Toccoa City Commission to Approve SPLOST VII Intergovernmental Agreement

Several important items are the agenda for tonight’s Toccoa City Commission meeting.

Now that the fiscal 2020 budget has been passed, Commissioners are expected to set the millage rate.

According to City Clerk Fredda Wheeler, property taxes are set to go out September 13th with a due date of November 15th.

Also on the agenda tonight, the Commission is expected to formally accept and ratify the next Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax intergovernmental agreement.

After weeks of back and fourth negotiations,  Stephens County Commissioners accepted the City’s counter offer of a 68.25% County, 31.75% City split with no conditions last week.

The City had hoped to receive $9-million in the next SPLOST over a six-year period, but last week, County Administrator Phyllis Ayers said how much the city receives will depend on sales tax revenue that comes in.

“If we were to literally stay the same as the 12-month period, the City would get $6,350,034.93. That would end up being the 31.75% split,” she said. “Then if we look at a 1% increase, the City would get $6,579,135. And then if we continue like this past calendar fiscal year, over a 12-month period there was a 3% increase in sales tax. If we are able to do that over the next six years, the City would get $7,315,180.”

In other business, the Board will review a proposal to purchase surplus property at the corner of Whitman and Tallulah Streets.

At a meeting in June, City Manager Billy Morse told the Board three groups had expressed an interest in purchasing it.

“The Whitman Street Alumni Foundation wants to do a parking lot and a memorial to the Famous Flames,” he said. “Mt. Zion Church is the most recent. They have twice shown an interest in it over the past five or ten years, and the Hope Center has shown an interest in it,” Morse said.

Of the three Morse mentioned, only one proposal was received from Mount Zion Baptist Church, whose property adjoins the surplus property.

The City purchased the property in the 1980’s with a plan to put in a City parking lot, but those plans never materialized.

In other business, Commissioners will also get an update from Stephens County Development Authority Director Tim Martin.

Tonight’s meeting begins at 5p in City Hall and is open to the public.