Waynesville council adopts personnel policy, annexes property, backs state bill change and approves infrastructure contracts

The Town of Waynesville council on March 11 approved multiple measures: a rewritten personnel policy, a contiguous annexation ordinance for 64 Clement Drive, a resolution asking the General Assembly to strike a session-law restriction on local rezoning, and contracts authorizing engineering work on a bridge and the schematic design for two ballfields.

Why it matters: The personnel-policy changes update leave and workplace rules, stop post-retirement health-insurance obligations for employees hired after March 30 if the council approves the change, and codify modern federal requirements and a new vacation-accrual schedule. The resolution supporting House Bill 24 addresses a state law that town staff said restricts municipalities' ability to initiate down-zoning or reduce permitted uses in local zoning ordinances. The engineering contracts and bridge design authorization are tied to post-Hurricane Helene repairs and the town's sewer-plant and recreation-facility recovery.

What the council decided:

Votes at a glance

- Annexation: The council adopted an ordinance approving the contiguous annexation of property at 64 Clement Drive (PIN 8616908565). Planning staff member Ali presented the petition and confirmed notices were published in the Mountaineer on Feb. 26 and March 5 and that signs were posted on the property on Feb. 27. The property is in Waynesville's extraterritorial jurisdiction and not in the…