Milton Police Department arranges donation for Birmingham Falls' Safety Patrol

Media Contact: Jason Wright
jason.wright@cityofmiltonga.us
678-242-2523 (office)
770-825-3096 (cell)

City vendor Command Uniforms cut vests specifically for students

MILTON, GA., Jan. 21, 2010 - The dozens of children in Birmingham Falls Elementary School's student-staffed "Safety Patrol" will really stand out thanks to the work of Milton's Police Department and its uniform vendor, Atlanta-based Command Uniforms. On Jan. 21, the company donated 40 bright orange vests manufactured to fit the children. The Milton Police Department, which had been contacted by the school for the vests and worked through Command Uniforms to provide them free of charge, gave administrators the gift.

Mike Dykes, a Birmingham Falls representative, said students in the Safety Patrol monitor hallways in the mornings and afternoons, mentor younger peers and act as ambassadors during special events. The vests will set them apart, he said, and make them especially visible on the school's sidewalks and in its carpool area.

Incorporated on December 1, 2006, the City of Milton is a distinctive community that embraces small-town life and heritage while preserving and enhancing the city's rural character. The City of Milton is committed to maintaining the unique quality of life for its constituents while efficiently delivering essential services to residents and businesses in an interactive community environment. For more information, visit www.cityofmiltonga.us, or call 678-242-2500.

Man breaks into same home twice

Courtesy By Andria Simmons
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

A 22-year-old man has been jailed on burglary charges for allegedly breaking into an acquaintance's house in Milton twice in the same day.

A 15-year-old boy who lived at the home overheard the alleged burglar talking on the phone downstairs around 3 p.m. on Jan. 9. The teenager apparently recognized the man's voice as that of a former familiy friend, David Hughes. Police said the teenager was too scared to confront Hughes, so he called his parents. The suspect left before the parents arrived home.

About two hours later, Hughes allegedly returned to the house and tried to get in through the kitchen door. A female resident spotted him and he fled. Later, the homeowners discovered that several blank personal checks were missing and one of them was cashed by Hughes.

Milton Police arrested Hughes Friday on charges of burglary, attempted burglary and first-degree forgery.

Philly Pretzel Factory Donates Food To Milton Officers

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All:

Many thanks to the folks at the Philly Pretzel Factory for donating food to our Milton Police Officers. If you or someone you know would like to work with Philly Pretzel Factory and Accessmilton.com in support of our Milton Fire and Police Departments, please give us a call at 770 653 0552.

To the Milton Officers - Thank You For Keeping Milton Safe!

To Find Out More About Milton's Wonderful Police Department, Click here=>

http://www.cityofmiltonga.us/safety/police/index.html

To Find Out More About Milton's Own Philly Pretzel Factory, Click here=>

http://www.accessmilton.com/Advertisers/PhillyPretzelFactory.php

Traffic must slow down in Milton

Courtesy Jonathan Copsey / Appen Newspapers

January 18, 2010 MILTON - For subdivisions demanding speed humps and other traffic calming devices on their streets, Milton may have some bad news.

At last week's council work session, the consensus was residents would pay for traffic calming devices.

The problem is this: A lot of traffic cuts through Milton and much of it goes through subdivisions and neighborhoods, often at speeds higher than the posted speed limit.

There is no way to reduce the volume of traffic, but speeds can be controlled.

Homeowners' associations (HOAs) have petitioned the city to install speed bumps and similar devices to slow vehicles down. Milton's current traffic calming policy does not specifically address such petitions.

"We have serious problems regarding speeders in our neighborhood. The speeding is atrocious," said Bret Cole of the Hopewell Plantation HOA.

According to Cole, Hopewell Plantation serves as an oft-used shortcut for traffic. "There's no way of controlling that right now," he added.

To combat this problem, Public Works Director Carter Lucas proposed a series of changes to the policy to formalize and regulate a system for accepting applications for traffic calming devices. Under his suggestions, an application would go like this: A formal request for speed control measures is made of the city.

City employees would then go out and conduct a traffic study to determine if the street meets traffic volume limits (between 400 and 4,000 vehicles a day) and if 15 percent of those vehicles speed in excess of 10 mph the posted limit.

If the road is eligible, an application fee is paid and residents sign a petition of approval (which requires 75 percent of the affected residents' signatures). The city designs and then installs it.

The questions put before council were "how fast is too fast?" and "how much should the subdivision pay?"

Under the current guidelines, of the 11 subdivisions that have requested traffic calming measures, only seven met the traffic volume requirements. Of those, most speeds on the roads were clocked in at between 5 mph and 8 mph over the speed limit. Only White Columns subdivision had speeds much higher – the average there was a full 16 mph too fast. Council was unanimous in their support of making the speeding threshold between 5 mph and 8 mph, which would allow most of the other subdivisions to apply.

Of more concern was cost. Speed control measures, depending on the design and material, cost between $2,000 and $5,000, said Lucas.

By attaching a fee to the approval process and requiring HOAs to foot some of the bill, the city can weed out those communities that are not entirely serious about putting in the measures. According to Lucas, a cheap material, such as rubber, would be covered 50-50 by the city and the subdivision. For anything different – such as brick – the HOA would fund the difference.

Council member Karen Thurman raised to question of installing such measures on open roads, where speeding is just as much of a problem as in the subdivisions.

"In south Florida they have them [traffic calming devices] everywhere you go," said Thurman. "And some of those roads are more than 35 mph."

"Once you get out of a typical subdivision, you really start getting into the question of liability on the city's part," warned Lucas. "It's really an obstruction of the roadway."

Mayor Joe Lockwood agreed. "My road is 35 mph and myself and my neighbors would love to put speed calming devices on our road, but it's not a neighborhood," he said. "We'd open a can of worms if we went [putting traffic calming devices on roads with speed limits] over 35 miles an hour."

City attorney Ken Jarrard said Milton must comply with Georgia law for what is safe to put in the road.

Chain reaction felt at Northwestern

January 18, 2010 MILTON - The students of Northwestern Middle School were able to meet a truly special girl last week.

Rachel Joy Scott spoke before several assemblies of the student body about five codes of ethics that each child should strive to live by.

By the end of the school day, more than 400 of these children had pledged to follow by Rachel's words of guidance.

What is more surprising is that Rachel has been dead for 10 years now.

Rachel was the very first victim of the Columbine massacre that occurred at Columbine High School in Colorado April 20, 1999, the first of 13 victims to be brutally gunned down by two classmates.

Through the efforts of her family and friends and the moving words she kept in a half-dozen notebooks, Rachel's words preaching kindness, understanding and love have reached the ears of more than 12 million people, including presidents, athletes and actors.

Her story was brought to Northwestern by the student body. A poll had been taken regarding bullying and the vast majority of students admitted to some form of bullying.

To combat that, the students searched for a program aimed at teaching respect and kindness.

"We do a lot of things for respect and bullying, and this program really helps," said Principal Bruce Fraser. "It has made a huge difference."

Through five simple steps, Rachel predicted that the world can be made a better place, so long as everyone does their part. They were included in a short essay she wrote just six weeks before her death.

The first code is "Look for the best in others." Only by getting to know the personality within people can one truly get to know them.

