Town Council Regular Meeting - Aug 25 2025

The Town Council of Weaverville held its Regular Meeting on August 25, 2025, addressing financial resolutions, infrastructure projects, and strategic planning initiatives. The Council began by unanimously approving the minutes from the previous meeting on July 28, 2025. The body also approved the consent agenda, which included the FY 2024-25 Tax Settlement, noting a 99.87% collection rate, along with monthly tax reports, refunds, and various budget amendments. These financial actions included transferring funds for the recreation complex, reallocating insurance claim proceeds to the water fund, and reappropriating funds for departmental repairs and capital improvements.

Significant decisions were made regarding infrastructure and community projects. The Council approved a contract with T.P. Howard’s Plumbing Company for $1,818,568 to convert the raw water intake generator at the water treatment plant, a project funded by grants. Additionally, the Council approved a $17,000 contract with David Resource Group (referred to as Davey Resource Group in documents) to conduct an inventory and assessment of trees on town property, also fully funded by a grant. The Council also approved a road closure ordinance for the Art and Autumn event on September 20 and selected a red-spotted purple butterfly sculpture for the Asheville Butterfly Trail. Furthermore, an amendment to the professional services agreement with WithersRavenel was approved, adding $60,000 for grant administration services related to the Weaverville Water Treatment Plant Expansion Project.

Discussions covered several ongoing initiatives and community updates. The Council received updates on the Helene Recovery Plan, noting that while no action was required at this time, the town is involved in reviewing and adopting a countywide clean recovery plan. Progress on the historic water wheel reinstallation was reported, with permits issued and efforts underway to complete the project before a September commemorative event. The Council also supported AdventHealth’s efforts to acquire a pet scanner for the local hospital and discussed the Frontier Fiber Optic installation, providing residents with contact information for Frontier’s senior VP, Allison Ellis, should they have questions.

Regarding community input, a citizen provided comments during the general public comment period regarding the need for more traffic enforcement. The Council did not take immediate action on this comment but noted the Police Department’s ongoing community outreach efforts, including engagement with HOAs and plans to assist with traffic flow during the first week of school. The Council also reviewed quarterly reports from the Fire and Police Departments, which highlighted various community engagement activities, training sessions, and crime statistics, though no specific actions were taken based on these reports.

The Council focused on developing a draft strategic plan, assigning members homework to refine vision statements and identify top strategic objectives for seven goals, including Sustainable Growth, Downtown Vibrancy, and Emergency Preparedness. The refined draft is planned to be presented to the public in September. Several board appointments were also made, including reappointments to the Planning Board, ABC Board, and Board of Justice, while a vacancy on the Board of Adjustments remains to be filled after a member declined reappointment.

No specific follow-up actions were explicitly agreed to by members or staff during this meeting beyond the assignment of strategic plan homework to Council members. The Council will continue to work on the strategic plan, seeking public input in the coming months. Residents with questions regarding the Frontier Fiber Optic installation are directed to contact Allison Ellis at [email protected].