New Poll / Last Poll Results

All:

We have a new poll up which ask:

Should the City Of Milton pave the remaining gravel roads in Milton?

Have you say today in the upper right hand corner!

Last month's poll question was:

Should the City Of Milton delay any extra projects due to the decrease in property values / lower tax base?

The results were:

Yes - 76%

No - 24%

Paging Mrs. Kathy Moore....

All:

This Sunday, January 25th is Miltonian Kathy Moore's Birthday! So if you see Kathy out and about, wish her a HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!

From all of us at Accessmilton.com, Happy Birthday Kathy and here's to many many more!

Do you have a family member's special day coming up and want celebrate it with Accessmilton.com? If so, email us at sales@magnoliamedias.com / subject line: Birthday!

Milton's Gravel Roads Picturesque, but a killer on the budget

Prone to potholes, ruts, washouts

By DOUG NURSE
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Saturday, January 24, 2009

Gordon Hunter lives on one of Milton’s 30 gravel roads, a quaint reminder of slower days and simpler living. “I think they’re an asset to the community,” he said. “It keeps the country atmosphere, and it keeps traffic down. They’re very scenic. They’re pastoral and peaceful. If they pave it, it would change the complexion of the community.”

He’s not alone in his love of unpaved byways. The city’s Comprehensive Planning Advisory Committee lauded the gravel roads and even suggested that developers build more of them.
Public works staff recently wanted to keep gravel from migrating from gravel roads onto paved roads by adding asphalt to the dirt roads’ first 100 feet. But two city council members objected because motorists wouldn’t be able to see that it was a gravel road.

Gravel roads may be aesthetically pleasing, but they are tough on the city pocketbook. Milton’s 13 miles of dirt roads eat up about a quarter of the city’s road maintenance budget in a normal year.

“From a maintenance perspective, it’s more cost-effective to have a paved road,” said Public Works Director Dan Drake. “With a paved road, you can defer maintenance for a while. With a gravel road, there is no deferrable maintenance. You can’t defer it even for a couple of days.”

The roads are prone to potholes, rutting and washboarding as water rushes over the flat surface, carrying supporting dirt and small rocks with it. The city has to go over the gravel roads twice a year.

“People say, ‘I love your road,’ but I feel kind of guilty because the city of Milton doesn’t have much money,” said Marcia O’Shaughnessy, who lives on a unpaved road.

Gravel roads tend to be narrow so people drive over the same tracks, creating ruts.
You can fix a pothole in a gravel road by filling it with dirt, but that’s a very short-term solution. It requires grading, followed closely by a roller-compactor, followed by a truck that sprays calcium chloride to keep the dust down.

“Most cities are trying to eliminate gravel roads, because they’re so costly and hard to maintain,” Drake said.

City Councilman Bill Lusk lives on a dirt road, and likes it. “It’s why we moved out here,” Lusk said. “I grew up in the country, and it takes me back to where I was as a kid. I think if we were to try to pave them, we would hear from people who are against it.”

He said gravel roads are popular with walkers, equestrians and bicyclists because they draw less and slower traffic.

The city has included many of the roads as part of its citywide trail program as “linear parks.”
Some folks, like Rise Hersheran, who lives on gravelly Nix Road, said she would like to see the city blacktop her roadway. She said her elderly parents have a hard time navigating the potholes. “The fact they aren’t being maintained where it’s safe to drive on makes them functionally obsolete,” she said. “There’s a safety factor. There was no problem when Fulton County was in charge of it. The city can’t afford dirt roads.”

Drake estimated that up to 25 percent of all complaints he receives are over the rough state of the gravel roads. But some want the roads to look like they’ve been targeted by the Eighth Air Force.

John Lynam, who lives on unpaved Summit Road, said he doesn’t understand people complaining about gravel roads. “If you don’t like dirt roads, then why did you come out here in your Porsche and live on a dirt road?” he asked. “There’s a lot of other places you could build the same nice house. Move to a gated community. I like it because it’s close to nature.”

