The Highlands Board of Commissioners approved an insurance settlement for more than $67,000 that would cover damages and repair to the Highlands Playhouse sustained during a fire in July 2019.
“Staff has been working with Travelers Insurance to get the claim taken care of and the repairs complete,” said Highlands Finance Director Rebecca Shuler of the proposed budget amendment in the commissioners’ documents. “We need to recognize the initial insurance reimbursement and allocate it to the appropriate line item to cover the repair.”
Shuler did not attend Thursday’s commissioners meeting, so town manager Josh Ward presented the budget amendment for vote in her place.
Highlands Playhouse Managing Director Lance Matzke said the damaged storage area severely limited what the Playhouse could do in regard to set usage during performances due to lack of storage space.
“We’re really looking forward to completing the repair work to the storage room,” Matzke said. “The storage room is where we keep our sets and other props and equipment used in plays and other productions. We need that space.”
In other business:
• Mayor Patrick Taylor appointed commissioner Donnie Calloway as the Mayor Pro Tempore for 2020. No vote was necessary as this was an appointment.
• Mayor Taylor announced in his mayor’s report a community meeting hosted by the Gibbons Monitor Group seeking feedback in the transition process between Mission Health and HCA.
Informational meetings led by Gibbins Advisors have been scheduled in seven communities in western North Carolina served by Mission Health.
Taylor said Gibbins Advisors is the Independent Monitor hired to monitor HCA Healthcare’s compliance with the obligations it agreed to when it purchased Mission Health System. In each meeting, the IM team will discuss its role and provide an opportunity to ask questions.
All events are open to the public, and no invitation is necessary. Members of any community are welcome to attend the meetings of their choosing. Meetings will have limited seating and attendees will be welcomed first come, first serve. Doors will open 30 minutes before each event.
The Highlands area meeting is slated for Wednesday, Jan. 29 at 5:30 p.m. at the Highlands Civic Center.
• Commissioners approved the Town’s Fiscal Year 2020-21 budget preparation schedule. Budget review workshops will begin Thursday, March 5 with the town’s budget retreat to review capital requests from department heads pertaining to the 2020-21 FY budget. The original March 12 date was bumped up a week due to scheduling conflicts among commissioners. Town Manager Josh Ward said he would make the schedule work. Other dates of note are:
Thursday, April 9, Budget workshop, a preliminary budget review, 3 – 5 p.m. at the Town’s Community Building.
Thursday, April 23, Budget workshop, a preliminary budget review, 3 – 5 p.m. at the Town’s Community Building.
Thursday, May 7, Budget workshop, final budget review, 3 – 5 p.m. at the Town’s Community Building.
Thursday, May 21, Town Board of Commissioners meeting, First presentation of the proposed FY 2020-21 Budget.
Thursday, June 18, Town Board of Commissioners meeting, public hearing on the town’s proposed FY 2020-21 Budget and adoption of the Town’s FY 2020-21 Budget.
• Commissioners unanimously approved the dates for the 2020 Wreaths Across America wreath laying ceremony on Saturday, Dec. 19, from 9 a.m. until noon. In the event of inclement weather the Highlands Community Center will be used as an alternative site.
• Commissioners approved the appointment for the Town of Highlands Planning Board members that are required to be appointed annually. The Highlands Land Use Committee reviewed applications for Planning Board members and recommends the following for appointments – Stephan Abranyi, Dennis DeWolf, Rick Trevathan, Brad Armstrong, Darren Whatley, Christopher Wilkes and Helene Siegel.
Commissioner Marc Hehn opposed the appointments because of the manner in which they were nominated saying the town’s website had posted for months that no more applications were being accepted. Hehn declined to vote on the appointments.