12-27-2013 Brookhaven Reporter

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Land grablawmakers growing weary over cityhood movement?

COMMUNITY 2

Year in reviewCity was formed, Pink Pony sues, and more

COMMUNITY 4-5

King for a dayCelebrate holiday season

with a Mexican fl air

OUT & ABOUT 14-15

Farewell, EvaRep. Wendell Willard sings mayor’s praises

COMMENTARY 6

New digsPolice HQs moving to

Buford Highway

COMMUNITY 21

dec. 27, 2013 — jan. 9, 2014 • voL. 5 — no. 26

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Brookhaven approved a budget for 2014, which includes raises for city employees.

Th e $26.3 million budget maintains a 2.85 mill property tax, the same as in 2013.

Th e proposed 2014 budget went down by about $300,000 before it was adopted,

mostly due to the removal of revenue that would have come from the Century Cen-ter annexation. Brookhaven dropped its bid to annex the offi ce complex after it was ap-proved as part of an annexation referendum into the city of Chamblee.

City Manager Marie Garrett’s contract is still under negotiation. In 2013, her salary was $170,000. Th e approved 2014 budget includes a total of up to $365,000 for sala-ries for the city manager and an assistant city manager, who has not yet been hired.

According to the city, the salary range for the assistant city manager will be between

2014 city budget includes raises for employees

SEE BROOKHAVEN’S, PAGE 22

Our top photo picks for 2013

PHoTos BY PHil mosieR

Reporter Newspapers strives to give readers a variety of in-depth news and community coverage throughout the year, accompanied by compelling visuals. We’ve taken a careful look through the archives and selected some of

our favorite images captured by photographer Phil Mosier over the past 12 months. These include: Above, left, in “Give it a spin,” Ritch Fusakio helps “turn over” the engine on a B-17 aircraft at DeKalb-Peachtree Airport, during the nonprofi t Liberty Foundation’s event. Above, center, “Hitting the fi eld - of screen,” from left, Brooks Bowling, Hugh Carter, Billy Gingrey, Bryce Bowling and Luke Gingrey, enjoy video games before Buckhead Baseball’s Opening

Day festivities. Center, below, “It’s cool in the pool,” Olivia Langell, left, and Caroline Seelke, members of The Branches “Gators” swim team, get ready for action. Right, “Walking on water,” Samantha Black intently listens to

paddleboarding instructions at Morgan Falls Overlook Park. To see more of our 2013 cover photos, go to pages 16-17.

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2 | Dec. 27, 2013 – Jan. 9, 2014 | www.ReporterNewspapers.net

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Brookhaven Government CalendarBrookhaven City Council usually meets on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month at 7 p.m. at locations to be determined.

For complete and up-to-date schedule of Brookhaven city meetings, go to http://brookhavenga.gov .

BK


Some DeKalb County legislators question whether any of the bills for creating cities in central DeKalb will be approved during the upcoming legisla-tive session.

At a Dec. 19 town hall meeting in Brookhaven, members of DeKalb County’s legislative delegation dis-cussed how to handle the competing eff orts to create new cities.

Th ree groups – the Lakeside City Alliance, the City of Briarcliff Initiative and Tucker 2014 – have commissioned feasibility studies and are angling for legislative approval to make their mu-nicipal dreams a reality. Th e problem is, all three proposed cities overlap in the area around Northlake Mall.

“How are we going to resolve this mess?” Angela Trosclair of Tucker asked.

“Th e question you ask is really something that worries me a lot,” said Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver, D-Deca-tur. “We’re about to do some serious damage.”

Rep. Tom Taylor, R-Dunwoody, said he’s not sure there will be enough time to untangle the mess before the 40-day session of the General Assem-

bly wraps up. Due to earlier primary elections this year, the Legislature will likely convene sometime in late April, Taylor said. “If it’s not essential I don’t know that it’s going to happen this ses-sion,” he said.

Rep. Mike Jacobs, R-Brookhaven, said he thinks confusion surrounding the cityhood bills could be their de-mise. “Frankly, I can’t tell you what’s going to happen,” Jacobs said. “I think it makes the process more diffi cult, par-ticularly this year.”

Oliver said she thinks there needs to be a cohesive discussion or planning process for potential new cities and an-nexations proposed by existing cities.

Jacobs thinks if the bills aren’t ready, they won’t be approved. “It may be self-correcting,” Jacobs said.

Rep. Karen Bennett, D-Stone Mountain, said she’s concerned about the eff ect cityhood eff orts could have on her constituents, even though they aren’t included in any boundaries.

“I represent a signifi cant number of people in unincorporated DeKalb and we have no voice,” she said. “At the end of the day we don’t want more dam-age.”

Th ere’s also another proposed city eff ort in south DeKalb County, which proponents would like to be called the city of Stonecrest.

Brookhaven City Councilwoman Rebecca Chase Williams said her city stands behind groups hoping to create their own cities this year just south of Brookhaven’s borders. “As the newest city in DeKalb, we support the other cityhood eff orts. It’s a little more com-plicated with more than one city com-ing forward,” Williams said.

Recently released study results show that proposed new cities in central DeKalb County would be fi nancially viable.

Th ree new cities – Tucker, Briarcliff and Lakeside – have been proposed in central DeKalb. Th eir proposed bound-aries overlap around the Northlake Mall area. Lakeside proponents in November released a study showing their city was fi nancially feasible. Backers of the oth-er two cities released their own studies in December.

According to a study by the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies at Geor-gia State University that was released Dec. 21, the Tucker community could feasibly incorporate into a city. Th e proposed city would have estimated annual revenue of approximately $16.6 million and annual expenses of approximately $13.3 million.

Th e City of Briarcliff Initiative report-ed Dec. 17 that its feasibility study, con-ducted by the Carl Vinson Institute of Government at the University of Geor-gia, predicts a city of Briarcliff would have annual operating expenditures of $37,013,278, while revenue would be $54,432,544.

Tucker 2014 President Sonja Szubski said in a news release that Tucker’s long-established community will be an asset to the incorporation eff ort. “Tucker has dozens of active civic and citizen groups already fully engaged in the services be-ing proposed initially for the city,” Szub-ski said.

“Th is means Tucker can hit the ground running from Day One with lo-cal expertise that allows the city to stand up on a solid foundation. As the city moves forward, the community can de-termine if there are additional services to be added such as public works and pub-lic safety that make sense both fi scally and eff ectively.”

According to study documents, Dun-woody and Smryna were used as compar-ison governments to determine the like-ly operational expenses for Lakeside and Briarcliff . .

“An independent study has con-fi rmed what so many in central DeKalb already knew – that Briarcliff is posi-tioned to be the most sensible city for central DeKalb,” said Allen Venet, pres-ident of City of Briarcliff Initiative. “Our proposed city has a strong blend of resi-dential, commercial and industrial areas. Our map is smart and does not abandon neighborhoods. We believe the members of this community deserve the chance to publicly vote on Briarcliff cityhood.”

Th e study released by the Lakeside City Alliance said Lakeside would have annual expenses of $29, 909,347 and to-tal annual revenues of $35,245,527.

-Collin Kelley and Melissa Weinman

Study: New cities

economically feasible

Lawmakers question ‘new city’ prospects

c o m m u n i t Y

www.ReporterNewspapers.net | Dec. 27, 2013 – Jan. 9, 2014 | 3

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Council supports city school systems Brookhaven City Council voted unan-

imously in favor of a resolution to support a bill in the upcoming session of the Gen-eral Assembly that would allow for the cre-ation of independent school systems.

House Resolution 486, sponsored by Rep. Tom Taylor, R-Dunwoody, would amend the constitution so that cities created after 2005, such as San-dy Springs, Dunwoody and Brookhav-en, could form their own school sys-tems. It would also allow them to join with contiguous cities, like Chamblee or Doraville, to create joint systems.

Th e City Council also allocated

$30,000 in the 2014 budget to study the feasibility of an independent school dis-trict in Brookhaven.

“We wanted to make sure at least we had enough information for our citizens to consider, were it to pass and become law,” Mayor J. Max Davis said. “We hear a lot of support for a city school system in our community.”

Davis said the actual cost of the study is likely to be closer to $10,000.

“We’ll be using the same institution, and we’ve been told that all we’d have to do is plug our parameters into the study Dunwoody already paid for,” Davis said.

BK

City celebrates its fi rst birthdayTh e city of Brookhav-

en celebrated its fi rst anni-versary with a party at Town Brookhaven Dec. 17.

“Th is fi rst year has been – if I said a roller coaster ride, I would be understating it,” said City Manager Marie Garrett.

Mayor J. Max Davis rec-ognized all the volunteers who gave their time to help the city become a reality, from the board members of Citi-zens for North DeKalb who raised money to fund a feasi-bility study, to the members of Brookhaven Yes who trav-eled to the state Capitol for committee hearings.

Th e volunteers were presented with coins commemorating their eff orts to establish the city.

Th e group also recognized those who opposed forming a city.

