Commissioners - Regular Meeting

Okay. I'm going to call to order the Monday, April 20, 20th, 2026 regular meeting of the Hwood County Board of Commissioners. Our first order of business will be our pledge of allegiance. And after that, I'm going to ask our sheriff to come forward for our invocation. So for everyone please stand if you can for the

pledgece to the flag of the stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Psalms chapter 32:10 says, "Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the Lord. Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, oh righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart." Let us remember to be upright in heart. Let us remember to act righteously. And may we rejoice in the fact that we have a Lord that we can trust in. I would invite you to join me in prayer. Heavenly Father, thank you for this day. Thank you for the opportunity to gather in a free country and to conduct the people's business in view of the people. I pray that you'd give us clarity to our thought. Give us clarity of speech, presence of mind as we go about making the decisions and hearing the presentations that benefit the county and its residents whom have selected us to lead on their behalf. It is in the name of Jesus Christ that I pray. Amen. Okay. Our next order of business will be public comment session and uh well, it's supposed to be public hearings, but we don't have any tonight. And then next is public comment. If you would limit your comments to uh three minutes. Um also, if you're speaking for a group, I think Howard's speaking for a group, so you can you can go five minutes. Um, so, uh, Amy, I mean, I'm sorry, Amy. Aan will be keeping the, uh, clock. As you can see, we've got your time up there. Uh, please, uh, when your time ends, please

conclude your comments. So, our first order, I mean, so go ahead. Uh, I'm going to let Haven call out the So, the first person that signed up to speak is Howard Neper on behalf of a group. So, he will have five minutes.

Welcome, Howard. I'm Howard Neper. How are you? It's good to see all of you again. Uh I'm still recovering from the from the uh campaign, but anyway, let me move on here. Uh I'm speaking today. I know it's a I'll keep it under five minutes. You have a big meeting tonight. Uh I'm here over uh just to give my comments about the the death of Sam and Buster the two horses. It's it seems to be uh an issue that's continuing to uh gather more legs and I have studied it and and I think that the um uh I understand very clearly the uh about the owner uh had some serious problems but at the same time she may have some responsibility possibly to the deaths of these two wonderful horses. Sam and Buster uh as we all know we don't have to go over it over and over again. They had a terrible death, you know, at 3:00 in the morning. They were probably scared out of their mind, starving to death, and in the end, they were eating mud. So now, the thing to do is to try to make sure that it doesn't happen again. And I think the best thing really is that if Mr. Morehead uh possibly could consider getting with the director, Mr. Martin, and maybe share the information with the district attorney, and and let the district attorney look into it. Nobody wants to see an elderly lady go to jail uh in North Carolina. Even though the horses are livestock, North Carolina has laws and you know ignorance does not uh alleviate you from your responsibilities. So uh if they find something then then there might be a fine but at least the public will understand that they can't do something like that and if they want to report something they know something's going to happen. We don't want to pin something on somebody for no reason. But if if the

county manager, Mr. Morehead, would consider uh getting with the director, Mr. Martin, and sharing it with the district attorney, maybe they'll look into it. And if they don't find anything, well, then that'll conclude that. And if they do find something, then then the people have to be held accountable. But I think that everybody cares about animals. And you know, I lost my mother 10 days ago and from some abuse in Miami from from caretakers. Abuse happens everywhere, whether it's elderly abuse or animal abuse or or anything. And and when we see it, we have to try to stop it, make the public aware of it. And I will say my stepfather, he passed away in Hwood County and had wonderful treatment here. Believe it. He had wonderful treatment here uh with the caretakers and Silver Bluff and Maggie Valley and and Spice. But but we're talking about Sam and Buster and and um I I know we all care about animals. So that's something that maybe you'll consider talking with Mr. Martin. Maybe the commissioners can think about it that he could simply talk to Mr. Martin about sharing it with the district attorney and then uh and go from there. And that I'm sure the animal activists will appreciate it and the public will be. That's all I have to say and thank you again for your service. I know you have a big meeting. Thank you very much. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. The next person that signed up is Jesse Lozer. Hello again. Um, my name is Jesse Loger. I spoke at the meeting on March 16th and I want to clear up that I had misspoke regarding the time frame. I meant to say 2023 and 2024, not 2013 and 14. That being said, while the mini horse was in my pier, he remained at a healthy weight until my last day employed on November 2024.

By June 2025, just 7 months later, he had gone from healthy to severely deteriorated. When I confronted the ranch hand, his excuse was, "He doesn't like the alalfa cubes. I'm busy in the mornings and I don't have time." That does not sound like an old age issue to me. That same employee still works there even after I've raised multiple concerns to the owners throughout 2025 with nothing ever prioritized or properly addressed. In the video I sent on October 7, 2025, it shows not only an emaciated horse too weak to stand, but an animal clearly sick with infected, weeping eyes and defeated. Whether he was standing or not, that horse needed serious help. The first time I submitted a report to animal control was on June 21st, uh, 2025. I do not know whether any action was taken. So I submitted it again on November 5th. Sadly, by that point, a turkey, alpaca, and bunnies had already passed away. With my five-page report along with picture, videos, evidence showing unhealthy animals, bunnies, birds crammed in small cages, overgrown curved hoofs, filthy enclosures, and deaths that could have been prevented. I am left upset and wondering why were no animals removed? Why was the situation not handled? And why was there no plan or solution in place? They were seen and walked away from. Haywood County Animal Services has done good work over the years helping rescue countless animals and place them in good homes. But from what I've experienced and others, changes need to be made. And I'll say it again, we need to toughen up animal cruelty laws. For the past 3

years, I have been the only one advocating for these animals at this ranch. Countless more would have died if I had not interveneed and helped them. I'm viewed in the family's eyes as a nuisance. Words from one of the owners, "They're just animals." There is something deeply wrong with that. It is baffling that we are even here today still having to fight for them. This should be clear, set in stone, right from wrong. Animals do not ask to be brought into this world only to be neglected and treated like garbage. To view the report online, the case number is A25-02244. Thank you guys. Next person signed up to speak is Jessica Jones. Jennifer Jones, sorry. Hello again. My name is Jennifer Jones. I met Sam on November 6th, that day. Um, when he arrived to Dream Haven Rescue, our volunteer team did everything we could to save him, but his worm count was over was about 2,000, which is twice the high-risk level, and he was so severely starved that his body simply couldn't recover from the long-term painful neglect that he had endured. Excuse me. Under North Carolina statute 14-360, depriving an animal of necessary substance is animal cruelty. When that deprivation results in death by starvation, it can be a class H felony. Based on Sam's condition, I believe that standard was met and the owner responsible should be criminally charged. According to animal control's own records, complaints about Sam and Buster began in April of 2023,

just three months after a donkey in the same herd reportedly starved to death, and 17 months before Buster and Sam also starved to death. In April 2023, a caller reported to HCAS that 8 to 10 horses were still not being fed. She left three messages. The note from HCAS simply said they would follow up as needed. But the concerns calls didn't stop there. Again, September 2nd, 2025, then September 24th. And 48 days later on October 20th, the caller contacted the Canton Police Department because animal control took no meaningful action. On November 3rd, a caller reported mal malnourished horses with bones showing covered in mats and ticks. On November 5th, another caller requested a wellness check and included photos showing significant decline. Finally, on November 10th, animal control went to the property, but by then it was too late. Buster was dead and Sam was beyond saving. This was not sudden. This was not long. This was a long visible pattern of neglect reported repeatedly and ignored repeatedly. These deaths were preventable. If action had been taken in 2023 when the donkey died, Salmon Buster would likely still be alive and well. Under North Carolina statute 14-361, it is illegal to permit animal cruelty. When repeated reports of starvation go unanswered, that permits cruelty from through interaction. We are asking for accountability. We are asking for enforcement of the laws and we are asking for justice for Sam and Buster. At the time of Sam and Buster's death, Nancy owned at least four other horses and two mules. I'd like to know where they are. Are they safe? Are they even still alive? Who's looking out for them?

Thank you. Thank you. Next person. 17 17 months before he died. That's next next

person signed up to speak is um Karen Owens. You're an Owens Star Ranch. Someone once told me that she received a call from animal control instructing her to come pick up some hospice dogs or they were going to have to make room. She knew exactly what that meant. Today, I'm requesting 2024 statistics released by animal control. Um, shortly after Howard Martin arrived in 2020, Lisa Glette was seen leaving with a car full of cats. Yet, Blue Ridge Humane reported receiving only two cats from Hwood County in all of 2020 and 2021. What is the number of cat intakes when some feral cats were not assigned intake numbers at all? How many total youth in Asges were actually performed by Dr. Plums? Are these numbers being manipulated to preserve a no kill rate on paper? We need an independent third-party IT professional to audit the data and verify what's really happening. When I learned in 2020 that Howard Martin would be our new director, I called Enso County, ask about horses. I can't say much, just he's yours now. In 2021, a frustrated caller was told, "We're just glad he's gone from here." Wow. Mr. Martin told the mountaineer that on November 19th, referring to Zoe, we saw the dog it was fine. It as a teacher, it's a pronoun for a thing. Zoe was not a thing. This is Zoe 3 days later. Does she look fine? Zoe could not move. She couldn't lift or turn her head due to fused vertebrae. She was severely underweight. Her ears were black. She could not eat or drink. I syringe cable water into her because she was severely dehydrated and hypoglycemic. When she could finally stand, she could only take a few steps because her back leg craw shriveled from atrophied muscles would slide under her and cause her to collapse. She had a memory gland tumor

the size of a walnut. The raised fur you see is from multiple scabs. The one on her back was the size of a silver dollar. Zoe's suffering was long-term and obvious. The commissioners and the mountaineer have all seen several videos showing Zo Zoe brutally attacked and abused by the big dog in a small filthy compound. Maple Truth's X-rays finally confirmed the truth that Zoe was because she was finally eating three small meals a day. Her intestines were full. Her body could no longer move waste properly. We saw some evidence, but evidently not nearly enough. There was no way out of this. After 10 long years of suffering, Zoe at least had 17 days of feeling safe, warm, fed, and loved. Under Haywood County's own statutes in the North Carolina, seizing Zoe was legally justified. Seizure was also both medically and morally mandated. Instead, Teresa Walsh and I paid the abuser over $1,100 to rescue Zoe and Oscar. If the director, who's paid over $97,000 a year, will not do his job to desperate sees a desperately needy 4-pound dog, he certainly won't save a starving horse. In his own words, he believes educating owners is a solution. Mr. Martin has never charged or held these two criminally negligent owners responsible. Not for Zoe, not for starved donkey, not for Sam, not for Buster. Animals are suffering and starving under his watch. If you would like to see a new way forward for Haywood Animal Counties, would you all just stand up in support of the animals?

That's Tom. Thank you. Balls in your court.

Okay. Anybody else? Okay. Okay. We'll move on to constituent concerns. I have three that I need to announce. There will be three public hearings during the commissioner's meeting uh on May 4th at 9:00 a.m. The first hearing is to accept public comment for Haywood's closeout of North Carolina Commerce Community Development Block Grant grants 20V 3522 and 17-d31 4137 phase 1 Clyde Armory shelter emergency shelter upgrades and mountain projects rental and assistant utility assistant project funding. The second hearing will be to receive comment on the Southwest North Carolina home consortium's 2026 2020 2030 uh consolidated draft p plan developed in accordance with the US department of housing and urban development requirements. The proposed consolidated plan draft will be posted for viewing on May 5th, 2026 and can be viewed on the public on the southwestern commission's website linked in the public hearing notice published on our website. Please contact Len Schuler at len southwesterncommission.org or 828-586-1962 extension 218 with any questions or comments. The third public hearing is to consider a proposed economic development agreement with PISGA services to approve the award of incentives for economic development purposes by helping sim stimulate the local economy, provide new taxable capital investment, and create new full-time employment with health insurance. So, those are the three public hearings. Um, as far as constituent concerns, the the

Mountaineer did a pretty in-depth story on these horses. Have y'all read it?

Okay. Well, it explained what happened and why it happened. And I thought it was a very good article. She did her research. She contacted all persons involved. And, you know, we followed the law. Howard followed the law. As far as I can tell, he's followed the law. Now, you folks drive up and down the road and take pictures of people's animals. And I'll give you a good example of why that you probably shouldn't be doing this. Here a while back, I got a call from a lady. There was a horse in a pasture. It had a blanket on, had a fly blanket on. The lady called me all upset because it was very hot summer. And I knew the owner that owned the horse. And so I called him and he sells horses for tens of thousands of dollars. And I knew who he was. So, I gave him a call and I said, 'What's up with the fly blanket? I had somebody complain. He said, 'Well, he said, 'Th that's for the flies to keep the flies off the horses because the if y'all ever had an experience with horse flies, you know what I mean? And the black flies that bite. So, he said, I I put the fly blanket on it. He said they use these in Florida and Texas all the time. It doesn't It cools them because it gives him UV protection and it keeps the flies from biting them so bad. So, that's the reason it was on there. And I emailed the lady back and I said, "This is why this guy has it. It wasn't because he was mistreating the animal or being mean to the animal." Now, I've read the case about these two horses and the donkey. And I' I've had livestock, and I understand it. You know, animals get sick like people do, and sometimes they get so sick that we can't help them. I had a horse just like that. I told y'all last time the horse got it was it looked really bad. We had taken it to the vet. We' given it all kinds of medicine and it didn't work. and we finally had to put it down. Unfortunately, it killed my wife to do that, but she had to take it and put it down. So, there are times when animals, you know, die because of whatever reasons. So, we can and the reason they don't the reason they get

thin is because they're not able to, you know, the food doesn't work or whatever. My horse had a parasite. They couldn't get rid of it. I would probably think that that's these horses also. As far as Buster, I think he was pretty old and he got into fences pretty bad. I've had horses do that. I've had horses do that. Please, I've let y'all talk. I didn't interrupt you. So, that's why uh the donkey probably just got into the fence and couldn't get out. And that can happen. That happens to cattle all the time. Um and it's unfortunate, you know. It really is unfortunate. And when you hear about this lady's background, her husband passed away. He was the main caretaker. her husband passed away and she has gotten rid of the animals. Other than the two animals you're talking about, the other animals were were very healthy.

Not true.

