Graham Revitalization Economic Action Team
Minutes
Location and Sponsor: Tapoco
Lodge/Alcoa
Welcome/Introductions
A.
Welcome:
Claudie Burchfield, Chair of the GREAT organization, recognized
sponsors Tapoco Lodge and Alcoa and gave those new to GREAT the opportunity to
introduce themselves.
B.
Ronnie
Hedrick (Tapoco Lodge) welcomed the attendees to Tapoco Lodge saying the Lodge
was closing for season and would reopen March 2012. He also made a plea to the
commissioners to develop a Fairground in Graham County to support functions such
as motorcycle rallies.
C.
Mike
Sabad (Alcoa Inc.), recognized and remembered James Wade, a Tapoco employee, who
lost his life by drowning. He said
the $125 million Cheoah Project going on right now will increase output by 3
gigawatts. He indicated that the price of metal has dropped and it going to be a
hard year for Alcoa. He said that
hydro-electric power is not treated as renewable resource by the government at
this time and out of 88,600 dams in the U.S. less than 3% are generating
hydropower. The rest is just
water over the dam. .
D.
First
time attendees were Amy Hollifield from Blue Ridge National Heritage Area, and
Terri Jiang from the Gleanings Foundation, a Robbinsville-based nonprofit,
Jessica Cooper, Town Administrator for Fontana, and Kim McGuire, of NC Nonprofit
Pathways.
General Items
A.
Approval
of Minutes of Previous Meeting: A
motion to approve minutes of the previous meeting was passed.
B.
Approval
of the Agenda: The
agenda for the November 17, 2011 meeting was approved.
Reports/Discussion Items
A. Committee Reports
Ø
Economic
Development, Business and Industry
– Claudie Burchfield, Chair
Claudie Burchfield reported for the committee. Stanley
Furniture received Golden Leaf funds for a workforce increase project, and an
Economic Development Commission has been established to oversee the repayments
from Stanley. Those funds will be
used to create incubator types of projects in the county. Two projects now,
septic dumping station for RVs and County Comprehensive Plan is the other
project before that board.
Ø
Education
and Workforce Development - Rhonda Anderson, Chair
The committee is working on several projects.
·
Donna Mize
spoke for the Dolly Parton Imagination Library Project, reporting it has served
454 children, 315 are active in the system. Thanks to the education committee 32 kids signed up at the Family Fall
Festival, and 14 were under 1 year old.
·
Anne Eck
reported on the grant awarded from the Kate B. Reynolds to expand mental health
and substance abuse that provides a mental health counselor and life skills/ATOD
support person.
·
Lindsay
Carpenter provided data from the Pride Survey.
The survey is given to 5th, 7th, 9th,
and 11th grade students about tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana use.
There will be a meeting Nov. 21 at 10am at the school about the creation
of a “drug-free coalition” or a reviving of the old one.
Ø
Tourism
and Mountain Culture - Lynn Shields, Chair
There was no committee.
Ø
Revitalization
and Infrastructure - Brenda Artiss, Chair
Doug Mortimer presented for the committee. After 16
months of work the STEP team submitted $100,000 in grant proposals to the Rural
Center for several items:
1.
Website for Town of Robbinsville
2.
Marketing Plan for Tourism
3.
Bypass Façade Improvements
4.
WIFI hotspots for the town
The committee also submitted a letter of intent to
ArtPlace America requesting an invitation to submit a $925,000 to repurpose
Snyder store as a multi purpose Artisan facility to increase tourism.
Rick Davis reported that the committee will soon be
able to announce broadband agreement for tower on Wachacha Bald.
Ø
Recreation,
Natural Resources and Water Quality – Joe Bonnette, Chair
Joe Bonnet reported the next committee will be
December 15 at the Cheoah Ranger station at 1pm, all welcome.
A representative of Little Tennessee Land Trust was
invited to discuss water quality, stream health surveys in Graham County.
A request for Dump station funding wad
presented to the Economic Development Commission..
Lisa Russo reports “Clean Sweep” now called
“Big Sweep”, to connect our project to NC Big Sweep, a non-profit operating
in all 100 NC counties to rid the environment of litter (ncbigsweep.org).
Two new volunteers have signed up for the litter committee.
Lake Santeetlah Cleanup: There is more interest and
work is being planned.
Cherohala Skyway Overlook Clearing:
The Forest service has cleared half the overlooks, and is working on a
plan to do the rest of the clearing.
Trails projects: Most of the work to begin this
spring on the Massy Branch Fitness Trail. Committee
trying to encourage the Forest Service to reopen and maintain Santeetlah
Bike trail (12 – 20 miles). A sponsor is needed to help maintain that trail,
before Forest Service will commit to reopening it as a bike trail.
