Sylva town board's concerns include TWSA, litter, solid waste

By Lynn Hotaling

One of the first issues to surface Saturday (Feb. 24) was the relationship between the town and the Tuckaseigee Water and Sewer Authority.

Mayor Brenda Oliver said she had received a call from J.C. Alexander, TWSA board chairman, after she proposed forming a committee to study the relationship between TWSA and local governments during a Feb. 15 joint session of local governing boards.

When asked by Alexander if the town's concerns were "purely financial," Oliver said there were policy statements that concerned her, but that she did not want to speak for the committee created during the Feb. 15 joint session.

"I feel like we should sit down with the committee and get input from all, including TWSA," Oliver said.

That committee, which Oliver will chair, will consist of one representative from each of the governing bodies that were involved in TWSA's 1992 creation. Those entities are the Jackson County Commissioners and the towns of Sylva, Webster and Dillsboro. The Village of Forest Hills, which was not incorporated at the time of TWSA's formation, will also be represented on the committee.

The water and sewer authority was established by local governments to serve as their public utility, said Eric Ridenour, attorney for the town of Sylva.

"It's sole purpose is to serve local governments," Ridenour said. "If it's not working, or if it's no longer serving that purpose, it can be administratively dissolved, and another (utility) can be formed. From a legal standpoint, it was formed for our benefit and should be serving local government."

"Hopefully, we can fix what we've got," Sylva board member Maurice Moody said Saturday. "Mr. (Jerry) King (TWSA director) was honest in his philosophy - in his opinion, the TWSA board exists to serve TWSA, not the county."

Moody said he thought it should be mandatory for town board members to meet with their appointed TWSA board representatives on a regular basis so the appointed TWSA board members would understand the town's expectations.

"I can't see that TWSA has any needs other than to serve the towns and county," Moody said. TWSA has the authority to issue bonds, and there is no reason Sylva should have to finance improvements when the town receives no revenue from those improvements, Ridenour said. "TWSA has contributed some money, but they haven't taken the responsibility of saying 'where should we go next' and 'who should we serve next?'" Moody said.

Mayor Oliver told the board that Asheville's water authority agreement sets aside 5 percent of the budget for extensions into annexed areas.

Board member Lynda Sossamon agreed that TWSA should set some money aside for extensions and improvements in Sylva.

Another problem concerning TWSA is that the same lawyer, Raymond Large, serves as both TWSA attorney and attorney for county commissioners, said Sylva board member Audrey Tritt.

"To me that's a direct conflict of interest," Moody said. "If there's ever a conflict between the county and TWSA, which side is he on? How do you serve two masters?"

Before leaving the subject of water and sewer, Moody suggested that board members need to plan to provide sewer lines to several neighborhoods - Allen Branch, Mills Branch and Mitchell Road. After the completion of planned sewer construction along N.C. 107 this spring, these are the only areas within the city limits that will not have access to sewer lines, said Tommy Thompson, town administrator.

The next problem Sylva leaders tackled was litter. Most of the town board members recently received an anonymous letter bemoaning the prevalence of litter in the town, Moody said. It was decided that town maintenance employees would set aside some time each week for litter pickup. Another suggestion was to appeal to the public to help keep neighborhoods clean.

Discussion of the town's litter problem led into a discussion of residential trash collection. Thompson is exploring the idea of having the town return to the solid waste business, he said. Early estimates indicate a potential savings of about $25,000 per year, he said.

Sylva's contract with Hendersonville-based GDS will expire at the end of June, Thompson said, but GDS has indicated a willingness to extend that contract for a few months while the town prepares to begin collections, if that is the eventual decision.

The main drawback would be recyclables, Thompson said. Currently, GDS allows residents to place all household recyclables (paper, glass, aluminum and plastic) into a common blue bag, a convenience Thompson said he would like to continue to offer.

The feasibility of town trash pickup, Thompson said, will likely hinge on whether Country Collections, which subcontracts county recycling operations from Webster Enterprises, will accept the mixed recyclables.

Another factor, he said, is whether county commissioners will continue to pay tipping fees for Sylva's residential trash.

In other matters Saturday:

- Board members discussed the need to develop a long-range plan for the town. All agreed such a plan is needed.

- Police Chief Jeff Jamison brought up the need for new computers for the Sylva Police Department. The department's computers are at least five years old and don't have CD drives, Jamison said.

- Mayor Oliver suggested Sylva consider creating a community appearance commission similar to one that has been established in Waynesville. She proposed allowing Sylva's planning board could consider the development of a local plan.

- Thompson suggested that board members consider selling 15 acres of town-owned property on Dills Branch that was formerly used for a water treatment plant. Proceeds from the sale could be used to acquire a Railroad Avenue lot owned by Sylva Herald Publisher Jim Gray that adjoins a town-owned parking lot, he said.

If the Gray property were combined with the parking lot, Thompson said, the town would own a total of 2 acres in an ideal location in the center of town across from the city park.

Also on the subject of the former water treatment property on Dills Branch, Thompson indicated the town could no longer stockpile brush there unless a permit is obtained from the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources. Town crews had been using the site as a collection point for brush picked up from town residents' yards, but Thompson said he was notified last week that no additional brush could be placed there until a permit is acquired.

Plans call for the brush to be chipped every year or two and offered as free mulch to town residents. The intent is to save some $5,000 per year in fees associated with taking the brush to the county-operated C&D landfill.

- After Mayor Oliver said she had received a complaint about the number of burned-out street lights on N.C. 107, Thompson indicated the lights had been repaired. Those lights are town-owned, he said, and one meter controls seven or eight lights. When one is out, the whole circuit often goes out, he said.

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