Well, they were. So, according to our uh animal services, they were they do a great job and I'm going to stand behind them and I'm going to take up for them because they've got a hard job, probably the hardest job in this county. And so, they're following the law. Did you want to make any comments, Brian, about anything? So, they following the law and that's what we have to do. We have to go by statute. If there was enough evidence to convict someone, I'm sure the DA would do that. But there's not enough evidence. You know, animals, this happens to animals. And I hate to put it to you like this, but this is what I've seen over my experience in following uh, you know, animals and and raising animals and and treating animals the way they should be. So, I hate that it happened to these animals, but it happens at times. So, does anybody else want to make any comments? Okay. Does anybody else have any constituent concerns? Oh,

I want to say one more thing about Zoe the dog. That dog passed away in Miss Owens's care. Stop. It stopped. It passed away in Miss Owens's care. Two vets looked at this dog. Miss Owens tried to get him to say something that they couldn't say because the dog did not die at this person's house. It passed away at Miss Owens's property because one of her dogs killed it. And that's what you guys were saying was happening to it. So stop with all this misinformation that's going out there and put out the whole truth because I believe in the whole truth. Okay. Does anybody else have any comments? I have a constituent. Go ahead.

Um I have an update about a North Carolina Department of Agriculture grant extension or I guess renewal. $221 million federal disaster block grant application period reopens March the 30th and that is to assist agriculture and forestry producers with specific hurricane Helen losses. So this is a second round of grant funding specific to agriculture and forestry. Um I also serve on soil and water and we had a meeting today and so the categories that the grant would be open to uh is farm infrastructure. Now some of this has changed from the last time and so we just want to make sure that this is getting out there and making sure that um I mean it's a lot of money. We want to make sure that people are applying and that they're aware that this opportunity is available again. So, farm infrastructure provides cost sharing assistance for farm structure repair or replacement. That's that's a new item. Future economic losses provides cost share assistance for economic loss for perennial crops, poultry, aquaculture operations. Um, market loss assistance for commodities and value added products. So, cost share assistance for harvested or unh harvested commodities. Timber loss relief program. private timber land owners with at least 10 acres of timber loss are eligible. Um the deadline for land owners to apply for the TLRP funds is June the 12th. So we're we're fastly approaching that number or that date and the submittal deadline for the associated timber damage assessment report is July the 10th. So if anybody thinks even remotely thinks that they have something that falls under any of these categories, we recommend that you contact our local soil and water office and they will be able to direct you accordingly. And they've had great success with the

people that have contacted them. And so that is uh local soil and water office is 828-452 uh 2741. So 2741. And I would recommend that if you had any of those losses, even if you were turned down on the first round of funding, that you reapply. Else got anything?

Yes, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate Commissioner Best bringing that up. I know our soil and water and our agriculture people have been uh very good about communicating that and I appreciate you doubling down on on that in case there's somebody who has fallen through the cracks with with help. and appreciate the state legislature and and others who have uh the department of agriculture who have come come through on that. You know, we're nearly moving on two years removed from that event and and we're still in recovery mode. I was in a meeting yesterday and with a person and you know it is uh the wheels of government turn real slow and when people need help right after the flood event they need help and uh I was talking to this person in in regards to the North Carolina Baptist mission. you know, they came in while the mud was still wet and was helping people get back on their feet and you still waiting on some reimbursement from FEMA uh in those regards and uh you know so it is embarrassing uh sometimes how how late help comes and uh of course we are very thankful for the people that come and help immediately after an event like that. Uh one of I've got one question. I had a constituent, you may be want to answer this publicly, uh has brought up to me uh the the event we have where we collect household waste, pesticides, uh restricted use pesticides. Somebody has bought a house and or they find something in the outside storage shed that didn't get cleaned out and they don't know what it is. Uh can we publicize that date and and that event? uh uh if we can't today, we want to certainly make sure we get it out on our website and

we'll we'll get that as soon as we can. We're a little behind for the spring. We usually have one in spring. U but uh I believe Zandre is going to give a presentation in just a little bit. She may have some details on what she's working with as far as household hazardous waste. I've had it brought up a couple times just recently. I think that that event's been a big hit. And they also reminded me that we had such a traffic jam uh the last time that possibly we should look to to maybe do two events per year. So, if we could look into that because it's a big deal. You know, people get those those substances and they don't know what it is and we certainly don't want to have it hanging around. One one of the the things it is extremely successful event and one of the things that we did and as is last year sought a grant to actually get some uh prefabed u household hazardous waste storage building. So we have those on site. We're looking at maybe having it more regularly uh even maybe a weekend a quarter. So we're still working out the logistics of some of that trying to to to be there more often so we don't have those traffic congestion problems too. Yeah, I' I've read and I'm looking forward to Zandre's uh presentation. I'm sure she can can hit on that on that topic. So, thank you.

Okay. Oh, just one more thing about the about the animal services. The reason we have an animal shelter, it passed 3 to two. I was one of the three. So, if you think I don't care about animals, I took a lot of heat for that animal shelter to be built. Kristen Hammond, I saw her the other day. Hey, we was at an I was at an event and she said, "Kevin, I want to thank you again for the animal shelter." She said, "You are the one responsible for getting that built." And I said, "No, there was two others." But she said, "You're still there." And so, I care about animals. We have animal shelter because I help vote for it. And you can shake your head no if you want to, but I know I do. God tells us to take care of our animals. And we're not going to u sit here and debate that. But, uh, we do follow up. Howard does a great job in my opinion. Yeah, I'm sure y'all disagree, but anyway, I did want to mention that also. So, okay, our next order of business will be administrative agency reports and presentations. And we have our Hwood Community College fiscal year 2627 budget presentation. And Haywood County College President Dr. Shelley White's here this morning to present that or this afternoon.

Hello. I just want to start by thanking you all for the opportunity to present um our budget to you for this um coming year and also thank you for your support um of the college over u many years in the history of the college. Um as I get started, I wanted to express appreciation to the Hwood Community College Board of Trustees. Two members of of our board are here with us today. I believe appointed by you. So Jerry, excuse me, John Wodsworth and Larry Codle are here uh representing our board of trustees today as well as Breck Lanning who's our vice president for infrastructure operations and technology. Many of you know that we are in the final weeks of celebrating the 60th anniversary of our college um in the community and its impact and appreciate several of you attending our events back in the fall to kick off this celebration. Um it's been a wonderful year of celebration um to uh to our community and college as we've reflected on what the past 60 years have uh been able to bring in terms of opportunities for partnership and opportunities for students to gain the critical skills that they need to be successful in our community. Later this spring, we will celebrate the opening of the workforce outdoor training center. Uh that's the home of our truck driver training program, the new line worker training program, and also a place for our BLE and other public safety and emergency driving. Uh we're looking forward to having a ribbon cutting for this event, and we'll be inviting you to that um exciting event uh later this spring. You also know that following the mill closure, the college received close to 11 million in funds to invest in

workforce development in our community. And with Helen, this became even more urgent, ensuring that Hwood commun Haywood County was had a ready workforce for the future to find resilience and embrace new industry, new technology, and good jobs for our community. We've been making investments in equipment for all of our skilled trades and advanced manufacturing programs, conducting renovation and expansion which is underway for these programs to all be colllocated together at the workforce and industry training center which is adjacent to the high-tech center. Last week, we sent a team of 12 students with their faculty advisors to attend the in the North Carolina Skills USA competition. And six of those 12 students placed number one in the state in their areas. And that was in the areas of electrical, automotive, and cosmetology. And one of those students is now eligible to compete at the national level. Um, and we're very proud of these students and our faculty adviserss. They've done a great job promoting this level of excellence with our skilled trades programs. We're making progress on a feasibility planning study for a new general education building on our main campus which will target the improvement of learning environment for most of our degree seeking students. And we're very proud of this. For the first time in the college's history, our beautiful campus is now officially recognized as an arboritum. We've said it for many years, but now it officially has earned the designation through an international organization called ARBNET, and Hwood Community College can be found listed on their international registry for beautiful protected arboritum spaces. I'd like to express appreciation to Breck Lanning, our VP of infrastructure operations and technology, and his team for their

outstanding work that they do to support all of our campus facilities and grounds. Their work helps us to be excellent stewards of the funds provided by the county and taxpayers that we are here to discuss today. And with that, I will transition to our budget request. So, you received this packet. This is the one-page snapshot of the slides that we will review here in a moment. And I'm not going to stop here long because we're going to walk through each one of these line items real quickly. First, we have salary infringe benefits. These are u requesting an increase of $47,475. The majority of that's a proposed 2 and a.5% salary increase that we work to keep consistent with whatever increase the state employees might receive. we typically will um address those at the same time when the state um moves forward with an increase. Next is utilities. Um we'll pause on this one for just a moment. I do want to appreciate our team for their um stewardship around utility usage. This is an area where if we had not been working on energy management across campus, we would see a significant spike in our utility usage and because of that um more energy efficient approach to how we're looking at all of our buildings across campus. While we do have an increase and we also see an increase um in our electricity and some other things, we've kept that increase low and actually our actual energy usage in those facilities is lower than it was previously. It's just it can't quite keep up with the cost increase. Um we are seeing some increases in waste removal um and having an additional

building come online this year as well as some renovation um uh costs um increase in cellular service and uh water usage at our burn facility. Next is contracted services. Um we did put a kind of one we put a line item here that's $100,000 increase. Um this is for us right now I would say our most inflex item influx item because we are currently um out for bid for a new custodial services on our campus and that's a pretty significant cost uh and and includes most of this cost here. Uh we've been through the bid process and we did have two biders that fell within our projected um potential increase but we've not had to go out for bid um for a longer period than typical. Um, we did receive an extension with Hurricane Helen and we were required to bid this year instead of last year. So, we're hopeful that we'll be able to come in within that range. The next item is our insurance. And we did request a $42,000 increase here, which is a 6% increase premium for existing property uh general liability and professional liability policies and additional vehicle policies for our new programs in CDL and line worker. Next is a line item repairs to facilities. This is an area where we've been working uh with your team on our capital funding to be able to appropriately allocate repairs to our facilities um under this line item. Next is service agreements and we've requested a $22,500 increase here and that's to include inflation, excuse me, increases for

inflation and additional fire alarm monitoring system. The last line item cost is other costs and that's an increase of $16,95 and for things like increased fuel cost and additional usage of our fleet vehicles. So that reflects overall a 6.81 um budget increase over the prior year of $268,243 when you compare last fiscal year to the prop proposed or excuse me this current fiscal year year allocation with next year's um proposed. The next item I'll point out is our capital outlay requests. And this is where we are looking to renovate bathroom facilities in our himmlock building, which is where our auditorium and boardroom facilities are located, as well as upstairs in our bookstore and student services and business office. These are hightra areas and are in need of a a refresh in those areas. Uh fleet vehicle uh replacement. Uh we have a few a couple vehicles on in our fleet that are really due for replacement and we're looking to replace one of these in the coming year. As well as looking at that line item for repairs to facilities fund and that does come from our capital outlay request, those items that are appropriate to charge to our capital funds. So that is let me go back to this overview and see if you have any questions. This is really the snapshot budget of all of the slides that we just reviewed compared with final budget from the current year and our proposed budget for the upcoming year.

Dr. White, this probably doesn't have anything to do with the budget, but I was just wondering you're y'all are really great at finding like lineman school and you know the truck driver. Do you have anything else on the horizon? I just curious

new programs. So I will say those are top of mind for me right now only because we have been working on those for so long. And if you give me one second while I'll talk about that I'll um I'll think about um we have u I will say with line worker in particular that was one of the first conversations that I had when I started in 2020 was with Haywood Electric and um and with Duke Energy not too long after that is that there was a need in the further west part of the state um and we are a great central location for that. So, we have a lot of excitement around that. We just hired our first full-time instructor for that program who will help us get that off the ground um this summer as we bring that online. Um the truck driver training too was a a really heavy lift in terms of our initial um entry into that program was to partner with another community college following the closure of the meal with Caldwell. the funding that we've received from the state and other partnerships following the mill closure allowed us to invest in our own truck like truck equipment so that we could have the program ourselves. So that's really going to again solidify us as a strong leader in the further west areas um for that particular training. Now you mentioned you asked about other new programs as well. We've been working over time to do some adjustments to some of our current programs which we appreciate input from our advisory boards and others about kind of new um maybe tracks or certifications that we can add and like within our um IT area and for um for example we've started to offer a cyber security um track as well as an AI artificial intelligence um track that students can take more of a focus into some of those areas. Um in our business uh program we added a tourism track, tourism and development uh track for um kind of helping people be more um prepared for advancement

within those fields. there are a lot of opportunities in ent for jobs in entry level uh related to um the kind of the the business of tourism but helping you know working with employers uh learning that they're looking for individuals that they can promote into supervisory and management kind of positions and so having a program that really targets that as well as a um in our business program more of a marketing um and advertising track that brings in some of that social media component and some other um more um kind of up-to-date kind of activities that are required for being successful in business. So, those are some in our degree areas that we've added as well.

What I've always um I I've said this to you before, but I am so grateful that you responded or the school responded so quickly. We've had um you know quick quick things. We've had things happen to us in quick sequence, I guess. You know, with the mill closing, with the hurricane, just it's been so great to see our local community college respond so um so quickly and so robust to what our community needs and really to what the western region needs. And so I I was making some notes about what you had. I remember how excited those first graduates from the CDL program were. Mhm.

I knew some of those folks coming out of the mill and um of course I just was in another meeting earlier today where there was a long conversation about somebody recommended that we needed to pay attention to AI and I kind of chuckled to myself. They said it's coming and I was like no I think it might have already arrived here. And so it's great that you're reaching those those programs and it it's just such a good cornerstone to our community and our young people coming out of our public schools and that are preparing for a career in the future. So I really appreciate and you know looking at your budget I appreciate your mindful attention to the bottom line and that's that's very important as well. Thank you for what you do. Thank you.

I'd like to piggy back on what Commissioner Best said. We really appreciate what you do. And I if I wasn't very attentive, technology is really great when it works. My my iPad was working great earlier today and it just kind of decided to lay down on me while you were taking uh taking your moment of present presentation. But anyway, good student.

