The City of Alpharetta seeking outstanding students interested in applying for Youth Council.
The City of Alpharetta is once again seeking outstanding high school juniors and seniors interested in applying for one of seven seats on our Youth Council.
The purpose of the Alpharetta Youth Council is threefold: (1) to establish a forum for discussion of topics affecting the student population; (2) to create an interactive learning environment that bridges the gap between classroom lessons and real world applications; and (3) to provide an opportunity for students to earn points / credits toward graduation. More importantly, however, Youth Council participants develop and hone leadership skills that will benefit them throughout their adult lives.
Formal meetings of the Alpharetta Youth Council are held on the second Monday of each month from 5:00 PM until 7:00 PM at Alpharetta City Hall. During these sessions members will gain insight into local government operations and will also be presented with and deliberate on items that will appear on upcoming City Council agendas; thus gaining an appreciation and understanding for the complexities behind public policy decisions. The Alpharetta Youth Council convenes in October 2009 and will operate through April 2010.
Those wishing to be considered for participation in the upcoming Youth Council class should download and complete the application packet and submit it by no later than 12:00 PM on September 21, 2009 according to the instructions in the packet.
On Sunday, September 13, 2009, IronKids will hold its seventh event of the national triathlon series in Alpharetta, Georgia, drawing youth ranging from 6 to 15 years of age. The triathlon will begin at 8 a.m. and take place at Wills Park. Participants will swim in an outdoor pool, bike on closed roads and run on paved walkway and grass. All finishers will receive a commemorative medal, trophies will be awarded to the top three finishers in each age group and the top five finishers in each age group will qualify for the IronKids National Championship on October 4 in Tucson, Arizona. Local partners include the Alpharetta Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) and the City of Alpharetta. Host hotels, Staybridge Suites, Embassy Suites Atlanta - Alpharetta and the Hilton Garden Inn North Point, will offer discounts to participating families.
Director of IronKids, Michelle Payette, comments, "The IronKids mission is to inspire and motivate youth through sport to lead an active, positive and healthy lifestyle. We are excited that IronKids is returning to such a great event venue at Wills Park in beautiful Alpharetta. Alpharetta is an active, health-focused community and one that not only supports our goals, but also fully embraces them."
The IronKids Expo, along with registration and packet pick-up, will take place at Wills Park on Saturday, September 12, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Sunday, September 13, from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Additionally, registration will take place on race morning, Sunday September 13, from 6:30 a.m. until 15 minutes prior to each division entering the water. IronFlix, a children’s film festival that is free and open to the public, will be available in multiple viewings, on Friday, September 11, (evening outdoor screening) and throughout the day on Saturday, September 12. Presented by KIDS FIRST!, viewers will experience a mix of inspirational animated shorts and feature films.
Adds Janet Rodgers, President and CEO of the Alpharetta CVB, "We are proud to partner with the IronKids organization in bringing this triathlon to Alpharetta and encourage visitors to visit www.awesomealpharetta.com and explore all the city has to offer in the way of shopping, dining and entertainment." Distances for the IronKids Triathlon will vary, depending on the age of participants: - Junior (ages 6 to 8): 50-yard swim, 2-mile bike and 500-yard run - Intermediate (ages 9 to 11): 150-yard swim, 4-mile bike and 1-mile run - Senior (ages 12 to 15): 300-yard swim, 8-mile bike and 2-mile run
World Triathlon Corporation acquired IronKids from the Sara Lee Corporation that owned the event series since 1985. IronKids’ events have seen more than 40,000 participants in its history. IronKids has introduced some of the sport’s greats with past participants including seven-time Tour de France champion, Lance Armstrong and U.S. Olympians, Hunter Kemper and Laura Bennett. The 2009 IronKids National Triathlon Series includes eight events in locations such as Avon, Colo., Oklahoma City, Okla. and Tucson, Ariz. National partners such as K-Swiss, Aqua Sphere, CLIF Bar, SAM (Store & Move) and Timex will support this year’s series.
To register for the IronKids Alpharetta Triathlon, see locations for IronFlix and learn more about the IronKids brand, visit www.IronKids.com. For volunteer or sponsorship inquiries, contact Michelle Payette at Michelle@IronKids.com. Media members may direct questions to Blair LaHaye at Blair@IronKids.com, 727.808.0646 or Catie Case at Catie@IronKids.com, 813.927.3664.
Alpharetta Convention and Visitors Bureau The Alpharetta Convention and Visitors Bureau serves as the destination marketing arm for the City, promoting tourism to Alpharetta, Georgia, and attracting visitors to all 23 of Alpharetta’s upscale and modern hotels. Visit www.awesomealpharetta.com for more information.
An INCLUSIVE group of Citizens, business men & women, stakeholders and elected officials committed to a solid foundation and exceptional leadership as we create our common destiny in forming the new Milton County.Milton County Rising is dedicated to the re-creation of Milton County, Georgia encompassing the cities of Mountain Park, Alpharetta, Roswell, Sandy Springs, John's Creek and City of Milton. Click on the logos below to directly access to the city websites.
Since 1999, the Georgia General Assembly and Governor have provided a credit on homesteaded property tax bills called the Homeowners Tax Relief Grant (HTRG). This credit resulted in an annual reduction of $150 to $175 to your property tax bill.
Due to financial strains on the state budget, the Georgia General Assembly and the Governor did not fund this credit for the 2009 property tax bills. Therefore, the bills currently being received by property owners do not have this credit applied as in past years. The HTRG credit is not expected to be funded again unless state revenues increase significantly
As the mayoral race continues to heat up in Roswell, a pending lawsuit against the City of Roswell and others may add a crucial twist to the mix of already contentious issues...
As the mayoral race continues to heat up in Roswell, a pending lawsuit against the City of Roswell and others may add a crucial twist to the mix of already contentious issues. It stems from a house fire that occurred last year. The home was razed to mere ashes in a “keystone cops” ordeal where hydrants didn’t work, hoses didn’t pump and fire trucks crashed into each other at the scene.
WHO’S ON FIRST?
Questions linger. Was the dry hydrant actually tested? Has the City properly inspected and maintained water supply lines that feed hydrants within the City? Does the City have proper insurance to cover liability for failing to maintain these basic public services?
These are the many questions that Robert and Lori Cloaninger will be contemplating this election especially after they watched in horror as their home burned to the ground in February of 2008 even though a fire hydrant was directly located in their front yard. Why? The hydrant and water mains below did not produce water.
Despite efforts to resolve the matter, the City has taken no apparent steps to assist the Cloaningers or to facilitate their now transient life style through temporary housing. Why? “Sovereign Immunity.” The City has taken the position that they are immune from responsibility based on a recent Court of Appeals decision of April 6, 2009. The Court held that a municipality is absolutely protected from liability under the doctrine of sovereign immunity, for any actions or omissions of firefighters during an emergency or for the inoperability of hydrants during a fire, as a matter of “public policy.” As a result, all legal theories of any kind brought by an injured party are barred in this context.
