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Century's final year reveals challenges facing county

By Lynn Hotaling and Lisa Majors-Duff

As 1999 draws to a close, a look back reveals another eventful year in Jackson County. While some issues were put to rest, new challenges emerged to take their place on county and town agendas.

County commissioners put a temporary end to the elected/appointed county manager debate by scheduling a referendum for November 2000 to let voters indicate their preference.

The final month of the year marked an end to the long-standing dilemma of groundwater contamination at Western Builders property adjacent to the former county landfill. County officials purchased the construction company's Dillsboro site for $500,000 and announced plans to move Extension and soil and water conservation offices there to alleviate crowded conditions in the Community Service Center.

Zoning issues were frequently in the news last year and appear destined to present a challenge to county and town leaders for years to come.

This year saw two sign-related lawsuits - one filed by the town of Sylva seeking removal of a non-conforming sign, and one filed by a billboard company to protest a county billboard moratorium. Initial rulings on both were favorable toward local government officials.

A countywide billboard ordinance was drafted, amended and passed in four months time; however, commissioners were split on the issue and the enacted ordinance, which had been made less strict than first proposed, was vocally opposed by a majority of citizens who attended two public meetings. Sylva also voted on a billboard law; however, in contrast to county leaders, town officials amended their zoning code to further restrict billboards.

County leaders moved to meet the needs of schools and law enforcement by borrowing to build needed school facilities and a new jail. Construction is under way on a $11 million-school to replace 45-year-old Scotts Creek Elementary and on 12-classroom additions at both Smokey Mountain and Fairview elementary schools. A classroom addition at Blue Ridge has been approved, as has some $6 million for land acquisition and repairs and additions at Smoky Mountain High.

Facility needs at the Jackson County Public Library have been put on hold. Commissioners deeded the Hooper House, slated to be removed to make way for a library addition, to a non-profit foundation dedicated to saving and restoring Main Street's oldest house. With no alternate site readily available, commissioners reallocated some $1 million set aside for library needs for property acquisition at SMHS.

County residents were saddened this year by the loss of several key figures: Sylva board member and beloved former Sylva Elementary and Fairview Principal Bill Smith, who died suddenly in January; homespun regional education leader and former 11th district Congressman Jamie Clarke, who succumbed to cancer in April; legendary Sylva writer John Parris, who passed away in May; and Forest Hills village board member Jim Pearce, who died in November.

On a happier note, some 1,700 area volunteers worked tirelessly to rebuild the play area at Sylva's Poteet Park. Sylva volunteer firefighters put on a 100th birthday bash and invited everyone downtown to help them celebrate their centennial, and the second Greening Up the Mountains festival attracted some 4,000 to Sylva. The Nov. 30 downtown Christmas Parade was termed one of the most successful ever.

The year was marked by change in a number of key positions. The Eastern Band of Cherokee elected a new chief, Leon Jones; school officials named Ken Henke principal at the county's largest school, Smoky Mountain High; Julie Spiro took over as Chamber of Commerce head; Karen Armel was named SPIR director; Norma Lee replaced Smith on the Sylva Board; and Jean Adams was named to replace Pearce in Forest Hills.

In economic news, Jackson residents were hit with another textile plant (Tuckaseigee Mills) closing. Other economic highlights included news that Harrah's and Cherokee officials had extended their partnership in the state's largest attraction, the casino, through 2004 and that Pepsi-Cola would relocate its bottling operation to the county's state-certified Whittier industrial park.

Recycling remained in the news as Sylva passed a mandatory recycling law and contracted with Country Collections Corp. of Cullowhee to provide recycling pickups for town merchants.

The year's weather threw county residents a few curves. It ranged from late-spring snows to "straight-line winds" that damaged homes in May to drought and forest fires in the spring and fall. The state's big weather-related disaster, September's Hurricane Floyd, spared Jackson; however, many emergency personnel headed east to help flood victims.

Tragedy touched the county this year with the March murder of Terry Chastain in Yellow Mountain community, the October murder of Steve Jones of Sylva and the December death of R.G. Stevenson in a structure fire.

Finally, 1999 saw disturbing national trends hit home with a vengeance. School officials found themselves dealing with a "hit list" at Scotts Creek last spring, threats that almost shut down SMHS in November and students arrested for exploding pipe bombs in December.

All in all, it was another eventful year in the mountains. A monthly summary follows:
  • January through June
  • July through December

    • Back to Archive: 12-30-99.