Toccoa Commissioners Approve House Demolition, FY 17 Budget Calendar

Toccoa City Commissioners approve tearing down an old house for a local church.

On Monday, the city commission unanimously approved a house demolition for Hill Street Baptist Church.

“Hill Street Baptist Church would like to request that the city tear down the old house at 32 Hill Place and also to remove a tree that is on that lot,” said Toccoa City Manager Billy Morse. “They have signed a document that allows the city to place a lien on the property for the expenses incurred.”

Hill Street Baptist Church Pastor the Rev. Paul Garrison said that the church’s insurance company has requested the church have the old house torn down.

He said the church will use the lot for parking once the old house is demolished.

Also on Monday, Toccoa City Commissioners unanimously approved a grant application to the Georgia Council for the Arts for grant funding in Fiscal Year 2017 to help provide money to continue the “Flames Fest” event.

Toccoa is hosting the first “Flames Fest” to honor the Famous Flames this year.

The city is seeking a grant of $7,000 in Fiscal Year 2017 from the Georgia Council for the Arts and would budget a $7,000 local match.

Finally on Monday, Toccoa City Commissioners unanimously approved a budget calendar for Fiscal Year 2017.

Under that budget calendar, a proposed budget would be presented on April 13 with a day of meetings after that between department heads, the city commission, and the city manager to go over that proposed budget.

The approved budget calendar calls for public hearings on the proposed budget at the city commission’s May 9 and May 23 meetings, with adoption of the Fiscal Year 2017 budget expected at the May 23 Toccoa City Commission meeting.