Mayor Peyton Jamison vowed in his 2025 State of the City address that the City will continue to embrace its roots while taking bold steps to positively impact Milton – saying, “together, we’ve made incredible progress, but there’s still more to do.”

Jamison offered his remarks Wednesday night in a packed Council Chambers, looking back on recent accomplishments, articulating core values, and making a number of notable pledges.

(Go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAqBAsSaliM to watch the full speech, which starts around the 21-minute mark.)

One relates to Highway 9, a road the Mayor described as “the backbone of our bustling commercial zone and a key element of future planning efforts.” The Georgia Department of Transportation abruptly halted its long-planned widening effort of this road last year, after which citizens, City officials, and Speaker Pro Tem Jan Jones advocated in the Milton community’s best interests.

After those extensive discussions, the City will now manage the design phase of this project, in collaboration with GDOT and using State funding.

“This … will enable us to make meaningful changes: reducing the impact on our neighborhoods, incorporating design elements that reflect our character, adding user-friendly trails and amenities, and – most importantly – lowering the speed limit,” said the Mayor.

This news comes at the same time the City, listening and working closely with citizens, reimagines the Deerfield area to make it a more connected, more vibrant, thriving “economic engine that will fuel Milton’s future.” (For more information on the ongoing Deerfield Implementation Plan effort, visit www.miltonga.gov/Deerfield.)

“This transformation will benefit the Deerfield neighborhoods, not come at their expense,” he said. “I’m genuinely excited … about the incredible potential that lies ahead.”

MULTI-FACETED EFFORTS TO PRESERVE ROOTS

After a welcome and introduction by City Manager Steve Krokoff, Mayor Jamison began his speech by emphasizing how Milton’s past, character, and community will help inspire and guide its future.

“Our roots may not run long, but they do run deep grounded in the shared values and vision that have guided us since incorporation,” he said. “…I believe progress is healthy, innovation is vital, and change is inevitable. But one thing must always remain constant: that we never lose sight of what makes Milton, Milton.”

Over the course of his speech, the Mayor touched on several key topics – as well as what the City can do about them – related to maintaining Milton’s unique identity. These include:

• Taking action this year to permanently, legally protect Birmingham Park – a beloved 200-acre City property – so that equestrians and nature lovers can enjoy it for generations to come.

• Responsibly opening up more of the City’s over 400 acres of greenspace “in ways that align with environmental preservation and community safety.”

• After calling it “inherently unfair” many horse farms are taxed based on their development value, rather than their current use,” vowing the City will work with Fulton County to help such property owners qualify for tax reductions.

• Directing Milton’s Community Development Department to find other “practical ways to ease the burdens on our current large-lot” property owners, such as new incentives so they are less inclined to subdivide their land.

COUNCIL MEMBERS, CITY STAFF PRAISED

The Mayor also talked about expanding recreational opportunities, referencing the acquisition of 24.4 acres off Deerfield Parkway to build a new, needed active park. He noted that sports leagues “give young athletes the skills, confidence, and experience they need to succeed.”

That success has been evident at the city’s two public high schools, Cambridge and Milton, both of whom can claim state championships in multiple sports and even theater over the past 1.5 years. Representatives from both schools’ athletic programs attended Wednesday’s event, at one point earning enthusiastic applause from the audience.

The six members of Milton’s City Council were singled out as well, with Jamison lauding their “visionary, principled, and caring” leadership.

The Mayor also praised City staff, which the widely respected and utilized National Community Survey recently ranked No. 1 (out of 385 comparable communities) for overall customer service by government employees. (For more on the results, go to www.miltonga.gov/NCS.) That recognition is especially meaningful since it’s based on the sentiments of those who matter most: citizens.

“This accomplishment shows what’s possible when we come together to do things differently – and better,”  said Jamison.

FIGHTING FOR MILTON TAXPAYERS

The Mayor shared other accomplishments and priorities that spoke to his and Milton’s values as well.

For example, he called it “crucial … to keep taxes in check.” Jamison pointed to a 7% reduction in recent years in the City’s millage rate, along with initiatives to reduce – and eliminate, in some cases – what seniors pay in Milton property taxes. And the City’s ability to continually provide outstanding service, projects, and amenities speaks to its proven track record of smart, sound fiscal management.

To this end, the Mayor referenced the City’s potential liability in a high-profile legal case, as well as his fight on Milton’s behalf.

“As a steward of your taxpayer dollars, it is my duty to ensure that this City is not held financially responsible for anything that the law does not require us to be responsible for,” Jamison said.

He insisted the City’s insurer “retain the best possible counsel,” in this case Harold Melton, a former Chief Justice of the Georgia Supreme Court now with the Troutman Pepper law firm. And the Mayor was part of the effort to rally support from around the state. Ultimately, Georgia Power and more than 60 cities – of all sizes, locations, political inclinations, and representing over 2.5 million Georgians – submitted briefs in Milton’s support.

“We trust that the Georgia Supreme Court will weigh in to protect taxpayers not just here in Milton, but across the state of Georgia,” said Jamison.

PUBLIC SAFETY IS ‘HIGHEST PRIORITY’

The Mayor dedicated a significant segment of the State of the City to what he called his “highest priority”: public safety

Stating that “nothing is more important to me than ensuring the well-being of our children,” Jamison pointed to last year’s introduction of the City’s first school liaison officer. That police officer “has become a trusted and visible presence in our schools,” with the program becoming a model that’s being replicated in nearby cities.

The Mayor said he’s directed Milton’s City Manager to explore expanding this valuable service.

“One school liaison officer has already made a tremendous difference,” he added. “Imagine what we could achieve with more.”

Even amid nationwide challenges, Milton’s Police and Fire departments are fully staffed. They have excelled on their own and also through beneficial partnerships. Alpharetta and Milton police officers, for instance, are “cross-sworn” so they can respond to incidents seamlessly in both cities. Similarly, firefighters from Milton, Roswell, Alpharetta, Cherokee County, and Forsyth County can assist in emergencies within each others’ borders.

Jamison cited the North Fulton SWAT team as the strongest example of such collaboration. This elite unit consists of first responders from Milton, Alpharetta, Johns Creek, and Roswell who voluntarily try out for a group to “willingly put themselves in harm’s way to protect our community.”

“I have always been an ardent supporter of public safety,” the Mayor said. “The brave men and women who serve in these roles have my utmost respect and gratitude.”

Jamison closed his speech with reflection and optimism.

“Milton is rooted in strength, and together we will continue to grow as a community,” he said. “Our best days are ahead of us.”