County, towns to review original TWSA agreement

By Lisa Majors-Duff

A subcommittee made up of one member from each governing board in Jackson County - including the county board of commissioners and the town boards in Sylva, Dillsboro, Webster and the Village of Forest Hills - will be formed to review the process and paperwork that in 1992 organized the Tuckaseigee Water and Sewer Authority.

The decision to form the subcommittee came during a joint meeting of governing boards held last week (Feb. 15). Sylva Mayor Brenda Oliver made the motion.

"I'd like us to go over the TWSA agreement and maybe suggest some changes by the next quarterly meeting," she said.

The issue being questioned was raised by Dr. Nagui El Bayadi when he appeared before the TWSA board in January to request assistance with hooking into water and sewer lines near property he plans to develop just inside the Dillsboro town limits on Business 23 near Sylva.

TWSA Chair J.C. Alexander provided the answer to El Bayadi's question when he said his board's policy clearly states that anybody developing property who wants water and/or sewer hookups must come to them.

"We can provide trunk lines, but we don't go up into people's property," Alexander said last month. "They have to bring the extensions and hookups to us."

TWSA board members suggested El Bayadi hire an engineer, which he did. Manfred Judernatz of Otto Engineering estimated the cost of connecting sewer lines from the property to TWSA at $19,740.

From here, El Bayadi went to the Dillsboro Town Board, which agreed last week that his case rated extra merit because of the development potential it would have for Dillsboro's tax base. Dillsboro will help El Bayadi financially because Dillsboro will get some of its money back when the property is developed and its tax value goes up, Dillsboro Town Clerk Herb Nolan said during last week's joint session.

"I believe we should be helping people develop their land if it's well planned," Nolan said. When projects are planned in the county, the county should help; when they are planned in Sylva, Sylva should help, he said.

To that county Chairman Jay Denton posed the question of where TWSA appointees' allegiances lie - with the body that appointed them or with TWSA?

"They are appointed to serve the best interests of TWSA," Jerry King, that group's executive director, said. "If it gets too political, then there's chaos."

"So what happens is what's good for TWSA and not Jackson County?" county Commissioner Stacy Buchanan asked.

"I disagree," King said. "We serve all of Jackson County."

With no real conclusion to the issue, Mayor Oliver's motion was adopted and appointments to the subcommittee will be forwarded to her office. The results of their review should be ready by the next joint meeting, which has been planned for 5 p.m. May 17 at the Justice Center.

Progress on the countywide greenway project was another item of concern discussed by those gathered last week. A suggested amendment to the interlocal agreement requiring each governmental unit to be responsible for greenway construction and maintenance within their respective jurisdiction sent up red flags with Chairman Denton and county attorney Raymond Large. The two voiced concern about the intent of the amendment.

"The intent is to not use taxpayers' money on this project and to give each governmental unit control," said Mayor Oliver, one of the primary supporters of the project.

"The language says the county is responsible for constructing and maintaining (the greenway)," Large said. "I'd feel more comfortable if we clarified the intent."

On the recommendation of their attorney, county commissioners opted to table the amendment during their regular session later that evening.

Also at the joint session, county emergency services coordinator Mike Ensley presented town representatives with a copy of the Jackson County Emergency Management Plan, which he described as the guide he would follow in the event of a major disaster. Ensley requested that each town review the document, which has already been adopted by county commissioners, and approve it.

Back to Archive: 02/22/01.