Town of Blowing Rock
Board of Commissioners
Minutes April 10, 2007
The
Town of Blowing Rock Board of Commissioners met in regular session on Tuesday,
April 10, 2007 at 7:00 p.m. in the Town Hall Council Chambers. Present were Mayor JB Lawrence, Commissioners
Bobby Ball, Keith Tester, Terry Lentz, and Rita Wiseman. Commissioner Tommy Klutz was out of town.
Others in attendance were Town Manager Scott Hildebran, Town Attorney Allen
Moseley, Town Engineer Doug Chapman, Finance Director Margaret Pierce, Building
Inspector Jesse Horner, Parks and Recreation Director Jennifer Brown, Planning
Director Kevin Rothrock, Police Chief Eric Brown, Assistant Public Works
Director Mike Wilcox, Emergency Services Director Kent Graham, and Payroll
Administrator Alicia Kellam.
Call to Order
Mayor
Lawrence called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
Approval of Minutes
Upon
a motion received from Commissioner Wiseman, seconded by Commissioner Tester,
the minutes for the March 6, 2007 meeting with corrections and the minutes for
the March 13, 2007 meeting as written were approved. Unanimously approved.
Public Hearing
1.
CUP #2007-03
Planning
Director Rothrock presented Council with a draft major amendment to CUP #2007-03
to allow expansion and improvements to
Randy
Jones, the architect for the project, reviewed in detail the changes that were
to be made if approved by Council. The
changes discussed were filling in the pit area, putting in a lift/loading
dock type area, expanding the front desk, the laundry room, and adding a
130-seat conference room.
Kent
Tarbutton, representative for Chetola, stated the pit area was wasted real
estate and was dangerous during the winter months. Mr. Tarbutton spoke in detail of the expansions
to the laundry room and the meeting room area.
Commissioner Tester questioned if the meeting room expansion was to
support the hotel environment or sell the use of the meeting facility to the
public. Mr. Tarbutton affirmed 85% of
the usage of the meeting facility was by those lodged at Chetola but that it
was also used by the general public.
With
no other comments, a motion to close the public hearing was made by
Commissioner Lentz, seconded by Commissioner Ball. Unanimously approved. Commissioner Wiseman made a motion to approve
CUP #2007-03 as submitted, seconded by Commissioner Ball. Unanimously approved. (CUP
#2007-03 Attachment #1)
2.
Troyer Annexation Petition (Ordinance #2007-02)
Planning
Director Rothrock presented Council with Ordinance #2007-02 regarding the
annexation petition of the Troyer Lot (0.73 acres) located at the end of
Mr.
Kevin Troyer submitted a petition of voluntary annexation for Council
consideration in March which initiated the annexation process. If approved as presented, the annexation will
become effective on June 30, 2008 to coincide with the Gideon Ridge Area
annexation.
With
no other comments, a motion to close the public hearing was made by
Commissioner Wiseman, seconded by Commissioner Tester. Unanimously approved. A motion was made by Commissioner Wiseman to
adopt Ordinance #2007-02 with the amendment it will be recorded with the
Caldwell County Register of Deeds, seconded by Commissioner Tester. Unanimously approved. (Ordinance
#2007-02 Attachment #2)
New Business
1.
Watauga County Zero Waste Project Jasmine ShoShanna
Ms.
ShoShanna presented to Council the Watauga County Zero Waste Project and
explained the importance it holds to preserving the environment. Zero waste is
the practice of the following:
She urged Council to adopt a resolution to
support the creation of a Zero Waste Project Plan for the Town.
Mayor
Lawrence thanked Ms. ShoShanna for her presentation and asked Town Manager
Hildebran to draft a resolution for zero waste for consideration next month by
Town Council.
2.
Blowing Rock Winterfest
Winterfest
Committee Representative David Wray presented information on the 2007
Winterfest. He stated that Winterfest
brought approximately 3,000 visitors to Blowing Rock with a positive influence
on the retail, occupancy and restaurant areas in Town. Winterfest netted approximately $10,000.00,
with $6,100.00 of the proceeds being returned back to the community.
Winterfest
Committee Representative Earl Horne presented Parks and Recreation Director
Jennifer Brown with a check for $1,500.00 to assist in offsetting the cost
incurred for the new picnic shelter and also presented Emergency Service
Director Kent Graham with a check for $1,500.00 for Fire and Rescue. The Emergency Services Department will also
receive a $400.00 donation from Meadowbrook Inn.
Commissioner
Wiseman questioned if the majority of the funds came back to Blowing Rock and
Mr. Wray stated the majority of the proceeds were kept in the Town of
A
motion to approve the 10th Annual 2008 Winterfest activities on
January 24-27, 2008 was made by Commissioner Lentz, seconded by Commissioner
Tester. Unanimously approved.
3.
Employee Health/Dental/Life Insurance Plan Renewal
Town
Manager Scott Hildebran presented the new rates for insurance and requested approval
to renew the contracts with the current insurance providers. There is a 4.6% or $15,675.00 increase in
health insurance, down from 20% before negotiations, and an 8% increase in
dental insurance. Modifications to the health insurance plan include co-pays,
pharmacy co-pays, and deductibles. Both
renewal prices are well within market standards.
Town
Manager Hildebran discussed the continuance of pursuing the state health plan
for another year. The Town must be with
its current insurance provider for three years to be eligible for the state
health plan. Town Manager Hildebran
stated this year will be the third year with the current provider for the Town.
A
motion to execute both insurance contracts was made by Commissioner Wiseman,
seconded by Commissioner Lentz.
Unanimously approved. (Cigna
HealthCare Group Benefits Renewal, Companion Dental/Life/AD&D Attachment
#3)
Departmental Reports
Town
Manager Hildebran announced that the Town Clean-Up Day is April 21 at 9:30
a.m. The DOT was contacted about
cleaning up 321,
Town
Manager Hildebran also stated the picnic shelter is almost complete and he
thanked Earl Horne and Winterfest for the donation made to Parks and Recreation
for the shelter. He also recognized Blowing Rock Renovators for donating their
time and skills to build the shelter.
Planning
Director Rothrock stated the Planning Department is taking proposals from
private planning firms to assist in updating and clarifying the Land Use Code.
Commissioner
Tester reviewed with Council the Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce Vision 20/20 mission
statement and potential initiatives. The taskforce is designed to assist the
Chamber in focusing more on economic development and support for downtown
businesses. (Vision 20/20 Attachment #4)
Adjournment
There
being no further business to discuss, the meeting was adjourned at 7:40 p.m.
_________________________________________
J.B. Lawrence, Mayor
_________________________________________
Alicia M. Kellam
Attachments
#1 CUP #2007-03-Major Amendment
#2 Ordinance #2007-02
#3 Cigna HealthCare Group Benefits Renewal Contract
& Companion Dental/Life/AD&D
#4 Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce
Vision 20/20