Written by: Sam Garrett
In hopes of learning more about the protest held August 28 in support of Blowing Rock Academy, High Country Press sat down with Blowing Rock Town Manager Shane Fox. The conversation started by Shane stating his commitment to town employees and the town budget. He pointed out that of approximately 80 full-time town employees, only one could afford to live in Blowing Rock and just over 30% of them could afford to live in Watauga County.
“Many of the staff who serve this community tirelessly have to live off the mountain or over in Tennessee,” Fox said.
He expressed frustration that providing for his team was often attacked by individuals who complain about a few dollars a month in taxes being paid on their million-dollar second or third homes. Fox said he is proud of the Blowing Rock Academy which provides affordable childcare for town employees. The program has been recognized and studied, and it is being used as an example statewide as an innovative way to care for employees in other towns. Fox said 14 town employees have 12 children enrolled in the program and those employees represent over $1 million in salaries and benefits.
Within a few moments it became apparent that the protest surrounding Blowing Rock Academy was a symptom of a larger problem in Fox’s eyes. According to Fox, the Blowing Rock Civic Association (BRCA) has instigated negativity and acted as a divisive group against the town since before he was hired in May 2019.
“Our core charge is to serve the public and my primary responsibility is to care for my team while managing the town’s resources as effectively as I can,” Fox said.
Fox stated his job has been challenging at times because the town’s resources need to be used to run the town despite others’ opinions about what the town does. He specifically addressed the BRCA.
“We have had more issues and problems than I can count,” Fox said. “I have hundreds, if not into the thousands, of emails and correspondence with people and groups that seem to always be on the opposite side of the town.”
Fox is proud of his team’s work and said he stands by what they do.
“I feel like we are wasting taxpayer money constantly working to prove to certain people what we are doing,” Fox said. “It is exhausting and I am at the point of being burned out from the constant fighting.”
Fox estimated that the town has spent tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of dollars on labor, legal fees and town resources dealing with issues and an agenda pushed by the BRCA.
“Individual taxpayers are entitled to information and everyone would prefer to pay less taxes,” Fox said. “This is understandable.”
Fox said he communicated his frustration to the BRCA leadership in the past. In a June 27 email to BRCA Executive Committee Vice Chair Jane Sellers, Fox asked her to share his stance regarding the BRCA with others in the organization.
I, as the Town Manager, do not recognize the need for the BRCA. We, the Town, and our elected officials, are the voice of the residents and all stakeholders in the Town … So, just to clarify, I, nor my staff will communicate with the BRCA as an official organization regarding any matters … the BRCA has cost the taxpayers of the Town thousands of dollars in time and effort, including thousands of emails, many meetings, and an undocumented amount of research involving matters that do not pertain to any particular group or social club …
According to Fox, he sees the BRCA as a group that has not contributed anything positive to the Town of Blowing Rock. High Country Press reached out to Jean Kitchin, board chair for the BRCA, and shared Fox’s observation with her. We asked her what positives the BRCA has done for the Town of Blowing Rock. The Executive Committee of the BRCA responded with the following:
In the tradition of civic associations across the country, the Blowing Rock Civic Association has looked for opportunities to contribute to civic life in our wonderful town. Below is a list of many, but not all, of our more recent efforts:
- Annually BRCA mails out a survey to seek input about residents’ priorities from BRCA members, and we publicize the survey online via BRCA 28605. Anyone who wants to can vote using an online link. The majority of people who respond are registered voters in Blowing Rock. The results are shared with town officials. Past top vote getters are faster ambulance service, short term rental control, zoning that protects the character of downtown.
- Various members attend Town Council meetings and retreats and review materials disseminated by the Town to understand Town issues. Our leadership occasionally comments or asks questions on such issues of town officials and at Town Council meetings.
- BRCA has provided input to the Town planning director in developing the current short term rental regulations and the website Q & A on this topic.
- BRCA 28605 online weekly is sent to about 1,000 email addresses (70% + open rate) to disseminate Town related information that we believe is of particular interest to homeowners.
- For the past three summers BRCA has hosted monthly summer concerts with a band at the Broyhill Park, and they are open to the community free
- BRCA assists with the annual Town Veteran’s Day and Memorial Day Celebrations, both by helping secure speakers and financially. We have also publicized and videotaped these events. The videos were aired on BRCA 28605.
- BRCA produced a history video for the Town and availed it to the Blowing Rock Historical Society, which shares it through their website.
- Because of the first history video a grant was given to the BRHS to produce a second historical video, with which members of BRCA again assisted in writing, producing, and hosting.
- Interviews were conducted with the CEO of UNC Health Appalachia (Chuck Mantooth- who has since retired) to share his views about health and ambulance care. These were aired on BRCA 28605
- An interview was conducted with NC Representative Ray Pickett to provide information about issues being considered in the NC Legislature that Affect Blowing Rock. This was aired on BRCA 28605.
