Sandy Springs Crier - May 30, 2024

City hones budget to prepare for 2025 fiscal year

Council agrees to place extra $800,000 in reserve

By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — The Sandy Springs City Council agreed at its third 2025 budget workshop May 21 on the allocation of an extra $800,000 to general fund reserves.

Given dwindling revenues from commercial property taxes, increasing construction costs and other inflation considerations, councilmembers opted not to commit the extra cash.

Councilman Tibby DeJulio, the selfdescribed “cheapest” member of the council, has raised concerning eco nomic challenges at city meetings for the past several months.

With uncertainty in the national maintenance and improvement grant program.

See BUDGET, Page 12

Woodland students prepare to take on pollution problems

By AMBER PERRY | amber@appenmedia.com

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Third graders at Woodland Elementary School got creative in semester-long projects that explore solutions to air, water and land pollution.

Their presentations spanned ocean- and land-cleaning robots, prototypes made of cardboard, to letters written to school administration about a recycling program on-site.

Ryder Leary, executive director of Keep North Fulton Beautiful, visited classrooms May 20 to get a look at the projects in their final form, shown in PowerPoints and demonstrations. He had previously given classes a high-level overview of pollution and visited the school to provide feedback while projects were in progress.

Leary said Keep North Fulton Beautiful has had a relationship with Woodland for a few years, dropping into talk about what the nonprofit does and general recycling information.

But, he opted to make this year more engaging, providing parameters to the students’ problem-based learning projects, integral to the school’s curriculum. Leary joined Keep North Fulton Beautiful last July.

Cameron Jasso and Reyes Castillo, third graders at Woodland Elementary School, showcase their semester-long project that attempts to solve land pollution May 20. Keep North Fulton Beautiful, a recycling center in Sandy Springs, partnered with Woodland to provide parameters on the student’s problem-based learning projects. See POLLUTION, Page 13

AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA

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Sandy Springs vs. Johns Creek

Sandy Springs Johns Creek

Each week Appen Media requests police incident reports to inform residents about the safety of their community. Sandy Springs continues to withhold what it calls the “narrative reports.” It is the only city Appen Media covers that follows this practice, which goes against guidance from the Attorney General, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Georgia Sheriff’s Association, Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia and Georgia Press Association. Appen Media will continue pursuing the release of more detailed documents that belong to the public in order to inform residents how safe – or unsafe – their city is.

A map shows the plans for the PATH400 Trail Extension project, which runs from Loridans Drive within the City of Atlanta to multi-use paths constructed during improvements at I-285 and Ga. 400 within the City of Sandy Springs. Staff said May 21 that construction on segment one and three is anticipated to take around three years, with a $15 million funding gap for segment two.

Council approves contract for PATH400 construction

By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Sandy Springs City Councilman Andy Bauman described awarding a construction contract for the PATH400 Trail Extension May 21 as a transformative project for the city.

The $20.1 million contract with F.S. Scarborough to construct two segments of PATH 400 within the city is the latest in a regional effort to change Metro Atlanta’s car-centric infrastructure.

The Atlanta Regional Commission identifies PATH400 as a regionally significant trail.

PATH400, a 12-foot-wide trail for biking and walking, is being constructed on public land next to Ga. 400 from the northern tip of the Morningside neighborhood in Midtown Atlanta to the southern part of Sandy Springs at Ga. 400 and I-285.

While PATH 400 stretches 5.2 miles, the trail extension project runs 2.3 miles from Loridans Drive within the City of Atlanta to just south of Johnson Ferry Road.

When the Sandy Springs City Coun-

cil awarded contracts for construction of the trail extension, a financing shortfall forced the city to divide its portion of PATH400 into three sections.

Staff said segment two, or the middle portion from Windsor Parkway to north of Ridgeview Park, can be constructed when funds become available.

Interim Communications Director Dan Coffer said the estimated funding gap for the half-mile middle segment is around $15 million.

Earlier this year, the city applied through the ARC and U.S. DOT for the remaining funds.

Coffer said the city expects to hear back on its applications sometime this fall when construction of segments one and three are tentatively scheduled to begin.

The Georgia Department of Transportation, which owns the right-of-way along Ga. 400, is funding 80 percent of the project’s costs.

The project is funded through a combination of local and federal funds, with the other 20 percent coming from Sandy Springs’ portion of 2021 TSPLOST funds.

CITY OF SANDY SPRINGS/PROVIDED

Sandy Springs fills Communications director position

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Sandy Springs announced the hiring of a communications and public relations director May 16, concluding a months-long search.

