This is a huge month at the City of Milton - and it couldn't come at a better time. I don't know about you, but I love getting out in March and shaking off the cold of the last few months. It's a great time to start fresh and enjoy the warmth and daylight afforded by winter's end. 

Let's take a look at what Milton's got on tap for March (in addition to our normal slate of City Council, board and committee meetings): 

March 14: Library system & Milton joint meeting 

First up is something I know residents are going to be very excited to learn. On March 14 the Atlanta-Fulton County Public Library System and the City of Milton's Community Development Department will hold a joint meeting to discuss the plan for the new library in Crabapple. 

This meeting will take place at 7 p.m., and residents will be able to provide feedback on the design of the new library. It should be a great meeting for a great project.

March 16: Bulky Trash Amnesty Day 

This twice-annual event is always a hit. From 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, March 16, residents can bring their bulky trash items to Roswell's Public Works facility free of charge. All that's required is proof of residency. Take a look at the newsletter item to see what's allowed and what isn't. And don't fret - we'll have a hazardous materials day in May for most of the stuff not allowed.  

  Read the entire message.

REGISTRATION: 

Registration is now open for Camp Joyful Soles, Milton's special needs day camp for children age 13 to 18. 

To register for Joyful Soles, click here to download the form. It may be filled out online, then mailed or dropped off at Milton's City Hall, 13000 Deerfield Parkway, Suite 107 Milton, GA 30004 (click here for directions). 

Please make sure if mailing to clearly mark the contents are for Tom Gilliam, recreation programs coordinator.

Camp Joyful Soles, held in conjunction with Alpharetta's Camp Happy Hearts, will take place at Hopewell Middle School from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. June 3 to July 26 (with no camp the week of July 4). 

This small, specialized camp is limited to just 20 participants a week and includes arts and crafts, games, special guests, fitness classes and swimming once a week.
Cost is $125 for Milton and Alpharetta residents and $187.50 for non-residents (a 50 percent increase) per week. 

Guardians may register for all seven weeks or a week at a time. The first week must be paid in full. 

There is a $50 per-week, non-refundable, non-transferable fee to hold spaces in future weeks. Remainder of the balance is due prior to the week reserved.    

For more information, contact Gilliam at 678-242-2519 or tom.gilliam@cityofmiltonga.us.

COUNSELORS NEEDED: 

Have a teen looking for a fun, rewarding and exciting opportunity this summer?

The City of Milton Parks and Recreation Department is hiring four seasonal counselor positions to help run and staff Camp Joyful Soles, Milton's special needs day camp for children age 12 to 18.

Interested applicants need to have graduated high school by June 1, 2013.
Full information on job qualifications, pay and more is available at the City of Milton's online Career Center. 

Applications are due April 10.

For more information on the job, contact Human Resources Director Sam Trager at 678-242-2516 or sam.trager@cityofmiltonga.us.

For more information, contact Tom Gilliam at 678-242-2519 or tom.gilliam@cityofmiltonga.us.

Parents and their children who are eligible to attend Summit Hill Elementary kindergarten in 2013-14 are invited to the "Husky Happening" for new kindergartners on March 8.  

Beginning at 9 a.m., this hour-long program provides parents important curriculum and registration information as well as a virtual "tour" of a typical kindergarten day.  
Simultaneously, incoming kindergarten students themselves take off on a guided "V.I.P." tour of Summit Hill during which they visit a kindergarten classroom, listen to a read-aloud book in the Media Center, and even board a stationary school bus in the parking lot. 

Afterward, prospective Husky pups return to the cafeteria to enjoy a snack of juice and cookies and reunite with parents. 

Please note that parents may register students (kindergarten - grade 5) who will be new to Summit Hill for 2013-14 on May 1 and 2.

Please check the Summit Hill Web site for additional information.

The Better Together Committee, composed of Milton residents looking for unique and fun opportunities to connect with the neighbors, will meet twice this month on March 11 and 25. 

Both meetings will take place at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 13000 Deerfield Parkway (click here for directions). We will discuss involving people of all abilities to enhance and strengthen the Milton community.

Work is starting on periodic living room conversations including a self-defense class taught by a member of the police department and round table discussions with Fulton County officials.

If you would like more information, please contact Community Builder Wayne Boston at 678-242-2512 or e-mail wayne.boston@cityofmiltonga.us.

