Toccoa Purchasing Bucket Truck

The city of Toccoa will purchase a new bucket truck.

At their February 24 meeting, Toccoa City Commissioners unanimously approved the purchase of the truck from Altec Industries of Elizabethtown, Kentucky at a cost of $88,778.

Toccoa City Manager Billy Morse said that the new truck will take the place of one that is old and in need of repair.

“The vehicle that we currently use is a 1988 truck that is in poor condition,” said Morse.  “The truck will be used by our right-of-way crew to clear street rights-of-way, plus utility easements.”

Altec provided the low bid out of two bidders on the truck.

Cherokee Truck Equipment of Chattanooga, Tennessee had bid $93,243.

Morse said that this year’s budget has money put aside to purchase this truck.

In other action from its February 24 meeting, the Toccoa City Commission approved a request to assist Friendship Baptist Church with the demolition of two houses.

Morse said the houses are located near the intersection of Pond and Sautee streets.

“Friendship Baptist Church is requesting city assistance with demolition of two deteriorating homes they own on South   Pond Street,” said Morse.  “We do have sufficient funds, we believe, in our current budget to address this.  If you agree to move forward with this project though, I would suggest making it contingent on asbestos testing and a signed agreement with the church that allows the city to put a lien on the properties to recover our expenses should they be sold.”

Morse said the city typically estimates that it would cost about $3,500 to demolish each structure.

That means two structures would cost about $7,000 and Morse said the city still has about $10,000 in its budget this fiscal year for demolitions.

Commissioners approved the request with the city manager’s recommendations unanimously.