Brumbalow wins second term as mayor; $300 million ESPLOST survives
Featured News, Featured Stories, News November 3, 2021
FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. – On Tuesday, Forsyth County residents voted to continue the $300 million, five-year education special purpose local option sales tax (ESPLOST) and city residents voted to continue the leadership of Mayor Troy Brumbalow for the next four years.
Brumbalow defeated attorney William Allen Stone III 683-204 to win a second term. Post 1 City Councilman Chad Crane and Post 2 City Councilman James Evans were on the ballot but ran unopposed.
The ESPLOST passed 8,725 to 3,832. School officials say it will allow them to continue to make payments on voter-approved bonds build a new elementary school to replace Midway and purchase land.
The Forsyth County School Board threatened to increase property taxes if voters did not approve ESPLOST.
Advance voting begins in Forsyth County
News October 12, 2021
FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. – Early voting for the Nov. 2 Special Election and City of Cumming Municipal General Election started today.
Mayor Troy Brumbalow
The Special Election is for the Educational Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (E-SPLOST). In the municipal election, first-term Mayor Troy Brumbalow faces a challenge from attorney William Allen Stone III. Post 1 City Councilman Chad Crane and Post 2 City Councilman Jason Evans are both unopposed but their names will be on the ballot.
All voters who were registered to vote by the Oct. 4, 2021 deadline are eligible to vote in the special Election. Only voters who reside in the city limits of Cumming are eligible to vote in the municipal election.
Advance voting in person is available for three weeks, including two Saturdays, prior to Election Day. Voting is scheduled to take place weekdays beginning, Tuesday, October 12 through Friday, Oct. 29, and Saturday, Oct. 16 and Saturday, Oct. 23.
William Allen Stone III
If the protests observed at Board of Education meetings the last three months is a barometer, the ESPLOST referendum could be in trouble. Hundreds of county residents flooded the meeting room this past summer to protest the teaching of Critical Race Theory.
While school system officials say they do not teach (CRT) parents say the school reading lists and lesson plans contain numerous books and information that supports the theory and they are demanding change.
A popular website that claims to have more than 2,000 followers, “Concerned Parents of Forsyth County Georgia,” has campaigned for months against CRT and many followers, including some who have traditionally voted in support of ESPLOST say they will vote no this year.
Amber Marie posted: “It’s continued funding of the indoctrination of our children paid for by us through increased taxes. I’ve voted yes for 23 years. I know better now.”
Jan Clark posted: “I will be voting no until (school officials) demonstrate they are listening to us.”
Joanna Vagner stated: I will be voting no. They could start using the funds they already have been spending on indoctrination to use towards their expansion goals. They don’t listen to me so I have no intention of providing additional funds.”
Qualifying for city races starts Monday
News August 14, 2021
WHITE COUNTY, Ga. – Qualifying for municipal elections in the City of CUMMING, Ga. — Cumming begins Monday Aug. 16 in the City Clerk’s office, 100 Main Street in Cumming and will continue through Wednesday, Aug. 20.
Hours are 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Offices to be filled include the Mayor and City Council Post 1 and 2. The fee to qualify for Mayor is $360 and each City Council seat is $180.
Mayor Troy Brumbalow has announced his intention to run for reelection. Local attorney William Allen Stone will challenge the mayor for the seat. The incumbents are first-term councilmen Chad Crane in Post 1 and William Allen Stone Post 3.
The general election will be held on Nov. 2, 2021 between the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.
Mayor Brumbalow issues first-quarter memo
Featured Stories February 3, 2021
PRESS RELEASE
CUMMING, Ga. Despite the pandemic, we were still able to hold our 3rd Annual City of Cumming Christmas Parade on Dec. 5. Since the event was completely outdoors and spectators had plenty of room to spread out (and were encouraged to wear masks), we proceeded with the event in order to bring our community some much-needed holiday cheer.
While we didn’t have quite as many parade entries as in 2019, the parade was still a big success and everyone seemed to have a great time!
