911 director updates community on call center upgrades
News February 18, 2020
HIAWASSEE, Ga. – Towns County 911 Director Marty Roberts brought the community up-to-date on the progress of the upgraded equipment and renovations to the Emergency Operations Center during the February commissioner’s meeting.
“We’re excited at 911. There’s a lot of things happening down there that are just wonderful,” Roberts said. “Everything looks great. The dispatchers are really excited about the new upgrades. We’re ahead of schedule on going live with our CAD. We started our training last week. We were in training for four days. We’ve got two more weeks of that and then we’ll be cutting live on the 24th of March. So we’re really excited about that.”
Roberts confided that the renovations have not been a simple task, however, considering that the 911 center is operational at all times. In addition to a lease agreement with AVTEC for the radio console systems, a contract with Quality Recording for a recorder to preserve the audio of 911 calls was signed by Sole Commissioner Cliff Bradshaw.
“The radio console, it’s not actually a radio,” Roberts continued. “It’s actually a computer system hooked to radios which allows the dispatchers to combine different frequencies to talk to the fire, EMS, SO at the same time. So we don’t have to talk to one and then talk to the other. It allows us to do our tones that we dispatch to alert the fire station or the ambulance services when we have a call.” Roberts said that the upgraded system will increase the speed of emergency dispatch.
A five-year lease agreement was entered with AT&T in November, in conjunction with West Safety Services, at a cost of $4.260 per month for the emergency telecommunications service. Commissioner Cliff Bradshaw explained that while the county considered purchasing the service, the lease agreement proved to be the better bargain due to maintenance and service costs associated with an owned system.
Bradshaw previously signed a contract in July 2019, upgrading the county’s computer-aided dispatch (CAD) system for emergency services. Towns County 911 explained that the improved system will be custom-tailored to Towns County. The cost of the enhanced CAD system totals nearly $213,000, a price that Bradshaw defined as a “tremendous amount of money.” The charge is roughly half of the amount that the commissioner expected to spend on the program upon taking office, however, and Bradshaw expressed approval, referencing computer-aided dispatch as “the heartbeat of 911.”
“There are times when leasing is more cost-effective because the maintenance of this equipment is included in the lease,” Bradshaw said on Tuesday. The new console system will cost $2,983 per month which includes maintenance, whereas it has cost $1,055 per month in maintenance alone without parts included for the 12-year-old system. “We’re not only upgrading all of the technology and equipment down there, we’re also remodeling the interior of the building,” Bradshaw added. “New floor coverings, ceiling, tiles, paint, and it’s going to look very nice.”
The commissioner said that the public will be invited to view the renovations to the 911 Center once the project is complete.
Road crews at work as snow blankets county
News February 8, 2020HIAWASSEE, Ga. – Towns County Road Department is hard at work, clearing area roadways to ensure safe passage for emergency responders and motorists who must travel. As the snow began to fall, with current reports of over 6 inches of accumulation in some locations, Towns County Commissioner Cliff Bradshaw continues to make the rounds with county road crews.
Numerous, minor accidents have been reported throughout the county.
Upper Hiawassee River, State Route 75 South.
Hiawassee Police Department advised motorists this morning to “please stay off the streets unless absolutely necessary.”
Blue Ridge Mountain EMC is reporting approximately 600 power outages in its area of coverage.
Winter precipitation is expected to taper off as the afternoon advances, with an overnight temperature of roughly 23 degrees. Partly sunny skies with temperatures in the 50s are in Sunday’s forecast.
Ice may form on area roadways after dusk. Please use extreme caution if travel is unavoidable.
“We would like to ask that travel be avoided if possible especially after dark due to freezing of wet and slushy roads,” Towns County EMA Director Brandon Walls told FYN. “We have also requested extra GDOT plow trucks to assist.”
The threat of possible localized flooding remains, Walls said, as the ground is saturated from recent rainfall and additional precipitation is anticipated to return next week. Walls urged residents to remain alert to changing weather conditions.
Follow FYN for further weather updates as developments occur.
Towns County Road Department at work.
