The Haywood County Board of Commissioners announced on Apr. 22 that it will hold a public hearing regarding the Southwestern North Carolina HOME Consortium’s 2026-2030 Consolidated Plan Draft. The hearing is scheduled for Monday, May 4 at 9:30 a.m. in the Historic Courtroom of the Haywood County Historic Courthouse in Waynesville.
The purpose of this hearing is to allow residents to share their opinions about the proposed Consolidated Plan Draft, which has been developed according to U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development requirements. Public input is being sought as part of an effort to ensure that community voices are included in planning decisions.
The draft plan will be available for review beginning May 5 on the Southwestern Commission’s website at https://southwesterncommission.org/southwestern-nc-home-consortium/. Community members can submit comments during a public comment period from May 5 through June 5, and questions or comments may be directed to LeNay Shular by email or phone as listed in the announcement.
Those wishing to participate who require special accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act should contact organizers at least two days before the meeting date. Translation and interpretation services may also be available upon request for those with limited English proficiency.
Recent data about education outcomes in Haywood County show that among senior students taking the science portion of the ACT, only about one quarter were considered ready for college during the last school year according to state education officials. Similar results were seen among juniors, with less than thirty percent considered college-ready in science according to state data. In reading, around forty percent of seniors and juniors met college readiness benchmarks as reported by state sources. For math, roughly one quarter of both seniors and juniors reached college readiness levels state officials report.
According to Deputy Clerk Haven B. Muse, “Persons wishing to be heard at the public hearing are asked to be present.” Muse said reasonable rules may govern speaker time limits and decorum during proceedings.
