02-02-18 Sandy Springs Reporter

FEBRUARY 2 - 15, 2018 • VOL. 12— NO. 3

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► Cities asked to join regional affordable housing policy PAGE 4 ► Fulton leaders agree on bus transit expansion PAGE 13

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Water system leak dispute with Atlanta boils over BY JOHN RUCH johnruch@reporternewspapers.net

Guard Keyrah Smith sets up against defenders before sinking a two-point jump shot for the Riverwood International Charter School’s Lady Raiders in their 60-19 win against the Carver High Lady Panthers on Jan. 26 at Riverwood. The crucial regional win kept the Lady Raiders in fourth place in their district with a 6-5 record.

Amazon made clear what corporate relocations of NCR, State Farm and others have tipped off to state leaders: The recruitment and retention of high wage corporate employers will follow the tracks of transit. Those counties and municipalities without transit need not apply. CHARLIE HARPER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF POLICYBEST

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A dispute is boiling over the leaky local water system, with Sandy Springs threatening to sue for control of the Atlanta-owned pipes, and Atlanta replying that official criticisms are all wet. What both cities agree on: There are a lot of leaks that can take Atlanta more than a month to repair, and Sandy Springs customers are paying rates about 21 percent higher than those in Atlanta. With half-joking talk about a “water Bill of Rights” and a “water Tea Party,” Sandy Springs officials dove into the dispute at the Jan. 23 City Council Retreat at Lost Corner Park, where the water war became a 2018 city priority. The water system was built out by Atlanta decades ago, long before Sandy Springs’ incorporation in 2005. Now Sandy Springs wants a better deal with Atlanta or control of its own system, likely to be run by a contractor. Mayor Rusty Paul called the water system’s condition “the greatest threat to our See WATER on page 22

North Springs High meeting stalled by calls for new school BY EVELYN ANDREWS evelyn@reporternewspapers.net

A team hired by the Fulton County School District to recommend renovations for North Springs High School struggled to move a Jan. 23 community meeting beyond questions and confusion from residents who want instead a brand new school to be built. Patrick Burke, the chief operating officer of Fulton Schools, said at the meeting it is very unlikely a new school would be built. But many residents say that can still See NORTH on page 15

2 | Community

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Community Briefs HER ITAG E SANDY S P R I NG S M US EUM C LO S ES FO R ‘ MI NO R ’ R ENO VATI O NS

The Williams-Payne House and Museum at Heritage Sandy Springs is closed for “minor” renovations. The plan is to reopen later this year with a folk art collection display, but the next new, full exhibit is not coming until 2019. The Williams-Payne House is an 1860s farmhouse that was relocated to 6075 Sandy Springs Circle, now part of Heritage’s historic site. The renovations will be interior only, not affecting the building’s exterior. The renovations are in a planning stage with the hope of beginning work in February.

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As the City Springs Performing Arts Center nears opening later this year, it’s still missing one small but key piece: a concert grand piano. For a donor willing to pony up an estimated $130,000 to $140,000 for the instrument, PAC General Manager Michael Enoch has a special offer — a trip to the Steinway & Sons piano factory in New York City to pick out the instrument where it will be custom-built. “It’s a great opportunity for music lovers,” SPECIAL/STEINWAY & SONS A Steinway & Sons Model D concert grand piano. says Enoch, who has his eye on Steinway’s acclaimed Model D piano. The concert grand piano would be for performances in the main Byers Theatre. City Springs also will acquire two other, smaller pianos, one for rehearsals and one for smaller performances that may also be automated to act as a player piano in the lobby. For more donation information, see citysprings.com/foundation.

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CIT Y WI N S PED ESTRI A N -F RI EN DLY ‘GOLD EN SHO E’ AWAR D S

The city of Sandy Springs was among the winners of pedestrian advocacy group PEDS’ annual “Golden Shoe” awards. The Atlanta-based group says its awards “celebrate progress and honor walk-friendly people and places.” This year’s awards — consisting of an actual gold-colored Converse sneaker — were given out Jan. 23 at a Midtown event. Sandy Springs won a “suburban retrofit” honor for pedestrian goals built into its massive City Springs civic center project and its new land-use plan and zoning code created through the “Next Ten” planning process. An awards announcement praised the city’s work on “an urban street grid, high-density development and a true city center and sense of place.”

‘ F O OD T HAT ROC KS’ TO BE F IRS T FESTIVAL AT C I TY SP RIN GS

The annual “Food That Rocks” restaurant event at City Springs June 9 will be the first festival to be held at the city’s new arts-focused civic center. Food That Rocks will take place Saturday, June 9 from 6:30 to 11 p.m. on the City Green park at City Springs, according to a press release. Participating restaurants will include Hammocks Trading Company, il Giallo, Kaiser’s Chophouse and Under the Cork Tree. Additional participants will be announced in the coming weeks, the press release said.

N EW A SSI STA N T C I TY MA N AGER FO R IN F RA STRUC TURE H I RED

Douglas Edwards started work in January as the city’s new assistant city manager for infrastructure, including transportation, stormwater and capital improvement projects. Edwards formerly worked for several private companies and as DeKalb County’s director of Public Works. He replaces Bryant Poole, who left last year for a private-sector job.

A D ULT A N D Y OUTH A P P LIC ATI O NS O PEN F O R LEA DERSH I P SA N DY SPR ING S

Applications for the 2018-19 class of Leadership Sandy Springs (LSS) and its high school equivalent, Youth Leadership Sandy Springs (YLSS), are now available. The nine-month leadership development program for adults, who are chosen based on criteria relating to prior leadership and community service, potential to contribute to the future of Sandy Springs, diversity and desire to be involved. Applicants must live or work in Sandy Springs, and, if selected, pay a “tuition” of around $2,500, with some tuition assistance available. This year’s class begins Sept. 6. YLSS accepts students entering their sophomore or junior years in 2018 and who live or go to school in Sandy Springs. If selected, applicants pay a “tuition” of $500, with some tuition assistance available. In the class, students get leadership training and teamwork experience along with a unique chance to explore their community’s government, environment, public safety, economy and social services. The LSS application deadline is March 15 and the YLSS application deadline is March 22. For more information, see leadershipsandysprings.org.

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Atlanta councilmember asks cities to join regional affordable housing policy BY JOHN RUCH

were positive, though with the cautions that the city’s own policy is still in the works, partly through Mayor Rusty Paul’s forthcoming affordable housing task force. In Dunwoody, Community Development Director Richard McLeod intended to meet with Dickens recently for a preliminary chat, according to city spokesperson Bob Mullen. That meeting was delayed by the winter weather.

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Fresh from a victory in requiring affordable housing along the BeltLine, Atlanta City Councilmember Andre Dickens is trying to form a multi-city coalition to create a regional — even statewide — housing affordability strategy. Dickens — who holds one of the council’s citywide at-large Dickens said he has reached out to leaders of several seats — emphasized that his policy vision is not just low-income metro Atlanta cities — including Dunwoody and Sandy housing. Springs — who he had heard are also working on “hous“It’s not just affordable housing, because some of those coming affordability and housing diversity.” And he’s looking munities are going to say, ‘We don’t want no stinking affordable even farther afield: “We reached out as far as Augusta, too,” housing,’” Dickens said. “This is about making sure you have diFILE he said. Atlanta City Councilmember verse housing options for your diverse workforce.” “I’m interested in working with other cities in the metAndre Dickens. He noted that corporate executives and attorneys generally ropolitan area to share best practices in legislation and admake more than teachers and firefighters, “and all those people ministration of policies that aid in this effort,” Dickens are great people.” He described his policy focus as “not the stigma” of people “who wrote in a Dec. 7 email to some of those cities. “My hope is that this will assist in don’t get up and go to work each day,” but rather addressing “workforce” housing building a coalition that allows us to lobby the state of Georgia to support legislaand the broader economic development implications. tion that makes this a priority at the state level as well.” “If you don’t have a city that has an adequate plan for your workforce to live in, “The short answer is, nothing really has happened yet,” Dickens said in an interyou’re going to have a lot of [commuter] traffic … You’re going to have a lot of chalview. But, he said, he has received some early positive responses from several cities lenges attracting people to work because of the commute to your city,” Dickens said. and from the Atlanta Regional Commission, which he hopes will help coordinate “And you’re going to have displacement.” the multi-city effort. Dickens and many other collaborators spent three years working on an afford“ARC will be supporting Andre’s efforts,” confirmed ARC spokesperson Paul Donable housing strategy around the BeltLine trail, park and transit system that is besky, adding that will “include some staff time and likely some data analysis.” ing built in a ring around Atlanta. Several city housing affordability policies and inThe idea is to share information and develop what Dickens’ email calls “unity centives spun out of that effort. The work culminated last fall with the Atlanta City and some uniformity” in regional housing affordability policy. Council’s passage of a mandatory inclusionary zoning policy for multifamily housIn Sandy Springs, initial reactions from top planning official Jim Tolbert and ing built within a half-mile of the BeltLine. The policy requires a certain amount of other staffers in internal emails obtained through an Open Records Act request units be priced at rates affordable to middle- or moderate-income households.

