By its October 13, 2025 meeting, the commission reported it had drawn out a proposed property substitution at Alewine Park, involving Training Center and Fire Department land, and sent it to the state, which forwarded it to the federal level for approval.
IssueToccoaunder consideration
Toccoa cuts Henderson Falls Park funding, works to restore grant eligibility
The city eliminated $100,000 in improvement funding for Henderson Falls Park in its new budget while commissioners pursue a land swap meant to make the park eligible for state and federal recreation grants again.
Latest
October 13, 2025: Land and Soil compliance property swap at Alewine Park for Training Center/Fire Department land
What happens next
No next step has been documented.
At a glance
What this means now
The story
Toccoa's FY2025 budget included $100,000 in new funding for Henderson Falls Park Improvements.
The city's approved FY2026 budget eliminates that funding, cutting the Henderson Falls Park Improvements line from $100,000 to zero. The parks department's overall budget fell from $159,222 to $52,431, a drop tied to the loss of one-time park improvement funding.
At a September 8, 2025 work session, the City Commission discussed Henderson Falls Park. Minutes show discussion of documenting greenspace and playground equipment at Emory Johnson as equivalent to what exists at another site, which officials said would make the city eligible for grants again.
At its September 22, 2025 meeting, the commission discussed a land swap at Alewine Park to regain eligibility for Georgia DNR and federal Land and Water Conservation Fund grants, saying the city is currently ineligible because of past non-recreational use of Alewine Park land.
By its October 13, 2025 meeting, the commission reported it had drawn out a proposed property substitution at Alewine Park, involving Training Center and Fire Department land, and sent it to the state, which forwarded it to the federal level for approval.
What happened
How this issue got here
Open any step for its supporting record. A proposal remains labeled as proposed until later evidence establishes an outcome.
ApprovedunknownHenderson Falls Park improvements funding eliminated for FY2026
522204 Henderson Falls Park Improvements 100,000$ -$ (100,000)$
+
Henderson Falls Park improvements funding eliminated for FY2026
522204 Henderson Falls Park Improvements 100,000$ -$ (100,000)$
ApprovedunknownNew Henderson Falls Park Improvements funding
522204 Henderson Falls Park Improvements -$ 100,000$ 100,000$
+
New Henderson Falls Park Improvements funding
522204 Henderson Falls Park Improvements -$ 100,000$ 100,000$
ApprovedunknownParks department budget reduction for FY2026 (loss of one-time park improvement funding)
Expenditure Subtotal Department: 6220 Parks 159,222$ 52,431$ (106,791)$
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Parks department budget reduction for FY2026 (loss of one-time park improvement funding)
Expenditure Subtotal Department: 6220 Parks 159,222$ 52,431$ (106,791)$
ApprovedunknownHenderson Falls Park Improvements funding eliminated for FY2026
Henderson Falls Park Improvements 100,000$ -$ (100,000)$
+
Henderson Falls Park Improvements funding eliminated for FY2026
Henderson Falls Park Improvements 100,000$ -$ (100,000)$
DiscusseddiscussedLand and Soil compliance property swap at Alewine Park for Training Center/Fire Department land
We have drawn out the property we want to substitute and sent that to the State Department
and they have sent it on to the Federal level for them to approve
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Land and Soil compliance property swap at Alewine Park for Training Center/Fire Department land
We have drawn out the property we want to substitute and sent that to the State Department and they have sent it on to the Federal level for them to approve
DiscusseddiscussedAlewine Park land swap to regain DNR/LWCF grant eligibility for Henderson Falls-type projects
currently we are ineligible because of past usage at Alewine Park that did not fall into recreation; we talked about learning the steps to get into compliance
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Alewine Park land swap to regain DNR/LWCF grant eligibility for Henderson Falls-type projects
currently we are ineligible because of past usage at Alewine Park that did not fall into recreation; we talked about learning the steps to get into compliance
Appeared on agendaproposedHenderson Falls Park
Discussion of Henderson Falls Park
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Henderson Falls Park
Discussion of Henderson Falls Park
DiscusseddiscussedHenderson Falls Park improvements and possible land swap for grant eligibility
if we do that and document the we have the Greenspace and playground
equipment at Emory Johnson as equivalent will make us eligible for grants again.
+
Henderson Falls Park improvements and possible land swap for grant eligibility
if we do that and document the we have the Greenspace and playground equipment at Emory Johnson as equivalent will make us eligible for grants again.
Appeared on agendaproposedHenderson Falls Park
Discussion of Henderson Falls Park
+
Henderson Falls Park
Discussion of Henderson Falls Park
Appeared on agendaproposedDiscussion of Henderson Falls Park
Discussion of Henderson Falls Park
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Discussion of Henderson Falls Park
Discussion of Henderson Falls Park
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