Why are DeKalb County & the School Board pointing fingers at each other over an intersection improvement?

Peachtree Charter Middle School was completely rebuilt at a cost of $19 million dollars and the school has been open to the 1,075 students since the middle of August. The beautiful new, striped and lit parking lot was finished about a month ago yet it is not open because the main entrance to the school at the intersection of North Peachtree Road & Kings Point Drive needs to be completely reworked. There are two street poles that need to be moved and the traffic controller, currently in the entrance lane to the parking lot also needs to be relocated and reprogrammed for a 4-way intersection.

The DeKalb County School System and the DeKalb County Transportation Division are arguing over who pays to rework the intersection & I have been informed that they have been arguing for almost 25 months over this specific detail with neither side willing to budge!!

Parents, Children & School buses are forced to use a cramped temporary access point at the back of the school which puts children at risk for being in an accident. The finger pointing between these two governmental agencies needs to stop, the intersection needs to be changed and the new parking lot needs to be accessible.

DeKalb County CEO Vernon Jones and Commisoners viewed at their Worst!

I found these two clips from the Nov. 13, 2007 DeKalb County Commissioners Meeting where CEO Jones appeared to have possibly threatened Commissioner Ellis and then went on a tirade. For my neighbors who don’t have the opportunity to observe our esteemed Government Leaders in action, these clips explain a great deal on why our County operates the way it does.

As a commenter on my favorite on-line newspaper GoDeKalb.com stated, we all deserve better then we are currently receiving from this Administration.

Part One



Part Two

DeKalb reports that speeding is typical in Brook Run and proposes Speed Bumps & Legislative Change.

This afternoon the DeKalb County Police Department informed me that the average speed detected by the clearly visible speed diction device (shown above) in Brook Run Park was 21.20 MPH with the highest speed recorded at 31.04 MPH.

With the posted speed limit of 15 MPH in the park, the county now agrees that speeding may be a problem in Brook Run Park.

Unfortunately, current State laws restricting the use of speed detection devices for law enforcement purposes do not allow the Police Department to effectively use this tool in these specific circumstances. Because of this, the DeKalb Police Department is discussing with the Parks Department in order to get speed humps on the main road that winds through the park.

These State laws limiting law enforcements police powers need to be modified and Governor Perdue’s Office of Highway Safety is aware of the need to change the laws and are already working on changing them. The 2007, Law Enforcement Legislative Proposal states that “Georgia public safety agencies have numerous restrictions which prevent their officers from effectively enforcing speed limits—restrictions not imposed by Georgia’s neighboring states. These include being required to have marked vehicles, blue lights clearly visible on the top of vehicles, for speed limits 35 mph or higher requiring the offender to exceed the posted speed limit by 10 mph (excluding GSP) when detection devices are used, the enforcement vehicles must be visible for 500 feet, and requiring signs to be posted where detection devices are being used by agencies (excluding GSP).”

If any State Legislators read this post, I ask that you review the laws regarding speed enforcement in order to allow local law enforcement jurisdictions to properly serve & protect its citizens. I also ask that the 10 MPH over the speed limit for strict enforcement be modified for roads adjacent to or inside a park just as it is for school zones. Thanks.

Lost Cat - Found Cat

John,

We have a situation here on Brookhurst Drive where one cat appeared and another disappeared. Two of us have been loving and feeding one cat that appeared.

Here is his description.
Male, Black w/white patch under his chin.
Stocky/sturdy body, Big yellow eyes.
Young, Neutered, Very affectionate/purrs loudly.
Short haired, Looks well cared for.

The cat that disappeared about two weeks ago is described this way.

Female, about 17 years old. Beautiful orange, brown & white
Long hair, Maine Coon Cat

If you have found a cat or lost a cat, please call me at: (770) 458-0884.

Thanks,
Pat Grayson
2331 Brookhurst Drive, Dunwoody, GA 30338

New Cross Walk at Tilly Mill Road & Dunkerrin Lane

Thank you to Ms. Amanda Levi (who will be joining the DNCA Board at the next election) for requesting that a cross walk be installed across Tilly Mill Road at Dunkerrin Lane. Amanda was very persistent in working with the County representatives whereby they conducted several examinations of the land, traffic and pedestrian flows prior to installing the yellow warning signs & painting the street.

After this initial success, additional crosswalks have now been requested at Tilly Mill & Stonington, North Peachtree Road & Riverglenn Circle (in order to cross over to Brook Run) and a re-striping project on the existing crosswalk at Chesnut Elementary.

The DNCA would also like to thank Mr. David Pelton (770-492-5223) & Ms. Patrece Keeter (770-492-5281) of DeKalb Counties Traffic Engineering Department for being responsive to our request. Thank You.

Callanwolde Concert Band - Brook Run, Fri Dec 7th at 7:30

HOLIDAY POPS SPECTACULAR IN DUNWOODY

DeKalb County Chief Executive Officer Vernon Jones, The DeKalb County Board of Commissioners, and The DeKalb County Office of Arts, Culture, and Entertainment cordially invite you to join them for special Holiday Pops Concerts by the Callanwolde Concert Band, Raymond Handfield, Conductor, on Friday, December 7, 2007 at 7:30 PM at the Brook Run Theatre, 4770 North Peachtree Road, Dunwoody.

This year’s concert features a suite from The Nutcracker by Peter Tchaikovsky, Shalom! – Suite of Israeli Folk Songs by Philip Sparke, the Farandole from the L’Arlesienne Suite by Georges Bizet, Amen from Messiah by Georg Frideric Handel, and other holiday selections. In addition, in honor of the one hundredth anniversary of his birth, the Band will perform composer Leroy Anderson’s A Christmas Festival.

The Band will be joined by the eighty-voice Treble Concert Choir of the world-renowned Atlanta Young Singers of Callanwolde, Paige F. Mathis, Conductor. This ensemble will perform Festive Alleluia by Lyn Williams, the French traditional carol Angels We Have Heard on High, Shchedrik a Ukrainian Bell Carol, This Little Babe from A Ceremony of Carols by Benjamin Britten, and other holiday favorites.