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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.