The Dunwoody City Council at its Feb. 27 meeting heard positive news about the city’s economic recovery as it relates to fees and tax revenues.
Newly appointed Dunwoody Finance Director Richard Platto reported that the previously budgeted approval of about $2.4 million to balance the 2022 budget has now been reduced to $1.3 million.
Platto said net revenue exceeded budget projections in several areas, including motor vehicle taxes ($800,000), business and occupational taxes ($600,000), building structure and equipment fees ($900,000) and hotel/motel taxes ($679,000).
“That is phenomenal news,” Council Member Stacey Harris said of the hotel/motel tax revenue. “We are getting heads in beds again.”
In other action, the council approved settlement payments of $50,000 each to two tenants who had refused to vacate a medical building at 4553 N. Shallowford Road, which had been holding up its sale to Summit Healthcare Group. Summit is also purchasing the building next door as part of the nearly $8 million transaction.
Dunwoody City Attorney Kenneth Bernard explained that the settlement “will buy the city some peace” as it tries to divest itself of the properties.
“We currently have an eviction pending, but we know that the timeline is no less than six months in DeKalb County, and that’s assuming nobody demands a jury trial,” Bernard said. “This is a business judgment that will yield you $7.7 million and some change. We can wait and win the battle, but we could lose the deal.”
The two tenants, Jada Moore-Ruffin and Alan Miller, are both physicians housed in the 4553 building. Ruffin-Moore has agreed to vacate the property by March 4, while Miller will move out by March 7. The closing date for the purchase is March 8.
After hearing from Bernard, the council approved the settlement, and later approved the final sale agreement.
In other news, the council:
- Was introduced to the city’s new Safe Streets Program Manager Jonathan DiGioia;
- Passed a resolution pledging that the council will strive to practice and promote civility;
- Authorized $114,177 for the stormwater department to repair stormwater pipes at 4987 Heatherdale Lane and an additional $70,000 for stormwater pipe repairs at 2389 Welton Place;
- Approved an intergovernmental agreement with DeKalb County in order to accept $100,000 to renovate the DeKalb County Veteran’s Memorial, which is located at Brook Run Park;
- Established a 180-day moratorium on land use permits for drug rehabilitation centers to review “best practice regulations, and identify potential impacts and externalities of drug rehabilitation centers.”
- Announced that the city’s next electronic recycling date is set for April 29.