Dunwoody fires officer connected to news leak
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March 31, 2022 | AppenMedia.com | An Appen Media Group Publication | Ser ving the community since 1976
319 Council N. Main Street, Alpharetta, Ga. 30009 Dunwoody City sets course for busy year PUBLISHER EMERITUS / Dick Williams Discussions center on finances, parks PUBLISHER / Hans Appen By SYDNEY DANGREMOND hans@appenmediagroup.com sydney@appenmedia.com DAHLONEGA, Ga. — During a two-day retreat March 21-22, Dunwoody City Council members discussed all areas of city management, future projects and priorities for the coming year. Finances and parks took center stage on both days of the special-called council meeting which was facilitated by former Decatur Mayor Bill Floyd and hosted at Forrest Hills Resort in Dahlonega. In his presentation to the council members, Assistant City Manager Jay Vinicki shared a forecast of the city’s finances, stressing that although Dunwoody is currently financially healthy, “the revenue structure designed at incorporation does not match in any form the current demands of citizens in the city.” Since the city was founded in 2008, Vinicki said, there has been a clear shift in priorities among citizens and what they expect from local government services and public spaces. Dunwoody’s revenue, however, has not kept pace with those demands. Most prominent in this disconnect, Vinicki said, is the parks budget. At incorporation, he said, the city allocated only $300,000 in the annual budget to parks and recreation, a sum that covered the cost of mowing the grass at existing parks. It left no room for recreation, improvements or new land
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CONTRIBUTORS: Joe Parker Dunwoody City Council members discuss options for parks funding at a retreat in Dahlonega March 21. From left, City Council members, Tom Lambert, Rob Price, Mayor Lynn Deutsch, Stacey Harris, Joe Seconder and John Heneghan. Valerie Biggerstaff Kathy Manos Penn acquisition. Cook thinkGayle it’s irresponsible to build Vermack, sary funding for these parks projects. Carson Suggs Today, roughly $3.5 million is alloto build Austin.” Ideas included establishing a special tax district, floating a bond and changing cated each year to Dunwoody parks and Adam Waylock Big Candy plans, big money the city’s charter to allow for a higher recreation, Darby money used for maintenance The city has big plans for the future and to fund events. The city also reJulia Grochowski Walker of itsLewis park system with a working list cently acquired new parkland on Austin See RETREAT, Page 13 of 30 unfunded projects. The roster inand Vermack roads. Dunn Luke Winstel “When Neugebauer the city was founded, they cludes 14 short-term, 10 mid-term and SYDNEY DANGREMOND/APPEN MEDIA
said it was going to spend $300,000 on parks, we’re now spending 11 times that,” Mayor Lynn Deutsch said. “For me, as mayor, I would tell you that if we don’t do something about our revenue, I
six long-term projects including development of both newly purchased future parks. During the retreat, council members discussed options to raise the neces-
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