Recap: Feb. 12 Toccoa City Commission Meeting

Recapping last night’s Toccoa City Commission meeting, Commissioner Terry Carter provided a progress report on the Tugaloo Street Greenspace, saying things were moving forward on schedule. 

Main Street Director Kristen Deal reported that the sale of 75 bricks have been completed for the fundraiser, with verbal or written commitments for quite a few more. 

Commissioner Ron Matheson recognized and thanked Deal, along with Toccoa Special Events Coordinator Misty Richardson and Planning and Development Director Jermy Ward  for their hard work in making last Friday’s Inaugural Chocolate Crawl a success.

Also, city officials declared Friday, Feb. 16 as Toccoa Arbor Day. Mayor Gail Fry read the proclamation into the record, and presented the written document to Arborist Lea Clark with the Georgia Forestry Commission. 

Fry told WNEG News that Arbor Day is an important day each year for Toccoa, and added the city’s annual tree planting in honor of Arbor Day would take place at noon this coming Friday, Feb. 16.

Next, commissioners unanimously approved the Alcohol Beverage Control License for beer and wine consumption at Toccoa Bowling Center located at 910 Rose Lane.   

Commissioners also approved a statewide Mutual Aid and Assistance Agreement regarding mutual assistance between participating counties during emergencies or disasters, through Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security, as detailed to commissioners by City Manager Fredda Wheeler.

Next, commissioners approved an agreement with Avita Community Partners for the Employee Assistance Program Service, to be effective Jan. 15. The program, which has been offered to city employees as part of the compensation package since 1992, according to the city’s Employee Handbook, provides up to six hour-long counseling sessions, at no charge, for city employees and dependents, including the employee’s spouse and children. Under the approved agreement, the city will pay Avita Counseling Services $81.18 per hour for each hour of service billed by an associate licensed practitioner, and $120.04 for each hour of service billed by a fully licensed practitioner. Previously, the service has been provided by Dr. Bill Quarterman. 

Toccoa Human Resources Director Jan Crawford said Quarterman has announced his retirement, and Avita is the only agency that responded to bid requests that is able and willing to offer the service locally, without requiring city employees to travel for the counseling sessions. Under the city’s latest agreement with Quarterman, the city paid $50 per hour for his services. 

The final item on the agenda was the monthly finance report. City Finance Director Becky Bohannon said the city’s monthly report is slightly better than the previous month, but the General Fund is still showing a negative balance.

Fry told WNEG News that the situation is typical for this time of year.

The next meeting of the Toccoa City Commission is Feb. 26.  

Gail Fry	Mayor	(706) 599-0205	[email protected]
Terry Carter	Vice-Mayor	(706) 491-2550	[email protected]
Evan Hellenga	Commissioner	(706) 491-0527	[email protected]
Michelle Jamieson	Commissioner	(706) 491-7418	[email protected]
Ron Matheson	Commissioner	(706) 244-0498	[email protected]

Documents related to agenda items are included in the attached agenda packet pages.

Revised Agenda Packet-part-1 Revised Agenda Packet-part-2 Revised Agenda Packet-part-4 Revised Agenda Packet-part-5 Revised Agenda Packet-part-6