Countdown to July 4, 2016

Let's remember what the Dunwoody community is really all about.

Dunwoody City Council Damage Control - Too Little, Too Late?

Let's call this my "public comment".  No babysitter in the morning means no attending a meeting either.  But believe me, I will be watching on video and commenting on social media.  No more Miss Nice Guy.

The last time I was this furious and actively sought justice, was over 10 years ago when a staff member at Northside Hospital entered my hospital room while I was sedated after giving birth to my first child and stole a check reorder form from my purse.  Then after ordering new checks from my bank, the crime ring they were working for stole them from the mail and went on a casino gambling spree.

You people on city council violated me and my family and our trust in a way that was just as severe, even as the methods differed.

Get this through your dense heads:  you are not trustworthy.  You are not ethical.   

I don't care how popular you think you are, or what your little favorite causes and groups are, you broke the law and you continue to wield your council seat like a personal fiefdom.  I've caught smaller instances of favortism in the past, even pointed them out so that you can  get yourselves back to the ideals you boasted of during your campaigns for office.

The first words out of each and every one of your mouths at the special called meeting should be the following and no less:

I was wrong.  I misused executive session to take out Shortal's personal vendetta.  I have no excuse and no justification.  I deserve a legal penalty for breaking the law and the trust I asked you to place in me.

Don't even think about trying to claim some kind of moral high ground for this or any other policy or legislation for the rest of your term in office.  If you honestly believe that you are justified in using executive session to single out one civic group for whatever reason, then you have been in office too long.  Pick your ass up out of that seat and walk it out the door - TODAY.

The only chance you have for redemption, either in your office or your personal lives, is to acknowledge the blatant legal betrayal and accept that responsibility in a visible, tangible, meaningful way.  Man up, gird your loins, and face the music, which is just what you would expect from any other elected official.  Maybe - MAYBE - you will be worth speaking to again.  

The fact that you have yet another "executive session" after this emergency meeting would be funny except that you seem to think all is well.

DUNWOODY SPECIAL CALLED MEETING

June 24, 2016
9:00 AM – Council Chambers

41 PERIMETER CENTER EAST, SUITE 103

DUNWOODY, GA 30346

DUNWOODY SPECIAL CALLED MEETING

A. CALL TO ORDER

B. INVOCATION

C. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

D.  PUBLIC COMMENT - (Public Comment allows the City Council the opportunity to listen to the public (3 minutes per speaker/30 minutes total.)

E.  BUSINESS ITEM(S)

1.   Discussion of City Boards and Committees.

F.   PUBLIC COMMENT - Public Comment allows the City Council the opportunity to listen to the public (3 minutes per speaker.)

G.   COUNCIL COMMENTS

H.   CITY MANAGER COMMENTS

I.   EXECUTIVE SESSION

1.   For the Purposes of Legal, Real Estate, and Personnel Discussions.

J.   ADJOURNMENT

STOP DIGGING!!! (Op-Ed: Dunwoody mayor's comments offensive, harkening back to Old South, from On Common Ground News)

On June 11, a Lithonia-area paper called On Common Ground News printed an op-ed piece from Mr. Jerome Edmondson, who is running for the DeKalb District 7 seat.  

He attended the Memorial Day celebration at Brook Run park.

It's too late for the people mentioned in the post but perhaps the rest of us can learn how to speak and behave appropriately in the 21st century.

Link:  https://issuu.com/ocgnews/docs/ocg_6-11-16  (Scroll to Page 6)

Screenshot of the op-ed:

Today, Mayor Shortal dismissed the team that has organized Memorial Day and Veterans' Day celebrations in Brook Run for years.  Less than a month after the incidents discussed in the letter.  Call me cynical, but I don't think the real problem has been solved.

99 Red Balloons - Denny Shortal and City Council Declare War on Dunwoody Homeowners Association

You and I in a little toy shop
Buy a bag of balloons with the money we've got
Set them free at the break of dawn
'Til one by one they were gone
Back at base bugs in the software
Flash the message "something's out there!"
Floating in the summer sky
Ninety-nine red balloons go by

Ninety-nine red balloons
Floating in the summer sky
Panic bells, it's red alert
There's something here from somewhere else
The war machine springs to life ....

Read more: Nena - 99 Red Balloons Lyrics | MetroLyrics

Shocker: Shortal purges DHA from city positions

Almost 5 years ago, I opined on this blog that there should be a clear separation between voting board members of any civic group and an official government board.  