“Th e ‘no city’ folks worked very hard. We worked very hard. Th e thing is, when you care about something, you’re going to fi ght for it,” said Jeff Kellar, a board member from Brookhaven Yes. “Now we can all come together and fi ght for the city of Brookhaven.”

Mayor J. Max Davis said the No City Brookhaven group brought up many valid concerns that were addressed to make the eventual city better.

“I know for a fact we learned a lot from our opposition in the campaign,” Davis said.

Davis listed the city’s accomplish-ments over the past year, which includ-ed: fi lling 92 potholes, issuing 1,316 business licenses, and responding to 541 traffi c accidents.

“We launched a fi rst-class police de-partment, we began maintenance of our parks, we opened and operated our own municipal court,” Davis said.

melisssA WeinmAn

Brookhaven City Councilmen Bates Mattison, left, Jim Eyre, center, and Mayor J. Max Davis, right front, raise

a glass to the city’s fi rst birthday.

BRIEFS


C o m m u n i t y

Year in reviewWhat 2013 was about, for Brookhaven

2013 will be definitely be remembered in Brookhaven. It brought a new city, a new city government and the raucous, sometimes ill-tempered cam-paigns that come with local governments.

The newly-formed city made residents happy with the formation of its own police department on July 31, with Brookhaven officers now in charge

of protecting the streets. Zoning issues received a closer look. And, the city decided to adopt a new adult business ordinance, much to the dismay of the Pink Pony strip club. Stay tuned.

Here’s a look at some of the top stories in Brookhaven over the past 12 months.

City starts upThe biggest story of the year is undoubtedly the beginning of the new city

of Brookhaven. After officially beginning operations on Dec. 17, 2012, the new city council kicked off 2013 with the task of building a city from the ground up. Work began immediately to hire a city manager, a city clerk and a finance director. Vendors got other departments up and running. Officials enacted a moratorium to give them time to get staff in place before people be-gan applying for permits and inspections. Agreements had to be made with DeKalb County to continue patrolling the streets and operating the parks until the city could get its own staff in place. One of the City Council’s big-gest accomplishments was approving a budget that included a $1 million re-serve fund without having to raise taxes. The council met often and celebrat-ed many “firsts” as things began to fall into place.

Police force hits the streets One of the

most visible – and popular – elements of the new city is the Brookhaven Po-lice Department. The new police force was official-ly launched on July 31, one year to the day after voters approved the creation of the city. In April, the city hired Police Chief Gary Yandura, formerly chief of the College Park Police Department, and Deputy Police Chief Ron Free-man, of the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office, to build the department. The two ordered police cars, uniforms, guns and other equipment, while aggres-sively sifting through resumes and conducting interviews. Out of 1,200 applications, 156 candidates were interviewed and 59 officers have been hired. Since that time, officers have been patrolling extensively and made many arrests.

Battling the Pink PonyBrookhaven City Council started the year off

by adopting DeKalb County’s code of ordinances. One of the first the council decided to change was the adult business ordinance. DeKalb County bans nude dancing and the sale of alcohol, but strip clubs in the county have continued to operate under a set-tlement agreement that allowed them to stay open in exchange for large annual fees. Brookhaven’s attorney advised against adopting this agreement and encour-aged them to draft a new ordinance. But the one strip club in the city of Brookhaven’s borders – the Pink Pony – said the new regulations would put them out of business. Attorneys for the club urged council to honor the club’s settlement agreement. Council chose instead to move ahead with its new ordinance, and the club sued.

Century Center/Chamblee annexationOn July 1, Highwoods Properties, owners of the Century Center office com-

plex, applied for annexation into the city of Brookhaven. The move sparked a turf war between Brookhaven and neighboring Chamblee, which already had included the property as part of a Nov. 5 annexation referendum. Cham-blee filed a temporary injunction, and a DeKalb County judge agreed that Brookhaven should have to wait until after the referendum to vote on annex-ing Century Center. Brookhaven disagreed, and brought on some heavy legal artillery, including former governor Roy Barnes, who filed an emergency mo-tion with the Georgia Supreme Court. The high court sided with Brookhaven on the grounds that a judge should not be able to stop an elected body from voting. However, the court said the rest of the judge’s injunction should stand. On Nov. 5, voters in the unincorporated annexation area south of Chamblee voted convincingly to join the city. Under pressure from the residents, Cham-blee officials, and even state legislators, Brookhaven City Council dropped its bid to annex the office complex. In November, the council voted to discontin-ue any funding for an appeal process.

Central DeKalb citiesIn the wake of Brookhaven’s incorporation, several groups have announced

their intention to create a city in the unincorporated area south of Brookhaven around the intersection of I-85 and I-285. Three groups – the City of Briarcliff Initiative, the Lakeside City Alliance and Tucker 2014, successfully raised the money to commission studies into the feasibility of their proposed cities. Re-cently released reports found that proposals for Lakeside, Briarcliff and Tucker would be feasible. Maps for all three potential cities overlap around Northlake Mall, which means the territorial dispute will likely need to be hashed out in the Legislature.

BK

C o m m u n i t y


Top Stories @ReporterNewspapers.net

1. DeKalb schools fallout continues

2. High-end apartments lure new tenants

3. Work starts soon to shut down Ga. 400 toll plaza

4. Map, timeline for Ga. 400 trail released

5. Fancying fine living leads to a backyard chicken coop

Andrea Sneiderman

Just days be-fore her July murder tri-al was sched-uled to begin, DeKalb District Attorney Rob-ert James an-nounced that he would drop the most seri-ous charges against Andrea Snei-derman. Sneiderman had been charged with conspiring to kill her husband, Rusty Sneiderman. An-drea Sneiderman’s former boss, Hemy Neuman, was sentenced to life in prison in 2012 for shoot-ing Rusty Sneiderman in front of a Dunwoody day care center. An-drea Sneiderman’s trial proceeded on the remaining perjury charges, and a DeKalb County jury found Sneiderman guilty of 9 of the 13 counts against her, such as lying under oath and concealing evi-dence. She was sentenced to serve five years in prison.

Zoning IssuesThe city in November launched

a full audit of the city’s zoning map after it discovered that the infor-mation it adopted from DeKalb County was incomplete. Commu-nity Development Director Su-san Canon told the council she be-lieves as much as 20 years of data may be missing, which leaves the city no choice but to check each parcel to make sure it has the cor-rect zoning data. The issue was brought to light in part by Ashford Park residents angered by a home under construction in their neigh-borhood. The home is flanked on either side by homes in different residential zoning categories, caus-ing confusion about whether rules governing setbacks apply.

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6 | Dec. 27, 2013 – Jan. 9, 2014 | www.ReporterNewspapers.net BK

Eight years…wow, it’s hard to believe. It seems more like two years, rather than eight, since Sandy Springs became a city.

But, what I want to talk about is our mayor, Eva Galambos, and the great leadership we’ve had from her. To have us come out of the gate as not only the talk of the state, but nationally and even internationally.

Hardly a week goes by that she isn’t being interviewed by someone asking about how we have accomplished all that we’re doing as a new city, especially through private compa-nies contracting for services.

Eva envisioned long before we became a city we could be diff erent. What she meant was, Sandy Springs could provide city services at a higher quality and lower price than compa-rable governments, and that’s exactly what has been accom-plished.

Her leadership has kept our city true to its core services and freed up millions of dollars for capital improvements so sorely needed in our community.

Look at what has been accomplished in so many areas un-der her leadership. Really too numerous to start listing, but one in particular that stands out is parks and recreation: Mor-gan Falls Overlook Park, youth sports activities, partnering with the public schools to use the playgrounds for the pub-lic, and on and on.

Go to the city webpage [www.sandyspringsga.org/City-Departments/Recreation-and-Parks] and just scroll through all the programs off ered by the city to this community - most of which would have never been available but for the fact we became a city.

Having long-term vision is diffi cult for public offi cials, yet Eva has met this challenge. She leaves the city with a cash re-serve of $32 million, and we began in 2006 with $0 in the bank - doing so while we weathered the worst economic time

in our memory. How was this done? It was done through great city leadership, led by Eva.

When people ask me about Eva and what kind of person she is, I explain she is the most charming and engaging person - she nev-er knows a stranger. But don’t ever think you can pull something over on her. As she listens to your pro-posal she will in a kind way explain what defi ciencies she sees in your approach, and why.

After working with Eva over the years, it’s easy to tell when she has made a decision. She stiff ens her neck, lowers her chin against her chest and gives a very compelling explanation of why she agrees or does not agree with you.

So, due in great measure to Mayor Eva Galambos, our city has been launched, and is on a chartered course continuing the delivery of services which enhance our lives, add value to our properties, and make us proud to tell others we live in Sandy Springs.

She may no longer be mayor, but the foundation she has prepared will sustain our city far into the future, with the new leadership continuing the course. Yes, she is receiving much deserved recognition for her years of work on our behalf, but the greatest tribute we can pay her is to not let our heritage of this great city be diminished.

Th ank you, Eva, and Godspeed.

