JACKSBORO, TN (WLAF) – Campbell County Commissioners met online on Monday evening via Zoom.  Commissioners voted to require commercial residential garbage haulers be permitted beginning Nov. 1.  LISTEN to the meeting HERE.
  “This will require these trucks to have ID numbers so they can see what company it is bringing loads in,” Commissioner Ralph Davis said.  It was also approved all contractors are to have commercial license plates to be identified as commercial haulers.  Commissioners voted unanimously on these motions.  Davis also made a motion as chairman of the sanitation committee that any future truck drivers that are hired in the sanitation department have CDL licenses.
Other business voted on included a lawsuit that has been filed on the county’s beer board.  Commission Chairman Johnny Bruce reported that the Beer Board of Campbell County was being sued and that County Attorney Joe Coker had a conflict and would not be able to represent the county.  “We’re looking as if our insurance will provide an attorney, if not, we will need to hire an attorney,” Bruce said.  Commissioners voted to suspend the rules and have the mayor employ an attorney if the insurance company does not represent the county in the case.  Commissioner Rusty Orick said he would check with the county’s insurance company about possible representation.  Commissioners approved a cap amount of $3,000 to cover the cost of an attorney if the insurance company does not cover the cost.
Early in the meeting, commissioners heard about problems with all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) breaking laws on county roads. County resident Gail Baird presented her concerns on increased traffic in her area of Meredith Lane near Stinking Creek.  She said she has addressed the concern with multiple entities, including TWRA, Sen. Ken Yager, State Rep. Dennis Powers, law enforcement, the state and the county mayor.
She cited speeding underage driver’s, impaired drivers, reckless driving, dust and more on the road.
“Ms. Meredith who is 91 -years- old can’t sit on her porch. The road is in bad shape. It’s dusty and so much traffic it’s causing her breathing problems.  We’re asking for someone to help us to know what to do.  It’s out of control… I have followed kids as young as age nine,” Baird said.
 Davis said it was a county-wide problem.
 Orick agreed and said “something needs to be done.”  “We need to revisit some of the bylaws about ATVs using county roads.  I don’t want to kill the ATVs, but something needs changed; maybe make people knowledgeable about the laws.  It’s not open season for ATVs here in Campbell County.  Cars have the right of way,” Orick said. He also suggested sending the issue to a committee to work on the problem and said he wanted to be part of the solution.
Commissioner Robert Higginbotham said he thought it should go to the recreation committee and that he didn’t mind going with Davis to check into it prior to it coming before the committee.
Commissioner Zach Marlow said he too had received complaints about ATVs riding on roads that were not approved to be used by ATVs.  He suggested getting constables involved as well as the sheriff’s department.  Commissioners assured Baird that they would look into the problem.
Other business included multiple notary of the public application renewals and several library board appointments.  It was also approved for the county to apply for the Brownsfield grant, which requires no matching on the part of the county.
Commissioners also approved the purchase of a drop box purchase for the Veterans Affairs Office to be placed in LaFollette, since the office is short staffed.  The box will cost around $600 and commissioners said they plan to seek reimbursement for the drop box through the Corona virus relief aid.
Davis made a motion to install a room outside Clerk & Master Dennis Potter’s office to increase its size. It was approved nine to one.  “This would provide a waiting area outside his room; his area is too small,” Davis said.  According to Davis, the cost is expected to be around $26,000 and most of the work would be done in-house. The project will not begin right away, according to Davis.
 Orick made a motion for a resolution, which commissioners approved, to request the state’s help in collecting  hotel/motel taxes for short-term rentals. “It’s not a new tax; but if the state collects it, we could generate a couple hundred more thousand dollars in revenue,” Orick said.  (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 10/20/2020-6AM)
BELOW IS ORICK’S RESOLUTION:

RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE TO COLLECT ALL HOTEL/MOTEL TAXES

WHEREAS, the Tennessee General Assembly and Governor Bill Lee approved Public Chapter 787 in July 2020 requiring the Tennessee Department of Revenue to begin to collect county and city hotel/motel taxes derived from the rental of short-term rental units secured through a short-term rental unit marketplace such as VRBO effective January 1, 2021 and remit these taxes to the applicable counties and cities net of a collection fee in the same way the Department of Revenue currently collects and remits local option sales tax to counties and cities, and;

WHEREAS, it would be of significant benefit to all counties and cities if the provisions of Public Chapter 787 requiring the Tennessee Department of Revenue to collect county and city hotel/motel taxes derived from the rental of short-term rental units secured through a short-term rental unit marketplace such as VRBO were extended to include the collection of all county and/or city hotel/motel taxes not just the taxes derived from rentals secured through a short-term rental unit marketplace such as VRBO, and;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of County Commissioners of

Campbell County, Tennessee, meeting in regular session on this 19th day of October, 2020, in Jacksboro, Tennessee, that:

Section 1.  It is hereby requested that State Senator Ken Yager and State Representative Dennis Powers introduce appropriate legislation at the next legislative session for the consideration of the Tennessee General Assembly to accomplish this much needed measure.

Section 2.  Any and all assistance that Senator Yager and Representative Powers can provide in this endeavor is hereby acknowledged and greatly appreciated.

Section 3.  Any and all resolutions in conflict herewith are repealed insofar as such conflict exists.

Section 4.  This resolution shall become effective on the 19th day of October, 2020, the public welfare requiring it.

APPROVED:

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County Mayor

APPROVED:

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County Commission Chairman

ATTEST:

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County Clerk

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Expiration Date

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