Just the Facts

Board approves upgrades to clock tower, tree removal

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Dan Finnerty

Project Manager Jack Morgan, Macon County Planning Board, discussed efforts to secure a bid for Franklin’s clock tower renovation at the Jan. 14 Macon County Commissioner meeting. He presented three bids received and offered his recommendation to the board.

Carolina Business Services ($22,449.61), Haynes Industrial ($60,750.00), and Midwest Maintenance ($30,394.00) all submitted bids. In the case of the lowest bid, an “alternate price” of $2,632.80 was included. Morgan explained the addendum to commissioners.

“There is a skylight right on top of [the clock tower] and we don’t know if it will ‘survive’ re-roofing, so the alternate pricing is if the skylight has to be replaced … that is what it will cost.” 

He requested the board approve the bid from Carolina Business Services for a total amount of $25,082.41, plus 10%, in case of any unanticipated costs, bringing the total to $27,590.65. Commissioner John Shearl motioned for acceptance of the bid, seconded by Commissioner Barry Breeden, and board approval was unanimous.

Macon County Finance Officer Lori Carpenter submitted a budget amendment to commissioners. After acknowledging the county’s contingency fund having an available total of $362,300, she recommended commissioners approve an amendment for $27,600 to be moved from the contingency fund to cover clock tower expenses. It was unanimously approved by the commissioners. 

MIKE NORRIS, a representative with McGill Associates, presented a bid package for improvements at the Macon County rec park.

A subsequent project approval was also granted by the board to remove five trees from around the clock tower area. The trees have been in place for many years and their root systems have been found to have an adverse impact on sidewalks and pavement areas in the vicinity. Two additional trees adjacent to the tower in Rankin Square are considered county property. The Franklin Garden Club previously requested the trees be removed.

Interim County Manager Warren Cabe added that a conversation took place with Town of Franklin Manager Amie Owens, who expressed interest by the town in having the trees removed and other associated work completed.

“They [Town of Franklin] are in favor of those [trees] being taken out,” said Cabe. “We think the timing is good now … traffic’s not as bad on Main Street and we aren’t necessarily in tourist season. They are also going to coordinate with us to take the sidewalk up, get the roots out, and they’ll be there to help get the process started to put the sidewalk back down. It will be a joint project between us [Macon County] and [the Town of Franklin.]”

The commissioners also agreed to entertain an eventual request by the Franklin Garden Club to re-plant some new trees in the square. 

Process underway to find county manager 

Macon County Human Resources Director Tammy Keezer provided an update to the board on the county’s recruiting efforts for filling a permanent county manager position, left vacant by outgoing county manager Derek Roland.

“We have received six applications; three of those would meet requirements in the job posting,” she said. “All have received a letter acknowledging receipt of their applications and that we have appointed an interim county manager until June 30, so they probably will not hear from us until the beginning of the fiscal year.” 

The Macon County fiscal year begins July 1.

Cabe is included in the list of applicants for the permanent position, to which Commissioner Barry Breeden opined, “If he is one of the six, and we decided we did not want to go further but wanted to hire him, do we have to interview other people?” Young replied, “I feel like we need to have an interview team; we need to interview all qualified applicants, and that validates the position.”

Young then suggested the board put a five- or six-member committee together to conduct interviews. For now, six applicants are in the pool of potential permanent county managers and an answer should surface this summer.

Bid package for rec park analyzed

Under new business, representatives from McGill Associates presented a bid package for the Veterans Memorial Park Improvement, Phase 1A. The plan includes tennis courts (6), pickleball courts (9), a restroom/picnic shelter, electric and other utilities, asphalt paving, a flag pole, sidewalks, and erosion control. 

McGill Associates’ Mike Norris spoke on behalf of the project and was accompanied by Macon County Director of Parks and Recreation Seth Adams. They presented slides that reflected an updated layout of the plan for improving the park. After an extended presentation and discussion, the major sticking point was on parking space and how it related to a proposed access bridge.

Advised Norris, “The bridge is not part of the construction package; it is in the finalization of engineering design, so it would be a separate package.” 

Commissioners agreed the current layout does not promote aesthetic or practical use of the tennis and pickleball courts. Norris pointed out that a redesign of the project plans would cost, both in time and money. 

“If you are telling me we can get this concept without the bridge, I will support that,” said Young.

The bridge implementation was shelved, at least for now.

“Keep in mind, we have full-blown construction documents permitted,” said Norris. “If we are going to go back and do a lot of redesigns, it may be prudent to do some initial modeling because it is going to be a lot of redesigning.”

In the end, the board directed McGill to provide a concept without a bridge – one that permits sufficient parking for all usage and practical application. Thus, no approval for a bid package was achieved at this meeting. Instead, the county will entertain a revisit and restructuring of the park design improvements in the coming months.

The next Board of County Commissioner meeting will be Tuesday, Feb. 11, at 6 p.m., in the Macon County Courthouse. That meeting will be continued on Thursday, Feb. 13, with the Town of Franklin at the Old Edwards Inn in Highlands. Time and agenda for the joint meeting session will be announced.