Anyway, I did get it recovered. Joey, I was fixed to think Joey Webb might have to come up and bail me out like he has before. But uh but but it's great. It's great. Great report. what you've got and to to have students finish first in the state like like you did in in in these uh automotive and uh electrical and cosmetology. That's right. I mean, what more can you ask for with a community college? Those three items in it in and of itself are some of the three some of the three essential uh needs that we have as a society. You know, when your car breaks down, you need somebody to be able to fix it.

And uh of course, when you when you have some electrical problem, you you need a good electrician. And uh the other cosmetology uh well there's only so much you can do with some people like me but but I do need to have a haircut occasionally. Come on over. But it's it's h we we play the play the hand we're dealt sometimes at the best of our ability. But uh no thank you for your report and uh the thing that stands out to me is your presentation very simple and and we all see people that uh see inflation. and you see the cost of the power bills going up and

uh fuel and power and of course essential services like janitorial service uh with the the workforce shortage that we do have. Uh, so I I'm glad you you laid this out for us and we're we're proud to partner with our Haywood Community College and I do need to get with you maybe tomorrow about a a potential uh uh there's an entity that's possibly wanting to use your high-tech center and contacting me and I would like to get with you on that. I'm glad to talk to you about that off the topic. But Sure. Thank you. Thank you,

Dr. White. I'll just ditto what uh my fellow commissioners have said. We're proud of our Haywood Community College and uh I tell people all the time, beautiful campus. Uh we offer some great programs and as Commissioner Long said, uh we stand behind behind you, the board and and the college all together. I do have a question though. Uh do you guys have any problems? I know you mentioned the increase in pay that you were going to give. Do you guys have any problems with like turnover? I would say we have similar issues with turnover that others are experiencing. So, we have a good turnover rate for um higher education. We have a low turnover rate. um you put me on the spot so I can't remember it right off the top of my head, but we were just reviewing that with our board um a meeting or two ago and it's actually decreased um from the past year and it's lower than average um for higher education. But we also have a fully operational child care center on our campus. So we have to consider um turnover rates for child care centers as well as part of how we look at our numbers. So we have um over a hundred children in our care on our campus every day and a full workforce to support that um who are our college employees. And so that's something unique to us that other colleges in our area may not have. Um so we do see that we see challenges with um people moving to other parts of the state or other um educational institutions. We also see, you know, losing people to industry, which we're not necessarily upset about because if we can send a a prepared some, you know, someone who's um prepared for the next step in their career, I mean, we certainly support that. But one of the most challenging things we see is when

we have openings in our skilled trades programs. So, faculty faculty in these programs we were just talking about um in welding, in electrical, in you know, HVAC, in plumbing. Those are some programs that we um want to offer more of, but we just have um such a challenge. Finding a skilled, you know, ready um faculty member who can take time away from their full-time work um usually is what they're having to make that decision to do. Um, so we really appreciate any uh referrals that we can receive for individuals who are either kind of at a point in their career where they're ready to give back and invest in the next generation um or they have that that ability to kind of do both like do um kind of their full-time work in the day and maybe teach with us at night. Um so we are we're challenged with with some specific areas like that.

Well, thank you for sharing that. I know that we run into this uh here in the county, you know, that a lot of times we're just a training ground and we see folks come here, get trained up, we invest in them, and then they move on. So, I didn't know if it was the same issue at the college or not, but uh sounds like you guys have got it under control and having to decrease. That's that's great. So, thank you for sharing. That's all the questions that I have. I just want to thank you, too, for stepping up so much after all the disasters we've had. But y'all are recognized all over the country a lot. I hear people talk about the college when you go we go different places stuff. So that's a good thing for our county and we just want to let you know we appreciate all you do.

Thank you. Thank you. And did did you let's see do you have some trustees here? I think tonight we do. Um John Wodsworth and Larry Codle. Appreciate y'all coming out tonight supporting your president. Yes. Okay. Anybody else got anything? Okay. Well, thanks a lot, Sh. I just want to thank you. Thank your staff for working with us. Um and also I have um copies of our most recent um annual report that I'll pass out to you as I as I step off. So, thank you.

All right. Thanks, Shelley. Okay. The next item under reports would be the Haywood County Schools fiscal year 2627 budget presentation. Heywood County Schools Superintendent Trevor Dr. Trevor Putnham and Haywood County Schools CFO Leanda Leanne Moody and Haywood County Schools Assistant Superintendent Graham Haynes. Heywood County Schools Director of School Nutrition Allison Francis. So you can introduce those as they come up there. Trev, now you've got some schoolboard members here. So you might want to we'll recognize those right.

Yes, sir. I have with us tonight we've got Mr. Mr. Jim Harley Francis, Mr. Logan Nesbet, Mrs. Marla Morris, and Chairman Chuck Francis. Did I miss anybody there? Okay, I think we got no one's here, so that's good. Um, uh, Mr. Chairman, commissioners, thank you for the opportunity to present our budget. Um, I'm going to go through the budget message and then I'll introduce others up um, as we go. The only person you missed in introductions, Miss Barker will do the academic achievement at the end. Okay. Um,

no, you're good. You're good. The mission of Hwood County Schools is to work passionately and productively to promote student success. We believe no other school district should have better overall academic and extra extracurricular achievement. These mission components serve as guiding principles in budget development. Our primary focus points uh for the 2627 budget are one to recruit, retain and support employees in their passionate and productive work. Two to reestablish uh a graduated pay scale for non-certified classified uh employees and three adjust the budget as needed for changes in student population. This document represents the recommended budget for Haywood County Schools for fiscal year 2627 for local current expense funds, capital outlay funds, and child nutrition funds in compliance with statutory requirements of the school budget and fiscal control act. The anticipated revenues and projected expenditures are equal. uh and the budget is organized to enable the board of education to control the fiscal management of the school system. Six separate funds make up the total budget. One is the local current current expense or fund two, local restricted funds or fund eight, capital outlay or fund four, child nutrition fund five, state public school fund one, and federal grants or fund three. I want to uh draw attention to those. I'll pause for just a moment. Um a lot of people do not understand that capital outlay money as it will be presented that is money generated from state sales tax and it is earmarked and

cannot be spent for anything other than capital projects. Uh so as you see us engage in projects uh that involve capital purchase of land buildings and other such that's because that's the only appropriate use only legal use for those funds. All other funds are for u earmarked purposes. For example, child nutrition, that's federal money and it can only be used to support the employees who work in child nutrition and to prepare meals and for the purchase of the foods uh served uh in those meals. So, it's important to understand that not all of this money uh we can't spend it in just any way we see fit. The local current expense budget provides a for a broad spectrum of school system operating costs. These include, but are not limited to, supplies, repairs, utilities, contracted services, as well as instructional and support personnel. During the development of the local expense budget, the following assumptions were used. 5% salary in increase for certified personnel. Important to point out, that's what the state is telling us to project for the uh allotments for our state employees. That's not something uh we're doing. 7.65% 65% employer matching FICA, 24.67% uh employer matching retirement, and 9,000 in annual cost for employer matched hospital hospitalization. The anticipated county per pupil appropriation rate is $3,52.7 for $6,359 Haywood County School students plus 615 charter/verirtual students. The number of students is based on the best average daily membership of students for the first or

second month of the 2526 school year. Anticipated revenues also include $200,000 in fines and forfeitures and $50,000 from ABC revenues. This brings the fiscal year 2627. Flipping my page here uh and total anticipated revenue to 21,535,134 which equals our projected expenditures. Local restricted funds are not permitted for use in the current expense budget. The anticipated local restricted funds are over $4 million. This number varies based upon grant receipts. These funds are reserved for use as set forth by grant or policy guidelines. Capital outlay budget funds cover maintenance, repair, and renovation projects, equipment needs, and capital safety support efforts throughout the school system. The requested capital outlay budget is 1.25 million. Uh child nutrition budget funds support the operation of school food services. The anticipated child nutrition budget is 5,566,46. State public uh state public school budget funds provide a broad spectrum of school system operating costs. These include, but are not limited to, supplies, repairs, contracted services, as well as instructional and supports personnel. The state public school fund is the largest fund source and is based on an ADM of 6,359 students. Preliminary P planning budget data from the state reflects an allocation of 48,92,784 fiscal year 2627. And then finally, federal grant funds are restricted for use in federally re

regulated areas. These include, but are not limited to, title one, title 2, and title 4. The current year allocation in federal grant funds is 6,276,344. The overall purpose of budget development and expenditures is to support passionate and productive work that contributes to student success. Um, I would say that we see a lot of success. Our our budget planning is working thus far. So, you'll notice there's an increase in there of roughly $3 million over last year. Uh, that's intended to reflect uh 1.3 million for uh raises for our non-certified staff. Um it is also a reflection of the 700,000 we've been spending in fund balance which are current operational costs and increases of utilities and retirement contributions. And then another million um which roughly uh to maintain the 16 positions we've talked about in teaching positions that we feel are critical to our ongoing performance at it at its current pace. So, at this time, I'm going to ask Lyanna Moody. She'll dive a little deeper into the budget and and talk to you uh in more detail. I'm a tad shorter than Dr. Putnham. Our 2627 budget priorities, as Dr. Putnham just um mentioned are non-certified classified salary increases. Haywood Innovative Middle School to fund state driven increases to

sustain operational needs and sustain local salary supplements. Our total fisc year 26 Haywood County School budget is approximately $96 million. The majority of this funding, about 55%, comes from state sources, followed by 20% from local funding. Federal funding and other sources each make up about 7% of our budget, while capital and child nutrition accounts for about 6% each. The fiscal year 2627 budget is being shaped by several key factors, including reductions in state and federal funding, rising benefit cost, and overall budget uncertainty. Please note that our budget assumptions include the retirement rate of 64.67% and an $500 annual increase in health insurance premiums for all full-time staff. We are also seeing impacts from declining student enrollment, increasing operating cost, and planned pay increases for our non-certified classified staff, along with considerations for Haywood Innovative Middle School. The fiscical year 27 state planning budget includes reductions across several areas including teacher assistant funding, central office allotments and teacher positions. This is resulting in a combined impact of approximately $350,000 which includes the loss of three teaching positions. This slide presents a comparison of the current year's budget revenue totaling 19,373,617

which includes a county appropriation of $18,285,134 to align revenues with expenditures for fiscal year 26. The budget also included an appropriation of $719,483.75 from fund balance. For fiscal year 2627, we are requesting a $3 million increase in the county appropriation, bringing it to 21,285,134. This will enable us to fully support operations within recurring funding sources and eliminate the need to appropriate fund balance. Our next slide outlines our funding formula request based on a per pupil allocation. For the current year, the per pupil allocation was $2,59143. The $3 million increase from fiscal year 2526 total allocation would bring the per pupil appropriation to $3,527 for fiscal year 27. This would be an increase of $4604 per student. In terms of student membership, we use the best first or second month ADM from the prior year which is provided by DPI. That number is 6,370 students for fiscal year 26 and 6,359 for fiscal year 27. We also account for students attending charter and ver vultural charter schools. When combined, our total student count is 7,56 for fiscal year 26

and 6,974 for fiscal year 27. This brings our total allocation requested from the county for fiscal year 27 to 21,285,134. Our next slide provides a breakdown of these expenditures by object code. As you can see, nearly half of our um local budget, 45% is allocated to salaries, while another 20% is going towards employee benefits. Purchase services, which include maintenance, utilities, and legal fees, make up about 18%. and the remaining funds are distributed across supplies and materials, charter school transfers at 8% and then a very small portion to capital outlay. The operating expense increases in this year's budget reflect a total increase of 2.16 million. If we break that down, we're seeing an increase of about 1.37 million in the 5,000 purpose code series, which covers salaries for teachers, teacher assistants, assistant principles, lead teachers, as well as media and guidance staff. The 6,000 purpose code series is increasing by approximately 630,000. This supports areas like technology, maintenance, clerical staff, and facilities. In the 7,000 purpose code series, there's an increase of about 158,000, which supports our child nutrition program. Most of that increase is tied to the non-certified classified staff pay increase and will need to be picked

up from our local budget. As we've previously discussed um and shared with you, the child nutrition program budget is not sufficient to cover this increased expense due to current participation in the C program and that's where all students um receive free meals within the school system. At this time, we do not anticipate the 8,000 purpose code series which covers charter school transfers. um we do not feel that it'll need a change right now. It remains sufficient and will not need an increase. The largest increase this year's budget is associated with the implementation of a classified and non-certified salary study that was completed in 2025. This will add approximately 1.25 million to the budget. This adjustment aligns our classified non-certified staff with the North Carolina Office of State Human Resource salary structure as recommended by North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and is designed to strengthen our abilities to attract and retain qualified employees. At this point, um, I'll turn it over to Mr. Mr. Haynes for the capital budget followed by Miss Francis for not child nutrition and then Miss Barker and Dr. Putnham for academic success. Chairman Eninsley, commissioners, thanks for having us this evening. Um our capital budget um is the same this year as it has been for the past couple years

as far as our proposed total goes. Um that is $1,250,000. Um and as Dr. Putnham said, these capital dollars that we get are generated from state sales tax. a portion of it um is allocated to us and then we can only use these capital dollars on projects such as these or things like purchasing land or paying off um a debt service that we have like the geo bond on Bethl Elementary um from the early 2000s that we that we're still paying now. So these funds can only be used in that way. Um so I'll just walk through the projects that we've got on track here for next year. Uh the costs we estimate a little high, so when we get the bids in, they'll fall under there and we'll be able to do them without having to ask for any additional funds. So um at Bethl Middle School, we've got an HVAC project. Um that's going to be for the daycare or the child care that we're looking to open up for our staff. Um it's going to be housed there. And the two units for those rooms, they're pretty old. So we're going to we're going to get those replaced um at a cost of 40,000. For Central Hwood High School, we've got a paving project. That's the back parking lot on the Bryson Street side. So, Central Haywood is located where Central Elementary um used to be just right over here after the floods. Um it moved as well as that building houses our IT department and our boardroom. Um it also houses the um HCLC or Hwood Community Learning Center, which is our dropout recovery program. So, there's a lot of stuff there. Um so, that back parking lot um we're going to do a little redesign there. Pay Vit. We have a lot of trainings, professional developments, um, community organizations that use that building, as well as our board meetings, and we even had the state, uh, school board come earlier this year and and host some meetings in that building. So, we're going to do a little revamp on that

