Dunwoody Happenings April May 2013

First off, the Publix on Chamblee Dunwoody Road Main Street has a shipment of new grocery carts.  These new carts roll smoothly across the industrial linoleum. I am still adjusting to the store re-set they did here five months ago. 

Lemonade Days
Lemonade Days has come and gone.  Our staff met recently to discuss the event.  Of course the event was great - the #1 source of social networking for kids aged 10-15.  There is only one weak spot in the Lemonade Days format - what should the adults do while the kids ride?  The idea of a beer tent has been kicked around, but it does not fit this event.  Live music acts and other theatrical events were presented this year to a less than stellar crowd.

music group

Vandy Dancers

Lemonade Days has a large tent at one end of the midway. The tent is used for their VIP night on Wednesday evening, then plays host to various music groups and some other various entertainment.  The tent is not a source of income for the Dunwoody Preservation Trust, but is an expense.  The people coming to see the music are not buying ride tickets.  They are coming to see their friends in the band.

So what can be put in this tent?  One word:  BINGO

Bingo is entertaining, low cost to operate, and keeps parents occupied.  And DPT can profit from it.  There are many ways to do BINGO at Lemonade days.  Traditional, Big Money, Disco, etc. 



BINGO at Lemonade Days provides something for parents to do while their kids ride.  It can generate some money, and it does not cost much to operate. Steve B can drop the Trivia Night stuff for a week and announce.  You could probably sell sponsorships for the Bingo Tent and the Bingo Cards.  Cash prizes and also gift certificates from local merchants.

Dunwoody Arts Festival
The Other Dunwoody (you down with OTD?  yeah you know me) took in the sights and sounds of the Mother's Day weekend event.  See HERE.

The festival was great, very crowded.  Hopefully the vendors took home some ca$h.  A few people observed what appeared to be an increase in non-art vendors.  Gutters, roof, landscaping, junk haulers, and banks.  And some local businesses were not happy, as can be expected.  The gas station was not very busy due to its entrances closed.  But I know on Sunday there was a wait at J Christopher's and Hick House for breakfast/brunch. 

I'm sure the city and Arts Festival Lady will meet and make some adjustments.  TOD is correct that the festival should be on Da Vil Pkwy. 

Arts Festival

Lemonade Days

Lemonade Days

Peachtree Charter Middle School Awards Night

Dunwoody School Daze blog must have skipped class yesterday as she missed an event, the PCMS Awards Night.  Lots of outstanding students honored for their hard work

Dunwoody Arts Festival May 11 & 12 2013

It's Mother's Day weekend and that means the Dunwoody Arts Festival is back.  More people walk the streets of Dunwoody this weekend more than any other time of the year.  Only the Independence Day parade comes close.  Food, music, crafts.

Exhibit A for Gene Walker Trial Just Submitted

Walker now has 7 million pieces of evidence in Exhibit A

It's no secret to those living in DeKalb County that Gene Walker is challenging the State of Georgia and the governor over a law that removed him from the school board.  I've written here before that I think the law is bad.  People should be voted out of office or recalled from office. I still think Walker wins in front of the Georgia Supreme Court and the entire school board is reinstated.  And we'd be in no worse situation with the old board than we are with the new Board and Thurmond.

The big scare in DeKalb was losing accreditation.  That can be solved in ninety days without doing much of anything.  Step 1 is move away from system-wide accreditation (like 90% of other school districts in Georgia).  Step 2 is to have each high school receive its accreditation from GAC, not SACS.  The problem of accreditation would be solved.  Mr. Walker is one of the top political men in Georgia over the past 30 years. He continually outflanks his opponents and haters, and seems to take great pride in doing so.  He is playing chess and his political foes are playing checkers.  But Walker did make one error - he failed to get the board and superintendent  to move the system away from SACS.  He underestimated Elgart and Fran. When Walker is reinstated his first move will be removing SACS.

