Dunwoody Talk Blog

DeKalb vs Brookhaven vs PCID vs Dunwoody

2011-12-31T20:09:00.001-05:00

A recent article in the Dunwoody Crier discussed the issue of the expansion of Dunwoody. In question is some land InsideThePerimeter (ITP). Imagine driving past the Perimeter Mall (where valet parking for any spot within 100 yards of an entrance is the norm) and continuing south, over '285' toward Marist and Murphy Candler Park. Once you cross 285 you are no longer in Dunwoody city limits, but still in DeKalb County. Once across 285 on your right is Perimeter Summit, part of an area some people want Dunwoody to claim as its own.

This area is what is now referred to as unincorporated DeKalb, aka Brookhaven, to some.

Like their neighbors to the north, many in this area want a city of their own - a city to be called Brookhaven. Like Dunwoody and other cities, Brookhaven needs a decent commercial tax base to exist. A study has been conducted for Brookhaven, and it indicates it's possible for Brookhaven to exist as a city, without a huge tax increase for its homeowners (city studies rarely mention the financial impact of businesses because businesses don't vote with the traditional ballot in a voting booth).

The northern border for the proposed City of Brookhaven would mate with Dunwoody's southern border ('285'). Back to the article in the Dunwoody Crier - the article says a Dunwoody resident was attempting to convince city leaders that Dunwoody should expand south, picking up parts of the potential new Brookhaven. Although no official lines or plans were floated about, the main area for acquisition would be Lake Hearn / Perimeter Summit area. If Dunwoody were to annex the business district just inside 285, it would change the financial viability of a City of Brookhaven.

The way something like this (annexation) should take place is the owner(s) of Lake Hearn / Perimeter Summit should approach the City of Dunwoody. No surrogate should be used. If you own property bordering Dunwoody and you are in unincorporated DeKalb, step forward and meet with our council, mayor, and city staff. But on your way to city hall, speak to your State reps (Taylor and Jacobs and Millar).

An important part of the Brookhaven / Dunwoody discussion is our PCID (Perimeter Community Improvement District). the PCID is a very successful business district. It currently resides partly in Sandy Springs, Dunwoody, and unincorporated DeKalb County. If things play out as some expect, the PCID will be partly in the City of Brookhaven in a year or two (still part of DeKalb County, but following the rules of Brookhaven). The PCID spokesperson makes it very clear in The Crier article that they are neutral on the Brookhaven issue. The PCID was also allegedly neutral when Dunwoody was created. But this is not the first time we've heard discussions on the non-Dunwoody part of the PCID being discussed as an annexation target for Dunwoody. Did any council managers or city staff have discussions with the PCID prior to our recent elections? I think there may have been some off-the-record discussions on this issue, but I doubt you'll find anyone willing to admit it now.

Why would Lake Hearn / Perimeter Summit owners want to be part of Dunwoody instead of Brookhaven or unincorporated DeKalb? Dunwoody is an established, proven government body, one that has its own police department, and has not increased taxes (like DeKalb has done). Being part of Dunwoody makes joint ventures with other PCID companies easier as the PCID would be coordinating efforts with two governments (Dunwoody and Sandy Springs only).

Is being part of Dunwoody more prestigious than being part of a future City of Brookhaven? I don't think so (we're not talking about an issue like the Smyrna/Vinings/Atlanta address issue). The only thing that separates Dunwoody from Brookhaven is ten lanes of asphalt, nothing more, nothing less.

So I don't think property owners have a big issue with being in Brookhaven or Dunwoody, as long as Brookhaven would keep taxes at a current or lower rate than today's rates.

So who wants Dunwoody to annex the businesses inside 285 (the PCID area)? DeKalb County is your answer. What, DeKalb? But DeKalb fought tooth and nail to stop a City of Dunwoody. Why would they want Dunwoody to expand? It's because DeKalb lost that Dunwoody fight; now they want to win the Brookhaven fight. By convincing Dunwoody to annex some high-end commercial properties, it makes the City of Brookhaven less viable financially. DeKalb County does not want a City of Brookhaven and would rather see its northern most City of Dunwoody expand than allow residents of 'Brookhaven' become a city.

How does Dunwoody benefit from annexing? Well, that depends on how big of a bite you take. If you simply cherry-pick the businesses just inside 285 and ignore the residential, it would be a financial boost to the city. We could bring in close to $1 million in taxes yet provide far less than $1 million in services. As long as the city stayed clear of the Nancy Creek infrastructure (our storm-water infrastructure in Dunwoody is a huge, hidden expense waiting to suck tax payer funds into the water basin, something we should have let DeKalb maintain, but that's another story) an annexation of select areas could be a wise financial move. But politically, it would be an unwise decision.

There is a strong movement underway for a City of Brookhaven and Dunwoody should stay out of the way. Let the process run its course. If voters reject the idea soundly, with no chance of a second effort, then maybe Dunwoody does an analysis (if that is the desire of the property owners in the PCID not currently in Dunwoody).

What about Dunwoody expanding all the way to Murphy Candler Park, picking up all the neighborhoods all the way to Chamblee? What about Dunwoody going all the way to Blackburn Park? I don't see this in Dunwoody' future. The storm-water liability and the additional expense of servicing that entire area would most likely be revenue neutral (after adding their tax dollars). Looking at annexation from the business viewpoint, it does not make sense to annex (bring on additional "customers") unless it is profitable.

So how will this all play out? I expect the Brookhaven movement to be successful. I think a homeowner in Brookhaven will pay more in taxes (percentage) than a Dunwoody homeowner, but homeowners will look deeper than the costs. If the Brookhaven movement does fail, then having Dunwoody annex the unincorporated part of the PCID (without residential tagging along) may make sense for Dunwoody. I don't see voters in Dunwoody wanting to add more residents to our city.

Merry Christmas

2011-12-22T09:53:00.000-05:00

Dunwoody Mayor and City Council Changes

2011-12-13T07:17:00.000-05:00

Many thanks to outgoing Mayor Ken Wright, Councilman Danny Ross, and Councilman Robert Wittenstein. These three gentlemen have put in a lot of time and effort into our city the past three years. If you see one of them out and about be sure to give them your thanks.

How will those who have regularly followed local politics remember these three?

Danny Ross: I'll always remember Danny for his creative videos. He had one final video at his last meeting. Danny will also be remembered for his fight to stay with DeKalb 911 and for his efforts to bring the GA Music Hall of Fame to Dunwoody. I recall Danny first discussing the need for an economic development position in the city, something we now have thanks to his efforts. Danny is very dedicated to preserving the history of Dunwoody. Perhaps he'll be named as an honorary historian of Dunwoody.

Robert Wittenstein: Of all the council members I'd say Robert, in most cases, did the most thorough job of researching an issue. He'd look at something from all angles and out loud, talk things through to make sure his fellow council members and the residents understood something.

Ken Wright: Ken always attempted to get a consensus on council, bringing together east and west, and north and south. He was always fair and up-front on every issue. No sneaky agendas, no groups he was trying to please. He was a great first mayor of Dunwoody. With two young children and a business to manage, Ken wore three or four hats the past several years. He remained dedicated to the city until the very end and deserves the appreciation of Dunwoody residents.

Three new faces take positions in January and I expect little change in day to day city operations at first. As the new members get comfortable in their new roles and acclimate themselves to being a public figure I think we'll see some good things being done in Dunwoody. I hope the three new members do a great job on council - they have some tough acts to follow.

Dunwoody CVB Budget 2012

2011-12-12T15:54:00.001-05:00

The council will vote tonight on the new CVB (Convention and Visitors Bureau) budget. In summary, our city chose to have a CVB, so we have a CVB. A hotel tax is in place for every hotel room booked in Dunwoody (five hotels). That tax money is split between the city's bank account (approx $1 million a year) and the Dunwoody Convention and Visitors Bureau. A goal of the tax (and of the CVB) is to promote Dunwoody attractions so more people visit Dunwoody.

Advertising is one known way to promote a product. most companies advertise their products (Coca Cola, UPS, Mellow Mushroom, Chia pet, etc.) Cities also promote themselves. New York, Las Vegas, Orlando, San Francisco, Dunwoody, Chamblee, Smyrna, all of them. Most cities have a CVB. In summary, a CVB is an extension of a local government, trying to attract more tax dollars so it can remain in existence, and even grow its footprint. Tax dollars and politicians created the CVB, and it needs both to continue.

Prior to a City of Dunwoody CVB, who did the promotion (and who received the tax dollars) for Dunwoody? It was the DeKalb County DCVB. Our hotels no longer pay the room tax to the DeKalb DCVB, thus when you look at that site's suggestions for hotels in north DeKalb and Perimeter Mall area, they neglect to mention Dunwoody's five hotels. Perhaps our CVB should replace the rotating image of Stone Mountain with a photo of something here in Dunwoody.

Private business are ultimately responsible for promoting themselves - it's not the role of government to promote privately owned hotels and restaurants. The State of Georgia has specific language on how a CVB has to operate. I think many are of the opinion that we have a CVB because we can. If do not have a CVB, then the hotel tax goes to DeKalb instead of Dunwoody.

Major changes for the CVB include a move to a new location at the fancy address of Two Ravinia Drive. Rent increases from $1,629 a month to $3,258 a month. Should the CVB be down in the business district or in da' Vill or Georgetown?

The largest monthly expenses for the CVB include $15,000 a month for advertising, $40,000 a year in graphic design, and $5,000 a month for their web site. I think the goal of the web site is to promote local shopping, hotels, and events.

Using Mozilla Firefox browser and Google search engine, a Dunwoody Talk intern did a Smart search on some local things. Each search was prefaced with "Dunwoody GA" or "Dunwoody"
Items marked with * indicate is was first listing on page 1 of search. The number in each column indicates how many first page hits were displayed. I'm sure results vary daily. Different browsers, different search engines, etc.

The newspapers are listed for reference only. The papers lead when searching local news for Dunwoody. I suggest the CVB get a Blogger account and have a blog - a blog that is updated at least three times a week. Blogs create a lot more front page hits than does Facebook.

Our CVB is here to stay. I hope they do an excellent job in promoting Dunwoody and its businesses. I'd rather have a Dunwoody CVB than a much a larger DeKalb CVB promoting our locale.

Dunwoody Election Results 2011

2011-12-06T20:29:00.000-05:00

Mike Davis New Mayor of Dunwoody

2011-12-06T19:59:00.001-05:00

Mike Davis has defeated Bob Dallas and will be Dunwoody's next mayor. Congratulations to Mike and Terry Nall.

Terry Nall newest Dunwoody Council Member

2011-12-06T19:52:00.000-05:00

New Track for Peachtree, Water Pump Station for Dunwoody

2011-12-05T21:27:00.004-05:00

Hey kids and parents, no need to text Clorox for a new track. This summer a new track will be built at Peachtree Charter Middle School, thanks to our local school board representative Nancy Jester and the school board. Many people have been working to get this done for years, and it looks like it's a done deal. The first time I met our new superintendent, at one of her fire-side chats at Dunwoody High School, I asked her when PCMS would get a new track. I also asked that question of Barbara Coleman (former DeKalb Schools construction chief who left suddenly) last month at last month's DHA meeting. And many others have been pushing for this to take place. I suggest you send a note of thanks to our new superintendent and school board members.

In other local news related to DeKalb schools, the school system sold a chunk of their property on Chamblee Dunwoody Road. The .33 acre chunk will be home to a ~~soccer field~~ ~~owner-occupied condo~~ ~~single family home~~ DeKalb County water pump station. This property is zoned for residential (not multi family) so I am not sure what this does to the value of the property. I doubt it increases the value, but any home built there should have excellent water pressure.

Vanderlyn Art Club at Village Burger

2011-12-05T12:13:00.001-05:00

The Vanderlyn art teacher, quite a talent, brought the school's art club to Village Burger on Saturday to do some window painting. Stop by for a burger (or salad) and view the paintings.

Vote Tuesday

2011-12-05T11:57:00.000-05:00

New Year's Eve 2011 2012

2011-12-05T11:56:00.000-05:00

Ring in the New Year with the Bad Neighbors band at the Dunwoody Tavern

Light Up Dunwoody 2011

2011-11-20T21:36:00.001-05:00

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Casio AP 45 Digital Piano

2011-11-20T10:01:00.000-05:00

Have a child who loved to play an instrument, so you went out and bought that instrument, new in box? Then, a year or so later said child has no interest in the instrument? Just asking. if you have a child interested in piano, I suggest a pre-owned unit.

Up for sale is a Casio AP 45 in excellent condition. HERE is the manufacturer's web site.

Unit works like new. Can fit in the back of your minivan (with seats folded flat or removed) or remove the pedestal to take home in the rear seat of your sedan.

Price is $500. Sorry, no lay away plans.

email me if interested.

AfterBurner

2011-11-17T14:09:00.000-05:00

AirTran Go Magazine

2011-11-15T17:04:00.001-05:00

The Friday before the election I caught a red-eye flight from Phoenix, AZ to Atlanta, GA. Prior to nodding off for a couple of hours I flipped through the inflight magazine. You can see an online version HERE and there is a place to download the issue.

Dunwoody CVB advertisement

This month's issue has a special advertising section on Atlanta. Our own CVB has a 1/4 page ad and the PCID has a full page ad plus two pages of text. Pick up the free electronic issue and check it out. If you want my hard copy let me know before the men in the yellow and white truck show up to take away the contents of my blue tub.

There is an informative piece on page 30 by a guy named Frank Ski. He informs readers of the ATL's "hottest hip-hop haunts to show you where to ball with the best of them". Spoiler Alert: The Dunwoody Tavern did not make the list.

Atlantis Natural Foods

2011-11-09T07:56:00.001-05:00

A Message From:

Atlantis Natural Foods

My Uncle was a pioneer in the health food industry and brought health foods to Dunwoody in the early 70's.I grew up in Dunwoody, went to college and lo and behold came back to Dunwoody to live my dream and run the family business.. I started working at Atlantis in the 80's and purchased the family business in 1997.

After being in the Mt Vernon Center for 22 years, Atlantis has recently relocated to the Williamsburg at Dunwoody shopping center at the intersection of Jett Ferrry and Mt Vernon Rd.

Atlantis Natural Foods is still in business and ready to assist Dunwoody in staying healthy and fit.

Atlantis offers the largest Gluten -Free and allergy food selection on the north end of town, plus loving aspects to the best of one's health.

Sincerely,

Jeanine EB Winbvorn, proud owner of Atlantis Natural Foods- Dunwoody,Ga

Election Results 2011

2011-11-08T20:32:00.000-05:00

Thanks for the support during the 2011 Dunwoody campaign. Looks like I will be able to stay home and watch Monday Night Football the next four years. Running for office was a special experience. Hopefully I was able to bring a few issues to the table that would not have been discussed had I not entered the race.

I wish much success to the new mayor and council, whomever they shall be.

Rick Callihan

Should voters approve SPLOST for schools? No | ajc.com

2011-11-05T16:08:00.000-04:00

Should voters approve SPLOST for schools? No | ajc.com

Where is Dunwoody's $7 Million for Brook Run?

2011-11-02T14:43:00.001-04:00

DeKalb spends $40M in bond money on green space

WSB TV has an interesting story on the use of parks money. Dunwoody should have had 'our' parks a year earlier than we did, but that's another story.

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. —

Channel 2 Action News has learned Dekalb County's cash shortage was so severe last year that county officials spent $40 million in money designated for green space projects.
Dekalb's chief financial officer told Channel 2's Richard Belcher it was a mistake that won't be repeated, but county commissioners aren't happy.
Nothing was stolen, but there is no disputing that bond money should not have been spent on county operations. One county commissioner even calls it illegal. Either way, it's a clear measure of just how cash-strapped the county had gotten.
Dekalb County produced a video about its parks and green space program paid for by bond money voters approved in 2001 and in 2006 -- nearly a quarter of a billion dollars borrowed for those specific purposes -- and nothing else.
But last year, the county said it discovered that $40 million in bond money had been improperly spent. DeKalb CFO Joel Gottlieb said he stopped the improper spending as soon as he discovered it.
“It was an inadvertent mistake and unavoidable, but now, it will be corrected and not repeated,” Gottlieb told Belcher.
Gottlieb said the problem arose because DeKalb County pooled all of its funds in a single, state-managed account. When the county's cash flow problems went from bad to worse last year, bond money that should been kept entirely separate was mistakenly used for salaries and other routine operating expenses.
Critics said the mistake is not trivial.
“The administration has been working on it, but we don't believe it's sufficient,” said County Commissioner Lee May.
May is chair of the county commission's finance committee and a regular critic of CEO Burrell Ellis.
“We've got to have segregated accounts so that when the public says, ‘How much is in the parks bond fund?’ or whatever fund we're looking at, that we can tell them exactly what the dollar amount is,” May said.
It isn't clear exactly who authorized the series of decisions that resulted in DeKalb spending $40 million in bond money on county operations. But Gottlieb said accounts are now set up in such a way that it will not happen again.

