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Congress should reflect majority of Americans
To the Editor:
Let’s see, a majority of Americans have shown through a number of polls they are not satisfied with George W. Bush. A number of polls also show a majority of Americans are opposed to the war in Iraq. Doesn’t that mean the Congress should reflect this national sentiment?
Instead it seems as if the Republicans are puppets at the end of George W.’s puppeteer’s strings. If Congress is elected by the people and for the people, it is time the will of the people is reflected in that body. It is time both Republicans and Democrats put the country, not themselves or George W., as top priority.
It is interesting to note the president of Syria, on Good Morning America (Monday, Feb. 5) noted that the Bush Administration is only interested in war. If Bush wants war, then let him pay for it out of his own darn pocket and let our tax dollars take care of badly needed programs within our own borders.
I’m not anti-military, having served in the U.S. Air Force, Florida Army National Guard and Florida Air National Guard for a total of 12 years.
I am, and will continue to be, anti-Bush and anti-war.
Dave Redman
Sylva
Rapid development puts county’s creeks, river at risk
To the Editor:
We have recently joined the Watershed Association of the Tuckaseigee River and found that the members are in favor of a moratorium that would allow our county commissioners to research and enact reasonable controls that would preserve our wonderful land and water resources for all county residents.
We are residents of Tuckasegee and as property owners, we are very concerned about the future of Mine Creek, which runs through our property. Mine Creek (or Mine Branch as it is now identified) was sometimes identified in old records as Tennessee Creek. Its headwaters flow directly out of the old copper mine, which is located in the heart of the proposed Webster Creek Development. Not only is it a pristine, beautiful creek with a magnificent high waterfall; it serves as an important water source on the family farm. The first family home was built in 1810, according to the date on the chimney. We still use that chimney. It is our dream that our farm and this beautiful creek remain in their natural state for generations yet to come.
Our concern is that with the development of Webster Creek – paved roads, clearing of trees, the building of a golf course (loss of water due to evaporation with less foliage plus chemicals used to maintain a golf course), water supply, sewage, displacement of wildlife (all that goes with development) – this beautiful creek will be lost. There, of course, is also the danger or erosion, silt and run-off. Perhaps a stream cannot be “legally” altered, but with such demands on the immediate surroundings, it makes sense that the water volume would be seriously affected. This has a direct bearing on the headwaters and on the flow and quality of Mine Creek even before it reaches our high waterfalls and continues on through our property and finally into the Tuckaseigee River. We are very concerned.
Other beautiful creeks are also involved and will be affected in some manner by the Webster Creek Development: These include Mill Creek, Little Mill Creek, Grassy Creek and Webster Creek. It is vital that research is done and they are protected, lest they be lost forever.
As there are no plans on file with either the county or the state reporting what is to take place, news releases indicate there will be five gated communities and two golf courses totaling 27 holes on the up to 3,500 acres that is to be developed. Reportedly, there are 2,000 lots to be for sale, and experts say that in the three summer months we may count on four people per home. That calculates to 8,000 additional people. This will have a great environmental impact.
Jackson County residents will support carefully planned developments and job opportunities for local residents.
We respectfully request a moratorium, not only for steep-slope development, but also for RiverRock’s Webster Creek Development. Studies must be made and sensible, reasonable decisions reached. We are all so far behind in the important work of protecting our heritage, including the Tuckaseigee River. Please do not let another treasure be lost.
Wayne and Mary Jo Cobb
Tuckasegee
Correcting inaccurate report
To the Editor:
In reference to the article “Drawing Business Downtown” in Volume 8, Issue 35 of the Smoky Mountain News, there has been some misrepresentation of my dad’s storefront, Livingston’s Photo.
I do not appreciate the injected opinion about our family business. As a journalist, the writer needs to get the most obvious facts specifically regarding downtown businesses and storefronts correct.
The article stated that we covered some windows with sheets to hide stacks of boxes. Our business takes up three storefronts and one-third (not half, as was stated) of that is covered with blinds, not sheets. I learned fractions in the second grade.
The storefront with the blinds was our main entrance for 20-plus years. When the Streetscape was redesigned to include pods, we realized a dramatic decrease in our loyal customer traffic. This seems to be because parking became more of an issue as soon as the town decided to beautify and upgrade the look on Main Street. We then decided to move our main entrance to where more parking seemed to be available in front for our patrons. This did help some (approximately 3/32).
The framing business is very demanding of space. We keep a lot of inventory on hand. In doing so, we are able to give our customers a better price, which is a huge draw. If we were to create another retail space in our “sheet-covered” building, it would require a major renovation and we would not realize profits for some time. In addition, this would create an even worse parking problem – as if it is not already bad enough.
My dad has been in business in downtown Sylva for 36 years. The writer of the article said we could rent the “storage” space to offset the possible town tax increase. Rather than talk about successful merchants in an uninformed way, why not try and suggest help to the businesses that are not doing so well.
People who invest in property and pay taxes should have “some” freedom and the right to do with that property as they choose. We are utilizing the covered storefront, but if we weren’t, that would be our option.
