Dangerous banks to be held up
Dwight Otwell Editor

The Hiwassee River Watershed Coalition will work with the Cherokee County School System to improve dangerous banks along the Murphy High School track.

At the Thursday school board meeting, Gary Wright, school system administrator, said the coalition has indicated that it will apply for grants on the school system's behalf to improve the eroding bank, which is only a few feet from the track. If someone fell, he would roll all the way to the river, Wright said.

The proposal is to build the bank up and remove non-indigenous plant species such as kudzu. They propose planting species native to this area. They also want to pave the area next to the river where people park. Also, a chain link fence will be built. Board member Dr. Brian Mitchell said that the quality of the water will improve after the coalition's work.

It will take at least a year for the proposals and grants to go through federal agencies, Wright said.

The board approved that the grants be applied for on the school system's behalf.

In another matter, the board voted unanimously that Dr. David Ackerman be school board chairman again for the coming year. The board voted for WinfieldClonts as vicechairman.