Commissioners - Regular Meeting

OK, good evening, and I'm going to call to order the August 17th, 2026 regular meeting of the Haywood County Board of Commissioners. And if you would, if you can, please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance and our invocation. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Okay, the sheriff couldn't be here tonight, so we'll just do a moment of silence, please. Okay, thank you. Okay, next order of business is public comment session. Did you have anybody sign up? Okay, no one signed up. We don't have a public hearing either tonight. Next is constituent concerns. I do want to announce that our next meeting will be on Tuesday, September 8th, because of Labor Day. Okay, so the county will be closed September 7th, but September 8th will be our meeting on Tuesday. And there will be a public hearing during that meeting on Tuesday, September 8th, 2026 at 530 p.m. to receive public comment on Haywood County's proposed use of a $2,006,840 of its North Carolina DPS disaster relief and recovery mitigation and resiliency grant funds to assist the towns of Canton, Clyde, and Waynesville with a water system interconnect. The project will improve the reliability and resiliency of potable water service between the three communities and provide an emergency water supply interconnection, redundant water storage, and improved water infrastructure to support existing and future residential, commercial, and industrial development. So we'll be having a public hearing that pertains to that matter. Does anyone have any other constituent concerns that you want to talk about? OK. Summer's going by fast. I think school started today, so. Okay. Next order of business will be our administrative agency reports and presentations. The first item is the Haywood Health Foundation update, and Haywood Health Foundation Executive Board Chair Neil Budd and Vice Chair Shelly White are here tonight. And welcome, appreciate y'all coming out. Good afternoon.

