June 17, 2017

We are covering 2 topics today:  1) video of the Board of Assessors meeting on June 15th and 2) the City of Milton’s two most important documents (the Charter and the Comprehensive Land Use Plan).

I.  Board of Assessors Meeting

Fulton County has posted the full video of the Board of Assessors meeting on June 15, 2017.  It is actually very interesting to watch.  The comments from both our elected officials and citizens were passionate and pointed.  Following is a link to the video:

June 15, 2017 Board of Assessors Meeting

Following are cues to key points in the meeting:

• 12:00 Statements by 3 elected representatives in the following order:  Fulton Commission Chairman John Eaves, Vice Chair Bob Ellis, and State Senator John Albers.  All gave great remarks.  Senator Albers gave a fiery speech that is a must-see.
• 30:30 Remarks by Milton’s Mayor Joe Lockwood.  Mayor Lockwood was the only mayor that addressed the BOA.
• 37:00 Remarks by Tim Becker of the Milton Coalition.
• 1:41:30 Vote against moving up the discussion and vote on whether to freeze property valuations at 2016 levels.  We knew that with this vote, the BOA was signalling that it would not rescind property appraisals.  At this point, most citizens filed out of the assembly hall.  This was a supreme act of insensitivity and cowardice on the part of the BOA.  But we suppose they wanted to discuss and vote in a mostly empty room.
• 3:35:30 Discussion and Vote on Rescinding the 2017 property appraisals.  The discussion lasted less than 5 minutes.  Such little deliberation on such an important issue was an insult to citizens, again demonstrating the insensitivity and arrogance of the BOA (excepting RJ Morris, who has consistently been the only voice of reason on the BOA).

Council Member Matt Kunz also addressed the BOA during public comment, along with a few other elected officials.

II.  Milton’s Foundational Documents:  Charter and Comprehensive Land Use Plan

To understand the politics of Milton and the problems currently plaguing our City government, citizens must have a basic understanding of 1) the City Charter and 2) Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP).  These documents are the cornerstones of our local governance.  The Charter and CLUP guide many of the day-to-day actions and activities of our government.  Good governance in Milton depends on these documents being respected and upheld.

Milton’s Charter is like Milton’s version of the U.S. Constitution.  It established our city and provides the basic structure of our city government.

The Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) is Milton’s long-term strategic plan for land-use.  It is a detailed document that lays out a vision for land use but also includes specific guidance on how Milton’s land is to be developed.  It is important because so much of our government activity revolves around development.

Because of the Charter and CLUP’s importance, the City has established rigorous and transparent processes for amending these documents.  Changes to these documents require serious discussion and debate that should involve opportunities for citizen input.

In the coming days, at this blog, we will discuss the Charter and CLUP in greater depth:  what they are, why they are important, the process for amendment, etc.  We will also discuss how some in our Milton government, notably certain city council members, have shown blatant disregard and disrespect for the Charter and CLUP.

Tim Becker