Montreat Minute for 7/10/26

July 10, 2026

July 9th 2026 Town Council Meeting Video

Circular seal with Town of Montreat North Carolina around a brick gate illustration labeled Montreat and the year 1967 below, all on an orange background.

For anyone interested in what occurred at last night’s Town Council meeting, you can watch the meeting video by CLICKING HERE.

Town Budget Update

On June 29th, the Montreat Board of Commissioners adopted the FY26-27 budget. Shortly after, the North Carolina General Assembly adopted SB474, which changes how some local governments will calculate property taxes for the upcoming tax year.

As a result, Buncombe County is expected to continue using 2021 property values rather than the recently completed property revaluation, although the county Board has not yet acted.

Because the Town will likely be calculating its tax rate using the older, lower property values, the Town’s tax rate will need to increase from the rate adopted in the FY 2026–2027 budget. This increase is necessary to generate the same amount of revenue that was originally budgeted using the higher revaluation values. It does not mean the Town is increasing taxes beyond what was planned in the FY26-27 adopted budget.

After the County acts, the Town will hold a special meeting to amend its budget and adopt a revised tax rate so the county can prepare accurate property tax bills.

We understand these late legislative changes can be confusing, and we appreciate your patience. The Town will continue to monitor the situation and share updates as more information becomes available. In the meantime, operations continue as usual.

Lookout Road Closure Tomorrow

A map shows paths around Lake Susan, with green and orange highlighted routes, nearby roads, parking, and community centers.

A portion of lower Lookout Road will be closed tomorrow, Saturday, July 11th, due to a special MRA event. The section in orange in the map above will be closed from approximately 3:00 pm until 9:00 pm. Road closure signage/barricades will be in place to facilitate the detours. 

Alternate routes are pictured in green on the map. They include utilizing Texas Road in combination with Community Center Circle or Assembly Circle in combination with Gaither Circle. Detours are dependent on direction of travel. 

Please use caution in the area.

Bear Activity Still Extremely High

Silhouette of a bear with the words “KEEP BEARS WILD” inside. Above, “Bear Aware” is written in green. Background has a green shape. The image promotes awareness about protecting wild bears.

Bear activity continues at high levels. No injuries or extreme incidents have occurred. As usual, trash containers and dumpsters have been high level targets for the hungry bears. Therefore, please take the following precautions:

  • Secure all trash containers with clasps and locks of some secure type. The Town Convenience Center is available 7am-7pm seven days per week for any overflow refuse.
  • When walking/hiking, be “bear aware”.
  • If you spot a bear nearby, DO NOT RUN away. Instead, yell, wave your arms, and act “big”.
  • At home, keep doors and first floor windows closed, especially watchful of screen doors, day and night. Bears rip through screens like they aren’t even there. Also, bears are able to get through “doggie doors”, so secure them as well.
  • Remove all food from vehicles and lock them. Montreat had a rash of auto break-ins by bears in the spring, all going after food, including something as small as Tic-Tacs and lip balm.

Montreat Adult Summer Club Summer Speaker Josh Goforth on July 15th

A yellow banner with bold text reads Montreat Adult Summer Club in black, green, and blue letters, with a jagged yellow sunburst design on the right side.

The Montreat Adult Summer Club is delighted to host Josh Goforth in performance on Wednesday, July 15th, in Graham Chapel at 2:30 pm.

A man wearing a floral shirt stands outside, smiling and holding a violin in front of a leafy green tree.

Josh grew up in Madison County, North Carolina, surrounded by the music and stories of his ancestors.  He is a highly accomplished storyteller and old-time, bluegrass, and swing musician playing close to 20 instruments.  His fiddling was featured in the movie Songcatcher, both onscreen and on the soundtrack.  He has performed in all 50 states, throughout Europe, Asia, and Australia and gracing such stages as the Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall and The Grand Ole Opry. He was nominated for a Grammy for his 2009 release with David Holt, entitled Cutting Loose. We are fortunate to have Josh with us on Wednesday

Refreshments in Gaither Fellowship Hall will follow Josh’s performance.

Please note the location for this year’s speakers: Graham Chapel in Gaither Hall.

Play Mahjong and Help Beautify the Town Hall on July 12th

Mahjong tiles surround white text on a green background that reads: Tiles for Town Hall Introduction to Mahjong.

The Montreat Town Hall grounds are still not fully recovered from Hurricane Helene. A group of dedicated Montreaters is working to remedy the situation and make it look as beautiful as it was when it opened on July 4, 2020. “Tiles for Town Hall” is a fun fundraiser to do just that. Come learn how to play mahjong, enjoy a light dinner, and enjoy fellowship while benefitting the Town Hall.

The event will be held July 12th at Que Sera restaurant, 101 Black Mountain Avenue. Registration begins at 5:00 pm, then a light supper at 5:45. Instruction and play begins at 6:30, with the night capping off with a raffle at 8:00. Cost is $30. Please call 828/664-9472 to reserve your spot.

Black and white drawing of an arched stone gateway surrounded by trees, with mountains in the background. The text “Montreat Cottagers” appears to the right of the image.

All are welcome at the Montreat Cottagers Annual Meeting on Saturday, July 18th, at 10:00 am in Upper Anderson. Leaders of the Montreat Conference Center, the Town of Montreat, Montreat College, and the Presbyterian Heritage Center will update us with important news about their organizations.

Additionally, Community groups will display and distribute information at the meeting. It is an excellent opportunity to connect with friends and neighbors and see what volunteer opportunities are available to benefit our community.

PHC Ice Cream Social Also on July 18th

A cartoon bowl of ice cream with three scoops—chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla—topped with a cherry and a spoon on the side.

The Presbyterian Heritage Center invites you to a delicious, old fashioned ice cream social on Saturday, July 18th, from 2:00-4:00 pm at the PHC, 318 Georgia Terrace. Young and old will enjoy greeting old friends as well as making new while enjoying freshly churned, homemade ice cream and music by Montreat’s own Rock Hoppers!

You will also have the opportunity to check out the latest PHC exhibits, including new exhibits on “Montreat: The Early Years” and “Mecklenburg’s Declaration?: NC’s Revolutionary Presbyterians”. The Ice cream and the fun are free!

Updates and Reminders

A hand is writing the word REMINDERS in black marker, with a red underline, on a white background.
  • The Montreat Tree Board will meet on Tuesday, July 14th, at 9:00 am, in the Town Hall Community Room. The meeting will be live streamed and all are invited to attend. For streaming instructions and the agenda, CLICK HERE.
  • The Montreat Planning & Zoning Commission will meet on Thursday, July 16th, at 10:30 am, in the Town Hall Community Room. The meeting will be live streamed and all are invited to attend. For streaming instructions and the agenda, CLICK HERE.
  • If you are in Montreat this summer and don’t already have a 2024 Montreat Directory, they are on sale at the Town Hall for $25 (cash or check).
  • 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 Redalerts, an emergency communications system used a number of times during the hurricane and wildfires? To learn more about Code Red or to be added to the list, CLICK HERE.

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 fun weekend!

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