Here is a fun fact: If you turn 21 this year, you were only one year old when we became a city.

How we have changed in these 20 years. The first years of Sandy Springs’ existence were spent “taking care of business.” This included setting up a city of 88,000, fixing and repairing basic utilities that had been neglected for years, standing up a top-notch police and fire department, and deciding who and what we wanted to be when we grew up.

For the past 10 years or so, we have created a city center and put community amenities into place for the citizens, including city hall, the PAC, and the green just outside. Fun events like parades and festivals have also defined these recent years.

Now, as we turn 20 years of age comes the future. How do we:

■ best manage but encourage smart growth and development;

■ expand the City Springs district;

■ maintain our excellent credit rating;

■ bring businesses and restaurants and citizens to our city, while continuing to make Sandy Springs a wonderful place to live.

In January, the new year starts with the addition of three new council members, each bringing valuable ideas that will be considered over the months and years ahead.

Next year we will also begin our 10-year review of the comprehensive plan adopted in 2017. I pledge to listen to all as we continue to make Sandy Springs a wonderful place to live, work and raise a family.

Pickup order leads to desire to serve

In 2016, I accepted my dream job, packed my daughter and our guinea pig into a U-Haul, and headed toward a new beginning. That journey brought us to a modest two-bedroom apartment in the North End, just within my budget, but with a pool that made it feel like home.

Sometime after settling in, I stopped at a small Chinese restaurant off Roswell Road. While waiting on an order of egg foo young, I picked up a magazine from a stack near the register: the Sandy Springs Perimeter Chamber 2017 Guidebook. As I flipped through what felt like a civic manual for my new city, something shifted. For at least a year, I understood intellectually that I resided in Sandy Springs. But at that moment, I wanted to live in Sandy Springs.

By the time I reached the page describing Leadership Sandy Springs, I knew I wanted to be involved. A few years later, I was featured as part of the Class of 2020, an experience that launched me into deeper service with organizations such as Sandy Springs Together, the Sandy Springs Education Force, and the Charter Review Commission. Today, I have the honor of serving as a city council representative, a role I hold with immense gratitude and pride.

I share this story because I know many residents have their own version of this journey. As we celebrate the 20th anniversary of our city, we honor the shared experiences and collective commitment that built Sandy Springs, including a single mom who walked in for egg foo young and walked out inspired to help shape its future.

Twenty Years of Progress — and a Clear Path Forward

When I moved to what is now Sandy Springs in 1999, I couldn’t believe that a community of 85,000 residents didn’t have its own local government. Coming from Pennsylvania, where cities and townships are locally governed, the idea that decisions for our neighborhoods were being made miles away made no sense. I made sure I wasn’t traveling for work that week so I could be home to vote for incorporation.

That vote was transformative. Instead of debating politics, every council since has stayed focused on what matters: solving problems, improving quality of life, and investing in our future. We inherited aging roads, neglected stormwater systems, and outdated zoning. In two decades, we have reversed that trajectory.

We have invested over $365 million in capital projects, $34 million in stormwater improvements, and $92 million through TSPLOST projects. Including the City Springs complex with the City Green and Performing Arts Center, the Police Headquarters and Municipal Court, two new fire stations, and the Fleet Maintenance Facility, our total infrastructure investment now exceeds $700 million—projects that simply would not have happened without incorporation.

With the foundation built, our next chapter is about elevating quality of life: more recreation and parks, reimagining aging commercial areas, expanding housing choices, and completing City Springs Phase II.

Public safety will always remain a top priority. When people feel safe, connected, and proud of where they live, a city thrives.

Sandy Springs is a wonderful place to call home—and we will keep it that way

The city’s future is with the people

For 20 years, Sandy Springs has been a story of a community determined to improve itself, often through sheer will, volunteerism, and a relentless belief in what is possible. When our city incorporated, it was because residents wanted more control over their future. That spirit is still here, and it is what has driven so many of the accomplishments we now take pride in: stronger public safety, improved parks, major infrastructure investments, and the creation of a vibrant civic center at City Springs.

