The FranklinEstablished 1886 Pre## Volume 130, Number 48 Wednesday, June 18, 2014 www.thefranklinpress.com Franklin, North Carolina 28734 $1.00 Macon’s 2014-15 budget approved Ryan Hanchett budget. A change in the Emergency Medical [email protected] Services section of the budget will allow for the hiring of additional employees to staff Macon County Manager Derek Roland ambulance routes. received positive feedback when he proposed The total of the additions was $200,000 the 2014-15 Macon County operating budget and brought the total proposed budget to in May. $45,721,122. The budget as approved repre- Perhaps the most resounding roar of sents an approximately $1.4 million reduction approval came on Monday night when the from 2013-14. Macon County Board of Commissioners “I have to say that I liked this budget unanimously approved a $45,721,122 budget before we made all of those additions,” com- for the coming fiscal year. missioner Paul Higdon said. “But I understand “I know that Derek has worked extremely that is how budgets work and I still think hard to put this that this budget is budget together very solid and it and I think that have to say that I moves the county he has met the Iliked this budget in a fiscally sound goals that this before we made all of direction.” board set before The total edu- him during our those additions. But I cation budget first work ses- understand that is how for the county sion in January,” budgets work and I in 2014-15 will board of com- Commissioner be $8,462,291, missioners still think that this Paul Higdon which is the larg- chairman Kevin budget is very solid est departmen- Corbin said. tal expenditure “This budget and it moves the county in a fiscally in the budget. represents no tax sound direction. Social services increase, and it will account for puts us in a very $5,917,488,$ the Press photos/Linda Mathias admirable position when comparing us to Macon County Health Department budget is other Western North Carolina counties going $4,592,864 and the sheriff’s department will into the property tax revaluation, which will work with $4,099,049. Celtic sights take effect next year.” “This budget is a direct reflection of how Roland’s original budget proposal was hard county department heads have worked The annual Taste of Scotland and Celtic Festival was $45,521,132. The board suggested six addi- to stay within the parameters that were held this weekend in Franklin. Above, contestants line- tions and one change in the budget during a given to me, and ultimately to them, to keep up for the “knobby knees” contest. Right, John Fraser work session in May. their budget’s at or below last year’s totals,” emerged the victor in the contest and was declared to Roland ultimately went back and added Roland said. “I can not thank them enough have the knobbiest knees of all festival-goers. Left, My $100,000 for Macon County Public Schools for all of the hard work that they put in.” Three Kilts, a Celtic rock band from Goldsboro, took capital outlay, $39,400 for Southwestern Following the approval of the budget for the stage on Saturday at the town gazebo. Community College, $30,000 for a new 2014-15, the board unanimously passed an REACH shelter, $15,000 for the Community ordinance amending the fiscal year 2013-14 Care Clinic, $10,600 for fencing at the Macon budget. The final budget for the 2013-14 fis- County Detention Center and $5,000 for cal year as approved in the ordinance was Highlands Parks and Recreation’s operating $48,917,798. Bling burglar busted M.A. Lewis listed as “TJ.” [email protected] After talking to other Water rescue on the Cullasaja possible suspects, investiga- A man has been charged tors found that the name “TJ” Ryan Hanchett with felony possession of kept coming up. Holland [email protected] more than $20,000 in stolen received a tip that Davidson jewelry. lived on Clover Lane. While Cullasaja Gorge Volunteer Tommy Davidson Jr., 35, driving to the Clover Lane Fire Department performed of Clover Lane was booked home, Holland and Detective its first water rescue of 2014 on a $10,000 secured bond Tommy Davidson Jr. Chris Murray saw a man on Saturday. A woman who on June 11 for possession of was taken for evidence. matching Davidson’s (“TJ”) was enjoying a day by the stolen goods. Detective Holland regu- description walking down Cullasaja River slipped and On June 3, deputies were larly checks a computer data- East Main Street. After a fell into the rushing water called to a home on Dryman base that keeps track of items brief interview, he was arrest- and was injured. Road. The homeowners, who sold to pawn shops and jew- ed and taken to jail. A search