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Alpha Loop showcases brand new trail section By JON WILCOX jon@appenmedia.com ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Community members celebrated the Alpha Loop’s newest section Dec. 13 and 14 at the inaugural Lights on the Loop event. At least 400 people attended the free event, enjoying hot chocolate, donuts, a festive atmosphere and each other’s company. Hosted by the Alpha Loop Foundation and Awesome Alpharetta,
the event took place on the trail’s recently completed 1-mile section between Old Milton Parkway and Northwinds Summit. The section was the perfect setting for the event with its tunnel and 12-foot-wide bridge, said Karen Richard, foundation board member, Alpharetta resident and former City Council member. “It was tremendous,” Richard said.
See LOOP, Page 22
Roswell closes out year with big plans Council OKs FY25 budget after pushback on parking, fee increases to programs By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com ROSWELL, Ga. — The Roswell City Council closed out 2024 with a bang, from signing off on a mixed-use developer to relocating a fire station. At its last regular meeting of the year Dec. 9, which ran more than four hours, the council also passed its fiscal year 2025 budget. The new fiscal year begins Jan.1 for the first time. Up till now, the city operated on a July to June fiscal year.
Over the past two weeks, Roswell Chief Financial Officer Bill Godshall made a few edits, which included reducing the number of proposed staff cuts. It’s unclear what departments are seeing the cut. The budget document does not provide an analysis of personnel and staffing levels, like it did in previous years. “We feel this will continue to better align our services to meet obligations and to enhance efficiency in meeting those obligations,” Godshall said of the staffing level, adding that the fulltime staff being laid off will receive a special compensation package.
Community rallies around staff sacked in Roswell FY25 budget By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com
KAREN RICHARD/PROVIDED
From left, Alpha Loop Foundation board members Karen Richard, John Goss, Rony Ghelerter, Alex Sutton, Andy Christiansen and Matt Parker pose in front of the newly completed tunnel on the trail during Lights on the Loop.
AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA
Mayor Kurt Wilson introduces the fiscal year 2025 budget in a prepared statement at the Dec. 9 City See PLANS, Page 16 Council meeting.
SPECIAL TO APPEN MEDIA
Sean Hamby is one of “the Roswell 16,” a group of former city employees laid off in December. Hamby had been with the city for 37 years.
ROSWELL, Ga. — Since the City of Roswell laid off 16 full-time employees, the community is showing its support by way of donations. Former City Councilwoman Nancy Diamond, who launched the “Stand by Roswell Workers This Season” GoFundMe account, said the fundraiser is a way to thank those who worked hard for the community. More than $10, 600 has been collected toward a goal of
$12,000, as of Dec. 17 at 10 a.m. It’s also an effort to change the public narrative. “This gave an impression that we are a community that I don’t think we are,” she said. “This gives us a chance to shift that narrative to … ‘We’re not heartless people two weeks before Christmas.’” Former employees who spoke to Appen Media say the layoffs were effective immediately, on Dec. 10, following budget approval the night before.
See RALLY, Page 17
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