[0:01] like to welcome everyone to the meeting
of the Sman County Commission August
[0:04] 20th 2026.
I invite you all to remain standing to
[0:08] the end of the pledge by Sheriff
Cassidy. But first, it is a privilege to
[0:13] recognize Commissioner Cheryl Hardy for
our invocation.
[0:18] Thank you, Commissioner.
>> Thank you. Let us pray.
[0:23] Heavenly Father, thank you for your
faithfulness. It is with extraordinary
[0:29] gratitude that we come before you this
evening lifting up our beautiful Selen
[0:34] County, Tennessee.
Lord, we pray for your Holy Spirit to be
[0:38] present here tonight to guide us with
your wisdom and to speak your truth. We
[0:44] pray for a spirit of cooperation and
unity that we will listen well to one
[0:49] another and we will speak with kindness.
And Lord, we pray for comfort, strength,
[0:54] and peace to those in the Milicanin
University community and the many
[0:58] grieving families who have suffered such
a great loss this week. We also pray for
[1:03] those who are currently in the hospital
in need of physical healing and your
[1:07] supernatural touch.
Thank you, Father God, for helping us
[1:12] now to work together in harmony and
purpose. And may you receive all of the
[1:18] honor and glory. In Jesus name we pray.
Amen.
[1:21] » Amen.
Thank you, Commissioner Harvey.
[1:24] [clears throat]
[1:27] » To the flag of the United States of
America and to the republic for which it
[1:33] stands, one nation under God,
indivisible,
[1:37] » with liberty and justice for all.
[1:42] » When the board opens, please record your
presence.
[1:47] And if uh you wish to address the
commission during public comment, we
[1:52] have two
we have two sign in sign up sheets on
[1:58] this round table over here of
the gentleman with the camera is there's
[2:03] two sheets. Agenda related public
comment and non-aggenda related public
[2:07] comment. Everyone here is welcome to
sign up for for either one of them or
[2:13] both.
Has
[2:34] every member recorded her presence?
[2:41] Madam cler
[2:46] 21 present, three absent.
>> Thank you, Madam Clerk.
[2:53] We have a the necessary quorum.
Board of Commissioners order business
[2:58] August August 20th, 2026.
Come to order.
[3:04] Our first order is approval of notaries
public. Madam clerk, do we have a list
[3:08] of notaries?
[3:11] May we have
I might have you read it twice if it's
[3:15] that long.
[3:20] » Amber A. Alheiser, Jessica Anderson,
Rebecca Artrick, Lori Ashley, Patrick C.
[3:28] Brigel, Teresa May Brown, Bob Brown,
Rebecca Leanne Bird, Jerry R. Campbell,
[3:36] Melinda Hall Castle, Stacy Lynn Dorman,
Christopher Adam Dye, Aaron Ebar, Trina
[3:45] Ellis, Lisa G. Guy, Hessle, Michael D.
Hamlin, April R, [clears throat]
[3:53] Kimberly Anne Hart, Joshua Aaron Hayes,
Ian Hennessy, Janet Gail Hernandez,
[4:00] Jennifer Huffman, Brenda L. Cole, Amber
Herd, Marcus Aaron, Jesse, Angela L.
[4:08] Marshall, Christian Scott Masters,
K. Carol Mat, Kirsten Elizabeth Maxwell,
[4:17] Andrew
O. Meducas, Mary Neville Mitchum, Debbie
[4:23] S. Monk, Christine Morgan, Robin Renee
Bolins, Lindsay B. Mutter, Sherry L.
[4:31] Myers, Tracy Yubon, No Cheyenne No
Whiskey, Pamela Aren, Mudra Patel,
[4:40] Bert Pow, Powell III, Brenda L. Riffle,
Kimberly Rigsby,
[4:48] D. Lee Robinette, William Joseph
Robinette, Jonathan D. Russell, Amelia
[4:55] Claire Rust, William S. Ry Jr.,
Tiffany Lynn Grimes Fox
[5:05] Wendy an Sauls Hillary Ruth Smith
Rebecca A Smith Gregory A Taylor Angela
[5:14] Taylor Shelby Homson
Tina Trivet Laura Dorothy Anne Vance
[5:22] Thomas Matthew Warren Roy Daniel Wade
Natalie J Wells Joanne Williams, Brian
[5:31] Williams, Kristen Wer.
[clears throat]
[5:36] » Is that all?
>> That's all.
[5:41] » You've heard the list of notaries as
presented. Is there any discussion on
[5:45] the list of notaries as presented?
>> Motion to approve.
[5:48] » Motion to approve by Commissioner Cole,
second by Commissioner Cross. Any
[5:51] further discussion? Without objection,
when the board opens, please cast your
[5:55] vote on the list of notaries requiring
13 votes for passage.
[6:13] » Has every member voted? Does any member
wish to change their vote?
[6:20] Madam clerk,
>> 22 yes, two absent.
[6:25] » Thank you, Madam Clerk. Having received
the necessary majority of the votes
[6:28] cast, the notaries are approved.
Next order, approval of minutes of board
[6:34] of commissioners, Svin County's July
9th, 2026 resoning hearing. July 16th,
[6:39] 2026 monthly meeting and July 30th, 2026
special call meeting.
[6:47] Anyone
seek recognition?
[6:50] » Motion to approve.
>> Have a motion to approve by Commissioner
[6:53] Cole, second by Commissioner STDM.
Any further discussion on the approval
[6:58] of minutes?
Without objection, when the board opens,
[7:02] please cast your vote on the approval of
minutes requiring 13 votes for passage.
[7:14] Has
[7:19] every member voted? Does any member wish
to change their vote? Madam clerk,
[7:25] » 22 yes, two absent.
>> Thank you, madam clerk. Having received
[7:29] the necessary majority of the votes
cast, minutes are approved.
[7:34] Without objection, our next order,
appointments, presentations, and
[7:38] recognitions.
[clears throat]
[7:52] I'll do the I'll do the uh the
appointment utility director utility
[7:57] district commissioner first. Whereas the
Blunk Utility District Board of
[8:00] Commissioners does hereby certify to the
Sman County Mayor pursuant to TCA 782307
[8:07] that a vacancy has occurred upon said
utility board by virtue of the
[8:11] expiration of a term on September 1st,
2026.
[8:16] Whereas the Blunt District Board of
Commissioners further
[8:20] certifies that the nominee Wayne
Feathers is qualified and has agreed to
[8:24] serve on the board. Now therefore be it
ordained a judge and decreed by Sullivan
[8:28] County Mayor Richard Bimble pursuant to
TCA 782307
[8:33] that nominee Wayne Feathers shall be
appointed to Blumble Utility District
[8:37] Board of Commissioners.
[8:45] Is it
[8:48] does anyone seek recognition on the
appointment?
[9:05] Okay. Anyone seek recognition on the
approval of Mr. Feathers?
[9:16] » We need a motion.
>> All right. [laughter]
[9:22] Commissioner Cole will make the motion
to approve Mr. Feather's appointment and
[9:26] second by Commissioner Acres.
>> See how dependent we've become on
[9:30] technology
[9:34] without and [clears throat] we're having
a computer having a computer problem.
[9:37] What we're going to do, we're going to
do it the old fashioned way. We're going
[9:39] to do a roll call with So, uh, requires
13 votes for passage. Ma'am, whenever
[9:44] you're ready.
[9:49] A yes vote approves.
>> Aker,
[9:54] » yes.
>> Calton,
[9:56] » yes.
>> Carr,
[9:59] » yes.
>> Cole,
[10:01] » yes.
>> Crawford,
[10:02] » yes.
>> Cross,
[10:04] » yes.
>> Cross,
[10:06] » yes.
>> Gardner,
[10:08] » yes.
>> Glover,
[10:10] » yes.
>> Harvey,
[10:12] » yes.
>> Hayes,
[10:14] » yes.
Hopper.
[10:17] » Yes.
>> Horn.
[10:23] » Oh, sorry. Horn's absent.
>> I
[10:28] » Jones absent. King,
>> yes.
[10:32] » Leonard,
>> yes.
[10:34] » Lock.
>> Yep.
[10:36] » McMurray.
>> Yes.
[10:38] » Means.
>> Yes.
[10:40] » Pierce.
>> Yes.
[10:42] » Sidum.
>> Yes.
[10:44] » Van Over.
>> Yes. and four.
[10:47] » Yes, ma'am.
>> Would anyone like to change their vote?
[10:53] » 22 yes, two absent.
>> Thank you, madam clerk. Having received
[10:59] the necessary majority of the votes
cast,
[11:02] Mr. Feathers is appointed to the Blumble
Utility District Board of Directors.
[11:07] Thank you.
All right.
[11:12] He wrote Without
objection. Next order. Appointment to
[11:18] appoint the following individuals to
serve in the official in the office of
[11:21] judicial commissioner magistrate for
Solen County. Term to expire August
[11:26] 31st, 2028.
[11:32] Both cities are together. This is all
one resolution. Good deal. from the
[11:37] Bristol Courts, Eric Center of Bristol,
Tennessee, and Bruce Bulis of
[11:41] Bluntville, Tennessee. Kingsport Courts,
Loel Butch Atkins of Kingsport,
[11:46] Tennessee, and John Blessing of
Kingsport, Tennessee.
[11:51] Does anyone seek recognition on the
appointments?
[11:55] » I have a motion to approve by
Commissioner Acres, second by
[11:57] Commissioner Cton. Any further
discussion on the appointment?
[12:04] Seeing none without objection, when the
board opens, please cast your vote on
[12:07] the appointments to the Bristol and
Kingsport Courts requiring 13 votes for
[12:12] passage.
[12:32] Has
[12:36] every member voted? Does any member wish
to change their vote?
