Sunday, November 30, 2008

Billboards invade Dunwoody hours before Cityhood


On Sunday November 30 at 5:30 p.m., Action Outdoor Advertising of Alpharetta ensured that their construction crew worked through the rainy afternoon erecting a double sided, 50 foot sign on the Chevron Gas Station property at the corner of Chamblee Dunwoody & I-285. When I heard of the sign being erected just hours before the new City of Dunwoody were to begin operations, I ran over and asked for the building permit which I believe should be posted and/or a sign permit.

The construction crew had no paperwork with them (not even the electrical permit as required by the sign permit) but the operator of the Chevron promised me the documents via e-mail. A few hours later I received the sign application and the sign permit but still no building permit was available.

If this sign, which is pointed not to the highway traffic on 285 but instead to the traffic on Chamblee Dunwoody was installed illegally, the cities attorney will be reviewing our options.

Saturday, November 29, 2008

Late Night City Council Meetings to Ring In the New City of Dunwoody


The Dunwoody City Council will be meeting Sunday Night at 11:15 p.m. and again 45 minutes later at the stroke of Midnight on December 1st to re-ratify all of the previous motions enacted by the Council. The City of Dunwoody officially starts on December first and it will be a momentous occasion for the many citizens who participated in pushing this endeavor forward and the overwhelming majority of citizens who voted for Cityhood. The meeting is open to the public and will take place at the Dunwoody United Methodist Church, 1548 Mt. Vernon Rd, 30338.

The agendas are linked above with very little new to be discussed except the following items.
  1. Discussion and vote on the election of the Mayor Pro Tempore. (The Mayor Pro Tempore is the designated City Council person to run the City Council Meetings when the Mayor is absent.)

  2. Discussion and vote to hold a public meeting on December 18, 2008 adopting Dunwoody Zoning Ordinance and adopt policies and procedures which govern calling and conducting hearings.

  3. Discussion and vote to hold a public meeting on December 18, 2008 adopting Dunwoody Sign Ordinance.
In other Dunwoody news, the physical address and city phone numbers of the temporary City Hall are now available as shown below.

The mailing address for the City of Dunwoody is:

City of Dunwoody, Georgia
PO Box 888074
Dunwoody, GA 30356

The temporary physical address for the City of Dunwoody is:

City of Dunwoody
400 Northridge Road, #1250

Atlanta, Georgia 30350


Beginning December 1, 2008 the following numbers will be available to provide you with assistance.

City of Dunwoody - Main Number 678-382-6700

Department of Finance and Administration 678-382-6750
  • Finance and Accounting
  • Contract Administration & Physical Plant
  • Administrative & Facility Services
  • Information Technology
Department of Community Development 678-382-6800
  • Building & Permitting
  • Code Enforcement
  • Planning & Zoning
Department of Public Works 678-382-6850
  • Transportation, Streets & Traffic
  • Parks & Recreation Maintenance
  • General Services
  • Capital Planning

Complete drawings of Ashford Dunwoody & Mt. Vernon Rd.


Now that work has started on Ashford Dunwoody & Mt. Vernon, I have had several requests for information regarding the intersection. Here are the complete drawings that were provided to the Dunwoody Transportation Committee by the County and the PCID.

New Transit Stations - Inside or outside of 285? Public meetings Tues & Thurs to discuss ideas.

Where do you want the next Dunwoody Transit Station?

Revive285 is an innovative approach by the Georgia Department of Transportation in conjunction with the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority aimed at developing a comprehensive solution for the vital top end corridor. Sadly there is little information about improving both the walking and bike access along the same corridor but I can dream can't I?

Some of the ideas like the scheduled improvement of Ashford Dunwoody at 285 have been in the works for years and are now being fast tracked if the money is available, others like transit going from Doraville to the Cumberland area are still being formalized. That being said, public comment regarding the type of transit be it Light Rail like the airport train or Bus Rapid Transit with dedicated lines is critical at this stage.

Then there is the question of what are the best routes for these new transit lines since there are already two alternatives being presented, either inside or outside of 285. There are Transit Stations being suggested at the locations of Shallowford and Cotillion and maybe another one between the Georgetown Shopping Center and the Ravinia Complex; are those the best locations for these types of infrastructure improvements? I don't have the answers but I attended the October 15th meeting which took place in Chamblee, representing the City of Dunwoody and sadly there were only 29 members of the public who were in attendance. These meetings are critical for where and how these infrastructure improvements will take place and maybe a few more affected and interested parties will attend this weeks meetings to voice their opinions.

The next round of these meetings are taking place later this week with the same information being presented at each of the two meetings. Meetings are workshop-style with a short presentation followed by a hands-on exercise.

Tuesday, December 2, 2008
4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Crowne Plaza Hotel
4355 Ashford Dunwoody Road
Atlanta, GA 30346

Thursday, December 4, 2008
4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Chamblee Civic Center
3540 Broad Street
Chamblee, GA 30341


I discovered a Revive 285 document from May 2004 which describes the stations and what they would serve and figured I would print the information.

Perimeter East Station Area Forces/Issues (Figure 2-11)
The Perimeter East Station would be located along I-285, east of Ashford Dunwoody Road. The station area contains the following primary uses and features:
o Ravinia office complex;
o Perimeter Business Park;
o Crowne Plaza Hotel;
o Proposed access between Ravinia Parkway and Perimeter Center East; and
o Proposed Perimeter Center East Circulator.

This station would be primarily a walk-in station serving the office developments and the hotel. A bus bay for the circulator needs to be provided and, as space permits, potentially some park-and-ride spaces. Due to potential plans for roadway expansion in the area, the LRT or BRT alignment and station may have to be moved to the north, at the northerly edge of the Ravinia complex.

Shallowford Road Station Area Forces/Issues (Figure 2-12)
The Shallowford Road Station would be located in the vicinity of North Shallowford Road. The station area contains the following primary uses and features:
o The Georgia Power facilities, including an electrical sub-station;
o Dunwoody Medical Center;
o The First Baptist Church of Atlanta complex;
o Small commercial and office developments; and
o Medium-density residential developments.

Three bus routes would serve this station and the program calls for 500 park-and-ride spaces. Since the LRT or BRT alignment would have to be grade-separated at North Shallowford Road, due to traffic volumes, the station would have to be elevated on retained fill and structures. This site, which would require the acquisition and relocation of the Georgia Power office building, would provide sufficient space for a surface park-and-ride lot as well as some Transit-Oriented Developments along North Shallowford Road. If higher densities would be desirable, the park-and-ride spaces could be developed in a parking ramp, which would make more land available for station-related developments. In addition, there is a vacant parcel just north of the station site that would be ideal for additional Transit-Oriented Developments, such as higher-density office or residential uses. A key issue for this station would be the need to develop a well-lighted and safe pedestrian crossing under I-285.

