Commercial and Residential Locksmiths in Johns Creek

This year, Johns Creek voters will decide on races for mayor and city council.

JOHNS CREEK — The Nov. 2 election is here in Johns Creek, and voters have already begun submitting ballots. This year, voters will decide on races for mayor and City Council.

The Special Election will be held to fill the vacancy in the unexpired term for City Council Post 2, as a result of the resignation of Council member Brian Weaver, and the Municipal General Election will be held to fill Council member Posts 1, 3, 5 and Mayor.

Post 1Dilip TunkiLee Heard Tucker

Post 2Rashmi Singh Stacy Skinner

Post 3Anthony ShorterBob Erramilli Cassandra Littlejohn

Post 5Larry DiBiase Pablo Cecere

The polls will be open for the November 2, 2021 General Election from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. You can verify your precinct and polling location by visiting the Secretary of State Poll Locator.

Come back to the Johns Creek Patch throughout the night for election results.

Absentee voting will be different this year with Georgia's new voting law. Last year, the State Election Board allowed local election offices to set up secure absentee drop boxes as long as there was around-the-clock video surveillance. But starting this year, drop boxes must be located inside the county's election office or early voting locations.

Absentee ballots must be received by your local County Board of Registrar's Office by the time polls close on Election Day at 7 p.m. in order to be counted.

To vote in person you will need to show ID. There are six acceptable forms of photo ID:

For more information about Georgia's ID requirements, visit the Secretary of State's page.

The outgoing mayor of Johns Creek said he plans to veto City Council’s decision to terminate a partnership with the city tourism organization.

In a split vote Monday night, a divided City Council voted to sever ties with the Convention and Visitors Bureau and have city staff manage tourism operations instead.

The night sparked heated debate by opposing council members, Convention and Visitors Bureau Chairperson Lynda Smith and others.

Councilperson Stephanie Endres, who has spearheaded dropping the tourism board, read from President Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address before the vote.

The motion to cut ties with the tourism organization passed 4-3, with support from Endres, Councilmembers Erin Elwood, Chris Coughlin and mayor-elect John Bradberry. Mayor Mike Bodker and Councilmembers Lenny Zaprowski and Stacy Skinner voted against the measure.

“Just when I thought this council couldn’t hit a new low (we’re) here,” Zaprowski said of the vote.

Bodker said he plans to veto the move, which would allow the measure to be reconsidered by the new City Council and mayor in January.

“ ....I hope the new City Council keeps them in place,” Bodker told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Tuesday.

The mayor said he would make a final decision before the next regular City Council meeting on Nov. 29.

“It’s completely silly that it would even be considered to be brought in-house,” Bodker said. “It’s not how things are done across the state.”

Elwood said she supports the decision to remove the organization because she believes the dysfunctional relationship started with the current City Council and should end there as well.

The Convention and Visitors Bureau, which is funded with about a third of the city’s annual hotel/motel tax revenue, and councilmembers Endres and Elwood have been at odds for more than a year over a mutual lack of trust and transparency.

CVB attorney Monica Gilroy said the organization is due 90 days termination notice, which means the new City Council could still reinstate the partnership in January even without the mayor’s veto.

The history of discord goes back to 2020 when Elwood told the organization that Endres would advise council to stop city funding unless the nonprofit tweaked its bylaws to say it is an agent of the city and made voting changes to conform with the state Open Meetings Act. The message was conveyed without the knowledge of Bodker and fellow council members, which resulted in Elwood issuing a letter of apology.

The Convention and Visitors Bureau adjusted its bylaws as a good faith gesture to show that its meetings are conducted in accordance with the Open Meetings Act, Gilroy said, adding that the organization’s meetings were always open to the public. But Endres maintains that the CVB is not documenting all of its closed executive session meetings. The bureau filed an ethics complaint against Endres last April.

Johns Creek spokesman Bob Mullen said via email Tuesday that the ethics hearing officer didn’t find any violations in the complaint that would called for disciplinary action of the City Council and it was dismissed.

The visitors bureau receives less than $500,000 per year from tax revenue coming from the three hotels operating in Johns Creek, said Smith, the CVB chairperson. It’s the smallest budget of visitors centers in metro Atlanta, she added.

She and Bradberry, who will begin his term as mayor in January, have different views on the economic benefits of bringing tourism operations into City Hall.

Bradberry said Johns Creek could make better use of the funds that would be directed to the Convention and Visitors Bureau, and his priority is the city’s new Town Center plans.

“It was completely a business decision,” Bradberry told the AJC.

The Convention and Visitors Bureau operates with two part-time workers and seven board members as volunteers, Smith said. “We have always been very lean … and strategic with budgeting and marketing,” Smith said.