Freeport Tax Exemption to appear on May ballot
News February 5, 2020
HIAWASSEE, Ga.- A referendum that could ease the tax burden for local business owners will appear on the May 19 general primary ballot. Towns County Commissioner Cliff Bradshaw informed FYN last year that it was an option that he was considering in expectation of attracting economic development to the area. The formal decision to include the question on the spring ballot was announced last week during a special-called meeting. If approved by the voters, the referendum will allow business owners to store merchandise and production supplies in their shops, tax-free, for a year’s time.
As of Jan. 1, 2016, business inventory became exempt from state property taxes. According to Georgia.org, nearly all (93 percent) of Georgia’s counties and over 140 of its cities have adopted a Level One Freeport Exemption, set at 20, 40, 60, 80 or 100 percent of the inventory value.
Towns County opted for a 100-percent exemption.
A Level One Freeport Exemption may exempt the following types of tangible personal property:
- Inventory of goods in the process of being manufactured or produced including raw materials and partly finished goods
- Inventory of finished goods manufactured or produced in Georgia held by the manufacturer or producer for a period not to exceed 12 months
- Inventory of finished goods on January 1 that are stored in a warehouse, dock, or wharf that are destined for shipment outside of Georgia for a period not to exceed 12 months
If approved, application for Freeport Exemption should be made with the Board of Tax Assessors within the same time period that returns are due in the county.
In addition to Freeport Exemption, Towns County Sole Commissioner Cliff Bradshaw requested that the Board of Elections include a Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) referendum on the May ballot.
SPLOST is an optional one percent county sales tax used to fund capital outlay projects proposed by the county government and participating qualified municipal governments. In general, county and municipal governments may not use SPLOST proceeds for operating expenses or maintenance of a SPLOST project1 or any other county or municipal facility or service. SPLOST is levied in what the law refers to as a “special district,” which is comprised of the entire territory of the county calling for the SPLOST. By using special districts, the revenue of a county tax
can be constitutionally shared with participating municipalities. The tax is imposed when the board of commissioners – or in the case of Towns County, the sole commissioner – calls a local referendum (i.e., vote) and the referendum is subsequently passed by the voters within the county.
SPLOST to appear on spring ballot
News January 26, 2020
HIAWASSEE, Ga. – Towns County Sole Commissioner Cliff Bradshaw requested that the Board of Elections include a Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) referendum on the May 19, 2020 primary ballot.
“The school’s SPLOST tax runs out in October…,” Bradshaw said last week. “Ours will pick up when theirs cuts out, when theirs ends. So there would be no increase on taxes from what it is right now. And the reason we’re asking for the SPLOST tax is to remodel this courthouse and possibly do an addition on it because all of the judges since I have been here have come in and actually told me you all need to do some work here at the courthouse. We’re not handicapped compliant, and there’s several other reasons as you can look around and see. We just need to be updated.
Towns County Commissioner Cliff Bradshaw
“Also, we would use the money for the fire department to upgrade some of our fire trucks and things like that. Also for our road department to upgrade their equipment. It’s been many, many years since we replaced any of the dump trucks. our backhoe or sidearm machine that mow your banks and things like that. And then we’d also put in there for parks and rec. We might need to do some fencing and things like that at Foster Park.”
Additionally, the City of Hiawassee scheduled a special-called meeting for Monday, Jan. 27 at 6 pm, immediately preceding the council’s regular work session. “It will begin with a special-called meeting to discuss and vote on the SPLOST Referendum and the Fluoride Resolution,” Hiawassee City Clerk Bonnie Kendrick told FYN.
Click for City of Hiawassee fluoride archives
A SPLOST is an optional one percent county sales tax used to fund capital outlay projects proposed by the county government and participating qualified municipal governments. In general, county and municipal governments may not use SPLOST proceeds for operating expenses or maintenance of a SPLOST project1 or any other county or municipal facility or service. SPLOST is levied in what the law refers to as a “special district,” which is comprised of the entire territory of the county calling for the SPLOST. By using special districts, the revenue of a county tax
can be constitutionally shared with participating municipalities. The tax is imposed when the board of commissioners – or in the case of Towns County, the sole commissioner – calls a local referendum (i.e., vote) and the referendum is subsequently passed by the voters within the county.
The tax is collected on items subject to the sales and use tax within the county. The SPLOST is also imposed on the sale of food and nonalcoholic beverages, which are not subject to the state sales tax, and is also imposed on the sale of alcoholic beverages.