Haven will get me tuned in here. OK. But I did want to start off by saying Haywood Health Foundation was formed in 2014 upon the sale of Haywood Regional Medical Center. And as we all know, when you're a public company that purchased, you can no longer have a foundation. And so that foundation was dissolved and the Haywood Health Foundation was created. And we carried along with a number of the programs that the hospital had been providing, plus have added several on up by ourselves under the HHF umbrella. And I just wanted to highlight some of those and really here today to make the county aware of what's going on with the organization and to maybe toot the horn a little bit about our successes. So, again, it's my pleasure to be here. Since 2014, well, our mission statement basically is to help those in need of health, undeserved people in Haywood County, help those in need of health and well-being. And I really believe after you hear some of these areas of accomplishments, you'll agree with me that we've done a pretty good job at improving upon that here in Haywood County. And I'll start off with the Power of Pink race and the Power of Pink extravaganza, as we call it. But since 2014, that's been a very popular event with Haywood Health Foundation. It raised $261,000 during that time, and it provided for over 2,000 mammograms for uninsured and underserved people here in Haywood County. both men and women. And then, of course, follow-up visits as well. So we're proud of that one. We did have from 2016 to 23 golf tournaments that was very successful at the beginning. And then as golf tournaments became more popular as the years rolled on to the point where we now have approximately 72 to 73 fundraising golf tournaments here in Haywood County alone, we found that the return on our efforts was not worthy of beating the bushes. But during that time, we were very successful in raising $382,000, and that went for a number of initiatives health-related here in Haywood County as well. Oh, I guess you can see up there on the screen, too, that the Health First Community Grants are into various health needs that were addressed here in the county through grants. We addressed substance abuse with another one of those tournaments, Base Camp on the Go, for Haywood County children. And the new Haywood Community College Health Sciences Building. During those golf tournament days, we were raising monies for special equipment to help outfit that wonderful building. And also, as well, food insecurity. But in 2023, we paused that and we're evaluating it as a board, as a possibility to come back with, but we just haven't quite made that decision yet. We also ran a casino night from 2015 to 2018. And then in 2019, our wonderful state government decided that any organization west of I-26 could no longer conduct any of those. So we were forced to shut that down. But we did raise $78,000 while we were doing that. And we had a number of benefits from that provided to the county again to improve upon that health and well-being. We also continued from the hospital and donations and funds that were set up, scholarships to those students who were continuing their education in nursing or medical professional fields. And we've issued 51 such scholarships and that again is a very successful program and has gone a long way to help those students complete their programs and hopefully remain here in Haywood County to serve in our medical facilities here. For the end of life, we've supported through donations again And through funds that had been raised over the years, we've been able to go through the listing. I won't go through the whole listing, but been able to do a lot with Haywood Hospice and Palliative Care, as well as Heartfelt Haywood to provide grief gatherings, caregiver support, movie nights, grief camp for children, as well as music therapy. And then, maybe we should sound the trumpets, but in 2018, the county approached us and we came to terms or agreements through a contract. to manage the funds and use them for improving the health and well-being in Haywood County. And that was to the tune of about $18.8 million. And the purchase agreement between LifePoint Health and Haywood Regional Medical Center specified that any funds gained from the sale would be used for health-related issues in the future. And the county contracted with us to be that agent. And I believe we've been real successful with that since 2019 when we just started our first grant program. And during the term of that, we've issued 130 grants totaling close to $3 million to various agencies. And they're on the screen there if you can read them. But it's just a sampling of some of the issues and initiatives that we've been able to address here in Haywood County, which are health related. And then we also had awarded $5 million for the construction of the Haywood Community College's Health Science Building. And over these years, we've paid back from our award loan, if you will, $2 million. 236,000. So when you combine those numbers, you come up with approximately a little over $5 million that have been expended. And if you remember, I told you at the beginning of this section that we received $18.8 million for this program. And we've expended well in excess of $5 million. And I'm here today to tell you proudly that as of August the 14th, and again, Treasurer Julie Weaver will raise her hand and say, don't you promise that money, because we all know that the market, the way it is today, fluctuates up and down, up and down, up and down. But I'm here to tell you that on Friday, August 14th, that same fund that began at 18.8 and did all those wonderful things is now $25,189,000. And I think that's really saying something. And I have to thank Tim Barnes and the Wells Fargo Advisory Group out of Winston-Salem for all their efforts in helping us through that and managing our funds really well. There's also a parcel list of efforts and organizations that we have represented or are partaking in the grant program. And I guess I'm just real proud, and I believe I'm proud of the whole team that we have. And I'd like to introduce to you our complete board, or those who could make it here. and perhaps toot a horn for them. For the executive committee, Shelly White, our president of the Haywood Community College. She's my executive vice president or vice chair. Julie Weaver is our treasurer. And we have Lillian Woods, who's our secretary. And also here today is on from our board is Sarah Banks, I believe. Sue Shugart, the CEO of Haywood Regional Medical Center. Steve Wright, who is the manager of the Maggie Valley Country Club. Graham Haynes, assistant superintendent of schools. Lynn Noonan. Adrian Hughes, who's the head of the ER in Haywood Regional. Oh, and let's see, who are these next two? Oh, Bryant Morehead, County Manager. And Tommy Long, Commissioner. Okay, and also we have Chip Killian with us today, who used to be very closely affiliated with a number of you folks here. And I don't know whether Dr. Allison Johnson made it or not, but she was just back from vacation over at the hospital.

She's back here.

I'm sorry. She's back there. Oh, great. Hi, Allison. Welcome. Good. And those that couldn't be with us today, Ginger Lang, Dr. Henry Nathan, retired doc, David Francis, head of the Chamber of Commerce, and Reverend Chris Westmoreland from the Long's Chapel. I really believe we've got a great team representing everything that we're doing and great accomplishments. And I, and hopefully you, will say a big thanks. And I thank you very much for the opportunity to bring you all up to date.

Well, Dylan, we appreciate you coming out. I'm sorry? We appreciate you coming out and giving us this update, and it's remarkable. You all have done a great job with the finances. You know, you've expended a lot, but you've also almost gained that much, so it's really good.

