Last Updated on August 10, 2026 12:16 pm
BOONE — The Boone Town Council meets Wednesday, August 12, at 9:00 a.m. in the Town Council Chambers at 1500 Blowing Rock Road, with a packed agenda that includes a Greenway bridge naming, a five-year climate plan update, a Boonerang festival recap, a transportation planning briefing, and an update on the town's interim leadership.
Rufus Edmisten Bridge
Mayor Dalton George is bringing a resolution to formally name a bridge on the Boone Greenway the “Rufus Edmisten Bridge.” The bridge crosses a tributary of the New River along Lower Hardin Creek, on land that has long been in the Edmisten family and is now home to a portion of the Greenway. The resolution cites Edmisten's service as North Carolina's 46th Attorney General — including his fight to have the New River designated as a Wild and Scenic River — as well as his tenure as the state's 21st Secretary of State and his Democratic nomination for governor. The resolution directs staff to work with Edmisten and other organizations to plan a formal dedication ceremony.
Boonerang 2026 Report
Cultural Resources Director Mark Freed will present the post-festival report on the fifth annual Boonerang Music and Arts Festival. The 2026 festival received 203 vendor applications — up from 170 in 2025 — and drew about 150 volunteers who contributed roughly 1,000 hours of work. The festival ran a $228,100 budget and generated $100,000 for the 2027 Boonerang, $18,300 for the Watauga Arts Council, and $7,700 for partner nonprofits. More than 94% of surveyed vendors said they would return. Fifth-year highlights included a Boonerang Documentary that premiered at the Appalachian Theatre, a Parade of Nations with more than double the usual participation, and a flash mob, mural rodeo, and roving mariachi band.
Community Climate Action Plan — 5-Year Update
Sustainability and Special Projects Manager George Santucci will deliver a five-year update on Boone's Community Climate Action Plan, adopted in March 2024. The news is mixed. On tree planting, the town has exceeded its goal: more than 750 trees have been planted, hitting the 2030 target four years early. On electric vehicles, 48 new public EV chargers have been installed in Boone since 2021, including 10 town-owned. AppalCart's double-decker bus is proving popular and more are on the way, though ridership hasn't fully returned to pre-COVID levels and driver shortages continue to limit route expansion. On the other hand, distributed solar energy is at only about 30% of the plan's 3-megawatt goal for 2030, with federal incentives eliminated and local utility policies cited as barriers. Green power enrollment is growing but not fast enough to reach the 2030 target. A public-facing five-year summary and community survey are also being released as part of the update.
Watauga County Transportation Plan Update
David Graham of the High Country Council of Governments and Reuben Crummy of the NC Department of Transportation will brief the council on the update to Watauga County's Comprehensive Transportation Plan — the first revision since 2013. A CTP is a state-mandated, long-range planning document covering roads, transit, bicycle, and pedestrian infrastructure over a 25- to 30-year horizon. It is a prerequisite for communities seeking state and federal transportation funding. A travel demand model is currently being developed for Watauga County to inform the plan. The update process is expected to take 12 to 18 months.
Interim Town Manager Update
The council is scheduled to take up an update on the town's Interim Town Manager under Council Matters. The item is listed For Action. No additional details were included in the publicly available agenda packet.
Consent Agenda
On the consent agenda, the council will vote to accept a $10,000 federal grant through the NC Governor's Highway Safety Program to fund police overtime for alcohol-impaired driving and speeding enforcement — with no local cash match required. The council will also approve a perpetual maintenance agreement with NCDOT committing the town to maintain sidewalks along Bamboo Road and Wilson Ridge Road outside of town limits, as part of an NCDOT road modernization project along that corridor.
Board Appointments
The council will make appointments to the Sustainability Committee and the Downtown Boone Development Association. Four candidates are before the council for three Sustainability Committee openings: Pete Herbert of Boone, a 26-year resident and Director of Operations at FARM Café, for the regular seat; and W. Copeck (reappointment), A. Fagiolo, and C. Hodkinson for two student seats. Julia Moretz is seeking reappointment to the DBDA, where she serves as treasurer.
The town is also accepting applications through August 28 at 5 p.m. for open positions on the Board of Adjustment, Cultural Resources Advisory Board, Historic Preservation Commission, Human Relations Commission, Planning Commission, and Sustainability Committee. To apply, visit townofboone.net or contact Town Clerk Nicole Harmon at 828-268-6200.
The meeting is open to the public and includes a public comment period. The full agenda is available at townofboone.granicus.com.
