Alpharetta considers running its own jail
By JON WILCOX jon@appenmedia.com
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Paying for a jail in Alpharetta is about more than just the money, city officials say.
At its Aug. 25 meeting, the Alpharetta City Council discussed solutions to a pending Sept. 1 closure of the North Annex Jail, 2555 Old Milton Parkway. The Fulton County Sheriff’s Office plans
PAGE 4
to close the jail as part of a plan to address systemic operational concerns raised by the U.S. Department of Justice.
For years, police in Alpharetta and nearby cities, like Johns Creek, Roswell and Milton, have relied on the jail to house prisoners.
Faced with an estimated annual operational cost of $2.3 million, the City Council weighed the pros and cons of running the North Annex Jail,
which the city owns. Despite the cost, council members unanimously approved allocating $1.6 million to operate the facility for eight months during the first reading of a budget amendment ordinance.
Alpharetta is considering a reopening deadline of Nov. 1, leaving the city without a local option for two months.
Roswell officials adopt pathway for hotel growth
By ANNABELLE REITER annabelle@appenmedia.com
ROSWELL, Ga — Roswell is taking aim to improve its hospitality landscape with passage Aug. 25 of a Development Finance Program.
The guidelines will provide loan assistance to new hotels in the city.
The intergovernmental assessment agreement also approved in the Aug. 25 City Council meeting outlines how the city will act as the program administrator.
The city does not loan funds from its own budget and the minimum loan under this program will be $4 million for a minimum project value of $20 million.
No city tax dollars are associated with the program, and residents are not on the hook for any project defaults.
“There is demand for hotels in the city,” Roswell Director of Economic Development Darryl Connelly said. He went on to explain that high risk associated with loans for hotels can incur high interest rates from capital lenders.
Roswell is one of north Metro Atlanta’s largest tourist destinations, with historic homes, state-renowned parks and the Chattahoochee Nature Preserve.
JON WILCOX/APPEN MEDIA
From left, City Councilman Dan Merkel discusses options for Alpharetta to fund its own jail with Mayor Jim Gilvin and Councilman John Hipes during an Aug. 25 meeting.
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New York man charged in sexual assault cases
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Two women reported a man sexually assaulted them at a drug rehabilitation center Aug. 17.
Alpharetta police said a 29-yearold Sayville, N.Y., man was arrested on a misdemeanor sexual battery charge after the women accused him of touching their buttocks. Officers were dispatched to the North Point Parkway center about 7 p.m.
A woman told officers she found the man lying on the bed of her room. As she walked out, the man reached behind her and grabbed her buttocks, police said.
Another woman accused the man of grabbing her hands and placing them on his genitals in a common area, police said. She accused him also of grabbing her buttocks underneath her shorts.
After his arrest, the man was taken to a nearby hospital because he was detoxing from alcohol, police said.
— Jon Wilcox
Police probe car burglaries at Roswell-Alpharetta border
ROSWELL, Ga. — Roswell police responded to a series of overnight car break-ins Aug. 21 after a 36-year-old Hembree Forest Circle resident reported a stolen handgun from his center console.
A report from the Roswell Police Department’s public information officer says three unlocked vehicles were burglarized off Hembree Forest Circle and Taylor Oaks Drive overnight Aug. 20-21. The residential streets are near the Alpharetta-Roswell border just off Ga. 9.
Acadia and a Chevrolet Traverse, were found burglarized off Taylor Oaks Drive. Both residential roadways are close to one another and accessible via a wooded area.
The report omits details about the officers’ interactions with the other two victims, two sisters age 19 and 23. They reported their cars were burglarized overnight and more than $700 was stolen.
Later that day, another resident off Hembree Forest Circle went to the Roswell Police Department to report a stolen phone charger from her unlocked vehicle.
The report says the case is active. So far, no suspects have been identified.
— Hayden Sumlin
Motorcyclist claims driver brandished gun on Ga. 400
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — A 61-year-old motorcyclist accused a motorist of pointing a gun at him on Ga. 400 Aug. 13.
Alpharetta police said the motorcyclist flagged down officers on Old Milton Parkway, saying the driver had sideswiped his bike, then pointed a pistol at him. Police stopped the 29-year-old man after the motorcyclist identified his vehicle.
The motorcyclist said the incident occurred somewhere on the highway between Holcomb Bridge and Mansell roads.
The 29-year-old man admitted he had a 9mm pistol in his center console.
Police said the motorcyclist became angry after Sandy Springs officers told him they lacked evidence to pursue a hit-and-run charge.
Alpharetta officers pursued no charges because the motorcyclist left the scene. Officers also were unable to determine whether the incident occurred in the city.
— Jon Wilcox
Officer deploys Taser against fleeing suspect
The officer said he waited for backup after the driver told him he had a firearm inside the glovebox and some marijuana elsewhere in the vehicle.
During a search of the vehicle, officers said they found a loaded Springfield Armory handgun and 4.8 ounces of marijuana, classified as a Schedule I controlled substance.
When officers went to detain the driver, they said the man ran a short distance before being tackled by backup units. An officer said he deployed his Taser twice into the driver’s back because he continued to resist arrest, and he ignored commands while struggling with another officer on the ground.
After more backup and American Medical Response arrived on scene, officers said the driver was checked, searched and had the Taser probes removed.
The driver was transported to the Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center and the Roswell Police Department before being transferred to the Fulton County Jail. His charges include felony possession with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm during commission of a felony and obstruction.
— Hayden Sumlin
Man fires gun to scare off suspicious person
MILTON, Ga. — A couple called police just after midnight Aug. 14 after observing suspicious activity.
The pair of homeowners stated that they witnessed a stranger in their backyard walking toward the back door of their Hopewell Road residence.
The couple stated that they were awoken by their two dogs barking and saw the front and backyard lights turn on. The husband stated that he saw a male suspect trip over a cornhole board as he fled the backyard.
An officer said he met one of the victim’s around 7 a.m. after the Roswell man found his Toyota Tundra ransacked in the morning.
The Roswell man said the incident occurred the previous evening or early that morning and only his $400 Smith & Wesson M&P Shield handgun was stolen. He also said his vehicle was unlocked.
The officer contacted neighbors for security footage to help with the investigation.
The other two vehicles, a GMC
ROSWELL, Ga. — Roswell police arrested a 22-year-old Marietta man Aug. 22 after he fled from an officer who found more than 4 ounces of marijuana and a firearm in his vehicle.
An officer said he spotted a black Lexus LS with two occupants at Waller Park off Oak Street around 3:20 a.m. When he approached the vehicle and spoke with the two occupants, a 22-year-old Marietta couple, the officer said he smelled and observed marijuana.
