Music Hall of Fame in Dunwoody?



Georgia Music Hall of Fame in Macon

Dunwoody City Councilman Danny Ross is looking into the possibility of relocating the Georgia Music Hall of Fame to Dunwoody.  The Hall of Fame, currently located in Macon, is in financial distress.  The state of Georgia has been subsidising the Hall, but state legislators have no interest in continuing to funnel money its way.  Would the Hall be profitable in Dunwoody?  That is the question.  Click on the photo to watch a video of the Hall, forwarded by Councilman Ross, and please vote (top left) on whether you want the Hall to come to Dunwoody.

City Hosts Brook Run Park Planning Meeting

Brook Run Park

The City of Dunwoody Parks and Recreation Department is hosting a public meeting to discuss the future of Brook Run Park.

WHAT: The Dunwoody Parks and Recreation Department is hosting a public meeting to develop plans for the future of Brook Run Park. Lose and Associates will lead the meeting to guide participants in developing possible options for the park’s future. The meeting will include a review of the 2003 Brook Run Master Plan, information collected from previous public meetings, and the current site analysis.

WHO: Everyone is invited to participate in the public meeting.

WHEN & Saturday, December 11, 2010

WHERE: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church
4755 North Peachtree Road
Dunwoody, GA

A Wondeful Thanksgiving
I sincerely hope that you had a happy Thanksgiving.  Despite my beloved Longhorns losing to hated-rival Texas A&M Thursday evening to finish their worst season in 54 years, it was a fabulous day with family and friends (not to mention, the kids' noon football game at Dunwoody High School, pictured below).

Fun at Light Up Dunwoody

Dunwoody High School Band



Dunwoody Elementary Singers



Police Chief Billy Grogan with Councilman Wittenstein & wife Susan 



Christmas Tree at the Farmhouse



Dunwoody Shooting

Below is the latest from WBS on the shooting in Dunwoody Village yesterday that resulted in the death of 36-year old Russell Sneiderman.  Click Dunwoody Police to read the official report.

DUNWOODY, Ga. WSB -- Dunwoody police said they continue to review surveillance video in the hopes it will help them figure out who shot and killed a father in front of a preschool.

Russell Sneiderman

Police said a man shot and killed 36-year-old Russell Sneiderman, a father of two, outside Dunwoody Prep Preschool on Chamblee-Dunwoody Road on Thursday morning.
Detectives returned to the scene on Thursday night in search of evidence.
Police said someone shot Sneiderman in the chest multiple times after he dropped off his 2-year-old son. 
Click on WSB to read the rest of the story - click here to see photos. 

Police Need Gift Wrappers

The Dunwoody Police Department's 2nd annual Christmas for Kids drive needs volunteers to wrap gifts on December 5 from 9am-1pm at Dunwoody Baptist Church.   For more information go to Christmas for Kids, or contact Liz Stell at the Dunwoody Police Department at liz.stell@dunwoodyga.gov.

Shooting at Dunwoody Village

The story below is from the Atlanta Journal Constitution.  I spoke with someone who arrived on the scene shortly after the incident.  They said there was a visable pool of blood, and from what they saw, the shooting may very well have resulted in a fatality. 

By Kristi E. Swartz
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Gunfire broke out Thursday morning in the parking lot of a Dunwoody preschool.
An unidentified bearded man believed to be in his mid-30s pumped four bullets into the victim, who was taken to Atlanta Medical Center, said Dunwoody Police spokesman Mike Carlson. His condition is unknown.
"All we know is that he pulled up about 9:10 in the morning, and the witnesses, they saw another white male walk up to him and start firing," Carlson told the AJC.
Carlson said investigators do not know if either the shooter or the victim had ties to the preschool.
"We're looking at all possibilities," Carlson said.

The shooter was spotted leaving the Dunwoody Prep Preschool in a silver Dodge Minivan, Carlson said. Shortly before noon, a silver Infiniti was towed from the school parking lot.
The school's staff and children did not witness the incident but parents' nerves were frazzled nonetheless.
Click on AJC to read full story.

Light Up Dunwoody



Dunwoody's Tree?  Close

 A reminder that Light Up Dunwoody is this Sunday from 4:30-6pm.  If you have children under the age of 13 - Light Up is a must (and parents like it too)!  Sponsored by the Dunwoody Homeowners' Association, this year's event will begin with a parade at the DHA office (on the side of Dunwoody Village that faces Jiffy Lube) and conclude with a magnificent tree lighting at the Farmhouse.
I just got off the phone with organizer Renate Herod - who, by the way, is doing an amazing job - she says in between the parade and tree lighting, Santa will be on the Farmhouse porch from 5-6pm for photos (bring your camera as pictures are free), the Dunwoody Elementary School singers will perform, there will be a balloon sculpturer, and Jim Jarrell with lead residents in Christmas carols.
And if that's not enough:  SunTrust Bank is providing hot chocolate with Primrose School decorating cookies.
Renate tells me many of the area restaurants have donated gift cards that will be raffled off - for FREE!  For example, the New York Butcher Shop is giving away fillets, with free gift cards courtesy of, among others, Village Burger, Wright's Gourmet, Old Hickory House and Jason's Deli.
Hope to see you Sunday afternoon.

