Milton Herald - October 6, 2022

Cities

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com

COLLEGE PARK, Ga. — Mayors and representatives of 11 Fulton County cities projected a message of unity and strength Sept. 28 at a second town hall meeting to discuss distribution of the countywide local option sales tax.

The cities are locking horns with Fulton County over how an estimated $3 billion in sales tax revenue will be distributed over the next 10 years. The cities are fighting a Fulton County bid to keep more than the 5 percent share it has been getting over the past decade.

The cities say the county’s proposal will cost them tens of millions of dollars they need to pay for local services without raising property taxes.

Held at the Georgia International Convention Center in College Park, the meeting was well attended by residents and a diverse panel of city officials from Alpharetta, College Park, East Point, Fairburn, Hapeville, Johns Creek, Milton, Palmetto, Sandy Springs, South Fulton and Union City.

City representatives spent nearly two hours answering questions on the proposed distribution negotiations with Fulton County officials, which have be

come increasingly heated.

“What Fulton County has been doing for the last few months, is not working together to help our residents,” Alpharet ta Mayor Jim Gilvin said. “The one thing that is common amongst all of us in this room is if you live in Fulton County, and Fulton County gets what they want, we’re all gonna get screwed.”

Every 10 years, the county and its cities – now 15 in number – renegotiate how money collected from LOST is dis tributed. Most often, the pot is generally apportioned

on each city’s popula

ALEXANDER

Alpharetta, Milton settle with former city solicitor

By CHAMIAN CRUZ chamian@appenmedia.com

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — The cities of Al pharetta and Milton have agreed to pay their former solicitor, Fran Shoenthal McQueen, $100,000 to settle all claims she was not selected to continue in her position because of her age and race.

McQueen signed the settlement agreement Sept. 20, one day after the City of Alpharetta released a report on the ethics investigation of retired city judge Barry Zimmerman, who stepped down from the bench earlier this year amid accusations of “improper involve ment” in several local cases.

Gwinnett County Superior Court Judge Randolph G. Rich was assigned to investigate the allegations made by the state Judicial Qualifications Commission to the Georgia Supreme Court, including whether any other parties were involved in alleged wrongdoing and criminal conduct.

The four-page redacted report con cluded the allegations were valid, and it cited six cases from the Alpharetta Municipal Court in which Zimmerman allegedly represented criminal defendants using another attorney’s name and signa ture as a “straw man” defense attorney to

JASON BINDER

Alpharetta city councilman

file pleas with another Alpharetta judge.

The alleged scheme reportedly involved attorney Keith F. Brandon, who shared office space with and was a tenant of Zimmerman’s and McQueen. Records show Zimmerman represented McQueen in the Court of Appeals of Georgia in a 2015 case involving the dis tribution of her late husband’s pension.

At the time, McQueen had already served as city solicitor for Alpharetta and Milton for over a decade. The settlement agreement did not sit well with a couple of Alpharetta officials.

Speaking at the Sept. 26 City Council

meeting, Councilman Jason Binder said the public report on the situation left him with more questions than answers, and he could not support the proposal.

“I just cannot be supportive of awarding monetary compensation as a settlement,” he said

Councilman Doug DeRito voiced similar reservations but said he would support the settlement only to end the situation that could easily be protracted in court, costing more time and money.

“Am I happy about supporting this, absolutely not,” he said. “With that said, I think the right thing to do is to support this so that we mitigate any additional liability to the city.”

Zimmerman presided over thousands of cases McQueen prosecuted in the municipal court. Then, in April, Kelsie Mattox was sworn in as city solicitor fol lowing an intergovernmental agreement between Alpharetta and Milton intended to further strengthen the cities’ bond.

In a May 5 demand letter, McQueen accused the cities of discrimination for replacing her with a “far younger and less experienced African American employee.” She also claimed she was misclassified as an independent contrac tor for the 20 years she worked as city

solicitor for Alpharetta and Milton.

While the cities denied any wrong doing, they initially offered to pay McQueen $25,000 to settle all claims. But, after going back and forth for sev eral months and McQueen demanding $125,000, all parties ultimately agreed to settle for $100,000.

The final settlement agreement also states the cities will provide McQueen with a “neutral employment reference” and that she cannot seek future employ ment with the cities or file any other complaints against them or their current or former employees.

“McQueen shall provide such tes timony, background information, and other support and cooperation as the cities may reasonably request,” it states. “… Nothing in this paragraph shall pro hibit McQueen from testifying truthfully pursuant to a subpoena in any legal pro ceeding in which the cities are involved.”

