Electrician Contractor in Milton, GA

This time last year, I was just beginning my role as Mayor and eager to get to work. Fortunately, years of outstanding leadership and dedication from our elected officials, staff, appointees on our many committees, boards and commissions, and finally, our involved and supportive community members, positioned us well for success this past year.

Even then, 2022 exceeded my expectations. Given the excellence I’ve seen, our team’s quality, and our citizens’ tremendous support, I have every reason to believe Milton will continue to set the example for others to follow.

Some of this momentum is more obvious. Within nine months, our Parks and Recreation Department opened the Community Center and first natural trail at Milton City Park and Preserve, unveiled the popular Freemanville at Birmingham pasture-like greenspace, completed equestrian-friendly improvements at Birmingham Park, and had athletes enjoying Legacy Park’s multi-sport turf fields. Plus, people packed city events from Earth Day to Pancakes with Santa – and, of course, Crabapple Fest – with record attendance.

Yet less visible actions are important, too. The city laid the groundwork to expand its park-space with a property purchase off Bethany Way and others in the works. There are more Parks and Rec programs than ever, some exclusive to Milton (like upcoming arts classes) while others (like softball) come thanks to a no-cost MOU with Alpharetta. With all this going on, no wonder Milton’s Parks and Recreation was the reigning District 7 Agency of the Year.

You see similarly community-focused, diligent, well-planned efforts in all city departments (and, in many cases, spanning departments). The Local Road Safety Plan – aimed at improving Milton’s transportation network for drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians through engineering, education, and enforcement – came together thanks to our Public Works, Police and Communications teams as well as citizens involved at every turn.

Such a community-first approach is the Milton Way. Fire CARES bridges the gap between emergency care and everyday health care needs with firefighters are out every day doing house visits, leading vaccine clinics, conducting medical assessments, and more. Another Fire initiative, Milton Community Connect, lets residents and business owners share life- and property-saving information so firefighters can respond more effectively to emergencies.

Examples of excellence abound. Plant! Milton – our Arborist-led initiative encouraging tree planting, education, and care – recently earned the Georgia Tree Council’s Outstanding New Initiative Grand Award. Our sustainability efforts kicked into overdrive with Milton earning its first Silver Green Communities distinction, being among six Georgia cities certified as a Community Wildlife Habitat, and making inroads in adopting a sound, citizen-minded trash and recycling strategy. The Trails Advisory Committee also formed to guide City leaders on upgrading walking, biking, PTV and equestrian experiences.

This is all a fraction of what Milton’s government accomplished in 2022. And this new year, I foresee more of the same. We’ll open a rebuilt Fire Station 42. We should culminate work to institute Urban Growth Boundaries, adopt a Unified Development Code, and craft a concept plan for the District at Mayfield. And with downtown Crabapple’s buildout nearly complete, we’ll focus in 2023 on promoting quality, vibrancy and a uniquely Milton feel for the Highway 9/Deerfield area.

Some of what’s to come is already in the works; and other opportunities will emerge to enhance our collective quality of life. And in everything we do, we’ll never lose sight of what makes Milton special and why we fell in love with this city in the first place.

MILTON, Ga. — After months of public workshops to create a defined character area for the District at Mayfield, the project’s consultants submitted recommendations to the Milton City Council March 20 based on final design plans.

The district covers about 18 acres in Crabapple and includes 22 parcels with properties off Broadwell Road, Charlotte Drive, Mayfield Road and Mid Broadwell Road. The District at Mayfield will have more strict development regulations intended to keep the area’s unique identity intact. Elements of the overlay district would fall under Crabapple form-based code.

Residents have stated their preference to connect any new construction to historic buildings in the area.

“We knew the plan wasn’t going to reflect a strong preservation aspect, but it had to be acknowledged,” said Ryan Snodgrass, a planner with TSW, the design firm heading the project.

The Milton Historical Society has been involved in the process, providing insight into the area’s historic side and holding educational sessions with the public on some of the properties at risk. Jeff Dufresne, Milton Historical Society president, is also a member of the project’s steering committee.

