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Hey y’all, before we get into it, two quick things: 1. Did you know if you have any questions or feedback you can just reply to this email? We read and reply to pretty much everything. 2. Next week we’ll be publishing Tuesday morning due to some staff vacation time, but then we’ll be back to our normal Monday morning routine.

Hey, Decatur! This week: the city is holding an Oct. 27 community meeting on a study evaluating lowering speed limits on all city streets to 25 mph, and DeKalb voters will decide on renewing the E-SPLOST education sales tax in November. Then we turn to a Halloween-heavy event calendar, from a midnight book party at Little Shop of Stories to trick-or-treating at Agnes Scott, so grab a pen and plan your week.

- News — Decatur's speed study meeting leads the way, followed by the DeKalb E-SPLOST renewal on the November ballot and a proposed expansion of the county's non-discrimination ordinance, now deferred to Nov. 5.
- Business — In nearby Candler Park, Little Tart Bakeshop and its Paris-inspired sister Midi are nearing a fall debut on McLendon Avenue.
- Events — Between a Court of Thorns and Roses midnight party, the Decatur Ghost Tour, the multi-day Doctor Faustus run (Oct. 29–Nov. 1), and plenty of Halloween fun for families and grown-ups alike, your calendar is about to fill up.
- Government — DeKalb commissioners pulled a $153,800 election-equipment contract from the agenda, City Schools of Decatur held a closed-door session, and a busy week of county and Avondale Estates meetings is ahead.
- Construction — A leaning red oak at 308 Clairmont Ave is slated for removal with a replacement required, while missed trash pickups and code violation reports top the service request list.

Let's dive in.

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Decatur to hold Oct. 27 meeting on city road speed limits
The meeting runs from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 27, at the Decatur Public Works Community Room, 2635 Talley St., and will cover a study evaluating lowering speed limits on all city streets to 25 mph. The City Commission approved a $150,000 contract with Toole Design Group in April, funded by the School Zone Safety Camera Program Fund.

Grammy Award-winning performer Lizzo stopped in Decatur on her book tour
Lizzo's book tour for "Lil Lizzo Meets Sasha B. Flootin" stopped at Little Shop of Stories, 133 E. Court Square, on Thursday, Oct. 22. Meet-and-greet tickets were $25 for single admission plus a book and $30 for a parent and child plus a book.

Proposed DeKalb County amendment seeks to expand LGBTQ+ non-discrimination laws
The amendment, sponsored by commissioners Robert Patrick, Michelle Long Spears, and Ted Terry, would extend the county's 2023 non-discrimination ordinance to cover housing and non-county employment. The Employee Relations and Public Safety Committee deferred its Oct. 20 discussion two weeks, with a meeting now set for Nov. 5 at 9 a.m.

Education sales tax renewal is on the ballot this November in DeKalb County: Here's what it would do
The one-cent E-SPLOST supports the DeKalb County School District, Atlanta Public Schools, and City Schools of Decatur, and approval would make this the sixth renewal, creating E-SPLOST VII. The district said it owed APS $2.9 million and City Schools of Decatur a little more than $9 million from E-SPLOST VI after a certificate of distribution was not submitted in 2022, and both have since been paid.

BUSINESS

Little Tart Bakeshop and Midi nearing debut in historic Candler Park strip — In nearby Candler Park, buildouts are nearing completion in the 1600 block of McLendon Avenue for the fourth Little Tart Bakeshop location and Midi, a sister Paris-inspired sandwich and cocktail concept led by owner Sarah O'Brien, with no opening date committed but a fall debut predicted.

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Monday, October 26
- Motion Pictures Heist Edition - Film & Music Night | Commune Listening Bar
- Everybody Needs Something with Melanie Pappadis Faranello | Decatur Library
- ABBAsolutely Mashed-Up & Discofied with The Neon Queen | Waller's Coffee Shop
- A Court of Thorns and Roses Midnight Release Party! | Little Shop of Stories
- Hops at the History Center: James “Red” Moore & the Atlanta Black Crackers | 101 E Court Square
- Candlelight Vigil for Elections | First Baptist Church of Decatur

Tuesday, October 27
- The Kevin Oliver, Jr. Group | Eddie's Attic
- Porchlight Fundraiser Concert | Waller's Coffee Shop
- Printmaking Class | Decatur Fine Art

Wednesday, October 28
- Nighttime Nature | Decatur Legacy Park, 720 S Columbia Dr
- Witch's Brew - Family Halloween STEM | Decatur Library
- Decatur Ghost Tour | Historic Courthouse Square
- Jesse Gold - 'Lucky Me' Live in Concert! (Oct. 28–29) | Eddie's Attic

Thursday, October 29
- Kodac Harrison's Last Thursday of Words & Song | Wild Heaven Beer
- The 4 Korners: Portal of Gold - 10th Anniversary Live Recording | Eddie's Attic
- Lawrence Wright | Redemption | First Baptist Church of Decatur, 308 Clairemont Ave
- Collage Class | Decatur Fine Art
- Doctor Faustus (Oct. 29–Nov. 1) | Pythagoras Masonic Temple
- Rick Sayler Memorial Jazz Concert | Waller's Coffee Shop

