Dunwoody Crier - May 23, 2024

Regulatory body opens investigation into former Dunwoody police official

By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com

DUNWOODY, Ga. — The Georgia Peace Officer Standards & Training Council opened an investigation April 29 into a former high-ranking officer in the Dunwoody Police Department.

Former Police Lt. Fidel Espinoza resigned from the Dunwoody Police Department in May 2020 amid a probe into charges of misconduct, including sexual harassment and professional misconduct.

A Dunwoody spokeswoman declined to comment on

Residents request city to reconsider Peeler Road path

By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Two people from the Four Oaks subdivision, touting signatures from around 80 percent of its residents, gave city officials an earful at the May 13 Dunwoody City Council meeting.

Sharon McCoy and Diane London said they have concerns about a planned 12-foot-wide path in front of their subdivision and along Peeler Road causing significant environmental damage to trees and wildlife, potentially infringing upon their privacy and leaving issues with stormwater drainage.

the Georgia Peace Officer Standards & Training Council’s investigation, citing Espinoza’s departure four years ago.

Former Dunwoody Police Chief Billy Grogan, who officially retires June 1, completed his internal investigation in July 2020.

That report cited nearly 50 allegations of sexual harassment and professional misconduct against senior officers.

Some officers said Espinoza had been harassing them for years.

The letter, from the residents to councilmembers, asks for further discussion about the proposed path project.

The city’s plan for the Peeler Road multi-use path was to be presented to Four Oaks residents May 20 from 5:30-7:30 at Windwood Hollow Park. The residents have requested a followup meeting before a proposed vote in mid-June.

“The recent failure of the bond referendum serves as evidence that the citizens of Dunwoody are not in alignment with the current path plan See INVESTIGATE, Page 10

SQUEEZE, Page 11

Officials with the City of Dunwoody are not commenting on an investigation launched by the Georgia Peace Officer Standards & Training Council on one of its former police officers.

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Sandy Springs police arrest rape suspect

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Detectives with the Sandy Springs Police Department’s Street Crimes Unit located and arrested Le’Myrious Monaye Dawson May 6 for alleged theft by taking, burglary, battery and rape.

The Sandy Springs Police Department was notified of a possible burglary and sexual assault May 5, which occurred earlier around 2:30 a.m. Sunday morning within the city limits.

Patrol officers secured the scene while Criminal Investigation Division detectives took over the search for the

POLICE BLOTTER

All crime reports published by Appen Media Group are compiled from public records. Neither the law enforcement agencies nor Appen Media Group implies any guilt by publishing these names. None of the persons listed has been convicted of the alleged crimes.

Police arrest suspect in vehicle break-in

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody police arrested a 40-year-old Lawrenceville man after receiving reports of an entering auto May 10 in the Perimeter Mall parking lot.

When officers arrived, they located a man wearing a yellow shirt and gray hat, which matched dispatch’s description of the suspect.

One officer met with the suspect, while another spoke with the caller who reported the incident.

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The suspect said he was looking for his friend’s vehicle in the parking lot and pulled the door handle of a white BMW.

Officers said the suspect told them he did not know if he pulled on other door handles or whether he damaged any vehicle.

When asked for his identification, the suspect said it was in his car somewhere in the mall parking lot.

The caller said he received footage of the suspect entering the white BMW and rummaging through it before exiting and walking away. He also said the suspect is the same man who was pulling on other doors in the parking lot.

The owner of the BMW said she did not know the suspect and wanted to press charges.

Officers detained the suspect and drove around the parking lot looking for his vehicle.

Eventually, officers found the vehicle parked in front of Macy’s, far from where the suspect said his car would be.

Officers arrested the man for entering a vehicle with the intent to commit a theft or felony and transported him to DeKalb County Jail.

suspect, according to statements.

Detectives learned Dawson operated as an Uber ride-share driver, and allegedly provided the victim with a ride to her home and then burglarized her residence and sexually assaulted her.

Detectives obtained arrest warrants on Dawson for theft by taking, burglary, battery and rape.

Street Crime Unit detectives located Dawson at the West End MARTA station on Lee Street in Atlanta around 2:30 p.m. May 6.

Detectives executed search warrants

Hotel reports theft of services

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody Police arrested a 24-year-old Los Angeles man after he allegedly tried to leave the Crowne Plaza Atlanta Perimeter hotel without paying a $2,600 bill.

Front desk employees at the hotel told officers two male suspects were leaving the location without paying for their room and services.

The employees also said they were able to detain one of the men in the lobby.

An officer said he saw a man matching a description of the second suspect at Ashford Dunwoody Road and I-285.

Officers detained the suspect, a 39-year-old Jonesboro man, who confirmed he stayed at the hotel the night before with the other suspect. He said he met the other man through an app and they agreed to meet at the hotel.

Officers said the Jonesboro man did not indicate he was aware of the fraud his companion had committed.

The hotel trespassed the second suspect after officers released him.

The man from Los Angeles was found in possession of a blue pipe with a white crystal substance inside and marijuana.

Officers said he had used his Cash App card to book the room under someone else’s name.

Officers transported him to DeKalb County Jail and obtained warrants for possession of a Schedule II controlled substance, possession of marijuana and theft of services.

Vendor at art festival reports theft of wallet

DUNWOODY, Ga. — A 29-year-old woman from Orange City, Florida, reported the theft of her wallet May 11 from her stand at the Dunwoody Art Festival.

An officer said there was a call over

for Dawson’s vehicle and residence, locating several items belonging to the victim, police said.

“CID detectives are continuing their investigation into the incident,” the department’s statement said. “The men and women of the Sandy Springs Police Department worked diligently to identify, locate and bring Mr. Dawson to justice.”

If any other agencies are working similar cases, please, contact Det. J.T. Williams at 770-551-6937 or jtwilliams@ sandyspringsga.gov.

the event walkie-talkie about a stolen wallet. He said he located the vendor in front of Village Burger.

The victim said her wallet was stolen out of her purse, which was hanging toward the rear of the tent, sometime between 1:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m.

The wallet contained a Michael Kors wallet, a driver’s license, Social Security cards, credit cards, $75 in cash, a necklace and a Nintendo Switch.

The victim said she canceled her cards before fraudulent activity could occur.

The officer said there were no witnesses, security footage or suspects identified.

