Champion FreePress 1-22-16

FREEPREss
FRiDaY, JanUaRY 22, 2016 Vol. 18, no. 42 FREE
The
CHAMPION
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Serving East Atlanta, Avondale Estates, Brookhaven, Chamblee, Clarkston, Decatur, Doraville, Dunwoody, Lithonia, Pine Lake, Tucker and Stone Mountain.
QUICK FINDER JAIL ANGER

Business ................................22A
Sports ......................................23A
Opinion ......................................5A
Classied ..............................20A
BLACKS REMEMBER
MANAGEMENT
FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL
WORKSHOPS ENHANCE INTEGRATION
LIFE SKILLS
LOCAL, 11A
LOCAL, 7A
A PUBLICATION OF ACE III COMMUNICATIONS
BASEBALL PLAYERS,
COACHES PREPARING
FOR 2016 SEASON
SPORTS, 23A
DeKalb representative sponsors anti-gun bill

by Andrew Cauthen
Andrew@dekalbchamp.com
ix months after Georgias so-called guns everywhere law went into effect, a group of legislators, led by Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver of
DeKalb County, want to ban assault weapons.
If passed in its current form, House Bill 731 would
ban the sale, distribution, transport, possession and
From left, Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver has introduced a bill that would ban assault weapons in Georgia. Patrick Parsons of use of defined assault weapons, large capacity magazines and armor-piercing bullets, according to a sumGeorgia Gun Owners spoke out against the proposal while Bishop Robert Wright supported it.
mary of the proposed legislation.
The bill would not prohibit law enforcement and
military personnel from possessing or transporting
the weapons.
Olivers bill would require anyone with an assault
weapon on July 1, 2016, to turn it in to the Georgia
Bureau of Investigation for destruction, or render it
inoperable.
Im very aware this is a controversial subject but
it is my purpose and my intent to have an open and
intellectually honest discussion with the state of Georgia about gun violence, said Oliver, the bills sponsor,
during a Jan. 14 news conference in the state Capitol.
Gun violence kills 30,000 people a year.
Oliver recalled the August 2013 incident in which
Michael Brandon Hill, armed with approximately
500 rounds, a couple of magazines and an AK-47 type
rifle entered McNair Discovery Learning Academy in
Decatur.
A school bookkeeper was able to convince Hill to
surrender to police.
No children were hurt in DeKalb County with
Supporters of a proposed assault weapon ban gathered in at the Capitol Jan. 14. Photos by Andrew Cauthen
See Bill on Page 15A
From left, Commissioner Larry Johnson, Rev. Marlin Harris and interim county CEO Lee
May participate in the countys annual King Day program.
DeKalb remembers King

by Andrew Cauthen
andrew@dekalbchamp.com
DeKalb County celebrated the

life and legacy of Martin Luther
King Jr. for the 32nd consecutive
time Jan. 15.
We have to remember what
he preached and what he taught

us, said interim DeKalb County
CEO Lee May. Weve got to live
it out.
We have to remember the
struggles and fights [and] that we
still have so far to go. The fight is
still real, he said.
See MLK DAY on Page 15A
CHAMPIONNEWSPAPER
CHAMPIONNEWS
Hundreds gathered for the countys 32nd annual King Day celebration. Photos by Andrew Cauthen
CHAMPIONNEWSPAPER
CHAMPIONNEWS
The Champion FREEPRESS, Friday, Jan. 22, 2016
local
Page 2A
County officials present legislative wish list to state leaders

by Andrew Cauthen
andrew@dekalbchamp.com
DeKalb County officials told their
state legislative representatives Jan. 14
what the General Assembly can do for
the county during this session.
State senators and representatives
with districts in DeKalb County heard
the countys 2016 legislative priorities
during a joint meeting at the Capitol.
From a broad perspective, all of

these items that are before you have
been put forward by the administration and by the commissioners and
theyve been duly voted upon, interim DeKalb CEO Lee May told the
legislators.
One issue the county wants is
some greater clarification about incorporations.
We believe that there ought to
be a pre-petition process, May said.

The people in those areas ought to
have a say on the front-end about
whether they want it.
I liken this to our speed bump
petition, May said. If you want a
speed bump on your road, there are
two sets of petitions that you have to
move forward with. We believe that if
you have to get a petition for a speed
bump, there should be a petition pro-
cess for incorporation of a new city as

well.
May also said official notice
should be given to the county whenever there is a proposed incorporation, annexation or deannexation.
Additionally, referendums should
be countywide, May said. We believe
that when incorporations and major
annexations happen these affect the
entire county.
See Legislative on Page 10A
NEW CARD!
Effective January 9, 2016
MARTA converts to a more secure Breeze Card and the Breeze Ticket returns.
Breeze Card Changes for Regular Fare Customers

The cost of new silver Breeze Card will be $2 and will be valid for 3 years.
SILVER CARDS will be available for FREE with card registration at the
RideStores January 2016!* (Mon. the 11th Fri. the 29th, weekdays only)
*BLUE CARDS will no longer be usable after July 9th, 2017
*Breeze Tickets Return! The cost of the Breeze Ticket will be $1
Questions? Visit www.itsmarta.com or 404-848-5000.

Information regarding company, school, or university issued cards will be provided at a later date by your company or school.
local
Page 3A
AroundDekalb
avondale
estates
Ribbon-cutting ceremony for

business
Members of the Avondale Estates Board of Mayor and Commissioners and city associates will
attend the official ribbon-cutting
ceremony for The Purple Corkscrew
on Jan. 29 at 11 a.m. The Purple
Corkscrew is a wine shop with a
tasting room, located at 32 North
Avondale Road. For more information, visit www.purplecorkscrew.
com.
brookhaven
City required to change speed
limit on two roads
The speed limits on Johnson
Ferry and Ashford Dunwoody roads
have been changed from 35 mph to
40 mph.
According to a news release
from Brookhavens government, the
change was necessary to comply
with Georgia Department of Public
Safety and Georgia Department of
Transportation requirements for the
Brookhaven Police Department to
be able to use speed detection devices.
Brookhaven Police Chief Gary
Yandurawas notified by the two
state departments that Brookhavens
permits to use speed detection devices would be pulled for the entire
city if the signs were not in compliance, according to a news release.
City to host Valentines daddy/

daughter dance
Brookhavens Parks and Recreation Department will host a
Daddy/Daughter Valentines Dance
Feb. 13, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the
Lynwood Community Center. The
event will include music, dancing,
giveaways, pictures to take home
and light snacks. The price is $25
per family. Online registration is
encouraged, but walk-up payments
will also be accepted the night of the
dance. For more information, call
(404) 637-0512.
Rec center to hold blood drive

A winter blood drive will be
held Jan. 29, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
at Lynwood Park Community Cen-
ter. The center is located at 3360

Osborne Road in Brookhaven.
For more information, visit www.
brookhavenga.gov.
chamblee
City to host yearlong wellness
challenge
The city of Chamblee is sponsoring a wellness challenge for 2016.
The challenge, which offers
residents the chance to earn prizes
while improving their well-being,
will begin Jan. 30 with a wellness
fair at the Chamblee Civic Center
from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The wellness fair will highlight
Chamblee businesses such as gyms,
wellness centers and nonprofits. The
event also will feature activities such
as yoga, workout and food demonstrations.
Organized by Chamblee Parks
and Recreation, this inaugural
challenge is designed to motivate
adults and youths to get healthier by
engaging in activities that improve
wellbeing while providing opportunities to win prizes, states an announcement about the event.
Participants can earn points
for the challenge by attending the
Chamblee Wellness Fair, the Family
Field Day in April, submitting proof
of a gym membership, participating in organized races or sporting
leagues, attending city-hosted wellness seminars, volunteering with
nonprofit organizations, participating in community cleanups, and
more.
The challenge takes place Jan.
30 through Nov. 23 and participants
will be eligible for prizes such as a
Go Pro, a Fitbit, a VIP table for the
Chamblee Summer Concert Series
or a free week at Camp Chamblee.
To register for the event, go to
chambleega.gov/wellnesschallenge.
decatur
Community Service Board to
meet
The DeKalb Community Service Board will meet Jan. 28. It is
open to the public for those who
are interested in services for mental
health, addiction and developmental disabilities.
The meeting will be held at
3 p.m. at 445 Winn Way, Room 421,

Decatur.
The advocacy committee meeting will be held in the same room
at 3 p.m. and is also open to the
public.
The audit, finance and compliance meeting will be held in the
same room on Tuesday, Jan. 26, at
noon and is also open to the public.
Those with disabilities in need
of assistance or accommodations to
participate in the meeting, should
notify Community Relations at
(404) 508-7875.
D.C., and masters from Emory Universitys Goizueta Business School,

where she served on the board of
the Executive Women of Goizueta
Alumni Organization.
Muche, a native of Ethiopia, is
a graduate of the Atlanta International School and worked to pay his
way through college and became a
U.S. citizen in the late 1990s.
With a history of volunteerism,
Muche has worked extensively with
Hands on Atlanta.
Countywide
DeKalbs Mobile Career Center,

known as the jobs bus, will be stationed at various locations during
January.
The mobile unit provides residents with various services, including job search assistance, adult
workshops and training, resume
writing pointers and interviewing
tips. Businesses are also able to use
the mobile unit for recruiting, preemployment screenings, interviewing and training. More than 3,000
DeKalb residents have used the
mobile career centers services since
its launch in February 2012. The
mobile center is funded through the
Workforce Investment Act grant
and all services offered are free.
Registration open for county

spring soccer, track and field
Youth spring soccer registration
is under way until Feb. 14.
The program is for ages 4 to 14
and includes eight games for the
season. Registration ranges from
$45 to $85 per child.
Youth track-and-field registration continues until March 5. The
program is for youth ages 5 to 14
and includes four track meets, at a
charge of $40 per participant.
To access online registration,
visit the DeKalb County Parks
webpage at apm.activecommunities.com/dekalbcountyrecreation
or register at any DeKalb County
recreation center. Participants must
present birth certificates at the time
of registration.
For more information, call the
county athletics offfice at (770) 4142111. Practice dates and times will
be determined by individual recreation centers.
New American Pathways

welcomes new board members
New American Pathways has
elected two new members to its
board of directors: Jodi Rausch,
vice president of strategy with rDialogue, and Fasil Muche, owner/operator of Crown Cab Company.
Raush has 20 years of experience in marketing and client relations. Beginning her career with
Inter-Continental Hotels, Raush
worked with General Electric, eSecuritel, and Fiserv Inc., before
beginning with rDialogue in 2013,
according to a news release about
the board elections.
Raush earned a bachelors in international studies from The Americana University in Washington,
County jobs bus to make stops
The upcoming schedule is as follows:

Monday, Jan. 25, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.,
Salem- Panola Library, 5137 Salem
Road, Lithonia;
Tuesday, Jan. 26, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.,
West Wood College, 2309 Park
Lake Drive, Atlanta;
Wednesday, Jan. 27, 10 a.m. to 4
p.m., DeKalb Access & Resource
Center, 949 North Hairston Road,
Stone Mountain; and
Thursday, Jan. 29, 10 a.m. to 4
p.m., Gresham Library, 2418
Gresham Road SE, Atlanta.
opinion
Page 4A
DeKalbs new ethics board members not representative of community

The voters of DeKalb
spoke during the last election and by a majority vote
expressed their desire to
change how members of the
county ethics board are appointed.
Prior to the vote, members of the ethics board were
appointed by members of
the county commission and
by the county CEO. Per the
terms of House Bill 597, ethics board members now are
chosen by DeKalb Bar Association, DeKalb Chamber
of Commerce, DeKalb legislative delegation, judge of
DeKalb Probate Court, Leadership DeKalb, representatives of DeKalb colleges and
universities, and the chief
judge of DeKalb Superior
John Hewitt
johnh@dekalbchamp.com
Chief Operating Officer
Court.
Under the previous arrangement, there was too
much potential conflict of interest. At different times during the previous years, every
county commissioner and
the interim CEO had ethics

complaints filed against him
or her; these complaints were
being investigated and heard
by ethics board members
who had been appointed by
the people they were investigating.
Even though the new
composition of the board is a
much-needed improvement,
there are still concerns. The
new face of the board of
ethics is disproportionately
White; and unless the seventh member, who will be
appointed by the legislation
delegation, is female, will be
all-male.
I certainly dont claim to
be politically correct, nor do
I believe in racial or gender
quotas of any kind. I do be-
lieve, however, that the ethics

board should be representative of the community at
large.
According to the 2014
census, DeKalb County is 29
percent White alone (not
Hispanic or Latino) and 52.5
percent female. Our ethics board members should
somewhat reflect these
characteristics if for no reason other than to avoid yet
another perception of biased
opinions by the ethics board.
I have no doubt there will be
accusations of biased decisions based on race and/or
gender.
Id like to think, and
hope, that each of the newly
appointed ethics board
members is an honest indi-
vidual who will do his or her

best to offer objective opinions based on factual information presented to them.
Like it or not, when an
individuals ethics are being
questioned, there will likely
be heated discussions. These
discussions more likely than
not, will at some point become personal in nature and
have the potential of escalating to a level where some
may play the race or gender
card as a possible defense for
their actions or as an explanation of the findings of the
ethics board.
As of press time, one slot
on the ethics board remained
unfilled; Im hoping it will be
filled by a Black female.
opinion
Page 5A
ONE MANS OPINION
The way government should work

Theyll be able to fill out
a one-page document.Theyll
have to satisfy the entry requirements for a four-year
degree, but once they do that
(the process) is very easy,
Dean Peter Lyons, speaking
of the application and transfer
process between Georgia State
University (GSU) institutions
and campuses at the Jan. 13,
2016, consolidation ceremony.
What began as a good
idea a year ago on Jan. 6,
2015, has been completed in
grand style and to almost the
benefit of all concerned.Five
metro Atlanta college campuses, all part of Georgia
Perimeter College (GPC) in
DeKalb, Newton and Fulton
counties, have now merged
into the 113-year-old Georgia
State University, overnight
creating the states largest institution of higher learning, in
terms of enrollment.
The University of Georgia
remains the nations oldest
land grant institution, with
satellite campuses in Spauldings and Gwinnett counties.Georgia Tech is perhaps
our most educationally challenging public institution,
and now Georgia State, once
a modest night school for
adults going back to school
or seeking a second degree, is
the Big Kahuna.
As the costs of higher
education have been soaring,
the chancellor of Georgias
university systems Board of
Regents took note that much
of those higher costs are tied
to skyrocketing college and
Bill Crane
bill.csicrane@gmail.com
Columnist
university administrations
in terms of head count and
salaries.
The University System of
Georgia employs thousands,
but you will most often find
the highest concentration of
six-figure salaries, not in the
classroom or leading research
or departments, but in institution administrations.
Ringing metro Atlanta
there were another five sets of
administrators running the
back offices at Georgia Perimeter.Departments of admission, financial aid, offices
of the president, department
deans on multiple campuses,
etc. That will not and did not
disappear overnight, but the
consolidation of campuses
will significantly streamline
those operations, personnel
costs and hopefully in the
near term, move more dollars
back into the classrooms.
Perhaps the biggest immediate boon is that the
thousands of students attending three GPC campuses
in Clarkston, Decatur and

