MARSHALL - "There are times when you have a happy dance, and this community had one of those the last few days," said Interim County Manager Norris Gentry during the Madison County Board of Commissioners April 12 meeting.

"All three of the Golden LEAFs were approved. Spring Creek received $450,000 of its request. That will actually come through the county, because the county owns that building. (The North Carolina Cooperative Extension) facility got slightly over $300,000, which was most of what they asked for for the value added kitchen."

The Golden LEAF Foundation was founded in 1999 to administer a portion of the tobacco settlement agreement monies back into North Carolina's rural and economically distressed communities. 

SCCC member Alice McVey said the center's work to explore grant funding for upgrades to its building spanned more than 14 months.

"Our community is isolated, and with French Broad EMC providing high-speed internet this year, the timing was perfect to offer workforce preparedness options at our community center including a business center, classroom space and office space as well as other tools," McVey said. "A-B Tech has been a great partner and is willing to actively support our community educational needs."

According to McVey, the board will host a presentation on the center's renovation plans May 2 at 6:30 p.m. Spring Creek Community Center is located at 13075 N.C. 209.

Madison County Schools’ Career and Technical Education program was awarded $487,500.00 from the Golden LEAF Fund.

Specifically, the grant will fund tools, equipment, curriculum materials and building supplies to add electrical, HVAC and plumbing to the district's CTE construction trades program, improving high school students' employability with training in technical skills and hands-on experience. Project partner MB Haynes will provide classroom speakers and training, work-based learning experiences and possible employment. The construction trades program anticipates graduating at least 30 students per year. 

“We are grateful to the Golden LEAF Foundation, our Board of Education, and our County Commissioners for their support," Superintendent Will Hoffman said. "We are especially thankful for the leadership of CTE Director Jimmy Huey, and masonry and carpentry teachers Bryan Sams and Brad Franklin who developed this grant proposal. Today, we are also reminded of Dr. David Robinson who shared a strong vision for industry partnerships leading to job opportunities for our students which is integral to this program.”

During the Madison County Board of Education's March 30 meeting, Madison High's lead construction teacher Bryan Sams and CTE Director James Huey briefed the board on a potential project the CTE program planned for its students: the construction of a new house for an MHS teacher. 

"Our idea is to build something 1,500 to 1,800 square feet," Sams said. 

"The goal is a three-bedroom house," Huey said. "Still, our plan is to make it available as affordable housing to a newer, young teacher in Madison County. We're excited about that opportunity." 

According to the CTE director, the idea for the program is to put 100% of the proceeds from the sale of the house into a fund to build additional houses.

"So this is actually a project that could outlive most of, if not all of us," Huey said. "So, we could just keep going and going and going, based on the availability of land to build a house on, and that sort of thing."

Sams said the project should break ground in the fall, and the house should take two years to build. 

"Kudos to all those people - dozens and dozens and dozens of people in this community - that worked together for way over a year to pull that off," Gentry said. "I think that it just really speaks well for the community working together to help the community. So, happy dance time." 

In its July meeting, the board deliberated over whether to use funds to supply each of the county's fire departments with a medical chest compression device called Lifeline Arm ACC. According to Chair Mark Snelson, currently four fire and first response departments - Walnut, Ebbs Chapel, Mars Hill and Marshall Fire Departments - carry the device. 

Snelson said members of the board met April 11 with representatives from the state's RACE CARS (Regional Approach to Cardiovascular Emergencies Cardiac Arrest Resuscitation System) program, which coordinates 122 hospitals and 540 EMS agencies to rapidly diagnose and provide emergency treatment for heart attacks and sudden cardiac arrest, according to its website. 

"In our county, for instance I'll use Spring Creek, (some first responders) have to go about 6-7 miles to the fire department, turn around, get the defibrillator and come back," Snelson said. "Now, with these Lifeline Arm ACCs, we'll go work a cardiac arrest out in the field. Normally, we're going to work you for 30 minutes there, unless it's an overdose, a drowning or a child. The reason for that is, it used to be we threw them in the back of an ambulance and we hightailed it to the hospital. But what they figured out over time was, every time we stopped CPR to put them on a stretcher, get them down the steps and put them in an ambulance, it was taking over a minute to get back to where we were.

"So, with new protocols, if you have Lifeline Arms, you can put them on there, load them up and take them, because once you put that thing on, it's going to do chest compressions, regardless of what you're doing. That, with the (automated external defibrillator), there's going to be a better chance of surviving if you are in cardiac arrest."  

Commissioner Michael Garrison motioned the board approve the purchase of the five additional devices, which would be issued to Laurel, Spring Creek, Country, Hot Springs and Big Pine Fire Departments.

"They're not going to have the money, even with their fire tax. They have other operational expenses," Garrison said. "I'd like to add that we use the (American Rescue Plan) funding to do that." 

According to Snelson, Mars Hill Fire Department used the device 15-16 times in 2021. 

The expenditures totaled $46,111, which includes charging stations and backup batteries for the devices. 

"I commend the departments that have been able to pool their resources and financial abilities to purchase these," Garrison said. "Some just aren't going to be able to any time in the near future." 

Gentry agreed with Garrison's sentiment, adding that the expenditure would provide equal resources to the county's nine departments. 

The expenditure will be reflected in a purchase order and a budget amendment will be approved in next month's meeting, according to board attorney Donny Laws and finance officer Kary Ledford. 

The Madison County Board of Commissioners' next meeting will take place May 10 at 7 p.m. at the N.C. Cooperative Extension, 258 Carolina Lane in Marshall.