Congratulations to our 2020 Christmas Parade award winners:
Best Float – Forsyth Central High School Flash of Crimson Spinning Drummer;
Most Spirited Band – Flash of Crimson;
Best Scout Troop – Cub Scout Pack 211;
Best Jeep – Angie Kellett, Jacque Stewart, Jon Wolfe & Linda Stewart;
Jeep Honorable Mention – Taylor, Dodd & Jordan Vickers;
Best Modern Vehicle Non-Jeep – Coal Mtn Stake of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints;
Best Classic/Antique Vehicle – Eric Johnson & Brian Hassel;
Best Animal Entry – Chalcedon Presbyterian Church;
Best On-Foot Group – Stayin’ Alive Crew;
Most Creative – FOCO Sheriff’s Office;
Most Holiday Spirit – St. Brendan’s Catholic Church;
Holiday Spirit Honorable Mention – Good Shepherd Catholic Church Preschool.
In December, the City of Cumming Youth Council, comprised of students from Forsyth Central High School and Alliance Academy for Innovation, gathered together again to elect officers for the 2020-21 term, which began on Jan. 5. Due to the pandemic, the 2019-20 term was cut short so all of last year’s members (with the exception of three who graduated) were invited to return. They all agreed, and in December we welcomed three new members. The nine students selected for 2020-2021 Youth Council are Jake Dutton, Mayor (FCHS); Caleb McWhorter, Mayor Protem (Alliance); Emma Humphries, City Administrator (FCHS); Riley Brumbalow, Clerk (FCHS); Zach Furbush (FCHS); Mary Beth Lowe (FCHS); Yugeshwar Muralidhar (FCHS); Alana Murray (Alliance); and Allison Oldani (FCHS).
Youth Council meets every first Tuesday of the month at 5 p.m. at City Hall. Progress continues to be made at the site of the Cumming City Center. City Council recently approved a number of bids for various aspects of construction of the Center’s buildings, including concrete work, steel fabrication & erection, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and fire suppression systems. Vertical construction began at the site in mid-December, with the City Center slated to open in late fall of 2021.
In November, City Council awarded a bid for construction of an extension of Buford Dam Road from Veterans Memorial Blvd to Castleberry Road. Construction of this important road extension, which will serve as a bypass of downtown Cumming during peak traffic hours and large-scale events at the Cumming Fairgrounds, has begun and, barring any weather delays, is slated to be completed by late summer of 2021.
City Council delays action on Lanier Parkway pump station and water tank
News October 25, 2020
CUMMING, Ga. — The Cumming City Council discussed the request for proposal for construction of the Lanier Parkway booster pump and water tank project during last week’s meeting but took no action.
Willow Construction submitted the low bid of $2,879,498. The project could serve the proposed Lennar Development as well as a new juvenile justice center. Mayor Troy Brumbalow said, “The concern is if the Lennar Development isn’t approved then we’ve spent $3 million to service one building and there may be another way to booster pump that without building a water tank. You’re anticipating something that’s not been approved yet.”
Council did approve the low bid of ACG Security Systems to provide security cameras for the raw water intake facility for $265,000.
City Administrator Phil Higgins said the existing cameras were low quality and when there was a break-in that led to the theft of computers, equipment and one vehicle, the Sheriff’s Office had difficulty viewing the scene.
Following a public hearing during which no one spoke in opposition, Council unanimously approved a variance request by Orchard Apartments to add 21 apartments to its existing complex with the condition that 80 percent of the apartments have at least one occupant above the age of 55.
Council also approved a request by RB and DB, LLC to rezone 1.164 acres at 415 Dahlonega Street from Single Family Residential (SFR) to Office Professional for a real estate office.
The Mayor also read a proclamation to declare Oct. 18-25 as Family Promise Week in Cumming.
Council to proclaim Oct. 18-25 Family Promise Week
News October 19, 2020
CUMMING, Ga. — The Cumming City Council will hold a work session Tuesday Oct. 20 at 4 p.m. in Council Chambers on the third floor of City Hall Building, 100 Main Street.