The City of Alpharetta’s report on the ethics investigation of retired city judge Zimmerman ends with the assertion that it would be possible for the city to fully inves tigate how widespread his alleged indiscre tions go, which could involve McQueen.

City officials still need to decide if and how to advance the investigation.

I just cannot be supportive of awarding monetary compensation as a settlement”

CHARTER MEMBER

Robin Fricton

Roderick Liptrot

Bob Meyers

Roger Wise Jr.

Is Your Company Hiring?

MEMBER (Cont.)

From left: Emma Winklmann, 9, Johns Creek; Remi Hammock, 9, Statham; Blythe Cammack, 9, Johns Creek; Jo Hancock, 9, Alpharetta; assistant coach Ian Winklmann, Johns Creek; Maggie Park, 8, Kennesaw; Riley Borod, 10, Johns Creek; Ellie Hancock, 8, Alpharetta; head coach J.P. Borod, Johns Creek; Gianna Harris, 10, Winder; Phoebe Appen, 7, Alpharetta; assistant coach Trent Hammock, Sta tham; Addie Greene, 10, Rome; and Evie Barton, 10, Dawsonville.

All-female baseball team wins area championship

Forehand

Anne

Mary Asbury Barbara Bauschka

Tom Billings

Joe Bowen

Kirk Canaday

James Carr

Pat Check

Tom Driscoll

Danny Elkins

Carol Fry

Christopher Goodrich

Joe Hirsch

Penn Hodge

Tyler Jones

Mark Kelly

Allison Kloster

Ken Leffingwell

Karen Magill

Al Merrill

Fred Moeller

Stephanie Schuette

Cindy Simpson

Faye Sklar

Andy Smith

Lisa Tilt

Ollie Wagner

Lewis Walker

COBB COUNTY, Ga. — The 10U Georgia Peaches, an all-female travel baseball team based in Johns Creek, competed in the Cobb County Sunday Series tourna ment on Sept. 18 in Powder Springs. After finishing 2-0 in pool play, they went

on to defeat the Smyrna Slammers Pros pects, 8-7, in the championship game.  This is the first known instance of an all-female baseball team entering and winning an otherwise all-boys travel baseball tournament in Georgia.

GARAGE SALES

See more garage sales

CUMMING: Yard sale. 7095 Burwick Lane 30040. Friday 10/7, Saturday 10/8.

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To place garage sale ads: Noon Friday.

HANS APPEN/APPEN MEDIA

Auburn classes draw local high schoolers

By CHAMIAN CRUZ chamian@appenmedia.com

FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — More than five dozen Fulton County students are finishing out their high school career while taking college courses through Auburn University this semester – all without having to pay out-of-state tuition.

Fulton County Schools entered into a landmark agreement with Auburn University last year that allows all public high school students access to free or re duced-cost classes. So far, 63 students, representing 13 local high schools, have enrolled, according to Fulton County Schools Chief Academic Officer Clifford Jones.

About 38 percent of the students are seniors, and 62 percent are ju niors. The top three schools with students enrolled in the program are Roswell, Johns Creek and Milton high schools. Jones told Appen Media in July the most popular courses are English 1100, Psychology 2010 and Economics 2020.

The first-of-its-kind arrangement allows the university to establish virtual learning locations in the county to assist

CARTERSE/WIKIPEDIA COMMONS

At last count, 63 Fulton County stu dents are enrolled in free or low-cost classes at Auburn University.

in outreach classes, including virtual learning centers at the district’s two innovation academies in Alpharetta and Fairburn.

Under terms of the agreement, students are allowed to take up to 24 hours of college courses through the university without paying out-of-state tuition. Students receiving free or re duced lunch can apply for the classes at no cost. Other students pay $550 a class.

When the partnership was an nounced in September 2021, Julie Huff, Auburn assistant vice president for Strategic Initiatives and Communica tions, said the university had stepped up efforts in recent years to expand opportunities to students who may have felt left out of the traditional path to college.

Introducing the college experience into high school, she said, could help students garner some success, gain confidence and help put them on a path that might have intimidated them before.

Fulton County Schools spokes woman Anne Boatwright said while it is too early to engage in interviews, the district is thrilled with the “incredible opportunity” to partner with Auburn University, and students and families are committed to active participation in the program.

Tax:

tion, while the county keeps a small

for administrative fees.

But from the beginning of talks over the new 10-year agreement, the county has insisted on taking a greater share than it has in the last two decades. Ful ton County initially proposed to increase its share from 5 percent to 35 percent.

City officials have come down hard against that proposal, saying it would devastate municipalities that rely on LOST proceeds to pay for things like law enforce ment, fire and emergency rescue, parks and recreation, roads and other services.

