Politics & Government

DeKalb CEO Gives State of the County Address

Burrell Ellis outlines the role of morality in governance.

The following is the text of the State of the County address given yesterday by DeKalb County Chief Executive Officer Burrell Ellis to an audience of 500 business and civic leaders at the Thalia N. Carlos Hellenic Community Center in Atlanta.

The speech was titled "The House Stands Strong: The Power of ONE DeKalb."

To the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners, DeKalb County’s Judiciary and Constitutional Officers; to the DeKalb County delegation, other assembled elected officials and dignitaries; to the Executive Cabinet and other senior executive, legislative and judicial staff; to DeKalb’s department heads and to each and every one of our hard working employees; to our business, civic, religious, educational, and community stakeholders; and, most importantly, to the citizens of DeKalb County:  Good morning.

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I would like to begin my address today by recognizing my partners in public service, the DeKalb County Commission. Thank you for all you do in service to our citizens.

Last year, as I stood before you, I shared the story of "the Old Farmer’s tree."  You remember that story, don’t you?  The tree, which was hollow and decaying, presented the farmer with an unpleasant dilemma: Should he cut it down knowing that it would surely damage his farmhouse, or allow it to remain, leaving his family in constant danger?  The farmer, sadly, was plagued by inaction.

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The purpose of the story was that DeKalb County, like the Old Farmer, was facing its own budgetary “hollow tree” and that only swift action on our part would prevent the tree from falling on our house.

Well, the tree did fall. And the damage to our credit rating was felt throughout the land.

Fortunately, however, that’s not the whole story.  Through hard work, decisive action, and collaborative effort, we were able to hoist the tree, repair the damage, restore our credit, and save the house.  And today, the house stands strong.

I want you to know that I am optimistic about the future of DeKalb County.  In the face of great economic adversity, the stakeholders of this county – elected officials, community leaders, business owners, and everyday citizens – came together, rolled up our sleeves, developed solutions to our challenges, and scored victory.  As a result, we now have an even greater story to tell about how we’ve overcome, the innovative policies we’ve implemented, and our vital role in moving the Atlanta Region forward.

My friends, I am humbled, honored and overjoyed to share this progress with you and report to you that today the house stands strong and the State of DeKalb County is good.

Let me tell you why.

More than anything else, listening to you, the citizens of DeKalb County, has been the hallmark of this Administration.  Since taking office, I have held more than 40 town hall meetings.  We’ve scheduled 11 additional meetings through March of this year with more to come, so that I can continue listening to your concerns and hearing your priorities.

And more than anything else, you have requested quality services that add value to your quality of life. And I am happy to report to you that we have delivered just that.

When this Administration took office the national and local metrics were solidly against us:

 

  • The capital markets were frozen.

 

  • Residential real estate values were in a free fall.

 

  • Consumer confidence was at an all-time low.

 

In spite of all this, we inherited a county government that was spending more money than it was bringing in and depleting its reserves.  As a result, our debt rating was downgraded and, subsequently, withdrawn.

We had to act fast. We were headed to the market to undertake the first in a series of major borrowings in order to upgrade our aging water and sewer system but, without a solid rating, were unlikely to be able to sell our bonds.

Today, I am proud to stand with several people in this room and say, as a result of a concerted effort, the financial position for DeKalb County is stable and our fiscal outlook is good.

From those members of the Board of Commissioners who took the bold and courageous action to raise the county’s millage rate because it was necessary in order to maintain revenues due to the severe decline in the housing market, to the members of the DeKalb Chamber who devoted countless hours in facilitating budget discussions, to the Commission’s Presiding Officer, Larry Johnson, who joined me and others in a trip to Wall Street for face-to-face meetings at the rating agencies, to our own finance department staff and team of advisors, let me say “thank you” for getting the job done.

These concerted actions showed the Region, the State, and the Nation that DeKalb County is serious when it comes to taking requisite action that lays the foundation for future growth.

And there’s more good news…

After getting our ratings restored, and receiving high marks for our “solid operations” from both Standard & Poor’s and Moody’s, we sold our bonds in record time.  In fact, they were over-subscribed within 2 hours.  That’s great news for our taxpaying citizens, but that’s not the whole story.

