[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6570432,"mediaKeyId","3204186-cd25563be454e8c816d5aa52e575f65b","parentId",3204186,"title","Residents press commissioners on revaluation, short‑term rental taxes and railroad fire accountability","audioSeconds",276,"startMs",3314000,"endMs",3590000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3204186-cd25563be454e8c816d5aa52e575f65b&start=3314&end=3590","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3204186-cd25563be454e8c816d5aa52e575f65b/thumbnail_3314000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6570432/Swain-County/North-Carolina/Residents-press-commissioners-on-revaluation-shortterm-rental-taxes-and-railroad-fire-accountability","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6570432-ed9f4c94460c72759e23a3fb1356e640/orig.mp4?Expires=1775223911&Signature=CyMVN9Eq7PGZhrlQsOI6A00W6jVp8HecUe2REVqB5IFQGGnaXBdfxVNO2kfG42aDCwpoOCXaGzvC~RBikR3MEgDQZCyEJ4sFpYvNqKKRkp4oORPSzY6JO0fRDT6R3X0K7hD4y5PbMk~wjAlYq-BaXGGIORUrse4wh2J8hemvjRWpoQ98clvCtuG52oTfTd4cvTAg64W3y9u2DnwSuK7LYJ4xFdsGiBm7W5tCP6UqOIlqqSBHd-e0M4pSBwzWK2bQYFxeRvt-zBbh0k~d5SbmAVXHaplRD-wVjM8jhdmCoG0l8l9Dziy5OeQbE2UWCQo4HItPvbWcJlyn5kD7EnOZmg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Swain County","date","2025-05-07T11:43:59Z","article","During the public-comment period on May 6, several Swain County residents addressed the board on property revaluation and short‑term rental taxation, and multiple residents urged stronger oversight and accountability after a train‑related fire near Milepost 71.

Matthew Brigham, who identified himself as a Swain County resident at 190 East Chicken's Branch, told commissioners he preferred an in‑house property revaluation. He said local appraisers would know the community better and could cost less, while acknowledging concerns about potential favoritism if the work were handled entirely inside county government. Brigham also told the board he favors higher taxation on short‑term vacation rentals and supported a hardship clause for lower‑income owners. \"If you can afford to have a second home, you can afford to pay more taxes,\" he said.

Resident Terry Stevens and other members of the public pressed the board to hold the railroad operator accountable after a train fire at or near Milepost 71. Stevens said he witnessed damage and alleged the train crew extinguished equipment fire and departed without immediately notifying authorities; he characterized the company's post‑incident response as a cover‑up and called for transparency, inspecting tracks and affected structures and pursuing accountability. \"It's not the accident that's the problem — it's the cover up,\" Stevens said.

Other residents thanked county emergency responders and praised firefighters, EMS and sheriff's deputies for the response. One speaker said representatives of Corps of Engineers subcontractors had contacted county staff offering to help clean waterways; a resident who identified herself as a local contact said she would remain available to coordinate debris‑removal work and planned to submit public‑records requests for hiring contracts and budgets to increase transparency.

Why it matters: the comments touch on three civic issues the board may act on — how the county conducts property revaluation, how short‑term rentals are taxed and whether the county should press for investigation or remediation related to the railroad fire. Commissioners did not take formal action during the meeting beyond recording the comments and referencing ongoing investigations and Army Corps outreach.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Swain County Commissioners - May 6, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Public commenters urged the board to keep property reevaluation work local or to ensure strong checks, to tax short‑term rentals at higher rates, and pressed for accountability after a train-related fire near Milepost 71. Several residents offered to work with the county and federal partners on debris cleanup.","taxTitle","Swain County, North Carolina","taxId",73855,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6570438,"Swain County approves new pool and recreation pass fees; reduces resident rates, raises nonresident fees",122,1963000,2085000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3204186-cd25563be454e8c816d5aa52e575f65b&start=1963&end=2085","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3204186-cd25563be454e8c816d5aa52e575f65b/thumbnail_1963000.jpg","/articles/6570438/Swain-County/North-Carolina/Swain-County-approves-new-pool-and-recreation-pass-fees-reduces-resident-rates-raises-nonresident-fees","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6570438-84821a13152bbfef8d4ef3de8c76af68/orig.mp4?Expires=1775223911&Signature=UU9hd0SCQ~yak6PGUO8wybXldzubh9aZKKQzf-C7IU7aLF~Yg10X1-HCHrpCtmgOKRB1B4jtR2fM~8Quq67MwphngUC1w3B1CK4pjyVcAWSxYYF-Da5oZxbQ4OXaTFkiG4K-ZjgvDV8CsIcuRyHzndXs6iaONS~xmYcdUjM~iKyR1lBkdEr7Bxk3T-Z5wjuZY5BW~aTuLTbNlthIiZ5u5u~rKJw8aifetcTlgk9rs0xU4G9zWMyDhxt1fWOlnSuMK2H8~sN1nIbPA9tBoK~tHcGGdsryJ-DhSgvAuYxKaHFOBYrwTz2jIZ0JS2gv5VnoxtJ3T6OwSlSyayKok7Yc0Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Swain County commissioners voted on May 6 to revise pool and recreation pass fees, reducing some resident prices while increasing nonresident rates, county staff said.

