Town Council

MINUTES – REGULAR MEETING BOONE TOWN COUNCIL SEPTEMBER 24, 2025 CALL TO ORDER A regular meeting of the Boone Town Council was held on Wednesday, September 24, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. in the Jones House Cultural and Community Center located at 604 W. King Street in Boone. Mayor Tim Futrelle presided. Council members present included Mayor Pro Tem Dalton George (entered the meeting at 6:21 p.m.), Todd Carter, Virginia Roseman, Edie Tugman, and Eric Plaag. Town staff present included Town Manager Amy Davis, Interim Town Manager/Human Resources Director Dale Presnell, Town Clerk Nicole Harmon-Church, Planning Director Jane Shook, Cultural Resources Director Mark Freed, Grants Coordinator/Communications Laney Wise, Public Works Director Todd Moody, Police Chief Daniel Duckworth, Sustainability and Special Projects Manager George Santucci, and Advanced Planning Specialist Jessica Mitchell (remote). MOMENT OF SILENCE A brief moment of silence was observed. ANNOUNCEMENTS Manager Davis announced that Mayor Pro-Tem George would be a few minutes late to the meeting and would like to be present for the approval of the Appalachian Heritage Month proclamation. Councilmember Carter then made a motion to amend the agenda to move the Approval of Proclamations and Resolutions until after Council Matters and to add a third item under Council Matters to discuss Ms. Tugman. Councilmember Plaag seconded the motion. VOTE: Aye: Carter, Plaag, Roseman, Tugman Nay: None Absent: George TENTATIVE AGENDA ADOPTION Councilmember Carter made a motion to approve the agenda as amended. Councilmember Tugman seconded the motion. VOTE: Aye: Carter, Tugman, Roseman, Plaag Nay: None Absent: George PUBLIC COMMENT There were no speakers signed up for public comment. WORK SESSION Councilmember Plaag previewed two topics for Council’s consideration. Partnership with Digital Watauga First, Councilmember Plaag expressed interest in forming a partnership between the Town and Digital Watauga to create a staff position in FY 2026/27. The proposed position would be a hybrid role, serving half-time as a Town Historian and half-time as a Digital Watauga Coordinator, with the individual employed by the Town. The discussion focused on concerns about a potential void in resources, as the Town is heavily reliant on the collections for various aspects of its operations. It was emphasized that ensuring the project's long-term viability of the project is essential. Councilmember Plaag indicated that staff appeared supportive of the concept and noted that a formal agenda item would be forthcoming. Noise Ordinance Second, Councilmember Plaag raised concerns regarding the effectiveness of the current noise ordinance. At the beginning of the semester, he stated that he experienced a night at a local bar that sounded like a party in his backyard and noted that neighbors reported the same experience. Councilmember Plaag reported that he contacted the Police Department, but the noise did not exceed the threshold necessary to warrant a violation. Councilmember Plaag pointed out issues with the property in question, specifically the distance between the noise source and the measurement location. He also noted weaknesses in the ordinance itself, including decibel limits that are higher than those used in other municipalities. Councilmember Tugman expressed similar concerns related to the geographical environment in her neighborhood and questioned whether it would be reasonable to include decibel measurements at the complainant’s location. Councilmember Plaag further noted problems with how the ordinance is currently being interpreted by Police staff compared to its original intent. He added that the ordinance does not distinguish between a band playing inside a building and a venue with multiple outdoor speakers directed toward residential areas. Councilmember Carter stated that he was not interested in comparing Chapel Hill's decibel levels and suggested instead that the Town look to Boulder, which has similar topography and faces similar challenges. Mayor Futrelle emphasized the importance of involving live music venues in the discussion. Town Manager Davis reported that venues were included in previous discussions, noting that Boone Saloon once brought a live band to Council Chambers to demonstrate different decibel levels. Councilmember Tugman also addressed ongoing complaints from residents of Highland Avenue. CONSENT AGENDA Councilmember Plaag raised a question regarding the Uniform Guidance policies. He noted that while the policies appeared to contain standard language, they included reporting requirements for the Town that would mandate a monthly report to the Council. He asked about the potential level of burden this might place on staff. Manager Davis responded that she believed the monthly Manager’s Report would be sufficient to meet the requirement. Councilmember Plaag also inquired about the amount of money involved. Grants Coordinator Laney Wise explained that such policies were required for ARPA funds and that Public Works had a project that necessitated them. Manager Davis clarified that the total amount was slightly over six million dollars and noted that the U.S. Treasury had revised its rules on multiple occasions. Next, Councilmember Roseman raised the Horn in the West proposal and reiterated that it was essential for the upcoming season. She asked how the Town would ensure that a production could still take place. Public Works Director Todd Moody responded that the contract included deadlines with penalties, but