Milton Herald - September 29, 2022

Sharing History

► City Council passes fiscal year 2023 budget

County brass draws curtain on tax debate

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com

ATLANTA — It appears that if Fulton County and its 15 municipalities are to reach a deal over how to divvy up billions of dollars in future sales tax revenue, the bargain will be struck behind closed doors.

At a scheduled negotiation session Friday in Atlanta – which had been billed as a public discussion – represen tatives from Fulton County sequestered themselves from the public and about a dozen mayors, and left word they would not bargain in an open meeting.

From the outset of talks over the new 10-year agree ment, Fulton County has insisted it wants a greater share of local option sales tax money than the 4.97 percent it has been receiving over the past 10 years.

While the mayors waited in the main meeting room at the Georgia Municipal Association building Friday, the county did relate through mediator Barry Fleming that it would offer to accept an 8 percent share from the start, graduating to 20 percent over the next 10 years. It also offered a flat 15 percent cut of the proceeds.

The proceedings were scheduled to continue through Friday afternoon as of press time, but organizers from the cities said they didn’t expect Fulton County to change its mind and appear in the open forum.

Earlier in the week, eight Fulton County mayors met with residents Sept. 21 for a public information session at Roswell City Hall.

Every 10 years, the county and its cities renegotiate

Jeff Dufresne, co-founder of the Milton Historical Society, remarks about Milton’s agrarian history at the orga nization’s second annual Shindig Sept. 17. The event was on Wildberry Creek Farm, one of the few remaining cattle operations in Milton. Read story, Page 3

AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA

Milton Historical Society shares agrarian history at Shindig

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

MILTON, Ga. — The Milton Historical Society shared its love for history at its second annual Shindig Sept. 17 on Wildberry Creek Farm, one of the few remaining cattle operations in Milton.

Society co-founder Jeff Dufresne defined “shindig” through a brief sum mation of Milton’s agrarian history.

“Milton was a farming community, not an affluent community at all — hard-working,” Dufresne said.

Since the 1850s, farmers would gather after a good harvest of crops like cotton, peanuts and corn. The gathering would be a lively celebration, a “shindig,” with music and good cheer and storytell ing, he said.

Occasional guttural lowing interrupt ed the conversations of around 125 visi tors who attended the Shindig, adding a special kind of ambience. Beer from Six Bridges Brewing and Dreamland barbe cue was provided.

In addition to the bovine choir, blue grass band The Herd returned to the event by popular demand. The Herd is a human ensemble using standing bass, violin, mandolin, banjo and guitar.

Proceeds from the event fund Milton Historical Society activities. Founded in 2018, the organization dedicates itself to researching and preserving Milton history. There are close to 100 members, and some use the society’s Crabapple Road office for in-depth research.

Outside of events, the Historical Soci ety presents monthly lectures at Crabap ple market, writes quarterly newsletters and relays information on social media.

A lot of places in Milton are still in peril, Dufresne said, and part of the His torical Society’s mission is working with developers to help preserve those places.

“There’s got to be a middle ground,” he said. “Rather than develop it and put a subdivision in, incorporate [the histo ry] into the design, and give it identity.”

Dufresne said the Milton Historical Society tries to get people excited about local history and history, in general. It has plans to take lectures to schools, so that younger people become interested in history.

“If you don’t know your history, you’re not really grounded in your roots,” Dufresne said.

Exhibits on display included the set of documents that contain the original deed to Wildberry Creek Farm.

Byron Foster and wife Laura are fourth generation owners of the 48-acre farm. While the 1832 deed wasn’t in his family’s name, Byron’s family has lived in the Milton area since the 1800s. His grandparents and great-grandparents

are buried in the nearby Hopewell Bap tist Church cemetery.

Byron, who grew up in Sandy Springs, recalled making frequent trips to the farm, where he worked alongside sharecroppers and picked wild berries. At that time, Byron said he didn’t want to have anything to do with the farm and became an engineer.

But, his perspective changed over the years. Byron started taking care of the farm in 2000 when he moved into its hilltop house. The range currently

has 15 cows, which are raised for beef. For the past four years, the Fosters have leased the farm to two people, who fertil ize the farm, mend the fences and tend the cows.

“This is a labor of love,” Byron said. “As you get older, you get attached to the land you had a lot to do with as a child.”

Shindiggers had the opportunity to view several classic cars, including David Garmon’s 1929 Model A pickup truck. Garmon has driven his collection of Model A’s all over the country.

“I always liked old cars,” Garmon said.

When Garmon was a kid, there were Model A’s at a bank’s grand opening. Owners were letting kids ride in them. But, when he went over there, they wouldn’t let him ride.

“So, I never rode in one until I bought one,” he said. “I can ride in ’em now. I have five of ’em.”

Local authors had their own tent. Rona Simmons, an award-winning au thor of historical fiction and nonfiction, had books for sale. Most concern war time.

Simmons said her stories are a tribute, much of them rooted in her own family’s history. For her latest novel, “A Gathering of Men,” Simmons wrote about her father-in-law, who served as a fighter pilot in World War II. The book is about those who didn’t complete their missions in the war, which Simmons said, is a story that hadn’t really been told.

“You don’t hear about these guys who didn’t finish,” Simmons said. “What happened to make them not able to?”

