Happy Anniversary, Dunwoody! You’ll mark 15 years of cityhood on December 1, and we have a lot to celebrate together. As Dunwoody City Manager for nearly nine years, I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished and excited about the opportunities ahead.

Dunwoody Police

Public safety was one of the driving forces behind cityhood. Today, the Dunwoody Police Department is embraced by our community and recognized nationwide. Consultants conducting an independent assessment of the department recently described Dunwoody Police as one of the most well-run organizations they’ve studied and gave credit to Chief Billy Grogan as the “primary architect.”

Law enforcement has changed a lot in 15 years. To address the challenges posed by the nation’s mental health crisis, we’re partnering on a new co-responder program that provides officers with much-needed expertise and support when responding to calls involving a mental health crisis. We’ve also provided every officer with Narcan, a prescription medicine that’s used to reverse an opioid overdose. Community outreach has been a priority since day one. Programs include the Citizens’ Police Academy, Teen Police Academy, Christmas for Kids, Public Safety Cadets, Med-Return, and Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events (CRASE) training.

Recruiting and retention are challenges for police departments across the country. This year, the Dunwoody City Council approved two pay raises. That’s in addition to four other adjustments since 2021. This reflects our commitment to public safety and keeping Dunwoody competitive in a challenging environment. 

Parks & Recreation

Dunwoody was incorporated on December 1, 2008, but we didn’t take control of our parks right away. In 2010, the General Assembly approved a bill allowing the City to buy the parks from DeKalb County for $100 an acre. It’s been full steam ahead since then. We overhauled Brook Run Park, adding the Dunwoody Trailway, amphitheater, ball fields, multi-use fields and more. We also added six new parks, including our most recent one, Two Bridges Park, which opened in May with the City’s first splash pad. A new Vietnam War Memorial is scheduled to open next year at Brook Run Park. Plus, the DeKalb Veterans Memorial at Brook Run Park is scheduled to undergo renovations.



Through our annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service, volunteers have planted 2,400+ trees and 45,000+ daffodils in our parks. We’ve expanded programming for all ages and provided meeting space for community groups at the new North Shallowford Annex. Dunwoody Parks & Recreation now presents 25 annual events, including the popular Groovin’ on the Green concert series. During COVID, the team introduced Holiday Lights, a bright and beautiful walk-through light display at Brook Run Park. For 2023, the display will include a special nod to the City’s 15th anniversary. Opening Night has been postponed due to inclement weather. We'll hold opening ceremonies on Tuesday, Dec. 5 from 4 - 8 p.m. I hope you can join us!

Public Works

City founders made paving a priority. Early on, Dunwoody Public Works laid out a 20-year paving plan, and I’m happy to report that we’re on schedule. Since 2010, we’ve repaved 245 lane miles, which equals 81 percent of total lane miles. A new pavement assessment report conducted this year will provide guidance for the paving plan for the next five years, putting those roads with the greatest needs at the top of the list. Beyond paving, our team has completed more than 17,000 maintenance work orders, built two new roads, improved 14 intersections, connected 63 traffic signals to our central traffic management center, and responded to 17 snow and ice events since cityhood began.



We continue to focus on improving traffic flow and safety. In 2020, Dunwoody became the first city in Georgia to enact a Vulnerable Road User Ordinance, which aims to protect anyone using the road but not in a vehicle, including pedestrians and bicyclists. This year, we used federal funding to hire a Safe Streets Program Manager, and the City Council approved the Dunwoody Road Safety Action Plan at its most recent meeting on Nov. 27.

Meeting challenges

We’ve had some challenges, and we’ve learned from them. I’m particularly proud of the way we managed the unprecedented pandemic. We kept city operations going throughout and worked remotely when needed. We kept our city parks open and encouraged outdoor dining. In fact, our Painted Picnic Tables Project helped kick off what is now a thriving public art program. We supported the most vulnerable in our community by using CARES funding to support local nonprofits. And we’re not done yet. For 2024, the City Council just approved additional federal funding for 10 organizations, including the Community Assistance Center, Malachi’s Storehouse, and Corners Outreach. 

I look forward to celebrating more accomplishments and milestones during Dunwoody’s 15th anniversary year. I'm proud of the hard work and dedication of our staff, and I'm grateful for the leadership and support of the City Council. It’s an exciting time to be here. Let’s appreciate what we’ve accomplished and embrace the opportunities ahead!