JULY 2020

Monthly Newsletter showcasing activities and accomplishments of the departments within Rutherford County Government.

Airport

The aircraft pictured below weathered over night at the Rutherford County Airport on July 9th. This is one of two or three Yugoslavian light fighter/training aircraft privately in the country. It is called a Soko and a rare sight to see at any airport.

Introduced in 1955 Retired in 1978 Approximately 110 aircraft of this type were built.

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Animal Control

Rutherford County Animal Control

Monthly Report

prepared by Kathy Haulk

Total number of animals picked up or surrendered 124

Total number of Dogs/Cats ADOPTED from the shelter 13

Total number of animals returned to owners 15

Total number of animals rescued by groups 46

Total number euthanized this month 7

Calls completed this month 261

In June, Animal Control staff participated in Fire Extinguisher Training for Employees. Animal Con-trol has opened to the public but only by appointment and we are practicing social distancing. There

has been a huge increase in kittens and momma cats this month which is typical for this time of

year. Thanks to the support of the community, we are able to house more cats in our trailer, thus keeping our save-rate as high as possible. Please keep sharing our Facebook posts as this helps increase awareness of animals in our shelter and potentially find adopters. Thank you to everyone

for your continued support.

Stay safe!

Kathy Haulk Supervisor/Office Manager

The Animal Control facility reopened to the public on June 1st with the following precautions in place:

• By appointment only. Must schedule an appointment with the Animal Control facility. Appointment

times will be from 10:00 to 3:00 Monday thru Friday. If you need to schedule an appointment please call 828-287-6025.

• Social distancing guidelines will be followed.

• It is strongly encouraged if you visit our facility to wear a mask. If you already have a mask you are

more than welcome to bring it. The facility will have disposable mask also.

• Each person entering the facility will still be asked screening questions.

• Please wash hands frequently.

• If you are not feeling well please stay at home.

• No clinics will be offered during the month of June

In light of the services that we provide, it is extremely important for us to continue to take precaution-

ary measures. This ensures the facility is being properly cleaned, protects staff, protects citizens and

guarantees that animals continue to receive proper care.

For emergencies, please call the non-emergency dispatch line at: 828-286-2911.

James Kilgo

Director | 656 Laurel Hill Drive, Rutherfordton, NC 28139 | 828-287-6025 (w)

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Cooperative Extension

Hannah Bundy, Horticulture Agent reporting:

I hope you all are doing well. I wanted to share some upcoming event information with you that hopefully can be shared out to your clients and teams. This year we are having the NC Foothills Farm Tour as a virtual event and highlighting individual farms for a week at a time. All of the farms are located in either Polk or Rutherford Counties. Some farms will be sharing photos and doing a photo tour and others are going to be hosting Facebook live events where they provide a farm tour through that platform.

We'll be keeping event times and information updated on our website and Facebook

page, so folks can get access to all the individual farms' events (see flyer on page 4).

Starting on Monday, July 27th, we will be promoting the events each day so everyone can get information and have access to our promo videos. These videos were filmed pre-pandemic to inform what the farms will be discussing and some of the types of

farms that will be involved.

Our website, Facebook, and Instagram accounts are available where people can go to learn more and stay up-to-date. This whole program is being done for free with the goal of connecting people to our farms local-ly, and also, showing community support for those who produce amazing food and fiber products tirelessly

every day.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Best,

Hannah Rutherford County Horticulture Agent NCSU North Carolina Cooperative Extension, Rutherford County

193 Callahan - Koon Rd Suite 164 Spindale, NC 28160 (828)-287-6015

Cynthia Robbins, 4-H Youth Development reporting:

Welcome to Rutherford County 4-H.

We have several clubs throughout the county. Due to COVID-19, all of our

clubs are meeting virtually.

To enroll in 4-H, please visit our online enrollment system at http://nc.4honline.com.

4-H is for ALL boys and girls ages 5-18. Call 828-287-6190 for more information.

Tracy Davis, Family and Consumer

Sciences reporting:

Take advantage of summer’s bounty

to add extra fruits and vegetables to

your diet. Fresh garden produce

provides a taste like no other and

most fresh-picked vegetables need little more

than a drizzle of olive oil and a few sprigs of

herbs to kick up the flavor

Salads are a summer staple for good reason.

They are quick and easy to prepare, packed with

nutrients, and require minimal time in the kitch-

en. Start with a leafy base of greens, add a vari-

ety of vegetables (fresh, canned, or leftover),

toss in some fresh or dried fruit, and nuts or left-

over grilled chicken for added protein If you are

on the go and need to take your salad with you,

wrap it up with this Lunch Wrap recipe.