[12:41] » Madam clerk,
>> 22 yes to absent.
[12:45] [cough and clears throat]
[12:48] » Thank you, madam clerk. Having received
the necessary majority of the votes
[12:52] cast,
appointments are approved.
[12:59] Next order, appointment of Zayn Vanover
to the Tri Cities Airport Authority.
[13:04] [snorts]
Pursuant
[13:08] Pursuant to Tennessee Code Annitated and
the authority vested in me as mayor of
[13:12] Svin County, I hereby appoint
Commissioner Zayn Vanover to the Tri
[13:15] Cities Airport Authority to serve the
term allocated to the mayor's
[13:19] appointment authority. Please enter the
appointment in the official record on
[13:22] the authority and proceed as required by
law respectfully signed by Sen County
[13:27] Mayor Richard S. Viddle.
[13:34] It's just
[13:38] » we don't need
[13:43] » appointment.
[13:49] And when the board opens, please cast
your vote on the appointment of Zay Van
[13:54] over to the Tri Cities Airport,
[13:59] » requiring 13 votes for passage.
Has
[14:10] [clears throat]
[14:17] every member voted?
[14:21] » Has every member voted?
>> Does any member wish to change her vote?
[14:27] » Madam clerk.
>> 22 yes, two absent.
[14:31] » Thank you, Madam Clerk. Having received
the necessary majority of the votes
[14:34] received the necessary majority of the
votes cast, Zayn Vanover is appointed to
[14:39] the Tri Cities Airport Authority.
[14:44] » Without objection, next order is
reappoints of Jeff Cassy, Jim Bean, and
[14:49] Darlene Countton to Sullivan County
Emergency Communications District Board.
[14:58] » Motion to approve. We have a motion to
approve by Commissioner Cole, second by
[15:01] Commissioner Akre. Any further
discussion?
[15:06] Without objection, when the board opens,
please cast your vote
[15:10] on the on the reappoint.
[15:16] [clears throat]
[15:52] clerk, we're going to do voice vote
again.
[15:55] 13 votes for passage.
Yes. Yes. Roll call. Excuse me.
[16:06] Roll
[16:09] » yes
>> yes
[16:13] » car
>> yes
[16:15] » Cole
>> yes
[16:16] » Crawford
>> yes
[16:17] » cross
>> yes
[16:19] » crossbot
>> yes
[16:20] » gardener
>> yes
[16:22] » yes
>> Harvey
[16:24] » yes
>> yes
[16:27] » yes
>> horn absent
[16:31] Yes.
>> Jones. Absent. King.
[16:35] » Yes.
>> Leonard.
[16:37] » Yes.
>> Lock.
[16:39] » Yes.
>> McMurray.
[16:41] » Yes.
>> Means.
[16:42] » Yes.
>> Pierce.
[16:44] » Yes.
>> Sidum.
[16:46] » Yes.
>> Fiver.
[16:47] » Yes.
>> Yes.
[16:50] » Would anyone like to change their vote?
>> 22 yes. Two absent.
[16:57] » Thank you, madam clerk. Having received
the necessary majority of the votes
[17:01] cast,
appointments are approved.
[17:08] Without objection, next order
presentation.
[17:13] Families Free Sullivan County Anti-Drug
Coalition
[17:17] and Restoration Recovery Agency
represents to provide update on their
[17:22] use of the opioid abatement fund.
[clears throat]
[17:31] Thank you. Thanks for being here.
>> Okay. Thank you for having me. Um it's
[17:35] great to see everybody again. And I do
have a little refresher handout if it's
[17:40] okay if Melody passes those around.
>> Absolutely.
[17:44] » Thank you very much.
>> Great. Um Family Free has been so
[17:49] grateful to have the funds that were
approved last time in Sullivan County.
[17:54] We've been doing some really great
things. Some of that has happened or the
[17:59] majority of that has happened at our
treatment location down on Clay Street.
[18:05] So, we're able to provide alcohol and
drug treatment, parenting education,
[18:10] case management for men and women
involved with Judge Goodwin's recovery
[18:16] court. Melody also sits on Judge Nelson
and Judge Vance's mental health court as
[18:23] an addiction specialist. She's also a
licensed therapist that can be there to
[18:28] provide support for that team and we
have been able to expand a lot of the
[18:34] work that we're doing in Svin County
with families involved with Department
[18:38] [clears throat] of Children Services.
I'm sure that many of you all are aware
[18:43] of the statistics. Um, Michael Gilly
happened to be here the last or I think
[18:48] the last time I was here and share about
the very very high numbers of children
[18:56] coming into custody and families
involved with Department of Children's
[19:00] Services and the primary reason for that
is drug abuse. So, Families Free has
[19:06] been able to get an extended contract
with Department of Children's Services
[19:11] to do even more intensive inhome work.
And what happens when we go into a lot
[19:16] of these homes, they have an
unbelievable amount of need. The
[19:20] poverty,
the barriers, the things that these
[19:24] children and families need because of
the money the abatement council gave to
[19:28] Families Free. We're able to bring those
resources not only to the individuals
[19:35] who come to treatment at Clay Street,
but also in many of the homes and the
[19:39] families that we're in in the community.
We also provide several classes a week
[19:45] um in the Sullivan County Jail where
we're able to work with people very
[19:50] intensely when they reenter. That's been
a big opportunity as well as to be able
[19:57] to interface at different points in the
community like the health department,
[20:01] other kinds of places where women who
are vulnerable who are experiencing
[20:07] these challenges often with children
show up. So that was that was one thing
[20:12] of the funds that you all gave. Um, as
you know, we talked about several
[20:16] locations. We talked about houses. We
talked about other buildings and
[20:20] properties and um the property that was
the front runner for us to have housing
[20:28] that would be free of charge. This will
be the only housing in Sullivan County
[20:34] that women and children can live free of
charge connected with licensed alcohol
[20:41] and drug treatment as well as mental
health treatment with an agency that's
[20:46] also credentialed by Department of
Children's Services. So I guess the hunt
[20:51] for a property is still on. Um the
latest building that we presented to the
[20:56] opioid abatement council uh we had
requested 75,000
[21:02] and that would have allowed us or would
allow us to do the necessary renovations
[21:08] and secure that lease and the operating
expenses for almost three years. Um, if
[21:15] the commission chooses to to grant those
funds, that would be a path that we
[21:21] would look at pursuing. But we also have
another property that we're looking at
[21:27] in Colonial Heights that would really
just be a turnkey move in and be able to
[21:34] still house up to eight women and
children. So I think that that the new
[21:40] request that we brought before the
abatement council and shared about it's
[21:45] really the direction that that council
and the commission would like to go. If
[21:50] it's a higher amount of funds, like the
175,000, that would be renovating a
[21:56] former church in Bluntfield very very
close to here. It'd be a great property.
[22:03] Um Joyce and I have met with the owner.
Um it could be a great project.
[22:10] The the other route would be leasing a
house in another location in Colonial
[22:16] Heights. either would work for the
purposes that we have for a really
[22:21] long-term
path for the county. The property in
[22:26] Bluntful would be a great option, but I
know that there are a lot of very worthy
[22:31] causes that are seeking this money and
you know, you all are are making some
[22:35] really wise decisions with it. So um the
the programming with the courts, with
[22:42] the jails, with department of children
services, with other community agencies
[22:46] has been very robust and will continue
on. And the housing um you know, I fully
[22:53] expect to happen in the next few months
at at one of the two locations I
[22:58] described.
[23:03] » Thank you very much. Does anyone seek
recognition?
[23:12] two is
you wish to address the commission as
[23:15] well?
>> No.
[23:17] » Any anyone seek recognition? Any
questions, comments?
[23:23] » Thank you again for being here. Thank
you a lot. Always welcome.
[23:33] » Good evening. I'm Alice McCaffrey, the
director of Salt County Anti-Drug
[23:37] Coalition, and we'd like to just quickly
let you know since the last time we were
[23:42] here, we appreciate the funds that you
had given us. We'd like you to know what
[23:46] we've done with them quickly and how we
partner with our judges to make this
[23:53] program happen and then why we think
your support is a good investment.
[23:59] And this is the entire staff for this
program.
[24:03] Good evening. My name is Scott Spedola.
I'm a certified peer recovery
[24:07] specialist.
And the biggest thing that uh we would
[24:12] like to thank you for is that last year
we had asked for some some assistance.
[24:18] We did not ask for as much as we did
last year. We've asked for $175,000
[24:23] this year and we received $175,000
last year. Our program in 2025 alone
[24:33] saved the county $182,700
[24:38] that incorporated 4,350
days of incarceration
[24:43] that was spent with individuals on a
furlow. They were not in the jail. And
[24:48] that figure is multiplied by $42 a day
which was given to us by the sheriff's
[24:54] department.
So, we've been able to save the the
[24:58] county that kind of money and that is
each year. And if you were to put that
[25:03] in terms of how many individuals
contributed to that $4,350
[25:09] days, that was only 38 people. That
saved the county 182,700.
[25:20] Good evening, everyone. My name is Jeff
Noah. I'm the recovery team leader for
[25:23] SCAD. uh I oversee uh our intervention
programs. And just in case uh everyone's
[25:29] not familiar, I I'd just like to take
just a moment just to give you a brief
[25:33] description on how this program actually
works. Um I would consider us more like
[25:39] a hub uh in an airport or an air traffic
controller where all of these
[25:44] individuals come into a hub and then we
help direct the traffic on where they
[25:49] need to go to get started on this path
of recovery. Um they'll come into us
[25:54] three different ways. Usually the jail
kiosk, we have an application that every
[25:59] inmate in Sullivan County Jail,
regardless of their gender, age, can
[26:04] send an application for free that comes
directly to us. Last year, we received a
[26:08] total of 265
uh applications from the inmates
[26:12] themselves. That tells me that there's a
desire to at least sit [clears throat]
[26:17] down and talk about what recovery might
look like. In addition to that, um,
[26:22] we've been able to develop a really good
trustworthy relationship with our
[26:26] especially the sessions court judges.