On a more expansive note, the ben efit included hayrides, where visitors received a partial tour of the farm’s roll ing hills. The driver encouraged riders to toss sweet feed onto the trailer floor, persuading some cows to steadily walk behind the tractor. Fifteen are on the range.

“It’s like a treadmill for cows,” one rider said.

PHOTOS BY: AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA

Bluegrass band The Herd prepare for another set at the Milton Historical Society’s annual Shindig at Wildberry Creek Farm.

Byron Foster, owner of Wildberry Creek Farm, hugs sister Shirley Morgan while discussing the farm’s history. Byron found the original deed to the farm, dated 1832, which was on display in the nearby barn.

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Alpharetta upgrades arena for equestrian competitions

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — When you think about the main economic drivers of a downtown city area, your list may not include a massive 50-year-old equestrian center in a sprawling 120-acre park.

But Alpharetta officials say a $10 mil lion project partnership between the city and the non-profit Wills Park Equestrian Foundation will have immense impacts on the growing downtown community.

Local representatives and project stakeholders unveiled the first phase of renovations Sept. 16 at the Wills Park Equestrian Center, cutting a ribbon on the new state-of-the-art competition arena.

“What I want to say on behalf of the city is this is a big deal,” Alpharetta City Councilman John Hipes said. “This is a big deal that we as a city are really proud of.”

The city has committed $5 million for upgrades, like the new competition ring, drainage and footing in all compe tition rings and the covered arena, new barns, shaded spectator seating and an office/spectator building. Funding comes through Alpharetta’s 2021 parks bond.

The Wills Park Equestrian Founda tion has committed $5 million of its own money as a match for the upgrades.

The equestrian center’s new compe tition arena was built on the western edge of the park on land where a park

maintenance shop stood for decades. The center provides an eye-catching fo cal point as visitors enter the park from Wills Road.

“We took the opportunity number one to get rid of the ugliest thing in the park, which was our maintenance shop right here on our front door,” Alpharetta Parks Director Morgan Rodgers said. “So, we moved it to the back where it needs to be, and we were able to put in a state-of-theart arena.”

Rodgers said more improvements are on the horizon now that the city has kicked off the upgrade process.

Nearly every part of the equestrian center will be upgraded, starting with the arenas at the front of the complex, like the competition arena, then working back toward the covered arena and horse barns.

Designs for the park upgrades are in the works, Rodgers said, and certain parts of the project could be completed as soon as summer 2023. Other improve ments are still years down the road.

Cheryl Sims, president of the Wills Park Equestrian Foundation, began working on the renovation project nine years ago, when the facility had fallen into disrepair and rumors were circu lating that the space might be repur posed.

“It’s been a long time coming,” she said. “But the foundation was formed

Samantha B. Benson, MD Kaavya Chivukula, MD Cheryl A. McGowan, MD Hannah Cummings, FNP-C

Michelle Hall, DNP, FNP-C Samantha Lewis, FNP-C

Menees,

ALEXANDER POPP/APPEN MEDIA

An equestrian and her mount skillfully jump a fence during an event at the Wills Park Equestrian Center in Alpharetta Friday, Sept. 16. The performance was part of the celebration unveiling the park’s new competition arena.

Mental health takes center stage in north Metro Atlanta

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

ATLANTA — September is nationally recognized as Suicide Prevention and Recovery Awareness Month. And, some cities in north metro Atlanta are reminding themselves of that.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness says September is a time to raise aware ness about suicide, a “stigmatized, often taboo, topic.” Suicide was the 12th leading cause of death in 2020, claiming the lives of almost 46,000 people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Preven tion reporting database WISQARS.

Milton and Johns Creek city coun cils have made proclamations at recent meetings to raise awareness about mental health challenges. But, the cities’ initia tives to break down stigmas extend beyond September.

At the Sept. 7 Milton City Council meeting, Mayor Peyton Jamison declared September as Mental Wellness Month in the city. Since 2019, the City of Milton and the Alpharetta-based LRJ Foundation have partnered to provide educational program ming about mental health throughout the community.

Teressa Ruspi Stann, LRJ Foundation co-founder and executive director, began

the nonprofit after losing her brother to suicide in 2012.

While the foundation focuses on men tal health in schools, Stann said that Mil

ton’s efforts extend beyond the classroom.

“They like to wrap in the support of workplace wellness,” she said. “And I think that’s very important to connect to the

community on all different levels.”

Mental wellness webinar

Stann introduced the Sept. 21 mental wellness webinar for Milton residents, which focused on Milton first respond ers. Last year’s webinar focused on older residents.

Mayor Jamison made opening re marks.

“The reality is that many people from all different places, all different back grounds and in all different situations struggle daily,” Jamison said. “We in Mil ton are committed to doing what we can to raise public awareness, combat stigmas and to let people know that help is out there, and they’re not alone.”

The webinar featured other speak ers, including Milton firefighter Jamie Leavell,who spoke about the benefits of having a therapy guide dog at the sta tion. Katey, who has been registered as an emotional support animal, sat next to her fishing for treats.

“With the fire service, specifically in public safety in general, the stigma is where we run into the big issue,” Leavell said. “And with the dog, it doesn’t seem like you’re getting therapy. It’s just

SCREENSHOT

Milton Firefighter Jamie Leavell discusses her therapy guide dog, Katey, who sits beside her. Leavell was one of several speakers at the Sept. 21 mental wellness webinar hosted by Milton and the LRJ Foundation.

