Expect Fireworks at DeKalb BOC Meeting on Tuesday

Remember that only Vernon Jones sets the agenda of all DeKalb BOC meetings.

A resolution to Support Legal Action against the Incorporation of the City of Dunwoody was placed on the agenda for this Tuesday, right before the Democratic primary which will decide the race for DeKalb CEO. This matter is politically charged and was probably placed on the agenda not because Mr. Jones wants to take expensive legal action against the State of Georgia for the City of Dunwoody’s creation, but because it could be used as a wedge issue dividing the County in half. If that is the case, it will probably be played as North DeKalb vs. South DeKalb, and sadly probably also along racial lines too. The Justice Department has already ruled on the matter therefore the pending lawsuit has no merit, or it would have gone forward months ago.

Now ask yourself, who set the agenda item and why? Who running for office does it help and who does it hurt? Is this action politically motivated, I think so?

DeKalb politics is a grand blood sport where power and influence is often wielded to attack their political foes. If only the same amount of energy were put towards making DeKalb a better place to work and live, we would all be better off. Unfortunately this is DeKalb County, change is slow and the referendum for SB 52 which limits the CEO’s power doesn’t come up for election until November.

Immediately following the Dunwoody lawsuit item on the agenda is a third contract extension for Brook Run Park and the last time I checked the work at the park was completed and checked off by Parks Department. So why is the contract being extended? For what work and for how much? The last time they extended the contract it was for only an additional $500,000 on top of the original $1.3 million dollar bid.

I have already made inquiries and it looks like another open records request may have to be made.

DEKALB COUNTY GEORGIA
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
REGULAR MEETING
JULY 8, 2008

E. PRELIMINARY ITEMS

E1. Resolution to Support Legal Action against the Incorporation of the City of Dunwoody

Parks & Recreation
E2. Change Order No. 3 to Contract No. 07-900545 with Dore & Associates Contracting, Inc. Demolition of Designated Structures at Brook Run Park

DeKalb Police cancels Dunwoody Meet & Greet at Perimeter Mall

I received an e-mail from the DeKalb County Police, North Precinct notifying me that due to circumstances beyond their control the meet & greet scheduled for Perimeter Mall on July 12th has been postponed indefinitely.

I guess these questions will have to wait for another time?

1) What is wrong with the ranking officers in Dekalb County? I understand that more lower ranking officers (Lt's) have, or will be hired from APD to fill appointed positions. Does this mean that DKPD has better understanding of quality than (a proven Police Chief - see success in both New Orleans and Washington DC) Chief Pennington? Why didn't Chief Pennington promote these Lt's to rank of Major or Deputy Chief?

2) Dekalb County has had over 60 murders before July 1st. This is a record pace. Last year, Dekalb didn't hit 60 until the end of August. How do you intend to keep Dekalb from breaking the murder record for a third consecutive year?

3) We understand that two of Mr. Jones' drivers have been appointed to high ranking positions within the department. Are these appointments special considerations for the outgoing CEO? What qualifications did these officers have other than being the CEO's driver? Were they more qualified than other higher ranking officers who were passed over?

4) How many take home vehicles does the department currently have? How many of those county vehicles are assigned as take home cars to non-sworn police employees?

5) A recent AJC article stated that other jurisdictions are beefing up the police budget to keep trained, experience officers from leaving. What are you doing to keep your officers?

6) Over 1.5 million dollars was spent on mobile precincts. What do they do? Are they equipped with cells, interrogation rooms, radios or computers? Can I go up to a mobile precinct and file a report? It seems that at this time, an officer has to be dispatched to the mobile precinct with a patrol car to file the report? Is it true that they don't have any useful police equipment?

7) Is it true that an officer must be taken off uniform patrol to guard the mobile precinct when it is deployed? I understand that once your ICP officers and Sgt's go home, the team covering that territory is expected to detail an officer to the watch the mobile precinct. I understand from sources that while guarding the precinct, they occupy the time by watching movies on one of the Mobile Home's 2 LCD TV's.

8) What are you doing to improve moral in the Uniform and CID divisions?

9) How often does the computer system used by Uniform patrol to run license plates or suspects and receive their dispatched calls go down? I hear complaints that the new software is usually down and is not as functional as the software it replaced. Was a performance standard part of the negotiations when the software was purchased?

I'm sorry the questions are heavily related to DeKalb's personnel and hiring practices but I have friends in low places and they would like to have some of these questions answered.

