North Decatur: School Board Runoffs, a Lawsuit, and World Cup Coming to Decatur

Hey, North Decatur! A lot is in motion this week. The DeKalb School Board races are headed to runoffs just as former district executives file a multi-million dollar lawsuit against the district, and Decatur Square is officially getting more than 60 World Cup matches on big screens next summer. Plenty to dig into below.

- News — DeKalb School Board races go to runoffs while a multi-million dollar lawsuit from former executives adds serious financial stakes, and Decatur Square lands a FIFA-sanctioned World Cup watch party running six weeks next summer.
- Events — A packed week runs from Dino Talk at Fernbank and a climate book talk at Charis to Grindhouse's 10-year anniversary party and a Decatur FC home match on Saturday.
- Government — Commissioners vote Tuesday on 2026 millage rates, sanitation fee hikes, and a new roundabout at Clairmont and Rosecliff — and a Thursday zoning meeting includes a drive-through permit at 2960 North Druid Hills Road.
- Construction — The $75M Lulah Hills Mall redevelopment is now permitted, sewer crews are heading to Cliff Valley Way, and three overlapping road projects are in the pipeline for North Druid Hills Road.

Let's dive in.

NEWS | Presented by

The Clean Collective is a local natural cleaning company that specializes in creating healthy, calm, safe home environments using non-toxic products that are safe for kids and pets. Whether families need recurring cleaning, a deep refresh, or support during a move, their goal is simple: help lighten the mental load at home and give people more time for what matters most.

DeKalb County Commission and School Board Races Head to Runoffs
The May 19 primary didn't settle everything — several DeKalb Commission and School Board races are heading to runoffs, meaning voters get another say before the dust settles. For residents, the School Board outcome carries real weight: whoever wins will help shape education policy for thousands of students in the district.

Former Executives Sue DeKalb County Schools for Millions
Former top officials at the DeKalb County School District have filed a multi-million dollar lawsuit against their former employer, and the timing couldn't be more awkward, given that runoff races for School Board seats are already underway. If the plaintiffs prevail, the fiscal hit would land squarely on a district that serves our communities.

DeKalb County Primary Elections Conclude with Smooth Turnout
By most accounts, May 19 went off without a hitch across North Druid Hills, Sagamore Hills, Northlake, and the broader North Decatur corridor. Now that the field is set, attention turns to the general election, where the winners will be making decisions on the infrastructure and park maintenance issues that directly affect daily life in these neighborhoods.

Decatur WatchFest '26 to show 60-plus World Cup matches on the Square
FIFA has signed off on Decatur WatchFest '26, which means Decatur Square is about to become one of the best places in metro Atlanta to catch the World Cup, with more than 60 matches on big screens from June 11 through July 19. Neighbors should mark their calendars now, because this is the kind of once-every-few-decades event that turns a town square into something genuinely electric.

EVENTS | Presented by

Have a Disney trip coming up? Save yourself hours in line with RideAlert. RideAlert watches your favorite rides and notifies you when the line drops. Simply pick your rides and get pinged. Start for free today.

Tuesday, May 26
- Tuesday Trivia @ Toco Hills | Wild Heaven Toco Hills
- Weekday Winning: Toco Tuesdays | Wild Heaven Toco Hills
- Truckin' Tuesdays | Legacy Park

Wednesday, May 27
- American Red Cross Blood Drive | Avis Williams Library - DeKalb County
- Weekday Winning: Wicked Good Wednesday | Wild Heaven Toco Hills
- Senior Health & Fitness Day Fair | Decatur Recreation Center
- Dino Talk | Fernbank Museum of Natural History

Thursday, May 28
- Resistance Bands Exercise Class | Avis Williams Library - DeKalb County
- Weekday Winning: Thirsty Thursday | Wild Heaven Toco Hills
- Climate Wayfinding: Healing Ourselves and the Planet We Call Home -- Katharine K. Wilkinson in conversation with Kimberly Reeves | Charis Books & More
- Kennedy Ryan & Jahquel J Book Talk | First Baptist Church of Decatur
- Singing Workshop in the Pavilion – May | Woodlands Garden

