City Decatur Launches Transparency Portal
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he City of Decatur recently partnered with ClearGov, a municipal transparency and benchmarking platform, to launch a fiscal transparency portal. The new tool will enable taxpayers to clearly see how Decatur is funded and how this funding is allocated to provide services to residents. Decatur is the first municipality in Georgia to offer more timely and detailed information to its residents using ClearGov. The platform provides public access to financials and a centralized source of financial data to help city officials make more informed policy and budgetary decisions. Visit Decatur’s ClearGov page at decaturga.com/cleargov.
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Cemetery Offers a ‘Politicians Tour’ Sunday, Nov. 6 • 2:30 p.m. Meet at the gazebo off Commerce Drive for an afternoon of pre-election yarn spinning. Join Docent Paul Sherer as he leads you on a Politicians Tour, featuring the graves of judges, mayors, commissioners, and congressmen such as Charles Murphey and Scott Candler. Learn about the times that shaped their lives and decisions. Paul guarantees that all the people he introduces you to will stay silent and underground during this special tour. Second Sunday Strolls: The last tour of the season is Oct. 9. Meet at the gazebo at 2:30 p.m. For more information contact friendsofdecaturcemetery@gmail.com.
Solarize Decatur-DeKalb Sets Out to Triple Solar Use
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olarize Decatur-DeKalb, the third Community Solarize program in Georgia, is designed to leverage the power of bulk purchasing and facilitate savings. For four months (September-December) businesses, homeowners and municipal buildings will be encouraged to undergo a solar evaluation and perhaps sign a contract to install solar. Pricing is based on a tier system and increased participation helps bring the price down for everyone. Organizers of the program include members of the Decatur Environmental Sustainability Board, Environment Georgia, Georgia Interfaith Power and Light (GIPL), the Georgia chapter of the Sierra Club, and Solar CrowdSource. More than 280 people have already signed up for a free solar evaluation. Decatur residents have until Dec. 31 to sign up for the free evaluation for their home, business or place of worship. Several workshops and opportunities to visit solar homes in the area are planned. For more information: solarizedecatur-dekalb.com.
Parent-Teen Driver Education Class Oct. 22 • 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Decatur City Hall • 509 N. McDonough St. Georgia Teens Ride with P.R.I.D.E is a free two-hour course instructed by the Decatur Fire/ Rescue Department. It is designed to help parents and their soon-to-be or new drivers, ages 14-16 and older, learn what they need to do during the 40 hours of supervised practice driving time required by Georgia law. P.R.I.D.E. stands for Parents Reducing Injuries and Driver Error. The course provides measurable increases in knowledge about safe driving practices, risk factors, and Georgia law. Course topics include: • Driver attitudes and behaviors • Georgia law • Eliminating risk factors • Advice for parents For more information or to register, call Captain Ninetta Violante at 404-947-0522, or email ninetta.violante@decaturga.com. OCTOBER 2016 • Decatur Focus | 9