# Town Council Workshop - Jan 12 2026

**Body:** Town of Weaverville — Town Council
**Date:** January 12, 2026 6:00 PM EST (2026-01-12T18:00:00-05:00)

**Link:** https://sunshinemeetings.org/event/1817

## Summary

The Town of Weaverville Town Council held a workshop meeting on January 12, 2026, focusing on economic development strategies and operational adjustments following the departure of Thermo Fisher Scientific. The session began with an agenda adjustment to allow for open discussion prior to entering closed session, a motion that was made and approved by the body. The council subsequently entered closed session to address legal matters, including attorney-client privilege, real property contract negotiations, and confidential personnel issues, before reconvening to discuss broader town initiatives.

A significant portion of the workshop was dedicated to analyzing the impact of Thermo Fisher Scientific’s decision to leave Weaverville, which the council noted would result in an estimated loss of $115,000 in property tax revenue. Council members reviewed a Dun & Bradstreet report identifying the town’s top 12 businesses and discussed the need to proactively engage with these key taxpayers to understand their needs and explore opportunities for retention and growth. The Mayor emphasized the importance of this proactive engagement, stressing that council members should take ownership of these efforts rather than leaving them solely to town staff. Council Member Andrew highlighted the importance of understanding the percentage of regional residents employed by local businesses, while Council Member Jeff provided context on property tax calculations and the specific revenue impact of the company's departure.

The council also discussed a proposal from Mr. Davis, owner of the 115 factory (formerly Ballcrank), to relocate the Weaverville Tailgate event to his 40-acre property. This potential move was noted as offering a large parking area and a "circus-like" event format, which could eliminate the need to close Main Street. The community center’s board was reported to be open to this idea due to increased usage and wear on the current facility. Additionally, the council briefly touched upon upcoming property tax assessments expected to be released later in January.

No formal public comments were received during this workshop meeting, as the discussion remained primarily between council members and town staff. The council did not vote on any substantive policy changes or funding allocations during this session, as the meeting served as a workshop for information gathering and strategic planning rather than a vote on final actions.

Several follow-up actions were explicitly agreed upon by council members and staff. The Mayor and Town Manager Scotty Harris are expected to connect with Thermo Fisher’s leadership, WEDAC, and county officials to discuss plans for the vacated property. Council members will review and divide responsibilities for contacting the top taxpayers identified in the Dun & Bradstreet report. Council Member Tanya will contact NC Works to explore hosting a job fair at town hall or another suitable location. Furthermore, WEDAC will be utilized to research potential economic development opportunities, and council members will contact Clark Duncan from the county and Phil Barnett at WEDAC to discuss broader economic initiatives. The council will further consider the proposal to relocate the Weaverville Tailgate event to the 115 factory property.

## Agenda

- [Closed Session](https://sunshinemeetings.org/event/1817/item/21254)

## Video & Transcript

- Recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jDw28qtS04
- Transcript: https://sunshinemeetings.org/transcript/1328/segments

## Documents

- [minutes_2026-01-12.pdf](https://sunshinemeetings.org/event/1817?document=14466)
- [agenda_2026-01-12.pdf](https://sunshinemeetings.org/event/1817?document=14465)

## Sources

- [YouTube video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jDw28qtS04)