Dillsboro to begin Heritage Walkway

By Rose Hooper

As part of Dillsboro's Heritage Walkway, the town's planning board members will interview residents on the historic significance of their homes and buildings.

"We are especially interested in the older residents and the history they can share with us," Mary Bumgarner, chairman of the project, said at March's town board meeting. "We are going to start with buildings and work from there. Hopefully, we'll have the beginnings in place by June."

The town's plan to acquire 14 acres from the Edna Monteith estate will delay completion of the walkway at this time, Bumgarner said, "extending it probably to a two-year project."

Also during this month's meeting, town board members gave the go-ahead to purchase street lights for Haywood Road, Business 23 towards Dillsboro Court and at the new Dillsboro Crossing.

Board member Emma Wertenberger reported that Haywood Road would require 14 poles, 150 feet apart, at a monthly rental rate of $14.50 per pole. "It will cost the town about $2,500 in additional yearly electricity bills," she said.

Heading east, Wertenberger said it should take five poles and an additional yearly electricity expense of $870. N.C. Department of Transportation will install the poles, she said.

Additionally, the board approved a one-time expense of 50 lights for Dillsboro Crossing at a cost of $55 per light. The development will maintain the lights, according to Wertenberger.

The board also approved a payment of $2,250 to DNR Corp. for assistance with sewer line extension. Previously, Ray Nations and Nagui El-Bayadi, developers of Dillsboro Court, requested that the town pay half the cost to connect with the current Tuckaseigee Water and Sewer Authority sewer line.

In making the request earlier, El Bayadi told board members, "I have owned this property for more than 20 years and paid taxes to the town. Sewer service has never been available to me, although it has been provided to the other taxpayers within the city limits."

Since the town does not have a water and sewer department and does not provide those services as a town, Dillsboro enacted a capital improvement policy stating any contributions would be considered on an individual basis after the improvements are made.

Back to Archive: 03/13/03.