Parks and recreation staff presented the changes and said the goal was to give local residents a break while charging higher rates for nonresidents who use county facilities. Staff proposed changing the nonresident daily entry fee to $7 (residents remain $5), keeping lap‑swim daily fees at $1 for residents and raising the nonresident lap‑swim fee to $3. Staff also proposed lowering the individual resident season pass while increasing nonresident season‑pass rates and adjusting family and small‑group pass prices; staff said they would add a residential pool‑room rate of $35 for private parties (a lower rate than the corporate hourly fee).

During discussion a commissioner said, \"I love to see the local people get a break.\" Parks staff asked the board to vote because they had received calls about memberships. A motion and second were made and the board carried the measure by voice vote; staff said the changes would be implemented and staff would field membership inquiries.

Why it matters: staff told commissioners they have received constituent calls about membership pricing; the changes are intended to keep resident access affordable while generating higher fees from nonresidents who use county facilities. The meeting record does not show a roll-call tally or the effective date; staff asked that the board vote so memberships could be processed.

The meeting did not include a detailed, line‑item breakdown of projected revenue or the date the new fees take effect; parks staff said they would begin implementing the new structure and handle membership calls.","The Board approved changes to pool and recreation passes that lower prices for county residents and raise nonresident rates; the board voted on May 6 to adopt the fee changes as proposed by parks staff.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6570442,"Board hears updated floodplain ordinance and discusses new FEMA maps; item moved to next meeting",535,2213000,2748000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3204186-cd25563be454e8c816d5aa52e575f65b&start=2213&end=2748","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3204186-cd25563be454e8c816d5aa52e575f65b/thumbnail_2213000.jpg","/articles/6570442/Swain-County/North-Carolina/Board-hears-updated-floodplain-ordinance-and-discusses-new-FEMA-maps-item-moved-to-next-meeting","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6570442-01574cbd553aafc3a020a661b28d1596/orig.mp4?Expires=1775223911&Signature=cKQj4LwqX1ib9idTlj0Hu-uDHIVp7ZNNuL~RxBHg5leI8rk0cgp1~BrHbbIJcuH9YKPzhTDfJ0ZK4Oiw5cZw-mtLlgPezHttpLeOQpzECUIt50ofKDazYBC5A2U3yTohHy9KbiUk2RJ1KPocE9sTzGq-RXkB8U9YzDQ~ezyQ7-QgaaBdI~RyIGW~MvWEMhFKebwM3Sgur7OdFWxkqjMeUILC38fSN6q3L9A-dOTV6dVGxuXU3g7RMIPhY59wNPUXCBtEn~7laSG~GUR7JR64N4CcjEr0HVeIXRBvXuxhCPTKpILaom2alNwq5q7iu2zoviqYymyu2JnLsHlYt8OdQA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Swain County staff presented an updated Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance to the Board of Commissioners on May 6, saying the amendment brings county rules into alignment with a 2021 state model and with federal program requirements.

County planning staff (identified at the meeting as Jason) said the update \"gets us up to the current standards\" and tied adoption to eligibility for federal assistance. \"If you don't have all this stuff in place, then... the money that we've been receiving through federal assistance, you don't get denied that portion of that money from what I understand,\" Jason said. Staff described the draft ordinance as removing much optional language and keeping \"the bare minimums\" necessary to match state requirements.

Staff noted the draft also tightens definitions for things such as how recreational vehicles are classified and technical requirements such as elevation certificates and no‑rise certification for floodways. Gina (county technical staff) and other county staff answered detailed technical questions at the meeting.

County staff said new floodplain maps are expected to be adopted at the state level in the fall, followed by a local public-comment period; staff said preliminary changes would move about 10 parcels into the floodplain and about 10 parcels out. Staff told the board the new maps should become official early next year and that the county will revisit ordinance language after the state adoption.

Procedural note: staff explained that under the North Carolina procedures referenced at the meeting, a nonunanimous first reading requires the item to be carried to the next meeting for a subsequent vote. After discussion, a commissioner moved to set the Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance; the board carried the motion and staff said the item \"moves on to the next meeting\" for continued consideration.

