South Fulton Living Returns

After spending a month fighting with my server I've finally got the web site up and running again. It was a long fight and I've missed alot! Send me an email to let me know what I've missed and bring me up to date with your programs and news items.

email - james@southfultonliving.com

Also check out our new South Fulton Living blog at blog.southfultonliving.com

South Fulton School Redistricting in Final Stretch

After two rounds of comments and a final map, it's clear Fulton County schools don't listen to parents. The final draft map was presented on Monday night and basically 40% of Creekside students will now be zoned for South Fulton high and another 25% from Westlake.

Parents are concerned about traffic flow and some special programming. Unless there's going to be a traffic light installed at Hall Road and Hwy 92 in the next eight months expect accidents on a weekly basis.

The draft plan can be seen on the redistricting website www.fultonschools.org/redistricting/sfhs.htm. Go back often to track whether or not the questions and comments from parents are being considered. I for one know the Primary Criteria are a farce. Geographical Proximity has never been a consideration in redistricting the way it is being touted know.

Some of you may remember Randolph and Stonewall Tell redistricting. Children from the Boat Rock community were bused to ST when Randolph sits around the corner. I personally know parents who jumped for joy. Well know the case appears that you can live across I-285 on Camp Creek (closer to TriCities) and get zoned for Westlake while living in Cliftondale (which is closer) you are zoned for South Fulton.

It's a number's game.

The good thing is Creekside will not be over crowded.

By the way the colors for the new school are green and gold. Mascot choices: Stallions, Panthers and Bisons. Names: Langston Hughes and Vanguard are among the choices. Stay tuned.

South Fulton Redistricting Underway

Round two of the redistricting of the new unamed South Fulton High and West Stubbs Road Elementary schools are well underway. In round one parents from Sandtown MS clearly wanted the current zoning patterns for the middle schools to hold sway. Thirteen parents felt strong enough to give that idea a nod. Far more than any idea during the brainstorming session. What did the planning folks do. Split the current Sandtown MS zone in half.

This all smell fishy to me. Look at the maps at www.fultonschools.org/redistricting/sfhs.htm read the Round 1 Comments. Looks like we were completely ignored. So much for parental involvement.

After reviewing the maps let us know what you think?

South Fulton Needs A Change

South Fulton County its time to remove ourselves from the malaise that has overtaken us in Fulton County Schools District 4. I'm asking everyone to go to the polls and vote for a change. It's time to remove Linda Bryant from the Board and replace her with someone more responsive to our needs.

Dr. Adrienne Berry is seeking the 4th District seat and she is more than capable in working in our best interest. Readers vote for Dr. Berry in the 4th District race for the Fulton County Board of Education. For those new to the area. South Fulton has fought for every scrap that has been pushed our way. With a 5-2 advantage north Fulton gets all the resources. We need a consensus builder.

Mrs. Bryant has sat by and watched forced principal turnover hurt our schools in South Fulton. Every three - four years principals are removed once a school starts achieving. We can't let this continue our children will continue to suffer.

Vote for Dr. Berry!!!

Go ahead tell me why we shouldn't replace Linda Bryant.

South Fulton HS Football

It's football season once again and its time to keep up with our local teams: Creekside, Landmark, Westlake, Banneker, Woodward, Mays, Douglass, Tri-Cities and Therrell. Let talk football in South Fulton County, Georgia!!!

This year we've added video and photo links to South Fulton High School Football on the www.southfultonliving.com website.

Sandtown and West Cascade in South Fulton in dispute

Sandtown and the Association of West Cascade Communities (AWCC) are now in a dispute over Sandtown's desire to expand its overlay. The current overlay map shows Sandtown is seeking to pick up a swath running along New Hope Road right up to the Atlanta city limits including the Cascade Hills Subdivision along Cascade Road.

My first thought is why go that far? What do those who live in those community think? What's behind the request? Why not work together to resolve the issue? Is annexation still on the table for either organization?

Let's discuss.

South Fulton's Cliftondale and Sandtown disagree on Overlay

At a time when the city of Atlanta is facing a massive budget deficit and unincorporated South Fulton facing a possible deficit of it own in 2009. Cliftondale and Sandtown communities are at odds on the boundary of their respective overlay districts. Fulton County approached each community after a developer showed interest in an area that sits in both overlays. Neither group could agree who has control the disputed area just south and west of Camp Creek Parkway.

Why is there such a dispute from two groups that have worked together in the past? If you read the March meeting minutes from Cliftondale (www.cliftondale.org) you'll see there is fear of annexation of Westlake High School because it sits in the disputed area.