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Under the policy, developers can price 15 percent of units as affordable to households making 80 percent of the area median income; or price 10 percent of the units at 60 percent of AMI; or pay a variable fee into a city fund instead of creating any affordable units. Atlanta is reportedly the first city in Georgia to adopt an inclusionary zoning policy for private developments, and Dickens calls it a “landmark piece of legislation.” It’s also the starting point of his regional effort. The subject line of his Dec. 7 outreach email was, “Inclusionary Zoning Coalition Building.” That’s a familiar term in Sandy Springs, where the city briefly included what would have been a landmark inclusionary zoning policy in a draft of its new zoning code early last year before discarding it. But it may not be in other cities, and definitions could vary widely. Dickens said his regional collaboration idea has two main purposes. “Number one, just a mechanism for sharing,” he said, noting that the BeltLine effort produced three years’ worth of research, both local and nationwide. He wants to share that data with other cities, “so no one in our region has to start from scratch.” The other purpose is to develop “some consistency in policies.” “We are one region,” even if cities are “in friendly competition,” Dickens said. “You don’t want to do something in one town that hurts another town.” That could also lessen developers’ ability to play cities off each other, he said: “So if the policies resemble each other, we can eliminate some of this, ‘Well, if you tell me how to do [a development], I’ll just do it up the street.’” Dickens said he has asked the ARC — a metro Atlanta regional planning coordination organization — to provide “a policy person who may be interested in being the glue that keeps people together” and who could serve as a policy “evaluator.” Dickens could not immediately provide a complete list of the cities he has contacted, but the partial list also includes Decatur, Doraville, Marietta and Norcross. One local government Dickens said he believes he did not contact is Brookhaven, because he believed the five-year-old city is so new. He said he was unaware that Brookhaven recently formed and received recommendations from its own affordable housing task force. Brookhaven Mayor John Ernst recently convened a similar multi-city, regional planning gathering about mass transit along the top-end Perimeter. That meeting spun out of the recently formed Peachtree Gateway Partnership, a four-city planning group, advised by the ARC, which includes Brookhaven, Dunwoody, Chamblee and Doraville.

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6 | Education

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Holy Spirit Preparatory School, senior Editor’s note: Through our “Standout Student” series, Reporter Newspapers showcases some of the outstanding students at our local schools. To recommend a “Standout Student” for our series, please email editor@ReporterNewspapers.net with information about the student and why you think he or she should be featured.

and his winning piece features qualities of isolation and brokenness. As Luke has grown and developed his photography skills, his interest in these environments has been constant, for they were what drew him into this hobby originally. “It’s like the world stops, and I’m in Two years ago, Luke and his friends the zone,” Luke Cocks said. were exploring an abandoned train Luke, a senior at Holy Spirit Preparatoyard, and with one artistic picture on his ry, recently was named a state winner in phone, he was hooked, he said. the All-State Art Symposium for his phoHis family vacations and thirst for adtography. The competition is noted for its venture also nourished his passion for selectiveness and is considered the bigphotography as he explored countries gest interscholastic art competition in the such as Ireland, Mexico and South Africa. state, according to a press release from the His portfolio is made up of a variety school. Luke is only the second student at of animals, citizens of the countries and the school to win at the state level, accordlandscapes of the outdoors. Luke values ing to Holy Spirit. photography above all other forms of art Luke’s photography focuses on abanbecause it allows him to capture the beaudoned, urban-decaying environment, ty around him and take advantage of his adventures, he said. He focuses on isolated destinations and figures for his conceptual work, and he concentrates on South Africa for documentary work. SPECIAL His eye for Luke takes a picture of a mountain range in South Africa. the beauty

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Luke Cock’s award-winning photograph from his ‘Lone Figures’ series.

in decaying environments and loneliness caught the attention of the judges in the All-State Symposium. His winning piece in the competition came from his “Lone Figures” series. The shot was taken here in Atlanta, and “it explores the concept of isolation and a sense of loneliness,” Luke said. His fascination with these environments is coated with bits of philosophy as he views “urban decay as the epitome of a plan gone wrong,” similar to how life is an unpredictable adventure. “As teenagers, we are still exploring who we are to become in this big, unknown and sometimes lost world. We, as teenagers, are just starting to figure out that life is about how you deal with the unexpected,” he said. SPECIAL Luke Cocks. He’s supported by his family, who also have chosen artistic careers. Luke’s father is the creative director of his own production and design company, and his mother heads a jewelry design company. Other figures in his life, such as his art teacher, Rockie Rondeau, are supportive of Luke’s talents with photography. Rondeau is continuously inspired by his work, she said. “His ‘Lone Figures’ series really encapsulates what it is like to be ‘coming of age,’ to be both on the cusp of finding out who you are, but also very lost and scared,” Rondeau said. “When I look at this series, it brings me back to my late teens and early 20s when I too was just starting to figure

out who I was in the world. That’s a universal experience and I think Luke’s series really explores that concept in a unique way.” Luke has also been published in the Photographer’s Forum Magazine and in Holy Spirit’s Art and Literary Magazine.

What’s Next?

Luke plans to go to college and fo-

SPECIAL

cus on photography. His top choice is Savannah College of Art and Design. He has also applied to Columbia College Chicago and to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. This article was written and reporter by Kaitlyn Garrett, a sophomore at The Lovett School.

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8 | Arts & Entertainment

Facebook.com/TheReporterNewspapers ■ twitter.com/Reporter_News the February program of the Dunwoody Fine Art Association, which this month features local oil painter Nancy Francke. Meeting begins with refreshments and social time. Free. Spruill Arts Center, Room 4, 5339 Chamblee-Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody. dunwoodyfineart.org.

BROOKHAVEN

•

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PERFORMANCES “THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR” Friday, Feb. 9 through Sunday, Feb. 18

Act3 Productions presents “The Merry Wives of Windsor,” a comedy set in the 1950s that channels such iconic sitcoms as “I Love Lucy.” Two women have been receiving love letters and their husbands are determined to find out what’s going on. 6285-R Roswell Road, Sandy Springs. $15-$23. Tickets: act3productions.org or 770-241-1905.

ATLANTA WOMEN’S CHORUS Saturday, Feb. 10, 7 p.m.

Hear selections from the upcoming milestone concert of the Atlanta Women’s Chorus in a preview event at Covenant Presbyterian Church. The full concert, “Rewind: The First Five Years,” follows in two performances on Feb. 17 at

H I GH

•

DUNWOODY

•

SANDY SPRINGS

Druid Hills Presbyterian Church in Atlanta. Preview concert is free; offering will be taken to support ongoing efforts and the choir’s upcoming tour across Georgia with the Atlanta Gay Men’s Chorus. Covenant Presbyterian Church, 2461 Peachtree Road N.E., Buckhead. Info and tickets for Feb. 17 concerts: voicesofnote.org.

“YOU’RE FUNNY, BUT YOU DON’T LOOK JEWISH” Saturday, Feb. 10, 7 and 9 p.m.

Italian-American, African-American, Vietnamese-American and Indian-American Jewish stand-up comedians Mike Capozzola, Gina Gold, Joe Nguyen and Samson Koletkar share the stage and their own experiences about being ‘undercover’ members of the tribe at the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta. $18 members, $24 community. MJCCA-Zaban Park, 5342 Tilly Mill Road, Dunwoody. Tickets: atlantajcc.org/boxoffice.

POETRY OUT LOUD METRO ATLANTA REGIONAL COMPETITION Sunday, Feb. 18, 1 to 3 p.m.

Poetry Out Loud, a program that encourages high school students to learn about great poetry through memorization and performance of the written word, holds its regional competition. The metro Atlanta winner will compete in the State Finals Competition at the Atlanta History Center on March 11. Free. Atlanta History Center, 130 West Paces Ferry Road, Buckhead. Info: atlantahistorycenter.com.