First impressions are not always correct. Only by making an effort to make a friend can eliminate you prejudices.

"Choose positive influences." Her killers chose April 20 because it was the birthday of Adolf Hitler, a man they idolized. Rachel, on the other hand, chose to admire Anne Frank, a Jewish teenager killed during World War II. Like Anne, Rachel's life is remembered most through her journal writings and ideals of a better world. You get out of life what you put into it, and keeping positive influences leads to a positive life.

"Kind words and acts of kindness" can open up doors normally closed. Rachel's kindness touched many students in her school. Through the Rachel's Challenge program, her message has touched millions.

"It's really touching and really sad," said one woman who saw the program and whose son is a seventh grader at Northwestern. "He was very touched by it. He thought it was good."

"This is probably the most motivated middle school I've ever had," said speaker J.B., who was amazed at the reaction of the Northwestern students. "You don't normally get that in middle schools."

The final code is by far the most important: "Start a chain reaction" and pass along her message and accept her challenge of making a better world.

For information, visit rachelschallenge.org.

Milton Council Council measures alcohol

Courtesy Jonathan Copsey / Appen Newspapers

January 18, 2010 MILTON – Sometimes the status quo is just fine. That's what Milton's council decided at a workshop session last Monday when discussing whether to change the restrictions on the distance of alcohol sales from a school.

The issue was raised during December's consideration of an alcohol license for Sip Wine Tapas restaurant, in Crabapple. According to state law, any business trying to sell alcohol must be a set distance from a church or school.

However, when measuring the distance from Sip Wine to Crabapple Crossing Elementary School, the restaurant and the city had differing methods – the city measured by the shortest distance; Sip Wine measured along the impervious surfaces (i.e. roads) to the entrance of the school. The problem is they were both right.

"We believed the school grounds were closer than their surveyor did," said City Attorney Ken Jarrard. "We decided that, in the absence of any language in our code that made it absolutely clear, we would yield to their surveyor in this situation."

Milton code follows exactly the state code for dealing with such issues. According to Jarrard, it was perfectly within the council's power to change the code if they wished it.

As Mayor Joe Lockwood said, a more restrictive code would only hinder Milton businesses.

"We've got such a a small commercial base that I would be for keeping within the state code," Lockwood said.

Milton has typically interpreted "impervious surfaces" as roads and sidewalks as well as grass and the right of way; anything on which people will travel. However, now there is precedent within the city that only roads and sidewalks are the standard.

Under the new interpretation, a school and a bar could theoretically be back to back and, instead of measuring the shortest distance, the city would have to measure from front door to front door following the nearby roads.

"[The state law] makes no sense but it is a formula," said Jarrard.

Along similar lines, the council debated whether a daycare counts as a school and therefore be included in the alcohol restrictions.

"A daycare's primary function is not to educate. It is to be a caretaker. A school's primary role is to educate," Jarrard said.

This issue was raised last month when the city was considering an alcohol application for a store that was near The Goddard School.

While technically a daycare, Goddard portrays itself as a teaching facility. This distinction led city staff to decide it was in fact a school a daycare.

The council agreed that daycares are not schools, and no change will have to be made to the city code.

Milton splits with private company

Courtesy by Jonathan Copsey / Appen Newspapers

January 18, 2010 MILTON – The grand experiment is at an end for Milton – as of the first of the year, there was no longer any public-private partnership between the city and private company CH2M Hill.

"For all intents and purposes, we're done," said City Manager Chris Lagerbloom.

When Milton was first formed in 2006, CH2M Hill was brought in to manage much of the day-to-day affairs of city government, just as they currently are with the cities of Johns Creek and Sandy Springs.

The company bought equipment, computers, phones, an office building to serve as city hall, all to get the city up and running on its very first day of business.

"They provide a very vital service for a new government," said Lagerbloom.

However, with the economic downturn, cracks began to show in the relationship with city leaders.

Hill fees a problem

There was the trouble of having private employees scattered wherever the company thought it best. For instance, the city Web site was managed by a webmaster in Denver, where CH2M Hill has its headquarters.

For Lagerbloom, it was a constant problem having to rely on passing information to the public when that person was not only unable to attend informational meetings, but living two time zones away.

The biggest – and by far the most worrying – was that the city was contractually obligated to pay the company a lump sum every year for its services.

This created a problem when Milton had to pare back its budget to meet the economic climate and the company would not budge on the fee.

"How do we break apart this lump sum? How do we position ourselves such that we don't have this $7 million contract on us that will always be $7 million?" asked Lagerbloom.

To add to that, there was a clause in the contract that increased the fee based on a complicated formula. Had the city stayed with CH2M Hill, that $7 million would have risen to $8.2 million with no increase in performance or costs.

That's a lot of money for a city whose budget last year was a little over $17 million.

What now?

Now that the deal is done, the city is already seeing savings. By eliminating the company from contracts, Milton is able to directly negotiate with contractors used for public works and keep the fee that CH2M Hill would tag on.

Lagerbloom claims he has already seen overall savings of $1.26 million for taxpayers so far this year. He expects that number to go up, with even more saved next year.

"This wasn't a bad experience for the city," said Lagerbloom. "We wouldn't have been positioned such that we could make this transition if we hadn't had somebody like CH2MHill to start us up. [But] there is no middle man at this point."

Jan Jones could bring big changes to Georgia House

Jones.

Courtesy Jim Tharpe / Atlanta Journal Constitution

She has a husband, four kids and two dogs -- one named “Hotshot,” the other, “Rocket.” She likes to garden. She often reads herself to sleep at night.

Jan Jones also just happens to be the most powerful woman ever to sit in the male-dominated Georgia Legislature. The 51-year-old Jones, a Republican lawmaker from Milton, was last week elected speaker pro tem of the state House of Representatives, becoming the first woman in Georgia history to hold the title.

Jones’ rise to power could have big implications around the state Capitol, not to mention Fulton County, where she lives and which could be divided into two counties under legislation she advocates.

By week’s end, she was still trying to get settled in her role as well as her new Capitol office, just around the corner from House Speaker David Ralston (R-Blue Ridge). Her cellphone’s voice-mail box was jammed, and she was struggling to keep up with her e-mail. She suddenly had a lot of new friends.

Her lawyer husband, Kalin, and her kids -- ages 14 to 22 -- were not overly impressed.

“My kids laugh when they [reporters] say that,” she said of the reaction to her new title and its “most powerful” prefix. “They think of me as Mom. They think of politics as my hobby. Your family keeps you grounded.”

This is Jones’ fourth term as a state lawmaker, her eighth year at the Capitol. She was majority whip before she was elected to her current job. Friends describe her as a reserved woman who doesn’t mince words. Just ask about her political role models.

“I mostly found them [politicians] to be irritating,” Jones said during an interview with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution at her Capitol office. “When I got involved in things in the community, I mostly found them to be in the way.What I did not appreciate is how complicated things are. I have come to appreciate that.”

Jones will probably come to appreciate those complications even more in her new role. She was immediately inundated with praise as she held the House gavel for the first time

But critics were already circling, warning of bitter legislative fights ahead if she advances legislation to carve Milton County out of northern Fulton County. Milton was absorbed into Fulton in the 1930s.

