January 27, 2023, EDC Agenda and Meeting Minutes

Call to Order EDC Meeting/Welcome Board & Guest/s                         Chuck Vines

Additions/Changes to Agenda                                                                            Chuck Vines

Approval of Minutes                                                                                                  Chuck Vines

October 28, 2022, Open Session Meeting Minutes

2023 EDC Regular Monthly Meeting Schedule                                                          Chuck Vines

Financial Report                                                                                                          Rob Heffron

November-December 2022 and January 2023 Financial Update

High Country Council of Government                                                              Phil Trew

EDC Director Updates                                                                                              Matt Ward

Public Comment                                                                                                         Chuck Vines

Member Comments                                                                                                  Chuck Vines

Adjournment (Next EDC Meeting – February 24, 2023)                                                  

NORTH CAROLINA

MITCHELL COUNTY

The Mitchell County EDC Board met in person on January 27^th, 2023 at 12:00pm. Present were Darlene Butler, Tonia Hale, Allen Cook, Rob Heffron, John Boyd, Van Phillips, Mandi Polly, Richard Canipe, Charles Vines, and Matthew Ward and Jeff Harding.

Guests—Phil Trew, Steve Rowland, Libby Phillips,

1. CALL TO ORDER – Charles Vines, Chair, called the meeting to order at 12:00 pm.
2. ADDITIONS OR CHANGES TO AGENDA — Charles Vines asked if there were any additions or changes to the agenda. There were no changes to the January 27^th, 2023 agenda.
3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – Charles Vines asked if there were any additions or changes to the minutes. Rob Heffron made a motion to approve the October 28^th, 2022 meeting minutes and Darlene Butler seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.

 FINANCIALS – Rob Heffron, Treasurer, presented the October, November, and December 2022 financial reports to the board.

Since there were 3 months of financial statements to review Rob reported on the Property and Loss statements for each of the three months and the Balance Sheet as of December 31^st, 2023.

October Profit & Loss:

The Profit and Loss statement for October reflects the usual monthly expenses noting in particular that Director Services payroll reimbursement to Mayland does cover both September and October payments. Moving forward those payments should appear once per monthly statement and not as catch up payments. The other item to note is the advertising expense of $678.40 which covers payment to Pittman Signage for printing the Bakersville Area Merchants Association (BAMA) Rack Card – part of our grant to BAMA. Interest income was $5.59 and expenses totaled $18, 427.30.

November Profit & Loss:

Reviewing our November Profit and Loss statement expenses fall into routine categories the Advertising item of $446.91 represents updates to the EDC website. We received interest income of $59.53 while expenses totaled $9,705.05.

 

December Profit and Loss:

The December Profit and Loss Statement shows interest of $66.03 and monthly expenses of $9,080.65 which includes regular expenses of Executive Director payroll, accounting fees, cell phone, and mileage reimbursement and office supplies. Our regular monthly expenses going forward will fall in the $9,000 range. Rob will continue to highlight any non-routine expenses each month.

December Balance Sheet:

The Balance Sheet for December 2022 shows the United Community Bank Assets totaled $427,767.60 with fixed assets of $41,340.78 leaving Total Assets of $469,108.38. This amount equals the total liabilities and equity through December 31, 2022.

That concludes the Treasurer’s report for the final 3 months of 2022 for your consideration.

John Boyd made a motion to accept the financial report as presented and Van Phillips seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.

COUNTRY COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENT

Phil Trew:

• Update EDC plan – see agenda
• Alleghany 2014 EDC plan $5,000 cost
• Avery no EDC plan
• Mitchell – 2015 Mitchell Works plan; Outdoor Recreation plan
• Watauga no EDC plan
• Wilkes no EDC plan
• Yancey 2020 EDC plan $20,000 cost
• ARPA funds expended by 2026
• Workforce drought due to lack of workers
• Healthcare, Education, Industry (mining)
• Next steps:
• Charles will send an email to request information from members re: priorities—What is our goal?
• Full rewrite (large document) or
• Summary on focused items
• There are grants available and can be built into the work.

EDC DIRECTOR UPDATES

• Applied for NCDOT Paved Trail Feasibility grant
• Downtown Spruce Pine grants available
• Broadband grant with county
• PATH grant
• Mitchell works document review
• Met with local industry: Buck Stove, Sibelco, BRP
• Scholarships – UNC School of Government on grant management
• Keith Johnson’s Property – sold in November
• Building outdoor communities survey – 1000 participants

PUBLIC COMMENTS—NONE

 

MEMBER COMMENTS—LOCAL UPDATES

Darlene Butler:

• Parks – executing tasks
• Brad Ragan playground and mulch, fencing – dog park
• River Park – restrooms renovating, bridge lighting, pole decorations ordered, land use plan process continued

Tonia Hale:

• The hospital has experienced increased volumes in the Emergency Department, Acute Care, Outpatient, and My Care Now. Some of this is related to respiratory illness and post-COVID care.
• 2 new General Surgeons are anticipated to start between May and September
• Larson – took a PACE position at Care Partners in Asheville
• Turnover low – nursing workforce is favorable. Need to fill lab, radiology, physical therapy positions
• Recruitment events – Burnsville, Boone, Johnson City

Allen Cook:

• EDC board room renovation
• Law enforcement center – final phase construction planning; bids targeted for May
• Mitchell Recreation Center – in old 911 center – potentially in May
• Middle School build – Feb. 16th @ Mitchell High School – groundbreaking late February/ early March
• Recreational league going well
• Pine Line going well
• Turnover and retention in a good place. Morale is favorable

Rob Heffron:

• Penland – spring/ summer catalog is out. ½ to locals
• TRAC Spruce Pine gallery open next week on February 1^st
• Market on Oak year round
• All others open in April

John Boyd:

• Altec – discovery center renovation naming
• Beta Program for planetarium— 1 of 2 selected in the country
• Laser shows were successful
• Hotel – walls going up, foundation for restaurant, kitchen next phase, paving with landscaping
• Busier this year (2022) versus last year (2021)
• Three Peaks – demolition on south side
• Demolition on North end and hoping to be done for Gem Show
• Vannoy doing large part of project
• Working on getting fire building up to code
• RCE (Resource Center for Entrepreneurs) going well
• Culinary starts in Fall
• Enrollment up
• New classes starting – Truck driving, Industrial maintenance
• BRP – printing assistance
• Special class for Baxter

Van Phillips:

• YMCA update – within 15 days of getting firm price from Vannoy
• Expanded gym capability
• Common’s Shopping Center – 90% asphalt completed, new lighting, and roof replacements
• New tenants

Mandi Polly:

• Mineral and Gem planning
• Lunch and Learns in February
• Afternoon program
• WNC PATH – working for Mitchell County
• Visitor Center – ask for funding

Jeff Harding:

• Commissioner’s prioritizing goals
• When new school is built – assume ownership of Bowman Middle

Libby Phillips:

• Downtown Report – Focusing on work plans and goals from the community meeting
• Several grant applications –
• Working on Fire on the Mountain
• Entrepreneur grant back up
• Street scaping project with town
• Anchor stores lost recently
• South West Trading – owners retiring
• Toe River Arts– progress on retaining wall
• Wellburns – storefront upgrade
• Amy Wellness – small retail 800 sq. ft. – add seven apartments
• Dellinger – 8 apartments additional
• Bennett Building – working on building, new roof and upfit being done

Richard Canipe:

• No report