendance Areas |
Monday, May 5, 2008
Dunwoody Elementary Update - May 5th School Board Work Session
This evening I attended the DeKalb County Board of Education Work Session being held at Peachtree Charter Middle School where the agenda was being finalized for the next official board meeting of May 12th. On the agenda, was item I12, Dunwoody Elementary School Attendance presented by Ms. Patricia A. Pope, Chief Operations Officer of the DCSS. I video taped this item of the agenda and have posted it to youtube as shown below.
The next time that I believe the Dunwoody community may have input on redistricting vs the 4th & 5th grade academy is at the Dunwoody Chamblee Parent Council meeting on Wednesday May 7, 2008 at 9:00 a.m. at Peachtree Charter Middle.
The next time that I believe the Dunwoody community may have input on redistricting vs the 4th & 5th grade academy is at the Dunwoody Chamblee Parent Council meeting on Wednesday May 7, 2008 at 9:00 a.m. at Peachtree Charter Middle.
Dunwoody Pancake Breakfast - Saturday 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. at DHS
Dunwoody High School Wildcat Football
Pancake Breakfast
Saturday, May 10, 2008
8:00 am – 11:30 am
Dunwoody High School Cafeteria
All you can eat pancakes for $6.00
Coffee, Juice, Milk & Bacon will be served
Kids under 5 eat free
Pancake Breakfast
Saturday, May 10, 2008
8:00 am – 11:30 am
Dunwoody High School Cafeteria
All you can eat pancakes for $6.00
Coffee, Juice, Milk & Bacon will be served
Kids under 5 eat free
All proceeds will be used to support the Dunwoody High School Football Team tickets available at the door.
Charity All-Star High School Soccer Game - May 17
See the Atlanta areas best High School Senior Boys battle it out in a charity all star soccer game to raise money for the Soccer for a Cure foundation.
Saturday, May 17th at 5:00 PM
Oglethorpe University
Soccer Stadium
4484 Peachtree Road
Atlanta, GA 30319
$3 per person
$10 per family
Oglethorpe University
Soccer Stadium
4484 Peachtree Road
Atlanta, GA 30319
$3 per person
$10 per family
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Kevin Levitas - General Assembly Delegation Begins Long Overdue Government Restructuring Process
The City Vote for Dunwoody may be important, but reforming DeKalb Government is still critical as we will remain citizens of DeKalb even if we are a City. Because of this we need to be aware that come November, there will be an item on the ballot for our consideration.
This is information from Kevin Levitas (D) - 82nd District, explaining the need to approve a referendum in November to limit the power of the CEO position in DeKalb County. His press release also provided all of the contact information of the DeKalb Delegation and I have copied that into this page as well.
The General Assembly this session passed a very important piece of "local" government-reform legislation for DeKalb County: Senate Bill 52. If approved by DeKalb voters in a referendum this November, SB 52 would finally allow the County Commissioners to set their own meeting agendas and to preside over the meetings.
Remarkably, these powers--and too many others--are currently reserved for the Chief Executive. This results in an excessive concentration of power comparable to allowing the Governor of Georgia to set the agenda for the General Assembly and to preside over its sessions. Moreover, the Chief Executive possesses nearly override-proof veto authority. SB 52 would begin the shift in DeKalb's government back toward a true balance of power.
Although I would have preferred to see passed the more comprehensive reform legislation that I introduced earlier this session (House Bills 1310 and 1311), SB 52 represents an important first step in the restructuring process. My legislation would have given the Commission additional powers that they currently lack, such as investigation and oversight authority over the operations of the County government and the ability to contact administration staff without having to first seek the permission of the Chief Executive. I will continue to advocate for greater reform of DeKalb's government next session. (To read my op- ed piece on the need for reform, which appeared in the AJC last fall, click here.)
As the House sponsor of SB 52, I found only four colleagues willing to co-sponsor the measure after it was passed by the Senate and sent to the House in 2007. Under House procedural rules, passage of local legislation requires a majority of delegation members to sign the bill. In the case of DeKalb, a majority is ten or more. (The Senate has a similar rule.)
