Taste of Forsyth Returns April 15 at Cumming Fairgrounds 
Patrons enjoy the 2016 Taste of Forsyth. 
Nearly 30 local restaurants and vendors are ready to share their wares with guests during the City of Cumming's Annual Taste of Forsyth Along the Hospitality Highway.  

Restaurants ranging from sandwich shops and barbecue joints to Italian, fine dining, and ice cream parlors have signed up to take part in this year's event, which will be held from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 15 at the Cumming Fairgrounds. Event sponsors will also be on hand with product information and giveaways. 

Last year, some 8,000 people turned out for the event, where restaurants sell samples of their various food items ranging in price from $1 to $4. Guests must pay for all food samples with cash only, but admission and parking at the event are free. Held inside the Fairgrounds' covered arena, Taste of Forsyth will occur rain or shine. 

Always the Saturday just before Easter, another Taste of Forsyth highlight is a giant Easter egg hunt that is divided into three sessions: Ages 3 and under at 11:30 a.m.; Ages 4 to 7 at 1 p.m.; and Ages 8 to 10 at 2:30 p.m. Other fun activities include live entertainment and a kids' zone with inflatables and games. 

Click here for more information about Taste of Forsyth Along the Hospitality Highway. 
Did you know? Each year Cumming Fairgrounds employees place some 30,000 candy Easter eggs for the three age-specific Easter egg hunts held during Taste of Forsyth Along the Hospitality Highway. Kids, get those Easter baskets ready! 

Wanted at the Cumming Aquatic Center: Lifeguards of All Ages

The Cumming Aquatic Center is looking for individuals of all ages who are interested in learning more about becoming lifeguards. 

The Center will hold Junior Lifeguard Camps for kids ages 11 to 14 in June and July. The Center is now also hiring teen and adult lifeguards for the spring and summer seasons. 

Summer Junior Lifeguard Camps will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily June 5-9, June 26-30, and July 24-28. Cost is $149 per camper and includes all fees and materials. The camp provides a foundation for all the skills needed to become a lifeguard, including prevention of aquatic accidents, fitness and swimming skills, responsiveness in an emergency, leadership, and professionalism. 

In April and May, the Aquatic Center will also hold several lifeguard certification courses. The Center may hire lifeguards who attend the classes it offers. Requirements to be certified as a lifeguard include being 15 years of age or older, capacity to swim 300 yards continuously and tread water for two minutes using only the legs, and ability to retrieve a 10-pound brick from 7 feet of water. 

Anyone interested in employment as a lifeguard or in registering for Junior Lifeguard Camp, should contact Jeremy Howell at jhowell@cityofcumming.net or (770) 781-1781, or click here for more information. 
 
Council Continues Comprehensive Plan Update Process
Mayor and council heard a brief update from Scott Morgan, Director of Planning & Zoning, on the Comprehensive Plan update at their March meeting.  Mayor Ford Gravitt expressed concerns that the draft plan contained both outdated information, as well as new information on topics such as mixed use developments. As a result, he asked Council to approve a special called work session to review the plan in more detail. Council approved a motion to postpone action on the plan until after the work session, which is slated for April 11 at 12 p.m. at City Hall. Morgan said he and consultant Jerry Weitz, who is leading the update process, hope to have a draft ready to send to regional and state agencies for approval by May or June. 


