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Western sees future without Jackson County
To the Editor:
John Bardo has a vision for Western Carolina University. Assisted by highly paid consultants from Woolpert LLC, Bardo presented that vision to the public in the form of the Comprehensive Campus Master Plan. The plan envisions a huge expansion of the WCU campus that over the next 19 to 20 years would cost tens if not hundreds of millions of dollars. This vision is driven by a need to fill a role in an even greater regional vision.
Cullowhee, we are told, is at the center of a vast regional growth ring including Atlanta, Birmingham, Ala., and Charlotte. In the coming decades this great sprawling regional commercialization will drive an even greater economic boom and Western Carolina University will be positioned to be an integral part, a player in the events to come.
The Comprehensive Campus Master Plan is being sold as a bold visionary plan to create a group of educational communities and neighborhoods. It will encompass educational facilities, residential facilities and commercial facilities all designed for the purpose of serving the needs of the university.
Green space will be created and preserved in the design because, after all, students come to the mountains for the green experience. The design will, in part, mimic the ancient universities in Oxford and Cambridge by creating self-contained college communities that evoke a sense of place.
In all the talk of regional development and the need to create place within that context, I found it interesting that Jackson County was never mentioned. I did not hear the names Haywood, Graham, Clay or Cherokee, either. Apparently the counties of this region – of this place – were simply to be absorbed into the greater regional vision.
When a member of the audience asked what efforts were made to integrate Sylva into this vision the response was a resounding “none.” It seemed that Jackson County and the local communities that are home to the university exist not as places unto themselves but only as sites for potential development.
Perhaps it was just an oversight, but I found it very telling that all of the fancy maps and expensive architects’ drawings that were used to render the campus of the future misidentified Little Savannah Road (which before 911 was traditionally known as Long Branch) as simply Old Savannah; so much for preservation of place.
Education, especially at the university level, has become big business. The object of the university enterprise has become solely about attracting revenue. The university has become less an institution of learning than a conduit designed to funnel capital and development into its own greater growth. The university assumes a role as an engine of economic development, and yet the great beneficiary is not the surrounding community, but the university itself. Its primary mission becomes its own growth and self-aggrandizement.
When John Bardo became chancellor at WCU, his mantra was a line from a movie, “Build it and they will come.”
I thought then that this was a dangerous line of thinking, because it was oriented towards the idea that we were a failed community that needed saving. The implication seemed to be that apart from its natural setting Jackson County had little to offer.
In the ensuing 11 years, the university has continued to pursue the ideal of growth without conscience or regard for existing community.
The new Comprehensive Campus Master Plan brings this thinking full circle. In it the university becomes the community, supplanting and overwhelming local communities in favor of a misguided and destructive regionalism. This master plan is designed not to address the role of the university as a public institution. Rather, it is the next step in the transition from public institution to corporate developer. It is a plan that will require tremendous investments by both state and local governments for infrastructure, while directing most of the benefits to the growth of the institution itself.
The vision expressed by Bardo and the path Western Carolina University has chosen is a symptom of the ills that beset our society in general and our communities locally. We are losing place and identity to a mindset that measures growth only as a function of size, and value only as a measure of profit. WCU has been and can be a great institution; its goal, it seems is to be a big institution.
Mark Jamison
Cullowhee
This election is critical for county’s future
To the Editor:
This is a critical time as we decide who we want to speak on our behalf on the Jackson County Board of Commissioners. It is a time to vote what is truly in our hearts. Our votes really matter.
We all love this land. Some of us have been here for generations, while others are new to the community. We are here because we love living in a small town. We like knowing our neighbors. We enjoy being part of something greater than ourselves. We like feeling connected.
But we are at risk of losing our beloved land to folks who don’t care about it like we do. We worry about steep-slope development, and we have seen the damage it has done to our pristine mountains. We worry about developers who are more interested in the dollar than our quality of life. We worry about the myriad of homes built on steep slopes, and we remember Peek’s Creek.
Faced with all this, we can reach out and elect individuals who will work to ensure our way of life is not compromised. Or we can be passive and look the other way. Doing the latter ensures the quiet mountainside that has become your refuge will be lost to uncontrolled development, usurping your property rights.