And, you know, excuse me for one second. I'm totally remiss. Okay. We have the motor engine... and uh drive head for this organization uh i've run through a lot of names but i did not mention our executive administrator who keeps us all in line and provides a lot of the support for anything that we do march styles thank you again okay all right

And I want to say, too, I really appreciate the, I guess you all could call it the power of pink. I just wanted to say, you know, I have a family member that was recently diagnosed with breast cancer, and she's a very big advocate to have yearly mammograms. And she said, and she does them every year, and of course last year she said it was clear, and this year there was a problem. And so, and she caught it early. They think that they caught it in plenty of time to be able to treat her. And she can return back to what she was doing before. So I really appreciate y'all doing that. And she told me, she said she always wants to encourage women to make sure they get those mammograms. And so if they don't, if they can't afford it, I appreciate that y'all have a way to help them get that done. So thank you for that. And I know Chip is here. Chip Killian used to be our county attorney. And Chip was really instrumental in setting up the foundation and all the legal aspects. I know we had help from several people. But I just want to recognize Chip. That was a big lift, wasn't it, Chip, when we were having to do that. So we appreciate Chip and all he did there for that. Does anybody have anything else they want to say?

Yeah, Mr. Chairman. I'd like to thank the board for being here tonight. I serve on this board, and I think Neil has done a wonderful job as the chair of the board. And these things are kind of nostalgic for me. I'm kind of a historian and enjoy county history. And our current county attorney and I kind of go back and forth a little bit on some county history occasionally. But this is full circle for me, and I shared with the board. This is all started back in the 1920s. You know, what you see today is a result of what happened in the 1920s. And my grandfather was on the original Haywood County Hospital Board that purchased the property over to the old hospital. And in the course of being a commissioner, I discovered that as we turned that property into affordable housing and sold that property, I ACTUALLY SAW MY GRANDFATHER'S NAME ON THE DEED. HE ACTUALLY SIGNED THE DOCUMENT. HE WAS ON THE ORIGINAL HAYWOOD COUNTY HEALTH CARE OR I GUESS YOU MIGHT SAY HAYWOOD COUNTY HEALTH CARE BOARD. BUT ANYWAY, HOSPITAL BOARD. BUT IT WAS THE FIRST PUBLICLY OWNED HOSPITAL IN NORTH CAROLINA HERE IN HAYWOOD COUNTY. AND MY FAMILY ACTUALLY HAD A PART IN IT AND I WAS TOTALLY OBLIVIOUS TO IT UNTIL ALL THIS TRANSPIRED. It's an honor to serve with you, and I think Dr. White's here tonight, and part of our, I guess, crowning jewel of this board was the Health Sciences Building. Mr. Neal shared with us the investment that this board voted to approve, It's great for health care in Western North Carolina. It provides training for health care workers. It's a jobs initiative and it's an education initiative. And so it was a great project to be involved with. And the Health Care Foundation partnered with the county and the college to help make that happen. And I think that's kind of a crowning jewel. And one thing I always enjoy is the high school scholarships for kids that want to continue in the in the field of health care and we consider these scholarships and award those out of that money and uh neil it has uh the the the pot has done well uh since since we uh the inception of that in 2018 but you know and i'm always a conservative have a conservative outlook on things you know if you look in flat inflation I THINK MAYBE WE'VE KEPT UP. I'M NOT SURE, BUT THE 25 LOOKS GOOD, BUT THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS IS NOT THE WAY IT WAS IN 2018, AND WHAT YOU CAN BUY WITH A DOLLAR CERTAINLY IS NOT WHAT YOU COULD BUY WITH A DOLLAR BACK IN 2018. SO I CONTINUE TO WE CONTINUE TO KEEP OUR HAND ON THAT AND THE BOARD, GREAT BOARD, THERE'S SAFETY IN A MULTITUDE OF COUNSELORS AND WE'VE GOT ENOUGH PROFESSIONAL PEOPLE AND PEOPLE THAT HAVE THEIR HAND ON THE DECISION MAKING ON THIS BOARD TO TAKE CARE OF THAT. SO APPRECIATE THE REPORT, APPRECIATE ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS AND THE DUE DILIGENCE THAT YOU DO. KIND OF A BUSY BOARD, SO TO SPEAK, IN CERTAIN RESPECTS, BUT APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION AND THE ACCOUNTABILITY.

just a quick note neil thank you thank you for coming and all the members of the board it's good to see everybody actually helped fill the room up a little bit tonight so that we wasn't as bored so but thank you for the information you shared a lot of good information there and keep up the good work okay okay

Okay, next we'll have the next item on the reports is the Senior Resource Center update and the Senior Services Manager Michelle Claytor is here. And we've also got John Chacon.

