2024 City of Dunwoody Retreat Recap from Councilman John Heneghan (Park Plans, Financial Future, Police Priorities and maybe a few paths too)

The City of Dunwoody hosted a "Retreat" for Council & Staff to sit in a room for two days to discuss our past, present & future. Financial realities were brought forward that we have a large capital reserve, but operating expenses are slowly outpacing revenue, commercial property is strong, hotels are thriving, and apartments are full with high rents; on the downside, office vacancies are currently at 25%, with most of that in several large complexes and residential taxes are locked, frozen and low. We are presently funding police expansion and ambulance service with Federal funds; we are still looking at compensation raises by year's end, and in 2026, we will be renegotiating city contracts for services that will rise in price because in 2021, we received low bids because of COVID.

Parks discussions were had regarding build-out plans for Wildcat (on Roberts) and Homecoming (on Vermack), with some council members wanting to put a bond on the November ballot. However, it was decided to maintain these parks as open fields just as they are and to install portable restrooms (better than porta potties) at each park. It was also decided that there will be no parks bond in 2024.

Everyone on Council (including me) agrees with building the trails in the Perimeter Center Business District as the PCID is matching funds and other monies are coming from our hotels. There is still disagreement on the construction of 10 to 12-foot wide paths in front of single-family homes, but the current Council (excluding me) has the will and votes to move forward on Winters Chapel and Mount Vernon.

In other park news, when the slides for park priorities failed to mention the turfing of the PCMS field with the track, I asked for an update. I was told DeKalb County School System didn't see it as a priority and was worried about equity to other schools in the district who don't have turf. As a reminder, the DCSS was bound to rebuild Austin Elementary School on its original site when the City proposed a a win / win solution to the County so that our families and children wouldn't be inconvenienced. In October 2016, we proposed a land swap for the Dunwoody Senior Baseball Fields; in order to make that happen, the City purchased the land where the ball fields sit from DCSS and executed a 25-year lease for nighttime use of the football field. The City later installed lights for night time use on the field, installed a facility storage building and would now like to turf that field in order to maximize usage. Without that turfing of the field, it is overused and almost unplayable without adequate care. The City of Dunwoody set aside 1 Million dollars in our 2024 budget with the hopes to pay for the turf installation but the required construction approval from DCSS has not been received. Unsure of all logistics, but maybe there will be some movement soon?

I have been very open regarding my concerns about the long term stability of City Finances and they will be a huge topic of conversation in the coming months because we are currently at our maximum millage rate and based on everything I am hearing, in 2026 our operating revenue will not be keeping up operating expenses. This is a separate conversation from dedicated Capital funds for stuff like parks and paving as we can not use those funds for operating costs.

Based on the intention of the city founders and charter, if taxes were to be increased over our current maximum millage limit, a referendum would be needed to remove the cap. We have operated under those constraints for the last 15 years, but financial pressures are building. We know there is possibly a technical workaround by placing the entire City into a special tax district for safety (Police, Ambulance, and maybe a supplemental charge to 911 costs over current phone taxes) to raise taxes for those services, but doing so without a resident vote is contrary to the founding plans of the City. If a referendum were to be held to raise operating funds and it were to fail, would we want to cut police services that are needed based on the growth and crime stats?

Right now, I anticipate a slowdown of some capital projects (Parks and Paths) in order to preserve high fund balances in the coming year so that we can attempt to get a good handle on finances from the spending side. These fund balances include both Capital and some Operational that we are saving for a rainy day or a golden opportunity should one arise. That being said, there are some capital projects and improvements to the police department going forward (again with one-time federal funds) because the safety our community is the primary goal of government. 

Below are the documents from the retreat provided to council for discussion.

https://www.jkheneghan.com/city/meetings/2024/03/Retreat/06%20Dunwoody%202035.pptx

https://www.jkheneghan.com/city/meetings/2024/03/Retreat/03%20Budgets%20Finances%20Millages%20Trends.pptx

 https://www.jkheneghan.com/city/meetings/2024/03/Retreat/02%20Parks.pptx

https://www.jkheneghan.com/city/meetings/2024/03/Retreat/01a%20Commercial%20Real%20Estate.pptx

https://www.jkheneghan.com/city/meetings/2024/03/Retreat/05%20Police.pptx

 https://www.jkheneghan.com/city/meetings/2024/03/Retreat/01b%20Sangster.pptx

John Heneghan sworn in for fifth term, Rachel Waldron fills Park Director role, Chief Billy Grogan announces his retirement and the Dunwoody City Council to meet at the high School on the 22nd.

Look at the smile on that ladies face above, it brings me great joy whenever I see this photo.   Good thing too as I'm still very happily married to that young lady.

Monday I had the honor of being sworn in for my fifth term on the Dunwoody City Council, having served since original incorporation.  Looking back to 2008, I am very proud of all this city has accomplished, but as a newly sworn City Councilman I need to rededicate myself to continue looking forward, always trying to do the next right thing for my community.

That being said, there are new residents who are unaware of our history so here is a link from 2018 highlighting my Ten Year recap of cityhood where the post has links and stories going much further back in time.   Maybe I'll do another recap at my 19th year mark, at the conclusion of this term?   God willing.

Serving in this capacity is a responsibility I do not take lightly as the challenges the City is facing now, may be different than in our start up years but it is no less daunting.  I have full faith in the City Manager, Staff, the Mayor and the Council to continue moving this City forward by providing quality service to its citizens, pushing though capital projects that foster the greatest good while still encouraging the business community to keep investing into our community.

Changes are happening within City Hall as we recently lost our Parks Director Mr. Brent Walker to the City of Sandy Springs but after an extensive interview of possible outside candidates, our Deputy Parks Director Rachel Waldron has already been named as his permanent replacement.   Rachel has been with us for many years and will continue to do a great job for us.   

In other news, Chief Billy Grogan also announced his pending retirement on June 1st after 40 years of policing.  Kudos to Chief Grogan for all that he has done for our community and I wish him well in is pending retirement.  We have known this retirement announcement was coming as some point and City Council pushed for an external review of the police department to have an action plan that has already been started and I would expect the next chief, to quickly implement the many suggestions in the Berry Dunn report.  It is my intention for Council to hopefully find the funds to make the requested staffing improvements that we need to make as well.  As we now have a few months to start a search for replacement for Chief Grogan, I am unsure what our City Manager and Mayor will do as I also have great respect for Deputy Chief Mike Carlson and believe he is ready to step up into the main role.

Monday is the Martin Luther King Holiday and a day of service is planned within the community with tree planting, daffodill planting as well as general clean up of the Book Run Playground, details are here.   There is also a food collection happening and if you would like donate there are details in the link above - please do if your are able.

