City of Avalon Working to Toughen Traffic Ordinances

Continued issues with motorists using New Road in Avalon as a cut-through to Highway 328 has the Avalon City Council reaching out to the Stephens County Sheriff’s Department.

Avalon City Council members say traffic remains heavy on New Road even though they imposed a moratorium for non-resident motorists.

At their meeting Monday night, the Council and Mayor Linda Dean heard from Avalon City Attorney John Dickerson who presented them with an intergovernmental agreement with the Sheriff’s Department.

Dickerson told the Council and Mayor the agreement will put extra patrols not only on New Road but all of their roads.

“What it says is that the Town of Avalon wants to contract with the Sheriff of Stephens County to have him patrol and enforce your ordinances,” he explained. “That’s because you don’t have any law enforcement here and this is the only way you can get law enforcement here.”

Dickerson said the Sheriff would have discretion as to how many deputies would patrol the area.

“But this way you would at least have some way to protect yourselves,” he said.

And in order to give the Sheriff’s deputies a way to issue citations, Dickerson suggested the council also adopt a General Penalty ordinance.

“Now, the other thing I think you need, and I’m not positive about what all your Charter provides, but I’m pretty certain that you may need an updated ordinance that allows a fine of up to $1,000 or incarceration of up to six months. That’s the general State statute for violation of ordinances. It doesn’t mean he (Sheriff) has to impose that high a fine or incarceration, but that’s the Statute that allows municipalities to impose that kind of fine and that kind of incarceration.”

Dickerson said violators of the moratorium or any traffic violation in Avalon would be cited and have to appear in State Court in Toccoa. However, fine revenue would go to the County and not the City of Avalon.

After hearing from Dickerson, the Council voted unanimously to approve both the intergovernmental agreement with the Sheriff’s office and the General Purpose ordinance.