You see, for the first time in the history of our county, the team of investment banking firms that sold our bonds was led by a female and minority-owned firm, Seibert Brandford Shank.  Because of their efforts, we are borrowing at a rate that would be considered exceptional under any circumstances; but which is extraordinary given the revocation of our ratings earlier in the year.

ONE DeKalb

It is in this spirit of unity and inclusiveness that we are reaching our full potential.

Our unity is a reflection of our values.  We value partnership – partnership between the private and public sectors; and partnerships with the faith-based community, community-based organizations, and between governments.  It is through partnership – people working together – that DeKalb County has achieved its victories in the midst of the reality of these economic times. And it is in unity – ONE DeKalb – that we are reaching the full potential that is available to us through our diverse population, prime location and rich resources.

This is why I say to us all today, ONE DeKalb is not merely a slogan.  ONE DeKalb is a statement, a resource, and a best practice for building partnerships and tapping into the best talent to help solve serious problems that threaten our quality of life.

It is our way of doing business.

As ONE DeKalb, we are working with the federal and state governments to bring streetscape improvements to our major corridors throughout the county, including Memorial Drive, Candler Road and Buford Highway.  These upgrades are the foundation for economic growth that will improve property values, create jobs, and promote “hubs of opportunity” for surrounding areas. All told, our Administration was awarded more than $60 million in federal and state transportation funding.  That means DeKalb County taxpayers are getting their fair share of resources and that’s great news, but that’s not the whole story.

 As ONE Green DeKalb, we are working with both the federal government and the private sector to be more sustainable – to be the Greenest Urban County in America.  In October, we broke ground on our latest green initiative, a renewable energy facility that will convert landfill gas into fuel for vehicles.  This is the result of an $8 million federal grant and partnership between DeKalb County and ESG, a private-sector firm which is building the facility which is scheduled to open this spring.

Initially, we will utilize this fuel for more than 306 sanitation vehicles and eventually, we will sell it to external customers. As a result, DeKalb County is forecasting fuel savings of $3 million during the next 8 years.  We are converting “trash to gas,” and “gas to cash.”  That’s more great news, but again, not the whole story.

We continue to set the standard regionally and nationally for green programs.  When this project is completed, DeKalb County will have the capacity to process more landfill gas than any other county in Georgia and be home to the first and only facility of its kind in the Southeast.

Our use of clean, green and safe technology will generate revenue and enhance our quality of life for decades to come.

ONE DeKalb Lives

Our county is largely residential.  The impact of the great recession and financial crisis of 2008 hit us like a truck traveling at 100 miles per hour.  We know all too well the effect the economic downturn has had on our communities, leaving in its wake thousands of vacant homes across our county.  Throughout the nation, local governments have seen tax revenues plunge, but few have been impacted to the level that our county has suffered.  We've lost 21 percent of our tax digest in the past 36 months, and estimate another 5 percent loss during the next year.

To respond to this titanic shift, we developed ONE DeKalb Lives: a housing initiative to stabilize communities hardest hit by the foreclosure crisis.  ONE DeKalb Lives allows our community heroes to access the most important asset that most Americans will ever own: a home.  I’m speaking of those who risk their lives for us: our firefighters and police officers.  Those who model the future for us: our teachers.  Those who make our communities better: citizens who do extraordinary things without hope or promise of great reward other than the satisfaction of a job well done.

And speaking of extraordinary things, I would like to recognize one of our community heroes who took the initiative to bring back a piece of the World Trade Center Towers that were destroyed in the 9-11 attacks.  This precious piece of metal is a fitting memorial which has been permanently installed as a monument at the entrance of our Public Safety Headquarters, and which was unveiled during our 9-11 commemoration in September.  DeKalb Firefighter Doug Harms is with us this morning, and I would like for him to stand and be recognized, along with other first responders who have joined us today.

This goes back to why ONE DeKalb is so very important.  Through ONE DeKalb Lives, we are making foreclosed homes in quality neighborhoods available for purchase by these first responders and teachers at a 50% discount.

This is the result of a partnership between the private sector, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and our county.  We are joined today by Bernadette Hooker, a DeKalb County Police Officer who recently purchased one of these homes.  Officer Hooker, please stand and let us say “thank you” for your service. Through ONE DeKalb Lives, we are restoring neighborhoods and building hope, and that’s more good news...But that’s not the whole story either.