In a couple of weeks, it appears that the Dunwoody City Council meeting of January 22 will be taking place at Dunwoody High School at our usual 6 pm start time to join the Dunwoody Youth City Council to foster some interesting discussion and public comment.  The last time we did something similar at the high school, I gave out 100's of hugs.  I will probably do the same this year just not sure of the format as it is also a formal meeting?   Guessing more details will be coming soon.

Talking to your middle school son about suicide is not easy, explaining that everyone is special therefore deserving of respect and love was much easier. #hugs

As usual this time of year, I review and rededicate myself to the City of Dunwoody Mission, Vision and Values and usually publish them.  The Mission and Vision statements were updated a few years ago and as much as I respect the changes, the original statements still mean something to me too, so I published them both.

Finally, I came across this photo of the core group of the Citizens for Dunwoody who worked on incorporation planning for years before finally becoming a city.   Damn we all looked so good.

The legacy of my Father, John Heneghan, age 86 from Chicago, IL @RooseveltU @DC14YoungLions @SVdPChicago @StMonicaAcademy

My Father, John Heneghan, recently passed away at age 86 after an extended period of palliative / hospice care. While sad that his body was failing, it was also a real blessing for the family as we all got to spend quality time with the man who meant so much to us, as he was as sharp as a tack up to the very end. We had deep conversations, lots of "I love you's," talks of finances for my Mom, visits & discussions with the grandkids, and countless viewings of Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy, and yet another fun but ultimately disappointing Cubs season.

His obituary is below, but the words fail to document the various levels of service, friendship, spirituality, and his deep dedication to serving those in need. Service to others while offering kindness, and hard work for the greater good was a legacy he passed down to all four of his children, serving their communities in public service positions. His unyielding dedication to his bride, with various ups and downs, has also taught us well. My Father didn't have to tell me how to live; he lived and let me watch him do it.

Dad, it has only been a few weeks, but we miss you; we love you and know we will be seeing you once again. 

Johnny

........

John P. Heneghan, age 86, passed away peacefully at home on October 26, 2023. He was the devoted husband of Therese for 57 years, beloved father of John (Kristin), Kathleen (Robert Narowski), William (CPD), and Michelle (Ted) Rymarcsuk, and grandfather of Riley, Gavin and Declan Heneghan, Jack (Magda) and Ella Narowski, Kaitlyn, Molly and Abbey Heneghan, and Billy Rymarcsuk. Dear brother of Jim (Ruth) Heneghan, the late Bill (Carol) Heneghan and the late Mary (Gerry) Carlton. Son of the late William and Nora (nee Duffy) Heneghan from County Mayo, Ireland. Fond Uncle to many nieces and nephews and dear friend to many.

A lifelong Chicagoan, John attended Our Lady of Sorrows parish school and was an alumnus of St. Philip High School, Class of 1954. He worked as a painter in the physical plant at Roosevelt University for 34 years, where all four of his children attended college. John held various leadership positions (President, Vice President and Trustee) in Painters Local 180, which merged with Painters Local 273, where he was a life member, with 67 years of union membership. He also served as President of the St. Vincent DePaul Society and Men’s Club at St. Monica Parish in Chicago and in leadership positions at Edgewater Pines Resident Owned Community in Seminole, Florida, where he and his wife Therese spent their winters for 27 years. Since 2019, John and Therese enjoyed living at the Resurrection Retirement Community where they enjoyed dinners and activities with family and friends.

A social and gregarious person, John enjoyed connecting with people and once you were his friend, you had a friend for life. For over 25 years he organized an annual picnic with his childhood friends and their families, and over the years he organized outings from beach days with grandchildren to family reunions. He enjoyed telling stories, playing cards, traveling, bragging about his children, following the news, watching Jeopardy, Chicago history, and social events. A deeply spiritual person, his faith and surrender to God was a central focus of his daily life. In lieu of flowers, donations in John’s name may be made to St. Monica Church and School, 5136 N. Nottingham, Chicago, 60656.

Memorial visitation will be held on Friday, November 17, 2023 from 3:00 pm to 9:00 pm at Cumberland Chapels 8300 W. Lawrence Ave Norridge, IL 60706.  Lying in State Saturday at St. Monica Catholic Church from 9:00 am until the time of Mass at 10:00 am.  Interment is private.

Dunwoody Councilman John Heneghan answers "re-election" questions by Dunwoody Reporter / Rought Draft Atlanta (Vision, Qualifications, Accomplishments, Challenges and Bond Referendum)

Ms. Cathy Cobbs of the Dunwoody Reporter sent a request for Dunwoody Candidates (both contested and unopposed) to answer 5 questions the citizens might want to know about before casting a ballot.  I guess I was a little long winded as the publication asked me to edit it down.  I did a bit editing and submitted the submission below. 

Of course the publication edited more and cropped some of my answers in their October 23rd on-line publication and I highlighted it on my blog without actually publishing what was said so that it could be available to the publications readers both on the web & in print without me scooping the story.  As it looks like the information will not be in print, I am posting my original content below and again providing a link to the story with the other candidates profiles.  Please take the time to read about all the candidates.

 2023 Election Guide: Dunwoody Mayor and City Council

1.    What is your vision for Dunwoody for the next four years and beyond, and what role will you play in achieving it?

Every year, I repost the City of Dunwoody Vision, Mission, and Values on my public blog (Heneghan’s Dunwoody Blog) to remind myself (and anyone else who might read it) of the ideals in which the city was founded and in which I strive to serve. The original vision for the City of Dunwoody was modified in 2022 and shortened to state that we will “foster a thriving, vibrant, and inclusive community with exceptional neighborhoods and an innovative, responsible business environment”.   As much as I agree with that statement, I will continue to fulfill that vision by governing under the more detailed, original version under which we were founded.   “The City of Dunwoody will provide quality service to its citizens and support the largest economic engine in the Southeast by planning in a careful and thoughtful manner. The City of Dunwoody will be inventive, transparent, and embrace responsible progress, tempered by the city’s rich history and strong desire to maintain a close and vibrant community atmosphere that values family life and the entrepreneurial spirit. The City of Dunwoody will continue to support and nurture a community dedicated to the preservation of family, education, religious institutions, and the environment.”  

As a founding member of the Dunwoody City Council, serving for the last 15 years, I have strived and will continue to meet these ideals.

2.    What makes you qualified to represent the citizens of Dunwoody? If you are running opposed, what strengths do you have that your opponent does not?

As a founding member of the Dunwoody City Council, where I have served for the last fifteen years, I am proud to say that I have had a hand in setting all policies from startup to current-day operations. Prior to Cityhood, I served on the Citizens for Dunwoody Committee, where I was the Transportation Chair. Prior to that, I was President of my neighborhood civic association, representing over 1,000 homes on governmental matters.