The North Fulton Evergreen Schools program will host two grant writing and fundraising seminars Wednesday, March 13 - one at the Alpharetta Arts Center, the other at Centennial High School. 

Kim Bailey, Environmental Education in Georgia coordinator, will give a presentation on the grants available to fund environmental education, school gardens and outdoor classrooms, as well as how to effectively write grants.

There will also be brief presentations to explain other fundraising opportunities for your school or environmental program.  Both sessions will have refreshments provided by Harry's Farmers Market.  

An RSVP is appreciated to ensure enough enough food and space. This meeting is open to all teachers and PTA volunteers.

Alpharetta Arts Center seminar:
11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
12624 Broadwell Road in Alpharetta (click here for directions)

Centennial High School seminar:
4:30 to 5:45 p.m.
9310 Scott Road in Roswell (click here for directions)     

Please RSVP to Cindy Eade, sustainability coordinator, at 678-242-2509 or   cindy.eade@cityofmiltonga.us.

The Atlanta-Fulton County Public Library System and the City of Milton's Community Development Department will hold a joint meeting Thursday, March 14 to receive public feedback on the Crabapple location's building design. 

This meeting will take place at 7 p.m. in City Council Chambers of Milton's City Hall, 13000 Deerfield Parkway, Suite 107E (click here for directions).

Roy Kenski, project manager for the new Milton library for the Atlanta-Fulton County Public Library System, and Kathleen Field, director of Community Development for the City of Milton, will be on hand to discuss the 25,000 square foot branch project and receive feedback.  

For more information, contact the City of Milton at 678-242-2500 or e-mail info@cityofmiltonga.us.

The City of Milton Public Works Department and Milton Grows Green are offering residents a bulky trash amnesty day Saturday, March 16, so gather your large items for disposal.

From 8 a.m. to noon, residents of Milton can bring items to the City of Roswell Public Works Division at 1810 Hembree Road in Roswell (click here for directions). Only City of Milton and Roswell residents will be served. Proof of residency will be required, and utility bills are preferred.

New this year is shoe recycling. Bring your gently-worn shoes for a recycling and reuse program to help fund Milton's Community Wildlife Habitat Project (click here for more information on the project).

Some of the items accepted are:
*    tires - must be off the rim, automobile tires only; limit 4 per car
*    sofas
*    tables
*    refrigerators
*    chairs
*    washers
*    dryers
*    televisions
*    deactivated cell phones
*    computer equipment and electronics
*    mattresses and box springs
 
The following items will not be accepted:
*    paint
*    household hazardous waste
*    any fluids including motor oil and anti-freeze
*    household batteries
*    construction and demolition materials
*    yard waste

For proper disposal of these items, please contact either the Roswell Recycling Center at 770-442-8822 (motor oil and anti-freeze) or Chadwick Landfill at 770-475-9868 (construction and demolition materials).

Materials will only be accepted at the site on the day of the event and only during the hours of 8 a.m. and noon. Please note that the gate will close at noon. 

For more information, contact Cindy Eade, sustainability coordinator, at 678-242-2509 or cindy.eade@cityofmiltonga.us.

Renowned park ranger, naturalist and educator Jerry Hightower will hold two free informative and entertaining open houses March 20 and 28 at Milton's City Hall to discuss gardening for wildlife and creating water features and other garden structures.

Both meetings will take place at 7 p.m. in City Council Chambers at Milton's City Hall, 13000 Deerfield Parkway Suite 107 E (click here for directions).

During the first meeting, Wednesday, March 20, Hightower will discuss gardening to ensure proper habitats for wildlife. At the second, Thursday, March 28, he'll explain creating ponds, pools and pergolas to beautify your garden.

These programs are sponsored by City of Milton's National Wildlife Federation (NWF) Community Wildlife Habitat Certification Project.

Milton is less than 50 homes and 10 businesses and/or churches away from being declared a National Wildlife Federation Community Wildlife Habitat - just the fourth in the state.

This program teaches residents to conserve their natural environment in public and private spaces, provides gardening workshops and community education, and supports environmental education in local schools. 

For more information on this project or the programs, visit the National Wildlife Habitat Certification Team's Web site or contact Environmental Sustainability Coordinator Cindy Eade at cindy.eade@cityofmiltonga.us or 678-242-2509.

