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Where Do We Go From Here?


Now comes the hard part: regaining our balance and restoring momentum as the impact of the COVID19 virus fades and as we deal with recent unrest in the city. 

Atlanta has been knocked for a loop by the one-two punch of the pandemic and the recent civic unrest. As one of 15 Atlanta City Council members, my role is to look out for the interests of District 8, but I also have a voice in our city’s recovery. And I intend to use it.

Once Atlantans are safe, we need to ensure they are secure. Our city’s budget, the fiscal blueprint for all of our vital services, must be credible. It must be achievable. June is an important month. We must have a balanced budget in place for the start of the next fiscal year, which begins July 1. Because our tax-reliant revenue streams have been diminished, we either must find new sources of funds or make difficult expense cuts--or, more likely, do both.  

As a councilperson, I have found my professional career in business extremely useful. It has particularly come in handy as I work to help our city in this difficult time.

In this month’s newsletter:

I’ll share some thoughts, which include a message I sent to the presidents of the 27 neighborhood associations in District 8 on Saturday afternoon, May 30, regarding the demonstrations and riots that took place in Atlanta.

We’ll address the mayor’s plan to reopen our city.

We’ll share an idea for how the North Fulton Golf Course in Chastain Park can remain a haven for golfers and greenspace enthusiasts alike.

We’ll give insight on the latest budgeting plans for the rough fiscal year ahead.

We’ll tell you how the folks who live along Collier Road are cleaning their parks.

We’ll provide the latest on new 25 mph speed limits for city streets and other safety features.

We’ll bid farewell to someone who worked to ensure we all enjoyed clean water, and we’ll tell you about an outdoor program for kids at the Blue Heron Nature Preserve.  

Finally, we'll offer our gratitude for the service of our dedicated first responders during this time of civil unrest.

And please remember to vote in the June 9th primary election--which includes an important proposal to renew a one-cent sales tax that keeps our water and sewer infrastructure in good shape and keeps water bills for city residents from increasing.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

“The Atlanta Way” Re-visited


“Two wrongs don’t make a right.” Those were the first words I wrote in a message to the heads of District 8’s 27 neighborhood associations on Saturday afternoon, May 30.

“Watching the video of the Minneapolis police officer with his knee on George Floyd’s neck made me sick to my stomach,” I continued. “There is no place for that in this country, and we must work to end racism that too often leads to the senseless loss of life.”

“Driving through Buckhead this morning at 6:30 also made my stomach sick with what I saw: looters still ransacking businesses; glass on sidewalks from store windows smashed by vandals; exhausted firefighters from Station 21 who worked all night fighting fires throughout Buckhead; the owner of a jewelry store who had been robbed, a rifle in his hand.”

District 8 is affluent. Our citizens have worked hard for what they have achieved and have a right for it to be protected. We need to now pause and ask why so many don’t enjoy the lives we have.  

Then, we need to listen. That’s never easy, especially when we hear things we may not like. But listening is the first step to understanding, healing, and finding solutions.

As we listen, we will build something sorely lacking in our society: empathy. We will find our way back to what we proudly call the "Atlanta Way.” We will continue to do what is in our best interest, while finding ways to look out for others, too.

We need to re-discover the “Atlanta Way.”   

When Will Atlanta Fully Reopen?


Relying on the advice of a panel of health experts and citizens, Mayor Bottoms is taking a cautious approach to reopening City Hall and other city-controlled venues, including parks, swimming pools and tennis courts. 

Although Georgia rules supersede those of Atlanta, the mayor has control over that which the city operates and maintains.  

Her plan has five phases, each pegged to documented declines in COVID-19 and the ability of medical providers to respond to the virus. On May 27, the mayor announced Phase 2:

Individuals:
  • Stay home except for essential trips
  • Wear face coverings in public
  • Frequent hand washing
  • Social distancing
  • Small, private gatherings of no more than 10 people, with social distancing
Businesses/Non-Profits:
  • To-go and curbside pickups from restaurants and retail establishments
  • Continue practicing teleworking
  • Frequent cleaning of public and high touch areas

City Government:
  • Non-essential City facilities remain closed
  • Continue moratorium on special event applications
  • Continue communication with local and state authorities to monitor public health metrics
Phase 2 does not include reopening the City of Atlanta government facilities.

