2008 Budget Calls for Public Safety Improvements
This week, Mayor Shirley Franklin submitted a proposed $645.3 million 2008 City budget to Atlanta City Council that included provisions for 50 new Atlanta police officer positions and funding for a new crime lab.
Additional budget highlights include:
- Creation of five (5) APD civilian positions, for a total of 55 new APD positions.
- Creation of 18 new Atlanta firefighter positions to fully implement a best-in-class staffing model.
- Transfer of 34 firefighters from administrative positions to firefighting positions.
- Creation of a nighttime fire safety inspections team.
- Funding for improved maintenance of fire stations.
Since 2002, Mayor Franklin has reinvigorated City government practices and instituted disciplined financial management resulting in six (6) consecutive years of strong fiscal health for Atlanta. The City’s budget reserves moved from a negative balance in 2001 to a proposed 10 percent surplus ($64.6 million) for 2008. Pending Council confirmation, the 2008 budget will be voted on in June for final approval.
Visit the City of Atlanta website at www.atlantaga.gov to view the 2008 proposed budget.
MLK Exhibit Closing Weekend, Free Family Days May 12 and 13
“I Have A Dream: The Morehouse College Martin Luther King Jr. Collection” - on view until Sunday, May 13 at the Atlanta History Center - is the only opportunity to see more than 600 of King’s most important handwritten documents at one time.
Highlights from the exhibition include drafts of the "I Have A Dream" speech, King’s Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech, sermons from his ministry, personal notes he maintained in hundreds of his books, and his celebrated "Letter from a Birmingham Jail."
During the exhibition’s closing weekend - Saturday May 12 and Sunday May 13 – the Atlanta History Center will host AT&T Family FunDays. Children 18 and under are admitted free of charge with the purchase of one adult admission.
“I Have A Dream” facts:
- “I Have A Dream” includes over 600 items from the 10,000-piece collection acquired last year by the City of Atlanta, under the guidance of Mayor Shirley Franklin. The papers are owned by King's alma mater, Morehouse College. Following the exhibition closing, the entire collection will be housed at the Robert W. Woodruff Library for scholarly review.
- To date more than 54,000 visitors have viewed the exhibit. Distinguished guests included President Mary McAlesse of the Republic of Ireland; Reverend Jesse Jackson; and author Salman Rushdie. Georgia Supreme Court Chief Justice Leah Ward Sears joined hip hop artists Ludacris, Sammie and Lloyd to produce public service announcements.
- Over 14,000 Georgia school children toured the exhibit for free, thanks to a donation from AT&T. More than 1,800 third, fourth, and fifth graders throughout the state participated in the AT&T My Dream Georgia Statewide Essay Contest, inspired by the exhibition. A winner will be announced this weekend.
- After numerous requests, audio tours of the exhibit were produced and are now available free of charge.
Call the Atlanta History Center for more information at 404.814.4000 or visit here.
May 13 will signify the close of the “I Have A Dream: Martin Luther King, Jr. Collection.” |
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Police Cadet Program Develops Young Professionals
The Mayor’s Youth Program, in partnership with the Atlanta Police Department (APD), is preparing high school seniors early for careers within the department.
The Police Cadet program prepares young students for the rigors of law enforcement with physical and character-building workshops. Since the program was implemented three years ago, 24 Atlanta youth have participated in the program and two (2) are currently employed as APD police officer assistants (POA).
Cadets are trained in departments as diverse as zone command, identification and communications. Physical capability components require cadets to complete a half-mile run and obstacle course carrying a 125 pound “dummy” 25 miles, then lifting it over a 6 ft. wall.
Character-building is core to the program, says Atlanta Police Officer Milton Dodson, who oversees the cadets. “Cadets are subject to a more rigid standard of conduct than their peers. This program emphasizes character development and trains them to use ethical judgment. They learn quickly that only the higher standard of behavior is acceptable,” said Officer Dodson.
Daniel Horne, a police cadet and senior at Washington High School, said: “I am thinking about serving in the military and then becoming a police officer. This opportunity has given me an excellent perspective on the training that recruits receive.”
