In a 5-0 vote during the Feb. 18 Ashe County Board of Commissioners’ meeting, the board established a two-week grace period for Ashe County businesses to dispose damaged materials into the county’s sanitary landfill without having to pay the landfill’s tipping fee due to recent flooding.
Commissioner Gary Roark brought this to the attention of the board while discussing recent damages to Ashe County Builders Supply.
According to Roark, Larry Greer, the owner of Ashe County Builders Supply, said his insurance will only cover structural damages, so the recent flood “cleaned him out,” and Greer would have difficulty paying the fees to use Ashe County’s landfill.
Because a state of emergency was called for Ashe County because of this latest natural disaster, Roark proposed the county waive Greer’s tipping fees, saving Greer an estimated $3,000.
“I’m real careful about setting precedents if we can’t be consistent with it,” said Rhodes.
Upon further discussion, it was decided all businesses that sustained damage during the recent flooding can waive the landfill’s tipping fee for a two-week period. Also, any business that has already paid tipping fee’s to dump their damaged materials will have their money returned.
Afterward, the BOC decided it will develop a policy to handle future situations where the landfill is needed to dispose damaged property after a natural disaster.
Tar Heel Delegate
The BOC approved Charles Caudill to be the Senior Tarheel delegate in a 5-0 vote. The delegate’s responsibilities include providing information to seniors about the legislative process, advocate for seniors at a local level, and attending an annual delegate meeting.
Patricia Calloway, the executive director of Ashe Services for Aging, said Caudill met all of the qualifications to be a senior delegate.
In order to be a delegate, a person has to be over 60 years old. “Sorry Charles, I’m giving away your age,” joked Calloway.
Caudill is a retired post master who assists his fellow seniors with Medicare and taxes. Caudill stressed the importance of assisting senior citizens in the area.
“The people of Ashe are getting older and older,” said Caudill. “Look at the number of the people in the country who are very poor – they are either very young or very old,” said Caudill.
Clara Miller was also appointed to the alternate delegate’s position.
The North Carolina Senior Tar Heel Legislature was created by the N.C. General Assembly with the passage of senate Bill 479 in July of 1993.
According to information from Calloway, the N.C. Senior Tar Heel Legislature “shall urge the N.C. General Assembly to appropriate additional recurring funds of at least $7 million to meet the needs of the rapidly growing older adult populations and the coming tsunami of baby boomers over the next 20-plus years.”
According to Calloway’s information, the age 60-plus population is projected to grow by 171 percent by 2030 when the youngest baby boomer will be age 65.
“We are rapidly falling behind providing needed services given the stagnant current funding levels,” said a press release from the N.C. Senior Tar Heel Legislature.
Other items addressed during the meeting:
- Carolyn Shepherd, the Ashe County extension director, presented the 2013 Cooperative Extension plan of work. This plan is a draft of the goals cooperative extension sets from year to year, and will focus on bringing in specialists to assist local growers with their expertise. “I intend for people in our county to know what we do,” said Shepherd.
- With the 75th anniversary of the Rotary Club of the Jefferson’s, the BOC unanimously approved a proclamation to make April 20, 2013, Rotary Club of the Jefferson’s Day throughout Ashe County.
- In a 5-0 vote, the BOC appointed Donnie Johnson and Dylan Lightfoot to fill the unexpired terms of Travis Reeves and Linda Burchette on the Local Emergency Planning Committee. This was the first presentation.
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