|
Dillsboro OKs changes to Region A memorandum
By Stephanie Salmons
Dillsboro leaders heard from Ryan Sherby, a Southwestern Commission planner, during their March 3 regular meeting. Sherby addressed the board about adopting an amended memorandum of understanding for the Rural Planning Organization.
According to Sherby, all counties have to join the RPO, and municipalities have the option to join.
The agreement was recently amended to conform to North Carolina’s Open Meeting laws. The RPO was created to give counties and rural areas “a voice” to the N.C. Department of Transportation, Sherby said.
According to Sherby, the RPO can convey transportation issues or needs to the NCDOT.
Board members unanimously approved an amended document that allows the town to rejoin the Rural Planning Organization.
Board members Bud Smith and Jim Cochran were absent.
Also March 5:
– Chairman of the Monteith Farmstead Restoration Committee Emma Wertenberger announced that she had been contacted by someone who owns a piece of furniture from the Monteith House and is interested in selling it. Wertenberger said she is in the process of collecting money to purchase the item.
“We’re jut really thrilled to know that people are interested in the project and are paying attention to the information that has been n the newspaper about what we’re trying to do,” Wertenberger said. “This will be the start for returning some of the original furniture. We’re really happy about it.”
– Town Clerk Herb Nolan told the board that Western Builders had discontinued its bucket truck because it wasn’t economically feasible for the company to continue its operation.
Dillsboro had been using the bucket truck occasionally to hang banners within the town.
According to Nolan, Sylva’s public works director Dan Schaeffer said Sylva’s bucket truck and crew would work for Dillsboro on Tuesdays for $75 per hour as needed.
“It’s nice cooperation that they can help us with things that we can’t do,” Mayor Jean Hartbarger said.
– Board members discussed the possibility of purchasing a Walkie-Talkie in the event that land lines go down during an emergency.
Nolan said that the town is required to have a disaster plan and a draft of a disaster management ordinance has been given to Emergency Management coordinator Todd Dillard for review.
In line with that, town also needs to purchase a radio to use in an emergency, Nolan said.
Western Carolina Communications supplies almost all emergency units in Western North Carolina with emergency communications equipment, Nolan said, adding that it was $550 for a Walkie-Talkie with all the necessary channels. However, Nolan said the board wouldn’t need to vote on the purchase now because “once the ordinance is ready and passed, we can buy the radio and be set.”
– Assistant town clerk Emily Elders told board members about Kodak grants, in the amounts of $1,000 and $5,000 to be used for the planning and design of greenways.
“This is good because you can’t find a lot of that money lying around, and it will pay for pretty much everything with the design,” she said. “My suggestion would be to think about applying for a grant as a town and the Greenways Commission is also going to apply for one to use between Sylva and Dillsboro.”
Such grants can pay for planning and conceptual drawings and don’t require matching funds, she said.
|
