Serving DeKalb & Metro Atlanta Volume 17 Number 17
www.ocgnews.com
December 1, 2011
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Rockdale schools Stonecrest poised to become economic pass AYP again engine, jewel of Southeast DeKalb
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he Rockdale County Public School System has met the state and federal requirements for Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) for the sixth consecutive year, Samuel King with 100 percent of the schools within the district achieving AYP. The Rockdale School System is comprised of 11 elementary schools, four middle schools and three high schools. “We are extremely proud of our students, teachers, administrators, staff and parents for continuing to meet and exceed federal accountability measures,” said Superintendent Samuel King. “We are especially thrilled for our high schools as reports show that only a small number of high schools across the state and nation have met these requirements. In addition, the system has reached its highest graduation rate of 86 percent. The superintendent said with Annual Measurable Objectives rising greatly in all academic areas it was difficult for many schools to reach their goals. “I appreciate the hard work and dedication of our entire faculty and staff who work tirelessly to ensure each child is prepared for the next level and beyond,” King said. “We want all of our students to embrace learning and have the ability to reach their highest academic potential and the necessary skills to reach their dreams.” Each school as a whole and each qualifying subgroup must meet the state’s Annual Measureable Objective (AMO) regarding the percentage of students meeting or exceeding on state assessments in Reading/English Language Arts and Mathematics and must have a participation rate of at least 95 percent.
Public hearing set for Gwinnett’s 2012 budget Gwinnett County Commissioners will hold a public hearing on Dec. 13, 5:30 p.m., at the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center (GJAC) auditorium, 75 Langley Drive, Lawrenceville to discuss the proposed 2012 budget. The public is invited to make oral or written comments about the budget during the hearing or via the county’s website through Dec. 25. Gwinnett County Commission Chairman Charlotte Nash unveiled the proposed fiscal year 2012 budget on Tuesday, Nov. 15. The proposed budget totals $1.3 billion, compared to $1.5 billion for 2011. The proposed budget resolution is available to the public to view online at http://www. gwinnettcounty.com/portal/gwinnett and in a hard copy form at the Department of Financial Services office located at (GJAC) in Lawrenceville, from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday - Friday. The Board of Commissioners is expected to consider the 2012 budget for adoption during the first meeting of the year on Jan. 3, 2012. 770-8228000. INSIDE
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By Valerie J. Morgan The Stonecrest Growth Initiative Task Force is galvanizing businesses and the Greater Lithonia community to support an application to the Atlanta Regional Commission’s Livable Centers Initiative (LCI) program. With an LCI planning grant, Stonecrest would be positioned to become the economic epicenter of Southeast DeKalb, bringing more jobs, improved roads, enhanced mass transportation and a well-landscaped look to the area. The DeKalb County Planning Department and DeKalb County Commissioner Lee May are working with the Stonecrest Task Force and Stonecrest Business Alliance to submit the LCI application by the Dec. 16 deadline. The LCI awards planning grants on a competitive basis to local governments and non-profit organizations. The grants pay for consultants to work with businesses and the community in developing comprehensive plans to improve areas, making them more attractive, more supportive of transit systems and pedestrian-friendly. “It is a competitive process, but Stonecrest has a good shot at it,” said Dan Reuter, land use division chief for the ARC. “The committee looks at a community’s needs and other issues, and whether the community has the staffing and support in place to implement the plans. We want to develop plans that can be implemented.” Reuter said the ARC’s review committee, which includes representatives from the Georgia Conservancy, Georgia Tech University, Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce and others, recommends which communities are selected for the planning grants. The LCI will announce the study areas selected for
Lee May
Dan Reuter
Doreen Carter
Sarah Kendall
Photo By Glenn L. Morgan/OCG News
The Stonecrest Growth Initiative Task Force wants to create a beautiful “gateway” to the Stonecrest area to welcome people and spur development.
the December applications at the end of January. May, whose Commission District 5 includes the Stonecrest area, said he believes Stonecrest is primed to become an LCI study area. Businesses in the area recently formed the Stonecrest Task Force and Business Alliance and have held several meetings, cleanup drives and other activities. May said additionally, with District 5 being the largest and fastest-growing Commission district in DeKalb—comprised of 60 percent of undeveloped land—Stonecrest, once rural, has room to grow economically. Said Lee: “What the LCI study does is it allows for current
and future planning to create new economic development in that area and transportation in that area. The study will definitely help to push for the infrastructure needed for the I-20 MARTA rail that we’ve been trying to get for 20 years.” Doreen Carter, facilitator for the Stonecrest Task Force, said the Stonecrest community has the potential to succeed as a major economic center much like the Perimeter Mall area in North DeKalb, where businesses there pooled their resources and established the Perimeter Community Improvement District (CID). The Perimeter area See Stonecrest, page 6
Former DeKalb clerk of court settles lawsuit against successor By Valerie J. Morgan
Attorneys for former DeKalb Clerk of Superior Court Linda Carter have reached a settlement in the lawsuit against Carter’s successor, Debra DeBerry, who had served as chief deputy clerk and been her longtime friend. Carter settled out of court for $75,000, according to county records obtained by On Common Ground News under Georgia’s open records laws. Carter’s attorneys and her family are refuting reports that she abandoned the lawsuit. “She did not abandon the lawsuit,” said Attorney James Radford, who worked with Attorney Lee Parks to represent Carter. “We defeated a motion to have the case dismissed and we had a calendar date to go to trail. For anyone to imply there was no legal ground for a case simply is not true. We reached a settlement so that she and her family
could get on with their lives.” Carter sued DeBerry in April, saying DeBerry duped her into resigning from the position she had held as clerk for Linda Carter 10 years. Carter, who turned 59 in August, has earlyonset Alzheimer’s Disease. Carter’s attorneys said in the lawsuit DeBerry took advantage of her disability by writing a letter of resignation on her behalf and naming herself as successor. DeBerry denied any wrongdoing. She said Carter resigned to avoid media scrutiny about her condition. Radford said the settlement reached will help to supplement Carter’s retirement income. Radford said at the time the suit was filed that Carter should have been allowed to keep her job and go out on disability rather than forfeit the chance to
collect her full benefits as a result of the resignation. Carter’s husband said his wife is managing and so is their family as she receives the medical Debra DeBerry treatment she needs. DeBerry, meanwhile, still refers to Carter as her longtime friend. In launching her 2012 campaign for office, DeBerry acknowledged their friendship and their work together during a kickoff reception held Nov. 17 at Parker’s on Ponce restaurant. DeBerry is finishing Carter’s third term, which ends Dec. 31, 2012. DeKalb County Sheriff Thomas Brown, who attended the reception, made it known he is supporting DeBerry for office. He donated $1,000 to her campaign and praised her for the work she has done to update the clerk’s office.