COURTS ABSOLVE CITIES
Such a broad interpretation has not stopped the Cloaningers from bringing suit. Their lawsuit, filed by attorney Kurt R. Hilbert, Esq., seeks to challenge the Court of Appeals ruling and distinguish its applicability. The lawsuit asserts that if this principle is applied in all cases, it “provides no process for obtaining just compensation and provides no remedy to Plaintiffs.” In essence, the lawsuit argues that the Court of Appeals decision allows a municipality to create and enforce a “policy and custom of conscious indifference to a known risk of harm to all inhabitants of the City of Roswell” without any checks and balances or remedy. The lawsuit argues that citizens, who contractually pay for such public utility services and for the comfort of knowing that the services are being performed and that insurance exists to cover defects in their utility products, should have a remedy. The lawsuit further seeks to have the City of Roswell’s policy and custom scrutinized under federal law – as this issue is one that affects all inhabitants of cities like Roswell.
THE HEART OF THE MATTER
At the heart of the issue, and which may surface as an election topic, is whether the City can or should escape responsibility for its alleged failure to inspect and maintain water utility products within the City, and whether the City has or should have proper insurance coverage for injured citizens in such events. “What happens if a life was lost?” Hilbert asks. “The Court of Appeal’s decision says the City has no responsibility. This cannot be a correct statement of the law nor public policy in this State and should scare every resident in this state. Simply put, how do you know that water is in your hydrant and that you are safe?”
Such public policy and insurance issues may make their way on the agenda for the next debate.
October 3 – Crossroads at Crabapple Antique & Art Festival 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., historic downtown Crabapple, 790 Mayfield Road A tradition since 1969, this one day only outdoor festival features 50 local juried artists and 50 American Country Antique Dealers from six states. Thousands of antiques, accessories, and unique pieces of art in all mediums will be available, so come enjoy this old- fashion festival. Included in the festival are roaming musicians, food for sale benefiting the Boy and Girl Scouts, children activities from 2 till 4 p.m., a home tour, and trolley rides. An event not to miss. Parking and admission are free. • For more information for this event, please call 770.448.3860.
October 17 – 3rd Annual Milton Roundup Noon – 7 p.m., Milton High and Northwestern Middle School campuses Our annual Milton Roundup is a celebration of the City. All residents of Milton, along with their family and friends, are invited to join in the day-long event where they can eat good local food, play games, hop on one of our exciting rides or just spend the day outside enjoying Georgia's beautiful fall weather. Parking and admission is free. • For information on becoming a vendor for this event, please contact Linda Blow at linda.blow@cityofmiltonga.us or call 678.242.2500.
October 17 –Inaugural Milton Mayor's Run 10 a.m., Milton High and Northwestern Middle School campuses The City of Milton plans to host an inaugural Milton Mayor's Run. This event begins and ends at the campuses of Milton High and Northwestern Middle Schools and features 5K Trail Run, 1-mile Fun Run and Tot Trot options. All proceeds benefit Milton's Birmingham Park. • Sponsorship details
December 5 – Christmas in Crabapple 5 p.m. - 8 p.m., historic downtown Crabapple Celebrate the season of giving with a traditional outdoor celebration. Santa will be on hand – complete with live reindeer – for children to share their secret wishes and to get their picture taken. Everyone can enjoy hot chocolate, cider and S'mores while listening to carols sung by the Milton High School choir. Admission is free and children will get a special gift from Santa.
Milton's Public Works Department is hosting a Crabapple Design Charrette on Monday, Aug. 24, at 6 p.m.at Milton City Hall, 13000 Deerfield Parkway. Citizens can provide input on the concept designs for the Crabapple Crossroads intersection.
The charrette is focused on Crabapple as a “village activity center opportunity.” School and commuter traffic, as well as connectivity and enhanced pedestrian access, will be discussed.
During the charrette, Kimley-Horn, the consulting firm working on Milton’s Comprehensive Transportation Plan and the Crabapple Crossroads Study, will work with participants to sketch design ideas and general concepts for the area on plans and aerials to be used in the concept plan. This study is a detailed look at the Crabapple Crossroads intersection and will be integrated into the ongoing CTP.
Incorporated on Dec. 1, 2006, the City of Milton is a distinctive community that embraces small-town life and heritage while preserving and enhancing the city's rural character. The City of Milton is committed to maintaining the unique quality of life for its constituents while efficiently delivering essential services to residents and businesses in an interactive community environment. For more information, visit www.cityofmiltonga.us, or call 678.242.2500.
Welcome Back to Milton! We've had an extraordinary beginning. Enrollment continues to exceed projections. Enrollment continues to grow despite the economic recession. Although we won't have official figures for another week, it appears we will have over 2500 students. We've added another two double-portables to accommodate this growth. All portables are located behind the gymnasium.
Everyone appears to be off to a great start. The schedule for orientation/registration the week prior to school allowed parents and students to take care of many of the routine tasks before the official start of school. Over 90% of Milton students received early schedules, reserved lockers, submitted affidavits of residency and were issued textbooks last week.
Thanks to the many Milton staff, student and parent volunteers who helped out during the three days of registration. Additionally, we're grateful to the hundreds of parents and students who waited patiently to go through the various steps of registration. Although the lines were occasionally long (apologies to freshman parents), students had correct schedules and almost everything needed to start school on Monday.
We truly have the best student body anywhere. Kids returned energized and ready to go. Teachers and staff shared this same enthusiastic attitude and were primed and ready. The first week of school has been extremely smooth. It has been a great beginning to what promises to be our best year ever!
Ron Tesch
Upcoming Academic Evenings
August 20 7:00pm Senior Parent Night September 14 7:00pm Milton Open House September 22 7:00pm Freshmen Parent Night November 19 7:00pm Junior Parent Night
Upcoming Testing Dates
August 17-21 EOCT Summer Make Ups September 30 Georgia HS Writing Test October 14 PSAT
Early Release Day - September 16
The first early release day of the school year will be Wednesday, September 16th. Students will follow an abbreviated school day schedule with an earlier release time. Buses will be running their regular routes; however, arrival times may vary slightly due to traffic. The teachers will utilize the next four hours of the school day to participate in professional development sessions aimed at improving overall instruction at Milton.
Senior Parent Night SENIOR PARENT NIGHT August 20, 7:00pm Milton Auditorium
Senior parents are invited to an informational meeting. Topics to be addressed include: • HOPE Scholarship • SAT and ACT prep options • Military, Two-year, and Four-Year University options • College Application Process • Procedure for Transcript Request and Recommendation Letters • How to locate scholarship opportunities
Attention Freshman Students There will be an orientation meeting on Wednesday, August 19th, in the Auditorium for all freshmen during 4th period. Please check with your 4th period teacher for details.
Affidavit of Residency Any students in grades 9th through 11th who have not turned in their Affidavit of Residency are required to do so immediately. Forms should be taken to Mrs. Davis in Room 1340.
FERPA - Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act Please click on the links below to access information on the right to inspect and review student education records. English Spanish
Student Handbook In response to budget cuts, we have elected to put our student handbook on the MHS website this year. Hard copies are available in the Media Center and the Administrative Offices. On Monday, 8/17, teachers will be asked to review the highlights of our handbook (dress code, lunch policy, tardiness, etc.) during homeroom. We are asking that parents take time to review the entire handbook with your student. For easy access to the student handbook, use the following link: http://www.miltonhighschool.com/pdf/student_handbook_0910.pdf. We apologize for any inconvenience this change may have caused you.
