Saturday, January 28, 2012

Congratulations to Dunwoody Police Award Winners


 Thank You for your service.

The Dunwoody Police Department gave out its 2011 achievement awards for officers and employees that made an impact throughout the year. It is important to recognize excellence among the staff. The police department recognized five individuals for their achievements during the 2011 calendar year. They were recognized for Officer of the Year, Employee of the Year, Marksman of the Year, Meritorious Service Medal and Rising Star Award.

Officer of the Year: Detective Blake Yeargin- Detective Yeargin has been an asset to the detective division since his transfer. He has made numerous arrests which have made a significant impact in his zone.

Employee of the Year: Eileen Sears- Police Service Representative Sears has assumed numerous responsibilities outside of her job description. She has assisted in the implementation of new projects to assist with the efficiency of our PSR’s.

Marksman of the Year: Detectvive Ronny Gomez DeLima- Detective DeLima had the highest qualifying score for the department in 2011. He is to be commended for staying proficient with his firearm.

Rising Star Award: Officer Timothy Fecht- Officer Fecht has demonstrated his ability to go outside his normal duties to assist with Community Outreach efforts. Along with his positive attitude on the job, Officer Fecht has been a great asset to the Dunwoody Police Department since he started.

Meritorious Service Medal: Officer Dale Laskowski- Officer Laskowski responded to a person down early last year. Upon his arrival, the victim was not breathing and did not have a pulse. Officer Laskowski performed CPR until EMS arrived, and the individual made a full recovery.

Ashford Dunwoody Lane Closures Scheduled for Construction


One westbound right lane of I-285 at the Ashford Dunwoody Road Bridge will be closed for an hour Saturday (Jan. 28) around 10 a.m. for work on the Diverging Diamond Interchange (DDI) at I-285 and Ashford Dunwoody Road. The brief lane closure is required to secure the bolt pattern of the existing structures holding up directional signs on the I-285 and Ashford Dunwoody Road Interchange Bridge.

Weather permitting, beginning at 9:00 p.m. on Monday (Jan. 30) and Tuesday (Jan. 31), the left southbound lane of Ashford Dunwoody Road will close for night construction to remove street lights from the raised median. On Wednesday (Feb. 1), the right lanes of the Ashford Dunwoody Road Bridge, both northbound and southbound, will close for night construction.

In August 2011, Georgia Department of Transportation awarded a $4.6 million contract to E.R. Snell Contractors, Inc. of Snellville for the DDI project, a concept which was initiated by the PCIDs. The first DDI in Georgia, the I-285 at Ashford Dunwoody Road project is an innovative, low-cost solution to improve traffic flow and safety. 

Thursday, January 26, 2012

St. Luke's Dunwoody Tartan Trot his the street Saturday morning.


Last minute registration on Friday at the Church and possibly slots available on race day Saturday.  Please check the website above.

Wanted: Used Youth Soccer and Baseball Sports Equipment for Dunwoody Boy Scout Eagle Project

 Let's clean out the closets!

For his Boy Scout Eagle Project, Dunwoody High School student Gray LaRose is collecting, repairing, and cleaning, new and used sporting equipment and practice uniforms to be given to underprivileged kids in the soccer and baseball programs the Chamblee Parks and Recreation Department.

Gray will collecting items from January 27th to February 3rd 2012. You can drop off items in the collection bins

Bins have been placed in the front lobbies of:

St. Lukeʼs Presbyterian Church
Dunwoody High School
Dunwoody Baptist Church

Some of the items he is collecting are: soccer balls, cleats, shin guards, bats, baseballs, baseball gloves, practice
attire of all sizes.

For further information or questions please contact Gray LaRose at graylarose@gmail.com

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Dunwoody Patch posts video of the zoning rewrite meeting.



The Dunwoody Patch recorded the beginning of the meeting and wrote a nice recap of the comments made by the 25 citizens in the room. 

