BAKERSVILLE — The Mitchell County Board of Commissioners at its regular meeting on Monday, April 5 received an update from Mayland Community College President John Boyd during the public comments period.
Boyd spoke to the board about the latest news at Mayland and provided an update on the Pinebridge Inn, which he said could be open before Memorial Day.
Boyd said Mayland would ask for slightly more funding for operating and maintenance in the next budget cycle mainly due to increased costs of insurance and utilities.
An armed security guard has been approved by local law enforcement agencies, Boyd added. Guards will patrol the Mayland Community College campuses as well as the Mayland Early College High School campus and will be on duty from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Boyd said the hotel is “really coming along well” and added that upstairs rooms have been painted, crews have started working on the floors and ceiling grids are in place.
Boyd hopes to bring commissioners and other county officials in for a tour of the hotel soon.
“It’s one of my favorite things to do right now,” he said about offering tours.
No staff members have been hired for the hotel yet but Boyd said they will focus on hiring Mayland students as much as possible.
Some full-ride scholarships require students to log at least 10 working hours each week and Boyd said working at the hotel could be an ideal opportunity for students in that position.
Before finishing his report, Boyd touted the college’s Earth to Sky Park and Bare Dark Sky Observatory.
Boyd said the observatory hosted its first wedding earlier this month, which he expects to be a growing trend.
“I think that’s going to be an ongoing thing,” Boyd said. “Especially after we get the hotel going.”