Threats of annexation seem to bring people together. Remember how Decatur’s last annexation attempt united the city’s northern neighbors?

The latest College Avenue annexation attempt by Decatur and Avondale has spurred one DeKalb County Commissioner and many of the area’s business owners into action.

According to a recent article in the Champion Newspaper (h/t: Next Stop), Commissioner Kathie Gannon and some area business owners will meet up on this coming Saturday to discuss ways to improve the area’s appearance.

“We’ll be doing any kind of things that we can physically do and make a difference in terms of appearance,” she said. “Every single issue we can address, and there should be no reason for annexation.”

Gargiulo said she and several other business owners have created a list of improvements to businesses along the street that leads into Avondale Estates’ Tudor-themed gateway. That includes picking up trash, tearing away decrepit fencing and repainting some businesses’ exteriors.

It seems a noble goal, and one that would accomplish many of the two cities’ end-games without a controversial annexation.  However, if annexation doesn’t pass the GA legislature, it will be interesting to see how committed folks are to beautification efforts without any looming threat.  I don’t doubt the sincerity of the effort, but when any group is motivated primarily by a threat, it’s often tricky to sustain momentum once that threat disappears.

Meanwhile, Stephanie Stuckey Benfield continues to search for that elusive 10th vote from the DeKalb delegation, in order to bring the annexation bill to the floor of the GA House.

Breaking news from The Champion…

After [Rep. Stephanie Stuckey Benfield] gathered the 10 signatures from DeKalb County House delegation members required to send the issue to a vote in the General Assembly, one member – Rep. Simone Bell – pulled her name off the list, Benfield said.

Bell and fellow local House members “are getting heavy lobbying from the county not to sign. I can respect that,” Benfield said. “That’s understandable pressure.”

…Benfield said her nine other signatures included Reps. Stacey Abrams, Karla Drenner, Fran Millar, Mike Jacobs, Pat Gardner, Mary Margaret Oliver, Jim Chambers and herself. At the Feb. 1 meeting, only Millar and Benfield vocally supported the proposal. Rep. Kevin Levitas asked several probing questions indicating his concern for the rights of the business owners, but Benfield said he has agreed to sign the petition in the future if the businesses don’t clean up their sites in a reasonable amount of time.

Regardless, Benfield said she doesn’t know where that leaves her.

“S” recently wrote in with this question…

I heard that Rep. Stephanie Stuckey Benfield has some sort of campaign going to bring Trader Joe’s to Decatur. Do you have any info on this?

On Monday, Rep. Benfield replied to the question…

Yes, for a long time I ran a notice in my weekly community updates encouraging folks to contact Trader Joe’s about opening a location in Decatur. I recently quit running the piece because I ran it for about 6 months. But I’m a big fan of Trader Joes and would love to see them in our community. I learned about the “movement” from Facebook and helped spread the word. By separate email, I’ll forward you one of my old Benfield Beats that publicizes the Trader Joe’s effort.

Link-wise the Facebook page is here, currently sporting 1,111 fans. And to check out the most recent Benfield Beat weekly newsletter, click here!

Nothing says Halloween like deli meat.

Halloween, for many young people, is synonymous with candy. Two state representatives from DeKalb County, Stephanie Stuckey Benfield and Michelle Henson, have found a positive way for children to enjoy the holiday, limit candy consumption, and support our troops overseas.

In conjunction with Kool Smiles, both representatives are sponsoring a candy buy back initiative where the first 100 trick-or-treaters (ages 2-16) can trade three or more pounds of candy for a $5.00 gift certificate to Subway Sandwich Shop. From November 1st to the 6th, kids can drop off the candy to Kool Smiles to receive the gift certificate. Drop offs will be collected during normal business hours (9:00 am to 6:00 pm). The candy will be shipped to U.S. soldiers stationed abroad through Operation Gratitude.

Zero Dollar Foot-Long!  The Clairmont Heights Civic Association has the full release.

I tell ya…that’s a lot of last names to fit in a post title!

Decatur city commissioner candidate Kyle Williams announces that he’s received two regional endorsements today.  Here’s the press release….

