Montreat Town Meeting Summary 10/14/24

Town Manager, Savannah Parrish, opened the meeting and offered a number of updates:

Water

  • We are happy to say that to the best of our knowledge, 100% of homes now have water. If that is NOT the case, please contact the Town at 828-669-8002, x1.
  • All but one of the well pumps are now operating and both storage tanks are full. The water conservation advisory has been lifted, but please use common sense (don’t wash cars, take extra long showers, etc.) and be conservative when using this precious commodity.
  • The boiled drinking water advisory is still in effect. Bring water to a rolling boil for at least one minute before consuming.
  • Water samples will be taken tomorrow and sent off for testing, with results expected by Thursday. At that time, a decision on the boiled water advisory will be made.
  • We don’t expect there to be any problems with the water, as none of the wells had any flood water infiltration —yet another testament to the integrity of our water system.
  • Please remember to turn off your ice makers and do not use them until the boiled water advisory has been lifted. Then let it run through several cycles before ensuring ice is consumable.

Power:

  • We estimate that most of the properties have power at this time, with the exception of Greybeard area homes and “spotty” outages that have been difficult to access or major repairs are required. Check the Duke Power website for the outage map.

Roads:

  • Calvin Trail remains closed, as it was the hardest hit of all Montreat roads.
  • Please be careful when driving and walking as all the roads have been damaged, with many sections of asphalt collapsed.

Police/Security:

  • We have five extra officers from Asheboro augmenting our own patrol officers. Chief Eaton asks that you trust and assist them when you see them around town.
  • Given the state of affairs in Buncombe County, please have patience if calling in a non-emergency request. If you need to report something, call the non-emergency dispatch number at 828-250-6670. That is the most direct and efficient way of contacting our police, besides flagging them down if you see them on patrol.

Trash/debris Service:

  • Curbside pick up will resume on Monday, October 21. In the meantime, the Town Convenience Center is available for household trash and recyclable materials only.
  • Please DO NOT bring flood debris to the Convenience Center. There will be a bulk pickup scheduled soon for items ruined in the hurricane. If you have tree limbs, branches, and other natural debris, it may be left in the overflow parking lot at the top of Lookout Road, which was the former location of the stables.

Zoning and Permitting:

  • If you have zoning, permitting, or flood plain questions in regard to repairs to your property, please contact Zoning Administrator, Kayla DiChristina, at [email protected].

Postal Service:

  • A temporary office has been set up in the Post Office parking lot. Mail is available in post office boxes and postal services are available in the temporary office.

Cajun Navy 2016 Update:

  • Savannah introduced Mitch from the Cajun Navy 2016. The Cajun Navy arrived in Montreat the day following the hurricane and has been doing significant work in the entire East Buncombe County area–  everything from search and rescue to tree removal and providing meals and other supplies to the community. They are headquartered in Reynolds Lodge on Collegiate Circle.
  • Mitch offered tree cutting/clearing, clean up, and other hurricane relief help. To request help, contact Mitch directly at 225-776-2070, telling him the nature of the work and address. We are extremely grateful and indebted to the Cajun Navy 2016 for their volunteer efforts here.

MRA Update:

  • The Huckleberry remains open Monday through Saturday from 10:00am-2:00pm. Although no food or drink is available, bottled water, ice, electricity, internet, and a printer is available for your use.
  • There is an Information and “Needs” board at the Huck for people to list anything they need.

Montreat College Update:

  • The college resumed online classes today, Monday, October 14. Given the improved status of power, water and other infrastructure, they are still planning for in-person classes next Monday, October 21. Students will be returning to campus on Sunday, October 20.
  • The college is opening the L. Nelson Bell Library to the community beginning tomorrow, October 15, from 8:00am-3:00pm. WiFi is available.
  • They are also making the college campus WiFi available to the public. The Network is “Montreat College” and the password is “montreat”—all lower case.

Other Announcements:

  • A question was asked as to where donation checks could be sent for the Town, MRA and the Cajun Navy:
    • Town: send to PO Box 423, Montreat, 28757 or drop off at the temporary offices in Convocation Hall
    • MRA: send to PO Box 969, Montreat, 28757
    • Cajun Navy 2016 (also known as Pinnacle Search & Rescue): go to their website by CLICKING HERE
  • When filling out a FEMA application, you will be asked your street address. If you try to complete it with your street address and Montreat, 28757, it will be rejected as their system does not recognize our zip code outside of the physical location of the Post Office. Instead, use your street address and Black Mountain, 28711. You will also be asked your mailing address, for which you can use your PO Box and Montreat 28757.
  • Town offices are temporarily set up in Convocation Hall at Assembly Inn while flood repairs are being done to the Town Hall. Hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00am to 5:00pm. For access, use the outside entrance on Georgia Avenue near the William Black Lodge or simply call the office at 828-669-8002.
  • Please do not use the water payment drop box at the Town Hall for the time being. Instead, either mail your payment to PO Box 423, Montreat, 28757 or drop it off at the temporary offices at Convocation Hall.
  • Laurie Morgan announced she had found a cat wandering in her neighborhood. It is a young, long haired black cat with white paws. If you know anything about the cat, contact Laurie at 828-669-7626.

The frequency of Town meetings will be reduced to two per week. The next meeting will be Thursday, October 17, at 9:00am in the Assembly Inn registration lobby.

Cancellations and Postponements

With the effects of Hurricane Helene, many meetings and activities have been cancelled or postponed. Here are the ones we are aware of:

  • The October Town Council meeting, postponed from last Thursday, will be rescheduled to later this month. Watch for the official meeting notice of the new date.
  • The October Planning and Zoning Commission meeting has been cancelled. Watch for noticing of a new date.
  • The Cottagers Special Voting Procedures Meetings, originally scheduled for October 24 and 29, have been postponed to a later date to be determined.
  • The Presbyterian Heritage Center’s 2024 Distinguished Lecture on the Reformation, originally scheduled for October 25, has been cancelled for this year.
  • Montreat Conference Center has cancelled all groups and activities at the conference center scheduled through October 27. For more about MRA and hurricane related information, visit their website by CLICKING HERE.