I just wanted to introduce you to Michelle Claytor. I stepped down last February, not this February, but a year ago, February, and just stepped down. I'm still over there doing my thing, but wanted to support Michelle tonight in case she forgot something, you know. And so, but Michelle is going to give you some great information. It's great to see our, the Senior Resource Center continue to grow. into its mission. So Michelle's going to give you some information here. Lower that microphone.

Yeah, definitely. Can y'all hear me OK? All right. Hey, first of all, thank you for having us. And thank you guys for all your support for the Senior Resource Center. As I put in the letter that you see up there, that everything we do is because of the county money that you guys provide to us, the center. We couldn't do it without that. So we're very thankful. Sorry. Switch that for me. Yeah, okay. So, what I did is some numbers for you to see from 2022 to 2026. So, if you'll take, let me get to that page. Yes. So the 18567, then if you add the guest number, you're going to come up with about 23,000 people during that time that have walked through our doors for programs. That does not include necessarily, some of it includes folks that come in for resource. I tell everyone we're a resource center that acts like a senior center because we have card games and we have trips and we have, John still does bingo, thank goodness. So we have all of that stuff. So if you look at the 23,000 people that have come through those doors during that time, and it's crazy because in the last, I can tell you, we probably used to have about four new people a month back in 19 and 20. Now we have about average between three to four new people a week. I don't know where they're coming from. And it's senior services, so it cycles around. But we still have a lot of new folks that are just coming to the area. Some of them have been here, never heard of us, didn't know we were there, except when they come to do early voting, which is the only time that we're annoyed by the county. We're appreciative, but it's all right. So then the next one is, I'm not sure which one is the next one. That one is our, that one is our, if you look at that one, the interesting thing on here, these are our members. So right now in our system, we have 2,022 members, and we've got more people to join. Back when we first started, we weren't keen. We were letting people come as guests and things like that, but now we encourage them to go ahead and join. But a couple interesting things on here, over 85, That's your highest demographic for people coming there. Out of town and in town, see that? 1416 versus 606. And then your female versus male, 1554 to 411. Um, and then the lives alone, it's probably a little higher than that. Some of our folks, when they fill it out, they don't check in that box, but it's, but still, um, if you'll see the number that lives alone, um, that's actually a little bit higher, but I think the female in the male and then the age group is amazing to me. over 85. And I think what we've come up with is that a lot of our folks are working a little longer than 65. So they don't come to the center and utilize the trips and the programs until they're a little bit older. And the next one. This one is the trips. This one, if you look, the 1551, so that's how many people have gone on our trips since 2022 to 2026. And then something I pulled up today that I forgot to include in your packet was the number of members, new members that we've had join. So 2024, we had 355 new folks, new members. 2025, we had 304, so it dipped down a little bit. But this year alone, just till August 14th, 446 new people. So the numbers are just growing. We're busting at the seams in our building, which we're very appreciative. But it's crazy. If you just want to do a drive-by on a Tuesday or a Thursday, you'd be lucky to find a parking place. It's really. And we were used to the back 40, we call it. We didn't really fill that up that much, but now we do. So does anybody have any questions? Oh, just that we're part of Mountain Projects. Yes. A lot of people don't know that. A lot of people assume that we're county because we're in a county building, but we are stressing that we are part of Mountain Projects. We're thankful for that. so it you probably said it but if people want to come to the programs where they find out about that we advertise in the positively haywood we advertise on our facebook page on our website and mount project shares our calendar when we put it out as well okay so those are the websites that they can go to yep the website for the haywoodcountyseniors.org or facebook yep okay yep

So, yeah, if you probably Google Haywood County Senior Resource for Seniors, it'll pop up.

Yes, yep, haywoodcountyseniors.org.

Okay, and you're, yeah, and you're, so you welcome anybody that, you know.

