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UPCOMING EVENTS

McElory Rd Community Meeting

On May 18th, residents and business operators in the McElroy Rd neighborhood are invited to come out to a community engagement meeting. Joining me as a special guest will be Doraville Mayor Joseph Geierman. 

The community engagement meeting will allow residents to provide public input on a proposed sidewalk widening project, as well as offer a listening session for residents and business operators to discuss any issues or concerns impacting their neighborhood.

The meeting will be held at the North Atlanta Bible Chapel, located at 3832 McElroy Rd, Doraville, from6:30pm to 8pm. I strongly encourage all of you who reside in the area to attend this informative meeting. I am eager to personally meet with each of you and learn more about your thoughts and suggestions.

Paper Shredding/Can Food Drive Event

I am honored to join the newly formed Alpha Beta Lambda Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, which will serve District 1, for a free paper shredding event at Pleasantdale Park on Saturday, May 20, 2023. The event will take place from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.(or until the truck reaches capacity). This event will provide an excellent opportunity for DeKalb residents to dispose of any unwanted paper, files, and documents. The shredding event is free of charge for all DeKalb residents.

To show support for local food pantries, participants are encouraged to bring at least two non-perishable cans of food, although it is not required to participate in the paper shredding event.

DISTRICT 1 INITIATIVES/PROJECTS

Senator Warnock’s Visit to PDK

On April 13th, PDK Airport Director Mario Evans and I were honored to co-host Senator Rafael Warnock’s visit to PDK airport in District 1 to discuss the Senator’s proposed aviation workforce development legislation that could be included in this year’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization bill. The purpose of the proposed legislation is to help curb shortages of pilots and mechanics in the aviation industry. The bill would give money to schools and other institutions to promote aviation to more diverse communities.

Pleasantdale Traffic Light Installation

On Monday, April 24th my office celebrated the installation of a much-needed traffic light at Pleasantdale Elementary School during the “flip the switch” ceremony. In partnership with the CEO’s Office, DeKalb County's Transportation Department, and DeKalb County’s Department of Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Affairs, the newly installed traffic signal adds another layer of safety for the students of Pleasantdale Elementary and residents utilizing Pleasantdale Park.

DeKalb County Animal Shelter Visit

On May 4th, I had the opportunity to visit the DeKalb Animal Services shelter with our partner, LifeLine Animal Project. I encourage residents who would like to adopt a furry friend, to visit the shelter located at 3280 Chamblee Dunwoody Rd, Chamblee, GA. Adopting pets is a good way to keep us active, to save a pet’s life, and it also helps to reduce shelter overpopulation. 

Thank Members of Congress for Appropriations Consideration

Also, we just wrapped up appropriations season. One of my priorities since becoming presiding officer has been to take advantage of opportunities for federal funds and resources that may be available to the BOC.

I would like to thank our federal representatives—Senator Rafael Warnock, Senator Jon Ossoff, Congressman Hank Johnson, and Congresswomen Nikema Williams—for their consideration for appropriations. This year we submitted 7 BOC projects and 5 of those have been selected for consideration to be included in the final Congressional Appropriations bill to be voted on later in the year.

PAST EVENTS AND APPEARANCES

Lynnwood Park Community Day

Over the past weekend, I had the privilege of taking part in the annual Lynnwood Park Community Day celebration alongside Commissioners Lorraine Cochran Johnson and Steve Bradshaw. The event is an annual celebration of the historic Lynwood Park neighborhood, which was the first Black subdivision in DeKalb County. In October 2020, the Brookhaven City Council granted Lynwood Park and its community an official historic designation, marking the first of its kind in the city.

I would like to extend a special thank you to the Atlanta Corvette Club for generously offering me a ride in one of their stunning cars. If you didn't get a chance to attend this year's festivities, I highly recommend making plans to join in the future. You'll hear heartwarming and informative stories from the residents of Lynnwood Park that are truly enlightening.

Pleasantdale Elementary School and Teacher Appreciation Day

I had the pleasure of attending Pleasantdale Elementary School's annual Field Day and Teacher Appreciation Event on May 5th. I would like to express my gratitude to Principal Amy Heutel for extending the invitation to me, and to our police and fire departments for their participation. The students were given a unique opportunity to explore first responder operations through an up-close encounter with the impressive equipment provided by the departments.