The Official Newsletter of the

North Briarcliff Civic Association October - December 2016

NBCA Board Members 2015-2016

Art Hansen, President ........................................................... 404-702-9194 NBCA PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
........................................................................president@northbriarcliff.org
Tom Jordan, Vice-President ..........................................vp@northbriarcliff.org By Art Hansen
Lorelle Morrow, Secretary ................................ secretary@northbriarcliff.org
John Morrow, Treasurer ....................................treasurer@northbriarcliff.org
We Need to Resolve the Interrelated
Newsletter Editor ..................................................editor@northbriarcliff.org
Problems of the Echo Lake Basin
Laura Bulbin................................................................................................. The North Briarcliff Civic Association (NBCA) wants
Tom Burrell .................................................................................................. DeKalb County and local homeowners to become more
actively involved in resolving the immediate and interrelated
Ralph Carl, Schools ...............................................schools@northbriarcliff.org
problems of the Echo Lake Basin. What are the problems?
Larry Foster, PDK Watch ........................................... pdk@northbriarcliff.org Who is affected? Where are the resources? Who is responsible?
Michael Gross, Neighborhood Watch......................nwatch@northbriarcliff.org
What are the Problems? The problems include:
Michael Leidner ............................................................................................
Ben Shackleford ........................................................................................... The threat to public safety caused by the intermittent
flooding of the important intersection of Briarcliff Road
NBCA Off-Board Members 2015-2016 and Briarlake Road.

Cynthia Baur .................................................propertytax@northbriarcliff.org The stormwater flooding of other streets and many
neighborhood yards.
Kyle Johnson, Webmaster...............................webmaster@northbriarcliff.org
Beth Nathan, Mary Scott Nature Park ..................... parks@northbriarcliff.org The environmental degradation caused by erosion,
the loss of natural streamside buffers, silting and
Billie Sherrod, I-85 Interchange Garden ...........interchange@northbriarcliff.org sedimentation in our lakes and creeks.
Cindy Williams, Watershed .................................... creeks@northbriarcliff.org
The economic costs suffered by local homeowners,
Neighborhood Watch Coordinators ........................nwatch@northbriarcliff.org including water damage to homes and yards, the cost
of dredging lakes and removing silt, and the loss of
EXERCISE YOUR RIGHT TO VOTE property values when existing homes are downgraded
because they are now in a flood plain.
VOTE NOVEMBER 8, 2016
IN THE GENERAL ELECTION We want to make it very clear that the intermittent
flooding of the Briarcliff-Briarlake intersection is a public
Many people around the world are fighting for the health hazard. Briarcliff and Briarlake carry a lot of traffic,
cherished right to choose their political leaders. This and Lakeside High School is on Briarcliff just south of the
November 8th, exercise your right to elect the people intersection. When that intersection floods, students trying
who will represent you. to reach the high school have to wade through the flooded
intersection, and traffic backs up for blocks on Briarcliff,
Briarlake, Shallowford, and Oak Grove Roads.
NBCA ANNUAL MEETING OCTOBER 18TH
See Details top of page 3. Public safety is endangered when this flooded
intersection blocks essential traffic, forces school children
to wade through murky waist-deep water, strands cars and
drivers, and increases the risk of traffic accidents. A student
has already been injured wading through this intersection
(described elsewhere in this issue).
The flooding of this intersection cannot be addressed as
if it were an isolated problem. The flooding is interrelated
with other problems, such as inadequate management of
Continued on page 4
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 North Briarcliff
2016 ANNUAL MEETING OF THE
NORTH BRIARCLIFF CIVIC ASSOCIATION
TUESDAY NIGHT, OCTOBER 18, 2016
Inside This Issue...
6:30 to 9:00 P.M.
BRIARCLIFF UNITED METHODIST CHURCH NBCA President's Message .........................Front Cover
SANCTUARY
4105 BRIARCLIFF ROAD NE NBCA Board 2015-2016.............................Front Cover
Elect Your 2017 NBCA Board Members Community Public Safety
All neighbors are welcome to attend. Only dues-paying
members may nominate and vote to elect board members. A Lakeside HS Student Was Injured
The board has a slate of nominees, and other nominations
may be made from the floor.
In The Flooded Intersection ........................................Page 5
Presentation on Planned Changes to Northlake Mall
Presentation on Proposed Constitutional Amendment:
Community Watershed
"Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended to allow Subscribe To CreekTalk ..............................................Page 6
the state to intervene in chronically failing public schools
in order to improve student performance?" The Problem Of Sedimentation
And Three Sources Of Silt ..........................................Page 6
SEEKING Community Schools

VOLUNTEERS
The NBCA asks you to consider volunteering to serve your community. We need (1) someone to edit
Hawthorne Elementary School STEM
What is New? ........................................................Page 12

the newsletter and (2) one or more people to coordinate our Neighborhood Watch program. Please Community Library
contact one of the board members if you are willing to serve in either capacity or are willing to assist or
backup the editor or NW coordinator.
Every Student Should Have A Library Card ..................Page 13

The North Briarcliff Civic Association Newsletter is a publication of KDA Communications.