With a degree in Public Administration, I have dedicated myself to public service, where I hope to fulfill two ideals. The first is that when I have the ability to make a difference, I have a responsibility to do so and second, transparency in government breeds self-corrective behavior. Fifteen years ago, I made transparency and open government a keystone of my governance policy; therefore, I have personally published every agenda, every public document and even live-streamed meetings to my blog documenting actions taken by the city.

My motivation to continue serving is that I believe I have the ability to continue making a difference in making Dunwoody a better community for all who live and work here.

3.    What are the accomplishments of which you are most proud (either personally or professionally)?

Looking back on a wide variety of work, civic, and personal accomplishments, my proudest and most far-reaching decision was that I stepped outside my comfort zone, went for something way outside my league, I kissed the girl.

4.    What do you think are the biggest challenges that Dunwoody faces in the next four years?

Our biggest challenge in the next four years is financial planning and fiscal control, as I foresee a possible downturn in office valuation in the coming years because of lower occupancy rates when leases are not renewed or sublet. When office buildings have high vacancy rates, it lowers building valuation, which decreases tax revenue for the city. Our homeowner tax rate is already capped and frozen, with valuation increases only coming from recent sales or rental properties. Our operational expenses, namely police salaries & benefits, parks services, and IT, are rising faster than the city general operation revenue, yet we cannot utilize capital funds for operating expenses.    This general fund shortfall issue is just starting for us as salaries will continue to rise, new facilities will need to be maintained, and for me, the big problem will be the fact that our governmental administrative service contracts will need to be renegotiated as they all expire in a few years. Yet, revenue streams tied to property taxes are frozen by our Charter, with Dunwoody having the lowest tax rate in DeKalb County. Today, this is a minor issue as we have reserves to cover the downturn. In 2025, I see us in a similar, slightly worse situation; then in 2026, the City of Dunwoody will have contract renewals, which I anticipate will have substantial inflationary increases - even after rebidding them.

The second major challenge for the City of Dunwoody is ensuring that Perimeter Center remains vibrant, strong and safe; this includes our big box retail stores in Perimeter Mall. To keep this area thriving, we, the city leaders, need to ensure that all residents, shoppers, and workers feel safe from crime by guaranteeing an adequate police presence at the Mall. Perimeter Center has grown and will add thousands of new residents in the next few years because of High Street and other development; therefore, we will need to beef up police coverage in these areas to handle the additional workload.   A lack of future investment in police coverage would be short-sighted, and a long-term detriment to the value of Perimeter Center; therefore, much like my financial concerns, there is no way around this issue and it must be addressed head-on.

5.    Are you opposed or in favor of the bond referendum (and why or why not?)

As a sitting City Councilman, it is my job to formulate the best funding strategy for future investment in the community, and if that is a bond referendum, so be it. My job is to provide the best product for you, the citizens, to vote up or down. I believe the residents should only be requested to pay additional taxes for necessary items that make sense, the list should be ranked and allowable bond funds would only be used to complete that limited list. Finally, when there are several very different topics up for a bond, the issues should be divided into two separate ballot questions so that residents can approve or deny each project type.    

In my case, we the Council, obtained and purchased two new properties for parks; therefore due to current City funding constraints, a bond to build out those parks does makes sense to me. Unfortunately, Council as a whole also brought in the Path Foundation who is not an expert in putting paths (10 – 12 feet of concrete) in front of, or alongside single-family homes, yet recommends it in our community. I disagree with the appropriateness of these 12-foot sidewalks on several different levels, therefore, I voted at a City Council meeting against the City Path Plan (lone no vote). When the discussions on the possibility of a bond were being floated to the community for both Parks and Paths was being discussed, I asked that the topics be separated so that residents could vote for one and possibly against the other. That idea was quickly dismissed, and the Council decided that if they combine both projects into one bond referendum question, that it would pass, and the community could have both amenities. I asked that a hard list of projects be offered with the bond which would limit the Council from working outside what they originally projected the funds would be used for, but Council decided that a soft list offered maximum flexibility. When the Council voted to put the current bond effort before the electorate, I was the loan No vote. 

With the final vote being 6 to 1, this transfers the ultimate power of approval to the residents, and that is what will be happening in the Nov 7th general election ballot box. As a city councilman, it is not my responsibility to tell anyone on how to vote on a referendum; instead, it is my job to present you bond referendum questions that are appropriate, fiscally sound, transparent, non-divisive and promote an environment of honesty, openness and integrity. Unfortunately, my desire for different bond questions were not realized; therefore it is that reality that we are dealing with today. 

As far as my recommendation on your vote, I am not going to offer advice as I’m sure you will make the best decision.

2023 Election Guide: Dunwoody Mayor and City Council (Deutsch, Heneghan, Harris vs Ozor, and Seconder vs. Lopez) @RoughDraftATL

2023 Election Guide: Dunwoody Mayor and City Council by Cathy Cobbs of Rough Draft Atlanta

A special thanks to Ms. Cathy Cobbs of Rough Draft Atlanta for asking important questions of the Dunwoody Mayoral and City Council candidates.  Mayor Deutsch and myself are running unopposed whereby Incumbent Stacey Harris is challenged by Chris Ozor, and Incumbent Joe Seconder is challenged by Marianella López.   The questions are as follows ...

What is your vision for Dunwoody for the next four years and beyond, and what role will you play in achieving it?

What makes you qualified to represent the citizens of Dunwoody? 

What are the accomplishments of which you are most proud (either personally or professionally)? 

What do you think are the biggest challenges that Dunwoody will face in the next four years?

Are you opposed to or in favor of the bond referendum?

As you read the article differentiating the candidates highlighted, my answers may be slightly different from the others but then I also have concerns as to the current finances needed to run the city; thereby a close watch of our finances is needed in the coming year.  If you haven't watched the last Dunwoody City Council Meeting, which contains the Budget Hearing, I highly recommend you do so here & here as I outline my concerns and my belief that we need to beef up the police budget in both numbers and pay.

Early voting is available this week at the Dunwoody Library, 5339 Chamblee Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m through Saturday Oct 28th plus they are also open Sunday October 29th from 12 p.m. – 5 p.m.

If you are looking for more information on the $60 million dollar Parks Bond, there is an informational meeting, which is open to the general public, taking place in my neighborhood therefore I was asked to join in to share the facts as I see them.   I will be joining Dunwoody City Councilmember Tom Lambert (and possibly others from staff?) in the discussion taking place on Sunday, Oct 29th @ 7pm at the Dunwoody North Driving Club Clubhouse located at 4522 Kingsgate Dr, Dunwoody, GA 30338.

I know one of the many concerns over the proposed bond is the paths in general and when it comes to the North Peachtree Path connecting the apartment complex where many students live, connecting it to Chesnut, Peachtree Middle and Brook Run; there are even more questions on that segment of path in this neighborhood.  

