Dunwoody Founders Park Bench, Brook Run walking trail thru the deep woods to Nancy Creek and Treetop Quest zip lines are under construction.

Children's Playground Entrance - Founders of Dunwoody Bench

In Dunwoody if elected officials want their name on something they do it the "old fashioned way" they pay for it themselves out of their own pockets.  (I wouldn't want it any other way!)

A few weeks ago I lead a group of long time Dunwoody citizens to the most remote, deepest jungles of Dunwoody, along a relatively easy walking trail to view the serine waters of Nancy Creek rolling by.   Now that the Dunwoody Trailway loop is complete and shown on Google Maps, please allow me to share with you a quiet place to experience nature.  At the very back of the park there is a bridge on the trailway crossing a small creek and you will notice a small walking trail at the North West corner of the bridge heading into the woods.  Nature lovers - I suggest you follow it, you can thank me later.

 https://www.treetopquest.com/dunwoody/

Finally, during my walk through Brook Run Park, I discovered a team of men who were about to start putting these Lincoln Log looking items to good use a 100 feet in the air as the Brook Run Tree Top Quest Zip Line Course started construction today.   They should be finished by mid-March and if you want a sneak peek of what will be installed, check out this drawing and map that the construction crew was using.   Prices are still steep. 

Video of Dunwoody City Council meetings of Feb 24, 2014

6 pm Work Session Video

7 pm Voting Meeting

FYI: uploading over 3 hours of video to YouTube takes some time but I personally like the results plus I do not have the issue of older videos being deleted from the system over time because of the quota limits on the last service I was using. 

City of Dunwoody explains 911 call taken by Chatcomm and transferred to DeKalb.

In October 2011, the Chattahoochee River 911 Authority (ChatComm) began answering and dispatching Dunwoody’s 9-1-1 calls. Police service calls constitute approximately 90% of the City’s emergency call volume. Since the transition, the average amount of time needed to dispatch police calls has been cut in half, moving from an average of 4 minutes and 33 seconds down to an average of 2 minutes and 13 seconds.

DeKalb County continues to provide fire and emergency medical service to the City including the dispatching of those resources. Since the transition, calls requiring fire or emergency medical service have been transferred using the industry standard, one-button transfer. Fire and emergency medical service calls constitute approximately 10% of the City’s emergency call volume or roughly 10 calls per day. The average amount of time needed to transfer calls between the two centers is approximately 90 seconds.

To surpass the industry standard one-button transfer method and eliminate the associated transfer time, staff has been coordinating the development of a Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD)-to-CAD interface to connect ChatComm’s CAD system to DeKalb’s CAD system. Once completed, this interface will allow the call information for fire and emergency medical service calls to be electronically shared and eliminate the transfer time.

At the January 27th, Dunwoody City Council Meeting former Councilor Danny Ross played a 911 call where Chatcomm answered quickly but a fair amount of time passed before DeKalb 911 answered and we were told by Mr. Ross that the Dunwoody Police were not dispatched as the Council had believed was the case on all medical emergencies. At that time, I asked for a formal reply regarding this incident be provided to Council as we were under the assumption that Dunwoody PD indeed followed up on all Medical Calls.

The complete audio of the 911 call is available here and the public comment by Danny Ross is shown below and starts at the 29 minute mark.

Video - start at 29:00

Council received an email on Tuesday explaining the circumstances as outlined below and again in Chief Grogan's Memo.  Long story, short - a Dunwoody Police Supervisor called off the police presence on this medical call as DeKalb Fire was already rolling and was just a block away thereby assuring that DeKalb Fire would arrive first.  Policemen make life and death judgements everyday and this decision to defer to DeKalb Fire was made by a fully informed experienced officer with the responsibility to maximize safety within 13 square miles.   DeKalb Fire was a block away and we deferred to them to handle and I am satisfied with that answer.  We have also identified a Chatcomm error in the recording and this is being addressed with them for corrections and retraining as they pride themselves as being a Center of Excellence.