You can read more about the 5 phases here.

In effect, the city is taking a go-slow approach. Patience is the order of the day. 

In a May 24 column in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the mayor said: “We owe it to our communities to use science-based evidence as we look to reopen. If we move too fast, we could be forced to slam the brakes on the progress we are striving to achieve and suffer more loss and endure greater restrictions.”

The advisory panel’s report drew from a survey with more than 15,700 responses, according to the mayor. The poll “overwhelmingly indicated” respondents “felt unwilling to go to most businesses and venue types.”

She said 97% indicated they would not feel safe without taking protective measures, including wearing a face mask, hand washing, and avoiding crowds.

And What About the Golf Course?
The Buckhead skyline frames our 80-year-old course
Until we know when city facilities will reopen, we’re in a holding pattern. I remain grateful the mayor and the parks department honored my request to open the course as a greenspace that all visitors can use to be outdoors in wide open space. 

While there is division over whether the course should revert to a full-time golfing facility when restrictions are lifted, our eyes have been opened to new possibilities. In our May newsletter, I raised the idea of sharing the course, with one day set aside for use as parkland.

I have proposed a 60-day test of that idea to the Parks Department. I want all interested parties to engage in a civil discussion. I am confident that will lead to an acceptable outcome. 

Our Toughest Budget in a Long Time
Budgeting during a pandemic is a lot like balancing on one leg, rubbing your belly, then patting your head. Or is it patting your tummy and rubbing your head? Regardless, it’s difficult.

We have until the end of June to approve a balanced operating budget for fiscal year 2021. Our budget this fiscal year was $677 million; next year’s, preliminarily, is $673 million. Revenue is the great unknown.  

The city’s portion of property tax revenue (Atlanta gets approximately 25%, Fulton County 25%, and Atlanta Public Schools 50%) is budgeted to be flat (the valuation was pre-COVID, as of January 1, 2020). Property taxes, about 30% of the city’s revenue, may yield less in the future if residential and commercial values decline. This could impact budgets throughout the ‘20s, but should have little effect until property reappraisals are done. For now, we anticipate a 11th straight year of no increases to property owners from the city. This makes me proud - especially in a year like this.

Revenue from licenses and permits, sales, alcohol and hotel/motel taxes is budgeted to decline significantly, but should rebound over time. Additionally, we are budgeting roughly $30 million in expense increases to pay for police and fire raises and to fund an Inspector General’s office, all priorities of mine.

So, how in the face of steep revenue declines and such an uncertain future do we approve a budget that is little changed from this year’s?

Departments outside of public safety will tighten their belts and budget less than was spent in FY20. This will offset much of the $30 million in new expenses. Unfilled positions may go dark, but no layoffs or furloughs are anticipated.  

New revenue totaling $54 million will come from two sources. Reserves (in effect, a rainy day fund) will be tapped for $37 million, leaving roughly $100 million untouched. The Eastside tax allocation district will be tapped for another $17 million.  

Additionally, Atlanta has received $88 million from the federal CARES act and may get more from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to offset COVID-19 expenses in FY 20 and 21. Although this money cannot be used to balance our budget, it will go a long way toward meeting virus-related expenses.

Do I believe in this budget? Yes, given what we know today. However, all of that can change quickly, if tax revenue declines more than expected. 

That’s why fellow Council member, Jennifer Ide, and I have proposed monthly budget reports to the Finance/Executive Committee which she chairs and on which I sit. This budget cannot be concrete. We need to be able to respond quickly if needed.  

Making Our Neighborhood Streets Safer
A speed hump for West Andrews
Traffic has been light during the stay-at-home phase of the pandemic, but our city streets have been busy getting safer.

Speed humps have gone in on West Andrews, Castlewood, and Overbrook Drives. Traffic calming measures have been completed or are underway in the Collier Hills and Tuxedo Park neighborhoods. 

Repaving is a mixed bag. Josh Rowan, head of the new Atlanta Department of Transportation, accompanied me recently on a bumpy tour of West Paces Ferry, Blackland, and Mt. Paran Roads.

