On a side note, we can only dream of a recall of Burrell and other commissioners. Click here to read how local Americans feel toward politicians.
I read this blog frequently because it's the best avenue we have to vent besides the DeKalb County school watch blog.
As a Leadership DeKalb alumni, I rode with a police officer who gave me the opportunity to witness what a lot of you experience each and every day. Words cannot express the gratitude and appreciation I have for the job you do to protect us.
Yesterday, I had the opportunity to participate in the Principal Shadow Day with the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce. I witnessed a school principal providing excellent leadership and teachers in the trenches educating our children in a manner in which we can be proud.
I am an 18 year DeKalb County resident, homeowner, parent of school age children and a DeKalb County business owner. Needless to say, I pay each and every tax or fee in this county. I am feeling the pain.
I am deeply disappointed in what is happening in our community. I am involved and active but it is a challenge to deal with our leadership. We do our best to hire DeKalb residents, partner with the schools and be invlolved in the community.
Our young black males are out here robbing, stealing and shooting anything and everything that they can. To call it a crisis is an understatement. No one can fix it but our own community.
In order for us to begin to fix this mess, we have to own it. This means that the whole community has to wake up and be involved.
I just read where CEO Burrell Ellis is recovering from surgery. I pray for his recovery and wish him well. But, he has completely failed to lead this county. The conflicts, lack of communication and/or collaboration between the CEO and Board of Commissioners is disgusting. They ask for monetary support and campaign donations, but they do not want to meet with us to listen and be accountable.
The corruption, fraud and ignorance must stop. The best way to generate revenue and increase business in this county is to "Buy DeKalb." Not with political connections and corruption, but with legitmate, qualified and experienced businesses in this county. We are here, but we are ignored unless we cave in to the bullsh**.
With this upcoming $1.3 Billion sewer program, just as we open our sewer bill and experience shock at the increase, we will no longer sit back and watch all of our tax dollars leave this county. We will expose and report any lack of due diligence and fraud on the county's part. No longer will we be afraid of being blackballed because in this economy we have nothing to lose. If these architects, engineers and contractors have the political connections, but are not duly licensed in the state of Georgia to perform these services, we will report it to the state board. If Commissioner Jeff Rader is still employed by Jacobs, and they think they are going to get any of these contracts, it's not going to fly.
A Dekalb Citizen
14 comments:
We need a real citizen who cares about this county to run for CEO.
If you know someone who really cares about this position , please tell us.
We need someone who does not have the desire to be President of the United States.
A very well written and thoughtful letter. The writer is absolutley correct when she states that DeKalb citizens must "own" the problem. Until the citizens, the voters of DeKalb wake up and start electing competent officials, then it will continue to spiral out of control.
As I have said before, DeKalb County in 2011 is the end result of a political experiment gone horribly out of control. It almost like Dr. Frankenstien was given free run of the wealthiest county in the south just to see what kind of monster he could create. If you dont believe me then look at:
Your Tax Bill compared to just a few years ago.
Your quality of life compared to just a few years ago.
How far you have to commute compared to just a few years ago.
The number of vacant office buildings compared to just a few years ago.
How many schools are being shut down.
How crooked the school system has become in DeKalb.
Who put the criminals in charge? How did they come to power and corrut the whole system? Who would go out of thier way to pick the absolute worst applicant for Chief of Police? (TeBo) Who would go out of thier way to pick an idiot like the last head of the DeKalb school board now under indictment? Why do our older residents stay at home locked in thier homes out of fear? Ask yourself these questions.....
That was a great letter with great thoughts. The author should consider running for the BOC. Dekalb county needs good smart people to get on the BOC. It's time to stop electing the same BOZO's over and over. There are good,smart BUSINESS MINDED PEOPLE all over Dekalb County who would do a great job. Dekalb County needs to be run as a personal business right now to attract a business tax base since our previous BOC lost the greatest business tax base we had...Dunwoody. Community organizer types here and elsewhere and not getting it done.
I am in total agreement with the preceding blog.
We need to create a county government that has no one in charge at the top, but a committee that would authorize spending. We also need a law that mandates that any person who is employed by the county can not do business with the county.
Totally do away with the Board of Commissioners as this creates the
"Power Post". There are many other measures that can assure us all that corruption will not breed in this county.
We need the Public Safety Divisions to fall under two roofs and make sure that they are their own bosses. They do not need a DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SAFETY as this would create a friendship job.
We do not need fancy buildings for non fancy services, and we do not need fancy furnishings for the like.
The list goes on and on, and the production of a simple kind of government will always work better than a confused, heavy policitical, best friend, buddy buddy, and mega type of government.
Hopefully, this will come in the very near future, but until it does, we as citizen taxpayers will continue to pay and pay for the idiots who are in office who will scratching each others back, and that will be very expensive to all.
Get the checkbooks out!!
I'm afraid it's too late for much of the tax base. The Dunwoody situation festered for years before they finally were able to pull out. More will follow, and I will support them.
Dekalb south of I-20 is a business haven of liquor stores, pawn shops, title loans, nails, and check cashing. Get off on Candler Road and count how many liquor stores there are in the first 1500 yards. (I did and it is 5!). The wholesale change in appearance and attitude that is needed will not happen. Too many of the chiefs have a vested interest in keeping it the status quo. Otherwise the blighted areas might improve and people might move in that most likely won't vote for them.