Email from Mr. Warren Hutmacher, City Manager

"Please review the attached information from Chief Grogan regarding the 911 call you heard at the last Council meeting.  Although the memo speaks for itself, I will point out a few things:

1.  Until the CAD to CAD is implemented there will always be a delay on medical and fire calls due to the call transfer from one 911 center to another 911 center.  There is nothing about this call that differs from our experience with the one button transfer since the cutover to ChatComm.  

2.  The ChatComm policy regarding starting Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) within 13 seconds of an attempt to transfer the call or 3 rings was not followed properly.  ChatComm will investigate that further and handle any personnel issues related to the incident.

3.  The caller was never placed on hold, but instead was able to hear when the call was put in the cue hold by DeKalb 911.  

4.  Dunwoody Police were dispatched as per the policy and current practice.  A Dunwoody Police Supervisor cancelled the call for Dunwoody PD based on their best judgment at the time.  The primary factor related to our cancellation of our response was that DeKalb Fire was already in route to the call with the appropriate personnel to handle the medical call.  

5.  DeKalb Fire and Rescue was very quick in their response to the scene."

Memo

Video

http://www.cbsatlanta.com/story/24647716/residents-call-for-changes-to-dunwoodys-911-system

Crier - Council angry over delayed 911 call, no police dispatch
Reporter - Dunwoody council member asks for report on emergency call placed on hold

The City of Dunwoody has taken on this complex CAD 2 CAD initiative as it is in the best interests of the community as it should provide a Gold Standard level of service that is not available in communities who continue to use the one button transfer method.  This project took a huge amount of cooperation and communication between various governments and computer vendors to work out the details.   Sometimes change happens slower than you would prefer when others are reluctant to change, therefore I am very pleased that we are in the final stages of this proposed project.  

The latest update provided to Council is very promising as there is a tentative to go live on March 1st if not before.

Video of the January 27, 2014 Dunwoody City Council Meeting

 

 Video - 6 pm

Video - 7 pm

Videos of the Dunwoody City Council Meetings of Jan 13, 2014

Video - 6 pm CAD2CAD 911

Video - 7 pm (Glass, DeKalb Sanitation, Paving, Complete Streets, Trees)

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

• Welcome members, Board members & Guests
• Recognition of attending elected officials
• DHA Presidents Update
• Presentation of Business of the Year award to Chamber of Commerce
• Dunwoody Nature Center plans for 2012 and presentation of the Dave Adams award to Brent Walker, Parks Director : Alan Mothner
• PCID, the next ten years: Donna Mahaffey
• Presentation of the Citizen of the year award to Pam Tallmadge
• Dunwoody Police Dept. Community involvement: Chief Billy Grogan
• Presentation of Community Service awards to Ken Wright, Robert Wittenstein and Danny Ross
• Remarks by Founding Mayor Ken Wright
• Remarks by New Mayor Mike Davis
• By laws update vote and Executive Committee election: Bill Robinson

---

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

• December 2011
• November 2011
• October 2011
• September 2011
• August 2011
• July 2011
• June 2011
• May 2011
• April 2011
• March 2011
• February 2011
• January 2011 [Annual Meeting]

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

Video Retrospective by Councilman Danny Ross

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

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

Video

Video

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.

Danny Ross announces that he will not run for reelection to Dunwoody City Council

For the past three years it has been my distinct pleasure and high privilege to serve as Councilman-­‐at‐Large for the City of Dunwoody. Today I am announcing with mixed feelings that I will not seek re-­‐ election to Post 5 in November.

In announcing my candidacy in 2008, I stated that I was not announcing the start of a new career, but announcing my desire to provide my experience as an entrepreneur and venture capitalist to the task of launching a new city. From the first knock on the first door during my campaign, I knew (and so did my wife Queenie) that I would not be extending my term beyond the initial three plus years. This gave me the freedom to make every decision based on what I believed to be in the best interest of the community and not the best interest of my political career.

I am proud to have had the opportunity to serve with Mayor Ken Wright, and councilors Denis Shortal, Robert Wittenstein, Adrian Bonser, John Heneghan, Tom Taylor and Doug Thompson. While not always agreeing on every subject, during our deliberations we were always charitable as called for in our opening prayer each meeting. After decisions were made, the council always came together to continue working as a team on the important matters before us.

