The Sylva social district opened for business, just in time for last weekend’s Greening Up the Mountains festival.

Each April, the Jackson County Board of Commissioners declares Sexual Assault Awareness month. This year was no different, and Executive Director of the Center for Domestic Peace Wesley Myers attended the meeting to give a few updates about the organization’s work in Jackson County.

The Sylva Social District test period is one step closer to launch following input from a community task force.

The town of Sylva will likely see several upgrades to its public spaces in the coming year if last week’s budget workshop is any indication. Several of the board’s top budget priorities include improvements to parks and other shared spaces.

There is $250,000 available for public restrooms in downtown Sylva. At the March 24 town board meeting, commissioners discussed detailed plans and cost estimates for the future project.

Sylva Fire Department is requesting funding from Jackson County for the salary of additional paid personnel in the split paid, volunteer fire department. At a March 10 commissioners meeting, Sylva fire chief Mike Beck made his case.

After community members showed up in force to object to certain provisions of Sylva’s proposed updated zoning ordinance, commissioners tabled the most controversial items, including a provision regulating in-town chicken-keeping, for further discussion.

Despite a strong public showing against the proposed social district at Sylva’s town meeting on Thursday, commissioners voted 3-2 to approve the measure.

With budget season in full swing, Sylva commissioners have begun discussing their priorities for how to spend taxpayer dollars in the 2022-2023 fiscal year. 

After a bill allowing cities and counties to create their own social districts passed through the general assembly last September, towns across the state are exploring their options. Sylva is among the latest to do so in Western North Carolina.