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Fair draws praises, crowd of 75,500
By Colby Jones
Staff Writer
The fairgrounds, last week filled
with the sounds of children’s
laughs and country music, are
once again quiet.
Despite construction on
Castleberry Road, the fair swung
through Cumming without a
hitch.
At Tuesday’s city council meet
ing, Mayor H. Ford Gravitt con-
Cumming’s First Lady, Carolyn Gravitt, dies
First Lady of the City of Cumming for 27 years,
Carolyn Dorsey Gravitt lost her battle with cancer on
Thursday.
Mrs. Gravitt, wife of Cumming Mayor Ford
Gravitt, died at the couple’s home after an extended ill
ness.
“She was always the hostess,” said City
Administrator Gerald Blackburn, who was one of the
officiating ministers at the Saturday afternoon funeral
service. “She was very gracious and a lady of great
character.
“She was a super good friend and very, very close
to myself and my wife,” Blackburn said. “She was at
peace with herself.”
Septic tank fraud verdict upheld by state high court
By Jennifer Eskew
Associate Editor
The Georgia State Supreme
Court recently upheld a Forsyth
County jury verdict which found a
developer and the county health
department liable for fraud and
ordered them to pay $58,300 in
damages.
The case involved the issuance
of a septic tank permit by a health
department inspector, Terry
Propes, to a developer, Jake Gantt.
In April 1996, a jury found the
two liable for fraud, agreeing with
homeowners Earnest and Ann
Bennett that the health department
had failed to properly inspect and
conduct tests to determine if the
See related story published on July 3,1998
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gratulated fair organizer Dave
Horton on another successful
Cumming Country Fair &
Festival. “I’ve heard lots of praise
from people in the community,”
he said.
This year’s fair benefited from
10 days of perfect weather and
concerts by musical superstars
like Charlie Daniels and Pam
Tillis.
Horton said this year’s atten
dance increased by more than
Published Oct. 25,1998
See related story published on Oct. 18,1998
system met county and state code.
The Bennetts purchased their
home at 5755 Oak Grove Valley
Drive in January 1989 with a sep
tic system and drain field installed.
The north Forsyth County home
also had well water.
Several months after the couple
bought the house, they noticed
something leaking into their yard
and smelled a foul odor. They
began using bottled water to drink
and bathe as they could no longer
use the well water.
The Court of Appeals upheld
the jury verdict 4-2 and filed a
lengthy brief in support of all the
findings except one ordering the
Bennetts to pay attorneys’ fees for
a defendant found not liable. The
9,300 people. Total attendance
topped 75,500.
Highlights included a filming of
WXIA Channel 11 ’s “Peachtree
Morning,” wood carving by
“Master of the Chainsaw” Brian
Ruth, magic shows by Jes and Jill
Eaton and wonderful Southern
gospel music performed by local
churches.
“I’d like to thank the mayor and
city council and all the volunteers
for their support,” Horton said.
She was one who worked behind the scenes, not
seeking out recognition for efforts she made on
behalf of others and for the city, friends commented.
She was involved in helping others and supporting
her husband, children and grandchildren.
The one in the limelight must have his source of
strength
and we saw that source in the
First Lady of our City
Twenty-seven years in length.
From a poem presented to Mrs. Gravitt from the
Ladies of the City.
state Supreme Court upheld that
decision.
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Charles Welch Memorial plaque is
unveiled at Poole’s Mill Bridge Park
By L*AnmT. Bell
Corporate Edtor
A bronze plaque which bears the likeness of Charles
F. Welch was unveiled by his family and County
Administrator Stevie Mills during Thursday’s rededica
tion of Poole’s Mill Bridge Paik.
Charles F. Welch
1941-1997
Forsyth County
Board of Commissioners
1987-1994
Cumming City Council
1972-1986
His distinguished leadership and dedication led to
the preservation and development of Poole’s Mill Bridge
Park.
It was fitting, said family members and friends, that
there was such a beautiful day for the memorial program
to be held. With a slight nip of fall in the afternoon air, a
crowd gathered in the new garden area of the park to
WATER from 1C
District 4 Commissioner Andy Anderson was one of
the county leaders who helped reach accord on the
agreement with the city. He said Friday it was a historic
event. “The biggest thing I was most pleased about was
that this was a cooperative effort between the county and
city governments,” Anderson said. “It’s also very impor
tant in terms of ensuring our water quality for the future
so we won’t have to go to the Chattahoochee [River] for
more water.”
Commission Chairman Bill Jenkins concurred with
Anderson’s assessment. “It took a lot of teamwork to get
this done - and a lot of cooperation from both sides,” he
noted, adding the present leadership of the county and
city reached an agreement when in the past, others could
not. “It just goes to show that when you work together,
you can get anything accomplished. When you fight,
nothing gets done.”
Jenkins added he doesn’t anticipate an increase in
water rates because of the changes.
Cumming Mayor Ford Gravitt said both sides were
100 percent “happy” with the new agreement. “The peo
ple will be the real winners because this will ensure that
Forsyth County will have plenty of water. When you
consider the excessive residential and commercial
growth that’s going on right now, we had to get this
done.”
Anderson said reaching an agreement was a big step,
but the county must now “fast-track” the timetable for
FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS ThurxHy, January 14,1M9
See related story published on Oct. 25,1998
remember Welch’s contributions to Cumming and
Forsyth County, to salute his family and to celebrate part
of the county’s heritage represented by the bridge’s
restoration.
Jerry Kinsey, director of Forsyth County Parks &
Recreation, welcomed those who attended the dedication
ceremony. He also introduced two recreation board
members, Dwight Taylor and Russ Sorrells.
Mills, who worked with Welch, said the former com
missioner was a public servant deserving of recognition.
“Charles was a person who was always giving help to
his fellow man and took pride in being a Forsyth County
native,” said Mills. “He worked to protect what heritage
we have here, now known a Poole’s Mill Bridge Park.”
According to Mills, Welch was first elected to the
Cumming City Council in 1972 and served until his res
ignation on June 11, 1986 to seek election to the county
commission. He served two terms as a commissioner and
was secretary in 1991 and chairman in 1994. H was the
first commissioner to obtain certification from the
Association of County Commissioners of Georgia,
Mills said.
constructing the water plant. The commission must
approve a funding plan for the project so that it can be
completed by spring 2000. “We really had no choice on
this. We are approaching a critical water shortage in this
county by the year 2000. We need to move quickly on
this so that we can provide sufficient water to the resi
dents of this county in the future,” Anderson comment
ed.
District 5 Commissioner Julian Bowen praised the
agreement and Anderson’s diligent work on the pact. “I
think we’ve done a great deal with this agreement to
ensure the county’s future water supply,” Bowen com
mented.
He added the commission has authorized a private
engineering firm to move along with design plans.
Bowen said the financing should be finalized by the
commission within 30 days.
County Administrator Stevie Mills said the tentative
funding plan includes selling revenue bonds to raise the
sl3 million necessary to build the water plant. That cost
does not include piping for inflow and outflow. Mills
added the bonds will be repaid by using funds set aside
from SPLOST revenues.
The reason the county will use revenue bonds to pay
for the project is speed. Mills noted the projected
timetable of spring 2000 to have the plant up and run
ning is only a little more than two years away. SPLOST
funds come to the county monthly, a slower process.
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