Over the years, I have had the privilege of working closely with families, neighborhoods, schools, nonprofits, and countless residents who bring passion to every corner of our city. They are the heartbeat of Sandy Springs. Whether advocating for a new North Springs High School, improving recreational opportunities for our young people, or finding thoughtful ways to revitalize aging areas of our community, I have always believed that our greatest strength comes from engagement, from people rolling up their sleeves and working for something better.

Today, Sandy Springs stands at a crossroads. Our challenges are real, and so are the opportunities ahead. My hope is that we continue focusing on what makes a city thrive: safe streets, strong schools, transparent leadership, housing that supports families, and development that lifts our entire community.

No matter how the political winds shift, I remain grateful for the residents who make Sandy Springs what it is. This city’s future will always belong to the people who care enough to shape it.

Blessed to be part of the success

As I prepare for Thanksgiving with the family, I have to look back at my life in Sandy Springs. It started 38 years ago when I first met Eva Galambos and began working with her to form the city. The first 18 years was a time of lobbying, planning, and preparation. Forming a city was a new venture for both of us.

On day one, it’s like turning on a light switch – everything must be ready to provide for the residents. Fortunately, we had those years to get ideas ready and plans made. And, after that successful vote in July 2005, we were off and running.

These last 20 years that I’ve served on the council have been so rewarding since we all know how the city has blossomed. I tell people that Sandy Springs didn’t turn out as we expected – it turned out better than we could have hoped.

I feel blessed that I could have had a part in the success of Sandy Springs and witness its growth. As I retire and yield my seat to a younger generation of leadership, I am confident that the citizen-first direction of our city will continue. Everything we have planned and done has been to make the lives and futures of our residents better, and we should always continue that path.

Filled with opportunities for the next generation

When Sandy Springs was created 20 years ago, we began less as a naturally cohesive and logically defined city and more as a political and geographic boundary: 35 square miles of unincorporated Fulton County pressed between Atlanta and Roswell.

Our outer neighborhoods identified in very different ways: the south oriented toward Chastain and Buckhead; parts of the northeast/ panhandle gravitated toward Dunwoody; and the north end felt distant and often ignored. We were a collection of communities with shared concerns but lacking a shared identity.

Incorporation gave us the ability to address many governance-related concerns: local zoning decisions, consistent and first-rate public safety, thoughtful infrastructure planning and investment, and a more responsive and accountable municipal government that understood our day-to-day realities.

We also built something transformative: a true city center – City Hall, City Green, and the Performing Arts Center – places that didn’t exist before and now serve as the cultural, civic, and symbolic heart of Sandy Springs. And we established highly regarded police and fire departments that remain a deep source of pride and unity across every section of our city.

Two decades in, the challenges before us are more complex than those at our founding. Redevelopment, housing options for every stage of life, a declining schoolage population, the need to attract young families, and a rapidly changing regional landscape that will shape our future far more than the issues we confronted in 2005. And the recent election underscored something important: residents hold widely different views of where we are as a city and what work lies ahead.

The next 10 to 20 years will not be defined by what we built in our first 20, but by how we adapt. That requires widening the circle of engagement and involvement, bringing in younger and more diverse voices, elevating emerging community leaders, and creating more avenues for residents to help define what comes next.

If our first two decades proved anything, it’s that Sandy Springs can take control of its destiny. The task ahead is to grow into an even more connected community, filled with opportunity for every generation and welcoming to all who want to make Sandy Springs their home.

The post Current council members reminisce on 20 years of cityhood appeared first on Rough Draft Atlanta.

As a City Councilman and recently appointed Vice Chair of the Sandy Springs Development Authority, looking ahead I see many opportunities. Notably, we must advance Phase 2 of our City Center; redevelop outdated and obsolete commercial properties; rejuvenate Sandy Springs’ North End; and address the looming commercial office market crisis.  

