Standing Room Crowd for Swearing in of Mayor Rusty Paul and City Council Members

Sandy Springs City Council Chambers was packed Tuesday night as Mayor Eva Galambos turned over the reins to new Mayor Rusty Paul. 

In a speech, Paul credited the former Mayor for guiding the city to its solid foundation.

“Sandy Springs is emerging from childhood into adolescence,” he said. “We can no longer accurately say we’re a new city. We’re maturing. The structures are in place. The city operates with unparalleled efficiency and effectiveness…Eva you have proven the naysayers wrong.”

During the ceremony, Graham McDonald, Ken Dishman and Andy Bauman took the oath of office for Sandy Springs City Council for the first time. And returning City Council members John Paulson, Tibby DeJulio and Gabriel Sterling were sworn-in for their new terms.

Paul raised several goals for Sandy Springs and his term as Mayor. Completing the city center project and improving Roswell Road were named as top priorities, adding that the city center should be the heartbeat of Sandy Springs. 

Two points made during his campaign – patronizing local restaurants and shops; and creating affordable housing – are also a necessity, he said.

Paul said restaurant and shop owners move to communities where like businesses are already thriving.

On housing, he said, “We need affordable owner-occupied…and rental housing that meets the needs of our police, fire, EMS, nurses and young professionals; and that they can afford. It is immoral to ask public safety employees to lay their lives on the line for a community that they can’t afford to live…”