TOP PHOTO: County commissioners met Monday evening approving multiple resolutions out of the legislative affairs committee, the application for multiple grants and the re-establishment of the safety committee, among other business.

 By Charlotte Underwood 

JACSKBORO, TN (WLAF) – The Campbell County Commission met Monday evening, approving multiple resolutions out of the legislative affairs committee, along with applications for several grants and the re-establishment of the safety committee for the county courthouse and other properties. 

Commissioner Zach Marlow carried the resolutions from the legislative affairs committee which included one requesting the state of Tennessee to “collect all hotel/motel taxes,” which would benefit the county. 

Other resolutions approved are asking the state to extend the tuition fee waiver for employees to take free courses and to extend the tuition fee discount program to county employees, as well as a resolution asking the state to help with funds to aid in the operation of the veterans affairs office.

Commissioners approved a resolution asking the state to establish a “full service driver center in Campbell County, and a resolution requesting the state increase the reimbursement for prisoner housing of state inmates at the county jail to at least $47 daily per inmate.

Also approved was a resolution regarding Crypto currency mining “requesting the state general assembly for a private act with regulatory authority for crypto currency similar to that of a landfill.” All of these were approved unanimously under one motion made by Marlow.

Vickie Huddleston was also approved to fill a second term on the library board. 

Commissioners approved the application for an election commission grant as well as a resolution to abandon a small section of “unimproved right of way” on Mt. View Estates. 

Commissioner Tyler King carried a resolution in “support of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians as the tribe petitions the federal government to restore the original name to Clingman’s dome,” which was approved. 

Commissioner Scott Stanfield carried several resolutions for grants for the sheriff’s office, including an equipment grant, along with a school resource officer grant, and a cost sharing grant, which were all approved.

These were recommended by the jail committee. 

According to Sheriff Wayne Barton, all these grants are 100 percent funded, requiring no matching funds from the county.

Commissioner Scott Stanfield also made a motion to empower the sheriff to sign off on grants related to his department. This also passed unanimously. 

Commissioner Rusty Orick made a motion to apply for additional grant funding for the county, as well as re-establishing the safety committee. He retracted his motion on the grant application until commissioners can hold a “special called meeting” on that subject. 

“We have a chance at getting some grant funds, but we only have a couple weeks to get this going; September 15 is the deadline. We don’t need to miss out on these 100 percent paid grants,” Orick said. 

He also made a motion to reinstate the safety committee for the county courthouse and county properties.

“We had established it about 15 years ago, but only had a couple meetings. We need to get that back on the road again to take care of some of these issues at the courthouse and other properties, and they will refer back to the buildings and grounds committee,” Orick said. His motion was approved unanimously. 

The safety committee will be overseen by County Mayor Jack Lynch, who will be in charge of choosing a commissioner from each district to sit on that committee. 

Also approved was for the “evaluation of courthouse maintenance supervisor Tony Hill to be sent to the finance department to be put in his record.”

In other business, the surplus of a 2009 Ford Crown Vic for the Property Assessor’s office was approved as well. 

Commission Chairman Johnny Bruce made several announcements for “informational purposes” including the fact that beginning in September, there will be no more paper copies of the commission workshop packets distributed.

“Citizens can obtain packets at the Campbell County website,” Bruce said.

The commission meeting was recessed until Sept. 11 at 5 pm.  (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 08/22/2023-6AM)

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