Recent Posts

Does anyone else have a problem with trash collection. They always leave trash in the bottom of my trash can and many times leave one of the bags of trash. Does anyone else have this problem? Thanks.

The DHCA Transportation Committee is seeking new members.  The Transportation Committee works on transportation-related issues in our neighborhood such as pedestrian safety, traffic management, and improvement of public transit.  The committee meets quarterly.  No formal commitment is required - we welcome all involvement, whether you want to jump straight into the issues or simply attend the meetings as an interested neighbor.  If interested, please send an E-mail to transportation@druidhills.org.

Attention DeKalb Users,
 
Beginning on July 1, 2010 DeKalb County’s e-mail address will change to ‘username’@dekalbcountyga.gov.
 
Please make necessary changes to stationary and notify all stakeholders of this change prior to June 30, 2010.
 
Please note that the following verbiage will be added to all emails leaving the County to alert external customers of this email change, “Effective July 1, 2010, the DeKalb County email domain will change from: NAME@co.dekalb.ga.us to our new email domain address: NAME@dekalbcountyga.gov.  Commissioner Rader's email will now be jrader@dekalbcountyga.gov.

We appreciate your consideration, time, and participation as we evolve into a Better DeKalb County. If there are any questions or concerns please contact the IS Help Desk at (404) 371-2363.
 
Thanks,
DeKalb Information Systems


MEDIA ALERT- Road Closure Notification Update
North Aiken Drive

This is an update on the closure of North Aiken Drive to through traffic between Kirkland Drive and South Aiken Drive.  The date for reopening North Aiken Drive has been changed to Friday, July 2, 2010 at 4:00 p.m.  The road was closed to replace an underground storm drainage pipe and the date has been extended due to additional construction requirements.

Road closure signs have been posted to advise motorists of construction work and local traffic restrictions around the construction area. 

For more information regarding this road closure, please contact Nancy Smith of DeKalb County Roads and Drainage at 404-297-2568.

What:      Road Closure

Where:    North Aiken Drive

When:     Now until Monday, July 2, 2010 at 4:00 p.m.

Contact:    Nancy Smith, DeKalb County Roads and Drainage
404-297-2568

Ground Breaking for Mason Mill Master Plan

June 19, 2010
11:00 am - 12:00 pm

LOCATION:
Mason Mill Park

For more information see http://www.commissionerrader.com/reader-rader-updates/items/commissioner-rader-digest-102.html

Message from a concerned neighbor:

"Folks continue to walk their dogs and leave bags of dog poop behind on other people's property.  When they put it in a trash can, Dekalb workers throw it onto the sidewalk.  On any trash day you can walk around the neighborhood and see bags of poop in the street and sidewalks.  It is disgusting.  People need to take their bags of poop home with them for disposal.  It is littering and inconsiderate to leave them behind for neighbors to deal with.  Please put this request in your next E-Alert."

[We're also hosting a Free Summer White Wine Tasting!]

We're celebrating the one year anniversary of our wine license with a killer sale this Saturday at The Mercantile.  We're also hosting a Free Summer White Wine Tasting! All of our wines that are under $15 will be on sale! Get details about the wines on our blog: www.themercantileatl.blogspot.com

The Sale is Saturday, June 19 from 10 am - 8 pm
All wines will be 10% off
6 or more bottles will be 20% off!
All of our cheeses will be 10% off also!

Don't miss the opportunity to try before you buy! We'll be tasting and learning about some perfect white wines for summer starting at 12:00. Taste a selection of five perfect wines for your summer and learn how to bring a little something extra and unique to your parties, pool time and beach getaways. Try an extra Brut from Chile, a marvelous and affordable Torrontes from Argentina, and a zesty Sauvignon Blanc, plus more.  All of the wines you'll be tasting will be on sale also! The tasting is free!

We'll see you in the shop!
-Janea Boyles and Team Merc

(Source: The Decatur Minute : http://thedecaturminute.wordpress.com/2010/06/16/ponce-de-leon-court-approved-for-listing-on-the-georgia-register-of-historic-places/)

Ponce de Leon Court Approved for Listing on the Georgia Register of Historic Places!
June 16, 2010 by Regina

One of the fabulous bungalows on Ponce de Leon Court
 

Next stop-the National Register of Historic Places!

Several residents of Ponce Court attended a hearing on June 4th at the Georgia State Historic Preservation Office and were given the great news that their neighborhood is considered worthy to be listed on the Georgia Register of Historic Places.  One of the attendees was 82 year old Graham Thomas who lived on the street from 1920-1940.  Next, the district nomination will be sent to the National Register of Historic Places in Washington DC where the nomination will hopefully be accepted and Ponce Court will be listed as an important historic district in the United States.

The proud and happy residents can now take advantage of significant property tax relief programs and income tax credits made available to properties listed on the Georgia and National Registers of Historic Places.

