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Dear Neighbor:
Last month, we joined counties across our nation in celebrating National County Government Month (NCGM). Spearheaded by the National Association of Counties (NACo), our country's only national organization representing county government, NCGM raises public awareness and understanding about the roles and responsibilities of county government. Our theme this year was Healthy Counties, Healthy Families: ONE Healthy DeKalb.
Thank you for coming out and joining one or more of the many events we scheduled this year, including the DeKalb County Jobs Fair, the opening of our new Renewable Energy Facility, our Lunch & Learn Series focused on physical, financial and mental health, and the launch of our new customer service initiative -- ONE DeKalb Serves.
We are especially proud of this year's Community Hero Awards ceremony, which we hold during NCGM month each year. For the first time, we partnered with The Champion Newspaper to honor individuals and organizations making significant contributions to the betterment of our community. Our ceremony was hosted by Sally Sears and featured a musical selection by recording artist Erica Nicole. Our honorees are doing extraordinary work in our community and, as CEO, it makes me proud to recognize the work being done in our county.
This month, we are celebrating Older Americans Month. Please take time to thank a senior for all he or she has done and continues to do to enhance the quality of life in our community.
- CEO Burrell Ellis
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DeKalb's Animal Adoptions Fly High at PDK
2012 Summer Pet Adoption Program Begins May 12
 At the Good Neighbor Day Open House and Air Show on May 12, CEO Ellis will kick off the 2012 Summer Pet Adoption Program and launch the Mobile Adoption Center. This program places lovable, friendly and adoptable animals in various locations throughout the county so they may be conveniently adopted into good homes.
The kickoff will coincide with the DeKalb Peachtree Airport Good Neighbor Day and Air Show, May 12, noon to 5 p.m. at 2000 Airport Road, Atlanta, GA 30341.
In addition, the DeKalb County Animal Services and Enforcement Department has expanded its hours of operation until 7 p.m. three nights per week, Tuesdays through Thursdays, in an effort to improve and enhance efforts to place suitable pets with responsible owners as possible. Anyone interested in pet adoptions during these hours can do so at the shelter at 845 Camp Road, Decatur, GA 30032.
For more information about pet adoptions or the Animal Services and Enforcement Department, visit www.dekalbcountyanimalservices.com or call (404) 294-2996.
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"Trash to Gas" Plant Begins Test Operations
The first dual facility saves county $3 million, and improves air quality
CEO Ellis, in conjunction with Energy Systems Group and the Clean Cities Atlanta Petroleum Reduction Program, officially opened the new renewable energy facility at the Seminole Road Landfill to begin the test phase of operations on April 16.
"Saving money is important, but the real payoff over the long term is being good stewards of our environment and the air we breathe," said CEO Ellis. "We owe it to future generations to leave our county and planet better off than when we inherited it."
The renewable energy facility is also a first in the nation. While there are landfills that make RNG for pipeline injection, this is the first landfill in the U.S. that will simultaneously convert landfill gas to produce both Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) for vehicles and Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) for high-BTU gas for pipeline injection to be used as transportation fuel elsewhere. Furthermore, once the facility is completed, the county will have the capacity to process more landfill gas than any other county in Georgia.
To capitalize on the fuel savings, DeKalb County is starting with its own fleet. The first vehicles to be powered by CNG will be the ones that deliver the garbage to the landfill in the first place - the garbage trucks.
DeKalb County Sanitation Department is initially converting 70 vehicles from diesel fuel to CNG. As diesel is currently selling for more than $4 a gallon, DeKalb County is forecasting fuel savings of $3 million over the next eight years. The county's goal is to eventually replace or adapt its entire fleet of 306 sanitation vehicles with natural gas vehicles over the same time period.
"The current price for CNG is almost half the amount of diesel fuel. Of course, we can make it for even less right here at the Seminole landfill and without any speculative fuel pricing risk," said Billy Malone, Assistant Director of Public Works/Sanitation Division.
The test phase of all the facility's machinery will be underway for several weeks. The plant will be connected to the commercial pipeline in early summer, and the on-site fueling station for sanitation trucks will be completed this fall.