Rep. Wendell Willard of Sandy Springs represents District 51 in the Georgia House of Representatives and serves as the city of Sandy Springs’ attorney.

eva, it’s hard to say goodbye

reP. WendeLL WiLLard

GUeST ColUMn

reP. WendeLL

CorrectionEditor's note: An article in the Dec. 13 edition of Reporter Newspapers about students attending Th e Art Institute of Atlan-

ta provided incorrect information about ownership of Th e Hub, a student housing facility in Sandy Springs. Th e Art Institute of Atlanta leases the property.

On the record: A year in quotesHere are some of the things people in Reporter Newspapers communities had to say in 2013.

“After two years of meeting and planning, we have our fi rst tangible piece of the trail, and it feels pretty great.”

–Denise Starling, executive director of Livable Buckhead, on the proposed trail along Ga. 400, in May.

“We realize that many of our residents would prefer to keep the landscape free of additional billboards. While I agree, we must adhere to the law.”

–Sandy Springs Mayor Eva Galambos, explaining why new billboards were appearing around the city, in July..

“I think you could sum it up by saying there doesn’t seem to be a preponderance of people saying they’re so concerned about this issue that it needs to be addressed immediately.”

–Brookhaven resident Bill Roberts, on the city’s ongoing legal battle with the Pink Pony, an adult entertainment club, in September.

“One of the challenges we have with our dog park is it is re-gional in nature. Th at’s a problem. When people say to me, ‘But we love it so,’ I say, ‘Go home to your communities and repli-cate what you love.”

–Dunwoody City Councilwoman Lynn Deutsch, on the controversy surrounding the city’s dog park, which city offi cials want to move from one location to another within Brook Run Park, in December. Th e move has drawn strong opposition from dog park users.

“A year to the day that the citizens voted to incorporate the city of Brookhaven, they’ll see their own police cars patrolling. Th at’s a signifi cant milestone.”

–Brookhaven Mayor J. Max Davis, announcing the start of the city’s police department, in July.

“We get the bar bill, but we don’t get a drink.”–Atlanta City Councilwoman Yolanda Adrean, on the eff ects of

development on community borders, in September.

“I never liked the logo, and I think there are a lot of people who agree. But I dislike spending money to change the logo just three years after council adopted it. I dislike that even more.”

–Dunwoody City Councilman Terry Nall, on a decision not to spend $40,000 to develop a new city logo, in October.

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www.ReporterNewspapers.net | DEC. 27, 2013 – JAN. 9, 2014 | 7

H O N O R I N G E V A

Eva’s way: Sandy Springs mayor never took ‘no’ for an answer

The physicians, staff and volunteers of Northside Hospital wish to congratulate you on all your many accomplishments with the City of Sandy Springs.

Your dedication and extraordinary efforts are to be commended. Wishing you all the best in your retirement.

HONORING MAYOR EVA GALAMBOS

ALLtheBEST

MUZEL CHEN

Mayor Eva Galambos fought for the city for “many, many years” and “never gave in.”

BY DAN [email protected]

City Councilman Tibby DeJulio pulled his friend Mayor Eva Galam-bos to his side as they stood before a larger-than-usual crowd in the council chambers. It was Dec. 17, the night of Galambos’ last council meeting as mayor of Sandy Springs.

DeJulio and the mayor have been friends for years. Th ey worked to-gether and turned the community of Sandy Springs into a city. DeJu-lio, like many of Galambos’ friends, was also her loyal foot soldier in the march toward cityhood.

“When you work with Eva, there is no compromise with quality. Ev-erything has to be done right. Of course, it has to be done right this min-ute,” DeJulio said with a smirk. “Th ere’s a wrong way, there’s a right way, and there’s Eva’s way.”

At the December council meeting, DeJulio told the mayor that the road leading up to City Hall will be named “Galambos Way.” It’s fi tting tribute for a leader who wins more arguments that she loses. In 2005, she won the mother of all her arguments when 94 percent of Sandy Springs residents voted to incorporate. She was also elected the city’s fi rst mayor.

Th e mayor remains a popular fi gure, winning re-election in 2009 with 84 percent of the vote. Her offi ce gives her power and her reputation gives her infl uence. Galambos is not shy about using either; defying her means chal-lenging one of the toughest, smartest Georgia politicians.

Galambos said the politician she most admires is former U.K. Prime Minister Margaret Th atcher, a leader so uncompromising her critics dubbed her “Th e Iron Lady.”

“She had determination and she fought for what she believed,” Galambos said. “She was able to change how things were going in Great Britain, so I think she was a wonderful role model.”

While she will forever be known as Sandy Springs’ fi rst mayor, it is one of the least remarkable things about her. She’s a Jewish-German immigrant. Her fi rst memories are walking down a street with her mother in Berlin. Her

father was a judge in Germany who lost his job when the Nazis rose to power. He escaped with his family to Ita-ly, and from there fl ed to the U.S. in 1939. She spoke only a “spattering” of English when she arrived in Georgia, but in fi ve years she would graduate as valedictorian of her class at Athens High School.

She obtained a master’s degree and a Ph.D. at a time when few women were expected to have careers out-CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

Sandy Springs Mayor Eva Galambos, who leaves offi ce Jan. 7, was not only the founding mayor of the city in 2005 but also an inspirational fi gure for the startup of other new cities in Atlanta’s northern suburbs—including Dunwoody and, most recently, Brookhaven. In this special section, we review her remarkable career and public life.

8 | DEC. 27, 2013 – JAN. 9, 2014 | www.ReporterNewspapers.net


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1928 – Galambos born in Berlin,

Germany.

1939 – Galambos immigrates to the United States, to Athens, Georgia.

1933 – Galambos’ family leaves

Berlin for Genoa, Italy.

1944 – Graduates from Athens High and was the valedictorian that year.

1949 – Marries John Galambos, receives master’s degree in

Industrial Relations from the University

of Illinois.

1960 – Moves to Sandy Springs to a house on Trimble Road.

1948 – Graduates from the University of Georgia with a

bachelor’s in Business Administration.

1954 – Eva and John Galambos have the fi rst

of three children.

Mayor Eva Galambos: Creation of city high on ‘satisfaction list’

Q. What accomplishments are you proudest of?

A. Other than my three wonderful children, the creation of our new

city of Sandy Springs has given me more satisfaction than any other activity in which I was engaged.

Q. What has been your biggest dis-appointment?

A. I regret that during my two terms we have not succeeded in lower-

ing the ridiculous 21 percent penalty per gallon on water that Sandy Springs users pay the Atlanta Watershed Department. Th e delay in addressing this serious inequi-ty is a result of (1) the intransigence on the part of two Atlanta mayors to negotiate on this matter, and (2) the incredible hold-ups in federal courts. Our city attorney is ready to deal with this matter in State Court, and it is my great hope that we will gain equity in the coming months.

Q. Was the creation of the city of Sandy Springs worth the strug-

gle?



A woman of valor–seek her out,for she is to be valued above rubies.

Her husband trusts her,and they cannot fail to prosper.

All the days of her lifeshe is good to him.

She opens her hands to those in needand offers her help to the poor.

Adorned with strength and dignity,she looks to the future with cheerful trust.

Her speech is wise,and the law of kindness is on her lips.

Her children rise up to call her blessed,her husband likewise praises her:

‘Many women have done well,but you surpass them all.’

Charm is deceptive and beauty short lived,but a woman loyal to God has truly earned praise.

Give her honor for her work;her life proclaims her praise.

— from Proverbs 31

FOR EVA GALAMBOS,a true woman of valor

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1975 – Becomes president of

Committee for Sandy Springs.

2005 – Sandy Springs residents vote to

incorporate. Galambos elected city’s fi rst mayor.

2008 – Sandy Springs buys former Target building for $8 million, and Galambos

sees it as a potential site for a future City Hall.

2013 – In April, Galambos announces her retirement. Her

last City Council meeting was Dec. 17.

1969 – Graduates from Georgia State University with a

Ph.D. in Economics.

1992 – Galambos moves to the Grogan’s Bluff Neighborhood, behind the current

location of City Hall.

2006 – Galambos begins fi rst term as mayor. 2009 – Galambos

re-elected with 84 percent of the vote.

A. Yes. Not only have the citizens of Sandy Springs gained a more attractive city, with

better infrastructure and new parks, but they are also enjoying the pleasures of civic involvement. Th e en-thusiasm of our residents in participating in our public life is palpable. Th e next milestone will be a public downtown area where our folks can live, shop and en-joy each other, deriving all the benefi ts of urban life at its best.

Q. What has surprised you the most about the city of Sandy Springs in its fi rst eight years?

A. I have been pleasantly surprised by how much infrastructure the city has been able to install

and aff ord on the same, identical tax millage we paid before we became a city. Before cityhood, we lost the

vast majority of our taxes for local services into the bowels of Fulton County. Now we have a 125-person police department (vs. 40 with Fulton), and we can af-ford new parks and other amenities.

Q. Did you imagine other cities would follow so quickly? Is regionalism dead in metro

Atlanta?