My Dunwoody Christmas Wish List

When I brought it up in a meeting, I was almost booed right out of the room.  But I stand by these statements today.  I accepted the Exec nomination knowing full well I would turn down any request to serve on a city board that receives requests from the public and makes recommendation to city council.

Not everyone loves the DHA.  I sure didn't when I moved to Dunwoody in 2004.  It was an argument about DHA's positions about business that got me invited to join the board.  (Yes, really.  Remind me to tell you that story sometime.)

But for a moment, let's take a look at this process and its implications.

1)   It's not just voting board members or executive members that are affected here.  ALL DUES-PAYING members are banned from serving in this capacity, whether you have a voting role or not.  So even if you don't have a conflict of interest, the fact that you are a MEMBER makes you ineligible to participate in government.

Councilmembers John Heneghan and Jim Riticher and Terry Nall are DHA members, by the way.

2)  Only the DHA is targeted.  Even though every homeowners association in Dunwoody has an interest in the real estate development and evolution of the city, only DHA members are banned.  So if you're in one of the following associations, you're good to go.

Ashford Chase Homeowners Association
Ashworth Homeowners Association
Bellewood HOA
Briers North
Brooke Farm
Devinger Homeowners Association
Dunwoody Club Forest Neighbors
Dunwoody Club Forest West
Dunwoody Highlands
Dunwoody North Civic Association
Fairfield Homeowners Association
Lockridge Forest Civic Association (part in Dunwoody; part in Peachtree Corners)
Madison Community Homeowners Association
Madison Square at Dunwoody
Mayfair Park Homeowners Association
Meadowlake at Dunwoody
North Springs Homeowners Association
Oxford Chase Homeowners Association
St. Andrews Circle
Wellesley Place Homeowners Association
Wellington Place Condos
Winter Rose Homeowners Association
Wintercrest Homeowners Association
The Woodlands
Wyntercreek Subdivision

Or are you?  Maybe the DHA member banning is only the first strike and other homeowner associations will be added.  If one HOA can be systematically banned from government participation, then no one is safe.

3)  What about other civic groups?  The Chamber of Commerce has a vested interest in business and real estate development.  Are their members banned?  Especially since the current chair was Mike Davis' campaign manager.  No love lost there.  How about the Nature Center?  Or the Dunwoody Womens' Club?  Are they banned too?  

How about the Dunwoody Preservation Trust or the Brook Run Conservancy?  Are their members banned?  Or did they earn themselves some protection since they supported Denny's campaign for mayor?**

4)  Does this extend to spouses?  For example, I serve on the DHA exec board.  Would Pat Sr be eligible for appointment to a city board or commission?  How about adult children of DHA board members?  Siblings?  In Laws?  How far does this go?

5)  Don't miss the part where any and all officials are banned from visiting DHA meetings.  Even if they sit and keep their mouths shut.  They can't even *hear* what people say in a presentation that is the only place in Dunwoody where any citizen can show up and meet the developers and other parties in person.  Remember the Dunwoody Village townhomes?  The DHA played an integral part in negotiating standards of features for seniors and layout of that to-be-built development that were acceptable to the Vernon North neighborhood right behind it.  City Council just blew hot air after the hard work had been done and had nothing to add but ridiculous demands for the type of models to be presented and other minutiae that are beyond a government's scope.

For all of the talk of "transparency" and "involvement", city council is now diminishing the one venue where citizens can meet the major players and develop an informed opinion about development plans before they go to city government for official review.  That's not building a community.  That's not building trust.  That's not promoting citizen involvement.  That's cutting off communication at the knees.

6)  Speaking of cutting off communication, how about that gag order, threatening legal and ethics violations against those who talked to others about this process?  So city council can illegally change city policy in executive session, but those impacted are threatened?  This has to be a script for a bad sitcom.

7)  If DHA membership was so unethical for board or commission members, why did it take this long to discover it?

Finally, this is a city policy.  City policies, by law, must be voted on in public.  Denny Shortal insisted that this vote be taken in executive session.  That's called abuse of privilege, kiddos, and it's a violation of state law.

Not bad enough news for you?  

