The town of Sylva would have significantly more money to work with in crafting the town’s budget if not for a $100,000 mishap involving a new pedestrian bridge to span Scotts Creek.

When ordering the footbridge, Town Manager Jay Denton miscalculated the cost of installing it. The footers and foundation cost substantially more than he initially estimated — $100,000 more.

It was a far cry from the $22,000 the town board had pledged for the bridge. The additional expense did not go over well with board members, but it was too late to cancel the order for the bridge. The town board voted 3 to 2 to fork over the additional $100,000 it would take to install the bridge — five times what the town board had anticipated paying.

Town Commissioner Stacy Knotts was among those who voted for the extra outlay — she said the town didn’t really have a choice — but was extremely disappointed by the situation.

“We are trying to figure out if we can afford three picnic tables for the pool and to have to take such a huge amount out was disappointing,” Knotts said. “This was a big mistake.”

Denton said he wouldn’t call it a mistake, however.

“It was really not a mistake. It was an underestimate,” Denton said.

Cost over-runs are not that unusual, Denton said.

“I have never done a government job yet in which I didn’t have to amend the budget,” Denton said.

Knotts said this was not your average cost over-run, however.

The original estimate for the bridge was $147,000, with the majority coming from grants and fund-raising. The town was only contributing $22,000, but was suddenly facing a $124,000 bill instead.

Denton estimated the cost of the bridge based on those of similar lengths. But he failed to account for two factors that would ultimately drive up the cost of installation: the bank on one side of the creek was nine feet higher than the other side, and the soil along the creek bank was ill-suited for footings. The bridge would have to be leveled up and a ramp installed, plus there would have to abutments around the foundation, Denton said.

If town leaders had known that up front, they could have hunted for a different bridge, said town commissioner Maurice Moody.

“I am convinced we could have built a different bridge for less,” Moody said. “If we had a firm cost on those abutments and ramps, we probably would have chosen a different bridge.”

Knotts said things were done in the wrong order.

“I am still not clear why soils samples weren’t done before the bridge was ordered,” Knotts said. “When you place an order for something that is custom made, you have to make sure all your estimates are there. Placing the order should be the last step.”

Denton said that, in hindsight, he agrees.

Town commissioner Harold Hensley defended Denton, however.

“I do not blame Jay Denton for a bit of it. It could happen in any thing you do when spending money like that,” Hensley said.

Hensley voted for the extra outlay, but not necessarily out of support for Bridge Park. Hensley said he’s not big on funding things like sidewalks, for example, and he consistently rails against downtown. That doesn’t make Hensley a huge ally of a footbridge linking downtown with a park. But in this case, there wasn’t a choice, he said.

“I never would have supported to spend that money in the first place. But the thing was bought and paid for,” Hensley said of the bridge.

Town Commissioner Ray Lewis voted for the extra outlay along with Hensley and Knotts. Town Commissioners Maurice Moody and Sarah Graham voted against the extra outlay. Graham is actually an instrumental leader behind the creation of Bridge Park and a champion of a pedestrian-friendly downtown. Like Moody, however, she voted against the extra outlay in principle.

“Not building a bridge was not an option, but the only problem I have with it is the cost,” Moody said.