VISUAL ARTS “THE FINNISH ILLUSION” The Spruill Gallery hosts an opening reception for “The Finnish Illusion,” a mixed-media exhibition of NordicAmerican hybrid art that explores feminine imagery and questions human nature. Exhibit runs through April 28. Free. 4681 Ashford-Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody. Info: spruillarts.org.

DADDY DAUGHTER VALENTINE’S DANCE

Saturday, Feb. 10, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Enjoy free admission and special programs on the second Sunday of each month.

The Brookhaven Parks & Recreation Department hosts a dance for fathers and daughters ages 5 to 15, including dinner, giveaways and keepsakes. A DJ will play the latest songs and take special requests. Registration requested by Feb. 5. $25 per family. Lynwood Community Center, 3360 Osborne Road, Brookhaven. Info: 404-637-0542.

GO SHOPPING SPRUILL CENTER STUDENT - INSTRUCTOR JEWELRY MARKET Sunday, Feb. 11, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

FEB. 11 • mAR. 11 Designed for little kids, big kids, and the whole family, Second Sundays are for everyone. Visit us each month and experience new interactive, innovative family activities inspired by our collections and ever-changing exhibitions. Second Sundays are sponsored by the Lettie Pate Evans Foundation.

Wednesday, Feb. 7, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Atlanta criminal defense trial attorney Jason B. Sheffield discusses his novel, “Son of a Bitch,” in Heritage Sandy Springs’ Titles @ Twilight, a monthly program that promotes local authors. Inspired by true events, the novel explores the perils of a parent/child relationship amidst the world of criminal defense. Titles @ Twilight is held on first Wednesdays in the Heritage Sandy Springs Community Room. Free. 6110 Blue Stone Road, Sandy Springs. Info: heritagesandysprings.org.

Thursday, Feb. 15, 6 to 9 p.m.

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Handcrafted jewelry made of precious metals, glass, beads, gemstones and more will be sold at a wide range of prices in a fundraiser for the Spruill Center for the Arts and the Spruill Metals Jewelry Program. Metal sculpture and handforged items will also be for sale. Free. 5339 Chamblee-Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody. Info: spruillarts.org.

LEARN SOMETHING DUNWOODY FINE ART ASSOCIATION Wednesday, Feb. 7, 9:30 a.m.

All interested artists are invited to attend

RAISING TOMATOES Saturday, Feb. 10, 11 a.m.

Master Gardener Richard Oosterholtz discusses choosing tomato plants and planting and disease prevention techniques in the monthly education session of Dunwoody Community Garden & Orchard. DCGO education sessions are held monthly on second Saturdays. Free. DCGO greenhouse, opposite the skate park in Brook Run Park, 4770 Georgia Way South, Dunwoody. Info: dcgo.org.

“FABULOUS FROGS AND THEIR FRIENDS”

Wednesday, Feb. 14, 9:30 a.m.

Speaker Linda May, of the state Department of Natural Resources, discusses how Georgia amphibians affect our future at this month’s meeting of the Dunwoody Garden Club. The garden club meets monthly on second Wednesdays from September through May. Room 4 of the North DeKalb Cultural Center, located in the same building as the Dunwoody Library. Free. 5339 Chamblee-Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody. Info: dunwoodygardenclub.com.

MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCATE SPEAKS AT MARIST Thursday, Feb. 15, 7 p.m.

National youth mental health advocate Ross Szabo will share his own experience with mental illness in order to educate others about mental health in a presentation at Marist School. Szabo was director of outreach for the National Mental Health Awareness Campaign from 20022012 and is the author of “Behind Happy Faces: Taking Charge of Your Mental Health.” Free; donations accepted to the Heads Up for Harry Foundation. Centennial Center, Marist School, 3790 AshfordDunwoody Road N.E., Brookhaven. Registration requested: marist.com/RossSzabo.

Art & Entertainment | 9

FEBRUARY 2 - 15, 2018 ■ www.ReporterNewspapers.net

DEATH PENALTY DISCUSSION AND BOOK SIGNING Thursday, Feb. 15, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Community and faith leaders and special guest Sister Helen Prejean will participate in a panel discussion on the death penalty in America at Holy Innocents’ Episcopal Church. Prejean is the author of “Dead Man Walking: An Eyewitness Account of the Death Penalty.” The forum will be followed by a reception and signing of “A Case for Life: Justice, Mercy and the Death Penalty,” written by five contributing authors including the Right Reverend Robert Wright, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta. Free. Registration requested. 805 Mount Vernon Highway, Sandy Springs. Info: connecting.episcopalatlanta.org.

“FACE JUGS/PEOPLE POTS: SOUTHERN TRADITION, GLOBAL HUMAN IMPULSE” Thursday, Feb. 15, 8 p.m.

Inspired by John Burrison’s latest book, “Global Clay,” this author talk at the Atlanta History Center explores the tradition of making jugs featuring human faces through generations and around the world. Burrison is Regents Professor of English and director of the Folklore Curriculum at Georgia State University. $10; $5 members. 130 West Paces Ferry Road, Buckhead. Reservations required: 404-814-4150 or atlantahistorycenter.com/lectures.

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10 | Commentary

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Guest Column / Making our own luck on transit policy Five years ago, it wasn’t easy to engage folks at Georgia’s Capitol in a serious conversation about transportation. The sting of loss from 2012’s transportation referendums in most regions of the state – especially congested Atlanta – was still relatively fresh. Money in the state budget was still tight. Teachers were still being furloughed in the aftermath of the great recession. There were many other issues that political leaders could fix. Easier, cheaper issues.

Between the 2014 study committee and the 2015 session, Gooch was elected Senate majority whip, ceding the transportation chairmanship to Tommie Williams, who has been succeeded by Sen. Brandon Beach of Alpharetta, a study committee member. Senators from opposite ends of Ga. 400 split the load, helping translate the needs of urban and rural Georgia to each other. The work of the study committee turned an issue that most preferred to avoid into a bill that received a biparti-

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C O NTA C T US Founder & Publisher Steve Levene stevelevene@reporternewspapers.net Editorial Managing Editor John Ruch johnruch@reporternewspapers.net INtown Editor: Collin Kelley Editor-at-Large Joe Earle Staff Writers Dyana Bagby, Evelyn Andrews Copy Editor: Donna Williams Lewis Creative and Production Creative Director Rico Figliolini rico@reporternewspapers.net Graphic Designer: Soojin Yang Advertising Director of Sales Development Amy Arno amyarno@reporternewspapers.net Sales Executives Julie Davis, Jeff Kremer, Janet Porter, Jim Speakman Office Manager Deborah Davis deborahdavis@reporternewspapers.net Contributors Robin Conte, Phil Mosier

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FILE/JOE EARLE

Gridlocked traffic on Perimeter Center’s Hammond Drive during “Snowmageddon” on Jan. 28, 2014, the same day PolicyBEST held a press conference about transportation solutions.

After months of planning, PolicyBEST was launched on Jan. 28, 2014 with a press conference to get the public focused on the real problems of Georgia’s transportation system again. We brought together leaders of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, the Tea Party and the Sierra Club to note agreement there was a problem, and several areas where there was also consensus on a path to solutions. During the press conference, it began to snow, with the storm achieving the nickname “Snowmageddon.” Atlantans attempted to exit the city en masse. Gridlock ensued. Within 24 hours, Atlanta’s traffic was international news. As for getting people to focus on a problem, sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good. The chairmen of the Transportation Committees, Jay Roberts in the House and Steve Gooch in the Senate, took up the issue in a high-level study committee over the next year. Roberts was from Ocilla in deep south Georgia. Gooch is from Dahlonega in the north Georgia mountains. They managed to turn the need into action, culminating in a bill that reformulated Georgia’s gas tax structure for the first time since the Nixon administration, moved money from existing sources to the GDOT’s budget, and added user fees to vehicles not paying gas taxes to maintain Georgia’s roads.

san supermajority of votes in both the House and Senate. Almost 1 billion additional dollars were added to transportation spending annually. It was a good victory, but it didn’t end the discussion. 2015’s Transportation Funding Act provided money to resume deferred maintenance on Georgia’s aging bridges and for resurfacing roads, with some left over for major interchange improvements throughout the state and upgrades to Georgia’s freight corridors. There was not enough money to fully address congestion in metro Atlanta, but the bill did lay down a marker with an eye toward the future. It made available direct money from the state to be used for Georgia’s transit agencies in the form of grants. It was a signal that there remained work to be done, both in the legislature and with public acceptance of transit beyond Atlanta’s urban core. Now, Beach is the Senate Transportation Commitee chairman and Rep. Kevin Tanner chairs the House committee. Tanner is from Dawsonville, also at the northern rural extremity of Ga. 400. Sen. Gooch remains actively involved, having helped secure funding in 2017’s session for an effort to have consultants quantify the need and possible solutions for transit in Georgia.