Interested in having your historic neighborhood placed on the National Register?  Check out this website www.gashpo.org and contact me, your friendly neigbhorhood Preservation Planner, at regina.brewer@decaturga.com

Please follow our Twitter account at http://www.twitter.com/druidhillsnews

Attached as PDF

Thank you for the positive feedback on the newsletter I sent last month. It is my office’s aim to continue providing you with information about issues affecting District 6 and the City, and, as always, I welcome your thoughts and opinions.

Please forward this to your friends and neighbors who you think might enjoy receiving this newsletter, or you can invite them to sign up for future mailings through the button at the left. Always feel free to call me at 404-330-6049 or email me atawan@atlantaga.gov. I look forward to seeing you and hearing from you soon!

In the meantime, please find updates on issues that affect District 6.



PARKAtlanta
The 30-day moratorium on the PARKAtlanta enforcement of parking restrictions expired on Friday, June 10, and the City has implemented a 7am to 7pm enforcement period Monday through Friday, from noon to 10pm on Saturday, and no parking enforcement on Sundays. At the June 7 City Council meeting, we voted to enact additional short-term recommendations presented by a special transportation sub-committee on parking including:

Temporary notification signage where new meters are placed;
Notification to adjacent property owners of meter changes or new meter installation;
Direct link to PARKAtlanta and city websites to parking citation appeals process information and dispute forms; and
Reconciling enforcement discrepancies between signage and meters.
There are also a number of long-term recommendations that the sub-committee will continue to research. One particularly interesting proposal is creating a series of parking zones throughout the city with hours of enforcement, time limits, and parking rates designed to match the predominant usage in the
area.

For more information about the City of Atlanta’s parking enforcement program, please visit www.PARKAtlanta.org or call 404-330-6739.

FY2011 City of Atlanta Budget

The City’s budget hearings, where each City department presented its proposed budget for FY2011 and where Council members welcomed comments from the public, have concluded, and we now have until June 30 to approve a balanced budget as required by City code. Among the primary considerations is whether Council agrees we have the financial resources to fund the Mayor’s three large proposed new initiatives:

Opening the recreation centers, aka “Centers of Hope” ($3.7 million);
Hiring an additional 100 police officers ($5.5 million); and
Restoring a 3.5% step increment to police officers’ salaries ($4.1 million).
And, if not, how to prioritize these investments. I welcome your feedback on this and other budget-related topics.

(Note: The proposed sale of City Hall East, which is anticipated to generate approximately $11 million, has not been included in this budget. The Mayor has proposed that those proceeds be applied to investments in the City’s crumbling infrastructure, while some Council members advocate using those funds to pay down debt, as was originally intended.)

Also, the City is currently on track to end the current fiscal year 2010, which ends June 30, 2010, with an excess of revenues over expenses. This “surplus” is projected to be in the range of $10 - $20 million and is the result of reduced operating expenses, delayed filling of vacant positions, and other cost cutting measures.   The Mayor has proposed applying a portion of this amount to balance the FY2011 budget with the remainder to be applied to the City’s reserves.

City Employee Pensions

As part of the FY2011 budget, the Administration has put forward proposals to change the pension benefits for City employees for both public safety and civilian staff. These proposed changes impact only employees starting after the adoption of the changes (“new hires”) and those employees who have been with the City for less than 10 years (“non-vested employees”). No changes are proposed for the pension benefits of those employees who have been with the City for 10 years or more (“vested employees”).

As background, approximately $125 million of the current FY2010 budget of $541 million is attributed to the employee pension plan. The financial impact of these proposed changes:

Anticipated pension cost reduction for new hires = $7.4 million;
Anticipated pension cost reduction for non-vested employees = $3.4 million; and
Total savings = $11.1 million.
Council currently awaits quantitative analysis from the pension actuaries to verify these numbers before taking action on the Mayor’s recommendations.

Screen on the Green

Please join me the evening of Thursday, June 17, for the showing of “Dreamgirls,” the third movie in the 2010 Screen on the Green series at Piedmont Park. Now in its 11th year, this event has been a neighborhood favorite every summer and returned to Piedmont Park this year.

Some audience incidents forced the early shutdown of the movie at the June 3 Screen on the Green and the subsequent postponement of “Dreamgirls” for one week.   I appreciate the emails and phone calls that we received from you afterward. I want to assure you that the Mayor’s office, City of Atlanta Parks Department, Peachtree TV, and the Piedmont Park Conservancy have been in conversations since then and will be making adjustments to the event security and layout to ensure everyone’s – the audience and the surrounding neighborhoods – safety and enjoyment when it returns June 17.

I appreciate the work that the organizers of the event have put into addressing these issues. I have always been a big fan of Screen on the Green and hope you will join me on the 17th in supporting this neighborhood treasure.

Grady High School Mock Trial Team

Special congratulations go out to students, faculty, and coaches of the Grady High School Mock Trial Team for repeating as State Champions in 2010 and for winning second runner up team – its highest placement in school history – at the National Championships held recently in Philadelphia.