Democracy in action
To the Editor:
It is a privilege and an honor to live in the United States because
of the many personal freedoms we enjoy. One of those freedoms is to
express how we want the money to be spent that is collected from taxation.
We are given an opportunity and a responsibility to share our concerns
with government officials and other institutions in our community.
Currently there is a Joint Library Task Force public survey, printed
in the paper and is available at local businesses, that I encourage
you to fill out. My shop (Worldly Possessions to Lift the Spirit) has
the survey available and also you may view the video of the May 22 public
meetings or borrow a copy.
Many concerned citizens want to keep the Jackson County Public Library
here in the county seat. Many want it to remain an entity to serve the
general public and not an aspect of the community college. Many want
it to be located in the town of Sylva as a part of the town environment.
Many believe that our old courthouse is the ideal place to house our
library because of its history and location.
I encourage all of us to attend the Nov. 17 meeting at 7 p.m. in the
Justice Center in the courtroom. I ask everyone to make it a point to
attend this informational meeting to learn more by asking questions,
and to show up in numbers to impress upon the Jackson County officials
the importance you place on how our government is being run.
It takes some effort. It takes some time. It may not be your favorite
way to spend a Monday night, but it is a very good way to be a good
neighbor and to do something to keep your community alive. While others
are trying to shift the focus of community vitality either to the college,
Webster, or Wal-Mart, or bypass our town altogether, it is those hopeful
and confident individuals who believe in the spirit of honoring the
values that our United States was founded upon who will take this opportunity.
Next Monday night, turn out, show up and say with your presence that
you believe the people of Jackson County deserve to have government
listen to your concerns. Ask questions that need answers! Whether you
want the library to be a facet of Southwest Community College or the
shining star in our town, bring your questions to this meeting.
The will of the people is what counts and counting the people helps
evidence that. Sometimes merely being present can speak volumes about
the importance of an issue.
Dottie Hoche
Sylva
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Supports Southern Loop
To the Editor:
The Oct. 30 Sylva Herald contained lots of opinions about the Southern
Bypass which demonstrated (the writers') lack of ability to plan ahead.
Planning ahead is very simple, if one has the ability to do so. It is
impossible otherwise.
Anyone driving the through-town route in Franklin or Waynesville can
find out in a hurry what Sylva needs to do: eliminate the through-traffic
from Main Street.
The planning department of the N.C. Department of Transportation has
studied the situation, including the expected growth, in a professional-grade
manner. The non-professional people who have extremely loudmouths or
lack of knowledge about future planning should not influence planners
who know their business, and permit the bypass to continue and be built.
In the not-too-distant future, the same loudmouths will be blaming DOT
for failing to handle the traffic increase properly. Not one of these
objectors will ever publicly admit they were wrong five years from now.
We already have had several lumber, grocery and dry goods merchants
who have closed their doors in Sylva, but continue to do good in Franklin
and Waynesville. Sylva will continue to lose business as the new stores
migrate south on Highway 107 from the current Ingles corner.
When I first arrived here about 40 years ago, Sylva and Franklin were
equal in size. Now, Franklin has outgrown Sylva by probably three or
four times. Why? Very poor management of Jackson County and the town
of Sylva.
Personally, I have used the Sylva library to read the daily papers.
Now I find that the library facilities at Franklin are much larger and
convenient than Sylva will ever be. The loudmouths in Sylva need to
improve the library facilities, not stay as they are. Sylva cannot use
the current library as an anchor for bringing people into the middle
of confusion. Even Cashiers has better library facilities than Sylva.
As long as the present control in running Jackson County continues,
living in Jackson County will not get better like it should.
The loudmouths need to take a trip over into Dolly Parton's area of
Tennessee and learn how to improve living and shopping conditions that
should be taken into their planning methods.
Frank Young
Cullowhee
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Mountain medicine and pagan beliefs differ
To the Editor:
I am very surprised that more citizens of our county have not spoken
up against the pagan group that has decided to move into our area.