55 and older. 55 and older. Yep, and they have to be, yep.

well that's remarkable about the 85 and up i know yeah yeah it surprised us when we started looking at it yeah it's good to see folks being active in making it out to that so yeah yeah okay anybody else got anything thank you for uh the presentation uh i was going to ask you uh sarah jane melton out at southwestern commission do y'all collaborate with her she uh

She's kind of the specialist there with the elderly folks in the western region.

We do. Sometimes on our, as you know, our building alone has not just the trips and stuff, but we also do our in-home aid program, the mountain projects. We do congregate nutrition sites. We do foster grandparent and senior companion. And Sarah Jane has offered trainings on all of those for any of those programs because of her specialty in elder.

Yeah.

Yeah.

So I know a big hit was the help with tax preparation, income tax. You all still doing that?

Well, the gentleman that was doing it has retired. Well, he's since passed away. He retired and then passed away. And we've tried to find someone else to replace. We did partner last time. Mountain Projects had someone from Pisgah Legal Service that came over. And we gave them several days to come and meet at our center to help seniors do their taxes. But we haven't had any luck finding anyone to replace Mr. Johnson, who did it for years. Yeah.

I notice there's a member of the audience here that has a t-shirt on that says, elders matter. And elder abuse is, I think, is kind of a big deal for me. I know our population in Haywood County, and we've talked about this before. We are an aging population in this county, and we are actually one of the oldest counties in the state of North Carolina. The whole western end of the states became a retirement destination. Of course, as a board, we've tried to stay ahead of this with some of our health care initiatives and our EMS initiatives to try to help take care of that situation. But elder abuse, that's, you know, I guess if it stirs up any really strong emotions, you know, somebody that abuses elders, that's right up high on the list with child abuse. And in certain ways, there's not a lot of difference in some respects, but I do appreciate the advocacy for that and taking care of our elders and everything y'all do for that. So thank you, thank you for everything you do. Thank you.

Thanks. What do you think is your most used program? What would you?

Actually, John does SHIP, Senior Health Insurance Information Program. He's probably the most popular thing we have besides bingo. He's probably the most popular program that we have because it helps people navigate right now with all the craziness and Medicare and the calls they're getting. He's probably the biggest program that we have but actually I mean I would say trips and just card games I mean if you look on the numbers here under recreation our bridge is our number one group It's also the biggest pain, but it's it's there bridge players can be a little high-maintenance, but Card games and things like that are number one kind of thing well that trips We just try and do we try and do a lot of speaking have speakers come and talk about different things just to kind of mix it up, you know, whether it's advanced planning or your health or brain health or anything like that. And activities, learning how to do stuff, you know, that kind of thing.

Okay, great. Yeah, brain health is really important when you get older. Keep your brain moving, too. Yes, yes.

Yeah.

Does anybody else have anything? That's why we couldn't let John retire, fully retire. We got to keep him around, right, Michelle? Yes, yes.

Yes, ship and bingo, yes.

It is big. I think I've shared before, you know, I had my own mom, I brung her in. to get some of John's advice after my dad had passed away and very helpful. So it's nice to know that you got somebody you can trust that you can go talk to. So that along with what you said, you know, lingo or whatever, you know, you tell somebody they didn't win lingo and you got a fight on your hands. I know it's real popular. So the folks do enjoy all the programs you got. I KNOW THEY DO A GREAT JOB. UNFORTUNATELY I MISSED LAST WEEK. I WAS AWAY FROM MY SON'S WEDDING LAST WEEK OUT OF TOWN SO I MISSED OUR MEETING BUT I DID LOOK OVER A LOT OF THIS INFORMATION AND ALWAYS AMAZES ME HOW MANY PEOPLE USE

uh the center out there and it truly is a resource so thank you guys for what you do last year we just with the ship program we served 650 people and saved them about 450 000 in prescription costs just in haywood county

That's huge, yeah.

So those are the kind of things that you work with folks on? Yes. That would be huge. That's a big hit to everyone's budget.

Yeah, instead of them having to go through one of those TV commercials, a number, they could come to us and talk about Medicare, supplements, advantage plans, prescription plans, and really get... unbiased information because we're through the North Carolina Commission on Insurance. So we're not going to sell them anything. We're there to help.

Okay.

All right. Does anybody got anything else?

