TOWNS COUNTY CIVIC ASSOCIATION
Board Meeting Minutes
February 10, 2021 2 p.m.
Hiawassee Garden Clubhouse, Hiawassee
1.Opening Remarks: Michael welcomed all to the meeting.
Present: Michael Courey, Larry Dietsch, Joan Crothers, Anna Denton, David Best, LaJean Turner.
Guest: John Clemens.
Note: Sue Astley respectfully resigned due to personal issues. We thank her for the time and work that she gave to us.
Quorum: Quorum present.
2. Secretary’s Report: Minutes of the 12/10/20 and 1/14/21 meetings were emailed to Board members. Motion to approve both Minutes was made by Larry; seconded and vote approved as submitted.
3. Treasurer’s Report: Larry reported a balance of $3,764.92 as of 1/29/21. Motion made by Anna to approve; seconded and passed. LaJean made a motion for TCCA to obtain a bank account debit card limited to use by the Treasurer. The motion was seconded. After considerable discussion a vote was taken with unanimous approval.
4. Membership Report: Anna reported 120 individual memberships, 67 households, 8 HOA. She asked board members to check the list she submitted of members not renewing and call any you know.
5. Old Business
a. Web Site Update: David continues to address the Association web site with some assistance from
Jan Kowalsky. He is now the administrator of TCCA website. Spam remains an issue to control.
Effort will be made to update the site content. John Clemens offered to assist.
b. Pandemic: Social restrictions still continue. Immunizations are doing well in the County.
c. June Membership Meeting:Michael met with Sheriff Henderson and Col. Gene Moss. A
combined committee will address the form and format for a public gathering enabling school
children and professionals in the field to address the area drug problem and effect upon out local
society. This forum depends on the ability to hold a public meeting in June.
d. Newsletter of January 2021: Anna emailed the January edition to the Association members.
A review of the distribution will be made.
c. Hamilton Gardens: A resolution enabling the current group to remain as managers of the Gardens
is being considered. This decision must be made soon. Without a formal designation by the County
Administration (County Commissioner) enabling the legal presence of Hamilton Gardens at Lake
Chatuge, Inc at the County Park containing Hamilton Gardens, the 501c3 will be forced to leave and
dissolve. This agreement effort has been going on for over two years without a solution.
6. New Business
a. Newsletter for April 2021: With the absence of Sue, Joan agreed to do the next newsletter.
A suggestion was made to include input from each city Mayor and the County Commissioner. The
next newsletter is scheduled for April distribution.
b. Covid-19: The County vaccination program continues. It seems well organized and managed.
c. Mitch Floyd memo of 2/1/2021: Re: Roadside litter on Towns County roadways has increased
during the last year. However, the effort to collect roadway trash has been inhibited by the pandemic
prevention County detainees and State prisoners to conduct the trash collection. Also, the “Clean
Sweep” program has also been prevented from the yearly volunteer activity. With the hope for a
pandemic relief soon, the cleanup efforts should resume. David will construct and send a written
response to Mitch for the Board.
d. Board Membership: John Clements was nominated to fill one of the vacant Director Board
positions. John accepted the nomination. LaJean made a motion to accept John as a Director for the
remainder of the current two year term. The motion was seconded and passed with unanimous
approval. Welcome John. Two Board vacancies remain.
Page 2, TCCA Minutes, 2/10/21
7. Committee Assignments:
a. City of Hiawassee –Joan: Meetings are still online. The City has adopted the CodeRED
emergency notification system (maintenance issues, road closures, etc), call City Hall to be
included on this information notice program. City and DDA (Downtown Development Auth.) are
working on $500K grant from USDA Rural Development for development of Paris Buildings. $180K
from City was used last year and DDA is supposed to fund-raise the other $500K in a 2-yr. time frame.
A fund raising coach has been hired.
b. City of Y.H.- Anna: Dept. of Natural Resource Trail Grant awarded $194K with a 25% local
match for Cupid Falls Park (about $150K funding). The definition of Zoning Ordinance will be
amended for industrial as well as public purposes so as to include the old EMC bldg. which is
currently being leased until 2/2022. The Mayor’s Park Gazebo will soon be finished and may be
rented for $125-half day + $35 Deposit, & $225+$50 Dep.-full day.
c. Commissioner-Joan: Meeting cancelled because of Covid-19 Office infections.
d. T.C. Water Authority- The City of Hiawassee and the TCWSA have reached an agreement on the
management of water cost to the County Authority and the management of those sewer accounts not
paying their bill. Specific details to be released by the County Water Authority.
e. Chamber of Commerce-LaJean: The Made-in-Georgia Expo is planned for the last weekend in June;
The Truck Show (location unknown) is planned for the first weekend in June; The Chamber provided
lunch for the volunteers at the Synergy (Dr. Church) vaccination day last week; The Chamber also
provided Valentine’s cards for young students at school to give to the residents of Brasstown Manor.
The Kayak Fishing Tournament was a success.
f. CVB: No meeting. John will be attending.
g. BRMEMC- No meeting held for the public yet.
h. County Planning Commission: No report. David Best will go to next one.
i. Health Dept-Larry: 1/21/2021 meeting: Covid-19 cases are decreasing in Towns County. The
Vaccine is now available as planned by the Georgia Department of Public Health. See
(dph.georgia.gov/covid-vaccine) for those individuals in Phase 1A. Currently the TC Board of
Health, and Synergy are conducting the vaccinations. CVS and Walgreens Drugs Stores will start in
the near future. More vaccines and locations will be available in the future.
8. Other Business:
a. The TCCA 2022 budgetwas discussed and then tabled.
b. LaJean agreed to update and improve the Association rack card. All Board members are asked to
submit suggestions to LaJean for compilation.
9. Adjournment: There being no further business, a Motion to adjourn duly made at 4 p.m.
Next Meeting: Wednesday,March 10, 2021, at 2:00 p.m.at the Hiawassee Garden Club.
Respectfully submitted,
/s/ Joan Crothers, Secretary