Possible City Episode 11: Commissioner Ted Terry from DeKalb County, GA

The Possible City

In the eyes of the court, Commissioner Ted Terry may technically call himself "aggreived," but you wouldn't know it to speak with him. A dedicated environmentalist in the sprawling Atlanta suburbs and a committed progressive in the American southeast, Terry is used to being a bit of a contrarian, albeit a highly productive one. As a two-term Mayor of Clarkston, Georgia, Terry made headway on issues from LBGTQ+ and immigrant rights to adaptive reuse of a local mall. Now that he's on the DeKalb County Commission, he finds himself squarely in the middle of one of the most contentious and high-profile political stories in the country: the proposed Atlanta Police Training Facility in the South River Forest. On this episode of The Possible City, Commissioner Terry talks with Cate and Kerry about his entry into politics working on pedestrian safety issues and how we weaves housing, economic stability, the environment, and public safety - all hot button issues! - into a coherent and practical political worldview.

Referenced in this episode:

Decaturish.com, May 26, 2022: “DeKalb County Commission approves North DeKalb Mall redevelopment described as ‘generational’ project“

Saporta Report, August 7, 2022: “Creating middle housing in DeKalb County”

WABE, February 2, 2023: “Commissioner Ted Terry on Cop City; Atlanta’s Chief Operating Officer discusses her role; Journalist Josie Duffy discusses new investigative podcast”

Atlanta Community Press Collective, February 13, 2023: “Work Continues at Cop City Site, Injunctive Relief Filed with Ted Terry and Watershed Alliance”