Mt Vernon is now a road capable of the traffic it carries and no longer a glorified cow path.
To some people the most important parts of the road are the 3-4 feet at the edge on either side.
This one's for you!
The latest updates from SDOC Publishing Internet Solutions for our clients, our community, and the web design field. Our Dunwoody, Georgia studio serves clients all over the United States and Canada.
Tuesday, May 10, 2016
Mt Vernon Renaissance
Shout huzzahs from on high - the water mains are replaced, the roads are smoothed, the Chamblee-Dunwoody washboard is (almost) gone and new asphalt is down. Paint is in progress.
Mt Vernon is now a road capable of the traffic it carries and no longer a glorified cow path.
To some people the most important parts of the road are the 3-4 feet at the edge on either side.
This one's for you!
Mt Vernon is now a road capable of the traffic it carries and no longer a glorified cow path.
To some people the most important parts of the road are the 3-4 feet at the edge on either side.
This one's for you!
Friday, May 6, 2016
Dunwoody is getting a dedicated city hall
(Emphases are added. See notes below.)
Dunwoody, GA – May 5, 2016 – The City of Dunwoody agreed in principal to establish a new location for its City Hall by signing a purchase agreement for the lot and building located at 4800 Ashford Dunwoody Road.
The selection is a result of a two and a half year exploration conducted by city staff and planning consultants to determine the optimum location for the first City Hall complex completely owned by the eight year old municipality. The decision to select 4800 Ashford Dunwoody Road was based on a prioritized list of considerations and needs for a new City Hall, primarily looking at accessibility, convenience, overall cost and capability for future growth.
The agreement signed by the City of Dunwoody covers the purchase of the three and a quarter-acre lot and building for approximately $8.25 million. The city will continue further due diligence and inspection of the property over the next 90 days and, dependent on the due diligence findings, expects to close on the purchase within approximately 120 days.
“We performed extensive assessments and evaluations of available, existing or vacant properties within the city to see which might be the most beneficial solution for our citizens and city staff,” said Dunwoody Mayor Denis Shortal. “As city leaders and staff reviewed options, the 4800 building rose to the top of our list as the most fiscally prudent and logistically sound choice.”
With an estimated 45,000 gross-square feet, the newly purchased building offers slightly more overall square footage than the space currently leased by the city (located at 41 Perimeter Center East) and an annual cost comparable to existing yearly lease terms. The city intends to conduct minor modifications to its future building to create well-organized, efficient office space for the entirety of city staff, police department, municipal court, and city council chambers.
“We believe the new City Hall building will allow us to better serve our citizens,” said Mayor Shortal. “Our intent is to utilize the first floor of the new City Hall as the primary space where citizens and businesses will interact with the city through permitting, licensing, police department, court or council and public meetings. The central location, sufficient parking and overall accessibility make this new City Hall an ideal fit for our community.”
The city anticipates moving into the new City Hall space following the close of the sale and the completion of all planned modifications to the building, estimated to be no later than the end of Q1 2018.
# # #
For more information regarding the City of Dunwoody, please contact Bob Mullen, Marketing and PR Director, at 678.382.6700 or bob.mullen@dunwoodyga.gov.
Dunwoody, GA – May 5, 2016 – The City of Dunwoody agreed in principal to establish a new location for its City Hall by signing a purchase agreement for the lot and building located at 4800 Ashford Dunwoody Road.
The selection is a result of a two and a half year exploration conducted by city staff and planning consultants to determine the optimum location for the first City Hall complex completely owned by the eight year old municipality. The decision to select 4800 Ashford Dunwoody Road was based on a prioritized list of considerations and needs for a new City Hall, primarily looking at accessibility, convenience, overall cost and capability for future growth.
The agreement signed by the City of Dunwoody covers the purchase of the three and a quarter-acre lot and building for approximately $8.25 million. The city will continue further due diligence and inspection of the property over the next 90 days and, dependent on the due diligence findings, expects to close on the purchase within approximately 120 days.
“We performed extensive assessments and evaluations of available, existing or vacant properties within the city to see which might be the most beneficial solution for our citizens and city staff,” said Dunwoody Mayor Denis Shortal. “As city leaders and staff reviewed options, the 4800 building rose to the top of our list as the most fiscally prudent and logistically sound choice.”
With an estimated 45,000 gross-square feet, the newly purchased building offers slightly more overall square footage than the space currently leased by the city (located at 41 Perimeter Center East) and an annual cost comparable to existing yearly lease terms. The city intends to conduct minor modifications to its future building to create well-organized, efficient office space for the entirety of city staff, police department, municipal court, and city council chambers.
“We believe the new City Hall building will allow us to better serve our citizens,” said Mayor Shortal. “Our intent is to utilize the first floor of the new City Hall as the primary space where citizens and businesses will interact with the city through permitting, licensing, police department, court or council and public meetings. The central location, sufficient parking and overall accessibility make this new City Hall an ideal fit for our community.”
The city anticipates moving into the new City Hall space following the close of the sale and the completion of all planned modifications to the building, estimated to be no later than the end of Q1 2018.
# # #
For more information regarding the City of Dunwoody, please contact Bob Mullen, Marketing and PR Director, at 678.382.6700 or bob.mullen@dunwoodyga.gov.
A few notes:
1) The location is ideal: city hall has to serve full-time residents and commuters and visitors alike. The old C&S Bank building on Ashford Dunwoody is a middle ground for all of those populations. It may not be the geographic center of the city, but it is the "center" of where everyone can get to it.
2) I've been inside - even without redecorating or renovating it's an attractive space.
2.5) added - the press release makes no mention of the chamber or CVB space. I'm sure details about their futures is forthcoming
2.5) added - the press release makes no mention of the chamber or CVB space. I'm sure details about their futures is forthcoming
3) Two and a half years ago the process for finding a permanent city hall was begun. That puts the process at around January 2014. Mike Davis was the mayor at that time. That means, Mike Davis' administration began the process that made this result possible.
4) During the DHA candidate forum in 2015, Mike and Denny had to know that the process for obtaining a site for a permanent city hall had to be well on its way to a conclusion. And yet, when Denny was asked about a city hall location, he clearly stated that a "citizen committee" had to be formed to determine the best way to proceed: build, buy, or lease. I didn't hear any word of a citizen committee being formed, but it must have happened because Denny said so in his campaign speech. it had to happen very quickly because Denny was inaugurated in January and this deal is announced in early May.
Anyone who served on this committee, please post in the comments here or on any other blog/social media and let the public know what actually happened.
Here's the video from the DHA forum. Denny's comments on city hall and a "citizen forum" to determine the best course of action begin at about the 51:49 minute mark.
Friday, April 29, 2016
#PrayForUGA
Service for Halle Scott (DDD)
Visitation: Sunday, May 1st at 4:00 PM in the parlor at Dunwoody United Methodist Church
Funeral Service: Sunday, May 1st at 5:00 PM in the DUMC sanctuary
Reception: Immediately following the service in the Fellowship Hall at DUMC
Monday, April 25, 2016
Websites need spring cleaning too! 5 Tips to stay up to date
The pollen season has passed; the scrub-the-pollen-off-of everything season is in progress.
Over the past couple of weeks I've done audits and website upgrades for some clients who took a look at their websites and realized they needed a refresher.
You can follow these tips too and decide if you should spruce up your website:
1) Make sure your design is current
Yes, I'm going to be a broken record on this one. If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times, websites have to accommodate both large and small mobile screens to be relevant to today's user. If your design is more than 3 years old, or does not display well on small screens, it's time for a makeover.
Here's one I did for long-time SDOC client and Dunwoody CPA Susan Renegar. Her first website was a single billboard, and it did the job for a number of years:
Over the past couple of weeks I've done audits and website upgrades for some clients who took a look at their websites and realized they needed a refresher.
You can follow these tips too and decide if you should spruce up your website:
1) Make sure your design is current
Yes, I'm going to be a broken record on this one. If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times, websites have to accommodate both large and small mobile screens to be relevant to today's user. If your design is more than 3 years old, or does not display well on small screens, it's time for a makeover.
Here's one I did for long-time SDOC client and Dunwoody CPA Susan Renegar. Her first website was a single billboard, and it did the job for a number of years:
Then 2009 and the Mobile Explosion hit. Susan's website was still just one page, but it needed a fresh look to the still-current content:
Here's the result:
Best of all, this new version is easy to use on all devices, including an iPhone.