parking lot. Um, also staying at Central Hwood, oh, sorry, that's 170,000. Staying at Central Haywood, we've got the cafeteria, um, HVAC. There's three large barred units in the cafeteria. Two of which the air conditioning doesn't work. One of them does, but it's on its last leg. So, we're going to get the three of those replaced uh for $60,000. At Hazlewood Elementary, we've got a fire alarm that's just replacing the current fire alarm system that's there. There's nothing wrong with the current system. It works just fine. It's just an older system. It's harder to get parts for it as it closes. We try to do, you know, one or two of these a year as money allows just to kind of keep them updated. So, that's $100,000 there. Um, at Haywood Early College or Haywood Innovative, uh, we don't normally have them on our capital budget because, um, Hwood Community College, with those programs being up there, they generally are taking care of the maintenance and the day-to-day needs for those buildings. Um, we're very appreciative to them. They do a great job for us and they're a great community partner. Um, but because we are opening the Haywood Innovative um, the middle school up there and we are renovating the popular building that's up there. The early college will be moving down into it. Heywood Innovative will be going into Dogwood building. And while we are renovating those, we're we are the ones in charge of, you know, updating those facilities, getting them where they need to be. Our our board is and our school system. So, um, in this capital budget for next year, there is one thing that we need. Um, maybe some other odds and ends that we run into, but one big thing is a fire alarm upgrade there, too. The, um, building occupancy classification changes with the middle school kids up there. Um, with the high school being an early college and the college itself, it's business college classification, but with the middle school, it's a

different building occupancy. So, there's some requirements that the fire alarm system has to have that the current one doesn't because it's not required. Um, but we're having to upgrade it to get it to where it needs to be for those younger students. Um, at Jun, so that's 40,000. And then at Jun Juniluska Elementary, um, we've got a compressor there. There's two HVAC units on that um, for for the school that kind of run the whole thing. There's a primary and a secondary. The primary is fine. the secondary, the compressor is starting to go out, so we'd like to be proactive and get it replaced. Uh that's 10,000 there. Um our maintenance department, like we do every year, we've got uh 75,000 allocated for some spared barred units. So that way if one goes down in a classroom somewhere, we can just switch it out real quick um and get them back to to working. So a lot of you can see kind of see a pattern here. there's a lot of HVAC needs. Um, which is something that came up in the facility assessment that we had done. Um, also at North Canton Elementary, um, we've got a gym floor replacement. That is something else that was pointed out in that facility assessment that we had done. Um, so we've got some other gym floors on our radar, but that one was the one in most need. So, it's uh, $100,000. And then we've got various sites fencing um, a lot of our schools, elementaryaries in particular. Um the fences they have around their playgrounds, things like that are just really aging. Um they were residential grade fencing when they got put up, which was probably fine at the time, but over the test of time, over years, it just hasn't stood up. Um so we're looking to try to get a lot of those replaced. Um so at Bethl Elementary, we've got that. That's the fence that is around their track and play area back there on the back side of the school. Um, Central Haywood, that's the fence that runs along Bryson Street. Clyde Elementary, th those are the fences. If you go out of the back of the intensive

intervention classrooms, they've got some little fenced off areas for the kids to go out there and play. Uh, so those are redoing all of those. At North Canton Elementary, we've got um that's just all the playground fencing there. And then at Wesville Middle, I know that sounds crazy because we've done a lot of fence work at Waysville Middle, but but there's one section um over on Afield side um on Brown Avenue where those pine trees are um near the visitor lot to the or the visitor entrance to the stadium there. Um that honestly we just forgot in doing all of that. There's one little section of fence that we need to hit. So that that's in here, too. And then um staying at Wainesville Middle, we've got paving. So we're going to repave that track and um that one's pretty worn out. Lots of cracks in it. So we'd like to get that paved and put the lines back on it. That's 180,000. And then lastly, um which we added into the capital budget a couple years back. We've got our uh Chromebooks for student device replacement. So that's a four-year cycle. So the old Chromebooks cycle off, the new ones come on. That should get us approximately 850 Chromebooks, give or take some. Um, which isn't quite enough to cover all we need, but we we take care of the rest out of some other local funds and and other odds and ends. Um, that's been a big expense for us added into the capital budget um at 350,000. Uh, not something that we had until COVID came around and we went one to one kind of overnight. Um but the state doesn't allocate funds for us to do device replacement. So this is the one place that we can kind of do it. So um those are all the capital projects for next year for the total of $1,250,000. And then I will turn it over to Miss Allison Francis.

I was I was wondering on your Chromebooks. Um do y'all still have books books? We do have some bookbook books. Um but a lot of uh a lot of the stuff that we do is is digital um digital platforms and learning and whatnot. Yes. Does that So you don't buy as many books as you used to, I guess, is what I

We do not buy as many books as we used to. Um and the textbook money that the state allocates to us, we can use for digital subscriptions. So like a a digital version of the book. We used to be able to use it for device replacement, but the state took that away. So that was one pot we used to, you know, you could you could save it and it actually didn't go away every year. You could kind of bank it and and build it up and then buy your computers. Uh but they did away with that a few years back. So they did. Guess we I guess we can be like Mississippi then, can't we? On that level.

Yeah. My son was at or our son was at North Canton Elementary the last time I think the floor was replaced in the gym. I believe Donna Stamy was probably still teaching there. Chance will be 26 in August. So, it's probably been 18 or 20 years since. It has been a long time and it is much needed. Yeah, it was a big deal when we were It'll be really I think when we were there, but we were I was in school a lot at that time. So, yeah. Yeah, I'm excited about that one. Any other questions? Okay, I'll turn it over to our child nutrition director, Miss Allison Francis.

Good even Good evening. Um, the child nutrition program operates independently of other programs. Our revenues include cash from meals and supplemental sales items sold, USDA cash reimbursements, and USDA donated commodities. Our budget for the 2627 school year shows an increase of 1%. The proposed budget is 5,566,46. of that budget. Labor and benefits is 56%, food and supplies is 39% and overhead costs makes up the last 5%. At this time, we are um planning to continue the community eligibility program, which does provide free meals to all students in Hwood County without having to fill out an application. Um approximately 38% of our students participate at breakfast and about 79% participate in the school lunch program. Is there any questions I can answer for you?

Does the federal government, this is just random about what you serve. Does the federal government dictate the menu or the type of nutrition that's given that's prepared for the children? They do. I know there was um no political statement at all, but several years back under a different administration, there was some changes um I guess to that program and it was quite a drastic cut or or change at least from the students perspective. Yes. Have you seen revisions to that? Um no. And well, there are revisions coming that are going to um decrease the amount of sugar and decrease the amount of sodium again, but there have not been any revisions in the other direction going backwards.

You said 79% of the students participate in the lunch program. Are is the other group bringing their lunch or just choosing not to eat? Okay. Thank you. my instruction.

Chairman Ansley and commissioners, thank you so much for asking at the last meeting for us to provide an academic update. you come in this room and you see this beautiful county we live in and I appreciate the job you do every day and um for our kids too. What a beautiful place to grow up and go to school and and to live. So I just want to thank you for that. Um what I did is propose like a three-year look back for you and try to hit the high spots because as anybody could tell you I could stand up here all day and just rattle on um about all of our schools. We have fantastic schools in Hwood County. These achievements aren't just in the classroom. All of our stakeholders have contributed to those achievements. And that's when Dr. Putnham talks about the raises for the non-classified and certified. Those people do so much um in regards to these academic achievements too. So I know you know that. I just wanted to re reiterate that. We'll go to the first slide which I think is so um telling in our district and you can see this again a three-year look back. There are 115 school districts in North Carolina and you can see where we rank all tests that we give that we count in our we call it a performance composite in all grades. And so you can see in 22 23 we rank seventh um in North Carolina out of 115 districts. In 2324, the year before the flood, we received our highest ranking at number six. And last year, um, we were number 11th. And obviously still in the top 10% of districts. I think of all the years I've done this, this blew me away most. We were only down 2.8 percentage points and our kids lost 21 days of school. And that's not if they weren't sick. If that's not a testament

to the people that work in our district and our parents believing in our schools and trusting in us, then I don't know what is. So, I was probably more proud of that that we maintained that rank and that high of a rank with the devastation that the people in our district went through. I also like to point out the company that we're in. Um, if you'll look at even, you know, within this the top 20 districts here, you know that you've got Union County, Chapel Hill, Carbor, Wake County. I mean, those are some really big school systems with a lot of resources. You've also got some tiny school systems um too. And I think we're positioned really interesting because we're a mediumsized kind of school district um within there. Also interesting is um when you look at the western region, we'll look in that we'll look at that in the next slide. Um we perform really really well. So I just want to kind of stop and ask you if you have any questions just about that. Um but this is a remarkable achievement for our school system. It gets even better. Okay, so next slide. There are 14 um 14 regional districts in the western region. Okay. And you can see the 14 are listed here. So in 2223 Pulk had us and they had had us for several years before that. And so we were chasing Pulk and you can see in 232 24 and the year of Hurricane Helen last year we were number one in the region out of all the western region school districts. that didn't always look that way. Um, so there's a lot of work and a lot of people um that have made that happen. The next slide, and we'll focus a lot of the attention today just on our high

schools. They're the culmination of all of our programs from 22 to 23. In every year that you see listed here, Haywood County Schools has the highest ranked high schools in the western region. And when you look at last year, um at 67.8, Madison behind us at 61.4. Even last year with the devastation that occurred, our high schools were 6.4 4 percentage points over the next highest county in western North Carolina. I mean, I think we should get some applause for that. I mean,

I was just noticing you Yeah, you you guys are not only in first place, you're way in first place. Yeah, I appreciate you noticing. Yeah, cuz you're like But well, this year 67.8, the next one is 61.4 and then it drops, you know, 612. So you guys are like six points this year and last year you were eight. Um and then the year before that you were five I guess or 5.3. So it's you guys are definitely on top.

We have an early college to traditional high schools and our alternative school and all their scores are in this. when people relocate here and I I deal with people moving because I manage rental property um you know people that's one of the things that they ask is uh how are the schools there and I can always say I almost sound like I work for you guys instead of for the county I'm like well let me tell you about it let me tell you how good they are and when you look at the number one the consistency in the region from before the hurricane which is you know such a such a um benchmark I or a place in our history will always be before and after the hurricane that you are consistently number one by a great margin and really outperforming schools that are funded different than you are. Um, it really does say it does say great things about about what our school system does and what it provides to our families and our kids in our county. And and you know, those kids will grow up to be hopefully contributing contributing adults and we hope that they can come back to Haywood County and and not maybe work in Jackson or Bunkham County that they'll work here. So, I think that's I think it's I mean that I I looked through this earlier and I was really tickled when I came to these slides about where you rank.

I appreciate you saying that and I I know a lot of people are listening out there tonight and I know they appreciate your comments, too. But there there's been a lot of work and a commitment because we feel like our kids in Hwood County, we really feel like they're the best in the world. You know, I mean, if you had taught the kids I taught and had your son stand up at an FFA banquet and give one of the best speeches I've ever heard

to this day. I mean, we have got some phenomenal kids in our in our county and um anyway, this shows and you know, not only Dr. Patton is always quick to remind me, we've had two floods and a mill closure and we have held on for dear life. What a testament to our people. and we won't even say co, you know, I mean, like that's a lot too at this time. Um, and they're very competitive about this. I know they're So, I want to um talk about our high schools. They all have different accolades and awards. I want to start with the early college and thank Dr. White and her staff. I mean, just we have a great relationship with them and um anything a partnership that we need, she's always so open to talk to and I I appreciate her so much. But Haywood Early College, um, they had the absolute top academic performance. When you look at the the scores that you just saw, theirs was the top out of all the high schools in Western North Carolina in 2425 and it was at 98.3%.

Can I ask a question? Yes, ma'am. I don't mean to interrupt you, but of the other 14 schools you listed, do any of the or counties or districts, do any of those have an early college program? Yes, ma'am. Oh, and I would like to say all of them do, but don't quote me on that. Okay. Okay. But I know like Henderson County, which Dr. White might not, but I'm most of them do, but I can find out for you. Okay. Yeah. Just curious. Part is they don't have one as good as ours. That's right. Yeah, we we've established that, but just wondered how that would play into their school into their rankings. Well, ours is ours is way better. Yes. Yes, I'm sure.

So, um we definitely had the top spot. Okay. Um, and their composite when you can see was at 98%. Okay, 98.3 in in 2324. And I'm just pointing out some highlights. I could talk a lot about them. They were fifth in the state out of every school that took the ACT in North Carolina High School early college traditional. They were fifth. They have exceeded growth. That's a different number than what you're looking at. Growth is a year's growth. You take any kid wherever they are and grow them. To exceed growth means you're doing something different. To meet growth is fantastic. We want our people to meet growth in school. If you're exceeding growth, you're doing something way beyond what's expected. And she at and her staff at Hwood Early College have exceeded growth the last six out of eight years. 100% of their students have consistently been accepted to a college or university. They were named in Apple Distinguished School since 2021. They're only there two times. Yes, twice. She's been named twice, but they're only 10 in North Carolina. And that is a worldwide recognition, an apple worldwide. And she also at um Hwood Early College and her staff have been named a US Department of Education blue ribbon school. and they're in very um good company with Riverbend and that and those come from the US Department of Education and those are some strict measures that have to be met. Haywood Early College is a high performing um high school in our region.

How many kids go to that do you think? Roughly we have aboutund Oh gosh, Dr. Putnham. Yeah, 180 alto together. Okay, that's great. Wow.

Yes. Tuscola High School. And again, they sent me the different artwork and I loved it because they're all different. They all have a different way to um advertise for their school. Um Tuscola High School in 2324. And traditional we sometimes separate and we talk about traditional high schools and early colleges separately. At Tuscola High School in 2324 had the number one ACT score in traditional high schools. In 2324 they were second in the region in overall composite. Pisgo was first. In 2425 they were first in the region in the ACT and work key score. And that's a little different than just the ACT. We also have a work key score that we give our students that are going into jobs more. They are a CT completer. Okay. So that looks at the kid they either pass one or the other of those scores and they had the number one score in the region. They have had the highest academic growth in Hwood County when you look at a growth score for the last two years. And we told you a little bit about the difference. And in 2020 2223 they were first in the region in English too. Pisga High School. They are the first in the region and overall composite among 9 through 12 high schools for the last four years.

