City Of Milton: Council Tightens 'Door-To-Door' Requirements, Hears Of Positive Fiscal Picture

Press release from the City of Milton:

04/26/2021 9:23 PM

The City Council voted Monday to tighten regulations related to door-to-door solicitations, specifically requiring those with non-profits (with some exceptions) to be vetted and approved first by the Georgia Secretary of State's office.

Milton Police Chief Rich Austin explained that his department occasionally receives "rashes of calls regarding door-to-door sales." He noted that these generally don't involve for-profit salespeople, citing the "solid ordinance" requiring such vendors to be permitted by the City. Instead, the complaints tended to involve those who say they're soliciting for non-profits -- some of whom appear to have "specifically targeted" Milton even if they have no relation to the city, as is often the case.

Charitable organizations do not need a City permit to solicit in Milton, and members of certain groups -- such as educational, religious and political entities -- will remain exempt per Georgia law.

Yet the amended ordinance presented on Monday night spelled out additional requirements that Austin predicted should ensure that "only reputable organizations solicit in Milton." It requires all such non-profits to be vetted and recognized first by the Secretary of State before their representatives can come to Milton.

"And they have a very stringent process," Austin said of the Secretary of State's office.

This action came during a meeting in which Finance Director Bernadette Harvill explained that the City has significantly more revenues relative to what had been expected for this point in the current fiscal year -- along with markedly less in expenditures.

The City has 18.2% more than expected revenues, adding up to over $3 million, than had been projected to this point in Fiscal Year 2021 (which runs from October 1, 2020, to September 30, 2021).

More than half of this comes from the transfer of $1.65 million from the operating Grant Fund related to federal CARES Act funding. Such funds will reimburse the City's General Fund for FY2020 expenses related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Other revenue categories have been appreciably higher than projected to this date as well. These include $492,016 more for property taxes, $281,238 for motor vehicle taxes, and $177,549 more in local option sales taxes.  

On top of this, there have been also fewer City of Milton expenditures to date than originally estimated -- with the $12,166,376 spent coming in 6.94% less than expected. This equates to over $900,000.

All this suggests that the City of Milton is on strong financial footing, even after a pandemic that had a widespread negative economic impact. 

This segued to Harvill's second presentation Monday night related to proposed budget amendments for the current fiscal year. She pointed to existing and projected revenue (except for interest revenues that are estimated to fall $64,000 below what was anticipated due to low interest rates). In Milton, excess revenues must be spent on one-time expenditures that won't recur; for that reason, the City plans to transfer out $7.7 million to the "pay-as-you-go" program in the Capital Projects Fund. Specifically, this includes:

• $4 million for the future acquisition of active park land
• $1.35 million to purchase a new ladder truck, vehicle for the Assistant Fire Marshall, and to maintain the annual replacement reserve in the Milton Fire-Rescue Department
• $1 million to fund improvements to City-owned passive/greenspace properties
• $1 million for traffic calming measures that build off recommendations outlined in the ongoing Local Road Safety Plan project
• $300,000 for a bid alternate in the current pavement management plan
• $60,000 for new vehicles for the Community Development Department's to-be-hired Chief Building Official and Building Inspector

The budget amendments also addressed proposed staffing changes including the addition of a Deputy City Manager, Assistant Fire Marshal and four positions that the Council authorized to bring in-house as City employees (rather than contracted workers): Chief Building Official, Plans Examiner, Building Inspector and Permit Technician. Some of these additions are offset by other savings and/or reclassification of existing positions.

The amendments also touched on $200,000 that had been budgeted for initiatives tied to the City's recently approved 5-year Strategic Plan. Some $35,000 is being set aside to market that Plan, for City staff development, and to conduct an advanced level emergency management drill. Other now-budgeted expenditures include money to plan an intranet for City employees, a website transparency measurement, and costs related to active park analysis and land aqcuistion.

The biggest sum -- $120,000 -- relates to Birmingham Park. This money aims to pay for improvements to that picturesque City passive property, potentially including trail widening, clean-up, water stations for horses and improving the gravel parking lot.

In other matters Monday, Council Member Rick Mohrig nominated Nan Buckner for a position on the Milton Equestrian Committee. He lauded Buckner's impressive background as an award-winning rider, trainer and businesswoman geared toward equestrian matters.

"She brings a wealth of knowledge and enthusiasm with her," Mohrig said. "She's dedicated to ... her sport."

Upon being sworn in, Buckner briefly addressed the Council.

"I live and dream horses," she said. "This is a real honor for me."

Mohrig then recognized the man who Buckner is replacing -- Larry Covington, a member of the first Milton Equestrian Committee before recently stepping down -- as well as longtime Design Review Board member Tim Bryan. Both men received special plaques from the City recognizing and thanking them for their service.

City Clerk Tammy Lowit also got unexpected recognition when the City formally recognized May 2-8 as Professional Municipal Clerks Week. 

Milton Arts Council Chairman Bill Purdie addressed the Council about his organization and the importance of the arts.

He alluded to an abundance of talent and interest in the arts in Milton, saying his group strove in part to help "our local talent pursue their artistic goals."

Purdie referred to some of the many things the Milton Arts Council has done recently, such as a playwriting contest, creative writing contest and virtual Milton's Got Talent competitions.

"I would like to see our city become the center for cultural arts for North Georgia," he said. "We see great potential."

Council Member Laura Bentley thanked Purdie and encouraged more horse statues along the lines of the one dedicated to late City Arborist Mark Law that the Arts Council helped raise money for that's now in the roundabout opposite the Milton Library.

Peyton Jamison -- a fellow Council Member and Mayor Pro Tem whose wife is involved in the arts -- added, "As the city grows, the Arts Council can grow with it." 

This press release was produced by the City of Milton. The views expressed here are the author’s own.