2) Sit and read your content. And look at your pictures.
You wanted to manage your own website to save money. But it was hard to schedule time to update your text and pictures, or even your store inventory. How's that working for you? Your search engine results are probably saying, "Not so much". Search engines just looooooooove text content that changes frequently. Spend some time reading your website, or get a friend or relative to do it for a really fresh insight. Then either use your control panel to change your text, or get back in touch with your webmaster to update it.
3) Are your add-ons up to date?
If you are using a popular open-source content management system like WordPress, Joomla, or Drupal, then you probably have some add-on functionality to add more features to your site. These are called Plugins, Extensions, or Modules, respectively. All of these CMS connect to a central database that scans your plugins and versions to make sure they are up to date. Take a look at what you are using to generate a contact form or a calendar, or a store, or whatever. Consult with your webmaster to see if there's a better way of displaying or integrating your content. Ask them to get rid of duplicate functions, or if your features can be added more efficiently. Keeping your website software up to date is a key defense against hacking.
4) The hands-on database cleanout.
For those of you who are CMS afficianados. You probably know how to install your plugins, etc. You also know how to "uninstall" them. But did you know that the data gets left behind in the database after you delete an obsolete plugin? Just because you follow the advice above and delete unneeded plugins (even going through the uninstall process) doesn't mean that the space-hogging database entries are gone. Most plugins do not "clean up after themselves" upon uninstall, even though they are supposed to. (WordPress is notorious for this.) A database administrator should access the database directly and make sure that obsolete "orphan" data is gone from the database tables. You'll be amazed at how much faster your website runs without unneeded data getting loaded. (WARNING: this task is NOT a DIY project, or for a casual web designer. This requires a skilled database administrator who knows how to make a backup before starting work and knows how to remove data without damaging anything.)
5) The obvious: check your contact information
Company employees get added, other employees leave but their email addresses can last forever. make sure your email links or contact forms so that data doesn't go to people who are no longer with your organization. Always check your website if you change email addresses so you don't miss important customer leads.
Bonus Tip: make Spring Cleaning a quarterly affair. Schedule a reminder to evaluate these steps every quarter. Stay in touch with your web developer to keep your software from going out of date or content from going stale. Maintenance is a lot easier when you only have to do a little at a time to stay on top. Just like at home.
Thursday, April 21, 2016
(UPDATE) Hail Caesar Truck on fire on I-85 Dunwoody food Truck Thursday - April 21
We interrupt this Food Trucks menu for some announcements.
Happy Anniversary to my husband and best friend Patrick!
Now for the not so happy news....
AP wire just announced that Prince has died....
A friend reported to me via text that the Hail Caesar food truck was on fire on she shoulder of I-85 at Clairmont. The driver was laid out on the side of the road with medical team attending him, while a fire truck was hosing down the engine of the truck. No word on if this will affect Pressed for Time as (I believe...) they are owned by the same company. If anyone has updates, please post them in the comments.
Happy Anniversary to my husband and best friend Patrick!
Now for the not so happy news....
AP wire just announced that Prince has died....
A friend reported to me via text that the Hail Caesar food truck was on fire on she shoulder of I-85 at Clairmont. The driver was laid out on the side of the road with medical team attending him, while a fire truck was hosing down the engine of the truck. No word on if this will affect Pressed for Time as (I believe...) they are owned by the same company. If anyone has updates, please post them in the comments.
Musical Guest: Highbeams
Adult Beverages: Moondog Growlers.
Dinner Trucks:
Desserts:
See you at Brook Run Park, 5 - Dark
Thursday, April 7, 2016
Dunwoody Homeowners Association meeting April 10
Note location change:
City Hall - Council Chambers
41 Perimeter Center East Suite 250 Dunwoody, GA 30346
April 10, 2016 | 7:30 PM
(North Dekalb Cultural Center meeting room was already booked)
DHA was going to take a break in April due to Spring Break, Passover, Easter, etc. However the Crown Towers proposal needs a board discussion and a vote, so here we are.
Lots more on the agenda so get there early to get a seat. DHA meetings are the key venue in Dunwoody to learn first about events and upcoming development in city limits. You can meet the key players in person and gain an informed opinion before requests go before City Council and other city commissions.
The Agenda:
1. Announcements and introduction of distinguished visitors
2. Approval of minutes for March 6, 2016 meeting—Lindsay Ballow
3. Discussion – Crown Holdings development proposal for 244 Perimeter Center Parkway (Goldkist site)— Board discussion
4. Redevelopment Presentation—1660 Mt. Vernon (Former Wells Fargo) in Dunwoody Village at the intersection of Mt. Vernon and Dunwoody Village Parkway –Den Webb, Jeff Kerker
5. DeKalb Blueprints 2 (form of government study group) Update – Kathie Gannon, DeKalb County Commissioner
6. Discussion – Memorial Day Banners
7. Funding Requests:
Community Assistance Center Food N Fun Fest – Pam Jones, Robert Wittenstein
Woman’s Club Home Tour – Gerri Penn
Board only session: Votes as needed on any motions including:
Support (with conditions) or Oppose Crown Holdings development proposal. (If with conditions, what conditions?)
CAC funding request
Woman’s Club funding request
Adjourn
Next meeting: Sunday, May 1, 2016, 7:30pm
(North Dekalb Cultural Center meeting room was already booked)
DHA was going to take a break in April due to Spring Break, Passover, Easter, etc. However the Crown Towers proposal needs a board discussion and a vote, so here we are.
Lots more on the agenda so get there early to get a seat. DHA meetings are the key venue in Dunwoody to learn first about events and upcoming development in city limits. You can meet the key players in person and gain an informed opinion before requests go before City Council and other city commissions.
The Agenda:
1. Announcements and introduction of distinguished visitors
2. Approval of minutes for March 6, 2016 meeting—Lindsay Ballow
3. Discussion – Crown Holdings development proposal for 244 Perimeter Center Parkway (Goldkist site)— Board discussion
4. Redevelopment Presentation—1660 Mt. Vernon (Former Wells Fargo) in Dunwoody Village at the intersection of Mt. Vernon and Dunwoody Village Parkway –Den Webb, Jeff Kerker
5. DeKalb Blueprints 2 (form of government study group) Update – Kathie Gannon, DeKalb County Commissioner
6. Discussion – Memorial Day Banners
7. Funding Requests:
Community Assistance Center Food N Fun Fest – Pam Jones, Robert Wittenstein
Woman’s Club Home Tour – Gerri Penn
Board only session: Votes as needed on any motions including:
Support (with conditions) or Oppose Crown Holdings development proposal. (If with conditions, what conditions?)
CAC funding request
Woman’s Club funding request
Adjourn
Next meeting: Sunday, May 1, 2016, 7:30pm
Tuesday, April 5, 2016
Dunwoody Food Truck Thursdays Returns in 2016
This Thursday, April 7, Dunwoody Food Truck Thursdays starts our fourth season, 5:00 pm - dark!
Don't miss our first week back at Brook Run Park and Playground.
Looks like great weather for the start this year!
Moondog Growlers will be there along with musical guest, Josh Jeffords Music!
Dinner Trucks:
Cattywampus Grill (new to Dunwoody FTR)
Dessert Vendors:
**DWG tested and approved
Editor's note: Where's the required lobster truck???
Monday, March 28, 2016
Defining Public Expression
Consider this unexpected find as I cruised North Peachtree through Kingsley at lunchtime:
What is it?
Is it inappropriately placed trash?
A code violation?
A practical joke?
House flipping debris?
A First-Amendment-protected expression regarding the state of the world or our community today?
Or even a public art installation?
Who decides?
Who enforces the decision?
Who is allowed to express their emotions about the subject and who is required to stay quiet?
Food for thought for your Monday in advance of tonight's City Council meeting.
What is it?
Is it inappropriately placed trash?
A code violation?
A practical joke?
House flipping debris?
A First-Amendment-protected expression regarding the state of the world or our community today?
Or even a public art installation?
Who decides?
Who enforces the decision?
Who is allowed to express their emotions about the subject and who is required to stay quiet?
Food for thought for your Monday in advance of tonight's City Council meeting.
