AJC > Sandy Springs > Blog > Archives > 2006 > October > 09
Monday, October 9, 2006
Is life better now that Sandy Springs is a city?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
We’re closing in on our first year as an official city, but before we light the birthday candle and get all moist and sentimental, I need to ask a few questions. This isn’t an exercise in Monday morning-quarterbacking; I just curious about life in Sandy Springs now that the dust has settled:
We have our own mayor and city council duly elected and on the job. Can you tell any difference in your day-to-day life, as opposed to life with the Fulton County Commission?
Is city hall running efficiently? Is it easy to get a license or permit? Or are we already starting to stall out in red tape?
As a citizen, do you feel heard?
For that matter, is there anyone (and it would have to be a mighty brave soul in this burg) in the confines of Sandy Springs who truly thinks we took a giant step backwards by shaking off the county as our governing body? Anybody miss Rob Pitts and his merry band controling much of lives?
We have our own police force patroling the city. Are the Sandy Springs police more visible than the Fulton County cops are? Are they making a difference with the ongoing traffic problems and criminal activity? Do you really feel safer?
Last year at this time one of the hot topics was what, if anything, a city government would do about the congregation of Hispanic day laborers gathering around Copeland Road looking for work. Has that situation changed? Deteriorated? Is it still a hot-button issue?
Likewise there was much talk about the need for low-rent apartment complexes being cleaned up. Is this situation better, worse or stuck in neutral?
Overall, are the things that seemed so important 12 months ago still a factor in your every day life as a Sandy Springsteen? Or to get a little Reagan-esque, are you better off now than you were a year ago?
And does anyone, other than me, miss the turtles?
