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Cherokee County commissioners approve budget revisions, grants, appointments and property conveyances
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Summary
At their Dec. 1 meeting, the Cherokee County Board of Commissioners approved multiple budget revisions and grants to support seniors, parks and food distribution, approved an agreement with the Valley River Humane Society (4–1), appointed two members to the Board of Health, and adopted property conveyances to two volunteer fire departments.
Cherokee County commissioners on Dec. 1 approved a series of routine budget revisions, grants and appointments intended to support senior services, local parks and emergency services.
The board unanimously approved using contingency funds to purchase 0.10 acre at the new Senior Center/VA facility site for a total of $2,750 (purchase price $1,200; remainder for legal and recording fees). Commissioners also approved reimbursing the Unaka Community Club for half of a camera system purchase ($1,255) and accepted a $14,944 grant from the N.C. Department of Aging to fund additional meals for homebound seniors (no county match required).
Commissioners accepted a $5,000 grant from the Highlands Cashiers Health Foundation to help purchase food for distribution in Cherokee County and approved a $2,761 purchase for playground equipment at Konehete Park. The board approved an agreement with the Valley River Humane Society on a 4–1 vote: Commissioners Cal Stiles, Dr. Dan Eichenbaum, Alan Bryant and Mark Stiles voted in favor; Commissioner Ben Adams voted against the agreement.
The board also moved on several administrative and infrastructure items. Commissioners adopted an updated airport landing fee schedule, approved a licensing agreement with the Cherokee County Saddle Club, and adopted resolutions conveying real property to the Wolf Creek Volunteer Fire Department and to the Culberson Volunteer Fire Department. The Tax Releases Report, Additional Tax Release Report, Tax Refund Report and NCVTS Refund Report were approved as submitted.
On appointments, the board named Dr. Teresa Heavner to fill the remainder of Dr. Jill Sonnenberg’s Board of Health term (expiring Nov. 1, 2027) following Dr. Sonnenberg’s resignation and reappointed Graham Raxter to another three-year term as the board’s professional engineer representative; both appointments were approved unanimously.
County Manager Randy Wiggins provided updates to the board on three projects: the Cherokee County Public Health Facility Project, the Cherokee County Head Start Facility Project and the county’s Dark Fiber Ring Project; the minutes record the updates but do not provide further detail. The board entered closed session under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 143-318.11(6) to discuss two personnel matters and later returned to open session with no action taken. The meeting adjourned following the regular business. The minutes for this meeting were later approved on Jan. 20, 2026.