- An interview was conducted with a national expert on radon, after we learned that Blowing Rock is an area of high concentration. The interview was aired on BRCA 28605.
- The radon expert suggested that we invite Phillip Gibson, the radon expert for NC DHHS, to come to Blowing Rock to share information with residents. On September 3rd, 2025, BRCA is hosting a public information meeting with Mr. Gibson at the BR Community Library and will give away free testing kits, as well as provide local resource information. Given the high levels of radon in BR, we want to inform residents to help them be safe.
- BRCA donated with the Kitchin family four maple library tables to replace worn out plywood tables in the Blowing Rock Community Library.
- Annually the BRCA recognizes community service contributors with our Broyhill Community Service Award; Tom O’Brien is this year’s honoree.
- In 2023 BRCA collaborated with the Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce in the production of the Town Council Candidate Forum at the BR Elementary School.
- BRCA has conducted and recorded interviews with candidates for the Town Council and with Town Council members on several occasions to provide a forum for them to share their ideas and positions on topics of interest to residents. These have aired on BRCA 28605.
- BRCA has long advocated for faster ambulance service through meetings with the Mayor, the Town Manager, Town Council members, Watauga County Commissioners and candidates and through conducting an information session at which Mayor Sellers and Town Manager Fox shared information with attendees. Various employees from the hospital attended also.
- BRCA joined the Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce as a silver sponsor. We have appreciated being able to promote our summer concerts and the radon community service event in their weekly emails sent to members.
- On BRCA 28605 our online viewers were encouraged to donate to the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation to help victims of Hurricane Helene. We researched to find an organization whose funds stayed in Watauga and Avery Counties. An online appeal led to $150,000 in donations.
Fox sees the need for civic organizations to fill in the gaps and help the community. He expressed his belief that the BRCA is very different than the Village Foundation, which helps provide grants for the town and the Community Foundation that does so much for education.
“These organizations do good and have a positive impact on Blowing Rock,” Fox said. “Why can’t the BRCA do positive for the community? They are only focused on the negatives.”
Fox concluded with direct comments to summarize his perspective.
“The BRCA will never take a stance on anything but appears to have an opinion about everything,” Fox said. “This isn’t normal and definitely isn’t normal in a town of 1,300.”
High Country Press, through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, obtained a copy of the email sent June 27, 2025 from Shane Fox to Jane Sellers. Shane Fox serves as the Town Manager of Blowing Rock and Jane Sellers serves as the Vice Chair of the Executive Committee for the Blowing Rock Civic Association.
From: Shane Fox
Sent: Friday, June 27, 2025 8:55 AM
To: Jane Sellers
Subject: Re: Valley View Road
Dear Ms. Sellers,
As a resident of Blowing Rock, I want to assure you that I, along with the Town staff, am committed to working with you to answer any questions you may have regarding your property, town ordinances, or other issues that pertain to you as a resident, or stakeholder in the Town of Blowing Rock. We, as the Town of Blowing Rock, including the six elected officials chosen by the voters to represent them, work 24/7 to ensure that everyone in the town—whether residents, tourists, or other stakeholders—have a loud voice and receive exceptional service in all that we do.
The intention behind the clarity in my previous email was precisely to convey this message: as a resident, you should not necessarily be involved in matters concerning other residents across town from your private property on Wonderland, especially to ask for additional information pertaining to a particular project only involving those residents. It is not efficient use of taxpayer money to involve the entire town in matters that may only pertain to certain residents, or certain areas.
As for your mention of the BRCA and your position within the organization. I want to make sure that this is clear regarding the Blowing Rock Civic Association (BRCA), I, as the Town Manager, do not recognize the need for the BRCA. We, the Town, and our elected officials, are the voice of the residents and all stakeholders in the Town. We work extremely hard every day to maintain the most open-door, transparent, and willing town for communication that you will find in NC. We provide all with newsletters, updates, emails, etc. and are always willing to share information with those that request it, as long as it pertains to them and isn’t a misuse of the system that we have created.
So, just to clarify, I, nor my staff will communicate with the BRCA as an official organization regarding any matters. In my time here, the BRCA has cost the taxpayers of the Town thousands of dollars in time and effort, including thousands of emails, many meetings, and an undocumented amount of research involving matters that do not pertain to any particular group or social club.
As we move forward, we need to be more diligent in duplicating services. If a resident, tourist, or stakeholder has an issue, we will handle it without duplication or need from the BRCA.
Please share with others that may be involved in the BRCA that need to better understand our position.
The elected officials, the town staff, and many others work diligently each day to ensure that we address the issues and matters of our stakeholders, all while operating one of, if not the most, efficient and productive towns in North Carolina.
Sincerely,
Shane Fox
Town Manager Blowing Rock
Fox sent an open letter to the Town of Blowing Rock after our conversation. The letter is published in the September 11 issue of High Country Press.
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