Submitted by: Don Cameron, BS – agriculture, MBA – real estate and urban development, and lifelong citizen of Jefferson County

As a lifelong citizen of Jefferson County, I have followed the news articles regarding the proposed Mega Site. Also I followed the news articles associated with the “Building a Better Future” endeavor. When public comment was invited, I wrote the leaders behind “Building a Better Future” to say and to promote the same conclusions as will be outlined in this letter.

First let me say that I have been blessed during my career to have been a principal and participant in some of the major public/private developments in our neighboring city of Knoxville. I was fortunate to be involved in the “East West Mall” development that resulted in a public/private partnership for financing the down town Hilton Hotel and ultimately the 1982 World’s Fair. These were and still are projects of significant economic impact for the city of Knoxville, leading the way to multiple private developments. This all originated because a group of private investors put up the initial risk capital to seed these developments. I do not say this to brag, but simply to let the reader know I have some experience addressing the way municipalities can and should (1) protect the citizens financially while (2) encouraging public/private financing partnerships. We as citizens rely on the good judgment of the elected governing public body to reasonably share the risk when encouraging investments to build a tax base.

Therefore, I have to say that this proposed Mega Site undertaking is the most risky frivolous, ill conceived use of public funds ever imagined. I say shame on every county commissioner that voted to spend over $400,000 with millions in county public funds to follow, all with no promise of private investment. Further they stated they would never use Eminent Domain to acquire the privately owned property necessary to make the project go. Ultimately the only way they will get the property is using the power granted governments to use Eminent Domain when such use theoretically is in the best interest of the public at large. Not only is this risky use of taxpayer’s money but the majority of the property owners continue to state unequivocally that their property is not for sale. So, Mr. and Mrs. County Commissioner, get your head out of the clouds because you are not going to get the property without ultimately using Eminent Domain.

When we spent thousands of dollars hiring these out of town experts to “Build a Better Future” (to be an expert – one has to be from out of town and carry a brief case), they all arrived with pre-conceived ideas instead of objectively looking at our situation. It is easy to spend weeks and months and earn thousands of dollars to recommend that a county can build a tax base by attracting manufacturing employers. Our neighbor, Hamblen County, has done a good job building this type of tax base. This “expert recommendation” will work in 90% of the rural counties in America. It is not easy to really step back and look at the unique features and resources of an area and truly recommend better utilization of the natural resources and unique location.

Jefferson County is blessed to have the natural resources of beautiful lakes, mountains and welcoming citizenry that attract people from all across America. Additionally we are next door to the most visited National Park in America. If we would focus our attention on better traffic arteries connecting to our neighboring Sevier County, we could have significant tourist development within one decade. Most citizens are not aware that the county lost a significant development focusing on bringing more tourism to the area when TVA killed the proposed resort condominium development proposed at The Point development in Dandridge. The same community leaders that are pushing the Mega Site should have gotten behind this resort condominium development, where the private investors had already spent their money.

Recently I have read news articles of other developments declined by local elected officials because of surface drainage concerns. The high density residential development recently rejected by Jefferson City could have increased tax revenues if only a solution to the surface drainage issues were properly addressed. This development was proposed for property not suitable for farming. The surface drainage issues can be handled utilizing sub-surface engineering solutions with today’s technology.

All this is to say, the county has had and will have opportunities to increase the tax base focusing on promoting and using our natural resources and unique location. A large part of our natural resources are the farms and rural communities that are a pleasure simply to drive through and observe. We are exclusively positioned to attract private investment to build our tax base. But we must use what we’ve got and quit relying on pre-conceived “expert” opinions.

Respectfully,

Don Cameron, BS – agriculture, MBA – real estate and urban development, and lifelong citizen of Jefferson County