In the words of the Sylva Herald’s Nick Breedlove:

This budget year might be one of the tightest in recent times, with county leaders asking departments to make 3- to 5-percent cuts across the board.

However, that did not stop the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad from requesting funds from commissioners.

In a letter dated Feb. 17, written by GSMR Vice President Kim Albritton and handed out prior to Monday’s meeting, she asks officials for grant funding in the amount of $322,000 to move a steam train set from Maine to North Carolina and $95,176 to restore and paint the locomotive and exterior coaches. Along with that grant request, GSMR is also asking for a $250,000 loan to install a turn table in Dillsboro’s Monteith Park and an annual matching grant of $150,000 for advertising.

Arguments in favor included boosting tourism and creating 15-20 jobs. Evidently, the Jackson County Commissioners were not presented with funding requests when they said they would look forward to the proposed partnership.