Bev Wingate, the First Lady of "Dunwoody Yes" and Consummate Volunteer is honored with a proclamation.

 Bev Wingate the First Lady of Dunwoody Yes

PROCLAMATION

WHEREAS, Beverly Jean Wingate (Bev) is a determined, rational, intellectual, energized woman with a clever wit and a quick sense of humor, who is faithfully dedicated to her family, country and city; and

WHEREAS, growing up on a farm in Champaign Illinois, Bev learned the definition of perseverance and hard work. She was active in the 4-H Club, and Future Homemakers of America; she was taught to be involved with the local community. She ran track, was the feature editor for the school’s newspaper, served on student council, and was a regular on the campus radio station WKID; and

WHEREAS, on August 1952 (just before her 18th birthday); she was hired by Illinois Bell Telephone to be an operator in their call center in the Champaign area. Bev retired in the fall of 1961 after 6 promotions, and almost 10 years of service, to marry Walter R. Anderson in November 1961, and begin a family. Son Walter was born in May 1966. She was divorced in 1971, and married Ron “Windy” Wingate in November 1972. She was married to Windy (46 years) until his passing in November 2018. She is a fantastic Gamma to son Walter’s only child Courtney, and mother-in-law to Cheryl; and 

WHEREAS, in July of 1960 Bev was one of four women to supervise the call center for the Republican National Convention in Chicago. Bev honed her political skills here as the center was just off the convention floor for use by the delegates, press, and the public; and

WHEREAS, Dunwoody appreciates Bev for her 40+years of support, service and leadership to: Dunwoody Newcomers Club, Dunwoody Woman’s Club, Dunwoody Preservation Trust, Spruill Center Guild, Stage Door Players, Dunwoody Nature Center, Dunwoody Veterans Day, Memorial Day and 911 Memorial Events, 4th of July Parade 2007 Grand Marshall with her husband Windy, DeKalb County Domestic Violence Task Force, DeKalb County Veterans Advisory Board, and Dunwoody United Methodist Church, and

WHEREAS, outside of the political and volunteer areas, Bev’s hobbies are: cooking, macramé, oil painting, learning to play musical instruments including the ukulele, organ, and recently learning how to play the piano, reading, crossword puzzles, and lover of animals, particularly German Shepherds, and is now Gamma to a Great Dane. Bev was a licensed small plane pilot in the 70s and 80s, and at one time held a real estate license. She currently drives around Dunwoody in style as the coolest Gamma ever in her black, 1997 Trans Am with T-top; and

WHEREAS, Bev was an integral member of the Founding Committee for the Incorporation of the City of Dunwoody, where her insight, professional expertise, and historical knowledge of Dunwoody contributed to the efforts of the committee. Bev helped guide the resolution for the incorporation of the City of Dunwoody in 2008 and continued her service on various city committees. Bev calls herself a “fire fighter”; she puts out fires with her wealth of knowledge before misinformation burns out of control; and

NOW, THEREFORE I, Lynn Deutsch, Mayor of Dunwoody, Georgia do hereby proclaim September 9, 2020, as Bev Wingate Day in the City of Dunwoody in honor of her service, dedication, and commitment to the Citizens of Dunwoody Community. The unofficial “Mother of Dunwoody”.IN 

WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the City of Dunwoody to be affixed this 24th day of August, 2020.

Flashback to 2008 to show the work done prior to becoming the City of Dunwoody

Looking back.

With hot and heavy discussions going on at the State Capital regarding the creation of new cities, I figured I would reach far back into my personal archive of documents to show some of the work that was done behind the scenes.

There were three groups, Citizens for Dunwoody was 501 c3 non-profit and they were the research and educational arm set up around various task forces that were focused on a specific aspect of city operations. The Dunwoody Action Committee was a PAC to raise money to hire lobbyists and Dunwoody Yes! was the 501 c4 non-profit to push as an advocate to get out the vote in the time frame between legislative passage and the referendum.