The plant was constructed by ESG, one of the nation's premiere energy performance contractors. It was funded as part of President Barack Obama's stimulus funds through the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The DOE awarded a grant to the Clean Cities Atlanta Petroleum Reduction Program of which DeKalb County received $7.8 million for this project.
"We are turning 'Trash to Gas' and 'Gas to Cash', saving $3 million by using it in DeKalb County vehicles," said CEO Ellis. "We are, in fact, living up to our vision of being the Greenest Urban County in America and the place where your future lives."
Once it is fully operational, DeKalb County's Renewable Energy Facility will have the environmental equivalent of taking 30,000 cars off the road every year. It will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 17,000 tons, or what goes into the atmosphere from 17 million gallons of gasoline.
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CEO Ellis Panelist at Regionalism, Transportation Meetings
 As a leading voice for regional cooperation in metropolitan Atlanta, CEO Ellis participated in several events last month.
CEO Ellis served as a panelist during the Regional Transportation Act town hall meeting at Emory University. Among other issues, he rallied support for the referendum, citing the billions of dollars in projects slated for DeKalb if passed by voters in July.
CEO Ellis also discussed the importance of regional cooperation in addressing the challenges faced by major metropolitan areas across our nation during GOVERNING Magazine's Regional Conference at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis. CEO Ellis was joined by Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed and Catherine Ross, Ph.D., Director and Harry West Chair, Center for Quality Growth and Regional Development at Georgia Institute of Technology, as a panelist during the "Working Together to Build a Better Tomorrow" session. The panel discussion was moderated by Mark Funkhouser, Ph.D., Director of the GOVERNING Institute and former mayor of Kansas City, Missouri.
Later in the week, CEO Ellis participated in the Perimeter Community Improvement Districts' (CID) Executive Roundtable Luncheon at Villa Christina in Dunwoody. The "State of Perimeter" luncheon featured a panel discussion on regional transportation initiatives and ways the Perimeter CIDs can continue to work successfully with metropolitan Atlanta partners, including DeKalb County. In addition to CEO Ellis, panelists included Sandy Springs Mayor Eva Galambos and Dunwoody Mayor Mike Davis.
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CEO Ellis Announces ONE DeKalb Serves Initiative
 CEO Ellis recently launched ONE DeKalb Serves, a customer service initiative that provides customer feedback, training and performance measures to ensure transparency, accountability and operational efficiencies. The kick-off coincided with the inaugural Employee Recognition Program at the Porter Sanford III Performing Arts & Community Center.
"Our vision with ONE DeKalb Serves is to build strong, safe and healthy communities; provide efficient and effective government services; and ensure our actions support the greater good and the public interest of our citizens," said CEO Ellis.
 With the launch of ONE DeKalb Serves, DeKalb County reinforces its commitment to excellence in customer service. The first phase of ONE DeKalb Serves focuses on employees and includes surveys; training; non-monetary incentives; a new, interactive employee portal; quarterly employee recognitions; and an annual employee recognition event. The initiative is designed to empower employees to play an active role in creating a work environment where they flourish, and invites citizens, businesses and other stakeholders to help create the type of organization they enjoy working with through the completion of customer service surveys. Customer service surveys will be located on each department's website with computer kiosks located at selected county facilities.
Training will begin this month with 119 frontline employees across the county, including business license, water billing, sanitation, permitting, and police departments. All departments will be required to complete customer service training.
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DeKalb County Jobs Fair Draws More Than 1,300 Seekers
 More than 1,300 job seekers turned out to apply for the more than 1,600 positions available at the DeKalb County Jobs Fair on April 14. In celebration of National County Government Month (NCGM), CEO Ellis and the department of Workforce Development hosted the event that included employers who accepted applications from and interviewed prospective employees, and self-help workshops for those looking for employment. Employers included ONE DeKalb Works contractors, Allstate, MARTA, TJ Maxx, and Walmart.
"We thought it important to host a jobs fair because many of our citizens are still struggling to find employment," said CEO Ellis. "What is exciting, however, is that the number of jobs available outweighed the number of those looking, and that means the economy is turning around."
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Innovation Committee Holds Inaugural Meeting
CEO Ellis convened the first meeting of the DeKalb Innovation Committee and charged the group to find alternative technological, procedural and policy methods to improve operational efficiencies and reduce costs.