Horse

in 2019, and after that we really got some legs on this and made it hap pen.”

Donations from members and the community, golf tournaments, horse shows and corporate sponsorships have driven fundraising efforts by the founda tion, and Sims said they’re nearly ready to fund the next project.

“We got a little bit behind the eight ball because when the citizens of Alpharetta passed that bond, we thought we were going to be work ing project by project,” she said. “But we’re working hard on it and we’re doing really well.”

Rodgers, who has been parks director for five years, said it’s nearly unheard of to have a city and private organization working together and matching funds for such a large project, especially for something as unique as an equestrian center.

“It required a great deal of under standing and trust on both of those organizations,” he said.

In the end, Rodgers said the com pleted project will have a huge eco nomic and quality-of-life impact on the entire community, even for people that aren’t’ interested in riding or horses.

“When we finish the renovation, we will be a Class A show arena … that means people from all over the country are coming out for it,” he said. “That means they’re staying in our hotels. That means they’re eating in our restaurants. They’re pumping gas in our gas stations, and they are buying stuff.”

PHOTOS BY ALEXANDER POPP/APPEN MEDIA

Residents look on as equestrians and mounts skillfully jump fences at a ribbon cutting event for the Wills Park Equestrian Center held on Friday, Sept. 16.

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City council adopts 2023 budget, reroutes funds

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

MILTON, Ga. — The Milton City Council adopted the fiscal year 2023 Budget at the Sept. 19 City Council meeting, which included new modifications to funding.

Milton City Manager Steve Krokoff presented changes to specific personnel items, following concerns raised by some council members regarding the new initiatives.

“The budget process is a critical time for us,” Krokoff said. “It’s when we weigh competing priorities to determine which to accomplish now and which to defer until later.”

Krokoff suggested deferring consider ation of several new positions, including the police records clerk, part-time public safety ambassadors and staff for Mil ton City Park and Preserve. Combined funding for the deferred positions totals $294,363, which will be rerouted to the Fire Station 45 construction project.

If the City Council approved the recommendations brought forth, Milton Assistant City Manager Bernadette Har vill said there would be a reduction in Maintenance and Operating initiatives, which would consist of funds that go into Interfund Transfers Out.

The overall spending and fund bal ance would remain the same, Harvill said.

Budget expenditures for 2023 stand at around $30.6 million. Revenues total

around $37.9 million.

Fire Station 45 is in the budget’s capital improvement plan and has a to tal projected cost of nearly $4.4 million. Milton city staff expressed a need for the new fire station, citing over 400 new residents in the slated location and the new City Hall down the street.

The station will sit around Ga. 372 and New Providence Road, outside of Insurance Services Office-required road miles to Fire Station 41 and 43.

The budget book states that future residents in the area will see improved response times and ISO ratings which can affect insurance costs.

The full-time police records clerk was originally proposed to reduce the burden associated with fingerprinting and open records requests.

But, Krokoff noted alternative ways to mitigate demand for fingerprinting. He proposed changing some of Milton’s regulations that require fingerprinting and referring those who seek fingerprint ing services unrelated to city business to private providers.

He also said the city is researching open records redaction services with private providers for assistance during times of high demand.

Questions on park safety

The part-time safety ambassadors were intended to patrol the city’s parks

AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA

City Attorney Ken Jarrard speaks to Milton City Council at an Oct. 3 meeting.

Sweet tooth Chocolate drives chef’s journey

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

ATLANTA — Chef Ale Peek started her journey as a chocolatier five years ago, brandishing her assorted boxes of chocolate with “Art & Taste.” In the beginning, creating artisan chocolate was a way to represent the Acworthbased chef.

Peek’s boxes of assorted, brilliantly colored artisan chocolate contain unexpected flavor profiles, like chia lime, mango chamoy and Cafe Canela, a Mexican spiced coffee. Assortments are vegan and gluten-free, made with natural ingredients and without preser vatives. Peek said health is her number one focus.

“I love chocolate, and chocolate loves me,” she said.

Her father, who recently passed, also loved chocolate.

“My father was a very important piece in my life,” Peek said with tears in her eyes. “He was a chocoholic. We were chocoholics together.”

They shared many good moments, she said. Her father was the first one to tell her that cacao is from Mexico.

“Yeah, he loved chocolate,” Peek said, laughing.

Peek, who’s from Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico, has an extensive background in the culinary arts, earning culinary degrees from Colegio Superior de Gas

tronomía in Mexico City and Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. In Paris, she honed her pastry skills, which is another of her specialties.

Peek found her love for cooking at an early age.

Her maternal great-grandparents owned a hotel where her great-grand mother cooked for guests. Peek said her great-grandmother had a natural talent, and she would eventually learn from her through her mother’s reci pes.

She also recalled spending holiday vacations on her grandfather’s ranch near Capula, a town known for its beau tiful, iconic clay Day of the Dead catri nas. While on the ranch, Peek formed a relationship with food, learning every thing about cows, the milk, the cheese, the cream, and produce like zucchinis, corn and Mexican cherries, which are called capulínes.

