It's hard to believe 2014 is here. But I guess time flies when you're working as hard as Milton is at building the future of our great city. The coming year is going to be huge for us, and today I want to tell you about some of the great things you can expect from this city.

Bell Memorial Park Expansion: Here we go folks! This spring the City of Milton will begin its first park expansion project to more than double the size of Bell Memorial Park. During the roughly year-long project crews will add two rectangular (football/lacrosse/soccer) fields and a host of beautiful amenities to develop Bell Memorial into a true gem for the City of Milton.  

We have a wealth of information at the city's Web site about exactly what's going into the park, so I encourage you all to visit and take a look.

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Get those lights off and stock up on tie downs, because Saturday, Jan. 4 the City of Milton and Milton Grows Green (MGG) will once again offer Christmas tree recycling as part of Georgia's "Bring One For The Chipper" program. 

• Scottsdale Farms, 15639 Birmingham Highway (click here for directions )
• Milton High School, 13025 Birmingham Highway (click here for directions) 
• Home Depot, 5300 Windward Parkway (click here for directions) 

Dogwood saplings will be handed out Jan. 4 to residents as quantities last and are donated by the Rotary Club of Alpharetta.  

Volunteers from the Milton Chapter of the Young Men's Service League and the Alpharetta Rotary Club will offer assisted drop-off from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Jan. 4 at Scottsdale Farms and Milton High.  Tree chipping services provided by Casey Tree Experts.

Additionally, Milton Boy Scout Troop 841 will pick up trees and recycle them for a donation of $15. To schedule a pick-up, e-mail treepickup841@yahoo.com.

"We appreciate the community's awareness and cooperation in getting Christmas trees to a 'mulch' better place," said Cindy Eade, Milton's sustainability coordinator.

Organizers are hoping to see growth similar to last year's Chipper effort. In 2013, Milton residents brought more than 500 trees to be chipped. They were used for mulch at local schools and in animal and fish habitats.

Get a jump start on your Earth Day curriculum and ideas for making Earth Day special for your students by attending our Evergreen meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 14 from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. at High Meadows School in Roswell.

Michelle Griffin, a teacher at High Meadows and former Roswell Environmental Educator winner, will be sharing some exciting ideas. Refreshments are provided by Harry's Farmers Market.

High Meadows is located at 1055 Willeo Road in Roswell (click here for directions). For more information please RSVP on the Meetup group or contact Cindy Eade at cindy.eade@cityofmiltonga.us.

To see the latest Evergreen Schools newsletter, click here.

Fulton County School Board Member Katie Reeves will host her monthly Community Meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 21 at 9:30 a.m. The meeting will be held at Summit Hill Elementary School, 13855 Providence Road (click here for directions).

Children's Charities, a Milton based non-profit, will host ICEFEST 2014 Ice Carving Festival Saturday, Jan. 25 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. to benefit the Early Autism Detection Unit for Children's Healthcare of Atlanta.

This event will take place at the Chattahoochee Nature Center, 9135 Willeo Road in Roswell (click here for more information). 

Ticket packages range from $10 to $45. Day pass includes access to the Center from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with  the Atlanta Ice Marvels sculptors, food truck alley from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., an ice sculpting competition, a magician and inflatables, a bonfire with s'mores and a live onsite broadcast from B98.5.

The reception and reveal from 6 to 10 p.m. is hosted by Jamie Bendall of the Punchline and includes a heated cocktail lounge, reveal of the 12-foot ice sculpture, lighting of the 10-foot ice torch, live music from the Stephen Lee Band, Farm fresh food by Harry's Farmers Market will be crafted by Chef Derek Dollar of Milton's Cuisine and Cocktails.

For sponsorship opportunities, visit www.childrenscharitiesga.org or call 404-217-4643. Purchase tickets by phone at 877-725-8849 or online at www.ticketalternative.com. Search: ICE FEST.

Both public and private schools in Milton that are current Evergreen School partners are eligible for the city's Environmental Grant Program.

Grants of up to $500 will be awarded for projects that involve a large number of students in education projects related to water quality/conservation and waste reduction.

