TCHA President Noel Turner opened the meeting at 6 p.m. with a welcome to all, especially dignitaries in the audience, Mayors Liz Ordiales and Andrea Gibby, and Hiawassee Council-woman Anne Mitchell. Billy Snipes did the invocation.
Tables were set up for Hamilton Gardens, CASA, and Firewise; Joan & Jan greeted by the door; 47 members signed in along with 17 guests.
Donation: Noel presented a $500 check to Grace Howard, President of Hamilton Gardens at Lake Chatuge, Inc. $300 is from the TCHA treasury and $100 each from two Board members. It will be the third year TCHA has sponsored their “Gardens Celebration” which will be in April. It was also mentioned that they will have a Full Moon Hike through the Gardens, Wednesday, 1/31/18. This is a larger than usual full moon, a blue moon, and a blood moon with eclipse.
Dinner: TCHA provided chicken tenders, baked ham, rolls, tea, coffee, and water and members brought side dishes and desserts.
Name Change: Noel talked about the name change from T.C. Homeowners Association to Towns County Civic Association because of our group being confused with subdivision homeowners groups. The motion to change was made, seconded and passed unanimously.
Website: Jan Kowalsky reported on our website which she has been working on.
Speakers: Vice Pres. SuSu Davis thanked the ladies who were helping in the kitchen tonight. She then introduced Dennis Tumlin, Economic Dir. from Dayton TN. He helped the small town of Dayton, on Lake Chickamauga, become a hotspot for pro and semi-pro fishing tournaments. He can vision the same for Towns County and Lake Chatuge, “Decide on a brand and market it, then a logo (be intentional), partner w/social media, and don’t be afraid of diversity and change!”
Mayors, Ordiales and Gibby, said they were excited about working together and with the Commissioner to promote tourism in the county and work on available grants.
After the meeting was adjourned at 7:15, the three speakers sat at a front table and answered many questions from the audience as SuSu walked among them with a mike.