Besides a new Hawk Crossing Light that is already scheduled to be in front of Chesnut in early 24, the proposed North Peachtree path is preliminary designed to be on the West Side (School Side) which means that it will not directly improve the safety of walkers that are primarily on the East Side unless additional crossing guards are added at the apartment complex and a few other places.   Then there is the timing of this improvement which looks to be in phase two on the priority list, if this measure moves forward you would think the path directly adjacent to public schools would have top priority.  If this bond referendum passes, I will be pushing this topic and guess it will also be up for discussion on Sunday. Join us.

Dunwoody City Council Meeting Video - 2024 Budget & Beyond Conversation

https://vimeo.com/875221798

The Dunwoody City Council met on October 16th to have the first 2024 Budget hearing and handle other business. As most residents only learn of what happens at Council meetings via second hand news reports, I thought I would highlight what I thought was an important meeting, primarily as we discussed the future financial plans of the city.  The second read and scheduled vote on the 2024 Budget will be happening at our next meeting, Monday October 30th.

Here is a link to the proposed 2024 Budget that cleared the budget committee.
https://jkheneghan.com/city/meetings/2023/Oct/10162023_Budget_Hearing.pdf

I have uploaded the meeting video to my server space and I will highlight a few conversations that I think you should watch; not that I am purposely skipping any other topics, participants, Mayor or Council-member statements or other public commenters as not being relevant; please do watch the entire meeting.  Mayor Deutsch and Stacey Harris both gave touching remarks regarding the horrific events happening in Israel, the support of the community and the Dunwoody Police Department.

Please go to the Vimeo page to watch the meeting video, and if you click the "Read More" link you will see the same description and text as I state below, but the beauty is that the meeting time stamps are active and you can watch that segment without scrolling through.  Closed Captioning is also available, just click the CC in the bottom right corner.  I hope this is recap is informational.

In Public Comment, at 6:22 Bob Hickey highlights the need to prioritize police spending and asks us how we are going to rectify deficit spending not only this year but in the coming future. This gentleman's public comment was very germane to the 20224 Budget Hearing and discussions that we were going to have later in the evening on what the Council's plan is for addressing the long term structural deficit.

At 09:20 residents Michael Rock and Erika Harris (both people I know and respect) gave two very different pro-bond statements with Erika asking for the city to spread more bond information with a direct mailer to every resident.

In the City Manager report there is an item where a resident waited an hour for emergency transport and after waiting an extended time, the mother decided to drive their child to the hospital.  Deputy Chief addressed my concern and a bit later at 40:49 Mayor Deutsch followed up with the Deputy Chief regarding an additional dedicated ambulance.

At 45:52 Finance Director Richard Platto starts his presentation and discusses the budget process and the numbers. At 1:09:47 Council member Stacey Harris, who served as this years Budget Committee Chair, described what the budget committee (Harris, Seconder & Heneghan) did and our thoughts on expanding the police department and providing raises in 2024 (that are not currently budgeted). Council member Robert Price asked a follow up question and we discussed the assessor's valuations and estimated tax digest when released in May.

At 1:17:40 Councilman Tom Lambert discusses the budget, the need for community investment, an analogy to the Atlanta Beltline which raised the tax digest in that area was made, with the thoughts that same tax digest bump could happen here in Dunwoody thereby, slowing or reversing the structural deficit.

At 1:27:30 Councilman Heneghan questions the Finance Director on revenue breakdowns (Residential / Commercial / Office). Heneghan discusses the city financial outlook as he sees it, locked revenue streams, concern over office vacancy rates, police funding (both the lack of raises and the additional number of officers needed as per professional analysis), the anticipated administrative contract raises in 2026, and finally his concerns over the $3.3 million dollars in the 2024 budget (on top of what might be approved in the $60 million dollar bond) being banked to fund multi-use (10 - 12 ft) paths in front of single family homes. Council member Heneghan agreed with investments in the community are needed especially as related to parks but wishes that Council split the bond referendum into two questions.  He like the Finance Director has concerns moving forward and he stated that we have work to do.

At 1:34:33 Mayor Deutsch confirmed with the Finance Director that the $3.3 million being set aside for paths in front of single family homes in this budget is from Capital funds and not Operational funds, therefore can not be used to fund additional police or provide raises.  She then went on to discuss if there was ever a drastic downturn (worst case scenario) that budget cuts could be made, she stated that we will take care of our police officers, she would hire 10 more officers tomorrow if we could, she discussed using more non-sworn officers.  She discussed the work she is doing at the State Capital regarding EMS & ambulance service rules to free up officer time.  She discusses police hiring, retention as a priority, as hiring officers is very difficult. Mayor Deutsch discussed office vacancies, she too has concerns but also sees glimmers of hope.

At 2:08:05 Councilman Seconder outlines how the City staff will work with residents directly affected by City projects. He read a statement from a homeowner who wants the 10 - 12 foot shared use path in their front yard.

At 2:13:30 the Mayor closes the meeting with comments that if the HOST & SPLOST ballot items don't pass, that your tax bill will go up.  She had an interesting comparison between Sandy Springs and Dunwoody Tax bills which shows the differences of Fulton vs DeKalb and then the special financing requirements placed on Dunwoody during incorporation.  The Mayor said that we will need to look closely at the fiscal reality that the City is in, reviewing the restrictions of incorporation and the promises made at the start of the city.

John & Kristin Heneghan at Biplane Rides over Atlanta

Video

A couple of months back we attended the DHS 50th Anniv. fund raising event at Barn and unbeknownst to my bride, I won a silent auction for an hour long tour of Atlanta from the sky in an open biplane.  

So in honor of our 27th wedding anniversary, my lovely bride & I took off from PDK Saturday evening at 7 pm to get the sunset tour of the city and we were not disappointed! 

We departed to the North East seeing Stone Mountain, circled Lake Lanier, went west to Cumming, south along 400 down through Alpheretta, Roswell, buzzed a little east through Sandy Springs, over Perimeter Mall then circled downtown as it was getting dark and returned to PDK seeing all of Chamblee as we banked a hard right hand turn over Huntley Hills, flying over North Peachtree Road to line up with the runway a little to our right.

As 100% of my donation for the airplane ride went to Dunwoody High School, I am happy to honor Biplane Rides Over Atlanta for their generosity to our community.   Kristin and I had a great time, we highly recommend the experience as it will be one we remember for a long time. 

Watch the video linked above as I don't think the smile ever left Kristin's face!

 https://www.facebook.com/BiplaneRidesOverAtlanta/

https://biplaneridesoveratlanta.com/

City of Dunwoody, Georgia through the lens of YouTube Videos - a snapshot of history highlighing what makes this community so great!

Earlier this month the Dunwoody Police Department released a new recruitment video that I thought I would share but I was soon down the rabbit hole of watching of all the other great videos that showcase our city, its residents and quality of life.   Enjoy!!

