AJC > Sandy Springs > Blog > Archives > 2008 > July
July 2008
Get out the checkbooks, it’s back to school
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
For the second consecutive year my wife and I are out of the back-to-school business in our house - but this time around I think I’m fully appreciating what that means more than I did last year.
Our son went off to college in the fall of 2005 and our daughter fled the nest last year. Because we were so busy with our final child heading for college I wasn’t able to stop and smell the roses, so to speak.
I always dreaded back-to-school time as it signaled the end of summer and the beginning of the annual cash drain that comes with putting a kid back into school. If we could recover the money spent on glue sticks, folders (with pockets and holes to fit into binders), binders, pencils, pens, calculators, tape, paper, index cards, colored pencils, gel pens and various sundry other things we’d live in the south of France, albeit with uneducated children.
I truly do not begrudge the money as both our kids got great educations. But it’s just strolling into a store and seeing an entire wall of book bags that says the clock is ticking down on summer and there are no timeouts left. Especially with school starting earlier and earlier. The message was clear - fun’s over, get your checkbook.
Not that sending kids to college doesn’t have its share of expenses, but somehow it doesn’t feel the same. Sending a child to college is a right of passage - a sign that an exciting new chapter has begun. They are stepping out into the world, not moping toward the bus stop.
Back-to-school just means a shopping cart packed to the gills with things that are going to have to be bought again 12 months hence. For example, I still don’t know were all the mechanical pencils went, but it seemed like they had a shelf life of one school day before they had to be replaced.
But I blame myself for the great pencil drain. There was a period where I traveled a lot for business and I always brought home the disposable pen from the hotel room. I reasoned that way when one of the kids needed a pen - voila - no trip to the store needed! Of course as soon as my desk drawer began to sag under the weight of all those pens, mechanical pencils were all the rage and pens were as welcome as a Barney lunch box.
So for you intrepid parents out there taking a second mortgage to load up for another year of school supplies - we won’t mention the PTA, booster clubs, annuals, parking passes, t-shirts, lunch tickets, locker fees, gym suits, etc. - I salute you. I have been where you have been and I feel your pain.
And if you need a pen, call me.
Permalink | Comments (3) | Post your comment | Categories: Jim Osterman
Cityhood movements send strong message to counties
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The folks over in Dunwoody voted last week to become a city, following our lead. Those in favor tallied around 80 percent of the vote, meaning they didn’t vote “yes” they voted “Hell yes!”
It was three years ago June that we Sandy Springsteens overwhelmingly voted to incorporate as a city, and we were followed by Milton, Johns Creek and Chattahoochee Hill Country. And more will follow, I’m sure.
There is no doubt in my mind that becoming a city was a good thing. We had been ill-served by Fulton County for decades. I have since wondered whether we would be a city today if 10 years ago the Fulton County Commission realized the discontent they were creating and started making moves to clean up their act.
And I’m more amazed that other county governments, like DeKalb, haven’t seen the number of cities that have escaped from under the thumb of county rule in the last three years and tried to make an effort to make life better for the communities in their borders.
This is not advanced government we’re talking here. It doesn’t take a genius to see that metro Atlanta counties have suddenly become vulnerable to losing millions is tax revenue by seeing communities incorporate. Some have estimated that cityhood for Dunwoody will cost DeKalb $15 million. That’s going to be a very bitter pill to choke down.
I once posed the question in this space, is there anyone out there willing to offer an argument that we were better off under Fulton County. I had no takers then and I doubt I’m going to find one this time out.
There is no measurement by which I can see that becoming a city was a bad idea. Has it cured all the ills here in our little town? Of course not. But problems that have been years in the making are not cleaned up in two or three years.
But, by becoming our own city we at last had our own mayor and city council representatives to attack those problems, instead of the absentee landlord that was the Fulton County Commission.
Which begs the question - are county governments learning a lesson here or are they on their way to becoming irrelevant?
Permalink | Comments (8) | Post your comment | Categories: Jim Osterman
Getting a handle on gas costs
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I’ve started seeing those teeny little Smart Cars popping up around town. I have no idea if they belong to someone here in our little slice of heaven or the driver is just passing through but every time I see one I have two thoughts:
Man, I’ll bet they get great gas mileage.
Man, I’d hate for something to run into me while I’m driving that thing.
But I do understand the appeal of driving something that is truly fuel efficient. A friend of mine has two kids who are into the usual amount of kid-related activities that require carpooling so he still drives an SUV. Last week he came mighty close to spending $100 to fill his tank and almost passed out at the pump.
A co-worker of mine and I had a debate recently over whether an SUV driver would be a prime target for a mugger. He said yes, because only someone with money could afford to gas up such a vehicle. I said no, because after they filled their tank they’d have no money left to steal.
But I have thought about getting one of those tiny little cars, even if they do remind me of a Libby’s soup can with four wheels. I’d like to get more driving done before having to hit the gas station, but I also don’t want to look like something that needs to be dropped into the recycling bin should I swap paint with something bigger. And with those things everything is bigger.
But I also wonder now that $4 per gallon gas has been with us for a while - are we changing our driving habits? Are we trying to find ways to get around making so many car trips? Are we carpooling?
Or are we trimming other areas of our budget so we can afford to fill up and do our normal weekly driving? Are we so attached to our cars and our routines, do we care what gas costs?
Permalink | Comments (6) | Post your comment | Categories: Jim Osterman
Neighborhoods line up against school expansions
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
For the first time since we have become a city there are two neighborhoods fighting the expansion of private schools operating in their confines - one is Holy Spirit Preparatory School, the other is The Epstein School.
For the sake of fairness let me say I live in one of the neighborhoods that could be impacted.
Both schools are seeking substantial expansion and the neighborhood associations are trying to keep this from happening. Neither of these things is surprising.
What does surprise me is that, sadly, not one member of the city council so far has spoken up on behalf on the neighborhoods. Usually in these situations there is at least one member who gets out front early in support of the wishes of the people who live in the neighborhoods, those who pay taxes to the city and who vote. I thought we put people on the council to represent us - you know, we the people. Not them, the commercial interests.
I understand why the schools want to expand - a private school that doesn’t grow doesn’t stay in business. But their growth can’t come at the expense of the integrity of the people who live around them. At a certain point if such growth is deemed necessary it needs to be sought elsewhere.
While I have no doubt in my mind that both schools do a superb job at educating their students, they contribute very little to the neighborhood. And I really don’t expect them to, but neither can they be allowed to take away from the neighborhood by continually nudging their boundaries.
So far the responses I have gotten from three city council members is that they are looking at both requests and keeping an open mind. One even said they hoped a compromise might be found. Again, I’m surprised - and a little sad — that at least one hasn’t said: “I’ve seen the plans, but the people that elected me are asking for my help and that’s what they’re going to get.”
The schools educate and enlighten, but at the end of the day they go home. We’re the ones who live here. This is where we put down our roots, raise our kids and send them on their way. This is where walk our dogs. We plant our gardens and we watch the seasons pass by.
If the people who pledged to represent us won’t step up when it’s time then there is a part if the contract between citizen and representative that has been irrevocably damaged.
Permalink | Comments (58) | Post your comment | Categories: Jim Osterman
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