The Town of Blowing Rock Board of Commissioners held a special joint meeting with Town of Boone Town Council on January 12, 2004 at 6:30 at The Best Cellar restaurant. Blowing Rock Council members present were Mayor J. B. Lawrence, Commissioners Barbara Ball, Keith Tester, Rita Wiseman, Terry Lentz, and David Wray. Town Manager Scott Hildebran, Director of Public Works Johnny Lentz and Assistant Town Clerk Sharon Greene were also present. Council members from Town of Boone present were Mayor Velma Burnley, Commissioners Loretta Clawson, Lynne Mason, Dempsey Wilcox, Grayson Eggers, and Bunk Spann. Town Manager Greg Young and Director of Public Works Rick Miller also attended.

Mayor Lawrence called the meeting to order at approximately 7:00 p.m.

Mayor Lawrence and Mayor Velma Burnley welcomed everyone to the meeting. At that time Mayor Lawrence asked that everyone introduce themselves to each other.

After everyone enjoyed their meal, Town Manager Scott Hildebran gave a summary of the Town of Blowing Rock’s current water situation. He stated the Town was currently under a moratorium from the NC Department of Environment & Natural Resources. This moratorium prohibits the Town from making any extensions to the present water distribution system. The reason being, inadequate raw water supply.

The present plant has a permitted capacity of 2.0 MGD; the present consumption during peak season is approximately .650 MGD and the state has set safe yield at approximately only .400 MGD.

The Town has been working toward a long-term solution to water shortage due to the drought since 1991.

At this time the Town of Blowing Rock proposes the following actions to solve its long-term water needs:

1. Acquire through a land exchange with the NPS the Town Reservoir property and raise the dam 15’ to increase the storage capacity by approximately 45,000,000 gallons to 90,000,000 gallons.
2. Seek an interconnection with the Town of Boone water system.
3. Add additional 3,000,000 gallon finished water storage tank/facility, allowing 8 days of finished water capacity.
4. If necessary, add a raw water intake on the Middle Fork below the confluence of Payne Branch.

Once all four (4) of these improvement are completed, the Town will have satisfied its water supply needs for an estimated 50 years and possibly found a permanent solution.

After some discussion, members of the Boone Town Council agreed to discuss this issue further at their upcoming Planning Retreat and return for another meeting with the Town of Blowing Rock sometime in March.

It was also a consensus of both Councils that they meet periodically to discuss issues of interest that the Town of Blowing Rock and Town of Boone might have in the future.

There being no further business to discuss the meeting was adjourned at 8:30 p.m.

MAYOR: ______________________________

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Sharon Greene, Assistant Town Clerk