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| New Mayor and City Council Members Take Oath of Office |
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Mayor Troy Brumbalow is sworn into office on Jan. 2 with his wife, Jodie, by his side. |
The City of Cumming welcomed its new mayor and two new council members during a swearing-in ceremony on Jan. 2.
Mayor Troy Brumbalow and Councilmen Jason Evans and Chad Crane all took the oath of office during the ceremony, which was preceded over by Municipal Court Judge John Richard Neville.
Brumbalow and Evans were voted into office during the Nov. 7, 2017 Municipal Election, while Crane received the most votes during a run-off election on Dec. 5 after he and the incumbent both received the same number of votes during the Nov. 7 election.
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| From left, Councilman Chad Crane, Mayor Troy Bumbalow, and Councilman Jason Evans. |
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Mayor Brumbalow and Councilmen Evans and Crane join Council Members Lewis Ledbetter, Linda Ledbetter and Christopher Light.
Welcome Mayor Brumbalow and Councilmen Evans and Crane!
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Did you know?
Mayor Brumbalow will preside over his first meeting in just a few days during a special called City Council meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 9 at 6 p.m. The regular City Council meeting will be held Tuesday, Jan. 16 at 6 p.m. All meetings of the Mayor and Council are open to the public.
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City Honors Retiring Long-time Staff Members
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Gerald Blackburn and
Louise Castleberry |
The City of Cumming recognized long-time employees Gerald Blackburn and Louise Castleberry during a retirement reception on Dec. 28.
Blackburn came to work for the City of Cumming in January of 1972, first in the City's Recreation Department. In 1985, he was named City Administrator, the position he held until his retirement on Dec. 31.
Castleberry, who also retired Dec. 31, worked for the City of Cumming since December of 1976. She was employed in the City's Department of Utilities until 2004, when she became the City Hall Receptionist.
Congratulations to Blackburn and Castleberry as they begin their retirements. Everyone at the City of Cumming thanks them both for their many years of service and wishes them all the best in the future!
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Outgoing Elected Officials Honored with Lifetime Service Award
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Mayor H. Ford Gravitt and Councilman Quincy Holton each received a Lifetime Service Award from the Georgia Municipal Association (GMA) during the December 2017 City Council meeting.
The GMA Lifetime Service Award is presented to municipal elected officials and some staff members who have served at least 35 years.
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GMA representatives Pam Helton, far left, and Bill Thornton, far right, present Councilman Holton and Mayor Gravitt with Lifetime Service Awards.
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GMA representatives Pam Helton, Director of Consulting Services, and Deputy Executive Director Bill Thornton presented the awards, noting that after spending several weeks researching elected officials' years of service throughout the state, they believed Mayor Gravitt and Councilman Holton were the two longest-serving municipal officials in the state of Georgia.
Gravitt served as mayor from Jan. 1, 1971 to Dec. 31, 2017 and as a council member from Jan. 1, 1967 to Dec. 30, 1970, while Holton served as a council member from Jan. 1, 1969 to Dec. 31, 2017.
"These two people have shattered all the records," Thornton said. "They both leave a remarkable record of service...and have created a quality of life that many communities are envious of. They are leaving a wonderful legacy to their community and to the State of Georgia."
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Council presents Mayor Gravitt with his meeting gavel.
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Council members also presented Mayor Gravitt with his meeting gavel as a token of their appreciation for his leadership over his many years of service.
At the conclusion of the December meeting, Mayor Gravitt thanked everyone who had supported him over his 51 years of service, particularly the voters, and noted that he is proud of the legacy he was able to leave City of Cumming residents and incoming elected officials.
In other business during the December meeting, City Council:
- Adopted the 2018 City Budget, which totals slightly less than $35 million. Council held a public hearing on the budget on Dec. 5 and received no comments.
- Adopted the 2017 Budget Amendment, which is required by the state to be approved annually.
- Approved a late alcohol license renewal for Mia's Pizza.
- Approved an agreement for Cumming Municipal Court regarding Offender Supervision Services. Attorney Kevin Tallant noted that this is an agreement that must be approved each year, but the state legislature recently changed the law so that city governments must now approve the agreement prior to adoption by their municipal courts.
- Approved installation of a gravity sewer line for property at 105 Ridgecrest Avenue. Jon Heard, Utilities Director, noted that all required fees had been paid by the property owner.
- Approved installation of an underground power supply from Sawnee EMC to the Cumming Utilities' Raw Water Intake Facility at a cost of $59,852. This will help to ensure no power loss in the event of falling trees caused by high winds or other inclement weather.
- Approved a request to advertise for bids for a Utilities Booster Station and a small water storage tank for the Mountainside Subdivison on the 306 Connector to replace outdated equipment and provide greater fire protection to the community.
- Approved a request to advertise for bids for Phases III and IV of installation of a 36-inch waterline covering the west side of the City of Cumming.
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2017 Safety Award Winners Named
Congratulations to City of Cumming employees who were honored with a 2017 Safety Award during a luncheon on Dec. 7. Each year, the City's Safety Committee selects employees from each department who have shown an exemplary focus on safety procedures and practices throughout the year. The Safety Committee meets quarterly to help ensure that all employees are following proper safety practices throughout the year.
2017 Safety Winners:
Aquatic Center - Dan Stone and Susan Alston
Fairgrounds - Michael Bennett
Planning & Zoning - Jason Simmons
Police - Officer Matt Arnold
Recreation & Parks - Gerry McCormick
Streets - Levi Roland
Utilities, City Hall - Caleb McAnally
Utilities, Distribution - Micah Leon-Guerrero and Chris Pugh
Utilities, Wastewater - Dean Rivenburg and Cory Bruce
Utilities, Water Production - Zach Evans and Tony Shivers
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Sawnee Artists Present Classes at Brannon-Heard House in January
The Sawnee Association of the Arts (SAA) will present several classes at the City's Brannon-Heard House, located at 111 Pilgrim Mill Road, beginning with a three-day workshop by oil painter Bonnie Flood from Jan. 9-11.
Flood is most known for teaching President George W. Bush various oil techniques in 2013. She has also traveled to many locations throughout the U.S. and Europe to study and teach.
Other classes and workshops to be offered in January include the following mediums: Acrylic Painting, Color Pencil, Encaustic Painting, Zentangle, Beginning Drawing, Soap Making, Cake Decorating, and Faberge Style Egg Art.
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American Red Cross Blood Drive at Castleberry Building
The American Red Cross will hold a community blood drive at the Castleberry Building, located behind the Cumming Police Station at 301 Veterans Memorial Blvd., on Jan. 10 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. To make an appointment to give, click the link below and then enter sponsor keyword: CityofCumming, or call 1-800-RED-CROSS.
Register to give here.
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Coming Soon
To the Cumming Playhouse
- Buffalo Stack: American Roots Music - Jan. 13 at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m.
- Harpeth Rising: Voted Best Local Band in Nashville - Jan. 20 at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Meetings
- City Council Special Called Meeting - 6 p.m. Jan. 9.
- Planning & Zoning Board - 5 p.m. Jan. 16.
- City Council Regular Meeting - 6 p.m. Jan. 16.
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. |
| We wish everyone a blessed and prosperous 2018!
Sincerely,
City of Cumming
Division of Public Information
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