Since that initial offer, negotiators on both sides have exchanged proposals. Most recently at a Sept. 23 mediation session with the Georgia Municipal As sociation in Atlanta, talks stalled when county officials refused to participate in negotiations in front of the public.

“There’s no reason for the county that they can justify an increase in their percentage of LOST,” Johns Creek Mayor John Bradberry said. “If they want an increase in their percentage, they need to come to us, they need to come to you with a concrete proposal.”

The hostilities with the county over LOST negotiations has unified the cities.

“North, south, there’s always been a

divide,” Sandy Springs Mayor Rusty Paul said. “Republican, Democrat, there’s al ways been a divide. Black, white, an un fortunate divide … Look up here, there’s one positive thing that Fulton County has accomplished. They organized all of us.”

Paul said the cities have set aside all historic differences to focus on solving the real problems residents face in their daily lives.

That theme was echoed by each of the panelists, from all parts of Fulton County, each expressing their apprecia tion for the chance to tackle issues fac ing all of Fulton County together.

“We’re all here united because this is

a vitally important issue,” College Park Mayor Bianca Motley Broom said.

Motley Broom, who’s city hosted the town hall Wednesday night, said all Fulton County Commissioners had been invited to share their position on LOST with resi dents. County officials chose not to attend.

“This was not supposed to be an event where we just talked and didn’t have a dialogue with them,” Motley Broom said. “Commissioners Ellis, Ab dur-Rahman, Morris and Arrington said they would not be able to attend, the others went radio silent … That is not good enough, when they are accountable to each one of us.”

Challenging the crowd to reach out to their county elected officials on the issue, Motley Broom said the County Commis sion should be held accountable by its constituents the same way city residents demand accountability from their mayors.

“Ask them the hard questions,” she said. “Ask them why they are so proud of a rollback in their millage rates – Because they want to look like the good guys while they’re putting it on our backs.”

City and county officials will have their second mediation session on LOST at the Georgia Municipal Association in downtown Atlanta on Friday, Oct. 7, starting at 10 a.m.

ALEXANDER POPP/APPEN MEDIA Mayors and representatives from 11 Fulton County cities met at the Georgia International Conference Center Sept. 28 for the second public town hall meeting to discuss the upcoming countywide local option sales tax.

The

pharetta.

Lineup set for Wire & Wood festival

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — A lineup of more than 50 national, regional and local per formers are headed to Alpharetta for the free annual Wire & Wood Festival, coming to the city’s downtown Oct. 7 and 8.

The city is preparing for 34 per formances on six outdoor stages for the two-day festival, as well as 17 other musical showcases at businesses throughout downtown.

Performers include Pop and R&B Performer Samm Henshaw, interna tional singer/songwriter Eric Hutchin son, Grammy-nominated artists The Secret Sisters, Americana artist Will

Hoge, singer-songwriter David Ryan Harris and many more artists.

“Wire & Wood attracts the best sing ers and songwriters each year to perform their original music, and this year’s lineup will not disappoint,” Alpharetta Director of Recreation, Parks & Cultural Services Morgan Rodgers said. “This festival has a special way of bringing our community to gether. The streets of downtown Alpharet ta will be filled with the sounds of music, and you won’t want to miss it.”

For a full lineup of the festival and more information, visit wireandwoodal pharetta.com.

Pumpkin Pancakes!

Joslyn

festival

Antique books abound at Roswell shop

By CHAMIAN CRUZ chamian@appenmedia.com

ROSWELL, Ga. — Sonny Ideker wasn’t fond of reading growing up, but today, he spends most of his time surrounded by a grand collection of rare and an tiquarian books that hold rich history between their pages.

The 76-year-old is the owner of Son ny Ideker Rare and Antiquarian Book seller inside City Antiques and Interiors in Roswell. The bookstore features an eclectic mix of decorative, general anti quarian books, most 100 years or older.

His collection ranges from “St. Gregory’s (Pope Gregory I.) Teachings on the Gospel” from 1493 to the 1987 “We the People,” an elephant folio work made in celebration of the 200th anniversary of the U.S. Constitution. The shelves also include a variety of classics as well as works by authors such as William Shakespeare, Charles Dickens, Edgar Allen Poe and Jane Austin.

And, if you just so happen to be looking for costume books from Russia, Turkey, England, Africa or Asia, he has those too.

“We’re called booksellers, but we are book showers,” Ideker said. “Our job is to find out your interest and show you books of interest. You decide if you want to buy or not. You can have a library and not one book looks like this, and it could still be a wonderful library. You should always buy what you want, not what someone tells you to buy.”

