Other action
Also during Tuesday’s meeting, Cumming’s mayor and council:
• Were administered the oath of office by Judge Charlie R. Smith.
• Appointed Councilman Quincy Holton to serve as mayor pro-tem for 2012.
• Postponed a request for certificate of public convenience to establish a new taxi company.
A public hearing on the matter was held with Jim Benton, an employee of another taxi company, speaking in opposition.
However, the applicant, William Andrew Mainard Jr., was not present. Council wanted to hold off on a decision until it could hear from Mainard.
• Re-appointed all members of the following municipal boards and authorities: planning and zoning; recreation; housing authority; and health.
• Recognized Cumming police communications officer and jailer Tracy Lynn See-Holbrook, with the department since 2008.
She was presented the Sons of the American Revolution Public Safety Award after a recommendation from Chief Scott Burgess.
-- Crystal Ledford
Cumming officials approved the city’s 2012 budget during a meeting Tuesday night.
During the first meeting of the year, the mayor and city council unanimously approved a $10.6 million general fund budget and a $13 million utilities department budget.
Leaders first discussed the budget during their December meeting.
The general fund budget is about $1.3 million more than the 2011 budget, the difference coming from the Cumming Aquatic Center.
The $15 million facility opened this summer off Pilgrim Mill Road, near Ga. 400 at Exit 16.
Construction fees were covered by 1-cent sales tax revenue, but operating expenses will come from the city’s general fund.
City Clerk Jeff Honea has said the difference will primarily come from revenue generated at the facility, which is projected at about $1.1 million. The remainder will be covered by the city’s contingency fund.
The utilities budget is projected at about $240,000 more than 2011. That difference will come from increases in water sales.
Tuesday night, Mayor H. Ford Gravitt said the total budget for 2012 is about $24.6 million, including general and utilities funds, as well as a projection of about $1 million from the current 1-cent sales tax.
The city receives a percentage of the tax from the county for capital improvement projects, such as the aquatic center.
In conjunction with approving the 2012 budget, council also unanimously approved the rehiring of all city employees for the year.
"We’re about 150 strong with our employees," Gravitt said. "We have one of the best groups of employees in the country … I’m very proud of them."