Forsyth Herald - May 23, 2024

County leaders broaden scope to attract biotech investments

By JAKE DRUKMAN newsroom@appenmedia.com

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Forsyth County leaders are taking their efforts to attract new biotechnology industry players crosscountry this June.

Members of Forward Forsyth, an organization that partners the county’s government and private business owners, will be in San Diego June 3-6 to attend the BIO International Convention, working to attract companies in the life science and

pharmaceutical industries. Members of the Forsyth County Development Authority approved $5,000 in funding for the trip at a May 16 meeting.

Alex Warner, vice president of economic development at Forward Forsyth and the Forsyth County Chamber of Commerce, said the trip is being undertaken in partnership with the state and there are seven specific life science companies the organization wants to “actively target” for recruitment. While he did not name the companies, he noted they will

likely be looking to leave their current locations soon due to leases or workforce concerns.

Warner said the smallest of the targeted companies has an annual revenue of $380 million and generates a minimum of $400 million each year in property taxes “just on the equipment they have on the ground at their current facility.” He said the companies’ employment numbers range from 250 to upwards of 1,800.

Forsyth County School District presents draft of 2025 budget

Parents raise pleas for campus security

By LUKE GARDNER newsroom@appenmedia.com

CUMMING, Ga. — Forsyth County Schools Deputy Superintendent

Mitch Young presented a draft proposal for the 2025 school year budget May 14, a spending plan totaling $714.8 million – a 10.8 percent increase from the current year.

Young told members of the Board of Education that more than half the increase is due to state mandates for increased teacher pay and subsequent benefits the district must match.

Even so, Young said, local residents should face no increase in the district’s tax rate on property. Last year, he said, the school district voted to reduce the levy by two full mills, which he described as “far and away” the biggest cut among districts in the area.

Forsyth County Schools receives just over 47 percent of its revenues from the state, with the balance culled from local sources, primarily property taxes.

JAKE DRUKMAN/APPEN MEDIA

At left, Alex Warner, vice president of economic development at Forward Forsyth and the Forsyth County Chamber, presents plans to attract life science firms to the county. Warner spoke at the May 16 Forsyth County Development Authority meeting at Lanier Tech.

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Milton, Alpharetta police search for burglary suspects

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Alpharetta and Milton Police are searching for two burglary suspects after a Milton resident on Highgrove Club Drive reported the incident around 11:40 a.m. May 20.

According to a statement from the Milton Police Department, the suspects left the residence in one of the victim’s vehicles.

Alpharetta Police officers located the abandoned vehicle near North Point Parkway, where the suspects had fled on foot toward the Big Creek Greenway, the statement said.

Milton Police reported that several law enforcement agencies joined Alpharetta Police in pursuit of the suspects, including a helicopter from Fulton County.

The Alpharetta Public Safety Depart-

ment first asked people to avoid the Big Creek Greenway just after 2:00 p.m. They announced around 4 p.m. the greenway is back open.

Out of an abundance of caution, Haynes Bridge Middle and New Prospect Elementary schools were placed on lockdown during the afternoon while officers conducted their search.

The statement from Alpharetta said the suspects were not on school property.

Fulton County Schools resource officers told police around 2:50 p.m. parents of students can pick up their children.

Kate Fies, a strategic communications manager in the Alpharetta Public Safety Department, provided an update to Appen Media around 4:40 p.m.

“At this time, no arrests have been made,” she wrote. “Officers conducted repeated, thorough searches of the areas throughout the duration of the incident and believe the suspects have left the area.”

The first suspect is described as a Black male wearing no shirt and black pants with tattoos on his chest. The second suspect is described as a light-skinned Black male with no hair.

Fies reiterated that officers will continue to be watchful over the next several hours.

The Alpharetta Public Safety Department asks for people to call 911 if they see either individual.

For updates, check https://www. appenmedia.com/.

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CARL APPEN/APPEN MEDIA

A police helicopter flies overhead Alpharetta May 20 as agencies search for suspects believed to be involved in an alleged Milton home invasion.

AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA

Forsyth County Public Library Director Anna Lyle describes features of the Denmark Library, the fifth branch entering the system, at the Library Board meeting at the Cumming Library May 20. The board approved Bradbury Miller Associates as the executive search firm responsible for finding a new director as Lyle is set to retire in January.

Forsyth County Library director to retire after 10 years of service

New Denmark branch continues on schedule

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Anna Lyle, director of the Forsyth County Public Library, is retiring in January after nearly a decade in the role.

The Library Board approved Bradbury Miller Associates as the executive search firm responsible for finding her replacement at a cost of $31,000 at its meeting May 20. The board hopes to name Lyle’s successor in November.

“I have loved my time at Forsyth County Public Library,” Lyle said in a statement. “I’m honored that the Library Board entrusted me with the director role, the pinnacle of my library career. I am amazed every day by the talented library staff and their commitment to customer service and literacy.”

Lyle was appointed director in 2015 by the Library Board of Trustees after serving for 16 years in human resources and finance management at

the Forsyth County Public Library.

“When I arrived at FCPL in 1999, we had one library and about two dozen staff members,” Lyle said. “Now we have four thriving libraries, a bookmobile, a fifth library under construction, and 128 staff members. It has been my greatest joy to play a part in the success of FCPL.”

Director’s leadership

The North Fulton native’s library career spans 31 years and includes stints in Gwinnett County, serving as a shelver at a library in Duluth during high school, working as an information specialist in Gwinnett County, then continuing onto library administration.

