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From the Mayor’s Desk: Senior Living Campus to be Developed in Blowing Rock

Note: Blowing Rock Mayor Charlie Sellers will be providing the High Country Press with news and updates on projects in Blowing Rock. This week, Mayor Sellers shared an announcement that Blowing Rock will be home to a new senior living campus.
 
Mission Accomplished: Appalachian Regional Healthcare System (ARHS) has agreed to a partnership with Wilmington, N.C.-based Liberty Senior Living (Liberty) to develop a senior living campus on the 68-acre tract at Chestnut Ridge in Blowing Rock, N.C.
 
Details of the partnership are still developing, but ARHS President and CEO Chuck Mantooth is very optimistic. He commented, “We have a contract and are awaiting just a few regulatory approvals. In the meantime, Liberty is consulting on the operation of The Foley Center and developing a milestone-based approach toward building the retirement facility. Eventually, The Foley Center and the retirement facility will operate together seamlessly as a full continuum of care.”
 
Mantooth added, “Back in 2012, our original plan was to develop a senior living campus at Chestnut Ridge. That’s why we bought 68 acres. Our concept was to develop a post-acute care facility in phase one and partner with another company to build a retirement village in phase two. This evolution is really the culmination of that original plan.” 
Mantooth went on to say, “Throughout our contract discussions with Liberty, the synergies have been remarkable. Their roots are in rural areas. They understand seasonal, destination markets like ours – as they have developed communities in Pinehurst, Wilmington, Mount Pleasant, and more recently in Pisgah Valley near Asheville. All of the facilities they’ve constructed are awe-inspiring and the quality reviews they receive are first-class. Liberty had everything we were looking for in a partner.”
 
Liberty (www.libertyseniorliving) is an experienced family-owned company that has been helping people manage their healthcare and residential needs for more than 125 years. Their principal owners, Sandy and Ronnie McNeill, are proud to call North Carolina home and are the fourth generation of McNeill’s immersed in the healthcare industry.  
The company founders, who opened their first pharmacy in 1875, established Liberty’s core values of quality, honesty and integrity that guide them to this day. Today, Liberty owns 29 skilled nursing, assisted living and retirement community developments throughout the southeast. 
 
Two Council members attend League of Municipality conference
 
Interim manager Jim Freeman along with councilmen Steel and Matheson attended the three-day North Carolina League of Municipalities conference in Hickory. Day one was a business meeting of the NC Resort Towns and Convention Cities of which Blowing Rock is a member, highlights were legislative priorities, short term rentals, and oil and gas exploration. Days two and three were made up of business meeting and small breakout sessions ranging in topics from where and how to obtain grants, aging infrastructure to broadband-public & private partnerships.
 
Council member Virginia Powell attends quasi judicial seminar
Virginia Powell attended Quasi Judicial procedure and ethics conference on May 8 Mrs. Powell felt that the conference was informative and shed light on upcoming CUP issues that could be before the council in upcoming meetings.