ashe

I can remember when the train use to run into the coal yard by WJ Hardware.

Always two towns. Train came to valley where w j is by following creek.

Not sure about back in the 70's. The event I know about was in the 90's.

Has the two towns ever been one, previously in history?

Correct. It is a U.S. Postal contract station. A division of asu. I thought it used to be a full post office back in the 70's

The one on campus is run by the school. I know that from a case that came up where they let students stuff fliers in boxes. Same laws don't apply to those PO Boxes

Three post offices if you count the one on campus

Even if you combine the town's, some things like post offices would still be duplicated. People would complain about giving up their closest post office. Look how the town of Boone still has two offices.

You and I look would run the towns with business principals and in doing so merging them would be best. Governments don't run on profit and loss statements ( they should). Look at what has happened in the Town of Boone.

They exist only cooper. When you start adding the doubled services it does cost us. State taxes paid to both, two post offices my near beside each other, and again no discernible borders. I can keep naming double paid services but you get the drift I am sure.

I think the towns work just fine the way they are. I don't see that the economy of scale would be that great. The town budgets are small compared to the 64 million wasted on Social Services -EACH YEAR

I agree with dog, it's crazy to have two separate towns. You don't find many of these left in central or eastern NC, but there are lot in western NC - most due to partisan politics and sometimes due to monopolization of the commercial property.

A stronger, wealthier, and healthier community would include all the urban/suburban areas in the central part of the County. You would be able to drop the tax rate in the two towns, and those new to urban services could get those services for about 20-25 cents on the $100.

Board members up here are paid peanuts compared to many places.

Jefferson has a lot of free rider property that pays no taxes. WJ has the bulk of the commercial activity and the burdens that come with that.

Personally I like the idea of a town with a low tax rate that stretches from one golf course to the other and down 194 to Warrensville. You would have about 6-7K people - large enough to have an actual voice in the area. I like the idea of a fire station that has some full time folks on staff.

There has to be economy of scale in the Public Works departments. Maybe a little in administration but probably less than you think.

I can tell you from past experience, the Manager can know just about everything in a town until it passes about 18K in size. Then it becomes tricky. Above 25K you can't really know everything that's going on.

However, it's difficult to sell the notion of a common approach to solve problems in Western NC. So many would rather suffer alone than participate in a solution, especially if it adds a cent on the tax rate.

This is what troubles me the most about the area - the number of folks who suffer in silence like it's a badge of honor, or a sign of weakness to accept help. It's an Appalachian and Mountain West thing. Sort of like Calvanism on steroids.

None sweeter than the bremco board, nice pay, insurance, not a chance of being voted off.

How about health insurance? If the aldermen have access to health insurance then the deal would be very sweet indeed.

Wilkesboro and North Wilkesboro would be about the same then.

Okay, was just wondering..Thank you

To be short and to the point---two of everything, no discernible boundaries. Wasteful at its best.

What brings you to that conclusion?

I still say its ludicrous to still have two different towns.

The Aldermen set their own salary.