Lyle nodded her head in understanding after four circulation supervisors described the gambit of responsibilities that they have in a 15-hour work week at the meeting Monday evening. The group covered everything from shelving to book repair, and included the items they find inside returned books like used tissues and unpeeled bananas.

LIBRARY, Page 12

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Town Center’s Medley adds retail, restaurants to roster

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Toro Development Company announced its next wave of tenants at Medley May 1 to include nine restaurants and retailers. That’s a total of 20 so far set for the Johns Creek Town Center area.

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Located at the intersection of Johns Creek Parkway and McGinnis Ferry Road, the 42-acre mixed-use development will encompass 200,000 square feet of retail, restaurant and entertainment space, a mix of 900 apartments and townhomes, 110,000 square feet of office space and a 25,000-square-foot plaza.

Dirty Face, according to the announcement from Metro Atlanta CEO.

Toro Development Company, headed by Avalon developer Mark Toro, previously announced Ford Fry’s Little Rey and Fadó Irish Pub, among other restaurants and retailers slated for Medley.

The company recently purchased land for the development, closing in on the groundbreaking scheduled for later this year.

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Medley will be adjacent to medical device manufacturer Boston Scientific in the Town Center, a 192-acre area to be anchored by Creekside Park near City Hall.

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New tenants include the Atlanta-based Thai restaurant 26 Thai Kitchen and Bar as well as Five Daughters Bakery, Drybar Shops, Minnie Olivia, Burdlife, Amorino, Pause, Fogón and Lions, and Clean Your

The first phase, expected to open in the third quarter of 2026, will include around 180,000 square feet of retail, restaurant and entertainment space, 108,000 square feet of office space, 340 multifamily residences, 133 townhomes and the activated plaza.

The company plans to host around 200 events each year, like outdoor wellness classes, live music performances, arts festivals and watch parties.

Alpharetta Brew Moon Fest to benefit new Wacky World

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Brew Moon Fest, a bi-annual event featuring beer, food and live music, is returning June 1.

In its 11th year, the Alpharetta Business Association’s “Dancing in the Street” party on Milton Avenue downtown will be from 6 to 10:30 p.m. with live music provided by Chuck Martin and the Line Up.

Proceeds from the fest will go toward the ABA’s multi-year donation to the Wacky World rebuild.

Wacky World was a 1-acre wood playground at Wills Park, built by more than 2,600 volunteers over six days in 1997. A farewell party was held April 28 with hundreds of residents in attendance, ushering in the new.

Scheduled for opening in October, the new Wacky World will be roughly 18,000

square feet. It will include features requested by Alpharetta students, who submitted dream designs on drawing forms.

The playground, to be built by volunteers, will feature a tower, obstacle course, racing slides and zipline. It will also be ADA compliant and feature adaptive equipment.

The Wacky World rebuild is partly funded through the city’s 2021 parks bond referendum, which allocated $4 million for work at Wills Park. It is also receiving help from sponsorships and donations.

Single tickets for Brew Moon Fest are $10. Including admission, a table for six costs $180, and a table for eight costs $240. To purchase tickets or tables, visit alpharettabusinessassociation.com.

CITY

This rendering by Play by Design shows plans for the new Wacky World at Wills Park, set to open in October.

Journalists weigh loss of UGA Law clinic on open government

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

ATHENS, Ga. — Journalists across Georgia are mourning the loss of a crucial service in a new direction taken by the University of Georgia School of Law’s First Amendment Clinic.

Going forward, its staff will no longer provide direct advocacy for open records or open meetings, sources of information that journalists and citizens use to find out what’s going on behind the facades of government.

The First Amendment Clinic was formally launched 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.

In early 2023, the Clinic began reaching out to news organizations around Georgia, ramping up direct advocacy work related to open records after receiving more funding.

The service was free.

“‘Okay, what’s the catch?’” Dan Whisenhunt, publisher and editor of Decaturish, recalled. “I was told, ‘No catch. There’s just money going around. People really care about this sort of thing. So, we’re doing the work.’”

The resource saved Whisenhunt thousands of dollars in legal fees, a big deal for a small business that saw its first full-time employee after seven years of serving residents in Decatur and surrounding areas in Metro Atlanta.

Since Appen Media filed its lawsuit last May against the City of Sandy Springs over access to information on police incident reports, the newspaper has spent more than $35,000 in legal fees.

That figure continues to increase, as Appen Media seeks an appeal to a Fulton County Superior Court judge ruling in December that said it failed to prove it is unlawful for the Sandy Springs Police Department to withhold supplemental information about a crime that police file in a subsequent report, often on the same day and gleaned from the same initial visit to the scene.

The lawyer on the case charges $285 an hour.

Free counsel

Now, Decaturish has three full-time employees, and the business is profitable, punching above its weight, but Whisenhunt said money is sent toward general expenses and personnel.

“Every spare dollar I have I spend on news,” Whisenhunt said. “News costs money, and it ain’t cheap to produce, especially in this market where we’re in an arms race, where we’re trying to keep

people paid well enough so that they can actually live near the communities where they’re covering.”

Whisenhunt said the Clinic had its eyes on two to three Decaturish stories. The Clinic has and continues to offer pre-publication review, giving legal guidance to journalists on stories before they go to press.

He also said the Clinic became involved in his request for open records regarding a fire that targeted a genderaffirming medical clinic in downtown Decatur.