The majority of city council went along with him.  Including some who are exuberant about how "ethical" and "transparent" they are.  (Do I really need to name the names here?)  Denny has now blown up each and every campaign promise he made in his little video-recorded house visits where he promised more transparency and integrity.  To add irony to insult, this move is the pinnacle or arrogance - an insult leveled at Mike during the election season.

I regret to say this is only the beginning.  Dick's article above indicates that he's lawyered up and the open records requests will be flying hot and heavy.  There should be more revelations made - assuming someone isn't going to try to weasel out of responding.

This situation is NOT what we signed on for when Dunwoody voted for incorporation.

**Reports came across my desk that some citizens were alarmed at the amount of campaigning DPT board members engaged in for Denny Shortal.  So  much so that complaints were filed with the IRS over their tax-exempt status.

The opinion expressed in this and every post on this blog is my own and does not necessarily reflect that of any other organization with which I am affiliated, or its members.

So much for Black Walnut Cafe - SunTrust wants to make it a bank.

Remember the sign outside the now-closed and decaying-by-the-day Old Hickory House that said "Anything But a Bank"?

SunTrust took that as a challenge.

SunTrust has purchased the property from Black Walnut Cafe and guess what they want to build there?

But they are submitting a SLUP to request more parking spaces.

The required community meeting is June 22 at 5486 Chamblee Dunwoody Road, Suite 8, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.  That's inside the Shops of Dunwoody shopping center but can anyone clarify exactly what "Suite 8" is?

Want to tell SunTrust what you think?  Show up and tell them.  This community meeting is a required step in the SLUP process.  They have to look you in the eye and hear what you say.

...and Let it Begin With Me

From the 2016 Continental Congress at DAR Constitution Hall, the All-American DAR Chorus.
CC is always an uplifting and moving experience.  Every woman there has a direct, familial connection with the founding of this country.  The facts of our history, the country's well-being:  it's personal..  I paged at this conference once in 2004.  (Then I had the kiddos....)  The Chorus chair got everyone back to basics tonight.

Vendors Wanted to Manage Atlanta's Streetcars

I received this notice from a resource that distributes RFPs to municipal vendors:
Pre-RFP release event is tomorrow afternoon.
Who feels lucky???

Greetings Prospective Contractor:

This is an invitation for the event date below. The City of Atlanta is seeking a mid to long-term solution to provide stable and flexible management for the operation and maintenance of the Atlanta Streetcar system. Prior to the release of a Request for Proposal, the City will host an event to discuss a basic overview of the project and the general contracting process.

This event is designed to attract specific members of the contracting and subcontracting community to share programmatic information about the upcoming project. At this meeting, interested parties with specialties and DBE certifications in the following areas and NAICS codes are invited to attend:

Primary Trades


Urban Mass Transit Maintenance

336510

Uniforms

812331


Electrical Maintenance

238210

Faculty Security

561612


Body Panel/Track Maintenance

488210

Vehicle Maintenance

811310


Rail Engineer

541330








Secondary Trades


Emploment Placement Agencies

561311

Facilities Support Services

561210


Regulation & Admin of Transport Services

485113


The event will take place at City Hall in City Council Chambers on Wednesday June 8, 2016 from 1pm to 3pm. The address is 55 Trinity Ave. 2nd Floor Atlanta, GA 30303. Hope to see you then.

Cordially,


Richard D. Case

Senior Manager

Office of Contract Compliance

rcase@atlantaga.gov

Dunwoody Homeowners Association meeting Sunday, June 5

North DeKalb Cultural Center
Room 4
7:30 PM

The DHA monthly meeting is the place to learn about proposed projects in Dunwoody, meet the involved parties in person, ask your questions, and develop an informed opinion before these requests go to City Council.

Discussion – Review of updated PCID Zoning Code rewrite— Steve Foote

Presentation – Transwestern development proposal for office tower at Perimeter Mall –Jessica Hill, Morris, Manning & Martin and Trent Germano, Transwestern Development Company

This last one will generate the most discussion, IMHO.
This is the group that wants to put up an office tower (with no tenants announced yet) in place of the MARTA parking structure across the street from State Farm and on the same corner as the new High Street development.

They also want a 95% tax abatement from Dunwoody.
I look forward to an explanation as to why they and their project deserve it.

