Town Council — Boone, NC
Date: 2025-10-13

Town of Boone
 Town Council Regular Meeting
 6:00 PM, September 24, 2025
 Jones House Community Center
 604 West King Street


 I. Call to Order

 II. Moment of Silence

 III. Announcements

 IV. Tentative Agenda Adoption

 V. Approval of Proclamations and Resolutions

 1. Appalachian Heritage Month Proclamation
 For Action

 VI. Public Comment

 VII. Work Session

 VIII. Approval of Items on Consent Agenda

 1. Approval of the Uniform Guidance Policy, Internal Controls Policy, and Eligible
 Use Policy
 For Approval

 2. Approval of the Contract for Construction of Horn in the West Improvements - Phase 2
 For Action

 3. Consideration of Recognition Agreement Relating to Highway 421 Property.
 For Action

 IX. Planning Matters

 1. Continued Discussion from August 2025: Staff has requested Council input to confirm
 that current public-facing presentations of Boone Next are aligned with Council
 expectations.
 For Action

 X. Council Matters

 1. Brand Audit for the Town of Boone's Governmental Brand
 For Information

 2.
 Consideration of issue of AI and its impacts on “creatives.”

 For Action

Town of Boone Town Council September 24, 2025
 1
 XI. Closed Session
 1. N.C. Gen. Stat.§ 143-318.11(a)(1), to review, approve, and seal closed session
 minutes from Council's prior closed session(s).

 2. N.C. Gen. Stat.§ 143-318.11(a)(3), to consult with the Town Attorney in order to
 preserve the attorney-client privilege between the attorney and the Town Council, and
 obtain legal advice, consider, and/or give instructions to the attorney concerning one or
 more potential legal claims.

 XII. Potential Action Following Closed Session

 XIII. Adjournment




Town of Boone Town Council September 24, 2025
 2

MINUTES – REGULAR MEETING
 BOONE TOWN COUNCIL
 SEPTEMBER 24, 2025


CALL TO ORDER
A regular meeting of the Boone Town Council was held on Wednesday, September 24,
2025, at 6:00 p.m. in the Jones House Cultural and Community Center located at 604 W.
King Street in Boone. Mayor Tim Futrelle presided. Council members present included
Mayor Pro Tem Dalton George (entered the meeting at 6:21 p.m.), Todd Carter, Virginia
Roseman, Edie Tugman, and Eric Plaag. Town staff present included Town Manager Amy
Davis, Interim Town Manager/Human Resources Director Dale Presnell, Town Clerk Nicole
Harmon-Church, Planning Director Jane Shook, Cultural Resources Director Mark Freed,
Grants Coordinator/Communications Laney Wise, Public Works Director Todd Moody,
Police Chief Daniel Duckworth, Sustainability and Special Projects Manager George
Santucci, and Advanced Planning Specialist Jessica Mitchell (remote).
MOMENT OF SILENCE
A brief moment of silence was observed.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Manager Davis announced that Mayor Pro-Tem George would be a few minutes late to the
meeting and would like to be present for the approval of the Appalachian Heritage Month
proclamation. Councilmember Carter then made a motion to amend the agenda to move
the Approval of Proclamations and Resolutions until after Council Matters and to add a
third item under Council Matters to discuss Ms. Tugman. Councilmember Plaag seconded
the motion.
 VOTE: Aye: Carter, Plaag, Roseman, Tugman
 Nay: None
 Absent: George

