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City Council begins year under new leadership By CHAMIAN CRUZ chamian@appenmedia.com MILTON, Ga. — For the first time in 15 years, Milton has a new mayor. Chief Municipal Judge Brian Hansford swore in Peyton Jamison as the city’s new mayor on Monday. Jamison pronounced his goals immediately. “I know myself and the rest of this council is going to work extremely hard and build upon the last 15 years of this great city and the past council and mayor, and we’re looking forward to getting to work for you and only you, the citizens of Milton,” Jamison said. Milton’s first and only mayor until Monday had been Joe Lockwood. He took office in 2006 and went on to win re-election three more times but was unable to run a fourth time in November 2021 due to term limits. Lockwood is credited with opening the city’s new Public Safety Complex, transforming Bell Memorial and Providence parks, creating Downtown Crabapple, opening Milton City Hall and much more. Meanwhile, Jamison has served as chairman of both the Planning Commission and Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee, president of the Crabapple Community Association, District 1/Post 1 councilman and mayor pro tem. He was first sworn onto the City Council in 2018. Along with Jamison, three new council members – Jan Jacobus, Juliette Johnson and Andrea Verhoff – took the oath of office. They are joining returning
Schools alter classes amid COVID surge
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CHAMIAN CRUZ/APPEN MEDIA
Chief Municipal Judge Brian Hansford, far right, swears in Milton Mayor Peyton Jamison, middle, at the Jan. 3 City Council meeting as his family stands beside him. council members Carol Cookerly, Rick Mohrig and Paul Moore. Jacobus is taking over for former District 3/Post 1 Councilman Joe Longoria, and Johnson is taking over for former District 2/Post 1 Councilwoman Laura Bentley. Neither of their seats were contested during the Nov. 2, 2021, election. Verhoff, on the other hand, faced a tumultuous election season, when she was forced into a runoff on Nov. 30, after she and two other candidates failed to garner a majority of the vote. She didn’t
claim victory until Nov. 30, when she secured 62.83% of the vote. Verhoff is taking over Jamison’s former seat. The council also selected District 2/ Post 2 Councilman Paul Moore to serve as mayor pro tem. Moore, a longtime resident of Milton and former appointee to the Planning Commission, was elected during the November 2019 general election. The next City Council meeting has been rescheduled in observance of Martin Luther King Day to Wednesday, Jan 10, at City Hall.
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Ratified district maps may shape future elections By JEFFREY ALBERTSON newsroom@appenmedia.com ROSWELL, Ga. — Three maps cleared by the Georgia General Assembly last month during a special redistricting session and signed into law Dec. 30 by Gov. Brian Kemp will reshape elections in North Fulton County. A flurry of litigation is expected in either scenario. For the second time in state history, Republicans control the redistricting process, which follows each census. Georgia missed adding a new Congressional seat, after the state population grew by about one million people from 2010 to 2020. U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath (D-Marietta), who represents North Fulton in the 6th Congressional District, has already announced she will seek election against an incumbent Democrat in the neighboring 7th District in Gwinnett County. The announcement followed the release of a new district map, which would extend beyond North Fulton into Forsyth and Dawson Counties. With the changes, Republicans have a strong chance of taking back the 6th District. McBath flipped a long held Republican seat in 2018. McBath’s election bid will pit her against party ally Rep. Carolyn Bour-
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