“It’s really encouraging just to see the number of people that decided to run this time around,” said event host Lauren Baxley, of Indivisible CommonGround WNC. “I just I love that there’s so many people that are so committed to their communities and wanting to serve.”

Sylva’s election can be broken down into two separate races. In a one-on-one matchup, incumbent Commissioner Jon Brown will face culinary instructor Perry Matthews; Sarah Hirsch has dropped out. 

The other race pits six candidates against each other for two seats. Commissioner Joe Waldrum is seeking to hold onto his, while the other will be claimed by Calvin Autrey, Jr., Brooklyn Joan Brownie, Taylor Horne, Sam McGuire or Dwight McMahan. Voters may choose any two candidates.

Mayor Johnny Phillips is running for reelection unopposed but still showed up to make an opening statement and share his answers to six simple questions, drawn from the community and presented by Baxley.

Absent were Autrey and Horne, leaving Phillips, Brownie, Waldrum, McGuire, McMahan, Brown and Matthews to answer — but the lineup would quickly change; Brownie, clad in sunglasses, clutching a crystal and fanning herself with a handful of hawk feathers, gave her opening remarks, walked out and did not return.

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Autrey did not provide a written statement, but Horne did, focusing on public safety, economic stagnation, disruptions due to the N.C. 107 highway project and budgetary pressures.

“The town has seen very little economic growth in recent years,” Horne, county liaison to the Jackson County Farm Bureau, wrote. “We need to build the economic future for our town so that young families and talented individuals can live and work in Sylva and build a life here.”

Phillips used his opening to underscore the fiscal challenges that have defined his tenure. The widening of N.C. 107 will ultimately result in the removal of 42 buildings from the town’s tax rolls. Sylva has spent years preparing for the project, and will spend years digging out from the loss.

“Now we got to try to start working on trying to redevelop it,” Phillips said. “I’d like to be a part of that. I spent my career with DOT, so I think I can do some negotiating on the town’s behalf with the DOT. And I’m here to serve you.” 

Waldrum traced his career from commercial banking to state government, where he rose to assistant director of the Governor’s Highway Safety Office. Now overseeing facilities and budgets across three counties for Southwestern Community College, he said his campaign wasn’t built on a formal agenda. Instead, he promised to hold listening sessions around town.

McMahan introduced himself as a career sheriff’s office employee, fire department volunteer, former planning board member and food pantry board member. He admitted he was new to the political arena but emphasized that he loved listening to people and solving problems face-to-face.

McGuire, an Appalachian historian with deep family roots in Jackson County, spoke of a tradition of quiet service stretching back generations. His great-grandfather, Wayne, was Sylva mayor in 1913, and his great-grandmother Daisy was the first licensed female dentist in North Carolina. He stressed that he was not running for attention or partisanship, but to continue that legacy.

Brown, a physical therapist, recalled his own leadership path from school teams to national professional associations. Like others, he recognizes the economic challenges ahead and like Horne,­ focused on improving the overall quality of life so Sylva can remain a place where children and families grow and thrive.

Matthews, a member of the Eastern band of Cherokee Indians, a chef and a professor at SCC, reminded the audience that Main Street had been his workplace for two decades and that he’d built lasting relationships with business owners, employees and residents, calling his candidacy an extension of that service.

The first question of the forum, held appropriately enough in the community room at the embattled Jackson County Public Library, was a subject that has dominated county debate for more than a year. In June, Jackson County commissioners voted 4-1 to withdraw from an eight-decade regional library partnership over LGBTQ content despite overwhelming public opposition and significant cost to taxpayers.

Although county commissioners alone hold the power withdraw from the Fontana Regional Library system, the town adopted a resolution — after a false start — in July, signaling opposition to the withdrawal. Candidates were asked whether they would support another such resolution.

“I would absolutely support the resolution for the FRL, to stay,” Matthews said. “I think it has been a great program. I’ve brought my son here. I’ve been coming here for years.”

His opponent, Brown, reminded voters that the town had already passed a resolution supporting membership after he’d asked for a previous version to be removed from the board’s agenda because it didn’t include a clause highlighting the ability of residents to challenge books through an established process. To some at the time, it may have appeared Brown supported commissioners’ decision to withdraw, but that’s not the case.

“I want to do whatever we can as a town board to keep the doors of this library open, whatever the commissioners in the county decide,” he said. “We’ve got to fight for this library.”

McGuire, complaining of censorship, criticized the county’s withdrawal process and the extra spending it would involve.