Phony police scammers target Roswell woman

ROSWELL, Ga. — Roswell Police responded to a report of a theft by deception stemming from a May 6 incident involving a 70-yearold woman and phone calls with scammers.

The victim said she received a phone call around noon while she was working on Hill Street.

She said the caller identification showed “Cobb County,” and told her she had an active federal warrant for failing to appear for jury duty.

The victim said she spoke to “Lt. Murphy” and then “Capt. Adams.”

The caller said the warrant would cost her $60,000, then offered to accept $6,000

The victim said she remained on the phone with the caller, drove to the Kroger on East Crossville Road and deposited $1,900 into the COINME bitcoin machine. She told the caller she could only afford that amount and could not pay the $6,000.

Officers said the victim provided them with the phone number she sent the money to. When the victim told the caller she was on the way to the Roswell Police Department, they disconnected the phone call.

Journalists weigh loss of UGA Law’s advocacy on open government

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

ATHENS, Ga. — Journalists across Georgia are mourning the loss of a crucial service in a new direction taken by the University of Georgia School of Law’s First Amendment Clinic.

Going forward, its staff will no longer provide direct advocacy for open records or open meetings, sources of information that journalists and citizens use to find out what’s going on behind the facades of government.

The First Amendment Clinic was formally launched in August 2020 to “defend and advance the rights of free speech, press, assembly, and petition via regional litigation and advocacy” and to provide law students with real-world experience on First Amendment issues, according to a UGA news release.

In early 2023, the Clinic began reaching out to news organizations around Georgia, ramping up direct advocacy work related to open records after receiving more funding.

The service was free.

“‘Okay, what’s the catch?’” Dan Whisenhunt, publisher and editor of Decaturish, recalled. “I was told, ‘No catch. There’s just money going around. People really care about this sort of thing. So, we’re doing the work.’”

The resource saved Whisenhunt thousands of dollars in legal fees, a big deal for a small business that saw its first full-time employee after seven years of serving residents in Decatur and surrounding areas in Metro Atlanta.

Since Appen Media filed its lawsuit last May against the City of Sandy Springs over access to information on police incident reports, the newspaper has spent more than $35,000 in legal

fees.

That figure continues to increase, as Appen Media seeks an appeal to a Fulton County Superior Court judge ruling in December that said it failed to prove it is unlawful for the Sandy Springs Police Department to withhold supplemental information about a crime that police file in a subsequent report, often on the same day and gleaned from the same initial visit to the scene.

The lawyer on the case charges $285 an hour.

Free counsel

Now, Decaturish has three fulltime employees, and the business is profitable, punching above its weight, but Whisenhunt said money is sent toward general expenses and personnel.

“Every spare dollar I have I spend on news,” Whisenhunt said. “News costs money, and it ain’t cheap to produce, especially in this market where we’re in an arms race, where we’re trying to keep people paid well enough so that they can actually live near the communities where they’re covering.”

Whisenhunt said the Clinic had its eyes on two to three Decaturish stories. The Clinic has and continues to offer prepublication review, giving legal guidance to journalists on stories before they go to press.

He also said the Clinic became involved in his request for open records regarding a fire that targeted a genderaffirming medical clinic in downtown Decatur.

“Decatur has been withholding those records for forever under an exemption in the [Georgia Open Records Act],” Whisenhunt said. “That exemption is pretty broad … that probably should be revisited.”

Ultimately, the City of Decatur did not provide the records to Whisenhunt. But, he said the Clinic continued to fight and advocate on his behalf.

He also said the group had been more accessible than other national organizations that provide the same service and went further than the Office of the Attorney General’s Open Government Mediation Program.

“I don’t know what having an attorney on staff is like, but that’s what it’s felt like to me,” Whisenhunt said.

UGA transfers lawsuit

Remaining an educational resource, University Spokesperson Greg Trevor said the Clinic will “refer open records/ open meetings matters that need direct advocacy and representation to qualified legal professionals or agencies.”

The timing of the refocus coincides with UGA’s decision to transfer the lawsuit filed on behalf of nonprofit Atlanta Community Press Collective and Lucy Parsons Labs against the Atlanta Police Foundation.

The Atlanta Police Foundation, a nonprofit that supports the Atlanta Police Department and works closely with the City of Atlanta, is largely responsible for funding the $90 million Atlanta Public Safety Training Center set for 85 acres of the South River region in DeKalb County.

The suit, now under the wings of a new pro bono attorney, alleges that the foundation failed to respond to open records requests related to the project, dubbed “Cop City” by critics who say it will fuel police brutality and contribute to climate change by destroying a vital forest.

Sam Barnes, researcher with the Atlanta Community Press Collective, said plaintiffs were told about the transfer and that the Clinic would “refine its purview” in an early April meeting, and it was at the request of Bo Rutledge, dean of the UGA School of Law.

“I personally have some of my own suspicions on the matter,” Barnes said.

Barnes first requested assistance from the Clinic in fall 2022 after the collective received a “nonparty request” for documents from former Blackhall Studios CEO Ryan Millsap’s attorney, regarding a lawsuit filed by environmental groups that challenged DeKalb County’s swap of parkland with the developer.

With the Clinic’s legal representation, the collective prevailed in the free-press battle.

Necessary step

Barnes continued to seek support from the Clinic in 2023, with calls at least once a week for assistance on open records and open meetings.

It provided guidance to Barnes on

entrance to the Capitol when SB63 was being weighed, which has since been signed into law by Gov. Brian Kemp to broaden the scope of offenses requiring cash bail and to prohibit individuals and organizations from posting cash bail more than three times a year, with an exception for bail bondsmen.

Barnes, who uses they/them pronouns, said officials would not grant them a one-day media pass, though it was an open meeting.

“The clinic was very helpful in making sure that happened, and helping me understand what my rights were,” Barnes said.

While the collective is in a better financial position now, Barnes said there was no way for the news organization to afford the level of support the Clinic provided early on, which enabled its work to be what it is today.

Barnes said they have become a better reporter, learning how to negotiate, asserting new knowledge. They began to lean on the group less.

But, Barnes described the unfortunate and often necessary step of leveraging a lawyer’s letterhead on a document to government agencies that provides details of the law they already know.

“And, then it’s like, ‘Oh, shucks, I guess we have to comply with the law now,’” Barnes said.