Here's some info on the proposed project from the Atlanta Business Chronicle.

http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/print-edition/2016/05/27/the-story-behind-proposed-perimeter-mall-office.html

Dunwoody Food Truck Thursdays on June 2

Assuming we don't get the much-needed rain around 5-ish, Food Truck Thursday is back at Brook Run.  5 PM til Dark

Brought to you by the Dunwoody Homeowners Association.  Who is having a public meeting this Sunday to learn more about two proposed developments in the Perimeter.  Learn more in the next post coming soon....




DWG recommends:
Tasting Maine
Mix'd UP Burgers
Nana G's Chicken and Waffles
King of Pops

Any other reviews/critiques of the offerings?  Comments are open.

INTRODUCING: GA State Representative Tom Taylor - District 79

www.tomgetsresults.com

May has been one busy month.

Tom asked me to recreate his website back in November 2015 when initial plans were being laid for his reelection campaign.

This updated WordPress version launched at the beginning of May 2016.  The responsive design was a traditional American political approach.  The content was formatted to highlight Tom's voting and bill promotion record during his previous time in the House, his record of community support prior to taking the District 79 seat for the first time, plus other commentary as needed.

So why am I talking about this "new" website a month after launch?

Due to the news coverage of Tom's arrest and subsequent legal questions, this was not a typical election season.  Every focus of this website, plus the social media that I also managed, had to be on Tom's record.  Any distraction could diminish the results.  Plus, the opponent in this campaign has a history of aggressive and even violent behaviour and his political supporters weren't much better.  Personal safety procedures, both online and real life, were not afterthoughts.

When anyone of any profession chooses to get into a supportive role in politics or government, it's smart to count the cost beforehand.  I went through this same process when I worked for Nancy Jester's campaign and subsequent Commissioner's websites and former Councilwoman Adrian Bonser's site.  When it comes to building a website and/or managing social media, I work for the official or candidate.  But in the rest of reality and the universe, they work for me as my elected representative.   When everything is going smoothly, that dichotomy is no big deal.  You don't even notice it.  But when there is a legal conflict or problem, it gets complicated.

I resolved it by compartmentalizing my opinions and feelings where the legal issues were concerned from my technical skill and expertise on websites.  That's a skill I picked up while working in oncology research back in the day when I had to turn my feelings off to work with cancer patients in one study or another.    Your reactivate your feelings and process them later when the job is done.

In politics and government, there are going to be legal problems and conflicts.  It's an inevitable nature of the beast.  It's OK if a professional decides they don't want to handle it.  But you make that decision BEFORE you take a job, not after.  I kept my commitment to Tom that I had made 6 months prior to the election getting hot and heavy.  I keep my commitments to all of my clients in the same way.

VOTE!!! Local Elections Impact Your Life More Than National Elections

Today in DeKalb we have a primary election for State House and Senate seats, and a special election for Tax Commissioner.  You've seen the signs all over Dunwoody and you've probably already found the websites and social media so I trust most people reading this have made up their minds.  Now make it count in the booth.  Your opinion doesn't help if it isn't recorded on a ballot.

We also have a vote on (yet another...) E-SPLOST.  The one you heard about in the news where Superintendent Green wants you to approve the money first, then tell you what it's going to be spent on later.

Compounding this backward planing was a DeKalb Schools robo call last night that was supposed to be merely informative, yet claimed that voting in favor of E-SPLOST would result in capital improvements to "your" childrens' school.

The contradictions are obvious to citizens, but apparently not to most of the school board or to Dr. Green so let's spell them out.

1)  The appeal to improving "your" child's school is bogus without a project list.

2)  The call was made using the DCSS' automated calling system - the same one used to distribute weather closing alerts and requests to follow up on truancy reports if your child is late or absent.  That means tax money was used to persuade parents to vote a certain outcome in the election.  That's illegal, kiddos, but since when has that stopped you before?

I'm headed out to Crossroads Baptist as soon as the garbage is on the curb and my cup of coffee is down.  Every vote counts and every person has an impact today.

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!

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.

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

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.

#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

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:

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.

(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.

Musical Guest:   Highbeams 

Adult Beverages: Moondog Growlers. 

Dinner Trucks:

ANGELFIRE7 BBQ

The Awesome Jeanie Food Truck

Flatbread Bistro

Gotta Have It Catering

One Love Jerk Grill

Pressed for Time

The Pup Truck

Tasting Maine

Desserts:

King of Pops

Simply Done

SnoBayou Handcrafted SnoBalls

See you at Brook Run Park, 5 - Dark