New 'kink' found in link betweeen Sylva, Dillsboro

El-Bayadi said he thought he had his sewer line problem solved, but now there's a new kink, he told board members at their May meeting.

The 7.6 acres he owns and plans to develop with Ray Nations on Business 23 is the "missing link" for sewer hook-up between Sylva and Dillsboro. In February, Tuckaseigee Water and Sewer Authority agreed to contribute $2,000 towards El Bayadi's sewer connection fees, solving one part of the problem.

"Engineers have told us the shortest way to connect the sewer line to our property is to go below the highway, but Ray and I don't own that land under the highway; Dillsboro does.

"Jerry King of TWSA told us that we would have to own that pipe, that TWSA would not be responsible for it. But I don't see how we can own the pipe when the property isn't ours," El Bayadi said.

El Bayadi said he had talked with Rick Stiles of the N.C. Department of Transportation concerning a right of way for the property. "Mr. Stiles told me that is was easier for the DOT to grant an easement to a municipality, rather than an individual."

Vice Mayor Reg Moody made a motion, which passed unanimously, for Dillsboro to request right of way easement from DOT to connect the sewer line. El Bayadi was asked to provide engineering work to town clerk Herb Nolan, who will fill out the forms and submit them to DOT.

El Bayadi also renewed his previous request for the town to assist in the cost of the extension of this sewer line located within town limits.

"I have owned this property for more than 20 years and paid taxes to the town," he said. "While the water system is available to our property, sewer service has never been available to me, although it has been provided to the other taxpayers within the city limits.

"We have offered to pay one half of the cost for the extension of the sewer system to our property line and all costs for installation within our property. The TWSA board agreed to pay only $2,000 toward the cost, which has been estimated around $20,000.

"We therefore ask the town to provide the balance of the half portion," he continued. "This would be consistent with the agreement between the town and TWSA when the water and sewer systems were transferred to the authority. If the town finds it impossible to provide a lump sum payment for this project, we will accept an adjustment through tax deferrals or credits until the full amount is reached."

The board took no action on El Bayadi's request.

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