William Shelton is running for the board of commissioners. His family has been in the Qualla community (District 1) of Jackson County for generations. We know that he has farmed this land for more than 22 years, served on the Jackson County Soil and Water Conservation District for the same amount of time and has served as district supervisor and chairman for nine years. We also know he has a bachelor of science degree in plant and soil science from the University of Tennessee.
But let me tell you about the William Shelton I know. He is intelligent and hard-working. In a time where many of us have been turned off by political campaigns, William continues to emerge as honest, authentic and deeply committed to his community. This isn’t a stepping stone for William towards another political end. He genuinely wants to make a difference in Jackson County.
William won’t work simply to ensure his name and picture is in the newspapers on a regular basis. He is on a mission. He wants to protect Jackson County. And he wants to ensure that our quality of life continues.
William is task oriented. There are no “high and mighty” airs around him. He won’t be part of closed-door sessions or illegal raids. Nor does he have a hidden agenda. He is well liked and highly respected by everyone who knows him. He wants to protect the mountains and the water supply, which are in danger of exploitation by people who don’t love them as we do.
Please, vote for William Shelton, County Commissioner, District 1.
Susan Anspacher
Sylva
Tired of seeing candidates’ signs
To the Editor:
I write not to somberly address numerous issues relevant to nature and the increasing ecological effects of all types and forms of pollutants that saturate our local air, soil and water, but wholeheartedly to focus upon the issue of environmental pollution, i.e. billboard advertising and the local government races now in full swing here in Jackson County.
By whom and why has this been allowed to happen?
If anyone can tell me why we need to see a huge billboard to promote a candidate on every corner or road in Jackson county, I would like to know the reason.
I am formerly from Decatur, Ga., but came here to the mountains on the weekends for most of my childhood. I cannot say I am a native to these parts, but, if anyone understands the issue at hand, it is I who recognizes the utter despair looming over Jackson county and her neighbors. This despair is caused by the ever-increasing misuse of our environment, e.g. a worthless golf course in eastern Swain county, enormous flea markets along U.S. 74 near Barkers Creek and U.S. 441 into Cherokee, as well as the continuous devastation of these ancient mountainsides by capitalistic loggers, and most of all, the endless and oversized advertising billboards with pictures of proud men and women, who eagerly attempt to persuade us, the common locals, to vote them into office.
What bothers me most of all is that one of the true treasures of this country of ours, the Great Smoky Mountains, has been taken over by commercial-mongers.
I will not even begin to rant and rave about my feelings on the construction near Smoky Mountain High School and the endless dump trucks running up and down our roads.
I certainly realize that our area is swarming like a summer beehive with tourists from all parts of the United States and beyond our borders, who love to come here and enjoy these mountains. I certainly did as a boy and enjoy them even more so today as a proselyte to this wonderful area. But, these same people are buying up land left and right for prices far exceeding my comprehension. Yet, with this progress toward “urbanization” indeed comes the devastation by those who have never truly beheld, nor ever shall experience, when the spring rain comes and the sounds of Thor-like thunder endlessly rumble through these smoky hills.
Never shall they understand how wonderful it is to listen to the roaring of the creeks as the waters make their way to the Tuckaseigee or Oconaluftee rivers. What a pleasure it truly is.
Friends, I believe there ought to be a profound limit on how people utilize their personal agendas – what I refer to as “environmental pollution” – to improve their chances to win an office or create a better view from their newly built homes perched up along all these mountains.
Most of all, I desire to see this wonderful hinter world, and not the faces of each and every county commissioner, or wanna-be sheriff running for re-election.
I implore you. Stop ruining my view with your faces.
Kevin Childers
Whittier
Fox would bring new ideas to commission
To the Editor:
I am writing in reference to a letter that was written last week in support of Joe Cowan as the best candidate for Jackson County.
Cowan has served the county for many years, but it is time for a change. We need to elect someone who has the background that can help erase the county’s debt and also bring in new jobs. Having a background in education is not what the county needs – what we need is someone who has worked for years in business.
As the director of Webster Enterprises, Darrell Fox has been able to secure additional contracts to help ensure the future of the business. I don’t have the numbers, but if you were to call Darrell he would gladly tell you about the progress that has been made.
