It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas in Cumming
From festive wreaths and lights around town to holiday-themed shows and events, December is a magical month in the City of Cumming. This year is no different with plenty of family-friendly Christmas activities throughout the month.

The Cumming Playhouse is offering many seasonal shows in December. Among this year's holiday offerings are the Sounds of Sawnee Holiday Concert on Dec. 8, Christmas Classics on Dec. 11, Cumming Playhouse Singers Candlelight Christmas on Dec. 16, North Georgia Barbershop Singers Christmas on Dec. 17 and 18, and The Return: Beatles Tribute Band on Dec. 31. For a full schedule of all Cumming Playhouse holiday shows and to purchase tickets, click here.

The Cumming Fairgrounds will host Christmas in Cumming from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Dec. 9 and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 10. This annual event offers a wide array of handcrafted gifts provided by local arts and crafts vendors. Kids can also get their photo taken with Santa for free from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Dec. 9 and from noon to 3 p.m. Dec. 10. Families will also enjoy hayrides through the Fairgrounds Christmas light display, roasting marshmallows, and caroling from 7 to 9 p.m. Dec. 9. For more information about Christmas in Cumming, click here.
Did you know? Each Christmas season, many City of Cumming street lamps are decorated with festive holiday light displays and banners. Additionally, the Cumming Fairgrounds features a beautiful Christmas light display every night for families to enjoy.
Mayor and Council Recognize American Indian Heritage Month
Members of the Chestatee River Chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution accept the American Indian Heritage Month proclamation.
Cumming City Council passed a resolution recognizing November as National American Indian Heritage Month, noting that "the history and culture of our great nation have been significantly influenced by American Indians...and the contributions of American Indians have enhanced the freedom, prosperity and greatness of America today." Members of the Chesatee River Chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution accepted the proclamation. Native American Awareness Week began in 1976, and in 1990, Congress and President George Bush designated November as National American Indian Heritage Month.
 
In other business during the November City Council meeting, City Council:
  • Voted to send a prior version of an intergovernmental agreement regarding maintenance of portions of annexed roads back to Forsyth County for further review before possible approval.
  • Approved a donation of 467 square feet of city-owned land to Forsyth County as part of the county's widening of Pilgrim Mill Road.
  • Approved a new lease agreement with the Cumming-Forsyth Historical Society, which will allow the group to use an additional room in the Historic Cumming Schoolhouse at the same fee of $1 per year. The group also agreed to add Cumming to its name, which was previously the Forsyth County Historical Society.
  • Approved a public hearing at 5 p.m. Dec. 6 for the draft 2017 city budget. Council will vote on the budget during this month's council meeting at 6 p.m. on Dec. 20.
  • Approved a traffic engineering study to be conducted in Pirklewood Subdivision after a presentation by a resident of the neighborhood, who requested the installation of speed bumps.
  • Approved a seven-foot height variance for a new Automation Direct building and a late alcohol license renewal for Tacos Mexico.
  • Denied a request by AAP Investment to rezone a residential land parcel to office professional for a proposed 4,000-square-foot office building. The denial came after the city's Planning & Zoning Board recommended denial of the request.
  • Approved the following for the Cumming Utilities Department: A request to acquire replacement parts for the city's water collection system; permission to advertise for bids for maintenance and installation of a 900HP pump; and permission to award a bid to Lanier Contracting in the amount of $631,546 for construction of a wastewater pump station and force main on Bald Ridge Acres Drive.
Click here for meeting videos.
 
Outstanding Employees Honored with City Star and Safety Awards

Several City of Cumming employees have been honored in recent weeks. Congratulations to all these hardworking employees:  

 

  • Third and Fourth Quarter Cumming City Stars were honored during a Thanksgiving lunch event on Nov. 17. Third Quarter winners were James Thomas of the Street Department and Officer James Vincent of the Cumming Police Department. Other Third Quarter nominees were: Hugh Boling, Billy Wood and Logan Jennings of the Street Department; and Benjamin Haack, Michael McGee, David Alan Kellogg, Angelson Jimenez, and Cynthia Pruitt of the Police Department. Click here for photos.
  • Fourth Quarter winners were Greg Little, Director of the Cumming Recreation and Parks Department, and Anne Gratz of the Cumming Aquatic Center. Other Fourth Quarter nominees were: Chelsea Holbrook of the Recreation Department; Annsley Marks, Ethan Pope, and Sissy Bowers of the Aquatic Center; and Danny Faulkner of the Cumming Playhouse. Click here for photos.
  • On Dec. 1, the City's Safety Committee held a lunch event to honor the 2016 Safety Award winners. The Safety Award is presented to one or two employees from every City department or division represented on the Safety Committee for exemplifying and promoting safety on the job. Click here for photos. 