We're available for the circuit court
[26:30] judges as well, but they have typically
their own programs that they can use and
[26:34] it's the same type of support that we
offer. Um, last year we received a total
[26:38] of 206 judge referrals from the sessions
court judges. And I would just quote a
[26:45] couple of them. Uh, Judge Conan um was
quoted as saying, "The presence of SCAD
[26:50] representative in my court cuts down on
delays in getting treatment assistance
[26:54] to the defendants. It can truly be a
lifeline." And then also I have a a
[26:59] short quote from Judge Terresa Nelson
who says, "We rely heavily on SCAD, an
[27:05] integral part of our ongoing efforts to
combat drug addiction in our uh
[27:09] community."
So we have the kiosk, we have the judges
[27:13] or the court referrals and then we also
have our other partnering agencies or
[27:17] area attorneys. And so when they all
come to us, we go in and sit down with
[27:21] them with Sheriff Cassidy has been
phenomenal about giving us access to
[27:26] private uh meetings in the jail. We can
go in and sit down and do an assessment.
[27:31] Uh from that point, we decide uh an area
of treatment. Is it going to be
[27:35] inatient? We work with Frontier Health.
We work with Creekide. We work with CCS
[27:40] down in Fall Branch. Uh we work with
Buffalo Valley down in the middle part
[27:44] of the state. So what type of treatment
and what's the best place for them? In
[27:48] addition to treatment, we also look at
after treatment and we try to find a
[27:53] stable recovery housing program for
them. Uh one of our best partners is
[27:57] recovery resources and also bridge to
shore. But there are several options in
[28:01] our community now. That area is growing
and and we're blessed to have that. So
[28:06] we look at treatment, we look at
housing, and we also look at connection
[28:10] to their recovery support groups. So we
try to connect them with the best 12step
[28:14] program that's going to be for them, and
that comes out of that assessment. And
[28:19] so we try to get them either connected
to the 12step or the faith-based,
[28:22] whichever is going to be best for them.
And then we also help them with
[28:26] employment opportunities. We are in
constantly developing more and more
[28:30] partners that are willing to hire people
with criminal records, depending upon
[28:34] what those are. uh but the second chance
carrying workplaces all of those we all
[28:39] work together in trying to develop that
and then ongoing it's not just getting
[28:43] them out of jail and getting them to
treatment and getting them into a
[28:46] recovery house but we have certified
peer recovery specialists certified by
[28:50] the state of Tennessee that provide this
ongoing support for we we currently have
[28:56] clients that we have on our book for
three years so it's not just holding
[29:01] their hands immediately at the beginning
but continuing that journey with them on
[29:05] until they get totally back on their
feet.
[29:11] » My name is Whitney Turner. Um I'm a
certified peer recovery specialist. With
[29:16] the 175,000 that we are asking for, a
portion of that will go to the staff. Um
[29:26] pay also 10% of that would go to the
administration for bookkeeping, etc.
[29:33] things like that. But the majority of
that goes to client needs. Um so what
[29:38] that would look like is emergency
housing. Um a lot of the time people are
[29:43] coming out of jail and they need
somewhere to go immediately. Um
[29:47] treatment admission. Sometimes there's
fees when we send them to treatment. Um
[29:52] documentation, we help them get birth
certificates, IDs, different things like
[29:56] that. The biggest one is transportation.
Um probably our most costly thing. Um,
[30:03] we make sure they get to all their
probation appointments, court dates, um,
[30:08] pre-trial appointments, anything court
related. [clears throat]
[30:12] Um, thank you guys.
>> Thank you.
[30:16] » So, our target when we got the first um,
grant from y'all was to keep recidivism
[30:23] below 10%. For folks that sign up and
stay with us for a year, it's four it's
[30:31] under 4%. So we feel like it is a
successful program but there were other
[30:36] successes we found along the way that we
weren't expecting. So if the clients are
[30:42] with us for six months
64 of them 64% of them have continuous
[30:49] sobriety during that time and only 8%
experienced a relapse. Um, one of the
[30:56] places where we are hoping is a growing
edge for us and we're hoping for
[31:01] improvement is the employment. The
employment for six months or more
[31:07] or we don't count it until they have
been employed continuously for six
[31:12] months. It's at 30%. So, we have um
written another grant hoping to be able
[31:20] to work on getting people trained for
better jobs. Some of our employees, of
[31:28] the 30%, nine of them have gotten
promotions. We'd like to see that get
[31:34] better and we think it can only get
better if they're better trained. So um
[31:39] the grant that we have applied for
requires this money because we have to
[31:45] do a 100% match and this money would be
about a third of that match for us and
[31:51] then we are anticipating
about 585 referrals in a year and that
[31:59] is based on real numbers that we have
had between the court referrals, the
[32:04] self referrals and the agency referrals
and we would not all of them will stay
[32:10] with us but a lot of them do and then
they know that we exist next time. So um
[32:19] I would like to say one of the main
things that I'm so proud of is our peer
[32:25] recovery specialists. I think that makes
the difference because they have the
[32:31] experience to connect almost immediately
to the folks that they're trying to help
[32:36] and then they definitely know how to
navigate them.
[32:40] » Thank you. You've heard the
presentations. Anyone seek recognition?
[32:44] Any questions or comments for our guest?
[32:51] Mr. Ward.
Scott, is there a friend here?
[32:56] » Yes, sir. There is.
[33:00] » Would you like to speak now or?
>> Well, I hate to put it on the spot.
[33:03] » Okay.
>> So nervous.
[33:06] » Welcome.
>> Take your time.
[33:07] » You're welcome.
>> Okay. Hey, I'm Caitlyn. I'm here to
[33:11] speak for the approval of the requested
grant for the Sultan County Anti-Drug
[33:14] Coalition.
I've been clean for two years and four
[33:17] months. I was in acquisition for seven
years and due to my addiction, I didn't
[33:21] have a relationship with my family or
daughter. I was at rock bottom and
[33:25] honestly didn't think I was going to
make it out. I was in and out of jail
[33:28] went to treatment three times. The last
time I went to jail, I was pregnant and
[33:32] didn't know what was going to happen to
me or my baby.
[33:36] But Judge Nelson Scott went with
Sullivan County Anti-Drug Coalition and
[33:40] pre-trial gave me the opportunity to
turn my life around. I completed a
[33:44] 28-day rehab and from there I went to a
mommy house at British Shore. I was
[33:49] there for a little over a year and
completed and graduated all the phases.
[33:53] They helped me to live a normal life
after addiction. In [cough] that
[33:56] program, I learned um accountability,
how to build a support network, and how
[34:01] to be financially responsible.
[34:05] While there, I also completed pre-trial
and got my license back. Since
[34:08] completing that program, I've continued
to work full-time. I completed probation
[34:13] and I'm a full-time mom. I know I have
done the work to get where I'm at today,
[34:17] but without these programs and the
amazing people in these programs or
[34:20] guidance,
[34:23] sorry.
[34:29] Okay, without these people and support
and guidance, I wouldn't be where I'm at
[34:32] today. I hope this program continues to
give other addicts the opportunity that
[34:36] I was given. They all sent me at my
lowest and believe me and supported me
[34:40] and helped me save my life.
to give addicts the support and hope to
[34:44] turn their lives around. This program is
vital to helping make productive members
[34:47] of society. Without Sen County Anti-Drug
Coalition, I would have just served
[34:51] another jail sentence and I wouldn't be
able to be the mom, sister, daughter, or
[34:54] person I am today.
[34:58] [applause]
[35:07] Questions?
[35:11] Thank Thank y'all very much.
>> Mr. Forester.
[35:15] » Hey, good evening y'all. My name is
Craig Forster. I am a treasurer for
[35:19] Sullivan County Recovery Restoration. Uh
Judge Goodwin's not be able to here here
[35:23] tonight. He's uh he's currently on
vacation. Um the folks that we serve are
[35:28] on the felony recovery court in Judge
Goodwin's court. So we get the u the
[35:33] hardest nuts to crack, the tough the
toughest ones. Uh they have to assess
[35:38] high risk, high need. They uh most of
them are mult multi-to felons who don't
[35:45] have a lot of the support some of the
other folks have. Uh we've hired a CPRS
[35:50] thanks to you all funding our project
last year who uh runs those folks
[35:54] everywhere, gets them everything they
need from um you know when the drug when
[35:59] they have to drug screen up here at the
board of probation and parole three to
[36:02] four times a week. He makes sure they're
there. He gets them to their dental
[36:06] appointments, their eye doctor
appointments, their doctor appointments.
[36:09] Uh Wednesdays when we have court up here
in Judge Goodman's court, he does a
[36:13] fantastic job with that. Um I'm going to
take that hat off. I'm going to put on
[36:18] another hat. Um I I'm a founder and
director of recovery resources. You guys
[36:23] have funded us for two years in a row.
And I just wanted to tell you all thank
[36:27] you. Um I'm a Solivan County guy. I grew
up here. Uh I love Svin County. And uh
[36:34] I'm a felon in this in this county. I am
um
[36:40] I'm a victim of the uh the opioid
epidemic. Like it like through and
[36:44] through. Like I I I'm the reason we have
funds here. And I can't thank you all
[36:50] enough [clears throat] for the way that
y'all delegated those funds, the way
[36:54] you've supported programs in our
community that do great work. Uh, I
[36:58] can't speak to the amount of good work
that the folks at Scad and Families Free
[37:02] do. Um, so thank you all for everything
you do and I appreciate you very, very
[37:08] much.