DeKalb's Superintendent Dr Atkinson Visits Dunwoody

2011-10-28T08:48:00.000-04:00

As advertised, new DeKalb Schools superintendent showed up at Dunwoody High School and listened to questions and comments from the audience. To be fair, she has only been on the job for a month or so, so she's not really equipped to answer all questions. Overall she came across as a pleasant person. I hope she is a person who can improve our school system. I've seen lots of PR type things lately from the school board, but actions speak louder than words. Let's see her on the job performance for a year prior to approving a SPLOST.

I'd say about 125 people showed up, maybe half were from Dunwoody. The crowd was a mix from many areas of the county, and brought up a wide range of issues from cell towers to bus routes to magnet schools. Attend enough school meetings and you will always find parents of kids in the magnet program (Kittredge and Chamblee) hanging around.

I was second to the microphone and asked a very direct question:

Cedar Grove recently received funding for an ‘emergency’ track replacement, costing nearly $400,000 dollars. The Peachtree Middle track was damaged by contractors during its rebuild several years ago, and I consider it a bigger emergency than Cedar Grove. When can Dunwoody residents expect an emergency replacement?

That's right, while we are having our kids text or click links for Clorox ( Dunwoody School Daze ) to try and get a track, someone at the school system sneaks in funding for "emergency' repairs at Cedar Grove. How about the Peachtree Middle School track? The track at Peachtree is just as much an emergency as Cedar Grove, right? Yet another reason to vote NO on SPLOST.

See the link HERE: Go to page 35 (last page)

Notification of Emergency Purchases
REQUISITION NUMBER VENDOR JUSTIFICATION DESCRIPTION CHARGE CODE AMOUNT
752.00469 Hellas Construction, Inc.

The current PE track has aged and deteriorated to the point of being potentially dangerous to the health and safety of the students. Remove the existing asphalt PE track and replace with new rubberized track surfacing on manufacturers' approved base.

Total $ 380,188.00

Coralwood, serving about 200 kids, is receiving a new $10 million dollar wing. That $10 million was originally set to replace and repair tracks across the county. But some power broker pushed the Coralwood project. Yet another reason to vote NO on SPLOST.

All in all, there were about 20 speakers tonight. Here's a brief summary on some of the comments:

1. Speaker wants more stringent checks on residency when students enroll. Said many out-of-county tags dropping off kids every day.

2. Speaker complained about lottery system for Kittredge. Said Kittredge not all magnet kids, and some kids winning the lottery should not be there.

3. Speaker complained about cell towers going up on school properties. Asked superintendent if she agreed with the program. Atkinson dodged the question and said she was not focusing on past decisions, but focusing on unmade decisions. Speaker was not pleased with that answer and rephrased, "Do you think it is a good idea to put cell towers on school properties?" (or something pretty close to that was asked, but it was a direct 'yes' or 'no' question). Atkinson did not answer directly and said she was putting her energy elsewhere. Maybe she can sit under a 4G cell tower for an hour a day and recharge her inner energy. I suspect the anti cell tower posse will follow Atkinson to all of her upcoming speaking engagements.

4. Speaker (candidate Lynn D. of Dunwoody). "The system (DeKalb) is broken from the bottom to the top" (or something close to that). "We are in dire need of quality school leadership". Lynn told Atkinson that she feels the county suffers from bad principals. Note: As a former teacher, Lynn is right on this issue. A school principal sets the tone for staff. A good principal recruits and maintain the best teachers they can find. A bad principal (as Lynn noted) will fear strong teachers and run them off. I know it's not possible, but if DeKalb could swap out every principal for principals from Cherokee and Cobb, we'd see an immediate change in our school system.

5. Speaker praised the Lord a few times, spoke about some (allegedly) corrupt school board members, thanked the Lord a couple more times, then said, "It's all about the money, not the children."

6. Speaker complained about block scheduling. Said she moved to Dunwoody middle of school year, and block schedule is horrible for new students. She is 100% right. I think block scheduling is one of the worst ideas since Outcome Based education,'new' math and spiral math.

7. Speaker talked about the north south divide. Said schools on south side not as good as north side. Drives 300 miles a week to bring kid north. I give the mom credit for doing all that, but her blame is misplaced. A school is nothing more than stacked bricks. The community can make a school good, and a community can make a school bad. For a school to be successful, you need strong parental involvement disciplined children, a strong principal, and decent teachers.

8. Speaker (my opponent, Robert W.) spoke on how DeKalb is a huge district, with many dynamics. Said the district should have inner 'clusters', like a Dunwoody cluster. Said this would encourage more community involvement. I'll agree. Of course, I'd like to take it a step further (and so would 95% of Dunwoody) and have our own school district. But that's not in our immediate future.

9. Speaker ( a local celeb named Lisa V) asked a very pointed question to Atkinson:

Super Clusters 1 and 2 show impressive growth over the next decades, based on the county’s projections. Yet SPLOST IV many new buildings outside of Clusters 1 and 2, where population is dwindling. This makes no sense. The school system wants to build $20 million schools were people are fleeing. We need not a replacement school in Dunwoody, but rather an additional elementary school in Dunwoody, and will need an additional middle school soon, based on projections. Why should Dunwoody vote for SPLOST when we will deal with trailers for another ten years while shrinking parts of the county get new schools?

Atkinson answered, "I don't have an answer for that."

The event lasted about an hour. One item to note is that attendees were greeted by four DeKalb School System police officers. The four officers remained on site, positioned at the auditorium's points of ingress/egress (doors). They then escorted her out of the building. Very comforting for her, but a bit Vernon Jones like.

Vote NO on DeKalb e-SPLOST

2011-10-26T09:56:00.003-04:00

Dear Dunwoody Voters,

What's to our benefit, and what's to our detriment in the upcoming e-SPLOST vote?

First, a background on SPLOST. Every time you make a taxable purchase in DeKalb County, including Dunwoody, 1% of the 7% tax you pay goes to the DeKalb School System. This 1% generates approximately $90 million a year. The SPLOST is on your ballot every five years, with that five year date being in two weeks (Nov 8, 2012). The DeKalb school board comes up with a list of how the SPLOST funds will be spent. For example, last SPLOST the Board spent $33 million for a new central office. Dubbed "The Palace" by critics, the central office is home to what I feel is the most bloated central office staff in the State of Georgia. Imagine what good that $33 million could have done at your local school.

Millions of dollars were wasted and spent improperly by the school system. Ongoing legal actions from the current SPLOST (it expires this year) continue to cost students millions of dollars. It’s no secret that DeKalb has not handled our money well. With the exception of a few individuals, many of the people who mishandled SPLOST funds the past few years still work for DeKalb. We have a new superintendent, but I’d like to see she does on the job for a year before handing over half a BILLION dollars. Let’s see the new superintendent clean house at the central office and rid the system of bad teachers and principals before handing over half a BILLION dollars.

What does SPLOST mean to the Dunwoody resident? First off, it means you will continue to pay 1% on taxable purchases in DeKalb County to "benefit" the DeKalb School System if SPLOST passes this November. If SPLOST fails, you will pay 1% less sales tax in DeKalb. More specifically, the next SPLOST calls for a new Austin Elementary school to be built. Why Austin? Although our school board representative Nancy Jester insisted on neutral language calling simply for "a new elementary school" in Dunwoody, other members of the Board insisted on specifying a school. They chose Austin as that specific school due to Austin having the lowest rating in a recent site inspection. Make no mistake, the Austin facility is not perfect, but it is not the worst elementary school in Dunwoody. Why did Austin receive the lowest score then? It's a complicated formula, but in summary, Austin 'earned' the lowest score because it does not have doors on the classrooms and it has a small library. The school was built using an open classroom design. Has this design affected student performance at Austin? The answer to that is obviously 'no'. By comparison, the Chesnut Elementary school is in much more need to be replaced.

What about the Chamblee High School / Magnet school? The SPLOST lists Chamblee as a project, but this is not entirely true. Chamblee High School will be built if SPLOST fails or passes. The school system borrowed funds from a Federal program to build a new Chamblee. The SPLOST funds would be used to repay the Federal loan.

What about the new state law that reduces the DeKalb board from 9 to 7 members? It is true that as currently written, the Board would not be reduced to 7 members if SPLOST fails (due to the current language in that Bill). Our legislators who successfully passed that piece of legislation are fully prepared to amend the language to make sure the Board is reduced to 7 members should SPLOST fail on the November 2012 ballot.

What if SPLOST passes? If SPLOST passes, a new Austin elementary school will be built within five years, most likely within two years.

Where would it be built? That is a tough question to answer, with a few moving parts. First, we in Dunwoody are voting on a land acquisition bond. If that land bond passes, the City of Dunwoody may acquire a 19 acre tract of land off N Shallowford Road; referred to as the Emory hospital site (it has a pending contract on the land, contingent upon the passing of said bond). This piece of land is about 2.5 miles south of Austin, near '285'. If that land bond fails, then there is a chance the school system would acquire this 19 acre tract of land for the 'new' Austin. The land is vacant and easy to build on without disrupting classes at the current Austin. There are obvious concerns moving a school out of the current neighborhoods. The entire Dunwoody cluster would go through another redistricting. If the city's bond passes, there are very few other tracts of land available large enough for a new school.

How much land is needed for a new school? Based on the 900-student model, the State of Georgia requires 14 acres. The State has granted waivers in the past, but no guarantees. You will hear from some people that “a State official” says Austin can be rebuilt on site. Okay, sounds good, but the DeKalb School Board makes that decision, not a State employee.

Why 900 students? DeKalb has decided to build 900-student sized elementary schools to maximize student funding. Until the State's funding method changes, don't expect DeKalb to change its mind. Our current governor has said he will review the funding formula, and local State Senator Fran Millar has said he will work to change the funding. But this takes time. I don't see anything changing at the state level for at least two years.

How big is the current Austin campus? 10.4 acres
How big is the Chesnut campus? 12.4 acres

If SPLOST passes, could Austin be rebuilt at its current location? Yes, but two, perhaps three things need to happen. One, the State needs to grant a waiver to build a new school close to the GA Power electric lines. Two, the State needs to grant a waiver for the school to be built on a smaller site (DeKalb received a waiver for the Chamblee High School rebuild). Three, keeping Austin may require the acquisition of four homes on Holly Bank Circle. Read HERE from something posted back in June on this topic.

If SPLOST passes and the school system can find 14 acres for $200,000 an acre, look for Austin to be relocated. This will set the wheels in motion for redistricting, for everyone in the cluster.

What happens if SPLOST is voted down? I would expect a revised SPLOST plan to be on the ballot for 2012. In 2012 a SPLOST passes easily since it is a Presidential election year, bringing out more voters across DeKalb. This year, Dunwoody voters will be out in big numbers to elect a new mayor and council, vote on bonds, Sunday alcohol sales, and the creation of a TAD. In summary, if Dunwoody turns out in big numbers to oppose SPLOST, it may fail. But it will pass in 2012. Would Austin be named specifically in a 2012 SPLOST? I doubt it. If SPLOST fails, the school board will examine why it failed (Austin is but a small part of the SPLOST pie, there are many other areas opposed to SPLOST for various reasons) and make changes for the 2012 version.

If a new 900-seat Austin is rebuilt at its current site, would we still have redistricting? Yes. Most likely you would see some students currently zoned at DES and even Vanderlyn moved to Austin, but it would not likely affect Chesnut or Kingsley.

What can you do to vote down SPLOST? The obvious is to vote 'No'. The next step is to encourage friends and neighbors to vote no.

Does voting for the city's land acquisition bond help keep Austin where it is now? I've been asked that question a few times. I would say ‘maybe’. If the 'land' bond passes, the 19 acre tract the city has under contract is no longer available to the school system. By no means do I suggest voters vote 'yes' for the bonds simply for this reason. The city will not be able to buy every property in Dunwoody that could be home to a school, nor should it attempt to do so. The school system still owns unused property in Dunwoody and that property becomes trade bait with the city and other interested parties.

Will our property taxes go up if we vote 'no' to SPLOST? Yes, you will see a $57 increase. That $57 goes to pay for Chamblee's rebuild and for other general fund expenses. If SPLOST passes in 2012, your taxes would be reduced by the $57. What does 1% sales tax mean to the average Dunwoody resident? That answer depends upon how much money you spend in DeKalb County. How much do you spend a month at Costco? At Wal-Mart? Are you buying a new car? $57 is one percent of $5,700. Do you spend $5,700 a year on taxable goods in DeKalb County?

I am running for city council. Why would I even bring up this issue while running a campaign to win a seat on Dunwoody City Council? Should I not be focused only on city issues? After all, a councilman has no control over school decisions. I bring up this issue because school issues are as important as city council. I will not sit back and avoid sensitive issues. Our schools are very important to Dunwoody, and I will voice my opinion on important school issues like this SPLOST vote.

If SPLOST does pass, I plan to be very vocal and fight to keep Austin at its current location. I don’t have a vote on the school board, but I do feel it is important to voice my concerns. With a large amount of kids living on the north side of Dunwoody, we need to keep a school on the north side of our city. Building another school anywhere near Womack is not what is needed for Dunwoody.

If SPLOST fails, I will work to make sure the school most urgently needing replacement is replaced, using a sensible rating system. We will need seats in Dunwoody soon as our schools are overcrowded now. There may be a need to keep Austin at its location, build a new Chesnut, and then plan now for another elementary school and another middle school.

Vote NO on the e-SPLOST

· $33 million from last SPLOST wasted on central office

· Funding for improvements to county tracks removed and replaced with $10 million addition to a school that serves less than 300 students

· Millions of dollars wasted on legal fees and poor construction

· Proposed SPLOST is pork project, building more schools in areas where student population is in drastic decline, neglecting high growth areas

· Dunwoody’s new school location not determined, and we are not replacing the worst-condition elementary school in Dunwoody

· New superintendent needs to show signs of fiscal responsibility by reducing bloated central office staff and putting more dollars into classrooms

· Most of the people involved inappropriately allocating funds from the last SPLOST are still employed by DeKalb – nothing has changed!

Dunwoody High School

In other school related news, I expect to hear that Dunwoody High School, after re-tests last summer, passed the No Child Left Behind benchmark and will be eligible to be a receiving school next year for students in failing DeKalb high schools. But there is a sliver of hope the State of Georgia will be exempt from all or part of the NCLB rules soon as Georgia filed with the US Dept. of Education for a waiver. Don't look for the Feds to act soon on this. I expect the waiver issue to drag into next fall, becoming campaign material for the Presidential candidates.

Dunwoody City Council Recap

2011-10-25T14:53:00.002-04:00

Public Comment
Bill Grant, Chamber of Commerce: Attendance at Dunwoody Music Festival was a disappointment. Plan to go ahead again with the event next year - three weeks earlier. Mr. Grant is soliciting input on why attendance was off. He is a dedicated volunteer in our city and the Dunwoody Music Festival is one of the many events he is passionate about.

Thanks for asking, Mr. Grant. A few reasons why attendance was low this year:

1. No Chili cook-off. Nearly all chili cookers last year were Dunwoody residents. Each tent had, on average, four people. These chili cookers invited their friends and neighbors. I estimate the chilli event brought in 400 people, easy. These people ate food, drank beer, and listened to music (not necessarily in that order). This year the event organizer opted not to have this fund raising event. Look for a chilli cook-off in 2012 during the music festival.

