Friday, December 30, 2011

Kevin Stallworth and Antiwan Lane arrested for the murder of Ivan Perez in Dunwoody, GA


Incident: Homicide
Arrest Date: 12/30/2011
Location: Dunwoody, GA.

The Dunwoody Police Department has arrested 30 year old Kevin Stallworth, of College Park Georgia, for the killing of 32 year old Ivan Perez. On December 26th at approximately 1543 hours, Mr. Perez was shot outside of building #8 at the Pointe at Perimeter Apartments. He was transported to Grady Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead. The suspect was located in Jonesboro, Georgia, and has been charged with Murder (F).

We have also arrested 33 year old Antiwan Lane out of Norcross. He has been charged with Murder for Hire (F). Both suspects are being held at the DeKalb County Jail. Through the course of our investigation, Mr. Perez was not the intended target.

If you have any additional information regarding this incident, please contact Sergeant Gary Cortellino at (678)382-6908/ gary.cortellino@dunwoodyga.gov, or you may also leave anonymous tips via SUBMIT A CRIME TIP, www.dunwoodypolice.com, or text via TIPSOFT program, www.crimereports.com. Each of these methods is confidential, encrypted, and completely anonymous.

DeKalb County governance changes vs. Chamblee and Brookhaven home rule.


DeKalb County legislators will be busy when they return to the Gold Dome on Jan. 9 for the start of the General Assembly. Big statewide issues, like the budget, transportation and jobs, will take up much of lawmakers’ time. 

But legislators plan to discuss several things that could affect DeKalb County residents more directly. Rep. Mike Jacobs, R-DeKalb, introduced legislation during the 2011 session to create a city of Brookhaven. This year, legislators are expected to vote on the bill. “I think the city of Brookhaven proposal stands a high chance of passage,” Jacobs said. Sen. Fran Millar, R-Dunwoody, said he too feels the Brookhaven cityhood bill will be approved. “The only question is where will the borders be, but I think that will happen,” Millar said.

 Link


Millar said the DeKalb County delegation may take up the way the county is governed. DeKalb County is run by an elected Chief Executive Officer. Millar said some legislators would prefer to see the county operated by a professional county manager appointed by the County Commission.

“Obviously what we have in DeKalb County is not working very well between CEO [Burrell Ellis] and the commissioners,” Millar said. “I do think in DeKalb we have a crisis brewing. I think our CEO in DeKalb County has disregarded the will of the commission and continues to spend. Perhaps he’s visited Washington too many times and it’s affected him.”

State Sen. Fran Millar discusses the repayment of Federal Unemployment Loan



Georgia owes the Federal Unemployment Account about $620 million in loans taken out to pay unemployment benefits during the economic downturn. Under current regulations, states will be required to repay these federal loans, plus 4% interest. About a year ago, Georgia has the 16th highest loan balance nationally and the fifth highest among southern states behind North Carolina, Florida, South Carolina and Kentucky.

New York Times Article - Feb 2011

Homicide at Pointe at Perimeter Apartment - Update

Thieves take $9,000 worth of perfume from Dunwoody beauty store

 




Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Dunwoody murder of Ivan Perez believed by wife to be mistaken identity.


The Dunwoody Police Department is investigating a Homicide that occurred at the Pointe at Perimeter Apartments located at 100 Ashford Gables Drive. The victim, identified as 32 year old Ivan Perez, was shot outside of building #8. He was transported to Grady Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The suspect is described as a black male. He was last seen leaving the entrance of the apartment complex towards Ashford Dunwoody Road. Through the course of our initial investigation, this appears that it was not a random shooting. 

If you have any information regarding this incident, please contact Sergeant Gary Cortellino at (678)382-6908/ gary.cortellino@dunwoodyga.gov, or you may also leave anonymous tips via SUBMIT A CRIME TIP, www.dunwoodypolice.com, or text via TIPSOFT program, www.crimereports.com. Each of these methods is confidential, encrypted, and completely anonymous.

Imagine a Kindness Boomerang - "One Day"

This made me smile and thought I would share.

Looking for New Year's plans? The Bad Neighbors at the Dunwoody Tavern supporting Pebbletossers.org



Great local non-profit organization paired up with Dunwoody's best garage band at the local watering hole on New Year's Eve.  Guaranteed good time!

Dunwoody Nature Center - Winter Camp Recap


No video games were played at the Dunwoody Nature Center this week. Listen as these campers tell about what they learned and what they liked about being in camp for the week.

For more about camps go to www.dunwoodynature.org

Friday, December 16, 2011

Three year video retrospective on the City of Dunwoody and other various tidbits of interest.