          2016 Safety Award Winners: 

  • Alex Brock - Utilities, Main Office
  • Tom Baird and Robert Powell - Utilities, Water Distribution
  • John Mixon - Utilities, Water Production
  • Nathan Williams and Michael Ghorley - Utilities, Pollution Control
  • Dowe Vaughan Jr. - Fairgrounds
  • Reba Castleberry - Recreation & Parks
  • Matthew Melton and Daniel Stone - Aquatic Center
  • Jessica Bowman - Police Department
  • Jeremy Campbell - Street Department
Mayor H. Ford Gravitt speaks during the groundbreaking event for the new Alliance Academy on Lanier 400 Parkway, located within the Cumming City Limits.
City Leaders Celebrate Groundbreaking of New Alliance Academy
City of Cumming leaders, including Mayor H. Ford Gravitt and several members of the City Council, were among the participants during a groundbreaking event on Nov. 17 for Forsyth County Schools' new Alliance Academy for Innovation. The City, which sold the property where the new school will be located, was also instrumental in development of the property with installation of water and sewer lines and creation of Lanier 400 Parkway, the roadway on which the property is located. Lanier 400 Parkway opened in early 2016. Alliance Academy is slated to open in 2018. Click here for more information about the future high school.


Cumming Utilities Director Jon Heard teaches Otwell Middle School students about water conservation as part of their tour of City Hall.
Otwell Middle School Students Tour City Hall
A group of Otwell Middle School students toured Cumming City Hall on Nov. 9. During their tour, the students learned about the various departments of the City of Cumming, City elected officials and their roles in City government, and some local history. Jon Heard, Director of the Cumming Utilities Department, taught the students about the role of the Utilities Department in Cumming and Forsyth County, and about the importance of water conservation, particularly during times of drought such as the one currently ongoing in our area.
Community Invited to Give Input on State Route 20 Improvements
The Georgia Department of Transportation (DOT) will hold two open house events regarding public input for improvements to State Route 20 from Cumming to Canton. The first open house will be held from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Dec. 6 at Otwell Middle School, 605 Tribble Gap Road, Cumming. The second will be held from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Dec. 15 at Calvary Baptist Church, 137 Hightower Road (State Route 369), Ball Ground. There will be no formal presentation and the same displays will be posted at both events, which are open to anyone to drop by any time during the two-hour time frame. Click here for more information about the open house events and overall State Route 20 project.

City Hosts Annual Veterans Day Event
The City of Cumming joined forces with several local veterans organizations and student groups to present the annual Veterans Day event at the Cumming Veterans War Memorial on Nov. 11. This year's event was led by the Vietnam Veterans of America Cumming Chapter 1030, which paid special tribute to all Vietnam-era veterans since this year marks the 50th anniversary of that war. Other groups taking part in the event included: Georgia Army National Guard; American Legion Cumming Post 307; Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9143; Forsyth Central High School Flash of Crimson Band; Christian Fine Arts of Forsyth Choir; Cumming Christian Co-Op Choir; Forsyth County Fire Department Honor Guard; Forsyth Fire and Sheriff Joint Rifle Team; American Heritage Girls; and Trail Life Troop1331. Thanks to everyone who participated or attended the event!
 
Click here for more photos. 
Coming Soon
 
To the Cumming Fairgrounds
  • Christmas in Cumming - 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Dec. 9 and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 10; hayrides, marshmallow roasting, and caroling 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday; and free photos with Santa on Friday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday from noon to 3 p.m.

To the Cumming Playhouse
  • Sounds of Sawnee Holiday Concert - 8 p.m. Dec. 8
  • Christmas Classic 2016 - 3 p.m. Dec. 11
  • Cumming Playhouse Singers Candlelight Christmas - 8 p.m. Dec. 16
  • North Georgia Barbershop Singers Christmas 2016 - 8 p.m. Dec. 17 and 3 p.m. Dec. 18
  • The Return: Beatles Tribute Band - 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. Dec. 31

 

Holiday Closures

 

All City of Cumming offices and facilities (with the exception of the Cumming Police Department) will be closed:
  • Friday, Dec. 23 in observance of Christmas Eve
  • Monday, Dec. 26 in observance of Christmas Day
  • Monday, Jan. 2 in observance of New Year's Day

Meetings
  • Planning & Zoning Board - 5 p.m. Dec. 20
  • City Council - 6 p.m. Dec. 20
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. Click here for previous meeting videos. 
Happy holidays to you and yours from all your friends at the City of Cumming!

Sincerely,   
City of Cumming
Division of Public Information