This Is Your Fulton County School Board.

All:

In light of the recent questionable actions from the Fulton County School Board regarding your tax dollars and the cutting of the band program as well as an attempt to raise the mileage rate, we dusted off this fantastic investigative report by Wendy Salztman of CBS Atlanta showing misappropriation of funds televised this past summer. Watch all the videos below and prepare to have your eyes opened.

1. Part 1 - http://www.cbsatlanta.com/video/19469322/

2. Part 2. - http://www.cbsatlanta.com/video/19711168/?taf=lnta

3. Part 3 - http://www.cbsatlanta.com/video/19722054/?taf=lnta

4. Raw Video - Must watch! - http://www.cbsatlanta.com/video/19693094/?taf=lnta

5. Part 4 - http://www.cbsatlanta.com/video/19733893/?taf=lnta

It is obvious that if this wasteful spending was not uncovered by CBS Atlanta, nothing would have been done.

In addition, if this type of action has taken place, what else does the tax paying constituency not know?

City Legal Costs Totals To Date On O'brien Ethics Charge Against D'Aversa.

All:

Recently, one of our readers asked that we find out what the city's total legal bill was to date spawning from the ethics charge filed by Neal O'Brien against Tina D'Aversa.

Thanks to City Manager Chris Lagerbloom and Interim City Clerk Sudie Gordan, the information is as follows:

"The total legal costs billed and approved to-date re: Complaint from Neal J. O’Brien regarding Tina D’Aversa is $13,392.33."

With this material in hand, it begs some questions:

1. Do you believe your tax money was well spent?

2. If you disagree with this money being spent in this manner, what would you have used it for if you were in office?

3. Do you have any suggestions that you believe would make the ethics system work more efficiently?

Have your say in the comments section below.

Fulton parents press music plea.

By Gracie Bonds Staples
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Band students holding their instruments and parents carrying posters jammed the Fulton County school board’s first public hearing on the proposed 2011 budget.

As at previous meetings, parents turned out Thursday in big numbers hoping to persuade the board to reverse its decision to convert the district’s popular band and orchestra program into a fee-based, after-school program.

Joel Dallow held petitions he said had 8,500 signatures objecting to dismantling the program.

Jazz great Earl Klugh arrived after the public comment, but voiced his support of the parents’ effort.

“For me, so much of my early life was shaped in school and it included music of all types,” he said. “I’m a big advocate for music in school because it helps round out an individual.”

Robert Siegling wore a hat calling for a recall of six of the seven board members.

For the first time, some voiced their support for the board’s decision.

Barbara Thomas said she appreciated the tough position the board has been in and supported the move to revamp the program.

“I urge all parents in the community to look at the big picture and not a single issue, to offer informed suggestions and not unreasonable demands,” said Thomas, who no longer has children in the district.

Susan Dorenkamp, principal at Heards Ferry Elementary School, drew boos when she said, “I fully support the elementary band and orchestra program as an after-school program.”

The music cut was part of the board’s effort to eliminate a $120 million deficit. It also approved cutting 1,000 positions, including 500 teachers.

The system is proposing a 2011 budget that is about $43 million less than the 2010 current budget — $794 million compared to $837 million.

To plug the expected gap between revenue and expenditures, the board approved $58 million in cuts early in the year and is expected to vote on $30 million additional cuts Superintendent Cindy Loe recommended.

Those include cutting central office costs 10 percent, requiring all employees to take three furlough days and stopping door-to-door transportation for magnet school students.

Loe also recommended increasing the millage rate one mill, as parents and some district staff have advocated.

Barbara Brock, who said her tax bill was more than $7,000 a year, objected and asked the board to give special consideration to residents 65 and older. “The taxes are just killing us,” said Brock, 78. “Every millage increase cuts into what we have to live on.”

The board did not vote on the latest recommendations but is expected to adopt the proposed budget May 11 with final adoption scheduled for June 8.

Milton High School Indoor Drumline Voted World Championship Finalist and Open Class Fan Favorite at Percussion World Championships.

Alpharetta, GA April 22, 2010 – Imagine being amongst 170 high school and college drumline ensembles from over 40 states and 4 countries and performing in front of thousands of fans. Now imagine not only performing in the world championship and watching the world’s greatest indoor drumlines, but also being awarded as World Championship Finalists and Open Class Fan Favorite! That’s the thrill Milton High School’s Indoor Drumline got at the WGI World Championships in Dayton Ohio this past weekend.

“The Milton Indoor Drumline has only been to the WGI World Championships two times and we’ve made finals each time, a great accomplishment when you consider that many schools have attended for years and have yet to reach this goal,” said Mark Kapral, Milton High School’s Percussion Director. “I was so proud of them and how they performed this weekend!”