2. No Dunwoody food vendors

3. No Bad Neighbors band (Redfield), but The Branches band, Family Trucksters, was there

4. Soccer games, baseball games, other festivals, tennis matches. Lots of kid events this time of year keep parents busy. I have two kids, and both had some sporting event (or two, or three) last weekend. With a fall festival, this may be unavoidable.

5. Were there any Dunwoody or Chamblee high school student bands asked to play? Teenagers like to hang out with teenagers. Teenagers spend money.

6. Arts and Crafts vendors were inside the fenced area, had to pay $5 to get in to shop.

I want to cover the council meeting so I'll stop here. I attended the event and enjoyed the music. Hopefully next year the event date will be better attended.

Mr. Chimney: The debate over the chimney by Ravina continues. Mr. Chimney demands that Starbucks and the city show the ~~1850~~ ~~1899~~ ~~1950~~ 1980? circa chimney its due respect.

The Chairman: Opposed spending $10,000 for new chairs for the courtroom/city council chambers. Unfortunately the Chairman won his battle over seating.

SignMan: A frequent visitor to council meetings spoke against the proposed ~~ice~~ plastic skating venture. SignMan had a prop (a scaled rendering of the plastic 'ice' skating rink compared to a regulation ice rink) and got his point across to council. SignMan said no way could city sell enough sponsorships and fit 33 kids an hour on the small rink.

CVB Report
Convention and Visitors Bureau gave a presentation. I did not take many notes, but recall they are promoting a Girlfriend Getaway campaign. The idea is for all Dunwoody (and metro Atlanta) girlfriends to go spend money at the mall, at local spas, and eat at local restaurants. The CVB is looking for a new home, and hope to move into the lobby of Two Ravinia Place. How about the old train station house (former home to the Chamber of Commerce and a cell phone store) or the FarmHouse? Not swanky enough, most likely. I think they want to be in the PCID area so they can get to Cafe Intermezzo easily for lunch and Cheesecake Factory for dinner. Best of luck to the CVB in putting heads in beds. Focus on our 2500 businesses - they have clients and employees coming to town every week.

Unfinished Business:
2012 Budget - the discussion at times resembled an Abbott and Costello routine, or was it a Laurel and Hardy routine? Either way, no one could really explain the ChatComm funds for 2011 and 2012. After someone asked "Who's on first?", I quit listening.

New Starbucks for Ravinia
The Hines Group (Ravinia complex) wants to put in a new Starbucks. There is a stand-alone chimney at the proposed site for the new Starbucks. No one is sure if the chimney was built by Hernando De Soto, Ponce de Leon, Georgia Governor George R. Gilmore, or Grandpa Elias Redfield Spruill Donaldson Chestnut. The story of the chimney varies, but here is my take: A chimney stood on the grassy knoll near '285' and Ashford Dunwoody Road. The chimney, at some time, was attached to a structure of some sort. At some point in time, the structure was destroyed but the chimney remained. Hines, when developing Ravina, decided the chimney was a decent item to keep around, so they took it upon themselves to move it, restore it, and place it across from Perimeter Mall. Were it not for Hines, that chimney would have been nothing more than firm footing for the asphalt now known as Ashford Dunwoody Road. (they probably now regret saving the chimney).

According to local legend, a revealing conversation took place in a kitchen in 1980. Whose kitchen? I'm not sure. But I am fairly sure Great Grandma Donaldson Chestnut Peeler Spruill had a couple jugs of Dunwoody moonshine, some fried apple pies, and a bag of Kaolin on the kitchen table. So a story was told about the now once-again famous chimney - how it was part of some sharecropper shack or something to that affect.

So here we are in 2011 and Starbucks wants to sell some coffee. They decided to incorporate the chimney into its design. Enter Mr. Chimney and the Dunwoody Preservation Trust. They want to preserve the chimney. Well, that is understandable. Were it not for old stuff around Dunwoody, there would be no Dunwoody Preservation Trust - they need stuff to Preserve, it's part of their name. Like Pizza Hut will always need to sell pizza.

I thought the Starbucks design looked great. A guy named Art Vandelay, an architect, gave a nice presentation. Starbucks is not new to designing stores and drive-thrus. and Hines is not going to allow coffee sellers to ruin Dunwoody's premium office/hotel location. But the council at times came off as very anti business. The tension between the Hines representative and some on council was quite obvious. When the PCID folks come to chat up some new store the tone is much more pleasant. This stack of rocks, aka the most famous Dunwoody chimney ever, has become a hot topic in some small (very very small) circles. At this same meeting council approves a huge zoning change on public private roads, to make happy a new business for Perimeter, then hassle the heck out of a developer over a drive-thru lane that will hold 12 cars. If council spends nearly an hour on a small Starbucks, I hate to see what happens when some real development gets going. If elected to council, I promise to keep the community's best interest in mind, but I will also listen carefully to expert opinion.

So Art talked of how this Starbucks would have a 'FarmHouse' feel to it and promised a nice 2' x 2' bronze plaque on the chimney. For good measure he tossed in a History Wall, another Starbucks first. I was waiting to see what this guy pulled out next of his bag of tricks, but he stopped there. Rule #1 of sales is stop talking once you seal the deal. I was expecting a stack of gift cards to accidentally 'fall out' of his pocket, into council members' laps, but it did not happen.

Proposed ideas for the Chimney Plaque (Dunwoody Patch has an online poll, vote now)

Dunwoody Village Parkway
Somehow this road project came up for discussion. This project was set to break ground in 2012, now it is 2013. This is the road by Ace and Village Burger, connecting Mt Vernon and ~~Chamblee Dunwoody Rd~~ Main Street. The new plan calls for extra wide sidewalks, bike lanes, and reducing traffic from four lanes to two. Dr. Bonser said she was opposed to reducing the lanes here. No one else commented.

Add Four More Police?
At the last meeting the addition of a special crime unit (four new officers, about $500,000) was removed from the 2012 budget. King John (Mr. Heneghan) brought this item back to life. It suffered the same fate as it did at last meeting, a defeat. The specialized unit focus on crime prevention and is supposed to pinpoint hot spots for traffic and crime. I can do that for a lot less than $500,000.

#1 Perimeter Mall. 50% of crimes in Dunwoody in this area. We could add 16 officers to the force and people will still attempt to steal two handbags and a pair of wedge heels from Nine West. Malls attract shoplifters. Until we employ Paul Blart, that will never change. The Perimeter business district may supply 25% of all tax revenue to the city, but that area requires more than 50% of our police coverage. Next time you don't see a police officer in front of your kid's school, it is because they are down by Perimeter Mall cuffing a shoplifter or writing an accident report. The area attracts people, and with people comes the need for police. No way to avoid it.

I think if Chief came to council and asked for two officers, two officers dedicated to working the school zones during the day shift, it would have passed 5-2.

I recall mention that the ChatComm E-911 center will supply us with data in regards to crime and accident frequency. Perhaps Chief can use that data.

Signs and Monuments
This item was discussed again, with Robert and Mr. Shortal wanting it removed from budget. It stays in the budget.

Ice (Plastic) Skating Rink Attraction for Dunwoody Village
The cost jumped from $70,000 to $92,000. This thing melted quicker than Frosty the Snowman locked in the Brook Run greenhouse. If you want to skate this winter, head to the Cooler in Alpharetta.

Game Changer for Parks Bond?

2011-10-25T02:02:00.001-04:00

There are two issues people have with one or both of the proposed bonds on the November ballot. One is taking on debt. Naysayers are concerned that council would spend the $33 million on land acquisition quickly. Those naysayers had their suspicions confirmed at Monday night's city council meeting as Council and city manager revealed a tentative agreement to spend $19 million on 42 acres in southeast Dunwoody. The $19 million, in addition to the potential 'hospital' tract purchase, puts 75% of the $33 million of the land bond in the 'spoken for' column.

The other issue some people have had with the bonds is the lack of specificity in the bonds. Those wanting to see and hear more got what they wanted - 42 acres for sports fields.

Will this new plan be the boost pro-parks folks were looking for to get that 50% (plus one) of voters? or will it fuel the anti-debt crowd? Which side will get their folks to the polls?

Here is the official press release:

Dunwoody Moves Forward with New Sports Field Complex
Purchase of 42 acre parcel contingent on parks bond passage

Dunwoody, Ga. - October 24, 2011 - The City of Dunwoody has concluded negotiations with Cortland Partners, LLC and plans to acquire 42 acres of land for $19,000,000 on Peachtree Industrial Boulevard for the development of a consolidated sports complex. The new sports complex would replace the existing 519 unit Dunwoody Glen apartment complex. In addition to the new sports complex, in the Letter of Intent, Cortland Partners agrees to demolish and redevelop the adjacent 266 unit Lacota Apartments Complex into owner occupied housing in concert with the development of the sports complex. The total site includes 63 acres and over 785 existing apartment units.

"This purchase sets in motion the accomplishment of many of the goals in our adopted Parks, Recreation and Open Space Master Plan," said Mayor Ken Wright. "It provides us with adequate space for a much needed sports complex to meet the needs of our youth as well as freeing up Dunwoody Park for the expansion of the Dunwoody Nature Center."

Mayor Wright continued, saying, "The City regrets the need to displace residents (785 apartment units), however, in a built out environment like Dunwoody, we have found it challenging to locate a sufficient amount of vacant land for the athletic facilities desired by the community. The City will work with Cortland Partners on a transition plan for the current residents, which includes 560 school age children who are in the Dunwoody cluster; all current leases will be honored without the threat of early cancellation."

This purchase is contingent upon the passage of the Parks Bond for Acquisition (Nov. 2011).
If the referendum fails, the City will drop the contract without financial penalty.

City Manager Warren Hutmacher explained, "Combined with the 19 acres under contract on
North Shallowford Road, with this purchase the City has identified for the voters 61 acres of property that will be purchased if the Parks Bond Acquisition referendum passes. This deal provides an assurance to the voters for how over 75% of the bond funds ($25,000,000 out of $33,000,000) will be spent."

Mr. Hutmacher continued, saying, "The remaining bond funds will likely be spent on some smaller neighborhood parks and the acquisition of land for a Town Green' in Dunwoody Village. This purchase provides transparency for the citizens of Dunwoody; when the voters go to the polls, they will now know what properties will be purchased if they approve the Parks Bond Acquisition referendum."

an active park is planned for the 42 acre site, if the land bond passes

This is a simple rendering of a possible layout. This is very early on to speculate what would be built (your next city council would decide that, should the bond(s) pass. But the intent is clear - a sports complex offering a variety of active uses. This plan sends a signal that Brook Run would most likely remain a passive park. It also sends the message that the ball fields on Roberts would be moved, and the newly proposed Nature Center expansion / playground plans move forward.

new Dunwoody Nature Center with new amenities and playground

What impact would this have on schools? The city's press release indicates 560 school age kids reside in the apartments in the area the city wants to convert to a sports complex park. Hightower Elementary would lose about 240 kids. Peachtree Charter Middle School would lose close to 160 kids, and Dunwoody High School would lose perhaps 165 students, maybe. Students could relocate with their families into vacant apartments in other areas of Dunwoody, or their families could purchase homes in Dunwoody. Or, the students and families could relocate in Doraville, Chamblee, Brookhaven, who knows where. Some people will see this as a positive move to help relieve overcrowding at Peachtree Middle School and Dunwoody High School.

Elem/Middle/High # enrolled 2009

The '193' area shows elementary school kids going to Hightower living in the apartments planned for a park

affected apartments feed into Peachtree Middle and Dunwoody High School

This press release, coming just two weeks before the November 8 election, is sure to increase the discussion of the land acquisition bond especially. However, the 'improvements' bond could possibly be used to fund this purchase. Both sides of the bonds issue have fresh information to spread among their supporters.

Some people will be pleased to see nearly all the $33 million spent before a vote is cast. They can identify with the projects and now know the intent of the $33 million. Others will see this as a spending spree.

According to DunwoodyTalk sources, this property has been eyed for a long time. A deal was reportedly in the works the past few months. As the election approaches, the property owner was most likely motivated to ink a deal prior to November 8th.

The Dunwoody Patch has a piece up on this already as does the Dunwoody Reporter. Look for the Dunwoody Crier story here sometime today.

Rick Callihan

Dunwoody Music Festival

2011-10-21T10:45:00.000-04:00

Looks like a nice weekend for the Dunwoody Music Festival. I wish the Chili Cook-Off event could have stayed in the program, but it was not meant to be this year. Maybe the event will be re-born next year.

The official web site for the event is HERE.

Looks like they "Sold Out" of the Chastain-style seating for Saturday night's concert, but general admisson tickets still available. The event seems to have activities and music for all ages.

Here are a few pics from last year, but this year's event has a new layout.

Occupy Brook Run Chilli Cookers

main stage being prepped for an act

What is a TOD, and does it make Dunwoody Sustainable?

2011-10-20T09:05:00.001-04:00

I wrote a couple days ago about my opposition to the TOD for Dunwoody. Some people have asked for more details on the TOD, and some suggest I am incorrectly representing the TOD. All I can do is direct you to the MARTA web site on the topic, and have your read the PCID LCI plan.

A TOD is a Transit Oriented Development. The TOD comes in many sizes and colors. TODs have been built around the world, some successful, some not. To those of us in Dunwoody, the specific TOD being discussed is high-density, mixed use development built surrounding the Dunwoody MARTA station. Is this in the best interest of Dunwoody? Does it make us 'sustainable'? Regular visitors recall the term 'sustainable' is defined as 'enduring' So, does adding a TOD to the MARTA station by Perimeter Mall make our city more enduring? I don't think it makes our city enduring. But I won't throw the project under the MARTA bus just yet. A mixed use project with 100% owner-occupied housing, ~~sustainable~~ enduring construction materials (not pine 2 x 4 stick construction), Class A office space, and destination retail could be acceptable and enduring to our city.

But that is not the TOD of today. Today's TOD was born from the United Nations Agenda 21.

Here's a little taste of that UN chatter:

Agenda 21 is a comprehensive plan of action to be taken globally, nationally and locally by organizations of the United Nations System, Governments, and Major Groups in every area in which human impacts on the environment.

Our very own MARTA is eager to implement the TOD in Dunwoody. After all, with the TOD encouraging people to not own a car, they are dependent upon MARTA. Look HERE. When developing a TOD in metro Atlanta, one of the largest stakeholders is MARTA. When you play with MARTA, you play by MARTA's rules:

As stated on page 48 of the TOD Guidelines, MARTA believes that residential and mixed-use TOD projects should include a significant component of affordable housing. Achieving this will require a collaborative effort among multiple stakeholders—the municipal and county zoning jurisdictions in the MARTA service area, their housing authorities, the state of Georgia, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, for-profit and non-profit developers, lenders, community groups, and MARTA itself. Together, these stakeholders must be prepared to apply a diverse affordable housing “toolbox”, including land availability, zoning, housing finance subsidy programs, and infrastructure improvements. MARTA intends to be an active participant in this process.

To that end, MARTA will apply a policy goal of 20% affordability, on average, to joint development projects undertaken subsequent to the adoption of the TOD Guidelines. As defined by MARTA, affordable housing includes workforce housing, as well as housing affordable to seniors with low, moderate, or fixed incomes and persons with disabilities. Workforce housing, in turn, is defined as rental housing affordable to households earning 60% to 80% percent of the Atlanta Metropolitan Statistical Area Median Income (“AMI”); or for-sale housing affordable to households earning 80% to 100% percent of AMI.

Within the density allowed by zoning (including any zoning relief or modification which may be associated with a project), MARTA will use both higher densities and reduced parking requirements as financial incentives for the inclusion of workforce units. MARTA will encourage zoning jurisdictions to adopt reduced parking requirements for TOD housing in general and affordable housing in particular, reflecting lower average car ownership among transit-dependent households.

The MARTA document states "Workforce housing, in turn, is defined as rental housing affordable to households earning 60% to 80% percent of the Atlanta Metropolitan Statistical Area Median Income"

From the HUD web site:
Section 8 rental subsidies are provided to project owners on behalf of families that are eligible low-income families at the time of their admission by the project owners to the program. Under the Housing Act, "low income families" are defined as those families whose annual incomes do not exceed eighty percent (80%) of the median income for the area in which the project is located, adjusted for family size, as determined by HUD at least annually

Zoning approvals, relief, or modification. MARTA joint development projects, like all development in Metro Atlanta, are subject to zoning and land use controls at the county or municipal level. MARTA will support zoning approvals for its joint development projects, and may at its discretion advocate for zoning relief or modifications which are needed to facilitate specific joint development projects, or project objectives such as mixed uses, affordable housing, or sustainability. MARTA may advocate for such outcomes on its own initiative or in support of a designated developer, as appropriate in a given circumstance.

