"But my experience with the DeKalb County Police Department’s apparent policy that “we’ll call you back and take a report if it’s just a property crime,” is the strongest argument for incorporation."
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Thursday, May 19, 2011
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27 comments:
To quote Major Lionel Higdon: "Boxes, Boxes, Boxes, Boxes."
Get a hair cut!
Citizens of future cities don't realize how much it costs to set up a city. They are of the understanding that as long as the citizens of the future area that wants to incorporate into cityhood, can be done by the click of a lever on the voting machine.
Unfortunately, it simply doesn't work that way. There has to be a lot of money collected just to get it all started, and that is only the beginning.
Once the government has beenb created, the bickering has started and will grow as time goes on. Before one knows it, it is a situation similar to Dekalb County.
The end result is lousy service, no money, and crooked policitians.
Is this what Brookhaven wants to be?
Folks, other jurisdictions adopted this philosophy long time ago. Plagued with the high number of property crimes, you will either get a form to fill out or a return call. I been reading that many departments are doing this due to budget cutbacks. Some places have laid off police officers and eliminated perks that citizens enjoyed such as bike patrols, community policing and what not just to be able to answer calls. Atlanta had it right in 2007 when they outsourced traffic accidents on interstates to Georgia State Patrol.
Obviously a Major wouldn't normally respond to such a trivial call that CID should be processing and collecting evidence on had the media not been present. That being said, the latest news flash is that supervisors of safety teams will be required to find and write the citation surplus themselves if their team falls short. I guess orders don't get much clearer than that.
If they want better police services then they are going to have to pay for it. Right now uniform division is is bare bones and getting no help from specialized units unless they are forced to like what they are doing at south Pct. And even then some precincts are to short to send anyone. Try supporting our line level officers instead of treating them like shit! You do that and services will be a hell of alot better.
The numbers don't lie. It's obvious that the county was taking a ton of money from Dunwoody and spending it elsewhere in the county, which resulted in some very pissed off people in Dunwoody who ended up forming their own city. Dunwoody was forced to leave by the BOC and former CEO. The rest of the country in doing the exact opposite of what is going on in Fulton and DeKalb: consolidating emergency services to save money. When you don't have corrupt politicians, like our BOC and CEO, running the show, it makes more sense financially to NOT have multiple jurisdictions and 911 centers. When things are done the right way, consolidation is the cheaper way to go for everyone. But we have corrupt, check bouncing, inept BOC members with their own agendas, which is are running this county into the bankruptcy. Dunwoody residents are better of now than they were three years ago, but they would be even better off if they never had to incorporate and if finances in this county were handled properly and without and agenda!
@Anonymous 1:19 PM
You must either be one of Ellis' assistants with your pathetic attempt to dissuade citizens from improving the government that serves them, or else you are completely ignorant of the facts concerning the formation of five cities in Fulton and DeKalb during the past few years.
First of all "future cities" are very aware of the costs to set up a city because they have studies conducted by respected organizations to give them cost estimates. No newly formed city in Fulton or DeKalb skipped this step.
Your argument about the high costs of forming a new city is laughable. The recently incorporated cities of Sandy Springs, Milton, Johns Creek, Dunwoody, and Chattahoochee Hills consist of many well-paid residents and high valued properties. Brookhaven would fit this mold quite well. Well-to-do areas fair o.k. within a slowly crumbling government system; however, they prosper when cut free from the corruption, waste, and inefficiency that is allowed to grow and grow in a large bureaucratic mess lead by lazy and/or incomptent fools.
To prove your point, I want you to do something for me: Show me links to all the stories about lousy service, no money and crooked politicians in Sandy Springs, Dunwoody, Johns Creek, Milton and Chattahoochee Hills. I'll be waiting.....
Anonymous 1:19, you hit the nail on the head and that is the reason why people in South Fulton defeated the City of South Fulton referendum. People think running a city is like running a homeowners association. Johns Creek, Milton, Sandy Springs and Chattahoochee Hills got rude awakenings when Fulton County made them stand on their own. On the flip side, Fulton failed to do the basics to keep the flames at bay. At the end of the day, the total blame goes back to the citizens. Remember, you voted for these idiots.