Okay. Well, thank you all. Thank you. Thank you.

I did want to give a plug. talking about seniors I was in Publix and Wednesday Wednesday seniors get 5% off I believe so if you're a senior you'll buy Publix there so you might probably shouldn't be doing that but anyway save money okay next order next item will be Republic services annual report and so we have today we have Republic services environment environmental manager Stoddard Pickerel here tonight today Okay, you're welcome, and then, okay, thank you.

I also got the White Oak Landfill Ops Manager here, John Preston, with me. But good evening to the board and the constituents of Haywood County. I'd like to present to you the fiscal year 25-26 White Oak Landfill Annual Report. Last year, we took a total in-county annual volume of 77,261 tons. That includes a total out-of-county volume of 120,322 tons. We were able to have a total material recovered volume just shy of 36,000 tons. This does equate to a combined volume that includes, excuse me, that excludes brush and ADC as 161,641 tons. A lot of this tons was also generated by an event-driven Haleen matter We had an in-county exemption related to our waste during the last year. Annual royalties related to the tonnage intake at White Oak Landfill. The first quarter, we were just over $83,000 in royalties. Second quarter was just shy of $52,000. Third quarter, about $55,500. And in the fourth quarter, $44,634. That does include a total royalties for the year of $235,407. And since the inception of the contract, this does represent a number north of $1.6 million in total. Capacity life of the White Oak landfill. Our permit acknowledges between phases 1 through 7, 9.38 million yards of available airspace. The remaining projected volume of airspace is 5.1 million yards, and this does represent a life expectancy as of June 2026 of 18.7 years, and that is predicated by a 1,541 pounds per cubic yard density. We are currently operating out of the same cell that we constructed in July of 2023. This did offer us a remaining airspace volume of 481,000 yards. That includes total airspace across the whole landfill as it stands now. And the estimated life of this cell is December 2026. We are currently in construction of cell 6A, which is our phase six construction. This is a 6.4 acre construction. We are going to gain 848,000 yards of airspace, which is good for approximately three years of cell life. Future planning. This here is kind of a diagram that illustrates the existing permit. We are currently operating on the west or the left side of the screen here, phase 6A, that is the larger piece of the pie there. We will construct all phase six prior to going to the other side of the landfill on the east side, right side, phase seven. This is our current fill and construction sequence. The green represents earth moving. I see a lot of earth work going on related to storm water management, ponding, and also the general construction of the new cell, and also where our filling operations took place over the last year, which is on that existing 5B and then on the top deck of the landfill. During the next year, you see we are going to be operating out of two working phases. The blue arrows illustrate how we're going to direct stormwater, but the red is the fill that you see going on throughout the cell. So 6A, we're really focusing on a high MSW, good cushioning material that will sit at the bottom of the landfill in perpetuity, and then also the material that would not suit well in the bottom of the landfill will go on the top deck, which is kind of centered there in the middle of the picture. Air and gas planning. So in 2024, we did install a virgin landfill gas system designed to apply vacuum pressure to the entirety of the hill. This assists with odors, but it also assists with us capturing methane. Currently for combustion, we burn it all off so it doesn't create any odors, but also there is an opportunity for potential RNG development years down the road. This next year, and again, the first time we've been able to do this at the White Oak Landfills, we can offer bottom-up collection. So in relation to this new cell that we're building right now, you can see on the left-hand side of the screen some perforated pipe that goes across the bottom. This will assist, and as soon as we start putting trash down in the landfill, we can apply a vacuum and immediately start pulling out some of the odiferous gases that would cause any sort of residual odors. Environmental and facility management. This cell project was started in 2024, but over the last fiscal year, we spent about $4.6 million in just the construction of Cell 6A. And as right now, as we speak, we are also implementing a gas expansion project in the capacity of approximately $500,000. One item I would be remiss in leaving out here, and just a testament to the collaboration between Haywood County and Republic, our National Neighborhood Promise Program was actually able to donate about $250,000 for the development of the Chestnut Park community, and just a testament to Habitat for Humanity, Haywood County, and Republic Services. That was something we took a lot of value in, so I appreciate that.

But that is it.