With Atlanta facing budget cuts of 25% and up to possibly 40% in all non public safety departments Sandtown couldn't possibly want to be annexed into Atlanta now, would it?

South Fulton is still here!

The naysayers had South Fulton running scared if we didn't form a city or get annexed. We're still here. Is the financials as rosy as they should be - no. We're still here though.

We are facing an incredible downturn in the economy. It's nothing short of the perfect storm. The mortgage crisis is choking the housing market to a large extent. Homes at certain price points are still selling in South Fulton. Gas prices are on the rise again along with just about everything else. Spending has slowed.

This downturn comes at a bad time for us here in South Fulton. We were facing a bright future with the growth on the residential and commercial side to a point. Now we are all hoping for the best.

Will we get to keep the tax money we generate? We'll see.

The legislation that effects us all is the one that will increase the homestead exemption from $15,000 to $50,000 over a number of years. What advocates don't understand is that will have an impact of services county-wide. In particular, Senior Services, Arts and Libraries. If those are your sacred cows then get ready to lose them. You should let your legislator know the homestead exemption increase could be more trouble than its worth.

Happenings in South Fulton, GA

It's already February and a lot has happened and in happening in South Fulton...

• Can we do this again on Super Tuesday! Go VOTE!!!!
• The Superintendent Wilson is retiring in June... He was the third or forth Fulton Schools Super in a three year period...That's gotta be some kind of record. For the record Wilson did an admirable job under the circumstances. He'll be missed.
• There's a new Publix shopping center on Hwy 92 and the Parkway; getting very busy...The package store next to the Little Gym play center is rather odd though.
• "South Fulton Citizen" is shutting down; didn't know it existed until December, no circulation in the unincorporated areas that I could see... We'll keep on trying to keep folks informed through South Fulton Living.
• Cascade Road McDonald's has new owners; why is the notable? The staff was predominately black teens now it's predominately Hispanic; new Hispanic manager brought in his "own" crew; someone recently said that the influx of immigrants is not taking away jobs for blacks well I beg to differ. Young black folks should be allowed to earn a paycheck in their own community. I can careless what happens in other places.
• A few legislative matters that may effect South Fulton...HB900 could give us our LOST dollars...don't count on it, it's sponsored by South Fulton House delegation. The majority isn't in the mood to give favors to South Fulton. Interesting enough there is a bill that would require Fulton County to give the Special Service District reserves from 2006 to the north Fulton cities. "It's good to be king!"
• HB925 could create townships which would bring about local control and election for town supervisors this could be real interesting. There's also a companion House Resolution 1079 which would do the same. Last year, a Senate bill died in the House. Probably will pass, has majority support from my understanding.
• Fulton County passed its budget; nothing striking that I can recall. Oh yeah, the South Fulton Arts Center phase II should be ready by June and the amphitheater is breaking ground this year.
• If you have cable keep any eye on channel 25 Fulton County is taking over the channel through it Public Access Board of Directors. AT&T has filed a state-wide franchise application which means they could be offering service in the coming year or so to our area. I suspect north Fulton and Cobb will get first dibs.
• I've got to say something about the $70 million budget deficit facing Atlanta... How? From listening to the Finance Committee meeting there are no controls in place. Departments routinely overspend their budgets and the CFO has no say so? Oracle is not going to change mismanagement of funds and sloppy bookkeeping. The culture of the Atlanta city government has to change. How do you forget to fund Underground Atlanta? I suspect the deficit is much larger. Atlanta just recently start paying all employees on the same day. There's a lot of problems Shirley fixed but somehow she missed on this one. Job cuts have to be on the table. My heart goes out to those that will be caught up in this mess.
• Everyone dumps on Fulton County and its finances. Let me make this clear. Fulton County is in total control of its finances, department can't overspend their budgets. For almost the last ten - twelve year Fulton has had a surplus at the end of the year.

• Oh yeah, theres a vote coming up...time for a change...yes we can....vote Obama!
• Those are my thoughts. What's yours?

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New Year for South Fulton

What are your expectations for South Fulton County? The housing market has slowed and growth has slowed. New schools are in the works. Are there any new parks in the works to help relieve the overcrowded parks? Work is underway to get the youth crime under control.

Rep. Roger Bruce has dropped a bill that will allow unincorporated South Fulton to keep its Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) contributions. That could put another $10.5 - $12 million in South Fulton budget. Otherwise, the money benefits the rest of Fulton County through the General Funds budget.