In other business during the March City Council meeting, Council:
  • Voted to renew liability and property insurance policies through carriers Selective and Nova. Gail Petree of Apex Insurance Services, which advises the City on insurance issues, presented quotes from six carriers. She noted that Selective's bid was a bit higher this year due to a loss that resulted from a water main break in June 2016. However, Council expressed reservations about changing policies and ultimately voted to stick with the same carriers.
  • Agreed to administer its employee retirement healthcare program as prescribed by the Georgia Municipal Association (GMA). Council passed a declaration that the City agrees with GMA's rules and regulations in accordance with GMA's insurance policy.
  • Approved soliciting bids for a road widening project on Brooks Farm Drive. The project will widen approximately 860 feet on the north side of the roadway to 20 feet in order to provide two 10-foot lanes. The project will also include a 5-foot-wide sidewalk on the north side.
  • Approved the following items for the Cumming Police Department: Purchase of seven mobile video cameras to replace existing cameras in vehicles at a total cost of just over $20,600 from Goodspeed Performance; Purchase of three lasers, at a cost of $2,000 each, to be donated to the Georgia State Patrol, which partners with the police department in traffic control; and Approved a new Precious Metals Ordinance to regulate dealers of precious metals and gems within the City of Cumming.
  • Approved the following requests to advertise for bids for Cumming Utilities Department: Installation of a new 12-inch waterline along Brooks Farm Drive from Hwy. 9 to near Camilla Street; To extend an eight-inch sewer line and a 36-inch waterline along Webb Drive; To extend an eight-inch sewer line from Woodland Drive behind Sherwin Williams store so the City can replace an existing failing sewer line and connect a new customer at A&W Quickstop store; To move and replace three raw water lines and a 12-inch water line along Pilgrim Mill Road as a result of Forsyth County's widening of the road; For the following vehicles - a dump truck to haul a mini excavator; a three-quarter ton service truck for the Utilities Electrician; and a half-ton pickup truck for the Wastewater Pumping Station Inspections Superintendent. 
 
Click here for meeting videos.
 

2016 Annual Report Now Available 
The City of Cumming's 2016 Annual Report, which highlights the achievements of the City in calendar year 2016, is now available. Among the City's most memorable events last year were the opening of the new Cumming City Park Recreation Building - with its modern classroom and studio spaces and a 4,900-square-foot multipurpose room that is available for private events - and the opening of an extension of Lanier 400 Parkway. Hard copies of the report can be picked up at Cumming City Hall, or click here to view an electronic copy. This is the second year the City has produced an Annual Report. Both the 2016 and 2015 Annual Reports can be viewed here. 
Cumming and Forsyth County Under Drought Advisory
While the area has experienced some rain in recent weeks, Cumming Utilities officials advise that our area, along with all of Metro Atlanta, is still under a Level II Drought advisory from the Environmental Protection Division. This means that some water-related activities are limited in an effort to conserve water resources. Among the restrictions are watering landscaping and ornamental plants just two days per week: Sunday and Thursday for odd-numbered addresses, and Wednesday and Saturday for even-numbered addresses or addresses with no number. All watering should be done between the hours of 4 p.m. and 10 a.m. Other Level II Drought restrictions include: No washing of streets, gutters, sidewalks or driveways; no washing of vehicles (cars, trucks, boats) at home; and no non-commercial or charity vehicle washes (such as car wash fundraisers). 
Coming Soon
 
To the Cumming Playhouse
  • "A Patriotic Salute to America and Our Armed Forces" - Through April 2, 8 p.m. Friday, 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday, and 3 p.m. Sunday.   
  • Farr and Friends with Special Guest, The Local Legend (Blues and Southern Rock Music) - 8 p.m. May 5 and 6. 
  • Chuck Wagon Gang 2017 (Grassroots Gospel Music) - 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. May 7. 
 

To the Cumming Fairgrounds

  • Forsyth County Master Gardeners Annual Plant Sale - 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 31, and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 1.
  • Taste of Forsyth - 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 15. 
  • "The Great FoCo Cleanup" Community Cleanup Rally Meeting - 9 a.m. April 22 (Pre-register by Thursday, April 20 to Keep Forsyth County Beautiful: (770) 205-4573 or KFCB@ForsythCo.com)

 

Click here for calendar.

 

Meetings
  • Special Called City Council Meeting/Work Session (Covering the Comprehensive Plan Update) - 12 p.m. April 11. 
  • Planning & Zoning Board - 5 p.m. April 18.
  • City Council - 6 p.m. April 18.

All 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 Easter! Don't forget to bring the kids to Taste of Forsyth at the Cumming Fairgrounds on April 15 for three age-specific Easter Egg Hunts: Ages 3 & under at 11:30 a.m.; Ages 4-7 at 1 p.m.; and Ages 8-10 at 2:30 p.m.  And to enjoy all the yummy food samples too, of course! 

 

Sincerely,   
City of Cumming
Division of Public Information