Welcome!

We are thrilled to bring you the inaugural edition of the City of Cumming's new electronic newsletter! You have received this first edition because you have provided your email address to one of our departments in the past. Don't forget to add cledford@cityofcumming.net to your address book so we'll be sure to land in your inbox. You may unsubscribe at the bottom of this email. We sincerely hope you will enjoy and find value in the information provided here!

 

University of North Georgia Returns to City Hall
City Hall

The University of North Georgia will soon be moving into Cumming City Hall again. During a recent meeting of City Council, members unanimously approved a new lease agreement with UNG, which will allow the school to hold its Master's of Business Administration, or MBA, courses on the fourth floor of City Hall. Space will also be provided for offices and classrooms for the Office of Continuing Education and Professional Education. Before completing its Cumming Campus on Aquatic Circle, UNG held MBA classes at City Hall from 2008 to 2012. Due to extremely high numbers of students utilizing the Cumming Campus, it has become necessary to again offer courses at City Hall. For complete information about this new partnership, click here.

 

 

Interim Councilman Sorrells Sworn In; Election is June 16
Interim City Councilman Doug Sorrells was sworn into office during the May 19 City Council meeting. Councilman Sorrells, who was sworn in by Municipal Judge Richard Neville, will serve until July 21, when the winner of a June 16 special election is sworn into office. Four candidates have qualified to run on June 16: Roger Crow, Linda Ledbetter, Julie Tressler and Chuck Welch. Full election information can be found on the City of Cumming's homepage at www.cityofcumming.net. To learn more about Councilman Sorrells, click here.

Remembering Our Greatest Heroes
The City of Cumming honored the memory of all those who fought for our nation during Memorial Day Ceremonies on Friday, May 22. Every year the City holds the ceremonies on the Friday prior to Memorial Day. This year's event focused on the 20th anniversary of the Avenue of Flags. Each flag hoisted in the Avenue of Flags is dedicated to at least one veteran who served in active duty during times of peace or during conflict. New flags are added each year. Click here for more photos from the event.
Did you know?  The Avenue of Flags now features 221 American flags, honoring 262 veterans with ties to Cumming and Forsyth County.
Still Fiscally Strong
The City of Cumming has enjoyed a long history of fiscal stability, and that tradition continues in 2015. Recently, Mayor H. Ford Gravitt and the City Council received a report from the City's independent auditing firm. The report noted that in 2014, the City came in $2.2 million under the final approved budget of $26.5 million. During 2014, Cumming invested more than $2 million in public safety services, some $1 million in streets and sidewalks and almost $4.8 million on culture and recreation. Mayor H. Ford Gravitt congratulated City Administrator Gerald Blackburn, who in turn credited his management team and all City employees for their hard work and fiscal responsibility throughout the year. Click here for more information about the City of Cumming's budget. 

City Welcomes Newest Downtown Addition
A crowd gathers for the Forsyth County Courthouse opening.
After months of construction, the new Forsyth County Courthouse recently opened. The City of Cumming played an important role in the development of the courthouse and the neighboring new jail, which is slated to open later this summer, by giving some $12.5 million of the City's share of Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax dollars to the projects. Click here  for more photos from the grand opening event and here for photos from a time capsule internment ceremony. 

Shining Stars
Three City of Cumming employees were recently honored as the first Cumming City Star Award winners! Stanley Pirkle of the Planning & Zoning Department, and Greg Gilbert and Melissa Hamby of the Utilities Department were selected from a pool of nominees as first- and second-quarter City Star winners. For more information about the winners and how to nominate an outstanding City of Cumming employee, click here.

Utilities Department Honored
Employees in the Utilities Department Pollution Control Division recently received a Platinum Award for 17 years in a row of compliance with state and federal regulations regarding the City's wastewater treatment facility. All department employees were also honored with a Water Professionals Appreciation Day proclamation.  
 
Learn more here
Utilities Employees Clean Up
A group of Utilities staff members recently volunteered for the Great American Cleanup, presented annually in partnership with Keep Forsyth County Beautiful. The program encourages residents to clean up litter throughout Forsyth County.

Street Department Honored
Employees in the City's Street Department received recognition during the City Council meeting on May 19, in honor of Public Works Week.

Read More Here
Su rf's Up
The outdoor leisure pool and water park at the Cumming Aquatic Center, located at 201 Aquatic Circle, is now open daily for summer! Click here for full summer hours



Coming Soon
To the Cumming Fairgrounds
Cumming Farmers Market opens at 7 a.m. Saturday, June 6 for the season. The market will be open Saturdays and Wednesdays through the end of September at the Fairgrounds Parking Lot.

To the Cumming Playhouse
The Fly Cats: Great American Jazz - 8 p.m. June 13
Blues for Dixie - 8 p.m. June 20
Sounds of Sawnee: Flag Waving Concert - 8 p.m. June 27

Meetings
Planning & Zoning Board - 5 p.m. June 16
City Council - 6 p.m. June 16
Both meetings are open to the public and held in the third-floor Council Chambers at City Hall, 100 Main Street. For all meetings after 5 p.m., please enter through the rear parking lot entrance.

 

 

Wanted: City of Cumming Businesses

Looking for a great way to advertise? If you are a City of Cumming business license holder in good standing, your business could be featured on www.cityofcumming.net.  Each month, a different local establishment is chosen as the City's Featured Business, with its logo and a full article prominently displayed on the homepage. Interested? Click here and scroll down to fill out the form at the bottom of the page.


We hope you enjoyed the first edition of our newsletter! This publication will be sent out monthly. Whether you are a resident, business owner, staff member or customer of the City of Cumming, we value you and want to do our best to keep you informed about all that is going on in our community!
 
Sincerely,   
City of Cumming
Division of Public Information