Community Park and Greenspace
Subject matter published is the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the
opinion of the publisher of this newsletter. Professional advice should be obtained before
making any decision in which a professional is readily available. Advertisers assume
News From Mary Scott Nature Park (MSNP) ..............Page 14
responsibility for the content of the ads placed in this publication. Material published may
not be reproduced without the written permission of KDA Communications.
The information and advertisements contained in this Newsletter are provided for the
Community Courtesy Being a Good Neighbor
members of the North Briarcliff Community as a courtesy only. No representations are
made as to information presented, the quality of the goods or services advertised, or the The Big Dog Says - Pick Up The Poop! .......................Page 15
veracity of the statements relating to the goods and services. The printing of opinions,
information or advertisements does not constitute an endorsement by the Neighborhood of
such opinions, information, goods or services.
2016 NBCA Membership Form .................................Page 18
Contact us today for more information!
678.905.4842 sales@kda-communications.com We welcome your neighborhood photos and news items for the
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newsletter; please send to: editor@northbriarcliff.org

October - December 2016 North Briarcliff 3

 North Briarcliff Community President's Message
WE NEED TO RESOLVE THE INTERRELATED PROBLEMS OF THE ECHO LAKE BASIN - CONT'D
stormwater, erosion, and drainage and lax enforcement of
existing zoning and environmental policies and regulations.
These current problems are the result of decades of poorly
managed development, poor planning, and misguided
priorities in allocating public resources and enforcing
regulations.
Who is Affected? The North Briarcliff Civic Association
(NBCA) represents approximately 1,400 homeowners, and
the Echo Lake Basin extends to include many additional
neighborhoods and thousands of additional homeowners
and voters. In addition to these people living in the area,
the flooded intersection affects thousands of other people
who transit through this area every workday.
Where are the Resources? We know that public
resources are limited, and there are competing priorities.
DeKalb County faces a number of problems, ranging from
controlling sewage spills, repaving roads and renovating
aging schools to correcting misuse of public resources and
regaining public trust. We are asserting that the public
health hazard means that resolving these Echo Lake Basin
problems deserves a higher priority.
In addition to the countys current resources, a
potential source of funding for improving the Basin might
be a SPLOST (Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax)
that the county probably will propose in the near future
(not this November). The SPLOST will be a one percent
sales tax that, if approved, would be expected to generate
more than 500 million dollars in revenue countywide over
five years. The revenue produced by the SPLOST will be
dedicated to capital improvement projects. We assert that
a very high priority capital improvement project for the
county should be correcting the conditions that permit
continued flooding of the intersection of Briarcliff and
Briarlake Roads.
Who is Responsible? Three county commissioners
represent the neighborhoods immediately affected --
Nancy Jester (District 1), Jeff Rader (District 2) and Kathie
Ace Hardware of Toco Hills
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4 www.northbriarcliff.org
Gannon (Super District 6). Commissioner Jeff Rader
has been very helpful in encouraging the county to
become more aggressive in planning and implementing
steps to address the problems. We anticipate that the
other commissioners will also become more involved.
A number of county offices are responsible for
the problems (and for correcting the problems).
These include Planning and Sustainability (including
Development), Public Safety, Public Works
(including Roads and Drainage Division, Natural
Resources Management, Stormwater Utility, etc.),
Watershed Management, Wildlife Resources, Facilities
Management, and the Board of Education and School
System.
Some Georgia state offices are relevant and
responsible, including the Environmental Protection
Division, Department of Natural Resources,
Departments of Public Health and Public Safety, and
the Soil and Water Conservation Commission. Some
examples of relevant national offices are the Federal
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Fish
and Wildlife Service.
Our Responsibility. We, the homeowners living
in this area, are also responsible. To some extent, our
homes, yards, cutting of trees and ways of dealing with
yard waste and garbage contribute to the problems,
which also means that we have the ability to improve
conditions by changing our practices.
We also have the responsibility as citizens and voters
to express our concerns through phone calls, emails,
and letters to our representatives and county officials,
through our votes at elections, and through organizing
with our neighbors to more effectively represent
ourselves and our interests. In addition to seeking
county funding, we should seek alternative sources of
funding from state and federal agencies and private
foundations that protect the environment and conserve
natural resources.
The NBCA already sponsored a public meeting
(August 9, 2016) to discuss these issues. A summary
and the Powerpoint presentation from that meeting may
be accessed through our website. You also may access
through our website a topographic map that shows the
dramatic flood plains, multiple man-made lakes and
many small tributaries in our area that flow into the
North Fork of Peachtree Creek.
We will sponsor additional watershed-related
meetings in the future. We will publicize future events
on our website, but a better way for you to remain
informed and become more involved is to subscribe to
CreekTalk (described elsewhere in this issue).
October - December 2016

