High Country Council of Governments Presents Awards at Annual Banquet


The 48th Annual Banquet was a time to celebrate regionalism and collaboration, HCCOG member governments and partners, and the organization’s service to the region. During the event, local elected officials, government employees, and board members were recognized for exemplary leadership and service.

(Boone, NC) – On October 6, 2023, High Country Council of Governments held its annual awards ceremony at the Grandview Ballroom on Appalachian State University’s campus to recognize outstanding achievements and contributions by elected officials, local government employees, and advisory committee members. 

High Country Council of Governments (HCCOG) is a regional entity that serves and supports local governments in Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Mitchell, Watauga, Wilkes, and Yancey Counties. 

Award winners were nominated by elected and appointed officials from the seven-county region. 

HCCOG Executive Board Chair and Ashe County Commissioner Chair, Todd McNeill presented the first two awards. 

Avery County Commissioner, Wood Hall Young Jr., was recognized as this year’s Outstanding Rural Transportation Advisory Committee (RTAC) member by his fellow board members. This award recognizes an individual’s contribution to the region as a whole and their knowledge of the region’s transportation needs.

Commissioner Young has served on the High Country Rural Planning Organization (RPO) since January 2017 with excellent attendance. 

He is a very engaged member of the committee and is eager to learn more about the region’s transportation needs and issues at every meeting and routinely inquires about transportation projects. 

Commissioner Young works effectively with other RTAC members, NCDOT staff, RPO staff and supports the efforts of the High Country RPO to plan for and improve the region’s transportation network. 

Commissioner Young is a two-time Chair of the RTAC who consistently makes time to stay involved in the RPO’s work program and projects. 

Alleghany County native, Patricia Polley was recognized as this year’s Outstanding Senior Tar Heel Legislature member. This award honors remarkable service and contributions to the older adults in the region.

Mrs. Polley is deeply admired in our mountain community for her deep commitment to service over the past two and a half decades. As a dedicated public servant and volunteer to many important causes in the Alleghany community, she has established a huge legacy. 

She returned to Sparta in 2000 after 37 years living in Alaska. Living in Juneau, she had an esteemed career that included being the Director of the Board of Elections for the State of Alaska, and as Clerk for the City of Juneau. Upon return to Alleghany County, she became highly involved in the community. 

Mrs. Polley has served on the Senior Tarheel Legislature and the Area Agency on Aging’s Regional Advisory Council since 2004, currently serving her second term as chair for the Regional Advisory Committee. Her tenure and legislative advocacy efforts have contributed to many accomplishments that have improved the lives of countless older adults throughout the entire state. 

She has served on the Alleghany Council on Aging’s board for over 20 years, including terms as Chair, and is currently serving as Vice-Chair. She is highly involved in all fundraisers and has a reputation for showing up ready to work.

Mrs. Polley has been an active supporter of the Alleghany County Library for over 2 decades and has served the library in many roles that include being the president of the Friends of the Library group, a library board member and past Chair, as well as a regional representative for Alleghany County on their multi-county library network Board of Directors. She has been instrumental in many of the library’s major milestones, including the establishment of a bookstore that has been raising money for the Alleghany library since 2003, and helping the library move into their new, beautiful space in 2017. 

She also served on the Board of Directors for Alleghany Memorial Hospital and was active in fundraising efforts aiding in raising over $6 million dollars, which was necessary to complete a merger with Wake Forest Baptist Hospital. If that wasn’t enough, she was a charter member of the Alleghany Rotary and served as the club’s second president. 

HCCOG Executive Board Vice-Chair and Town of Blowing Rock Mayor Pro Tem, Doug Matheson, presented the next three awards. 

Michael Birkmire, Manager of NC Vocational Rehabilitation Services was selected by fellow board members as this year’s Outstanding Regional Workforce Development Board Member. This award recognizes service and effort given to the region and its citizens in workforce development. 

