Brookhaven, GA

Stormwater Management Changing Hands to Brookhaven; Fee Could Increase

To take care of the system's various needs, the $48 flat fee probably won't be sufficient, an official said in a recent news report.

Brookhaven is planning to take the reins of its stormwater management from DeKalb County, and residents could see an increase in the $48 flat fee they currently pay, according to a Reporter Newspapers article. In the report, the city's public works director, Richard Meehan, said the current $48 flat fee probably won't be sufficient to take care of the system's various needs, including replacing pipes. Brookhaven has one advantage going into its new responsibility: the county has already taken an inventory of the system, so the city doesn't have that expense to deal with, according to the article.

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Sidewalk Repairs at Local Schools Begin

Work is scheduled to run between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., April 8-13.

The City of Brookhaven has started repairing sidewalks at several local schools this week. The Brookhaven Post stopped by several to take photos of the work Wednesday. From the post: Work is scheduled to run between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., April 8-13. Work will be complete prior to April 15 when students return to class. The city will start on the sidewalks around Woodward Elementary on Curtis Drive. If weather cooperates, the city will also begin work on the sidewalks near Montgomery Elementary on Ashford Dunwoody Road. Brookhaven does not anticipate closing any roads, but drivers should anticipate lane closures on Curtis Drive and Ashford Dunwoody if the repairs extend to Montgomery Elementary. Lane closures on Ashford Dunwoody would be …

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Looking Back on Brookhaven's 100-Day Anniversary

Former interim deputy city manager J.D. Clockadale weighs in on Brookhaven's first 100 days.

If you ask J.D. Clockadale, the first 100 days of the City of Brookhaven have been pretty good, chock full of accomplishments and civic pride. The former interim deputy city manager weighed in with his own thoughts on the city as it hit its 100-day anniversary March 26 in a column for Reporter Newspapers on Sunday. From his column: I don’t have space to list them all, but below are multiple notable achievements/successes that benefit us: –Severe road damage on North Cliff Valley next to Cross Keys High School has been repaired (one of many repairs). Ignored for years by DeKalb County, the repair crew received a hearty “hallelujah” from a passing driver. –Customer service is back in government. The City Hall front desk team returns missed …

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Mike Jacobs to Host Town Hall Meeting

Jacobs said he will discuss agenda topics and other constituents' concerns.

State Rep. Mike Jacobs will host a town hall meeting on Feb. 16 at 7 p.m. in the Talmage Room of the Student Center of Oglethorpe University.  Jacobs' agenda will include:

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The Forum

Millage Cap, Homestead Exemption, and Property Tax Cut

Rep. Mike Jacobs discusses millage rate for the proposed City of Brookhaven.

The millage cap for the proposed City of Brookhaven will be set at 3.4 mills in HB 636, the Brookhaven city charter, as it moves forward in the 2012 session of the General Assembly.  In addition, the homestead exemption for city property taxes will be increased from $10,000 to $20,000.  The millage cap is a mechanism that prevents city property taxes from going higher than a certain rate without approval by the citizens in a public referendum.  It is a benefit that does not exist in unincorporated DeKalb County.  This guarantees virtually all homeowners a property tax cut, even if the city council sets the millage rate at the full 3.4 mills.  However, the need for the Brookhaven city council to use the full 3.4 mills is doubtful.  Property…

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New Bill Challenges Brookhaven Incorporation

A Decatur legislator is hoping to delay a Brookhaven cityhood vote.

If Republican state Rep. Mike Jacobs (R-Brookhaven) has his way, area citizens could vote on creating a city of Brookhaven as early as July, 2012.  But state Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver (D-Decatur) has filed a bill that she hopes will delay any vote. Oliver said a Brookhaven is "premature" and she wants her new House Bill 672 to create "a better discussion on what is the process for creating new cities and counties." "I want to find out what the financial viability is," Oliver explained. The would-be Brookhaven borders aren't set yet, but could include valuable land that would be a rich tax take for the new city and a loss to DeKalb. "Brookhaven may be able to draw some borders that show it's economically viable. But that doesn’t give us …

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