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Toccoa leaders debate $3M Ritz Theatre annex bid amid infrastructure concerns
Summary
City officials reviewed a $2.998M base bid for a Ritz Theatre annex and funding options including bonds, SPLOST and grants; some commissioners urged prioritizing water infrastructure while the mayor said new hotel development and hotel/motel taxes could offset debt.
Mayor Terry Carter presented a formal base construction bid of $2,998,529 from J. Davis Construction for an annex to the Ritz Theatre and reviewed a proposed bond structure, anticipated grant funding and SPLOST receipts to cover costs. "J Davis Construction provided a formal base bid of $2,998,529 for construction of the Ritz Theater annex based on the current plans," Carter said. The bid includes a sprinkler system added at the Fire Department's request.
Vice Mayor Evan Hellenga and Commissioner Michelle Jamieson raised sharp objections to the project's size and timing. Hellenga called the design "grandiose" and said the commission has a fiduciary duty to prioritize essential services: "We have a grandiose, luxurious building with three facades that added considerable cost. We have a fiduciary responsibility to the citizens of Toccoa...this is not a necessity; it is a money loser for Toccoa," he said. Jamieson noted the city has roughly $975,000 earmarked and the project is roughly $3.1 million: "We are not gaining any more seats over. We are gaining two toilets and a concession stand out of this; we are not addressing the needs of the City."
Mayor Carter defended moving forward with a current design, saying staff had only made limited changes since the prior work session and that recent SPLOST receipts were higher than projected. Carter said the city is also pursuing a hotel that could generate hotel/motel tax revenue, and that tax alone would cover about half of the project's annual payment. He urged commissioners to consider long-term financing and additional revenue opportunities, including renegotiating intergovernmental water agreements and pursuing federal and state funds for water-plant planning.
Commissioners did not vote at the work session; the item was placed on the regular meeting agenda for a formal vote. The commission discussed related municipal needs — Davidson Creek dredging, pump repairs, finishing a water line, a new water plant, City Hall renovations, downtown water pressure and a possible Police Department relocation — and several members said those needs weigh heavily against approving a large cultural project at this time.