A LAKESIDE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT WAS INJURED IN THE FLOODED INTERSECTION
by Art Hansen
In the last issue of this newsletter, I reported that
we had been very fortunate because no one had
been injured crossing the flooded intersection of
Briarcliff Road and Briarlake Road. To the best of
our knowledge at that time, no one wading through
the murky water had been injured (sprained ankles
or worse) by stepping into unseen potholes, curbs or
storm drains (see A Threat to Public Safety in the
July-September 2016 issue).
As soon as that newsletter arrived in your mailboxes,
I learned that we were mistaken. After reading the
article, one of our readers contacted me to report
that her son, a student at Lakeside High School, was
injured crossing that flooded intersection in February
of this year. The following quotes her report to us:
Flooding in the area became personal
when my son incurred this injury on
February 3, 2016 on Briarcliff Road on his
way to school (see photographs). A car had
stalled on Briarcliff, with water up to the
front headlights. Water was flowing above
the pavement, from the marsh (the cattail
lake) to Echo Lake causing traffic to be at a
standstill.
After waiting ten minutes without moving,
my son and friend opted to walk from
Briarlake Road, up the hill, to Lakeside High
School. The lowest point of the sidewalk
next to the marsh across from Echo Lake
was under 4 inches of water. (Editors note:
Although only four inches deep, the murky
(Photo by Teresa Morris) February 3, (Photo by Teresa Morris) February 3,
2016. After the water receded, the 2016. The students injured left leg
manhole in the sidewalk was covered after being medicated.
and looked innocent.
October - December 2016 North Briarcliff
Community Public Safety North Briarcliff
water concealed the sidewalk.)
My son stepped into an uncovered manhole
on the sidewalk (lifted, we believe, by
hydrostatic pressure from the flooding in
the storm sewer line) and cut up his left leg.
When we drove by an hour and half later,
the manhole cover was restored, and there
was no evidence of flooding on the street.
I reported the incident and flooding to
DeKalb Countys Watershed Management
Department the following day.
As a resident in the Northlake Area, I am
concerned that we have a growing flooding
problem that needs a long term solution.
This exceeds silt accumulating in Echo Lake
(which has been a long standing problem);
this is about:
personal safety as it is en route to several
schools: Lakeside, Henderson Middle,
Globe Academy, Hawthorne, and
Shallowford Presbyterian School;
vehicular safety as Briarlake and Briarcliff
Roads are a major traffic route; and
protection of property values.
This mothers son was injured in February 2016.
This will not be the last time that the Briarcliff-
Briarlake intersection becomes flooded. How long
are we supposed to wait before this threat to public
safety is corrected? Does someone have to die before
the county pays attention to this hazardous situation?
(Photo by Art Hansen) July 16, 2016. (Photo by Art Hansen) July 16, 2016.
More than five months later, the Close-up. The leg still shows a scar
student is standing beside the same more than five months after the injury.
manhole cover.
5
 North Briarcliff Community Watershed
SUBSCRIBE TO CREEKTALK
CreekTalk is an email-based discussion group that
focuses on managing our natural water resources. The
group is designed to be open to everyone living in the
neighborhoods in the watershed of the North Fork of
Peachtree Creek.
SUBSCRIBE TO CREEK TALK if you are
concerned about our creeks and lakes and want
to be actively involved in discussing and deciding
what should be done about our watershed. This
communication system provides the opportunity for
discussion among everyone interested in this topic
from flooding prevention to recreational possibilities to
maintenance needs and methods anything related to the
local creeks, lakes and stormwater runoff in the watershed
of the North Fork of Peachtree Creek. CreekTalk also has a
website where resource lists, proposal documentation and
similar materials may be displayed and shared on a semi-
permanent basis; see https://creektalk.groups.io/g/main
JOINING is simple. Just send an email to
main+subscribe@CreekTalk.groups.io
SPEAKING and participating are simple.
Subscribers just send an email to main@CreekTalk.groups.
io Any subscribers email is automatically distributed to
all subscribers.
LEAVING is simple. If you ever want to discontinue
your subscription, just send an email to main+unsubscribe@
CreekTalk.groups.io
THE PROBLEM OF SEDIMENTATION AND THREE SOURCES OF SILT
by Art Hansen
Silting and sedimentation are key factors behind the
flooding of the Briarcliff-Briarlake intersection and must
be addressed as part of resolving the problem of that
intersection.
Sedimentation in Our Lakes and Creeks
Sedimentation is a major problem for our local lakes.
Our local lakes help to manage stormwater and minimize
flooding because they function as retainer ponds. Creeks
channel the runoff from heavy rains into each lake, which
absorbs and holds a lot of that runoff instead of allowing
the water to rush downstream unimpeded. Unfortunately,
the creeks also channel silt into each lake. Some of that
silt washes over the dam, but much of that silt settles
as sediment to the bottom of the lake. Over time, the
sedimentation raises the level of the lakebed, and the lake
becomes shallower.
One consequence of sedimentation is that the shallower
lake cannot retain as much runoff, which diminishes the
6 www.northbriarcliff.org October - December 2016
CreekTalk is a discussion group; please treat
it like an ongoing virtual meeting by listening
to what others are saying and contributing
your knowledge and opinions. Rude or
disrespectful behavior will be cause for any
subscriber to be cautioned and potentially
removed from the group.
The North Briarcliff Civic Association (NBCA) created
CreekTalk to:
Provide a venue where people may share ideas,
concerns and information about watershed-oriented
current events and meetings, resources, cases with
good and bad outcomes, etc.
Increase the potential for reaching decisions about
shared concerns (such as managing erosion and
sedimentation, reducing stormwater runoff and
flooding, reducing or sharing the cost of dredging,
creating greenways, etc.).
Motivate a large enough active constituency to
make things happen.
Help bring together the people who are concerned
about the health and usage of local creeks and lakes by
subscribing to CreekTalk and also asking appropriate
friends and neighbors to subscribe.
lakes ability to minimize stormwater flooding downstream.
Another consequence is that, without intervention, the lake
might eventually fill with sediment and become more like a
swamp, which is what happened to the swampy area on the
southeast corner of the Briarcliff-Briarlake intersection.
An immediate intervention is dredging the sediment
from the lake, but dredging and then hauling away the
dredged silt are expensive operations. Even though the
lakes perform a public service by managing stormwater and
minimizing flooding, and even though the silt originates
from the properties upstream from the lakes, right now
the total cost of dredging and hauling away the silt is the
responsibility of the homeowners around each lake.
Silting and sedimentation also contribute to more
flooding by the creeks. When silt settles to the bottom
of creekbeds, that sedimentation raises the level of the
creekbeds, which results in more flooding of creekside
properties.
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 North Briarcliff Community Watershed