Mayor Troy Brumbalow is expected to read a proclamation to recognize the work of Family Promise of Forsyth County and to declare Oct. 18-25 Family Promise Week in Cumming. Family Promise of Forsyth County, Inc., serves families who are experiencing homelessness.
Family Promise of Forsyth County, Inc. serves families who are experiencing homelessness. In cooperation with churches and more than 400 volunteers, the organization provides a safe place to stay and meals along with programs and suggestions to help families gain or regain sustainable independence.
Council will consider variance request 2020274, Orchard Apartments, LLC and conduct a public hearing on rezoning request 2020277 RB and DB, LLC.
There are three requests for proposal on the agenda: Lanier Parkway Booster Pump and Water Tank, Security cameras and Lanier Walk Wastewater Pump Station
Due to Election Day on November 3, 2020, the November Work Session will be held on Wednesday November 4, 2020.
Back the Blue Softball Tourney Raises $60,000
News, Press Release October 6, 2020
PRESS RELEASE
CUMMING, Ga. — Mayor Troy Brumbalow is passionate about many thing. On Sept. 26, he got to combine two of his biggest loves: softball and supporting our community’s first responders.
In partnership with the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office, Fire Department, School System and County government, Mayor Brumbalow presented the first Back the Blue Softball Tournament, which is planned to be held annually. During this free community event, the five entities battled each other through several rounds of softball all to raise money for B.A.D.G.E. of Forsyth, a non-profit that provides support to employees of Forsyth County’s service organizations.
The event got started with opening ceremonies featuring the Sheriff & Fire Department Honor Guard, as well as an opening pitch by Cumming’s “honorary mayor,” 11-year-old Charlie Westbrook. Several rounds of play were held, and when the dust settled the City of Cumming and Forsyth County Schools teams battled it out for top honors during the championship game. The mayor’s team was the ultimate victor in the final round, and the City of Cumming will get to keep the coveted Back the Blue trophy until next year’s tournament.
While the mayor’s team won this year’s trophy, the ultimate Back the Blue winner was B.A.D.G.E. of Forsyth. Thanks to generous donations from many businesses and individuals, the Back the Blue event was able to raise $60,000 for the organization, which has a mission of “giving back to employees of the Forsyth County Service Organizations that serve and protect us. To restore confidence, hope and peace of mind through financial and other support when unforeseen or unwelcome circumstances enter their lives.”
Sponsors included: Beltan Properties; Dwell Design Studio, LLC; Vertical Earth, Inc; Engineering 303, LLC; Lamar Wakefield; Civil Engineering Consultants, Inc; Banks, Stubbs & McFarland, LLP; Beaver Toyota; Lance Jefferys/Crumbl Cookies; My Mercedes Place, Inc; A&L Quick Stop; Rhoads Group, Inc; Bryan Properties; Reid & Reid; Lanier Tire & Wheel; Foresite Group; Billy Howell Ford; Forsyth County Commissioner Molly Cooper; and B&B Awards, which donated the tournament trophy and plaques.
The City of Cumming would like to thank all the sponsors of Back the Blue, as well as all the tournament team members and everyone who came out to cheer on their favorite teams!
Charlie Westbrook named Honorary Mayor
News August 29, 2020
CUMMING, Ga. — During the Aug. 18th Regular City Council Meeting, Mayor Troy Brumbalow recognized a very special young man, Charlie Westbrook, with a proclamation declaring Aug. 18, 2020 as Charlie Westbrook Day in the City of Cumming.
The proclamation also declared Charlie as the “honorary mayor of the City of Cumming for as long as Charlie so chooses to serve his community.” Charlie had already dubbed himself as mayor and already has big plans to run for president of the United States in 2044.
Besides the proclamation, Charlie was also invited to sit next to Mayor Brumbalow during the opening of the meeting. He even got to use the mayor’s gavel to call the meeting to order. Pictured here with Mayor Brumbalow and his parents, Elizabeth and Slade Westbrook, Charlie, 11, is one of four children with special needs the Westbrooks have adopted. They also have three older biological children. Everyone in the City of Cumming is proud to have Charlie as our “honorary mayor”!
