Georgia Senate explores need-based scholarships ► PAGE 3 S e p t e m b e r 4 , 2 0 2 5 | A p p e n M e d i a . c o m | A n A p p e n M e d i a G r o u p P u b l i c a t i o n | 5 0 ¢ | Vo l u m e 2 9 , N o . 3 6
City officials hint confidential leaks taint council vote
Judge rules county must approve slate of GOP nominees to Elections Board By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com
Embry Farms residential project wins approval by narrow margin
to avoid any perception of bias, I have chosen to take this step.” Mayor Bradberry and council members Chris Coughlin and Erin Elwood voted in favor of the zoning changes. Councilmembers Larry DiBiase and Stacy Skinner voted no. At the meeting, residents in opposition wore green T-shirts emblazoned with the website saveshakerag.org. Many spoke publicly asking the council to reconsider. The development “threatens to urbanize Johns Creek's last rural area, a region rich in Cherokee heritage and designated for preservation in the 2018 Comprehensive Plan,” the website said.
ATLANTA — A State Superior Court Judge has found the Fulton County Board of Commissioners in civil contempt and imposed a $10,000 per day fine beginning Friday, Aug. 29, unless Republican nominees are appointed to the County Elections Board. In his Aug. 27 court order, Senior Superior Court Judge David Emerson wrote “local legislation does not include language authorizing the Commission to veto the selection of any qualified nominee.” He wrote that the legislation provides that the County Commission “shall” appoint the nominees submitted by the party executive officer if they are otherwise qualified. “As was recently the argument by the defendant Fulton County in Adams v. Fulton County, [Julie] Adams had a mandatory duty to certify election results because of the word ‘shall’ is ‘generally a word of command,’” the judge wrote. The months-long scrummage between the Fulton County Board of Commissioners, the Registration and Elections Board, elected officials on both sides and the courts revolves around the 2020 presidential election, several lawsuits against the county and partisan politics.
See COUNCIL, Page 25
See RULING, Page 29
By JON WILCOX jon@appenmedia.com JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — In the wake of possible ethics questions involving leaked information from an executive session, the Johns Creek City Council voted Aug. 25 to allow construction of a major subdivision amid opposition from residents. Council members who voted in favor of the development said apparent leaks of confidential information compromised the public hearing’s impartiality, leaving them little legal choice. “I came in thinking I would vote a different way, but our hand has been forced,” Mayor John Bradberry said. The council approved zoning changes for a 204-acre property dubbed Embry Farms, near 10505 Embry Farm Road in the Shakerag District of western Johns Creek. Developer Toll Brothers asked to reduce the number of lots to 189 and increase the minimum lot size to about 21,800 square feet to accommodate a roundabout. The vote was 3-2, with two council members recusing themselves. Councilman Bob Erramilli recused himself stating as reason “the appearance of improprieties in case if there is any communications between one of the parties.” In his recusal from participating in the matter, Councilman Dilip Tunki said he already had his own text communications reviewed by the city attorney, who confirmed there is nothing requiring him to recuse. “However,” he said, “out of an abundance of caution and
SCREENSHOT/PROVIDED
Johns Creek Brian Sydow speaks against a planned subdivision in the city’s Shakerag District at an Aug. 25 meeting.
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