“Decatur has been withholding those records for forever under an exemption in the [Georgia Open Records Act],” Whisenhunt said. “That exemption is pretty broad … that probably should be revisited.”

Ultimately, the City of Decatur did not provide the records to Whisenhunt. But, he said the Clinic continued to fight and advocate on his behalf.

He also said the group had been more accessible than other national organizations that provide the same service and went further than the Office of the Attorney General’s Open Government Mediation Program.

“I don’t know what having an attorney on staff is like, but that’s what it’s felt like to me,” Whisenhunt said.

UGA transfers lawsuit

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

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

The Atlanta Police Foundation, a nonprofit that supports the Atlanta Police Department and works closely with the City of Atlanta, is largely responsible for funding the $90 million Atlanta Public Safety Training Center set for 85 acres of the South River region in DeKalb County.

The suit, now under the wings of a new pro bono attorney, alleges that the foundation failed to respond to open records requests related to the project, dubbed “Cop City” by critics who say it will fuel police brutality and contribute to climate change by destroying a vital forest.

Sam Barnes, researcher with the Atlanta Community Press Collective, said plaintiffs were told about the transfer and that the Clinic would “refine its purview” in an early April meeting, and it was at the request of Bo Rutledge, dean of the UGA School of Law.

“I personally have some of my own suspicions on the matter,” Barnes said.

Barnes first requested assistance from the Clinic in fall 2022 after the collective received a “nonparty request” for documents from former Blackhall Studios CEO Ryan Millsap’s attorney, regarding a lawsuit filed by environmental groups that challenged DeKalb County’s swap of parkland with the developer.

With the Clinic’s legal representation, the collective prevailed in the free-press battle.

Necessary step

Barnes continued to seek support from the Clinic in 2023, with calls at least once a week for assistance on open records and open meetings.

It provided guidance to Barnes on entrance to the Capitol when SB63 was being weighed, which has since been signed into law by Gov. Brian Kemp to broaden the scope of offenses requiring cash bail and to prohibit individuals and organizations from posting cash bail more than three times a year, with an exception for bail bondsmen.

Barnes, who uses they/them pronouns, said officials would not grant them a one-day media pass, though it was an open meeting.

“The clinic was very helpful in making sure that happened, and helping me understand what my rights were,” Barnes said.

While the collective is in a better financial position now, Barnes said there was no way for the news organization to afford the level of support the Clinic provided early on, which enabled its work to be what it is today.

Barnes said they have become a better reporter, learning how to negotiate, asserting new knowledge. They began to lean on the group less.

But, Barnes described the unfortunate and often necessary step of leveraging a lawyer’s letterhead on a document to government agencies that provides details of the law they already know.

“And, then it’s like, ‘Oh, shucks, I guess we have to comply with the law now,’” Barnes said.

The Clinic’s decision to move away from direct advocacy has affected Atlanta Community Press’ publishing schedule. Barnes is sitting on a story that has been ready to go for months, but an open records request dating to November has not been filled after back-and-forth with a government agency.

Now, Barnes is figuring out how much it will cost to get legal support, scheduling meetings with attorneys.

“I’m more than happy to pay an open records lawyer an equitable rate, the rate they deserve for the work,” Barnes said. “But, it’s basically going to come down to can we afford to publish this story that is a story that absolutely deserves to be told.”

Empowering citizens

Without the First Amendment Clinic, the McIntosh County Commission may have continued to hold open meetings in the county courthouse — a location that had become an issue because access is under the discretion of the sheriff.

The Current, a nonprofit news organization that covers counties in Coastal Georgia, sought legal assistance from the Clinic when the sheriff barred the public from taking purses and recording devices into McIntosh County Commission meetings. The meetings concerned rezoning Hogg Hummock on Sapelo Island, the final intact Gullah Geechee community on the Atlantic Coast.

The County Commission would go on to approve larger dwelling sizes up to 3,000 square feet, double previous sizes allowed, posing a threat toward generations-old families who could be taxed off their land.

“You have, you know, about 150 people there representing Sapelo Island, basically saying, ‘We don’t want this to happen,’ … and there was no way to record it except with a pen and paper, and that’s against the law,” said Susan Catron, managing editor for The Current.

Prohibition on recording devices continued through two meetings, lifted on the third, after the Clinic wrote a letter to the county attorney, the County Commission and the Attorney General’s Office.

Commission meetings have been permanently moved to Darien City Hall because of the combined effort of The Current and the Clinic, though the public must be a paid subscriber to the local cable provider to watch meeting recordings.

“We’re working on that part,” Catron said.

Catron said the Clinic had to step into a number of open records situations for the three-and-half-year-old startup, preceding the Sapelo Island zoning case.

“It’s not good for the citizens,” Catron said of the Clinic’s decision to quit direct advocacy. “It’s not good for the journalists, but it’s mostly not good for the citizens.”

The issue is bigger than journalism, she said.

“It’s ensuring everyone’s rights to transparency and documents and the work that their government is doing.”

Appen Media newsroom staff takes listening tour to Milton

MILTON, Ga. — The newsroom at Appen Media Group stopped at Six Bridges Brewing in Milton May 16 to listen to residents about how to improve local coverage.

This was the fifth stop in the company’s “Listening Tour,” a seven-month series touching base in each of Appen Media’s coverage areas. So far, staff have made rounds in Dunwoody, Roswell, Johns Creek and Forsyth County in an effort to gain valuable insight from residents on how to strengthen reporting.

