During Monday's regular meeting, the Old Fort Board of Aldermen heard the first annual State of the College presentation given by J.W. Kelley, president of McDowell Technical Community College.
The Old Fort Board of Aldermen held its regular meeting for April on Monday at the Old Fort Town Hall.
Kelley said it was the first time he or any other MTCC president gave the annual presentation about the status and the future of the local community college. He said he will give this same presentation to the Marion City Council on Tuesday and to the McDowell County Board of Commissioners in May. He said the presentation is based on last year's information.
"We plan to start doing this every spring, so our elected officials know what's going on with our presentations, what's going on at the college," Kelley said.
He said McDowell Tech ranks No. 1 among the state's community colleges when it comes to community engagement. "That means we are 27% engaged with our county citizens," he said. "That's the highest percentage across the whole state. That's really, really exciting. We want to see that percentage get higher even. That means we are really engaged into the community."
McDowell Tech ranks seventh in the state among the fastest-growing community college, Kelley said.
McDowell Tech also compares well to similar size N.C.community colleges in the area of full-time equivalency or FTE. It means there are more full-time students.
"This reason that is so important is that's how we are funded," Kelley said.
Kelley talked about the Old Fort Workforce Education Center with its trail school and medication aid programs. As of last year, 130 students were served there. In the fall of 2024, there were 63 students and in the spring of 2025, there were 67 students.
He also talked about the dual enrollment programs with McDowell Early College and the McDowell Academy for Innovation, which is a partnership with McDowell Public Schools where students can earn a high school diploma and an associate degree. Then, there is the Career and College Promise, a dual-enrollment program that allows high school students to take courses in a program pathway.
Kelley discussed some of the newer programs at McDowell Tech. They include public safety administration (careers in public safety), social and human science (careers in behavioral health), licensed practical nurse to earning an associate degree in nursing (careers as a registered nurse) and outdoor economy (careers in trails, recreation and related businesses).
In his presentation, Kelley talked about the age and condition of McDowell Tech's buildings. The college has four buildings that are more than 50 years old and have problems with the roof and other areas. Kelley said that will be an important topic for the county commissioners. "They are the ones that fund us when it comes to our facilities," he said. "I can't use my state funds on facilities. I can only use county funds."
He also talked about the new $25.25 million Health Sciences & Public Safety Center, which was funded by North Carolina's American Rescue Plan Act Temporary Savings Fund. A ground breaking for this new building is scheduled for the fall of this year with a projected opening date of fall 2028. This structure, with three floors, will change the look of McDowell Tech's main campus, Kelley said.
Retreat, rental property planned in Old Fort
Gene Sandlin and Ian Quate, who own property at 203 Catawba Ave., spoke at the meeting. The business partners plan to open a retreat, rental complex with wellness components at the property. The house will be repurposed for a wellness space with saunas, cool plunges, hot tubs and spaces for events, conferences and yoga. They also want to add landscaping and a garden. Quate and Sandlin asked for 12 spaces for parking.
"We are going to drive more and more business and foot traffic downtown and more options for people to stay," Sandlin said.
The aldermen did not take action Monday on the request.
Train service returns
Cathy Moore, who is a leader for the grassroots effort to bring passenger trains back to McDowell County and western North Carolina, spoke about the return of freight train service to Old Fort.
On Saturday, April 18, she and others gathered at the old depot in Old Fort to welcome the first regular Norfolk Southern freight train to come through since Hurricane Helene.
At Monday's meeting, Moore said she has the set of plans for repairs to the railroad, provided by R.J. Corman Railroad Group, the company subcontracted by Norfolk Southern to do the repairs. Moore said these plans, which detail the work done every step of the way, will be placed on display inside the Old Fort Depot's railroad museum to show the most recent development of the rail line's history.
"That will be the center point of our restoration exhibit," Moore said.
Moore said the next America 250 program at the Old Fort Depot will be about Col. Dan Adams, who played an important role in McDowell County's and Old Fort's history and development during the early 20th century. The program will be held Thursday, May 7.
The next open house at the Depot will take place on Sunday, April 26, from 2-5 p.m. Last month, a total of 37 people came out with 25 adults, five children and seven volunteers present.
Old Fort Beautification Committee
Anne George with the newly formed beautification committee gave an update on what's happening around town.
The committee's immediate goals are to water and maintain trees and flowerbeds along Catawba Avenue, create and maintain planters at the three Old Fort signs and trash removal from streets and sidewalks in town and at the dog park. The committee will also do weeding at the depot and consider cleaning up at the gazebo area at the SECU parking lot.
Mayor vacancy
Monday's meeting was the first held by the Board of Aldermen since Mayor Pam Snypes announced her resignation last month. Since then, Mayor Pro Tem Iretha Hancock has served as acting mayor of Old Fort. Town Administrator Renee Grindstaff said the board has not decided yet how to fill the vacancy left by Snypes.