As I move to the next phase of my life I will be able to spend more time with Queenie and what will soon be thirteen grand‐children, traveling and playing more golf. Having said this, I plan to stay involved in our community. Going forward my involvement will be focused on historic preservation, the arts and economic development in our community.

The hallmark of the initial leadership of our newly minted City of Dunwoody is that everyone involved cared deeply. As I look back over the past three years I am proud to have been part of the following significant tasks and challenges we faced:­

Drafted the Code of Ethics (the first ordinance passed by the council) which led to Dunwoody being named a “City of Ethics” by the Georgia Municipal Association during the second year of operation;

Wrote the mission, vision and values statements for Dunwoody;

Responsible for placing Prayer on the city council agenda and writing the Dunwoody City Council Prayer;

Instrumental in starting the sustainability committee, the first committee organized in the city, that set the direction of Dunwoody as a community that places a high value on the environment and led to the City receiving the Bronze Award from the Atlanta Regional Council in 2010;

Negotiated the Intergovernmental Agreements for municipal services provided by DeKalb County including Police, Fire, EMS, sanitation and E911;

Named by the Mayor to chair the committee of citizens, restaurant owners and establishment owners in negotiating and rewriting the Alcohol Beverage Ordinance which provided the last call for sale of alcoholic beverages and closing times for restaurants and establishments within the city;

Chaired the Finance Committee that was responsible for negotiating the terms of the Tax Anticipation Note (TAN) which provided the city the necessary cash flow to operate with during the initial two years of operation;

Headed the committee named by the Mayor to negotiate the transfer of parks from DeKalb County to Dunwoody which eventually led to legislation sponsored by Representative Taylor that called for and established the terms under which the property would be transferred to the City;

Founded Bicycle Ride Around Dunwoody (BRAD) as part of Lemonade Days which resulted in the design of three bicycle trails (which includes the Jim Benson Trail) being drawn in Dunwoody, bicycle safety signs being placed on major streets in the city and numerous bicycle racks being installed throughout the community;

Negotiated with the Postal Service for the use of the land adjacent to the Dunwoody Village Post Office for the new location of the Wednesday Green Market;

Headed Convention and Visitor Bureau committee that resulted in the formation of the CVB of Dunwoody;

Headed up the effort, working with the Vanderlyn School PTA, Dunwoody Elementary PTA, Dunwoody High School PTA, Boy Scout Troop 434, Home Depot Foundation and the Dunwoody Preservation Trust, to build the Bridge to the Future which provided connectivity between Vanderlyn and Dunwoody Elementary Schools and provided an improved path for the Dunwoody High Cross Country Team;

Named by the Mayor to serve on the Budget Committee during which time the City produced a surplus of $3.8 million in 2010;

Instrumental in the formation of the audit committee.

Named by the Mayor to be the council representative on the Audit Committee; the selection of the Internal Auditor;

Active participant in the development of the Comprehensive Land Use Plan, the Dunwoody brand, the Dunwoody Village Master Plan, the Georgetown Master Plan, the Transportation Plan and the Dunwoody Parks Master Plan;

Organized and led an economic development summit which included city and business leaders, educators and the former head of economic development for the state;

Led the effort to establish the position of Director of Economic Development;

Instrumental in developing the economic development strategy and plan for Dunwoody;

Headed the E911 committee named by the Mayor;

Led the effort to save the theater and dormitory building at Brook Run; and,

Named by the Mayor to the 2011 service provider selection committee which will recommend the selected firms that will provide city services under the Dunwoody privatized government organization during the next four years.

I know that each decision I made did not please everyone; however, know that I made those decisions with a deep love and passion for making our City the best it can be. Public service is a privilege and a shared responsibility. With my announcement today, I am providing an opportunity for someone to step forward and take on that responsibility of serving our great City. Thank you for the confidence you placed in me.

Be prepared when calling 911, use Landlines vs Cell Phones when available.