Not only was I born and raised here, but generations of both sides of
my family were born and raised in Jackson County.
As far as the letter a couple weeks ago about the ancestors of this
area practicing in witchery ("Pagan's response," The Sylva
Herald, Oct. 23), the author has been sadly misinformed, and I would
venture to guess did not have generations of family that were born and
raised in Jackson County.
I did have ancestors that "bought warts," healed people with
herbs and had "the sight," but if you had talked to these
people, they would have told you that it was only through God's son,
Jesus Christ, that they were given these gifts. It also was because
of a great lack of doctors and hospitals in the area at the time that
they learned to take care of their own. I can guarantee you that they
read their Bibles every day and traveled great distances to go to church
every Sunday. As a matter of fact, as children, all of my grandparents
walked about 10 miles to go to church.
So please do not include my ancestors in a plan to promote a belief
that was in no way theirs. They were adamant Christians, as are most
of the people in Jackson County.
It saddens me to watch such a group move into this area, but I also
know that God has a plan for everything, and I hope we can all show
(the author) the love and peace that can only be acquired through a
personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Vicki Todd
Sylva
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Start N.C. 107 planning 'the smart way'
To the Editor:
It was encouraging to see a familiar bumper sticker on a vehicle traveling
on I-40 east of Marion (Smart Roads - Not New Roads). The words and
message of the Jackson County Smart Roads Alliance have traction outside
our county. The question remains: What traction do we as the citizens
of Jackson County have in our own county?
On the surface, we have accomplished much. The towns of Webster, Sylva,
Dillsboro and Forest Hills have officially approved a resolution against
the Southern Loop bypass, specifically a request to N.C. Department
of Transportation officials to remove the Southern Loop from its long
range plan, that no bypass plans be adopted and that any planning or
activity related to a southern bypass be terminated.
We want DOT to help develop a new comprehensive plan for improving our
existing roads as an alternative to the bypass.
A comparable resolution is being considered by the board of commissioners,
which would ask to postpone any further planning of a bypass until a
community-based plan is developed. However, this resolution was not
voted on at the last commissioners meeting on Oct. 21.
More troubling is our apparent lack of involvement and voicing of our
citizens' disapproval of this bypass plan to our board of commissioners.
The voice of the people of Jackson County needs to be heard and conveyed
more strongly to DOT by our people and the board! I do not feel this
was altogether so at the last TIP meeting of the DOT in Sylva Oct. 22.
I hope that all concerned citizens of this beautiful county will come
and participate in the upcoming county commissioners meetings on Nov.
18 and 25 at 6 p.m. at the Justice Center.
We, as a concerned people, need to oppose any plan or resolution that
would destroy forever the beauty, heritage and tranquility of our mountains,
such as the bypass. Not only would it destroy many homes and businesses,
but the cost (approximately $228 million) would probably double by the
time of completion. Example: The Alaska Pipeline – estimated cost
$18 billion; final cost, approximately $90 billion. Government spending?
We need many voices as one that cannot be ignored in our objective to
destroy this plan once and for all. The commissioners, "as the
voice for the people," need to convey this message to DOT.
The town of Sylva has assumed a very positive role in leading the way
for redesigning N.C. 107 with the excellent and creative work of Jim
Aust, Sylva's zoning administrator.
Mr. Aust has outlined several possibilities for connecting and improving
existing roads around Sylva.
The Smart Roads Alliance agrees and identifies with Mr. Aust on the
main problems with N.C. 107 and is willing to work with him and DOT
in this solution. There are many people with planning and design knowledge
in this area of expertise. Some have been contacted by the Smart Roads
Alliance.
At this time, nobody knows the exact composition of a county-wide transportation
planning task force. The role of the Smart Roads Alliance is the only
citizens group so far identified in the task force. It should be expanded,
not diminished.
Fixing N.C. 107's problems should be a top priority. Let us start planning
the smart way. Support our county DOT, commissioners and the Smart Roads
Alliance.
Donald Billingsley
Sylva
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Back to Archive: 11/13/03.
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