However, after the introduction this year of my legislation and discussion of it and a similar measure introduced by Rep. Mike Jacobs, momentum built towards passage of some measure of government reform. Credit is also due to the House Delegation and particularly to Delegation Chairman Stan Watson who appointed a special subcommittee, on which I served, charged with the responsibility of forging a compromise measure, based on my legislation, for the full delegation to consider.
The subcommittee did an excellent job, and the full delegation came together for a frank and thoughtful discussion of the compromise bill. Unfortunately, once an agreement was finally reached, there was not enough time under complicated General Assembly procedural rules for consideration and passage by the Senate in the waning days of the session.
The only available vehicle then was SB 52, to which only slight modifications were permitted by those same rules. So a decision was made to proceed with the best available reform measure. Although it is only a first step, it is an important one and one which I hope will receive voter support this November. I expect and hope that this governmental-reform legislation will be expanded in the future.
In response to a request by a reader of this newsletter, I am providing a contact list, drawn from the General Assembly website, for the other House and Senate members of the DeKalb Delegation.
REPRESENTATIVES:
Pat Gardner (D) - 57th District
668 East Pelham Road
Atlanta, GA 30324
404-873-9944
pat@patgardner.org
Robbin Shipp (D) - 58th District
154 Chester Ave
Atlanta, GA 30316
404-656-6372 (Capitol Office)
robbin@shippforus.com
Georganna Sinkfield (D) - 60th District
Coverdell Legislative Office, Suite 511
Atlanta, GA 30334
404-656-6372 (Capitol Office)
Fran Millar (R) - 79th District
5249 Brooke Farm Drive
Dunwoody, GA 30338
404-487-7329
fran.millar@wachovia.com
Mike Jacobs (R) - 80th District
3823 Granger Drive
Atlanta, GA 30341
770-452-2811
georgiamike@comcast.net
Jill Chambers (R) - 81st District
4372 Stonington Circle
Atlanta, GA 30338
770-458-7732
jillchambers@msn.com
Kevin Levitas (D) - 82nd District
2496 Greenglade Road NE
Atlanta, GA 30345
404-634-9171
kevinlevitas@bellsouth.net
Mary Margaret Oliver (D) - 83rd District
150 E. Ponce de Leon Avenue
Suite 230
Decatur, GA 30030
404-377-0485
marymargaret.oliver@house.ga.gov
Stacey Abrams (D) - 84th District
1912 Hosea Williams Drive
Atlanta, GA 30317
404-378-9434
staceyabrams@gmail.com
Stephanie Stuckey Benfield (D) - 85th District
940 Artwood Road NE
Atlanta, GA 30307
404-377-7014
stuckey@mindspring.com
Karla Drenner (D) - 86th District
PO Box 348
Avondale Estates, GA 30002
404-508-4128 (Capitol Office)
dren16999@aol.com
Michele Henson (D) - 87th District
4140 Creek Stone Court
Stone Mountain, GA 30083
404-296-1442
michele.henson@house.ga.gov
Billy Mitchell (D) - 88th District
PO Box 88
Stone Mountain, GA 30086
770-465-8800
Earnest "Coach" Williams (D) - 89th District
PO Box 436
Avondale Estates, GA 30002
404-656-0202 (Capitol Office)
earnest.williams@house.ga.gov
Howard Mosby (D) - 90th District
2101 Sugar Creek Falls Drive
Atlanta, GA 30316
404-656-0287 (Capitol Office)
Stan Watson (D) - 91st District
4299 Sherwood Oaks Drive
Decatur, GA 30034
678-360-0742 (Cell)
stan_watson@matria.com
Pam Stephenson (D) - 92nd District
1201 Peachtree Street
Building 400, Suite 2020
Atlanta, GA 30361
404-815-7400
pam.stephenson@house.ga.gov
Vacant - 93rd District
Randal Mangham (D) - 94th District
PO Box 639
Decatur, GA 30031
404-525-0100
repmangham@gmail.com
SENATORS:
Curt Thompson (D) - 5th District
6320 Glenbrook Drive
Tucker, GA 30084
404-575-2223
curt.thompson@senate.ga.gov
Emanuel Jones (D) - 10th District
PO Box 370244
Decatur, GA 30037
770-964-8888
emanuel.jones@senate.ga.gov
Dan Weber (R) - 40th District
1117 Winterhall Lane
Dunwoody, GA 30338
404-442-1810
dan.weber@senate.ga.gov
Steve Henson (D) - 41st District
2643 Sterling Acres Drive
Tucker, GA 30084
404-243-5107
steve.henson@senate.ga.gov
David Adelman (D) - 42nd District
PO Box 1231
Decatur, GA 30031
404-853-8206
david.adelman@senate.ga.gov
Ronald B. Ramsey (D) - 43rd District
5271 Snapfinger Woods Drive
Decatur, GA 30035
404-281-9948
ronald.ramsey@senate.ga.gov
Gloria Butler (D) - 55th District
6241 Southland Trace
Stone Mountain, GA 30087
404-656-0075 (Capitol Office)
gloria.butler@senate.ga.gov
This is information from Kevin Levitas (D) - 82nd District, explaining the need to approve a referendum in November to limit the power of the CEO position in DeKalb County. His press release also provided all of the contact information of the DeKalb Delegation and I have copied that into this page as well.
