JACKSBORO,TN. (WLAF)- A special called session of the Board of Commissioners of Campbell County was held Monday at 5pm at the courthouse. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the transfer station (convenience center) on Towe String Road.

PUBLISHERS NOTE: WLAF published a story on this meeting Wednesday that was in error. WLAF regrets any errors. The minutes from the meeting, below, detail what transpired.

A motion was made by Commissioner David Adkins and seconded by Commissioner Scotty Kitts to allow the municipalities to bring trash to the transfer station, additionally requesting that no more purchase orders to be issued and to retain the funds of $18,000 that is left. There were 13 ayes during the roll call vote that came from Commissioners David Adkins, Charles Baird, Johnny Bruce, Michael Douglas, Dewayne Gibson, Beverly Hall, Tyler King, Scotty Kitts, Zachary Marlow, Sue Nance, Rusty Orick, Derrick Sharp and Scott Stanfield. Commissioners Dewayne Baird and Dewayne Kitts were absent.

At the workshop that followed, the residents living along Shady Cove Lane in the southern end of the county received some bad news. For the past couple of months, Shady Cove residents have begged the commission for help in maintaining what they insist is a county road.

Commissioners were prepared to pass a budget amendment giving $1,000 toward improvements that would provide a school bus turnaround and access to the road despite no evidence that Shady Cove Lane has ever met the criteria to be adopted into the county road system.

At the workshop, County Attorney Joe Coker reported on a ruling he received from the state’s County Municipal Advisory Service (CTAS) that such ban expenditure of taxpayer funds on a private road is counter to state law and could result in the county losing state highway funding.

“The statute forbids the road superintendent from performing work on private property,” Coker pointed out. When asked if he is sure that Shady Cove Lane is a private road, Coker replied, “It is a private road,” adding that in order to become a public road, a number of criteria must be met, including easement deeds from landowners and work to bring the road up to public road standards, none of which is met at Shady Cove.

The commission also heard from other residents with access problems of a different nature. Janice Brackett asked commissioners to look into helping upgrade a swinging foot bridge in Cotula that is the only access to members of her family and is in poor condition. Her request was referred to the building and grounds committee to look closer at the problem and possible solutions.

At the budget committee meeting earlier, the commission heard an update from Dr. E.G. Cline, the county medical examiner, about the unexpected increase in autopsies that the county had to pay for in the past year.

“The past year has been unusual,” Cline said, adding that accidental deaths and overdoses have accounted for the bulk of calls to his office. “Of the past 15 deaths I’ve investigated, 10 were people 34 years old or younger. He added that he does not perform autopsies on every victim, just those where cause of death cannot be determined without thorough work, or if an autopsy is ordered by the district attorney. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED 10/20/2022- 6AM)

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