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State’s high court convenes in Hendersonville

Hendersonville News

Bet on brewery paid big returns

Some people criticized the Henderson County commissioners seven years ago when they agreed to tax incentives of more than a quarter-million dollars a year to recruit a prospect with the code name of Big Forest.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

Commissioners, School Board to meet to resolve HHS funding dispute

Moving quickly to avert a blowup that could derail the Hendersonville High School construction, Henderson County commissioners and School Board members agreed on Wednesday to meet face-to-face next week to resolve a conflict over a newly announced price increase of $11 million. In meetings with School Board members on Monday, Clark Nexsen architect Chad Roberson and John Mitchell, the county’s business development director, told board members that the plans at $52.6 million included no auxiliary gym and an auditorium of 400 seats instead of 900. Hoping to finalize its 2018-19 budget by Wednesday, county officials asked School Board members to make a new request for $11 million more. The School Board said no. They said they felt misled by presentations and drawings going back to 2016 that had always showed an auxiliary gym and a 900-seat auditorium as part of the total project at the $52.6 million pricetag. The cost overrun, and the School Board's reaction to it, was only the latest in the long and contentious path to build a new Hendersonville High School, an option favored by the Board of Commissioners and broadly opposed by HHS students, faculty and alumni. The School Board voted against and then in favor of the new-school option before the City Council, in a split vote after an emotional public hearing, approved a rezoning for the project. County Manager Steve Wyatt and Commissioner Bill Lapsley said the larger auditorium and second gym were always add-ons above the agreed-upon capital cost of $52.6 million. Lapsley recalled that both the larger auditorium and an auxiliary gym were add-ons beyond the $52.6 million cost Clark Nexsen projected.“As far as the auxiliary gym, my take on it there’s two gyms at the existing school and we ought to provide two gyms at the new school,” he said. “Last week, when the architect met with us individually and he told us the second gym was going to cost $3 million and the larger auditorium was going to cost $8, my answer was I’ll vote to support the $3 million but not the $8 million. So that was my position last week and tomorrow (in a budget drafting session) if asked that’s exactly what I’ll say.”Lapsley does not regard the extra $11 million as a cost overrun; it was always known that the practice gym and larger auditorium would cost more.“The plan is the plan,” he said. “If they changed their mind and don’t like the layout of the buildings that train’s already left the station. We’re here at the 11th hour. I’d like to see us move on with the second gym” and continue repair and renovation of the Stillwell-designed auditorium for the school’s continued use. “What the board voted on, and it never wavered, was $52.6 million and 161,000 square feet,” Wyatt said. “Michael (Edney) had asked the architect for planning purposes (to price the gym and larger auditorium) and that’s what Chad has done. You include it in footprint but you don’t design that. You design that and amend the price” if the School Board and commissioners agree.The architect and general contractor, Vannoy Constrcution, are ready to solicit bids and need to know whether the auxiliary gym and 900-seat auditorium are in or out.“When we went to the city showed the largest possible footprint because to get approval to make it bigger we have to go back to them,” Wyatt said. “There were school people intimately involved but at no time was anything ever committed to other than $52.6 million and 161,000 square feet. I don’t think we care what the 161,000 feet looks like. If they wanted to move things around I don’t think commissioners would have a problem with that. Everyone knew that it was $52.6 million and 161,000 square feet and that those things were not likely to be in there." Not all commissioners agreed with Wyatt's recollection. “In the joint meeting we had back in November of ’16, we went into some fairly lengthy discussion on Hendersonville High School,” Commissioner Grady Hawkins said. “At that time it was pointed out that there was an auxiliary gym and a 900-set auditorium and the price was still 52.2 (million). What changed between that meeting? Somewhere the decision was made to go back and pare those down but yet it’s indicated in the November meeting that those other items could be successfully accomplished within that budget.” The process of “refining the program and refining the budget for each one of those options” resulted in the higher number, Roberson responded. “We also discussed in the May (2016) meeting that there was going to be at least a $10 million (price increase) to add those components to the project.” The architects say the auxiliary gym would cost $3 million and the larger auditorium $8 million.Commissioner Charlie Messer said he gets “questions I can’t answer” about the HHS project and its ever-escalating cost.“Why can’t we keep the old Hendersonville High School gym, the one that was built in the ‘70s? I would like to see the possibility of at least having some dialogue with the School Board to see if that would even be possible to do that because that’s saving a lot of money,” he said. “I don’t know if the county commissioners are going to get crucified for not using the buildings that we have.”Commissioner Bill Lapsley, a civil engineer, said that would be impossible.“From my perspective, if the School Board decided to save that building, you’re talking about a total redesign of the project,” he said. “That gym would be right at the front door of a brand-new $60 million school. … I support totally building a second gym. My biggest concern at the moment (is) we’re going to delay the construction project even more. I think we should at least direct the architect to proceed with a second gym and then if we want to debate the auditorium fine.”The School Board and commissioners will meet at 4 p.m. Thursday, May 24, to discuss the next steps and agree on a construction price.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