This planning started the effort to present a transit solution when it wasn’t clear there would be a receptive audience. There remain easier, cheaper problems for legislators to fix. This time the catalyst for renewed interest wasn’t a snowstorm, though we’ve had more than our seasonal share. Instead, Amazon’s surprise announcement that it would be searchCharlie Harper ing for a coris the publisher of porate campus GeorgiaPol.com and of up to 50,000 the executive director of PolicyBEST, which employees has focuses on policy brought visibility issues of business and resolve to the climate, education, science and medicine, issue. and transportation. Amazon made clear what corporate relocations of NCR, State Farm and others have tipped off to state leaders: The recruitment and retention of high wage corporate employers will follow the tracks of transit. Those counties and municipalities without transit need not apply. As such, Georgians now have a House speaker from Blue Ridge, a lieutenant governor from Hall County, a governor who resides in Habersham, and a House Transportation Committee chairman from Dawsonville looking to figure

out the governance structure that will get suburbanites comfortable while acknowledging the decades of investment from Fulton and DeKalb residents. Sen. Beach remains a champion of expansion and economic development from Alpharetta, while Sen. Gooch of Dahlonega remains an interested party — one who will ultimately be counting Senate votes. If the governance puzzle can be unlocked, funding is expected to follow. Amazon has helped focus the transit discussion, but the preparations were started before they were in the picture. As such, bills are expected soon to help expand transit — and the economic development opportunities that come with it — to a wider footprint. It’s always better to be lucky than good. The state’s leaders who recognized the problem, many of whom hail from outside the metro Atlanta area, know it’s even better to make your own luck. SS

Commentary | 11

FEBRUARY 2 - 15, 2018 ■ www.ReporterNewspapers.net

Celebrating the Super Bowl with a ‘Snackadium’ Robin’s Nest

This is not about the game. Robin Conte is a writer I don’t have a and mother of four who favorite, and I’m lives in Dunwoody. She not going to talk can be contacted at about it at all. robinjm@earthlink.net. This is only about the accompaniments to the game — that is, the props, the décor, and specifically, the food that complete the experience and make the recreational viewing of the game so enjoyable. This is about an architectural feat so grand that I must make mention of it in this column, even though I did not have a hand in its creation. This is about Snackadiums. And this is about my friend and neighbor, Cathy. Cathy was hosting the Super Bowl party last year and asked me if I would like to help her cook for it. Since Cathy has five children at home, and since my nest is practically empty, and since Cathy is also excellent company, and since, as we all

know, it’s more fun to cook at your neighbor’s house than your own, I agreed. Then the week before the game I received a text from Cathy informing me that she was thinking about arranging the game-food into the shape of a football field — a current trend of which I was unaware — and so I did a quick Google search and discovered the world of Snackadiums and quickly texted back that I was in. I spent the rest of that week proudly announcing to my kids that I was going to build a Snackadium. Now here’s the thing. Cathy can do anything she puts her mind to. She could make an Eiffel tower out of cream puffs and pretzel sticks. She could make the Taj Mahal from Cheez Doodles and Ding Dongs. She could recreate the Matterhorn using a Toblerone bar and a few jars of marshmallow fluff. Basically, Cathy is extraordinarily capable, whereas I am not. I, in fact, need help opening a bottle of wine. So my kids may not have believed me, but the extent of my incompetence is precisely why I was so stoked about having a hand in the creation. I arrived at her house on the Saturday before the game and found, to my amazement, a fully constructed Snackadium. She was correct, of course, in not waiting until the day before the game to build

the thing. Why, I have since learned that grown men spend months planning and building their own food-filled-fields. She soothed my ego by stating that she needed help decorating it and filling it. OK! I’m still in! We focused on the field. We nixed the guacamole green AstroTurf, opting instead for a very tasty dead Bermuda, in the form of Velveeta dip and my Vidalia onion dip (derived from a recipe which I’m sure you’ve tried, but which I have tweaked to perfection). But her teenage daughter made the compelling argument that Cathy’s outstanding structure would not be complete without a green football field, and this we could not deny. So Cathy whipped out her X-Acto knife and cut a foam board to the exact dimensions needed, then whipped up some guacamole schmear and topped the field with mayo lines and olive and onion helmets. At pregame, she covered the dead-Bermuda dips with the avocado football-field for the photos, and at game-time we removed the field and dug into the underlying dips. The whole thing was a sensation. The point is, I can’t take credit for any of it; I can only take credit for having a very clever friend. I did, FYI, gluestick some decorative logos onto the side

SPECIAL

Robin, left, and friend Cathy enjoy the “Snackadium” for last year’s Super Bowl.

of the stadium, and I also provided some carrots and the onion dip, so I guess you could say that I was an accomplice. And because I’m very fond of you, dear reader, and because I know you’re wondering, I will now share my recipe for Sweet Onion Dip: ■ 2 cups roughly chopped Vidalia or sweet onion ■ 1 cup shredded Swiss and Gruyere cheese, combined ■ 1 cup grated Parmesan and pecorino Romano cheese, combined ■ ½ cup mayo ■ 1 tablespoon hot sauce Mix together. Pour into baking dish and bake at 375 for 20-30 minutes, until bubbly and beginning to brown on top And so, as Cathy dusts off her Snackadium and prepares to fill it for another game, I hope I have inspired you to create one of your own. If not, you can still make onion dip.

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12 | Community

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New turn lanes proposed for Spalding Drive/Pitts Road intersection BY JOHN RUCH johnruch@reporternewspapers.net

Sandy Springs’ Spalding Drive/Pitts Road intersection would be widened with new dedicated turn lanes and a new sidewalk in a concept presented by the city Jan. 25. About 10 residents attended the open house presentation at City Hall. Some agreed the intersection needs improvement, but several had concerns about the loss of trees and property-taking the concept would require. The intersection is close to the Dunwoody border and about 1,000 feet east of the Pitts Road overpass on Ga. 400. Both streets currently have two lanes there, with Pitts ending at Spalding in a wide, Y-shaped intersection with a traffic light. Rush-hour traffic stacks up behind drivers waiting to make a left-hand turn. And, city engineers say, it can be dangerous, with 21 accidents reported there in the past four years. The city’s concept is to add an 11-foot-wide turn lane to both streets — eastbound on Pitts and heading northeast on Spalding. An upgraded traffic light with left-turn phases would be installed. On Pitts, the existing travel lane would become left-turn only, and the new lane, running about 300 feet long, would be for right turns. On Spalding, the existing travel lane also would become left-turn only, with the additional lane serving through-traffic. In the concept, a new sidewalk is paired with the new Pitts lane, partly filling an existing gap. There is no sidewalk on the east side of Spalding, and the concept does not include adding one along the new lane there. Both new lanes would require taking some property from the yards of adjacent homes, not only for the lane, but for a 12-foot-wide right of way. The projected impacts are greatest on the east side of Spalding where a steep slope in homeowners’ yards would have to be re-graded and several driveways rebuilt, with the work extending even farther than the standard right of way. The work there would also mean relocating cable and gas utility lines, and clear-cutting many trees. Some residents had concerns about all of those impacts, as well as possible greater risks for children in crossing a wider intersection. Any parts of the concept could change based on public input and a deeper examination that would come if the project moves ahead to a design stage. The City Council will

decide whether it should move ahead, likely at a meeting in March or April, officials said. If the project moves ahead, construction could start in mid-2019 and last about six months, the city says. The work would require lane closures, but the intersection would remain open during construction. The intersection is one of many around Sandy Springs targeted for improvement under a transportation special local option sales tax. This particular project has no set budget yet, as it is still in the conceptual stage, according to city spokesperson Sharon Kraun. For more information or to submit comments via the city’s Call Center, see sandyspringsga.gov.

JOHN RUCH

A conceptual design map displayed at the Jan. 25 meeting shows Pitts Road running down the center and Spalding Drive running along the bottom. The black areas are the new turn lanes. The yellow and green stripe on Pitts is a new sidewalk and grass berm. The red lines show right of way.

