Avery County adopts new Toe River Valley library agreement and names four board members

The Avery County Board of Commissioners on June 30 approved a new Toe River Valley Regional Library Agreement and appointed four representatives to the regional board.

County Manager Phillip Barrier Jr. told commissioners that Mitchell County and the Town of Spruce Pine had already adopted the revised agreement and that Avery County would hold four seats under the new arrangement, with Mitchell County allotted two seats and Spruce Pine two seats. The board voted to rescind any prior agreements and adopt the new regional library agreement; the motion by Commissioner Junior Benfield, seconded by Commissioner Dennis Aldridge, passed unanimously with those in attendance.

The board used signed, ranked ballots to select appointees. Commissioners announced their ranked votes and reported tallies; based on the results the board moved to appoint Teddy Bare, Aneda Johnson, Josh Smith and Margaret Thiele to serve as Avery County’s representatives on the Toe River Valley Regional Library Board. The motion to appoint the four candidates was made by Benfield, seconded by Aldridge and carried unanimously with those present.

Resident Margaret Thiele, who spoke during the public-comment portion of the meeting, thanked the board “for listening to the citizens and changing the language in the contract,” according to meeting minutes. The board also noted that an individual will be designated to call the first meeting of the regional board under the new agreement.

The ballots and related records will be placed on file in the clerk’s office for public inspection.