Accreditation is no longer an issue in DeKalb.  Elgart and SACS will move them up a notch before the legislators meet early in 2014. A move is on to go to dual accreditation, allowing high schools to receive accreditation from a secondary source (GAC).  SACS doesn't like this idea, but they can't stop it legally.  Thurmond is playing hardball on the dual accreditation issue, but the Board seems to favor it, as a backup plan. The new Board also sees how SACS can bully them and the new Board does not want SACS pulling the strings.  All the new Board members (appointed) will run for office next year, and the dual accreditation issue will look nice on campaign literature. But Walker will soon give Thurmond the wink and nod to support the dual accreditation. Why?  It protects DeKalb students and paves the way for a smoother triumphant return for Walker & Co.  With all high schools fully accredited (we hope), the people of DeKalb will again bury their collective heads in the sand dunes of DeKalb.

The other SACS complaint and reason for placing the district on probation was due to financial issues.  Claims were made the Board mismanaged funds.  This was not true with a deficit and not true with the new false surplus.  It was the central office employees (hired and kept in place by the Board) that were/are incompetent.  And under Thurmond they are not going away so we are right where we were a year ago.  But the BIG NEWS is that the DeKalb School System is not broke, but in fact has a surplus of $27 million dollars, $7 million of 'found' money.  This is Exhibit A for Gene Walker.  There was no financial wrong-doings under Walker's watch is what we will be told, and he now has 7 million pieces of evidence.  But those of you new to DeKalb doings realize there is no surplus.  These funds were mostly set aside dollars for after school programs and funds used for active boards and books.  This $27 million was simply moved from schools to the general fund.  A shameful accounting trick no doubt.  But hey, we have a $27 million surplus.  Tell that to the kids and parents and teachers suffering in this corrupt school system.

Of course we have a new CFO.  The prior CFO pulled a disappearing act as soon as the $7 million was "discovered".  The former CFO was doing too good of a job, that's most likely why he is gone.  His replacement was CFO under Vernon Jones.

As Mr. Walker awaits his Due Process (something not granted to him or the other Board members when they were removed from office), he will continue to orchestrate his plan of discovering evidence, all from the sidelines.  The governor, the local political posse, and Mr. Elgart, like all before them, will be out maneuvered by one of the best.

Touché, Mr. Walker.

But the local strategists can still win, but only if Independent School Districts are created in DeKalb.

South DeKalb Residents Our Ticket to a Dunwoody School District? City of Stonecrest?

Residents in south DeKalb have joined the movement for a new city and possibly a new school district.

Jason Lary

Here's a link to a story about the proposed City of Stonecrest. Senator Ronald Ramsey supports the idea, as do Sen. Jason Carter and Sen. Gail Davenport.  Not quite a "when pigs fly" scenario, but we  loo forward to Tom Taylor and Fran Millar meeting with Senator Ronald Ramsey and discussing something they can do together, as a team - pass legislation to allow us to vote on the Independent School District issue.

Not my map, but one "borrowed" from some guy in Tucker

City of Stonecrest would be lower right corner of the above map

Down in the southeast corner of DeKalb there is a movement to become a city.  Although not entirely, part of that movement is to separate from the DeKalb School System.  Depending on how the lines are drawn, the new city could include Arabia Mountain, a top DeKalb high school that is on par with Chamblee and Dunwoody high schools.  The city could also pick up the Miller Grove area. 

Hopefully Senator Fran Millar can discuss this city/Independent School District issue with Senator Ramsey. 

Here's a link to the City of Tucker Initiative blog

Dunwoody School Report Card Scores 2013

The State of Georgia released the grades for public schools today.  What grades did your schools earn?  Keep in mind the scores are for ALL the school's students. As a parent the only thing that matters is YOUR kid, so don't push the panic button if your kid's school is lower than others.  Is your kid learning and gaining skills they will need for college and the work place?