Local School Advisory Committee (LSAC) Positions Open Milton High School is holding nominations for vacancies to serve on the Milton High School Local School Advisory Council for the 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 school years. There are two vacancies for parent representatives and two for parent businesspersons.
To serve on the LSAC as a parent or guardian you must have a student enrolled at Milton High School for the 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 school years, excluding parents or guardians who are also employees of Milton High School. Two of the parent positions must be businesspersons and have a student enrolled at Milton High School. The positions are a two-year term.
A minimum of 4 meetings are scheduled each year. Meetings are usually on Thursday mornings. They begin at 7:30 a.m. and typically adjourn by 9:00 a.m. Exact dates and times for the meetings will be confirmed later this year.
Applications need to be submitted by Friday, August 14th. The election will be conducted the evening of Milton High School's Open House on Monday, September 14, 2009.
If you are interested in becoming a candidate for one of these positions please contact Ms. Kathy Davis at 770-740-7000 ext. 131 or e-mail Ms. Davis at Davisk@fulton.k12.ga.us. You will be asked to submit a single paragraph indicating your background and experience. We will include this information in a summary document for parents when they vote to select representatives.
What are Local School Councils (LSAC)? The establishment of local school councils is intended to help bring parents and the community together with teachers and school administrators to create a better understanding of and mutual respect for each other's concerns, and share ideas for school improvement. School Councils provide advice, recommendations, and assistance to the school principal on matters relating to student achievement and school improvement.
The members of the school council are accountable to the constituents they serve and shall: • Maintain a school-wide perspective on issues • Regularly participate in school council meetings • Participate in information and training programs • Act as a link between the school council and the community • Encourage the participation of parents and others within the school community • Work to improve student achievement and performance
TAG Department Please click on the following link to read the "Notification to Parents of the Screening and Referral Process for Gifted Services"
Traffic Flow and Parking Vehicles should not block any fire lanes located around the school. Students may only be dropped off at the front of the school in the carpool lane. Students may NOT be dropped off in the back of the school near the gym, in the bus lanes, or in the faculty parking lot.
For information and diagrams of the parking and traffic flow for Milton, please go to the Milton HS Website, click on General Information and then Parking Information.
Visitor parking is located in the faculty parking lot next to the handicapped parking spaces. Individuals are NOT to park near the activity buses at the front of the school.
Only vehicles with valid parking permits may park on the Milton campus. Those who park illegally or who violate campus traffic laws may be booted.
When parking on campus, please be sure any valuables in your vehicle are stored out of sight and that your vehicle is properly locked and secured.
Media Center Reminder The Media Center is open 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. During the school day, if not with a class, students may access the media center by having a pass from their teacher AND their required photo ID cards which are issued at the beginning of the school year. This card is also required to check out books. Students are responsible for all materials checked out on their card. Students may not check out books for other students.
The Media Center is also open during lunch. Students may enter through the cafeteria access doors without a pass or ID card. Students are encouraged to eat lunch first because once entering the media center students must stay the remainder of the period.
Media Center Policies 1. Book loan time is 2 weeks. Books can be renewed. Overdue fine is $.15 per school day. 2. Reference Materials may be checked out after 3:00 p.m. and are due back prior to first period the next morning. Overdue fine is $2.00 per day. 3. Students are required to pay for damaged and/or lost books. 4. No food or drink is allowed. (Water bottles are acceptable.) 5. Copies and computer printouts are $.10 per page. 6. Fulton County Board of Education Computer Usage Policies must be followed. Failure to do so will result in loss of privileges. 7. Replacement ID card can be purchased for $5.00. 8. All accounts must be cleared with the Media Center before withdrawing or graduating from MHS.
Yearbook Information Yearbook sales envelopes were distributed in homeroom the first week of school. If your student did not receive one, he/she can pick one up in the front office or in room 2301. Prices are as follows:
$80.00 -- If reserved before October 1, 2009 $85.00 -- If reserved after October 1, 2009 $95.00 -- If purchased at delivery (May 2010)
Please make checks payable to Milton High School. We will order a very limited number of extra annuals. If you want a yearbook, reserve one. Envelopes may be returned to the front office or room 2301.
If you have questions please email Ms. Plonka at Plonka@fultonschools.org.
Fulton County School Board Community Meetings Each Board member holds monthly community meetings to keep residents informed about issues and to give citizens the opportunity to comment on Board agenda items.
Katie Reeves- District 2 Meetings 8/18/09 9:30 AM Webb Bridge Middle 9/15/09 7:00 PM Milton High 10/13/09 9:30 AM Alpharetta Elementary 11/17/09 9:30 AM Creek View Elementary 12/15/09 9:30 AM Birmingham Falls Elementary 1/19/09 9:30 AM Lake Windward Elementary 2/16/09 7:00 PM Alpharetta High 3/16/09 9:30 AM Crabapple Crossing Middle 4/20/09 9:30 AM Manning Oaks Elementary
Milton High School Newcomers' Luncheon Are you new to the area with questions about the community, extra curricular activities, and how to have your student get the most out of his/her high school experience?
Then join us for lunch at 11:30 AM on Tuesday, August 25, at the Smoke Jack's restaurant on Main Street in downtown Alpharetta.
You'll have a chance to participate in an informal gathering of new parents (just like you!) along with a few PTA respresentatives. We'll help ease you into your new life at Milton! Please RSVP to Michele Bryan at michele.bryan@comcast.net by Friday, August 21.
Adults only please. Dutch Treat.
This Week August 15, Saturday Cross Country Time Trial at Milton August 17, Monday 5:00 PM - Softball JV vs. South Forsyth at Milton 7:00 PM - Softball Varsity vs. South Forsyth at Milton August 18, Tueday 5:30 PM - Softball JV vs. Woodstock at Milton August 19, Wednesday 7:00 PM - Softball Varsity vs. Central Gwinnett at Mill Creek HS August 20, Thursday 7:00 PM - Senior Parent Night, MHS Auditorium August 21, Friday 8:00 PM - Softball Varsity vs. W.Laurens at Mill Creek HS August 22, Saturday Cross Country - Alcovy Dual 8AM - 6PM - Softball Varsity Hawk/Bulldog Invitational at Mill Creek HS
What’s 11 extra minutes a day in class equal? Five more days of summer, according to a recommendation that would cut Fulton County’s school calendar to 175 days.
Georgia’s standard school year is 180 days.
The proposal — the first from a major metro Atlanta system — comes as the economy keeps its viselike grip on schools and the state slashes its public funding.
It goes to Fulton’s school board next week, although a final decision will not come for another two months as officials seek public comment. The board will meet at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday at Dunwoody Springs Elementary School, 8100 Roberts Drive in Sandy Springs.
“Being taken into consideration [is] how we can deliver instruction in the best way possible but also find financial savings,” said Fulton spokeswoman Susan Hale, who is a member of the system’s calendar committee.
State lawmakers this year gave school systems the option to ditch the standard calendar as long as children spent the same amount of time in instruction for the year.
Among the first to embrace the change were two small systems outside the metro area, which over the summer turned to longer daily hours and shorter years.
The 4,000 students in middle Georgia’s Peach County now attend school four days a week, which system officials estimate saves more than $407,000 in operations and transportation costs.