Police

Three Teens Arrested for Alleged Home Burglary in Dunwoody North

Part 1 Crime in Dunwoody is down 3.6% through November 2011.

Dunwoody police blotter — reports through Dec. 2

Dunwoody murder suspect faces wife in court

Congrats to another successful Christmas for Kids event. Thank you to all involved.

DeKalb Politics

DeKalb budget calls for departments to maintain 2011 levels   

For Some Reason We Don't Believe Him, Or Any Of The Commissioners

DeKalb agrees to small business funding program

Burrell Ellis gives someone yet another reason to support a City of Brookhaven

Residents debating the boundaries of a possible city of Brookhaven

Group forms to oppose Brookhaven city

Residents to lawmakers: No more cities
 
Education

Congrats to Vanderlyn Elementary School, 2011 School of Excellence

SPOLST Construction - Dunwoody Chamblee Parent Council Meeting

Chesnut Changing Children’s Culture, Choices

PCMS Academic Quiz Bowl Takes 1st Place!!

Dunwoody High School Quiz Bowl Team Advances with Victory Over Lovett 

Dunwoody High Math Team Continues to Shine in Competition

Dunwoody Politics

Council Swearing in Ceremony - Jan 3rd, 7 pm City Hall

A Dunwoody Christmas Wish List
 
Davis sweeps into office, promises city hall presence 

MEET MIKE - Davis readies to take helm after election
 
New council gives city new direction

City Welcoming New Community Development Director

Dunwoody welcomes new guru of Financial Reports and Check Register

Options on Tilly Mill, N Peachtree & Peeler look to be going public in early Jan.

I am really enjoying the reflectors embedded in the newly paved roads and will be looking for more of these in next years paving budget.    Did anyone else notice the lights being on in the 285 underpasses?

Shade will be coming to the Brook Run Playground in the very near future and was told that the water feature was fixed and then winterized until the Spring.

Enjoy your holidays,

John

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Video of the Dec 12, 2011 Dunwoody City Council Meeting.



The Dunwoody City Council said goodbye to our first Mayor and two of our Councilmembers (Ross & Wittenstein) by honoring all three (and thanking their families).  We passed the agenda as published and the new Mayor and Councilmembers will be sworn in on January 3rd.

I was a little under the weather but attended the meeting none the less as I wanted to honor my fellow councilmembers who have put in numerous hours of dedication and service to the community. 

Gentlemen, it has been a pleasure as well as my distinct honor in serving along side you.  Thank you and Godspeed in all of your future adventures in life.

Thursday, December 8, 2011

RIP Chip Kovitch - Service scheduled for 1 pm Saturday at Dunwoody Baptist



Chip Kovitch

KOVITCH, Raymond Raymond "Chip" Kovitch, age 47, Heaven Bound on December 6, 2011.  Born April 26, 1964 in Atlanta, GA, to Martha and Mike Kovitch, he graduated from Stone Mountain High School and attended West Georgia College. 


On October 10, 1992, he married his sweetheart Michelle Burke. He lived in Dunwoody and worked at Jim Ellis Automotive Group for 25 years. Chip was a member of Dunwoody Community Church and was a beloved coach for seven years with Murphey Chandler Little League and the Atlanta Youth Colt Football. 

Survivors include wife Michelle, son Dylan, mother Martha Kovitch, father Mike Kovitch, and brothers Alexander Cobb and Gabriel Cobb. Chip was preceded in death by grandparents, Raymond and Belle Cobb. 

The celebration Service will be held at 1:00 pm, Saturday, December 10 at Dunwoody Baptist Church, 1445 Mount Vernon Road, Atlanta, GA 30338. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions are welcome at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Aflac Cancer Center, CHOA.org.

Dunwoody City Council Meeting Agenda for Monday December 12th


Monday, December 12th
Dunwoody City Hall
41 Perimeter Center East
Dunwoody, GA 30346
7:00 p.m. - Voting
Watch Live

City of Dunwoody Honored with Atlanta Regional Commission’s Green Communities Certification

Bobbi Sedam, Connie Morelle, Danny Kanso, Rebecca Keefer, Warren Hutmacher, Denis Shortal.
The City of Dunwoody is honored to receive the Green Communities Silver Level Certification from the Atlanta Regional Commission in recognition of its efforts to reduce Dunwoody’s environmental footprint. The sustainable policies and ordinances adopted by City Council have propelled Dunwoody to the Silver Level certification and have impacted all departments of the City. The City officially received the award in a ceremony held yesterday afternoon at the Atlanta Regional Commission offices in Atlanta.

“This award recognizes Dunwoody’s continued dedication to sustainability by reducing our environmental footprint” stated Rebecca Keefer, Director of Sustainability. “The Green Communities Silver certification supports Dunwoody’s positive image as an amazing place to live and conduct business while setting a strong example for those seeking to reduce their environmental impact.”

