Residents press DeKalb officials on timing, data access and problem streets including Old Mcdana

Committee members and residents used a 20‑minute Q&A and the public‑comment period to press DeKalb staff for details about when specific roads will be resurfaced, how to access segment ratings, and what the county can do about recurring problems such as damaged curbs, manhole excavations and an industrial road that is effectively gravel.

Multiple committee members asked whether the county can repair granite curbs and who pays. Peggy Allen said curb work is generally handled in‑house as part of the roads and drainage operation and funded from the department’s regular maintenance budget: "That's all done in‑house by my crews...It's just part of our regular maintenance budget." She added that curb repairs can be costly (“20 to $40 a linear foot for a long run of recurb”) and sometimes encounter utility conflicts that slow work.

On public access to ratings, the committee asked whether the PCI data could be made available. Allen said each street is inspected at least once per year and that the county compiles a ratings snapshot after each season; staff will provide copies to commissioners and said the county plans to publish the snapshot on its new website (not live real‑time data): "When the county's new website is live...we're going to actually put that system on the website. So you'll be able to go in and actually see the rating as of that last snapshot."

Industrial stakeholders raised separate operational concerns. Larry Kaiser, executive director of the Metro South Community Improvement District, described a paved section of Old Mcdana Road that has deteriorated to gravel under heavy truck traffic and asked for full rehabilitation and paving rather than recurring temporary repairs: "I'm referring to a road that was paved at one point in time and now it is basically gravel...it's most probably about 800 ft long, maybe a thousand feet long." Staff acknowledged the concern and said they would follow up in writing.

Residents also raised quality issues after resurfacing, such as debris left by sanitation trucks and cutouts around manholes that leave uneven surfaces. Rod Friars (Hidden Hill Civic Association) said resurfaced streets were marred by later maintenance activities and asked the county to monitor and follow up; staff said written responses and further documentation would be provided.

On striping, community leaders pressed for specific timelines for Wesley Chapel and other high‑use arterials. Staff said the county is advertising a striping contract for major arterials and is training in‑house crews to handle lower‑volume roads, noting that thermoplastic striping is preferred for major roads and that a county paint truck will be used for smaller streets.

Ending: staff committed to written responses to the public’s questions, distribution of rating snapshots to commissioners and committee members, and posting rating data on the updated county website as a seasonal snapshot; the public‑comment segment concluded and the meeting adjourned.