Friday, March 18, 2016
RIP Father Peek
Almighty Father, strong to save,
Whose arm hath bound the restless wave,
Who bidd'st the mighty ocean deep
Its own appointed limits keep:
O hear us when we cry to thee
For those in peril on the sea.
O Trinity of love and power,
Our brethren shield in danger's hour;
From rock and tempest, fire and foe,
Protect them whereso'er they go,
Thus evermore shall rise to thee
Glad praise from air and land and sea.
Ill priest answers the call to heal
Beloved Dunwoody priest with leukemia passes away
Whose arm hath bound the restless wave,
Who bidd'st the mighty ocean deep
Its own appointed limits keep:
O hear us when we cry to thee
For those in peril on the sea.
O Trinity of love and power,
Our brethren shield in danger's hour;
From rock and tempest, fire and foe,
Protect them whereso'er they go,
Thus evermore shall rise to thee
Glad praise from air and land and sea.
Tuesday, March 15, 2016
The Dunwoody Homeowners Association has NOT voted to endorse the Crown Towers Proposal as of March 15.
The article printed in last week's Crier was disputed the moment the exec board became aware of it.
The DHA posted the following statement to its website and social media:
http://www.dunwoodyga.org/Corrections-to-Reports-of-DHA-Meeting-of-March-6-by-Dunwoody-Crier
A more accurate account was posted in the Dunwoody Reporter newspaper.
http://www.reporternewspapers.net/2016/03/07/dunwoody-homeowners-association-compiling-list-conditions-crown-towers/
The DHA's intent has always been to determine if the developers were willing to negotiate standards that would enable the DHA to endorse the development. To date, that has not happened.
Any reports in other outlets claiming the DHA has issued endorsement or approval of this project based on the Crier's report are just as inaccurate.
The DHA posted the following statement to its website and social media:
http://www.dunwoodyga.org/Corrections-to-Reports-of-DHA-Meeting-of-March-6-by-Dunwoody-Crier
The Dunwoody Homeowners Association (DHA) wishes to correct errors reported in an article published today in the Dunwoody Crier newspaper.A letter was printed in today's Crier repeating this statement but the Crier has decided to stand by the story.
The DHA has been negotiating with Crown Properties the terms by which the DHA may or may not endorse a zoning change which would allow for the construction of two residential towers on property that was formerly the home of the Gold Kist company. These negotiations are ongoing and no conclusion has been reached as of this date.
The Crier incorrectly reported that the DHA board voted to endorse the residential construction.
The Dunwoody Homeowners Association wishes to correct this report. The DHA has not voted to take any action to endorse or oppose the zoning changes that would allow the residential additions.
The DHA voted to develop a list of potential conditions. The DHA’s approval was and remains contingent on reaching an agreement with the developer on those conditions. Some of these conditions involve concessions it is unlikely that the developer will agree to make.
When the DHA board takes a vote on this matter, it will distribute a statement of the result on its website, social media, and via email.
For further information, please contact the DHA.
A more accurate account was posted in the Dunwoody Reporter newspaper.
http://www.reporternewspapers.net/2016/03/07/dunwoody-homeowners-association-compiling-list-conditions-crown-towers/
The DHA's intent has always been to determine if the developers were willing to negotiate standards that would enable the DHA to endorse the development. To date, that has not happened.
Any reports in other outlets claiming the DHA has issued endorsement or approval of this project based on the Crier's report are just as inaccurate.
Saturday, March 5, 2016
Meet the Developers and the Neighbors at Dunwoody Homeowners Association this Sunday
Last month, the DHA heard from Crown Developers, who had the Goldkist property (on I-285, just south of Best Buy and Rooms to Go on Hammond) zoned for office towers prior to Dunwoody's incorporation.
Their plan for that new development is in place and they intend to go forward with what they have already obtained by right from DeKalb county.
Now that the economy is back they wish to add two residential towers to the development (visualize The Manhattan in Perimeter Place). This will require a zoning variance and they will go through that process just like anyone else. Crown came to the DHA first to show the community what they intend.
This Sunday, they're back to review their presentation and answer questions from the community.
This is your chance to be part of the conversation and make your voice heard before the official rezoning and development request goes through its government process.
Come out on Sunday, March 6 at 7:30 pm to meet Charlie Brown and Doug Dillard in person, hear their proposals and tell them what you think. Everyone is welcome to visit and participate in the public portion of the Board Meeting.
In addition, the DHA will hear requests from Kingsley ES, the Dunwoody Preservation Trust, and the Dunwoody Nature Center for funding.
See you there!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dunwoody Homeowners Association
Board of Directors Meeting
Sunday, 6, 2016 @ 7:30 P.M.
2. Approval of minutes for February 15, 2016 meeting—Lindsay Ballow
3. Discussion – Crown Holdings development proposal for 244 Perimeter Center Parkway (Goldkist site)—Charlie Brown (to answer any questions)
4. Discussion – Dunwoody Farmers Market— Bill Grossman
5. Discussion – October Chili Cook-off – Bill Grossman
6. Funding Requests:
Dunwoody Nature Center – Alan Mothner
Kingsley Elementary – Erika Harris and Ana Crisbilbao
Dunwoody Preservation Trust (Lemonade Days)— Hope Follmer
Board only session: Votes as needed on any motions including:
Support (with conditions) or Oppose Crown Holdings development proposal. (If with conditions, what conditions?)
Bike/Walk Dunwoody support and funding request
Nature Center funding request
Kingsley Elementary funding request
Dunwoody Preservation Trust funding request.
Stage Door Players funding request
Adjourn
Next meeting: Sunday, May 1, 2016, 7:30pm (no meeting in April)
Friday, February 26, 2016
Watch out, Thumbtack! LinkedIn is about to debut Profinder
About a year ago, TV commercials for a contractor-finding service entitled Thumbtack started popping up in our sitcoms. Thumbtack was innovative (as compared to Yelp, Angie's List, or Kudzu) because it was more than just a directory with feedback from customers. Thumbtack also offered an interactive marketplace where customers could be matched with willing contractors based on the type of work needed, location, and price range.
This week I was in a phone conference with some developers from LinkedIn who are rolling out their own service, Profinder.
Profinder works on a similar principle. It is easier to use than the other directories because Profinder draws on your currently-available LinkedIn profile information. Customers can submit their job information, price, etc, and professionals in that field can bid on their work. Or, a customer can visit a LinkedIn member's Profinder page and request a bid for free.
Here's my Profinder page: https://www.linkedin.com/pro/sdocpublishing
Profinder is currently live in San Francisco and New York. SDOC was asked to test-drive the new service in Atlanta and chat with the developers as they fine-tune the user interface and features. In my phone conference, the folks in charge say they will be expanding Profinder to the Atlanta area in about a month-ish.
If you're on LinkedIn, keep your eyes open for this new way for your enterprise to connect with customers.
Learn more now: https://www.linkedin.com/profinder
This week I was in a phone conference with some developers from LinkedIn who are rolling out their own service, Profinder.
Profinder works on a similar principle. It is easier to use than the other directories because Profinder draws on your currently-available LinkedIn profile information. Customers can submit their job information, price, etc, and professionals in that field can bid on their work. Or, a customer can visit a LinkedIn member's Profinder page and request a bid for free.
Here's my Profinder page: https://www.linkedin.com/pro/sdocpublishing
Profinder is currently live in San Francisco and New York. SDOC was asked to test-drive the new service in Atlanta and chat with the developers as they fine-tune the user interface and features. In my phone conference, the folks in charge say they will be expanding Profinder to the Atlanta area in about a month-ish.
If you're on LinkedIn, keep your eyes open for this new way for your enterprise to connect with customers.
Learn more now: https://www.linkedin.com/profinder
Tuesday, February 23, 2016
Donate to the Lemonade Days Flea Market Finds and Support Dunwoody Preservation Trust
Your donation will be sold in the Flea Market Finds at our Country Store during Lemonade Days. One-hunded percent of proceeds go toward the Donaldson-Bannister farm restoration.
Suggestions of carry away items include plant stands, side tables, rocking chairs, stools, benches, chairs, lamps, chandeliers, sconces, frames and decorative accessories.
Deliver your finds on Saturday, March 5th from 9am to noon to the Donaldson-Bannister farm at 4831 Chamblee-Dunwoody Road.