Video

If you ever have to call 911 for an emergency situation happening at your home, experts recommend that you do so from a traditional land line, if one is available. Cell phones and IP internet phones may not correctly route to the correct 911 center because your closer to a neighboring jurisdictions cell phone tower and/or connection box as the video above shows. Residents living along the borders of communities with different 911 centers need to be well aware and prepared of this happening.

Dunwoody's future partnership with Chatcomm solves this possible routing issue for about half the city as we are surrounded by Sandy Springs (Chatcomm) on two sides therefore emergency cell phone calls near the western and northern City boundaries will connect to the correct 911 service once the service switches over in October. Chamblee, Doraville, Gwinnett and DeKalb County each have their own 911 systems therefore in the case of an emergency called in from a cell phone, try to know which jurisdiction your house is served by for Police, Fire and EMS services.

In the City of Dunwoody, your home is served by Dunwoody Police, and DeKalb Fire / EMS. In the case of emergency, please tell the operator that answers, your proper jurisdictional / city information along with the proper address. The new annexed residents of Chamblee in the Huntley Hills area have already been switched over to the Chamblee 911 center therefore they need to be aware of the change and be ready to state who provides their emergency services.

As an added suggestion, if someone is stricken with a heart attack in the City of Dunwoody, please remember that all Dunwoody Police Cars have been equipped with an AED, therefore Dunwoody Police should also be requested to respond ASAP to assist until the DeKalb EMS arrives.

The video above shows a 2 minute delay of being switched over to the Atlanta 911 center before being connected to the correct DeKalb 911 center. Minutes in an emergency can be life or death and this mistake was very unfortunate but I see it as a learning experience that we all can learn from.

Finally as a sitting member of the Dunwoody City Council who approved the switch to Chatcomm 911, I would like to state that in doing all my research, police ride alongs in Dunwoody & Sandy Springs, tours of Chattcomm and the cost benefit analysis; I still stand behind my decision to switch over to Chatcomm 911 as being the best choice for the City of Dunwoody.

Governor Nathan Deal and the Georgia Legislature honors Dunwoody's Msgr. Kiernan of All Saints

High Quality Large Photo

Today was a great day for Monsignor Donald Kiernan, the retiring Pastor of All Saints Catholic Church who was honored by Governor Nathan Deal and both chambers of the Georgia Legislature.  In the photo above with Msgr Kiernan and Governor Deal is the All Saints, Knights of Columbus Honor Guard, with Deputy Grand Knight Bob Fiscella and All Saint's incoming Pastor, Rev. Msgr. Hugh Marren. Also shown are Dunwoody elected officials, Senator Fran Millar, Representative Tom Taylor, Mayor Ken Wright, Council Member Danny Ross and myself.  

Catholic Charities, Legislators Honoring Msgr. Kiernan

DUNWOODY—Msgr. R. Donald Kiernan poked his head into the doorway to check on the kindergarteners as they practiced the rosary. This unexpected visitor asked if they were well behaved. The class of youngsters became quiet as he gently taught them to make the sign of the cross. Touch your forehead. Belly button. Left shoulder. Right shoulder. Hands together. And then he gave a blessing.

After a quarter of a century at this parish and over 60 as an active priest, the pastor of All Saints Church, Dunwoody, is retiring. He has been named “pastor emeritus” and will reside there.

Catholic Charities Atlanta is saluting his service at its fundraiser dinner on Thursday, March 3, with its Archbishop Donoghue Award. And on Tuesday, March 8, the Georgia General Assembly is to honor Msgr. Kiernan and has invited him to be recognized by the House of Representatives at 10 a.m., followed by the Senate.

He is modest about the recognition.

“I feel like a pious fraud. I haven’t done anything to deserve such a medal,” he said.

But Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory disagreed.

“Only in the eyes of God could possibly be numbered the specific moments when you have touched the lives of individuals, especially Catholics, giving them strength and hope, and the knowledge that a good friend was rooting for them from the inside ranks of Heaven’s team,” wrote the archbishop in a letter announcing his retirement.