Dunwoody, as well as in Alpharetta and Covington now
offer associate degrees with
a direct bridge to enrollment
and a much simpler admissions process to the four-year
programs and degrees of
Georgia State University.
These former GPC institutions will not be raising
tuitions overnight, nor is
GSU lowering its admission
standards, but the former will
now have vastly improved
access and transfer-ability to
the latter. Roughly 20 percent
of GSUs current enrollment
had already come from these
campuses previously.
We just want to take
something thats worked well
in the past and make it much
more seamless, said GSU
President Mark Becker.
But what Becker and
University System of Georgia
Chancellor Hank Huckaby
have accomplished is much
more than that. In much the
same way that the HOPE
scholarship raised the admissions bar for UGA, and as
a result the perceived value
of a University of Georgia
diploma for prior alumni
(including the author of this
column). Thousands of associate degree holders now
become Georgia State University alumni. And the rapidly expanding GSU Panther
sports program also potentially picks up several thousand new fans in time for that
baseball stadium conversion
of The Ted.
Academic rigor and performance will be rewarded

with HOPE and perhaps Zell
Miller Scholarships, and potentially a more worthwhile
and marketable degree.Students transitioning from high
school within helicopter parent households should now
have a softer landing, perhaps
closer to home, before considering the greater freedoms,
costs and potential downfalls
of a traditional residential
campus environment.
Lower costs, better results, slower rate of growth
in costs, higher performance,
shared resources and assets,
partnerships, linkage and
pulling forward and up
these again are the performance and yes, market-based
ways in which good government can function.This will
likely also have a positive
impact on the diversity of the
student population at Georgia
State, though it starts out considerably stronger than most
in this area.
Huckaby has been a legislator, and formerly budget
director for Gov. Zell Miller.
He is the kind of public servant very deserving of being
named Georgian of the Year
in 2015 by Georgia Trend
magazine.
I began my own college education via advanced
placement classes in English,
history and pre-calculus
on the then-DeKalb Community College campus in
Clarkston.Those credits easily transferred and saved me
some time and expense during my freshman and sophomore years at UGA.I wonder
if now Im also considered an
alumnus of Georgia State, too,
as well as being a proud Bulldog.I have always liked wearing royal blue.Go Panthers!
Bill Crane also serves as
a political analyst and commentator for Channel 2s Action News, WSB-AM News/
Talk 750 and now 95.5 FM,
as well as a columnist for The
Champion, Champion Free
Press and Georgia Trend.
Crane is a DeKalb native
and business owner, living in
Scottdale. You can reach him
or comment on a column at
bill.csicrane@gmail.com.
F REE P RESS
Let Us Know What You Think!
THE CHAMPION FREE PRESS encourages opinions from its readers. Please
write to us and express your views. Letters
should be brief, typewritten and contain
the writers name, address and telephone
number for verification. All letters will be
considered for publication.
Send Letters To Editor, The Champion Free Press, P.
O. Box 1347, Decatur, GA 30031-1347; Send email
to Andrew@dekalbchamp.com FAX To: (404)
370-3903 Phone: (404) 373-7779 . Deadline for news
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to publication date.
EDITORS NOTE: The opinions written by columnists and contributing editors do not necessarily
reflect the opinions of the editor or publishers. The
Publisher reserves the right to reject or cancel any
advertisement at any time. The Publisher is not
responsible for unsolicited manuscripts.
Publisher:
John Hewitt
Chief Financial Ocer:
Dr. Earl D. Glenn
Managing Editor:
Andrew Cauthen
Production Manager:
Kemesha Hunt
Photographer:
Travis Hudgons
Sta Reporters:
Carla Parker, Ashley Oglesby
The Champion Free Press is published
each Friday by ACE III Communications,
Inc., 114 New Street, Suite E, Decatur,
GA. 30030 Phone (404) 373-7779.
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STATEMENT FROM THE

PUBLISHER
We sincerely appreciate the
discussion surrounding this and any
issue of interest to DeKalb County.
The Champion was founded in 1991
expressly to provide a forum for
discourse for all community residents
on all sides of an issue. We have no
desire to make the news only to
report news and opinions to effect
a more educated citizenry that will
ultimately move our community
forward. We are happy to present
ideas for discussion; however,
we make every effort to avoid
printing information submitted to
us that is known to be false and/or
assumptions penned as fact.
local
Page 6A
Sandra Sutton
Im just a neighbor. Im just a
concerned citizen, said Ellenwood
resident Sandra Sutton, a member
of the planning committee of South
River Water Alliance (SRWA).
Sutton has been a member of
SRWA for three years. Recently she
has worked on an effort to designate
the South River as a water trail.
Prior to being on the planning
committee, I would help with whatever projects that were going on, [including] river cleanup, Sutton said.
One such project focuses on river
cane restoration.
You go out and you pluck the
river hedge because the river will
come back if it has a space to grow,
she said.
Sutton said she volunteers with
SRWA because she wants to make a
difference.
Id like to leave a mark, she said.
Nobody will ever know I did these
things but in my mind Im leaving a

mark. So thats very selfish.
Working with SRWA is good for
the community itself, Sutton said.
South River can be a viable recreation area if it is cleaned up and
handled properly, she said. Theres
already a walking trail, so having a
water trail just highlights the community itself. It may bring in extra
revenue because we [may need] some
place to rent the canoes.
It may just be a boost for the
community and a source of pride],
Sutton said.
In addition to working with
SRWA, Sutton volunteers with Toys
for Tots.
Between the months of November and December I may put
in anywhere from six to 10 days of
volunteer work, she said. The shifts
go anywhere from two to four hours.
And its in a warehousewhich is
cold.
Additionally, Sutton volunteers with Fairfield Baptist Churchs
Thanksgiving program called Kids
Corner.
We basically give out school
supplies to help some of the children
because usually by this time whatever
was bought in September or October

has been used up, she said. We give
them a little something to tide them
over.
Sutton said she enjoys helping
others through her volunteer work.
I am helping someone else, she
said. I am stepping outside of my
comfort zone and I learn. There are
other people that I come into contact
with. I like meeting different people
and I like being busy.
Before retiring, Sutton worked
29 years in bank finance and then
owned a truck driving business with
her husband.
Sutton said everybody should try
volunteering.
There are a lot of different organizations out there, she said. You
just have to keep trying until you
find one that fits.
If you would like to nominate someone to be considered as a future Champion of the Week, please contact Andrew Cauthen
at andrew@dekalbchamp.com or at (404) 373-7779, ext. 117.
Brookhaven suspends city manager,

defers final action employment
by Carla Parker
carla@dekalbchamp.com
After a three-hour executive session, the Brookhaven
City Council agreed Jan. 13 to
participate in mediation before
making a decision on City Manager Marie Garretts employment status.
The city seeks, at all times,
to honor its obligations, also
the city council believes in
watching the taxpayers money,
Brookhaven Mayor John Ernst
said in a statement. In an effort
to reach an understanding and
amicable resolution with City
Manager Marie Garrett, we have
agreed to participate in mediation next week. Final action by
council will be deferred until
after the mediation.
On Jan. 12, Ernst and the
city council unanimously voted
to suspend Garrett. Her city hall
building access was revoked and
she was escorted from the building.
Police Chief Gary Yandura
was appointed interim city manager.
The city honors its obligations, Ernst said in a Dec. 12
statement. Unfortunately the
contract negotiated by previous
administrations is ambiguous
and does not allow the city to
know what its duties are. While
working toward an orderly transition we have become mired
Garrett
in conflict over the terms and

conditions of that agreement.
The responsible thing to do is to
have a third party resolve these
disputes. We wish Marie Garrett
well.
According to Garretts 2014
employment agreement, her annual salary was $214,000.
Garrett was hired as city
manager Feb. 26, 2013, with an
initial salary of $170,000. However, for six months she worked
as a consultant and made an
additional $24,700. In March
2014, Garrett received a pay
raise, which brought her salary
to $214,000.
According to a 2015 Municipal Wage and Salary Survey,
Garrett had the second highest
salary among city managers in
the state. She also received a
$600 allowance per month for
her car.
local
Page 7A
Jail anger management workshops enhance life skills

Part 2 of a two-part series
on mental health care at the
DeKalb County Jail
by John Hewitt
JohnH@dekalbchamp.com
The DeKalb County Jail retains
the services MHM Services Inc., a
mental health services vendor directed by Dr. William Brickhouse. Brickhouse manages a staff of 30 licensed
providers who are trained to conduct
mental health assessments and counseling along with three psychiatrists.
Mental health service providers cannot force medications or treatments of
any kind on inmates; they can, however, stabilize an inmate in an emergency situation.
A licensed professional counselor
with a calm demeanor led the weekly
anger management sessions.
On the first day of the anger
management series, after clearing security on the fifth floor, and signing
waivers regarding behavior and security, the facilitator, and I were escorted
to a glass-enclosed room furnished

only with hard plastic chairs where
the meeting was held. It was eerily
issue orange jumpsuit and flip-flops.

After settling in and hearing a brief
introduction and program overview
Anger is within itself; its

an inside thing. Anger
is inside of me. I cant
blame somebody else
for whats inside of me.
-DeKalb County Jail inmate
quiet.
One by one, six inmates entered
the room, all wearing the standard-
by the facilitator, the participants were

asked to express their thoughts and
feelings on anger.
Two of the six seemed to be actively engaged and eager to participate

in the discussiona large well-spoken
man stated, I have a paralyzing mind.
I get suicidal because of too much
stimulation. I use my mind as a remedy and lock myself in.
A young man who appeared to be
in a completely removed mental state
sat in a corner biting his lips, wincing
and nervously fidgeting. He was asked
to tell the group how he gets angry
and to give an example of how he
copes with his anger.
I yell, the inmate said. I had a
fight with my roommate after asking
him to get quiet. It went from zero to
100 in a hurry. He continued, When
I get angry, you are nothing to me.
Before Im angry, Im respectful. But
then I get worried and start to panic. I
do understand that others have priorities.
None of the other four participants chose to engage in the discussion. Some stared with a look of detachment while others shifted in their
seats, tugged at their clothing and occasionally mumbled unrecognizable
See Anger on Page 8A
local
Page 8A
NEWSBRIEFS
County to launch new mental
health court
A new county court for felony
offenders with mental illnesses will
launch this month.
The DeKalb County Felony Mental Health Court will be funded by
a $119,398 grant from the Criminal
Justice Coordinating Committee and
a $11,940 match by the countys District Attorneys Office, according to a
news release.
This is a major step in the right
direction for addressing the growing
need for mental health assistance,
curbing recidivism among those who
struggle with mental health disorders and connecting individuals and
families with critical mental health
resources, DeKalb County Superior
Court Judge Asha F. Jackson, who
initiated the creation of the court,
said in a statement.
The court is a two-year judicially
supervised treatment and alternative sentencing program in which
participants must attend counseling,
submit to random drug screens and
regularly appear in court, according
to the news release.
The program also includes psychiatric support services, group
treatment sessions and medication
maintenance compliance sessions.
To be eligible for the mental
health court, a defendant must be

charged with a felony in which the
cause of the criminal behavior is related to a mental health disorder, the
news release stated.
Defendants with borderline
personality disorder or individuals
charged with murder, rape, aggravated child molestation, aggravated sodomy, kidnapping with bodily injury,
armed robbery, aggravated sexual
battery, felony sexual battery or any
sex crime requiring the defendant to
register as a sex offender would not
be eligible for the program, according to the news release.
This grant from the Criminal
Justice Coordinating Committee was
imperative for us to begin addressing
our high-risk and high-need mentally ill population here in DeKalb
County, DA Robert James said in a
statement. There tends to be a revolving door in the criminal justice
system for individuals who suffer
from untreated or unmanaged mental health issues. This court encompasses accountability and assistance
to help break recidivism among this
population.
The Criminal Justice Coordinating Committee recently provided
$28,000 in additional grant funding
to assist with housing, transportation and medication needs for participants in the program, the news
release stated.
Fredericka Dent will serve as
executive director for the court.
online at www.dekalbmedical.org/
foundation/scholarships or by calling
(404) 501-1344.
Applications being accepted for

healthcare scholarship
Commissioners approve new

animal shelter
The DeKalb Medical Foundation

is accepting applications for the Dr.
Gulshan S. Harjee Scholarship Program through April 30.
To apply for the scholarship, students must compete an application,
submit an essay addressing the four
points listed in the application and
be accepted into an approved program.
This scholarship can be awarded
contingent on the students acceptance into the college program of
choice. It can be used for students
interested in becoming patient care
techs, licensed practical nurse certification, registered nurses, health
care social workers, pharmacy techs
or any other designation that offers
an education enabling the student to
work in healthcare.
The program provides scholarships up to $1,500 payable to the
school of the recipients choice.
The DeKalb Medical Foundation
has provided more than 44 Harjee
Scholarships totaling more than
$59,000 since 1993.
Applications can be obtained
The new DeKalb County Animal