Senator Dan Weber & Community Leaders outlined the key factors concerning the City of Dunwoody, the Carl Vincent Institute report of City Feasibility was analyzed and scrutinized from every angle and in the end after numerous tries, the final version of the City Charter SB 82 was passed and signed by the Governor. On July 15th, 2008 the residents of the future City of Dunwoody went to the polls and approved the City Charter by 81%. Mayoral and City Council elections soon followed and the City started operations on December 1, 2008 where the City Council set the tax level at 2.740 mills which is what DeKalb was charging us at the time and it is the exact same tax rate that the City of Dunwoody is still charging today whereby we have the lowest tax rate in DeKalb County.

Looking back through my old blog posts, I couldn't be prouder of this community and all of the people who assisted as I can tell you that a great deal of time and effort went into starting and later successfully operating this City. Below are all of the various Task Force Reports that were completed prior to incorporation and looking back I am sure some of the numbers were a little off in a few places but I can tell you we worked very hard at incorporation and many of those same people continue to be heavily involved in the community today.

Citizens for Dunwoody Task Force Reports

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

Code_Enforcement_Taskforce_Final_Report_6_2008.doc

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

Dunwoody  Order appointing counsel.doc
Dunwoody Application for appointment.doc
Dunwoody BondFee Schedule.xls
Dunwoody Indigent Defense Plan.doc
Dunwoody Order establishing Traffic Bureau violations.doc
Dunwoody Resolution to Appoint Judges.doc
Dunwoody Uniform Rules ofJohns Creek Municipal Court.doc
Final Courts Report.doc
Resolution Establishing Municipal Court Fee.rtf

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

Administration_Finance_Final.doc
CVI_Dunwoody_Feasibility_Study_Update_20080113.pdf
Dunwoody_RFP20080601.pdf

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

City Manager Subcommittee FINAL.DOC
Final Police Liaison Subgroup Report 08_14_08.doc
Personnel Handbook Compare1.xls

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

City_of_Dunwoody_Code_of_Ethics.pdf
Ordinance TF.doc

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

brookrun.pdf
BrookRun_Narrative.doc
County property.xls
DeKalb Analysis Individual Parks.pdf
DeKalb Draft Park Master Plan Sep07.pdf
DeKalb Parks Opinion Survey.pdf
Final Parks Report.doc
Skate Park

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

Permits_and_Inspections_Taskforce_Final _Report_7_4_2008 (3).doc

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

Police_Final_Report.pdf
Police_Stats_2002_2007.pdf

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

2005TransportationBondProgram.pdf
Ashford Dunwoody @ MtVernon Road.pdf
DeKalb Transportation Recommedations.pdf
DeKalb_Paving_List.pdf
DeKalb_Road_Ratings_Dist_1.pdf
Dunwoody Academy Street.pdf
DunwoodyMap linked to Tax Maps
Dunwoody_Aerial.pdf
Dunwoody_Resurfacing.pdf
Dunwoody_Sidewalks.pdf
Dunwoody_Signals.pdf
I285 @ Ashford Dunwoody.pdf
PavementManagementSystemDescription.pdf
PCIDPublicSpaceStandards2007.pdf
plat_maps
SandySprings_TranPlan_figures.pdf
Sidewalk_Data.xls
Stormwater
Transportation Service Analysis Dunwoody Final.doc
Winters Chapel @ Dunwoody Club.pdf

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

14 Definition DETAIL MAP Comprehensive Plan 2005-2025.pdf
Comprehensive Plan 2005-2025.pdf
DEKALB COUNTY CODE OF ORDINANCE.doc
Land Use and Zoning.pptx
Zoning_and_land_Use_Task_force_V5[1].doc

Task Force Roster

Discover the City of Dunwoody, GA - a great place to live. (Video Montage)

Video

Video

Video

Finally my video montage highlighting our fair city would be incomplete if I didn't include this classic.

Video

 FYI, in case you are new to town or feel slighted by the video above - below is the back story.

" I thought it would be funny to make a hardcore [rap] song about how friendly Dunwoody is."

Video - Fox5

Dunwoody Charter Commission - Final Report

The final Charter Commission report is 70 pages long but the substantive proposed changes to SB82 are listed above.

