By Riki Bolster
As SAND’s new president, Mike Gardner has already met one of his goals – to broaden the neighborhood representation in the leadership of SAND. The fact that most of them are younger than himself, Gardner sees as a bonus.
Another goal? “We as an association need to be much more balanced. We need to be pro-active. We need to write to elected officials about what we support, what we are enthusiastic for. It doesn’t work if we only oppose and don’t propose,” he said. “You create street cred by being credible.”
For Gardner, part of being proactive is meeting with elected and business officials so they know what is available in, and important to, the community. Helping to identify an important focus for SAND has been his lived experience in the neighborhood. Gardner and his husband, Brent Huff, moved into Ormewood Park in 1997. They noticed few children on their street: seven. Soon the number dropped to zero. Now there are 17 children as immediate neighbors. “And that’s happening across SAND,” Gardner pointed out. “We need to focus our efforts on these kids.”
Gardner hopes that with a new Education Chair as part of the leadership, SAND will address the needs and priorities of parents, from childcare problems to the immediate issues of proposed school re-alignment. (“Do you realize it costs $2,000/month for childcare? What will happen to the schools now zoned to Maynard Jackson High School in the anticipated re-alignment?” he asked.)
SAND faces other issues – The city has been re-writing zoning laws. “The opportunity for impact as a neighborhood association on the zoning reform has come and gone. I anticipate it will materially increase density. I am pro-density. It creates a different dynamic. You get more people walking on the sidewalks. You get more cyclists. You don’t necessarily get more cars,” said Gardner.
Gardner hopes to keep the monthly SAND meetings focused on community updates and matters for voting. Additionally, he plans to hold two to three in-person “town hall” events with elected officials to allow community members to ask their questions of elected officials face to face. “Probably the most frustrating thing in neighborhood development,” Gardner admits, “is people want things to happen NOW. It takes years.”
Perhaps the partnership Mike shares with Brent is also a testament to a similar persistence and commitment. They have been together since 1993 and just celebrated the 8-year anniversary of their marriage. Both red-headed, both middle boys in their families, both retired from the corporate world, and both deeply engaged in community life, Mike and Brent share a life of service. In addition to their work in the community (on SMAWG or the NPU or SAND or the Makers Festival), they have given their time to fostering 16 dogs, planting trees (Trees Atlanta), and helping educate underprivileged minority youth on how to be successful through Year Up. They also share a love of travel – Brent plans the itinerary (on a color-coded spreadsheet) leaving time for exploration at whim.
Editorial note: This writer is delighted their next trip is through the Baltic countries of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.