Bradshaw ‘in support’ of 2A sanctuary county
News January 22, 2020
HIAWASSEE, Ga. – Towns County Sole Commissioner Cliff Bradshaw stated to FYN, Jan. 22, that he consulted with County Attorney Robb Kiker concerning the possibility of securing Towns County as a pro-Second Amendment sanctuary county. Bradshaw, a Second Amendment supporter, raised the topic during an opportune meeting concerning the SPOLST tax with legal counsel.
“I’m waiting until the next sheriff is elected to proceed,” Bradshaw said. “We’ll obviously need the support of the sheriff’s office to move forward.”
With Towns County Sheriff Chris Clinton retiring, a newly-elected chief law enforcement officer will take office.
In essence, Commissioner Bradshaw chose to delay a solid stance on the matter until post-election results.
The topic was brought to the forefront of the commissioner’s attention by Towns County citizens, the result of the “Red Flag” law recently enacted in Virginia. The 2A sanctuary county movement has gained substantial traction in Georgia, with social media groups forming in support of the cause.
Second Amendment sanctuaries, also known as a gun sanctuary, refer to states, counties, or localities in the United States that have adopted laws or resolutions to prohibit or impede the enforcement of certain gun control measures that are violative of the Second Amendment.
Feature Image: Georgia 2A Sanctuary Counties/Facebook
Towns County comes in $100K under budget, road grant approved
News January 22, 2020
HIAWASSEE, Ga. – Towns County has nearly completed its budget amendment calculation for 2019, with positive news of an underspending of approximately $100,000. Sole Commissioner Cliff Bradshaw estimated the amount between $80K to $100K at the 2020 county budget adoption on Dec. 31, with the exact amount undetermined at the time due to delayed bill submissions by unspecified departments. Bradshaw stated that a few outstanding bills still need to be paid in order to arrive at an exact figure.
“It may be a little bit more. I don’t think it will be any less,” Bradshaw said. “But we can safely say $100,000. So I’m very, very proud of that. The auditors have already started again, auditing. They should be able to work through our books through June so we’re looking forward to getting that one done as well.”
The commissioner held a called meeting in his courthouse office on New Year’s Eve to finalize the adoption of the 2020 county budget while amending the budget from the previous year. “Every year, at the end of the year, we go over the previous year budget, and then we make any amendments that we need to amend. We might have an overage of one department, and under in another department, so we just move the money around so that we stay in budget,” Bradshaw explained.
Click to review Towns County’s 2020 budget
In other news, Towns County was approved for a Local Maintenance & Improvement Grant (LMIG) in the amount of $316,000. Towns County will provide a 30-percent match. “Last year we receive $284,000 so it’s definitely up and we’re very thankful for that,” Bradshaw said. The grant assists with road repaving and resurfacing.
According to the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT), the annual LMIG allocation is based on the total centerline road miles for each local road system and the total population of each county or city as compared with the total statewide centerline road miles and total statewide population. The LMIG program allows local governments greater flexibility and quicker project delivery while allowing the GDOT to effectively administer the program with a reduced workforce and new funding match requirements.
Bradshaw sets qualifying fees for 2020 candidates
Election, News January 22, 2020
HIAWASSEE, Ga. – Towns County Sole Commissioner Cliff Bradshaw announced the qualifying fees for candidates in the 2020 election, Jan. 21. The fees are calculated at 3-percent of the elected official’s salary, based on the previous year. Qualification will take place the first week in March, with the primary election for six county offices held on Tuesday, May 19.
The qualifying fees for the open Towns County offices are as follows:
Sole Commissioner: $1,407.54
Sheriff: $1,407.54
Coroner: $36.00
Tax Commissioner: $1.229.04
Clerk of Court: $1,229.04
Probate Judge: $1,578.31
Towns County Board of Elections Chair Janet Olivia and Elections Director Rachel Edwards attended the public meeting, explaining the updated voting process while displaying the newly-introduced ballot machines. A total of 42 voting machines are expected to debut at the three assigned precincts, Olivia said.
Towns County Elections Director Rachel Edwards demonstrating the updated voting process.
A touchscreen device will record the elector’s vote, printing a ballot for accuracy review. The ballot is then fed into a scanning device which records the vote.