Because of the Sustainability Commission the City has implemented policies requiring all new government buildings to have high efficiency plumbing fixtures, as well as, implementing a Complete Streets Policy emphasizing the need for the public right-of-way to accommodate a variety of users including motorists, pedestrians, cyclists, and transit riders. The City Council adopted an LED Traffic Signal Policy in 2010, which eliminated the use of incandescent halogen bulbs in traffic signals. To date, 100% of all lights have been converted to LED bulbs, three years ahead of schedule.

Dunwoody’s efforts in sustainability date back to the first days of Cityhood. In December 2008 the Mayor and Council established the Dunwoody Sustainability Commission as a permanent advisory board. The Sustainability Commission convenes monthly to share research, ideas, and draft ecofriendly policies and ordinances in which to minimize environmental impacts of both the City and the community at large.

For additional information regarding Dunwoody’s Green Communities Certification please contact Rebecca Keefer, Director of Sustainability, at rebecca.keefer@dunwoodyga.gov or 678-382-6700. For more information on the Atlanta Regional Commission’s Green Communities Program please visit their website at http://www.atlantaregional.com/environment/green-communities.

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Mayor-Elect of Dunwoody, Mr. Mike Davis - election night speech.


Congratulations to Mike Davis and Terry Nall for winning this evenings runoff election.

2011 Runoff Election Results

Mayor
Bob Dallas - 2267
Mike Davis - 3432

Council Post 4
Terry Nall - 3699
Robert Wittenstein - 1980

Links to other news sources.

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Election Day in Dunwoody - every vote is needed!



Results should be streaming in around 8 pm.

Heneghan's Dunwoody Blog now on Facebook, Twitter and available via email.

If you are a sometimes reader of the blog or aren't hooked into this Social Media thing then you may not be aware that Heneghan's Dunwoody Blog is available on Facebook, Twitter and also available via daily email delivery.  I am not going to plead for you to "Like Me" or "Follow Me" like Brenda Wood does way down below. (Kind of funny in a sad way.) But in case you care, I am available in various formats if you have a specific flavor of preferred media delivery.

 



Other Misc Social Sites to Find Me. 

http://www.youtube.com/user/dunwoodynorth

http://www.linkedin.com/in/johnheneghan

http://gplus.to/JohnHeneghan

http://about.me/johnheneghan

http://klout.com/dunwoodynorth

I hope nobody thinks this is me Social Media Pleading like Brenda Wood does in the clip below?  Since I don't get advertising dollars for every increase in the number of "eyeballs", my stats mean very little to me.  That being said, spreading information is important to me and therefore want to let you know of your options.

DeKalb School System sells sliver of land at old middle school site to upgrade Dunwoody water pressure. New $250,000 Running Track at Peachtree?

The agenda for the DeKalb County School System showed two interesting items, please click the link below and see items 11 & 13.

https://eboard.eboardsolutions.com/Meetings/viewmeetingOrder.aspx?S=4054&MID=17925

H. 11. Approval to Sell 0.33 acre located on the old Chamblee Middle School Property

I believe the under ground water pumping station in the Silver Boxes shown above at Peeler & Shallowford / Chamblee Dunwoody roads will be moved to a back corner of the vacant Chamblee Middle School property down the street.  As this is DeKalb County School Property the City has limited jurisdiction but it does look a little close to a house on Chamblee Dunwoody?  See the attachments in the link above under number 11.

H. 13. Capital Improvement Plan Budget Reallocation (421)

An external adjustment for the Peachtree Middle School track refurbishment project which reallocates $250,000 in funds from Program Contingency to Construction to allow the necessary funds to be available in the proper codes.  See Excel Spreadsheet in the link above under number 13.  Track to be built during the Summer.

Video of Dunwoody Special Called Meeting of Dec 5th.


Recap
Public Hearing and Resolution to Authorize the City Manager to Purchase 5.15 Acres of Property Located at 4470 North Shallowford Road. (Item Passed)

Monday, December 5, 2011

Dunwoody Runoff Candidates for Mayor and Council ask that you return to polls on Tuesday.



Tomorrow is election day once again in Dunwoody and all registered voters are urged to vote, even if you did not vote in the General election; you are still allowed to vote on Tuesday.

There will be two items on the ballot.

Mayor - will it be Bob Dallas or Mike Davis that replaces Ken Wright?

City Council - will Terry Nall replace the incumbent Robert Wittenstein?

The choice is yours, please watch the video and then please vote on Tuesday.

The video link above is to view all four video clips in alphabetical order. Enjoy.

