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

I’m pretty jazzed that this is coming up again soon.  I was just thinking about my old roundabout idea the other day!  I can’t believe it’s been 10 years.  From the AJC…

West College Avenue, Decatur GA  (pic courtesy of DM)

Decatur residents have just a few more days – June 30th! – to provide online feedback on the city’s concepts to “Reimagine West Howard Avenue”.  Click here to do so on Open City Hall.  331 of your neighbors have already done so! (as of the time of publication)

Here’s the city’s summary from Open City Hall for your reference…

Studies have been conducted to examine solutions that will transform Howard Avenue into a more lively street, using public art, landscaping, street furniture, lighting, and programming.

The community has had the opportunity to give input during open discussions on project ideas that have already been received, and to share additional thoughts and ideas about how to improve this corridor.

Based on public input (surveys, public meeting, and public comments), data analysis, and corridor aesthetics, the City of Decatur has drafted proposed design improvements for West Howard Avenue from the city limits near Paden Circle to North McDonough Street.

After reviewing the proposed concepts, feel free to provide feedback or suggestions for the project team.

Tim Martin’s campaign sent out this announcement this morning…

Tim Martin Announces Candidacy For District 1 Commission Seat
Local business owner seeks to build on years of dedicated community service.

Decatur, Georgia – June 26, 2017 — Local resident Tim Martin announces his candidacy for the Decatur City Commission today, seeking to serve fellow District 1 residents with his “well-rounded experience and neighbor-driven leadership.”

“I’ve done a lot of listening over the past few months,” says Martin. “Working to understand how people feel about Decatur. What they love but also the issues that concern them.”

What he heard had much in common with his own priorities and convinced him that he could be an effective voice for the community. In particular, he’s identified a number of oft-repeated issues — taming Scott Boulevard, making efficient use of city investments and resources, improving housing affordability, and promoting further livability in the city’s downtown — that, as commissioner, he plans to take on.

“We as a community share similar values,” he says. “A desire to be heard. Protecting what works and fixing what doesn’t. Working together, being responsible stewards of shared resources. These are things you can expect from me, in anything I do.”

Martin has a lengthy history of local involvement, particularly with the Rotary Club, Clairmont Presbyterian Church, and the Decatur Business Association, but cautions against making his ample resume the focus. “I’m more concerned with what those experiences and accomplishments add up to and how they reflect what I’m really about,” he says. “I’m a doer, and I’ll roll up my sleeves with anyone willing to do the same.”

Martin graduated from the Goizueta Business School at Emory University in 2000 and presently runs Tim Martin Wealth Strategies, a wealth management and financial planning practice with over $50 million in Assets Under Management. He’s been a Million Dollar Roundtable® member since 2008, won the National Triple Crown Award in 2011, and has been a NAIFA-Atlanta Top Advisor Under 40 each year since 2011.

“People have entrusted me with their finances and their futures,” he says, “and I’ve worked hard to earn that trust and do right by them.”

Martin’s wife Melanie is a public school teacher with the City Schools of Decatur and both of their children attend schools in the system. “The success of public education is personal for me,” he says, “so working together in good faith with our school system to help protect and further their interests is a priority.”

“Ultimately, I’m committed to working, learning, and creating value with others to make positive and lasting contributions to the Decatur community. I look forward to meeting additional neighbors in the coming months and learning more about how I might best be of service.”

For more information about Tim and his campaign, visit timfordecatur.com.

OK.  I’m just going to say a couple of things really quick, so I don’t get too emotional.  🙂

1. The Brick Store Pub is turning 20 this weekend and holding a big party with 20 custom-made beers to celebrate with their closest 100s of fans.  If you have one of the Golden Tickets, I’ll see you there.
2. The Brick Store is one of the top “Beer Destinations” IN THE WORLD.  According to Rate Beer, it’s #9 in the world and #1 in the U.S.
3. The Brick Store’s influence on the beer scene in Georgia is hard to understate.  You can read all about it in this great Atlanta Magazine article in celebration of their 20th year.
4. The Brick Store has been an integral player in Decatur’s growth over the last two decades and many visitors’ introduction to our city.  (I speak from first-hand experience on this one)

Congratulations BSP!  Here’s to the next 20!

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