Author: Jesse Thompson

Commissioner Rader Digest

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From Commissioner Jeff Rader:

February 2010

Here are some topics of interest from recent Board of Commissioner meetings:

Audit Committee
Health Care Goals
Public Safety
Speed Zones

Audit Committee
I have been nominated and confirmed by the Board of Commissioners (BOC) to chair its Audit Committee.  This committee, mandated by Section 10 of the DeKalb County Organizational Act, is charged with oversight of the county's annual financial audit. The committee also is empowered to audit the internal operations of county government.  Other members of the committee are Commissioners Elaine Boyer and Lee May.

The financial audit is to ensure that county tax dollars are accurately accounted for and spent consistent with the county budget.  The audit also analyzes financial and operational controls over county spending, and suggests actions to improve these practices.  The internal auditing authority may be used to analyze the overall performance of county operations.  The performance audit, which I discussed in my Oct. 27, 2009 update, is to ensure that county services are delivered in an efficient manner.
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Crime Prevention Tips from The Pros

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Dear Residents,
The WHNA felt some of the following tips may be useful ....

The source for this info is: crimedoctor.com

Sources: Convicted burglars in North Carolina , Oregon , California , andKentucky. Security consultant Chris McGoey, and Richard T. Wright, a criminology professor at the University ofMissouri-St. Louis, interviewed 105 burglars for their book Burglars
on the Job.
Things A Burglar Won't Tell You:

1. Hey, thanks for letting me use the bathroom when I was working inyour yard last week. While I was in there, I unlatched the back window to make my return a little easier.
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Increased Crime Alert

Jesse Thompson 3 Comments
Dear Residents,

Last week I notified our residents that gun shots were reported fired in our neighborhood. Since then, I have received another report of gun shots fired early in the morning on Friday January 29th. Two reports of this kind within the same week is alarming and unacceptable.

This morning I discussed the situation with Officer Miller of the DeKalb County Police Department. In response the police will increase the patrolling of Woodlands Hills, particularly late in the night/early in the morning. Officer Miller requests that residents continue to be alert and on guard. If you witness or experience a crime, please do not hesitate to call 911. Please continue to report crimes to the WHNA by emailing me at secretary@woodlandhillsatlanta.org or Brad Grulke at president@woodlandhillsatlanta.org.

I would appreciate it if you forwarded this email to any neighbor or Woodland Hills stakeholder in case they are not included in our distribution list.

If you would like to help keep our neighborhood safe, I encourage you to join Woodland Hills Neighborhood Watch as a block captain.


Again, thank you for doing your part to help keep Woodland Hills safe.

DeKalb County Parks and Recreation to Host Public Meeting

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Title: DEKALB COUNTY PARKS AND RECREATION TO HOST PUBLIC MEETING
Location: Avis G. Williams Library 1282 McConnell Drive Decatur, GA 30033
Description: From Commissioner Jeff Rader:

DEKALB COUNTY PARKS AND RECREATION TO HOST PUBLIC MEETING

The DeKalb County Parks and Recreation department will host a public meeting on Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 6:30 p.m. at the Avis G. Williams Library, 1282 McConnell Drive in Decatur to discuss the development of Mason Mill Park. The general public is invited to attend.

Parks and recreation officials will discuss the construction plans for future development of Mason Mill Park, which is located on McConnell Drive in Decatur.

For more information, contact Revonda Moody, Project Manager, at 404-687-3708.

WHO: DeKalb County Parks and Recreation Department

WHAT: Public Meeting to discuss the future development of Mason Mill Park

WHERE:Avis G. Williams Library
1282 McConnell Drive
Decatur, GA 30033

WHEN:Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 6:30 p.m.
Start Time: 18:30
Date: 2010-02-02
End Time: 20:00

Not the Time for Business as Usual

Jesse Thompson Leave a comment

From Commissioner Jeff Rader:

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

A year ago, I publicly expressed my disappointment in the budget process for DeKalb County. The process, as described in my formal remarks in February 2009, is subject to political considerations and short-term gains at the expense of tough decisions and long-term sustainability. [To read my commentary on 2009 budget, see link at the end.]

It was my hope then that the new county CEO and the new governing structure for the county Board of Commissioners (BOC), each with a full year under its belt, would lead to improvements in the preparation of this year's budget. Sadly, the process seems to have gotten worse, not better.
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