“If you recall when you voted in the past, you go in and our managers have to look up your name…,” Olivia said, explaining that the voting process should be quicker. “The new poll pads have a scanner on them.” The updated device scans the barcode on the voter’s driver’s license or identification card.
Senior citizens and disabled voters will be assisted by poll workers to the head of the line, Olivia said.
Concern regarding the small print on the printed ballots was raised by a citizen in attendance. Olivia said that reading magnifiers may be introduced at the voting precincts to aid electors with limited vision.
During the demonstration, Olivia announced that the election office is launching a Facebook page to keep the public informed. Towns County Board of Elections and Registration is located at 67 Lakeview Circle, Suite A, in Hiawassee. For additional information, dial 706-896-4353.
Click for Towns County Board of Elections archives
Feature Image: Towns County Sole Commissioner Cliff Bradshaw
Emergency dispatch, responders switch to digital communication
News January 15, 2020
HIAWASSEE, Ga. – Towns County Emergency Operations Center is in the process of transitioning from analog to digital radio communications with a test run currently in effect. The updated system is scheduled to “cut live” on Tuesday, Jan.21. Towns County E-911 Director Marty Roberts said that the test period is progressing well, stating that the updated system provides clearer reception in areas where service was once weak for communication between dispatchers and first responders.
Click to read Towns County to upgrade 911 emergency system in 2020
Citizens who have listened to emergency transmissions on analog scanners in the past will no longer be able to receive information without upgrading to a digital device. Roberts said, however, that Towns County E-911 will continue to use analog communication with the Georgia State Patrol, Department of Natural Resources, and medical flight transport as those divisions remain on an analog system.
Analog and digital radios transmit signals over a radio channel using a carrier frequency wave. The manner that the transmission is encoded over a channel frequency is different, however. Analog radios use frequency modulation to encode a voice signal within a carrier wave. The sound of the user’s voice modulates the frequency of the stream. The difference between the modulated frequency and the baseline channel frequency can then be demodulated by the receiving radio and turned back into a comprehensible voice message.
Digital radios operate in the same manner, but they have an extra encoding step before the voice signal reaches the carrier wave. The voice message is encoded into binary packets. These packets of numbers are then able to modulate the frequency of the carrier wave.
Tuesday’s official launch of the updated system will include staff from emergency departments in attendance, Towns County Commissioner Cliff Bradshaw said.
2020 county budget adopted, 2019 budget amended
News January 1, 2020
HIAWASSEE, Ga. – Towns County Sole Commissioner Cliff Bradshaw held a called meeting in his courthouse office Dec. 31 to finalize the adoption of the 2020 county budget and amend the budget from the previous year. “Every year, at the end of the year, we go over the previous year budget, and then we make any amendments that we need to amend. We might have an overage of one department, and under in another department, so we just move the money around so that we stay in budget,” Bradshaw began.
View Towns County’s 2020 budget
The commissioner’s office is in the process of calculating the exact amount that the county came in under budget in 2019, with an estimate expected between $80-100K. “The reason that we can’t tell you a definite number is because all of the departments haven’t turned in all their bills, and we’ve been screaming for that for the last two weeks, and I won’t name the departments, but there are departments that are slack sometimes on getting their bills in so it’s hard for us to get a definite answer on how much we came in under budget from 2019,” Bradshaw explained.
The budget for Towns County Sheriff’s Office was amended for $56,000 due to the purchase of two patrol vehicles. “They didn’t go over budget $56,000, they just got two cars that wasn’t in the budget, so we had to add that to keep the budget balanced,” Towns County Financial Director Andrea Anderson said. The sheriff’s office had purchased one vehicle from its allotted budget, Bradshaw added, before learning that the county could afford to purchase two additional patrol vehicles.
Towns County Financial Director Andrea Anderson (left) with Clerk Linda Hedden at the New Year’s Eve budget adoption.
Furthermore, Towns County Detention Center exceeded 2019’s budget by $15K due to heightened food costs, the result of an increase in the inmate population. The new fire station in Young Harris was equally discussed. “We had budgeted $70,000 to go toward the fire station but ended up spending $95,000,” Anderson stated. “Chief Copeland is always good at conserving his money, so we were able to take it out of his operating money.” According to Anderson, the Towns County Fire and Rescue financial reserve is “still intact” and “the balance remains” for the upcoming year. Completion of the Young Harris fire station, located on State Route 66, is expected this spring.