Ideker has been in the bookselling/ collecting business for over 25 years, but he said he doesn’t read for pleasure and never has, because of his dyslexia. How ever, that doesn’t stop him from trying to spark an interest in others, especially

children, whenever they visit his store.

“We show them the fore-edged painted books and have them say, ‘abra cadabra,’ because they’re magic,” Ideker said.

Before he was a collector, Ideker

was a U.S. Air Force pilot for 20 years and served in the Vietnam War. He was stationed in countries such as Korea, Thailand, Spain and Germany, where he was able to immerse himself in different cultures. When he retired, he was hired

Thursday,

Developing

by Delta and eventually moved to Eu rope, where he lived with his wife, Janel, for five and a half years.

At that time, he says he had never

Workplace

CHAMIAN CRUZ/APPEN MEDIA

From left, Sonny Ideker and Steven Martin bond over their passion for antiquarian books at Sonny Ideker Rare and Antiquar ian Bookseller inside City Antiques and Interiors in Roswell.

SONNY

Books:

visited a bookstore or antique store. Then, one day his wife, who owned a home décor store, asked him to bring her back interesting books he happened to come across on one of his trips. He said she planned to use them to decorate.

“That’s how it all started,” Ideker said. “Once I was introduced to books, the people in England were so kind to me and willing to share their knowledge with me, ... and I just fell in love with the process.”

The first set of books Ideker bought was at a street fair in Brighton, Eng land, that had been in a fire. While they smelled, he said they were nice look ing. His wife didn’t quite feel the same, and the books never made it out of the garage, Ideker said.

As time went on, he learned what to look for in antiquarian books from his bookseller friends in Europe. The more he collected them, Ideker said the more they became a reason to get up in the morning.

Ideker said he probably sells more religious books than anything else be cause most early books were all religious in nature. But, his personal favorite is a French version of the New Testament and Book of Psalms from 1710 in which every psalm is put to music.

Somehow though, he says he doesn’t get attached to any one book.

“When someone buys a book, you see the person and you see the joy it brings them,” Ideker said. “So, it’s not like it’s just a financial transaction. There’s some emotion because you’ve met the person.”

Steven Martin, a business partner at Sonny Ideker Rare and Antiquarian Bookseller, said their customers are some of the most interesting people he’s ever met. They come from all walks of life, often oohing and aahing as they

CHAMIAN CRUZ/APPEN MEDIA

move from shelf to shelf.

“It’s a good feeling to be able to provide something like this to the com munity,” Martin said. “Most people are not familiar with this sort of shop. The two words I hear constantly from outside the door are ‘wow’ and ‘amazing.’ A lot of people are afraid to come in or touch anything, but, I mean, the books are here, books are designed to be held. So, we’ll go through the process of educating them on how to hold a book or what to look for, and that’s neat when you can

CUSTOM

open somebody’s eyes.”

Martin was a student at Kennesaw State University when he responded to a request to help porter a book fair. There, he met Ideker, and the rest is history. He says he’s in heaven being surrounded by the artistry, workmanship and crafts manship of every book in the store.

“Many of them are just as beauti ful with the information on the inside as they are with the bindings on the outside,” Martin said. “There’s just so much to learn about everything in here. It’s nonstop. If I don’t know something, I’ll get up and grab a book.”

Martin said they don’t restore many of the books, but they do “feed” them to get them ready for sale, meaning they condition the leather to bring luster and life back into the bindings and protect them for future generations.

“Every book tells a story in one sense or another, whether it’s what’s in the book, what’s on the book, what’s written in the book or where it came from,” Martin said. “These books are special because, for the most part, they’ve been taken care of over the millennia and are ready for their new home. There’s a certain feel. I think they give off an energy in a sense. Maybe we sound a little silly, but they kind of do.”

Sonny Ideker Rare and Antiquarian Bookseller is at 700 Holcomb Bridge Road, No. 100 in Roswell. For more information, visit sonnyidekerbookseller. com or call 770-853-3311.

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Sonny Ideker Rare and Antiquarian Bookseller in Roswell features an eclectic mix of decorative, general antiquarian books dating back to the 1400s.

Business

Brought to you by – Bill Rawlings, Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s Interna tional Realty

Leaves turning, temperatures cooling and winter approaching means that it’s time to prep your household for the change of season. Post-summer months are the perfect time to prime your home for winter, especially in the South, where—finally— the weather is less hot and humid. The follow ing list breaks down fall maintenance by specific checkpoints throughout your house that benefit from periodic upkeep (or, at the very least, a routine assessment).

