An April 19 Community Forum turned out some 50 residents over the course the spring Saturday. All three Clay County commissioners attended and heard lots of conversation about making farmland preservation a priority in the region.

Here’s a sample of the conversations:

Of the seven counties in Region A, Clay was the only one to surpass the state growth rate between 2000 and 2006. Its population grew to 10,008 over that period, a 14.1 percent gain, compared to North Carolina’s overall growth rate during the same period of 10.1 percent. That explains the sense of urgency Clay County leaders have been feeling to get a handle on growth management issues. County Commissioner Harry Jarrett was chair of the region’s 2007 Growth Management Workshop and sits on the Mountain Landscape Initiative “Tool Box” steering committee.

Watch this page for more county-oriented updates and reports.

Hub Cheeks, Clay County Resident