Alpharetta fine goes to Lake Lanier Association

GAINESVILLE - The much-publicized violation of its own outdoor water restrictions by the City of Alpharetta is going to benefit Lake Lanier.

To recap: an Alpharetta police officer ticketed the city after he found sprinklers running on city property, not once, or twice, but three times.

A city administrator at first said the city wouldn't be paying itself a fine. But, the public demanded it. So, city council members collected the $750 from among themselves but opted to give it to the Lake Lanier Association instead of the city treasury.

Association President Jackie Joseph says, yes, it's probably the most unusual gift - considering the circumstances - in the history of the group.

A representative of the City of Alpharetta gave Joseph the check Tuesday morning at a ceremony at the lake group's headquarters in Gainesville.

Joseph says there are no special plans for use of the money.