Bringing tourism operations in-house would not save the city money, Smith said. The city would have to legally create a 501c(6) business organization to distribute hotel/motel tax funds and the costs of hiring full-time staff to perform the same operations would be greater than what the tourism bureau is currently spending, she said.

Endres said that the city has administration in place to manage tourism activities and the cost savings could be directed to such places as Macedonia African Methodist Church Cemetery or Cauley Creek Park.

During public comment at the Monday meeting, Smith said the volunteer tourism board members collectively have over 100 years of experience in marketing and hospitality that can’t be matched by the city.

“This is an embarrassment to our city and who we are, and our neighbors are laughing at us,” she said.

Bodker told the AJC that overall he views the move against the visitor bureau as “disgusting” and a “kick in the stomach” to the organization’s volunteers.

JOHNS CREEK, GA — Last year, the coronavirus pandemic changed Black Friday as Americans knew it. Retailers in Johns Creek cut back hours. Some moved sales online to avoid large crowds in stores.

Black Friday falls on Nov. 26 this year. Millions of Americans are now vaccinated against the coronavirus, which means many die-hard shoppers are planning a return to Black Friday normalcy.

Not so fast, some experts say.

While coronavirus may not be top of mind as Americans hit the lines outside their favorite retailers, the ongoing global supply chain issues could take a huge bite out of their Black Friday fun.

Thanks to supply chain issues, many popular holiday gifts will be in short supply or more expensive than usual. While sales might be starting sooner this year, shoppers might not see the steep discounts they're used to on Black Friday, CBS News reported citing Consumer Reports. The problem could be worse for new or in-demand products such as high-tech toys.

Still, some shoppers aren't likely to miss out on their favorite holiday tradition.

As you plan this year's Black Friday itinerary, you'll want to know when malls are open in Johns Creek:

A recent survey by Gallup found Americans plan to spend an average of $837 on gifts this season, up just slightly from the $805 they estimated they would spend last year.

Both pandemic-era estimates are lower than what Gallup found in the preceding few years, including the record-high $942 recorded in 2019.

Meanwhile, the National Retail Federation is predicting holiday spending this year has the potential to shatter previous records. The organization has predicted holiday sales will increase between 8.5 percent and 10.5 percent over 2020, meaning shoppers intend to spend about $859 billion.

If you are planning to shop in person, here are this year's Black Friday store hours, according to BlackFriday.com, TheBlackFriday.com and Good Housekeeping; however, Patch encourages calling ahead to confirm exact hours with your specific location:

To avoid overspending on holiday gifts, it's important to make a list, set a budget and stick to it. Also, know your shopping triggers. For example, many people can't resist a sale. But not all bargains are created equal, and shoppers should be wary of the "buy more, save more" types of deals.

"You think you are getting a better value when you see $10 off $50 or $20 off $50, but it's the same percent discount, so don't let that discount claim make you spend more," consumer savings expert Andrea Woroch told CNBC.

Stacy Skinner is running for Johns Creek City Council in the Nov. 2 municipal election.

JOHNS CREEK — Nine city council candidates qualified for four seats in Johns Creek Nov. 2 municipal election, two of which are running for the Council Post 2 seat.

Rashmi Singh and Stacy Skinner have qualified as candidates for Johns Creek City Council Post 2. There is no incumbent for this seat as former Post 2 Council Member Brian Weaver is not seeking re-election for this post.

November 2, 2021 Municipal General/Special Election sample ballots are available for review at the Georgia My Voter Page. Enter your information in order to access a personalized sample ballot.

Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as Election Day draws near.

Stacy Skinner is running for Johns Creek City Council Post 2 against Rashmi Singh.

Age (as of Election Day)

42

Position Sought

Johns Creek City Council Post 2

Party Affiliation

Family

Married to Derrick Skinner for 14yrs. We have two school aged girls.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education

B.A. Interdisciplinary Studies with a Concentration in Social Science and emphasis in Psychology, University of Georgia

Occupation

Public Administration 10+years, Legal Assistant for 7yrs; currently resigned to serve the citizens of Johns Creek in a full capacity.

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

N/A

Campaign website

Why are you seeking elective office?

I am seeking elective office for a few reasons: 1. I absolutely LOVE JC & want to make sure it remains the great, diverse city we all love - that our quality of life remains intact 2. It's extremely important to elect officials that will have the best interest of the community behind each and every decision they make. I was not recruited by any partisan party, I am running to engage and enable others to get involved and feel a part of our community. Not for power or name recognition, but simply to be a public servant of the people which is a quality lacking in many of our leaders today.