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Community | 13

FEBRUARY 2 - 15, 2018 ■ www.ReporterNewspapers.net

Fulton leaders agree on bus transit expansion BY JOHN RUCH johnruch@reporternewspapers.net

A master strategy of expanding transit through higher-speed bus routes – including on Ga. 400 and major Sandy Springs streets — gained consensus support from Fulton County commissioners and mayors in a Jan. 29 meeting. The decision could mean a sales tax funding request as soon as next fall, and it readies the county for possible new transit funding or governance coming out of the state legislature this session. Sandy Springs Mayor Rusty Paul said in a written statement that he supports the bus approach. “It’s the least costly, fastest-implementable solution,” he said. Fulton County Commission Chairman Robb Pitts also welcomed the agreement, adding that it has “a couple of caveats” on such details as funding. “I’m very excited about the agreement and consensus, and it looks like we’re heading in the right direction,” Pitts said. The agreement follows months of meetings and other input on the Fulton Transit Master Plan. The 40-year plan envisions a countywide mass transit for major corridors. It includes all Fulton cities except the biggest: Atlanta, which already has a massive MARTA expansion coming thanks to a sales tax increase approved by voters in 2016. There are a couple of bus options. One is “bus rapid transit,” meaning high-capacity buses running in dedicated lanes. Another is “arterial rapid transit,” which means buses running in regular street lanes with other traffic, but techniques for faster service, including fewer stops, dedicated pullovers and the ability for traffic signals to turn green for the buses. So-called heavy and light rail transit were also options in the area, and local

resident input particularly favored extending the current Red Line heavy rail along Ga. 400. The use of buses does not preclude rail from coming in the future. The Fulton consensus plan includes bus rapid transit on Ga. 400 from North Springs MARTA Station northward, and arterial rapid transit on Roswell Road and the Abernathy Road/Johnson Ferry Road corridor, Paul said. “I think it is the best solution going forward, and these elected leaders will continue working on plans and refining cost estimates, but it clearly will be significantly less costly than either rail solution,” Paul said. Bus transit would still require many millions of dollars, likely with funding from several sources. One long-discussed component is a sales tax. An unsettled point among the commissioners and mayors, Pitts said, is whether to seek a sales tax that runs for 40 years, similar to MARTA’s current model, or one with “no cap in perpetuity.” Pitts said the next step is for Fulton leaders to explain the transit priorities to state transportation officials and the county’s delegation in the General Assembly. “And hopefully they will take it up and get the ball moving,” Pitts said, including seeking sales tax funding “as soon as possible.” An overarching concern for any kind of transit along Ga. 400 is the Georgia Department of Transportation’s reconstruction and expansion of the I-285/ Ga. 400 interchange. A future extension of that work over the next several years would add dedicated toll lanes, taking up further right of way and possibly limiting lane access for buses. Paul and other Sandy Springs leaders raised concerns about that with GDOT officials at the Jan. 23 City Council Retreat, where the state officials said they were talking with MARTA about ways to retain room for bus rapid transit from North Springs Station in their designs.

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14 | Community

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A city deal to price 10 units in the new Cliftwood luxury apartments as affordable to police and middle-income households likely can’t be expanded, an executive of property owner ECI group said at a Jan. 22 community meeting. And one or two police officers may already be receiving the rent discount, even though the deal isn’t yet done, he said. The deal would make 10 units affordable to public safety employees and middle-income households in the Cliftwood, a new complex at 185 Cliftwood Drive, in exchange for allowing three model units to be occupied. Allowing the new units, and thus the entire deal, requires a rezoning for technical reasons. The proposed affordability deal would last 10 years and would apply to 10 units anywhere in the building. Three of the units would be made available to city public safety employees for $500 a month. Seven of the units would be priced at rates affordable to middle-income households – meaning households making under 120 percent of area median income would qualify, and would pay no more than 30 percent of their income in rent and fixed fees. In exchange, ECI gets to turn those three model units — two one-bedrooms and a three-bedroom — into rentable units. That would increase the complex, which opened last spring, from 248 units to 251 units. Current monthly rent ranges advertised on the Cliftwood website are: studios, $1,290-$1,890; one-bedrooms, $1,370$2,080; two-bedrooms, $1,860-$2,895; and three-bedrooms, $2,810-$3,280. Three residents attended the Jan. 22 community meeting, held in the Clift-

wood’s luxurious clubroom, with its textured-stone walls, large-screen TV and vintage videogame machine. One attendee, Tochie Blad of the Sandy Springs Council of Neighborhoods, asked whether ECI could improve the deal with a longer affordability period or a larger number of units. She asked whether anyone had financial data to show how much the new units would increase the property’s value and revenue for comparison to the affordability numbers. Jack Misiura, vice president for development with ECI Capital, an ECI Group division, said that city staff proposed the deal without providing such data, and he did not offer to show the company’s own finances. “We took their deal as presented,” Misiura said. And as for more or longer affordability, he said, “If this was pushed any further, I don’t know that we’d be interested in this deal.” He said that ECI would not increase market-rate rents to cover the revenue lost in the affordability deal. Another attendee, Council of Neighborhoods president Ronda Smith, praised the deal. “It’s a good thing,” she said, noting the nationwide issue of housing costs. “It’s a dog-eat-dog environment. And affordability is tough.” While the affordability deal hinges on the rezoning, which still has months of public process ahead, Misiura said he believes the complex is already providing the $500 discount to one or two police officer tenants. He said ECI complexes typically provide discounted rents to police officers in exchange for the security their presence helps to provide, so the city’s deal is just a more deeply discounted version.

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Education | 15

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North Springs High meeting stalled by calls for new school Continued from page 1 be the outcome of the process. They include Mayor Rusty Paul, who attended the meeting. He said in a recent interview that a new North Springs High would help support the city’s new policy goal of promoting redevelopment in the north end. “While there’s no direct ties [to the redevelopment policy effort], it would have a major impact on it and that’s why I’ve been involved in the process,” he said. “Nothing has a more powerful impact on your ability to bring in young families, which is one of our target groups, than good schools. Nothing has a more powerful impact on your ability to bring in more jobs.” The community meeting about the Sandy Springs high school, which about 100 people attended, was meant to introduce consultants from CDH Partners, the architecture firm, and Wonder By Design, a “visioning” firm. The officials had also planned to lead a variety of group activities to discuss the culture and “heart” of North Springs, but addressing the frustration and confusion expressed by residents used the majority of time, leaving no time for the exercises. Many residents said they expected to come to a meeting about whether the school district will build a new North Springs, which the group Citizens for a New North Springs (CFANNS) is advocating for, or continue with the current plan of completing an $18 million renovation project. Instead, the meeting, which was held at Ison Springs Elementary School, focused entirely on the renovation plan and did not mention the conflict over building a new school until a resident asked about it. Burke said building a new school is very unlikely and not the plan they are working from at this point. The district will work to better communicate its plans and the topics of meetings in the future, he said. The consultants were planning to discuss the culture of the school to determine what kind of improvements need to be made instead of focusing on the actual building materials. “It’s not in the bricks, it’s in how people interact with their physical environment,” Burke said. Christian Long, a consultant from Wonder By Design, a design studio that focuses on schools, gave a lengthy speech on the importance of learning about the culture of the school before designing the actual building. “If we don’t ask the important questions we need to early on, we may wake up and find we haven’t build what we needed,” Long said. He also planned to lead some breakout session activities, including an exercise that would have attendees write a letter to a graduating senior at North Springs. But Long was interrupted before he finished his speech by a resident who took issue with the officials not addressing the SS

conflict over building a new school, which spurred an hourlong conversation. “I’d like to address the elephant in the room which, so far, everyone has skillfully talked around,” the resident said. A different resident pressed Burke to answer whether a new school is being considered or not. “This is a very simple black and white question: is a new school on the table, or is it not on the table? There’s no way around it, it’s a yes or no question,” the resident said. Burke finally said “no” after being pressed by the resident. The district is legally bound to complete items included in the project list for the E-SPLOST tax that is funding these improvements and others in the district, Burke said. Other than putting the project on hold and waiting until a new referendum can be passed or other funding is found elsewhere, the district cannot build a new school, making the prospect very unlikely, Burke said after the meeting. “We are bound by that. When we bring a recommendation to the board, that’s what we have to bring. That’s what the taxpayers of Fulton County have approved,” Burke said. Long asked for the community’s patience to see what improvements the

