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Help the Decatur Fire Department earn $10,000 this fall

Posted in Uncategorized on October 5, 2011 | 2 Comments »

Liberty Mutual’s Be Fire Smart Safety Pledge program will be giving away ten $10,000 grants to fire departments in communities across the country that display a committment to fire safety. Want to help? All you have to do between now and October 31st  is take a brief fire safety quiz to help the Decatur Fire Department compete for one of the grants, which if awarded it will use for public education. The successful completion of your quiz will be credited to the department. The ten communities with the most completed quizzes will earn grants for their fire departments.

The quiz and additional information on the program can be found at www.BeFireSmart.com/romainemckibbens

And if you’re curious about what goes on at the Fire department on a day to day basis, be sure to check out Inside the Firehouse Doors.

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Homeowners Night is October 4, 2011

Posted in Uncategorized on September 27, 2011 | Leave a Comment »

The last homeowners night for 2011 is coming up next Tuesday, October 4th from 6-8 p.m.  Come to the Development Department and meet with the city employees who handle all aspects of development and permitting including zoning, historic preservation, code compliance, and site development.  Only homeowners are invited and its a great opportunity to talk about that addition or home improvement project you’ve been thinking about.  For more information, contact Nathan Soldat at nathan.soldat@decaturga.com.

 

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Help Decatur Win the ENERGY STAR Video Challenge

Posted in Uncategorized on September 22, 2011 | Leave a Comment »

Click above to watch the video and rank it by clicking on the stars at the bottom.

You can help Decatur win the ENERGY STAR Video Challenge!  Big thanks to Julia Carter, founder of Zip to Green, for producing a video which documents many the wonderful green things happening in the City of Decatur.  Simply click on the image to the left, watch the video, and vote by giving it 1-5 stars.  We sure  hope you think it’s worth 5!

Over 50 videos are competing to win the challenge and be STARs in a video which will be professionally produced to highlight innovative, energy-saving projects all over the country. Check out all the videos on the ENERGY STAR Facebook page.

Remember to cast your vote for the brightest STAR by September 30th!

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Atlanta Playwright to Debut Work At Agnes Scott College

Posted in Uncategorized on September 21, 2011 | Leave a Comment »

The Teacher’s Guild at Agnes Scott College is presenting a dramatic reading of Atlanta playwright Marki Shalloe’s Promethea Unlaced, the story of the birth of Mary Shelley and the birth of her famous novel, Frankenstein.

Ms. Shalloe is a local playwright with a penchant for finding stories in unusual places.  “Of daydream and nightmare, always choose the nightmare.  It makes the better tale,” says Shalloe in Promethea.  This play, originally commissioned by Georgia Tech, started first as a story about the Frankenstein myth.

Shalloe said that once her research landed on Mary Shelley’s mother – Mary Wollstonecraft – everything changed.  According to Shalloe, “This woman fought for the emancipation of women in the 18th century, believed in free love before anyone really knew what that was, and knew the most irreconcilable sin is the sin against oneself or self betrayal.”  Shalloe knew then the story that needed to be told:  the legacy of immortality through written expression.

Performances are free and will be held in the Julia Thompson Smith Chapel on the Agnes Scott College campus.  There are two performances – a Tuesday, September 27 performance that includes a wine & cheese reception at 7 p.m., the performance at 7:30, and a talkback with the playwright at 9:30 and a Wednesday, September 28 performance at 7:30 p.m.

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Decatur is So So So So SAVVY!

Posted in Uncategorized on September 14, 2011 | Leave a Comment »

The City of Decatur scored four communication & marketing awards at the recent Savvy Awards competition produced by 3CMA – the City-County Communications & Marketing Association –  in Austin, TX in September.

3CMA recognizes the very best in strategic marketing and compelling communications and during its 23 year history, has had more than 10,000 entries which in many cases became the benchmarks for all local government communications efforts.

Decatur won a SAVVY for our new Tourism Website and for our redesign of the Decatur Focus newsletter.  We won a Silver Circle Award (2nd place) for our newly redeveloped City Website and an award of Excellence (3rd place) for our new Welcome to Decatur video.

Thanks to our graphic design partner Lampe-Farley Communications, our website developer Vision Internet, our Video Producer Clout, and to all of you who make up our Decatur community who provide all the great information and content.  We couldn’t do it without all of you!

Check out the photo of our SAVVY swag!

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9/11 Interfaith Gathering at Decatur Conference Center

Posted in Uncategorized on September 10, 2011 | 1 Comment »

An interfaith gathering on the 10th anniversary of 9/11 will take place on Sunday, Sept. 11 at 5 p.m. in the ballroom of the Decatur Hotel and Conference Center, 130 Clairemont Ave.  The event is open to all and free of charge.  Parking is available at the hotel for a charge and there is free parking at the First Baptist Church of Decatur.

The 9/11 Interfaith Gathering planning committee includes Atlantans from a variety of faith expressions, including Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, Jews, and Muslims.  The event will remember those who died on Sept. 11, 2001, while seeking to shift combined energies toward the building of relationships between faith communities and across lines that have divided us in the past.