State Sen. Vincent Fort (D-Atlanta) fears Jones will use her newfound power to push a bill that could re-create the county. That House resolution has been lingering in the Legislature for four years.

“It’s a bad idea, and she’ll use her ascension as a platform to push it,” Fort said. “It’s a bad idea for Atlanta, and it’s a bad idea for the region. Essentially what you would have is the Balkanization of metro Atlanta.”

But Jones also has her fans. They see her as a fresh, new beginning after the sex scandal that forced former Speaker Glenn Richardson from office.

State Rep. Joe Wilkinson (R-Sandy Springs) described the new speaker pro tem as a quiet woman not to be underestimated. She was a key player in the controversial creation of his city out of north Fulton County five years ago, Wilkinson said.

“She was the one who came up with the financial calculation to prove we, as the city of Sandy Springs, would be viable,” Wilkinson said. “She would have won MVP in that fight.”

Wilkinson, who encouraged Jones to run in 2002 and sided with her in the Republican primary, said Jones is an understated politician who knows how to get things done.

“She’s not a back-slapper,” he said. “She is very reserved. She has a wonderful sense of humor. And it’s never humor at someone else’s expense. It’s usually directed at herself.”

Jones was born the middle of three children in Warner Robins, just south of Macon. Her father, Gerald Slaughter, was in the U.S. Air Force, and her mom, Mary, spent her days raising kids. The family moved a lot, living in California, Alaska and Labrador, but always seemed to end up back in Georgia.

"Dublin, Ga., [where her parents grew up] was always home base,” Jones said. “We’d move around the country and the world, but we’d come back there for summers.”

Jones got interested in journalism while the family lived in California. She and a friend attended the trial of newspaper heiress Patty Hearst, arriving at the courthouse before dawn to line up for a seat.

“My mom always said that she always wanted her kids to come back to Georgia,” Jones said. “When it was time to go to college, it was the only offer we had on the table.”

Jones got a journalism degree from the University of Georgia. She worked briefly for a small Georgia radio station but stayed in the news business “just long enough to realize I didn’t want to be that poor.”

She met her husband while he was at UGA and he was in law school there. They got married, and she went back to UGA to get a master's in business administration.

Jones and her husband lived in the Garden Hills neighborhood of Atlanta for 12 years, and have lived in what is now the Milton area for the past decade or so.

During that time, Jones has held sway in a variety of roles, marketing executive for Home Box Office, stay-at-home mom (for 10 years) and self-described “community activist.”

“It never occurred to me I’d be a stay-at-home mom,” she said, “but then the baby comes and you think, ‘I’d like to try this.' ”

Jones got involved in community issues, both in Garden Hills and north Fulton, once trying to annex all of northwest Fulton into Alpharetta.

She said she never got interested in running for office until the 2000 census created three districts out of former Speaker Pro Tem Mark Burkhalter’s (R-Johns Creek) seat. It was Burkhalter, Jones said, who encouraged her to run for one of the open seats.

Burkhalter, she said, also gave her the advice that still guides her legislative career.

“He said, ‘Pick issues you care about. And pick something that matters to you.' "

For her, Jones said that means the creation of Milton County -- she thinks Fulton County is too big to be effectively governed -- and education.

The decision to run for office in 2002, she said, was made only after discussion with her husband and family. And it came after years of growing frustration from an activist working outside the system.

"I was tired of knocking on the door from the outside,” she said. “I’d been doing that for 15 years. It was an opportunity to be on the inside and make a difference.”

Now she is very much on the inside. Republicans control the House, the state Senate and the governor’s office. She said the prospect of life under the microscope as a GOP leader doesn’t bother her.

“My husband and I are pretty low-key people,” she said. “A big night for us is to go out on Saturday night to dinner and them come home and get in bed and read.”

Jones, however, can quickly become the politician. Just ask her if she sees her current job as a launchpad for higher office – governor, perhaps?

“I could just as easily see myself in four years running for something else as I could deciding I’ve had a great stint in public service and I’m ready to have a private life again,” Jones said. “I don’t see either as more likely than the other.”

***DANGEROUS DRIVER ALERT***

Stock Photos

All:

A black late model Pontiac GTO with "GTO" white lettering in the top of the front windshield was speeding on Bethany Road at approximately 1:58pm Today / Wednesday / January 20th / 2010. The vehicle in question was headed north bound from the Bethany / Mayfield intersection going appoximately 80 plus mph.

This open road neighborhood has a speed limit of 40mph and a 35mph sign placement regarding some blind drives. There are 40 plus Milton families that live in this open road neighborhood of Bethany.

If you see this vehicle, please report it to the City of Milton Police Department at 678 242 2500 immediately.

Rat Terrier Found along Bethany Way

409472 - ID#A409472
I am waiting for my owner to find me. Please contact the shelter if you are either my owner or are interested in adopting me. My name is 409472.
I am a female, brown brindle and white Rat Terrier. The shelter thinks I am about 2 years old. I have been at the shelter since Jan 15, 2010. This information is 3 hours old.
For more information about this animal, call:Fulton County Animal Services at (404) 794-0358 Ask for information about animal ID number A409472

Pic to follow.

While You Were Sleeping...Vol. 1

An Editorial By Tim Enloe; Accessmilton.com

Since the poor treatment of veterans returning from the Vietnam war, Americans have vowed to support the troops regardless of where opinions lie. Such an act is wonderful to see and truly patriotic. This turn of events came when many realized that their lives are protected each and every day by our miltary.Win or lose; you continue to support your home team. Our Milton could learn a thing or two from this.

It is my hope that through this monthly column, 'While You Were Sleeping...' , more residents will become advocates and supporters of our Police department. Much like our military, these men and women are protecting our families and our property each and every day. They deserve our respect and appreciation.

Recently, I had the honor of taking a "ride-along" with one of Milton's police officers. For those usure, a "ride-along" is basically an opportunity given to the public to ride with an officer during their shift as a public observer to get some insight into what these heroes do to keep the public safe.

My hope is to "ride along" at least once a month at our police department's discretion. With that in mind, I will not be sharing all experiences with you in a chronological fashion - some might have taken place on the recent ride along, some maybe not. Nor will I reference officer names. I do this to protect these heroes from the immature and unjust witch hunts that have been attempted by some of the Milton citizenry. I choose to protect those who have pledged to protect my loved ones and myself 24 hours a day / 7 days a week.

On my maiden voyage, I wasn't in the car for a mere ten minutes before a call came in from dispatch. Evidently, a person wanted on burglary warrants was sighted walking down New Providence Road. When we reached our destination,the cruiser passed him as he headed east. The officer turned his vehicle around in the Providence Lakes Subdivision entrance and saw the suspect hiding behind a street sign at the the low part of New Providence
where a bridge and creek are located.

Quicky, the officer slammed on his breaks, hit the lights, and jumped out of the car telling the suspect to stay where he was. As you might have guessed, this didn't work and the chase was on with the person in question running into the dark and the officer in full pursuit.

Being that you are instructed to stay in the car at all times, I did as I was told. However, with the yelling and quick movement of a flashlight off in the woods being the only two things I was aware of, I honestly debated. I feared that this hero might be in a fight with the suspect. I feared that the suspect could have taken his gun. However, in listening in on the cruiser radio, I quickly understood that the good guy caught the bad guy...with help from the local creek. The suspect had jumped into the freezing water that turned out to be deeper and colder than he realized. He gave up then and there.

