Stephens County To Consider Proposing Leasing Farmers Market to City of Toccoa

Stephens County is looking at proposing to turn over operations at the Farmers Market over to the city of Toccoa through a long-term lease agreement.

On the agenda for Tuesday’s Stephens County Commission meeting is consideration of a lease agreement for the Farmers’ Market with the city of Toccoa.

County Administrator Phyllis Ayers said that this stems out of a desire for the market to stay in its current location in downtown Toccoa on North Broad Street.

“Since the county is getting ready to take possession of and move into the old GEM building on 123, that one was of the departments, one of the items we were going to re-locate,” said Ayers of the Farmers’ Market. “In discussion with the city, they are very interested in keeping that building where it is located now and keeping the contents of the activity there, so we are going to be discussing a long-term lease with the city so it will stay in the same location.”

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 the building has roof issues that will require significant funding to fix.

“We have about a $35,000 quote to replace the entire roof and a $6,000 quote for the patched roof,” said Ayers.

Ayers said under the lease agreement the county commission is looking at proposing, Stephens County would put $3,000 towards patching the roof.

She said the lease agreement being considered for proposal would turn the operations of the market and building over to the city.

Tuesday’s Stephens County Commission meeting starts at 5:30 p.m. and will take place at the historic Stephens County Courthouse in downtown Toccoa.