The report is available on the city website.   Remember that the City Council was purposely left out of this process as this is a list of recommendations from the citizens to the State Legislature on possible governance changes.  In the end, our State Reps could present and pass what was presented, present nothing if in disagreement, pass nothing presented or present completely different changes and pass what they like.

Appendix B of the report (starts on page 57) lists ideas presented for change but were never voted upon for for formal submission.  Possible additional changes that I have heard in the last couple months since the close of the commission was a cap on debt allowed and moving the Mayoral election to be held during the district cycle vs the at large election cycle.  The ideas listed in the appendix or ideas that are yet to be floated, are all fair game as the ball is in Fran, Tom & Mike's court to do with it as they and the Legislature see fit.

Dunwoody Government 101 - 8 Week Program

Details.

Classes are free to attend for City residents and run Tuesday evenings beginning September 25

 

Dunwoody, GA – August 10, 2012 – In an effort to strengthen the community’s knowledge of municipal operations, the City of Dunwoody proudly announces the debut of the Dunwoody Government 101 educational series. The Dunwoody Government 101 series is an eight week course designed to enhance residents’ understanding of city government and offers the community a chance to experience and discover the primary undertakings of the City.

Dunwoody’s Government 101 series will provide participants with a look inside each of the City’s departments through a lively blend of demonstrations, presentations, and tours, all conducted in a casual format at numerous sites throughout the City. Participants can expect to come away with a heightened awareness and knowledge of local government operations as well as a greater understanding of how to get involved in local civic and community affairs.

Classes for the eight-week Government 101 series will be held each Tuesday evening beginning September 25, and concluding Tuesday, November 13, 2012. The sessions are free to attend and open to Dunwoody residents over the age of 18. 

“This type of community education serves an important function in a democracy, especially in a large and complex society like ours,” said Dunwoody Mayor Mike Davis.  “Our goal is to help create an informed and involved community and access to this information is all part of helping promote civic engagement and community collaboration.”

Interested participants should complete the Dunwoody Government 101 application which is available online at Dunwoodyga.gov, or at City Hall. Completed forms may be sent to Edie Damann at edie.damann@dunwoodyga.gov, dropped-off, or faxed to 678-382-6701. 

Class size is limited. Deadline for application submission is September 7, 2012.

Dunwoody Police Department's First Year

WSB news story on Dunwoody PD's first year

U.S. Census Bureau evaluates Dunwoody in the American Community Survey

The U.S. Census Bureau on Tuesday released the latest version of the American Community Survey demographic estimates for 2006-2008.

For the first time, this ongoing statistical portrait of America included information from geographic areas with a population of less than 60,000. The 2010 census and the ACS will help determine the distribution of more than $400 billion in federal tax funds yearly.

The data on Dunwoody, Georgia is broken down into two sections, the narrative profile and then the statistical data in a table. The narrative is found here and I would recommend that readers start here for an overview of the city and then go to the table if you want to dig deeper.  Below is just a couple of paragraphs from the survey findings in narrative form.

American Community Survey of Dunwoody, GA - Narrative Profile

POPULATION OF Dunwoody CDP: In 2006-2008, Dunwoody CDP had a total population of 41,000 - 22,000 (54 percent) females and 19,000 (46 percent) males. The median age was 38.4 years. Twenty-seven percent of the population was under 18 years and 13 percent was 65 years and older.

OCCUPATIONS AND TYPE OF EMPLOYER: Among the most common occupations were: Management, professional, and related occupations, 66 percent; Sales and office occupations, 23 percent; Service occupations, 6 percent; Production, transportation, and material moving occupations, 2 percent; and Construction, extraction, maintenance and repair occupations, 2 percent. Eighty-five percent of the people employed were Private wage and salary workers; 9 percent was Federal, state, or local government workers; and 6 percent was Self-employed in own not incorporated business workers.

TRAVEL TO WORK: Seventy-six percent of Dunwoody CDP workers drove to work alone in 2006-2008, 6 percent carpooled, 5 percent took public transportation, and 4 percent used other means. The remaining 8 percent worked at home. Among those who commuted to work, it took them on average 24.1 minutes to get to work.