Another officer showed up as well to help in the arrest. Keep in mind that there were only four officers on duty during this twelve hour shift. Thus, while these two were apprehending this criminal, the rest of the city was protected by only two officers - just two. Something to think about when you read about the city budgets and what money goes where.

The arresting officer got his man, but also got scratched up a bit from running through briars and tree limbs. From there, we road over to the Alpharetta Jail where the suspect would be placed.

This incident was but a tidbit of activity that I witnessed this fine evening in our Milton. Many other things transpired, but they will be saved for a different time. For now, Milton residents can rest a little easier as their families and homes are a bit safer. A burglar is off the streets and your Milton Police Department is the reason why.

To find out more about your local Milton Police, please click here=>
http://www.cityofmiltonga.us/safety/police/index.html

Letter To The Editor Cell Towers #2.

Dear Neighbors,

It is human nature that we take for granted the joys and conveniences of everyday life, overlooking the price we need to pay for them. There is a proposal to put a cell phone tower in our community. Many people will view this as an eyesore and vow to work to stop its construction. I would like for us to step back and take a look at the bigger picture.

Seven Gables is an asset to our community. The owner’s name is Harmon. It is my understanding that he has been here before many of the subdivisions were built in this area. I am sure that he disliked having the country atmosphere changed by the building of subdivisions around his property. However, he has been very kind to us and all of you by welcoming everyone to come to Seven Gables and enjoy his menagerie. If you have not taken the opportunity to visit Harmon, I urge you to do so. He welcomes us to come inside the gates, and walk around - petting the goats, visit the alpaca and miniature horses, plus there is a wide range of other animals that you cannot see from the road. He and his operation is truly an asset to out community. I am filled with joy every time I drive by and look to see what animals are in the front pasture that day. The presence of Seven Gable surely increases the value of our property.

It seems Harmon’s main source of income is from stabling horses and selling some goats. Horse owners and the businesses involved in their care have been hard hit by the down turn in the economy. Many horse owners had to sell horses because of the rapid rise in feed prices. Eddie Lee and I have been worried that Seven Gables might fall on hard times and have to sell the property to a developer. If that should happen this asset would be lost and possibly replaced by a high density development to help bring more tax income to Milton; this would definitely lead to a decline in our property values.

Many farmers around the country have turned to leasing part of their land for windmills or cell towers. If having a cell tower at Seven Gables will enable them to stay in business and be a valued neighbor for years to come, I am all for allowing a cell tower to be placed on that property. This is a big piece of land and it is possible that you won’t be able to see the tower well. I am sure we all remember the outrage we felt when people surrounding one of our Stratforde neighbor’s property threatened his business by attempting to restrict how he could use his property. Now that the tables are turned, I would encourage us to remember that lesson and not attempt to prevent Seven Gables from using this property in a way that would allow them to remain healthy.

We lived in California for many years. As more and more restrictions were put on the use of land, many small businesses lost their ability to survive, and we watched flower fields change into Home Depots.

Let us also look at our own involvement in this. If cell phone companies did not need to expand to provide their growing customer base with the additional capacity for voice, texting, and G3 services, they would not be spending resources to build these towers. You may receive good coverage today, but will not as use rises. If you are opposed to this tower, to remain logically consistent, you should cancel your cell phone service. I expect that most families in our subdivision have multiple cell phones that are used for texting and needless communications, rather than for emergencies.

We will not be opposing this cell tower and suggest that you consider taking the same stance. You risk losing a valuable neighborhood asset in this wonderful open space horse farm, all to block something you won’t even notice in six months.


- Nancy Cutter and Eddie Lee Brown

Relief For Haiti

Protect Milton is asking for help and volunteers in organizing in collecting care packages for the people of Haiti.

St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church has already mobilized and is working with Catholic Relief Services. Here is their website for detailed information. www.sta.org

If your family would like to put together a care package, please collect the following items and bring them to the church in a box this week. St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church is on Rucker Road just outside the Milton/Alpharetta line, 535 Rucker Road. The following medical supplies: children and adult vitamins, Motrin, Tylenol, children’s Motrin and Tylenol, hand sanitizer, hydrogen peroxide, bandages, latex gloves, ace wraps, splints, crutches, infant formula and antibiotic ointment, and Personal hygiene kits.

Some schools in Milton are collecting change to donate to Haiti relief. We reached out to several of them in Milton yesterday and asked if they would do even more by participating in asking the families in their schools to donate one care package box per family if they are able. Once we hear back from them we will announce the details of the items for the care packages, and which schools to bring them to.

If you are personally interested in volunteering and possibly reaching out to your neighbors, neighborhoods and HOA's to participate with Protect Milton on this project please call 678-428-4254 or email protectmilton@aol.com as your help is greatly appreciated and needed.


Thank you.
Lisa Cauley, Chair
Protect Milton, Inc.
www.protectmilton.com
Protect Milton is a 501c3 non-profit organization

PRESS RELEASE: Georgia House of Representatives Elects Jan Jones House Speaker Pro Tempore

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: Marshall Guest
Thursday, January 14, 2010
(404) 656-0311

Republicans and Democrats join together to elect first woman to SpeakerPro Tem post.

ATLANTA- On Monday, January 11th, Representative Jan Jones (R-Milton)was elected Speaker Pro Tem of the House of Representatives by a vote of 113-61. Both Republican and Democrat House members joined together to elect the first woman ever to this post in the Georgia House of Representatives.

"I am honored and indebted to my colleagues for their support inelecting me to this position," said Speaker Pro Tem Jan Jones. "I look forward to working with each and every one of them as we solve the problems facing our state."

"Speaker Pro Tem Jones is a dynamic leader who has earned the respect ofher colleagues on both sides of the aisle," said House Speaker DavidRalston (R-Blue Ridge). "As a member of the Georgia House ofRepresentatives and now the first woman to hold the post of Speaker ProTem, she has continued to prove herself as a tireless public servant andI look forward to her leadership."

The Speaker Pro Tem of the House is elected to a two-year term by theentire 180 members of House of Representatives. Speaker Pro Tem Jonesreceived the Republican nomination for the position in December 2009 andwas elected to fulfill the remainder of the 2009-2010 term after formerSpeaker Mark Burkhalter vacated the position.

Milton, Finance Department recognized for excellence

Media Contact:
Jason Wright
jason.wright@cityofmiltonga.us
678-242-2523 (office)
770-825-3096 (cell)

MILTON, GA., Jan. 13, 2010 - The City of Milton and its Finance Department have been recognized for excellence in producing the Fiscal Year 2008 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR).

The Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) awarded the City of Milton the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting. It is the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting. Attainment of the certificate represents a significant accomplishment by a government and its management.

In addition, the city's Finance Department received an award recognizing Financial Reporting Achievement. This award is given to the department or agency designated by the honored government as primarily responsible for preparing the award-winning CAFR.

"I'm excited all of our hard work was recognized by such a prestigious agency," said Stacey Inglis, Milton's Director of Finance. "It is also rewarding that we were able to obtain this award for the city and have every expectation that we'll continue to do so for each CAFR issued in the future."