“It sounds like we’re going to pay $50,000 to figure out a plan,” he said of the hiring of outside library consultants to help the county with the disentanglement process, which will last nearly a year. “That seems like putting the plow in front of the mule.”

McMahan admitted he had not been following the issue closely and had not been to the library in years, although when his son was young, they were regular visitors. He called for common sense on the issue but didn’t elaborate and ultimately didn’t say whether he’d support a resolution or not.

Waldrum, who voted to support both versions of the resolution, also brought up the consultants and the $500,000 price tag but attacked commissioners’ rationale for withdrawal, saying it was based on fear.

“There’s a lot of bias, particularly [against] the LGBTQ community, that is scaring folks off, and it’s one book that’s pushing some of the county commissioners to back away from that,” he said. “Pulling out of this is economically just irresponsible and is kind of right on the backs of everybody in this room.”

Phillips closed with principle and patriotism.

“I’m firmly opposed to censoring books. We have many veterans that have fought wars to not censor books in our country,” he said. He added that Sylva’s library was a destination, recalling that tourists had even asked him for directions to it.

The second question asked candidates to define good governance and explain how their experience could benefit the town.

“It’s really about listening to people and finding out what they want you to do, not what you come in with an agenda to do,” Waldrum said. He pointed to his experience in state government and with capital projects at SCC.

McMahan said his idea of good governance is a government that works with people as best it can. Focusing on process, he cautioned against knee-jerk reactions.

“Take time, look at it, study it, try for the best outcome,” he said.

Describing himself as a professional learner, McGuire pointed to his training in research, critical thinking and communication, adding that historical context gave him perspective.

“Good government is being a problem solver, not proclaiming you know everything,” he said.

Brown tied the issue to his faith.

“For me, good government starts with prayer. I believe in God, my relationship with God. That guides governance and also admitting when you know I don’t have all the answers, but I am willing to go to people for guidance,” he said.

Matthews compared governance to restaurant work, namely in the need to plan for the future and to react to unexpected circumstances.

“Any moment, something can break, someone can chop off a finger,” he said. “You have to be able to handle these issues as they come.”

Phillips closed by pointing out that good governance includes being honest about stark realities facing the town.

“We just barely balanced the budget,” he said. “Right now, we’re in survival mode, and we need to maintain what we have, encourage tourism, try to redevelop one of seven as quickly as we can, and listen to the true government here, which is you.”

The third question turned to Sylva’s unhoused population.

Brown opened by praising the Community Care program, which embeds social work within policing. The program has been both lauded and emulated, even garnering coverage from PBS. Although the Sylva Police Department’s social worker, Galadriel LaVere, isn’t running for anything right now, she received more praise from candidates than any other figure that evening.

“I’m very proud of the fact that our board has made some huge gains in this area with supporting those who are unhoused,” Brown said. “We’ve just recently made permanent the position with the police department’s Community Care program, which has been incredible, meeting these people where they’re at, folks who have different needs, maybe they’re mental health needs, maybe they’re jobs [or] need housing. And that program has been incredible.”

Phillips said he was proud of the previous board that established the Community Care program and that LaVere had been able to get 23 of an estimated 150 unhoused people the help they need rather than lock them up in a jail. Now that the town has hired LaVere full time, another intern funded by Western Carolina University has taken her temporary position. Phillips hopes to grow the program so that at least one social worker is available on every shift.

Matthews called for establishing a volunteer homeless shelter similar to the Community Table  food bank, which is also volunteer-led, while Waldrum called for a public-private partnership to provide a multi-faceted approach.

As a law enforcement officer, McMahan probably has more experience with the issue than anyone other than Matthews, whose late-night working hours expose him to vulnerable populations regularly. McMahan admitted the complexity of the problem.

“I think the steps have been taken to do what we can for now anyway, the public bathhouse, things like that I’m okay looking into, I don’t know logistics of that, but it’s certainly something to look into, other types of programs,” he said. “It’s certainly a challenging issue for whatever reasons or circumstances regarding where they’re at. it’s hard to tailor anything [for] each individual.”

McGuire said he was worried about food insecurity and housing insecurity among some of his children’s classmates, and that he was a strong supporter of the Community Care program.

“We need to help folks get back on their feet and try to provide a hand up,” he said.

The fourth question asked how Sylva should develop infrastructure with an emphasis on recreation for children and on transportation between Western Carolina University and downtown.

Phillips pointed to the skate park planned for Mark Watson Park and suggested that once the N.C. 107 project is complete, county transit could eventually link the park, downtown and the university. Waldrum noted that the transit issue could be solved by piggybacking on existing service.

