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Wlaf1450‘A new industrial park for Campbell County, the Eagle Ridge Project, is in the works’- Mayor Jack Lynch
By Charlotte Underwood
LAFOLLETTE, TN (WLAF)- Campbell County Mayor Jack Lynch (top photo) guest spoke at Tuesday’s Campbell County Rotary Club luncheon held at the LaFollette Methodist Church.
He gave an update on what’s been going on in the county for the past three years.
According to Lynch, “the mayor’s office has a myriad of responsibilities.”
He said he couldn’t do anything in the office without the staff at the county mayor’s office. He also said he was thankful for all the community partnerships within the community.
Lynch said the number one thing his office tries to do is “help people.”
The county mayor also went over some accomplishments from the past three years in the county such as the monthly Veteran’s Breakfast, which takes place at the Jacksboro First Baptist Church.
“Around 150 come each month. It’s a wonderful thing for those Veterans and others to come out and fellowship, but we could not do it without community support. It has been going for three years, and we have held 40 of them so far,” Lynch said.
He also went over economic development in the county.
“We were forced into economic development and recruitment the first day we came to the office. We had a factory that had left and 170 people were left without jobs or were going to be laid off. Gold Creek Foods bought that factory. They have had a wonderful run in Campbell County. We have delivered them an economic development grant of $1.8 million dollars. They have invested in the community by $19 million dollars, it’s a great company and they continue to grow,” Lynch said, explaining that Gold Creek Foods represented the county’s first pilot program and the county’s first economic development grant.
He also updated on United Rare Earths, which will be building in three phases at the Industrial Park in Caryville.
“United Rare Earths has had meetings last week in Washinton D.C. He said he was in the Situation Room. Jay Willoughby went with them. Jay had to present some material, and he presented the fact that Campbell County needs this for economic development because future jobs might be lost as some companies move. He also presented the fact that there are millions of dollars that are going to flow into United Rare Earths. They have worked with the Department of Transportation, the Department of Energy, UT, ORNL, it’s a big, multi-faceted thing,” Lynch said, saying that by the time the third phase was complete, it should be about 400 jobs in the county and that “jobs there will average around $80,000 a year salary.”
“They have already put down a letter of intent for 30 acres of property in the new industrial park,” Lynch said.
Mayor Lynch also spoke about the new industrial park for Campbell County, the Eagle Ridge Project, which is the first Industrial Park to cost the county “zero dollars.” This planned new industrial park is located in the Flatwoods area off I-75 at the 141 Exit across from the Collins Industrial Park.
“This is where 230 acres have been signed over to the Industrial Board of Campbell County. The Industrial Board will then negotiate the sale of said property; in their name, we can apply for grants for infrastructure, we can get more money to do more things with at less cost. Also, as far as taxpayers are concerned, it is zero cost. When the land is sold, then the owners of the land now will get paid back by the industrial board, which will get a percentage for their work and securing the said loans. It is an interesting project, it will be the first of its kind,” Lynch said.
He also touched on the Oswego Industrial Park, saying the county has a client interested in buying 32 acres.
“At the last commission meeting, we signed 32 acres over to industrial board who will then negotiate the price with the company. It is a recycling company recycling tires. They want to build a facility to sort tires, and they want the property with the rail spur. These tires will be recycled and sent to Kentucky Power and to Louisville,” Lynch said, adding that the company was also looking into refining oil from the tires. The company currently has 24 employees and “could equal 400 employees someday.”
Lynch also reported that the county had reached a record for lowest unemployment rate at 2.9 percent and that the county also has over 16,000 people working.
“As far as the industrial side we have been working hard. It keeps changing and we just keep changing with it,” Lynch said.
He went over changes in the Campbell County Environmental Services department.
“This department employs 38 employees. We process 27,000 tons of garbage a day. We recycle 950 tons of cardboard a year. Scrap metal comes and goes daily; 13,000 gallons of used oil is processed yearly. Since we have been there, I hope the changes have been noticed. We have spent $1.6 million on sanitation, not a dime raised through taxes. All came out of savings found by the new director. The convenience center was paved. All schools are getting trash compactors. Six have been installed so far,” Lynch said.
The County Mayor’s office also oversees the Emergency Management Agency (EMA) office directed by Jay Muncy who also operates the Lonas Young Park for free.
The mayor’s office also oversees the Ambulance services. Lynch said the county will have five more ambulances to equal 11 by year’s end.
He also talked about the shortage of EMTs and ambulance drivers. He said Roane State and TCAT were helping with that with their programs and partnerships with the county.
The mayor’s office also oversees the two senior Centers in the county, the one in LaFollette and one in Jellico.
This year, a $100,000 AARP grant allowed Jellico’s Center to get a new van, while LaFollette’s Center underwent multiple renovations.
“The past three years have been a whirlwind. We couldn’t do it without all the help from community and folks like you that step up and help and want to be part of the community and I’m proud to be a part of this community,” Lynch said. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED-08/06/2025-6AM)