Jake Hudgins of Dunwoody High School honored with Scholarship


James “Jake” Hudgins

Dennis Caniglia, President of the Greater Atlanta Chapter of the National Football Foundation is pleased to announce that James “Jake” Hudgins has been awarded a George Morris Scholar Athlete Scholarship.  He was one of eleven selected to receive this award.  He is a student at Dunwoody High School.  Selection is based on 40% Academic; 40% Athletic; 20% Extra Circular activities.  He will be honored at a breakfast on December 30 and again at the Chick-fil-A Bowl luncheon.  For further information contact Dennis at 404-313-2706.

Gregory Adams, Candidate for DeKalb CEO stopped by the Dunwoody Homeowners Association meeting on Sunday

Jacqueline Boyd Adams & Gregory Adams on the Campaign trail.

As one campaign season comes to an end, another is just beginning. Mr. Gregory Adams who is a candidate for DeKalb CEO to replace Mr. Burrell Ellis stopped by the Dunwoody Homeowners Association to say hello and make introductory remarks.

http://www.gregoryadamsforceo.com

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Looking for some special kids to join me for a Magical Journey Experience at the Circus.

 
For the last several years the Metro Atlanta Mayors Association, Gas South and Feld Entertainment have presented a "Magical Journey Experience" at the Ringling Bros. and Barnum Bailey Circus. The Magical Journey Experience is a special pre-show interactive experience for local children with special (physical or developmental) needs and their families.

20 family four packs of tickets have been made available to the City of Dunwoody for this event taking place at the Gwinnett Arena on Friday, February 24th starting at 5 pm. These special children and their families will not only see the preshow but they also get tickets for the circus show that evening. I attended this event last year, filling in for the Mayor, and I can tell you that the preshow was fabulous and that the love and caring attention that was paid to the children was just overwhelming.

Anyway, I have 20 family four packs of tickets (actually special registration codes) that need to be distributed and used by Friday December 9th in order to get the physical tickets mailed to you.   If you have a child with special needs and you want to attend, please send me an email to John.Heneghan@DunwoodyGa.gov with your basic contact information (Name, Address, Phone & Email) and I will reply on a first come, first served basis with instructions on how to go on line with a special registration code to get up to four tickets.

Magical Journey Experience
Ringling Bros. and Barnum Bailey Circus
Gwinnett Arena
Friday, February 24th starting at 5 pm

Request tickets from John.Heneghan@DunwoodyGa.gov

Thanks and thank you to Gas South, Metro Atlanta Mayors Association & Feld Entertainment for making this great event possible.

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Dunwoody City Council Meeting Agenda for Monday December 5th

Monday, December 5th
Dunwoody City Hall
41 Perimeter Center East
Dunwoody, GA 30346
7:00 p.m. - Voting
Watch Live

Public Hearing and Resolution to Authorize the City Manager to Purchase 5.15 Acres of Property Located at 4470 North Shallowford Road.

Dunwoody District 1 runoff candidates for Tuesday's election


A week from now either incumbent Robbert Wittenstein or challenger Terry Nall will be elected as the third and final At-Large Member of the Dunwoody City Council which will complete all six council positions.  As I did for the open Mayor's race yesterday, I would like to introduce the runoff candidates to you via the 2 minute opening statement video clip above taken from the much longer Dunwoody Homeowners Association Candidate Forum.

Regular readers of my blog are no stranger to the incumbent Mr. Robert Wittenstein as he has provided me (and therefore you) regular constituent updates which I have published.  Robert has served on the budget committee since the city's inception, formulated many of the fiscal policies which raised services while still providing this start up city with a surplus.  Like all members of the Council, Robert was forced to take stands making tough decisions on a wide range of topics, and as I was the person sitting next to him for most of those decisions, I can tell you that every single vote and action taken by Robert was done with the best intentions thereby putting the needs of the Citizens of Dunwody first.  In order to assist you in doing your own research on Robert, this link highlights 40 blog posts where I previously tagged his name and this link highlights over 1,000 posts and Dunwoody documents from my custom search tool where Robert is involved.

I have not personally known Mr. Terry Nall for very long but it was only because we traveled in different circles and had children of different age groups.  I have known (and highly respected) Terry's wife, Donna for many years as she has tirelessly served the Dunwoody community on the Peachtree Middle School Charter Council as well as served at the Dunwoody Nature Center, but I have only recently had the pleasure of getting to know Terry.    Terry Nall is a long standing, respected member of the community who has impressive financial qualifications to serve on the City Council, if so elected.

Please take the time to do your own research on the candidates above before you vote.   Thanks.

Peachtree Corners has 20 residents who want to serve on City Council - Congrats to new Mayor, Mr. Mike Mason.


