JACKSBORO, TN (WLAF) – The Campbell County Commission passed a budget amendment Monday night that they hope will address the crisis at the county’s Towe String garbage facility. Facing a deadline from the state and possible penalties from TDEC, the commission voted to commit $414,194 from the county’s pot of federal ARP funds to meet both the immediate and long term needs at Towe String, which has been overwhelmed with piles of trash for months. Watch the meeting HERE on demand from WLAF.

The commission’s infrastructure committee met shorty before the regular commission meeting to approve the budget amendment, which commits $160,000 for two new trailers at $80,000 each, another $254,294 for a new excavator and an additional $72,000 to pay private contractors to haul the backed up overflow of garbage to the Scott County landfill while the county awaits delivery of the new equipment.

Commissioner David Adkins made the motion to revise an earlier amendment committing money to pay for the temporary contracted services, which passed unanimously. He then offered the motion to pass the new amendment covering the costs of the new equipment. That motion passed 14-1, with Dewayne Baird casting the only “no.”

Sanitation wasn’t the only recipient of ARP funding on Monday night. Rusty Orick pointed out that the Tennessee Dept. of Environment & Conservation has committed $6.7 million for waterline and sewer improvements in Campbell County that will be distributed directly to utilities that serve the county.

“We need to approve the transfer of funds from TDEC to the utilities, but it will be a flow through. If the county approves the direct payments, there will be no need for us to serve as administrator,” Orick explained.

Orick then offered a series of motions approving the transfer of funds to every utility that serves Campbell County. Caryville-Jacksboro Utilities will receive $1,943,751, Jellico will receive $1,576,788, LaFollette will receive $2,781,340 and the City of Rocky Top, $326,350. Clear Fork Utility District is due to receive $96,187, but that money will be administered through Claiborne County.

In addition to spending millions of ARP dollars, the commission also dealt with routine business including approval of all committee assignments, as well as abolishing three committees deemed no longer necessary. The animal control committee was eliminated because the county now has a five year contract with FCCA and no longer has oversight responsibilities, while the redistricting committee will no longer be needed until the next census in 2030. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 09/21/2022-6AM)

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