A. I never dreamed beyond the creation of San-dy Springs. Once Dunwoody was born, the

pattern was clear. DeKalb County neglected its north-ern tier just as Fulton had neglected us. Th e fate is the same.

As for regionalism, I do not think it is dead. How-ever, its main manifestation last year in the TSPOST debacle showed how it was wrong. It tried to impose a list of projects from the top down. True, there was a

small group of elected local offi cials who traded projects among themselves. But it was a poor show of how a re-gional organization needs to involve the governments and elected offi cials who are closest to the people. Th is was another lesson that “central planning” does not work.

Q. What are your plans as you leave offi ce?

A. It is time for my patient husband to have me at home more. I do plan to tutor Sandy

Springs third graders in reading. Gov. Nathan Deal spoke recently in Sandy Springs and reminded us that workforce development is one of most important eco-nomic development tools, and workforce development is stymied if a third grader advances without full read-ing skills.



Thank you!Mayor Eva Galambos - Thank you for your commitment and dedication to your community, your efforts behind localized governance, and for enhancing the quality of life for citizens

throughout the metro area.

**IMPORTANT NOTE**These Illustrator color swatches should only be used

when printing CMYK (Process) colors.Please refer to the Dunwoody Brand Style Guide for proper use of this mark.

Dunwoodyga.gov

side of the home. With her intellect, and ambition, she could’ve been almost any-thing she’d wanted. She moved to Sandy Springs in 1960 with her young family.

“We wanted a large lot, and we want-ed to be where there was plenty of room around us,” Galambos said. “When we moved on Trimble Road, there was a 14-acre site next to us with cows. It was the edge of development.”

Galambos grew frustrated as develop-ment started cropping up in the com-munity around her.

“I realized how mistreated we were by Fulton County, and realized that was not what I expected from local govern-ment,” Galambos said. “Th at made me passionate about protecting our neigh-borhoods. We were being inundated with gas stations and commercial devel-opment at every corner.”

Th at was the beginning of what would become a decades-long fi ght. Galambos became president of the Committee for Sandy Springs in 1975. Th e eff ort to incorporate was also a po-litical struggle, pitting black Democrats in the state Legislature against white Re-publican lawmakers from the suburbs.

Galambos said when she was young-er she identifi ed as a Democrat, but now identifi es as a Republican. She and her husband John, who worked as a physi-cian, resented how government spent taxpayer money.

“Th e thing that really brought about the change was when we started paying huge income taxes and we realized how much of our income was being redis-tributed,” Galambos said. “Th at’s what turns liberals into conservatives. When they see how the money is wasted, you get a diff erent philosophy.”

Galambos had a knack for recruit-ing talented allies in her fi ght against big government. She reached out to Kar-

en Meinzen McEnerny around 2001 for help when the state Transportation Department was considering a contro-versial plan to realign Roswell Road. McEnerny was elected to the city’s fi rst council in 2005, along with Galambos.

Over the years, their relationship showed signs of strain as McEnerny pushed for policies that Galambos didn’t support. Th e councilwoman frequently found herself in the voting minority on city council.

“Eva is somebody to never underes-timate,” McEnerny said. “She is one of the most focused, hardworking women I have ever had the opportunity to meet.”

Trisha Th ompson-Fox, a member of the Sandy Springs Council of Neighbor-hoods, fi rst met Galambos in the 1990s. Galambos enlisted her to fi ght zoning in Fulton County to protect Sandy Springs from overdevelopment.

Th e more time Galambos spent as mayor, the more frequently she found herself at odds with the Council of Neighborhoods. She was criticized for votes in support of commercial and resi-dential developments that some council members opposed.

Galambos said her view on protect-ing neighborhoods has not changed over the years.

“I still absolutely cherish the neigh-borhoods and want to maintain them as they are, but when you’ve got commer-cial development that isn’t impinging on a neighborhood, you have to under-stand a developer’s viewpoints,” Galam-bos said. “I don’t think the Council of Neighborhoods often listens to the de-velopers.”

Fox said that the friction between Galambos and the Council of Neigh-borhoods hasn’t gotten in the way of her relationship with the mayor.

“We have not always seen eye to eye, but I respect her opinions and her abil-

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7

Eva’s way: Sandy Springs mayor never took ‘no’ for an answer

Mayor Eva Galambos enjoys herself at a party thrown in her honor at Heritage Sandy Springs on Dec. 8.It’s been said that “when you work with Eva, there is no compromise with quality. Everything has to be done right... There’s a wrong way, there’s a right way, and there’s Eva’s way.”Galambos has remarked that the politician she most admired was former U.K. Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, known as “The Iron Lady.” “She had determination and she fought for what she believed,” Galambos said. “She was a wonderful role model.”

PHIL MOSIER



Th e story is told every time a new city forms in Georgia.

According to Sandy Springs May-or Eva Galambos’ autobiography, “A Dream Come True: My Very Good Life,” state Sen. Vincent Fort (D-Atlan-ta) once said “Pigs will fl y when Sandy Springs is a city!”

Since then, the fl ying pig has become a symbol of Georgia’s new city move-ment. Sandy Springs regularly holds meetings in the Flying Pig Boardroom.

Galambos, retiring as mayor, received a statue of a fl ying pig as a parting gift. When residents in Brookhaven voted to incorporate in 2012, state Rep. Tom Taylor brought a toy fl ying pig to the victory party.

But Fort says the story is just not true.Fort said recently he never said any-

thing about fl ying pigs. He said to his knowledge, no one in the Democratic Party said it. Fort said the quote is most likely an “urban myth.”

“Whoever is saying that is misre-membering … ,” Fort said.

Galambos referred questions about the fl ying pig to state Rep. Joe Wilkin-son (R-Sandy Springs), who said he was present 13 years ago and heard Fort say it. Wilkinson said Fort made the com-ment with a chuckle, in a jovial way, when Wilkinson brought up the subject of Sandy Springs during a gathering of the Fulton County delegation.

“We were discussing many things, but of course, I was pushing Sandy Springs, and we started talking about stuff and the comment was made,” Wilkinson said.


Thanks, Mayor Galambos, for making our home town a great place to start and grow a business.

ReporterNewspapers

Springs Publishing LLC

This pig has fl own, but was its origin an ‘urban myth’?

ities, and I hope she respects my dedi-cation to the mission she set out,” Fox said.

Even Galambos’ biggest political foes have a grudging respect for her abilities.

State Sen. Vincent Fort, D-Atlanta, was one of the most high-profi le oppo-nents of Sandy Springs incorporating. He said he’s still not convinced that the city, with its unique model of outsourc-ing public services to private companies, is the success Galambos and her sup-porters claim.

Th ere’s no doubt in his mind about the caliber of his opponent, however.

“You know, she is a worthy adversary. I’ll say that,” Fort said. “I respected her energy and focus and determination.”

Galambos’ focus and determination has won her respect, but also led to accu-sations that she retaliates against people that disagree with her. In 2011, for ex-ample, she convinced the council to de-lay buying right of way for a streetscape project because some property owners

along the road wanted to rent space to billboard companies.

DeJulio said many people have the wrong impression of his friend.

“She has fought for the city for many, many years, and she never gave in, and she has given that appearance of being tough,” DeJulio said. “But she’s also a very giving and a very caring person. She cares more for the people of Sandy Springs than you can imagine.”

She showed rare emotion during the Dec. 17 city council meeting.

Galambos read a poem she’d written about her fellow council members. It was a tender moment from someone not known for being sentimental.

She’s less poetic when it comes to dis-cussing her own legacy.

When asked what she’d like people to remember her for, Galambos didn’t fl at-ter herself.

“I don’t prescribe what they should remember about me,” Galambos said. “Th at’s up to them.”

PHIL MOSIER

City Councilman Tibby DeJulio, left, presents Mayor Eva Galambos with a fl ying pig statue during a Dec. 8 going away party in Sandy Springs.

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Violin ConcertSunday, Jan. 5, 4 p.m. – St. Luke’s Presbyterian Church welcomes virtuoso vi-olinist Nadir Khashi-mov, who performs with the winner of the Liszt Competition, pianist Alexander Ullman. Open to the community. Donations accepted at the door. 1978 Mount Vernon Rd., Dunwoody, 30338. For more details, go to: www.slpres.org or call 770-393-1424.

Peter Pan & WendyThursday, Jan. 9, 10:30 a.m. – The Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta presents a co-production with the Synchronicity Theatre, “Peter Pan and Wendy,” based on the classic Peter Pan sto-ry. In this musical, Wendy’s having trouble com-ing to terms with growing up. Her life gets sprin-kled with a little pixie dust when Peter Pan whisks her away to Neverland where children never grow up. Show recommended for ages 3 and up. Addi-tional shows: Jan. 12, Jan. 16, and Jan. 19. Morris & Rae Frank Theatre, 5342 Tilly Mill Rd., Dun-woody, 30338. For showtimes, prices and other in-formation, visit www.atlantajcc.org/boxoffice, or call 678-812-4002.