Another intervention is cutting back on the

amount of silt that is washed into the creeks
and lakes. Where does the silt come from, and
what might we do to diminish the amount that
is washed into the creeks and lakes?
Construction is One Source of Silt
One source of silt is from construction.
Even those construction crews that are trying
to minimize their impact have to disturb the
grounds natural cover, exposing raw dirt that
heavy rains may wash into ravines and creeks.
The same problem occurs when a homeowner
clear-cuts trees and natural vegetation. In order
to minimize or eliminate this erosion, county,
state and federal agencies have established
(Photo by Art Hansen) April 14, 2016. The construction site for the new FBI
legally-defined streamside and lakeside buffer building with earthmoving equipment on top of the hill. An open fire hydrant
zones. Construction and clear-cutting are gushed water onto the raw earth. An erosion barrier had been constructed; this
prohibited within those buffer zones. Those was the two temporary fences of black material supported by wooden posts
zoning regulations need to be enforced, with mulch or straw filling the space between the fences. However, the barrier
which also means denying requests for zoning was defeated by the muddy water flowing underneath the fences into the street.
variances within those buffer zones.
Many construction crews do not even
attempt to control the erosion caused by
their work. Unfortunately, the county is
sometimes complicit in this erosion. For
example, the construction of the new Federal
Bureau of Investigation (FBI) building on
Flowers Road displayed blatant disregard for
the environmental impact. When I passed
the construction site on April 14, 2016, the
DeKalb County Department of Watershed
Management was assisting the construction
crew by opening three fire hydrants and
allowing the water to gush from the hydrants.
The powerful jets of water swept raw dirt from
the site onto Flowers Road, where the muddy (Photo by Art Hansen) April 14, 2016. The same construction site with another open
water filled the gutters and flooded both lanes fire hydrant gushing water toward the street. Cars splashed water as they travelled
along flooded Flowers Road. The water flowed past the cars and around the curve
of the road before running down the road into in the road to dump into the North Fork of Peachtree Creek.
the North Fork of Peachtree Creek.
Storm Drains are Another Manmade
Source of Silt
We tend not to think about where the
stormwater goes when it disappears into the storm
drain. Out of sight, out of mind. We probably
imagine that the stormwater problem has been
resolved. Unfortunately, the drain may have been
poorly designed and may be causing erosion.
One of our members on Shasta Way reported
this problem with two storm drains, one on each
side of the street. One drain has a Keep it Clean.
Drains to River metal sign on top. The two
drains converge into one 18-inch diameter pipe (Photo by Art Hansen) April 14, 2016. The same construction site with the open
underground. The street is 40 feet above the level fire hydrant gushing in the background. Red muddy water overflowed into the
gutter and then flowed downhill into the North Fork of Peachtree Creek.

8 www.northbriarcliff.org October - December 2016

 Community Watershed North Briarcliff
of the creek and more than 150 feet north of the creek.
Unfortunately, the outlet for the drains stops only about
halfway to the creek and only 10 feet below street level. At
that point, all the collected stormwater is loosed to erode
the hillside while dropping the remaining 30 feet into the
creek.
The photographs (by John Humphreys and Art
Hansen) demonstrate the extent of the erosion that has
been occurring for decades, ever since the street was laid
and the inadequate storm drains were constructed. One
obvious way to cut back on the silting and sedimentation
of our creeks and lakes is for the county to correct any
inadequate storm drains. In this case, the obvious solution
is for the county to extend the piping to the creek.
Please check the storm drains near your house.
Are they causing erosion? If so, please let us know
the location of the faulty storm drains. Email creeks@
Coming from the outlet in the background, the stormwater rushes over
northbriarcliff.org or, if you do not use email, mail us a
the exposed tree roots.
letter. We will notify the county to correct those drains.

The storm drain looks adequate but camouflages the resulting

erosion.
The eroded hillside. Top left is an open concrete chute that drains a
neighbors driveway.

The drain stops 30 feet above the creek below. The stormwater has dug a trench in the hillside.

October - December 2016 North Briarcliff 9

 North Briarcliff Community Watershed

This shows stormwater rushing down the gully last December.

Farther down the hillside, the trench or gully is deeper. Chunks of logs
have been thrown in the gully in an attempt to slow the erosion. Natural Sources of Erosion and Silt
Stormwater runs downhill, creating natural (not
manmade) sources of silt that run into our creeks. There is
no simple solution for this source of silt. One example of
the erosion caused by this is a gully that starts in the space
between the backyards of people living on Shasta Way and
on Bry Mar Drive. Stormwater created this waterway
running down to the same creek that, a little downstream,
receives the silt from the Shasta Way storm drains.
The erosion has undercut and toppled trees and, farther
downhill, dug a deep hole and created a gully. At some
time in the past, someone built a small dam across the
spillway, but silting filled the area behind the dam so that
water and silt will now flow over the top. The photographs
(by Art Hansen) also show that some people have used this
area as a dump.
The gully ends at the creek.

