MINUTES

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

COUNTY OF HENDERSON MAY 11, 2001

Henderson County Board of Commissioners met for a special called meeting at 9:00 a.m. in the Commissioners= Conference Room of the Henderson County Office Building at 100 North King Street, Hendersonville, North Carolina.

Those present were: Chairman Bill Moyer, Vice-Chair Marilyn Gordon, Commissioner Grady Hawkins, Commissioner Don Ward, Commissioner Charlie Messer, and Clerk to the Board Elizabeth W. Corn.

Also present were the following from North Carolina Department of Transportation:

Conrad Burrell, Transportation Board member

Jay Swain, Division Maintenance Engineer

Ed Green, District Engineer

CALL TO ORDER/WELCOME

Chairman Moyer called the meeting to order and welcomed those in attendance. He stated that the purpose of this meeting was to discuss the NC DOT=s Secondary Road Improvement Schedule and what they have planned for Henderson County for the year July 1, 2001 through June 30, 2002.

Chairman Moyer recognized Conrad Burrell, Jay Swain, and Ed Green and he turned the meeting over to Mr. Burrell.

NC DOT SECONDARY ROAD PUBLIC HEARING

Conrad Burrell informed those present that they had brought some new North Carolina maps and asked people to help themselves. Mr. Burrell stated that they were here today to share with the public and the Commissioners the gravel road paving program for Henderson County for the next fiscal year and to listen to comments and answer any questions.

Mr. Burrell introduced Mark Gibbs who was in attendance to answer any questions about the secondary road paving project. Mr. Burrell then turned the meeting over to Jay Swain.

Mr. Swain stated that they were happy to be here and he introduced other DOT employees in attendance:

Teddy Green, Division Right-of-way Agent

Rob Shelton, Right-of-way Agent

Gabbo Pressley, Maintenance

David Hensley, Maintenance

Mr. Swain stated that these people were in attendance to try to help answer any questions there might be about right-of-way or the paving program.

Mr. Swain stated that over the next three years they will have offered paving to all gravel roads in western North Carolina. It is a volunteer program which is dependent upon donated rights-of-way. There is also a condemnation program available if there is a person on the road who will not sign for right-of-way donation, his neighbors can unite and initiate condemnation proceedings. The program they presented was based on projected funds. Mr. Swain stated that there have been some concerns about the current state budget crisis and how it might impact this program. The majority of secondary road paving funds come from monies collected by gas tax and other certain fees and they are directed to paving roads by legislative action.

Mr. Swain stated that about 20% of the funds are set aside for maintenance improvements.

Mr. Swain turned the meeting over to Ed Green, who presented the paving program for Henderson County. The funds planned for the next fiscal year for Henderson County were $4,645,735.14. With these funds they plan to pave 6.16 miles of subdivision/residential roads and 15.87 miles of rural roads (pending right-of-way donation) as well as needed maintenance. Mr. Green read the list of roads that are projected for paving during this time, a copy of which is attached as part of these minutes. He explained that once a road gets to the Atop ten@ they are frozen and by law cannot be moved from the Atop ten@. Mr. Green informed the Board of the Aright-of-way unavailable list@ which was three pages in length.

There was some concern about the speed limit at the new school. Mr. Green stated that they would get the traffic engineer to look at lowering the speed limit on Howard Gap Road near the new school.

Chairman Moyer asked that NC DOT Secondary Roads be on the agenda for the next Commissioners= meeting so they can get information out to the public about contacting NC DOT to check on the status of their road, if they live on a gravel road.

Public Input

There was none.

Action

Commissioner Hawkins made the motion that the Board approve the Resolution presented regarding Secondary Road Improvements in Henderson County. All voted in favor and the motion carried.

Chairman Moyer stated that the Board has had the Transportation Advisory Committee in operation for about two years. Ed Green has attended almost every meeting and has been a valuable member of that committee. Progress has been made on some dangerous intersections.

There being no further business to come before the Board, the meeting was adjourned at approximately 9:30 a.m.

Attest:

Elizabeth W. Corn, Clerk to the Board William L. Moyer, Chairman