I highly recommend that you click the link above to watch the video and please feel free to comment there as to your thoughts on the project and changes needed.  Though this is by far the official place to comment on such items, it is a public discussion which will be read by other members of the community as well as the project consultants.  Soon there will be a public site created by the consultants which will serve the same and "official" place to comment outside the physical meetings and once available I will post that link too.

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Dunwoody Zoning Code Rewrite Kick-Off Meeting Tonight

 What does the future bring?

The Dunwoody Zoning Code Rewrite Kick-Off Meeting is scheduled for Tonight, Tuesday, January 24 at Dunwoody Baptist Church (1445 Mount Vernon Road) from 7:00-9:00 PM. The public is invited to be a part in this exciting planning initiative beginning in 2012.

Dunwoody Baptist Church
1445 Mount Vernon Road
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM

City Council Recap
Video quality was lacking at Monday nights City Council Meeting but the conversation of adding bike lanes to Chamblee Dunwoody is passable if you turn you the speakers way up. It is available in the link below.

http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/19965911

Sunday, January 22, 2012

City of Dunwoody 2012 Retreat Recap


Recap & Documents

The City Council "retreat" is an all day planning / training session which is used to allow new council members the opportunity to get caught up to speed on city matters and it is also used to plan for items of importance which may be brought forward in the coming year.  The day started before 8 and ended after 5 and there were lots of good discussions.  The 2011 year in review (link below) is a nice recap down to the city departmental level and the financial forecasts of the city and the staffing of the police department each took a good part of of the day, then we discussed numerous other items on the agenda.

The meeting was open to the public and the press covered it as well as shown here, here & here.

Agenda

2011 Year in Review and 2011 Retreat Results

Roles, Responsibilities and Expectations of Elected Officials and Staff
Financial Planning Discussion (Chris Pike)
Public Safety Discussion (Billy Grogan)

Dunwoody Police 5 year Staffing Request

Police Chief Billy Grogan presented the Dunwoody City Council with a five year staffing plan to add 18 positions over five years. Click here for the full document.


Click here for complete document.

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Monday, January 23rd
Dunwoody City Hall
41 Perimeter Center East
Dunwoody, GA 30346

Recognition of 4th Citizen's Police Academy Graduating Class.
Introduction of Community Development Director Steve Dush.
Approval of Policy for City Website Links.
Approval of Leisure Ridge Agreement.
Approval of Memorandum of Understanding for Regional Traffic Operations.
Approval of City Council 2012 Meeting Schedule.
Annual Sustainability Commission Presentation
Zoning Code Re-Write Update.
Discussion of Five Year Paving Plan. - Now Updated
Discussion of 2012 Capital Paving Plan. - Now Updated

Friday the City updated our packet to make minor modifications to Paving and Capital Plan in order to present other Complete Street options to improve Spalding and Chamblee Dunwoody.

Dunwoody City Council Planning Retreat - Friday Jan 20th

Council Planning Meeting

Atlanta Perimeter Hotel
111 Perimeter Center West
Dunwoody, Georgia

Agenda

A. Council Breakfast - 7:00 a.m.
B. Call to Order - 8:00 a.m.
C. Public Comment
D. Overview, Objectives and Introductions
E. 2011 Year in Review and 2011 Retreat Results
F. Roles, Responsibilities and Expectations of Elected Officials and Staff
  • Mayor and Council Team Expectations
  • Media Policy
G. Prioritizing of Items (see Attachment “A” for list of items that may be discussed)
H. Financial Planning Discussion (Chris Pike)
  • 5 year Financial Forecast
  • Debt Ratio
  • Fund Balance Targets
I. Public Safety Discussion (Billy Grogan)
  • Police Department Staffing
  • Accreditation
  • Citizen/Business Owner Perception/Reality of Public Safety
  • FY 2013 Capital Items
J. Discussion of Identified Items
K. Summarize Agreements, Wrap up, and Evaluation
L. Public Comment
M. Adjournment

Attachment “A”

A. Economic Development Strategy
B. Parks Improvements
C. Timeline and Process for rezoning and special land use permits
D. Stormwater Improvements Planning
E. New Zoning Ordinance Rewrite Process
F. City Hall location and future funding
G. Redevelopment Powers Law implementation
H. Fire Services
I. Transportation Plan Implementation
J. Council meeting agenda setting
K. State legislative objectives for the City of Dunwoody
L. Development of boundary areas (Sandy Springs, DeKalb County, Doraville, Gwinnett County)
M. Civic engagement
N. Policies regarding the appointment of board and commission members
O. Monetary Rewards to Deter Vandalism in Public Parks

Note: City Council may add, edit, or remove items from this list.