In rural North Georgia, Murray County officials went to a 160-day school year that starts after Labor Day. In turn, elementary school students get another hour in class and middle and high school students another 30 minutes — for a savings of $124,000 this school year.
In Fulton, teachers would still work 190 days. Early release days for students would be eliminated, becoming full teacher training days. If approved, the calendar would start with the 2010-11 school year.
The proposal would give students a full week off at Thanksgiving. It also provides an option of starting the school year a week later in August.
Hale did not have a dollar figure but said the committee expected savings in areas such as transportation, since school buses would use a week’s less of fuel.
Mega Millions jackpot rolls over, nears $150 million
The jackpot for Friday’s Mega Millions drawing climbed to $146 million after no players matched all six numbers in Tuesday night’s drawing.
One ticket sold in Georgia matched the first five numbers drawn Tuesday night - 6, 12, 15, 32 and 42 - but missed on the “Mega Ball” of 40. That ticket is worth $250,000.
The last winning jackpot ticket was sold in New York for the July 7 drawing in the multi-state lottery.
Mega Millions is also played in Virginia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, Texas, California and Washington state.
The record Mega Millions jackpot was $390 million in March, 2007, split by players in Dalton and in New Jersey.
Alpharetta Historical Society Celebrates 30th Anniversary of First Meeting
The Alpharetta Historical Society (AHS) will celebrate its 30th anniversary at the monthly general meeting, Thursday, August 20, with an old-fashioned covered dish picnic commemorating the group’s first meeting, which was held August 21, 1979, when the organization was known as the Old Milton County Historical and Genealogy Society. This commemorative family celebration will take place from 6:00-9 p.m. at the Mansell House and Gardens on Old Milton Parkway in Alpharetta. To participate in the picnic, attendees are asked to bring a covered dish; the AHS will provide the rest, including the meat, utensils and drinks. John Marvin Dorris will lead a chat on the porch of the Mansell House. This fun-filled, relaxing celebration will feature storytelling and old time music and sign-a-longs. The Membership Committee invites all AHS and Alpharetta Garden Club members and their families, past and present, and any families potentially interested in membership, to join us for this special celebration.
Volume of 'subdivision' vacant lots overwhelms banks
You think it’s hard selling a house these days? Try unloading a subdivision.
And not just any subdivision, but one with few if any completed homes and a weedy patch where the swim-and-tennis center was planned.
That’s the reality many Georgia banks find themselves in amid a foreclosure crisis that has claimed not only individual homes but also entire failed developments.
These idled, “zombie” subdivisions can be found across metro Atlanta, but they’re most prevalent in outer-ring suburban areas. Selling them has proven tough, with some properties sitting on the market for months on end without even a nibble.
The fallout has been stark.
Banks that backed these projects are taking it on the chin, recording huge losses as they foreclose on property and make sales at a fraction of the original loan price.
In the past year, 16 Georgia banks have failed, more than in any other state, largely because of residential real estate losses. Dozens more are struggling.
Residents who bought in these troubled developments, meanwhile, are seeing their home values plummet and in many cases are still waiting for promised amenities such as swimming pools to be built.
To say the market has been sluggish would be an understatement. The main problem is sheer volume – a staggering 150,000 vacant housing lots across metro Atlanta are available, more than a decade’s supply at current absorption rates.
The median sale price for empty lots has plunged from $57,000 at the height of the housing boom in 2007 to $30,000 this year, according to Smart Numbers, a Marietta company that tracks the local real estate market.
“It’s going to keep going down, because we have too many lots, and there’s not enough demand,” said Steve Palm, the firm’s president.
The hardest hit areas are on the region’s fringe, Palm said, such as Bartow, Jackson and Newton counties, where there’s tons of supply and few sales.
Sitting in front of a computer at his home office, Palm pulls up a color-coded map of metro Atlanta showing lot supply by U.S. Census tract. An ominous arc of dark reds and browns encircles Atlanta.
“This is the ring of death,” he said.
It’s “depressing”
A turnaround couldn’t come soon enough for residents of WaterLace, an upscale subdivision in south Fayette County where construction stopped after only a handful of homes were built.
Nearly 400 homes were planned for the 600-acre site, which includes a picturesque lake. But the project shut down last year and has become a suburban ghost town.
Winding streets and cul-de-sacs are lined with vacant lots. The unfinished clubhouse sits at the end of a dirt path, surrounded by chest-high weeds.
It’s not clear who will finish the job, or when.
The project’s developer, Stephen Macauley, went bankrupt last year. The lender, Security Bank of Macon, tried to sell the property through an Atlanta real estate company, but the bank failed two weeks ago. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. is now responsible for selling the property.
Jeff Hood, 39, moved to WaterLace last year with his wife and two children.
“We were promised these amenities and they’re not here. There was going to be a pool, a clubhouse, a walking trail,” said Hood, an attorney. “It’s kind of depressing seeing all the land. Some of the property is undeveloped. It’s an eyesore, all the weeds.”
Don and Stephanie Williams, who paid $475,000 for their home at WaterLace, hope a buyer will come in and finish the development. For now, they’re trying to enjoy the peace and quiet that comes with living in a failed subdivision.
“We have about 12 to 13 families out here, they are all great people,” said Williams, standing on his front porch on a recent sweltering afternoon. “We have all bonded together. We are in this together.”
Bankers’ tough choice
The flood of distressed subdivisions is unprecedented and has given banks numerous headaches.
Is it more cost-effective to complete half-finished homes before selling or to put them on the market as-is? Should they sell lots in a distressed market or hold onto them until prices rebound?
Complicating matters, subdivisions often were financed by more than one bank. And different lenders frequently disagree on what steps to take when problems arise.
“Every bank has a different model,” said Robert J. Romano, executive vice president with Coldwell Banker NRT Development Advisors. “Some want to hold until the market returns, some price to move [property,] ... and some just dump them.”
While the supply of lots remains at an all-time high, the pool of buyers willing and able to jump into such a distressed market is small.
The players include large national builders healthy enough to construct new homes and real estate investment companies with the resources to hold onto lots until the market turns around.
The market remains relatively strong in some spots, experts say, including affluent pockets of north Fulton and Forsyth counties.
Banks take different approaches to disposing of distressed property. Some sell lots and homes through real estate agents, and a growing number list foreclosed properties on their Web sites.
A few banks are throwing hundreds of lots from various subdivisions together and asking investors to make bids on some or all of the holdings.
Some banks eager to unload property are dumping huge quantities of vacant housing lots at fire-sale prices that have dipped as low as 20 to 30 cents on the dollar.
Crying foul
Synovus, the second-largest banking company based in Georgia, has been aggressively selling troubled assets, including many lots in the Atlanta area. Richard Anthony, the company’s president and CEO, said Synovus sold about 1,000 lots in the second quarter alone.
While the company has sold lots through auctions and bulk sales, the best prices have come when its bankers go out into their communities and sell property to local builders and developers, Anthony said.
But some Georgia banks are crying foul, saying the playing field is far from even when it comes to disposing of distressed property like vacant lots.
Large banks that have received federal bailout funds are better able to sell property at sizable losses, which pushes down prices for everyone, said Joe Moss, at Security Exchange Bank in Marietta.