Want to see a pocket park at the corner of Deerfield Parkway and Webb Road?

Then provide your input Thursday, March 21 at 7 p.m. when the City of Milton Parks and Recreation Department holds an open house and information session on the proposed project at City Hall, 13000 Deerfield Parkway Suite 107 E (click here for directions).

Ideas for the roughly one-acre park purchased with MARTA funding include a veterans' memorial and walking trail with outdoor exercise stations. However, nothing is set in stone, and city officials want to hear from residents to make sure these concepts meet community expectations.

"Every day we see dozens of walkers and runners on the sidewalks up and down Deerfield Parkway," said Jim Cregge, director of parks and recreation for the City of Milton. "Additionally, this is where we hold our yearly Memorial Day ceremony and place veterans markers.

"So we're trying to produce the best value we can for residents - but the only way we can do that is to hear from them."  

For more information on this project or the meeting, contact Cregge at 678-242-2489 or jim.cregge@cityofmiltonga.us.

The Milton Business Alliance (MBA) will hold its monthly meeting at the Olde Blind Dog in Crabapple Thursday, March 21 from 6 to 8 p.m.

There will be a $5 cover charge that includes food. Drinks are available for purchase. The Olde Blind Dog is located at 12650 Crabapple Road (click here for directions). 

Speakers include Milton Mayor Joe Lockwood and Milton Sustainability Coordinator Cindy Eade. 

For more information, visit the Milton Business Alliance at www.miltonbusinessalliance.com.

Milton Mayor Joe Lockwood and staff will take part in the Milton High School PTSA family involvement committee's first evening social March 26.

This open public meeting, dubbed "Coffee with the Mayor," will begin at 7 p.m. in the school's media center, located at 13025 Birmingham Highway (click here for directions). Coffee and light hors d'oeuvres will be served.

Milton Mayor Joe Lockwood will speak about the City of Milton's present projects and its future plans. City Councilmembers Bill Lusk, Matt Kunz, Karen Thurman, Burt Hewitt and Lance Large will also attend.

Then staff members including City Manager Chris Lagerbloom, Public Works Director Carter Lucas, Police Chief Deborah Harrell, Fire Chief Robert Edgar, Community Development Director Kathleen Field and Communications Manager Jason Wright will be on hand to discuss pertinent topics and answer any questions residents might have.

Elected officials from Roswell and Alpharetta will also be on hand. 

For more information, contact Sabrina Moore at sabrina.moore@me.com.

If you took part in the Ga. 9 North Visioning Study public meeting last month, then make sure you come back to Crooked Creek's Clubhouse Wednesday, March 27 to provide feedback on what planners have created from your input.

This open public meeting, hosted by the City of Milton Community Development Department, kicks off at 6 p.m. at 14250 Creek Club Drive in Milton (click here for directions).

During this meeting, Milton planners will present the maps and plans resulting from citizen input at the previous meeting. There will also be a time to provide additional feedback.    

For more information on this process, call or e-mail Milton Principal Planner Michele McIntosh-Ross at 678-242-2538 or michele.mcintosh@cityofmiltonga.us.

Due to state law concerning the Illegal Immigration Reform and Enforcement Act passed by the Georgia General Assembly last year, 2013 business license renewal forms cannot be mailed back to the City of Milton.

Instead, if you renew your business license for 2013, you must e-mail the forms to bl@cityofmiltonga.us or hand-deliver them to City Hall, 13000 Deerfield Parkway Suite 107 Suite F (click here for directions, click here for a map of City Hall).

Additionally, all applicants must submit Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) affidavits along with identification such as a driver's license, passport or legal immigration document. Businesses will receive the E-verify affidavit, SAVE affidavit and credit card authorizations forms in the mail along with instructions on how to file these documents.

These documents are being mailed in early December, said Kathleen Field, Community Development Director for the City of Milton. However, if you are a business owner you may begin the process immediately by downloading the forms below.

New Business License
Business License Renewal 

Change of Address 

Change of Name
Private Employer Affadavit (E-verify for business over 11 employees)
Private Employer Exemption Affadavit (E-Verify for businesses with 11 employees or fewer)
Affidavit of Presence in the United States (SAVE)
Credit Card Authorization Form

All forms and payments are due by March 31, 2013.

