Johns Creek Herald, January 22, 2015 by Appen Media Group

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January 22, 2015 | johnscreekherald.com | 75,000 circulation Revue & News, Johns Creek Herald, Milton Herald & Forsyth Herald combined | 50¢ | Volume 19, No. 4

Fulton rethinking Cauley Creek closing 2 water plant expansions on hold by EPD linked to closure By HATCHER HURD hatcher@appenmediagroup.com

Autrey Mill Nature Center reaching out Autrey Mill Nature Preserve and Historic Preservation Center Executive Director Wade Chandler wants to make the park and center more appealing. Find out how, Page 40. HATCHER HURD/STAFF

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – Two years ago, Fulton County severed its contract with Johns Creek’s Cauley Creek Water Reclamation, saying the county would save millions. Now, it doesn’t seem to be such a good idea. Fulton authorities and Cauley Creek Water Reclamation owner Ron Green have begun discussions about reopening the 40-acre facility that had provided reuse water for irrigation in Johns Creek until the county declined to renew the annual contract. Fulton is rethinking its position now that the Georgia Environmental Protection Division is holding up expansion

HAUSMANN

GREEN

plans for the Big Creek and Little Creek wastewater treatment plants. Why? Because of the repercussions of severing its ties with Cauley Creek. Severing those ties meant Fulton County had to honor irrigation contracts with some 25 commercial customers with potable water. This is in direct conflict with the EPD and Met-

See CLOSING, Page 6

New state school chief ready to work By CANDY WAYLOCK candy@appenmediagroup.com

Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education. Emerging as the primary election winner from a group of nine Republican candidates, Woods faced a strong Democratic candidate in Valerie WOODS Wilson before riding the Republican wave in the general election. As the state school superintendent, his goal is to open up lines of communication between his office – the Geor-

ATLANTA – Just days away from assuming his position as the state’s top school chief, Superintendent-elect Richard Woods shared his thoughts on education in Georgia and said he was eager to get to work. “It’s been a month and a half [since the election], and I feel like I’ve been riding in the backseat of someone else’s car. I finally get to take the wheel come Monday [Jan. 12] and see what the car can do,” said Woods, who spoke at a media forum Jan. 9 hosted by the

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gia Department of Education (GDOE) – and top elected leaders after months of strained relationships. Wood’s predecessor, John Barge, rocked the education boat when he announced a run for governor halfway into his four-year term. That decision created tensions that lasted through the re-election of Gov. Nathan Deal, and stalled or slowed many initiatives championed by Barge. Woods said it is time now for a period of collaboration between the entities that control the direction of education in Georgia. “We’re in the process of repairing

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relationships and building new relationships again,” said Woods, a former teacher and small business owner from Tifton. “Since winning the election, I’ve reached out to the governor’s office, the members of the General Assembly and our educational partners throughout the state, and I think we’ve had some good dialogue.” Woods noted the “bridge” also has to be extended to everyone involved in education across the state, from school system superintendents and school boards to teachers, parents and stu-

See WOODS, Page 10

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Roswell dog newest police recruit ROSWELL, Ga. – Roswell PD has a new officer – police dog Saar. She is the department’s newest K-9 in training. Saar is a female Belgian Malinois born on June 15, 2013. Her appearance is quite different from the traditional tan coat Malinois. She has a completely black coat. Saar came from Holland and arrived in the United States in November 2014. She immediately started class in December with her handler,

Officer Davis Gardner. The K-9 certification course includes tracking, substance detection, criminal apprehension (bite work) and article and evidence search. They both graduated from the intense, six-week program Friday, Jan. 17, 2015 as a full service police K-9 team. There are now three K-9 teams in the Roswell Police Department. Another will shortly be joining the department through a grant.

DUIS & DRUGS All crime reports published by Appen Media Group are compiled from public records. Neither the law enforcement agencies nor Appen Media Group implies any guilt by publishing these names. None of the persons listed has been convicted of the alleged crimes.

DUI arrests ►► Julie Anne Wolf, 46, of Arlington

Point, Johns Creek, was arrested Dec. 21 on Kimball Bridge Road in Alpharetta for DUI, open container and failure to maintain lane. ►► John David Gehrhardt, 53, of Kettering Court, Johns Creek, was arrested Dec. 19 on Mansell Road in

POLICE BLOTTER All crime reports published by Appen Media Group are compiled from public records. Neither the law enforcement agencies nor Appen Media Group implies any guilt by publishing these names. None of the persons listed has been convicted of the alleged crimes.

He’s not even trying to hide MILTON, Ga. – A brazen would-be thief was caught after allegedly trying to leave a store without even hiding the goods he was trying to steal. Police received calls of a fight from the Windward Walmart about 3 p.m. Jan. 5. When they arrived, they found the loss prevention officer engaged with a suspect, Spencer Lee Gregory, 28. According to the employee, Gregory was seen walking into the store and headed for the electronics aisle. He picked up

Alpharetta for DUI. ►► Dawan Katrell Johnson, 42, of Phoenix, Arizona, was arrested Jan. 3 on Old Milton Parkway in Alpharetta for DUI, no license and failure to obey a traffic control device. ►► James Caston Ford, 22, of Dunwoody was arrested Dec. 29 on Haynes Bridge Road in Alpharetta for DUI. ►► Richard A. Brown was arrested Jan. 1 on Deerfield Parkway in Milton for DUI and failure to maintain lane. ►► Stephanie M. Sweat, 30, was arrested Jan. 2 on Bethany Bend in Milton for DUI, failure to maintain lane and impeding traffic. two speaker sets, valued at $60 and $90, and tried to walk out of the store without buying or hiding the items. He was arrested for shoplifting.

Driver, passengers on drugs with kid in car ROSWELL, Ga. – Two days before Christmas, several people were arrested for drugs and had a young teen in the car. The vehicle driver was also arrested for driving under the influence. Police say they saw the Jeep driven by Avery Brooks Simmons, 21, of Peachtree Corners, on Holcomb Bridge Road was driving erratically at 11:20 p.m. Other callers confirmed this. When police stopped the vehicle, they discovered Simmons and the passengers were all allegedly under the influence of drugs. The youngest passenger

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Drug arrests ►► Devin Tara Landeweer, 21, of

Singing Hills Court, Roswell, was arrested Dec. 29 on Nesbit Ferry Road in Johns Creek for possession of marijuana. ►► Phillip Andrew Raywood, 27, of Holcomb Pond Court, Alpharetta, was arrested Dec. 30 on Old Milton Parkway in Alpharetta for possession of marijuana. ►► Roderick C. Strickland, 31, of Decatur was arrested Jan. 1 on Mansell Road in Alpharetta for possession of marijuana and suspended license. was 14. Simmons was arrested for DUI, endangering the life of a child and failure to maintain lane. The passengers, Dorothy Marie Peyton, 23, of Pooler and Brandon Michael Jefferson, 21, of Glen Holly Drive, Roswell, were also charged with possession of drugs. Peyton also had an outstanding warrant for her arrest.

$20K in jewels taken JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – Someone broke into an Abbotts Bridge Road apartment over the holidays and made off with more than $20,000 in jewelry. The victim told police she suspects someone entered her apartment between Nov. 27, 2014 and Jan. 7, 2015. She said she was missing a platinum

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Blotter: Continued from Page 2 diamond ring ($12,000), gold platinum band ($4,000), David Yurman necklace ($700), gold wedding band ($200), a pair of diamond earrings ($2,000), a diamond tennis bracelet ($3,000) and two dresses ($10 and $30). There are no suspects.

Hit and run leads to DUI arrest ALPHARETTA, Ga. – A man suspected of driving drunk Jan. 2 fled from the scene of an accident because he has a history of drunk driving. Police responded to a hitand-run at 6:26 p.m. near the McDonald’s restaurant at Ga. 9 and Maxwell Road. The victim said a driver in a truck hit her at the entrance and fled the scene. She was able to get the license plate, which returned Charles Edward Kramig II, 29, of Jayne Ellen Way, Alpharetta. Police went to the suspect’s home and allegedly found the damaged truck. Police say Kramig admitted to fleeing because he has a history of DUIs and was driving with a limited permit. He said his brakes failed, which caused him to hit

the victim’s vehicle. Kramig was arrested for DUI, hit and run, improperly working brakes and violating the conditions of a license.

Taking the clothes on his back ALPHARETTA, Ga. – An employee was caught stealing from a clothing store Nov. 13 and was wearing the stolen clothing as he was arrested. Store employees said they suspected Devin Christopher Stuart, 21, of Cumming, of taking clothing from the store. He would allegedly take the clothing into the back of the store, cut off the security tags and leave with the items. He allegedly further admitted to taking items on five different occasions as well as stealing money from other employees’ wallets and purses. At the time of his arrest for shoplifting, Stuart was wearing some of the stolen clothing.

Windward Walmart to buy the device for $300. The victim did a cursory check on the device before buying it and it seemed fine. However, when he got home and tried to register it, it was locked by a username and password. Repeated calls and texts to the seller were not returned. The victim suspects the computer was stolen and that he would turn over the device as a “$300 life lesson.” Police have a 19-year-old suspect in the case.

Employee suspected of theft ALPHARETTA, Ga. – A Big Lots

Johns Creek Herald | January 22, 2015 | 3

employee is in big trouble after allegedly stealing more than $1,600 from the store over several months. Officials from the store told police Jan. 7 that they noticed irregularities in the registers. Investigating, they found one employee, Canice Lynn Matlock, 29, of Roberts Drive, Alpharetta, allegedly would handle customer exchanges – only she would print out two receipts. After the customer left the store, Matlock would then use the second receipt to return the item herself and keep the money. She allegedly admitted to doing this since November and is suspected of taking as much

as $1,674 from the store. She was arrested for theft.

iPads stolen from store CUMMING, Ga. — Cumming Police were notified that two iPads had been allegedly stolen from Game Stop, 1060 Marketplace Blvd. on Jan. 6. The manager said that the devices were taken from the back counter behind the registers. She said the iPads were for store use and used mainly for inventory. There was no video footage of the event.

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NEWS

4 | January 22, 2015 | Johns Creek Herald | johnscreekherald.com

Nesbit Ferry residents wary of personal care facility 3-story facility, 7 cottages planned on 8 acres By HATCHER HURD hatcher@appenmediagroup.com JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – A personal care facility totaling almost 258,000 square feet is planned for the Johns Creek side of Nesbit Ferry Road, but nearby residents are leery of such a large project in front of their subdivisions. Cornerstone Design & Development Inc. has filed plans with the city requesting a change of zoning from Residential to Office-Institutional. It will contain some assisted living units and memory care, but most of the facility will be for independent living adults. Around 20 Nesbit Ferry Road residents, mostly from the Mayfair and St. Clair communities, attended the Jan. 13 Johns Creek Community Association preview with the engineer of the property to hear a presentation and ask questions. Residents’ main concerns were the sheer size of the project and its seven cottages. One woman said she bought her home 25 years ago in a residentially zoned district only to have a “three-story monstrosity” looming in her backyard. She said she wanted $100,000 in reparations for the loss she will suffer for the devaluation of her property. Other concerns were perimeter landscaping and security and parking lot lights. Cornerstone will have an undisturbed buffer and hooded lighting that will direct light down, said Robert Bond, the project engineer. “The building will have a

HATCHER HURD/STAFF

Nesbit Ferry Road residents attend a Johns Creek Community Association-sponsored meeting with a representative of the developer at Newtown Park. maximum height of 35 feet from ground level, according to code. There will be an underground parking area dug into the ground,” Bond said. Areas where the undisturbed buffer is thin in vegetation will have more plantings to fill them out, he said. The back of the property will have a 50-foot buffer and buffers of 25 feet on either side. Residents also wanted the builder to put sidewalks in that would enhance the entrances of the neighboring subdivisions. A lot of the concerns were about the street improvements and the entrance to the property, because the plat of the property showed the entrance on a curve. “We will have accel and decel lanes and sidewalks for St. Clair and Mayfair,” Bond said.

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Nesbit Ferry Personal Care Proposal

The personal care facility is proposed to be between the Mayfair and St. Clair subdivisions off off of Nesbit Ferry Rd (outlined in black). “The traffic improvements to the road will be whatever the city of Roswell tells us to make. Roswell owns the road.” That surprised many residents. When Johns Creek was incorporated, the city limits was designated as Nesbit Ferry Road, but both cities stipulated the road and its maintenance would be Roswell’s. The facility should have 15 employees on the property. Price points for the facility have not been determined, Bond said. Neighbors were concerned that so many residents would add to peak hour traffic. But Bond said the residents are retiree age at these facilities. “So they don’t have to go out during rush hours. They will wait for off-peak times,” he said.

The property at 9435 Nesbit Ferry Road in Johns Creek is proposed for: • Total 258,000 square feet on 8.6 acres • Main building is three stories, 244,928 square feet • Building to contain 121 independent living, 40 assisted living, 30 memory care units • Seven cottages: five duplexes and two single units of 1,825 square feet each. All will have enclosed garages. • 74 parking spaces for main building (all underground). • Current zoning: Residential • Zoning sought: Office/ Institutional Bond also noted there is an old dump on the property that the company will remove entirely according to Environmental Protection Agency regulations. The project is scheduled to be presented first at the March 3 Planning Commission meeting. The commission will make its recommendation, along with city staff. Then, it will go before the City Council for a final decision, along with any conditions council deems necessary.