“When I was a little girl, I was always curious, always helping, always making a mess in the kitchen,” Peek said. “I was always trying to learn.”

She grew up and decided on a culinary career, despite her family’s wishes.

When she moved to the states, Peek worked as a pastry chef for Chef JOEL’s and as an instructor at Le Cordon

See CHEF, Page 11

LEADERSHIP NORTH FULTON ANNOUNCES CLASS of 2023

Ashley Allen Roswell Inc

Lori Allen Wellstar Health System

John Asbell Georgia Power Company

Lenor Bromberg City of Roswell

Sarah Buckley Amana Academy

Mary Beth Byerly University of North Georgia

Fabiola Clermont Chattahoochee Nature Center

Kevin Drucker Home2 Suites by Hilton Roswell

Bob Erramilli City Council MemberJohns Creek

Christopher Gardner The Hilbert Law Firm, LLC

John Gilmore Truist Bank

Bill Godshall Frazier & Deeter, LLC

Maggie Goldman Buy & Sell Differently

Charles Hagins Atlanta Gas Light

Ben Huard GO Agency

Anita Jupin City of Milton Nakia Mattis Fresenius Medical Care

Tangela McFarlane The Cottage School

Lance Morsell City of Alpharetta

Davis Myers Choate Construction Company

Rachel Newcomer Summit Counseling Center

Sophia Niemeyer Greater North Fulton Chamber

Alison Nooks Mercer University

Ashton Pellicano Mauldin & Jenkins, LLC

Melissa Pinsky North Fulton Community Charities Sophia Pittman Gwinnett Technical College

Terry Vilayhong Truist Bank

Jacob Wasson Parrish Construction Group

www.gnfcc.com

The Greater North Fulton Chamber is pleased to announce the members of the Leadership North Fulton Class of 2023 led by Chairs Lalitha Alladi, JMG Law Firm, and Jeff Wolfe, Mercer University. Learn more about the Chamber’s leadership programs at www.gnfcc.com and join us in congratulating the following leaders!

Kyle Paske Briskin, Cross & Sanford, LLC

I love chocolate, and chocolate loves me.

ALEX PEEK, Chef and chocoholic

CHEF ALE PEEK/PROVIDED Chef Ale Peek hugs her two children at a 2020 Fernbank Museum foodology exposition. Peek was invited to talk about chocolate, its history and the process of making it. At the event, she showed visitors how to make truffles.

Chef:

Bleu in Atlanta.

After settling down, getting mar ried and having two children, she felt the urge to start creating again and chose chocolate, a touchstone to her father.

Over time, becoming a U.S. citizen and developing more relationships, Peek said her work evolved from a means of self-representation to incorporate the American market.

The business grew for Peek. In addi tion to her chocolatier work, she started catering for different companies. The food is wide-ranging, including Latin dishes like chiles en nogada (poblano peppers stuffed with ground beef and pecan-Jerez sauce) to Italian bruschetta. She also sells weekly meals, primarily for working mothers who don’t have time to cook, and hosts seasonal classes for kids, ages 5 to 12.

This past month, Peek introduced a new product, a vanilla paste sourced from a summer trip to Mexico.

“Vanilla is supposed to be from our land,” she said, amid remarks about Mexico’s history involving the Span ish.

While her artisan chocolates remain at the center, Peek said that teaching is

CHEF ALE PEEK/PROVIDED

Chef Ale Peek is held by her cousin on the right. Her father stands in the middle with a chef’s hat and apron. Peek said she always had food and family around her.

the most important feature in her array of offerings.

“Teaching is the best way to grow,”

she said. “My mom told me one day, ‘If you want to leave something in someone, try to teach.’”

The pandemic interrupted plans to open a business front. For now, Peek uses a commercial kitchen at her church, St. Clare in Acworth. But, Peek said that she’s been considering at least another office.

She’s currently working on a book of Mexican recipes. Her audience is twofold.

The book would be for people like her American friends, who have asked her to make dishes such as Adobo. But, it’s also for people from Mexico who cur rently live in the U.S. and want a taste of home.

An online store is in the works.

Dunwoody recently hosted a His panic Heritage Month celebration at the Dunwoody Cultural Arts Center, where Peek sold her Art & Taste choco lates alongside her homemade vanilla paste.

Peek said that at Latin festivals, like the one in Dunwoody, she’s noticed something from conversations with those who attend.

“I can see how people from other countries who have arrived here to stay in the United States — they are very, very thirsty,” she said. “They are thirsty for their roots.”

For more information, visit alechef. org. For consultation with Chef Ale, email chefaletoile@gmail.com or call (678) 906-0074.

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Alpharetta releases details of probe into retired judge

Report alleges multiple cases of impropriety by former city judge

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — The City of Al pharetta has released a report on the ethics investigation of retired city judge Barry Zimmerman, who stepped down from the bench earlier this year amid accusations of “improper involvement” in several local cases.

A four-page redacted report from Gwinnett County Superior Court Judge Randolph G. Rich, who was assigned to investigate allegations made by the state Judicial Qualifications Commis sion to the Georgia Supreme Court, was released Monday, Sept. 19.

Rich’s investigation probed whether Zimmerman had been “improperly in volved” in several cases he presided over in the city court, whether any other par ties were involved in alleged wrongdoing, and whether there was any criminal con duct. Rich’s report appears to conclude that allegations made by the Judicial Qualifications Commission are valid.