For more information, contact Jamila Jones, permit technician, at jamila.jones@cityofmiltonga.us or 678-242-2521.

Want to get your environmental business or cause in front of 1,500 Milton residents? Then sponsor or be a vendor at the 2013 Milton Earth Day Festival April 20 at Friendship Community Park in Crabapple.

This fun-filled and educational family event hosted by Milton Grows Green and the City of Milton will showcase environmental vendors and businesses along with fun crafts, rides, entertainment and food guaranteed to delight.

And you can be a part of it. To download the sponsor/vendor packet of information, click here. Please note: A check must accompany the application if mailed. If charged to a credit card, the application must be delivered to City Hall in person.

Space is limited, so if you are a business, school or non-profit organization looking to showcase your environmentally friendly products, services or practices, make sure to sign up early.

The 2013 Milton Earth Day Festival is presented by Children's Healthcare of Atlanta - Forsyth with support from Thrive Chiropractic Wellness Center, Net Zero USA, Creative Solar USA, Walmart, Home Depot, Roswell Pediatrics, Comfort Zone, Scottsdale Farms and Milton Fields.    

For more information, contact Cindy Eade, environmental sustainability coordinator, at 678-242-2509 cindy.eade@cityofmiltonga.us.

Children's Charities will hold a Denim & Diamonds Benefit Saturday, April 27 at Shannondale Farms to benefit the autism detection unit for Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Forsyth.

The event begins at 6 p.m. Shannondale Farms is located at 2395 Birmingham Road (click here for directions). 

There will be a Harry's Farmers Market Chef Competition, music and dancing with Mid-Life Crisis, a silent auction, and cocktails and dinner. Plus, there will be an opportunity to win a 1 carat diamond from Atlanta Diamond Design. 

Tickets are $100 person, and seating is available. There are 10-person tables available.    

For more information, visit www.childrenscharities.org or contact 404-217-4643 or info@childrenscharities.org.

The City of Milton Police Department will hold a "K-9 Support" golf tournament May 1 to raise funds for a new K-9 officer to replace a retired police dog.

The tournament will take place at Echelon Golf Club, 501 Founders Drive, Milton (click here for directions). It includes registration and breakfast at 8 a.m., a shotgun start at 10 a.m. and a reception and awards ceremony at 3 p.m.

Cost to play in the tournament is $125 per golfer or $500 for a team of four. Sponsorship levels include $7,500 (platinum), $3,000 (gold) and $1,500 (silver), with each level promising various corporate signage and placement in tournament literature.

To register, sponsor or make a donation to the fund, click here for the sign-up sheet. You may also register or make a donation over the phone by calling 678-242-2570. Credit cards are accepted.

Officer Ara Baronian said since DaSilva's retirement in late 2012 after six years of service to the department, Milton has been without a needed K-9. DaSilva was privately donated to the city from residents, and the department needs help again to ensure effective policing.    

For more information on the tournament or the fund, contact Baronian at 678-242-2570 or ara.baronian@cityofmiltonga.us.

Fulton County Schools recently announced spring kindergarten registration dates - Wednesday, May 1, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Thursday, May 2, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.  

During these two days, parents of incoming kindergarten students, as well as other new elementary students entering school in August, can register their children for the 2013-2014 school year. Registration will occur at all Fulton County elementary schools.

To register new students, parents should visit the school their child will attend in the fall. A list of documents needed for registration, including immunization requirements for kindergartners and pre-kindergarten students, is posted here. A notarized affidavit of residence is also mandatory for all students.

In addition, 1,678 spaces in pre-kindergarten classes are available at 42 elementary schools throughout the county. Pre-kindergarten registration dates vary by school and enrollment is handled by a lottery system. Parents also can visit the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning's web site, www.decal.ga.gov, to determine the availability of other privately-funded pre-kindergarten program providers.  

Details are being worked out for Milton's first ever household hazardous waste event. Originally, this was to be in March, but has been moved to May.

Stay tuned for information and to pre-register for the event.  

Milton's Fire Department held a mass CPR event at Milton High School Feb. 26 in an effort to teach every student lifesaving methods. All incoming freshmen at Cambridge and Milton High Schools are taught CPR and basic first aid. Soon, every high schooler in the city will be trained.

