Serving Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, and other towns of the North Carolina High Country
Founded 05-05-05
April 05, 2007 issue
Story by Ron Fitzwater
The Avery County Board of Commissioners held their regular meeting Monday, April 2, and addressed a county ambulance substation, the proposed land transfer tax, highway improvements and board appointments.
Ambulance Substation
County Manager Robert Wiseman asked the board to consider approval of a new ambulance substation for the Green Valley area. Wiseman said that although “service out that far south in the county is available, it takes a lengthy amount of time for EMS to reach there and seconds can make all the difference.” The manager did not have total cost for construction; however the salary and benefit cost to staff the unit with the eight required personnel would be $320,000.
The board will receive a proposal from county EMS to investigate locating a useable site in the service area for a permanent location for emergency response vehicles and personnel.
Commissioner Dan South voiced his approval of the request. “These folks are taxpayers too and they need the same service as someone in Newland,” he said. Chair Kenny Poteat called the request “a legitimate concern,” and added, “we need to get work on this, and see what we can do to better serve these people.”
Land Transfer Tax
Representative Phillip Frye introduced House Bill 1180 [Avery Land Transfer Tax] to give the county the option to levy a transfer tax of 1 percent on property sales. The bill calls for a voter referendum before the tax could be imposed. Wiseman informed the board that despite the board’s request that Senator Joe Sam Queen co-sponsor the Senate version of the legislation, Queen declined to do so.
The North Carolina Association of County Commissioners [NCACC] Legislative Bulletin #07-10 dated March 29 incorrectly reported that Avery County Commissioners have the authority to implement the tax. Chair Kenny Poteat stated that the information is not true and instructed the county manager to contact the NCACC to obtain a retraction of the statement.
Highway Improvement Feasibility Study
The board approved a request from the High Country Municipal Association to petition the North Carolina Department of Transportation to conduct a feasibility study for three specific improvements on the road systems critical to the municipalities of Beech Mountain, Sugar Mountain, Seven Devils and Banner Elk.
The improvements are turn lanes and safety improvements on Beech Mountain Parkway that are part of the approved Thoroughfare Development Plan, turn lanes and safety improvements on NC 184 between Hickory Nut Gap Road [SR 1342] and the intersection of Grousemoor Road and Blue Ridge Village, and right-of-way acquisition and construction of an NC 184 Alternate.
Appointments
The board approved several board and committee appointments.
Jack Wiseman and James Pitts were approved to continue their in their positions with the Avery County Planning Board.
County Commissioner Dan South, Cale Smith, Jeff Lyons and Cary Dominguez were appointed, and sworn in, to the Avery County Advisory Committee. Jayne McNeal and David Wright were appointed as alternates.
Avery Senior Services was approved as the lead agency for the Community Care Block Grant Advisory Committee, and the board approved the appointment of 14 members to staff the committee: Bill Bagby, Codenna Barker, Maria Braswell, Barry Bullock, Linda Cuthbertson, R.D. Daniels, Anita Davie, Rachel Deal, Freda Gibson, Carolyn Holland, Jerry Hopson, Tres Magner, Jean Ray and Mary Ellen Shay.