CCCRA Annual Meeting recap

The Clay County Communities Revitalization Association (CCCRA) held its annual meeting on October 29 with a potluck supper at the Hayesville First United Methodist Church.  Various speakers from the association described its accomplishments for the past year, and members voted on a new slate of officers for 2010.  Dr. David Moore, professor of archeology at Warren Wilson College, discussed how Clay County might exploit the economic, educational and cultural value of the Nelson Heritage Park.

During 2009, CCCRA and its members have conducted a host of activities to benefit Clay County.  These include:

▪    Construction of a Cherokee winter house at the Nelson Heritage Park.  Students from Western Carolina University under Dr. Jane Eastman, assistant professor of anthropology, worked along side CCCRA volunteers to erect the building.  Thirty-one volunteers contributed 405 hours of work on the project. Construction of a Cherokee summer house is now underway at the same site, which is next to the Old Jail Museum.  The Nelson Heritage Park is expected to draw tourists and school children from outside the county to see how early inhabitants lived.
▪    Completion of the trail work on Jackrabbit Mountain Hiking and Biking Trail.  This is a joint venture with the Southern Appalachian Bicycle Association. Scotty Fane and his crew donated large blocks of time above and beyond the work they contracted to perform.  Construction of various trail head amenities is now underway.  The Mountain High Hikers have identified plants along the trail and will post identifying signs this winter.  Partly as a result of the trail, the Jackrabbit Campground logged a 20% increase in visitors over the summer.  The rather primitive trail traffic counter logged 800 hits in the month of August and 1,000 in September.  Various Atlanta-area chapters of the Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association plan a group ride for November 1.  Thus, the trail is already drawing an increased number of visitors to Clay County.  Plans call for a structure at the trail head that will allow Clay County businesses to advertise their services.
▪    Organizing multiple events during the summer on the square in Hayesville.  These include the Car-B-Que, the Family Fun Fest, and a number of concerts.  The Car-B-Que raised $2,200 and the Family Fun Fest raised $700 that will go to support the economic development of Clay County.  Hundreds of people of all ages attended these events.
▪    Construction of a new Hayesville welcome sign at the corner of routes 64 and 69.
▪    Clean-ups of the Nelson Heritage Park site, the Hayesville town square, the pocket park, and the road through Warne.  Jim Orr of the Clay County Detention Center made jail inmates available to help with clean-up.  CCCRA also donated 130 trash clean-up bags to the elementary school on Earth Day in April.
▪    Participation on the Clay County Comprehensive Planning Committee along with other community organizations.  CCCRA board members Gail Criss and Ron Guggisburg serve on the committee. Its job is to develop a plan that will guide Clay County’s development over the next decade. The committee is currently holding community meetings and focus groups to identify what Clay County residents believe is important for future development.  A survey on the subject is being sent to area residents with their October power bills.  The survey is also available online at www.claycountycomp.wordpress.com.

CCCRA officers for 2010 will be Rob Tiger, president; Margie Weathers, vice president; Sandy Nicolette, secretary; and Millie Bayne, treasurer.  Board directors for the class of 2012 will be Gail Criss, Lou Lanwermeyer, and Sandy Nichols.