The General Assembly this session passed a very important piece of "local" government-reform legislation for DeKalb County: Senate Bill 52. If approved by DeKalb voters in a referendum this November, SB 52 would finally allow the County Commissioners to set their own meeting agendas and to preside over the meetings.
Remarkably, these powers--and too many others--are currently reserved for the Chief Executive. This results in an excessive concentration of power comparable to allowing the Governor of Georgia to set the agenda for the General Assembly and to preside over its sessions. Moreover, the Chief Executive possesses nearly override-proof veto authority. SB 52 would begin the shift in DeKalb's government back toward a true balance of power.
Although I would have preferred to see passed the more comprehensive reform legislation that I introduced earlier this session (House Bills 1310 and 1311), SB 52 represents an important first step in the restructuring process. My legislation would have given the Commission additional powers that they currently lack, such as investigation and oversight authority over the operations of the County government and the ability to contact administration staff without having to first seek the permission of the Chief Executive. I will continue to advocate for greater reform of DeKalb's government next session. (To read my op- ed piece on the need for reform, which appeared in the AJC last fall, click here.)
As the House sponsor of SB 52, I found only four colleagues willing to co-sponsor the measure after it was passed by the Senate and sent to the House in 2007. Under House procedural rules, passage of local legislation requires a majority of delegation members to sign the bill. In the case of DeKalb, a majority is ten or more. (The Senate has a similar rule.)
However, after the introduction this year of my legislation and discussion of it and a similar measure introduced by Rep. Mike Jacobs, momentum built towards passage of some measure of government reform. Credit is also due to the House Delegation and particularly to Delegation Chairman Stan Watson who appointed a special subcommittee, on which I served, charged with the responsibility of forging a compromise measure, based on my legislation, for the full delegation to consider.
The subcommittee did an excellent job, and the full delegation came together for a frank and thoughtful discussion of the compromise bill. Unfortunately, once an agreement was finally reached, there was not enough time under complicated General Assembly procedural rules for consideration and passage by the Senate in the waning days of the session.
The only available vehicle then was SB 52, to which only slight modifications were permitted by those same rules. So a decision was made to proceed with the best available reform measure. Although it is only a first step, it is an important one and one which I hope will receive voter support this November. I expect and hope that this governmental-reform legislation will be expanded in the future.
In response to a request by a reader of this newsletter, I am providing a contact list, drawn from the General Assembly website, for the other House and Senate members of the DeKalb Delegation.
