Be sure to check the website for holiday schedules for Trash and Recycling!

City Commission meetings have moved to a hybrid format are now being held in person (must be masked) or you can join remotely. 
Upcoming meetings:
TUESDAY, September 7; 7:30pm (date changed due to Labor Day holiday) 
MONDAY, September 27; 7:30pm (date changed due to Fall break) Monday, October 4; 7:30pm
Monday, October 18; 7:30pm 

As a part of my new website and newsletter, I want to also highlight recent actions taken by the City Commission: 

1. Added Juneteenth as a designated City holiday beginning 2022. 
2. Approved the recommendation to update the non-discrimination language in all city policies and purchase documents and update Financial Policies to ensure that all vendors doing business with the City have a non-discrimination policy. 
3. Supported the establishment of the Decatur Land Trust as an independent non-profit corporation and appointed Commissioner Lesa Mayer to represent the City Commission on this Board. 
4. Approved a project budget and authorization of an agreement with Trees Atlanta for a 5 year plan for Legacy Park Invasive Plant Removal and Woodland Restoration. 
5. Approved task orders to begin implementation of the Storm Water Master Plan. 

The City of Decatur’s approved allocation is almost $9.6 million. Fifty percent of the funds have been received and the city will receive the remaining allocation in mid-2022. Initial conversations have occurred in a City Commission work session, based on what we know about eligible uses and our existing plans and priorities. Final guidelines have not been published and current guidance from the Georgia Municipal Association is to wait until guidelines are finalized to begin allocation of uses. City Manager Andrea Arnold provided information to the City Commission at a Work Session in July. Stay tuned – this is an exciting opportunity for the city! 

THANK YOU to our Representatives in Congress. Mayor Pro Tem Powers and I have been meeting with our Representatives, our Senators and their staffs. 

Congresswoman Nikema Williams submitted the following project as a Community Project Funding Request, which has been included in H. R. 4502: 
Project Name: Decatur Recreation Center Clean Energy Project Intended Recipient: City of Decatur 

City Commission Reinstates Mask Ordinance 

Monday, Aug. 16, the Decatur City Commission approved an ordinance reinstating the requirement for individuals to wear masks and protective coverings during the COVID-19 pandemic. This Ordinance is effective at 8 a.m. on August 17, 2021 and will remain in effect until 11:59 p.m. on September 27, 2021, or until it is extended, rescinded, or amended by ordinance of the City Commission. The purpose of the ordinance is to help prevent infection by reducing the community spread of COVID-19. The pandemic continues and the Delta variant has caused a new surge in cases in Georgia and in DeKalb County. 

Season of Giving/Christmas Decatur works through the volunteer spirit of neighbors helping neighbors to ensure that our community’s children and seniors in need experience the joy of the holidays with gifts matched to their wishes.

Because present concerns over health and safety make shopping and delivery of physical gifts difficult, A Season of Giving/Christmas Decatur will be exercising its mission this year through a one-time modified program.

Give to Those in Need

In the past, donors have purchased gifts from an individual wish list specific to a child (through 8th grade) or senior citizen. This year will be virtual, wherein monetary donations will fund either gift cards for parents to buy presents for their children or gifts for seniors purchased online by designated volunteers and sent directly to recipients’ homes.

This year, perhaps more than ever, please show your support by donating.

Speaker, Tim Wise

Wise is the author of eight books, including his forthcoming Dispatches from the Race War (December 2020 from City Lights Books). Named one of “25 Visionaries Who are Changing Your World,” by Utne Reader, Wise has contributed chapters or essays to over 25 additional books and his writing are taught in colleges and universities across the nation.

https://www.decaturga.com/bc-btab/page/anti-racism-speaker-series-tim-wise

FAB Fridays continue on November 20; December 4, 11, 18 from 4-9pm

Remember to wear your mask!

https://www.visitdecaturgeorgia.com/visit/page/fab-friday

Most Decatur businesses also have on-line platforms for ordering – support local businesses from home!

City of Decatur and Trees Atlanta Start Front Yard Tree Program

The City of Decatur is partnering with Trees Atlanta to establish a front yard tree program. Residents pay a $25 application fee and Trees Atlanta will plant a tree in their front yard and maintain the tree for 2 years. This is a great way to replace canopy lost from recent storms. Homeowners will be able to choose from a list of trees suitable for our area. Please visit the Front Yard Tree page at Trees Atlanta to apply. There are a limited number of trees in the first year of the program and it will be first come, first served.