In This Issue

City Council Approves New Intergovernmental Agreement with Atlanta Public Schools

The Atlanta City Council gave its approval to a new intergovernmental agreement (IGA) settling a monetary dispute between the city, the Atlanta BeltLine and Atlanta Public Schools (APS).
 
The measure was sponsored by Councilmembers Kwanza Hall, Andre Dickens and myself. It was approved Monday by a vote of 13-2.
 
The dispute centered on the amount of funding owed in a previous agreement to the school system. That  agreement required the city — in exchange for using a portion of school taxes to build its parks and trails along the BeltLine — to make $162 million in a series of fixed payments back to APS. The payments were intended to be made using the taxes collected with the Beltline tax allocation district, or TAD.
 
The major terms under the new agreement are as follows:

• The latest agreement represents a 42 percent savings over the life of the IGA, as amended, from approximately $174,936,302 to $100,767,577.
• APS will receive $73,500,000 in payments in lieu of taxes,  known as PILOTs, between 2017 and 2031. This amount represents a 55% reduction in PILOTs.
• APS will receive $14,767,577 in past due PILOTs, of which $9.1 million was paid on December 29, 2015.
• APS will also receive a parcel of land and an additional $10 million on July 1, 2017. 

“Thanks to the Eastside Trail, District 2 residents and businesses have become enthusiastic early adopters of the Atlanta BeltLine’s vision for our city,” said Councilmember Hall. “This agreement allows us to focus on the future and expand opportunities for investment throughout the BeltLine TAD.”

“As a proud product and parent of APS and an Invest Atlanta and BeltLine Board member for the last two years, I have consistently said that our children must be our priority so I am thankful for the deal we have today,” said Councilmember Dickens. “It is the result of good people on all sides persevering through sometimes difficult negotiations and doing what was right for our children and the people of this city.”

Since 2009, the Atlanta BeltLine has leveraged $400 million in public investment into $2.4 billion in private investment. Once complete, the BeltLine will connect 45 neighborhoods and 22 schools and learning institutions across the city.

I am very pleased that the Atlanta City Council has approved the negotiated settlement between the City of Atlanta, Atlanta Public Schools, and the Atlanta BeltLine. This agreement signals the renewed commitment of all stakeholders to the success of our students, the realization of the BeltLine vision, and the future of the City of Atlanta.

A CHaRMing Evening - March 10, 2016

Please join me and the Board of Directors of LiveThrive Atlanta for 'A CHaRMing Evening' on Thursday, March 10, 2016 from 6:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. at Piedmont Park's historic Greystone Building. Event tickets are $50 which include two drink tickets, heavy hors d'oeuvres and live music by Yacht Rock Revue! Act now and save $10. Tickets are only $40 each through Valentine's Day (use promo code "VDAY"). You won't want to miss this fun-filled evening!

Modera Morningside / Sprouts Traffic Configuration

Many of you have contacted our office regarding the lane configuration on Piedmont Road in front of the Modera Morningside/Sprouts development. I share everyone’s frustration with the traffic situation that the construction has created, and we have been in close contact with both the developer and the city’s Transportation Department throughout this project regarding this matter.

Once the construction is completed – which the developer anticipates will be within the next two to three weeks – the final Piedmont Road lane configuration will be a dedicated left turn lane onto Piedmont Circle towards the expressway (as well a leading green/flashing yellow left turn added to the existing signal), two lanes continuing northbound past Cheshire Bridge, and a dedicated right turn lane from Piedmont onto Cheshire Bridge. I am hopeful that these changes will alleviate the congestion that is currently occurring at this location.

In addition, I wanted to clarify that the “No Left Turn” restriction at the newly installed traffic signal at the development for drivers traveling north on Piedmont is intended only into the exit lanes from the Saigon Basil restaurant. Left turns north of that light into the office complex with Papa are still permitted.

Again, I fully appreciate the frustration that everyone is experiencing right now with the traffic flow due to the project construction, and I look forward to when everything is finally completed. If you have any questions, please let me know.

Curbside Glass Recycling Update

Thank you to all of you that responded to the glass recycling article which appeared in last month's District 6 Newsletter. I share your concerns. I want to take a moment and update you on the status of the City of Atlanta's curbside glass recycling.  At a recent City Utilities meeting, Department of Public Works Commissioner Richard Mendoza assured me that the City of Atlanta still accepts glass and that glass should continue to be placed in your blue Cartlanta curbside recycling carts.

Additionally, the City's contract with its existing recycling processor ends in mid July of this year and the Department of Public Works is working to ensure that any future contracts with recycling processors will continue to accept glass.

Atlanta Police Department Hiring Police Officers

Georgia’s Largest Law Enforcement Agency is looking for the ‘Best of the Best’
 
The Atlanta Police Department is now accepting applications for police officers. If you want to train and work alongside Atlanta’s finest, then apply today.
 
Atlanta Police will be hosting job fairs every Friday during the month of February starting February 5. The job fairs will be held at the Public Safety Headquarters, located at 226 Peachtree Street, SW Atlanta, GA 30303. The job fairs will start promptly at 10:00 a.m.
 
Experience is not required, however, all individuals applying for employment with the Atlanta Police Department must meet the following conditions:

• United States citizenship or naturalization documentation
• Minimum age of 20 (At least six months after your 20th birthday)
• A valid driver's license
• High School diploma or GED certificate
• Honorable or uncharacterized discharge from a military branch (if applicable)
• Successful completion of the cognitive skills examination and personality assessment
• Visual ability cannot be less than 20/100 in each eye uncorrected, and must be corrected to 20/20 with glasses, contact lenses or RK surgery
• Medical examination required upon offer of employment

For full details and requirements regarding employment opportunities, please click here or call 404-546-7650.