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Cumming Country Fair & Festival cancelled
News, Press Release August 12, 2020PRESS RELEASE
CUMMING, Ga. – Leaders of the City of Cumming have made the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 Cumming Country Fair & Festival, which had been slated for Oct. 8-18. This marks the first time in the fair’s 26-year history that the event has been cancelled.
“This was, of course, a very tough decision to make because we know how much the Cumming Country Fair & Festival is loved by our community,” said Mayor Troy Brumbalow. “But given the ongoing public health situation surrounding COVID-19, we simply could not in good conscience hold this large-scale event this year.”
Some other Fairgrounds’ fall events are currently still scheduled to be held, such as the IPRA World Championship Rodeo over Labor Day Weekend and the American Cancer Society’s House of Four Scythes haunted attraction in October. These events are smaller in scale, allowing organizers to more easily monitor patrons to ensure current Georgia COVID-19 safety guidelines are practiced. However, the fair’s high attendance numbers combined with other concerns such as an inability to properly disinfect numerous highly touched surfaces and communal spaces, led City leaders to cancel the Cumming Country Fair & Festival for 2020.
“We hope conditions will be in place by fall of 2021 which will allow the Cumming Country Fair & Festival to return and be our biggest and best fair to date,” Brumbalow added.
However, there is some good news for patrons who may be craving a bit of the fair experience come this October. “We are working to create basically a ‘drive-thru’ service with walk-up capabilities on the weekend nights that the fair would have been held, in order for people to be able to come and take home some of their favorite fair foods,” Brumbalow said. “It’ll be similar to what you see now with many restaurants that do curbside pickup.”
More information about the fair food take-away service will be shared on the City of Cumming and Cumming Fairgrounds’ Facebook pages (Facebook.com/cummingcityhall and Facebook.com/cummingfair) in the coming weeks. For additional announcements and updates about all City of Cumming events, be sure to like and follow these pages.
Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com
Council adopts city-wide audit report
News July 8, 2020
CUMMING, Ga. – The City Council approved the independent audit presented by Charles Cole of the audit firm Le Roy, Cole and Stephens during Tuesday’s work Session by a vote of 3-0 with two council members absent.
“At the end of the year, the net position of the City of Cumming IS $270,000, an increase of about $10 million in assets less liabilities from the prior year,” Cole said.
Revenue for the year was $14.6 million, approximately $600,000 above expenditures.
The special purpose local option sales tax (SPLOST) brought in about $3.6 million while SPLOST expenditures totaled $4.2 million. Capital project funds for the City Center was about $5.6 million.
Cole said, “The good news is that all departments of the City of Cumming met their budgets and nobody spent more than they were budgeted.”
The city’s water and sewer fund had $23 million in cash receipts with expenditures of $20 million.
Cole noted the city has done a good job the last couple of years, getting more cash on their investments than in previous years.
“I’m happy to say we were $1.7 million under budget,” Mayor Troy Brumbalow said.
Council then approved a contract with North Georgia Stonework in the amount of $40,260 for refurbishment of the intersection of Pine Lake Drive and Canton Hwy. The work includes a new stone monument with sign, retaining wall, light grading work, lighting and landscaping.
Council also approved a contract with the low bidder, Vertical Earth in the amount of $15,799,066 for the new City Center.
A water line replacement contract for Rebel Road in the amount of $394,474 was awarded to Mullins Utility and Contracting.
Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com
Cumming celebrates Independence Day Saturday with 63rd annual steam engine parade
News July 1, 2020
CUMMING, Ga. – The City of Cumming hosts one of the largest and most exciting 4th of July celebrations in north Georgia.
For more than 60 years, thousands of folks, young and old, have lined the streets of downtown Cumming to revel at the sights and sounds of the Thomas-Mashburn Independence Day Steam Engine Parade.
The 63rd annual event winds through downtown Cumming. This year’s parade route has been extended to allow for social distancing. All non-steam engine entries will begin at Forsyth Central High School and steam engines will enter the parade at Webb Street. The parade will make its way down Tribble Gap/Castleberry Road and end at the Cumming Fairgrounds.
