Email News From Council Person Julie Zahner Bailey

Dear Friends, Neighbors and Milton Citizens -

Fall is here and our Milton community had many terrific events to ring in this wonderful season. Everything from the Crabapple Antique and Arts Festival, to Hands on Atlanta efforts at Northwestern Middle School, the Crabapple Crossing Elementary Fall Festival, the Summit Hill Elementary Fall Spruce-up to our Annual Rivers Alive event focused on volunteerism and the need to clean up our local waterways. All of these events and more contribute to the great community now defined as Milton. It is a blessing to be a part of such a wonderful community.

On October 1st our Public Safety department in conjunction with the City of Alpharetta positively and smoothly transitioned our 911 Dispatch Service from Fulton County to the Alpharetta Emergency Dispatch Center. We are blessed by the many men and women that help to keep Milton and North Fulton safe. Scroll down for details.

I would like to send a special thank-you to the scouts, families, students and citizens that pitched in to help increase the awareness of keeping our waterways clean while physically working very hard to clean up Chicken Creek, Little River at the Birmingham Parkland and the Birmingham Parkland itself while also placing storm drain markers in various neighborhoods. Please scroll down for details and photos from this year's Rivers Alive event.

Regarding upcoming meetings of the Mayor and Council, please view the list of meetings on the right margin of this update. On Monday, October 6th, we have a regularly scheduled Council meeting that includes several items of interest including Item #08-687, "Authorize the issuance of permits (LDP, building, CO, etc.) to those parcels reflected within the sewer delivery area map approved by City Council on September 15, 2008 as long as the applicant provides an approved sewer permit from Fulton County".

This agenda item relates to the issue of sewer extension to certain properties in Crabapple and on Webb Road and potentially will provide sewer service approval to multiple properties despite there not being an approved IGA with Fulton County. It is not yet clear which properties are intended for inclusion in this agenda item. I have concerns with a "blanket approval" to all properties approved for sewer extension given varied circumstances surrounding each property. For example, some properties have had EPA regulation issues, while others are at various stages of development while still others are not under development at all.

I also believe that an approved IGA should be required based on previous input from the City Attorney. This agenda item could circumvent the need for an approved IGA with Fulton County. If you have questions, concerns or comments about any item or issue facing Milton, please let us hear from you. Thank you for caring about your community and for being involved in all aspects of Milton. Every person does make a difference. I consider it an honor to be a part of this wonderful community.

All my best - Julie Zahner Bailey

Annual Rivers Alive Event A Success

I would like to send a special thank-you to the scouts, families, students and citizens that pitched in to help increase the awareness of keeping our waterways clean while physically working very hard to clean up our local waterways. This year's annual Rivers Alive event had more than 70 participants that pulled out old tires, metal bed springs, trash, old washing machines and more from Chicken Creek, Little River at the Birmingham Park and the Birmingham Parkland itself.

It is always an eye opening experience for young and old alike to see first hand the items that are dumped directly into our collective waterways and public lands. Also as a part of Rivers Alive, students and Girl Scouts helped to place storm drain markers in various subdivisions as part of the environmental education efforts to keep Milton's waterways clean as Milton continues to "grow green". These efforts will continue beyond this past weekend thanks to our wonderful youth volunteers and families. Way to go to the many volunteers that once again made such a difference.