Fire fighters arrived on had been out of town for a elry stores. A person who is of his clothing revealed two the scene and pulled the few days, returned to find the known to law enforcement in gold necklaces, one of which woman from the river and door broken open and a large fencing stolen goods had sold was positively identified by secured her in an ambulance. Photo provided/US Forest Service amount of jewelry, mostly a bracelet for $250. the Dryman Road victim. She was taken to Angel Cullasaja Falls, above the section of river where the Cullasaja gold and diamond jewelry, “That had to be a pretty A search warrant was Medical Center for treat- Gorge VFD pulled a woman from the water Saturday. gone from their bedroom, nice bracelet for a business to obtained for Davidson’s ment. The victim’s injuries As the weather turns warm- “As we get into the sum- said Macon County Sheriff pay that much for it,” he said. home. More than 20 items appeared to be minor. er, the likelihood of accidents mer and more people make Robert Holland. While interviewing the of jewelry from the Dryamn “We got out there and on or near water increases. their way to our local water- “They found several jew- person who sold the brace- Road home were found there. where she was in the water Swimmers, boaters and fisher- ways, specifically waterfalls, elry box drawers emptied, let to the store, Holland got Additional charges stem- we needed to get some ropes men flock to the cool waters of I urge them to use caution and along with several pieces of information from her about a ming from additional victims hooked up in order to get down Western North Carolina rivers take a safety-first approach,” jewelry left on the bed and guy named “TJ” — the per- in the Dryman Road area may to her,” Cullasaja Gorge VFD and streams during the hot Macon County Emergency floor,” Holland said. “The vic- son she got the bracelet from. be coming against Davidson, captain Bobby Henry said. summer months. Medical Services Director tims provided a list of items That led him and fellow said sheriff’s office detective “We have both a swift water Henry indicated that Warren Cabe said. “We have they knew to be stolen.” investigators to other possible Don Willis. rescue team and a dive team Saturday’s rescue was the had situations in the past Detective Tim Holland suspects who pointed them in Investigators, who have within our department and our second operation that the where people have been seri- found a bracelet matching the the direction of “TJ.” Holland recovered most of the jew- guys are trained specifically Cullasaja VFD had taken ously injured or killed on the victim’s description at a local ran the nickname through the elry, put in a lot of effort on for those situations. We got part in so far in 2014. The water and we certainly do jewelry store. The victim sheriff’s office’s computer the case. her out safely and got her the other was a recovery effort in not want anything like that to came to the store and identi- database and came up with “It was a real team effort,” medical attention she needed.” Clay County. happen this summer.” fied it as hers. The bracelet Davidson — whose alias was Detective Holland said. Macon voters: No requests for assistance made to county office Ryan Hanchett Assembly in 2013. have no way to fill out an the county MAT teams say HB589, the state board of porary rules, a person or an [email protected] The law, which was absentee ballot. that workers must be from elections put a temporary immediate family member originally titled House Bill A public hearing was both the republican and set of rules in place to cover must call the county board Each county in the 589, calls for the devel- held in Raleigh on June 5 democratic parties,” North the primary election. The of elections and request a state of North Carolina opment of a Multipartisan regarding the implementa- Carolina Libertarian Party board must have permanent visit from a MAT team. is waiting to get the final Assistance Team (MAT) in tion of the MAT teams in Chairman J.J. Summerell rules in place before the first The visits were available rules regarding additional each county. The purpose North Carolina and drew said. “As the state’s third day of absentee voting for for the May primary elec- poll workers prior to the of the MAT teams is to questions from several con- recognized party we would the 2014 general election in tion but were sparingly used November general election assist voters who are con- cerned citizens and organi- like to be represented on the order to comply with the by voters in Western North in order to satisfy a law fined to a residence, nurs- zations.