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Dillsboro officials discuss progress at Monteith Park
By Emily Elders
Dillsboro officials approved both the installation of streetlights from Haywood Road to the future Monteith Park and members of a steering committee that will oversee part of the park’s funding during their Monday (March 5) meeting.
At the request of grant committee coordinator Emma Wertenberger, steering committee members were approved to oversee the disbursement and management of the town’s recent $15,000 matching grant from the Blue Ridge Heritage Area Initiative.
These members include Scott Philyaw, director of Western Carolina University’s Mountain Heritage Center; Sam Hale, WCU graduate student and volunteer project manager; Rob Hawk of the N.C. Cooperative Extension Service; Susan Allen, Jackson County Schools’ curriculum specialist; Ken Westmoreland, Jackson County manager; Julie Spiro, Jackson County Chamber of Commerce director; and Teresa Dowd, Dillsboro planning board chairman.
Town Clerk Herb Nolan recommended the board commit their reserved funding to the streetlights now.
“We should go ahead with the installation of these, because if we want to use that parking lot for anything, we’re going to have to have it lit,” he said. “And you can’t just lay the pipe for the lines – we have to have everything in place and ready because they will hook the lights up when they’re done.”
Nolan also reported that the town’s deadline to complete those aspects of the park that are funded by the state’s Parks and Recreation grant was extended from June until December. He said construction needs to begin as soon as possible in order to meet that deadline, and recommended voting on the type and size of the planned performance pavilion during the board’s next regular meeting. Water hookups and paving options for the park were also discussed.
In other business March 5:
– Greenway Commission member Shane Williams updated Dillsboro board members on the planned Jackson County Greenway.
“Our main focus right now is connecting Sylva and Dillsboro from Poteet to Monteith (parks),” he said. However, he said that ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) considerations and difficulty obtaining right of way from property owners along the Scotts Creek side of West Main Street between the two towns was stalling the project. Consideration is being given to the other side of that road as a possible path for the Greenway, he said.
He also told board members that David Bates, the volunteer coordinator for the commission, is beginning to phase himself out of that position, which would eventually become a part-time paid position in conjunction with other county jobs.
– Board member Jim Cochran reported that the last meeting of the planning committee went well, and that the group had decided to create a survey to gather feedback from businesses and residents.
– Board members discussed scheduled meetings with staff members of North Carolina’s U.S. Senators Elizabeth Dole and Richard Burr. Dillsboro officials will meet with the Senate staffers to request funding for the Kudzu Players theater building, which is slated to be built at Monteith Park.
Dillsboro’s board will meet at 5:30 p.m. Monday, April 2, at Town Hall.
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