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JAN. 8 - JAN. 21,2016 • VOL. 8 - NO. 1
All aboard?
COMMUNITY 13
COMMUNITY 5
My dad s the new mayor!
PHOTOS BY PHIL MOSIER
Above, from left, Judge Mike Jacobs swears in the
new mayor of Brookhaven, John Ernst, right, with an
assist from wife Monica Ernst, center. Right, Monica
Ernst watches over the proceedings with son Evan,
3, on her lap, accompanied by son Jack, 5, far right,
and family friend Avery Clockadale, 7, center.
Expect political ‘nonsense’ in 2016 Legislature
Bf JOE EARLE
joeearle@reporternewspapers.net
Rep. Scott Holcomb says it’s simple. With a presidential
primary scheduled for Georgia in March, “there’s likely to
be a lot of nonsense” during the coming session of the state
General Assembly, the DeKalb Democrat says.
Political posturing is “already out there,” Holcomb said.
His prediction for the 2016 Legislature? “I think it’s going
to be a year not terribly impressive in terms of legislative
accomplishment,” he said. “The shadow of the presidential
primary is going to weigh heavily on the Gold Dome. You’re
just going to see a lot of nonsense.”
Still, state lawmakers are bound to do something during
the 40 days they meet and debate the state’s business, even
if it’s only to approve a state budget. And as legislators pre
pared for the start of the 2016 Georgia General Assembly,
set to start Jan. 11, there was plenty of new legislation be
ing talked up.
Local lawmakers said they expect to spend much of the
session arguing over hot-button statewide issues such as
gambling, the state budget, funding for education and mer
it pay for teachers. “I think it’s going to make for an inter
esting year,” Rep. Beth Beskin (R-Buckhead) said. “I really
think education is going to be one of the big ones this year.”
The proposal to allow casino gambling in Georgia “will
be taken seriously,” Rep. Joe Wilkinson (R-Sandy Springs)
said, but he and several other local lawmakers seemed un
willing to predict that it would pass this year. “I don’t see
that happening in this session, particularly in an election
SEE LAWAAAKERS, PAGE 7
Ernst helps kill
Skyland bonds;
DeKalb school
system may buy
building
BY JOHN RUCK
johnruch@reporternewspapers,net
New Brookhaven Mayor John Ernst
made his first big political move before even
taking office, playing a key role in the City
Council’s surprise killing of the Skyland
Center purchase deal on Dec. 23.
Meanwhile, it appears the building may
be slipping from the city’s reach to become a
new DeKalb County school.
Before Ernst was sworn in as mayor on
Jan. 4, the council met in a hastily called ses
sion and pulled the plug on a $3.3 million
bond issuance for the 2600 Skyland Drive
building.
The council reversed its earlier position
with a 3-1 re-vote, a dramatic turnaround
from its unanimous approval of the deal just
eight days earlier. A key factor was Ernst
privately telling council members and for
mer Mayor Rebecca Chase Williams that he
would vote down the final bond contract
when he took office, Williams said.
“I had made some of my feelings known,”
Ernst said in a recent interview. “My feel-
SEE SKYLAND, PAGE 2
For this winter edition of our semi
annual Education Guide, Reporter
Newspapers introduces its first
“20 Under 20,” a special feature
adapted from our sister publication
Atlanta INtown. Meet this group
of extraordinary young people
who are working to improve their
communities.
The section begins on page 15.