It's not easy being Green, so I am going back to School.


I want to be more like Kermit so I will be going back to school so Dunwoody can implement Green and Sustainable strategies.
Green Communities Training Class
offered by the Atlanta Regional Commission
Tuesday December 9th @ the Chamblee Civic Center

Local governments around the country and the Atlanta region are advancing bold visions for making their cities and counties more environmentally sustainable.

Policy makers are developing new resources and imposing new requirements that raise the bar for service delivery – and result in corresponding reductions in operating costs. Local governments, developers, builders, residents and consumers alike are responding to emerging opportunities to green communities that implement a holistic approach which provides integrated solutions to housing, health and environmental challenges.

The objectives of this workshop are to:
  • Facilitate information sharing on why and how communities are increasingly going green
  • Promote discussion on research, approaches, strategies, and operational issues related to green practices.
Participants will learn about:
  • Local and national case studies;
  • Internal and external community greening practices;
  • Green infrastructure and water management policies and practices; and
  • Sustainable certifications and regional and national programs.

Dunwoody drops the ball in loss to LaGrange

LAGRANGE 20, DUNWOODY 5

LaGrange, capitalizing on back-to-back fumble recoveries to shift momentum in the third quarter, upset previously undefeated Dunwoody 20-5 in the Class AAA quarterfinals Friday at North DeKalb Stadium.

The Grangers (11-2) are returning to the state semifinals for the first time since 2005. For a program like LaGrange, it feels like it’s been even longer.

“It seems like 100 years ago,” Grangers coach Steve Pardue said. “It was 2005. It seems like a long time ago.”

A Final Four berth appeared to be within Dunwoody’s grasp following a hard-fought, conservative first half. The Wildcats (12-1) traded field position with LaGrange until the safe play yielded a 32-yard field goal by junior Austin Breed.

But 23 pivotal seconds in the third quarter turned Dunwoody’s season around.

LaGrange defensive end Tristian Johnson recovered quarterback Erick Cooper’s fumble at the 8:41 mark and rumbled in for a 20-yard score.

Then Dunwoody fumbled again on its next possession. LaGrange quarterback Rodney Tolbert immediately scrambled in for a 17-yard score. Just like that, the Grangers led 13-3 with 8:18 left in the third.

“That’s Granger football right there,” Pardue said. “The kids got kind of down there at the half. We were down 3-0, and I told the kids, you know when you get this far, there’s not many bad teams out there. Play hard, and we can win.”

Dunwoody, which was playing without its top three tailbacks, went pass-heavy and found a way to stay in the game. Wildcats defensive back Breon Isaac sacked Tolbert in the end zone for a safety in the early minutes of the fourth quarter.

But instead of marching down the field for a potential tying score, Dunwoody fumbled again on a botched handoff on its next possession. Two plays later, LaGrange tailback Darren Hairston broke off a 67-yard touchdown run to seal the victory.

“We had opportunities, even with all those mistakes,” Dunwoody coach James Teter said. “We had opportunities but we didn’t take advantage of them.”

Friday, November 28, 2008

The Sound of Music opens at the Marcus Jewish Community Center


The Center Theatre at the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta will attempt to climb every mountain, ford every stream and stage everyone's favorite wholesome Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, THE SOUND OF MUSIC, continuing Sun., NOV. 30. Director Bo Cecil, music director Annie Cook and choreographer Robert Egizio lead the cast in the tale of a spunky governess who wins the heart of widowed naval Capt. von Trapp simultaneous with the Nazi rise in Austria. Certain performances – including all 7 p.m. shows on Sundays in December – are designated "sing-along" shows, giving audiences the chance to chime in for tunes such as "Eidelweiss" and "Do-Re-Mi." Through Dec. 28. Wed.-Thurs., Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 2 and 7 p.m. $24-$35. 5342 Tilly Mill Road. 678-812-4002. www.atlantajcc.org.

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Approaching Cityhood on December 1st

By Mayor Ken Wright
Part of an ongoing series appearing weekly in the Dunwoody Crier.

This week, friends and family will come together to give thanks. Many of us have longstanding traditions we celebrate this time each year. As we approach December 1st when Dunwoody officially becomes a city, in a sense, we are afforded the opportunity to create new traditions. Although the people and the places will remain the same, the sense of community and the feeling of belonging that has grown around our cityhood efforts are sentiments for which we can all be thankful.

While there remains a great deal of work ahead of us, I am personally thankful for all that has been accomplished in such a short period of time and for the people who have helped make that happen. The city council and I met for the first time at the end of September. Since then, a city manager has been hired and is now working on the operational needs of the city. A project management firm has been retained that is helping us secure vendors for major services. We have put in place a solid foundation for policy implementation. An interim city hall has been established. A real estate firm has been retained to assist with securing our permanent city hall.

Beyond those milestones, yet equally important, the members of our community have been given a stronger voice. I see new faces and familiar faces at our council meetings. We are able to hear from the members of our community as they share their concerns, their support and their ideas. Ours is truly a city government of the people, by the people and for the people.

The month of December will be fast and furious for our new city. I anticipate that this time next week I will be able to share with you the results of our service firm selection process. In total, 14 proposals were received from companies seeking to work with Dunwoody. The extensive review process has required long hours from everyone involved, but spirits are high based on the caliber of firms from which we are to choose. Also in December, we expect to bring on additional city employees such as our police chief, finance director and city clerk.

On December 1st, workers from our newly selected service firms will begin to fill our interim city hall, alongside our own staff and interim staffers provided by Boyken International. Details on location and contact information soon will be included on the City of Dunwoody web site.

As the Thanksgiving holiday is winding down on Sunday night, the city council and I will be gearing up. When the clock strikes midnight, the charter for the city of Dunwoody will take effect. In that midnight hour, we will hold our first meeting as a true city. A number of policy and procedural points will be formally put into effect. As we mark the occasion and perform the business of our city, I know I will have yet another thing for which I am thankful.