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

One of the most pressing issues facing our city is retaining and attracting businesses. A huge bulk of our revenue comes from sales tax and it's extremely important we retain, attract, and support our businesses to alleviate the burden on the residents.

Johns Creek has often given the impression we are not open for business and changing that mindset will be the biggest challenge.

The Economic Development Director will play an integral part in reaching out to our businesses and neighboring cities. Firstly, they need to access what we can do to better retain and assist in expansion for our current businesses and secondly, see what our surrounding cities have to offer that Johns Creek doesn't.

Additionally, the city needs to review and revisit its licensing and permitting policies and procedures to be more "business-friendly". Are our licensing and permitting policies more overbearing and deterring business more than inviting business? - That needs to be reviewed Day 1. That being said, smart growth is key to the success of Johns Creek. We absolutely do not want over development and big-box retail on every corner. We want to attract and retain businesses with controlled growth and development.

What are your short- and long-term goals if you are elected?

My short-term goal is to improve and enhance our parks. Our parks play a critical role in our quality of life. We are fortunate to have walking trails, pavilions, soccer fields, etc., but we need to make sure these parks can accommodate all the sports Johns Creek residents desire to play. Currently, Johns Creek is losing residents to Forsyth County and Alpharetta due to our lack of feeder programs. Our children are starting high school without having had an opportunity to play recreational sports through an organized feeder program. Johns Creek also has less acreage of park land per resident than typical, so improving upon and expanding our park system is extremely important to our residents' quality of life and one of my short term goals.

It's hard to nail it down to one long-term goal but I'd have to say, Revitalization of our shopping center nodes. Several of the shopping centers around Johns Creek are at least ¼ empty. If the shopping centers do not revitalize to keep up with surrounding areas, their class status will fall lower, which equates to a loss in revenue for the property owners, the city, and additionally, lowers our property values. I'm excited that the 2018 Comprehensive Plan addresses the need and sees the value in revitalizing our shopping centers and that priority will be one of my long-term goals along with building the Town Center, Arts Center, and tackling Storm Water management.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

Most critically is the desire of my opponent to fundamentally change Johns Creek. My opponent wishes to change the zoning laws to allow for multifamily housing at every opportunity. The 2018-2028 Comprehensive Plan's focus is to preserve and protect Johns Creek's residential neighborhoods and quality of life by managing development. Over development will place unnecessary burden on our schools (the very reason so many move to Johns Creek), our infrastructure, and our overall quality of life. Adding multifamily housing throughout Johns Creek would fundamentally change what makes Johns Creek Johns Creek.

The next critical difference is our community involvement. I have been volunteering and serving the community in multiple capacities since I moved to Johns Creek in 2013. My family and I moved from Lawrenceville and truly feel grateful for our beautiful city so it was important to get involved and establish roots.

The last critical difference is that I already have Public Administration experience working for local government. I've also sat on several boards and currently sit as Association President for Rivermont, the largest neighborhood in Johns Creek. I know how to work with a wide range of personalities and perspectives to get the job done. I am objective to a fault and love people, so serving the community comes natural.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)?

N/A

How do you think local officials performed in responding to the coronavirus? What if anything would you have done differently?

I think hindsight is everything. No one saw this global pandemic coming. Of course we can look back at the way it was handled and say what we would have done differently but we didn't know what we didn't know. The various opinions and advice from our leaders and health officials only added further confusion. I can only speak to how I handled the pandemic as President in Rivermont. I did everything in my power to keep up morale and let the community know we were here to assist and would do everything we could to keep some level of normalcy without subjecting the association to liabilities. I also reached out to small businesses and tried to send out info and let the residents know which Johns Creek restaurants were doing delivery, take out, etc. And then we started the famous - Food Truck Fridays. We were the first neighborhood to pioneer the idea and it took off with flying colors. The residents were so excited and looked forward to it for several months and I know the small businesses were equally appreciative.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

My biggest issue is maintaining our quality of life. The residents of Johns Creek moved here for a reason. What makes Johns Creek so great is our diversity, schools, and safety. If our schools and safety decline, then the communities that make up our diverse city will leave and we will lose the very thing that makes Johns Creek exceptional!

My first priority is Building a Sense of Community. Building a sense of community encompasses my whole platform. Build a sense of community through community involvement (engaging and enabling the residents), building an Arts Center where we can celebrate and be exposed to our many different cultures, building a Town Center where we can gather and throw community concerts, revitalizing our shopping centers for those like me who don't live close enough to the Town Center to enjoy it more than once/week, keep supporting our schools, build full connectivity with sidewalks, enhance our parks. Through those measures we will BUILD A SENSE OF COMMUNITY and retain our residents.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

If you can handle Rivermont, you can handle anything - lol. In all honesty, I had my first tax paying job at 14yo (and I'm not talking babysitting which I had done from the age of 10), I interned for the Administrative Office of the Courts at 16yo and after the summer when my internship had ended I was offered a position where I worked for the next 11yrs. I worked hard and worked my way up all while getting my undergrad from the University of Georgia. Additionally, I have always volunteered and given back to the community and will continue to do so.

