Additional Public Comment Segment being requested for City Council Meetings.

Public Comment prior to Votes
may be worth the additional time.

A couple of meetings ago, I proposed that we include public comment prior to any vote affecting legislation and it was voted down by a slim margin. Immediately following that vote another amendment was made which allowed any member the council to defer any item for one meeting and that in turn passed by I believe the opposite slim margin. I couldn't find the meeting minutes from Dec 18th but that is when it happened.

These last minute amendments are scary for a lot of reasons, but the main one is that they have not been publicly vetted and nor does the public have a means to stop us from making a mistake until which time the deed is already done. This is why I am in favor of the additional public comment prior to votes as I have crafted below as well as in favor of the deferral option.

In an e-mail to the City Attorney on December 31st, I asked that we revisit public comment prior to votes and it was mistakenly not added to the agenda I received and posted to my site today. Therefore I have again requested that the following amendment be added to the agenda separately from the amendment already being proposed which would now reverse course and remove the ability of any member of the Council to defer any matter, one meeting.

In order to give you notice of what I intend to propose at the meeting here are the proposed changes in RED.

Section 19. Public Participation. Public participation in meetings of the City Council shall be permitted in accordance with the provisions of this section.

(a) Public Comments. The floor shall be open for public comments at three points during the meeting. The first public comments section will be provided immediately following the approval of the meeting agenda. This public comments period will last a maximum of thirty minutes, and speakers’ comments will be limited to three (3) minutes each.

Prior to the vote on any legislation, the chair of the meeting invites remarks from the public. Each speaker will be entitled to a total of two minutes to speak to any such item. Council will hear from one speaker in support – the Mayor will ask persons in the audience who are also in support to stand to be recognized. The Mayor will then entertain one speaker in opposition and follow the same process as for the speaker in support. The Mayor retains the ability to limit the number of speakers speaking on a subject depending upon the number of speakers and the number of items on the Council agenda that night.

In addition, the final agenda item of the meeting shall be reserved for comments from the public. Speakers’ comments during this period will be limited to three (3) minutes each. All members of the public wishing to address the City Council shall submit their name and the topic of their comments to the city clerk prior to the start of any meeting held by the City Council; provided, however, that if the applicants of rezoning actions or individuals who wish to oppose a rezoning action have contributed more than $250 to the campaign of a Council Member, the individual shall file a campaign disclosure form as required by O.C.G.A. § 36-67A-3 at least five (5) calendar days prior to the first hearing by the City Council. Individuals will be held to established time limits. These limits may be waived by a majority vote of the City Council. [Cross-reference: O.C.G.A. § 36-67A-3]

Tuesday Dunwoody City Council - Zoning, Speeding Ticket Fees & Allowing Drinking in the Park

Special - Tuesday Meeting of the Dunwoody City Council
Dunwoody United Methodist Church - 7 p.m.

Full Agenda

PUBLIC HEARING – City of Dunwoody Interim Comprehensive Plan

PUBLIC HEARING – City of Dunwoody Interim Future Land Use Map

Second Read, discussion and vote on Ordinance to adopt and approve the City of Dunwoody Interim Comprehensive Plan.

Second Read, discussion and vote on Ordinance to adopt and approve the City of Dunwoody Interim Future Land Use Map.

Second Read and vote on Ordinance to adopt the International Property Maintenance Code.

Second Read and vote on Ordinance to adopt the City of Dunwoody Budget for Fiscal Year 2009. It was amended at the last meeting but we didn't receive an updated copy for this meeting.

Second Read and vote on Ordinance to adopt the City of Dunwoody Fiscal Year.

Second Read and vote on Ordinance Authorizing the City of Dunwoody Tax Anticipation Note.

Second Read and vote on approving Ordinance granting Comcast of Georgia a Franchise Agreement for Cable and Video Services (deferred).

Discussion and vote on approving Resolution adopting a Fee Schedule for various planning and zoning functions (deferred).

Ordinance to adopt and approve the updated City of Dunwoody Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 27) and the updated Zoning Maps

Discussion and vote on approving a Resolution setting a Fee Schedule for the City of Dunwoody Municipal Court. Speeding 20 mph over = $225.00 fine. 1st DUI = $1,041.00

Discussion and vote on re-approving the Resolution for Rules and Procedures for City Council Meetings (as amended). Removes authority of any council member to defer an item for one meeting and I have requested additional public comment prior to all votes.

First Read of Ordinance to amend certain provisions of Chapter 16 (“Offenses and Violations”) of the City of Dunwoody Code of Ordinances. Allows drinking in the park with a permit, think bottle of wine at the Dunwoody Nature Center Concert.

Discussion and vote on approving a Resolution appointing an acting assistant city clerk.

EXECUTIVE SESSION for the purposes of legal, real estate, and personnel discussions.

Dunwoody set to fix potholes, other safety problems - AJC

By April Hunt for the AJC

Three different work crews will fan out across Dunwoody on Friday morning, the first day Georgia’s newest municipality will handle the nuts and bolts of cityhood.

The workers will patch potholes, replace worn or chipped road signs and double-check storm drains to make sure there is no flooding on what’s expected to be a rainy day.

“We have already been on call for emergencies 24 hours a day, but Friday, we want to be out and show that we are being proactive,” said Richard Meehan, the public works director.