Instrumental MusicSunday, Jan. 12, 4 p.m. – 9 String Theory, the unique musical collaboration of domra virtu-oso Angelina Galashenkova-Reed and award-win-ning classical guitarist John Huston, perform at Dunwoody United Methodist Church. Concert includes music from Argentina, Russia, Romania, Spain, France, Italy and the U.S. $10 suggested donation. In the Chapel, 1548 Mount Vernon Rd., Dunwoody, 30338. Call 770-394-0675 for details. Go to: www.facebook.com/9StringTheory to find out more about the duo.

Blood Drive

Tuesday, Dec. 31, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. –Accord-ing to the American Red Cross, every two sec-onds, someone in the U.S. needs blood. That’s more than 38,000 blood donations needed ev-ery day. Northside Hospital hosts a community blood drive. All donors receive a free t-shirt and free parking. Requirements: in good health, weigh at least 110 pounds and are 17 years or older. For more details or to schedule an appointment, con-tact Mandy Snavely at 770-667-4010 or via email: [email protected]. Center Pointe, Building 2, Lower Level Conference Room, 1100 Johnson Ferry Rd., NE, Atlanta, 30342.

One for the Chipper Saturday, Jan. 4, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. – Area res-idents can put discarded Christmas trees to good use during Keep San-dy Springs’ recycling pro-gram, “Bring One for the

Chipper.” Program now collecting clothing and small household items for donation to American Kidney Services. Remove decorations and lights before dropping off trees. Drop off at Home Depot, 6400 Peachtree Dunwoody Rd., Sandy Springs, 30328, and also at the Sandy Springs Recycling Center, 470 Morgan Falls Rd., San-dy Springs, 30350. Mulch is available free to the public, by contacting Davey Tree at 770-451-7911. Find out more by visiting: www.knfb.org.

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Learn BridgeWednesday, Jan. 8, 9:30-11:30 a.m. – Do you want to learn how to play bridge? Th e Bridge Club of Atlanta will show you how! Two new be-ginner classes get under way Wednesdays in Janu-ary. Additional class, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Attending fi rst class is free; six-week series is $110. Bridge Club of Atlanta, 4920 Roswell Rd., Atlanta, 30342. Ques-tions? Call Sam at 770-254-6033 or email: [email protected].

DivorceCareWednesday, Jan. 8, 6:30-8 p.m. – DivorceC-are and DivorceCare for Kids brings people together to discuss topics such as depression, loneliness, faith, kids, single sexuality, fi nances, and others – through one of life’s most diffi cult experiences. DivorceCare for Kids is for children ages 5-12 to help them make sense of their world. Th ese classes run concurrently with DivorceCare and also begin Jan. 8, 6:30-8 p.m. Classes designed to join in progress. Dunwoody United Methodist Church, 1548 Mount Vernon Rd., Dunwoody, 30338. Call 770-394-0675 or email: [email protected] for adults or [email protected] for details.

Reduce Stress & PainTh ursday, Jan. 9, 12:30-2 p.m. – Transform your relationship with stress and pain into life-en-hancing solutions through breathing techniques, mind and body awareness, movement (adapted for any physical challenges) and relaxation practices. Techniques are based on evidence from major uni-versities. Free, but RSVP required to 404-843-1880. Also held on Jan. 23. For members of the Cancer Support Community, 5775 Peachtree Dunwoody Rd., Suite C-225, Atlanta, 30342. Go to www.cscat-lanta.org to learn more.

Called & Gifted Workshop

Friday, Jan. 10, 7-9:15 p.m. – St. Jude the Apostle Catholic Church hosts a Called & Gifted workshop, designed to help you fi nd the presence of spiritual gifts in your life. Workshop includes the fi ve steps of discerning those spiritual gifts, and how these gifts can change your own life and the world. Work-shop continues Saturday, Jan. 11, 9:30 a.m.- 4 p.m. $50 per person, includes course materials, meals and refreshments. 7171 Glenridge Dr., Sandy Springs, 30328. For more information and to register online, go to: www.stjudeatlanta.net or call 770-394-3896.

Medicinal Plants & Aromatherapy

Saturday, Jan. 11, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. – Get a holistic start to the New Year with a look at what Mother Nature has to off er! Join others in learning about the world of healing plants. Beginners’ class focuses on herbs and oils used to treat a variety of ail-ments, with an emphasis on women’s needs. Class includes a hands-on presentation and crafting of fl oral water and teas for participants to take home. $25, general public; $20 members. Advance regis-tration required by Jan. 8. 9135 Willeo Rd., Roswell, 30075. Call 770-992-2055 or visit: www.chattnatu-recenter.org to register or to fi nd out more.

Camp Fair

Sunday, Jan. 12, 1-3 p.m. – Join the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta at the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta for a summer Jewish overnight camp fair. Speak with camp directors and alumni, and learn more about the federation’s schol-arship opportunities. Free and open to all. 5342 Til-ly Mill Rd., Dunwoody, 30338. Questions? Visit: www.jewishatlanta.org/jewishcamp or contact Hay-ley Wasser at [email protected].

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Three Kings Day keeps Mexican traditions alive

ARCHIVES

From left, Ivan Tiaseca, Fatima Biviano, Lauren Fitz and Karime Soriano prepare before performing in a Christmas play at the Three Kings Day celebration.

BY JOE [email protected]

Gabriela Gonzalez-Lamberson re-members celebrating Th ree Kings Days when she was growing up in Los An-

geles. Th ree Kings Day brought a little something extra each Christmas season.

Th e day, celebrated in Mexico and throughout Latin America and South America, marks the point in the Biblical story of the birth of Jesus when the three wise men, or kings, arrived with gifts to honor the newborn.

“It is a very important tradition with-in the Mexican culture,” said Gonza-lez-Lamberson, who is of Cuban heri-tage but grew up in a community with Hispanic families from many countries, and works as executive director of the Brookhaven-based Instituto de Mexi-co, Inc.

In some homes that decorate for the holidays with nativity scenes – the table-top displays that usually include fi gures of Mary, Joseph, shepherds and angels – the fi gures of the kings were not added until Th ree Kings Day, Gonzalez-Lam-berson said. At times between Christ-mas and Th ree Kings Day, the fi gures of the kings might be placed in rooms other than the one containing the nativ-ity scene so children could imagine the Kings are on their journey, she said. In some families, children received presents on Th ree Kings Day.

For the past 11 years, the nonprof-it group Gonzalez-Lamberson directs has put together a public celebration of Th ree Kings Day. Organized to dissem-inate the art and culture of Mexico, the institute works to “keep traditions alive within the Mexican population and also create a friendship bridge between the Mexican and non-Mexican popula-tions,” she said.

Th ree Kings Day is one of four com-munity celebrations the organization sponsors. Th e others, she said, are Chil-dren’s Day in April, Mexican Indepen-

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For the past couple of years, the Th ree Kings Day celebra-tion has attracted about 1,000 participants, she said. About 70 percent of those who attend are His-panic, she said.

Th is year, the celebra-tion is scheduled for the afternoon of Sunday, Jan. 5, and will be held at the Atlanta History Center in Buckhead. Admission is free. Children 12 and younger who attend will be given small presents, food and tickets to a raffl e for larger presents, such as bicycles – “the shiny, sassy fun things when you go to Walmart,” she said.

Th e celebration includes performanc-

es by Mariachi musicians and folk danc-ers, and an appearance by the three kings, Gonzalez-Lamberson said. “We

actually have the three kings there,” she said. “Each family gets to take a photo with the three kings.”

Th e goal is to work to keep Mexican traditions alive among families now living in metro Atlanta.

“Part of what we do is to keep traditions alive,” she said. “We live in a so-ciety where there is as-similation. As genera-tions continue, traditions become morphed. But our mission is to contin-ue those traditions and to continue to talk about the

importance of those traditions – what is behind it and why.”

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Cover photos of the yearReporter Newspapers staff thought the following photos captured

the essence of life in our four local communities in 2013.

Above, left, “Handshakes all around,” from the March 22-April 4 issue, from left, Max Marion, Hudson Fletcher and

Jake Oliver, members of the Dunwoody Middle School baseball league, congratulate each other after a win.

Above, right, in “Snap, crackle and pop,” which ran Nov. 15-Nov. 28, Sammy Heetderks, 6, left, and sister Hannah, 9, play in a large pile of leaves at their Brookhaven home.

Right, “Lithe like a lion,” from Feb. 8-Feb. 21, Emma Hancock, left, and Mattie Martinez, right, surround Cecilia

Bouska, center, during the “Lion King Dances of the Circle of Life” performance at The Galloway School.

Left, “Dazzled by dragons,” which ran in the Jan. 25-Feb. 7 edition, Anna Grinshpon, 5, holds a paper dragon she made during a Chinese New

Year program at the Sandy Springs Library.

ALL PHOTOS BY PHIL MOSIER

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*Clarity Final Report: Baby Boomer Hearing Loss Study September 15, 2004. 437 interviews were completed with a random group of respondents across the country. **Individual patient needs may vary. Duration of device battery life varies by patient and is subject to individual ear conditions. †Professional fees may apply. Annual subscription begins the fi rst day of trial. Lyric is not appropriate for all patients. See a Lyric Provider to determine if Lyric is right for you. Lyric, Distributed by Phonak, LLC ©2013. All rights reserved.