REPRESENTATIVES:
Pat Gardner (D) - 57th District
668 East Pelham Road
Atlanta, GA 30324
404-873-9944
pat@patgardner.org
Robbin Shipp (D) - 58th District
154 Chester Ave
Atlanta, GA 30316
404-656-6372 (Capitol Office)
robbin@shippforus.com
Georganna Sinkfield (D) - 60th District
Coverdell Legislative Office, Suite 511
Atlanta, GA 30334
404-656-6372 (Capitol Office)
Fran Millar (R) - 79th District
5249 Brooke Farm Drive
Dunwoody, GA 30338
404-487-7329
fran.millar@wachovia.com
Mike Jacobs (R) - 80th District
3823 Granger Drive
Atlanta, GA 30341
770-452-2811
georgiamike@comcast.net
Jill Chambers (R) - 81st District
4372 Stonington Circle
Atlanta, GA 30338
770-458-7732
jillchambers@msn.com
Kevin Levitas (D) - 82nd District
2496 Greenglade Road NE
Atlanta, GA 30345
404-634-9171
kevinlevitas@bellsouth.net
Mary Margaret Oliver (D) - 83rd District
150 E. Ponce de Leon Avenue
Suite 230
Decatur, GA 30030
404-377-0485
marymargaret.oliver@house.ga.gov
Stacey Abrams (D) - 84th District
1912 Hosea Williams Drive
Atlanta, GA 30317
404-378-9434
staceyabrams@gmail.com
Stephanie Stuckey Benfield (D) - 85th District
940 Artwood Road NE
Atlanta, GA 30307
404-377-7014
stuckey@mindspring.com
Karla Drenner (D) - 86th District
PO Box 348
Avondale Estates, GA 30002
404-508-4128 (Capitol Office)
dren16999@aol.com
Michele Henson (D) - 87th District
4140 Creek Stone Court
Stone Mountain, GA 30083
404-296-1442
michele.henson@house.ga.gov
Billy Mitchell (D) - 88th District
PO Box 88
Stone Mountain, GA 30086
770-465-8800
Earnest "Coach" Williams (D) - 89th District
PO Box 436
Avondale Estates, GA 30002
404-656-0202 (Capitol Office)
earnest.williams@house.ga.gov
Howard Mosby (D) - 90th District
2101 Sugar Creek Falls Drive
Atlanta, GA 30316
404-656-0287 (Capitol Office)
Stan Watson (D) - 91st District
4299 Sherwood Oaks Drive
Decatur, GA 30034
678-360-0742 (Cell)
stan_watson@matria.com
Pam Stephenson (D) - 92nd District
1201 Peachtree Street
Building 400, Suite 2020
Atlanta, GA 30361
404-815-7400
pam.stephenson@house.ga.gov
Vacant - 93rd District
Randal Mangham (D) - 94th District
PO Box 639
Decatur, GA 30031
404-525-0100
repmangham@gmail.com
SENATORS:
Curt Thompson (D) - 5th District
6320 Glenbrook Drive
Tucker, GA 30084
404-575-2223
curt.thompson@senate.ga.gov
Emanuel Jones (D) - 10th District
PO Box 370244
Decatur, GA 30037
770-964-8888
emanuel.jones@senate.ga.gov
Dan Weber (R) - 40th District
1117 Winterhall Lane
Dunwoody, GA 30338
404-442-1810
dan.weber@senate.ga.gov
Steve Henson (D) - 41st District
2643 Sterling Acres Drive
Tucker, GA 30084
404-243-5107
steve.henson@senate.ga.gov
David Adelman (D) - 42nd District
PO Box 1231
Decatur, GA 30031
404-853-8206
david.adelman@senate.ga.gov
Ronald B. Ramsey (D) - 43rd District
5271 Snapfinger Woods Drive
Decatur, GA 30035
404-281-9948
ronald.ramsey@senate.ga.gov
Gloria Butler (D) - 55th District
6241 Southland Trace
Stone Mountain, GA 30087
404-656-0075 (Capitol Office)
gloria.butler@senate.ga.gov
Taste of Sandy Springs - Sunday May 4th
Sunday May 4th, 2008
Sandy Springs Circle at Heritage Sandy Springs Site
Tastes: Noon-6:00 PM
Cycling Competition: 10 AM - 5 PM
Live Auction: 2:30-3:00 PM Pricing Admission: Free
Parking: Free Taste Tickets: $20 for strip of 10
http://www.tasteofsandysprings.org
Sandy Springs Circle at Heritage Sandy Springs Site
Tastes: Noon-6:00 PM
Cycling Competition: 10 AM - 5 PM
Live Auction: 2:30-3:00 PM Pricing Admission: Free
Parking: Free Taste Tickets: $20 for strip of 10
http://www.tasteofsandysprings.org
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A Royal Affair Cafe
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Ramon's Mexican Kitchen
-
Sultan's Lebanese & Turkish Cuisine
