City of Sanford

The City of Sanford is operated under the Council-Manager form of government, which was adopted in 1944. Policymaking and legislative authority is vested in a City Council consisting of seven Council Members and a Mayor who are elected in odd-numbered years. The City Manager is employed by the Council and is responsible to the City Council for the administration of all affairs of the municipality. The City Manager appoints the Department Heads and supervises and coordinates the activities of the departments. Sanford enjoys steady growth. In 1880 the population was 236; in 1900, 1,044; in 1920, 2,977; in 1940, 4,960; and in 1950, after the merger of the Town of Jonesboro, 10,013. In the late 1950's, growth became more suburban in character. Taking advantage of municipal water and sewer lines, development occurred just outside the City Limits, and population growth became a function of annexation. In 1960 the population was 12,252; in 1970, 12,028; and in 1980, 14,773. Rapid development in the 1980s was contained in the City's Extra-Territorial Jurisdiction, but this development did not begin to be annexed into the City until the 1990s. The 1990 population was only 14,755 as a result of this phenomenon. The 1991 population was 18,125; the 1994 population was 20,385; and the 2008 population is in excess of 26,000. During fiscal year 2004-05 the City purchased the county water system from Lee County. The City now provides municipal water to more than 17,000 city and county residents as well as sewer service to approximately 8,900 city residents.