Towns County EMS exceeded its budget by $35K due to unforeseen staff shortages, which created overtime pay for existing crew members. The issue is thought to be rectified, however, Anderson said. Towns County E-911 budget was amended for an additional $95,800, the result of increased dispatcher pay and necessary renovations to make way for updated equipment at the emergency command center. Bradshaw included that inmate labor and county employees are active in the construction.
Renovations to the former recreation center, which amounted to roughly $65K, exceeded the budget by $30K, and Towns County Transfer Station costs increased by $75K due to greater activity. “At least $50,000 of that, if not more, is from the haul bill,” Anderson said. “If you look at the revenues from ’19 to ’20, they also went up so that means we were busier at the transfer station and got more business, so that’s why that increased so much.”
Commissioner Bradshaw said that he is thankful for the good economy, reminding that it costs more for the county to operate due to the population influx. “Your public service, your EMTs, the firefighters, the road crews, everybody’s that much more busier,” the commissioner said. Bradshaw concluded the meeting by wishing Towns County citizens a “very happy new year” and reiterated that his door is always open to the public.
Featured Image: Towns County Commissioner Cliff Bradshaw explaining the 2019 budget amendments.
Former Towns County commissioner hospitalized after fall
News December 31, 2019
HIAWASSEE, Ga. – Former Towns County Sole Commissioner Bill Kendall was hospitalized on Tuesday, Dec. 31, following an early morning fall at his Hiawassee residence. Towns County EMS responded to the call at approximately 6:30 a.m. According to information gathered, Kendall suffered a head injury as a result of the incident. The former commissioner was transported to Emory University Hospital in Atlanta for inpatient treatment. Kendall is currently listed in stable condition.
Towns County Sole Commissioner Cliff Bradshaw publicly extended his thoughts and prayers toward his predecessor through FYN. “We wish Mr. Kendall well, and pray for a swift recovery,” Bradshaw expressed.
Kendall, 82, served as Towns County’s commissioner for over a decade prior to his retirement in 2016. The former commissioner previously served as Towns County School Superintendent for 26 years, retiring from the position in 1998. Kendall replaced the late Jack Dayton as sole commissioner in 2005.
Following FYN’s report on Kendall’s health, dozens of citizens took to social media, sharing well wishes for the former county commissioner’s recuperation.
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Bradshaw to hold 2020 budget meeting Dec. 23
Announcements, News December 19, 2019
HIAWASSEE, Ga. – Towns County Sole Commissioner Cliff Bradshaw announced that a special-called public meeting would be held Monday, Dec. 23, at 4 pm to discuss the 2020 county budget at the Towns County Courthouse. Bradshaw said that Towns County Finance Director Andrea Anderson had been diligently working on the budget for the past several weeks.
“It’s a very hard balance to have enough money to supply all the needs for the different departments. especially public safety,” Commissioner Bradshaw said. “We want to make sure that our EMS service has ambulances that are running and not breaking down, and we have the manpower, womanpower, there to supply the needs. So it’s a fine line balance, but I feel like we’ve done a very good job at it.”
Bradshaw additionally reminded that Towns County tourism continues to boom. Sales tax related to the tourism industry has increased by approximately $3 million since Bradshaw was elected to office in 2016. Bradshaw credited the work of the Towns County-Lake Chatuge Chamber of Commerce, as well as a good economy, for the notable spike in revenue.
Out of 17 counties reviewed, Towns County placed second in terms of growth in 2016, when the study was last conducted. Research reveals an 8.9 percent increase in domestic tourism expenditures in Towns County since 2007. Only Dawson County exceeded Towns, at an increase of 12.7 percent. Overall, the northeast Georgia mountains experienced a 5-percent total growth in tourism in the past decade. In 2016, tourism supported 4,533 jobs in Towns County, generating $11.37 million in payroll. Local tax revenues amounted to $1.33 million.
The public meeting will be held in the commissioner’s office on the ground floor of the county courthouse.
Towns County Robotics Team improves beach trail, adds QR code to site
News December 18, 2019
HIAWASSEE, Ga. – Towns County Middle School Robotics Team recently volunteered their time and skills to improve the public area surrounding the Towns County Beach on Lake Chatuge while assisting the future of tourism. Towns County Commissioner Cliff Bradshaw invited the students to the December courthouse meeting to share the details of the group’s appreciated accomplishment.