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Dunwoody Couple seeks ultimate gift - a child to be adopted.


Michael and Diana Davis
want to be parents.

www.MichaelandDianaDavis.com

My friends (and neighbors), Michael & Diana Davis are looking for a special gift; a child of their own.

They are well educated, professionally employed and more importantly they are kind, friendly, loving people who would be ideal parents for any child.  Please help me, help them, as they are looking for an open adoption process whereby the birth mother chooses the family who will adopt the baby and then has ongoing contact with the family.

Here is a printable version of their information and they would be honored and humbled to talk to anyone who could help them bring a child into their loving home.  Michael & Diana are able to be reached via various methods on their website including a phone number of 1-888-231-6532.

25 years ago a friend of mine who was pregnant at a very young age, gave her baby up in an open adoption and last year it was my honor to meet her son to see what a fine young man he turned out to be.  I can't tell you how a great a gift she gave that family and in return they spoiled him with love, providing the very best for the little boy as she was still in high school and was unable to do so.

Michael and Diana Davis want the privilege of spoiling a child with love, please help them spreading their story, "Liking" them on Facebook, Retweeting this or maybe we could use the ultimate social media tool by saying a prayer.

Tilly Mill - North Peachtree - Peeler intersection plans released prior to Dunwoody meeting on Jan 19th..



The City of Dunwoody will be hosting a Public Information Meeting to discuss an intersection improvement at North Peachtree Road and Tilly Mill Road on Thursday,

January 19, 2012 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church
4755 North Peachtree Road

This will be an open house style meeting with no formal presentation. The proposed intersection improvements involve adding turning lanes to Tilly Mill Road, North Peachtree Road and Peeler Road to improve safety and reduce traffic congestion.

This project was identified as a high priority project in the city’s Comprehensive Transportation Plan.
For more information or if you have any questions, please contact the Public Works Department at 678-382-6850 or public.works@dunwoodyga.gov.

City site of future updates.


Our Taste of Dunwoody tickets have been purchased. Please join us for an evening out.


Date: Friday, February 03, 2012
Time: 7 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.

Location: Atlanta Perimeter Hotel and Suites
111 Perimeter Center West, Dunwoody 30346

Tickets: https://giving.choa.org/tod

Alison's Restaurant
Blue Ribbon Foods
Boneheads
Cafe Intermezzo
Cafe Sababa Mediterranean Grill
FIGO Pasta
Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse
The Flying Biscuit Cafe
Food 101
Peter’s
Rita’s Italian Ice
Romano's Macaroni Grill
Smallcakes Cupcakes
Uncle Julio's Fine Mexican Food

Dunwoody Elementary School Prospective Parents Night



Dunwoody Elementary School is hosting a Prospective Parents night on Thursday, January 19th at 6:30 p.m. in the school cafeteria.  Parents of rising Pre-K and Kindergarten students as well as any parents interested in learning more about Dunwoody Elementary School are invited to attend. You will have the opportunity to meet our principal, assistant principals and PTO representatives as well as learn more about our school and take a short tour of our beautiful building.  We look forward to sharing our school with you!

Dunwoody Village Parkway - FAQ


PDF document

With some of the attention that the Dunwoody Village Parkway project has commanded, city staff put together a one page document to highlight the plan and to answer some questions we have received about the project.  This project has been discussed numerous times and is part of both the Dunwoody Village and Transportation Master Plans whereby it was hoped this project would not only improve the walkability of the area, but could possibly spur future redevelopment of the center by bringing businesses closer to the street and eventually adding cross streets. 