Carter Long, who most recently served as president of Lou Hammond Group Atlanta, begins with the city June 10.

The director is responsible for managing, enhancing and protecting the city's reputation and brand.

Long will also oversees all aspects of public relations, communications and community engagement strategies for the city.

As president of Lou Hammond Group Atlanta, Long expanded the company’s Southern portfolio to include Athens, Cobb County, Jekyll Island, Cartersville and Newnan-Coweta County.

The city’s announcement commended Long’s ability to develop meaningful media connections, leverage her regional expertise and communicate during a crisis.

As an example, the city pointed to her strategies for brands impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Before joining the Lou Hammond Group, Long directed numerous public and media relations programs on local and global scales, including for the City of Dunwoody.

Since former Communications Director Andrew Allison announced his departure to Kennesaw State University in October 2023, Dan Coffer has served as interim communications director.

Coffer told Appen Media May 22 that the director of public relations title was added to the name to reflect the duties of the position more accurately.

Regulatory body opens investigation into former Dunwoody police official

By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com

DUNWOODY, Ga. — The Georgia Peace Officer Standards & Training Council opened an investigation April 29 into a former high-ranking officer in the Dunwoody Police Department.

Former Police Lt. Fidel Espinoza resigned from the Dunwoody Police Department in May 2020 amid a probe into charges of misconduct, including sexual harassment and professional misconduct.

A Dunwoody spokeswoman declined to comment on the Georgia Peace Officer Standards & Training Council’s investigation, citing Espinoza’s departure four years ago.

Former Dunwoody Police Chief Billy Grogan, who officially retires June 1, completed his internal investigation in July 2020.

That report cited nearly 50 allegations of sexual harassment and professional misconduct against senior officers.

Some officers said Espinoza had been harassing them for years.

Chris Harvey, deputy director of the Georgia POST Council, said a POST investigator is specifically looking into two allegations, conduct unbecoming of police officer and sexual harassment.

“It’s not necessarily about his separation from the Dunwoody Police Department; that may be included in the investigation,” he said. “It’s primarily about allegations of conduct while he was employed with the Dunwoody Police Department.”

Harvey said POST does not

investigate agencies, only individual officers.

Brian Bolden, a former Dunwoody prison transport officer, said he spoke with POST investigators for two hours about Espinoza on May 13.

From May 2020 to November 2021, Dunwoody paid more than $400,000 for legal fees associated with the matter.

The allegations against Espinoza center around three former officers, Bolden, Roger Halstead and Bryan Castellanos. All have alleged bullying and harassment by Espinoza.

In 2020, Police Chief Grogan found evidence to sustain six of the charges dealing with inappropriate behavior of a sexual nature and misconduct on the part of supervisors, primarily Espinoza.

But, he said, there was no evidence of coercion or threats, and that the first claims of sexual harassment by Halstead came in March 2020, almost a year after he left the force.

Bolden spoke specifically against Espinoza. He also accused Espinoza of sexual harassment. Bolden’s attorney, Howard Evans, attributed the department’s issues to a failure in leadership.

In February 2022, former officer Bryan Castellanos and his wife filed their lawsuit against Espinoza. They

claim Espinoza sent inappropriate text messages, solicited nude photos and sent explicit photos of himself.

Bolden was placed on administrative leave for “public criticism” of the department Feb. 2, 2022, after he told media reporters that former Dunwoody Sgt. Robert Parsons was arrested for DUI Jan. 26. Parsons resigned the day after the arrest.

Chief Grogan tapped the Sandy Springs Police Department to handle the investigation into Bolden’s conduct.

Bolden was terminated in March 2022, which he claims was retaliation for speaking out against Espinoza.

The termination letter states Bolden did not violate the department’s policies on public criticism or confidentiality of department business. It also states Bolden did not violate city policy on breach of security or a Georgia law regarding making false statements to a government agency.

Interestingly, Grogan chose to tap Dunwoody’s Fulton County neighbors for the investigation, something he elected not to do during the probe into allegations against Espinoza.

The former police chief handled the investigation even though he was named in the civil action that launched the investigation.

Officials with the City of Dunwoody are not commenting on an investigation launched by the Georgia Peace Officer Standards & Training Council on one of its former police officers.

Fashion fundraiser garners support for animal rescue

Furkids headquarters building new dog shelter, medical center

CUMMING, Ga. — Furkids Animal Rescue, a nonprofit that touts itself as the largest no-kill animal shelter in Georgia, hosted a fashion show and fundraiser May 14.

“Fashion for Furkids” is a new annual event to take place on the second Tuesday of May. It was held at the Giaquinto Event Center at Shiloh Gardens on Union Hill Road, a 3,400-square-foot Furkids fundraising facility dedicated last March.

