Every two years, the city of Decatur commissions a city-wide survey of its populace from the National Research Center to get an updated read on opinions on everything from “quality of life” to safety perceptions, to opinions of various city’s services.  As has been the case in other years of late, the full survey made its first appearance in the appendix of the city’s budget, so you’re already welcome to view it HERE (PDF).

The ever-changing “custom questions” for this year seem to indicate that Decatur is pretty evenly divided over whether the city needs a stronger tree ordinance, is OK with the current level of traffic enforcement, and a large majority “strongly” or “somewhat” support using tax funds to renovate Beacon Hill.

Among questions that have been asked in previous years, the quality of life is at an all-time high with 92% rating it as “excellent/good”. The quality of economic development is up from two years ago to 73%, but still a bit below 2006 and 2008′s ratings.  Quality of natural environment is also notably higher at 81% excellent/good vs. 75% two years ago. Ease of bicycle use is also up 6 points to 69% from 2 years ago.

Among the lower scores, positive views on the amount of public parking is higher than previously perceived (38% vs. 32%) but still comparably low, while quality of traffic enforcement dipped 6 points to 65% from 71% two years ago.   Additionally, 45% of residents rated the availability of affordable quality public housing as excellent/good (up 2 points from 2 years prior), with only 9% rating it as “excellent”.  Availability of affordable quality child care registered at similar levels.  You can see many of the year-to-year comparisons throughout the budget’s narrative section.

Overall, according to the survey’s summary, “Most ratings tended to be stable or show an upward trend over time.”

The DeKalb History Center’s Athos Menaboni mural, which hung at Decatur First Bank for an awfully long time, has found a new temporary home at the Brick Store Pub.  BSP kicked off its 15-year anniversary week celebration by unveiling the piece which hangs on the pub’s interior northern wall.  A DHC press release for the event recently described the Menaboni’s mural thusly…

Commissioned by Mills B. Lane in 1958, this unique eggshell mural has graced the walls of two banks. Now on loan to Brick Store Pub, the 27-foot mosaic depicts the biblical verse, “Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” It will be unveiled at this party.

Terrible photograph courtesy of me

• Pete the Cat Retrospective at the Seen Gallery [Patch]
• ARC on track to absorb Atlanta Arts & Culture Coalition [Saporta]
• Sandy Springs gets featured in the [NYT]
• Study: High-Speed trains feasible in the South [AJC]
• Poem: On the Disadvantages of Central Heating – Amy Clampitt [poems.org]
• Let’s add a little dirt to our diets [NYT]