Dunwoody City Council Agenda for Monday July 24, 2023 (Pay Raises for Police and others, Pay Chart, Girls Softball, Drug Rehab Centers, City Gateway Signs, DeKalb Sales Tax)

DUNWOODY CITY COUNCIL MEETING
July 24, 2023 - 6:00 PM
DUNWOODY CITY HALL - DUNWOODY HALL
4800 ASHFORD DUNWOODY ROAD
DUNWOODY, GA 30338

Agenda 6 pm  - City Site Agenda 

City Council meetings are live-streamed on the City of Dunwoody’s Facebook page. 

They are also available for viewing (no two way communication) on Zoom,
https://dunwoodyga-gov.zoom.us/j/82324264973 or  phone +14702509358,82324264973#

You can access the video after the meeting on the City of Dunwoody’s YouTube page.

Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance

Public comments - in person 3 min each / 30 min max with additional at end of meeting if needed.

Approval of Conversion of Contracted Positions to City Positions

Approval of Amendment to Position Allocation and Compensation Chart

Approval of Budget Amendment for Pay Raises

Facility Usage Agreement with Dunwoody High School Softball Booster Club Inc.

Resolution Extending a Moratorium on Drug Rehabilitation Centers and Other Facilities for Treatment of Drug Dependency

     Feb 27, 2023 - First Resolution Establishing a Moratorium on Drug Rehabilitation Centers

Gateway Sign Construction Contract

SPLOST Update - (DeKalb County - Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax)

      https://www.dekalbcountyga.gov/splost/dekalb-county-splost

• In other meetings of interest, looks like a new Bru Pub and Restaurant might be coming to Project Renaissance (Shallowford Rd) as the Urban Redevelopment Agency has been working that project for quite some time.
  
  
• At the July 20th Dunwoody Development Authority Meeting it looks like some changes were offered to the Senior Apartment / Commercial Project at 84 Perimeter Center East across from the Mall.  Guessing both of these items will be better explained at a future City Council Meeting.

Dunwoody City Council Agenda for Monday July 10, 2023 (Police Pay Raise, Street Tree Program, Budget, Millage Tax Rate)

DUNWOODY CITY COUNCIL MEETING
July 10, 2023 - 6:00 PM
DUNWOODY CITY HALL - DUNWOODY HALL
4800 ASHFORD DUNWOODY ROAD
DUNWOODY, GA 30338

Agenda 6 pm  - City Site Agenda 

City Council meetings are live-streamed on the City of Dunwoody’s Facebook page. 

They are also available for viewing (no two way communication) on Zoom,
https://dunwoodyga-gov.zoom.us/j/83571238287  or  phone +14702509358,,83571238287#

You can access the video after the meeting on the City of Dunwoody’s YouTube page.

Invocation

Class 2023-003 Teen Police Academy Graduates (Chief Billy Grogan, Sgt.Anwar Sillah)

Public comments - in person 3 min each / 30 min max with additional at end of meeting if needed.

City Manager's Report (Eric Linton)

Presentation of FY2022 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report

Public Hearing & Vote for Establishing 2023 Millage Rate

FIRST READ: Review and Consideration of a Text Amendment to Create Regulations for Residential Substance Abuse Treatment Centers

FIRST READ: Review and Consideration of a Text Amendment to Create Regulations for Medical Cannabis Dispensaries

SECOND READ: RZ 23-02, 84 Perimeter Center East: Modification of the Zoning Conditions of Case RZ 20-03, to Remove Condition #25

SECOND READ: SLUP 23-03, 84 Perimeter Center East: Modification of the Special Land Use Permit Conditions of Case SLUP 20-02, to Remove Condition #25

Trees Atlanta Front Yard Tree Planting Program

Apply Today for free street trees - Highly Recommend

SECOND READ: RZ 23-01, 4470 Chamblee Dunwoody Road: Request to Rezone 4470 Chamblee Dunwoody Road from O-I to O-D

 SECOND READ: SLUP 23-01, 4470 Chamblee Dunwoody Road: Request for a Special Land Use Permit to Increase the Maximum Allowed Height to 4 stories.