Lunch Wrap Ingredients:

• 1 (8-inch) 100% whole-wheat tortilla

• 1 tablespoon basil pesto

• ½ cup mixed greens

• 1 ounce Pepper Jack or American cheese, sliced

• ½ cup chopped tomatoes

• ½ cup chopped cucumber

• ½ cup sliced avocado

• 1 fresh green chili, finely diced (optional)

Directions: 1. Warm the tortilla in microwave for 10 – 12 sec-

onds. 2. Spread the basil pesto evenly all over the tortilla. 3. Place mixed greens, cheese slice, tomatoes, cu-

cumber, avocado, and green chili on one side of

the tortilla. Wrap all ingredients in the tortilla by carefully folding in the sides and rolling the side with ingredients towards the empty side.

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Cooperative Extension continued from page 3

We ask our farm tour participants why

they’ve chosen to farm? Click here to see

some of their answers.

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County Manager/Commissioners

The County Manager, Commissioners, and staff continue to work with county and state offi-cials to monitor the COVID-19 pandemic. Rutherford County Departments/Offices are con-tinuing the transition to normal operations while following state guidelines. For those de-

partments that remain closed to the public, staff is available via email, phone and other technological means. We thank you for your patience and compliance as we navigate through the next few weeks. We are committed to continue serving and growing our com-munity. The County Manager, Commissioners and staff were involved in several resourceful tele-phone conference meetings involving the following individuals, departments, boards, and

businesses:

• Governor’s COVID-19 Task Force Update

• Airport Authority

• July Board of Commissioners’ Meeting (pictured below and following pages)

• WCAB Update

• County Attorney

• WNC Managers

• NCACC

• Landslide Mapping Virtual Meeting

• DSS Board

• Law Enforcement Appreciation Breakfast

• County Managers’ Conference Call (surrounding counties)

• Local Government/NC PRO Webinar

• RCED Board

• IPDC Housing

• Isothermal CTP Meeting

• Senior Center Advisory Board

• Community Health Council

• Foothills Health District

• Broad River Water Authority

• Planning and Projects

• Community Revitalization Project for Grad Students

• Partners Board Meeting

• FEMA Funding Grant Review

• Senior Center Volunteer Drive Thru Event

• Trail Partners Discussion

• Lake Lure Community Meeting

• Agenda Review for August Board of Commissioners’ Meeting

The July Board of Commissioners meeting was held on July 6th in compliance with State of Emergency

and Safer At Home Order. In adherence to North Carolina Governor Cooper’s order to limit gatherings to no more than 10 people and to stay at least 6 feet apart, some members of the Board of Commis-

sioners and staff engaged by telephone rather than being physically present. The meeting was live streamed and could be seen by visiting the Rutherford County webpage at www.rutherfordcountync.gov. Although the July 6 meeting was a public meeting, everyone was strongly encouraged to watch the live stream from home. Rutherford County is making every effort to ensure that the public can view the meeting while maintaining all COVID-19 requirements and keeping the public and employees safe. The

County thanks our citizens for their patience and understanding during this pandemic (pictured below and following pages).,

The next Board of Commissioners’ meeting will be held August 3, 2020 at 6:00 pm.

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County Manager and Commissioners continued from page 5

Order of Business

RC Board of Commissioners’ July Agenda

• Appointments were made to Rutherford County Boards and Commissions

• Commissioner Benfield was appointed to serve as Voting Delegate to NCACC Annual Conference.

Vice Chairman Toney was approved to serve as alternate Voting Delegate.

• Director Don Cason, TDA, provided an update to the Board on the Tourism Development Authority

(pictured below).

• The Board approved the amended CRF (Coronavirus Relief Fund) Plan and directed the County

Manager, County Attorney, and Finance Director Paula Roach (pictured below left) to incorporate

the increased allocation amounts and conditions as per HB 1023 into the inter-local agreements with the municipalities.

• Under ‘New Business’, the following were approved by the board:

Budget Amendments

Reimbursement Resolution for Vehicles and Equipment

Maintenance of Effort Funds Recommendation

Charge to Collect and Annual Tax Collections’ Settlement Report (Revenue Director Sherry Lav-

ender pictured below right)

Hickory Nut Gorge

EMS and Rescue Lease Agreement presented

by Transportation Ser-vices Director, Kerry Giles (pictured below left)

Resolution Awarding

Sergeant David Jen-kins’ Service Side Arm presented by Sheriff Francis (pictured below right)

Rutherford County

911 Center IRU Agree-ment presented by IT Director Jai Doherty.

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County Manager and Commissioners continued from pages 5-6

Congratulations, Commissioner Michael Benfield !!!

On July 24, 2020, Mr. Benfield gradu-

ated from the Professional Develop-

ment Academy, earning a Master Cer-

tificate in Leadership.