Toys for Tots Benefit Concert, Sunday Night at St. Luke's


Sunday, November 30th at 7 pm
St. Luke's Presbyterian Church
1978 Mount Vernon Road
Dunwoody, GA 30338

The Toys for Tots Festive Christmas Concert will be Sunday, November 30 at 7 p.m. at St. Luke's Presbyterian Church. Come celebrate the beginning of Advent with this annual Christmas Concert featuring the Albany Marine Brass Quintet, the Festival Ringers and Chancel Choir. This is a festive concert for all ages. Admission: one unwrapped toy.


Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Dunwoody Stage Door Players hosts 8th Annual Tim Redovian benefit performance and auction.

Jim & Sherrill Redovian are long standing pillars of the community and many of you may also recognize Jim's name since he is our local representative on the DeKalb County School Board. In November of 1996, their son Tim, an accomplished actor (see video below) at the age of 16 passed away suddenly of a viral pneumonia. Since that tragic event and in Tim's honor, the Redovian's created a non-profit charitable organization which has been funding scholarships to students with special talents in the performing arts.

The Tim Redovian Memorial Fund, presents the 8th Annual Night at the Theater, Holiday Boutique and Silent Auction at a special benefit performance of The Taffetas Christmas performed by the Dunwoody Stage Door Players.

Sisters Kaye, Donna, Peggy and Cheryl have returned in this holiday sequel to the Taffetas. It’s Christmas in Muncie Indiana and the girls are back singing a combination of old hits, new songs and Christmas favorites.

Thursday, December 4th
Stage Door Players
5339 Chamblee Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody, GA 30338
Bidding and dinner begin at 6:30 pm
The Taffetas Christmas starts at 8:00 pm

Tickets are $35.00 and dinner is included
For information and to make reservations: 678-488-6929
or go to www.timredovian.org for more information.

Seating is limited so please make your reservations early.


In Memory of Tim


Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Atlanta Magazine, Best of Dunwoody 2008

The December issue of Atlanta Magazine has just hit the stands with their Best of Atlanta issue and since there were a number of Dunwoody entries, I wanted to congratulate the fine establishments on their selection. On a personal note, I also want to congratulate my good friends Brian & Page Olson the owners of Cafe' Intermezzo and Mr. Bob Leavey of the D'Vine Wine Bar and wish you all continued success in Dunwoody.

Editor’s Choice
Readers' Choice

Dunwoody Wildcats vs LaGrange Grangers, Friday Night 7:30 at North DeKalb

Wildcats vs Grangers
7:30 Friday Night
North DeKalb Stadium

The Dunwoody Wildcat Football (12-0) team is grateful for the terrific support we have received from the community during this very exciting football season. From the feeder school students wearing red before the regional championship game to the large number of community members coming to the games, support for the Wildcats has been outstanding.

This Friday’s (November 28) quarterfinal game is at North DeKalb Stadium (behind Chamblee High School). With many students out of town, we are hoping that the community will turn out in a big way to help support the Wildcats. Join us at 7:30 pm and wear red. Tickets ($10) are available at the gate.

By this time, you will be looking to entertain your out of town relatives and you will be sick of shopping and watching college football on TV. So come help us show LaGrange some real Dunwoody Wildcat Pride. The rumor is that LaGrange may be bringing 2,500 fans with them! We don’t want them to show us up.

See you at the Game on Friday night. Wear Red and Go Wilcats!

*_The Dunwoody Wildcats Gridiron Club_*

Councilman Robert Wittenstein provides a comprehensive update on Dunwoody.

Councilman Robert Wittenstein sent a nice recap of tonight's meeting and other recent council decisions to his e-mail list and he has allowed me to share his message with you here. I echo many of Robert's sentiments listed below and believe that the City has been built upon a strong foundation for future success and hired the right City Manager who will ensure that the city services are delivered efficiently and cost-effectively. There is still much work that has to be done, but like Robert, I am very proud of what we have accomplished to date. The audio of the meeting is here (31 MB).

Our new city officially begins operations one week from today, and it looks like it will go smoothly!

Many people have been working very hard to get everything ready and the effort is paying off. In the last month we have accomplished a lot:
  • Most importantly, we have hired a professional City Manager who will be responsible for the day-to-day operation of our city. His name is Warren Hutmacher and the entire city council is very excited to have him on-board. Most recently he was the City Manger of Norcross. Before that he was the City Manager of Avondale Estates and prior to that he was the Assistant City Manager of Marietta.
  • We have rented temporary office space for our new City Hall. We have a six month lease for about 6,000 square feet of space at 400 Northridge Road, Suite 1250. (This space is a great deal. It is costing the city less than $8 per square foot completely furnished.)
  • Our telephone system is installed and in the final stages of set-up. On December 1 you will be able to call City Hall and someone will answer the phone, “City of Dunwoody, How may I help you?”. Computer equipment has also arrived and is being loaded with typical office software.
  • We passed an Alcohol ordinance that sets last call at 2:00 am, but relaxes a number of other administrative requirements that our local restaurants thought were burdensome. By and large, they are pleased with the changes we have made.
  • Tonight we passed ordinances to regulate businesses in Dunwoody. We have done our best to reduce the administrative overhead imposed by DeKalb and it should be easier for businesses to operate in Dunwoody. Now that we have a business ordinance, we can begin to issue business licenses on December 1 and accept renewals.
  • We have established a banking relationship with SunTrust Bank (after a formal RFP and proposal process.)
  • We have established Intergovernmental Agreements with DeKalb for them to continue to provide Fire & Emergency Medical service, Water and Sewer service and 911 call center service.
  • We are close to hiring a city Police Chief and a Finance Director. If all goes well, we should have offers made in the next week or two.
As many of you will recall, I was very critical of Citizens for Dunwoody’s original process for seeking a vendor to provide city services. That process yielded only one bidder, CH2M Hill, whose bid was higher than we could afford. We went back to square one and started over and the results are considerably better.

Boyken International was hired to help us conduct the bid process and they have been invaluable. We broke the services we needed into three broad categories:
  1. Finance, HR and Administration
  2. Zoning, Permits, Inspections and Code Enforcement
  3. Roads, Drainage and Parks
In record time we published, advertised, held bidders’ conferences, sent out addendums, received and evaluated proposals and interviewed potential firms. We received qualified bids from 14 firms! The end result is that we have entered into contract negotiations with selected vendors in each area and we expect the final cost to the City of Dunwoody to be almost $3 million less than the original bid from CH2M Hill for a similar level of service. That is 35% lower than the bid from CH2M Hill. The moral of the story is that competitive bidding works!