Applications are available for entering a float in
the Robbinsville Christmas Parade Saturday Dec. 10 at 3pm.
Recycling Recommendations:
A written summary was included with agenda for meeting attendees.
Service to pick up recycling in Graham County is very limited, if
available at all, so we will need to haul our own recycling to a buyer. Prices
have dropped, but the plan will still save the county some money.
The summary will be presented to the Graham County Board of County
Commissioner’s at the Regular Meeting at 4pm at Community Center on Monday,
November 21.
Ø
Leadership
and Government - Mike Harwood, Chair
Rick Davis said the Leadership Session on financial
literacy will be rescheduled for a date in January.
Ø
Health
and Social – Alicia Parham, Chair
Alicia
Parham gave the committee report. The
committee met in October, discussed continuation of funding for school-based
health center and community clinic. They will be applying for funding of $60,000
that will be able to add back nutrition and mental health to school. Possible
grant to help with fire detectors/extinguishers in the home.
Lighting
the Way to a Walking Community – a diabetes prevention 4-year grant – Phase
one: light the 1 mile fitness trail, repair and upgrade the paving of the trail.
Phase two: repair and pave the SVC fitness trail Phase 3: Enhancements to
pedestrian walking paths in the town of Robbinsville, e.g. crosswalks, Phase 4:
Greenway walking trail extension at RHS and the Town of Robbinsville, greenway
extend to pool area, Stanley fields for walking/biking.
The
Health Department will be starting the 4-year community health assessment next
year to set priorities for upcoming years.
B.
GREAT
Financial Report
Rick
Davis reported cash ending 10/31 - $124,703.35 balance of which $108,881.62 is
restricted.
C.
County/Regional
Updates
County
Updates – Mickey Duvall said Mike Edwards is has been named the Chair of our
District 7 organization of County Commissioners.
Connie
Orr expressed her appreciation that people have been willing to help with every
challenge we have faced.
Mickey
Duvall said the county has gotten through its audit, 2 years ago we were under
8%, now have a 15% fund balance, gives us a stable rating for bonds.
The
county is underway with new Senior Center around 4,000 sq feet.
A new transit facility is also underway.
Jeanie
Stewart of Fontana is working with the County for new water system, looking for
$1.2 in million grants.
The
County Comprehensive Plan is going well; working with the Dept of Commerce to
help us go out and get more grant money.
Smith
Howell Building taking shape, will be a first class facility for Graham County,
ready in January.
Telecomm
project running 17.3 miles of broadband in county, RFPs will be in tomorrow to
see the best way to run this 17.3 miles.
Mickey
Duvall reported the county has been working with congressional representatives
to get a county administration facility for the county.
The Community Building is undergoing some renovations.
The county is implementing a county inventory, barcode system so all
county property will be coded. Mickey
reported the county has administered about 1.4 million grants for Stanley, money
being paid back to Economic Development Commission.
Tri
County Community College has applied for a $60,000 grant for workforce training
certification.
Joe
Bonnet reported for Graham County Travel and Tourism: The county is getting
ready to promote itself particularly with motorcycles.
Mike
Edwards reports money has been allocated from DOT to do work on Maple Spring
Road, and added we are the only county in our region without a transportation
plan.
Kate
Parkerson for Stecoah Valley
Cultural Arts Center: The county-wide Artisan Drive About is coming up next
week, and a Christmas in the Mountains Arts & Crafts Show will be held
on December 3 at Stecoah Valley Center.
Tabitha
Myler for the Graham County Chamber of Commerce: Met this last month and are voting in new officers. Bylaws
and fee structure are being worked on. Alcoa and Duke Power will be a new
members.
Jennifer
Hogsed, Regional Representative with
Department of Commerce will be replacing Cindi Messer in representing this area.
Sandy
Zimmerman with Heath Shuler’s office: Shuler
making sure the rural counties get to keep the PILT (payment in lieu of taxes)
funds. Small business Saturday is Nov. 26th to promote shopping
locally within county. UNC TV is
trying to get Graham on NC Weekends programs.
Guest
Speakers
Kim
McGuire, Executive Director of WNC Nonprofit Pathways. Kim explained the NC
NonProfit Pathways is a collaboration of 4 funding organizations.
They offer four levels of services: They offer training in 8 areas to
strengthen individual leaders, and work to strengthen individual organizations.
They start with an assessment and can provide coaching for an organization.
Contact them if they can help.
Announcements
Ø
Directors
Report
Ø
GREAT Board
meeting December at United Community Bank conference room
Ø
GREAT annual
meeting on January 19, 2012.
Ø
Be wary of
unscrupulous vendors of tote bags, shirts, etc that appear to have endorsement
from local agencies.
Gift from Karl and Connie Sutter, a long sleeve shirt giving out on the way out
the door.
Ø
Adjourn.
1:37