ATLANTA – The Milton County Legislators’ Advisory Committee met for the first time on June 11 at Johns Creek City Hall. Representatives Mark Burkhalter (R- Johns Creek) and Jan Jones (R- Milton) formed the committee in May 2009 to advise north Fulton legislators on the proposed re-creation of Milton County.
At the first organizational meeting, the members elected Fulton County Commissioner Lynne Riley to chair the committee. The committee designated Superior Court Judge Tom Campbell as the liaison to the courts, including Fulton County courts and the proposed Milton County courts, to assure all judicial concerns are considered. School Board Members Katie Reeves and Ashley Widener were designated as liaisons for public schools. They will head up school-related issues and give input to the legislators on ramifications of the proposed legislation on the Fulton County School System and the proposed Milton County School System. All committee members will serve in a citizens’ capacity, not official capacity.
The advisory group of north Fulton citizens will volunteer their time, knowledge and experience to assist Representatives Jones and Burkhalter and other members of the North Fulton Legislative Delegation. The committee will offer analysis of and suggestions on issues identified in the legislative study report prepared by the University of Georgia and Georgia State University on the re-creation of Milton County.
Representatives Burkhalter and Jones obtained a $250,000 state grant in 2007 to evaluate the proposed county’s re-creation. The study was completed in March 2009 and can be accessed at www.cviog.uga.edu/miltoncounty.
The Milton County Legislators’ Advisory Committee will meet through March 2010. A public town hall meeting in north Fulton is planned prior to the next legislation session, which commences in January. No date or location has been determined yet for this town hall meeting. Commissioner Riley will organize additional smaller forums to allow for public input and discussion.
Rep. Jones was elected House Majority Whip in November 2008. She authored House Resolution 21 in the 2009 legislative session, which would allow for a voter referendum to amend the Georgia Constitution to allow historically merged counties to be re-created. Milton County and Campbell County in south Fulton are the only remaining merged counties.
Rep. Burkhalter was elected to Speaker Pro Tem in 2005 and co-sponsored HR 21. Burkhalter and Jones have stated they intend to take the resolution forward for a vote on the House floor in the 2010 session. If passed in the House and Senate, a statewide voter referendum would appear on the November 2010 ballot.
The Milton County Legislators’ Advisory Committee will involve and engage other organizations and citizens as it evaluates the legislation. The committee members are: Tom Campbell (Fulton County Superior Court Judge), Randall Johnson (Johns Creek City Council Member), Jim Paine (Mayor Pro Tem – City of Alpharetta), Rusty Paul (Mayor Pro Tem – City of Sandy Springs), Robert Proctor (Tax Attorney and North Fulton resident), Katie Reeves (Fulton County School Board Member), Ashley Widener (Fulton County School Board Member), Lynne Riley (Fulton County Commissioner, Mark Burkhalter (ex-officio) and Jan Jones (ex-officio).
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