“We don’t have the ability to take asset write-offs against taxpayer money like these larger banks have,” Moss said. “That’s really affected the market.”
Another victim of the crisis: home owners who bought in subdivisions that later failed.
Opportunistic companies are buying up remaining lots at a fraction of their original value, meaning they’re able to build new homes and sell them at lower price points.
The original owners may grumble at the erosion of their property values, but that beats the alternative, said Eugene James, division director for MetroStudy in Atlanta.
“It’s better to have some neighbors and have the development built out than have it look deserted,” James said. “Unless you prefer there being only five houses in a 300-lot development, so you can go and hit some golf balls.”
Those charged with selling failed subdivisions face a huge challenge.
Consider Jennah Village, a small, 28-lot subdivision in south Fulton County that fell into foreclosure before any homes could be completed. Five half-built homes sit beside empty lots.
The homes have generated some interest, but no one has even looked at the lots, said Logan Cook, the project’s real estate agent.
Cook is selling the property for First State Bank of Stockbridge. The small Henry County lender is struggling with a portfolio of bad real estate loans that reached $87 million this spring.
Here’s how Cook describes the current market: People looking to buy foreclosed property are turning first to finished homes, which are the easiest to sell. Partially built homes are next in line, followed by empty lots.
The 22 lots Cook represents at Jennah Village are listed for $25,000 each, down from an original asking price of around $40,000.
But no buyer has made an offer, and until one does it will be unclear what they’re really worth
Evelyn Perry was worried about missing an upcoming mortgage payment when she saw a television commercial for a company called Peoples First Financial. The California-based business said it helped consumers avoid foreclosure by negotiating with mortgage lenders
When she called, a representative told her the company could almost certainly get her mortgage rate lowered significantly. Perry hesitantly followed the representative’s instructions to stop paying her mortgage, and she scrounged up the company’s hefty fee: $3,000.
“That was a lot of money,” she said. “But I felt confident that they would help me.”
They didn’t.
Thousands of desperate homeowners across the country have turned to for-profit companies that promise to stop foreclosures and gain loan modifications. The vast majority of the companies, regulators say, are con artists who take large upfront fees and do little, if anything, for home-owners.
“It’s one of the most despicable crimes you can commit,” said R. Scott Palmer, chief of the Florida attorney general’s mortgage fraud task force. “It’s taking the last penny a consumer has and on top of that they lose their house and their credit.”
The companies draw in customers with names that sound like government agencies or mailings that appear to be documents from mortgage lenders, law enforcement officials said. By the time a consumer figures out a company isn’t legitimate, it’s often too late to work out a deal with their mortgage lender, consumer advocates said.
The problem is so widespread that combatting the companies has become a priority for consumer protection agencies nationwide. The Federal Trade Commission last month kicked off a coordinated law enforcement effort involving 189 actions by 25 federal and state agencies.
“People in every state are falling for these schemes,” said the FTC’s Frank Dorman.
In Georgia, the Governor’s Office of Consumer Affairs has 11 open cases involving Georgia-based foreclosure rescue companies — three criminal cases and eight civil cases, said Bill Cloud, the agency’s spokesman.
“Over the past year, it’s truly become a top, if not the top priority of our office, because of the severity of the problem,” Cloud said. Cloud would not reveal the names of companies under investigation.
The Georgia Department of Banking has issued nine cease-and-desist orders in the last three months involving companies in the foreclosure rescue business.
In Florida, one of the nation’s most aggressive states in combatting foreclosure rescue scams, the attorney general’s office has 81 active investigations of foreclosure rescue companies and is reviewing the activities of 86 others, Palmer said. Florida combats the companies under a state law adopted last year banning foreclosure rescue companies from accepting upfront fees.
Florida last month sued a company called FHA All Day. Along with its affiliates, the company collected up to $1 million in upfront fees per month and solicited customers nationwide via the Internet and telemarketing calls that illegally used President Barack Obama’s voice, according to the Florida attorney general. The civil action seeks fines and restitution for victims.
California, one of the nation’s foreclosure hot spots, is also working hard to rein in the companies. Peoples First Financial, the company that drew in Evelyn Perry through television advertising, is one of dozens of companies the California Department of Real Estate has slapped with administrative orders to stop operations because they were not licensed to charge advance fees for loan modification services.
“It doesn’t matter where these companies are, they are operating globally via the Internet,” said Tom Pool, a spokesman for the California Department of Real Estate.
Many consumers seek help because they find it difficult to work out resolutions directly with their mortgage companies. A government report released last week found that loan modifications have been initiated on about 15 percent of eligible loans. But success for consumers varied widely by lender: J.P. Morgan Chase had started modifications on 20 percent of eligible loans, compared with 4 percent of loans serviced by Bank of America, which now includes Countrywide Home Loans Servicing.
Some for-profits may work on behalf of consumers, although law enforcement officials say such companies are rare. Even discerning which are legitimate can be difficult for consumers. Advocates said consumers who are already extremely short of money should not resort to for-profits when a cadre of nonprofits will do the job for free.
“There is no reason somebody should pay for this service,” said Michelle Jones, senior vice president of counseling for Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Greater Atlanta. CCCS is a HUD-approved housing counselor and one of the largest credit counseling agencies in the nation.
For-profit companies often advertise heavily and tell consumers they can guarantee success. “I think one of the reasons the scams work is people think the more you pay for something, the better a service it is,” Jones said.
The widespread problems with foreclosure rescue companies were not well known last summer when Perry, the Lawrenceville homeowner, turned to the California company for help. Perry, 45, and her husband, who is disabled, love the ranch house they bought in 2005 for $134,900. They were first-time homeowners who enjoy their large yard and the small-town feel of Lawrenceville.
When they bought the house, the mortgage payments were easily affordable because Perry worked days as a surgical technician and had a thriving commercial cleaning business she operated at night. “Everything was falling into place for me, and I was just happy,” she said.
But with the economic downturn, Perry’s cleaning business lost contracts and her income took a hit. She had made one late payment on her mortgage and feared she might miss a payment altogether. She wanted to head off any chance of foreclosure.
“I didn’t want to wait until the sheriff pulled up to my house,” Perry said.
First she called Countrywide, her lender at the time. She said she was turned down for a loan modification. Soon, she saw the commercial for Peoples First Financial.
She checked out the company with the Better Business Bureau and called the Georgia Insurance Commissioner’s office – the only resources she could think of. No red flags were raised.
The company said it had attorneys on staff and could negotiate to lower her costly 12.75 percent interest rate. “He said, ‘Oh, that’s ridiculous, we can get that lowered to 5 percent or even lower,’ ” Perry said.
As the months wore on and every mortgage statement reflected a growing past-due amount, Perry started getting nervous. “They said ‘We are still working on it. It’s a lot of people. Have patience,’ ” Perry said.
Peoples First Financial did not return an e-mail request for an interview. Repeated attempts to reach the company by phone were unsuccessful because the company did not answer its telephone.
The company’s Web site is filled with testimonials about its successes, but ripoffreport.com and other Web sites that post consumer complaints about companies contain numerous negative comments about Peoples First Financial.
