Last week, we reported that City Schools of Decatur board member John Ahmann was openly publicizing to the community that he was trying to get the bell schedule, which he had voted against at the last meeting, back on the agenda for June.

In this note to the community, Ahmann proposed a new schedule with later start-times at the middle school and high school and an earlier start for the 4/5 Academy.  He also disputed the costs that the Superintendent projected for his schedule.

Well, the June agenda is now online and Ahmann’s reconsideration of the bell schedule is not included.  This led to a update by a parent – posted on the CSD Parents message board – entitled “Board of Education Chair and Superintendent Ignore Ahmann’s Requests”.  A snippet…

…[John] received NO REPLY from either Marc Wisniewski or Phyllis Edwards to his personal email requests to each of them to have his items placed on the agenda.

…John’s only recourse now is to propose to amend the agenda at the Board meeting, which he said is his intention. He will need a second from another Board member, and then a majority of the Board to agree that his items should be discussed.

This note was forwarded to me many times over the last couple days.  I followed up and received this reply from School Board Chair Marc Wisniewski that he sent to another resident recently, detailing his position on this matter.  Here it is in full…

I hope you know that I have no intention to ‘squelch discourse’ nor to not do what would be good for students. The bell schedule was revisited over 3 successive months – it was time to make a decision. We had heard many pros and cons from many parents. There was a need to begin the planning and organizing process for next year. So last month we voted and reached a decision that took into account the issues on both the bell schedule and the bus contract. We made a decision by a 3 to 1 vote on each (Bernadette was not in attendance). Now the sole person in the minority is seeing to bring the issues up again – there is a proper process for that but it is NOT to have an action item placed on the agenda by the chair or the superintendent. And, despite claims otherwise, there were not significant facts not already on the table and understood.

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Another interesting enrollment tidbit from from the Superintendent’s letter to the School Board prior to next week’s meeting…

We continue to see greater enrollment on the south side and will need to open another Kindergarten class at Winnona Park. That site will allow us to add this class. As has been our practice for many years, as we see openings in various classes, we place newer enrollees at these sites. Glennwood will be our smallest K-3 next year. Any new tuition students will be first placed at Glennwood. As I have said at many many previous meetings, just as a way of planning, we will retain portables until after Labor Day so that we can be sure they are not needed.

Corner of Fayetteville and Gordon, Oakhurst.  (pic submitted by Scott)

The bar is high for gas stations in Decatur–one former station won a James Beard award,  another is a model for a burgeoning taqueria franchise, and yet another once sold a beer for over $2500. And that’s only the ones on Ponce. Now, the former Hi Tech gas station at the corner of Ponce and Candler, legendary site of Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin’s encounter with Decatur’s marauding undead, is set to reopen over the next couple weeks. Service next week, gas available the week after. Detailing and other stuff soon after that.

The property is getting a facelift. It will wear the Pure Gasoline badge, but the shop itself will be operated under the name “Men With Gas and Tools” The gassy, tooly partnership includes Decatur scion Scott Drake, unofficial Oakhurst mayor Marc Brennan (of U-Joint and Steinbecks), and Joel Ross, onetime master mechanic at the Nissan dealership on Church St.

The Pure station, not intimidated by its competition, is stepping up to the plate and  will be all Decatur–sending a portion of proceeds to various Decatur charities on a rotating basis. But that’s not what has us down here on this end of Ponce excited. No, that would be the fact that they will be stocking prepared foods from the Oakhurst Market. Let me say that again–you’ll be able to get Oakhurst Market goodies right there on Ponce. Can growlers on Sunday be far behind?

Feel free to use this post to make comments and ask questions about local issues not discussed here over the past week.

Comments close Monday.