Just a thought here, but I was planning to not vote for the next splost. I might reconsider if there would be a slice peeled off and given to public safety. Just sayin.
This is how the citizen will get their county back hold your elected officials' feet to the fire if they do wrong make sure the news knows about it and don't let them take it off the news until they are arrested and charged no more of this letting them leave without a pair of braclets on.
To the DeKalb citizen and the others posting on the previous blog. Your heartfelt thoughts and opinions do matter. DeKalb has major problems that the commissioners refuse to address.
The violence seen in DeKalb daily is more than a little disturbing. The trend seems to be increasing and areas in DeKalb previously considered "safe" are fewer and fewer.
I have been impressed with the City of Decatur's approach to government. Involve the citizens. The downside is some of the highest taxes in the state. The Decatur citizen's attitude towards the high taxes appear that as long as the Decatur government is doing what the citizen's ask for, the taxes are acceptable.
In contrast DeKalb CEO and the BOC are less eager to engage the citizen's input. The CEO hides on the top floor of the Ponce building and visitors require an escort for entry. The BOC is not much better, card key access is required.
Most of the employees who closely observe the CEO and BOC are noting that they appear to be more concerned about their political prospects than serving the citizens. While that may be the appearance that is not entirely true, and there appears to be varying degrees of fidelity of DeKalb rulers to the citizens.
Under the Vernon Jones administration polical graft was instituted in DeKalb government. The purchasing department was destroyed and rebuilt under Vernon. I watched in dismay as my network wiring costs doubled and tripled and the contractors gamed the system to win lucrative contracts. (we did weed out the worst of contractors and rebid the contracts with satisfactory results)
Facilities Management was also reorganized under Vernon and the brown-nosing George Salesky. Maintenance and construction costs skyrocketed which might explain why so many facilities in DeKalb government are in poor repair.
A lot of new Assistant and Associate Directors were hired for little justification except to racially balance the heavily white component in county management.
After four years of scandal and management by intimidation. DeKalb citizens reelected Vernon Jones. There was no opponent.
DeKalb is basically a one-party government, and has been that way for three decades. Once dominated by conservative elements of the party, DeKalb government is now run by the more liberal or "progressive" members of the party that have expanded the social functions of DeKalb government at the cost of core functions such as the DeKalb Police, Water & Sewer and other critical entities. The fact that the DKPD Aerial Support Unit is down to one helo and grounded while DeKalb rulers regularly visit DC to beg for Federal grants to support the Performing Arts Center should be disturbing to the citizen.
Until DeKalb citizens start voting in leaders based upon character, experience and leadership, DeKalb government and its citizens are destined for a long, hard and rough ride.
You voted these folks into office, vote them out! It starts with you, the voters.
When you have a County budget committee member running around bouncing checks, being sued and garnished, and having housed foreclosed on but continuing to drive luxury vehicles, you have a problem. You get what you ask for people!
The CEO is the one you should be happy with - he appears to have brains and integrity.
To the previous poster it might appear that the CEO has "brains and integrity" but he does not.....have you not been keeping up with the hugh pay-offs and/or raises that his friends and staff have been getting for no work and for getting run off. I am going to need for you to pay attention and keep up.
I'm only 19, I'd be 21 when the next CEO election comes up. I have contemplated over and over running for CEO. I have work closely thorugh highschool with a county Dept. and I wholeheartedly understand the needs of this county. no i'm not college educated, no I'm no rich, but I do believe that with my common sense and wealth of knowledge in government and business which this county is, I have the ability to lead. And I have the ability to lead b/c I know how to listen, rationale, understand, and work to create a solution that makes snese. I know everyone won't be satisfied with every decision I make. But I do know that every decision I make will be in the best interest of county employees and taxpayers, whom I would have the sole responsibility of serving.
This county is in dire need of change. It is past due for change. If something is not done immediately this place will crumble and become dilapidated.
This government system in DeKalb has been plagued with greed, selfishness, ignorance, corrupt, and flat out moral and ethical turpitude.
It will take a new day, and a new man or woman to come and change the tone of the rhetoric of the way government in DeKalb is run.
Anon 2:27, well said and I would advise you to pursue your dream. There is nothing more satisfying than serving your fellow citizens. (well there a few things, but let's keep this clean!)
Unfortunately you have a lack experience in the government sector, and it will probably take a decade for you gain the experience and knowledge necessary to run for public office.
I applaud your initiative but it will take time, patience and more than a little luck to achieve your goal.
Press on!
KenC
Unfortunately many in Dekalb will vote based on skin color alone. Cynthia was re-elected many times, even after coming under ridicule by members of her own party. Vernon Jones re-elected. Lil Vernon will be re-elected as well. I'm afraid that what we have currently will continue ad nauseam. Dekalb hired a man that cost the county millions in a racial discrimination suit. I find that mind boggling.
Slap Rader, You thought you were gonna be able to slide one in. At least we have one educated and caring citizen. Having worked many years in this county I know that there are many more. We just them all to wake up, black or white, old or young, male or female, it is time to rally against these thieves.
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