Milton’s City Council approved an agreement Monday to acquire 3.05 acres off Deerfield Parkway that could expand the footprint of a proposed new active park.

The additional acreage sits directly south of the 21.37-acre “Crescent” property that the City bought earlier this year to transform into an active park. Parks and Recreation Director Tom McKlveen said Monday that the new, adjacent space “will allow for design flexibility and perhaps the inclusion of additional park amenities.”

The added property can be bought entirely using impact fees, according to McKlveen. Impact fees are collected from new developments and can only go towards qualifying purchases – with park acquisition being one of them.

This November 4 vote sets in motion a 60-day due diligence period involving a thorough review of the 3.05-acre property. If all goes to plan, the City could close on this property by year’s end.

“I think this will allow us that flexibility that we need to make that park even better,” Mayor Peyton Jamison said. “… I think it’s going to be great.”

YOUNG MEN’S SERVICE LEAGUE WELCOMED

Prior to the meeting’s official start, City Church Pastor Billy Lowe gave an invocation in which he referenced Tuesday’s federal election while also praying for the City of Milton’s leaders. Mayor Peyton Jamison then welcomed members of the local Young Men’s Service League chapter, a service organization consisting of mothers and son that convened at City Hall earlier that evening and were in attendance at Council Chambers.

This was followed by one individual’s general public comment and the City Council’s unanimous approval of the Consent Agenda that included:

• An agreement with Better Baseball crews to replace the deteriorated batting cage netting at Bell Memorial Park, worn backstop pads at two baseball fields at the same park, and outdated netting by one Legacy Park rectangular field. These routine repairs will help ensure that these two facilities are upkept and safe.
• An agreement with Sanders Welding and Fabrication to install an electronic gate – including all materials and labor – outside the Milton Public Safety Complex’s employee parking area. This gate will create a secure parking area for police officers and firefighters’ vehicles and equipment at the Highway 9 facility.
• A revised minor subdivision plat that enlarged a parcel (to a total of 22.6 acres) along Freemanville Road to reflect two recent private property acquisitions

RECOGNITION, PRAISE FOR MILITARY VETERANS

Exactly one week ahead of the holiday, the Mayor read a proclamation recognizing November 11 as Veterans Day in Milton. The document expressed respect, admiration, and appreciation for the millions who have served bravely in the U.S. Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, and Coast Guard to protect our nation and safeguard its ideals.

Jamison also reflected on a distinctly way that our citizens honor those who have served – with markers placed around the Crabapple and Deerfield areas featuring the names of late military members with Milton connections. The Mayor noted that he and his family were among those involved in Sunday’s marker installation, which he called a “fantastic event.”

Referring to the Milton Veterans Memorial Markers – the volunteer-led non-profit behind this effort, which was represented Monday by Bill Lusk and Nick Satriano, retirees of the U.S. Navy and Army respectively – Jamison said, “Thank you for all you do." 

After accepting the proclamation and posing for a picture, Lusk told the audience, “In these times that we’re in now, I think it’s even more important to recognize members of our (military) community who served.” He called the 880 markers currently in place around Milton a “longlasting tribute” and thanked the Mayor and Council for their support.

Satriano welcomed the community to attend Saturday morning’s free Veterans Breakfast at City Hall. Those interested in coming can let organizers know by emailing rsvp@miltonga.gov.

CONDEMNATION RESOLUTION TIED TO GREENWAY PROJECT

The evening’s other agenda item related to the Big Creek Greenway Connection Project, which aims to create a pedestrian and bicyclist-friendly route from the Cambridge High area to the Greenway.

The City’s Public Works team has come before the City Council multiple times in recent months seeking formal condemnations so this and the nearby Morris Road widening project can go forward. All those condemnation resolutions were approved, but none needed be filed in court because the City and property owners reached agreements before that was necessary.

Monday’s resolution pertained to property at the intersection of Webb and Morris roads that has an Exxon gas station. Dell-Ross noted City staff have been working for months to agree on a price with this property’s owner, and they will “continue negotiations.”

“I’m optimistic in the next 24-to-48 hours that we will be able to agree to terms,” Dell-Ross said. “But we’ll have to file with the courts if that’s not the case.”

The City Council is next scheduled to convene Wednesday, November 13, for a Work Session. After that, its next Regular Meeting is set for November 18.