DeKalb County "boil water" notice expands after break in aging water main

Continued work on a water main break on Clairmont Rd. led Wednesday to an expanded "cautionary" boil water advisory for portions of western DeKalb County, reaching into parts of the City of Decatur.

The DeKalb County Department of Watershed Management issued the advisory for an area east of Moreland Avenue, west of Candler St./Clairemont Ave., south of Mason Mill Rd., and north of Hosea L. Williams Dr. 

"DeKalb residents who receive their water from the City of Atlanta are not affected by the boil water advisory," the department says.

The break in a 30-inch cast-iron water main on Clairmont Road near Dresden Dr., which was installed in 1941, initially affected about 8,800 households in the Toco Hills area and nearby.

DeKalb County proposes 10 years of 10-percent annual water rate hikes

The incoming administration of DeKalb County CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson proposed Tuesday to increase water rates 10 percent per year for the next 10 years, while asking for modifications to a federal consent decree that has been in effect since 2010.

Chief Operating Officer Zach Williams offered the proposal to DeKalb County commissioners after they returned from a nearly three-hour executive session. He said it would "provide the long-term solution that will allow us to address nagging issues."

With compounding, the Cochran-Johnson administration proposal would mean that a $100 water bill today would rise to more than $259 in 10 years.

Michelle Long Spears is new Presiding Officer for DeKalb County Commission

The DeKalb County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday voted unanimously (7-0-0) to approve Michelle Long Spears as the new Presiding Officer for this year. Nicole Massiah was elected Deputy Presiding Officer in a 6-1-0 vote. Ted Terry was the lone vote against.

Other actions during the first BOC meeting to include all of the newly elected commissioners:

An application for a Special Land Use Permit for a coffee shop at 3823 N. Druid Hills Rd. was deferred (7-0-0) to the BOC's February 11 meeting with a public hearing. This was done because is there a companion application already scheduled to be heard on that date.

The board approved the appointment of Eric Hubbard to the Zoning Board of Appeals by a vote of 7-0-0.

Appointment of Hillary Gardner to the DeKalb County Public Library Board of Trustees was deferred until the Jan. 28 BOC meeting. She was interviewed later in the day by the BOC's Planning, Economic Development & Community Services Committee, which unanimously recommended approval of her appointment.

State recognizes two DeKalb County schools for improved graduation rates

Two DeKalb County schools are among five schools in the state that have been recognized by the Georgia Department of Education for exceptional academic improvement or achievement.

Clarkston High School and McNair High School, which had been cited for having low graduation rates, are no longer being classified as Comprehensive Support & Improvement Schools, because their four-year graduation rates rose above 67 percent in 2024. 

DeKalb County warming centers open for at least one week

DeKalb County will operate several warming centers 24 hours a day for the next week, as temperatures are expected to fall nearly 10 degrees below normal and wintry precipitation is expected on Friday and Saturday.

"We're going to see the first very serious bout of cold weather for this winter," DeKalb County Chief Operating Officer Zach Williams said Tuesday. 

"We've had shelters open as early as early November, but we are anticipating cold weather through the next week. We will be utilizing several 24-hour warming centers," he told a meeting of county commissioners.

$40 million in federal funds coming for DeKalb County water, sewer system

A bill that would provide $40 million for water and wastewater infrastructure projects in DeKalb County has been approved by the U.S. Senate and is being sent to President Joe Biden.

The Water Resources Development Act of 2024 was approved by the Senate by a vote of 97-1 on Wednesday. The funding for environmental instructure in DeKalb County was one of the priorities secured by U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), his office said.

The funding is contained in Senate Bill 4367, "An Act to provide for improvements to the rivers and harbors of the United States, to provide for the conservation and development of water and related resources, and for other purposes."

DeKalb County murder-suicide cited as example of gun risks

A letter to the editor in Saturday's New York Times cites a DeKalb County murder-suicide as an example of the risks of having a gun in the home.

"Americans have been sold a myth about guns: that people are safer armed. Many have bought into this myth," writes Nina Vinik, founder and president of Project Unloaded, a nonprofit organization working against gun violence.

Northlake Square in Tucker sells for $17.3 million

Northlake Square, which includes an ALDI, Best Buy and Mellow Mushroom, has been purchased for $17.3 million by Greenberg Gibbons, an investment firm based in Baltimore, Md.

The 82,578-square-foot property off Interstate 285 at 4135 Lavista Rd. in Tucker, was built in 1988. It is Greenberg Gibbon's first entry in the state of Georgia.

"The acquisition of Northlake Square demonstrates the market's appetite for well-positioned, grocery-anchored retail centers within growing submarkets of major metros," said Jim Hamilton, Managing Director of JLL Capital Markets, which facilitated the sale.

DeKalb County commissioners urge shortened extension of AMR ambulance contract

Facing a looming deadline, a committee of DeKalb County commissioners recommended on Friday that American Medical Response's contract to provide emergency ambulance service should only be extended for another 12 months. 

More than $2.26 million in penalties have been imposed on AMR during the past four years for failing to meet performance standards, DeKalb County Fire Chief Darnell Fullum told commissioners.

The company has faced criticism ever since it began its contract with DeKalb County in June 2013. The contract was amended in 2019 to include response times.

"AMR did not meet the performance measures that we had set out in our current contract," Fullum said. "We did assess penalties against AMR for not meeting those response times."

FACT CHECK: DeKalb County CEO, Decaturish distribute inaccurate hurricane information

As Hurricane Helene approaches the area, DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond has repeatedly emailed inaccurate information about county operations.

