Montreat Town Meeting Summary 10/17/24
Town Manager, Savannah Parrish, joined with a large number of residents and provided a number of updates and new information:
Water
- We had a major water line break yesterday in the early morning, which drained the larger of the two storage tanks– accounting for the loss of water in many homes yesterday. However, the line was fixed and the tank is being refilled.
- As a result, the water conservation advisory is still in effect until the tank is completely refilled. We will let you know at that time.
- Good news: The boiled drinking water advisory is being lifted for certain streets in Town, primarily on the south side of the creek. Water DOES NOT need to be boiled for homes on the following streets:
- Appalachian Way
- Arkansas Trail
- Calvin Trail
- Chapman Road
- Covenant Way
- Florida Terrace
- Greybeard from W. Virginia up
- Kentucky from Arbor Lane up
- Lookout from Chapman up
- McGill Road
- Memphis Lane
- Oklahoma Road
- Peace Lane
- Providence Terrace
- Salem Drive
- Suwanee Drive
- South Carolina Terrace
- South Carolina Extension
- Wyck Road
- We will be testing water from the large storage tank on Harmony Lane as soon as the final well is pumping water into the tank. The state has promised to expedite test results so we can lift the boiling ban for the remaining homes.
- In the meantime, for all homes on streets not listed above, the boiled drinking water advisory IS STILL in place. Bring water to a rolling boil for at least one minute before consuming.
- 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 and discard the ice before full production.
- We thank you for your patience through this ordeal.
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 and normal fall bulk pickup. If you have tree limbs, branches, and other organic debris, it may be left in the overflow parking lot at the top of Lookout and Oklahoma Roads, the former location of the stables.
Temporary Town Office Location:
- 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 Terrace near the William Black Lodge or simply call the office at 828-669-8002.
Town Council Meeting October 25th:
- The Town Council will be meeting on October 25th for a special meeting to discuss storm related issues. The meeting will be at 10:00am in Convocation Hall in Assembly Inn. The public is invited to attend.
Early Voting:
- Early voting begins today in Buncombe County. Local voting locations include the Black Mountain Library and the East Asheville Library. Early voting will continue through November 2nd. Town Council positions are up for election, including Mayor and three Commissioner seats.
Public Works Related Issues
- If you have any infrastructure or Public Works related issues, questions, or concerns, please call the central Town Office number, 828-669-8002. Please DO NOT call Barry Creasman directly. He is inundated with restoration issues. We want to keep track of resident needs and concerns and give Barry time to manage the situation. Thank you.
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].
MRA Update:
- Lake Susan is abnormally low for a reason. Prior to the hurricane, MRA had plans to dredge the lake and restore it to historic standards. However, due to the debris and other violent activity in the lake during the storm, it is being re-assessed for any possible new plans or approaches that will be needed. To do so, the water level had to be lowered.
- 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 is continuing online classes through Wednesday, October 23, with in-classroom classes beginning on Thursday, October 24. They are initiating a “rolling re-start”, meaning students will begin returning on Sunday, October 20. They will be allowed to stay in residence halls and lodges and meals will be served during the rolling re-start.
- The college has opened the L. Nelson Bell Library to the community 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.
Cajun Navy 2016 Update:
- Mitch from the Cajun Navy 2016 thanked the Montreat community for their hospitality and open arms. The response they have received from donors, residents, and other supporters has been unprecedented. He said the “Navy” volunteers have been blessed being in Montreat.
- The Cajun Navy 2016 will be “pulling out” on Saturday. Stop by their bivouac site at Reynolds Lodge on Collegiate Drive to say thank you.
Other Announcements:
- Donations are still very much needed. Checks can be sent for the Town and MRA per the information below. They can also be made online. The Cajun Navy is also accepting donations
- Town of Montreat: 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
- Watch for tomorrow’s Montreat Minute, as we return to some sense of normalcy.
The next Town meeting will be Monday, October 21, at 9:00am in the Assembly Inn first floor meeting room. It is likely to be the last of the special Town meetings, unless special needs arise.
Again, we sincerely thank all the residents, relief workers, contractors and staff for getting us through this difficult period.