1. Windows and doors.

Air leaks can create a less-than-com fortable indoor environment and a higherthan-ideal gas and/or electric bill. You’ll want to check for places where the caulk or weatherstripping has worn down or dis

appeared completely and replace singlepane windows with multiple-pane models or glass with spacers or filler gasses.

2. Gutters.

As your home’s exterior drainage system, gutters manage the amount of water that touches the foundation walls and external surfaces, and throughout the year, they accumulate debris that needs to be removed. To properly clean them out, all you need is a ladder, gloves, a bucket and a hose to rinse them down after all the sludge has been discarded.

3. Water lines and hoses.

When temperatures drop, leftover water in your pipes can freeze and dam age your home’s irrigation system. While disconnecting and emptying your garden hoses is fairly simple, you may want to call a professional to winterize your sprinkler system, as high pressure is often necessary.

4. Fireplace and chimney.

It’s important to keep fireplaces and chimneys clean and check them for damage. You’ll want to make sure

that creosote doesn’t accumulate from burning wood (as it is flammable and contains toxins) and check for flue blockages as well as loose or broken joints.

5. Furnace.

Turn on your furnace before it’s actu ally necessary. Listen for strange noises, check for unusual smells and make sure your filter is fresh.

Whether you decide to run through the list yourself or hire a contractor, do ing a maintenance check now and tack ling a few small improvements means that you can truly relax during the holi days and enjoy your home for the way it makes room for friends and family. Just a few improvements can make a huge impact. If you need assistance renovat ing your home or have any other real estate needs, please contact Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty at 770.442.7300. We would be happy to

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Soleil Belmont Park celebrates

109 homes sold in nine months!

Brought to you by - Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices GA Properties

Soleil Belmont Park, a 55 plus com munity built by award-winning Patrick Malloy Communities, is an extraordi nary new home community expertly designed for active adults. Conveniently located between Milton and Canton, Soleil Belmont Park will feature 471 low maintenance homes. This exciting new neighborhood offers an array of resort style amenities including a 9,800 square foot community clubhouse with a cof fee and cocktail bar, health and fitness center, catering kitchen, arts and crafts studio, club/card room and a commu

nity post office. Homeowners will enjoy a resort-style pool, tennis and pickle ball courts, bocce ball, a community garden, and walking trails. In addition, Soleil Belmont Park will have its own lifestyle and travel director.

With the focus on lifestyle and ameni ties, Soleil Belmont Park offers a life style that appeals to a variety of buyers all with their own specific reasons for choosing Soleil Belmont Park. Some were looking for a sense of community and a social lifestyle where they could meet new friends. Others wanted a

lock and leave lifestyle to enjoy traveling and visiting family and friends. Staying healthy is a quest for many and Soleil’s fitness centers and social sports such as pickle ball and tennis played an impor tant part in their homebuying decision. And don’t forget the four-legged mem bers of the family who enjoy the out doors and the extensive walking trails. Whatever the reason, Soleil is quickly becoming the place for the ultimate in active adult living!

Next year the Soleil story will con tinue with the opening of Soleil Summit

Chase. Located in Gwinnett County’s town of Snellville, this sister neighbor hood will open for sales this winter. To join the Soleil Summit Chase VIP list and to register for community updates, go to www.pmcommunities.com. Make plans to visit Soleil Belmont Park’s model home park featuring five designer models priced from the low $500s+. Visit www.SoleilBelmontPark.com or call 770.635.4080. Sales and marketing by Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties New Homes Division. Equal Housing Opportunity.

SOLEIL

Still a great time to sell your home

Brought to you by - Allison Kloster, Associate Broker, Home Real Estate

There is much talk in the media and in the social network world about the market and the shift that everyone is seeing and feeling. The sky is not falling. We live in a very sought-after area. A community that folks from all parts of the country, and even more in our very own metropolitan area, want to call home. The shift that you see is what we, Realtors, call normalization, a traditional market, if you will. Our val ues are significantly still up, from a year ago. It is still an extremely good time to sell and a really great time to buy. The interest rates have gone up for all the reasons you have read about, but mostly because the Fed is trying to stabilize the econo my and control inflation. Refinancing

becomes a real part of the dialogue now because it is important to note that the interest rate you close on today is not a lifelong commitment. You can and should refinance when the market settles, and interest rates come back down. This will happen. By looking at an interest rate chart over the last 25 years, you will see all the ups and downs rates have experienced and you can see notable times in our history where refinancing became the norm and homeown ers could capture better rates than when they first bought their home.

Ask your lender to keep you posted on rates and tell them you will want to refinance when an opportunity presents itself and you meet the criteria to do so.