Leadership is a learning journey, and

Commissioner Benfield has demon-

strated a strong commitment to that

journey by successfully engaging in

the Professional Development Acade-

my. We, of Rutherford County, are

proud of your achievement.

Upon graduation, the Professional De-

velopment Academy presented Com-

missioner Benfield with a personally

signed copy of the book, “It Worked

For Me” by General Colin Powell, to

add to his library.

The Commissioner has demonstrated

many hours of hard work and dedication to becoming a better leader and continues to strive to

be the best leader he can possibly be.

Thank you, Commissioner Benfield, for your dedicated service and leadership in Rutherford

County.

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County Manager and Commissioners continued from pages 5-7

Isothermal Community College Board of Trustees Swearing In Ceremony

Left to right: Chivous Bradley, Roger Jolly, and Commissioner Alan Toney were sworn in for new terms of office by Assistant Controller Leslie Blankenship before the Board of Trustees meeting on July 7, 2020.

Special Thanks

County Manager Steve Garrison and Commis-sioners extend a special ‘thank you’ and heart-felt appreciation to the Rutherford County Sen-ior Center staff for their dedication and service. The Center is serving, on an daily average, 490 seniors in the drive-thru line, Meals on Wheels,

and delivery. Click on link for video: https://

www.facebook.com/rutherfordcountysenior/videos/624111988240613/?t=53 (Pictures be-

low are from July 21, 2020.)

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Emergency Operations Center and Fire Marshal

Recent article in Daily Courier

10

Human Resources

NEW EMPLOYEES

Full time

Timothy McLaughlin (Sheriff) Olivia Caldwell (Senior Center)

Tina Elmore (DSS)

Part time Patrick Kavanagh (Transit)

RETIREMENT

Ricky McKinney (Sheriff Dept.) Robert Owens (Sheriff Dept)

Sarah Harris (DSS)

We appreciate you and wish you the best in your retirement.

The HR Director held meetings to discuss personnel issues, exit interviews, and retirements by phone or limited one on one contact. Additionally the HR department:

• Attended Commissioner meeting

• Conducted monthly orientation

• Attended multiple phone conferences/webinars

• Completed payroll

• Continue to monitor and complete ESC claims

• Held our first annual Law Enforcement Pancake Breakfast (pictures on pages 12-13)

• Attended John Carroll’s Director of the Year reception

• Continue to work with Foothills Health Department on COVID related issues

Thank You

Staff has managed to make adjustments to COVID restrictions, and Rutherford County continues

to provide necessary services.

A big thank you to all departments.

Debra Conner, Director Human Resources

Annual blood drive scheduled for May will be rescheduled at a later date. Thank you to all that

signed up to give.

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Human Resources continued from page 10

Rutherford County held an appreciation breakfast on July

10, 2020 to honor all law enforcement officers in Ruther-

ford County. The County, along with several local business-

es, extend a heartfelt thanks to all law enforcement agen-

cies for their hard work and the sacrifices they make each

day. Pictures of County staff below and on following pages.

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Human Resources continued from pages 10-11

On July 9, the Human Resource staff attended the

award ceremony for DSS Director John Carroll, who

received Director of the Year for 2020 for Outstand-

ing Service to NCACDSS.

Congratulations, John. Thank you for your service.

(See more pictures under DSS report.)

Thank you to our sponsors: McDonald’s, Big Dave’s

Family Restaurant, US Foods, Tony’s Produce, and

staff members of Rutherford County.

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Library

Library Board of Trustees Meeting on Tuesday, July 21, 2020 The Library Board of Trustees held their quarterly

meeting on Tuesday, July 21 at the County Li-brary and online using Zoom. In May, District 2 representative and board chairperson, Mary San-dra Costner, retired after three terms. Robin Smith also retired after one term representing District 4. Current member James Edwards (“Jim”) is now serving as the chairperson of the

board. Library Director April Young is currently seeking two citizens, one from each District 2 and District 4, to serve on the Library Board of Trus-tees. The primary responsibilities of the Library Board of Trustees include advocating for the li-brary in the community; monitoring and evaluat-

ing the overall effectiveness of the library; plan-ning for the future of the library; and helping set the parameters of how the library operates. If you are interested or know anyone who may like to serve a three-year term, please contact April

Y o u n g a t 8 2 8 - 2 8 7 - 6 1 1 7 o r april.young@rutherfordcountync.gov. Board

members meet quarterly for approximately an hour to discuss library business.

Lake Lure Flowering Bridge Story Time in August

Ms. Tamara Edwards, the Children’s Library Asso-

ciate with Rutherford County Library, is excited to

partner with the non-profit Lake Lure Flowering

Bridge organization for a Story Time located in

the Secret Garden on Tuesday, August 4 at 10:30

a.m. The family-friendly, outdoor program will

include stories about gardening and garden-

friendly insects, as well as a craft for participants.