The erosion has exposed tree roots and undercut trees from the top to The erosion in this naturally-occurring waterway has undercut and
the bottom of the eroded hillside. toppled trees.

10 www.northbriarcliff.org October - December 2016

 Community Watershed North Briarcliff

Someone built a dam, but water and silt now will flow over the top. Close to the creek, the erosion is undercutting another tree.

To summarize, silting and sedimentation are a

problem, and there are various sources of silt. There
are some obvious ways to diminish the extent of the
erosion that results in silting. Those ways include better
management of construction projects, more attention
to preventing runoff, better enforcement of zoning
regulations to protect streamside and lakeside buffers,
restrictions on granting variances within buffer zones,
and identifying inadequate storm drains and correcting
their deficiencies. Concerned citizens are essential, as
people need to be watchful and ready to identify sources
of erosion and silting.
An issue that still needs to be resolved is how to more
equitably share the cost of dredging our local lakes and
hauling away the dredged silt.

Farther downhill, the stormwater excavated a deep hole (more than six
feet deep) and gully.

October - December 2016 North Briarcliff 11

 North Briarcliff Community School

HAWTHORNE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL S.T.E.M. WHAT IS NEW?

by Lisa Limoncelli, Hawthorne Principal
Over the last two years, Hawthorne Elementary
School has been working toward our Science, Technology,
Engineering and Mathematics certification (S.T.E.M. is
the acronym). Hawthorne has continued to expand our
program to increase STEM opportunities for our students.
STEM Schools encourage students to take an interest
in STEM subjects at an early age and focus on the ability
to think critically, solve complex problems, and drive
advancements in science and technology. Students with
STEM education will be at an advantage when competing
for the high-tech, high-wage jobs of the future. In turn, this
STEM program will benefit the greater economy.
Hawthorne has used agriculture as a way to expose
students to STEM standards by cultivating a productive
outdoor garden that is used as a STEM lab. Students are
responsible for planting, harvesting, composting and soil
testing.
Last year, we introduced another phase of teaching
STEM through agriculture by adding an indoor Aquaponics
System. The Aquaponics System uses a method of
sustainable agriculture that combines hydroponics (no-soil
agriculture) and aquaculture (fish farming).
For this 2016-2017 school year, we have introduced
a STEM teacher and a weekly STEM class for all K-5
students. Hawthorne hired Ms. Alisha Richardson as our
new STEM teacher. Ms. Richardson came to us from the
Gwinnett County School District and has been teaching
Science and Language Arts at a variety of grade levels for
ten years.
While in Gwinnett, Ms. Richardson had the opportunity
to work with schools pursuing a STEM certification, and
she has brought her experience and expertise in this area to
Hawthorne. We are very happy to welcome Ms. Richardson
to the Hawthorne family, and we are excited to add such
an important curriculum to our students educational
experience.
Robotics Team and a SeaPerch Team. Both teams involve
the technology of robotics.
The LEGO Robotics team introduces a scientific and real-
world challenge for teams to focus on and research. The main
component of the competition requires students to design and
program LEGO robots to complete tasks. The students then
compete with their robots at an international competition
where they share their knowledge and compare ideas.
Hawthorne students showing off their robots.
SeaPerch involves the same engineering principals as
LEGO robotics but with an emphasis on marine engineering.
SeaPerch is an innovative underwater robotics program that
teaches students to build an underwater Remotely Operated
Vehicle (ROV). SeaPerch teaches basic skills in ship and
submarine design and encourages students to explore naval
architecture and marine and ocean engineering principles.
As our STEM program continues to grow, we look
forward to expanding the minds and imagination of our
students. We know that every day is an opportunity to learn
something new, and we work hard to create an environment
that encourages our students to think critically, problem-
solve, collaborate, explore and inspire. The future is
definitely bright at Hawthorne Elementary

Hawthorne students collaborating with Ms. Richardson, their

STEM teacher.
In addition to Ms. Richardsons STEM class, Hawthorne Creative Hawthorne students point to their Eiffel Tower that they
has added two new STEM competition teams, a LEGO made using pipe cleaners.

12 www.northbriarcliff.org October - December 2016

 Community Library North Briarcliff

EVERY STUDENT SHOULD HAVE A LIBRARY CARD

By Janet Florence, DeKalb County Public Library
The DeKalb County Public Library and the DeKalb
County School District want all students, their family
members and school system staff to get library cards. This
Card is Your Key is the theme of the 2016 campaign in
September (Library Card Sign-Up Month) and October.
School Superintendent Dr. R. Stephen Green chairs the
campaign. I am honored to be asked to chair the DeKalb
County Public Library sign-up campaign, said Dr. Green.
The Public Library is a vital partner with the District and
our community of learners.
Dr. Green and his staff will work with library staff on
card sign-up events at schools and at library branches, and a
poster to encourage students to get a card will be displayed
in each of DeKalb Countys 126 elementary, middle and high
schools. The Librarys new, colorful, limited-edition card was
designed just for the campaign. The card was designed by
Ms. Lee Turner, a youth services specialist at the Chamblee Library Director Alison Weissinger and DeKalb County School
branch of the Library. Superintendent Dr. R. Stephen Green display a photo of the
Library's latest, limited-edition library card.
We have very talented staff at DeKalb County Public
Library. And I think youll agree with me when you see Lee
Turners design, said Library Director Alison Weissinger.
The design is perfect for this years campaign, incorporating
as it does many of the great benefits a library card offers.
Those include
free access to the internet and WiFi;
free access to electronic resources that can help with
homework assignments, learning a new language or
preparing for the SAT and other important tests; and
free access to books, movies and music.
Only 10,000 cards have been produced for the This Card
is Your Key campaign, and the design will not be produced
again. While the supply lasts, you also may have this card,
even if you are not a student. Find out more by visiting the
Northlake-Barbara Loar Library.
Kim and Dave Chamberlain of Bright Moments will perform at the
Upcoming Events at the Northlake-Barbara Loar Northlake Library on December 10th. They are a guitar/vocal/and
Library clarinet duo who perform classic jazz standards.

