Positions of DeKalb CEO candidates

Stan Watson not pictured, as he couldn't make it. Vist his website, linked below.

6/29 UPDATE: Rusty recorded the entire event and has uploaded YouTube videos of all segments, so you can now hear and see the candidates speak for themselves. See this inDECATUR post for the links. Thanks Rusty! Very helpful for those who could not be there.

Visit their websites for more details, but here are some things I heard four CEO candidates [Stan Watson didn't show]  say Thursday night (and my impressions, for what little they are worth).

They are all Democrats, and one of them will be the next CEO, since no Republicans are running, but everyone, regardless of party affiliation, can vote in the primary on 7/15.

JOE BEMBRY (Operates wrecker service)

Joe doesn't appear to have a website, but has a flyer. Call 678-754-2424 or 678-754-4747 to get a copy.

We must get it right this time.

He knows the "understands the problems and has the solutions."
There's a high level of thievery now.
He's been in DeKalb Co. for 40 years.
He's the hardest working fellow.
He's the only one who tells it like it is.
Special interests don't hang around him.
He'll build a "city hall complex" where the tax offices are now on Memorial Drive.

inDECATUR impression: Most direct talking, and most entertaining. Least experience in government. Likes to run, but has never won. Least polished and articulate, but most amusing. At least he's not a politician.

BURRELL ELLIS (Current DeKalb Commissioner and Attorney)

He'll build consensus for a unified DeKalb Co.
Your priorities will be DeKalb County's priorities.
He'll strive to make everyone feel safe.
His administration will be fiscally responsible.

inDECATUR impression: Slickest of the bunch. Most Obama-like (but with more experience). Would minimize controversy for which Vernon is famous. Wife would make charming first lady.

ANN KIMBROUGH (Chief of Staff to Vernon Jones since 2003)

She's proud of what DeKalb has done under Jones, and excited about doing even better.
She's experienced, solution oriented, and a coalition builder.
She's lived in DeKalb 25 years.
She's raised 3 children, one with special needs (legally blind)
She knows all 259 square miles [I thought it was 271] in DeKalb.
She has experience in managing the county.
She believes Vernon Jones (with her help) has done a generally good job.

inDECATUR impression: Very familiar with inner-workings of CEO office, but at non-managerial level. Too defensive of Vernon Jones' administration. She can run the mechanics, but can she make managerial decisions and convince people?

STEEN MILES ("The Newslady" and Ga. State Senator 2005-07)

She can return our county to us.
She'll be a good steward of the taxpayers' money. She'll not tolerate policy violations.
She'll develop water plans for 2025 and 2050.
She's lived in DeKalb 25 years.
She's worked at every level.

inDECATUR impression: Has extensive experience in managing organizations, but more in the media, rather than government. Well spoken. Can talk tough. Strong desire to cut the pork out of DeKalb's $3B budget, which has almost doubled under Jones. Intends to get tough on crime.

STAN WATSON (GA legislature & Matria Healthcare)
(didn't show)

Visit his website to see his positions.

inDECATUR impression: While he might have had a good excuse for not making it, he was second only to Stephenie Benfield (from DeKalb) in missing sessions of the Ga Legislature.  Will he show up for work as CEO?

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Answers to questions submitted by citizens:

1. All consider safety their top priority, all (except maybe AK) see rising crime as a problem, and all supported Bolton's $100M proposal to fight crime. None said they'd fire Bolton.
2. All want to improve relations with the school system, but they have different plans on how to do so.
3. All want to coordinate better with ARC on water matters. JE wants 10 new reservoirs.
4. They have different plans to avoid budget mismanagement. SM plans full audit. AK says they were on top of the contract policy violations. BE noted Jones vetoed first audit proposed by commissioners.
5. All support Dunwoody's right to vote to be a city. All but AK believe it's because DeKalb hasn't provided good services. All believe it will increase tax bills for Dunwoody residents and rest of DeKalb.
6. All say they'll do all they can to avoid increasing taxes, but none would commit to not allowing it.
7. All support the grand jury investigation of possible criminal activity in county contract management. AK said all issues were resolved.
8. All are committed to reduce unemployment. SM will do it by reducing crime and pushing high tech development. AK noted Wal*Mart in Avondale and new director of WOrk Force Dev. Dept. BE will champion TADs and affordable housing. JE will make every cop car look different.
9. All will improve communications for tornadoes and water outages. JE will call press conferences. BE said he spent 1.5 hrs. trying to find out water problem. AK said all he had to do was call her. He said he didn't have her number. SM will print laminated cards with numbers of Dept. heads, and have crisis communication plans/drills.