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ropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District conservation plan. The state wants to encourage wastewater reuse, and discourage the use of drinking water for irrigation. The EPD is making its displeasure known by withholding permits to expand the Big Creek and Little River water treatment plants on the western end of North Fulton. Green has taken the opportunity offer the county the outright purchase of Cauley Creek for $15 million or to re-enter into a contract to once again provide irrigation water with water his plant treats for the county. “It would be cheaper than [the county] could do it, getting its plant fitted to do it. And I would like to see Cauley Creek used as it was intended, whether I do it or Fulton County operates it,” Green said. “I am getting calls all the time from developers who are interested in the property.” Green said he can offer the county a better deal for Cauley Creek in large part because at the severance of the contract, Fulton had been required to pay off the $11 million in bonded indebtedness. “Now that Fulton County has paid off the bond debt, I don’t need to recoup that money in reselling it. Or I can operate it for the county under a new agreement,” he said. Fulton can’t supply reuse water from its own Johns Creek Environmental Campus, which treats water well enough but does not have the reuse water lines that Cauley Creek has. Fulton Commissioner Liz Hausmann, one of the members who opposed cutting loose Cauley Creek, said the county should have remained in compliance with EPD. She said with a new County Commission makeup there is reason to think there could be movement on the issue. “I opposed closing it before,” Hausmann said. “When we did it, we should have complied as outlined by the Water Planning District, so that we would not be out of compliance.” The county needs to come back into EPD’s good graces, and Cauley Creek would certainly be an alternative to get back into compliance. “We have been fortunate in that we have had a lot of rain and have not had to use potable water for irrigation. That would have a huge negative impact with the EPD,” Hausmann said. It would have a disastrous economic development predicament if there was a drought and the EPD banned using potable water for irrigation, she said. “If [the county] were still using potable water and were now allowed to irrigate because of the restrictions, that could have a huge negative impact. Property values and jobs could dry up with the grass,” Hausmann said. “I feel like it is worth another look. Certainly, we have to make the numbers work. We have to make sure it is not only the best interest of the [reuse] water customers, but the county. It would have to make financial sense.” But she says she has not seen an actual proposal. From what she has seen and heard, restoring Cauley Creek should be far more economically viable than expanding the Johns Creek Envi-

Beach supports working for EPD compliance By HATCHER HURD hatcher@appenmediagroup.com ALPHARETTA, Ga. – Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce President Brandon Beach said as an economic developer in North Fulton, he would like to see BEACH Fulton County and the Cauley Creek Water Reclamation Facility join forces again. “Right now, we’re getting a lot of rain, so it is not on anybody’s radar screen. But water is a precious resource for Fulton County, See BEACH, Page 42 ronmental Campus, which handles the Johns Creek Water Basin. “We do need to ensure that we have the capacity to continue our growth,” she said. “Cauley Creek was a state-ofthe-art treatment plant. It was awardwinning, and provided us an acceptable way to provide a service.” In in the fall of 2012, county officials had become dissatisfied with the Cauley Creek contract. When the County Commission announced the contract would not be renewed, there were protests from the state then. But members of the commission such as Bill Edwards dismissed Cauley Creek as a prop for North Fulton golf courses and the other commercial customers. Hausmann said that was not the case at all. Rather, it was an economic development issue that also had the county taking on a money-making project for its water system. Now that the debt service has been paid off, the county water system could reap $500,000 to $700,000 annually. One of the reasons county officials said it made sense to cut loose Cauley Creek was that there would not be enough new development in North Fulton to keep the Cauley Creek contract. Since then, the first half of a $600 million development at Avalon has opened. Johns Creek has announced plans to redevelop its city center, a $500 million redevelopment in Roswell at Ga. 400 and Holcomb Bridge Road has been announced and plans for turning Roswell’s Groveway District call for a Canton Street-like renovation in its historic downtown. The County Commission has changed dramatically since that vote was taken in 2012. Three commissioners who voted for dumping Cauley Creek – Edwards, Robb Pitts and Tom Lowe – are no longer serving. Edwards lost to Commissioner Emma Darnell when they were redistricted into the same district. Pitts lost to Chairman John Eaves, and Lowe retired. “Fulton County has got to re-establish a good relationship with the county [on water issues]. It is something we just have to,” said Hausmann. “And water is such a precious resource, we have to plan for the next drought. We know it’s coming.”

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OPINION

Submit your opinions to news@appenmediagroup.com

Full City Council needed Passing a grandfather’s wisdom to a new generation now more than ever GRANDPA RAY TO PHOEBE:

Waiting in a hospital is something I haven’t done in a long time. Many years ago, I would visit the local hospital where I grew up with my physician father in the emergency room during his 24-hour shift. I would typically go in the middle of the night, drink coffee with him and talk about nothing significant. We just enjoyed passing that time together. For that and many other reasons, the hospital is hard-wired into me. Right now, I am in another hospital waiting on my first grandchild to be delivered – the first child of her generation in the extended family. It’s the same hospital in which my youngest child was delivered just over 18 years ago (North Fulton Hospital). The same physician who delivered my youngest child is also delivering my first grandchild. As Yogi Berra used to say, it’s “Deja vu all over again.” I can see time not just passing by in front of me, but riding a jet at Mach 2. So what kind of world will my granddaughter encounter? The world that I see her encountering has many faces, but the one I see best is the one of staggering opportunity, wonder and startling beauty. She will grow up in a world more accessible and more enabling than any time in history. Her access to knowledge, art, music and her peers will be immeasurably greater than previous generations. She will know more, feel

Grandpa Ray and Phoebe.

RAY APPEN

Publisher ray@northfulton.com

more and be more aware of the world around her. She will live in a world of mobility and connectivity. She may listen to the same music that kids her age are listening to in China, Tibet or Finland. She might create her own music because she can. She will understand that kids her age in other countries have more in common with her than differences. She will not be aware of a time when the world was different. She will not follow so easily the paths that we want her to walk. In fact, we may not be able to see or understand many of the paths that will seem so obvious, accessible and relevant to her. She will understand intuitively that her decisions and those of her peers do make a difference – in her school, her country, her world. And she will have far less knowledge of what “cannot be done” and “cannot be changed” or “will not work” than her parents or grandparents. Change for her will be the norm. This will drive her parents crazy. She will find it curious when her parents and grandparents become

stressed out about stuff that she considers routine. The life and priorities she establishes for herself will often not make sense to us. She will have vast amounts of knowledge, but will she have wisdom? Will she understand the context of her world? Will she appreciate history? It is my fear that she will not. Will she realize that the change that is a norm for her was not the norm for older generations? Will she have enough patience to listen? I do hope so. If she were listening, what advice would I have for her? Phoebe, if you ask me one day, this is what I will tell you: • Write letters to those you want to remain close to – ink on paper. This will not make sense to you, but do it anyway. • Keep a journal – again, ink on paper. It will help you think through challenging issues and make sense of things around you. • Realize that emails, texts, Facebook posts, Instagrams or whatever else takes their place are no substitute for face-to-face conversations, holding hands, touching or actually asking someone if they are OK. As the world becomes less personal, you need to make it your priority to keep it personal. • Art feeds your soul, keeps you happy and sane and will bring joy into your life. Make it a big part of your life. • Listen much more than you talk. Do not miss the opportunity to learn from others. • Be the friend you want others to be for you. • Never, ever doubt yourself because of something someone else says or does – especially if they do it in a digital format. • Beware of the Internet. The Internet is wonderful, but don’t forget that it is also the greatest thief of your most valuable possession – your time. Guard your time wisely. • Set goals, and make sure that one of those goals is to make this world a better place than how you found it. I am excited, pleased and proud to have you as my granddaughter. Welcome to my world, which is now your world. –Grandpa Ray

This new Johns Creek City Council has just flubbed one of its first big tests in leadership. Instead of calling for a special election to replace not one but two vacant seats on the City Council, it has chosen to “spare the tired electorate” and leave those seats vacant for a year. It didn’t have to happen. The council could have done the right thing straight out of the block and no one would have said a word. They only had to do what was expected. But they didn’t. It was disconcerting when the two most experienced members resigned immediately after council elections to go fish in a bigger pond. Actually, they were the only experienced members on council. Put aside the fact these two who created the situation put their own political ambitions above their duty to the citizens who elected them to the council. There is the issue of what council should do now? What was expected of the remaining councilmembers was to immediately call a spe-

HATCHER HURD

Executive Editor hatcher@northfulton.com

cial election in early November. That would have given prospective candidates almost five months to decide if they wanted to make a run at one of the two open seats. The kindest thing that can be said is they dithered. Of course the mayor muddied the waters by bringing in the issue of the expense right away. That was never an issue with previous vacancies. Was that a smoke screen? Well, I am not a mind reader. Yes, $200,000 is a lot of money. But good government costs money. That does not mean the city should be extravagant. But it should do what is necessary to be effective.

See COUNCIL, Page 45

JC made best decision for difficult situation Differences of opinion are what make a democracy work and make our community strong. I am happy to have this opportunity to explain further the City Council’s decision to wait until November to hold the special election. Council knew we would be criticized, whatever decision we made. As elected officials, we must fully consider each side of every issue and ultimately make the decisions we feel are in the best interest of the citizens of Johns Creek. We do not take this responsibility lightly. The charter established that the mayor and council be elected at large, which means that each of us represents the entire city. In much of the public discourse on this matter, this important fact seems to get dismissed. There is no neighborhood, individual or business in Johns Creek that is not represented by this council – whether we have seven members or five. While it is always better to have our full complement of councilmembers, we have fallen below that level on at least three separate occasions

MIKE BODKER Mayor of Johns Creek

in our brief eight-year history. Each time it has occurred, the remaining councilmembers have stepped up to ensure that governing continues without missing a beat. In fact, most of 2014, we had two vacant seats. Yet, council moved ahead efficiently and diligently. Nothing was held back because of only having five votes. Immediately following the mid-November resignations of Councilmembers Raffensperger and Stewart, we made a strategic choice to seek public input on when to hold a special election to fill their seats. We wanted this feedback, as we considered the costs involved, our historically low voter turnout, the turnaround time required for any candidates to qualify and the logistical challenges posed by unexpired,

See DECISION, Page 42

OPINION

johnscreekherald.com | Johns Creek Herald | January 22, 2015 | 9

Fulton changes but still serves JOHN EAVES Fulton County Chairman

ever, if the will of residents remains the same as 2007, when citizens voted to remain unincorporated, Fulton County will continue to provide those services and will do so at the highest levels possible. Currently, residents of the unincorporated areas of South Fulton pay a separate tax that other Fulton County residents do not. That tax goes into our special services district fund and pays for municipal services such as zoning, parks, police and fire protection (Countywide taxes go into Fulton’s general fund). If a referendum were success-

See CHANGES, Page 44

New year bodes well with new county representation

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3 pm − Celebrity Cruises must do is hire a permanent county manager and bring stability to county government. Then by working together, we can improve the services we provide for the citizens of Fulton County, while making them more cost efficient to save taxpayer dollars. We must modernize and adjust our internal administrative expenses to instead focus on the actual services that are needed in our community. We must find new ways to partner with our community agencies, and our cities, to leverage our limited dollars to reach as many as possible. Some services act as a safety net and some enhance our quality of life. We must work to keep our people out of our justice system, utilizing innovative programs that promote a return to productive society instead of a return to jail. We must create and foster an environment that is attractive to business, bringing good jobs to Fulton County. And most importantly, we must re-establish a positive working relationship with all levels of state government. Including the state Legislature.

See COUNTY, Page 34

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Exit 10

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Jon es B r

Happy New Year! It is indeed a new era in Fulton County Government. For the first time in history, there is geographic equality in the representation on the Fulton County Board of Commission. Along with my return to the commission, we have the addition of Commissioner Bob Ellis from Milton and Commissioner Lee Morris from Buckhead. Today there is a much stronger North Fulton voice. The new Board of Commission is comprised of six districts – three north and three south – and one countywide at-large district of the chairman. This represents three North Fulton commissioners of the seven, and brings long overdue balance in representation to Fulton County. The change is significant, and has long been a goal of North Fulton residents who have often felt neglected by the county government that collects their taxes and serves them. This frustration led to the creation of new cities in recent years throughout the county. The story is familiar. The distribution of county services are far more visible in the southern areas of the county while the majority of the tax collection comes from the northern areas of the county. So, what will this new dynamic mean for you? It is a unique opportunity to bring much needed changes and improvements to county government. There is also a new voice for South Fulton in new Commissioner Marvin Arrington. His fresh outlook will also certainly have some different ideas on the future structure of county service delivery. How do we do it? The first thing we

CRUISE OPEN HOUSE

Fulton County is changing. The last 10 years have seen the cities of Sandy Springs, Milton, Johns Creek and Chattahoochee Hills come into existence. Each was an area where Fulton County government previously provided municipal services. Voters in those areas wanted more localized control and received it. Now voters in the remaining unincorporated area of southern Fulton County are asking for the opportunity to choose between a similar future of having their own city, allowing themselves to join an existing city or to remain unincorporated. I believe they should have the opportunity to make that decision. The Fulton County Board of Commissioners has already spoken on this issue. The BOC agreed that residents of the unincorporated areas should be allowed to make the decision at the ballot box regarding cityhood for South Fulton. State legislation (House Bill 27) calling for cityhood will be reintroduced this upcoming session. It is understandable that there is a desire for much more localized decision-making regarding how tax dollars are spent and how resources are allocated. How-

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10 | January 22, 2015 | Johns Creek Herald | johnscreekherald.com

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Early voting underway for District 50 runoff Saturday voting Jan. 24 JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – North Fulton voters are encouraged to cast their ballots early for the Feb. 3 special election runoff for State House District 50. Voters can cast their ballot at the Johns Creek Environmental Campus

Schools: Continued from Page 1 dents. One of Woods’ early initiatives is to have focus groups, town hall meetings and listening sessions throughout the state. “We have to listen to the concerns, and we have to make sure the individuals in the field have everything they need to teach our kids,” said Woods. Woods backed off from his hints on the campaign trail to do away with the Common Core standards, taking a more neutral stance on the state’s curriculum base. “My views are well-known on the issue, but we are going to move forward,” said Woods. “I think [Deal], the state board and myself are committed to the very best education system and the best standards to follow.” He said he will never support “education fads” and will ensure all

at 8100 Holcomb Bridge Road from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 20 through Friday, Jan. 30, including Saturday, Jan. 24. The sample ballot is posted online at www.fultonelections.com under the Early Voting link. For information about the Fulton County Department of Registration and Elections, call 404-730-7072.

I think [Deal], the state board and myself are committed to the very best education system and the best standards to follow.” RICHARD WOODS Superintendent-elect

standards will be “Georgia grown and Georgia owned.” “We will control our standards in this state,” said Woods.

Woods supports Fulton math curriculum By CANDY WAYLOCK candy@appenmediagroup.com NORTH FULTON, Ga. – Richards Woods’ election as state school superintendent may be good news for the Fulton County School System (FCSS) in its battle to take local control of their math curriculum. During a meeting with media prior to his swearing-in, Woods stressed a need to revisit the state’s math curriculum and repair damage done after years of tinkering. “Math is something we’ve done for thousands of years, but we’ve messed it up in a relatively short period of time and we’ve got to get it right,” said Woods. That stance is music to the ears of North Fulton parents who have fought the state’s math curriculum for a decade, demanding a return to traditional ways of teaching math in high school. The state has pushed an integrated math curriculum – blending concepts in each year of high school – whereas the FCSS wants a return to traditional, or discrete, math that isolates math by subject each year. Fulton received a waiver from the state to teach traditional

math, however the state has only developed an integrated assessment. This forces Fulton to teach enough integrated concepts so that students can pass the mandated annual tests. Woods said he has reached out to the governor’s office and the state board to find solutions to help school systems. “We talked about if we are going to allow two separate offerings – discrete and integrated – we have to have two separate tests,” said Woods. “To test [students] on something they have not learned is not fair to our students and our teachers.” In his first week in office, Woods asked the State Board of Education to post, for a 30-day public comment period, new math courses that offer a traditional/discrete course option to Georgia high schools, in addition to the integrated course option already available. If approved, high schools would be able to offer either integrated or traditional/discrete courses to students with waivers. “Surveys conducted by the State Board of Education found that many educators desired a choice between integrated and traditional/discrete math,” said Woods.

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johnscreekherald.com | Johns Creek Herald | January 22, 2015 | 11

Parents’ Morning Out and Preschool Registration 2015-2016

Registration information and application available on the website. For additional information contact the Preschool Office at

770-418-1730

Johns Creek United Methodist Church • 11180 Medlock Bridge Rd • Johns Creek, GA 30097

12 | January 22, 2015 | Johns Creek Herald | johnscreekherald.com

SCHOOLS

Submit your news & photos to news@appenmediagroup.com

McCain elected president of Fulton School Board Johns Creek rep begins second term in office By CANDY WAYLOCK candy@appenmediagroup.com NORTH FULTON, Ga. – Linda McCain began her second term on the Fulton County School Board seated at the center of the table, following her unanimous election as board president. She replaces Linda Schultz of Roswell who stepped down as board president after

four years. McCain represents District 5 in North Fulton, comprised primarily of schools in the Johns Creek area. She was MCCAIN first elected to the school board in 2010 and re-elected to a second term in 2014. Linda Bryant of South Fulton, who is the senior member of the school board, was elected vice president, continu-

ing the longstanding tradition of board officers from both the north and south ends of the county. As board president, McCain said her focus is on continuing the progress made on the district’s fiveyear strategic plan, as well as initiatives that provide greater flexibility for schools and students. “Some of the immediate priorities for the board have already begun, [including] expanding school choice options for students,” said McCain. “At the end of January, we will

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At the end of January, we will conduct district wide forums to identify and strategically expand school choice in Fulton County.” LINDA MCCAIN Fulton County School Board president

conduct district wide forums to identify and strategically expand school choice in Fulton County.” She noted the implementation of personalized learning and the roll out of student technology devices starts this month as well. “Lastly, we are anxiously waiting to return our students to traditional math courses,” said McCain, referencing the district’s ongoing battle against the state math curriculum.

In addition to her position as board president, McCain is a board member on the Fulton Education Foundation and was recently appointed to serve on Gov. Nathan Deal’s Education Advisory Board. In addition to the officer elections at the Jan. 13 board meeting, three members began new four-year terms of office. Julia Bernath (District 7) and Katie Reeves (District 2) both begin their fifth terms, while Catherine Maddox (District 6) begins her third term.

Submit your news & photos to news@appenmediagroup.com

SCHOOLS

johnscreekherald.com | Johns Creek Herald | January 22, 2015 | 13

GSU-PERIMETER CONSOLIDATION:

Merger leaves future of campuses in Alpharetta up in air By SHANNON WEAVER shannon@appenmediagroup.com ATLANTA — With the Jan. 6 announcement that Georgia State University and Georgia Perimeter College will be consolidating next year, many are wondering what the merger will mean for students and communities such as Alpharetta, which is home to campuses for both schools. The presidents from Georgia State and Perimeter hosted a Jan. 13 town hall meeting to answer questions concerning their consolidation, which was approved by the University System of Georgia Board of Regents. The new institution will have the Georgia State name and is scheduled to go into effect in the fall of 2016. This will be the sixth merger in Georgia in three years, the most recent of which involved Kennesaw State University and Southern Polytechnic State University. Georgia Perimeter Interim President Rob Watts said GPC has historically been the largest feeder to Georgia State. Approximately 1,300 GPC students transfer to GSU every year. “Georgia Perimeter College

and Georgia State University have had a close relationship that goes back decades,” Watts said. “The two institutions know one another very well, which will certainly be helpful during the consolidation process.” The GSU campus in Alpharetta, 3775 Brookside Parkway, is adjacent to one of GPC’s that has been shared by both institutions. The area has about 600 GSU students and 2,000 GPC students enrolled this semester. The future of these campuses is yet to be determined. “As part of the consolidation process, both institutions will be reviewing their operations and academic offerings in Alpharetta to determine how best to meet the needs of students and the Alpharetta community in the future,” Watts said. The Alpharetta GSU campus offers courses in business, criminal justice and social work as well as graduate programs for a professional MBA and the Executive Master of Science degree in managing information technology. The GPC campus next door offers a wide variety of day and evening classes including social

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sciences, humanities, science, mathematics, computer science, business and physical education. “This consolidation, though it is not the first one in the his-

tory of the university system, actually is somewhat unique from some of the others, in that it’s based on two institutions with a very long, very productive history of working

together,” said Georgia State President Mark Becker at the town hall meeting. Decisions over specific details, such as facilities, staffing and finances have not been made, but Becker said that the mission of the campuses will remain unchanged, with tuitions based on the degree program. “The model we’re looking at is one university, multiple campuses,” Becker said. “Geor-

See FUTURE, Page 38

14 | January 22, 2015 | Johns Creek Herald

COMMUNITY

Flu widespread this year Spreads quickly, easily By JONATHAN COPSEY jonathan@appenmediagroup.com ATLANTA – The flu is now an epidemic, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. The CDC says this year’s virus is strong enough and widespread enough to affect hundreds of thousands of people around the country. Influenza, also called “flu,” is a viral illness that causes fever, sore throat, muscle aches and cough. Influenza can weaken the body’s defenses and lead to complications like bacterial pneumonia. It can also worsen existing chronic health problems like heart disease and diabetes.

Dr. David Smith, of Bethany Bend Urgent Care in Milton, said this year’s flu is a problem not so much because of severity but rather of the ease with which is spreads. “It’s bad that a lot of people are getting it, but it’s not much more severe,” Smith said. When people get the flu, they will typically stay at home until their symptoms subside, Smith said. With this flu strain, symptoms manifest themselves for a few hours and then go away for a few hours. Then it repeats itself. This causes the ill to think they are not sick with the flu and to go about their daily lives, thus spreading the virus. “People are going out and doing things and exposing people to it,” Smith said. The flu season can start as early as October and last as late as May. In Georgia, it is

In Georgia, there have been 13 confirmed deaths due to flu. Of those, eight were in people 65 or older. One was a child under the age of 4.

most prevalent in January and February. During an average flu season, 36,000 Americans die and more than 200,000 are hospitalized because of complications from influenza. Some people, such as young children, the elderly, pregnant women and people with certain chronic health conditions are more likely to have complications related to influenza. While most deaths occur among the elderly and people with chronic health conditions, deaths can also occur among younger adults and children. In Georgia, there have been 13 confirmed deaths due to flu. Of those, eight were in people 65 or older. One was a child under the age of 4. The very young and adults older than 60 are encouraged to get the flu shot or nasal spray. While the flu vaccine may not work as well as usual against some flu viruses, Smith is still recommending getting the vaccine. Vaccination can still protect some people and reduce symptoms, hospitalizations and deaths and will protect against other flu viruses. Smith urged those who feel ill to stay at home, to not touch

Submit your news & photos to news@appenmediagroup.com

What are the emergency warning signs of flu sickness? In children • Fast breathing or trouble breathing • Bluish skin color • Not drinking enough fluids • Not waking up or not interacting • Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held • Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough • Fever with a rash In adults • Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath • Pain or pressure in the

chest or abdomen • Sudden dizziness • Confusion • Severe or persistent vomiting • Flu-like symptoms that improve but then return with fever and worse cough In addition to the signs above, get medical help right away for any infant who has any of these signs: • Being unable to eat • Has trouble breathing • Has no tears when crying • Significantly fewer wet diapers than normal

How long should you stay home if you’re sick? The CDC recommends that you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care or other necessities. Your fever should be gone without the use of a fever-reducing medicine, such as Tylenol. You should stay home from work, school, travel, shopping, social events and public gatherings. their face and be sure to cover their mouth when coughing or sneezing, as this spreads the flu. Anything a person touches could carry the virus. Smith said the average adult touches their face 18 times an hour. A child touches their face over 80

times. The CDC reports the week of Jan. 3 saw a slight reduction in the overall numbers of people seeking treatment for flu symptoms. The overall number of people ill is still far above the baseline amount.

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johnscreekherald.com | Johns Creek Herald | January 22, 2015 | 15

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32 | January 22, 2015 | Johns Creek Herald | johnscreekherald.com

SPORTS

BASKETBALL ROUNDUP:

Centennial Lady Knights in playoff position after big win over ‘Hooch By MIKE BLUM news@appenmediagroup.com NORTH FULTON, Ga. – Three of the four girls’ state tournament berths from 6-AAAAAA will be filled (barring a huge region tournament upset) by South Forsyth, North Forsyth and West Forsyth. With three weeks left in the regular season, the Centennial Lady Knights appear headed for a fourth place finish and look to be in good position to take the region’s fourth spot in the state tournament. Centennial defeated Chattahoochee 48-19 last week, the Lady Knights’ second decisive win over the region’s fifth place team this season. Centennial won the first meeting between the two teams 57-22. Jillah Moede had 15 points and nine rebounds for the Lady Knights, who led 23-6 at the half and shot 55 percent from the field on two-point attempts. Centennial is 7-5 in the region and 11-8 overall, and has rebounded from an upset loss to Northview the previous week. The Nos. 4 and 5 teams in 6-AAAAAA will meet in the tournament quarterfinals, with the winner advancing to the state tournament. Chattahoochee is 5-6 in the region (11-7 overall) and holds a slim lead over Johns Creek (5-7, 10-9), which defeated the

With three weeks left in the regular season, the Centennial Lady Knights appear headed for a fourth place finish and look to be in good position to take the region’s fourth spot in the state tournament. Lady Cougars 52-31 Friday night. Johns Creek also defeated Northview (2-10, 6-13) last week, and has a chance to move into the fifth spot and avoid a quarterfinal matchup against one of the region’s three top teams. Three of the four North Fulton girls’ teams in Region 6-A South are in line for state tournament berths, which will be determined by power rankings and

See KNIGHTS, Page 44

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Basketball scoreboard; Jan. 13 – 17 Boys Tuesday • Centennial 67, Chattahoochee 60 • Johns Creek 87, Northview 64 • Alpharetta 68, South Forsyth 45 • Woodstock 47, Roswell 42 • Sprayberry 71, Cambridge 57 • Cedar Grove 46, Blessed Trinity 20 • St. Francis 77, Mount Pisgah 54 • Whitefield Academy 55, Fellowship 24 Friday • Chattahoochee 61, Johns Creek 58 • Alpharetta 80, Habersham Central 35 • Centennial 65, South Forsyth 27 • Lambert 89, Northview 53 • Roswell 58, Etowah 51 • Pope 47, Milton 36 • Blessed Trinity 62, North Clayton 49 • King’s Ridge 43, Fellowship 34 • Mount Pisgah 58, Pinecrest 56 • St. Francis 68, Whitefield 63 Saturday • Chattahoochee 47, • Forsyth Central 35 • Collins Hill 50, Centennial 38 • Cambridge 82, W.D. Mohammed 77 (2 OT) • St. Pius 43, Blessed Trinity 38

• Pace Academy 76, King’s Ridge 34 Girls Tuesday • Centennial 48, Chattahoochee 19 • Johns Creek 62, Northview 60 • South Forsyth 70, Alpharetta 29 • Woodstock 45, Roswell 28 • Sprayberry 45, Cambridge 28 • Blessed Trinity 38, Cedar Grove 24 • St. Francis 69, Mount Pisgah 38 • Fellowship 54, Whitefield Academy 41 Friday • Johns Creek 52, Chattahoochee 31 • Lambert 45, Northview 42 • South Forsyth 67, Centennial 48 • Habersham Central 51, Alpharetta 36 • Etowah 48, Roswell 47 • Pope 61, Milton 20 • Blessed Trinity 66, North Clayton 43 • Fellowship 58, King’s Ridge 20 • St. Francis 75, Whitefield 41 • Pinecrest 49, Mount Pisgah 43 Saturday • Cambridge 56, Milton 44 • St. Pius 43, Blessed Trinity 38 • Pace Academy 59, King’s Ridge 21 • Wenonah, Ala. 67, St. Francis 61 (2 OT)

OPEN HOUSE ~ JANUARY 24, 2015 ~ 11am – 1pm

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SPORTS

Submit your news & photos to news@appenmediagroup.com

johnscreekherald.com | Johns Creek Herald | January 22, 2015 | 33

BT still state ranked despite tough week ‘Rebuilding’ team 15-4 under new coach

5-0 record. Even with the loss of six seniors, Hughes inherited some talent. He said he “had a lot of faith” in his players, due in large part to their “workmanlike mentality. We’re not just one guy. We talked about being a family.” Until third-ranked Cedar Grove smothered the Titans with a suffocating man-to-man defense last week, BT was working on an 11-game winning streak. The Titans got back on track with a 62-49 victory Friday over potential region tournament opponent North Clayton. BT outscored the Eagles 30-12 in the fourth quarter, but lost to St. Pius, the No. 4 team in AAAA, 43-38 Saturday. “All credit to St. Pius,” Marks said after the Golden Lions limited BT to 22 points through three quarters with a tough defensive effort. St. Pius hit enough three-pointers to build a 10-point lead before holding off a spirited fourth quarter comeback by the Titans. Blessed Trinity struggled offensively before finding the range in the final period. Junior Jackson Svete, the team’s leading scorer, sparked the late rally, hitting a trio of three-

By MIKE BLUM news@appenmediagroup.com ROSWELL, Ga. – After graduating six seniors from last season’s 23-7 team that reached the second round of the state Class AAA playoffs, the 201415 Blessed Trinity Titans seemed headed for a rebuilding effort. Adding to the heavy graduation losses, the Titans were playing their first season without Brian Marks, the team’s head coach since the program began in the early 2000s. Patrick Hughes, who played under Marks and was captain of the Titans’ first state playoff team in 2004, took over for Marks after serving as an assistant the previous five seasons. Despite two losses last week to teams ranked third and fourth in their state classifications, the Titans came into this week 15-4 on the season and ranked eighth in AAA. Blessed Trinity leads their 4-AAA sub-region with a

The Titans are a fundamentally sound team, especially at the defensive end, allowing more than 60 points just twice this season. One of those occurred in a double overtime loss. pointers and finishing with 11 points. Svete connected on six three-pointers the night before, scoring 20 points in the comefrom-behind win over North Clayton. “He’s our sharpshooter,” Hughes said of Svete, who is making over 40 percent of his three-point attempts. He is averaging around 14 points a game, with a high of 32 against Chapel Hill early in the season. The Titans start three seniors, including returning starter Cameron Johnson, the team’s point guard, and burly 6-foot-6 center Keishawn Binion, a four-year letterman. Johnson is not a major scoring threat but does a capable job of running the BT offense. Binion averages around eight points a game, as does fellow post player Cody Peli-

Dive in Now!

tera. At 6-foot-7, Pelitera, along with Binion, gives the Titans some size up front. They are the team’s only players taller than 6-foot-3, but the Titans have had some success utilizing a smaller lineup. In the fourth quarter rally against North Clayton, sophomore starter Kyle Swade scored 10 of his 12 points. Johnson scored five of his seven, and sixth man John Michael Bertrand scored all nine of his points. Swade is second on the team, averaging 10 points a game. The Titans are a fundamentally sound team, especially at the defensive end, allowing more than 60 points just twice this season. One of those occurred in a double overtime loss. “We make teams beat us. That’s definitely our calling

card,” Hughes said. The Titans have enjoyed eight straight winning seasons, but missed the state playoffs three consecutive times between 2011 and ’13, despite winning at least 15 games each time. They advanced to the second round of the playoffs the last four times they qualified since 2008, making it to the finals in ’09. Making the playoffs out of 4-AAA is no easy task with two state-ranked teams in the opposite sub-region and a strong Westminster squad battling the Titans for first in the subregion. BT won the first meeting 50-35 and the teams meet again Feb. 3 at Blessed Trinity. A victory then almost certainly gives the Titans a sub-region title.

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SPORTS

34 | January 22, 2015 | Johns Creek Herald | johnscreekherald.com

WRESTLING:

Cougars, St. Francis win matches at state Georgia’s First Basketball & Indoor Beach Volleyball Training & Fun Facility! Now Open! 8,800 square feet facility 1710 Redi Road, Suite 100, Cumming, Ga 30040 470-297-5620 • Open 7 days a week

MACON, Ga. – Chattahoochee and St. Francis both competed in the state team dual wrestling championships last weekend, and both won matches before losing in the consolation round. Chattahoochee won its opening match 34-30 over Rockdale in AAAAAA before losing to eventual state champion Archer 66-14 in the quarterfinals. Archer defeated Etowah 66-3 in the championship match. The Cougars won their first match in the consolation round 38-32 to Brookwood before losing 46-30 to Pope in the next round. Chattahoochee

County: Continued from Page 9

• Basketball Camps • Indoor Volleyball • Sand Volleyball

• Individual Training • Team Training • Court Rentals

Parents and Teachers:

• Open Gym Times • Parties & Events • Travel Teams

Looking for a unique field trip? Is it rainy, cold or snowing outside and the kids need something fun to do? Come spend a few hours at Hoops N’ Sand where the elements don’t bother us!

These things can be done with common goal of providing high quality services and support to the citizens of Fulton County. If we are successful, then we can begin to restore our reserve funds and lower our property tax rates. We live and work in a wonderful county. When people look for a great place to live, to work or to play, Fulton is where they come. This does not happen by accident. It happens because Fulton County is like no place else. We are very unique. Nowhere else in Georgia is there a county with as many cities, with as many people, with as diverse a people with every

and North Forsyth, which edged the Cougars in the finals of the area meet the previous week, finished seventh at state. St. Francis lost its opening match in Class A to Mount Zion of Carrollton 48-27 before defeating Pacelli 65-14 in the first round of the consolation bracket. The Knights then lost to Trion 42-33 in the consolation semifinals. Mount Zion placed second in the meet and Trion was fourth, with Commerce easily winning the state title. Commerce defeated St. Francis in the area finals the previous week. – Mike Blum demographic, economic status and lifestyle represented. And they must all be respected. We of North Fulton now has the opportunity to have our voice heard – and bring our perspective as county government works to meet the needs of Fulton County’s citizens. I welcome our new commissioners, congratulate my returning colleagues and look forward to working together to address our many challenges. It is a very positive step to have the vice chairman position held by a North Fulton commissioner, and I pledge to do my best on behalf of the entire county to find common ground and solid solutions we can all accept. These are serious and exciting days for Fulton County. By working together, we can make our county even better than it already is.

COMMUNITY

Johns Creek Herald | January 22, 2015 | 35 Submit your news & photos to news@appenmediagroup.com

FSA Science Olympiad takes home first ALPHARETTA, Ga. — The Fulton Science Academy Private School Science Olympiad team traveled to its first out of state tournament of the season, competing in the Friendship Christian Invitational in Lebanon, Tennessee on Saturday, Jan. 10. Fulton Science Academy students were called up for honors in 21 of the 23 events, and FSA was awarded the first place team trophy. Teams from three states, including nationally ranked teams, competed in the event. Head coaches Pam Walsh and Gloria Stathos said they were thrilled with the team’s performance. “Out of state tournaments are always a challenge,” Walsh said. “Students and coaches really have to work hard to prepare. All in all, our kids did great and had a wonderful time.” Individual awards were earned by the following students: Air trajectory • Third place – Simon Wang and Andre Hamelberg • Fourth place – Christina Wang and Soleil Moffitt Anatomy • Second place –Araneesh Pratap and Sanjeev Uppaluri • Fifth place – Prajwal Vedula and Sruthi Chatrathi • Sixth place – Meghana Raj and Krishna Kumar Bio process lab • First place – Sanjeev Uppaluri and Araneesh Pratap • Fourth place – Sparsh Kudrimoti and Ameiya Pednekar

Bottle rockets • First place – Prajwal Vedula and Akash Bhatt • Second place – Faris Unal and Karen Pederson Bridges • First place – Faith Lucas and Sophie Richardson • Third place – Ameya Rekapalli and Madeline Dressel • Fourth place – Sparsh Kudrimoti and Ameiya Pednekar Can’t Judge a Powder • First place – Anjali Botcha and Shivani Naraharishetty • Sixth place – Soleil Moffitt and Christina Wang Crave the Wave • Fourth place – Simon Wang and Brian Shoffeitt Crime Busters • First place – Sarah Lucas and Hasan Unal • Third place – Maryam Unal and Meghana Raj

Disease Detectives • Second place – Akash Bhatt and Prajwal Vedula • Third place – Brian Shoffeitt and Sarah Lucas • Fifth place – Neha Marupudi and Bella Sims Dynamic Planet • First place – Mira Mutnick and Sophie Richardson • Third place – Akash Bhatt and Chance Crigler Elastic launch glider • First place – Karuna Kumar and Sophie Richardson • Third place – Ameya Rekapalli and Christina Wang Entomology • First place – Faith Lucas and Elaine Wen • Fifth place – Soleil Moffitt and Madeline Dressel • Sixth place – Bella Sims Experimental design • Third place – Simon Wang, Mira Mutnick and Ananya Terala Fossils • Third place – Sanjeev Uppaluri and Faith Lucas • Fifth place – Karen Pederson and Bella Sims Green Generation • Fifth place – Soleil Moffitt and Christina Wang • Sixth place – Faith Lucas and Elaine Wen Meteorology • Fourth place – Sanjeev Uppaluri and Ananya Terala Picture This • Second place – Christina Wang, Soleil Moffitt and Avinash Pratap • Sixth place – Elaine Wen, Ananya Terala and Sarah Lucas Robo-Cross • Fourth place – Mira Mutnick and Andre Hamelberg Simple machines • First place – Karuna Kumar and Araneesh Pratap • Second place – Ananya Pottabhathini and Avinash Pratap Solar system • First place –Brian Shoffeitt and Araneesh Pratap • Fourth place – Karthikeya Sriamagiri and Rithvik Konda • Sixth place – Chance Crigler and Akash Bhatt Wheeled vehicle • Fifth place – Andre Hamelberg and Elaine Wen • Sixth place – Akash Bhatt and Sruthi Chatrathi

Fulton Science’s Olympiad team takes the gold.

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36 | January 22, 2015 | Johns Creek Herald | johnscreekherald.com

SCHOOLS

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Gov. Deal proposes increase in state school funding Reduced ‘austerity’ cuts fuel much of increase By CANDY WAYLOCK candy@appenmediagroup.com ATLANTA – Only in politics is holding back less money heralded as a budget increase. But in the world of education funding, that is good news for schools, which should be seeing more state money flowing into their budgets this year. In announcing his budget plans for fiscal year 2016, Gov. Nathan Deal last week said much of the increase in state revenues and spending will go into education, with the intent of helping systems restore a 180-day school calendar, end furloughs for staff and provide staff raises. A significant portion of the revenue increase will come from a reduction in “austerity” cuts, which will be at the lowest level in nearly a decade. Beginning in 2003, with the economic downturn following the 2001 terrorist attacks, the state began withholding a portion of state funds earned by school systems, labeling them as “temporary austerity cuts.” In 2010, the cuts became permanent. The end result is more than $7.5 billion in state funds earned by school systems has been withheld by the state since 2003. “[This year] the austerity cuts

totaled $746 million, which would have gone into our schools – an average of $439 per student,” said Claire Suggs, senior education policy analyst with the non-partisan Georgia Budget and Policy Institute. “But that is DEAL actually an improvement over the past five years.” She noted the austerity cuts totaled $1 billion each year beginning in 2010. “That is simply a lot of money that is not going into the school systems,” said Suggs, who spoke at a Jan. 9 forum hosted by the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education. Since 2002, state funding per student has fallen an average of 12 percent each year, shifting more and more funding responsibility to local governments. “In 2002, the state provided 56 percent of education funding in local school systems. In 2013, that number had fallen to 51 percent,” said Suggs. In the Fulton County School System, less than 40 percent of the budget comes from state sources, with the rest coming from local taxpayers. The federal government contributes less than 1 percent. The austerity cuts have hit the

[This year] the austerity cuts totaled $746 million, which would have gone into our schools – an average of $439 per student. But that is actually an improvement over the past five years.” CLAIRE SUGGS Senior education policy analyst with the non-partisan Georgia Budget and Policy Institute

system hard, with more than $330 million withheld since 2003. This is in addition to the ongoing $150 million reduction as part of the “fair share” requirement, which redirects state funds from wealthier districts to less wealthy ones. Still, Fulton Schools is financially robust, thanks to conservative spending practices and targeted cuts during lean years. According to financial staff, Fulton Schools has been spending 97 cents of each dollar budgeted, resulting in a healthy reserve fund. During a school board meeting last week, board members approved new spending as a result of an additional $16 million to the FY15 budget. The increase in mid-year revenue

comes primarily from local tax revenues, with a small increase in state revenues. Local schools will see much of the new funds, receiving an additional $50 per pupil in flexible spending, which can be spent this year or carried over to next year. High schools will also be sharing in $4.5 million for upgrades to their media centers. Other mid-term expenditures include musical instrument replacement ($4M), building assessments in anticipation of SPLOST V ($3M), increase in school-based security budgets ($100K), additional day for high school assistant principals ($60K), additional day for data clerks ($211K), communications department interns ($10K) and other expenses.

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johnscreekherald.com | Johns Creek Herald | January 22, 2015 | 37

COMMUNITY

38 | January 22, 2015 | Johns Creek Herald

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GEORGIA GETAWAYS:

Delta is ready when you are! The Delta Flight Museum is a can’t-miss experience for any aviation buff, but it has something for almost everyone. Although Delta is a familiar name to everyone here in its hometown, even my Navy pilot son did not realize it had started out as a crop-dusting operation. Old-timers will enjoy seeing the first DC-3 that flew her maiden voyage Christmas Eve 1940. Young flight fans will be amazed at the 21-passenger aircraft considered state-ofthe-art by their grandparents. Check their website for dates they hold tours of the DC-3 and sales of posters and surplus in-flight items and other cool stuff. After surrendering ID to security, you are greeted in the forecourt by an awning held up with retired nose gear, complete with four powerful landing lights. Those of us of a certain age will well remember standing on the tarmac, subjected to all the exciting sights, sounds and smells of an aircraft’s arrival.

Future: Continued from Page 13 gia State University will not be the first major research university to have multiple campuses, and many of those campuses as two-year or access institutions.”

JEMILLE WILLIAMS

Senior contributor on TripAdvisor jemille@bellsouth.net

If you go What: Delta Flight Museum Where: 1060 Delta Blvd. B-914 Atlanta, Ga. 30354 404-715-7886 Hours: Monday – Saturday (closed Wednesday) 10 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Sunday noon – 4:30 p.m. Gift shop open till 5 p.m. Tickets: $12; free to those with military ID More info: deltamuseum. org.

BLURRED REN FROM STONE MOUNTAIN, USA - THE SPIRIT OF DELTA

The Spirit of Delta in restoration hangar.

Today’s kids have been insulated from the full-bore airport experience by jetways, so it kicks off this hands-on museum’s appeal from the get-go.

The huge hangar houses the 767 Dreamliner, with space to spare for four other full-size aircraft and the fuselage of an L-1011, which has been the set of several movies, television shows and commercials. “Passenger 57” was one movie of note you may remember. It is an intriguing venue for special events, with tables set up all around the enormous aircraft. It’s a great activity for wet, hot or cold weather. Little ones can run around to their heart’s content while grown-ups read

the display copy. It was even fairly exciting for this middle-ager to walk under The Spirit of Delta to actually see how big those “little” red lights you see in the sky are and how huge those little tires are up close and personal. The most fun for me were the displays of campy flight attendant uniforms and memorabilia inside the L-1011. But the gift shop is entertaining in and of itself. It hosts a wide range of offerings that will greatly appeal to flyboys and flygirls from aspirees to retirees.

Note: The museum is closed on Wednesday, but they will cheerfully accept your money for purchases in the gift shop if you’ve made the drive down there. The gift shop has a generous assortment of items in all price points, so you can pick up things for under $5 to keep the kids happy. The simulator is not included with admission. You’ll need to make an appointment and prepay $395 if you want to take advantage of it. Also good to know: they offer free admission to those with military ID.

Becker listed Emory’s Oxford campus, Pennsylvania State University and University of South Carolina as examples of similar institutions. “The downtown campus will continue to be a premiere urban research university, with highly selective, baccalaureate, master’s and doctoral programs,” Becker said. “With

this consolidation with GPC, we pick up additional sites – sites that historically have an access mission, that provide mostly associate and certificate programs, and we intend for that to continue.” At the town hall meeting, the future of undocumented students who attend GPC campuses was brought up.

GPC admits undocumented students, but they are explicitly not eligible for admission at GSU. “Undocumented students do enroll at the GPC campuses, and they will continue to do so,” said Shelley Nickel, the head of the consolidation effort and the university system’s vice chancellor for planning and implementation. “They do not enroll at Georgia State University in Atlanta, and we anticipate that will remain the same.” On its website regarding the consolidation, the University System of Georgia

explains, “Georgia State will continue to admit students into its bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral programs under its current standards as a national research university. The Georgia Perimeter campuses of the proposed consolidated institution will continue to fulfill their access mission and admit students to associate’s and certificate programs.” As such, they “anticipate the policy [regarding undocumented students] for the respective campuses will not change.” For more information, visit consolidation.gsu.edu.

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NORTHSIDE WOMAN

Johns Creek Herald | January 22, 2015 | 39

North Fulton resident ‘gratified’ to help stem Ebola outbreak Susan McBreairty spends 30 days as part of CDC team in Liberia By CANDY WAYLOCK candy@northsidewoman.com NORTH FULTON, Ga. – While most of the world watched from afar as the Ebola virus took hold in western Africa, North Fulton resident Susan McBreairty packed her bags and headed directly into the eye of the storm. The communications staffer with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta spent a month in Liberia, returning in mid-November and then spending the following three weeks monitoring for any symptoms of Ebola. Although many with the CDC were sent to West Africa to help monitor and control the Ebola outbreak, McBreairty volunteered her service and was thrilled when she was selected. “I was totally excited and felt so fortunate to be able to go. I also felt very confident in that I was a part of something very large and historic. I think my exterior looked calm but inside I was dancing around with glee and happiness [when I learned I was heading to Liberia,]” said McBreairty, who has been with the CDC since 2006. After a three-month approval process, McBreairty left Atlanta on Oct. 14 for the nearly 20-hour flight that would take her through Paris, Casablanca and finally to Liberia. In Monrovia, the capital, McBreairty would spend the next month serving on the Liberia Ministry of Health and Social Work (MOHSW) subcommittee. “I was a member of the health promotion team providing technical assistance in health communication and promotion, [and] worked on a variety of projects,” said McBreairty. In Liberia, McBreairty’s duties included training staff at the Liberia National Ebola Call Center in data entry and information management, updating messaging on infection prevention measures, addressing misconceptions and encouraging acceptance and support for Ebola survivors. McBreairty also compiled reports from the counties hardest hit by Ebola, distributing them to other CDC staff in the country and forwarding them to the headquarters in Atlanta for situation reports. McBreairty was well aware of the Ebola risks in Liberia, and underwent a series of training sessions in safety and security prior to her departure. Several staffers who had returned from the country provided insight into what

to expect, and what to bring. (“The one thing I didn’t pack and sorely missed were my flip-flops!” she said, laughing.) Still, what waited for her in Liberia was daunting. Since Ebola broke out in West Africa over the past 12 months, Liberia has been the hardest hit of the three countries where the viral disease has reached epidemic proportions. As of mid-December, nearly 8,000 Liberians have contracted Ebola, with a death rate topping 3,300. But McBreairty never feared for her own safety, taking all necessary precautions to keep herself safe. She noted she was in a safe area, and took all prevention measures. “I never came in contact with Ebola patients or anyone with Ebola symptoms,” said McBreairty. “Our pre-departure training did suggest we keep in mind that everyone we met potentially was carrying the virus. Therefore, there was no hand-shaking and no friendly hugs at greeting. There was, however, lots and lots of hand washing and using hand sanitizers.” McBreairty is no stranger to world travel. She lived for a time in Sweden, and worked for the Peace Corps for two years before coming to the CDC, spending time in Romania, Antigua, Guatemala and South Africa. She said her exposure to other cultures helped her during her time in Liberia. “Because of my Peace Corps experience and having been exposed to other cultures, I was mentally prepared to be respectful of Liberians and their efforts to stop the spread of Ebola, as well as supporting and being a part of CDC’s mission there,” she said. Her two grown children were surprised, but supportive, of her plans to go to Liberia, while response from friends and other family members varied from “extreme alarm” to acceptance. McBreairty was able to keep in contact with loved ones throughout her stay, which helped tremendously. “I sent weekly updates and gave them details of where I was and what I was doing. I

Susan McBreairty.

think everyone rested easier while I was away because they had ‘word pictures’ and thought it was pretty cool. Plus, they were all praying for me,” said McBreairty, whose daughter lives and works in Atlanta, while her son lives and works in South Korea. Once home, McBreairty self-monitored for 21 days for any symptoms of Ebola, but was not isolated since she was considered low risk. “Other than going to work, I limited my comings and goings considerably for the first 10 days,” said McBreairty. “I self-quarantined myself from my grandchildren because I didn’t want to cause them any problems at school. I didn’t return to church or Bible study until the full 21 days were over because I didn’t want to worry anyone.” Ironically, she hails from the same hometown as the

nurse from Maine who was the center of recent controversy when she refused to quarantine herself after returning from West Africa. Kaci Hickox successfully challenged the quarantine order – a decision McBreairty supports. “I think the publicity generated by [Hickox] helped to shape guidance for asymptomatic returnees such as myself. She took a strong stand that has benefited other people; particularly those who are considering going to West Africa to help,” said McBreairty. “Quarantine/isolation of asymp-

tomatic people is simply not necessary.” Although the CDC will likely be a presence in West Africa for months, if not years, to come, McBreairty has no current plans to return…although she is leaving the door open to that possibility. “I would be willing to go again…depending on my work load here,” said McBreairty. “The Liberian nationals I worked with and my CDC colleagues continue to inspire me. I remain gratified that I was able to serve and to travel there and back safely.”

COMMUNITY

40 | January 22, 2015 | Johns Creek Herald

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PHOTOSHOP BY A.J. MCNAUGHTON

Autrey Mill Nature Preserve and Historic Preservation Center Executive Director Wade Chandler aims to increase opportunities for people to see what the 46-acre city park has to offer.

Autrey Mill Nature Preserve kicking off 2015 New staff, new ideas should make Autrey a must-see city attraction By HATCHER HURD hatcher@appenmediagroup.com JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – Wade Chandler has a business degree and a love of the outdoors. So when the opportunity to become the next executive director of Autrey Mill Nature Preserve and Historic Preservation Center came along, he took it. The 26-year-old came from the Len Foote Hike Inn, where he managed the Amicalola Falls State Park bed and breakfast that only a hiker could love. That’s because Len Foote is 5 miles from the nearest road at 1,000 feet of elevation, and the only way in or out is by foot. “You hike in and stay the night and hike down. It was a great job, living on top of a mountain, for a guy like me who has always liked hunting, fishing and hiking the Appalachian Trail,” said Chandler. And yes, he took off several months to hike the 2,200-mile Appalachian Trail that stretches from Georgia’s Blue Ridge Mountains to Maine.

“But then I got engaged and decided it was time to come down off the mountain,” he said. The job of running Autrey Mill Nature Preserve had a lot of appeal for him. He could put both his love of the outdoors and his business degree to work. “The job had a lot of appeal for me. A friend told me about the job, and it is one filled with opportunities I like,” Chandler said. Of course, it has 46 acres of pristine wilderness coupled with many historic buildings from Johns Creek and its environs. “I liked that it has a big education component. Here we have the opportunity to impact a large number of kids and adults and introduce them to the outdoors,” he said. By “we,” Chandler means himself and new Education Director Mary Alston. Alston previously worked as a conservation educator for the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks at the department’s State

HATCHER HURD/STAFF

Pebbles, Autrey Mill’s rescued tortoise, is always a favorite of the kids, and he is always ready for a race.

If you go What: Out of the Rain When: Saturday, Jan. 24 7 p.m. gathering; 8 p.m. concert Tickets: $20, $14 for Johns Creek residents and Autrey Mill members Complimentary light refreshments during gathering. Wine, beer, coffee, tea available for purchase (cash please). Go to autreymill.org/ performances or purchase at door. Museum of Natural Science in Jackson, Mississippi. “Mary is full of ideas for programs, especially for the kids,” Chandler said. “She makes everything hands-on and interesting.” Autrey Mill now offers programs for preschool, home school and after-school students. Topics range from native flora and fauna to the Native Americans who first settled here. Whether it is ants or archeology, the innovative education programs make learning exciting and fun. Hikes through the park teach a lot about native plants such as mountain laurel and lady slippers, which are rare at this elevation. And a tour of the historic buildings is a step back in time. Each season brings new programming for adults and families. For information, contact Alston at 678-366-3511 or visit the Autrey Mill Nature Preserve’s website at autreymill. org.

Autrey Mill’s ‘Unplugged’ concerts start Saturday, Jan. 24 Series creates new path to bring residents to park By HATCHER HURD hatcher@appenmediagroup.com JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – Autrey Mill Nature Preserve and Historic Preservation Center Executive Director Wade Chandler says one of his duties is to bring people to Autrey Mill who have never been before. That led to the idea of Autrey Mill Unplugged, a series of eight concerts throughout the year designed to bring small intimate gatherings to the property. “We were putting our heads together because we get two or three people a week who drive onto the grounds and tell us they just wanted to see what was here,” said Appearing at the inaugural Chandler. “So we thought, Autrey Mill Unplugged conhow can we attract more cert series will be Out of the folks who haven’t been Rain with Ron Hipp and Carol here before? Then we Statella. said, why not an arts venue?” It’s a different way to attract visitors. Autrey Mill is already a favorite haunt of classroom field trips with its 46 acres of natural woods, creeks and animals. Scouting activities and weddings also attract people. “Unplugged” will debut the folk-country sounds of Out of Rain with Ron Hipp and Carol Statella. Hipp is a talented acoustic finger-style guitarist as well as a singer/songwriter. Statella is also a talented singer and guitarist. They are really noted for innovative arrangements and unusual expressive power, said Chandler. Then for seven successive fourth Saturdays, a new band or group will perform. Each evening will begin at 7 p.m. with a pre-concert gathering at the Summerour Victorian farmhouse, followed at 8 p.m. with a concert in the historic Warsaw Church.

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SCHOOLS

johnscreekherald.com | Johns Creek Herald | January 22, 2015 | 41

Pinecrest seniors honored by Hispanic Heritage Foundation CUMMING, Ga. — Three Pinecrest Academy seniors were recognized at the 16th Annual Atlanta Regional Hispanic Heritage Youth Awards at Georgia Tech on Nov. 18 by The Hispanic Heritage Foundation. Honored for their accomplishments in the classroom and in their community, Andres Rodriguez won the gold award in the business and entrepreneurship category, Natalie Mata won

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Marist College POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – Nancy Harrison of Alpharetta and Gerri Valentin Cruz of Alpharetta both graduated from Marist College the weekend of May 23. Harrison received a bachelor’s degree in business administration. Cruz received a master’s degree in integrated marketing communication.

Baldwin Wallace University BEREA, Ohio – Kerri Chitale, an organizational leadership major from Cumming, has been named to the Dean’s List for the spring semester 2014 at Baldwin Wallace University. Students who receive at least a 3.6 grade point average are named to the Dean’s List.

Virginia Military Institute LEXINGTON, Va. – Robert L. Danielson of Duluth was among the 317 cadets who graduated May 16 from the Virginia Military Institute. Danielson, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert L. Danielson, received a bachelor’s degree in economics and business.

Ga. Southwestern State University AMERICUS, Ga. – The following area residents were among 300 students who graduated from Georgia Southwestern State University during the spring 2014 commencement ceremony held on Saturday, May 10. Viral Darji of Cumming earned a bachelor’s of business administration degree in accounting. Kimberly Gonzalez of Milton earned a bachelor’s of business administration degree in accounting.

the silver and Viviana Munguia won the bronze, also in the business and entrepreneurship category. A total of 21 Latino high school seniors from Atlanta were recognized at the annual event. The Hispanic Heritage Foundation is a nonprofit established in 1987 to inspire, prepare and connect minority leaders in the classroom, community and workforce.

Yujia Wang of Alpharetta earned a master’s degree in computer science. Amber Bahri of Suwanee earned a bachelor’s degree exercise science/wellness education. Tucker Martin of Suwanee graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s degree of business administration in management.

Wofford College SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Joseph McCarroll Banks of Johns Creek, Lindel Reagan Barber of Cumming, David Malone Blum of Roswell and Logan Mackenzie Morris of Suwanee each received bachelor’s degrees from Wofford College in May. Banks, whose parents are David and Nancy Banks, received a degree in government. Morris, whose parents are Jeffrey and Kelly Morris, received a degree in English with a concentration in the teacher education program. Barber, whose parents are Gary and Cheryl Barber, received a degree in art history and English. Blum graduated magna cum laude with a degree in history and a concentration in the teacher education program. He is the son of Mike Blum and Brenda Malone.

University of Scranton SCRANTON, Pa. – Kevin Edward Robbins of Cumming was among the recipients of 48 doctor of physical therapy degrees and 668 master’s degrees conferred by the University of Scranton at its post-baccalaureate commencement on May 31. Robbins earned a master’s of business administration degree with a major in general business administration.

Lenoir-Rhyne University HICKORY, N.C. – Lenoir-Rhyne University congratulated Randolph Carroll of Alpharetta

The honored seniors are, pictured from left to right, Natalie Mata, Andres Rodriguez and Viviana Munguia.

for being named to the spring 2014 semester Dean’s List. Students on the Dean’s List have demonstrated their academic abilities by receiving a grade point average of 3.5 to 3.89 on a 4.0 scale. In addition to making Dean’s List, Carroll graduate from Lenoir-Rhyne following the spring semester with a bachelor’s degree in broadcast and electronic media with a minor in business.

Butler University INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Kate Trinkle, an international studies major and a resident of Alpharetta, is on Butler University’s Dean’s List for the spring 2014 semester. Recipients range from freshman to sixth-year pharmacy students.

James Madison University HARRISONBURG, Va. – Dalton Duriez of Duluth and Gregory Glasgow of Alpharetta qualified for the Dean’s List at James Madison University during the spring 2014 semester. Students who earn Dean’s List honors must carry at least 12 graded credit hours and earn a GPA of between 3.5 and 3.899.

Georgia Southern University STATESBORO, Ga. – Lilly Norris completed her freshman year at Georgia Southern University by making the Dean’s List both semesters. To qualify for Dean’s List, a student must earn at least a 3.5 grade point average each semester. A member of the Phi Mu sorority at GSU, Norris lives in Johns Creek and graduated from Chattahoochee High School.

Berry College MOUNT BERRY, Ga. – Berry College recently celebrated 425 new graduates May 10, including the following local students. Hannah Ausband, Suwanee, bachelor’s degree in

music; Tommy Edgeworth, Suwanee, bachelor’s degree in marketing; Michaela Grass, Suwanee, bachelor’s degree in communication/public relations; Drew Kratzer, Suwanee, bachelor’s degree in economics; Jackson Milway, Alpharetta, bachelor’s degree in finance; Ansley Reich, Duluth, bachelor’s degree in psychology; Radu Rodila, Suwanee, bachelor’s degree in finance/Spanish; Robert Stonaker, Alpharetta, bachelor’s degree in visual communication; and Cari Voutila, Alpharetta, bachelor’s degree in visual communication. Brynn Barber, Cumming, bachelor’s degree in government; Hannah Bentley, Roswell, bachelor’s degree in early childhood education; Hilary Caldwell, Alpharetta, bachelor’s degree in early childhood education; Alyson Childers, Cumming, bachelor’s degree in psychology; Bekah Ingram, Alpharetta, bachelor’s degree in psychology; Meredith Kagy, Roswell, bachelor’s degree in biochemistry; and Eric Latimer, Alpharetta, bachelor’s degree in management/marketing. Kayla Palmer, Alpharetta, bachelor’s degree in psychology; Marcella Putri, Alpharetta, bachelor’s degree in chemistry; Kseniya Shakhova, Cumming, bachelor’s degree in accounting/finance; and Cal Supik, Cumming, bachelor’s degree in computer science.

University of Delaware NEWARK, Del. – Jason Derene recently graduated from the University of Delaware with a bachelor’s degree in finance and sport management. Derene was a student athlete in tennis at Delaware and was on Dean’s List in the fall 2013 and spring 2014. He graduated from Milton High School in 2010. Since graduation, he has moved to Chicago to begin his career with ZS Associates, one of the world’s largest business services firms specializing in transforming sales and mar-

keting from an art to a science.

The Citadel CHARLESTON, S.C. – Joseph Van Dyke of Cumming, Samuel Cowart of Roswell and Mark Smith of Roswell were among the cadets who earned Gold Stars and Dean’s List at The Citadel for the spring semester 2014. The honor signifies academic excellence for earning a 3.7 grade point average or higher on a 4.0 scale. In addition, Cadets George Turner of Alpharetta, John Brunson of Alpharetta and Robert Jackson of Roswell earned Dean’s List recognition for achieving at least at 3.2 GPA.

Brigham Young University PROVO, Utah – Three local students recently graduated from Brigham Young University following the spring 2014 term. Mitchell Mills, son of Bart and Joanne Mills of Milton, graduated magna cum laude. A 2008 Milton High School graduate, Mills was selected Outstanding Student for General Business at the Marriott School of Business and is a member of Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society. Megan Hirschi, daughter of Ken and Linda Hirschi of Milton, graduated magna cum laude with University Honors with a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and two minors in English and music. The 2007 Milton High School graduate was chosen to be the commencement speaker for the Brigham Young Student Body. Kathleen Smith, daughter of Michael and Julie Smith, graduated with a degree in physics and a double minor in math and ballroom dance. She performed on the BYU Ballroom Dance Company earning high honors on her International Medals Exam and placing several times at Amateur Dancesport Nationals.

See VARSITY, Page 43

42 | January 22, 2015 | Johns Creek Herald | johnscreekherald.com

Beach: Continued from Page 6 and we need to make sure that we have water in the fu-

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ture,” said Beach. “And from an economic development standpoint, it is critical.” He noted Alcon, a multinational corporation that manufactures contact lenses in Johns Creek, is expand-

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Submit your news & photos to news@appenmediagroup.com | Recycled paper ing. Water is mission critical to what Alcon does. Therefore, Fulton County needs to do everything it can to preserve and conserve its water capabilities. “So reuse water is an issue we need to be planning for, because there will come a time when we don’t see any rain for a long period of time,” he said. “Step one, we need to be in compliance with EPD [Georgia Environmental Protection Division],” he said. “We need to be using reuse water. The state is pushing that, so we should be out front in that. We also need to be able to tell new companies looking to come here and our existing companies that are thinking about renewing a lease that we have the resources to serve them, and water is at the top of the list.” For those reasons and more, Beach said the business community would support bringing the county into EPD compliance as quickly as possible. “We need to be on top of all our infrastructure needs for our residents,” he said. “We need power transmission lines so when you turn the switch, the lights come on; or when you turn on the tap, good, clean water comes out.”

Decision: Continued from Page 8 staggered terms. On Nov. 25, we sent an online survey to our 11,000 e-news subscribers. Three weeks later when we closed the poll, 82 percent of the 774 responders (after duplicate responses had been removed) had asked us to wait until November. Although this was not a scientific poll, it did give us a sense of what the community thought, and the overwhelming response in favor of waiting is not to be discounted. That result, when combined with our own interactions with residents, helped the council conclude that waiting was the better choice. Spending $200,000 on an election is a lot of money. That money could instead go to pay for many needed improvements in our city. There are plenty of places for that money to go and not enough of it to go around. On average, our special elections draw under 10 percent of the registered voters. We wanted the opportunity to try and do better. We believe that we can use this time to help our citizens become more aware and involved with their

RFP NUMBER #15-049

CITY OF JOHNS CREEK

RECREATION & PARKS COMPREHENSIVE MASTER PLAN

ITB #15-047-1

The City of Johns Creek, Georgia Recreation and Parks Division is now accepting proposals for qualified professional services providers to develop a comprehensive Recreation and Parks Strategic Plan for its park system. Sealed RFP’s will be received no later than 2:00 P.M. on February 18, 2015 in the City of Johns Creek Purchasing Office, 12000 Findley Rd., Suite-400, Johns Creek, Georgia, 30097. RFP’s received after the above time or in any other location other than the Purchasing Office will not be accepted. A Pre-Bid Conference will be held on February 2, 2015 at 10:00AM at the City Hall location Chattahoochee Conference Room. RFP packages and plans are available on the City of Johns Creek website (www.johnscreekga.gov) . Additional information may be obtained by contacting the Purchasing Office at (678) 512-3233. RFP’s shall be presented in a sealed opaque envelope with the RFP number and name clearly marked on the outside of the envelope. The name of the company or firm submitting an RFP response should also be clearly marked on the outside of the envelope. FIVE (5) ORIGINALS AND ONE (1) COPY OF THE RFP ON CD MUST BE SUBMITTED. RFP’s will not be accepted verbally or by fax or email. All offerors must comply with all general and special requirements of the RFP information and instructions enclosed herein.

city government. A more aware and involved citizenry will lead to greater voter turnout. Having more citizens choosing their representative will lead to a stronger council. Waiting to hold a special election is a somewhat common practice. Many cities have also made the same decision. They base it on dates of convenience, not necessarily the earliest date unless it is dictated in their charter. Our charter and the associated state election laws give council the authority to call elections on established election days. It does not say we must hold elections on the closest election day available. The council acted within its legal mandate, as confirmed by not only our city attorney, but other legal advisors, as well. The majority of council felt it was the right and proper decision for our city. I remain proud to join this council in having honest debates on issues and working toward solutions that we earnestly believe will improve our quality of life and continue to make Johns Creek the best city in Georgia. We are honored to represent you and look forward to serving you in 2015.

NEIGHBORHOOD PAVING-AREA 1 The City of Johns Creek is accepting sealed Invitations to Bid (ITB) from qualified construction firms for the Neighborhood Paving Project-Area 1. Sealed ITB’s will be received no later than 11:00AM. on February 16, 2015 in the City of Johns Creek Purchasing Office, 12000 Findley Rd., Suite-400, Johns Creek, Georgia, 30097. ITB’s received after the above time or in any other location other than the Purchasing Office will not be accepted. Deadline for submission of questions is February 1, 2015. The City of Johns Creek, in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and 78 Stat. 252, 42 USC 2000d—42 and Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, Department of Transportation, Subtitle A, Office of the Secretary, part 21, Nondiscrimination in federally assisted programs of the Department of Transportation issued pursuant to such Act, hereby notifies all bidders that it will affirmatively ensure that in any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, minority business enterprises will be afforded full opportunity to submit bids in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, sex, or national origin in consideration for an award. ITB packages are available on the City of Johns Creek website (www.johnscreekga.gov). Additional information may be obtained by contacting the Purchasing Office at (678) 5123233. ITB’s shall be presented in a sealed opaque envelope with the ITB number and name clearly marked on the outside of the envelope. The name of the company or firm submitting an ITB response should also be clearly marked on the outside of the envelope. TWO (2) ORIGINALS AND ONE (1) COPY OF THE ITB ON CD MUST BE SUBMITTED. ITB’s will not be accepted verbally or by fax or email. All offerors must comply with all general and special requirements of the ITB information and instructions enclosed herein.

The City of Johns Creek reserves the right to reject any or all bids and to waive technicalities and informalities, and to make award in the best interest of the City of Johns Creek.

Warren Hutmacher City Manager

Mike Bodker Mayor

Submit your news & photos to news@appenmediagroup.com

Varsity: Continued from Page 41

Colgate University HAMILTON, N.Y. – Melanie Lockard, a graduate of Alpharetta High School from Alpharetta, is a member of the Colgate University graduating class of 2014. Lockard, who majored in international relations and Middle Eastern/ Islamic studies, is one of 750 students to graduate from Colgate in 2014.

Connecticut College NEW LONDON, Conn. – Adam Patel, a member of the class of 2015 at Connecticut College and a resident of Alpharetta, has been named to the Dean’s Honors List for the 2014 spring semester. At Connecticut College, Dean’s Honors is a recognition for students who have earned a grade point average of at least 3.65.

University of San Diego SAN DIEGO, Calif. – Annelyse Barker of Milton graduated from the University of San Diego on May 25. Barker earned a bachelor’s degree in international business.

Dordt College SIOUX CENTER, Iowa – Everett Hill of Duluth was awarded football and honors scholarships from Dordt College as an incoming freshman for the fall 2014 semester.

Rice University HOUSTON, Texas – The following local students graduated from Rice University May 17. Daniel Cohen, Alpharetta, bachelor’s degree in political science/economics; Angela Guo, Duluth, bachelor’s degree in history/policy studies; Erica Johns, Alpharetta, bachelor’s degree in cognitive sciences; and Connor Mason, Suwanee, bachelor’s degree in mathematical economic analysis.

University of Alabama TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Sydney Nicole Korshak made Dean’s List at the University of Alabama spring semester 2014.

Belmont University NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Haley Smith of Roswell was named to the Dean’s List for the fall 2013 semester.

Georgia Tech ATLANTA – Local students received academic honors from Georgia Tech, earning Faculty Honors for their 4.0 grade point average and Dean’s List for achieving at least at 3.0 GPA for spring 2014 semester. Faculty Honors Alpharetta: Rabeea Ahmad, Brennen Bukovics, Kelli Capshaw, Nathan Corbin, Dylan Garrett, Rachel Isaac, Namrata Kolla, Wilson Lauerman, Lauren Levinson, Jerry Lung, Jennifer Ma, Michele Mandula, John Mastrangelo, Mary Mayfield, Meagan Elizabeth Morrow, Matthew O’Shaughnessy, Leah Purdy, Rebecca Raffaele, Holly Richer, Mark Sennett, Dalton Sherwood, Mary Shinners, Mark Solarski, Mark Stathos, Ellesse Wilten and David Zisek. Cumming: Hannah Earle, Mary Kathryn Elliott, Ricardo Garcia Rulfo, Casey Hirschmann, Jared Kleinwaechter, James Nelson, Justin Reichling, Alexander Roe, Thomas Ross, Mackenzie Sloan, Max Stockslager, Rachel Witt and Graham Wright. Duluth: Jaya Janadhyala and Michael Roberts. Johns Creek: Sara Billings, Angela Choung, Austin Delk, Miraj Desai, Alan Dong, Ethan Everett, Prachi Fulay, Shane Gizzi, Taylor Kelly, Anna Malcom, Philip Mallory, Christine Park, Akash Patil, Bharat Sanders, Parth Sehgal, Priyanga Srinivasan, Kathleen Sweeney, Somya Tirath, Amy Voytek, William Wagenseil and Mitchell Webster. Milton: Kelly Albano, Evan Anderson, Zachary Bailey and Julie Bu. Roswell: Angela Berry, William Clark, Morgan Cox, Gerald Demeunynck, Rachel Engle, Kiley Fagan, Anna Gwaltney, Rachel Hudgins, Kevin Mahmoudi, James Martinek, Laura Morgan, Christopher Sweat, Shreyyas Vanarase and Sarah Wilson. Suwanee: Emily Benjamin, Allison Dell, Ryan Hawks, Jordan Leroux and Craig Owenby. Dean’s List Alpharetta: Madeline Baker, Parastoo Baradaran-Mashinchi, Catherine Bullock, Zachary Campbell, Blake Carson, Selina Chan, William Cherry, Elizabeth Coco, Matthew Connors, Poonam Dalwadi, Emily Davidson, Adam Debruler, Taylor Earley, Miguel Flores, Steven Fullerton, Caridad Fundora, Daniel Furman, Daryl Halima, Sara

SCHOOLS

johnscreekherald.com | Johns Creek Herald | January 22, 2015 | 43

Hojjatie, Katherine Horton, Lauren Jarrett, Ashley Jennings, Seongyu Jung, Shibani Kansara, Mihir Kumar, Brian Lee, Vincent Lugli, Jun Ma, Nima Madani, Deron Mai, Nairita Nandy, Aroon Narayanan, Azka Niaz, James Nugent, Richard Papantonis, Matthew Prince, Rachel Puechner, Alexander Raabe, Jonathan Radivoj, Mark Richer, Stephen Roegge, Sanchari Roy, Nicholas Russell, Nicholas Savage, Kaleigh Sawyer, Kirsten Schulz, Alexander Sierota, Carrie Simpson, Tanya Su, Gueorgui Tzintzarov, Rohan Verma, Mitchell Williams and Ashley Zuniga. Cumming: Heidi Bonilla, Madison Chilton, George Cooksey, Chloe Cooper, Nathan Echols, Soheil Faghihi, Matthew Farkas, Jacqueline Howard, Zachary Jordan, Jessica Kline, Lily Long, Zachary McGill, Alexis McLeod, Jay Michal, Aida Mokube, Andrew Na, Jacob Newman, Dana Ochs, Taylor Pruitt, Grace Purdy, David Rojo, Sarah Rueger, Ryan Simpson, Ethan Smith, Ruby Smith, John Taylor, Benjamin Thomas, Alexandra Underwood, Natasha Vasandani, Lauren Wilder and Derek Zittrauer. Duluth: April Ahn, Samir Jain,

Sophia Rashid, Emma Siegfried and Rebecca Yoo. Johns Creek: Nicole Alampi, Sara Allen, Shelby Apps, Diego Carvallo, Casey Chae, Esther Chang, William Coons, Shinjini Das, Alex Eplan, Andrea Fletcher, Meagan Gadreault, Nicholas George, Hareen Godthi, Ansley Grantham, Eliza Hanson, Miki Hayashi, Kathryn Hettinger, Kelly In, Katherine Kardomateas, Kartikay Kini, Sai Kondabattula, Stefan Koshy, Shannon Kratz, Arshiya Lal, Arush Lal, Tri-An Le, Meghna Mahadevan, Erinn Manby, Mason Marceau, Jenna McConnico, Mark Miller, Davis Mitchell, Kevin Muench, Alexander Newton, William Padget, Michael Parque, Binita Patel, Madison Raese, Jay Reynolds, Priyadharshini Sampathkumar, Kristen Schaaf, Monica Shum, Kunwar Singh, Katherine Sledjeski, Ann Suh, Divya Vedula and David Zhou. Milton: Bryan Bates, Quinn Campbell, Peter Giglia, Maria-Sylvia Gonzalez, Amelia Goydich, Rachel Lee, Lauren Lewis, Kathleen Murphy, Vaughan Nickerson, Lauren Parisian, Andrea Schodorf, Kaitlan Stott and Gaurav Tamhan. Roswell: Hollis Barton, Scott

Berry, Alec Blenis, Jennifer Blyth, Brian Bradley, Jacky Cheng, David Conner, Matthew Cribb, Ariana Daftarian, Brian Edmonds, Justin Eisenberg, Ryan Gant, Taylor Green, Kathryn Maloy, Kelly Meyer, Anisha Naidu, Sarah Poole, Jordan Senken, Elizabeth Shaw, Domingo Uceda, Andrew Warren and Marnie Williams. Suwanee: Tameem Badwan, Brandon Dudgeon, Christopher Harwell, Rohan Iyer, Katherine Kenna, Ryan Kerns, Jimin Kim, Alice Lee, Kelliann Morrisey, Bridget Nabb, Dalton Nechanicky, Jillian Nivilinszky, Kate Overstreet, Shiv Patel, Chad Pollitt, Katie Poynter, Kyle Scott, Carly Smith, Suzanne Solis, Samantha Stadmiller, Ikenna Uzoije, Jonathan Vallecillo and David Williams.

Pomfret School POMFRET, Conn. – Lucas Jenkins of Milton, a member of the Pomfret School class of 2015, earned high honor roll distinction at Pomfret School for the 2014 spring term. High honors are earned with a grade point average of at least 3.5. Jenkins also performed Catherine Rollins’ “Fire Dance” on the piano in an end-of-term recital for the school community, parents and friends.

CITY OF JOHNS CREEK ITB #15-047-2 NEIGHBORHOOD PAVING-AREA 2 The City of Johns Creek is accepting sealed Invitations to Bid (ITB) from qualified construction firms for the Neighborhood Paving Project-Area 2. Sealed ITB’s will be received no later than 11:00AM. on February 16, 2015 in the City of Johns Creek Purchasing Office, 12000 Findley Rd., Suite-400, Johns Creek, Georgia, 30097. ITB’s received after the above time or in any other location other than the Purchasing Office will not be accepted. Deadline for submission of questions is February 1, 2015. The City of Johns Creek, in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and 78 Stat. 252, 42 USC 2000d—42 and Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, Department of Transportation, Subtitle A, Office of the Secretary, part 21, Nondiscrimination in federally assisted programs of the Department of Transportation issued pursuant to such Act, hereby notifies all bidders that it will affirmatively ensure that in any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, minority business enterprises will be afforded full opportunity to submit bids in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, sex, or national origin in consideration for an award. ITB packages are available on the City of Johns Creek website (www.johnscreekga.gov). Additional information may be obtained by contacting the Purchasing Office at (678) 5123233. ITB’s shall be presented in a sealed opaque envelope with the ITB number and name clearly marked on the outside of the envelope. The name of the company or firm submitting an ITB response should also be clearly marked on the outside of the envelope. TWO (2) ORIGINALS AND ONE (1) COPY OF THE ITB ON CD MUST BE SUBMITTED. ITB’s will not be accepted verbally or by fax or email. All offerors must comply with all general and special requirements of the ITB information and instructions enclosed herein. The City of Johns Creek reserves the right to reject any or all bids and to waive technicalities and informalities, and to make award in the best interest of the City of Johns Creek. Warren Hutmacher City Manager

Mike Bodker Mayor

44 | January 22, 2015 | Johns Creek Herald | johnscreekherald.com

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Knights: Continued from Page 32 not by region tournaments. St. Francis is No. 1 in Class A girls at 14-2 after a 67-61 loss in overtime Friday against Wenonah, the top-ranked Alabama team in AAAAA. The game was part of the Krossover Classic at Gwinnett’s Archer High School, which matched seven top teams from Georgia and three from Alabama. St. Francis trailed 16-6 after one quarter before outscoring Wenonah 22-3 in the second period to take a 28-19 halftime lead. Wenonah took the third quarter 24-15 to tie the game 43-43 heading to the final period. The Lady Knights won two sub-region games earlier last week and are 6-0 in 6-A South. Mount Pisgah (4-3, 106) was seventh in the power rankings before losing twice in sub-region play, with Fellowship Christian (4-2, 11-5) likely to move up from 16th after two wins last week. The top 16 teams qualify for the Class A private school playoffs. The Centennial boys moved into a tie for third in 6-AAAAAA with two region wins last week, one coming against Chattahoochee 67-60. Adam Saeed had 24 points and 11

Centennial’s Elizabeth Veringa (2) passes to an open player. rebounds for the Knights (8-4, 11-8). The Cougars led 23-6 after one quarter, but Centennial closed within five at the half after outscoring Chattahoochee 20-8 in the second period. The Cougars led by four heading to fourth quarter, but were outscored 26-15. Chattahoochee (5-6, 11-7) pulled off a comeback last Friday night to defeat Johns Creek 61-58. The Gladiators (8-4, 10-9) led 28-13 after one quarter, but the Cougars cut their deficit to six points after

three periods. Chattahoochee outscored Johns Creek 20-11 in the fourth quarter to rally for the victory. Johns Creek defeated Northview 87-64 earlier last week after trailing 18-14 after one quarter. Chase Campbell had 20 points and 13 rebounds for the Gladiators. Ian Joseph scored 19 points and Mark Lancaster added 18 points and 11 rebounds. Justin Brown scored 22 for Northview (2-10, 2-17). Alpharetta, ranked ninth in

the state, remained unbeaten in 6-AAAAAA after two easy wins last week. The Raiders (12-0, 15-3) play at home Friday against Lambert, which is second in the region at 11-1. Milton missed a chance to move into second place in 5-AAAAAA, losing 47-36 at home last Friday night against Pope. The Eagles (7-3, 9-8) trailed for three quarters before taking a 33-32 lead one minute into the final period. The Greyhounds (9-2 in the region) then scored the next 15

Changes:

CITY OF JOHNS CREEK ITB #15-047-3

Continued from Page 9

NEIGHBORHOOD PAVING-AREA 3 The City of Johns Creek is accepting sealed Invitations to Bid (ITB) from qualified construction firms for the Neighborhood Paving Project-Area 3. Sealed ITB’s will be received no later than 11:00AM. on February 16, 2015 in the City of Johns Creek Purchasing Office, 12000 Findley Rd., Suite-400, Johns Creek, Georgia, 30097. ITB’s received after the above time or in any other location other than the Purchasing Office will not be accepted. Deadline for submission of questions is February 1, 2015. The City of Johns Creek, in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and 78 Stat. 252, 42 USC 2000d—42 and Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, Department of Transportation, Subtitle A, Office of the Secretary, part 21, Nondiscrimination in federally assisted programs of the Department of Transportation issued pursuant to such Act, hereby notifies all bidders that it will affirmatively ensure that in any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, minority business enterprises will be afforded full opportunity to submit bids in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, sex, or national origin in consideration for an award. ITB packages are available on the City of Johns Creek website (www.johnscreekga.gov). Additional information may be obtained by contacting the Purchasing Office at (678) 5123233. ITB’s shall be presented in a sealed opaque envelope with the ITB number and name clearly marked on the outside of the envelope. The name of the company or firm submitting an ITB response should also be clearly marked on the outside of the envelope. TWO (2) ORIGINALS AND ONE (1) COPY OF THE ITB ON CD MUST BE SUBMITTED. ITB’s will not be accepted verbally or by fax or email. All offerors must comply with all general and special requirements of the ITB information and instructions enclosed herein. The City of Johns Creek reserves the right to reject any or all bids and to waive technicalities and informalities, and to make award in the best interest of the City of Johns Creek. Warren Hutmacher City Manager

SOL SIMS/SOLARVIEW PHOTOGRAPHY

Mike Bodker Mayor

ful, those taxes don’t just go away, but instead those dollars would be put into a city’s coffers. Regardless of the outcome of a possible cityhood vote, in the upcoming year we have every intention of improving on the services our residents receive. We are currently in the midst of our budget process and reviewing how we can provide services to our residents more efficiently and with customer service in mind. As I travel from Palmetto to Alpharetta and talk to people all over this great county, many are not aware of the extent of the services the county provides to all residents. This question became especially vexing as we asked for more from all county residents last year when the Board of Commissioners raised the property tax millage rate. As I explained to residents at the time (and still continue to), Fulton County government is responsible for a wide array of functions ranging from libraries to animal control to emergency management. We make sure the emergency room at Grady Hospital is available to our residents in the most critical of moments. Our county health depart-

points, holding the Eagles scoreless for more than six and a half minutes. Milton has a key home game Friday against Etowah. Roswell won 58-51 last Friday at Etowah and is one of four teams in 5-AAAAAA with either five or six region losses. The Hornets are 4-6 in the region and 8-11 overall and have home games Saturday against Walton and Tuesday against state No. 1 Wheeler. Emerson McClung had 35 points and 18 rebounds for Cambridge in an 82-77 double overtime victory at home last Saturday night over non-region opponent W.D. Mohammed. McClung connected on 18 of 20 free throws for the Bears, who also got 20 points from Jordan Sloter. Cambridge is 8-11, 4-2 in Region 7-AAAAA South. St. Francis remained unbeaten in 6-A South with a second win this season over Whitefield Academy, which is second in the sub-region at 5-2. The Knights (6-0, 16-3) were second in the state after the first power rankings. King’s Ridge (4-3, 9-11) was 15th in the power rankings, and moved into a tie for third in the region with a win Friday over Fellowship Christian (0-6, 4-14). Mount Pisgah is 3-4, 8-8 after a victory Friday over Pinecrest and was 18th in the first power rankings. ment monitors potential public health crises. The county senior centers are available to meet the needs of an increasingly aging population. A vote for or against cityhood won’t change any of these things. I am proud of the work that county employees have done providing municipal services (such as police and fire) to our unincorporated areas. Some south Fulton County residents have praised the efforts of our police and fire as they served these communities. The municipal services provided to these areas have been lauded for their quality, efficiency and relative value to our taxpayers. We are doing a good job in that area. Still, I am not offended that some residents in those areas remain interested about having more localized control. I see this moment as an opportunity, regardless of the legislation’s fate or a referendum’s outcome, to double down and show our residents that Fulton County doesn’t just take your tax dollars, but in exchange we provide a high level of service to constituents demanding as much. I want constituents all over this county to understand that we are working for them and will continue to do so, regardless of what happens on the floor of the State Capitol and potentially, at the ballot box.

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Council: Continued from Page 8 Instead, we have a shaky quorum of just five members on the council. Yes, they have all pledged to do the right thing and get perfect attendance certificates at council meetings. But who knows what the future holds? A bad traffic accident, a medical emergency, a stubbed toe and raising a quorum could easily become a tenuous business indeed. If two miss a meeting, no business can be done – no zonings decided, no budgets passed. It’s why a special elections clause is in every city charter. The councilmembers are gambling with the house’s money. If, God forbid, the mayor goes down, then we have zero experience for the arcane and tricky business of running a city. Just look what happened with the last lot who sat in those seats. Council made the right noises. It is only for a few more months – well a year – and the situation will right itself in November. And yes, there

may well be “voter fatigue” for another special election. But then that would be the voters’ decision. Now they don’t have that decision. It has been taken from them. That was wrong. The council has also deprived the two future councilmembers of needed months to acquire the knowledge and expertise to learn their new jobs. Instead of seating them sooner, they will be further behind the experience curve than their colleagues. Crafting budgets, weighing important zoning decisions, getting their hands around creating a new and vibrant city center and a myriad of other decisions takes more than just a good head on one’s shoulders and good business sense. Political decision-making – contrary to popular myth – is not the same as running a business. By definition, political decisions are entirely different from business ones. They may often intersect, but not always, and maybe only seldom. The job is mostly about the willingness to make the unpopular decision. It is easy to vote for parks and roads. But

Somebody is going to have to summon the political courage to tell a lot of constituents something they don’t want to hear. Because it is the right thing to do. along with the dessert, elected officials have to make the public eat their vegetables too. For example, there is the issue of the public safety radio tower. It may well require a tower in the Shakerag community. Currently, the last best alternative site is being explored. But if that fails to answer, Shakerag will have the tower. Somebody is going to have to summon the political courage to tell a lot of constitu-

johnscreekherald.com | Johns Creek Herald | January 22, 2015 | 45 ents something they don’t want to hear. Because it is the right thing to do. Look at the billboard situation. There, the City Council had that courage – and the good sense – to accept the best decision they could make in a bad situation. They could have pursued a quixotic lawsuit, but in the end, they would have lost. In the billboard case, they did the right thing. A legal fight at that point would have been useless and cost far more than any special election. This time it was different. Clinging to that frivolous online “poll” of whether to have an election or save the cost by postponing elections was just a device to provide some cover. If the important questions of the city are going to be left up to the 700 or so people who bothered to answer, why do we need a council at all? The question was crudely designed to elicit the desired response. It did nothing to balance the need for the election but touted only the monetary cost of the election. The cynic would say they got exactly the response they wanted.

It gets worse. Arguments were also made that a delay would save prospective candidates more time to prepare the expense of running two campaigns, one in March and another in November. So who are we protecting here? What is more important, the campaign or the office? Besides, even a short incumbency would be a huge advantage in November, possibly scaring off any competition in the fall, having beaten all comers in the spring. Delaying the elections creates more of an experience gap that could be closed more quickly than if they came aboard sooner. Kudos go to Councilman Lenny Zaprowski for defending the intent – if not the letter – of the city charter. He alone argued for special elections to fill the seats immediately. It took guts to stand alone to call for elections when he knew support would be hard to find on council. Leadership is about doing the right thing, not the popular thing. And in this instance, it was to defend the charter – which calls for a council of seven.

DEATH NOTICES Maria Grazia Albo, 62, of Cumming, passed away January 10, 2015. Arrangements by Ingram Funeral Home. William E. Anastasio,Sr. , 78, of Roswell, passed away January 9, 2015. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors.

Irmgard Appel, 86, of Cumming, passed away January 13, 2015. Arrangements by Byars Funeral Home. Evelyn Crawford Cochran, 91, of Cumming, passed away January 7, 2015. Arrangements by James Tanner Conrad, 25, of Cumming, passed away January 7, 2015. Arrangements by Ingram Funeral Home. Frank Lester Danchetz, 66, of Gainesville, passed away January 6, 2015. Arrangements by McDonald and Son Funeral Home. Jacquelin Gary, 68, of Cumming, passed away January 7, 2015. Arrangements by Ingram Funeral Home. Dennis Gibson, 64, of Cumming, passed away January 9, 2015. Arrangements by Ingram Funeral Home.

James Washburn Harrison, 78, of Cumming, passed away January 10, 2015. Arrangements by Byars Funeral Home.

Ronald Sharer, 66, of Alpharetta, passed away January 12, 2015. Arrangements by Byars Funeral Home.

Helen Haynes, 94, of Cumming, passed away January 13, 2015. Arrangements by Byars Funeral Home.

Dorothy Jean Smith, 70, of Cumming, passed away January 6, 2015. Arrangements by Ingram Funeral Home.

Charles Wesley Holbrook, 65, of Cumming, passed January 13, 2015. Arrangements by McDonald and Son Funeral Home.

Dorothy Vallance, 71, of Alpharetta, passed away January 9, 2015. Arrangements

Richard Hunt, 57, of Cumming, passed away January 5, 2015. Arrangements by Ingram Funeral Home. Walter Glenn Kernel, 82, of Roswell, passed away January 12, 2015. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors.

by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors. Carolyn Jo West, 79, of Roswell, passed away January 8, 2015. Arrangements by

Northside Directors.

Chapel

Funeral

Betty Jane Moore, 88, of Cumming, passed away January 10, 2015. Arrangements by McDonald and Son Funeral Home.

Edna Grace McBrayer Wheeler, 91, of Cumming, passed away January 7, 2015. Arrangements by Ingram Funeral Home.

Josephine Quin, 85, of Cumming, passed away January 8, 2015. Arrangements by McDonald and Son Funeral Home.

Frank Culpepper Wood, 76, of Atlanta, passed away January 7, 2015. Arrangements by Ingram Funeral Home.

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48 | January 22, 2015 | Johns Creek Herald | johnscreekherald.com

Submit your news & photos to news@appenmediagroup.com | Recycled paper

The Spring Market Is...

Now is the time to ready your home for sale!

If you are thinking of selling (and buying too), we work as a team to help make the transition smooth every step of the way. We have a proven track record of over $30 million in sales for 2013-14. We are ready to roll up our sleeves and work with you to make your home picture perfect. Whether itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lining up paint, kitchen/bath or landscape contractors, we are here to help. Call us today for a free in-home consultation and 3 hours of staging. And, get ready to sell. The Ash-Jones Team has the expertise to sell your home for top dollar!

AshJones Team The

ashjonesteam.harrynorman.com

Just Around The Corner Patty Ash 678-557-2877 cell patty@pattyash.com

Eve Jones 770-365-1406 cell eve.jones@harrynorman.com

Recent Sales By The Ash-Jones Team

580 Longstone Landing

700 Sorrel Lane

3595 Goldenrod Drive

250 Wembly Circle

4947 Feather Lane

NORTH FULTON OFFICE | 678-461-8700 | 7855 North Point Parkway, Suite 100 | Alpharetta, GA 30022 | www.harrynorman.com