|
Dillsboro leaders announce committee to work with merchants, citizens
By Justin Goble
Dillsboro leaders have announced plans to form a new committee that will allow citizens, merchants and elected officials to work together more efficiently.
Mayor Jean Hartbarger told board members Monday (Jan. 2) that she intends to form the Council of Citizens and Merchants.
The council, which will be made up of three citizens, three merchants and a town board member, will deal with issues and concerns that citizens and merchants may have and then work with the town board to address them.
Many merchants and citizens have argued that Dillsboro’s political landscape is too insular and that it shuts out those who want to be involved. Mayoral candidate T.J. Walker, who owns and operates the Dillsboro Inn, touched upon this during his unsuccessful campaign.
“I think it is obvious that we do not have open government in Dillsboro, and this has finally created too many problems,” he told The Herald.
Hartbarger told board members that she hopes to have something definite to present for a vote at the next meeting.
In other business Jan. 9:
– Board member Mike Fitzgerald was nominated to continue serving as the town’s Vice Mayor and finance officer. He was approved by the town board 2-0 (Board members Bud Smith and Jim Dukes were absent from the meeting, and Fitzgerald abstained).
– Officials also voted 3-0 to give a $100 donation to the University of North Carolina Institute of Government.
“They do a good service,” Mayor Jean Hartbarger said. “They sponsor a lot of municipal workshops.”
– Hartbarger also took an opportunity to plead for volunteers from the community to serve as appointments to the town’s Greenway and Solid Waste committees. No one offered their services at the meeting.
|
