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11/27/02

Outgoing board delays naming smart-growth panel

By Don Hendershot
The winds of change were blowing through the Jackson County commissioners board room at their Nov. 21 meeting.

During the Nov. 7 meeting, chairman Jay Denton had requested board members bring nominations for a five-member Smart Growth Committee. However, when commissioners got to the smart growth item on the agenda, incoming chairman Stacy Buchanan asked that the item be tabled.

“We’re appointing a committee that doesn’t have a task,” Buchanan said.

He noted that a new board would be in place starting Dec. 2, and that board might have different ideas about how to proceed with the smart-growth plan.

“Please don’t tie the hands of the next board,” Buchanan requested.

Buchanan said the new board needed to meet to discuss options. Some of those options include hiring a consultant, hiring a county planner and/or creating a committee.

Commissioner Conrad Burrell expressed concern that the Smart Growth Committee was a job left undone and said he was prepared to nominate two members. Buchanan promised the board that smart growth and the committee would be given immediate attention by the new board and that he would be happy to take the names under recommendation.

Denton said if it was the pleasure of the board, he would not contest tabling the item.

“I am more than willing to go along, but I do hope you do what you say you will do,” said Denton.

Denton recommended Pat McMillian and Tom McClure, commissioner Franz Whitmire recommended Page Bernstein and Burrell recommended Ruth Shuler and Earl Hooper.

“Like Jay, I have no problem giving you the names we’ve selected. We’ve had 27 meetings and we need to get this resolved,” Burrell said.

“I am greatly disappointed that we finish up with no action on smart growth,” Denton said.

The next item was appointments to the planning board, and commissioner Burrell moved that this item also be tabled and that those appointments be left for the new board.

In other business the board passed a resolution stating that, “Jackson County chooses to continue working with Smoky Mountain Center, the existing area authority under Statute 122-c, as the Local Management entity serving Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon and Swain counties in accordance with the State Plan and reform mandates.’


Large resigns

At the close of last week’s meeting, county attorney Raymond Large resigned his position.

Large told commissioners that he had learned deliberations were underway to select a new county attorney. Large also said he called the county manager’s office to get some information regarding depositions in an upcoming lawsuit against the county and was “informed that he couldn’t do that until after tonight’s meeting.”

Large told the board that he did not seek and would not serve as county attorney if selected. He said that for four years the county received top priority at his firm, and that “Jackson County received superior representation.”

Chairman Jay Denton thanked Large for an outstanding job.

“I appreciate all you’ve done for this board,” said Denton.

In a later interview, county manager Ken Westmoreland said the clerk to the board, the county manager and the county attorney all serve at the pleasure of the board and “none of us have property rights.”

“This kind of action should come as no surprise to anyone in public service,” Westmoreland said.

Large did not return phone calls from The Smoky Mountain News.

The Smoky Mountain News has also learned that clerk Darlene Fox would be relieved of her duties. Fox said there was no meeting or discussion.

“Stacy (Buchanan, incoming board chairman) simply told me I wouldn’t be clerk,” she said.

The new board is expected to name a county attorney and a clerk at their Dec. 2 meeting at 7 p.m. in Courtroom Two of the Jackson County Justice and Administration building.