June 30, 2009 – Decatur, GA – State Representatives Stephanie Stuckey Benfield (House District 85) and Stacey Abrams (House District 84) endorsed Kyle Williams for Decatur City Commission today, and urged District 2 to vote for him. Kyle Williams is running for Decatur City Commission, District 2, which includes South Decatur and part of the downtown business district. Representatives Abrams and Stuckey Benfield represent District 2 in the Georgia General Assembly.

“I know Kyle. I know his commitment to South Decatur. As a mother, I appreciate his work to improve early childhood learning in Decatur. I am proud to give Kyle my full support for his campaign. Kyle will make a great City Commissioner and will fight hard for us. I will work to elect Kyle this fall,” said Rep. Stuckey Benfield.

Read the rest of this entry »

Helme pasted this article of unknown origin in a comment…

The city’s (Avondale) request of the Georgia Legislature to allow it to annex 23 commercial properties bordering East College Avenue and Maple Street, west of its city line to Sams Crossing, won’t happen this year under the Gold Dome.

State House Representative Stephanie Stuckey Benfield informed the city on Monday that she was unable to secure the required 10 signatures to move the legislation forward by yesterday’s 4 pm deadline.

“I’ve never gotten the 10 signatures in the past,” Rep. Benfield was quoted in Monday’s Atlanta Journal-Constitution regarding the signatures needed from 10 members of the DeKalb County House Delegation. “But it makes sense, and it’s something that is important for that area.”

Also stalled is the City of Decatur’s request to annex 10 commercial properties bordering Sams Crossing, east of its city line to Sams Crossing. The goal of both cities is to extend its borders to meet at Sams Crossing, eliminating the unincorporated island that currently separates the two cities.

The Board of Mayor and Commissioners unanimously approved a resolution at a March 18th Special Called Meeting in support of the proposed annexation. Rep. Benfield represents both cities and said Monday night she will continue to champion the effort during next year’s legislative session.

Question:  Does anyone know when we’ll have some idea of the impact of Dunwoody incorporation on DeKalb’s taxes?

Over on the Oakhurst Message Board, DeKalb Superior Court Judge Candidate, A. Thomas Stubbs, Esq., announces a Candidates Forum at Winnona Park Elementary School on September 16th at 7pm.

Present will be State Representative Stephanie Stuckey Benfield and State Senator David Adelman, along with their respective opponents, Ken Quarterman and Altaf Galeyev.  Decatur City Commissioner Kecia Cunningham is scheduled to moderate.

I’m sure all the Winnona Park folks are already well-aware of this event, but for those of us who don’t live in the neighborhood or who have been uncerimoniously declined from joining their list-serv without even an explanation, it may be of interest.

Rep. Stephanie Stuckey Benfield recently responded to being included among a list of the AJC’s Top “Truant” Legislators in a letter to constituants that is now also posted on GoDeKalb.

Here’s a clip…

If you woke up Monday, March 10, morning and saw the front page of the local newspaper (as I did), with my photo among ten state representatives who were described as missing the most votes in the Georgia House of Representatives, you would have been treated to about half of the real story. If you don’t mind, I’d like to fill you in on the details that the newspaper story failed to mention.

Vote Tally Misleading. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s method of tallying voters is misleading because it failed to count the actual number of total votes missed, choosing instead to count only “unexcused absences.” Given that excused absences are automatically given upon the request of a legislator without any explanation, there is no meaningful distinction between excused and non-excused absences. The reality is that I missed a couple of mornings at the Legislature this session to take my children to the doctor during the cold and flu season. I made the technical mistake of not calling in for an excused absence. Had I done so, I would not have been included in the AJC’s ranking.

I’m still a little unclear why you wouldn’t call in if you were going to be out. We are all expected to do the same in our jobs or face the consequences. Perhaps this is the first time anyone has run a story like this and there never was really any incentive to call in. I would think that everything changes now that the AJC has decided to count only “unexcused” absences.

One benefit of this story has been that it has prompted me to discover Benfield’s excellent website, which gives weekly updates on everything that’s going on in the GA legislature. As a fellow web poster, I can say that these extensive updates must take considerable time and effort.

Kudos to her on this front. I’ll be checking in often.

(photo courtesy of stephaniestuckeybenfield.org)