We are finalizing contracts with Clark, Patterson & Lee to provide our Community Development function (zoning, permits, etc.), with Lowe Engineers to provide our Public Works function (roads, parks, etc.) and with Calvin Giordano and Associates and JAT Consulting (Jo Ann Tuttle) of Kennesaw, GA to provide our Finance & Administration functions.

Councilman Denny Shortal (denis.shortal@dunwoodyga.gov) and Councilwoman Adrian Bonser (adrian.bonser@dunwoodyga.gov) have worked night and day (literally) for the last three weeks to get us to this point. Please thank them when you get a chance.

We become a city on December 1, but DeKalb County will continue to provide services through the end of the year. Our real “moment of truth” will be on January 1 when we take over most services from DeKalb (DeKalb will continue to provide Police Service for several months until we can start up our own police force.)

This is truly an exciting time to be in Dunwoody and I am honored to be able to play a role. Call or e-mail me if you have a question.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday.

Regards,
Robert

Robert Wittenstein
City Council, City of Dunwoody
Office: 770-767-8421 • Home: 770-396-4747

Monday, November 24, 2008

BeeHive Co-op comes to the Dunwoody Java-U Location for a limited time.

For a brief time (December 11th to the 14th, 2008) The Beehive Co-op will give you the opportunity to experience their unique merchandise by local designers and more...

At the corner of Mt. Vernon Rd. and Jett Ferry Rd. in Dunwoody
(2458 Mt. Vernon Rd.) the hours will be:

Thursday, 12/11 - 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Friday, 12/12 - 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Saturday 12/13 - 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Sunday, 12/14 - 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The Beehive Co-op is a designer's cooperative located in Atlanta at 1831 Peachtree Rd since 2004. It is a must for those who desire unique pieces of fashion, accessories, jewelry, children's wear, home decor, and quite frankly a fabulous alternative to the mall shopping experience.

City Council Lights Up Dunwoody

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Very Busy Agenda for Monday Night Dunwoody City Council Meeting

Monday Nov 24, 2008 @ 7 p.m.
Dunwoody United Methodist Church
1548 Mount Vernon Road

Full Agenda

Approval of Meeting Minutes from the November 10, 2008 City Council Meeting

Approval of Meeting Minutes from the November 17, 2008 City Council Work Session

Consideration of Resolution 2008-11-19 to approve a Proclamation for April, 2009 to be “Dunwoody Fine Art Day.”

Second Read and vote on approving Ordinance Adopting Chapter 15 (“Business Occupation Tax, Licenses and Regulation”v3) of the City of Dunwoody Code of Ordinances.

Discussion of City Implementation.

Discussion of designs for “Welcome to Dunwoody” signs.

Discussion of budget.

Discussion and vote on adopting Resolution 2008-11-14 to establish a Franchise Fee in the City of Dunwoody for holders of a State Cable and Video Franchise.

Discussion and vote on adopting Resolution 2008-11-15 to approve an Intergovernmental Agreement with DeKalb County for provision of Fire and Rescue Services.

Discussion and vote on adopting Resolution 2008-11-16 to approve an Intergovernmental Agreement with DeKalb County for provision of Water and Sewer Services.

Discussion and vote on adopting Resolution 2008-11-17 to approve an Intergovernmental Agreement with DeKalb County for provision of Emergency 9-1-1 Services.

Discussion and vote on adopting Resolution 2008-11-18 to approve and authorize a Master Lease with the Georgia Municipal Association.

Discussion and status of bid response for the community development.
(Attendees, RFP, Addendum and Q & A)

Discussion and status of bid response for the public works.
(Attendees, RFP, Addendum and Q & A)

Discussion and status of bid response for the administration, finance, and human resources.
(Attendees, RFP, Addendum and Q & A) Banking RFP

First Read of Ordinance to adopt and approve an electrical franchise with Georgia Power (First Read).

ACTION ITEM: discussion and vote to authorize City Attorney to notify DeKalb County of City’s takeover of certain services and powers.

ACTION ITEM: discussion and vote to authorize the City to enter into binding arbitration with the County in connection with interim police protection services.

ACTION ITEM: discussion and vote to authorize the City Manager to fill certain position allocations. (Memo, Salary Study, Proposed Range, Police Chief, Finance Director, City Clerk, Court Clerk)

Friday, November 21, 2008

Holiday Pops Spectacular in Dunwoody, Friday Dec 5th at Brook Run Theater

Callanwolde Concert Band
Friday December 5th, 7 p.m.

Brook Run Theater
Admission is free.

We cordially invite you to join us for a special Holiday Pops Concert by the Callanwolde Concert Band, Raymond Handfield, Conductor, on Friday, December 5, 2008 at 7:00 PM at the Brook Run Theater, 4770 North Peachtree Road, Dunwoody.

This year’s concert features a suite from The Nutcracker by Peter Tchaikovsky, Rhapsody for Hanukkah by Stephen Bulla, Candlelight Carol by John Rutter, and other holiday favorites. In addition, in honor of the one hundredth anniversary of his birth, the Band will perform composer Leroy Anderson’s A Christmas Festival and Sleigh Ride. Featured as soloist on the program will be soprano Rachel Greene.

The Band, a community organization for over thirty years, is DeKalb County’s premiere symphonic wind ensemble. The Brook Run concert is sponsored by the DeKalb County Office of Arts, Culture, and Entertainment.

We hope that you can join us for this exciting concert. Our best wishes to you for the holiday season and for a happy and prosperous new year.

Further information about the Band is available at its expanded web site, www.calcb.org

Dunwoody keeps rolling, 18 to 13 over North Hall

Still Undefeated !!

AJC Article here.

Light Up Dunwoody, Sunday November 23 from 4 until 6:30 followed by Cocoa and Candles at the Nature Center


The Light Up Dunwoody festival has grown to represent the very best about Dunwoody. School bands play, school choruses sing, church choirs present special music, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts help with preparations, families and kids are everywhere enjoying the entertainment.
Light Up Dunwoody
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Dunwoody Farmhouse
4:00 - 6:30 pm

Light Up Dunwoody Parade kicks off at 4 p.m. (so be there early).
Dunwoody Village Parkway to Chamblee Dunwoody Road to the Shops of Dunwoody

North Pole Playground 4:00-6:00 PM (Shops of Dunwoody)
Visit Santa and hear all the wonderful music acts

Open House at the Farmhouse
Meet your Mayor and City Council (5:00-6:00 PM)
Farmhouse and Tree Lighting at approximately 6:30

Dunwoody Nature Center
Cocoa and Candles 7-9 PM


Presenting Partner:

Premier Partner:

Partners:
David G. Goodchild, Jr., DMD
Gutter Guard

Contributors:

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Dunwoody Blogger opinions of City Council, Transparency, Crime & Dunwoody Football

The following items crossed through my inbox and I figured I would share.