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Decatur Website Receives Communicator Award

Posted in Community, Sidewalk Talk, Uncategorized on September 1, 2011 | 2 Comments »

The best government websites in the country were recognized at the 17th annual Communicator Awards recently.  The City of Decatur was one of the 13 award-winning government internet sites and received the highest honor, the Award of Excellence.

The winning sites were honored because of their creative graphic designs, easy-to-find information, and many included interactive components and eGovernment applications (including Decatur).  The top government content management systems enable staff to easily maintain the sites so residents easily find the information and government services.

With over 6,000 entries and six different categories, the Communicator Awards is one of the largest awards of its kind.   The Communicator Awards is sanctioned and judged by the International Academy of the Visual Arts, an invitation-only body consisting of top-tier professionals from a “Who’s Who” of acclaimed media, communications, advertising, creative and marketing firms.

We are honored to be chosen for this award and give a shout out to Decatur-based Lampe-Farley Communications for the graphic design and to Vision Internet for the re-developed site.

A big thanks to the Decatur community for your input, feedback, suggestions, and ideas during the re-design and your continued input now that helps keep the site fresh, up-to-date, and relatively error-free thanks to your eagle eyes!

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Sign Up For Citizens Public Safety Academy

Posted in Community, Uncategorized on August 25, 2011 | Leave a Comment »

Do you want to learn about police work in the City of Decatur and how the community can respond to emergencies?  Consider signing up for the annual Citizens Public Safety Academy.  The 8-week course covers all aspects of police operations.  Participants meet the officers who serve both police and fire and hear about the functions of patrol officers, investigators, administrators, and firefighters.  You will also learn how officers are trained and how to best protect against crime and fire hazards.

The classes include demonstrations that illustrate the many skills and abilities police officers and firefighters must have to protect Decatur.  Plus, you get to do a ride-along with a patrol officer.

Students must be 21 years of age or older and submit to a limited background investigation by the Decatur Police Department that includes a check of criminal history and driving record.  Class space is limited so get your application in today!

CPSA begins Thursday, Sept. 22 and runs through Thursday, Nov. 11.  Classes are held from 7 – 9:30 p.m.  Deadline for applications is Friday, Sept. 9, 2011.  Click here for more information and a copy of the application.

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Young Artists Wanted For Contest

Posted in Community, Events, Retail & Restaurants, Uncategorized on August 24, 2011 | Leave a Comment »

Calling all young artists 12 and under – submit your artistic rendition of the AJC Decatur Book Festival mascot Bookzilla on a standard 8 1/2 x 11″ sheet of paper to Little Shop of Stories before August 31.  Little Shop will display all the entries in the store as they come in and contest winners will be announced on the Children’s Stage at the Festival on Labor Day Weekend.

Original Bookzilla illustrator and Lenz Creative Director Scott Sanders will judge the competition and choose the winners.  The first place winner will receive a personalized illustration by one of the illustrators attending the 2011 AJC DBF.  Second and third place winners will receive gift certificates to Little Shop of Stories, Greene’s Fine Foods and other Decatur businesses.

Ready, set, draw!

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A Field Trip with the Building Inspector

Posted in Uncategorized on August 17, 2011 | 3 Comments »

Safebuilt Inspector Steve Kinnaird with Thrive Home's Project Manager

 
Ever wonder what building inspectors look for when they inspect homes?  Okay, most of you might think about the framing, flooring, electrical or maybe plumbing.  All true, but there is so much more that goes into inspecting construction to ensure that all codes are met and that the home is energy efficient.  Two years ago, Decatur decided to contract Safebuilt to provide expert inspection services.  Steve Kinnaird is the Safebuilt representative that works for the City of Decatur.  Today I joined him in his inspection of a new single family home being built at in the MAK  district by Thrive Homes. 
 
The home will be a certified Earthcraft house which means that it meets stringent standards for sustainability.  We looked at caulking on the outside, insulation/caulking all openings that go outside (ceilings, floors, seams on the plyboard), any fixtures that allow air to pass through.  There a lot of holes in a house!  That specific pink caulk was everywhere!  We looked at the smoke detector outlets to make sure they met code and were hard wired.  Every duct for the HVAC needed a special goo called Mastik painted on the inside to make sure air flow stayed in the duct and not in the walls or attic.  We counted electrical outlets, made sure ceiling fans did not get installed within 36″ of a smoke detector (aha!) or a vent (could blow smoke in the vent away from the detector-that’s bad!).  The plumbing needed to be insulated and the wires coming from the electrical panel had to be spread out so that they don’t get overheated (who knew?).  The amount of knowledge and expertise required to ensure that buildings are safe and energy efficient is astounding!  What impressed me the most was the spirit of collaboration between the inspector and the builder.  Each knew that the final product must be safe for the new occupants so solutions and corrections were discussed and agreed upon.  Those changes will be made and Steve will head back over and make sure it’s done to his satisfaction.  This happens everyday, many times a day as Decatur is experiencing a great deal of growth and increase in construction permits.
 
So, be assured that while the standards for construction change and the requirements for energy efficiency and safety increase; Decatur and it’s contractor Safebuilt have it all under control.  City of Decatur Schools should offer this as a field trip.  The kids would love it and so would Steve!
 
 
 

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