Inglis said producing the CAFR - which includes an extensive audit, exhaustive research of historical data and numerous detailed written documents - was a two-month process involving 15 people.

GFOA is a nonprofit association serving approximately 17,500 government finance professionals with offices in Chicago and Washington, D.C.

Incorporated on December 1, 2006, the City of Milton is a distinctive community that embraces small-town life and heritage while preserving and enhancing the city's rural character. The City of Milton is committed to maintaining the unique quality of life for its constituents while efficiently delivering essential services to residents and businesses in an interactive community environment. For more information, visit www.cityofmiltonga.us, or call 678-242-2500.

Milton In Cell Tower Fight

All:

Wsb-tv.com did a story on the cell tower topic. To view it, please click on the link below.

http://www.wsbtv.com/video/22230812/

Interviews Regarding Cell Tower On Hopewell

John Bogino; Owner of Seven Gables Farm In Milton, GA
Double Click To Enlarge Screen.



Kay Norvell; Sunnybrook Farms Resident in Milton, GA / Part 1.
Double Click To Enlarge Screen.



Kay Norvell; Sunnybrook Farms Resident in Milton, GA / Part 2.
Double Click To Enlarge Screen.

A Good Sign.

All:

As some of you may be aware, there has been some talk about a cell tower being constructed on Seven Gables Farm in Milton. Recently, Accessmilton.com had the honor of interviewing Seven Gables owner and tower advocate John Bogino as well as Sunnybrook Farms resident and tower opponent Kay Norvell.

Regardless of where your opinions lie, residents should applaud both of these people. Each has gone out of their way to be pleasant to the other even though they are at odds regarding this issue. It is nice to see respect from one neighbor to another; something Milton desperately needs and a good sign for 2010.

Later today, we will be posting interviews from each side of the cell tower coin. We hope you enjoy them.

Tim Enloe
Accessmilton.com
770 653 0552

Donations make horse mannequin a reality

Media Contact:
Jason Wright
jason.wright@cityofmiltonga.us
678-242-2523 (office)
770-825-3096 (cell)

MILTON, GA., Jan. 11, 2010 - Thanks to the generosity of Milton's citizens and business owners, the city's fire department has raised enough money to purchase "Randy," a 400-pound horse mannequin needed to help train the Technical Large Animal Emergency Rescue Unit (TLAER).

The horse mannequin from UK-based The Big Beasts Company is, according to Milton Fire Lt. Bill Bourn, "probably the most important piece of equipment that we lack." It will allow Milton TLAER members to safely train without having to utilize a vet or a live horse. Additionally, training with the mannequin presents less risk of injury and can nearly eliminate danger.

Initially the TLAER unit considered purchasing "Lucky," an $11,000 mannequin made in the United States. However, unlike Lucky, the less costly Randy can stand on his own without the aid of a platform that would have cost more money.

The TLAER account is still open for citizens who would like to donate money to the fire department for more equipment, said Bourn. The unit still needs quick release marine shackles for its large sling, fleece pads for animal comfort and various veterinary medical supplies.

Bourn said interested citizens can donate money at any Wachovia location. However, the bank also handles individual fire station accounts, so contributors must be specific that their money is intended for the TLAER account.

"They need to be sure and specify that they want to donate money into the 'City of Milton TLAER' account," he said.

Citizens may also drop off checks at any Milton fire station.

ARC, Milton plan transportation meeting

Courtesy Appen Newspapers

January 11, 2010 MILTON - The Atlanta Regional Commission and the City of Milton will hold a North Fulton Comprehensive Transportation Plan interactive meeting at Milton City Hall Jan. 19, 6 to 8 p.m.

Milton encourages its citizens and business owners to come with their ideas about the city’s transportation needs within the North Fulton region.

The purpose of the North Fulton Comprehensive Transportation Plan is to provide the foundation and framework for multi-modal, multi-jurisdictional infrastructure and policy recommendations across the cities of Alpharetta, Johns Creek, Milton, Sandy Springs, Roswell and Mountain Park.

The resulting document, TRIP (Transportation Resources Implementation Program), will guide the accomplishment of this effort. Input from the public and stakeholders will be sought throughout the project schedule.

A key outcome of the program is to identify and reconfirm community visions and priorities. Roadway, transit, bicycle, pedestrian, safety and operational improvements, demand management, freight movement, environmental, land use and market analysis are critical study components.

For further information, contact the Project Manager, Ed Ellis, at 404-419-8700.

Milton Council off to a good start in 2010

Courtesy Jonathan Copsey / Appen Newspapers

January 11, 2010 MILTON - Last week's council meeting was filled with formality. As the first council meeting of the year, not only were the newly elected officials – Mayor Joe Lockwood and Council members Bill Lusk, Karen Thurman and Joe Longoria – administered their oaths of office, but volunteer committee members had to be reinstated as well.

For Longoria, who was elected in November, defeating incumbent Tina D'Aversa, it was his first council meeting where he was seated on the dais, instead of in the audience.

Council member Burt Hewitt was named the new Mayor Pro Tem.

Lockwood opened the meeting with a New Year's greeting: "Tonight's a special night and this year is a special year," said Lockwood. "I'm proud to be reelected as the city mayor and serving you for the next four years... We're excited to have new Council member Joe Longoria and welcome him here, as well as incumbent Council members Lusk and Thurman who were reelected. I'm excited to move forward with our city."

The new year will likely be one of challenges for the city, with the biggest being the transition from a public-private partnership with company CH2M Hill to a government that is mainly public.

One of the first items heard by the new council was a new program requested by City Solicitor Fran Shoenthal – don't charge first offenders for crimes.

This may sound like a problem, but in fact Shoenthal believes this will be a "win-win" scenario for both the offender and the city.

Instead of charging a first offender who has committed a minor offense, such as small-time theft, minor possession of marijuana and underage drinking, will be given the option of being charged and having their transgression go on their permanent record, or they can take part in the "Pre-Trial Intervention and Diversion Program." This program puts the charges against the offender on hold for a year and, instead of jail time, makes the offender perform community service and attend classes, as well as pay a fine. Should they successfully complete the year-long program, the charges will be dropped.

"They don't have to carry around a conviction for a minor offense for the rest of their lives," said Shoenthal. Typically, this program would be used for teens or other young people who do as young people do – make bad decisions.

"It a win-win for the city and especially for the offender," Shoenthal said. "Those that are genuinely interested, eligible and motivated to go through a program like this will be very successful."

And if they fail and commit another crime?

Not only will they be charged with the new crime, the old crime will automatically be added to the record as a guilty plea. It's a double-whammy that any teenager should not be looking forward to. According to Shoenthal, there is a 10 percent failure rate.

"It's worked well in the past because we've had some form of this treatment anyway," added Judge Barry Zimmerman. "This just formalizes it." According to Zimmerman, nearly every municipality and state has such a program.

Council member Julie Zahner-Bailey suggested that the community service be directed toward activities that benefit the community.

The council unanimously approved the ordinance creating the program.

Letter To The Editor Regarding Cell Towers

All:

As our readers know, we are advocates of having an opinion and sharing it with us. Today, we received a letter to the editor from a new resident who lives in the subdivision of Sunnybrook Farms. She is bothered about the possiblility of a cell tower going up on a farm next to her home.

