Stephens Co. Tables Intergovernmental Agreement Approved by City of Toccoa

Stephens County Commissioners call for more talks with the city of Toccoa on a proposed intergovernmental agreement covering a number of issues.

The county commission discussed the agreement Tuesday after city commissioners unanimously approved it on Monday.

Under the proposed agreement, Stephens County would provide right-of-way maintenance on Memorial Drive from Big A Road to the By-pass.

Meanwhile, the city of Toccoa would make available a ladder truck for fire services throughout the county, continue brush and grass maintenance at the Stephens County Boat Ramp Park; and participate as it did in the past in recycling at the county’s convenience sites.

County Administrator Phyllis Ayers said the agreement stemmed from the realization recently by the county that it did not own all of Memorial Drive as it previously believed.

“We are bidding out our SPLOST VI roads,” said Ayers. “In that process, on Memorial Drive, there is a section below Sorrells Road that the city has annexed both properties in, which by law, they actually now own that road and need to maintain that road.”

Stephens County Commissioner Dean Scarborough said he cannot support the proposed agreement as written and called on the city to pave its part of Memorial Drive while the county does its part.

“State law says when you annex both sides of the road, you accept that road,” said Scarborough. “I feel they should provide those property owners with adequate streets and roads.”

Commissioner Stanley London agreed with Scarborough.

He said he also has issues with what the city is agreeing to do in return.

“Two of the points of the intergovernmental agreement were verbal (agreements) already,” said London. “It seems like they are bringing things they already agreed to do as bargaining chips. That’s not fair, I don’t think.”

County Commission Chairman Dennis Bell negotiated the proposed agreement with Toccoa Mayor Terry Carter.

Bell said the agreement is needed for a couple of different reasons.

“We do not have any agreement in writing about the fire trucks, the recycling, or the park,” said Bell. “To me, if it is not in writing, it did not happen.”

He said he wants to see all of Memorial Drive paved, regardless of who is supposed to do it, adding that he is thinking about the community as a whole.

Scarborough said he would be willing to pave the whole road and then be re-imbursed by the city of Toccoa. However, Ayers said that the city did not seem receptive to that idea when it was first brought up.

County commissioners voted unanimously to table the agreement and discuss it further with the city.