No happy campers at the commisioners meeting
CARLA OWENS Sentinel Writer

There weren't many happy campers, literally, at Thursday night's Clay County Commission meeting. Commissioners moved their monthly meeting to the spacious multi-purpose room at the new courthouse for the first time this past Thursday, and it certainly was just in time. Campers from the Clay County Camp Ground located at the Clay County Rec Park filled the room until there was standing room only. It was certainly a blessing to be holding their first meeting in the much larger room at the new courthouse. Chairman Hub Cheeks opened the meeting with a prayer asking the Lord's blessing on the new facility and thanking Him for the opportunity to have such a finefacility for the citizens of Clay County. Cheeks also asked the Lord to direct the work of the commissioners and to give them wisdom as they make decisions for the county. And those prayers certainly became all the more sincere as Commissioners heard from a room full of unhappy campers. One after another, individuals voiced their grievances over the proposed changes at the Clay County Camp Ground.

Campers from Gibson Cove and the other camp grounds at the rec park listed the many reasons why the county should not force them to pull their campers out when the season closes at the end of October. After receiving complaints from individuals who have wanted to camp at the park but have been waiting for years for a spot to open up, Clay County Manager Paul Leek explained that the Commissioners began looking into the policies at the camp ground which is on TVA property that is leased by Clay County. Leek explained that the lease agreement with TVA states that the campground should not have any permanent camp sites.

After looking into the campground policies and the fact that some of the policies have not been enforced for many years, Leek said the county set up a meeting with TVA officials to go over the lease agreement and to seek input from TVA concerning the campground. Leek said that during the fiveyears he has served as county manager the county has never received any complaints about the campground until this past year. According to Leek, residents began asking why seasonal spots in the campground are not made available. Leek said that many issues at the campground were then brought to the attention of the Commissioners,including the fact that many permanent porches and other structures had beenplaced on campers, which is forbidden under the TVA lease agreement.

The commission's main point to campers Thursday evening was that the TVA.lease clearly states that recreation activity and facilities should be provided for all individuals who wish to use them. Under the current situation, that is not happening, they stressed. Simply, individuals have been able to place their campers at a site in the rec. park and for many years have not had to pull their campers out at the end of the season. Instead, campers have been allowed to leave their campers throughout the winter months when the campground is officially closed.

Under the TVA lease agreement, campers are to be removed from the campground at the end of each season. The TVA agreement reads: "Licensee may with TVA's advanced written approval of licensee's detailed operational guidelines including those sites proposed for seasonal use allow seasonal campsite rentals (8 month maximum duration) at no more than 75 % of the campsites provided by licensee. The remaining 25% may not be rented for more than 21 consecutive days. Campsites below the max shoreline contour (elev. 1933 msl.) may not be rented between Nov. 1 and March 31 for more than 14 consecutive days. Camping equipment located below 1933 msl. may not be left unattended for more than 24 hours… Equipment permitted on the seasonal sites will be limited to units designed for camping (no mobile homes). Licensee shall not install or permit the installation of any mobile homes, porches, equipment, storage sheds, appliances, or similar structures on premises…" Leek explained that following the complaints which were received by the county, Commissioners began to look into the campground policies and the way those policies were being enforced. Commissioners discovered that there were indeed permanent structures and appliances and other items present at campsites within the campground which are clearly prohibited in the lease agreement with TVA.

In addition, the fact that the majority of the seasonal campsites were not vacated at the end of the season as is set out in the lease agreement was also made very clear. Leek said since these issues have been raised Commissioners have been looking into the TVA lease agreement which governs the campground.

Commissioners commented Thursday evening that following their recent meeting with TVA they understand that it is TVA's desire that the recreation facility and campground be made available to all who wish to use it and they question if this is being done when seasonal campsites are unavailable to the general public at the beginning of each camping season Leek explained that for years once campers got a seasonal site in the park they have never been forced to move, therefore, some individuals have been camping in the park for 10 years or more. In some instances this has created almost a permanent home site for some instead of a temporary, summer campsite.

There are currently 84 fulltime, seasonal camp sites at the Clay County Campground. Leek said 69 of the sites have power and water and the remaining 15 do not. Campers pay $200/month for a seasonal site which includes their power and water. One camper present Thursday told Commissioners that this has created part of their problem, that they are renting the lake front camp sites way too cheap. This gentleman told commissioners that people simply can't findnice, lake front campsites like these for such a bargain anywhere else.