“You have had those countless opportunities, as a priest, and for over sixty years, at every opportunity, you have done good, for everyone,” said Archbishop Gregory.

Catholic Charities officials said Msgr. Kiernan’s leadership has encouraged All Saints Parish to embrace the needs of the women, men and children served by the organization.

Msgr. Kiernan’s compassion for the needy and selfless model of servant leadership has been a shining example for so many and it’s because of his unwavering spirit and leadership that Catholic Charities is recognizing him, according to a written statement from the organization.

Msgr. Kiernan was born on Dec. 28, 1924 and brought up in Taunton, Mass. Founded by members of the Plymouth Colony, it is one of the oldest towns in the country. He was the youngest of five children and his father worked as what today would be called an event organizer. Despite his decades in Atlanta, his accent betrays him. When he said carpet, he drops the ‘r’ and it comes out “caapet.”

During a recent morning, he wore a sweater stitched with “The Monsignor” as he had breakfast of oatmeal, toast and coffee. Cream only.

His goal as a young man was to be a teacher. He attended Providence College during World War II but left before graduating to finish his studies at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, Md. (In 1991, he was awarded his bachelor’s degree after Providence College leaders determined his life’s work earned him this degree.)

At the Maryland seminary, he enrolled without the endorsement of a diocese. It’s a situation that likely couldn’t happen today, he said.

“I went on my own and paid my own tuition. I was a good catch for the diocese,” he said.

He was a priest of the then Diocese of Savannah-Atlanta and ordained in Boston’s Cathedral of the Holy Cross by Cardinal Richard Cushing in May 1949. His first assignment was as assistant rector of the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Savannah. His first pastorate was at St. Peter’s Church in LaGrange. Named a monsignor in 1969, Msgr. Kiernan served as the pastor of seven other parishes until he was assigned as pastor of All Saints in 1985. He was also editor of The Georgia Bulletin for 13 years.

In his office, shirts with law enforcement patches fill his closet. And on the walls hang many of his awards, including the Protonotary Apostolic, which is the highest rank of monsignor, he received in 1979, the honorary doctorate in public administration from Biscayne College in Miami and an honorary doctorate of law from Georgia State University. A letter from the FBI director also hangs on the wall.

Msgr. Kiernan founded the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police, serving as its director and chaplain for over 20 years. He has a long history with the Georgia State Patrol, the DeKalb County Police Department, the local division of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, the Boy Scouts and the Knights of Columbus.

He has been the spiritual leader of the All Saints Church community for 25 years and is only its second pastor. It grew from some 700 families when he arrived to close to 2,300.

The growth happened by the grace of God, not anything he did, he said.

“There’s a wonderful spirit in the parish,” he said.

“There’s not a happier priest in the United States than I am,” he said.

Video and recap of Feb 28th Dunwoody City Council Meeting

Video of City Video Feed of Work Session

Video

The City is starting to record and soon stream video of the meetings to the web and I believe tonight's meeting worked out some of the bugs experienced in the first meeting therefore it may be ready for prime time soon.  I was at City Hall early enough to set up my video camera for the work session but it was held in the side room, therefore I attempted to stream video off the monitor behind the desk and it sort of worked, if you turn up the volume.

The second video is the voting session where we approved everything on the agenda except we decided to defer the 911 matter because of information brought forward by Councilman Danny Ross.  Danny presented his opinion of the financial arrangements of 911 and though there are some assumptions in his data, he presented enough information for Council to defer action on the matter for a more through review of the numbers.  I modified Danny's document by adding his name to every page in order to made sure that it was now recognizable as his opinion and therefore not an official City Hall created document.  Council wants the most accurate financial estimates possible for changing 911 service before taking action, therefore I am expecting updated revenue and expense worksheets before the next time this is to be voted on again.

Is the Georgia Music Hall of Fame moving to Perimeter Mall in Dunwoody?

The application by the Dunwoody Music Conservancy to bring the Georgia Music Hall of Fame to Dunwoody was released in an open records request late last week to the Athens Banner-Herald newspaper.  The Dunwoody proposal shows that Perimeter Mall will be the initial home while the permanent location on Ashford Dunwoody at the Spruill Center for the Arts is constructed.