Shelter received a nod from county
commissioners Jan. 13.
The commissioners approved the
construction of a new 33,440-squarefoot structure near DeKalb Peachtree
Airport. In addition to the building,
the $8.66 million price tag includes
parking lots, erosion and sediment
control, grading, a bioretention area,
sidewalks, paving on Reeves Street
and a stormwater pond.
The construction contract goes
to the lowest bidder, Reeves Young
LLC of Suwanee.
Commissioners decided to determine the funding for the shelter later.
Commissioners are currently
reviewing the 2016 budget and will
make a determination about the
most appropriate source of funding
as we review and finalize the budget,
DeKalb Commissioner Nancy Jester
said in a statement. We are working to best determine whether to use
accumulated cash reserves or certificates of participation.
Anger Continued From Page 7A

words and sounds.
Participants were given
handouts to complete and
bring back when they returned the following week.
They were instructed to write
down situations that angered
them and how they reacted so
they could be shared with the
group at the next session.
One week later at the
same time and in the same
glass-enclosed room, we
gathered for session two of
the four-week workshop. The
topic focused on how the
participants coped with situations in the previous week
that made them feel angry.
There were only four participants this week and the same
two who were engaged and
participated in the previous
meeting were quick to speak.
The younger guy raised
his hand and said, I got
angry watching TV. I was
watching wrestling, but they
changed the TV. I was angry,
but I let it go. The facilitator affirmed to him that his

decision to not react was appropriate and explained that
in normal day-to-day interactions with others we often are
in situations that may bother
us a bit but that we have to
learn to not allow our anger
to get out of control.
The larger guy seemed
eager to share his experience
from the last week after hearing reassuring words from
the facilitator. Somebody
took something from me and
I got angry. But, I calmed
down, he said. Im getting
out of here soon and I want to
continue anger management
classes. I want to get a job and
return back to normal life.
Ive been here two months
and am ready to get out.
For the third session,
there were also four inmate
participants. Each to share
with the group any events
from the previous week that
may have caused them to experience anger. The usual two

plus one more raised their
hands to share their thoughts.
One inmate said, I felt impatient. Lunch was served late
one day. The second inmate
added with a grin I was in
control all week with my anger.
I get disappointed when
I get angry, the third one
stated.
The facilitator then
began discussing the topic
of criticism and the importance of being able to cope
with it. Certain criticism is
good criticismbut in some
cases it can be infringing,
she stated. She then asked the
participants to write how they
usually handle criticism.
There was a long period
of silence from the participants. It appeared that the
participants were struggling
with how to express their feelings.
Suddenly the large gentleman who had been active

in each of the prior sessions
raised his hand to announce
that he was ready to share his
thoughts.
Anger is within itself;
its an inside thing. Anger is
inside of me. I cant blame
somebody else for whats inside of me.
Mine is inherited like
Jacob in the Bible who took
land from his brother [Esau].
Its [anger] a disability like
it was with Cain and Abel.
He continued, I have a 24hour mind facilitywere
rehabilitated to do good, he
concluded.
In the last session, the facilitator reviewed anger coping and relaxation skills along
with 12 anger management
techniques with the group
prior to giving those who attended all sessions a certification of workshop completion.
The facilitator said, I
hope whatever they learned

in the group sessions, [can be]
utilized in society and carried
into the workplace and the
home.
Brickhouse said the ultimate goal of the workshops
and training sessions offered
by his staff is the enhancement of life skills.
Brickhouse further commented that in comparison
to the general inmate population of the jail, whose average
stay is 30 days, inmates in the
mental health division have
an average stay of 90 days.
The additional time can be attributed to a combination of a
lack of community resources
such as family support and
housing options as well as
a more complicated legal
situation due to the inmates
mental state, according to
Brickhouse.
local
Page 9A
Kathy Powells work is currently on display at the NorthlakeBarbara Loar Library.
Nature is a favorite photography theme for John Gronwall.
Tucker Arts Guild President John Gronwall shows a photo he printed on special paper thats among those hes displaying at
the library.
Tucker Arts Guild shows members work at library

by Kathy Mitchell
Visitors to a Tucker library this
year will have the opportunity to see
what their neighbors have been up
to artistically. The Tucker Arts Guild
started in November 2015 displaying
members work in the NorthlakeBarbara Loar Library meeting room.
The exhibits will continue through
the end of 2016.
The work of two artists is displayed for two months then removed
and another two artists work is put
on exhibit.
This is a way of bringing more
people into the library as well as
strengthening our relationship with
the community, said Mary Ann
Dodd of Friends of NorthlakeBarbara Loar Library, sponsor of the
exhibit.
The January-February exhibit
features the work of Tucker Arts
Guild president John Gronwall,
whose specialty is mixed media
nature photography. I print photographs Ive taken on special paper,
giving them the textured look of a
painting, Gronwall explained. Presenting with him is Kathy Powell,
who works in various media and specializes in fabric art.
The artists select the work they
would like to display and library officials approve it before its presented
to the public. We cant display anything that might be offensive since
this is a public space used by any
Fabric art is Kathy Powells specialty.
area residents, including children,

who care to come here, Gronwall
said. Other than that, we can display
whatever we like.
The Tucker Arts Guild describes
itself on its website as an organization of artists interested in highlighting and promoting the artistic
aspects of the community and
states that its purpose is to create
an environment which is conducive
to the growth and development of
individual artists in the Tucker area
through interaction, inspiration and
education.
The Tucker area, Gronwall said,
includes more than the city itself.
We have people from Stone Mountain, Lawrenceville, Decatur and
other areas. We welcome anyone interested in art.

There are a lot of very good artists in Tucker, he continued. Im
not sure why, but we have more really talented artists than you might
expect in a city of our population.
The guild, he said, started with
a group of neighbors who shared
an interest in art. As I understand
it, four households who all lived on
the same cul-de-sac started getting
together to talk about art and in time
that became the Tucker Arts Guild.
Describing the membership as a
fun group, Gronwall said the guild
welcomes artists at all skill levels
and all genres. Over the years weve
seen just about every mediapencil,
charcoal, pottery, oils, photography,
sculpture, even jewelry making.
Gronwall, who has been president for seven years, said one of the
things he likes about the guild is that
it does not critique the work of its
member artists. There are arts organizations that have their members
present their work and other members criticize it. Those sessions tend
to be negative and often are discouraging for the aspiring artist.
His view of what an arts organization should be echoes the philosophy expressed on the Tucker Arts
Guild website: Tucker Arts Guild
believes artists are real people and
real people are artists. We believe
all people are artists in some way,
whether they paint a beautiful por-
trait, plant a luscious garden, build

furniture, play piano, sew, quilt,
write, act or raise wonderful children. There is artistry in all of life.
We are inclusive. Art is subjective.
We dont allow art critics to dictate
what is good.
Most members of the guild are
not full-time professionals, Gronwall
noted. For some its a hobby. Some
are students just starting out as artists.
Gronwall said he has been interested in photography for many years
and started spending more time with
it after retiring from a banking job.
My wife was working on an advance
degree and she needed me to get out
of the house so she could study in
peace, he said with a smile.
Some meetings feature guest artists; at some, members talk to the
group about their work. Many of
them are shy and an organization
like this gives them an opportunity
to present in front of a small, supportive group. It helps them to be
more confident when they are called
on to present in front of a larger
group of people they dont know, he
commented.
Northlake-Barbara Loar Library
is located at 3772 LaVista Road,
Tucker. Visitors may view the art exhibits during normal library hours,
10 a.m.5 p.m., except when the
meeting room is in use. The phone
number is (404) 679-4408.
local
Page 10A
legislation Continued From Page 2A

County officials want
proposed cities to provide
a study of the impact of the
incorporation on county services and finances.
Legislators have a rule
that there has to be a feasibility study, but thats for the
proposals for incorporations.
But that didnt have anything
to do with the impact that it
will have on the county, May
said.
The county also wants
rules about how boundaries
are settled so that boundaries
are not drawn based upon the
value of the property, but they
are drawn based upon some
sensible geographicalmeasures, May said.
Commissioner Sharon
Barnes Sutton told the legislators about the countys
desire for the establishment of
a charter review commission
to look comprehensively at
the countys Organizational
Act to address, among other
itmes, the delineation of powers and determine whether
the countys CEO position
should be changed to a hired
county manager.
This is really important,
we believe, so that there wont
be changes that cause unintended consequences that
are really detrimental to the
county and sometimes to the
entire state, Sutton said.
As we look at changing
our organizational structure
in DeKalb County, we want
to make sure that its changed
for the betterso we can better meet the needs of our constituents, Sutton said.
We need a clear road
map. We want to make sure
that the powers are balanced,
she said.
Its very dangerous to
go in and make piecemeal
changes, Sutton said. We
look to you to treat our Organizational Act as an ecosystem. Anything you do in one
section is going to affect way
on down the line.
Commissioner Kathie
Gannon presented a list of
items in the current Organizational Act that were
inadvertently changed over
the course of changing some
other things and some things
that we would almost consider to the level of a typo that
we would like you to look at.
For example in one section, the Super District commissioners are referred to
as at large commissioners,
said Gannon, a Super District
commissioner.
This makes a difference when it comes to such
things as zoning and other

things, she said. It gives the
impression that we represent the whole county, so we
would just like that language
changed.
Additionally, under the
Organizational Act, the county is required to complete an
legislators representing DeKalb met to hear what county leaders want from the General Assembly. Photo
outside audit in 90 days, while State
by Andrew Cauthen
a new state law allows for 180
notice.
We would just like to be the
situation, said Commissioner
days.
We
need
to
go
back
to
same
as
the
rest
of
the
state
on
Nancy Jester. It will enable
We are closer to the 180
the
rules
that
had
under
Rethis
particular
issue.
us to be more assertive and

days than the 90 because we
corders
Courtto
be
able
Another
item
the
county
successful in enforcing the
are a very big countyit takes
to
serve
people
that
are
hard
wants
legislators
to
address
is
codes.
a long time, Gannon said.
how code violators are served to find with a tack-and-mail
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
TheMayorandCityCounciloftheCityofChamblee,GeorgiawillholdapublichearingonThursday,February11,2016,atthe
ChambleeCivicCenter,3540BroadStreet,Chamblee,GA30341at6:00p.m.toreceivepubliccommentsregardingthefollowing
matters:
Steven Ellis of Pro Building Systems requests variances of the following provisions of the City of Chamblee Ordinances, Appendix A, Unified Development
Ordinance with respect to a lot consisting of 11.1171 acres zoned Corridor Commercial located at 5625 and 5665 New Peachtree Road, Chamblee, GA being
parcels 18-309-05-001 and 18-309-05-005:
1. Relief from the provisions of Sec. 230-5 Street Dimensions Table to eliminate the landscape zone and sidewalk requirements leaving the existing
sidewalk in place.
2. Relief from Sec. 230-33(a)(1)c. that requires buildings over 50 ft. in height to step back the upper portion of the faade by ten feet from the portion of the
faade located below the transitional height plane;
3. Relief from Sec. 240-13(h)(1)d. that requires a 5 ft. wide lighted pedestrian entrance and walkway passing through a parking structures that is longer
than 250 ft.
4. Relief from Sec. 240-13(h)(1)f. that requires that a multi-story parking structure open to the sky shall be landscaped to provide adequate shade cover for
a minimum of 40 percent of the upper surface.
5. Relief from Sec. 320-21(a)(1) that requires landscape islands in parking lots for every ten parking spaces and at the terminus of all rows of parking.
6. Relief from Sec. 320-21(a)(4) that requires 5 ft. wide grass strip in parking lots separating the wheel bumpers of head-to-head rows of parking.
7. Relief from Sec 350-25 that requires utilities in public or private rights-of-way to be placed underground for new developments of 20,000 sq. ft. or more.
Charles Medlin of Locomotion Brewing Company requests a variance from City of Chamblee Ordinances, Appendix A, Unified Development Ordinance, to
permit a craft brewery containing 20,900 sq. ft. in the Village Commercial Zoning District whereas Section 240-13(g)(2)a. limits the maximum permitted size of
a craft brewery to 15,000 sq. ft. Variance is requested for property located at 3880 Broad Street, Chamblee, GA being DeKalb County Tax parcel 18-308-15014.
Taylor Smith of Terminus Rusted, LLC requests variances of the following provisions of the City of Chamblee Ordinances, Appendix A, Unified Development
Ordinance with respect to a lot consisting of 0.516 acres zoned Village Commercial located at 5486 Peachtree Road, Chamblee, GA being DeKalb County
tax parcel 18-309-11-068:
1. Sec. 250-2(a) to reduce the minimum number of required parking spaces from 53 to 21.
2. Sec. 230-2(a) to reduce the minimum required corner side yard from 10 ft. to 6.5 ft. on Broad Street.
3. Sec 230-2(a) to reduce the minimum required rear yard from 20 ft. to 4.5 ft.
4. Sec. 230-2(a) that requires the maximum impervious surface on a lot to be 80 percent.
5. Sec. 230-2(a) that requires the minimum open space on a lot to be 20 percent.
6. Sec. 230-5, Street Dimensions Table, to reduce the landscape zone and sidewalk requirements leaving the existing sidewalk in place on Peachtree
Road and Broad St.
7. Sec. 230-27(c) regarding the design of streetscapes along Peachtree Road and Broad St. including sidewalk zone, landscape zone, street trees and
streetlights.
8. Sec. 320-21(a)(1) that requires landscape islands in parking lots for every ten parking spaces and at the terminus of all rows of parking.
9. Sec. 230-30(b)(1) that requires 18 ft. interior floor-to-ceiling height for ground floor of buildings located on storefront streets
10. Sec. 240-13(c) that requires restaurants with outdoor seating to locate such seating in the front or side yard and abutting a sidewalk.
11. Sec. 230-6(a)(2) and 250-7(a)(1) to allow parking in front of the building.
12. Sec. 250-5(b) that requires at least 3 bicycle parking spaces to be located within the landscape zone a maximum distance of 100 feet from the building
entrance, or shall be located at least as close as the closest automobile space.
13. Sec. 350-2(a)(1)d. that prohibits access from Broad Street when access can be achieved via a street with a lesser classification (Peachtree Road)
14. Section 350-2(a)(1)e. that prohibits driveways located between the sidewalk and a building, and requires that they be perpendicular to any adjacent
street (Peachtree Road).
15. Section 320-20(a) that requires a 10 ft. wide landscape strip for front yards and street side corner yards along the street frontage (Peachtree Road and
Broad Street).
Andy Lasky, of Blue Top, LLC requests variances of the following provisions of the City of Chamblee Ordinances, Appendix A, Unified Development
Ordinance with respect to a lot consisting of 0.273 acres zoned Village Commercial located at 5362 Peachtree Road, Chamblee, GA being DeKalb County
tax parcel 18-299-16-006:
1. Sec. 250-2(a) to reduce the minimum number of required parking spaces from 20 to 10.
2. Sec. 230-2(a) to reduce the minimum required front yard from 15 ft. to 13.5 ft. on Peachtree Road.
3. Sec 250-22(b) to reduce the minimum required setback for a dumpster in the rear yard from 5 ft. to 0 ft.
4. Sec. 230-30(b)(1) that requires 18 ft. interior floor-to-ceiling height for ground floor of buildings located on storefront streets
5. Sec. 240-13(c) that requires restaurants with outdoor seating to locate such seating in the front or side yard and abutting a sidewalk.
6. Sec. 250-5(b) that requires at least 3 bicycle parking spaces to be located within the landscape zone a maximum distance of 100 feet from the building
entrance, or shall be located at least as close as the closest automobile space.
Michael Fletcher of Ecologics Design requests variances of the following provisions of the City of Chamblee Ordinances, Appendix A, Unified Development
Ordinance with respect to a lot consisting of 0.66 acres zoned Neighborhood Residential -1 (NR-1) located at 4118 West Johnson Circle, Chamblee, GA
being DeKalb County tax parcel 18-334-01-050:
o
Sec. 350.2(a)(1)c. that limits the width of a one-way drive to 12 ft. The applicant proposes a 20 ft. wide driveway.
Leonard Meltz of Parkside Development Group, LLC requests approval of a Development of Community Impact in accordance with City of Chamblee
Ordinances, Appendix A, Unified Development Ordinance, Section 280-6 for the purpose of constructing a mixed-use development consisting of 189 multifamily dwelling units, 6,900 sq. ft. of non-residential space and a parking structure for 354 cars on 2.99 acres of property located at 5251 Peachtree
boulevard, Chamblee, GA, being DeKalb County Tax parcel 18-299-14-005.
local
Page 11A
Gary McDaniel (center) was one of the first 17 Black students who integrated Cross Keys. Photos by Carla Parker
Lynwood Integrators remembers first day of school integration

by Carla Parker
you in this spot, Ernst said.

