News
December 2005
News & Notes Menu:
• Neighborhood Appreciation BBQ!
• Recycle Your Christmas Tree
• Infill Ordinance
• Residential Burglary Alerts
• Funding Plans for Mason Mill Park/Medlock Park
• FY06 Budget Hearings
• "Shake, Rattle & Stroll" Fitness Classes
• "Sit and Get Fit" Fitness Classes
• Hands On Atlanta's MLK Day of Service
• Neighborhood Appreciation BBQ
• FREE Computer Recycling
Neighborhood Appreciation BBQ! - January 21st
In appreciation to the neighborhood for the six-month long water main replacement project. MME and project manager Saurel Quettan are hosting a BBQ for all neighborhood residents from 12 noon to 2pm Saturday, Jan. 21st, at Univ. Heights Church on Balsam.
Please spread the word to your neighbors, and we'll see you on 1/21 for food and community building!!! And thank goodnes the project is done!
Recycle Your Christmas Tree
Keep DeKalb Beautiful invites you to celebrate the annual "Bring One
for the Chipper" event from Tuesday, January 2 through Saturday,
January 7, 2006 at 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
DeKalb County residents are invited to bring their Christmas trees to
a recycle drop-off center in their neighborhood after the holidays.
In appreciation of their recycling efforts, participants will also
receive a free dogwood seedling, while supplies last. Last year, more
than 5,000 trees were recycled in just one day. Please help DeKalb
County give our used Christmas trees a new beginning.
As part of a statewide effort to reuse Christmas trees, Keep DeKalb
Beautiful has joined with The Home Depot, Perimeter Mall, North Lake
Mall, The Gallery at South DeKalb and Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve
to provide drop-off centers.
For additional information, please call the Keep DeKalb Beautiful
Program at 404-371-2654.
DROP-OFF LOCATIONS
Home Depot - 2295 Lawrenceville Highway
Home Depot - 4325 New Snapfinger Woods Drive
Perimeter Mall - Ashford Dunwoody Road
North Lake Mall - Briarcliff Road
The Gallery at South DeKalb - Candler Road
Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve - 3787 Klondike Road
Infill Ordinance
The Board of Commissioners decided at their mid-November zoning
hearing to defer a decision on the various Infill Ordinance options.
The committee is expected to report back to the full Board by the
Dec. 15 vote.
More info at: www.DekalbInfill.org
Residential Burglary Alerts
There have ben several recent reports in the past week of a subject
doing residential home and storage building burglaires. The suspect
has been seen in the Houston Mill Road, LaVista Road-Briarcliff Road
area. The suspect is described as an older black male, average height
and weight wearing dark clothing. He is operating an older model red
pick up truck, possibly a Ford.
A car was broken into while it was sitting in a carport
under a motion-activated, very bright lights at Desmond & N.
Superior.
Additionally someone tried to break into a house on Laurel Ridge from the back. The
broke some of the small windows and tried to climb in but it was either
too difficult or our dog was barking too much and they left. The police
came and said they are working this area so everyone needs to be alert
and keep doors locked all the time!
Funding Plans for Mason Mill Park/Medlock Park
Our neighborhood is in DeKalb County Commission District 2 & Super
District 6. As per the just passed bond referendum, Mason Mill Park
has been designated as the "super" or "regional" park for District 2.
It is imperative that residents provide input and feedback for your
community's preferences for the soon to be re-developed Mason Mill
Park.
Brook Run, the designated park for District 1, and Wade Walker Park,
the designated Park for District 7, have had over $10 million
allocated for their "super" park status. At this time, approx. $3
to million is to be spent on Mason Mill Park:
https://dklbweb.dekalbga.org/voter/bondReferendum.pdf
A $3 million playground was built at Brook Run. As of now, there is
no large playground in a District 2 park (excluding City of Decatur
parks). Most of the county Parks & Rec. playgrounds in District 2
are either small (W.D. Thomson Park, Georgian Hills Park) or have
other issues (flooding at Medlock Park). Mason Mill does have the
only county Parks & Rec. Dept. "dog park" (The City of Decatur
has three), a small rec. center that focuses on senior citizen
programming, and a fee-based tennis center.
Mason Mill's plan calls for trails and other nature amenities.
Multiple community meetings were held for the planing of Brook Run.