The Clinic’s decision to move away from direct advocacy has affected Atlanta Community Press’ publishing schedule. Barnes is sitting on a story that has been ready to go for months, but an open records request dating to November has not been filled after back-and-forth with a government agency.

Now, Barnes is figuring out how much it will cost to get legal support, scheduling meetings with attorneys.

“I’m more than happy to pay an open records lawyer an equitable rate, the rate they deserve for the work,” Barnes said. “But, it’s basically going to come down to can we afford to publish this story that is a story that absolutely deserves to be told.”

Empowering citizens

Without the First Amendment Clinic, the McIntosh County Commission may have continued to hold open meetings in the county courthouse — a location that had become an issue because access is under the discretion of the sheriff.

The Current, a nonprofit news organization that covers counties in Coastal Georgia, sought legal assistance from the Clinic when the sheriff barred the public from taking purses and recording devices into McIntosh County

Cities turn focus to Perimeter market

By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Representatives with KDC Real Estate Development and Investments were all smiles May 13 after the Dunwoody City Council approved a rezoning at 245 Perimeter Center Parkway.

The property, the last undeveloped parcel on the Park Center campus, was already entitled to 729,613 square feet of office, 33,586 square feet of retail, and 2,833 parking spaces for a Building 4, under conditions set in the city’s 2015 Overall Development Plan

But, because the COVID-19 pandemic has reduced the appetite for new office development, KDC applied to change zoning conditions that would allow residential units and a hotel while reducing its office and retail allocation.

The new rezoning cuts the office allocation by more than half and allows for 175 hotel rooms, 22,000 square feet of retail space and 300 multi-family residential units.

Dunwoody’s 2023 Edge City 2.0 report, which focuses on Perimeter area planning, details a community-supported vision for Perimeter Center developments and roadmap for the next 20 years.

Dunwoody planners say the Edge City 2.0 report indicates the need for residential development and the proposed mix of uses would be a benefit to the Park Center campus and the surrounding area.

The shift from stand-alone office towers to mixed-use developments with housing, retail, office and recreational spaces is a hot trend.

Unlike the market for commercial office space, which is oversaturated from decades of overbuilding and low interest rates, the demand for a low supply of new live-work-play buildings is promising.

Michael Starling, Dunwoody Economic Development director, said public investments in place-making and private investments in redevelopment can revitalize the commercial market.

The Perimeter market is unique with a community improvement district split between two counties, DeKalb and Fulton, and three cities, Brookhaven, Dunwoody and Sandy Springs.

The Perimeter Community Improvement Districts undertook a rebranding initiative late last year, and with the wrap-up of construction at Ga. 400 and I-285, the market is looking to be competitive in the region.

Fulton County side of Perimeter

During a May 7 Sandy Springs City Council work session, real estate consultant Ladson Haddow with Haddow & Company asked officials to focus on the city’s commercial properties in Perimeter.

HAYDEN SUMLIN/APPEN MEDIA

Michael Starling, economic development director for the City of Dunwoody, gives the first in a series of quarterly updates on the city’s commercial areas. Starling said public investments in place-making and private investments in redevelopment can revitalize the commercial market.

Influencing factors on the value of offices include appeals of property values, which can result in a three-year freeze.

An analysis of eight office properties, including the Concourse Office Park, revealed value changes ranging from 3.3 percent to 19 percent, with an average value decline of 14 percent.

While office properties account for roughly 18 percent of the city’s overall property tax revenue, they represent just under 7 percent of all the revenues Sandy Springs receives each year.

Essentially, Haddow said he thinks office building values will continue to fall, but it will not significantly impact the city’s overall revenue.

“You’re pretty much where you were in 2008, you experienced a pretty significant drop in 2013-15, and yet you managed just fine,” he told councilmembers.

“What’s looming or to come has been endured by the city before.”

Unlike the Great Recession and its subsequent economic effect on property values, corporate developers are not scooping up office buildings. Interest rates at a 23-year high and changing work habits have reduced the demand for offices and the ability to acquire the capital to purchase them, Haddow said.

The redevelopment of older office buildings can be encouraged through zoning and other incentives. Removing potential blight, reducing office supply and increasing tax revenue through new developments are ways the city can reduce erosion of the office market and increase its revenue, according to the findings of the Haddow & Company report.

Haddow then discussed what is attracting commercial tenants to properties and what environments have shown the most promise in Metro Atlanta.

The Perimeter office submarket in Sandy Springs contains the highest amount of sublease space and the second highest vacancy rate in Metro Atlanta,

Live, work and play

Haddow & Company identified a postCOVID trend in the market, which shows a potential path forward for the commercial real estate industry.

“Companies are looking for walkability, they’re looking for access to walkable amenities, the Beltline,” Haddow said. “When you look at Sandy Springs’ office stock, it’s older and it’s not nearly as walkable, that’s a negative moving forward and a reality.”

He mentioned Dunwoody’s Campus 244 and High Street as examples of promising redevelopments.

behind Buckhead.

The price per square foot for a sublease space is often 33 percent less than rent on a direct lease, Haddow said.

Often when tenants come up for a renewal of their lease, they reduce their office footprint.

“It’s hard to say what the future holds,” Haddow said. “In our opinion, it’s not a trend that’s going to reverse itself anytime soon.”

The mixed-use developments mirror others in midtown Atlanta, the Old Fourth Ward and Ponce City Market, which Haddow said sport the lowest vacancy rates in Metro Atlanta. City officials can encourage redevelopments through changes to land use and rezoning regulations.

“If I had to guess in the next couple years, the movement is going to be redevelopment of some of these office buildings that are low density,” he said. “Some people refer to it as a fried egg, when you look at a building that’s in the middle of a site that has surface parking all around it… that’s not going to be an office property moving forward.”

Mortgage options to open the front door

1Restrictions apply. The $900 credit towards closing costs applies to Georgia’s Own Credit Union’s mortgage loan applications received between May 1, 2024 and May 31, 2024. The mortgage loan must close by July 31, 2024 to qualify. This o er is limited to purchase of primary residences, and excludes investment properties, 2nd homes, land loans, home equity loans and government sponsored loan programs including VA and FHA Loans. All applications are subject to approval under Georgia’s Own underwriting guidelines. Promotional o er subject to change without notice.

Sandy Springs selected for second Trader Joe’s

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Sandy Springs residents, especially those south of I-285, can expect a new Trader Joe’s at the Chastain Market sometime in the next year.