Peachtree Patch Article

21 residents have qualified for Peachtree Corners upcoming elections with Mr. Mike Mason running unopposed as the City's first Mayor.  Congratulations Mayor Mason, as our newest neighboring city I look forward to working with you and your council on economic development and code enforcement.

OFFICE NAME                        ADDRESS HOME #
MAYOR Mike Mason 5385 Fox Hill Dr
Peachtree Corners 30092
770.441.2748
POST 1 Nneka Chukwu 1805 Tree Corners Pkwy
Norcross 30092
678.825.5436
POST 1 Phil Sadd 6848 Lockridge Drive
Doraville 30360
770.939.3743
POST 1 Joe Sawyer 3841 Meadow Green Ct
Norcross 30092
770.449.6232
POST 2 Jay Lowe 8723 Denton Circle
Peachtree Corners 30092
POST 2 Stephen Peet 4139 Allenhurst Drive
Norcross 30092
770.448.1237
POST 3 Scott Ehrlich 4240 Ancroft Circle
Peachtree Corners 30092
770.559.0702
POST 3 Vera Nercessian 5298 Golden Leaf Trail
Peachtree Corners 30092
770.417.2312
POST 3 David Proud 3146 Wyncroft Court
Peachtree Corners 30071
404.806.9654
POST 3 Alex Wright 4752 Riveredge Drive
Peachtree Corners 30096
770.409.0487
POST 4 Jeanne Aulbach 4900 Avocet Drive
Peachtree Corners 30092
404.786.4825
POST 4 Robert Byars 6195 Willow Run Rd
Peachtree Corners 30092
404.751.8267
POST 4 Robert Indech 4137 Ancient Amber Way
Norcross 30092
770.447.4453
POST 4 Gloria Gore Rucks 3644 Centennial Square
Norcross 30092
770.416.7467
POST 5 Lorri Christopher 4478 E Jones Bridge Rd
Peachtree Corners 30092
770.448.3916
POST 5 Brent Johnson 4923 Williamsport Drive
Norcross 30092
770.446.2416
POST 5 Gray Terry 4120 Amberfield Circle
Peachtree Corners 30092
770.263.6924
POST 6 Raymond Cobb 5514 Fort Fisher Way
Peachtree Corners 30092
770.209.0929
POST 6 Weare Gratwick 5800 Clinchfield Trail
Norcross 30092
770.613.9972
POST 6 David Leader 4811 Bankside Way
Norcross 30092
404.931.3211
POST 6 Brian Stickney 5620 Knox Court  Norcross
30092
770.840.5244

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Dunwoody residents hope new Walmart neighborhood market will boost area around Winters Chapel Road - Dunwoody Reporter


Dunwoody Reporter Article.

Dunwoody residents and officials are hopeful a new Walmart store will bring an economic boost to the east side of their city.  A Walmart neighborhood market, which is a smaller, grocery-focused store, is slated to be built on Winters Chapel Road.  The store will be on the Gwinnett County line, with the building sitting in Gwinnett and much of the parking lot in Dunwoody.

Though it won’t technically be in Dunwoody, many believe that the Walmart store will be a great benefit for the eastern portion of the city. Max Lehmann, a commercial real estate agent who lives in the area, said the proposed store “signals new life.”  “I’ve talked to neighbors about it,” Lehmann said. “I’m just delighted to see a name brand store in this center. This center has struggled for 12 years to get a good combination.”  Lehmann said the neighborhood market would address the “food desert” in the area.  “People in that area can’t walk and get food,” Lehmann said.

Michael Tuller, Dunwoody’s community development director, said Dunwoody and Gwinnett County officials have met to discuss the area and what could be done to attract commercial development.
“It’s showing its age and needs something like a Walmart … to really kind of reinvent that area,” Tuller said. “We hope it happens.”  Tuller said the area is underutilized. “There really should be a higher-end kind of establishment in that corridor,” Tuller said.  “We’re hoping it’s really going to incentivize leasing new commercial in that area with its proximity to Walmart.”  Tuller said the two governments were trying to focus on the area that falls between them.  “You had two different jurisdictions vying for control,” Tuller said. “That’s why it didn’t have a lot of definition in the past.”  Officials are also pleased that the store will be filling a vacancy in an existing shopping center.
 
“I’m very happy that this is going in,” said City Councilman John Heneghan. “Commercial development to revitalize commercial areas that are already in place is a huge priority for me.”