Grants are due by Jan. 31 to be used for projects implemented by Sept. 30, 2014. To download the application, click here.

For more information, please contact Cindy Eade at cindy.eade@cityofmiltonga.us.

Milton's second Household Paint and Chemical Collection event is scheduled for Feb. 22 at Bell Memorial Park, 15245 Bell Park Road (click here for directions).  

This will be an opportunity to get rid of old paint and household chemicals at no charge. Pre-registration is required. Stay tuned for more details in February!

For more information, please contact Cindy Eade at cindy.eade@cityofmiltonga.us.

Better Together, a volunteer committee of Milton-area residents, had a successful 2013.  

In keeping with its primary goal of identifying ways in which to make Milton a more welcoming community for all, committee members participated in a number of activities and projects during the year.  

These included supporting North Fulton Community Charities and the new Milton Senior Center, hosting quarterly meetings open to the public (such as the conversation with state House Speaker Pro Tem Jan Jones) and participating in Earth Day, Rivers Alive and Adopt-a-Road.  

In addition, the volunteer committee also continues to work closely with Milton-area high school students by supporting the work of Communiteen. Communiteen encourages and fosters friendships among teens of all abilities.  

Better Together committee members range in age from high school students to senior adults. All interested citizens are welcome to attend the twice-monthly meetings which are normally held at the Bethwell Community Center, 2695 Hopewell Road (click here for directions). Meetings are typically held every other Monday evening from 6 to 7 p.m.

If you would like more information on Better Together or any of its activities, please contact Community Builder Wayne Boston at 678-242-2512 or wayne.boston@cityofmiltonga.us.

Citizens Government Academy 9

The City of Milton Communications Department has undertaken a monthly, video-on-demand Citizens Government Academy hosted through the city's YouTube page. 

Each month, Communications Manager Jason Wright will discuss a new topic in the two-minute videos. 

Soon, installments will cover virtually every aspect of the city's municipal operations, including sections reserved for hot topics that arise throughout the project.

To visit the City of Milton's YouTube page, click here.  

For more information, contact Communications Manager Jason Wright at jason.wright@cityofmiltonga.us or 678-242-2523.

Roadwork projects continue throughout the city in January.  

ROADWORK

Please note: All dates on roadwork projects are estimates and are based on weather conditions. Any road closures will be sporadic and announced well in advance.  

Ga. 140 at New Providence Road
In July, CMES, Inc. began intersection improvements at Ga. 140 (Arnold Mill Road) and New Providence Road.  Plans include redirecting the intersection approach, adding turn lanes and installing a traffic light. 

The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) awarded the construction contract to CMES, Inc. in the amount of $1,161,626.92. The job is expected to last one year. 

Ga. 372 at Providence Road/New Providence Road
In August, Bartow Paving Company, Inc. began intersection improvements at Ga. 372 (Birmingham Highway) and Providence and New Providence Roads. Plans include redirecting the intersection approach and installing a roundabout.

GDOT awarded the construction contract to Bartow Paving Company, Inc. in the amount of $2,576,297.45. The job is expected to last 18 months.   

Hopewell Road at Francis and Cogburn roads
In August, Baldwin Paving Company, Inc. also began intersection improvements at Hopewell Road at Cogburn and Francis roads. Plans include installing a roundabout.

The City of Milton awarded the construction contract to Baldwin Paving Company, Inc. in the amount of $786,606. The job is expected to last one year.  

For more information on these projects, visit http://miltonintersectionprojects.com or contact Angie Kapijimpanga, citizen responder for the City of Milton, at 678-242-2562 or angie.kapijimpanga@cityofmiltonga.us.

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.

First Alliance Realty Group, Inc.: 153 Tullgean Drive

Masquerade Exotic Animals: 14325 Hopewell Road

Taziki's Atlanta, LLC: 5306-B Windward Parkway

Plumbing Central: 215 Six Hills Lane

AskCody, Inc.: 13010 Morris Road Sixth Floor Building Four

Optimum Vitality, LLC: 445 Burgess Trail

Nothing Bundt Cakes: 5230 Windward Parkway

Fujian, Inc.: 5316 Windward Parkway  

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