For more information on the Police Cadet program, contact Kevin Ware at KWare@atlantaga.gov.
Police Cadets train with APD Officer. |
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Registration Now for Camp Best Friends
For over 25 years, Camp Best Friends has offered quality summer recreational programs for Atlanta youth that include sports, arts and crafts, hiking and educational trips.
Registration for Camp Best Friends is ongoing now – June 4. This year’s program theme is “Hot Fun in the Summertime.” Camp sessions run from June 4 – July 26, Monday – Friday from 7:30 a.m. – 6 p.m. at City of Atlanta recreation centers.
Camp Best Friends is an eight-week camp; however parents can register and pay for sessions as needed. The weekly cost is $30 per child for City of Atlanta residents and $90 per child for non-residents. Some payment is due at the time of registration.
For more information and a listing of camp locations, please visit here or contact Vivian Davis at 404.817.6765.
Camp Best Friends campers enjoy a canoe trip at Lake Allatoona. |
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Atlanta Police Chief Richard Pennington joins City officials, business leaders and community members at 220 Spring Street for the opening of a new Zone 5 police precinct. The new precinct makes Atlanta a safer and more secure city 24 hours per day/ seven days a week. Click here to visit the Video on Demand page for more information.
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Rave Reviews!
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The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has recognized the Atlanta Workforce Development Agency (AWDA) and the Mayor’s Office of Weed and Seed for filing the most 2006 returns in the metropolitan Atlanta area, in just its first year of operation. The Volunteer Income Tax Assessment (VITA) center at AWDA launched in January 2007. Staff and volunteers prepared 499 returns; of those, 211 taxpayers received Earned Income Credits (EITC) totaling $297,459. EITC benefits connect low-wage workers to a wide range of income-enhancing benefits. Overall, taxpayer refunds totaled $557,913. The VITA Center was made possible through partnerships and resources shared between AWDA, The Mayor’s Office of Weed and Seed, The Center for Working Families, King and Spalding Law Firm and Seedco.
Mayor Shirley Franklin joins Deborah Lum (standing, left) director, AWDA, and Karen Rogers, (standing, right) director, Office of Weed and Seed, as a client receives tax preparation services at the VITA Center. |
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Atlanta BeltLine, Inc. recently welcomed Robert S. Godlewski and Roland K. Young as its new director of external affairs and citizen participation advocate, respectively. As Director of External Affairs, Godlewski will keep the public informed about BeltLine progress. He will oversee all communications for Atlanta BeltLine, Inc., and work closely with the City of Atlanta, the BeltLine Partnership and other partners. Young, the newly named Citizen Participation Advocate, will collaborate with partners to build awareness about the BeltLine. He will spearhead implementation of the BeltLine Community Engagement Framework (CEF), a tool for residents to be actively involved in BeltLine planning. For more information on the Atlanta BeltLine, visit www.beltline.org.
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The Municipal Court of Atlanta has successfully implemented CourtView, a new state-of-the-art electronic case management system that will court operations more effective and efficient. The City began the upgrade for this paper-less system in 2005. CourtView will allow all of the City’s judicial agencies – the Court, Solicitor’s Office and Office of the Public Defender – to save documents electronically saving time, resources and space required to operate a conventional court.
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Upcoming Events & Volunteer Opportunities
- As part of the 30th Annual Atlanta Jazz Festival’s “31 Days of Jazz,” the Georgia Aquarium will host “Jazz Journeys” every Friday night in May from 7:30 – 10 p.m. Musicians include Sernata Band, Just Ahead, Pamela Allen and Kathleen Bertrand. Drinks and light cuisine by Wolfgang Puck will be available for purchase. Entrance for Georgia Aquarium members is free. Tickets can be purchased for $24 at the Aquarium box office or online. Ticket price includes event and aquarium admission. For more information, visit here.
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Job Announcements
With the City of Atlanta’s online application system, you are able to create an account and select a Username and Password and then log in to your account.
After your account has been established, you can create an application by clicking on the “Build Job Application” link. Once your application is completed, it will be stored in the system and can be used to apply for future job openings. To get started by viewing current open positions, click here.
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Weekly Features
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