The cities incorporated because they felt despite the 'economy of scale' provided by being part of a larger organization, they would still get more and better services by being independent. They all knew this would cost more and of course the talking heads low-balled the estimated cost increase in order to secure more votes for passage. Once passed they do what they need to make it work. Mostly the people are so happy to have decent service they do not squabble (much) over the slightly increased taxes.
Think about it this way: Would you rather pay $40k for a 1985 clunker that barely runs or pay $45k for a new Cadillac? What is a better value for your money?
-JW
@3:34 AM The change in demographics put Vernon and his crew in power in 2000 and the downhill spiral began. Vernon's operational mode was to take from North DeKalb to serve himself, his friends and his voting base (in that order). This finally drove out Dunwoody. Vernon was successful because the economy was good and housing prices were going up. Vernon never increased taxes, He had home value increase to rely on.
In 2008 when CEO Ellis took over the crash had not yet started and Burrell thought hat he could keep going along Vernon's path. But the collapse of the economy dried up the tax base. Burrell and the BOC would not cut expenses by layoffs. Instead, they (with Dr Bell, who was the first to take advantage) engineered the employee buyout plan which is a financial disaster.
The County refuses to implement the GSU study. DKC just does not have the money to support the service frills (art center, 4 H club, gardening department, senior centers, numerous swimming pools, etc.)that the CEO and the majority of the BOC think that the County should have.
In the past 10 years hundreds of millions of County money (park-infrastructure- green space bonds and development bonds)has been spent in South DeKalb. End result is 13,000 foreclosed homes and a declining population. But the "investment" will continue.
My reply to Jeff Radar, the only commissioner who's staff has replied to my inquires as to the mission and complement of the Employee Relations Committee. My reply will probably be round-files so I am publishing it here.
"Thanks for the reply. I confirmed that last night and have sent an email to Commissioner Boyer this morning on the issue. While I understand Commissioner Radar is not on the committee perhaps he should take an interest in their current activities. If the proposal to reverse the burden of pension funding to the employees is passed as is, the effects will be absolutely devastating to the employees. If an employee makes 60 grand a year, the employees contribution would rise from 5,000 to 10,000 a year. 5,000 dollars might appear as chump-change to the commissioners but it is serious cash to the employees.
Frankly the employees have lost faith in the leadership of the BOC.
When the recession hit nearly three years ago the county Commissioners should have reorganized and consolidated county functions and operations. Instead they stalled for a year and then came up with the mis-guided employee retirement incentive and the illegal but innovative "unpaid holidays" before reverting to the lame furloughs and generic global department budget cuts. Now the county is facing a 50 million dollar revenue deficit and requires real leadership to guide the county through a financial crises that the DeKalb commissioners created with the last two bond issues and excess employees hired over the last decade.
Commissioner Lee May initiated a "quick and dirty" study by Georgia State University two years ago. The study was about 80 percent correct in its findings and offers a starting point for reorganizing, consolidating and down-sizing the county. The study was buried by the BOC and the alternatives offered by the BOC, the retirement incentive and illegal "unpaid holidays" backfired on the BOC with totally unintended results that harmed county operations through the loss of valuable and the most experienced employees.
I suggest that Commissioner Radar study how surrounding local governments have faced the current financial crises. Reorganization and consolidation of redundant functions, shedding low-priority non-core services appears to be the key for their success in weathering the crises.
More furloughs, shifting the benefits to the employees, and avoiding the tough decisions and changes will not solve DeKalb government financial problems.
The best of luck!
KenC"
@ Exceptional Radio
You are being disingenious about the reason why South Fulton residents didn't vote incorporate. You and the commenter at 1:19 think all newly formed cities will face one problem after another, will descend into a terrible state of affairs, and be no better than the county government they previously were a part of. The examples of Dunwoody, Sandy Springs, Milton, Johns Creek and Chattahoochee Hills all disprove those ideas of yours. For some reason you think that all people care about is cost. Well, in the newly formed cities people can afford to pay more for better services, and that's what really scares the idiots in Fulton and DeKalb county governments. Imagine that: A citizenry that expects high quality services, will pay for them, and hold leaders accountable.