When Perry learned that CCCS provided mortgage counseling for free, she contacted the nonprofit for help. A counselor there called her mortgage company and was told it would consider a modification for Perry.
CCCS is working on a modification that would lower Perry’s interest rate and allow her to stay in the house. But the missed payments and the nearly $3,000 lost to the company are making it much more difficult for CCCS to work out a deal. “If they had the money they paid [to Peoples First],” Jones said, “their situation would have been resolved by now.”
The company told Perry that her modification was moving forward. But Perry learned after meeting with CCCS that Peoples First Financial had submitted inaccurate information to her lender and that her application had been denied.
“They never told me!” Perry said. “They made me feel confident they were going to help me and it turned out to be bogus.”
Consumer advocates say homeowners should be wary of any company that uses pitches such as “Stop Foreclosure Now!” and “We guarantee to stop your foreclosure” or “We can save your home.” Many for-profit companies selling foreclosure rescue services never deliver. Here are some tips for homeowners in trouble:
● Never pay an upfront fee to a foreclosure rescue company.
● Seek help from a housing counseling agency approved by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Search for these agencies on the Web at: www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/hcc/hcs.cfm
● Never agree to terms that prohibit you from contacting your lender, your housing counselor or an attorney.
● Do not agree to forward your mortgage payments to a foreclosure rescue company. Always make payments to the mortgage company.
● Contact your mortgage company directly: You may be able to negotiate a loan modification on your own.
● Be aware that some companies persuade homeowners to sign over the deeds to their homes in exchange for being able to stay in the home as a rental with the option to buy the home back. The terms of these deals are usually so burdensome that they fail and sometimes leave the consumer responsible for the mortgage debt but without ownership of the house.
Sources: Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Greater Atlanta, Georgia Department of Banking & Finance
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Resources
Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Greater Atlanta offers HUD-approved housing counseling and other assistance: 1-800-251-2227.
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development offers a way to search for its approved housing counseling agencies across the country.
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development offers advice on avoiding foreclosure and avoiding foreclosure rescue scams
Federal Trade Commission : Learn more about foreclosure rescue scams and avoiding foreclosure and view an informational video.
Home Ownership Preservation Foundation , a nonprofit organization, operates the national toll-free hotline (1-888-995-HOPE) that provides assistance to at-risk homeowners. The foundation is a member of an alliance of mortgage servicers and counselors called Hope Now.
What’s new: Five new schools and a new start-up charter school open. An expected increase of almost 2,000 students puts Georgia’s fourth largest system at about 90,000. The system also launches the Fulton Institute of Technology, a technical high school. For the first time, schools evaluate teachers on a “value-added” performance system, which measures student progress throughout the year rather than only on standardized tests given once a year.
Preview of CBS’s “There Goes the Neighborhood” August 9
On Sunday, we finally find out what was going on behind those 20-foot walls in a Kennesaw suburban subdivision over three weeks in June and July.
CBS’s “There Goes the Neighborhood” debuts at 9 p.m. for a seven-episode week run. The show has elements of “Big Brother” by trapping folks inside the confines of the big wall. There is some level of deprivation that is similar to both that show and “Survivor.” And like their CBS brethren, the families have to eliminate each other.
Eight families battle it out for $250,000.
“It’s going to get rough and there are going to some feelings hurt,” said one of the cast members, Tom Bussiere, on the show. “People are solely going to be concerned with getting the $250,000.”
I got a copy of the first episode and here’s a little teaser of what to expect.
-At the end of the first day, the electricity is cut off. The families did not know they’d be deprived of the Web, the TV, videogames and worst yet, air conditioning.
“We’re going to be in Atlanta in the summertime without air conditioning?” bemoans Tom Bussiere.
The answer: yes.
to pick the two other families up for elimination.
-The dynamics are different from “Survivor” or “Big Brother” because everyone knows each other and have for years. Plus, they all know they are going to have to live as neighbors after the show is over. That alone colors all their decisions when it comes to getting rid of competitors.
-Each family is given a short-hand description on the screen. The Mullenix’s include lesbian parents so they’re dubbed “Two moms.” The Bussieres have kids, parents and a grandparent in the home so they’re dubbed “Three Generations.” The Schindlers have the smallest kids so they are called “The Young Bunch.”
The most amusing nickname: “The Loud Ones.” This is given to the wily DeGirolamos. And yes, the father looks like Steve Wozniak, the co-founder of Apple.
The strangest nickname: “The Southerners,” handed to the Nelsons, possibly because they have the strongest accents.
But isn’t everyone on the show essentially a Southerner since they live in Atlanta?
It’s too early based on this one episode to gauge who will come out the most villainous, who (if anybody) will be considered virtuous or who might have the best shot to win. And CBS did not provide the final five minutes of the show in which we learn who is first axed.
And will it be a hit? It’s the middle of the summer and with only a seven-episode run, expectations are modest. At least CBS placed it on Sunday night, when viewership is reasonably high.
Do you hunger for the good old days of the “thrill of victory and the agony of defeat?” Are you a sports enthusiast who is not “as good as you once was but are as good once as you ever was”?
Re-ignite your competitive spirit on “Wii Wednesdays,” an interactive recreational sports program for adults age 50 and older, co-sponsored by Alpharetta Recreation and Parks Department and the Alpharetta Golden Age Club. Wii Wednesdays will begin on August 5th at 1:30pm at the Alpharetta Adult Activity Center at North Park. There is no fee to participate. Bring your friends and spend Wednesday afternoons playing with and/or competing against them in a variety of Nintendo Wii Sports games including Bowling, Tennis, Baseball, Golf, and Boxing. If you have never played Wii, our staff will show you how. It’s easy to learn and a whole lot of fun! Sports drinks will be provided. If there is a lot of interest, the program will be expanded to other days and times.
“Wii” sports and fitness programs are quickly becoming the most popular interactive recreation activities for people age 50 and older. Be a part of “Wii” nation, and embrace the new “senior” – active, fit, fun, and looking for adventure!
Participants should always check with their doctor before starting any new physical activity program! Comfortable athletic attire is strongly recommended to maximize your fun! For more information, call the Alpharetta Adult Activity Center at (678) 297-6140 or email activeadults@alpharetta.ga.us
When a man made a comment about Kalema Stubbs’ girlfriend, Stubbs apparently pulled a knife and stabbed the man. The incident took place late Wednesday night at North Point Mall in Alpharetta, according to police.
Ronel Brewer, 32, said “she has pretty feet ... can I rub them?” in front of Stubbs and his girlfriend, Linda Lewis.
Stubbs, 30, apparently didn’t appreciate the comment. He pulled out a knife and cut Brewer on his left forearm, Alpharetta police spokesman officer George Gordon said.
Stubbs was arrested for the charge of aggravated assault, police said.
“I’m unsure if Stubbs and his girlfriend knew the other party,” Gordon said.
Stubbs is being held at the Alpharetta jail, police said.
There have been several bear sightings in Milton over the past several weeks. The Police Department believes the sightings are of one bear moving from the south end of the city to the north. The City would like to share a few bear safety tips from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and The Blue Ridge Highlander.
All Milton residents are encouraged to educate themselves about bears and their behaviors.
Please keep in mind that a black bear’s diet consists of whatever food is readily available at any given time including human and pet food, birdseed, beehives and compost piles.
