Burrell Ellis facts for kids

W. Burrell Ellis Jr. is an American lawyer and politician. He used to be the political director for the ACLU of Georgia. He also served as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of DeKalb County, Georgia.

Early Life and Education

Burrell Ellis was born on November 22, 1957, in Washington, D.C. Later, his family moved to Silver Spring, Maryland.

After finishing high school, Ellis went to The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. There, he studied economics and finance. He also joined the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity.

He then earned a law degree from The University of Texas at Austin. While at the University of Texas, his fellow students elected him to be their student body president.

After law school, Ellis moved to Atlanta. He started his own law practice. He also volunteered for several political campaigns.

Working in the Private Sector

Before becoming the CEO of DeKalb County, Ellis worked as a lawyer for over 20 years. He mainly focused on real estate development.

In December 2017, Ellis joined the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Georgia. He became their political director. In this role, he helped guide their political efforts.

Serving as a DeKalb County Commissioner

When Commissioner Ken Davis decided not to run for re-election, Ellis chose to run for his seat. In November 2000, Ellis won the election. He began serving the people in the fourth district of DeKalb County. He was re-elected in 2004.

During his time as a commissioner, Ellis was the presiding officer five times. He helped reorganize the board to make it more open.

He also helped create new laws. One law was the Local Small Business Enterprise Ordinance. This helped small businesses in the county. He also supported Georgia's first Clean Indoor Air Ordinance. This law helped protect people from second-hand smoke.

While on the commission, Ellis also led the Large Urban County Caucus. This group was part of the National Association of Counties. It represented the interests of the 100 largest cities and counties in the U.S. to Congress and the president.

Leading DeKalb County as Chief Executive Officer

Ellis delivers the 2010 State of the County address.

Burrell Ellis became the Chief Executive Officer of DeKalb County in 2009. As CEO, he was in charge of the county's daily operations. In his first year, he reorganized the government. He grouped departments into units like development, public safety, and administration.

When the economy faced challenges, Ellis worked to reduce county spending. He made cuts in offices he oversaw. He also suggested cuts for other county agencies. Despite these efforts, he sometimes had to raise property taxes.

In February 2011, Ellis announced that DeKalb County had cut more spending than other local governments in the Atlanta area. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution newspaper checked this statement. They found that DeKalb County had indeed cut its budget by $107 million. This was a 17 percent reduction.

Ellis also worked to involve citizens more in county government. He launched several important initiatives:

• Our Neighborhood Empowerment (ONE): This program helped bring the government closer to residents. It helped people solve local problems. It also encouraged volunteering for community projects.
• DeKalb County Code Enforcement Task Force: This group worked to improve neighborhoods. It helped address issues like property upkeep.
• Revenue Enhancement Commission (REC): This commission looked for new ways to bring in money for the county. They focused on sources other than taxes.
• Green Commission: This group aimed to make DeKalb the "Greenest County in America." They developed plans for sustainable practices.

In July 2012, Ellis became the president of the County Executives of America. This organization represents county leaders across 45 states. They work with the federal government to address county concerns. Ellis served as DeKalb County CEO until January 2017.