South Fulton residents knew better than to incorporate because of their sub-par tax base and residents who couldn't give enough of a damn to make it work. The disaster scenarios you and 1:19 AM imagine only occur in certain areas where the politicians and residents view government as a lottery to dispense jobs and community centers and special programs and so on.
My challenge now goes out to you to, Exceptional Radio: Show me links to all the stories about lousy service, no money and crooked politicians in Sandy Springs, Dunwoody, Johns Creek, Milton and Chattahoochee Hills. I'll be waiting.....
Was Higdon wearing a earring in the news report?
The writing is on the wall! The Dekalb County Police Dept will get smaller over time.
Same story when Fulton Co patrolled what is now Johns Creek and Sandy Springs...slow responce, no special enforcement, no narcotics enforcement, no CID follow up...pretty pathetic.
Dekalb's crook leaders are so dumb and they will go the way of Fulton.
Fulton Co PD now patrols only the south end ghettos....welcome to your future.
I'm still holding out to join Oak Grove PD one day.
haha, I love the people who try to bash the new cities. All of these cities are doing great even in a recession. The residents are willing and able to pay for the services they want and they hold their leaders accountable.
Much of Dekalb is inhabited by those who could care less about living in a ghetto and just want their crappy section 8 housing, their food stamps, and their 9 kid tax credit.
Its great living in Sandy Springs or JC and you call police about a suspicious car, or a theft, or something minor and 4 police cars show up in 2 minutes and investigate.
Hell in Dekalb the dispatcher would screw up the address, the call would stay pending for 30 minutes, then 1 officer shows up 45 minutes after you call.
We were asked to provide proof of issues within the new cities and thus far, we want to start our reading series with the Cities of Sandy Springs and Chattahoochee Hills
Sandy Springs
Cop's busts questioned (having sex during undercover operations)
http://www.ajc.com/news/north-fulton/sandy-springs-cops-prostitution-860911.html
More terminations in Sandy Springs Police (we thought things would be great since Fulton left)
http://policelink.monster.com/topics/23232-sandy-springs-police-depts-fires-and-resignations/posts
Chattahoochee Hills
Chief under scrutiny
http://www.times-herald.com/Local/GBI-limiting-its-probe-of-Chattahoochee-Hills-Police-Department-1280450
Stay tuned! More research is being done and archives are being reviewed. It will take time not because we don't want to do it but we have other things going on.
If the blogmaster is going to state "A TALE OF TWO CITIES, An ARGUMENT for the City of Brookhaven", then at the very least, learn how to spell the word "argument" first.
Hey idiot,
wow City of Sandy Springs which has 130 cops has had 3 officers do something stupid which has gotten them fired in 5 years. DeKalb has at least one cop a month get fired at the least, and probably 3 a year go to jail if not more. In any profession there will be a few bad apples. I ask you to do one thing if you work uniform. Take a look around you in roll call at least one person you look at is dirty, if not the one you see everyday in the mirror.
We can blame Bolton for a lot of it, since when can officers get arrested for battery among other things and not get 10-42'd?? Oh wait we cant fire him/her he/she was a bolton hire. See what happens now after getting J1'ed. 10-42 period. Tired of working around thugs its disgusting and embarrassing
Problems with new cities? Hey at least they have plenty of money to hire officers, give them all brand new take homes, new equipment, pay them well, run special units, etc.
Pointing out a few bad apples has nothing to do with the fact that these cities run circles around the total disaster that Dekalb County is.
When you have actual tax payers who want to pay for a service and hold their leaders accountable you have wonderful police departments like JC, Milton, Dunwoody, and Sandy Springs.
Keep bad mouthing some of the nicest cities in the state while your ghetto of a county sinks to the bottom.
