City of Milton, Georgia - Government

Saturday, June 6, marks the opening of Advanced Voting in the latest round of the 2026 elections -- in this case, the general primary runoff.

Registered voters can cast ballots in Democratic or Republican primaries at any one of 20 Fulton County Government voting locations -- one of them being the Milton Library off Mayfield Road. Polls are open until 5 p.m. Saturday, from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday, then from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. between Monday, June 8, and Friday, June 12.

The general primary runoff Election Day itself is on June 16. On that date, voters can only cast ballots at their assigned polling location.

To find yours, confirm your voter registration, and view sample ballots, go to https://mvp.sos.ga.gov/s/.

This will be the last time voters go to the polls until the general election; early voting for that starts October 13 with Election Day on November. There are several federal, state, and county contests on the ballot (but none related specifically to the City of Milton).

We at City Hall were honored to host business leaders from around our community late Wednesday afternoon for a gathering of the Milton Business Council.

Mark Farmer, our Division Director of Economic Development, was among those who welcomed this important group to the City’s official home. He did so while also introducing himself, explaining how he and others in the City work closely with business partners, and talking about promising progress for local economic development. Much of this momentum is being driven by what has happened, is happening, and looks poised to happen in Deerfield. To learn about our community-driven Destination Deerfield endeavor to make this crucial part of Milton even more vibrant, connected, and uniquely Milton, go to www.miltonga.gov/Deerfield.

Wednesday’s meeting happened thanks to the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce. This organization supports businesses in myriad ways such as connecting members with potential customers, one another, as well as opportunities to thrive individually and as a region . It’s also the creator of the Milton Business Council, which aims to bolster the success of companies in our community.

If you’re part of a local business and interested in joining the Milton Business Council, or even just learning more about it, visit https://www.gnfcc.com/milton-business-council.

Ministry Brands has moved its headquarters to Milton, bringing with it a track record of technological success, community impact, and strong commitment to its mission – not to mention ultimately up to 100 employees.

Founded in 1997 and previously based in Tennessee, Ministry Brands is the leading provider of church management software and online giving solutions. With over 600 team members currently working across the United States and Ireland, this tech company serves over 90,000 customers, has facilitated approximately 2 million background checks, and annually processes approximately $6.5 billion in charitable giving transactions.

The Milton office will support more location-specific hiring and help Ministry Brands attract top talent. Plus, the new headquarters provides a strong base for deeper engagement with the organizations central to its mission.

“Opening our new headquarters in Milton gives Ministry Brands a stronger foundation for the next phase of our growth,” said CEO Chris Bacon. “Metro Atlanta brings together a strong technology ecosystem, a deep faith community, and an exceptional talent base – making it an ideal place to invest.”

Noting that Ministry Brands already had a significant executive presence in the area, Bacon added, “This office will help accelerate collaboration and decision-making, while creating new opportunities to engage with local churches, nonprofits, and community partners.”

While a formal ribbon-cutting ceremony is still a few weeks away, several team members have already set up shop at One Deerfield Centre. This building features innovative neighbors as well as a large amphitheater space that Ministry Brands plans to use for Healthy Church Summits and other gatherings of employees, customers, and partners.

Its arrival continues the momentum for Destination Deerfield, a community-driven effort to make Milton’s Deerfield area a dynamic, thriving, and unique place for people to live, work, and play. This initiative involved months of public feedback and analysis aimed at boosting the identity and success of Deerfield. Welcoming well-run, high-character companies like Ministry Brands reinforces the intent and proves the success of this push to make Deerfield somewhere that businesses, residents, and visitors will come and stay in.

“We are proud to welcome Ministry Brands to Milton and look forward to their continued success here,” said Mayor Peyton Jamison.

“Ministry Brands’ decision to relocate its headquarters to Milton is a tremendous win for our community and a strong reflection of our city’s growing appeal as a place where innovative companies want to invest, grow, and put down roots,” Jamison added. “Bringing so many jobs strengthens our local economy, supports our business community, and further reinforces our position as a premier destination for high-quality employers.”

Another round of 2026 elections – this time, a general primary runoff – is around the corner.

Early voting in this case runs from Saturday, June 6, through Friday, June 12. The polling hours are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. that first Saturday, from noon to 5 p.m. on June 7, then from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on the five successive weekdays.

At those times and dates, registered voters can cast ballots at any of 20 Fulton County polling locations (or by depositing their absentee ballots in seven drop boxes). For a full list of locations – including the Milton Library – go to https://www.fultoncountyga.gov/News/2026/05/27/Early-Voting-for-June-16-Runoff-begins-June-6. On Election Day, which is June 16, people can only vote at their assigned polling locale. To find yours and confirm your voter registration, enter your info on the Secretary of State’s “My Voter Page” at https://mvp.sos.ga.gov/s/mvp-dashboard.

Your general primary runoff choices depend on whether you opt for a Republican or Democrat ballot, and to an extent where you live. (For example, there’s a to-be-decided primary contest for Georgia House of Representatives District 47 – but only for Republicans and only for those who live within that district.) The contested statewide matchups for both major parties are Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of State.

It’s never a bad time, and never too early, to consider a career in service. To that point, this summer is a prime time for teenagers to explore what one might look like – thanks to the Milton Police Department.