who we are here to honor
So tonight we celebrate what
and thank for their role in
occurred 50 years agosome
the civil rights of the state of
In 1965, the lives of
Georgia and DeKalb County. call it progress, obviously
for others it was just the
Blacks students at Lynwood
It is our story and we are
way it was. But the fact of
Park Elementary and High
grateful to yall for making
the matter is as a society we
School were changed forevhistory, for making this difstill struggle with education
ersome would say for the
ference.
better, but majority may feel
The event included a dis- equality.
Gary McDaniel, who
otherwise.
cussion panel, songs and stoWhen the DeKalb Counries from the integrators of
ty School District integrated
their own experiences. At the See Integration on Page 21A
schools, it closed Lynwood
end of the event, Brookhaven
Park Elementary and High
District
1
Councilwoman
Linley
Mayor John Ernst presented
Mark Winne of WSB TV was the
schoolan all-Black school
Master of Ceremonies for the event. Jones represents the Lynwood area. a city proclamation. Ernst
MOVE IN/OUT CLEANNG
in the Brookhaven area
said what the Integrators
all-White institutions over
students standing outside
forcing the children to attend the school lined up across
CleaningByMarines.com
went through should not
the course of the years from
neighboring White schools,
have
occurred.
1966
to
1968.
Those
children
the entrance. When we got
including Cross Keys and
History and God put
are the Lynwood Integrators,
off the school bus we had to
Chamblee high schools.
fight our way in. They would
We werent given any
stand out there with python
say-so initially as to what
snakes around their necks
we were going to do, said
FREE Family Reunion Planning
FREE Customer Service
and things like that. It was
Ronald McClendon, who
rough.
Wo r k s h o p & S h o w c a s e
Tr a i n i n g C l a s s
integrated Chamblee. We
These were a few of
were just gathered in a group many stories that were
Discover DeKalbs Reunion Specialist
Professional trainer, Donna Satchell
in the gym in 1965 and told
will
teach
you
everything
you
need
to
of STARR Consulting & Training,
shared Jan. 18 during
thats what was going to hap- Brookhavens MLK Day
know to plan the perfect
will teach you the importance of providing
pen and we were going to
outstanding service and help you enhance
Family Reunion in DeKalb County!
Lynwood Integrators event
have to make a transition.
your service skills in this motivating and
at the Lynwood Community
Workshop - 10 a.m. to Noon
What some thought to
invigorating free class.
Center. The event was held
Showcase - Noon to 2 p.m.
be a historic moment and a
to honor the Black students
progressive step was a fright- from Lynwood Park Elemenening experience for some
tary and High School who
students. They say they went integrated the White schools.
from a loving and nurturing The city dubbed them the
educational environment to
Lynwood Integrators.
a horrific and hostile enviAlthough the U.S. Suronment.
preme Court ruled in 1954
We had some bad expe- that racial segregation of
Tuesday, February 9th
riences at Cross Keys, said J. public schools was illegal,
Saturday,
February
20th
Eldredge Jackson.
Discover
DeKalb Conference Room
DeKalb County did not offiAtlanta Evergreen Marriott Conference Resort
When I first came in
1957 Lakeside Parkway, Suite 510
cial integrate until 1966.
4021 Lakeview Drive, Stone Mountain, GA 30083
it was mostly bullies and
Tucker, GA 30084
That wasnt really inpolicemen with dogs, there
tegration because all the
were students blocking us
schools werent integrated
from going to class, said
with all different kinds of
Family Reunion Capital of the South
Betty Hill.
children, Brookhaven CounOn our first day we had cilwoman Linley Jones said
Pre-registration is required
Pre-registration is required
to fight, said Cassandra
Call 770-492-5018
Call 770-492-5014
during the ceremony. The
Bryant. When we arrived
children from this school
Register online at AtlantasDeKalb.com Register online at AtlantasDeKalb.com
at the school, there were
were removed and sent into
(404) 975-9002
local
Page 12A
DeKalb police investigating

multiple crimes
by Carla Parker
DeKalb County police are
working to solve three crimes that
occurred in one day.
The first incident occurred
the morning of Jan. 13 in Lithonia
on Willowick Drive, where police
responded to a domestic dispute
that turned into a standoff. Peter
Thompson, 42, was arrested and
charged with false imprisonment
and aggravated assault for holding a woman at knifepoint.
According to the police re-
port, when the responding officer

got to the scene, the victims sister
said the woman was hiding in
the closet because she was afraid
that she was going to get stabbed
with a knife by Peter, a relative of
the family.
The officer called the victims
cell phone, and the victim said
the suspect told her if the police
attempted to come in the house
he would stab her with a knife
before he goes back to jail, the
report stated.
Hours later, Thompson came
outside of the home to smoke a
Year Police From Page 24A
DeKalb Police investigate a crime scene at Zaxbys on Memorial Drive on Jan. 13. Photo by Andrew
Cauthen
Stone Mountain Councilman Steve Wells and 11-year-old Travarius Thomas picks up trash around Leila Mason Park. Photos by Carla Parker
Volunteers clean park for MLK Day

by Carla Parker
Stone Mountain city officials, residents and
volunteers gathered again for the citys annual
King National Day of Service project at Leila
Mason Park Jan. 18.
The volunteers honored Dr. Martin Luther
King Jr.s legacy by cleaning Leila Mason Park
in Shermantown. Councilman Steve Wells, who
co-organized the event, said the service project
is a way to bring the community together and
honor Kings message.
[We] have this day of service where we can
really give back to the surrounding community,
come together as a group and get to know our
neighbors while improving the area, Wells said.
Some groups picked up trash in the area
while others cut weeds and blew away dead
leaves from the nearby Shermantown Cemetery.
Shermantown is a historically Black area in
Stone Mountain. After speaking with residents
of the area, Wells said the city promoted the
service project was a good opportunity for all
residents to get to know one another.
Its an opportunity for groups of people that

maybe dont interact every day, to come together
and get to know each other better, Wells said. I
think that is the best way to foster a relationship
and build relationships and get together with
people to accomplish great things. Being that
Martin Luther King was the greatest advocate of
civil rights, we wanted to come together with the
African-American area to improve that part of
town. We do other things throughout the year at
other parks around the city, and just feel like its
appropriate to be here and do a lot of good work
in this area.
Travarius Thomas, 11, was one of the volunteers who spent his day off from school serving the community.
I wanted to help Mr. Steve and clean up all
of the trash, he said.
Although Thomas was not alive during the
civil rights period, he understands that King
fought for equal rights and unity among all
Americans.
I know that he helped us and he fought
for civil rights, he fought for us to vote and he
A volunteer cuts weeds at Leila Mason Park Jan. 18.
fought [to end] segregation, Thomas said.
In
WEEK
local
Page 13A
PICTURES
Those seeking justice in the death of unarmed Anthony Hill camped the night of Jan. 18 in subfreezing temperatures on the lawn of the DeKalb County Courthouse. Photos by John Hewitt
23
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lawsuit
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Continued From Page 1A

Bishop Robert Wright of the
the use of an assault weapon, Oliver
Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta said,
said. We in Georgia were lucky, but
many, many other citizens across this We need to have a conversationa
real conversationand we need to
nation simply have not been lucky.
Patrick Parsons, executive direc- pass some legislation about assault
tor of Georgia Gun Owners, the states weapons.
When I think about these very
largest gun rights organization with
extreme and extraordinary weapons
more than 12,000 members, said,
Any legislator who supports gun con- in the hands of people who have no
business having these types of weaptrol or this bill will be held accountable during the legislative session and ons in their hands, it makes me fear
for our men and women in law enwill be held accountable at the polls
forcement, Wright said.
on Election Day.
He urged the audience to help
Legislators out there, if you suplaw enforcement officials to continue
port this, you will be exposed, Parsons told reporters after Olivers news to have the upper hand as they go
about their work doing the business
conference. Gun owners will know
about it. Voters will hold you account- of protecting and serving us, Wright
said.
able at the polls.
This kind of assault weapon,
Parsons said his organization opthese extraordinary magazines and
poses the confiscation of guns.
these armor-piercing bullets are just
If you look at her bill there are
beyond necessary, Wright said. No
literally hundreds of guns that they
want us to come and turn in, he said. one needs this. For what reason do
you need this? The hunter doesnt
No compromise. Not going to hapneed this. The sportsman doesnt need
pen.
this.
Theres no compromise on our
I understand the damage that
rights, Parsons said. The Second
this kind of weapon can do, said
Amendment is the Second AmendWright, a Navy veteran. I see absoment. You do not need a permit. You
lutely no need for these to be available
dont need a weapons license.
Page 15A
to the average citizen.

Rev. David Lewicki, co-pastor of
North Decatur Presbyterian Church
and chairman of Presbyterians for a
Better Georgia, said, Weapons are
not the source of our power. Weapons
lead to death. They are a source of our
sickness and our disease.
Weapons are created for one purpose: to kill, to maim, to disfigure and
to terrorize, Lewicki said. For the
sake of peace, these do not belong in
our homes and in our communities.
Rev. Gary Charles, senior pastor
of Central Presbyterian Church, said
more guns do not equal more safety.
Gun owners should be required
to undergo training and background
checks before having the privilege of
owning a deadly weapon like a car or
a gun, Charles said.
It does not infringe on my rights
that I have had to register my car...and
I have had to pass a driving proficiency class before I could operate that
deadly weapona car, he said.
As a pastor, I am here to resist
the fearmongering of the gun lobby
in America that makes no distinction
about guns and which guns should be
readily available for sale, Charles said.
Everyday citizens do not need to own

military assault weapons in order to
hunt quail.
The Second Amendment is not
about quail hunting, Parsons said.
The Second Amendment is about
defending our families and defending
ourselves against a tyrannical government.
We dont believe there should be
any government restrictions on our
Second Amendment rights, he said.
What some call assault weapons
are self defense rifles, Parsons said.
They are not intended for hunting.
They are intended to defend our families and defend our state and defend
our country.
Passage of Olivers bill would be
a tyrannical attack on our Second
Amendment rights and a less safe
Georgia, Parsons said.
Shortly after the news conference,
House Speaker David Ralston told
reporters, As long as I am speaker of
this House, I will not use any of our
valuable time taking away the constitutional rights of our citizens.
Volunteers from Lou Walker Senior Center ushered at the countys

King Day celebration.
Starla Martyn performed a praise dance while the countys choir

sang.
MLK DAY Continued From Page 1A

DeKalbs annual MLK Day employee-planned
program featured songs by a county employee choir
and praise dancing by Starla Martyn.
The keynote address was delivered by Rev.
Marlin D. Harris, the founding pastor of New Life
Church in Decatur.
Dr. King spoke about today before today was
ever possible, Harris said. Its a dream that saw
beyond the conditions of his commonplace circumstances and he dreamed of a world where we would
be able to do exactly what were doing right now:
Blacks and Whites, Jews and gentiles, Protestant
and Catholic, sitting together in one common unity
for one common purpose.
Speaking on the programs theme of Civil
Rights to Human Rights: The Courage to Lead,
Harris said, Human rights are basic to all human
beings. Civil rights, on the other hand, arise only
From left, Commissioners Kathie Gannon, Jeff Rader and Stan Watson attended the King Day program. Photos by
Andrew Cauthen
out of the virtue of legal grant, such as the rights

imparted in the American Constitution.
We know, that in the grim reality of the African-American lives,[Blacks were] categorically
and systematically denied those basic human rights
and civil rights and it was not even a discussion if
they would be considered a citizen of our country,
Harris said.
We know that you can write it on paper, but
until it gets lived out in the fabric of our everyday
existence in our country, it is not a reality for anyone if it is not a reality for everyone, Harris said.
Today after civil rights, today in the 21st century, today after the marches on Washington, today
after marching in Selma, today after integration
and segregation,even today we are still racially
profiled, Harris said. Today we still struggle to
get the same opportunities. Even today a Trayvon
Martin can be shot down just because he is walking

home.
Harris said, The condition of any [people] can
always be related to their common heritage and
their common experiences.
The struggle of Blacks has left a psychological imprint on them, he said. That psychological
imprintis easily seen in our modern and common culture today. We no longer have chainsthat
shackle our legs down. We no longer have whips
and stripes on our backs.
Were not slaves in the natural sense, but so
many of us are still plagued with psychological enslavement, Harris said. Too many of us have been
left behind.
Last time we could blame somebody else, he
said. This time its up to us to change our own psychological condition.
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
The DeKalb County Board of Commissioners will hold Public Hearings on the 2016 Proposed Budget
at the times and places listed below:
Tuesday
February 9, 2016
10:00AM

Maloof Center Auditorium

1300 Commerce Drive, Decatur
Tuesday
February 23, 2016
10:00AM

Maloof Center Auditorium

1300 Commerce Drive, Decatur
All interested citizens are invited to attend these hearings and have the right to present comments pertaining
to the proposed budget.
The recommended budget is available for public inspection in the Office of Management & Budgeting, 6th
Floor, Maloof Center, at all DeKalb County Libraries during normal business hours, and electronically
at www.dekalbcountyga.gov.
DeKalb County, Georgia FY16 Proposed Budget Resolution

