Ashe Mountain Times

After asking West Jefferson town officials for five years, Charles Joyce finally got his wish: West Evergreen Street, in the Taylor Glen community, received approval from the town's board of aldermen Monday to erect two new street signs.

Joyce said he moved to the community five years ago to retire, but has since continued to work.  

Sometime thereafter, the town annexed the Taylor Glen community. The residences soon enjoyed the privileges of annexation, such as sanitation services, said Joyce. 

But he still felt that not having properly installed road signs was a disservice to him as a taxpaying citizen trying to run an at-home business. 

He also considered the absence of proper signage as a safety issue, as medical responders and authorities may have trouble finding a resident in distress in the event of an emergency. 

While the aldermen were unanimous in their decision to instruct maintenance officials to install the signs, there was some disagreement over whose responsibility it was to shoulder the costs of such a project. 

“If we pass this, are we obligated by the town to take over the streets?” inquired Aldermen Tom Hartman prior to the board's vote.

“No,” responded town attorney David Paletta. “It is a private street. It is the property owner's responsibility to pay for the signs.” 

Although there was some difference of opinion regarding who in fact should install the signs, the town, in the end, felt it was the right thing to do. 

This is not the first time the community has earned the attention of the board.

In early August, community developers approached aldermen about the possibility of adding West Evergreen Street as an official town road so town maintenance crews could access the subdivision and provide road-clearing services.