From everything I read and heard on this project, I thought it was clearly desired by the community but I am sure we will discuss this to see if it is still a transportation improvement that is desired at this cost or does it need to be modified or dropped entirely.

Below are a few links of interest and I am told that the plans for the North Peachtree Road / Tilly Mill / Peeler intersection will be released later day or in the very near future.  I will post it when I get it.

Crier Article - December 27, 2011

Dunwoody Village Overlay update April 11, 2011

Dunwoody Village Master Plan (see pages 38, 44, 46, 48, 50, 55, 57, 59)

Dunwoody Transportation Plan (see pages 61, 76, 103 #12, 173 - 178)

Early conversations of Dunwoody Village - Nov 2009

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Sunday is the Dunwoody Homeowners Association Annual Membership Meeting


Sunday, January 15, 2012 @ 2 PM

Dunwoody United Methodist Church
1548 Mount Vernon Rd Dunwoody, GA 30338
Fellowship Hall - 2nd Floor

Agenda


In checking the DHA website I noticed the monthly minutes for 2011 and thought I would share.

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Video of the January 9th Dunwoody City Council Work Session


Nothing is voted on at the work session but the discussions had do give you a good idea on where the council is headed on future decisions.  I'll touch on a few of the highlights in the order presented.
  • Links on the City website for community groups will probably happen but they will be buried on an internal page and not a part of the initial home page as originally requested.  
  • Home Occupation regulations was slowed down under various concerns of council and the issue may be on hold until the zoning rewrite is started.  The first meeting of the zoning code rewrite is scheduled for Tues Jan 24th at Dunwoody Baptist at 7 pm.  
  • The Gergetown discussion was deferred until a later time.  
  • Leisure Ridge is a small undeveloped subdivision in Kingsley which had a roadway issue the City adopted from the County when we took over the streets and this agreement settles the issue whereby 20 new homes could be built in the coming year. 
  • Dunwoody & Gwinnett County will enter into an agreement to allow Gwinnett to control development of the a parcel at Winters Chapel and Peeler where 95% of that parcel is in Gwinnett County and only a small sliver of the parking lot is in Dunwoody.  Oh by the way, a Wal-Mart Grocery Store will be built there.  
  • Paving, Sidewalks and related Capital Improvements (Complete Streets) was discussed with us asking pointed questions on specific projects and the rational of the streets picked but in the end +2 Million will be spent on repaving and another 1 Million will be spent on sidewalks.  
  • Multi-Jurisdictional Traffic Light synchronization will be implemented and there are now plans in place in case of a snow or ice storm but that being said, the cities response will be limited therefore you will still need to clear the shelves of all Milk & Bread from the local grocery store prior to the storm and plan to stay home.
Finally, I saw that the Winter edition of City Newsletter is available and it is filled good information and numerous meeting dates, so please check it out.

Monday, January 9, 2012

Chesnut Charter Prospective Parents Night - Tues Jan 24th 7 pm


 Chesnut Orientation

As I have had two sons attend Chesnut Charter Elementary School in the past, with another starting in the Fall; I can tell prospective parents that the school is a hidden gem with a good curriculum, caring teachers and involved parents.

Chesnut Charter School is hosting a Prospective Parents night on Tuesday, January 24 at 7:00 PM in the school Media Center. Parents of rising Pre-K and Kindergarten students as well as any parents interested in learning more about Chesnut Charter School are invited to attend. You will have the opportunity to meet our principal, assistant principal and faculty members as well as learn more about our wonderful school.

Please contact Terri Young at terri_young1@comcast.net or 770-457-1519 with any questions. (Adults only please).

Friday, January 6, 2012

Dunwoody City Council Agenda for Mon Jan 9th - Home Occupations, Paving and Sidewalk Plans

Monday, January 9th
Dunwoody City Hall
41 Perimeter Center East
Dunwoody, GA 30346
6:00 p.m. - Work Session
7:00 p.m. - Voting
Watch Live at 7 pm

2012 legislative forum and town hall meeting - Sun Jan 8th at 9 & again at 10 am and Dunwoody United Methodist Church

Sunday morning session with your State Lawmakers.