O’Shaughnessy said she has mixed feelings about whether to pave them, but a rugged road does have its advantages. “The condition of a gravel road is bad more than good,” she said. “If it was paved, a lot of people would use it besides residents. If the road is rough, then people have to slow down.”

Others fear that if the road is paved, their zoning will change so that instead of minimum three-acre lots, the minimum would be one-acre lots. Some of the roads’ biggest supporters are people who don’t live on them, Drake said. “If we send crews out to grade, we’ll have 10 people tell us good job, and 10 people will tell us to go away,” Drake said.

Drake estimated it would cost $2 million to $4 million to pave the city’s existing gravel roads.
He is hoping to find a compromise that would allow him to somehow cap the roads to make them water resistant, but still make them look like gravel roads.

“We can have the rural feel of the roads, but have it be closer to the maintenance schedule of a paved road,” he said.

Petition Goes Online Against Gating Milton Roads

All:

The following petition has been activated regarding the current discussion about gating city streets in Milton, Georgia. This petition is for those who are against such gating. Please click on the following link for more information:

http://www.gopetition.com/online/24726.html

For those who have a different viewpoint and / or petition, we are more than willing to provide equal airtime. Thus, feel free to email any such information to: sales@magnoliamedias.com and we will list it within 24 hours.

Thank you.

Tim Enloe
Magnolia Media, LLC
770 653 0552

Police Looking To Round Up Help On Stray Horses In Milton

Courtesy Appen Newspapers

January 19, 2009 Milton's rural landscape and multitude of horse farms can present a unique problem for police – escaped horses. It is not unusual for a Milton officer to respond to a call about a horse running loose.The first problem is catching a sometimes stubborn animal while trying not to run it into traffic. If the officer is lucky, the horse might allow itself to be caught, but then the second and more difficult problem materializes – what to do with it? Often horse owners are unknown, at work or cannot otherwise be found quickly.To try to address this problem, the Milton Public Safety Department is soliciting interested citizens to volunteer for an emergency "on-call list" to assist the department with horses in these situations. If you have a horse trailer, extra stall, or even just an available corner of fenced pasture, it could be of real assistance to the department. Such an emergency placement would last only as long as it took the city to find the horse's owner. If you would like to help, please call 678-242-2570. You will be asked to provide your name and contact phone number to be placed on the list

Milton Hosts Second Citizen Police Academy

Courtesy Appen Newspapers

January 19, 2009

The Milton Police Department will host its second Citizens Police Academy, a six-week program that gives citizens an inside look at the department and law enforcement, beginning Feb. 11.

The program takes place Wednesdays, 6:30-8:30 p.m., at the Milton Police precinct at 750 Hickory Flat Road. Topics include criminal investigations, criminal law, police K9 units, traffic law, and 911 operations. Participants who are over age 18 can also go on a ride-along with an officer.

Class size is limited to 15 people, with preference given to Milton residents. Interested citizens are encouraged to register as soon as possible by completing an application and background form at City Hall during regular business hours, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Milton Business Unite In Chamber-Type Group

Doug Nurse / Atlanta Journal Constitution

The business community in Milton is joining together to provide networking opportunities for its members, and to promote commercial enterprises in the city.

“We don’t have an ax to grind,” said Milton Business Alliance Chairman Dale Jackson. “The city has been receptive to the interests of business when business has voiced its opinion. But business can do a better job of communicating. There isn’t a group like this here. There’s a vacuum.”

The organization is sponsoring an open meeting at 6 p.m. today [Thursday] Montana’s Bar and Grill.

Jackson said the group isn’t intended to replace the North Fulton Chamber of Commerce, but to complement it.

“We have just one city that we’re promoting,” Jackson said. “If it’s not in Milton, I’d like it to be in north Fulton. There will be overlapping memberships.”

