Sylva officials award contract for swimming pool upgrades

By Rose Hooper

Town board members awarded a $688,000 contract to Southern Pool Co., of Huntersville for an extensive upgrade of 30-year-old Roscoe Poteet Swimming Pool.

Repairs and renovations are planned for both the pool and dressing rooms, and the pool's area will be enlarged to provide an additional lane for swim meets. In addition, steps will be taken to eliminate leaks that have plagued the swimming pool for the past few summers.

Repairs will be funded in part by the remainder of a $250,000 grant from the state's Recreation Trust Fund, and some $500,000 the town will borrow.

Construction is expected to get under way in November, and work is projected to be completed in time for the summer swimming season.

Turning their attention to other projects, board members conditionally awarded a contract to W.K. Dickson of Asheville for a sewer line to be built along N.C. 107 from Cope Creek to Lovesfield.

Town board members authorized construction of the $356,000 project Oct. 5. Project engineer Victor Lofquist has scheduled the project on a fast track, with the targeted completion of the sewer line set for April 2001. Sylva board member Maurice Moody, who has been critical of Dickson in the past, said that he would like to see language in the contract that Dickson is expected to live up to its timetable.

The condition placed on acceptance of Dickson's bid was the inclusion of a clause that adds a $100-per-day penalty for every day the project is late.

"I'd like for Dickson to have an incentive to proceed in a timely fashion," Moody said.

With regard to other improvements on N.C. 107, board members awarded an engineering contract to Dukes Planning and Environmental of Sylva for design and construction supervision of a planned sidewalk to be built on the Wal-Mart side of the highway from Sunrise Park to N.C. 116 (Webster Road). The $190,000 project is being funded jointly by the town and the N.C. Department of Transportation.

Town leaders again tabled a request from Country Classic Real Estate owner Hart Goodson for reimbursement for sewer expenses. The board is expected to consider that matter during its Nov. 2 meeting after the adoption of a policy to address such requests.

In the final matter on their agenda Tuesday, Sylva officials approved a request from the Stovall family that will allow them to sell 83 acres of a 450-acre tract used to secure a revolving loan from the town to Patrick and Jeannie McGuire of Sylva. The property is located on the ridge that divides the Cane Creek and Wayehutta watersheds, Coward said.

The Stovalls' attorney, Jay Coward of Sylva, told board members that allowing the sale would be in the town's best interest for two reasons. First, because the town will receive some $42,000 towards repayment of the loan principal sooner than any such payment is due, and, second, because the town will become the primary lien-holder on the property to be sold. Jackson County, which also loaned money to the Stovalls for expansion of their builders' supply, Southern Lumber, approved the land sale earlier this month.

Sylva's board will next meet Thursday, Nov. 2, at 7 p.m. in Municipal Hall.

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