Friday, May 29
- May Front Yard Friday - host needed | Sagamore Hills Civic Association
- Riverside Train Band | Napoleon's Grill
- Toy Park Rangers | Wild Heaven Toco Hills
- Friday Movies | Avis Williams Library - DeKalb County
- May 29th The Heckin' Drawin' Club | Heck House
- Opening Reception: Homeland Exhibition | Decatur Library

Saturday, May 30
- Waits for No Man | Wild Heaven Toco Hills
- Sci-fi Worlds without end World building workshop | Northlake Mall
- Grindhouse Killer Burgers 10-Year Anniversary Party | Grindhouse Killer Burgers
- Decatur FC VS. UFA | Decatur High School
- Brookhaven Farmers Market | Brookhaven Farmers Market
- Burbanck Park Spring Workday | Druid Hills Civic Association Events

Sunday, May 31
- Atlanta Ragtime Band | Wild Heaven Toco Hills
- Music in the Garden | Woodlands Garden
- Jimmy Fest | Wild Heaven Beer

Business news in 5 minutes flat. Morning Brew breaks down markets, tech, and the economy — clearly, quickly, and with serious personality. 100% free. Join 4M+ Readers.

GOVERNMENT

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

Past Week Roundup

DeKalb County Board of Commissioners

The Board's Committee of the Whole convened May 21 and advanced a slate of measures that will hit residents where it counts — in their property tax bills and monthly service costs. The committee accepted the tentative 2026 millage rates, kicking off the formal process for setting this year's property tax bills, and moved forward with proposals to raise fees for both residential and commercial sanitation service as well as landfill tipping fees. Public parking rates at several county-owned facilities are also on track for an increase, and a proposed extension of the existing moratorium on adult entertainment establishments was sent toward a public hearing. On the infrastructure side, the committee advanced county support for GDOT-led roundabout construction at two significant intersections — one on Ponce De Leon Avenue and one on Clairmont Road — projects that could meaningfully change traffic flow for drivers across the county. Several spending items also cleared the committee, including nearly $100,000 from District 1 reserves for a childcare needs assessment, smaller neighborhood grants from District 3 for senior home repairs and a summer academy, and a suite of airport projects at Peachtree DeKalb totaling well over $2 million. Note that a Special Called Meeting was also scheduled for the morning of May 21, but no agenda or minutes documents were available; any items from that session remain unknown at this time.

Notable Neighborhood Mentions

DeKalb County Board of Commissioners — Committee of the Whole
- SR 155/Clairmont Road at Rosecliff Drive — The committee advanced official county support for a GDOT roundabout construction project at this intersection, moving it toward a full Board of Commissioners vote.

Meetings This Week
- DeKalb County Board of Commissioners — Board of Commissioners — Tuesday, May 26, 2026 at 9:00 AM
Commissioners are scheduled to take up the county's tentative 2026 millage rates, proposed fee increases for residential sanitation and stormwater services, and a public hearing on extending the moratorium on new adult entertainment businesses. Also on the agenda: a $1.86 million security upgrade at DeKalb-Peachtree Airport and a crackdown on illegal scrap tire dumping. A new roundabout at Clairmont Road at Rosecliff Drive is scheduled to be considered.

- DeKalb County Board of Commissioners — Committee of the Whole — Tuesday, May 26, 2026 at 9:00 AM
- DeKalb County Board of Commissioners — Zoning Meeting — Thursday, May 28, 2026 at 5:30 PM
The board will hear a slate of rezoning requests and special land use permits, including a 214-unit single-family subdivision proposed by D.R. Horton near Norris Lake and a QuikTrip development on Memorial Drive seeking permits for a car wash, fuel pumps, and alcohol sales. Also on the agenda are county-wide text amendments covering short-term rental taxes and a new "Repeated Nuisance" property ordinance. A drive-through permit for 2960 North Druid Hills Road is scheduled to be considered.

