Mimosa Drive, Decatur GA (pic submitted by DTR)

The winners of  the Decatur Adult Prom raffle for $25 local restaurant gift certificates are:

• Ujoint–Ron Russell
• Steinbeck’s–Katharina Meredith
• The Marlay–Michael Travis

The prom is now just one day away and organizers Joe and Michelle want to hear your playlist requests for the event!  Mention your favorite dance tune in the comments section below and you could soon find yourself sweaty and slightly intoxicated, screaming “Giuchie, Giuchie, ya ya dada!”  (Or whatever the weirdest lyric in your chosen favorite tune may be)

Don’t have your tickets yet?!  No time left to procrastinate!

According to the a Siemens press release, the company will provide Atlanta with 4 streetcars at a cost of $17.2 million.  Also this…

The first car is expected to be delivered in September 2012 with revenue service beginning in early 2013. These will be the first streetcars in Atlanta since 1949 and will mark Siemens entry into the streetcar market in the United States.

…The four new streetcars are based on the proven Siemens S70 light rail vehicle platform, which was designed in the United States and is in operation in cities such as Houston, Charlotte, San Diego, Portland and Salt Lake City. The streetcars were purchased through an existing contract with the Utah Transit Authority and will be customized to meet Atlanta’s operating environment. The streetcars are fully upgradeable for future light rail operation as the regional system grows.

h/t: Atlanta Business Chronicle

From the AJC this morning…

Agnes Scott College eliminated 16 support staff positions as part of a plan to cut about $3 million from its $43 million budget.

The women’s college also offered early retirement packages to anyone over 62 who has worked at the Decatur institution for at least 10 years. Nine faculty members and 15 staff members accepted and will retire at the end of June, spokeswoman Megan Terraso said Wednesday.

Decatur City Manager Peggy Merriss writes in the “Budget Message” (see page 8 ) to the City Commissioners that the city believes the Georgia Supreme Court will make a final ruling in City of Decatur et al. v. DeKalb County next month.

For the uninitiated, the HOST dispute revolves around DeKalb County cities believing that the County has unfairly distributed sales tax proceeds established under the Homestead Option and Sales and Use Tax agreement in 1997.  Four DeKalb cities – including Decatur – sued the county way back in 2000.  This will mark the third time the case has been ruled on by the Georgia Supreme Court.

Over the years, the money under contention has really added up, with Decatur stating as recently as February 2011 that it was owed over $10 million from the county in HOST money for capital improvements.

Back in February when the case was argued before the Supreme Court, some of you expressed doubt that the County could pay the City of Decatur and other DeKalb cities, tens of millions of dollars if they lost the suit.  However, the City Manger’s note says this…

Should the litigation be resolved in the City’s favor, we would anticipate receiving significant funds for capital improvements by 2013.

What would Decatur do with $10 million for capital improvements?