“The park and trails, the lake, aren’t really a huge revenue stream for the area, though, are they?” Chey said. “Except for renting paddleboats and such, access is free, right?”
Vivi looked back to them and nodded. “Yes, it is, and no, it’s not directly a revenue stream, but it’s always been a solid indicator of tourism. And the council is saying that the lack of people coming out here to enjoy the lake area is part of what’s negatively impacting the town.”
“Because that means fewer people shopping and otherwise using the town amenities.”
Vivi nodded. “The population of Blue Hollow Falls, in and of itself, isn’t big enough to support all those businesses. It doesn’t help that a lot of the locals go down to Turtle Springs and do their shopping there. Combine that with the fact that most of the tourists spend time out at the winery, our farm, the mill, and don’t go into the town proper at all, and you can see the problem. So, now the council is saying that not only is it not worth spending tax dollars to maintain the park, but that there might be a better use for the land.”
“Better use?” Chey said in disbelief. “Like what?” She gestured. “It’s a lake. It’s not like you can get rid of it.”
“What is Hammond proposing?” Wyatt lifted a hand. “If you don’t mind my asking.”
Vivi frowned. “He thinks we should sell off this property to a big, fancy resort developer who has shown interest.” She sighed. “Interest that came, I am certain, because Hammond courted it.” She looked out over the lake. “I know I may seem like an odd champion, given I spent my life in sequins and feathers, and, even now, my idea of enjoying the great outdoors is standing on the porch of my house looking out over it.” She turned back to face them. “But it’s not just about this park. It’s about the mindset of those who want to shift the focus of the town to attracting, bigger, broader commercial interests. In just the few years we’ve been here, I have come to know the people of Blue Hollow Falls, what they do, what they love. What we’ve already started building, and what Seth, Mabry, and the folks at the mill and music center are building, all of that respects the land, this place. Not corporate bottom lines and greed-motivated land grabs. Which is exactly what it will become if they start to sell out. It’s what Turtle Springs is fighting against now, and losing from the looks of it.”
“What is this mill, the music center?” Wyatt asked.
“One of the founding families of the Falls owned and operated a silk mill up here over a century or so ago,” Chey told him.
Wyatt’s eyebrows lifted. “Silk mill. As in silk fabric silk?”
She nodded. “Long history of silk production in the mid-Atlantic region back when these were colonies, not states. Anyway, the mill had long since fallen out of use when corn, cotton, tobacco, and in this area, apples became more profitable crops. A few years ago, the locals—led by Addie Pearl, who owns a chunk of the mill, and who had spent years cultivating this area as the perfect community for artisans—renovated the mill and turned it into a home for the Bluebird Guild members. The guild Addie started years ago. The various craftsmen and women, artists, and the like, had, up to then, operated separately from their own properties or small commercial spaces in town. Hannah, one of the partners out at our lavender farm, is a member of the guild. She’s a painter and has had showings at the mill.”
“It has, by any measure, been a success,” Vivi said, picking up the story. “But it’s not just the mill. The winery owner out near us that I mentioned, Seth Brogan, married a well-known folk singer from Ireland, and she instigated and funded the building of the music center, which includes an amphitheater and stage big enough to put on a variety of different productions. It’s right next to the mill, which is set with the falls as its backdrop. Pippa—Seth’s wife—recently added a recording studio to their winery property, and more and more musicians are coming in, from all over the world, to record there. Now they also have a wedding venue, which launches officially this summer.”
“It sounds like a really vibrant, active community,” Wyatt said. “Don’t you think if you explained what’s going on, the new business owners would join the chamber of commerce, or show up at the town council meetings?”
She nodded. “Possibly, in the future, but that takes time, and I’m afraid this is all moving far too quickly for them to make much of an impact now.”
“Sounds like you all need to come together to brainstorm ways to help everyone out,” Wyatt said. “Give the mayor and the council an alternate plan.”
“I think I know the one person who could pull this together,” Chey said, a smile creasing her face. “And she might turn the tide all on her own. Addie Pearl. Have you told her what’s going on? About the resort proposal? No way would she take that news sitting down.”
Vivi nodded. “You’re absolutely right. If anyone can get things organized, it’s Addie. No, I don’t believe she knows. The council just introduced the proposal this week, and I haven’t talked to her personally about it. The problem is, it was presented as a fait accompli. Hammond has everything lined up. All the council has to do is say yes and all the mayor has to do is sign the contracts. The whole project has quite obviously been in the works behind the scenes for some time. And I can guarantee you that Hammond has the majority council vote locked up.” She smirked. “Paul made sure to mention that he golfs regularly with three of them and how well they’ve done investing in his properties. Hammond recently got another invite to join Paul’s very exclusive country club out in Valley View. Four votes gives him the majority.” She sighed. “The mayor could overrule the vote, or table it, but it might be too late. This solution solves too many problems at once.”
“But opens the door to the eventual complete ruin of what makes Blue Hollow Falls special,” Chey said. “They’re thinking short term. Can’t someone get the mayor to see the big picture? We have to at least try.” Chey paced the short width of the dock. “Hannah and Will could talk to Sawyer. He owns another chunk of the mill,” she told Wyatt. “They, along with Seth and Pippa, can get Mabry and his daughter on board. Addie will mobilize the guild members. We could have them all out to the farm and organize our thoughts, draw up a plan of action.”
Vivi nodded and a spark of renewed energy replaced the note of defeat that had entered her voice. “That’s exactly the right approach.” She let out a short sigh. “I still worry that none of that is going to match up to Paul and his deep pockets and council influence. And my little stunt out here didn’t help matters any.”
“I don’t know,” Chey said, considering. “He must view you as something of a threat if he thought he needed to wine and dine you to his way of thinking.”
“Are you saying you don’t think it was my natural beauty and witty insouciance that led to his rather ardent pursuit of me?” Vivi twirled her parasol and batted her perfectly applied false eyelashes.
“Reign it in, Ginger,” Chey said with a laugh. “I’m saying that while he might have been drawn to you personally—and who wouldn’t be—I’m betting there was more to his pursuit than merely getting you to go on a date. He wanted to charm you and silence the opposition at the same time. Kind of a killing two birds with one stone kind of thing.”