In 2018, Dunwoody North resident and realtor Matt Weber started a Facebook group with the intent of connecting people in Dunwoody who needed services.
Today, Dunwoody Area Community Forum has 13,000 followers who weigh in on everyday subjects: lost-and-found pets, the appearance of the inflatable dinosaurs that coined the phrase “Dinowoody,” celebrations big and small, and even stray bear sightings.
It also contains serious posts that weigh on the residents of the city: the loss of teenagers to the Fentanyl epidemic, traffic fatalities, information about the Dunwoody police and city government officials, parks bonds, and other issues that affect the lives of many.
Anywhere from 80 to 100 people ask to join the group each day, Weber said. While some are spammers or people trying to advertise their business, most are locals who want to put their fingers on the pulse of Dunwoody.
Weber said he doesn’t think of it as a news source, but a kind of personal blog for those who want to ask questions, those willing to answer them, and those who just want to vent.
“I don’t contribute to the news, I just let the people in the forum do the talking and it’s become so much more than about me,” Weber said. “It seems that anytime something happens in the city, like a new restaurant or High Street opening up, people will get to know about it on the forum.”
Weber, who moved to Dunwoody in 2011, said he felt compelled to start contributing to the life of the city, and put his mark on the community by volunteering at his children’s schools, acting as the emcee of Lemonade Days’ Dunwoody Idol contest and co-chairing the Dunwoody 4th of July Parade.
After the success of the Dunwoody Area Community Forum, Weber started a Facebook restaurant review page, which has about the same number of followers, and sees a robust exchange about new restaurants as well as tried-and-true treasures within the city and outlying communities.
The rules of the DACF are spelled out simply, and sometimes humorously, on the introduction page: don’t post items for sale, advertise open houses or businesses, “don’t troll others and start drama,” and don’t post your political opinions.
“Nobody cares who you’re voting for!” the page said. “You have a personal Facebook page that is great to post that kind of crap.”
Weber said he has been ridiculed for banning people from the group and deleting incendiary posts but added that anyone who objects to the group or its content is free to leave it.
“A lot of people can be keyboard warriors at home, and when that happens, I’m going to slow things down or take down those posts,” he said. “At first, that was difficult for me because I am such a people pleaser, but now I will not hesitate to kick someone out if they cross the line.”
On the flip side, Weber said he is grateful for city officials like Dunwoody Mayor Lynn Deutsch and Communications Manager Jennifer Boettcher, who often answer citizen concerns within minutes of them being posted.
“Jennifer and Lynn do a great job of handling questions, and if they can’t answer the questions, they will refer them to people who can,” Weber said.
Weber said while he does not benefit financially from moderating the groups or from his “What’s Up Dunwoody” podcast, he has connected with people he might not have encountered in his daily life.
“People suggest to me that the Facebook group is a labor of love, and I say, ‘It’s a labor all right,’” he joked. “But I think it’s a powerful tool and I’m glad that it’s around.”