Tell them what they're looking. Yeah, the overall composite that Yeah. So, these are banners that are hanging inside um their building um right outside their main office. And they're like um you can see in 2021, highest growth in Haywood County schools. 2022, highest growth in Hwood County schools. Um we skip over to 2022. Um I think that was the number one school in the region. So, and I'm going to go through some of these too, but that's how they've advertised it. Um Mr. Connor since getting to Tuscola has started banners too. They're very competitive in case you didn't know. Um they love each other.

Never heard that before. But um um Pisca High School has also exceeded growth for the last five years. And I went back in 2223 to think about that. Tuscola was first in the region in English 2 and Pisga was first in the region in the other three subjects that count for a composite which is math 1, math 3 and biology. We cornered the market so we had it. Any questions just about our hospitals?

Dr. Barker, could you explain to the people that might be watching or listening or will go back and look at this tape? Could could you uh explain the metrics involved with those rankings? Yeah, absolutely. you know they they are very important uh the metrics that you know to get to arrive to those numbers to the right.

Yeah. So if you will look at the going back to the very first page when we were talking about you know that overall performance composite that is every single test that we're required and every district is required by the state of North Carolina to give and those tests start in third grade and they they end mostly like with in you know in high school high school has it math one math three biology and English two the elementary and the middles they test for math reading and in fifth grade science and the middle school it's math reading every year 8th grade science. So that's every test from third grade on that we give together. Okay. So that's the overall when you get into the high schools how we rank in the high schools. Those are just the high school scores that everyone has to take. So it's we're comparing apples to apples here. Did that help Mr. Long? Education educ education's always powerful. So yeah, I just I just wanted to make sure everybody listening understood how that number

Yeah. how you arrived at that number because there's a lot of input. Yeah. There's a lot of input metrics that and Dr. Patnham like that is if they pass the test. Okay. These are the kids that met the level three or above and they pass the test. We are also judged on growth too. And I mentioned that a little bit but Dr. Patton wants to say something about growth.

Yeah. So growth is a measure of how our kids compare to all other kids. And as Miss Barker said, to meet growth, that's good. That means we were able to do what all other kids did well in the state of North Carolina. And we weren't in the group that did not meet growth. Okay? So we don't ever want to be in that that category. But to exceed that means our kids surpassed all other kids in the state of North Carolina. And if you hear her talking, our high schools are consistently exceeding growth. and and we as she said, we're talking about high school, but without building blocks all the way through starting in kindergarten, working your way all the way to high school, exceeding growth would not be possible. Now, the high schools do what they're supposed to when they get them, but they've been prepared all throughout. And that said, the finished product is kids who outperform all other kids in the state of North Carolina. They are better prepared than all other kids and that's what we like to hang our hat on. Sorry. That's growth.

Yes. I love it.

The next slide. Um, did anybody else have any questions just about those scores? I'll be glad to answer the next slide. We're going to talk about just a couple of programming things in our high school. We'll start with advanced placement courses. Um, these are our most rigorous courses, AP classes. If you're in California or North Carolina and you take AP biology, you take the exact same test. So, that's why that's very important to colleges that they want to see what those look like because they know the curriculum and the tests are exactly the same. Okay? They're very rigorous courses and they prepare our students. You can see from 2021 till 2025, and y'all understand what the budgets have been, how many classes we offer now in 2025, the AP classes. And we've done that not by adding positions. We've done that by being creative and trying to work within the parameters that we're given. Um, we've increased offerings in very tight budgets because our principles are phenomenal and think outside the box and we are constantly brainstorming how we can do this. Some of these we have chosen to teach jointly on a on a space at the community college that Dr. White graciously provides us even though her kids don't take them. I mean, that's what kind of partnership we have there. um let us use her labs, you know, for our sciences because at one time when I first um got into this position, it was not normal for I mean one high school might be offering AP bio and chemistry and the other and that bothered me. You know, all of our kids need those opportunities. So, and we're still talking about how we consolidate and expand, but I feel very strongly about the courses that we offer now, and we'll get into numbers, but these are the most rigorous courses. And when you see more kids starting to take those

rigorous courses, you'll see more scholarship money, and you see more college acceptances into schools they want. And we have definitely seen that over the course of the years. So, we're very, very proud of that. in 26. This year we are offering another computer science class, computer science principles, and we want to offer AP world history in 2027. The next, what did you say that was? AP history. World history.

World AP World History. And sometimes we can offer a class like that and then a regular section, you know, can be in place of that. So, we've tried to just get really creative and encourage all kids who want to take one of these classes um academically. Um we want all of them if they want to to be able to have this experience. What percentage of your high school students are enrolled in AP classes?

Okay, next slide. Yes, next slide. I love this slide too, Miss Best. Um you can see in 2021, this is shows you how much that has grown. the number of students that have taken the test. Not only that, but the number of kids that we have passing the test now. Okay. So, you can see in 2021 we had 79 kids that had scores three or higher and this last year we had 128 students. We have worked really, really hard. We wanted to take those classes and be successful in them. The percentage of and that percentage looked like 49.4% 4% of kids passing in 2021 and in 2025 that was 76% passing. So over the course of those five years you've seen a 27% increase. We're very proud of that.

So that increase is based on the number of students enrolled in those AP programs or the number of students enrolled in the school in enrolled in those programs. Okay. And so what percentage of kids in a high school are enrolled in these AP classes? So

yeah, if you can see in 2025 the total number we had 167 and but the number of exams we gave were 324 because kids may take more than one class. Okay. So we had 167 total OP students but some of them were taking multiple AP exams. And Dr. Putnham's saying that's about 10% of our students. That's what I was. So, if 167 isn't, we have 167 students enrolled, then that's 10% of the total high school population. The reason we're we're hedging a little bit is because they could have signed up for the CL two or three APs. Okay, that's Gotcha. Yes.

Approximately 10%. And my goal is when I look at this, I'm going to read you something when I close. But for those kids, this is important for our CT kids programs are important there. Every kid, we want opportunities for every kid. I'll tell you what I'm most proud of. When you look at the AP Scholar and AP Capstone Diploma, I just focus on that AP Capstone diploma. Um, we are the only school district in the Western Region that offers that. What that means is kids have to take a class called AP Seminar. It's very heavy writing class. Very difficult. Then they take a class called AP research. It's like writing a dissertation. The kids that we have in college right now, I hope some of them are listening and and could tell you this. They say nothing that prepared me for everything I had to do writing wise in college. But to get that AP capstone diploma, they have to pass those two classes and four more APs during the course of their time. That diploma means something. When you put that on a college transcript to have that AP capstone diploma, that's powerful. That's powerful in scholarship money. That's powerful for them when they get to college to be able to put that on there to open doors once they're in college, too. So, um, and again, these are all awards that are given with kids that, um, with honor and distinction. Those all have different, um, metrics, but I, the big thing I want you to see is how those numbers are increasing. We're getting better at it. I'm very proud of those those students. Questions about AP?

Well, let's I do I do have a question. Yes. You know, I I guess I said that a minute ago about how education's powerful, you know, for for people that's watching and listening. You know, this is your chance to educate us, you know, and I'm serious when I say that, but I do have a serious question. Advanced placement courses. I see a course on here that that I'm not familiar with. Okay. Human geography. Yes. Do you know Harold Sheepard? I do. He teaches it. Great. Yes. No, that that's that's an interesting title to a class. What exactly would that entail? Is it a demographics study or do do you know?

Yeah. Um my daughter actually took human geography. It's a lot of like environmental population studies and um I remember her talking a lot about population shifts within a county and they did like some project. I don't have it right in front of me, but I bet I could get Harold Shepard to call and talk to you about it. Well, I'm just I'm just curious, you know. I see as a course that's taught human geography that that interests me. Do you know it's almost like it's like almost like g uh you know going back and you know checking out your family tree or you know uh I I don't know what that

Yeah. I wish I could tell you every I don't know the specifics. I know that since we started offering that class and that class is only offered at Pisgar right now. He has maxed out enrollment every year and the kids love it and it's a class we can offer for ninth grade. Um, but I can I get back to you on that? Oh, sure. Sure. I don't want to hold up your presentation, but you did ask any questions. So,

yes. And career. Um, the ne let's the next slide I want to really talk to you about career and technical education which is near and dear to Dr. Putnham and my heart. we were both CTE teachers um in our formal life. I think one thing that's very important um when you talk about this are um how many credentials are being obtained and ma Brandy Matthews who works at at Pisca High School and our CTE um she is our um CDC director there. She told me to call this this is what they call it um in the CT world is labor market currency and I love that like labor market currency. If you come in with a credential, that's money. Okay? And you can see this is something we really needed to work on in our district. In 2122, we had earned 587 credentials. And last year in 2425, we had we earned 3,500 credentials. So, we are increasing that number. Those credentials, I've got two pages of those. I could pass it around and show you the credentials that were earned last year. There are a lot of different ones that we provide our kids opportunity to to earn but like OSHA safe foods nurse aid autodesk computer program are just some example of some of those credentials. So within all of our CT programs we really want them to earn all the credentials they can earn there. Yeah. Next is internships. Um when you talk about our internships, this is our kids told us this and Dr. Putnham superintendent um student meetings, they kept saying we need to know about jobs. Nobody's talking to us about people were talking to them about jobs, but can more people talk to us about what careers are out there. And we kept hearing that from all kinds of our kids. And so um a grant was written by Alisa Glance and thank

you Alisa to that. That grant is ending this year. I'm panicked over that by the way. If you want to give me money tonight, I'll be happy about that. But um that grant has funded our career development coordinators and it has been powerful and I I was in a meeting all day today. We're trying everywhere in the world to figure out how to hang on to it. But the internships you can see in 2021 we had 20 internships and that was mostly students that just went and sought their own internship. Some of it was a family business or or something like that which was still good. Um, but with the CDC, the hiring of those people, you can see this past year we had 88. And those those I'm not going to list everyone that um did internships because I wouldn't want to leave anybody out, but the Haywood County Hospital, we have tons of our kids there. Junesca Sanitary had a um district, all of our veterinary hospitals, Dave Steel, Welding, Conmet, Haywood Community College grounds department has sponsored some. Maggie and Wesville police departments. Um, we even had a kid with superior court judge Ouija Rickama who so we and these they meet with the CDC, they follow up with the kids, they get credit for that. Wow. That has been a game changer for our kids and that all came out of their voice. Um, in the fall of next year we have 100 kids signed up over a hundred right now for internships. Any questions about that? Okay. Um, and again, elementary and middle, Dr. Putnham, he wouldn't let me talk forever, but you know, you need to know at Riverbend Elementary, that is the number one school in the state in overall composite in preK title one schools for three of the last four years, and all of our elementary schools are ranked high. Okay. Um, Bethl Middle School has been first in the region among traditional six schools in overall

composite for the last four years. and our other elementary and middle schools all have individual accomplishments within their programs which lead to the high schools that we talked about tonight. In closing, if there were there any other questions? So, I have this historical document that was passed down to me and I was I looked through it from time to time. It's really interesting. I'll get y'all a copy if you want one. But in 1964, there were joint boards of education that came together in Hwood County and the commissioners and they just wanted our schools to be better and they worked together. And during that work, they came up with a philosophy that they wanted to follow in 1964. And if can I take a minute 62 years ago and just read you what that philosophy was? that we would suggest a plan by which each and every child in Hwood County would have an equal educational opportunity and a better education that the children of Haywood County above all else would be considered first. Our total work has been to achieve this philosophy. In regards to our high school, we have worked with the thought that our high schools must be comprehensive. A comprehensive high school is one whose programs correspond to the educational needs of all the youth in our community. The three main objectives of a comprehensive high school are first to provide a general education for all future citizens. Second, to provide good elective programs for those who wish to use their acquired skills immediately on graduation. And third, to provide satisfactory programs for those whose vocations will depend on their subsequent education in a college or a university.

I would think if these people were still alive now, 62 years later, they would be proud of Hwood County Schools that we've been good stewards and tried to do what they set forth. And I would encourage you to do the same. And I got a little card for you that um I just wanted you to always have those words as you're thinking over because I know you have a lot of important decisions. But thank you for your time. And did you have any other questions?

I do. And a comment on page six of your presentation. Uh if you could scroll back for everybody to see. page six. Okay.

High schools. Actually, it's page six of the whole packet. Not not specifically your local current expense. State planning budget reductions fiscal year 27. Oh, right. That's it. Okay.

Uh, you know, I see this more and more, and I know this is probably related to the ADM, but we're seeing this in more areas than just the public schools. you know, we're seeing more things shoved back to the county level. You know, we don't make the law. We follow the law and we take what we get that comes down from Raleigh and I'm I think I'm correct and this is tied to ADM and plus probably funding cuts. Is that could you comment on this reduction on page six? That's actually money that you're not going to see. So how it's sometimes it's related to ATDM but not always. So as I explained you know in our joint meeting the way the state funds us you could end up with an effective cut just because of the way the formula is created. They don't look at Haywood County and look and say, you know, they have several M's level teachers with national board certification and distribute money based on what that salary would be. It's a spray and prey. We're going to say 65,000 per teacher cost actual salary plus health benefits, retirement contributions, FICA, what have you. I don't want anybody thinking every teacher makes 65,000. We all know that's false, but that's the cost of one on an average. And so they go, "Okay, well, it looks like um based on our formula and the amount of money we have available and using that multiplier, you're going to be reduced by three. You're just sent that much less money." When in fact,

you're less money already because, as I pointed out, we have a lot of highly qualified teachers that we don't receive funding for. So it puts us in the hole further, but we wouldn't have it any other way. So did that answer your question? It does. I think it help I think it helps people to see, you know, what what you're up against. Also on page 13 of that presentation, your child nutrition budget 13. Can you you did you'll do better than I did probably. Allison, I'll let you come. This is child nutrition. No,

the column on the right. I'm I'm guessing that the top should reflect the same as the left. You're looking at 20 25 26 compared to 26 27. Is that correct? Correct. That that should carry over. So the the total revenues there on the child nutrition I see USDA grants that is an increase of 227,000. That is an increase. And the summer feeding program is also an increase of 20. And then everything else is a is a decline. That is correct. Okay.

