This update discusses the following topics:

My proposal to extend a moratorium on permitting "nightclubs" was approved by the Board of Commissioners (BOC) at its April 22 meeting.  The moratorium provides time for adoption of a new definition and regulation for this land use.

Each day, DeKalb County faces competing interests -- its desire to expand the commercial base (i.e. revenue) and its mission to protect the residential lifestyle.

This ongoing tension is evident on the issue of nightclubs.  What is the best way to allow nightclubs to conduct business without harm or nuisance to county residents?

Dealing with this matter has highlighted a flaw in the county zoning ordinances. Specifically, there is no formal definition or zoning classification for nightclubs. That is why on March 25, I introduced a proposed amendment to the county ordinance to fill in those gaps.

With the help of the county legal department, we crafted a proposal that defines a nightclub as a commercial establishment that serves alcohol past midnight. Such nightclubs would be located in areas where restaurants are permitted, but would require further review and permitting by the County Commission.

To operate a nightclub under the proposed amendment, the establishment would be required to obtain a Special Land Use Permit (SLUP) from the county.  All SLUP applications are subject to review by the county planning department, public hearings and formal approval by the commissioners. The BOC has the flexibility to deny SLUP applications if they do not meet the legally defined standards, or to approve them with conditional requirements.

By subjecting all new nightclubs to SLUP applications, the BOC will have a means to evaluate the appropriateness of its proposed location. In doing so, the commissioners will verify that the proposed nightclub is located in an area that has been approved for commercial use, has required number of parking spaces, and does not pose a risk of infringement upon residential neighborhoods.

Because it is a zoning regulation, the proposed ordinance would grandfather all existing commercial establishments that serve alcohol past midnight.  If such an establishment closes, then the grandfather clause becomes void and a new establishment would have to apply for a SLUP. 

The proposed ordinance does not change any of the provisions already in the county's alcoholic beverages code, including mandated distance requirements or closing times.  My proposal to roll back closing times, consistent with other counties in Georgia, was approved by the Board of Commissioners last year but vetoed by DeKalb CEO Vernon Jones.

If the proposed ordinance is approved, it would give the county commissioners a legal means to review the placement of nightclubs to ensure there is no incompatible use of land.  The amendment would give the commissioners another mechanism to help balance the interests of businesses and residents.

At our April 22, meeting the Board of Commissioners (BOC) took steps to provide new equipment for our police officers on the beat.  The BOC advanced action to purchase Taser non-lethal weapons and provide video cameras in patrol cars.  The commissioners will be exploring possible funding sources for these expenditures.  There also appears to be progress among the BOC to implement a strategy that will insure that DeKalb police pay is competitive with surrounding jurisdictions.

Public safety is the first responsibility of local government and a top priority for the Board of Commissioners (BOC) this year.  I have been actively involved in the Commission's efforts, including service on the Public Safety and Budget Committees. 

Crime is increasing in DeKalb, and it is important that the commission faithfully discharge its responsibility to allocate resources, set performance expectations, and establish policies that make DeKalb citizens secure in their communities and safe on our streets.  Over the past year, it focused on expanding the police force and enhancing its capacity to protect the public.

The first two steps were to fully fund previously authorized positions and then increase the authorized number of police officers.  In 2007, the Commission restored funding for 25 positions unfunded by the county administration and in 2008 it restored 70 positions.  I was on the Budget Committee that recommended these increases, and voted with the majority to fund them. 

The commission also supported the administration’s proposal to add 25 positions in 2007 and another 50 in August 2008, so that by the end of this year, the county will be authorized and funded for 2,101 sworn police officers, the largest force in DeKalb's history.

The next step is to improve the retention rate among the county's sworn officers. If we lose experienced personnel to other jurisdictions, we needlessly waste both force capacity and training resources. 

As a member of an ad-hoc Public Safety Committee, I have reviewed several proposals to address competitive deficiencies in police pay in DeKalb County compared to nearby counties.  Police Chief Terrell Bolton proposed an eight percent across-the-board increase for all sworn police officers in each of the next three years.  If implemented, it would add an estimated $16 million to the police budget by the end of the three years.  

