County Commission Upholds Planning Commission Decision
The Jefferson County Commission met for their Regular Monthly Session preceding the Thanksgiving Holiday break, which will be their last scheduled meeting of the calendar year. Items of business included several resolutions and a contested rezoning request for property off of Highway 139 in Dandridge. With a motion from Commissioner Baxley and 2nd from Commissioner Musick, the Commission upheld, with a 14-2-1 vote, the decision of the Jefferson County Regional Planning Commission to deny the rezoning request. The motion to deny was approved following a failed attempt by Commissioners David Seal and Beeler to postpone the issue until the January meeting to further investigate the possibility of a property line dispute that was alleged by a neighbor of the requester.
Resolutions finding favor with the Commission including two rezoning requests, one for 2576 Valley Home Road in White Pine (A-1 to R-1) and one for the Long property off of Highway 25-70 in Dandridge (A-1 to C-2). The motions for approval came from Tucker/Kesterson and Solomon/ Tucker respectively. Resolutions that established regulations for campgrounds, travel trailers and recreational vehicles, established regulations for indoor and outdoor shooting ranges and establishing regulations for distillery, breweries and wineries were approved with motions from Commissioners David Seal/Scarlett. The Commission also approved a motion moved by Commissioner Beeler and 2nd by David Seal to request that all County Officials, Department Heads and Agencies conduct background checks for all new employees. An attempt from Commissioner Musick to amend the motion to include drug testing died for lack of a 2nd. According to Beeler, Jefferson County Sheriff McCoig agreed to conduct the background checks at no cost to the requester. The rules were suspended, with a motion from Scarlett/Seal to allow the addition of the deletion of a moratorium on campgrounds. Scarlett/Baxley made the successful motion for the removal of the moratorium.
Budget Committee Chairman Scarlett brought several budget amendments from both the County and School side. One County amendment had a $33,837 impact on fund balance and addressed the overtime issues that have plagued emergency services. All budget amendments were brought on the recommendation of the Budget Committee and all were approved. Scarlett informed the Commission that the School Board, via Director of Schools Edmonds, had brought a request for assistance with $755,000 shortage in the White Pine building program and the request had been returned to the School Board with a suggestion of review of proposal plans. Conservation Board Chairman Tucker informed the Commission that some grants may be available to assist with funding of the development of the property that the Conservation Board has identified for green space/park and that in kind contribution could stand for the County portion of contribution. Public Service Chairman David Seal informed the Commission that the Committee will be addressing the dirty lot issue as their first item of concern.
In other business, the County Commission approved several Committee appointments brought by Jefferson County Mayor Palmieri but denied one placement on the Jefferson Memorial Hospital Board. The Commission also approved a resolution request from County Clerk Herndon to impose a reinstatement fee for reinstatement or renewal of registration of a motor vehicle after a suspension or revocation of the registration under tca 55-12-210.