>> Thank you for everything you do, sir.
[37:10] Thank you. Anyone have any questions,
comments? Mr. Forester.
[37:15] » Thank you. Thank you for always. Thank
you for being here as always.
[37:20] [applause]
[37:24] » Were you seeking recognition, George?
You didn't hit your button.
[37:29] » Thank all of them. But on your desk, you
will find just exactly how much we have
[37:34] spent out the Opio development fund.
[clears throat] 3,183
[37:41] 254 cents. I am so proud of this
committee. And if I may, I'd like to
[37:45] read their names because it's been rough
meetings because there's so many that
[37:50] need help. But uh Jim Goodwin, Jeff
Cassidy, Travis Ward, Jessica Beans,
[37:59] Joe Carr, Larry Crawford,
Archie Pierce, Darling, and Zane. And
[38:08] they have they have really worked hard
to make sure this money [clears throat]
[38:12] goes to the right place to the right
place and hopefully we'll have some more
[38:16] to come. But thank all of you.
>> Thank you. [applause]
[38:22] Our
[38:27] next order, I'm going to ask Mayor Elect
Zane Vanover to go to the front and I'd
[38:33] like to invite
Mayor Richard Venel to the front.
[38:42] [applause]
[38:54] Just want to say that I'm very proud to
be the man that gets to stand right here
[38:58] and honor this man.
If I can be half the man he's been and
[39:04] have to get good a job this man's done,
then I'll be very, very proud of myself.
[39:08] So,
it's truly an honor to do this for
[39:11] myself. It's a proclamation and honor
and recognition of Richard S. Vable.
[39:16] Whereas Solen County Mayor Richard S.
Venal has been an important and
[39:21] respected presence in Sen County for
decades, including the 16 years of
[39:26] distinguished service as county mayor,
an illustrious chapter in a broader
[39:30] public service career that will
regretfully conclude on August 31st,
[39:35] 2026.
Whereas
[39:39] in serving the people of Sullivan County
with the highest degree of integrity,
[39:44] dedication, and professionalism, Mayor
Venal has consistently embraced the
[39:48] mantle of civic responsibility and
public stewardship. And whereas Mayor
[39:55] Venal is a generous and compassionate
member of the community who has made
[40:00] significant contributions to numerous
civic, religious, and charitable
[40:05] organizations. And whereas Mayor Benal
leaves a legacy of trust and cooperation
[40:11] among the citizens of Sullivan County
that transcends geographically,
[40:16] politically, and social boundaries. and
he will long be remembered as an
[40:20] advocate for responsible government and
the interest of working people. And
[40:25] whereas Richard Asbenville has been a
steadfast and influential leader among
[40:30] the decision makers of our time, a
gentleman whose talent, wisdom, and
[40:34] energy will selt be equaled and whose
presence and public service will be
[40:40] greatly missed. And whereas it is
fitting and proper that the friends,
[40:44] colleagues, and citizens of Sullivan
County honor this outstanding public
[40:49] servant, and recognize his many
accomplishments and contributions to our
[40:54] county. Now therefore, be it resolved
that the board of commissioners of
[40:58] Sullivan County, Tennessee, consisting
of the 24 members serving during the
[41:03] 2022
2026 term of office, hereby expresses
[41:08] its heartfelt gratitude and appreciation
to Mayor Richard S. Venal for his
[41:13] countless services to our citizens and
communities and honors him for his
[41:18] distinguished career in public service.
Be it further resolved that the board
[41:23] extends to Mayor Venible and his family
its sincere best wishes for continued
[41:28] success, happiness, and fulfillment in
all future endeavors. Be it further
[41:34] declared that August 28th, 2026 shall be
known and celebrated throughout Solen
[41:40] County as Richard S. been able day and
all citizens are encouraged to join in
[41:45] recognition and celebration in
celebrating his exceptional legacy of
[41:51] service.
[applause]
[42:02] [applause]
[42:12] I'm not going to keep you because they
got a heavy load tonight and I'm aware
[42:18] of that. But first of all, Commissioner,
it's been a pleasure serving with you.
[42:24] Thank you for all the work you did.
Thank you for being here. I know it's
[42:29] not easy to get here, but you've disting
distinguished yourself
[42:34] this year. And to those that are
remaining,
[42:40] be prepared to put your note to the
ground stone. Again, to those that are
[42:44] leaving, thank you. And I know you'll
find another way to serve your
[42:48] community.
[42:53] Thank you all for giving me the
opportunity
[42:56] to serve you. Um, it's been the greatest
joy of my life
[43:02] and I shall miss this.
But uh again, I wouldn't miss it for the
[43:08] world. Thank you.
[applause]
[43:28] » I'll take 48.
Now, Mayor Bill, if we could, Mayor
[43:33] Bill, if we could get a little more work
out of you, we've got some proclamations
[43:36] we'd actually like for you to present.
>> He thought you thought you were off.
[43:47] » I'm not sure what order you have them,
but they're all there.
[43:50] » I'm too choked up to talk, be honest.
[44:04] Scotty Murray, are you here? Scotty
[44:10] Scotty was probably out fixing your
roads.
[44:14] But we will deliver this proclamation to
Scotty.
[44:20] Whereas Scott Mary
has served the residents of Svin County
[44:25] with distinction, integrity,
and unwavering dedication through more
[44:29] than 45 years of exemplary service
with the Southern County Highway
[44:35] Department. [clears throat] Whereas
throughout his career, Scotty has worked
[44:39] tirelessly through challenging weather
conditions, maintenance operations, and
[44:44] infrastructure demands to help ensure
the safety, accessibility, and
[44:48] connectivity of Southern County roadways
and communities.
[44:55] And we're asked since assuming the role
of highway commissioner in 2018,
[44:59] Gotti has led continuous improvements in
the highway department delivery of
[45:03] public service emphasizing road
improvements, paving projects and prompt
[45:09] responses to hazardous weather events
and removal of dangerous debris.
[45:15] Whereas Scotty's cooperative service and
commitment partnership have strengthened
[45:20] the highway department collaborative
efforts with other local governments,
[45:24] agencies, and county departments,
resulting in numerous successful
[45:28] projects that have benefited the
citizens of Sen County.
[45:33] And whereas Scotty has been a val valued
member of the Salt Lake County Financial
[45:38] Management Committee,
contributing his knowledge, his
[45:42] experience, and sound judgment to the
county's financial stewardship.
[45:47] And whereas
Scotty's steadfast work ethic, positive
[45:52] attitude, and professional expertise has
earned him the respect and admiration of
[45:58] colleagues, public officials, and
citizens alike.
[46:03] leaving a lasting and positive impact on
Southern County and all those fortunate
[46:08] enough to have worked with him.
Now therefore, be it resolved that the
[46:13] Salt County Board of Commissioners does
hereby proclaim August 31st, 2026 as
[46:19] Scotty Scotty Mary Day on behalf of the
citizens of Sullivan County expresses
[46:26] its deepest gratitude and sincere
appreciation for his remarkable career,
[46:31] public service, leadership, and
dedication
[46:36] to the people of Southern County.
And with this here I here under second
[46:43] my hand that caused the seal of southern
Canada to be affixed on in blunt on the
[46:48] 20th day of August 2026.
Zane Vanover mayor elect
[47:00] [applause]
[47:05] make sure that that's delivered to
Scotty. He's been a wonderful public
[47:09] service uh servant.
[47:16] Council Street, would you join me up
here?
[47:23] [applause]
[47:28] This is a particular pleasure of mine
because I've always
[47:35] a great friend.
Proclamation honoring and recognizing
[47:40] Daniel Fe street for outstanding public
service. Whereas Daniel F Street has
[47:45] served with distinction as county
attorney for Sullivan County, Tennessee
[47:50] for 32 years, earning the trust and
overwhelming support of the citizens of
[47:55] Southern County through repeated
elections. Whereas through his tenure,
[48:00] Mr. Street has provided exceptional
legal counsel,
[48:05] guided Sel County through complex legal
matters, and safeguarded public interest
[48:10] with unwavering integrity,
professionalism, and dedication.
[48:16] Whereas his steadfast commitment to the
rule of law and his support of county
[48:21] government operations have profoundly
benefited southern citizens of Seldon
[48:27] County and strengthening the effective
administration of local government.
[48:34] Whereas Mr. Street is deserving a
special recognition for his tireless
[48:38] work ethic, ethic, sound judgment, vi
counsel, and enduring commitment to
[48:45] justice.
All of which have set the standard of
[48:49] excellence in public service.
Now therefore, be it proclaimed that the
[48:54] board of commissioners of Sullivan
County, Tennessee, hereby honors and
[48:58] recognizes
Daniel P. Street for his outstanding
[49:02] service, dedication, and contributions
to the citizens and communities of Selma
[49:07] County.
Be it further proclaim that this county
[49:12] commission, which Mr. M Mr. Street has
so faithfully and skillfully advised
[49:17] through eight four-year terms
extends its sincere gratitude and best
[49:24] wishes for him and his family for
continued happiness, success, and
[49:30] fulfillment of all their endeavors. Be
it further declared that August 21st,
[49:36] 2021 shall be observed and celebrated
throughout Sullivan County as Daniel P.
[49:42] three days
in recognition of his exemplary public
[49:47] service and lasting leg legacy and the
witness wherefore I want here to set my
[49:54] hand and cause
Silvin County Tennessee to be a fixed in
[50:01] on this 20th day of August 2026
signed by Zane Van
[50:08] mayor elect Dan I u I can't find the
word to tell you how much you have
[50:15] guided me and guided this commission
over the years. And uh I know your
[50:23] family's proud of you and we are equally
proud of you. We wish you the best.
