Peachtree Charter Harvest Festival on Sat is a great community event.

14 Informational Meetings scheduled on the Dunwoody Parks Bond Referendums.

Citizens for Dunwoody, a local group of citizens, will be holding 14 public information sessions on Dunwoody's two parks bond referendums set for the Nov. 8 ballot. The two bonds, both for $33 million, would be used individually for acquiring park property and improving the city's current parks. Each bond is worth about .75 mills, which adds about $30 in property tax for each $100,000 in home value. One or more representatives from the City will be present to help answer questions at three of the meetings as indicated.  Below is a letter from Dan Weber that I saw in the Crier along with the schedule of presentations.

Between now and the November 8 vote on the parks bond referenda, Citizens for Dunwoody will be reaching out to you through several media to provide information concerning the bonds.  Those media will include articles in The Crier, a flier in the annual mailing from the Dunwoody Homeowners Association, and Emails with links to relevant information.  The best way to learn about the bonds, however, is by attending one of the community or neighborhood meetings listed below, so pull out your calendar and find a date that you can attend.  One or more representatives from the city will be present to help answer questions at three of the meetings as indicated.  If your neighborhood or group would like for one of our presenters to come to one of your meetings, please Email me at Dan@NorthAtlantaLaw.com.

Mill Glenn Clubhouse, 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 2.

Dunwoody Homeowners Association Board Meeting, 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 2.

Branches Clubhouse, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 4.

Dunwoody North Clubhouse, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 6.

Dunwoody United Methodist Men’s Group, 7:45 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 8.

City Hall (City representative(s) present), 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 9.

Fountainbleau Clubhouse, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 11.

Kingsley Clubhouse, 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 16.

Kingswood United Methodist Church, 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 16.

Georgia Perimeter College Auditorium (City representative(s) present), 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 16, prior to DHA candidates’ forum.

Georgetown Clubhouse, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 18.

Dunwoody United Methodist (room 257), 9 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 23.

Congregation Beth Shalom, 11:00 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 23.

City Hall (City representative(s) present), 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 27.

Renegotiated Dunwoody contracts puts unanticipated money into 2011 and 2012 budget projections.

Video

After renegotiating contracts for city services, the City of Dunwoody is in a strong financial position therefore look for ongoing capital improvements, capital sinking funds for anticipated future expenses and improvements in public safety.

The 2012 Draft Budget Proposal has been released and I am also expecting a large 2011 budget amendment to come before Council in October in order to determine what to do with the unanticipated 2011 budget surplus.

Video of the September 26th Dunwoody City Council Meeting

Video

No surprises this evening, everything passed with little or no changes.  The park purchase transparency item was changed whereby all pieces of property over $500,000 will be required to have two appraisals.   I voted against the private streets issue mainly out of principal because this document, a map of all the private streets wasn't part of our packet.

Finally I learned that if the Lessor of the Donaldson cemetery passes away, he only has 72 hours to notify the City in writing that he wants to be buried on the land that he actually owns.  My hope is that he will never have to implement that stipulation in the contract.

Meet the Candidates: Terry Nall, Post 4, District 1 Challenger by Dunwoody Patch

Dunwoody Patch published a Meet the Candidates profile on Terry Nall, one of two challengers in the District One, City Council election. Since I did this previously for another race, I have again copied the text verbatim below. Reminder - everyone in the City will have the opportunity to vote in this election.

Terry Nall
Age: 53
Neighborhood: Vernon North  
Position Sought: City Council At-Large Post 4 (from District 1)

Current Job/Company: President of U.S. insurance subsidiary for Deutsche Bank Private Wealth Management

Education: Wake Forest University, B.S. in Accounting; Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Trust and Financial Advisor (CTFA), and Certified Employee Benefits Specialist (CEBS)

How long have you lived in Dunwoody: 13 years

Community organizations: *Vernon North neighborhood: Successfully led property rights fight against incompatible adjacent business development.
*Dunwoody Homeowners Association: Board Member
*Dunwoody Village Master Plan Sounding Board
*Fire and Rescue task force leading up to “Dunwoody Yes” campaign
*St. Luke’s Presbyterian Church: Elder, Clerk of Session, Youth Advisor, and Chair of Personnel Committee
*Boy Scout Troop 764: Treasurer, adult leader, and Eagle Scout, as is son Adam.
*Tartan Trot 5K/10K fundraiser for Youth missions
*Habitat for Humanity
*Presbytery of Greater Atlanta: Chair, Committee on Ministry
*Presbyterian Church (USA) Investment & Loan Program: National Board Member

Your platform: Key Principle: Small, efficient, disciplined government with accountability.

Key Positions:
Taxes: Keep taxes low and protect against risks and excessive debt
Police: Maintain appropriate level of police protection.
Growth: Measured and balanced approach to growth and development
Parks: Enhance parks incrementally with budgeted funds
Streets: Stick to a plan of paving the worst first.

Other than the people, what is the best part of Dunwoody: Small town feel with big city opportunities.

What are the two biggest issues facing Dunwoody: Disciplined Spending: Needs must come before wants. We must carefully budget and avoid decisions to spend when we do not fully understand all actual costs.  If elected, I will be the only active CPA serving on City Council and am unfazed by an emotional "sense of urgency".

Zoning: This next City Council will conduct a total re-write of our Zoning Code. This is a pivotal project that will affect Dunwoody and especially our commercial areas for decades to come. If elected, I will insist on including the best zoning tools to achieve a measured approach to growth by increasing our tax base without overwhelming our infrastructure and schools with high-density development.

What is something people may not know about you? I worked as a Fire/EMS dispatcher to pay my way through college, as well as trained and volunteered as an EMT for the local rescue squad. This prior experience remains helpful today on issues of public safety.

Meet the Candidates: Rick Callihan, Post 4, District 1 Challenger by Dunwoody Patch

Dunwoody Patch published a Meet the Candidates profile on Rick Callihan, one of two challengers in the District One, City Council election. I have again copied the text verbatim below.
Reminder - everyone in the City will have the opportunity to vote in this election.

Rick Callihan
Age: 43

Neighborhood: Weldstone Manor

Position Sought: District 1, Post 4 (at-large)

Current Job/Company:  Director of Operations, AmeriGlo

Education: BA in Business Administration, Thiel College.  GA teacher certification, Kennesaw State

How long have you lived in Dunwoody: 13 years

Community organizations: Dunwoody Homeowners Association, Dunwoody Community Garden

Other than the people, what is the best part of Dunwoody?  Dunwoody has an excellent location, here at the heart of the Perimeter business district.  In just minutes you can transition from quiet residential neighborhoods to the Perimeter CID, home to over 4000 businesses and 29 million square feet of office space.  The key to the success and livelihood of Dunwoody is a working relationship between our city and the PCID that promotes job growth.

