Montreat Minute 7/12/24
Mayor’s Summary of the July 11, 2024 Town Council Meeting
Hello Montreaters!
What a 4th of July we had in Montreat! Honestly, I’m still a little tired from the variety of activities all weekend long! I hope you had a great time like Mimi and I did.
Despite the hour earlier start time, we welcomed a dozen or more residents for tonight’s meeting. My summary follows below, but the official minutes will be in next month’s agenda packet. And remember that you can view tonight’s meeting recording by CLICKING HERE.
Public Forum
There were no public comments during the Public Forum.
To read more, CLICK HERE
Cottagers Annual Meeting July 20
All are invited to the Montreat Cottagers Annual Meeting on Saturday July, 20th, at 10:00 am in Upper Anderson. The meeting will feature presentations by MRA President Richard Dubose, Montreat College President Paul Maurer, Mayor Tim Helms and Presbyterian Heritage Center Executive Director Anne Chesky. These leaders’ annual presentations, which highlight the news, plans and happenings of their respective institutions, are always one of the highlights of the Montreat summer season.
Come early to visit the tables Montreat organizations will staff around the Upper Anderson room. The groups include the Cottagers Directory Committee, Montreat Firewise, Montreat Bearwise, Flat Creek Crossing, the Presbyterian Heritage Center, Montreat Adult Summer Club, the Montreat Scottish Society, and the Town of Montreat. Each group will be distributing free information and materials about their organization and the projects in which they are involved, as well as information on how you might participate in their activities.
PHC Ice Cream Social Also on July 20th
The Presbyterian Heritage Center invites you to a delicious, homemade Ice cream social on Saturday, July 20, from 2:00-4:00pm. Young and old, as well as all in between, will be able to enjoy visiting long-time Montreat friends as well as making new while enjoying freshly churned ice cream.
You will also have the opportunity to learn more about the PHC and enjoy current exhibits, including the replica of the Mount Mitchell Railroad. By popular demand, there will be more peach ice cream this year!! The Ice cream and the fun are free!
Adult Summer Club July 17th Program Features Montreat’s Stone Buildings
Join architect and writer Dale Slusser from the Preservation Society of Asheville and Buncombe County at 2:30pm in Upper Anderson Auditorium for an afternoon of Montreat architectural bingo while learning about the little known history behind the tradition of using “river rock” on Montreat’s buildings.
Dale will be joined by the Presbyterian Heritage Center’s Anne Chesky, and the PHC Heritage Council to share about this fascinating building tradition, which originated in England in centuries past. We’ll find out what is considered “river rock” and its origins, both in architectural history as well as Montreat’s history.
Montreat is quite unique in its considerable use of river rock. Come and learn about the round columns in Anderson Auditorium and how they ended up being round! Test your knowledge of Montreat’s architectural details and win Montreat-themed prizes!
2024 Montreat Cottager Directories Still Available
If you missed the recent sales period for the 2024 Montreat Cottager Directory, you can still purchase one. Here are three ways to purchase your directory:
- At the July 20th Montreat Cottagers Annual Meeting (10:00 am in Upper Anderson) $25 per directory
- By mail. Send your request to Montreat Cottagers, PO Box 1135, Montreat, NC 28757. Include your full name, mailing address, and a check made out to Montreat Cottagers, Inc. for $35.00/directory, which includes directory and mailing cost.
- At the Montreat Town Hall. CASH OR CHECKS, BUT NO CREDIT CARDS PLEASE. Make checks out to Montreat Cottagers, Inc. $25 per directory if picked up in person
If you have any questions, please contact Laurie Morgan at 828-669-7626 or [email protected].
Some Important Information
At last night’s Town Council meeting, four important reminders were brought up:
- The upcoming November election also includes the election of two Town Commissioners and the Mayor. If you are interested in running, you must file for candidacy by July 19 at the Buncombe County Election Offices in Asheville.
- Please bag and trash dog waste. Montreat hosts a large number of dogs, which means large amounts of waste. Please pick up after your dog and place “poop” bags in proper receptacles, not private trash cans.
- Montreat has a law that all homes must have clearly visible house numbers for life safety purposes. Please make sure your home is marked with your street address.
- Signs that are in Town right-of-way are illegal and take away from the beauty of our Town. If you see illegal signs, contact the Town Hall at 828-669-8002, x1 or write [email protected].
Updates and Other Reminders
- We offer deep condolences to Town Clerk, Angela Murphy, and her family in the recent passing of her mother, Sandra Gilliam Murphy. Angie will be back in the office next week.
- The Town regrets the temporary closure of the Convenience Center earlier this week. The center was overwhelmed with the volume of sanitation bags and the dumpsters filled up much faster than anticipated. Staff is developing new procedures for the Convenience Center to meet resident and Town needs.
- The Montreat Planning and Zoning Commission will meet on Thursday, July 18th, 2024, at 10:30am in the Community Room at the Town Hall. The meeting will be live streamed. The agenda and streaming instructions can be found here. All are welcome to attend.
- Do you receive your own copy of the Montreat Minute or know someone who doesn’t? Sign up for the Sunshine List to receive the Montreat Minute and stay “in the know” about the Town’s happenings. CLICK HERE to sign up for the list!
Questions or Comments?
Do you have Town-related questions or comments to offer? If so, please send them to Angie Murphy at [email protected] and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
Have a great weekend!