The investigation report cites six cas es from the Alpharetta Municipal Court in which Zimmerman is alleged to have represented criminal defendants, using another attorney’s name and signature as a “straw man” defense attorney to file pleas with another Alpharetta judge.

The alleged scheme reportedly in volved attorney, Keith F. Brandon, who shared an office space with and was a tenant of Zimmerman’s, and former city prosecutor Fran Shoenthal McQueen.

“Instead of removing the case from the Municipal Court of Alpharetta to the State Court of Fulton County, Judge Zim merman would negotiate the case with Solicitor Fran McQueen,” the report said.

Court cases filed with Brandon’s name, allegedly by Zimmerman, were made via a “Plea in Abstentia” which does not require a criminal defendant or his lawyer to appear in court.

Records show Zimmerman represent ed McQueen in the Court of Appeals of Georgia in a 2015 case involving distri bution of her late husband’s pension. At the time, McQueen was serving as city solicitor for Alpharetta and Milton.

Zimmerman presided over thousands of cases McQueen was prosecuting in the municipal court.

In the report, Rich said Zimmer

man is suspected of using the Keith F. Brandon name as early as 2008 to represent Municipal Court of Alpharetta defendants

The report notes that Zimmerman’s name is not listed in any court records for the six suspected cases, but a pre liminary handwriting analysis of a note reportedly signed by Zimmerman, may match many signatures for “Keith F. Brandon” found on the court documents.

Rich said he attempted to reach two of the defendants allegedly represented by Zimmerman during this time, but only received a text message from one saying that, “he hired Judge Zimmer man as his defense attorney in a City of Alpharetta case” but did not know he was a judge.

The investigation also determined that it is unlikely the city will be able to recover data deleted from an iPad tablet assigned to Zimmerman while he was employed by the city.

Rich said that as owner of the device, the city could file a complaint against Apple Inc. to restore the data, but it would likely be contested because Zim merman reportedly kept personal and confidential information from his private law practice on the device.

“I investigated whether the informa tion previously contained on the iPad could be retrieved and determined this would likely be expensive and a protract ed legal battle to pursue,” Rich said.

Rich’s investigation may have a section concerning potential criminal activity, but the entire section has been redacted from the report.

City officials have not answered Ap pen Media’s requests for comments on the criminal activity section of the report and other sections of the report, as of press time.

Rich’s report ends with the assertion that it would be possible for the city to fully investigate how widespread Zim merman’s alleged indiscretions go, sug gesting that the city could search court records for “Plea in Abstentia” filings, specifically those by Brandon.

At their meeting on Monday night, council members were provided with an unredacted copy of Rich’s report by City Administrator Chris Lagerbloom.

Lagerbloom said city officials will need to decide how to advance the inves tigation at a future meeting and whether the results need to be transmitted to the Georgia Bureau of Investigations for their independent analysis.

No vote or discussion was held on the matter at the meeting.

Tax:

from Page 1

Sandy Springs Mayor Rusty Paul there are now three proposals on the table, all representing a greater share of the LOST pie.

“We’ve got a lot to lose,” Paul said. “Even if there’s a significant change in the current distribution, that will come out of the city’s pockets, out of your pockets, and it will affect fire, police, ambulance, parks, all the other things that you enjoy in that process.”

About 100 people attended the meeting as city officials shared their disappoint ment with how Fulton County has handled LOST negotiations thus far.

“This is an unprecedented challenge that we’re facing,” Alpharetta Mayor Jim Gilvin said. “I’ve never seen anything like this in my life. And so, it’s really great to see so many people here.”

Each of Fulton County’s seven com missioners had been invited to participate in the meeting, but only outgoing District 1 Commissioner Liz Hausmann attended.

Bargaining positions have changed

After introductions were made, the meeting quickly jumped into questions from the audience.

One Johns Creek resident asked why there wasn’t an option for no increase in either the county or city’s sides. He was told that the county’s original position made that option impossible.

“You’re right. That’s not an option,” said East Point Mayor Deana Holiday Ingraham. “When you have a party on the other side that starts at a 600 percent increase, you realize that the agreement, if there’s going to be one, has to be some where in between.”

Holiday Ingraham, who serves on the negotiating team representing the 15 cit ies, said that Fulton County Commission Chairman Robb Pitts and commissioners Bob Ellis and Marvin Arrington have made it clear they will not approve a split that does not improve the county’s portion.

“Chairman Pitts told us in our negoti ating session, that Fulton County gets so little money out of it, they might as well just let it go away,” Paul added. “So, we know we’re gonna have to give something. But what we’re trying to do is make sure in the process of giving something, we don’t damage our ability to deliver the basic services that you require.”

Another Johns Creek resident asked Hausmann directly, “whether the county has suffered” under the 5 percent share it currently receives.

Hausmann said that no, the county hasn’t suffered, but that currently the county is faced with several large projects, at the Fulton County Jail and to make up for the Atlanta area hospitals that have closed in 2022, that will require more funding.

“I don’t know if any of y’all have seen the conditions in the Fulton County Jail, its horrendous,” Hausmann said. “So that is going to be very expensive, about $500 million.”

But the panel of mayors shot down Hausmann’s points.