The Chastain Market, on the Sandy Springs border with the Buckhead community, is home to more than 90,000 square feet of retail and 28,000 square feet of office space near Chastain Park.

The new Trader Joe’s will be at 4600 Roswell Road.

During a May 9 Sandy Springs Development Authority meeting, members discussed an estoppel certificate, or a document establishing the status of lease terms for a third party.

Trader Joe’s will lease space from the property owner, SSP Chastain, LLC. Connolly and Coro Realty acquired the shopping center in 2022 for $40.5 million.

City Attorney Dan Lee said the certificate is new to him as an attorney with decades of experience. He said the agreement ensures that the sub-tenant, Trader Joe’s, receives the tax incentives in place for the next two years.

Lee also said the tenant has already invested in the site in preparation for Trader Joe’s.

Members of the Development Authority described the addition of a new tenant at the development’s former Sprouts Farmers

Market as the “worst kept secret in Sandy Springs.”

The new neighborhood grocery store will be the second Trader Joe’s in the city.

As a neighborhood grocery store, every Trader Joe’s donates 100 percent of viable, unsold products to a wide range of food banks and food recovery agencies, seven days a week.

In 2023, the company donated more than $469 million worth of food and beverages to its nonprofit partners across the country.

Founded in 1967 in the Los Angeles area, Trader Joe’s sports more than 545 stores in 42 states.

A public relations manager with the chain’s corporate office told Appen Media that specific information about the new store is not yet available.

“We are excited to be opening a new store in Sandy Springs,” the spokeswoman said. “As details emerge, we will post updates on our website.”

On the Trader Joe’s website, the company states its proud to be joining the neighborhood and hopes to open its doors in 2024.

For up-to-date details about the Chastain Market location, visit https:// locations.traderjoes.com/ga/sandysprings/799/.

Alpharetta Welcome Center offers giveaways to visitors

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Visitors to the Alpharetta Welcome Center May 20-24 can pick up some city swag and enjoy sweet treats during National Travel and Tourism Week.

An annual tradition in the hospitality industry, this marks the 41st anniversary of National Travel and Tourism Week.

President Ronald Reagan established National Travel & Tourism Week in 1983 as an annual salute to travel in America.

According to the U.S. Travel Association, the $2.6 trillion industry supports nearly 15 million American jobs while fueling other important industries like manufacturing, health care and agriculture — all dependent on travel to generate business, spur innovation and support education.

Janet Rodgers, president and CEO of the Alpharetta Convention and Visitors Bureau, said tourism is important to the economic growth of the city.

“It is our pleasure to position Alpharetta as a regionally, nationally and globally recognized tourism destination through creative, innovative marketing and sales strategies,” she said. “Marketing efforts are

executed 365 days a year to attract overnight visitors to our awesome destination!”

Residents are encouraged to “staycation” as a local tourist or invite friends and family to town, showcasing the city’s more than 200 restaurants and shops in Avalon, downtown Alpharetta and North Point Mall.

When guests swing by the Welcome Center May 20-24, they will receive five entries for a chance to win two VIP tickets and a parking pass to see the “New Kids on the Block: Magic Summer 2024 Tour,” July 26 at Ameris Bank Amphitheatre.

The Alpharetta Welcome Center is at 178 South Main Street, Suite 200. Visitors can enter to win in-person during regular business hours.

If folks are unable to make it, they can sign up for the Alpharetta Convention and Visitor Bureau’s e-newsletter and receive one entry into the raffle.

The winner, who must be a subscriber to the newsletter at the time of drawing, will be selected and notified the week of May 27.

For more information about tourism week and the raffle, visit awesomealpharetta.com/national-travel-tourism-week/.

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Appen Media newsroom staff takes listening tour to Milton

MILTON, Ga. — The newsroom at Appen Media Group stopped at Six Bridges Brewing in Milton May 16 to listen to residents about how to improve local coverage.

This was the fifth stop in the company’s “Listening Tour,” a sevenmonth series touching base in each of Appen Media’s coverage areas. So far, staff have made rounds in Dunwoody, Roswell, Johns Creek and Forsyth County in an effort to gain valuable insight from residents on how to strengthen reporting.

Publisher Hans Appen opened the forum with questions to staff about what brings them to work every day and how they view the future of journalism. Appen also asked about the kinds of myths and stereotypes they see about journalists.

The floor was turned over to the crowd of about a dozen, who suggested topics they would like to see covered in the newspaper like health and traffic concerns.

One guest asked about the open records process, wondering how cities can charge for open records that are public information.

Director of Content and

Development Carl Appen, who regularly files open records requests on behalf of the newsroom, said state law allows local governments to charge a

reasonable fee for time and resources used to gather records, though most do not as a courtesy.

Two more stops are scheduled for

the tour, at July Moon Bakery and Café in Alpharetta on June 20 and at Pontoon Brewing Company in Sandy Springs July 18.

Atlanta business wins ’24 Good Food Award

PORTLAND, Ore. — Farmers Jam, an Atlanta-based business that creates natural jams sourced from local and organic farms, earned a 2024 Good Food Award at a ceremony in Portland, Oregon.

The business, founded by James Carr — a Milton High School graduate and former account executive with Appen Media Group, earned the award in the Elixir category with its Strawberry Lemon Cocktail Syrup.

Chosen through a rigorous blind tasting and sustainability vetting process from nearly 2,000 entries, the winners rose to the top on the basis of taste while also demonstrating an outstanding commitment to sustainable environmental and social practices.

“It is an absolute thrill to win a Good Food Award,” Carr said. “We’re honored to be alongside some amazing makers and creators who prioritize local sourcing, quality ingredients, and supporting farmers.”

Every sale for Farmers Jam contributes to the organization’s annual fruit tree fund. According to its website, Farmers Jam has helped plant more than 1,800 fruit trees and bushes on family farms since 2018.

The Good Food Awards, in its 14th year, is organized by the Good Food Foundation in collaboration with a broad community of food crafters, grocers, chefs, food writers, activists and passionate food lovers.

Farmers Jam is hosting a local celebration at Parker’s on Ponce in Decatur on May 30 from 5 to 7 p.m. There will be a specialty menu with drinks featuring Farmers Jam Cocktail Syrups in partnership with Cathead Distillery.

Proceeds from drinks purchased will generate donations to Giving Kitchen, a nonprofit that provides emergency assistance for food service workers through financial support and a network of community resources.

