Marshall Mayor Nancy Allen honored with Land of Sky Regional Leadership Award

MARSHALL - Outgoing Marshall Mayor Nancy Allen said she was asked recently what she enjoyed most about being mayor, and her answer was "the people."

Now, the people get to return the favor of paying tribute to her, as Allen was recognized by Land of Sky Regional Council with a leadership award Nov. 29.

Land of Sky Regional Council is a local government, planning and development organization serving Madison, Buncombe, Henderson and Transylvania Counties.

Land of Sky's Charles H. Campbell Regional Leadership Award was established in 1983 and is named after the council's former chair and Brevard mayor who received a national award for regional leadership in 1977. It's awarded annually to one council member who has made a major long-term contribution to the council and its governance.

"I love the people of Marshall," Allen said. "Thank you for the support, and all of us working together. We can come together and work together for the good cause of what we all believe in: our great town."

Marshall Town Administrator Forrest Gilliam said five Land of Sky officials were in Marshall Nov. 20 to congratulate Allen for the award.

"It's been an honor and a privilege," Allen told the Marshall Town Board in her last official meeting as mayor Nov. 20.

"It takes a variety of people to do the work. It's not one individual. It's a team of people. And this is a marvelous team of people that works so hard."

Allen replaced Jack Wallin in the middle of his term following his death on Feb. 8, 2021.

In a conversation with The Citizen Times after assuming the position in March 2021, Allen identified addressing the water and sewer infrastructure needs as two of her main goals for her tenure.

Significant flooding in 2018 and 2019 led to unaccounted water breaks in the town that persisted through 2021 and 2022.

But with the help of the town maintenance staff led by Supervisor Jamie Chandler, as well as from Gary Moore, an employee with engineering consulting firm Vaughn & Melton, and Don Byers, an employee of Byers Environmental who consults on the town's water and sewer systems, Marshall has significantly shored up its water problems.

Additionally, Gilliam announced the town's latest plans for the N.C. 213 corridor project after the county received $18 million for the sewer repairs, $15 million of which will go to the Marshall and Mars Hill town governments for improvements to the towns' sewer systems, including each town receiving new 500,000-gallon water tanks.

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Allen taught at Marshall High School from 1975-82.

From there, she served as principal of Marshall Primary, Hot Springs Elementary, Madison Middle, Marshall Elementary and Brush Creek Elementary School, where she retired from.

"I've had wonderful opportunities in the school system as an educator," Allen said. "I certainly have a vested interest in serving the people."

Allen will be on hand in the town board's Dec. 18 meeting, in which new Mayor Aaron Haynie will officially be sworn in.

Allen encouraged residents to continue building on the spirit of community and solidarity that has always been a trademark characteristic of Marshall and Madison County.

"If I say one thing to leave with you all, it's, 'Stay together. Work together. Support each other,'" Allen said. "That's what makes Marshall so great, is the people, and us all working together. So thank you. It's been an honor."

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Nancy Allen honored with Land of Sky Regional Leadership Award