FY2023 Budget Amendment for General Fund Revenue Adjustments

Discussion of Amendment of City Position Allocation and Compensation Chart

Discussion of Conversion of Contracted Financial Control Positions to City Positions

Interested in being the Mayor of Dunwoody or on our City Council? Election Registration is scheduled to start August 21, 2023

Tuesday, November 7, 2023 is the next General Election for the City of Dunwoody.  On that day the Mayor and three at-large representatives (the three City Council members who live in districts 1, 2 or 3 and then are elected by all residents within the city limits); are up for election. Mayor Lynn Deutsch is up for reelection in possibly her second of her two, term limited terms.  Stacey Harris is the at-large representative in district 1; Joe Seconder is the at-large representative in district 2 and I (John Heneghan) am the representative in district 3.

I am happy announce that I have decided to run for reelection, as I believe I still have the drive to make positive changes within the city I love.  I am unsure of others reelection plans, nor have I heard of others who are planning to throw their name into the hat.  The Dunwoody City Council is comprised of seven individuals, with differing skill sets, professions, backgrounds and beliefs; as it is those differences that add flavor to our governance and hopefully with spirited discussions and analysis we make better decisions for the people we represent. 

Candidates interested in serving, must be registered and qualified to vote. They must have lived in the City of Dunwoody for a continuous period of 12 months immediately prior to the date of the election. In addition, they must have lived in the district for which they’re running for a continuous period of six months immediately prior to the date of the election. If elected, they must continue to reside in their district while serving on Council.

All persons desiring to run for the office of Mayor or City Council shall qualify at City Hall, 4800 Ashford Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody, Georgia 30338 in the office of the City Clerk, beginning at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, August 21, 2023, and ending at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, August 23, 2023.  
The qualifying fee for the office of Mayor is $480.00 and the qualifying fee for the office of City Council is $360.00.

As the longest sitting member of the Dunwoody City Council & Mayor Pro Tem, I am happy to discuss with anyone interested in serving on Council, about the position, the responsibilities, duties and benefits of serving your community on the City Council.   I am truly honored to be in this position and I hope with your approval, I can continue my service to the community as it is a privilege I take very seriously.  I strive to represent and work hard on your behalf , doing so humbly yet diligently with passion while ensuring that the City of Dunwoody operates transparently and fairly for all involved.  If you are ready to do the same, please join me (or replace me) on Council.  If you want to talk, just send me an email at John.Heneghan@DunwoodyGA.gov and include a phone number so I can call you back.

The Dunwoody City Council is compensated with a salary of $12 thousand dollars per year, a small expense account and optional health insurance benefits.  There are financial reporting requirements for council whereby you need to report all assets, individual stocks and other fiduciary responsibilities. If you plan on accepting financial donations to fund your campaign there are lots of reporting rules associated with that as well.  Our City Clerk, Ms. Sharon Lowery (one of the best in the State) is happy to discuss with anyone interested in running for council the legalities of doing so. 

As I have been blogging for as long as I have been elected, I have written numerous articles on past elections, including results and past tally's here.  I have highlighted Dunwoody Candidate profiles and various other election paraphernalia here.

Here is a link to a detailed map showing the boundaries for the the three districts within Dunwoody and below is the city election link outlining the qualification of Council Elections as pulled from the city website.

Please reach out if I can assist you in anything related to the City of Dunwoody.

Thanks,

John

John.Heneghan@Dunwoodyga.gov

More important links:

City of Dunwoody General Election Information

Declaration of Intent to Accept Campaign Contributions

Notice of Candidacy (filed with the City Clerk during qualifying)

Campaign Contribution Disclosure Report (City Clerk can explain during qualifying)

Personal Financial Disclosure - all candidates are required to file this within 15 days of the date they qualify. It is for the previous calendar year. 

Affidavit of Exemption Not to Exceed $2,500 in Contributions - Candidates who files this affidavit will not be required to file a Campaign Contribution Disclosure Report unless/until they exceed $2,500 in contributions.

For more information, email City Clerk Sharon Lowery.

