haw rence Newspapers Inc.
P*v. BOX 1015
Fuqu&y Vafina* C* 27300
Mem ber o/ the NCPA
Second t ^ass postage paid
at Biatk Mt^antain. NC 2S7JJ
Thursday. December 8. 1983. Volume 31. Number 49
m'nfcr /anfas;'cs come adoe of f/:e B/acA Afoanfam Bn'marv Sc/:oo/ arc s:b; vm;n^sfers a-do arc /x'ffarcc?
creadn^ ornament fo dan^ on fde comman;'fy Gddsfmas free. Tdev arc. [/-r] Fredd;'c Bands. fd;rr/ grader; Tbmmv
Greasman. /barf/; grader.- z^aron Afandy. //'/fd grader,- Cddsfy Gregory, d/nder^arfener. A'endra McMadan. second
grader.- Urdcn'c Badands, /?'rsf grader.
Community
Christmas
to be celebrated
Children from Swannanoa
Elementary. Black Mountain
Primary and Carver Optional
Schools have been invited by the
Chamber of Commerce to make
ornaments to decorate a community
Christmas tree that will be erected
on the green between Cook Electric
and the Western Auto on Broad
way.
Festivities will get underway at 4
p.m. on Monday, Dec. 12 when the
children gather there to decorate
the tree. Everyone is invited to
come and share in the cheerful
event.
At 6:30 p.m.. those who wish to
join in community caroling around a
traditions! vu!e fire are asked to
come to the comer of Vance Avenue
and Number 9. Bring a !og to keep
the fire burning while singing is
enjoyed. Hot cider and cocoa will be
furnished to the carolers.
Some merchants in the downtown
business district of Black Mountian
are planning to keep their stores
open that evening until 9 p.m. to
accommodate local Christmas
shoppers.
lire Black Mountain-Swannanoa
Chamber of Commerce is the spon
sor for the festivities. The Chamber
invites the public to share in this
fun-filled time which it hopes will
become an annual community cele
bration of Christmas.
Chamber of Commerce Meeting Was Informative
Community spirit, hard work,
enthusiasm for continued planned
progress for the Valley were the
three things most evident in brief
reports made by members of the
Black Mountain-Swannanoa
Chamber of Commerce's Economic
Development Committee that high
lighted the annual meeting held in
Assemhlv Inn in Montreat on
Monday. Dec. 5.
Topics touched on in the talks
were recent improvements made to
Rtack Moluntian. Townlift projects,
the educational needs facing the
Valley, the second Annua! Mt.
Mitchell Ski Challenge, and the
renovation of the new Chamber
facilitv.
EDC Chairman Wendell Begley
said his committee had been work
ing for just under two years and felt
that the hard work of its 18
members had "touched the lives
and life style" of many in the
Valiev.
Executive Secretary of the
Chamber Andy Andrews listed the
many accomplishments of that
organization during the past
calendar vear. He commended the
4b men and women who volunteer
regularlv at the Chamber office for
their work that has helped the office
handle the many thousands of
visitors who stopped there this year.
His talk recapped the year's work
and among the many accomplish
ments he mentioned were the
Christmas and Sourwood parades.
Secretary Recognition Day. the
quarterly luncheons held to open
the lines of communication and
co-operation among Chamber
members, and the recognition of
Black Mountain as a Community of
Excellence for the second year.
George Venturella told of the
improvements made to the new
Chamber facility and listed work
still to be done. He challenged each
member to get involved with time,
money or materials to complete the
renovation which could enable the
Chamber to become a focal point in
the community.
More than 220 attended the
meeting representing 65 Vallv
businesses. Also present were
Congressman and Mrs. James
McClure Clarke, former Congress
man and Mrs. Roy Taylor. N.C.
Representatives Greenwood.
Nesbitt. Crawford end Mayors Tom
Sobol of Black Mountain and John
Abemethv of Montreat.
L* -- ---- ^
Members o/ t/?e Economic Z^eoe/opment CommfMee /?aoe reports at tAe F/acA Afoaatam-SManaaaoa f ^am/^er of
Commerce's anm/a/ &aapaetaad &asmess meeting. FSctaredare.- [/-r] AZ:'cAae/ C/eoea^er, Hag?! 77?omas. Bo^ Dickey.
,Z:m /lycocE Eo& Watts and tVeaded RegJey.
*Specta/
School Board Acts on Resolutions
MemAers o/ tAe BuncomAe County ScAooi Board are pictured aAooe during a specia/ session Aeid 7Aarsday. Z)ec. 7.