[50:27] You've got a lot life before you and and
we we wish you the best in doing that.
[50:34] » Well, thank you. [applause]
[50:45] » [applause]
[50:49] » Well, it's truly been an honor. I you
know, who would have ever figured
[50:54] anybody would say that about me?
[laughter]
[50:58] Uh, you know, I don't know what to say,
but I will say this. Solomon County is a
[51:03] great county, a beautiful county, and
the people I've worked with are great
[51:08] people. Um, I really have a lot of pride
in this county, and I am so fortunate to
[51:14] been able to do this. Thank you.
[applause]
[51:29] » [laughter]
[51:38] » We have one more
and it's a very important one.
[51:44] Uh, is Jim McGomery here?
Jim faithfully comes most times. He
[51:51] might have found out we were doing this,
but uh if he's not, I hope I will
[51:57] deliver this personally to him. Uh he's
such a great guy. Proclamation honoring
[52:03] and recognizing James Jim McGomery.
Whereas James McGomery has served the
[52:09] residents of Sullivan County with
distinction,
[52:12] integrity, and unwavering dedication
through more than 46 years of exemplary
[52:19] service with Sen Highway Department.
and whereas since beginning his career
[52:26] on January 2nd, 1980,
last millennium,
[52:31] Jim has worked tirelessly through
challenging weather conditions,
[52:34] maintenance operations, and
infrastructure demands to help ensure
[52:38] the safety, accessibility, and
connectivity
[52:42] of Southern County roadways and
communities.
[52:46] Whereas steadfast work ethic, positive
attitude, and professional expertise
[52:51] have earned the respect and admiration
of his colleagues
[52:56] and the citizens he has faithfully
served,
[52:59] leaving a lasting and positive impact on
our county.
[53:04] And whereas his commitment to public
services
[53:08] by high standards of dedication and
professionalism
[53:13] and has contributed significantly to the
quality of life enjoyed by the resident
[53:18] soul county. Now therefore be it
resolved that the Sen County Board of
[53:24] Commissioners do
August 31st, 2026
[53:30] as Jim McGomery Day and on behalf of the
citizens of S County expresses a deepest
[53:37] gratitude and sincere appreciation
for his remarkable career of public
[53:44] service and dedication to the people of
this county
[53:48] and witness Miss by your honor set my
hand seal of Sen County, Tennessee to be
[53:56] a fixed emble on this 20th day of August
2026.
[54:01] Zane Venover Solen County mayor elect.
So I will pass on your thanks to Jim
[54:11] uh a wonderful man who uh sacrificed
much and came to work when it wasn't
[54:17] easy.
42 years of service. Uh we will miss
[54:23] Jim, we'll miss Scotty, and certainly
miss Dan Street. But uh fortunately,
[54:29] here in S County,
we have people who will step up and
[54:34] reflect your values
and your ambitions and your goals for
[54:40] Southern County.
And again, thank you for letting me
[54:44] serve you.
and uh I'll never forget your kindness
[54:49] to me. Thank you. [applause]
[54:55] And mayor,
Mayor Vimble,
[55:00] » I can't go.
>> Not yet. [laughter]
[55:07] Unless you're off the clock. [laughter]
>> While you were speaking, I went and got
[55:12] that box on the table. Our ne our next
our next item is the recognition of
[55:17] outgoing members and we have plaques for
you to present there.
[55:23] » Those can be work.
[laughter]
[55:28] » Would you like me to just pass them out?
>> Oh, you can call their name off. They
[55:32] can get a picture if they like.
>> You have a photographer.
[55:37] » I'll do I'll take pictures. You want to
do this?
[55:46] First up, Commissioner Barry Holland.
There he is. [applause]
[55:57] And Barry has stepped in.
>> This is the second time.
[56:01] » Second time. Yes.
>> To fill a seat. And he has done it with
[56:05] distinction and good humor and gave me a
clock one time so we could time public
[56:10] service.
>> Exactly.
[56:12] Sir, it's been a pleasure to
participate.
[56:17] Citizens of this community, anytime you
have an opportunity to be a part of the
[56:24] decision making in the community, a
chance to uh be with people like our
[56:31] outgoing mayor and our new mayor. It
would be a great pleasure and honor for
[56:37] you to do so. Thank you. Thank you.
>> [applause]
[56:46] » I'm walking on too.
[56:56] » Joe Mer.
[57:07] » Okay.
Hear me better?
[57:17] » [clears throat]
[57:23] » Commissioner Tony. Tony.
[applause]
[57:47] Mr. Daniel Haw Daniel here.
[57:54] » I will say that Daniel
has given greatly to the commission when
[58:00] he could.
Great young man. I wish him well.
[58:09] We will deliver this.
[58:15] [applause]
[58:21] We're going to [clears throat]
a bigger venue, but not want to thank
[58:26] more of you. I have a new house.
[58:36] » [applause]
[58:44] » Miss Darlene Kerton
[58:49] [applause]
[58:55] Darlene. I've known you for 30 years and
mispronounce your name.
[58:59] » You're right. You got Cooper with you.
>> Thank you, dear, for your service to
[59:05] Svin County. We've loved having you and
we know you'll do something.
[59:16] [applause]
[59:23] Cooper was actually the commission
mascot. Unofficial.
[59:29] Mayor Zayn Vanov,
[applause]
[59:37] as you make your way up here, I can say
that I can leave Sullivan County because
[59:43] of you and leave it in good hand.
>> You sure you don't want to change your
[59:47] mind?
>> No. [laughter]
[59:57] » [applause]
[1:00:01] » Jo, I'll put you down here somewhere.
>> Oh, okay. Well, let me get my picture
[1:00:05] taken.
[1:00:09] » Won't do you any good in the next
campaign.
[1:00:13] » So, thank you for your service and
dedication to Svin County and uh and
[1:00:18] your dedication to community. Thank you.
>> Thank you. THANK YOU. [applause]
[1:00:34] COMMISSIONER Jessica means
[applause]
[1:00:42] that seat was empty and I thought you
got 11.
[1:00:46] Congratulations.
[1:00:54] » [applause]
[1:01:01] » Mr. Hersel Glover
[applause]
[1:01:09] make his way up here. I want to also
thank him for being the one and only
[1:01:13] chairman of our financial management
committee that we established as a
[1:01:18] result of our private act.
[1:01:22] Thank you. Appreciate you. [applause]
[1:01:35] » Mr. David Hayes short trip, DAVID.
>> [applause]
[1:01:42] » HAS DONE A wonderful job for us and has
started his own business and we wish him
[1:01:47] well in that appreciate your service.
[1:01:54] [applause]
[1:02:05] Archie Pierce
[applause]
[1:02:12] has the distinction of having been here
twice and he's a couple of days my
[1:02:18] senior but can't thank him enough for
coming back and running to serve the
[1:02:24] people of Southern County. Uh Archie
many many years of service and thank
[1:02:28] you.
>> [applause]
[1:02:34] » We want our picture with me and Hunter
got him in this racket. So we're going
[1:02:38] to get
[1:02:54] [applause]
[1:02:59] Miss Cheryl Harvey,
[applause]
[1:03:06] she makes her way up here. I want to
thank her for moving back to her
[1:03:10] hometown when you could live anywhere.
Thank you, Cheryl. Thank you. Appreciate
[1:03:21] » [applause]
[1:03:26] » believe that's all and we will get
Daniels to him. Um John, you got
[1:03:32] anything else for me to do? I can tap
Daniel
[1:03:37] and I should have given you these as you
came up, but I'll leave them here and
[1:03:42] for to get your flags on safe and sound.
So, this is me SIGNING OFF.
[1:03:51] » [applause]
[1:03:59] » I ACTUALLY CALLED MAYOR TODAY AND I
offered him a as a uh appreciation and
[1:04:04] respect offered him the opportunity to
chair this meeting his last meeting as
[1:04:09] mayor and I won't tell you what he said
to me. [laughter]
[1:04:14] And also uh u on the outgoing
commissioner's desk there's another
[1:04:19] plaque distributed by uh by Mark
Torbett. So I hope you enjoy those as
[1:04:23] well.
[1:04:27] » Our next order is public comment on
agenda and non-aggenda related items. Is
[1:04:33] there anyone here that didn't get the
opportunity to sign up for public
[1:04:36] comment that would like to?
[1:04:43] While we're getting that squared away,
I'm going to go ahead and read our rules
[1:04:47] of public comment
pursuit to our local rule. Rule four,
[1:04:54] we'll recess for 30 minutes for the
purpose of hearing from the public.
[1:05:00] Each speaker is requested to state their
name and address for the clerk's
[1:05:04] electronic record. Though this is not
question answer, clarifying questions
[1:05:09] may be permitted. No speaker can
transfer or yield time to another
[1:05:14] speaker. Thank you very much.
Each speaker will be allotted three
[1:05:18] minutes uninterrupted and is asked to
direct all comments to the chair of the
[1:05:23] body and not the members.
At the end of the three minutes, I will
[1:05:28] let you know and I'll ask that you make
your final statements
[1:05:49] and I'll begin with agenda related
Gary instead of
[1:06:02] » Oh, I thought she was going to the
whale, sir. Excuse me.
[1:06:05] » Go ahead, sir. Now, Mr. Chairman, I'll
just do this from my desk. Uh, tonight
[1:06:09] I'm speaking about item 12, surveillance
cameras or better known as block
[1:06:14] cameras. One thing I want to point out
about this, this had nothing to do with
[1:06:18] the sheriff's department. Our sheriff's
department and our sheriff are topnotch.
