At its first meeting of 2024, the Brookhaven City Council appointed committee members and moved forward on two projects, including a Nancy Creek restoration project.
The council meeting saw the swearing in of Judge Bryan C. Ramos and Judge Laura Stevenson. Mayor John Park appointed Planning Commission members Conor Sen (chair), Sean Parr, Andrew Plant, Kevin Quark, and Sharletta McKinney. Park also appointed Phyllis Mitchell and Henry Saxon to the Board of Appeals.
Council members approved a $1.3 million contract with Shamrock Construction and Remediation for a stream bed restoration project on the Upper North Fork of Nancy Creek. The project aims to improve water quality all the way to the Chattahoochee River.
Relatedly, Brookhaven Public Works Director Don Sherrill said there’s been confusion about reporting sinkholes and flooding in the community.
“When a citizen calls DeKalb, it’s important they contact DeKalb Watershed,” said Sherrill, adding that the roads and drainage division does not repair sinkholes. “Repairs have to be done by DeKalb Watershed.”
The city is also planning an intersection alignment project at Caldwell Road and Redding Road. City council members unanimously voted to hire Johnson, Mirmiran and Thompson (JMT) for $132,200 to manage the necessary land acquisition. A contract for $71,858 with Michael Baker International was approved for the relocation of water lines.
Council member Michael Diaz requested the closure of a gate at Murphey Candler Park’s Horseshoe “Loop” Road. Resident Juliet Cohen said the gate is a safety issue for bike riders, pedestrians and children who play in between the lake and the playground.
“Closing the gates has been an on again, off again issue,” said City Manager Christian Sigman. “Staff is ready to [close the gates immediately]. The only thing we ask is that we don’t lock the gates to allow public safety and emergency services access.”
City council members agreed to close the gate, leaving it unlocked. An official vote was not taken.
In other parks news:
- Brookhaven named 14 acres of green space for former Mayor Rebecca Chase Williams. Located at 1621 Johnson Ferry Road, the land was acquired in June 2022. The city is currently removing invasive plants, and anticipates using the land as passive green space.
- The groundbreaking of the athletic field on the Peachtree Creek Greenway at 1793 Briarwood Road has been postponed due to weather.
- City council members voted to end a contract with Up4Tennis, a company that has run tennis camps at city parks.