INCOME: The median income of households in Dunwoody CDP was $90,355. Eighty-six percent of the households received earnings and 14 percent received retirement income other than Social Security. Twenty-one percent of the households received Social Security. The average income from Social Security was $19,941. These income sources are not mutually exclusive; that is, some households received income from more than one source.

Below is the table of the basic statistical information but if you would like more detail click the following link below and the click the "Show More" link next to the individual item characteristics.

American Community Survey of Dunwoody, GA - Data Tables

City of Dunwoody Survey Results from DunwoodyNow.com

Dunwoody Survey Results

Once the City of Dunwoody was officially created several on-line for profit "city branded" websites were created to siphon some of the on-line advertising dollars away from the main stream media, they are DunwoodyNow and GoDunwoody. Both are trying to fill the same niche and I read "skim" both from time to time but because they both aggregate information from other sources there is usually very little original content, unlike the Dunwoody Crier who employs a staff of reporters who cover a wide breath of local topics.

Today was the exception since the DunwoodyNow site published results from a survey consisting of 100 respondents commenting on the City of Dunwoody. The 11 pages of results and comments were quite interesting and I especially enjoyed reading the "Suggestions for Dunwoody's elected officials" section.

To the person who asked how the elected officials are contacting their constituents because you haven't personally heard from your representative. Let me say that I personally represent all 40,000 residents of the City of Dunwoody, including yourself and I try to reach out to all 40,000 people on almost nightly basis. Please subscribe to my blog via e-mail delivery by clicking here, e-mail me directly by clicking here or by calling my home at 770-234-0678 to talk directly. I read many e-mails from the Mayor and fellow Council Members where they are responding to resident inquires therefore I can attest that we as a group are attempting to be responsive to the citizens of Dunwoody. Also as a reminder the City of Dunwoody has an open message board to post comments whereby the staff or elected officials reply where possible and every City Council meeting also has a minimum of two open public comment periods where you can talk directly to the Council in an open forum. So please communicate with us and we will reply in kind.

Thank you to the publisher of DunwoodyNow for putting this together as I envision the City doing the same type of survey at some point in the future.

What makes Dunwoody one of the "most affluent" communities in the U.S.? It's the warmth of the people!

For those who don't live here, let me tell you that Dunwoody is a very nice place to raise a family and it is the people who live here which makes it so special, not the money, cars & houses. It's all about the people.

Business Newspapers make this stuff up and blogs like mine waste the bandwidth reprinting it. For what it is worth, here is their story.

Dunwoody, Georgia has made the list of the 250 “most affluent” communities in the United States, according to a study conducted by bizjournals.com.

Dunwoody came in at number 130 on the list, which calculated scores based on median household income, median home value, the percentage of homes with nine or more rooms, the number of households with four or more vehicles and the number of adults with bachelor’s degrees.

City of Dunwoody & Kingsley Elementary apply for Safe Routes to School grant.

In an unprecedented partnership between the City of Dunwoody, the DeKalb County School System and the hard working parents of the Kingsley Charter School Council, I and am proud to display the formal 17 page Safe Routes to Schools grant application and supporting documentation that was submitted to the Georgia Department of Transportation less than two weeks after the City of Dunwoody was created.

Kingsley_Dunwoody_SRTS_Final.pdf

Below is an article from the Dunwoody Crier discussing the proposal and each elementary school in Dunwoody is currently instituting a Safe Routes to School program therefore if you have children and are interested in assisting with this citywide endeavor, please talk to your local PTA.

Dunwoody Crier - Jan 27, 2009

Thirty years ago, the most common way for children to get to school was to walk. Times have changed, however, and the sight of children walking or riding their bike to school is something you are more likely to see on TV or in a movie than in your own neighborhood.

