Milton shows off unique partnership.

Professor Fusao Ushiro, center, of Nagoya University visited several North Fulton cities, gathering information about the unique public-private partnership they had with government company CH2M Hill. Japan is seeking to emulate the system. The Milton city council welcomed him to a recent council meeting.

Sandy Springs, Johns Creek, Milton focus of study by international researcher.

By Jonathan Copsey; Appen Newspapers

MILTON - Milton has a special visitor in the city last week. Fusao Ushiro, a law professor with Nagoya University in Japan, spoke with members of the city and council about the unique public-private partnership enjoyed by Milton, Johns Creek and Sandy Springs.

"In general I'm very interested by the realities of the concept of the total outsourcing system," said Ushiro.

When Milton formed, nearly all public services were performed by employees of private company CH2M Hill. The only exceptions were the police and city manager.

Ushiro is gathering information on how the city functioned with private employees working alongside public ones, and how money was saved by doing so. Even now, after Milton has withdrawn from the partnership, many city services are still outsourced to private companies.

He explained that, in Japan, being a city council member is a well-paid, full-time position, with his own city of Nagoya employing 75 council members. With such expenses, Japanese legislators are looking at cutting costs and outsourcing more work.

"In Japan, use of partial contracting is spreading now, but this type of total outsourcing is new and legally possible[in Japan]," Ushiro said. "I think it is very effective to almost all the public services to contract out to the private companies."

Japan has had the same legal system in place for the last 60 years.