Knitternall ponders the location of the temporary Dunwoody City Hall and though wasn't pleased at the initial decision she is now happy with the frugality of the Dunwoody City Council. On the same subject, our Mayor, Ken Wright has an editorial regarding the temporary City Hall in the Crier this week.

Pattie over at Sustainable Dunwoody has a nice article regarding community participation and the Dunwoody City Council. I urge everyone to get involved as Pattie recommends because her advice about showing up to the meetings, making comments and getting known is absolutely dead on, correct! (Pattie should also be commended for her work on Sustainability and making her feelings known to the City Council. Four months ago I am guessing that she was relatively unknown by the members of the City Council and when she walked up to the table on Tuesday night for the very first time, there were three council members who were elated to see her at the meeting because they had all communicated with her via e-mail and read her blog on a regular basis.)

The Georgia Public Policy Foundation has updated their Georgia Transparency website which has a number of useful tools, http://reportcard.gppf.org can show exactly how the citizens money is spent on education down to the specific school and https://www.audits.state.ga.us/esa/ can show you the salary of every employee of the DeKalb County Schools. Pretty soon there will be a Local Government transparency component to the site and some day soon I hope that Dunwoody will be as transparent as Carroll County is with their finances and other mundane bits of information.

I urge everyone to be aware of crime that is taking place around them. DeKalb crime is up and even Dunwoody's numbers are up, though it is officially hard to tell since our stats are lumped into DeKalb's stats. A neighbor has asked that I remind you of the ability to receive daily updates of those arrested in DeKalb County for zip codes 30338, 30360 & 30346 http://www.dekalbmugs.com/alerts/

Friday night I will be missing the 2nd round of State Football Playoffs between the DHS Wildcats vs North Hall Trojans at 7:30pm at North DeKalb Stadium so I can escort five, 7 year olds to the movie BOLT. The movie better be good because I know the football game will be, though I am sure the movie will be a little warmer than the game.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Nava - Breffle Youth Wrestling Program for 3rd to 8th Graders being offered at DHS.

Nava - Breffle Youth Wrestling

Initial Practice and Parent Meeting
Tuesday December 2nd - 6 p.m.
Dunwoody High School Gym (on the Stage)
Every Tues & Thur from 6 - 7:30 until mid-Feb

The Nava - Breffle Wrestling is a beginners wrestling program that is intended to be the long term feeder program for Dunwoody HS. Your kids will learn the basics and will have a lot of fun. Your kids will get to see some live matches with the HS kids right up close and will be able to interact with and be coached by the HS coaches and wrestlers. The goal is to teach fundamentals, become acclimated to wrestling and to have fun. Make no mistake, we plan to do a lot of wrestling!

Wrestling is a fantastic sport that is recommend for any and all athletes. The skills, discipline and structure learned in wrestling compliments the physical and mental development of athletes who participate in all sports. The intensity, focus and confidence gained in wrestling will last a lifetime.

For more information please contact Jeff Warshaw at 770.335.8500 or jeffwarshaw@bellsouth.net

Monday, November 17, 2008

Busy day in Dunwoody

Working on the Dunwoody City Council has been a blast so far and I believe that I and the other City Council members are making a real difference in the future quality of life for all citizens of Dunwoody. That being said, let me say that the hours are very long and today was no exception, in fact I took a vacation day from my full time job to work on city issues.

At 10 am, I met with Mayor Wright, Jim Redovian of the DeKalb County School Board, Robin Burch of the Dunwoody Homeowners Association and Page Olson, President of the Dunwoody Chamblee Parents School Council to tour the new 4th/5th Grade Elementary School on Womack; along with the County construction supervisors. The tour started in the construction trailer reviewing blueprints and raising questions that were brought up at the public meeting which happened several weeks ago.

Issues discussed were like the school clinic being too small, there are plans for two play areas and $75,000 set aside for playground equipment, each room has its own AC/Heat, we reviewed construction material choices and were looking to change the color of the roof, asked about increasing the sidewalk width on the property, possibly adding a few screening trees along the property line to block the school from the several highly affected neighbors on Windhaven Court. I asked about the originally planned Kindergarten rooms and if the mini toilets were going to be installed or if they were only going to stub the rooms for a future conversion back to an elementary school? I was informed that the little bathrooms and toilets were going to be installed as were shown on the plans I obtained a while back.

At 1 pm, I met at Boyken with our new City Manager Warren Hutmacher and Council Members Adrian Bonser and Tom Taylor to discuss city implementation issues. As I was arriving Council Members Shortal and Ross were leaving with Adrian Bonser who was staying for the second meeting.

At 3:50 the meeting was over and I crossed the hall to tour the new temporary Dunwoody City Hall which is very nice and contains 14 offices, a kitchen, conference room and reception area.

At 4:00 pm I witnessed Boyken logging in the last of the RFP bids, many of which were contained in boxes and the numerous submissions filled two carts.

At 4:30, I rushed home to review & print a number of items for the City Council meeting and have a quick dinner with the family.

At 6:00, I was meeting with the Dunwoody Chamber of Commerce to listen to their opinion of the Business License Ordinance that we have currently under review. The ordinance is based on DeKalb law which is all messed up and it appears that DeKalb's answer is to just not enforce anything that is problematic in the current code. I would rather fix the regulatory problems now and have fewer headaches later. One example is that the your neighborhood Swim Tennis would currently need to pay business taxes and I would rather see that rule corrected vs being not enforced.

At 7:00, I had the Dunwoody City Council Work Session, Audio here.

At 8:30, the meeting was over but talking to the various people in the room is an important part of the job. This evening, I introduced my friend Pattie Baker who writes the blog Sustainable Dunwoody to the City Manager and inform him of her efforts and ideas for the community (example in the video below)

At 9:00 pm, I returned to talk to the Dunwoody Chamber regarding the Business License ordinance and started to slowly hammer out a few of the issues. Three of the other city council members were returning to Boyken to review and grade the RFP's that were due today.

At 11:00 pm, I returned home after a long day to update the blog and figured I didn't have much to say, so instead I just recapped my day for the world to see and call it a night.


Dunwoody Grows! from Pattie Baker on Vimeo.

Dunwoody operational RFP responses are due today, Interviews & Decision Soon.

As the photo above shows, the questions to the RFP's along with other documents were posted on Friday to the Boyken site and are now available by clicking here and completing the form.