FY15 Current
FY16 Proposed
Tax Funds

General Fund (100)
Starting Fund Balance (Jan 1st)
$ 25,284,897
$ 40,786,157

Taxes
208,194,645
187,367,438
HOST Sales Taxes
51,575,201
57,665,379
Licenses & Permits
4,500

0
Intergovernmental
1,480,002
1,391,090
Charges for Services
43,260,153
51,950,857
Fines & Forfeitures
9,009,256
9,300,350
Miscellaneous
2,617,597
3,906,200
Other Financing Sources
3,421,435
4,775,429
Total Revenue
$ 319,562,789
$ 316,356,743

Animal Control
0
4,086,738
Board of Commissioners
3,365,687
3,388,295
Budget, Office of Management and
762,870
1,250,612
Chief Executive Officer (4)
1,349,339
987,254
Child Advocate
2,355,103
2,532,649
Citizen Help Center a.k.a. 311
0
157,243
Clerk of Superior Court
7,743,424
7,932,058
Communications (4) (3)
0
1,061,567
Community Service Board
1,984,057
1,984,057
Contributions
5,500,000
4,891,824
Cooperative Extension
640,910
846,823
Debt
2,704,715
5,149,258
DEMA - Dekalb Emerg Mgt Agy (1)
0
270,212
DFACS
1,278,220
1,278,220
District Attorney
13,807,764
14,564,144
Economic Development
1,372,001
1,250,000
Elections
2,105,610
4,210,994
Ethics Board
215,242
215,242
Executive Assistant
1,378,904
1,482,381
Facilities
17,306,390
17,696,728
Finance
7,853,070
8,762,221
Fire (General Fund)
9,031,360
8,688,330
Geographic Information Systems
2,428,232
2,506,758
Health, Board of
4,155,634
4,155,634
Human Resources
3,959,044
3,973,364
Human Services
4,811,844
4,945,477
Internal Audit
0
1,000,000
IT
23,221,604
23,745,677
Juvenile Court
6,874,983
6,899,419
Law
5,007,169
4,443,629
Library
14,350,336
15,200,186
Magistrate Court
3,158,077
3,401,470
Medical Examiner
2,455,589
2,638,889
Non-Departmental
17,761,825
13,275,126
Planning & Development
1,743,767
1,829,802
Police (General Fund) (1) (3)
8,104,637
9,249,374
Probate Court
1,630,384
1,729,566
Property Appraisal
4,724,449
5,419,273
Public Defender
8,702,932
9,007,435
Public Works Director
493,341
844,638
Purchasing
3,046,834
3,238,621
Sheriff
79,331,355
80,991,570
Solicitor
7,168,342
7,429,835
State Court
14,191,251
15,106,322
Superior Court
9,241,027
9,490,053
Tax Commissioner
7,313,935
7,863,895
Total Expenses
$ 314,631,257
$ 331,072,863
Ending Fund Balance (Dec 31st)
$ 30,216,429
$ 26,070,037

Fire Fund (270)
$
2,450,723
$
909,793

Taxes
44,971,724
45,447,513
HOST Sales Taxes
13,087,455
12,560,529
630,654
674,883
Miscellaneous
33,049
91,572
Total Revenue
$ 58,722,882
$ 58,774,497

Debt
0
0
Fire
50,508,616
51,850,632
Non-Departmental
7,303,670
6,836,118
Total Expenses
$ 57,812,286
$ 58,686,750
$
3,361,319
$
997,540

Designated Fund (271)
$
1,440,572
$
2,350,780

Taxes
15,011,268
20,928,214
HOST Sales Tax
4,134,303
4,264,147
Anticipated Tucker Revenue
0
3,177,994
624,476
603,204
Miscellaneous
345,914
266,093
Other Finance Sources
15,384,696
11,320,399
Total Revenue
$ 35,500,657
$ 40,560,051

Debt
0
0
Non-Departmental
6,437,210
4,680,052
Parks
12,065,863
12,508,694
Roads And Drainage (Pub Wrks)
12,371,650
17,353,889
Transportation (Public Wrks)
3,213,105
6,582,847
Total Expenses
$ 34,087,828
$ 41,125,482
$
2,853,401
$
1,785,349

Unincorporated Fund (272)
$
491,509
$ (8,034,327)

Taxes
32,427,944
27,651,044
Licenses and Permits
20,300,760
15,750,798
Fines and Forfeitures
17,594,547
10,260,211
Miscellaneous
0
(4,363)
(57,809,865)
(32,593,462)
Total Revenue
$ 12,513,386
$ 21,064,228

Chief Executive Officer (DCTV) (2)
562,462
0
Planning & Sustainability
5,221,292
5,576,910
Recorders Court (1)
2,152,415
0
Traffic Court
2,657,969
4,385,301
Non-Departmental
1,919,764
2,539,533
Total Expenses
$ 12,513,902
$ 12,501,744

$
490,993
$
528,157

Hospital Fund (273)
$
(559,125)
$
2,336,449

Taxes
15,946,333
12,858,681
HOST Sales Taxes
4,350,475
4,781,698
Total Revenue
$ 20,296,808
$ 17,640,379

Subsidy to Grady Hospital
12,429,986
12,443,936
Grady Bond Payments
6,114,938
7,476,750
Total Expenses
$ 18,544,924
$ 19,920,686
$
1,192,759
$
56,142

Police Fund (274)
$
8,891,699
$
932,312

Taxes
48,091,590
59,988,853
HOST Sales Tax
16,924,520
13,440,344
593,182
520,000
Anticipated Tucker Revenue
0
12,196,663
385,314
369,703
Miscellaneous
87,366
89,000
46,154,090
26,163,947
Total Revenue
$ 112,236,062
$ 112,768,510

Debt (was in Non-Departmental)
0
0
Non-Departmental
14,141,270
12,386,448
Police
97,292,352
97,823,553
Total Expenses
$ 111,433,622
$ 110,210,001
$
9,694,139
$
3,490,821

Countywide Bond Fund (410)
$
3,827,767
$
1,619,158

Taxes
643,911
10,634,145
Total Revenue
$
643,911
$ 10,634,145

Debt Service
2,328,500
11,625,700
Total Expenses
$
2,328,500
$ 11,625,700
$
2,143,178
$
627,603

Unincorporated Debt Svc (411)
$
7,336,113
$
2,905,906

Taxes
11,679,580
14,575,688
Miscellaneous
10,000,000
0
Total Revenue
$ 21,679,580
$ 14,575,688

Debt Service
27,540,219
15,667,469
Total Expenses
$ 27,540,219
$ 15,667,469
$
1,475,474
$
1,814,125

Tax Funds Summary

Starting Fund Balance
$ 49,164,155
$ 43,806,228
Revenues
581,156,075
592,374,241
Expenses
578,892,538
600,810,695
Ending Fund Balance
$ 51,427,692
$ 35,369,774

Non-Tax Funds

Airport Fund (551)
$
8,257,413
$
6,101,901

Miscellaneous (Airport)
4,768,750
5,021,000
Total Revenue
$
4,768,750
$
5,021,000

Airport
2,919,262
2,723,693
Transfer to Capital Improvements
4,005,000
4,500,000
Total Expenses
$
6,924,262
$
7,223,693
$
6,101,901
$
3,899,208

Bldg Auth Debt Svc Fund (412)
$
175,059
$
1,345,409

Misc: Rental of Real Estate
2,704,715
2,381,285
Total Revenue
$
2,704,715
$
2,381,285

Debt Service
1,550,053
3,726,694
Total Expenses
$
1,550,053
$
3,726,694
$
1,329,721
$
0

County Jail Fund (204)
$
0
$
166,456

Intergovernmental
110,000
100,000
Fines & Forfeitures
1,057,500
1,175,000
0
0
Total Revenue
$
1,167,500
$
1,275,000

County Jail
1,149,110
1,441,456
Total Expenses
$
1,149,110
$
1,441,456
$
18,390
$
0

DCTV (PEG) Fund (203)
$
1,733,933
$
1,207,710

Investment Income
1,000
1,500
Miscellaneous (PEG Fund)
80,000
85,000
Total Revenue
$
81,000
$
86,500

PEG Fund (Less Reserve)
1,047,428
1,047,427
Total Expenses
$
1,047,428
$
1,047,427
$
767,505
$
246,783

Development Fund (201)
$
2,078,234
$
4,268,964

6,132,000
5,317,000
20,000
20,000
Investment Income
2,500
2,500
Miscellaneous (Development Fund)
(1,850)
(2,000)
Total Revenue
$
6,152,650
$
5,337,500

Plan. & Sustain. (less Reserves)
5,660,999
7,168,336
Total Expenses
$
5,660,999
$
7,168,336
$
2,569,885
$
2,438,128

Drug Abuse Tre/Ed Fund (209)
$
219,847
$
119,102

Fines & Forfeitures
225,000
225,000
Investment Income
150
150
Total Revenue
$
225,150
$
225,150

Drug Abuse Treatment & Education
444,997
344,252
Total Expenses
$
444,997
$
344,252
$
0
$
0

See 2016 Budget Resolution on Page 17
2016 Budget Resolution Continued From Page 16

E911 Fund (215)
$
3,027,777
$
3,815,890

0
0
Investment Income
6,500
5,500
Miscellaneous (911 fees)
9,851,580
9,800,000
Total Revenue
$
9,858,080
$
9,805,500

E911
12,885,857
13,539,484
Total Expenses
$ 12,885,857
$ 13,539,484
$
0
$
81,906

Foreclosure Reg. Fund (205)
677,030
437,524

$
186,500
$
195,000
Fines & Forfeitures
0
0
0
Vacant Property
Total Revenue
$
186,500
$
195,000

Foreclosure Registry
437,001
503,871
Total Expenses
$
437,001
$
503,871
$
426,529
$
128,653

Hotel/Motel Fund (275)
$
1,867,042
$
1,867,042

Taxes
5,000,000
5,000,000
Total Revenue
$
5,000,000
$
5,000,000

DeKalb Covention & Visitors Bur
2,187,500
3,004,331
Tourism Product Development
937,500
1,287,570
Transfer to Unincorporated Fund
1,875,000
2,575,141
Total Expenses
$
5,000,000
$
6,867,042
$
1,867,042
$
0

Juvenile Services Fund (208)
$
115,729
$
53,979

28,001
26,000
Investment Income
200
150
Total Revenue
$
28,201
$
26,150

Juvenile Court (Juvenile Services)
143,930
80,129
Total Expenses
$
143,930
$
80,129
$
0
$
0

Law Enf. Conf. Mon. Fund (210)
$
6,523,948
$
0

Intergovernmental
540,304
6,468,237
Total Revenue
$
540,304
$
6,468,237

Police
5,636,399
5,422,846
District Attorney
195,250
230,762
Sheriff
1,232,603
814,629
Total Expenses
$
7,064,252
$
6,468,237
$
0
$
0

Pub Saf Jud Ath Debt Fund (413)
$
3,177,963
$
2,252,862

Misc: Rental of Real Estate
0
0
Total Revenue
$
0
$
0

Other Professional Services
13,000
Lease Purchase of Juv Court Bldg
925,101
1,607,297
Total Expenses
$
925,101
$
1,620,297
$
2,252,862
$
632,565

Recreation Fund (207)
$
(42,349)
$
93,989

880,580
632,082
Total Revenue
$
880,580
$
632,082

Recreation Services
838,231
726,071
Total Expenses
$
838,231
$
726,071
$
0
$
0

Rental Motor Vehicle (280)
$
678,874
$
524,956

Taxes
477,285
504,469
Total Revenue
$
477,285
$
504,469

Rental of Porter Sanford Center
708,375
712,625
Total Expenses
$
708,375
$
712,625
$
447,784
$
316,800

Risk Management Fund (631)
$ 14,444,864
$
6,850,781

8,400,000
9,254,226
Investment Income
0
0
Payroll Deductions and Matches
95,550,000
97,200,000
Total Revenue
$ 103,950,000
$ 106,454,226

Risk Management
118,394,864
106,649,667
Total Expenses
$ 118,394,864
$ 106,649,667
$
0
$
6,655,340

Sanitation Fund (541)
$
8,882,972
$
(189,257)

63,682,000
63,682,000
Miscellaneous
181,000
181,000
Transfer from Vehicle Fund
0
1,970,000
1,052,857
2,147,143
Total Revenue
$ 64,915,857
$ 67,980,143

Finance
223,722
223,700
Transfer to Sanitation CIP
1,225,177
0
Sanitation (Less Reserves & Tran)
72,349,930
67,567,186
Total Expenses
$ 73,798,829
$ 67,790,886
$
0
$
0

Speed Humps Maint Fund (212)
$
1,399,729
$
1,399,729

290,000
275,000
Investment Income
3,000
1,000
0
0
Total Revenue
$
293,000
$
276,000

Speed Humps
379,272
385,545
Total Expenses
379,272
385,545

$
1,313,457
$
1,290,184

Stormwater Ops Fund (581)
$ 14,757,932
$
9,390,945

14,769,000
13,059,749
Investment Income
12,000
10,521
Total Revenue
$ 14,781,000
$ 13,070,270

Stormwater (Less Rerv & Trans)
23,277,936
22,252,267
Total Expenses
$ 23,277,936
$ 22,252,267
$
6,260,996
$
208,948

Street Light Fund (211)
$
2,038,673
$
1,347,642

4,450,000
4,350,000
Investment Income
0
300
0
0
Total Revenue
$
4,450,000
$
4,350,300

Street Lights (Less Reserves & Transfers)
4,898,880
5,697,942
Total Expenses
4,898,880
5,697,942

$
1,589,793
$
0

Urban Redev. Agency (414)
$
84,936
$
84,936

Rental of Real Estate
0
563,710
Other Misc Revenue (IRS Subsidy)
748,178
174,034
Total Revenue
$
748,178
$
737,744

Debt Service
748,178
737,744
Total Expenses
$
748,178
$
737,744
$
84,936
$
84,936

Vehicle Maintenance Fund (611)
$
130,789
$
0

Intergovernmental
245,889
165,000
30,103,385
32,573,331
Miscellaneous
80,000
50,000
Total Revenue
$ 30,429,274
$ 32,788,331

Fleet Management
30,560,063
32,788,331
Total Expenses
$ 30,560,063
$ 32,788,331
$
0
$
0

Vehicle Replace. Fund (621)
$ 50,728,126
$ 14,117,995

25,893,974
24,128,000
Investment Income
10,000
20,000
Miscellaneous Income
15,000,000
900,000
900,000
Total Revenue
$ 41,803,974
$ 25,048,000

Vehicle Replacement
80,841,592
35,461,500
Total Expenses
$ 80,841,592
$ 35,461,500

