By a unanimous vote, the Macon County Board of Commissioners approved a $634,000 project with LS3P to renovate the Highlands Middle School wing, with a hope to have it finished by the start of the 2024-25 school year.
According to County Manager Derek Roland, the scope of the project includes replacing the roof, HVAC system, window and flooring. Roland previously said those were all installed when the current building was constructed in 1995, so they are nearing the end of their lifespan.
“This design is separate from the Highlands Pre-K project,” Roland said at the Jan. 10 Board of Commissioners meeting. “This $634,000 contract for these renovations, will be taken from the N.C. Repair and Renovation Fund. This is not county funding going into this repair and renovation funding.”
Roland said the contract was reviewed by the county attorney’s office and the finance office and approved by the N.C. Department of Public Instruction, which oversees the Repair and Renovation Fund.
Roland informed the board that on Jan. 6, the school board identified Highlands middle school as it’s No. 2 priority, only behind the proposed new FHS.
The motion to approve came with a $63,400 budget amendment. Carpenter said the architect’s fee plus expenses is $45,901. The remainder will be plugged into professional fees if needed, otherwise it will be returned to the state.
Commissioner Josh Young noted that school board members Hilary Wilkes, of Highlands, and Stephanie Laseter were both in attendance for the meeting.
Roland and Finance Director Lori Carpenter negotiated the planning and design contract with Asheville-based firm LS3P, who was approved as the architect last month.
Recreation fees discussed
No action was taken after the board heard about why the recreation department has facility-use fees.
Higdon had requested the discussion, saying that as a “radical conservative,” he’s generally against the idea of occupancy taxes, increasing the sales tax and recreation facility fees.
“If someone’s promoting an event in Macon County, what can we do as community leaders to work and partner with that guy for a little economic development,” Higdon said.
Recreation Director Seth Adams said that the recreation commission recommended the current fees, which were subsequently approved by the board of commissioners in February 2019. Higdon reacted with surprise that the recreation commission was still around.
Adams said the only change since was during the rehabilitation of the recreation center, where the for-profit rate went up. Adams said those fees bring in around $13,000 to $15,000 each year and that he didn’t have strong opinions either way about having the fees. Adams said there’s birthday parties, baby showers and basketball leagues that use the recreation center facilities.
Higdon asked if anyone had ever complained about the for-profit rental rate, to which Adams said no.
Shields said having a facility usage fee is a “necessary evil” to be a deterrent from anyone from tying up facilities with no repercussions.
Commissioner John Shearl asked Adams why they charge gun shows the for-profit fee on Friday during set up, arguing that the show isn’t making a profit that day.
“In my mind, the fees should be based on the days he’s actually making a profit, not on the day he’s setting up,” Shearl said, saying that gun shows are a “huge economic impact” to the county.
Adams and others noted that “for-profit” rate has to do with a business’s status as a for-profit or whether they have the specific non-profit designation.
It was noted that Macon County’s recreation facility usage rates are lower than surrounding counties.
Shields made a motion to keep the recreation facility fees as is, but it wasn’t acted on. Higdon and Shearl ended the discussion by saying they’re fine with the fees staying where they are for now.
Liaisons appointed
The following liaison appointments were announced and unanimously approved during the Jan. 10 meeting:
Commissioner Gary Shields: Airport Authority, Appalachian Trail, Dangerous Dog Board, Friends of the Greenway, LBJ Job Corp, Macon Program for Progress, Schools, Tourism Development Council (Franklin/Nantahala), Vaya
Commissioner Danny Antoine: Department on Aging Advisory Board/Community Care/Block Grant, Juvenile Crime Prevention Council, Law Enforcement/Courthouse Security/REACH, Library Board, Macon Program for Progress, Social Services Board, Town of Franklin
Commissioner Paul Higdon: Animal Control Study Committee, Community Funding Pool, Cooperative Extension, Health Board, Library Board
Commissioner Josh Young: Community Funding Pool, Economic Development Commission, Recreation Committee, Region A/Rural Transportation Advisory Committee, Schools
Commissioner John Shearl: Economic Development Commission, EMS/911/Emergency Management, Inspections Department/Building Commission, Macon Citizens Habilities, Recreation Committee, Tourism Development Council (Highlands), Transit Advisory Board
The Fire Commission liaison appointment was tabled and will be discussed in February, Roland said.
Higdon said it’s traditionally the chair of the board who makes those appointments.
“I’m not a big fan of liaisons,” Higdon said during the meeting. “My philosophy is that if there is a particular agency or department out there that has an issue out there…come before this board, we meet every month. Come to us, we don’t need to come to you ask what’s wrong because somebody will find something wrong.”
Higdon said he’s told the commissioners are not restricted to just the departments they are liaisons toward.
Shields, who has been a proponent of the liaison system, said he appreciates having nine total liaison appointments, up from the six he previously had.
There was no talk during the meeting about the proposed liaison application process Shields proposed last month.
Other business during the Jan. 10 meeting:
• Interim Economic Development Director Tommy Jenkins spoke about the county economic tiers, where Macon was ranked as the 79th most distressed county, which is in Tier 2 of the rankings. Tier 1 are the first through 40th most distressed counties, Tier 2 are the 41st through 80th most distressed counties and Tier 3 are the 81st through 100th most distressed counties. When asked by Young about potential advantages of being in Tier 2, Jenkins said high Tier 2 is the “best of both worlds,” meaning Macon is not as distressed, but being in that tier could help bring in grants.
• Commissioner Danny Antoine voiced his desire to bring an accessible playground to Macon County and talked about potentially partnering with the Town of Franklin for that purpose. Fellow commissioners voiced their support.
• Parks and Recreation Director Seth Adams gave an update on the Streamflow Rehabilitation Assistance Program (StRAP) the county received several months previous. This will include slope bank stabilization along the Little Tennessee River and moving some of the Little Tennessee River Greenway a few feet away from the river.
• The board unanimously approved applying for $919,684.82 from the federal government’s Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency Fund. Higdon equated the funding as taking money from your left pocket and putting it in your right pocket.
• After a closed session, the commissioners unanimously approved an offer to accept a bid to buy Lot 307 in Wildflower Phase IV, Block A, in the Cowee Township subject to the upset bid period.
• During public comment, Bob Cook spoke on the dangers of fentanyl and implored the commissioners to work with the Franklin Town Council about possibly hosting a drug treatment facility at the old Angel Medical Center.
• During public comment, Howard Colley shared general comments about how he feels the country is led by a “professional ruling class” and the “current infatuation with communism, socialism and wokeism.” Colley said he was thankful for the “holdouts” during the recent contentious U.S. House speaker vote and shared The Watchmen’s Prayer with the commissioners. Antoine came down from his seat to shake Colley’s hand after his presentation.
• Julie Henning and Mary Ann Ingram each spoke in favor of building a new Franklin High School, focusing on the ADA compliance issues. Chairman Higdon responded, “There may be an emergency, but it’s not the fault of anybody currently on the board” and added “we’re working on it.” There were no other comments or discussion on the FHS project during the meeting.
The Board of Commissioners recessed until 1 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 9, which is slated as the start of the first budget workshop. School capital improvement projects are anticipated to be a big part of the discussions. The next regular meeting is at 6 p.m. Feb. 14.