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Wlaf1450TOP PHOTO: The Campbell County Commission met in workshop session Monday evening.
By Charlotte Underwood
JACKSBORO, TN (WLAF) – The Campbell County Commission held its monthly workshop on Monday, discussing upcoming agenda items, including several building and grounds issues, as well as budget amendments and a resolution regarding litigation tax.
The commission will vote on a resolution to establish the litigation taxes providing funding for the compensation of the general sessions court judge.
The litigation tax will be raised from $6 to $60 to generate sufficient revenue to fund the increase in compensation of the general sessions judge as mandated by the Tennessee Code Annotated.
These taxes are collected upon the filing of a civil case in general sessions court and/or upon a conviction in a criminal case in general sessions court.
Building and Grounds items on next week’s agenda include the “Finalsite” contract for the Board of Education as well as the ongoing Jellico annex project.
Commissioner Rusty Orick spoke about building and grounds issues, saying the approval of specs for the Jellico annex would be voted on at the next meeting.
“There’s a possibility this other company might do a shute rather than a drive thru. This may be a blessing in disguise and may have more room to get the cars in,” Orick said.
A request from Campbell County Sheriff Wayne Barton to weld angle iron to door frames at the jail to prevent inmates from “popping the locks” was also briefly discussed. Sevier County has had to install angle iron at their facility as well. The work can be done in house and the only cost would be the iron itself, according to Orick.
Also to be voted on in the building and grounds department is the request that a partition wall be installed in the county mayor’s office separating the bathroom off. The funds for this, if approved, will come from the county mayor’s budget.
In other business discussed, Commissioner Zach Marlow said he planned on requesting a recreation meeting to discuss the naming of the Lonas Young building. “We’re trying to make sure we haven’t named it in the past,” Marlow said.
Marlow also discussed the fact that several accidents had occurred at Glade Springs Road at the stop sign intersection (Old Middlesboro Highway-Hwy 63). “I have reached out to Road Superintendent Ron Dilbeck who said TDOT is doing a crash study on it, which will hopefully help,” Marlow said.
County Mayor Jack Lynch announced that Vice Mayor Randy Brown had been working on a job fair for health care workers. The job fair is planned for June 1st at Tennessee College of Applied Technology.
The county mayor also reported on local students participating in an art project. As part of a litter grant scholarship, local students went to the sanitation center and picked out metal scrap, which they then turned into a work of art. According to the county mayor, there are seven contestants, and two winners will be recognized at the next commission meeting.
County Mayor Jack Lynch said he would have a sanitation nomination by next meeting as well.
During the public input portion, commissioners heard from a member of the community advocating for Spay Campbell County. Alice Miller addressed the commission for three minutes, saying she had seen in the paper that costs were being cut to that program.
No resolution was reached at the end of her three minutes, and Commissioner chair Johnny Bruce suggested the matter be moved to a committee for further discussion.
Campbell County Animal Shelter Director Patricia Sawinski gave the April 2023 report from the shelter.
She reported that the “animal population problem is getting out of control.”
The commission meets again on Monday, May 15 at 6 pm. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 05/09/2023-6AM)