 See scores at the AJC

Dunwoody Crier Story on Campaign Contirbutions and Zoning

The Dunwoody Crier has a story this week regarding zoning and campaign disclosure forms.  See HERE for story.


Here's the story.  Bob Dallas ran for mayor against Mike Davis.  Mr. Dallas accepted campaign funds from lawyers and developers.  We have no issue with that.  Mr. Dallas did nothing wrong in accepting campaign funds. He ran for office and people wanted to contribute to his campaign. People contribute to campaign for many reasons.  Mr. Dallas did not win the election, but he is on the Planning Commission.  Mayor Davis did not seek to replace his campaign opponent, but instead recognized Mr. Dallas' experience in government and so Mr. Dallas is vice-chair of Dunwoody's Planning Commission.

Down on Ashford Duwoody Road a group going by the name of HDP Acquisitions needs the city's blessing to change their site plan and change zoning.  For this particular case, HDP presents to Community Council, then Planning Commission, then City Council.  Prior to meeting with the Community Council and Planning Board, HDP is required to submit a packet of information.  The packet includes site plans, maps, city forms, and financial disclosures.

They need to first go to the Community Council (they did, and that Board voted 5-1 in favor of their changes.  I was the lone 'no' vote, full disclosure.) I feel this Board was strongly influenced by the city attorney's testimony regarding a 1980 deed at the hearing. I think the city attorney is wrong on basing his decision of allowing the curb-cut based solely on one document and more on this will be posted soon.

Next HDP goes in front of the Planning Commission. The Planning Commission voted 'Yes' also, in a 4-3 vote.  So far, so good for HDP.  The video of this hearing is available on the city's web site.  Bob Dallas, a Dunwoody resident, is on the Planning Commission.  You can watch and listen to him promote to fellow Board members the full approval of HDP's requests. No issue with that.  He has experience in this area and he should speak his mind.  There's a reason he is on that Board.

But here's where the story takes a slight turn.  The Dallas campaign received $500 from one HDP attorney, $1000 more from the firm employing her and another attorney (the 'other' attorney was the person presenting to Dallas and the Planning Commission).

Incomplete document.  Perhaps the two attorneys should have left both boxes unchecked as well.

In addition, the Dallas campaign received $1000 from Hotel Equities.  Hotel Equities appears to be related to the applicant, HDP Acquisitions.

According to signed documents neither attorney or the hotel group admitted to these campaign contributions.

All committee members received this packet in advance.  Part of these packets are the sign campaign disclosure forms.

I'll go out on a limb here and state that Mr. Dallas would vote to approve this project even if he had not received campaign contributions from the two attorneys and the developer.  I don't think for a moment the money had any influence on him.  But I do think both sides of this issue should have informed city staff and fellow board members of the contributions.

So now what?  Do the votes on the Community Council and Planning Commission still stand?  What action does the city take regarding the inaccurate and incomplete disclosure forms?  Will 'Dunwoody Community' tweet this story?  Will the rain stop so I can mow the lawn? 

Fulton County Hears Sandy Springs Residents Loud and Clear on School Issue

As predicted the Fulton County school system pulled the idea of relocating a Sandy Springs elementary school to Riverside Drive.  Why?  Because some residents starting some chatter about creating a new Sandy Springs or N Fulton school district.  And the folks at the Fulton central office know the POWER of N Fulton legislators can make it happen.

So with the chit chat of a Sandy Springs school district dampened a bit this afternoon, back to the fight here in north DeKalb.  Looks like we may be in this battle alone.  Maybe.  The Sandy Springs folks, with a quick victory under their belt, will begin to wonder how and why the Fulton school system caved so quickly.  Fulton school officials will blame it on sewer lines or expensive street widening, but we know the real reason.



Here's the link to the updated Patch article HERE.

Hopefully the drive for local control is alive and growing in Sandy Springs, Brookhaven, Milton, and Johns Creek. 

