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Welcome back to public life, Jay
It’s been three years since former Jackson County Commissioners’ Chairman and county Manager Jay Denton rode off into the sunset, and we’re pleased this week to welcome him back to public life.
Sylva’s new town manager is a local guy, which should go a long way toward helping him bridge the gap between what Sylva has been and what the town will become. A former teacher and coach, he’s used to dealing with diverse groups of people, and that’s a skill that should prove especially useful in a town that’s growing rapidly and seeing a constant influx of new people, businesses and ideas.
Sylva’s town board members set out to find someone with the experience and education they deemed necessary to keep the 116-year-old town functioning efficiently as it faces the challenges increased development is sure to bring.
Jay should be able to fulfill all their expectations and more. He’s got the on-the-job training he received during three years as county manager. Those skills have been broadened during his past three years at Western Carolina University, where he interfaced with area businesses and learned firsthand what entrepreneurs need to begin and sustain mountain enterprises.
In addition, he now holds a master’s degree in public administration, which means that he’s learned a lot of theory to go along with his previous practical experience.
To paraphrase the new town manager, Jay said that his classes have taught him a lot that he wished he had known while he was a commissioner and county manager, but that he might not have recognized the importance of what his teachers were describing if he had not previously been an elected official and public administrator.
We think Jay’s Jackson County roots will be an asset in his new job. After all, Sylva’s always been his hometown, which means that his new role will be more than just a job to him. He already knows the people who live here, and he shares their concerns, hopes and dreams for the town.
It was a “wayfaring Dane” (William Demetrius Sylva) who lent his name to a 19th Century railroad town, but it may be a former teacher from Foster Siding who helps Sylva rise to the challenges of its complex future.
We’re betting that town officials have made the right choice, and we’re looking forward to writing the story of Denton’s tenure as manager.
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