Politics

County says no to Fletcher library

By Bill Moss, Published: January 21, 2015

Henderson County commissioners told the town of Fletcher that if it wants a new library, Fletcher would have to pay for it.
Responding to an appeal the Fletcher town manager and later a Fletcher Town Council member brought to the Board of Commissioners last year, the board retreat voted unanimouslyat the end of an all-day budget on Wednesday to say no. In recent times, the county has built a library in an unincorporated area, in Etowah, but not in an incorporated city.
Board Chairman Tommy Thompson made the motion to reject Fletcher's request.
"This board would be happy to maintain and operate that facility should they desire to build it," Thompson said.
Thompson's motion expressed a county precedent "that had been the policy of the board," Commissioner Grady Hawkins said. "In reference to Mills River, for example, that if you're in a part of the county that's a municipality and you have taxing authority, then those type of things that you provide that extra service that was in conjunction with your incorporation, that's fine. The county is willing to man the library, which is basically what we're doing in Mills River."
The town of Mills River, which incorporated in 2003, built a library as part of its Town Hall. The county took it over and runs it as a branch.

The county commissioners' action came after an earlier board discussion showing that the incorporations of Flat Rock, Mills River and Fletcher — all less than 25 years old — had shifted $24 million in sales tax from the county to the cities from 2004 to 2014. Fletcher during that period has received $11.2 million.