AJC > NorthSide > Blog > Archives > 2006 > November > 15
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Johns Creek fires salvo in adult business battle
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Amid cheers from an appreciative audience, Johns Creek City Council delivered on a promise to crack down on adult businesses as soon as the newly incorporated city became official.
At the end of its first meeting, the City Council by a 5-0 vote adopted a stop-gap measure prohibiting distribution of obscene material. Earlier this year, the federal 11th Circuit Court of Appeals struck down Georgia’s obscenity law. The Johns Creek ordinance corrects the flaws the high court found in the state law, said Mayor Mike Bodker.
An adult video chain called the Love Shack tried in August to open a mega-store in the heart of Johns Creek, prompting howls of outrage from much of the citizenry. Fulton County refused to issue the chain a business license and the issue is now before the federal appellate court.
The ordinance passed Tuesday is largely symbolic. It won’t be effective until Dec. 1 when the city starts delivering services, and it will be superseded by a new state law expected to sail through the General Assembly when it convenes in January.
Other, meatier ordinances addressing adult entertainment will be adopted after the city enacts zoning laws in December. In addition to regulating what can be depicted, cities are empowered to dictate where adult businesses can locate.
Jeri Colton, a 42-year-old homemaker applauded efforts by the city to fight adult entertainment.
“I’ve been involved with a group of friends to convince the city to hire a national attorney to fight the Love Shack,” she said. “One way we can tell if the city is successful is by committing the best talents with the issues the city faces, like the Love Shack.”
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After Milton City, is Milton County next for North Fulton?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The bustle of preparation in Milton High School’s auditorium calmed Tuesday evening from a dull hum to silence as State Rep. Jan Jones (R-Alpharetta) gave the new city of Milton its marching orders.
“I want everybody to throw away the old pattern for cities,” Jones said. “We’re going to start a new city pattern.”
A quartet of men dressed in blue coat tails and knickers marched in time, carrying the U.S. and Georgia flags to represent the Sons of the Revolution and to salute the new city.
More than a dozen voices harmonized the national anthem, and a half dozen Girl Scouts crossed their hands over their hearts as they led the crowd of about 200 in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Milton’s first mayor, Joe Lockwood, raised his right hand, and with his left on the family Bible his wife Dawn held, took the oath of office as his daughter and two sons looked on beside him.
Four of the six city council members also were sworn in, as four candidates waited for a Dec. 5 runoff to decide their fates.
And from the auditorium seats, George Ragsdale, the man credited with leading Milton’s cityhood campaign, watched as Lockwood received the gavel symbolizing municipal leadership.
Lockwood extended an olive leaf to the man he defeated only a week before in the mayoral election.
“I want to express thanks to George Ragsdale,” Lockwood said. “The doors are always open, and we appreciate any and all help he can offer.”
With that statement, the celebration ended and the first city council began to start the task of running the new city.
Milton residents eager to see their new government take hold outside the reigns of Fulton county, were anxious that this was just the beginning of change.
“The work here is not finished,” said one-year Milton resident Carol Braun. “We’re hoping for not only the city, but for Milton County.”
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Milton City Council begins its work
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Tuesday was the first-ever City Council meeting in the new city of Milton. If you were there, please tell us what you saw and what you’ll remember from this historic day.
Here are some details and notes from the night from the AJC’s Marcus K. Garner.
A second blog posting contains his news story from Milton High School.
The Sons of the Revolution marked time as they marched onto the stage in Milton High School’s auditorium to present the U.S. and Georgia flags. The quartet of white-haired men in colonial blue coat tails and knickers stood at attention — with musket muzzles and flagpoles aimed to the ceiling — as the Milton High chorus harmonized the Star Spangled Banner.
Newly elected city councilwoman Karen Thurman, said the excitement of the day didn’t ease until after she was finally inaugurated and was able to begin governing the new city.
“It’s nice to have at least part of our destiny under our control,” Thurman said, remarking on the diminished control Fulton County would have in the once unincorporated area.
Thurman joined Julie Zahner Bailey, Tina D’Aversa-Williams and Rick Mohrig to be sworn in as council members by Fulton County Superior Court Judge Tom Campbell.