What are the two biggest issues facing Dunwoody? The city’s biggest expense going forward will not be paving and sidewalks, but stormwater repair.  This used to be under control of DeKalb County, but now is Dunwoody’s responsibility.  I question the city’s motive for taking on this enormous liability from DeKalb County as it was not required.  At the last council work session we were made aware of over $100,000 in repairs needed in just two (of thousands) city locations.

Another issue we constantly need to monitor in Dunwoody is public schools.  Of course the city itself does not control the schools, as the DeKalb County school system provides that service.  Schools are an important factor in business relocation and for home buyers.   We need to develop and maintain a working relationship with the school board and the central office staff.  I’ve worked with members of our school board in previous years and can bring that experience to city council.

What is something people may not know about you? I was a 6^th grade teacher for a few years in Cobb County

Agenda of the September 26th Dunwoody City Council Meeting

Monday, September 26th
Dunwoody City Hall
41 Perimeter Center East

Dunwoody, GA 30346
6:00 p.m. Work Session - No Video

7:00 p.m.Watch Live

Agenda & full city packet

• Presentation of the 2011 Savvy Award for the City of Dunwoody Branding Campaign.
• Recognition of Officer Joseph Tomalka for Receiving Bachelor's Degree.
• PROCLAMATION - "Red Ribbon Week 2011".
• Resolution to Approve and Authorize an Intergovernmental Agreement with DeKalb County for the Provision of 800 MHz Radio System Access.
• Resolution to Approve and Authorize an Intergovernmental Agreement with DeKalb County for the Dispatch of Fire and Emergency Medical Services.
• Resolution to Approve and Authorize the Acceptance of Department of Natural Resources Recreational Trails Grant.
• Award of Contract for Sidewalk Construction-Happy Hollow and Valley View.
• Award of Contract for 4889 Village Creek Drive Culvert Lining.
• Ratification of Purchase Order for Bend Creek Pipe Replacement Project.
• Cancellation of November 28th, 2011 City Council Meeting and December 26th, 2011 Work Session and City Council Meeting.
• Resolution to Approve and Authorize an Intergovernmental Agreement with DeKalb County for Use of Electronic Warrant Interchange.
• Resolution to Appoint Members to Serve on the City of Dunwoody Town and Gown Committee.
• Resolution to Appoint Members to Serve on the City of Dunwoody Design Review Advisory Committee. 
• Reappointment of Mike Dendinger to the Dunwoody Audit Committee.
• SECOND READ: An Ordinance Amending Chapter 16, Land Development, Article 3 (Subdivisions), To Allow Further Subdivision Of Lots Fronting Private Streets.
• Award of Contract for RFP 11-06: Planning, Design, and Engineering of a Gateway, Wayfinding, and Park & Facility Signage System.
• SECOND READ: An Ordinance Amending Chapter 10 of the City of Dunwoody Code of Ordinances by Revising Certain Requirements of Door-to-Door Salesmen Regulations.
• Resolution to Adopt Parks Bond Land Acquisition Strategy.
• Resolution to Adopt Parks Bond Transparent Procurement Policy.
• Approval of Lease Agreement for the Donaldson Family Cemetery.
• Approval of Transportation Enhancement Memorandum of Understanding for Dunwoody Village Parkway Streetscape Project.
• Discussion of Award of Public Works and Parks & Recreation Government Services Contract.

Dunwoody warns candidates on political signs and provides guidelines for placement.

Full Document

Meet the Candidates: Robert Wittenstein, Post 1, District 4 Incumbent by Dunwoody Patch

Dunwoody Patch published a Meet the Candidates profile on Robert Wittenstein, the Incumbent in the District One, City Council election.  Since I did this previously for another race, I have again copied the text verbatim below.  I take it for granted that the other two candidates for District 1 will be following soon. Reminder - everyone in the City will have the opportunity to vote in this election.

Robert Wittenstein
Age: 53
Neighborhood: Verdon Forest
Position Sought: District 1, Post 4, City Council

Current Job/Company: Senior Vice President, Alere Health and Councilmember, City of Dunwoody

Education: BA, Political Science with a concentration in Urban Planning and Public Policy Administration

How long have you lived in Dunwoody: 22 Years

Community organizations: Temple Emanu-El, Citizens for Dunwoody, American Red Cross, Dunwoody Nature Center, Friends of the Dunwoody Library, Spruill Center for the Arts, Dunwoody Chamblee Parent’s Council, Dunwoody Homeowners Association, Anti Defamation League, Community Action Center, Dunwoody Seniors Baseball.

Your platform: It has been a great three years for Dunwoody and I am deeply moved to have been a part of it. I am proud of our accomplishments.  As a fiscal conservative and a strong advocate of small and transparent government, my common theme over the last three years has been: Provide city services such as police, road maintenance and parks as efficiently as possible and take a “less-is-more”, conservative approach to government. I will continue to champion a policy of living within our means and avoiding tax increases.

Other than the people, what is the best part of Dunwoody:  The best part of Dunwoody is our volunteers and organizations. Our churches, synagogues and community organizations are what provide the enrichment and the sense of place that make Dunwoody “Home” and impact our lives in so many ways. This is where the real work of cityhood is done, not in the offices of City Hall. Sure, we need to provide for public safety, parks and roads but I realize that the government is not what makes Dunwoody special. What makes Dunwoody an extraordinary place to live is our community organizations.

What are the two biggest issues facing Dunwoody:  Zoning and economic development. We have been using DeKalb’s zoning map and zoning classifications since incorporation. It is time for Dunwoody to decide how it wants to manage development to support the Comprehensive Plan and the Master Plans for Dunwoody Village and Georgetown. As the economy improves we will need to work to attract high-end businesses to help revitalize the PCID and other commercial areas.

What is something people may not know about you?   I’m a bicyclist and a gardener. On Saturday mornings when the weather is nice I can often be seen riding around Dunwoody. On most Sundays you will find me at Garden Isaiah growing food for the Community Action Center.

Please don't focus on just the Mayor's race in Dunwoody - Lynn Deutsch / Kerry de Vallette

 Just as important a decision as Mayor.

The next Mayor of Dunwoody will be chosen in early November and it appears that this race will be overshadowing the others in both press coverage and money spent. In today's Crier on page 19, I already see two Mayoral Forums have been announced and there is just one forum available to assist the voters in making their selections in the other two at large positions.

Please know that every registered voter will be able to vote in the two City Wide council seat elections as well as the Mayor's race; therefore each of the three races deserve equal press coverage and equal face time with the electorate. This item is reinforced by the fact that Dunwoody has a weak Mayor system in place where the Mayor's vote, counts the same as the six other council members with no veto authority. In reality, the city council is ruled by a simple majority of the seven members therefore it only takes four members to make a final decision on any topic which comes before council.

That being said the Dunwoody Patch published a Meet the Candidates profile on the District Two candidates that I will copy verbatim below.

