Commissioner Ted Terry

Team Commissioner Ted Terry is inviting you to the table for a virtual open house meeting to discuss the DeKalb County Trail Greenway Master Plan on Thursday, August 15 at 6 p.m.

The meeting to discuss the DeKalb County Trail Greenway Master Plan will be conducted via Zoom at
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZckde6grjkqH9MOLhrL0-MWZjHqLbONt-Wr.

To be looped in to all the DeKalb County Recreation, Parks & Cultural Affairs park masterplans and updates visit https://www.dekalbcountyga.gov/parks/programs-and-events

Additional funding was directed towards critical issues such as walkability, animal services, homeless outreach, mental health support, and public safety in our new operating budget so we can continue building a safer, greener and more prosperous DeKalb for everyone.

-Team Terry

Team Commissioner Ted Terry is helping to gear up for the upcoming school year and we need your help!!! Volunteer tutors are needed to begin tutoring designed to help DeKalb students improve their reading skills in September 2024 for the 2024/2025 school year

The AARP Experience Corps is an evidence-based literacy program that improves the reading skills of children in kindergarten through the third grade. Since 2019, the department has been working in collaboration with the United Way of Greater Atlanta, the AARP Foundation and the DeKalb County School District on this initiative.

This tutoring program improves reading proficiency by focusing on students who are one to two grades behind in reading grade level. The AARP Experience Corps Program is designed to be implemented by volunteers who are 50 years old and older. Volunteers must have at minimum a high school diploma or G.E.D. to participate. Experience Corps is a national program that also produces positive mental and physical health benefits for older adult volunteers.

Last year the program resulted in 70 percent of students moving up a grade in reading proficiency.

The program follows the school district’s calendar through May 2025 and tutoring sessions are conducted in-person. Participating DeKalb schools include: Stoneview, Pine Ridge, Murphy Candler, E.L. Miller, and Redan Elementary Schools.

To learn more about the program, contact Ann Pope, Human Services special projects coordinator senior, by email at [email protected].

Online volunteer applications may also be completed at https://unitedwayatlanta.org/volunteer/read-with-children-and-the-aarp-experience-corps/.

PLEASE NOTE!!! 2:15 p.m. update

The DeKalb County Department of Innovation and Technology has restored access to all county systems impacted by the global CrowdStrike outage.

The county has restored access to the following systems:

• Customer utility bill payment system has been restored.
• Permitting system
• Court systems

The county’s E911 Department can receive and dispatch calls.

Vendors are still working diligently to restore access to systems at the DeKalb County UGA Extension Service.

Additionally, due to the outage affecting the state’s Georgia DRIVES system, the DeKalb County Tax Commissioner’s Office is unable to process any motor vehicle transactions. The outage has also impacted the office’s property tax system, which is managed by a vendor.

Team Commissioner Ted Terry is sharing an EXCITING opportunity that falls right in our wheelhouse!!!

DeKalb County Recreation, Parks & Cultural Affairs will host a Pollinator Planter workshop, Saturday, Aug. 10 from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Center, 3787 Klondike Rd., Stonecrest, Ga.

Participants of all ages are welcome to come and get their hands dirty to create their own pollinator planter. This educational workshop will teach patrons the role pollinators contribute to beautifying greenspace, increasing native biodiversity, supporting local insects and animals like bees, butterflies and hummingbirds and provide community engagement.

Participants can take home their summer planter for rewarding blooms and visitors all season long.

For more information, contact LaShanda Davis, public relations specialist, at 404-710-6331.

Team Commissioner Ted Terry is sharing some very important information about disaster assistance relief.

Businesses affected by the water main breaks, which occurred from May 31 to June 6, 2024, in 11 Georgia counties, may now apply for low-interest Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). The SBA is also scheduled to open a Business Recovery Center (BRC) to assist with the application process. Information regarding the BRC will be forthcoming.

Georgia received the SBA Economic Injury Declaration for the primary county of Fulton and the 10 contiguous counties of Carroll, Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth and Gwinnett, in response to a request made by Governor Brian Kemp’s authorized representative, Deputy Director of Recovery at the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency (GEMA/HS), Valarie Grooms. All counties included in the SBA declaration are eligible to apply.

Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure website at https://lending.sba.gov. Please contact the SBA disaster assistance customer service center by email at [email protected] or by phone at 1-800-659-2955 for further assistance.

The deadline to return the economic Injury disaster loan applications is April 10, 2025.

Celebrating National Hot Dog Day, DeKalb County style please!

Support our local restaurants, enjoy one of our beautiful parks and celebrate one of Commissioner Terry's favorite days!

-Team Terry

Hot Dog Recs: https://www.atlantaeats.com/blog/hot-dog-spots-in-atlanta/

Team Commissioner Ted Terry is sharing an invite to our neighbors and friends in Brookhaven. Please join the DeKalb County Public Library for a drop-in information session they are holding on the design of the new Brookhaven Library.

This is your library, we want your comment/feedback/questions!

SY 2024-2025 is right around the corner, so Team Commissioner Ted Terry is sharing an important reminder for DeKalb County students.