Mr. Birkmire has been a Workforce Development Board member since April 2010 when he became the newly appointed manager of the local NC Vocational Rehabilitation Services office having previously worked for the organization in North Wilkesboro, where he worked with high school students. He has approximately 20 years of service with Vocational Rehabilitation, which helps people with disabilities achieve their goals for employment and independence. 

He currently serves on the board’s Executive Committee, which reviews grant applications and Request for Proposal submissions among other regional workforce issues including NCWorks Career Center operations. He has also previously served on the Board’s Continuous Improvement Committee for the career centers. 

When his colleagues nominated him, it was said that he “is a strong advocate for his clients and participates in numerous events to create awareness. He believes in advocating training and education for all clients if applicable and recognizing the worth of education and training outside of a college program.” 

Burnsville Town Manager, Heather Hockaday, was recognized by the region’s managers/administrators, and local elected officials, as this year’s Outstanding Local Government Manager in the High Country region. The award acknowledges the contributions a manager has made to local government through their professionalism, leadership, and accomplishments as manager or chief administrator. 

Mrs. Hockaday is a native of Burnsville, NC and a graduate of Mountain Heritage High School, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Campbell University School of Law. She and her husband Danny have raised five impressive children, attending many ballgames and horse shows over the years. 

She is a former member of the Burnsville Town Council and has served as Burnsville’s attorney for many years. In 2020, the Burnsville Town Council voted unanimously to hire her as Burnsville’s first full-time Town Administrator. She also began to serve as the Town Tax collector and continued as in-house counsel. 

In 2021, the Town Council amended the Town Charter, to adopt the Council-Manager form of government for the town and unanimously voted to appoint her as the first ever Town Manager of Burnsville. 

For many years she has worked with the Mayor and Town Council to put policies and procedures and checks and balances in place, so the town is in a good position to address growth and change, positively and professionally. She has been involved in all aspects of local government. Her work to ensure that the Town is in legal compliance with ever-changing laws has increased accountability and transparency. Her guidance with day-to-day operations has created greater efficiencies within the organization and reduced the time it takes to get the work done. 

Under her leadership, the town has completed or begun numerous projects related to water, wastewater, roadways, sidewalks, or building renovations. Projects include: 

  • Completing a new fire department
  • Upgrading the town’s largest pump station and force main 
  • Multiple rehabilitations to the Wastewater Treatment Plant 
  • $2 million for improvements to the West Main sewer interceptor 
  • Making the Burnsville Town Hall ADA compliant 
  • Helping Burnsville navigate a pandemic and repairing infrastructure after flooding from hurricanes
  • Creating a Pavement Condition Assessment and paving several streets 
  • Developing a Bike and Pedestrian Plan, replacing or installing several sections of sidewalk, and securing funds for an East Main Sidewalk Feasibility Study
  • Engaging ASU’s IDEXlab to develop plans to renovate the old fire department into a police and public works building
  • Completing GIS mapping for stormwater and wastewater lines, a Comprehensive Land Use Plan, and zoning and subdivision updates

Mrs. Hockaday has worked with several organizations to help the town secure significant funding for planning and implementation of numerous capital and infrastructure improvement projects to update the water and wastewater systems and help meet expected future growth. Her tremendous efforts have helped to secure funding for critical infrastructure projects such as: 

  • $8.8 million for improvements to the Pine Swamp Wastewater treatment plant
  • $5.8 million for several waterline replacements
  • $2.2 million for raw intake and waterline improvements
  • $2.1 million for improvements to the East Main sewer interceptor
  • $1.3 million for Burnsville Water Treatment Plant improvements
  • $600,000 for the Baker’s Creek pump station project

She has served her community in many ways including serving on the Yancey County Economic Development Council and Graham Children’s Health Services. She has always expressed a deep commitment to her hometown and has a sincere desire to see the town move forward in a progressive manner to meet future challenges in a way that preserves Burnsville’s history and culture. 

Outside of work, she is always up for a good adventure, can be found enjoying time spent with family, discussing the greatness of the Tar Heels, enjoying live music, or hiking with her four-legged pal Rosie. 

