Welcome and call to order – EACA President – 7:00pm
Public Safety and Elected Officials’ Reports
Myron Pollster – In addition to calling 311 for PAD for people suffering from mental illness, citizens are now advised to call PAD for indecent exposure. PAD is available Monday – Friday.
Now’s the time to go to East Atlanta Security Patrol’s website to sign up for service. Even if you’re not a member, you can call EASP with neighborhood issues. Call 911 first, but then call EASP.
Jason Hogan, Atlanta Fire Department – Fire safety tips: Don’t leave any flame unattended, including candles, cooking food. Keep free-flowing clothing away from flames. It’s safer to sleep with your bedroom door closed. It keeps smoke out and stalls the flames. As you’re decorating for Halloween and the rest of the fall and winter holidays, please be aware of how many things you’re trying to power from outlets and don’t overload outlets and extension cords. Q: Does fire department still give away smoke alarms. A: If you need one, call 404-546-7000. They also do blood pressure checks at fire stations. They don’t give away fire extinguishers, but you can drop off expired or discharged extinguishers at a station.
Patrick Husbands of Liliana Bakhtiari’s office – Ormewood Forest is expected to be acquired by the end of the month. Working on a meeting with EABA to discuss drug dealing in the Village and surrounds. There was some tree-trimming done on Monument and L’s office wanted to know why. Several new stop signs, working to make them more visible. Stokeswood no parking signs went up and then were taken down but should be replaced shortly. Q: To clarify, Ormewood Forest is being purchased by the city? A: Yes. Q: When and when was the tree trimming? A: 483 Monument on Monday and it was done on city property. They’re trying to get more details.
Lt. Mercado, new officer to Zone 6 – Q: Carla notes that folks have been told to call 311 with issues on trees being cut or trimmed, but when they’re closed on weekends, who should be called? A: Call the precinct office on weekends and they will try to find someone who can see the permits. Q: We’ve been told police have the authority to stop trees from being cut down, and that police has access to the permit system. Is that incorrect? A: They don’t have access to the system. Lt will take this up with his major to see if there’s anything they can do in the future. Q: Who should we call about repeated mail theft? He called the police, and one officer took a report. A second call and officer said he had to call the post office. A: Call the local post office so the mail inspectors, but also call 911 and get an officer to take a report. He’ll have the crime suppression unit do some work in the area where the thefts have happened. Q: Back to the trees, anyone can look at permits on Acela. Could officers do that? A: The person who called the officer would need to show them on Acela that there is no permit. Q: The Brownwood Park pavilion is increasingly being used for illegal activity. A: Lt has heard about this and has been working on it, increasing patrols, etc. Q: Flat Shoals and Fayetteville Road intersection is unsafe. Can anything be done? A: Lt. Mercado isn’t familiar with the intersection since he’s new to the zone, but he’ll check it out. He suggests asking local businesses to increase lighting. If he’s given specific times when there are problems, he can send people out. Questioner says the problems are in the afterschool hours and during the day on weekends. Q: Montvallo Terrace and Fayetteville and Hilburn also are problem areas for violent crime: shootings, burned cars and stolen cars. A: He’ll check it out.
Visitor AnnouncementsTerra Cribs, East Atlanta library – September is library card signup month, so spread the word. They are free to residents. Library is open Monday, Tuesday 10:00am-8:00pm and 10:00am-6:00pm Wednesday through Saturday. They have a motivational fitness twice a month. 1st and 3rd Wednesdays. Come into the branch to find out about this and other programs. They are constantly having issues with people who use the property after hours for shelter. This puts off people from using the book drop off. If you see something, please come into the branch, and report it. They had trees trimmed this afternoon to improve the lighting around the building. She works with her supervisors to try to alleviate problems as quickly as possible. They’re working to keep the graffiti off the fence, but it takes time, and she thinks this kind of tagging will be a continuing problem.
Please complain to her before calling code enforcement. They have cleaned up the messy planters and want to make sure everything looks presentable.