Suggestions of carry away items include plant stands, side tables, rocking chairs, stools, benches, chairs, lamps, chandeliers, sconces, frames and decorative accessories.
Deliver your finds on Saturday, March 5th from 9am to noon to the Donaldson-Bannister farm at 4831 Chamblee-Dunwoody Road.
Monday, February 22, 2016
Nancy Jester Reports: The Pension Legacy Tax - Bad for DeKalb
Nancy's office distributed the following item this morning.
A DeKalb legislator wants to financially penalize DeKalb cities for incorporating. But not ALL cities. Just the ones that incorporated in this century in order to stem the financial hemorrhage due to corruption and mismanagement.
I wonder what Mary Margaret Oliver stands to gain from this little trick if it is allowed to pass....
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
I am writing to alert you to a potential property tax increase coming from the Georgia General Assembly. House Bill 711, sponsored by Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver (D-Druid Hills), seeks to add a special tax district to cities formed after 2005. Rep. Oliver believes that newly formed cities owe, what she refers to as, "pension legacy costs". The notion that these legacy costs exist is false and here's why.
1. Newly formed cities continue to pay fully into the General Fund and the Fire Fund. Embedded in these funds are the costs for benefits, including pensions for the employees providing these services.
2. Newly formed cities continue to pay fully into the self-sustaining funds of Sanitation and Watershed. Embedded in these funds are the costs for benefits, including pensions for the employees providing these services.
3. DeKalb County lowered the millage rate for the Police Fund (a fund newly formed cities do not pay into) in the 2015 budget.
4. DeKalb County did not reform the pension benefit system until December 2015 - 7 years after the formation of Dunwoody.
5. DeKalb County used unrealistic actuarial assumptions that negatively impacted funding.
If DeKalb County believed there was a crisis in the pension plan, chiefly driven by the new cities no longer paying into the police fund, why would the county lower the police fund millage rate in 2015? If the county believed that the crisis was caused by newly formed cities, why did pension reform not occur until just a few months ago in December of 2015?
House Bill 711 is only directed at newly formed cities. It is punitive, based on false assumptions, and is not congruent with the facts. Make no mistake about it, it is a discriminatory tax aimed at Brookhaven and Dunwoody. It is a bailout that would allow DeKalb County to continue poor fiscal management.
Read the full post - with facts on Understanding DeKalb's Millage Rate System here: http://ow.ly/YAgSH
A DeKalb legislator wants to financially penalize DeKalb cities for incorporating. But not ALL cities. Just the ones that incorporated in this century in order to stem the financial hemorrhage due to corruption and mismanagement.
I wonder what Mary Margaret Oliver stands to gain from this little trick if it is allowed to pass....
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
The Pension Legacy Tax
Punitive and Based on False Assumptions
I am writing to alert you to a potential property tax increase coming from the Georgia General Assembly. House Bill 711, sponsored by Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver (D-Druid Hills), seeks to add a special tax district to cities formed after 2005. Rep. Oliver believes that newly formed cities owe, what she refers to as, "pension legacy costs". The notion that these legacy costs exist is false and here's why.
1. Newly formed cities continue to pay fully into the General Fund and the Fire Fund. Embedded in these funds are the costs for benefits, including pensions for the employees providing these services.
2. Newly formed cities continue to pay fully into the self-sustaining funds of Sanitation and Watershed. Embedded in these funds are the costs for benefits, including pensions for the employees providing these services.
3. DeKalb County lowered the millage rate for the Police Fund (a fund newly formed cities do not pay into) in the 2015 budget.
4. DeKalb County did not reform the pension benefit system until December 2015 - 7 years after the formation of Dunwoody.
5. DeKalb County used unrealistic actuarial assumptions that negatively impacted funding.
If DeKalb County believed there was a crisis in the pension plan, chiefly driven by the new cities no longer paying into the police fund, why would the county lower the police fund millage rate in 2015? If the county believed that the crisis was caused by newly formed cities, why did pension reform not occur until just a few months ago in December of 2015?
House Bill 711 is only directed at newly formed cities. It is punitive, based on false assumptions, and is not congruent with the facts. Make no mistake about it, it is a discriminatory tax aimed at Brookhaven and Dunwoody. It is a bailout that would allow DeKalb County to continue poor fiscal management.
Read the full post - with facts on Understanding DeKalb's Millage Rate System here: http://ow.ly/YAgSH
Tuesday, February 16, 2016
And the Winner is.... (Win Two FREE VIP Tickets to Taste of Dunwoody 2016)
This afternoon, right around dinner time, we had the official drawing. Names on pieces of paper in the Tupperware bowl and the winner was ceremoniously chosen by my 5 year old son (who has the least amount of interest in this contest, so he is clearly unbiased.)
And the name he chose is........
Rick Callihan!
Rick - email or call me I have to submit names to the guest list tonight.
Thanks everybody for playing. Please try again next year when SDOC will be sponsoring again.
Taste of Dunwoody 2016 is coming up THIS Saturday, February 20. SDOC is offering two FREE VIP tickets to our supporters. If you are in the Dunwoody/North Atlanta area and would like to attend the community event of the year here's all you have to do:
1) Like SDOC's Facebook page
2) Post your name to the page
3) I will pick a winner at random from the list of visitor posts.
(Required disclaimer: I acknowledge that this giveaway is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook.)
And... GO!!!
SDOC is proud to support Taste of Dunwoody and Dunwoody Friends of CHOA as a platinum sponsor
And the name he chose is........
Rick Callihan!
Rick - email or call me I have to submit names to the guest list tonight.
Thanks everybody for playing. Please try again next year when SDOC will be sponsoring again.
Taste of Dunwoody 2016 is coming up THIS Saturday, February 20. SDOC is offering two FREE VIP tickets to our supporters. If you are in the Dunwoody/North Atlanta area and would like to attend the community event of the year here's all you have to do:
1) Like SDOC's Facebook page
2) Post your name to the page
3) I will pick a winner at random from the list of visitor posts.
(Required disclaimer: I acknowledge that this giveaway is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook.)
And... GO!!!
SDOC is proud to support Taste of Dunwoody and Dunwoody Friends of CHOA as a platinum sponsor
Friday, January 29, 2016
DeKalb Super Visits Dunwoody HS February 9
Tuesday, February 9
5:30 PM
5:30 PM
Dunwoody High School
Do we have a volunteer to webcast the meeting via Meerkat / Periscope / YouTube?
Thursday, January 21, 2016
Dunwoody Town Hall January 21 - LIVE
UPDATE: Meeting and broadcast ended at 7:50 EST.
Thank you John Heneghan for installing Periscope.
Thank you John Heneghan for installing Periscope.
Periscope video just won't embed in a frame - I tried.
Hit the link and listen in.
Commenting is available if you watch on your iPhone or Android via the app.
Wednesday, January 13, 2016
City of Dunwoody Meetings and How to Participate
Last night, Dunwoody held a meeting to discuss an updated plan for our city's parks and the outreach that would go along with that.
It was at exactly the same time as the Planning Commission meeting at City Hall where several zoning variance requests were discussed, including those involving a proposed townhome development in Dunwoody Village.
Next week is the first Town Hall of this administration. Topics for discussion are being accepted at www.connectdunwoody.com.
These meetings have some traits in common:
1) They are all held in the early evening during prime commuting or family care hours.
2) There is no live broadcast of the meetings so those unable to attend cannot observe and be informed.**
3) There is no mechanism for remote feedback from the community outside the meeting room.
**City Council meetings and other meetings held in council chambers are streamed online via the city's SIRE system which organizes official calendars, agendas, and minutes. However, SIRE's video encoding permits the live feed to be viewed only on Internet Explorer, on a standard laptop or desktop. It is not possible to view it on any other browser, including the new MS Edge. They also cannot be viewed on any tablet or smartphone. The technology is so limited it is almost obsolete in 2015.
Meetings or other informal gatherings (eg, Coffee with a Cop) in the afternoons or evenings are an essential part of soliciting feedback from the public. But as I have posed elsewhere in DWG, meetings at this particular time frame self-selects for only that part of Dunwoody citizens that are not caring for families at home. Their time is their own.