At 4 p.m. today, I hope to picking up a number of comprehensive proposals to implement, manage and operate a wide range of services/functions for the new city. There are currently four areas of city operation that are currently open to bid and they are, Public Works, Community Development, Finance / Administration and Banking. Interviews start on Thursday the 20th with possible vendor selection taking place on Tuesday, November 25th.

Welcome aboard Warren Hutmacher as today is your first day on the job as our esteemed City Manager. Make us proud, serve us well and together we can create the best city in Georgia.

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Harvest Festival at PCMS to benefit the Spring production of "The Sound of Music".


On Saturday November 22nd, Peachtree Charter Middle School will be holding their Harvest Festival from 9 am until 4 pm benefiting the Drama Club's production of the "The Sound of Music". Plan to bring the whole family to this Fall Spectacular to join in a day of Family Fun.
Saturday November 22
Peachtree Charter Middle School
4664 N. Peachtree Road, 30338

Local Artisans & Craft Vendors, Bake Sale, Cake Walk, Attic Treasures, Children's Clothing & Toys, Moonwalks & Open Gym,Kids Craft Corner, Delicious Food, Kids Games & Much, Much, More !

Craft & Art Vendors Reserve your table for only $45.00 and if you have Attic Treasures to Consign, you get 50% of each sale. For more information contact pcms_drama@yahoo.com or kellyau@bellsouth.net and please provide your name & phone number for a return call.

Saturday, November 15, 2008

Dunwoody City Council, Work Session Agenda for Mon Nov. 17

Work Session
Dunwoody United Methodist Church
1548 Mount Vernon Road
7 P.M.
Agenda
  1. Discussion of the Dunwoody Overlay District Zoning Regulations.

  2. Discussion of the Georgia Power Franchise proposal.

  3. Discussion of City Employees.

  4. Discussion of IGAs with County. (Water, Fire & 911)

  5. Discussion of City Implementation.

  6. Discussion of additional services provided by GMA.

  7. Discussion of proposed Chapter 15 v2 (“Business Occupation Taxes, Licensing and Regulation”) of the City Code and Ordinance to adopt and approve Chapter 15 of the City Code.

Mr. Johnathan Clark is named the Principal of the 4/5 Academy on Womack.


Mr. Johnathan Clark, the Assistant Principal of Dunwoody High School has been named as the new principal of the Dunwoody 4/5 Academy.

Dr. Lewis made the announcement at the Dunwoody Cluster Council meeting on Thursday.

Please join me in congratulating Mr. Clark on his promotion and new position!

Friday, November 14, 2008

Mayor Wright honored by the Atlanta Business Chronicle

Dunwoody's Mayor Ken Wright is a businessman, community leader and devoted family man who was just named to the 40 under 40, up and comers in this week's Atlanta Business Chronicle. Congratulations Ken!

Dunwoody Wins 24 to 7, Outstanding Half Time Show

Friday night was a great night of football with Dunwoody remaining undefeated but a special tip of the hat to the Carrollton High School Band who put on an incredible show. The video below shows the size and scope of the band but the audio doesn't do it justice.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BC181efw-HM

Big Dunwoody Game at 7:30 p.m. North DeKalb Stadium

FIRED UP WILDCATS, FIRED UP!!!

Join Wildcat Fans at the Game!
Friday 7:30 but come early because the house will be packed!
North DeKalb Stadium behind Chamblee H.S.

DHS STUDENTS, PARENTS, FACULTY, COMMUNITY
YOU ARE INVITED TO... TAILGATE WITH THE GRIDIRON CLUB!

Our undefeated Region 5AAA champions are going on another lion hunt. That's right, Wildcats, our football team takes on the Central Carrollton Lions Friday night, 7:30 at North DeKalb Stadium. Put on your red shirt, bring your spirit, and cheer on our Wildcats. Plan to join the tailgate party in front of the stadium beginning at 5:30.

Shane's Rib Shack will be selling barbecue plates for $7. Your meal includes a sandwich (chicken or pork), chips, a cookie and a drink. CASH ONLY PLEASE!

Proceeds benefit the DHS Wildcat Gridiron Club!

Join us for Music, Cheerleaders, t-shirts and lots of fun!

WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU THERE!

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Total Wine & More opens Perimeter Store and donates $10,000.00 to Dunwoody Charities


Total Wine & More - Perimeter
124 Perimeter Center West
Phone: 770-395-1678


Total Wine & More - Perimeter's premiere wine superstore opened Thursday night in the Perimeter Center West location which once housed CompUSA, near Bed Bath & Beyond & TJ Max.

I usually wouldn't shamelessly plug such an event or store opening like this but then again I believe the owners of the store should be commended for their generosity towards the community. The President/Co-Owner of the store Mr. David Trone presented five individual $2,000 checks to the following Dunwoody organizations and the money will be wisely used by many in the community.

Dunwoody Nature Center

Stage Door Players
Dunwoody Preservation Trust
Spruill Arts Center
The Brook Run Conservatory

I was unable to make the ribbon cutting but Councilman Danny Ross handled the MC duties and took photos with Mr. Trone and the community organizations.

Total Wine and More is the largest independent retailer of wine in the United States selling over 2.5 million cases of wine per year. The company's website details the huge selection of wine, liquor and beer which is available at the store. If you're in the market for such beverages, please stop by to check out their goods and thank them for their very generous donation to the community.

The Heneghan household generally stocks up on 4 buck chuck for our wine needs but we do have a rather sophisticated palate for good beer and were mightily impressed with their seven page beer catalog detailing the selection currently in stock.

I know I'll be stopping by the next time I'm in the area.

Atlanta Young Singers of Callanwolde opens Dunwoody Satellite Group and is looking for new members.

ATLANTA YOUNG SINGERS of Callanwolde is a choir where talented Singers bring music skills and appreciation into all aspects of life. AYS Singers come from 85 different public, private, and home school environments covering a 50-mile radius of Atlanta. Each year 150 to 200 children from age 7 to 18 (2rd – 12th grade) are accepted into the AYS.

A new North Atlanta branch of AYS, led by AYS Alumna, Noelle Ross Hooge has just been formed and new members from the Dunwoody Area are welcome to apply.

Currently the 22-member choir of Singers from Chesnut Charter Elementary, Kingsley Charter Elementary, Vanderlyn Elementary and Mt. Vernon Presbyterian School began rehearsals on October 1 at Dunwoody’s Cheek-Spruill Farmhouse, and now rehearse at All Saints Catholic Church. North Atlanta audiences will have their first opportunity to hear ATLANTA YOUNG SINGERS at Light up Dunwoody on November 23.

