HomeMy WebLinkAboutC.054.93011_0544Kathleen Hatchett (opponent): Mentioned she supported the preservation of
Fort Dobbs, but added that there were different kinds of support. She said that if the
request were approved, the money would flow to the Alliance, and then to the state.
Hatchett said the subsequent decisions about the fort would then be made by the state.
She said the State of North Carolina acquired the land over 30 years ago, and it was the
State of North Carolina that decided not to develop the site. Hatchett said that as a
matter of fact, the state tried to give away the site in 1981, and later, it was completely
closed. Mrs. Hatchett said the state officials had now hired Beth Carter, the site
manager, to promote their interests. Hatchett said the Fort Dobbs DAR had given the
land to the state with the understanding that an actual fort would be built, but this never
happened. She said a residential development would fit better in the area than a
commercial enterprise. Hatchett said the Alliance members wanted more land for green
space, and the reason was due to their plans to build on the current green space. Mrs.
Hatchett said that if the land were purchased and no artifacts were found, she
questioned what purpose it would have. She said parking perhaps. Mrs. Hatchett said
the state's projections on the number of potential visitors to the site were between
100,000 to 200,000. She said this was unacceptable to the current residents. Mrs.
Hatchett said camp re-enactors who used the site spent their nights in tents and brought
their own food. She questioned how any economic benefits could be obtained. She
said there were no blueprints or plans on what the Alliance's "Frontier Village" would
look like. She said there were also no true cost estimates. Mrs. Hatchett said she (1)
didn't trust the state to fund the operation, (2) didn't trust the state to be reliable in the
development of the project, and (3) didn't trust the state to deal fairly with the neighbors
and the community. She said, "The state needs to step up and show a commitment that
hasn't occurred in 30 plus years."
Emily Ervin: Mentioned she was a member of the Fort Dobbs DAR, and it was
difficult for her to imagine the number of people visiting the site that had been
suggested. She encouraged careful thought on both sides of the project.
Louanne Watts (opponent): Mentioned she and the others in opposition were
not against history, or the fort, but they wanted to keep the site small and rural. She
said, "Preservation is saving it as it is, saving it as it should be -- not
commercialization." She said the Alliance could improve on what already existed.
Watts said that when responsible people reviewed their budgets, they looked at their
"needs" and their "wants and wishes." She said Fort Dobbs was a "want and wish," and
the county had "needs."
Robert Remsburg (Proponent): Mentioned he was the North Carolina Historic
Site Western Section Leader. He said Fort Dobbs was the only French and Indian War
site in the Carolinas. Remsburg said that by preserving the site, the county was helping
to lay the groundwork for future economic development, and this would mean jobs for
Iredell County citizens. He said the grant would provide a buffer for the proposed
reconstructed fort and the residential area on Fort Dobbs Road. Remsburg said that
once the fort had "costumed interpreters," it would attract many visitors. He said many
plans needed to be made, but the future looked promising. Remsburg said many
businesses would experience a significant increase in revenues due to the site. He said a
local investment would be a continuation of the county's practice of providing incentive
packages for industry. He said the state was cataloguing the site's artifacts, and this
would help provide the documentation for an accurate portrayal of the 250-year-old
fort. Remsburg said that from his experience, historical sites did not produce traffic
problems. He said the total amount of added cars on the road would not exceed 160
vehicles a day. In addition, he said tourism was basically a "green industry," so there
was not much of an environmental impact. He said the grant along with the county's
investment would be a win-win situation, and it was an incentive package worth
funding.
Commissioner Robertson asked if the state built projects without local support.