Town Council Agenda Review Meeting

The Town Council held its Agenda Review Meeting on February 3, 2025, to review upcoming agenda items and receive updates on various town operations. The primary focus of the session was preparing for the regular council meeting scheduled for February 10, 2025, by discussing pending resolutions, departmental reports, and community initiatives.

Key discussions centered on public safety, infrastructure, and community development. Council members shared updates from a recent Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) meeting, noting that many repaired bridges and roads are temporary fixes and that the Department of Transportation will return over the next year to complete permanent repairs, which may cause partial road closures. The council also addressed concerns regarding the State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP), expressing disappointment that the Sweetin Creek project was removed due to a lack of funding. Additionally, the council reviewed a resolution to support the reopening of Chimney Rock State Park and discussed the town’s response to storm debris, agreeing to resume brush collection services as a temporary measure. This service will focus on brush only, starting in South Chase, with debris staged at the Parks & Rec maintenance building for county pickup.

Public comment was received from a resident of the River Birch neighborhood, who requested the restart of brush collection services and leaf pickup due to accumulated debris from storm damage. The council clarified that while they are resuming brush collection for storm-related debris, they do not handle root balls or trash removal, which remains the responsibility of the county. The council also received updates from the Small Business Administration regarding disaster recovery resources for Hurricane Helene survivors, including application deadlines for physical damage assistance (March 8, 2025) and economic injury relief (June 30, 2025). Furthermore, the tax collector presented a mid-year report indicating a small shortfall compared to the previous year but overall positive collection results, with plans to advertise tax liens on March 19th at a cost of $8 per lien.

The council discussed several administrative and planning matters, including Planning Board appointments and the establishment of a farmers market. New members Mitch Brevard, Mike Franklin, and John Brandon Olson were introduced, and George Clay and Lee Bowser were reappointed to their respective districts via the consent agenda. Regarding the farmers market, a listening session identified Tuesday afternoons (3-6 pm) at the back parking lot of Bill Moore Community Park as the preferred time and location. The council discussed forming a smaller advisory committee to assist with the market's initial setup, with plans to potentially transition it to an independent entity later.

Several action items and follow-ups were identified for the Town Manager and staff. The Town Manager will continue working with Retail Strategies on the town center project and will discuss location specifics for the farmers market with the Parks & Rec Director to present a final plan. The council will investigate a potential change in fire inspection fees as the county considers new charges. Additionally, the council will consider a resolution to donate a surplus Dodge Durango to the Town of Marshall, which was impacted by storm damage. Bids for fencing repairs at parks and street resurfacing in Livingston Farms are scheduled to be opened on February 4, 2025.