Dunwoody 4th of July Parade kicks off at 9 a.m. and there are local fireworks on July 3rd & 4th.

On Tuesday, July 4, 2023 at 9:00 a.m., the Dunwoody Homeowners Association and Rough Draft Atlanta will host the annual Fourth of July Parade featuring marching bands, floats, clowns, animal units and local celebrities. Last year the parade attracted over 2,500 participants and 32,000 spectators!

This year's theme: 50 Years of Wildcat Pride - Celebrating Dunwoody High School's Past, Present, and Future featuring Grand Marshals: Principal “Coach” Tom Bass and Steve Fortenberry

Parade Route

The parade route is approximately 2.7 miles and steps off from the intersection of Mount Vernon Road and Jett Ferry Road at 9:00 a.m., proceeds west on Mt. Vernon to Dunwoody Village, turns right onto Dunwoody Village Parkway, circles around the Parkway, and left into Dunwoody Village in between First Watch and Citizens Bank . Volunteers will guide parade participants to parade parking (Post Office Side). The Festival Area will be on the Walgreens side of Dunwoody Village. It takes approximately 1 hour to walk the entire parade route.

Viewing Information:
Parade spectators are encouraged to setup chairs along Mt. Vernon and circle around the Dunwoody Village Parkway into Dunwoody Village. Spectators will be blocked from viewing on the east side of Jett Ferry on Mt. Vernon due to the staging and setup for parade participants. Viewing will start on the west side of Jett Ferry on Mt. Vernon.

Mt. Vernon Road, between Jett Ferry Road and Dunwoody Village, will be closed from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. [times are approximate; contact the Dunwoody Police Department for specific questions about road closures and traffic information].

After the parade, hang around the Village for Slope's BBQ from Troop 266, hot dogs from the Dunwoody Rotary & lots of Family Fun. DHS Band will be preforming as will Dunwoody Idol winner Beatrix Boehner,plus there will be a bounce house for little one along with King of Pops and Kona Ice.

Fireworks !!!!!

3rd of July - Lillian Webb Park & Downtown Norcross Fireworks - 9:00 pm

Downtown Norcross is a great little destination with a few great restaurants, drinking establishments, shops and public parks with a train running by to wave to.  When my children were little Thrasher Park was our favorite place to visit because of the big trees, shaded playground and the regular train running by.  Norcross does a nice family event on the 3rd; get out there by mid-evening to layout the blankets and set some chairs; more then likely there will be friends and neighbors from Dunwoody surrounding you. Walk the downtown, visit the shops, food trucks, listen to the band & DJ until the fireworks show kicks off at 9:30.

4th of July - Chamblee City Hall / Downtown Fireworks (new location) - 9:00 pm

For many years our family would do the Dunwoody parade, spend the afternoon doing numerous events (watermelon races, splash contests, diving for change or beer, water volleyball)  at my local swim tennis club and then if we still had the energy we would head over to Chamblee to see the fireworks show.  The show is usually quite impressive and this year the show has been moved to downtown Chamblee near City Hall.  Get there early and parking in the immediate area will be tough.

4th of July - City Springs Fireworks in Sandy Springs - 9:00 pm

Living on the Southside of Dunwoody, Keswick Park in Chamblee is easy for me but I know many of you are closer to Sandy Springs who also puts on a nice fireworks show preceded by a band.

Dunwoody Budget Committee Meeting - Thursday June 29, 8:30 am

DUNWOODY BUDGET COMMITTEE
SPECIAL CALLED MEETING
JUNE 29, 2023 - 8:30:00 AM

I hope everyone is enjoying their summer.  My boys are busy with various work & Boy Scout activities so my bride and I are trying to squeeze in a few trips without them.  (Dreaming of empty nesting but we have awhile to go.)

The next City Council meeting is several weeks away but Staff has called for a special Budget Committee meeting this Thursday morning at 8:30 to discuss Police Compensation & Staffing Levels.   The packet for the meeting is nothing more than the agenda which states that the topic is "Discussion of Amendments to the City's Position Allocation and Compensation Chart and Budgetary Impact".