All right. Uh, one other thing. Thank you. Thanks for that clarification. Uh, one one other thing, you know, you talk about our schools being ranked as high as they are and uh, all three of our children, my wife and I's children went through the public school system and heavily involved with sports and when you do that, you get to travel a lot and you get to see these other campuses and uh, these other schools and you know, our high schools are 60 601 or two years old. And I I say this as a uh probably to put a feather in our folks hat for our maintenance and upkeep and actually the people that did what you said in 1964 those buildings and my kids hadn't been out of school all that long. They're still topnotch. And you know, for kids to see that when they go travel to other schools and they look at our Haywood County schools, our high schools are still, in my opinion, have just dried up on the like this courthouse. You know, we're getting this thing. Well, we need something new. We need something new. Well, look what we're sitting in. It was built right. And as far as I'm concerned, it's it's the apple of Western North Carolina's eye. And our high schools, I feel that way. You have Terzo floors. You have brick and mortar buildings. They have metal roofs on those buildings and they've been maintained very well and and I and I see that buildings being 60 years old. I also see I see our schools as ranking right up as far as appearance and and the upkeep and something that our kids are exposed to every day. Those are fabulous buildings still fabulous buildings. I I know we can't mil things out forever, but I'm I'm just proud of of those facilities and those buildings uh from what my experience when I my our kids were in school and they y'all you and your

predecessors have they've done a great job. I know 1964 you mentioned that that vision. Uh, you know, I I still remember conversations from my parents and uh the school board members. I I see and I appreciate you folks for being here. Uh, you know, I can tell that you're interested when you come to a big long boring Hwood County Commissioners meeting, but you're coming to ask money and for the funding. It's very important. Uh, it's very important. Reflects very well on you. Uh but I still remember the conversations my parents uh you know the school board members of that era they did some extremely heavy lifting and it caused and I see Chuck I've heard it I'm sure you've heard the discussions from your dad and you're you know you start closing down high schools and you start consolidating them all into two and the schools you know they're still the buildings some of them are still you know around in the county and the schoolboard members and that today. Uh if they had social media back then and cell phones, can you imagine how hard your life would have been if you were back in that day? But they did the heavy lift and they did what was right and they consolidated those schools and they saved the taxpayers a lot of money and they provided a better education experience and uh but it things are hard to let go of. And I still, like I say, I still remember my parents talking about Bethl High School and the the uh well the old annuals that were still still around had the scores listed from when Bethl High School played Canton High School and Wayswood Township High and you know, Fines Creek and you know all those schools and uh but they did they did a good job and uh they

they did what was necessary at that time in history. And it's proved out. Hindsight's always 2020. And even though you can't see it here at the at the moment, you can look back and and and see great things. And that vision, those those three core things that you had that you quoted from 1964, I'm sure those were talking points when it came to the decisions that they were making at that time in history of our county. I think those children first is powerful and I know everything can be a priority and and I'm not sitting in your seats. You have tough jobs. Um I'm an educator. I'm always going to say it comes back to education and put kids first and put our people first. I just know that those people will be proud today of how successful these schools have been and we've we've done a lot of work since then, you know, with within our schools. but what they set out to do and putting children first and all them together um that really struck me. So I we had a um a joint meeting. I always wonder how many people are watching our our meeting. But anyway, we had a joint meeting, us and and you guys a few weeks ago. And um I I just want to maybe say some of the great things you or some of the things you've said in a different light because you know we do have a tough decision we're going to have to make about how we're going to um meet or not be able to meet you know the funding request for the schools and um you know I've I've said with great pride how much I appreciate the school system and you know both of I have a stepson and I both of our boys and now my grandson is in the in the county schools. And so, but here's what it boils down to. So, if you go back to um and so not taking anything away from all the great things that we've done, but now let's boil it down

for just a thought about the money. So, if you look at your I don't know what page that is, page seven. Um so, there's a $3 million difference, correct? Um 1.3 million is for raises for non-certified staff and that was following a salary study completed in 2025. And so non-certified staff is for example bus drivers uh clerical um child nutrition workers uh although child nutrition workers are a bad example because we use federal money for that but um maintenance

maintenance custodians all the operational stuff some it um all of that has to be covered within the local budget. there's simply insufficient funds in that area. And so that salary study indicated for those positions that that was the amount needed to bring them up to competitive wages for our area or against competitive school systems.

Correct. at at current. Um, so the general assembly made a $15 an hour minimum requirement about two years ago, which they should have. Our our employees deserve at least that. However, they didn't send any additional money. So what we had to do as a school system with no additional money is it flattened the pay table on the old table. You started out at $10 to 12 an hour and it took you 10 or 11 years to get to $15 an hour. Well, when they did that, they they created very little opportunity for those who would stay with us to gain additional funds, additional pay. It also created a morale issue. Um I I had a clerical at Wazel Metal who was making had worked her way up, done a great job, none better. She had finally made it to like 1552 an hour. they take this and put that in play and the person hired next to her was now going to make only 52 cents less. So it created a huge morale issue and it as it should. Um and that's the thanks we give to the very people when talking about Helen, the floods, the meal closure. That's the very people that showed up and packaged lunches and and served the community very very well whether the community served them

or not. And the thanks they get is 52 cents more an hour. And so that's the very very group that we're we're trying to take care of.

And then you and I'm not glossing over that. That's that's critical really to it's really critical to our community because we we'd like to see our folks be able to afford to live here. Um then there's $700,000 of the $3 million difference. Um and that would prevent you because last year you were able to meet your budget by by taking 700 and some change out of your general fund or your balance. Yeah. Okay. So that would prevent you from having to do that this year. Correct. But we're talking about a one-year cycle. This doesn't really get you a leg up. It just gets you through the next year. Right.

What it does it over time, the funding formula is great. If you're adding students, but when you are not, it's on a steady decline. It's a negative residual. And just because you have fewer students doesn't mean you spend less or are even capable of spending less. What it costs us to employ a teacher is more expensive today than it was three years ago. What we have to pay in retirement contribution for that teacher is more expensive today than it was three years ago. And so you you start to look at what things actual co actually cost. You're getting the same for a whole lot more. If you've been to the grocery store, the loaf of bread didn't get bigger. It's just more expensive. That did I speak to that accurately?

Yeah. And so I guess what I'm trying to get you to do is to put in to into the line of vision. you've got a great product and obviously you do a really good thing, but now we're trying to get to how we get to this bottom line. I think it's what I want other people to hear. Um, and then there is a million dollars to maintain positions and that is the 5% recommended by the state increase. Is that where you're getting that?

No. So, and I'm only using one illustration because I think it's the cleanest and neatest, but I could I could go on a million tangents, but if you look at how the state funds us at our high schools, there would be seven less teachers at Pisga High School and there would be seven less teachers at Tuscola High School. That's based on the state's funding without this million dollars.

Correct. Okay. So, I think that's important for people to hear that without this $3 million broken down into those three categories. So, 1.34 raises for non-certified staff, $700,000 to replace the fund balance that you drew down last year. And to account for our actual increases, $400,000 increase in utilities. I was looking at uh Dr. White's presentation. one campus, one area, 40 or 50,000. We have 20 sites. So, it it escalates quick.

I think that that's I mean, again, you've presented what how important you are to the community and what you do for our young people, but I think it's now now we got to get to the meat of the matter, so to speak. And I think those at least for me that's important that I want my constituents and the residents that I see in the I always say in the frozen food of the grocery store. I want them to understand what that's about.

If if if I may impart a elevator speech real quick to you. The 1.3 million is to take care of the people who's been taking care of us, who have these beautiful buildings, as Mr. Long pointed out, who've maintained them, cleaned them, worked their fannies off, educated our kids, fed them, taken care of them to get them to a not top of the market, to a comp in a competitive market. Another million dollars to maintain the number of teachers we have. Ask any teacher anywhere if they're just they've got tons of room in their classroom at any level. They don't. And the 700,000 is the amount we've been spending in fund balance because the price the cost of operations went up. There's your three two minute and a half elevator speech. So

believe me, he won't let me hire anybody else. But um that I I did. Well, I actually tried to get Graham to pay for it, but he wouldn't. But I think it's really important to think about opportunities. I love the question you ask, but at what point with where we are right now, it's going to start costing. We talked about our programming. That's where it comes in. Those positions will cost opportunities. And I can't sit here and say I'd ever be happy about, you know, that that's we've got really good schools. And when you start going down that road, then the opportunities um lessen for those kids and maybe it's 187 or maybe it's this the 80 kids that are in FFA or you know but it's opportunities and like how much um I want that to be a priority. I want to expand but that's not the time or place today. And again, thank you to Dr. Why? Because our partnership with the community college, we have a lot of students taking advantage of those opportunities too there. So, and then that that's an impact, a negative impact all the way down to the family because last year our three three of our high schools, Haywood Early College, Pisga, and Tuscola, brought in $9 million to this county in scholarship money. And that's money freed up for those families to spend around town, eat out a little extra, buy a few extra groceries. Uh but either way, they're not strapped to a student loan. And uh Miss Barker makes a great point about opportunities. And I think that's a small price to pay for the the level and amount of opportunities we're able to offer our kids. I could have easily I told you I could have went down a million tangents. What if there were no Central Haywood? for those kids who they just needed an alternate setting for whatever reason.

What What do we do with them? Where do they go? We could close it down. What do we do with HCLC? What about those kids that were recovering that are dropouts? We could close it down. There's lots of ways to save money, but at what cost? And I hope y'all will trust me as a superintendent Hwood County Schools. When I tell you I don't want to cut anymore, it's going to have dire impacts. I hope you'll believe me cuz I mean it. Well, Commissioner West, we've been carrying all the water for these other three on my left. I'm just wondering if anybody else got anything to say over here.

Well, I know and I I've haven't called on Frank Queen.

I mean, he can remember what happened in ' 64. David Nolan was on the school board and it was highly contentious. Fines Creek didn't vote for the consolidation and David Nolan got elected countywide to sit on that board and Canton had its own school board and Haywood County had a school board and they all got together and we're going through the Civil Rights Act and you know all of that stuff's going on 1964. So you guys got it pretty easy compared to those fellas that that charted the course before you and I see a Nesbbit sitting out here. BF Nesbbit was a dairy farmer that was on that board in 1964 and they commissioned him to kind of be the the herder of the cat so to speak. I think he was a leader in that whole thing. And so it's interesting history. I asked the question about the course that Mr. Shephard is teaching. That's where I'm going. you know, we're losing history, and history's important. And uh so you you you guys are sitting in a spot back there that there's some people that really did some heavy lifting before you and you're doing heavy lifting now. And so, thank you for uh for doing what you do.

Thank you. Appreciate y'all. I know we've taken up way more time than we were allotted, but thank you. No, we got all we got all the time in the world. This is important. You know, these folks can sit and listen because we we've got big decisions to make and

and I I know again I I'll continue speaking just so everybody knows. We have some heavy lift. You talk about all the schools you have and we brought this up before. You're you're you're a very important part of the puzzle. You're a big cog in the wheel, but there's a lot of there's a lot of gears that we have to look over. And I think Commissioner Ramy's been very good at pointing out how many departments we have and and our county has to overseas 27 somewhere in that neighborhood. And so I'm not trying to cachade on your needs, trust me. But we have big big fish to fry. You're one of them. And uh you know Washington said they let their purse strings down with their FEMA money and everybody's been talking about that. Well, we haven't seen it. It hasn't hit our bank account yet. Correct. I mean, it was nice to hear that and it was good news, but we're still waiting to see that that cash hit our coffers and it hasn't. and and and and I know you feel our pain and I know you can sympathize with the spec position we're in and and you've made a good case, but but please understand, you know, we're looking at a 30,000 foot view and trust me, you're you're you're right there as you can look at our pie chart and what we spend our money on. But I I just want to throw that out there again publicly here uh to to throw into the conversation. And uh I I do think also the uh HCC guys, I can't see you. You're the podium's blocking. But again, your interest and you being here means a lot. And so, thank you, Bever. I was I I really do appreciate y'all bringing that information to us about the schools and where y'all rate against the other schools. I think I told you you guys have a great product. Um, that's probably why the charter school isn't doing so great is because

you guys basically outperform them, if you will. I can understand charter schools in areas where, you know, the schools are failing, but we definitely aren't doing that here. Y'all are setting the bar for everybody else. And I really do appreciate it. And that these numbers are just a reflection of, you know, kind of what you need to keep going and uh and to keep keep that maintained. And I think I think we all want to do that as much as we can. So, um I know I'm gonna be looking hard at this. Um I think it's uh you know, our young people, they're going to be taking care of us one day. You know, I was just thinking about um you know, you're talking about AP classes and that's good for folks that want to go to college, but then you've also got the technical to to kind of help people get zeroed in on what they would be good at if they want to stay at home and do a trade or something like that. that. So, I appreciate that you guys, it's not only the AP classes, but it's just it's everybody because your schools are performing very well, and that's everybody taking a test. It's not the ones going to go to college, I would think. And so, uh, everybody's performing well, and you've definitely set the bar out there for everybody to come to. And I really appreciate it. And I'm and I'm proud of the school system. I'm proud of the school board, what y'all have done. Um, I mean, you you've basically picked it up, kept it going. We we've had we've had uh all these issues with COVID. Everybody had CO, but not everybody had a meal closing. Not everybody had two floods, you know, but y'all have kept it's almost like none of that ever happened, you know. It's like you guys have learned from it and just kept kept going. And I also want to brag on you on on you and the school board about and your staff about uh the type programs that you guys put out like the alternative middle school and like the early call. You don't have to do this. I mean, you could just sit down and say, "No, we just got a high school." You know, you could just do that. But you

find ways and your board finds ways to be able to help students, you know, achieve their best, if you will. And that's what everybody wants is for their kids to achieve the best. And uh and y'all do that. So, I think that's that's deserving to be pointed out and it's, you know, deserving to be make everybody aware of. And I thank you for putting this out. People ought to be proud of our high schools because in western North Carolina, if you're going to move to the mountains, those 14, you know, uh, school systems you're talking about, well, if education is important to you, you want to live in Haywood County because that's where it's getting done and that's where the that's where the leaders are, you know, and everything. So, I I really do appreciate every everything y'all have done. Thank you.

