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County approves fee schedule for billboard construction projects

By Lisa Majors-Duff

Jackson County commissioners made provisions last Thursday night to fund their newly adopted off-premise sign ordinance.

By a vote of 4-1, commissioners approved fees to be collected by the building inspection department on billboard construction. The new schedule of fees calls for $40 to be collected on the inspection of a single-faced, non-illuminated sign and $60 for a double-faced sign, also with no lights. The inspection of a single-faced sign with lights will cost $100, while a similar double-faced lighted sign will cost $120 to inspect.

The higher fees for lighted signs, said building inspection department director John Wittekind, will include electrical permits. "I feel that (the schedule) is fair and consistent when compared to the other services we provide," said Wittekind, who estimated three trips would be necessary for each billboard erected.

Board Chairman Jay Denton, who had originally proposed a fee of $30 per sign and an additional $30 if the sign were lighted, backed Wittekind's revised fee schedule. "We have to make sure the (inspection) department earns enough money to cover its operations," Denton said. "This will definitely be an added expense." Four of the five board members agreed with Wittekind's assessment, with Commissioner Roberta Crawford voting against the measure.

"I came prepared to vote on the chairman's recommendation," she said, stressing that she had not been made aware of the revised fee schedule prior the meeting. Also last week, commissioners voted unanimously to support Public Service Co. of Asheville in its effort to extend natural gas lines into Jackson County. Don Hallingse, director of external relations, explained that the natural gas company has plans to expand into Madison, Jackson and Swain counties by 2003.

The natural gas distributor began operations in 1938 and currently provides service to 350,000 customers in 95 North Carolina cities, towns and communities, including Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill, Hallingse said. Recent expansions have included communities in Asheville, Hendersonville, Waynesville, Clyde and Lake Junaluska.

North Carolina voters approved a $200 million bond referendum in November 1998 to extend natural gas lines throughout the state. Public Service Co. will use a supportive resolution from county leaders to apply to the N.C. Utility Commission for a portion of these funds to complete the proposed expansion project, Hallingse said. Sylva Town Board members also met last Thursday and passed a similar resolution in support of the gas company's proposal.

County commissioners voted to accept the annual audit of their financial records after an overview by Mitch Crisp of Crisp, Hughes and Evans of Sylva. "This was an excellent, excellent report this year," Crisp told board members after commending them for reaching a fund balance of nearly 25 percent."This continues a favorable trend for Jackson County."

In his report to the board, Chairman Denton expressed a desire of the Public Library Advisory Board to meet with commissioners in early February. Plans to expand the public library at its downtown location were put on hold when commissioners voted to restore the adjacent Hooper House property by transferring it to a group of volunteers who hope to use the house for several cultural endeavors.

Denton also told the board that Waynesville architect Rick Lee will work on renovations at the Western Builders site in Dillsboro, where the N.C. Cooperative Extension Office and the Soil and Water Conservation Office will be moved to make room at the Community Service Center in Sylva for expanding health department and Social Service operations. Commissioners paid $500,000 for the Western Builders property after owners complained that the area had been contaminated by the adjacent county-owned landfill.

Board members approved the reappointment of Eddie Madden to the Economic Development Commission and a budget amendment to bring additional state funds into the Department of Social Service line item. Appointments to both the planning board and the Region A Aging Advisory Council were both tabled.

Following a closed session for legal, property and personnel matters, commissioners voted to hire Frank Gammon in the Transit Department. Commissioners will meet tonight (Thursday) with members of the Board of Education to discuss capital improvement projects. Their next regular meeting scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 20, has been cancelled.

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