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LAFOLLETTE, TN (WLAF)- On Monday afternoon, the LaFollette City Council met for the monthly workshop. It appeared from a first look at the agenda, it would be a short meeting. However that was not the case. The meeting lasted approximately an hour and a half.
Fire Chief Jimmy Pack spoke with the council about a recent fire on Memorial Drive. Pack said the department responded on April 3 around 9 pm to a call of a large fire at the back of a commercial building. When the department arrived, they discovered the building was filled with tires and some of the tires were on fire. The fire department was able to put the fire out utilizing foam. However, Pack told the council the fire could have possibly burned for a week. Upon checking, it was discovered the business did not have a license and the city had no knowledge of the operation. Pack said it could have been a major catastrophe if the fire had spread. The facility is not currently operating due to the electricity having been turned off because of the fire.
The next topic discussed was the utility cuts that have been made in the city streets. A utility cut is a cut and excavation to an existing road surface to install or repair below ground utility conduits, pipes or equipment. City Administrator Stan Foust reported in total there were 21 utility cuts made in the streets, five of those cuts were made on newly paved streets. He told the council he had sent a letter to LaFollette Utilities addressing the issue. He continued that he feels those areas of the streets need to be milled down and repaved.
The council then began to discuss issues with inoperable fire hydrants in the city. In total there are 13 hydrants that need to be repaired or replaced for various reasons. Some of those reasons include one hydrant being almost covered in dirt by a contractor and one possibly hit by a vehicle. Some of the fire hydrant issues go back five to six years.
Another concern raised by the council was the overgrown power lines. Foust told the council he would like to meet with board at LaFollette Utilities to address the issues discussed and wants the council to be involved in the meeting.
Appointing a board member for LaFollette Utilities was on the agenda. However the council decided before moving forward on the appointment of a member it would like to create a list of qualifications for the appointment. It was decided that Foust and City Attorney Karen Crutchfield would work on comprising a list for the appointment.
The final LaFollette Utilities issue discussed was the lighting on North Tennessee Avenue. Foust reported the lights on the street have been out for some time. He continued that he would talk with LaFollette Utilities about the possibility of installing poles with lights on the street.
Police Chief Matthew Forsyth was present to discuss purchasing a new UTV for the police department. Forsyth reported the department has the money for the new UTV and wanted the council’s permission to make the purchase. He continued that the old UTV would go to the street department.
As the meeting ended, Pack came back to talk with the council about issues he has been having while working with codes violations. Pack told the council he would like to see some of the ordinances pertaining to codes be more specific. He reported there were some towing services located in the C1-C2 districts that needed to be moved to the M1-M2 zones. At the planning commission’s last monthly meeting in April, Patricia Jones came before the board to request a variance next to Rainbow Restaurant, on Jacksboro Pike, to establish a towing lot and wrecker service. The property being discussed is currently a C1-C2 zone. Foust told the commission that the city cannot recommend approval due to zoning restrictions on the property. Jones stated that this location has previously been a towing/storage lot. After a brief discussion, Planning Commission member Lonnie Wilson made the motion to grant the variance with Mayor Scotty Kitts making a second, the commission approved the motion.
Items to be voted on at next week’s monthly meeting are hiring Reid Troutman as the city’s delinquent tax attorney. The removal of the traffic signal at First Street. The traffic light will be replaced with a caution light and right turn only sign. Acceptance of a bid from Adam’s Construction for sidewalk project on SR-9 (Indiana Avenue), from East Beech St. to East Forrest St. for $514,843. Ordinance 2026-02 will have a final reading. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED-04/29/2026-6AM)