TENTATIVE AGENDA ADOPTION
Councilmember Carter made a motion to approve the agenda as amended.
Councilmember Tugman seconded the motion.
 VOTE: Aye: Carter, Tugman, Roseman, Plaag
 Nay: None
 Absent: George
PUBLIC COMMENT
There were no speakers signed up for public comment.
WORK SESSION
Councilmember Plaag previewed two topics for Council’s consideration.
Partnership with Digital Watauga
First, Councilmember Plaag expressed interest in forming a partnership between the Town
and Digital Watauga to create a staff position in FY 2026/27. The proposed position would
be a hybrid role, serving half-time as a Town Historian and half-time as a Digital Watauga
Coordinator, with the individual employed by the Town. The discussion focused on
concerns about a potential void in resources, as the Town is heavily reliant on the
collections for various aspects of its operations. It was emphasized that ensuring the
project's long-term viability of the project is essential. Councilmember Plaag indicated that
staff appeared supportive of the concept and noted that a formal agenda item would be
forthcoming.
Noise Ordinance
Second, Councilmember Plaag raised concerns regarding the effectiveness of the current
noise ordinance. At the beginning of the semester, he stated that he experienced a night at
a local bar that sounded like a party in his backyard and noted that neighbors reported the
same experience. Councilmember Plaag reported that he contacted the Police
Department, but the noise did not exceed the threshold necessary to warrant a violation.
Councilmember Plaag pointed out issues with the property in question, specifically the
distance between the noise source and the measurement location. He also noted
weaknesses in the ordinance itself, including decibel limits that are higher than those used
in other municipalities. Councilmember Tugman expressed similar concerns related to the
geographical environment in her neighborhood and questioned whether it would be
reasonable to include decibel measurements at the complainant’s location.
Councilmember Plaag further noted problems with how the ordinance is currently being
interpreted by Police staff compared to its original intent. He added that the ordinance
does not distinguish between a band playing inside a building and a venue with multiple
outdoor speakers directed toward residential areas.
Councilmember Carter stated that he was not interested in comparing Chapel Hill's
decibel levels and suggested instead that the Town look to Boulder, which has similar
topography and faces similar challenges. Mayor Futrelle emphasized the importance of
involving live music venues in the discussion. Town Manager Davis reported that venues
were included in previous discussions, noting that Boone Saloon once brought a live band
to Council Chambers to demonstrate different decibel levels. Councilmember Tugman
also addressed ongoing complaints from residents of Highland Avenue.
CONSENT AGENDA
Councilmember Plaag raised a question regarding the Uniform Guidance policies. He
noted that while the policies appeared to contain standard language, they included
reporting requirements for the Town that would mandate a monthly report to the Council.
He asked about the potential level of burden this might place on staff. Manager Davis
responded that she believed the monthly Manager’s Report would be sufficient to meet the
requirement.
Councilmember Plaag also inquired about the amount of money involved. Grants
Coordinator Laney Wise explained that such policies were required for ARPA funds and
that Public Works had a project that necessitated them. Manager Davis clarified that the
total amount was slightly over six million dollars and noted that the U.S. Treasury had
revised its rules on multiple occasions.
Next, Councilmember Roseman raised the Horn in the West proposal and reiterated that it
was essential for the upcoming season. She asked how the Town would ensure that a
production could still take place. Public Works Director Todd Moody responded that the
contract included deadlines with penalties, but he cautioned that there were no
guarantees given the nature of construction.
Mayor Futrelle emphasized the importance of moving forward and encouraged Council to
make the project a priority by staying on top of it to ensure the viability of the Horn in the
West and Daniel Boone Park.
In reference to Article 4.02 of the agreement, Councilmember Carter asked why Saturday
and Sunday construction was not permitted since the Farmer’s Market would not be
operational. Director Moody replied that Saturday work could be possible, but he
expressed concern about noise impacts over the weekend. Mayor Futrelle and
Councilmember Roseman agreed that as long as construction occurred during regular
working hours, they were not concerned.