What do you like best about living in your city (or county)?

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Give more than you receive.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I am a humble servant of the people and here to represent them. I believe as elected officials we should fully be public servants making a servants wage, not doubling our salaries or using the position for personal gain.

Class 6A experienced more than its share of upheaval, by almost any measure, in what was an otherwise relatively drama-free first round of the high school football playoffs last week.

Only four No. 4 seeds in the state are left standing, and two of them are in Class 6A after Johns Creek and Douglas County pulled off the unusual feat of knocking off the No. 1 seeds from each other’s region.

Johns Creek, the No. 4 seed from Region 7, eliminated Region 5 champion Rome 31-27. Johns Creek got the winning points in a back-and-forth game on an 82-yard touchdown pass from Kyle Durham to Joshua Thompson with 9:09 remaining. It was the second playoff victory in school history for Johns Creek, which had been 1-6 in the postseason.

Douglas County, the No. 4 seed from Region 5, knocked out Region 7 champion Riverwood 24-17. Sire Hardaway passed for 175 yards and a touchdown, and Jirah Douglas ran for 136 yards and a score. The Tigers are in the second round for the first time since 2017.

The only other region champions to lose in the first round were Region 6-3A’s Rockmart (lost to Stephens County 27-13) and Region 7-A Public’s Georgia Military (lost to Manchester 20-8).

No. 6 Rome and No. 8 Riverwood were two of the three top-10 Class 6A teams to fall. The other was No. 10 Creekview, which lost to No. 7 Carrollton 47-28 in the only matchup of top-10 teams in the 6A first round. No other classification had more than two of its ranked teams knocked out.

Class 6A also had five upsets in the first round, according to the computer Maxwell Ratings. There were 17 upsets overall last weekend, but no other classification had more than two.

Douglas County was a 19-point underdog against Riverwood, and Johns Creek was an eight-point underdog against Rome. It should be noted that neither result was shocking, however, because Douglas County and Johns Creek both spent time in the top 10 during the regular season.

Other Class 6A upsets were Evans over Houston County, Lovejoy over Richmond Hill and Shiloh over Allatoona. Coincidentally, all of them scored 19 points.

Evans was a 15-point underdog and won 19-10. Lovejoy was a two-point underdog and won 19-14. Shiloh was a nine-point underdog and won 19-14, handing Allatoona its first home playoff loss since 2010.

Two other teams made history by advancing to the second round.

Region 6 champion Kennesaw Mountain, which opened in 2000, collected the first playoff victory in school history when it defeated Lanier 49-21.

Region 3 champion Alcovy, opened in 2006, is in the second round for the first time after getting a first-round bye. The Tigers are making their sixth appearance in the playoffs and still seeking their first victory. It won’t be easy, as they host fifth-ranked Westlake this week.

Lovejoy and Shiloh also ended long second-round droughts. Lovejoy advanced past the first round for the first round for the first time since 2016. Shiloh picked up its first playoff victory since David Pollack led the Generals to the quarterfinals in 2000.

First-round scores

Evans 19, Houston County 10

Johns Creek 31, Rome 27

Dacula 36, Pope 12

Brunswick 60, Tucker 26

Northside-Warner Robins 35, Lakeside-Evans 3

Douglas County 24, Riverwood 17

Shiloh 19, Allatoona 14

Hughes 42, Glynn Academy 14

Westlake 45, Effingham County 3

Kennesaw Mountain 49, Lanier 21

Carrollton 47, Creekview 28

Alcovy bye

Lovejoy 19, Richmond Hill 14

Buford 38, Kell 14

Cambridge 50, South Paulding 29

Lee County 57, Grovetown 12

Second-round games (all games Friday)

(R7 #4) Johns Creek at (R3 #2) Evans

(R8 #2) Dacula at (R2 #1) Brunswick

(R5 #4) Douglas County at (R1 #2) Northside-Warner Robins

(R8 #3) Shiloh at (R4 #1) Hughes

(R4 #2) Westlake at (R6 #1) Kennesaw Mountain

(R5 #2) Carrollton at (R3 #1) Alcovy

(R4 #3) Lovejoy at (R8 #1) Buford

(R7 #2) Cambridge at (R1 #1) Lee County