Why it matters: staff said updating the ordinance preserves community eligibility for federal programs and discounted National Flood Insurance Program rates; staff warned that without a current ordinance the county could lose discounts and residents could face substantially higher flood-insurance rates. The board did not adopt the ordinance at this meeting and will revisit it in a subsequent meeting.","County staff presented an updated Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance based on a 2021 state model; staff said adopting the ordinance is necessary to maintain eligibility for certain federal assistance and to preserve flood insurance discounts. Commissioners moved the ordinance to the next meeting for further consideration.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6570447,"Swain County officials report two wildfires, Army Corps to assist with private-property debris removal",333,1410000,1743000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3204186-cd25563be454e8c816d5aa52e575f65b&start=1410&end=1743","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3204186-cd25563be454e8c816d5aa52e575f65b/thumbnail_1410000.jpg","/articles/6570447/Swain-County/North-Carolina/Swain-County-officials-report-two-wildfires-Army-Corps-to-assist-with-private-property-debris-removal","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6570447-33ca5494e1493e23a3d02c9f6895708d/orig.mp4?Expires=1775223911&Signature=WLZJO4XXxQ4Fs2HKjf1lCURI1mCEM-BEMS4lQmX59UjiQ0z9roAL99glTXBXp5~2z2eA4HwcFkpBeE2ikRNevHbUP0GBo642CfG4L27jsNTCO6ciZFduny-Dv0YQjORUnu2Znq53VmcXDyJaqZInNSbmBmAFIULaG8RjBHYDtm5APqHzfZpeOiDLzwfsLWPYFhWzo5znN4EDZHwCRadeVH40d0zYLuHjdpkRP2T~yIbTI6nyK3ZYpsEFUDGeYcqxDlyZmoeXSkMJnNeVavEem1u4eVUfW~sAI0H-SvEUh3egX7JOZpg5JMfNlH2Bs3e74aXbhb-9-AhS5GN1VYURCA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Swain County emergency management officials told the Board of Commissioners on May 6 that two recent wildfires burned a combined roughly 2,134 acres but caused no deaths and only limited structural damage, and that federal assistance is arriving.

The Emergency Management director (name not stated at the meeting) said the Alarka Fire burned about 1,575 acres and damaged one structure; the Sam Davis Road Fire burned about 559 acres. \"We had a total of 1,575 acres, that burned in that fire. We had 1 structure damaged, no injuries, and no deaths,\" the director said. County staff said mutual aid and county agencies — emergency management, health, DSS, maintenance, EMS, rescue, three fire departments and the sheriff's office — responded.

Why it matters: county officials said keeping local flood- and fire-related ordinances and maps current is tied to eligibility for federal recovery funds. The Emergency Management director said the county received a fire management assistance grant and that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers would be in the area \"approximately for the next 60 days\" to do private-property debris assessments and, where eligible, removal and outreach.

In discussion with commissioners, staff said the FMAG (fire management assistance grant) will help cover equipment, materials and county costs associated with fighting the fires. The director also described recent state and regional emergency-management meetings that emphasized flood resilience, incident management teams for search-and-rescue and rising heat hazards for outdoor workers and older residents.

Commissioners and members of the public asked whether cause investigations were complete. The Emergency Management director said both fires remain under investigation by the North Carolina Forest Service and the county does not yet have determinations on cause or potential cost recovery. \"Both of those fires are still under investigation. So the North Carolina Forest Service is still…\" the director said.

County staff told the board there will be additional outreach and a public comment period when new floodplain maps are adopted by the state; staff said about 10 properties in Swain County moved into the floodplain and about 10 moved out under preliminary map changes. The director said the map updates are expected to be adopted at the state level in the fall, followed by a local public-comment period and a new effective map early next year.

Public safety and recovery work described at the meeting included dispatch and 911 workload data, volunteer and paid responder staffing shortfalls and plans to use federal grant funds to offset costs from the fires. The board heard that several county divisions — emergency management, EMS, rescue, fire departments and others — participated in the response and that county staff will continue coordinating with the Army Corps during the debris-assessment period.

The meeting did not record a new county policy or a final determination of cause for either fire; staff repeatedly said investigations are ongoing and that Army Corps work will focus first on private‑property debris requests and outreach.","Emergency management officials reported two recent fires (Alarka and Sam Davis Road), received a federal fire-management grant and said the Army Corps will be in the county for about 60 days to assess and assist with private‑property debris removal.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Residents press commissioners on revaluation, short‑term rental taxes and railroad fire accountability

Swain County approves new pool and recreation pass fees; reduces resident rates, raises nonresident fees

Board hears updated floodplain ordinance and discusses new FEMA maps; item moved to next meeting

Swain County officials report two wildfires, Army Corps to assist with private-property debris removal