Face coverings for adults and older children are

greatly encouraged. Lake Lure Flowering Bridge

is located at 3608 Memorial Highway, Lake Lure,

NC 28746.

Summer Programming Summer Programming is wrapping up at the end

of July for the Rutherford County Libraries. We

have had success with our take-home maker kits,

like the brush bots and Harry Potter wands. Addi-

tionally, staff created instructional videos demon-

strating how to complete the projects and posted

them to both our library website and You-Tube

channel. For summer readers who wish to be

eligible for the prize drawings, the deadline for

turning in summer reading logs is July 31. Read-

ers who log 500 minutes of reading will have one

entry in the drawing, while kids who read for

1000 minutes will have two entries submitted.

Summer Programming continued: Winners will be

announced the first week of August. This year’s

prizes include art kits, magnetic puzzle sets, and a

tent with walkie-talkies! Reading logs can be

turned in at County, Haynes or Mountains Library

locations in person or through the book drop.

Readers can also scan or take a photo and send

their logs via email or messenger, making sure to

include their name and phone number on the log in

the event their reading log is drawn as a winner.

New 3-D Printer for County Library Maker Space

The week of July 20, Rutherford County Library

received a new 3-D Printer to replace our old mod-

el, which has been irretrievably broken for several

months. The new 3-D printer, made by Flashforge,

has a duel extruder, meaning it has two nozzle

heads and is capable of using a range of different

filaments, as well as printing in two different colors.

Additionally, the Creator Pro 3-D Printer is based

on open source technology, thereby allowing for

various modifications and flexible upgrades.

Due to COVID-19, the Maker Space at Rutherford

County Library is currently closed to the public. We

look forward to announcing the re-opening of the

Maker Space and introducing our shiny new gadget

when we are able to move into a future phase as

determined by state and local officials. Keep an eye

on the library’s Instagram and Facebook pages for

upcoming announcements.

Library Associate Relocates The library staff and patrons are greatly saddened by the departure of Mrs. Johanna Berry, our part-time bilingual

library associate. Johanna has been with the library for a year and has been ex-tremely valuable in assisting patrons, translating library materials, expanding our

Spanish language collection, and leading popular pro-gramming like the Latin Cooking Series (pre-COVID). She and her family are mov-ing to Florida, and while we will miss her tremendously,

library staff wishes her and her family every success!

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Library continued from page 13

Mountains Branch Library is observing its 25th birthday this

year. To help celebrate, the Friends of the Mountains

Branch Library commissioned a new mural in the Chil-

dren’s area of the building. The artist is named Lindsay

Ficklin and she is from Forest City. Lindsay is a Senior at

Appalachian State University majoring in Communications.

Tamara Edwards, ‘Ms.

Tamara” virtually read-

ing “Cowboy Bunnies”

on YouTube (pictured

below).

https://

www.youtube.com/

watch?

v=PNjhIJLkZ1E&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwA

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Register of Deeds

Assumed Business Names 17

Certificates of Satisfaction 201

Deeds 342

Deeds of Trust 204

Plats/Surveys 32

Powers of Attorney 45

Various other documents 102

Certified Vital Records Issued 566

Marriage Licenses Issued 24

Notary Public Oaths 17

Senior Center

The Senior Center celebrated our Volunteers this month. Thinking ‘outside the box”, we invited our vol-unteers to a Drive-Thru Celebration, Friday, July 17th from 1pm-2pm. We had a total of 47 volunteers drive through (pictured below). We decorated with a Hawaiian theme and played Hawaiian music. Each

volunteer received some refreshing tropical punch, White Chocolate Covered Oreos from America’s Fudge Shop in Forest City, a special “VIP- Very Incredible People” tote bag, as well as a few other surprises. They were very appreciative and many voiced how they missed the staff and the Center, and could not wait to be back.

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Senior Center continued from page 15

Over 135 Commodity Food Boxes were distributed this month.

Olivia Caldwell has joined our team as Nutrition Manager!

Marie Chan, with the help of Barbara Hill, made a Yoga video this month that was posted on the Senior Center Face-book page. The Center is working to

increase virtual opportunities for our seniors (pictured right). Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Pro-gram (SFMNP)

The Senior Center participated in the

Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Pro-gram (SFMNP) this year. SFMNP has dual goals – one is “to improve the nu-tritional status of the congregate nutri-tion site participants by enabling them to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables

at local farmer’s markets,” and the sec-ond goal is to “stimulate business for the local farmers and create a greater awareness of the farmer’s market.” To be eligible for this program a senior must participate in our congregate meal

program and have a self-declared low income of 185% at or below poverty level. Approved seniors received a set of eight coupons valued at $3 each for a total of $24 that they can spend at a

local farmer’s market.

