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North Fulton mayors talk city elections
Honoring, reclaiming history
By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com
Macedonia descendents remember, look ahead By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Plastic flowers now adorn the graves at Macedonia Cemetery, a historical Black burial site off Medlock Bridge Road. Relatives of enslaved people buried on the grounds gathered there Feb. 18 to learn about its extensive history from members of the Johns Creek Historical Society. Of those venerating the dead, one was as young as 4 to 5 years old, whose family member guided her hand to drive a bundle of flowers into the dirt as they knelt. Sabrina Aquell, who organized the gathering, had been going to Macedonia Cemetery for years. Aquell said the site holds around 80 percent of her family members, including her grandfather Sam Jones. Because of the sadness that
See HISTORY, Page 4
Students lobby state for equitable funds ► PAGE 6
AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA
A young girl, with help from an older family member, plants flowers at Macedonia Cemetery grave Feb. 18. Descendants of those buried at Macedonia gathered Saturday and heard from Johns Creek Historical Society members about the cemetery’s history.
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ALPHARETTA, Ga. — City elections dominated discussions at the Feb. 9 meeting of the North Fulton Municipal Association held at the Avalon 1000 Building in Alpharetta. The organization, composed of elected and senior staff from North Fulton cities, meets monthly to discuss matters affecting their municipalities. Over the past month, North Fulton city councils have explored efforts to run their own municipal election this fall in the face of rising charges from Fulton County, which has traditionally managed the polling. In December, the Milton City Council voted to approve selfrun municipal elections this year following the recommendation from a locally appointed election study committee. While the Alpharetta City Council approved a new city elections superintendent position, other cities are still deciding on whether to remain with Fulton County, run their own election or formally sign with other cities to seat an elections superintendent to oversee municipal elections in Milton, Alpharetta, Johns Creek, Roswell and Mountain Park. The agreement, still in draft form, leaves each city to figure its
See ELECTIONS, Page 20