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State of the County

Kimbrough is most positive about where the county stands today, being an insider in the Jones administration. Burrell Ellis is the next most positive, since he's served as a Commissioner since 2000. But, he's not happy with how Jones has managed, and believes he can do much better. Both Steen Miles and Joe Embry believe the county has been allowed to erode badly, and want to bring it back.

While DeKalb County has many things to brag about, safety is clearly not one of them. The latest GBI stats available (2006) show 93 murders, 185 rapes, and lots of stealing of various types, including 6979 stolen vehicles. Theree were 99 murders in 2007. YTD in 2008, it's already up to 59 murders, on track to set a new record.

Whatever DeKalb does in terms of development and improving schools, if it doesn't get crime (mostly south of Memorial and along and north of I-85) under control, it's going to have a black eye to those from elsewhere who read about it in the fishwraps and online. This impacts business decisions about locating in DeKalb, which impacts jobs and ultimately the tax base. Bolton is on the hot seat. He didn't deliver in Dallas, and his programs have yet to deliver here (with morale being low in the PD), while he's asking for 800 more cops and cars (at a cost of $100M). The next CEO will only be viewed as effective if he can find a way to turn the crime stats around. If I were running for CEO, I'd make public safety my predominant platform issue. When people heard my name, they'd say, "Oh yeah, that's the law and order candidate."

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Burrell Ellis had the largest "peanut gallery." About a dozen people clustered on the right side would clap loudly every time he finished speaking. That's a good technique the other candidates could learn from.

 

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inDECATUR's "Best of the Bunch" conclusion

DeKalb could do better than any of these five, but among them, I'd pick: Burrell Ellis.

Has experience as County Commissioner. Wants to build consensus and eliminate the infighting which has characterized the Jones administration. Is for more, better-paid cops. Will promote small business. Will promote strong neighborhoods. Promises fiscal responsibility. Is a family man with 3-year-old twins, and would not have the character issues or mafia boss image Jones has. His wife Phillipa [see image below and in continuation], who is a trial lawyer, could play a value-add role in community efforts. Well educated (Wharton Business School and UTex PhD in Law).

He's a bit too inclined toward giving our tax money to those who won't take care of themselves, but, heh, they're all Democrats. Given the current demographics, no Republican or Libertarian would have a prayer, just as Jones doesn't have a prayer running for the US Senate. Sometimes, its a bit hard to tell if he's whining, making a significant point, or suggesting a solution. But heh, he's a politician and a lawyer, like BIll and Hillary.

Taken as a "package" the Ellis family would be a CEO family of which DeKalb could be proud.

[Just one man's opinion, for what little it is worth.]

image from BE website

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Funniest line of the night: After Burrell Ellis noted he'd been endorsed by the AJC, Joe Bembry said something to this effect: An endorsement by the AJC is not something to be spoken of.

Best one liner: Steen Miles said if you want to be a bad a*#, they'll have a room ready for you at 285 Memorial Drive, and they'll leave the light on for ya.

You can hear the entire thing (with Atlanta TV personality Bill Crane moderating) Sunday at 4PM at Jazz 91.9 FM. Go to www.wclk.com for details.

Early voting starts 7/8, with regular voting on 7/15.

It's imperative that you get informed and vote!

Thanks to John Hewitt, Chief Operating Officer of Champion, and the DeKalb Historical Society for a well-managed and very informative forum.

Champion has a "meet the candidates" article and should post a more extensive report soon. [Their cameraman snapped photos almost continuously, and has to have about a thousand.]

See photos of the meeting room in this inDECATUR post from last night.

Candidates and/or citizens are encouraged to comment to correct or expand upon this post.

optional fashion image of Phillipa in the continuation

I'd assume even the Asian Cajuns would approve of this outfit, but what do I know? Perhaps one of them will read this and comment.

Here's the tee-shirt they gave me, which will fit a little tighter after a wash or two.

I was impressed that he came up and introduced himself to me before the forum, and still remembered my last name after the forum. Yes, I know that's what politicians have to do, but none of the others did.