Sewer Discussion Turns Into Verbal Shoot-Out In Milton

by Jason Wright / Appen Newspapers

January 19, 2009 MILTON - A discussion concerning Fulton's response to Milton's intergovernmental agreement (IGA) and sewer map passed in September 2008 turned into a verbal smackdown Jan. 12 when council members disagreed yet again whether the map and new provisions constituted "sewer extension."

City Attorney Ken Jarrard and City Manager Mort Smedley had met Jan. 12 with Fulton County Interim County Attorney Larry Ramsey to discuss discrepancies between Fulton's original 2006 sewer agreement and Milton's new one.

Fulton said it wants two things: Milton must recognize existing lines in the ground that would not affect service, which Jarrard said would be no problem. Also seven lots that Milton had not included in its map must be lumped in with the serviceable area.

Jarrard said he's tried to get Fulton to agree to Milton's map, which he said will cover 95 percent of the service area, and that they can negotiate when it comes to those seven lots. If not, everything reverts back to Fulton's original 2006 IGA, rendering Milton's work moot.He said Fulton authorities have taken it into consideration. Ramsey could not be reached for a comment.

Then Mayor Joe Lockwood opened a can of worms by saying the seven lots probably would not be considered an "extension of service" because they were included in Fulton's map in the first place.

Councilwoman Julie Zahner Bailey took exception to that position and said anything new would be sewer extension. She then said the map passed in September was sewer extension, and hypothesized the whole thing might have something to do with county water and sewer usage being down.

"I don't think we would need to be the tool to increase revenue," she said.Lockwood, Karen Thurman, Burt Hewitt and Bill Lusk outvoted Zahner Bailey, Tina D'Aversa and Alan Tart to pass the map. At the heart of the issue were those two little words – sewer extension.Lockwood said that some members "firmly believe [the September map] was not sewer extension." Karen Thurman agreed and asked Community Development Director Alice Wakefield if she thought the map was sewer extension.Wakefield said no.

Zahner Bailey countered by asking Jarrard if the seven new lots were.He said yes, under the "working definition used at the time."

After an uneasy silence and several more jabs back and forth, it was decided to let negotiations take their course and see what happens.

Milton: To Gate or Not To Gate?

by Jason Wright / Appen Newspapers

January 19, 2009 MILTON - Gating Creek Club Drive is a matter of safety, Mike Stevens, a Crooked Creek Homeowner Association member, told Milton City Council. That is why he asked the city to abandon the upscale neighborhood's main thoroughfare.

At a City Council work session Jan. 12, Stevens, who has spearheaded efforts to gate the road, spoke to council about the city's right-of-way privatization policy, or the way it abandons a road.

It's just a matter of time, before someone is killed by a passing motorist driving over the speed limit in the neighborhood, Stevens said. "It's going to be on all of our heads."

The meeting was packed with people from the 640-home neighborhood, which accounts for about 11 percent of Milton's population.

They left feeling mostly frustrated after council determined a lot of work needs to be done before anything can change.

The policy, adopted from Fulton County in June 2007, says that for a street to be abandoned by the city, 100 percent of the people affected by the closing of the road would have to approve.

Stevens and the rest of the Crooked Creek HOA board want that number lowered to 75 percent.

Creek Club Drive often is used as a cut through for drivers between Ga. 9 and Freemanville Road.

Milton's Public Works Director Dan Drake told council his staff had looked at eight state jurisdictions and all required a 100 percent approval by affected residents for road abandonment.

He said for a neighborhood of more than 100 homes, he would be comfortable with 90 percent, however."This, to me, is effectively 100 percent," he said.

Stevens denounced the idea."We're six times bigger than that," he said. "This kills it for us."City Attorney Ken Jarrard also told council that state law requires Milton to find the road serves "no public use." He added the decision can be upheld in court if council finds the road is being used "illegally," which had many in the audience contemplating whether speeding counted.

Drake asked that any work done to determine Creek Club Drive's status be carried out during the upcoming transportation master plan process. That way potentially rerouted traffic can be diffused, knowledgeable consultants can help the city make fact-based, rather than emotional, decisions.

