Everybody’s talking green

Commissioners briefed on solar energy and community gardens

By Frank Bradley
Sentinel writer
Mother nature may have turned the county’s foliage yellow, gold and brown, but in the Cherokee County Courthouse on Monday, most  folks were talking green. Green energy through solar power; growing produce in the county’s community garden and even looking for ways to sprout new jobs through agriculture.
Dr. Stephen Lane, the county’s school superintendent, told the commissioners that the school board is pursuing a solar project through partnership with the TVA, Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative and Solar Energy Initiatives to increase energy efficiency in the schools. A plan that could save almost $2 million over 20 years. He said the plan entails the installation of solar panels on about two and a half acres of land near the Martin’s Creek School at no cost to the county or school system.
Lane asked that the Board of Commissioners grant a waiver on two items: a waiver to North Carolina General Statute 115C-518 so that the cost reduction is not applied to reduce the Board of Education’s indebtedness for school related projects, and for it to provide a statement that the commissioners do not desire to lease from the Board of Education the five acres, more or less at martins Creek School for a period of up to 20 years for a solar project.
Lane said he expects this project to not only save a substantial amount of money for the schools through energy efficiency, but that it also provides educational opportunities for students at Martin’s Creek and for field trips by other schools in the county.
The board also got a report regarding the success of the county’s community garden, which was started this spring at a site near the old landfill. It was reported that there were 18 participants, who gardened together to grow corn, potatoes, beans, squash and other vegetables. Some had never put in a garden before and so it was a learning experience for them. Keith Wood said they followed an Integrated Pest Management system, which was to use the least environmentally harmful method first. He called this first year a “grace year” in that the insects hadn’t found the garden yet, so they didn’t have to use pesticides. Also, no fertilizer was used, just lime and chicken manure. Four-H kids, about ten to fifteen of them, staked and ran strings for the beans to run on. Also, the garden had six rows of laid plastic, providing each participant with a third of a row on which to grow assorted vegetables.
Shannon Coleman worked with the youth, teaching them how to preserve the produce by freezing an canning. Teresa Wiley taught and demonstrated the preservation methods to the adults, some who were learning for the first time. The gardeners provided 10 percent of their yield to the county food bank.
Alan Williams of the Sheriff’s Department was thanked for having plowed the garden. A Sweet Potato Day is planned for Nov 12 as a final wind down of this year’s garden. Plans are also underway to continue the garden next year. The commissioners gave their approval for use of the land. Grants are being sought after to provide funding for a walk-in- cooler. Wood said some of the gardeners were looking at ways next year to possibly market the produce they grow.
In other matters, the board of commissioners approved a resolution for the abandonment and blockage of a section of state road 1547, also known as Clayton Road, near the intersection of old US 64, from the state maintained road system. All property owners adjacent to the section of the road had agreed to its closure.
The board also approved an amended change to a previously passed Water/Sewer project, designating McGill & Associates as the most qualified firm determined from a composite grading score.  It approved a revision to a JCPC budget, which added on approximately $20,000 that had provided by state funds that previously had not been expected.
The board also approved two budget amendments for the use of $2,000 in drug taxes to be used by the Sheriff’s Department for the purchase of two FEMA trailer, as well as the use of designated Sales Taxes for school capital outlay.