consultants ultimately recommend to the district. “If you can afford us a little bit of time to do work and listen, ultimately we’re going to come up with a series of strategies that the community and the district are going to make decisions EVELYN ANDREWS about,” Long said. Christian Long, a school designer from Wonder By Several elected ofDesign, speaks to residents at a Jan. 23 community ficials, including Paul; meeting about North Springs High renovations held in the cafeteria of Ison Springs Elementary School. Councilmember John Paulson; CouncilmemPaul said in an interview after the ber Jody Reichel, who is meeting that he supports the consultants’ a member of CFANNS; and Board of Educaplan to get feedback from the communition members Gail Dean and Julia Bernath ty. But after the feedback process is comattended the meeting. Paul and the City pleted, he believes it would be “appropriCouncil have previously expressed support ate” for the district to ultimately decide a for the call for a new North Springs High. new school needs to be built instead. None of the officials spoke at the “I believe from conversations I’ve had meeting, other than Bernath, who rewith the community that would be an minded residents attending the meeting appropriate outcome,” Paul said of the that “this is the beginning, not the end” of possibility the district could decide to the planning process for the renovations. build a new school. The consultants plan to present a con“It will be really obvious that there’s ceptual design in March or April and will going to have be some major upgrades present their final recommendation to made,” he said. the Board of Education in June.

16 |

June 4 - July 27

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Inspiring Early Learners through 12th grade

Generation.Next

A Leadership Camp for Teens June 6-8, 2018 Limited Availability

Generation.Next is designed to prepare young people for the real world. It gives them the skills they need to reach their goals and live up to their full potential at school, home, and work.

Registration now open at thewalkerschool.org/summer

Skills that Last a Lifetime -Build Self Confidence -Teamwork and Leadership Skills -More Effective Communicators

(404) 634-8100

SATELLITE CAMP LOCATIONS:

A GE S

3–5 GR A DE

K–12

DeKalb School of the Arts First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta The Galloway School The Lovett School Mount Paran Christian School Oglethorpe University More information at alliancetheatre.org/satellitecamps

SPRING BREAK & SUMMER

DRAMA CAMPS

ON SALE NOW! SPRING BREAK CAMPS APR 2 – 6 // SUMMER CAMPS BEGIN MAY 29

404.733.4700 alliancetheatre.org/dramacamp

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FEBRUARY 2 - 15, 2018 ■ www.ReporterNewspapers.net

Horse Lovers Summer Camp Chastain Horse Park - convenient Buckhead location! Boys and girls ages 4-8 – Mon-Fri 8am-1pm Many weeks to choose from during Summer 2018 Camp activities for our younger riders include horsemanship instruction (grooming, safety and more), riding lessons, crafts and games! Contact us at (404) 252-4244 ext.1 or ponypals@chastainhorsepark.org. More information regarding summer schedule dates and registration form can be found at chastainhorsepark.org, select Riding Services, then select Summer Camp!

JUNE 4 – JULY 20, 2018 AGES 5 – 17 Sports, Music Technology, Fun & Games, Community Service, Science Camp for Girls, Technology, Lego Animation, Robotics, SAT/ACT Prep, Website Design, more...

www.chastainhorsepark.org

404-252-4244 ext.1

EXCITING SUMMER ADVENTURES

T O D AY !

ESA CAMP

June 4th–June 29th, 2018

Your summer. Your adventure.

BEYOND CAMP

Camp Adventures for 2-year-old to 8th grade • Before and After Care • Half and Full Days • Multi-Week Discount

New & Returning Favorites • Drone Camp • Circus Camp • Music Camp • Science Camp • Sports Camp • Preschool Camp and much more! Visit us online at epsteinatlanta.org/esa

Customize your summer camp experience. Galloway’s g360 Summer Camp is open to all children ages 3 and up and is held on our campus in beautiful Chastain Park.

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1&2 week sessions for ages 6-16!

On top of Lookout Mountain on the banks of Little River...

Only 1.5 hours east of Huntsville and 2 hours from Atlanta, Nashville & Birmingham

ACTIVITIES Horseback Riding Swimming (Heated Pool) Ropes Course Climbing Tower Tennis Canoeing Golf Gymnastics Dance Cheerleading Flag Twirling Archery Arts and Cras Knitting Chorus and Drama Outdoor Living Skills Basketball Volleyball Soccer Riﬂery Trip Day River Water Blob Campﬁre every night Counselor-In-Training Christian Leadership

We l c o m e t o R i v e r v i e w C a m p f o r G i r l s ! Yo u r Aw a r d Wi n n i n g C a m p E x p e r i e n c e ! C o n ﬁ d e n c e , C h a r a c t e r, Ad v e n tu r e , I n s p i r a t i o n ! When you attend our summer camp or our mother-daughter weekends, you will have an amazing time on a mountain top, sharing moments of fun, faith, and adventure! Recognized as one of the South’s favorite private summer camp for girls, Riverview’s exciting programs are appreciated by both campers and parents! Girls from the South and International campers as well, are among our camp families!

Dr. Larry and Susan Hooks, Owners/Directors For more information and a free DVD: www.riverviewcamp.com 800-882-0722

Spring & Fall Mother-Daughter Weekend Also Available! Sign up online!

www.riverviewcamp.com

has an extensive Frequently Asked Questions section for ﬁrst-time camper families and several enjoyable videos!

Center for Global Youth Leadership and Social Entrepreneurial Studies™

Summer Programs 2018 Brandon Hall School

Creative, Visual, Performing & Studio Arts Camps for ages 5g1g

Featuring our Signature Program

Global Youth Leadership in Action ELL Global Village™ Earth Science Field Studies

MondaygFriday, g:ggamggpm Before & After Care, 8amg6pm

5ggg Chamblee Dunwoody Road Register Online at spruillarts.org ggggggggggggggg

June 17 - July 7, 2018; July 8 - July 28, 2018 (3-Week Sessions)

School Break Camps oﬀered in the Spring!

Customized Summer Programs available June through August 2018 Justine McDonald, Director of Summer Programs, jmcdonald@brandonhall.org

www.brandonhall.org/summer

Like/Follow us on Facebook!

facebook.com/BHSGlobalYouth

Find Your Path. Lead The Way.™

SPORTS BROADCASTING CAMP is back for our 11th year in Atlanta

July 16-20, 2018

Boys and Girls 10-18 will have an opportunity to learn from the Pros

Explore art, get messy, and have a blast!

Meet Sports Celebrities Make Sports Anchor Tapes Sign up your young artist for a week filled with creativity, curiosity, and fun. Workshops are for rising first through eighth graders. Space is limited, and camps will fill fast. Register today! REGISTER AT HIGH.ORG/CAMP

Nation’s #1 Sports Broadcasting Camp

Make Play-By-Play Tapes of the Super Bowl & NBA Finals Make Reporting Tapes from a Pro Stadium Participate in Sports Talk Radio and Pardon The Interruption (PTI) shows and much more

Day/Overnight options available. For more info: 800.319.0884 or www.playbyplaycamps.com facebook.com/sportsbroadcastingcamps • youtube.com/sportsbroadcastcamp

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FEBRUARY 2 - 15, 2018 ■ www.ReporterNewspapers.net

NOW ENROLLING 4 YEARS TO 12 YEARS iculum

Summer Curr

soccer

Voyagers 2018

arts & crafts

field trips

May 29th - August 3rd

It’s all about Fun! swimming

games

$225 per week Includes Most Field Trips ($100 Enrollment Fee)

(404) 843-8375 • children.stjohnatlanta.org 550 Mount Paran Rd NW, Sandy Springs, GA office@stjohnchildren.org

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Full Day preschool for age 1-5 now accepting enrollment • Small class size • Montessori Chinese bilingual • Academically challenging & culturally rich • All highly trained teachers with master degree • Engaged parent community

Chinese Summer Camp (Weekly Theme)

Calligraphy and Chinese painting, paper cutting, songs & games, arts, kung fu Learn Chinese Folk stories, festivals and much more!

3039 Briarcliff Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30329 (404) 448-1818 | maylanacademy.org

SUMMER CAMP 2018 MAY 30-AUGUST 3

Have a Blast! with us this summer. Our professional staff has prepared another exciting summer of fitness and educational fun. We will encourage each child to express his or her own creativity as well as explore and discover new activities.

Choose from 2 exciting and amazing camps!

