DeKalb County CEO Mike Thurmond said residents who have long complained their roads aren’t getting enough attention were right after all. A recent review of maintenance operations found that at any given time about 25 roads are not being mowed according to an already lax maintenance schedule.

“Really, we need to apologize to the folks who have been complaining,” Thurmond said. “And I don’t think our response has been what it should be.”

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At a meeting, the superintendent said he wasn't backing down.

The roads in question are among 125 that the county has on a quarterly mowing schedule, which Thurmond said still is not good enough even if it were being adhered to. He is asking the Board of Commissioners to approve emergency funding to make sure all 125 roadways are on a six-week mowing schedule.

Another 63 roads maintained by the county are already being maintained every six weeks or even once a month.

Most of the roadways Thurmond says need more attention are in unincorporated areas in central or south DeKalb. The county is generally not responsible for roads in cities like Brookhaven and Chamblee.

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