DeKalb County Fire assigns new vehicle to Dunwoody
Storms wreak havoc on local football games
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DeKalb Schools considers bond to fund capital projects Homeowners group declares opposition By CARSON COOK carson@appenmediagroup.com If DeKalb County Schools moves forward with plans for a bond referendum next spring to cover a shortfall in construction, they will have some opposition. Due to rising construction costs, the school district finds itself $95 million short on the school improvement projects it had hoped to fund through the education sales tax, or E-SPLOST. The school district has proposed a March 2020 referendum to approve a general obligation bond to complete the underfunded E-SPLOST program and additional projects that would address
urgent facility needs. The size of the bond would be in the range of $222 to $265 million, the district reports. At a Sept. 8 meeting, the Dunwoody Homeowners Association Board of Directors unanimously agreed to release a statement opposing the bond. The letter released states that while Dunwoody Homeowners Association leaders are concerned about deteriorating conditions in DeKalb schools, they do not think a general obligation bond is the right vehicle to address the issues. They cite a history of a lack of transparency and leadership and questioned the school district’s construction estimates.
Dunwoody Homeowners Association’s statement opposing school district’s general obligation bond Dear Members of the Board, The Dunwoody Homeowners Association (DHA) strives to ensure a high standard and quality of life for the homeowners of Dunwoody. An essential component of a strong and vibrant community is quality public schools for every child. Unfortunately, the school facility crisis of DeKalb County Schools (DCSD) is putting the quality of life for all of Dunwoody at serious risk. School buildings are suffering from leaky roofs, mold, malfunctioning air conditioning,
non-working bathrooms, unsanitary locker rooms, unsafe multipurpose fields and catastrophic plumbing breaks. These poor conditions extend to numerous portable trailers which are arriving at an alarming pace with little plan for relief in the next few years. We ask DCSD to prioritize this facilities crisis and school overcrowding through strategic initiatives and alternative solutions, not simply adding more portable classSee STATEMENT, Page 6
Chamber hosts transportation panel By CARSON COOK carson@appenmediagroup.com
CARSON COOK/Herald
From left, Marlo Clowers, Ros Tucker, Johann Weber and Ann Hanlon discuss transportation at a Perimeter Chamber event Sept. 19.
DUNWOODY, Ga. — In the shadow of the Dunwoody MARTA station, members of the Dunwoody Perimeter Chamber of Commerce gathered Sept. 12 to hear potential solutions to the district’s most prominent challenge: transportation. A panel of business and transportation officials discussed road projects and alternative approaches to help reduce travel times to guests at Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse. The panelist were Ann Hanlon, executive director of the Perimeter Community Improvement Districts; Johann Weber, senior program manager of Perimeter Connects; Ros Tucker, a managing director
at the Atlanta Regional Commission; and Marlo Clowers, senior project manager at the Georgia Department of Transportation. Clowers manages the Transform 285/400 project, which is now under construction to add new flyover ramps, new collector-distributor lanes and other upgrades to the interchange. This project is distinct from plans to bring toll lanes to I-285 and Ga. 400, a project that is still years away. The 285-400 interchange sees more than 400,000 cars each day, Clowers said. The transform project covers 4 miles of I-285 and 6 miles of Ga. 400, making it similar in scope to Spaghetti Junction in north DeKalb.
See CHAMBER, Page 7