On Nov. 15, the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners approved a buffer reduction on the site, said Bryan Lackey, acting director of planning and development for Gwinnett County.  Walmart will now go through a plan review process to make sure they address things like building codes, site consideration and landscaping, Lackey said.  “If they’ve met all their codes and regulations, we’d be glad to issue them a building permit for that project,” Lackey said.  Lackey said Gwinnett and Dunwoody had a positive experience working on this development.  “It’s a good example of how two jurisdictions can come together to benefit a neighborhood,” Lackey said. “It was good to see there weren’t any hang-ups between the jurisdictions on moving that forward.”
–Melissa Weinman

Meet your next Dunwoody Mayor - video introduction


A week from now either Bob Dallas or Mike Davis will be the next Mayor of Dunwoody and I would like to introduce them to you via the 4 minute video clip above taken from the much longer Dunwoody Homeowners Association Candidate Forum.

The candidates know that the turnout for this runoff election will be very low and that it could be decided by a very slim margin, therefore every vote cast is important.  My goal is to inform you of the importance of these run off elections and encourage a larger turnout than just the candidates friends and family. 

Based on what I am reading in the news and the blogs, I am guessing that the rhetoric may be ramping up but please take the time to do your own research on the candidates before you vote.  Take four minutes out of your day to meet the next Mayor of Dunwoody, even if it is just on video.  Thanks.

Saturday, November 26, 2011

Peachtree Corners City Council registration starts Monday ends Wednesday.


The Charter for the City of Peachtree Corners was passed by the citizens and as shown in the links below they will only be providing very basic City services of Zoning, Code Enforcement, Building Permits and Solid Waste Disposal.  The City is broken up into three electoral districts whereby at least one council member will be living in the western district (light grey) closest to Dunwoody.   I look forward to working closely with whomever is elected to this position but (for selfish reasons?) my hope is that the person elected lives very close to Winters Chapel Rd and the Dunwoody border. 

If I was President of the Lockridge Forest Civic Association (one of the larger communities in the district) I would be looking for a local candidate to rally the community around.  Registration starts this Monday and ends Wednesday for the March election therefore the window of opportunity is very short.  Looking at the referendum results, this electoral district voted against incorporation but it still needs strong leadership to help guide the city on zoning matters specific to the area.

If anyone has interest in running for elected office and having the pleasure of starting a city from scratch but has questions, please feel free to call or reach out to me.  I may not be the best person on Peachtree Corners specifics but I am willing to assist you in researching the matter further.   Below are a few links and an article which describes the registration process.

City Fact Sheet from Peachtree Corners Yes, City Map with Voting Districts, City Charter

City Facebook Site, Another Facebook Site,



Qualifying Dates Set for Peachtree Corners Candidates (Patch)

Just a week has passed since Peachtree Corners voters have approved the referendum to incorporate as a city. Now it's time to look forward to electing the mayor and six council members who will be charged with running the new city.

Tuesday morning the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners set the rate for candidates to qualify which will be three percent (3%) of the annual salary for the position they are seeking.  Tuesday afternoon the Gwinnett County Election's office announced that qualifying dates are "Monday, Nov. 28 and Tuesday, Nov. 29 and ending on Nov. 30 at 12 noon."

Lynn Ledford, the Elections Office Director said prospective candidates may come by the Elections office at 455 Grayson Highway, Suite 200, Lawrenceville between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. to submit their qualification form and payment.

"Qualifying will be at our office and checks or money orders should be made payable to Gwinnett County BOC. We cannot accept credit or debit cards for payment," said Ledford.

For the mayorial race the cost to qualify will be $270 based on a $9,000 salary as stipulated in the city's charter. And it will cost $240 for anyone wishing to throw their hats in the ring for one of the six council members position, $8,000 salary.

Ledford said campaigning will begin shortly after the qualifying period is over as early voting begins Jan. 20, 2012, with March 6 set as Election Day.

For questions contact the Gwinnett County Elections Office at 678-226-7210.

TEDxPeachtree, Washington DC, cancer, shade, shop small business, school board, Elf, Field Trips, Sprawl - Fringe Suburb, Taste of Dunwoody


A few weeks ago I had the pleasure to attend a locally organized TED Conference, the day’s speakers shared their “Breakthrough” in their respective areas of expertise in 18-minute talks. This link shows all of the presentations and I have highlighted a few of the one's I really enjoyed below.

The Transformative Power of Multimedia Storytelling 

Perceptions are Reality. Or Are They? An Immigrant's Journey.

Autism: Disruptions in Early Human Social Adaptation Mechanisms 

Education & Disruptive Innovation


For Thanksgiving break, my family spent four nights in Washington D.C. and it was an absolutely fabulous vacation that was highly educational for my boys.  With my youngest son being six and the oldest being twelve there was something for everyone.  We did the White House tour, Capital Tour, all the monuments, numerous museums, saw the Space Shuttle and money being made, saw famous art works, went ice skating and did lots of walking.  Almost every historical site was free therefore I highly recommend it as a family vacation spot.