Lynn Deutsch 
Age: 46
Neighborhood: North Springs
Current job/company: Mom/Volunteer/Homemaker (former public policy researcher)

Education:
•Masters of City Planning, Georgia Tech
•Graduate Certificate in Gerontology, Georgia State
•Bachelor of Arts in Government, University of Texas at Austin
•Bachelor of Science in Journalism, University of Texas at Austin

How long have you lived in Dunwoody: 23 years

Community organizations: I currently serve on the Dunwoody Planning Commission and the Dunwoody Elementary PTO Board. I served for many years on our neighborhood’s Women’s Club Board. I also served on the board of the Dunwoody Homeowners Association. I was the governor’s representative on the Master Teacher and Academic Coach Implementation committee. I have been a member of numerous other state and local committees as well as serving a variety of roles at my children’s schools.

Your platform: To thrive in the future, Dunwoody must be an outstanding place to live for people in all ages and stages of their lives and simultaneously be a great place for businesses to locate. To reach this goal, we must: •Be fiscally conservative, spending resources carefully; •Solicit and listen to feedback from residents; •Have a small and efficient government that works for the good of the community; •Maintain neighborhood integrity; •Repair roads and improve parks, and; •Promote Dunwoody to businesses looking to relocate.

Other than the people, what is the best part of Dunwoody?  We have terrific neighborhoods and communities in a great location. We have easy access to a range of shopping, dining, medical care, and transit options. But most importantly, it is the people that make Dunwoody special.

What are the two biggest issues facing Dunwoody? Traffic - both the number of cars and the behavior of drivers, creates problems in Dunwoody. We must use our public safety and public works resources to address these challenges through road maintenance, education and enforcement. As the economy improves, Dunwoody will face pressure from developers to permit projects that do not fit our values. As your council person, I will work to preserve the character of Dunwoody.

What is something people may not know about you? I love high school and college football.

*****

Kerry de Vallette 
Age: 57
Neighborhood: Dunwoody Club Forest
Family: Married 28 years to Jill Abbott de Vallette, who has been with Delta Air Lines since 1978. Jill is an active volunteer with the Special Olympics and Habitat for Humanity. We have three children, John Abbott, and twins Katherine and Sara. All are graduates of Dunwoody High School. All three attend Georgia Southern University.
Current Job/Company: I run the JKS Abbott Group, an independent sales and marketing firm focused in the healthcare information technology market.

Education: Graduate of the University of Tennessee

How long have you lived in Dunwoody: Since 1983

Community organizations: Joined the Dunwoody Homeowners Association in 1984; served three terms as vice president, 1988, 1989 and 1990. From 1993 to 2006 I served in head coach and assistant coaching positions at Murphey Candler and Morgan Falls youth baseball, softball and football programs. Dunwoody Senior Baseball. Dunwoody High School Baseball. Habitat for Humanity. Boy Scout Troop 623.

Platform: I believe that small government is the best government. And that council members must focus on the principles that propelled Dunwoody into cityhood: keep taxes low, public safety (accomplished with appropriate levels of police staff), roads (pave the worst first) and parks and recreation facilities.

Other than the people, what is the best part of Dunwoody? The energy and power our new city creates. As a city we control our own destiny. That enables Dunwoody to continue to grow, to develop a mix of well-established residential neighborhoods in close proximity to the greatest economic engine in the southeast, the PCID.

What are the two biggest issues facing Dunwoody? Without a doubt, the proposed park bond referendums are at the top of the list with most everyone I talk with. The second is traffic. And like our residential development and parks development, mitigating traffic issues requires solid planning that addresses our current needs such as key intersection improvements, sidewalks, and bike paths, but also anticipates our future growth!

What is something people may not know about you? I make the best gumbo in Georgia, bar none!

Weekend Plans - football, supporting our neighbor's festivals and more football.

I just got back from the Dunwoody High School football game where I spent some quality time with my 11 yr old son Riley.  We seemed to see half the town (and several political candidates) there as it was homecoming night and the Court was dressed to the nines.  We sat between the Band and the Cheerleaders and had a great time watching a well played game by Dunwoody winning 34 - 3.  Between my weekend honey-do list and kids activities, including a football game with the Atlanta Colts where I am the designated water-boy, I am going to try to squeeze in the Taste of Chamblee which is taking place on Saturday.

I think I will also hit up the Dunwoody Lacrosse Car Wash too as it needs to be done and I know the program is busting at the seams with little resources or grounds to play on as they have lofty long term plans for the program.  Sunday, I might hit up the Sandy Springs Festival which is going on all weekend, but I may need to be well rested for that Falcons / Eagles game which starts late?

Saturday

Dunwoody HS Girls Lacrosse Car Wash
Clean Cars needed for Homecoming Dance
Burger King in Dunwoody Village (Shops at Dunwoody)
9am till 1pm


Taste of Chamblee 11-8 pm
Broad and Peachtree near City Hall

Patrons will purchase food tickets for $1 each and tickets will be used for event food purchases at participating restaurants. Participating restaurants will serve sample sized portions of their specialties for 1-4 tickets per serving. The Art Walk will feature local and regional artists offering a variety of unique art including paintings, photography, pottery, graphics, sculptures, jewelry and much more. The Kidz Zone will feature a full array of interactive games and art projects for kids of all ages. Grab a table in the Beer Garden and enjoy some of the area’s best live music and entertainment on the Music Stage.

11:00am Julie Gribble www.juliegribble.com
1:00pm TOC Main Stage Winners - OpenMic
3:00pm Martay The Partay www.myspace.com/martayandthepartay
4:30pm Heaven Davis www.heavendavis.com
6:00pm Yacht Rock Revue www.yachtrockrevue.com

Sunday

Sandy Spring Festival at Heritage Green

Making of Modern Atlanta or just the Real Housewives of Dunwoody Village?

The Making of Modern Atlanta was an eight part TV series put on by WPBA back in 1991 and the Award Winning (I'm not jealous) Atlanta blog, Pecanne Log is doing a nice recap of the videos. 

Well lo and behold, the suburb of Dunwoody was prominently featured in episode three as being the "ultimate suburb" in 1991 with the blue-blooded, "Real Housewives of Dunwoody Village" regularly wearing black tennis outfits to funerals.  (I heard the joke before but never knew the origin.)

“We like the look of the Williamsburg look here in the middle of Dunwoody Village, but I guess since I’m a child of the ’70s it bothers me that everything would have to be exactly the same. When Turtle’s built a new building they had a purple awning on it and some of the Dunwoody people are fighting it, and I just think there’s so many more important things to fight about than a purple awning to wreck the Williamsburg look. I just say relax about it.”

If I can get my hands on this video, rest assured I'll post it to the web for your viewing pleasure.

Possible change for Dunwoody trash pickup in the wind

I read the story in The Dunwoody Crier discussing DeKalb County thinking about fewer trash pickups and this is now being followed by an AJC article which is being directed at Dunwoody.  I have a family with three boys and I believe we could easily survive with just one trash & recycling pickup and one lawn pickup each week but I know some people really enjoy the numerous pickups.

