Two camps compete for NHL expansion ► PAGE 3
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Citizen committee counts, shares horse farm data MILTON, Ga. — After a year-long process pouring over publicly available data, the Milton Equestrian Committee reported more than 200 active horse farms in the city. Chair Tony Rich said when the committee undertook the challenge to create the census last year, they expected to find around 100 horse farms in Milton’s equestrian community. Throughout their March 11 presentation to the City Council, committee members stressed the importance of preserving and promoting equestrian farms and communities. They advocated for large lot incentives and agricultural exemptions. The Equestrian Committee, created in 2016, is tasked with managing equestrian initiatives, educating the owners of horse farms and protecting the city’s rural
See CENSUS, Page 17
HAYDEN SUMLIN/APPEN MEDIA
Representatives from an urban planning firm Aaron Arnett and Shawn Terpack, center, present a new “branding toolkit” March 18 for the city seal, department logos and other graphic designs representing the city. Elected officials approved the revamped branding initiative with some suggested changes.
City weighs budget amendments By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com MILTON, Ga. — With higher revenues than expenditures last year, city officials are considering the use of excess reserves for onetime capital projects. The proposed budget amendments include a $5.3 million transfer out of the general fund to the pay-as-you-go program in the capital projects fund. Deputy City Manager Bernadette Harvill began her presentation on budget amendments March 18 with a summary of the general fund budget, which is used for day-to-day operations. The City Council approved the 2024 budget at a Sept. 18 meeting, culminating a months-long
public process. Milton’s fiscal year runs from Oct. 1 to Sept. 30. Milton code requires the city to maintain an unassigned fund balance equal to 25 percent of the prior year’s revenues, Harvill said. Also, the city’s budgetary policies require fund balance exceeding required reserves to be spent on nonrecurring expenditures. “The end of year fund balance for fiscal year 2023 was higher than anticipated, as a result of Milton’s conservative budgeting approach,” Harvill said. “The main drivers of revenue coming in higher than anticipated last year include interest rates increasing and remaining higher than expected.”
See BUDGET, Page 16
MILTON EQUESTRIAN COMMITTEE/PROVIDED
A map of active horse farms in Milton, created by members of the Equestrian Committee, shows the more than 200 horse-riding holdings across the city. The committee also created additional maps and identified farms with potential infrastructure for horses.
Caroline Nalisnick C: 404.513.9226 | Caroline@HOMEgeorgia.com
Sam DiVito C: 404.803.5999 | Sam@HOMEgeorgia.com
Allison Kloster C: 404.784.5287 | Allison@HOMEgeorgia.com