SUMMER CAMP 2019

Reporter Classifieds APARTMENT FOR RENT Midtown Prime Ansley Golf Course Area 2 BR/ 2 BA 1300 sq. ft. Apartment includes Storeroom & Off-Street Pkg. Ideal roommate layout. street level classic Apt in multifamily house has High vaulted/beamed ceilings, crown molding, windows galore, gas starter FPLC, huge built-In bookshelf, W/D, deck w Atl skyline view. Few steps to Ansley Mall. Walk to Shops/Attractions/ Beltline. Close to I-85/I-75. Available now. 404-874-4642 for details/ No texts pls.

SERVICES AVAILABLE Driveways & Walkways – Replaced or repaired. Masonry, grading, foundations repaired, waterproofing and retaining walls. Call Joe Sullivan 770-616-0576. Home Tending – Regular inspections of your unoccupied property…”0n market or just away”. Call Charles at 404-229-0490. 20% Off Cleaning & Repair of all Rugs – must mention coupon in Reporter Newspapers. Oriental Rug Shop, 5548 Peachtree Ind. Blvd, Chamblee. Call 404-995-8400

:: Sports Camp :: Tennis Camp Space is limited. Register today!!

To Advertise, call 404-917-2200 ext 110 PERSONAL SERVICES

GARAGE SALE

Female Care-giver with 18 years’ experience – Seeks to barter services for living quarters inside the perimeter. Services: Care-giver, Chauffeur, Personal Assistant and light House-keeping. Sweet indoor cat coming with. 470-351-7237.

Downsizing – TV’s, dining table with leaf extension purchased from IKEA, headboards, fridge, antique bench, etc. Call 803-608-0792.

REPORTER CLASSIFIEDS WORK FOR YOU!

PETS For Sale – 3 male registered Shih Tzu’s 7 months old. Call 404-386-3282.

Home Services Directory Oriental Rug Shop Antique and Decorative Rugs since 1976 nd

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1.5 miles inside 285 in Chamblee Plaza

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With coupon. One per family.

Community | 21

FEBRUARY 2 - 15, 2018 ■ www.ReporterNewspapers.net

Atlanta airport chief talks power outage, Amazon bid BY JOHN RUCH johnruch@reporternewspapers.net

The general manager of Atlanta’s airport commented on some hot issues — including a recent major power outage and the Amazon headquarters bid — during a stopover at a Sandy Springs Perimeter Chamber of Commerce lunch Jan. 25. Roosevelt Council Jr. is marking his first anniversary as leader of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, though new Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms has a search underway for a new general manager. Council previously served the city of Atlanta in other roles, including interim chief financial officer and budget and fiscal policy chief. Council’s appearance at the chamber luncheon, held at the Westin Atlanta Pe-

rimeter North hotel, focused of the airport for 11 hours, a naon touting a $6 billion expantional embarrassment that sion and upgrade master plan cost millions of dollars in lost intended to keep the airport business. The outage involved competitive for 20 years. The a fire in an underground Georairport is major economic drivgia Power Co. facility that er for metro Atlanta and all of killed an electric system and Georgia. Council said he exits intended backup. Just hours pects the airport will mark its before Council’s speech, the AtRoosevelt Council Jr. 20th consecutive year as the lanta Journal-Constitution reworld’s busiest by passenger ported that Georgia Power still volume — more than 104 million flyers a has not determined the cause of the failure. year — once 2017 numbers are calculated. “I’ve become a whole lot more humorThe following are Council’s comments ous since I had that power outage,” Council on some topics during his speech or in a said in one of a few jokes about the failure brief interview afterward. during his speech. Asked afterward for the serious response, Council said it is up to Georgia Power outage Power to figure out the outage’s cause. But, A Dec. 17 power failure shut down much he added, “We’re also trying to ensure it

doesn’t happen again” by finding a way to keep main and backup circuits separate. He said the outage was a “1 in a million thing,” but with major consequences the airport does not want to repeat.

Amazon bid

Council also mentioned the airport’s role in the Amazon headquarters bid. The Seattle-based corporation is auctioning the right for cities or regions to host a gigantic second headquarters, and earlier this month announced that Atlanta is on a 20city short list. A site in Dunwoody’s part of Perimeter Center may be part of Atlanta’s bid, but the state-submitted documents remain secret. Council said he assumes the airport’s massive cargo-handling capabilities are among the reasons Amazon is considering Atlanta’s bid, but not the only one.

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• Windows • Doors • Siding and more! • BBB A+ • Free Estimates • Family Business Established in 1980 3660 North Peachtree Road - Chamblee, GA 30341

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22 | Community

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Visit us at our location in SANDY SPRINGS Sally Marcus, MD Jeff Hopkins, MD Natalie Metzig, MD Allison Hill, MD Amy Hardin, MD Tiji Philip, MD Adele Goodloe, MD

Maureen Shifflett, PNP Amanda Batlle PNP Sara Dorsey, PNP Jennifer Martin, PNP Michael Levine, MD, Emeritus Ruth Brown, MD, Emeritus Jonathan Winner, MD, Emeritus 6095 Barfield Road, Sandy Springs, Ga 30328

Convenient access from GA 400 • Free/easy parking

404-256-2688 • NorthsidePediatrics.com

City of Sandy Springs Advertisement for Public Comment Draft 2018-22 Consolidated Plan and 2018 Annual Action Plan The City of Sandy Springs has prepared a Consolidated Plan and Annual Action Plan required for participation in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program. The Consolidated Plan describes broad goals, objectives, strategies and community needs for a 5-year period, as well as how the City anticipates using its allocation of CDBG funds in 2018. The City of Sandy Springs anticipates receiving approximately $500,000 in 2018 CDBG funds to be available and proposes to use these funds for activities under the Public Improvements and Infrastructure category of eligibility. 2018 CDBG funds will be used to design and construct sidewalks in designated low- and moderate-income target areas along the Roswell Road corridor between Long Island Drive and The Prado and between Lake Placid Drive and Northwood Drive. As required by 24 CFR Part 91.105(b)(2), the draft 2018-22 Consolidated Plan and 2018 Annual Action Plan will be available for a 30-day public comment period beginning February 21, 2018 through March 21, 2018. A copy of the Consolidated Plan, including the Annual Action Plan, is available on the City’s website at www.sandyspringsga.gov. Those interested in reviewing the plan will find it located on the CDBG webpage, which is accessed through the Community Development Department webpage on February 21, 2018. Hard copies of the document can also be reviewed at the following locations: Sandy Springs City Hall Community Development Department Morgan Falls Office Park 7840 Roswell Road, Building 500 Sandy Springs, GA 30350 770-730-5600 Sandy Springs Regional Library 395 Mt. Vernon Hwy., NE Sandy Springs, GA 30350 404-303-6130

Water system leak dispute with Atlanta boils over Continued from page 1

community,” saying a major failure is inevitable unless something changes. “This is unacceptable … You’re talking about putting our lives at risk,” Paul said. “You’re talking about total collapse of a system that’s getting no maintenance, has had no maintenance for years, that’s deteriorating underground as we sit here, with the potential of a collapse to fail to serve large swaths of our population, and to sit idly by and allow that to happen.” Atlanta’s Department of Watershed Management threw water on such claims of lack of maintenance, saying they are “not true” and that the system is “sound.” “Overall, Atlanta’s water system is sound and is operated and maintained in accordance with all applicable regulations and standards,” said DWM spokesperson Rukiya Campbell in a written statement. “It is not in danger of collapse or failure.” “Since 2005 to date, there have been 383 water main installations in the Sandy Springs service area,” Campbell said. “These installations are maintenance activities which help prevent potential water main emergencies.” She said that Atlanta has “invested” about $3 million a year since 2008 in a Johns Creek treatment plant that provides Sandy Springs with water. And the local network is part of an upgrade plan as well, she said. “In addition, Sandy Springs is included in the capital improvement project plans, which includes installing two additional 2-million-gallon storage tanks and upgrading pipelines along Roswell Road and Peachtree-Dunwoody Road,” Campbell said. “Atlanta remains committed to providing capital improvements to the water system with short- and long-term plans extending to 2060 and will continue to provide quality water service for all of its customers, including Sandy Springs.” Sandy Springs officials will take more convincing that they’re getting their money’s worth. Local residents — including the city’s late founding mayor, Eva Galambos —took Atlanta to court on the issue be-