Those of us who are meeting buses, running carpools, shuttling kids to activities and doctors' appointments, preparing dinner, managing homes, helping with homework and projects, getting younger children bathed and in bed, as well as working our tails off to earn and provide are not able to share their input in the context of the event because they cannot be in THAT place at THAT time.
I have made requests to city hall to make meetings and live feedback available via social media and streaming video. Others have done the same via Facebook. I haven't the foggiest idea whether that will happen or not.
In the mean time, SDOC has a solution.
It was at exactly the same time as the Planning Commission meeting at City Hall where several zoning variance requests were discussed, including those involving a proposed townhome development in Dunwoody Village.
Next week is the first Town Hall of this administration. Topics for discussion are being accepted at www.connectdunwoody.com.
These meetings have some traits in common:
1) They are all held in the early evening during prime commuting or family care hours.
2) There is no live broadcast of the meetings so those unable to attend cannot observe and be informed.**
3) There is no mechanism for remote feedback from the community outside the meeting room.
**City Council meetings and other meetings held in council chambers are streamed online via the city's SIRE system which organizes official calendars, agendas, and minutes. However, SIRE's video encoding permits the live feed to be viewed only on Internet Explorer, on a standard laptop or desktop. It is not possible to view it on any other browser, including the new MS Edge. They also cannot be viewed on any tablet or smartphone. The technology is so limited it is almost obsolete in 2015.
Meetings or other informal gatherings (eg, Coffee with a Cop) in the afternoons or evenings are an essential part of soliciting feedback from the public. But as I have posed elsewhere in DWG, meetings at this particular time frame self-selects for only that part of Dunwoody citizens that are not caring for families at home. Their time is their own.
Those of us who are meeting buses, running carpools, shuttling kids to activities and doctors' appointments, preparing dinner, managing homes, helping with homework and projects, getting younger children bathed and in bed, as well as working our tails off to earn and provide are not able to share their input in the context of the event because they cannot be in THAT place at THAT time.
I have made requests to city hall to make meetings and live feedback available via social media and streaming video. Others have done the same via Facebook. I haven't the foggiest idea whether that will happen or not.
In the mean time, SDOC has a solution.
I would like to contribute SDOC's infrastructure and social media assets to the cause of making public meetings available online to families unable to attend.
This effort will require some collaboration and logistic testing to determine the best method to stream events. There are options for streaming video via website and social media, as well as live chat for feedback.
If any Dunwoody citizen is interested in collaborating on this effort, please contact me at duncan@sdocpublishing.com.
Let's make Dunwoody's official events accessible to more of Dunwoody's citizens!
Thursday, January 7, 2016
Water will be shut off temporarily as part of Dunwoody Mt Vernon water main upgrade
From Reporter Newspapers:
Mount Vernon Road’s ongoing water main work requires water to be shut off on Fri., Jan. 8 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for those homes and businesses on Vernon Ridge Drive, Vernon Ridge Court and Thornhill Court in Dunwoody.
The city of Dunwoody began working with DeKalb County on the water main pipeline replacement project in March. The project is part of a rehabilitation program by DeKalb County to address the aging water pipelines within Dunwoody and throughout the county. The Mount Vernon Road project will involve the replacement of two aging water mains with one new 16-inch diameter main.
Mount Vernon Road’s ongoing water main work requires water to be shut off on Fri., Jan. 8 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for those homes and businesses on Vernon Ridge Drive, Vernon Ridge Court and Thornhill Court in Dunwoody.
The city of Dunwoody began working with DeKalb County on the water main pipeline replacement project in March. The project is part of a rehabilitation program by DeKalb County to address the aging water pipelines within Dunwoody and throughout the county. The Mount Vernon Road project will involve the replacement of two aging water mains with one new 16-inch diameter main.
Thursday, December 31, 2015
A Happy and Prosperous 2016 to All!
I hope everyone reading has been able to enjoy some time that does not involve nose-to-the-grindstone work: by yourself, with family, travelling, or whatever makes you happy.
In the Duncan house we have a mix of work (there is no such thing as "vacation" for entrepreneurs), laundry, cooking holiday specialties, sports, play, and just lounging around until work and school pick up again.
SDOC had a banner year! We built and launched new websites for:
- DeKalb Commissioner Nancy Jester
- Timberhood Consulting (Dunwoody citizen-owned business)
- Learning on the Log (Sandy Springs service location with Dunwoody business office)
- Georgians for Local Area School Systems (GLASS)
- Kenneth Gordon - Private Jeweler (Dunwoody citizen-owned business)
SDOC returned to Business Radio X for a live interview and discussion of web trends and business needs.
SDOC was accredited by the Metro Atlanta Better Business Bureau - an achievement not made by most website design and development firms.
In addition, we continued our long friendships with these clients via hosting and maintenance services as well as long-needed complete redesigns that were not only more modern but improved mobile usability.
2016 is already looking bright. We are discussing new projects with their clients. Upgrades for our current friends are always in the hopper. SDOC continually reaches out to build new relationships with organizations in need of a modern web presence and lightning-fast communications with people of all ages. We might even treat ourselves to a new look on the SDOC website. (Shhh! Don't tell the owner. It's a surprise!)
SDOC is also returning as a Platinum Sponsor of the 2016 Taste of Dunwoody on February 20 at the Westin Perimeter hotel. Get your tickets NOW before they sell out!
Thank you everyone for a wonderful 2015 and I wish you all the best in the coming New Year!
Monday, December 21, 2015
Dunwoody Crossing Residents Homeless after Apartment Fire
6 PM last night, DeKalb Fire and Rescue responded to a 2-alarm fire at the Dunwoody Crossing Apartments on North Peachtree at I-285. The fire and extent were very similar to another apartment fire in January of this year.
UPDATE: Two of the affected families have children at Chesnut ES. Friends of Chesnut is accepting donations for these families as well. From Friends of Chesnut on Facebook:
Update #2 (12/22) - per the AhA Connection, one of these families also has a student at Dunwoody HS and is a member of Lady Wildcats basketball. A separate GoFundMe account is active.
From Dunwoody Police on Facebook:
If you are able, please donate online to help get these 10 families through Christmas and the New Year. (Donations coordinated by ICare Atlanta)
On a related note, incidents like Dunwoody Crossing and the January fire at Dunwoody Glen are reasons why Councilman Terry Nall proposed requirements for fire retardant building materials on multifamily housing, rather than timbers and wood siding. It's not about making building more expensive, it's about keeping all Dunwoodians safer - and not having to face Christmas burned out of their homes.
UPDATE: Two of the affected families have children at Chesnut ES. Friends of Chesnut is accepting donations for these families as well. From Friends of Chesnut on Facebook:
Update #2 (12/22) - per the AhA Connection, one of these families also has a student at Dunwoody HS and is a member of Lady Wildcats basketball. A separate GoFundMe account is active.
We have two Chesnut families who lost all of their belongings in the fire last night at Dunwoody Village apartments on...
Posted by Friends of Chesnut on Monday, December 21, 2015
From Dunwoody Police on Facebook:
At 5:56pm, the Dunwoody Police Department and Dekalb Fire Department responded to a fire at the Dunwoody Crossing...
Posted by Dunwoody Police Department on Sunday, December 20, 2015
If you are able, please donate online to help get these 10 families through Christmas and the New Year. (Donations coordinated by ICare Atlanta)
On a related note, incidents like Dunwoody Crossing and the January fire at Dunwoody Glen are reasons why Councilman Terry Nall proposed requirements for fire retardant building materials on multifamily housing, rather than timbers and wood siding. It's not about making building more expensive, it's about keeping all Dunwoodians safer - and not having to face Christmas burned out of their homes.
Thursday, December 17, 2015
Dunwoody Town Hall Meeting on January 21, 2016
(Click on "Town Hall 2016" under the "Open Topics" tab to add your feedback.)
Connect Dunwoody requests your address (which is kept private) so that those reviewing the responses can see where they are coming from. As in which Dunwoody district, or from outside the city.
Anyone can answer and there is one vote/comment per person.
Event details:
Dunwoody Town Hall
All Saints Catholic Church Social Hall (the building next to the sanctuary, closest to the driveway/parking lot)
2443 Mt. Vernon Road
6 PM til 8 PM
Deadline to request a topic for discussion is 12 noon on January 21.