The rescue collaborated with fashion historian and author Nancy Flaherty for the event, which showcased an array of vintage and contemporary styles from Flaherty’s collection, trending fashion from Dillard’s, and finds from Furkids thrift stores.

The nonprofit boasts several thrift stores, located in Johns Creek, Peachtree Corners, Marietta and Lawrenceville. Proceeds from the thrift stores make up onethird of Furkids’ annual operating budget, according to the rescue’s website.

In addition to the fashion showcase, which included outfitted puppies, the event featured a silent auction of designer handbags. The auction raised $10,000 to support the care of animals at Furkids.

The nonprofit is constructing a new 2-story dog shelter at its headquarters.

The 13,000-square-foot facility will be similar to the configuration of its cat shelter on-site with fenced outdoor play yards with each dog having an individual room, according to the project webpage.

It will be able to accommodate up to 115 dogs, doubling the nonprofit’s current life-saving capacity, while providing additional room and a more comfortable environment for its long-term residents.

The effort is part of Furkids’ campus master plan, which will also feature a new medical building. The Giaquinto Medical Center will double the nonprofit’s number of surgery tables from three to six and incorporate five separate wards with space to treat more than 100 individual cases at a time.

A dog models an outfit at Furkids Animal Rescue’s new annual fashion show and fundraiser “Fashion for Furkids” May 14.

— Hannah Frazer

Dean who ordered end to sunshine law work steps down

By CARL APPEN carl@appenmedia.com

ATHENS, Ga. — The University of Georgia School of Law’s First Amendment Clinic has stopped providing advocacy work for open meetings and open records, Appen Media reported May 15.

Now the school’s dean, Peter “Bo” Rutledge, has announced he will vacate the position and return to the faculty at the end of the year.

“The UGA School of Law is now on course to redefine what it means to be a great national public institution,” he said.

The university’s press release cited numerous accomplishments from Rutledge’s almost 10 years at the helm. One of them was the expansion of the law school’s outreach programs, including the First Amendment Clinic.

The agency opened its doors in August 2020 to “defend and advance the rights of free speech, press, assembly, and petition via regional litigation and advocacy” and to provide law students with real-world experience on First Amendment issues, according to a UGA news release at the time.

Journalists and citizens across the state looked to the clinic for free legal help gaining access to public materials. Appen

UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA/PROVIDED

Peter “Bo” Rutledge instructs a class at the University of Georgia. The law school dean announced May 20 he will step down and return to faculty.

Media’s May 15 story included interviews with news outlets Decaturish, Atlanta Community Press Collective (ACPC) and The Current GA. All three shared how the agency’s assistance had strengthened their reporting of government accountability and financial transparency.

The clinic’s change in policy takes that help off the table moving forward.

Remaining an educational resource, University Spokesperson Greg Trevor said the Clinic will now “refer open records/ open meetings matters that need direct advocacy and representation to qualified

legal professionals or agencies.”

The timing of the shift coincides with UGA’s decision to transfer the lawsuit filed on behalf of the Atlanta Community Press Collective and Lucy Parsons Labs against the Atlanta Police Foundation.

The Foundation is a nonprofit that supports the Atlanta Police Department and works closely with the City of Atlanta. The organization is largely tied to the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center under construction on 85 acres of the South River region in DeKalb County.

The suit alleges the foundation failed

to respond to open records requests related to the project, dubbed “Cop City” by its critics.

Georgia sunshine laws, “apply to any entity to which public functions have been transferred by an agency or which receives substantial funding or resources from an agency in performance of a task,” according to the state Attorney General.

The Press Collective and Lucy Parsons Lab filed the suit in January with attorneys on staff at UGA’s clinic. A few weeks later Rutledge, the law school’s dean, ordered the clinic to cease all work related to public records law, according to The Guardian.

The school told Appen Media the directive, “is part of ongoing efforts to align the First Amendment Clinic’s activities more closely with the institution’s educational mission.”

One of the lawyers representing the Police Foundation is Harold Melton, a former chief justice of the state Supreme Court who graduated from UGA Law and now teaches at the school. Melton also served as executive counsel to former Gov. Sonny Perdue, who today is chancellor of the University System of Georgia.

Staff Reporter Amber Perry contributed to this story.

Dunwoody High senior Luke Cole awarded Nestor Foley Scholarship

CARSON BONNER newsroom@appenmedia.com

DUNWOODY, Ga — Dunwoody High School senior Luke Cole was awarded the Nestor Foley College Scholarship Award, given annually to the school’s outstanding wrestler.