Dunwoody Planning Commision Says YES to Another Driveway on Ashford Dunwoody Road

UPDATE:

The main reason for the developer wanting the curb cut is NOT for the hotel, but to increase value of the Ashford Dunwoody Rd frontage.  It has been revealed the #1 goal is to secure the new driveway then divide the land into at least four new parcels then sell these parcels.  The driveway WILL NOT stop the hotel.  The driveway is wanted to increase the value of the land to add four or more new businesses to the front of the property.

We have no issue with increasing the value of a property and making some nice profits, but how about being up front with everyone on the real issue for wanting the driveway?

Planning Commission Votes 4-3 in Favor of Developer

For purposes of maintaining readers, please note we will use the human term of 'driveway' instead of the transportation geek term 'curb cut' today.

Last night the Planning Commission approved two applications for rezoning a property on Ashford Dunwoody Road.  The property is known as Sterling Point and is across from California Pizza Kitchen (not related to Mellow Mushroom Pizza, home to cold Hoegaarden on draft and freshly made hot pizza).

As was the case with one person on the Community Council and the Dunwoody Homeowners Association, everyone likes the plan except the new driveway to the property.  Some people oppose this new driveway.  In the end, the driveway plan gets approved 4-3.  It was touch and go during the meeting, and in the end some board members see shiny new buildings and alleged fancy restaurants as a reason to approve the new driveway.  There is no doubt the driveway makes the property more valuable.  But does adding yet another driveway on Ashford Dunwoody Road make sense?  The property has traffic lights on each side of it, making side access quite easy.

This project has been promoted by the developer as a hotel site, and a few retail features added in.  The developer's spokesman said it is a $28 million project and will bring in tens of millions of $$$ over the next couple of decades.

But this project is more than a hotel.  The rendering will show a Hampton Inn, two restaurants, and two retail stores, all developed jointly in harmony.  But this project will not be developed in that manner.

Yes, the hotel will be built first.  The golden rule of any type of mixed use is to build the beds first.  In this case, beds = hotel.  At the numerous failed mixed use (live, work, play) projects around the country beds = apartments.

Hampton Inn is a nice brand.  Sure beats an extended-stay homeless / Section 8 shelter hotel.  Hampton Inn has many different designs. They have the basic cookie-cutter Interstate Exit model and an in-town version.  I'm sure the hotel will be nice.

But that's where the facts end.  What about the four spaces up front on Ashford Dunwoody Road?  We've heard of a white table cloth restaurant.  Not sure what that could be.  Perhaps a Ruth Chris (the Sandy Springs Ruth Chris is a bad location)?

Here's what will most likely happen - the developer, once it secures the driveway off Ashford Dunwoody, will seek to create four separate lots and sell each lot.  This will not be one big project with one owner.

Back to that driveway.  The property owner says it has a legal right to a driveway, via a 1980 agreement.

"Said curb cuts are to be made at locations in the discretion of the owner"

Did the property owner from 1980 agree to use both curb cuts some point(s) north of Perimeter Center North?

Above are images important to this case.  One is a drawing of a plat of Land Lot 350 with text stating the property owner is permitted two driveways onto Ashford Dunwoody Road for the property on Land Lot 350. Land Lot 350 is no longer owned by one person, so when/if a property is subdivided, to whom goes the alleged driveway access?

driveway (curb cut x 2) on Ashford Dunwoody Road on Land Lot 350

UPDATE
Above is a photo of two curb cuts on Land Lot 350.  The land owner in 1980 was promised two curb cuts, and here they are!

I doubt we will see a white tablecloth restaurant at this site, not in front of a Hampton Inn.  Look for a Panera Bread and either a Waffle House or an IHOP. The retail shops?  Maybe a Verizon phone center and a Walgreen's.  Once those lots are sold (expect four new parcels to be created) and with new zoning in place, who knows what will be built.

The issue here is not the legality of a driveway.  The issue is: Did the property owner knowingly give up the right to the driveway back in 2008 to get the property rezoned?  Is the property owner asking for a second bite at the apple?