With a show entitled, “The Unknown”, the 38 member team entertained the crowds with an electrifying performance, securing them as finalists out of 24 competing drumlines in their division from all over the world and soon after were also awarded the title, “Open Class Fan Favorite”. This was the culmination of countless hours of grueling daily practice for five months, and for the Milton High School Indoor Drumline, those long hours obviously paid off. So how do you follow all that? Well, after a brief rest, putting together another show for next year and wowing the crowds once more, of course.

The Milton High School Indoor Drumline is under the direction of Mark Kapral and Brandon Kunka and performed exhibitions, and also competed in local, regional, and world competitions. Their success is directly related to a combination of hard work from the students, the staff, and the Parent Boosters Club. For more information, contact Hal Eisenberg or visit http://www.miltonpercussion.webs.com/.

Contact:
Hal Eisenberg
404-610-1531Halacious@eisenbergagency.com

Major Announcment from Senator Moody and John Albers.

April 20, 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

State Senator Dan Moody and John Albers, the leading Republican candidate to replace the retiring Senator Moody are planning to make a major announcement on May 8, 2010. More specific information and details will be forthcoming.
For additional information, please contact the Albers for Senate campaign at info@votealbers.com or (770)280-6061. www.votealbers.com

NOTE: Accessmilton.com encourages all candidates running for office both locally and state wide to share information with us on their campaigns. This type of information does not mean that Accessmilton.com is endorsing one candidate as opposed to another. Here, all are treated equally and with respect.

In Rememberance.

Recently, a good friend of mine who is active in the Milton community lost his uncle. If memory serves, he was in his 80's.

I am so sorry for this family's loss.

While I realize that death is a part of life and every household within our city will go through this heartache, this gentleman's passing pushed me to write some on Accessmilton.com.

I suppose what sparked this action was two fold.

First, this man flew for our armed services. He stood with so many other heroes in putting their lives on the line to serve and defend our country. That in itself is news worthy and honorable.

Second, this man was a member of what I call "The Great Generation."

Thankfully, we still have many of his kind within our own city limits. Farmers who still at the age of 90 plus get up every day to garden and work the land, for example. Unfortunately, this class of man is a dying breed.

With that in mind, if you know someone of "The Great Generation", do yourself a favor. Call them up and see if they would like to chat over a sweet tea. Record them if you can as they relay all the experiences that have brought them to this point.

"The Great Generation" will never come again in our lifetime. The sooner we listen and learn from them, the better off our future will be.

My thoughts are with this Milton family during this difficult time.

- Tim Enloe

Accessmilton.com

770 653 0552

Fulton school superintendent to recommend $28 million in additional cuts.

By Gracie Bonds Staples
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Fulton County parents will get another chance to voice concerns about proposed school budget cuts on Thursday when the board will hold a public hearing.

In addition to increasing the millage rate, school superintendent Cindy Loe said last week she will recommend an additional $28 million in cuts to shore up the district’s $120 million deficit. The hearing is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at the Dunwoody Springs Charter Elementary School at 8100 Roberts Drive in Sandy Springs.

Although no vote is expected, the board tentatively has plans to adopt the proposed budget on May 11 with final adoption set for June 8.

Loe said the millage increase should bring in an additional $28 million in revenue. Parents and school employees have called for a tax increase for weeks now in hopes that it would save in other areas, namely the district’s popular elementary school band and orchestra program and cuts to school social workers and counselors.

Loe originally proposed cutting social workers and counselors by 50 percent but later asked for and received a 25-percent reduction instead because the school district was given $6 million more from the governor's office than was projected.

Despite continued objections from parents, the board is moving forward on Loe's recommendation to convert the elementary school band and orchestra program into a fee-based, after-school program and has asked local contractors to submit proposals to run it. Contractors have until Thursday to submit proposals.

In an effort to save the program, parents recently hired a consultant to help them lobby for its preservation. John Benham, a nationally known music consultant who has fought to save school arts programs in 47 states, including Georgia, said his goal is not to attack the board but rather to work collaboratively.

"We're here not to save teacher positions but to save curriculum," Benham said at a meeting with parents last Saturday. "This is after all Fulton County, where students come first."

He said the district's financial crisis "represents the best opportunity to restructure the program and at the same time make it financially more viable."

The board over the past two months has voted to accept Loe’s recommendation to cut 1,000 positions, including 500 teachers, many of whom might keep their jobs through attrition.

The system is proposing a 2011 budget that is about $120 million less than the 2010 budget: from $857 million to $737 million.

Although school districts across metro Atlanta are facing huge budget deficits, Fulton is the most advanced in the budget process and the first to approve cost-cutting items such as increasing class size, eliminating the summer CRCT retake program and reduce the school calendar from 180 to 177 days.

In addition to the tax increase, Loe is expected to recommend cutting, among other things, central office operating costs by 10 percent, requiring all employees to take three furlough days and stopping door-to-door transportation for its magnet students.

A Public Service Announcement.

