Spectators allowed at Haywood graduations

Graduate photos cover the hill outside Tuscola High School. Graduation ceremonies took

unrecognizable forms in 2020. File photo

BY HANNAH MCLEOD STAFF WRITER

Graduation ceremonies will be allowed as many spectators as school sporting events this spring, after the Haywood County Schools Board of Education authorized Superintendent Dr. Bill Nolte to use spectator rules for non-athletic, end-of-year programs and ceremonies.

When students returned to partial in-person instruction last fall, state regulations strictly limited the number of spectators that could attend school events, including school sporting events. When the North Carolina High School Athletic Association began allowing spectators at NCHSAA sanctioned events, attendance was limited to 7 percent of venue capacity, without exceeding 100 people. For Haywood County, that meant only 100 spectators would be allowed at the Pisgah Memorial Stadium for the annual Pisgah/Tuscola rivalry football game — an event that usually draws over 10,000.

When Haywood County School Board members reached out to NCHSAA commissioner Que Tucker to raise the 100-person limit, there was no meaningful response. Instead it took the continued effort of HCS board members, Canton Mayor Zeb Smathers, former congressman and NFL quarterback Heath Schuler and Asheville Rep. Brian Turner appealing to the governor’s office as well as to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services.

On Feb. 26, just in time for the Pisgah Tuscola rivalry game, Gov. Roy Cooper announced that the limit on outdoor stadium attendance had been raised from 100 spectators to 30 percent of stadium capacity. Effective April 30, a new executive order raised attendance capabilities to 50 percent of stadium capacity. Players, coaches and officiants are not included in the capacity calculations. However, after all the debate around attendance at sporting events, there were still no regulations regarding attendance at nonathletic school events. Parents, students and staff communicated their concerns about upcoming graduation ceremonies to HCS administration. On May 3, the Haywood County Schools Board of Education voted to authorize the superintendent to use the sporting event spectator capabilities, which are the largest available for public schools, for non-sports related end-of-year programs and ceremonies.

“You are on firm ground here,” said Board Attorney Pat Smathers. “Gov. Cooper issued his latest order, governor’s order 209 allows for half the occupancy of fire code, for assemblies everywhere. Section 5.2A makes it specifically incorporated into education. So, you’re good.”

This allows end-of-year programs and ceremonies to have spectators up to 50 percent capacity of each venue. Both C.E. Weatherby and Pisgah Memorial stadiums will be permitted 3,500 spectators, high school gymnasiums will be permitted 463 spectators, and high school auditoriums will be permitted 250 spectators. Masks are still required inside school facilities and are encouraged but not required in outdoor venues.

“I want to thank students, teachers, administrators, parents, and community members for their feedback on this issue,” Nolte said. “Throughout COVID-19, we have been faced with many challenges and perplexing state regulations. I’m proud of our board, staff, parents, and community for focusing on our students and consistently finding a logical path forward.”

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The Haywood County Board of Education announced the following graduation dates at the May 10 board meeting:

• Haywood Early College graduation ceremony will take place at 7 p.m. Friday,

May 14, at the Haywood Community

College auditorium in Clyde. • Haywood Community Learning Center graduation will take place at 4 p.m.

Thursday, June 3, on the HCLC campus. • Pisgah High School graduation will take place at 7 p.m. Friday, June 4, at the

Pisgah Memorial Stadium. • Tuscola High School graduation will take place at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 5, at the

C.E. Weatherby Stadium. • Central Haywood High School graduation will take place at 6 p.m. Sunday, June 7, at the Haywood Community College auditorium.

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Cherokee to pursue new casino project

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER

The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians will pursue a new casino project in partnership with a publicly traded gaming company, following a vote during Tribal Council Thursday, May 6.

The resolution, submitted by Principal Chief Richard Sneed, gives little specific information about the project. Dubbed “Project Commonwealth,” it will be a partnership with a company with which the tribe has had a “long-standing relationship” and result in new gaming opportunities “within a certain proximity” of existing casinos in Cherokee and Murphy.

The name “Project Commonwealth” indicates the location may be in Virginia, whose nickname is The Commonwealth State. This would fit the same naming pattern the tribe used when it dubbed its commercial gaming enterprise purchase in Indiana “Project Hoosier.”

The Cherokee and the unnamed publicly traded gaming company have been in discussions about developing a casino together, and the next step is for the tribe to present a proposal containing additional details about the potential endeavor — the resolution passed last week authorizes the communication of that proposal.

The topics and parameters to be addressed are laid out in an eight-point list contained within the resolution.

In addition to choosing the name “Project Commonwealth,” the proposal states that the tribe would use its commercial gaming company, EBCI Holdings LLC, to create a joint venture with the partner company. The tribe would have a “large” equity stake in the project, which would be a greenfield project requiring the construction and ownership of a new facility. Completing it would require debt financing, the terms of which are still being developed.

The partner company would manage the operation for at least five years, but EBCI Holdings would hold call rights to buy it out in five to seven years after it opens to the public. The projects and properties involved would be wholly owned and operated by the tribe through EBCI Holdings.

Before discussing the proposal, Tribal Council stopped broadcasting the meeting, though it kept the proceedings open those in physical attendance.

