Alpharetta Votes to Accept $500,000 Over Aiken's Objections

Alpharetta City Councilman D.C. Aiken liked the idea of getting a half million dollars from the Georgia Department of Transportation with few strings attached. But requiring the grant money to be used to extend a road that wasn't even being considered by the city was too much.

Aiken said he's "a big fan if the government wants to hand us money," then they should take it "because if we don't spent it, they will give it to somebody else."

But the City Council was told during their meeting Monday night, Sept 10, that the has never been a road the city planned to fund.

"We are talking about a road that goes basically two block," Aiken said.

Motorists could just turn down Kimball Bridge Road and go to Westside Parkway or the other direction to North Point Parkway, he said.

Alpharetta would act to oversee the project that would be handled by the North Fulton Community Improvement District, according to Amanda Day, Alpharetta grants administrator.

Aiken said he liked the half million dollars, but at some point somebody's going to be spending money on building a road estimated to cost $2.5 million total.

Ann Hanlon of the North Fulton CID said the CID board had discussed the grant and project at its meeting last week. They've already spent $150,000 on an initial look at plans for the road. They plan to decide if they will spend the $250,000 to fund the next phase of design of the roadway at their meeting next month.

Council voted to accept the $500,000 grant money on a 6-1 vote, with Aiken opposed.