Cole was a 6A Region champion and a state qualifier. The award includes a $2,000 scholarship toward their higher education.

Nestor Foley competed on the Dunwoody High School wrestling team, graduating in 2017. In his years of competition, he helped the team win several sectional and regional competitions and was successful as an individual competitor. He graduated in 2017 and went on to co-own Reilley-Foley Construction Services in Northeastern Pennsylvania. He was killed in a car accident in 2021 at age of 23, and his father Jim Foley, a Dunwoody local, set up the scholarship as a memorial to his son.

“For the last three years, I’ve given out this scholarship in honor of Nestor,” Foley said. “We still see his wrestling teammates around town, they say hello, and people still keep him and us in their thoughts and prayers. He still is remembered and loved by the community and the scholarship is a legacy for Nestor.”

The scholarship is awarded to a graduating senior who exemplifies traits of Nestor Foley, such as hard work, lead-

He is still remembered and loved by the community, and the scholarship is a legacy for Nestor.”

JIM FOLEY Father of Nestor Foley

ership and dedication.

Cole has proven to be a valuable member of the wrestling team, contributing to its top finish in the region.

The scholarship winner is selected by Dunwoody High School wrestling coach Luke McSorley, a Wildcats alum. McSorley has led the wrestling team to victory each year for almost a decade and was selected DeKalb County Wrestling Coach of the Year in 2016.

“Coach McSorley does a great job of picking the student every year,” Foley said. “He values team spirit and hard word and picks the person who best exemplifies the spirit of Nestor.”

Since the founding of the scholarship, Foley has wanted to have a way for the community to remember his son and to leave a legacy that would be carried out each year. He plans to continue giving out the scholarship as a way of continuing this legacy and to keep his son alive in memory.

JIM FOLEY/PROVIDED

Coach Luke McSorley awarded senior Luke Cole the Nestor Foley College Scholarship Award given annually to the Dunwoody High School outstanding wrestler.

JUNE JUNE

AUGUST AUGUST

Summer2024Summer2024Calendar Calendar

Summer, Father’s Day guide June book events

By KATHY DES JARDINS CIOFFI newsroom@appenmedia.com

There’s no better way to slide into summer than with a stack of books. For help filling bookbags bound for beaches or the closest comfy chair, check out this list of June author events across

Saturday, June 8, celebrating children’s authors with three authors per hour sharing their stories. 11 a.m. Free. Poe & Company Bookstore, 1890 Heritage Walk, Suite P101, Milton. 770-797-5566. Poeandcompanybookstore.com

Sunday, June 9, Omar Tyree. The New York Times bestselling author will chat about his newest book, “Control.” 1 p.m. Free. Read It Again Bookstore, 3630 Peachtree Parkway, Suite 314, Suwanee. 770-232-9331. read-itagain.com

Saturday, June 15, J.D. Cervantes signing his novel, “Fran and Her Friend Death.” 11 a.m. Free. Johns Creek Books, 6000 Medlock Bridge Road. 770-696-9999. johnscreekbooks.com

Sunday, June 16, Keeping the Chattahoochee: An author talk with Sally Sierer Bethea. 2 p.m. Free. Sharon Forks Library, 2820 Old Atlanta Road, Cumming. forsythpl.org/ event/10167432

Tuesday, June 18, Suzi EhteshamZadeh, Parul Kapur, Mike Coleman. A Novel Idea and Bookmiser present the trio of authors and their “Journeys of Freedom and Acceptance.” 7 p.m. Free. Brimstone Restaurant & Tavern, 10595 Old Alabama Road Connector, Alpharetta. 770-509-5611. bookmiser. net/book-events.html

Saturday, June 19, Licia Chenoweth, promoting her latest middle-grade book, “Finding Lila.” Noon. Free. Read It Again Bookstore, 3630 Peachtree Parkway, Suite 314, Suwanee. 770232-9331. read-it-again.com

Friday, June 21, Mazey Eddings. The neurodiverse author and dentist will examine her popular romances that focus on mental health. 6 p.m. Purchase of $18 “Late Bloomer” required. Read It Again Bookstore, 3630 Peachtree Parkway, Suite 314, Suwanee. 770-232-9331. read-it-again.com

Saturday, June 22, Judy Highum, reading from her children’s book, “Parker P. Possum – A Lesson in Gratefulness.” 11 a.m. Free. Johns Creek Books, 6000 Medlock Bridge Road. 770-696-9999. johnscreekbooks.com

