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 100-year flood plain. The council voted to adopt the ordinance by voice vote; the record does not show a roll-call tally.

- Personnel policy: Council approved a revised Town of Waynesville personnel policy. The presenter described updates to discrimination and harassment provisions, new federal-law references (for example, updated Family and Medical Leave guidance), a revised vacation accrual schedule aligned with North Carolina state practice, expanded bereavement language and a new grievance/appeal process. The policy also removes the town's obligation to provide post-retirement health insurance to employees hired after March 30 (if the council adopts that provision). The council approved the policy by voice vote.

- Resolution on House Bill 24: The council voted to adopt a resolution supporting House Bill 24, which would repeal a section of Session Law 2024-57 that restricts local governments from initiating down-zoning or reducing permitted land uses specified in zoning ordinances. Town staff and council members said the section, added late in the Helene recovery session law, prevents the town from advancing parts of its comprehensive-plan recommendations related to density and land use. The council approved the resolution by voice vote.

- Bridge engineering authorization: Staff recommended negotiating a contract with KCA Engineers (KCA Construction/Engineers) to design strengthening work for a town bridge used for access to the sewer plant. Town staff said the bridge is rated at about 20 tons (40,000 pounds) and some vehicles expected to access the plant, including chemical deliveries (sodium hypochlorite loads cited at about 77,000 pounds) exceed that rating. The council authorized staff to negotiate with KCA Engineers and, if a design estimate is affordable within sewer-fund balances, to proceed to bidding; if costs exceed available balances staff said they would seek financing. The council approved the authorization by voice vote.

- Recreation-field schematic contracts (McAdams Associates): The council approved two separate schematic-design contracts with McAdams Associates for post-storm reconstruction and mitigation work on Vance Street and Dutch-Fisher ballfields, to support FEMA reimbursement processes and future construction. The Vance Street schematic contract is a lump-sum $92,220; the Dutch-Fisher schematic contract is a lump-sum $130,000. The Dutch-Fisher site requires more extensive stream-mitigation analysis, which explains the higher fee.

What was discussed

Planning staff summarized the annexation petition and confirmed public-notice steps. The personnel-policy presenter said the rewrite reconciles previous department policies into a single, user-friendly document and incorporates recent federal requirements; several council members praised the work and the staff outreach that informed the draft.

On the session-law resolution, staff and council members said the contested provision was inserted late in a state storm-recovery act and that it prevents towns from initiating rezonings that would reduce density or permitted uses in some areas. Council members said they support House Bill 24 because it would restore local flexibility to pursue comprehensive-plan recommendations that respond to slope, floodplain and community concerns.

Rob (town manager) described the need to strengthen a construction bridge near the sewer plant to allow safe passage of heavy equipment and chemical deliveries as the plant rebuild concludes. Staff recommended KCA Engineers because of the firm's experience with bridge strengthening and DOT projects; the council authorized staff to negotiate a contract.

Next steps and implementation notes

- Staff will complete negotiated contracts with KCA Engineers and McAdams Associates; design and permit steps will follow. If bridge strengthening costs exceed available sewer-fund balances, staff said they would pursue borrowing or another funding strategy and present options to council.

- The annexed property will be processed per the adopted ordinance and town procedures.

Ending: Council closed the meeting after approving the measures and scheduling a retreat for the council the following week; several members urged follow-up on state-level advocacy concerning House Bill 24.