JACKSBORO, TN (WLAF) – County Commissioners met online via Zoom on Monday evening and approved several budget resolutions. One resolution dealt with the additional medical resources for a nurse at the court house due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. This budget amendment was for around $10,000, according to Mayor E.L. Morton. These funds will be coming out of the mayor’s budget. The second resolution dealt with the need for funds for additional engineering services on two bridge projects on Stinking Creek Road. This is a total cost of around $41,000 for one project and around $16,083 for the other project. These funds will come out of the 131 road works fund.Commissioners also voted to approve the health department contract. It is the annual contract between the county and the state. Campbell County Health Department Director Charles Turner attended the online meeting to field questions. According to Turner, this annual contract has been in place for “many years.” It is for $855,000 and provides staffing for the Campbell County Health Department. It is a “flow through contract” in which the state reimburses the county on a monthly basis.

These state funds provide for about half the staff at the health department while the county provides the other half.

Commissioners discussed and voted to open up the beach section at Lonas Young Park to swimming in the near future. The beach will be open under state guidelines of social distancing and limited numbers. It will also close at dark. Numbers will be limited to 25 people or less and the beach section will not be open until signage is up. Signage will list state guidelines and warn attendants they will be entering “at their own risk.” The recreation committee will meet via Zoom on Mon., June 22 at 5:30 p.m. to discuss signage for the park.

In other business, Ralph Davis was voted to be the chairman of the building and grounds committee. It was also approved to have Tony Hill, Director of Maintenance for the Campbell County Courthouse, repair and paint the floor in the laundry room at the animal shelter, as well as install LED lights at the shelter. The county is providing labor only.

Commissioners discussed changing the upper part of the parking lot at the justice center to be for employees only and one lane designated for delivery. This includes 13 parking spots.   Commissioner Scotty Kitts said he had concerns about the security of those who work at the court house because of the amount of distance to the parking lot.  Commissioner Rusty Orick said he thought several parking spots could possibly be designated for fee offices.  “The public is ticked they have to walk to the upper end,” Orick said. Commissioners tabled the issue and decided to tweak the plan and vote on it at the next meeting when representatives from the fee offices could attend.

Commissioners recessed the meeting and will reconvene Tuesday in person at 6 p.m. at the court house where they will have an executive session with county attorney Joe Coker regarding the rock quarry issue. Executive sessions are not open to the public. At the end of that executive session, commissioners will recess the meeting once more until June 30 at 6 p.m. to “finalize the books” and finish up the 2019/2020 fiscal year, as well as vote on several tabled issues. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 06/16/2020-6AM)