VOLUME 21 NUMBER 42
FREE
JANUARY 30, 2016
Published Since April 1995 Serving DeKalb, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry and Rockdale Counties • www.facebook.com/ocgnews
DeKalb starts “smoke” tests, begins repairs on aging sewer system By Valerie J. Morgan
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eKalb County has begun testing and rehabilitating its aging sewer system. The tests, which will be conducted on 770 miles of DeKalb’s sewer system (about a third of the county’s system), is part of a $326 million overhaul mandated by federal and state officials. The improvements kicked off in South DeKalb this week in areas that have been identified as priorities where pipes are 25 to 75 years old. The areas include Cedar Grove Road, Flat Shoals Road, Memorial Drive, Columbia Drive, Glenwood Road and Flat Shoals Parkway. After being fined for hundreds of sewage spills, DeKalb entered into a consent decree with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) in December 2011 to repair its system. County officials said areas will be assessed first to identify defects and repairs will be made where needed. The county plans to com-
plete the first phase of the work by June 2020. The other 70 percent of the sewer system will be repaired after that, officials said. Multiple testing methods, including closed circuit TV, acoustic wave and manhole inspections, will be used to determine defects in the sewer system but smoke tests are expected to be most noticed by residents, officials say. Residents in the impacted areas can expect to see gray/white smoke rising from pipes in the ground. The smoke will give county contractors a visual indication of places where rainwater, creek E. Tanner, deputy director of DeKalb County’s Watershed Management, exwater and other storm water runoff Margaret plains what the sewer system program will entail. Photo by Glenn L. Morgan/OCG News enter the system, officials said. County officials say they want to won’t hurt pets or plants. If you through Friday (excluding major get the word out that the smoke tests see smoke, you should be vigilant holidays), 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Assessare not toxic. to check out what is going on but ment contractors will distribute door “Smoke tests are probably the where you see smoke, there should hangers 72 hours before starting biggest impact to people in the be a technician in the area.” work in communities. community. People see smoke The county has contracted with Officials said the areas where in the neighborhood and they’re three companies to conduct the test- the assessments are under way were concerned. We want to make sure ing and repairs: Camken, Metals & considered priorities based on sewthey know what is going on,” said Materials, Engineering and Woolpage overflows, age of the pipes and Margaret E. Tanner, deputy director ert, Inc. where future capacity growth was of Watershed Management. “The Testing and other work are See DeKalb Water page 7 smoke is not harmful to people. It scheduled to take place Monday
State legislators hold community meetings to discuss city of Stonecrest By Valerie J. Morgan
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bout 100 people turned out for a public hearing to discuss the proposed city of Stonecrest in Southeast DeKalb County. The Jan. 25 meeting was the first in a series of meetings state legislators say they plan to hold to solicit public input to determine the prospects of a city. “Our goal is to have it on the ballot this year,” said State Rep. Dee Dawkins-Haigler (D-Lithonia), who led the meeting and was joined by State Representatives Karen Bennett (D-Stone Mountain), Doreen Carter (D-Lithonia) and Darshun Kendrick (D-Lithonia) and State Sen. JaNice VanNess (R-Conyers). Dawkins-Haigler plans to present legislation on the floor of the House of Representatives in February for a vote on the bill. Last year, the Senate passed the bill 45-1. “We feel really good about our chances and look forward to coming to the voters in May,” said Jason Lary, who is president of the Stonecrest City Alliance, organizers of the effort since 2013. Some of the issues that were raised at the recent meeting included how the city would maintain itself, how it would provide a better quality of life for its residents and the financial impact the
incorporation of Stonecrest would have on the county. “The Carl Vinson Institute study shows a 20 percent surplus of revenue by creating a city and we will be able to use that additional revenue to improve the quality of life,” said Lary. The proposed city of Stonecrest would include 50,000 residents in an area covering 29 square miles, according to the feasibility conducted by the Carl Vinson Institute at the University of Georgia. The new city’s three primary services would be limited to planning and zoning, code enforcement and maintenance and operation of parks facilities. DeKalb County would continue to provide police services, fire services and court systems.
The study estimates the city would have $7.5 million in annual operating expenses and a surplus of $1.9 million in the first year. Barbara Lee said she had some reservations about the proposal. “If I’m going to be put in a new city, I want to know there are going to be some things better than there are now. I was not asked if I wanted to be in a new city,” said Lee. Pat Smith said she was concerned about the revenue stream and the percentage of residential versus commercial properties in the proposed city. “If you have a lot of foreclosures, you’re not collecting money because they are not paying any taxes,” Smith said.
Michelle Harrington said she supports the Stonecrest proposal because a small city would bring government closer to the people, allowing voters to elect officials and hold them accountable. “I don’t feel like I’m being heard. I want to have a say in what my community looks like,” said Harrington. Jim Kelly, who said four generations of his family have lived in DeKalb, said he wants change and he believes cityhood is the way to go. Kelley said he recalled when he graduated from Lithonia High school in 1972, there were signs all over the county that read “Dynamic DeKalb.” He said he was grieved, however, at how the county had declined. “I think for the last 25 years, DeKalb County Commission has been sorry stewards of the money in this county. They’ve thumbed their noses at us down here. They’ve put in junkyards. They’ve put in trash dumps… Right now, we need a strong change in this county,” Kelly said. More information on the proposed city of Stonecrest is available at stonecrestcity.com State Rep. Doreen Carter will host a public hearing on the Stonecrest cityhood proposal on Feb. 3, 6:30 p.m., 2745 DeKalb Medical Parkway, Lithonia.