TCC set to meet this evening for regular scheduled meeting

The Toccoa City Commission will meet tonight for its regular scheduled meeting. The meeting will begin at 5:00 p.m. inside the City Commission Court Room at Toccoa City Hall.

Up for consideration is an appointment for an unexpired term on the Ethics Panel, Humane Shelter Funding, GEFA Loan Modification, and Resolution Authorizing Judicial in Rem Tax Foreclosures.

According to City Manager Billy Morse, with the passing of Laverne Cox, there is a vacancy on the Ethics Panel.  He says that term expires on December 31, 2021. Since Cox was an appointee of Commissioner David Austin, then Austin will be responsible for making another appointment.

For the Humane Shelter Funding, Morse says both the City and the County Commissioners on the Humane Shelter Board have recommended the funding for the Shelter be established at $160,850 for each government, including the City of Toccoa and Stephens County. He says the agreement for Animal Control Services will not change.

For the GEFA Loan Modification, Morse says earlier this year the City Commission approved a contract with Reeves Young to construct improvements at the Eastanollee Wastewater Plant. Including engineering fees, the new project estimate is $9,335,000. Morse says GEFA has already approved a project loan of $7,332,000; but, is willing to increase the loan amount to match the new project budget of $9,335,000. He adds that $1 million of the loan will be forgiven as a grant.

Lastly, the City Commission will consider a resolution authorizing judicial In Rem Foreclosures.

According to City Attorney John Dickerson, an In Rem foreclosure is a way to recover money owed to the city, or paid by the city, especially with regard to delinquent taxes and nuisance abatement costs.

He says it is used in instances where the debtor fails to pay or reimburse the city voluntarily. In these instances, a lien is placed against the subject property in the amount owed to the city and filed with the Superior Court. In the case of delinquent taxes, the lien amount would equal past due taxes and administrative fees. In nuisance abatement cases, the lien would equal the amount paid by the city to clean the property.

With regard to the Resolution for In Rem Foreclosure, Dickerson says it is a statutory process through which the city enforces a tax lien.

Again, the Toccoa City Commission will meet tonight at 5:00 p.m. for its regular scheduled meeting. The public is invited and encouraged to attend.