TOWNS COUNTY CIVIC ASSOCIATION BOARD MEETING
Wednesday May 14, 2025,
1 pm Towns County Courthouse, 2nd Floor Conference Room
1. President’s Remarks\Report – John
a. Present: John Clemens, Andy Williams, Joan Crothers, Leslie Howard, Anna Denton, David Best, Jim Olson, Michael Courey. Guest: Amy Barrett.
b. TVA Announcement-Repair work on Chatuge Dam
i. What can or should we do?
TVA meetings: 5/13 at Rec. Center–John talked to “Save Lk.C.” members there, they wanted to raise money for MountainTrue again, but Callie Moore, the SE Dir., said they did not have the manpower to do that now. So could TCCA handle the money was their question. Discussion led to John saying he would invite Callie & SLC leaders to a mtg. w/TCCA Board and Chamber. Anna made a motion to move the June Membership mtg. to July or August, depending on when a TVA rep. could come here; motion seconded & passed.
c. Discuss the TCCA stance on Affordable Housing: Everyone approved of John’s statement for TCCA that he will send out to membership. David will put it on our website.Amy agreed that it is needed. She said one business owner just put up a building with stores below and 2 rental units for employees above. But how do you keep them from turning into B&B’s? Michael suggested looking up “Floating Zoning.”
d. New Board member needed: Amy was asked if she would be a member and she said yes, but she would have to ask the City Atty, if she legally could do so.
2. Reports:
a. Secretary’s Report (Motion to Approve) – Joan: April minutes Emailed to BOD, Motion to approve duly made; seconded & passed.
b. Treasurer’s Report (Motion to Approve) – Leslie: April 30 Balance: $ 3,933.64; Income: Dues, Exp.: $200 TC Scholarship #1381. Motion to approve duly made; seconded and passed. Michael Courey made a motion to have our account at United Community Bank divided into two accounts, one a savings account and one our checking account (existing); a Debit card on the account with the lesser amount. Motion seconded & passed.
c. Membership Report (Information Only) – Anna: April 2025 Report: Same as last month: 74 Families, 120 Individuals, 4 businesses; $980 prepaid dues.
d. Website Update/Maintenance (Information Only) – David: Latest news is up-to-date, along with latest TVA lake drawdown info. Site Health Status: remains rated as “Good” by WordPress; Acksmet: activated no-charge plug-in on 5/12/2025 to better manage spam. Now it uses AI to “learn” how to identify and manage.
3. Committee Reports (significant issues)
a. Chamber of Commerce – John: Made in GA will be 6/28-29; full house and have a wait list for vendors. DDA Summer FUNdraiser-Jimmy Buffett tribute show @ GMF Anderson Music Hall on 7/19; Music: group A1A.
b. City of Young Harris -Anna: 4/21/25 Zoning Map was approved, including Valley Trails Apts. Towns Co. will collect City taxes for 2% of tax amount. Councilman Dr. Kelley agreed to be Code Enforcement Officer the remainder of 2025. City celebrates 130 Yr. Anniversary.
c. City of Hiawassee – Joan: 4/28 Special Called Session: Mayor Jay Chastain, Council member Scott Benton and Deputy City Clerk Sheryl Branson were all sworn into office. 4/28 Work session: Jay will be on the ballot in the Nov. election as he is finishing out former
mayor’s term. Fletcher Holliday gave a CIP (Capital Improvement Plan) Report: $20 mill. needed to fix storm water coming into the sewer system; Water rates need to increase due to increased usage; T.C.W&S Authority will have an increase in water usage also; City still has a 52% loss of treated water. Holliday recommended Manholes fixed re: rain water; water loss–fix old lines; and overhaul water rates. This extensive report is updated every 5 yrs. City Chief Parker will resign May 25, 2025. Council will vote on a pay increase at the regular May 6th meeting for the Police Dept. TVA Drawdown on Lake Chatuge was discussed and the Mayor wrote them a letter with the City’s concerns and also put it in the paper. Letter was passed out at the 4/28 work session.
d. Commissioner’s Meeting-Joan: [No regular mtg.- I hope to get minutes of April Spec. mtg. Tues. & send out separately.]
e. Conference and Visitors Bureau- Jim: DDA requested funding for a new bus; the request was denied. The contracted accountant automatically filed a tax return extension for 2024. A new contract fees limit of $1200 year over year for accounting services was approved.
f. Water & Sewer Authority – Jim: Radio signals from new meters need more reliable reporting. Authority intends to install a new antennae to help with system control signaling. Authority still has an unfilled position for a qualified “leak finder/fixer.”
g. Board of Education – Michael: 4 /14/25 The Ag Center Construction should be finished by June 2025; air conditioning will be installed in the big Gym in the summer of 2025; certain areas of the school floors will be repaired/replaced; an Ag Barn will be built in the summer of 2025; replacements for the various staff resignations and retirements has taken place; budget items were discussed, and final school year student course testing is upcoming as school ends in May.
h. BRMEMC – Michael: Outages due to March winds caused $10 mill. in damages. Drawdown discussed briefly, but Chatuge Dam is different from Oroville CA problems. Local meetings on this are on TVA Website.
i. County Planning Commission – David: 3 variances to Mtn. Protection Act were approved.
j. County Health Department – Leslie: 4/24- 26 new Septic Permits, 31 Residential inspections, 6 Repair permits.
4.. New Business Submitted from Board Members and/or Guest: None
5. Adjournment: Duly adjourned at 3:35 p.m.
Joan Crothers, Secretary
Next Meeting: June 4, 2025, 1 p.m. at the Courthouse meeting room.
Sent out 5/19/25