Toccoa To Stick With Whitworth

The city of Toccoa will continue to utilize two inmate work crews from the Whitworth Women’s Facility in Hartwell to assist with city projects.

Monday, the Toccoa City Commission unanimously approved a new one-year agreement with the facility for the use of two inmate work crews.

Toccoa City Manager Billy Morse said this just allows for a continuation of what has been taking place for the last year.

“We do have two inmate work details from the Whitworth Women’s Facility,” said Morse. “One works at the Public Works facility. The other works at the golf course property. Each crew has a guard and a minimum of ten team members assigned to it. We have $39,500 budgeted for each crew. This is a one-year agreement with the state for that program if you would like to continue with it.”

City Commissioner Gail Fry said that Toccoa has benefitted greatly from the work crews and she says continuing to use them is a smart decision.

“I would just like to say that I think we are getting a lot for our money with this,” said Fry. “Those crews are out there working all year long,” said Fry. “They pick up trash. They do the roads. They are always up at the golf course. They work one day a week at the animal shelter, so we are really getting our money’s worth and I think this is a good move for us.”

Under the agreement, the city of Toccoa provides the work crews with the vehicles, equipment, and supplies it needs to do the work assigned.

The agreement calls for the crews to work four days a week.

In other action from Monday’s Toccoa City Commission meeting, city commissioners unanimously approved two Georgia Municipal Association resolutions.

The first changed the lease pool trustee to Regions Bank and the second increased the financing percentage allowed on a software purchase.

Finally during Monday’s meeting, the city acknowledged the receipt of the Memorial Drive Warranty Deed.

As part of that, the city of Toccoa accepts Memorial Drive between Big A Road and the Toccoa By-pass as a city street and acquires the right-of-way.

This was agreed to by the city and county as part of an intergovernmental agreement last year.