After the jump, you’ll find details on the top four budget priorities for Decatur’s Community & Economic Development Department (pages 10-15 of the Budget Narrative doc).  Here’s a top level summary…

1. Priority One: Complete the Update of the City’s Website.
2. Priority Two: Partner with the Tourism Bureau and the Decatur Downtown Development Authority to target advertising and marketing to attract visitors, support programs to retain existing retail and restaurant businesses and maintain clean, attractive and inviting commercial districts
3. Priority  Three: Develop A Community Arts Master Plan.
4. Priority Four: Purchase new, [small electric truck] for Parking Enforcement.

The Arts Master Plan description sounds especially intriguing.  It specifically mentions the new, centrally located auditorium at DHS and Agnes Scott’s desire to “make certain” that in expanding and improving their own arts facilities, they incorporate the community’s arts needs and identify “possible opportunities for developing joint-use off-campus facilities”.

The mind tingles with anticipation to know what these potential “off-campus facilities” could be.

Read the rest of this entry »

Steve at Taste writes in…

I was always a fan of Button Cakes Cupcakes and when I heard about Viola closing I had an idea. Now that idea has come true.

Taste in Decatur now has a full cupcake case. Holly, the baker, brings them in fresh every morning. The waste is donated to a homeless shelter. So far we have sold out almost everyday by 3 or 4 pm. We up upping our quotas to meet demand. These cupcakes are fantastic. There are very few baked goods in Atlanta that will call your name in the middle of the night. These will.

One Decaturite helping another. Holly is thrilled to have her case in our store and so are we. Her website lists the flavors available theoretically but anyone can call us for a daily flavor list @ 404 370 1863.

You can also purchase Button Cakes Cupcakes at Cafe Cliche on West Ponce.

Just in…

On Monday, July 27, 2009, two burglaries occurred at Talley Street Lofts. After receiving tips from a resident, Decatur Police officers arrested three suspects who are allegedly responsible for the burglaries. All items stolen in the burglary were recovered.

The suspects are not Decatur residents.

This case is still under active investigation.

…you dream about it.  Paula writes in…

HI DM –

I just had to tell you about this funny dream I had last night. In it, I went outside to discover that both our cars had been stolen, with one being driven off as I walked outside. I went back into the house to try and call the police, and I kept getting transfered, disconnected, put on hold, etc. I was getting really upset with the delay, especially considering that the perpetrators had just driven off, and I said to my husband in the dream: “Just wait till I tell Decatur Metro about this!!”

For the past week or so we’ve been reading daily about the metro-area fallout from the governor’s decision to help fill around 10% of the state’s $900 million budget shortfall by asking (not telling) school systems to put their teachers on 3-day furloughs sometime in the coming school year.

Within hours of the governors request, both Gwinnett and Forsyth counties announced their furlough days, while Cobb County decided to dip into their reserves to cover the shortfall.  Closer to home, DeKalb County, who already has one furlough day this school year due to a local revenue shortage, announced they wouldn’t enact furloughs, but instead would eliminate payments to teacher and administration retirement plans.

But, what about Decatur?  In response to my question, Asst. Superintendent Thomas Van Soelen forwarded a note that was just sent out to teachers.

The governor has decided to withhold 3 days worth of salaries for school districts this coming school year. Doctor Edwards will present a plan to the board of education in August, but she wanted to let each of you know now that preplanning days for teachers and paraprofessionals are not affected. The first day back will still be August 5, Opening Day at Agnes Scott College. If City Schools of Decatur needs to eliminate three days, the days will occur later on in the year.