As noted in the article, some people would be willing to pay more to keep the current service but I guess if I ever have to vote on this there would have to be a close comparison between service and price vs the quality of a known service vs the switch to the unknown.

AJC article by Michelle Shaw

With DeKalb County considering cutting residential trash pickup from two days to one, Dunwoody might have to decide whether to privatize collection to keep the same level of service.

The DeKalb County Commission has been discussing for several months reducing services to avoid raising rates in 2013. DeKalb public works officials have said cutting service days would allow rates to stay the same through 2015 for county residents.

But the possible change in service also could spread to the county’s municipal customers.
Dunwoody and the county have an annually renewable agreement whereby DeKalb provides residential and commercial trash service for the city. Should the county decide in the next few months to go to one day a week residential trash pickup, the decision would not necessarily immediately effect municipalities like Dunwoody.

“We would be obligated to fulfill those contracts as written,” DeKalb County spokesman Burke Brennan said. “If the contract calls for two days a week, we will pick up two days a week.”  But, he  said, once the contract expires, the new collection schedule would come into play, unless the municipality negotiates something more.

While nothing has been discussed by the Dunwoody council, City Manager Warren Hutmacher acknowledged the city could elect to hire a private company to pick up its trash if it doesn’t like what the county decides.

“It really is too early to speculate what we would do, since the county hasn’t done anything,” Hutmacher said.  Dunwoody's city services are contracted out to several private companies and though residents seem to be pleased with the privatization model, not everyone is happy about the possibility of going to private trash pickup.

Beverly Armento, who lives in Dunwoody, said she doesn't have a problem with DeKalb handling trash pickup. "They do a good job."

Armento said it is never too early to think about the effects of a decision to take trash collection private.
“I think this could mean job losses for the people who pick up the trash,” she said. “I would hate to see people lose their jobs. I would rather pay more so people can keep their jobs.”

Welcome Dr. Cheryl Atkinson, DeKalb County School Superintendent

Dear DeKalb Parents, Staff, Students, and Community Members:

Today begins a new chapter in the history of the DeKalb County School District (DCSD), and it is a privilege for me to be part of the legacy. I am honored the Board of Education has entrusted me to focus our District’s efforts on student success, and I am confident that by working together we can reach our goal.

In the next few days, I will provide the Board with a 90-day transition plan to fully assess the strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities of the District. I will use those first 90 days to listen and learn from the community, parents, teachers and principals.

My plan is to visit each school and speak with each principal. I plan to meet with the civic community and to gain their support for a comprehensive plan that will put Students First. I plan to meet with parents, students, teachers, parent-teacher organizations, representatives of teachers’ groups, board members, elected officials, and key business leaders. The message will be the same everywhere. If we band together, keep our eyes on the goal, and put Students First, there is no limit to what we can accomplish.

In the first 90 days, a complete assessment of the senior instructional team will be conducted to help uncover ways to begin working immediately to enhance student success. A complete assessment of our financial priorities will be conducted with a focus on shifting more of our resources to the schools and classrooms. More ways will be learned to enhance instructional capacity, operational processes, personnel quality, and financial priorities of the District.

The challenges are great, but I firmly believe that by working together and putting Students First, we can reach our goal of building a world-class school district. With the support of the community, parents and the Board of Education, we will be the catalyst for improving the academic skills and lifetime opportunities of our students.

The citizens of DeKalb County expect quality education, and the children of DCSD deserve nothing less. I am committed to educational excellence and ask that you join me in achieving this goal throughout DCSD.

Sincerely,

Cheryl L. H. Atkinson, Ed. D.
Superintendent

Video of Sep 12th Dunwoody City Council Meeting

Meeting Video - first three hours

Video - last 10 minutes

Tonight was a work session where it was open discussion with just one vote taking place to cover a grant application.  Most topics were mundane, there were a few heated topics and several spirited monologues conversations, but in the end it was a worthwhile evening of discussion.  The solicitor ordinance will be revised to to make revocation easier and harassment of a resident just cause for pulling the permit.  I wasn't sold on the subdivision of private streets proposal and believe this needs to be tightened up whereby the definition of private street needs to be clearly defined. The park bonds policies were discussed, explained and modified by council and everything else was pretty much accepted as presented.

Dunwoody Crier E-Edition is easy reading on line.

I read a lot of news on-line and am really enjoying the new Crier E-Edition where I can see the entire page including all the ads and classified.  Check it out September 7th edition.  Kudos Mr. Williams !!

My September 11, 2001 in Washington D.C.

I have posted this personal story on my blog several times before and it was recently posted in a local news story, therefore some of you may have already read this; but please forgive me as today I am posting this for my sons.  My boys will be learning from numerous news sources of the events of 9/11, and then they can read my personal recap here as well as talk to their mother who lost two coworkers that day.

Ten years ago today I was in Arlington, Virginia (near the Ballston Metro Stop) attending a training course which was scheduled to start at 9 a.m. As we were getting ready to start the class, a blackberry went off stating that a plane hit the World Trade Center and we were lucky enough that the location had a TV connected to cable and therefore it was immediately turned to CNN. The class watched as the reporters were unsure what they were seeing and we tried to figure out if it was small general aviation accident or something more serious. Just then on live TV we saw the second plane hit the tower and we knew that the first plane must have been similar. We sat in awe with the rest of the world as we watched that screen to try to comprehend what we were actually seeing.

At about 9:30 half of the class was on the telephone seeing what needed to be done as the other half watched the screen. The facilitator of the training class was a contractor who wanted to start the class (in order to get paid?) and after a 5 minute argument with most of the remaining students in the room, a supervisor made the call and said that the TV should be turned off and the class should go on. Not less than 2 minutes later, the person with the blackberry (in 2001 he must have been pretty special because they were probably rare.) stood up and yelled that "the Pentagon was just hit!”

The Pentagon is located in Arlington, Va the same city as the training course and my hotel was even closer as I was staying in the Crystal City area, just blocks from the Pentagon. People scrambled, everyone was dazed, cell phones didn’t work, locals jumped in cars to get home to their families and I decided to try to get back to my hotel since most of my co-workers had already left.

Thousands of people decided to go home the way they came and the Metro mass transit subway system wasn’t made to accommodate that level of traffic. People were reflective, several were crying, scared, shoulder to shoulder, a mass of humanity, now a hundred of feet below ground in a subway station that was build to be a fallout shelter in case of nuclear attack. On top of everything else, it seemed that the trains had now stopped running.

Underground, time had stopped. I might have been there an hour, but it seemed ten. What was happening up on the surface? Were we now at war? What was next? Babies were crying, mothers were holding them tight but there was very little other sound. A Metro conductor, held the microphone to his ear and yelled that the trains were now running again, the platform erupted in cheers; 10 minutes later I was on a train heading back to my hotel.