The Preferred Master Plan presented at the March 2 public workshop and open house has been adjusted in a few key ways to accommodate further input. However, a density of 5 units per acre in each of the plan’s four areas, broken up by a majority property owner, remains intact.

One of the biggest changes from the previous plan, Snodgrass said, is the removal of the roundabout and reorganization of buildings to create a more “village feel.”

Snodgrass presented some family-oriented and more quiet open spaces sprinkled throughout the final concept plan in addition to commercial building styles. The preferred style is low scale, Snodgrass said, and commercial structures designed to look like residential, or cottage-commercial buildings.

Snodgrass also highlighted a closure to a portion of Mid Broadwell Road for a pedestrian corridor, beginning near the corner of Broadwell and Mayfield roads.

City Councilman Jan Jacobus said he was surprised at the limited number of residential structures on the final plan. Snodgrass said that while previous plans included more housing, the community didn’t want single-family detached homes or townhouses.

There are only four purely residential dwellings in the plan, all located off Mid Broadwell Road, a detail discussed with the property owner.

Snodgrass couldn’t confirm how many of the district's 11 property owners participated in the public workshops, but all were invited.

During public comment, one property owner in the District at Mayfield said he had never been consulted about plans.

“Until we have been at least consulted with or involved in the process, we strongly oppose any moratorium or motions to develop our property without permission,” Jeff Pedowitz, the property owner said.

A moratorium has been in place since last summer to stall development in the district. It is set to end June 20.

TSW’s Caleb Rocicot proposed updates to the Crabapple form-based code to support the project’s vision, but he emphasized that there would be no change in density.

“We’ve made a very deliberate effort to recognize that the vision and the code work hand-in-hand,” Rocicot said.

Changes fall under two categories, which are the regulating plan, or the zoning map, and the standards, Rocicot said,

Milton has checked some boxes in its drive to conduct its own municipal election this year.

The city fixed and published qualifying fees and approved some “housekeeping” measures, updating city code. City staff, including City Manager Steve Krokoff, Deputy City Manager Stacey Inglis and City Clerk Tammy Lowit, also attended election training and obtained the Municipal Election Official Certification.

Krokoff told the City Council an elections superintendent needs to be named by April 10. While no official vote was taken on the matter, councilmembers agreed Krokoff should take on the role. They also said the city should hire an experienced consultant to assist.

“Considering it’s our first time through, it’s like going to medical school but never doing surgery,” Krokoff said. “I think every aspect of the process would be nice to have somebody that’s ‘been there, done that.’”

Also at the meeting, Lowit displayed maps offering options for city polling locations.

The Municipal Elections Feasibility Committee, which has investigated self-run municipal elections, recommended the city have two polling locations. Historically, Lowit said Milton has had eight Fulton County polling locations on election day.

Lowit proposed the layout of two locations but maps options that contain three polling locations. All maps mimicked the county’s precinct lines but were colored differently to tend to the lower number of locations.

Inglis provided estimated costs for two, three and eight polling locations. In the first year, staff estimated that two polling locations would cost the city $98,382. A third polling location would add about $11,000 in cost.

If the city were to keep eight polling locations, it would spend $166,522 for the first year.

Krokoff said he thinks Milton is the only North Fulton city running its own municipal elections this year. Johns Creek and Roswell officials have already said they will continue their contract with Fulton County to operate polling, although they plan to study the issue further by the time 2025 municipal elections roll around.

Alpharetta is still in the process of making its decision. And, Sandy Springs does not have a municipal election this year.

“I don’t think it’s a bad idea for us to have a chance to do this alone so we can ensure, without any distraction — not that I’m disparaging any of our sister cities that are all wonderful places,” Moore said. “But we need to ensure our own success because this is going to be under such scrutiny...”

MILTON, Ga. — Since Milton voters approved the $25 million Greenspace Bond in 2016, the city has purchased more than 400 acres in conservation land across six properties and is now developing a plan to strategize the space.

The bonds are intended for passive use to provide recreational trails, protect natural areas and wildlife habitat, preserve agricultural land, protect the water quality of rivers and streams, and provide parks and park improvements.