Tips from GeorgiaWildlife.org
Keep items, such as grills, pet food or bird feeders off-limits to bears. Clean and store grills when not in use, keep pet food indoors. Make sure trashcans are bear-proof or kept indoors. When camping or picnicking, keep your site clean.
Tips from TheBlueRidgeHighlander.com
Anytime you see a bear:
Do not feed or toss food to a bear or any wild animal. Such activity is unlawful. Keep children close at hand. Keep pets indoors or in a vehicle or camper, and keep dogs on a lease; dogs will confront bears and may get serious injuries. Do not approach a bear at anytime as they are dangerous and unpredictable. Never surround or corner a bear. Never run from a bear; slowly back away and make lots of noise.
Academic, fiscal realities for metro Atlanta schools
School boards are looking for ways to cut costs. Teachers and students are feeling pressure to show head-way on standardized tests. And a downturned economy has left its mark with employee furloughs, sluggish to no enrollment increases and generally smaller staffs and budgets.
Here's a snapshot of the major school districts heading into the 2009-2010 school year:
Atlanta Public Schools Projected enrollment: 47,789, down from 48,147 in 2008-2009 year.
Staff: 3,434 teachers, down from 3,562 last year; and 6,128 total employees, up from 6,038 last year.
New schools opening: 3 – Springdale Park Elementary School at 1274 Ponce de Leon Ave.; Brandon Annex, 2845 Margaret Mitchell Dr.; Smith Annex, 4141 Wieuca Road.
Major changes: Frederick Douglass and Washington high schools become small learning communities. Douglass will offer communications and journalism; hospitality, tourism and marketing; business and entrepreneurship; and engineering and applied technology. Washington will offer banking, finance and investment; early college; and senior school. Hill and Hope elementary schools have merged, and Hope will be host for the newly named Hill-Hope Elementary School.
The single-gender middle school academies – B.E.S.T Academy for boys and Coretta Scott King Young Women's Leadership Academy for girls – are to move into new facilities in September and January, respectively. APS' Campus Portal for Parents will provide access to class schedules and attendance records.
The costs: Budget is $652.5 million, compared to $661.5 million for FY 2009.
Starting teacher pay: $44,312
Average teacher pay: $61,365. Teachers are getting step raises.
The leadership: Dr. Beverly L. Hall, superintendent; Kathy Augustine, deputy superintendent of instruction; Sharron Pitts, chief of staff; Chuck Burbridge, chief financial officer; Millicent Few, chief human resources officer; Suzanne Yeager, chief communications officer; Veleter Mazyck, general counsel; Dr. Alexis Kirijan, chief strategy officer; Joyce McCloud, special assistant to the superintendent.
Source: Atlanta Public Schools
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Clayton County Public Schools Projected enrollment: 47,200, down from 51,830 last school year.
Staff: 3,611 teachers, down from 3,819 last year, and 7,956 total employees, down from 8,232 last year.
New school opening: 1 – Charles Drew High School
Major changes: Uniform dress kindergarten through grade 12, new superintendent and new high school.
The costs: Budget is $574.1 million, compared to $613.8 million for fiscal 2009.
Average teacher pay: $51,655.19. Eligible teachers are getting their state step, but their local supplement is being adjusted so their 2009-2010 salaries remain the same as last year's salary.
The leadership: Dr. Edmond Heatley, superintendent and as yet-to-be-announced leadership team.
Source: Clayton County Public Schools
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Cobb County School District Projected enrollment: 104,929, down from 105,956, although officials say they believe an enrollment drop seems unlikely.
Staff: 7,632 full-time teachers, down from 7,914; 534 projected part-time teachers, down from 569; 15,229 total employees, unchanged from last year.
New schools opening: 0
Major changes: Hayes Elementary will be divided into a "school within a school," as Hayes Primary and Hayes Intermediate.
The costs: Budget is $907,466,771, down from $940,018,024 last year. Per-student spending will be $8,648, down from $9,036. Full-step salary increases are being delayed half a year for eligible employees.
Starting teacher pay (with bachelor's): $38,958
Average teacher pay range (with bachelor's): From $38,958 to $58,457
The leadership: Fred Sanderson, superintendent; Dr. Steven Constantino, associate superintendent for leadership and learning; Dr. Gordon Pritz, associate superintendent for operational support; six area assistant superintendents responsible for regional administrative support.
Source: Cobb County School District
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DeKalb County School System Projected enrollment: 99,000, unchanged from 2008-2009
Staff: 6,775 full-time teachers, down from 6,941, and 13,500 total full-time employees, down from 13,944.
New schools opening: 2 – Arabia Mountain High School (only Silver LEED school or energy-efficient public school in Georgia) and Dunwoody Elementary School, serving 4th/5th grade academy.
Major changes: America's Choice Program, focusing on literacy and mathematics in 40 schools with the goal of changing patterns of low performance and of closing longtime achievement gaps. American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) Funds of 2009 will be used for this project.
The costs: Budget is $851.1 million, down from $894.1 million in the original FY 2009 budget.
Starting teacher pay (with bachelor's): $41,628
Teacher pay ranges from: $41,628 to $82,104. Teachers are not getting step raises.
The leadership: Dr. Crawford Lewis, superintendent; nine members of the Board of Education.
Source: DeKalb County School System
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Fulton County Schools Projected enrollment: 90,057, up from 88,184 last year.
Staff: 6,459 projected full-time teachers, down from 7,096; and 12,191 total projected employees, down from 13,134. Nineteen part-time teachers in critical needs, such as speech language and orthopedically/hearing impaired, down from 275.
New schools opening: 6 – Birmingham Falls Elementary, Milton; Ison Springs Elementary, Sandy Springs; Cliftondale Elementary, College Park; Johns Creek High, Johns Creek; Langston Hughes High, Fairburn; and Hapeville Charter Career Academy, Union City.
Major changes: The Fulton Institute of Technology and Project LIFT, funded with a $5.2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education, for Banneker, Creekside, Tri-Cities and Westlake high schools to increase the graduation rates and the likelihood of students going to college.
The costs: Budget is $856,442,124, down from $857,388,301 in the last fiscal year.
Starting teacher pay: $39,132
Average teacher pay: $68,536 (this includes the 3-day furlough salary reduction). Teachers are being awarded experience credit for another year of service, but are not receiving a related pay increase.
The leadership: Dr. Cindy Loe, superintendent, two deputy superintendents and six assistant superintendents.
Source: Fulton County Schools
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Gwinnett County Public Schools Projected enrollment: 158,963, up from 157,219 last year.
Staff: 10,536 teachers, down from 10,587, and total employees are 21,306, up from 20,933.
New schools opening: 9 – North Gwinnett Middle School, Sugar Hill; White Oak Elementary School, Buford; Archer High School, Lawrenceville; Mountain View High School, Lawrenceville; Twin Rivers Middle School, Buford; Starling Elementary School, Grayson; Bay Creek Middle School, Grayson; Couch Middle School, Grayson; Woodward Mill Elementary, Lawrenceville.
Major changes: IE2 being implemented, new schools opening.
The costs: Budget is $2.001 billion, up from $1.859 billion in FY 2009. Starting teacher pay: $38,895 (with a bachelor's degree).
