City unveils designs for proposed parks
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October 21, 2021 | AppenMedia.com | An Appen Media Group Publication | Ser ving the community since 1976
Candidate debate a civilized affair — until it isn’t Dunwoody City Council reviews draft of ’22 budget
BY CATHY COBBS newsroom@appenmedia.com DUNWOODY, Ga. — For the most part, the Dunwoody City Council District 1, 2, and 3 candidates debated each other with courtesy and respect. But at times, it got ugly. All six candidates appeared at a forum hosted by the Dunwoody Homeowners Association Oct. 13 at the Kingsley Racquet and Swim Club, answering questions from the organization’s President Bob Fiscella. The forum was divided into three segments, with the candidates from each district going head-to-head. Catherine Lautenbacher and Terry Nall are running for the District 1 seat, vacated in July by Pam Tallmadge. Rob Price is running against two-term incumbent Jim Riticher for the District 2 post, and Brian Sims is vying for the District 3 seat against Tom Lambert, who has held the position for four years. It was during the final segment when the tone turned negative. Sims accused the current council of “the blatant demolition of viable city assets” when the decision was made to level the former Austin Elementary School property on Roberts Drive rather than convert it to another use. “I can’t believe one structure other than the playground could have been saved that could be used by other nonprofits in Dunwoody, like for a senior center,” Sims said. He also accused Lambert of using “future speak” to talk about his first term as a council member. “We need a leader to make things
CATHY COBBS/APPEN MEDIA
Dunwoody Homeowners Association President Bob Fischella, center, moderates a debate Oct. 13 between Catherine Lautenbacher and Terry Nall who are vying for the District 1 seat on the City Council. happen now,” he said. After the debate, Lambert said Sims’ remarks about the building’s viability for use by non-profits were inaccurate. “We asked every non-profit in Dunwoody if they wanted to take a look at taking over the facility, and not one was interested,” he said. “The cost of bringing it up to code was economically infeasible.” Both Lambert and Sims said they felt recruiting and keeping quality police personnel were top priorities for the next council. During the District 1 debate, Nall questioned Lautenbacher’s commitment
to the Dunwoody community, quoting an article in the Faces of Sandy Springs website in which Lautenbacher said her home is located just two blocks inside the Dunwoody city line, “but my life is centered in Sandy Springs.” “That’s where I work,” Lautenbacher replied. “I live in Dunwoody, and I volunteer in Dunwoody. Also, we are not in competition with Sandy Springs, we are in cooperation with Sandy Springs.” All of the candidates except Nall said they were wholeheartedly in favor of a parks bond referendum as
See DEBATE, Page 6
BY CATHY COBBS newsroom@appenmedia.com DUNWOODY, Ga. — The Dunwoody City Council got a first look at a proposed $52.4 million budget for 2022 that keeps a comfortable rainy-day fund and increases programs at a minimal level. A presentation by Dunwoody Assistant City Manager Jay Vinicki at the council’s Oct. 11 meeting highlighted major expenditures. The budget includes $4.5 million in funding from the American Rescue Plan, $465,000 for proposed improvements to a 10-acre property on Vermack Road that was recently purchased by the city, $125,000 for a new right-of-way maintenance crew, and $81,000 for expanding the facility/grounds coordinator into two positions.
See BUDGET, Page 6