Councilwoman Julie Zahner Bailey agreed."We have to have hard data to support our position in a court of law if we had to," she said.The most vocal council member for Crooked Creek's position was Tina D'Aversa, who called Creek Club Drive a "safety hazard.""It is a dangerous road for pass through traffic," she said.D'Aversa agreed that the transportation stakeholders committee needs to be a part of any decision."I wouldn't want to see us change our policy, then defer to our transportation planning policy," she said.

Wednesday, Jan. 21st City Council Meeting

Courtesy bhalliance.org

Rezoning and Zoning Modifications of interest

The BHA Board of Directors would like to make you aware of some upcoming rezoning and zoning modifications that might be of interest to you and the community. Today, Wednesday, Jan. 21st at 6:00 P.M., the Mayor and City Council will hear two cases:

I. Crabapple Zoning Modification:Case # ZM08-06/VC08-06, located at 765 & 785 Mid-Broadwell Road requested by Sally Rich-Kolb to modify Condition 2.a. of Z05-072 to revise the site plan; and 2) To delete condition 4.b. to remove the requirement that the owner dedicate to Fulton County (City of Milton) the necessary right-of-way to provide a connector road from Broadwell Road to Mid-Broadwell Road prior to attaining an LDP, or as may be approved by the Director of Public Works; and 3)To request a concurrent variance to reduce parking from 58 to 39 spaces (Article 18.2.1). (This item was deferred on October 20, 2008.)

The applicant would like to remove the approved road connection, reduce parking spaces from 59 - 38 and remove three specimen trees. Milton Staff recommends denial of the request to remove the road connection, but recommends approval of the reduction in parking spaces.

At the last meeting when this item was discussed, members of the business community in Crabapple spoke about concerns with the reduced parking spaces being considered indicating the lack of overall parking in the Crabapple area.

Alternatives should be considered to save the specimen trees.

II. Highway 9 - Zoning Modification - convert a site plan from septic to sewerCase #ZM08-09 -13941 13943, located at 13945 Highway 9 North by Milton Organizers, LLC to modify Condition 2.a. of RZ07-010, to redesign site plan to eliminate septic and connect to sanitary sewer.

The First Milton Bank is requesting a change to their previously approved septic site plan to a sewer connection using the adjacent property. An issue with this request is that Fulton County has not yet signed a revised Inter Governmental Agreement (IGA) with the City of Milton. The agreement-once signed, could grant the authority for Fulton County to provide sewer to this parcel. At the January 12th work session Alliance members noted, the Milton City Attorney clearly stated the current IGA does not include this parcel and that Fulton County has not yet signed the revised IGA brought forth by Milton. As a result, Fulton County may not have the legal authority to provide sewer to this parcel yet.

The City needs to address the revised IGA.

On Monday, Feb. 2nd at 6 P.M. the City Council will rehear a case voted on during the December 15th meeting. As reported by the Milton Herald and AJC, on January 5th Mayor Lockwood requested to rehear case number RZ08-10, 622 N. Main Street.

A 3-2 vote on December 15th approved the applicant, Larry Singleton, to rezone from C-2 (Commercial) to C-1 (Community Business) by approving it at the density approved by Fulton County for the original of 18,673 square feet per acre on 2.26 acres along with additional conditions from staff. The applicant's request of 12/15/08, was for a density of 28,260 square feet per acre requiring the site to be clear-cut. This rezoning is almost 10,000 square feet more dense than what Fulton County approved as appropriate for the area.

During the December 15th City Council meeting although there was a legal quorum not all of the seven member council were present, the AJC reported, "Milton Mayor Joe Lockwood wants a do-over on a recent zoning decision made while two City Council members and the city attorney were absent." Nurse, Doug. "Mayor wants 2nd vote on Ga. 9 rezoning." Atlanta-Journal Constitution 05 Jan. 2009.

