Our [Cumming] city government is on the cusp of its most dramatic changes in decades. We will soon have three new members of the city council, and possibly a new mayor in the near future should Mayor Gravitt also choose to retire.

I would therefore like to thank Ralph Perry, John Pugh and the rest of the sitting council, as well as Ford Gravitt and Gerald Blackburn for their many years of dedicated service.

When first relocating to Cumming in 1987, this was a small and anonymous community. Under their sage direction, we have grown to be a prosperous bedroom community of Atlanta with a regional medical center and leisure attractions.

This is the only municipality I am aware of that has never had to float a bond or increase financial burden on its citizens to pay off debt. All capital expenditure projects are not engaged until finances are already in place.

This is a lesson in fiscal responsibility that needs to be learned in Washington.

I challenge the new council members to live up to the legacy created by our mayor and current city leaders. And again, I thank them for carefully guiding the growth and reputation of our community.

Scott Cooper

Cumming