Gainesville's new mayor sworn in

GAINESVILLE - Gainesville's new mayor, Myrtle Figueras, looked ahead to a busy 2008 Wednesday morning after she was sworn in for a two-year term.

Figueras, a veteran Ward (3) city council member, is not really a new mayor, she's held the post before, and was ceremoniously elected by fellow members as Council began the new year with its first meeting.

"There are a lot of things we've got to do," Figueras said. "There's so much that we've got to do until there's no way to express the discussions that we've got to do."

Mayor Figueras said on that 'to do' list is Midtown redevelopment and revitalization with construction of the city's new downtown parking deck coming up in a couple of months beginning with the demolition of the old deck at the Georgia Mountains Center.

Another project in the wings is dredging Longwood Cove on Lake Lanier.
The city has the go-ahead for the project from the Corps of Engineers.

Councilwoman Ruth Bruner was elected and sworn in as Mayor Pro Tem for a one year term.