With any issue, there are always two sides to the story. We are in the process of contacting the farm owner to give them equal air time.

Keep an eye on Accessmilton.com as this story develops.

Thank you,

Tim Enloe
Accessmilton.com

______________________________________

I am a new resident to Milton. I moved from Roswell with my welsh ponies to Milton in search of a more rural, horse friendly community. I found a home in Sunnybrook Farms subdivision which is in the middle of a beautiful, scenic equestrian area. I built a 3-stall barn for my ponies and I thought I was set.

Two weeks ago I received a letter from the City of Milton telling me that T-Mobile wanted to put a 154 foot cell tower on the farm adjacent to my subdivision. I will be able to see it from my rocking chair front porch. I immediately began researching these cases and quickly realized that because of the Federal Communications Act of 1996 a city government cannot deny a cell tower petition because of aesthetics or health reasons. In fact, there are few reasons a petition can be denied. One way would be to prove that cell service is adequate and therefore no new towers are needed.

I have started a petition in our area as well as canvassing neighborhoods to discover if indeed we need better cell phone reception in this area. I have found the contrary. There does not seem to be a need for a tower. It seems that T-Mobile wants to litter the landscape of Milton with their cell towers to make their service more competitive with Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint. What happened to putting these unsightly structures on industrial and commercial properties?

Why do I have to suffer the consequences of being within 800 feet of a 154 foot cell tower so that T-Mobile can get a greater share of the market?

It is hard to fathom that Milton would allow this type of structure within a residential area. Because Milton is a relatively new city, it had not written adequate zoning laws to protect neighborhoods before this application was submitted by T-Mobile. I am hoping that incorporating and having our own local representatives who live in Milton will be beneficial and that they will support and protect us against this type of development.I would hope that the City of Milton is poised to stand behind their citizens who have elected them to serve and assist us in protecting our financial investments. The playing field is not level when local citizens, attempting to protect their physical, emotional and economic health, are required to battle against large telecommunications corporations with vast financial resources and experience in litigating these kinds of cases.

I would ask that the residents of Milton stand up and say "NO to cell Towers in residential neighborhoods". Help us to preserve and protect the reason why we live in Milton. Do not allow cell towers to litter the picturesque landscape and detract from our unique environment.

Thank you,
Kay Norvell
2305 Saddlesprings Drive
Milton, Ga
pippi08@att.net

Deerfield Place Shopping Center Water Back.

All:

Water is back on at the Deerfield Place Shopping Center on Highway 9. Many thanks to City Manager Lagerbloom and staff for helping with this issue.

Deerfield Place Shopping Center Without Water

All:

We have received reports that Deerfield Place Shopping Center off of Hwy 9 has been without water for the past hour. Authorities are working on fixing this problem.

City of Milton road conditions for Saturday, Jan. 9

Media Contact:
Jason Wright
jason.wright@cityofmiltonga.us
678-242-2523 (office)
770-825-3096 (cell)

City of Milton road conditions for Saturday, Jan. 9

MILTON, GA., Jan. 8, 2010 - The icy conditions on Milton roads persist, and City Hall staff urges citizens to staff off local roads for their safety.

According to road crews, ice spots persist intermittently on most roads, especially the less frequently traveled ones.

Therefore, if citizens must go out, Milton's Public Safety and Public Works departments ask that motorists drive very slowly. Matt Marietta, Milton's emergency management coordinator, advises apparently clear roads have hidden ice patches that will cause drivers to spin out if they are not paying attention or driving too fast.

Following are the roads that still have a potentially dangerous amount of ice on them:

IMPASSABLE
** New Providence Road
** Dinsmore Road

POOR DRIVING CONDITIONS
** Dorris Road
** Bullpen Road

City of Milton Drops Vision Statement From Newsletters

All:

Thanks to an Accessmilton visitor, it was brought to our attention that the City of Milton emails no longer include the cities vision statement which states "Milton is a distinctive community embracing small-town life and heritage while preserving and enhancing our rural character."

Their close now simply reads "The City of Milton is committed to maintaining the unique quality of life for its constituents while efficiently delivering essential services to residents and businesses in an interactive community environment."

What are your thoughts? Is this a sign of Milton leaning more towards your typical suburb and parting ways with those resident who do not live in subdivisions or is there another reason?

We have emailed both Communications manager Jason Wright and City Manager Chris Lagerbloom. Hopefully, they can shed some light on this change.

Updated City of Milton Road Conditions

Media Contact:
Jason Wright
jason.wright@cityofmiltonga.us
678-242-2523 (office)
770-825-3096 (cell)

Road conditions in the City of Milton

MILTON, GA., Jan. 8, 2010 - Due to changing weather conditions and city work crews addressing problem areas, the City of Milton announces these road closures and situations:

CLOSED
** New Providence Road from Dorris Road to Atlanta National Golf Club
** Cogburn Road from Bethany Road to Francis Road
** All of Redd Road

POOR DRIVING CONDITIONS
** Bethany Bend Road at Cogburn Road
** Providence Road at New Providence Road
** Hopewell Road at Brookshade Parkway
** Multiple stretches of Birmingham Highway (Ga. 372) and Birmingham Road

ACCIDENT

** Hickory Flat Road: An overturned vehicle with entrapment.

Matt Marietta, Milton's emergency management coordinator, advises the city's roads crews are treating roads to make them safe for driving. Marietta said city crews are working with the Georgia Department of Transportation to create safe driving conditions on Birmingham Highway (Ga. 372) .

Because of Milton's network of two-lane, tree-lined streets, much of the city is too dangerous for driving. Many of those roads are icy and will not thaw because of lack of direct sunlight. Citizens are advised to avoid these roads completely.

Again, the City of Milton urges motorists stay indoors and not use the city's icy roads.

City Hall is closed except for essential staff. Court is cancelled for the day.

The City of Milton is committed to maintaining the unique quality of life for its constituents while efficiently delivering essential services to residents and businesses in an interactive community environment. For more information, visit www.cityofmiltonga.us, or call 678-242-2500.

Teen Accused Of Shooting Horse With Arrows

NOTE: While this story did not take place in Milton, we believe it is relevant in posting here due to our significant equestrian community as well as wildlife. On Bethany Road alone, horses have been shot with paint balls, targeted with fireworks, and chased among other things.

Also, baby deer have been tortured in this open road neighborhood as well.

Hopefully in 2010, council and staff will adopt stricter ordinances and penalties regarding animal abuse within our city.

Tim Enloe

Accessmilton.com

__________________________

FAYETTE COUNTY, Ga. -- Fayette County Sheriff’s Office officials arrested a 17-year-old boy in connection with a horse that had been shot with arrows.

Police arrested Jeremy Ryan Richardson, 17, of Fayette County on Thursday.

Authorities said Richardson shot the horse, named Misty, with a compound bow on Bankstown Road in south Fayette County on Sunday.

Misty was standing near a fence on her owner’s farm when a neighbor driving by noticed she had arrows stuck in her.

“It was a terrible act of cruelty,” said Misty's owner, Nancy Padovano. “Somebody surrounded her and just hit her with all the ammo they must’ve had.”

