Atlanta Progressive News

(APN) ATLANTA — In Atlanta Progressive News’s continuing coverage of the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners District 5 Special Election coming up on June 16, 2015, this article covers the candidacy of George Turner, whose nomination by Interim CEO Lee May was stifled by the Board on several occasions.

 

Mr. Turner, a neighborhood leader in District 5, had the support of three Commissioners–Larry Johnson (District 3), Sharon Barnes Sutton (District 4), and Stan Watson (Super District 7)–but was opposed by Jeff Rader (District 1) and Kathie Gannon (District 6).

 

Turner has served in several community leadership capacities, including President of DeKalb County Commission District 5 Community Council; Board member of Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area; State Senate, District 43 Legislative Aide for over seven years; Founding member and past president of the South Lithonia Neighborhood Coalition; and President of Hunter’s Run II Homeowners Association.

 

Ten candidates are currently running, as previously reported by APN.

 

APN attempted to send questionnaires to all ten candidates.  Some candidates’ email addresses were not immediately discoverable in an Internet search; for those candidates, APN left voice messages.

 

Responses are due today, June 02, 2015.

 

Gregory Adams has provided his responses and they will be published shortly.

 

Questionnaires have also been sent to Harmel Codi, Jerome Edmondson, Vaughn Irons, Gina Mangham, Kathryn Rice, and Kenneth Saunders, III.

 

Voice messages were not returned from Gwen Green, or Mereda Davis Johnson, the wife of U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA), who has been the subject of recent controversy for receiving $73,800 working for Rep. Johnson’s reelection campaign.

 

U.S. Rep. Johnson refused to participate in a questionnaire in 2014, so it is no surprise that his wife would not respond.  She also did not attend a recent District 5 debate attended by eight other candidates.

 

Turner’s responses are as follows:

 

WHAT REFORMS ARE NEEDED, IF ANY, IN THE DEKALB CEO’S POWER?

 

That has been looked at.  It’s not a matter of reform in office; it’s a matter of personnel.  You’ll have the same thing no matter which may you go, in terms of accountability.  [The key is…] Having people in place who have a vision who can move it forward, whether in the CEO’s office or whether you have a county manager.

 

DO YOU SUPPORT HAVING A FULL-TIME COUNTY MANAGER HIRED BY THE COMMISSION, AND A CORRESPONDING REDUCTION IN THE ADMINISTRATIVE POWER OF THE CEO?

 

Absolutely, due to the size of the county we cannot afford to spend time waiting for a newly elected person to learn the job.  We should be able to search out the most experienced personnel to come in and run the county like a successful business.

 

WHAT PLANS DO YOU HAVE, IF ANY, TO REFORM ETHICS AT THE COUNTY LEVEL?

 

The ethic review panel should have broad powers to present matters to the D.A.s office.  Panel members should be independent of the CEO and the Board of Commissioners.  Perhaps with specific term limits and reporting to the D.A.s office.

 

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON ATLANTA NORTH DRUID HILLS ANNEXATION?

 

Bad idea, with the [previous recent incorporations of cities in DeKalb] totally confined… within the County the resources do not leave DeKalb County, they are merely reassigned.  By crossing boundaries [with the City of Atlanta being primarily in Fulton County], heavy resources will be paid into another county’s city.

 

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON LAVISTA HILLS CITYHOOD EFFORT?

 

As a commissioner, I would not vote for it, because I believe the county should be able to supply the needs of all communities.  Greater efforts should be made by the commissioners to satisfy the concerns of these groups and to bring them closer to the county government and eliminate the desire to separate.  But I support their right to hold a referendum to poll the citizens for final resolve.  I would like to see the citizens say “no” to cityhood.

 

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON CITY OF STONECREST PROPOSAL?

 

As a commissioner, I would not vote for it, because I believe the county should be able to supply the needs of all communities.  Greater efforts should be made by the commissioners to satisfy the concerns of these groups and to bring them closer to the county government and eliminate the desire to separate.  But I support their right to hold a referendum to poll the citizens for final resolve.  I would like to see the citizens say “no” to cityhood.

 

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON CITY OF GREENHAVEN PROPOSAL?

 

As a commissioner, I would not vote for it, because I believe the county should be able to supply the needs of all communities.  Greater efforts should be made by the commissioners to satisfy the concerns of these groups and to bring them closer to the county government and eliminate the desire to separate.  But I support their right to hold a referendum to poll the citizens for final resolve.  I would like to see the citizens say “no” to cityhood.

 

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS IN GENERAL ON THE INCREASE MOVEMENT TOWARDS MUNICIPALIZATION IN DEKALB COUNTY?

 

If the whole county becomes municipalized we will have what we had before, one county with several officially independent jurisdictions who must find a way to link themselves for common services.  We have always had unofficially independent communities but now the lines are clearer which might not be in the best interest of the county.

 

SOME DEKALB ACTIVISTS WERE DISPLEASED WITH THE DECISION TO APPROVE A WALMART AT SUBURBAN PLAZA (MEDLOCK ROAD AND N. DECATUR ROAD).  LOCAL CONTROL OF ZONING HAS BEEN A KEY REASON PEOPLE HAVE WANTED TO FORM CITIES.  ARE THERE CHANGES THAT SHOULD BE MADE TO THE ZONING PROCESS, SUCH AS TO PROVIDE FOR COMMUNITY INPUT AND/OR CONTROL?

 

There are provisions for community input, but it does not override the rights of property owners to use their land as the law permits.  There has to be a more comprehensive long range plan which permits the legal re-designation of land use.

 

(END/2015)