Publisher Hans Appen opened the forum with questions to staff about what brings them to work every day and how they view the future of journalism. Appen also asked about the kinds of myths and stereotypes they see about journalists.

The floor was turned over to the

crowd of about a dozen, who suggested topics they would like to see covered in the newspaper like health and traffic concerns.

One guest asked about the open records process, wondering how cities can charge for open records that are public information.

Director of Content and Development Carl Appen, who regularly files open records requests on behalf of the newsroom, said state law allows local governments to charge a reasonable fee for time and resources used to gather records, though most do not as a courtesy.

Two more stops are scheduled for the tour, at July Moon Bakery and Café in Alpharetta on June 20 and at Pontoon Brewing Company in Sandy Springs July 18.

AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA

Ray Appen, owner of Appen Media, answers a question posed by Publisher Hans Appen at the newspaper’s “Listening Tour” stop in Milton at Six Bridges Brewing May 16.

Cities turn focus to Perimeter market

By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Representatives with KDC Real Estate Development and Investments were all smiles May 13 after the Dunwoody City Council approved a rezoning at 245 Perimeter Center Parkway.

The property, the last undeveloped parcel on the Park Center campus, was already entitled to 729,613 square feet of office, 33,586 square feet of retail, and 2,833 parking spaces for a Building 4, under conditions set in the city’s 2015 Overall Development Plan

But, because the COVID-19 pandemic has reduced the appetite for new office development, KDC applied to change zoning conditions that would allow residential units and a hotel while reducing its office and retail allocation.

The new rezoning cuts the office allocation by more than half and allows for 175 hotel rooms, 22,000 square feet of retail space and 300 multi-family residential units.

Dunwoody’s 2023 Edge City 2.0 report, which focuses on Perimeter area planning, details a community-supported vision for Perimeter Center developments and roadmap for the next 20 years.

Dunwoody planners say the Edge City 2.0 report indicates the need for residential development and the proposed mix of uses would be a benefit to the Park Center campus and the surrounding area.

The shift from stand-alone office towers to mixed-use developments with housing, retail, office and recreational spaces is a hot trend.

Unlike the market for commercial office space, which is oversaturated from decades of overbuilding and low interest rates, the

Michael Starling, economic development director for the City of Dunwoody, gives the first in a series of quarterly updates on the city’s commercial areas. Starling said public investments in place-making and private investments in redevelopment can revitalize the commercial market.

demand for a low supply of new live-workplay buildings is promising.

Michael Starling, Dunwoody Economic Development director, said public investments in place-making and private investments in redevelopment can revitalize the commercial market.

The Perimeter market is unique with a community improvement district split

between two counties, DeKalb and Fulton, and three cities, Brookhaven, Dunwoody and Sandy Springs.

The Perimeter Community Improvement Districts undertook a rebranding initiative late last year, and with the wrapup of construction at Ga. 400 and I-285, the market is looking to be competitive in the region.

Fulton County side of Perimeter

During a May 7 Sandy Springs City Council work session, real estate consultant Ladson Haddow with Haddow & Company asked officials to focus on the city’s commercial properties in Perimeter.

HAYDEN SUMLIN/APPEN MEDIA

BUSINESSPOSTS

Ladson Haddow, managing partner of a local real estate consulting firm, discusses the commercial market in Perimeter at the May 7 Sandy Springs City Council meeting. Haddow said the worst-case scenario for the office market would drop city revenues less than 3 percent.

Perimeter:

Continued from Page 8

Influencing factors on the value of offices include appeals of property values, which can result in a three-year freeze.

An analysis of eight office properties, including the Concourse Office Park, revealed value changes ranging from 3.3 percent to 19 percent, with an average value decline of 14 percent.

While office properties account for roughly 18 percent of the city’s overall property tax revenue, they represent just under 7 percent of all the revenues Sandy Springs receives each year.

Essentially, Haddow said he thinks office building values will continue to fall, but it will not significantly impact the city’s overall revenue.

“You’re pretty much where you were in 2008, you experienced a pretty significant drop in 2013-15, and yet you managed just fine,” he told councilmembers. “What’s looming or to come has been endured by the city before.”

Unlike the Great Recession and its subsequent economic effect on property values, corporate developers are not scooping up office buildings. Interest rates at a 23-year high and changing work habits have reduced the demand for offices and the ability to acquire the capital to purchase them, Haddow said.

The redevelopment of older office buildings can be encouraged through zoning and other incentives. Removing potential blight, reducing office supply and increasing tax revenue through new developments are ways the city can reduce erosion of the office market and increase its revenue, according to the findings of the Haddow & Company report.

Haddow then discussed what is attracting commercial tenants to properties and

what environments have shown the most promise in Metro Atlanta.

The Perimeter office submarket in Sandy Springs contains the highest amount of sublease space and the second highest vacancy rate in Metro Atlanta, behind Buckhead.

The price per square foot for a sublease space is often 33 percent less than rent on a direct lease, Haddow said. Often when tenants come up for a renewal of their lease, they reduce their office footprint.

“It’s hard to say what the future holds,” Haddow said. “In our opinion, it’s not a trend that’s going to reverse itself anytime soon.”

Live, work and play

Haddow & Company identified a postCOVID trend in the market, which shows a potential path forward for the commercial real estate industry.

“Companies are looking for walkability, they’re looking for access to walkable amenities, the Beltline,” Haddow said. “When you look at Sandy Springs’ office stock, it’s older and it’s not nearly as walkable, that’s a negative moving forward and a reality.”