Operation Fan Heat Relief The Senior Center received a grant to

purchase fans from contributions from Dominion Resources, Duke Energy Car-olinas, and Duke Energy Progress

through the Division of Aging and Adult

Services. We were able to purchase and distribute 39 fans to seniors this year. The criteria to get a fan: must reside in Rutherford County; be age 60 or older or have a disability; and must have a home situation where a

threat to health and well-being exists.

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Sheriff’s Office

Special Order

Number 7

• Charlie McLaughlin Jr., new hire, full-time Road Patrol, effective 6/29/2020.

• Corporal Ryan Bailey to Investigator Criminal Investigations Division, effective 6/29/2020.

• Susan Lawter, full-time 911 Communication to part-time, effective 7/15/2020.

• Ptl. David Suttles, Road Patrol to Investigator with CID, effective 7/27/2020.

• Shane Holtzclaw from Criminal Investigations Division to Grant SRO, effective 7/27/2020.

• Robert Owens, retirement from ICC SRO, effective 8/01/2020.

• Trey Hooper, to full-time SRO at ICC, effective 07/27/2020.

• Paul Mitchel to full-time Road Patrol, effective 7/27/2020.

• Jarrett Guffey, Criminal Interdiction to Narcotic Division, effective 7/27/2020.

• Will Chavez-Perez promoted to Corporal Criminal Interdiction, effective 7/27/2020.

• Stephen Ellis, Narcotics to Shift Lieutenant Road Patrol, effective 7/27/2020.

Senior Center continued from pages 15-16

18

911 Communications

Call Summary

Rutherford County Communications

240 N. Washington Street

Rutherfordton, NC 28139

Monthly Report Date: June 2020

Total 911 Calls Total Admin Calls Total Calls

3,825 9,175 13,000

DEPUTY BURGESS RECEIVES INTERMEDIATE LAW ENFORCEMENT CERTIFICATE

Deputy Jeff Burgess, II was approved by the N.C. Sheriff’s Educational and Training Standards

Commission to receive the Intermediate Law Enforcement Certificate.

“By virtue of the authority vested in the laws of the State and in recognition of meritorious pro-

gress in pursuing the training and educational objectives commensurate with the role of a pro-

fessional Deputy Sheriff and of dedicated service to the people of North Carolina, the Attorney

General and the Chairman and Members of the North Carolina Sheriff’s Education and Training

Standards Commission award to Jeffrey S. Burgess, II this Intermediate Law Enforcement Certi-

ficate."

Sheriff Chris Francis presented the certificate to Deputy Burgess on July 21, 2020.

Congratulations, Deputy Burgess!

Sheriff’s Office continued from page 17

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911 Communications continued from page 18

HELP WANTED

Several signs, including STOP signs, have

been taken from Thermal Belt Rail Trail in

the last few weeks. If you have any infor-

mation regarding the individual(s) responsi-

ble for these Class 1 Misdemeanors, please

contact 911 or Thermal Belt Rail Trail

through messenger or website (pictured

left).

Congratulations to Director Greg Dotson on obtain-

ing his EMT state credential this past month (pictured

right).

Date: July 10, 2020

To: RC Government Staff

Thank you for the wonderful pancake breakfast, Rutherford County Government staff!

From: 911 Communications

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Social Services

CONGRATULATIONS to DSS Director, John Carroll! John was presented the Director of the Year for 2020

for Outstanding Service to NCACDSS. The Association held their monthly meeting via Zoom on July 9, 2020, due to COVID-19, and Josh Kennedy, Director of Health and Human Services from Polk County,

presented the award, along with County Manager Steve Garrison (pictured left).

Thank you, John, for your dedicated service.

(Pictures below and on page 21.)

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Social Services continued from page 20

22

Soil and Water

Resource Conservation Administrator spent the month:

• Completing end of the year soil and water activities

• Attending Cleghorn Creek community meeting

• Meetings with Mountain Valley RC&D

• Attending department head meetings

District Administration and Education Specialist:

• Participated in the 2021 Contest Theme webinar

• Participated in Virtual Lesson Planning with Wakelet

• Participated in Communication Skills webinar

• Participated in Envirothon Web Conferences

• Participated in Effective Group Management webinar

• Completed Monthly Checklist

Recently, an interesting article was written by

Larry McDermott, a retired journalist and owner

of an organic farm in Rutherfordton, spotlight-

ing Soil and Water Director, Brandon Higgins’

daughter, C.J. (See pictures and article below

and on page 23.)