Bentley Floyd, Laura Mauldin, and Erin Page combined their efforts, building a bridge over a potentially hazardous culvert, erecting an erosion wall, and installing a handrail on the trail that runs near the county beach area. Furthermore, the students added a QR code to a sign at the recreation site, allowing residents and visitors to easily access useful information on area attractions and public safety matters.
QR codes work in a similar way as a barcode at the supermarket. They are a scannable image that can instantly be read using a smartphone camera. QR codes consist of a number of black squares and dots which represent certain pieces of information, bypassing the hassle of manually inputting electronic addresses that direct to websites.
“They presented an idea to me at the beach out here, some of the upgrades that needed to be done, and boy, were they right,” Commissioner Bradshaw said. “I do go by the beach, and we do check it, but they found some stuff that I didn’t really realize. They brought it to my attention and they wanted permission to go up there, and a lot of the parents are here that helped them with that, and they did a fantastic job and we are very thankful.”
Towns County Chamber of Commerce President Candace Lee, who attended the meeting, agreed that the QR code was an especially bright idea on the robotic team’s part that will assist with future tourism, Bradshaw said that Towns County is “very proud” of the students’ contribution, describing the young trio as “intelligent and engaging” assets to the community.
Featured Image (L-R) Bentley Floyd, Laura Mauldin, and Erin Page of the Towns County Middle Schools Robotics Team.
Towns County 911 upgrades advance on schedule
News November 12, 2019
HIAWASSEE, Ga.- Towns County held a special-called meeting last week to advance plans for the county’s updated 911 command center. A five-year lease agreement was signed with AT&T, in conjunction with West Safety Services, at a cost of $4.260 per month for the emergency telecommunications service. Commissioner Cliff Bradshaw explained that while the county considered purchasing the service, the lease agreement proved to be the better bargain due to maintenance and service costs associated with an owned system.
Renovations are underway at the Towns County 911 call center in preparation for the advanced system.
Bradshaw previously signed a contract in July 2019, upgrading the county’s computer-aided dispatch (CAD) system for emergency services. Towns County 911 Director Marty Roberts explained that the improved system will be custom-tailored to Towns County and that the program is expected to be up and running in late March or early April of 2020. The cost of the enhanced CAD system totals nearly $213,000, a price that Bradshaw defined as a “tremendous amount of money.” The charge is roughly half of the amount that the commissioner expected to spend on the program upon taking office, however, and Bradshaw expressed approval, referencing computer-aided dispatch as “the heartbeat of 911.”
911 dispatchers will receive additional training prior to the introduction of the advanced system, and the hardware and software – with servers, links, and terminals – are included in the modernized package. Roberts said that mobile CADs will be installed in ambulances for the first time in county history, allowing paramedics to view precise locations of medical emergencies on maps while exchanging critical information with the call center. The system will subsequently reduce radio traffic, freeing talk-time over the airwaves. The same company which has provided CAD service in Towns County for more than a decade will supply the innovated program. Union and White counties currently employ a similar system.
Roberts, who described the soon-to-be advanced center as second to none, said that the upgraded phone system will “cut live” simultaneously with the CAD program in early spring, and an open house will be held at the Towns County Emergency Operations Center.
Towns County Commissioner Cliff Bradshaw (left) with 911 Director Marty Roberts at the CAD contract signing.
Towns County authorizes 2021 transit grant application
News December 5, 2019
HIAWASSEE, Ga. – Towns County Sole Commissioner Cliff Bradshaw held a special-called meeting Thursday, Dec. 5, to authorize an annual application for a 2021 Towns County Transit grant. Towns County Transit Secretary Betty Greenwood presented the grant application to Bradshaw, and the commissioner authorized the application pending approval of the budget by the Georgia Department of Transportation.
The grant application amounted to $99,400, with federal funds of $49,700 and Towns County matching the additional $49,700. Included in the grant is funding for a new transit van, which will replace an existing model, in the amount of $45,002 with Towns County responsible for funding $4,500 of the cost.
Towns County Transit served 3,681 passengers this year, Greenwood said, amounting to over $18,000 in revenue from fares.