$ 11,690,508
$
3,704,495

Victim Assistance Fund (206)
$
49,999
$
50,000

Fines & Forfeitures
350,001
500,000
Intergovernmental
450,000
400,000
Total Revenue
$
800,001
$
900,000

Victim Assistance
850,000
950,000
Total Expenses
$
850,000
$
950,000
$
0
$
0

Water & Sewer Op Fund (511)
$ 50,882,981
$ 60,103,368

257,602,240
261,402,469
Investment Income
600,054
200,000
Transfer from Gen & San Fund
0
429,197
116,315
112,112
Total Revenue
$ 258,318,609
$ 262,143,778

Finance
8,334,055
9,903,847
Transfer to R&E
106,544,371
115,068,638
Transfer to Sinking Fund
51,728,420
48,137,294
Watershed (less Resv/Tran)
8
141,597,674
Total Expenses
$ 166,606,854
$ 314,707,453
$ 142,594,736
$
7,539,693

W&S Debt Svc Bond Fund (514)
$ 14,493,638
$ 14,713,635

Miscellaneous
541,498
250,000
51,728,420
48,137,294
Total Revenue
$ 52,269,918
$ 48,387,294

Debt Service
66,763,556
63,100,929
Total Expenses
$ 66,763,556
$ 63,100,929
$
0
$
0

Workers Comp Fund (632)
$ (6,327,365)
$
0

18,386,466
6,500,000
Investment Income
0
0
Total Revenue
$ 18,386,466
$
6,500,000

Workers Comp
12,059,101
6,500,000
Total Expenses
$ 12,059,101
$
6,500,000
$
0
$
0

Non-Tax Funds Summary

$ 180,057,774
$ 130,125,558
Revenues
623,216,992
605,593,959
Expenses
623,958,721
708,491,878
Ending Fund Balance
$ 179,316,045
$ 27,227,639

All Operating Funds Summary

$ 229,221,929
$ 173,931,786
Revenues
1,204,373,067
1,197,968,200
Expenses
1,202,851,259
1,309,302,573
Ending Fund Balance
$ 230,743,737
$ 62,597,413
2016 Emergency Solutions Grant Program

Allocation (ESGP)
Ten percent of the HOME Program Income will be used for Planning and Administration.
CDBG regulations require program income to be used before Treasury funds are expended. Program
income will be used for any approved eligible activity as outlined in the 2014-2018 Consolidated
Plan.
If more program income revenue is received than anticipated for any activity, the additional funds
will be appropriated to activities indicated in this policy.
Program income for approved revolving loan programs for small businesses in DeKalb may be
retained by the entity that is managing the program or returned to the County. The County must
approve the loan fund programs that utilize County funds and Program income generated from
repayment of loans that were made with County funds.
Program income funds generated from the Housing Rehab Revolving Loan Fund will be returned
to the revolving loan fund to be used for additional loans to eligible borrowers or other eligible
programs and activities as approved by the Community Development Director. Program income
funds may also be withdrawn and returned to the County for any other eligible activities.
If we receive any recaptured HOME funds, they will be deposited into the Local HOME Trust
Account and used for additional HOME eligible activities.
Program Income receipts may vary widely from amounts projected due to any number of
unanticipated factors. Regardless of the amount received, the Consolidated Plan will not need to be
amended unless the funds are used for activities not outlined in the 2014-2018 Consolidated Plan or
other approved eligible activities.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
1.
Glenwood Road Sidewalk Project - $600,000
Hugh Howell Sidewalk Project - $260,000
Sheltering Arms Roof Replacement Project $82,500
N.H. Scott Recreation Center Pool & Splash pad Design & Engineering - $100,000
Bruce Street Recreational Center Renovations Design & Engineering -$400,000
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
PUBLIC FACILITIES IMPROVEMENTS ($1,816,550)
Below are preliminary draft recommendations. Please review the complete proposed recommendations to
the 2014-2018 Consolidated Plan, which has been extended to include the Year 2016 Annual Action Plan
for details about the activities.
YEAR 2016 CDBG PROPOSED ACTIVITIES
Twenty percent of CDBG Program Income will be used for Planning and Administration. Up to 15%
may be used for Public Services activities as outlined in the budget. The remaining balance will be
used for other eligible activities.
7,099,203
1.
412,285
PROGRAM POLICY for PROGRAM INCOME
TOTAL
Projected HOME Program Income
235,184
$ 1,577,980
2016 HOME Program Allocation
129,077
Projected CDBG Program Income
Anticipated Year 2016 Grant Awards and Program Income:

2016 Community Development Block
$ 4,744,677
Grant Allocation (CDBG)
Unless otherwise approved, all multi-family projects will be implemented under the Housing
Authoritys contract with the County following a competitive application process and thorough
review of the project for compliance with the Countys underwriting guidelines as outlined in the
HOME application package. This includes multi-family developments using CHDO funds. The
Community Development Director is authorized to commit funding amounts and determine loan
terms to these projects.
vii. The Community Development Department will work with the County and community to identify
28. HOME/CHDO Projects (15% minimum) Set-Aside ($236,697 at a minimum)

Funds will be provided to eligible organizations for
cost associated with the development,
sponsorship, or
ownership of affordable housing.
These projects are a part of the 2014-2018 Consolidated Plan. If funds are available, these projects
listed below will move forward in accordance with the Countys priorities.
The Community Development Department Director may approve interchanging the use of HOME
and CDBG funds, and ESG and CDBG funds, for projects as long as all program eligibility standards
are met.
Any additional funding received may be used to assist with further implementation of the strategies
outlined in the Quality of Life Plans (developed by the four clusters participating in the DeKalb
Sustainable Neighborhoods Initiative) and/or actions that will focus on the five elements (Literacy,
Job Readiness, Housing, Transportation or other Social Services) as defined in the PHLOTES report.
Both initiatives will provide benefit to low and moderate income families in these areas.
A.
B.
C.
The Salvation Army Improvements to an existing facility located on Sherrydale Lane,

Decatur, GA - $87,000.
Tobie Grant Recreation Center/ Scottdale Child Development Center Annex- Design
& Engineering -$100,000.
Friends of Disabled Adults and Children Too facility expansion project - $500,000.
Lou Walker Senior Center Renovation Project.
T
he Art Station Facility Replacement of the existing roof on a County owned facility $273,000
Clarkston Community Center, Inc Assist in the completion of the renovation of the existing
facility, leveraging other funds $628,060. Consideration of funding for the Clarkston
Community Center facility expansion is contingent upon the agencys leveraging of $628,060
through private foundation contributions and/or fundraising efforts. Based on the current
funding level, we do not anticipate any HUD funding for this project in the immediate future.
Renovation of DeKalb Atlanta Human Services Center renovation of building to
replace the elevator and create a conference and learning center - $50,000 contingent
upon funding availability.
ADDITIONAL CDBG RECOMMENDATIONS
NOTES SECTION
29. Administrative Costs 7.5% Cap ($30,921)
Emergency Shelter + Street Outreach - 60% Cap ($169,784)
YEAR 2016 ESGP PROPOSED CATEGORIES OF FUNDING ($412,285)
ix. If funds are available in the Public Services category, they may be used to assist in providing
30. HOME Eligible Projects ($1,104,586)

Funds are not designated for specific projects at this time. However, the following activities have
been proposed and may be funded: Single-family, owner-occupied rehabilitation; Single family
homeownership (down payment assistance); Acquisition and rehabilitation of homebuyer property;
Tenant Based Rental Assistance; Acquisition, rehabilitation or new construction, of affordable rental
housing; any other housing activities considered eligible under the HOME program regulations.
OTHER
DeKalb County Continuum of Care (COC)
Re-Entry Program
The State provides short term financial assistance ($700 per offender per month for three months) to
help stabilize the re-entry process of newly released convicted felons and enhance their ability to remain
crime free. Following an agency housing/services assessment process, the Community Development
Department will recommend approval or disapproval for agencies wishing to provide housing for this
program. The final determination will be made by the Chief Executive Officer.
Point-In-Time Count
HUD mandates that each continuum of care conduct a biennial point-in-time count of homeless persons.
To facilitate conducting this count and ensure that the County To facilitate conducting this count and
ensure that the County obtains information regarding its success in mitigating homelessness, the
Community Development Department Director may authorize the use of CDBG or other eligible funds for
the performance of the point-in-time count.
FY 2016 ESGP funding.
F. Any funds remaining from the previous year will be reprogrammed to agencies approved to receive
to provide certifications for non-profit agencies that must provide certification in order to receive
funding from HUD, the Georgia Department of Community Affairs or other funders.
E. The Community Development Department Director will be authorized to act on behalf of the County
County and statutory regulations.
D. All approved ESGP funding will be contingent upon the agency being in compliance with all DeKalb
providers cannot use the funds allocated, the funds will be considered for reprogramming to any
of the approved ESGP service providers or providers who can fill a service gap in a manner that is
identified by the Community Development Department Director.
C. If for any reason and for any year Emergency Solutions Grants funds have been received and service
determine gaps and establish new DeKalb County priorities for serving the homeless population.
The Community Development Department Director is authorized to make the required funding
changes to fill service gaps, align ESG funding with newly formed priorities, and satisfy HUDs
guidelines and regulations. Changes may include funding agencies that are not shown in the 2016
allocation but are recommended for funding by the DeKalb Continuum of Care.
B. Representatives from the DeKalb County Continuum of Care (CoC) are assessing services to
Outreach. There is no cap on any other component.
A. HUD requires a 7.5% cap on the funds for Administration, and a 60% cap on Emergency Shelter +
EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS GRANTS PROGRAM

ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS
services to fill the services gap in the DeKalb Continuum of Care for the Homeless. The County
will collaborate with DeKalb CoC representatives and other providers to determine areas of need.
of standard, affordable housing, the County may acquire, demolish, and/or redevelop substandard
apartment complexes or single family residences using CDBG, HOME, NSP 1, NSP3, Program
Income, and other eligible funds.
viii. In an effort to stabilize neighborhoods, prevent and/or reduce blight, and increase the availability
29. HOME CHDO Operating (5% up to) Set-Aside (up to $78,899) Funds will be used to provide
general operating assistance to CHDOs that are receiving set-aside funds for an activity or activities.
and prioritize distressed multi-family properties in the County and develop collaborative strategies
to improve them.
port to the Georgia Department of Community Affairs regarding Tax Credit applications or to other
entities regarding potential funding for applicants.
vi. The Community Development Department Director shall provide comments and /or letters of sup-
The County will consider Tenant-based Rental Assistance on special initiatives consistent with the
needs identified by the DeKalb Continuum of Care or special needs that may be identified by the
County.
The Community Development Department Director may approve interchanging the use of CDBG,
HOME, NSP 1 and NSP 3 funds for projects as long as all program eligibility standards are satisfied.
d. When the County pursues additional affordable housing initiatives in Scottdale and other
communities, the County may partner with the Housing Authority of DeKalb or other entities in
development activities.
c. Tenant-based Rental Assistance programs may be administered by the Housing Authority under its
contract with the County or by other approved entities through separate agreements.
b.
a. Implementation services for single-family, owner occupied housing rehabilitation projects may
be provided by the Community Development Department, the Housing Authority (through its
contract with the County), or another for profit or non-profit organization (through the contract
process).
may be undertaken by the County with HOME funds in the upcoming program year and details
outlining how they may be administered.
27. HOME Program Administration (10%) Set-aside ($157,798) Funds to be used for direct
administration and project implementation costs associated with the HOME program.
HOME Investment Partnerships Program ($1,577,980)
YEAR 2016 PROPOSED HOME ACTIVITIES
PLANNING AND PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION

(20% CAP)
26. Community Development Administration ($948,935) General oversight, planning management,
monitoring and Implementation services.
The DeKalb County Community Development Department is preparing its update of the 2014-2018
Consolidated Plan, which has been extended to include the Year 2016 Annual Action Plan for the
Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG), the Home Investment Partnership Act (HOME),
and the Emergency Solutions Grants Program (ESGP).
Written public comments will be received from January 21, 2016 through February 22, 2016 and
should be submitted to the DeKalb County Community Development Department, 330 W. Ponce de
Leon Avenue, 6th Floor, Decatur, Georgia 30030.
25. Demolition/Housing Implementation

Program ($13,000)
24. Special Purpose Housing Repair Program ($50,000)
Public Comments Invited

PROPOSED UPDATE TO DEKALB COUNTYS 2014-2018 CONSOLIDATED PLAN, INCLUDING THE YEAR 2016 ANNUAL ACTION PLAN FOR THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
BLOCK GRANT, HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIP AND EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS
GRANTS PROGRAMS
PUBLIC NOTICE
HUD Submission for 2016 Funding DRAFT Annual Action Plan Preliminary Budget and Plan
23. Tuscany Village Housing Services ($30,000)

CDBG funds not to exceed $30,000 per year (totaling $300,000 for years 2009-2018 toward
housing services).
HOUSING ACTIVITIES ($93,000)
22. Implementation of DSNI (Individual Clusters) ($42,468)

Columbia Sustainable Initiative ($10,617)
Cross Keys CPACS, Inc.($10,617)
McNair Habitat for Humanity-DeKalb($10,617)
Assistance for youth participating in recreational activities.
DeKalb County Small Business Micro- Enterprise Training Program ($75,500)
DeKalb County Economic Development Initiatives ($200,000)
B.
C.
Atlanta Legal Aid Society, Inc. ($60,000)

Prevention of predatory lending, consumer education,
public awareness.
Atlanta Urban League, Inc. ($23,000)

Provide housing counseling and foreclosure prevention counselor.
Center for Pan Asian Community Services. ($23,000)

Home Education and Loss Prevention (HELP) program helps homeowners by providing
foreclosure prevention counseling to them.
Drug/Mental Health Court Assistance Programs ($68,116)

Agency provides housing assistance to participants in a judicially supervised drug/mental health
treatment and alternative sentencing program for non-violent offenders with substance abuse
problems.
First Step Staffing, Inc. ($20,000)

The agency offers homeless persons assistance in getting access to SSI benefits and securing
employment, along with supportive services such as uniforms, tools, transportation, and counseling.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
21. Youth Voucher Set-aside Program ($100,000)
20. Continuum of Care (CoC) Coordinated Intake ($24,953)

Provides coordinated intake and assessment along with case management services for homeless
individuals within the DeKalb CoC.
19. The Sheltering Arms, Inc. ($23,000)

Affordable childcare and family resource center.
18. Scottdale Child Development and Family Resource Center, Inc. of Central DeKalb ($23,000)
Affordable childcare and family resource center.
17. Our House, Inc. ($75,000)