Saturday, June 22, Brynn Barineau, with her debut novel, “Jaguars and Other Game.” Noon. Free. Read It Again Bookstore, 3630 Peachtree Parkway, Suite 314, Suwanee. 770232-9331. read-it-again.com

Saturday, June 22, McCracken Poston Jr. Atlanta Authors presents Poston detailing “Zenith Man,” a true crime thriller. Bookmiser will have copies available to purchase. 2 p.m. Free. In person and online. Roswell Cultural Arts Center, 950 Forrest St., 770-5095611. bookmiser.net

Monday, June 24, Lynn Cullen, discussing “Mrs. Poe,” inspired by literature’s most haunting love triangle. 7 p.m. Free. Poe & Company Bookstore, 1890 Heritage Walk, Suite P101, Milton. 770-797-5566. Poeandcompanybookstore.com

Tuesday, June 25, Survival skills with author Mark Warren. 6:30 p.m. Free. Hampton Park Library, 5345 Settingdown Road, Cumming. forsythpl.org/ event/10336655

Thursday, June 27, Crabapple Summer Stroll, supporting local independently owned stores. 5 p.m. Free. Poe & Company Bookstore, 1890 Heritage Walk, Suite P101, Milton. 770-7975566. Poeandcompanybookstore.com

Saturday, June 27, Bookfair for Grownups. Read It Again Bookstore will partner with Gate City Brewing for a boozy book fair. 6 p.m. Free. Gate City Brewing, 43 Magnolia St., Roswell. 678-404-0961 https:// www.gatecitybrewingcompany.com/ Saturday, June 29, Clint Smith, signing “The Georgia Air National Guard.” Noon. Free. Read It Again Bookstore, 3630 Peachtree Parkway, Suite 314, Suwanee. 770-232-9331. read-it-again.com

Sunday, June 30, Cherry Mo. The children’s author will read her book, “Home in a Lunchbox.” 10 a.m. Free. Johns Creek Books, 6000 Medlock Bridge Road. 770-696-9999. johnscreekbooks.com

To submit an author event for the upcoming month, email Kathy Des Jardins Cioffi at kathydesjardins3@gmail. com by the 15th.

PROVIDED

Lynn Cullen will discuss her novel, “Mrs. Poe,” in Milton June 24.

OPINION

Colonial grocery aims for Dunwoody market 1978

While researching S&H Green Stamps, I came across an interesting story about the Colonial Foods grocery store and its 1978 move into Dunwoody. In this article, I only refer to women because it was assumed they did all the grocery shopping at the time. Before a Big Apple grocery store was built in Georgetown Shopping Center in the late 1960s, Dunwoody shoppers had to travel to other nearby towns to buy groceries. There was a Big Apple grocery store in the Sandy Springs Shopping Center on Roswell Road beginning in the late 1950s. Colonial and Kroger opened when Chamblee Plaza was completed in 1960.

When Colonial Foods tried to gain some of the Dunwoody grocery market in 1978, Ogletree’s was in Dunwoody Village and Winn-Dixie was in Dunwoody Plaza. Ogletree’s was known for upscale, gourmet food offerings. WinnDixie changed their exterior design to meet the requested Williamsburg style of Dunwoody, but the inside of the store and the discounted price model remained.

Protests and pickets followed the Colonial Foods announcement to build a grocery store on wooded land along Chamblee Dunwoody Road. Residents told the grocery chain they would boycott the store.

Colonial Foods decided to collaborate with the people of Dunwoody. They formed the Dunwoody Consumer Advisory Committee, a group of 21 women from church, civic, social, school and scout groups to tell the

store’s top management what they did and did not want in their store.

The committee held meetings once a month for four months. Each meeting ran three hours. “Colonial paid $250 to each club represented and another $100 to the club of each woman who allowed her picture to appear in advertising announcing the opening of the Dunwoody store.” (AJC, July 23, 1978, “The Effects of the Battle in Dunwoody Might Be Felt Throughout the Industry”)

Agnes Olmstead, Consumer Affairs director for Colonial, was asked to return to work from retirement to assist with the efforts.

Meetings with future shoppers of Dunwoody led to the store having a snack bar, florist, bakery, gourmet delicatessen, butcher and in-store consumer adviser. The neighborhood women gave input to store manage -

ment on concerns, such as how returned glass would be managed and how many express lanes there would be. This was during a time when glass soda bottles could still be returned for cash.

The Colonial consumer adviser was paid to give nutritional advice and help customers plan party menus and club luncheons.

Colonial reported having spent three years preparing to open the Dunwoody store. The store’s grand opening lasted four days, and revenue from those days broke all previous records of Colonial Stores.