Kingsley Charter Elementary School and the City of Dunwoody are hoping to recapture some of the past - and replace car pool lines with lines of children walking to school. The city and the school have collaborated on a grant application through the Georgia Department of Transportation’s Safe Routes to School program. If selected, Dunwoody would receive nearly $460,000 worth of infrastructure improvements in the Kingsley neighborhood - such as new sidewalks, pedestrian crosswalks, traffic-calming devices and improved pedestrian lighting.

Safe Routes to School is an international movement designed to encourage students to walk or ride their bikes to school. Encouraging students to walk to school promotes a healthy and active lifestyle for children, reduces traffic and improves air quality through reduced emissions. Georgia’s SRTS program is managed by GDOT and backed by federal funding.

The local effort was initiated by Dunwoody City Councilman John Heneghan. Heneghan viewed SRTS as a great opportunity for Dunwoody to make needed improvements along the routes leading to our schools, making walking and biking to school a safe option for children.

“We need to look for innovative funding streams to make Dunwoody a safe community in which to walk and bike,” said Heneghan.

Heneghan hosted a community meeting in late October to discuss the pursuit of a SRTS grant for Dunwoody, and invited representatives from each of Dunwoody’s schools to attend. After several meetings to discuss and review the cases for each school, it was decided that the city would partner with Kingsley for this year’s application.

“Kingsley’s parents, together with Principal Karen Graham, put together a very strong grant application to improve the safety of Kingsley’s various routes to school in order to encourage more children to walk,” said Heneghan.

One of the biggest challenges was the grant had a deadline of December 12, less than two weeks after the city officially began business. To complete the application in such a short period of time required the cooperation of many people - including Kingsley’s parents and principal, several neighbors living near the school, the city of Dunwoody and the DeKalb County School System (which needed to approve the project).

“That’s a testament to the citizens we have in this city,” said Dunwoody Public Works Director Richard Meehan. “I think it’s great that we had citizens that were forward thinking enough to start looking at deadlines and grants that we could go after that we would be ready to turn in on day one.”

Another reason Dunwoody was able to submit such a strong application so quickly is that Kingsley had been working on its own SRTS program since the spring of 2007. In that time the school had formed a SRTS committee, improved traffic safety near the school with new car pool procedures and traffic patterns, created a parent safety patrol, conducted traffic surveys, collected traffic safety reports and worked on a formal walk to school program that will begin this spring.

Kingsley has used the resources available through the SRTS program, as well as taking advantage of complimentary programs from the Center for Disease Control (Kids Walk to School) and the Clean Air Campaign (Walk There For Clean Air). Kingsley is also a registered Clean Air School, and participates in the Clean Air Campaign’s No-Idle Program.

This spring, Kingsley plans to introduce a formal “Walking Wednesdays” program. Students could participate by joining a “walking school bus” - a group of students and parents walking together along a specific route to school. Based on responses from a parent survey, more than half of Kingsley’s parents said they would like to participate in the walking school bus program, but 75 percent cited apprehension over traffic safety as a major road block.

“Kingsley has the potential to be a great walking school, but the safety of our children is obviously our top priority,” said Tom Lambert, chair of Kingsley’s SRTS committee. “We have been eager to begin a formal walking program, but real concerns over traffic safety along our walking routes have slowed down our efforts.”

That is where the infrastructure improvements in the grant play a vital role. The project targets specific concerns of parents, neighbors and the school administration - and will create a pedestrian friendly environment along all of Kingsley’s proposed walking routes.

“We were very excited when we heard the city would be targeting a SRTS project,” said Lambert. “Kingsley had put in a lot of work on its SRTS plan, but we would not have been able to move forward without the leadership of Mr. Heneghan and the overwhelming support of the City of Dunwoody. I think it’s a great sign of things to come for Dunwoody.”

Both Kingsley and Dunwoody are hoping to receive good news this spring, when GDOT is expected to announce the projects it has approved for this year’s SRTS. Regardless of GDOT’s decision, however, Kingsley plans to persist with its SRTS efforts.

“We will continue to move forward on our Safe Routes program, but these infrastructure improvements are a vital component to maximizing our efforts,” said Lambert. “It could literally be the difference between a handful of kids participating or hundreds of students walking to school.”

