Macon County Commissioners March 2015

The Macon County Board of Commissioners met last night in a meeting that lasted, minus a break and a closed session, just over two hours and 36 minutes. You can read the text play by play I posted on Facebook [LINK] for the general gist of the meeting if you're unwilling or unable to watch the video posted above.

The public agenda is posted immediately below and the agenda that is shared with members of the press can be read blow that. A copy of the proposed Nuisance Ordinance, aka Noise Ordinance is posted below the agenda that is shared with the press.

The board recessed the meeting until 6 pm on March 31st.

MEDIA ROLL CALL (members of the local press who were present)

Macon Media
Macon County News and Shopping Guide
The Franklin Press
WNCC-AM/WFSC-AM
The Smoky Mountain News

MACON COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
MARCH 10, 2015
AGENDA 

• Call to order and welcome by Chairman Corbin
• Announcements
  • NCACC Update Video
• Moment of Silence
• Pledge of Allegiance
• Public Hearing(s) - None
• Public Comment Period
• Adjustments to and approval of the agenda
• Reports/Presentations
  • Flag Presentation to Paul Carlson of the Land Trust for the Little Tennessee
  • Request for update on relocation of buoy and no wake zone at Nantahala Lake- Daniel Lopp
  • Proclamation for Colon Cancer Awareness Month - Michelle Brooks
  • Program Impact Report - County Extension Director Alan Durden
  • Presentation of proposed Noise Ordinance- County Planner Matt Mason, Planning Board Chairman Chris Haners
  • Highlands track and softball field renovation presentation- TBD
• Old Business
  • Approval of recommended site for landfill expansion - Solid Waste Director Chris Stahl
  • Presentation of due diligence findings - Chris Stahl
• New Business
  • Resolution regarding Designation of Applicant's Agent - County Attorney and Emergency Services Director Warren Cabe
  • Resolution and renewal of lease with Drawbridge Secure Network Solutions - County Attorney and Economic Development Director Tommy Jenkins
  • Audit contract for Fiscal Year 2014-15 - Finance Director
  • Request from Macon County Schools regarding use of supplement funds - Finance Director
  • Consideration of Courthouse 4th floor "Attorney Access Procedure" - County Attorney
  • Consideration of Mutual Aid Agreement between Macon County Sheriff's Department and WNC Counties- County Attorney
• Consent Agenda - Attachment #11
  All items below are considered routine and will be enacted by one motion. No separate discussion will be held except on request of a member of the Board of Commissioners.
  • Minutes of the February 10, 2015 regular meeting
  • Budget Amendments #127-128
  • Tax Releases
  • Monthly ad valorem tax collection report
• Appointments
  • Macon County Heritage Center
• Closed session (if necessary)
• Adjourn/Recess

Press Packet for March 2015 County Commissioners by Thunder Pig

Macon County Nuisance Ordinance (Proposed)

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Macon County Planning Board Continues Work on Noise Nuisance Ordinance

The Macon County Planning Board met on Tuesday, January 27, 2015 to continue work on the proposed noise ordinance. It has morphed into a nuisance ordinance that is concerned with noise.

MEDIA ROLL CALL (Reporters from local media organizations at the meeting)

Macon Media
The Franklin Press
Macon County News and Shopping Guide

A video of the full meeting is above, and copy a copy of a draft copy of the Nuisance Ordinance the planning board members amended is is below.

Proposed Nuisance Ordinance for Macon County 01-2015

The next meeting of the planning board will be Tuesday, February 10, 2015 at 4 pm in the Environmental Resource Center, then on the 17th, they will be holding a joint meeting with the Macon County Commissioners at the Macon Bank Corporate center at 6 pm..

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Macon County Planning Board Video of December 2014 Meeting

The Macon County Planning Board met for the regular December 2014 meeting last night at the Health Department. Commissioner Jimmy Tate reflected on his time served on the board for the last 5 years, he introduced Commissioner Gary Shields, who would be taking his place as liaison to the planning board.

Two citizens spoke during public comment. James Wright shared his noise and nuisance problems that had been ongoing for over two years without resolution. Donna Majerus also shared some of her problems for the last few years with a noisy neighbor.

The main topic of the meeting was the noise ordinance that the county commissioners had instructed them to create. Board members spoke at length about what they wanted and didn't want in the ordinance. County Planner Matt Mason handed out a copy of the as yet unadopted noise ordinance for neighboring Clay County for members to refer to and there was some discussion on that document and how it might be amended to fit Macon County.

Chariman Chris Hanners reminded the board that the terms of himself (2/2015), Susan Ervin (5/2015), Peggy Patterson (5/2015) and Mark West (11/2015) would be expiring in 2015, as well as that of the seat of the Town of Highlands (1/2015). The current occupant, John Underwood, indicated that he no longer wished to serve on the board and would only serve until a replacement had been located.

The next meeting on the board will take place on Tuesday, January 13th at 4 pm at the health department. The February meeting will be a joint meeting with the Macon County Commissioners at a location to be determined, but has in the past been held at the Macon Bank Corporate Center.

Here is a video of the meeting. The audio is amplified because there were a couple of members who do not speak loudly enough to be easily heard.



Here is the agenda for the meeting.

2014 1218 Planning

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Macon County Planning Board October 2014

The Macon County Planning Board met yesterday afternoon at the direction of the county commissioners to investigate a potential noise ordinance for the county. The bulk of the meeting consisted of a conversation with Sheriff Robbie Holland, who shared some statistics with the board.

He said according to the Macon County 911 Center, Macon County Deputies answered 13,443 calls in 2011, 13,337 calls in 2012, 14,125 calls in 2013 and 11,239 calls in the first ten months of 2014. The Sheriff said that each year one percent or less of those calls have been calls related to loud music and disruptive neighbors and many of those calls were multiple calls were to the same locations.

Gavel to gavel video of the meeting is below.


The board will meet again next month on November 20th at 4pm to hear some statistics on Animal Control response to loud animals and to hear from the county attorney. (He has been asked several times to attend a meeting to relay information and answer questions, but never has as long as I have been covering these meetings. The board will also been inquiring from jurisdictions that have noise ordinances about enforceability issues.

MEDIA ROLL CALL

Macon Media (me)
The Franklin Press
Macon County News and Shopping Guide

If you read or hear a report about this meeting from another news organization, ask them where they got their information about the meeting.

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