Mayor Rusty Paul Gives Annual “State of the City” Address

Photo of Sandy Springs Mayor Rusty Paul by Valencia Productions, www.valenciaproductions.com

Members of the Sandy Springs Perimeter Chamber (SSPC), business leaders, government officials and guests attended Mayor Rusty Paul’s annual “State of the City” address Tuesday, June 26 at the new City Springs Terrace Meeting Room. This was the inaugural event for the beautiful third-floor facility in the City Springs development, and the sell-out crowd of nearly 300 took advantage of the sparkling day to enjoy the spectacular views from the outdoor CityView Terrace prior to the seated luncheon.

Following a welcome by SSPC Board Chairman Chip Collins, and a special thank you to luncheon sponsors BB&T, City Springs, Smith & Liss LLC, Northside Hospital, the City of Sandy Springs and Goodwyn Mills Cawood, Sandy Springs Mayor Rusty Paul took the podium. He proudly welcomed the group to the new facility, and opened his presentation with a video showcasing the evolution of City Springs from groundbreaking to grand opening. Fittingly, the video began with a photo of the late Eva Galambos, who worked tirelessly for the creation of the city and served as its first mayor.

With the successful opening of City Springs, Mayor Paul is now turning his attention to additional priorities, and shared with the audience his top three goals for the remainder of his second term. His first goal is to reinvigorate what he called the North End of Sandy Springs, or what has been traditionally known as North Springs. While the city is thriving as a whole, North Springs is challenged by struggling retail and aging apartment buildings, according to Paul. Following a vote by the Sandy Springs Council to make North Springs revitalization a priority, Paul created a task force of residents, businesses and non-profits to study the area and create a plan focused on healthy retail and making home ownership more affordable. He reminded the audience that home ownership has been this country’s primary pathway to family wealth for generations. Sandy Springs needs to provide housing options for a variety of income levels, so people who work in Sandy Springs can also live in Sandy Springs.

Next, he addressed progress and plans to relieve traffic congestion. Working with Georgia Governor Nathan Deal and the Georgia Department of Transportation, Mayor Paul and other civic leaders are taking a regional approach to multi-modal transportation options. Expanded rapid transit is vital for the continued health and growth of the community, and Sandy Springs must be able to efficiently move people and goods into, out of and through the city. He cited significant projects underway, including the improvements of the I-285 and Georgia 400 interchange. He also said realigning the intersections of Roswell Road, Mt. Vernon Hwy. and Johnson Ferry, or what he jokingly referred to as “Malfunction Junction” would take place in the near future.

Mayor Paul’s third goal is to work with the City of Atlanta on water reliability. He explained that in the late 1950’s/early 1960’s, the City of Atlanta began supplying water to what was then the suburban community of Sandy Springs, but Fulton County maintained jurisdiction over the water delivery infrastructure. Paul says there has been no modernization of Sandy Springs’ water system in decades, and problems are increasing along with fees. He has reached out to Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms to discuss the issue and has offered for the City of Sandy Springs to underwrite studies to determine the health of the current water system.

The leadership of Sandy Springs has worked hard to create a proud and unique identity for the city, but it will take regional cooperation to make Mayor Paul’s goals achievable. He invited the business leaders assembled at the SSPC luncheon to work with him, noting that “While people are often resistant to change, the city must continue its march of progress in order to make Sandy Springs the most envied city in the region.”

About the Sandy Springs Perimeter Chamber

The Chamber was formed in 2008 to serve businesses in the City of Sandy Springs and the north Perimeter area. With leadership from an elected Board of Directors, and working in partnership with city government, the Chamber’s mission is to maximize the business success of its members, strengthen the competitiveness of the Sandy Springs business community and enhance economic prosperity of the area. Ongoing initiatives include workforce and economic development, business education, community service and networking opportunities for members. Tom Mahaffey is president of the Sandy Springs Perimeter Chamber. www.SSPChamber.org