“(We) have been using a worst-first methodology” to decide which streets get repaved, according to Josh. “I will be replacing that with a prioritization model that can be communicated to the public . . . and show where each road ranks. The bigger issue is the level of investment. Our paving budget is about 40% of Cobb and Gwinnett (where they are able to use a full 1% T-SPLOST).”  

While seeing repaving progress around town is encouraging, it’s also frustrating to have other streets we travel in need of repair. I am confident Josh will make progress.  

Speaking of driving, I have received several questions about the City Council’s adoption of the “Vision Zero” policy to lower the speed limit on certain streets to 25 miles per hour. Chief among them: When and where will residents see these “25 MPH” signs, and how will they be enforced?

City Council adopted the international initiative “Vision Zero” to address Atlanta’s high vehicular and pedestrian death rates, especially when compared with other big cities that have reduced their speed limits. Affected will be local/neighborhood streets with 1,500 vehicles per day, collector streets with 10,000 vehicles per day, and arterials with 20,000 vehicles per day. State routes such as Northside Parkway and Peachtree Street are not included.
 
Atlanta DOT says it will take about 9 months before all the signs are totally switched over. ATLDOT says it will start with high-priority areas based on crash and volume data and then focus on geographical quadrants. These priorities and implementation efforts will be included on a dashboard that will be available to the public in early June. A map with specific streets will be on the dashboard.
 
Another concern is enforcement. ATLDOT is working with police to develop enforcement and educational strategies. They include materials that APD can provide motorists during stops to ensure they understand the new limits and the fines. 

“We will continue to forge these relationships with our local law enforcement, and identify specific ways to work with them on speed-related enforcement,” said Betty Smoot-Madison, director of the Office of Transportation within ATLDOT and manager of “Vision Zero.” She also encourages the public to follow ATLDOT on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.
 
“‘Vision Zero’ will require a change in driving practices for all of us,” she added, “but we know it is well worth it (because) safe city streets are critically important for all pedestrians, cyclists, motorists and residents.”

Collier Hills Keeps Its Parks Tidy
Seven-year-old Liam Montgomery shows off the loppers he used to get rid of privet
Collier Road between Northside Drive and Peachtree Road is dotted with parks. There’s Louise Howard Park, five acres on the corner of Collier and Overbrook Drive. Tanyard Creek Park runs for 14.5 acres along the creek of the same name. Ardmore Park is snuggled in the shadows of Piedmont Hospital.  

Katharine Montgomery, who heads the parks and environmental committee for the Collier Hills Civic Association, takes her volunteer role seriously. In late April, she seized upon Earth Day (April 22), and sent an invitation via social media for her neighbors to join her in a week-long cleaning of the parks. Fifteen folks responded. 

Katharine lined up all the equipment the volunteers needed and got it to them. Because of the physical distancing requirements during the pandemic, most folks worked alone or with immediate family members. “I missed working with others,” Katharine said.

A mother and her daughter cleaned up debris from two recent auto accidents near Louise Howard Park, according to Katharine. before they turned their attention to the creek. One man weeded the playground in Ardmore Park. Others gathered garbage from Tanyard Creek. A woman, who travels for work but is at home during the pandemic, said she was pleased to be able to volunteer.

Katharine and her 7-year-old son, Liam. removed invasive plants such as ivy and wisteria. The work continues, she said. Word has gotten out that the folks along Collier Road care about their neighborhood-defining parks. 

A Fond Farewell to Kishia Powell
Since 2016, Kishia Powell has presided over Atlanta’s Watershed Department, one of the city’s largest and most important. It delivers water to more than 1.2 million customers in Atlanta, Sandy Springs, and College Park. It has an annual budget of $600 million and nearly 1,400 full-time employees.

It was announced in May that Kishia has taken a new job, close to family, as chief operating officer for the Washington, D.C. water utility. Mikita Browning will step up to serve as interim head of the department.

Clean water was not Kishia’s only concern. She successfully led Atlanta’s compliance with the city’s multi-billion dollar federal consent decree to reduce sewage overflows, including in the Peachtree Creek basin as it flows through Memorial Park and the Bobby Jones Golf Course. 

Catherine Spillman, executive director of the Memorial Park Conservancy, said, “Kishia Powell did not back down or back away when neighbors expressed concerns for their park and neighborhood due to sewer overflows.”