My first request will be to have a live video feed via YouTube, Meerkat, Periscope, Vimeo, etc. Looking at my calendar I already know that 2 of my children have after-school activities and then I have to get dinner on the table and then my husband may not make it home in time for me to make a 6 PM meeting, and the youngest child has a 6:30 PM bath time. Listening via streaming media is the only option many of us have to be informed of the conversation.
I'd also like to recommend accepting follow-up questions and commentary via Twitter or similar social media. Again, this may be the only way of receiving real-time feedback from the demographics that are not able to attend in person.
Third paragraph, same feedback - when will the video on the agendas/minutes management system on the city website be upgraded to function in all browsers (instead of just Internet Explorer) and on mobile devices?
Monday, November 30, 2015
How to Prevent Speeding on North Peachtree Road
Shut the whole street down at its low point over the culvert leading to Kingsley Lake for culvert repairs.
Put up a bunch of signage announcing the detour.
Fine the hell out of anyone speeding through the work area.
Stay safe, folks. Take this opportunity to remember the regular speed limit is 25 MPH and yes, you do have to ride your brakes on this road to stay at that limit. No, you do not get a pass if you live in Dunwoody.
Put up a bunch of signage announcing the detour.
Fine the hell out of anyone speeding through the work area.
Stay safe, folks. Take this opportunity to remember the regular speed limit is 25 MPH and yes, you do have to ride your brakes on this road to stay at that limit. No, you do not get a pass if you live in Dunwoody.
Friday, November 20, 2015
Counting Down to Small Business Saturday and the 2015 Holiday Shopping Season
It's just over a week until every retailer's biggest time of year. Small business - companies with less than 10 employees - make up 80% of Dunwoody's registered businesses. There's plenty of opportunities for our residents and commuters to patronize a Dunwoody shop or service in the coming months.
Dunwoody's population quadruples during the day, every work day of the week. Don't forget the commuters in your promotions.
Are you ready for the seasonal stream of customers that November and December bring? Can your customers find you online? Take these few days to put your best foot forward online. SDOC is burning the midnight oil to assist our website customers for the season.
1) Go Google Yourself (or Bing yourself. or Yahoo! yourself) Search for your company or products online. See where your company ranks in the results. You probably can't change your search engine ranking in time for Black Friday or Cyber Monday but you can still create or update your business listing maintained by each search engine.
Even if you are not using e-commerce on your company website, a free business listing in the search engines is critical. According to Google, almost 90% of shoppers will search for a business type online before shopping. Your listing makes it easier for your shoppers to find you, or call with questions, or get directions to your door. Make sure your phone number and hours of operation are correct. Plus search engines will direct shoppers to the location nearest them. It's easy and only takes a few minutes each!
Google Local (requires free creation of a Google+ page, also helpful for search engine rankings)
Yahoo Small Business for local listings. (Customizing your listing for search engine rankings is free, but a paid directory submission service is available.)
Bing Places for Business (Same idea as Google and Yahoo but owned by Microsoft. Requires a free Microsoft account)
Dunwoody's population quadruples during the day, every work day of the week. Don't forget the commuters in your promotions.
Are you ready for the seasonal stream of customers that November and December bring? Can your customers find you online? Take these few days to put your best foot forward online. SDOC is burning the midnight oil to assist our website customers for the season.
1) Go Google Yourself (or Bing yourself. or Yahoo! yourself) Search for your company or products online. See where your company ranks in the results. You probably can't change your search engine ranking in time for Black Friday or Cyber Monday but you can still create or update your business listing maintained by each search engine.
Even if you are not using e-commerce on your company website, a free business listing in the search engines is critical. According to Google, almost 90% of shoppers will search for a business type online before shopping. Your listing makes it easier for your shoppers to find you, or call with questions, or get directions to your door. Make sure your phone number and hours of operation are correct. Plus search engines will direct shoppers to the location nearest them. It's easy and only takes a few minutes each!
Google Local (requires free creation of a Google+ page, also helpful for search engine rankings)
Yahoo Small Business for local listings. (Customizing your listing for search engine rankings is free, but a paid directory submission service is available.)
Bing Places for Business (Same idea as Google and Yahoo but owned by Microsoft. Requires a free Microsoft account)
2) Visit your website. Better yet, have your mother visit.
Have you looked at your website lately? Do you know what's there? How do your customers react to it? Is everything working? Better to take some time and check. Get someone who is not familiar with your website to do the same. A set of fresh eyes will spot mistakes or problems that you might miss.
- Click on all of your links. Fix the broken ones.
- Check your website's images. Add fresh ones if the others are looking stale. Maybe take some new photos of your store's decor for the holidays
- Make sure your contact information is easy to find.
- Make sure your telephone number is a tappable link on phones.
- Does your website have a search function? Try it out. Ask your web developer to make sure all of your website pages meet Google's latest SEO guidelines.
- Double check your social media links and integrations.
- Are you using e-commerce? Try the store out as a customer and find any mistakes or problems. Check your inventory. Remove discontinued or out of stock items and add your new inventory for the holidays. Are your prices correct? Coupons and discounts updated? Added value upsells included? Gift Certificates configured? Your web developer can expedite these fixes
3) Take all the free publicity you can get. Start with #ShopSmall Saturday
American Express began the Shop Small Saturday movement several years ago to bolster their small-business merchants. Through their website, your business can get more online exposure and marketing materials to use in your shop or online.
Get signed up at the official Small Business Saturday website. There is no business too small - home based, solopreneur, Etsy shop, all are welcome if you accept American Express from customers. That also includes PayPal, Square, WorldPay users!
Your online marketing materials will include custom- made Facebook banners and graphics like the ones in this post and on SDOC's Facebook. There's also some boilerplate copy you can include in social media or website/blog posts. (Just be sure to customize it for your company and your products. There's nothing worse than overlooking an (insert product here) tag in your post!
We wish all of our visitors a successful and prosperous holiday season in their enterprises. For Dunwoody's visitors and residents: don't forget to patronize local restaurants and coffee shops when you've shopped til you've dropped!
This week, SDOC will be taking exactly these steps to assist our website customers with their online outreach. Drop a line if you're looking for some last minute help before the big shopping rush hits next weekend!
Monday, November 16, 2015
Can You DIG Infrastructure Improvements?
The following blurb came via the City of Dunwoody e-news updates. It's easy to get antsy when you see workers near your property and you may not have gotten a heads-up.
AT&T is installing their fiber optic cables and AGL is doing some work on their system. Call the utility company directly (numbers below) with concerns. (Read: don't call the City of Dunwoody, they'll direct you to the utility.)
AT&T is installing their fiber optic cables and AGL is doing some work on their system. Call the utility company directly (numbers below) with concerns. (Read: don't call the City of Dunwoody, they'll direct you to the utility.)
Many of the commercial areas and some neighborhoods in Dunwoody have recently received visits from utility crews such as AT&T or AGL. At any given time, a number of utilities could be performing general infrastructure, transmission and equipment upgrades for their established services in the city. Oftentimes these utility providers are conducting work in the right-of-way adjacent to streets, businesses and residential properties. Though the work is permitted through the city of Dunwoody the contractors performing the work are hired directly by the utility companies. Concerns related to work being done in the area should be directed to the primary utility provider by calling AT&T (fiber optic installation projects being performed by Ansco) at 800.278.8213 or AGL at 404.584.3142.
Sunday, November 15, 2015
Redevelopment by (Alleged) Arson?
Major fire at Bombay Grill Indian Restaurant on Savoy Drive on Sunday morning. If you woke up to police/fire sirens, that's what they were.
Per WSB, the fire may have been arson:
Per Heneghan's Dunwoody Blog:
Dekalb Fire is on the scene of a structure fire at the Bombay Grill on Savoy Drive. Savoy Drive is closed between N Shallowford Road and N Peachtree Road. Use Cotillion Drive. (RP)
Posted by Dunwoody Police Department on Sunday, November 15, 2015
Per WSB, the fire may have been arson:
Per Heneghan's Dunwoody Blog:
"The huge piece of property sits between the bowling alley & Wendy's and could be a catalyst for redevelopment of the area. "
And you thought redevelopment by neglect in Dunwoody was harsh!
