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Consulting firm brought on board Alpharetta passes as Roswell chief operating officer $164 million budget for 2025
By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com ROSWELL, Ga. — Consulting firm Seer World is expanding its oversight of Roswell government after the City Council approved hiring one of its employees as the city’s chief operating officer for the next three years. The contract is set at $340,000 a year, and it falls under the annual $2 million threshold the council passed as part of the master services agreement with the consulting company, founded by Peter Sorckoff and based in Roswell. The employee will not receive city benefits. At the City Council meeting June 10, when the statement of work was passed, City Councilwoman Sarah Beeson said she was concerned about the size of the paycheck, calling it “fiscally irresponsible,” among other issues. She also cautioned against “scope creep” and overreliance on consultants. That night, Beeson cast the lone dissenting vote on the item, with an abstention from Councilman David Johnson, who questioned whether the contract was ethical. Johnson had voted in opposition to an amendment to the master services agreement to include “augmentation of operational staffing” alongside Beeson
Fourth of July events tee up ► PAGE 3
By JAKE DRUKMAN newsroom@appenmedia.com
AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA
Seer World founder Peter Sorckoff leads Roswell officials in a discussion at the City Council retreat in February. The council has authorized Seer World to hire one of its employees to serve as the city’s COO for the next three years, at an annual salary of $340,000. just before. Johnson said he sent the master services agreement and the COO contract to Joe Cusack, deputy director and general counsel of the State Ethics Commission, for review. Johnson said Cusack gave the OK, saying the contract’s “oversight provisions provide proper ethical supervision to this position.” COO role The COO will report to and at
County sets up food allotments ► PAGE 5
times advise the city administrator, according to the contract. The COO, under Seer, will also be responsible for implementing the consulting company’s deliverables. The $340,000 position would top the payroll charts for north Metro Atlanta municipalities. Alpharetta City Administrator Chris Lagerbloom collected $311,000 in 2023, and Sandy
See ADDITION, Page 10
Business group offers farm aid
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — After holding its third and final public hearing, the Alpharetta City Council unanimously approved a $164 million budget for fiscal year 2025 at its June 24 meeting, marking a $10 million increase in spending and revenues over fiscal year 2024. The total includes $19 million for one-time, big-ticket capital projects, like street improvements and land acquisition. The city also expects to receive another $6.5 million from state and federal grants to apply to capital projects. The actual operating budget – the day-to-day cost of running the city, which includes wages – is $103.5 million, up about 2 percent from the current year, No residents came forward to speak at any of the three public hearings the council held on the budget, nor did anyone from the public speak before the two separate votes to pass the budget ordinance and the millage rate ordinance. Despite the spending increase, homeowners may actually save a bit on property taxes with the new budget, which takes effect on July 1. Alpharetta’s property tax rate will
See BUDGET, Page 17
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