One arrow went straight though the mare’s neck. Another arrow lodged in her spine and a third came to rest in the side of her head.

Richardson was charged with felony aggravated cruelty to animals. He is being charged as an adult, authorities said.

Fayette County Sheriff’s Office investigators also charged Richardson with a number of Georgia game and fish violations, which are not related to the horse shooting.

Richardson was charged with six counts of failure to record deer harvest when he allegedly unlawfully killed deer and failed to report them to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.

He was also charged with six counts of unlawful possession of or use of wildlife when he allegedly illegally possessed deer that had not been reported to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, one count of hunting deer at night when he allegedly shot and killed a deer on West Kelly Lake Drive in Fayette County and one count of hunting deer over bait when he allegedly killed a deer on Kelly Lake Drive using the assistance of a deer feeder.

All of the game and fish violations are misdemeanors.

Richardson is currently in the Fayette County Jail awaiting a bond hearing. The case against Richardson is still under investigation, police said.

Milton starts new year with smaller staff

Cyndee Bonacci, Milton's first ever parks and recreation director, gets a tour of Bell Memorial Park from Milton City Manager Chris Lagerbloom on Wednesday morning.

By Joan Durbin / Neighbor Newspapers

Since breaking the connection to consultant CH2M Hill last year and electing to bring all personnel functions in house, Milton officials have been busy revamping and streamlining

the city’s organizational structure.

Seven city positions in place under the consultant’s contract are no longer on the books, according to City Manager Chris Lagerbloom. “We are right-sizing for our city size of around 20,000 [residents] and it’s made us more efficient,” he said.

Council members culled five jobs in October during the budget process. “We had more administrative and assistant secretaries than we needed,” Lagerbloom said. “Now we all share the load. We don’t need people just to make copies and answer phones.”

Two more positions, special events coordinator and one of four in the IT department, were cut recently, Lagerbloom said.

City Clerk and Clerk of Courts Jeanette Marchiafava has also left City Hall, but not because the job was eliminated. Lagerbloom said he could not discuss the particulars of her exit but noted it was due to a personnel issue. He said he expects council to ratify the appointment of Deputy Clerk Sudie Gordon as interim clerk Jan. 6.

The duties of planning and coordinating the city’s special events are being blended into the parks and recreation director’s job description. Milton’s first-ever parks and recreation director, Cyndee Bonacci, starts this week at a salary of $85,000. Bonacci held the same position in Snellville, where she won 2008 Distinguished Professional of the Year for the Georgia Recreation and Park Association.

“She comes with a pretty amazing background, with quite a record of success in visioning, parks master planning and build out,” Lagerbloom said.

Milton now has 54 fire employees, 26 in the police department and 29 general government employees.

Jason Wright Reaches Out To Volunteers

Hello Milton volunteers,

Happy New Year to each one of you, and here’s hoping you had a great holiday season.

As many of you are aware, on Jan. 1 the city ended its transition from a public-private partnership to a model of more self performance. This move will save the city money in the short and long terms and create a greater accountability throughout city services.

In that transition the city is exploring all of our special events and the volunteer needs associated with each one. We know there might be a number of questions you, the many hardworking volunteers who have served your community, have during this time. They will be answered in the coming months as staffers evaluate the city’s volunteer programs.

Rest assured the hours of work you have all put into city functions is appreciated and will be needed for future events in 2010. As such, we are currently perusing options to streamline our contact with you and ensure that everyone who wants to help out still can.

The city’s events depend on your continued contribution, and we fully intend to keep you involved as the city embarks on a monumental 2010. Thank you for your service; certainly many more projects await us all.

Signed,
Jason Wright
Communications Manager
City Of Milton

Rachel's Challenge

Start a chain reaction.
Kindness. Compassion. character

You are invited to attend the following presentation
as part of our “Paws for Peace” initiative:

RACHEL’S CHALLENGE COMMUNITY EVENING PROGRAM
Northwestern Middle School
Thursday, January 14th, 2010 at 7:00 p.m.
12805 Birmingham Highway
Milton, GA 30004
All members of the community are encouraged to attend this inspiring program.

Come experience one of AMERICA’S LARGEST CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS that has transformed millions of lives worldwide. Hear the true story of a remarkable young girl who believed her life would impact the world.

“I have this theory that if one person can go out of their way to show compassion, then it will start a chain reaction of the same. People will never know how far a little kindness can go.”
-Rachel Joy Scott

For more information go to www.rachelschallenge.org
Northwestern Middle School
12805 Birmingham Highway
Milton, Georgia 30004 770-667-2870

Mayor, Council Members Sworn In

Double Click To Enlarge Screen.

Milton - City Hall was a beavy of activity this past Wednesday as Mayor Joe Lockwood and Council Members, Karen Thurman, Bill Lusk, and Joe Longoria were sworn into office.

In addition, Council Member Burt Hewitt was elected as Mayor Pro-tem.

Milton ends privatization experiment

Many CH2M Hill employees assigned to Milton decided to stay

Courtesy Ralph Ellis / Atlanta Journal Constitution

When Milton became a city three years ago, its founders embraced privatization, paying a company to collect garbage, draw up zoning maps and handle the day-to-day duties of a municipal government.

But the relationship soured when the city needed to cut the budget. Last week, Milton ended its contract with CH2M Hill, a Colorado-based firm, and went to a mostly traditional form of government.

City Manager Chris Lagerbloom said the change should translate into at least $1 million in yearly savings -- a significant sum for a town with a $22.9 million budget.

Twenty of 34 CH2M Hill employees assigned to Milton decided to stay, most holding the same jobs. The city rounded their annual CH2M Hill salaries up to the nearest thousand.

Angie Kapijimpanga, who works in the public works department dealing with citizen complaints, said she decided to leave CH2M Hill because she likes her job and co-workers. Another factor: The company didn’t promise her another job, she said. “It’s tough out there,” she said. “Having to start all over again is no fun.”

The city added the switchover employees to an existent benefits program and purchased equipment from CH2M Hill, such as the computer system and a handful of vehicles.

The city of about 20,000 people in the rolling horse country of north Fulton isn't rejecting privatization entirely. It signed up with some of CH2M Hill’s small subcontractors to keep the roads clean and maintain road signs and signals.

“We just elected to eliminate the middle man,” Lagerbloom said.

A privatization trend swept north Fulton last decade when Sandy Springs, Johns Creek and Milton formed as new municipalities, driven largely by residents’ unhappiness with services provided by the Fulton County government.

All three cities signed performance-based, lump-sum contracts with CH2M Hill, an international company with vast engineering and management resources.

Milton’s leaders praise the way CH2M Hill guided them during the startup, with the company going so far as to sign a lease on the one-story office building that serves as City Hall. (Milton now holds the lease.) Milton paid CH2M Hill about $7.6 million out of a $22.9 million budget for 2009.

Only top administrators and police and fire employees were on the city payroll. The company provided the secretaries, people who cleaned the roads and the park director. It supplied much of the equipment those workers used.

“For all intents and purposes, they worked for the city,” said Tom Wilson, a CH2M Hill employee based in Milton City Hall during the transition. “If you ran into them in the grocery store, they’d say they worked for the city.”