Straight Outta Dunwoody - @Dormtainment - Oct 2011
& 2nd Video
Dormtainment Rap - I sometimes like to compare Dunwoody to Heaven?

 

Dunwoody Police Recruitment Video - Feb 2023

Why I Wear The Badge - May 2015

 

This Is Dunwoody! - Feb 2018
 

The Story Of Dunwoody - Aug 2008

 

 

Making of modern Atlanta episode 3 Dunwoody - Sept 2011

 

Dunwoody Tornado 1998 - April 1998

 

Dunwoody Defined: Lemonade Days - June 2019
 

Dunwoody July 4th Parade 2021 - July 2021
 

 

Importance of the Dunwoody Nature Center | 30th Anniversary - Apr 2022
 

Special Needs Students Crowned as Homecoming King and Queen - Oct 2014
& 2nd Video
True school spirit at Dunwoody's Homecoming - Hannah Keen & Gus Ashbury

 

Fifteen Eagle Scouts advance from one patrol of Troop 477 of Dunwoody, GA - May 2018
 

 Have you hugged your city councilman today? - Dec 2015

  & 2nd video

John Heneghan - Dunwoody City Councilman offering Hugs to high school students

 

 

Bald is beautiful on St. Baldrick's day - Father & Son Interviewed on WSB-TV - Mar 2019
 

Atlanta Colts Football - 2007 Cowboys 6 & 7 yr olds - Jan 2009 

Social Justice - Required reading in the Heneghan household - "The Hate U Give" by Angie Thomas

I grew up in blue-collar Chicago, rode public transportation to and from high school every day, but was privileged enough that my father was a painter at a University founded on the morals of social justice and equality for all.  I attended that school, studied Public Administration, became President of the Student Body, was named the first student on the University Board of Trustees. Then many years later, I helped found the City of Dunwoody, was elected to the City Council, and am now the Mayor Pro Tem and the longest-serving member of the Council.

Let me attest that every policy and every decision from the creation of the City until today has passed across my desk, and I can tell you that fairness and love are attempted to be achieved in every decision we make.   We strive to make your city government serve all stakeholders in a transparent manner with resourceful, efficient, progressive, and professional leadership. We expect the same from our police department, and in doing so, we, the Council, strive to ensure that our department is a reflection of the community they serve, are one of the most qualified and best-trained departments in the state.

These are difficult times with huge numbers of people hurting emotionally, financially, physically, and spiritually and when injustice happens, we are all affected.  We, as human beings, internalize this injustice and can see ourselves wronged in the process with only the hope that the legal system will right the wrong.

As my three teenage sons have now grown up in a world very different than my own, it is my responsibility to teach social justice and equality for all.   To teach them that just under a small layer of skin, that we are all the same color; therefore, everyone deserves fairness, equity, and respect of your fellow man. Unfortunately, I must also teach my boys that the world isn't always color blind, nor is diversity always celebrated; therefore, many injustices occur because of ignorance, bias, or just plain fear.

As white boys from Dunwoody who are halfway sheltered, I have mandatory movie nights (Schindler's List was this week's movie), and I purchase books to supplement their formal education.  The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas was one of those books, and then after it was completed, we watched the movie.

I highly recommend both the book and the movie because it allows you to walk a mile in the shoes of an African American teenager who is unjustly shot and killed at a traffic stop and the community reaction that followed.

As a Father and City Councilman, I will continue to strive to treat everyone fairly, instituting social justice reforms where possible and continuing my prayers for peace, understanding, and love of my fellow man. 

Movie Trailer

Sláinte - an Irish toast to your health & a memory of my wedding on this St. Patrick's Day. @oldstpats

Today is St. Patrick's Day and it will not be the typical one for me or my family.  There will be no parade, no Irish Bar, no church services, no restaurant meal of corned beef, and honestly, there doesn't seem like there is much to celebrate.  People are suffering, scared, unsure how they are going to pay the bills and they are worried for their health and for those they love. 

I am 100% Irish, with four grandparents being born in Ireland.  My paternal grandfather William Heneghan was from Tourmakeady, County Mayo, and my grandmother Nora Duffy was baptized at the Ballintubber Abbey just down the road.  They both left Ireland at a young age (15 & 17) because of hard times, emigrating to America and winding up in Chicago where they married and had four children.  My maternal grandparents Maurice O'Regan and Catherine Ryan had similar stories except they were from Limerick and Cork, and they met in Chicago after they left Ireland looking for a better life, and they also had four children.

When Kristin and I were married back in 1996, in the oldest public building and oldest church in the City of Chicago - Old St. Patrick's Church.  None of my grandparents were alive to attend my wedding, but they would have loved it.  The priest was the beloved Father John Cusick, who is about to celebrate the 50th anniversary of his ordination and he still feeds my soul with his wisdom and guidance.  There was a five or six string ensemble and our soloist Ms. Catherine O'Connell sang like an angel.  At the end of the ceremony, there were bagpipes, and at the reception, there were Irish dancers.  Of course, the party was epic.

Our wedding was not only a celebration of our love and future together. It was a joining of families and a milestone in our lives that needed to be acknowledged and honored.  It was a celebration that her parents were able to walk her down the aisle after being in a horrific traffic accident several months earlier.  It was a memorial for her grandmother Bubby who died in that accident.  The Irish traditions we placed in that ceremony were not only for us but for those that came before us, to honor our parents who set the examples for us, but also for William & Nora as well Maurice & Catherine.

On our wedding day, Kristin & I dedicated the song, "How Bright is the Day" to our Grandparents and at 1 pm I will be live streaming the Mass from Old St. Patrick's Church where Catherine will once again be singing.

My grandparents didn't have easy lives, yet among the toils and suffering of everyday life, they lived and they loved.   We too need to live and to love, to drive out our fear and reduce the suffering not only for ourselves but for all those that cross our path.

Sláinte - an Irish toast to your health.

Coffee & Conversation with Dunwoody Clergy - Monday Jan 13th, 9 am at Crema Espresso Gourmet

Coffee with Clergy

Monday, 01-13-2020
9:00 AM to 11:00 AM

Location:
Crema Espresso Gourmet
2458 Mt. Vernon Road
Dunwoody, GA 30338
 

January 13

Start your day with an informal gathering of interfaith leaders to have thought-provoking conversations and gain a better understanding of the rich diversity within religious practices! Join the conversation Mon, Jan 13 for a lively chat between a rabbi, a priest, a pastor, and two reverends. Free to attend, food and drinks available for purchase. Please contact Rabbi Brian Glusman at 678-812-4161 or rabbi.glusman@atlantajcc.org with any questions.