Wednesday, November 4, 2015
Tuesday, November 3, 2015
Dunwoody Elections 2015
First, some caveats before we get down to the endorsements.
1) Every penny spent during a Dunwoody mayor's administration is a result of at least 4 votes cast together by the entire city council. Those 4 votes don't even have to include the mayor to carry the day. The mayor has no veto. So if you hold any Dunwoody mayor solely responsible for money not being spent to your liking, you are way off the mark.
2) Dunwoody is far more diverse in lifestyle and thought and ideology than many want to admit. There is far more to making decisions and planning a future and establishing rules and regs than your preferences in your living room. That kind of thinking is not "preservation"; it is stagnation. Expecting all legislation to match your lifestyle without allowing for consideration from other sectors is not how you strengthen a city - it's how you kill it off slowly and painfully.
3) You're not going to get your way in every vote. I speak to this from experience. Voting the bums out is one option. If you're serious about your perspective you continue to advocate your perspective on another day. Don't get confused between "S/he's not listening to me." and "S/he isn't doing exactly what I said, the way I said." They're not interchangeable.
Now for the endorsements:
Mayor - Mike Davis
Mike was elected in 2011. I supported Bob Dallas in that election. There wasn't much to do except watch and see what happened.
But after Mike was elected I learned a few more things about him that didn't come out in the election. No, he isn't a saint, But he is patient if you're half-way civilized. I had some time to talk with Mike about decisions being made. I learned more about the factors and people beyond his control that had to be dealt with and negotiated over to get his vision across. I was involved in some business and political ventures that ran contrary to Mike's ideals, but he never held them against me. After some heart-to-heart chats and a few beers, Mike won me over to his side. We never sat around agreeing on every idea or priority But I am convinced that he advocated for the best position he could take given a range of circumstances, most of which did not originate with Dunwoody city council.
And as always, any decision made required four votes. Sometimes the vote went the way he recommended. Sometimes not. Once the vote was taken, he had to roll with it, just like the rest of us. Mike is always aware that present circumstances will not last forever and for Dunwoody to thrive in the future, current signs of evolution in future generations has to be considered.
If Chipka and Grivakis were even somewhat serious about effecting change on city council, they would have run in one of the 3 uncontested seats. As I said previously, "Save Dunwoody" or any other organized group have a better chance of consolidating their voting power when at-large seats are up for grabs than individual districts. Those two would have had a better shot at actually winning.
It has been no secret for some time that I think Denny Shortal's days of effectiveness in government are behind him. His outbursts in city council are documented on video. He has trouble keeping some basic facts straight: for example I've heard from several sources that he believes the Chamber of Commerce is a department of the government when it is a completely independent entity. But it has been extremely disappointing to watch the deliberate misinformation in his campaign. Either Denny is trying to pander to his demographic's fears, or he really doesn't understand what's happening in city council.
Don't take my word for it if you don't want to. The following passage was posted to Facebook by Bev Wingate (the person who joined with Denny to form DunwoodyYes as a once and for all campaign for cityhood) in response to a video clip where Denny claims that Mike did not want to spend the finally-won parks bond funds on parks: (emphases added)
1) Every penny spent during a Dunwoody mayor's administration is a result of at least 4 votes cast together by the entire city council. Those 4 votes don't even have to include the mayor to carry the day. The mayor has no veto. So if you hold any Dunwoody mayor solely responsible for money not being spent to your liking, you are way off the mark.
2) Dunwoody is far more diverse in lifestyle and thought and ideology than many want to admit. There is far more to making decisions and planning a future and establishing rules and regs than your preferences in your living room. That kind of thinking is not "preservation"; it is stagnation. Expecting all legislation to match your lifestyle without allowing for consideration from other sectors is not how you strengthen a city - it's how you kill it off slowly and painfully.
3) You're not going to get your way in every vote. I speak to this from experience. Voting the bums out is one option. If you're serious about your perspective you continue to advocate your perspective on another day. Don't get confused between "S/he's not listening to me." and "S/he isn't doing exactly what I said, the way I said." They're not interchangeable.
Now for the endorsements:
Mayor - Mike Davis
Mike was elected in 2011. I supported Bob Dallas in that election. There wasn't much to do except watch and see what happened.
But after Mike was elected I learned a few more things about him that didn't come out in the election. No, he isn't a saint, But he is patient if you're half-way civilized. I had some time to talk with Mike about decisions being made. I learned more about the factors and people beyond his control that had to be dealt with and negotiated over to get his vision across. I was involved in some business and political ventures that ran contrary to Mike's ideals, but he never held them against me. After some heart-to-heart chats and a few beers, Mike won me over to his side. We never sat around agreeing on every idea or priority But I am convinced that he advocated for the best position he could take given a range of circumstances, most of which did not originate with Dunwoody city council.
And as always, any decision made required four votes. Sometimes the vote went the way he recommended. Sometimes not. Once the vote was taken, he had to roll with it, just like the rest of us. Mike is always aware that present circumstances will not last forever and for Dunwoody to thrive in the future, current signs of evolution in future generations has to be considered.
If Chipka and Grivakis were even somewhat serious about effecting change on city council, they would have run in one of the 3 uncontested seats. As I said previously, "Save Dunwoody" or any other organized group have a better chance of consolidating their voting power when at-large seats are up for grabs than individual districts. Those two would have had a better shot at actually winning.
It has been no secret for some time that I think Denny Shortal's days of effectiveness in government are behind him. His outbursts in city council are documented on video. He has trouble keeping some basic facts straight: for example I've heard from several sources that he believes the Chamber of Commerce is a department of the government when it is a completely independent entity. But it has been extremely disappointing to watch the deliberate misinformation in his campaign. Either Denny is trying to pander to his demographic's fears, or he really doesn't understand what's happening in city council.
Don't take my word for it if you don't want to. The following passage was posted to Facebook by Bev Wingate (the person who joined with Denny to form DunwoodyYes as a once and for all campaign for cityhood) in response to a video clip where Denny claims that Mike did not want to spend the finally-won parks bond funds on parks: (emphases added)
This is why I hate small meet and greet gatherings in homes. A candidate can say anything and there is no rebuttal where one is needed. The Mayor Davis comment is taken out of text (and intent). The Mayor was quoting the legalities of the receipt of the bond money - not his personal intent. He had stated so previously and again, quite clearly, at the candidate forum. There is no one, I repeat, no one on council that would consider using that money any other way. They have told me so. This video is disingenuous at best and dirty politics at worst. You guys are my friends, but I don't take kindly to campaigns run on hyperbole and innuendo. Play nice in the sandbox!
And with this, Bev ended her neutral stance and supported Mike's campaign. That action speaks volumes to anyone who has watched Dunwoody's evolution and the roles of the people involved.
District 1: Terry Nall
Like anyone else on city council, he is one vote of seven and he has always voted and advocated the same way on council that he does in his own living room. Terry splits his vote with Mike often on some issues (the Dunwoody Village Parkway, for example) but he never lets a disagreement over a policy matter change his relationships with people. Just this past weekend I looked him square in the eye and pointed out a number of his votes that I disagreed with. I don't have to worry about getting knifed in the back for it later. I can't say that with the same certainty about anyone else on city council.
I don't know Ms Springer personally but she made two grave mistakes in her campaign. One was accusing city council of bribery over the John Wieland development. (Dunwoody Green in Georgetown) I take issue with council members frequently and have even raised questions about some members contradicting themselves numerous times in this blog. She could have just said "The Dunwoody Green deal was supernaturally mornic" with legal impunity, and maybe even some evidence. But she didn't stop there - she made an accusation against city council as a whole of a major crime. If you're going to accuse someone of a crime, have the facts or shut your face. It's not hard to understand.
Second was the famous "85% increase in crime and crime is out of control" claim. Anyone who has ever taken high school statistics and passed knows that when analyzing small numbers (like single digits) percentages are misleading. Worse, she used manipulation of statistics in an argument with a banker, whose entire job is about analyzing numbers. I just don't see how that could end well.
But seriously folks: vote tomorrow November 3 because every vote is going to count. Just like my neighbors I argue for positions I think are right, but these days I'm wondering if I'm going to wake up to a burning bag of poo on my front porch or some other backlash down the line. I hope not. This is what we signed on for when we voted to incorporate Dunwoody: not the elimination of all of our conflicts but the ability to settle them amongst ourselves with others who have to live with the consequences together.