Daycare services for children of homeless families.
16. New American Pathways, Inc. ($23,000)

Financial literacy counseling and education for refugees
15. Metro Fair Housing Services Inc. ($40,605)

Provides legal advice and referrals for housing
discrimination complaints.
14. Latin American Association, Inc. ($23,000)

Employment counseling and support services primarily for Hispanic persons who are homeless or
at risk.
13. Jerusalem House, Inc. ($30,000)

Transitional housing and services for persons with HIV/AIDS.
12. Green Forest CDC, Inc. ($23,000)

Provide housing counseling and foreclosure prevention counselor.
11. TBRA Case Management $25,000)

An agency will provide Case Management services for the HOME Tenant Based Rental Assistance
(TBRA) Program.
10. Furniture Bank of Metro Atlanta, Inc.($15,550)

Agency provides free household furniture to people in need within DeKalb County. The majority of
clients impacted will be moving out of homelessness, are living with HIV/AIDS, or fleeing domestic
violence.
fraudulent mortgages and mortgage scams
Africas Childrens Fund, Inc. ($23,000)

Provides case management, (including assessment and referral) to assist homeless and underserved
households in DeKalb County, as well as housing and supportive services that enable those
households to become self-sufficient and avoid incidents of homelessness.
PUBLIC SERVICES $685,692

(15% Cap)
Revolving Loan Fund for Small Business Initiatives ($125,000)
A.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ($400,500)
HUD Section 108 Loan Repayment Estimated annual repayment amount ($800,000) (See
additional CDBG recommendation.)
LOAN/BOND REPAYMENT ($800,000)
North DeKalb Senior Center Completion Project -$225,000
G.
4.
3.
2.
City of Stone Mountain Depot Renovation Project - $149,000
F.
The DeKalb County Community Development Department is authorized to reallocate funding of
prior year projects that are no longer feasible or needed. Reallocating previously funded projects will
allow for other approved projects to utilize prior year or current year funds. Through the reallocation
process, the Human & Community Development Department is allowed to utilize/reallocate funds
immediately to ensure compliance with HUD guidelines and regulations.
E.
The County works closely with the DeKalb Housing Authority in the administration of its CDBG,
HOME, NSP1 and NSP3 Program activities related to the development and implementation of
affordable housing assistance programs and projects. The Housing Authority acts as an agent and
sub-recipient on a number of HOME activities. Many of these activities are undertaken through
the Countys ongoing contract with the Housing Authority and are developed and implemented in
accordance with the program descriptions executed by the Housing Authority Executive Director
and the Community Development Department Director. The County may work with the DeKalb
Housing Authority or other approved entities. The following is a listing of potential activities that
In order to provide maximum flexibility in allocating HOME funds, the County only includes eligible categories of funding in the 2014-2018 Consolidated Plan rather than specific projects. The
figures do not include prior year funds that may be available for these projects or program income
that was received later in 2015 or in 2016. If there is an increase in the HOME allocation and more
CHDO funds are available, the funds will be designated for eligible uses as determined by the
Community Development Department Director and the approval of the Chief Executive Officer.
In addition to allocating 2014 funds to CHDOs, the County may commit up to 15% ($236,697) of
its 2015 HOME allocation for the acquisition and/or rehabilitation of specific, eligible homebuyer
properties or multi-family rental properties to be owned, developed or sponsored by qualified Community Housing Development Organizations (CHDOs). Funds in excess of the 15% minimum,
may be committed if specific, eligible properties are identified and HOME funds are available. The
County may allocate up to 5% ($78,899) of its HOME allocation to eligible CHDOs for the operation of the CHDO.
CHDOs will be selected during open application/certification processes. Selection may occur once
or multiple times per year.
During 2016,the County will commit least 15% ($262,322) of its 2014 HOME allocation for the
acquisition and/or rehabilitation of specific, eligible homebuyer properties to be owned, developed
or sponsored by qualified Community Housing Development Organizations (CHDOs). Funds in
excess of the 15% minimum, may be committed if specific, eligible properties are identified and
HOME funds are available. The County may allocate up to 5% ($87,440) of its HOME allocation to
eligible CHDOs for the operation of the CHDO.
HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIPS PROGRAM ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS
administer case management services for the Continuum of Care Coordinated Intake.
M. The Community Development Director is authorized to designate CDBG funds to an agency to
administer case management services for the Tenant Based Rental Assistance Program.
L. The Community Development Director is authorized to designate CDBG funds to an agency to
fulfill any eligible match requirements that are associated with ESG and/or CoC funding.
Economic Development the County is working with the DeKalb Development Authority to develop a Small Business Revolving Loan Program.
J.
K. At the direction of the Community Development Department Director, CDBG funds may be used to
While adhering to the approved process for committing HOME funds to multi-family projects in
2007, we committed $310,000 to the Tuscany Village Apartments project as part of the projects tax
credit application. We later determined that a better funding approach was to use CDBG funding
for the housing services portion of the project and HOME funds for the development of units. The
County amended its commitment agreement and authorized the use of CDBG funds not to exceed
$30,000 per year (totaling $300,000 for years 2009 2018 toward housing services) and HOME
funds (with a one-time commitment of $10,000) for unit development. These funds leveraged the
affordable housing tax credits used to rehabilitate the 144 unit development. The total cost of the
project was $14,790,000.
I.
services to fill the services gap in the DeKalb Continuum of Care for the Homeless and meet other
needs in DeKalb neighborhoods. The DeKalb County Community Development Department will
collaborate with DeKalb County Continuum of Care representatives and other service providers to
identify and prioritize service gaps.
H. If funds are available in the Public Services Category, they may be used to assist with providing
Community Center, and the Central DeKalb Senior Center is an approved HUD Section 108 Loan
Guarantee and available CDBG resources, including prior years funding. The remaining Section
108 principle loan amount is $11.6 Million with an amortization period of 20 years (2011-2030),
at an estimated interest rate of 2%. The annual loan repayment amount will be approximately
$800,000.
G. The funding for the construction of the North DeKalb Community Center, the South DeKalb
Development Authority and other approved sources, including CDBG funds. The primary resource
for the repayment is the designated rental car tax revenue. CDBG and other County resources will
be utilized as backup resources if the rental car tax revenue is not sufficient to pay the debt. There is
no funding gap anticipated for the 2016 payment. If there is a need, the CDBG funds will be used to
pay for a portion of the remaining balance of the bond repayment up to the allowed maximum. The
2016 CDBG funding gap is estimated to be approximately $200,000 pending the total generated by
rental car tax revenues, subject to the total rental car taxes received. Funds needed may also come
from the Public Facilities Improvements/Economic Development/Housing set-asides. The Community Development Director will identify sources from eligible categories and transfer funds to the
Finance Department to make the payments.
F. The DeKalb Performing Arts and Community Center was financed with bonds issued by The DeKalb
CDBG funds will be used for any approved eligible activity as outlined in the 2014-2018 Consolidated Plan. Because CDBG regulations require program income to be used before Treasury funds are
expended, flexibility is needed in order to comply with the regulations.
D.
A Public Hearing will be held on

January 21, 2016 at 6:30 p.m. at the Maloof Auditorium, 1300
Commerce Drive, Decatur, Georgia 30030.
We encourage citizens to review this update to the 2014-2018
Consolidated Plan including the 2016 Annual Action Plan. Written comments should be submitted to the DeKalb County Community Development Department, 330 W. Ponce de Leon Avenue,
6th Floor, Decatur, Georgia 30030, no later than February 22,
2016.
Wesley Chapel-William C. Brown Branch

2861 Wesley Chapel Road, Decatur
(404-286-6980)
Redan-Trotti Branch
1569 Wellborn Road, Redan
(770-482-3821)
Decatur Branch
215 Sycamore Street, Decatur
(404-370-3070)
Chamblee Branch
4115 Clairmont Road, Chamblee
(770-936-1380)
Please contact the DeKalb County area public libraries listed below for the hours of operation.
The Housing Authority of the City of Lithonia

6878 Max Cleland Blvd, Lithonia
Lou Walker Senior Center

2538 Panola Rd., Lithonia
Bruce Street/East DeKalb Senior Center

2484 Bruce Street, Lithonia
DeKalb/Atlanta Senior Citizens Center

25 Warren Street, S.E., Atlanta
Monday - Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

South DeKalb Senior Citizens Center
1931 Candler Road, Decatur
DeKalb County Community Development Department

330 W. Ponce de Leon Avenue, 6th Floor, Decatur
DeKalb Workforce Development Department

320 Church Street, Decatur
The DeKalb County Housing Authority

750 Commerce Drive, Suite 201, Decatur
THE PRELIMINARY 2014-2018 CONSOLIDATED PLAN INCLUDING THE 2016 ANNUAL

ACTION PLAN MAY BE REVIEWED AT THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS:
Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m. 5:00 p.m.
The County has agreed to perform the role of Collaborative Applicant for the DeKalb CoC. In this role,
the County will receive the HUD Planning Grant, receive other funds that support the goals of the CoC
and collaborate with the State to administer the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS).
As the Collaborative Applicant, the county may receive additional funds and may apply to become the
Unified Funding Agent for the DeKalb CoC. At the direction of the Human & Community Development
Department Director, CDBG funds may be used to pay salaries for Department personnel performing CoC
or homelessness mitigation related work and fulfill any eligible match requirements that are associated
with CoC and/or ESG funding.
In compliance with the HEARTH Act of 2012, the DeKalb Continuum of Care (CoC) has formed
committees to develop an organizational structure, establish priorities, assess service gaps, and implement
a service delivery system. When completed, the delivery system description will include uniform
requirements for the provision of homeless programs and services in DeKalb County. The delivery system
will move away from the homeless shelter concept to a variation of the Housing First model of rapidly
re-housing homeless individuals and households.
local
Page 20A
New technology available for school choice registration

Open enrollment is under way
for the DeKalb County School Districts School Choice Lottery program, which has 50 school choice
offerings including theme, magnet,
Montessori, International Baccalaureate and charter.
Since school choice enrollment
began Jan. 11, more than 6,000 students have registered for the chance
to enroll in various programs from
performing arts and environmental
studies to engineering and advanced
studies, according to a news release
from the school district. Registration
will continue through Jan. 29.
The investments in technology
and customer service have resulted
in a more seamless, responsive process, DeKalb County Superintendent Stephen Green stated in the
The
news release. The key has been the

involvement of parents in the development and testing of the technology
and processes.
According to the school district,
during the first week of registration,
there were 6,050 online applications,
five paper applications and nearly
1,800 calls to the support desk.
The school district partnered
with SmartChoice Tech to implement a web-based solution for the
school choice lottery.
The system provides parents
with a quick and easy online process, according to the news release
about the program. Parents utilize
self-created accounts to submit multiple applications for one or more
children. The dashboard allows parents to monitor the status of any sub-
Champion
mitted applications, as well as view

important updates or notes from administrators about their applications.
The system converts to multiple languages and allows parents to upload
supporting documents.
Highlights ofthe recently overhauled school choice lottery include
an earlier start to the registration,
which has been extended to six
weeks; a streamline website thatexplains all of the programs; a centralized call center to assist parents
withschool choice and application
questions; and walk-in parent support center with computers and staff
to provide support to parents, according to the news release.
Additionally, all applicants will
have access to an application status
check, using a desktop computer or a
mobile device.
Parents also have the option of
applying online at yourchoicedekalb.
org or receiving a paper application
by going to www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/
about/schoolchoice. For employee
student requests, applications will be
available at yourchoicedekalb.org.
DeKalb County School District
staff members are available to assist
with applications at 2652 Lawrenceville Highway, Decatur, Monday
through Friday, from 9 a.m. until 4
p.m.
For more information about
school choice, go to www.dekalbschoolsga.org/school-choice or call
(678) 676-0050.
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local
Page 21A
Integration Continued From Page 1A

works at Lynwood Community Center, was one of the
first 17 Black students who
integrated Cross Keys.
It was a mess when we
got over there, McDaniel
said. It seems as if we were
going to have problems all
the time. We got together, all
17 of us, and made a commitment to ourselves that
somebody [has to] be with
somebody all the time. We
had to fight, and we said if
one fights everybody fights.
Jackson, who enrolled in
Cross Keys a year later, said
the Black students suffered
physical, mental and educational abuse.
One example is that we
had students that did very
well in school before we went
to Cross Keys, Jackson said.
We had one girl that was
almost a straight A student,
but they put her in remedial
classes.
Jackson said they were
bullied and had physical confrontations by students and
some teachers.
We had this one guy
that taught shop, Jackson
Hundreds of people attended the Lynwood Integrators event. Photo by Carla Parker
said. His class was in the

fourth wing, but he spent
most of his time in the first
wing messing with us, and
harassing us. Some of the
principals played both sides
of the table. They pretended
to be on our side, but in reality they were propitiating all
of the White thugs and bullies at Cross Keys and pushing them on. When we went
there we just tried to get an
education, but it was a lot of
friction and stuff that we had
to deal with.
Most of the students
received failing grades, bus

drivers would not drop them
off in front of their homes
forcing them to walk for
miles to get home. One Black
student was hit by a car driven by a White student.
They didnt call the police on the White kid that ran
over the boy with the car,
Jackson said. They called
the police on the boy that got
hit by the car. And they attempted to lock him up too.
It was embarrassing to see a
kid that was hit by a car that
they called the police on.
Some members of the

