Mountain Projects eyes new facility
For more than 50 years, Mountain Projects has been known for helping the most vulnerable in the community, but with a resolution passed by the Haywood County Board of Commissioners on June 20, they’ll be helping themselves — and the county.
The organization’s facility on Old Balsam Road that they’ve occupied since the mid-1970s is more than 100 years old, leaky and cramped.
That will change if and when they purchase from the county an unused building and plot of land in Waynesville.
“We have made the offer,” said Patsy Davis, executive director of Mountain Projects. “We need new administrative space for our organization, and this will serve as quality workspace for our great staff and clients to visit.”
On June 13, Haywood County received an offer from Mountain Projects to purchase a 1.077-acre parcel located at 2177 Asheville Road — known as the Old Haywood County Health Department building.
“The Board of Directors has had a building committee for several years now [of which Waynesville Mayor Gavin Brown is chairman] and the board has looked at lots of property and done lots of research on the most cost-effective way to acquire a new facility,” said Davis.
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On June 20, Haywood County Commissioners unanimously adopted a resolution that would pave the way for Mountain Projects to acquire the building and land for $325,000. The deal also includes an in-kind donation of project management services by the county during rehabilitation of the building. Commissioner Kevin Ensley abstained from the vote because his wife serves on the Mountain Projects board.
“The building has been on the market for several years, and we have not had any viable offers,” said Commissioner Kirk Kirkpatrick during the meeting.
That resolution directs County Manager Ira Dove to publish a notice of the resolution on June 24. After 10 days following that publication, Dove will be authorized to execute Mountain Projects’ offer, pending final approval from the county board.
“We will engage in some type of campaign or fundraiser to keep as much money as possible in direct client services,” Davis said.
Founded in 1965 as part of President Lyndon Johnson’s “War on Poverty,” Mountain Projects is a community-based nonprofit that provides critical services to the disadvantaged, the elderly and the general public. Since that time, Mountain Projects has grown to a staff of 130 that serves seven counties. With an annual budget of $11 million, they provide Section 8 rental assistance, housing rehabilitation, health care navigators, education, transportation and substance abuse prevention programs to around 7,000 people each year.
The acquisition of the building would result in the closing of its current Old Balsam Road facility until the organization finds another use for it; it would also relieve the county of the maintenance it currently performs on the unoccupied Asheville Road property.