BOOK SALE: Friends of the Northlake-Barbara Loar

Library Book Sale will be held on three days:
Friday, October 7 (Members only 10am-12pm, then
open to all 12pm-4pm).
Saturday, October 8 (open to all 10am-4pm) and
Monday, October 10 (open to all and everything half-
price 4pm-7pm).
Chair/Mat Yoga with Mariam (ages 18+) will be ongoing
on Tuesdays from 3:00pm-4:00pm (October 18 and 25 and
November 1, 8 and 15.) Call 404-679-4408 to register
October - December 2016 North Briarcliff 13
Writing Children's Picture Books presented by
Wayne South Smith (ages 18+) on Saturday, October
22 from 11am-1pm. Call 404-679-4408 to register.
Trick or Treat at the Library (ages 12 and under)
on Monday, October 31, from 10am-8pm.
Teen Escape Room (ages 12-17) on Saturday,
November 19, from 2-4pm. Call 404-679-4408 to
register
Bright Moments Jazz Duo on Saturday, December
10, from 3-4pm.
 North Briarcliff Community Park and Greenspace

NEWS FROM MARY SCOTT NATURE PARK (MSNP)

by Beth Nathan, Friends of MSNP
The first Saturday of every month is a volunteer call 911. Also document the problem with your cell
workday at the park. The workdays usually start at phone if it is safe for you to do. Please let the Friends
1:00pm and are led by Susan Hanson from the Georgia group know about any problems by sending an email
Native Plant Society (GNPS). The focus of these to friendsofmsnp@gmail.com. A Rules sign is posted
workdays has been invasive plant removal. Volunteers at the front of the park; all those Rules are taken from
are always more than welcome at workdays, which are County Statutes and are Law. PLEASE help keep the
also classrooms for learning about plants (good and park a pleasant place for everyone. All too frequently,
bad), animals, and plans for the Friends group, as well park visitors are breaking the laws that require dogs
as an opportunity to meet neighbors and socialize. to be kept on leash and their droppings picked up and
disposed of properly. Serious fines may be imposed for
such rude behavior.
For several months,
the leaders of District
2's Friends of the Parks
groups have been
meeting and emailing
regularly to share
information, ideas, and
problems. The Friends
of MSNP group is
currently discussing
a Fall 2016 planting
January 9, 2016 MSNP Workgroup (photo by John Morrow). The proposal. This would
volunteers (from left to right) are: Neil Araki, Susan Hanson, Brenda complete planting the
Busby, Lorelle Morrow, Viva Araki, Chris Bryant and Art Hansen parking lots island with
native plants that are
The date and time of each workday are publicized
somewhat different from
on the MSNP website (www.MaryScottNP.org), the
GNPS website (www.gnps.org) and via the Friends of Park Rules (Photo by Beth Nathan). those plants that were
MSNP YahooGroup (an email discussion group). The All animals must be restrained and originally proposed. In
waste removed. addition, Henry Maki
Friends of MSNP have not had a face-to-face Friends
is developing an Eagle
group meeting in a long time, so we discuss MSNP via
Scout project at MSNP,
the virtual meeting format of the YahooGroup, which is
perhaps a custom-designed bench. The Friends group
open to everyone who is interested.
provides a wish-list of projects for such purposes, but
The control of invasive plants is also being done the scout hierarchy and county staff must approve the
by professionals because MSNPs invasives are too specific plans.
numerous to be controlled by hand-pulling. Georgia
Help decide the future of Mary Scott Nature Park
law requires that people who apply chemicals such as
(MSNP) by actively participating in the Friends group,
herbicides in public spaces must have an Applicators
whether your contribution is physical or mental. It
License, and the Friends group approved spending
takes both for a park to succeed. If you want to join
$3,600 to hire a professional to deal with some of the
this group, send an email to MSNPfriends-subscribe@
hardest problem plants between July 2016 and August
yahoogroups.com. Give it a try! Once a member, you
2017. These plants include poison ivy, microstegium
will receive every email (not so many) sent to the group
(Japanese stiltgrass), non-fruit bearing muscadine,
and may send your own emails to the entire group. If
Japanese honeysuckle and Japanese holly.
you later decide to leave the Friends group, simply email
The park is a safe place, but sometimes there are msnpfriends-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com.
problems. If you see something, say something --

14 www.northbriarcliff.org October - December 2016

 Community Courtesy Being a Good Neighbor North Briarcliff

THE BIG DOG SAYS PICK UP THE POOP!

