Montreat Minute 2/13/26

February 13, 2026

Happy Valentine’s Day Tomorrow

These iconic “sweetheart” candies date back to the 1800’s and are reformulated annually with new phrases. Every year, about 10 to 14 million pounds of heart candies are produced, which is about 4.8 billion to 6.7 billion individual hearts. And you don’t have to eat them immediately– they have a shelf life of five years!

From all of us on the Town staff and Town Council, we wish you a Happy Valentine’s Day tomorrow and hope you receive your favorite candy (or whatever is your favorite indulgence)!

Mayor’s Summary of the February 12, 2026 Town Council Meeting

Greetings Montreaters,

It was a delight to be meeting on a night where the temperature was above freezing for a change!

My meeting summary follows below. As you probably know, the official minutes with far more detail will be in next month’s agenda packet. But you can view tonight’s meeting recording by CLICKING HERE.

Public Forum

  • Mary Standaert asked about the Public Comments three-minute speaking rule that is in the Rules of Procedure and that it was previously stated by Commissioners it was lifted. I stated that we lifted the rule a number of years ago to give people more opportunity to communicate with the Council. We will update the Rules as needed.

CLICK HERE to read the entire meeting summary

Town Purchases New Kubota Track Excavator

Jarod McIntosh (seated) and Barry Creasman showing off the new excavator.

At the January Town Council meeting, Council approved the purchase of a new Kubota track mini excavator. The excavator replaces the 2012 Volvo backhoe with a front scoop that was permanently worn out after exhaustive Hurricane Helene work. Parts to repair it are obsolete.

The new Kubota excavator, even though it is smaller than the old Volvo, is more powerful and maneuverable. It operates in narrow spaces like we have in Montreat and rotates 360 degrees for more efficient operations.

Public Works Director, Barry Creasman, is grateful for this important piece of equipment. “Thanks to the Town Council for approving our purchase of the Kubota”, Barry said. “And we are really thankful to Montreat residents for their tax dollars to purchase it.”

A Welcome Sign of Spring

It has been a hard winter so far, and we have five more weeks before Spring is officially here. But, there are already signs of good things to come. A patch of wild crocuses on Virginia Road gives the promise of “if crocuses are in bloom, Spring can’t be far behind”. Look for other signs too, like the daffodils blooming on Georgia Terrace.

Updates and Reminders

  • 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 CodeRED alerts, an emergency communications system used a number of times during the hurricane? If not, CLICK HERE to register and ensure you will be contacted 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 Angela Murphy at info@townofmontreat.org and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

Have a good Valentine’s weekend.

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