FREE VOLUME 24 NUMBER 50
MARCH 15, 2019
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DEKALB’S ‘NEW DAY PROJECT’ TO REPLACE 102,000 WATER METERS
B City Councilwoman Diane Adoma
Stonecrest Councilwoman Adoma refutes moratorium vote—despite video
eginning in April, DeKalb County will launch a three-year program to replace 102,000 aging and potentially defective water meters, DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond announced. The upgrade will impact a little more than half of DeKalb County’s 194,000 residential water customers. “DeKalb County has worked tirelessly to address the CEO Michael Thurmond long-festering problems in our water and sewer billing and meter reading processes,” said Thurmond. “From this initiative, water customers can expect accurate billing and meter reading, increased customer service and restored trust.”
SEE METERS page 7
By Valerie J. Morgan Stonecrest City Councilwoman Diane Adoma is demanding a correction on her publicized “no” vote to a proposed moratorium on cell phone towers in the city. Despite the city’s video where Adoma is seen and heard voting no on the moratorium at the City Council’s March 11 meeting, Adoma said the video “is not accurate.” The video shows the measure was approved 5-1 with Adoma voting against it. The city released the video to the Atlanta Journal Constitution and On Common Ground News, stating that the acting city clerk accurately recorded Adoma’s no vote. On Common Ground News, which had recorded its own video of the meeting, reviewed it several times. In both, the city’s video and Stonecrest Mayor Jason Lary the newspaper’s video, Mayor Jason Lary explains what the council is about to vote on and then calls for the vote. The mayor and all of the council members, except Adoma, raise their hands and say “I” in favor of the moratorium. Adoma, however, hesitates briefly and then states: “Madam Clerk, my vote was no.” Lary said the video speaks for itself. “I am concerned that Councilwoman Adoma doesn’t understand Robert’s Rules of Order. I chair the meeting fairly. I give everyone an equal amount of time and then I call for the vote,” said Lary. “The tape doesn’t lie. She voted no. The city clerk’s recordings and count of the votes are accurate.” Adoma issued the following statement: “In the past I have requested roll call votes because of ongoing mass confusion with some of our official meetings and the inaccuracies in recording both votes and minutes. My motion was denied by executive branch to have all controversial issues recorded by individual roll call in previous meetings. This past Monday was an example attesting to how critical it is to reserve the sanctity of the vote. My undisputed vote for a moratorium was inaccurately recorded or misinterpreted. I will again ask the council to vote via roll call in the future. I have been consistent and unmovable and unapologetic about building a beautiful thriving city and will let my actions speak louder than my words.” What is puzzling about Adoma’s statement regarding the need for a roll call vote, however, is the fact that she made it clear to the city clerk and everyone at the meeting that she cast a no vote on the moratorium. Before the vote, Adoma had argued with City Attorney Winston Denmark and Councilman Jimmy Clanton over the resolution to draft a 60-day moratorium on the construction of cell phone towers in the city. Mayor Lary made the motion for a 60-day moratorium after hearing from several residents who said during public comments that they want the city to force Vertical Bridge to remove a199-foot cell phone tower that was recently constructed off of Evans Mill Road. Councilwoman Adoma, who had initiated putting the moratorium r on the council’s
Mayor Lary: “The tape doesn’t lie. She voted no.” Conyers Police School
SEE STONECREST page 7
Left to right: Officers Troy Quick and Charlene Smith are making a difference in the Conyers community. Photo provided.
Resource Officers lauded nationally for their work
By Valerie J. Morgan The U.S. Department of Justice is spotlighting the Conyers Police Department’s School Resource Officer (SRO) program as one of its grantee success stories. Officers Charlene Smith and Troy Quick have made a positive impact between the community and law enforcement through their full-time assignment within Rockdale County Public Schools, the Conyers Police Department said. Both of the officers spend their time at Rockdale High School and C.J. Hicks Elementary School and Pine Street Elementary as needed. The Police Department used a $125,000 grant from the Community Oriented Policing Program to fund one additional full-time school resource officer for three years in Rockdale’s public school system starting in 2015 but continued the program. “The last three years, we have been grateful to use the COPS grant to enhance our SRO program,” Chief Gene Wilson said. “We have committed to keeping two SROs in our city schools beyond the depletion of these funds.” Rockdale Schools Superintendent Terry Oatts praised the Conyers Police Department for its partnership with the school system. “Rockdale County Public Schools works closely with local law enforcement to provide safe learning environments
SEE OFFICERS page 7