MILTON, Ga. — The final presentation and report presented by Milton’s election committee last December did not contain the full story.
That prompted Mayor Peyton Jamison to ask the city manager for an explanation.
Appen Media reported a number of differences between the final report provided to the City Council and the draft report created by Deputy City Manager Stacey Inglis, one of two city staff members on the Milton Municipal Election Feasibility Committee. The final report eliminated details like risks, but it also featured lower estimates on the cost of elections in the first year and in future years.
In his response to the mayor’s query, City Manager Steve Krokoff said the true starting point was in July 2021. Since then, he said a “revisionist history” has pervaded the process.
In a recent interview with Appen Media, Krokoff elaborated, saying that while the election panel appeared to have stressed cost as a motive, concerns over election integrity were the initial reason for exploring a self-run local election.
“In 2021, this was about election integrity. That’s what I heard,” Krokoff said. “Now, there were sprinklings of a financial aspect to it, certainly, but I heard speaker after speaker come up and scream about Fulton County and election integrity … Then, we seem to reorient [to] finances.”
Appen Media reported that election integrity had been a major issue circulating from the get-go, amid negotiations between Milton and Fulton County for the 2021 municipal election. Speakers cited cost as an issue, but also the integrity of the 2020 presidential election.
The same sentiment continued in subsequent meetings, Krokoff said. Appen Media also listened to countless comments which flooded the election committee and the council throughout the city’s pursuit of determining whether it could soundly break away…
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