As a city we need business growth in the PCID, but that growth needs to be in the form of Class A office space and jobs. The past decade we have seen excessive permitting for apartments in the Dunwoody part of the Perimeter business district. The official PCID area (including Sandy Springs) has inventory to fulfill future needs. Adding in the huge number of rental units on the outskirts of the PCID, the area has plenty of inventory. I would be in favor of owner-occupied condos, built using stringent guidelines and premium construction materials.

Partnering with MARTA (and the other Federal stakeholders interested in creating mass transit villages), whose goal is to simply increase ridership, is not how I envision Dunwoody growing.

As a Dunwoody Councilman, I will work to discourage the development of an unsuitable TOD. The developer's 'sustainable village' is the Dunwoody homeowner's 'unsustainable city'.

Proudly Not Endorsed by the Atlanta Board of Realtors II

2011-10-18T19:23:00.001-04:00

Yes, this is not an original title of a Dunwoody blog post. Before continuing, go read a post from three years ago by our very own King John - HERE.

John spoke on how he had some fun interviewing with the Atlanta Board of ~~Developers~~ Realtors. I like to have some fun as well, but the Atlanta Board of Realtors never even contacted me or Terry Nall (Terry is the other candidate working to unseat the District 1 incumbent Robert Wittenstein) regarding a possible endorsement of our campaigns for the Dunwoody City Council.

The Atlanta Board of Realtors sent out an email to all the mayor and District 2 candidates in Dunwoody, inviting them to interview for the 'endorsement' and possibly to receive funds from their PAC (Political Action Committee). But they completely ignored the two candidates running against Robert Wittenstein (Rick Callihan and Terry Nall). When questioned about why Terry and I were not contacted (but everyone else running for Dunwoody City Council and mayor was contacted), here is the response received:

Thanks for writing. We are aware of the other contested seat. ABR and ACBR are supporting the incumbent, Robert Wittenstein.

Robert Broome
Governmental Affairs Director
Atlanta Board of REALTORS
Atlanta Commercial Board of REALTORS
robert@abr.org

Well, at least the guy is honest and not beating around the bush. So it is official; I have not received the endorsement of the Atlanta Board of Realtors, and they won't be contributing money to my campaign. That's fine by me. I choose wisely from whom I accept endorsements. Not sure I'd want an endorsement from a Board that is so closed-minded that they rule out two people without even speaking to them. Perhaps they ruled me out ahead of time due to my suggestion that Dunwoody needs to be wary of approving more apartments ahead of adding more Class A office space and jobs. Or maybe they did not contact me because I am the only candidate opposing high-density MARTA cities for Dunwoody.

From the Atlanta Board of Realtors web site:
Impact Fees
POSITION: REALTORS® oppose any changes to current law regarding the collection and use of funds. REALTORS® also oppose any increase in existing fee structures that would negatively impact development.

During the two debates I have suggested the use of impact fees for building a large park in the Perimeter area. The impact fee could be assessed on new developments. Would the impact fee "negatively impact development" of apartments? Here's another question on that topic: Would the construction of 10,000 apartments negatively impact our schools, our traffic, our police department, and our quality of life?

Does the political endorsement by the Realtor group of my opponent (Robert Wittenstein) and the fact that impact fees have twice been pulled from discussions at city council have anything in common?

I'm sure there are good things that come out of the Atlanta Board of Realtors, but the way they handled this issue is not one of them. Sour grapes on my part? No. Some endorsements carry too much baggage. My received endorsements and campaign contributions do not bind me to any political action committee (PAC) and I owe no group any favors. As a side note, I have not been out asking people or businesses for money for my campaign. I have received unsolicited funds from friends and I appreciate those donations. The Atlanta Board of Realtors has supported many good causes for real estate agents and for homeowners, but endorsing candidates and contributing money to people whom will have a vote when it comes time saying 'yes' to the urbanization of Dunwoody is not one of them.

Please forward this blog post to other voters in Dunwoody. Thanks for your support.

Rick Callihan

Not Endorsed by the Atlanta Board of Realtors

Rotary Club Event SUNDAY

2011-10-18T14:08:00.001-04:00

RunDunwoody 2011 is SUNDAY, OCTOBER 23. The race is on SUNDAY and is a MUST for runners, families, and community-minded Dunwoody citizens! Information about how to sign up for the 5K qualifier for the Peachtree Road Race, the 1 Mile Fun Run and the ever-popular Tot Trot may be found at www.rundunwoody.net. There will be substantial fun to be had at the Family Festival after the race, including "celebrity" appearances by "Q" and First Responders...

Before the run, a pre-race warm-up will be presented by Operation Boot Camp. Presenting Sponsor Saint Joseph’s Hospital will provide cardiovascular screenings. Ruby Sponsor Georgia Perimeter College will be onsite offering dental health education and screenings. Another Ruby Sponsor, The Medicine Shoppe Pharmacy, will offer flu shots as the flu season begins in earnest.

During the post-race Family Festival, members of DeKalb Fire Rescue and Dunwoody Police Department will present opportunities to learn more about what they do for the community and will give kids of all ages an up-close-and-personal look at the trucks, cars, people and equipment used to protect our community. Top it all off with music, games, awards, prizes and great “tastes” of Dunwoody. And Fire Dog "Q" will make a special guest appearance. With her handler, “Q” visits local schools and demonstrates proper fire safety skills to help young and old in case of a fire.

Registration is just $25 until race day and entitles the registrant to an official race shirt. Registration day of the event is $30. Register as a "phantom" runner to get a shirt without lifting a foot! Go to www.rundunwoody.net for all the details!

Parks Bonds Meetings

2011-10-14T10:49:00.000-04:00

REMINDER

Please come learn about the Parks Bonds

at one of the following general community meetings.

Sunday, October 16 at 1:30 p.m.

Perimeter College Auditorium

(prior to the 3:00 p.m. DHA candidates forum)

Tuesday, October 25 at 7:00 p.m.

City Hall

Hosted by Citizens for Dunwoody

Political Signs

2011-10-13T13:56:00.002-04:00

Every political season we hear about yard signs of candidates being stolen. I have not heard much of that happening here in Dunwoody during this campaign season. It seems as the campaigns and supporters are on their best behavior. There have been a few issues of signs being placed improperly, but that is not always the candidate's fault. Often times an overzealous supporter will put signs out for a candidate, perhaps not knowing the rules. If someone places a sign in your yard without your approval, I suggest you contact the candidate directly.

Here's some bad press for a candidate for office in Covington:

See the AJC story HERE

On a more positive note, I have back in stock more 'Rick Callihan for Dunwoody Council' signs. If you would like a sign, please email me at rick@rickcallihan.com

Notes from Dunwoody City Council Meeting

2011-10-11T23:07:00.001-04:00

Public Comment
Mr. Chimney (see HERE for some background) made a return visit to council chambers. (also, see The Crier column HERE for more details). As the story goes, there is an old, rebuilt chimney down at Ravinia. Mr. Chimney says it's old and worth saving. The future of the chimney calls for it to be on an outdoor patio at a new Starbucks at Ravinia. Sounds good to me.

Raise your hand if you have ever seen this chimney...........okay, I saw 1 of 100 hands. I think Mr. Chimney should approach Starbucks and ask them to make a nice bronze plaque telling the story of the chimney, and keep it as a focal point of the new Starbucks patio. At least this way people will see it and learn a little local history. Mr. Chimney never said (or I missed it) what he wants done with the old chimney, but he does not want it part of a Starbucks? Why not.? It's been hidden from most of Dunwoody for 25 years. Let Starbucks incorporate it into their outdoor patio and people can then see it. What else you going to do with it? Haul it to some new obscure location?

Next up was Mr. Chair. Apparently it has been published that the city will replace the seats in the peanut gallery of city hall. These are the seats I have been sitting in the past couple of years as a spectator at city council meetings. The new seats are allegedly 3" wider and a little deeper as well. Being a slightly wider chair means the room will hold a few less chairs and Mr. Chair objects. He says the current chairs are fine. I don't really have anything to say on this topic so you are on your own.

One of the biggest issues on the docket tonight was discussion of a few budget items. A few items were in the budget, but did not have 100% support of council. First up was $150,000 for signage and monuments around the city - Way-Finding. Of course we all know where the library is located and most of us can find the Nature Center. But these signs are not for locals - they are for people who have not yet discovered the purpose of a GPS device. Overall this sign project would cost about half a million dollars. Some on council think it needs done right away, to support our logo and branding. A couple others think it is a huge waste of money. I agree with those opposing this expense. the city manager pushed through $39,000 last meeting to create the sign plan, but it will be up to the next council to decide the fate of this project. The $150,000 stays in the budget for now. Agree or disagree? Email your mayor and council members

Next up was discussion on expansion of the police department. The police chief wants about $500,000 for new police officers. The unit would be a crime prevention unit. The chief said it would be about 60% traffic and 40% crime prevention. When asked, the chief said the unit would not respond to most 911 calls (except for major incidents) and would not be suited for daily assistance at DES or any other school or traffic issue. he said the unit could spend time at a school like DES for short periods, trying to alter driver behavior. The unit, after council discussion, was pulled from the 2012 budget due to lack of support. Some council members cited the current (and increasing) costs of the current police budget, factoring in the Chatcomm expense, as being adequate.

Next up the city manager made a sales pitch for Dunwoody On Ice, a portable "ice" skating rink. The rink would be across from Ace Hardware (on the lawn at Calico Corners). The city would put up $70,000 and attempt to recoup those costs from sponsorships and ticket sales. A ticket to skate would be $10.

If this rink goes in, I am organizing a hockey game among local residents. My team has the Hanson Brothers (Slap Shot, 1977), TheOtherDunwoody, Public Comment Joe, Chip, Mr. Chimney, and General Shortal. Our opponents will be King John, Farmer Bob, GaryRayBetz, Nellie Woodson, and the StraightOuttaDunwoody rappers. See here for more details.

Where's ~~Waldo~~ the local celebrities

Old Time Hockey

Keepin' It Cool in Dunwoody

Parks and Recreation, Part I

2011-10-08T16:21:00.004-04:00

This is part of the opening statement in Dunwoody's Parks and Recreation Master plan:

Public input is the most critical component in developing a comprehensive plan for a Parks and Recreation Division. The citizens are the participants in and users of the parks system and recreation programs, and without strong support and usage by them, the parks system becomes ineffective. For the plan to be effective in improving service delivery and facilities, it must accurately reflect the facilities and programs most desired by the community.

There are two bonds on the ballot. I did not put them there, neither did any of the mayoral candidates, neither did the two people running for office in district 2, and neither did one of my opponents. The candidates currently have no influence on these bond issues. I get one vote for each bond, same as every resident. None of the candidates have any control if the bonds pass or fail. The next council will decide how funds are spent if one or both bonds pass.

When I am out talking to people parks is the number one question. It seems to be the litmus test for candidates. Instead of asking candidates about high density apartments, zoning, trash service options, road paving, expansion of the police department, or something else, people want to know where candidates stand on parks. What I really think they are asking is 'how will you spend the money if it passes'?

Is Callihan for an active or passive Brook Run? Would Dallas want three baseball fields? Would Davis push for a renovation of the Donaldson farm? Does Wittenstein still favor moving baseball to Brook Run? Would Deutsch vote to buy apartments and knock them down? Is Nall interested in a joint venture with DeKalb schools to improve the fields at Peachtree Middle? Does de Vallette like one bond over the other? Does Jackson support selling or keeping the PVC farm?

Issue #1 - Every Dunwoody voter will vote yes or no on allowing the city to borrow up to $33 million to buy land. The $33 million is for land only, no development of the property.

The city has already contracted about 20+ acres of land, contingent upon the passing of this bond. That land was NOT destined to have apartments. It was NOT zoned for apartments. It was NOT going to be rezoned for apartments. It is zoned Office/Industrial. Eventually it would be the home to tax-paying employers. Two things we need in Dunwoody: tax revenue and jobs. These two things will never come to this prime location if made into a park.

Issue #2 - Every Dunwoody voter will vote yes or no on allowing the city to borrow up to $33 million to spend on improving parks and buying land

What is an improvement to a park? What one person calls an improvement, another calls an intrusion. As an example, I doubt the average voters knows that the current Parks Master Plan calls for $2 million for a new theater in Brook Run yet has ZERO sports fields. What would current council do if they had the $33 million today? Go to the city web site and take a look at the Parks Master Plan.

When I fist caught wind of the idea to increase revenue to the city (slightly increased taxes) to improve park amenities I was open to the idea, but wanted to learn more. I spoke to a few people, thought about the current parks, and decided I'd be willing to pay a little more for certain things. I do that every day of my life. I can order a cheese pizza at Mellow Mushroom, or I can pay a little extra and get ham or sausage added. But when the parks master plan (and price tag) came back, I was surprised. I was expecting something in the $8 million range, not $33 million.

In regards to the parks and land bonds coming up, I think we need to know the purpose of it all. An often stated goal of folks in favor of more parks/land is the desire to increase acres per resident. This is a flawed goal. For those in favor of the parks/green space bonds, citing a goal to simply add more is not the way to win (pass the bonds).

Currently we have 160 acres of parks. Well, not really parks - we have 160 acres categorized as parks. Anyone who has ever made the short drive to Morgan Falls park in Sandy Springs or visited a park anywhere outside of Dunwody knows we have inferior 'parks' - we have land designated as parks, but for the most part they are not really parks. The city has allowed the Donaldson Chesnut house to nearly fall apart from the inside out. Water leaks there are driving costs of renovation higher and higher. The city mows the lawn and that's about it. It's a shame we spend $100,000 for a copycat logo and branding and ignore a piece of history. The city council just approved spending $39,000 for a study on signs and monuments while an actual monument at the intersection of Vermack and Chamblee Dunwoody Roads fades away. Maybe the city should do a 100 year lease ($1 a year) of the Donaldson place to the Dunwoody Preservation Trust. It's obvious the city has no interest currently in investing any money into the place - why not pass it off to a group that actually cares about it?

Anyway, back to the bonds and land and parks. According to some national think-tank Dunwoody should have 460 acres of park space based on our number of residents. I think that figure needs thrown out the window. No one is suggesting we have 460 acres (I take that back, some of you may want 460 acres and would try to accomplish that by knocking down subdivisions in your quest to 'green' Dunwoody). Our magic number is 250 acres of parks/green space in the parks plan. Where did the 250 figure come from? It came from a consultant at a Parks and Recreation committee meeting. He told us 460 was impossible and that we should aim for a more realistic number. He told us 250 was that number. We have 160 acres, the consultant says we need 250 acres, so the quest for 90 acres is on.

If our goal is simply to get to a magical number of 250 acres for the sake of having a certain number of acres per resident then Dunwoody should buy 90 acres in Dade County (NW corner of GA) for $5000 an acre, then have our city manager work out an IGA (Interngovernmental Agreement) with Dade County whereas Dunwoody residents can use the 90 acres at their leisure. City Hall could then announce to the world that we have X acres of green space per resident, we are awarded Gold status by the Sustainability Posse, and life is good. If our goal is to simply have 250 acres, then why not?

I know, 90 empty acres in Dade County is not worth much to anyone in Dunwoody (except those interested in spring gobbler season). But I hope you get my point. The bonds issue should NOT be about accumulating acres of land for the sake of accumulating land to reach some artificial ratio. The bonds should be about what will you do with parks to make my life better, to make my home more valuable, to make my life and/or my kids' life in Dunwoody more enjoyable, to improve quality of life in Dunwoody, and to make Dunwoody attractive to new families and businesses?

If you want to improve Dunwoody then don't tell us we need land just for the sake of having land - that is ridiculous. Tell us how these bonds will improve our quality of life. Tell us how in five years residents won't have to drive to Chamblee, Roswell, Sandy Springs, Decatur, and Roswell for outdoor activities. Please don't tell us we need 90 additional acres because a consultant said we need 90 additional acres.