Year in Review the "City of Dunwoody"

A year ago the City of Dunwoody only officially existed in the plans of those who were working towards their final objective of creating a City. Though much work was done to get us to that point last January, several difficult hurdles needed to be overcome. With the help of Fran Millar, Dan Weber and hundreds of volunteers, we are now celebrating this holiday season officially in the City of Dunwoody.

From my family to yours, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah or for you Seinfeld fans, Happy Festivus.

January

City of Dunwoody has major support

City of Dunwoody referendum defeated in committee

February

Jill Chambers spouts FUD tactics to justify her denial of Dunwoody's self determination.
(PS: there is a sexy blond featured in this video hiding behind her Foster Grants.)

Dunwoody Bill being revived? (video)

Dunwoody rises from the ashes

March

Jill & Vernon sitting in a tree.... ugh.. I feel sick (video)

Done deal for Dunwoody, House ok ends three-year battle.

April

Last Minute Dunwoody Property Transfer Bill Fails.

City Operations, Task Force Kickoff meeting for the future of Dunwoody.

May

Living a Mayberry Fantasy in Dunwoody, GA while reporting on the push for Cityhood. (video)

Barnes hired to Fight Dunwoody Cityhood (video)

June

Dunwoody Homeowners Association sponsoring Thursdays Dunwoody Forum. (video)

AJC reports that 200 request absentee ballots for City Referendum

July

Dunwoody Yes on the news and a wonderful 4th of July Parade. (video)

Residents approve the City of Dunwoody

August

Task Force Reports & will CH2MHill be a good deal for us?

Frequent question, What Dunwoody Voting District do I live in?

September

Dunwoody faces projected $2.3 million shortfall.

John Heneghan & Tom Taylor interviewed following election to City Council. (video)

Dunwoody Election Results

Why is this a tough decision? A $6.9 million surplus vs. $2 million deficit over 3 years.

October

Weber's outline of why to use the Hybrid Model in Dunwoody.

CH2M Hill withdraws Dunwoody bid & Boyken presents their plan to assist city.

Election Day, Boyken, Attorneys, Alcohol & Murder

November

Warren Hutmacher named as Dunwoody's first City Manager.

Councilman Robert Wittenstein provides a comprehensive update on Dunwoody.

December

Dunwoody ribbon cutting and decision to take over a number of County services.

Billy Grogan named Dunwoody's first Police Chief.

On December 29th there will be a budget hearing where I believe we will be announcing that Dunwoody will be operating in the Black in year one. Compare that to the news stories above from September.

We've come a long way since last January but there is still much work to be done, I'm just happy to have been a part of it. Thank you.

The City of Dunwoody is now officially incorporated.

Happy Birthday Dunwoody!

At the stroke of Midnight, the Dunwoody City Council will be honoring the many individuals who made incorporation possible and then they will go back to work setting in place the legal backbone of city operations.

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

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

The agendas are linked above with very little new to be discussed except the following items.

1. Discussion and vote on the election of the Mayor Pro Tempore. (The Mayor Pro Tempore is the designated City Council person to run the City Council Meetings when the Mayor is absent.)
   
   
2. Discussion and vote to hold a public meeting on December 18, 2008 adopting Dunwoody Zoning Ordinance and adopt policies and procedures which govern calling and conducting hearings.
   
   
3. Discussion and vote to hold a public meeting on December 18, 2008 adopting Dunwoody Sign Ordinance.

In other Dunwoody news, the physical address and city phone numbers of the temporary City Hall are now available as shown below.

The mailing address for the City of Dunwoody is:

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

The temporary physical address for the City of Dunwoody is:

City of Dunwoody
400 Northridge Road, #1250
Atlanta, Georgia 30350

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

City of Dunwoody - Main Number 678-382-6700

Department of Finance and Administration 678-382-6750

• Finance and Accounting
• Contract Administration & Physical Plant
• Administrative & Facility Services
• Information Technology

Department of Community Development 678-382-6800

• Building & Permitting
• Code Enforcement
• Planning & Zoning

Department of Public Works 678-382-6850

• Transportation, Streets & Traffic
• Parks & Recreation Maintenance
• General Services
• Capital Planning

Dunwoody - Friendly Divorce or Death by Bow Tie

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHvjkPq15JQ

At the Sept 23, 2008 DeKalb County Board of Commissioners meeting, the lawsuit against the City of Dunwoody was discussed and then deferred until the next meeting. It was at that time that Commissioner Elaine Boyer entered a few corrections on what was said previously and then CEO Vernon Jones wanted to reply to Ms. Boyer's comments.