As I got out of the Crystal City Metro Station, I could smell the Pentagon burning less than a mile away and I was able to walk faster then the stream of cars who were trying to get out of the area. Back in the hotel, I sat alone in a very dark hotel room surfing channels to get as much information as I could absorb. I watched in horror on the Spanish Channel as they showed in graphic detail of people jumping to their death and then I watched as the towers fell. Finally I got a hold of my wife to let her know that I was fine and where I was located.

At the time Kristin was a United Airlines flight attendant, based out of Newark, NJ who was on medical leave because she was eight months pregnant with my son Gavin. Had she been flying, it is very likely that she would have been on United Flight 93 because it was one of her regular flights. Flight attendants obtain trips based on seniority and with Kris’s 12 years of seniority at the time, was able to hold the cross continental trip scheduled for San Francisco. Flying all of her trips from the Newark base while we lived in Atlanta meant that she shared a flop house with other flight attendants near the Newark airport. She and 15 other flight attendants shared a room at the Hampton Inn that contained a bunch of beds and was permanently set for them on a first come, first serve basis. Two of Kristin’s “roommates” in the flophouse were working Flight 93 that day and crashed in the field in Pennsylvania. From that day on, Kristin never flew again as a United Airlines Flight Attendant.

My return flight possibilities back to Atlanta were non-existent and I didn’t have a rental car since I was taking public transportation around D.C. Luckily my super social wife spread the word to her friends that I was stuck in Washington and the very next day I was picked up by the husband of one of her friends from a Dunwoody playgroup who was working in D.C.

As we departed Arlington we pulled onto I-395 and the Pentagon with the huge black hole in the side came into view, we knew from that day forward the definition of the word "normal" was forever changed.

Please Stop Speeding on Dunwoody Residential Streets

I get lots of email requesting city services and 99% of them I forward directly to the respective Department head for review & consideration while copying the City Manager so that he is aware of needs & pulse of the community.  The City Council's role is overall city policy but I am always happy to help residents get the operational services they want and need, but that primary responsibility actually goes to the City Manager and the respective staff.

In the last 24 hours I received the following requests: I had a request for new sidewalks near a busy street for a community who has been waiting for quite some time, a request to improve a neighbors house through forced code enforcement, a request for improved striping on newly paved roads, a request to improve possible safety defects in one of our parks, a request for a newspaper interview, a request for enforcement of a garage sale that has been going on every weekend for months and finally the note below (with the photo shown above with Gwinnett tags) requesting that the City of Dunwoody find a way to calm the traffic on North Peachtree Road.

Typically, I would forward this last message to Police Chief Grogan and Public Works who might do speed enforcement and explore other options to slow the traffic.  Since I also receive messages regarding tickets being given on N Peachtree Road; I know ticketing alone does not work, therefore I have decided to print the residents request for you to read for yourself.

Please do me a favor, watch the video posted below and the next time you drive on N Peachtree Road between Mt. Vernon and Peeler, please pay very close attention at the speed and try to stay under the maximum limit of 25 mph.  (My wife has a hard time doing this down the winding hills and has therefore started to use the brakes and cruise control.)  Imagine if hundreds of vehicles took it upon themselves to stick to the strict speed limit, on that road they would actually be changing the mind set (somewhat force-ably) of others around them to also drive slower too.  As far as the other items, they are all being reviewed by city staff and fyi the new asphalt through out the city will be getting new highly reflective professional striping and new crosswalks but please patient since we are waiting until all paving is done to do it all at once.  The striping on the streets now is only temporary.

Dear Councilman Heneghan,

I am not sure if you are my councilman, but I receive your blog and you seem to doing a great job for Dunwoody. I live at 5### North Peachtree Road, and I believe it is long overdue for this City to look at two things for North Peachtree Road.

1) Calm the speed using anything but humps…Circles narrow spots, anything.

2) Make North Peachtree Road a unattractive alternative to Tilly Mill or getting from Mt. Vernon to I-285 area. If you do item one then I hope item 2 takes care of itself.

The attached photo was taken today when some speeding teenagers lost control and overturned almost into Kingsley Lake. People cutting through this neighborhood and speeding are going to get people killed. This happened at 3:30PM Friday. Imagine if children walking home from Kingsley School were hit or pool goers at Kingsley Pool. When I moved here the speed on North Peachtree was 35. We got it to 25 and added some stop signs after a local girl was killed on the road.

If there is anything you can do, It would be appreciated. Anything I can do to help, I will. Thanks,

North Peachtree Roard is max 25 mph - Slow Down

Agenda for September 12th Dunwoody City Council Meeting

Monday, September 12th
Dunwoody City Hall
41 Perimeter Center East

Dunwoody, GA 30346

7:00 p.m. Watch Live

Agenda & full city packet

• Perimeter Center Improvement Districts Update. (Yvonne Williams)
• Dunwoody 911 Cutover.
• Discussion of Intergovernmental Agreement with DeKalb County for the Provision of 800 MHz Radio System Access. 
• Discussion of Intergovernmental Agreement with DeKalb County for Dispatch of Fire and Emergency Medical Services. 
• Discussion of Contract Award for RFP 11-06: Planning, Design, and Engineering of a Gateway, Wayfinding, and Park & Facility Signage System. 
• Resolution of Support - Atlanta Regional Commission Livable Centers Initiative - Transportation Program. 
• FIRST READ: An Ordinance Amending Chapter 16, Land Development, Article 3 (Subdivisions), To Allow Further Subdivision Of Lots Fronting Private Streets.
• FIRST READ: An Ordinance Amending Chapter 10 of the City of Dunwoody Code of Ordinances by Revising Certain Requirements of Door-to-Door Salesmen Regulations.
• Discussion of the Quitclaim Deed for the Donaldson Family Cemetery.
• Discussion of Department of Natural Resources Recreational Trails Grant Acceptance. 
• Discussion of Contract for Sidewalk Construction-Happy Hollow and Valley View. 
• Discussion of Contract for 4889 Village Creek Drive Culvert Lining. 
• Discussion of Bend Creek Pipe Replacement Project.
• Discussion of November and December Council Meeting Dates.
• Discussion of Electronic Warrant Interchange (EWI) IGA.
• Discussion of Park Bonds Policies for Land Acquisition Criteria and Transparent Purchasing Procedure.

Agenda for Sunday's Dunwoody Homeowners Association Meeting

Sunday, September 11th @ 7:30 P.M.
DeKalb Cultural Arts Center, room 4

Announcements and introduction of new board members and distinguished visitors

• Approval of Minutes – for August 2011 Board meeting
• DHS Dunwoody Girls Lacrosse
• Starbucks on Ashford-Dunwoody @ Ravinia
  Presentation by the K. Zickert for the applicant
• The Tile Shop (next to Rooms To Go) signage variance
  Presentation by Carl Westmoreland for the applicant
• Survey of membership on COD Parks Bonds
• Discussion of Candidate forum(s) for October

Customer Contact and Home Occupations will be discussed at Thursday's Dunwoody Community Council.