Dunwoody Yes on the news and a wonderful 4th of July.

What a great day! My family & I actively participated in Dunwoody's 4th of July Parade by passing out Dunwoody Yes stickers, I talked to a bunch of great people as I worked the Citizens for Dunwoody booth after the parade, swam with my kids in the neighborhood pool, played a couple games of adult water volleyball, went to neighbors house for a cook out and finished the day by attending an OUTSTANDING fireworks display at Chamblee's Keswick Park.

The kids are fast asleep, I do a quick check of the news on the internet and what do I see; my smiling face behind the Dunwoody Yes banner.

I hope that your 4th of July was as good as mine.

Happy Birthday America.

Dunwoody 4th of July parade route.

View Larger Map


AJC Article

A kazoo band, Atlanta Thrashers' mascot Thrash and Miss Georgia Teen will be there. So will Clark Howard, a group of skateboarders and McGruff the Crime Dog.

The annual Dunwoody Salutes America Fourth of July parade Friday morning clearly is a big deal —- the biggest Independence Day event in Georgia, promoters say, now that WSB-TV has discontinued its "Salute 2 America" parade in Atlanta after 47 years.

Mull said there were 124 confirmed parade "units" as of Wednesday, including marching bands, floats, antique vehicles, a flag-carrying football team, Boy Scouts, cheerleaders and dogs. The event has grown so large that this year, for the first time, trash receptacles —- 200 of them —- are needed.

The parade begins at 9:30 and runs south along Mount Vernon Road ending at Dunwoody Village near Chamblee - Dunwoody Rd. There will be live music, including a 45-minute patriotic concert, and food, activities and awards.

Calling all photographers. A day in the life of Dunwoody, Monday December 1st.

Dunwoody Protesters in 1979 upset about Ashford Dunwoody going to Four Lanes.

Have you ever seen those large coffee table books that send a group of photographers out to document the day in the life of a certain location. I have seen it done for countries like Ireland and continents like Africa but I don't think it has ever been done by a group of local amateur photographers attempting to capture the essence of a small town on it's first day of becoming a city?

Someone would need to step forward to spearhead the coordination of this project in order to make it a reality, (not me, I'm just the idea guy). Residents could roam the streets from midnight to midnight on Monday, December 1st chronicling every facet of life in Dunwoody.

I'm guessing that the Spruill Arts Center could be the headlining sponsor whereby they could host a formal judged showing of the best photographs and because of the historical aspect of the event the Dunwoody Preservation Trust would also be heavily involved. The Dunwoody Crier could assist in advertising the event, print a special section of the paper for the best photos and possibly even host the electronic images onto a rumored upgraded news website which will compliment the weekly paper. Georgia Perimeter College, the Art Institute of Atlanta, Dunwoody High School, and even Peachtree Middle School could have this as a school art project.

Think of the historical relevance thirty years from now by being able to review this one brief shapshot back in time? Look at the one photo above and now imagine a thousand photos of the exact same date, taken all over the city, cataloged and indexed so that you could know exactly what you were looking at. Big or small, I see this as a worthwhile community event that should be relatively easy to coordinate and if it was web based, it could cost almost nothing at all.

Every proud papa takes pictures of the baby and I'm of the opinion that we should be doing this for the City of Dunwoody on December 1st.

Is anyone interested in coordinating this? I'll assist.

Does anyone in Dunwoody have questions for the DeKalb PD?

The DeKalb PD has invited residents to stop by Perimeter Mall on Sat July 12th to ask questions and I will play nice and just post the news item without any editorial comments. (That's so unlike me.)

DEKALB COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT
I.C.P. & CRIME AWARENESS NORTH PRECINCT,
4453 Ashford Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody, Georgia 30364
Telephone: 770-297-3950 Fax: 770-297-3863

Dear North Precinct Resident,

Your Community is invited to attend the

Meet & Greet for the North Precinct

Saturday, July 12, 2008
10 am - 2 pm
@Perimeter Mall Parking Lot
4450 Ashford Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody, GA 30364

The DeKalb County Police Department is proud to invite you to the North Precinct Summer ICP Meet & Greet. This activity is designed to allow our communities and business owners to meet face to face with police personnel, view equipment and ask questions.

Respectfully,

Al Fowler, Public Education Specialist
DKPD North
404-294-2858
alfowler@co.dekalb.ga.us