The Dunwoody City Council honored its first mayor at its April 28 meeting as he and his family prepare to depart the city.
Ken Wright, who headed up the grassroots committee “Citizens for Dunwoody” that brought the city to fruition, served as its mayor from 2009 until 2012.
Mayor Lynn Deutsch said Wright had an “unbelievable task” of creating a city “at a time when everything had to be created.”
“We are incredibly grateful for his service,” Deutsch said.
Wright, who grew up in the Branches subdivision, said he was excited to see the progress that has been made in the city since his tenure, especially with the development of the Georgetown Gateway Corridor and the expansion of the police department.
In other action, the council discussed an ordinance that would prohibit the sale of dogs and cats in the city’s pet shops.
“Upon request by Councilmember [Joe] Seconder, the staff has prepared an ordinance prohibiting the sale of dogs and cats in pet shops,” a staff memo presented to the council said. “For the purposes of this ordinance, pet shops are defined as all retail establishments selling dogs and cats to the general public. Adoptions facilitated through animal care facilities or animal rescue organizations are not impacted; neither are sales through individual breeders of dogs and cats.”
According to the ordinance, violators can be punished with fines up to $500 per dog or cat for sale. At this time, there are no Dunwoody retail pet shops selling dogs or cats, according to city officials.
In other action:
- Deutsch declared the month of May as Bike Month in the city;
- The council also honored its sustainability heroes for 2025 – Donna Burt, a longtime volunteer at the Dunwoody Nature Center, and Ark Coffeehouse for its sustainability practices;
- The panel heard a first quarter economic development update for the first quarter from Dunwoody Development Director Michael Starling who said that the Perimeter-area office vacancy remains steady at 26 percent;
- The council also passed by a 4-3 vote a $3.7 million expenditure to build a new maintenance building at Brook Run Park;
- Approved $100,000 to fund a six-month trial with Flock Safety regarding the drone for the city’s Real Time Crime Center;
- Awarded by a 6-1 vote a $393,000 contract amendment for the final design of the second phase of the Winters Chapel path. John Heneghan was the dissenting vote.