The male driver said he lived in an apartment off Myrtle Street and was hanging out with his friend.
He said that he chased the man toward the end of the property and witnessed the suspect jump over the fence and into the wood line. The man then heard a noise toward the front of the home, causing him to fire one round off from his handgun in an attempt to scare the suspects.
Police officers observed the suspect’s footprints in the backyard but were unable to find further evidence or suspects while searching the perimeter.
The security guard for the neighborhood stated that he did not see anybody who matched the description.
Police requested for extra patrol in the area.
— Sarah Coyne
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Nine candidates running for Roswell elected office
By CARL APPEN carl@appenmedia.com
ROSWELL, Ga. — Roswell voters will decide between nine candidates across three City Council seats and the mayor’s spot in November.
The qualifying period closed Friday for the Nov. 4 election.
Roswell holds nonpartisan municipal elections every two years, with officials serving staggered terms. All seats on the City Council are elected at-large, meaning all Roswell voters pick candidates for each position.
The election comes at a tense moment for the city, as community members and numerous former officials have voiced their concern and displeasure about current leadership.
Incumbent Mayor Kurt Wilson faces the most challengers, with Mary Robichaux and Steve Dorvee qualifying for the seat.
Wilson is seeking his second term,
after ousting Lori Henry with 60% of the vote in 2021.
Wilson announced his campaign will center on public safety, strategic economic development, infrastructure reinvestment, government efficiency and effectiveness.
He said his experience in the private sector and passion for public service allows him to bring a forwardthinking approach to accountability, results and civic pride.
“Together, we've made massive progress, but we have high expectations, and there's still work to be done," Wilson said.
Robichaux served from 2019-2023 in the Georgia House, representing District 48, which includes most of Roswell.
Robichaux said that she wants to bring a new model of governing to Roswell, based around transparency. Her campaign website says that she will focus on economic development, small business support,
infrastructure investment and community safety.
“I think all the voices need to be heard,” she told Appen Media.
Dorvee served for nine years on the City Council between 1991 and 2000.
His campaign website says that he will emphasize an open government, strong neighborhoods, responsible financial management and stewardship of historic, natural assets and parkland.
Dorvee said that his experience in delivering practical results and fiscal restraint makes him the right candidate.
He told Appen Media that while he didn’t plan to run for mayor, “I feel I have to step up for the people of Roswell. This is our home. City Hall should respect you, communicate with you, and work for you.”
Incumbent Post 4 City Councilman David Johnson is facing a challenge from Jennifer Phillippi.
Johnson won the seat in 2023,
filling a post that had been vacated early by Peter Vanstrom.
Post 6 City Councilwoman Lee Hills is not seeking reelection, instead vying for the District 56 seat in the Georgia Senate in 2026.
Nicholas Porche and Christopher Zack have qualified for the position.
Incumbent Post 5 City Councilman Will Morthland will run against Erendira Brumley.
Morthland won the seat in a runoff election in 2021 and is seeking a second term.
Residents can register to vote up until Oct. 6. Early voting will occur Oct. 14 to 31.
Check your voter registration status and find more information at vote.gov.
Appen Media will be working to educate voters about their candidates. Send questions and what is on your mind as you head to the ballot box to newsroom@appenmedia.com.
Six candidates seeking Alpharetta Council seats
By JON WILCOX jon@appenmedia.com
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Alpharetta voters will have their pick of six candidates for three City Council posts in November.
All council seats are at-large positions, and voters will cast votes for all three posts.
In Post 1, Kirk Driskell was the lone qualifier. Incumbent Councilman Donald Mitchell has reached his term limit.
Driskell has lived in Alpharetta for 30 years. After graduating from Reinhardt University, he founded Power Realty, which was purchased by Century 21, with whom he still
works today.
Former Councilman Brian Will vacated Post 2 in June to seek the State Senate seat held by Brandon Beach, who resigned in March to serve as the U.S. Treasurer.
Bart Dean, Donna Shaw Murphy and Katie Reeves are seeking the Post 2 seat.
Murphy is a lifelong resident, graduate of Regional Leadership Institute and a local Realtor.
She wants to promote green spaces and enhance quality of life while lowering taxes and promoting public safety.
Reeves, a resident of 40 years, served on the Fulton County Board of Education from 1999 to 2022 and
on the Alpharetta tree and planning commissions.
She is running on a platform of fiscal responsibility and maintaining quality of life.
Appen Media plans to write additional information about Dean’s background and his platform as it becomes available.
In Post 3, incumbent Councilman Douglas DeRito is challenged by Henry “Tate” Holcombe.
DeRito, a resident since 1995, is a principal at international tax consulting firm Ryan.
The Iona College graduate has worked to promote public safety, championed fiscal responsibility and fought for capital improvement
investment.
Holcombe grew up in Alpharetta, attending Samford University. He wants to make the city a familycentered community, promote smart and responsible development and invest in public safety resources.
Residents can register to vote up until Oct. 6. Advanced voting will occur Oct. 14 to 31.
Check your voter registration status and find more information at vote.gov.
Appen Media will be working to educate voters about their candidates. Send questions and what is on your mind as you head to the ballot box to newsroom@appenmedia.com.
THE PICTURE FRAMER
Fulton Commissioners approve $1.2 billion jail facility investment
By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com
ATLANTA — Four members of the Fulton County Board of Commissioners voted Aug. 20 to approve a $1.23 billion package to renovate the Rice Street jail and construct a new 1,800-bed facility.
The Fulton County Jail system is under its second federal consent decree of the century, requiring the county to improve the facility’s reportedly inhumane and unconstitutional conditions.
Commissioners Khadijah AbdurRahman, Bob Ellis and Bridget Thorne voted in favor with Chairman Robb Pitts, who announced the proposal during an Aug. 18 press conference at Assembly Hall.
During public comment, some county residents said they are opposed to an increase in the footprint of the county’s jail system, placing blame on either Sheriff Pat Labat’s management of jail operations or the Board of Commissioner’s lack of funding allocations.
Other speakers said they have concerns about what will happen to existing inmates while jail renovations are occurring, opposing any plan to ship incarcerated people to neighboring states.
While the county has been housing some inmates at the Atlanta City Detention Center since 2023, that partnership is set to end in 2026. Meanwhile, Atlanta has not indicated it will renew the agreement with Fulton County for use of 700 beds at its jail.
Rather than building a new jail, estimated to cost $1.75 billion to $2 billion in the second half of 2023, the Board of Commissioners is building an 1,800-bed “medical and mental health facility.”
The new facility is designated for inmates with mental illnesses, addictions and special needs, which the county estimates is between 40 percent and 70 percent of inmates.