JAMES CARR/PROVIDED

Jason Waters and James Carr, founder of Atlanta-based Farmers Jam, celebrate the business’ 2024 Good Food Award in the Elixir category at a ceremony in Portland, Oregon with its Strawberry Lemon Cocktail Syrup. Waters is the owner of Georgia Routes, a mobile bar that uses Farmers Jam cocktail syrups.

AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA

Ray Appen, owner of Appen Media, answers a question posed by Publisher Hans Appen at the newspaper’s “Listening Tour” stop in Milton at Six Bridges Brewing May 16.

Johns Creek Beautification rallies around landscaping, public art

June luncheon to help fund Native American sculpture

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Lynn Pennington, president of Johns Creek Beautification, is someone you see at most every cityorganized event, speaking on behalf of a nonprofit that unites people through landscaping and public art.

“If you stay close to our mission statement … it is really a way to bring people together,” said Pennington, whose wealth of energy exceeds her small frame. She stays busy, also serving as co-president to the Cultural Arts Alliance at Johns Creek and as a member of the Johns Creek Historical Society.

While Johns Creek Beautification formed in 2007, its beginnings precede the city’s incorporation with work toward beautifying medians along Medlock Bridge Road.

Over the years, the nonprofit has developed a slate of initiatives.

One can be seen throughout the city, lit up with 52,250 yellow daffodils. The organization’s planting campaign Daffodils4Hope, brought forth by more than 1,100 volunteers of all ages, is in partnership with the nonprofit CanCare Atlanta which provides counseling support to cancer patients and caregivers in the community.

Johns Creek Beautification also hosts a Secret Garden Tour every other year. The rain-or-shine event features an array of private home gardens and the Autrey Mill Nature Preserve, each with musical ensembles or solo performers, along with visual artists sharing their talents with visitors.

Pennington, co-chair to the tour, said she is seeking volunteers to lead the effort next spring with planning beginning in August.

Currently, board members are preparing for a fundraiser in June in support of a new Native American sculpture for the city’s Town Center area — 192 acres anchored by the oncoming Creekside Park, centered around the pond behind City Hall. The hub is also poised to bring retail and industry with tenants like mixed-used development Medley and biomedical engineering giant Boston Scientific.

The Native American sculpture would be the second permanent installation born from the nonprofit’s ArtSpot subcommittee.

The first, unveiled in June 2022 at the Bell and Boles roads roundabout, is Entwined Strength by artist Eric Strauss. Its vine-like form, created from 4,000 pounds of hot forged steel, honors the

PHOTOS BY LYNN PENNINGTON/PROVIDED

Johns Creek Beautification members sort daffodil bulbs with high school volunteers as part of Daffodils4Hope, a planting campaign in partnership with CanCare Atlanta — a nonprofit that provides counseling support to cancer patients and caregivers. Since the program’s inception six years ago, more than 1,100 volunteers have planted 52,250 daffodils around Johns Creek.

Our aim is to build a resilient ecosystem where people, wildlife and plants can thrive together for generations.”

LILIANA BRENNER

Johns Creek Beautification vice president

diverse community members and its leaders who pulled together to create a new city.

Pennington envisions the new sculpture to showcase thousands of years of Native American history that covers what is now Johns Creek, beyond the known Cherokee Nation. She said its intended location, close to City Hall, would allow it to become a symbol of unity and respect for indigenous peoples, showcasing a commitment to diversity and inclusivity.

“In the research, we found out that Native Americans were in the Johns Creek area for 14,000 years,” she said.

“There is nothing that really shows that history in Johns Creek yet, so through art we hope to … capture history, heritage.”

The impetus for the project dates to around 2015, a collaboration between the now-defunct Newtown Park Community Foundation and that year’s Leadership Johns Creek class, which included former CEO of Emory Johns Creek Marilyn Margolis.

The group set its eyes on a stone sculpture, a work that could endure the weather, akin to Native American petroglyphs found around the Southeast in places like Blairsville.

But, Pennington said the sculpture would be under the artist’s discretion, ideally to be placed in a new plaza

Artist Eric Strauss stands with his sculpture Entwined Strength at a ribbontying ceremony in June 2022 at the Bell and Boles roads roundabout. The sculpture was the first permanent public art installation born from Johns Creek Beautification’s ArtSpot subcommittee. Currently, the nonprofit is in the fundraising stage for a second sculpture, themed around Native American history.

area created from stones that could be purchased and inscribed.

Once Johns Creek Beautification has sufficient funds, Pennington said a call will be cast out, prioritizing Native American artists. She said the selection committee would likely be composed of board members from Johns Creek Beautification and the Cultural Arts Alliance as well as a Johns Creek city councilmember.

While the project is pending City Council approval, Pennington said $50,000 has been raised so far across the nonprofit’s Secret Garden tours, and the goal is to collect $100,000 over the next 18 months.

Another $50,000 may head their way, considering a recommendation made at a recent Johns Creek Arts, Culture and Entertainment Committee meeting on the use of hotel/motel tax collections in fiscal year 2025.

The June 6 fundraiser will be the nonprofit’s first annual learning luncheon, featuring two guest speakers — Ashley Frasca, who hosts a Saturday morning garden show on WSB Radio, and Mark Hoban, a golf course superintendent at Rivermont Golf Club who focuses on sustainable, organic methods in his work.

The luncheon aligns with the nonprofit’s other effort to recertify Johns Creek as a National Wildlife

Johns Creek Beautification’s first annual learning luncheon “Seed Soil Sunshine” June 6 will feature two guest speakers on sustainable gardening practices and a Q&A on how to humanely deter deer while creating a safe environment for pets. The luncheon is from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Sugo on Medlock Bridge Road. Tickets are $70 and include a meal of salads, several main courses and dessert. Proceeds will help fund a new Native American sculpture for the Johns Creek Town Center area. To reserve a seat, visit: www. johnscreekbeautification.org/fundraiser.html.

Habitat, promoting sustainable gardening practices. The city first earned certification with the National Wildlife Federation’s Community Wildlife Habitat program in April 2012.

Johns Creek Beautification Vice President Liliana Brenner said the organization is also helping to certify individual properties such as homes, parks, schools and businesses by providing food, water, shelter and places to raise young. Residents are encouraged to certify their properties at certifiedwildlifehabitat.nwf.org.