More information on the rehearing available:

AJC 1/02/09
Milton Herald 1/08/09
Milton Herald 1/13/09

Please share this information with your neighbors, families and friends.

Additional Topics of Interest

Right-of-Way Privatization PoliciesDuring the Jan. 12th City Council Work Session, the first item on the agenda was the discussion of the right-of-way privatization policy, Presented by Dan Drake, Public Works Director.

Public Works provided a presentation regarding possible approaches as alternatives to gating of subdivisions or privatizing roads. Such alternatives include traffic calming measures like speed humps, stop signs, and lowered speed limits.

As noted during the work session, Public Works and Public Safety both are conducting further research on the item. The current Milton Right-of-way privatization policy and Georgia State laws seem to require the following:

- 100% of the affected property owners of the road being requested for closure would agree to the privatization.

- Privatization or abandonment of a road or right-of-way may not negatively impact overall public good including existing public access.

- State requirements must be met before Milton can take any action.

One item being considered is whether to reduce the 100% requirement in Milton. Public Works presented findings during their presentation that no other jurisdictions they could find had policies that were any less than the 100%.

The BHA respects all property owners and is dedicated to the safety of all of Milton. Your opinions on this possible policy change and related issues are critical. Please attend meetings regarding this important topic and let council members know your opinions.

This and other transportation topics will be evaluated as a part of the overall Transportation Master Planning Initiative.

Transportation Master Planning Initiative

The City is initiating its first Comprehensive Transportation Plan meeting on Thursday, Jan. 22nd at 4 P.M. - 9:00 p.m. This will be a work shop format and in addition to reviewing the transportation plan process, schedule and activities for the overall transportation plan, there also will be a presentation by Randall Arendt, author of "Rural by Design". The meeting is open to the public and all citizens are encouraged to attend.

Milton Meetings, click here=>
http://www.cityofmiltonga.us/gov/meetings/calendar/index.html

Wednesday, Jan. 21st - City Council Meeting, 6 P.M.
Thursday, Jan. 22nd - Transportation Plan Kick-Off, 4 P.M.
Monday, Jan. 26th - Board of Ethics, 6 P.M.
Tuesday, Jan. 27th - Planning Commission, 7 P.M.
Wednesday, Jan. 28th - Tree Commission, 3:30 P.M.
Community Zoning Information Meeting, 7 P.M.
Monday, February, 2nd - City Council Meeting, 6 P.M.

All meetings held at City Hall, 13000 Deerfield Parkway, Milton GA 30004
Every voice, every dollar and every volunteer makes all the difference!Helping to protect and plan for the future of this unique area has required the BHA's involvement in a variety of activities including transportation issues, proposed zoning amendments, and on-going monitoring of zonings already approved but not implemented, and more. Constant Attention Requires Commitment and Funding - Everyone Makes a Difference We ask for your membership and financial support. We are a fully volunteer organization and it is only through the generous donations and volunteer-time from our community that we have been successful. It takes time and money, but we all benefit directly from the results. Join or renew your membrship with BHA right now! =>
http://www.bhalliance.org/

Reminder: Milton Business Alliance To Meet Thursday / Jan 22nd

The Milton Business Alliance is conducting a membership drive and we invite you to attend.The Alliance is a business group looking to promote development of business in the City of Milton. We are looking for interested people who own their own business in the city or run a business out of their home, or if you are a resident of the City of Milton and are interested in the growth of businesses in the city we invite you to attend.

DATE: Thursday, January 22nd, 2009
TIME: 6pm
LOCATION: MOntana's Bar & Grill / Greenhouse Location

There will be a $3.00 contribution requested per person to be applied toward appetizers.

Are You Ready For Another Milton Election???

