ETJ bill concerns mayors

By Rose Hooper

The bill, which was limited strictly to Jackson County, required that a municipality have a population of more than 500 to exercise its extraterritorial jurisdiction rights.

According to the 2000 Census, Dillsboro's population is 205, Forest Hills is 330, and Webster's is 486. Under the provisions of HB 1291, none of these municipalities would be eligible to create or extend an ETJ.

Rep. Phil Haire of Jackson County said he was not consulted about this bill, which he said he believes is currently buried in a local government subcommittee.

None of the mayors of the three municipalities were consulted before the bill was introduced. They agree such a measure "is unsettling."

Bills like this surface periodically, Dillsboro Mayor Wade Wilson said. And even if the bill gets buried in subcommittee, as suspected is the case here, another one can resurface, he said. "Nobody tells us ahead of time," said Webster Mayor Steve Gray. "When we find out about it, it's almost too late."

Forest Hills Mayor Irene Hooper said she feels the bill runs along party lines. Carpenter is a Republican representing Graham, Haywood, Madison, Swain and Jackson counties. Crawford, also a Republican, represents Bumcombe County.

"I can't understand the need for this bill," Hooper said. "None of us is going to extend our jurisdiction to an area that doesn't want us to take them in."

Back to Archive: 05/17/01.