“Our aim is to build a resilient ecosystem where people, wildlife and plants can thrive together for generations,” Brenner said.

Investigate:

Continued from Page 1

Chris Harvey, deputy director of the Georgia POST Council, said a POST investigator is specifically looking into two allegations, conduct unbecoming of police officer and sexual harassment.

“It’s not necessarily about his separation from the Dunwoody Police Department; that may be included in the investigation,” he said. “It’s primarily about allegations of conduct while he was employed with the Dunwoody Police Department.”

Harvey said POST does not investigate agencies, only individual officers.

Brian Bolden, a former Dunwoody

prison transport officer, said he spoke with POST investigators for two hours about Espinoza on May 13.

From May 2020 to November 2021, Dunwoody paid more than $400,000 for legal fees associated with the matter.

The allegations against Espinoza center around three former officers, Bolden, Roger Halstead and Bryan Castellanos. All have alleged bullying and harassment by Espinoza.

In 2020, Police Chief Grogan found evidence to sustain six of the charges dealing with inappropriate behavior of a sexual nature and misconduct on the part of supervisors, primarily Espinoza.

But, he said, there was no evidence of coercion or threats, and that the first claims of sexual harassment by Halstead came in March 2020, almost a year after he left the force.

sizes allowed, posing a threat toward generations-old families who could be taxed off their land.

Bolden spoke specifically against Espinoza. He also accused Espinoza of sexual harassment. Bolden’s attorney, Howard Evans, attributed the department’s issues to a failure in leadership.

In February 2022, former officer Bryan Castellanos and his wife filed their lawsuit against Espinoza. They claim Espinoza sent inappropriate text messages, solicited nude photos and sent explicit photos of himself.

Bolden was placed on administrative leave for “public criticism” of the department Feb. 2, 2022, after he told media reporters that former Dunwoody Sgt. Robert Parsons was arrested for DUI Jan. 26. Parsons resigned the day after the arrest.

Chief Grogan tapped the Sandy Springs Police Department to handle the

letter to the county attorney, the County Commission and the Attorney General’s Office.

investigation into Bolden’s conduct. Bolden was terminated in March 2022, which he claims was retaliation for speaking out against Espinoza.

The termination letter states Bolden did not violate the department’s policies on public criticism or confidentiality of department business. It also states Bolden did not violate city policy on breach of security or a Georgia law regarding making false statements to a government agency.

Interestingly, Grogan chose to tap Dunwoody’s Fulton County neighbors for the investigation, something he elected not to do during the probe into allegations against Espinoza.

The former police chief handled the investigation even though he was named in the civil action that launched the investigation.

into a number of open records situations for the three-and-half-year-old startup, preceding the Sapelo Island zoning case.

Commission meetings. The meetings concerned rezoning Hogg Hummock on Sapelo Island, the final intact Gullah Geechee community on the Atlantic Coast.

The County Commission would go on to approve larger dwelling sizes up to 3,000 square feet, double previous

“You have, you know, about 150 people there representing Sapelo Island, basically saying, ‘We don’t want this to happen,’ … and there was no way to record it except with a pen and paper, and that’s against the law,” said Susan Catron, managing editor for The Current. Prohibition on recording devices continued through two meetings, lifted on the third, after the Clinic wrote a

Commission meetings have been permanently moved to Darien City Hall because of the combined effort of The Current and the Clinic, though the public must be a paid subscriber to the local cable provider to watch meeting recordings.

“We’re working on that part,” Catron said.

Catron said the Clinic had to step

“It’s not good for the citizens,” Catron said of the Clinic’s decision to quit direct advocacy. “It’s not good for the journalists, but it’s mostly not good for the citizens.”

The issue is bigger than journalism, she said.

“It’s ensuring everyone’s rights to transparency and documents and the work that their government is doing.”

Squeeze:

Continued from Page 1

proposed by our government,” the letter said. “Further discussion about the intent, necessity, planning and potential execution of the path project must take place.”

Two other residents also spoke out against paths in front of single-family homes along Winter’s Chapel and Tilly Mill roads.

While opponents of 12-foot-wide trails and paths throughout the city are quick to cite the failure of the bond referendum, 43 percent of the more than 8,000 voters in the November elections wanted more parks, greenspaces and trails.

Ali Mahbod, frequent attendee of city meetings, said he’s in full support of more parks and green areas, which he said he thinks is a good use of taxpayer money.

After councilmembers discussed the purchase and installation of playground equipment at Waterford Park, a resident said she’s thrilled the city followed through with the plan.

As a nearby resident, she said many young families love the park, use it and want a playground.

The city used remaining funds in the capital improvement plan to pay for the playground, identified as a priority at the 2024 retreat.

Financial forecasts

City officials showed they are beginning to adjust to a new reality surrounding Dunwoody’s financial future.

For example, after elected officials requested additional studies and tasks related to the city’s legally mandated comprehensive plan update and creation of a Unified Development Code, staff told them the work would exceed the budgeted amount. The additions were scrapped during a vote at the meeting.

When a 12-foot-wide path in front of Dunwoody High School came up for a vote, elected officials approved it but sent back a lighting contract with Georgia Power for review.

Also, councilmembers requested the salaries for the four new, nonsworn Public Safety Ambassadors to be slightly decreased and denied the IT Department’s request to bring geographic information system professionals in-house.

The concerns about personnel costs reflect an uncertain situation for the city moving forward, specifically during the fall 2026 creation of the 2027 budget.

Excluding one-time expenses on things like capital projects, Dunwoody’s recurring expenses are outpacing its recurring revenues.

PHOTOS BY HAYDEN SUMLIN/APPEN MEDIA

Finance Director Richard Platto provides a historical look, forecast and breakdown of Dunwoody’s expenses and revenues. Platto said expenses have increased $5 million since 2020, primarily due to nationwide inflation and pay raises for staff.

Assistant City Manager Jay Vinicki recaps the direction given to city departments after the 2024 Dunwoody City Council retreat May 13 and the deliverables for staff. Vinicki outlined adjustments from staff on how they communicate with elected officials.

The graph showing general fund revenues and expenditures, with federal funds and major one-time transactions removed, tells the story of the postCOVID economy.

Finance Director Richard Platto said expenses have increased $5 million since 2020, primarily due to nationwide inflation and pay raises for staff.

