Swain County Board of Commissioners heard the 2019 annual report for the Swain Soil & Water Conservation District during their regular meeting on Thursday, Feb. 27.
Creeden Kowal, Swain County Soil & Water Conservation district director, shared the year’s highlights. The agency administers three conservation cost share programs, with the largest being the NC Ag Cost Share program to improve water quality on ag lands. “Last year, we spent $13,000 here in Swain and we were able to help three land owners with that program,” she said. Pasture renovation, agro-stabilization, livestock exclusion fencing was funded.
The agency provided technical assistance to about 65 landowners and assessed 42 water points for the fire departments in Swain County.
Since 2009, there have been 539 acres entered into the Farmland Preservation program in Swain County through 8 different farms.
“This helps protect our ag land, bring awareness to it and they are eligible for higher cost share funding,” she said.
On educational programming, the agency spent about 21 hours in Swain County with almost 800 students participating, with even more throughout Western North Carolina.
The district’s mobile soil exhibit has almost reached 100,000 since 2016, Kowal reported. The agency also had its first intern this past year and helped three Swain County students earn scholarships.
State of the County
Health Plan
Swain County Health Department Public Educator Trish Hipgrave was also before the board Thursday with the first State of the County Health Plan. With the first priority being reducing chronic disease, she spoke about the countwide wellness program, Swain Summits, which is nearing its halfway point with wellness checks this month.
There are 233 people registered and an estimated 50% are participating, she said.
“The overall concept is very good,” commented Commissioner Danny Burns, who participates in Swain Summits.
In other reports, the board heard briefly from Lee Allison who is working with the United States Census 2020 to recruit census workers.
“One thing that’s real important is to get an accurate account,” Allison said. “For every one percent not counted, it represents $2.5 million loss in federal funding.”
He encouraged people to share the word about the census positions that pay $17 an hour and reimburse for mileage.
Planning a meeting with TDA
Following reports, the board spent about another hour discussing other county business, concluding the need for a joint meeting with the Swain County Tourism and Development Authority and a second budget retreat.
First up among discussion topics was a request from the TDA to expand the aquarium on Island Street and moving the fly fishing museum into the same building. No details have been suggested on the plans for Chamber of Commerce offices that currently share the space with the museum.
Commissioner Danny Burns wondered about the parking at the aquarium and said the only feedback he’s heard from the public so far is a concern about moving the fly fishing museum from Main Street.
The board agreed they had more questions.
“I think we need to have a meeting with them and see what all their ideas are on everything,” said Commissioner Kenneth Parton.
A question about funding followed.
County Manager Kevin King said, “I don’t think they have enough to build it outright. They’d request the county to carry a loan to build it then give us this building [the chamber] to sell, and we could net it out against a new loan.”
Commission Chairman Ben Bushyhead agreed with Parton on the need for a joint meeting.
“We need to have a candid dialogue on what their plans are and how they want to achieve those plans and what kind of partner we will be in achieving those plans,” he said.
Commissioner Roger Parsons noted that the TDA, as guided by the commissioners, are working toward addressing some concerns about how intertwined it was with the chamber.
“I think this is part of their way to try to separate themselves from the chamber, and that’s what we were wanting them to do,” Parsons said.
“This is a positive step in separating them, and they are moving forward,” added Bushyhead.
In other business, King requested the ability to move forward with contracting with an architect to design renovations to expand the courthouse. Similarly, he said, an architect will need to be contracted for the animal control facility.
In other discussion, the board briefly discussed a need for a policy showing the state legislature the county has a plan in place if it gets permission to manage the interest from the North Shore Road fund in an equities account.
Bushyhead also briefly reported on the challenge of communicating with NC Department of Transportation about roads in the county that are in bad shape, for example Unahala Creek Road. He expressed frustration over the agency’s apparent distinction between having funding for maintenance but not repairs.
Parton stressed the need to spend more time going over all the capital needs before the board and setting priorities for the 2020-2021 fiscal budget.
A commissioners’ budget retreat was scheduled from 9 a.m.-noon on Thursday, March 26 at the Administration Building with the board’s regular meeting that evening at 6 p.m.