Back in the fall of 2005, Sandy Springs leaders were preparing for the moment the clock struck 12:01 a.m. on Dec. 1. That was the instant the community officially became a city.
Next week, Sandy Springs will celebrate 20 years of cityhood with an anniversary party for about 500 guests on City Green at City Springs. The evening will include dinner, dancing, live music, and both live and silent auctions featuring items ranging from an international trip to Spain or Bali, to local experiences such as leading community parades or enjoying private tours of the new police headquarters and the Performing Arts Center.
The celebration takes place Oct. 9. Tickets are $120, with proceeds benefiting the Sandy Springs Foundation, which is hosting the celebration.
“We’ve exceeded capacity to have it in the Performing Arts Center,” said Sherwin Clemons, treasurer of the foundation. “We didn’t expect the response to be as tremendous as it’s been.”
The foundation supports arts, culture, and other initiatives throughout the city.
Looking Back
The anniversary marks not only two decades of incorporation but also Sandy Springs’ role in sparking a wave of metro Atlanta communities to follow suit, some of which later adopted its model of public-private partnerships.
That milestone moment in 2005 was the culmination of decades of advocacy led by Eva Galambos, remembered as the “founding mother” of Sandy Springs. Galambos was the city’s first mayor. She championed the cause that began in 1975 with the Committee for Sandy Springs’ push to break away from Fulton County control. Galambos died in 2015.
Current Mayor Rusty Paul, who was elected in 2013 after serving on the inaugural city council, said perseverance was the greatest lesson taught by Galambos.
“That lady would refuse to give up or give in. She was amazing,” Paul said. “The other was keeping our resources here and using them as wisely as we possibly can. That’s one of the reasons why we got the S&P and Moody’s AAA rating again — because we’ve been able to manage the finances so successfully.”
He continued, “Those are the gold standards for any community in the country … And land use. Creating the kind of community that residents want, was a major factor in her push to create the city. Those are the main things that are still part of her legacy today.”
Starting From Scratch
Before cityhood was approved, Sandy Springs commissioned a feasibility study from the Vinson Institute at the University of Georgia and looked to Weston, Florida, which had successfully incorporated using a public-private partnership model. Weston’s mayor and city manager even traveled to Sandy Springs to share their approach, according to Councilman Tibby DeJulio, another original council member who continues to serve today.
For many years, the city contracted with CH2M Hill to provide administrative and public works services. But in the weeks leading up to incorporation, city leaders faced unique challenges.
Gov. Sonny Perdue appointed a five-member board to oversee preparations. “We [organized] committees to set up for police, fire, finance, zoning, public works … I personally headed up the finance committee,” DeJulio said.
Sandy Springs couldn’t execute contracts until 12:01 a.m. on Dec. 1, and with no tax collections scheduled that calendar year, leaders had to ask people to essentially work for free until cityhood became official.
“We set up the finances on a very fiscally sound basis and the rest, as they say, is history,” DeJulio said. “We realized from the beginning that spending other people’s money is a fiduciary responsibility. And you have to spend it better than you spend your own money.”
Looking Ahead
Clemons said, Sandy Springs has always been a city built on volunteerism, civic engagement, and community service. In that spirit, the anniversary celebration is also designed to re-ignite the city’s tradition of public-private partnerships by inviting corporations to support free community events, arts and cultural programming, and other initiatives that supplement the city’s budget.
“This opens up opportunities for businesses to get engaged and help enhance events through naming rights and premier sponsorships. It’s a chance for companies to make a real impact in the community while also gaining visibility,” she said.
Clemons said the support carries forward the spirit of service and innovation that shaped Sandy Springs from the start, while guiding the city into its next chapter.
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