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Green initiatives - North Fulton cities make environment a priority

By Rachel Kellogg
neighbornewspapers

To cut down on waste, a desk side recycling program has also been implemented at City Hall.

“We’re trying to make sustainability part of our overall management process,” Ms. Ritter said. Going green has also been a top priority in Milton, according to city spokesman Jason Wright.

“Being a green city is important to us and to the mayor and city council, and it’s proven to be very important to our citizens,” he said.

Milton City Hall is in the process of switching from plastic foam cups to paper cups, and the city is moving electronically as much as possible to reduce wasting paper.

“For example, all the books and manuals used by the police and fire departments are electronic now,” Wright said.

The city was also recently named a Tree City USA.

Earth Day festival brings families to Birmingham Park

The City of Milton's first Earth Day festival, presented by the Milton Grows Green Committee, brought scores of families out to Birmingham Park April 17 looking for some fun on a bright, cool spring afternoon.

The event featured wagon rides, environmental education for children, presentations from local businesses promoting sustainability and demonstrations of Earth-friendly planting and composting techniques.

To see a gallery of photos from the event, click here.

Clydesdales second in fundraising, racing.

Team, personal results all second for Fight for Air Climb

The Milton Clydesdales placed second overall in fundraising and racing at the Fight for Air Climb 2010 April 17 at One Ninety One Peachtree tower in Atlanta.

But that wasn't all. Firefighter Thom Brown, last year's overall winner, placed second in a field of 111 individual racers. Fire Chief Robert Edgar also placed second out of 10 racers in his age group and 17th overall.

The grueling race required the firefighters climb the 1150 stairs in full turnout gear, which weighs more than 25 pounds and traps all body heat and moisture.

This year the Clydesdales raised more than $2,800 - nearly double their original goal. That put them in second for fundraising. With a team racing time of 58 minutes, the Clydesdales also placed second out of 11 fire departments participating.

To see a gallery of photos from the event, click here. To view the complete results, click here.

Milton wants to depoliticize process for ethics complaints.

By Ralph Ellis
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Having handled five ethics complaints in its three years of existence, the north Fulton County town of Milton wants to change the way it handles ethics complaints.

Mayor Joe Lockwood said the city needs to remove politics from the process.

Milton now uses a board made up of residents appointed by the City Council to hear complaints. The city attorney on Monday suggested hiring one to three attorneys from outside Milton to handle the complaints and pass judgment.

Lockwood said it became clear the process needed changing after the March hearing for former Councilwoman Tina D’Aversa, which turned into a who's who of city politics.

Before being voted off the council in November, D'Aversa was accused of using city e-mail to try to bribe her campaign opponent into dropping out of the race. Neal O’Brien, a former council member, filed the complaint two weeks before the election. He was represented by a former city attorney, Mark Scott, and the chairman of the ethics board was Clint Johnson, a former council candidate. Joe Longoria, who didn’t drop out of the race and beat D’Aversa, testified along with Lockwood.

“It was innately political,” Councilman Alan Tart said Monday.

The board took 5 1/2 hours to find that D’Aversa had improperly used government e-mails and engaged in conduct unbecoming a council member. When the case was forwarded for punishment, the council chose to do nothing. D'Aversa could not be reached for comment Monday but said after the hearing that she felt the complaint was political payback for backing the candidate who beat O'Brien in 2007.

Lockwood said all five complaints handled by the ethics board have been political, either because the targets were elected officials or “somebody was trying to get somebody else.”

The ethics board decided only the complaint against D’Aversa deserved a full hearing. The other four were dismissed for lack of merit.

Johnson, who has been an ethics board member since its creation, said the board acts "as a filter" and has sensitivity to local needs.

"You put three lawyers in there, you don't know what they'll say," Johnson said.

Lockwood said he never felt it was fair to ask residents to judge elected officials. He also thought a new system might cut down on frivolous complaints.

"With this type of system it would make people that want to file an ethics complaint have their information and be pretty confident in their case before they file it," he said.

Ken Jarrard, the city’s attorney, said he will prepare a recommendation for the council to consider at a future meeting.

On A National Note...

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Mayor Joe Lockwood Speaks To The MBA / 4.15.10

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Conclusion Of Milton GA Road Safety Meeting / 1.8.09.

All:

The final screen captures below conclude the power point presentation used in the Milton Road Safety Meeting back in January of 2009.

While I will be the first to say all that was proposed is by no means perfect, it is my hope that such information helps to encourage you and your loved ones to think of ideas as well.

The bottom line is to make all open road neighborhoods safer for both commuter and resident alike.

Drive safe!

Tim Enloe
Accessmilton.com
770 653 0552

Milton GA Road Safety Meeting / 1.8.09 / Part 19.

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Milton GA Road Safety Meeting / 1.8.09 / Part 20.

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Milton GA Road Safety Meeting / 1.8.09 / Part 21.

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Milton GA Road Safety Meeting / 1.8.09 / Part 22.

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