The new year ushered in two new Flowery Branch city councilmen.

Craig Lutz, Post 1, and Chris Fetterman, Post 2, were sworn into office at the council’s meeting Wednesday morning.

The two Sterling on the Lake residents replaced Jim Herold and Jan Smith on the council.

"I think we absolutely needed somebody from Sterling on the Lake, and two is fine because they’re exploding over there with the population, and they need to be represented," Flowery Branch Mayor Diane Hirling said.

Not only do Lutz and Fetterman share the same neighborhood, they both have two young children and served in the military.

Lutz and Fetterman are the first Sterling on the Lake residents elected to Flowery Branch City Council.

"I got into this thinking more or less of representing Sterling on the Lake on the City Council, but after spending so much time campaigning, I really see that a lot of the issues between Sterling on the Lake and other neighborhoods within Flowery Branch are really the same," Lutz said. "So I really consider it more representing the whole city of Flowery Branch on the council rather than just Sterling on the Lake itself."

Lutz said that he looks forward to trying to solve problems facing the city, such as sewer operations.

"We’re a growing city and our infrastructure is going to have to grow with that," Lutz said. "So we’re going to have to figure out ... which parts of it need to be addressed sooner rather than later."