TCC Approves Commission Pay Hike

Toccoa City Commissioners vote themselves a pay raise starting in 2018.

Tuesday, the commission voted 4 to 1 to approve an increase in pay for city commissioners that will take effect on January 1, 2018.

Commissioner Jeanette Jamieson made a motion for a smaller increase than was first proposed.

Under what Jamieson proposed and commissioners approved, starting in 2018 the mayor will make $12,000 a year, the vice-mayor will make about $11,500 a year, and the other commissioners will make about $11,000 a year.

That is less than what commissioners were proposing last month, which was $15,000 a year for the commissioners and $15,996 a year for the mayor.

Currently, the mayor makes $10,800 a year and the other commissioners make $8,400 a year.

Jamieson said that she proposed a smaller increase because of the concerns expressed by a few citizens.

However, she said the raise is something that is warranted.

“Like (former commissioner) Andy Pavliscsak said tonight in supporting the increase, people do not realize that the city of Toccoa operates five businesses in addition to the swimming pool and the golf course, so it is a major operation and it is not just something you show up twice a month and vote ‘yes’,” said Jamieson. “It is a challenge. It is matter of having to study the issues. It is a matter of putting a lot of hours into studying the budget so that we can continue to provide the services we provide without an increase in taxes.”

Commissioner Terry Carter expressed concerns about the raise.

He said having a strong city manager form of government removes some day-to-day responsibilities from the commission.

Also, Carter noted that Toccoa commissioners are already paid well when compared to similar size cities.

He said that Toccoa is currently sixth out of 34 cities with a population of 5,000 to 10,000 in Georgia in commission pay.

According to Carter, the increase moves Toccoa to third out of 34.

Carter went on to say that if Toccoa were put in the next highest population group with larger cities like Doraville, Brunswick, and Cartersville, Toccoa is currently 10th out of 45 in commission pay.

Jamieson said, however, that many other governments offer their commissioners health insurance, which is not figured into their compensation, whereas Toccoa does not.

Carter was the lone vote against the pay hike for the commission.

Toccoa City Commissioners will still make less than Stephens County Commissioners.

Currently, county officials stated that the minimum pay right now for a Stephens County Commissioner is $15,556.42 per year, once the base pay and all of the state add-ons are figured in.