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800 DeKalb school employees resign LOCAL, The Official Legal Organ of DeKalb County, GA. Serving East Atlanta, Avondale Estates, Brookhaven, Chamblee, Clarkston, Decatur, Doravllle, Dunwoody, Lithonla, Pine Lake, Tucker and Stone Mountain. IX/e/ DC thechampionnewspaper.com oTheCHAMPION ist Place General excellence Award Winner Georgia Press Association 'Better Newspaper Contest’ 2007, 2009-2016 SECTION A: VOL 26 NO. 4 JULY 21-27,2016 500 Town hall meeting attendees demand answers Host Rickey Smiley speaks in front of guest panelist at the “Real Strategy for Change” town hall meeting. Photo by Horace Holloman by Horace Holloman horace@dekalbchamp.com I n front of a packed crowd in Decatur, radio personality Rickey Smiley tried his best to quell an anxious crowd that wanted to hold law enforcement officials accountable for their actions during a town hall meeting, urging guests to “act in decency.” Smiley served as the event’s host at the star-studded town hall meeting July 12, to address issues in the Black community and police brutality. The meeting was held at Greater Travelers Rest Church House of Hope and featured musical artist and activist David Banner, musical artists Young Jeezy, Tyrese, 2 Chainz and Lyfe Jennings. Also in the panel discussion was DeKalb County Deputy Chief Operating Officer Cedric Alexander, former officer Cariol Horne, social media comedian DC Young Fly, representatives from Black Lives Matter and civil rights leader and Martin Luther King’s youngest child Bernice King. Attendees in the town hall meeting, named “A Real Strategy for Change,” asked panelists what policy changes could be made to avoid incidents such as recent police shootings in Louisiana and Minnesota. In Louisiana, Alton Sterling was shot by a police officer outside a convenience store and in Minnesota See Town Hall on Page 5A Tucker’s planning commission with Mayor Frank Auman (right). Tucker establishes planning commission by Carla Parker carla@dekalbchamp.com Five residents were selected to serve on the inaugural Tucker Planning Commission, the city announced. The city appointed Katherine Atteberry, Daymon Claar- Pressley, Ann Coppage, George Wellborn and Michael Williams to the planning commission. They held their first meeting on July 7. The commission will offer recommendations to the mayor and city council regarding land use and zoning matters. The commission will also participate in the development of a comprehensive plan for the city, and make recommendations on special studies. “Each individual brings an exciting wealth of knowledge and expertise to the commission,” Mayor Frank Auman said. “The city of Tucker is lucky to have them as part of our team.” Atteberry, who ran for city council, has a master’s of public administration from the University of Georgia. She is an environmental project manager with Jacob’s See Tucker on Page 5A Brook Run Theater to be demolished by R. Scott Belzer sbelzer@dekalbchamp.com D espite a favorable presentation and voices of support, Dunwoody City Council voted to demolish Brook Run Theater on July 11. Brook Run Theater, located inside Dunwoody’s Brook Run park, has been a topic of discussion in the city since March. City council tasked a group of residents to report on renovating the facility, how the renovation could be funded and how city officials could help. The theater has been closed and unused since the late 1990s. It has since grown mold, attracted vandalism and been a source of consternation for residents and officials alike. On July 11, Randy Lewis, head of the Brook Run Theater Conservancy group, presented a 57- page financial feasibility report which included citizen comments, petition signatures and potential sources of funding to a meeting room filled to capacity. “I’m excited to make this presentation—there’s a lot of good news to share,” Lewis said. Lewis’s findings included a financial partnership with Coxe Brook Run Theater has been closed since the late 1990s and has since grown mold and attracted vandalism. Curry & Associates to seek private funding, interest from the Marcus Jewish Community Center and Georgia State University as tenants, and an estimated $7.5 million renovation cost. “We would have an immediate tenant for the building with immediate funds,” Lewis said. “The Marcus Foundation does not write small checks.” Lewis’s presentation concluded with asking the council to redirect funds to demolish the theater (approximately $500,000) into its preservation and asking the council for an additional $1.5 million in escrow. According to Lewis’s report, other forms of funding would come from historic tax credits, private and corporate funding and crowd- See Theater on Page 5A 64116 1 Q'CHAMPIONNEWSPAPER championnews ^championnewspaper
