Larry Griffin
lgriffin@thesmokymountaintimes.com
At their meeting Tuesday morning, March 12, the Swain County Board of Commissioners disagreed over a proposed raise of the occupancy tax and on what should be done about budgeting for paid firefighters.
They also talked about an Ela sewer expansion project, a grant to help Wize Guys open up a location in town and progress on a new animal shelter building.
The discussion about the firefighters came up during informal discussion. Commissioner Kenneth Parton voiced displeasure with the public hearing held two weeks ago in which citizens of the community voiced their support for adding paid firefighters to help boost response times and protect the community.
“There was no discussion about the cost or numbers,” he said. “Hiring one person will not fix every problem we have. There was no talking about what we need – new buildings? What is it going to take?”
Parton said he thought they needed to talk about the liability of houses built way up on the high-rise hills in the mountains, which can prove more difficult to reach for fire protection. His position was that there needed to be discussion about those kinds of issues before they allotted funds for paid firefighters. Because of that, he said he hadn’t been happy with the way the public hearing went.
“There was no discussion. It was all want, want, want. That’s fine, but we need to know the goal and what it’s going to cost. Are we allowed to talk at these meetings? Or just sit and be told what we need?” he said.
Commissioner David Loftis shared a story about a recent church event he attended in which he brought the issue up with residents. “I never discuss politics at church. But I was at the hot dog dinner, and I asked who’s in favor of the paid firefighters? They said they were all for it. But when I asked are you willing to raise taxes, then it’s all ‘oh no.’”
At the public comment section, resident Pete Eichler said he was “disappointed” to hear that the commissioners hadn’t discussed the issue on their own. He said he disagreed with some of the way Parton and Loftis had characterized the debate.
“There’s a misconception that we all think we’d have our house saved,” Eichler said. “That’s not what we think. It might be preventing a major wildfire.”
Eichler said he and many community members were fine with raising taxes to help fund the firefighters and said they “want that protection.”
Bed tax controversy
The commissioners clashed over a proposal to add another 2% to the county’s occupancy tax on vacation rentals and hotel rooms. County Manager Kevin King said there were also efforts underway in the state to try and change the way occupancy taxes could be used, but nothing has passed yet.
Parton said he was against the occupancy tax hike because he didn’t want to increase spending on tourism in the area.
“The way I see it, and this is only how I see it, but for all the things that come with tourism, there should definitely be mechanisms for the effects of tourism on our regular spending as far as even deputies and health stuff, environment stuff,” he said. “There’s a whole bunch of stuff affected by the number of people, all the stuff that’s here now.”
Parton said the county “sacrifices things” to get people to come to the area, so he was against spending more on advertising for tourists.
Commissioner Roger Parsons disagreed, saying he thought the bed tax benefited everybody.
“The tourists that are already here are here,” he said. “I hate to say it that way, but I’d rather make money off them than us. The 2% increase, even if you take out a third for capital projects, we might be able to use. If the laws change, maybe we’ll be able to use more of that. That’s money tourism brings in that this county can use, to benefit all the people who don’t benefit from tourism. It’d be nice to know those people are here, those heads in beds, is helping me to have something else.”
Other business
The commissioners talked about a resolution to use a Building Reuse grant they’d gotten from the state Department of Commerce to help the Wize Guys restaurant open up shop at 240 Main Street in a building that was vacant for many years until developer Mark Fortner began renovating it.
The resolution says the local government will provide a 5% cash match for the project. King said the grant was for $25,000 and the county would put up $1,250 to match.
Parton was against this, saying he “didn’t think we should use taxpayer money” for the project, since Wize Guys already has a location open in Cherokee and he didn’t think they needed the grant. Parsons said there was “a certain amount of excitement” about adding new business on Main Street and said he supported helping businesses.
They also discussed a proposed easement agreement with the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad for the Ela sewer expansion project, agreeing to talk more about all the options before deciding later.
Additionally, the Recreation Department presented the commissioners with new fees for various rec park amenities, which were said to reflect higher use of the facilities. The document said the fees will help the park “grow and be sustainable.”
King presented two contractors who are bidding to build the county’s proposed animal shelter: Maverick Steel Buildings, Inc who will do it for $122,900, and the other is Owle Construction, whose price was $192,000.
The board will meet again for a regular meeting Tuesday, March 19 at 5:30 p.m., at the County Administration building.