January 2024 Board Meeting Minutes

TOWNS COUNTY CIVIC ASSOCIATION

Board Meeting Minutes

Wednesday, January 10, 2024, 2 p.m.

City Hall Conference Room, 2nd Floor

Present: John Clemens, Larry Dietsch, Anna Denton, Joan Crothers, David Best, Jim Olson.

Absent: Michael Courey

Guests: Ron Farmer, Save Lake Chatuge; Joe Liguori, prospective member.

1. President’s Remarks/Report: John

  1. Welcome
  2. Newsletter: John wants to put out a draft by next week.
  3. Membership meeting in January: This is on hold right now; By-Laws say we have to have one annual membership meeting in June to elect officers.

2. Board Officers reports:

  1. Secretary-Joan: December 2023 meeting minutes were email; Larry made a motion to approve; seconded and passed.
  2. Treasurer-Larry: Emailed his report; As of 12/29/23 the Checkbook Balance is $3,483.21; and noted that the Secretary of State Annual Registration ($30) has been paid. Jim made a motion to approve; seconded and passed.
  3. Website Update-David: All is up to date–no problems.
  4. Membership-Anna: 42 Households, (72 individuals), 1 HOA (Ridgeview), 1 Business (GMF), Total 44. She also gave us membership names that have prepaid their dues for TCCA fiscal years 2024 and 2025.

3. Committee Reports:

  1. Chamber of Commerce-John: 1/11/24 mtg. Burger Week: Extended to 10 days- Tues. 1/16- 25. 8 member restaurants: Brothers; Hawg Wild; Hiawassee Brew; Main Street Grill; Marina Station; Pick-A-Nick Basket Deli; Sundance Grill and Y.H.Wing House. Burgers will be $9 and you must get at least 3 stamps for your passport to be entered into the drawing. $200 is grand prize ($25 from each restaurant). Passports & rack cards are going out this week to the restaurants. Passports are due by the end of business on January 29 and we will pick the winner. Save Lake Chatuge- concerned citizens group regarding the parrot feather in the lake. Tina & Julie attended the meeting on Thurs. morning, January 4th at Hiawassee Park. The meeting was a work session for the group and one of the 3 companies was there who have been asked to put a proposal together for the treatment of parrot feather. Southeastern Consulting Services–from Monticello GA-is the preferred company of the group. The treatment area is approx. 280 acres on the north end (Macedonia area) of the lake. Their proposal was $400K which included a follow up after a certain amount of time. Commissioner Bradshaw is meeting this week with the county attorney to discuss the “How” and “Who” about entering a contract and managing any money raised by the citizens group for the project. More open to the public meetings will occur once the “how can we questions” have been answered. Visit the website – savelakechatuge.org and the Facebook group of the same name.
  2. City of Young Harris-Jim: No Report.
  3. City of Hiawassee-Joan: 1/9/24 regular mtg.: Public Hearing to review Home Rule Ordinance Change for Removal of Officer: Atty. Mitchell read the new ordinance to a full audience. It says causes will be listed, voted on by Council, Officer has right to appeal in T.C. Superior Court. Liz quoted a state law that is over local law, she said she has attorney advice that it (new ordinance) violates state law. Atty. Mitchell disagrees. Went to reg. mtg.: Jonathan Wilson was sworn in as Council member. Amy Barrett has served 2 yrs. as Mayor Pro Tem, she nominated Jr. Chastain & Council voted him in. Mediation Terms: Liz will resign before 12/31/24 (1 yr. before her term is up), Council agreed to pay ½ of her mediation legal fees up to $1500. No Boardwalk work until Paris Business Center is finished. Approved: Berrong-Oakley Hs. roofing job to Park Atlanta Homes; Watershed Monitoring agreement with EMI for 2024; Intergovernmental Agreement for Economic Development; Workers Comp insurance renewal for 2024.
  4. Commissioner’s Mtg.: 12/19/23: The 2024 Gen,. Fund Budget was submitted to the GA Dept. of Rev. by the end of Dec. with 2nd reading. The 2024 Budget is up 9% at $15.2 mill. compared to 2023 at just under $14 mill., mainly due to salary increases to keep current employees. Largest sources of county income are property tax collections of $2.5 million and Ad Valorem Tax of $1 mill. He discussed parrot feather in the lake and said he will be having a public meeting in Jan. with TVA present.
  5. T.C. Water & Sewer Authority-Jim: Meeting was cancelled.
  6. Convention Visitors Board (CVB)-Jim: Meeting cancelled.
  7. Board of Education-Michael or Jim: No report.
  8. BRMEMC-Michael: No report.
  9. County Planning Commission-David: Only one topic: A property owner on Bell Creek obtained a permit for a boat storage building. She has had a 2-story building built with stairs on highway right-of-way. They wound up giving her a variance to let the building stand, but with no electricity, etc.
  10. County Health Dept.- Larry: Next meeting is 1/25 and he will attend.

4. New Business:

  1. Ron Farmer talked about the Save Lake Chatuge group and will let John know about the 3rd company meeting.
  2. Joe Liguori visited the meeting and is considering joining the Board.

5. Adjourn: Duly approved at 3:20 p.m.

Joan Crothers, Secretary