In our current market, selling your home is still a great idea because while our inventory levels have increased, they are still down and not over saturated. Your buyer pool is more concentrated and usually yields you stronger, more serious buyers at this time of year. In other words, you will have better showings and more motivated buyers and they will want to potentially close over a winter break and start the new year in a new home.

Buying in the fall season is the best. As a buyer, there will not be as many other buyers out there competing with you and therefore, you have a strong possibility of getting the home of your dreams with the terms that make you comfortable. You may be able to get a 5, 7 or even 10-day due diligence period. This will allow you to assess

the property in any way you want. You may be able to get a financing and an appraisal contingency again and pos sibly even a survey contingency. Of course, all of this will be dependent upon the house itself. It is critical that sellers go the extra mile to make their home shine. Buyers are paying more in monthly payments and are now expect ing more from the sellers. It is really important to create that sense of arrival and stage the home for the buyers and that need will continue to be important in to the 2023 market.

If you would like for us to come, see your home and help you understand the best money to spend to position your home for top dollar in this market – please reach out to us. We are here to help and improve your potential sales price!

Saving souls and saving lives in Crabapple

Crabapple is a place people love to visit or come home to. It has a traditional small-town Georgia feel with more than just a touch of modern. Featuring a village green with constantly changing events and trendy shops opening in rapid succession, Crabapple is truly one of North Fulton’s most unique communities.

Most of Crabapple is in the city of Milton, but Alpharetta and Roswell also lay claim to portions.

Ron Wallace, local business leader and chairman of the governor’s com mission to form the City of Milton says “The borders of Crabapple are irregular at best. They are the result of previous annexations and high level give and take negotiations when Milton was created in 2006 out of the unincorporated part of northern Fulton County and portions of Alpharetta and Roswell.”

Smack-dab in the middle of Milton’s Crabapple community is a 1.8-acre landmass belonging to neighboring Alpharetta with a brick building on it with just enough history and mystery to make it interesting. What is it? Where did it come from? Let’s find out.

Situated at the corner of Crabapple Road and Broadwell Road the building’s history dates back to 1892 when the Crabapple Baptist Church was organized with 21 members. Many area pioneer families provided charter members including families with names such as Broadwell, Dorris, Bates, Cowart, Ruck er and others. The land for the church was donated by J.W. Broadwell and E.E. Broadwell. The first building, a meeting house, was constructed of locally made bricks by J. (John) B. Broadwell, one of the area’s most prominent farmers, at a cost of $675. (In those days, men were generally known by their initials.)

As the church expanded, new facili ties were added or replaced existing facili ties. In 1940 a Sunday School building was constructed at the rear of the sanc tuary. In 1959 an educational building was added which was replaced 10 years later. In 1982 a Family Life Center with a commercial kitchen and gymnasium with basketball court was opened.

In 1992 the church broke ground for a new church on the ten-acre site of the old Northwestern School property a fraction of a mile north on Birming ham Highway, property that the church had purchased from Fulton County some years earlier and used as a “north campus.” The new facility was officially dedicated in 1998.

The City of Alpharetta purchased the land and three buildings from the church in 1996 for $1.1 million, with plans to turn the facility into a Crabap ple Government Center, with expanded court facilities and critically needed of fice space.

Soon after the purchase, a senior center was opened in the building which after more than 25 years still provides a range of services and activities.

C.V. Dinsmore handled the sale of the property to the City of Alpharetta. A de scendant of two pioneering families going back to 1834, the William Dinsmore and Abner Philipps families, C.V. says “The senior center was a Godsend for Crabap ple. It gave local seniors a place to go.”

Not widely known is that the city built two holding cells under the courtroom to handle prisoners waiting overnight to go upstairs to appear in court. The cells were never used because Alpharetta decided to transport prisoners from its main jail directly to Crabapple Municipal Court for appearances. Today the courtroom has been modified to be part of a facility used for hands-on training of Alpharetta and Milton police officers for simulated real-life situations police may deal with.

“The building started out saving souls. Now it is dedicated to saving lives,” says Milton Police Officer Charles Fannon.

The beautiful gymnasium has had a lot of use over the years. The Alpharetta’s Recreation and Parks Department uses it these days for adult and youth basketball leagues and adult and junior (age 13 and

From 1892 to 1964 the Crabapple Baptist Church, left, served the Crabapple com munity in this building. It dedicated a new sanctuary building, right, in 1965.

up) Brazilian jujitsu programs.

Lionheart Works occupies part of the building. The organization offers indi vidualized vocational programs for young adults with autism and other neurode velopmental differences.