Odyssey of the Mind Team at Peachtree Middle School

Thousands of kids have been working hard all year perfecting their solutions
to Odyssey of the Mind problems and competing within their regions and
states. Only a few will advance to World Finals - these teams represent the
best of the best creative minds.

One of those teams is from Dunwoody.  The Peachtree Charter Middle School 

team has earned the right to compete with the best of the best.

Teams from around the world will compete in the 34th Odyssey of the Mind
World Finals. The competition emphasizes creativity and teamwork and has
grown into the largest international creative problem-solving competition
worldwide.

While the competition is fierce, there is also a feeling of camaraderie
among competitors. Many students form life-long friendships that span the
U.S. and the globe. At World Finals, teams have the chance to learn about
other cultures through a common goal . . . to be as creative as they can!

Here is our PCMS Odyssey of Mind Team - State Champions - heading to WorldFinals at Michigan State University!







Virginia Luquire
Ginna Feiman
Kara Christopher
Karen Bass (coach)
Jackson Watson
Patrick Clinch
Maggie Bass
Bebe Franco

We Need Big Sis Sandy Springs to Get What We Want

As Dunwoody parents struggle to gain traction with dual accreditation and questions of influence at the State Capitol surface regarding political pull to get a new school district measure on a State ballot, a glimmer of hope from Sandy Springs.

See the Sandy Springs Patch article HERE.

Mayor Would Side With Potentially Displaced Homeowners' in Fight for New School District

The Fulton County Board of Ed. is considering the relocation of Heards Ferry Elementary to the southern end of Riverside Drive in Sandy Springs. Residents are at risk of eminent domain and neighbors are considering a fight for a new school district.

 

Seems there is a new elementary school being built in Sandy Springs (SS if part of the Fulton County School District).  Some folks don't like the new location and fear redistricting.  Note: Redistricting of schools is feared in the USA like the Bird Flu is in China.

So what do these Sandy Springs residents threaten if they don't get their way? They will start a movement for a new school district - a north Fulton school district.  It's about time!  This is the key to a Dunwoody school district, as we have mentioned here before.  Dunwoody alone does not have the political power to get it done - we need mad residents in Sandy Springs, Milton, Roswell, and Johns Creek.  These folks have the POWER in Jan, Wendall, etc. 

I expect the Fulton County School District to give these residents what they want - they know the POWER

The City of Decayed-Wood, Georgia

DunwoodyTalk is known for stirring the pot, but also known for suggesting not only a new pot, but a better one.  Today our staff met with high-level officials from Dunwoody and Decatur - the end result is both cities will lobby residents of both cities to join forces.  This new city, DecayedWood, will be a joint venture of Decatur and Dunwoody.

The good news is that the children of Dunwoody will no longer be ignored educated by the DeKalb County School System. But before we jump ahead to schools, there is a road map we need to follow.  First, the City of Dunwoody Charter is burned on the FarmHouse balcony in an emotional ceremony.  Speakers from around Dunwoody can give tear-jerking speeches about the Dinky railroad, the steam car wash, Mellow Mushroom (home to cold beer and fresh hot pizza, made with spring water), and the Major Dunwody (one "o", thank you) himself. The old saying, "When Pigs Fly" will be carved into the large oak at the FarmHouse as Decatur and Dunwoody merge to DecayedWood.

Once the Charter's ashes are swept into a Dahlonega-gold lined urn and buried behind the Georgetown Kroger, the residents of Dunwoody and Decatur will vote to become ONE.

A thin line (2.4 mm) joins Decatur and Dunwoody

And why would these two opposite-ends-of-the rainbow join forces?  After all, Decatur is the left-leaning granola chompin' cousin to Berkley, CA and Dunwoody is the alleged Smart City, conservative cousin to Provo, UT.  Or so we're told.

