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After EDC director fiasco, Denton to remain with Sylva
By Stephanie Salmons
Jay Denton’s two weeks of employment uncertainty ended last Thursday (Jan. 17) when Sylva officials unanimously voted to rescind their Jan. 3 acceptance of his resignation, clearing the way for Denton to remain in his current post, that of Sylva’s town manager.
The decision, which followed two and a half hours of closed-session discussion, was made necessary after “miscommunications” torpedoed the job Denton had resigned to accept.
Denton’s intention at the time he tendered his resignation was to accept an offer from the Economic Development Commission to be its director. Acting under the assumption that the EDC has the authority to hire someone in that post, he submitted a letter of resignation, which was approved unanimously by the Sylva town board.
Denton indicated then that he was set to start his EDC job Feb. 1, pending commissioners’ approval. He wanted to give town leaders four weeks notice as a professional courtesy, he said.
That plan fell apart when EDC members took their recommendation to county leaders for approval, as required by EDC by-laws. Commissioners’ Chairman Brian McMahan said during the Jan. 7 commissioners meeting that the EDC director’s salary had to conform with the county’s personnel policy in terms of pay and benefits; the offer extended to Denton by EDC officials was within a specified range but had not been figured at the appropriate “step” based on experience. According to McMahan, county employees’ salary and benefits are based on their years of experience in a position. Though never naming Denton, since EDC officials had not publicly announced their recommendation, McMahan said “the applicant’s” experience did not qualify for the salary EDC officials offered.
Commissioners said then that their problem with the recommendation was not with the person selected by the EDC but with the salary offered.
However, that was prior to a Jan. 15 multi-jurisdictional meeting when Commissioner Tom Massie recommended a task force to study EDC by-laws and propose changes to clear up questions about the director’s job or EDC hiring practices.
With the prospect of the EDC job appearing less likely, Denton asked Sylva board members to reconsider his resignation, saying he’d like to stay with the town.
“I’ve been very happy with the job I’ve had with the town, and I’d like to keep this job because I don’t think the job with the EDC is going to materialize any time soon,” Denton said. “I would like to withdraw my resignation and ask you if you would rescind the motion that approved the resignation.”
Mayor Brenda Oliver said in a phone interview Friday (Jan. 18) that Denton will continue to have the full support of the board and the length of the closed session was to ensure that the town covered all possible bases and was doing things “by the book.”
“I think that it was unfortunate that the town had to go through that situation, but I think we’ve reached a solution that is good for everyone,” board member Sarah Graham said Tuesday.
Board member Stacy Knotts said Tuesday that she was caught off guard by Denton’s request.
“I didn’t have any ‘heads-up,’ so I was surprised he did that,” Knotts said. “We’d already moved forward with our search.”
When asked if Denton would have the board’s support, Knotts said the vote was unanimous.
“I’ll let that speak for itself,” she said.
Vice Mayor Maurice Moody acknowledged the length of the closed session and that Denton should have the support of the board.
“In my opinion, if it hadn’t been for the miscommunication, (Denton) would have taken the EDC job,” Moody said.
Board member Ray Lewis said rescinding Denton’s resignation would be beneficial to the town.
“Jay is good about working with the board, and I think that he will have the full support (of the board members),” Lewis said.
Board member Harold Hensley was unavailable for comment.
Denton said Tuesday (Jan. 22) that he was “very pleased and extremely grateful” for the town’s decision.
He said that as a former policy maker (he served as chairman of the county commissioners from 1998-2002), the two-plus hour closed session meant there were “excellent deliberations” going on, but said that he was not in the closed session and could not speak for the board.
As for the EDC position, Denton said he had no idea that there was a miscommunication when he agreed to take the job.
“The EDC was very clear with what they wanted to do and what they wanted me to do,” Denton said.
According to Denton the position is needed in the county.
“The time to get someone to create economic opportunity is not when things start to go downhill, but to be proactive in their approach,” Denton said. “Just because economic times are good now doesn’t mean six months later we’ll be in the same position.”
Although he thinks it is a necessary position, Denton said he’s no longer interested in it.
“It’s a well-needed job, but I wouldn’t entertain the idea of pursuing it again,” he said.
Denton was hired as town manager in August 2005. His current salary is $53,280.
Also Jan. 17:
– Planning director Jim Aust said that the foundation is finished on the new Sleep Inn, located on N.C. 107 near Sonic. He said the next step will be the construction of water and sewer infrastructure.
Aust also said that Brindley Development is starting their phase two, which is a two-story, six-unit building behind Domino’s in the same area of N.C. 107. Of the six units available for rental, four have already been reserved despite the fact that construction has not started yet, Aust said.
– Sylva resident Charles Allen spoke to the board about potential upgrades to Bryson Park, which has historically served the town’s black community.
The town recently received a $10,000 grant from the county, which board members voted to use for renovations at Bryson Park. However, before allocating the money, board members wanted input from the people who use the park the most.
Allen said that community members would like to eventually see three separate areas: a family area, a playground area for younger children and an area that would cater more toward adolescents that would include basketball courts.
While the town board’s original intent was to make it a playground, the input from the community provides a good “jumping-off point,” said Oliver, who added that town officials intend to allocate additional funds for the project.
Ellena Forney also spoke to the board about things needed at the park. She said her biggest concern is making the park handicap-accessible.
“We just want it to be more family friendly all the way across,” Forney said.
Allen said there are items discussed that would make the park more friendly to everyone, such as additional benches, picnic tables, greenery and additional lighting, although he said that some of these things should have already been taken care of.
Hensley suggested getting a working committee together to determine what equipment is feasible for the park and approximately what it will cost.
– Planning Board Chairman Milt Wofford reported that the planning board has received an application for a conditional use permit for a metal-recycling facility to be located off Skyland Drive on the old Stillwell property.
Wofford said a conditional use permit would be required because it would be located in a B-2 business district and recommended that board members approve it.
Wofford also said that planning board member Bill Graham, the husband of town board member Sarah Graham, brought up the issue of affordable work force housing.
However, Wofford said that the first issue the town would have to address is to find what kind of land is available and how the town can encourage growth.
Sarah Graham said that the lack of housing came up at the multi-jurisdictional meeting, and that it is something the town needs to take into consideration.
“I think Sylva is the perfect town for the young professional family to live, and I think we need to take advantage of that,” she said.
Wofford also said the planning board had discussed hillside development regulations, but for the town to develop an ordinance of its own will require a lot of work.
– Roger Clapp, director of the Watershed Association of the Tuckaseigee River approached the board about placing a “mud meter,” a digital device that measures water clarity, in Scotts Creek.
Denton said Tuesday that the idea behind the meter is to raise citizen awareness and that determining the water quality could encourage citizens to be mindful of the area’s water resources and the necessity of keeping them pure.
Board members seemed to agree that the meter is a good idea.
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