That is what Jackson County needs – someone who has experience in turning an organization around. Also, if Cowan has worked so hard to protect property rights for home-owners, then why did he vote in favor of zoning in Cashiers? Jackson County does not need zoning, but a less aggressive form of land use management.
We also need to bring jobs into the town instead of restaurants or tourist-related businesses. I, along with the rest of the county, do not directly reap the benefits of tourism. Darrell Fox is willing to try to bring in well-paying jobs for the citizens of the county. This is great news for me, seeing as how I am 23 years old and graduated from college nearly a year ago. I have yet to find a job anywhere closer than Buncombe County that pays much more than minimum wage. If I had not gone into business for myself I would have had to move away from the area I grew up in and dearly love in order to make enough money to pay my bills and start a life on my own. It appears that Jackson County could care less about trying to retain its local youth, but instead is content with exporting them to other counties and states.
It is time that we start a new trend and try to make it worthwhile for people in their early 20s to stay in the area. We do not need to put someone back in office that had a hand in helping the county get in as much debt as it has. That’s why I urge you to vote against zoning and vote for change on May 2. Vote Fox for the future of not just the youth, but for every citizen in Jackson County.
Blake Fox
Sylva
(Editor’s note: Blake Fox is a nephew of District 3 candidate Darrell Fox.)
Think about consequences of mixed-drink sales
To the Editor:
Sylva is a unique and vibrant community. Our town is blessed with such natural beauty and friendly people that it is no wonder so many folks make Sylva a regular stop during their travels. We are located within minutes of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Blue Ridge Parkway, two of America’s most visited national parks. Our community is filled with creative individuals and hard-working families, a diversity of locally-owned shops and restaurants, excellent educational opportunities, and a quality of life that is unfortunately quickly disappearing from the American landscape. Sylva provides exceptional experiences and our visitors acknowledge this by returning with their families year after year. Fortunately our destination does not look anything like the commercial excesses of Gatlinburg, Tenn., on the other side of the Park, or the same “Anytown, USA” most visitors arrive in Sylva to escape from.
Rapid growth in our area is a reality we are just beginning to address. Nearby Western Carolina University is a growing institution with plans for further expansion. Every day we drive along Sylva’s busy main highway, N.C. 107, and witness growth, expansion and development. As more folks arrive for the quality of life we offer, development follows. The citizens of Sylva have an opportunity to address this very issue in next week’s election.
On Tuesday, May 2, voters in Sylva will have the chance to decide an issue directly related to growth in our small town. The upcoming “mixed-drink” or “liquor-by-the-drink” vote will decide whether to allow liquor to be served in Sylva restaurants. Beer and wine are already available at most Sylva restaurants, and liquor may be purchased at the local ABC store. Customers may currently bring their own bottles of liquor to consume at local restaurants with a “brown bag” license.
Our many award-winning, locally-owned eateries contribute to Sylva’s unique culture. No matter what your taste or budget, there is a local establishment that can satisfy your belly and provide you with a taste of mountain culture. We are a unique destination with exceptional places at which to dine and share community life.
Restaurant chains such as Applebee’s, Bennigan’s, Chili’s, Friday’s, Olive Garden, Outback Steakhouse, and Ruby Tuesday’s typically will not consider building a new location without liquor-by-the-drink availability. Their business model is based around a central bar relying heavily on liquor sales. This is one reason why these chains are not already here. Because of WCU many consider Sylva to be a “college town.” In the future, we have the potential to look something more like Boone, home to Appalachian State University. Big-box development is already happening in our area, and with our large tourist base, the university, and the two most-visited national parks in our backyard, developers already have our town in their sights. Do we really need “more of the same” chain restaurants? Are these chains why people from all over the world come to Sylva?
A vote for liquor by the drink in Sylva is an open invitation to out of state corporations to locate their restaurants here.
Sylva and her restaurants are already so unique. We can further support these local establishments as they expand and grow, and give Sylva’s homegrown talent and local ideas a boost at the same time.
We are being given an incredible opportunity to decide how our community will grow in the near future. The decision we make today will change how we see our tomorrow. Please vote.
Jason Kimenker
Sylva
(Editor’s note: Kimenker and his wife own Soul Infusion Tea House and Bistro in Sylva.)
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