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Almost 50% of Baby Boomers say they’re experiencing difficulty hearing.

Phil Mosier, right, teaches photography at Georgia Perimeter College and takes many of the photos that appear in Reporter Newspapers.

We asked him to choose some of his favorite photos from 2013. Here are a couple of Phil’s picks for the year.

P H I L ’ S P I C K S

PHOTOS BY PHIL MOSIER

Above, “A pie in his eye” which ran in the Aug. 23-Sept. 5 issue, featured Mariah Andrews, left, making perfect contact

with Sandy Springs librarian Marlan Brinkley, right, at the branch library. Below, “Taking fl ight like a bird,” from the Feb. 22-March 7 edition, Tilden Ellis, 4, left, and his friend

Grayson Richmond, 3, take a break from the nationwide Great Backyard Bird Count at the Dunwoody Nature Center.

E D U C A T I O N


Standout StudentStudent Profi le:

Amelia Cole, senior The Galloway School

By the end of high school, Ame-lia Cole will have received a dozen var-sity letters for her participation on Th e Galloway School’s soccer, basketball and cross country teams.

Cole’s athletic achievements put her in the running for the special 12-letter award, a rare achievement in Galloway history.

“Only one girl got the award last year,” Cole said. “It’s really not that com-mon for people to earn so many letters.”

Excellence in the athletic arena has always been her goal, but Amelia didn’t always have the 12-letter award to work toward until high school.

“I’m not even sure I knew about the award until sometime in freshman year,” she said. “But when I found out about it, it became my goal to get the award,” Cole said.

Cole had a strong foundation for the skills she developed as an athlete and student at Galloway. She began playing soccer at the age of 3, and it has become an integral part of who she is.

“I started going to Galloway before I was 3, so everyone knows me there. I have an older sister so they always knew me and they’ve always supported me,” Cole said.

One of her supporters is her for-mer soccer coach, Edgar Flores. Flores was her sister’s coach as well as Ame-lia’s coach in her freshman year, and is a close family friend. Flores now coaches at Dunwoody High School but has re-mained an important member of Cole’s support system.

“He was my coach, but he’s also a friend. He gave me a lot of advice. He always tells me to play with heart and fi ght for what I believe in,” Cole said.

Flores described Amelia as “fast and fearless,” and a strong competitor. “She was always competing – with herself, with her sister, to make the team better,” Flores said. “She’s a unique athlete ... If Galloway has a Hall of Fame, someday she’ll be in it.”

What’s Next:

Amelia plans to attend Elon Uni-versity in North Carolina in the fall. She intends to keep playing soccer and to major in Special Education or Early Childhood Education.

� is article was prepared by Varsha Narendra, a student at Dunwoody High School.

Do you know a standout high school student? Send nominees to [email protected].

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By Mollie SiMonChamblee Charter High School stu-

dents, parents and alumni threw their old school building a goodbye party be-fore its scheduled demolition over the coming winter break.

On Dec. 13, the Chamblee Par-ent Teacher Student Association held a “Last Dance” in the high school gym.

“We did this so that people would have a really good last memory of the building and the people who have gone here,” said former Chamblee Governance Council Chair Belinda Wedgwood.

The idea for the event came together in October, and the organizers reached out through Facebook to encourage alumni in the area to attend. The goal for the evening was to raise around $5,000 for school equipment and supplies.

“Many of the active parents in the school were concerned about increased needs during the move into the new building, so we wanted to think of a cre-ative way to support the teachers and students,” said Chamblee PTSA presi-dent Lisa Thule.

The high school building, construct-ed in 1963 with additions in 1964, 1967, 1971, 1975 and 1997, has been used for a large part of the school’s his-tory. Chamblee High marks its centen-

nial in 2017. Students will move in January into

a new academic building. New athletic fields and performing arts facilities are scheduled to open at the beginning of the 2014-2015 school year.

The Dec. 13 party featured a jazz cafe, the dance and the opportunity to add hand-drawn graffiti to a cafeteria wall. Local businesses contributed to the event.

“A high school should really be a cen-tral draw to the community, and I hope that people will want to be involved in what happens at the new school,” said Wedgwood.

The dance brought some multi-gen-eration Chamblee High families to the school. Sophomore Coen Williams, who played tenor sax and trombone with the jazz band, shared the occasion with his dad, a 1986 graduate.

“I still look back on high school fondly, and I have remembered so much just since walking back in the doors [for the dance],” said Erin McNicholas of the class of 2004.

Mollie Simon is a senior at Chamblee Charter High School and a student intern with Reporter Newspapers.

‘Last Dance’ marks end of an era for old Chamblee High building

mollie simon

Students, parents and teachers threw the old Chamblee Charter High School building, scheduled to be demolished over winter

break, a party on Dec. 13. Above, students had to clear

out their lockers in preparation of the wrecking ball. Right, senior Jessica Cruz adds her comments to the “Graffiti

Wall” in the school’s cafeteria during the event. The party

was a chance for everyone to say goodbye to the facility, and to also raise money for school

supplies and equipment.

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Brookhaven City Council has voted to temporarily halt variances to the city’s stream buffer ordinance.

At a Dec. 17 meeting, City Council voted to enact a 30-day moratorium on stream buffer variances to allow the city time to review its ordinance. With the large amount of infill construction hap-pening in Brookhaven, the city is receiv-ing a lot of requests for variances to the stream buffer, and officials feel the rules aren’t clear enough.

“There is some ambiguity in the or-dinance as it relates to redevelopment of properties that were in existence pri-or to the adoption of the 50-foot buffer by the county of DeKalb, which we have also adopted as our buffer,” said Interim City Attorney Tom Kurrie.

Brookhaven adopted its stream buffer regulations from DeKalb County earli-er this year.

According to Brookhaven Commu-nity Development Director Susan Can-on, the city requires a total buffer dis-tance of 75 feet between a stream and a construction project.

The first 25 feet of buffer closest to the stream is required by the state and variances within that first 25 feet must

be granted by state officials. The addi-tional 50 feet of buffer is a local require-ment, and the city’s Community Devel-opment Department or Zoning Board of Appeals can be sources of variances to those requirements.

On Dec. 18, the City Council held an emergency meeting at the Blackburn Tennis Center to clarify the moratorium it had adopted the day before.

“The moratorium, as it was listed on Tuesday night, we didn’t think it was clear enough and wanted to make sure it was,” said Mayor J. Max Davis. “It was out of an abundance of caution.”

Davis said several applications for the stream buffer variances were already on the agenda for the Zoning Board of Appeals’ Dec. 18 meeting, which was scheduled to begin later in the day after the emergency council meeting.

“When you’re dealing with peoples’ property rights and stream buffers, you have to make sure you’re exact in your language,” Davis said. “When you have applications pending, you don’t want to infringe on those folks’ property rights. That was the purpose of the emergen-cy meeting, to make sure those folks got their hearing.”

Kurrie said much of the confusion comes from people tearing down old homes to build new ones on the same lot.

“If the footprint is not changing, it can go into the entire 50-foot buffer if it had been in there before,” Kurrie said. “There are also situations relating to if the 50-foot buffer makes the lot un-buildable, then there is also those excep-tions where [the community develop-ment director] can make either denials or approvals associated with that.”

Councilman Jim Eyre said he wants the city to be cautious about grant-ing variances for lots that have existing

homes. “We can’t say the lot is unbuildable

if there’s a house there simply because someone wants to tear it down and build a bigger house,” Eyre said. “Unbuildable needs to be truly unbuildable.”

Mattison said he thinks the city could revamp the ordinance to make it stron-ger for the environment and developers.

“We believe there is an opportuni-ty to have a more thoughtful ordinance that serves the purpose of a stream buf-fer ordinance, that is preserving water quality and cleaning up water quality, but also allows for thoughtful develop-ment,” Mattison said.

City enacts 30-day moratorium to study stream buffers

“When you’re dealing with peoples’ property rights and stream buffers,

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– j. max davis

brookhaven maYor


P u b L i c s a F e t Y

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For information contact Publisher Steve Levene at 404-917-2200 ext. 111 or email [email protected]

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BY MELISSA [email protected]

Angry Ashford Park neighbors told City Council that the handling of permits for a new home in their neighborhood has them questioning their confi dence in the new city’s government.

On Nov. 22, residents addressed the City Council before a special called private meeting. Th ey are concerned about a home being built at 2802 Ashford Road that they say is being built far closer to the street than it should be under city zoning reg-ulations.

According to the DeKalb County zoning code adopted by

BY MELISSA WEINMAN AND JOE EARLESome north DeKalb parents and offi cials believe the DeKalb

County Board of Education’s recent vote to deny a “charter clus-ter” application for Druid Hills sent a message that the embattled school board isn’t open to new ideas.

Proponents of independent school systems in north DeKalb say the school board’s decision will bolster eff orts to start new school systems.