He mentioned Dunwoody’s Campus 244 and High Street as examples of promising redevelopments.

The mixed-use developments mirror others in midtown Atlanta, the Old Fourth Ward and Ponce City Market, which Haddow said sport the lowest vacancy rates in Metro Atlanta. City officials can encourage redevelopments through changes to land use and rezoning regulations.

“If I had to guess in the next couple years, the movement is going to be redevelopment of some of these office buildings that are low density,” he said. “Some people refer to it as a fried egg, when you look at a building that’s in the middle of a site that has surface parking all around it… that’s not going to be an office property moving forward.”

HAYDEN SUMLIN/APPEN MEDIA

Honored to be Voted: Best Dermatologist and Best Vein Specialist

Insist on the BEST

Dr. Brent Taylor is a Board-Certified Dermatologist, a Fellowship-Trained Mohs Surgeon, and is certified by the Board of Venous and Lymphatic Medicine in the field of Vein Care.

He is an expert in skin cancer and melanoma treatment, endovenous laser ablation, minimally invasive vein procedures and cosmetics procedures such as Botox and injectables.

Kathryn is a certified physician assistant with over 18 years experience as a Dermatology PA. We are excited to welcome her, as she brings with her experience in general dermatology and cosmetic dermatology.

Her specialties include general dermatology such as acne, eczema, rashes, hair loss, full body skin exams, abnormal growths etc. Kathryn also specializes in cosmetic dermatology including lasers, injectables, micro-needling, PRP, facial peels, sclerotherapy for spider veins and at home skin care.

Kathryn Filipek, PA-C

Benzoyl Peroxide danger – fact or fiction?

Benzoyl peroxide or “BPO” is a dermatologist’s old standby. It is a triedand-true effective ingredient to treat acne including pimples and clogged pores and is found in both over the counter acne washes as well as prescription acne products. Given its extensive use and presence in so many over-the-counter products, it came as a shock to the world and the medical community when a company named Valisure recently argued that BPO too easily breaks down into benzene, a cancercausing chemical known to cause leukemia and other types of cancer. Valisure advocated for the recall of over-the-counter acne products containing BPO. Is Valisure right? What is the truth? The answer is complicated and interesting.

BPO’s potential to cause cancer was suggested in the 1980s when animal studies suggested that it might make skin tumors grow. BPO is a very reactive molecule and works at least in part by reacting with proteins of skin bacteria and killing the bacteria that cause acne. BPO has long been known to be destructive. The question is whether it is only destructive to bacteria or also to humans.

In 1991 new concerning animal data caused the FDA to formally declare that additional studies were necessary on BPO safety, but the data was weak, and sales of BPO products continued to be permitted. During the ensuing years, a concerted effort was made through multiple studies to verify BPO’s safety. In 2010, the FDA reviewed available data and voted to label BPO as GRASE (Generally Recognized as Safe and Effective). Recent data had been reassuring. Fast forward to the present day and we have a curveball. A company named Valisure studied the potential of BPO to form benzene at elevated temperatures. Valisure tested benzene levels after exposing BPO products to 98.6, 122, and 158-degrees Fahrenheit for two weeks or more. As the temperature went up, so did the level of benzene. These are temperatures that BPO may be exposed to in real life situations such as being left in a hot car or during shipment from manufacturing sites.

Valisure appears to have proven that BPO has the potential to form benzene, particularly if exposed to high temperatures. How often this happens and how frequently this has caused cancer

remains unknown. Even if someone could guarantee that their BPO had never been exposed to heat, BPO left on someone’s shelf for long periods might eventually form significant levels of benzene over time.

Is Valisure a white knight rescuing the public from a serious threat?

One concerning conflict of interest is that Valisure’s president, David Light, filed a patent in 2023 for a method to prevent BPO from breaking down into benzene.

Timelines matter. Did Valisure know of BPO’s potential risks but wait to disclose them and request a recall until after they had filed for a patent for the fix?

Valisure’s homepage states that they are a company focused on “transparency,” but Valisure’s mention of its patent application was buried on page 26 of a 34 page “Citizen Petition.” Acknowledgment of this patent application as a conflict of interest was nowhere to be found in that Citizen Petition. Valisure states that their goal is to provide “independent certification” of product safety, but when they stand to profit from finding dangers, then they are not as independent as they should be.

No recall has been issued. At least one manufacturer, Clearasil™, has responded by claiming that its products are safe when stored correctly and stated “The findings presented by an independent lab reflect unrealistic scenarios rather than real-world conditions” according to an article in Chemistry World.

And of course, class action lawsuits have already arisen.

One can argue about whether Valisure’s citizen petition for a recall was premature or whether it is motivated by its patent and a desire to force companies to use Valisure’s BPO stabilizer in BPO products to Valisure’s financial gain. The only thing that is certain is that with the filing of a patent, Valisure ceased to be the independent company that we wish it were. What are doctors and patients to do? At the least, throw away expired BPO. Throw away BPO that has been exposed to high temperatures. Talk with your doctor about alternatives to BPO. We are in the fortunate position of having many alternatives to BPO available while the true safety of BPO and potential for benzene formation gets sorted out. Two over the counter alternatives to consider are adapalene or salicylic acid. For more stubborn acne including acne that is causing scarring, see a specialist in dermatology. And stay tuned for future updates on BPO.

Dr. Brent Taylor

Brought to you by – Dr. Brent Taylor, Premier Dermatology and Mohs Surgery of Atlanta

Your Medicare supplement premiums: It pays to shop the market!