Lynwood Integrators said
the only time they felt somewhat accepted by White
students and teachers was in
athletics. Many of the Black
students were voted Mr.
Football, Mr. Basketball and
Ms. Basketball.
They were only looking
at us to play sports, McDaniel said. They [didnt] care
about our education.
We made Cross Keys
No. 1 [in athletics], Hill said.
Thats what they needed
us forto put them on the
map.
Despite the trials and
tribulations they faced, the
students worked hard to
get a proper education and
graduate from school. Some
of the Integrators went on to
college or entered the work
force and had successful careers.
Although all schools are
legally integrated and todays
Black students do not face
the horrors Black students of
the past did, some say that
school systems still deal with
racial and educational inequality.
It seems like they are
going back into their ways,
McDaniel said. I had four
kids at one time at Chamblee
and that kept me up there
a whole lot. There wasnt
the fighting and all of that
but they still had that little
knick-knack problem about
segregation and integration.
Its the same story; its a
vicious cycle, Jackson said.
Re-segregation is happening
right now.
business
Page 22A
Chamber head gives reasons DeKalb is tops for business

by Kathy Mitchell
Site Selection magazine,
an economic development
trade publication, in 2015 for
the third consecutive year
named Georgia the No. 1
state in the nation in which
to do business.
Georgia is a regular top
finisher in our annual analysis of state business climates,
Site Selection editor-in-chief
Mark Arend said in a statement announcing the rankings. But three consecutive
first-place finishes in this
ranking is a pattern. It says
the state clearly has in place
the business-attraction attributes most required by
companies expanding and
establishing new facilities.
The publication noted
that its rankings are determined by a survey of corporate site selectors paired with
an index of tax criteria.
Georgia Gov. Nathan
Deal, in a news release, said
the selection reflects our
success in strengthening
Georgias economic environment and creating a topnotch workforce. Through
collaborative public-private
sector efforts, we have created hundreds of thousands
of jobs for families, invested
millions in our local communities and improved the
overall quality of life for our
citizens.
DeKalb Chamber of
Commerce President and
CEO Katerina Taylor said
for those reasons and others,
DeKalb County is an attractive place to do business.
The county offers affordable housing; easy access
to major highways and airports like Hartsfield Jackson
Atlanta International Airport and DeKalb-Peachtree
Airport; access to quality
educational institutions like
Mercer University, Emory
University, Georgia Piedmont Technical College and
Georgia State University;
and leading health institutions like Center for Disease
Control and Prevention, she
said. A thriving business
community is dependent on
easy access to transportation,
high-performing educational
institutions, affordable housing, and pro-business legisla-
Katerina Taylor
tion. A strong chamber and

engaged community partners
also play a role in making an
area business friendly.
Taylor said the county
is definitely moving in the
right direction from a commercial growth perspective. Although much of the
growth is concentrated in
north and central DeKalb,
the chamber and other business associations are working
with our economic development and community stakeholders to promote commercial growth in underutilized
corridors in DeKalb County.
There are specific commercial growth opportunities
that DeKalb County is well
positioned to promote.
Attracting new business will require thoughtful consideration as to what
resources we have that will

help cultivate existing and
recruit new industries in
DeKalb, according to Taylor.
The chamber understands
the need to help businesses
expand their capacity, competence and opportunities,
thus we have crafted our
Industry Council initiative.
This initiative will help us
deliver on challenges facing
businesses small and large.
DeKalb is one of the
most diverse counties in our
great state. We can do more
to support minority businesses and better position
our current population who
represent parts of the globe
right here in DeKalb. The
city of Clarkston for many
years has been working with
the refugee community to
expose their talents through
viable business opportunities. Keeping DeKalb globally competitive means sharing

the chattels of diverse culture
already here and identifying
ways to make an economic
impact for that constituency,
she continued.
Taylor said DeKalb
County can offer incentives
businesses are looking to
offer their employees. To
remain competitive and innovative, we must lay down
a strong foundation that
balances a work, life and
play environment, she said.
Businesses looking to relocate to DeKalb will look at
the countys cost of living,
school system, transportation system, workforce viability and quality of life.
Georgia as a whole is heavily reliant on cars. We must
work with local and state
government to improve
highways, MARTA and other
means of transportation.
We must rethink mixeduse developments in cities
like Decatur, Brookhaven
and other growing cities and
expand development to areas
such as Scottdale, Tucker,
Lithonia and others ready
for such growth. Affordable
housing must be available
throughout the whole county, Taylor said, adding that
the county must continue to
ensure students get an education that will prepare them
for the future workforce.
Business endeavors that
would have been unusual in
DeKalb decades ago are now
among the countys leading
industries, she observed.

DeKalb County can make
an impact in the technology
and film and entertainment
industry. With site locations,
beautiful landscapes and top
tier technical institutions,
DeKalb County has the
means to educate and train
the future workforce who
can work locally and influence those industries and
more.
Bioscience, healthcare
and research facilities have
long called DeKalb County
home, Taylor said. The
goal would be to continue
to expand those industries,
and from those industries
to birth new businesses and
business leaders.
Local legislation is key
to creating a strong business climate any place in
the country, she said, and
DeKalb is no different. The
county has been steadily improving our permitting, inspection and business license
practices. We must also find
opportunities to make it easier for home-based businesses
and cost of business utilities
like water, sewer and trash to
be examined in 2016.
Local government and
private businesses also can
be a combined force when it
comes to legislation around
education, making sure to
take the time to communicate so our students and
their futures are preserved,
Taylor said.
RepublicanPartytoHoldPrecinctMassMeetings
OnSaturday,February20,2016,at10:00a.m.,theDekalbCountyRepublicanPartywillconvenePrecinct[orotherpolitical
subdivision]MassMeetingstoelectDelegatesandAlternatestotheDeKalbCountyRepublicanPartyConvention.AllDeKalb
CountyresidentswhoarelegallyregisteredtovoteonorbeforeFebruary1,2016,andwhobelieveintheprinciplesofthe
RepublicanPartyareurgedtoparticipateintheprocess.
Registrationwillopenat9:00a.m.onFebruary20,2016,atthefollowinglocations:
LakesideHighSchoolCafeteria,3801BriarcliffRoad,Atlanta,GA30345.
TheDekalbCountyRepublicanPartyConventionwillconveneat10:00a.m.onMarch19,2016,LakesideHighSchoolCafeteria,
3801BriarcliffRoad,Atlanta,GA30345forthepurposeofelectingDelegatesandAlternatestotheCongressionalDistrict
Convention,forthepurposeofelectingDelegatesandAlternatestotheStateConventionandforthepurposeofconductingall
otherbusinessasnecessary.DelegatesandAlternateswillberequiredtopayafeeof25.00,whichistocoverthecostofthe
CountyConvention.
TheGeorgiaRepublicanPartyStateConventionwillconveneat2:00p.m.onFriday,June3,2016,inAugusta,Georgia,forthe
purposeofelectingAtLargeDelegatesandAlternatestotheNationalRepublicanConventioninCleveland,Ohio,forthepurpose
ofelectingtheGeorgiaRepublicanPartyNationalCommitteeManandNationalCommitteeWomanandforthepurposeof
conductingallotherbusinessasnecessary.DelegatesandAlternateswillberequiredtopayafee,whichistocoverthecostof
theConvention.
ForfurtherinformationcontactBrianAndersonChairmanoftheDeKalbCountyRepublicanPartyat
Chairman@DeKalbGOP.org
connectedness
DeKalb Chamber of Commerce Two Decatur Town Center, 125 Clairemont Ave., Suite, Decatur, GA 30030 404.378.8000 www.dekalbchamber.org
sports
Page 23A
Players and coaches from DeKalb County baseball teams gathered for the annual Baseball Media Day at Tucker High School. Photos by Travis Hudgons
Druid Hills has a senior class returning with experienced pitchers.
Lithonia is looking to have a better offense this season.
Baseball players, coaches preparing for 2016 season

by Carla Parker
Some of the top statistical baseball players from last season hope to
have an even better 2016 season.
The players, along with their
teammates and coaches, gathered
Jan. 14 at Tucker High School for the
annual DeKalb County Baseball Media Day.
As a junior, M.L. Kings Darrius England finished second in the
county in hitting last season with a
.508 batting average on 31 hits. England said he spent his offseason in
batting cages and with his summer
team to prepare for the season, but
he hopes his leadership shines more
this season.
I want to be more of a team
player; motivate my team, he said.
I want to go deep in the playoffs,
I want to make my team better and
make everyone feel comfortable on
the fieldbe a leader.
Miller Groves Kaine Smith fin-
ished behind England in the hitting

stats with a .490 batting average in
his junior season. Although he was
pleased with his batting average, he
was not pleased with his number of
stolen bases. He tied for sixth in stolen bases with 27.
This offseason I really focused
on base running because I want to
get my steals up, Smith said. I saw
that they went down last year so Im
really focusing on my steals this year.
My expectations are to be No. 1
[in stolen bases], but if I finish in the
top three or five Ill be happy with
that, he added. Im really looking
forward to being No. 1 in steals.
Despite a 1-4 record as a sophomore, Redan pitcher Marlin Willis
had solid numbers last season with
a 1.66 ERA in 33 2/3 inningsthe
third best in the county. Willis credited his offseason workout for last
seasons success, and hopes his most
recent offseason workout will result
in a dominating performance on the
mound this year.
This season I want to win a state

championship, Willis said. I want
me and my teammates to do a good
job, play as a team, play as one unit
and try to get a ring this year.
Lakesides Cole Howard is another top pitcher from last season
who is looking to duplicate his junior
season. He had a 1.99 ERA and a 6-1
record.
Im trying to do somewhat as
good as last year, but trying to be
more of a complete player than just a
pitcher, Howard said.
Druid Hills finished the 2015
season above .500 with a 13-12 record but missed the playoffs. With a
large senior class returning with experienced pitchers, head coach Pete
Bartlewski said he believes his team
has what it takes to make the post
season.
Were looking forward to the
season, Bartlewski said. This
should be a good year for us if our
guys stay healthy, throw strikes, field
and hit, we should be in good shape
in our region.
Samuel Marion is entering his
second season as coach of the Lithonia Bulldogs and this season will be
about understanding the game of
baseball for his players.
Learning the game of baseball
was the main thing we worked on
[this offseason], Marion said. Just
trying to get these guys to know that
baseball is a smart mans gameits
a thinking game. I am emphasizing
more this year in thinkingthinking
and playing smart.
The Bulldogs are hoping to improve from a three-win season with
more offense this season.
I think our hitting will be better this season, Marion said. We
worked on defense so much last year
that it kind of hurt us on offense. So
I think now they understand small
ball and I think theyll do better on
offense.
local
Police Continued From Page 12A

cigarette, the report stated. Police were
able to detain him and rescue the woman. Further investigation revealed that
Thompson was on parole for a crime he
committed in New York City. He was
released from prison in 2013.
Later that morning, police responded to a shooting at Highland Forest
Apartments in Stone Mountain that left
one person dead and another injured.
According to the police report, the
responding officers saw several shell
casings in the parking lot in front of
one apartment building. Another officer located 24-year-old Martavious
Mathis behind another building with
gunshot wounds to his leg.
Mathis also had two guns on him.
Police also discovered a dead man,
later identified as Antione Willingham
in the drivers seat of a car that crashed
into the fence of the pool, according to
the report. Willingham had a gunshot
wounds to his back.
A witness saw a man leave and
return to the scene, according to the
report. Police located the man, later
identified as Antariouse Caldwell, 22,
and arrested him.
Witnesses to the shooting said they
heard more than 20 shots. After more
officers responded to the scene, in-
cluding an officer from the gang unit,

they found a 14-year-old boy inside an
apartment unit with a gunshot wound
to his right upper thigh.
Several people who also were inside
the apartment were taken to DeKalb
police headquarters for questioning,
the report stated.
Mathis and Caldwell were later
charged with felony murder and aggravated assault.
That evening, police responding to
a home invasion on Eastwood Drive,
where a man was killed.
According to the police report, two
men, portraying themselves as police
officers, tried to break into the home
where two people were inside.
The homeowner shot and killed
one suspect and wounded the other.
Chernika Marks, 25, drove the
wounded suspect, later identified as
44-year-old Anthony Hubbard, to the
Zaxbys on Memorial Drive. Hubbard
was taken to the hospital.
Maj. Stephen Fore said Hubbard
will face felony murder and aggravated
assault charges if he survives his injuries.
Marks was arrested and charged
with felony murder, aggravated assault
and home invasion.
Page 24A
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FREEPREss

FRiDaY, JanUaRY 22, 2016 Vol. 18, no. 42 FREE

QUICK FINDER JAIL ANGER

A PUBLICATION OF ACE III COMMUNICATIONS

DeKalb representative sponsors anti-gun bill

See Bill on Page 15A

DeKalb remembers King

DeKalb County celebrated the

he preached and what he taught

See MLK DAY on Page 15A

The Champion FREEPRESS, Friday, Jan. 22, 2016

County officials present legislative wish list to state leaders

From a broad perspective, all of

be a pre-petition process, May said.

cess for incorporation of a new city as

See Legislative on Page 10A

Breeze Card Changes for Regular Fare Customers

Questions? Visit www.itsmarta.com or 404-848-5000.

The Champion FREEPRESS, Friday, Jan. 22, 2016

Ribbon-cutting ceremony for

City to host Valentines daddy/

Rec center to hold blood drive

ter. The center is located at 3360

3 p.m. at 445 Winn Way, Room 421,

D.C., and masters from Emory Universitys Goizueta Business School,

DeKalbs Mobile Career Center,

Registration open for county

New American Pathways

County jobs bus to make stops

The upcoming schedule is as follows:

The Champion FREEPRESS, Friday, Jan. 22, 2016

DeKalbs new ethics board members not representative of community

Chief Operating Officer

the interim CEO had ethics

lieve, however, that the ethics

vidual who will do his or her

The Champion FREEPRESS, Friday, Jan. 22, 2016

ONE MANS OPINION

The way government should work

in Clarkston, Decatur and

Academic rigor and performance will be rewarded

STATEMENT FROM THE

The Champion FREEPRESS, Friday, Jan. 22, 2016

things but in my mind Im leaving a

was bought in September or October

Brookhaven suspends city manager,

in conflict over the terms and

The Champion FREEPRESS, Friday, Jan. 22, 2016

Jail anger management workshops enhance life skills

to a glass-enclosed room furnished

issue orange jumpsuit and flip-flops.

Anger is within itself; its

by the facilitator, the participants were

Two of the six seemed to be actively engaged and eager to participate

See Anger on Page 8A

The Champion FREEPRESS, Friday, Jan. 22, 2016

health court, a defendant must be

Applications being accepted for

Commissioners approve new

The DeKalb Medical Foundation

The new DeKalb County Animal

Anger Continued From Page 7A

but I let it go. The facilitator affirmed to him that his

may have caused them to experience anger. The usual two

The Champion FREEPRESS, Friday, Jan. 22, 2016

The Champion FREEPRESS, Friday, Jan. 22, 2016

The Champion FREEPRESS, Friday, Jan. 22, 2016

The Champion FREEPRESS, Friday, Jan. 22, 2016

The Champion FREEPRESS, Friday, Jan. 22, 2016

The Champion FREEPRESS, Friday, Jan. 22, 2016

The Champion FREEPRESS, Friday, Jan. 22, 2016

The Champion FREEPRESS, Friday, Jan. 22, 2016

The Champion FREEPRESS, Friday, Jan. 22, 2016

The Champion FREEPRESS, Friday, Jan. 22, 2016

The Champion FREEPRESS, Friday, Jan. 22, 2016

The Salvation Army Improvements to an existing facility located on Sherrydale Lane,