ONE DeKalb Works

 To complement ONE DeKalb Lives, we’ve also rolled out ONE DeKalb Works.

ONE DeKalb Works is our jobs stimulus program.  As we complete $1.35 billion in water and sewer upgrades during the next 8 years, we'll create thousands of jobs for DeKalb County citizens and work for local small businesses.

A University of Georgia study notes that ONE DeKalb Works, will create almost 4,700 jobs by 2015, and will create an average of 3,341 jobs annually during a five-year period starting in 2013.

Our local partners in this innovative program are The Urban League of Greater Atlanta, Georgia Piedmont Technical College, Goodwill Industries of North Georgia, and one of our key labor partners, the North Georgia Building and Construction Trades Council.

I have always believed that the labor movement plays a key role in jobs creation, and that role is to be afforded the fairness that we would extend to any partner on whom we depend upon for success.  There is dignity in work, hard-work, that fills us with pride and creates better lives for families.  I am proud of the work we have done with labor to drive job creation in our county.

Our national partner in ONE DeKalb Works, the National Urban League, is a leading advocate for economic empowerment in underserved communities and will be providing auditing services to ensure that DeKalb County citizens are being trained and hired for these private-sector jobs, and that local small businesses are being utilized to perform the work.  And that’s even greater news … but that’s not the whole story.

To assist in getting people in the employment pipeline, we recently cut the ribbon on our first mobile career resource center.  This “jobs bus” provides job search technology and will travel throughout the county bringing resources directly to our citizens.  And that’s good news.

ONE DeKalb Volunteers

DeKalb County is home to more than 300 neighborhoods and civic organizations.  These communities and organizations represent the county’s diversity.  Civic engagement empowers residents to do for themselves and not rely solely on government.  Through our civic engagement initiative, ONE DeKalb Volunteers, volunteerism has risen to an all-time high. Let me share with you why that’s important.

ONE DeKalb Volunteers add to our bottom line.  Since 2009, citizens from every corner of the county have contributed more than 500,000 hours of volunteer service, equaling a savings of $11 million.

Last month, Commissioner Kathie Gannon and I co-hosted the county’s first ever Code Compliance Neighborhood Summit.  Later this month, we will launch a volunteer code compliance corps where citizens will receive training to assist with detecting and reporting code violations.  In DeKalb County, we are providing our citizens with the tools and resources to address their problems.  In turn, they are working to create solutions with their county government.

ONE DeKalb Votes

Next summer, as you know, we will vote on a Regional Transportation Referendum to improve the quality of life and economic vitality of the metropolitan area over the next decade.  This is both necessary and historic.  Through partnership – regional give, take and sacrifice – 21 elected officials unanimously came up with a regional list of transportation projects.  Friends, that’s 21 elected officials, from 10 diverse counties, working collaboratively.

DeKalb County has always been at the forefront of vision and leadership in metropolitan Atlanta.  DeKalb citizens created the most progressive and modern county government in Georgia, supported the MARTA penny, backed Grady Hospital, and should approve this referendum now.

We have much to gain, mostly in transit improvements, as a county. In fact, approximately $1.3 billion in transportation projects will benefit DeKalb County, while only $800 million in sales taxes will be raised here.  This is a great return on our investment. It is appropriate, as well, given DeKalb County’s 40-year support of the MARTA tax, along with our neighbors in Atlanta and Fulton County.

But we also know that our citizens don’t live in isolation – they live in a metropolitan region and are dependent on transportation improvements throughout that region in order to get to and from work and the places they have to go.  And we know that as these transportation projects are built, more jobs will be created.  In rebuilding our infrastructure, we are jumpstarting our economy.   This is a regional stimulus plan, and that’s why it is so important that we pass this Transportation Referendum.  That’s why it is so important to both our present and our future.

We have more than 700,000 residents in our county, making us the third largest county in the State.  We must do a better job of getting our citizens registered and out to vote.  Not only do we have much at stake in the Transportation Referendum in July, but we must re-elect our President in November.

There was once a saying: As goes DeKalb, so goes Georgia.  Let’s make that mean something again.  Let’s be an example for the region and the State as we move forward on the big issue of our time: Transportation.  In line with our ONE DeKalb Votes initiative, I will visit every corner in this county to discuss the importance of voting and registering new voters.  Because as goes DeKalb, so goes Georgia!

