BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS REGULAR MEETING

TOWN OF SYLVA BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS REGULAR MEETING Thursday, September 11, 2025 at 5:30 PM Board Room, 83 Allen Street Sylva, North Carolina MINUTES PRESENT: Jonathan Brown, Commissioner Paige Dowling, Town Manager Blitz Estridge, Commissioner Amanda Murajda, Town Clerk Mary Gelbaugh, Mayor Pro-Tem Eric Ridenour, Town Attorney Johnny Phillips, Mayor Brad Waldrop, Commissioner Joseph Waldrum, Commissioner ABSENT: CALL TO ORDER Mayor Phillips called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. STAFF PRESENT: Robbie Carter (Asst. Police Chief) and Chris Hatton (Police Chief). VISITORS: Andrew Warner, Seth Digh, Haven Bryant, Tom Howard, Madyson Daniels and Nathanial Pressley. APPROVAL OF AGENDA: Commissioner Estridge made a motion to add an item to the agenda to discuss the Sylva Support Stop. The motion carried with a unanimous vote. Commissioner Gelbaugh made a motion to approve the agenda as amended. The motion carried with a unanimous vote. APPROVAL OF CONSENT AGENDA Commissioner Estridge made a motion to approve the consent agenda. The motion carried with a unanimous vote. PUBLIC COMMENTS: None. MAYOR’S REPORT: Mayor Phillips thanked Jake Scott and the contractor who painted the mast arms on the traffic lights on Main Street. COMMISSIONER’S REPORT: Commissioners reported the following: Gelbaugh—Tree trimming in the downtown area has helped with shrub removal. Brown—Thanked the fire department for their tremendous work during a recent house fire in the community. MANAGER’S REPORT: Manager Dowling reported the following:  The Town received 3 proposals for the Scott’s Creek Slope Stabilization. JMT, GEI, and BLE all submitted Statements of Qualifications. Dowling and Jake Scott scored the proposals and are meeting with the top-scoring company.  Dowling and Scott met with Odell Thompson to review a concept for the restroom renovation at Poteet Park. Odell is drawing a concept with four unisex stalls like at the depot, except they will all be in a line and have a maintenance chase behind them. This will keep the plumbing on an interior wall to help prevent freezing. The project is anticipated to be underway after the Pottery Festival in mid-November and will take approximately 4-6 weeks to complete.  There is a maintenance technician position open in Public Works. Regular Board Meeting September 11, 2025  The floodplain mapping public meeting will be held September 29 th at the Department on Aging at 5:30 p.m.  Tax bills were mailed at the end of last week.  Audit fieldwork will be completed September 22nd-23rd.  The Essentials of Municipal Government course through the School of Government is January 15-16th in Asheville. The entire board completes this training together each year so please make arrangements to attend. NEW BUSINESS: SYLVA SUPPORT STOP DISCUSSION: Mayor Phillips opened the discussion and explained that each time he walked by the Sylva Support Stop, it was full of garbage left by others and discarded dirty clothes. He added that volunteers are not keeping it stocked, and it is drawing the wrong crowd. He proposed moving it to another location. Commissioner Brown noted that he had heard from a few concerned citizens that felt like it was not being maintained and that the Community Table volunteers do not want it there. Manager Dowling clarified that the board gave permission in 2021 to install the Support Stop and when Bridge Park underwent construction it was moved. Paige Christie will be on next agenda to give an update from the Community Table. Commissioner Waldrop commented that some of the issues are not attributed to the box; it is the intent of the box to provide positive things for the community. Just moving it doesn't change anything about the problems occurring. Mayor Phillips continued that he doesn't think it should be in a residential area, and he wanted it moved. The Sylva Support Box will be added to the September 25, 2025, agenda. RESOLUTION OF SUPPORT—GRANT FUNDING APPLICATION -TDA TCPF APPLICATION: The Town is applying to the TDA for a grant to help with the $341,323 matching funds. This resolution supports the Town’s grant application to the TDA for funding elements from the Pinnacle Park Master Plan including a vault toilet, paving and stormwater improvements for the parking lot, trail improvements, campsite improvements, and constructing a viewing platform. Commissioner Waldrum made a motion to approve the resolution of support. The motion carried with a unanimous vote. SPECIAL EVENT STREET CLOSURE RESOLUTION: AMENDED WCU HOMECOMING PARADE TIME: Manager Dowling explained to the audience, WCU Political Science students, why the Town must approve such a resolution. Commissioner Brown made a motion to approve the resolution. The motion carried with a unanimous vote. ADJOURNMENT: Commissioner Waldrop made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 5:56 p.m. The motion carried with a unanimous vote. _____________________________________ _________________________________________ Johnny Phillips Amanda W. Murajda Mayor Town Clerk