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Now might be a great time to change your Medicare Supplement Plan. Rates are getting lower for those willing to make a change. Unlike Medicare Advantage Plans, you can change your Medicare Supplement anytime!

Right now is a “perfect storm” of new carriers getting into the market, along with existing insurance carriers deciding to put more emphasis on their Medicare insurance products.

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Wishing for a little more time with Mom

A misguided cynic once opined that Mother’s Day was nothing but a “Hallmark holiday.”

Oh, what I wouldn’t give for one more Mother’s Day Sunday with my mom. She left us way too soon.

Oh, what I wouldn’t give to wake up to the aroma of a bacon and egg breakfast, my sleep ending with her cooking and serenading me with some nonsensical song. It was beautiful, always sung off-key. Fractured lyrics completed the early-morning concert.

Oh, what I wouldn’t give for one more conversation about anything. Trust me, if your mom is alive, quit reading this and get in touch with her.

Oh, what I wouldn’t give to hear her say “Michael, make Mom proud.” Often, those words seemed like a

Library:

Continued from Page 3

Key initiatives completed under Lyle’s leadership include the expansion and renovation of the Sharon Forks Library, the design and construction of the forthcoming Denmark Library, digitization of the Forsyth County News, the introduction of a World Languages collection and the design and launch of the bookmobile which was one of the first modern mobile libraries in the state.

At the board meeting, Programming Manager Kim Ottesen described a new summer program involving the bookmobile, aka “Loanie.” Come June, families are invited to participate in a community scavenger hunt to find the bookmobile at different locations around the county and win a free book.

bother, a nuisance. I didn’t latch on to that nearly enough. I hope and pray she and her angel friends are okay with what I’ve done and written.

Mom was seemingly forever pleading with me to be a good big brother and watch out for Matt and Marty. I took that to heart. I was a good big brother until they both grew up and became less in need of me.

It was cancer that ultimately took her. A lifelong cigarette habit was the catalyst for her demise. She didn’t go without a fight. I have memories of that wicked left hand. No matter the infraction, she couldn’t stay mad for very long. Somehow, I had a gift for always making her laugh.

Punishment at our house involved pulling weeds. It was because of Mom that I detest yardwork. It seemed that we boys could never finish clearing a miniscule patch without there being an epic dirt clod battle, that despite her warnings, never resulted in anyone losing an eye.

Ottesen said the bookmobile’s main purpose is to serve the underserved in Forsyth County, and the scavenger hunt will make it accessible to everyone.

Denmark update

Also at the board meeting, IT and Facilities Manager Holly Barfield provided an update on the $15.6 million construction of the Denmark Library, scheduled to open in late 2024 or early 2025.

The 22,504-square-foot facility will feature 75,000 books and materials in a variety of languages. It will also be the first library in the system to have a drive-up window for retrieving books on hold.

With six study rooms, Denmark will have more than any other library in Forsyth County. The new library will also be the first in the county to offer smaller study rooms designed for one to two people, designed as personal working spaces.

Most of the bill, $10.2 million, is covered by SPLOST VIII revenue. Some $4.4

She endured the pain of having an alcoholic husband (my father) who was terribly abusive. In a time when divorce was a scourge, she freed herself of that pain and went to work at Thrifty Drug. She worked her way free of having no money, bought her own car and paid for our simple house. She beamed when she saved enough to take her boys to Disneyland.

She remarried in 1970 and I think there were some good times that weren’t so good later on. Bill, my stepdad, had just lost his wife to cancer and he had three kids, who needed a mom. I learned reallife sharing as Mom never became a stepmom. My stepbrother and stepsisters couldn’t have had a better mom for all those years.

She’s been gone for 15 years, and somewhere I have the eulogy I delivered on a cold November morning to a packed house in that Oklahoma church. Mom was a simple woman, never having graduated from high school. Staying

million is funded through state grants and county impact fees. In June, the Forsyth County Commission granted the library $280,000 to cover construction costs.

The board announced that a change order has been submitted to Will Bryant, architect with McMillan Pazdan Smith, by the general contractor Albion for restoring outdoor features, landscaping and irrigation.

Library funding

In an interview, Lyle said the Library Board plans to request funds to operate the Denmark Library at the Forsyth County Finance Committee meeting May 22.

In general, she said the County Commission allocates funds to Forsyth County Public Library and the Library Board decides how the money will be spent. Most of the library system’s funding, around 90 percent, comes from the county, unless it concerns SPLOST-funded construction projects like the Denmark Library.

with that theme, I eulogized her by drawing a parallel with her and Winnie The Pooh quotes. She loved that bear, and those Oklahoma folks loved her.

Oh, what I wouldn’t give for a Saturday morning phone conversation after I’d played golf. A recent conversation with a longtime friend turned to his mom and how Alzheimer’s has robbed her of her wit and vitality. He said she has an attention span of about two minutes. Oh, what I wouldn’t give for two minutes with Mom. Even if she didn’t know who I was, I’d use that two minutes for making sure to say “I love you” as many times as I could. I’d squeeze her hand, hug her neck and make sure to say “Thank you” for all you did.

Mike Tasos has lived in Forsyth County for more than 30 years. He’s an American by birth and considers himself a Southerner by the grace of God. He can be reached at miketasos55@gmail.com.

Currently, the Forsyth County Public Library is operating on a $9.7 million budget with $6.9 million allocated toward personnel across salaries and benefits.