County staff, including Justice System Programs Director Steve Nawrocki and representatives from the county’s consultant ACR Partners updated commissioners Aug. 20 with a recommendation on how to proceed with the Rice Street jail’s Capital Improvement Program.
In May, Nawrocki told commissioners the average monthly inmate population across all county jail facilities continues to rise each month. However, the Rice Street jail population was around 1,700 after the first quarter of 2025, down from the estimated 3,200
inmates incarcerated there in summer 2023.
The update comes after commissioners directed staff in June to conduct a condition assessment of all county jail facilities, including Rice Street, the Atlanta City Detention Center, the South Annex and the one in Marietta. Conditions at Rice Street stand out with the roof, interior finishes, plumbing, electrical and fire protection labeled “critical.” The only system in good condition at Fulton County’s main jail are the stairs, consultants said.
The jail, originally built to house 1,250 inmates, is projected to hold 1,600 after the $552 million renovation is complete. The 1,800-bed new facility has a smaller price tag of $536 million.
The rest of the $1.23 billion is set to go towards outsourcing some inmates to additional facilities while construction and renovation occur, estimated to take around 9 years, which concerned most commissioners.
AECOM Senior Vice President Roger Lichtman, a representative of the joint venture ACR Partners, said the scope of work includes replacing all facility condition deficiencies, constructing a facility to accommodate behavioral care and special needs, comparing an accelerated versus standard schedule and reviewing the county’s lease of Atlanta jail space.
“The important point of this, I believe, is that within the first five years, we have 1,800 beds complete as a part of new special purpose facility,” Lichtman said. “Then, once that is complete, then the renovation of Rice Street starts … To me, this is the best of both worlds … it won’t be as overcrowded and as dangerous as it is right now.”
The county’s Chief Financial Officer Sharron Whitmore said the $1.23 billion plan to address the jail system will be primarily funded with a bond issuance through the South Fulton Regional Municipal Jail Authority.
The third option requires more than $1 billion in capital costs, and an estimated annual debt service of $84.3 million.
Whitmore said the property tax rate would have to increase by 0.83 mills if that were the only mechanism to fund the capital costs
“The combination of tax allocation district (TAD) roll-offs and the reduction in pension contribution generates about $107 million,” Whitmore said, referencing potential funding sources after 2030.
Just opened?
Appen
Alpharetta Business Council celebrates creation with ceremony
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — The Alpharetta business community welcomed a newly formed organization at an Aug. 13 ribbon cutting ceremony.
The Alpharetta Business Council is one effort to fill the space of the Alpharetta Chamber of Commerce, which was dissolved July 1.
Chamber of commerce members were given full council membership and access to expanded resources, regional influence and reduced costs through their
membership in the Greater North Fulton Chamber.
Kali Boatright, president and CEO of the Greater North Fulton Chamber, said the new organization will serve as a dedicated platform for Alpharettaspecific programs, networking events and initiatives.
“This is more than a ribbon cutting,” she said. “It’s a celebration of unity, growth, and opportunity.”
The event brought together local
business leaders, elected officials and community members.
Nominations for the 2026 council board will open in October.
The Alpharetta Business Council joins the Milton Business Council under the Greater North Fulton Chamber umbrella. They are modeled on the same collaborative structure, which preserves local spirit while amplifying regional strength.
Alpharetta Mayor Jim Gilvin said the
city is excited by the council’s formation and looks forward to their work in growing the local economy.
“This partnership ensures that Alpharetta businesses continue to thrive with the dedicated support and leadership they deserve,” Gilvin said.
For more information about the Alpharetta Business Council and upcoming initiatives, visit gnfcc.com/ alpharetta-business-council.
— Jon Wilcox
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ALPHARETTA BUSINESS COUNCIL/PROVIDED
Dozens of North Metro Atlanta municipal officials, business leaders and community members attended an Aug. 13 ribbon cutting ceremony for the Alpharetta Business Council.
Appen Media launches online merch store supporting journalism
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Appen Media Group announced Aug. 19 the launch of its official online merchandise store, available at appenmediastore. com. The new store gives readers, supporters, and community members a way to show their pride in local journalism while directly funding the work of Appen’s newsroom.
All proceeds from the store will go toward supporting Appen Media’s mission of delivering trusted, independent reporting across North Fulton, south Forsyth and DeKalb counties.
“Local journalism is at the heart of our communities, and this store provides a new way for readers to
take part in sustaining that mission,” said Hans Appen, Publisher of Appen Media Group. “Every shirt, mug, or tote bag purchased helps ensure we can continue telling the stories that matter most to our neighbors.”
The store offers a variety of branded items designed to celebrate both community pride and support for independent journalism. Purchases not only help expand Appen Media’s reporting resources but also serve as a visible reminder of the importance of local news.
To shop the collection and support local journalism, visit appenmediastore.com.
— Hans Appen
APPEN MEDIA FILE PHOTO
Cambridge blanks Johns Creek,
By ANNABELLE REITER annabelle@appenmedia.com
JOHNS CREEK, Ga — The Cambridge Bears traveled to Johns Creek High School Aug. 22, steamrolling the Gladiators in their home opener, 56-0.
It was the Bears’ second shutout in two games, having topped Pope Aug. 15, 45-0 in their season opener.
Junior running back Brooks Malone kicked off the Bears’ dominant performance with two touchdowns in the first quarter and poured in one more in the third.
He credited his offensive line for his success and said the offseason consisted of significant time in the weight room. Malone has racked up five touchdowns in two games.
“We’re looking forward to a lot more great games like that this season,” Malone said. “I think this team has the potential to do a lot this year. I think we can really play 15 games.”
Senior wide receiver Craig Dandridge caught a 71-yard touchdown near the end of the first half, the offense’s first drive since the beginning of the quarter due to back-to-back pick-sixes. Dandridge, a UGA commit also playing special teams, made it to the end zone after the initial kickoff, but the play was walked back due to stepping out of bounds.
The Bears’ defense was suffocating, led by senior middle linebacker Callum Phillips, who was everywhere, logging a sack, a pick-6 and two tackles for loss.
Safety Brady McHale notched a tackle for loss and also grabbed a pick-6 on the first snap of the Gladiators’ drive attempt after senior Andrew Marsden’s receiving touchdown in the second quarter.
Bears head coach Tyler Jones said he was happy with the effort, but discipline and penalties left something to be desired at times despite the scoreboard.
“They’re a tough group,” he said. “Our offense gets a lot of the praise, but our defense has a lot of guys that are hungry and eager and wanting success. Our playmakers are making plays where they’re supposed to, so those are bright spots.”