East Atlanta Business Association, Nate Minor More than 300 responses to recent visioning survey. This was linked in the EACA newsletter and is posted in the meeting chat. He had a great meeting with EACA to see how the organizations can collaborate. Also in the chat is a link to the minutes of the last EABA meeting. Please encourage home-based and brick and mortar businesses to join.
Items for Voting
August 9, 2022 meeting minutes approved without dissent. August Treasurer’s Report approved without dissent.
Committee Reports
Communications, Laura Gonzalez – We raised the needed money for sign toppers, now we need volunteers to install them. See the EACA newsletter for a link to sign up, and she’ll also put it in the chat.
Transportation, Chase Miller – New stop sign at Bouldercrest/Black Oak/Winfield has taken people by surprise and led to at least one wreck. Some signage is blocked and there also seem to be lots of unnecessary signage. They are working with Liliana’s office and ATLDOT to address. Working with Liliana to see how funds from TSPLOST, transportation special purpose local option sales tax, can be used in East Atlanta. Q: Please repeat how the community can support the Transportation Committee. How can the Fayetteville and Flat Shoals intersection get on the list for funding for improvements like crosswalks? A: Please contact transportation@eaca.net.
Parks, Alex Levy – First Saturday of the month volunteer day at Brownwood with Trees Atlanta. Hoping to get on parks department radar for maintenance and improvements.
Land Use and Zoning, Karla Causey – Three priorities this month.
Neighborhood Commercial Zoning at the Flat Shoals and Bouldercrest triangle update – they had a meeting with business owners and others. Reaction has been positive and they’re working on final draft. Special Use Permit under review for Sabbath Brewing – negotiations going well with Sabbath reps, neighborhood reps, city reps. Once they reach an agreement this will be brought to EACA for a vote. Look for relevant dates in the chat. 1988 Flat Shoals Road Citgo station – EA boundaries go out more than people realize. We have a bit of EACA territory south of I-20. That’s where the Citgo is. Neighbors have issues with the station and many types of crimes related to it. The business has changed hands, and this complicates the rules it should be operating under. LUZ is trying to sort through this to see if the business is operating legally. Q: Any discussion about changing the zoning where this gas station is? A: This is complicated because the land overlaps Atlanta and DeKalb County. Even EACA doesn’t include the entire area around the intersection.
NPU-W, Ed Gilgor – The NPU system is the official way neighborhoods interact with the city. Representatives are elected in October. Anyone who lives in East Atlanta or who wants to represent a business in East Atlanta is eligible to be an official NPU representative. Anybody at all can come to the meetings. If you want be an official rep or want know more details, contact Edward.gilgor@gmail.com, or search for NPU-W online.
Fundraising, Dawn Rivera – As a fundraiser at this year’s Strut, we’ll be selling EACA-branded pint glasses at the EACA booth at the Strut.
New Business
Branan Towers, Michelle Rice — Branan Towers has 176 apartments and are currently at 99% occupancy with a total of 186 residents. These are low-income seniors who pay one-third of their monthly Social Security check in rent. The Branan Towers Necessities Closet can use donations of items or dollars. Items can be dropped off at the front desk labeled “Attention Brandon Ball.” He is the administrator of the facility. Items most needed are XL unisex pull-ups, queen sheet sets, Glucerna, Boost or Ensure in vanilla or strawberry. Prizes for the Wellness program’s activities
Online donations can be made at www. HYPERLINK “http://www.hyperlink%20%22http//wesleywoods.org/donate%22wesleywoods.org/donate”HYPERLINK HYPERLINK “http://www.hyperlink%20%22http//wesleywoods.org/donate%22wesleywoods.org/donate” “http://wesleywoods.org/donate” HYPERLINK “http://www.hyperlink%20%22http//wesleywoods.org/donate%22wesleywoods.org/donate”wesleywoods.org/donate. Donors should be sure to designate the Branan Towers Holiday Fund. The term “holiday” is misleading. The donation will go to the right place. Checks can be mailed to: Kelli Naughton, Foundation of Wesley Woods, 1817 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30329. Note the donation is for the Branan Towers Holiday Fund.
Closing remarks and adjournment 8:34pm.
