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Sandy Simmerman was the opening topic of the meeting. Simmerman, who serves as a representative to Congressman Schuler, will be in the county one day every week to represent all constituents of the the tri-county area before moving into a new office at the judicial center. She noted the the county could contact her at 835-4981 if necessary.
Commissioners were all in favor of approving end-of-year adjustments before accepting $6,287 in tax releases. In addition, the position of the county tax assessor needed to be reappointed to fill another two-year term.
"She's done an excellent job for us in the past," County Manager Paul Leek said of the current tax assessor. "I recommend her again." All commissioners were in favor of the re-hiring.
The next topic at hand was a bid for the elderly nutrition program. The commissioners announced that the Meals on Wheels program contract was up to be renewed and that there was only one bidder: Hayesville Family Restaurant, with a bid of $4.75 per meal, the same rate as the previous year. All at the meeting were in favor of awarding the bid to the establishment.
Financing the purchase of a new ambulance for next year to replace a current ambulance with over 130,000 miles on it was the next item of discussion. The county received three bids, the lowest was $93,000, with the trade-in of the current ambulance. Three local banks were asked for a proposal and Nantahala bank declined to put forward a bid. First United Community Bank offered a 4 percent fixed rate and the First Citizens Bank offered a 3.84 percent fixed rate after a $300 origination fee.
The commissioners decided that both rates totaled about the same after a few years. Leek recommended staying with United Community Bank because the county handles all of its banking there, though Commissioner Harry Jarrett voiced that he thought the county "ought to spread it around."
Mentioning that he could go into negotiations with the First United Community Bank and have the $300 fee waived. After all, the bid was awarded to First Citizens Bank.
A bid on the Department of Transportation site had failed seven times. Leek said that having all criteria meet state requirements was not met by the sole bidder on the project and that Clay County must rebid again. The only criterion lacking was that the form signed for the bid was not legal. The commissioners voted to reject the bid.
On the positive side, Leek announced that progress on the new courthouse is moving "right along." He said that furniture is being installed, flooring is 98 percent complete and that painters were on their way.
The building is slated to be finished by the end of June, though the road will not be paved until the middle of July, setting back the official move until the first of August.
"We can pave the parking lot now but I'd rather wait until the road is done," Leek said, voicing that the delay would allow more time to adequately install an irrigation system and landscaping, which had only one bid. "The projected movein date looks like the first of August."
According to Leek, a huge amount of work has been completed on the jail. While he said that exterior brick work and the roof are done, plumbing, heating and air systems are 65 percent finished. "There is a tremendous amount of electrical conduit in that facility with all of the security," he added.
Turning to the recreation center, Leek said that the flooring for the gymnasium is due in on June 24 and that the expected date of completion is August 1, in time for local basketball teams to practice inside. A scoreboard for the facility has been donated by Pepsi. On the topic of the new speed bumps installed at the recreational fields, Leek said that the entire area is "100 percent safer for those young kids right now."
Old business, the tenth item on the agenda, consisted of several items. Commissioners revisited the solid waste ordinance discussed at length several meetings beforehand. They reported that since that time, the general attorney recommended holding a public hearing on the ordinance before implementing it. Questioned, Leek said that such a hearing is not legally required but that hearing public comments is "good practice."
Commissioners also announced a public hearing on the budget for this past Monday, June 11. Leek mentioned that a special meeting to adopt the budget would be held June 25. Also addressed was an ordinance on ridge-top clear cutting, but the issue was postponed due to a lack of information to report.
Before reaching an end and following with a closed session, the commissioners opened up the meeting for public comment. Charles Kohler, a camper from the Lake Chatuge Recreation Park was the first to speak up, stating that he was threatened to be evicted from the campground at the park.
The commissioners responded that a Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) agreement signed in 1996 listed rules for the county to abide by. One was that seasonal campground rentals would be available for eight months every year with the equipment permitted on premises limited to units for camping and that no mobile homes were acceptable.
"When we moved in there that document was not available," argued Kohler. "What happened was that TVA came through and found all of those conditions. I asked if I could see the document and a year later I still didn't get it."
Kohler continued, saying that the park manager called a public meeting of campers that he was not a part of and essentially decided to evict the "troublemakers" on the case of the document that, according to Kohler, was hidden from public view. He said he spoke with the manager about the issue and failed to get a response before returning to his camper one time this year to find a letter taped on the door.
"It was filled with inacuracies and untruths and wasn't signed," Kohler said. "But basically I was going to be evicted if I sold my trailer. Somehow, because I wanted to sell mine, I was going to be evicted."
Leek said that he spoke to all of the commissioners on the issue and that the campsite could not be sold. The camper said an ad he placed in a local newspaper plainly stated that the camper was for sale and was only located at the recreation park.
"As a camper I think you need to go over there and look," Kohler said. "It's not being run well. It's a liability. There's unsafe playground equiptment.... The whole thing overe there is a mess and an accident waiting to happen. I respectfully disagree with how that campground's run." He also complained that many campers were failing to pay taxes on their units.
A commissioner replied that there needed to be further clarity on the issue and that it needed to be reviewed. He also stated that Clay County residents cannot find a place on the campground despite being the local taxpayers, despite the fact that the TVA did not say it was for Clay County residents exclusively. The commissioners prescribed further examination of the issue and setting firm policies for the county.
Another attendee to the meeting said that Kohler was the only one he had heard in eight years with a problem at the campground.
Susan Ward produced the final public comment, suggesting a revision on the county's subdivision ordinance.
"We have a draft of an erosion and sedementation ordinance," replied one commissioner. "We're trying to go through that process and develop something. I think we are moving in that direction, but it needs to be part of a whole plan and not a hodge-podge band-aid."
Ward commented, "We have a lot of major destruction going on in our community. We have nothing to protect us from this reckless development.... I'd like to see a little more protection for this community." The commissioners voiced that the topic would be addressed at the June 28 meeting.
To comment on this article, e-mail Harrison at hkeely@gmail.com.
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