CITY OF MILTON NOTICE OF OPENING AND CLOSING DATES FOR CANDIDATES TO QUALIFY FOR MUNICIPAL ELECTION TO BE HELD NOVEMBER 3, 2009

Any qualified elector desiring to run for Mayor or one of the three (3) City Council positions, namely: Districts 1, 3, and 5, for election on November 3, 2009, must file for candidacy for the desired position at the City Hall, 13000 Deerfield Parkway, Suite A/B, Milton, Georgia, 30004 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, during the period August 31 through September 4, 2009. Qualifying fee for candidacy is as follows:
For Mayor: $690.00
For City Council: $390.00

Interim City Mort Smedley
Manager City Clerk Jeanette Marchiafava

Outsourced Cities Rethink Contracts In Recession

Johns Creek, Milton, Sandy Springs may have to adjust plan with city management firm

By DOUG NURSE

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Tuesday, January 20, 2009

As the economy faltered, Atlanta dealt with a budgetary shortfall by cutting 350 positions. Gwinnett County also axed 93 jobs. On Thursday, DeKalb County announced it was eliminating 181 positions to save money. But it may not be so easy for Georgia’s newest cities.
When they were launched, the cities embarked on a bold privatization experiment in which they all independently contracted with CH2M Hill-OMI, a Colorado company, to provide most day-to-day services. They are lump-sum contracts that the cities pay to have the company provide basic services.

For example, the firm manages the cities’ departments of public works, parks and recreation, planning and zoning, and human resources. The only people on city payroll are police and firefighters, and a handful of top administrators.

Now, as officials at Johns Creek, Milton and Sandy Springs project declining revenue in the foreseeable future, they are sounding out CH2M Hill’s willingness to change its contract to help them cut costs. The contracts are about a quarter to a third of the cities’ operating budgets.
Among the possibilities on the table are having CH2M Hill redeploy staff, eliminating positions, and perhaps even modifying its contract on the level of services provided.

Johns Creek City Manager John Kachmar said he’s not panicking, but if at midyear the revenue picture still looks bleak, he may begin negotiations with CH2M Hill in earnest.

“When you’re an outsourced city, you go to the contract,” Kachmar said. “You can’t be held hostage by a contract when you can’t afford it. Cities have to adjust, and contractors have to adjust. You have to live within your means.”

Reductions in service or layoffs would be a last resort, he said. Johns Creek would first ask CH2M Hill to freeze open positions and discount its bill accordingly, and it would give idle workers new tasks outside the normal course of their duties —- both of which would require negotiations with the company, Kachmar said.

Fortunately, the company is well aware of the cities’ financial pictures, and it is willing to do what it can to cut costs, said Al Crace, Sandy Springs project manager for CH2M Hill.
“This is a partnership, and we’re in it for the long haul,” Crace said. “These are the times we live in, and everyone has to be realistic. The city pays a fixed fee for a bundle of services and levels of service. They tell us what they want, and we’ll price it.”

It’s too early to project how bad the financial picture will be in the coming year.
But so far, property values are stagnating or declining so ad valorem taxes may be down. People aren’t spending as much, so sales tax revenues are flat or falling. Because of the downturn in development, permitting fees, licenses and other income are in a tailspin. And, the cities are at or near the maximum tax rate they can legally impose.

Even so, Johns Creek Mayor Mike Bodker said he believes the city probably won’t need to initiate real talks with CH2M Hill.

“We still have a lot of runway,” Bodker said, referring to the city’s financial status.
Sandy Springs City Manager John McDonough said he is hoping to find ways that don’t affect services to the public. For example, he said, CH2M Hill could move people from departments affected by the slowdown, such as in planning and zoning, and move them to other departments.
“We want to work smarter while providing the same level of service,” McDonough said. “All cities and counties across the country are dealing with budget issues. We are in a strong position, a very strong position.”

In Milton, the company’s city staff is so lean and capital improvements so few that discussions likely will turn to reduction in services, said Tami Hanlin, former CH2M Hill program director for Milton and now director of a company program that pools resources shared by all the cities.
“There’s not a lot of fat,” she said. “The whole premise is that we have a more efficient way of delivering services.”