The department’s Teen Police Academy will run between July 6 and 10. Over those five days, participants will dive into how criminal and accident investigations work, how to perform CPR, what’s it like when a vehicle rolls over at high speeds, and much more. To further sweeten the offer, this program is led by Milton’s very own officers, full of hands-on activities, and entirely free.

To sign-up, contact Officer Scott Sanford at [email protected]. The deadline to do so is first thing on June 15, which will give the department a few weeks to plan for this terrific learning and life opportunity.

Milton parents and teens, now that school is out and summer plans are coming together, here’s an opportunity to do something different this July!

Milton PD’s Teen Police Academy gives teens ages 14-19 an inside look at law enforcement through hands-on activities, real-world scenarios, and time spent learning directly from officers.

Participants will:
• Learn CPR skills
• Experience the rollover simulator
• Explore criminal and accident investigations
• Hear from North Fulton SWAT
• And much more

It’s free, local, and designed to give teens a better understanding of the work, teamwork, and decision-making that happens every day in policing.

The deadline to apply is Friday, June 12, by the end of the day.

For details, contact Officer Sanford at [email protected] or visit www.miltonga.gov/teenpoliceacademy.

This week and into the next one, crews are installing fencing along the edges of Lakhapani Preserve – a project that serves multiple valuable purposes.

Spectrum Fence, a City contractor, has begun replacing aging fencing and adding new fencing in other spots around the perimeter of the 106-acre greenspace off Lackey Road. This aims to improve safety, discourage unauthorized ATV and motorized bike use, better define park boundaries, and enhance the City property’s overall appearance .

Some of that work will occur in and around Lackey and Sweetapple roads, as well as Lakhapani Preserve’s parking area. So visitors may notice workers out and could have their hikes slightly rerouted at times. Nonetheless, the park itself remains open during its regular dawn-to-dusk hours.

While weather and other factors could impact the timeline, the project should be finished sometime in mid-to-late June. However long it ultimately takes, we appreciate everyone’s patience and understanding so these improvements can be made.

Legacy Park will close in the coming weeks so construction crews can resurface and reconfigure its parking lot (including roughly doubling the number of spaces), make stormwater improvements, and replace its septic tank.

Work is expected to start sometime later this month. The goal is that the work will be done -- and this athletic complex off Cox Road will reopen –- by September 2026.

Milton’s Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee will hold its fifth and final meeting on Thursday focused on the “short-term work program” – which is a list of initiatives that align with a Comprehensive Plan’s goals and mission.

The June 4 meeting will start at 4 p.m. in City Hall’s Council Chambers (2006 Heritage Walk). Citizens are welcome to attend in-person or watch online at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOWrSBzxowA.

Known as CPAC, this 16-person committee provides insights, opinions, and advice to inform the next iteration of Milton’s Comprehensive Plan. The Georgia Department of Community Affairs requires local governments to complete an updated edition of their comprehensive plan every five years.

For more information, visit www.miltonga.gov/2026CompPlanUpdate.

The City Council approved a wholesale rewrite of Milton’s Comprehensive Plan in 2021. The next version will be more limited in scope – incorporating aspects of other City-adopted plans and studies, updating demographic and economic data, and creating a new “short-term work program.”

The latter – a prioritized list of projects to guide City decisionmakers over the next five years – is primarily what Thursday’s meeting will be all about. CPAC will review the City’s progress since 2021 in tackling the current Comprehensive Plan’s short-term work program. Then the committee will look forward to discuss what initiatives should be in the next program. Their suggestions will build off topics explored during CPAC’s first four meetings such as land use, transportation, economic development, and sustainability.

After this meeting, the next Comprehensive Plan-related event is a June 29 “Open House” for all residents. From 6 to 8 p.m. that Monday, anyone in the community can drop by Council Chambers to review “work program” recommendations and share their valuable input with project team members.

A draft of the 2026 Comprehensive Plan Update is expected to be transmitted to the State in August. A City Council vote on its final adoption should take place in October.

Step aside, brick walls. And give way to plants – including many bushes, flowers, grasses, and trees – which can be critical in helping manage stormwater and minimizing negative effects of water runoff.

How do they do it? Among the reasons, plants:
• Roots can soak up water or at least enhance how it infiltrates the soil, helping prevent oversaturatation
• Leaf canopies can intercept and disperse rainfall
• Stabilize soil and prevent erosion (as eroded areas are more susceptible to runoff)
• Reduce the velocity, and thus impact, of fast-flowing stormwater
• Filter out pollutants

For all these reasons and more, consider doing yourself a favor by putting plants in the ground. They can help manage stormwater while looking great in the process -- a boon for your property and for boosting your curb appeal.

***UPDATE***
Part of Wood Road may close to traffic Tuesday evening so crews can address a broken water line related to the incident described below.

***ORIGINAL POST***
Some residences around Wood Road and Phillips Circle, as well as nearby places closer to Freemanville Road and Birmingham Highway, may be without water for some time into Tuesday night.

The reason is a water line break earlier in the evening. A Fulton County Government Water Services crew is on scene, informing City of Milton Fire Department firefighters that water may be off for several hours.