You guys want to comment? Brandon or Tommy, you're on that committee.

Now, we actually went through the report earlier. Republic's always good about meeting with us prior and going over all the numbers and looking at everything, and we appreciate the collaboration we do have. We appreciate the money that was given, you know, for the Chestnut Park project, the 250. That was a big help, and... One thing I would like to point out as well is the number that it cost, I was just looking at the construction number as I was talking, the $4.6 million, that's a lot of money that we would have to pay, Haywood County would have to pay. We get questioned a lot, I know, Commissioner, along with myself, about our landfill, about the life of it, along with the questions of why we don't do it. And number one, we're not in the business. Number two, it costs money to run a landfill, as we can see here. So we do keep a close eye on all the numbers and are in contact with these guys. John's always a phone call away, and I appreciate that. AND I KNOW ALL YOU GUYS ARE AS WELL. SO WE APPRECIATE THE INFORMATION THAT YOU SHARED WITH US AND WE'RE GOING TO KEEP ON TOP OF IT. SO WE'LL KEEP TRUCKING.

I WILL ADD THAT WE HAVE A VERY COMPREHENSIVE BOARD THAT WE MEET REGULARLY AND IT'S NOT JUST COMMISSIONER ROGERS AND I BUT WE HAVE SEVERAL FOLKS COME IN AND Y'ALL COME IN EVERY YEAR AND GIVING US AN UPDATE. That's that's far accountability goes and having their hands on the pulse of the situation that that's good business and we've had a good partnership over the years and as Commissioner Roger point Commissioner Rogers pointed out it. It's not easy undertaking to take care of trash and. With the partnership we have is has worked out well and hopefully it can continue.

Anybody else?

Okay.

All right. Well, we appreciate it. And I do thank you for the Chestnut Park helping with that. That's an affordable housing community, and it's great that you all had that project and that Republic does that, if you will, to help communities. So thank you for that.

I left out the sweat equity. It was shared amongst everybody, Republic, Haywood, and Habitat. So that was fun. It was a good event.

Yeah. Okay. That's a good one to partner with. All right. Well, thank you for coming out. Thank you. Appreciate it. Okay. Next order of business is discussion or adjustment of agenda. I don't have anything. Does anybody else have anything? Next is the consent agenda. There are seven items in the consent agenda. Does anybody have any comments or questions about any of those?

Just a comment there, Mr. Chairman, on item five, the consent agenda, the working lands fund. We had great lengthy discussions at the last meeting and been a lot of work put into that. I appreciate the county manager and the diligence that he put in on this effort to get this resolution to where we can vote on it today. I think all the heavy lifting that was done and you know, to get this pushed across the finish line. So appreciate all the work. And I see Dwayne from Soil and Water back here. Appreciate him coming out tonight and supporting this and others that's like-minded and taking care of some of our farmland. So thank you.

Okay. Has anybody else got anything they want to add? Okay. We have a motion to approve the consent agenda.

Make a motion to approve the consent agenda, Mr. Chairman, as presented.

Okay.

Is there a second?

Second.

Okay. Any other discussion? All those in favor indicate by saying aye. Aye. You want to oppose? Okay. It's unanimous. Okay, next order of business will be the regular agenda. First item is to request approval of the order of collections for tax collections department. Tax collector Gregory West. Hey, Greg.

Good evening, commissioners. Hope everyone's doing well. Mr. Chairman, as per North Carolina General Statute 105.321B, I would like to request the approval of the order of collections, please.

Okay. Anybody have any questions for that? This is something you've got to do every year.

Yes, every year.

Okay. Okay. So can we have a motion to approve item two?

I'll make that motion. Second. Okay.

Any other discussion? All those in favor say aye. Aye. Okay. That's unanimous. And then next is. Thank you. Oh, wait a minute.

So when will the bills hit the mailbox?

We're hoping by September 4th. somewhere right in there. We met with Bryant, Judy and I met with Bryant, the assessor, and she intends to try to have us the bills by the 25th, and then we can turn it around in a week, we hope, once we proof everything, make sure we've got the right address that the bills go to, and all those particular things. Okay. So we hope to get them out by the 4th. Okay.