Average teacher pay: $55,795, with 11 years of experience.
About 10,000 or 95 percent of the 10,536 budgeted teachers, are getting step raises that are projected to cost a total of $16.8 million, including $12.1 million that comes from the state.
The leadership: J. Alvin Wilbanks, CEO/superintendent; Gwinnett County Board of Education; and Dr. Steve Flynt, chief academic officer.
Source: Gwinnett County Public Schools
*All of these school systems operate on a fiscal year that started July 1 and will end June 30, 2010. The budgets referenced are meant to cover general operating expenses.
Forsyth County will hold the line on taxes for general government spending, but County Commission Chairman Charles Laughinghouse warns the decision could lead to “extra draconian” spending cuts such as layoffs.
Without a tax increase, county staff has forecast a shortfall of as much as $15 million in the proposed $90 million general fund budget for 2010.
Laughinghouse was the only member of the five-member commission who supported a tax increase for general fund operations
Thursday’s vote came after three public hearings on plans to raise the millage for maintenance and operations and fire services by a combined 0.744 mills, or about $53 on a $200,000 home.
“I don’t think this is the right time to be raising taxes,” Commissioner Brian Tam said before the meeting.
The budget will not be given final approval until December, and officials are looking at employee layoffs, furloughs and unpaid holidays, spokeswoman Jodi Gardner said.
It’s a day many Georgia Tech fans have looked forward to since the lonely walk out of the Georgia Dome following last year’s 35-point loss to LSU in the Chick-fil-A Bowl: The Jackets open practice for the 2009 season today. Many questions have been asked during the offseason. Can Jonathan Dwyer top last year, when he won the ACC’s player of the year award? Will the offense work as well in Year 2, after a year’s worth of game film has been compiled? And, most important, will Tech win the ACC? Despite surprising many by going 9-4 in his first year, coach Paul Johnson said he’s painfully aware that the team accomplished only one of its goals last season: beating Georgia.
“I tell them every day what they’ve done. ... Nothing,” Johnson said. “We didn’t win the league. We didn’t go undefeated at home. We had all kinds of goals we didn’t get. To get where you want to go, you have to work. Hard work. They worked this summer, so we will see how fall camp goes. I think they worked. They are hungry.”
Here are five issues that need resolving by the time Tech opens the season against Jacksonville State on Sept. 5 at Bobby Dodd Stadium:
Who will replace the big three on the defensive line? Not many teams must replace three starters off the defensive front, especially three who were drafted by NFL teams: Michael Johnson (Bengals), Vance Walker (Falcons) and Darryl Richard (Patriots).
Returning starter Derrick Morgan is slotted at one defensive end, with Robert Hall on the other side and Jason Peters and Ben Anderson at the tackles.
Despite losing an aggregate 113 tackles and 16 sacks from the departed trio, neither Johnson nor defensive line coach Giff Smith seem worried.
“The biggest thing I want my guys to understand is to not to try to be Michael, Vance or Darryl,” Smith said. “Play within yourself and the scheme. Execute your assignment, and when the time comes to make your play, make it. Don’t try to make it all the time.”
Smith said he expects to see 353-pound redshirt freshman T.J. Barnes, listed second team on the depth chart at tackle, step up this month.
“I want him, like Tommy Hanson with the Braves, to throw the prospect label off and get out and perform,” Smith said. “He showed spurts in the spring, but nowhere near on the consistent level. I want him to play like he’s capable of playing.”
Will the passing game improve? Johnson has said his teams will probably never throw for 300 yards a game. But he said if they throw for 150 yards a game, chances are they’re going to win.
The Jackets averaged 99.2 yards through the air last season and their passing efficiency stat, in which Johnson and assistant coach Brian Bohannon put a lot of stock, was ninth in the league.
Johnson said the Jackets left a lot of touchdowns on the field last season. Look for the competition at the wide receiver positions to be intense this month. Wide receivers coach Al Preston said they want to find the most consistent players, and he’d like to have three to four who are interchangeable.
“Don’t give us great plays and then flatten out on us forever,” Preston said.
Who will return kicks? One of the reasons Tech led the ACC in yards per game last year was because it often had farther to go than other teams.
The Jackets ranked 10th in the conference in kickoff returns (19.6 yards per attempt) and ninth in punt returns (6.7).
The answer to improving those stats may have been sitting on the bench last year because of suspension: Jerrard Tarrant.
“Most people don’t know, but Jerrard is one of the most athletic guys I’ve ever met in my life,” Dwyer said. “With him returning punts, it’s going to change the whole game for us. Big asset for the team. He’s hungry. He’s going to be shocking the world a lot this coming season.”
Johnson said the team worked specifically on returns in the spring and will continue to focus on them in camp.
Can they sharpen offensive execution? There were two key areas where Tech did not do well statistically last year, and the coaches have said it’s all about execution, which translates to concentration.
One was scoring inside the 20-yard line. Tech was 10th in the ACC last season, converting 76.9 percent of its chances. In 39 trips, the Jackets scored 30 times (18 touchdowns, 12 field goals), but they also led the league with three fumbles and twice turned the ball over on downs.
The other area was penalties. Tech was eighth in the league with 63 penalties for 570 yards.
Who will start? If you think you know who is going to start at each position, think again.
Unlike last year, when at times some units had to use multiple walk-ons, there’s enough depth at most positions.
“I don’t think there is a group that doesn’t have competition, and that’s good,” Johnson said. “There’s going to be competition in the secondary, defensive line certainly. Offensive line, we kind of pieced together last year. We’ve got 12 guys competing for five spots.
“It’s night and day, especially in some key positions. Running back, there’s a lot more depth. Secondary [there’s] more depth. A-back, we’ve just got more depth. We’re just better all around.”
Don’t count on a starting lineup until just before the opener.
About Brian Vanderhoff's North Fulton County, GA Real Estate Website: The www.vanderhoffhomefinder.com web site provides Milton, Alpharetta, Johns Creek, Woodstock, Duluth, Cumming, Roswell, Crabapple, Cobb County, Cherokee County, North Fulton County and Forsyth County, Georgia real estate information and resources to guide homeowners, homebuyers and real estate investors through the process of selling and buying a house, condo or other realty property in the North Fulton County area. Brian Vanderhoff (sometimes spelled as Vanderhof, van der hof, Bryan or Brain) has services to help you get the best value for your North Fulton County home and this website offers home buyers and home sellers a superior comparative market analysis (CMA), a way to view real estate and MLS IDX listings including virtual tours, prepare your home for sale, and more. Investors looking for real estate investment properties to invest in need look no farther. Anyone selling a home, buying a home or seeking housing can learn more about our realty services, and will appreciate working with a North Fulton County REALTOR who knows the area so well. Through trusted partners, we also provide real estate and financial services to consumers looking for houses for sale or selling their home in North Fulton County, GA, such as mortgages, credit history, new homes, foreclosures and other services. If you've already tried to go the for sale by owner (FSBO) route and find you are needing a partner who you can trust in the sale of your most precious asset, Brian Vanderhoff can take care of your special needs. It really doesn't matter if you spell it REALTOR, Realator or Realter, realty, realety or reality, real estate or realestate, Brian speaks your language.
