Sylva Town Council rejects resolution of support for Fontana Library system
A proposed resolution that expressed support for the Fontana Regional Library system didn’t survive the first four minutes of the Town of Sylva Board of Commissioners meeting on June 12, after Commissioner Jonathan Brown moved to strike the item from the meeting’s agenda.
“This resolution, I just kinda learned about, and I don’t think it’s the job of this board to present a public statement on an issue going on in our community that is very polarizing right now,” Brown said. “We have not vetted this statement as a committee, as a board. We have not discussed it. I didn’t have a hand in crafting it. We have no real consequential action on this subject as a board, and I think to make a comment on behalf of the town that does not represent a good portion of the community would be irresponsible and inappropriate.”
Jackson County is currently embroiled in a fierce debate over the future of its public library in downtown Sylva. While most public speakers at county meetings have urged commissioners to remain a part of the FRL, a small but vocal group — many from neighboring Macon County — has pushed for withdrawal over concerns about LGBTQ+ materials.
After another long session of public comment June 3, County Manager Kevin King presented an analysis of what a withdrawal from the system might cost. Preliminary estimates are about $500,000 annually, with $300,000 in startup or transition costs — if current levels of service are maintained.
The county is already proposing a property tax increase for the upcoming fiscal year.
Brown’s move was perplexing, considering he went on to say that he hopes the library will remain part of the FRL and that he’s open to discussions on a resolution of support.
Related Items
Rock rolls into Whiteside Brewing
‘Concerts on the Creek’
Paddleboard at Wolf Lake
Leaving FLR just doesn’t make sense
“As a board here, the Town of Sylva, I don’t think it’s our job,” he said. “And I think from what I understand, this resolution was sent to us from other towns in the county to jump on board with, and I’m not sure it was appropriate for them to issue a statement, either.”
Governing boards in Webster and Forest Hills unanimously passed resolutions of support for the FRL last week. Daniel Shields, mayor pro tem of Forest Hills, wrote the resolution.
“The Village of Forest Hills feels it’s our job to represent our constituents. As elected officials, we have to put our personal feelings aside because that’s our job,” Shields told The Smoky Mountain News June 14. “Jackson commissioners, at their last meeting, seemed more focused on their expenditures than on the programs that the library provides for its citizens.”
Brown’s motion to strike passed by a vote of three to two. Brown, along with commissioners Blitz Estridge and Mary Gelbaugh, voted in favor, while commissioners Brad Waldrop and Joe Waldrum were opposed.
During public comment, Sylva resident Sarah Hirsch said she’d initially come to the meeting applaud the board for passing the resolution.
“I was hopeful that you were going to take a bold and conscientious move, just like you have in the past for Sylva Pride. You’ve proclaimed your support for Sylva Pride, for the Sylva Herald — you’ve proclaimed your support for the importance of the Herald in the history of this town, so I was like, ‘Yeah! OK!’” Hirsch said. “I know you may think, Jon, that you don’t have a say on this. You do. You have a moral say, you have a leadership say.”
Hirsch explained that most people don’t recognize the stratification of local governments — the town owns the fountain, the county owns the stairs and the library building, even though it’s within Sylva’s municipal limits — and that if the county withdraws from the FRL, tourism will be affected.
“We don’t need that,” she said, urging commissioners to take that bold step in the future. “We’ve got enough problems with the [Highway] 107 project, rebuilding parks and all that stuff post-hurricane. I don’t think we need to sow chaos and throw up a good thing, which is our library. Our library is awesome, and it’s awesome because of its connection to the Fontana Regional Library.”
Local conservative activist Keith Blaine said he’d actually come to speak to the board on other matters, but he applauded commissioners.
“I had been to the [Jackson County] commissioners’ meeting when they were discussing the library and I’ve seen really how divisive it is, so I kind of applaud you for not making this board politicized and divisive,” Blaine said.
Later in the meeting, Waldrop said he was proud of the town’s support of LGBTQ+ people, especially though its annual Pride festival, but he was disappointed that the resolution had been removed from the agenda.
“After what just happened, I would also agree with the public comment by Ms. Hirsch that we have an obligation to stand up for people in our community, and I think we just fell short of that,” Waldrop said.
Jackson County commissioners will hold their next regular meeting on June 17; however, they’ve set a joint meeting with the FRL board for June 19 in an attempt to find some compromise.