He espoused his knowledge of Constitutional Law then went on to discuss Brook Run Park but forgot to mention that he specifically promised the park 11.5 million dollars in the last bond referendum but only spent about 5 million to date. The premier park that he discusses is a playground which has no benches nor shade for the parents who want to watch their children, a water feature that has been broken for several years, a skate park that is now a large capital drain for operations, vandalized buildings that are still unlocked and a safety hazard to the community.

He then discusses the lack of diversity on the Governor's Commission and the new City Council claiming that the new City of Dunwoody was created to accomplish the goal of "Bleaching Governments".

The CEO then goes on to state that Dick Williams, Editor of the Dunwoody Crier played to peoples fears in order to get the city and because of that the CEO then stated that he prays for Mr. Williams "because one day Dunwoody is going to change and I hope that bow tie doesn't get so tight that it chokes him and kills him because he can't accept the results."

A member of the audience then yells out, "That's Disgusting!!"

When Mr. Williams was informed of the comment he stated... "The disappointing, vindictive comments made by the chief executive Tuesday were just another example of why 40,000 Dunwoody residents voted with their feet this year and are itching to start their new city. Eight years of embarrassing behavior, racial divisiveness, higher taxes and declining services are Vernon Jones' legacy for the people of DeKalb County."

I am narrowing down to my decision, but I know I will not be running for President.

I have been fielding numerous calls and e-mails asking if I am going to be running for elected office in Dunwoody and the answer I have been telling people is yes, I will probably be running at large for the City Council seat in district 3 (Eastern Side).

For the last five years, I have been a community leader, activist and political blogger best known for exposing politicians and governmental bodies’, ineptitude and non-service. This election is now my opportunity to switch sides and prove that these governmental services can be done better, more efficiently and more effectively. As President of the Dunwoody North Civic Association, the largest outside of the DHA, I have proven my ability to lead this community. I listen to my resident’s needs & concerns and follow through to the best of my ability to assist them with their issues. My commitment to the Future City of Dunwoody is unyielding and I am willing to put forth the effort to finish what I started. If elected to a city council seat, it is my belief that I would be able to effect positive change on a city wide scale.

I still have several weeks before the election registration and I need to spend some time away with my family before embarking on this huge endeavor, but I promise that I will be announcing publicly one way or another on this site by August 1st.

If I decide to run, it will be under my terms and done in a way which will be very different than any other political campaign ever run previously.

For those who know me, you wouldn’t expect anything else.

Dunwoody referendum results by precinct with a 43% turnout.

Great turnout for Dunwoody at 43% of the registered voters showing up to vote with 81% of those voting Yes for incorporation.

Official DeKalb Results

Residents approve the City of Dunwoody

With 16 of the 19 precincts reporting, 81% of the Citizens of Dunwoody have decided overwhelmingly in favor of becoming an official city. My guess is that when the final pre-voting and absentee ballots are counted that the percentage in favor of the measure will jump even higher.

Call for Dunwoody Candidates - Meeting Saturday

The polls are now closed and I am out watching the returns with the other Dunwoody supporters, hopefully celebrating this momentous occasion.

Let me be the first to say Congratulations to the new City of Dunwoody!

If today's referendum for the City of Dunwoody was successful; candidates will need to be groomed and educated prior to them filing the necessary paperwork. Below is the official notification of the call for the City of Dunwoody candidates and notice for the special election on September 16th.

