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Mayor Mike Davis: With the elections over, we’ll
continue making the city a great place for all
The city of Dunwoody just finished another city election, and residents selected representatives to
occupy the three City Council seats up for election this year.
I congratulate all of the candidates who ran for office. Win or lose, running a campaign is hard
work. I personally know the election and campaign process is one which takes tremendous effort, drive
and energy to undertake. I’d like to thank each of the candidates for their contributions and for work
ing to create a better Dunwoody.
I believe that by re-electing two incumbents and adding a new member to council this election has
shown we are headed in the right direction, but we have more work to do.
Over the past 10 months and throughout the election cycle, many residents have made their voic
es heard on a number of projects and issues. Some of the issues and planned projects have brought
varied levels of both support and resistance, which we as a City Council must listen to and address.
As city leaders, we must take the opportunity to continue our efforts at engagement, and broaden
our set of outreach and communications tools. What we want to encourage is interest in, and atten
dance at, our various public meetings and open assemblies to foster a better understanding of the kinds
of projects and decisions being put forward.
A perfect example of engaging ideas and discussion with the public around a project was realized in
creating the new Georgetown Park. The city held public meetings, which not only amassed the various ideas and needs of what
residents wanted from the new park, but those discussions guided the design and amenities which the park would contain when
complete.
I realize a zoning code meeting (as compared to a brainstorming meeting around a new city park) may not appeal to every
resident, as was evident by the dozen or so committed attendees who took part in the zoning code rewrite process. But it’s these
types of opportunities the city will continue to host and promote which bring citizens to the table and help collectively struc
ture a vision for a better Dunwoody.
I don’t believe any city always reaches a complete consensus on direction of future projects or developments. Each citizen has
their own opinion, and hopefully through ongoing participation in public meetings and town halls, residents can better under
stand what’s being created or implemented. The opinions of the public were expressed in the voting booths and should contin
ue to be expressed to the elected representatives who are charged with the responsibility of bringing community needs and de
sires to reality.
Participatory engagement is part of the reason the city has continued to put forth efforts for increased public involvement.
These efforts are found in initiatives such as the 2013 Citizen Pulse survey, multiple project open house events, email news alerts
reaching more than 10,000 subscribers, site tours, information booths at community events, and more.
To further the opportunity for listening and engagement, we’ve established plans to conduct quarterly Town Hall events so we
may expand and promote ongoing dialogue with residents.
What’s clear moving forward is that citizens have re-elected two incumbents and brought in a new council representative
where a seat was being vacated. What’s also clear is now that the voters have spoken, it’s time to continue our focus as an elected
body and set our efforts to the work at hand.
We’ve got a better Dunwoody to create, and with the input and guidance from its citizens, it will be a great place for everyone.
"* — «
MIKE
DAVIS
GUEST COLUMN
Mike Davis is the mayor of Dunwoody.
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8 | NOV. 15-NOV. 28, 2013 |
Don’t trust experts
To the editor:
Dunwoody Mayor Mike Davis re
cently wrote an email response to a sup
porter of the dog park at Brook Run.
The dog park fan asked the mayor how
he responds to conflicting reports by
certified arborists about the condition
of the trees in the off-leash dog park.
In his email, Mayor Davis stated,
“One thing I’ve learned as mayor is to
not trust the experts.” By making such
a bold statement in regard to expert tes
timony, the mayor has made his deci
sion a personal one, and not one based
on what is really good for the commu
nity. By stating that he doesn’t trust any
of the expert testimony, he negates even
the testimony of his own experts.
In the legal arena, experts are hired
to challenge the opposing side’s position
so that a balanced and fair decision can
be made. The city hired a tree expert to
support the position of the City Coun-
www.ReporterNewspapers.net
LETTER TO
THE EDITOR
E-mail letters to
editor@reporternewspapers. net
cil. Two supporters of the dog park sim
ply hired experts to challenge Dun-
woody’s experts. The purpose was to
provide expert opinion for both sides so
that it would not be a one-sided debate.
Shouldn’t the city be given the op
portunity to see both sides of the ar
gument before making a decision that
affects the city’s budget, the taxpayers’
dollars and the dogs and their owners,
whose interests are involved? Both sides
are presenting arguments so that the cit
izens can be informed.
The mayor’s decision was based on
his own admittedly non-expert obser
vations, including soil compaction, ero
sion and tree damage.
Soil compaction occurs when ground
is trod upon. Is this why the city in
stalled cement trails, so that the people
walking them won’t compact the soil?
As to the tree damage, the only be
ings who are destroying trees are those
hired by the city to chop down trees in
order to make a concrete sidewalk. And
more trees will be destroyed in order to
create the new dog park. You must chop
down trees so that the dogs won’t de
stroy them? Really? How does this make
sense?
The dog park association is the most
proactive group of people I have ever
known. They do not rely on city fund
ing for the upkeep of the park. They
pay for and do the work of the park’s
upkeep themselves. There are people
out there tirelessly working on a vol
untary basis picking up waste, spread
ing ground cover (purchased with do
nations by dog park patrons), clearing
walking paths throughout the park,
and making sure the water stations are
clean and in working order. Donations
have paid for all the seating in the park
(hand-made by devoted volunteers).
CONTINUED ON PAGE 26
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