County blazing a trail at Rocky Knob Park
by Scott Nicholson
Watauga County commissioners blazed a trail Tuesday by approving a contract for construction at Rocky Knob Park.
Eric Woolridge, outdoor recreation coordinator for the Watauga County Tourism Development Authority, presented a contract for the second phase of trail construction at Rocky Knob Park. Woolridge said a 1.5-mile trail was currently under construction in the first phase.
The $65,000 estimated cost of Phase II would be funded mostly through grants, with the TDA chipping in $17,000 from local occupancy taxes. The N.C. Parks and Recreation Trust Fund will soon be delivering $450,000 for the entire project.
The TDA and county established the 175-acre park east of Boone as an outdoor recreation area. The park is part of the TDA's overall push to promote the area as an outdoor recreation destination.
The project has compiled more than 1,000 volunteer hours, with members of local cycling clubs providing skilled labor. Woolridge said without the volunteer work, the expense would be greater, as the volunteers are constructing hand-built bridges.
The project will also include a skills development area, a tot lot and a shelter. The TDA contract is with Benchmark Trails to construct up to four miles of mountain biking trails.
The commissioners approved a three-year contract with Bryce Holder, CPA, to conduct the county's financial audits through the fiscal year ending 2013.
The commissioners also approved the purchase of six defibrillators using the 911 fees collected through local phone bills. The defibrillators would be distributed by the Fire Marshal's Office to the rural fire districts.
"If it saves one life, it's worth the approximately $7,500 we spend," said commissioner Vince Gable, saying the first responders in volunteer fire departments were a critical life-saving force.
Tax administrator Kelvin Byrd reported to the commissioners that $5.1 million in taxes was collected in January and said collections were running a little ahead of schedule. The commissioners approved an extension of personal property tax listings through the end of February due to inclement weather.
The commissioners formed a committee to study the feasibility of consolidating emergency dispatch service featuring representatives from local municipalities and fire departments. Commissioner Jim Deal said the issue has been discussed for his six years on the board and it believes money could be saved.
The board continued discussion of watershed changes that were a topic of Monday night's joint meeting with the town of Boone. The town is seeking a reclassification of a portion of the South Fork of the New River in order to install a new raw water intake.
"By 'watershed,' by definition we are talking about zoning, and people will get their hackles up," Gable said.
Deal said a large number of county parcels were already in watersheds and people might be surprised to learn about restrictions that already existed. The commissioners scheduled a work session at 5 p.m. on Feb. 22 to gather information before holding a public meeting.
Board appointments included James Coffey and Weldon Critcher to the Boone Rural Fire Protection Service District board of directors, Matthew Vincent and Connie Baird to the TDA, and Wanda Branch and Gene Vandiford to the Adult Care Home Community advisory committee.
The commissioners also received a tentative agenda for the annual budget planning retreat. The two-day retreat will cover all departments, budget issues, capital needs and personnel planning. The retreat is open to the public and will be held in the Watauga County Administration building in Boone beginning at noon on Feb. 25.
Eric Woolridge, outdoor recreation coordinator for the Watauga County Tourism Development Authority, presented a contract for the second phase of trail construction at Rocky Knob Park. Woolridge said a 1.5-mile trail was currently under construction in the first phase.
The $65,000 estimated cost of Phase II would be funded mostly through grants, with the TDA chipping in $17,000 from local occupancy taxes. The N.C. Parks and Recreation Trust Fund will soon be delivering $450,000 for the entire project.
The TDA and county established the 175-acre park east of Boone as an outdoor recreation area. The park is part of the TDA's overall push to promote the area as an outdoor recreation destination.
The project has compiled more than 1,000 volunteer hours, with members of local cycling clubs providing skilled labor. Woolridge said without the volunteer work, the expense would be greater, as the volunteers are constructing hand-built bridges.
The project will also include a skills development area, a tot lot and a shelter. The TDA contract is with Benchmark Trails to construct up to four miles of mountain biking trails.
The commissioners approved a three-year contract with Bryce Holder, CPA, to conduct the county's financial audits through the fiscal year ending 2013.
The commissioners also approved the purchase of six defibrillators using the 911 fees collected through local phone bills. The defibrillators would be distributed by the Fire Marshal's Office to the rural fire districts.
"If it saves one life, it's worth the approximately $7,500 we spend," said commissioner Vince Gable, saying the first responders in volunteer fire departments were a critical life-saving force.
Tax administrator Kelvin Byrd reported to the commissioners that $5.1 million in taxes was collected in January and said collections were running a little ahead of schedule. The commissioners approved an extension of personal property tax listings through the end of February due to inclement weather.
The commissioners formed a committee to study the feasibility of consolidating emergency dispatch service featuring representatives from local municipalities and fire departments. Commissioner Jim Deal said the issue has been discussed for his six years on the board and it believes money could be saved.
The board continued discussion of watershed changes that were a topic of Monday night's joint meeting with the town of Boone. The town is seeking a reclassification of a portion of the South Fork of the New River in order to install a new raw water intake.
"By 'watershed,' by definition we are talking about zoning, and people will get their hackles up," Gable said.
Deal said a large number of county parcels were already in watersheds and people might be surprised to learn about restrictions that already existed. The commissioners scheduled a work session at 5 p.m. on Feb. 22 to gather information before holding a public meeting.
Board appointments included James Coffey and Weldon Critcher to the Boone Rural Fire Protection Service District board of directors, Matthew Vincent and Connie Baird to the TDA, and Wanda Branch and Gene Vandiford to the Adult Care Home Community advisory committee.
The commissioners also received a tentative agenda for the annual budget planning retreat. The two-day retreat will cover all departments, budget issues, capital needs and personnel planning. The retreat is open to the public and will be held in the Watauga County Administration building in Boone beginning at noon on Feb. 25.