07-24-2015 Brookhaven Reporter

Brookhaven Reporter www.ReporterNewspapers.net

Inside

Perimeter Business

It’s a violation

Attorney General scolds city COMMUNITY 3

Special Spruill Ready to celebrate 40 years

JULY 24 — AUG. 6, 2015 • VOL. 8 — NO. 15

OUT & ABOUT 14

Pack a little pouch

PAGES 7-11

Some residents say revised tree ordinance isn’t strict enough BY JOE EARLE

joeearle@reporternewspapers.net

PHIL MOSIER

From left, Jose Luis, 6, Wendy Galaviz, 6, and her sister Viana, 5, prepare “Back to School Supply Pouches,” containing pencils, erasers and crayons for Woodward Elementary students to use on the first day of school. The three were part of the second annual “Georgia United Credit Union School Crashers” event on July 18. See more photos on page 19.

New charter school plans ‘top-tier education’ Supporters of the Brookhaven Innovation Academy, a proposed public charter school in Brookhaven, were scheduled to present their case to Georgia’s State Charter Schools Commission on July 24. The commission rejected the Brookhaven application last year, so supporters retooled their plans and resubmitted them. City Councilman Bates Mattison chairs the school’s founding board. The Brookhaven Reporter recently questioned him about the board’s current plans for the school. Here are his answers.

Q: Why create the Brookhaven Innovation Acad-

emy?

A.

Since the inception of the city of Brookhaven, our city has worked toward improving public school education due to its impact on economic development. In addition to working with DeKalb County School System (DCSS) to improve our existing schools, we realized that providing

an independent charter school focused on science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM), using project-based learning would benefit our children and our citizens. In addition, every DCSS elementary school in our city is over capacity, and Brookhaven is the fasting-growing city in metro Atlanta. Our efforts help DCSS address this capacity issue, while also providing school choice for our children beyond their district attendance zones.

Q:

How will Brookhaven benefit from having the new charter school?

A.

First, our children will have access to a top-tier education that teaches to the skills required in the 21st century. Second, residents should see increases in their property values due to the availability of excellent public-school education options. Third, our business community will have a more skilled workforce, and Brookhaven will be an even SEE BROOKHAVEN, PAGE 4

About a year after city officials adopted Brookhaven’s controversial tree ordinance, they’re reworking parts of it. “We said all along this would be a work in progress,” Mayor Rebecca Chase Williams said. City arborist Kay Evanovich said the proposed changes – drafted after meetings with residents, many of whom thought the original law was too weak, and with developers and builders – were designed to help preserve Brookhaven’s tree canopy. “We’ve had issues come up with the loss of canopy,” she said. “We’re trying to stem that, and see if we can get some of the older growth preserved.” Proposed revisions, she said, include adding language to the ordinance to state that the goal of the law is to maintain a sustainable tree canopy in the city. But several residents who have advocated for tree protection told members of City Council that even with the changes the city’s ordinance wouldn’t be strict enough. Some said the proposal needs more review and discussion. “Some of us don’t see this ordinance as ready for prime time,” Lissie Stahlman told council members. Kathryn Gable called Brookhaven’s trees “the heart of the community.” SEE PROPOSED, PAGE 3

Down to two

Former mayor and Republican candidate J. Max Davis squares off against attorney Taylor Bennett, the sole Democrat, in a runoff on Aug. 11 for the District 80 seat. Read more on page 2.