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Dillsboro allocates increase for capital improvements

By Rose Hooper

Currently for every 5 cents of tax collected by the town of Dillsboro, 3 cents is allocated to streets and sidewalks and 2 cents for recreation.

Monday night the town board voted to put that 3 cents in the General Fund for capital improvements instead. The amount is approximately $4,000.

"Most of the property owners adjacent to the sidewalks have purchased the bricks in front of their property," said town clerk Herb Nolan.

For other sidewalks in town, Dillsboro has an arrangement where the state furnishes the materials and the Job Corps furnishes the labor. "With those kind of arrangements, we haven't needed much funding for our sidewalk projects," Nolan said.

Now what the town faces is a unique capital improvements project. Can a small town provide incentives for those who want to build within the town limits?

Dillsboro may not be able to provide the lines for additional water and sewer, especially if the location is at the top of a mountain. But what the town can do is provide funds for an engineering survey to determine the feasibility and cost of the lines.

The Patterson Drive area is expected to be first in line for survey consideration. Part of what a survey would show, town officials said Monday night, are the role and responsibility of Tuckaseigee Water and Sewer Authority.

In other funding matters, the board agreed to apply for a $10,000 grant from the state Parks and Recreation Trust Fund. The funds, on an 80-20 percent matching ratio, would be used to build a pavilion near the picnic tables at the park.

"If we get this grant," said board member Jim Cochran, "we need to look at ways to generate income for its upkeep."

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