Repairs of Little Ridge Cove and Sanders Road On Schedule
Work to remove siltation of Little Ridge Cove and to repair Sanders Road began in November.
Crews are making progress at two areas damaged as a result of the Lake Alice Dam breach, caused by unusually high rainfall levels in 2013. Workers with River Sand Inc. began to remove excess siltation of Little Ridge Cove in mid-November, with an anticipated completion date of Jan. 31, 2016. Crews with Martin Contracting also began work last month to repair Sanders Road, a portion of which caved in as a result of an undersized culvert following the dam breach. Repairs to Sanders are expected to be complete by Dec. 31. For more information about both projects, which are currently on track for their target completion dates, click here .
Council Members to Be Sworn In Jan. 19 During Regular Meeting
New Cumming City Council members Linda Ledbetter and Christopher Light, as well as incumbent Lewis Ledbetter, will be sworn into office during the Jan. 19, 2016, Cumming City Council meeting at 6 p.m. at City Hall. All three were elected during the municipal election on Nov. 3.
 
Linda Ledbetter, who was elected to Post 5 and is Lewis Ledbetter's cousin, is a retired educator and former Forsyth County commissioner.  Light, a local attorney, won the race for the Post 4 seat. He will become the second person in his family holding elected office. His mother, Darla Sexton Light, is the chairwoman of the Forsyth County Board Education.
 
Linda Ledbetter and Christopher Light will begin four-year terms in January. Councilman Lewis Ledbetter also secured another four-year term on Nov. 3 after running unopposed. Councilmen Ralph Perry of Post 4 and John D. Pugh of Post 5 announced in August they would not seek re-election. Perry was first elected to the council in 1979 and Pugh in 1993.
Enjoy Christmas in Cumming Arts & Crafts Festival Dec. 11 & 12
Enjoy a Christmas lights display as part of the Christmas in Cumming Arts & Crafts Festival at the Fairgrounds
Dec. 11 & 12.
The Annual Christmas in Cumming Arts & Crafts Show returns to the Cumming Fairgrounds for its 20th year December 11 and 12.
 
The show is presented by the City of Cumming inside the Fairgrounds' heated barn adjacent to the covered arena, and features 100 festive booths, as well as free photos with Santa.
 
Events include hayrides through the Cumming Fairgrounds' Christmas light display, a marshmallow roast and caroling.  Local schools and church choruses present some favorite Christmas carols beginning at 7 p.m. Friday.
 
Don't miss this opportunity to shop for unique hand-made gift items for someone special. Come and enjoy holiday cheer while shopping for hand-woven sweet grass baskets, Christmas ornaments and wreaths, fudge and nuts, piggy banks, photography, paintings, clothing and much more.
  
Admission to the event is $1 for adults and free for children 12 and under. Hours are 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 11, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 12. FREE photos with Santa are available Friday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., and on Saturday from noon to 3 p.m. in the barn. 
Did you know?   The Christmas in Cumming Arts & Crafts Festival features vendors from Forsyth County, as well as other parts of Georgia and the Southeast, who handmake all their wares. Come and find unique, hand-crafted Christmas gifts at great prices during the two-day event.
Thrombosis Awareness
Native American Heritage
Council Honors Native American Heritage and Thrombosis Awareness
During the November City Council Meeting, Mayor H. Ford Gravitt signed proclamations denoting November as American Indian Heritage Month, and December as Thrombosis Awareness Month in the City. Representatives of the Chestatee River Chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution accepted the American Indian proclamation, while members of Georgia Thrombosis Forum accepted the other proclamation. For more information about both groups, click here.
Other actions taken during the November City Council Meeting...
A new lease agreement was approved with Tam's Backstage Restaurant at a monthly rate of $2,800. Tam's Backstage is located in the lower level of the historic Cumming Schoolhouse, which also houses the Cumming Playhouse.

An alcohol license for the City's first alcohol wholesaler, Forte International LLC, was approved, along with alcohol license change of ownership requests from Olde Town Bottle Shoppe and Fox's Pizza Den.

A bid was approved for purchase of the site of a former Department of Utilities pump station, which had earlier been declared surplus property. After being advertised, the lone bid of $50,100 was received from adjacent property owners. Council also approved bids for water & sewer lines along Bethelview Road in conjunction with Forsyth County's widening of that road, and for a low pressure sewer line along Lake Shore Drive.

Watch meeting videos by clicking here.
Star Award winners
Safety Award winners
Congrats to Outstanding City Employees
Several City of Cumming employees were honored in November. Each department or division selected one to two employees who are especially safety-conscious for annual Safety Committee Awards. Later in November, the fourth quarter Cumming City Star award nominees and winners were honored. Those receiving the Safety Committee Awards were: Jodia Hobgood; Joe Dempsey; Kevin Turner; Garry Brooks; Cheryl Stone; Cody Warren; Donna Cruse; Matt Payne; Anne Gratz; Sierra Moffitt; Burrell Sullivan; Robert Jacobs; and Gerry McCormick. City Star Award winners were: David Corn; Donna Cruse; Aubrey MacBrayer; and James Rodriguez. Others nominated for a Star Award were: Chelsea Holbrook; Sierra Moffitt; Ryan Brown; and Sissy Bowers. To nominate a City employee for the Cumming City Star Award, presented quarterly, click here.
Coming Soon
To the Cumming Fairgrounds
"Christmas in Cumming Arts & Crafts Festival" - 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Dec. 11; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 12

To the Cumming Playhouse
"Cats" - 8 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays and 3 p.m. Sundays through Dec. 13
"Christmas Classics Holiday Variety Show" - 8 p.m. Dec. 15
"North Georgia Barbershop Singers Holiday Concert" - 8 p.m. Dec. 16 & 17
"Cumming Playhouse Singers Holiday Concert" - 8 p.m. Dec. 18
"Bob Russell Singers' Family Christmas" - 3 p.m. Dec. 20
"Sentimental Journey Orchestra" - 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. Dec. 31

To the Cumming Aquatic Center
"Santa Swim" - Log laps between Dec. 1 & 30 for a chance to win a 90-day membership; contact Paige Raskin at [email protected] to register.
"Toys for Tots" - The Aquatic Center is a drop-off facility for the Toys for Tots program

 

Meetings
Planning & Zoning Board - 5 p.m. Dec. 15
City Council - 6 p.m. Dec. 15
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.

 
Cumming City Hall, the Cumming Playhouse and Fairgrounds, and all Recreation and Parks facilities will be closed for Christmas on Dec. 24 and 25, and New Year's Day on Jan. 1. We wish you a joyous holiday season with family and friends!
 
Sincerely,   
City of Cumming
Division of Public Information