I know too many people with Cancer, but allow me to celebrate that my friend Bonnie is in this commercial.


The City of Dunwoody is currently undergoing repairs on the Children's Adventure Playground @ Brook Run.  Shade Structures.

Shop at a Small Business today and get $25 back from American Express

Mary Margaret Oliver Pre-File House Bill 671 Outlines the Process for Reducing the DCSS School Board from 9 to 7 Members  (h/t Dunwoody School Daze) For more information about HB 671, please click here.

101 Elf On The Shelf Ideas

Looking for fun holiday ideas with Kids?  Field Trips with Sue is a good place to check out.

Good reads:  The Death of the Fringe Suburb & To Rethink Sprawl, Start With Offices

Taste of Dunwoody announced for Friday, February 03, 2012. Sponsorship and auction opportunities available.

Friday, November 18, 2011

Light Up Dunwoody this Sunday at 3 pm


A Dunwoody Tradition and Holiday Event
Spruill Farmhouse, at Mt. Vernon Road and Chamblee Dunwoody Road
Sunday at 3 p.m.

An annual community event to welcome the holiday season, Light Up Dunwoody.  Christmas Village opens at 3:00 pm and concludes with the lighting of the tree at 6:00 pm. Vendors will offer wonderful holiday treasures and refreshments!

At the Spruill Farm House, Santa will welcome children to sit on his lap, and a Santa sleigh with reindeer will be available for more photo opportunities. Bring your own camera!

Everyone is invited, and there is no cost to participate in this family friendly event.

Presenting Sponsors:
-Dunwoody Homeowners Association
-Dunwoody Crier Newspaper
-Dunwoody Preservation Trust

Eleves Magic Sponsor:
-Reising Orthodontics

Jingle Bells Sponsors:
-The Piedmont Bank
-Primrose School of Dunwoody

Santa's Helpers Sponsors:
-Mike Davis for Dunwoody Mayor
-Bob Dallas for Dunwoody Mayor

http://www.dunwoodyga.org/calendar_light-up-dunwoody.html

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market received Gwinnett County variance for Winters Chapel and Peeler

 Wal-Mart is still trying to come to Dunwoody's East Side.

The last time I met with the Wal-Mart developers and Gwinnett County staff, this project had a few stumbling blocks in its path to becoming a reality but on Tuesday a few those hurtles were cleared.  It appears that a buffer variance was worked out and therefore this project may be back on track.

This type of development could give a huge economic boost to the east side of Dunwoody that it sorely needs adding not only a strong retail arm but more importantly a grocery store which is also needed.

As the property is just across the border into Gwinnett County (and the new city of Peachtree Corners) the City of Dunwoody has little input into the process though at previous meetings, store facings of brick and landscape standards at the entrance were discussed.   The City Community Development office will be staying  involved as this project comes to reality.
http://www.gwinnettcounty.com/static/departments/boc/pdf/agenda_11_15_11b.pdf
Buffer Reduction
2011-0915 BRD2011-00003, Applicant: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.,
Owner: Eliot Properties, A Georgia General Partnership, to Reduce Required Buffer from 75 feet to 0 feet for Property Zoned C-2, District 6 Land Lot 280 Parcel 018, 5000 Block of Winters Chapel Road, 7.52 Acres. District 2/Howard
[Planning Department Recommendation: Approve with Conditions]
[Planning Commission Recommendation: Approve withConditions]

Barbed wire industrial looking fence on Peeler to be replaced with orginal wooden fence soon.


Several weeks ago the DeKalb County Water Works installed an industrial looking fence with barbed wire along the top on Peeler Road to close off the water line easement that runs to the Chattahoochee River.  This morning, Councilman Doug Thompson and I attended a meeting with our Public Works Director, Mr. Michael Smith and representatives from the County where an agreement was reached assuring that the original wooden fence with a gate would be reinstalled in place of the industrial chain link fence that is currently there.

The City will see if we add some landscaping along the area to help it blend back in.

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Video and recap of the Nov 14th Dunwoody City Council Meeting


Doraville Police Officer killed in wrongway interstate crash.


DORAVILLE, GA -- Authorities said a Doraville police detective was killed in a wrong-way traffic accident on Interstate 20 early Monday morning.

The accident happened on Interstate 20 westbound near Wesley Chapel Road in DeKalb County at about 2:30 a.m. The detective, Robert Shane Wilson, 27, was killed in the wreck.

Police said Wilson was headed westbound in an unmarked police SUV, when, they said, a Jeep headed eastward in the westbound lanes struck Wilson's car head-on.