All right. Sounds good. I appreciate that. It's important to have the address, right? Absolutely. Sometimes you don't get it. Thank you. Okay. Thank you. Okay. Next will be request approval of the budget amendment environmental health, $24,879. to accept an appropriate fund balance for food and lodging revenues collected in late June 2026 and unspent. Christian. Hey, Christian.

Good evening. Yes, we received these funds late June. It's a pass-through that comes through the state based on the number of inspections that we do for fooding and lodging facilities. And they use these funds basically to run the program. So, we carry these over each year.

Okay. Anybody got any questions? Okay. I'll entertain a motion we approve item two. I move.

Okay.

Is there a second? Second. Okay. All in favor say aye. Aye. Okay. Christian, are you on the Haywood Health Foundation board or not? I'm not. I guess Julie used to be. Yes. That must be where I got that. Okay. Well, I just wanted to say I appreciate all that you and your staff does with the keeping up with the Helene flood stuff, I guess is the way to put it. Because I think they added another layer that, you know, for whatever reason. So, but I really appreciate that. And if you need some help, we may need to help you. So, because the thing about the Helene stuff is you basically have to you have your regular jobs to do, which is what you're hired to do. And then this gets piled on, and then it just keeps piling on. So I just wanted to give you a shout out for that. Thank you. So thank you.

I appreciate it.

Yeah, OK. OK, next is the regular agenda is item number three, is to request approval of a budget amendment for animal services, $181,500 to accept and appropriate a grant from the North Carolina Emergency Management for the purchase and installation of a generator for animal services. Chris? Chris Boyd's here tonight.

Are you? Thank you, Mr. Chairman, Commissioners. We have been selected to receive— Sorry, Chris.

Just a second. Did you guys vote on that? That last one? I got a motion and a second, but I don't know if I got a vote.

Okay. All in favor say aye. Aye. Okay. Sorry. I probably did mess up.

All right. Sorry, Chris. Go ahead. Thank you. We were selected to receive a $181,500 grant for an animal services generator from the Emergency Management Disaster Relief and Mitigation Fund. We felt like this was an important item for us to have, so we've applied multiple times. Any questions for that?

Do we have a generator now, Chris?

We do not. We do not. It was not included in the original construction. So this will be for generator and all associated equipment, automatic transfer switch, everything to really help this. And I think Mr. Moore had...

It ain't on.

Okay. Okay.

Okay. Good job. Very good.

Okay. Bryant said that he'd cut the budget six or seven times, cut it out of the budget, so it's good that y'all got a grant to do that.

Well, I'd like to say thank you for whoever went after that grant. I see Howard back there and whoever was involved with that, to Chris, you know, for going after those funds. Big help, so thank you.

This may be the 10th or 12th time I requested these funds through multiple different grants. I'm not sure if I finally achieved something or if they just want me to go away, but we're getting the grant.

That's a good thing though, Chris. That's good. Okay, so we have a motion. Yeah. Can I have a motion?

I'll make a motion. Okay.

All in favor say aye. Aye. Okay, that's unanimous. Thank you, Chris. Next order of business is appointments. We don't have any. Next order of business is closed session. So we have a closed session per North Carolina General Statute 143-381-11A4. It is to discuss the location or expansion of industries or other businesses in the area served by the public body. I have a motion for that. Excuse me. Make a motion to go into closed session, Mr. Chairman. Is there a second? Second. Okay. All in favor say aye. Aye. Okay. We'll be in closed session when we enter the chambers in the back. Okay, we return from closed session. Anything else before the board?

Mr. Chairman, I would like to say, I know a lot of people have already left, but for the folks that may be watching. I'd just like to say be much in prayer for our community and our EMS, the fine job they've done, and the fire department first responders. We've had some situations in the county over the last couple of weeks. It's been real heavy, and I appreciate the support our EMS department gives to our community and our county and our fire departments and our first responders. So just want to give a shout out to those guys and remember them. Appreciate that, Tommy.

Anybody else? Motion to adjourn. I'll make it. Motion to close. Second. Is there a second? All in favor say aye. Aye.

Okay. Everybody be safe.