Mortgage Rates on the Rise

In the last couple of weeks, record-low mortgage rates are starting to creep up.  30-year fixed rates for folks with excellent credit were as low as 3.875, but have now risen to 4.375, which is still pretty darn good.  For more questions concerning home mortgages, contact Julie Devine at Brand Mortgage - she's one of the best in the business.  Julie's number is 770.639.4022.  Her email is jdevine@brandmortgage.com.

Smaller School Board?

DeKalb School Board

The following story appears in today's Atlanta Journal Constitution. In my humble opinion, decreasing the size of the DeKalb County School Board would be fabulous!  The current nine-person board is simply too big.

By Megan Matteucci
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

DeKalb County voters may get the chance to cut two of their school board seats next year to help save the troubled district’s accreditation.
On Monday, DeKalb legislators called for a November 2011 referendum to ask voters to decrease the school board from nine seats to five or seven.

“Smaller boards create better opportunities for the board to work together,” state Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver, D-Decatur, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “This is about making a more effective school board to ensure we keep our schools’ accreditation.”
Click on AJC to read the full story. 

Nothing Like College Football

I know there are some who feel football, in general, is a much too violent game.  I won't argue the point.  But I will tell you there is nothing like father and son bonding at a football game.
I took my son Jack to his first college football this game weekend for his 12th birthday.  We flew down to Houston, then made the 2-1/2 hour drive to Austin to watch my Alma mater, the University of Texas, take on Oklahoma St.  And while my beloved Longhorns suffered another humiliating loss (we're in the midst of our worst season in 54 years), we couldn't have had more fun!

Dunwoody Celebrates Veterans Day

The City of Dunwoody will honor local military men and women in a Veterans Day ceremony held at Brook Run Park today at 3:00 p.m. The event honors all those who have served or are currently serving in all branches of the United States Military. 
The event will be hosted by Dunwoody Councilman and retired Marine, Gen. Denis Shortal. Several speakers have been invited to participate including retired Army Sgt. Maj. Ray Jones and veteran Army 1st Lt. Robert Hopkins. Special musical performances will be provided by Greg McLean, Associate Professor of Music and Michael McClary, Assistant Professor of Music from Georgia Perimeter College.
The event is open to the public.

My Father and two of his grandchildren

On this Veterans Day, I want to send out a big salute and hug to my dad, George Fiscella.  A resident of Houston, my father, now 84-years old, served in the Navy in World War II aboard the C-class carrier the USS Randolph, which earned three battle stars during the war.  He was a 135-pound, 18-year old when he enlisted just days after graduating from high school  He served aboard a ship that saw extensive combat duty off the coast of Japan.

Dad, your three children might not say it enough, but we're proud of you!  See you on Friday. 

The Vote is In!

My poll asking what you thought of the City of Dunwoody's new brand expired this afternoon.  I have no idea who cast votes (and who knows, some folks might have voted twice, although the system disallows that from one computer), but the total was as follows:

Love it:       3      (2 percent)

Like it:       19   (15 percent)

Dislike it:   46   (36 percent)

Hate it        58   (46 percent)

Like I said, this was a very unscientific poll so the results do not represent a cross-section of Dunwoody residents.  However, when 82 percent say they either dislike it (that's how I voted) or hate it, it says something.  And judging from what I've read on other blogs (Dunwoody Talk) and in Dunwoody newspapers, my poll is not an anomaly. 
Will the city change the branding anytime soon (other than changing "Smart place" to "Smart city" once it realized Plano, Texas had already adopted that slogan)?  I doubt it - too much money was spent on it (I'm still wondering exactly what "research" Sky Design did).  However, perhaps it will change over time.  I don't really mind the Walmart-like *asterisk, but I agree with those that the said the branding makes Dunwoody seem pompous and presumptuous.  To borrow a phrase from a thousand different coaches, "act like you've been there before."  This branding doesn't.
While I don't believe the city will change the branding anytime soon, I do love what the Comp Plan Steering Committee came up with, "Small town feel - Big city appeal."  To me, this phrase better defines what Dunwoody is - who we are.  It does a much better job of capturing the essence of our community.  And it is not braggadocio. 
Perhaps city officials are listening, and will fall on their swords.

Chamblee Charrette

I was unable to attend the DeKalb County School System charrette that was held last night in the Bulldogs gymnasium.  Fortunately, DeKalb School Watch was there.  Click on the link for a recap.

