Written by: Sam Garrett, Publisher
The Town of Blowing Rock held a “meeting” of its planning board on September 18. The single-topic meeting agenda consisted of the proposed special use permit requested by Trip Hospitality to build a 98-room Hampton Inn hotel on Ransom Street. The two-and-a-half-hour “meeting” felt a like a cross between a dysfunctional family dinner and British parliament. Board members talked over each other and looked at each other for confirmation and agreement as they made statements. They did not allow other members of the board to complete sentences or motions, and the audience essentially participated in the board conversation by interjecting and interrupting during most of the meeting. Board members waited for approval from the crowd while they labored through questions and statements and attempted to amuse attendees by making fun of the hotel brand the applicant represented. No one had control of the meeting and attempts by Planning Director Kevin Rothrock and Town Attorney Joey Petrack to give direction fell on deaf ears.
My issues with the meeting have nothing to do with hotels, traffic studies or even the town’s codes and history of controversial building projects. The issues are civility, decorum and common decency.
The September 18 meeting was not a legitimate business meeting. The disrespect ran rampant. Multiple members of the board talked down to Rothrock. The board directed eye rolls, and the crowd shouted derogatory comments toward Petrack. Other board members did not allow Brandon Walker to finish stating a motion. Attendees booed and hissed when Walker shared his desire to gather as much information as possible to provide to town council.
The representative from Trip Hospitality was disrespected in countless ways. The crowd talked over him and board members mocked, laughed at, and booed him after many of his comments. It is fair to point out that he was ill-prepared, not professionally dressed and simply did not have a clue what he was walking into. Regardless of his lack of, well, everything, is that how we want Blowing Rock represented? I suggest the answer should be, “No.”
The real question is, “do the ends justify the means?” Some of you may believe it does not matter what we do as long as the Hampton Inn is not built on Ransom Street. How far are you willing to take that? In 2025, politics on the national level are attack, attack, attack, because so many people believe every topic is a “threat to democracy.” We do not have to have the same level of vitriol at the local level. Blowing Rock can and should do better.
High Country Press filed a Freedom of Information Act request with the Town of Blowing Rock and found that elected, appointed and hired leaders shared a common opinion of the meeting on September 18 – embarrassment. Again, this is not a statement about Hampton Inn or no Hampton Inn. This is about civility.
Blowing Rock Town Manager Shane Fox defended and apologized to Rothrock. In an email to town council and Rothrock on September 19, 2025, Fox wrote “…some of the questions and how they were framed last night towards you were not appropriate and should not continue, you deserve better.”
Fox went on to address town council.
“The questioning and how it was done was hostile and inappropriate in my opinion and bordered on pure theatrics,” Fox wrote.
During the meeting, a number of planning board members made disparaging comments about Hampton Inn and tried to identify distinctions between Hampton Inn and other Hilton brands. This was not appropriate according to Fox.
“Whether or not someone has stayed in a hotel has zero bearing on the project and we should be ashamed to have even brought it up, let alone two members of the planning board,” Fox wrote.
Fox also called into question the board’s professionalism and thanked Petrack for attempting to keep the meeting focused.
“The overall demeanor and inappropriate comments towards the applicant were unprofessional and uncalled for,” Fox said. “You tried to control the meeting last night, but it was difficult. Thank you for your professionalism and effort to keep the town on course.”
Walker sent an email to Fox on September 25, stating how embarrassed he was to be associated with the planning board.
“There was no respect nor civility at this meeting … the Chair, repeatedly ignored Robert’s Rules of Order … As a Board member, I am personally embarrassed to have been associated,” Walker wrote. “The Applicant was treated in a hostile manner by the Chair and certain members of the Board, along with the public … It was an embarrassment.”
Walker also recognized the inappropriate treatment of Rothrock.
“The disrespectful and inappropriate way that Mr. Kevin Rothrock was treated by the Chair and certain Board members, along with the public … How can this behavior be tolerated,” Walker wrote.
Walker also made his own attempt to gather more information for the record so town council would have all the details they needed. According to his email to Fox, Walker believes that is the planning board’s role.
“My understanding of the role of an advisory board is to develop factual information for the Commissioners to make an informed decision – not to put on a show for the crowd and then make a recommendation to the Commissioners based on completely subjective information,” Walker wrote.
Mayor Charlie Sellers responded to Fox’s email to the town council on September 19.
“I heard about last night and I will always stand up for Kevin and all our staff. They all make good decisions when considering our town,” Sellers wrote. “I am sorry for what you have had to deal with. The lack of respect for all of our town employees including Shane Fox will stop.”
Fox defended Rothrock with an email to Kevin and town council. His defense of Rothrock is simply one of many times or ways Fox has consistently defended town staff in recent months about issues including their right to have childcare; their right to enjoy Blowing Rock without paying property taxes; their competence, ability, training and experience to do their jobs; and their right to receive a 2% pay raise.
It begs the question, while Fox is defending the town employees, who is defending Fox? If the town council is dissatisfied or unhappy with his actions or decisions, he should be fired. If the town council supports his actions and decisions, he should be defended. As the elected body that is positioned to lead the town, why not lead by supporting the staff and building a culture of trust?
Prior to the October 14 town council meeting, High Country Press asked all five members of town council and the mayor their opinions on Fox’s prior High Country Press interview and his letter to the editor. The responses speak for themselves.
“No comment,” Councilwoman Melissa Pickett said.
“I don’t have anything to say at this time,” Councilwoman Cat Perry said.
“I am cautious talking about personnel issues,” Councilman Pete Gherini said.
“Shane was communicating to the staff that he has their back,” Councilman David Harwood said. “If a town employee is attacked or talked down to and the town manager is silent, it looks bad.”
“I think we should protect town employees if they are attacked,” Councilman Doug Matheson said.
“As a citizen he definitely has the right to have and share his opinion,” Mayor Charlie Sellers said. “As the town manager I have a little different stance; as town manager it’s an HR conversation and we will discuss it with Town Council.”
How hard is it for town council to take control of planning board meetings and to publicly stand up for its staff with the same enthusiasm its town manager does? Without the town manager and nearly 100 other staff members, this paradise we call Blowing Rock would fall apart. According to a current Blowing Rock employee who is afraid he might lose his job if I mention his name, “A roast beef sandwich and $100 is nothing compared to knowing the town council has our back.”