Download Dunwoody Application

Georgia Music Hall of Fame Video created by Danny Ross, played for Dunwoody City Council

Video Presentation by Councilman Danny Ross

GA Music Hall of Fame
Request for Proposals and other documents
Danny Ross speech at Council Meeting

Dunwoody Music Festival proves little town is growing up - AJC

Blind Crush - Local Dunwoody Band

By Bo Emerson of the AJC

Look at Dunwoody, only two years old, and growing up fast.

Having acquired all the trappings of a modern urban center, now Dunwoody is stepping up to give Atlanta a run for its money.

So, you miss the Midtown Music Festival, which disappeared five years ago? Come to the Dunwoody Music Festival, a two-day smorgasbord of musical acts playing country, rock and roll, jazz, a capella vocals, bluegrass, beach music, folk, opera, flute choir, big band, percussion and pretty much every musical form except polka. The festival begins Saturday, from 10 a.m. to dusk, and continues Sunday, noon to 6 p.m.

Organizers expect up to 20,000 visitors to Dunwoody’s Brook Run Park, also known as Liane Levetan Park, with events also staged at Georgia Perimeter College and some churches.

They describe the festival as a good way to grow the community. But there is also the suggestion that Dunwoody will jump in if Atlanta offers an opening.

The absence of the Midtown Music Festival, "is a void that we have in the metropolitan area," said city councilman Danny Ross. "And we’re filling that void."

Ross met with the organizers of the 17-day Savannah Music Festival for advice about Dunwoody's efforts, and hopes to grow his own two-day event "incrementally" each year to resemble that city's extravaganza.

Of course, Dunwoody still has a way to go to catch up with Savannah. The budget for Dunwoody's festival is small, and much of the production is being accomplished through donated labor.

"People who just love music and love Dunwoody are doing this, and that’s what’s made Dunwoody what it is," Ross said.

Among the volunteers: the musicians. "They're not even paying gas money," said one musician.

As a consequence, the inaugural festival will offer no national acts, and the offerings will include avocational groups, including church choirs. Yet the festival has had no trouble attracting participants, and began turning away musicians when the list grew above 55 acts.

While many of the musicians come from as far afield as Mississippi and Florida, more are from close to home.

“We are blessed with truly an amazing amount of talent,” said festival director M.J. Thomas.

One homegrown performer, singer-songwriter Julie Gribble, grew up in Dunwoody, moved to Los Angeles, but has been back and forth between the two cities, snapping up movie roles and music gigs. She recently acted in the filmed-in-Georgia "Quarantine 2″ and sang one of her songs on the "Late Late Show" with Craig Ferguson.

One thing she’s noticed about the new Dunwoody is the traffic. No surprise. Another change: the nightlife.

“There’s a cool bar, a tavern that the old people and the young people can hang out at, and there’s a music venue here ... with a nice stage and a good sound system,” Gribble said.

In short, she said, Dunwoody is acting like a real town. About playing for free, Gribble has no quibbles. "It's fine with me, I don’t care. You've got a built-in crowd, which is worth every minute. Please somebody show up."

Dunwoody has cultivated outdoor events, including Lemonade Days and Light up Dunwoody, and Ross sees much bigger things in the city's future. He'd like to have a music festival with events all over the city, stretching over two weeks.

"We've got 5.5 million people within a 30-minute drive of Dunwoody," he said. The festival is "evidence of Dunwoody becoming a city and being able to have local control and being able to control our own destiny."

“It says a lot” about Dunwoody’s maturity that it’s putting on a music festival, said Debbie Fuse, deputy director of the Dunwoody Chamber of Commerce. Visitors will “see what Dunwoody has to offer.”

The Dunwoody Music Festival

Saturday, 10 a.m. to dusk; Sunday noon to 6 p.m.; tickets: $10 to $50; Brook Run Park; 4770 North Peachtree Road, 30338. Information: 678-244-9700. www.dunwoodymusicfestival.org

Two Fired DeKalb Firefighters blame 911 while DeKalb admits 911 being short staffed.