Campbell asked that each council member’s family join them on-stage during the swearing-in. “Do you have your family Bibles?” he asked before beginning the oath. Children of several council members held the Bibles in place during the oath.
Newly elected Mayor Joe Lockwood was joined onstage by his wife and three children, and his wife held his Bible during the oath.
John McMillan, one of the volunteers who helped form Milton, was happy that the city was finally becoming a reality.
“We’ve got a beautiful city,” McMillan said. “If we hadn’t (formed Milton), we’d have more of the same from Fulton County — no money for improvements and a lower quality of life.”
“I keep pinching myself. I can’t believe we’re here,” said state Rep. Jan Jones (R-Alpharetta).
Jones said the new city would focus on residents, first. “It’s really a dream to form a customer-driven government,” she said. “That’s what Milton is.”
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Historic night in Johns Creek
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Johns Creek’s new mayor, Mike Bodker, and four of the city’s new City Council members took the oath of office Tuesday night at Northview High School and got to work. If you were there, please tell us what you saw and what you’ll remember from this historic day.
Here’s a report from Johns Creek and Milton from Northside reporters Doug Nurse and Marcus K. Garner
By DOUG NURSE, dnurse@ajc.com and MARCUS K. GARNER, mgarner@ajc.com
It was like a work party at the new cities of Milton and Johns Creek Tuesday night.
The mood was festive, buoyant even, at the first-ever city council meetings of Georgia’s two newest cities, but a lot of important groundwork was laid.
Both cities swore in their mayors and four council members. They empowered themselves to levy taxes. They adopted Roberts Rules of Order. Johns Creek adopted a measure warning businesses not to sell obscene material.
But what they did was overshadowed by the mere fact they were meeting at all.
“This has been a long time coming,” said Johns Creek Mayor Mike Bodker. “The people of northeast Fulton County finally have a local government that can respond to their needs.”
When Sandy Springs proved it was possible to successfully incorporate into a city last year, the community of Milton, population 20,000, with its horse farms, golf courses and mansions launched intense efforts to incorporate to save the rural feel of the area.
About the same time, the Johns Creek area of northeast Fulton County, known for its stacked stone shops, manicured lawns — and no small amount of traffic — also began working for cityhood.
Supporters were largely motivated by a feeling that Johns Creek’s 63,000 residents had been ignored by Fulton County and wanted more control of taxes and spending.
In July, Voters approved incorporation by an overwhelming vote in each community.
The cities won’t begin actually delivering services until Dec. 1, but they need ordinances to give some framework to the government. In each city, two unresolved council posts will be settled in a Dec. 5 runoff.
In Milton, George Ragsdale, the man credited with stirring the fires of the for the new city’s rise watched from the sidelines Tuesday as the newly elected mayor and council were sworn in.
“It’s a very exciting experience to see it come to fruition,” Ragsdale said of the work bring the city to life. “I’m looking forward to being an ardent observer of what’s going on.”
Jeri Colton, a 42-year-old homemaker, was one of about 200 people attending the Johns Creek festivities at Northview High School, site of the first city council meeting. She said she came just to witness history.
“It’s self-government in the making,” she said. “We have a fresh start, a new city. How often does that happen?”
Anne Thompson, 67, said she was relieved to have the city becoming a reality.
“We have looked forward to this for many a year,” she said. “We’re tired of paying high taxes and getting nothing in return. We personally know these people (city council members). If we don’t like the way things are going, we’ll tell them.”
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What will your miss most about Lanierland?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
For 36 years, Lanierland Country Music Park in Cumming hosted performances by many country music greats and up-and-comers alike, from George Jones to Billy Currington. Shows were held under a circus tent when it first opened in 1970. But even when the 4,300-seat amphitheatre was built, the venue maintained its downhome appeal, apparent in the sawdust floor, the ceiling fans and the camaraderie shared by concertgoers — many longtime ticket holders.
Lanierland announced its closing this week, and it will be missed by many country music fans on the Northside. In memory of the venerable venue, please share with us your memories and photos of the music park. Post your memories here. You can e-mail photos to northside@ajc.com
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