Johns Creek’s offense can only go up from here. Junior middle linebacker/ tight end Drew Zampieri achieved the Gladiators’ only first down of the second half, just to be walked back due to a holding penalty. With sophomores starting at quarterback and wide receiver, and with a freshman at running back, any Johns Creek drive proved difficult against the Bears’ upperclassman-heavy defense.
Zampieri was also a bright spot in the Gladiators’ defense, along with junior safety Ben Feigin and sophomore Walker Edmondson. Improving upon their 0-10 record last season will require putting the pieces together.
Johns Creek will face Centennial Aug. 29 at home. Cambridge will travel to Creekview in hopes to maintain their streak of shutouts.
MD Johns Creek Only
ANNABELLE REITER APPEN MEDIA
Cambridge quarterback Connor Langford prepares for the snap with running back Brooks Malone at the ready Aug. 22 at Johns Creek High School. Malone rushed for 92 yards and three touchdowns.
Jail:
Continued from Page 5
“So, we have resources that will become available in the future that would help offset this difference that we currently have.”
The balance to cover debt service is around $65 million.
During discussion about property taxes and the millage rate this summer, some commissioners expressed a desire to take in more funding from residents to cover jail improvements and potential funding cuts.
County Commissioner Mo Ivory, elected in 2024 to serve midtown and downtown Atlanta in District 4, said she thinks the county will need to increase its millage rate to fund the $1.2 billion proposal. County Commissioner Dana Barrett abstained from the vote.
Charles Rambo, a 34-year veteran of the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office, said he urged the Atlanta City Council Aug. 18 to continue leasing space to house county inmates at the City Detention Center off Peachtree Street.
“Why? Because the majority of pretrial defendants in this county jail come from their districts, and they too must share responsibility and resolve our constitutional crisis,” he said. “Their choice to send the resolution back
to public safety and legal committee shows even they recognize unanswered questions about ending the lease.”
Rambo has run for Fulton County Sheriff five times, failing to garner enough votes as an independent last November to unseat the incumbent Labat.
He pointed to comments in 2020 from former District 3 County Commissioner Lee Morris, who said the Board of Commissioners would come to regret approving $21 million in federal funds for jail expansion and improvement. At the time, the political climate was in favor of defunding law enforcement and reducing incarcerated populations.
Justice System Programs Director Nawrocki said next steps include working with the Sheriff’s Office on operational needs, defining the square footage required at the new facility and updating cost estimates and the project schedule.
“We’ll also be coordinating with the County Attorney’s Office to provide updates to the monitoring team to confirm our plans for the specialpurpose facility do align with compliance requirements of the consent decree,” he said. “And looking ahead to the coming months, we’ll begin the special-purpose facility solicitations of our key project vendors like the design and construction teams.”
Dr. Lauren (Lexie) Snellings is a comprehensive Ophthalmologist and eye surgeon who trained at Emory University Hospital and is accepting new patients at both our Cumming and Roswell locations. Dr. Snellings treats chronic eye diseases as well as acute eye complaints and performs cataract surgery.
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How being a bad golfer can be hazardous to your health
Brought to you by – Premier Dermatology
I recently had a conversation with a patient about tick-borne illnesses, and our discussion reminded me of an interesting study that I Iearned about in medical school – a tale that ended with the warning “don’t go into the rough.” If you haven’t heard of it, ehrlichiosisis is one of numerous diseases that ticks carry and that humans can catch when ticks bite them, but this disease was not always so well known.
The year is 1993, and four men who lived in a golf-oriented retirement community in Tennessee were hospitalized with fever, headache, vomiting and abdominal pain. Blood tests revealed abnormally low white blood cell counts, low platelets, as well as inflammation of the liver. Two of these men ended up in the intensive care unit. An astute physician ordered a test for ehrlichiosis, and all four men tested positive for this illness.
diseases that they carried.
As the results came in, a picture began to emerge. Most of the patients were golfers. There was a trend towards higher rates of infection in people who golfed more often. But, compellingly, it was only the bad golfers – those who averaged high scores – who seemed to be getting infected.
What could be causing the bad golfers to be infected while the good golfers remained healthy? Were their immune systems, like their golf swings, simply superior to those of the bad golfers? Is charisma a factor?
Accepting new patients.
This outbreak prompted the physician to assign several residents and medical students (aka “underlings”) to tramp through the woods and go door to door in this golf community gathering information about other people who might be infected. People were asked for blood samples and patients admitted to the local hospital with fever of unknown origin also had their blood tested. An “environmental survey” was conducted of local animals to identify ticks and the
No, it turned out that the single factor that was most strongly associated with ehrlichiosis infection was retrieving a golf ball that was hit off the golf course instead of using a new ball. And bad golfers hit the golf ball in the rough or in the woods more often than the good golfers. In fact, golfers who retrieved their balls from the woods were 270% more likely to be infected than those who simply used a new ball. The case was cracked, and the lesson was clear – don’t go into the rough. Or, if you do, use a lot of insect repellant.
This tick season, remember to protect yourself. If you know a golfer, warn him or her about ehrlichiosis. And if you or a loved one has a spot worrisome for skin cancer or any other dermatologic complaint, please consider Dr. Brent Taylor and Kathryn Filipek, PA-C of Premier Dermatology and Mohs Surgery of Atlanta for your skin care needs.
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Medicare Annual Enrollment
isn’t here yet – but it’s coming! Are you ready?
Lately, many of my clients have been receiving phone calls and mailers that make it sound like the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) is already underway. It’s not. In reality, AEP doesn’t begin for another month and a half.
What’s happening?
Right now, Medicare Advantage and Stand-Alone Prescription Drug Plan providers are just starting to receive final approval for their 2026 plans. Once that’s done, plan materials still need to be printed and mailed to members. So yes — we’ve still got some time!
Here’s what that means for you: Don’t let call centers or early marketing tactics pressure you — it’s not time to make changes yet. Instead, now is the perfect time to evaluate your current coverage and consider your needs going into 2026.
Ask yourself:
• Is my current monthly premium still manageable?
• Are my copays affordable?
• Am I happy with my dental, vision, or hearing coverage?
• Have I heard about other plans I want to explore during AEP?
In other words: it’s time to start your Medicare Game Plan.
Take this time to jot down what’s working and what’s not — and the benefits you’d like to have next year.
Plan smart now, enroll wisely later. Let’s make this season a win for your healthcare.
About The Medicare Annual Enrollment Period:
Medicare Advantage and StandAlone Prescription Drug Plans’ Annual Notice of Changes to clients should be in mailboxes by late-September. The time to make changes for 2026 coverage is the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period from October 15, 2025 - December 7th, 2025. Your selections made during the AEP will become effective January 1st, 2026.