“Th e school board has a one-size-fi ts-all [philosophy],” said Dunwoody City Councilman Terry Nall, who has advocated for a separate Dunwoody school system. “Th ey’re not willing to rec-

SEE SETBAcK, PAgE 28 SEE dEKALB, PAgE 26

Creating a sweet treat

phil mosier

Paige durand, 10, gets a jump on the holiday baking season by decorating some cookies at the Brookhaven Branch Library on Nov. 25. More photos on page 5.

Setback provision delays Ashford Park house

deKalb school board ‘isn’t open to new ideas’

our acresCity negotiating with DeKalb for parks land

coMMuNITY 3

cityhood next?lakeside area ready to take necessary steps

coMMuNITY 6

Hushed moneyGa. 400 toll plaza

comes down

coMMENTARY 8-9

Joyful noiseChurches showcasing

seasonal tunes

ouT & ABouT 18, 22

Tons of toysLocal police, fi refi ghters

brighten childrens’ holiday

PuBLIc SAfETY 30

NOV. 29 — DEC. 12, 2013 • VOL. 5 — No. 24

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Proponents of independent school systems in north DeKalb say the school board’s decision will bolster eff orts to start new school systems.


SEE dEKALB, PAgE 26




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Proponents of independent school systems in north DeKalb say the school board’s decision will bolster eff orts to start new school


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Walk offGovernment shutdown, regulations delay bridge

COMMUNITY 7

Hushed moneyGa. 400 toll plaza

comes down

COMMENTARY 8-9

Options openpace academy senior

enjoys math, art

STANDOUT STUDENT 24

Joyful noisechurches showcasing

seasonal tunes

OUT & ABOUT 18, 22

Tons of toysLocal police, fi refi ghters

brighten childrens’ holiday

PUBLIC SAFETY 30

Look what I can do

phil mosier

Left, Amaris Wallace, 11, shows off her artistic talents to brother Amare, 3, as their father, Rick, concentrates on the task at hand at the Buckhead Branch Library on Nov. 16. Youngsters were

encouraged to drop in and create their own autumn craft. More photos on page 3.

By Dan [email protected]

For the last 5 1/2 years, Jim King has been the face of Buck-head’s neighborhoods.

On Nov. 14, King announced he is stepping aside from his role as Buckhead Council of Neighborhoods chairman. Tom Tidwell, a member of the West Paces/Northside Neighborhood Association, will take over that role. King says he will remain as vice chairman, “temporarily.”

King said he’d been considering giving up the post for some time, but some recent developments in his personal life pushed

By MeLissa WeinMan [email protected]

Th e leader of the Atlanta Police Foundation told neighbor-hood groups in Buckhead if they purchase security cameras, At-lanta police will monitor them from the department’s integrated video center.

Dave Wilkinson, president and CEO of the Atlanta Police Foundation, told representatives of Buckhead neighborhoods at-tending the Buckhead Council of Neighborhoods meeting on Nov. 14 that the Atlanta Police Foundation is hoping to get neighbor-hoods involved in the eff ort to reduce property crimes.

SEE JIM KING, PAGE 6SEE POLICE, PAGE 26

King steps down from BCN post

Police hope to monitor neighborhood cameras

NOV. 29 — DEC. 12, 2013 • VOL. 7 — No. 24

gain presence hold your own gain passion love your life! concentrationsweet! gain sweet! gain sweet! performance on top of your game gain hear the world!

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Williams, Au.D.



PeRiMeteR Business pages 10-15


BuckheadReporter

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Look what I can do



[email protected]


On Nov. 14, King announced he is stepping aside from his role as Buckhead Council of Neighborhoods chairman. Tom Tidwell, a member of the West Paces/Northside Neighborhood Association, will take over that role. King says he will remain as vice chairman, “temporarily.”


Th e leader of the Atlanta Police Foundation told neighbor-hood groups in Buckhead if they purchase security cameras, At-lanta police will monitor them from the department’s integrated

Dave Wilkinson, president and CEO of the Atlanta Police Foundation, told representatives of Buckhead neighborhoods at-tending the Buckhead Council of Neighborhoods meeting on Nov. 14 that the Atlanta Police Foundation is hoping to get neighbor-


NOV. 29 — DEC. 12, 2013 • VOL. 7NOV. 29 — DEC. 12, 2013 • VOL. 7NOV. 29 — DEC. 12, 2013 • VOL. 7 — No. — No. — No. — No. — No. — No. — No. — No. — No. — No. — No. — No. — No. — No. NOV. 29 — DEC. 12, 2013 • VOL. 7 — No. NOV. 29 — DEC. 12, 2013 • VOL. 7NOV. 29 — DEC. 12, 2013 • VOL. 7 — No. NOV. 29 — DEC. 12, 2013 • VOL. 7NOV. 29 — DEC. 12, 2013 • VOL. 7 — No. NOV. 29 — DEC. 12, 2013 • VOL. 7 — No. — No. — No. — No. 24242424242424242424242424

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On Nov. 14, King announced he is stepping aside from his role as Buckhead Council of Neighborhoods chairman. Tom Tidwell, a member of the West Paces/Northside Neighborhood Association, will take over that role. King says he will remain as vice chairman,



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DunwoodyReporter


JAN. 11 — JAN. 24, 2013 • VOL. 4 — NO. 1

Going to be a busy year

PHIL MOSIER

From left, Rep. Wendell Willard (R-Sandy Springs), Rep. Tom Taylor (R-Dunwoody) and Sen. Fran Millar (R-Dunwoody) discuss issues such as ethics reform, an independent school system for Dunwoody, and the state’s budget

woes at a legislative forum at Dunwoody United Methodist Church on Jan. 6. More photos on page 31.

BY MELISSA [email protected]

As state legislators head back to the Gold Dome in 2013, they have a lot to think about.

One local issue the state’s lawmakers may be asked to confront is the controversy surrounding DeKalb County’s school board. � e system was recently placed on accreditation probation by Ad-vancED, the accrediting agency.

Sen. Fran Millar (R-Dunwoody), who chairs the Senate Ed-ucation Committee, said at a recent forum that DeKalb County schools are his No. 1 priority.

“I’m guardedly optimistic we can turn this thing around,” Mil-lar said.

A Jan. 17 hearing of the Georgia Board of Education is sched-uled to consider suspending the DeKalb school board members. If

BY TOM ODERA court order halting construction of a controversial multi-use

trail through Brook Run Park was extended after a boisterous Fri-day afternoon hearing in DeKalb County Superior Court attended by city o� cials and dozens of opponents of the city’s plan.

Judge Tangela M. Barrie said her temporary restraining order against the trail will remain in e� ect until she holds a full hearing on the matter. Barrie said homeowners who oppose the city’s plan for the trail must convince her that its construction through the forest in Brook Run Park should be permanently stopped.

Critics are upset the planned 12-foot-wide concrete trail will re-quire removal of more than 300 trees. City o� cials say an equal number of trees will be replanted.

� e judge’s decision to extend her temporary order capped a two-hour hearing before a packed courtroom. Chairs were add-

SEE LEGISLATORS, PAGE 34 SEE BROOK RUN, PAGE 35

Legislators gearing up for return to Gold Dome

Court extends order halting Brook Run trail

Inside

Hot stuffThree ongoing issues

fi re up residents

COMMUNITY 3

Out the door?Petition circulating to remove school board

COMMUNITY 4

Street feetGroup brings warmth,

love to homeless

MAKING A DIFFERENCE 8

Unplain JaneLiterary society reveres

novelist Austen

COMMUNITY 32

Party onSynagogue celebrates

125th anniversary

FAITH 6

Warning shotGun control discussion

needed now

COMMENTARY 11

Number onePolice chief named ‘Citizen of the Year’

COMMUNITY 38




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JAN. 11 — JAN. 24, 2013 • VOL. 4 — NO. 1JAN. 11 — JAN. 24, 2013 • VOL. 4 — NO. 1JAN. 11 — JAN. 24, 2013 • VOL. 4 — NO. 1JAN. 11 — JAN. 24, 2013 • VOL. 4 — NO. 1JAN. 11 — JAN. 24, 2013 • VOL. 4 — NO. 1JAN. 11 — JAN. 24, 2013 • VOL. 4 — NO. 1




A court order halting construction of a controversial multi-use trail through Brook Run Park was extended after a boisterous Fri-day afternoon hearing in DeKalb County Superior Court attended by city o� cials and dozens of opponents of the city’s plan.




SEE BROOK RUN, PAGE 35






A court order halting construction of a controversial multi-use trail through Brook Run Park was extended after a boisterous Fri-day afternoon hearing in DeKalb County Superior Court attended by city o� cials and dozens of opponents of the city’s plan.




