County commissioners hear concerns about ATV traffic in communities

TOP PHOTO: Glade Springs community resident Renee Bailey brought concerns about ATV and side by side traffic on Bostic Lane to the commission.

By Charlotte Underwood 

JACKSBORO, TN (WLAF) – The Campbell County Commission held its monthly workshop on Monday, setting agenda items for next week’s meeting. Agenda items will include several payment processing agreements, as well as budget amendments, along with an interlocal agreement between the county and Jellico regarding waste management. 

Commissioners also heard citizen concerns about ATVs and side-by-side traffic in the Glade Springs and Stinking Creek areas. 

Other items on next week’s agenda will include voting to auction surplus items for the Veteran’s Affairs office, as well as the road department. 

At last month’s meeting, the wrong road department surplus equipment item was listed to be auctioned. This will be changed to the correct item.

An Interlocal agreement for municipal waste services between the county and Jellico will be voted on as well.

Commissioner David Adkins discussed the issue, saying currently Jellico takes its waste to Whitley County, Ky. 

“They wish to return to taking it to Campbell County. They have a 600 ton cap. They will transport their waste. After 600 tons they will pay us $45 dollar a ton. If we pass this in our meeting, they will pass it in theirs. This puts it into writing,” Adkins said.

A merchant debit/credit card agreement for Environmental services and the recreation department was also discussed.

“This is the same vendor Monty Bullock uses. It’s a pretty standard contract. The vendor charges a three-percent swipe fee that is passed on to the merchant,” Adkins said.

A vote will be taken on the payment processing agreement for the public sector for the RV rentals at Lonas Young Park campground. 

According to Commissioner Dewayne Baird, the hope is to have it “renting by the end of the month.”

“Once we get the online payment system up and running, we’ll be good to go,” Baird said.

“That free weekend went absolutely fantastic. People loved it and can’t wait for it to open to be rented. It’s a good thing,” said Commissioner Chairman Johnny Bruce.

Commissioner Scott Kitts brought up bitcoin mining and asked if the county had the ability to apply severance taxes on the crypto currency mining industry.

Campbell County attorney Joe Coker explained that severance taxes applied for coal mining and minerals.

“The severance tax applies to minerals that are severed from the ground.  For bitcoin mining, the Legislature would have to enact something different,” Coker said.

Coker suggested Kitts get a hold of state Congressman Ken Yager and State Rep. Dennis Powers regarding the issue. 

County Commissioner Zach Marlow asked if Kitts could hold off until the commissioners hold their legislative affairs committee meeting, so “everything can be submitted together.” 

In other business, the possible sale of the PTF building will be brought to the building and grounds committee on Thursday night, then brought to the commission Monday night for action.

The Jellico annex building project will also be on the agenda. 

Missy Tackett, Campbell County Chamber of Commerce Director also addressed commissioners and provided the year end review for the chamber. 

She reported the chamber was growing and currently had 231 chamber members. 

During the public input portion of the meeting, a resident of Cove Point Road addressed the commission about the “desperate need for paving on Cove Point Road, saying it “shreds tires.”

“All we can do is speak with the county road superintendent and say our constituents have a need and ask him to look at it, said Commissioner David Adkins. 

Glade Springs resident Renee Bailey brought concerns about ATV and side by side traffic on Bostic Lane.

She reported beer cans and liquor bottles thrown in her yard and “tourists driving at dangerous speeds.”

“I live on Bostic Lane in LaFollette. What can we do, they are taking over everything. They drive crazy, they get drunk and go hog wild and pig crazy…they don’t care who they bother…there’s kids on that street. I don’t want them to hit anybody,” Bailey said.

Commissioner Dewayne Baird asked Sheriff Wayne Barton if this was something a constable could handle.

“Yes, but we don’t have enough constables, deputies or police to take care of the illegal off road vehicles in our county. We are looking at putting up signs that say no ATVs after this point. Everywhere one of these routes end, we need signs that say no ATVs after this point, and signs that say no ATVs after dark. It’s out of hand. We have work to do on this. We could put 10 officers on Stinking Creek Road, and it still would not be enough,” Sheriff Barton said, explaining problem was bad in that part of the county as well.

The sheriff told commissioners he gets “more calls on side by sides than he does on illegal narcotics.” 

“You can see the citizens of Campbell County think we have more of a problem with side by sides than drugs. It’s as much a local problem as a tourist problem. I think education is the key to this. We need to educate these people,” Barton said.

Bailey said she would “love to have the signage, but didn’t think it would help.” 

Commissioners will hold their meeting next Monday at 6 pm in the lower court room of the courthouse.  (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 07/11/2023-6AM)