From the Dunwoody Neighbor

The community is invited to a 2012 legislative forum town hall meeting Jan. 8 at Dunwoody United Methodist Church, 1548 Mount Vernon Road in Dunwoody.


Dwight Hawksworth, one of the organizers, said several legislative officials will be discussing issues they anticipate will be important in the upcoming session. They will also be answering questions from the audience.

“It’s a tremendous opportunity for the legislators to be seen and to be heard,” he said.


Some lawmakers who will be in attendance are District 56 State Sen. John Albers, R-Roswell; District 80 State Rep. Mike Jacobs, R-Atlanta; District 40 State Sen. Fran Millar, R-Dunwoody; District 81 State Rep. Elena Parent, D-Atlanta; District 79 State Rep. Tom Taylor, R-Dunwoody; and District 49 State Rep. Wendell Willard, R-Sandy Springs.


“It’s so important that we understand if we are going to be successful as a country we have to get the right people [in government] and show interest in the process,” Hawksworth said.


There will be two meetings Jan. 8. The first will be 9 to 10 a.m. and the second will be 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.
Hawksworth said the meetings should have a lot of information of interest to the community.


“One of the things we’ve found is that time flies in these forums,” he said. “It’s amazing how quickly these sessions go.”


Free parking will be available at the Dunwoody Library at 5339 Chamblee-Dunwoody Road with shuttle transportation to the church.

I signed this petition regarding DeKalb County School Funds being used to pay excessive attorney fees - please check it out.

THE PETITION
Settle the lawsuit with Heery Mitchell

The school system has spent over $15 million on King & Spalding attorneys and could end up paying an additional $15-20 million or more when the case is resolved. This outlay of cash is paid from the General Operating Budget of our school system and is taking away from our children. Stop spending money on a lawsuit where the system's main witnesses are indicted on criminal charges of racketeering! Settle with Heery-Mitchell via arbitration or mediation. End this nonsense so that we can turn our attention to our schools and our children!

Full details available here - DeKalb School Watch Blog

SIGN THE PETITION by clicking HERE.

Chesnut Charter Elementary is looking for donations and sponsorhips for Annual Silent Auction.


Patch Article

On March 16th, more than 300 Dunwoody families will gather to bid on prizes – such as Walt Disney Park Hopper passes, a free year of Yogli Mogli, Tom Bass Summer Baseball Camp, and the very coveted "Dunwoody City Councilman for a Day" package  – at Chesnut Elementary's Spring Fling Family Fundraiser and Silent Auction. The Chesnut PTA and Charter Council are grateful to presenting sponsor The Mad Italian, as well as Yogli Mogli, Seiden Chiropractic Center, Life Fit StudioHuntington Learning Center, Kaplan Orthodontics and I9 Sports who have signed on to sponsor the school's main annual fundraiser.

Local businesses have until the end of January to take advantage of this opportunity to market themselves within the community, either by donating to or sponsoring the event.

Proceeds will fund enrichment programs, staff continuing education and facility improvements. Donors and sponsors gain visibility through the Chesnut Spring Fling webpage, listing in printed auction catalogs, marketing materials displayed at auction table, and logo printed on school spirit-wear T-shirts.

Of course business logos will cover the T-shirt's backside, as the front will leave room to display the students' wishlist:  "If I Had $1,000 to Spend for Chesnut...."

Businesses interested in helping out a local school and gaining exposure in the Dunwoody community can sponsor or donate to the event by downloading a form, or emailing springfling@chesnutcharter.com.

Atlanta Magazine Ranks Dunwoody High School #23 in Public Schools Which Best Prepare Students for College






Other DCSS Schools ranked are:

#3 - DeKalb School of the Arts
#16 – Lakeside
# 18 – Chamblee
#42 – Druid Hills

**Note: Rankings based on 2009-2010 Georgia Office of Student Achievement Report Card. The 2010-2011 Report Cards are not yet available.  

