Inside City Hall

REFLECTING ON FIRST-YEAR SUCCESSES, RECURRING CHALLENGES

As Georgia’s General Assembly resumes

discussion about carving Buckhead into a separate city, Atlanta’s government has been highlighting Mayor Andre Dickens’ first year while also pushing to host next year’s Democratic National Convention.

According to Dickens’ first annual report, nearly 4,000 young people participated in the city’s afterschool programs. More than 75% of residents now live within a half-mile of fresh, affordable food. More than 23,000 tons of illegal dumping was cleaned up. Atlanta acquired 268 acres of new park land. And the city is one-third of the way to building or preserving 20,000 affordable housing units by 2030.

But it wasn’t all good news. None of Atlanta’s milestones stopped state lawmakers from sponsoring this year’s version of a referendum for the neighborhood of Buckhead to become its own city. Opposition to Atlanta’s public safety training center project hasn’t stopped. And the city forfeited $10 million in federal rental aid money because officials failed to distribute it to folks before the end of 2022.

We’re expecting residents to weigh in on these matters, and others, at the city’s remaining meetings this month. Making the sausage: The City Council is expected to OK plans to donate $500,000 in federal American Rescue Plan Act funds to the Atlanta Police Foundation. We told you last month the APF is seeking funds to support the Community Safety Housing program for Atlanta’s police, fire and corrections personnel.

The Council is also considering changes to alcohol licensing requirements to require the submission of security plans with license applications. The Council also wants to create a Chattahoochee Brick Company Memorial, Greenspace and Park Board to advise the city on how best to reuse the former site of the Chattahoochee Brick Company.

Additionally, the Council wants the city to divest employee pension funds from private prisons by 2030, and to no longer invest in those companies starting in Fiscal Year 2024. Other resolutions of note include two separate $75,000 donations to support emergency home repairs for legacy residents and low-income seniors in East Lake, Kirkwood and Edgewood. In case you missed it:

Atlanta recently secured a $30 million Safe Streets and Roads for All grant from the federal government that will help improve road safety, and pedestrian and bicycling access on the Southside along Pryor Street and Central Avenue. ATL Robot: Atlanta just launched a new artificial intelligence chatbot for residents to receive 24/7 access to nonemergency services. The AI will answer questions like “When will my waste be picked up?” and “Where can I pay my water bill?” without the need to contact a customer service representative. When visiting the website or mobile app, click on the chat icon in the lower right-hand corner. You can also access the chatbot by dialing 404546-0311 and following the prompts. New hire: Mayor Dickens announced last week that Greg Clay will serve as the executive director of Atlanta’s Office of Constituent Services. Curtis Bailey, who has led the office since 2018, will stay at City Hall in another capacity, the mayor’s office said.

Clay’s appointment began Feb. 20. He’s the former managing director of regional organizing for partnership for Southern Equity. In a statement, Clay said he wants to proactively engage residents where they are.

“Constituent Services is at the heart of supporting and meeting the needs of our communities,” Dickens said. “Clay knows the importance of service delivery, community engagement, senior services and all that entails in improving the quality of life of our residents.”