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The race for Jackson Commission begins HANNAH MCLEOD STAFF WRITER hree of five seats on the Jackson County Commission are up for grabs this year — district one, district two and commission chairman. With incumbent Democrats not having to endure a Primary Election in either of those races, it is Republican candidates who will battle it out over the next month to determine who will make it to November’s General Election. Commissioners are elected county-wide for four-years terms and must reside within the boundaries of the district they will represent. One commissioner is elected for each district, except for the chairman.
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CHAIRMAN Incumbent chairman Brian McMahan is running for reelection this cycle. Two Republican candidates are vying for the nomination to challenge him this fall. Rick Wood has lived in Jackson County for most of his life working in the carpet and flooring business, and is now buying and selling campers. He’s never been involved in politics, but recent changes in Jackson County pushed him to the edge, and he sees a need for a change in leadership.
“I never did want to get into politics,” said Wood. “But what’s been happening here in the last couple years, it ain’t nothing but a bunch of crap. These guys here are trying to do different stuff for our county that we don’t need, instead of helping the county they’re hurting our county.” Wood’s top priorities involve more opportunities for residents, additional restaurants in the county and stopping the NC-107 road expansion. He sees the money spent on the project in Rick Wood pool Cullowhee as an unnecessary extravagance, the funds for which could have been used somewhere else. “What would that have done for a couple nice restaurants in this county? That would’ve done more for this county than that swimming pool’s ever going to do,” said Wood. Another priority, not having a gay pride parade in Sylva. “I don’t want my grandbabies to see that kind of stuff,” said Wood. “That was one of the biggest things that got me burned about it, letting that happen. I’m hoping that when
something like that comes up, that we can always vote it down.” Mark Letson and his wife have owned Cashiers Valley Pharmacy in Cashiers since 2006. He currently serves as the chairman of the Jackson County Planning Board, is a member of the Business and Industry Advisory Committee for Jackson County and previously served on the Cashiers Planning Council. Like his opponent Rick Wood, he decided to run for commission chairman because he believes Jackson County needs a change in leadership. His top priorities for the county include more funding and resources for Jackson County Public Schools, as well as stronger partnerships with law enforcement and an in-house drug treatment facility to Mark Letson reduce recidivism rates. “Maybe the next park is not the best option,” said Letson. “Maybe we need to, instead of spending money on a new park, perhaps reinvest that into our schools so that we don’t have teacher loss.” Letson sees planning as one path to greater economic development in Jackson County. He says that right now, the Jackson County Planning Board is working through the unified development ordinance to establish structured standards for small and large industries. “We’re working through those setbacks, reevaluating what’s really necessary,” said
Wood. “I would continue to do that to promote more businesses to come here. We’re in one of the best places in the country, in my opinion, to live. But, we’re limiting ourselves with some of our coding language and what’s allowed.”
DISTRICT 1 Incumbent commissioner Gayle Woody is running for reelection this cycle. Four republican candidates are vying for the nomination to challenge her this fall. District one covers Sylva’s south ward, Dillsboro, Barkers Creek and Qualla. Todd Bryson is from Sylva and has worked for a funeral home for four years, since graduating from Fayetteville Technical Community Todd Bryson College with a degree in Funeral and Mortuary Science. He decided to run for county commission because he wants to see more family restaurants that cater to the residents of Jackson County, rather than the breweries that he sees as catering to tourists. Bryson’s top priorities involve helping the next sheriff take care of the drug problem and bringing more businesses to Jackson County. By working with TWASA to expand sewer and water availability, Bryson thinks the county can encourage new business. “You have to go to neighboring counties to buy clothes,” said
April 27-May 3, 2022
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