As we reported via the AJC yesterday, DeKalb’s CEO Lee May gave his State of the County today where he proposed a plan to move some DeKalb County functions out of downtown Decatur and to a new development called “Downtown DeKalb” along Memorial Drive near the Kensington MARTA Station. (You can read the relevant excerpt of the speech over on Decaturish)
We had contacted Decatur Mayor Jim Baskett yesterday for any comment, but he told us he wanted to wait and hear the CEO’s remarks before responding.
Today, after listening to the CEO’s speech, Mayor Baskett remarked to DM that the proposal to move some county functions out of Decatur is inline with other conversations with the county in recent years.
“It doesn’t seem to be a really new initiative in that several years ago we were told that the county was moving as much operations to Memorial Dr. as possible, thus the sale of the Callaway building.”
He also clarified that “Decatur remains the county seat and some operations will remain” in the city. As has been mentioned previously, this would include the County Courthouse, which must be located in the county seat by law.
Reflecting on the impact on Decatur, the Mayor noted that “moving some properties onto the tax rolls is probably not a bad thing.”
Photo courtesy of DecaturNext
Tax rolls, not tax roles. Just pickin’ some nits.
While nit-picking season is open, how about spelling the name of the Callaway building correctly?
Where was this concept “moving some properties onto the tax rolls is probably not a bad thing.” when Beacon Hill redevelopment was planned? Seems like some upper stories could have been adding to the tax rolls.
If the City of South Dekalb gets created then Capital of Dekalb could be moved to City of South Dekalb.
If the Capital of Dekalb comes City of South Dekalb so then the Court House goes to the City of South Dekalb.
The Court House could be put across from the County Jail.
The Court House gets redevolped into Mixed use building.
City of Decatur could in the next 10 years have more kids than schools. Oops.
The Board of Commissioners conference room could be put inside the County Jail.
+1
A courtroom would make an awesome loft condo conversion.
I’m in, especially if this includes moving the Felony Probation building located on Commerce and Church out of Decatur. If ‘Downtown Dekalb’ doesn’t work for this particular county service, perhaps relocating it within sight of the Dekalb County jail facilities on Memorial would serve as fitting (if ironic) deterrent to recidivism.