“Today, Memorial Park is free of sewer spills thanks to Kishia Powell’s leadership and the strong and dedicated team she assembled during her tenure,” Catherine added. “We are very fortunate to have an equally thoughtful, highly qualified, and dedicated leader in Mikita Browning to continue (the work) that began under Kishia.”

Blue Heron Spreads Its Wings for Kids
Blue Heron Nature Preserve, an independently operated City of Atlanta park, is one of Buckhead’s great treasures. Located at 4055 Roswell Road, its trails are open from dawn to dusk.

Although many of its education programs have been delayed or cancelled, Blue Heron has developed what it calls “Grab-n-Go Activity Bags” filled with seven days of activities to get kids outside and exploring nature. Each day has a different theme, and all materials needed to complete each activity are included.

Activities can be done at Blue Heron (reminder: There are no bathroom facilities), a backyard, or any greenspace.

Bags, which cost $50 each, contain an array of nature’s offerings, from geodes to owl pellets. They can be pre-ordered and picked up on the front porch at Blue Heron. For information call 404-946-6394, EXT. 1 or email educationprograms@bhnp.org. 

Staffers will be available every Tuesday and Thursday from 10-10:30 a.m. via ZOOM so children can share their discoveries and ask questions. Additionally, there will be a Google Photo album for kids to share pictures and connect with others.

Why I Got a License Plate Reader Security Camera
My family and I live in a neighborhood with over 90 homes near Chastain Park. There are three entrances, and we live near one of them. Last year, a neighbor who lives across the street suffered the theft of a car taken from her garage.

Because I believe in and support security cameras that are tied to the Atlanta Police Department’s Video Integration Center, I decided to get a Flock LPR.  

I have personally paid for a Flock-model camera, its installation and monthly service fee. I received no discounts or preferential treatment. I want to get a first-hand experience and protect our neighborhood.

I am proud of the progress we have made in District 8 to install security cameras. And I want to remind everyone of a standing offer my office has made to our 27 neighborhood associations to  match them up to $5,000 dollars on cameras they want to install.

So far, several have accepted. For additional information, please contact Jim Elgar whose email and phone are listed at the bottom of the newsletter. 

Important Ways To Support Our First Responders 


Regardless of how we view the protests in Atlanta, I hope there is one thing upon which we can all agree: With rare exception, our first responders (police, fire and city jailers) have performed admirably. And I would like to enlist the support of District 8 neighborhood associations to show our gratitude.

Our uniformed personnel have worked 12-hour shifts, day-in-day-out, often under very trying conditions. One, Police Motors Unit Officer Maximillian Brewer, was seriously injured when he was struck by an all-terrain vehicle. 

A Go Fund Me Page has been established to aid him and his family as he fights to recover in the Intensive Care Unit at Grady Memorial Hospital.

Public safety is my #1 priority. Many police officers have been called to the front lines in heavy protective gear in fierce summer heat. The people they encounter range from peaceful protesters, to belligerent agitators, to opportunistic looters. And they are expected to deal professionally while under intense scrutiny.

Atlanta Fire & Rescue personnel have put out fires in Buckhead, some intentionally set. I met with weary firefighters of FS21 last Saturday morning as they returned from working all night.
       
Our corrections officers at the city jail have dealt with a surge in arrests totaling over 500 since the protests began.

I am incredibly grateful to our public safety officers for what they are doing to keep us safe, and I invite you to join in showing our appreciation. Here are a couple of ways: 
  • Take food and/or drinks to our Zone 2 police officers (3120 Maple Dr. NE ; 404-848-7231) or to our three Buckhead fire stations --- #21, 3201 Roswell Road; #26, 2970 Howell Mill Road, #27, 4260 Northside Drive.  Please contact Jim Elgar at jqelgar@atlantaga.gov for more information and how you can participate.
  • Contribute to the Go Fund Me page for Max Brewer.
I can assure you that the women and men who protect and serve us will be grateful for your support.
 

District 8 Contacts

 

J.P. Matzigkeit    

jpmatzigkeit@atlantaga.gov

404.330.6051

 

Katie Howard

jpmatzigkeit@atlantaga.gov

404.330.6051

 

Jim Elgar

jqelgar@atlantaga.gov

404.546.4911
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