“I think there’s transportation from WCU to Walmart. It’s not a far stretch to bring it on down to Sylva, maybe have them kind of be patrons of our wonderful businesses downtown,” he said. “Developing that, I just think it just requires the will, and placement of having a bus stop downtown for that.”

McMahan supported the idea of a loop system in conjunction with either the county or WCU and said it was feasible for town government to contribute to such a system in some way.

Delivering one of the most unique ideas of the evening, McGuire addressed transportation infrastructure generally, lamented the town’s tight budget and suggested the town should hire a grant writer to help find and procure funding for projects that would serve pedestrians and cyclists.

“I see this as a revenue-generating position in the long term,” he said.  

Brown embraced the loop system idea but also acknowledged challenges with public infrastructure and urged greater attention to the town’s outdoor recreational offerings.

 “I’m always advocating for kids getting outside, away from their screens,” he said.

Matthews bridged the gap between recreation and transportation with another unique idea: a youth day camp linked to transit. Like much of the region, state and nation, parents are finding reliable child care exorbitantly expensive — when they can find it at all.

The fifth question asked what candidates saw as Sylva’s greatest needs and how they would meet them.

McGuire emphasized child care. Brown focused on the budget. McMahan called for the expansion of Sylva’s Main Street Association to continue with business revitalization. Waldrum pointed to communication gaps, while Matthews said he would keep listening to residents. Phillips mentioned taking advantage of economic development opportunities provided by the N.C. 107 rebuild.

“We’re going to have a nicer road. We’re going to have a safer road,” he said. “We’re going to have a road that will handle the water, and then we’ve got a corridor that we can redevelop to our liking.”

The final question — the only one showing any major division of opinion — was whether candidates would support resuming the Sylva Pride parade on Main Street.

“That’s a touchy subject too,” McMahan said. “Over the years, everybody’s always loved Sylva for what it is, and people have always been cordial here for the most part. It’s just a beautiful place to be and live. I’m more traditional on things. Always watching the Christmas parade, Western’s homecoming parade, the veterans walk, [there’s] always been great things, great memories from those. I’ll say it — as far as the Pride Parade, that’s something I don’t support. I don’t have a particularly bias or anything like that, it’s just is not what I think of when I think of Sylva.”

Saying he would support revisiting Sylva’s Pride parade policy to make it clear, consistent and fair, McGuire framed the issue as one of community values, noting that many parade participants and supporters are neighbors and family members he has known all his life. He described “old-time mountain values” of looking out for one another while acknowledging concerns about logistics, admitting that shutting down Main Street is difficult, but suggested using common sense by scheduling around busy hours and keeping businesses informed.

McGuire also addressed fears that a Pride march might attract hate groups and argued that policy could be written with guardrails that allow celebrations while denying platforms to groups advocating intimidation or violence, citing what he understood to be legal precedent against permitting imminent threats.

Brown focused on the $7,500 cost in town labor to shut down Main Street for a parade.

“If we open the door to parade for the Pride group, we open it to, I think, a lot of people, and where do you draw that line? I think fiscally, it’s not a great move. That’s not a wise use of our resources,” Brown said, without addressing whether Sylva’s other parades should be discontinued. “Having said that, I don’t have anything against anybody, where they stand with their lifestyle, but I think for me, it’ll probably be a ‘no’ vote for the parade. And so all respect to those who would be in favor of that.”

Matthews expressed immediate support and seemed to hit back at Brown’s fiscal argument.

“I’m sure we can figure out something to give, in 365 days, to give one hour to walk down Main Street so they can feel represented and feel seen. I’m in full support of a Pride parade, and for any of those who want to go with it,” Matthews said. “And if it comes back, I’ll see you there.”

Waldrum, too, was unequivocal about his support.

“Everybody’s welcome, and everybody should have equal rights and be represented in the town of Sylva,” he said. “Basically, fear and bias is what’s driving anything to the contrary. So my neighbor is my neighbor, and I see nothing wrong with the Sylva Pride parade.”

Phillips said that Main Street events cost $2,000 for insurance alone and that he’d like to push more events to Bridge Park and the adjacent Railroad Avenue, which is only lightly traveled and doesn’t present the negative impact to businesses some shopkeepers say Main Street parades do.  

“There’s pros and cons to all of it. I want everyone here to feel represented, but we also have a fiscal responsibility with the taxpayer’s money,” he said. “Everybody’s welcome and everybody should have equal rights and be represented in the town of Sylva,” Waldrum said.

Early voting in the Sylva municipal election begins Oct. 16. Check back with The Smoky Mountain News for more coverage of these and other Western North Carolina municipal election races later this month.