Long before our City Center’s inception, I co-founded the Sandy Springs Farmers Market, transforming the dilapidated Target parking lot into a thriving community space on Saturday mornings. Now in its 15^th season, the farmers market, along with other events, concerts, and festivals in our City Center, epitomizes our residents’ desire for a central hub offering a lively gathering space for entertainment and opportunities to support local shops and restaurants. 

While our City Center has flourished, there is still work to be done. For Phase 2, it is clear our residents want a balance between growth and preserving our community’s character. I have heard repeatedly they want an emphasis on connectivity, walkability, green space, and public art. They desire more owner-occupied housing and a “village feel” with locally inspired retail shops and restaurants, featuring outdoor dining and open, connected social spaces. And they want it to be safe. Learning from the experiences of neighboring communities, we must recognize the need for thoughtful planning and careful oversight of nightlife to ensure a vibrant, yet safe and family-friendly environment for all to enjoy.

Beyond our city center, opportunities for redevelopment in Sandy Springs abound, especially the commercial strip shopping centers and multifamily residential complexes that are past their useful life or beyond repair. We should encourage and incentivize the redevelopment of these older properties, and in the case of apartment complexes, hold property owners and managers accountable to ensure that all residents have access to safe and well-maintained housing. 

Sandy Springs’ north end presents a prime opportunity for new investment and redevelopment. By directing city resources and economic incentives here and engaging all the stakeholders, we can cultivate a more vibrant community, enriching residents’ lives with diverse amenities and opportunities for shopping, dining, and quality housing, all within a safe and welcoming environment.

Lastly, the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic has presented unprecedented challenges for our commercial office sector, with vacancy rates soaring and some office buildings facing obsolescence and possible foreclosure. We should view this crisis as an opportunity to collaborate with property owners and all stakeholders in our community to creatively reimagine and repurpose these properties.  By transforming them into mixed-use developments or innovative working spaces accommodating forward-thinking businesses, we can better meet the diverse and changing needs of our community.  The message should be clear:  Sandy Springs is open for business, and we welcome new investment in our city!

Looking Ahead

As we embark on these ambitious endeavors, our commitment to quality of life for all who live and work in Sandy Springs must be resolute. We must aspire to attract a new generation of young people and families who will drive our future by supporting our schools, workforce, and local economy. We must be unwavering in our efforts to maintain Sandy Springs as an attractive, exciting, and safe community for all who call it home. And as we navigate this journey, transparency, community engagement, accountability, and fiscal responsibility must be paramount. Together, we can shape a future that reflects the absolute best of who we are, and all that we aspire to be. 

The post A vision for Sandy Springs’ economic future appeared first on Rough Draft Atlanta.

Germany has never been high on my list of places to visit. However, I jumped at the opportunity when I was invited to participate in a leadership exchange program sponsored by the American Jewish Committee (AJC) – of which I serve as a vice president in the Atlanta/Southeast regional office – and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAF). My participation was entirely in my personal capacity, and not as an elected official. 

AJC is the leading global Jewish advocacy organization. It is at the forefront of the most important issues facing Jewish people, including combatting antisemitism, promoting Israel’s place in the world, and advocating for democratic values. AJC’s Atlanta office regularly engages with elected officials in Atlanta and throughout the Southeast, to advocate on issues affecting the Jewish community and its partners.

Following German reunification, AJC was the first American Jewish advocacy organization to establish a permanent presence in Germany, with the opening of its Berlin office. With approximately 200,000 Jewish citizens in Germany, AJC plays a critical role in ensuring Europe and Germany remain a home for the Jewish people, a friend of Israel and an indispensable ally of the U.S.

When I arrived in Munich in September, I joined 13 AJC lay leaders from across the U.S. Our first activity was perhaps the most meaningful, a visit to the Olympic Park and the memorials to the 11 Israeli athletes and coaches taken hostage and slain by Palestinian terrorists.