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Soil and Water continued from page 22

24

Solid Waste

• Customers served: 2379

• Loads hauled from convenience center: 373

• MSW loads shipped to Lenoir: 167

• Recycling loads shipped to Conover/ Ashe-

ville: 3/15

• Tire customers: 73

Please continue to recycle! Visit our website

f o r m o r e i n f o : h t t p s : / /

www.rutherfordcountync.gov/departments/

solid_waste/recycle.php

July Activity

Director James Kilgo

• Worked on budget, reports and contracts.

• Participated in Department Head Telephone

Conference Meeting.

• Participated in Rutherford County COVID-

19 Community Incident Response Team Check-in and Follow Up web conference.

• Met with Airport Director Devon Raisch to

discuss grounds maintenance.

Staff at the Transfer Station

• Picking up trash around the building and in

the scales a

• Cleaning when they are not busy with

loads.

Office Staff

• Busy helping customers that are coming in

with trash,

• C/D and other materials to dispose, direct-

ing where the customers need to go while

working on maintaining safe social distanc-

ing.

• Thank you to ladies in the Finance Depart-

ment for “breaking” their piggy banks to

help our department with the shortage of

change we are experiencing.

C&D Staff

• Caring for customers and hauling dirt for

cover.

Airport Staff

• Cutting grass at airport.

The Shop

• Performing preventative maintenance on

machinery

• Servicing airport trucks

• Repairing container walls for centers

• Landfill vehicles repair

Landfill Supervisor

• Helping with trash pick up

• Hauling dirt and various other tasks

Center Supervisor

• Assisting with driving

• Keeping up Centers making sure they have

hand sanitizer, face masks, and gloves.

Recycle Coordinator

• Worked on recycle inspections and contacted

towns and haulers to discuss the recycle that

is being received at the transfer station and

sent to the MRF. The towns are doing an

amazing job working together to make sure

the proper education and procedures are be-

ing done to help the residents recycle cor-

rectly.

• Starting July 1st, recycle from Rutherford

County is being sent to Curbie in Asheville.

We will work hard to provide the best recycle

that Rutherford County can offer!

• Part of the recycle outreach materials being

created for the public knowledge are bro-

chures, banners, information inserts in both

Spanish and English, and soon cart decals to

go on the roll-out carts on school and county

office facilities. This will help eliminate the

confusion of what goes in the recycle bin and

what does not. Everyone is encouraged to

help a friend, family or neighbor get in the

know-how about the County recycle program

(see picture below).

25

Tourism Development Authority

26

Tourism Development Authority continued from page 25

Congratulations to TDA Director Don Cason and his team! Thank you for all you do to promote

Rutherford County! (Article from E-Paper Reader/MyNews.OnTheGo)

27

Transportation Services

EMS

Rutherford County Emergency Medical Services has continued to help

Emergency Management within the EOC, plus we are assisting Foothills Health District in testing for COVID-19 every Wednesday. Standard daily and weekly EOC duties include analysis of positive cases, posting of up-dated numbers, contact with all positive patients, and 6-8 personnel at

the drive-thru testing sites.

It has been our pleasure to have our Community Paramedic Amanda Wat-son leading the Strike Team for the COVID-19 response. As of today, the

strike team has made over 1,520 contacts.

Congratulations to Director Giles on obtaining her EMT state credential

this past month (pictured right).

In-Service this month focused on practicing and testing of critical skills for

Airway, Cardiac, and Trauma. All employees were able to rotate through

the testing area while maintaining social distance for their evaluation.

Also, during this month, with the help of the IT and the Maintenance De-partment, an access control system was installed at Station 1 in Spindale. This will provide greater

safety and security of our facility. Thank you to all those who helped get this project completed.

July Breakdown of Call Volume

EMD Complaint Details

Pandemic/Epidemic/Outbreak 309

Transfer/Interfacility/Palliative Care 100

Sick Person 79

Traffic Accident 66

Falls 62

Breathing Problem 58

Chest Pain (Non-Traumatic) 58

Stroke/CVA 30

Unconscious/Fainting 29

Medical Alarm 21

Hemorrhage/Laceration 20

Heart Problems/AICD 19

Psychiatric Problem/Abnormal Behavior/Suicide Attempt 19

Traumatic Injury 18

Convulsions/Seizure 17

Overdose/Poisoning/Ingestion 17

Cardiac Arrest/Death 16

Diabetic Problem 15

Assault 9

Choking 6

Animal Bite 5

Back Pain (Non-Traumatic) 4

Pregnancy/Childbirth 4

Allergic Reaction/Stings 3

No Other Appropriate Choice 3

Unknown Problem/Person Down 3

Abdominal Pain/Problems 2

Assist Invalid 2

Electrocution/Lightning 2

Headache 2

Stab/Gunshot Wound/Penetrating Trauma 2

Altered Mental Status 1

Burns/Explosion 1

EMS Special Service 1

Well Person Check 1

28

Transportation Services continued from page 27

From Director Kerry Giles:

Thomas Mathis has been a part-time paramedic with us for the past year. He has filled in for several em-ployees that have been out on FMLA. Thomas is a very sharp young man. He is leaving EMS this week to start medical school (which we knew when we hired him). The following is a FB post he posted on his Fa-cebook page this month. We are so proud of him and would love to have him come back to Rutherford

County when he has completed school.