[1:06:23] Most professional organization you're
going to find anywhere.
[1:06:28] The sheriff has decided to go ahead and
dis uh disable those cameras. They're
[1:06:32] not being used anymore. No one else can
use those cameras or the feed from them.
[1:06:37] So, at this time, we're going to
withdraw this resolution.
[1:06:41] The uh other question was about whether
this could be put on a referendum. Uh
[1:06:48] and it can. And one of the reasons why
in a constitutional local government,
[1:06:52] which Solen County has, the only
referendums that can be held according
[1:06:57] to state law are for sales tax. I even
hate even saying this one in this room,
[1:07:03] a will tax, annexation by cities,
general obligation bonds, liquor by the
[1:07:09] drink, wine sales, and grocery stores.
So tonight, there'll be no discussion on
[1:07:14] this. It'll basically when it comes up,
it'll be just withdrawn and move on.
[1:07:19] Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you,
Commissioner St.
[1:07:25] Caitlyn.
Forgive me if I mispronounce your name.
[1:07:29] I mispronounced eight out of 10. Caitlyn
Coulson.
[1:07:35] » Sir, that was uh Caitlyn that spoke
earlier with
[1:07:38] » Oh, okay. Thank you. Thank you very
much. Craig Forester, you wish to
[1:07:42] address the commission again? No sir.
Thank you,
[1:07:47] » Pam Eert.
[1:07:53] » Welcome. Thank you.
>> Thank you. And I appreciate the
[1:07:57] opportunity to speak tonight. I am Pam
Heert and I live at 212 Exit Lane,
[1:08:03] Blumble. And uh I serve on the board of
the Sullivan County Historical
[1:08:09] Preservation Association. It's a long
one and I've been on that board for 25
[1:08:14] years. Currently, I serve as treasurer.
And I'm not here asking for money for
[1:08:20] the historical association. I'm here to
remind everyone here that when the plan
[1:08:27] was developed for the hotel motel tax
and it was initiated in 2020, it was to
[1:08:34] promote tourism by helping the county
fund the historic buildings that it owns
[1:08:38] in downtown Lumpul. I want you to think
of what our town would look like without
[1:08:43] Anderson Townhouse and Blizzard Museum
and the Rutage House and Community
[1:08:48] Center, the Sheriff's Home and Jail. And
that was designed almost 20 years ago to
[1:08:55] be a welcome center and the jewel of our
downtown Blumble, the Dairy Inn and all
[1:09:01] the dependent buildings out back in the
park on the property. These historic
[1:09:06] buildings are what make Blumb unique. is
what's bringing tourists into our town.
[1:09:12] We can actually show people what history
looks like instead of them reading it
[1:09:16] out of a book. For those who have not
seen the inn lately, you're missing out.
[1:09:22] It's beautiful. A small group of
volunteers has been responsible for
[1:09:27] furnishing the buildings and opening
them for tours. But the county is
[1:09:31] responsible for maintaining them. and
doing that with 200 plus year old
[1:09:36] buildings is a that need a lot of care
is a tough thing to do.
[1:09:43] What I don't understand is why the
tourism money collected in Sullivan
[1:09:48] County is not used for that purpose.
When property taxes and sales taxes are
[1:09:53] collected, do we send that money out to
other counties for them to use for their
[1:09:58] budgets? I don't think so. When every
county has the ability to collect the
[1:10:03] same taxes that we do, why are we giving
our resources to four other counties? I
[1:10:10] don't have a problem with contributing
to NETA, but if it appears to me at this
[1:10:14] time that we are funding them. I think
the fact that Kingsport and Bristol have
[1:10:19] their own hotel motto motel tax at a
higher rate than what the county is and
[1:10:26] that's where all the hotels are that you
are doing the citizens of Sullivan
[1:10:30] County a major injustice by not using
these tax dollars for Sullivan County.
[1:10:36] What I really want to know is and hope
someone can tell me where the more than
[1:10:41] $1 million that's been collected in the
last three years has gone. And I
[1:10:46] appreciate that tonight Joyce is here
trying to help us with this issue and I
[1:10:51] hope you will support her. Thank you.
>> Thank you very much.
[1:10:56] [applause]
[1:11:00] » Allison Kathy,
>> welcome. Thank you.
[1:11:05] » My name is Allison Kathy. I live at 501
Hill Road, uh, Kingsport 37
[1:11:12] 664. Sorry. Um, I would like to ask a
clarifying question from uh uh
[1:11:18] Commissioner STDM. You said that the
cameras would be disabled. What exactly
[1:11:24] does that mean? I'm a little concerned
uh because I know in some cities those
[1:11:28] cameras have been disabled but not taken
down and after the Nancy Guthrie issue
[1:11:36] where a lot of questions were raised as
to why they were still able to access
[1:11:41] data uh new data even though she was no
longer signed up for Nest cameras they
[1:11:49] were still able I'm just wondering are
the you know what does disabling really
[1:11:53] entail handle.
>> The uh cables have been disconnected so
[1:11:57] that there's no feed off of the cameras.
>> Okay.
[1:12:00] » So, they're totally disabled.
>> Okay. I was I was coming to to voice my
[1:12:05] concern about the plot cameras, but
y'all seem to have taken care of it. And
[1:12:08] thank you very much for doing that.
>> Thank you for being here, man.
[1:12:11] [applause]
[1:12:14] » Mark Blizzard.
[1:12:19] » Welcome, sir.
>> Thank you.
[1:12:22] » Thank you for being here.
Let me [clears throat] Mark Blizzard 334
[1:12:26] Red Bud Laneville.
Um, first let me thank the commission
[1:12:32] and and the staff because I know this is
a tough job and it's often a thankless
[1:12:38] job and uh [clears throat] I want to
thank you all for doing what you do
[1:12:43] because it's not easy. I have a little
bit I experience to draw on. I was
[1:12:49] chairman of the Southern County Planning
Commission about 40 years ago.
[1:12:53] And uh I was here when they uh first
enacted zoning in so
[1:13:01] uh that was quite an interesting period.
You want to hear about those nightmares?
[1:13:08] I can share that with you someday. But
uh I I got a taste of what it must be
[1:13:12] like to do what you do. So just want to
thank you. Uh I'm [clears throat] here
[1:13:17] in support of uh the resolution to uh
use some of the lodging tax money to
[1:13:24] fund the historic building repairs.
Uh we uh I'm here as president of the
[1:13:31] Ralph Lizard Traditional Music
Association.
[1:13:34] We're located in the Henderson
Townhouse.
[1:13:38] » [clears throat]
>> We've been holding open free the public
[1:13:43] jams over there for over three decades
now. And so we've got the staying power
[1:13:49] and we've got the draw and we've got a
museum. We've had it for five years. Uh
[1:13:55] we had we have people from all over the
country coming in there. Uh foreign
[1:14:00] countries just the last few months,
Argentina and France.
[1:14:05] Um, our Facebook page gets over a
million and a half views a year. Uh,
[1:14:12] 500,000 of those are outside of this
area and [clears throat] about 75,000
[1:14:18] are outside the country. So, we have a
tourism draw potential and all that's
[1:14:25] really with no promotional effort. Uh,
so it's it would be a good use of the
[1:14:32] tourism money to do some of the work
that needs to be done on the Anderson
[1:14:37] townhouse to kind of keep us in
business. I give you an example. We
[1:14:42] we've been trying to get some funds
to improve the heating and ventilation
[1:14:48] and air conditioning for years and we
haven't been able to. And um people in
[1:14:55] our jam started having to leave early
because they were getting respiratory
[1:15:01] problems, sore throats, and so they come
play an hour or two and they leave
[1:15:07] because of those problems. Well, now we
found out that there's mold in the
[1:15:13] Anderson townhouse. So it has been
closed and the mold is there because we
[1:15:20] never got the heating and ventilation
and air conditioning
[1:15:24] corrected. So by not funding along the
way, we basically additional problems.
[1:15:32] So now we have mold remediation to build
this. So anyway, that's just one
[1:15:38] example. [clears throat] and these
buildings. Um,
[1:15:43] nobody else has these. We're the it's
one of a kind. There's no one else.
[1:15:50] And one of these days, you know, there's
going to be people, you know, our
[1:15:53] children, our grandchildren are going to
want to be able to visit these places
[1:15:59] and we've got people from outside the
area, tourists want to come in to visit
[1:16:03] and we need to keep them in a condition
that they can be utilized.
[1:16:07] Uh in addition to the uh tourism draw,
uh we also um uh helped start a youth
[1:16:17] music instruction program at Sullivan
Central Middle School. It's called
[1:16:22] Junior. It's Junior Appalache Musicians.
It's its own nonprofit [clears throat]
[1:16:27] and it provides lowc cost music
instruction and traditional music and
[1:16:33] streamed instruments
at a very low cost after school grades 4
[1:16:37] through 12. Let everybody know that
program exists because there's a lot of
[1:16:42] people not taking advantage of it. Uh
it's a great program. They've got over
[1:16:47] 60 of these programs in seven southern
states and uh [clears throat] which is
[1:16:53] highly rated and the youth element is a
big part of our community outreach and
[1:16:59] we actually um just recently received
some uh grant funding from Tensy Arts
[1:17:06] Commission. Uh [clears throat] and part
of it be used to add another program if
[1:17:11] you can take advantage of in the
townhouse.
[1:17:15] Uh but um we'll continue to work on
that. [clears throat] We also have an
[1:17:21] event from that uh commission of that
grant money uh partially funding uh an
[1:17:28] event for for that organization and
we're working with Birthplace Country
[1:17:32] Music to plan that event for next
spring.
[1:17:36] Uh we started a welcome center jam
session once a month at the uh
[1:17:42] Interstate 81 Tennessee welcome center.
