Today marks the inaugural full Sylva town board meeting with three new leaders taking charge: Mayor Johnny Phillips, alongside new board members Blitz Estridge and Mark Jones. The meeting, commencing at 5:30 p.m., features a packed agenda including seven items under new business, notably appointments to various town committees.
Among the agenda items, the town will present a survey regarding Bryson Park’s playground equipment, closed since a 2020 landslide. The survey will be accessible on the town’s website after the meeting, allowing visitors to rank features for both toddlers and older children, fitness equipment, seating, and more.
An attention-grabbing agenda point is the request for the development of a proposed panhandling ordinance, following a similar model to Asheville’s rules, aiming to restrict solicitation within certain areas and situations.
Construction is set to begin soon at the old train depot for Sylva’s long-awaited restrooms, with the contractor using the Bridge Park lot for construction purposes, leading to its closure. Furthermore, the Bridge Park Green Infrastructure Improvement Project will soon commence, causing the gravel parking lot’s closure until at least mid-April.
The town remains hopeful for the completion of the park’s renovations by April, while town leaders contemplate a public hearing on the playground’s developments.