The Medicare AEP is for Medicare Advantage Plans and Stand-Alone Prescription Drug Plans only. Medicare Supplements are not affected by the AEP and may be changed throughout the calendar year, barring any health underwriting requirements.
PROVIDED
When AEP does arrive, you’ll be ready to work with your insurance agent to find the best plan for your needs — whether that’s a Medicare Advantage plan, a Supplement, or a Stand-Alone Drug Plan.
If you’d like to sit down with a Medicare Insurance Agent from SeniorSource this fall and find the best plan for your needs, give us a call today at (770) 913-6464 or contact us through our website at www. SeniorSourceMedicare.com/contactseniorsource.
Jay Looft Owner/Agent
Community Assistance Center to host annual thrift store sale
SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — The Community Assistance Center calls all bargain hunters, thrifters and eco-conscious consumers to score major deals Sept. 2-6 at Canopy Thrift’s biggest sale of the year.
The local nonprofit says shopping at Canopy Thrift is creating real impact in communities of Central Perimeter and north Metro Atlanta. The store features weekly new inventory of designer and
name-brand clothing and accessories for all ages, plus furniture, tableware, gifts and toys.
Every purchase and donation supports CAC’s mission to prevent hunger and homelessness in Sandy Springs and Dunwoody. Proceeds fund vital services including emergency financial assistance, mini-market food pantries, children's programs, adult education and career assistance services.
The semiannual sale runs Sept. 2-6, and the one-day Fall Reveal is Sept. 9.
This September, shoppers can stretch their dollars even further and support local families. All proceeds benefit the Community Assistance Center (CAC).
Now in their 20th year, Canopy Thrift’s Semiannual Sale and Fall Reveal offer shoppers end-of-summer prices and early access to the thrift
NOTICE
boutique’s fall collections for men, women, teens and children. Canopy Thrift features a wide selection of popular brands including Dylan, NICK+ZOE, Maeve, Lululemon and Peter Millar.
Named the 2025 Best in Perimeter thrift store, Canopy Thrift is operated by CAC.
See SALE, Page 13
The City of Roswell Mayor and Council does hereby announce that the millage rate will be set at meetings to be held at Roswell City Hall, 38 Hill Street, Roswell, Georgia 30075 on September 8, 2025 at 7:00 PM, September 15, 2025 at 6:00 PM, and September 22, 2025 at 7:00 PM and pursuant to the requirements of O.C.G.A. Section 48-5-32 does hereby publish the following presentation of the current year’s tax digest and levy, along with the history of the tax digest and levy for the past five years.
Sale:
Continued from Page 12
Staffed by volunteers, all store revenue directly funds CAC's programs in basic needs assistance, education and career development.
Thrift store manager Debbie Olson said the semiannual sale and Fall Reveal have become a highly anticipated shopping experience in Metro Atlanta.
“We’re excited to welcome hundreds of customers from across the metro area who not only find incredible deals but also support our neighbors in need,” Olson said. “Every purchase has purpose at Canopy Thrift.”
Sale Schedule
• Address: Canopy Thrift, 8607 Roswell Road in Sandy Springs
• Store Hours:
- Monday-Friday, 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. and Saturday, 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
- Tuesday, Sept. 2 and Wednesday, Sept. 3:50 percent off all summer clothing, shoes, purses and scarves
- Thursday, Sept. 4 – Saturday, Sept. 6: Everything summer is $1 each! Clothing, shoes, purses and scarves.
- Monday, Sept. 8: Store closed for Fall Reset.
- Tuesday, Sept. 9: Discover the best of the best in fall and winter wear at Canopy Thrift’s Fall Reveal with fresh inventory, name brands and one-of-a-kind finds.
In 2024 alone, Canopy Thrift distributed more than $190,000 worth of free clothing and essentials to more than 1,900 local families, all thanks to community donations and dedicated volunteers.
To learn more, visit ourcac.org/ canopythrift.
— Hayden Sumlin
NOTICE OF PROPERTY TAX INCREASE
The Mayor and Council of the City of Roswell have tentatively adopted a millage rate which will require an increase in property taxes by 7.74 percent.
All concerned citizens are invited to the public hearings on this tax increase to be held at the City of Roswell Council Chambers, City Hall, 38 Hill Street, Roswell, Georgia, 30075, on the following dates and times:
September 8, 2025 – 7:00 p.m.
September 15, 2025 – 6:00 p.m.
September 22, 2025 – 7:00 p.m.
This tentative increase will result in a millage rate of 4.949 mills, an increase of 0.291 mills. Without this tentative tax increase, the millage rate will be no more than 4.658 mills. The proposed tax increase for a home with a fair market value of $575,000 is approximately $66.93 and the proposed tax increase for non-homestead property with a fair market value of $500,000 is approximately $58.20.
Randy D. Knighton
Administrator Mayor
CITY OF ROSWELL
NOTICE OF PROPERTY TAX INCREASE EXPLANATION
The City of Roswell is not increasing its property tax rate for Tax Year 2025. The proposed millage rate is 4.949 mills will remain the same as last year’s rate.
For example, with the City’s 4.949 millage rate, a Roswell homeowner whose property has a fair market value of $575,000 (assessed value of $230,000) will pay about $1,138.27 in City property taxes. Homeowners with exemptions will pay even less. Approximately $207 of that amount goes directly toward paying debt service for the voter-approved Bond Program.
If formally approved by Mayor and Council, Roswell’s property tax rate will remain unchanged and will continue to be the lowest maintenance and operations millage rate in the past 17 years.
For more details about Roswell’s millage rate, visit www.RoswellGov.com.
Randy D. Knighton
Kurt M. Wilson City Administrator Mayor
Kurt M. Wilson City
The Community Assistance Center is hosting their biggest sale of the year at Canopy Thrift in Sandy Springs.
BINGO – 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 14 & 28
Future Games: 2nd & 4th Sunday Each Month
Retro Night Dance – Friday, Aug. 29
Open Dance – 8:30 p.m., Lessons – 7:30 p.m.
Admission: $12 per person, cash or credit
Life Line Screening - Thursday, Sept. 4, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Be Screened for Stroke & Cardiovascular Disease Risks Call 888-814-0466 or Visit LLSA.SOCIAL/HSCA for Details
Dances & Dance Instruction For all the details visit: www.club201dance.com
(the answers in line 1 are 4, 5 and 5 letters). The clues are numbered 1 through 7, with each number containing 3 clues for the 3 answers on the line. But here’s the catch! The clues are not in order - so the first clue in Line 1 may (or may not) actually be for the second or third answer in that line. Got it? Good luck!
YE, GODS!