“The jails and prisoners are not an allowable expenditure for the LOST pro ceeds.” Johns Creek Mayor John Bradber ry said. “The population that they serve for the public safety as far as police and fire … it has been reduced. But somehow, in just a few years, the administration costs went from $2 million to $32 million.”

Hausman’s comments on the hospital closings were also countered by Holiday Ingraham, who said that county commis sioners had a chance to help support one of the closing hospitals, WellStar Atlanta Medical Center in East Point, before the pandemic.

“I think that is an absolutely disin genuous argument to be made by the county at this point,” she said. “This newfound election year desire to stroke checks for healthcare is an absolute insult.”

Another resident asked Hausmann what expenses, beyond the jail and hospi tal, the county needed to account for their request.

“I mean, the reality is it’s such a small amount of money, that I can’t even answer

that question, because it’s only about 2 percent of our budget,” she said. “So, it’s almost miniscule.”

Hausmann reiterates points

Others from the audience pressed Hausmann to answer in more detail, but she deflected the question saying that the proposed 35 percent increase isn’t on the table anymore, pointing at the jail and hospital as the main expenses Fulton County is expecting for the increase in their share.

“Really the two major expenses are the jail,” she said. “That is a public safety item, so that is not considered illegal, and then the medical health needs that we have are the two main things.”

At the conclusion of the meeting, a Roswell resident asked the panel, “What can we do that will actually make a differ ence?”

Paul answered that by consistently reaching out to the Fulton County Com missioners by phone and email, residents could ensure that their voices are heard.

“If they’re not calling you back, send them emails,” he said. “I guaran tee you they’re reading their emails. So, get their email address and let them hear from you. We’re gonna be up here working on your behalf, but you’re gonna have to weigh in on this debate.”

ALEX POPP/APPEN MEDIA

Milton Mayor Peyton Jamison and Alpharetta Mayor Jim Gilvin, middle, wait for negotiations to begin at the Georgia Municipal Association on Friday, Sept. 9.

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OPINION

A hero lived among us, Part 2

In a previous column we saw that Charles Man sell’s story is one of bravery and sacrifice. As a member of the celebrated Merrill’s Marauders, against overwhelming odds he fought the Japa nese in the steaming jungles of Burma during World War II. The New York Times said at the time “no other American force anywhere has marched as far, fought as continuously or has had to display such endurance, as General Merrill’s swift-moving, hardhitting foot soldiers.” *

In part 2 of his story, we will see that Charles was a very successful farmer after he returned to civilian life.

Soon after returning to the United States in 1944 and shortly before leaving the Army, Charles married Montez Haley (1918–2005) a neighbor and childhood friend. Once out of the Army he returned to his life on the land. He attended a two-year agricultural program for veter ans at the University of Georgia. He pur chased a 100-acre farm on Union Hill Road in Alpharetta where he grew award winning corn and other produce and raised livestock. He also purchased 20 acres from his father’s farm on Cross ville Road in Roswell, initially growing vegetables and later devoting it to green house tomatoes and vegetable plants. Together with his son Dean and his sonin-law Rubin Smith he started Mansell’s Produce, a business on Highway 9 near Lebanon Church (now gone) specializing in produce and garden supplies. The store was in operation from circa 1969 to 1978 when Charles retired.

Charles and Montez raised one boy, Dean, and one girl, Connie, during their 52-year marriage. The shrapnel in his shoulder and chest caused problems for Charles as time wore on. The pieces of metal were finally removed with several surgeries in the 1970s. As he got older, he relied on a cane, the result of wartime bullet wounds to a leg and lingering ef fects of the damage done to his shoulder and chest.

Charles was an outstanding farmer and won numerous awards. He was the first farmer in Roswell and Alpharetta to use irrigation from lakes on each of his farms. Through crossbreeding he developed a variety of tomato called the Mansell Tomato, a red, medium-size to mato with few seeds. Some members of the Mansell family still grow the variety with seeds carefully preserved over the years. Charles had a good partnership

with his wife Montez. They worked to gether in the fields because farming was for them a way of life not just a way to make a living.

Local newspapers frequently wrote about him. A long article in the Atlanta Constitution in September 1944 titled “‘Marauder’ On Way Home To Roswell” highlighted his return to civilian life. A feature in the Atlanta Constitution Sunday Magazine Section in July 1966 claimed that Charles’ 20-acre farm in Roswell “produces more good eating than most 200-acre farms.” A Febru ary 1959 article in the same newspaper reported that Charles won the Fulton County Corn Club contest with a yield of 153 bushels per acre while the average was 111 bushels. The famous colum nist Celestine Sibley was a friend and wrote several columns about Charles in the 1970s. One of the nicest tributes appeared in a July 1947 article stating “Charles Mansell never gets tired behind that mule. He just thinks about those 1,000 miles he walked across Burma, and that makes plowing easy.”

Charles Nephew Don Nix worked on Charles’ vegetable farm when Don was a student at Roswell High School. He recalls that from 1963 to 1970 Charles grew vegetables for all A&P stores in North Atlanta. Charles hired several nephews as well as other Roswell and

Alpharetta teens. “He wanted to have influence on their outlook on life. His family was very religious, and he wanted to encourage that,” says Don.

Charles spoke very little about the war, Don recalls. “Occasionally he would say something. He would get teary eyed and would have to regain his compo sure.”