The following faith leaders will be on-hand for casual dialogue:

Reverend Josh Amerson
Dunwoody United Methodist Church

Rabbi Brian Glusman
Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta

Pastor Jeff Janson
Dunwoody Community Church

Reverend Msgr. Hugh M. Marren
All Saint Catholic Church

Reverend Trent McEntyre
Dunwoody Presbyterian Church

---

FYI, I am looking forward to attending this event.  As a cradle Catholic, I am well grounded in my faith & heritage but that being said I am always looking to stretch the awareness of my own understanding of God by church shopping for a better Catholic experience, a different perspective to take me out of echo chambers of our everyday routine. I enjoy exploring other faiths and traditions and have bowed my head, knelt and prayed with many; no matter their faith. Religion is a just lens we use to see God and no matter what lens you are using, in the end, they all bring us closer to our higher power, creator or savior. 

I believe many of us are searching for clarity of that higher power in order to put aside the conflicts of our polarized society, to work for love and understanding of our fellow man, by looking beyond ourselves we can see what can be, as it is always so much more than what currently is.

I am going to work hard to juggle my work schedule to attend this conversation, maybe I will see you there?  John

Dunwoody Reporter Voters Guide for Councilman John Heneghan

John Heneghan

The Dunwoody Reporter Newspaper is doing a voters guide for the upcoming election and asked that I answer a few questions and send them a portrait-style photo of myself. Unfortunately, I think I blew well past the 100 word limit on a few of the questions.  That being said, I think this photo highlights my boyish charm, and since my answers are now on the web, I can also add some background links that some might also find helpful.

Candidate name and campaign website:

John Heneghan & Heneghan’s Dunwoody Blog   http://dunwoodynorth.blogspot.com/

Occupation (please specify employer):

Regional Director, U.S. Department of Transportation, Pipeline & Hazardous Material Safety Administration, Office of Hazmat Safety – Field Operations

Previous elected offices held:

11 years on the Dunwoody City Council – Founding Member

Other community service experience:

Transportation Chair for Citizens for Dunwoody before incorporation,
President of the Dunwoody North Civic Association

Question 1: What is motivating you to run for this office?

As a founding member of the Dunwoody City Council where I have served for the last eleven years, I am proud to say that I have had a hand in setting all policy from startup to current-day operations.  My motivation to continue serving is that I believe I have the ability to continue making a difference in making Dunwoody a better community for all who live and work here.

Question 2: What is the biggest issue facing the district and how will you address it?

As I am running for an at-large city-wide seat, I will answer this from a city perspective.  The City’s biggest long-term issue is proper coordination with other governmental organizations and the commercial business community to ensure win/win outcomes for all involved.  We as a City leadership team (with the express backing of the residents we serve) need to be working with the Georgia Department of Transportation to ensure that if the 285 express lanes are built, that the adjoining and/or displaced neighbors are treated fairly, and the related entrance and exit locations are a benefit to all involved.  We need to work with the DeKalb School System to ensure that the proper neighborhood educational facilities are available equitably to all residents and that these facilities foster neighborhood & city cohesion to the benefit of all Dunwoody residents.  We need to work hand in hand with DeKalb County ensuring efficient life safety, sanitation, clean water, and various other County services are provided at an appropriate level and at a fair price.  Finally, coordination with the commercial business community to assist them with putting forth well designed commercial projects that will enhance the quality of life for all living and working here.  I will address these issues as I always have, close coordination with the Mayor, Council and Staff and then I will work both behind the scenes and publicly on my blog to foster the best outcomes for all involved.

Question 3: What is the city’s role in such projects as multiuse path networks and arts centers, and how would you pay for them?

The city has a critical role in both multiuse paths and fostering the arts!  The city budget is getting tight for funds directly from the General Fund, but the city has other funds to be tapped and/or other options to fund these amenities.  Regarding the Arts, at the September Budget meeting I identified that the City had published a study on the future of the Arts which stated that the city needed to start an endowment of seed money to jump-start the City’s arts fundraising efforts yet the original 2020 published budget had zero funding for this cause.  I proposed to the committee that we add $60,000 for arts funding from the proposed 2020 reserves and the committee agreed to send this proposal amount to the full city council in October. 

As far as multiuse paths located near or adjoining Perimeter Center; I anticipate that a conservative multiyear revenue bond will be placed against the increased hotel taxes allowing a chunk of funds to be available if Council goes this route to fully build out the new park on Perimeter Center East and then build out multiuse paths though out the Perimeter area from hotels to dining & shopping attractions.  This bond will be funded by only hotel taxes and will put amenities into place sooner without affecting the taxes paid by the residents.  

Another option being lightly kicked around is a City Municipal bond that could be put in front of the electorate in the future that would have a very specific set of projects throughout the city to ensure these funds would be a benefit to the greatest number residents.  This project list might include the buildout of a new park we are currently negotiating, multiuse paths tying the various neighborhoods to commercial areas, intersection improvements (Chamblee Dunwoody / Womack would be high on my list), and possibly the buildout of the old Austin property to a park / cultural or arts amenity.   If the residents chose to approve the muni bond option for a specific list of amenities, the annual tax bill would go up a bit but the amenities on the list would be available much sooner than waiting to have the cash available.

Question 4: What is your vision for the future of Dunwoody Village?

Market forces of a shopping center that are 90% occupied with paying tenants does not inspire the majority land owner (Regency) to make major wholesale changes especially when the location is off the beaten path (compared to a street like Peachtree Industrial).  The City has already removed all zoning overlay conditions, and Council may be interested in putting forward a plan for installing community green space or a parking deck there if a funding source and a major chunk of space were to become available (Post Office?) but those ideas by themselves will do nothing to spur redevelopment without the buy-in from Regency.   If Regency wanted to go big, subdivide the property, layout internal streets with high-end residential, an entertainment district with numerous restaurants and shops; the city would entertain the discussion.  As much as the city fosters this type of dialog, the city has little other power except for eminent domain to force the change and that would be an expensive and complicated proposition especially when purchasing land that contains a thriving business.  The city is keeping the discussions on going and will work the edges to foster change where possible.

