Local briefs: Chamber Breakfast held; Immaculata STEM lab to open; HAC names new director

Staff reports
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Local community business owners and leaders attend the Henderson County Chamber of Commerce Breakfast, which was held Feb. 28 at Prescott Automotive complex.
Local community business owners and leaders attend the Henderson County Chamber of Commerce Breakfast, which was held Feb. 28 at Prescott Automotive complex.

Local leaders discuss economy at Chamber Breakfast

The Henderson County Chamber of Commerce held its Chamber Breakfast on Feb. 28 at the Prescott Automotive complex, and the Chamber presented statistics about economic growth in the county.

In December 2022, the county's unemployment rate was 2.6%. Only four other counties in the state have a lower unemployment rate. The county also had the 58th-highest population growth in North Carolina, which was measured from July 2018-July 2021. It grew by 1.38 percent in 2022.

The NC Department of Commerce's economic distress rank for Henderson County is 85 (1 is the most distressed, so only 15 other NC counties are less distressed).

As for median household income, the county had the 81st highest out of 100 counties. The median household income in Henderson County is now $60,550, which is slightly above the median household income for the state ($60,430).

The Chamber also reported that Henderson County "is very strong in state indicators, unemployment rate, real estate sales, sales tax and occupancy tax."

Immaculata Catholic School's STEM lab set to open

Immaculata Catholic School announced in a recent news release that its new STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) lab will open on March 20. The celebration will begin with Holy Mass at 12:10 p.m. at Immaculate Conception Church followed by the ribbon cutting across the street at the school, the release said.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held outside. The public is welcome to join for Mass and the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Later this spring, Immaculata will have open houses to invite the public to see the new facility.

HAC names new executive director

The Housing Assistance Corporation has announced that Kristin Dunn has been selected as the new executive director of HAC.

Since 2021, Dunn has managed operations at Thrive, a local non-profit providing mental health and housing services. Before her work at Thrive, she acted as executive director at the local organization Camplify for six years. Dunn currently serves as a member of the Laurel Park Town Council and is active on many local boards and committees.

“We are so excited that Kristin will be joining that HAC family. She has a passion for ensuring that everyone is adequately housed. Kristin is well known and respected in the community and demonstrates the vision, enthusiasm and leadership ability that will advance HAC’s success as an affordable housing leader in North Carolina,” HAC Board President Sheryl Fortune said in the release.

Dunn will start at HAC in early March.

League of Women Voters accepting applications for Francee Sherman Student Award

The League of Women Voters of Henderson County (LWVHC) is now accepting applications for its Francee Sherman Student Award. This annual $1,000 student award honors Francee Sherman, Henderson County's first LWVHC President.

According to a news release, the Francee Sherman Student award will be given to a senior enrolled in a Henderson County school, domiciled in Henderson County, and on track to graduate in the 2023 school year.

As part of the award application, students must submit a 500-word essay on the topic "How can we engage young voters to participate in our democracy?" Applications and instructions can be accessed at www.lwvhcnc.org. The deadline for applications is April 17.

For more information about the League, go to its website at www.lwvhcnc.org

Household Hazardous Waste and paint collections set

Henderson County Solid Waste will offer its annual Household Hazardous Waste and paint collections from 8 a.m.-noon on March 14, April 11 and May 9, according to a news release.

Chemicals, fertilizers and pesticides will be collected at the Henderson County Convenience Center, located at 265 Convenience Center Drive, while paint and other paint-related materials will be collected at a special entrance for the Transfer Station, located at 800 Stoney Mountain Road.

There is no charge for chemicals, fertilizers, and pesticides. All paint and paint-related materials (except spray paints) will have a $2 per gallon container and a $10 per 5-gallon bucket fee, regardless of the amount within. No dried or solid paints will be accepted. There is a 30-gallon per individual per event limit on paint recycling during this program. Details on the paint recycling program are available at hcrecycles.org.

The Solid Waste Department hosts the HHW and paint event in the Spring and Fall for the citizens of Henderson County to provide safe recycling and disposal of household chemicals, cleaners, pesticides and insecticides. Mercury-containing bulbs and related items are not accepted during this event but can be recycled at the Convenience Center for free from residences. For a detailed list of acceptable HHW items or mercury products, visit hcrecycles.org.

Items brought to the Convenience Center during HHW events should be kept in original packaging. Unlabeled items must be accompanied by a material ID form, either at the event or before the event through hcrecycles.org. Business and commercial wastes will not be accepted. Contact Environmental Programs for proper disposal options by calling 828-694-6524.

City invites community members to serve on boards

This is a photo of one of the meetings of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee.
This is a photo of one of the meetings of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee.

The City of Hendersonville is inviting community members to participate in local government by serving on a board, committee or commission. According to a news release, City Council is now accepting applications for a variety of board appointments. Applications received by May 5 will be considered at the City Council’s regular June meeting.

Residents of all backgrounds are encouraged to apply. Members are encouraged to bring their unique perspectives to advise the mayor and City Council on a variety of issues.

Some boards consist of seats filled by people who live within the Hendersonville city limits, or residents of the City’s extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) and unincorporated areas of Henderson County. For residency requirements and information on each board’s purpose and meeting schedule, visit the City’s website at https://www.hendersonvillenc.gov.

Board meetings are open to the public, and anyone interested in seeing how an advisory board operates is welcome to attend a meeting. Locations and meeting schedules are listed on the website calendar at  https://www.hendersonvillenc.gov/calendar.

The community is invited to submit applications for the following boards and commissions:

  • Animal Services Advisory Committee

  • Board of Adjustment

  • Business Advisory Committee

  • Diversity & Inclusion Advisory Committee

  • Downtown Advisory Board

  • Environmental Sustainability Board

  • Historic Preservation Commission

  • Planning Board

  • Tree Board

  • Walk of Fame Steering Committee

The application deadline is 5 p.m. May 5 for City Council to consider vacancies at its meeting on June 1. A limited number of seats are available. Visit https://www.hendersonvillenc.gov/boards-and-commissions to apply and learn more about residency and appointment requirements.

This article originally appeared on Hendersonville Times-News: Local briefs: Chamber Breakfast held; Immaculata STEM lab to open; HAC names new director