People coming in off the road just love
[1:17:48] to come in and they get experience
exposed to that live music which
[1:17:53] Tennessee is a music state. So, uh,
that's another tourism outreach that we
[1:17:59] do and hopefully we'll be able to
provide some [clears throat] students
[1:18:03] from we work ETSU the, uh, Oldtown
Bluegrass and Roots music program. We
[1:18:09] bring them. We actually um received some
funding from the archives of tourism
[1:18:15] last year and we took some of those
students to a couple of the elementary
[1:18:18] schools in Sen County and they played
for the assembly of the kids. The kids
[1:18:24] love it. They just absolutely love it.
So Mr. Blizzard, you can wrap it up.
[1:18:28] » So there's a lot of good things that we
can we can do and we can continue to do
[1:18:32] that. It's good for tourism and for the
community and appreciate it if you help
[1:18:37] fund the building restoration.
>> Thank Thank you, Mark.
[1:18:40] » Next up is Victoria HS.
[1:18:52] » Welcome.
>> Hello. After last time, y'all never know
[1:18:56] what I'm going to look like when I come
in here. My name is Victoria Hun. I live
[1:19:00] at 4257 Rockold Road. My question is,
if you can withdraw item 12, how can you
[1:19:10] vote for item 10?
The argument last week was this is
[1:19:17] tracking us.
We don't need block cameras.
[1:19:23] But when you get these, the first screen
that pops up, brand new phone, what is
[1:19:28] it? terms of service and agreement
if you read that contract. If you don't
[1:19:34] read that contract, that's on you. But
you are agreeing to what they can follow
[1:19:38] on you.
And as far as that is confirmed for item
[1:19:43] 12.
Just because I agreed to those items on
[1:19:49] that contract does not mean I give the
federal government and Som County
[1:19:55] Sheriff's Department the authorization
to get into my phone. I've read over
[1:20:01] item 10. It's very vague. It doesn't
tell me what warrants them to get my
[1:20:07] information. Is it a warrant? Is it
because I'm arrested? What is it?
[1:20:14] It doesn't tell me what information they
can obtain.
[1:20:19] Is it just pictures? Is it text
messages? Also, I don't know. So, before
[1:20:24] you vote on item number 10, you also
need to be more specific.
[1:20:32] On a personal note, to all of you that
are leaving,
[1:20:37] I wish you the best on all your
endeavors.
[1:20:41] Many of you will be missed.
And I I'm sorry. I'm going to start
[1:20:46] blowing your phone up more now.
>> Thank you.
[1:20:51] » Thank you.
[applause]
[1:20:55] » Without objection, that brings us to the
end of agenda related items and next
[1:20:59] order is non-aggenda related items.
Invite Christy Burke.
[1:21:08] » Welcome. [clears throat]
Welcome.
[1:21:09] » Hi, good evening. My name is Christy
Burke and I live at 1135 Pit Loop and I
[1:21:14] am running to represent Tennessee's
first congressional district in the US
[1:21:18] House of Representatives which includes
Sullivan County. In February of this
[1:21:22] year, I watched citizens pack this room
asking this board to reject cooperation
[1:21:27] with ICE. And then I watched you shut
down public comments and approve an
[1:21:30] agreement with the federal government.
Anyway, there is a sickness in American
[1:21:34] politics right now, causing elected
officials at every level to forget who
[1:21:39] put them in these positions of
influence. It is time for us all to
[1:21:42] remember that lobbyists and powerful
families do not call the shots around
[1:21:46] here. The people, these people are your
boss and the people are paying attention
[1:21:51] to what is happening in Sullivan County.
This year, one man put thousands of
[1:21:56] dollars into multiple local races while
running for a seat himself. That same
[1:22:00] man previously served four years in
federal prison after pleading guilty to
[1:22:04] pharmaceutical fraud and then he
received a presidential pardon. Soon he
[1:22:09] will be seated on this commission.
Understand that the people are watching.
[1:22:14] They are watching the money. They are
watching the votes and they are watching
[1:22:18] who listens to them and who does not.
It's easy to make headlines by
[1:22:22] suggesting that the CEO of a
surveillance company should be publicly
[1:22:26] executed.
as one of your members did recently. But
[1:22:30] where was this outreach six months ago?
Having courage means standing up to
[1:22:34] power when it actually costs you
something. So tonight and every day
[1:22:39] forward, honor the voices of the
Sullivan County residents. If they want
[1:22:43] you to reject block, continue to reject
block and reject any government
[1:22:48] sanctioned violations of Americans
fourth amendment rights to privacy. Do
[1:22:53] whatever it takes to break this county's
ties to the company and to these
[1:22:56] cameras. And one last thing about
powerful families here in Sullivan
[1:23:01] County. Congresswoman Diana Harshburgger
is my opponent this coming November.
[1:23:06] Sullivan is her home county. Diana and I
are now asking these people for the same
[1:23:11] job and they deserve to hear from both
of us. No more hiding from the people
[1:23:16] that you were elected to serve. It is
time for a debate right here in Sullivan
[1:23:21] County. Anytime, any place. Let's put
our records and our visions of East
[1:23:26] Tennessee in front of the people and let
them decide. Earlier this week in Carter
[1:23:30] County, Diana told a group of women that
she couldn't remember my name. I believe
[1:23:34] that she lied about that and I think she
knows my name very well. But just in
[1:23:38] case, I'd like to remind her. My name is
Christy Burke and on November 3rd, I am
[1:23:42] coming for her seat
because I believe that our neighbors in
[1:23:47] Sullivan County and all across the
Congressional District have had enough.
[1:23:51] But Diana, if you forget my name again
after November 3rd, you can just call me
[1:23:55] Congresswoman. Thank you. [applause]
[1:24:02] » Jay Bowolf.
[1:24:17] » Good evening, sir.
>> Good evening. Jay Ela, 449 Lakeshore
[1:24:21] Road. Uh, wow. [clears throat] Following
that one, um, about a year ago, uh, your
[1:24:27] commission, uh, led a coalition of, uh,
county and cities to, uh, bring an
[1:24:34] airline into, um, Tri Cities Airport.
Um, that was Breeze Airways. And it was
[1:24:43] determined that you needed to subsidize
Breeze Airways. And the subsidy that you
[1:24:48] guys did was $10,000 a month from
Sullivan County. [cough] And together
[1:24:54] with the other seven counties and
cities, uh you subsidize them to the
[1:25:00] tune of a million dollars a year for two
years. Uh they basically had two routes,
[1:25:07] one to Washington DC and one to Orlando,
Florida. They recently announced that
[1:25:12] they are going to be terminating their
um Washington DC route on November 30th.
[1:25:19] So it did not last a year. Um I Googled
stuff and saw that because of the
[1:25:25] agreement and the way it was signed that
the um Washington route does not have to
[1:25:31] be paid for next year. So you can get
the money back. Um, what I would like to
[1:25:37] see is John Rose, who is the CEO of
Bridge, brought in here and explain what
[1:25:44] he plans to do with the money next year
because I think Breeze Airways has
[1:25:49] violated their agreement by cancing this
and that Salt County and the other
[1:25:55] counties and cities should basically not
have to commit to pay Airways next year
[1:26:01] because they're not living up to their
commitment.
[1:26:04] in Tri Cities's airport. Um, and I want
to personally applaud you for the fact
[1:26:12] that you're trying to uh do economic
growth to this community and to the
[1:26:19] airport, but economic growth is a
double-edged sword. You have to be very
[1:26:25] careful on what you're wishing for. Um,
when I first moved to Orange County,
[1:26:32] California in 1987,
we had three airports and I did a lot of
[1:26:38] business travel for the company I worked
for, McDonald. We had LAX, which was a
[1:26:43] nightmare, and we had Orange County and
Burbank, which were small airports.
[1:26:49] Because of population growth and
everything else that's happened, those
[1:26:53] airports are now monster airports with
20 to 30 gates and they're difficult to
[1:26:59] park at. They're difficult to get into.
They've got luggage concerns and
[1:27:04] everything else. Tri Cities is a very
nice small airport. When I first came
[1:27:10] here in 2019,
I landed, I got my luggage and I was in
[1:27:16] my rental car in a half an hour.
I have flown all over this country and
[1:27:22] parts of the world. I have never been in
my rental car in less than an hour and a
[1:27:28] half to two hours.
>> Mr. B, that's your your three minutes.
[1:27:31] You can make the closing statement.
>> Okay. We
[1:27:35] have to be careful on what you wish for
and you don't know how good you have it
[1:27:40] here with a small airport that's very
easy to get in and out of. Thank you.
[1:27:45] » Thank you, sir.
>> That completes the list. Is there anyone
[1:27:49] that wishes to address the commission?
[1:27:54] » You'll be held to the public comment
rules of uh I'll give you three minutes.
[1:27:57] Commissioner Car.
>> Commissioner Car, if you'll introduce
[1:28:01] yourself.
I don't think I need any introduction
[1:28:04] after last week.
>> Oh, just for the clerk's electronic
[1:28:07] record.
