Basnight Visits Ashe County By Fawn Roark Senator Steve Goss from Ashe County brought Senator and President Pro Tempore Marc Basnight to the county last week for lunch and a time to talk with local officials about major issues as well as accomplishments needing attention in the county. Senator Steve Goss from Ashe County brought Senator and President Pro Tempore Marc Basnight to the county last week for lunch and a time to talk with local officials about major issues. The President Pro Tempore of the North Carolina Senate is the highest-ranking (internally elected) officer of one house of the North Carolina General Assembly, according to wikipedia.org. The President of the Senate is the Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina, but the President Pro-Tem actually holds most of the power and presides in the absence of the Lt. Governor. He or she, a senior member of the party with a majority of seats, appoints senators to committees and also appoints certain members of state boards and commissions. Goss said he was very pleased that Basnight came to Ashe County. “When we were on our way here, we were talking about the tag office needs and the forestry office. He said let’s call now. Senator Basnight is a very generous person coming up here and I think he is one of the most generous people I have met in my life,” Goss explained. “I feel his visit will be important in the upcoming session. When I mention a specific need in Ashe County, he will be able to visualize it. He is very impressed with Ashe County and our people, and I believe that will lead to a fruitful relationship.” “I have a chance now today to hear more about your county because of the person you elected. You have chosen him and have chosen very well,” Basnight said about Goss. He spoke with local officials about several issues including the widening of Highway 221. County Manager Dan McMillan said he and the town mayors feel that this is probably the main priority of the county and towns right now. “We feel like this is vital to Ashe County and it has been scheduled to be started several times, but keeps being put back We feel like we have waited and waited. We want the same opportunity everyone else has so any help you can give would be much appreciated,” McMillan said. Basnight mentioned that the increasing cost of steel and concrete is affecting everyone’s lifestyles and often causes projects like the widening of 221 to be delayed. He added that he and Goss will be working together on getting projects accomplished. Basnight added that education was also one of his main priorities and the importance of building knowledge for local youth. Goss asked Director Chris Robinson of the Ashe Campus of Wilkes Community College to talk about the Northwest NC Advance Materials Cluster project that was initiated with and by leaders of Ashe, Alleghany and Wilkes Counties and the Community College. The Northwest North Carolina Advanced Materials Cluster is a public/private partnership for economic development in Ashe, Alleghany and Wilkes counties purposed to enhance research, education and economic infrastructure. Advanced Materials provides an opportunity to help area businesses incorporate an emerging technology into their current product lines to gain a competitive advantage in the worldwide economy, according to www.advancedmaterialsnc.org. Basnight is also working to help make sure that Ashe County will hopefully soon be able to have a Forestry Service Headquarters. “He is sending a staff member to WCC-Ashe Division next Monday to follow up on Chris’s desire for us to understand the NWNC Advanced Materials Cluster. He is also working with me on the Forestry Services Headquarters that we hopefully can keep near the top of the budget. This is important for Ashe County because of our Christmas tree industry and other forest lands. Seven hundred eighty thousand dollars {$780,000.00} has been allotted for the project,” Goss added. Goss added that one day a month, he will be available to talk with people about local issues when he is not in session. He will be visiting Ashe County as well as his other counties he represents one day a month to keep regular office hours where people can discuss concerns with him.