"DeKalb County, like other governments around the world, needs to identify and utilize innovation that will drive costs down while simultaneously improving the quality of the services to the people," said CEO Ellis. "DeKalb County's Innovation Committee is a leading example of how innovation can be fostered by bringing together multiple agencies and departments around this common goal."
CEO Ellis directed the group to prioritize objectives previously outlined in the DeKalb County Strategic Plan, focusing first on those items that will have the greatest impact for DeKalb County residents and the greatest effect on the bottom line.
"We must identify the cost savings to offset any incurred expenses that come with new innovations," said CEO Ellis.
CEO Ellis encouraged top managers to tackle the complex issues, such as optimizing revenue; increasing citizen safety; driving sustainability and optimizing resources; and improving citizen health and welfare.
The initial discussion was facilitated by Michael Littlejohn, Vice President, Smarter Cities Strategy and Business Development for IBM Global Business Services. DeKalb Innovation Committee members also include:
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Richard Stogner, Chief Operating Officer
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Dr. Jabari Simama, Chief of Staff
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Ted Rhinehart, Deputy Chief Operating Officer - Infrastructure
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Kelvin Walton, Deputy Chief Operating Officer - Administrative Services
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William "Wiz" Miller, Director of Public Safety
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Joel Gottlieb, Director of Finance
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Benita Ransom, Human Resources Director
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Joe Basista, Watershed Management Director
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Gary Cornell, Interim Director - Planning & Sustainability
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Charles Whatley, Economic Development Director
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Curtis Rawlings, Acting Director - Information Technology
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Nelly Withers, Chief Judge - Recorders Court
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Did You Know?
DeKalb is still raising funds to support March of Dimes. Join our effort.
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Job Well Done!
We commend John Moore, Paul Bullard, J. Fielder and D. Yarbrough who responded to a citizen's weekend call within three hours and went above and beyond the call of duty to provide excellent customer service.
This is what D.N. Earwood had to say:
"As it turns out, the problem was just behind the county box, and they found the leak in my sprinkler valve, which is my responsibility. They covered the box up again, put my sod back exactly as it was taken out and cleaned the area up. All of them were gentlemen, and I appreciate their good service, and they should be complimented...
...Thank you for your expedient and courteouse service."
Thank you John, Paul, J. Fielder and D. Yarbrough for a job well done.
Did a DeKalb County employee or department go beyond the call of duty to make your priorities our priority?
Please send us an email so that we can recognize him or her for a job well done.
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Mobile Career Center Schedule
May 12, noon - 5 p.m.
DeKalb Peachtree Airport
2000 Airport Road, Ste. 212
Atlanta, GA 30341
May 14, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Salem Panola Library
5137 Salem Road
Lithonia, GA 30038
May 15, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Wesley Chapel Library
2861 Wesley Chapel Road
Decatur, GA 30034
May 16, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Department of Family & Children Services
178 Sams Street
Decatur, GA 30030
May 17, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Redan-Trotti Library
1569 Wellborn Road
Lithonia, GA 30058
May 19, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Holiday Inn Perimeter Atlanta
4386 Chamblee Dunwoody Road
Atlanta, GA 30341
May 21, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Georgia Department of Human Services
2910 Miller Road
Decatur, GA 30035
May 22, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Atlanta VA Medical Center
1670 Clairmont Road
Decatur, GA 30033
May 23, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Tucker-Reid Cofer Library
5234 Lavista Road
Tucker, GA 30084
May 24, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Scott Candler Library
2644 McAfee Road
Decatur, GA 30032
May 29, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Wesley Chapel Library
2861 Wesley Chapel Road
Decatur, GA 30034
May 30, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Department of Family & Children Services
178 Sams Street
Decatur, GA 30030
May 31, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Covington Library
3500 Covington Highway
Decatur, GA 30032
For more information and to access a calendar with scheduled locations, please visit www.dekalbworkforce.org.
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CEO Burrell Ellis, in partnership with The Champion Newspaper, honored individuals and organizations making a difference in our community during the 3rd annual CEO's Community Hero Awards ceremony. The awards program, which was held at Callanwolde Fine Arts Center, highlighted the extraordinary contributions six individuals and four organizations have made in DeKalb County through volunteerism.