There will be a forum held at the Dunwoody Library on Saturday July 19th (from 9AM to Noon) for anyone interested in learning more about being a candidate for elective office. At the forum, the information presented on the Dunwoody Candidate website will be reviewed and there will be a Q&A session with a panel of successful candidates from Sandy Springs, Milton, and Johns Creek.

Now the real work begins!

CALL FOR AND NOTICE OF ELECTION
DUNWOODY OFFICE OF MAYOR
AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS

SEPTEMBER 16, 2008 SPECIAL ELECTION

TO THE QUALIFIED VOTERS OF THE CITY OF DUNWOODY, WITHIN DEKALB COUNTY, GEORGIA:

YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that on the 16th day of September, 2008, an election will be held for the purpose of creating the Dunwoody City Council, which will consist of six members plus the Mayor. There shall be three council districts, designated as Council Districts 1 through 3. One councilmember shall be elected from each of the three council districts and shall hold Council Posts 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Each candidate for election to the city council must reside in the district he or she seeks to represent. Three councilmembers shall be elected from the city at large and shall represent Council Posts 4, 5, and 6. Candidates for Council Post 4 shall reside in Council District 1; candidates for Council Post 5 shall reside in Council District 2; candidates for Council Post 6 shall reside in Council Post 3.

Mayor – Term will end 2011 upon administration of oath of office to successor
Councilmember, Post 1 – Term will end 2009 upon administration of oath of office to successor
Councilmember, Post 2 – Term will end 2009 upon administration of oath of office to successor
Councilmember, Post 3 – Term will end 2009 upon administration of oath of office to successor
Councilmember, Post 4 – Term will end 2011 upon administration of oath of office to successor
Councilmember, Post 5 – Term will end 2011 upon administration of oath of office to successor
Councilmember, Post 6 – Term will end 2011 upon administration of oath of office to successor

Each candidate will file notice of his or her candidacy and the appropriate affidavit in the office of DeKalb County Voter Registration & Elections, 4380 Memorial Drive, Suite 300, Decatur, Georgia. The opening dates for qualifying will start Monday, August 4, 2008 beginning at 9:00 A. M., and continuing until Wednesday, August 6, 2008 at 4:30 P.M. The qualifying fee for Mayor is $480.00 and $ 360.00 qualifying fee for City Council members.

The last day to register to be eligible to vote in this special election is August 18, 2008.

The Special Election will be held in the City of Dunwoody at the following precincts: Austin, Chestnut Elementary, Dunwoody, Dunwoody High, Dunwoody Library, Georgetown Square, Kingsley Elementary, Mount Vernon East, Mount Vernon West, North Peachtree, Peachtree Middle, Tilly Mill Road, and Winters Chapel. Voters who typically vote at the listed precincts, but reside at the following addresses which are not within the city limits are ineligible to vote: 2373 – 2552 Ridgeway Drive; 4256, 4323, 4327, & 4329 Tilly Mill Road; 2482 – 2564 Van Fleet Circle; 2632 – 2674 Woodwin Road, 4445 – 4482 Aspen Woods Court; 2874 – 2974 Aspen Woods Entry; 101 – 1600 Winters Creek Drive; 102 – 2100 Winters Park Drive). The polls will open at 7:00 AM and close at 7:00 PM.

Those residents qualified to vote at said election shall be determined in all respects in accordance with the election laws of the State of Georgia.

Advance Voting is September 8-12, 2008, Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM at the DeKalb County Voter Registration & Elections office, 4380 Memorial Drive, where the Absentee Poll will also be located and open August 18, 2008, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

This notice is given pursuant to the July 15, 2008 approval of Senate Bill 82.

Dunwoody starts voting & news video from Dunwoody Yes rally.

The polls were buzzing with excitement in Dunwoody this morning and a heavy turnout is expected. Below are a few news clips documenting today's big vote.




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daicAsKAS0A




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPGPxKEQdTs

Dunwoody election day - Go Vote.

Dunwoody Yes Rally on July 14th

Elections are about choices, and today you get an exciting and once-in-a-lifetime choice: That the future of Dunwoody be controlled by our friends and neighbors here in Dunwoody?

Local Decisions Close To Home .. You Decide!!!