Apr. 10—HENDERSON — The Henderson City Council met on Monday at a new spot — McGregor Hall.

Executive and Artistic Director Mark Hopper gave a presentation and delivered a dire message — if the facility doesn’t receive financial help, it won’t survive past its 2025 loan service payment.

Hopper requested $75,000 annually from the city towards that obligation. McGregor is currently paying “well over that” each year, said Hopper. The original loan was $3.2 million and the board has “pulled rabbits out of hats” to pay it down to $2.7.

The hall receives no aid from government sources. The board plans on submitting a request to the county for comparable aid this week.

“I’m very proud of what we’re doing,” said Hopper. “If a business came in and could promise the city and county with 100% certainty that we could increase the overall economy by 13% they would jump on it.”

Proud indeed Hopper is, delivering a presentation on what McGregor does and sharing some of its accomplishments.

If the study out of North Carolina State University is any indication — McGregor is responsible for 13% of the county’s $118,142,000 gross product growth from 2019 to 2022.

In that same period, the hall brought $9.3 million to local restaurants and $3.8 to hotels. Dance tournaments, ticketed events and graduations, among other programming, draw thousands of guests that eat, shop and stay at local establishments.

Any dollar spent on the city’s part would yield $31 for the local economy, reads the study.

The hall also shores up holes in Vance County Schools’ arts programs, said Hopper, offering theatrical education where many schools do not. It’s created a unique ecosystem, putting experienced actors and greenhorns on stage simultaneously.

Mayor Pro Tem Garry Daeke thanked Hopper for the presentation, saying it would allow council members to make informed decisions in the upcoming budgeting process.

Diversion center hits snagIn order to build a diversion center out of a vacant building at 1735 Dabney Drive, Vaya Health requested an amendment to the city ordinance that would allow hospitals and sanatoriums to be built in certain commercial areas.

Long story short, the council denied that request at its Monday meeting, putting a roadblock in the path towards that center. Should it be completed, it will take in patients suffering from mental health or substance abuse emergencies currently being treated at local hospitals.

The center would be specifically equipped to handle those cases. The council seems to understand the need for its services, said Elliot Clark, a representative from the company. Indeed, Mayor Melissa Elliott said as much when the council first discussed the amendment in January.

Specifically, areas zoned as highway commercial A include parcels on I-85, U.S. 158 Bypass, North Garnett Street, Raleigh Road, East Young Avenue and Dabney Drive. Applicants, including Vaya, would need special use permits in order to do that.

The council tabled a vote on that after a couple members raised concerns about the wide-reaching nature of the amendment. The request was not specific to Vaya’s designs on Dabney, and passing the permit would have potentially opened the door to other facilities.

The planning board discussed the amendment and declined to make a recommendation — after having unanimously recommend to approve it earlier in January.

Then, the land planning committee turned out a recommendation to deny, citing concerns over the effect hospitals and sanatoriums might have on local businesses. Highway commercial A is meant specifically for retail.

The council denied Vaya’s request unanimously and without discussion.

The process has been ongoing for nearly a year and a half, said Clark. Vaya submitted the application in November.

Henderson is the best place for the center — it’s in the middle of Vaya’s region and its residents have the greatest need for a diversion center, said Clark. The location on Dabney is out in the open on a major thoroughfare, which would go toward destigmatizing usage of the place, he said.

Though the next step isn’t terribly clear at the moment, he said, Vaya wants to work closely with the city.

Al Rivers, a real estate broker working with Vaya, spoke in favor of the amendment — saying the location on Dabney has been consistently empty for some time, and that the proposed use would provide a needed service.

New board to supplant DDCPartially, at least. The council approved the creation of a new Downtown Advisory Committee to remain in compliance with Main Street guidelines.

The Downtown Development Commission board voted to relinquish that responsibility at its meeting in March. President Daniel White, for his part, said he felt the arrangement would be better.

DDC board members are all volunteers, save for Director Tracy Madigan, who’s a liaison of sorts between it and the city. The new board will be composed of appointees. The DDC will continue to focus on more focused projects, said Madigan, such as refitting a building.

The DAC will focus on more wide-reaching projects like banners downtown and the like.

Other mattersThe city proclaimed April as Child Abuse Awareness Month, National Minority Health Month and reiterated Elliott’s prior proclamation of April as Second Chance Month.

The council voted to allow new hires to use accrued sick leave hours — currently eight per month — after 30 days of work.

Ronald Henderson spoke to the council as well, inquiring as to why the city hasn’t investigated two homes near his on Breckenridge Street. Elliott said City Manager Terrell Blackmon would follow up later.

Lastly, the city recognized Naomi Dixon, whose family held a birthday bash for her 100th over the weekend.