Milton's foray into urban renewal took a definitive step yesterday, as the City Council heartily nodded to an accord with the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) for the expansive Highway 9 project. The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) inked between the two lays out GDOT's financial commitment to the project, aimed at broadening the stretch of road from Windward Parkway to the Forsyth County line. Details obtained by the City of Milton's official announcement reveal that the MOU is just the opening gambit in what is anticipated to be an extensive overhaul process.
Rob Dell-Ross, Deputy Public Works Director, portrayed the agreement as the launch of "a long process." Further, the City, maintaining day-to-day project oversight, will contract outside expertise shortly to redraw the State Route along with associated tweaks, as per the same source. GDOT's role extends to retaining final say through to project completion, working in tandem with the City's management, ensuring adherence to develop the project aggressively while absorbing public input and staying true to Milton's values, Dell-Ross told the City of Milton's news release.
Milton's City Council didn't just stop at transportation infrastructure. The consent agenda, passed unanimously just as spiritedly, covered a spectrum of service agreements, including janitorial, window film installation, and greenspace maintenance, enriching the civic amenities. Acknowledging the diligent efforts of city employees, Mayor Peyton Jamison honored the IT Professionals Day and commended the Human Resources Department for their "unwavering commitment to excellence," their laurels laid out in an official proclamation, as reported by the City of Milton's news article.
The gears of government also churned through budgetary matters, with Deputy City Manager Bernadette Harvill steering the Council through the preliminaries of the Fiscal Year 2026 budget. The forecast details a revenue stream projected at $49.8 million against slightly less expenditure, with incisive provisions for new hires, including additional school liaison officers and IT professionals—a fiscal strategy that's expected to be cost-effective. Culminating the process, Councilmember Phil Cranmer praised Harvill's "phenomenal" mastery of detail throughout the budget run-up, the specifics of which were shared in the City's press release. The Council further made cursory amendments to the outgoing Fiscal Year 2025 budget, expecting a general fund balance of about $12.7 million. Capping off, the city's next council meeting is etched for October 6, ensuring the administrative wheels keep turning.
