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Town manager approved as Sylva’s ABC official
By Justin Goble
Sylva town officials voted Sept. 15 to make town manager Jay Denton the town’s Alcoholic Beverage Control official.
In this role, Denton will determine whether or not new business owners are suitable to apply for a license to sell beer and wine. Officials said that they are wary of offering a license to someone of “questionable character.”
“What I will be doing is offering a public opinion,” he said. “The designation calls for a public official to make an opinion on whether the person should be able to apply for the ABC license. I’ll check with the police chief, and he will run a background check. We don’t want to give licenses to people with criminal records.”
While seeking approval from the local official is an important first step, Denton stressed that it is only one part of the process.
“The big deal goes on in Raleigh,” Denton said. “The state ABC Commission has final say on whether someone gets a license.”
According to zoning administrator Jim Aust, the designation works in conjunction with the town’s zoning ordinances.
“First, I inspect the premises to make sure that everything complies with zoning ordinances,” Aust said. “Then it will go to Mr. Denton to check out the individual.”
During his tenure as county Commissioner’s Chairman, Denton said he turned the job over to the Sheriff’s Office, which could easily run background checks and offer an opinion to the commissioners.
According to Mayor Brenda Oliver, the town manager is usually designated to be the ABC official.
In other business Sept. 15:
– Board members discussed grant proposals to present to county commissioners. The county is offering a grant of up to $20,000 to municipalities to fund projects that will benefit both the municipality and the county.
Sylva, Dillsboro, Forest Hills and Webster are all eligible for the grant funds.
Officials offered suggestions such as hazard abatement programs and improvements to parks.
Mayor Oliver said that one major thing she thought the money could be used for was the town parking lot.
“I’ve thought about handrailings and signs for the city parking lot,” she said.
Denton stressed that a major factor county commissioners will be looking at is use by those that live outside of the city limits.
The grant proposals are due to the county in October.
– Officials also discussed the option of adopting a sister city on the Gulf Coast.
Mayor Oliver said that she felt that it was a good idea and looked at how the town of Shelby went about adopting its sister city to see what would be involved.
After discussing it with Shelby Mayor Ted Alexander, she felt it was financially feasible.
“Shelby had benefactors,” she said. “But they also appealed to the community for certain services. They didn’t spend any taxpayer money.”
While the rest of the board agreed that adopting a sister city was a good idea, questions arose about the cost to the town.
Board member Maurice Moody said that he was willing to adopt a sister city if the town was financially able to do so.
“If there is a financial commitment, we need to be able to make sure we can afford it.”
– Officials passed the second reading of the new Mediacom cable franchise agreement. The new agreement’s 5 percent franchise fee, which is a raise from the previous agreement’s 3 percent, will go into effect Jan. 1.
– Officials accepted a grant from the N.C. Governor’s Highway Safety Program.
The resolution gives $6.975.25 to the town to use towards a project to increase safety on highways. As a part of the grant agreement, the town allocated $6,413.75 of its own funds to help with the project.
Sylva police will use the money to install cameras in department vehicles.
– A public hearing was scheduled to be held at 6:30 p.m., before the next regular meeting on Oct. 6.
The hearing will concern parking and sign variances for the new Lowe’s, which is being constructed on N.C. 116.
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