In 1962 Warner Brothers made a movie “Merrill’s Marauders” starring Jeff

Chandler as Brig. Gen.Frank Merrill. The film is available on Amazon where it has received positive ratings.

The Marauders are generally con sidered the precursors to the elite U.S. Army Rangers.

Heroes inspire us with their cour age and accomplishments. They give us hope for the future. We owe them a debt that can seldom be repaid. Thank you, Charles.

BOB MEYERS

Charles Mansell and his family are shown on their farm on Union Hill Road in 1956. From left, front row, are children Connie and Dean; back row, Montez and Charles.

PHOTOS BY MANSELL FAMILY/PROVIDED Soon after his return from the war, Charles and his new bride Montez Haley had this portrait taken soon after their marriage.

Health:

something that makes you feel a little bit better.”

She said Katey bridges a gap and breaks the ice for people who want to reach out for help but who don’t feel like they can.

Police Chief Rich Austin spoke about the free mental health support officers receive as well as the training that helps them handle on-the-job situations that involve people in mental distress. He also mentioned the Police Department’s goal of implementing a co-responder team that would allow a licensed mental health pro fessional to assist with crisis calls.

Advocate and educator Chantal Webb, whose organization, In It Together, works with children with special needs and mental illness, talked about ways parents can help their children during times of stress.

Around 4.4 million children between the ages of 13 to 17 are diagnosed with anxiety, Webb said. That number reflects those who have been diagnosed, so the number is probably much higher, she said.

“One of the important things we want to do is teach them coping mechanisms,” she said. “So, the message isn’t that we’re not going to have stress in our lives, be cause we do, but how do we cope with it?”

Counselor and author Veronica White Fernandes, who’s been with the LRJ Foundation for nine years, was the last to speak. Fernandes described ways to keep a balance among areas of personal wellness: emotional, occupational, intel lectual, environmental, spiritual, physical and social.

Throughout her presentation, she answered the question, “How do we cope?” by describing ways to manage emotions, improve communication skills, maintain relationships and boundaries. She also focused on mindfulness.

“Sometimes mindfulness can sound like a contradiction because it feels like we’re in our mind, when actually we’re doing our best to be more still than in our thoughts,” Fernandes said.

‘No Shame’ campaign

In Johns Creek, City Councilman Chris Coughlin led a No Shame proclamation to promote Mental Health and Suicide Aware ness and Recovery Month at the Sept. 12 council meeting. Councilwoman Stacy Skinner followed up with a reading of the No Shame pledge.

Mayor John Bradberry offered addi tional context by speaking about Patriot Day Commemoration, a 9/11 event the city hosted, and he highlighted how the event’s speaker focused on how 9/11 heightened mental health challenges.

Citing statistics among first responders and military, Bradberry said law enforce ment officers and firefighters are more

likely to die by suicide than in the line of duty. He also said that military suicide rates are four times higher than deaths that occurred during military operations since 9/11.

“I mean, think about those very sober ing statistics,” Bradberry said.

Johns Creek partnered with One Johns Creek Coalition to participate in the SAFE Project’s No Shame campaign, which encourages individuals to take a pledge to provide a shame-free environment by learning more about mental health chal lenges, stigma and the disease of addiction.

This is the first year Johns Creek is participating in the campaign.

Pursuing strategies

One Johns Creek Coalition, which sits under the 501(c)(3) Pathways2Life, only just established itself in December 2020, after receiving a grant from the city. The coalition then acquired an MOU agreement with the city in December 2021.

The coalition pulls together represen tatives from all sectors of Johns Creek to accomplish seven strategies of community change, including things like modifying policies and laws and reducing barriers, said Kendal McMichael, youth coordinator for the coalition and prevention specialist at Pathways2Life.

Organizations can become a coalition partner and sign up for a 30-minute pre sentation from the coalition on shame and stigma. The nonprofit also offers a presen tation on trauma.

“Trauma impacts the ability to relate, and it impacts shame and stigma,” said Alyse Hensel, the coalition’s program

director. Hensel also does marketing and operations for Pathways2Life.

Most of the coalition’s initiatives are school-driven because they’re studentfocused, she said.

McMichael went to Centennial High School in Johns Creek and shared her per sonal struggles as a teenager.

“I couldn’t even put terms to what I was dealing with because there was no av enue for me to talk to anybody about what I was dealing with,” she said.

McMichael said she wants to create a community where it’s normal to talk about mental health.

The No Shame pledge is set for the month of September. But, Hensel and Mc

Michael are working on another wave from October to December.

They also suggest that people continue posting throughout the year, several times a month, to embrace “no shame” as part of organizations’ internal conversations.

One Johns Creek Coalition is also developing a student-led program in senior care facilities, where drug deactivation bags will be distributed. The bags allow people to dispose of dangerous leftover drugs.

For National Prescription Drug Take Back Day Oct. 29, the coalition will have an information booth from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Kroger on State Bridge Road. Drug deactivation bags for liquids will be provided.

PHOTOS BY AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA

Milton Mayor Peyton Jamison stands with Teressa Ruspi Stann, LRJ Foundation co-founder and executive director, at the Sept. 7 Milton City Council meeting. Jamison read a proclamation, once again declaring September as Mental Wellness Month in Milton. The city partnered with the LRJ Foundation a few years ago to provide educational programming about men tal health to residents.

