SCENE
MINISTRY
Twenty fathers and their sons or daughters are competing for a $2,000 Disney vacation in the Gallery at South DeKalb’s annual contest. 2
Participants in Berean Christian Church’s weightloss program, who hope to lose a combined 2,010 pounds in the six-week initiative, are within reach of their goal. 9
Daddy’s mirror image
Lofty weight-loss goals
Limited number of spaces, available on a first-come, first-served basis. Call 404-284-1888 to confirm your space. www.crossroadsnews.com
EXPO GRAND PRIZE Vacation for Two to Beautiful St. Lucia
Copyright © 2010 CrossRoadsNews, Inc.
June 19, 2010
Volume 16, Number 8
www.crossroadsnews.com
Cuts get painful as county wrestles with budget By Jennifer Ffrench Parker
Cuts in staff and service, closures of county recreation centers, and reduction in trash pickups are some of the items on the table as DeKalb CEO Burrell Ellis and the Board of Commissioners set about making midyear adjustments to the county’s $564.9 million budget. In his midyear budget adjustments sent to board on June 11, Ellis proposes $8.7 million in cuts to almost every department. His cuts anticipate a $10.2 million, or 3 percent, decrease in the tax digest and $4.2 million in reduced transfers from the Emergency Telephone Fund. Ellis said his proposal of “shared sacrifice” includes a 5 percent cut in his budget. The Board of Commissioners will vote on the midyear adjustments on June 22. It is scrambling to find $10.2 million in additional cuts by Tuesday, when it must set the millage rate for this year. Late Thursday, Commissioner Connie Stokes, who chairs the budget committee, said they are still working to balance the budget without a tax increase. “I don’t know how yet, but we are optimistic that by Tuesday we will have everything in order,” she said. So far this year, the county has axed about $50 million from the budget. Ellis’ recommendation of $4.5 million in
“I cannot and will not “Shared sacrifice allow an unfunding among all of our county of the court system government institutions which will harm was the most reasonable irreparably the citizens way to address these of this county.” stark financial realities.” Judge Cynthia Becker
cuts to the courts and Constitutional offices earned him scathing June 14 letter from DeKalb Superior Court Chief Judge Cynthia J. Becker. Becker said she was “appalled” at his attempts to cut the courts “over eight times the figure” they were given in May. She said Ellis had increased cuts in the court from $86,641 in May to $704,299. “Your apparent disregard for the Constitution mandates placed upon the entire system of justice will force my hand as chief judge to issue a Certificate of Need this week,” she wrote. “I cannot and will not allow an unfunding of the court system which will harm irreparably the citizens of this county.” Ellis wrote back that he was “very much aware” of the judicial mandates but believes that all elected officials should lead by example. “After weighing many alternatives, I decided that the principle of shared sacrifice
CEO Burrell Ellis
among all of our county government institutions was the most reasonable and equitable way to address these stark financial realities while preserving our most critical public safety priorities,” he said in a June 14 reply. On Thursday, Becker and the constitutional officers went to the Board of Commissioners’ finance committee to plead their cases. Becker had two carts full of case files wheeled in. She told the commissioners that each case must be touched by a magistrate judge within 72 hours or they are let go. She said the county was at risk of releasing inmates from jail. “We’re not using scare tactics,” she said. “This is what has to happen.” Tax Commissioner Claudia Lawson reminded the commissioners that furlough days are not an option for her office. “I am the revenue collector,” she told them. “That day that I am closed, you get no money.”
Ellis also proposes: n Closing two recreation centers – Mason
Mill in Decatur and Lucious Sanders in Lithonia. n Closing one pool – the N.H. Scott pool on Tilson Road in Atlanta. n Delaying the opening of two library branches now under construction. n Deferring 15 miles of road resurfacing and adding to a more than 300-mile backlog of road repairs. n Deferring park and county building maintenance. n Mowing parks monthly instead of biweekly. n Reducing sanitation pickups. n Cutting services at the Board of Health. n Trimming the opening hours at the tax commissioner’s satellite offices. And even though he is proposing to refill 193 of the positions being vacated by the 826 employees who took early retirement, Ellis said that his plan will decrease the county work force to 7,900 from 8,578. He said the proposed reductions represents a 60 percent decrease in the number of county employees added between 2000 and 2008, and an 8 percent overall reduction in county employees. Stokes said their goal is to reduce the CEO’s recommended cuts in the courts and in public safety and keep the recreation centers open, which would cost about $90,000.
Amnesty raked in $2 million-plus The final numbers are in, and the DeKalb Recorders Court raised more than $2 million during its recent amnesty period. Chief Judge Nelly Withers said that 11,259 tickets were cleared and $2,069,862 in fines were paid. The court extended the six-week amnesty March 22-April 30 to encourage motorists People waited for hours in long lines to take advantage of the March 22 to April 30 amnesty w ith more than offered by DeKalb Recorders Court. They cleared 11,259 tickets and paid $2,069,862 in fines. 500,000 outstanding tickets dating back to the late 1990s to pay their fines now take place on Tuesdays all day in one of the three without penalties. divisions. During the last week of the amnesty, people waited To reduce distractions in the court, cell phones are for hours in lines that stretched down Camp Road to now banned. Memorial Drive. A pilot program in partnership with the DeKalb Withers says long lines will continue into third quar- solicitor-general’s office is set to begin next month. To ter next year as the court tackles its legendary backlog expedite cases, a solicitor will now be available in Record– its huge failure-to-appear and warrant backlog. ers Court to discuss cases before trial. Since June 1, the court has been operating under Citizens also will be able to contact the solicitornew rules that include a new court schedule and cell general’s office with questions about tickets via a link on phone policy. the Recorders Court Web page at http://web.co.dekalb. Trials are now held on Wednesday weekly, with ses- ga.us/dcrc/index.html. sions at 9 a.m., 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. For more information on the new rules in Recorders Code Enforcement trial and arraignment calendars Court, visit www.dekalbcountyga.gov.
Jennifer Ffrench Parker / CrossRoadsNews
Alluring Mexican fare Server Alexis Seals delivers a tray to customers Wednesday at the new Pesos Mexican Cantina on Flat Shoals Parkway in Decatur. The restaurant is the newest venture of long-time friends. Story, page 6.