Fry Looks Back at 2014 for City of Toccoa

Toccoa Mayor Gail Fry looks back at 2014.

WNEG spoke with Fry about the last 12 months recently.

She said the city accomplished a lot in the last year.

According to Fry, one of the biggest accomplishments was renovating and re-opening the city swimming pool on Doyle Street.

Fry said another major effort that has gone well so far are clean-up efforts along Currahee Street.

“The gateway sign we have done on the corner of Broad and Currahee is really beautiful,” said Fry. “The casket company demolition (took place) and we continue to work on Currahee Street.”

She said the city also completed work on a number of other projects in 2014.

Those include work on the Schaefer Center facade, expansion of the natural gas system to add chicken houses, re-surfacing of numerous city streets, and renovation of the city’s fire station on Doyle Street.

Fry said while doing that, the city has also worked on increasing the amount of money in its reserve funds.

“We have increased the city’s reserve accounts by over $400,000,” said Fry.

Fry explained that the city has grown reserve accounts for different departments, such as the golf course and water and sewer.

“When there need to be repairs, we have money set aside to do that,” said Fry.

She went on to say that overall, 2014 was a busy year and 2015 looks to be the same.

“As you know, we have taken over the golf course,” said Fry. “That will be a huge project for us this year and our upcoming mayor, Mayor Terry Carter, will do a wonderful job.”

Fry said one other thing the city will be working on is renovating two city parks.

She said the city received a grant for Henderson Falls Park work.

“In doing so, that freed up some of our Parks and Recreation money,” said Fry of the grant for Henderson Falls Park. “With the money that it freed up, we are going to renovate Emory Johnson Park. We have the same architects working on there. We are building new pavilions. We are making the snack bar handicap-accessible, working on the bathrooms, the lighting. That is going to be a really good project for the community as well.”

Fry said the city is also working on new maps for the city cemetery, a project that is expected to be completed this year.

Overall, Fry credited the city’s department heads and employees for continuing to do an excellent job, adding she appreciates what they do for the city.