Parade spectator parking will be available at Cumming Elementary, Otwell Middle and Forsyth Central High schools, the parking decks on Castleberry Road and School Street/Mason Street, and in the Cumming City Hall and Forsyth County Administration Building parking lots. Attendees are asked to please practice social distancing, and earplugs are always recommended (especially for little ones) as the steam engines are extremely loud.
You will know the fun is about to start when you hear the exciting steam engine whistles begin to blow. Cumming Mayor Troy Brumbalow and the City Council will be at the head of the parade, followed by Forsyth County veterans who are always honored guests.
Then magnificent steam engines represent an important historical era in Georgia’s agriculture. Next, it’s an exciting array of colorful local business floats, antique cars and county sports teams.
A.G. Thomas, Dr. Jim Mashburn, and Dr. Marcus Mashburn, were all avid collectors of steam engines and their family and friends have maintained and added to their unique collections over the years. The Steam Engine Association proudly displays their antique engines every 4th of July to carry on the tradition.
The festivities continue from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Cumming Fairgrounds, as patrons enjoy vendors and music while they wait for the main event: theannual fireworks display at 9:30 p.m. There are no parking or admission fees to enter the Fairgrounds. No outside food or drinks are allowed inside the Fairgrounds, and guests are asked to please practice social distancing.
City leaders present city logo designs; Announce brick-a-brick program
Press Release June 29, 2020
CUMMING, Ga. – City of Cumming leaders are pleased to present the official logo designs of the Cumming City Center, as well as a community Buy-A-Brick Program, which will allow the public to purchase personalized bricks that will be incorporated into two prominent areas of the City Center.
City Center Background
The Cumming City Center is the vision of Mayor Troy Brumbalow, who heavily promoted the idea of creating the Center during his 2017 mayoral campaign in order to bring back some of the small-town charm that had been lost in downtown Cumming over the years while establishing a new community gathering place. He immediately went to work to make the project a reality after he was sworn into office in January of 2018.
Ground was broken on the project in August of 2019, and since then crews have been conducting site work in anticipation of vertical construction, which will begin later this summer. The Cumming City Center is expected to open to the public in fall of 2021.
Situated on 75 acres located between Canton Highway (Hwy. 20) and Sawnee Drive, west of downtown Cumming and behind Forsyth Central High School, the Cumming City Center development will offer a “main-street Americana” feel. Features will include approximately 117,000 square feet of retail space, a new Cumming Police and Municipal Court building, an amphitheater adjacent to a small lake, two water fountains, ample greenspace including several “pocket parks,” a miniature golf course, and an extensive trail and boardwalk system meandering above the Kelly Mill Branch stream, its tributaries and wetlands. Across Canton Highway, another 10 acres will also be donated to the City for development of additional walking trails.
Logo Creation
In creation of the City Center’s main logo, city officials and staff wanted a design that would capture the main-street Americana feel of the development while also incorporating modern elements for a classic yet unique and bold look.
“Working with graphic designers from Beeferman Design, our city team went through a fairly lengthy design process,” said Mayor Brumbalow. “The designers took our team’s initial design thoughts and ideas, and from there they created about a dozen different looks for us to review over the course of several weeks before making the final decision.
“I think we landed on a logo design that conveys all the feelings that we wanted to express, not only in just the logo, but with the Cumming City Center itself. It harkens back to a simpler time, but also just looks really sharp and cool.”
“The logo is going to fit in beautifully with the entire aesthetic of the City Center,” added Jennifer Archer, City Center Property Manager. “I think it’s something that our community can be proud of and that visitors to the City Center will remember.”
The official logo will be featured prominently throughout the City Center in areas such as the main entrance, the amphitheater, on some building exteriors as wall murals, and in all formal communications mediums such as letterhead, envelopes and staff business cards.
City staff also adopted a less formal “merchandise logo” which can be used in future creation of promotional items such as t-shirts and mugs after the Center has opened. The merchandise logo is encapsulated inside a hexagon shape. It features a representation of Sawnee Mountain and utilizes a more modern font style than the official logo.