Councilmember Plaag stated that a second round of funding would be needed for
improvements and urged that, should such funding be pursued, both Council and staff be
included in those discussions. Mayor Futrelle concluded that communication remained at
the heart of all issues at Daniel Boone Park and stressed its importance going forward.
Upon a motion by Councilmember Carter, seconded by Councilmember Roseman,
Council voted unanimously to amend the contract listed as Number 2 on the Consent
Agenda (Contract for Construction of Horn in the West Improvements – Phase 2) to strike
the following text in Article 4, Section 4.02 (A): No work shall be performed on Saturdays or
Sundays.
Councilmember Plaag then made a motion, which was seconded by Mayor Pro-Tem
George, to approve the following items on the consent agenda:
 1. Uniform Guidance Policy, Internal Controls Policy, Eligible Use Policy
 2. Contract for Construction of Horn in the West Improvements – Phase 2 (As
 amended)
 3. Recognition of Agreement Relating to Highway 421 Property
The motion carried unanimously.
PLANNING MATTERS
Planning Director Shook provided an update on Boone Next and explained that the plan
continues to guide annexation, land development, and utility extension decisions. She
reported that staff would be developing messaging to communicate next steps both to
applicants and to the broader development community, including guidance on how
applicants can best approach future submissions.
COUNCIL MATTERS
BRAND AUDIT FOR THE TOWN OF BOONE’S GOVERNMENTAL BRAND
Grants Coordinator Laney Wise presented the results of the brand audit, with
Councilmember Plaag requesting that CivicBrand separate survey data for the County and
the Town. Mayor Pro-Tem George expressed appreciation for the inclusion of staff input
and recognized the importance of creating a strong identity for Boone.
Councilmember Roseman stated that she would like to see seasonal logos that highlight
the four seasons, as well as additional images for special events. She emphasized the
importance of retaining some version of Daniel Boone, perhaps in a Quaker hat instead of
the coonskin hat, noting that this history is part of the community and valued by many
residents.
Councilmember Carter expressed support for a multiple-logo system and appreciated that
grant funds were being used for the project. He stated that he would strongly oppose the
inclusion of Daniel Boone on the government seal but would not object to its use
elsewhere in a historic seal. He noted his enthusiasm for the patch concept and
commented that this was exactly what he had hoped for.
Councilmember Tugman was of the opinion that the government seal should remain
traditional. Councilmember Plaag echoed much of Councilmember Carter’s perspective,
voicing appreciation for the three proposed components of the branding strategy. He
added that there were elements appropriate for the seal that did not require the Daniel
Boone image and remarked that other municipal seals highlight aspects essential to their
respective communities. He commented that it felt unusual for Boone to continue relying
on a 115-year-old marketing strategy by using Daniel Boone in a coonskin cap.
Mayor Pro-Tem George stated that he remained partial to the Daniel Boone connection and
observed that many people seemed to share that view. Following the discussion, the
consensus was to ask the consultants to design a heritage seal both with and without
Daniel Boone. Council further agreed that the seasonal patch design should move forward,
with the clarification that color schemes should avoid peach and green combinations
similar to the Kaukauna example and should also avoid black and yellow palettes.
CONSIDERATION OF ISSUE OF AI AND ITS IMPACTS ON “CREATIVES”
Upon a motion by Councilmember Plaag, seconded by Councilmember Roseman, Council
voted unanimously to table this item.
APPROVAL OF PROCLAMATIONS AND RESOLUTIONS
Mayor Pro-Tem George read the Appalachian Heritage Month proclamation and
announced a flag-raising event during the October First Friday festivities downtown. Upon
a motion by Councilmember Plaag, seconded by Councilmember Carter, Council voted
unanimously to approve the proclamation as presented.
Councilmember Tugman tendered her resignation from the Town Council, effective
October 1, as she will be relocating to Asheville and will no longer be a resident of Boone.
She noted that she would still be present in the audience for the October 8 meeting.
Council members and staff expressed their love and appreciation for Councilmember
Tugman and wished her well in her move.
Upon a motion by Mayor Pro-Tem George, seconded by Councilmember Roseman,
Council voted unanimously to adjourn the meeting at 7:33 p.m.


_____________________________________ _____________________________________
Nicole Harmon-Church, Clerk Tim Futrelle, Mayor