29

Transportation Services continued from pages 27-28

With SUMMER here, we would like to give some tips from the CDC on helping

to prevent POOL related emergencies.

Transit

Transit offices remain closed to outside visitors unless entrance to the facility is needed to meet with

staff in the office. Transit staff and drivers continue their commitment to providing safe and efficient

transportation to our passengers daily. Drivers continue to enforce face coverings for all riders including

themselves while on board the vehicles along with trying to maintain social distancing to best of their

ability. Drivers sanitize the vans before and after their routes and as often as possible during their

routes and circulate the vans with outside air.

Below are the numbers for Transit for the past month. We continue to experience on average around

60% fewer rides weekly during the COVID-19 pandemic

FY 2020-2021

Week of July 5 - July 11

Week of Jun 28- Ju1 4

Week of Jun 21- Jun 27

Week of Jun 14- Jun 20

TYPE

WEEKLY

AVG

CUR-RENT

WEEK

CUR-RENT

WEEK

CUR-RENT

WEEK

CUR-RENT

WEEK

Total Miles 5,607 5,569 5,278 5,550 6,029

# of Local Trips 444 442 372 466 496

# of Out of County Trips 59 59 63 54 60

# Unduplicated Pas-sengers 156 138 129 140 156

Total Revenue $10,777 $10,255 $10,587 $10,466 $11,799

30

Transportation Services continued from pages 27-29

Transit is in process of having Lexan driver shields/barriers installed in the Transit vans to help

control potential exposure to COVID-19 for the drivers as well as the passengers.

Shields have been installed in all LTV’s and two of the Ford Transit vans. Our plan is to have shields installed in all our vehicles in the next two to three weeks if possible. Below are pictures showing the Transit van shield installation and the LTV shield installation.

Transit is happy to welcome Pat Ka-vanagh (pictured below) as a part-time Transit driver. He has completed orien-

tation and training and is out providing service daily and doing a great job. Welcome, Pat!

31

North Carolina Broadband Survey

Taking the Survey

The survey takes about 5 minutes to complete and is available in both English and Span-

ish. Participants are encouraged to also take the optional internet speed test to connect

survey data with broadband speed information.

For Homes & Businesses With Internet Service

For homes or businesses with internet service, the participant should take the survey

online from the location being reported, ideally from a wired connection. This will allow

the speed test and other survey data to be tied to the exact location.

Take the Survey

https://ncsu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cBEBegH1gCABRKl?inst=bio&source=web

For Homes & Businesses Without Internet Service

For locations being reported without internet service, the participant can take the survey

by phone. Residents without internet service but with phones capable of text messaging

can text “internet” to 919-750-0553. Standard text messaging rates will apply.

Can't Text?

Residents with landlines or cellphones that do not have texting capability may place a

voice call to 919-750-0553. An interactive voice response system will guide them through

a series of short questions to obtain the caller’s address and register it in the database as

having no internet capability at all.

32

We encourage you, the citizens, of Rutherford County to do your part in the 2020

Census. The U.S. Constitution mandates a census of the population every 10 years. The 2020 Census will count everyone who lives in the U.S. as of April 1,

2020. Census statistics help determine the number of seats each state holds in the U.S. House of Representatives and how billions of dollars in federal funds will be allocated by state, local, and federal lawmakers every year for the next 10

years.

Respond NOW!

Stop by the Farmers Market in

Forest City

Saturdays, 8:00 am to 12:00 pm.

https://www.facebook.com/rcncfarmersmarket/videos/755294418575617/?t=2

33

Dalton will retire as Isothermal’s president

SPINDALE (June 29, 2020) — Walter Dalton, president of Isothermal Community College, will retire in February 2021,

he announced Thursday.

Dalton made his announcement to trustees, faculty and staff

via email. The former North Carolina lieutenant governor, state senator and attorney has been president of the college since May 2013. This year, he has also served as president of the North Carolina Community College Presidents’ Associ-

ation.

Dalton, whose contract runs through June 2021, told trus-tees his decision was motivated by the desire to spend time

with family.

“At that time, I will be approaching my 72nd birthday and I

want to enjoy as many springs as I can and enjoy them with my family, who have stood beside me and behind me through every phase of my professional life as an attorney,

an elected public servant, and as an educator,” Dalton wrote

to the trustees.