Auditions are scheduled in the coming weeks for Vanderlyn and Austin Schools in the next couple of weeks, please call 404-873-3365 or contact audition@aysc.org to set up an appointment.

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Doraville Scrambles To Seek New Annexation Vote


Mary Swint of GoDeKalb (click for full article)

The City of Doraville wants to hear from voters who encountered problems involving the annexation referendum in the November 4 General Election. According to the official election results released on November 7, the proposed annexation lost by a mere 34 votes. Now time is running out for voters and the city to request a new election.

“Legally it has to come from aggrieved voters,” Luke Howe, assistant to the Doraville’s Mayor said on his day off Tuesday. “The law says we have five days after the official votes come out, including the weekend and holiday.” The deadline to request a new vote is Wednesday, November 12 at 5 p.m. “We are working to collect statements at this minute,” he said, adding that the City Council is ready to pass a resolution “to say the city is behind a revote or anything that could attempt to sort this out.”

Proposed Map of Doraville

Monday, November 10, 2008

One generation honoring another, by honoring our flag.


In honor of Veterans Day, the Knights of Columbus from All Saints Catholic Church, area Veterans and Boy Scout Troop 434 held a Flag Retirement Ceremony.

Our flag serves as constant reminder to all of us that we live in a country where our freedom has been deeply purchased by blood, sweat, tears and ultimate sacrifice. We must not forsake what those in the service to this flag, and their families, have forfeited. As we depart the Birthday of the U.S. Marine Corps and enter into Veterans Day, thank you for all those who have served.

Temporary Dunwoody City Hall Named


The Dunwoody City Council went forward with a lease on a temporary "City Hall", directly across the hall from Boyken International. The lease is actually a sub-let of Class A Space at about $7 a square foot expiring on May 31, 2009. 400 Northridge Road, Atlanta, GA 30350

The City also authorized the purchase of liability insurance and decided to allow the City Manager to authorize contracts and purchases up to $50,000.

Audio of the meeting can be found here.

List of Dunwoody RFP bidders and updated addendum

On Friday, November 7th there was an RFP pre-bid conference where questions were asked and items were clarified. Boyken has published the addendum to the RFP's as well as listed the participants for the three bid areas on their website. If you are interested in obtaining this information, please visit the link below to Boyken's site to register for the information.

http://www.boyken.com/index.php/Dunwoody-RFP.html

"What's Happening Under the Gold Dome" Education Issues 2009 to be discussed at DCPC meeting

Dunwoody Chamblee Parents Council
MEETING ANNOUNCEMENT

WEDNESDAY, November 12th, 2008
Beverages at 8:45AM - Meeting at 9:15AM

CHAMBLEE CHARTER HIGH SCHOOL
3688 Chamblee Dunwoody Rd (Media Center)
Chamblee, GA 30341

"What's Happening Under the Gold Dome" Education Issues 2009

Our guest speakers will be:
*House of Representative, Stephanie S. Benfield
*Senate Chair of the Education Committee, Dan Weber
*Education Advisor to the Lt. Governor, Irene Munn.
Also, other hot topics like funding, charters, small learning communities, funding lawsuit, curriculum, state-wide high stakes testing, and the dropout rate.

Sunday, November 9, 2008

City Council to discuss Business Taxes on Monday

Monday, November 10th at 7 p.m.
DUNWOODY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
1548 MOUNT VERNON ROAD
DUNWOODY, GEORGIA 30338
Full agenda.

Consideration of approval of Ordinance adopting Chapter 15 (“Business Occupation Tax, Licenses and Regulation”) of the City of Dunwoody Code of Ordinances (First Read).

Discussion and vote on adopting Resolution 2008-11-12 approving and authorizing the City’s liability insurance company.

Discussion and vote on adopting Resolution 2008-11-13 approving and setting the City Manager’s signing authority.

ACTION ITEM – Discussion of and voting to approve a Lease Agreement for use of temporary office space for City officers and employees.

Friday, November 7, 2008

Saturday morning breakfast in Dunwoody and other misc updates.


The Dunwoody High School Football Team remains undefeated as they beat St. Pius 20 to 14 on Friday night. The DHS Pancake Breakfast is Today (Saturday) from 8 am until 11:30 for only $6.00 with kids under 5 eat free.

Dunwoody related election update - Tom Price, Dan Weber, Fran Millar, and Elaine Boyer all won easily while Jill Chambers had a little bit of a tougher time with her opponent but will also return to the State House. On December 2nd there will be a runoff election for the District 8, DeKalb County School Board between Pam Buncum and Pam Speaks.

Doraville Annexation Fails - It appears that the final count on the Doraville annexation question lost by just 34 votes out of 1,138 cast but due to ballot irregularities the Mayor is thinking about asking for a re-vote on the referendum. With such a close vote and well documented voting problems, it will be interesting to see what happens.

Dunwoody Murders Arrested - The AJC is reporting that an armed robbery crew supposedly responsible for the murder of Alejandro Perez-Morales within the soon to be new boundary of Dunwoody has been arrested.

Where is the greatest need for a new funky playground in Dunwoody? Application here.

DUMC Holiday Festival - Sat 9 to 4
Pony Rides, Giant Obstacle Course, Bounce House, Climbing Wall with Slide, Professional Face Painting, Dipping Dots Ice Cream, Cotton Candy, Popcorn, Concessions, 100 Artisans, Huge Silent Auction, Gourmet Shop, Book Nook, Attic Treasures, Casseroles to Go, Toy Shop, Photos with Santa, Children's Crafts, Pony Rides, Moonwalk, and much, much more!

HUNTLEY HILLS FALL FESTIVAL - Sat 10 - 3 at Huntley Hills Elem.
Bring the whole family out for fun-filled day of inexpensive, awesome entertainment! Tons of great food and inflatables, including "Surf's Up!" at 30 feet high! Pony rides, live music and, of course, a scary Haunted House.

City Council Meeting on Monday - agenda coming soon.

Update from the Mayor - Giving Thanks and Moving Forward

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Best Practices - Could Dunwoody be influencing Decatur?


Best practices - as a new city with little administrative history, the City of Dunwoody has the ability to review what our neighboring cities are doing and replicate it without making the mistakes that they may have made. I have discussed the City of Decatur several times in the past and I believe that they have a number of programs, policies and procedures for their residents that we should be putting into place here in Dunwoody.