 Home Occupation Rules Proposed to Change.

Thursday Night at 7 PM, the Dunwoody Community Council will be reviewing two preliminary zoning items of interest to the community.

The first involves allowing customer contact home occupations in residences specifically zoned R-100, single family.  This item came to light because of the local Violin teacher who wanted to work from her home and went though the tedious process to make it happen.  Council recognized the DeKalb ordinance did not fit for the new City of Dunwoody and is now going through the first stage of review.  I have attached the document being reviewed Thursday and can see questions being raised regarding only changing this in the R-100 zoning as the violin teacher was in R-50.  I live on a nice sized lot in R-85 and don't understand why my property would need to be excluded and I'm guessing that the member of the Community Council who also lives in R-85 will be asking that same question?  There also seems to be special added exceptions being proposed for home occupations for educational purposes where classes could be conducted outside yet all other occupations, other than child day care, requires it to be completely indoors; therefore I will be interested in hearing the discussions on that as well.

The second item is an amendment to the land development ordinance text that would allow legally platted lots fronting private streets to be further subdivided -pursuant to existing established procedure- while also allowing existing subdivisions that have only private street frontage to be recognized as lawful and conforming. This is an item that I was unaware of but am interested in learning more and seeing how it would affect Dunwoody's future land use. Here is the document for Thursday and a copy of the Zoning map if you need it for this item or the one before.

PS: please help me welcome Ms. Adrienne Duncan to the Dunwoody blogosphere with her "Dunwoody Working Girl" blog which she uses to discuss what ever is on her mind and lately it has been Dunwoody related.  Adrienne's company SDOC Publishing, Internet Solutions has been in operation for over ten years and she is the driving force behind the Dunwoody Chamber of Commerce website.

Going the extra 2/10ths mile to pave Tilly Mill Road south of the Dunwoody line.

Neighbors irked when Dunwoody road paving stops at Doraville line

By Michelle Shaw of the AJC
Dunwoody’s 2011 paving project called for resurfacing busy Tilly Mill Road this summer.  But neighbors in the area of Tilly Mill and Peachtree Industrial were dismayed when they realized the paving would stop at Stonington Road, and not continue approximately two-tenths of a mile to Peachtree Industrial.

The problem: That stretch of road is in Doraville, not Dunwoody.

“We have to use this stretch of road to get to our homes,” said Jason Moss, a Dunwoody resident who lives near the intersection. “It seems like it would be in the best interest of Dunwoody to pave this piece of road.” Fortunately for Moss and others in the area, some city and county officials agreed.

Dunwoody had already contracted with Allied Paving Contractors Inc. to pave more than 4,000 feet of Tilly Mill, from Peeler Road to Stonington Road. The estimated cost of paving that stretch of road was $210,000, according to a memo to the city council.

Moss and many of his neighbors, including members of the Dunwoody North Civic Association, thought the city could pave the remaining piece of road without much, if any, additional expense. They couldn’t get the Dunwoody City Council to see things their way.

The issue was simple for Councilman Denis Shortal. The piece of road in question, no matter how short, isn’t in Dunwoody.  Not all took such a hard line. Councilman John Heneghan asked the new mayor of Doraville what it would take to get the piece of road paved.

Eventually, DeKalb County got involved because it is responsible for resurfacing roads in Doraville. Ultimately, the county negotiated a price of $54,000 for the extra stretch of Tilly Mill, said Bob Lundsten, chief of staff for DeKalb County Commissioner Elaine Boyer, who represents the area.

“Everything was already in place,” Lundsten said. “The equipment, the workers, everything was in place, and the county was able to save money and make residents happy.”

Soon after Dunwoody completed its work on Tilly Mill, Allied paved the Doraville portion of the road for DeKalb County.  “However it happened, I’m just glad it did,” Moss said. “That piece was in pretty bad shape.”

Dunwoody Talk Blogger Rick Callihan for Dunwoody City Council

Rick Callihan - Candidate for Dunwoody Council

I am excited to announce that I am running for Dunwoody’s at-large District 1 seat. Since starting the blog a few years ago to share information and perspective on the happenings and politics of Dunwoody I have been fortunate to earn the daily readership of hundreds of my fellow Dunwoodians. Please join me as I begin the task of campaigning for the District 1 seat so that we can bring our voices to the council.

This year Labor Day signals a new chapter for me and my family - the labor of a political campaign. I've received many supportive and encouraging phone calls, texts, and emails since Friday after I filed my official paperwork to join the race, Thank you! As we progress through the campaign I look forward to hearing more from you and meeting new people. Going forward, I want to share my thoughts about what challenges and opportunities are before us and hear your expectations and opinions about the city and its future.

DunwoodyTalk Blog
I started the blog in 2009 as a way to keep the community in touch with local happenings and Dunwoody politics. I’ve attended council meetings over the past three years and posted recaps (from my viewpoint) of these meetings to keep you informed on issues that affect all of Dunwoody. I think our first mayor and council have done a nice job putting things together and I thank them for their service. Of course, there are some things (large and small) I would have done differently. This first council and mayor put in many hours to make Dunwoody great, and I appreciate their efforts.

Gardener and Volunteer at the Community Garden at Brook Run Park
A couple years ago I read somewhere (probably John Heneghan's blog or the Dunwoody Crier) about a couple people kicking around the idea of starting a garden over at Brook Run. I admit two things: One, I barely knew how to get to Brook Run at the time, and two, I did not have much experience gardening. After two full growing seasons I can say that I have learned a lot over at Brook Run. The garden group has donated over 2000 pounds of fresh produce this year to a local food pantry and I'm proud to be part of that effort.

Transportation Committee and Parks and Recreation Committee
I was honored when asked to serve on a couple of city committees. I was on a Transportation committee with some fellow citizens. The committee tossed a few good ideas around. One issue that came up was how much of the city's transportation budget should be dedicated to alternate transit? 'Alternate' was explained as bicycle for the most part. Should it be 50% as some suggest? How about 25%? 10? This is an issue the city will address in the next few years.

Dunwoody also had a Parks and Recreation committee and I served on it. We had a group of residents, all with our own ideas of what is needed in Dunwoody. This is probably one of the top issues our city faces over the next few years. A case can be made for what type of sports venue(s) are desired in Dunwoody. (I did not say what is 'needed', as there is a difference between needs and wants). The mom of a Dunwoody boy playing baseball can make valid points about the desire for baseball fields in our city. But moms of tennis, soccer, softball, and lacrosse players can all make the same compelling case. The issue is who will pay for these fields? Is it the city's responsibility to provide fields and courts for organized sports league? What is currently offered by neighboring communities and what is offered at local places of worship? As I wrote in a recent column, if city residents vote for the parks improvements bond, we need a regional approach to organized sports. I also think we need to look closely at public/private partnerships in regards to fields.

