Working to Make a Better Sandy Springs
You want a representative that will support your ideas, fight for the needs of your community and earn your respect.
EXPERIENCE COUNTS!!
Serving the Community
Protecting the Neighborhoods
Protecting the Neighborhoods
John has been part of the Sandy Springs community for more than 35 years. While your city council must work collaboratively to accomplish its goals, John is proud of many activities and accomplishments during his term of service. Among those achievements:
Protecting the Neighborhoods
Protecting the Neighborhoods
Protecting the Neighborhoods
John was instrumental in working with the Georgia Department of Transportation, resulting in a change of design regarding the Georgia 400 express lanes. The new lanes will be built under the Northridge bridge rather than over, a design supported by residents.
Watching Taxpayer Dollars
Protecting the Neighborhoods
Watching Taxpayer Dollars
During his first term in service, John sat on the committee that managed the transition from one contractor providing general city services (CH2M Hill) to 7 different contracts for those services. The competitive bid process successfully saved the City more than $5 million a year, while maintaining top-level service for residents.
Crooked Creek Park
Lake Forrest Rd - Rock Fall Protection
Watching Taxpayer Dollars
John was approached by a property owner who wanted to sell about 5 acres of undeveloped land alongside Crooked Creek to the City for a park. The City negotiated an agreeable price and acquired the property. As the property was studied, John realized that there were more than 30 acres of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area that could be tied to the City's park. With John's guidance, the City reached out to the Park Service, which was in agreement, then approached the adjacent apartment complex about purchasing a pathway to connect the park and the National Park Service property. This past year the park was completed, and a mile + trail was constructed.
Lake Forrest Rd - Rock Fall Protection
Lake Forrest Rd - Rock Fall Protection
Lake Forrest Rd - Rock Fall Protection
The rock face along Lake Forrest was starting to drop rock and soil onto the roadway, presenting a safety hazard. The initial plan was to construct vertical concrete walls along both sides of this roadway section, which would have been a costly solution. An engineer, John proposed an alternative solution consisting of soil anchoring with a rockfall protection mesh. This solution was at a cost considerably less than the wall solution. The result is a stable, safe vegetated reinforced soil slope..
New Fire Station
Lake Forrest Rd - Rock Fall Protection
Lake Forrest Rd - Rock Fall Protection
Fire and medical emergency response within District 1 has been an ongoing challenge since the city was created in 2005. The fire station on Robert’s Drive is on the easternmost edge of the district. A crew was later located in the City of Roswell fire station on Holcomb Bridge Road. It has been difficult to locate a suitable property. This past year, a property became available on Spalding and Mt Vernon Highway that provides a location enabling better response coverage. John is working with his constituents and city staff on design so that the facility aligns with the surrounding neighborhood, and it is hoped that this station will begin final design this fall. This project will greatly enhance medical and fire emergency response times in the Panhandle area.
Veterans Park
Purple Heart City
Purple Heart City
John is a Vietnam veteran and served as a U.S. Marine. Along with Councilman Tibby DeJulio, also a Vietnam veteran and Purple Heart recipient, the two brought forward the concept of a Veteran's memorial park for the city. The concept is moving forward, to be located across from City Springs. Concepts were introduced to the community this past year.
Purple Heart City
Purple Heart City
Purple Heart City
Sandy Springs is a Purple Heart city thanks to the efforts of Councilman John Paulson. He applied for this prestigious category in 2016 and the city has celebrated it's veterans ever since. On August 7th, or the closest council meeting of that month the city recognizes those who were wounded in the line of duty. The distinctive Purple color is also shown over the King and Queen building as well.
Mayor Pro-tem
Purple Heart City
Mayor Pro-tem
This past term, John was selected Mayor Pro-Tem by the City Council. In this role, John will serve as mayor when the City's mayor is not available. While not a significant duty, John greatly appreciates this honor and privilege.