SEE BROOK RUN, PAGE 35


Inside Sandy SpringsReporter





PERIMETER BUSINESS pages 10-15 NOV. 29 — DEC. 12, 2013 • VOL. 7 — NO. 24

Thank youRetiring mayor,

councilwoman celebrated

COMMUNITY 4

Stressed outRedevelopment plans upset Spalding Woods’ residents

COMMUNITY 5

Hushed moneyGa. 400 Toll Plaza

comes down

COMMENTARY 8-9

Chopped upCity Council debates treehouse application

COMMUNITY 7

Joyful noiseChurches putting on

holiday concerts

OUT & ABOUT 18,22

Ready when you arePHIL MOSIER

Tessa Rider, 11, carefully handles an ornament at

the third annual Elegant Elf Marketplace at Lake Forest

Elementary School on Nov. 16. The two-day holiday event,

presented by The Sandy Springs Society, raises funds

for local community services.Rider, part of a multi-

generational family selling hand-painted ornaments at

the market, personalized the decorations with a buyer’s

name while he or she shopped, having it ready when the customer was fi nished.

Additional photos on page 3.


City Council awarded a $717,689 contract to C.W. Matthews Contracting to fi x a portion of Lake Forrest Drive that’s been closed since June.

Th e city’s current timetable estimates the portion of Lake For-rest between Lake Summit and Chevaux Court will be reopened by Feb. 28, 2014.

Th e city closed the road after multiple rock slides.Th e initial quote from C.W. Matthews was $1.5 million. City

offi cials revised their plans for the fi x, deciding to use a net to catch


Before she exits Sandy Springs City Council in January, District 6 City Councilwoman Karen Meinzen McEnerny is work-ing to secure her legacy as the city’s lead tree preservationist.

McEnerny, a fi rm believer in term limits, didn’t seek a third term in this year’s municipal election. She’s also a fi rm believer in tree protection, and has spent the last few months trying to get the council to correct what she believes are glaring fl aws in the city’s tree ordinance.

City Council on Nov. 19 discussed McEnerny’s suggested fi xes SEE CITY COUNCIL, PAGE 27 SEE COUNCILWOMAN, PAGE 6

Contract awarded for Lake Forrest fi x

Councilwoman makes last stand for trees

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Sandy SpringsPERIMETER BUSINESS PERIMETER BUSINESS pages 10-15 NOV. 29 — DEC. 12, 2013 • VOL. 7 — NO. 24NOV. 29 — DEC. 12, 2013 • VOL. 7 — NO. 24NOV. 29 — DEC. 12, 2013 • VOL. 7 — NO. 24

Ready when you arePHIL MOSIER

Tessa Rider, 11, carefully handles an ornament at

the third annual Elegant Elf Marketplace at Lake Forest

Elementary School on Nov. 16. The two-day holiday event,

presented by The Sandy Springs Society, raises funds

for local community services.Rider, part of a multi-

generational family selling hand-painted ornaments at

the market, personalized the decorations with a buyer’s

name while he or she shopped, having it ready when the customer was fi nished.

Additional photos on page 3.


Before she exits Sandy Springs City Council in January, District 6 City Councilwoman Karen Meinzen McEnerny is work-ing to secure her legacy as the city’s lead tree preservationist.

McEnerny, a fi rm believer in term limits, didn’t seek a third term in this year’s municipal election. She’s also a fi rm believer in tree protection, and has spent the last few months trying to get the council to correct what she believes are glaring fl aws in the city’s tree ordinance.

City Council on Nov. 19 discussed McEnerny’s suggested fi xes SEE COUNCILWOMAN, PAGE 6

Councilwoman makes last stand for trees

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January 2014 AtlantaINtownPaper.com Volume 20 • Number 1

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By MeliSSa WeinMan [email protected]

Brookhaven Police Chief Gary Yan-dura stood in his future offi ce, looking out the windows at cars rushing by on I-85. For Yandura, that highway will be a critical advantage in helping his police offi cers fi ght crime.

In real estate, it’s all about location. And for the Brookhaven police, fi nding a building that fronts Buford Highway and overlooks I-85 is a bonus.

“I think it’s going to help us out tre-mendously. Most of our calls for service are in the Buford Highway corridor,” Yandura said. “Unfortunately, there is a lot of crime in this area.”

At the end of December, workers began renovating the new Brookhaven police station at 2665 Buford High-way.

Th ough the city’s 59 police offi -cers will be headquartered at the south-ern end of the city, Yandura said prox-imity to major roads and highways will give the offi cers easy access to all of Brookhaven.

“Th e rest of the city will be well-cov-ered,” Yandura said.

Th e new police headquarters will in-clude a crime lab, evidence rooms, two holding cells, an interrogation room and

a municipal court chamber. Th e station will also include offi ces, a locker room, and a conference room where the city’s offi cers can meet.

Th e city has signed a fi ve-year lease on the space. Th e command staff start-ed moving into the new station Dec. 27. Renovations will continue on the ap-proximately 16,000-square-foot space for two months. After that, the patrol division will move in.

A company owned by Brookhaven Mayor J. Max Davis’ father-in-law will be renovating the police station. At the City Council’s Dec. 17 meeting, the

Brookhaven Police moving to new station on Buford Highway

mayor recused himself before the City Council voted on the contract.

Interim City Attorney Tom Kurrie said Asurety Construction was the low bidder for the work. “Out of an abun-dance of caution and so there would be no issue,” Kurrie said as he brought the contract before the council for a vote,

even though it wasn’t necessary. Con-tracts for less than $50,000 may be ap-proved administratively by the city manager.

“Th is process was well known and an attempt to show transparency for what we’re doing up here,” Councilman Joe Gebbia said.

melissA WeinmAn

From left, Brookhaven Sgt. Mike Whittle, Chief Gary Yandura, Sgt. Chad Latonis and Deputy Chief Ron Freeman walk through their facility.

“i think it’s going to help us out tremendously. most of our calls for service are in the Buford Highway corri-

dor, Unfortunately, there is a lot of crime in this area.”

– GarY Yandura

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$115,000 and $155,000. “I expect her salary will be exceed-

ed in the new contract because we want to incentivize her to stay,” said Mayor J. Max Davis. “Whatever is not used out of that will be addressed in mid-year budget adjustments.”

Councilman Bates Mattison said Garrett’s salary will likely increase by $40,000-$45,000. Th at would represent an increase of between 23 and 26 percent.

“Th at puts her on the high end of the spectrum for city managers in the state of Georgia,” Mattison said.

But he said it’s worth the investment to keep Garrett, who he described as “the best in Georgia.”

Garrett originally took the city man-ager position on an interim basis, but agreed to stay on board for longer.

“I think she’s saved us close to $2 mil-lion on contracts. It’s a great thing for the city, and means we can put more money into services like police and parks, and keep our taxes low,” said Councilwoman Rebecca Chase Williams.

Brookhaven City Council voted 3-1 on Dec. 17 to include 3.5 percent raises for city employees into the budget. Th e split vote was due to disagreements over

how much should be allocated for the raises. Th e proposed budget included 4 percent merit increases for employees, most of which are police offi cers.

Williams suggested lowering the amount to 3.5 percent.

Mattison argued that a higher raise would help the city retain its police force. “I think it’s the wrong message to send to our offi cers,” Mattison said of taking the number down to 3.5 percent.

Councilman Jim Eyre also support-ed lower merit increases. “Th ere’s no doubt whatsoever we support our po-lice offi cers. Th is is about being fi scal-ly responsible and consistent with sur-rounding areas,” Eyre said.

Brookhaven’s 2014 budget includes city employee raises

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

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“i expect her [City manager marie Garrett] salary will be exceeded in the new

contract because we want to incentivize her to stay.”

– j. max davis

brookhaven maYor

Sidewalk construction

begins around the city

Brookhaven began pouring concrete for new sidewalks on Dec. 17 to mark the city’s one-year anniversary.

The new sidewalk on Briarwood Way will extend 1,000 feet from the entrance of Briarwood Park to Drew Valley Road to improve pedestrian access to Briarwood Park. New side-walks will also be added in each of the city’s four districts as part of a plan to begin sidewalk construction before the end of 2013.

In October, the mayor and council selected areas in their districts to begin small sidewalk construction projects.

“We are excited to improve pedes-trian access and safety throughout the city, particularly on this one-year an-niversary of Brookhaven becoming a city,” Councilman Jim Eyre said.

Friends of Brookhaven raise money for AEDsTh e Friends of Brookhaven Founda-

tion presented the city with a $30,000

check at its fi rst birthday celebration to buy automated external defi brillators for city police cars.

Using matching funds from the city government, Brookhaven will soon have 64 AEDs for police patrol cars, city hall, police headquarters and mu-nicipal court.

“Th is is a wonderful example of how truly local government, partnered with a tremendously engaged com-munity, can pull together for a great cause, a cause that may one day save a life,” said Shannon Cameron, pres-ident of the Friends of Brookhaven Foundation.

AEDs are paddles that can be used to restart a heartbeat after someone goes into cardiac arrest. Th e units are designed so that they may be used quickly by people without medical training.

Because police offi cers are typically the fi rst to arrive on the scene, equip-ping them with AEDs can help save lives.

In the nearby cities of Dunwoody, Sandy Springs and Chamblee, six lives have been saved by police offi -cers with AEDs.

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12-27-2013 Brookhaven Reporter

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