If the city continued operating as is, which city officials emphasized will not happen, Dunwoody’s $25 million in reserves, or unassigned fund balance, would be gone during the creation of the

GRAPHS BY CITY OF DUNWOODY/PROVIDED

A graph shows the recurring revenue and expenses from 2019-2023, with one-time transactions and federal funds removed from the equation. While the 2023 budget remains unaudited, the trend shows that keeping the city in the black will require adjustments.

A graph shows the forecasted unreserved balance in the general fund, the blue line, given the assumed revenues and base expenditure commitments through 2029. Staff said the pinch point, or potential dip into the legally required four months of reserves, will be during the creation the 2027 budget, in fall 2026.

2028 budget.

Assistant City Manager Jay Vinicki said the city is in no danger of reducing its services, but the City Council needs to have ongoing discussions about how to address the pinch point in the future.

As data comes in, from reports like the Dekalb County Tax Digest at the end of May, forecasts may change, Vinicki added. The digest tracks the

value of taxable private and commercial property.

Mayor Lynn Deutsch said the city’s homestead exemption, frozen property assessments and capped millage rate affect the city’s ability to collect revenue.

“We have our eye on the ball,” Deutsch said. “The thing that I think is going to be the most telling is the data that we’re getting at the end of May.”

For sale: TikTok (to anyone other than China)

RAY APPEN

Publisher Emeritus ray@appenmedia.com

I try to stay current with my news. That is, I try to know at least a little about what is going on in the world. That being said, I can’t keep this idea about forcing TikTok’s U.S. operations to be sold out of my mind.

As most of you know, in the recent legislation for funding support for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, there is a provision included that requires TikTok – which is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance –to be sold or, if not sold, banned in the United States. The fear is that the Chinese government is using, or

could use, data generated by TikTok.

That is the point that I don’t get. How does a change in ownership safeguard any data that TikTok generates? Seriously?

At least five companies have expressed interest at one time or another in TikTok – Microsoft, Oracle, Meta (Facebook), Alphabet (Google) and Amazon – all big tech companies with significant interest in data management, data generation, and directly or indirectly, the sale of data/information.

“Data” today is the oil of yesterday. Data is money, pure and simple. It is where the money is and where the money will go.

“Data” is the backbone, foundation, primary component in AI, Artificial Intelligence. Without data, there is no AI. AI is the future.

It’s driving the stock market right now – the prospect of the massive profits that big tech expects to reap from the build-out of AI throughout our economic system. There can be talk about restricting and regulating the use of AI, but that just isn’t going to happen; that train left the station a long time ago. The “talk” is just that – talk.

So here is the rub. Data is a commodity, just like any other commodity. Since data is arguably the most valuable commodity in today’s world, it will, no matter what, be sold directly or indirectly to the highest bidder – just as oil is today. Just look at the U.S. embargo on Russian or Iranian oil that has now been in place for years. That oil is still getting to market despite the sanctions. It always will. Even

the idea of suggesting that the use of economic sanctions in todays interconnected globalized world has much impact at all seems ludicrous.

Changing who the owner of TikTok is and the data that TikTok generates will not change the availability of the data; it will be sold to the highest bidder even if the buyer is the Chinese government. Does anyone think, for another example, that Mr. Zuckerberg does not sell any/all the data that his social media platforms generate to anyone who is willing to write him the check? Don’t think so.

So, I just don’t get it. It just doesn’t make sense if one is looking for rational logic or a legitimate motive to force ByteDance to sell its U.S. operations of TikTok. Something else must be driving this dance.

McGaughey 1940 home and Serviceman’s Shelter

The story of Effie and Carroll McGaughey and their “Servicemen’s Shelter” has previously been the subject of this column. I recently visited Atlanta History Center’s Kenan Research Center to view the Carroll McGaughey archives. The archives include photographs of their Dunwoody home. The house sat on a road first known as Spruill Road, then Meadow Lane Road, where it met Ridgeview Road. The postal address for the home was RD (Rural Delivery) 1, Dunwoody, Georgia.

The archive of photographs was donated to AHC in 1951 by Effie McGaughey. Notes that accompany the photographs describe the Carroll B. McGaughey farmhouse as partly built about 1940 from 100-year-old timbers, brought in from Perry and Marietta. Carroll McGaughey and Effie Yeager married in 1914 in Knoxville, Tennessee. They met several years earlier and rekindled their relationship during Atlanta’s opera season in the spring of 1914. Carroll McGaughey was in the electric construction business.

The 1930 census shows the McGaugheys living on 15th Street in Atlanta, but by 1940 they lived in Dunwoody, listed as the Shallowford District of DeKalb County on the census. Their sons, 21-year-old Carroll B.

The 1940 home of Effie and Carroll McGaughey sat along Meadow Lane, where it met Ridgeview Road.

McGaughey Jr. and 16-year-old Carrick McGaughey are also listed on the census record.

Effie McGaughey collected donations to construct a shelter at their Dunwoody property, where injured soldiers could relax and enjoy their estate. There was also a swimming pool, built from granite and in the shape of the state of Georgia.

(Atlanta Constitution, Aug. 20, 1947,

Effie McGaughey-has not forgotten”)

Following the end of World War II, the McGaughey family continued to host wounded soldiers from Lawson General Hospital, Veterans Hospital #48, and Fort McPherson. World War I veterans could also be found convalescing at the McGaughey home. An August 1947 gathering included neighbor Ethel Spruill along with Effie McGaughey and several

injured veterans.

McGaughey said of her continued veteran support, “When the war ended, people began to ask, do you still need to entertain servicemen? You only have to see one of these parties at the shelter to realize that the need is greater now than ever.” (Atlanta Constitution, Aug. 1, 1947, “McGaugheys Continue War-Born Shelter”)

Effie McGaughey donated a movable kitchen to the Red Cross in 1942. The kitchen was operated by the Atlanta Red Cross Canteen Corps and was able to serve 2,000 meals and 40,000 cups of hot coffee per day. (Atlanta Constitution, June 7, 1942, “Canteen Corps Given Mobile Kitchen Here”)

Inside the McGaughey home were wood plank floors and rooms decorated in a style typical for the 1940s. Many rooms had floral wallpaper and lace curtains on the windows. The living room and two of the bedrooms included builtin bookshelves. Other details include braided rugs, white Chenille bedspreads and silver candelabras.

