I have spent a great deal of time listening to both sides of the issues.

The “Brookhaven Yes” group has sent fliers. The “No City” campaign has sent fliers.

The “Brookhaven Yes” group showed up at the Reporter debate. The “No City” campaign showed up at the Reporter debate.

The “Brookhaven Yes” group has held two town halls -- one at Cross Keys High School and one at Montgomery Elementary. The “No City” campaign held none.

The “Brookhaven Yes” group has held open and public neighborhood meetings and advertised the meetings with fliers and emails, advertised with local press and posted publicly on their website. The “No City” campaign has not.

The “Brookhaven Yes” group posts the bios of its members. As of this writing, the “No City” campaign has posted no bios.

For me, transparency and openness go a long way.

What also goes a long way is family focus. “Brookhaven Yes” recently held a Family Day picnic at Ashford Park. I attended with my family. What I saw was hundreds of people engaging in family fun, people actively reaching out to connect with their neighbors and a sense of community that neither DeKalb County nor the “No City” campaign has attempted to foster.

Ever see a “No City” ad for a family picnic? Ask yourself “why not?”

I know what a "Yes" vote is endorsing. What is a vote for "No" endorsing? It seems as though a “No” vote is a vote for DeKalb’s inefficient, broken government.

A “Yes” vote, based on the “Brookhaven Yes” community focused approach, is a vote for the citizens in our community.

The choice is simple. Vote “Yes” for the City of Brookhaven and build the community we want. Vote "No" for continuing DeKalb's and the “No City” group's dysfunctional government.

Alan W. Powell
Brookhaven