MINUTES

 

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA                                         BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

COUNTY OF HENDERSON                                                                                              MAY 14, 2003

 

The Henderson County Board of Commissioners met for a special-called meeting on Wednesday, May 14, 2003 at 10:00 am in the Commissioners= Meeting Room of the Henderson County Office Building at 100 North King Street, Hendersonville, NC.   The purpose of the special-called meeting was to conduct a public hearing on the North Carolina Department of Transportation 2003-2004 Secondary Road Improvement Program.

 

Present were: Chairman Grady Hawkins, Vice-Chairman Larry Young, Commissioner Bill Moyer, Commissioner Shannon Baldwin and Acting Clerk Avalina B. Merrill. 

 

Absent was: Commissioner Charlie Messer.   

 

In attendance from the North Carolina Department of Transportation were:  Board Member Conrad Burrell; Division Engineer Ron Watson; District Engineer Ed Green; Division Maintenance Engineer Joel Setzer; County Maintenance Engineer Steve Cannon; Maintenance Supervisors Donald Pressley and David Hensley; Right-of-Way Agents Sandra Fox, Tony Rickman, Robert Woodard and Dale Davis.

 

WELCOME\CALL TO ORDER

Chairman Hawkins called the meeting to order and turned the meeting over to Conrad Burrell.

 

PUBLIC HEARING

Conrad Burrell, NCDOT Board Member, explained the public hearing was to receive input and answer questions from citizens regarding the North Carolina Department of Transportation Secondary Road Improvement Program for Henderson County for Fiscal Year 2003-2004. 

Mr. Burrell stated Henderson County=s share of the secondary trust fund money available for improving secondary roads during the next fiscal year is $4,296,334. 

 

Ron Watson, Division Engineer, briefly discussed the Highway Trust Funds and the ANorth Carolina: Moving Ahead Program.@

 

Joel Setzger, Division Maintenance Engineer, discussed the unpaved roads program.   All roads in Henderson County that are eligible have been paved.  In the past, highway trust funds could not be expended to purchase rights-of-way to make unpaved roads eligible for paving. However, the North Carolina General Assembly is currently considering House Bill 22 which will allow the counties that have gone through their priority list to apply highway trust funds to improving paved secondary roads and purchase rights-of-way.  If that House Bill passes, NCDOT will seek to secure rights-of-way on the remaining unpaved roads in the County.  

 

Ed Green, District Engineer, explained the program elements for the funding allocation for the Henderson County Secondary Improvement Program for 2003-2004.  The approximate total allocation for Henderson County is $6 million. The first priority for that funding allocation is to pave

 

unpaved roads if rights-of-way become available.  He presented a list of 23 paved roads that would get improvements.        

 

PUBLIC COMMENTS

These individuals spoke during the public hearing.

1.   Reuben Brown, 2140 Kyles Creek Road. Mr. Brown addressed safety concerns about Kyles Creek Road and unsecured rights-of-way on that road.

 

2.   Joan Husni, 101 Orchard Hill Drive, Saluda.    Ms. Husni addressed safety concerns about Judds= Peek Road.

3.   Charles Blackwell, P. O. Box 32, Zirconia.  Mr. Blackwell chose not to speak.

4.   Margaret and Bob Patterson, 226 Red Huckleberry Lane.   Mr. Patterson inquired about the timeliness of the condemnation process to secure rights-of-way for the unpaved portion of Huckleberry Mountain Road. 

5.   Eva Ritchey. (Ms. Ritchey provided neither address nor phone number).  Ms. Ritchey encouraged NCDOT to be more context and environmental sensitive in its road design and improvements programs.

6.   Mary Jo Padgett. (Ms. Padgett provided neither address nor phone number).  Ms. Padgett encouraged NCDOT to be context and environmental sensitive in its road design and paving programs. 

7.   Dick Baird, 511 Hidden Lake.  Mr. Baird commended NCDOT for its road design standards and improvement programs.

8.   James Pitcock (Mr. Pitcock provided neither address nor phone number).  Mr. Pitcock inquired about the paving status of Kay Road.

 

RESOLUTION RECOMMENDING PROPOSED EXPENDITURE OF SECONDARY FUNDS FOR THE PERIOD JULY 1, 2003 THROUGH JUNE 30, 2004

Chairman Hawkins moved that the Board approve the proposed expenditure of secondary funds as presented on the attached list for the period of July 1, 2003 through June 30, 2004. All voted in favor and the motion carried.

 

Adjournment

Commissioner Moyer made a motion to adjourn the meeting.  All voted in favor and the motion carried.  The meeting was adjourned at 11:40 am.

 

APPROVED BY:

 

 

                                                                                                                                               

GRADY HAWKINS, CHAIRMAN

HENDERSON COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

 

Attest:

 

 

                                                                                                       

Avalina B. Merrill, Acting Clerk to the Board