County rejects funding SROs at schools in city

The Henderson County Board of Commissioners turned down one commissioner's request to fund police officers in schools in the city of Hendersonville, a shift in budget policy that would have given a break to city residents who are facing a tax increase to pay for new officers.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

Flash flooding closes roads, set-in rain cancels concert

Heavy rain overnight Tuesday and into Wednesday caused flash flooding throughout Hendersonville, closed roads and led the city to call off the first Rhythm & Brews concert of the season on Thursday night. The National Weather Service said Wednesday morning that 1-3 inches of rain had fallen in the past 6 hours with additional rainfall likely for the remainder of the day. The flooding is likely to cause minor flooding as the creeks and rivers continue to rise. Locations that will experience flooding include Hendersonville, Fletcher, Flat Rock, Etowah, Mountain Home, Laurel Park, Valley Hill, Horse Shoe, Tuxedo and Edneyville. Streams that will experience rapid rises and minor flooding of low-lying areas and low water crossings include Mud Creek, Bat Fork Creek, Sentell Creek, King Creek, Shaw Creek, and other tributaries into the French Broad River.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

COUNTY OFFICIALLY KILLS SALUDA SHOOTING RANGE

The Henderson County Board of Commissioners made quick work of the proposed firing range and law enforcement training center, killing the proposed purchase of the 100-acre tract of land and ending Sheriff Charlie McDonald's quest for the advanced training site. The action came without discussion and without the emotional public comment that has characterized the board's efforts to site the project. Consent agenda item F said simply, "Requests the board direct staff to not complete the purchase of Macedonia Road site." Commissioners adopted the consent agenda items unanimously, ending the controversy.  When Board Chair Michael Edney moved on to the meeting's only discussion item, a budget work session, 25-30 members of the audience got up and left the meeting room.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

Don't miss this week's Hendersonville Lightning (172)

