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The Official Legal Organ ofDeKalb County, GA. Serving East Atlanta, Avondale Estates, Brookhaven, Chambtee, Clarkston, Decatur, Doraville, Dunwoody, Lithonia, Pine Lake, Tucker and Stone Mountain.
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SECTION A: VOL 25 NO. 4
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2007, 2009-2015
JULY 23 - 29,2015
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NEW COUNTY COMMISSIONER
Mereda Davis Johnson, center, DeKalb’s new District 5 commissioner and wife of Congressman Hank Johnson, right, addresses
supporters and elected officials after being sworn in July 20. Photo by Andrew Cauthen
District 5 commissioner sworn in
by Andrew Cauthen
andrew@dekalbchamp.com
A ttorney Mereda Davis Johnson
was sworn in July 20 as the Dis
trict 5 representative on the
DeKalb County Board of Commissioners.
“[I] was waiting for swearing in so
that I’m no longer [commissioner]-elect;
I am the commissioner,” said Johnson,
during her swearing-in ceremony in
the courtroom of Superior Court Judge
Gregory Adams.
In the July 14 runoff election, John
son, wife of Congressman Hank John
son, received 53.12 percent of the votes.
Her opponent, George Turner, a District
5 Community Council president and a
retired MARTA manager, received 46.88
percent of the votes.
One of Johnson’s first concerns is
the budget—“seeing what’s in it. I’m go
ing to take a little time this week to just
look at it,” she said the day before the
budget was passed. “[I] just have a little
bit more questions to go over about the
budget. That’s one of my priorities.”
Johnson’s first commission meeting
was the midyear budget retreat on July
16.
“I don’t think there were any surpris
es at the retreat,” Johnson said. “It was
very informative. I was just able to jump
in and look at it and ask questions and
everyone was very cooperative.”
Johnson said, “I think the district
has what it needs most and that’s repre-
From left, DeKalb Commissioner Mereda Davis Johnson takes the oath of
office as her husband, Congressman Hank Johnson, looks on. Superior Court
Judge Gregory Adams administered the oath.
Doraville approves
$293 million
redevelopment plan
by Ashley Oglesby
ashley@dekalbchamp.com
Tax allocation districts (TAD) can
be a city’s most valuable economic de
velopment tool, especially when a city
embarks on a massive redevelopment
opportunity similar to the Doraville As
sembly project.
For months Doraville city officials
have discussed a plan to reunite down
town Doraville with the adjacent 165-
acre former General Motors Assembly
plant and create a regional mixed-use
employment and activity center the
Doraville MARTA transit station.
On July 20, the city council voted to
take advantage of the redevelopment
plan and approve a tax allocation district
to fund the new infrastructures.
Mayor Donna Pittman said it’s a
very exciting time for the city. I have a
lot going on.
The Bleakly Group, a consultant
company charged with putting together
the Doraville redevelopment plan, will
be responsible for executing the city’s
needs for the project.
Pittman said, “I wholeheartedly sup
port it. I have all the confidence in the
world in this group.”
In 2011 the citizens of Doraville vot
ed for the Redevelopment Powers Act,
Pittman said 62 percent voted yes.
The approval of the act gave the city
the right to use tax allocation district
powers granted under state rules. The
city is now committed to funding a S293
million bond by creating a tax allocation
district.
Pittman said, “The vote creates a tax
allocation district and gives the city the
right to fund projects of their choosing
it does not fund nor obligate the council
to fund a bond. Only when a project is
presented in detail will it be put before
council for evaluation and approval.”
The fund from the TAD is intended
to be spent on public infrastructure that
will be owned by the city and acceptable
to the city. Pittman said, “At no point
will Doraville taxpayers be responsible
See Johnson on page 15A
Commissioner Johnson signs her oath of office as Congressman Johnson
watches.
See Doraville on page 15A
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