The Board of Trustees will meet on Tuesday, July 7, and are

expected to plan the timeline and process for hiring a new president.

“I knew I was going to get that letter one of these days,” said Chairman Roger Jolly, “While it wasn’t a shock, I just wish he’d stay a little longer because he has done such a terrific job for our community,

our students, our employees and our trustees. His devotion and commitment to Isothermal have been

so valuable. He will be sorely missed and we have a big job ahead of us to fill his shoes.”

“On a personal note, I wish him nothing but the best and I’m glad he will be here until February and

the college can continue to benefit from his leadership,” said Jolly.

Dalton, the college’s fifth president, has built a strong legacy in his seven years of service.

“As I reflect, I am proud and pleased with the accomplishments of the Isothermal family during my time in your service,” Dalton wrote to the trustees. “Several new programs have been implemented,

such as the RIBN program with Western Carolina University; the equine studies which have been cre-ated, the program in dental assisting; hospitality and culinary initiatives; iTECH; and the Global Dis-

tinction program, to name a few.

“We have received a record number of grants through ARC, USDA, USEDA, The Stonecutter Founda-

tion, the Golden Leaf Foundation, Z. Smith Reynolds, the Cannon Foundation, Farm Credit, The O. Max Gardner Foundation and others. This, together with local support, has resulted in the construction of the Engineering, Technology and Workforce Development Building, the Agribusiness Complex, new chemistry labs, campus beautification, and new equipment and technology. With the support of the Rutherford and Polk county commissioners and state bond funds, we have been able to make much

needed roof and HVAC repairs. These investments should serve the college well for years to come.”

Dalton noted some other accomplishments during his tenure.

“We have seen a wealth of very special guests in science, literature, military, government, entertain-ment, and sports grace our campus, including a former governor, a former head of the Joint Chiefs of

Staff, a leading global scientist in regenerative medicine, and another globally renowned scientist on atmosphere and weather,” he said. “Supreme Court Justices, multiple New York Times bestsellers, NFL owners, and more, engaged with the college and saw its beauty. Some of these appearances led to public television productions on campus by Carolina Business Week and North Carolina Book-watch. New community oriented ventures such as the Veterans Concert and the Earl Scruggs Music Festival have been initiated and will continue to bear fruit. Intramurals and other activities for stu-dents have grown. In addition, we earned our ten-year accreditation reaffirmation from SACSCOC (the

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Committee on Colleges), which is critical to our ongoing

mission.”

Dalton gives credit to the college employees and trustees for all of these successes.

“In this and all things mentioned, it took a team effort and the devotion and dedication of our faculty

and staff is unparalleled,” Dalton said. “They believe in ‘taking our students from where they are and

taking them as far as they want to go.’ They also work hard to meet the ‘Challenge of Change’ which

our students and our community face. These phrases were spoken in 1963 by Dallas Herring, the ar-

chitect of North Carolina’s Community College System. As long as we adhere to that vision, we cannot

go wrong.”

34

County Manager Steve Garrison

Rutherford County informationrutherford@rutherfordcountync.gov

289 N. Main Street Rutherfordton, NC 28139

County Commissioners Bryan A. King, Chairman Alan Toney, Vice Chairman Michael Benfield, Commissioner Eddie Holland, Commissioner Greg Lovelace, Commissioner

County Office Hazel Haynes, Clerk to Board

Kim Aldridge, Deputy Clerk Richard Williams, County Attorney

ROC Walking Club

May 1st - August 31st:

• Tuesdays: 6:30 pm at the Thermal Belt Rail Trail. Park in the Rutherford Coun-

ty Farmer's Market parking lot located at the corner of Park Square and Pryor

Street in Forest City (behind the new pavilion, POPS).

• Thursdays: 6:30 pm at Purple Martin Greenway in Rutherfordton. Park at the

new, gravel lot at the corner of S. Main Street and Industrial Avenue.

September 1st - April 30th:

• Tuesdays: 4:30 pm at the Rutherford County Farmer's Market parking lot locat-ed at the corner of Park Square and Pryor Street in Forest City (behind the new

pavilion, POPS).

• Thursdays: 4:00 pm at Purple Martin Greenway in Rutherfordton. Park at the

new, gravel lot at the corner of S. Main Street and Industrial Avenue.

The walks are led by our Outdoor Program Director. The club walks together for 30 minutes to an hour depending on location, but feel free to walk more or less if you

like. This is a great opportunity to interact with others from the community that enjoy walking. Walk at your own pace, enjoy the scenery, and make some new

friends.

For more information or to join, visit our ROC Walking Club page at

https://www.facebook.com/groups/184160622179015/ or call us at 828-351-

3235.