Fry Named Toccoa Mayor for 2014

Gail Fry will serve as Mayor for Toccoa in 2014.

Monday, the city commission unanimously voted to have Fry take over as Mayor for the next 12 months.

The commission selects a mayor and vice-mayor from among itself each year.

Fry said she looked forward to serving as Mayor.

“We have a great commission,” said Fry.  “I have lived here my entire life.  I love Toccoa.  I am proud to be part of Toccoa and I know that we will work very hard for you.  Our philosophy is not going to be ‘why we can’t’ but ‘how we can’.”

David Austin has served as Mayor for the last two years and will remain on the city commission.

Austin said he has appreciated again serving as Mayor.

“All the folks I have served with over the past 14 years, it has been a great learning experience and to top it all off are the employees of the city of Toccoa,” said Austin.  “We could not run this city without the hard work and dedication of our employees.”

While Fry will serve as Mayor, Terry Carter will serve as Vice-Mayor for 2014 after being unanimously selected by the commission.

Fry and Carter are both in their first terms on the Toccoa City Commission, having taken office in 2012.

Monday also marked the first meeting for new Toccoa City Commissioners Jeanette Jamieson and Evan Hellenga.

Their four-year terms began January 1.

Austin noted that with Jamieson and Fry both on the commission, this marks the first time in the city’s history that it has had two women on the city commission at the same time.

The commission also made a number of yearly appointments.

By a unanimous vote, the commission re-appointed Billy Morse as City Manager, Fredda Wheeler as City Clerk, and the Rev. Paul Garrison as City Chaplain.