“Then we match them with employ ment opportunities in the community,” according to Director Heather Wagner. Among their unique programs is a 24/7 internet radio station operated by young people with music and local interviews of community partners. To listen, go to www.lionheartradiousa.com.

Meanwhile, the church has con tinued to change. In June 2022 The Crabapple First Baptist Church and the Grace Church of Alpharetta merged congregations to create the Milton Com munity Church.

So, there is much more than meets the eye in this historic building on an Alpharetta “island” in the midst of Cra bapple, Milton, Georgia.

Bob is director emeritus of the Milton Historical Society. You can email him at bobmey@bellsouth.net.

BOB MEYERS/APPEN MEDIA

The City of Alpharetta’s Crabapple Government Center as it appears today was formerly the First Baptist Church of Crabapple.

MARY ABERNATHY/PROVIDED

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Blacksmithing, a way ‘back to simpler times’

The work of a blacksmith was crucial to everyday life in small farm ing communities. Blacksmiths made tools, horseshoes and plowshares. They were called on to repair horsedrawn wagons and they made railroad spikes and railroad tools.

According to Vivian Price’s 1983 book “Past Memories, Present Prog ress, Future Dreams, a History of the Community and City of Chamblee,” there was a blacksmith shop in the early 1900s near the Chamblee rail road depot. Robert Hardin is listed in the 1910 census with a blacksmith shop on Peachtree Road in Cross Keys.

The blacksmith shop of James Cephas Spruill was near the Dun woody Depot, located between where CVS and Chevron are on Chamblee Dunwoody Road. His shop was in the triangle that is formed by today’s Nan dina Lane, Chamblee Dunwoody Road and Mount Vernon Road. The census records of 1920 and 1930 indicate Spruill continued working as a black smith for many years.

His son, Sentell Spruill, was also a blacksmith. His shop was behind the farmhouse where he and Emma Spruill lived on the property where Dunwoody Baptist Church is today.

John W. Ball worked as a black smith at his home on today’s Roswell Road where Big Trees is located. He and wife Margaret Adams Ball built a log cabin, two wells, a barn and a

blacksmith shop on their property.

John Ball made wagon wheels, plows, and shod mules in his blacksmith shop. The property was along a wagon road that led to Roswell.

Two other blacksmiths are listed in the 1910 census in Dunwoody, both near the depot and the railroad tracks. Zebulon Reeve also had a blacksmith shop in the area where Chamblee Dunwoody Road forks at Roberts Drive. He is listed on the 1910 census with his wife Sarah Reeve and six children.

William Allgood was a horse shoer and blacksmith, listed in 1910 with wife Mary and eight children. Their street name is identified as Sandy Spring Road, an early name for Mount Vernon Road as it leads to Sandy Springs.

William J. Donaldson, who built the farmhouse at Donaldson-Bannis ter Farm in 1870, was a blacksmith. The blacksmith shop was in the small buildings down the hill from the house and caretaker’s house.

The large estate known as Glen ridge Hall (now demolished) at Glen ridge Drive and Abernathy Drive included a blacksmith shop. An estate this large and with several horses needed a blacksmith shop on the property.

Another blacksmith shop in Cham blee was built in 1917 as part of World War I encampment Camp Gordon. Ten paddocks for horses, a blacksmith shop, housing for veterinarians and a mess hall were all part of the Remount Station built at Camp Gordon. In 1920, Joel Logan, Singer Moon and Claude Lynch were still employed at

Celebrating Award-Winning Pet

VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF

FROM THE COLLECTION OF VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF

The Remount Station of World War I Camp Gordon was built in 1917 to house horses and the people who would care for them. It included a blacksmith shop.

CITY OF MILTON PUBLIC NOTICE

PH-22-AB-12

PLACE

CITY HALL 2006 HERITAGE WALK MILTON, GA 30004

DATE & TIME: 10/17/2022 6:00 PM

PURPOSE: Chapter 4 Consumption on Premises Wine, Malt Beverages, and Sunday Sales

APPLICANT:

Jandj Food Double Plus LLC, dba Sushi Nami 5316 Windward Parkway, Suite B Milton, Georgia 30004 Jiae Park, Contact 614-648-5389

Blacksmith:

the Camp Gordon blacksmith shop.

Not every blacksmith considered that their occupation. Farmers, such as Ambrey Carpenter at the corner of Tilly Mill Road and Mount Vernon Road, also were skilled blacksmiths but considered farming their principal work.

If you are interested in learning the skills of a blacksmith, classes are of fered at the Spruill Center for the Arts in Dunwoody. Falls classes just began and are full, but more will be available in January according to instructor Mike Romeo.

