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Sylva board members will face challenges
Harold Hensley and Stacy Knotts, Sylva’s two new town board members, will take the oath of office tonight.
We wish them both the best of luck as they face inevitable challenges during their four-year terms.
Hensley and Knotts will bring different perspectives to the board, and that’s a good thing.
Hensley is a well-liked retired school maintenance worker and a lifelong county resident. His knowledge of Sylva and the surrounding area will be invaluable as a board member.
On the other hand, Knotts has lived here less than six years. We know of no other board member in town history who has been elected to office after being here such a short time. Knotts, a stay-at-home mother, campaigned heavily on family-friendly issues. Her door-to-door campaign took her to all Sylva neighborhoods and was obviously welcomed by many as she was the top vote-getter on election day.
One of the challenges on the horizon will be trying to hold the line on taxes for Sylva residents. Property taxes have soared in recent years with Sylva’s tax rate now higher than that of Jackson County. Such simple steps as cutting out unnecessary travel for elected officials may not save much money but would show a good-faith effort on the part of town board members as a new budget year approaches.
Board members should also make sure town residents are receiving adequate services for their tax dollars. The mid-to-late 1990s saw an emphasis on the Streetscape program for Sylva’s Main Street. Many residents feel that coincided with a reduction in services to neighborhoods such as mowing along town street rights of way.
With plans in the works for Mill Street renovations, it’s especially important for board members to remember neighborhood issues.
And speaking of Streetscape, remember how contentious the issue became when major changes to Sylva’s downtown traffic patterns were proposed? Hopefully, board members will not fall into the same trap if someone proposes similar traffic pattern changes in the future.
It’s obvious to anyone that growth is an issue that must be dealt with. While some would like to see no growth, that’s not feasible. If an area isn’t growing, it’s dying. Managing that growth is the key for Sylva’s board.
All tools, including annexation and extraterritorial jurisdiction, should be on the table. Annexation will never be popular among those being brought into the town because their property taxes will more than double. Even so, if annexing an area is best for the town, it must be done.
The coming years should be full of excitement for Hensley, Knotts and Sylva’s other board members. We’re confident they’re up to the challenge.
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