An October 2007 analysis by the county's human resources department showed that mid-career Master Police Officers could be retained by paying a $4-5 thousand retention bonus over an 18-month period, after which other incentives, including pension and promotion, would help DeKalb maintain its marketplace competitiveness for police officers.  The cost of that alternative is estimated to be $740,000.  This strategy was incorporated into the administration's 2008 budget proposal and was adopted.  Another HR recommendation, to increase the top step in each pay grade, was not included in that budget.

Some recent proposals have again called for across-the-board pay increases for sworn police officers at a cost of more than $1.9 million for nine months of this year. While the intent is good, the proposals are not cost-effective means to achieve the same objective, specifically improving retention of police officers.  

I have continued to rely on HR's numbers and support the pay grade increase recommended in October, and made this point at the March 25 BOC meeting.  I am hopeful the Commission will consider the analysis provided and approve a targeted pay grade increase. 

A companion effort to address pay disparities in the fire department would cost as much as $1.2 million across the board for nine months this year, but under the pay grade increase strategy developed by HR, it would cost $159,000 for six months this year. I support the latter option. 

We must look to the future and realize that pay adjustments and new personnel both draw on the same source of funding, the public purse.  Only by carefully balancing expenditures will we be able to retain experienced personnel and expand the force.

After expanding the force and providing competitive pay, the next step to improving public safety is to provide additional equipment to the police department.  A special grand jury, appointed by the State Court of DeKalb County, recommended the reinstitution of the use of the Taser, a non-lethal electrical shock device to subdue subjects of police action. 

Several years ago, DeKalb CEO Vernon Jones and former Police Chief Louis Graham decided to discontinue use of Tasers after some fatalities in other jurisdictions brought their safety into question.  Subsequent investigations recommended stricter procedures, but deemed Tasers as an effective tool that fills an important gap in the continuum of subject control strategies, potentially reducing the use of deadly force while maintaining police safety. 

Chief Bolton recently recommended replacing the County's stockpiled inventory of Tasers with new equipment, with an eventual goal that all patrol officers be equipped.  The special grand jury and Chief Bolton also recommended equipping police cruisers with video cameras to record encounters between the police and the public.  Together these equipment proposals total an estimated $1.8 million in cost.   

After reviewing the proposals and investigating the issues, I support these purchase requests, and am interested in the details of implementation.  Tasers must come with appropriate training and a detailed policy for their use.  Other jurisdictions have gone off track by not recognizing their limitations, or by using them in inappropriate circumstances. DeKalb needs to avoid these pitfalls. 

The in-vehicle cameras offer a great benefit for both the officer and the public, providing the opportunity for constant improvement in policing and public safety. Chief Bolton also proposed to add to the fleet of "mobile precincts," and while I am open to the suggestion, I believe that their effectiveness needs to be evaluated, especially because a similar fleet in Dallas has recently been sold off. 

In a tough budget year, the implementation of these enhancements will require new funding, which is scarce, or spending cuts elsewhere that could adversely affect other county services.  I am committed to holding the line on the millage rate in 2008, and believe that targeted pay enhancements can be financed through cuts elsewhere in the budget. 

The acquisition of new unbudgeted equipment like Tasers and in-car cameras are eligible for funding through seized funds, a reserve of ill-got gains from convicted criminals, that are returned to DeKalb and made available to enhance its crime-fighting capacity.  We should consider this as a first option for funding these proposed expenses.

A proposed $6 million bond referendum for the improvement of DeKalb County's animal control facility was deferred by the Board of Commissioners (BOC) at its April 22 meeting. The deferral means that the referendum, which must be approved by the voters, will not appear on a ballot until after the upcoming July 15 primary elections for state and county offices.

The BOC also discussed other unfunded capital needs, including fire stations and police precincts.  Currently, the county needs three more fire stations to meet fire protection standards for urban areas.  Other fire stations also are badly in need of renovation.  Additional police precincts may be needed in central and north DeKalb, depending on the outcome of the Dunwoody referendum. 

There are other ways to meet these capital needs, including impact fees and expenditures from the operating budget, so the bond referendum is not inevitable.  I have agreed to work on a task force to investigate these needs and potential solutions.