Commissioners Meeting
July 20, 2015
The July 20th Polk County Commissioners meeting was scheduled at 6 pm due to a work session planned for the water contract.
The Commissioners Room at the Womack Building was filled with people there to express concern over the proposed Duke Energy plan to bring large transmission towers up through Campobello and across Polk County. There are several proposed routes.
After dispensing with the opening agenda items, the Citizen Comment portion was opened with 20 participants speaking. Most addressed the Duke Energy concerns but several focused their comments on the proposed water contract. The primary complaints and concerns about the Duke plan were (1) health concerns to people, animals and plants, (2) reduction of property values, (3) blight on the landscape of rural Polk County. Some quoted studies on the detrimental effects of high voltage power lines.
Bob Morgan, chair of the ETDC brought up a lone topic, the BOC’s failure to fund the ETDC as requested and make the contract Economic Developer a full time employee.
After Citizen Comments, Mr. Rick Lanier, vice chairman of a group called the In God We Trust Initiative, asked the commission for permission to install In God We Trust lettering on the Womack building and the courthouse. He said his group paid for this (approximately $3000) through private donations. Commissioner Gasperson expressed concern about not knowing where the funds came from. The Commissioners vote to pursue the project. Mr. Lanier pointed out that many county buildings and municipal buildings had added In God We Trust to their government buildings.
A report was presented on the progress and accomplishments of Fit, Fresh & Friendly, and the local coalition for wellness.
Patti Wagner, the newly hired Human Resources Officer, reported on her progress to produce a newly revised personnel policy for the county.
Other topics and presentations included a grant from the state for the Polk Library; a presentation by Dianne Timberlake on the 5 Year Transportation Service plan and Michael Gage being appointed as the voting delegate for the Annual Conference of NCACC (NC Assoc of County Commissioners).
After reviewing volunteer boards openings and hearing a brief Managers Report, the Commission closed the regular meeting and went into a special work session on the Water Contract. Commissioner Gasperson pointed out to the board that he thought there was “overwhelming support” to hire an utilities/water consultant to help with the agreement. He then asked County Attorney Janna Berg on her thoughts, which she replied that she was not an expert in that area of law and would welcome some outside consultation on a contract that was in her opinion “very complex.” Commissioner Gasperson then asked County Manager Pittman if he thought it would be a good idea to get some outside expertise to which he replied that his job was to follow the instructions of the Board, but yes, he would not be opposed to getting some consultant help with this. Amazingly, the four Republican commissioners replied that they all understood the complex contract (Commissioner Pack replied that it was a simple Buy and Sell) and did not feel the need to get any outside expertise. The majority Commissioners then agreed to move forward with the water contract.
The board then went into closed session for the purpose of personnel and attorney-client privilege. thus ending another Commissioners meeting full of contradictions, ignored advice and contention.
** Further notes from a different citizen:
Per the Duke issue - I missed the first few minutes of the meeting but I believe Tom said the commissioners would look into writing a resolution to Duke. There were about 10 people speaking against the power issue. Most were home owners directly impacted by high line wires overhead or on their property and impacts by the clearing and maintenance with glycophosphates for years for killing vegetation. Madeline Wallace said all property values in the area would be impacted and the economic environment nurtured and thriving - Viviculture, farming, horses, ag tourism, the reasons TIEC came here (beauty and Mtns) and we all came here and locals will be impacted negatively. This is not benefiting Polk, only Duke and Asheville. Just stop the project and let them find another way to address the issue.
Several folks spoke about the water issue also including Tommy Melton who asked for a referendum.
In the mix, Bob Morgan resigned from the Economic and Tourism Commission/board.
At the end of the meeting, Tom directed Marche to find out the status of the power issue and to contact the adjacent county's and look into the next steps to write a resolution etc.
July 20, 2015
The July 20th Polk County Commissioners meeting was scheduled at 6 pm due to a work session planned for the water contract.
The Commissioners Room at the Womack Building was filled with people there to express concern over the proposed Duke Energy plan to bring large transmission towers up through Campobello and across Polk County. There are several proposed routes.
After dispensing with the opening agenda items, the Citizen Comment portion was opened with 20 participants speaking. Most addressed the Duke Energy concerns but several focused their comments on the proposed water contract. The primary complaints and concerns about the Duke plan were (1) health concerns to people, animals and plants, (2) reduction of property values, (3) blight on the landscape of rural Polk County. Some quoted studies on the detrimental effects of high voltage power lines.
Bob Morgan, chair of the ETDC brought up a lone topic, the BOC’s failure to fund the ETDC as requested and make the contract Economic Developer a full time employee.
After Citizen Comments, Mr. Rick Lanier, vice chairman of a group called the In God We Trust Initiative, asked the commission for permission to install In God We Trust lettering on the Womack building and the courthouse. He said his group paid for this (approximately $3000) through private donations. Commissioner Gasperson expressed concern about not knowing where the funds came from. The Commissioners vote to pursue the project. Mr. Lanier pointed out that many county buildings and municipal buildings had added In God We Trust to their government buildings.
A report was presented on the progress and accomplishments of Fit, Fresh & Friendly, and the local coalition for wellness.
Patti Wagner, the newly hired Human Resources Officer, reported on her progress to produce a newly revised personnel policy for the county.
Other topics and presentations included a grant from the state for the Polk Library; a presentation by Dianne Timberlake on the 5 Year Transportation Service plan and Michael Gage being appointed as the voting delegate for the Annual Conference of NCACC (NC Assoc of County Commissioners).
After reviewing volunteer boards openings and hearing a brief Managers Report, the Commission closed the regular meeting and went into a special work session on the Water Contract. Commissioner Gasperson pointed out to the board that he thought there was “overwhelming support” to hire an utilities/water consultant to help with the agreement. He then asked County Attorney Janna Berg on her thoughts, which she replied that she was not an expert in that area of law and would welcome some outside consultation on a contract that was in her opinion “very complex.” Commissioner Gasperson then asked County Manager Pittman if he thought it would be a good idea to get some outside expertise to which he replied that his job was to follow the instructions of the Board, but yes, he would not be opposed to getting some consultant help with this. Amazingly, the four Republican commissioners replied that they all understood the complex contract (Commissioner Pack replied that it was a simple Buy and Sell) and did not feel the need to get any outside expertise. The majority Commissioners then agreed to move forward with the water contract.
The board then went into closed session for the purpose of personnel and attorney-client privilege. thus ending another Commissioners meeting full of contradictions, ignored advice and contention.
** Further notes from a different citizen:
Per the Duke issue - I missed the first few minutes of the meeting but I believe Tom said the commissioners would look into writing a resolution to Duke. There were about 10 people speaking against the power issue. Most were home owners directly impacted by high line wires overhead or on their property and impacts by the clearing and maintenance with glycophosphates for years for killing vegetation. Madeline Wallace said all property values in the area would be impacted and the economic environment nurtured and thriving - Viviculture, farming, horses, ag tourism, the reasons TIEC came here (beauty and Mtns) and we all came here and locals will be impacted negatively. This is not benefiting Polk, only Duke and Asheville. Just stop the project and let them find another way to address the issue.
Several folks spoke about the water issue also including Tommy Melton who asked for a referendum.
In the mix, Bob Morgan resigned from the Economic and Tourism Commission/board.
At the end of the meeting, Tom directed Marche to find out the status of the power issue and to contact the adjacent county's and look into the next steps to write a resolution etc.