The driver of the Jeep, Gene Jones of Dunwoody, 39, was taken to Grady hospital in stable condition. Police said charges against Jones are pending. Police believe Jones had been drinking prior to the accident.

Wilson started his career as a dispatcher in Doraville at age 19.  He became a patrol officer, and was promoted to detective in September, said Chief John King.  Wilson was en route from his home in Covington to investigate a home invasion case when the collision occurred.

King said Wilson was well respected in the ethnically diverse city.  He said officers in his department are struggling to handle the death of their young colleague.

Visitation for Detective Wilson is set for Tuesday and Wednesday at Scott Ward Funeral Home in Conyers. Funeral services are scheduled for Thursday afternoon at the First Baptist Church of Conyers.  Wilson leaves a wife and a six-year-old son.  Police say Wilson's mother and stepfather have had careers in law enforcement in DeKalb County.

Funeral procession details will be released once they are finalized.

Friday, November 11, 2011

Agenda for the November 14th Dunwoody City Council Meeting.

Monday, November 14th
Dunwoody City Hall
41 Perimeter Center East
Dunwoody, GA 30346
7:00 p.m. - Voting
Watch Live

Work Session Agenda & full city packet
PS: If my schedule allows, I will also be attending the Audit Committee Meeting (Open to the Public)  on Monday afternoon at 3 pm.

Dunwoody Patch creates Interactive Map of Dunwoody Voter Turnout and Results.


Peter Cox of the Dunwoody Patch did a wonderful job of turning the election data I posted yesterday to my blog into an easy to read map of the polling places with statistical information on voter turnout and each races results.

Comparing the two photos below you will note wide differences in voter turnout, Mayor selection and Post 5 selection but little differences on the selection for City Council Post 4.  Each of the city's 13 polling places have varying demographics and voting patterns therefore trying to predict the runoff statistics after the huge turnout on Tuesday, because of the alcohol and bond referendums, would be very difficult indeed.

If there are any political science professors out there, I would enjoy reading your students detailed analysis comparing the November 8th election results to the December 6th.

PS: I was talking to a well educated, very computer literate neighbor regarding this article and he said that he has heard of the Patch but didn't typically follow the blogs.  The Dunwoody Patch is not a blog, it is a well run "daily newspaper" available in only an electronic format, written and edited by professional journalists with great up to the minute articles.  I highly recommend adding it to your online reading for everyday news of all things Dunwoody.




Link to Large Map view of the Data

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Dunwoody Runoff Candidates are reviewing these precinct numbers very closely.


I'm guessing the four runoff candidates, Dallas & Davis for Mayor and Nall & Wittenstein for Council post 4 will be pouring over these numbers and this map to see where to maximize their efforts and resources before the December 6th runoff election. 

On Tuesday there were over 9,300 votes cast (36.18% of the registered voters) but on December 6th there will be a very small portion of those who will go to re-vote, so turnout driven by one side or the other will be the deciding factor.  Every vote for each candidate will be worth it's weight in gold as chances are, the turnout will be very low.

If you want to see the precinct by precinct breakdown for all of the ballot items, I have posted them here.

Veteran's Symposium Today at GPC and City Veterans Ceremony on Friday.


Veterans Day Ceremony

November 11, 2011 2:00 pm

Brook Run  Park

4700 North Peachtree Road

Dunwoody, GA

GPC Educational Symposium Will Highlight Legacy of World War II

Dr. Thomas Graham is on a mission to honor World War II veterans. The Georgia Perimeter College Dunwoody history professor and former U.S. Naval officer has been inspired to organize a week long educational symposium  Nov. 7 to 10,  followed by a USO-style Stage Door Canteen and Dance on November 11.

Graham teaches his students how what happened during World War II still affects their lives today, because of the service and sacrifice of the men and women who served almost 70 years ago.
“We recognize that the number of World War II veterans is rapidly decreasing,” Graham says. “This generation needs to know about them, they need to know how close the world came to being crushed by the Axis powers. Most World War II veterans don’t see themselves as heroes—they say, the ones that died, they were the heroes,” says Graham.

The free symposium will take an interdisciplinary look at World War II presented through a series of talks and panels—from the literature of the time, to the mathematical precision of the codes created to stymie the enemy, to the scientific breakthroughs of the period.

 The talks will feature community members who are World War II veterans themselves, including members of the Tuskegee Airmen, and other World War II “flyboys,” as well as talks by those who grew up in Europe, Germany and China during the war.

Thursday, Nov. 10

10 a.m. to 11:15am                 Labor Problems in Wartime
11:30 a.m. to 12:45pm            Fly Boys of WWII
1 p.m. to 2:15pm                     Great Speeches of WWII
2:30pm to 5 p.m.                     Film, “The King’s Speech”