Johns Creek City Councilwoman Stacy Skinner applauds after reading the No Shame pledge at the council’s meeting Sept. 12.

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and trails. The total for those positions, including bicycles and one vehicle, has a price tag of around $157,000.

Krokoff recommended keeping the positions but leaving them unfunded. He suggested that the city eventually hire a patrol officer to test the program and reevaluate mid-year.

City Councilman Rick Mohrig ques tioned whether the position is neces sary. To understand the full usage of the position, Mohrig asked if the city’s parks have a safety issue, if other cities have similar positions and if there are less costly options.

Milton Police Chief George Austin said there have been some issues with “entering autos” at parks.

“One of the concerns I have as your police chief is that parks are particularly vulnerable areas,” Austin said.

Roswell did have parks police at one point, Austin said. After conferring with Milton Parks and Recreation Director Tom McKlveen, Austin said that a park officer could also look out for safety haz ards along the trail.

Krokoff mentioned a recent inci dent at Roswell Area Park, in which a man was found critically injured. Head injuries led the victim to have difficulty recounting what happened, but inves tigators are treating it like an assault until proven otherwise.

“I’d like to at least get somebody out there to start getting a feel for what’s go ing on,” Krokoff said.

In other action at the Monday night meeting, the City Council approved an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) among Fulton County cities regard ing costs associated with educating the public on local option sales tax, or LOST, negotiations. The maximum liability for the city is around $8,000.

The City Council also deferred a con flict waiver presented by City Attorney

CITY OF MILTON NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS

Date & Time October 18, 2022 6:00 P.M.

Location: City of Milton 2006 Heritage Walk Council Chambers Milton, Georgia 30004-6119 678-242-2500

Consideration of Primary Variances

a. V22-20, 1135 Nix Road Request(s):

• To allow a proposed barn to encroach into the 100-foot building setback for housing animals by 40 feet. (Sec. 64-415 (4)(a))

b. V22-21, 16175 Birmingham Highway Request(s):

• To allow the existing home to remain in the City of Milton’s 50-foot stream buffer and 75-foot impervious setback. (Sec. 20-426(1)(2)).

c. V22-22, 2330 Saddlesprings Drive Request(s):

• To allow an existing barn to encroach into the 100-foot building setback for housing animals by 33 feet. (Sec. 64-415 (4)(a))

• To allow a proposed greenhouse to encroach into the 50-foot rear setback by 30 feet. (Section 64-416 (d)).

d. V22-23, 160 Deerhaven Lane Request(s):

• To allow a proposed tennis court to encroach into the 75-foot impervious setback. (Sec. 20-426(2)).

Ken Jarrard.

The waiver would authorize Jarrard’s law firm to represent Forsyth County, Cherokee County and the City of Milton in an anticipated intergovernmental agreement related to a new development within Milton and Fulton County. The agreement would allow Forsyth County to provide water services to the develop ment.

There was discussion surrounding Forsyth County’s position but also Jar rard’s position as representing all parties involved. Jarrard also serves as the Forsyth County Attorney.

Budget: Solution

Council member Carol Cookerly asked Jarrard if he has a built-in peer review process to ensure best practices.

“I want to be very transparent and honest with you,” Jarrard said. “If/ when you approve these conflict waiv ers, the only people reviewing this from an attorney perspective is my office.”

Jarrard said he supposes that the best peer review would be the City Coun cil.

“I’m going to have to bring this IGA to you in an open session,” Jarrard said. “You’ll be able to read it. And assum ing that you don’t like it, or if you find a provision of it to be a problem, then I’ll get out of it.”

Cookerly said she’s not sure if she’s qualified to do that.

“We don’t know what we don’t know, counselor,” she said.

Councilman Rick Mohrig asked Jar rard why Fulton County couldn’t supply water services, if most of the develop ment is in Milton.

Jarrard said it could be that Fulton County doesn’t have the water infra structure. He also said that it makes the most sense that one party supplies water for the entire development.

“Looks like we’re going to have a debate in the future,” Mayor Peyton Jamison said.

The conflict waiver will be reintroduced at the Oct. 3 City Council meeting.

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DEATH NOTICES

Richard Higgins, 91, of Alpharetta, passed away September 12, 2022.

Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Joseph McPartland, 18, of Roswell, passed away September 12, 2022.

Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Kevin Chojnacki, 61, of Alpharetta, passed away September 13, 2022.

Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Betty Kennedy, 84, of Alpharetta, passed away September 14, 2022.

Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Thomas Upton of Alpharetta, passed away September 14, 2022. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Donna Williams, 70, of Alpharetta, passed away September 15, 2022. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Nicolas Quintana, 31, of Roswell, passed away September 15, 2022. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Raffaela Cavalli, 97, of Alpharetta, passed away September 19, 2022. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Christina Jones, 75, of Roswell, passed away September 19, 2022.

Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

David Shafer, 77, of Roswell, passed away September 19, 2022. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Margaret Bayersdorfer, 82, of Roswell, passed away September 19, 2022. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Elizabeth Dinsmore, 91, of Milton, passed away September 20, 2022. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Michael Brown, 71, of Roswell, passed away September 20, 2022. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

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