Video

 

Video

 

Video

Can anyone find the 911 Job Announcement? 

Councilman Ross on Fox News discussing outsourcing to private companies.

FoxNews - on the scene

With the economy wreaking havoc on local tax bases, some communities are looking to cut costs by privatizing services.

“We were able to save the community about 3 million dollars,” said Danny Ross, a city councilman in Dunwoody, GA. The Atlanta suburb incorporated on Dec. 1, making it Georgia’s newest city.

Public services, originally provided by DeKalb County, are now outsourced to private contractors.

Dunwoody follows the example of neighboring Sandy Springs, which became Georgia’s 6th largest city when it incorporated in 2006. Sandy Springs hired the private firm CH2M Hill to provide virtually all public services, with the exception of police and fire/rescue.

The company’s large staff of civil engineers and sub-contractors can be shared by multiple cities and used on an as-needed basis.

“Once the service has been provided, they’re no longer part of the city’s payroll,” said Herb Washington, CH2M Hill’s operations director for municipal services. “Labor costs are the bulk of expenses associated with running a municipal government.”

Cities can also save money by sharing service vehicles. CH2M Hill manages a large fleet of unmarked trucks. When technicians finish a project in Sandy Springs, they replace the magnetic city logo on the side of their vehicle with the emblem of the next municipality requesting work.

Georgia is, by no means, alone in the trend toward privatization of municipal services.

Officials in Tupelo, Miss. are considering hiring an outside contractor to run their public works department. Even cities as large as Los Angeles are looking into such arrangements as they struggle to balance budgets in tough economic times.

Help name the new Dunwoody Elementary School.

What should the name of this School be?
Any Suggestions?

As a Chesnut Elementary School Parent I received the following e-mail which I think should be shared with the entire community. Any good suggestions out there?

You have the opportunity to participate in the naming process as well as choosing a mascot and school colors for the new 4/5 school opening this summer. The information below states policies regarding the naming process. You have until February 28, 2009 to make your submission. Your idea and supporting reason can be sent to schoolnaming@gmail.com. Please read through all the information below so that you understand the process. Our Chesnut representative is Sarah Borcherding. Any questions can be sent to her at slborcherding@hotmail.com.

Description and timeline:
We are extremely excited about the opportunity to select the name, mascot and school colors for the new school that will serve 4th and 5th grade students in the Dunwoody area. This is such an incredible opportunity to provide something for the community that will last for generations.

The DeKalb County School Board Policies establish procedures for creating the name, school color, and mascot so that the process is an open one that involves as many people as possible and truly represents the heritage, culture, and wishes of the local community. Please find links to the board policies listed below in this document. The School naming Committee has been established using these policies and chaired by our district Board Member, Mr. Jim Redovian. The other members on the committee and their affiliations are listed later in this document and you may also find them on the school's website at www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/dunwoodyes.

This process will begin January 26, 2009 and be open for public submission of ideas and supporting reasons until February 28, 2009. The school website has an established email account where individuals may submit their ideas. The email address is schoolnaming@gmail.com. General notification will go out to the public through a variety of methods including the Dunwoody Crier, local school newsletters, calling posts, web pages, and community and informational blogs. For an idea or submission to be considered for approval, it is required that all ideas must be submitted through the email link on the website and have accompanying reasons and supporting information indicating relevance and significance for our community.

If you are not able to submit your ideas and supporting reasons to the website, the School Naming Committee will be hosting a public forum at Peachtree Charter Middle School at 7:00 pm on February 17, 2009. All submissions must be in by the close of day of February 28, 2009. At that time, the submissions will be collected, counted, analyzed and a final selection of three possibilities will be presented to the local communities through the feeder elementary schools on Monday, March 9, 2009.

All ballots will be due back to the local feeder schools for approval by Friday, March 20, 2009. The local schools will collect the ballots and return them to the Region Assistant Superintendents office. The final selection of the school name, colors and mascot will be presented to the DeKalb County School Board for approval at the board meeting on April 13, 2009.

