Jessica Webb
editor@thesmokymountaintimes.com
A satellite annexation request was tabled by Bryson City Town Board of Aldermen during the board’s regular meeting Monday, June 5, as the board seeks more information as to whether it could fulfill requirements for services to the area. The request comes from Smoky Mountain Campground LLC and Creek Life Tubes LLC, located at the end of West Deep Creek before the entrance to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Aldermen were working on the assumption the reasoning behind the request is to be able to sell alcohol both on and off premises, since the county is still technically dry.
Town attorney Fred Moody explained if the property were annexed, the town would have to be able to provide services like water and sewer, garbage service and police and fire protection. It already is in the fire protection district and some properties have water and sewer while some only have water.
“I have an issue with the petition because of the garbage service,” Moody told the board. “I don’t think you want the potential to have to run that up to garbage and recycling.”
Police Chief Charlie Robinson said they already patrol the nearby water plant, so adding police protection wouldn’t be a challenge.
“We’re answering calls, we’re up there regularly anyhow, and if it’s something bad, the county calls us because we can get there first,” Chief Robinson said.
Aldermen then wondered about other areas that might follow if this request were to be approved. Other areas could include Fontana Road, Hughes Branch and Jackson Line.
Mayor Tom Sutton said other requests, such as from Alarka General just beyond Jackson Line, have come before the board, but those were declined due to a lack of lines to service water and sewer.
Aldermen Ben King and Chad Smith also wondered if approving satellite annexations so businesses could have alcohol sales would relieve pressure from the county to approve countywide sales, which they didn’t seem in favor of.
Then, the board wondered if they approved it, how it might add capacity in Deep Creek.
“I’d want to know more about capacity in that area,” said alderman Tim Hines, adding they would likely see other neighbors requesting hook-ups.
The board tabled the decision to hear more about capacity for the area from its town staff.
Actions
In decisions Monday, Bryson City town board approved a contract with JSO Technology Group for technology upgrades for the town police and fire department in the amount of $71,562. This is the same company the town hired for upgrades for its administration department.
The board set a public hearing for the 2023-2024 fiscal budget to be held Monday, June 19 followed by a special meeting to approve the budget. In discussion on the budget, Sutton noted he and Town Manager Sam Pattillo decided to create an additional firefighter position instead of a fire chief position, given recent Swain County commission discussion about possibly moving forward with a way to fund positions for fire departments in the county.
In other decisions, the board approved an audit contract with a new audit firm, Carter Accounting Tax Assurance of Asheville. Pattillo said he met with them last month and is confident they will be good to work with.
The board also approved the surplus vehicle bid as presented and appointed Melissa Massey to serve on the ABC board.
Also Monday, Mayor Sutton read a proclamation to honor Diana Ball for her 50 years of service as an employee at Marianna Black Library in Bryson City, declaring Friday, June 30, 2023 as Diana Ball Day. Ball began working at MBL on Feb. 3, 1973, and since helped students conduct research, helped run the bookmobile and helped countless Bryson City residents with library services.
Reports
Included in this month’s reports were the several past months’ reports at the water plant. A huge leak at Ingles was fixed on May 3, that was discovered by chance, was an all-hands on deck situation, according to Manager Pattillo. Water plant manager Russell Ball communicated the work was worth it, in his report. “While there is no solid way to prove/confirm it, I believe the leak at Ingles has probably been leaking for at least 5 years,” he said, adding finding and repairing the leak has brought the town’s amount of unaccounted for water down below the 50% mark for the month of May.
In other matters, Manager Pattillo informed the board the town has purchased pipe for water and sewer repairs at Depot and Everett Street and will soon open bids for the work in the hopes it can be completed before the fall when North Carolina Department of Transportation plans to pave the area.
Pattillo also recommended the town replace a work truck that has been out of commission for the past several months and would need more than $25,000 in equipment costs alone to repair.
The board then had a brief discussion about trash and recycling collection, which Pattillo said is currently under review. He raised concerns about commercial pick up from restaurants where town workers are dealing with extremely heavy loads—from food waste and glass recycling—and suggested exploring the possibility of a mechanical lift and specific containers for those businesses, as well as increasing the frequency of recycling pick-ups.
Considering the discussion that followed, it seems there is a lot for the board to consider, such as the terrain, the rates for commercial pick up and labor.
The next meeting of the board will be Monday, June 19 at 5:30 p.m. at town office.