1. Norse thunder god. Pismire. Union demand.
2. Lampblack. Poker hand. Egyptian solar god with the head of a falcon.
3. Pillow covering. Cluttered. Roman god of passages.
4. Greek god of darkness. Moppet. Decree.
5. Ten-armed mollusk. Supreme god of Ancient Greece. Spanish port city.
6. Half-moon tide. Cougar. Roman god of fire.
7. Have a drink. Norse god of discord. Bad to the bone.
1 Norse thunder god. Pismire. Union demand
2. Lampblack. Poker hand. Egytpian solar god with the head of a falcon.
How to Solve: Each line in the puzzle above has three clues and three answers. The last letter in the first answer on each line is the first letter of the second answer, and so on. The connecting letter is outlined, giving you the correct number of letters for each answer (the answers in line 1 are 4, 5 and 5 letters). The clues are numbered 1 through 7, which each number containing 3 clues for the 3 answers on the line. But here’s the catch! The clues are not in order - so the first clue in Line 1 may (or may not) actually be for the second or third answer in that line. Got it? Good luck!
3. Pillow covering. Cluttered. Roman god of passages
4. Greek god of darkness. Moppet. Decree.
5. Ten-armed mollusk. Supreme god of ancient Greece. Spanish port city
6. Half-moon tide. Cougar. Roman god of fire
7. Have a drink. Norse god of discord. Bad to the bone.
Path:
Continued from Page 1
Yet, right now, the city has fewer than half the hotels found in its smaller neighboring city of Alpharetta, which sports close to 30.
With the Development Finance Program, the city can provide a tax lien that allows the third-party lender to reduce the interest rates. The city facilitates the transaction by putting a special assessment on the property.
City leaders say they hope this loan assistance program of sorts will draw new hotel developments.
Also at the Aug. 25 meeting, the council received the final plat for an 8-lot development at 385 Pine Grove Road and a new Hill Street development overlay.
The Hill Street mixed-use development has been drawing buzz at city Hall due to its location next door. The new overlay included slight changes to the boundary of the map and a few fine tunes of rules, standards and permissions.
Architect ASD SKY, whose projects include The Krog District and Ponce City Market Skyline Park, has designed a space that will include at least 13 percent public amenity space alongside the multifamily apartment buildings, townhomes, and retail space.
There will be a 350-space parking deck to allow for the additional traffic.
Council:
Continued from Page 1
Mayor Jim Gilvin said his decision to approve the funding was about meeting an essential municipal obligation. Operating the facility will avoid the necessity of sending residents to the county’s downtown Atlanta Rice Street jail, which council members said has inhumane conditions.
“By God, Alpharetta does things well,” Gilvin said. “While I’m sorry we are having to incur costs, I know damn well Alpharetta is going to run that jail better than it’s been run in the last 20 years. That is what our people deserve.”
Avoiding Rice Street jail
Department of Justice investigators began looking into the county’s downtown Atlanta jail after the death of Lashawn Thompson, who was arrested on a simple battery charge and accused of spitting on a Georgia Tech police officer.
The federal department found Thompson was malnourished, infested with “an enormous presence of body lice” and “neglected to death” when he was found deceased in his “filthy cell.” It also highlighted a pattern of violence
Georgia National Guard Lieutenant Colonel Chris Kehl receives his
Council meeting Aug. 25.
that included more than 300 stabbings there in 2023 on top of homicides and sexual violence.
“Lashawn Thompson’s horrific death was symptomatic of a pattern of dangerous and dehumanizing conditions in the Fulton County Jail,” Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said.
Gilvin and other council members said sending residents to be incarcerated in those conditions was not an option. As an example, Gilvin recounted a story he heard from a former high school classmate.
“She called me in tears because her daughter was losing her mind,” the mayor said.
The woman’s daughter was phoned by inmates who had beaten up her boyfriend there, demanding money in exchange for his life, he said.
“I don’t want anybody in our community to ever set foot in Rice Street if they don’t have to,” Gilvin said. “That’s a shame. It’s horrendous anyone has to.”
Money for jail staff
Operating costs for an Alpharetta jail would include money to pay salaries for 15 full-time employees, including a division chief, assistant division chief, five detention supervisors and eight
detention officers.
The city currently pays Fulton County about $60 for each inmate per day.
City Administrator Chris Lagerbloom said he is studying options to offset the operational costs. Agreements with neighboring cities to house their inmates could provide some money, but the increased use would incur further costs, requiring additional staff to safely oversee the facility.
He also discussed the option of sending arrested people to the City of Chamblee’s jail but noted its distance is considerable and nearly the same as downtown Atlanta.
Relying on a jail outside Alpharetta could force the city’s police to make regular long drives with inmates. It could also impact the city’s ability to enforce probation agreements.
“There’s dollars and cents on paper all day long, but there is a noncash value of having the opportunity to have a facility like that in a local community because of what the courts can do,” Lagerbloom said.
Without a local jail, municipal court judges would have no ability to revoke probations. Municipal judges have supported the management of a local jail, saying it serves as an essential tool in enforcing probation agreements,
Lagerbloom said.
“When you lose the stick, you also lose the carrot,” he said.
The city also would lose the opportunity to jail people arrested on local ordinances, such as disorderly conduct, affray, traffic crimes or simple battery. Lagerbloom added Sheriff Pat Labat has told him the downtown jail will no longer accept those arrested on nonviolent misdemeanors.
“It’s just a function of the environment, the safety, the staffing, and he too has to prioritize what is the most important for the county,” Lagerbloom said.
Although Councilman John Hipes voted in favor of the funding, he said it was important to explore options because the costs are significant. Hipes agreed the city has a responsibility to humanely jail those arrested but also said a sound decision will require complete information about funding options.
Paying for the jail will reduce the city’s general fund capital contribution from $3 million to $1.5 million.
He also worried the funding could affect the city’s millage rate.
“I recognize that yes we have an obligation to all of our residents to do a lot of different things, but money doesn’t grow on trees,” he said.
ANNABELLE REITER/APPEN MEDIA
Esteemed Veteran proclamation at the Roswell City
A guide to understanding the politics of local fish
So we’re back from Montana. It was unbelievable. The landscape was spectacular. The people we met were first-class. The lodge where we stayed was perfect. And the fishing was beyond description.
Craig DeMark, owner of On DeMark Lodge, where we stayed, did a stellar job of putting us on some memorable fish. In the final analysis, a rare thing happened, and I ended up having caught the most, though by only the smallest of margins. But she hooked the biggest. It was an enormous rainbow, maybe two feet long, or longer. It hit a size 22 dry fly (that’s fly fishing talk for tiny) and stayed on the line for a good five minutes before finally, cruelly, decided to dive at the last minute and tear off under the boat.