People I talk to want land with a purpose. They want a Dunwoody tennis center, they want a field for girls lacrosse, they want baseball fields, they want a nice walking trail around Brook Run, they want a nice playground on the north side of the city. They want to preserve some history. They don't want to pay $200+ a month for 30 years on a big chunk of undeveloped ~~undevelopable~~ acres off Vermack Road just to say Dunwoody has 250 acres of green space.

Today, a couple hundred of Dunwoody families will drive their kids to Murphy Candler, to Morgan Falls, to Hammond Park, to tennis academies in east Cobb and Norcross, to Dynamo, to NASA, to Concorde Fire, to other areas. The question these voters need to ask is, "Okay, what do I get out of $216 a year or $240 a year?" "How do these bonds make my life better and my city better?" A majority of Dunwoody residents do not care about how many acres of green space/parks per resident. That figure means nothing to the average taxpayer!

NOTE: $216 a year is what you, owner of a $350,000 home, would pay per year, on two bonds - $240 a year for a $500,000 home.

What does matter are the details - details not available in the current parks plan. Originally we had $8 million for baseball fields and pretty much $0 for soccer, lacrosse, and tennis. That sounds great, if you have a baseball player in the family (ages 13-18 only). If one or both bonds pass would other sports be addressed? We do not know. That's the problem. Council never committed to anything specific in regards to organized sports. The current Master Parks Plan has ZERO fields dedicated to organized sports in it.

If you have young kids and you plan to vote YES for bonds, please read the prior sentence again.

I know, the next council can ignore the Master Parks Plan and do what they want. That's the problem. Those of you wanting improvements to the Donaldson Chesnut house - there are no guarantees the city council would allocate a dime to this place. Current council has done little there - what makes you think the next council would if it is not specified in the bond language? Same goes for the Dunwoody Nature center. You DNC folks think you'll get a new building? Maybe, maybe not.

Trust council we are told. During preliminary discussions I wondered why baseball was pushed so hard. I've got no issues with baseball, but I do have a problem with baseball being the lone organized sport ever discussed in the master plan for parks. Lots of big-hitters in the city are involved with Dunwoody Senior baseball. Just because Dunwoody Senior baseball has been using (and maintaining) the fields here for years does not mean taxpayers pay $120 a year for 30 years (cost of one bond) to build a new baseball complex while other sports are totally ignored.If the city commits to baseball, then why not girls lacrosse or Concorde Fire? There was a survey conducted at the beginning of this process. Other sports ranked higher than baseball in that survey. See image above for survey results.

I played baseball from age 5 to 19. As a kid some of my best memories are playing baseball, and looking back, I'm glad we had fields close to home to play on. I'm not upset with the kids playing baseball or the adults with baseball players in their family, but I need explained to me why baseball was the only sport ever seriously discussed by council. If the baseball people want baseball fields, they should also be in favor of supporting other organized sports in Dunwoody. Maybe they are already.

The big question in all this is Will Dunwoody seriously enter the organized sports business or not? That is what future councils will decide. Once that question is answered, then a new bond should be presented.

Two Brook Run Parks
For your consideration, I present two approaches to Brook Run Park. I think it is very difficult to combine passive and active programs at Brook Run. The two don't mix.

passive park

active park

Active
Imagine a Brook Run with three baseball fields, two soccer fields, a lacrosse field, a football field, 16 tennis courts, two basketball courts, volleyball courts, and of course Frisbee golf. It can be done, and it would appeal to many in Dunwoody. It would be an active park, with active kids and active adults, and activities. The active Brook Run would rival Morgan Falls. It would keep more Dunwoody kids in Dunwoody.

Passive
Remove all the buildings at Brook Run (except green houses), Remove all the inner paved roads, remove the skate park, remove the dog park Have one parking lot up front, one off Peeler. Create walking paths, walking trails, bike paths, bike trails, picnic tables, picnic pavilions, some open fields. 100% passive. No trees cut, no need for a bond. This could be accomplished with the $5 million expected from DeKalb County. It would be similar to the Big Tree Forest Preserve in nearby Roswell.

If the passive plan is accepted for Brook Run, then use the newly acquired PVC farm for athletic fields. Fill it with as many fields as possible. Perhaps three baseball and three soccer/lacrosse fields. Seek private/public partnerships to keep costs down. An active park in this area, I contend, would help spawn new retail in the Georgetown area. There are talks that the city will sell part or all of the PVC location (confirmed by the city manager at the last DHA meeting). We were told this property was bought to stop apartments and to add to our green-space.

a park in neighboring Sandy Springs

The big picture on bonds and parks is will the city seriously enter the organized sports arena? Cities like Roswell and Sandy Springs (higher taxes than us, no doubt) do a great job. One issue we have in Dunwoody, starting from scratch, is trying to do everything at one time. That's why the bonds are $66 million dollars. If the city were to focus on one segment this year, then maybe a different segment of parks and rec in two years, maybe it would be better received. The stumbling block for bond supporters is the wide variety of plans for the $33 million. Council tried to give a little bit to everyone; A new $2 million theater for the thespian crowd, a new and improved working farm and entertainment complex to appeal to the Preservation crowd, etc.

During the writing of the Parks master Plan did the city council pay too much attention catering to special interest groups and forget about the families with young children?
"Vote for parks" young families are told. Meanwhile, the Master Parks Plan has a $2 million theater and $3 million for restoring and commercializing the Donaldson Chesnut house, $3 million for the nature center, a whopping $13 million in green-ways and $0 million for sports fields.

So what is the answer? If the bonds fail this year is our city doomed? Quite the contrary. Stay tuned for Part II.

City Update by Councilman Shortal

2011-10-06T09:43:00.000-04:00

Good evening my fellow citizens .... the following are some update items of interest ....

1. Paving .... Paving is a good thing!! The paving of streets thru out the city is moving forward. Stripping and bike lanes, where applicable, are now being painted on the streets that have been completed. For those of you that live on the west side of town the paving of Roberts Dr has been moved back and will start this Friday (OCT 7th) at about 8:30 AM - weather permitting. The reason for the move back is that the schools are closed this Friday and Monday and it was felt this would reduce the traffic congestion on Roberts Dr. My hint to all of you is to avoid Roberts Dr on these four days to the max extent possible ... go around, use the back way to go to your destination, etc. .... again, avoid Roberts Dr OCT 7th thru the 10th and remember that "paving requires patience."

2. Sidewalks .... Construction on the sidewalk on Valley View has commenced. Construction on Happy Hollow sidewalks will follow. This will be a great enhancement to the quality of life of all the citizens who live in these areas.

3. Election ... My first of several updates. For complete information on the upcoming NOV 8, 2011 election go to this website ... http://web.co.dekalb.ga.us/voter/CurrentElectionInfo.html .... Items of importance on this page:

- In the center of this web page you will see "A List of Sample Ballots" ... just go down and click on "City of Dunwoody" ... Remember, this is a city wide election and all citizens get to vote on candidates for ALL four offices.

- Further down on the above website click on "Election Calendar" ... Here you will note that the last day to Register to Vote, for the upcoming Nov 8, 2011 election, is OCT 11, 2011. You will also note that if a runoff is required it will be held on DEC 6, 2011. Please mark these dates on your calendar.

- To register to vote, click on "Voter Information" (second item on the top left of the above website) ... The second item that will appear in the center of this page is "Voter Registration " .... fill out the prepaid postage application and mail it in. Make sure you follow the instructions carefully. You should receive acknowledgement in 2 - 4 weeks. Remember OCT 11, 2011 is the deadline to apply and you must register if you have moved within state since last registering or have moved in from outside the state of Georgia.

- If you are going to vote "absentee" by mail click on "Absentee Application" ... this is the second item from the bottom in the center of the "Voter Information" page. Fill out the application and fax it in (404-294-4038) or mail the application to "Voter Registration, 4380 Memorial Dr, Suite 300, Decatur, GA 30032" and a ballot will be mailed to you. Absentee voting by mail is already open and ballots are being mailed out as of today. If you want to vote "absentee" in person you must go to directly to the Voter Registration Office noted above on Monday thru Friday between the hours of 8:00AM - 4:00PM. Absentee voting in person is open from OCT 17th thru Nov 4th.

- "Advanced Voting" will be open from OCT 31 thru NOV 4th from 8 AM to 4 PM. There is only one advanced voting location ... 4380 Memorial Dr, Suite 300, Decatur, GA 30032... which is just inside I-285.

- Identification (ID) ... Anyone voting in person via absentee, advanced or on election day must have a valid government issued photo ID.

- As a personal request, I ask each of you to exercise your privilege to vote .... a lot of great Americans have given their lives defending your voting privilege.

A general comment on the upcoming city election. Up for election are the Mayor's seat and three At-Large City Council seats. Remember this is an at-large election and all Dunwoody citizens gets to vote on candidates for ALL four offices. There are candidates running for these offices with very different philosophical, political and fiscal philosophies. I ask you to become informed on where the candidates stand on the issues not only on what they say but more importantly judge them by their actions ... past and present. As we all know actions are more important than words. Ask the candidates the hard questions and make them give you a straight forward answer. Know who is providing financial support for the candidates and who is on their campaign staff ... is it you the local citizens, or is it outside interest folks (meaning folks outside Dunwoody)? If it is outside interest then this should raise a "red flag". Your vote will determine the future of our City .... are we going to continue to enhance our infrastructure in a prudent fiscal pay as-you-go manner or, are we going to accumulate massive debts like the majority of the cities which are now in financial ruins across our nation? Remember there is a big difference between needs and wants and having "money in the bank" is a good thing!

4. Parks ... Someone recently said that I am against parks .... that is an untrue statement. I like parks and as proof that I present these facts ... I coached baseball at Murphy Candler and Dunwoody Senior parks for 10 years, I had the idea to start the Dunwoody Volunteer Coordination Committee (DVCC) and over the last two years we have had several hundred volunteer workers (that means no cost to you the good citizens of DunwoodyDVCC volunteers. I think my actions compare very favorably to what anyone else in our City has done to enhance our parks. Now what am I against ... I am against saddling you, our great citizens, with massive debt and high taxes!! I promised you when I was Co-chairman of Dunwoody Yes and when I ran for City Council that I would work to keep your taxes low .... I assure each of you I will keep my promise!!!

PVC Farm ... We have closed on the 16 acre PVC Farm. The total price was approx. $5.2 million which we financed over a seven year period at about a 2.2% interest rate. I was in favor of this purchase as it is an "eyesore" and it was zoned multi-family thus, anywhere from 300 - 500 apartments could have been built there. I am not against apartments but I ran for office on the platform of "having the right mix of single and multi-family homes." I think we have more than an ample number of multi-family rental home. We closed on this property with a couple of legal issues still outstanding. That makes me a little uncomfortable but I have been assured the issues are not majors ones.

Hospital Site Property ..... This is the old Emory Hospital on Shallowford Rd. There are 19 acres there and as part of the package deal was the purchase of 5 acres directly west of the intersection of Peachford Rd and Shallowford Rd. The City has signed a "letter of intent" to purchase the 19 acres for $6,100,000 and 5 acres for $1,430,000. We are currently in a "45 day free look period" which includes appraisals, environmental test, title search, etc. Unlike the PVC Farm where we had only one appraisal, I have requested and I thank the Council Members for agreeing to now have two appraisals on all property purchases above $500,000 and under some circumstances a third appraisal will be required. Purchases under $500,000 will still require only one appraisal. The purchase of the 19 acres is dependent on your vote on the Parks Bond Referendum .... if the Parks Bond Referendum get voted down the purchase of the 19 acres is null and void. The 5 acre parcel purchase will be consummated at the end of the "45 day free look period" if all requirement are satisfactory. The stated purpose of these 5 acres is to extend Peachford Rd west of Shallowford Rd .... the one problem with this is that more property must be purchased to connect Peachford Rd westward to an existing road. I voted against both of these purchases for the following reasons:

- The 19 acre property is less than 2/10 of a mile from the PVC Farm .... why do you need a 16 and a 19 acres park only a "stones throw" apart?

- The property is zoned O&I and thus is not eligible to have multi-family (or any other kind of homes) built on it unless the Council changes the zoning ... which I don't think has any support from this Council.

- The 5 acres purchase will come out of the general fund and add this $1,430,000 to the $5,200,000 for the PVC Farm we will have either $6,630,000 debt or our reserves are reduced by $6,630,000. Park Bond funds can't be used for these two purchases. After the 5 acre purchase, the owner of the property that we need to complete the road extension knows we need his property ... he maybe hard to deal with.

- We paid too much for the 19 and 5 acres parcels. Concerning the 19 acre parcel, I went to the presentation by the group that is promoting the Park Bond Referendum on Sunday night. Their slides showed a cost of $280,000/ acre .... these figures are low as the actual cost / acre of the 19 acre package is approx. $321,000/acre. There is also noted in their slides that several years ago the owners of this property turned down a $1,000,000/acre therefore the price we are paying is a good buy .... that is like saying in 2007 Bank America stock was $52 / share but does that mean it is a good buy today at $5/share .. not hardly.

A local commercial real estate person told me there is no current market for O&I zoned property, that the City is the only buyer in town and he wouldn't pay more than $100,000/acre ... I think that might be a little low but in my opinion it is not worth more than $150,000 to $200,000/acre .... at the maximum.

- There are a lot of developers, etc. out there with plenty of money in their pockets that deal in this type of property .... If the acreage we are buying is such a "good buy" why aren't these folks buying these properties?? That is a very good question!

- At our purchase cost, the city will lose over $20,000 in annual tax revenue from the 19 and 5 acre parcels which amounts to over $600,000 over the 30 year period of the proposed bonds.

5. Recycling .... My thanks to all of you who started recycling and joined the "Blue Box Brigade." As I go running (it is hard to call what I do running these days) and cycling thru the neighborhoods on Wednesday mornings I see a continuous increase in the number of citizens recycling. It is a win/win situation and BTW I am a convert to this cause. Go to this website ... Residential Subscription Curbside Recycling Application ... to join the "Blue Box Brigade" and to start recycling. It only cost $30 and DC will deliver to your home a "beautiful blue" plastic recycling box and 200 blue bags ... that is about a four year supply of bags.

6. Street Signs .... If you have road/information signs in front of your home or business I have ask you to grab a bucket with soap and water, a brush and a ladder and help beautify our City by cleaning these signs. As I drive around I see a lot of clean signs ... my thanks to all of you that have cleaned your signs. Also, if you have a neighbor that is having some health issues please do the neighborly thing and clean their signs.

7. Leaves ... Fall is coming and the leaves are starting to fall off the trees. As a reminder please ensure you don't put your leaves down our storm sewer drains as the leaves tend to clog up our storm sewers and this will add to our already high maintenance cost that we are incurring with the storm sewer problems. Many thanks for your compliance

8. Music Festival .... The second annual Dunwoody Music Festival will be held OCT 22 - 23, 2011 at our Brook Run Park. This was a big hit last year and Bill Grant has informed me it is going to be even bigger and better this year. Mark your calendar now for this big time event. Bring your chairs and prepare for a great weekend!

9. Clean, Fix and Shine-Up Dunwoody Day (CFSUDD) ...... Our third annual CFSUDD will be held on NOV 5, 2011. There will be several hundred volunteers working on numerous projects to enhance our City. Approx. 200 volunteers will be painting the remainder of our fire hydrants, another group will be gluing the required placards on our storm sewer drain covers, another approx. 200 volunteers will be working in our parks re-striping the parking lot at Brook Run (BR), trail cleaning, trimming and blazing new trails at BR, Windwood Hollow and Perimeter Center East parks, repairing two foot bridges at DNC, repairing bridges at BR, working on the steps at Vernon Oaks North park and another approx. 40 volunteers will be doing Mayor Wright's # 1 project ... and since it is the Mayor's # 1 it also # 1 project ... cleaning the entry and exit ways on I-285 leading in and out of our City. Our local churches in Dunwoody spearhead this effort ... North Atlanta Church of Christ, Dunwoody Baptist, St Lukes Presbyterian, Life Center Church and All Saints Catholic Church and their Knights Of Columbus. Dunwoody United Methodist Church has their volunteer day on Oct 15th in support of our City. This year the Dunwoody Student Volunteers and various Boy Scout Troops for thru out our City have joined our volunteer work. On behalf of the Mayor and City Council I thank all of you for setting the example of what responsible citizenry is all about. I also recognized Jim Maloney and Bill Tobin, Chairman and past Chairman respectively, of the DVCC, for the work and dedication on this volunteer effort.

