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Tuesday, 25 July 2006 12:09 |
By DAVID FORBES
WOODFIN ?? The Woodfin Board of Aldermen on July 18 voted 4-1 to appoint Virgil Hollifield, a local businessman, to fill a vacant aldermen??s seat.
?®I??m interested in seeing Woodfin grow,?∆ Hollifield said. ?®I??m looking forward to it. There are a lot of exciting changes coming and I want to be a part of that.?∆
Later,
Hollifield told the Daily Planet that he also hopes to ?®bring more good
family businesses into Woodfin and to get more activities for the
family and get everyone involved with big things. I want to get more
people out.?∆
Hollifield, who regularly attends board meetings and unsuccesfully ran
for a seat last November, recently was known for speaking and
campaigning against liquor-by-the-drink in the town. Despite his
efforts, the referendum was approved in May.
The seat became vacant in mid-June when then-alderman Ron Dayton
resigned after being arrested for driving under the influence of
alcohol. With the appointment, Hollifield will serve until the next
election for the board, which will be held in 2007.
Hollifield, who has lived in Woodfin for 33 years, is the owner of
Virgil??s Delivery Service. He has served on the town??s planning and
zoning board and most recently on the board of the Woodfin Fire
Department.
However, he indicated that, once appointed as an alderman, he would
resign that position, as state law prohibits more than the current
number of aldermen serving on a single board.
The lone dissenting vote was for Jackie Bryson, a retiree. Because the
board wrote their votes down on ballots that were then calculated by
Town Administrator Jason Young, it is unknown which alderman cast the
dissenting vote.
The board had five applicants for the seat, including Hollifield and
Bryson. Four of the applicants made brief speeches to the board
outlining their qualifications and their views.
?®I??ve lived in Woodfin all my life ?? 68 years ?? and it??s always been
near and dear to my heart,?∆ Bryson said. ?®I would like to be in on some
of the decisions ?? especially about all the growth in the area. I??ve
had two previous family members serve on the board and it would be a
pleasure to serve and help the town grow.?∆
She also touted her experience serving as secretary and treasurer of the Metropolitan Sewer District.
The next candidate to speak was Ray Gould, who had served a previous term on the board.
?®I enjoyed making those decisions,?∆ Gould said. ?®I enjoyed serving that term. I??d be interested in serving again.?∆
Finally, John Southway, a former executive who has lived in Woodfin for
the last two years, said that he could bring a different perspective
and his managerial experience, to the board.
?®I think my relatively short time in the town can be a benefit ?? maybe
give a clean look at things,?∆ Southway said. ?®I have spent 20 years in
industry. After 20 years of corporate politics as a manufacturing
director, I decided to open a mom-and-pop hardware store in Vermont. I
did that for 20 years, too. I am now at the point where I??m ready to
give some time to community service. This is a great town, with great
people and I look forward to bringing my perspective to that.?∆
After his appointment, Hollifield was sworn in. In brief remarks after
the ceremony, he thanked the board and the town and noted that ?®if
anyone ever needs something, call me, my number??s in the book.?∆
In other action, the board:
?ÿ Heard remarks from opponents to a series of annexations that the town
is currently undertaking. The proposed involuntary annexations of areas
to the north, east and west of the town would increase its population
by 50 percent and nearly double its area.
Residents of the areas have asserted that Woodfin will not
substantially increase their services and that the annexations are
motivated by greed. Around 280 people, most of them opponents of the
annexations, showed up for a public hearing in June.
One of those residents, Rick Clemenze, spoke at that earlier hearing
and said that one month later, he still doubted the board??s motives.
?®For you to annex us without any prior discussion or anything ?? for
you to just spring that on us without any sort of public forums or
anything was just outright disgraceful,?∆ Clemenze said. ?®I??m shocked.
Everyone I know that lives in Woodfin are really nice people and I??m
shocked that you would take such an approach. I have to believe that
there are some ulterior motives probably involved.?∆
He then asked the board if they would in any way profit from the annexations or owned any land that would be affected.
Mayor Jerry VeHaun replied that no one on the board had such ties.
?®As far as I know, no one does,?∆ VeHaun reiterated.
In response, Clemenze said ?®Okay. Well we??re going to fight this ??
mostly legally. As far as I know, there are no new services we??re
getting except rubbish removal. If you would drop this come to us and
work in a coordinated way with us and Weaverville, I??m sure we would be
interested. But doing it this way is just uncalled for.?∆
Later in the meeting??s public comment period, Gary Brock, also a Woodland Hills resident, spoke against the annexations.
?®Y??all are taxing us for nothing,?∆ Brock said. ?®If you were giving us
water and sewer I??d be using the same amount of energy to support this
as I am to fight it ?? and we are fighting it.?∆
Earlier, VeHaun criticized a letter Brock had sent to the Weaverville
Tribune and Asheville Citizen-Times newspapers, arguing against the
annexation, asserting that it contained misinformation.
?®You talked
about the sign and the condition of some of the roads ?? those are
maintained by the state,?∆ VeHaun said. ?®You also stated Jason (Young)
lives in Weaverville ?? he does not. You can say what you want ??
that??s your privilege, but get your facts straight.?∆
The board will hold another public hearing concerning the annexations on Aug. 15.
?ÿ Voted unanimously to change the zoning for the 5-acre site of the
Woodfin Trailer Park, located on Riverside Drive, from heavy industrial
use to the town??s recently created Mountain Village designation, which
encourages denser development combining residential, office and
commercial space. The designation is intended to help foster the growth
of a downtown area in Woodfin.
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