Archived News

County receives labor grant

DeKalb County Chief Executive Officer Burrell Ellis announced that DeKalb County has received a $1.7 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor.  The grant will provide employment services to the long-term unemployed in DeKalb County and surrounding areas.

Arts survey deadline approaches

Artists, art and cultural organizations, faith-based institutions or residents who support the arts in DeKalb County have less than two weeks left to weigh in on its future. The DeKalb Creative Industries Task Force is conducting surveys on the state of the arts in the county to determine the cultural opportunities and desires of stakeholders across the county’s diverse communities. The survey is available until July 1, online at www.dekalbcountyga.gov and at all DeKalb County libraries.

Committee to vote on CID expansion

The Planning and Economic Development Committee of the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners is expected to vote on expansion of the Stone Mountain community improvement district (CID) when it meets this afternoon, Tuesday, June 19, at 1 p.m. 

The Stone Mountain CID, which consists of commercial property valued at approximately $241 million, has a goal of creating 2,000 jobs in the district by the end of 2013.

Atlanta City Council approves budget and parking fine increase

The Atlanta City Council on June 18 approved a budget that calls for 41 additional sworn officers, increasing the police force to 2,000 officers for the first time in the city’s history. The fiscal year 2013 general fund budget, which totals $526.6 million in anticipated revenues, also calls for tighter spending.

Fiscal year 201313 general fund revenues for city coffers are projected to be at a 10-year low, nearly $120 million below Fiscal year 2008 figures.  However, the 2013 budget does not call for a property tax increase for the coming fiscal year that starts July 1.

The council also approved the administration’s proposal to raise metered parking violation fines in an effort to offset a roughly $4 million budget deficit in the city’s current contract with Park Atlanta. This legislation changes the parking ticket fine from $25 to $35. If a ticket is not paid in 14 days, the fine would become $70. And 45 days after a ticket is issued, the fine would rise to $95. If an appeal is made, the fine increases are suspended.