Commissioners support movement on kill-chill facility at August meeting

As the first agenda item, Ken Sevensky from Blue Ridge Relay, requested the board’s support in road usage for the race.

The 208 mile relay race starts in Grayson Highlands State Park in Virginia and ends in Asheville with the path running through Boone and Blowing Rock. With construction on the Blue Ridge Parkway, Sevensky asked the permission of the commissioners to run along the Greenway Trail on Brookshire Road and close one lane of 421 the day of the race.

After discussion about parking, which Sevensky already secured at Ted Mackorell Soccer Complex, the commissioners agreed to write a letter of support to the Department of Transportation for the use of these roads on Sept. 9 from noon to 8 p.m.

The commissioners then heard a presentation from County Extension Director Jim Hamilton about plans to construct a kill-chill facility in Watauga County.

In June 2021, nonprofit Golden LEAF committed $1 million for a kill-chill facility with one year to raise matching funds to put the project into motion. Through American Rescue Plan Funding, Watauga County committed $500,000 toward the project in December. The project was also awarded $220,000 by the Tobacco Trust Fund, $100,000 by the Appalachian Regional Commission and $75,000 by Opportunity Appalachia. This money is also combined with $474,450 from the Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund, which is part of a more than $10 million effort to preserve North Carolina farmland.

The total brings the project to more than $2,300,000. The USDA Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program proposal to cover 20% of all project expenses will be released in the fall.

The main priority of the project is to bring a slaughter floor to the county so farmers in the area won’t have to drive their livestock far distances.

With the initial funds secures, the commissioners agreed with Hamilton’s plan to begin planning and pre-construction on the project.

Also at the meeting, a public hearing for amendments to the High Impact Land Use Regulations Spacing Requirements was scheduled for the Sept. 6 commissioners meeting.

Joe Furman, from Watauga County Economic Development, said the citizens request to make a “very small amendment” to the spacing requirements to add the phrase “there will be 1,500 feet spacing from a road designated by Watauga County as a gateway.”

County Manager Deron Geouque then presented requested budget amendments, American Rescue Plan Act proposals and administrative matters to the board.

The reallocation of unused Crossnore School funds to Mountain Alliance, Western Youth Network and juvenile mediation and the use of Capital Reserve funds to replace the roof at the Law Enforcement Center and Human Services building as well as addressing drainage issues at the courthouse were approved among other amendments allocating granted funds for their intended use.

The commissioners also agreed to adopt policies and procedures of Uniform Guidance due to the county’s use of American Rescue Plan funds.

Prior to public comment, board members Carrington Pertalion and Larry Turnbow were appointed to the Armory Planning Committee and a public hearing to allow citizen comment on the proposed financing of the New Valle Crucis Elementary School was scheduled for the Aug. 16 commissioners meetings.

During public comment, three community members were each granted three minutes to speak to the board. Zeke Jones, Linda Byrd and Gabriel Patterson all addressed the commissioners requesting that Welch resign from his position as chair immediately due to him accepting a job at the University of Virginia.

Welch, who was not present at the meeting, said in a statement that he plans on resigning no later than Sept. 15.

“This is a matter that surpassed any party line. We just heard a lot of people come through here today — they discussed very important things about the county — Commissioner Welch was not here to hear it,” Jones said. “There are many issues that the county will face over the course between now and September when he said he plans on resigning and I’m worried that during that time, we will not have proper representation.”

Byrd said she was concerned that Welch is waiting to resign to maintain the Democratic board of commissioners.

“I am a taxpayer and long-time resident of Watauga County and I as well would like to see Chairman Welch go ahead and resign now. There is no point in prolonging except the fact that the citizens cannot choose who replaces him, the party of the person, and I just think that that’s not appropriate,” said Byrd.

Patterson said he did not have ill-will towards Welch or his politics but felt he was “disrespecting” the community that many people “cherish.”

“These comments toward the board do not stem from the feeling a partisanship or party identity,” Patterson said. “My criticism of Commissioner John Welch, wherever he may be, has nothing to do with the ‘R’ or ‘D’ next to his name and has everything to do with respect or disrespect for everyone in this room and in this county.”

County Manager Deron Geouque said in a statement Welch had a prior commitment and was therefore unable to attend the meeting.

Correction: This story was updated on Aug. 4 at 4:45 p.m. to correct the last name of Linda Byrd.