Corey says, Pick up the poop.
The big dog says that anyone who owns a dog is responsible for picking
up that dogs poop. No one likes dog poop! We appreciate those dog
walkers who display good manners by cleaning up after their dogs. A few
people who walk their dogs are leaving the poops in peoples yards and
on the sidewalk. That is rude behavior. Please be courteous. Stop that bad
behavior. Many children play in those yards and walk to school on those
sidewalks.
While studying the erosion from the storm drains on Shasta Way,
we noted that some people had been disposing of bags of dog poop by
throwing them into the storm drains. Stormwater then swept the bags
onto the hillside, where some were embedded while others may have
reached the creek below. Please refrain from that practice.

Blue bags of dog poop that were thrown into the

Shasta Way storm drains and then were swept onto
the hillside or into the creek by the stormwater

For those neighbors

Sign on a Shasta Way storm
drain. Please do not dispose of
dog poop bags in storm drains.
who walk their dogs in
Mary Scott Nature Park
(MSNP), please note
that the park service only
collects bags of dog poop
at the front of the park.
The bags in the overflowing
containers at the entrances
on Overlook Drive have to
be collected and disposed
of by neighbors living near
the park. Be courteous to
these volunteers and take
your dogs bags back to
your house for disposal.

An overflowing pail of bags of dog poop at an

Overlook Drive entrance to MSNP.
Please carry your bags back to your house.

Dog owners, email us a closeup photo of your

dog, and he or she may be chosen as the Big
Dog in the next issue of the newsletter.

October - December 2016 North Briarcliff 15

 North Briarcliff Community Recipes

Halloween and Oktoberfest arrive in October, along with Columbus Day and Rosh Hashanah, Mother-in-Law Day, and
United Nations Day. Apples are abundant in October, as are pumpkins and winter squash. The Brookfield Womens Club
offers some of their favorite October recipes and invites you to enjoy them, too.

Chocolate Butterscotch Pumpkin Cookies (serves 6 10)

INGREDIENTS DIRECTIONS
2 cups flour Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. In a
1 tsp baking powder medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
1 tsp baking soda Mix and set aside.
tsp salt In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine eggs and sugar, and beat on medium-
2 tsp ground cinnamon high until smooth and pale. Beat in the oil, pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract
2 eggs and mix until well-combined. Turn the mixer to low speed and slowly blend
1 cup sugar in the flour mixture. With a rubber spatula, gently fold in the butterscotch and
cup vegetable oil chocolate chips.
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
2 tsp vanilla extract Using a medium-sized ice cream scoop or a tablespoon, place mounds of
1 cup chocolate chips cookie dough about 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets. (The cookies
1 cup butterscotch chips will spread.) Bake about 15 minutes, until the cookies are springy to the touch.
Gently transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Apple Bacon Cole Slaw (4 servings)

INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons mayonnaise teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1 16-ounce package shredded coleslaw mix (or equivalent amount of
1 tablespoon lemon juice shredded cabbage)
teaspoon hot sauce 1 large apple, cored, diced

DIRECTIONS
In large bowl, whisk together olive oil, mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, hot sauce, sugar, and salt. Add coleslaw mix and
apple, and toss until evenly coated. Sprinkle with bacon and serve, or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Winter Squash Casserole (12 servings)

INGREDIENTS
6 cups mashed cooked winter squash Topping:
1/2 cup butter, melted cup packed brown sugar
6 large eggs, lightly beaten cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
teaspoon salt cup slivered almonds

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 F. In a large bowl, combine squash, butter, eggs, sugar, and salt. Pour into an ungreased 13 x 9 inch baking
dish. Combine topping ingredients and crumble over the top. Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes.

16 www.northbriarcliff.org October - December 2016

 B. Tucker
Heating & A/C, Inc.
PO Box 657; Avondale Estates, GA 30002
PHONE: (404) 298.1314 FAX: (404) 298.1348
Visit us online at www.BTuckerHVAC.com
CN: 005373 We service any model of any brand.

www.facebook.com/BTuckerHVAC

Replacement Systems
Service Calls
Additions/Renovations
Annual Maintenance Agreements
Programmable Thermostats
Tankless Water Heaters

Be Comfortable
B. Tucker

Connecting Local Businesses to Your Neighborhood.

A/C Heating Services Home Remodeling & Renovation Real Estate

Casteel Heating & Air - 770-419-7463
E. Smith Heating & Air - 770-422-1900
Precision Heating & Air - 770-445-0870
Blinds & Shutters
Classic Blinds & Shutters
678-820-7998
Closet Organization
Closet Designs & More - 678-392-4597
Decks/Outdoor Living
Leisure Time Decks - 404-935-0212
Electrical Services
Casteel Heating & Air - 770-419-7463
Hammersmith - 404-377-1021
Home Theater/Automation
Atlanta Audio & Automation
404-602-0559
Outdoor Kitchen/Fireplaces/Gas Logs
The Mad Hatter - 770-740-8133
Painting
The Painting Company - 678-710-9240
Plumbing
Dupree Plumbing - 770-872-0476
Plumb Pros - 770-384-1886
Big Canoe Realty - 770-893-2733
Swimming Pools
Mirage Pools - 770-886-1304
Executive Pools - 678-225-8892
Tree Services
AKA Tree Removal - 404-496-5405
Under Deck Systems
Undercover Systems - 678-608-4384

