The City took a step forward Monday in defining Milton’s project list for a third TSPLOST referendum, which could pave the way for more transportation-related improvements for years to come.

Voters in Fulton County, which includes Milton, in 2016 and 2021 approved referendums for a 0.75-cent added sales tax to fund projects such as new roundabouts, bridge upgrades, streetscape improvements, culvert replacements, and the like. Fulton County government officials have given municipalities until the end of this May to specify their project lists for another round of this Transportation Special Local Option Sales Tax (TSPLOST) ahead of a fresh referendum expected to be on the November 2026 ballot. 

TSPLOST funds can go towards defined categories of projects – operations and safety, bridges, maintenance and safety, pedestrian and bicycle accommodations, and “quick response” for relatively fast, minor improvements. The draft project list that Dell-Ross presented on Monday night generally gives the City, including the Council, discretion over specific tasks – differentiating what money might go toward broad corridor, roundabout, and streetscape improvements, for instance. The only detailed changes included are for new roadwork in southeast Crabapple related to the District at Mayfield endeavor and creating a new street connecting State Route 9 with Deerfield Parkway. 

The Council did not suggest revisions to the proposed project list, with Milton now on track to meet Fulton County’s deadline. 

“This is the very … beginning, and we’ll get into the actual projects and weeds down the road,” said Mayor Peyton Jamison. “I know that (TSPLOST) has provided a lot.”

SAVILLE REAPPOINTED TO MILTON EQUESTRIAN COMMITTEE

This presentation and discussion occurred well into a meeting that began with the City Council’s unanimous approval of the Consent Agenda. This included agreements between the City and:

• Lanier HVAC Services to replace an outdated mini-split HVAC system in the coaches/meeting room at Bell Memorial Park
• InterDev so its professionals can provide supplementary Information Technology (IT) services for City government, like providing cybersecurity support and supporting other key functions
• American Medical Response (AMR) to utilize traffic preemption technology so that its ambulances responding to medical emergencies in Milton will get green lights – allowing them to reach those in crisis more safely and efficiently

As part of that same Consent Agenda, the Council approved extending the terms of a $500,000 Land and Water Conservation Fund grant from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources to require a Milton City Park and Preserve project be completed by August 31, 2027 – rather than the current December 31, 2026, deadline. This grant will help pay for upgrades in the City park’s “active” 7 acres, including reconfiguring the parking lot, enhancing lighting, adding a playground, and redoing the Milton Tennis Center (resulting in six total courts, which will be two more than are now there).

The Council then approved Councilmember Juliette Johnson’s nomination to reappoint Carson Saville to the Milton Equestrian Committee. Noting that Saville and his family “live on open land in Milton,” Johnson said that he “has been a great asset to this committee.”

4 FINE ARTS STUDENTS AWARDED SCHOLARSHIPS

Monday’s meeting also provided an opportunity for the City Council to celebrate several exceptional graduating high school seniors.

Shelley Hogan from the Milton Arts Council, a non-profit dedicated to supporting arts in our community, presented four Hogan Family Scholarships. These go to outstanding teenagers who have demonstrated excellence in the fine arts and plan to major in a fine arts discipline in college.

The 2026 recipients are Tucker Bowers (who is in Milton High School’s chorus), Max Holley (in Cambridge High School’s band), Addison Mynatt (a member of Cambridge High’s theater program), and Caroline Parker (part of Milton High’s band).

The next honors presented at Monday’s meeting were the City of Milton’s inaugural Student Service Awards.

Emily Salerno, the City’s Community Outreach Manager, explained that this recognition goes to Milton residents who have “demonstrated strong commitment to volunteerism” during their time in high school. Each recipient who chose to apply shared details about their service (at least 225 hours cumulatively over four years) done through credible organizations that benefit the people of Milton and beyond.

The Student Service Award winners – who hail from Cambridge High, King’s Ridge Christian School, and Milton High – are Reagan Berube, Nathaniel Blahnik, Ella Brown, Grey Donner, Miller Estes, Caroline Maples, Lauren Mathews, Nora Michaelis, and Sydney O’Connor.

“Their spirit took myriad forms such as making sandwiches and blankets for the homeless, engaging with seniors and rescue dogs, supporting health-related causes, and much more,” read a proclamation in their honor. “We greatly appreciate their spirit, dedication, selflessness, and commitment to making our society better in ways big and small.”

FIRE CHIEF CITES ACCOMPLISHMENTS, INCLUDING NATIONAL AWARD

Fire Chief Gabe Benmoussa then introduced his department’s latest annual report, in addition to sharing news of a major national achievement. (You can view it yourself via this link: https://www.miltonga.gov/home/showdocument?id=9193.)

He outlined several of the Milton Fire-Rescue Department’s accomplishments last year, such as:

• Adopting an EV (electronic vehicle) safety ordinance for lithium battery charging stations, the first local government in the nation to do so
• Transitioning to a new national incident reporting system
• Upgrading equipment for the Technical Large Animal Rescue Team (TLAER), which can respond to help big animals (like horses) in crisis.
• Creating an AED Library loaner program so citizens and groups can check-out AEDs free of charge for gatherings of people
• Deploying RightSite telemedicine service to connect citizens virtually and immediately with emergency medicine professionals

Benmoussa noted that Milton firefighters saved nearly $6 million in property value in 2025 thanks to their swift, expert responses to blazes, with $1,760,500 being the total estimated property value loss citywide from fires.

“That’s what we want to see – what we saved is greater than what was lost,” the Chief said. “Quick action, putting out water on that fire early helps minimize the property loss.”

His presentation concluded with the good news that Milton is one of two recipients in the United States – along with Montgomery County, Maryland – of the International Association of Fire Chiefs’ Heart Safe Community Award. This annually salutes select fire departments’ innovative approaches (citing impactful programs, services, and initiatives) to help patients with Acute Coronary Syndromes and cardiac arrest.

BYOB ALCOHOL LICENSE APPROVED FOR BACK NINE

Monday’s meeting concluded with a discussion and vote to approve an alcohol beverage license – specifically a bring-your-own-beverage license – for Back Nine Alpharetta, which is along Highway 9. This allows for people to bring and consume beer and/or wine in this business during limited hours, during which a staff member is required to be on-site.

After several public comments from neighbors, City Attorney Ken Jarrard made clear that the Council at any time can suspend a non-compliant business’s alcohol beverage license, in addition to opting not to sign off on its annual renewal.

Lastly, the Council approved a final plat revision for Crossroads at Birmingham located along and near the intersection of Birmingham Road and 372/Birmingham Highway. The revision simply removes one once-planned lot and revises a handful of other lot lines.

The Council’s next Regular Meeting is scheduled for May 18.