DeKalb County Government Senate Study Committee

1
DeKalb County Government Senate Study Committee

• Final Meeting Committee Wrap Up Session
• November 28, 2006

2
DeKalb County Government Senate Study Committee
Website

• http//www.legis.ga.gov/legis/2005_06/senate/dekal
  b.htm

3
First Meeting August 15, 2006 Maloof
Administrative Building

• Presentations included
• Carl Vinson Institute Mr. Harry Hayes and Dr.
  John OLooney
• Association County Commissioners (ACCG) Mr. Jim
  Grubiak
• Georgia Municipal Association (GMA) Mr. Ted
  Baggett

4
Carl Vinson Institute

• Types of County Government
• Traditional Commission
• Sole Commissioner
• Commission Administrator
• Commission Manager
• Elected Executive

5
DeKalb County Incorporation

• Fiscal Impacts
• A. Franchise Fees
• B. County Economic Impact
• C. Other Fiscal Impacts
• D. Intergovernmental Fiscal Relations
• Non-Financial Impacts
• A. Legal Authority
• B. Potential Legal Issues and Developments
• C. Governmental Coordination
• D. Scale of Representation

6
ACCG

• CEO Examples include
• A. Prince George County, Maryland
• B. Montgomery County Maryland
• C. Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
• Also, franchise fees assist cities

7
GMA

• 1. Know facts and information before creating
  cities
• 2. Annexation Nine landowners with only 40
  acres have been annexed by cities in DeKalb since
  2004

8
Second Meeting September 5, 2006 Oglethorpe
University

• Meeting dedicated to Neighborhood Associations
  and Civic Groups
• Carl Vinson Institute Presentation by Dr. Paula
  Yeary
• Georgia State University Presentation by Dr.
  Robert Eger III

9
Carl Vinson Institute

• City of Dunwoody
• 1. Total Estimate of Existing Revenue is 13
  Million or 331.22 per capita
• 2. Comparable Cities
• A. Peachtree City - 408 per capita
• B. Kennesaw - 362 per capita
• C. Duluth - 356 per capita

10
Georgia State University

• Organizations of County-Level Governments
• 1. Council Manager
• Pros Manager responsive to council
• Lower administration costs
• Cons Lack of administrator
• 2. Mayor Council
• Pros Strong mayor
• Cons Weaker legislative body
• 3. Commission
• Pros Historical Governance
• Cons Inefficient in large bureaucracies

11
Neighborhood Associations and Civic Groups
Comments

• 1.Encourage Committee to find ways to ensure
  responsiveness, efficiency, and confidence in the
  DeKalb Govt.
• 2. Not enough information available to make a
  thorough decision on DeKalb County.
• 3. Need more information on incorporation of
  Dunwoody.
• 4. Dunwoody would still contribute to bonds and
  SPLOST.
• 5. Cityhood is about home rule and community.
• 6. Citizens need cost analysis of all studies and
  actions.

12
Third Meeting October 3, 2006 Greenforest
Baptist Church

• Meeting dedicated to Elected Officials of DeKalb
  County
• Presentation by the BOC

13
DeKalbs BOC Presentation

• 1. BOC Responsibilities
• A. Budget approval and oversight
• B. Major policy decisions
• C. Auditing
• D. Citizens communication
• E. Administering the operations of BOC and staff

14
BOC Continued

• 2. Carl Vinson Institute Recommendations
• A. Hire Chief of Staff
• B. Restructure Staff to include General and
  Commission Staff
• C. Create Departmental Staff Positions

15
BOC Continued

• 3. BOC Initiatives
• A. Hired Chief of Staff
• B. Establish Regular Committee Meeting Dates
  and Structure
• C. Conducting Selected Agenda Item Review
• D. Developed Proposed Legislative Branch
  Reorganization Plans

16
BOC Continued

• 4. Proposed Central Office Structure
• A. Office of Administration and Budget
• B. Office of Policy Research Analysis

17
Office of Administration and Budget

• Oversee daily activities of central staff
• Carry out all BOC procedures
• Personnel matters
• Payroll
• Travel
• Purchases

18
Office of Policy Research Analysis

• Enhanced budget review and oversight
• Commission controlled budget/recommendation
  process
• Enhanced Operational, Capital, and Bond project
  budget monitoring
• Technical staff support to conduct policy and
  fiscal analysis

19
Legislative Budget Oversight

• Start BOC review process sooner
• Communicate BOC budget priorities
• Conduct independent BOC staff analysis
• Budget Committee recommendations
• Community budget hearings

20
Senator Liane Levetan Comments

• Each constituent should vote for 4 out of 7
  commissioners
• Tweak BOC Power Allow to vote on zoning issues
  and setting the agenda
• Current number of Commissioners is adequate
• Before any changes occur, have a fiscal note and
  know the costs

21
Senator Jim Tysinger Comments

• DeKalb County needs an independent body
• BOC needs to set their own agenda

22
Senator Robert Bell Comments

• Have a referendum on what type of government
  should be in DeKalb County

23
Fourth Meeting October 24, 2006 Tucker Middle
School

• Roundtable Discussion on Issues in DeKalb County
• Moderated by Aileen Harris of GoDeKalb.com
• Mr. Rob Augustine
• Mr. Bruce MacGregor
• Dr. Donata Renfrow
• Mayor Eric Clarkson Chamblee
• Mayor Gary Peet Stone Mountain
• Mr. John Leak
• Mr. Greg Taube
• Mr. Joe Arrington

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Comments from Roundtable Discussion

• Government services are efficient, but
  responsiveness isnt.
• Special districts are a concern since cities have
  to subsidize services to the county.
• Have a study for tax equity in DeKalb County
• For incorporation, a feasibility study should be
  required to make sure a tax base can support
  incorporation
• More information is required for incorporation to
  the citizens of DeKalb County
• Look at old study committee reports on DeKalb
  County and implement those measures between the
  legislative and executive branches

25
Comments from Roundtable Discussion

• Citizens want more control over local issues
• Explore the creation of townships
• Balance the CEO and the BOC

26
John Steinichens DeKalb County Governance

• Increase number of Commission Districts without
  Super Districts
• Redistribute powers to achieve a balance of
  powers between CEO and BOC
• Direct BOC to set agenda and run its own meetings
• Set standards to lessen citizen restraints at BOC
  meetings
• Impose shared controls on budgeting, spending,
  contracting, and bidding
• Clarify oversight of BOC
• Require administrative asst. to CEO subject to
  2/3 BOC confirmation
• Allow limited CEO veto subject to 2/3 BOC override

27
Alternate Forms of Government

• Alternate Forms of Government
• 1. Townships
• 2. Villages