Chick-fil-A is the Hot Topic; Free Tickets, Community Service Day

Sketch from Chick-fil-A representatives at DHA meeting 

Last night's Dunwoody Homeowners' Association meeting was the liveliest that I've attended in my time on the board.  The hot topic was Chick-fil-A's interest in placing a store at the location of the old Blockbuster/UPS at the intersection of Dunwoody Club Dr. and Mt. Vernon Rd.  Representatives from Chick-fil-A were on hand to give a short presentation.

Seemingly everyone I've spoken to would like to see a Chick-fil-A store at that location.  Even many of the nearby neighbors are gung-ho.  The problem is, that shopping center is zoned NS (neighborhood shopping) and a drive-thru is not permitted.  Also, there are questions as to whether a drive-thru restaurant fits within the confines of the Comprehensive Land Use Plan.

So if most everyone wants a Chick-fil-A, but current zoning won't allow a drive-thru, what can be done?  What shouldn't be done is allow the shopping center to be rezoned commercial (Bob Lundsten - our zoning guru - if I'm getting this wrong, please correct me).  Once it is zoned commercial, it opens up Pandora's Box to a whole lot of establishments in that location that we probably don't want (see Tilly Mill Rd. east as it crosses from Dunwoody into Doraville.  Can you say unsightly?).

One solution might be changing NS to allow for a drive-thru.  Is this a good idea (Bob, you tell me)?  I don't know, but it seems to be worth exploring.  Of course if it is possible to change NS to allow a drive-thru, does it fit the CLUP?  



Fran Millar

Whether it fits the CLUP or not, this shopping center has become a wasteland of an eyesore, as State Senator-elect Fran Millar pointed out at last night's meeting.  Not only is the Blockbuster now vacant (UPS is still in business), but of course the Ace Hardware has been empty for the better part of four years.  And if we didn't want Goodwill at that shopping center (remember a year or so ago it wanted to move in, but the community put the kibosh on it), and we won't allow Chick-fil-A, then what?
One question Bob Lundsten asked last night was, if this wasn't Chick-fil-A but instead, say Krystal, do we feel the same way?  Would we still be interested in making the same push to change what is presently allowable?  Please respond to the poll in the upper left hand corner - let us know how you feel. 

Kroger Renovation

Not only were representatives from Chick-fil-A at last night's meeting, but so too were Kroger folks, pitching its complete overhaul of the Georgetown store.  Kroger is not only planning to increase its size from 48,000 to 70,000 square feet (taking over the old Tuesday Morning), but a top-to-bottom renovation of the interior, including skylights.  

Kroger also plans a complete renovation of the unsightly parking lot, adding much more desirable landscaping (actually, any landscaping will be a big improvement).  Kroger has made formal application to the city for nine variances.      

By the way, among those in attendance at last night's meeting - Dunwoody City Councilmen John Heneghan and Robert Wittenstein.  Also there, the two candidates in the runoff for the DeKalb County School Board, District 1 position - incumbent Jim Redovian and Nancy Jester as well as Dunwoody resident Michael Rothenberg, who's in a runoff for DeKalb Superior Court Judge.

Free Tickets to Motivational Seminar

There is a motivation seminar tomorrow at Philips Area featuring Bill O'Reilly, Laura Bush, Sarah Palin and Terry Bradshaw.  If you are interested in a free ticket, send me an email at bobfiscella@kw.com.  For more information, click on Seize The Day.

Community Service Day

This past Saturday was Community Service Day in Dunwoody.  According to Bill Tobin, chairman of the city's volunteer coordinating committee, approximately 1,000 volunteers took part in everything from de-littering the side of roads (that's my Knights of Columbus crew in the photo to the left, looking like prisoners as we picked trash from the intersection of I-285 and North Peachtree Rd.) to sprucing up Brook Run Park to painting fire hydrants.  A big pat on the back to North Atlanta Church of Christ on Roberts Dr. and Dunwoody Baptist for their help!




Don't Forget to Fall Back

 

The following is the agenda for Sunday night's Dunwoody Homeowners' Association meeting at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday night at the North DeKalb Arts Center (next to the library). 

Welcome Board Members and Visitors

Announcements

1. Approval of Minutes – for October 3, 2010 Regular Board Meet

2. Zoning and related issues

    a. Georgetown Kroger- Coro Realty

    b. Chick-fil-A @ Mt. Vernon and Dunwoody Club

3. Community Affairs

    a. Candidate Forum October 26 review

    b. Light Up Dunwoody 2010 update

    c. Chamber’s Dunwoody Music Festival review

    d. Code Enforcement update

4. Messages & Updates from President

    Membership mailing

5. Board only discussion:

    Votes as needed on any motions

6. Adjourn

The two items that I feel will be of most interest are the presentation/discussion on the plans to put a Chick-fil-A at the site of the old Blockbuster/UPS at the intersection of Dunwoody Club Forest and Mt. Vernon, as well as the renovation of Georgetown Kroger.  As always, the DHA meetings are open to the public.