None have been scheduled yet for Mason Mill Park. Little Creek Farm,
across from North DeKalb Mall, is another county park that has not
received public input, despite its large purchase cost (Comment: A
perimeter walking/running/biking trail around the property would
provide a major fitness amenity for our immediate area, and would not
interfere with the horse farm operations).
Our county commissioners for District 2, Gale Walldorff, and Kathie
Gannon, District 6, are both very supportive & helpful with parks &
recreation issues. Please e-mail comments and suggestions for Mason
Mill Park to Gale & Kathie, and also send suggestions to county Parks
& Rec. Director, Marilyn Boyd Drew, mbdrew@co.dekalb.ga.us, and Asst.
Director, Marvin Billups, mfbillups@co.dekalb.ga.us .
The county Parks & Recreation Citizen's Advisory Board meets the
fourth Tuesday of each month, www.co.dekalb.ga.us/parks/cab.htm.
County residents can attend the meetings and give comments &
suggestions.
Please check the county Parks & Rec. Dept. website, and also
www.GoDeKalb.com, for a possible public meeting on the Mason Mill
Park Redevelopment.
FY06 Budget Hearings
DeKalb Budget Hearings
Two public hearings have been scheduled in January for the proposed
budget for the 2006 fiscal year. The public hearings will be Tuesday,
January 10 and Tuesday, January 24. Both public hearings will be at
10:00 a.m. in the Maloof Auditorium located at 1300 Commerce Drive.
This is in addition to community meetings that were held earlier this
month, bringing the total number of meetings to 5.
DeKalb County Finance Director Mike Bell, and other DeKalb budget
officials will conduct the meetings. The 2006 fiscal year starts on
January 1, 2006.
"Shake, Rattle & Stroll" Fitness Classes!
A Unique Exercise Program for Moms/Dads & Kids!
What: A 30 minute workout for parents & 10 minutes of activity for kids & parents together (infants up to age 6)
When: 4:30 pm Mondays Where: University Heights Methodist Church, 1267 Balsam Drive, Decatur (just past Laurel Ridge Elementary)
Child care: Onsite babysitting provided
Cost: $45 for six sessions
Contact: Kirsten Magee, 678-592-6801 or kdafitness@hotmail.com
"Sit and Get Fit" Fitness Classes
"Sit and Get Fit" Fitness Classes For Seniors and also for those with Parkinson's
1 pm, Tuesdays, Budd Terrace at Wesley Woods, Emory University,
Clairmont Road
"Sit and Get Fit" is an exercise class for healthy seniors and
anyone with Parkinson's Disease. Sponsored by the Georgia Chapter of the American Parkinson's Disease Association and The Body Mechanics.
No special equipment needed - just a tennis ball and light weights(provided).
$90 per person for six sessions:
-Increase neuromuscular awareness/continuity
-Improve flexibility and muscle stiffness
-Increase range of motion and mobility
-Strengthen specific muscle groups
-Improve balance & coordination
-Meet new people! Feel good & have fun!
For more info., please contact The Body Mechanics at 678-592-6801 or
kdafitness@hotmail.com.
Hands On Atlanta's MLK Day of Service
Please consider lending a hand at the Cylde Shepard Nature Preserve
for "Hands On Atlanta's MLK Day of Service" on Monday, January 16
from 9 am - 1 pm.
Make a difference in your community!
• Spread wood chips on the trails
• Remove English ivy, kutzu and privet along the trails
• Plant native shrubs and ferns along the interpretive trail
In the words of Dr. King, "We have flown the air like birds and swum
the sea like fishes, but have yet to learn the simple act of walking
the earth like brothers."
To volunteer, please contact Mitch Russell at russelle@bellsouth.net or 404-325-1043.
www.cshepherdpreserve.org
FREE Computer Recycling
At the Oakhurst Community Garden located at 435 Oakview Rd, Decatur 30030.
404.371-1920. We are moving a bunch of old computer equipment out of here on December 27th.
A company called Creative Recycling waived their usual fee to do a pick-up for
us. It would help them if we could scare up more stuff to make their trip
worthwhile. If you have anything computer-related that you're looking to recycle get it
to the Garden December 26th and we'll send it to a happier place! Talk to your bosses, friends, etc.
Oakhurst Community Garden Project
435 Oakview Road
Decatur, GA 30030
Ph (404) 371-1920
Fx (404) 371-8448
ocgp@bellsouth.net
www.oakhurstgarden.org