About 6 p.m. on Wednesday evening and again after 8 a.m. Thursday morning, the DeKalb County CEO Office of Communications sent a "Breaking News" email to county residents that consisted of an article from the Appen Media web site Decaturish.com.

The article stated: "No school closures have been announced in DeKalb County."

Yet, hours before the CEO's first email, the school system had announced on Wednesday afternoon that schools would be closed for two days.

"In response to the projected severe weather conditions caused by Hurricane Helene, Superintendent Dr. Devon Q. Horton has announced that all schools within the DeKalb County School District (DCSD) will be closed on Thursday, September 26, and Friday, September 27. This closure includes all school-based, district-wide, extracurricular, and athletic events," said a statement from the school district.

Subsequent emails from the CEO's office on Thursday afternoon and evening failed to correct the error about school closings. One mailing was headlined "Hurricane Helene causes closings throughout DeKalb County," but it did not include any information about any closures of any type.

Meanwhile, with no notice to the public, the county cancelled this week's residential garbage collections normally scheduled for Thursday. No press release was been issued regarding the decision, nor was anything posted on the Sanitation Department's web site. One resident who called the county's 311 number was told that this week's Thursday residential sanitation collection will take place on Saturday.

Garbage containers placed curbside on Thursday morning by residents unaware of the change were likely to become projectiles as Hurricane Helene passes through north Georgia on Thursday night.

The ineffective messaging came as Thurmond serves the final months of his term as DeKalb County CEO. Lorraine Cochran-Johnson will replace him in the position in 2025.

Commissioners seek external audit of DeKalb County animal services

DeKalb County commissioners are considering asking the county's Chief Executive Officer to order an audit of services provided by the nonprofit company that has run the county's Chamblee animal shelter for the past decade.

The commission's County Operations committee last week recommended approval of a resolution, sponsored by Commissioner Lorraine Cochran-Johnson, which would have an external auditor review animal overcrowding, staffing levels, reporting, and procedures for dealing with stray animals and adoptions. 

Michael Thurmond, the county's CEO, said in October that conditions at a shelter in Chamblee were inhumane. LifeLine Animal Project Inc. has been repeatedly cited for violations by the Georgia Department of Agriculture during the past two years. 

"Georgia Dept. of Agriculture inspectors have identified problems with the Animal Shelter, including small dog cages, sanitation and housekeeping issues, and clogged air ducts," according to the resolution commissioners are considering.

DeKalb lawmakers propose naming bridge after longtime pastor Flippin

A DeKalb County legislator is proposing to name the Glenwood Ave. bridge over Interstate 20 for William E. Flippin, Sr., longtime pastor of the Greater Piney Grove Baptist Church.

State Rep. Saira Draper (D-Atlanta) has introduced a resolution in the General Assembly to dedicate the State Road 260 bridge as the Reverend Dr. William E. Flippin, Sr. Bridge "in honor of his achievements, accomplishments, and contributions to the State of Georgia."

"Over the past three decades leading The Greater Piney Grove Baptist Church, Reverend Flippin has established numerous programs and workshops which have improved the spiritual and educational growth of the church and the surrounding community, including annual holiday giving drives, NAACP partnerships, self-help programs, Alcoholics Anonymous services, HIV/AIDS resources, and COVID-19 testing and vaccinations," the resolution says.

Contractor sought to update DeKalb County zoning code, sign regulations

DeKalb County has issued a Request For Proposals to update and "modernize" the county's zoning and sign ordinances and to streamline existing procedures.

The RFP asks for significant updates to the DeKalb County Zoning Ordinance, which was adopted in 2015, and a revamp of the county's sign ordinance, last updated in 2003, in order to reflect the county's 2050 Unified Plan, which includes the county's Comprehensive Plan and Comprehensive Transportation Plan.

"This update seeks to modernize the current Ordinance to meet contemporary and future land development needs and desires while balancing public health, safety, and welfare," the county says. "Furthermore, DeKalb seeks to modernize the Ordinance to include streamlined procedures, increased illustrations, and simplified language to increase public understanding."

DeKalb County commission to hold public hearing on property maintenance rules

The DeKalb County Commission will hear public comments on Feb. 27 on its plans to adopt the 2018 International Property Maintenance Code.

The International Code Council's code covers areas such as construction, safety issues and inspections. It also includes provisions concerning blight and property maintenance, including junk vehicles, high weeds and tall grass.

The Board of Commissioners will hold a hearing on the proposal at 10 a.m. during its Tuesday, Feb. 27, meeting at the Maloof Auditorium in Decatur. The notice of the hearing says it "may be continued or adjourned."

The International Property Maintenance Code requires buildings to be maintained in good repair, be structurally sound and not have any sanitary conditions that pose a threat to the public health, safety or welfare.

The Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously last year to adopt provisions of the code regarding building interiors after hearing complaints about landlords who do not maintain their properties.

DeKalb legislators to hear Charter Review recommendations

Members of the DeKalb County Charter Review Commission, headed by former State Senator Steve Henson, are scheduled to meet with DeKalb County state lawmakers later this month to discuss the panel's recommendations for changes in the county's government.

The meeting will take place in Room 514 of the Coverdell Legislative Office Building at noon on Monday, Feb. 26.

The DeKalb Charter Review Commission began work in 2019, but was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. It met frequently from mid-2022 until the end of last year. 

It has now issued a final report that has been shared with the County’s Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Board of Commissioners, and members of the DeKalb State Legislative Delegation. The report can be found at https://bit.ly/3HReJZD.

If approved by lawmakers, the changes would need to be approved by voters in the general election later this year.

"Passage in November 2024 is timely and lays the foundation for a new relationship between the CEO and the commissioners," Mary Hinkel of the commission told a meeting of the Civic Association Network last month.