Emily Groth, Milton environmental program manager, presented the blueprint at the Feb. 22 Milton City Council meeting with some key elements, such as future improvements, appropriate use and special considerations, environmental protection measures and property prioritization and plan implementation.

The open properties include land off Freemanville and Birmingham roads, Lackey Road and the Milton City Park and Preserve, currently in Phase I of the Former Milton Country Club Master Plan. The properties off Hamby Road and Webb Road as well as Cooper Sandy off Providence and Bethany roads are closed.

With the environment in mind, the project plan consists of four stakeholder groups, Groth said: city committees, property neighbors, the general public and the City Council.

Since the bond passed, the Milton Greenspace Advisory Committee has presided over the project, directing city staff on land purchases. Other committees involved in the process will be the Trails Advisory Committee, Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, and the Planning Commission.

Groth laid out a timeline for “The Greenprint,” the proposed name for the greenspace plan, beginning with specific stakeholder engagement to take place from January to April. The city would then engage the general public from April to May. Draft recommendations would be made in June and July, with adoption from August to September.

In other action Wednesday, Aaron Arnett with Arnett Muldrow & Associates described a placemaking project for the city, guided by the 2040 Comprehensive Plan. The company provides community branding, marketing specialists and graphic designers.

“We want to make sure that we establish a unified market position and message that resonates with the businesses that we're trying to recruit here into the community,” Arnett said.

The overall objective of the project, he said, is to create a toolbox for the city to communicate Milton’s assets and purpose.

Arnett mentioned the city’s eight character districts but said the project will drill down into three: Crabapple, Birmingham Crossroads as well as Ga. 9 and the Deerfield area.

The first level of the project is community engagement, Arnett said, and will include stakeholder interviews, roundtable focus groups and open public meetings.

Milton City Councilman Rick Mohrig voiced his excitement about the project, especially as it relates to Ga. 9.

“How do we actually step up that whole area?” Mohrig asked. “Because it’s got a lot of potential … That’s really the entrance into the city.”

MILTON, Ga. — A Milton man is having to defend himself in court after filing an ethics complaint against a city council member.

“I’m a citizen of Milton. I thought wrongdoing occurred with a government official, so I came forward and filed an ethics complaint,” Tony Palazzo told Channel 2 consumer investigator Justin Gray.

A formal ethics panel ruled that Milton City Councilman Paul Moore did in fact violate city ethics rules by not recusing himself from a vote related to the subdivision where he lived.

But for Palazzo, who filed that ethics complaint, that was just the beginning. He’s named as a defendant along with the city and the ethics board in a writ of certiorari filed in Fulton Superior Court by Moore.

The legal petition demands the decision by the ethics board be overturned and that Moore’s legal fees be paid.

Palazzo said he was forced to hire legal counsel of his own, worried he could be on the hook for those legal fees.

“I thought it was a simple process. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d have to retain legal counsel, go to evidentiary hearings, and now fight in superior court over the findings of a three-attorney ethics panel,” Palazzo said.

Last fall, the Milton City Council declined to formally punish Moore for the ethics panel’s findings. The ethics panel had recommended a written censure or reprimand.

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“I believe Councilman Moore has been sufficiently sanctioned,” Milton Mayor Peyton Jamison said at an October council meeting.

Moore told Channel 2 Action News in a written statement:

“My petition in Fulton Superior Court is nothing more than an appeal of his complaint, and it was filed in the format required under an old state law….it is ironic that, having started this process by filing a complaint against me, Mr. Palazzo is now complaining that he finds himself in court. The only reason that has happened is because I have refused to lay down, and I am continuing to defend myself against his charges.”

“It’s very chilly, it’s frightening,” said Richard T. Griffiths with the Georgia First Amendment Foundation. “While it may not technically be a lawsuit, it is nevertheless the kind of thing you may have to spend money defending yourself against.”

Palazzo said he’s already spent about $30,000 in legal fees and worries about what message this sends to others.

“If you’re in fear of financial ruin, why in the world would you come forward and subject yourself to this,” Palazzo said.