That is about it for tonight. Please pass this on to your friends, neighbors, members of your HOA or anyone else you maybe interested. If anyone want to be added to my email list please let me know and I will make it happen. Thanks for your continued positive support of our City .... it is a large source of encouragement to me.

Let Us Continue To Build Our City Together

Denny Shortal

Dunwoody City Council, District One, Post-1

Mayor Pro Tem

denis.shortal@dunwoodyga.gov

Sample Dunwoody Ballot

2011-10-05T22:32:00.000-04:00

Tree Huggers and Birds of Prey Unite!

2011-10-05T17:38:00.000-04:00

911 Fees on Your Telephone Bills

2011-10-04T13:02:00.000-04:00

We are now officially a member of ChatComm. Everyone in Dunwoody needs to check their phone bills (home and mobile) and make sure Dunwoody is listed as the recipient.

Bike Around Dunwoody Today

2011-10-04T10:20:00.001-04:00

Please join hosts
Rob and Sydney Weaver and Lindsay Ballow
for a

Bike Ride Around Dunwoody

with

Jere Wood, Mayor of Roswell
Fred Boykin, Decatur Councilmember & Owner of BicycleSouth
Dan Thornton, Owner of Free-Flite Bicycles & President, National Bicycle Dealers Association
and
Bob Dallas, Dunwoody Mayoral Candidate

Tuesday, October 4th, 2011
Kicking off from:
Mellow Mushroom
5575 Chamblee Dunwoody Road
Dunwoody, GA 30338

6:00 p.m.* – Bike Ride (10-15 mile comfortable ride on the back roads of Dunwoody)
7:15 p.m.– Meet and Greet with Bob, Jere and friends at Mellow Mushroom

Pizza and refreshments served following ride.
Rider Note: Please wear a helmet and bring a taillight.
In case of rain, ride will be canceled, but meet and greet will proceed as scheduled.

RSVP Now

* This event is not meant to conflict with scheduled Dunwoody Cycling “See & Be Seen” ride at 6:30pm.
For those participants, please feel free to drop in for pizza and to meet Bob following the regular ride.

Event Details: http://www.dallasfordunwoodymayor.org/dunwoodybikeride.html

Pumpkin and Pepper Harvest

2011-10-03T20:44:00.002-04:00

I was watching the DeKalb School Board meeting online and just had to get outside and take a break. Tomorrow is food pantry day for Team Food Pantry at the Brook Run garden so I took the opportunity to harvest in the evening instead of the chilly morning.

a few pounds of peppers, perhaps the last of the season (about 75 pounds donated this year)

Dunwoody pumpkins

My youngest daughter and I planted pumpkin seeds about 100 days ago

For those of you wanting pumpkins I saw the kids selling tonight at Dunwoody Methodist church. There was word of a pumpkin shortage this year but I've seen many around. Perhaps buy early.

Growing produce is like running a business or being a member of city council. You must first determine your needs and plan accordingly. Make a budget, using your resources wisely. Don't plant more than you can maintain. Rid your garden of rodents. Don't let your hard work rot on the vine.

Straight Outta Dunwoody

2011-10-03T08:23:00.000-04:00

Fall Festival Saturday

2011-09-30T19:40:00.001-04:00

The weather looks nice and cool Saturday, perfect time for some fun at Peachtree Charter Middle School.

see HERE for some details.

The event is rain or shine, 9 AM to 4 PM Saturday. Event includes baked goods, a silent auction, games, and fun for all.

Nature Center

2011-09-30T15:27:00.000-04:00

Family Fun at

Dunwoody Nature Center!

Register today!

2011 TREE HUG FESTIVAL

Saturday, October 15th, 2011

10:00AM - 4:00 PM

Featured activities:

• Time reserved Tree climbs*
• Rock Wall Climbing
• Birds of Prey Shows
• Guided Trail Walks

Location:
5343 Roberts Drive, Dunwoody, GA 30338

Come learn the “ropes” with Peter “Treeman” Jenkins and his team from Tree Climbers International, Inc., will be offering climbs in not one but TWO of our fabulously inviting tree climbing trees! “Treeman” is the Founder of tree climbing as an organized sport and creator of the tree climbing “culture.” He is world renowned for his expertise in the field and is a certified arborist as well. We are very excited to have these experts teaching our visitors “the ropes” of tree climbing! Members and non-members may reserve a timed ticket for their climb(s) when purchasing event ticket(s) on-line NO LATER THAN October 12th at 4:00 PM.

* Tree climbing slots will fill fast so reserve your climb time online by October 12 at:
www.dunwoodynature.org

After October 12, un-reserved climbs will be available on a first-come, first served basis at the festival.

One admission price per person does it all!
$10 for DNC Members
$15 for Non-members
(Kids under age 4 free)

THE DUNWOODY NATURE CENTER MISSION:

Dunwoody Nature Center inspires the love of nature and cultivates environmental understanding and stewardship by: conserving and enhancing Dunwoody Park; educating children, families, and adults of all ages about the natural world and our place in it, and motivating environmental awareness and responsible action.

DNC is a 501(c)3 membership organization—become a member today!

*And special entertainment by
singer/songwriter Lori Linden

Calling all Volunteers...

Sign up now and join us for the

Tree Hug Festival,

October 15th!

We are planning our huge fall event—the Tree Hug with Peter “Treeman” Jenkins. We’ll need adult and teen volunteers for two hour shifts all day from 10:00-4:00. Volunteer assignments include assistance with parking logistics, assistance with tree climbing gear and assistance at Discovery Tables. Don’t miss this chance to spend an awesome autumn day among the woods of Dunwoody! Call Debra or Susan at 770-394-3322 today to volunteer.

What's Happening Now?

Dunwoody Park is beautiful in every season. Turn into our lane, walk through the woods, and enjoy Dunwoody's hidden treasure. So much is happening at Dunwoody Nature Center . . .

Fall Programs

Now Registering

Homeschool Science Studies: Hands-on topics are offered that correlate with the Georgia Performance Standards (GPS) and grade level expectations.

Nature Classes: Mommy & Me, Preschool Park Patrol, and Children's Nature Hour now through May 2012.

Upcoming Events!

Holiday Home Décor - November 12th. Make and take a beautiful, natural arrangement in the Adult craft class.

Gifts for the Earth - December 3rd. A fabulous gift making and environmental awareness invitational event for Dunwoody Nature Center Members.

Mornin o' Maple Sugaring, Saturday, January 21, 10 am - Noon.

Owl Always Love You, Saturday, February 11, 5 - 8 pm.

Please visit our website at www.dunwoodynature.org.

Someone's Blowing Some Smoke Here in Dunwoody

2011-09-28T08:47:00.002-04:00

A decent crowd on hand last night for the council meeting. A sprinkling of candidates mixed with members of the media and a couple of spectators provided the backdrop to a fairly short meeting.

Mr. Bill Grant started off public comment by warning council not to buy any property without at least two appraisals. If there is one thing Grant knows, it's real estate. He has been on several committees in the city. Mr. Grant said Dunwoody was the only game in town when it comes to buying big chunks of real estate. I'll write a post next week about real estate.

Next up - ChimneyGate 2011. First, let it be known Big Sis Sandy Springs has the Chimney at Morgan Falls-Overlook Park. The famous Sandy Springs Chimney was saved after a lengthy, professional archeological research study was conducted. Be careful when visiting the Sandy Springs Parks web site as you'll not find abandoned buildings and areas of passive use, but you will see people out actively enjoying green space. But don't be jealous of their parks and river; we have the Dunwoody High School retention pond and the Vernon Jones Skate Park.

1839 chimney at Overlook Park in Sandy Springs

First, a little background. Down on Ashford Dunwoody Road, across from the mall, there stands a very proud chimney. The chimney is not attached to a log cabin - it is free standing. It is right near Ravinia. The 'when' and 'who' and 'why' of this chimney is up for debate. Is it of historic importance? Or is it simply a modern era decoration? Depends whom you ask.

Last night during public comment we heard from Mr. T. Chimney. Mr. T Chimney said the chimney at Ravinia is REAL, and REAL old. So, who's blowing smoke here? Mr. T Chimney said he has the smoking ~~gun~~ chimney facts on his side, and does not want the chimney to become a decoration piece for sandal-wearing hippies and Wi-Fi moochers at a proposed Starbucks at Ravinia by Perimeter Mall. Mr. T Chimney has in his corner the lady from the Crier who writes about old stuff (Valerie, I think), and a couple of people who were born in the basement of the FarmHouse. They claim the chimney is a real chimney, and was here long before The Cheese Cake Factory, and even before MARTA! The newly formed ChimneyPosse believes the chimney is of times gone by origin.

The fine folks wanting to build a Starbucks at Ravinia say the chimney was built using Lincoln Logs, QuickRete concrete from Home Depot, laborers from the Sandy Springs Northwoods Drive labor pool, and random boulders found on site............ in 1987. Did perhaps the laborers, back in 1987, find an historic chimney on site, then move it to its current location, then fill it with rebar and concrete? Stay tuned to see who is Blowing Smoke in Dunwoody.

Back to the meeting. The city won an award for its branding campaign. No further comment.

Proclamation of Red Ribbon Week. A nice program used to warn kids of the dangers of drugs and booze. A fine young man was there to join in the announcement.

Next up we had more fireworks regarding the 911 issue. In about a week your 911 calls will go to ChatComm. Councilman Ross is still not pleased about this situation. He makes a good point when he says the contract the city has with ChatComm will not be fulfilled because we (Dunwoody) will not be receiving the same services as Sandy Springs. At issue here is the fire and ambulance calls. I've written about this issue several times so use the 'search' feature to your right to look it up. Councilman Wittenstein rightfully pointed out that there are provisions in the ChatComm contract that may allow for the city to be refunded some money. We'll see in a week how this all plays out. I sincerely hope the transition is smooth and no lives are affected by the delay in transferring fire/ambulance calls to a secondary 911 center at DeKalb. Ross claims a drop in our fire rating may occur, costing the average homeowner $200 (more than the bonds) a year in insurance fees. Time will tell.

Second read on amending code to allow for a private road to be sub-divided. This may not be a big issue as some think. I know why the big push is being made for this, and I want more jobs in Dunwoody. No way should a sign ordinance keep a company from moving here. The PCID should have its own sign ordinance. If elected to council, I will push for a separate sign ordinance for the PCID area, having different guidelines than other areas of the city. That being said, if the people pushing hard for this change had simply made their private road a public road, an amendment affecting the entire city would not have been needed. Anyway, that client had better move in before the end of the year or the people pushing for this lose credibility with me and hopefully all of the city council and staff.

Award of Contract for City Signage Design. $39,000 of taxpayer funds to study and implement a way-marking sign system in our city. Overall, look for the city to spend half a million dollars on ~~road paving and sidewalks~~ signs and monuments over the next three years. No, this was not included in the $100,000 branding campaign. But hey, maybe we'll win a Savvy Award for best street signs in 2012 - then we'll have even more reason to celebrate.

This use of funds surprisingly passed 6-1, with Robert the lone holdout. I gave Robert props for noting the ChatComm contract allows for some recourse if ChatComm fails to perform as contracted, so to maintain balance I'll mention that I don't think Robert really wanted to vote No on signs. Uncharacteristically, Robert made no comments during discussion of this issue tonight. Those of us who attend council meetings and work sessions know Robert comments on everything. Tonight, not so. Robert made no attempt to block the spending of these funds. The $39,000 issue came up a couple weeks ago at the work session. Robert then said he would not support the $39,000, but Warren, the city manager, mentioned the cost was under $50,000 and he could execute the contract with or without council consent. Warren suggest placing the item on the consent agenda, where it would not be discussed. Mr. Shortal insisted the topic be on the agenda, and it was there at Monday's meeting. But back at the work session, when Shortal questioned the costs related to this project, Robert said he did not want Warren to be restricted to what items he contracts for, as long as the items are under $50,000. If Robert was opposed to this use of funds, why not come out and ask Warren not to spend it? Furthermore, Robert said council should not interfere with how Warren executes contract for under $50,000. Watch the video here, go to time 1:22:06 through 1:22:42 and listen for yourself. I'm glad Robert voted 'no' on this item, I hope it was a sincere No, and I would have preferred he made somewhat of an attempt to discourage his council partners to vote No. It should be noted Robert did vote to spend $150,000 on this project for 2011. Lots of talk about crosswalks, sidewalks, and road paving form council members, then they continue with a half million dollar signage program for the city. I don't see this as a high priority, sorry.

Two Appraisals - The city put in some language that requires two appraisals for land purchases going forward. Who said Farmer Bob was losing his touch?

Pancakes, Guns, and Sustainability

2011-09-27T11:18:00.002-04:00

Quite the headline, I know. How can one tie together pancakes, guns, and sustainability? I'll give it a shot. First, I did not make it to the pancake breakfast at Dunwoody High School.

The Dunwoody patch has a piece on that event HERE.

Opponent Terry was present and won the raffle. Photo by Barton

My other opponent, Robert, was in attendance as well. Photo taken by David Barton.

I took a break from the campaign trail and headed to the GSSF match at the South River Gun Club. For those of you interested in competition shooting, GSSF (for Glock owners) is an excellent program. Locally the Sandy Springs Gun Club and Range hosts matches. The range is located just over the western border of Dunwoody, near Quik Trip on Roswell Rd. The range offers classes for new and experienced shooters, and has classes for women as well.

I'm on the right, green shirt

For those of you who asked for yard signs, I'll be back in the Grocery-Getter this week, dropping off signs. If you have yet to receive a sign and want one, please email me at rick@rickcallihan.com

So now, a word or two on sustainability. First off, there is a forum scheduled for Tuesday, October 25th, at Dunwoody United Methodist Church. I am not sure if all candidates are attending.

Dunwoody Candidate Forum on Sustainability
Sponsored by the Dunwoody Nature Center

Tuesday, October 25, 2011
6:00 pm
Dunwoody United Methodist Church

This is an opportunity for you to hear from the candidates for Mayor and City Council and their positions on such topics as:
·          Economic Development, Clean/Green Technology and Sustainable Business Practices
·          Sustainable funding and planning strategies for Parks, Trails and Green Space
·          Land use and city planning as it relates to development
·          Multi-Modal Transportation
·          Energy
·          Solid Waste Management
·          Social Impact on Sustainability: Aging Population, Demographic shift from Single family to multi- family, Attracting & Retaining Young Professionals
·          Locally-Sourced Food Access
·          Air & Water Quality
·          Dunwoody Sustainability Plan / Sustainable Vision for Dunwoody

Date:     Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Time:     6:00 – 9:00 pm
6:00 – 6:45 pm: Coffee with the Candidates
6:45 – 9 pm Candidate Forum

-----------------------------

The word 'sustainable' is one of those words that used to mean one thing, now means many. According to widely accepted reference materials, sustainability = the capacity to endure.

I'll accept that definition. If something very bad were to happen whereas we had a collapse of society, could you endure? Do you have the tools and skills to endure? Are you prepared to grow crops and feed your family? Do you have seeds stashed away? It sounds absurd to many of you, but give it some thought. Currently I maintain seven garden beds, two at the Dunwoody Community Garden. My family consumes a decent amount of home-grown food. Some of you may belong to a farm co-op, most of you purchase all your food from Publix and Costco. The great thing about living in America is we can choose to grow our own food, or buy it from others. Aside from growing vegetable and fruits, do you, as a carnivore, have the tools and ability to harvest your own herbivore for consumption? If not, are you sure you are sustainable? Venison is a favorite here. No hormones, no food coloring, and no preservatives pumped into freshly harvested venison.