Decatur is a great place to work and someday retire. The government fosters a vibrant business community yet it has a volunteer coordinator which focuses the energy of thousands of hours of donated skills to where they are needed to benefit the community at large. The Mayor and City Departments blog openly about what is going on in the city. Their Active Living Department is receiving an award from Peds for their actions in promoting Safe Routes to Schools for the children of Decatur, while we are just thinking of doing the same. There is a long term and ongoing commitment to city sustainability in Decatur and it is my goal that Dunwoody will soon have a committee that will lead us to doing the same.

Decatur has a lot going for it and there is much we can learn from them and others but sometimes best practices can also be found from the new kid on the block who has never learned the bad habits to begin with. The Decatur Metro blog, an independent voice in an independent city, reports that due to feedback given on their site, the City of Decatur has just started posting all relevant documents to city commission meetings on their website prior to the actual meeting taking place.

Has someone in Decatur noticed that this site dedicated to all things Dunwoody has done the exact same thing from day one of existence and will continue to do so until the City of Dunwoody website can be counted on to do the same? Did the residents of Decatur hear that every Dunwoody City Council meeting is recorded and available to the community the following morning on the internet? Maybe it was the fact that the City was able to pass an alcohol ordinance that was negotiated openly with both the residents and the business community providing input whereby each major revision of the document was available online for all to see?

Best practices can be found in many places and I again tip my hat to the City of Decatur to being able to recognize that fact and implement accordingly.

Monday, November 3, 2008

Warren Hutmacher named as Dunwoody's first City Manager

Warren Hutmacher
Dunwoody City Manager
April Hunt of the AJC

Warren Hutmacher, who has worked for a nearly decade in metro Atlanta governments, was hired Monday to be Dunwoody’s first city manager. (Meeting audio here.)

The city council approved Mayor Ken Wright’s recommendation by choosing Hutmacher over Steve Rapson to handle daily operations in Georgia’s newest city. Rapson is assistant city manager in Sandy Springs.

“He is very experienced, yet he is open to new things,” Wright said of Hutmacher. “I’m very excited at what he will help us get done.”

Hutmacher has been known for smart growth and economic development in his past administrative roles. Dunwoody residents cited both areas as concerns in discussions about becoming a city.

Hutmacher has been city manager in Norcross since 2006, and served as city manager in Avondale Estates for three years before that. He will be paid $145,000 a year in his new job.

Before being hired to jump-start development in Avondale, he served four years as assistant to the city manager in Marietta, where he was charged with helping revitalize its downtown.

Hutmacher resigned Monday night in Norcross at the city council meeting and was lauded for his service.

Hutmacher is expected to begin work in Dunwoody in mid- to late November. Dunwoody officially begins operation as a city on Dec. 1.

Dunwoody Public Works Director - position available

The City of Dunwoody, Georgia (population 40,000) is 13 square miles and is located in northern DeKalb County. Incorporated in October, 2008, Dunwoody is the newest city in Georgia. The City Manager is looking to assemble the most talented and innovative team of professionals in Georgia to lead the city in an ambitious and creative public/private partnership.

The City of Dunwoody is seeking an innovative and progressive Public Works Director.

In this position, the Public Works will perform highly responsible managerial and technical level work in directing all activities of the Public Works Departments.

PRIMARY JOB DUTIES: Plans, assigns and coordinates extensive public works activities encompassing street construction and maintenance, parks maintenance and programming and grounds maintenance. Oversees and administers the annual operating budget for the Public Works Department.

QUALIFICATIONS: B. S Degree in Civil Engineering or related degree. Possession of a certificate of registration as a Professional Engineer in the State of Georgia is desirable.

Annual Salary: Salary is under review and will be highly competitive to attract top talent.

Please send resume and cover letter to:

city.manager@dunwoodyga.gov or:

City of Dunwoody
PO Box 888074
Dunwoody, GA 30356
Attention City Manager - "PW Director Search"

Open until filled. First review of resumes will begin on November 12th.

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Dunwoody City Council to vote on Taxes, Alcohol, City Manager and Alcohol Licenses Fees.

Monday 7 .p.m.
Dunwoody United Methodist Church
1548 Mount Vernon Road
Dunwoody, GA 30338


Second Read and vote on approving Ordinance adopting Chapter 24 (“Taxation”) of the City of Dunwoody Code of Ordinances.

Second Read and vote on approving Ordinance adopting Chapter 4 (“Alcohol Beverages”) of the City of Dunwoody Code of Ordinances.

Discussion on city implementation.

Discussion and vote on approving Resolution to appoint City Manager.

Discussion and vote on adopting City Alcohol Licenses Fees.

Dunwoody RFP's are available on Boyken Site & due back by Nov 17th

If you are interested in bidding on a majority of Dunwoody's operational work, there are three Requests for Proposals that are now available on the Boyken International's website; all of which close on November 17th. There is also a Pre-Proposal Mandatory Conference on November 7, 2008 for all companies intentending to make a bid.

I have downloaded the RFPs and would have posted them on my site but Boyken would prefer that interested parties register on their site prior to being allowed a copy of the document; therefore I will provide the best link to get you there.

http://www.boyken.com/index.php/Dunwoody-RFP.html

The three RFPs cover the areas of...

Financial & Administrative Services which includes Revenue, Capital and Investment Administration, Accounts payable/receivable, Budgeting/Forecasting, Risk Management, Purchasing, Information Technology, Website, GIS, Telephones, Contract Administration, Physical Plant, Administrative Communications, Public Relations, Records Management, Human Resources, and Election Support to list a few of the areas.

Community Development which includes Planning & Zoning, Comprehensive Land Use Plan, Building Inspections & Permiting, Geographic Infromation Systems, and possibly Code Enforcement.

Public Works which includes an inventory of City Assets, GIS, Comprehensive Transportation Plan, Street Maintenance & Striping, Sidewalks, Gutters, Stormwater, Traffic Signals, Parks & Recreation, Emergency Preparedness & Capital Improvements.

I didn't write the RFPs but as the past Chairman of the Citizens for Dunwoody Transportation Task Force I recognized a number of the points in the RFPs that were taken dircetly from the advice presented by the various task forces that were comprised of hundreds of Dunwoody volunteers. If I was going to be submitting a proposal, I would make sure that I was at least familure with what those committees put togeather, (not that they are perfect nor is there confirmation that the ideas presented would be followed by those currently elected) to see what they produced.

http://www.jkheneghan.com/city/Task_Force/