And, uh, you definitely have, like I say, you set the bar high and and other schools are just trying to get where you're at and you're already there. So, we want to keep you there as much as we can. Thank you. I don't know if anybody else said finally get over here to this. I was getting ready to make a motion that we put a muzzle on that. Well,

hey, that's enough. That's a no. Uh we did ask you guys to come to us to uh brag on yourself and I think Miss Barker has done a fine job of that. Uh very well presented and and that's what we wanted to show the public, you know, how how good our schools was and how good they they are they are today and and that's why we support them like we do. But uh I had some of the similar questions that the other end of the table had and they they all got answered and I want the public to know that this is not something that that's the first time we've seen a lot of this. You know, we've been working on this for quite some time sitting down talking about it and discussing it. We do have a lot of uh big ass not just from the schools but from other other departments and we're going to have to uh tighten the belt up or loosen the belt one and try to figure out how we're going to fund all these. But uh uh I did want to ask the question. I know that uh you've got several of your school board members here tonight and uh I assume that the board backs this request up. That's why they're here.

100% approval. All right. That's that's what I thought. I just wanted the public to be aware that it it is backed by the school board as well. So that's good to hear. So thank you again for coming the presentation. Um the questions I did have has already been answered. So, I'm not going to take up any more time uh on that. So, thank you guys for coming.

I just want to let you know I appreciate it too and the that informative meeting we had and a lot of people, you know, the public don't see a lot of the stuff like that that that what the needs are met for, you know, what the what it takes to meet all these needs and stuff. And we got uh like I said in that meeting, we got all these other departments, too. But our kids are to me one of the most important things we got whatsoever getting on our future them make sure they're topnotch when they come out and it's it's going to really be a hard thing for us here because we got to figure it out and we got to let the people know why if we have to go up on taxes with this why what they're going for and you know that that we're not just doing it to get extra money in the fund you know and we got uh probably some other projects is going to have to have tax increases too and that uh that makes it hard for everybody. But it's uh I appreciate y'all coming and explaining this because the people that's watching this now have a little better understanding of what has to happen and to keep it, you know, our schools top-notch and what our other departments do as the best we can. And as I've said many, many times, we got to all tighten up our belts because right now is not a real good time for this to have to come up. But I appreciate y'all explain it so the people out here can understand that it's not just us, you know, trying to get more money that that we're trying to keep everything we can at top notch. We appreciate the the way y'all are doing because y'all got us on the top of the list. That's where we'd like to stay.

That's the goal. And I thank y'all for that.

One other thing I did want to point out, uh, Dr. Putnhams, I appreciate you pointing out, you know, uh the that there are certain projects that uh certain funds can be spent on like the land acquisitions because when you're in the frozen aisle section, which I'm not there much, my wife usually does that, but they come by my shop quite often or you see them at church or wherever. you know, since the article come out in the mountaineer, you know, that's one of the questions that's asked. And it's not I don't think it's people being mean. They they just really want to know. So, I think it's important, you know, that they're educated and uh that they know, you know, hey, we can spend money on projects like that or we can put a AC in a high school or replace fencing, but you know, there there's certain funds that come into the county or certain funds that we have that can only be spent on that. So, when you're asking for this 3 million, folks say, "Well, why are you buying land, you know, instead of using that money to give the teachers their increases?" So, I appreciate you pointing that out. That's important to know.

Yeah. And we, you know, we've tried to help oursel as much as possible. We got 3 million from the general assembly following the mill closure. use that to strategically downsize, cut 36 positions, uh, put in some cost control measures. The last thing we want to do is ask for more. We want to be self-sufficient. The reality is we have two major revenue streams. One's from the county and one's from the state, and the state keeps cutting us. We got only one place left to go. And so um but we have tried to help ourselves in lots of ways and and uh we have downsized but I think I told you at the last year's meeting and maybe the one before I can't go anymore. I just can't. I'm going to you know we talked about just AP classes but what that's going to do is inflate every other class in the high school. then their learning is getting less in all other classroom. It's not just an AP classroom. It's it would be in all of them because those kids have to go somewhere. And so those start growing exponentially and now everyone's suffering. I'm telling you, we're at the sweet spot. Um it's more than you know we have money for, but it's no less than what we need. Yeah, I know we we've beat you guys up for for years literally, you know, on being sure that you cut everything that you can and I'll say it publicly. You know, we've met many times and talked about that, but you guys have done a good job doing that. You know, done everything we ask. We ask you to spend your fund balance now at one point and you done that and now you're pulling probably too much out of it. So, uh, you guys have done everything we ask and no

doubt you've done everything you can. I mean, you got a believable face or a poker face on one. So, I don't know what to Oh, I don't know what to say there. No, I'm just kidding. We We've got a situation where a little different this year than it has been, you know, with the storms and everything. We've had to pull a whole lot out of fun balance, too. And it's really it's really hurt us and and uh being able to do what we want to do like, you know, this stuff like school. Well, you know, that's like I say, that's one of our number one priorities and we've got so many things that we've had to pull money out for. It's uh it's going to be tough. We're going just going to have to figure it out.

Well, and I tell you what's hard about education. We don't have the luxury of an off year. If we go even one year without teachers in a sequence, it changes the sequence and the trajectory for that high school student forever. you can't get it back. Miss Barker and her team has done a fantastic job of making sure when they come in in ninth grade and they take this course and they take that course and they get to the end, they're as well equipped as they can be. But even with one cut, that's a human geography offline. It was an AP that they could have used for an application to go to Tennessee. It's gone. You can't get it back. Um, we operate with the philosophy in our office, let's operate like our heads on fire because these kids get one chance through high school, just one. Let's make it the best one.

Thank you. Appreciate y'all. Appreciate. Okay, our next order of business is discussion or adjustment to the agenda. Does anybody have anything? If not, I'll move on to the consent agenda. Does anybody have any questions on the seven items on the consent agenda? Okay. Hearing none, I'll entertain a motion we approve this consent agenda as presented. I'll make that motion. Okay. Is there a second? Okay. Any other discussion? All those in favor say I. I.

I. Okay. Anyone opposed? Okay. Okay. Next order of business will be a regular agenda and we'll go with uh to request approval of county manager Bryant Morehead as the primary agent and finance director Christian Owen as a secondary agent for hazard mitigation program recovery and resilience officer. Cody Grassy. Is he here? He's coming. Cody, I did not see you out there. You had on that black shirt. You just camoed in back there. I stay in the shadows back there. No. Okay.

Commissioners, uh first of all, thank you uh for having me up here. Um we're requesting uh permission for uh the county manager to sign off on all related documents uh for hazard mitigation for the Helen hazard mitigation program. That includes the acquisition, elevation, and if the state gives us a path forward, uh slope stabilization uh mitigation applications as well as legal documents and so forth. So, we're asking permission from the county commissioners for the manager to do that. Um, chairman, with your permission, I' I'd like to give a little bit of update on some mitigation recovery activities and share that with uh you and hopefully the public as well. Be great.

Yeah. To date, um, we have, um, 87 acquisition applications for hazard mitigation. Um that's gone up and down uh over the past couple months as people come into the program or or leave the program. The um um we were able to finalize with 87 after a couple of switch from elevation to acquisition. We had 14 elevation. Now we're at 11 elevation uh applications that we're working with the state to uh put through the process. So that's 87 uh acquisition, 11 elevation. um if the state is able to help us identify a path forward for slope stabilization and there's still a lot of discussion along those um uh along that part of the program. There's 29 applications there. Uh I just want to note that no county has um maneuvered through the technical review and path forward for slope stabilization as of yet. So we're in the same as every other county. Um we've also put forward when

you say slope stabilization what is that for that that's like landslide um any of the where they've been landslides.

Yeah it's land the landslide uh is endangering the home. So there has to be a home it has to be endangered and um and no work no repair can have been done to it. And so we had 29 people who even after they went through individual assistance offered by FEMA uh still had need. Um we had about 80 applicants and myself and Christy our uh FEMA community liaison and a couple others worked through about uh 50 60 of those applicants to get them through uh individual assistance so they didn't have to go in mitigation. Um there was just some ones that were just a little bit more than what uh individual assistance could provide. That's 42,500. They needed more than that to resolve the issue that they had. Um, we've also put in for seven generators to increase resiliency at critical infrastructure such as town halls and uh some radio communication locations and then also five infrastructure uh uh projects that we've put in. Um the acquisitions that we've put in for all four rounds, the 87 ac uh acquisitions, we're asking for roughly $33 million in funding to come from FEMA to acquire those properties. That number is subject to change and so forth like that. Um and then a variety of other dollar amounts for the other uh other things. We've um worked with a lot of these homeowners um and and continue to work with them. And the reason we're asking for this permission to um uh for the county manager to be able to sign off a mitigation applica u mitigation paperwork is because round one has been approved. Uh 16 homes have been approved for mitigation. Um there's um four more that are still we're still working with FEMA to get addressed. So that' be a total of 20 that'll work through round one once that's approved. Um we're still waiting for round two, three, and four, which has the additional 67 properties.

Um but we know that FEMA is um breaking the log jam for not just us, but other counties. So we're starting to hear that trickle of of money and good news coming and we're hopeful in the next couple of months that um all four rounds of our at least acquisition will be approved and then next will be elevation and then other programs. Uh it goes in that order. Um, a couple bits of other news uh related to recovery that I want to pass along is that um uh Heywood County um the partnership that we have uh myself uh Jody Garen and uh our grant administrator Nicole Smiley, we've worked with communities in Hwood County as well as um uh fire departments and then the county itself. And to date, we've uh between all of our grant projects, we've uh been able to either help or assist or or get for the county about $20 million in recovery grants um uh either through either like the town of Clyde or us or or uh fire departments. Um also, I talked to the disaster case managers today and um those are the people from NCM who have provided that case management after the disaster. Um, they had uh 258 total people apply for case management. That's, you know, I I have problems with my housing situation after the flood because I was a renter instead of an owner. And FEMA doesn't, you know, reimburse for that or anything. Um, to date, we have 91 still remaining on case management. and uh myself, DSS, and a c the case managers and a couple of nonprofits are meeting bi-weekly at this point to try and help those remaining 91 folks to come off case management and find permanent solutions to whatever their unmet needs are. Um, I also want to uh mention that our LTRG, our long-term recovery group here in Hwood County, is working diligently with 17 non-governmental organizations. They

still have um a lot of cases in the queue. That includes home repair, building new homes, um Samaritan Purse providing mobile homes. They're very active and um truly our success in Hwood County where we're months if not years ahead of other counties is because our LTRG has stepped up even before um people realized they needed the help. So, I really have to commend all of those groups that are coming together. um we're we're doing the the good thing and kind of staying out of their way and just asking them what barriers they need us to knock down for them. And that has been very successful because they're doing such good work without without us. I mean, you know, we're involved. We're at the table, but I I rather help them by removing barriers than try to direct any work. Um, a couple of last minute things or last um, things I want to share is that uh, RenewNC had uh, that's that uh, program to rebuild homes for low and middle income. They had 503 applicants. To date, they still have 198 active cases that they're working through. Um, the other ones are inactive for a variety of reasons. They don't tell us why, but we're still working through 198 cases. Um that also we have um somewhere around I'm trying to read my notes here. I don't know who wrote these. No, I'm just kidding. Um we had um somewhere around 500 applicants for um road repair um uh through the private road and bridge program. That's still they're still being assessed. I think 467 have been assessed and that's ultimately what um they're moving forward with. The other ones were like duplicate applicants or something like that. Um, and to date, I think close to 20 home or 20 roads have roads or bridges have been repaired. Not sure about how funding is going to play out in the future, but they're working through those in priority order for life safety, like if if a fire department or EMS can't get to the home. They're going to prioritize that versus something

that's just in disrepair a little bit. Um, uh, Commissioner Best, uh, mentioned the USDA block grant application. Um, something that came up today as I was researching, um, last Friday they changed the deadline to May 15th. So, they've actually pulled it back because they've had a lot of people apply. Um, so I don't mean to, uh, but if, um, but we're going to try and push out some more information that includes the the future economic loss, forestry loss, and so forth that she mentioned. Um, they've had a lot of people interested and applied. So, they've pulled that date back to May 15th with the counties needing to have submitted something by May 30th. So, that gives 15 days for the county soil and water to build that application or work with NCDA uh to do that. Talking to our Forest Service partners, um Matt Hooper, uh our county ranger, he wanted me to say these words, um do not burn anything in Hwood County. And I wrote those down while I was talking to him on the phone and he said, "Circle that and underlined it." So, he's please he's asking folks not to burn anything right now. Um, he said he wanted me to conu uh let you guys know that there's more programs coming out in the future to help with forestry and forestry products. Um, right now today there's a new program out that just came out. He's not familiar with it yet that will help indemnify. It's another program to help indemnify or pay for loss to forestry prog products. So if you have um some amount of 10 acres or more just like the USDA block grant, there's a state program for that in case you don't qualify for the USDA block grant. So he's encouraging people to apply for that. They're also looking at another type of program for debris, forestry, debris caused by Helen to help mitigate wildfires. So we're excited about that, but that's se that's still a couple months out, but we're hopeful that that'll come out pretty soon. Um, last thing I want to mention, um, is, um, the United Way. Um, they have been an excellent partner here in Hwood

County, a very trusted partner. The United Way of Hwood County, Celisa, has been awesome to date. She, uh, has, uh, raised $3.6 million, and she has expended virtually all of that or committed all of that, and zero dollars have gone to her salaries or her programmatic efforts. So almost 100% if not 100% of that money is going towards um the relief of of hurricane victims. Th that include and survivors that includes furniture, down payments on houses, rent, utilities, other unmet needs. A large majority of it has gone to rebuilding homes or repairing homes. Some of it's gone to Haywood Chamber, the Haywood Chamber of Commerce for business entities. um she wanted me to let you guys know that the donation portal is still open and if anyone would care to make a donation, she commits that still 100% of that is going to go to survivors of Helen. Um so we're very proud of that fact. Um those 17 long-term recovery or 17 NOS's in the long-term recovery group depend on that money um to help people survivors. So she's helping pay for their efforts in the community as well. So, I really want to say thank you to her and then to all the uh non-government organizations that are providing support to Hwood County. Um there's so many um it it's it's hard to say all of them, but um but we we we couldn't do it without them. Um honestly, so um I think I've covered everything that whenever I was making some phone calls over the past couple of days that people wanted me to say. Um I just want to end by this. Uh Christy uh Patton, our uh FEMA liaison, community liaison, passed me a note today. Um I asked her some questions and she passed me a note. Um to date uh we've had 9,825 applications for individual assistance with FEMA and uh approved that's from FEMA to households has been $33,400,000.