First let's look at schools.  Dunwoody folks desperately want out of the corrupt and failed school system known as DeKalb County School System.  Thurmond is the same as Lewis, Atkinson, and Tyson. Thurmond could care less about Dunwoody today, and could care less about Dunwoody tomorrow.  As long as the money flows in from the Dunwoody tax base he is happy.  Dunwoody taxpayers have confiscated contribute approximately $150 million dollars to the DeKalb School System.  It costs about $80 million to operate the Dunwoody cluster.  Decatur has a great school system, operating on a budget of $39 million for 3500 students.  Dunwoody has about 9700 school-aged students (about 7500 in DeKalb schools, the rest in private school or home-schooled or paying tuition to Fulton County schools. Yes, you can pay tuition to attend a Fulton school).

Decatur, by annexing Dunwoody, could cut their school tax rate by at least 25%, and still increase their school budget to $60 million, lowering class size and raising teacher salaries.  Hear that Decatur parents?  Pay 25% less in school taxes and get lower classroom sizes and increase spending on the arts and music programs (you know they love the arts in Decatur so we need to entice them with increased spending in this area).  You can also spend more for athletics, debate team, chess club, and every other program.  All budgets will increase 50% just by Friending us on Citybook.

And what does Dunwoody get? Well, we are no longer part of the DeKalb School System.  That alone wins many votes, but there is more. We would have a charter system like Fulton County schools.  We control the checkbook for the new Decatur-North School cluster.  We hire and fire staff.  We reduce class sizes and we have clean bathrooms.  We have a track without potholes.  We have accreditation and we do not have Ramona Tyson as our SACS liaison.   Sounds too good to be true.

And get this, Decatur has a 4th 5th grade academy.  That brings back some memories.  Decatur can open enrollment to the 4th 5th grade academy to those who so cherished Dunwoody's short-lived version.

So we currently bring in $150 million for schools, but we will decrease the millage rate slightly.  We need $100 million (we need to improve what we have currently and $20 million will do that) to operate the Decatur-North cluster and contribute $21 or so to Decatur main school cluster. Decatur parents and teachers and board members - imagine what you can do with $21 million more a year in your school budget!

Two school boards operating independently, but one school system  Problem solved.

Now to the city government. This gets tricky. Both cities operate with around $20 million.  So the new city operates at $40 million.  Decatur is not afraid to borrow money and its residents pay a higher tax rate than Dunwoody.  But there is common ground; Decatur has a Resource Conservation manager (yeah, really) and we have a Sustainability Committee.  Decatur is managed mainly by a powerful city manager, so is Dunwoody.  Decatur operates under something called a city commission, not a city council.  The City of DecayedWood will have one mayor and one council. Dunwoody has 50,000 residents, Decatur only 20,000.  So obviously Decatur North (Dunwoody) would have a majority on council.  But fear not Decatur voters, we have Save Dunwoody to help protect Mother Nature and Her 4" diameter pine trees of Brook Run.

Decatur has its own fire department and we do not.  We can have Toni as our new fire chief and Stephanie as our fire marshal.  We really do need our own fire marshal.  The police forces can join and we can finally resolve the E-911 issue by working with Decatur.  The people of Brookhaven will be so jealous.

The people of Decatur would really enjoy Lemonade Days, Light Up DecayedWood, The DecayedWood Arts Festival, and other gigs.  Decatur has no shortage of entertainment and we can get those London taxi cars taking us back and forth until we get "Old Buck" and that narrow-gauge rail line connecting north and south DecayedWood back in action.

Lemonade Days Dunwoody Preservation Trust

Dunwoody families, Wednesday evening is opening night for Lemonade Days.  Come out and join the fun.  Wednesday and Thursday are the best nights for rides and the weather looks to be perfect.

Click HERE for Discount Coupons for Lemonade Days

Brook Run Park.  Buy an armband and ride all night.  Eat some cotton candy and funnel cake.

Rumor has it there is a new ride, the Ring of Fire.