Milton To Honor Long-Time City Arborist

MILTON, GA — The city of Milton will honor its longtime arborist, Mark Law, during a celebration scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 11. Opening remarks will begin at 1 p.m., but residents can drop by the Council Chambers at Milton City Hall anytime from 1-4 p.m. to wish Law the best, as he plans to retire in November.

Law, who has served as the city's arborist for more than 10 years, is a long-time North Fulton resident whose desire to make a difference is evident in Milton. Residents see Law's impact when you first enter the city limits and you see it all around in the city's lush green tree canopy.

Mark and Milton Principal Planner Michele McIntosh-Ross partnered to design and install Milton's first gateway signs in 2014. These are the oval signs placed on Highway 9, Birmingham Highway, and Broadwell Road, welcoming residents and visitors to Milton. He personally built a model of the sign to ensure that the final production and manufacturing were perfect. It's because of his efforts that Milton received its first-ever Tree City USA designation in 2009, and his leadership helped ensure that Milton retained the designation every year since.

Most recently, Law served in a critical role as the city sought to strengthen its tree canopy preservation ordinance. Finding ways to preserve and showcase the elements that make Milton so special has been a passion of Mark's since he first joined the city in 2006.

Whether it's helping Milton residents navigate the city's tree permit process, researching ways to improve the look and feel of Milton's roundabouts, or exploring the installation of an arboretum at Bell Memorial Park, his love for the Milton community and its residents comes through in all that he does.

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Over the last year, Law has been battling cancer while continuing his work with the city, and he is set to officially retire in November. The arborist and his family will be on-hand Oct. 11 as elected officials and city staff bring the community together to celebrate Law and his contributions to Milton.

Along with Thursday's event, the Milton City Council will also issue a proclamation honoring Oct. 11 as Mark Law Appreciation Day. The entire Milton community along with neighboring jurisdictions, and any former Milton and Fulton County colleagues are invited to attend next week's public celebration.

"Mark's tenure with the city has been filled with accomplishments," said Mayor Joe Lockwood. "There are countless Milton residents and business owners who have interacted with Mark over the years, and we hope you will join us as we celebrate Mark's retirement and his many contributions to the Milton community,"

If you are unable to attend on Oct. 11, but you would like to share in the celebration with a special message for Law, please email your message to the Milton Communications Department at info@cityofmiltonga.us or send your message by mail to: City of Milton, Attn: Shannon Ferguson, 2006 Heritage Walk, Milton, GA 30004.

Photo: Mark Law plants the City's annual Arbor Day tree at the Milton Senior Center in 2016. Credit: city of Milton