The Spruce Pine Town Council voted to approve a new compensation schedule in its meeting last week.
Council Member Rocky Buchanan voted against the new scheme, saying after the meeting that he does not agree with it. Buchanan would not say specifically what he disagrees with, but that he was not concerned about the expense of the proposed salaries being too high.
The new pay scale was designed by the MAPS (Management and Personnel Services) Group of the North Carolina League of Municipalities. The system is designed to reduce staff turnover.
Council member Beth Holmes noted that the changes will still place Spruce Pine’s staff salaries below the market rate in this area. However, the council opted for a phased-in approach, with additional incremental increases in the next couple of years.
“Hopefully this’ll be the first year of a three-year adjustment,” Mayor Phillip Hise said.
New disaster loans available
Finance Manage Christy Young reported that North Carolina is now offering a third round of cash-flow loans to local governments impacted by Hurricane Helene (downgraded to a tropical storm after slowing down over land).
Also on the subject of hurricane recovery, Young said that there continue to be complications in getting expenses reimbursed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
One issue has been obtaining funding to replace the old pedestrian bridge in downtown — FEMA may not be able to pay to make the replacement bridge compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, because the original bridge was not ADA-compliant in the first place.
Hellbender Festival
Downtown Director Spencer Bost gave an update on preparations for the first-ever Hellbender Festival on Aug. 30.
Bost said that on a recent trip to Boone he met people who said they have already made plans to take time off work to attend the festival.
“It’s probably going to be the most interactive festival that most people have ever been to,” Bost said.
In addition to music, food and art and souvenir vendors, the festival will feature a number of science and nature displays, including some live animals. There will be at least one hellbender salamander on display, named Rocky.
Parks & Rec
Parks and Recreation Director Michael Wood reported that his staff have been working with state authorities to discourage a bear from continuing to visit Brad Regan Park.
“It’s even to the point now that it’s getting comfortable enough to come into the shelter while people are trying to picnic,” Wood said.
Wood said that the state is unwilling to trap the bear until it has done some kind of specific damage.