CITY OF GAINESVILLE NEWS RELEASE:
“With the heaviest of hearts, George Wangemann has announced his resignation from his Ward 4 seat, effective at the end of the year.
Having devoted nearly 40 years to representing Ward 4, Wangemann was the longest
serving seated member of the Gainesville City Council – a responsibility he never took
lightly or for granted. Citing his declining health, Wangemann shared his decision to vacate
his post Tuesday, Dec. 19, at the latest meeting of the Gainesville City Council.
“It has been an absolute honor and privilege to serve the City of Gainesville for what some
would consider a lifetime,” Wangemann said. “Devoting these last 38 years to serving on
the Gainesville City Council has been more fulfilling and rewarding than I ever imagined
possible. Through this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, I have met extraordinary people,
including my fellow councilmembers you see before you today, and have been blessed with
valuable opportunities to enact change for the benefit of my fellow Gainesvillians. While I
wish my health allowed me to finish out my current term, I can truthfully say I have tried my
hardest to act in the best interest of the people of Gainesville. Thank you for trusting me all
these years to be your voice – I hope I have made this Council, this community and my
family proud.”
First elected in 1986, Wangemann completed nine four-year terms and, at the time of his
resignation, was serving in his 10th. Last elected in 2021, Wangemann’s existing term was
set to expire in December 2025.
“It is an end of an era for the Gainesville City Council,” said Mayor Sam Couvillon, who has
served alongside Wangemann since 2013. “George will be missed for many reasons, but
none more so than for being one of the most kind and thoughtful people that I have ever
been associated with. George always puts other people first and he is a genuine soul. I will
miss his thoughtful discernment when working through tough issues, but more than
anything, I will miss the way he treated others with respect and how he would always
volunteer to help others.”
During his time on Council, and before the role of mayor became an elected seat,
Wangemann was appointed mayor from 1995-96 and 2004-05. (He is also a former member of the city Board of Education.)
Wangemann was named Council Member of the Year in 2018 by the Georgia Mountains
Regional Commission, for which he recently served as chairman.”
(City of Gainesville photo taken at a council meeting earlier this year at which Wangemann was formally recognized for his service to the city and community as a whole.)