Montreat Minute 10/25/24

October 25, 2024



The Town Council met this morning for a special meeting to discuss hurricane related issues. The meeting was not live streamed due to lack of equipment in the temporary quarters. However, it was recorded and the video may be viewed by CLICKING HERE.

Highlights of the meeting include:

  • Hiking trails and recreational facilities remain closed. MRA will be conducting assessments of the trails and other recreational facilities in the future.
  • Public Works Director, Barry Creasman reported on the nearly inconceivable amount of damage done in town and progress on restoration and rebuilding efforts. Assessments of damage continue to be done by engineering firms. He will come back to report to the Council what needs to be done, cost estimates for doing so, and priorities.
  • Police Chief, Jeff Eaton, reported that during the storm, officers conducted welfare checks, evacuated residents, distributed food and water, and gathered information on if residents were still in Montreat or evacuated. He praised the work of the officers and the help from other agencies, including Hudson PD, Nashville, NC PD, and Asheboro PD. The focus now is on crime prevention. Fortunately, no thefts have been reported.
  • Finance Officer, Rachel Eddings reported that the Town has received more than  $148,000 in donations from individuals and organizations to be used for staff payroll and other reconstruction purposes. Donations are still being accepted.
  • The Council voted to provide a Hazardous Pay Bonus to the staff that were working Thursday and Friday of the storm, as they literally put their lives at risk. Police Officers Fred Tennant and Morgan Bocanegra along with Public Works staff Mike Harrison, Drew Brown, Jarod McIntosh, and Daniel Wiggs were each granted a $2,000 bonus in addition to their 1.5x overtime pay. Director Barry Creasman was given a $4,000 bonus in addition to his overtime pay.
  • The Council voted to cancel the Texas Road Bridge renovation project and direct the $250,000 allocated to the project to Hurricane Helene restoration efforts. They also voted to defer the two sidewalk projects until the full scope of restoration is determined.
  • The Council also voted to waive all building permit and inspection fees for work related to hurricane restoration for six months.
  • There were a number of resident comments thanking staff, Council, residents and other volunteers for hard work in getting us through the storm.

Donations Still Being Accepted

We are very fortunate to have received $148,000 in donations for staff and restoration expenses. Donations are still being accepted to defray the cost of repairing the damage. FEMA typically does not approve all the projects we submit for reimbursement and, historically, the Town has been reimbursed only about 75% of the total cost. We are still awaiting payment from damage done in the 2018 Hurricane Alberto storm!

Thus, donations will help us stay strong financially. CLICK HERE for instructions regarding how to make online donations and gifts by check. Pass the link on to friends who love Montreat and want to see it rebuilt.

We will be stronger than before Helene showed up.

Water Billing

October water billing will be postponed until the November billing cycle. This is being done to free up Public Works staff from reading meters to work on infrastructure repairs and to allow staff to return to work in the Town Hall to access resources for the water billing process.

Residents will receive one bill for October/November water usage in the usual November billing. There should be very little usage in October, so we don’t expect bills to be large. The November bills will include only one billing fee ($1.50) If you have any questions on water billing, please contact Town staff at 828/669-8002.

A Note from Our Public Works Director

Public Works Director Barry Creasman has requested that all residents pile Hurricane Helene debris at the edge of their individual properties. Please DO NOT BLOCK THE ROADWAY!

Bulk Pickup, originally scheduled for October 29th, will be postponed until a later date. At that time, we will be picking up items ruined in the hurricane as well as usual bulk pickup items. Watch the Montreat Minute for the new date.

Thank you for your understanding!

Zoning Guidance Post Storm

Montreat Zoning Administrator, Kayla DiCristina, has prepared a short document to aid residents in understanding what zoning regulations are in place in regard to repairs and improvements as a result of Hurricane Helene. If you have repairs or rebuilding from the storm, you are urged to read the document and contact Kayla. For a copy of the document, CLICK HERE. Kayla can be reached at 828/669-8002 x 3.

The Town’s 2023-2024 Audit is not yet available from our auditors due to problems related to the hurricane. The auditors’ Asheville offices were without power and internet until recently, and staff was working remotely. We expect a draft by Monday. The Audit Committee will review it and send to the Town Council for final approval before sending on to the state.

The state is providing leniency to those impacted by the storm. A representative of the State Treasurer’s office stated that late audits will not be held against the western counties and municipalities this year. However, we are still operating as if we are under the Oct. 31 deadline.

Voting Location Changes

The voting location for the Montreat precinct 36.1 has been changed for the general election on November 5th. Residents WILL NOT vote at First Baptist Church in Black Mountain. Instead, the new voting location is Ridgecrest Conference Center, 1 Ridgecrest Drive, Black Mountain. Voting hours on the 5th are from 6:30am to 7:30pm. Early voting continues at the Black Mountain Library through Saturday, November 2nd until 3:00pm.

Need FEMA Assistance?

You may already be aware of assistance that FEMA could provide as a result of the hurricane. To learn more about the various types of support, go to the FEMA disaster assistance website by CLICKING HERE.

Storm Stories

So many stories, good and bad, have come out of our recent catastrophic storm—stories that you were a part of, stories you have heard from others, stories you observed, stories that broke your heart, stories that boosted your faith in humanity, and so much more. We would like to collect some of those stories as a remembrance of what we went through.

We will collect the stories and publish them on our website. Here is how to send us your stories:

  1. Write your story in 250 words or less. If you mention someone by name in your story, please check with them for permission to use their name.
  2. Email your story to [email protected] in the body of the email. Please don’t attach it separately.
  3. When published on the website, attribution to you will be noted unless you specifically ask that it be anonymous.
  4. If you have a photo (just one, two at most please) illustrating your story, attach it to the email.
  5. There is no deadline, but write and send them while they are still fresh in your mind.

We will send an announcement when the stories have been published to the website. Thanks for helping document this event.

  • The Cottagers Special Voting Procedures Meeting, originally scheduled for October 29, has been postponed to a later date to be determined.
  • The Presbyterian Heritage Center’s 2024 Distinguished Lecture on the Reformation, originally scheduled for tonight, October 25, has been cancelled for this year.
  • Montreat Conference Center has cancelled all groups and activities at the conference center through the end of the year. However, the annual College Conference will be held as planned. For more about MRA and hurricane related information, visit their website by CLICKING HERE.
  • Especially Important at this time: 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!
  • Do you receive Montreat Code Red alerts, an emergency communications system used a number of times during the hurricane? If not and you would like to be added to the list, CLICK HERE and provide your name and phone number to be called in the event of an emergency.

    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.