October - December 2016 North Briarcliff 17

 2016 MEMBERSHIP FORM
Your North Briarcliff Civic Association needs your membership. Send check and form to:
North Briarcliff Civic Association 2566 Shallowford Road, Suite 104, PMB 132 Atlanta, GA 30345__

YES! I SUPPORT THE NORTH BRIARCLIFF CIVIC ASSOCIATION

Enclosed is my check for $25 annual dues for my household for 2016.
Plus $__________ Donation
Total $__________
Please Print Clearly

Name: Phone (in case of questions):

Address: Email:

I can help with (please circle) :

Newsletter or Website Layout/Design Member Recruitment / Benefits Neighborhood Watch Board Service
My Special Interest: Contact me at (phone or email):

ALSO AVAILABLE: ONLINE DUES PAYMENT & DONATIONS AT WWW.NORTHBRIARCLIFF.ORG/MEMBERSHIP

Membership in the North Briarcliff Civic Association, Inc. may include all residents and owners of property within the Hawthorne Elementary School district and such other

residents on bordering streets as may request inclusion. Neither dues nor donations are tax deductible.

Membership in the North Briarcliff Civic Association, Inc. is voluntary and is open to all residents and/or
owners of residential property within the Hawthorne Elementary School district as well as such other residents
on bordering streets as may request inclusion. Dues and donations are NOT tax deductible. To join with a credit
card or via PayPal, go to www.northbriarcliff.org/membership

Get connected and receive NBCA e-mails about general news and/or Neighborhood Watch alerts. Go to
www.northbriarcliff.org, click on starburst & fill in the requested information. Unsubscribe the same way.
For address changes, notify database@northbriarcliff.org. Delivery to Current Resident ensures delivery to
EVERY house and condominium in the NBCA area, member or not, as a service to our residents. Signed articles or
letters in our newsletter do NOT necessarily reflect the views of the North Briarcliff Civic Associations members
or its Board, which is non-political.

Please remember that YOU are the North Briarcliff Civic Association. Your Board and Off-Board members are volunteer leaders with the same demands on
their time as any other resident. Board and Off-Board members may develop areas of expertise as they cover issues considered important to OUR community. The
Board can take no action on an issue about which it has no information, insufficient volunteer strength or inadequate funding. The Board may respond to requests
with the goal of increasing the involvement of the individuals concerned. If there is an area which you believe needs more attention, you may know more about
that issue than the Board does. We invite you to follow these issues as they progress and encourage you to become active in the NBCA, as a Board or Off-Board
member, a Committee Chair or member, or a as a volunteer. The Board may offer assistance to residents needing information. Nonetheless, it is incumbent upon
every resident to take responsibility for their own acts, make their own decisions and follow up appropriately.

18 www.northbriarcliff.org October - December 2016

McNacks Kitchen... If you have the desire to cook, you can cook, and we can help you.

Fall is in the air!

After beating the heat of a hot August and September, who is not ready for what is probably Atlantas best time of the
year? The weather is pleasant; the tree pollen of the Spring doesnt ruin the day; oh, and it is football season!! This is the
perfect time of the year to be outdoors. Take a hike along Sweetwater Creek. Enjoy a day trip up to Dahlonega and eat at
The Smith House or tour one of the areas budding wineries. Experience a romantic getaway to Barnsley Gardens and a
private dinner in the ruins brought to you by the one and only true Fairy Godmother (seriously, there is a staff member at
Barnsley with that title whose job it is to make your dreams come true).

Whatever you decide to do this Fall, make sure your grill is involved. Whether you like to fire up a smoker or grill over
charcoal or over gas, it is time to get them burning. Here are a few tips for a safe and successful grilling season.

First, always make sure you have what you need to have a spontaneous grilling session as there is nothing worse than
forgetting you are out of charcoal. Keep extra items like charcoal, flavored wood chips, extra propane if needed, lighter
fluid if needed, matches/lighter, etc. This will help ensure you can keep that fire going.

Secondly, make sure you have your basic spices refilled. You dont have to buy those expensive, pre-made rubs and
seasoning mixes. They are so easy to do yourself. You dont need a recipe just keep things proportional. Our favorite spices
for any kind of meat we are grilling are coarse Kosher salt, fresh cracked pepper, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder,
chili powder, thyme, and cumin but then you can add hints of just about any other spice to take your food to another level.

Thirdly, be sure to keep your grill clean. You will want to have what you need to clean out ashes, a tool to clean your grates,
paper towels to rub oil on the grates if you like to do that. Ive seen some folks spray cooking spray on a lit grill. Just a note,
thats not safe. Those contents are under pressure and fire is not a good thing to mix. A quick tip though, if your meat is
sticking when you try and flip it, it is not ready to flip. When the bottom side is properly seared, it will release from the
grate on its own.

Have a great Fall and grill, baby, grill!!

For more tips like these, please visit our website at www.mcnackskitchen.com
and make sure you like our Facebook Page!
 WELCOME to our
GRAND OPENING
for our new Re/MAX Metro Atlanta
office in Oak Grove!

As a long time Sagamore neighbor,

I am thrilled about our new office
across the street.
Welcome to the neighborhood Re/Max!

www.lindahagan.remax-georgia.com

Linda Hagan,
Associate Broker
404-229-8788
hagansells@gmail.com
Get mobile.remax.com/lindahagan