Stephens Co. Commission Meeting Today

Stephens County Commissioners are expected to consider approval of amendments to the county’s timber harvesting ordinance at their meeting later today.

The county commission meets at 5:30 p.m. today in the second-floor courtroom of the historic Stephens County Courthouse in downtown Toccoa.

At their last meeting, county commissioners held a first reading and public hearing on the proposed changes to the timber harvesting ordinance.

According to Stephens County Attorney Brian Ranck, the proposed changes to the county ordinance would just bring it in line with state law.

He said those proposed changes include changes to the bonding requirement for timber harvesters and changes to the required notice.

One person, Henry Moore, said at the first public hearing he was concerned the changes might make timber harvesting more difficult.

However, Ranck said the changes being proposed, are actually designed to make things easier on timber harvesters by only requiring one bond through the whole year and eliminating a permit fee the county used to assess.

County commissioners will start with a second public hearing on the proposed changes to the timber harvesting ordinance.

Following that and a public hearing for alcohol licenses, the county commission will go into its work session to discuss items on the business meeting agenda.

The business meeting to vote on agenda items will come immediately after the work session.

Today’s Stephens County Commission meeting is open to the public.