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The Briarcliff Hearing: Public Comments, TellTale Signs That a City in Central DeKalb Will Fail at the Ballot Box

The common theme among the public comments from the city of Briarcliff hearings: "Please, give us all the right to vote. The right to vote NO."

 


Highlights:  

  1. Emory says "No" to "Lakeside" and "Let us vote," to Briarcliff.  
  2.  Young Republican smiles at thought of what this does to Jason Carter's "epicenter of support."  Committee Chairman cuts him short.
  3. Long time resident and daughter of a builder from Leafmore states Tucker has always had property inside the perimeter and residents are all friendly with one another.
  4. Druid Hills Past President speaks to desire for preservation of history and land.  States they funded the Briarcliff study and large number of residents want the right to vote.
  5.  Another resident left out of Lakeside wants the right to vote.
  6. Neighborhood in Lavista Park sends association President to ask for right to vote.
  7. Another resident against Lakeside hopes Briarcliff and Tucker can work together.
  8. A Druid Hills resident says he wanted to remain unincorporated but after seeing the back room agenda going on, he would support the Briarcliff over Lakeside so everyone can vote. 
  9. Another resident asks for right to vote and questions the "economies of scale" in play here.
  10. A Republican from Druid Hills with long history in the area supports Briarcliff as it is more inclusive.  
  11. Another resident wants the right to vote
  12. Support for Briarcliff.
  13. A resident of DeKalb who believes the perimeter should be a boundary.
  14. Support for a moratorium on cities and asks for a better process and for county to be fixed.
  15. Resident of DeKalb supports moratorium because doesn't believe citizens are being fully informed and county should be fixed first.
  16. Resident of Tucker offers committee chairman a book on the history of Tucker.  She already has it.  He asks committee to "please don't take away our land" and wishes everyone would just leave us alone.  "It's not fair to take our footprint away that's been here for 121 years."
  17. Resident says his neighborhood is somewhat resentful that the commercial area they support will be taken for a city that they won't be a part of.  They all want to vote.
  18. Atlanta native says "everyone deserves the right to vote."
  19. Smoke Rise residents says Tucker has offered to give up inside the perimeter in exchange for Lakeside giving up the outside of the perimeter.  He states he is a "member" of Tucker 2014, but his name was not on any of the lists of board members.  He is now the  President of Tucker 2015 and is the former leader of the DeKalb County Republican Party.  Says that some accused them of being a democratic organization trying to 'gum up the works.'  
  20. Residents asks committee not to draw divisive lines.

The end of the Public Comments portion.  Not once did a single person from the general public comment about their services from DeKalb County or what they believed a city could do better for them.  The main reason for wanting a city - any city - did not seem to be a part of any of the discussions and mostly the residents wanted to have a process that worked for everyone.

THANK YOU DEKALB COUNTY RESIDENTS FOR SHOWING UP AND SPEAKING UP! 

United we stand, divided we fall.

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Location: Atlanta, GA, USA

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