Award-winning author Valerie Biggerstaff is a longtime columnist for Appen Media and the Dunwoody Crier. She lives in Atlanta. You can email Valerie at pasttensega@gmail.com or visit her website at pasttensega.com.

Take the Alpharetta quiz: Which is Alpharetta’s Crown Jewel?

RAY APPEN Publisher Emeritus ray@appenmedia.com

Just when you think that Alpharetta has run out of rabbits to pull from their hat, they somehow find yet another one. It never ceases to amaze me.

One would be hard pressed to choose the “best rabbit” that the City of Alpharetta has created during the last 35 years. Which one would get your vote? And, some of these are serious and others, not so much!

Spoiler: At the end of this column, there is a party invitation for everyone.

No. 1. Big Creek Greenway: Alpharetta’s greenway (9 miles long) is a 12’ wide paved linear park for biking, walking, roller blading, inline skating along Big Creek; birds and mammals, flora and fauna, can be seen from the trail. The Alpharetta greenway connects with the Roswell & Forsyth greenways (with several gaps) for a total of 26 miles of linear park. Construction of the Alpharetta section began in 1995 and has cost roughly $10 million. Google “Awesome Alpharetta greenway” for more details. Nice work leading the initial construction Marie Garrett, then Alpharetta’s Community Development Director.

No. 2. Ga. 400: So, Alpharetta didn’t build Ga. 400. However, legend has it

that when the Georgia Department of Transportation asked then Alpharetta Mayor Jimmy Phillips how many exits he wanted off Ga. 400, he replied with: “How many can I have?” This contrasted with another mayor who reportedly replied to the same question with: “Do I have to have any?” Way to go Mayor Phillips (wherever you are)! Those five exits drive a massive amount of business to our fair city.

No. 3. Wills Park Equestrian Center: So, while I personally have never been a big fan of a park that is used by such an ultra-small percent of the population, the Equestrian Center is an amazing regional marquee facility for the horse world, and it does set Alpharetta apart from almost all other cities in the state.

No. 4. Wills Park: What can you say about Wills Park other than wow! Created in the late 1960s by then Mayor Harry Wills, the park today spans 110 acres (Central Park in New York City is 843 acres), including the Equestrian Center which is but one component of this immense and multi-faceted facility. The park includes so much – walking trails, a huge multi-use community pool, one of the most popular and largest disc golf courses in the state, tennis courts, multi-use community buildings, picnic shelters, basketball courts (indoors and out), a dog park, many ball fields, playgrounds and more. In addition to the actual facilities of the park, the city’s management of the park

shines just as brightly; it has changed and adapted to the needs of the population over time and stays current and magnificently relevant.

No. 5. Rucker Farm: This one may be the least well-known of Alpharetta’s gems. The 10-acre farm located off Rucker Road is a working farm operated by Alpharetta’s Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department. Two of the 10 acres are dedicated to organic farming, and the remainder is used in a variety of ways including providing agriculture-related classes, community gardens, green house space (soon to expand with a new larger greenhouse), outdoor classrooms, Eagle Scout resources, 700 volunteer opportunities, food for North Fulton Community Charities and so much more. Great big “high-five” to the city and council for having the foresight and wisdom to create and support Rucker Farm as an outreach that addresses some of the most challenging and critical issues of today and especially the future – food, health, soil, education and connection.

No 6. Alpharetta’s high-tech nature: What do you get when, decades ago, you (Ross Perot, Georgia Power and other players) bury miles and miles of concrete-encased electric and fiberoptic cable underground and run it due north up Ga. 400 from Atlanta to a little backwater city (at the time), facilitating near fail-proof power delivery and one of the largest fiber-optic systems in America? Well, you ultimately get Alpharetta,

“Technology City of the South.” And while Alpharetta did not really have much to do with the creation of this infrastructure, it had everything to do with managing the growth and direction of that growth that came as a result of the power and fiberoptics. Boom! Kudos to Alpharetta’s elected officials and voters through the years!

So, how does a city pull yet another rabbit out of the hat – produce yet another encore – after launching such an amazing run of rabbits over time?

The answer is two words: the “Alpha Loop,” yet another gem in Alpharetta, perhaps the crown jewel of them all!

That encore is in progress as we speak and is accepting visitors, users, and anyone else who maybe just wants to be amazed with wonder or, perhaps, simply is looking for some down time to stroll, think, slow down and “smell the roses.”

Saturday party invitation

Come help us celebrate (food trucks, music, face painting, fun for the entire family) the opening of the newest section of “the Loop” this Saturday, June 1, 10 a.m. to noon. Celebration will be held in Northwinds parking lot at 2500 Northwind’s Parkway (near Village Tavern off Haynes Bridge Road). Come walk the new section and explore – a taste of more wonder to come – and Alpharetta’s hits just keep on coming!

