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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - BT - 01-13-2015 BETTER TOGETHER Action Agenda January 13, 2015 Updates from the Meeting are Posted in Red Meeting Attendees – Listing of those Present and Guests Wayne Boston Hope Peaks Freeda Bush Barbara Peck Gary Bush Cindy Ringwall Maureen Campbell Angela Thompson Chris Lagerbloom Jamie Williams Sharon Lockwood Ken Wolfe Cara Novelli Nancilee Wolfe Events and Activities (Past) –  Better Together Holiday Party – 40 in Attendance The Holiday Party was a huge success given the attendance and the food and fun had by all who attended.  North Fulton Community Charities – Family Sponsorship It was reported that Teri Harrison coordinated our efforts to purchase the gifts for the family that we sponsored for the Holidays. Some $250 was collected from our members of Better Together. The family consisted of the Dad and two small girls.  Senior Center Wish List – Partnership with Rotary Club of Milton- Windward Better Together partnered with the Rotary Club of Milton-Windward to provide a number of the needs for the Milton Senior Center. Our Better Together members purchased and donated some 35 items, including DVDs, puzzles and exercise weights. Wayne and Lisa McGrath attended the Holiday Party where the gifts were presented. 2 Better Together – Past Year Summary and Goals for the Future Wayne gave a PowerPoint presentation which summarized the brief history of Better Together since its inception in September 2011. The presentation detailed a number of the projects, activities and new initiatives that the group has undertaken during the past two years. In addition, several goals for 2015 were described, including:  Increase Facebook “Likes” to 400 – Likes were 250 at the end of 2014  Increase Average Attendance at Better Together Meetings to 15-17  Business Connection Events – Four to Six in 2015  Hold Milton’s First Book Festival  Speakers for at least 80% of Better Together Meetings  Monthly Mailings to Residents – Expand Package  Partner with Other Groups Events and Activities (Future) –  Better Together – February 9 – Milton Police Plans are in place to have the February 9 meeting in the offices of the Milton Police Department. In addition to the regular Better Together meeting, one of the officers from the police department will join us in order to describe police activities and responsibilities in Milton.  Public Event – Alzheimer’s Disease – Mid-February It was reported that a meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, January 14, for the purpose of discussing the possibility of offering a program on Alzheimer’s disease. It is contemplated that the program will be led by Dr. Angelo Sambunaris, Medical Director of the Institute for Advanced Medical Research. Discussions are underway to partner with Senior Services of North Fulton in offering this program to the community. Cindy Ringwall, President of the Rotary Club of Milton-Windward, indicated that their organization would be interested in participating in this effort.  Milton Literary Event – Mid-Year Following up on the successful Free Writer’s Workshop which was sponsored by Better Together and held in November 2014, planning has begun to bring some sort of literary event to Milton in 2015. Kimberly Brock, local Milton author, is already working with Better Together 3 regarding this effort. In addition, Kimberly has contacted several prominent Atlanta writers to help with our plans to bring about a literary event of some type to our area. Connecting Residents with Businesses –  J3 Academy & Fitness – January 31, 2015 – 12 to 2:00 pm Cara Novelli and Jamie Williams, founders and co-owners of J3 Academy & Fitness, summarized plans for Better Together’s first business connection event for 2015. A City of Milton release describing the event will be sent out on January 15. At the event, several demonstrations will be held describing the services offered by J3. In addition, there will be free prizes and other freebies to be given to the attendees.  Milton Fields – Spring 2015 A second Better Together business connection event for 2015 is being considered for Milton Fields, hopefully to occur in the spring timeframe. Welcoming New Residents Initiative – Monthly Mailings It was reported that some 50 mailings are being completed for those who recently purchased homes in Milton. Open Discussion We all shared in the celebration of the 10th Birthday of our youngest Better Together member, Hope Peaks! While the singing would not remind one of Frank Sinatra, the enthusiasm was without compare. Chris Lagerbloom – City of Milton – City Manager Milton’s City Manager, Chris Lagerbloom, was the guest speaker. Chris detailed a number ongoing projects that are to be completed in the near future, including:  The Hopewell House – The new Milton Senior Center, located at the corner of Birmingham and Hopewell roads, is expected to be completed within the next couple of months. It has recently been given a new name: The Thomas S. Byrd House, recognizing one of the early families that lived in the home.  Broadwell Pavilion – This structure, located on Broadwell Road near downtown Crabapple, is also near completion and will be available 4 for community gatherings. It will have a huge fireplace and restroom facilities.  Parks and Recreation – Bell Memorial Park is undergoing a significant transformation. A number of fields and facilities are being added to this park. It is expected that the park will re-open in August 2015.  New City Hall – It is anticipated that the City will be in its new location, in the Crabapple area behind the Ole Blind Dog, in the 2017 timeframe. Chris answered a number of questions from our Better Together members and closed his remarks by saying that he loved being the City Manager of Milton. Next Meeting – January 26 – Bethwell Community Center Guest Speaker – Dr. Thomas Washburn, Cambridge High School