Proposed Farmers’ Market Lease Put off for More Discussion

Stephens County Commissioners table a proposal to lease the Farmers Market building in downtown Toccoa to the city of Toccoa.

The item was on the agenda for Tuesday’s Stephens County Commission meeting, but it was removed from the agenda at the start of the meeting.

County Administrator Phyllis Ayers said that the city requested that the item be removed.

“This was done at the request of the city commissioners,” said Ayers. “They would like the opportunity to discuss this among themselves and then jointly with us.”

Stephens County has proposed to lease the Farmers Market building on North Broad Street to the city of Toccoa through a long-term lease agreement.

Ayers said that the county had planned to move the market into the old GEM building on Highway 123 once the county took possession of that location, but leasing the current Market building to the city would keep it in downtown Toccoa.

According to Ayers, the current Farmers’ Market building has roof issues that must be fixed.

She said the quote to fix the roof at the current site is about $35,000.

The county is proposing to put up $3,000 towards patching the roof, which has a total cost of about $6,000.

Stephens County purchased that building for the purposes of putting the Farmers’ Market in it several years ago.

The building cost the county about $102,600 in funds from a previous SPLOST.

Ayers said that the Farmers’ Market would operate as normal as it has been while this matter remains under discussion.