“In this case, a legitimate complaint to the ethics commission was upheld and now that citizen is facing legal repercussions that are scary and potentially expensive and that’s not right,” Griffiths said.

In his statement to Channel 2 Action News, Moore wrote:

“As to attorney’s fees, the City Code of Ethics provides that an elected official has a right to recover fees he spent defending himself if a complaint against him is eventually dismissed by a court. I assume that Mr. Palazzo was aware of that when he chose to file his complaint against me.”

A hearing on all this is set for May.

Milton City Attorney Ken Jarrard told Gray, “Council member Paul Moore has taken advantage of his appellate rights under the City’s ethics code. The City of Milton will respect and honor any decision of the court.”

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Kendall Milton wanted to show teams that he could stay healthy, that knee and groin injuries that limited him during his first three seasons at Georgia were a thing of the past.

“I would say a big thing is being able to just go through the season and maintain my health,” Milton said at the start of spring practice. “I would say that’s kind of one of the biggest points of this offseason. I focused on rehabbing and things like that. I made that a high emphasis.”

Related: Georgia tailback Kendall Milton limited by hamstring injury, RB room lacking depth

Unfortunately, the senior running back will now miss the rest of spring practice due to a hamstring injury. Milton is expected to be fully ready for fall camp in August, but his latest injury won’t assuage any concerns about making it through the 2023 season.

Milton was expected to be the lead running back for Georgia this season. Daijun Edwards was a far more likely bet to lead the team in carries, yet it was Milton who was seen as the big-time playmaker. Kenny McIntosh and James Cook held that mantle in previous seasons, ones that ended with Georgia as national champions.

Milton isn’t the only banged-up running back for Georgia this spring, as Edwards has been limited in media viewing portions of practice with an undisclosed injury. Redshirt freshman Andrew Paul also will not be a full participant in spring practice as he continues to recover from an ACL injury he suffered last August.

After providing an update on Paul to start spring practice, Smart made a rather interesting remark with regard to where the team is at from an injury standpoint.

“This is the least number of guys we have out for medical reasons going into a spring that we’ve had in a while,” Smart said. “We also have 21 either mid-years or the three portal guys that’ll be out there — not all of them are practicing, but available to practice. So it definitely increases our depth.”

Related: Georgia tight end Pearce Spurlin to miss the rest of spring practice due to injury

Since then, freshman tight end Pearce Spurlin and now Milton have been lost for the rest of the spring.

So now that depth that Smart spoke about will be tested at the running back position.

The only two fully healthy scholarship running backs for Georgia at this point are sophomore Branson Robinson and freshman Roderick Robinson. The remaining nine practices will be invaluable for both players as they look to carve out roles for the 2023 team.

Branson Robinson entered spring as the most likely candidate to be Georgia’s No. 3 running back. The sophomore from Canton, Miss., was limited to mostly mop up duty as a freshman, finishing with 330 yards on 68 carries. His best two games came against Auburn and TCU, when he scored a combined three touchdowns on 19 carries.

Both Robinsons should be seen as power runners, with Branson being a former weightlifting champion while Roderick arrived at 235 pounds. The freshman comes from San Diego, Calif., and played for the same high school that produced former Georgia great Terrell Davis.

To expect Roderick Robinson though to come in right away and dominate the running back room might be a bit much at this point. For now, he’ll use the spring to further get his feet underneath him.

“He’s a strong player. He can make those cuts,” Milton said of Roderick Robinson. “Same thing like me when I came in as a running back: You just have to be able to, you know, get comfortable learning the schemes and learning the pass pro and learning the different blitzes and just learning different stuff that comes with being a running back in such a high-talented offense.”

Related: Roderick Robinson II: The stuff you don’t know about the next great UGA running back is pretty special

The running backs were not expected to be a focal point during spring practice. While McIntosh’s production won’t be easy to replace, Georgia felt good about what it had in Milton and Edwards at the top of the depth chart.

Now, the Bulldogs will learn what they have in both Robinsons. And the recent string of injuries shows just how quickly depth can be widdled down, especially at a position like running back.

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