New to the Loop? Find out more about it: www.AlphaLoopFoundation. org

VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF Columnist

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Budget:

Continued from Page 1

Councilwoman Mellisa Mular suggested the creation of a pilot program to support the aesthetics of retail spaces housing small businesses throughout the city.

Mular gave the Decatur Downtown Development Authority’s Commercial Facade Improvement Grant program as an example of how a $50,000 pilot program could get the economic development initiative off and running in Sandy Springs.

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After a brief discussion May 21, elected officials reached a consensus to task the Sandy Springs Development Authority with the rollout of commercial design standards, holding off on Mular’s suggestion for a pilot program.

The proposed 2025 budget for the city’s general fund, which covers operation expenses, staff salaries and related benefits, totals around $155 million.

The revised estimate of the city’s 2024 general fund expenditures is close to $143.3 million, meaning the city’s operating expenses are anticipated to jump 8.3 percent.

The addition of 18 full-time positions across all city departments explains some of the increase.

While the city’s budgeted expenditures across all funds for fiscal year 2025 are expected to exceed the $1 billion mark, more than half – or around $530 million – comes from the city’s multi-year Public Facilities Authority fund.

The Public Facilities Authority, created by the Georgia General Assembly in 2006, serves as a financing and ownership partner of major city developments like City Springs.

Because local governments cannot contractually commit to spending public money beyond one year, the authority uses the city’s rental payments to raise capital through the issuance of bonds.

Councilmembers serve as members of the Public Facilities Authority, which keeps ownership of the community as-

sets within public entities.

City Manager Eden Freeman said the budget appears so large because of the way the city must account for the entire cost of the City Springs campus and the future Police Department Headquarters and Municipal Court until the city satisfies the debt.

The proposed general fund budget includes a $23 million transfer to the capital projects fund; a $4.25 million transfer to the stormwater fund; a $1.77 million transfer to the fleet fund; and a $13.38 million transfer to the Public Facilities Authority for debt service.

Freeman, in a May 23 email to Appen Media, said individual line items may increase or decrease to reflect actual costs throughout the year.

Sandy Springs operates a fiscal year budget that runs from July 1 through June 30.

“Sandy Springs follows a prioritybased budget model using the previous fiscal year's budget as a starting point for developing the next year's budget,” Freeman wrote. “As part of this process, we review every line item in the budget, taking a close look at the most recently completed fiscal year's spending plus a projection of what is anticipated to be spent in the current fiscal year.”

Freeman said in her May 23 email that the multi-year capital projects fund includes prior year and proposed expenditures.

Because multi-year funds do not necessarily reflect actual spending during fiscal year 2025, the amount can be misleading on first glance.

The multi-year fund for the city’s share of county-wide sales taxes, or TSPLOST funds, is an additional $238.4 million included in the city’s 2025 budgeted expenditures.

Councilman Andy Bauman said the public should note that elected officials and city staff are not deliberating on the expenditure of $1 billion each year.

“We do not have a $1 billion budget, the way that most people think about budgets,” Bauman said. “We’re not a billion-dollar operation.”

Mayor Rusty Paul said the city operates off the general fund budget, but some money in other funds carries over each year or is already obligated.

The result is an annual city budget of $1.09 billion, including the $155.12 million general fund and the $74.46 million capital projects fund.

In a May 22 email to Appen Media, Bauman said that while the budget is technically over $1 billion, the annual spending plan is around $135 million.

“Even when I brought it up yesterday, the mayor pushed back and clarified that technically it’s a billion-dollar budget,” Bauman wrote. “But in terms of how people should be thinking of it, our year-in-year-out budget is more like $135 million, plus or minus, still a hefty sum!”

Evelyn Collazo

Pollution:

Continued from Page 1

“I think one of the cool things that we as Keep North Fulton Beautiful can do is from an education standpoint at all levels, whether it be communicating to our citizens in the community but also showcasing … that even our little ones in elementary school and up can contribute,” Leary said.

He said he plans to take the same approach to other schools. Leary also provides volunteer opportunities for students at the recycling center.

Woodland Elementary, the only STEM-certified school in Sandy Springs, boasts a curriculum designed to help students answer real-world problems and master the education standards it sets.

Each grade level works on one problem-based project per semester. For third graders, the previous semester was a recurring project on the decline of the monarch butterfly.

