Woodfin – The regular monthly session started out as the Woodfin Town Commissioners’ meeting, but before it was over, the meeting had become the Woodfin Town Council meeting. That was just one of the changes and actions taken at the meeting on Tuesday (Aug. 16th).
The meeting began as it usually does with a call to order by the mayor, an invocation with a moment of silence, and the mayor asking if anything to come before the board would have a direct effect on a member and, if not, that they had a duty to vote on every item to come up at the meeting. The board then approved the meeting’s agenda.
The board then approved the consent agenda, which included a budget amendment for the Silver-Line Park Budget Ordinance to reflect the Silver-Line Park storm drain infrastructure costs of $151,600 and the $250,000 estimated cost for demolition or retrofitting the building at the location.
Also included was the approval of a contract with Toter LLC to purchase waste and recycling cans at $208,637.16, a resolution authorizing the surplusing of town-owned skateboard ramps, and a resolution setting a public hearing on the petition of right-of-way closure on Wellington Drive for Sept. 20th.
Commissioner Jim McAllister asked, since the new recycling containers allowed the town to move to once every two-week pick-up, did that mean the recycling pick-up costs were being cut in half? He was told not quite half, but the actual price was unknown since that contract was coming up at the September meeting.
The meeting was then opened to public comment, to which no one spoke, and the board then proceeded to new business, where three public hearings were held.
The first hearing was on the Zoning Ordinance Amendment. Town Planner Adriene Isenhower said the amendment affected sections 54-10, 54-145 through 54-149, and 54-154 through 54-155 of the town’s ordinance. The change clarifies lot width standards, amends district language to remove “building line,” and adds a definition of lot width to read: “the distance between the side lines of a lot measured at the front setback line.” No one spoke during the public hearing and the board voted to pass the amendment.
The next hearing was on a steep slope ordinance amendment, specifically on the accessory structure height section of the ordinance. The change set accessory structures’ height “not to exceed 20 feet in height except:
1. All retaining walls are limited to a maximum height of 12 feet. 2. Fences and free-standing walls must meet zoning ordinance height standards (Front yard = 6 feet, Side or rear yard = 8 feet).” It also removed “the definition of structure from steep slope ordinance” since it was redundant.
The third and final hearing was to rezone five parcels of land in Mountain Village zoning to R-21. Those parcels of land include:
• Elk Mountain Property, LLC – 99999 Robinhood Road (9741-32-0071) • Mark Pankonin – 68 Robinhood Road (9741-41-0370)• HBG II Holdings, LLC – 99999 Robinhood Road (9741-41-0737)• Lisa M Marcuz Revocable Living Trust – 100 Robinhood Road (9741-41-9733)• Robinhood Property Company LLC – 99999 Robinhood Road (9741-52-6064)
Two residents spoke in favor of the rezoning, and Isenhower said all parties from the properties who attended the meeting about the rezoning were also in favor. The board passed the rezoning.
The board then moved to the next agenda item, which was to adopt rules of procedure for the Woodfin Board of Commissioners, with Town Manager Shannon Tuch presenting the item, saying, among other things, this was a best-practice measure and provided guidance for the board.
The rules of procedure do several things, including changing the commissioners’ title to “Town Council” as opposed to “Board of Commissioners.” (see article on page 3 and commentary on page 14)
Next, it removed the mayor’s recitation before every meeting, asking if any of the members had a personal or financial interest in matters coming before the board, and then told them, if not, they had a duty to vote.
It also “explicitly prohibits invocation” at the meeting.
The “explicitly prohibits invocation” brought much discussion from several members. Commissioner Ronnie Lunsford asked if the invocation had been a problem. Tuch said it was just a request from two of the commissioners.
Commissioner Eric Egerton spoke up as one of the commissioners who requested the removal of the invocation invoking the “separation of church and state,” to which Lunsford said, “Well, you being a lawyer, I understand that.” Egerton continued, “To your question…” To which Lunsford interrupted, saying, “She [Tuch] already told me, two commissioners complained.” Edgerton continued by saying he had received a complaint on a public form that the practice made one individual “uncomfortable.” Lunsford responded, “There are 8,000 people in the Town of Woodfin. Keep that in mind.”
Later in the discussion, Lunsford said, “I don’t agree with doing away with it. Whether either way, it’s a moment of silence or an actual prayer. ”
Tuch recommended a straw poll to see how the board felt. Three commissioners, McAllister, Egerton, and Judy Butler, voted to “explicitly prohibit invocation.” A vote that surprised McAllister as he said, “I’m sorry,” asking Tuch to clarify. When she did, he said, “OK.”
After discussing the other changes, Tuch recapped the motions to be voted on where Commissioner Hazel Thornton asked to change her vote on the straw poll vote to remove the invocation, saying she mixed up the vote on the mayor’s recitation and the invocation. “I don’t think as a government body we should have any kind of a religious…you know. I think if people want to pray, they can…but that religious connection crosses a boundary I don’t think we should cross. ”
Commissioner Elisabeth Ervin said she “struggles with it,” admitting she did not “know what the Supreme Court says.”
McAllister asked to comment at this point, saying, “In preparing for tonight, I did a little research and I was surprised to find almost all of our founding fathers did not want church and state combined. Some of them very famous were quoted, at the time, saying we’re not a Christian nation. Do not make that mistake. I’ve been operating my whole adult life on a misconception — that’s why I’d like it to be removed personally. ”
“I just feel like some of the things we discuss we need to pray about,” interjected Lunsford. “Nobody is preventing us though,” said Thornton. “You can always pray.” To which Lunsford replied, “Just not during the meeting.”
“Not out loud naming a Christian God as a group…but you can do anything you want in your mind.” said Thorton, “I’m praying right now,” she added after a short silent pause, which drew laughter. The board voted on the rules, including removing the meeting invocation. Lunsford was the lone “no” vote. (see commentary page ??)
The current town council also discussed local partnership opportunities and plans to set up an application form for non-profits to use to apply for funding from the town. One of the recipients of funding from the town was Manna/Catholic Charities, which drew a comment from Lunsford that, apparently, the religious separation didn’t count when money was involved. The board then heard from the town manager’s report before going into executive session before adjourning for the night.