“We’re independent in the sense that things run through our books separately. We have a different financial system,” Lyle said. “But, [the County Commission] give[s] us so much of our funding. We very much are very respectful of that relationship.”

Lyle said the Library Board doesn’t report to County Manager David McKee like county departments do but will update him on trends and project progress. Lyle said she also asks for expertise the Library Board may not have.

In other matters at the board meeting, the Library Board recognized Board Chair Kristin Morrissey for 16 years of service in her role. Lyle said her successor has not yet been appointed.

“You’ve just been an amazing champion of libraries…” Lyle said to Morrissey.

MIKE TASOS Columnist

OPINION

PRESERVING

THE PAST

The distinguished Mansell family (Part 1)

BOB MEYERS

The Mansell family has been well known in North Fulton for more than a century. They have been successful farmers employing the latest farming techniques. They have been astute and creative businessmen and were committed to their churches, and in some cases, became quite wealthy yet were always frugal. This column is a tribute to this remarkable family.

I am indebted to several people who have documented various aspects of Mansell history. First, Linda Mansell Martin who wrote “The Great Generation of Mansell’s of N. Georgia,” the definitive history of the Mansell family. Her brother Jody Mansell, deceased, wrote stories about his experiences with his grandfather. Maude Dorris Mansell, (1883-1977) had her granddaughter compile some facts of her life for her descendants. Finally, I appreciate the help of Barry Mansell a retired BellSouth executive, Kathy Beck of the Milton Historical Society and many articles in local newspapers about various members of the family.

The Mansell story begins like that of many local families. The first Mansell’s in America came from England, Ireland and some from Germany in the 18th century. They settled in Virginia and the Carolinas. The first Mansell to settle in Georgia emigrated from South Carolina. Robert Henry Mansell Sr. (1820-1862) and his wife Hanna Maude McCollum (18151903) settled in Fields Crossroads in Milton County, at one time a thriving community.

Robert Sr.’s grandson, also named Robert Henry Mansell (1873-1950), was born in Crabapple and was married to Maude Dorris Mansell (1883-1977). People called him Bob. He is noted for the farmhouse he built in 1911 on what is now Mansell Road in Roswell from trees grown on his property. He gradually amassed some 700 acres and lived in the house until 1949 when he retired. In addition to farming, Bob was a successful businessman with an interest in two cotton gins and a sawmill. He also sold his produce from the back of a truck with his grandson Jody every Saturday in Atlanta.

Bob gave each of his five children approximately 60 acres depending on its location and built for each child

PHOTOS BY MANSELL FAMILY/PROVIDED

Portrait of Robert (Bob) and Maude Dorris Mansell, parents of five children who played an important role in the history of North Fulton. When Bob died in 1950, the Atlanta Journal referred to him as “one of North Fulton county’s most well-known citizens.”

a house with the understanding that they could never sell their property or take out a mortgage on it. The exception was James Earl Mansell (1910-2002) who received a larger plot because he was the only one of the children interested in farming.

Earl Mansell and his wife Lillian Shirley Mansell [1911-2002] moved into the home. Over the years the Mansells added to the property and raised four sons on the farm: Bob, a retired professor at Florida State University; Marcus, owner of the Mansell Home and Garden Center at Mansell Road and Highway 9 and an extended stay motel in Woodstock (1940-2019); Denny (1948-2013); and Barry. Barry recalls getting up very early every morning to milk the cows before going to school. Before she was married, Lillian Mansell was a teacher in Crabapple and rented a room in the historic Reese House in the Crabapple crossroads.

Earl sold his 135-acre property to the Herman Miller Company, a manufacturer of office furniture, in 1980 after farming the property for 33 years. The company donated the 10-room Mansell farmhouse to the Alpharetta Historical Society in 1990. The society moved it to its current location on Old Milton Parkway where it serves as a special event facility and headquarters of the Alpharetta and Old Milton County Historical Society. Earl and Lillian retired to a house on Upper Hembree Road. In addition to Earl, Bob had three other sons, Joe, Walter and C.B., and a daughter, Pauline.

Bob Mansell’s grandson Jody wrote some short stories about his grandfather who was very close to Jody as he grew up. The stories are

House

In 1990

Historical Society. It was moved to its present location on Old Milton Parkway where it was updated and modernized and today serves as a special event facility and headquarters of the Alpharetta and Old Milton County Historical Society.

included in Linda Mansell Martin’s fascinating book. One story written in 1910 was about Mitch & Madeline, a black tenant farmer and his wife who lived on Bob’s farm. Mitch helped Bob with all his farm work: plowing, planting, harvesting, hog killing –whatever needed to be done. Madeline helped Maude with cooking, cleaning, canning, etcetera. The two couples were good friends.

One day, Jody reported, Bob said to the couple “The two of you deserve a place of your own…lets go see if we can find one.”

Jody recalled that they found a house and that the Martins lived in the house until they passed away years later. After their deaths, their son lived in the house until his death. When Bob died, the Atlanta Journal referred to him as “one of North Fulton county’s most well-known citizens.”

In the next column I will discuss Bob’s four sons and daughter and some other interesting members of one of the most fascinating families in this area.

Bob is director emeritus of the Milton Historical Society and a Member of the City of Alpharetta Historic Preservation Commission. You can email him at bobmey@bellsouth.net. Bob welcomes suggestions for future columns about local history.