The 'sustainable city' is an entirely different species. There are lots of resources out there on the topic - do a Google search. Take a look at the topics proposed for the upcoming forum. As a city, I don't think Dunwoody has much say in regards to water quality and waste management. These are services provided by DeKalb County and/or City of Atlanta, depending on where you live in Dunwoody. Not sure how a local candidate can prepare for such topics. Unless one of our candidates has an outhouse I don't see how one candidate can win over an audience on that topic. Surely no one running for office in Dunwoody is in favor or mandatory toilet and faucet ~~upgrades~~ modifications to low volume fixtures. Maintaining the storm water system is important, as is limiting the chemicals used on lawns that make their way into the storm water system. Establishing best practices standards for surface runoff (pavement, pervious surfaces, etc) is important as a city. Already we have rule sin place for this topic.

Part of the sustainable city blueprint is high density. High density seems to appeal to people who have little say in the matter - like the fine people of Europe and Asia. When given the option (as we have here in America) many people will choose to live in a rural or suburban setting as opposed to an urban setting. Think of your local sustainability folks - do they reside in a high-density apartment complex beside a mass transit rail station and shun automobiles? No, they live in a single family home with a nice yard and green grass.

In cities that are not growing out physically (Atlanta has no natural boundary like a mountain or ocean to stops its growth) like New York and Seattle, high density living is common. Here in metro Atlanta, people seem to like the big home on a big lot. Dunwoody has attracted families for decades due to our large residential lots and amenities nearby. One argument against expanding parks is the vast amounts of green space commonly known as your backyard (see HERE)

As the Perimeter area of Dunwoody grows jobs, it needs to have housing. Currently there is ample supply of multi-family housing in Perimeter, and over 10,000 units are already zoned for future builds. The High Street development has yet to break ground, so I do not see the need for additional units to be planned or built. In neighboring Sandy Springs there are many multi-family units that will serve as homes for future PCID workers, and the area surrounding the PCID (not accounted for in the PCID LCI presentation) also has quite an array of multi-family housing.

One thing to make clear - the Perimeter CID does not just build things without approval. Any new developments and zoning changes come before the city (prior to becoming a city DeKalb County ~~performed~~ handled this function). The city is in control. The PCID can design all sorts of options for future land use, but it is ultimately the city council who decides what gets built. Same goes for land purchases; the city is in control. Who will make those decisions for the city going forward? The voters will make that decision in about 40 days.

Locally-sourced food access? What role does our city play here? Seems like a personal choice to me. One can choose to consume mass-produced foods from food factories or one can source from other venues. I don't think it is the government's job to insure locally sourced food is available. The open market does that currently. It's also not the Government's job to restrict those wanting to grow their food crops. You want to grow tomato plants in your front yard? Please proceed.

Multi-Modal transportation? If an area of Dunwoody wanted to offer trolley services and shuttles, I have no problem with that. If a business near Perimeter Mall wants to shuttle employees/clients to and from a MARTA station, that's their business decision to make. Should taxpayers subsidize that? We already have heavy rail in Dunwoody, something most neighboring cities do not have in place. How the areas around the rail stations is developed could forever change Dunwoody - better or worse.

Happy Birthday Village Burger

2011-09-21T09:33:00.001-04:00

The cake has three candles, but VB is celebrating One Year. I was too busy to find a one-candle cake that could hold the VB logo

Happy belated Birthday to Village Burger. The VB is on my list of weekly lunch stops (also currently on the list is Mellow Mushroom, Alisons, and Wright Gourmet sandwich shop). My go-to item at the VB is a double burger with Village sauce. I'm not sure what the Village sauce is made from, but I like the taste. VB always has a nice lunch crowd, and once Dun Pkwy is revamped that will increase. Congrats to the VB owners and staff on one year.

VB during construction

Meet Mike Davis, Candidate for Mayor

2011-09-20T16:27:00.000-04:00

**NOTE: If other candidates for mayor want an event listed, email it over and DunwoodyTalk will post it.

MJCCA Event at Yogli Mogli

2011-09-20T13:38:00.001-04:00

MARCUS JCC OF ATLANTA CELEBRATES ROSH HASHANAH (JEWISH NEW YEAR) WITH A SHOFAR BLOWING CONTEST AT DUNWOODY’S YOGLI MOGLI, SEPTEMBER 20

Event partners include Congregation Beth Shalom, Temple Emanu-El, The PJ Library, Pathways, and The Weinstein School.

WHO: Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta (MJCCA)

WHAT: Sweeten the New Year at Yogli Mogli with a Shofar Blowing Contest, children’s arts & crafts, and holiday songs and stories with

MJCCA Outreach Coordinator Rabbi Brian Glusman.

WHEN: Tuesday, September 20, 2011

6:00 – 8:00 pm

WHERE: Yogli Mogli (2090 Dunwoody Club Dr., Suite 123, Dunwoody, GA 30350)

About the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta

The Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta (MJCCA), The Center of the Community, is committed to strengthening the quality of life in Atlanta and is recognized as one of the most highly-regarded community centers nationally. From preschoolers and adolescents to young adults and seniors, the MJCCA offers unique and engaging programs, events, and services for every member of the community. Please visit us on the Web at atlantajcc.org.

Yard Signs

2011-09-16T17:20:00.000-04:00

The 'Rick Callihan for City Council' signs have arrived. Please email me at rick@rickcallihan.com if you'd like a sign or two. Your support is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Rick Callihan

A Problem That Needs Fixing

2011-09-16T15:10:00.002-04:00

We became a city for many reasons; local control of zoning, code enforcement, increased police protection, control of taxes (some), etc. The city has made good on lots of promises. We now have control of zoning, we have our own code enforcement, council has kept taxes as is, and we do have more police on the streets.

Take a look here: VIDEO

Watch the video and you'll hear concerns from a parent and Councilwoman Bonser. Listen carefully at the 2:00 minute mark of the video where the reporter says an officer will be there to assist with traffic. To put in context, this video is from a couple years ago. Still no traffic control officer and no traffic light.

It's my understanding the traffic counts do not qualify that intersection for a traffic light, so we need to move on (unless a waiver is possible). The traffic officer - the reporter from the above video indicated that would be an expense for the school system, but I'm not sure. But I know no one is there for traffic control in the mornings. I'm not sure if DeKalb promised to provide funds to direct traffic or not. Do any other schools in DeKalb (unincorporated or a city) have police directing traffic?

BloggerBob wrote a piece recently talking about a 45 minute 1.8 mile car ride. And he's not alone. The issue of a bunch of schools within close proximity of each other will not change. It's not Nancy J's fault and it's not Jim R's fault, so let's not point fingers there. But something needs done to correct the issue. For those of you long-time visitors to my blog, you know I complain about things, but you also recognize I try to provide solutions to the problem.

The best solution is for more kids to ride the buses. That won't happen for many kids due to the time issue. DeKalb has one set of buses/drivers. These buses first do elementary school kids, then high school routes, then middle school routes. Buses start picking up kids at 6:40 AM, and school begins at DES at 8:00 AM. This means your kid awakens at 6:15 AM for a two mile bus ride, to start school at 8:00 AM. That is not good use of time. Riding a bus at 6:40 means the kids have to go to bed sooner. Factor in the early bed time and the early bus stop time, and you are losing 5-10 hours of week with your child - family time that you should not be handing over.

Here is the current carpool plan at DES:

current traffic plan for DES carpool

One issue is the car pool does not open until 7:30 AM. Teachers are not in place yet and not enough room in the cafeteria for all the kids. Under the current plan there is not a long enough car queue.

Also, people are forced to exit at the same spot as the crosswalk. The crossing guard's job is to make sure kids cross safely, I know. But can the crossing guard can allow more than one child to gather on the curb prior to stopping traffic? The pedestrian at a crosswalk has expectations for cars to yield and allow the pedestrian to cross. The law requires for cars to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks, but the pedestrian should not enter the roadway in front of a moving vehicle. Perhaps Tom or Joe S. can weigh in more on the legal aspects of children at a crosswalk. No doubt, the goal is to encourage walking and parents need to know safety is goal number one. Is the guard required to immediately stop traffic when a child arrives at the cross walk? Can the child remain safely on the curb for one minute? Please note the crossing guard cannot direct traffic, so don't blame him for the mess.

I feel the city manager should coordinate with our police for an officer to be positioned at DES for 30 minutes every morning. This goes back to why we became a city. Are we as a city so obsessed with signage rules, banning chickens, and being too Smart that we can't get an officer over at DES in the mornings? Over on my area of town is Woodland Elementary. An officer is there every morning. She directs traffic every morning. She may be paid by the school system, or maybe the PTA, or maybe Sandy Springs - I don't know. But the point is, she IS there. How does DES get an officer at the school? One note - it is possible that an officer may not help the situation, but I think we should try.

One concern is that if the city puts an officer at DES, then why not every other school? Same argument could be made for officers anywhere in the city. Why do officers go where they go? They 'go' due to demand - they go where they are needed. And I argue that enough city residents are affected by the traffic situation at DES to warrant an attempt to fix the problem.

Imagine a neighborhood where there have been very few, if any, issues that required officer assistance. No break-ins, no traffic problems, a nice quiet area. Police probably don't patrol that area as much as an area that does have frequent requests for services. Just on Monday night a nice lady told me how the Dunwoody police (since being formed) have made a major difference in her area. That's fantastic, that's why we became a city and why we have our own police. It's nice to hear stories like that. Her neighborhood had a need, and the police responded, with intended results.

Back to our topic - there is a need for assistance at DES in the mornings, just like the nice lady on Monday had a need for her neighborhood. Austin and Vanderlyn do not need an officer to direct traffic. There is a traffic light on Roberts for Austin that allows car pool to move okay, and traffic is at a crawl there so no speeding can take place. Vanderlyn has a long queue and an officer there would do nothing to help. Same for the high school. That leaves Chesnut and Kinsley. I think Kingsley sits back off the main road that it does not need an officer. I can't comment on Chesnut so maybe Lynn D can comment. It may be that only DES needs an officer in the morning.

A proposal for carpool at DES

The plan above moves the exit away from the crosswalk. It creates a longer queue. But it may require an officer on Womack, at least to implement the plan. Some may be concerned about buses being in the same car pool lane as cars. Unless there is a law against this, what's the problem? Most likely the buses will arrive before the cars. If not, no big deal. All kids exit the vehicles, then get on a sidewalk. Once the entire queue (from red bar to red bar on map) empties and moves out, the cars all move up. This plan may work, it may not. Maybe the folks in charge can try it. I don't think it would make things worse.

Have a Kid Who Uses Internet or Cell Phone? CBS TV Special Report

2011-09-15T09:32:00.000-04:00

I know, Friday nights we have high school football, dinner parties on the back deck, or maybe even a family visit to Mellow Mushroom or Village Burger. I'm not a huge fan of network news or their special news shows, but an airing this Friday is something you should consider viewing with your kids (or have your kids watch without you). One thing that puzzles me about the CBS special is that they are encouraging using Facebook and Twitter for viewers. So, there is a problem with bullying on social media and while using electronic devices, so they are encouraging more use of these? Anyway, hopefully the TV episode will be educational. Since your tween or teen already has plans for Friday night, DVR the event for later in the weekend.

The show is called "Bullying: Words Can Kill". Below is the official press release from CBS:

Hello –

I am touching base from CBS News to inform you that for the last year CBS News has been working on a special report about bullying in the digital age. Produced by the team behind the award winning, 48 Hours this primetime special called “Bullying: Words Can Kill,” will air Friday, September 16th at 8:00 PM on your local CBS station.

While bullying is not a new phenomenon, cyberbullying is—and it has turned up the heat on peer-to-peer harassment. Computers and cell phones now bring children and teens closer to their friends, as well as their enemies—sometimes with fatal results. This special report is an in-depth look at how this serious issue is affecting hundreds of thousands of students across the country—and what parents, educators and legislators can do to help keep children safe.

Viewers will be given a firsthand look at bullying and cyberbullying through the eyes of those who are targeted, their parents, and a middle school in Rhode Island that is proactively working on alleviating and preventing bullying in their school. The report also includes interviews with parents who have lost their children to suicide, because they couldn’t live through another day of bullying. Those parents have now dedicated their lives to saving other children from the same fate. To see more about the show please visit our webpage HERE.

During the broadcast on September 16th, correspondent Tracy Smith and producers of the show will be live on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE taking questions from viewers. We sincerely hope that the discussion continues in homes and schools around the country.

We invite you, your faculty, students and parents to tune in to this important broadcast. Attached are materials we hope you will use to help us get the word out about the documentary. Please feel free to post the attached flyer around your school, encourage your school community to participate in our Tweet-up, and to forward the contents of this email to the decision-makers in your district, including teachers, parents, guidance counselors and administrators.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact us.

Best,
Elizabeth Wasden
Director, Communications
CBS News

Tour ChatComm 911 Center

2011-09-14T17:48:00.000-04:00

Dunwoody and ChatComm Host 911 Open House

City Prepares for Transition of 911 Communication Services

Dunwoody, Ga. – September 14, 2011 – Residents and businesses in Dunwoody are invited to a behind-the-scenes look at the City’s new 9-1-1 communications services provider during a 911 Open House on Wednesday, September 28, 2011.

Beginning October 3, the City of Dunwoody will join the cities of Sandy Springs and Johns Creek in their joint 9-1-1 center known as the Chattahoochee River 9-1-1 Authority or ChatComm.

“With the transition to ChatComm, Dunwoody ensures a high level of service for our citizens while limiting our expenses to a fixed fee,” said Mayor Ken Wright. “Moving to ChatComm solidifies a vital part of Dunwoody’s public safety efforts by improving our 911 communication services."

Based on an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) signed earlier this year, ChatComm will answer and dispatch Dunwoody’s police emergency calls. Performance standards in the IGA stipulate that at least 90 percent of 9-1-1 calls be answered within 10 seconds and at least 90 percent of calls be processed for dispatch within 60 seconds.

ChatComm dispatches emergency calls for Sandy Springs and Johns Creek police including fire departments and the Rural Metro Ambulance services for Sandy Springs. In 2010, ChatComm received over 110,000 9-1-1 calls and dispatched to 114,122 incidents.

WHAT: 911 Open House

(tours, light refreshments, and information on ChatComm)

WHERE: ChatComm

859 Mount Vernon Highway, Suite 400

Sandy Springs, GA 30328

WHEN: Wednesday, September 28

10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Free Progams this Fall at Marcus JCC

2011-09-14T14:32:00.000-04:00

MARCUS JCC OF ATLANTA PRESENTS EXCITING FALL PROGRAMS – ALL FREE AND OPEN TO THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY!

Judaism 101: Curious about Judaism?

Fridays, September 16 and 23

10:30 – 11:30 am

MJCCA - Zaban Park

5342 Tilly Mill Road

Dunwoody, GA 30338

Free to the community

Curious about Judaism? The MJCCA invites you to a series for inquiring minds with Rabbi Brian Glusman. Learn the basics of Judaism including Shabbat, holidays, ethics, and community. Engaging classes for adults interested in learning more about Judaism. All are welcome – Jewish or not: unaffiliated Jews, and those of any religious backgrounds. For more information please contact Rabbi Brian Glusman, brian.glusman@atlantajcc.org.

Sweeten the New Year at Yogli Mogli

Tuesday, September 20

6:00 – 8:00 pm

Yogli Mogli in Dunwoody

Orchard Park Kroger Shopping Center

2090 Dunwoody Club Drive (at Mount Vernon)

The MJCCA invites you to Sweeten the New Year at Yogli Mogli of Dunwoody (next to Kroger) on Tuesday, September 20, from 6:00 – 8:00 pm. The event will feature children’s songs, stories and crafts. All participants will be treated to special event pricing. Bring your own Shofar for the official Dunwoody Shofar Blowing Contest. This event is free and open to all. Event partners include Congregation Beth Shalom, Pathways, Temple Emanu-El, and The Weinstein School.

Ribs in the Shack Sukkah Dinner

Tuesday, October 20

5:00 – 7:00 pm

MJCCA at Zaban Park

5342 Tilly Mill Road

Dunwoody, GA 30338

All are invited to the celebrate Sukkot (Festival of Booths) at the MJCCA with "Ribs in the Shack." This fun Sukkot holiday program will feature authentic pit smoked BBQ ribs which may be purchased directly from Goodfriend's Grill along with other great menu items. Enjoy live Bluegrass music with The Farmland Band and crafts for children. Learn how to do the "Lulav shake" with guest rabbis and more! This event is free and open to all. For more information about this and other great holiday programs, please contact Rabbi Brian Glusman, brian.glusman@atlantajcc.org.

