2024 A Look Back: Maconians united award
Maconians are known among the citizens of Western North Carolina for robust and regular public input at local government meetings and this year was no different. But there was one issue in particular that galvanized the citizens of Macon County to stand together and speak up — efforts to weaken the county’s floodplain ordinances.
Not only did a group of experts volunteer their time to make up the Water Quality Advisory Committee and research the risks of weakening the ordinances, but huge swaths of the public showed up regularly to commission and planning board meetings to let public officials know they were vehemently against the move.
Commissioners may have already moved forward with one of the three proposed changes, but advocates are still holding out hope that other protections will remain in place.