/Turing tAe session tAe Boarcf unanimousiy passed mo dons to Ae presented to tAe BuncomAe County Commissioners at
a meedng to Ae Aeid on Tuesday. 7Tpc. 73.
Otaen District represeniadoe Ms. Jane SmitA is pictured at tAe /dr rigAt Hctured coanter-ciocAaise at tAe toAie
/wm Aer are Bid McBiratA, an Associate Superintendent; JoAn Carroii, CAairman o/ tAe Board, Dr. TV A Miiier,
Superintendent, Dr. Boger A James, Board member; BoAert B. Creene, Board memAer; Vernon Dooer, Board
memAer; and James Jeu-is, Board memAer.
jRtctured AeAind Ms SmitA is Wiiiam Dam Ay, Assistant Superintendent /dr Business A//airs.
The Buncombe County Hoard ot
Education met in a called session on
Thursday, Dec. 1 to act on three
resolutions that will have a decisive
hearing on the future of public
education in the county.
The first resolution called for the
repeal of prior resolutions the board
had passed asking the County
Commissioners to provide addition
al school facilities.
The Board then approved a
resolution asking the county com
missioners to provide $32.7 million
for new construction and improve
ments in the county school system.
The final resolution called for the
commissioners to set aside $2
million annually for use for capital
improvements within the system so
that it will not fall behind in
construction as it has at the present.
The Board will also ask the
commissioners to officially call for a
bond referendum to be held in
March of 1984 to fund the proposed
improvements. The funds realized
from the passage of that bond would
enable the Board to "play catch-up
ball" in the words of Superinten
dent N.A. Miller so that existing
health and safety hazards in county
schools could be eradicated and
additional construction that is need
ed immediately could be under
taken.
me /\snevme
met on Friday, Dec. 2 and voted to
ask the commissioners to provide an
additional $5.3 million to build a
new elementary school and make
improvements to two existing
schools.
The Commissioners will meet on
Tuesday, Dec. 13 at 3 p.m. in the
Courthouse to consider resolution of
both Boards.
\l though a total of $38 million
worth of projects are being request
ed by the two Boards, the bond will
be set at $32 million. The other $6
million would come from interest
and surplus in the school construc
tion fund.
The bonds would be paid off over
a 20-year period with revenues from
the school construction fund, which
consists of one-half of the 1-cent
local option sales tax in Buncombe
County.
No additional taxes would be
needed to repay the bonds.
An addition to Owen High School
would be funded by bond money
and land for a new high school could
be secured with funds from it also.
On a motion made by Owen
District Representative Jane Smith,
the Board voted to declare that it
was their intention to replace the
inadequate cafeteria in the Black
Mountain Middle School.
Christmas
parade
rescheduled
Due to inclement weather last
Saturday. Dec. 3. the Chamber of
Commerce sponsored Black Moun
tain Christmas Parade was post
poned.
It has been rescheduled for this
coming Saturday. Dec 10 and will
begin at 10 a m.
The Black Mountain-Swannanoa
Javcees remind everyone that they
will have a food float in the parade
and want to collect non-penshable
food stuffs to help families in the
Valley during the Christmas season
by restocking pantries. Everyone
attending the parade is asked to
bring an item to contribute.
Black Mountain
to celebrate
Arbor Day
Noting the increasing interest the
citizens of Black Mountain have
shown over the past several years in
planting and maintaining trees in
the Town. Mayor Tom Sobol has
proclaimed Friday. Dec. 9, 1983. as
Arbor Day in the Town of Black
Mountain. A commemorative tree
planting will be held at 10 a m. at
the intersection of US 70 and Old US
70 on the west side of town. This is
one of the areas designated by the
Urban Forestry Commission for
beautification.
Representatives from the Board
of Aldermen, the Urban Forest: \
Commission, and Town Hall will he
on hand for the planting. All
interested citizens are invited to
attend.
Aldermen
to meet
Following the oath of office for
the re-elected Alderman and the
appointment of a Vice-Mayor, the
town board will consider these
items of new business when they
hold their regularly scheduled
monthly meeting in the town hall at
7:30 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 12.
To be considered are sidewalks,
amendments to the zoning
ordinance, resolutions to accept W.
College Street, tax releases. Church
Street sidewalk bids and an appoint
ment to the planning board.
Communications from the Mayor
and Town Administrator will bring
the Board up-to-date on events
since the last meeting.
This is an open meeting and the
public is welcome.
SVFD Board
to meet
Thursday
The regular monthly meeting of
the Board of Directors of the
Swannanoa Volunteer Fire Depart
ment will be held on Thursday, Dec.
8. at 7:30 p.m. at the fire station.