City of Dunwoody Mayoral and Council Election Slate Finalized - John Heneghan is unopposed and elected to a four year term. #gapol

To the residents of Dunwoody, I am truly honored that I can continue my service to the community as it is a privilege I take very seriously.  I will strive to represent and work hard on your behalf as I believe I have done for the last eleven years, doing so humbly yet diligently with passion while ensuring that the City of Dunwoody operates transparently and fairly for all involved.   Thank you,   John Heneghan 

DUNWOODY CANDIDATES LIST

NOVEMBER 5, 2019 GENERAL ELECTION

OFFICE OF MAYOR
Lynn Deutsch
Terry Nall

CITY COUNCIL, DISTRICT 1, POST 4
Stacey Harris
Robert Miller

CITY COUNCIL, DISTRICT 2, POST 5
Joe Seconder
Heyward Wescott

CITY COUNCIL, DISTRICT 3, POST 6
John Heneghan (Incumbent)

Talking to your middle school son about suicide is not easy, explaining that everyone is special therefore deserving of respect and love was much easier. #hugs

Video - Councilman Heneghan was giving away free hugs at Dunwoody High

 
I'm a Dad.     As the father of three boys ages 19, 17 & 13, I am well aware that the life of a teenager is tough.  My boys are all very different from each other with various skills, abilities, strengths, and weaknesses. Parenting didn't come with a manual for each child, therefore, Kristin & I do the best we can with discipline, advice, love, structure, and guidance.   Sometimes we think we get it right, and sometimes we change our tact the next time or maybe with child number two. In the end, parenting for us is all about love and our children knowing that they are loved.

This week I needed to sit down with the 13-year-old to discuss the suicide of a classmate from Peachtree Charter Middle School. (Just typing those words is shocking to me.)

It wasn't an easy discussion for either of us; my son didn't personally know the boy, but the conversation about why someone would kill themselves was heartbreaking as my son talked about bullying, rejection, being made fun by your peers because you are not like them. He talked from personal experience about how it felt to be called out as different, how dumb rumors were being spread on social media and hateful comments were being shared.

He then talked (actually beamed from ear to ear) about those friends on his football team who stood up to the negative commenter on social media on my son's behalf. They supported him and empowered him, as my son was now part of a team.  My son and I talked about how these events made him feel, what lessons he learned from them, and how these lessons are related to how he treats others. It was a great conversation, and in the end, he knows he is special, he is loved, and everyone he meets is just as special and should be loved just the same.   My kind soul of a 13-year-old now has this character strength of empathy that is wise beyond his years.

Today I watched a video recommended by education writer, Maureen Downey of the AJC Get Schooled column, which shows a high school girl explaining the challenges of going to high school with disabilities and chronic illness. High school is typically hard or challenging for most, but for this young lady faces challenges that many of us couldn't imagine and she does it with grace and pure strength.  I recommend it to all, but parents you may want to share it with your teenagers.

Back in 2015, the City Council held a City Town Hall meeting at Dunwoody High School; therefore knowing how rough some high school students had it with various pressures, I wanted to find a way to let them know that I care. I wanted to personally connect with them and in turn, have them connect with one another on a level that social media just doesn't work.

I offered them a simple gesture of kindness, I looked them in the eye, asked for their name, and offered a hug. I told them that we as human beings are all equals, that they are important and that they matter.

As a Dunwoody City Councilman, I treated those many high school students as one of my sons and in retrospect, it may have been the most important lesson those Dunwoody High students learned all year.

Looking back on the subject of hugs - I still remember a hug someone offered me on the Peachtree Center MARTA platform.   It was wonderful.

Hugs to all those in need and I will happily dispense if one is desired - just reach out.   Thanks

City of Dunwoody proposes ordinance targeting discrimination and hate crimes. #gapol

Proposed City of Dunwoody Ordinance 

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.

As City Council members, we serve a very diverse community of residents, businesses, employees, and customers of those businesses. As a community, we are a melting pot of races, colors, religions, genders, national origins, sexual orientations, ages, disability, marital, and family statuses. We as human beings are all equals. Unfortunately, case law is not entirely settled in this area and in the eyes of the State of Georgia as well as the Federal Government there are not equal protections of the law against discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

This discrimination has both an economic and human cost to our society, therefore, I, along with Councilwoman Pam Tallmadge propose protections against discrimination for employment, housing or the provision of goods and services for those in our community whom state and federal law does not provide equal protection.

We as a city should let it be known that we stand not only for equality but against all forms of hate therefore in this proposal, we have included language whereby the Dunwoody Police Department will develop guidelines for the identification, investigation, documentation, and reporting of hate crimes committed within the corporate limits of the City of Dunwoody. We will also train our staff, start collecting standardized data and then report such data to the FBI. Our police department already does a beautiful job in fostering a sense of community where hate is not tolerated, but I have already reached out organizations like the Anti-Defamation League and the Southern Poverty Law Center to see if they can assist us in fostering the message of tolerance within our community and ending hate.

The cities of Atlanta, Chamblee and Doraville have recently passed similar non-discrimination legislation and when an active & engaged Dunwoody resident asked what we were doing to protect his family, Pam and I reviewed the background laws and ordinances of Dunwoody and the other cities, we reviewed our internal EEOC and non-discrimination policies, we have discussed the issue with staff including community development, legal, economic development, as well as the police department; and only after being fully vetted have we decided to put forward this proposal for Council consideration.

Our proposed anti-discrimination ordinance is straight forward whereby an aggrieved person may file a complaint with the City Clerk alleging discrimination against a holder of a business license.  After a legal review determines that there are no other legal remedies being offered under Federal or State Law, it which starts a process of non-binding mediation between the two parties and if not successfully settled in mediation, a hearing officer will adjudicate the matter on the evidence provided. Once a finding is determined, the mediator or hearing officer’s fees shall be assessed to the non-prevailing party. Parties adversely affected by the final decision regarding the complaint may appeal to the Superior Court of DeKalb County. The maximum penalty of the first violation is $500.

We believe that this proposed City ordinance fosters equal treatment by upholding the values of equality, inclusion, and diversity for all within the City of Dunwoody and though it does not replace Federal or State Law, it is a start in the right direction.

City of Dunwoody, GA offers strong opposition to Georgia #HB302 & #SB172 violating Home Rule and jeopardizes residential safety. #gapol

Full Press Release

Dunwoody’s Mayor and City Council voted unanimously Monday night to oppose Georgia House Bill 302 and Senate Bill 172, which would prevent local governments from enforcing and regulating building design elements for residential homes. Members of Dunwoody City Council have been in close contact with our elected State Representatives, Senator Sally Harrell, Representatives Mike Wilensky, and Matthew Wilson, all of whom have taken strong stands against these proposals. The City has been in discussions with the Georgia Municipal Association, the DeKalb Municipal Association and has been in constant contact with our lobbyist in opposing these proposed actions.

Ten years ago the City of Dunwoody was created to allow us the right of self-determination and it is my opinion that this over reach proposed by the State Legislature not only erodes the home rule doctrine in the Georgia Constitution, which allows municipalities to have self-government over building and housing codes; but it completely eliminates the municipalities allowance of home rule.

Dunwoody Council Member Lynn Deutsch introduced a resolution respectfully requesting that the General Assembly oppose the bill. The Council voted unanimously to approve the resolution during Monday night’s City Council Meeting.

“We do not take this decision lightly. Most housing in the City of Dunwoody would be impacted by this,” said Council Member Deutsch. “This is an issue of local control. We have set minimum building standards that protect the safety of our residents and enhance the quality of construction.”