Dunwoody Homeowners Association (DHA)
About a year ago I joined the Board of the Dunwoody Homeowners Association. This organization is responsible for several local favorites like Light Up Dunwoody and the July 4th parade. The DHA's biggest focus is usually zoning - looking out for you and I, the homeowners. If you are seeking a way to get involved with our city, the DHA is a great place to start.

Beyond Dunwoody
Aside from local politics I am involved on the state and national level. Here in Georgia I was nominated for an office at the Republican Party meeting for Georgia's sixth congressional district. I accepted the role of Chairman of the DeKalb County Outreach Committee. On the national scene I am an NRA member and a business member of the NSSF, two organizations protecting Second Amendment rights.

Schools
As a former middle school teacher, everything related to educating children is of interest to me. Dunwoody experienced redistricting last year for our elementary schools, and will most likely experience it again in the very near future. During the redistricting process I attended many county hearings, spoke to hundreds of Dunwoody residents, and helped organize petition drives.

I have worked closely with our school board member, Nancy Jester, on many issues, and I look forward to working with her in upcoming years. Although our city does not control our schools (we are a part of the DeKalb School System) that does not mean city officials should avoid what is probably the most important issue in our community. I have experience working with our school board members and feel that as a city council member I can strengthen that relationship.

Like most of you, I have a full-time job and a family to keep me busy. My campaign to become your next city council member will need your help. At the least, please vote and encourage your friends, neighbors, and co-workers to vote. Those of you interested in making a financial contribution to the campaign, that can be done at www.rickcallihan.com or by contacting me directly. Once 'Callihan' yard signs arrive, I'd appreciate you placing one in your front yard.

Your neighbor,

Rick Callihan

Dunwoody Police welcomes five new Chaplains.

In 2010, the Dunwoody Police Department hosted a meeting of local ministers, priests and rabbis to gauge the interest of starting a police chaplain program.  As a whole, the group thought the idea had merit and several attendees expressed interest in participating.

The task of managing the Dunwoody Police Chaplain program rests on the shoulders of Sergeant Mike Carlson.  Sergeant Carlson spent the remainder of 2010 and the beginning of 2011 organizing, designing and advertising the program.

Chaplains of all faiths work with our department personnel on a professional level by making themselves immediately available as trained and caring professionals who can assist in times of loss, confusion, depression, or grief to people in crisis situations.  Our Chaplains provide this service not only to the community, but also to all department employees and their families as well.

We now officially have 5 Dunwoody Police Chaplains.  They are:

Pastor Brian Campbell                 Calvary Assembly of God

Reverend Ray Egan                      Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta

Pastor Jim Reiter                          The Village Church of Dunwoody

Reverend Peter Urdanick            First Baptist Church Atlanta

Reverend Jason Whitener           St. Luke’s Presbyterian Church

Rabbi Mark Zimmerman              Congregation Beth Shalom

Our Chaplains, of different faiths, have been riding out and getting to know our staff and our community.  I really appreciate their willingness to not only serve their community, but to serve our staff and their families as well.  The service they provide when called upon is priceless.

Wednesday Sept 7th is Walk to School Day in Dunwoody

 Have you met Captain Kingsley - he doesn't fly, he walks.

Dunwoody schools actively participate in Walk to School Days with the first one happening this Wednesday morning therefore please encourage your children to walk to school and then be extra vigilant when on the roads. 

KINGSLEY WALKS FROM THE ACE HARDWARE AT 7 AM

AUSTIN, VANDERLYN AND DUNWOODY ELEMENTARY ARE ALL WALKING BUT I DO NOT HAVE SPECIFICS, PLEASE CHECK WITH SCHOOL.

CHESNUT HAS FOUR ROUTES:

1. The rear gate of the First Baptist Church on Peachford Rd at 7:15
Students may walk directly down the sidewalk on Peachford all they way to North Peachtree, cross Peachford at the corner crossing, and go to the front entrance. ** DO NOT cross Peachford at the blacktop walkway. This is not safe due to Peachford traffic. **
2. The entrance of the Broadstone Apts on North Peachtree Rd at 7:20
Students from this complex can meet and then proceed directly on North Peachtree to Chesnut using the sidewalk and then crossing at the crosswalk with the crossing guard to the front entrance of the school

3. The intersection of Sharon Valley at Flintshire at 7:15
Students can walk a short distance to Kings Point Dr and turn left. They will reach a T-Intersection at Brookhurst Dr and turn right. They can follow Brookhurst Dr (mostly sidewalk) directly to North Peachtree Rd and turn right. Students are encourage to proceed to the marked crosswalk with the crossing guard and go to the front entrance of the school

4. The intersection of Ellisbury Dr at Riverglen Circle at 7:20
Students can walk to Kings Point Drive and turn right a short distance to North Peachtree Rd. This is a busy intersection with traffic to Peachtree Middle School. Students are encouraged to turn left and stay on the left side of the road, utilize the sidewalk all the way up to the marked crosswalk with the crossing guard at the front entrance of the school.

BIKE RIDERS / WALK YOUR OWN ROUTE:
Bike riders are welcomed! Please be sure your child wears a helmet. Your walker/rider can also meet the group along the route. All walkers, even if they use a different route than those listed, should be sure to enter school through the front entrance to be counted.

Dunwoody's newest author, Ms. Pattie Baker speaks at the Decatur Book Festival on Sunday

From the Dunwoody Patch by Tom Oder 9-1-2011

Food for My Daughters: what one mom decided to do when the towers fell (and what you can do, too).

Top of Form

Bottom of For

It was a Pattie Baker kind of morning.

The rising sun was peeking through the trees, sending streaks of early morning light into gaps between trunks and branches and shimmering across the dew that was still on the grass as we arrived at the Community Garden in Brook Run Park.

Dunwoody’s goodwill food ambassador was in one her favorite places, the garden, at her favorite time of the day. She didn’t lose a minute in tending to her plot, yanking up sweet potato vines and harvesting orange tubers of all sizes as we talked about her new self-published book, Food for My Daughters: what one mom decided to do when the towers fell (and what you can do, too).

The book is an easy-reading account of Pattie’s journey to becoming a disciple for sustainable organic gardening and sustainable lifestyles. That journey began 10 years ago with the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on New York and Washington, D.C.

Her response to those attacks was to take up vegetable gardening in case terrorists struck the U.S. food supply. That response changed Pattie’s life and led her to write the book, which is a compilation of inspirational teaching-moment vignettes from blogs and other works she has written along the way.

The book, as the title says, is for her daughters and is meant to teach them about organic and sustainable life skills they simply weren't learning anywhere else. Pattie says she hopes that others will find the actionable advice and recipes in the book useful in growing food, community and knowledge that will help themselves and their own children prepare for a changing world.

