The official decision on the new justice center for Haywood County is sealed, but opponents are still asking questions.

“I just don’t see how they are going to pay for it without raising taxes,” said Austin Swanger.

Commissioners chose Option B, which includes a building fronting Main Street with a parking deck on Branner Avenue. The downtown building is projected to cost $17 million, while a new jail planned for Hazelwood is expected to come in at about $11.5 million. The jail project is still awaiting final approval.

The method of payment for the new justice center was in question up until the final vote Monday.
Commissioners had planned to use certificate of participation bonds, which don’t require voter approval but usually have a higher interest rate than the general obligation bonds that can be used only if voters approve the projects.

When the measure came to a vote, Commissioner Mary Ann Enloe tried to change the financing method. She asked that the county pay for the new justice center with general obligation bonds. If that motion had won, then a vote of the county’s citizens would have been required before the justice center project could have proceeded.

That motion, however, was defeated by a 2-3 vote, with Enloe and Commissioner Wade Francis supporting it.

Following that vote, Commissioner Bill Noland made a motion to build what has come to be known as Option B. That motion was approved 3-2, with Noland, Commissioner Carlyle Ferguson and Chairman Jim Stevens voting for it.

Prior to the vote, several citizens encouraged the county to hold off on choosing a plan and setting the construction project in motion.

“Jonathan Creek voters don’t want a Cadillac courthouse, we want a Ford,” said Jack Ryan.
“We activists will be dedicated the next 18 months to making sure you don’t repeat in office,” Ryan said.

Eva Jane Ashe, from the Beaverdam community, complained that building the new justice center showed commissioners had misplaced priorities.

“Why are you spending more on criminals and a jail than on children,” she said, noting that the last new school cost $85 per square foot and the new justice center and jail would cost $135 per square foot.

Finally, Ron Bradshaw of Crabtree, another leader of the opposition group, said that some of the comments from consultants hired by the county were an insult to taxpayers.

“Those were the silliest bunch of statements anyone could make. ‘Could lawyers work evenings?’ If you call that justification, then you have missed the mark,” Bradshaw told commissioners.

Haywood County school officials made their budget presentation to commissioners on Monday, asking for a 13.2 percent local funding increase for next year.

All told, the schools wat $1.207 million more money for the 2001-2002 fiscal year. That would pay for an additional $892,283 in local current expenses and $176,000 to raise the teacher supplement to 2 percent from 1.625 percent.

School officials said the state plans to cut $550,000 from their budget. Those cuts will primarily affect clerical staff, teaching assistants and office staff.

“This is the first time I’ve been in education that we’ve actually had to send people home. These state cuts make our local budget from the county that much more important,” said Superintendent Bill Upton.

Commissioners are expected to get their budget proposal from the county manager on June 4.

 

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