“I couldn’t do anything,” she said, “unless I was going to jump in and go after it!”
In the end, we were stoic about it. It happens. And besides, if it gets away, it can be as big as you want it to be. But the fact is that neither of us was prepared for such as fish. Sometimes you just have to learn as you go, for there is no way on God’s green earth (or clear river) to really understand those fish until you have one on the line. If you’ve been a fly fisher as long as I have, you tend to think that you know it all, or at least that you know all of it that really matters. That may be true as long as you stay close to home. But if you venture afield, if you venture as far as the Land of the Big Sky, you learn that you really do still have a lot to learn.
I figured that out right away. Here’s how it happened.
“I think,” I said after supper on our first night there, “that I’d like to fish a little before calling it a day.” Postsupper fishing was to prove to be remarkably easy since the gin-clear waters of the Missouri River were but a five-minute stroll from the door. It would become an addiction, but just then it was only a tantalizing promise of great things and greater fish to come.
So, I reached for the flyrod, then turned to Craig with the Big Question:
“What fly should I use?”
Craig is a remarkable fellow, a rare combination of world-class expert and aw-shucks humility. He’s unfailingly helpful, delightfully positive and sublimely skilled at what he does, which is to say he darn sure knows how to make this Bubba from the South connect with some of the most mythic trout of the western world.
He didn’t hesitate.
“I’d try one of these,” he said, handing me a couple of truly tiny flies, each barely a quarter inch long. Tiny flies, eh? I use small flies at home, though they’re not that small. Neither are they as finely executed nor as precise in every detail. Here, at home, just getting the size right is often all it takes. If it’s the right size and vaguely buggy, and if you don’t scare the fish as you approach the water, odds are that you’ll get a strike. But on the Missouri the fish have apparently been to bug school. They know what they’re looking for, and if you don’t give it to them (right down to the number of fibers in the tail, it seems) they turn up their noses and laugh and laugh and laugh as they swim back into the cold, clear depths. That’s humbling, let me tell you. But that’s the way it is. Over the next few days, those tiny flies (they imitated some sort of mayfly) would prove to be the patterns of choice at some point on pretty much every single day.
The natural insects were everywhere, densifying the air in huge clouds that must be seen to be believed. Sometimes they got in your eyes and your mouth and your hair. Then, after mating, they’d fall to the water and drift along, drifting until they caught the eye of a big trout and the surface exploded and there was one fewer mayfly in the world.
By the end of the trip, I had several of those flies in my fly box. I carried a couple of them home with me, too, where they reappeared when I opened up the box just yesterday to choose a fly for some afternoon bream fishing on our favorite local stream.
For a moment, I considered foregoing the Montana mayflies in favor of our usual pink foam spider. Foam spiders worked. Always. But I was still in a Montana frame of mind. Tying on a Montana fly would take me west again, if only in my mind. And who knows? Maybe the Georgia fish would enjoy them too.
So, tie one on is what I did. On the first cast I had a strike, which I missed. On the second I did a better job, slowing down my hookset, and the reward was a big hand-sized sunfish. In fact, it was a giant fish for that little creek. It was a sunfish of western proportions, if there is such a thing, and if there’s not then there should be.
I should really have expected nothing less on a Montana fly, I suppose.
I caught several more fish on that Montana pattern. In fact, I had a pretty good run.
As we spread out a picnic a little later (picnics are
always best beside a stream full of fish, aren’t they?) I found myself thinking that I might even come out on top later on when we totaled up the numbers.
“How’d you do?” she asked me when we came together a half hour later for fried chicken on a creekside gravel bar. “How many?”
“Sixteen!” I proclaimed. “You?”
Uh oh. I recognized that look.
“Twenty-one,” she said. “Sometimes it’s good to be home.”
We sat there munching chicken and coleslaw, enjoying it all, and I thought about things. I thought about flies and the politics of trout.
Those Madison River trout, I reflected, really are different from anything I knew. They have their own way of doing things. They have their own priorities and their own opinions. They have their own outlook on life, and by God you do it their way or you don’t do it at all.
And sometimes they like to eat tiny bugs.
Well, it seems that my hometown sunfish like tiny bugs, too, the very same tiny bugs so favored by their Montana counterparts. How about that. Do they know that by doing so they’re identifying with fellow creatures who are so radically different? Do they know that, even in such a little thing, they may be much less different and much more the same?
They swim in different waters, but they swim in different waters together.
If creatures with brains the size of a green pea can deal with that, why can’t we?
PROVIDED
From left, On DeMark Lodge owner Craig DeMark and the author with one that didn’t get away fishing the Missouri.
STEVE HUDSON Columnist
PAST TENSE
Remembering Bud Crews, Mildred Blackburn Crews
VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF
Columnist
Freeman Crews, who went by the name Bud, was born Feb. 1, 1918, to John and Hannah Murrow Crews. The family is listed in Cobb County on the 1920 census. He was remembered as the person who helped amateur baseball become a reality in Dunwoody in the 1940s and 1950s.
When a large group of long-time citizens of Dunwoody gathered in 1994, David Chesnut remembered that Bud Crews was a painter. He painted houses and was an employee of the DeKalb County School System. He also ran Dunwoody’s amateur baseball team.
“Dunwoody was a big baseball town,” said Chesnut. (DeKalb History Center archives “I Remember Dunwoody,” 1994)
Ken Anderson, who lived his entire life (1937-2023) in Dunwoody, shared his memories of Bud Crews and the amateur baseball team with me a few years ago. Anderson recalled, as an 11-year-old, watching Crews grade the land and “put in a baseball field.” The field sat along what is now Dunwoody Village Parkway. Crews built wooden bleachers for local fans.
In 1950, some teams in the Atlanta Amateur Federation had installed lighting, making night games possible. Dunwoody had not added lights, but Chamblee, Sandy Springs and Roswell all did. Bud Crews is listed as the Dunwoody manager, M.E. Rucker for Sandy Springs and D. H. Brantley for Roswell’s team. (Atlanta Constitution, April 2, 1950, “Amateur nines follow trend to night ball”)
Bud Crews married Mildred Inez Blackburn, whose family had a long history in Dunwoody, and prior to that in Brookhaven at Silver Lake. Mildred’s parents were William Blackburn and Mary Copeland Blackburn, adding another layer of Dunwoody history to her family. The extensive Copeland family once had a dairy at Jett Ferry and Dunwoody Club Drive, a farm where Dunwoody Springs Elementary School sits, and a store where Dunwoody Village is located.