he cautioned that there were no guarantees given the nature of construction. Mayor Futrelle emphasized the importance of moving forward and encouraged Council to make the project a priority by staying on top of it to ensure the viability of the Horn in the West and Daniel Boone Park. In reference to Article 4.02 of the agreement, Councilmember Carter asked why Saturday and Sunday construction was not permitted since the Farmer’s Market would not be operational. Director Moody replied that Saturday work could be possible, but he expressed concern about noise impacts over the weekend. Mayor Futrelle and Councilmember Roseman agreed that as long as construction occurred during regular working hours, they were not concerned. Councilmember Plaag stated that a second round of funding would be needed for improvements and urged that, should such funding be pursued, both Council and staff be included in those discussions. Mayor Futrelle concluded that communication remained at the heart of all issues at Daniel Boone Park and stressed its importance going forward. Upon a motion by Councilmember Carter, seconded by Councilmember Roseman, Council voted unanimously to amend the contract listed as Number 2 on the Consent Agenda (Contract for Construction of Horn in the West Improvements – Phase 2) to strike the following text in Article 4, Section 4.02 (A): No work shall be performed on Saturdays or Sundays. Councilmember Plaag then made a motion, which was seconded by Mayor Pro-Tem George, to approve the following items on the consent agenda: 1. Uniform Guidance Policy, Internal Controls Policy, Eligible Use Policy 2. Contract for Construction of Horn in the West Improvements – Phase 2 (As amended) 3. Recognition of Agreement Relating to Highway 421 Property The motion carried unanimously. PLANNING MATTERS Planning Director Shook provided an update on Boone Next and explained that the plan continues to guide annexation, land development, and utility extension decisions. She reported that staff would be developing messaging to communicate next steps both to applicants and to the broader development community, including guidance on how applicants can best approach future submissions. COUNCIL MATTERS BRAND AUDIT FOR THE TOWN OF BOONE’S GOVERNMENTAL BRAND Grants Coordinator Laney Wise presented the results of the brand audit, with Councilmember Plaag requesting that CivicBrand separate survey data for the County and the Town. Mayor Pro-Tem George expressed appreciation for the inclusion of staff input and recognized the importance of creating a strong identity for Boone. Councilmember Roseman stated that she would like to see seasonal logos that highlight the four seasons, as well as additional images for special events. She emphasized the importance of retaining some version of Daniel Boone, perhaps in a Quaker hat instead of the coonskin hat, noting that this history is part of the community and valued by many residents. Councilmember Carter expressed support for a multiple-logo system and appreciated that grant funds were being used for the project. He stated that he would strongly oppose the inclusion of Daniel Boone on the government seal but would not object to its use elsewhere in a historic seal. He noted his enthusiasm for the patch concept and commented that this was exactly what he had hoped for. Councilmember Tugman was of the opinion that the government seal should remain traditional. Councilmember Plaag echoed much of Councilmember Carter’s perspective, voicing appreciation for the three proposed components of the branding strategy. He added that there were elements appropriate for the seal that did not require the Daniel Boone image and remarked that other municipal seals highlight aspects essential to their respective communities. He commented that it felt unusual for Boone to continue relying on a 115-year-old marketing strategy by using Daniel Boone in a coonskin cap. Mayor Pro-Tem George stated that he remained partial to the Daniel Boone connection and observed that many people seemed to share that view. Following the discussion, the consensus was to ask the consultants to design a heritage seal both with and without Daniel Boone. Council further agreed that the seasonal patch design should move forward, with the clarification that color schemes should avoid peach and green combinations similar to the Kaukauna example and should also avoid black and yellow palettes. CONSIDERATION OF ISSUE OF AI AND ITS IMPACTS ON “CREATIVES” Upon a motion by Councilmember Plaag, seconded by Councilmember Roseman, Council voted unanimously to table this item. APPROVAL OF PROCLAMATIONS AND RESOLUTIONS Mayor Pro-Tem George read the Appalachian Heritage Month proclamation and announced a flag-raising event during the October First Friday festivities downtown. Upon a motion by Councilmember Plaag, seconded by Councilmember Carter, Council voted unanimously to approve the proclamation as presented. Councilmember Tugman tendered her resignation from the Town Council, effective October 1, as she will be relocating to Asheville and will no longer be a resident of Boone. She noted that she would still be present in the audience for the October 8 meeting. Council members and staff expressed their love and appreciation for Councilmember Tugman and wished her well in her move. Upon a motion by Mayor Pro-Tem George, seconded by Councilmember Roseman, Council voted unanimously to adjourn the meeting at 7:33 p.m. _____________________________________ _____________________________________ Nicole Harmon-Church, Clerk Tim Futrelle, Mayor