Monday, February 18, 2013
Tonight's City Council meeting will include the first reading of a mid-year budget ordinance.
Alpharetta might use a mid-year budget adjustment as a chance to hire another economic development employee and beef up its special events. Finance Director Tom Harris will present the mid-year budget plans and ordinance at tonight's meeting, Feb. 18, at Alpharetta City Hall. The city would hire an economic development at a cost of $38,000 for the final four months of the fiscal year that ends June 30. A full year would cost the city an estimated $98,000 in salary and benefits. The agenda item's supporting document says the economic development manager "ill assist the Economic Development Director in implementing the city’s economic development goals (e.g. promoting economic growth, job creation, business retention and recruitment, etc…
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Alpharetta City Hall
2 S Main St, Alpharetta, GA
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Thursday, January 17, 2013
William O'Connor has extensive public-sector experience from his years in Virginia.
- GOVERNMENT
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Thursday, January 17
Milton City Manager Chris Lagerbloom today announced the appointment of Milton resident William O'Connor to the newly created position of Economic Development manager. O'Connor, an architect by trade, brings to Milton more than 45 years of diverse, public-sector experience. He most recently served as the director of the Department of Environmental Services in Arlington County, Va., before moving to Milton to be closer to family. At Milton, O'Connor will act as a link between the city's business community and its government. Just days into the job, he has already started to build relationships with the city's business leaders while addressing Milton's vacant commercial property. "We are lucky to have found a person of Bill's track record …
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Georgia's Economic Development Commissioner says city makes great decisions to cultivate its economy.
- OPINION
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Tuesday, October 23, 2012
By Chris Cummiskey Commissioner, Georgia Department of Economic Development A state’s economic development team is only as powerful as its partners are strong. In Georgia, we are fortunate to have superb partners in every part of the state without whom our work would not be nearly so effective or rewarding. Alpharetta is among those. Like many cities in Georgia, Alpharetta has intrinsic assets for business that ensure its competitiveness: easy access to major interstates and highways, proximity to a major airport, a deep pool of talent, and reliable utility service. But what sets a community apart is how it chooses to cultivate its economy. And Alpharetta has made great decisions that are setting its growth on the path to success. The …
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Companies are still looking at the Alpharetta area for their location, two Alpharetta-based economic development officials said today.
UPDATED 3:50 P.M. with comments from Al Nash of Progress Partners North Fulton and Peter Tokar III, Alpharetta Economic Development director. Sandy Springs is factored into Georgia’s ranking as a top 5 place to do business, according to Chris Cummiskey, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Development. Alpharetta, which was a major draw for companies 10 years ago, could be too far north for some businesses today. Cummiskey mentioned new owners of a company that bought out an Alpharetta business. “They are also bringing in 200 more jobs. Folks who might not want to go all the way to Alpharetta. They’re looking at Sandy Springs, Perimeter, Dunwoody,” he said. “Sandy Springs is in a uniquely situated position.” Al Nash, who …
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
The City Councilman didn't like committing someone to spending $2 million for a Northwinds Parkway extension that the city had never planned.
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 grant must be used for construction only to extend Northwinds Parkway 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 …
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Northwinds Pkwy & Kimball Bridge Rd, Alpharetta, GA
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Tuesday, August 14, 2012
The City Council approved spending $50,000 for help from the chamber organization before it had hired Peter Tokar as the city's Economic Development director.
Progress Partners made its six-month report to Alpharetta City Council on Monday, Aug. 13. The main message was that the economic development arm of the chamber needs to reconsider the work considered under its agreement with the city. Councilman Chris Owens said the city's original agreement with Progress Partners was made before Peter Tokar, the city's new Economic Development director, was on board. The scope of the work may need to be refreshed, with a refocus by Progress Partners on areas that Tokar won't work on or can't cover internally. He wanted them to report back to City Council on this, even if that comes in the form of a report from Tokar. "We need to make sure we know how to leverage each other and make economic development …
Monday, July 9, 2012
The City Council will discuss its economic tool kit during a work session tonight.
Now that Alpharetta has an economic development director hired, City Council will be discussing incentive tool box and assistance program proposals. The Economic Development Tool Kit is on the agenda for tonight's work session at City Hall. The city is considering three avenues to help business, including business assistance, incentive programs, grants and lending. Business assistance considered by the city includes expedited permitting and creating a "one-stop shop" for businesses needing permits to open in Alpharetta. Creating an opportunity zone and localized incentives, plus the possibility of fee waivers or reductions are other ideas for the economic tool kit, which could include participation in state incentive programs. And for more…
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Alpharetta City Hall
2 S Main St, Alpharetta, GA
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Wednesday, May 23, 2012
The proposed budget gives Peter Tokar $600,000 to spend on branding and economic development initiatives he is expected to develop with City Council.
Alpharetta has hired an economic development director after a year-long search, and the proposed city budget for the next fiscal year provides funding for economic project. Peter Tokar will begin his new duties on June 4. In making the announcement during Monday night’s City Council meeting, Alpharetta Mayor David Belle Isle said, “This is an exciting time for Alpharetta as we launch initiative like our Technology Advisory Commission, rebrand ourselves as The Technology City of the South, and begin to implement the recommendations in our new economic development plan. Mr. Tokar is bringing new ideas to the table and the experience to help us achieve our goals in an aggressive timetable.” Alpharetta's proposed budget includes $500,000 for …
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Alpharetta City Hall
2 S Main St, Alpharetta, GA
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Sunday, December 11, 2011
The Fulton County Division of Economic Development is supported by four county commissioners.
- GOVERNMENT
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Sunday, December 11, 2011
Fulton County Commissioners Liz Haumann and Joan Garner along with Chairman John Eaves have sponsored a bill to establish the Fulton County Division of Economic Development. It includes the development of an administrative structure and proposed initial annual operating budget of $750,000 for fiscal year 2012. The division, which is supported by Commissioner Tom Lowe, will be responsible for coordinating all services and activities associated with Fulton County policy and economic development initiatives. Brandon Beach, president and CEO of the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce has said the Chamber intends to partner with Fulton County on economic development opportunities. "We need to tell the Fulton County story," said Hausmann in…
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
City Council, Planning Commission note the city already was working on many suggestions.
An economic development plan submitted to Alpharetta by its consultant seemed to be old news when listening to what Mayor Arthur Letchas had to say after a presentation to a joint City Council/Planning Commission meeting. The city center project, opening Westside Parkway, pushing for development at the Prospect Park site, simplifying the permitting process and working on traffic are all things Letchas said Alpharetta already works on. "I think this is a good plan," Letchas said after MarketStreet CEO Mac Holladay made a presentation to the council members and planning commissioners. "The council is working on these things," Letchas said. As far as downtown, the mayor said the city is promoting the city center project as best it can so …
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Alpharetta City Hall
2 S Main St, Alpharetta, GA
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JAH
12:21 pm on Thursday, October 18, 2012
"We have all these great schools and we’re here watching 45 percent of kids who graduate up and leave. The jobs are somewhere else. So we have to figure out a way to grow that younger generation of tech companies,” Cummiskey said." Perhaps he needs to spend more time in "far away" Alpharetta to learn about the city's efforts to attract and retain high tech companies - infrastructure, the addition… more ›