Dorothy C. Benson Senior Multipurpose Complex 6500 Vernon Woods Drive Sandy Springs, GA 30328 404-705-4900 Those who may wish to provide comments on the 2018-22 Consolidated Plan and 2018 Annual Action Plan may send email to the CDBG Program mailbox at cdbgprogram@ sandyspringsga.gov or hard copy correspondence to the Sandy Springs Community Development Department at the address above. Adoption of the 2018-22 Consolidated Plan and 2018 Annual Action Plan is scheduled for the May 1, 2018, Mayor and City Council regular meeting. All meetings start at 6:00 p.m., are open to the public and held at the Sandy Springs City Hall, 7840 Roswell Road, Building 500, Sandy Springs, GA, 30350. Citizens in need of translation services or materials in alternative formats should call 770-730-5600 seven calendar days prior to the regularly scheduled meeting. Additional CDBG Program information can be found on the City’s CDBG webpage at http://www.sandyspringsga.gov/city-services/urbandevelopment/planning-and-zoning/planning-and-zoning-resources/community-developmentblock-grant-program

fore, in 2002, in an unsuccessful challenge of the right to charge higher water rates to other cities using the system. Sandy Springs City Attorney Dan Lee is compiling more evidence now, including through Open Records requests, on how DWM spends water rate revenues. There is no doubt about a large number of leaks and that they can take weeks or months to fix. The Reporter has documented some, including a hole in the sidewalk at 7360 Roswell Road that has been pouring water at least since August. The water system is by far the most complaint-generating utility to Sandy Springs’ Call Center, according to City Manager John McDonough, and it is trending up significantly. In 2015, there were 300 water service calls; in 2016, 497 calls; in 2017, 567 calls. Sinkholes, main breaks and similar failures are dangerous and also cost the city money for related road or sidewalk repairs. McDonough said that from July 2014 to April 2015, the city had 86 work orders for repairs related to water leaks. From 2014 through 2017, Campbell said, DWM created 1,525 leak work orders in Sandy Springs. That was 15.8 percent of all DWM’s leak work orders for that period. During the same period, DWM completed 1,392 Sandy Springs leak repairs. The median time to complete a repair was 32 days. Campbell says that is “comparable to all areas within the city’s service area.” The goal is to repair leaks within 45 days, but that can be longer due to the “increased number of water main breaks and leaks across the system” and such delays as weather and coordinating service interruptions. DWM has generally improved repair times and committed additional resources to repairs, and also “cleared a backlog of work from 2001,” Campbell said. The current state of repairs does not appear to satisfy Sandy Springs. In 2016, the city offered to repair the local pipes itself in exchange for a reimbursement, but Atlanta rejected the deal for reasons Campbell declined to explain beyond saying, “It’s Atlanta’s system.”

SANDY SPRINGS NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Petitioner:

City of Sandy Springs

Purpose:

An Ordinance to amend the Development Code (“six-month update”), including the Zoning Map

Public Hearings:

Planning Commission February 27, 2018 at 6:00 p.m. Mayor and City Council March 20, 2018 at 6:00 p.m.

Location:

Sandy Springs City Hall Morgan Falls Office Park 7840 Roswell Road, Building 500 Sandy Springs, Georgia 30350 770-730-5600

Public Safety | 23

FEBRUARY 2 - 15, 2018 ■ www.ReporterNewspapers.net

Police Blotter / Sandy Springs Capt. Steve Rose provided the following information, which represents some of the reports filed with Sandy Springs police Jan. 16- Jan. 24.

B U R G L A RY 300 block of Marsh Trail Circle — On

Jan. 14, there were four individuals having a get-together at an apartment. All four left for the afternoon and upon their return discovered the front door had been forced open. Among the missing items are eight laptops and a couple of gold coins. 700 block of Riley Place — On Jan. 17,

the resident said someone stole a 2014 Mercedes Benz ML350 from her garage sometime after 11 a.m. The car was later recovered on Dogwood Drive in Atlanta. 500 block of Woodmoore Court — On

Jan. 17, the resident was away from the home from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m. Upon return, he found evidence of forced entry. Footprints were found in the snow indicating the suspect was in both the front and back yards. Nothing was reported taken. 100 block of Grosvenor Place — On

Jan. 17, a witness said two males came into the house around 10:30 a.m. Both were dressed in black. One male wore a large-brimmed black hat. They knocked on the front door, and then entered through the garage. The resident reported jewelry taken from the home. 6100 block of Roswell Road — On Jan. 21,

the manager of Domino’s told officers that an employee quit his job and then around 2 a.m., returned to the business and used his key card to get into the store. Afterwards, he took over $900 from the safe after opening it. The store video shows the burglary. The manager called the employee, asking him to return the money. He said, “I’ll think about it.” Later, he claimed that he did nothing wrong and told the manager to “do what you have to do.” Would it be unfair to say this guy is a moron? He had the opportunity to return the money. He will be arrested on a warrant as soon as we find him. Just plain stupid. 1800 block of Marsh Trail Circle — On

Jan. 21, a resident reported she was out of town for about a week. On return, she noticed her front door slightly open and a light on in the bedroom. She found that someone took several items from the apartment, including shoes, clothing, jewelry, all totaling just under $3,000. 1000 block of Hammond Drive — On

desk area after 2 a.m. by shooting a window, then forcing it open to gain entry. He said about $500 cash was taken. block Captain of High Tarn — STEVE ROSE, Someone entered SSPD the victim’s gasrose@sanrage sometime dyspringsga.gov between Nov. 1 and Jan. 17. Missing is a chainsaw, weed eater and drill bit set.

ANTIQUES MARKET One of the Top 10 Antique Markets in America!

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R O B B E RY 8500 block of Roswell Road — On Jan. 16,

a Subway employee reported after 9 a.m., a man came into the store and pulled a gun on the employee. He then walked around the counter and took a small amount of cash from the register. The suspect was in his 30s, blonde and reddish hair, about 180 pounds. He wore a black motorcycle helmet with red flames painted on it. 1700 block of Spring Creek Lane — On

Jan. 17 before 9 p.m., police responded to a robbery call. The victim said he was in the apartment parking lot trying to jump-start his car because of a dead battery. A gold van approached and the passenger asked directions. The victim leaned into the window to give directions to the men when the driver reached across and grabbed the victim’s cellphone from his hand, which the victim did not relinquish. As a result, and according to the victim, the van dragged him several hundred feet. The van then struck a parked vehicle, which apparently dislodged the victim, and his phone, from the suspect’s grasp. The victim suffered a possible broken collarbone and had a welt above one eye. The van was an older model, unknown make. It left the parking lot in the direction of Morgan Falls Road, but was not seen thereafter. 7500 block of Roswell Road — On Jan. 23,

two suspects dressed in all black came into a Walgreens and pulled a gun, described as a 9mm, and took cash from behind the counter, while holding the weapon on the two employees. The suspects left with a cash drawer and a small amount of cash.

THEFT 4900 block of Roswell Road — On Jan.

14, the complainant said that while she was shopping at Kroger, someone took her wallet from her purse.

Jan. 22, the manager of the Extended Stay America hotel said someREAD MORE OF THE POLICE BLOTTER ONLINE AT one gained access to the front

www.ReporterNewspapers.net

LAKEWOOD 400

770-889-3400 • www.lakewoodantiques.com 1321 Atlanta Highway, Cumming, GA 30040 SANDY SPRINGS NOTICE OF REZONING Petition Number:

RZ17-0004

Petitioner:

Fulton-Allen Road Associates, LLC (Contact: Jack Misiura)

Property Location:

185 Cliftwood Drive

Present Zoning:

CS-6 (Old Zoning: A-L)

Request:

Rezoning to reflect existing conditions.

Public Hearings:

Planning Commission February 27, 2018 at 6:00 p.m. Mayor and City Council March 20, 2018 at 6:00 p.m.

Location:

Sandy Springs City Hall Morgan Falls Office Park 7840 Roswell Road, Building 500 Sandy Springs, Georgia 30350 770-730-5600

PUBLIC INFORMATION OPEN HOUSE INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS AT DUNWOODY CLUB DRIVE AND JETT FERRY ROAD

The Cities of Sandy Springs and Dunwoody are hosting an Open House to present design concepts being considered to improve traffic efficiency and safety at Dunwoody Club Drive and Jett Ferry Road.

Thursday, February 8, 2018 5:30 p.m.-7:00 p.m. Dunwoody Community Church 2250 Dunwoody Club Drive Sandy Springs, GA 30350 For more information, please visit sandyspringsga.gov

24 |

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