Free & Reduced Meal Applications SY 2024-2025 are currently being accepted.

For both English and Spanish application forms visit:
https://www.dekalbschoolsga.org/featured-news/free-reduced-meal-applications-sy-2024-2025

Team Commissioner Ted Terry is sharing that public access to the DeKalb County Tax Commissioner's Office online property information website will be unavailable July 19 - Aug. 2 due to an annual system maintenance. Online property search, e-bills and payment functions will be inaccessible during this time.

Each year, the tax office works diligently to calculate property taxes and prepare for the annual digest submission. Following the successful approval of the county’s tax digest by the Georgia Department of Revenue, tax bills are then mailed in August.

Property tax bills are computed for nearly 260,000 property owners based on millage rates set by the governing authorities, the fair market values determined by the Property Appraisal & Assessment Department, and the assessment valuation of 40%. The bills also reflect any credits (deductions) that may result from EHOST and homestead exemptions provided by state and local law. However, not included in this year’s billing is the state’s one-time Homeowner Tax Relief Grant which was only approved for the 2023 tax year.

Property owners are encouraged to sign up for e-alerts due to ongoing USPS mail delivery issues affecting the tax office and customers. The deadline to sign up for billing notifications is July 18. To opt in, access your property information at www.publicaccess.dekalbtax.org and click the "Sign up for E-Alert" button.

Please do not hesitate to contact their office at 404-298-4000 with any questions or concerns while the property information page is temporarily offline.

Team Terry wants to wish everyone a happy and safe Fourth of July.

Celebrating Freedom and Fireworks, below is a list of activities happening in Georgia this week!

https://brnw.ch/21wL7F5

... Commissioner Ted Terry joined "the gang" at Eddie's Attic to celebrate and support our AWESOME Country STAR Jada Cato Music

Yee-haw we had a WONDERFUL time!!! 🤠👢
Stay tuned... ICYMI...we hope to bring her back later this year... stay in the know... www.commissionertedterry.com

This morning, I am hosting a conversation and community meeting, Environmental Justice in DeKalb: Connecting People, Planet, and the Green New Deal at New Life Church at 10 am. If you are unable to make it, I hope you'll watch live.

https://live.newlife-atl.org/

Environmental Justice can have many perceived individual definitions that impacts the life we live each day. These impacts have a correlation that connects the everyday to the effects of climate change. You will not want to miss this crucial conversation on ensuring Environmental Justice in DeKalb County.

Team Commissioner Ted Terry is super thrilled to share that the DeKalb County Recreation, Parks and Cultural Affairs Department will host a Movies in the Park series every Wednesday in July at various locations across the county with each movie starting at 8:30 p.m.

Participants are encouraged to bring family and friends, blankets, lawn chairs and food for each showing. All featured movies will be rated PG-13 and viewable for all ages to enjoy.

Movie Schedule
• July 10 at Pleasantdale Park
• July 17 at Lithonia Pool
• July 24 at Rainbow Park Amphitheater
• July 31 at Medlock Pool

For more information, contact LaShanda Davis, public relations specialist, at 404-710-6331.

Team Commissioner Ted Terry is excited to witness the demolition of the last section of the North DeKalb Mall that began today.

"The impacts of this development, because it is such a green development, I believe will not only improve the community at large, but the environmental attributes and our overall environment here in DeKalb County," Super District 6 Commissioner Ted Terry said.

Team Commissioner Ted Terry is sharing that in response to National Weather Service forecasts of heat indices exceeding 100 degrees, DeKalb County is opening cooling centers Friday, June 28, through Monday, July 1.

For a list of available cooling centers, visit www.dekalbcountyga.gov/weather

DeKalb County recreation centers and libraries will be available as cooling centers, during the locations’ normal business hours. Recreation centers will be open on Sunday. Libraries are closed on Sundays.

Water fountains will be accessible at parks and libraries.

A room in each available recreation center will be designated as a cooling center.

During cooling center activations, recreation center pools will be free to the public from
2 p.m.to 6 p.m.

The DeKalb County Department of Human Services, located at 30 Warren Street, Atlanta, GA 30317, also will be open to the public as a cooling center Friday and Monday, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., during the excessive heat.

Seniors needing assistance can call the Senior Link Line at (770) 322-2950 for an assessment of need.

Persons in DeKalb County who need homelessness assistance or housing services can contact DeKalb County Coordinated Entry by calling (404) 687-3500.

For hot weather tips, visit www.dekalbcountyga.gov/weather

Team Commissioner Ted Terry is on cloud 9! Today's Board of Commission meeting was AWESOME!

Recognizing leaders and embracing and reflecting on an inspiration and reinforcement of change, resilience, and the power of those who follow the conviction of their hearts and respond to their calling!

It was an honor to join CEO Thurmond and the Board of Commissioners to celebrate the immense impact that CeeLo Green has made not only to the music industry, but as a legend, role model, philanthropist and community servant, along with celebrating DeKalb Pride Day and recognizing Lambda Legal and their amazing advocacy efforts not only to the LBGTQ+ but to the fight to end discrimination and for the freedom to embrace, love, and thrive as YOU!!!