If there’s no meeting of the minds, the cities and CH2M Hill would have little alternative but to sever the contract, a prospect everyone views with dread, Bodker said.
“We have a nuclear bomb and they have a nuclear bomb,” he said. “No one wants to use it.”

OUTSOURCED GOVERNMENT

City…………Total 2009 budget….CH2M Hill payment

Johns Creek……$47.35 million….$18.9 million
Milton………..$22.87 million…..$7.6 million
Sandy Springs….$97.5 million…..$25.8 million

The Passing of a Milton Neighbor

All:

Word came to me earlier today that long time Wood Road resident Barbara Pappas past away unexpectedly this past Friday. To be honest, I was shocked.

While I only knew Barbara from afar, it was plain to see that she was a strong woman who truly loved life and her passion of the equestrian lifestyle in Milton, GA.

A memorial service will be announced. To find out more information, please visit http://northsidechapel.com/.

Please keep the Pappas family in your prayers during this difficult time.

Thank you -

Tim Enloe
Founder
Magnolia Media, LLC

City Meetings set for week of of January 19th

Tuesday / January 20th:

7pm - Board Of Zoning Appeals
Agenda=> http://www.agendapost.org/comga/bza/2009/01-20-2009_BZA_Agenda_P-R1.pdf
Packet=> http://www.agendapost.org/comga/bza/2009/01-20-2009_BZA_Packet.pdf

Wednesday / January 21st:

6pm - City Council Meeting
Agenda=> http://www.agendapost.org/comga/council/01-21-2009-Agenda.pdf
Packet => http://www.agendapost.org/comga/council/01-21-2009-Packet.pdf

Thursday / January 22nd:

4pm - Transportation Plan Kick Off

Milton County Issue Revisited

Courtesy WSBRadio


By Chris Camp @ January 19, 2009

(WSB State Capitol Bureau) -- An renewed effort is underway to bring back Milton County. It merged with Fulton County during the depression to avoid bankrupty .

Rep. Jan Jones (R-Alpharetta) tells WSB 's Sandra Parrish she's reintroducing a constitutional amendment to allow the re-creation of a previously existing county which was merged into another county.

If passed by the General Assembly, voters would then decide the issue in the 2010 general election. A local referendum would then be held among the affected residents.

"For them it is still about having more control and more elected influence," says Jones.
She says if recreated, Milton would be the fifth largest county in Georgia.

But many members of the Fulton County legislative delegation remain opposed to the idea.
Rep. Tyrone Brooks (D- Atlanta) says the costs of starting a new government should be considered especially after the creation of five new cities in metro Atlanta. "How much more money will it take to finance the operation of these governments," he says.

Jones has the support of members representing the northern end of the county.

Alan Tart: The Presidential Taste Tester from Milton

by Jason Wright / Appen Newspapers

January 13, 2009 MILTON – In olden days, royalty had what they called food tasters, a seemingly thankless and terrible job whereby someone would taste the lord's food – at considerable personal risk – to stave off the very real threat of poisoning.

Though the availability of poison has not have changed, the methods by which it is detected certainly have. And that's where Councilman Alan Tart comes in.

No, he not really the president's food taster. But close.

Tart, a regional retail food specialist with the FDA since 1999, is part of a specialized, 15-member team that steps in during "high security" events or disasters. It has been called upon for the G-8 summit, hurricanes Katrina, Gustav and Rita, the Republican and Democratic national conventions and Sept. 11.

Tart said the Secret Service and FBI will contact the FDA and request the team if they believe food security may be an issue. The official inauguration of the President of the United States of America Jan. 20 fall into that category.

"Food defense has been a major issue for us," said Tart, who will leave Jan. 15 and return a week later. "It has been identified as a major weakness in our fight against terrorism."

But it's just food, right? Wrong, says Tart. The chances of something catastrophic occurring are great in a week where there will be more than 20 inaugural balls, all with extensive menus.