David Kelley
Sylva
Agrees with proposed subdivision moratorium
To the Editor:
I heartily support a moratorium on subdivision and commercial development throughout Jackson County until due deliberation can take place toward formation of sensible land use regulations.
I ask our commissioners to do all they can to preserve the environmental health and natural beauty of Jackson County. Any regulations that will ultimately be put in place must ensure that Jackson County can develop and progress, but that it will do so with deliberation and careful control so that the very quality of life that now makes our county so attractive will be preserved.
Gerlinde Lindy
Cullowhee
Public officials are right to take stand
To the Editor:
Our new commissioners Tom Massie, William Shelton and Mark Jones haven’t been in office 100 days but have put their shoulders to the wheel and not only talk the talk but walk the walk. Already vital issues have been addressed, such as steep-slope development protection through laws to stop the rape for money of our cultural heritage. Our beautiful scenery brings people and money here and will continue to do so if we protect our environment. They have introduced a moratorium on the U.S. 441 corridor development until law can protect it through well-planned development; otherwise we’d have a repeat of the traffic nightmare called N.C. 107 that we can’t widen and it’s going to get much worse. The Cherokees are going to offer 1,000 new jobs, and we may have people moving in for them, possibly putting more homes here and putting more traffic on 107. Massie said, “there is not water and sewer in place if good businesses keep knocking on our doors.” I think all of us agree we have a lot of “mom and pop” businesses who hire little labor, pay small wages and provide no pensions or benefits because they financially can’t; but we need to patronize them with our money when possible, not only on Main Street but the other businesses outside Main Street that have been long forgotten but produce most of the business tax money.
Our new commissioners were denied any input in raising the debt ceiling from $33,471,275 (as of Dec. 31, 2005) to $59,373,795 (as of Dec. 31, 2006). A slap in the face to us and the commissioners. They were not given any input as to rejoining the Economic Development Commission, an entity they know very little about. Commissioners’ Chairman Brian McMahan opened negotiations (before the commissioners were sworn in) preparatory to funding and joining this entity, urging Southwestern Community College and prior members to rejoin with funding. You can’t have an EDC without funding, and this entity is desperate for money. The Tuckaseigee Mills property is up for foreclosure again if Jackson Development Corp. can’t pay off the $175,000 note. This is the same piece of property that led to Chairman McMahan, Commissioner Joe Cowan and other board members being found in Superior Court to have violated open meeting laws and due process (the right to be heard) and the case is now in the N.C. Court of Appeals. Another loss will cost the county $36,000 plus lawyer’s fees. The EDC and the JDC, by their proven paper trail, are dangerous to their stakeholders: the county, town of Sylva and other municipalities.
In a packet from the Local Government Commission (which is charged by law with oversight to protect public monies), it states plainly the telling statement that convicts them of statutory violations – “they have been around since 1992 but have never reported to us.” There were ordered to provide an audit by June 30, 2006. As of January 2007, there was no compliance, which was blamed on the commissioners’ record seizure. That will not cover up 14 years of non-compliance. The commissioners have this piece of information in an extensive packet from my files I delivered to them along with a three-page address covering more of the EDC/JDC paper trail. The commissioners have no choice; by law they are required to protect and uphold the law and must move to protect the endangered public monies.
Let’s also celebrate Sylva town board members Harold Hensley, Danny Allen and Ray Lewis after hearing my factual information on EDC/JDC and siphoning off (from 1998 to 2004) $225,000 of the small amount of remaining UDAG money from a financially ailing town. These men did their duty and gave the EDC only $2,000. They showed courage in the face of verbal abuse and anger, even from their board. They defined government as it should be inclusive, not exclusive, and as Hensley stated “the town of Sylva does not begin at the Courthouse and end at the Coffee Shop.” In my book these men are walking tall and deserve all our support in the difficult days that are before them.
Let us support our new commissioners in their efforts to bring EDC/JDC to accountability for statutory and ethics violations. The EDC/JDC can turn over all their records immediately as they should. Public trust is broken now and forever, therefore a moratorium should be placed on the EDC task force pending a full investigation.
Marie Leatherwood
Sylva
Reader is ‘proud’ of commissioners’ stand
To the Editor:
I heard a commissioner called “embarrassing” Monday night, and I didn’t get the chance to say to him I was proud of him for taking a proactive step in the direction of hopefully getting some land use regulations that preserve the special place that Jackson County is. I’m proud of all of our commissioners, and all interested parties need to maintain mutual support and respect during the painful process of balancing majority rule with minority rights.
The point of contention was the moratorium on recording subdivision plats between Monday night and the public hearing on Feb. 27. If there would have been a mad rush to record plats, then the moratorium is needed, and if there wouldn’t have been, then the moratorium won’t hurt anyone.
If everyone came to Jackson County to build a mountaintop home with a clear view, how long before all the views are of other mountaintop homes? The mountains are just as majestic seen from the valleys and low hills.
Reuben Moore
Cullowhee
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