Mrs. Hockaday brings an unparalleled tenacity to problem solving, matched only by her work ethic. She makes everyone around her better and is proving to be the exact leader that Burnsville needed at a very pivotal point in its history. 

Caroline Briggs, Finance Technician, was recognized as this year’s Outstanding Staff Member at High Country Council of Governments. This award recognizes an individual’s willingness to go above and beyond the call of duty, contributing to a positive work environment, and promoting a healthy image of the COG in our region.

Mrs. Briggs is said to be an invaluable resource and a truly outstanding member of the team. 

While Mrs. Briggs excels in her normal job duties, she also goes above and beyond her scope of work to help anyone whenever she can. 

Even during her holiday break, she volunteered to meet the flood remediation crew and was onsite at the office within 10 minutes. She continued to play a vital role during the months long remediation process. 

In a short period of time, Mrs. Briggs has become an expert in her role and a resource for those seeking to better understand the crucial function that finances play in our organization. 

Multiple nominations referenced this individual’s positive attitude, continual smile, and one note, “she is a true light in our office.” 

HCCOG Executive Board Chair and Ashe County Commissioner Chair, Todd McNeill presented the final two awards. 

Wilkes County Commissioner Chairman, Giddeon Keith Elmore was selected as this year’s Outstanding Local Elected Official in the High Country region. This award honors outstanding service and leadership to the community.

Commissioner Elmore is a true public servant and has served as a county commissioner for 19 consecutive years, which is a record in his county. 

He is currently the Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners and has served as both Chairman and Vice Chairman numerous times in his public career. 

Commissioner Elmore also serves on the Wilkes Community College Board of Trustees, Wilkes Economic Development Corp., the Ordinance Committee, and is Chairman of the High Country Workforce Development Consortium. 

He has served on nearly every board within his county and numerous boards in the High Country as well as many committees for the NC Association of County Commissioners to include currently serving on the President’s Broadband initiative for the entire State. 

Commissioner Elmore is a member of Arbor Grove Baptist Church and a former Board Member of the Roaring River Volunteer Fire Department, an active member of the Roaring River Ruritan, and a graduate of the UNC School of Government Local Elected Leaders Academy. 

He is a native of Wilkes County, he and his wife Mary have 1 daughter, Jessie. 

His leadership and vision are invaluable to the economic growth and success in the region. He has been instrumental in working with local officials, legislators, and state government to ensure that Wilkes County and the entire High Country region continues to grow and prosper. 

The High Country Council of Governments’ Executive Board chose Stoney Greene, Wilkes County Commissioner, Vice Chairman as their Outstanding Executive Board Member. This award honors service and effort in promoting cooperation among local governments in the region and the state. 

Commissioner Greene is a passionate and dedicated public servant. He is currently in his first term as a County Commissioner, serving as Vice Chairman.

He currently serves on the Blue Ridge Opportunity Commission, High Country Council of Governments Executive Board, High Country Rural Transportation Advisory Committee, and ordinance and personnel committees in his county. 

Commissioner Greene is an active member of Fishing Creek Arbor Baptist Church, Master Mason of the Traphill Masonry Lodge, and Oasis Shiner, previous President of the NC Percheron Association, and Lifetime Member of the Percheron Horse Association of America. He is a graduate of the UNC School of Government Local Elected Leaders Academy and 1995 Gradate from MendenHall School of Auctioneering. 

He is a native of Wilkes County, he and his wife Kristi have 4 children: Victoria, Harleigh, Scott, and Baileigh. He is the owner of Stone Wheel Trucking, Greene Ventures, LLC, and Skip’s Feeds, LLC. 

Commissioner Greene just recently announced he is a candidate for the North Carolina House of Representatives for District 94 serving Alexander and Wilkes Counties. 

HCCOG would like to congratulate all award recipients and thank them for their dedicated service to High Country citizens.

###

The High Country Council of Governments is a regional entity that serves and supports local government members and stakeholders with professional services by effectively maximizing resources to meet ever-changing needs that improve the quality of life and economic prosperity of the High Country.

Courtesy of The High Country Council of Governments