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Blowing Rock Town Council To Meet Tuesday: Budget, Gateways and More

By Jesse Wood

The Blowing Rock Town Council will meet on Tuesday, June 13 at 6 p.m. in Town Hall for its June meeting. The agenda, which is listed below, includes the adoption of the ’17-18 budget and reports on gateways to downtown, drainage at the elementary school and the Bass Lake sidewalk project. 

The proposed budget totals $14.52 million for all town operations, capital improvements and debt payments. This represents a steep increase of the current fiscal year budget of $5.26 million. The proposed budget includes an increase to property taxes and water and utility rates. 

These increases, the town manager said, are necessary to fund the capital projects that voters approved in 2014. Roughly 75 percent of Blowing Rock residents voted in favor of the general obligation bonds for water and sewer systems, streets and sidewalks, and parks and recreation. Read more about the proposed budget here.

Staff from Destination by Design, a planning and design firm, will provide an update to the gateway project, which has been in the works for a few years now. The following image is a rendering for a proposed timber-concept gateway at Sunset Drive and U.S. 321 intersection. 

See the entire agenda below:

  1. Call to Order
  2. Adoption of Agenda
  3. Special Recognitions & Reports
    1. Report from Kipp Turner (Maymead – NCDOT US321 Project)
  4. Approval of Minutes
    1. May 9, 2017 Regular Town Council Meeting, May 31, 2017 Budget Work Session and June 1, 2017 Budget Work Session
  5. Public Hearing
    1. Recommended Budget for Fiscal Year 2017-2018
    2. Close Public Hearing – Vote on the Budget
  6. Old Business
    1. Report from Destination by Design – Gateway update
  7. New Business
    1. Watauga County School Superintendent – Scott Elliott – Blowing Rock School
    2. EFLAP Grant – Bass Lake Sidewalk – Doug Chapman – McGill
    3. Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation – Resolution of Support
  8. Manager’s Report
    1. Local road paving
    2. Flooring Donated by the Bridge Club
    3. Flowers- Hanging Baskets and Planters
    4. BRAAC Town Clean-up week of May 15-19
    5. Town Employee work day May 18
    6. NCDOT – Ditch work repair on Main Street between Chetola and Hill Street
    7. Water Plant-Chemical feed room repairs completed
  1. Departmental Reports
    1. ABC Board
    2. BRAAC
    3. Financial Report
    4. Fire & Rescue
    5. McGill Associates
    6. Parks & Recreation
    7. Planning & Inspections
    8. Police Department
    9. Public Works
    10. Water Treatment Plant
  1. Speakers from the Floor

Prior to the meeting, anyone wishing to speak shall complete an index card supplied by the Town Clerk, on which they will provide their name, address, telephone number and the topic they wish to address. In deference to all who wish to speak, each speaker will be asked to limit his or her comments to no more than three (3) minutes.

  1. Adjourn