But last spring, Milton had to trim $1.5 million from the budget because of the economic downturn. With the $7.6 million CH2M Hill contract basically untouchable, the city could cut only in areas it controlled: public safety and capital projects, such as road paving, Lagerbloom said.

“The economy forced us to look deep into the budget at every option we had,” Mayor Joe Lockwood said.

Another new city, Chattahoochee Hills in south Fulton, ended its CH2M Hill contract in May because of the cost. It had only 2,500 people and one dedicated employee.

Johns Creek and Sandy Springs leaders are generally happy with CH2M Hill but trimmed their contracts.

Johns Creek has approved a 2010 budget of $46 million that pays $17 million to CH2M Hill -- about $1.68 million less than 2009. In May, Sandy Springs passed a budget of $97 million, of which $26 million goes to CH2M Hill. That's a $1 million cut.

Of the three north Fulton cities, Milton was the most economically vulnerable because it has the smallest population and commercial tax base.

Olde Blind Dog Celebrates Poet Robbie Burns!

Burns Night

Join us on Thursday, January 28th as we celebrate the great Scottish Poet, Robbie Burns. This seated dinner begins promptly at 7pm with the Ceremony of the Haggis followed by a 3 course dinner. The seated celebration will last until 9pm (including reading of Burns's poetry and after dinner toasts) but Keltic Kudzu will be playing live until 11. Cost is $30 per person. Reservations are needed and can be made by calling (678) 624-1090. Kilts are always preferred.

Menu

1st Course

Cock-A-Leekie Soup

2nd Course

Chicken in the Heather
(served with roasted brussell sprouts and potatoes)
or
Roasted Salmon
(served with tatties and neeps)
The Haggis and Clapshot are also available as a dish or optional side

3rd Course

Trifle
(sponge cake topped with pastry cream and fresh berries)

To find out more about Milton's Olde Blind Dog Irish Pub, click here=>

http://www.accessmilton.com/Advertisers/OldeBlindDog.php

Baristas 'throw down' in Milton

Courtesy Appen Newspapers

MILTON - Baristas from around the area came calling at Element Coffee Co. in Milton for a “Suburban Throwdown” in which they pitted their talents against each other in a latte art competition.

Element Coffee Co., at 12635 Crabapple Road (formerly a Jittery Joe’s location), hosted 21 competitors, who went head to head in competition. The throwdown was a free pour latte art competition, meaning the baristas could not use any tools to form their designs. The baristas pull espresso shots into mugs, steam their milk, and then pour the steamed milk into the espresso to form a picture. Popular pictures are the heart, the Rosetta, the fern leaf and the swan.

Daniel Mueller took the $200 cash prize among baristas from Element Coffee Co., Land of 1000 Hills, Octane at Emory and Safehouse Coffee and Tea.

Element Coffee Co. has comfy chairs, free Wi-Fi and a conference table. A full menu is offered serving lunch, breakfast and pastries all day. Intelligentsia coffee and Black Cat Espresso are served.

Milton man named to state board

Courtesy Appen Newspapers

ATLANTA – Gov. Sonny Perdue recently appointed a Milton man to the State Board of Pharmacy.

Levis A. "Al" McConnell III, 44, of Milton, is a pharmacy district supervisor for CVS/Caremark. He is a three-time recipient of the Area 8 Pharmacy Triple S Award, member of the Georgia Pharmacy Association and a mentor for the Emerging Leader Program.

McConnell earned two bachelor's degrees from the University of Georgia. He and his wife, Melinda, have two children.

Three families get homes for Christmas

Courtesy Jonathan Copsey / Appen Newspapers

MILTON – Three lucky Milton families were able to celebrate Christmas in new homes thanks to Habitat for Humanity.

The first home was built for the Banks Family, who were displaced by Hurricane Katrina. Claude and Rhonda are the proud parents of four children ages 7, 8, 9 and 11. Claude was able to transfer his position with Whole Foods in New Orleans to Harry’s Farmers Market in Roswell. The Banks family home is part of the annual "Ecumenical Build" and is sponsored primarily by local churches including St. James UMC, St. Peter Chanel Catholic Church, St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, St. David’s Episcopal Church, Roswell Presbyterian Church, Alpharetta First UMC, Roswell UMC, St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church, Northview Church of Christ and the Roswell Convoy of Hope, and by one civic partner, Phi Phi Omega chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

The second home was built for the Groves Family. Mary Ann and her 15 year old son were also victims of Hurricane Katrina. Mary Ann and her son came to Alpharetta to live with her daughter temporarily. This second home is also a part of the Ecumenical Build with Mt. Pisgah UMC and St. Brigid Catholic Church as the primary sponsors. This was a significant event in that it was the third time the local churches in North Fulton have partnered to build a home in the Centennial Village development. In total, 11 local churches joined efforts to build the two homes.

The third home was built for the Abderrahmane family. El Habib and Louiza have two children ages 1 and 5. They are originally from Morocco and have lived in the North Fulton area since 2000. El Habib is employed at a local Publix supermarket. The sponsors for Abderrahmane family home were Cisco Systems, Travelers, BB&T and Ashworth College.

At a dedication ceremony held before the holidays, all of the families thanked the volunteers and sponsors for their efforts. Claude Banks said that he was "truly blessed because his family finally has a place to call home."

Habitat for Humanity of North Central Georgia has a long-standing history of providing affordable housing to deserving families. Since its inception in 1993, 186 homes have been completed and approximately 750 family members have been served in the North Fulton, Cherokee, Dawson and Forsyth Counties.

Families are chosen on the basis of need for adequate housing, ability to pay the mortgage and their willingness to partner with Habitat. Each family is required to attend 10 educational classes and perform 300 "sweat equity" hours, 50 of which must be completed by each spouse on their own home. Family members work side by side with the volunteers and Habitat staff to build their home. These families not only get to experience the pride of homeownership but they also know that their lives will be changed forever.

Milton Grows Green kicks off Adopt-A-Road

Courtesy Appen Newspapers

MILTON - The Milton Grows Green Committee, a volunteer committee of the City of Milton, announced the kick-off of a reinvigorated Adopt-A-Road program encouraging citizens and civic groups to participate in removing roadside litter.

The Milton Adopt-A-Road Program is a litter-removal campaign coordinated by the Milton Grows Green Committee. It is designed to remove debris from city roads and improve the quality of the environment.

Thanks to the program, 17 road segments will be kept clean by citizen volunteers, including several adopters from the previous incarnation who renewed their commitments.

The refocused Adopt-A-Road program involves new signage specifically designed for Milton incorporating the committee logo and a customized recognition sign for the "sponsor" of a designated stretch of road.

Citizens can help keep the community beautiful by volunteering to help keep clean a 1-mile stretch of road in the City of Milton, with a commitment to clean the road a least four times a year.

Program information, instructions and forms for sign-up are available at www.cityofmiltonga.us/forms/adopt-road.html. Citizens may also contact Gina Schwendel, MGG’s program coordinator, at 678-242-2500 for more details.

MGG coordinates the efforts of individual volunteers and community-based organizations through the efforts of its own members, including Milton residents, business partners and those with an interest in the environment. For more information, e-mail miltongrowsgreen@earthlink.net.