Romeo took a class himself when his sons bought him a gift certificate for Spruill Center for the Arts. He enjoyed the class, adding “The origi nal blacksmiths mostly made tools. I find it fascinating that if I need a tool to complete a project, I just make it. You really can’t say that about many other trades. Tradespeople used to go to a blacksmith for that needed tool. Today, you go to a big box store for a tool.”

“Blacksmithing as a hobby is a way

to detach from the fast-paced technol ogy driven world and make something useful or create art out of a piece of metal,” suggests Romeo. “I think the renewed interest in blacksmithing today has a basis in people wanting to get back to simpler times where you can take pride in what you’ve made and actually use physical labor to make it - no button pushing.”

Award-winning author Val erie Biggerstaff is a longtime columnist for Appen Media. he lives in Sandy Springs. You can email Valerie at pasttensega@ gmail.com or visit her website at pasttensega.com.

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Run it in the newspaper! WEDDINGS

ENGAGEMENTS

BIRTHS

DEATHS

In Memoriam

William Lloyd Sconiers Sr.

William Lloyd Sconiers Sr., 90, of Kennesaw, Georgia, passed away on September 19” after a lengthy battle with age-related illnesses.

Born into what he referred to as “hard times” in McComb, Mississippi, he was an Eagle Scout and graduated first in his class at the University of Southern Mississippi before spending Mo years in the Army, including 18 months in Germany. This was the beginning of his lifelong wanderlust that culminated in visits to almost every continent and the opportunity to live in six states and three countries including Venezuela, England, and Holland. He spent his entire career with Exxon Corporation as Audit Manager and Division Controller, retiring in 1986 to Hendersonville, Tennessee.

He had many passions including rare stamp and coin collecting, reading, and history. Lloyd was a dedicated Christian who taught Bible Study and committed many hours to the prison ministry at his church. As a man who never met a stranger and with a wide circle of friends, he will be remembered for his keen intellect,

sharp sense of humor, loud whistling and for being a loyal and loving father.

But mostly he will be remembered for his steadfast faith and for his fierce devotion to the love of his life, his wife, Catherine Bianca Sconiers.

In addition to Catherine, he is survived by his four children: Bill Sconiers (Ginny) of Winterville, North Carolina, John Sconiers (Kim) of Kennesaw, Georgia, Karen White (Tim) of Milton, Georgia, and Steven Sconiers (Shawna) of Murfreesboro, Tennessee as well as eleven grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, Annabelle and Walker Sconiers of DeFuniak Springs, Florida, his brother, Harold, and nephew, Wayne, of Biloxi, Mississippi.

The funeral service will be held at Winkenhofer Pine Ridge Funeral Home in Kennesaw, on October 1st at 2:00 pm. Visitation at the same location will begin at 11:00 am. His family will be present to welcome loved ones.

In lieu of flowers, we welcome donations to the American Alzheimer’s Association.

Mayor’s

Ga. — The Rotary Club of Alpharetta hosted its biggest fun draiser of the year Sept. 29 in down town. This year, the Mayor’s Corporate Challenge 5K race drew about 1,600 registrants.

Rotary Club President Nominee Jeff Davis said the club expects to raise $110,000 through corporate sponsors and individual donations. The net will go toward local nonprofits and inter national projects, he said.

“Look, at the end of the day, Rotary is about service,” Davis said. “This is our opportunity to serve the commu nity.”

Morris Francine, 84, of Johns Creek, passed away September 13, 2022. Arrangements by Leaf Cremation.

Barbara Hunt, 77, of Roswell, passed away September 22, 2022. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Helen Larkin, 98, of Alpharetta, passed away September 26, 2022. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Betty Myers, 66, of Cumming,

away September 19, 2022. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

PHOTOS BY AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA

A runner stops for a drink of water.

halfway through the race, on the intersec tion of Academy Street and Westside Parkway, volunteers set up water stands.

This

Mayor’s Corporate Challenge

race drew

registrants.

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Reader Advisory: The National Trade Association we belong to has purchased the above classifieds. Determining the value of their service or product is advised by this publication. In order to avoid misunderstandings, some advertisers do not offer employment but rather sup-ply the readers with manuals, directories and other materials designed to help their clients establish mail order selling and other businesses at home. Under NO circumstance should you send any money in advance or give the client your checking, license ID, or credit card numbers. Also beware of ads that claim to guarantee loans regardless of credit and note that if a credit repair company does business only over the phone it is illegal to request any money before delivering its service. All funds are based in US dollars. Toll free numbers may or may not reach Canada.

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