Team Commissioner Ted Terry is reflecting today on the disheartening reminder of the reversal of Roe v. Wade. We are committed to continue the fight for women's reproductive rights.

Together we are united and support that government should "Keep your policies off a woman's body!"

Women's Rights Are Human Rights. Period. That's the post!

Team Commissioner Ted Terry is sharing a very important and informative community opportunity. Starting July 2, 2024, the DeKalb County Police Department is hosting four town halls in the month of July for Mid-Year Check In series.

These open forums will allow community members to discuss important issues, ask questions, and learn about DKPD’s challenges and successes so far in 2024.

Residents are encouraged to find their local town hall from the list below and join the conversation.

History is in the making and Team Commissioner Ted Terry is sharing the invite for you to be a part of it!!!

Join us on-site as we mark the start of the demolition of the North Dekalb Mall in preparation for Lulah Hills.

Wednesday, June 26, 2024 at 10:00am
2042 Lawrenceville Hwy, Decatur, GA

RSVP by June 21st at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc5IblCXsWZU1xt83R5yiof2Yh2xtWExgt-PezN8R7ImPZXpA/viewform

If you have ideas or questions about improving DeKalb County—like better recycling, hand sanitizers in parks, or new energy-saving methods—you should join us!

On June 29th, we're hosting "Environmental Justice DeKalb," an event by us, for us, and the environment.

RSVP in bio!

Gitty up and hold your horses!!! Team Commissioner Ted Terry is sharing an exciting opportunity to bring the inner cowboy or cowgirl out in you!!!

*100 lbs or less on the ponies!
*Closed toed shoes, NO doggos.

Reserve your spot! Visit https://littlecreekfarmconservancy.org/

History is in the making and Team Commissioner Ted Terry is sharing the invite for you to be a part of it!!!

Join us on-site as we mark the start of the demolition of the North Dekalb Mall in preparation for Lulah Hills.

Wednesday, June 26, 2024 | 10:00am
2042 Lawrenceville Hwy, Decatur, GA

RSVP by June 21st at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc5IblCXsWZU1xt83R5yiof2Yh2xtWExgt-PezN8R7ImPZXpA/viewform

I just got back from my annual boating trip down South River. I love taking a few days every year to visit this beautiful landscape that should be protected for everyone to enjoy!

I will always fight to protect and clean our waterways in the hope that everyone can experience the .

Celebrating Juneteenth and its profound significance to Georgia! Let's honor the day that marks freedom for all and recognize the enduring legacy of resilience and progress in our country and our community.

Team Commissioner Ted Terry reflects, recognizes, and rejuvenates our committment to equality and justice. We celebrate and honor our African American community!

Team Commissioner Ted Terry congratulates Lorraine Cochran-Johnson for DeKalb CEO. History was made tonight! DeKalb County's 1st African American Female CEO!!! We celebrate with you and for you!!!

Commissioner Ted Terry looks forward to continued collaboration and real action addressing the needs to move DeKalb County forward and improve quality of life, economic development, infrastructure, and efforts to mitigate environmental justice!

On the onset of this historical change and the symbolical meaning of June 19th, Team Commissioner Ted Terry unites to celebrate Juneteenth.

Reposting 11Alive' s important information on how you can celebrate and support!

Tomorrow is Juneteenth! We've got you covered for everything you need to know...

History of the holiday:https://www.11alive.com/article/entertainment/events/juneteenth/what-is-juneteenth-history-federal-holiday-monday/73-0dba333f-8a26-42b7-9483-bd5b1ac24231

How to celebrate in Atlanta:https://www.11alive.com/article/entertainment/events/juneteenth/juneteenth-activities-celebrations-atlanta-2024/85-2721e1bb-b12d-430e-a6f3-ca4259c25c8d

What places are open: https://www.11alive.com/article/news/nation-world/juneteenth-2024-stores-post-office-open-closed/507-24edc45d-7e97-4767-9768-e94e8744d874

Today is the day that determines who will be our next DeKalb County CEO. It is critical that you exercise your right to vote in this important runoff for the General Primary election!

Team Commissioner Ted Terry is reminding you that polls will be open through 7 p.m. and voters must vote at their assigned precinct.

Before heading to the polls, voters should verify their precinct information at www.DeKalbVotes.com

Wait times can be viewed at the link above as well.
I
t’s important to note that any votes cast by a provisional ballot in the wrong precinct will not be counted unless it is cast after 5:00 p.m. on Election Day. Additionally, the weather will be warm and voters are encouraged to bring water to drink while waiting in line.

For voters who have a completed absentee ballot, it must be hand-delivered to the DeKalb VRE office, located at 4380 Memorial Drive, Suite 300, in Decatur. Absentee ballots must arrive at DeKalb VRE by 7 p.m. on Election Day to be counted.

Election results will be posted throughout the evening on Tuesday, June 18 at www.DeKalbVotes.com