To the Editor:

Here we go again. Another article (Nov. 18 Smoky Mountain News or at www.smokymountainnews.com/news/item/16735) regarding the annexation of Lake Junaluska that only shows one side of the issue, those who have been trying to get this through the legislature. I would like to shed some light on what I consider half-truths or perhaps mistaken innuendos that are stated in this article.

“Lake Junaluska homeowners still support it, too.” Partially true. Many homeowners support it, but there are also some who do not. Unfortunately there are also a lot of non-resident owners who don’t understand what is going on. This is a very important issue which those looking to annex do not want to discuss (more on this later). I personally spoke with some of these people over the summer.

“Clearly the expectation was we would be supported in finding a democratically determined outcome.” I find this statement particularly disturbing for two very important reasons. Our local state representative, Joe Sam Queen, supports the annexation. If the “pros” can be represented in Raleigh, isn’t it in the democratic process for those against it to have someone to represent us in Raleigh?  

Rep. Michele Presnell was lambasted in the article for her efforts to defeat this bill. “Her subversive role working against the merger was strongly suspected but difficult to prove ....” Sounds like she was really doing something horrible. No, it sounds like she is working for those of us who are against the bill. 

All of that brings me to the most important part of the democratic  process. Should this bill pass, it would then be voted on by the residents of Lake Junaluska and Waynesville who are legally registered in Haywood County. You know that word “disenfranchised” that we hear so much about when it comes to voting? Well, at least half of Lake Junaluska property owners would not be allowed to vote. Talk about disenfranchised voters on something as important as the issue of annexation!

Many of our former full-time residents are now in retirement homes or reside elsewhere but still retain their homes here and come to stay for a while. Some are still working, so they can only come up here for vacations. Some are retired but live in the eastern part of our state but like to come to cool off in the mountains in the summer. To not give these people the right to determine if they want to pay Waynesville taxes for the rest of their lives is anything but democratic. 

“... the community is at a loss to understand why a bill giving the community the right to self-determination was blocked.” As just, only half of the community would determine the destiny for all in the community.

We would not “be in limbo” if this annexation which has been going on for three years would be dropped and lets start planning for our future without Waynesville. Yes, our fees will go up, but I would rather pay money to our residential services and know my money was going for our water, sewer, roads, etc. We have nothing in writing that says what Waynesville will do once we start giving them our tax money, only promises, which could change in years to come.

By the way, we have a terrific residential services manager who in the year he has been here has cut our water losses greatly to acceptable standards, and done some major sewer improvements and more are in the works. Why do we need Waynesville?

Gretchen Branning

Lake Junaluska