Dunwoody Mayor Lynn Deutsch, who was the keynote speaker at the March 18 Greater Perimeter Chamber breakfast at the Crowne Plaza Ravinia, told attendees that the city is making it a desirable place to live, work, and play while maintaining financial stability.
She touted the relocation of human resources company Trinet, which will bring about 750 jobs to the area, as an example of how government and businesses can work together to create jobs and foster a healthy economy.
” Trinet could have gone anywhere, but they chose us,” Deutsch said.
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Deutsch also discussed advancements in the police force, which rolled out its Public Service Ambassador Program, staffed with personnel who handle non-emergency calls.
“In the past year, they have handled 500 incidents and 160 crashes, freeing up our officers,” she said. “In 2026, we will be expanding that program.”
Deutsch said the city can be proactive in its approach to policing “because our financial position is so strong. We’ve given our officers nine raises since I’ve been mayor. “
Polls about residents’ satisfaction with the city hover around 95%, she said, “which I think is pretty fantastic.”
She also discussed the 2024 closure of the Ashford Dunwoody Road Walmart, about which she said, “I was worried, but I wasn’t panicked.”
Kroger has signed a lease to move into most of the space, she said. In addition, she touted other large companies that have decided to relocate their offices to the Perimeter Center, including Choate Construction to the Terraces Office Complex and Infor Solutions to Campus 244.
After her remarks, she took questions from attendees about Dunwoody issues, including one about the recent news that two of Dunwoody’s high-performing schools, Vanderlyn and Kingsley, have been identified for possible closure as the DeKalb County School System deals with declining enrollment and an excess of underpopulated schools.
“I was shocked to hear about the closing news,” she said. “I immediately let my feelings known to our superintendent [Norman C. Sauce] and our District 1 representative [Andrew Ziffer].”
“I don’t like to criticize other governments, but this is a real mess,” she said, adding that she feels the closing/consolidation announcement was flawed in that it did not include a specific roadmap for the transition.
The Greater Perimeter Chamber Breakfast was presented by Trinet, with Georgia Power and the Elaine Sterling Institute as premier sponsors. Big Play, which recently opened its entertainment complex on Jett Ferry Road, was a supporting sponsor.
