Carol Pritchett

Rutherford County, North Carolina

Mayor Carol C. Pritchett was officially sworn into office at the Lake Lure Town Council Meeting on August 13, 2019, with her appointment becoming effective the following day. As the sole candidate in the 2019 municipal election, she was set to continue serving as the elected Mayor of Lake Lure. A dedicated leader with a commitment to community preservation and progress, Mayor Pritchett stepped into the role following the passing of former Mayor Kevin Cooley. She recognized his impactful leadership and expressed her dedication to continuing efforts to protect and enhance Lake Lure for future generations. Mayor Pritchett and her husband, Joe, relocated to Lake Lure from Houston, Texas, in 2011 to build a home where their family—two sons, their spouses, and five grandchildren—could gather.

Deeply invested in the community, she has worked to ensure a balance between preserving Lake Lure’s natural beauty and addressing critical infrastructure needs. Bringing over 17 years of executive leadership experience, Mayor Pritchett has an extensive background in business operations, strategic planning, and organizational management. Prior to her role as Mayor, she founded Coulter Consulting LLC in Asheville, North Carolina, where she has served as President since 2014. Her firm specializes in contracting with standalone healthcare facilities to oversee operations, develop strategic plans, and ensure compliance with industry certifications. Previously, she held key executive roles in healthcare management, including serving as Senior Vice President of Encore Health Care Corp. (2011–2014) and Regional Vice President of Operations with Life Care Centers of America, Inc. (2005–2011). In these roles, she managed national organizations generating over $300 million in annual revenue, overseeing more than 70 facilities across 13 states. Recognized for her results-driven and transparent leadership, Mayor Pritchett has consistently championed operational excellence, sustainability, and inclusive governance. Under her leadership, Lake Lure continues to build upon its strong foundation while preparing for future challenges and opportunities. Mayor Pritchett remains committed to ensuring the town thrives for generations to come.

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Which characteristics is your community looking for in funding opportunities?

Disaster declaration
A Presidential Disaster Declaration unlocks a suite of federal programs that assist local governments with disaster recovery. This is a good filter for communities included in recent Disaster Declarations related to flooding.
Nature-based solutions
The program has a strong focus on providing assistance to promote a healthy ecosystem as a critical defense against flooding impacts. Eligible activities may include floodplain restoration, environmental stewardship, projects that use natural features to mitigate erosion, and living shorelines.
Encourages public-private partnerships
The program encourages or requires collaboration between government entities and stakeholders, including the private sector, to fund, develop, or implement projects.
Offers rolling deadlines
The program accepts applications on an ongoing basis with no fixed deadline.

Is your project in the planning, design, or construction phase?

Planning
The gathering of data and information regarding the extent and impacts of flooding. Eligible activities may include data acquisition, risk assessment, and environmental analysis.
Design & scoping
Covers pre-construction activities, such as defining project scope, developing technical designs, and securing funding to prepare for implementation.
Construction & implementation
Involves carrying out flood resilience projects, including building infrastructure and deploying solutions to reduce flood risks.

Are you looking for grants, loans, or technical assistance for your project?

Funding (grants)
A monetary award that does not need to be repaid. Many federal grants are reimbursable, meaning recipients must cover project costs upfront and then request reimbursement from the government.
Financing (loans)
A government-issued loan that must be repaid. These loans typically provide funding upfront, helping communities cover project costs before repayment begins.
Technical assistance
Assistance from the government in the form of services — such as project planning, engineering and design support, data analysis, training, capacity building, or collaboration through a cooperative agreement — instead of direct funding.

Some programs provide extra support for specific project types or communities. Do any of these apply to your project?

Small or rural communities
Programs that set aside funding, offer loan forgiveness, or adjust cost share requirements for communities with smaller populations.
Small or low-cost projects
Programs that offer reduced requirements for smaller projects, such as waived cost-sharing or exemptions from benefit-cost analysis.
Regional or watershed focus
Programs that support projects that take a watershed management approach or address flooding at a regional scale, requiring coordination beyond a single town or community.
Tribal communities
Programs that dedicate resources or adjust cost share requirements specifically for tribal governments or organizations.

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