Friday, October 30, 2015
So - What's New for October?
Happy Halloween!
It's that time of year again when our family constructs our personal tribute to Code Enforcement on the front lawn and prepares for a few thousand of our closest friends around my birthday-ish.
The super double secret event is on Saturday this year so we're expecting mega crowds that are more mega than usual. See the link for logistics and details.
Procedures are very similar. Crossroads Church will allow you to legally park in their lot for a $5 donation to their Academy. This year, they are including a food truck so you can get there early, get a parking spot, and have dinner before the festivities open at 6 PM.
Please park legally. Some surrounding residents will have traffic cones or barriers. Please respect them, including some one-side-of-the-street parking rules implemented this year. Tow trucks WILL be called for improperly parked cars. Trust me, use Crossroads Church.
See you this weekend when the weather clears and we're expecting a bright and crisp afternoon and a cool evening.
Tuesday, October 27, 2015
The Main Event - Lee May Town Hall Combined with Nancy Jester's Town Hall TONIGHT
Let's see if Mr. May shows up or if he cancels again.
Dunwoody Town Hall
with iCEO Lee May
October 27, 2015:
6:30pm -8:00pm
Dunwoody City Hall
Note: this date was set as one of Commissioner Nancy Jester's regular town hall meetings throughout District 1. She merged her regular meeting when Mr. May looked to add Dunwoody to his own list of town hall visits in various districts.
Thursday, October 22, 2015
Next-to-Last Food Truck Thursday for 2015!
Looks like great weather this week.
Come out for the 29th
event (and next to last) of the 2015 season
Dunwoody Food Truck Thursdays
Brook Run Park 5 PM ‘til Dark
Sponsor
Dinner Trucks
Dessert Vendors
NEXT WEEK - the Grand Finale of Food Truck Thursday 2015 includes Truck or Treat! Kids - come in costume and "Trick or Treat" among the food trucks. Get some practice and a meal in before the main event at Briers North!
Monday, October 19, 2015
INTRODUCING: Kenneth Gordon, Dunwoody's Private Jeweler
For all of you gentlemen out there that I have to work with in government or some community group: cooperate with me or this website will go to all of your wives!
Just kidding but this new website is a unique local Dunwoody resource for gifts for every occasion.
Kenny Gordon is a Dunwoody homeowner and business owner who has a long history in the jewelry industry. His specialty is in everything you can't find at a mall or department store. So when he gave me a call one day to discuss upgrading his 2009 website I was thrilled for this unique opportunity.
I get a lot of these requests lately: upgrade the look and feel, upgrade the animation technology, make it mobile-friendly. Below is the original site that I worked with. It was built in 2009 and at the time, it was the state of the art. The site included Flash animation and an introductory "splash" page and background music.
Most of all, the back-end maintenance of the website's product galleries had to remain intact. Normally, when a site is being recreated as mobile-friendly for smartphones and tablets, it's often easier to just rebuild the site from scratch. That wasn't an option. Kenny and his staff were very happy with the hidden admin panel and the layout of the product catalogs. If a visitor wants to inquire about a specific piece in the galleries, or add it to their personalized "wish list", the contact form automatically populates with the relevant information. I have to admit they are a slick piece of work and blazing fast on your browser, even six years later. I agreed, it was worth it to invest some time in learning about the source code and working around it.
First, I created a design for Kenny that was a more current reflection of his upscale merchandise and impeccable customer service.
The new design had to incorporate all of his current product photography as seamlessly as the old one.
The navigation bar reflected the original site map and content and work with the dynamic catalogs. The animation loads quickly and gives a modern feel.
Social media plays a larger role. Visit the footer for a link to Instagram alongside the previously existing Facebook and Twitter. Each piece of merchandise has a series of "share" buttons. Makes it easier to drop a hint when your birthday is coming up. You can join Kenny's email newsletter (hosted by Constant Contact) in the footer too.
Content styling has evolved a lot in six years. Spring cleaning took out bloated and redundant code that was replaced with a streamlined styling that loads faster and allows for more styles that don't rely on dozens of tiny little images. That makes a big difference when it comes to both SEO and smartphone ease of use.
Speaking of search engine optimization: there wasn't any. A fresh look gets a fresh start with modern SEO standards; the responsive mobile-friendly layout will boost its search engine rankings too.
www.kennethgordon.net
Kenny Gordon is a Dunwoody homeowner and business owner who has a long history in the jewelry industry. His specialty is in everything you can't find at a mall or department store. So when he gave me a call one day to discuss upgrading his 2009 website I was thrilled for this unique opportunity.
I get a lot of these requests lately: upgrade the look and feel, upgrade the animation technology, make it mobile-friendly. Below is the original site that I worked with. It was built in 2009 and at the time, it was the state of the art. The site included Flash animation and an introductory "splash" page and background music.
But redesigning this site was not just a paint-job. There were some unique challenges.
First, the site was created in a developer's tool called CodeIgniter. CI is a powerful framework that allows a professional gear head to create highly customized websites with unique features. The original developer was no longer available, the umbrella company that built and maintained the site had been sold at least once since 2009. And like any custom code, one developer's "simple" is another developer's Rube Goldberg Machine.
Most of all, the back-end maintenance of the website's product galleries had to remain intact. Normally, when a site is being recreated as mobile-friendly for smartphones and tablets, it's often easier to just rebuild the site from scratch. That wasn't an option. Kenny and his staff were very happy with the hidden admin panel and the layout of the product catalogs. If a visitor wants to inquire about a specific piece in the galleries, or add it to their personalized "wish list", the contact form automatically populates with the relevant information. I have to admit they are a slick piece of work and blazing fast on your browser, even six years later. I agreed, it was worth it to invest some time in learning about the source code and working around it.
First, I created a design for Kenny that was a more current reflection of his upscale merchandise and impeccable customer service.
The new design had to incorporate all of his current product photography as seamlessly as the old one.
The navigation bar reflected the original site map and content and work with the dynamic catalogs. The animation loads quickly and gives a modern feel.
Social media plays a larger role. Visit the footer for a link to Instagram alongside the previously existing Facebook and Twitter. Each piece of merchandise has a series of "share" buttons. Makes it easier to drop a hint when your birthday is coming up. You can join Kenny's email newsletter (hosted by Constant Contact) in the footer too.
Content styling has evolved a lot in six years. Spring cleaning took out bloated and redundant code that was replaced with a streamlined styling that loads faster and allows for more styles that don't rely on dozens of tiny little images. That makes a big difference when it comes to both SEO and smartphone ease of use.
Speaking of search engine optimization: there wasn't any. A fresh look gets a fresh start with modern SEO standards; the responsive mobile-friendly layout will boost its search engine rankings too.
Christmas / Hanukkah / 3 Kings Day and their shopping seasons are approaching fast. The valuable and unique element of Kenny's service is that it is entirely private. Review the offerings on the website, then make an appointment at a place and time convenient for you to examine them in person. (Helpful if you're planning a surprise gift....) Most of all, you don't have to go far. This luxury service is a local Dunwoody-based business. It's not just a shopping service, you're working with a neighbor. If you intend to Shop Local this holiday season, there's no better place to start. Don't wait for Small Business Saturday: this Distinctly Dunwoody opportunity is available all year round.
Happy shopping!
Thursday, October 15, 2015
Dunwoody Council Candidates Forum - The Video Recap
I had a front row seat for this spectacle as timekeeper. Rather than describe the event with my own POV, I'll let you, gentle reader, experience it for yourself.
Courtesy of the Dunwoody Homeowners' Association and posted to YouTube.
Not everything is going to fit in a single event so something is going to get cut. There just isn't time for everything.
What other questions would you have wanted to hear posed to the candidates? What information do you need to know to determine who is going to represent your interests and that of your neighbors and friends and families? How do you decide who is going to benefit your life and livelihood? Comments are open.
Courtesy of the Dunwoody Homeowners' Association and posted to YouTube.
Not everything is going to fit in a single event so something is going to get cut. There just isn't time for everything.
What other questions would you have wanted to hear posed to the candidates? What information do you need to know to determine who is going to represent your interests and that of your neighbors and friends and families? How do you decide who is going to benefit your life and livelihood? Comments are open.
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