You won't want to miss this week’s Hendersonville Lightning. You'll read our coverage of the blowup over an $11 million cost overrun for Hendersonville High School construction, find out why the state Supreme Court met in Hendersonville on Tuesday and read about the U.S. Open miniature golf championship happening right here this weekend. You'll also read Jere Brittain's West of the French Broad column and the popular Ask Matt as well as the weekly TV Guide and Sudoku. You've got to get a copy because it's only in print and it's only in your Hendersonville Lightning.
 Here's where you can pick up a Lightning: Downtown Hendersonville• Hendersonville Lightning Office, 1111 Asheville Hwy.• Pop’s Diner, 5 Points, North Main Street• Triangle Stop, 701 North Main Street• The 500 block of North Main Street(First Citizens Bank / Mast General Store)• Black Bear Coffee Co., Main Street• The 300 block of North Main Street(McFarland’s Bakery / Mike’s on Main )• 100 block of South Main(Flat Rock Playhouse) Southside Hendersonville(Spartanburg Highway)• Ingles, Spartanburg Hwy.• Hairstyles by Charlene, Joel Wright Drive• McDonald’s, Spartanburg Hwy.• Norm’s Minit Mart, Spartanburg Hwy.• Hendersonville Co-op• Burger King/ BP, Spartanburg Hwy. Flat Rock/East Flat Rock• Flat Rock Post Office• Flat Rock Bakery• Zirconia Post Office• East Flat Rock Post Office• Whitley Drug, Greenville Hwy.• Energy Mart Exxon, Upward Road & I-26• Triangle Stop, 754 Upward Road & I-26 Along Kanuga Road• Hot Dog World, Kanuga Road• Mr Pete’s Market, Kanuga Road• Norm’s Minit Mart, Kanuga Road Laurel Park Area• Hendersonville Post Office• Fifth Avenue Shell• YMCA Hendersonville, Sixth Ave & Oak St• Laurel Park Village, RiteAid• Energy Mart Exxon, Laurel Park• Dixie DIner, Brevard Road West on Highway 64 (Brevard Road)• Horse Shoe Post Office• Mr Pete’s Market, Etowah, Hwy. 64-W• Blue Ridge Pizza, Etowah, Hwy. 64-W• Etowah Shopping Center, Etowah• Ingles, Brevard Road• Bandana’s Restaurant, Brevard Road North on Highway 191 (Haywood Road)• Joey’s New York Bagels, Hwy. 191• One Stop Store # 8, Haywood Road (Hwy. 191)• Dollar General, Hwy. 191 & Mountain Road• Triangle Stop, 4197 Haywood Road, Mills River• Ingle’s, Mills River, Hwy. 280 Eastside Hendersonville (Four Seasons Blvd.)• Norm’s Minit Mart, Dana Road• Fatz Cafe, Dana Road & Four Seasons Blvd.• Grocery Outlet, off Four Seasons Blvd.• Energy Mart Exxon, Four Seasons Blvd.• McDonald’s, Four Seasons Boulevard• Mustang Cafe, Dana Road East on Highway 64 (Chimney Rock Highway)• Triangle Stop, 2545 Chimney Rock Road, Hwy. 64-E• Mr Pete’s Market, East, Hwy. 64-E• Griffin’s Store Edneyville, Hwy. 64-E• Edneyville Post Office• Edneyville General Store• Walmart Shopping Center North on Highway 25(Asheville Highway)• The Ugly Mug Coffee Shop, Hwy. 25-N• Alykat, US 25-N• Triangle Stop, Hwy 25-N, Balfour• Mountain Home Post Office• Fletcher Post Office• Ingles, FletcherSouthern & Eastern Henderson County • Dana Post Office• Rosco’s Grocery, Green River• Saluda Post Office The Hendersonville Lightning is available at mostHenderson County post offices and Ingles supermarkets   Read Story »

Mills River News

DOT stands by 4- or 5-lane widening of NC 191

MILLS RIVER — State transportation engineers are standing by their recommendation for a four-lane widening of N.C. 191 through Mills River even as homeowners continue to voice strong opposition to the plans. But in a concession to homeowners who want left turns out of their neighborhoods and farmers who oppose bulb-out U-turns a four-lane divided road would require, the top NCDOT engineer for the region said planners are open to a five-lane unobstructed design through the the town.   Read Story »

Hendersonville News

$11 million cost overrun jeopardizes HHS construction

Henderson County School Board members reacted with dismay on Monday to a suddenly announced $11 million  cost overrun for the new Hendersonville High School, casting the project into uncertainty and reviving the intramural conflict that has marred the project for three years.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

Wyatt to board: Drop training center pursuit

Two days after Sheriff Charlie McDonald lost his re-election bid, County Manager Steve Wyatt has recommended to county commissioners that they drop work on a law enforcement training center, an idea that the sheriff-elect, Lowell Griffin, has opposed. Wyatt, after consulting with Chairman Michael Edney, noted that Griffin would "no doubt have new priorities" and said it's up the Board of Commissioners "within our resources" to work with him. The Board of Commissioners, which paid a deposit and made an offer to the owner of property on Macedonia Road that McDonald had identified as a potential training center site, has to act on the property purchase before the end of May. It's expected to take up the question in its May 16 meeting. If it takes Wyatt's recommendation, it will withdraw its purchase offer and drop the training center discussion for the foreseeable future. Here's the memo: "December will bring a new Sheriff’s Administration to Henderson County Government. As with the previous Sheriffs we have worked with, he will no doubt have new priorities and bring strategies perhaps different from his predecessors. It is our duty and responsibility to work with him, within our resources, to help him accomplish the mission of the Sheriff’s department to protect and serve our citizens."Given the long term design and implementation process of a Law Enforcement Training Center project, in consultation with Chairman Edney, it is my recommendation that further work on the project be suspended until the incoming Sheriff assesses and determines the overall needs of the department."You will need to make a decision prior to the property purchase deadline. Official action cannot be taken until your May 16th budget work session. Please consider how you want to proceed and be prepared to instruct staff accordingly."   Read Story »

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