As you drive down Meadow Lane, in the area across the road from Target, picture the McGaughey home and the retreat the McGaughey family offered to help recovering soldiers and veterans.

Award-winning author Valerie Biggerstaff is a longtime columnist for Appen Media and the Dunwoody Crier. She lives in Atlanta. You can email Valerie at pasttensega@gmail.com or visit her website at pasttensega.com.

CARROLL M. MCGAUGHEY ARCHIVE, KENAN RESEARCH CENTER/ATLANTA HISTORY CENTER

VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF Columnist

OPINION

The distinguished Mansell family (Part 1)

BOB MEYERS Columnist

The Mansell family has been well known in North Fulton for more than a century. They have been successful farmers employing the latest farming techniques. They have been astute and creative businessmen and were committed to their churches, and in some cases, became quite wealthy yet were always frugal. This column is a tribute to this remarkable family.

I am indebted to several people who have documented various aspects of Mansell history. First, Linda Mansell Martin who wrote “The Great Generation of Mansell’s of N. Georgia,” the definitive history of the Mansell family. Her brother Jody Mansell, deceased, wrote stories about his experiences with his grandfather. Maude Dorris Mansell, (1883-1977) had her granddaughter compile some facts of her life for her descendants. Finally, I appreciate the help of Barry Mansell a retired BellSouth executive, Kathy Beck of the Milton Historical Society and many articles in local newspapers about various members of the family.

The Mansell story begins like that of many local families. The first Mansell’s in America came from England, Ireland and some from Germany in the 18th century. They settled in Virginia and the Carolinas. The first Mansell to settle in Georgia emigrated from South Carolina. Robert Henry Mansell Sr. (1820-1862) and his wife Hanna Maude McCollum (18151903) settled in Fields Crossroads in Milton County, at one time a thriving community.

Robert Sr.’s grandson, also named Robert Henry Mansell (1873-1950), was born in Crabapple and was married to Maude Dorris Mansell (1883-1977). People called him Bob. He is noted for the farmhouse he built in 1911 on what is now Mansell Road in Roswell from trees grown on his property. He gradually amassed some 700 acres and lived in the house until 1949 when he retired. In addition to farming, Bob was a successful businessman with an interest in two cotton gins and a sawmill. He also sold his produce from the back of a truck with his grandson Jody every Saturday in Atlanta.

Bob gave each of his five children approximately 60 acres depending on its location and built for each child

a house with the understanding that they could never sell their property or take out a mortgage on it. The exception was James Earl Mansell (1910-2002) who received a larger plot because he was the only one of the children interested in farming.

Earl Mansell and his wife Lillian Shirley Mansell [1911-2002] moved into the home. Over the years the Mansells added to the property and raised four sons on the farm: Bob, a retired professor at Florida State University; Marcus, owner of the Mansell Home and Garden Center at Mansell Road and Highway 9 and an extended stay motel in Woodstock (1940-2019); Denny (1948-2013); and Barry. Barry recalls getting up very early every morning to milk the cows

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

before going to school. Before she was married, Lillian Mansell was a teacher in Crabapple and rented a room in the historic Reese House in the Crabapple crossroads.

Earl sold his 135-acre property to the Herman Miller Company, a manufacturer of office furniture, in 1980 after farming the property for 33 years. The company donated the 10-room Mansell farmhouse to the Alpharetta Historical Society in 1990. The society moved it to its current location on Old Milton Parkway where it serves as a special event facility and headquarters of the Alpharetta and Old Milton County Historical Society. Earl and Lillian retired to a house on Upper Hembree Road. In addition to Earl, Bob had three other sons, Joe, Walter

The City of Dunwoody Planning Commission will meet Tuesday, June 11, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers at Dunwoody City Hall, which is located at 4800 Ashford Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody, Georgia 30338 for the purpose of due process of the following:

Text amendments to the Code of the City of Dunwoody for Chapter 27, including Sec. 27-56, Sec. 27-72, Sec. 27-104, Sec. 27-107B, Sec. 27-331, Sec. 27-334, Sec. 27-356, Sec. 27-358 and other sections, the general purpose of which is to create zoning regulations and procedures for drug rehabilitation centers, community residences, recovery communities and other facilities for treatment of drug dependency, and for other purposes.

Should you have any questions or comments, please contact the City of Dunwoody Community Development Department at 678-382-6800. Staff is available to answer questions, discuss the decision-making process, and receive comments and concerns.

and C.B., and a daughter, Pauline. Bob Mansell’s grandson Jody wrote some short stories about his grandfather who was very close to Jody as he grew up. The stories are included in Linda Mansell Martin’s fascinating book. One story written in 1910 was about Mitch & Madeline, a black tenant farmer and his wife who lived on Bob’s farm. Mitch helped Bob with all his farm work: plowing, planting, harvesting, hog killing –whatever needed to be done. Madeline helped Maude with cooking, cleaning, canning, etcetera. The two couples were good friends.

One day, Jody reported, Bob said to the couple “The two of you deserve a place of your own…lets go see if we can find one.”

Jody recalled that they found a house and that the Martins lived in the house until they passed away years later. After their deaths, their son lived in the house until his death. When Bob died, the Atlanta Journal referred to him as “one of North Fulton county’s most well-known citizens.”

In the next column I will discuss Bob’s four sons and daughter and some other interesting members of one of the most fascinating families in this area.

Bob is director emeritus of the Milton Historical Society and a Member of the City of Alpharetta Historic Preservation Commission. You can email him at bobmey@bellsouth.net. Bob welcomes suggestions for future columns about local history.

On behalf of Starbucks Corporation, please join us for a community meeting to discuss a proposed Special Land Use Permit (SLUP) for property located at 140 Perimeter Center W, Dunwoody, Georgia. Starbucks Corporation is seeking a SLUP from Code Section 27-72 to permit a drive-through facility.

Embassy Suites by Hilton Atlanta Perimeter Center 1030 Crown Point Parkway, Dunwoody, Georgia Meeting Room: Atlantan

Thursday, May 30, 2024 6:30pm – 7:30pm

If you have any questions, email planning@gaskinslecraw.com

PHOTOS BY MANSELL FAMILY/PROVIDED

Portrait of Robert (Bob) and Maude Dorris Mansell, parents of five children who played an important role in the history of North Fulton. When Bob died in 1950, the Atlanta Journal referred to him as “one of North Fulton county’s most wellknown citizens.”

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