Friday, October 30
- Scream On The Square | Downtown Decatur Square
- Red Cross Blood Drive | Decatur Library
- Tai Chi in the Garden | Woodlands Garden
- Evening With - John Splithoff Stripped Tour | Eddie's Attic
- Pick-A-Sweet | Agnes Scott - Alston Campus Center
- Halloween Jam - Grades 3-5 | Ebster Gym
- Friday Night Live – 404 Theory – Modern Jazz Trio | The Reading Room
- Hippies & Cowboys at Avon Theater with Special Guest Parker Barrow | Avon Theater

Saturday, October 31
- Oakhurst Farmers Market | Sceptre Brewing Arts
- Trick or Treat Storytime | Decatur Library
- HALLOWEEN PARTY AT ROARING SOCIAL | Roaring Social Decatur
- Halloween costume contest | My Parent's Basement -Restaurant and Comics

Sunday, November 1
- MANGA DAY FESTIVAL | Olive + Pine
- Fabio Frizzi performing the Frizzi2Fulci concert with the F2F band | Wild Heaven Beer

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Note: our information comes from posted meetings documents (agendas and minutes when available) — latest source document hyperlinked to each meeting.

Past Week Roundup

City Schools of Decatur
The school board held a short special called meeting on Oct. 20, and members went straight into a closed executive session on personnel and legal matters. Georgia law bars formal votes in executive session, so the record shows no public action. Two school leadership teams also appeared on the calendar. The Oct. 19 team meeting at the upper elementary school covered the Sandy Hook Promise safety program, a facility update, a budget update, and the team's bylaws, with time set aside for public comment. The Oct. 21 team meeting left no agenda items or notes in the public record, so you'll need to check with the school directly to learn what happened.

DeKalb County Board of Commissioners
At its Committee of the Whole meeting on Oct. 20, commissioners set the agenda for the next regular board meeting. They pulled a proposed $153,800 contract to move election equipment, so it won't go to the full board for now. They also advanced eminent domain filings for two properties tied to the Constitution Road Freight Corridor project, and both will get public hearings. Commissioners moved about $285,000 in federal pandemic-relief interest funds for eviction, utility, and food assistance in District 5 onto the consent agenda, along with $100,000 for mental health services in District 1. Two multiyear contracts worth roughly $55 million each, one for general contractors and one for watershed construction management, went to standing committees for review. The county also held a special called meeting that morning, but no agenda or minutes are published yet, so what happened there isn't clear.

Notable Neighborhood Mentions

DeKalb County Board of Commissioners
- 3316 Fayetteville Rd — The committee approved advancing a declaration of taking for a temporary construction easement at this property for $2,205 to support the Constitution Road Freight Corridor Improvement project.

Meetings This Week
- DeKalb County School District — Board of Education | Oct-26 | key topics: joint intergovernmental work session, student safety and wellness, workforce pathways, shared facilities
- DeKalb County Board of Commissioners — Board of Commissioners | Oct-27, 9:00 AM | key topics: YMCA facility purchase, residential rezonings on Gresham Road and Old Briarcliff Road, HUD park grants, street drifting and camping ordinances
- City of Avondale Estates — Board of Mayor and Commissioners Regular | Oct-28 | key topics: city statement on Flock ALPR cameras, public comment
- City of Avondale Estates — Board of Mayor and Commissioners | Oct-28 | key topics: Washington and Pine stormwater contract revision, dam rehabilitation update, FY 2027 draft budget, 2026 Comprehensive Plan
- City of Decatur — Active Transportation Committee | Nov-02
- City of Decatur — City Commission Meeting | Nov-02

CONSTRUCTION | Presented by

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Permits
- Kelly St (Scottdale): $304,851 single-family detached home permit, now closed. The listing mentions a 4-ton heat pump, a toilet fan and a dryer vent, so the work is wrapped up.
- 2741 E College Ave: Commercial apartment permit for an irrigation meter installation, now closed. The apartments are getting their landscaping hooked up.
- 308 Clairmont Ave: Commercial tree removal permit issued for one large tree leaning over a sports field with decay at its base. The permit requires a red oak replacement, so you'll see a new tree there eventually.

Service Requests
- Code Violations: Nine reports came in, including two on New St and others on W Ponce de Leon Ave, Church St, the 125-161 block of W Davis St, and S McDonough St. Three more locations round out the list.
- Missed Sanitation Collection: Six reports cover Sycamore St (two reports), S McDonough St, the 207-303 block of Wilton Dr, Lansdowne Ave, and Geneva St. If your bin got skipped, you're not alone.
- City Parks and Greenspace Maintenance: You'll find three reports on the 425-521 block of Westchester Dr, Charter Sq, and the 149-199 block of Norris St.
- Street Signs: Three reports target Forkner Dr and Old Decatur Cir, E Trinity Pl, and W Ponce de Leon Ave.
- Street Maintenance: Sycamore St and Charter Sq each have a report.
- Sidewalk Maintenance: Someone flagged Greenwood Pl and W Ponce de Leon Ave.
- Vegetation Maintenance: Greenwood Pl has a report for overgrowth.
- Tree Maintenance: Spring St has a request in.
- Cemetery Issues: Church St has a report tied to the cemetery.
- City Facilities Maintenance: Kings Hwy and Ansley St has a report.

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Until next week,
Decatur Busybody

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Disclaimer: We use advanced data retrieval and analysis techniques across hundreds of sources, and may be prone to occasional error. Independently verify information with a secondary source, and please let us know if we got anything wrong via the feedback form.