Blackburn family members were neighbors of Bud and Mildred Crews in 1950. Census records list neighbors B.C. and Ola Spruill, Elizabeth and
This 1940s Dunwoody baseball photograph includes, standing from left: Eugene Wilson, Rembert Sykes and Bud Crews. Kneeling, from left, are: Dorris Martin and Paul Manning.
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Manget Davis, Charlie and Myrtice Loyd Blackburn, and C.E. and Doris Blackburn. The Crews’ daughter Patricia is listed as an 8-year-old on the census.
A 1963 plat shows that Bud Crews purchased land at the intersection of Mt. Vernon and Chamblee Dunwoody Road. The 1957 and 1963 purchases add up to about 2 acres. This history can be seen on a plat map of the former Dunwoody School property on Chamblee Dunwoody Road.
Bud Crews died June 29, 1972, and is buried at Arlington Memorial Park. His wife Mildred died in 2003 and is buried alongside her husband.
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.
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DEATH NOTICES
George Dear, 78, of Roswell, passed away on August 9, 2025. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
Mark Herak, 78, passed away on August 7, 2025. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
Ida Muller, 82, of Roswell, passed away on August 5, 2025. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
Gloria Shenk, 73, of Alpharetta, passed away on August 6, 2025. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
Locally Owned and Operated
George Walters, 94, of Milton, passed away on August 9, 2025. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
Andrew YaSenka, 83, of Roswell, passed away on August 10, 2025. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
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CITY OF ALPHARETTA
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
The following item will be considered by the City Council on Monday, September 29, 2025 commencing at 6:30 p.m. in the Alpharetta City Hall Council Chambers, 2 Park Plaza, Alpharetta, Georgia.
a. V-25-23 Timofeeva/145 Pebble Trail
Consideration of a variance request to allow for a swimming pool replacement on a residential lot without triggering certain stormwater requirements. A variance is requested from Unified Development Code (UDC) Subsection 3.3.1(C) seeking relief from a requirement in the Alpharetta Stormwater Policy Handbook (ASPH) related to impervious area calculations being cumulative over a two (2) year period on a property. The property is located at 145 Pebble Trail and is legally described as being located in Land Lot 1180, 2nd District, 2nd Section, Fulton County, Georgia.
Note: Georgia law requires that all parties who have made campaign contributions to the Mayor or to a Council Member in excess of two hundred fifty dollars ($250) within the past two (2) years must complete a campaign contribution report with the Community Development Department. The complete text of the Georgia law and a disclosure form are available in the office of the City Clerk, 2 Park Plaza, Alpharetta, Georgia.
Notice is given that articles of incorporation that will incorporate Roswell Empowered Inc. have been delivered to the Secretary of State for filing in accordance with the Georgia Nonprofit Corporation Code. The initial registered office of the corporation is located at 240 Willow Brook Drive Roswell, GA 30076, and its initial registered agent at such address is Jennifer Donlon.
CITY OF ALPHARETTA, GEORGIA
ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS
TRAFFIC SIGNAL UPGRADE ITB 26-004
The City of Alpharetta is requesting bids from qualified contractors for the TRAFFIC SIGNAL UPGRADE at the Intersection of Kimball Bridge Road and Northwinds Parkway including, but not limited to, removing the existing traffic light poles as well as signal heads and signs, ordering and purchasing new mast-arms, installation of new mast-arms, signal heads, signs, pull boxes, directional bores, pedestrian lights, and running necessary wires and cables per the plan provided along with this bid package. The entire intersection shall not be closed during construction. However, temporary lane shifts with proper traffic control would be acceptable. The location of work is at the intersection of Kimball Bridge Road and Northwinds Parkway, within the City of Alpharetta.
The ITB documents will be available online Wednesday, August 6, 2025 at our bid posting website , https://cityofalpharetta. bonfirehub.com/ . Interested parties must log in to review the ITB documents. This procurement is also advertised on the Georgia Procurement Registry Event ID: PE-66085-NONST-2026-000000067 (ITB 26-004 Traffic Signal Upgrade).
Bidders must direct all questions and comments exclusively through the Opportunity Q&A tab prior to the posted Question Due Date on the bid posting website . All official communication will be provided through the bid posting website. Bidders are responsible for monitoring the webpage for any status updates, addenda, or the final award notice. Direct communication with any other City staff regarding this ITB is not permitted and may result in bidder disqualification.
This procurement is issued under the authority of the City of Alpharetta’s Procurement Policy, also following State of Georgia and Federal applicable laws. The City has the right to reject all bids or proposals, to reject any bid or proposal that has not followed or met the City’s scope of work or specifications (non-responsive) or reject any bid or proposal that shows that a bidder cannot meet one or more of the requirements (non-responsibility). The City has the right to ignore unimportant mistakes that do not affect the work or service to be provided, the purchase of requested item(s), or proposal pricing in order to award a contract that is in the best interest of the City.
a) All federal, state, and/or local permits have been obtained for this project.
b) The work is solely within City-owned right of way or property. No right of way or easement acquisitions are needed.
c) The Schedule of Items form will be used as the primary representation of each Bidder ’s cost/price. The award of this project will be by total base bid.
The Awarded Contractor will place the order for purchasing new mast arms within ten (10) calendar days from Notice to Proceed and shall continuously pursue the work without interruption to completion and achieve Final Completion of the Work by sixty (60) calendar days from when the field work (i.e., installations) begin . Liquidated damages will apply per GDOT Standard Specifications for Construction of Transportation Systems, 2021, Section 108.08.
Bidders are required to submit a bid bond for 5% of bid total with each bid prior to bid due date/time. Payment and Performance bonds in the amount of 100% of awarded bid will be required from awarded contractor
Bids will be due on Thursday, September 4, 2025 at 10:00 AM . All responses must be received before closing at https:// cityofalpharetta.bonfirehub.com/ , webpage for this project. We will not accept paper hard copy, mailed, faxed, or e-mailed responses. We will not accept responses received after the closing time.
A public bid opening will be held via Microsoft Teams shortly after the ITB due date / time has passed.
For information not found at our bid posting website, please contact Debora Westbrook at the City of Alpharetta Finance Department via email at purchasing@alpharetta.ga.us or at 678-297-6052.
Administrative Assistant
NFCC is seeking a qualified candidate to fill the full-time Administrative Assistant position. The responsibilities of this critical role are to provide a wide variety of administrative tasks primarily to the President and other department leaders as needed. Duties include board meeting preparation, report preparation, general correspondence.
The Administrative Assistant takes initiative, can multitask and remain very organized. They play a vital role in helping keep the NFCC leadership team organized and productive.
If you have a bachelor’s degree in business administration, communications or another relevant field, at least two years of administrative experience and enjoy project management and coordination, we’d love to hear from you! Please submit your resume to jobs@nfcchelp.org
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