Here is the latest City's Position Allocation and Compensation Chart for your reading pleasure whereby the Police Department comprises a very large percentage of City Staff, as most other employees are contracted.

Also released in the last week is the FY2022 Annual Comprehensive Financial Statements which will be presented at the July 10th meeting by representative from our external auditor, Mauldin & Jenkins.

A big change in 2023 budget vs the 2022 budget is that in 2022 the City utilized $10,000,000 of revenue replacement funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to free up General Fund funding for the creation a fund called ARP2 which removed the federal strings from the original funding.   This was done by charging public safety salaries in 2023 to the grant, taking the funding that was to be used for those salaries to create the ARP2 fund.  Some cities used ARP funding to keep existing operations afloat, Dunwoody did not have to do that - managing its finances accordingly. 

I'm not sure how this ARPA revenue replacement will affect the 2023 budget but we will know more once the draft is released, we will all know more soon.

If you want to listen in to the meeting or visit in person, the information is below.

DUNWOODY BUDGET COMMITTEE
SPECIAL CALLED MEETING
JUNE 29, 2023 - 8:30:00 AM
Dunwoody City Hall - City Manager Conference Room
4800 Ashford Dunwoody Rd, Dunwoody, GA 30338

Agenda 8:30 am  - City Site Agenda 

The meeting will be available on Zoom (no two way communication and it may be just audio)
https://dunwoodyga-gov.zoom.us/j/86076780449  or  phone +14702509358,,86076780449#

City Council meetings are usually live-streamed on the City of Dunwoody’s Facebook page but guessing this small committee meeting arranged in the City Manager's conference room does not have those capabilities.

Food Truck Thursday looks like a nice evening and as always I am looking forward to the Fourth of July Parade; hope to see y'all there.      John

City of Dunwoody to hold public hearing Monday at 8 am & 6 pm for Tax Rate discussions.

 

 Link to Millage Rate Explanation

DUNWOODY CITY COUNCIL

SPECIAL CALLED MEETING

JUNE 12, 2023 - 8:00:00 AM

DUNWOODY CITY HALL - DUNWOODY HALL

4800 ASHFORD DUNWOODY ROAD

DUNWOODY, GEOGIA 30338

Agenda 8 am  - City Site Agenda 

Please click this URL to join. https://dunwoodyga-gov.zoom.us/j/81306520136

Monday morning at 8 am the Dunwoody City Council (and again at 6 pm), will be holding public hearings regarding our plan to maintain the current (and I believe maximum without citizen vote) millage tax rate of 3.040 mills.  Because commercial and non-homestead properties went up in value but most owner occupied homes did not, the city is projected to collect a few extra dollars even at the same tax rate, therefore we need to have hearings to tell you that.   

What is not yet calculated by staff is what is the City of Dunwoody's cost of doing business but I can tell you the expenses are going up and the slight increase in revenue will be stretched thin to cover those expenses.

One thing I know for sure, the Dunwoody Police Officers compensation will be thoroughly scrutinized by the administration, and Council and then possibly raised to match or at least be comparable to our neighbors.

Staff proposed to keep the city’s millage rate frozen this year at 3.040 mills. About one third of city’s General Fund budget is funded through property taxes. Now that the draft city digest figures are in, the Council must adopt the millage rate. There needs to be three public hearings per state law. The selected dates were those on which the city already had a scheduled Council meeting: June 12 (8 a.m. and 6 p.m.) and one on July 10 (6 p.m.)

State law also requires the city to advertise a 1.57% increase in taxes, despite the city having a law on its books where all homesteaded properties home values are frozen for city tax purposes. Approximately 85% of all residential properties have their values frozen, meaning unless the rate goes up, their city taxes will not go up. The rate is being held constant this year.

Also, all homestead properties receive an additional one mill reduction, so their effective tax from the city is 2.040.

If the other governments with taxing jurisdiction keep their rates the same, the 2023 bill for a typical Dunwoody home ($500K value frozen at $400k) will look as follows.

Based on staff calculations, the typical City of Dunwoody residence will be paying $296 a year (or .81 cents a day) for city services.