 It’s an inspirational, page-turning treasure hunt for teaching moments that are presented as stories and tips (recipes, too!) as the 12 months of the year rather than as “chapters.” “I very much wanted my girls to remember the essence of each month in this connected cycle and to feel as if they were actually in the garden again,” Pattie said. “The best way to present that was how the garden actually grows, as a seasonal continuum.”

“I wanted to put down this kind of information for my kids so that they will have it when they need it later in life,” Pattie said. It contains basic knowledge that has skipped not one, but two generations, and is intended to help bridge this gap, she wrote in a promotion for the book.

Pattie proudly points out that one of her daughters is treating the book like a time capsule, saving it to share with her children when she’s a mom.

Pattie makes the point about the garden being a continuum in “July.” Her thoughts are not so much that her older daughter would be away during a whole month in the middle of the summer for several years in a row. Rather they were about “how she would leave right after blackberries and be home in time for figs but would miss lemon cucumbers completely.”

Pattie wants the book to make a difference not only in the lives of her children but in the lives of those who read the book.

One of the ways Pattie makes a difference is speaking up about things that bother her. She believes that by speaking up she can make a difference to her children, even if she doesn’t make a difference in the lives of those around her.

She is effective at making a difference to both.

One of her children’s doctors found that out in “March” when Pattie was shocked to see that an examining room where she and one of her daughters were taken had wallpaper featuring a well-known soft-drink company. Pattie requested they be moved to a new room (hoping it was a commercial-free environment!). When the doctor came in, Pattie pointed out that she had requested a new room because of the wallpaper in the previous room. She was concerned, she writes, that it had the potential to encourage choices that could lead to childhood obesity. The doctor agreed with Pattie and promised to speak to the office manager!

There are stories such as this throughout each month of the book, which Pattie characterizes as being much like the 16 vegetable plots in her garden. All, she says, have different soil composition. The book, she says, is “kind of random, not linear ... like my journey.“

It also reflects 21^st century journalism and publishing. It is based on her blogs and various writings through the years and, to prevent excess production, is available online from amazon.com.

You’ll quickly pick up on the unmistakable message: Food is a conduit to actions Pattie believes all of us can take to obtain a sustainable lifestyle as individuals and as a city.

She is living her life by example to do her part, serving as the inspirational heart and soul of the Community Garden in Brook Run Park, inspiring other community and school gardens, helping to launch Dunwoody’s Sustainability Commission and influencing the city's Comprehensive Land Use Plan.

She says may update the book to make editing changes and corrections. And, well, then again, she says she may not.

Don’t be surprised, or disappointed if she doesn’t. Pattie says she’s an entrepreneur who likes to start things, get them running and hand them over to someone else to continue to nurture.

What makes her happy, she emphasizes, is a blank page, fresh beginnings, new challenges, the January garden … which is, after all, where Food for My Daughters begins.

Food for My Daughters

Dunwoody mom Pattie Baker’s new book, Food for My Daughters: what one mom decided to do when the towers fell (and what you can do, too) is available online from amazon. http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=food+for+my+daughters

A limited number of books will be available at the Emerging Authors booth at the annual Labor Day weekend Decatur Book Festival on the square in Decatur. Pattie will speak at the Emerging Author's Stage at 3:40 Sunday afternoon and will sign books at 3:50 p.m. The book is $15.

Festival hours 11 a.m. - 8 p.m. Sunday. For more information about the festival, visit http://www.decaturbookfestival.com/2011/index.php.

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of every copy of the book will be donated to help grow food for those in need.

Pattie has given more to this Community than most of you will ever know.  Go on Down to Decatur and check out the Festival and say hello to Pattie while you are there

Final slate of Dunwoody candidates for November 8th municipal election.

 Official Dunwoody Candidate List

This evening the final slate of canadidates for the November 8th municipal election was finalized as registration closed at 4:30 pm.  There are three contested races; that of Mayor, Council post 4 the at large seat from District 1 (Westside of Town) and Council post 5 the at large seat from District 2 (Center of Town).  My name will also be on the ballot for Council post 6 from District 3 (Eastside of Town) but I was the only candidate who qualified, therefore I am in an uncontested race.  All three contested races in November are elected at-large, meaning that every Dunwoody resident will be voting for Mayor and the representatives from District 1 and 2 no matter where you live.

The Mayoral race has had two individuals (Bob Dallas & Mike Davis) looking to replace outgoing Mayor Ken Wright for what seems like months and then today there was a last minute addition of Mr. Gordon Jackson who also entered the race.  This evening I had the pleasure of talking to Gordon (whom I have known for many years) at the Dunwoody High School Football Game and I know that he will be bringing his vision for the future of Dunwoody (which he believes is slightly different that the other two candidates) into the many public discussions yet to be had.

Robert Wittenstein in District 1 will be facing two challengers Mr. Terry Nall and announcing today also at the last minute, Mr. Rick Callihan.

In District 2 there are two candidates looking to replace the outgoing Councilman Danny Ross and they are Ms. Lynn Deutsch and Mr. Kerry de Vallette.

Though it appears that my election season is over, like everyone else in the City, I want the best Mayor and Council available therefore I want to hear their opinions on various items so that the Citizens of Dunwoody can vote effectively for who they believe will work towards what is best for the City of Dunwoody.  

Councilman Robert Wittenstein has a track record of previous votes, taken public positions on items and has published monthly updates to residents for quite some time therefore the community knows where he stands on many issues.  Everyone else is basically new to the game or has a clean slate (besides what I can find on the internet) therefore before I know who to vote for, I need to hear the positions of those running.  I need to hear their ideology, their philosophy, their aspirations, goals, positions on items that I know will be coming in front of council and after all else, I personally want to see their work ethic.  Everyone on the ballot in November will be vying to Serve & Represent all 48,000 Dunwoody residents therefore I want to hear how you will be serving all aspects of the community and doing so fairly in such a way as to bring the community together, without appearing to tear us apart.

I have met with a few of the new candidates as they wanted insight as to the position and I happily answered every question.  I explained workload, the joys and trials of public service, the positives and negatives as well as where I stand on many issues.  But as I told them, I am already an open book with 3 years of service, 1,700 blog posts and numerous public votes but now it is their turn to tell their story to convince you and me why they deserve our vote over the other candidates in the race.

I will be posting candidate pages up to my site for Ms. Deutsch, Mr. de Vallette, Mr. Callihan, Mr. Gordon and Mr. Wittenstien in the coming days as I have done for the others and am toying with the idea of doing video interviews with any and all who are interested.

If I were to do that, what questions would you like answered?  I think we need to start a list therefore please feel free to comment on the blog or send me an email as I am interested in your thoughts.

As long as this election is all about the issues, forward looking and positive; I believe this election cycle will be a good thing for the city.