It's all part of Milton's commitment to the American Heart Association's prestigious Heart Ready City award. Since 2009, Milton has established itself as a leader in EMS services by prescribing to the guidelines of this stringent program.

Because of this work:
*    1,004 residents have been trained in CPR and Automated External Defibrillator (AED) usage in the last 12 months. Milton's current Heart Ready City goal is 500 per year.

*    AEDs have been placed in all city buildings and public safety vehicles. Additionally, the Fire Department offers free training to businesses with AEDs.

*    The Milton Fire Department has upgraded its EMS provider level to Advanced Life Support status and now has three paramedic-staffed engine companies capable of administering advanced cardiac monitoring, advanced airway management, IV therapy and advanced level medications.

*    Patients benefit from transmission of heart monitor readings directly to ER doctors, cutting down on the diagnosis time.

*    Alpharetta's Dispatch Center delivers Enhanced Medical Dispatch (EMD) services to the public to reduce emergency response times and provide lifesaving instructions to callers.

And here's the best part - it works! Several lives have been saved because of the devices and training placed strategically throughout the city. 

For more information about the City of Milton Fire Department's lifesaving efforts, click here.

Sophomore J.R. Salemi became the first state champion in Cambridge High School history by capturing the 2012-2013 GHSA 5A 113-pound State Championship held in Macon Feb. 14-16.

Salemi completed a perfect season (59-0) by defeating John Williams, Senior (66-3) from Ware County 10-4 in the final championship match.

"I felt good going into the tournament but was nervous once I got to the finals," said Salemi. "Coach told me to make it my match, wrestle my way, and I would be fine."

Salemi took a narrow 5-4 lead over Williams into the third and final period of the match. There Salemi worked in a takedown and 3 near fall points, besting Williams 10-4 in the final to become this year's state champion.

"I knew JR had it in him. He earned the right to be called a State Champion," said Head Varsity Coach Don St. James.  

Members of Cogburn Woods Elementary School's environmental club recently planted a tree as part of an Arbor Day program sponsored by the City of Milton. The school is a member of the Evergreen Schools Program.

The city's Arborist, Mark Law, along with Sustainability Coordinator Cindy Eade, educated the 30 students on tree benefits and how to properly plant and care for the tree.  

Students will take ownership of naming and caring for the weeping dogwood.  

Cambridge High receives its grant. From left, Assistant Principal Jamie Dixon, Principal Dr. Edward Spurka, Rebecca Smith, senior and co-founder of Cambridge's Environmental Club, Jack Lindon, chairman of Milton Grows Green (MGG), Lynna Lee, parent volunteer and MGG member, and Chris Lagerbloom, Milton city manager.

The City of Milton recently awarded five area schools, all members of the city's Evergreen Schools Program, grants of $250 each to assist with environmental programs.

This free and voluntary program provides support and resources to local public and private schools to enhance their environmental education efforts. The Evergreen School program is organized in conjunction with the cities of Alpharetta, Roswell and Milton and managed by the city's environmental committee, Milton Grows Green.

Congratulations to the schools receiving the awards: 

• Birmingham Falls Elementary: Funds toward environmental education at the Earth Day Festival April 20.
• Cambridge High: Funds toward starting a recycling program.
• Cogburn Woods Elementary: Funds toward water testing equipment and expenses related to National Wildlife Fund Habitat certification.
• Crabapple Crossing Elementary: Funds toward rain barrels and educational supplies for the organic garden.
• Northwestern Middle: Funds toward enhancing the permaculture garden and additional environmental education activities to the outdoor classroom.  

This list is compiled from business license records kept by the city's Community Development Department. If a new business receives a license within the month proceeding the newsletter, it will be listed.

The appearance of a business on this page is not intended, nor should it be construed, as the City of Milton's or Milton City Council's endorsement, sanction, promotion or advertisement of any particular business. Identification of businesses on this list is for informational purposes only. Citizens interested in retaining or conducting business with any of the companies or agencies listed in this item should conduct their own review and investigation of that business.

Atlanta Age Management Medicine: 12600 Deerfield Parkway, Suite 100 

A-Z Sophisticated Solutions LLC: 12850 Ga. 9 North

Peta-gaye Smith: 9108 Deer Trail     

For a continually updated list of current businesses in Milton via the city's Web site, click here.