CONSTRUCTION | Presented by

If you’re in need of commercial or residential roofing installation and repair services, look no further than Nailed It Roofing. Contact them today for a free quote: 770-241-5648

Permits
- 2050 Lawrenceville Hwy — $75M mixed-use development permitted. The Lulah Hills Mall redevelopment by Edens is moving forward with 303 multifamily units and ground-floor retail — one of the larger projects to hit this corridor in years. (Note: permit appears twice in the data, likely covering separate scopes.)
- Stonecliff Ct — $350K new construction underway. A two-story home on a basement with a three-car garage, deck, porch, and driveway. Expect active construction traffic on this residential street.
- McLendon Dr — $95K inground pool (38x25) permitted. A big dig — neighbors should expect equipment and noise during excavation.
- Tanglewood Rd — $58K deck and gazebo demolition filed. The old wood deck and attached gazebo are coming down, to be replaced with composite. Closed out quickly, so work may already be done.
- 1935 Cliff Valley Way — DeKalb County field office established for its Sewer Assessment and Rehabilitation Program (PASARP Package 7). This is infrastructure work tied to a federal consent decree — if you're near active sewer lines in the area, you may notice crews and equipment in coming weeks.
- 3500 Peachtree Rd NE — Multiple commercial permits issued covering electrical, plumbing, and HVAC work. A full mechanical buildout suggests a tenant is fitting out space here.

Road Work

Under Construction
- SR-236 EB at SR-155 Left Turn Lane Extension (DeKalb County) — GDOT is extending the left turn lane at the SR-236/SR-155 intersection, about 1.5 miles from the neighborhood. If you're heading eastbound on 236 toward that junction, expect some lane disruption during active work windows.
- SR-10, SR-13 & SR-410 Bridge Preservation — 6 Locations (DeKalb County) — Bridge work is underway at six spots across DeKalb, covering polymer overlay application, superstructure painting, deck repairs, joint replacement, header work, and vegetation clearing. The spread of locations means there's a reasonable chance at least one of these touches a route you use regularly — worth checking before you head out.

Pre-Construction

- North Druid Hills Road Corridor (DeKalb County) — This stretch is getting significant attention on multiple fronts. A bridge replacement is planned along the 2,600-foot corridor between Spring Creek Drive and Willivee Drive. Separately, signal improvements are coming at the US 78/SR-410 westbound exit ramp at North Druid Hills Road, along with lane widening to add eastbound capacity. A third project will extend the existing shared through/right-turn lane on North Druid Hills Road at SR-410 by about 245 feet. That's three overlapping projects on one corridor — worth keeping an eye on once construction schedules are announced.
- SR-155/Clairmont Road Improvements (DeKalb County) — A 1.5-mile corridor upgrade is planned along Clairmont Road between the I-85 northbound exit ramp and LaVista Road. Details on the full scope are still limited, but this is a busy stretch and any construction will be felt.
- SR-155 @ North Druid Hills Road Pedestrian Improvements (DeKalb County) — Sidewalk and shared-use path construction is planned along North Druid Hills Road, with a shared-use path on the south side and a 6-foot sidewalk on the north side.
- SR-155 @ SR-236 Restriping (DeKalb County) — A restriping project is funded at the intersection of Clairmont Road and LaVista Road. Low-impact but useful for a busy intersection.
- SR-236 Resurfacing (DeKalb County) — LaVista Road from the Fulton County line to I-285 is slated for resurfacing to address a low pavement condition score. About a mile of relief for a road that needs it.
- I-285 Bridge Preservation (DeKalb County) — Four bridge locations along I-285 in DeKalb are funded for preservation work including polymer overlay, repainting, joint replacement, and header repair. Expect some lane impacts when this eventually moves to construction.