Thursday, May 2, 2013

Reminder: Cityhood sponsors discuss current proposals [Monday, May 6]

via Mary Margaret Oliver (District 92, GA House of Representatives):

Members of the DeKalb House and Senate delegations, including those who have introduced legislation to create new cities or annex new areas to existing cities, will hold a Town Hall meeting on May 6, from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm at Clairmont Hills Baptist Church, 1995 Clairmont Drive, Decatur 30033, the corner of Clairmont and North Druid Hills Road.  We want all DeKalb citizens to learn about the options available to them for local governance, and how you may participate in the efforts that will be on-going this summer. PLEASE JOIN US! 
House Rules of the Georgia General Assembly require that a new city may only be created over a two year term, not in one year.  Legislation, listed below by primary sponsor, was filed in the 2013 Session that ended March 28, 2013, to give an opportunity procedurally to create possible new DeKalb cities of Druid Hills, LaVista Hills, Lakeside, Stonecrest, City of DeKalb, and Tucker.  Also, annexation bills are pending for Chamblee and being discussed for Decatur, and legislative limitations on annexations options have also been filed.  We ask neighborhood associations or groups who are reviewing current legislation, or working for or against possible new cities to describe briefly their efforts.  
WE NEED YOUR INPUT!  HOW DO YOU WISH TO BE GOVERNED? 
The meeting will provide information on the costs of planning for new cities and the resulting possible tax implications.  We will discuss procedures for legislative enactment, give a summary of ongoing cityhood activities, and learn about other governance options. 
THANK YOU!  PLEASE JOIN US MAY 6 AND LEARN HOW YOU MAY PARTICIPATE IN PLANNING FOR A NEW DEKALB!  Thank you. 
The following are bills that have been introduced and may be reviewed on the General Assembly web site by Bill number:
HB 22---Primary Sponsor Mary Margaret Oliver.  HB 22 sets out additional procedures and enhanced financial requirements for creation of new cities.
HB 619—Primary Sponsor Mary Margaret Oliver.  HB 619 passed in 2013 and allows an area in unincorporated DeKalb that adjoins Chamblee to vote to be annexed into Chamblee
HB 665—Primary Sponsor Mary Margaret Oliver.  HB 665 is a placemholder bill to create new city of Briarcliff/Druid Hills.
HB 677—Primary Sponsor Billy Mitchell.  HB 677 would create a new city of Tucker.
HB 687---Primary Sponsor Pam Stephenson.  HB 687 limits the ability to annex new areas to existing cities by geography.
SB 270—Primary Sponsor Fran Millar.  SB 270 would create city of Lakeside
SB 275—Primary Sponsor Jason Carter.  SB 275 would create new city of LaVista Hills.
SB 278---Primary Sponsor Ron Ramsey.  SB 278 would create new city of Stonecrest. 

Tri-colored female dog, purple harness, recent surgery FOUND [Apr 28]

Posted to Medlock Neighbors Facebook page:


Tuesday, April 30, 2013

DeKalb Superintendent releases 90-day action plan

To view the 90-day plan and other recent DeKalb County School System announcements, visit http://www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/. The plan lists five goals; for each, there is a descriptive paragraph and action items. The goals are:
• Address AdvanceED/SACS action items and work to achieve unconditional accreditation status;
• Develop and implement a balanced budget for FY 2014;
• Prioritize student academic achievement and career readiness; strengthen parent, adult
guardian and mentor involvement;
• Develop and implement a plan that will improve operational efficiency throughout the
district;
• Continue to rebuild trust with internal and external district stakeholders

Friday, April 26, 2013

Thursday, April 25, 2013

Former Board of Education members request reinstatement

The AJC reports that four of the six DeKalb County Schools board members removed from duty by Governor Deal have requested reinstatement. As to the two who have not,
... Nancy Jester of Dunwoody, said she will not be petitioning. The other, former board Chairman Eugene Walker, could not be reached for comment. He is following another path that could lead to reinstatement: a lawsuit before the Georgia Supreme Court. ... The petitioning board members will next face an administrative law judge. The governor must wait at least 30 days after Friday to hold the hearing. Deal said if a petition reaches his desk, he won’t instinctively rule it out. Read the whole article @ AJC
Per comments made by Mark Elgart, president and CEO of AdvancED (which includes the Council on Accreditation and School Improvement: Commissions on Elementary, Middle, and Secondary Schools), "the district had begun to address some concerns and likely wouldn’t lose accreditation at the end of the year, even if it remained on probation."

Neighborhood Watch meeting notes

Most excellent notes from last night's neighborhood watch meeting, via Dawn Forman @ Laurel Ridge:



Good Evening Everybody!!

Tonight we had a community neighborhood watch meeting. I wanted to thank everyone that came out, as well as let you know the information that we learned from Major Ellison, our new police major Mr. Fowler, our new community education coordinator, and the police detectives and officers present at the meeting.  I also want to thank Chick-fil-a for donating a large tray of chicken nuggets for tonight's meeting. Please take a few minutes to read this email.

I am going to do bullet points, as that is how I took notes: