Community Answer Book 2018

2018 An Appen Media Group Publication

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Publishers Ray & Christina Appen General Manager Hans Appen

Editor Kathleen Sturgeon kathleen@appenmediagroup.com Editorial Patrick Fox Julia Grochowski Joe Parker Kathleen Sturgeon Candy Waylock Production David Brown AJ McNaughton Suzanne Pacey Advertising Adam Darby Mike Dorman Paul Flowers Wendy Goddard Susan Hernandez Dean Larkin June Michaels Steve Neese Reproduction of the content of the Answer Book— including all maps and photos — is prohibited without expressed written permission. The Answer Book is a trademarked title.

All efforts have been made to verify content. Appen Media Group publishes the Education Answer Book, Community Answer Book, Medical Answer Book and Seniors Answer Book. Online versions are accessible on NorthFulton. com on the home page. Contact us at 770-442-3278 or email advertising@ appenmediagroup.com.

319 North Main Street, Alpharetta AppenMediaGroup.com 4 | Community Answer Book 2018

Welcome to your 2018 Community Answer Book W

elcome to your 2018 Community Answer Book!

Whether you’re new to the area or have lived here your entire life, we’re glad you picked up this copy of the 2018 Community Answer Book.

For those of you who have followed us for a few years, you’ll remember this guide previously known as the Relocation Answer Book. We changed the name to better encompass who we cover the most, our community.

The purpose of the Community Answer Book is, and always has been, to provide a guide for people and families relocating to the area, but we wanted them to get a better feel of the wonderful communities they are now calling home.

Inside, we offer information on schools, cultural spots, the biggest events each year for the communities, letters from the mayors and much more.

We organized the content into sections by cities, counties, education and general information. So, for example, if you live in or just moved to Forsyth County, be sure to check out the Forsyth County-centric pages to get news catered to your community. But also flip through the rest of the sections to keep up with what your neighbors are doing!

The content in the Community Answer Book is useful, so be sure to keep it close by.

We have four quarterly editions of our Answer Books — Education, Community, Medical and Seniors. Each version is uniquely focused on its chosen subject to give readers the most accurate and specific information they want.

The Answer Books are also great ways to advertise, as they have a long shelf-life and are available on our website, NorthFulton.com. Call us today at 770-442-3278 if you want to be included in the next edition.

If you’re not an advertiser but have a great story to tell, contact me at kathleen@appenmediagroup.com and we can chat about a potential article for one of our many publications.

The Answer Books are available at most chambers of commerce, cities, homeowner associations and real estate companies. Additionally, we home deliver 40,000 copies throughout north Atlanta.

Happy reading!

Community Answer Book 2018 by section: Alpharetta: Pages 6 – 19 Roswell: Pages 20 – 31 Cover Story: Pages 33 – 35 Johns Creek: 38 – 45 Forsyth County: Pages 46 – 53 Milton: Pages 54 – 61 General Information: Pages 52 – 72

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Alpharetta: The metropolitan city with small town charm A

lpharetta is truly one of the greatest cities in the Southeast. What was in 1980 a community of about 3,000 people is now Georgia’s 12th most populous city; boasting more than 65,000 residents and a daytime population of over 100,000 people.

Yet, while our community, the Technology City of the South, now has the trappings and success of a metropolitan city, Alpharetta remains known for its sense of community; an ideal environment for raising families, making friends and enjoying a quality of life that is second to none.

No matter our success, Alpharetta remains grounded in our heritage; a past we now proudly put on display in the recently unveiled Alpharetta / Old Milton County History Museum. Here, visitors can experience the city’s history dating back to our establishment on July 18, 1858, hear the voices of those who shaped our city, and take a self-guided tour of our rich heritage.

Alpharetta’s arts and cultural scene has exploded in 2018! We are very excited to unveil Miscellany: An Open Air Gallery, which is an eclectic sculpture exhibit by international artists that has been curated by the director of modern art at the world-renowned High Museum of Art. The temporary exhibition can be found sprinkled across our Town Green and Downtown parks intermixed with permanent sculptures that we purchased last year.

In July, our new Alpharetta Arts Center will open as the new home for indoor exhibitions, arts education and cultural emersion. Of course, we are home to the 12,000-seat Verizon Wireless Amphitheater that attracts some of today’s top headliners, but we also boast the Alpharetta Symphony, the very talented Alpharetta Choir and a performance band.

Of course, one cannot experience Alpharetta without embracing nature and the outdoors. This year, we will complete the first section of our Alpha Loop, a dynamic and transformative muti-use pathway system that will better connect our neighborhoods, enhance mobility for pedestrians and bicyclists and elevate our quality of life. Alpha Loop joins our 8-mile Big Creek Greenway to provide multiple pathways through which residents and visitors can immerse themselves in nature, relax and unwind. We have a new educational farm under development, a community garden program, and are working rapidly toward our goal of having a public park within walking distance of every home in Alpharetta.

A dream years in the making has been revitalizing 6 | Community Answer Book 2018

our downtown. What was once a shared community vision is now a realization as the multifaceted city center is almost complete. Twenty-five chef-driven restaurants and elegant residential spaces will soon bookend quaint boutiques and energized open spaces throughout the downtown core. Blending historic buildings with historically inspired architecture, Downtown Alpharetta has become one of the most desirable culinary, entertainment and lifestyle destinations in our region. With a new boutique hotel under construction and so much to see and do, Downtown Alpharetta calls to her guests to consider building their lives in the heart of our community.

It may be hard to believe, but all of this is just the very tip of the proverbial iceberg. Alpharetta is not just vibrant; our community is bursting with exciting new amenities, innovation and culture. Truly, ours is a city with irresistible appeal and enduring style that will draw you in and leave you charmed and wanting to stay.

– Donald F. Mitchell, Alpharetta mayor pro tem

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Mitchell

Burnett

Binder

Merkel

Spring primary elections spurred three City Council members to step down to run for other offices. Voters have since elected a new mayor and two new council members. Results of that election were not available in time for publication, but their contact information may be found on the city’s website.

Post 3

The rest of the City Council is composed of: Donald Mitchell, Post 1 Mayor Pro-tem 770-712-2290 dmitchell@alpharetta.ga.us

Dan Merkel, Post 6 dmerkel@alpharetta.ga.us

Ben Burnett, Post 2 bburnett@alpharetta.ga.us

Post 4 Jason Binder, Post 5 jbinder@alpharetta.ga.us

Alpharetta City Hall 2 Park Plaza, Alpharetta, GA 30009 678-297-6000 info@alpharetta.ga.us, www.alpharetta.ga.us

Farmers market draws fans to downtown Alpharetta

By PATRICK FOX Old Canton Street was packed early April as the 13th annual Alpharetta Farmers Market began its sixmonth stay in downtown.

Thousands of visitors wended their way through the gallery of more than 50 vendor booths selling sweets, soaps, spices, sausages and a variety of crafts and produce.

Some of the vendors were so swamped with customers, they ran out of wares well before noon.

“We’ve got a half gallon of milk left and some sweet cheeses. Everything else is just gone,” said Megan Payne, who was operating the booth for Capra Gia Cheese Company out of Carrollton.

When it opened at 8:30 in the morning, the booth was stocked with six varieties of goat cheese, raw goat’s milk for pets and eggs. Some of the items sold out in the first hour, Payne said.

“We’ll be back next week with more,” she promised customers.

The same story rang true just down the street at El Cuate Foods where marketing director Melissa LeEllen served handmade tamales.

“It’s been a crazy day,” she said as the supply of 8 | Community Answer Book 2018

food dwindled to a single jar of salsa as the morning moved toward noon. “I didn’t know it was going to be so busy. It’s good to be sold out.”

She offered what she could to passers-by.

“We’ll have a ton more next week,” she said.

The farmers market, sponsored by the Alpharetta Business Association, runs from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. each Saturday through October.

Association President John Ray said the list this year features some 70 vendors from throughout the area.

Vendors this year can tout their wares on the event’s revamped website, alpharettafarmersmarket.com, which also provides visitors a chance to browse the different menus, produce and crafts that will be available each week.

Visitors, some with pets on leashes, others with babies in strollers, meandered along the river of pedestrians, stopping, glancing and often buying.

Alpharetta resident Conley Ingram was enjoying the scene and the variety of offerings at Saturday’s market.

He remarked on the large turnout.

“It’s the warm weather,” he said. “I think people are tired of the cold-hot, cold-hot, then rain.”

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1. Alpharetta Adult Center: 13450 Cogburn Road, Alpharetta 2. Alpharetta Community Center: 175 Roswell St., Alpharetta 3. Brooke Street Park- East Lawn 2 Park Plaza, Alpharetta 4. Cogburn Road Park (5 acres): 12825 Cogburn Road, Alpharetta

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5. Crabapple Government Center/Arts Center: 12624 Broadwell Road, Alpharetta

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6. North Park (109 acres): 13450 Cogburn Road, Alpharetta 7. Rock Mill Park: 3100 Kimball Bridge Road, Alpharetta 8. Union Hill Park (12 acres): 1590 Little Pine Trail, Alpharetta

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9. Webb Bridge Park (190 acres): 4780 Webb Bridge Road, Alpharetta 10. Wills Park (120 acres): 11925 Wills Road, Alpharetta Includes City Pool at Wills Park, Equestrian Center, Wacky World Playground, Waggy World Paw Park and Wills Park Recreation Center 11. Windward Soccer Complex 2225 Lake Windward Drive, Alpharetta

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The Big Creek Greenway, 3104-3122 Kimball Bridge Rd, Alpharetta

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Multi-purpose Courts Picnic Pavilion/Tables Playground Pool Soccer Fields Softball Fields Stables, Show Rings Tennis Courts Walking Trails/Paths Community Answer Book 2018 | 9

Top 3 events in Alpharetta Taste of Alpharetta • May; Downtown Alpharetta Taste of Alpharetta has become an annual tradition for festival-goers, families and food connoisseurs for 28 years. Make reservations on your calendar to dine in Historic Downtown Alpharetta at over 60 restaurants in one fun night. Sample delicious appetizers, entrees and desserts from the top menus in town. Enjoy culinary demonstrations, activities and entertainment to please every palate. Free Admission. Food tickets are $.50 each and restaurants participating in the Taste will charge $1-3 per food sample.

Music Stage will have harmonic rock/folk/R&B bands. A separate Culinary Stage will pair top area

chefs against one another in contests. Party with metro Atlanta radio stations. Play at the Fun Zones.

Come out and enjoy Alpharetta’s premier dining experience!

Arts Streetfest • May; Downtown Alpharetta This event is rain or shine.

Celebrate the arts at one of the city’s most popular events! The streets of Historic Downtown will be closed as nearly 100 artists, musicians and performers from throughout the U.S. are showcased. Enjoy a beautiful spring weekend as you stroll through outdoor galleries filled with fine art in 14 medium expressions, create children’s art and experience live jazz, Celtic music, cultural dancing and more. Admission and parking are free.

Old Soldiers Day Race and Parade • Aug. 4, 2018, Race at 7 a.m.; band at 9:15 a.m., followed by memorial service and parade Downtown Alpharetta This event is rain or shine.

Join us for the Old Soldiers Day Parade and Road Race attracting over 8,000 people each year.

The 5K and 10K road race rolls through town and finishes right before the downtown ceremonies and parade that recognizes the living memory of all veterans of war. Along with the program and parade, this celebration also features floats, bands, entertainment, children’s activities, and prizes.

Free hot dogs and soft drinks will be available at the American Legion at 201 Wills Road at the end of the parade.

The Big Creek Greenway in Alpharetta offers miles of a paved pathway for biking, walking and running.

Cultural and outdoor activities

trails. Restrooms available.

Avalon • 2200 Avalon Boulevard., Alpharetta www.experienceavalon.com Located at Ga. 400 and Old Milton Parkway, Avalon is an experience in the timeless art of living well. A luxury community infusing resort-level hospitality throughout a walkable community of shopping, dining, living and working.

Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre • 2200 Encore Parkway, Alpharetta www.vzwamp.com/ At the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre, you will enjoy performances by today’s leading artists and the Grammy-winning Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. Set on 45 acres of beautifully landscaped wooded land, the 12,000-seat, state-of-the art venue provides a unique setting for music lovers.

Big Creek Greenway Trail Length: 8 miles one way joins 1.5 mile loop; Type of Trail: Out and back; easy Access Points: YMCA at Preston Ridge Road or North Point Parkway or Haynes Bridge Road, Alpharetta; Characteristics: 12 foot wide paved path for biking, walking, roller blading, inline skating along creek; birds and mammals, flora and fauna can be seen from the trail. Access to beginner and intermediate mountain bike 10 | Community Answer Book 2018

North Park • 13450 Cogburn Road, Alpharetta www.alpharetta.ga.us The park features seven lighted tennis courts, two multi-purpose synthetic turf fields, eight lighted softball fields, picnic pavilions, playgrounds, an adult activity center, an arts building, Rotary Reflection Garden and a walking trail. What more could you ask for?

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Community Answer Book 2018 | 11

Alpharetta now has a place to display city’s proud past Capacity crowd celebrates opening for history museum

By PATRICK FOX

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crowd of more than 200 packed City Hall in April to mark the opening of the Alpharetta and Old Milton County History Museum.

Located on the first floor, the museum is the combined work of the City of Alpharetta and the Alpharetta and Old Milton County Historical Society and features displays tracking the area’s history from its earliest days up to the present.

“This is the end result of at least two decades of citizens collecting and storing our history,” said acting Mayor Donald Mitchell.

The work began to take shape more than four years ago when Mitchell made it clear to fellow members of the City Council that space on the first floor of the new City Hall should be set aside for a local museum.

“It was citizen-led, and thank God for all the folks who thought it important enough to gather all the artifacts and to create an oral history for our city,” Mitchell told the crowd. “Without them, we would not have the culmination of these years.”

The museum is housed in a room the size of a large office, but it was designed in layers to provide the best use of space for displays, according to Kim Zane, Alpharetta Cultural Services manager.

Over the course of development, the city poured roughly $300,000 into the project, which included materials, construction and design work. The rest of the museum, including most of the displays, were donated or taken from the huge collection gathered over the decades by the local Historical Society.

The room is set up to provide visitors with a guided tour through the area’s history. Artifact displays, murals, old photographs and interactive consoles paint a detailed history of the city and its surrounding area.

A special part of the new museum is the Stories Project kiosk where visitors can listen to interviews with 70 of the city’s most interesting citizens. Those recordings are being shared with Atlanta’s Story Core and the Georgia Historical Society.

A great deal of the collection has been the longtime passion of local historian Connie Mashburn who has shepherded preservation efforts over the decades.

The mayor surprised Mashburn at the ceremony by announcing the museum would be dedicated in his honor, drawing a rousing standing ovation from the 12 | Community Answer Book 2018

Members of the St. James United Methodist Church Choir perform at the opening ceremony celebrating the grand opening of the Alpharetta museum, April 26. crowd.

The opening ceremony included performances of gospel hymns by choirs from St. James United Methodist Church, which just last year celebrated 150 years in Alpharetta, and Alpharetta First Baptist Church, a mainstay in the community for more than 115 years.

Atlanta Theatre-To-Go had on hand several performers representing some of the city’s pioneer figures, and members of the Sacred Harp singers performed in the atrium. The group’s annual June Singing is the longest continuous event – spanning nearly 150 years – in the city.

At the entrance to the museum, members of the Alpharetta Symphony provided a soft welcome for visitors.

Pat Miller, Alpharetta and Old Milton County Historical Society president, said representatives from neighboring cities’ historical societies were in attendance.

She said she hopes the museum will spark interest in

PHOTOS BY PATRICK FOX

A display featuring memorabilia from the Hoke Wallace Barbershop anchors one corner of the Alpharetta and Old Milton County History Museum. More than 200 people were on hand April 26 for the museum’s grand opening at City Hall.

A visitor engages an interactive display that shows maps of Alpharetta and the surrounding area over the years. an agreement to share collections between cities. She said her dream is to keep the museum filled with new displays regularly.

“I hope this will inspire people to add to our collec-

tion,” she said.

The museum is open from 8:30 a.m to 5:30 p.m.

Mondays through Thursdays, and on Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Admission is free.

Community Answer Book 2018 | 13

AROUND TOWN

Peachtree Park Prep To celebrate 20 Years of Loving to Learn at Peachtree Park Prep there were several Alumni events including the 1st ANNUAL “I WAS A PREPPIE” national tee shirt Day. PPP Alumni, PREPPIES, are currently attending Westminster, Pace Academy, Lovett, Woodward, Weslyan, Kings Ridge, Greater Atlanta Christian and well over 90% of PPP Alumni tracked are in accelerated classrooms at Johns Creek, Northview, Alpharetta, and Norcross public high schools. PPP Alumni are currently attending or have earned degrees from Harvard, Clemson, Georgia Tech, UGA, Auburn, North Carolina, Duke, Lehigh, Emory, LSU, SCAD, and many more, with several PPP graduates currently working on their PhD and one PPP Alumni has obtained a degree at Yale Medical.

Graduates from PPP are elite high school and college athletes, some of them already participating in the NFL and MLB, as well as a PPP graduate in training as a hopeful Olympic competitor. A recent PPP graduate has had photos published in a luxury Atlanta magazine and the PPP community is following a former graduate “super model” on the international stage, as well as a PPP Alumni appearing in a feature film due in theaters 14 | Community Answer Book 2018 • SPONSORED CONTENT

in 2018. The accomplishments and achievements tracked and recorded through 22 years of PPP Alumni are outstanding!

The point being two-fold. The importance of early education and a solid foundation founded and fostered in “Loving to Learn” cannot be over-stated or under appreciated. Second, the importance of retaining a Fabulous Faculty with years of dedication and enthusiastic service to students’ early education shows in the students achieving the Love of Learning that will last them a life-time. These two concepts cannot be separated.

Peachtree Park Prep has received many accolades through the years, but no award is more important and meaningful than hearing about the accomplishments of the students, past and present, and their parents attributing an important part of their success to the early foundation of Loving to Learn that they received at Peachtree Park Prep.

Visit PPP website at peachtreeparkprep.com. Enjoy Parent comments at greatschools.org. Now accepting Kindergarten applications and fall enrollment for Infants ~ PREPPIES.

Experience

Awesome

MEETINGS & EVENTS IN ALPHARETTA!

WEDDINGS

FREE EVENT PLANNING RESOURCES! Think Alpharetta first for your WEDDING, REUNION, MITZVAH, MEETING or SPORTS EVENT. Take advantage of the FREE event planning resources of the Alpharetta Convention and Visitors Bureau including FREE consultation on venues, service providers, fields and facilities, hotels and more.

Call us and ask for

our free event planning guide.

SPORTS HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS Reserve rooms for your guests with one call to the Alpharetta Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Room rates are collected from Alpharetta’s hotels and you are provided with a comprehensive list of options. Many offer complimentary Wi-Fi, free breakfast and local shuttle service.

VISITOR INFORMATION We offer information about shopping and dining, attractions, events, maps, local coupons and more. Visit our Alpharetta Welcome Center located at 178 South Main Street for more details!

MITZVAHS

NOW OPEN!

ALPHARETTA CONFERENCE CENTER

Call

for more details!

Want to be IN THE KNOW?

Follow us on social media and sign up for our e-newsletter at awesomealpharetta.com to get the latest information about what is happening in Alpharetta!

#AwesomeAlpharetta

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Community Answer Book 2018 | 15

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Alpharetta Methodist is building for tomorrow as downtown area grows Alpharetta First United Methodist Church is a vibrant family of faith. Located about a block from the bustling Alpharetta city center, it’s just a short walk or drive to experience lively worship and inspiring music.

Alpharetta Methodist offers four Sunday services – traditional worship at 8:15 and 11 a.m.; The Bridge, a 9:30 a.m. service that spans traditional and contemporary worship; and Vinebranch contemporary worship at 11 a.m. Sunday School is offered for all ages. And there are countless opportunities for Bible study and to participate in service projects in the local area and around the world.

The City of Alpharetta is currently experiencing a time of historic expansion, and Alpharetta Methodist is growing right alongside it. The church began a $10.7 million building project in October 2017, constructing a 54,526 square-foot addition that will create new spaces to gather and connect; add adult classrooms, a new guest services area and a café; and create a 16 | Community Answer Book 2018 • SPONSORED CONTENT

new, secure children’s space for Sunday morning kids’ programs and the weekday preschool. When complete, the church will have a fresh face on Main Street and a new front door on Cumming Street, as well as a renewed and renovated youth center.

The project was designed by architects CDH Partners and is being built by Van Winkle Construction.

Construction is scheduled for completion in December 2018.

Alpharetta Methodist is located at 69 North Main Street, just a block from the city center. To learn more about opportunities to worship, grow in faith and serve in Christ’s name, see afumc.org, or visit the church on Facebook or Instagram at @alpharetta.methodist.

Community Answer Book 2018 | 17

AROUND TOWN

Who is the Alpharetta Convention & Visitors Bureau?

As the official destination marketing organization for Alpharetta, Georgia, the Alpharetta Convention & Visitors Bureau was created specifically to promote tourism in the fast-growing city. Its purpose is to develop Alpharetta as a premier tourism destination by creating and marketing the image of Alpharetta to attract overnight visitors to stay in its hotels. The bureau’s marketing efforts continue to bring visitors in from all over the U.S. to shop in Alpharetta shops, dine in Alpharetta restaurants and experience Alpharetta events throughout the year which contributes to the economic impact of the city.

How does the Alpharetta CVB help those living in the North Atlanta communities? The bureau is a valuable resource to residents, offering FREE visitor information with over 200 brochures in the Alpharetta Welcome Center, and COMPLIMENTARY event planning resources for weddings, reunions, mitzvahs, meetings, special occasions and sports events.

The Alpharetta CVB staff will: • Be a single point of contact as a helpful Alpharetta event planning resource 18 | Community Answer Book 2018 • SPONSORED CONTENT

• Provide insight on Alpharetta event venues, meeting spaces and sports facilities • Secure hotel rates and availability at all Alpharetta hotels based on the event needs and provide the event organizer with one comprehensive list of options – Alpharetta has 25 modern and affordable hotels • Assist with destination and hotel site inspections • Provide complimentary welcome bags with Alpharetta visitor information for Alpharetta hotel guests • Offer insider tips on securing the best activities, dining and vendor options for an event • Suggest customized itineraries for event attendees Call the bureau at 678-297-2811 to learn more about planning your next event in Alpharetta.

Visit awesomealpharetta.com and sign up for the Alpharetta Insider newsletter to stay up-to-date on upcoming events, promotions and giveaways, attractions, dining options and exciting entertainment around Alpharetta.

Brought to you by Dr. Jeffrey Jordan Jordan Orthodontics Orthodontic treatment today is about faces not just braces. Consequently, facial esthetics dictates the proper timing for treatment. While treatment can contribute to the physical and psychological development of patients young and old, some patients require early intervention to obtain the best overall result for the patient. The American Association of Orthodontists recommends an initial visit to an orthodontist at age 7 for this reason. Most patients do not need early treatment, but if necessary, amazing improvements in facial esthetics and function can be accomplished at an early age. The common orthodontic problems that can be treated between 7 and 9 years old include underbites and severe overbites as well as crossbites and openbites . These conditions are considered muscular-skeletal problems and are best addressed in the mixed dentition when the permanent front teeth have erupted but the patient still has 12 primary teeth. These treatments are referred to as dentofacial orthopedics because we are working with the bones of the face and not just the teeth.

While some patients benefit from early intervention, the majority of patients benefit from a single treatment during adolescence, as the last few primary teeth are lost and the second molars erupt. The exact age varies, but most patients are treated during the middle school years and can be completed by high school. Of course, sometimes the teeth are slow to erupt and this can delay the completion of treatment. For this reason, starting treatment too early can prolong treatment duration and result in orthodontic burnout for the patients. Patient cooperation is important in keeping the treatments short in duration and efficient. Interestingly, girls’ teeth erupt earlier than boys of the same age. Teenagers are in a rapid growth phase at this time. As a result, dramatic results can be achieved with improved facial esthetics and function. For example, the smile can be made wider, the lower jaw can be advanced, or a gummy smile can be eliminated. A smile analysis dictates in what direction the teeth and jaws should be moved. These changes can be life altering for some patients during the teen years.

Of course, adults want to look good too, and orthodontic treatment for adults is more popular than ever!

Invisalign, clear braces, and improvements in surgical techniques make having a fantastic smile easier too!

The bulky braces and heavy forces of yesteryear are a thing of the past.

AROUND TOWN

It’s about faces not just braces!

Invisalign is a series of clear aligners that move the teeth. Each aligner moves the teeth a quarter of a millimeter and is worn for one week. The number of aligners is dictated by how crowded or spaced out your teeth are at the beginning.

Clear or ceramic braces combined with new superelastic memory wires have made traditional orthodontic treatment more efficient and more comfortable.

The teeth move a little every day and the forces on the teeth are very light.

For more dramatic changes, orthognathic surgery can totally transform ones appearance if necessary.

Adults who desire improved facial esthetics can benefit from orthodontics combined with surgery to correct facial imbalances. In this situation, the braces are placed on the teeth for about six months prior to surgery and remain on the teeth for a few months after the procedure.

SPONSORED CONTENT • Community Answer Book 2018 | 19

Roswell continues to provide high level of service to residents T

here have been many changes in our city government in the past several months. We have a new mayor, four new council members and a new city administrator. The leadership of the City has changed, but we continuing the tradition of providing our residents with the high level of service Roswell is renowned for across the Metro Atlanta area.

I believe Roswell’s employees are its greatest asset.

They serve our citizens every day, seven-days-a-week, and in some cases 24-hours-a-day.

Another area in which we have made great strides is making city information easier and more convenient to access. As many of you know, social media has made it extremely easy to spread false information in our community.

We want to make sure people have the facts about issues and programs within the city. To help combat the misinformation we see, the city has established rumor website page that provides the facts about some of the rumors you may hear in the community or see on social media. Please visit the page at roswellgov. com/rumors.

We are also taping all Mayor and Council meetings and making them available on our website. In addition, the proposed budget includes funding to update our video equipment and expand our coverage to include streaming all Mayor and City Council meetings. Transparency in government has always been a priority for me.

We have had a number of major ribbon cuttings in the last 100 days that will have long-lasting positive effects on our city. We opened the new East Alley off Canton Street, which transformed an alley into a place where people can stroll, shop and dine. We cut the ribbon for the Veranda at Groveway. This is a new approach to income-based housing where 70 percent of the units are subsidized with tenants paying no more than 30 percent of their income. The City also opened a new connector road, Sun Valley Drive, connecting Mansell Road to Highway 9.

I have enjoyed getting out in the community and meeting many of you.

Please follow me on my Facebook page, facebook. com/RoswellMayorLoriHenry/ for updates and other information from the Mayor’s office.

– Lori Henry, Roswell mayor

20 | Community Answer Book 2018

Community Answer Book 2018 | 21

Henry

Zapata

Palermo

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Tyser

Lori Henry, Mayor 770-594-6288 mayorhenry@roswellgov.com

Sean Groer, Post 3 770-641-3757 sgroer@roswellgov.com

Matt Judy Post 6 770-641-3757 mjudy@roswellgov.com

City Council members Marcelo Zapata, Post 1 770-641-3757 mzapata@roswellgov.com

Marie Willsey, Post 4 Mayor Pro Tem 770-641-3757 mwillsey@roswellgov.com

Mike Palermo, Post 2 770-641-3757 mpalermo@roswellgov.com

Matthew Tyser Post 5 770-641-3757 mtyser@roswellgov.com

Roswell City Hall 38 Hill Street Roswell, Ga. 20075 770-641-3727 info@roswellgov.com www.roswellgov.com

Judy

Local theater legend’s legacy lives on

By JULIA GROCHOWSKI

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ew people can say that they inspired and touched as many people as Robert “Bob” J. Farley, cofounder of the Georgia Ensemble Theatre.

Farley, 69, unexpectedly passed away Nov. 30, 2017, less than a month after he and his wife Anita had accepted a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2017 Suzie Bass Awards.

Farley had a lifelong career in a theater, starting with the Pasadena Playhouse before moving on to the Alliance Theatre and Alaska Repertory Theatre. Once he settled in the Atlanta area, Farley helped co-found the Georgia Ensemble Theatre in 1992 and led it for 25 years.

“Bob was a passionate leader, a committed artist, a person of many talents and interests, and most importantly, a much-beloved husband, father, and grandfather,” the Georgia Ensemble Theatre said in a statement. “His leadership and influence were truly something special.”

“When a bit worked, when we pulled it off, and made a show work, no one was happier for you than Bob,” Maclare “MC” Park said. “And it wasn’t that you made his show work, it was that you improved your skills, that you were better.”

For many of the speakers, Farley’s memory was closely tied with the Georgia Ensemble Theatre, its award-winning productions and introducing people to the world of theater.

“For a nonprofit theater to last for as long as it has in this environment, this world, after 25 years, I would

22 | Community Answer Book 2018

say it’s a miracle, but it’s not,” said Rob Cleveland, who did fundraisers and standup for Farley. “It’s because of Bob, and Anita, and the people. The ensemble…which means all of us.”

“It’s the end of an era, and I know for a lot of us, it’s the end of a chapter in the book of all our lives,” said James Donadio. “But I can just feel Farley standing next to me, leaning over and whispering in my ear, ‘Jimmy, just turn the page. Let’s see what’s next.’”

Roswell Trolley/Special

The free trolley service officially started April 6 and will run Fridays and Saturdays year-round.

Free trolley service launched in downtown Roswell area

By JULIA GROCHOWSKI

A

new, year-round trolley services is helping improve walkability and bridge the gaps in Roswell’s downtown area.

Last year, the city launched a pilot program over the summer with the Marietta Trolley Company to gauge interest and improve both traffic and navigation. The program ran through August, but the people wanted more.

“Obviously, we all know that parking is a huge issue in downtown Roswell and on Canton Street,” said Roswell Trolley President Hanny Alexander. “The trolleys kind of help bring people into those businesses without having to come down there and park.”

The new Roswell Trolley nonprofit aims to meet that demand with an ongoing, free trolley service every Friday and Saturday. Currently, the trolleys run from 5:30-11:30 p.m., but Alexander said he hopes to soon expand that availability.

Long-term goals include buying a third trolley that would travel to festivals and concerts, such as the Roswell Riverside Sounds Series.

The trolleys officially started running April 6, with Carl Black Roswell and Gate City Brewing Company as the first sponsors.

Two trolleys are currently in service. “Molley” travels west from Canton Street to the Peach and Porkchop on Etris Road, while “Mattie” travels east from Canton Street to From the Earth Brewing Company off Holcomb Bridge Road.

Each trolley can hold 34 people at a time.

Alexander is working with representatives from several subdivisions near the trolleys’ routes to set up more stops for trips to visit Canton Street.

This in turn will help improve parking in the area and help open up the more isolated parts of Roswell.

“It’s not just focusing on Canton Street,” Alexander said. “You’ve got people at Canton Street who would never go to or drive to From the Earth, for example, and now, they’ve got the ability to take the trolley there.”

Alexander launched the program after he ran for City Council last year.

“One of the things that I was working on was ways to improve transportation in the city,” Alexander said.

“I sat down with the owners of Carl Black Roswell and Gate City Brewing Company to kind of figure out what we could do to improve that. We knew about the trolley service during Alive in Roswell, and we decided to expand upon that.”

Alexander estimates that the trolley services costs $150,000 a year to sustain. He, along with the nonprofit’s board of directors, self-funded the costs and the purchase of the two trollies.

To keep the service free and running, and to potentially expand it, the nonprofit is looking for private donations and sponsorships.

For information, maps and to donate, visit roswelltrolley.org or email Alexander at hanny@roswelltrolley. org.

Community Answer Book 2018 | 23

Public art grows in Roswell

By JULIA GROCHOWSKI

A

rt lovers will be pleased to know that Roswell’s public art collection has been growing steadily in the past few years. Several permanent outdoor sculptures currently dot the city’s landscape thanks to the efforts of the Roswell Arts Fund.

“Public art by definition is public. It’s free. You don’t need any tickets,” said Roswell Arts Fund Chair Rochelle Mucha. “It’s aesthetically pleasing. It evokes curiosity. It makes people smile.”

Each year, since 2016, the arts fund has hosted an annual ArtAround Roswell Sculpture Tour. Dozens of artists across the nation and even overseas apply to feature their art, and the arts fund selects 10 to ultimately display.

In past years, the tour has lasted for about nine months each year, but starting in 2018, the tour has expanded to 11 months.

Six sculptures from the past tours have been purchased to be permanently on display in the city. They were purchased through donations, grants, challenges and fundraising efforts by the Roswell Arts Fund.

In 2016, the arts fund was able to purchase two sculpture: Smoke, in the Historic Roswell Square; and Oak Leaf Triptych, in Roswell Area Park.

The arts fund was able to increase its funds in 2017 and purchased three sculptures: Sentience, in the Heart of Roswell Park; Reception, in the Riverwalk entrance across from the Chattahoochee Nature Center; and Sweet Pops of Brilliance, in East Roswell Park.

Additionally, in 2017, the Hagan Family Foundation purchased the sculpture Steady. It will remain in its current location in the Riverside Park east trail entrance through early 2019.

“ArtAround Roswell sculptures tell a story, provoke curiosity, delight visitors as well as beautify our landscape and embody Roswell’s Modern Spirit, Southern Soul,” Mucha said. “We invite the community to explore and enjoy.”

This is now the third year for the ArtAround Roswell Sculpture Tour, which will run through March 2019.

Mini tours of ArtAround will be offered, with shuttle service, on a free but limited basis.

Three new locations have been added to the tour this year: Roswell Cultural Arts Center, Hembree Park and Leita Thompson Park.

This year’s sculptures are: • Ice Pops by Craig Gray at Riverside Park, sponsored by Synvous • Celestial Fish by Donald Gialanella at Roswell Area Park Lake, sponsored by Canton Place Development • Granite Ring by Chris Rothermel at Roswell Cultural 24 | Community Answer Book 2018

Roswell Arts Fund/Special

Ice Pops at Riverside Park is one of nine new sculptures that is a part of the 2018 ArtAround Roswell Sculpture Tour.

Arts Center, sponsored by Miller Lowry Development • The Uniting of Work and Spirit by Robert Clements at Mill Park, sponsored by Randall-Paulson Architects.

• Votive by Gregory Johnson at Don White near Volleyball, sponsored by Lennar Multifamily Communities • Open Low-Poly Heart by Matthew Duffy at East Roswell Park Entrance, sponsored by Gas South • Dual Nature by Cecilia Lueza at Big Creek Park Entrance of Old Alabama Road, sponsored by Aesthetic Speciality Centre Plastic Surgery & Dermatology • Horse Apple by James Hetherington at Leita Thompson, Arts Center West Entrance, sponsored

by Pieper O’Brien Herr • Social Tones by Nathan Pierce at Hembree Park, sponsored by ALDI, Inc. • Ask the Fish 2.0 by Dr. Stephen Fairfield at Don White Park at 400 Bridge, sponsored by Carl Black Roswell Buick, GMC ArtAround will pair with an app tour by Otocast. The free app provides commentary from the artists about their inspirations, materials and processes.

To learn more about the tour and the sculptures, visit artaroundroswell.org.

Scenic beauty is only one of the reasons to hold your event in Roswell, Georgia w w w.v i s i t ro swe l l g a .co m | 7 70 - 6 4 0 - 3 2 5 3

WEDDINGS, MEETINGS, SPECIAL OCCASIONS, GROUP TOURS Over 35 facilities from which to choose in addition to numerous parks with picnic areas and indoor rooms, depending on your preferences.

• Historic Venues • River Views • Hotel Ballrooms • Craft Breweries • Over 200 Restaurants, caterers, and local businesses that provide special touches you may require.

Visit Roswell assists you with FREE services each step of the way, so you can relax and enjoy your Roswell experience.

Photo Credit: Kenneth R. Hines, Jr.

Community Answer Book 2018 | 25

oswell Recreation, Parks, R Historic & Cultural Affairs Department (770) 641-3705 • roswellgov.com 1. Adult Recreation Center, 830 Grimes Bridge Road, Roswell 2. Azalea Park (80.95 acres) 203 Azalea Drive, Roswell 3. Big Creek Park (161.1 acres) 1600 Old Alabama Road, Roswell 4. Bill Johnson Community Activity Building, 10495 Woodstock Road, Roswell 5. Don White Memorial Park (67.5 acres), 925 Riverside Road, Roswell 6. East Roswell Park (69.8 acres) 9000 Fouts Road, Roswell 7. Garrard Landing Park (22 acres) 8000 Holcomb Bridge Road, Alpharetta 8. Grimes Bridge Park (11.3 acres) 830 Grimes Bridge Road, Roswell 9. Groveway Community Park, 160 Dobbs Drive, Roswell 10. H eart of Roswell Park, 925 Canton Street, Roswell 11. Hembree Park (34.5 acres) 850 Hebree Road, Roswell 12. Lake Charles Park (0.5 acres) 195 Windflower Court, Roswell 13. L eita Thompson Memorial Park (141.9 acres) 1200 Woodstock Road, Roswell 14. O ld Mill Park (45 acres), 95 Mill View Ave., Roswell 15. R iverside Park (27.7 acres) 575 Riverside Road, Roswell 16. R oswell Area Park (79.6 acres) 10495 Woodstock Road, Roswell 17. Roswell River Landing (2.5 acres) 245 Azalea Drive, Roswell 18. Sloan Street Park, 75 Sloan Street, Roswell 19. Sweet Apple Park (8.152) 11850 Crabapple Road, Roswell 20. Town Square Park (1 acre) 610 South Atlanta St., Roswell 21. Waller Park (16 acres) 250 Oak St., Roswell 22. Woodstock Soccer Complex Park (5 acres) 40 Woodstock Road, Roswell 26 | Community Answer Book 2018

Legend Arts/Crafts Rooms Bandstand Baseball Fields Basketball Courts Camping Area Community Garden Covered Bridge Disc Golf Course Docks/Decks Dog Park Event Facility Football Fields Gym/Workout Facility Gymnastics Center Historic Monuments Lacrosse Fields Meeting Rooms Mountain Biking Multi-purpose Courts Outdoor Fitness Equipment Performing Arts Picnic Pavilion/Tables Pickleball Court Pool Playground Recreation Center Soccer Fields Softball Fields Sprayground Tennis Courts Visual Arts Center Volleyball Courts Walking Trails/Paths

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Remodeling and Repairs 24 Hour Emergency Services Licensed General Contractors

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ES

Top 3 events in Roswell

LISTEN TO the LATEST EPISODE Aspiring foodies AJ McNaughton and Kathleen Sturgeon attempt to learn all there is to know about the culinary industry. They are joined weekly by experts in the culinary industry, as well as their friends, to discuss food myths, play games and tell stories from the kitchen. Lunch Break is part of the Appen Media Group family of podcasts based in Alpharetta, Georgia.

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28 | Community Answer Book 2018

Alive in Roswell • Every third Thursday April – Oct. from 5-9 p.m.

This event is known as the best street party in the metro Atlanta area. Live music, food, displays and shopping make this event a fun and family friendly event. Trolley shuttles are available from the parking lot of City Hall connecting to venues in Historic Roswell, including Canton Street, free of charge. Shops and restaurants offer discounts and specials and live music plays throughout the district. For more information, visit www.alive inroswell.com.

Riverside Sounds • 575 Riverside Road, Roswell, Ga. 30075 Starting in May, the City of Roswell will kick off the 2018 season of Riverside Sounds, an annual series of six free outdoor concerts held at Riverside Park on the first Saturday of the month from May through October from 7-9 p.m.

There will be food trucks at each concert from 6-9 p.m. and guests are also invited to bring their own picnic. Here are the featured artists for the remainder of the season: • June 2 – Wild Rivers • July 7 – Joe Alterman Quartet • August 4 – Joe Alterman Quartet • September 1 – The Roosevelts • October 6 – Dustbowl Revival Youth Day Parade and Festival • Oct. 13, 2018 from 9:45 a.m.-3 p.m.

Begun in 1950, the annual Frances McGahee Youth Day Parade honors the city’s youths with a parade down Canton Street, ending in a festival at Roswell Area Park. Local schools and civic groups make floats dedicated to a theme. Before the parade is the Historic 5K road race. For more information, visit www.roswellgov.com.

BE A PREPPIE Loving to Learn for 20 Years ALPHARETTA CAMPUS

225 Park Bridge Parkway • Alpharetta 30005 (Off Old Milton Parkway) 770-497-6680

JOHNS CREEK CAMPUS

9670 Ventana Way • Johns Creek 30022 (Off Medlock Bridge) 770-497-6680

Infants • Toddlers • PREPPIES • Kindergarten • After School Community Answer Book 2018 | 29

Cultural and outdoor activities

Canton Street • Historic Roswell Canton Street, with its dozens of shops, art galleries, restaurants and sidewalk cafes, is bustling with vitality, having among its many awards the designation as a Great Place in Georgia – Great Street. Explore boutique shops and stores and then stop for a bite to eat in the many award-winning and unique restaurants.

Riverside Park • 575 Riverside Road, Roswell, www.roswellgov.com Kids can enjoy the sprayground while adults take advantage of hiking and bike trails as well as the waterfront of the Chattahoochee River. During the warmer months, live concerts are held on the stage and food trucks often come by.

Historic Homes – Barrington, Bulloch and Smith Plantation Home, Historic Roswell • www.southerntrilogy.com Dubbed the “Southern Trilogy,” the three historic homes owned by the city — Barrington, Bulloch and Smith Plantation — all date to the founding of Roswell in the early-to-mid 1800s. They are among the few antebellum mansions still in existence in Atlanta. Barrington Hall was home to the royal family of Roswell, the Kings; Bulloch Hall was home to Mittie Bulloch, mother

30 | Community Answer Book 2018

to President Teddy Roosevelt.

Roswell Cultural Arts Center • 950 Forrest Street, Roswell, www.roswellgov.com This venue hosts theatre, music, dance, puppet shows performances as well pageants, celebrations, special events and exhibits. Many local groups call the 600-seat theatre home.

Georgia Ensemble Theatre • 950 Forrest Street, Roswell, www.get.org/ Georgia Ensemble Theatre provides award-winning theatre productions and first class educational opportunities on a year-round basis and is the resident professional theatre at the Roswell Cultural Arts Center.

AROUND TOWN

Welcome to Roswell The magnificent Covered P gy Tours — 3 Historic House Southern Trilogy Tours — 3 Historic House Museums Barrington Hall, Bulloch Hall and Archibald Smith Plantation. Hear captivating stores about Roswell’s founding family and the only antebellum garden open to the public in metro Atlanta; the love story of Mittie Bulloch and the union that would produce a U.S. President; the home of an affluent farm family whose descendants would only allow the house to become one of Roswell’s museum homes if the city agreed that the family maid could live there the remainder of her days.

Chattahoochee Nature Center One hundred twenty seven (127) acres include native plant gardens, woodland trails, a discovery center, 20 interactive native animal exhibits, and a boardwalk.

This nature lover’s paradise has a calendar filled with programs, activities, special events, canoe excursions, concerts; something to please each member of the family. A definite must see.

ll, Bulloch Hall and Archibald on. ng stores about Roswell’s y and the only antebellum garden blic in metro Atlanta; the love Bulloch and the union that e a U.S. President; the home arm family whose descendants ow the house to become one of

• Old Mill Park’s Interpretive Trail to the 1853 mill ruins and waterfall • The magnificent Covered Pedestrian Bridge that links to the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area.

• A dynamic Craft Brewery Scene • Over 200 Restaurants • Canoeing, Kayaking, Paddleboarding, and Fishing on the Chattahoochee River • Sculpture Tours, Art Galleries and an array of Exhibits and Festivals • Hiking Trails, Bicycle Activities, and numerous Parks recognized as the best in the nation • Alive in Roswell, Riverside Sounds Concert Series, Georgia Ensemble Theatre, and so much more to do and see

that links to the Chattahoo Recreation Area

A dynamic Craft Brewery S Over 200 Restaurants

Canoeing, Kayaking, Padd on the Chattahoochee Rive SPONSORED CONTENT • Community Answer Book 2018 | 31

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VISIT NORTHFULTON.COM/PODCASTS AND LISTEN TODAY

32 | Community Answer Book 2018

Remodeling Expo Center co-owners John Hogan, left, and Peter Schnieper.

KITCHENS AND BATHROOMS:

From builder grade to simply spectacular Homeowners have a reliable company for professional design, expert craftsmanship and design studio Remodeling Expo Center was created over 18 years ago by Peter Schnieper and John Hogan, former “Big Six” consultants, private equity partners and real estate developers. Impressive at first glance, but their real strength is building businesses through the recruitment of solid management and service delivery teams.

Hogan speaks the language of a former venture capitalist using terms like scalability, enterprise resource planning (ERP) and design excellence.

Schnieper, who handles the installation department,

READ MORE, PAGES 34 – 35 SPONSORED CONTENT • Community Answer Book 2018 | 33

AFTER

BEFORE

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 33: speaks the language of building code compliance and manufacturers installation procedures.

Remodeling Expo Center was created to offer cost effective and gorgeous remodeling solutions to the more than 30,000 homes in North Atlanta which were built in the 1980s and 90s with low grade or “builder grade” finishes.

The business offers a rare combination of design, visualization, engineering and general contracting to homeowners. The customers know what they can do, how much it will cost and by using 3D renderings, what it will look like in about four days. It’s a ‘one stop shop’ so to speak.

“Since openness and connectivity is the prevailing home design movement, ‘can we move or eliminate that wall?’ is the question we hear most frequently,” Schnieper said. “The answer is always yes. We’re real general contractors and we have the electrical, structural and carpentry resources to move any wall.”

The company has its own design studio to render the re-invented home with state of the art, mini super 34 | Community Answer Book 2018 • SPONSORED CONTENT

computers.

“It’s so wonderful to see the homeowner’s eyes light up when they see the redesigned space” Hogan said. “It’s like they get validation of what they’ve been imagining for the past 10 years.”

For many customers, they never started a project because no company could show them it could be done.

“Homeowners get so excited about how beautiful it’s going to look and they’re even more excited about how easy it was,” Hogan said.

To deliver this enormous amount of inspiration and design support to hundreds of homeowners per year, Remodeling Expo Center built a Design Center where customers can interact with the company’s professionals, see kitchen and bathroom vignettes and select from the variety of granite, quartz, cabinetry, tile, plumbing fixtures and more. The company’s Design Center is in downtown Roswell at 48 King Street.

Business is expanding so rapidly that they are opening a second location in Alpharetta soon. Currently, their service area includes all of North Atlanta including

Sandy Springs, Roswell, Marietta, Johns Creek, Norcross, Alpharetta, Brookhaven, Buckhead, Cumming, Woodstock, Dunwoody, Smyrna, Milton and other adjacent areas.

Remodeling kitchens, bathrooms, basements or the whole house can be significant sums of money, so they are accustomed to answering a myriad of homeowner questions, including: · How much should I spend? · What design should we do? · Should we remodel all four bathrooms?

As the largest remodeler in North Atlanta, they’ve become the authority on homeowner guidance.

Remodeling Expo Center help homeowners understand their homes are an investment, not an expense, and with the proper maintenance and periodic re-investment or remodeling, significant appreciation is virtually guaranteed.

Customers are able to say, “it sold in 24 hours for over asking price.” This isn’t neighborhood folklore, it happens every day to Remodeling Expo’s customers.

As Remodeling Expo has come to dominate the remodeling market, they’ve also had the chance to

record their fine work in a large library of before and after videos and photos for all to see at RemodelingExpo.com or call 404-910-3969, 48 King Street Roswell, Ga. 30075.

SPONSORED CONTENT • Community Answer Book 2018 | 35

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Community Answer Book 2018 | 37

‘Be the exception’ J

ohns Creek recently received another two notable accolades: being named as one of the most successful cities in Georgia, and for the second consecutive year, being recognized as the fourth best city to live in in America.

As impressive as the two accolades are on their own, it is even more remarkable when reflecting on the many superlative lists Johns Creek has been recognized on over the past couple of yearsjohnscreekga.gov/livework-play.

From the safest city and tops in education to premier residential living, Johns Creek continues to be a highly sought out community in which to live, work, educate and play.

It is important to point out that these key attributes did not happen on their own. As a community, our residents worked together to make it happen. We carved out our own piece of Fulton County 11 years ago and decided to chart our own course as an incorporated city.

We built our own police and fire departments with a focused effort on staffing each with the best leadership, personnel and equipment. We filled the offices of City Hall with some of the most experienced and highly dedicated professionals any city could hope for. We have more than doubled our available greenspace to expand our parks and recreational opportunities. As parents, we remain actively involved in the schools within the city, which directly contributes to consistent national recognition in academic excellence.

Our success motivates us and continues to draw in like-minded residents from around the nation and the world – residents who desire a safe and welcoming community, strong education for their children, active living and the opportunity for professional achievement.

From our cultural arts scene, dining and recreation, to our highly acclaimed medical facilities and resort-style living, it is understandable why top entertainers, sports figures, senior executives and businesses from all over the globe choose to call Johns Creek home.

We welcome you to join our community and experience what it means to be a part of a lifestyle that we believe defines our tagline, and “be the exception.”

– Mike Bodker, Johns Creek mayor

38 | Community Answer Book 2018

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Johns Creek Parks (678) 512-3200 • johnscreekga.com 1. Autrey Mill Nature Preserve (46 acre) 9770 Autrey Mill Road, Johns Creek 2. Newtown Park (46 acres) 3150 Old Alabama Road, Johns Creek 3. Ocee Park (37 acres) 10900 Buice Road, Johns Creek 4. Shakerag Park (66 acres) 10945 Rogers Circle, Johns Creek

Community Answer Book 2018 | 39

Bodker

Zaprowski

Lin

Bradberry

Mike Bodker, Mayor 678-512-3313 mike.bodker@johnscreekga.gov

John Bradberry, Post 3 678-512-3200 john.bradberry@johnscreekga.gov

City Council members Lenny Zaprowski, Post 1 678-512-3200 lenny.zaprowski@johnscreekga.gov

Chris Coughlin, 770-557-5702 Chris.coughlin@johnscreekga.gov

Jay Lin, Post 2 678-512-3200 jay.lin@johnscreekga.gov

Stephanie Endres, Post 5 678-512-3200 Stephanie.endres@johnscreekga. gov

Coughlin

Endres

Broadbent

Steve Broadbent, Post 6 Mayor Pro Tem 678-512-3200 steve.broadbent@johnscreekga.gov Johns Creek City Hall 12000 Findley Road, Suite 400 Johns Creek, Ga. 30092-1412 678-512-3200 info@johnscreekga.gov www.johnscreekga.gov

Chattahoochee Parks Conservancy holds annual park symposium

By ADAM DARBY

T

he Chattahoochee Parks Conservancy held their second annual River Park Symposium April 25 at the Chattahoochee River Environmental Education Center at 8615 Barnwell Road. The National Park Service hosted the event as an opportunity to communicate its priority projects and needs to the larger community and inspire new partnerships. The symposium was also a celebration of 40 years of park partnerships.

“A few years ago, the CPC board realized that there were few forums for [the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area] stakeholders to come together to hear a ‘state of the national park’ presentation, share success stories and network with other groups working to promote the park as a valuable regional asset,’’ said CPC Board President Sally Bethea. “The Georgia Water Coalition has provided small grants to support these events in order to highlight the value of a healthy river to the local economy and encourage collaboration.”

Roughly 60 residents attended the symposium.

Representatives from various organizations, such as Friends of the River, Roswell Transportation and the Cumberland Community Improvement District, were given individual presentation time for their projects along with participation in panel discussions to further engage with residents.

A vivid history of the river’s conservation was de-

40 | Community Answer Book 2018

livered in order to highlight the overall progress since initial foundation.

Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area Superintendent Bill Cox led a discussion on the overall state of the river and future projects now in the planning stages. The overarching goal is to connect each of the park units in order to create a broader nature experience for the residents, he said.

“We need to look at the recreational opportunities holistically…to look at 100 miles of the river corridor, and that’s an effort I fully support,” Cox said. “Roswell is building a boardwalk that connects Azalea Park down to lower Roswell Road…my focus is to continue to work together to connect the assets we have on the Chattahoochee River because I really believe the whole will be greater than the sum of the parts. And I think we can move beyond being a backyard for folks…to becoming a destination.”

Because of the positive feedback from the previous year and the growing awareness of the park’s environmental impact, the CPC decided to continue the symposium this year and make it an annual event.

The symposium will be used to highlight community river projects and encourage partnerships in the river corridor among government agencies, businesses and nonprofit organizations.

For more information about the river park and how you can be involved, visit chattahoocheeparks.org.

Top 3 events in Johns Creek The Johns Creek Arts Festival • Oct. Atlanta Athletic Club Fields The Johns Creek Arts Festival has quickly become one of the great outdoor events in Johns Creek and North Fulton. The area comes alive with more than 100 whimsical and fun artisans from around the country. This is the perfect venue to showcase the talented artisans who exhibit their paintings, pottery, metalwork, folk art, glass, jewelry, yard art and many more goodies. The annual fall celebration of the arts is a shoppers’ paradise, and there is local musical and dancing talent to add color to the event. Come to see and be seen.

The Fall Family Festival • Oct. Newtown Park Fall Family Festival & Public Works ‘Touch-A-Truck’ features music, games, activities, art & crafts, moonwalks, giant slides, obstacle course and much more. It is also the last chance to visit the city’s Farmers Market, and it all happens at fun-filled Newtown Park. It is a celebration of the last beautiful days of fall with lots to eat and fun for the family.

The city’s Public Works ‘Touch-ATruck’ is always a treat for the little ones. The city provides an up-close view of bulldozers, backhoes, public safety vehicles and other cool machines, such as those for road improvements and traffic signal operations.

Cultural and outdoor activities Autrey Mill Nature Preserve • 9770 Autrey Mill Road, Johns Creek The Autrey Mill Nature Preserve and Cultural Heritage Center is on 46 acres of ravine forest and a scenic creek. It has two miles of walking trails winding past the creek and forest filled with mature trees, wildflowers, native plants, and a variety of animal life.

It is also home to the Heritage Village composed of four buildings original to the site and four landmark structures moved from nearby properties.

Johns Creek Arts Center • 6290 Abbotts Bridge Road Building 700, Johns Creek Throughout the year, the center offers more than 75 unique classes and workshops for youth, adults and

Founders Day Parade • Dec. State Bridge Road The annual Founders Day Parade is a special celebration of the city’s incorporation simply because the founding of the city was in their lifetimes.

Most of the residents who take part in the parade were here in 2006, so they are the founding fathers, mothers and children of Johns Creek.

So expect the brass bands to blare from all the high schools as they march by and hear the people cheer as the floats go past. Some of the parade highlights include local neighborhoods with proud banners, schools, the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, community organizations, civic clubs and businesses.

seniors. In addition, the center hosts the largest summer arts camp in Fulton County and delivers community outreach programs and Girl Scout badge and try-it programs.

Newtown Park Amphitheater • 3150 Old Alabama Road, Johns Creek www.johnscreekga.gov The Newtown Park Amphitheater provides a venue for city-sponsored events, such as its summer concerts.

Naturally designed with stacked stone and arches of Southern pine, the 10,600-square-foot open-air amphitheater offers up to 400 seats under cover, and another 1,000 seats on its terraced grass surroundings.

It is also home to the Johns Creek Farmers Market each Saturday morning from April through October.

The Amphitheater is home to the Summer Concert series.

Community Answer Book 2018 | 41

K9s for Law provides dogs to agencies nationwide

By KATHLEEN STURGEON

A

ccording to a 2017 study of Georgia law enforcement agencies, 80 percent of the departments do not have an established K9 unit.

K9 officers are crucial in helping police in explosive detection, suspect apprehension and narcotic detection, often with more reliability results than their two legged partner.

That’s according to the Johns Creek nonprofit K9s for Law, which went public in May. The organization raises money for law enforcement agencies to acquire a K9 officer.

Sydney Lee founded the group after learning of that statistic and realizing the public doesn’t know what K9s do for the agencies.

“These departments either want to add more dogs or start their first unit,” Lee said. “But they cannot, due to budgetary constraints. You have some agencies trying to fundraise through GoFundMe and selling bumper stickers. They should not have to fundraise for the tools they need to safely and effectively do their jobs.”

On average, a K9 officer can cost anywhere from $10,000 to $20,000, a prohibitive expense for many agencies.

The return on investment is significant, Lee said, because the dogs can serve the community for usually eight more years.

Since it opened just five months ago, the nonprofit has received 50 applications from around the United States requesting a grant for a K9 at their local agency.

The process includes an advisory council to review applications. Then money is raised by K9s for Law. All the while, the canines take a six- to eight-week long dog training class with handlers, paid for by the nonprofit.

The organization has raised enough money since opening for its first K9, which will go to an agency within the next few weeks.

The only cost to a department is paying for their transportation.

“I got an application from California and called her,” Lee said. “She said, ‘this will be our first K9 dog and we’re desperate. I can fundraise for a plane ticket, but I can’t raise enough money for a dog.’”

While the response has been good, it’s still a testament to how many departments are lacking the services a trained canine brings to the job.

“They realize how valuable the canine is for the community,” Lee said. “One grant will impact the town 42 | Community Answer Book 2018

Corporal Beth Roberts and K9 Dane and Officer Mark Tappan and K9 Mattis. from the old and young to the businesses. Everyone will be positively impacted for the next six to eight years.”

Local officers have reached out and supported Lee and the nonprofit. She said an officer told her he’d do anything to help her because the local community is fortunate to have the tools they need.

“Here we have enough in our budgets to have K9s,” Lee said. “The community can support it, and there’s support behind it. But there are a lot of towns that aren’t as fortunate and don’t have the funding for it.”

Lee said she hopes the nonprofit will be a way to pay it forward to other communities.

“It really does work and keeps everyone safe,” Lee said. “We’re able to give people the opportunity to use this tool.”

To learn more about K9s for Law, visit k9sforlaw.org.

AROUND TOWN CARRYING THE TORCH: Representatives of American Commerce Bank and the Johns Creek Police Department celebrate the 2018 Law Enforcement Torch Run. From left, Bob Koncerak, American Commerce Bank COO, Major John Clifton, Johns Creek PD, Carlos Laverde, ACB Atlanta market president, Travis Carithers, ACB teller and Corporal Tyler Seymour, Johns Creek PD.

Local Banks Succeed along with their communities Local banks succeed as their communities succeed.

American Commerce Bank in Johns Creek makes it a priority to champion community efforts along with the needs of its business and personal banking customers.

Carlos Laverde, ACB’s Atlanta market president, is particularly proud of the bank’s ongoing efforts.

“Community events are an important component of the North Fulton lifestyle, and it’s a privilege to support the ambitions of the markets we serve. We want to be aligned with the priorities of our customers.”

Beyond events, the bank is a contributing sponsor for the YMCA 2018 “Y IT MATTERS” campaign. The Isakson Alpharetta Family YMCA is a major source of social support across North Fulton with it’s after-school programs, youth development and wellness initiatives.

ACB is proud to hi-light its support of the Alpharetta “Y” in its 2018 advertising.

American Commerce Bank offers commercial and personal banking services across the North Fulton communities. The bank offers customized lending

solutions and SBA loan programs as well as highly convenient on-line banking and treasury management services. The bank’s experienced staff pride themselves in knowing their customers by name and in meeting the needs of businesses and their employees.

ACB’s participation in the nation-wide CDARS network enables the bank to provide FDIC deposit insurance on balances well in excess of the standard $250,000 account limit.

By providing such services, ACB ensures that it can “bring big banking products down to the community banking level”, according to Laverde. By catering lending and deposit services to the specific needs of business and consumer borrowers, ACB provides industry-leading lending solutions to support the growth and success of its community.

For more information about American Commerce Bank, stop by their branch located at 10690 Medlock Bridge Road, or visit www.AmericanCommerceBank. com SPONSORED CONTENT • Community Answer Book 2018 | 43

City develops a new ‘skill’ with aid of Amazon Alexa

By ADAM DARBY

T

he city has recently launched its own Amazon Alexa “skill” to the public.

The skill uses open data through the city’s DataHub to answer city-related questions using the popular virtual assistant. It contains compiled information from the city’s website and DataHub to provide users with important information regarding the city’s history and current events. This release marks Johns Creek as the first city in the world to use open data with Amazon Alexa.

“Nobody that we found is using their open data to drive answering questions…instead of going out and Googling the answer, it’s going to this pod of information that we have that you can download,” said Johns Creek Chief Data Officer Nick O’Day. Development for the skill has taken around six months, with further enhancements still being made.

Although major cities such as Los Angeles and Las Vegas have used open data to answer citywide questions, this is the first time the skill has been adapted for Alexa. There are about 200 different questions that can be asked using the skill. The most prominent forms of information relate to questions concerning work orders, building permits, code compliance and zoning information along with government, police and fire data.

“We’ve been trying to pay attention to consumer technology that people are using…we’re trying not to reinvent the wheel and look for places where we can leverage things that people are already using,” said O’Day. “People, I think…are getting used to just asking questions and expecting an answer. Five years ago, we were all comfortable with just Googling stuff, and now we’re getting to the point where typing out a question is kind of the old way of doing things. You just want to be able to ask something a question…and it just does it for you.”

In addition to data-related questions, Amazon Alexa users can download the City of Johns Creek skill and receive answers to questions about available jobs and the city’s event and meeting calendar. In order to receive answers specifically related to Johns Creek, users will preface their questions with the statement, “Alexa, ask the city of Johns Creek” before continuing.

For example, if a user tells the device, “Alexa, ask the City of Johns Creek when the next City Council meeting is scheduled,” the virtual assistant will reply with the meeting date, time and location.

Although the skill provides information and does not collect any, it is an additional tool among many that 44 | Community Answer Book 2018

residents can use to access information regarding the city. There are over 70 different layers of data incorporated into the product; the city is continuing to provide it with more questions and answers. As the skill continues to garner users, analytics will pinpoint the most common forms of data users are asking about in order to focus future efforts on adding information and answers to those specific areas of interest.

“People are going to get more comfortable with having these devices in their home I think…as the technology matures and gets better, I think people will not be so freaked out about it,” O’Day stated.

“Technology is becoming easier to use regardless of someone’s technical ability…I think, over time, people are going to expect to be able to do more and more through these things and that definitely extends to government. They’re going to be expecting their government to have a skill like people are going to expect their government to have a website. It’s just going to be one of those things where if they don’t have it, their city is going to be at a disadvantage.”

AROUND TOWN

This is more than just health care, this is Gwinnett Medical Center Gwinnett Medical Center traces its roots to a single community hospital, which for decades stood as the only hospital serving the Johns Creek community. And while we’re known for our legacy of care and compassion, today, we’re making expert health care even more convenient for you and your family.

Whether it’s the new GMC Primary Care & Specialty Center-Suwanee, the skilled providers of the Johns Creek Orthopedic Surgery Center, the extensive resources of GMC-Duluth or the comprehensive services offered at ChoiceOne Urgent Care-Sugar Hill, we are continually striving to meet the health care needs of the Johns Creek community.

Here are just a few of the ways that we’re making our advanced health care readily available for you and your family: GMC-Duluth From the customized care offered at the Center for Weight Management and the groundbreaking Concussion Institute, to the experienced team at Glancy Rehabilitation Center, GMC-Duluth offers a wide range of services to meet all of your health care needs. Our trusted experts serve as a gateway to connect you and your family with an extensive array of providers, services and resources.

GMC Primary Care & Specialty Center-Suwanee Conveniently located at the corner of McGinnis Ferry and Peachtree Industrial, in The Shoppes at Suwanee, you and your family have access to a wide range of comprehensive services under one roof.

This advanced center pairs high quality health care provided by experienced specialists with a relaxing, spa-like environment to deliver an exceptional health care experience.

At this center, you can enjoy one-stop access to:

• Primary Care services offered by Gwinnett Medical Group • OB/GYN services offered by The Women’s Group of Gwinnett • Gastroenterology services offered by Gastroenterology Specialists of Gwinnett • Cardiology services offered by the CardioVascular Group • Rheumatology services offered by Parris and Associates • Ultrasound offered by Gwinnett Medical Center • Cardiac Imaging offered by Gwinnett Medical Center ChoiceOne Urgent Care-Sugar Hill At ChoiceOne Urgent Care in Sugar Hill, you and your family have access to personalized health care exactly when you need it. Whether it’s a stomach bug, an infection or a broken bone, the team at ChoiceOne Urgent Care can help.

With comprehensive services, convenient hours and knowledgeable providers, you will receive thorough care from the moment you walk through the door.

Johns Creek Orthopedic Surgery Center With a compassionate and dedicated team, the latest in technology and a healing environment, this center provides high-quality surgical care that’s close to home.

The highly-trained physicians, specialists and staff will be with you at every step of your surgery. Plus, the convenience of this center ensures the safest, quickest recovery possible.

To learn more about how we’re transforming health care in the Johns Creek community, visit gwinnettmedicalcenter.org.

SPONSORED CONTENT • Community Answer Book 2018 | 45

Welcome to Forsyth County, the City of Cumming W

elcome to the City of Cumming!

From establishment of the first schools, parks and infrastructure needs in the County, to development of entertainment venues and retail business corridors, the City of Cumming has been and continues to be at the heart of everything that makes our community great.

Brumbalow That proud tradition continues today.

With fantastic amenities such as the Cumming Aquatic Center, Fairgrounds, Playhouse, and Dobbs Creek and Pilgrim Mill Road Recreation Centers, the City of Cumming strives to serve the entire Cumming and Forsyth community through facilities and events that bring us all together.

Since being sworn into office in January of 2018, I have worked along with the Cumming City Council and City staff to blaze new trails that will foster an even greater sense of community togetherness. Some of these ideas have already come to fruition, including our Fridays at the Fairgrounds and Food Truck Fridays events.

Both of these events, held respectively on the third and first Fridays of each month, were created to provide a place for everyone to come together for family fun – right here in our own neighborhood! These events have been a huge success with thousands of people attending to enjoy relaxed nights of summer fun.

On the horizon, the City will soon be kicking off a summer music festival at the Fairgrounds’ covered arena. We will also be expanding the July 4th festivities and hosting a Christmas parade through downtown, ending in a large holiday festival at the Cumming Fairgrounds.

Council and I are also working hard to lay the groundwork for creation of a City Center near downtown which will feature walkable boutique-style shopping, local dining options, and outdoor entertainment venues and green spaces. It is our hope to bring some of the small-town, Southern charm back to our downtown area while creating a true gathering place for the entire community.

We hope you will come along with us as we work together to move the City of Cumming forward while maintaining rich traditions that have made the City a leader of our community throughout the years!

– Troy Brumbalow, Cumming mayor 46 | Community Answer Book 2018

G

reetings from Forsyth County - a community recognized nationally for its quality of life, school system, vibrant business community and low property taxes compared to neighboring counties.

So what is it that makes Forsyth County such a great community to Levent live in?

Because the secret is out.

Those that have lived here for generations already know what a wonderful home Forsyth County is, and new residents don’t have to look far to come to the same realization. Being a community that has a “small-community charm with big-city proximity” means that there is something for everyone right here in the county’s backyard.

Forsyth County was recently named the healthiest county in the state for the sixth consecutive year and it is clear why when you take a look at our parks and other amenities. We offer more than 2,700 acres of green space with dozens of parks for residents to enjoy along with hundreds of miles of Lake Lanier shoreline.

Along with millage rates being among metro Atlanta’s lowest, Forsyth County also is one of just three Georgia counties to maintain a AAA bond rating helping residents receive an exceptional value for their tax dollar.

Factor in the county’s superior public safety services, access to three senior centers for adults 50+, an animal shelter, three recreation centers and three recycling convenience centers and it is easy to see why Forsyth County is the ideal home for residents of all ages.

I still believe, however, that Forsyth County’s greatest days are ahead of us. As our county’s tagline suggests, Forsyth County truly is “Your Community. Your Future.”

– Todd Levent, Chairman, Forsyth County Board of Commissioners

Top 3 events in Forsyth Play at the Park Family Fun Festival • September 29, 2018 Fowler Park, 4110 Carolene Way, Cumming, Ga. Forsyth County Parks and Recreation annually hosts the Play at the Park Family Fun Festival in September. The festival features a variety of family-friendly entertainment and activities. For more information, visit https://www.

playatthepark.com/.

Steam Engine Parade • July 4, 2018 from 10 a.m. to noon City of Cumming Square, 100 W Court House Square Come see local elected officials lead a parade through downtown Cumming on July 4. Steam Engines represent a historical era of agriculture and farming, and this parade displays the antique engines. For more information, visit http://www. cummingjuly4parade.com/.

Cultural and outdoor activities

Cumming Playhouse • 101 School Street, Cumming www.playhousecumming.com The Cumming Playhouse is located in the 1923 Cumming Public School, a structure named to the National Register in 2000. A property of the City of Cumming, it also houses the Historical Society of Forsyth County. The playhouse offers visitors a look into Cumming’s history. Patrons enjoy a variety of plays and concerts as well as playhouse tours.

Cumming Fairgrounds • 235 Castleberry Road, Cumming www.cummingfair.net The Cumming Fairgrounds offers seasonal fun for the family. In October the Cumming Country Fair and Festival brings the community together for wild rides and tasty food. Rodeos, shows and other festivals keep the fairgrounds hopping in the fall and winter.

Country Fair and Festival • October 4 – 14, 2018 235 Castleberry Rd., Cumming, Ga. Thousands of visitors annually attend the Cumming Country Fair and Festival held at the Cumming Fairgrounds in October. In 2018, this 11-day event will kick off on Thursday, October 4. For more information, visit www.cummingfair. net.

Forsyth County Arts Alliance • www.forsythartsalliance.com The Forsyth County Arts Alliance aims to enrich the quality of life in Forsyth by connecting people to the arts. The Alliance advocates for the arts to keep them thriving in the community.

Lake Lanier • www.lakelanier.org Lake Sidney Lanier was completed in 1957 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Forsyth County operates several parks on the shores of this more than 38,000-acre lake, including the popular Shady Grove Campground.

Sawnee Mountain Preserve • 4075 Spot Road, Cumming www.sawneemountain.org Located on and around Sawnee Mountain, the 963acre Sawnee Mountain Preserve offers unique recreational and educational opportunities to the public.

Community Answer Book 2018 | 47

Forsyth County Parks & Recreation: (770) 781-2215 • www.forsythco.com/Parks 1. Bennet Park (29 acres) 5930 Burruss Mill Road, Cumming 2. Big Creek Greenway trail heads: • 2A: 5120 Bethelview Road - parking and bathrooms • 2B: 4110 Carolene Way at Fowler Park - parking and bathrooms (Follow the signs inside the park.)

• 2C: 1622 McFarland Parkway - parking for approximately 50 vehicles and portable bathrooms • 2D: 5259 Union Hill Road - parking for approximately 25 vehicles and bathrooms 3. Caney Creek Preserve (63 acres) 2755 Caney Road, Cumming 4. Central Park (85 acres) 2300 Keith Bridge Road, Cumming 5. Charleston Park (154 acres) 5850 Charleston Park Road, Cumming 6. Chattahoochee Pointe (100 acres) 5790 Chattahoochee Pointe Drive, Suwanee 7. Coal Mountain Park (26 acres) 3560 Settingdown Road, Cumming 8. Ducktown Park (6 acres) 5895 Heardsville Road, Cumming 9. Eagle’s Beak Park 8420 old Federal Road, Ballground

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48 | Community Answer Book 2018

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Community Answer Book 2018 | 49

Amos

Brown

Levent

R.J. (Pete) Amos, District 1 678-513-5881 rjamos@forsythco.com

Todd Levent, chairman, District 3 678-513-5883 tlevent@forsythco.com

Dennis T. Brown, secretary, District 2 678-513-5882 dtbrown@forsythco.com

Cindy Jones Mills, District 4 678-513-5884 cjmills@forsythco.com

Mills

Semanson

Laura Semanson, vice chairwoman, District 5 678-513-5885 losemanson@forsythco.com Forsyth County Administration 110 East Main Street Cumming GA 30040 770-781-2101 www.forsythco.com/Contact-Us

Forsyth named healthiest

By KATHLEEN STURGEON

O

ut of 159 counties in the state, Forsyth County again ranked No. 1 when it comes to health for the sixth consecutive year.

The annual County Health Rankings & Roadmaps study conducted by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute has again placed Forsyth at the top.

The rankings are based on two types of measures: how long people live and how healthy people feel while alive.

Northside Hospital Forsyth Administrator Lynn Jackson said the healthy community recognition is built on decades of work from many community leaders.

“With six straight years of recognition, there is evidence that supports Forsyth County has a hardwired platform of ever expanding community resources, physical and social environments and governmental support that maintains a healthy community,” Jackson said. “Unlike some of our many other community accolades, the recognition as the healthiest community embraces and supports all of us.”

Jackson said health initiatives, whether parks and recreation facilities, health care providers, hospitals, clinics or sidewalks and civic clubs all help to reduce the health gaps that can come from differences in income, education, race, ethnicity or location.

“Our collective work in this area brings the greatest benefit to the highest number of our community members,” Jackson said.

Jackson said that while we pause to recognize this milestone in our community, she points out that there’s still a lot of work ahead.

50 | Community Answer Book 2018

“Our interests must continue to be focused on the future as we create successful strategies to overcome our challenges in areas such as drug use and

Troy Brumbalow, Mayor Chad Crane, Post 1 Jason Evans, Post 2 Lewis Ledbetter, Post 3

Brumbalow

Crane

Evans

Linda Ledbetter, Post 5

Ledbetter

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Ledbetter

City of Cumming 100 Main Street Cumming, Ga. 30040 (770)781-2010 cityofcumming.net

Christopher Light, Post 4

county for 6th year

abuse, expanding mental health needs in the wake of contracting mental health services,” she said. “And road safety to reduce traffic accidents and injuries from

driving while distracted or under the influence. We still have opportunities as we make sure that Forsyth County remains the greatest place to call home.”

Community Answer Book 2018 | 51

Forsyth named one of top digital school districts in U.S.

By KATHLEEN STURGEON

F

orsyth County Schools has been named one of the top 16 large school districts in the country to promote digital education.

The 2017-18 Digital School Districts Survey Awards were announced recently by the Center for Digital Education which charts technology trends throughout U.S. schools.

Each year, the center surveys school districts to gauge their ability to demonstrate proficiency and integration across all areas, including: community engagement, data governance, security/safety, innovation, infrastructure and instructional design.

Forsyth County Schools Chief Technology and Information Officer Mike Evans said the honor comes, in large part, due to a school board that “recognizes the value and impact technology can have on student learning, and they have supported key district initiatives over the years.”

“As a result, Forsyth County Schools has been a leader in technology integration for the past decade and a half,” Evans said. “This past year, we have completely overhauled our infrastructure to support a fully connected and digitally diverse classroom.”

He said the district added 26,000 Chromebooks into the classrooms to support student learning.

“These ‘hardware’ additions are great, but it really comes down to the ongoing programs running throughout our district and schools,” Evans said. “Each department plays a key role in supporting our students and the digital impact they have is widespread.”

Evans credits the schools’ instructional and media specialists who work closely with teachers to integrate technology and media skills into their lessons.

“From a ‘Digital School District’ standpoint, these are the superstars who have the greatest impact on the classroom,” Evans said. “They build relationships with students and teachers through mentoring, modeling and co-teaching technology rich lessons.”

Over the years, the district has changed in three key areas: instructional tools, infrastructure and pedagogy, Evans said. Fifteen years ago, the district implemented wireless access points throughout schools which paved the way for mobile learning with laptops and a Bring Your Own Technology initiative. Also, education began to see a shift from traditional textbooks to digital content.

“The benefits of online platforms and curriculum added a brand new paradigm to the classroom,” Evans said. “We saw dramatic shifts in instruction with the

52 | Community Answer Book 2018

newfound flexibility. Technology has the power to transform the learning process in the classroom.”

He said Forsyth Schools is well on its way to a full transition from the traditional model of teacher-led instruction to a more student-centered approach.

Through technology integration, he said, students are able to have unique tasks and activities based on their needs.

Because students tend to be online frequently, Evans said the technology team immerses itself in magazines, blogs, webinars and any other research materials to keep up with the latest technology trends.

“In addition, we gain a lot of knowledge on new trends and changes through listening to our students and teachers,” he said. “As a technology department, we provide a digital foundation for teachers to then expand upon it in their classroom. Many times teachers surprise us and discover news ways we haven’t thought of to implement an application or device into their lessons. There is such a vast network of social media and online collaboration sites that the teachers have an infinite amount of support when looking for new educational opportunities.”

The district also has plans to transition away from projectors and interactive whiteboards in favor of Interactive Flat Panel displays. It is also exploring virtual reality in the classroom and more wireless access points.

AROUND TOWN

Northside Hospital Forsyth For a sixth-consecutive year, Forsyth County is Georgia’s healthiest county. A major reason is the quality care delivered by the Northside Hospital health system.

One of the Southeast’s most trusted health care organizations, Northside leads the U.S. in newborn deliveries, diagnoses and treats the most new cancer cases in Georgia, and is among the state’s top providers of surgical services. More than 2,800 physicians and 15,000 employees serve 3 million patient visits each year.

In Forsyth and North Fulton counties, residents have access to a wide array of high-quality services at Northside Hospital Forsyth, Northside Hospital Atlanta, Northside Hospital Cherokee, the Northside/Alpharetta Medical Campus and many other outpatient facilities nearby.

Northside Hospital Forsyth continues to expand

its services in 2018. The hospital has opened its fifth medical office building, bringing expert joint replacement services, sports medicine and physical therapy all under one roof.

Northside Hospital Forsyth is a regional leader in same-day joint replacement, performing more surgeries than any other Georgia hospital. Northside Hospital offers expertise that ranks fourth in the world of all robotic surgery programs, meaning patients with postsports related injuries and osteoarthritis return to a better quality of life much faster.

This year also will mark the 10th anniversary of the Northside Hospital Forsyth Women’s Center. More than 3,100 babies were born last year at the hospital, which offers the individualized, special care that is expected from the nation’s leader in maternity services.

Follow @NorthsideHosp on social media, and for more information visit northside.com.

SPONSORED CONTENT • Community Answer Book 2018 | 53

Welcome to Milton!

A

s the mayor of the city of Milton, let me be one of the first to welcome you!

Regardless of whether you moved here from another location within our city or relocated here from thousands of miles away, I am confident you will enjoy calling Milton home.

Milton is consistently ranked the second safest city in Georgia, lauded as one of Georgia’s 10 best suburbs, and is home to nationally ranked schools and award-winning parks and recreation programs.

In addition to giving you a hearty welcome to Milton, I want share a few key details about our city: 1. Leading the standard in local government: We strive to innovatively connect with residents and business owners on a daily basis. We continue our efforts to implement and execute our 2016–2020 Strategic Plan, which will guide our city over the next several years with goals focused on preserving what makes Milton unique, continuing to build community connections and provide rich and engaging experiences for all residents. As part of our efforts to preserve what makes our community unique, Milton residents passed a $25 million greenspace bond referendum in November 2016, and in January 2018, we executed our first greenspace purchase, 137 acres in the heart of Milton (the former Milton Country Club). During the summer of 2018, we’ll begin our community planning process for this new community asset.

2. Moving around Milton: With the 2016 passage of the five-year Fulton County Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax, more commonly known as TSPLOST, we have several transportation projects underway and a number kicking off in the coming months. TSPLOST provides for an additional sales tax (0.75 percent) over five years to help fund transportation projects. Milton projects will include transportation enhancements as well as congestion relief.

3. Engaging our citizens in meaningful ways: The City of Milton recently launched several new programs—the Citizens Government Academy, Milton Citizens Police Academy and the Community Emergency Response Team, organized by the Milton Fire-Rescue Department. Email info@ cityofmiltonga.us to learn more about these programs.

Visit our website at www.cityofmiltonga.us, where you’ll find extensive information on our government, city officials, parks and recreation and many other 54 | Community Answer Book 2018

areas that could be of interest to you and your family.

If you have any questions or would like more information about Milton, please give me a call at 678-2422484 or email joe.lockwood@cityofmiltonga.us.

Again, welcome to Milton!

– Joe Lockwood, Milton mayor

Lockwood

Jamison

Kunz

Bentley

Longoria

Joe Lockwood, Mayor 678-242-2484 joe.lockwood@cityofmiltonga.us

Joe Longoria, District 3/Post 1 678-242-2498 joe.longoria@cityofmiltonga.us

City Council members Peyton Jamison, District 1/Post 1 678-242-2493 peyton.jamison@cityofmiltonga.us

Rick Mohrig, District 3/Post 2 678-242-2496 rick.mohrig@cityofmiltonga.us

Matt Kunz, District 2/Post 2 678-242-2494 matt.kunz@cityofmiltonga.us Laura Bentley, District 2/Post 1 678-242-2495 laura.bentley@cityofmiltonga.us

Mohrig

Milton City Hall 2006 Heritage Walk Milton, Ga. 30004 678-242-2500 info@cityofmiltonga.us www.cityofmiltonga.us

Vacant, District 1/Post 2

Mass Schedule Saturday Vigil Mass at 4:30 p.m.

Sunday Masses at 7:30 a.m., 9:00 a.m., 10:45 a.m. and 12:15 p.m.

And 5:00 p.m.

Reconciliation (Confessions) Monday 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Wednesday 7:15 a.m.

6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Saturday 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.

2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. or by appointment

Rosary recited prior to the 8:30 a.m. weekday Masses Reverend Monsignor Peter J. Rau, Pastor 11330 Woodstock Road, Roswell, Georgia 30075 Office 678-277-9424 www.stpeterchanel.org Fax 678-277-9423

Eucharistic Adoration in the Chapel

Community Answer Book 2018 | 55

Top 3 events in Milton Rock for Rescues • Spring, Downtown Crabapple Rock for Rescues is the city’s newest annual event, bringing together animal and music lovers for a free concert. The event benefits local animal rescue organizations and features live music, vendors and furry friends of all shapes and sizes.

Christmas in Crabapple • Early December Downtown Crabapple Milton hosts its annual holiday event in the heart of Downtown Crabapple. This quaint holiday tradition has become a Milton staple including Santa photos arts, caroling, s’mores, hot cocoa and more. The event will be held at Broadwell Pavilion located at 12615 Broadwell Road.

Crabapple Fest • Early October Downtown Crabapple The City of Milton and non-profit Crabapple Community Association (CCA) combine to put on one massive destination festival. Crabapple Fest features antiques and art vendors, music and entertainment, children’s activities, and beer and wine on festival grounds.

Architecture, landscape and hardscape should all come together to create an harmonious effect in Downtown Crabapple, says developer Adam Orkin.

Cultural and outdoor activities Downtown Crabapple • Crabapple Road/Ga. 372, Milton Milton’s “downtown” has a historic hometown feel while incorporating some of the city’s new growth. Eat at some of the best restaurants in town or bring a picnic to the Broadwell Pavilion. Shop for trendy outfits and unique artistic pieces at local retailers that bring contemporary style to southern comfort.

Bell Memorial Park • 15245 Bell Park Road, Milton 56 | Community Answer Book 2018

Reopened in October 2015, Bell Memorial is a nearly 36-acre, active-use park with four diamond baseball fields and two multipurpose fields, pavilions, concessions and a playground.

Thomas Byrd Sr. House • 15690 Hopewell Road, Milton Renovated in June 2015, the historic 4,000-squarefoot, two-story home on Hopewell Road, which dates back to the mid-1800s, is a center for Senior Services North Fulton during the business day and an event facility for special occasions.

Chess for a cause Local students start nonprofit to help seniors

By JULIA GROCHOWSKI

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wo local students are helping bring the community together and fight against age-related diseases through an ancient game – chess.

Anuhya Tadepalli, a senior at Milton High School, and Poojita Chinmay, a junior at Gwinnett County School of Mathematics, Science and Technology, have spent the last two years spreading the mission of their nonprofit Chess for a Cause. Founded in 2016, the organization aims to reduce and reverse the effects of aging on the human brain by playing chess. The group does so by bringing together children and teenagers with senior citizens.

“We believe Chess for a Cause benefits both seniors and kids through a mutually enriching experience,” Tadepalli said. “Seniors get to use chess to exercise their brain, as well as replace loneliness with new goals and friendships. Kids gain important life skills, leadership opportunities and replace apathy with the knowledge, sensitivity and a perspective on the age-related challenges among seniors.”

Tadepalli said she and Chinmay first started creating Chess for a Cause after they “noticed the challenges people with dementia face even for simple tasks” while volunteering at a memory care facility.

Over the course of several months, the duo researched how to stimulate the brain to reduce or reverse the effects of aging on the brain. They eventually settled on chess.

“We found out that chess is the only game which provides balanced brain exercises for both halves of the brain and helps grow dendrites,” Tadepalli said.

“We started sessions in a couple of centers and were encouraged by the enthusiasm and interest of seniors to form a 4H club and grow.”

The nonprofit has since grown to serve 14 senior facilities in cities in the Atlanta area, including Alpharetta, Johns Creek, Roswell and Sandy Springs. It has even been replicated in other states, such as Ohio and Alabama, Tadepalli said.

Chess for a Cause now operates with a simple slogan: “It is your brain – use it or lose it.”

It has three goals: Brain awareness, which spreads the need for balanced brain exercises; Age-friendly communities, which brings young

CHESS FOR A CAUSE/SPECIAL

Chess for a Cause works with local seniors.

adults and seniors together, building respect and self confidence in both; and Leadership, which provides students with opportunities to build, design and deliver age-friendly programs.

The nonprofit additionally works with other community organizations to raise awareness for age-related issues such as Alzheimer’s disease.

Since its initial launch, Chess for a Cause has been featured in Georgia Chess News and has received recognition from the Georgia Department of Human Services, Division of Aging Services as a “community builder.” Recently, Tadepalli and Chinmay have also been recognized by the cities of Alpharetta and Milton for their work with senior citizens.

“Anuhya’s initiative and her dedication are an inspiration to all of us,” said Milton Mayor Joe Lockwood.

“Her work with seniors not only has medical and physical benefits, but the social and psychological benefits of those interactions with seniors are undeniable.”

Chess for a Cause has recently received a grant from Disney Inspire to help grow their mission, but the group is short on volunteers, both student and adult.

The co-founders are also hoping to see chess added to the annual Golden Games.

To learn more about Chess for a Cause, get involved or to donate, visit chessforacause.com.

Community Answer Book 2018 | 57

Milton continues to develop Providence Park plan

By JOE PARKER

M

ilton is continuing to develop a master plan for Providence Park, one of the city’s largest greenspaces that was purchased from Fulton County.

The city has continued its efforts to resurrect the park after it lay dormant for more than a decade following the discovery of unknown chemicals dumped onto the 42-acre site. Milton purchased and reopened the park in 2015.

The initial draft of the master plan is similar to what the 42-acre park was like before it was closed in 2004, including amenities such as zip lines and camping sites while still featuring trails and natural spaces.

“What folks may not remember is that as late as 2003, it was a very active park,” said Jim Cregge, Parks and Recreation director. “This proposed plan restores a lot of that with an additional amenity or two.”

Rock climbing, a zip line station and a campground area are also proposed. An elevated boardwalk over

58 | Community Answer Book 2018

the lake would connect the two trails, and sections of the lake would be cordoned off for water access for paddle boats or kayaking. A covered deck on the lake, which can provide fishing opportunities, is also outlined.

Under the plan, Providence Road would be widened to 24-feet within the site.

The parking lot would be expanded to accommodate 115 cars.

The proposal was dictated by public input during the initial master plan meeting last September. The city also solicited information from focus groups and through emails.

The Milton City Council got their first look at the proposed master plan in May and could soon look to adopt the outline for the park.

Consultants for the park’s planning process previously stated that the plan could be implemented immediately or in phases due to budget constraints.

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Community Answer Book 2018 | 59

A playground for all Children’s Charities to build all-inclusive play park in Milton

By CANDY WAYLOCK

W

hat began as a fundraising effort in 2012 to purchase a much-needed medical vehicle for an area hospital has evolved over the years into an organization focused on a variety of needs for area children.

This month, Milton-based Children’s Charities will host its largest capital drive campaign – the Clarity Farm Showcase Home and Tour – to fund a playground in Milton benefiting children of all abilities.

The goal is to raise $500,000 to build the all-inclusive play park, which will contain an ADA compatible clubhouse, a zip line, sensory center, music center, swings and much more.

Children’s Charities co-founders, Lauren Holmes and Amanda White, say the playground reflects the vision of the organization, which is to fund the greatest needs for children in North Fulton and South Forsyth.

“The new park will be the first of its scale in North Fulton County by encompassing more than an acre of city property,” said Holmes, a Milton resident and Realtor/broker with Crye-Leike Realtors. “The park will provide a fun experience for children with all abilities and disabilities.”

While the exact location for the park has still not been determined, White said the charity is working closely with City of Milton officials in the planning and development process and expects to announce the location soon.

“This will be one of the most inclusive parks in the state,” said White, who lives in Milton and is the owner of Mountain Vista Rentals in Big Canoe. “Kids from all abilities and disabilities will be able to play together.”

White said taking the idea of a play park from concept to reality was made possible by Pacita Wilson of Pineapple Park, the designer and decorator for the Clarity Home Show. She approached Children’s Charities and said she would like the organization to be the beneficiaries of the tour.

“The possibility of raising $500,000 allowed us to dream bigger than we had in the past,” said White.

“This is how the all-inclusive play park came about.”

White and Holmes first joined forces in 2012, working to raise funds to purchase an emergency transport unit stationed at the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta urgent care center in Forsyth County at the Collection.

White had a personal connection to the need for the vehicle. Ten years ago her daughter, Meghan, now 22, developed a staph infection in her blood stream requiring immediate medical attention.

At Northside Forsyth Hospital, the family waited 60 | Community Answer Book 2018

Children’s Charities co-founders, Amanda White and Lauren Holmes. several hours for an emergency transport vehicle — essentially a pediatric emergency room on wheels — to transport Meghan to Scottish Rite Hospital.

“While on the way to Scottish Rite, Meghan crashed and had to be revived,” said White, noting her daughter spent the next 11 days in intensive care. “The doctors and nurses were so positive and supportive that it moved me. It takes a very special person to see these children in pain and suffering each day and make them better.”

A few years later, after her younger daughter, Jordyn, spent time at Scottish Rite for a ruptured appendix, the idea for Children’s Charities took shape.

“At that point I knew I wanted to do something for the hospital and the kids in North Fulton and South Forsyth Counties,” said White.

Children’s Charities was granted non-profit status in 2014, with the mission that all money raised in the community stays in the community.

Children’s Charities looks to build all-inclusive play park in Milton.

Since its founding, the organization has focused much of its efforts on funding programs which support children with unique needs, supporting everything from equipment to programs to services.

The long list of projects funded or donated through Children’s Charities over the past five years include vein viewers and cell phone charging stations to Children’s Healthcare urgent Care Centers, an equine summer camp for kids with autism, an eye tracking

device that can detect signs of autism in infants and lunches for foster kids during mentoring sessions at Independence High School.

The organization remains grassroots with an all-volunteer staff of about 35 volunteers who donate their time and talent to Children’s Charities.

Looking forward, White said they are looking to expand their reach to Dawson, Cherokee and Pickens counties.

Community Answer Book 2018 | 61

Forging bonds and serving the community Young Men’s Service League growing in North Fulton

By CANDY WAYLOCK

A

mong the many volunteers supporting area charities and community services is a committed group of mothers and sons who devote thousands of hours each year to organizations serving the North Fulton area.

The mothers and sons are part of the Young Men’s Service League (YMSL), which has four chapters in the North Fulton area serving a wide range of charities. The chapters are part of the national YMSL organization, which aims to improve the surrounding community while strengthening the mother-son relationship.

There are six YMSL chapters in Georgia – five of which are in North Fulton — with others coming on board. Each chapter selects the organizations and charities it supports.

Allison Carrow, a member of the North Fulton YMSL chapter, has been involved for four years. She has served with her three sons, who attend Cambridge High School.

The idea of working on service projects with her sons was an appealing one for Carrow, who had heard of YMSL from moms involved in other chapters.

“I just knew that it was about moms and sons volunteering, and that sounded fantastic,” said Carrow.

“As a mom with boys, you go to their sports events, but you don’t have as many opportunities for time together, like moms with daughters sometimes have.

This is such a great way to be together, and serving the community.”

YMSL got its start in Plano, Texas, in 2001, when two sisters-in-law, Pam and Julie Rosener, recognized the lack of opportunities that pulled together mothers and sons in philanthropic service – similar to the National Charity League for moms and daughters.

From that first chapter in Texas, YMSL has spread to 10 states with nearly 80 chapters serving hundreds of local and national charities.

New membership is limited to around 25 mothers and their sons each year. The members must make a four-year commitment to the chapter, beginning when the son enters ninth grade. The age requirement is intentional; the Roseners recognized mothers and sons often begin to grow apart in high school, and YMSL 62 | Community Answer Book 2018

Group of YMSL North Fulton Chapter boys, standing in works to strengthen those bonds through meaningful service.

Carrow said mothers who are interested in joining a chapter need to start the process during their son’s eighth-grade year, as membership is set in the spring that year. All new members must be sponsored by a current member of the chapter.

The Milton chapter of YMSL began in 2011, with the North Fulton chapter coming online soon after to accommodate the many moms and sons with an interest.

The Alpharetta chapter was the first in Georgia, forming in 2006 with its group of 25 moms and sons.

Today, the Alpharetta YMSL has nearly 250 active members and logged 7,500 hours in 2017 alone.

Marsha Ziegler spent four years in the Alpharetta chapter with her son, Zack, who is now a freshman at the University of Georgia. Although she is no longer an active member of YMSL, the lessons learned and the opportunities she had with her son were invaluable.

front of Alpharetta City Hall.

“I enjoyed serving and being with Zack, from helping clients at the North Fulton Community Charities Santa Shop to construction projects at Habitat for Humanity,” said Ziegler.

The leadership skills Zack developed in running meetings have served him well in college; he is now pursuing student leadership positions at UGA. Carrow said while the focus is on service to the community, there are numerous other activities to help forge the bond between mom and son. She said she has attended cooking school classes and guest speaker lectures with her sons.

But it is the service projects that really hit home for her sons. Carrow said they helped deliver lunches to children over the summer as part of MUST Ministries, and the appreciation of kids who might otherwise go without lunch was life-changing.

“That’s what really opened up my kids’ eyes…we live in an area where they are not exposed to [these

Becoming a member of YMSL YMSL is a sponsorship organization, which means a prospective member must be sponsored by a current member. New member enrollment takes place in February/ March of the son’s eighth-grade year; so sponsors should be secured in the fall of the son’s eighth-grade year.

To find out about more about a local chapter, visit the national YMSL website at http://www.ymslnational.org/chapters for contact information. experiences],” said Carrow. “The kids would take their lunches, give my sons a huge hug, then often come back for another hug. It was so rewarding for all of us.”

Community Answer Book 2018 | 63

Humane adoptions for every home

By JULIA GROCHOWSKI

F

rom longtime pet owners to first-time adopters, the Humane Societies of Atlanta and Forsyth have resources available for all animal lovers.

Typically, the adoption process is quick. Pets can be viewed online or in person by visiting a shelter.

Individuals interested in adopting must fill out an application and spend a few minutes with the pet so they can familiarize themselves with each other. An adoption counselor will interview each adopter as well. This is the perfect time to ask any questions about the pet and its needs, according Wendy Hsiao, first-time dog owner who adopted from the Atlanta Humane Society.

Counselors will explain everything about the animal’s history, previous training, temperament and what to expect as the pet grows.

The process is a little longer and more involved with the Humane Society of Forsyth County. As a private nonprofit, they are dedicated to finding each pet’s forever home so no pets are returned. They take the time to know each potential pet owner personally through multiple interviews and conduct home inspections. Like a matchmaking service, they want to make sure each person is fitted with the best pet for his lifestyle and personality.

“If the potential owner is very active, we try to match them with an active animal … If they’re very busy, we try to match them with a dog or cat that maybe doesn’t need as much attention or activity,” said Mark Schullstrom, president of the Humane Society of Forsyth County.

When owners need assistance after adopting, both shelters pro-

64 | Community Answer Book 2018

The Atlanta Humane Society has locations at 1565 Mansell Road, Alpharetta and 981 Howell Mill Road NW, Atlanta. vide additional health and training services. They will help owners work with animals if they’re having behavioral problems and offer checkups if pets are ill. The Atlanta Humane Society even has grief counselling for owners who have recently lost a furry friend.

The Forsyth shelter additionally has a large community pet food pantry for those in need. Low-income residents who are struggling to feed their pets but want to keep

their families intact can fill out a short application to receive a free full supply of pet food every month.

“We try to have a lifetime relationship with the owner,” said Schullstrom. “We want to be a part of their life.”

All pets from both shelters come fully vaccinated, microchipped and spayed or neutered.

For more information, visit atlantahumane.org or www3.forsythpets.org.

Georgia school chief: Focus on child, not tests

By KATHLEEN STURGEON

G

eorgia School Superintendent Richard Woods is focusing on educating the entire child, not just concentrating on testing for the nearly two million students in public education in the state.

“That has to come first and foremost,” Woods said.

“There needs to be a paradigm shift in how we address education. Everything used to always be about the test. At the end of the day, our conversation has to be about the child. That’s something I’m relentless at. We need to begin to work and fight for them to make sure we give them the very best education opportunity they can receive in Georgia.”

He spoke about testing and more at a recent media symposium on the state of public schools in Georgia.

“Since I came on board, standardized testing was kind of a big issue,” Woods said. “We over tested on high stakes exams and had an overemphasis on testing during instruction time. Testing is a part of the process of education, but it is not the whole process of education. I looked at the purpose of why we test, how we test and how the test was used.”

In the future, the state will be pursuing flexibility testing, he said. To do that, he said a taskforce is being created to look at testing and to figure out what options are best for the state moving forward.

He doesn’t think testing should go completely away.

Rather the focus should be on test quality instead of quantity. Testing can be a good indicator of how the child is doing during the year, measure growth and allow teachers to address learning as it’s going on, he said.

“It’ll be an uphill struggle,” he said. “As long as I’ve been in education, roughly 25 years, even as a student this end-of-the-year type testing has been the norm. I think we’ve reached the saturation point with that and hopefully will see the process move forward quickly.”

He suggests giving a diagnostic assessment to give feedback that’s useful.

“Testing should be a tool not a habit and not a punishment for teachers in schools,” Woods said. “We have to move away from it. I assure people we will be accountable as it’s a part of what we do but it has to be fair. We must appropriately use tests in a manner that improves education for the student.”

However, not all students learn the same way at the same level or time frame, he said.

“We have students who struggle with education,” Woods said. “The challenge is to try to move all

students at the same level and same time. A strong growth component will help that.”

But testing is still a good indication of performance.

In Georgia, 61 schools have left the state’s priority and focus list in December 2017 and 74 left in April 2017.

Of the 104 schools on the turnaround-eligible list, 85 improved their College and Career Ready Performance Index score, with most seeing an increase by five points. Across the board those scores also increased.

For the sixth straight year, the state’s graduation rate is up and above 80 percent with 50 district’s topping 90 percent.

On the ACT, the state outperforms the nation in all content areas. For the SAT, the state tops the nation in reading and writing.

“I don’t take credit for this,” Woods said. “I see teachers, educators and community members coming together. I give credit to those at the school level and our teachers spending time with these individuals.”

Community Answer Book 2018 | 65

Transit could take on new

By PATRICK FOX

M

ARTA’s ongoing efforts to expand heavy rail through North Fulton took a detour early this year when area mayors signed off on plans to pursue MARTA rapid transit bus instead.

But the picture of public transit in one of the nation’s worst commute centers grew a little hazy in April when the Georgia Legislature added more colors to the palette.

Lawmakers passed landmark legislation that establishes a funding framework and a regional transit governing system for all 13 counties in Metro Atlanta.

It’s something Fulton and DeKalb counties have been seeking for decades –the prospect of help. The two counties have been paying a penny sales tax for 40 years to help fund MARTA. Clayton County joined in enacting its own penny sales tax for MARTA in 2015.

Data from the Atlanta Regional Commission shows that more than 60 percent of metro commuters leave their home county for work each day. A good share of those commuters use MARTA. Now, with the new legislation, within five years, the region’s transit system will become a single brand — the Atlanta-region Transit Link Authority, or The ATL. The new authority’s mission will be to plan transit across the 13 metro counties, using existing systems in neighboring Cobb and Gwinnett counties as well as GRTA Xpress and MARTA. Those counties not already paying into MARTA can opt into the new ATL system by voting for a penny sales tax to help with funding.

Whether the rebranding seduces voters in Cobb, Gwinnett and the other counties to join remains to be seen, but the state has already sweetened the pot by committing a record $100 million to fund statewide transit projects in 2019.

Meanwhile, some North Fulton cities are keeping their options open for bus rapid transit along Ga. 400 and arterial bus rapid transit along major arteries like Holcomb Bridge Road and Old Milton Parkway.

It’s all part of a $4.9 billion plan most of Fulton County’s 14 cities outside Atlanta have tentatively approved.

Alpharetta is interested in the plan because the buses could use managed lanes planned for Ga. 400 by the Georgia DOT. That would be a huge cost savings in construction for Alpharetta, but the city would still be on the hook for bus stations. So far, city officials said they’re not interested in raising taxes to pay for the stations. They said they want a share of the penny sales tax they’ve been paying for four decades to fund the stops.

While not all North Fulton cities are enthusiastic

66 | Community Answer Book 2018

about transit – Johns Creek, for example – they have shown a willingness to pony up their own money to fix local and intercity transportation problems.

Residents in Fulton County cities outside Atlanta passed a special .75-cent sales tax two years ago to help fund more than $500 million in transportation projects over its five-year term. Most of the big-ticket items in North Fulton involve adding lanes to major east-west corridors, like McGinnis Ferry Road, Haynes Bridge Road, Jones Bridge Road and Windward Parkway and adding major design improvements at the Holcomb Bridge Road interchange at Ga. 400 in Roswell.

Roswell, which stands to receive upwards of $83 million from the tax, has a list of improvements that include Big Creek Parkway alignment and a new bridge over Big Creek. That project alone accounts for the lion’s share of its sales tax allotment. The list also includes Holcomb Bridge interchange design as part of

life with ATL legislation

a major GDOT project.

Alpharetta is expected to receive some $53 million for transportation projects from the sales tax over the five-year term, which began last year.

Johns Creek will receive an estimated $82 million in transportation funding through the tax. Its big-ticket items include widening of Jones Bridge from Douglas Road to McGinnis Ferry and from Waters Road to State Bridge Road for an estimate cost of $18 million.

Milton will receive about $31 million. Its list of projects include widening of Morris Road and intersection improvements at Hopewell Road at Bethany Bend.

Q. How do I ride MARTA? A. Bus Riders: MARTA buses display the names and numbers of routes just above the windshield. Signal to the driver that you wish to board.

Train Riders: Signs that display, “To Trains” direct you to the boarding platforms. Remember which direction (north, south, etc.) you plan to travel. Look for white courtesy telephones, customer service personnel and uniformed MARTA transit police for additional assistance.

Transfer Policy: Bus to Bus transfers are no longer issued.

You must have a valid Breeze Card loaded with appropriate fare to ride MARTA. Transfers are only available on a Breeze Card and are automatically loaded when you tap to board a bus or exit a rail station. If you pay with cash you will still need a Breeze Card to receive your transfer. Bus-to-Bus transfers are designed to help customers get from point A to point B that are not accessible using one bus route. Transfers cannot be used for roundtrip travel.

Q. How much does it cost to ride MARTA? A. MARTA is: • $2.50 for a one-way fare • 10 Trip Pass $25 • 20 Trip Pass $42.50 • 1-Day Pass: $9; • 2-Day Pass: $14; • 3-Day Pass: $16; • 4-Day Pass: $19; • 7-Day Pass: $23.75; • 30-Day Pass: $95 Special Fare Programs area available for visiting groups of 200 or more, students and

faculty. Senior citizens, disabled riders and Medicare recipients only pay $1. Children 46 inches and under can ride MARTA for free. Limit two children per paying adult.

Breeze Cards and Breeze Tickets can be bought and reloaded at Breeze Vending machines in all 38 Stations and in RideStores inside Five Points, Lenox, Airport Stations and at the MARTA Headquarters building across from the Lindbergh Train Station. After July 9, 2017, blue breeze cards will no longer be accepted.

Q. How does a Day Pass work?

A. The Day Pass offers unlimited rides from the first use for 1,2,3,4, 7 or 30 consecutive days. A day on MARTA is not 24-hours; a day starts whenever service begins in the morning, and ends whenever service stops at night. Bus and rail service times vary from weekdays to weekends.

Q. When does MARTA operate?

A. Buses: MARTA buses operate weekdays from approximately 5 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. and until 12:30 a.m. weekdays and holidays. Bus schedules may vary by neighborhood.

Rail: 4:45 a.m. to 1 a.m.

Monday-Friday; 6 a.m. to 1 a.m. weekends & holidays.

Trains arrive every 10 minutes during rush hours (6 - 9 a.m. and 3 - 7 p.m.), every 15 minutes from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and every 20 minutes after 8:30 p.m. and on weekends.

Community Answer Book 2018 | 67

Emergency + Community

Resource Table ORGANIZATION

PURPOSE

PHONE #

Website

United Way

To find help

211 or 404-614-1000

211online.unitedwayatlanta.org/

North Fulton Community Charities

Help in Roswell, Alpharetta, Johns Creek, Milton

770-640-0399

nfcchelp.org

Community Assistance Center

Help in Sandy Springs/Dunwoody

770-552-4015

ourcac.org

DFACS

Food Stamps/TANF/Medicaid

404-252-2180

dfcs.dhs.georgia.gov

FACAA/LIHEAP

Energy Assistance

404-320-0166

facaa.org

St. Vincent de Paul

Financial Assistance

770-458-9607

svdpatl.org

Housing Authority of Fulton Co.

Section 8 and Public Housing

404-730-5841

hafc.org

Homestretch/Housing Initiative

Transitional Housing

770-642-9185

homestretch.org

Roswell Public Housing

Public Housing

770-993-6226

roswellhousing.org

The Drake House

Emergency housing women with children

770-587-4712

thedrakehouse.org

Metro Fair Housing

Housing Discrimination

404-524-0000

metrofairhousing.com

Salvation Army

General Assistance

404-352-3597

salvationarmy.org

Gateway Center

Emergency Shelter

404-215-6600

gatewayctr.org

Travelers Aid/Hope Atlanta

Homeless prevention, newcomers

404-817-7070

hopeatlanta.org/

EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Com)

Employment Discrimination

800-669-4000

eeoc.gov/field/atlanta

Department of Labor

Unemployment Office

866-873-5676

dol.state.ga.us

Pregnancy Counseling

678-893-5290

abeaconofhope.com

Housing & Homeless

Employment

Family & Childrens Services A Beacon of Hope Child Abuse and Neglect

To report abuse

404-699-4399

dfcs.dhs.georgia.gov/ child-abuse-neglect

GA Council on Child Abuse

Info, resources

800-532-3208

preventchildabusega.org

Child Support Assistance

Child Support Enforcement

877-423-4746

dcss.dhs.georgia.gov/

Families First

Counseling

404-853-2844

familiesfirst.org

Fulton County Schools

General Information

404-678-3600

fultonschools.org

Fulton Co. School Social Workers

Information

404-763-6774

fultonschools.org

G.E.D.

Enrollment Opportunities at NFCC

678-387-4458

nfcchelp.org/education

Head Start

3-4 Year Olds

678-585-9100

georgiaheadstart.org

Child Dev. Center North Fulton

Child Care

770-992-4006

cdakids.org

Family Haven (NF & Forsyth)

24 Hour Hotline-Domestic Violence

770-887-1121

forsythcountyfamilyhaven.info

PADV (Partnership Against Domestic Violence)

24 Hour Hotline-Domestic Violence

404-873-1766

padv.org/

Jewish Family and Career Services

Family and Career Counseling

770-677-9300

yourtoolsforliving.org

Senior Services North Fulton

Meals on Wheels, Transportation

770-993-1906

ssnorthfulton.org

68 | Community Answer Book 2018

ORGANIZATION

PURPOSE

PHONE #

Website

Credit Counseling/ Legal/ Police CredAbility

Consumer Credit Counseling

404-527-7630

credability.org

NID Housing Counseling Agency

Foreclosure Information/ assistance

404-612-0405

atlhca.com

HOPE

Foreclosure assistance

888-995-4673

995hope.org

Atlanta Legal Aid

Legal Assistance

404-524-5811

atlantalegalaid.org

Anonymous Police Tip Hotline

Roswell – Crime/Drugs

770-641-3959

roswellgov.com

City of Alpharetta

Alpharetta – Crime/Drugs

678-297-6307

alpharetta.ga.us

City of Johns Creek

Johns Creek – Crime/Drugs

678-474-1610

johnscreekga.gov/services/ police.aspx

City of Milton

Milton Police Department General

678-242-2570

cityofmiltonga.us

Rape Hotline

24 Hour Hotline

770-887-1121

fultoncountyga.gov/contact-ussolicitor

Grady Rape Crisis Center

Crisis line

404-616-4861

gnesa.org/content/grady-rapecrisis-center

Fulton County Records

Birth/Death Records

404-613-1260

fultoncountyga.gov/dhw-vitalrecords

Social Security

Social Security, Disability, SSI

800-772-1213

ssa.gov

Tags/Titles

Fulton County Office

404-730-6100

motor.etax.dor.ga.gov

Veterans Administration

VA Health, Housing, Benefits

800-827-1000

va.gov

Fulton County Housing & Human Services

Info on County programs

404-613-7944

fultoncountyga.gov/divisionsand-programs

MARTA

bus, rail schedules, fares

404-848-4711

itsmarta.com

Georgia Crisis & Access Line

24 hour -mental health, addiction & crisis service

800-715-4225

bhlweb.com/tabform/ fultoncountyga.gov

Government

Health

North Fulton Regional Health Center

Public Health (in Alpharetta)

404-332-1958

North Fulton Service Center

Common Ground (co-located svcs)

404-612-3917 or 404-6126372

North Fulton Health Center Grady

Primary Care clinic in NF (Sandy Springs)

404-616-1550

gradyhealthsystem.org/

Northside Behavioral Health

Mental Health

404-851-8960

northside.com/medical_ services

Children’s at NorthPoint (Mansell Rd)

pediatric primary care

770-643-1792

choa.org/About-Childrens/ Locations-and-Directions

Good Samaritan Atlanta

primary care clinic downtown

404-523-6571

goodsamatlanta.org/

Georgia Highlands

primary care clinic serving North GA

678-887-1668

georgia highlandsmedical.org

North Fulton Hospital

Hospital - Roswell

770-751-2500

nfultonhospital.com

Grady Memorial Hospital

Hospital

404-616-1000

gradyhealth.org/

Scottish Rite (Childrens Hospital)

Pediatric Hospital

404-785-5252

choa.org/

Emory Johns Creek

Hospital - Johns Creek

678-474-7000

emoryjohnscreek.com/

Northside Hospital

Hospital - Sandy Springs or Forsyth

404-851-8000

northside.com/

St. Joseph Hospital of Atlanta

Hospital - Sandy Springs

404-581-7001

stjosephsatlanta.org

Gwinnett Medical Center Duluth

Hospital

678-312-6800

gwinnettmedical center.org Community Answer Book 2018 | 69

SERVICE DIRECTORY

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BerkeleyWoodworking.com • 770-318-0232

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70 | Community Answer Book 2018

678.648.2001

Call Us For A FREE Quote

AROUND TOWN

Community hospital, specialized care At WellStar North Fulton Hospital it is our vision to deliver world-class healthcare with the hospital’s team members, physicians, patients and community. Today, the 202-bed facility, located in Roswell, is recognized for its Accredited Cancer Program, Chest Pain Center and Primary Stroke Center designations, and is one of only three state-designated Level II Trauma Centers in metro Atlanta.

Continued Commitment to Quality It’s WellStar North Fulton Hospital’s mission to provide quality, compassionate care to improve the health of those in the North Fulton community. For this reason, we have invested in technology and services, including two 128-slice CT scanners, laboratory and surgical equipment to ensure our patients receive the best care possible. Additionally, we renovated and expanded the Pain & Spine Center to provide patients infusion therapy, more waiting areas, and additional exam and procedure rooms. This spring a new outpatient rehabilitation center opened in our hospital campus.

Medical Emergency Resources If you have a medical emergency, WellStar North

WellStar North Fulton Hospital 3000 Hospital Boulevard Roswell, Georgia 30076 Main Line 770-751-2500 Physician Referral Line 770-956-STAR (7827) www.wellstar.org Fulton’s state-designed Level II Trauma Center is ready for you. The center is staffed by board-certified emergency medicine physicians and nurses with a variety of emergency certifications. The 15,000-square-foot emergency department incorporates 28 patient rooms, including separate cardiac, trauma and orthopedic areas equipped with modern technology to handle situations ranging from minor emergencies to life-threatening traumas.

Community Involvement We offer a variety of classes and screenings throughout the year. Call 770-956-STAR (7827) to register for these classes or to obtain more information.

SPONSORED CONTENT • Community Answer Book 2018 | 71

72 | Community Answer Book 2018