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Dunwoody welcomes a new Mayor and Councilmembers


The room was over flowing for the Pomp and Circumstance of this evenings swearing in but the real work of the Council starts at next Monday's work session where the agenda (published by this Friday) will be long and arduous as we take up Home Occupation regulations and the 2012 plans for Paving and Sidewalks.

My hope is that the citizens who voted us into office to represent them will stay involved and be engaged in what we do, as we truely can not do this job properly without your input.   Remember that any four members of City Council can make a binding decision that will affect all 48,000 residents and businesses for many years to come, therefore I implore you to please stay engaged and I will continue to do what I can to assist.  Thanks.

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Can anyone in the State Legislature explain why a Georgia Supreme Court Justice asked if I was a member of the Communist Party?

I do hereby swear that I am not a member of the Communist Party.

I am not a lawyer but I am guessing the state law below requiring the Loyalty Oath is unenforceable. I am told few municipalities follow the requirement but the City of Dunwoody does require it of all elected officials as it is still on the books.

Who in the Georgia State Legislature wants to drop a bill to remove this out dated requirement?

I can think of at least one municipality and maybe one Supreme Court Justice who would be thankful.  For the record this was never discussed between myself and any sitting member of the GA Supreme Court, though the smirk that was on both of our faces as I was forced to repeat the idiotic words as required by Georgia Law, said more than simple words ever could.

§ 45-3-11 - Loyalty oath -- Persons required to take oath generally
All persons who are employed by and are on the payroll of the state and are the recipients of wages, per diem, or salary of the state or its departments and agencies, with the exception of pages employed by the General Assembly, and all counties and cities, school districts, and local educational systems throughout the entire state, are required to take an oath that they will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of Georgia, and that they are not members of the Communist Party.

Dunwoody Police Department is a leader among the International Association of Chiefs of Police when it comes to Social Media

 2011 A Year in Review    IACP - The Social Media Beat

As I look back on our department’s use of social media in 2011, I believe we have come a long way. At the beginning of the year, almost all of the information being posted online was being generated by one person. As a result, timely information was not being posted as it should be which somewhat limited follower interaction with the department. We recognized this as a problem and have taken steps in 2011 to correct it.

Now, important information is consistently being posted. Our supervisors in Uniform Patrol are posting real time information of interest to our community. This has resulted in an exponential increase in community engagement. Our Community Outreach unit keeps our social media channels updated with our press releases and important crime prevention information and tips. All of these changes have contributed to significant growth in our use of social media, community interaction, and number of followers.

In 2011, we tried a number of social media experiments that helped our social media following grow and seemed to inspire community support as well. We tweeted all of our calls for a 24 hour period. This was our largest and most successful social media experiment. In addition, we sponsored a photo contest during the summer which garnered great community involvement. Lastly, we had a Tweet Along with an officer who tweeted all of his calls for his shift. Collectively, these experiments gave us great insight into what our followers are interested in and how we can better meet their needs.

Our social media goals at the beginning of the year were to increase those who follow us and increase the interaction between our department and community on our social media channels. We have achieved those goals. Along the way, we found that it is not always what you post that is most important but how you post it. Posting information using humor, recognizing the unusual situations to report on, and having the correct tone of our postings for our community were lessons learned in 2011.

As we look forward to 2012, I believe it will be the year of video for our department. We have received a grant from the Rotary Club of Dunwoody so we can purchase a quality HD video camera and sound equipment. Our goal in the coming year is to record PSA’s and other quality video that we can post on our various social media channels to make an even greater impact in our community.

Follow the Dunwoody Police at @DunwoodyPolice on Twitter and  on Facebook

Monday, January 2, 2012

Swearing In Ceremony for newly elected Dunwoody officials.


Swearing In Ceremony for newly elected Mayor Mike Davis, Council Member Lynn Deutsch, and Council Member Terry Nall is Tuesday, January 3 at 7:00pm at City Hall.

Administering the Oath of Office is Supreme Court Justice David Nahmias.

Dunwoody City Council Chambers
41 Perimeter Center East, Suite 103
Dunwoody, GA 30346

Light refreshments will be served.