As a child, one of my earliest memories of world events was the 1972 Olympics, and those horrific images broadcast live on television. I remember the haunting words delivered by sportscaster Jim McKay: “They’re all gone.”  Now, 50 years later (almost to the day), our group stood in front of the infamous apartment building where a masked terrorist defiantly stood on a balcony for the world to see. Our group chose to quietly remember the dead. We recited Kaddish.

Over the next week, we met with many elected officials (including two current members of the German Bundestag), along with government officials, diplomats (German, U.S. and Israeli) policy experts and leading media figures.  While we discussed a wide range of issues, including the German/US transatlantic relationship, Iran, and Germany’s critical economic and security ties with Israel, perhaps the hottest topic was the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

As one of our speakers observed, “nothing focuses the mind like 100,000 Russian troops on the border and a looming energy crisis.”  While Germany has provided significant support to Ukraine, the common opinion of our hosts was that more could and should be done. 

Changing demographics, immigration, and the rise of antisemitism (from both the left and right) are a significant concern in Germany.  We heard a mix of views on the outlook for the Jewish population in Germany.  Along with the rise of extremism and threats to democracy, parallels to the situation in the U.S. are unmistakable. 

Germany’s approach to its troubled history and in combatting antisemitism and extremism were evidenced – at least in our visits to Munich and Berlin – in the many Holocaust memorials and education efforts.  “Never Again” and “Never Forget” are taken seriously. But challenges remain.  Following far-right terror attacks in 2019 and 2020, Germany expanded criminal laws that prohibit public denial of the Holocaust and disseminating Nazi propaganda and symbols.  The prohibitions on hate speech, especially around antisemitism and racism, go far beyond what would be allowed in the U.S. because of the free speech protections in the First Amendment.

Our group’s final dinner was with the newly appointed Israeli Ambassador to Germany, Ron Prosor.  Ambassador Prosor’s previous postings include stints as ambassador to the United Nations and as Permanent Representative to the United Kingdom, where he presented his credentials to Queen Elizabeth II.  And, yet, despite a resume that includes prestigious assignments at the highest level of international diplomacy, Ambassador Prosor shared with our group, with a hint of a tear in his eye, that having his parents join him in Berlin as he presented his credentials – nearly 90 years after his grandfather had been forced to leave Germany following the 1933 mass book burning by the Nazis – was the highlight of his career.   

It was at that point, listening to Ambassador Prosor, that I sensed what a remarkable moment this was for our group and for me, personally. I thought of my grandparents, all who had emigrated from Eastern Europe long before the Holocaust, and how they would have marveled at their grandson meeting in Berlin (along with other Jews from the U.S.) with Israel’s ambassador to Germany. 

There are many challenges for the German Jews in Germany as there are throughout Europe and even in the U.S. We can all play a small role in advancing common interests and understanding.

The post Opinion: A conference in Germany triggers memories, global concerns appeared first on Rough Draft Atlanta.

I knew that my proposal to compensate elected officials with benefits akin to what other city employees receive would be controversial and not universally accepted.  These conversations have occurred over the years, before I began my tenure on the Council, and again in recent months. (It should be noted that the City’s Charter Commission, which included two former councilmembers and which recently completed its report, unanimously recommended an increase of elected official salary. However, that remains subject to State Legislature review and would not likely be effective for the upcoming new term). 

As a Council, we are very often (almost always in fact) unanimous in our votes. To be sure we sometimes have vigorous debate and occasionally we are divided. That is to be expected. The debate during Council work session the other night, however, was more impassioned than I had anticipated, with several Council members indicating opposition, and the Mayor threatening veto when my proposal comes up for a vote at our next Council meeting.   

I believe that elected official compensation in Sandy Springs should be increased for two reasons: 

First, the demands and responsibilities of these positions are substantial – especially Mayor. These are not jobs in the traditional sense, and not full time, but there are significant sacrifices with time, responsibilities, and for many who serve, lost economic opportunity.  The work can often be thankless, but for me (and I believe most/all of the others who serve) it is extremely satisfying and a tremendous privilege and honor. Nobody twists our arms to run or serve. 

