Toccoa City Commission to meet twice Monday

The Toccoa City Commission will hold a work session at 3 p.m. next Monday, Nov. 27. 

Included on the agenda for the work session are discussions about the Banks County water sale, water treatment plant upgrades, a camera system for downtown Toccoa, and discussion of a proposed donation of property to the city. In addition, a discussion regarding an occupation tax and regulatory fee is scheduled.  

Regarding the discussion regarding an occupation tax and regulatory fee, a letter from city attorney John Dickerson to acting City Manager Freda Wheeler included in the agenda packets states that “as a general rule, municipalities may levy and collect business and occupation taxes on businesses or practitioners with offices or locations within the municipal limits. The letter advises that occupation taxes may be used to raise revenue, while regulatory fees may not be used to generate revenue, but can be levied to cover the city’s cost associated with regulating a business or business activity. Additionally, Dickerson points out that “A regulatory fee can be imposed only if the local government customarily performs investigation or inspection in order to protect the health, safety or welfare as to enforce a state or local building, health or safety code.” 

The Toccoa City Commission will also meet Monday evening at 5 p.m. for a regularly scheduled meeting. Commissioner-Elect Michelle Jamieson will be sworn in during the meeting.

On the agenda for the regular meeting is consideration of an intergovernmental agreement between Toccoa and Stephens County regarding the county’s use of the services of the city fire marshal.  Also on the agenda is a discussion about funding for moving Toccoa Natural Gas lines for a road-widening project in Rabun County and discussion of moving December meeting dates to Dec. 4 and Dec. 11.

Regarding the Natural Gas Line relocation agenda item, a letter from utilities director Harry Scott to Wheeler included in the agenda packet identifies the latest response from the Georgia Department of Transportation regarding the city’s request for funding assistance for the relocation of city natural gas transmission and distribution pipelines in connection with a Georgia DOT road widening project on State Route 15/US 441 from Kelley Creek Road to the North Carolina State Line. 

According to the letter from the Georgia Department of Transportation, their proposal would require the City of Toccoa to pay all engineering costs of the relocation, estimated at $271,000; all construction administration and inspection costs, estimated at $361,336, and 15 percent of the actual relocation costs – estimated at $451,665. 

Under the proposed agreement, the Georgia Department of Transportation would be responsible for the remaining 85 percent of relocation costs, estimated at $2.6 million. Additionally, all work would be included as part of the GDOT contract for the road widening and would be completed by the contractor awarded the bid. 

In the letter attached to the agenda packet, Scott recommends approval of the proposed agreement, and notes that the funding source for this expense has not yet been determined.