Dunwoody, Georgia: July 2021
The month of July brings the return of an important Dunwoody tradition, as well as a return to traditional hours at Dunwoody City Hall. Both are promising signs as we continue along the path to recovery.
After a year off due to the pandemic, the Dunwoody 4th of July Parade is back. But this year, it will be held on July 5. This happens anytime the holiday falls on a Sunday because of the churches located along the parade route and used for staging. The parade is presented by the Dunwoody Homeowners Association and Reporter Newspapers, and the City is proud to play a supporting role. As a car guy, I had the pleasure of driving my classic Buick Centurion in the 2019 parade. I really enjoyed being there with my family and seeing the community turn out in a big way. I'll be back this year and hope to see you.
Beginning July 6, Dunwoody City Hall will go back to its original opening hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This is not a big change to the hours we’ve observed throughout most of the pandemic, but it’s another sign of progress. I’m proud of how hard our staff has worked during these unusual times. As the result of technology investments prior to March 2020, we were well-positioned to transition from in-person to remote operations. We never stopped. And we’re continuing to find ways to make government operations more efficient. Later this year, we’ll move our business license application and renewal processes online. We’ve had great success with online permitting, which started in 2019, and we expect this move will benefit new and existing local businesses.
Police officer promotions
Last week, we celebrated the retirement of Deputy Chief David Barnes and the promotions of several members of the Dunwoody Police Department. As one of the original leaders of the department, Deputy Chief Barnes served our City well and made me proud. We will miss him and wish him all the best in this next chapter. The following officers will take on new roles and titles on July 2: Deputy Chief Mike Carlson, Major William Furman, Lt. Curtis Clifton, Sgt. Christopher Forman, Sgt. Anwar Sillah. Competition for these positions was fierce, which speaks to the high caliber of our police department. Chief Billy Grogan has assembled a strong team that will continue to make us proud.
As we look ahead, I also want to take a quick look back at some important moments in June. On June 14, it was my pleasure to be with Mayor Lynn Deutsch as she signed the financing documents to close on the purchase of 9.29 acres on Vermack Road for a future park. This happened right after the meeting in which the City Council gave unanimous approval for the deal. I see so much potential for our City, both now and for generations to come.
I was also thrilled to join the Mayor, Council, our parks team and community members as we cut the ribbon on the new Waterford Park on June 2. This new seven-acre park located at 4565 Dellrose Drive includes two refurbished tennis courts and a beautiful pavilion. The northeast portion of the City was an area identified as needing greenspace, and this is a great way to answer that need.

Our first big concert at the new Brook Run Park Amphitheater on June 12 was a hit! We had a record crowd for our Groovin’ on the Green concert series and heard rave reviews for the new venue. Don’t miss the next concert on July 10, featuring '70s music from the Hedonistas. It’s great to be able to gather again. And we look forward to serving you in person or online at City Hall.