Sept. 29, 2026
Jonathan Rich
BrevardBeagle.com
Various trustees with Blue Ridge Community College and members of the Transylvania County Board of Commissioners met for coffee on the school’s Transylvania County campus Tuesday, Sept. 29 for an informal gathering of the two governing bodies.
Last spring BRCC President Laura Leatherwood requested $746,559 from the commissioners for operating support this current fiscal year and $76,500 for capital support while emphasizing the need to replace the Transylvania County campus off Oak Park Drive with another larger campus somewhere in the county in order to provide for current and anticipated growth for students and staff in Brevard.
That appeal was politely reinforced Sept. 29 among those gathered to get reacquainted now that the BRCC fall semester is in full swing.
“Laura and our staff thought it would be a great time for all of you to get together because we don’t ever get together,” said BRCC Trustees Chair John “Chip” Gould before sharing light refreshments among the two organizations in a conference room on BRCC’s Brevard campus. “We wanted to give you a chance to meet our staff, faculty, and trustees because they are interested to meet you. We have had several new trustees over the years, but at the end of the day, we’re all committed to this facility and trying to improve everything.”
Later that same day, members of the Board of Commissioners met with members of the Transylvania County School Board for a brief joint school bond project committee meeting at the County Administration building on South Broad Street.
In January 2024, the Transylvania County Board of Commissioners unanimously voted to issue the sale of $51 million in general obligation bonds with the hope it would pay for most of the capital improvements at all nine public schools within the next three years.
In December 2025, the NC Department of Public Instruction awarded Transylvania County Schools a $62 million grant to be used in part to consolidate Davidson River Alternative School with Brevard High School while constructing a new 70,000 square foot career/technical education (CTE) facility and exceptional children wing as well as simultaneously remodelling the arts wing at Brevard High School.
On Sept. 29, Project Manager Beecher Allison updated members of the joint committee on the status of various capital projects authorized by both the School Board and the Transylvania County Board of Commissioners.
“In general for the Brevard High School renovations and CTE project update, design pricing was completed over the summer and school staff are working with the design staff within the budget,” Allison explained. “This project will be coordinated and completed within BHS scope number two within the approved construction time. I can say the design team was out working diligently with the staff at Davidson River School and they are working real hard for us and that process is going like it needs to.”