“I don’t want everyone who’s tuned in states away to know what we’re doing, but I want our local people to know what we’re doing,” said Painttown Representative Dike Sneed.

The resolution stresses the need for a “circumspect discussion” until the time

comes for a public announcement. This is due to federal laws regarding publicly traded companies that “prohibit the public communication of certain financial information and opportunities regarding the company to avoid prohibited behavior, such as insider trading,” as well as “the Tribe’s own concerns about publishing its business plans.”

Nine of the 12 Council members voted in favor of Sneed’s move to take the discussion off-air, with Birdtown Representative Albert Rose, Wolfetown Representative Chelsea Saunooke and Yellowhill Representative Tom Wahnetah opposing it.

After a nine-minute discussion, the body came back on air and voted 10-2 to pass the resolution, with Wahneta and Wolfetown Representative Bo Crowe opposing the move. No discussion accompanied the vote.

This is the second commercial gaming endeavor currently underway under the auspices of the EBCI. In December, Tribal Council a $250 million deal to purchase the gaming operation — though not the property — at Caesars Southern Indiana Casino. That deal is set to close this summer.

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Franklin manager delivers last budget proposal

BY JESSI STONE NEWS EDITOR

Longtime Franklin Manager Summer Woodard will be leaving for a new job in June, but before she goes, she presented her final budget proposal to the town council.

In her 2021-22 budget message, Woodard touts the town’s strong financial position despite all the economic uncertainty during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Her proposed budget of $10,522,662 focuses on addressing some long-term infrastructure needs while maintaining a healthy fund balance for the future.

While many local governments passed extremely conservative budgets last year at the height of the pandemic, most Western North Carolina municipalities have been pleasantly surprised by the increase to several revenue streams. Sales tax revenue is projected to increase by $100,000 in Franklin, but Woodard still cautioned the board to remain diligent.

“The Town of Franklin should continue to monitor investment earnings in General Fund and the Water and Sewer Fund,” she said. “Investment earnings in both General and Water/Sewer have been decreased to give a representation of what is expected to be collected. The town should also continue to plan for unexpected revenue loss at the state and federal level.”

Her budget proposal allots $20,000 in the contingency fund in anticipation of unexpected revenue loss or unexpected expenditures.

The town currently has a very healthy fund balance that represents 82 percent of the town’s annual budget. The fund balance has increased 4 percent since the 2018-19 budget year. Woodard’s proposed 2021-22 budget includes using a one-time allocation from the fund balance in the amount of $418,736 into the general fund.

Overall, she said general government revenues are expected to remain the same in the coming year, which will allow the town to maintain a balanced budget with the current property tax rate of 0.32 percent — or 32 cents per $100 of assessed value.

PERSONNEL

Looking at personnel costs, Woodard said the budget includes funding for a performance-based payment for most full-time positions, but part-time and probationary employees won’t be eligible. The budget also includes a one-time cost-of-living adjustment for all employees. While the town’s dental and life insurance plans will remain the same, Woodard said the town’s health insurance premiums would be increasing by 10 percent and property/workers compensation premiums were expected to increase 5 percent.

The proposed budget includes one new full-time position for a code enforcement officer because of the increasing number of dilapidated buildings and homes in the town. The position will be budgeted at the same rate as a sworn police officer with all the same benefits.

The town will once again split the cost of a peer support specialist position with Macon County and has budgeted 20,000 for that position. This person assists people with behavioral health issues at nonprofit No Wrong Door.

CAPITAL PROJECTS

The town will be working to secure funding for phase two of the water treatment plant upgrade and expansion project and addresses several high-priced improvements to the system, including $515,000 to replace the sewer line on Crane Circle/Lakeside Drive; $552,000 to replace water line on Clyde Street and $159,000 to improve the East Franklin pump station. Woodard recommended the town finance the two larger water line projects. She added that Franklin could also consider using some funds from the American Rescue Plan to pay for part of those improvements.

The budget proposes to spend $23,000 so the IT department can upgrade the town’s key scan system.

Woodard said over $200,000 was included in the budget from the state Powell Bill fund for streets and the town also has a list of sidewalk improvements to make — including 630 feet on Harrison Avenue to Courtney Lane, 1,100 feet on Maple Street and ADA compliant curb ramps at East Dogwood and the crosswalk at Dan Street.

The police department will be replacing two vehicles for a total cost of $62,000 and public works department will be replacing a vehicle for $35,000.

DEBT SERVICE

The town of Franklin has several loans it continues to pay off each year. The current loan amount for its water and sewer projects is about $1.47 million, scheduled to be paid off my 2024. The town also has two state revolving loans for its wastewater treatment plant projects — $3.37 million to be paid off by 2033 and $2.76 million to be paid off by 2038.

WATER & SEWER RATES

The proposed budget does include a 3 percent rate increase for water and sewer customers and would only affect base and volume charges — not taps or connection fees. Woodard said the increase is needed based on a detailed water and sewer rate analysis that was done in April 2020 by Withers-Ravenel.

The entire proposed budget can be found at www.franklinnc.com/town-manager-summer-woodard.