Meehan and city manager Warren Hutmacher have already done a street-by-street analysis of the city, looking for problems or safety concerns.

Fixes to streetlights and some road signs were done by DeKalb County, which turns over the system Friday in what Meehan says is “good shape.”

Still, the city has compiled a list of 235 work orders, for projects ranging from filling minor potholes with a cold mix of gravel and asphalt to broken curbs and blocked storm drains.

With such a large list, the city plans to attack problems related to safety first. And with the weather too cold to use heated asphalt to repair potholes, only the smaller ones will be handled Friday.

The city has budgeted $175,000 for pothole repair alone, and additional money can be moved from other lines to boost that fund.

“Everybody who has been living with a pothole on their streets because they didn’t expect the county to fix it are going to call. We’re going to be inundated,” said councilman Robert Wittenstein.

Hutmacher said the city will not be able to resolve all the potholes because of cost and because of other issues.

For instance, the city lifted its moratorium on business and alcohol license applications on Wednesday. Still, the city must do zoning research before issuing those licenses, which also requires manpower.

“There is a lot on our plate,” Hutmacher said. “But we are ready to go.”

Dunwoody Preschool Open House - 16 Area Schools Represented

It is almost time to register your child for Preschool for Fall 2009 !

The North and South Dunwoody MOMs Clubs
would like to invite all interested parents to a Preschool Open House.

16 representatives from local preschools and surrounding areas
will be available to talk to parents about their preschool programs.

Tuesday, January 13, 2009
10:00 to 12 noon
St. Luke’s Presbyterian Church
1978 Mt. Vernon Road in Dunwoody

Free Childcare will be provided.

Directions: From the intersection of Chamblee-Dunwoody and Mt. Vernon, head east on Mt. Vernon. St. Luke's will be about 1/2 mile on your left. The Preschool Open House will be held in the church's Great Hall.

Preschools attending:

All Saints Catholic Church
Chamblee Methodist
The Day School at Sandy Springs
Dunwoody Baptist
Dunwoody Methodist
Kingswood Methodist
Montessori School of Dunwoody
Mt. Vernon Presbyterian
North Atlanta Church of Christ
North Springs Methodist
New Hope
St. Luke's Presbyterian
St. Martin's Episcopal
Sandy Springs Methodist
Weinstein School at JCC
Winters Chapel United Methodist

Questions?? Email Mindy Sherry mindysherry@yahoo.com

The Dunwoody MOMS Club is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping fellow MOMS find the resources and support they need.

‘Great Decisions 2009’ Foreign Policy series begins again in January

For over 50 years, ‘Great Decisions’, sponsored by the non-partisan Foreign Policy Association, has sponsored local groups to increase citizens’ understanding of world affairs. By bringing important issues to the town meeting level, participants can develop an informed opinion on the role that the United States should play in world affairs.

The eight-week series is based on a briefing book that participants will receive.
Each session will begin with a speaker and conclude with Q & A and discussion.

The Dunwoody group will meet at the United Methodist Church at 1546 Mt. Vernon Road on Thursday evenings from 7:30PM – 9 PM from January 22 through March 12.

Cost for the eight weeks and briefing book is $25. Advance registration is requested. Contact (770) 399-1821 or rllbol@bellsouth.net for the registration form.

Topics and speakers are:

1/22 The U.S. and Rising Powers: Dr. John Garver, Professor of International Relations at the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs, Georgia Institute Of Technology.

1/29 Afghanistan and Pakistan: Dr. Marion Creekmore, Jr., Visiting Professor at Emory University. Served as U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Deputy Chief of Mission in India and Deputy Afghan Coordinator.

2/5 Energy and the Global Economy: Dr. Jay Hakes, former Administrator of the Energy Information Administration; currently Director of the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library. 2008 Publication: A Declaration of Energy Independence.

2/12 The Arctic Age: Peter White, President Emeritus of the Southern Center for International Studies. Attended a high level conference in November in Shanghai to examine the future strategic relationship among China, Russia and the U.S. and two conferences in Toronto, one specifically addressing The Arctic.

2/19 Universal Human Rights? Dr. John Stremlau, vice president for peace programs at The Carter Center where he oversees programs to advance human rights, democracy and conflict resolution.

2/26 Global Food supply: Dr. Gordon Streeb, currently Visiting Professor of Economics at Emory University. Previously Ambassador to Zambia and Director of the Global Development Initiative at the Carter Center.

3/5 Cuba After Castro: Dr. Jennifer McCoy, Professor of Political Science at Georgia State University and Director of the Americas Program at The Carter Center. Organized and accompanied President Carter on his 2002 trip to Cuba.

3/12 Egypt in the 21st Century: Dr. Dona Stewart, Associate Professor and Director of the Middle East Institute at Georgia State University. She has studied and worked in Egypt periodically since 1988.

Pick the Welcome to Dunwoody Sign

Thanks to the donated services of several graphic artists in the area, the city of Dunwoody will soon have its own greeting signs on its borders. The final decision, however, is up to you. Two graphic artists in the area, Steven Fuller and Earl Cole, designed and submitted about 20 designs for the city signs. The designs were gathered by Dunwoody Homeowners’ Association board member Bob Lundsten and submitted to the Dunwoody City Council, who narrowed it down to three finalists. The top three logos have now been submitted for the public to consider.

Please vote now.