To make sure everything goes smoothly, the team exhaustively reviews all menus, the types of food served, the sources supplying the food and the transportation, distribution and secure preparation of all meals.

Because of the volume of food needed for the crush of people coming to Washington for the historic event, the group must also inspect all refrigeration trucks and off-site facilities. That's not to mention the normal food preparation problems of proper cooking, storage and serving.

"You don't notice all this stuff until you really start looking," said Tart. "Any food served to a dignitary, especially the president, is sampled. After the sample is taken it is held in containment in case of an outbreak."

And lest the effort seem a bit much, Tart relayed the tale of some very real food terrorism.

In The Dalles, Ore. in 1984, the members of the radical Rajneeshee cult contaminated water and the salad bars of 10 local restaurants with salmonella, causing 751 cases of illness. They did it to sway the Wasco County elections, hoping that people would be so sick they couldn't outvote the cult's own candidates. Luckily, it didn't work, and no one died from the attacks.

"It can definitely be done," said Tart.

Neighborhood Of The Week

Bentgrass Farms is a quiet neighborhood of only forty five homes in Milton, Georgia. Established in 1991, lots are typically an acre plus of private lush paradise with exteriors including stucco,brick, and hardiplank.

To find out more about this Milton, Georgia Neighborhood, please click here=>

http://www.accessmilton.com/Neighborhoods/BentgrassFarms.php

Milton Council Agendas | 1-18-09

Approval of the Financial Statements for the period ending December 2008. (Stacey Inglis, Finance Manager)

Zoning Agenda • ZM08-06/VC08-06 - 765 & 785 Mid-Broadwell Road by Sally Rich-Kolb to modify Condition 2.a. of Z05-072 to revise the site plan; 2) To delete condition 4.b. to remove the requirement that the owner dedicate to Fulton County (City of Milton) the necessary right-of-way to provide a connector road from Broadwell Road to Mid-Broadwell Road prior to attaining an LDP, or as may be approved by the Director of Public Works; and 3) To request a concurrent variance to reduce parking from 58 to 39 spaces (Article 18.2.1). (This item was deferred on October 20, 2008.) (Presented by Alice Wakefield, Community Development Director) • ZM08-09 -13941 13943, 13945 Highway 9 North by Milton Organizers, LLC to modify Condition 2.a. of RZ07-010, to redesign site plan to eliminate septic and connect to sanitary sewer. (Presented by Alice Wakefield, Community Development Director) • RZ08-09 Text Amendment - To amend Article 22, Appeals of the City of Zoning Ordinance. (This item was deferred on November 17, 2008.) (Presented by Alice Wakefield, Community Development Director) • Approval of an Ordinance to Amend Chapter 14, Land Development and Environmental Protection, of the Code of Ordinances for the City of Milton, Georgia. (First Presentation on October 6, 2008.) (Presented by Alice Wakefield, Community Development Director) Unfinished Business • Approval of an Ordinance Amending the Noise Control Ordinance within the City of Milton, Georgia. (First Presentation on November 3, 2008.) (Presented by Chris Lagerbloom, Public Safety Director) • Approval of a Resolution Amending Resolution No. 09-01-66, A Resolution to Create the Milton Parks and Recreation Advisory Board and to develop the Milton Parks and Recreation Ordinance by appointing a member for District 2. (Presented by Brad Chambers, Parks and Recreation Representative)

Welcome Hunters' Christmas Tree Farm To Accessmilton.com!

All:

We are proud to announce one of Accessmilton.com's newest members; the wonderful Hunters' Christmas Tree Farm located off of Wood Road in Milton, Georgia!

The Hunter family has lived in the area for many years and their farm is truly an asset to the city. If you haven't included Hunters' Christmas Tree farm in your Christmas traditions, start in 2009!

They are also part of "Trees For Troops" which helps supply free trees to those in the military. Such patriotism is to be admired.

Check them out today!
http://www.accessmilton.com/Advertisers/Hunters.php

Tim Enloe
Founder
Magnolia Media, LLC