This is such a wonderful opportunity for the community. We are very excited to participate in this process and hope that all of you will embrace this chance and enthusiastically play your part as well. We look forward to seeing all of your submissions and working to serve the community in this capacity. Please do not hesitate to contact your local representative that is serving on the School Naming Committee if you have any questions.

Board Policy Links
School Naming/Renaming Committee - BYLAWS https://eboard.eboardsolutions.com/ePolicy/policy.aspx?PC=FDC&Sch=4054&S=4054&RevNo=1.04&C=F&Z=P

School Naming/Renaming Committees - Board Policy Descriptor Code: FDC https://eboard.eboardsolutions.com/ePolicy/pdfs/dekalb/School%20Naming-Renaming%20BYLAWS%20FINAL%209-17-08%202.pdf

Existing names, mascots and colors:

School Mascot Colors
Austin Elementary Eagles Red and Blue
Chesnut Elementary Cougars Red, White, and Blue
Hightower Elementary Indian Chiefs Green and White
Kingsley Elementary Comets Red, White, and Blue
Vanderlyn Elementary Vikings Blue and Yellow
Peachtree Charter Middle School Patriots Red, White, and Blue
Dunwoody high School Wildcats Red, White, and Blue

Timeline:
• 1/26/09 - 2/28/09 the email link is public for individuals to submit ideas and support evidence. All ideas and supporting evidence must be presented by the end of the day on February 28, 2009.
• 2/17/09 a public forum will be held at Peachtree Charter Middle School(PCMS) for feedback and presentation of ideas for those not presented to the web email account
• 3/09/09 ballots presented to the feeder schools that will highlight the top three choices for name, mascot, and color options. Individuals will have two weeks to complete and return their ballot by the end of the day on March 20, 2009.
• 3/20/09 ballots are due to the Dekalb County School System Area Assistant Superintendent - Mrs. Heckman for counting and summarizing.
• 4/13/09 The name, colors, and mascot selection will be presented to the Dekalb County School Board for final approval

Members on the Committee and affiliation:
Robin Burch Dunwoody Homeowners Association
Adrian Bonser Dunwoody City Council
Sarah Borcherding Chesnut Elementary School
Johnathan Clark Dunwoody 4/5 Principal
Elizabeth Heckman Region 1 Assistant Superintendent
Lisa Gill Austin Elementary School
Libba Morris Vanderlyn Elementary School
Donna Pittman Hightower Elementary School
Jim Redovian DeKalb County School Board member
Danny Ross Dunwoody City Council
Pam Speaks DeKalb County School Board member
Gregg Vandewiele Kingsley Elementary School
Kay Weber Community Representative

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Community collaboration allows major changes to Dunwoody Alcohol Ordinance

2 a.m. - Proposed Last Call for Alcohol

After four revisions to the Dunwoody Alcohol Ordinance which was being piecing together various aspects of DeKalb and other cities laws, it was shown at Monday's City Council meeting that a little more work was needed to polish the document. The Mayor formed a joint committee of representatives of the residential and business communities to come together with the city council and our city attorney to go line by line create a document which will be mutually beneficial to all involved.

Councilman Danny Ross chaired the committee and appears to have brokered an agreement within the community which will modify the pouring hours from the current 4:00 am to a 2:00 am last call, drinks must be cleared from tables by 2:30 am, but doors can remain open. The latest draft of the document is being circulated for comments & revisions, and will then be presented to the city council on Monday for possible approval.

Congratulations to Mayor Wright & Councilman Ross for showing with actions and not just words that the City of Dunwoody will live up to its mission statement.

The mission of the City of Dunwoody is to provide the highest quality of life for those who live, work or play in our community and to foster an environment where business can prosper. We will serve all stakeholders in a transparent manner with resourceful, efficient, progressive and professional leadership.

The latest revision of the Alcohol Ordinance is here but I know that it is still being reviewed and refined by all interested parties for an acceptable win / win situation that both the business community and the residents can live with. The city council will obtain the final revision about 24 hours prior to the meeting and I believe it will be up for a vote at Monday's meeting.