Most reasonable people do not believe these should be unpaid positions. So the question is not whether to compensate, but how much to pay. And again, the Council has no control over salary (other than CPI increases which can be adopted). Instead, the Council has jurisdiction only over whether to pay benefits. 

The second and more important concern is more subtle: What is the purpose and impact of compensation (or put another way: of over compensating or undercompensating) – on public policy and access to participation in the public process? To be in “the room where it happens” and have a “seat at the table?”  Obviously we shouldn’t “over compensate” elected officials – what business or organization would want to do that? There’s no need to do that and indeed “public service” will never, and should never, pay commensurate with the private sector. But we can all agree that’s not the situation here and at current levels of compensation that cannot possibly be the case. In fact, Councilman DeJulio often jokes that serving on Council is like “working for $0.20 per hour.” An exaggeration to be sure, but we all get the point. One former Councilmember described compensation as being “loss mitigation.” Moreover, as noted above, the Charter Commission has recently recommended salary increases for elected officials.

In my view, we need to be removing barriers to service in elected office. While serving is indeed public service, it differs significantly from other volunteer positions that so many in our community undertake, and what makes our City such a wonderful place in which to live. They (including myself and all of my elected colleagues) volunteer time with organizations such as the Community Assistance Center, veterans groups, and in HOAs. Or by spending time in hospitals, coaching youth sports, or in churches or synagogues. In fact, I’m certain there are many community volunteers who spend even more time in their public service activities than elected officials. And with that public service – as with serving in elected office – there is a personal satisfaction of “giving back” to the community, one which does not require any compensation at all.  If a citizen can give of their time and money, then that is a mitzvah, if not, then that’s okay, too. “To whom much is given, much is expected.” 

But in the case of holding an elected office, the fundamental difference is one of power: 

• The power to determine how the city will allocate its substantial resources (over a four year term, Council determines how to spend $500 million or more);

• The power to tax;
  
• The power to determine what is and what is not a crime (which can result in fines and imprisonment);

• The power to determine land use policy;

• The prioritization of transportation projects, and so much more.

Thankfully, by Charter, Sandy Springs is not managed day-to-day by its elected officials. We leave that to the City Manager and trained professionals. The elected body, however, has a critical oversight function monitoring  the work of the City’s unelected employees in the delivery of the services for which we – the taxpayers – are footing the bill. And it is for these reasons that these positions must be accessible to all, and that we should be removing barriers to participation in that critical function of government. 

It has been said by some that they “would do the job for nothing” (although I’m not aware of any of my colleagues not accepting their pay or anybody running for office on a platform that includes serving in office without pay).  But that approach, and the argument that we somehow don’t want people “doing this for the money,” noble as it seems, is insidious and actually proves the point. Some people simply cannot do what is required of the job because they cannot afford to. And that alone should NOT be the difference or obstacle to having a seat at the table. 

It is perfectly acceptable for one person to offer their services for free (or at a substantial discount), but that should not be “the price of admission.” The compensation should be fair and commensurate with the work and responsibilities.  Isn’t that also the “American Way?” We should be attracting the best, brightest and most committed. I do not fear that we will have an onslaught of people signing up to run “for the money.”  I trust our voters to discern the intentions of the candidates. But I also do not want to eliminate qualified candidates based on a system that (intentionally or unintentionally) under-compensates the required time, work and responsibility. 

In 2017, our last elections, of the seven offices up for election (Mayor and six Council seats), all but one of the races were uncontested, including even one open Council seat. We are not suffering from an over-supply of people seeking leadership roles for the “wrong reasons.”  In fact, I believe we need to strengthen the pipeline of leadership in our community. If increasing compensation will enable more individuals to step-up and serve, then I believe that is a good thing and the right thing to do. There may be other ways to do this than what I am suggesting, and I remain open to all good ideas.

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