Rita Hudson, a third grade teacher at Woodland, said students planted milkweed in the school’s garden to make up for the loss of the food, a contributing factor to the insect’s near-candidacy on the endangered species list. She said 20 monarchs have been released so far, with students facilitating the eggs to hatch inside, away from predators.

Path:

Continued from Page 3

Sandy Springs staff designed the entire extension project in partnership with the City of Atlanta, from Loridans Drive to the multi-use trail constructed for the GDOT’s Transform 285/400 project.

In January, the Sandy Springs City Council approved new agreements with Atlanta for preliminary engineering and cost-sharing for construction of the PATH400 extension.

Atlanta will construct and provide the local match for the portion of the trail extension within its city limits.

While each city is building its own portion of the path, the city limits for each city meet at Nancy Creek underneath Ga. 400.

Atlanta has agreed to provide the local match required for the PATH400 Nancy Creek bridge at its border, Sandy Springs contractors with F.S. Scarbrough will construct it.

During discussions at Sandy Springs meetings in January, staff members discussed the rising cost of the bridge, which represents the most expensive aspect of the trail extension project.

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A student-created poster at Woodland Elementary School shows the deadly outcome of land pollution.

Hudson also asks her students to do the little things, like using reusable bottles and picking up trash at parks.

“Small changes — they make a big difference,” she said.

Two students, Reyes Castillo and Cameron Jasso, created a colorful robot to help lower land pollution named the “Catnap Trash Helper.”

“People that throw trash cause

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Sandy Springs City Councilman John Paulson, left, discusses the construction bids May 21 for two segments of the PATH400 Trail Extension project in Sandy Springs.

TSPLOST Program Manager Allen Johnson, center, said F.S. Scarbrough is new to constructing multi-use paths, but received positive references.

TSPLOST Program Manager Allen

Johnson told the Sandy Springs City Council May 21 he estimates segments one and three will take about three years for construction. Johnson said the start of construction depends on authorization from the GDOT.

land pollution,” Castillo said. Animals are dying because people throw trash.”

Tara Uremovich, Woodland assistant principal, said around 150 students participated in the pollutionbased project this year.

Kindergarteners had a role to play as well, filing into the classrooms holding clipboards.

“...We try to … help the kids make connections between what they’re learning and what they might learn in the future, or the problems and how they get bigger and bigger, and how as they grow and learn more, they can tackle bigger problems,” said Uremovich, once a curriculum support specialist at Woodland.

Uremovich played a key role in earning the school’s STEM recertification last year, which involved a twoyear process. The school was originally certified by the Georgia Department of Education in 2016.

She said the school’s boost to its STEM integration and its Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports system went hand-in-hand. PBIS is an evidence-based, tiered framework for supporting student well-being.

“We were rewarding students for being on task, but also their engagement was just genuinely increased because of these connections that they were making,” Uremovich said. “We actually saw our behavior incidences drop significantly.”

Extension. Because the lowest bidder, F.S. Scarbrough, submitted an offer $4 million less than the second-lowest contractor, Vertical Earth, councilmembers wanted an explanation.

Johnson said F.S. Scarbrough has experience with site work related to multi-use paths, but the bid came in lower most likely because the contractors are just entering the market for trail construction.

“We’ve checked their references, and they’re also GDOT pre-qualified,” Johnson said.

After increased costs and delays with the 2A Trail over Orkin Lake near Morgan Falls Overlook Park, councilmembers looked for assurances with a larger project on the horizon.

Johnson said city staff, and possibly construction engineering and inspection technicians with the GDOT, will be onsite continuously.

“There are many walls and bridges, and that was the engineer’s estimate of how long it will take,” Johnson said. “We’ve got a bridge over Nancy Creek and … the Glenridge Connector ramps.” Councilmembers also question the bids received for the PATH400 Trail

Councilman Bauman said the yearslong effort to reach the point of awarding a construction contract for PATH400 in Sandy Springs is a big deal.

“It’s the kind of transformative project that we should all be very proud of,” Bauman said. “I do hope we can put some rendering, signage or branding, given it will be three years, that notifies people.”

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Works under the supervision of a licensed architect on all phases of projects including involvement in these phases: (1) design (60%); (2) knowledge of Revit and CAD software to produce CD’s (35%); (3) coordinate with external consultants and building departments in pursuit of building permits and CA services including responding to RFI and shop drawings (5%). Must have at least a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture and six months of experience. Must have completed coursework in design Theory, Fundamentals of BIM, and Project Management. Job location is Atlanta GA. Please mail resume to Phillips Partnership, PC, 5901 Peachtree Dunwoody Rd., A-450, Atlanta, GA 30328.