“This is an encroachment that is unbelievable to me,” added Dunwoody Mayor Denis Shortal. “We became a city to keep decisions close to home. This bill strips us of the rights to keep Dunwoody the way the citizens want it.”

Council Member Pam Tallmadge encouraged concerned residents to e-mail lawmakers who are backing the bills (Georgia House Bill 302 and Senate Bill 172.

City of Dunwoody, my personal look back at ten years since incorportation by Councilman John Heneghan.

Councilman John Heneghan

Today marks the Tenth anniversary of the creation of the City of Dunwoody and I have had the distinct privilege of serving on the City Council since the very beginning. Please allow me to give some personal perspective for those who are not aware of our history.

Many years ago I was President of the Dunwoody North Civic Association, looking for ways to improve the quality of life for 1,200 residents within the subdivision boundaries in which I live therefore I had an extensive history of dealing with DeKalb County (our local government) on various zoning, transportation, infrastructure issues as well as police coverage, therefore based on what I had seen with the County I thought we could do better. I was a supporter of breaking away from the county for municipal services, pro Cityhood and along with many other people, we successfully worked toward that goal to become our own city.

Incorporation was a multi-year political struggle down at the Capital with partisan gamesmanship being played on both sides, but in the end the residents wanting the right of self determination won out allowing the referendum to take place. That summer many people worked to support the vote. Then on July 15, 2008 the residents of Dunwoody went to the polls, putting their faith in the pro-cityhood leaders passing the referendum by 82%. On December 1st 2008, "Atlanta's Classic City" of Dunwoody was incorporated, we passed lean budgets yet started a world class police force from scratch just four months later by offering fair wages, good benefits and offering every police officer a take home vehicle on day one.

There are lots of great memories from those early days as I remember running for office and standing in front of Bruster's Ice Cream on hot summer nights talking to whomever would listen about cityhood while standing in the long lines. After being elected to a citywide, at-large position, most of the City Council was sworn in on September 24, 2008 but the District 2 local race eventually won by Adrian Bonser was to be determined by a runoff at a later date. Several days later, on September 28th the first meeting of the Dunwoody City Council was held at Dunwoody Methodist Church and here is that agenda. I remember the work being put in to determine the service delivery plan, the late nights work sessions making decisions which still stand today; those of us who were on Council will never forget those early days. Here are a few videos detailing those startup memories, here is Mayor Wright and some of the other members of Council telling stories of incorporation and start up that are not widely known.

If you watched some of those videos I linked in the previous paragraph you may have noticed that I personally wasn't front and center in any of them but know I was the guy documenting, compiling data and influencing decisions at every level. One insight I can share on incorporation was that the political partisanship at the Capital with the tit for tat, back and fourth, you vote for mine and I will vote for yours on important subjects that seemed to be decided solely on personal relationships literally turned my stomach. Though I enjoy observing and studying politics, seeing the highly political sausage being made up close and personal in hearing rooms, as well as watching the petty arguments on the floor of the chambers spreading Fear, Uncertainty & Doubt made me never to want to become a politician.

Luckily the City of Dunwoody is a non-partisan city council election whereby we the elected officials can concentrate solely on doing what is best for the city, providing improved services, upgraded quality of life and focus on spending our collective tax money on paving, parks and police. Ten years on the Dunwoody City Council and I can honestly tell you that from my perspective; political politics nor tit for tat, you scratch my back & I'll scratch yours has ever happened between council members, we are elected officials and not politicians - for that I am grateful.

In my ten years of service, I have had the pleasure of meeting thousands of people and had more conversations on topics of substance shaping this community than I could even fathom measuring.  Proud of the personal service I have provided individuals.  I’m extremely proud that I have preserved 10 years of city documents on my private servers that I make readily available to whoever is interested, proud that I started live streaming meetings before it was in vogue and proud that I have maintained this blog from the beginning. Since the initiation of cityhood, I have written over 3,700 blog posts providing the community (and various new outlets) with the same information that I receive as a City Council member so that you can help guide us on policy and important decisions. For the last ten years, I haven't wavered from my Philosophy on Public Service which is when I have the ability to make a difference, I have a responsibility to do so and second, transparency in Government breeds self-corrective behavior.

At times my little blog has allowed you the opportunity to peer deep into my soul, to see my personality, to meet my bride Kristin, my boys Riley, Gavin & Declan, my family, over time if you were paying attention you have seen what makes me click by learning what is important to me. As an introvert, this electronic forum has allowed me to do all of this from behind a keyboard, yet it has also made me extremely accessible when someone needs help on a city matter. Helping people and affecting positive changes within these 12 square miles are the two most rewarding aspects of serving on the City Council.

Serving the community in this capacity doesn’t always make City Council members popular as we are required to make tough policy choices, make budget decisions that have long term implications on personal safety & public welfare. I have had to interpret the zoning codes we put into place in ways that do not always make everyone happy. I have been forced to tell neighbors and friends that the traffic laws in place (like the no Left hand turn into my neighborhood that was in place before cityhood) are there for them to comply with. I was an advocate for the Brook Run Trail and the Dog Park when members of our community were dead set against such projects saying that we were ruining the beauty of our park. I was pro-backyard Chickens when the issue was first brought up in 2010 and people had strong opinions on both sides of the coop. As much as I wanted to save the Theater in Brook Run, the renovation and long term operating costs without a viable tenant were something I couldn't support. In short, at times we the elected officials are the local throat to choke when things don’t go as planned, city services are lacking (as are restaurants with roof top bars) or when people believe there should be a different outcome. When people are unhappy we hear about it in our email, as comments in various social media accounts and people are not bashful about calling our home phones as we are all readily available to anyone who wants to reach out.

Looking back at historical blog posts I have written, the priorities I set for my governance have worked for me personally and they helped us get started.   I believe the City of Dunwoody which started during a deep recession has been very successful in being good stewards of your tax money. We started slow and only worked with the cash on hand and have made numerous solid investments into the community, be it a new City Hall, land swaps with the County, improved sports fields, new parks, intersections or miles of paving. The Dunwoody Crier in this week’s edition highlighted the changes since incorporation and when comparing that data to an interview now Mayor Shortal gave after we passed our first budget; I would agree that we have kept our financial promises. We haven’t raised the tax rate and yet the services for paving, parks and police have all been raised dramatically since before incorporation.  The future of Dunwoody looks bright with numerous projects ready to move forward and I believe we are planted on firm ground moving forward.

Looking back at photos and videos of that era, it seems like much of this stuff happened just yesterday, yet I now see that all three of my little boys are all taller than their mother. Ten Years moves pretty fast - Happy Birthday Dunwoody; it has been an honor and a privilege.

To the citizens of Dunwoody, I thank you for allowing me to continue to serve this fine community.

John