Lorraine Bennett • Clay County Progress N.C. House Rep. Karl Gillespie administers the oath of office on Monday to the new Hayesville mayor, Benita England.
By Lorraine Bennett
Staff Writer
“My plans for the town are to listen to the people,” Benita England said Monday shortly after trading her role as councilwoman to become mayor of Hayesville. “I am going to be driven by the people around me.”
England was sworn into her new role by N.C. House Rep. Karl Gillespie, whose district includes Clay, Cherokee, Graham and Macon counties.
Gillespie also swore in Joe Slaton, Harry Baughn and Lauren Tiger as continuing members of the Hayesville Town Council.
After the swearing in, Gillespie presented England with a new flag on behalf of the state of North Carolina.
England will pull double duty, serving as both mayor and town manager. Council members voted for outgoing Mayor Joe Slaton to fill the role of Mayor Tempore when England is out of town or unavailable.
In short remarks as he was departing the mayor’s chair, Slaton cited the new EV charging station behind Town Hall, the new Mayor’s Park with bridge and walking trail and reroofing Town Hall as major accomplishments during his tenure.
One disappointment was failure to clean up eyesore property on Church Street near Chatuge Family Practice.
“We wanted to clean it up,” he said, “but it’s not in the town limits. As mayor, sometimes you don’t get what you want.”
Councilman Baughn, himself a former mayor, agreed adding, “Some projects are always out of your control.”
In other action at Monday’s regular meeting, the council:
• Changed the date for the regular December meeting from Dec. 8 to Dec. 15.
• Agreed to continue the search for a town attorney.
• Is seeking a replacement for Lynn Meyers, who has resigned as alternate on the Planning and Zoning Board.
• Approved a budget amendment to increase the amount for grounds maintenance from $9,000 to $20,000.
Planning and Zoning Administrator April England has developed a training and review program for zoning board and town council members based on guidance from the University of North Carolina School of Government. She presented it to Planning and Zoning Board members in early November and said she will offer it to Town Council members in the near future.
Historic Hayesville Inc.’s Board Chairman Sandy Zimmerman reminded the council that Shop Small Shop Local dates are Friday and Saturday, Nov. 28-29.