Closeup of the Georgia State Capitol. Photo by Connor Carey. Source: Wikimedia Commons

A group that’s calling for a timeout to efforts to create new cities in DeKalb County is planning a visit to the state Capitol Wednesday.

DeKalb Strong is organizing a group visit to the Atlanta delegation lunch at 12 p.m. Wednesday in the Coverdell Legislative Office Building to speak out against proposals for Atlanta to annex parts of DeKalb.

Marjorie Snook, president of DeKalb Strong, said it’s an opportunity for people who haven’t previously been involved in the legislative process to meet lawmakers since many of them will be in the same place at the same time.

“We are trying to empower citizens to get involved in their government and let their voices be heard. So much of this process has been driven by special interests. You don’t have to be a lobbyist to go down to the Capitol and talk to your elected representatives,” said Snook.

She said it sends a message to the delegation when people are engaged.

The group has been supporting three DeKalb County reform bills. State Senator Elena Parent, SD-42, is sponsoring two of the bills. She said at a cityhood and annexation townhall meeting on March 12 that Senator Fran Millar, SD-40, of Dunwoody is, in her words, holding the bills hostage and freely admitting to doing so in order to get an unrelated local bill to go through.