Columnist

The Mansell

was built in 1911 by Bob Mansell from trees from his property on today’s Mansell Road.

the house was donated to the Alpharetta

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Schools:

Continued from Page 1

Early estimates from the County Assessor’s Office anticipate property values will increase this year by nearly 7 percent, which Young said should allow the school district to maintain its property tax rate at 15.3 mills. Even at the same rate, many residents whose property has increased in value will face a bump in their tax bill.

“As we come into this, at least in this proposal, we’re really proud that we’ve got a balanced budget and we’re not having to touch that millage rate at this point,” Young said.

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If passed, the new budget will include a 5 percent cost of living adjustment for classified staff and a 1 percent cost of living adjustment for certified staff, the state-mandated $2,500 in teacher raises, a $1,000 annual supplement for special education para pros, and an increase in the hourly rate of pay for bus drivers.

Young said that the increase in teacher salary aims to help retention by allowing Forsyth County’s rates of teacher compensation to compare to neighboring Fulton, Cherokee and Gwinnett counties.

Celebrating diversity

Also discussed were Forsyth County schools’ increasing enrollment, creating demand for new schools and more resources for students with learning disabilities and non-English speakers.

Matt Elementary School was spotlighted for tackling these chal -

Forsyth:

The BIO International Convention attracted more than 20,000 people across the biotechnology industries in 2023 and advertises itself as a venue for companies to make connections. Warner said Forward Forsyth will use targeted advertising in the convention’s area that touts Forsyth County as the “highest-educated bio-ready workforce in the Southeast.”

“People know the state of Georgia, they know Metro Atlanta, but they may not know exactly what Forsyth County has to offer,” Warner said.

Upcoming SPLOST Vote

Also at the Development Authority meeting, County Manager David McKee said the county is gearing up to promote its one-cent Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax ahead of its referendum this November. Voters approved the county’s most recent SPLOST program in 2018, and it is

lenges directly via its passion project of transforming the school library into an inclusive, multi-use media center.

“To help include all of our students, especially those who are not reading English yet, we began a multilingual section that is easy to find,” said Media Center Specialist Rachel McArthur. “We have 23 different languages spoken at Matt and I’m working with our ESOL department to find the languages that students are reading. We can start acquiring those books, so they can read in their native language and in English.”

Other changes include empowering kids to check books in and out by themselves, making the library easier to navigate by organizing books by genre, and allowing students to set their own timers when sent by teachers for specific tasks or research.

There are sections for individual use, and large and small groups. Stationary bikes allow students to get out energy while reading in place, and an aquarium area serves as a place of relaxation.

The center also hosts read-alouds, where students can read about various themes, cultures, and holidays. Students also practiced empathy during exceptional children’s week by learning about what it’s like to be blind, deaf, or have dyslexia. Students have even done hands-on activities like building birdhouses and putting on plays.

Fortifying school safety

Also at the meeting, community members expressed concern over an arrest last month of a 14-year-old who brought a loaded gun into Little Mill

set to expire in June 2025.

McKee said the county government is planning to put on a “road show” of information sessions about the SPLOST program across the county in June, July and August. He stressed the importance of continued SPLOST funding to the county’s parks, transportation and public safety departments.

“If we don’t get it, it’s very simple: we cut services or increase taxes,” McKee said. “A mill is about $19 million, so you can do the math on what $50 million equals here.”

McKee said SPLOST generates more than $50 million per year for the county, and while he did not have specific numbers, he estimated that more than 20 percent of that money comes from nonresidents of the county. He said the county will soon begin discussions with the City of Cumming so that the two governments can agree on how SPLOST money will be divided.

The Gathering

While an update on the mixed-use development The Gathering was on the

Middle School. Nobody was harmed in the incident, but parents said they are deeply concerned.

“A brave student told the administration, and his actions may have prevented a tragedy,” said Jessica Fleming, a Forsyth County mother who penned an editorial about the incident.

“[Current Superintendent] Dr. Bearden, after the event you sent an email through campus messenger, reminding parents about our schools’ ‘see something say something’ policy and encouraging them to talk to their kids about it. I wish you would’ve also asked parents to do something themselves: Secure their guns.”

Fleming added that another student's choice to take a picture of the gun and post it on social media exemplifies why tasking children with the responsibility to look for and report firearms is “one part of a plan” and not doing enough by itself to prevent danger.

She noted that some school shooters obtained their guns from relatives and suggested that families receive information on safe gun storage to take home with school orientation packets.

“Are the parents or guardians being investigated for negligence?” asked Anita Tucker. “There is a clear need for some type of summit, with the school system, law enforcement, the board of commissioners, and the public. Do not sweep this under the rug.”

Both women cited the nonpartisan Be Smart for Kids campaign as a resource for schools and parents. The campaign educates people on safer firearm storage and can be found at besmartforkids.org.

public agenda for Thursday’s meeting, discussion on the project took place almost exclusively in a closed-door executive session. Members of the Development Authority said the executive session was regarding specific financial and real estate information that had not yet been released to the public.

The Gathering is a proposed $2 billion residential and commercial development planned for South Forsyth.

The Forsyth County Board of Commissioners approved a Memorandum of Understanding with Krause Sports and Entertainment, the project’s developer, on March 26. Stipulations of the agreement include that the developer will privately finance The Gathering’s commercial spaces and housing units, and that the county will invest $225 million in the project through a tax allocation district, but only if the National Hockey League awards the site a franchise.

Development Authority members said another meeting to discuss the development will take place on June 3.

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Tuscany Fine Furnishings

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