Um also in that number as of today um Haywood County as a not just the county government but the towns the NOS's like Lake Junalca the school system all of these ones that were eligible for public assistance there have been 117 projects submitted to FEMA and to date $30 million has been obligated to Haywood County entities by FEMA and which means that it's um that we've passed the benchmark of review and we're moving towards some kind of approval to send money to us. She also wanted me to highlight a success story um of an NGO. Um then there's so many I mean we could stand up here but uh Wider Circle Volunteer Mills Ministry has to date uh from the census storm served over 62,000 meals uh 5,000 meals in March to the needy and they're now averaging still 250 meals per day Tuesday through Sunday. So there's help in all forms rebuilding food unmet needs. Um, we're covering cell phone costs of people so just so they can talk to FEMA, talk to their loved ones and working with our case managers on meeting those unmet needs. Um, I know that's a little bit wider subject than what we put on the agenda, but I wanted to provide an update because there's so much good news and recovery in Hwood County. Um, I still think that we're months, if not years ahead of other counties in terms of what we're doing for the citizen and what's available to them. But I would finish with this other than asking for the approval. if there's someone in the community who doesn't know if they need help or they're just they're very proud. I'm from Hwood County, six generations, seventh uh seven hopefully soon. Um we're proud people. We don't know how to ask for help sometimes. I don't want you to ask for help, but if you could pass my county cell phone number to them and just say call and see what's available. That's not asking for help. That's just being a good neighbor and just telling them what's available. Um we want to do that probably before the next storm season by September. um that would be really helpful so that we can connect

people with what programs still remain. Um and there's still some coming online that we want to connect them to. And with that, I'll pause for any questions. I'm going to jump a gun here. Go ahead. No, I just got a question. I hate to even bring it up, but from Tropical Storm Fred, uh the buyouts there, have we completed all those?

We have. Um, yes, we we have completed the paperwork. I think there's only one that we're waiting for NCM to send us the money to give to the family, but other than that, yes, we've completed all the purchase. There are still three homes that are uh schedu to be scheduled for demo and that's just because they were taking a little bit longer because of variety of bureaucratic steps, but yes, we have I'm familiar with one of those and get a phone call probably once every two weeks about that particular one. So that's that's why I prompted the question, you know, and just curious in general if we completed all those. So thank you for that answer.

I'm that family probably has six or seven heirs or something like that. They've all signed the paperwork, so they're good. Okay, good. Good. Maybe my phone will quit ringing. Thank you. Yeah. I just want to say, Cody, thank you for the job you do. And I I've said it before and we've all we've all said it. Tropical Storm Fred was terrible and uh but it did it did get us way ahead of the game when Helen did hit because we had already been through it one time and as bad as it was, you know, we learned a lot of lessons and and you're an asset and and I I appreciate what you had to say. The data that you gave from FEM and all that, is that packaged up where you could get that to me?

Uh I sure will. Um I'm she's I think she's back there. I will get it to you as soon as we get out of the meeting. I think I got it in my email. Great. Thank you. Thanks. I know you've been working hard, Cody. Thank you. And I'm I'm 1%. There's 99 and I really want to throw it to those NOS's that are just out there doing it every day. Um, you know, we if if people of Hwood County could support them, uh, please do because they they are doing a lot of good work out there. Thank you, Cody. Yeah, I hope that this is enough for approval on that uh allowing the county manager to sign.

Yeah, I entertain a motion. We approve item one of the regular agenda. Is there a second? Second. Okay. All in favor say I. I. I. Okay. It's unanimous. Thank you, Cody. And every time I call Cody, he picks up by the way or he calls me right back. So, thank you. Thank you. Item number two is to request approval of resolution recognizing April 22nd, 2026 as Earth Day and promoting employeeled sustainability in Haywood County. Solid waste director Zandre Kirkindall. Zandra and you've got an associate there.

Good evening, commissioners. Um we are here today to uh request approval of our um Earth Day resolution. Um this is Sammy Joe. she is taking the lead on our Earth Day um initiative for Haywood County and our employees. So, I'm going to actually let her present this resolution. Good evening and thank you. Um I'm just going to read what we've submitted, which states um resolution recognizing Earth Day and promoting employeeled sustainability in Hwood County. Whereas Haywood County is committed to protecting public health, preserving our natural resources, and maintaining the environmental quality that defines our community. And whereas Earth Day serves as a global reminder of our shared responsibility to reduce waste, conserve resources, and act as responsible stewards of the environment. And whereas Hwood County Recycling and Solid Waste recognizes that meaningful environmental progress begins with leadership by example. And whereas fostering a culture of sustainability among county employees strengthens the county's ability to influence residents, businesses, and visitors through visible and consistent action. And whereas adopting a do as I do approach encourages employees to actively participate, waste reduction, recycling, reuse, and responsible consumption in both their professional and personal lives. And whereas employee engagement and education are essential to building a sustainable community and advancing the goals of waste reduction and resource recovery. And whereas Hwood County acknowledges its role in supporting recycling markets, reducing landfill dependence and promoting environmentally responsible behaviors. And whereas small daily actions when modeled consistently by county staff can lead to significant long-term

environmental benefits for the entire community. Now therefore, be it resolved by the board of Hwood County that one April 22nd is hereby recognized as Earth Day in Hwood County. Two, the Haywood County Recycling and Solid Waste will emphasize an employee first sustainability initiative grounded in a do as I do philosophy encouraging staff to lead by example and waste reduction and recycling practices. three that county employees are encouraged to reduce waste generation in daily operations, recycle correctly and consistently, practice reuse and responsible purchasing, serve as visible ambassadors of sustainability within a community. Four, that Hwood County will continue to support education outreach and internal engagement efforts that empower employees to model environmentally responsible behaviors. And five, that by leading through action, Haywood County aims to inspire residents and businesses to adopt similar practices, strengthening the county's overall environmental impact.

Sorry about that. Doing it to me, too. Frank just unplugged it. You're a maintenance guy, too, Frank. I appreciate problem solving. Okay. Thank you for tolerating that. That's hard. Distracting. I know.

You're back. Okay. Now, did you have a question? No. No. Okay. Surprisingly, no. So, okay. Anybody have anything else? Okay. You you were explaining the household hazardous. Yeah. Okay. So, you're going to be training employees for that. They so every other month if instead of once a year they can come.

Correct. That's that's our goal is to have it um every other month. Um currently, but again, it's it's right now we're waiting. Uh, I've got some final paperwork that I have to submit for our permit and once the state issues our permit to have that permanent operation. Um, we'll set that that calendar and going forward we will have very set regular collections. So, so I guess to answer my constituent, I'll just say that we're waiting on that process at the MURF and then we're going to be doing it right regularly.

Yeah, we'll have our training staff training is next week. Um, and then once we get that done, we've got our vendor that will be coming out to set up, make sure that we've got everything that we need on site, do our trial run, make sure that we know what we're doing, and then we will release the calendar for those collection dates. That's a real service. Thank you. What hours were will they be there? Are you It will be a Saturday. Um, I believe we're trying to do 9 to 1. Okay. So every other Saturday I mean every other month on a Saturday you'll on a Saturday 12 I mean 9 to1. Yeah. Is that what you said? 9 to1

like 9 to1. Yeah. Because it'll be it'll be our staff and consolidate way services staff that will be there um doing that operation. We won't be dependent on having to bring somebody in every time we have a collection. Yeah. So, the staff, how many do you think do you need from from Haywood County staff? Currently, I've got three maintenance staff, three solid waste staff, and three consolidated way services staff um scheduled to do our training next week. Um you want some more if you can get them, I guess, right?

We we put the fillers out for for county staff. We did. Um it's open. We're we're paying for that training. I was trying to get as many people as I could in there. But right now, we've got we've got several maintenance several of our staff and then the the contracted staff. Zandre, we're glad to have you here today. We don't get, you know, you don't get the spotlight a whole lot, but we appreciate all the work you do behind the scenes. While you're here, I occasionally get questions. Got a constituent talking. You know, you're aware of the styrofoam and polystyrene. You know, that's a landfill killer. You know, you put it in landfill, it never goes away. That's correct.

And uh you know, while you're here, you uh we're taking steps. Do we have a outlet for that for people who set their styrofoam to the side?

So, for the packaging styrofoam, um we have worked with um Paul Allen with FeedMe Foam in the past. Um I do have a quote from him to if we want to bring him in and do as part of probably our um HHW day have a hard to recycle day and I'm going to air quote that and have him come and we can do a styrofoam collection at the same time because we will have the ability to to set him up. Um but it's just packaging foam. So no food packaging. So all of the styrofoam cups, the clamshells and all that, that's still we're we're trying to just do away with that in um in our everyday use. But the packaging foam where it's coming in your boxes with your TVs and all that, he can take that and I I do have

um his information to where we can try and I was trying to kind of piggyback that with our HHW launch and have that kind of go hand in hand. Yeah.

All right. So, do we need a motion to approve this or is this Just a motion to approve the resolution for Earth Day. Yes. Motion for that. So moved. There a second. Second. All in favor say I. I. Anyone oppose? Okay. Thank you. And I'm up next. So

then is there the second one is to approve request approval of a budget amendment Helen Recovery Recycling Infrastructure Grant $2,514,500 to accept an appropriate grant from the North Carolina Department on Environmental Quality for the completion of two projects. Project number one is replacing recycling carts lost or damaged from Hurricane Helen for the town of Clyde 12,500. And project number two, relocating the Jonathan Creek convenience center from its current floodprone location to a new site and I just outside of the flood plane 2,52,000. So, um, back in

somebody. I don't know. Left their phone. Is that what was ringing?

Somebody could come through handing us out some stuff. I think maybe from the school system. They're hunting it. They're hunting it. Be the school superintendent's phone. Let me have that. I'll have that. Uh, okay. Well, getting back to the business here. I have a motion we approve item three. So, move. Is there a second? Second. Oh, sorry. I can't do both for one and two. Ready to keep it rolling, gentlemen. Thank you, Jim. She's trying to get us in the frozen food section. Somebody second it. Second. Okay. All in favor say I. I. Okay. Thank you, sir.

Great. And did y'all have any questions about that? Um the grant questions on that on that Jonathan Creek one down there that is that buying property and stuff too or

so this grant does not allow us to buy the property. So that will actually have to come out of our solid waste fund. Um the grant will allow us to construct the convenience center site once we um get land to put that on. Um the contingency is that it has to be out of floodway currently. Jonathan Creek, if you look at the map, um that site is on three sides. It's got flood zone right around it. So we can't expand that site. So we're looking for a location to move it out of floodway. Um, plus where we can have a bigger footprint to take care of the community there that's growing.

That are we going to own equipment or is CWS going to own equipment? Part of the grant was to buy some equipment. Um, but the majority of it we'll we'll do the electrical work. We'll do all the concrete work, the engineering. Um, the compactors themselves will probably be theirs, but we'll do all the other infrastructure. all dictated by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, right? It's a EPA pass through funds. So, we've got uh we have to go by all their rules. We've got to go by EPA. Expensive. Correct. No, I know. They just say, "Well, you got to build." Oh, he's got to do all this to build it. So, right.

I'll point out too that is one of our smallest sites. If it's not the smallest, if I'm correct, it's between that and Fines Creek. Those are the two smallest sites. So, and it's a busy site as well. So, very very much needed to expand that, right?

And we've got all the growth that's going on in Jonathan Creek right now. We we were trying to look forward to the growth of that community to make sure that they're they're represented in our collections. One thing I've learned, and we've said this before, you know, not every constituent uses EMS, law enforcement, library, whatever, but every single one of them uses uh some form of getting rid of their trash. So, uh it's it is important

through that. Yeah, I can let the state know that we'll gladly take the money. Yeah, that's right. Well, and thank you for I I guess you applied for these grants. Yes, we did apply for this grant back in Thanks for looking. Yeah. Yeah. Looking I I really appreciate all the staff that do that. You know, you you guys see a need and then you you find a grant for it. Yeah. It was a very competitive grant. The EPA only um gave the state 25 million. Um each grant was allowed to apply for up to 5 million. And we um we to that we got 2.5 was was a a great um achievement for for what we've got.

You were competing against 500 other counties. 39 um only 39 entities or counties um apply. It was specifically Helen related. So 39 counties they had $110 million worth of requests. So, we did pretty good to get 2.5 out of that 25. Yeah. Thank you. That that really helped a whole lot. Oh, I hope I hope it does. Yeah. Thanks, son. Great. Thank you.

All right. And item number four is to request approval of a resolution authorizing participation in the remnant defendant opioid settlement agreement. Frank,

this is the f the last probably of the several opioid defendant groups that have been sued by uh us and a thousand other jurisdictions in a class action. This is the last seven kind of small defendants in that action. It's called the remnant group because they're left the ones that's left. uh this is uh to request approval to receive that money and then it'll be administered through the same um mechanism that we've used for our other opioid uh defense funds. It's a lot smaller dollar amount, but it'll also um but it'll be administered exactly the same way. It goes to the state first. The state ad uh distributes 85% of it to the counties and local governments. uh maintains 15% for state uh programs um to combat the effects of opioid dependency.

Okay, I'll entertain a motion we approve item four. Motion to approve item four of the agenda. Second. Any discussion? I will say North Carolina did great on that settlement. We've said it before, 85% of it comes back to county and uh there's a lot of a lot of fighting went on for that. That's true. Okay. So, a motion to approve. Do we have that? All in favor say I. I. Okay.

Okay. We don't have any appointments tonight. We do have close session. It's a close session for economic development, North Carolina General Statute 143-381A4. Motion to go into that close session. Second. Or second. Second. Okay. All in favor say I. I. I. Okay. We'll be in close session when we enter the chambers in the back.

my sons. Okay, we've returned from close session. Does anybody have anything further for the board before the board? Okay, hearing none, I'll entertain a motion we adjourn. So move. Okay, there second. Second. Okay, all in favor I. I. Okay, everybody be safe. Thank you. Thank you.