TOWNS COUNTY CIVIC ASSOCIATION BOARD MEETING
Wednesday July 9, 2025,
1 pm Towns County Courthouse, 2nd Floor Conference Room
1. President’s Remarks\Report – John
a. Present: John Clemens, Andy Williams, Lesle Howard, Joan Crothers, Anna Denton, Michael Courey, Jim Olson, David Best, Amy Barrett.
Guest: Lily Ponitz.
b. Guest speaker, Lily Ponitz: She is the new Economic Development Director for the City of Hiawassee, taking Denise McKay’s place. She gave us a short bio and then talked about her job. She has lived in Hiawassee for 2 years, working at the Peacock Playhouse in Hayesville, and then signed on with Hiawassee City in June. She will listen to the residents as to growth. Leslie volunteered to attend DDA meetings and report back to TCCA.
c. Next Newsletter: John said he had been waiting for a date for the Membership Meeting, as we didn’t have it in June as usual. It will be Thursday, August 12th, 6 p.m. at the Civic Center in Hiawassee. Subjects suggested: TVA Drawdown for Dam Spillway, Day Care Facility at Jack Dayton Circle, Medical Care at Chatuge Hospital by someone from Union General. Zoning was also discussed, but it was felt that the public needs more education as to what that term entails.
D. Proclamation Signing: Each Board Member signed 3 copies of a Proclamation of thanks to Commissioner Cliff Bradshaw for his work and many meetings with the TVA and other officials about the drawdown to Lake Chatuge for Spillway repairs.
2. Reports:
a. Secretary’s Report (Motion to Approve) – Joan: June 11th Minutes were emailed to BOD, Motion to approve duly made; seconded & passed.
b. Treasurer’s Report (Motion to Approve) – Leslie: June 30th Balance: $3,619.64. Expense-Post Office Box-$214. Motion to approve duly made; seconded and passed. Leslie will check with Going Postal for their box rent price.
c. Membership Report (Information Only) – Anna: No change since the April Report: 74 Families, 120 Individuals, 4 businesses as of 7/9/25. 54.1% of household memberships that are expired this month would have renewed at the June meeting.
d. Website Update/Maintenance (Information Only) – David: Home page is up-to-date; Amy Barrett added to BOD; Site Health Status: remains rated as “Good” by WordPress; upcoming Membership Mtg. info will be added. I will be out of town for 2 months.
3. Committee Reports (significant issues)
a. Chamber of Commerce – John: Made in GA 6/28-29-altho. attendance was 1161 it was down 575 people from 2024, we should clear $15K, down $4K from 2024. 30 boats registered for 7/4 Boat Parade. DDA Summer FUNdraiser-Jimmy Buffett tribute show @ GMF Anderson Music Hall is on 7/19; 7/25-Paddles for the Pantry is a charity pickleball tournament with 48 teams. GA Mtn. Fair Parade will be 8/16 starting at 11 a.m. above So. St. Bank.
b. City of Young Harris -Anna: 7/8 Brian McMurphy requested a change in zoning for old EMC Building, now to be called Power House Center, a multi-use retail space w/restaurant/Bar in back; Victoria’s Antiques & More application approved; Joseph Grady-Special use Permit application for Micro brewing had first reading of ordinance.
c.City of Hiawassee – Joan: Reg. mtg. 7/1: Increase in Council pay–$300/meeting up from $200, $50/special mtgs.–approved 3-2; Purchase of Track hoe for Water Dept ($73,500) approved; Alcohol License for Broncos approved. Not approved: Salary survey w/GMRC ($9,985). Set City Council Retreat date for 8/23.
d.Commissioner’s Meeting-Joan: 6/17 Mtg. Bradshaw signed FY2026 contract w/Legacy Link (Senior Center)– $128K ($5K increase); Facility Use Agreement w/American Red Cross-(to occupy building directly behind EMS); Appointed Margie Winkler to replace Lois Palmer on T.C. Board of Health. He met last week in TN w/TVA and will have news on Lake Drawdown soon. We got the news Wed., 6/25/25, the TVA has abandoned its initial plans for a warm-season drawdown of Lake Chatuge and will instead work on its spillway repairs for 2 yrs.,only during the off-season months; a 2-yr. Study comes first for the extent of repairs.
e. Water & Sewer Authority – Jim: Staff reports that the new leak detector works very well. They are evaluating a new GIS mapping app. Legal formally releases Frog Pond resident special capital contracts and all project easement restrictions.
f. Conference and Visitors Bureau- Jim: CVB cancelled the meeting for June.
g. Board of Education – Michael: No report.
h. BRMEMC – Michael: Recent outages were caused by storms, 18 broken poles the first part of June.
i. County Planning Commission – David: 6/16 mtg. 7 different projects addressed: 1-Combine lots 4-5 on Fodder Ck. Mill, $400; 2-Approved two Lighted Marquee signs next to Angry Chicken on Hwy 76; 3-Carport in Hi River, Hardship to owner variance approved; 4. Bill Brown Cove, variance denied to build ramp 10” from neighbor; 5-Variance approved to build ramp inside 20’ setback at 1350 Chatuge Cr.; 6-Clark Hill cul-de-sac is not a county road, owner of trees needs to be contacted; 7-Approved 2 requests to cut trees above 2200’ were within limits of Mtn. Prot. Act.
j. County Health Department – Leslie: 5/28/25 Last quarterly mtg.
4. New Business Submitted from Board Members and/or Guest: None.
5. Adjournment: Duly adjourned at 3:45 p.m.
Joan Crothers, Secretary
Next Meeting: Membership Meeting, August 12, 2025 6 p.m. at the Civic Center.