Towns County Transit Secretary Betty Greenwood
Towns County Transit operates Monday through Friday, 8 am to 4 pm, with the exception of holidays. A 24-to-48 hour reservation is necessary for scheduling purposes. The current fare for a one-way trip is $2.00 for the first mile, with .40 cents added for each mile, rounded to the nearest dollar. Each stop is an additional $2.00 charge. A flat-rate fare of $6.00 is set for a one-way trip to Union County, doubled for roundtrip. A flat-rate fare roundtrip fare to Young Harris is $8.00, limited to $4.00 for a one-way trip.
Once a passenger disembarks at a destination and re-enters the bus, the trip is considered completed, and a new fare of $2.00 is required.
Passengers with small children must provide a safety seat that meets current state and federal regulations. Up to two children under the age of five may travel with a paying parent or guardian, free of charge. Drivers cannot make change, extend credit, or allow free rides.
The transit system operates within Towns and Union County and is offered solely to Towns County residents.
For additional information on the Towns County Transit System, visit the county website.
Reservations can be scheduled by dialing 706-896-0925.
Alpha Delta Kappa educators recognized by Towns County commissioner
News October 9, 2019HIAWASSEE, Ga. – Alpha Delta Kappa International Honorary Organization for Women Educators month was recognized via proclamation by Towns County Commissioner Cliff Bradshaw Oct. 7. “Whereas women in education constitute a great portion of the nation’s working force,and are constantly striving to serve their communities and nation in educational, cultural, and charitable programs leading to harmony, happiness, and peace among all people…,” the proclamation reads in part. 
Alpha Delta Kappa was founded in 1947 by Agnes Shipman Robertson, Marie Neal, Marion Southall and Hattie Poppino – visionary women who saw a need to recognize and support the professional efforts of outstanding women educators. Since 1947, over 125,000 women educators around the world have discovered the many opportunities provided by membership in Alpha Delta Kappa — opportunities for recognition of commitment to educational excellence, for personal and professional growth and for collectively channeling their energies toward the good of schools, communities, the teaching profession and the world.
More than 30,000 women educators around the world have discovered the many opportunities provided by membership in the sorority — opportunities for recognition of their commitment to educational excellence, for personal and professional growth and for collectively channeling their energies toward the good of their schools, communities, the teaching profession and the world. Headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, Alpha Delta Kappa has more than 1,200 chapters located in towns and cities in every state in the U.S., and around the world in Australia, Canada, Jamaica, Mexico and Puerto Rico. Membership, which is honorary and based on peer recognition, provides a wealth of opportunities for leadership development and networking through workshops, training sessions, conferences and conventions. But, perhaps the greatest opportunity the group provides is the opportunity to make a difference. Around the world, Alpha Delta Kappa members combine their energies and talents to enrich their lives and the lives of others through thousands of heartwarming, community-based altruistic projects.
Young Harris fire station nears completion
News September 22, 2019
YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. – Towns County Commissioner Cliff Bradshaw announced the near-completion of the Young Harris fire station, a project that has been in the works for many months. Bradshaw expects the facility to be operational by November. According to the commissioner, the station will feature an additional landing pad for medical helicopters to transport critical patients for trauma care. Towns County currently has four designated landing sites for air transports, strategically located throughout the area.
The Young Harris fire station is located on State Route 66, approximately 1.25 miles from U.S. Highway 76. The current station is situated in the former Blue Ridge Mountain Electric Membership Corporation (BRMEMC) building, a few blocks west of Young Harris College.
“We’re very excited about it,” Bradshaw told FYN last week. “The new station’s location will also help the fire department’s ISO rating and homeowners’ insurance rates.” An ISO insurance rating, also referred to as a fire score or Public Protection Classification, is a score from 1 to 10 that indicates how well-protected a community is by the local fire department.
Commisioner Bradshaw announced in late December that $130,000 derived from the 2018 Special-Purpose Local-Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) fund would be applied to the construction of the Young Harris fire station. Detainee labor, which did not cost the taxpayers, contributed to a large portion of the labor involved
The project was originally expected to be completed this summer. It was temporarily delayed, however, due to sight plan issues that the Department of Transportation had with road entry placement. Additionally, wet, winter weather was responsible for an inability to properly grade the land.