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Brookhaven Reporter
Sandy Springs at Ten
Parking it
New academy seeks location COMMUNITY 7
Best dressed
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Shop helps clothe the needy
NOV. 27 — DEC. 10, 2015 • VOL. 7 — NO. 24
MAKING A DIFFERENCE 27
Let’s give it a try before we buy At left, Madeline Martin, 6, and her sister Claire, 9, right, play with toys while checking out the St. Martin’s Episcopal School Fall Bazaar on Nov. 14. The event included a silent auction, games, a bake sale and vendors, with proceeds benefiting the school. See additional photos on page 33. PHIL MOSIER
A SPECIAL SECTION, PAGES 15-26
Brookhaven mayor orders ethics review of councilman’s school job BY JOHN RUCH
johnruch@reporternewspapers.net
Brookhaven’s mayor has ordered an ethics review of City Councilman Bates Mattison taking a paid job at Brookhaven Innovation Academy, a new public charter school that he and the council helped to create. “The mayor and council would like to clarify and have a better understanding of any legal, ethical or charter prob- Bates Mattison lems, violations or conflicts of interest for Mr. Mattison to serve as both a Brookhaven city councilman and director of the BIA,” said Mayor Rebecca Chase Williams in a written statement. “That is why I am calling for an independent inquiry into the questions.” Mattison said there is no conflict between his council position—where he is also mayor pro tem—and his new job as BIA’s executive director, which pays $60,000 a year. But, while he disagreed with the need for the ethics review, he “consented…because it will put the issue to bed.” “It came out of nowhere for me,” Mattison said of the mayor’s call for a review. “Even though it’s a little bit painful to go through…at the end of the day, I hope it does what it’s intended to do, which is to clear the issue and show we operate accordSEE MAYOR, PAGE 6
City officials welcome idea to bring back Flowerland BY DYANA BAGBY Architect Andrew Amor hopes to bring back Flowerland, a garden so grand it once drew tourists to an area that now is part of the city of Brookhaven. Amor presented his ideas for ways to “restore Flowerland to its glory” during a Brookhaven City Council work session meeting on Nov. 17. Flowerland was part of the estate of Dr. Luther Fischer, whose mansion still stands off Chamblee-Dunwoody Road behind a condo development on Fischer Way. In its time, Flowerland had 487 varieties of flowers and 16,000 different plants, Amor said. “It became a regional attraction at the height of the blooming season,” he said.
He proposed the city revive the gardens as a park and tourist attraction. Amor’s plans for Flowerland include restoring the original gardens, constructing a sawmill to serve as a visitors’ center, having a covered bridge near the sawmill, and also creating a pioneers’ homestead and a Native American village. The developments would pay homage to the history of the land, he said. No costs were mentioned for the proposal, The proposal was greeted warmly by some council members. “I’m excited because this brings together everything from SEE CITY, PAGE 35
AMOR ARCHITECTURAL CORP.
An architect wants to restore Flowerland, part of Dr. Luther Fischer’s estate off of Chamblee-Dunwoody Road, to its former “glory.”