Lunch ‘N Learn Featuring Rabbi Joshua Heller

Thursday, October 6

12:00 - 1:00 pm

MJCCA at Zaban Park

5342 Tilly Mill Road

Dunwoody, GA 30338

Free to the community

Make your lunchtime a little more meaningful and a lot more fun. You’re invited to join local congregational rabbis for a lively monthly discussion on a variety of topics, including the weekly Torah portion, current events, Israel, Jewish customs and ceremonies, Jewish holidays, and more. Each class features a different Atlanta rabbi. This program is free and open to the entire community; you may bring a dairy lunch or purchase a kosher lunch from Goodfriend’s Grill. For more information please contact Rabbi Brian Glusman, brian.glusman@atlantajcc.org.

Join 'Grow Dunwoody'

2011-09-12T10:05:00.000-04:00

When: September 14 (Wednesday) 6:30 - 7:30 PM

Where: Dunwoody High School

Who: All Dunwoody residents (and students from any Dunwoody/DeKalb school) interested in working with the 'GrowDunwoody" program.

What: See HERE

Guns.com article: The 9/11 Revolver: Recovered from the World Trade Center

2011-09-11T01:13:00.000-04:00

Guns.com article: The 9/11 Revolver: Recovered from the World Trade Center

Charity Walk at Brook Run

2011-09-09T14:11:00.002-04:00

Be Aware of Phony Dent / Car Repair in Parking Lots

2011-09-09T08:43:00.001-04:00

It's a scam that moves around the country, and I have seen these criminals here in Dunwoody. A group is active here in the Dunwoody / Sandy Springs area this week! Just recently a local person was victim to the notorious "I can fix that dent for you" scam. A man will approach potential targets (you) in a parking lot or maybe even in your driveway. The man may have props with him (a female, a "hungry" child, whatever).

DON'T LET THEM TOUCH YOUR CAR.

STAY IN YOUR CAR, LOCK THE DOORS, PICK UP YOUR PHONE. DRIVE YOURSELF, YOUR PASSENGERS, AND YOUR CAR FROM THE AREA IMMEDIATELY!

CALL POLICE IF THEY FOLLOW YOU OR THREATEN YOU.

The man will offer to fix a dent, and claim his repair is far less expensive than an auto body shop. They will most likely do poor work then shake you down for cash. The 'repair' they perform will actually make things worse for your vehicle. They will follow you and harass you. Just like we learned in kindergarten, don't talk to strangers.

Simply Google the terms: Gypsy dent repair scam' and you'll find plenty of stories

HERE is the type of report you will see all over the Internet.

Councilman Shortal Dunwoody Update

2011-09-08T08:09:00.000-04:00

Good evening fellow citizens ... some quick items of interest ...

1. Climb the Manhattan Tower ... This Saturday morning our Dunwoody Firemen spear headed by Patrick Lindstrom of Station 21 will climbing the stairs of the 26th floor Manhattan Towers .. located at 4561 Olde Perimeter Way, in Dunwoody. This is the condo building located close to the Target in the Perimeter Mall area. I will be in the first group of climbers with our fireman (they are going to climb in full gear .... I will be in shorts, T-shirt and running shoes ... what a wimp!!) and we are meeting at 8 AM. A group of climbers will leave every few minutes until everyone has made the climb. This is to honor the 343 firefighters and 60 policeman who lost their lives heroically on 9/11/2001. You can register to join the climb at www.gfbf.org ... then go to Dunwoody Manhattan Memorial Climb. Registration fee is only $25 (it is tax deductible) and all proceeds go to the Georgia Firefighters Burn Foundation. If you register on line you will get a T-shirt. If it is a last minute decision for you come on over and ... the ladies of the DWC ( I know one of them personally) will get you registered.

2. Paving. The paving is proceeding well with only a couple of equipment and weather delays. Roberts Dr will be paved from Chamblee Dunwoody Rd north to the Sandy Springs city line. Depending on weather, etc we should start the paving process here approx. 15 - 19 SEP. It will take approx. 10 day for completion ... again depending on weather, etc. The plan is to start work at 8 AM and shut it down at 2 PM daily. There will be lane closures, etc. during this period, thus I highly recommend you avoid Roberts Dr during the paving. I also highly recommend Austin School students walk to school to the max extent possible during this period. It will be beautiful when finished. A by-product of this paving will be a 3 - 5' bike lane on both sides of Roberts .... this will add a much needed safety factor for our children who are walking and riding their bikes to Austin School. Also provide a bike lane for those adults that just want to go for a bike ride. Remember paving roads REQUIRES patience from all of us!!

3. Sidewalks .... Although we do not yet have a timeline there will be about 70' of sidewalk, just passed Fire Station 12 on the way to Austin School, replaced. For those of you that walk to school you know this area .... which is badly broken up. This will be another safety enhancement for our children walking/riding their bikes to school.

4. Walk to School Day ... Today was the first "Walk to School Day" of the year. To me this is a win/win situation and I would like ever day to be a "Walk to School Day." At Austin we had 460 of the 650 children walk to school today ... and that was in a light drizzling rain. My thanks to the Austin School facility, the parent organizers and all of you parents and children who participated. I and Chief Grogan walked with the group from Mellow Mushroom .... and from what I saw the children really like walking to school. I hope everyone will try to make this a daily routine .... just think parents, you can get your exercise in by 8 AM.

5. Stage Door Players .... One of the real assets in our city is the Stage Door Players ... this is the arts right here in our midst. Great entertainment at a very reasonable price ..... and you can see the stage up close as there is not a bad seat in the house. I don't own any stock nor am I an actor in the Stage Door Players..... but I highly encourage you to support the Stage Door Players as we need to keep this asset alive and well in Dunwoody. Buy season tickets, buy a package or just go to some single shows .... I think you will be impressed with the quality.

That is all for tonight. Please pass this on to your friends, neighbors, members of your HOA or anyone you think maybe interested. If anyone wants to be added to my email list just let me. Again, thanks for you great positive support of our City ..

Let Us Continue To Build Our City Together

Denny Shortal

Dunwoody City Council, District One, Post-1 Mayor Pro Tem denis.shortal@dunwoodyga.gov

Grow Dunwoody at Dunwoody High School

2011-09-08T07:03:00.000-04:00

Important Information from
Dunwoody High School

Greetings DHS Parents!

Dunwoody High School will be participating in Grow Dunwoody, a new program designed to enhance the quality of science, wellness, and special needs education that is given to our students. Grow Dunwoody is being driven by the Environmental Coalition, a student-led organization based out of Dunwoody High School. The organization also includes: professors and students at Georgia Perimeter College; the administration, teachers, and faculty at all eight schools within the Dunwoody Cluster; and several other organizations within our community.

Our goal is to make curriculum more interactive and applicable to real life through the integration of organic gardening and hands-on-educational activities. This year, for example, we will transform our two courtyards into fully functioning organic gardens, including plants native to Georgia and a pond!

The overall objective of Grow Dunwoody is to reconstruct the way that students are taught, with the objective of: identifying all possible interactive resources, incorporating relevant community organizations into classroom education, and connecting the individual goals of each educational institution within the cluster. Constructing an organic garden will bring each school together with their fellow scholastic partners, also individually connecting them to our community, the Dunwoody Nature Center and Brook Run Park, the National Wildlife Federation, the Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, and Georgia Perimeter College.

An overall goal is to get parents involved, allowing them to help in their student's education and supporting it in the greatest way possible. Grow Dunwoody will include every science class that is taught within our school and include all levels of instruction, meaning your student will be involved each year. Because this is a program that is being driven entirely by our school and our community, we need your contributions and assistance. Anything that you can contribute -- time, resources or funds -- will be greatly appreciated. We are sending this message out to you, our DHS parents, in hopes that you will relay it to friends, businesses, and neighborhood associations, and partner with us to expand this program to its full potential.

More than 7,000 students will benefit from this program each year! The initial setup cost equates to less than $7.00 per student and about $1.25 per year for maintenance. We have already received affirmation in a letter of support from the Dunwoody City Manager and a proclamation signed by the Mayor of the City of Dunwoody.

We invite parents and community members to attend an informative presentation about Grow Dunwoody on Tuesday, September 13th from 6:30-7:30 p.m. in our new auditorium. Please visit our website: GrowDunwoody.com for more information.

Sincerely,

Ellen Augustine

Sponsor of the Environmental Coalition

Rick Callihan for Dunwoody City Council

2011-09-05T17:03:00.002-04:00

I am excited to announce that I am running for Dunwoody’s at-large District 1 seat. Since starting the blog a few years ago to share information and perspective on the happenings and politics of Dunwoody I have been fortunate to earn the daily readership of hundreds of my fellow Dunwoodians. Please join me as I begin the task of campaigning for the District 1 seat so that we can bring our voices to the council.

This year Labor Day signals a new chapter for me and my family - the labor of a political campaign. I've received many supportive and encouraging phone calls, texts, and emails since Friday after I filed my official paperwork to join the race, Thank you! As we progress through the campaign I look forward to hearing more from you and meeting new people. Going forward, I want to share my thoughts about what challenges and opportunities are before us and hear your expectations and opinions about the city and its future.

DunwoodyTalk Blog

I started the blog in 2009 as a way to keep the community in touch with local happenings and Dunwoody politics. I’ve attended council meetings over the past three years and posted recaps (from my viewpoint) of these meetings to keep you informed on issues that affect all of Dunwoody. Our first mayor and council have invested many hours to get our city up and running. While there are some things (large and small) I would have done differently, I recognize and thank them for their service. . I enjoyed reporting on and discussing the important issues as our young city took shape.

Gardener and Volunteer at the Community Garden at Brook Run Park

When I learned about the initiative to start a community garden at Brook Run I decided to get involved despite my lack of gardening experience and knowledge. I knew Farmer Bob (Bob Lundsten) was participating in this project so I knew it wouldn’t be boring. After two full growing seasons I can say that I have learned a lot over at Brook Run. The garden group has donated over 2000 pounds of fresh produce this year to a local food pantry and I'm proud to be part of that effort.

Transportation Committee and Parks and Recreation Committee

I was honored to serve on two city committees. I was a member of the Transportation Committee. As you know, many of the issues that the Transportation Committee worked on are and will continue to be hot topics for Dunwoody.

I also serviced on the Parks and Recreation Committee. Just as transportation is an important topic for Dunwoody, the discussion about parks, land acquisition and planning for these common spaces is of growing concern and importance for all Dunwoodians. The upcoming bond referendum in November is only beginning of the debate.

Dunwoody Homeowners Association (DHA)

Last year I joined the Board of the Dunwoody Homeowners Association. As a member of the Board, I take great joy and civic pride knowing all the favorite activities that the DHA sponsors; from Light Up Dunwoody to the July 4th parade. I am most grateful that the DHA has been and continues to be an important voice for smart and thoughtful zoning; providing a valuable service to homeowners.

Beyond Dunwoody

Aside from local politics I am involved on the state and national level. Here in Georgia I was nominated for an office at the Republican Party meeting for Georgia's sixth congressional district. I accepted the role of Chairman of the DeKalb County Outreach Committee. On the national scene I am an NRA member and a business member of the NSSF, two organizations protecting Second Amendment rights.

Schools

As a former middle school teacher, I diligently follow state and local developments in education. During the recent school redistricting initiative I stayed informed and attended the many workshops and hearings.

I have worked closely with our school board member, Nancy Jester, on many issues and look forward to continuing this work in upcoming years. Although our city does not control our schools (we are a part of the DeKalb School System) it’s important for city officials to be well informed about our schools. . I have experience working with our school board members and know that as a city council member I can strengthen that relationship.

Like most of you, I have a full-time job and a family to keep me busy. My campaign to become your next city council member will need your help. At the least, please vote and encourage your friends, neighbors, and co-workers to vote. Please consider making a financial contribution to the campaign by visiting my website www.rickcallihan.com and clicking on the “donate now” button or contact me directly. If you would like to display one of our yard signs, please send me an email and, once they arrive, I will deliver it to you. I look forward to serving you.

Regards,

Rick Callihan

Dunwoody UMC Youth Basketball

2011-09-02T10:45:00.000-04:00

Youth Basketball 2011/12 Registration

Begins Monday September 12, 2011

Cost: $140 1^st child, $130 2^nd child, $120 3^rd child

Late Fee(s)

Begins Monday October 10, 2011

Cost: Fee is $160 per child.

Registration closes October 30, 2011

Rosters/practice schedules will be e-mailed on or after Friday November 11.

Coaches Meeting/Safe Sanctuary Training: Saturday, November 12, 9AM

Evaluations for ages 9/10 plus leagues will be the week of November 7.

Practices begin: the week of November 28, 2011.

Games begin: TBA!

We are looking forward to the 2011-12 basketball season. Thanks in part to the wonderful parent involvement and continued program support we have had a significant increase in our last 2 fall soccer seasons and last year's basketball season so we expect the same for winter basketball. We appreciate all the parents and volunteers that make our programs a success. Volunteers are invaluable to us! Please consider volunteering your time as a coach (up to 3 or minimum of 2 per team) or a team parent this season!

ONLINE REGISTRATION & PAYMENT:

YOU MUST register and pay online at www.dunwoodyumc.org & www.sportability.com with Visa/MC or electronic check or register on line using computer in the Program Office.

Leagues Available:

In House: Travel:

4 - Co-ed 9 - 10 boys & 9 -10 girls

5 - 6 boys & 5 - 6 girls 11 - 12 boys & 11 - 12 girls

7 - 8 boys & 7 - 8 girls 13 - 14 boys & 13 - 14 girls

Volunteering to Coach? Co- Coaches can request their preference for day and time of practice. Please note that we tend to reserve the earlier time slots for the younger teams. Coaches may also request who they would like to coach with.

Friend/Carpool Request? We welcome one (1) carpool /friend request per player! Please list two (2) friends only. (If first cannot be honored please add an alternate) Please know that every effort is made to accommodate at least one of these requests and are handled on a first come, first serve basis. Coaches can protect their child and one friend-max of four players per team.

Travel League: You may sign up and the week of November 7 evaluations will be conducted specific day/times to follow. Games are played at DunwoodyUMC and other churches in the Buckhead, Sandy Springs, and Dunwoody area.

Refund Policy: There will be a 10% processing fee for refunds issued before November 1. So refunds will be 90% of original amount. If more than 1 sibling 90% will be refunded of the last player registered. After December 1^st 2011 we will refund 50% of the registration fees.

Meet Lynn Deutsch, Candidate for District 2

2011-09-02T08:43:00.002-04:00

Lynn Deutsch is pleased to announce her candidacy for the Dunwoody City Council At Large District 2 seat.

Lynn was appointed to and currently serves on the Dunwoody Planning Commission, where she had the opportunity to listen to Dunwoody residents and to work towards building consensus. Prior to that appointment, she had served on the board of the Dunwoody Homeowners Association, where she gained insight into the challenges and opportunities our community faces. She served for many years on the board of her neighborhood Women’s Club and has been an active advocate for her neighborhood.

Often associated with public education in DeKalb because of her long term involvement as a volunteer, Lynn is well known for holding officials accountable, demanding excellence and not accepting excuses. Based on her reputation for asking tough questions and seeking solutions, Governor Perdue appointed Lynn to the Master Teacher and Academic Coach Implementation committee as his parent representative.

To thrive in the future, Lynn believes that Dunwoody must be an outstanding place to live for people in all ages and stages of their lives and simultaneously be a great place for businesses to locate. These objectives can be met by with planning properly and improving infrastructure.

Lynn earned a master's degree in City Planning from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a graduate certificate in Gerontology from Georgia State University as well as bachelors degrees in Government and Journalism from the University of Texas at Austin.

“I have lived in Dunwoody for over 20 years and this is where Barry and I have chosen to raise our three children. Dunwoody is our home and I am committed to insuring that it is a great place to live, work and retire,” said Lynn. To learn more about Lynn, visit http://www.lynn4dunwoody.com or email her at Lynn@Lynn4Dunwoody.com.

Meet Kerry de Vallette, Candidate for District 2, Dunwoody

2011-08-29T14:56:00.000-04:00