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4946 Snapfinger Woods Drive Decatur, GA 30035 Located on Snapfinger Woods Drive between Wesley Chapel Road and Miller Road (Across from Texaco) Just minutes from downtown Atlanta, Stone Crest Mall and Stone Mountain Park.
Serving DeKalb & Metro Atlanta Volume 16 Number 18
www.ocgnews.com
December 15, 2010
FREE
EPA mandates sewer improvements in DeKalb, rates going up again By Valerie J. Morgan In addition to rate hikes already scheduled next year, DeKalb County water bills are going up by 11 percent for three more years—from 2012 to 2014. The new rate hikes, approved Dec. 14 by DeKalb’s Board of County Commissioners, will pay for $700 million in federally-mandated infrastructure improvements for a sewer system that has pipes in some places that are 50 years old. The hikes will extend hikes approved in 2007, when the board raised rates by 16 percent each year for 2008 through 2011. The county’s aging infrastructure is a problem that DeKalb Commissioner Lee May recently witnessed personally—and one that has convinced him the county had no choice but to raise its water rates to improve it—despite objections from Commissioner Elaine Boyer, who wanted to vote on the matter after the EPA’s public 30-day comment period ends. May said he was leaving a community meeting where county officials were discussing the wastewater system when he received an emergency call from his wife. May dashed home to a disaster: Sewage was spewing from toilets inside his Lithonia home. He learned that a county sewer line had become clogged with cooking grease, a common problem officials say will be addressed with improvements that have been slated. “We’re going to have to fix this problem now with our sewer system or we are going to pay a lot more for it later,” May said. “And we’re going to have to keep educating people how important this issue is.” Kung’u says he agrees. “We’ve been trying to educate homeowners about pouring grease down the drain,” said Dr. Francis Kung’u, director of DeKalb’s Watershed Management. “It’s causing real problems. What people should do is put the grease in a container and throw it in the trash so that it will go to the landfill.” With the board’s approval of the 11 percent hikes, the average customer will see their monthly bills rise from around $58 to $100 by 2014, Kung’u said. “Even with the hikes, DeKalb is still lower than Atlanta. The average bill there now is over $100 a month,” Kung’u said. DeKalb has identified more than $1.4 billion in critical capitol improvement projects that will be funded by the hikes. Bonds will be approved and issued and then bids for the work will follow, county officials said. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has mandated through a proposed consent decree the county repair the sewer system within 8 ½ years. The 104-page document, which DeKalb made public Dec. 13, stipulates the county must pay $453,000 in fines for hundreds of reported sewer spills that have occurred in the last four years. The county paid $265,875 for a 4 million gallon spill in March 2006 and a 10 million gallon spill in January of the same year. John Evans, who heads the DeKalb branch of the NAACP, said he initially was opposed to the rate hikes, but now with the county facing the consent decree mandating the improvements, the wants to make sure the improvements are made. “We’re going to have to bite the bullet on all of this. With those fines, it’s just going to get more expensive,” Evans said. “We want the projects closely monitored. We don’t want to have paid for something and the money went for something else.” INSIDE Community News. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P 3 Class Notes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P 8 People. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P 9 Business News. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P 10 We Worship. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P 11 Health & Wellness. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P 14 Classifieds. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P 15 CONTACT THE NEWSROOM Phone: (678) 526-1910 n Fax: (678) 526-1909 n E-mail: editor@ocgnews.com
Moving to the Beat Capturing the spirit of Kwanzaa, the Titilayo dance troupe showed off their moves recently during African Rhythm Night, which was held at the Wesley Chapel Library in Decatur. The program kicked off the Library System’s celebrations of Kwanzaa, which honors African heritage and culture. Kwanzaa is celebrated in the U.S. from Dec. 26 through Jan. 1.
Area Post Offices open extended hours, ready for onslaught of holiday mail
W
ith Christmas just days away, the U.S. Postal Service is preparing for the deluge of mail expected this time of year. The crunch is welcomed news for the Postal Service, which is struggling to compete in an age where people prefer to pay bills, Tweet, Facebook, and send e-mails, e-cards and invitations by internet rather than by regular mail. Between now and Christmas Eve, the Postal Service will deliver 15.8 billion cards, letters and packages across the country and around the world. The busiest mailing day is expected to be Dec. 20, five days before Christmas. More than 800 million cards, letters and packages are expected to be mailed on that day alone, compared to 559 million on a typical day. Dec. 22 will be the busiest delivery day, Postal officials say. This year, a snowman and the words “Happy Holidays” will appear in the upper righthand corner of greeting cards and letters mailed during the month of December.
Photo By Glenn L. Morgan/OCG News A customer beats the rush on mailing his package at the Main Post Office in Rockdale County.
As the deadlines approach, the U.S. Postal Service is reminding customers that many Post Offices throughout the Atlanta area are open late. “We have 30 Post Offices that are open beyond the normal eight to five hours,” said Atlanta District Manager Kate F. Wiley, “including several with hours as late as 8 p.m. or later.” Wiley said to avoid standing in line, customers should look for Automated Postal Centers (APCs), located at many Post Offices in the
greater Atlanta area. “APCs accept credit and debit cards for most mailing transactions,” says Wiley. “Nearly every transaction that can be accomplished at the retail window can also be transacted at the APC. They are accessible 24 hours a day.” Wiley also suggests that customers visit the Post Office online at www.usps.com for postage rates, Post Office locations, shipping options and other information.