Summary

And there’s so much more good news to share. Since 2009, we have improved 8 parks and recreation facilities, built 2 new recreation centers, opened 7 new libraries with one more on the way, and, in an innovative public-private partnership, we are building a new YMCA at Wade-Walker Park.  This year, we will begin construction of 2 new centers for seniors, 2 new police precincts and a Soap Box Derby track for our youth.  We are inter-generational, innovative and building a foundation for future generations of DeKalb Countians.

We are making the necessary investments and difficult decisions that our times require, under the most adverse economic circumstances. And as a result:

Through ONE DeKalb Works, we are rebuilding our infrastructure and creating jobs.

Through ONE DeKalb Lives, we are restoring neighborhoods and building hope.

Through ONE Green DeKalb, we are being sustainable and responsible.

Through ONE DeKalb Volunteers, we are tapping into our most vital resource, our people, and;

Through ONE DeKalb Votes, we are continuing our tradition of regional and State leadership.

We are creating opportunities, while being inclusive, in a united spirit.  And that’s what ONE DeKalb is really about.  The House Stands Strong because ONE DeKalb represents the heart and soul of the people of DeKalb County.  But our work is not finished.

As I speak to you this morning about living together and working from common aspirations, there are some who would exploit our rich diversity in an effort to divide our county.  Let me be clear on where I stand regarding these so-called “cityhood” efforts.

It is a fundamental right for our citizens to choose more government and pay a premium for heightened levels of service, but it is wrong to impact others who have no voice.  Under current law, cityhood not only drives up the cost to those citizens who embrace this option, but it also places an undue tax burden on those who are drawn outside of arbitrarily created boundaries and have no say in the process.

Under the current law, there is an even greater cost to us in terms of social isolation, class and ethnic stratification.  Simply put, we need better policy.

Today, I am asking the DeKalb County legislative delegation to work with me, the Board of Commissioners and the Association County Commissioners of Georgia to develop new and fairer laws regarding the creation of cities.  We need laws that prevent the cherry-picking of the choicest residential and commercial areas, while disenfranchising residents in the remainder of the county.  We need laws which respect the costs of services to our citizens in both cities and counties, and which take into consideration the unique roles of each.  I want to work with our state government in developing good, sound, public policy that will ensure that our children will inherit the ONE DeKalb we envision, and the “beloved community” of which Dr. King dreamed.

It was President Abraham Lincoln who said: “a house divided against itself cannot stand,” but he then expressed optimism that the house, our nation, would stand.  With that same optimism, resolve and unity in spirit, let us commit to keep our house, DeKalb County, standing strong by making sound investments to create jobs, improve our quality of life and lay the foundation for future growth.  Let us commit to keep our house, DeKalb County, standing strong through innovative efficiencies and smart government practices.  And let us not be distracted by schemes of divisiveness and narrow-mindedness that fuel personal agendas, but destroy the very foundation upon which the house stands.

I’d like to leave you today with the words of a great statesman, the late Hubert Humphrey:

“The moral test of government is how that government treats those who are in the dawn of life, the children;

Those who are in the twilight of life, the elderly;

And those who are in the shadows of life, the sick, the needy and the handicapped.”

When we build quality recreation centers and libraries for our children, we pass the moral test.

When we construct centers of hope for our seniors, who built this great county, we pass the moral test.

When we support Grady Hospital and charitable institutions that could be conveniently cut from our budget, we pass the moral test.

When we fairly compensate our hardworking public employees and thank them for their labors, we pass the moral test.

When we are inclusive, create jobs and restore our neighborhoods, we pass the moral test.

When we engage in innovative, efficient and sustainable practices, we pass the moral test.

When we are truthful with the people we serve – helping them to understand with honesty and humility, the issues of the day and the choices we must make – we pass the moral test; and …

As we listen to the people and make their priorities the priority of their government, we are passing the moral test.

Ladies and Gentlemen, despite adversities, hardships and challenges, we, the people of DeKalb County, are overcomers.  We are listening, responding to the needs of our citizens and answering the highest calling of government: the moral test.

And that is why, more than anything else, the House Stands Strong and the State of DeKalb County is Good.


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