FREE VOLUME 24 NUMBER 42
DECEMBER 15, 2018
Published Since April 1995
Serving DeKalb, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry and Rockdale Counties
On Common Ground News would like to extend its heartfelt condolences to the DeKalb County Police Department, family and friends of the slain officer who died in the line of duty on Thursday, Dec. 13. We are praying for your strength. We appreciate your sacrifice in keeping our communities safe and do not take your service lightly.
Saints march out of the Benz with thrilling championship victory By Mark Brock DeKalb County School District Athletics Specialist
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endall Boney connected with Jadon Haselwood on a post pattern pass for a touchdown with four seconds to play to rally the Cedar Grove Saints to a 14-13 Class 3A state championship victory over the Peach County Trojans at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Tuesday afternoon. “You have to keep coaching and fighting,” said Saints head coach Jimmy Smith. “We made
a lot of mistakes and you have to credit Peach County for how hard they played on defense. The kids just kept fighting on defense until we could get something going on offense.” Cedar Grove (14-1) was trailing 13-7 following a 30-yard field goal by Peach County’s Rene Galan with just 4:01 to play in the game. Then Haselwood who had punt return that was going for a touchdown called back on a penalty, struck for a big 58-yard kickoff return to set the Saints up with a first and 10 at the Peach
County 37. Robert Jones got loose for a 19-yard gain to the Trojans’ seven to set the Saints with a first goal. Then the Saints had three false start penalties and were facing a third down and 22 with 10 seconds to play. Boney dropped back on the play and threw a bullet to Haselwood cutting in front of a defender at the goal line for the game-tying touchdown with just four seconds to play. Luis Dominguez hit the game-winning PAT and the Saints were just four
SEE CHAMPS page 7
Cedar Grove players celebrate their Class 3A state championships. Photo by Rodney Cofield, Jr.
Stonecrest approves $9 million budget with no tax increase City expands services as it approaches second year in existence
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he city of Stonecrest will ring in the New Year with several new services planned, money in its reserve fund and no new taxes. The $9,168,400 budget includes a $250,000 reserve fund and represents more than a $2.5 million revenue increase or 41% over the 2018 budget. City officials say the revenue boost is primarily due to the city’s ability to now receive a state insurance premium tax. The tax, however, will not affect residents or businesses in the area. Municipalities receive the tax from the state for property, casualty, and life insurance policies purchased by those within the city. “Zero tax increase, just as we promised,” said Mayor Jason Lary. “We went from a $6.4 million budget to a $9.1 million budget without a tax increase and the city can still boast about our zero-millage rate. As promised, the extra revenue came from insurance premiums and an increase in revenue received from business license fees that DeKalb couldn’t collect.” The City Council passed the budget by a 4-1 vote during a special called meeting on Dec. 12. Councilwoman Diane Adoma dissented. Councilwoman Jazzmin Cobble did not attend the meeting due to a mandatory job commitment, Communications Director
Mayor Jason Lary, City Manager Michael Harris, and Councilmembers George Turner, Jimmy Clanton, and Rob Turner present the 2019 Stonecrest Budget. Photo provided
Adrion Bell said. The 2019 budget outlines a plan to hire one part-time and seven full-time employees, including a procurement officer, a code enforcement officer, a right-of-way field services manager, three parks and recreation employees, and an administrative assistant. City Manager Michael Harris said the Insurance premiums that the city is receiving from the state is the city’s big new revenue source. “For a new city going into a second full year, Stonecrest’s budget reflects good sound governance,” said Harris. “We’re not actually required to have a balanced budget until our third year of operation per the city charter. We’ve had a balanced budget since our first year. We’re getting all of our bills paid, we’re saving money in our fund balance (reserve fund) and we’re expanding our
scope of services.” The mayor said department directors made presentations to the council and were successful in getting line items added for an economic development plan, Municode software to codify the city’s ordinances and make them easily accessible, a new website and area beautification projects, just to name a few. The city will also expand to include three new departments: Business Development, Parks and Recreation, and Community and Cultural Affairs. The Public Works Department will expand services to include a right-of-way maintenance department that will keep the lawns on the city’s thoroughfares maintained and clean. The city’s business license revenue was increased by the addition of 536 new businesses and the auditing work of code enforcement officers who investigated 170 businesses for 2018 license renewals. More than half of them complied and renewed their licenses, according to Code Enforcement Manager Alejandro Ferrell. The remaining 170 had closed or moved. “Our city is growing, and we are the most reasonable and largest city in DeKalb to live,” said Lary. “In 2019, we will continue to keep our promises of fiscal responsibility as we continue to operate and grow as a world-class city.” The city of Stonecrest, which includes nearly 54,000 residents, was incorporated in 2017. Stonecrest became the fourth city to incorporate in DeKalb County in recent years following Tucker, which formed in 2016; Brookhaven in 2012; and Dunwoody in 2008.
Norfolk Southern to locate headquarters in Atlanta, creating 850 jobs
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orfolk Southern Corporation, a major transporter of automotive products, coal and industrial products, is planning to locate its headquarters to Atlanta, a move that will create 850 jobs. Gov. Nathan Deal was joined by Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms on Dec. 12 to announce that Norfolk Southern will locate its headquarters in Fulton County. The new campus, which represents a $575 million investment, includes dispatch operations, operations and service support center, crew management center, corridor operations offices, national customer service center, administrative functions, marketing department and police communications center. “As a major hub for both transportation and innovation, Georgia is a fitting home for Norfolk Southern’s new headquarters,” Deal said. “As the No. 1 state for business six years in a row, Georgia has become a preferred location for industry leaders like Norfolk Southern, as we have seen more than 30 locations or expansions by Fortune 500 companies in the better part of the last decade. Much of this success can be attributed to our expansive infrastructure network, our culture of collaboration and ready-to-work communities, all of which are essential in helping businesses move goods around the nation and to international markets as efficiently as possible. Deal said the new headquarters would open many doors of opportunity for metro Atlanta residents, while also reinforcing Georgia’s distinction as the Southeast’s gateway to global commerce. Norfolk Southern is a major transporter of automotive products, coal and industrial products. Its subsidiary, Norfolk Southern Railway, operates approximately 19,500 route miles in 22 states and Washington, D.C. In 2017, Norfolk Southern employed 4,710 Georgians.
SEE JOBS page 7