Before Commissioners began hearing from the upset campers, Leek provided information concerning the recent meeting with TVA, saying that the county is hoping to work out a new contract with TVA for the rec park which would be a long term lease of 30 years. Leek said a long term lease would give the county more ownership and allow them to make some improvements at the park.

Leek mentioned the possibility of increasing the current campground by developing a 200 acre peninsula at the park. He also said that under a new contract there would be more regulations that campers will have to abide by. Leek said the county would like to see everything moved out of the park at the end of this season. "We would like to have the facility cleared out so we can do some work that needs to be done…and then work with TVA to come up with a fair and equitable system for using the campground," Leek told Commissioners.

Commissioners told those gathered Thursday that they just want everyone to be treated fairly and want to give everyone the opportunity to use the campground. Commissioners suggested a possible random selection system similar to a lottery as an option for making the seasonal campsites available to everyone. Commissioner Harry Jarrett explained that the county is just trying to follow the TVA guidelines which state that Clay County should make the facility available to everyone "without distinction or discrimination." Currently that is not happening, Jarrett explained, as no sites are ever available from year to year. "The policy is that the sites should be made available to all members of the general public, and it is not really being made available to all the people in the community," Jarrett commented. "We believe everyone should have an equal opportunity to get in, and currently that is not the case."

Leek said that approximately 23 names are currently on a waiting list for a site at the park and that some of those names have been on the list for

years. Leek added that the campground director doesn't take new names because he could have more than a 100, and with no one ever giving up a site once they get it, a long waiting list would simply be pointless.

Unhappy campers who addressed the commissioners were numerous, but they all had about the same view to share with commissioners - "Why fixsomething that's not broken." Over and over again campers shared stories of how they love to camp at Gibson Cove year after year. How they have spent many wonderful summers with their children and grandchildren, and how they all look forward to camping on Lake Chatuge each year.

"Why mess with a good thing," one camper commened. "You have a good thing going up there…why mess it up?" Many campers alluded to the fact that if all the good, law abiding citizens that are camping up there now are forced to move out that the county is not guaranteed of what type of people might move in. One mother told commissioners that it is a wonderful, family friendly atmosphere where her children can play and she doesn't have to be concerned with their safety. "If you open it up to just anyone you are risking having drinking and all kinds of problems up there… are you prepared for that." "I'm up there because it is a clean, safe place to go," another mother said. "And I don't have to worry about drunk campers."

Many of the campers pointed out that they have formed their own little community and have become like a family, saying that they look out for one another and keep a good, safe campground for their children and grandchildren. One individual said that most nights it's quite at 10 p.m., but if they change things they are asking for wild, drunken campers bringing the law out at 1 a.m.

The list of complaints continued, moving to the fact that all the campers had been told that once they moved in they would have their site until they chose to give it up. As long as they followed the rules, they could stay, is what they said they were told. That is why many said changing the policy - or beginning to enforce the policy now - is just not fair. One gentleman argued that so many of the campers had waited for years and years to get a spot and many have gone to great personal expense since moving into the campground to fixup their site or purchase nice campers. Therefore, he asked if there would not be some way to grandfather the current campers in to the new policy and allow them to stay put. Many arguments were similar, pointing out that they have been coming to Clay County year after year putting money into the local economy and simply doing what they were told they could do - which was keep their site. So why now are the rules being changed, they questioned. "There haven't been rules for 10 years…I don't know why things have been handled the way they have in the past…but don't punish those who have beenthere all this time," one gentleman pleaded with commissioners. "Start new rules and go forward from here…" This gentleman and others suggested developing the 200 acres and putting in more campsites, which would allow those who are there now to stay while at the same time giving others the opportunity to camp. This would also produce more revenue for the county, he added.

Over and over again the campers argued that simply changing things after all these years, some of who have been camping for fiveand 10 years, is simply not fair. One man who came to the campground more recently shared his view with commissioners, saying, "It is very much a community… and no matter what the intent was, these folks have paid their rent and have done what they were told. So, there ought to be someway, because of the history, to come up with a better transition than to just move everyone out." An officialdecision concerning the campground and the fate of the campers will be made at next month's commission meeting on Oct. 4. Although the overall mood among campers following Thursday's meeting was far from happy, one elderly gentleman left the meeting with a pleasant attitude. On his way out of the courthouse the gentleman commented that although he had camped up here for years and loved it, he guessed he'd just have to go

move his camper and findsome place else to camp next year.

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