Blue Ridge Adopts Millage, Passes Budget Amendment

Blue Ridge passed its millage rate for the 2012 fiscal year this week. During its Tuesday meeting, city council voted unanimously to adopt a millage rate of 6.32 mills. During the meeting, Mayor Donna Whitener commented that the millage rate has not changed since last year. The county, however, has experienced a slight decrease in its tax digest. Although not mentioned during the meeting, council also passed a rollback rate. The amount of the rollback, though, was not listed in the ordinance passed by council. FYN has requested a copy of the rollback rate.

Additionally, council passed a budget amendment during the meeting. The amendment includes a variety of items. One of the items in the amendment is funds which will be used for a renovation plan to the Farmer’s Market in Blue Ridge. The Farmer’s Market was recently the object of local attention. Last month, city council was faced with choosing a location for the forthcoming ice skating rink. By the end of the month, council had a choice between locating the rink either near the Farmer’s Market or in the park downtown. In the end, council decided to locate the rink downtown, for variety of reasons, but mainly due to exposure. This week, though, the Farmer’s Market once again received attention.

During a workshop Tuesday, the mayor and council discussed the renovation project. According to the discussion, some suggestions for renovations include installing restrooms and a ramp for the Farmer’s Market facility, in addition to other structural work. In its meeting Tuesday night, council approved to move forward with the renovations. Whitener said that the money for the renovations will come from the hotel/motel tax revenues. In an email to FYN this week, she explained the concrete work will cost under $9000, but said she does not have an estimate on the building yet. She went on to say that the city’s crew will work through the winter on the structure. As such, the main expense, she said, will be supplies. Whitener added that the work will not require bids, because the work will be done by the city’s crew. She also noted that the city will have until the end of the year to spend the $20,000 from hotel/motel tax revenue. If not, the Blue Ridge must return the money to the state. The mayor said the city will begin the project in November and work through the winter.

Council also approved a resolution designating Blue Ridge as a Benton MacKaye Trail town and a right away deed for Blue Ridge Healthcare Properties to clarify some old boundaries.