In a move that evokes imagery from the biblical battle between David and Goliath, the tiny Jackson County municipality of Forest Hills is fighting back against county commissioners for their vote to withdraw from the Fontana Regional Library system late last month.
On June 24, Jackson County commissioners voted to abandon eight decades of participation in a public library partnership with Macon and Swain counties over LGBTQ+ content at the Jackson County Public Library.
The 4-1 vote to withdraw from the FRL system came after months of protracted public comment overwhelmingly in opposition to commissioners’ plan to withdraw, and after financial projections by Jackson County manager Kevin King that suggested the county will have to spend around $500,000 more each year — not including initial startup and transition costs of perhaps $300,000 — to provide the same services the library already provides.
As part of the public discussion surrounding the issue, on June 10 the Forest Hills Village Council passed a resolution in support of the FRL system, as did the Town of Webster. A resolution of support was on the Sylva agenda June 12; however, Commissioner Jon Brown had the resolution yanked from the agenda.
Although residents of Forest Hills, Webster and Sylva didn’t get to vote on the withdrawal, the decision by Jackson County commissioners does impact residents of those municipalities who utilize library services.
After the vote, Forest Hills Council Member and Mayor Pro Tem Daniel Shields was looking through Jackson County’s annual budget and discovered Forest Hills was projected to contribute around $8,000 in annual revenue to the county for expedited review and after-hours planning services.
On July 1, Shields presented an agenda item during the village’s regular meeting proposing the termination of those services, which passed unanimously.
“The village was horrified by the county’s reckless decision to withdraw from the FRL, firmly believing that those funds would be far more beneficial if invested directly in our citizens rather than entrusted to county management,” Shields told The Smoky Mountain News July 3.
Jackson County’s 2024-25 fiscal year budget was just under $94 million, but on June 25, commissioners approved a 2025-26 fiscal year budget of $107 million with a substantial property tax hike. Forest Hills’ $8,000 is little more than a drop in the bucket to the county, but it clearly matters to Forest Hills.
“While the sum of $8,000 may not represent a significant fiscal impact on the county’s overall budget, the Village maintains a steadfast commitment to the judicious allocation of taxpayer funds and the provision of essential services to its residents,” Shields said. “The decision to withdraw from the FRL is thus considered a disservice to our constituents.”
Forest Hills Mayor Marcia Jones Almond backed up Shields’ reasoning on the contract termination.
“We needed the money, and the fact that we were paying it to Jackson County and they weren’t spending the money wisely was part of the reason,” Almond said.
Shields also expressed frustration over what he calls a “lack of dedicated representation” for Jackson County’s third district on the Board of Commissioners over the presence of Commissioner Jenny Hooper.
Hooper was elected to represent Jackson County’s third district; however, an unresolved snafu with her residency has resulted in her reclassification as a resident of Jackson County’s first district. Hooper has maintained her seat and along with commissioners Todd Bryson, Michael Jennings and John Smith voted to withdraw from FRL. Chairman Mark Letson was the only vote against withdrawal.
Shields said that, given Village residents are not currently represented on the Jackson County Commission, the Village would continue to assert its responsibility to independently advocate for the interests of its residents.
The permanent population of Forest Hills, which lies just south of Cullowhee, is right around 300 people. Jackson County has a population of about 45,000.