Nobody is bashing the new cities, some of us prefer to be left alone. We still stand by the fact that the voters are the people who elected these idiots (Sheriff, County Commission, Judges, DA, City Council, May and the list goes on.) If folks were truly unhappy in Sandy Springs, why did they keep Tom Lowe in office for over 30 years (their district commissioner). If you look at the numbers, you are acting like everyone wanted out. The majority of those who voted (which were less than five percent in some cases voted.) Sorry folks, I just can't subscribe to the notion that everyone is unhappy. Last time I checked the ballot box still worked but it must be used. Secondly, if these arm chair activists who cry and moan actually got the gonads and ran for office, show us the changes that we need to see is what I tell them everytime.
Don't know anyone in Dunwoody who blames Dekalb Officers for our lack of adequate coverage. Vernon holds the Oscar on that one. I'm pretty sure most here know how difficult the job is and greatly appreciate the sacrifice, and that's why we take care of our own with as many perks as possible. Excep Radio, don't hold your breath looking for something dirty at DP, because you won't find it. But if it makes you feel better to point out human frailty that is inevitable in any profession, then have at it.
I wish you well, and thank you for your service.
I think "Exceptional Radio" must be a Democrat. I dislike Democrats!
My question is why does everyone in South Dekalb have to be ghetto, 9 kids tax credit, section 8, food stamps having. Please explain that. If you have a bias like that how can you help? If you do work for Dekalb please let this be know in your next roll call and stop hiding behind a blog. You are a coward and most of the people in this blog are cowards. Who don't know the county is having problems like any other county around. Yes the cities are doing well but we work for a county with several thousand more citizens. Please, please apply for another department. Oh wait Dekalb is the only one to hire you now you think you are better than the people you are to protect. If you don't have a solution to the problem shut the @#$% up!!!
Still serving
@Exceptional Radio:
I'm the one who asked for stories about lousy service, no money and crooked politicians in the five newly formed cities in DeKalb and Fulton. I appreciate your effort in finding three stories concerning problems with public safety employees in these jurisdictions. However, that is not what I asked for. The original commenter I responded to by asking for stories had specifically said that the end result of forming new cities is: "lousy service, no money, and crooked politicians." This statment is so far from the truth that I challeneged him to prove it. You tried to step up to the plate but focused on public safety employees instead. Until you or the original commenter show me proof of these new cities becoming as poorly run as DeKalb County in those three specific areas, then I'm not going to bother to debate the public safety problems. Changing the topic is not the way to win an argument, Exceptional Radio.
As for your comment that no one is bashing the new cities, that is false. Vincent Fort and his always-offended posse are suing over the formation of the north Fulton cities. And plenty of citizens and lawmakers from Atlanta and South Fulton were angry about the split.
You are correct that the voters put the idiots in office. So what if you and your neighbors could form your own community and elect your own leaders so you weren't subjected to the ill-informed decisions of residents in another part of your county? People in these five new cities decided to break free from the destructive cycle of idiots electing idiots, and it's worked out very well for them.
People in Sandy Springs generally had no problems with Tom Lowe. They wanted to form their own city, but for 30 years Democratic politicians in Atlanta, Fulton County, the Georgia legislature, and the Governor's Mansion wouldn't let them. But that all changed once Republicans took over the legislature and the governor's office.
You're also right that it's only a certain segment of people that pushed for change. However, that's usually the case for most things. Plenty of people probably weren't unhappy. Just like plenty of people are idiots whose lives revolve around sports, TV shows and celebrity gossip.
The "arm chair" activists you refer to are the same type of people in these newly formed cities who worked hard to get them established. Your real problems seems to be when these "arm chair activists" decide to form their own city instead of working within a bloated, inefficient and wasteful county government. As if people in Dunwoody and Sandy Springs didn't spend decades trying to get more and better services for their area. They got tired of hitting a brick wall.
Based on your web site, it looks like you're in the Old National Highway area. I'm glad you want to be "left alone" in your area. Most voters in South Fulton obviously felt the same way. And why would you want change when you were still reaping the benefits of North Fulton's property taxes? We'll see what happens to South Fulton as the years go by.
exceptional radio find another blog to write on. you are a bag of hot air.Blah blah blah!
A search of the "exceptional radio " and website owners points to an address just north of 20 and east of 285.... that makes me think that an above listed opinion (that exceptional radio's perspective is that of one who was disproportionately benefitting from money taken from north Dekalb) is correct.
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