>> My name is uh Joe Carr Sullivan County
[1:28:10] Commissioner District 9. I live at 408
Berkeley Road, Kingsport, Tennessee. Uh
[1:28:15] on a side note there, the the woman the
Democratic nominee for Congress. I've
[1:28:20] already forgotten her name, but it seems
like she's upset that I get more
[1:28:22] headlines than she does. Uh anyways, uh
I would like to thank Sheriff Jeff
[1:28:28] Cassidy, our wonderful sheriff, for his
bold and outstanding leadership in
[1:28:34] getting rid of these cameras. I would
also like to thank future state
[1:28:37] representative Gary STDM for bringing
the resolution forward. It has been an
[1:28:42] honor serving with you the past four
years, sir. Over the past week, my
[1:28:45] comments have been viewed by millions of
people all across the country, and the
[1:28:49] verdict by the American people is quite
clear. They are tired of being spied on
[1:28:54] by their government. Our county and our
state are leading the country on this
[1:28:59] issue. That is why next month I will be
proposing the first ever trigger law
[1:29:04] regarding all ALP cameras here in
Sullivan County. That means that the
[1:29:08] moment that we are legally allowed to do
so by either the state legislature or
[1:29:12] Congress, Sullivan County will ban all
ALPRs, preventing any public or private
[1:29:16] entity from using them. Thank you all
for this attention to this matter. Thank
[1:29:21] you, Commissioner Carr. Does anyone else
from the audience wish to seek the wish
[1:29:26] to address the commission? You'll be
held to the 3minut rule, sir.
[1:29:29] » Yes, sir.
>> Any anyone else before we get too far
[1:29:32] along?
[1:29:38] [clears throat]
>> Just now recognized you.
[1:29:39] » Sorry. [laughter]
I'm Ken Austin, 2978 Island Road,
[1:29:44] Bonville, Tennessee. Um, I just wanted
to uh congratulate the winners of the
[1:29:50] last election and commend those that
served and those that participated. And
[1:29:56] uh
but uh a bit of good news that I had.
[1:30:00] Well, one thing about the uh election,
we had a couple of scary incidents.
[1:30:04] There's one over here in Blurb
[1:30:08] and drove between the tents and went
straight in and loaded. But nothing
[1:30:12] going to stop her from voting. She did.
do a good job. Uh but the scariest thing
[1:30:17] was we were all talking to each other
and coming to find out a lot of us are
[1:30:21] gross [clears throat]
kind of scary for us. Um but I have some
[1:30:26] good news. Uh I belong to Pipers Local
5308 in Johnson City. We're part of the
[1:30:31] UA which has 410,000 members in the US
and Canada and over 2100 signatory
[1:30:36] businesses. We recruited a business to
the area to set up a fabrication shop.
[1:30:42] Couldn't find anything in S County large
enough to accommodate them, but we found
[1:30:47] one in Rogersville was 200,000 square
feet manufacturing room. They ordered 80
[1:30:54] welding machines. Uh and starting in
October, once they get the building
[1:30:58] acclimated to what they want to do, they
have uh
[1:31:02] plans for between 100 and 150 pipe
fitters and welders. Uh these are pretty
[1:31:08] good jobs. Uh if you work 40 hours a
week there, you grows uh just under
[1:31:14] $90,000 a year plus your benefits on top
of it. The company will pay for your
[1:31:19] health insurance for you and your family
and for you and contribute to the
[1:31:24] national defined benefit pension. If
they work the schedule schedule with 610
[1:31:28] and an eighth
at the end of the year they work that
[1:31:32] for a year that be uh be close to
180,000 a year. That's pretty good for
[1:31:38] around here. We try to get it in soul
county. We're still going to constantly
[1:31:43] uh recruit our signatory businesses to
get them in here. To us, this is how you
[1:31:49] expand your tax base.
Good jobs. They come back and spend the
[1:31:54] money in the area and your businesses
and pay taxes. But anyway, I just wanted
[1:32:00] to thank everybody for being good to us
during the campaign. Uh we appreciate it
[1:32:06] and uh God bless you all and God bless
all the county.
[1:32:09] » Thank you, Mr. Osborne. Always always
love him here, sir. [applause]
[1:32:13] Before I close it out, anyone else?
Before I close it out, is there anyone
[1:32:17] else?
>> Yeah, I got some.
[1:32:23] » You will introduce yourself. Uh, name
and address. Thank you, sir.
[1:32:27] » Yes, sir. My name is David Barnes on 310
Road. I've uh read across social media
[1:32:33] where Halloween is going to be the day
where flock cameras are going to be
[1:32:37] taken down. I was just letting y'all
know because there's rumors of of them
[1:32:44] going to be doing that and I just wanted
to know um
[1:32:47] they're going to be left up I'm sure.
>> Is there anyone that can address that
[1:32:54] » cuz third party can tap into them?
>> Yeah,
[1:33:00] » Mr.
there there will be no tapping into them
[1:33:05] because they are completely taken
offline.
[1:33:08] » Okay.
>> I'm sure the company will be coming to
[1:33:11] pick them up sooner or later. Uh and any
anybody going out to damage something
[1:33:18] else that doesn't belong to them. That's
vandalism.
[1:33:23] » Yeah.
>> What's up on social media? The rumors
[1:33:28] going around. I just give you all a
heads up. Thank you. Thank you very
[1:33:32] much.
That brings us to the end of the list.
[1:33:37] There's no objection. Public comment
portion of the agenda is closed.
[1:33:43] Our next order of business is consent
calendar.
[1:33:47] Items on the consent calendar are 4 5 6
7 8 10 13 15 16 and 17. Consent calendar
[1:34:00] requires unanimous consent. Are there
any items anyone wishes to bump off or
[1:34:06] are there any items anyone wishes to add
to
[1:34:15] » Mr. Crossw.
>> Thank you, Chairman.
[1:34:20] I've got 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26,
27, and 28. These are all from the
[1:34:31] school department. They are either um
budget transfers or grants that have no
[1:34:37] matching money or reimbursements.
I'd like to put this on, this is the
[1:34:42] first time we've seen it. I'd like to
put this on the consent calendar unless
[1:34:45] you all want to hear it all. None of
them are new money or matching funds.
[1:34:49] They're all
>> reimbursements as well.
[1:34:53] » Matching funds
for reimbursements.
[1:34:56] » Is there any objection to adding these
items to the consent calendar
[1:35:02] » for the for the uh course electronic
records? If we could read those one more
[1:35:06] time.
>> The numbers again. 19 20 21 22 23
[1:35:17] 24 25 26 27 and 28.
[1:35:26] » Is there any objection?
[1:35:30] Objection. 19 through 28 are at. Does
anyone else seek recognition?
[1:35:34] » 2930.
Commissioner Lock moves 29 and 30 to the
[1:35:39] consent calendar. What are those, sir?
>> That's a transfer from school board
[1:35:45] sheriff's office
and uh it's a budget transfer
[1:35:53] to grant no new match funding.
>> So those are
[1:35:58] » so those are one's a transfer and one's
a grant. There's no demand.
[1:36:05] Anyone object to 29 and 30 being added
to the consent calendar
[1:36:14] got this
entertain
[1:36:20] uh 31 grand money
[1:36:29] ran low on uh this year and we're having
$65,550
[1:36:36] transition transfer
>> transferring from one line to the other.
[1:36:39] Anyone have any objection to item 31? 31
being added to the consent calendar.
[1:36:50] I've got one more number.
[1:37:09] » You can read those, Madam Clerks, and we
can make sure we got them on.
[1:37:15] Consent agenda items four, five, 6, 7,
8, 10, 13, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22,
[1:37:30] 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, and 30.
[1:37:43] Is there entertain a motion for the
consent calendar?
[1:37:46] » Motion to approve consent calendar by
Commissioner Acre, second by
[1:37:50] Commissioner Countton. Any further
discussion on consent calendar requiring
[1:37:54] unanimous consent? When the board opens,
please cast your vote.
[1:38:09] requiring unanimous consent.
[1:38:16] » Has every member voted? Has any member
wish to change the [laughter] vote?
[1:38:20] Madam clerk,
>> 22 yes, two absent.
[1:38:24] » Thank you, madam clerk. Having received
the necessary majority of the votes
[1:38:27] cast, the consent calendar is approved.
[1:38:34] Next order, review of resolutions under
old business.
[1:38:38] Uh,
Mr. Ward.
[1:38:43] Never mind. Take your old business
first.
[1:38:49] If you'll hit if you'll hit your button
again, Mr.
[1:38:52] » Mr. Stum, item number one. Thank you,
Mr. Chairman. Uh, this resolution is
[1:38:58] going to be wrote into September and the
new sponsor of it will be Joe Carr.
[1:39:04] » Thank you, Commissioner St. Sponsor.
defers item number one to the September
[1:39:11] calendar.
[1:39:16] » All right.
>> Okay.
[1:39:19] » All right. Fell,
>> which one's next?
[1:39:24] » Is item two?
>> Recognize Commissioner Crosswide on item
[1:39:28] number two.
>> All those on the consent. It's been hard
[1:39:30] to keep up with. Commissioner Crosswide.
>> Thank you, Chairman.
[1:39:35] like put this on consent, too, because
this is not any taxpayer money.
[1:39:40] » We've already approved the consent
calendar.
[1:39:41] » I tried I tried, guys. Okay. Uh this
money, this $100,000 I wait everyone
[1:39:49] had this list that wrong list. It'sund
and
[1:39:57] overund
30 something,000.
[1:40:01] We did have Steve Wilson come in. He's
an architect.
[1:40:07] He did a professional assessment
here. But it's going to take $130,000
[1:40:14] just to fix the things that aren't
really covered in the Anderson outside.
[1:40:19] Thank Mr.
[1:40:26] Wizard. Thank you.
We've had to shut that building down
[1:40:30] because it has
in it. That's going to cost $75,000.
[1:40:35] So, there is a grant coming up. I think
it is open sand. We're going to need
[1:40:39] every bit of that. So,
[1:40:44] we need the full 130.
And I would appreciate your vote. Let's
[1:40:50] keep these buildings.
Let's keep them for our future for our
[1:40:54] children.
[1:40:57] This is on waiver.
[1:41:01] » You heard the explanation of item number
two. The floor is open for discussion.
[1:41:04] Recognize Commissioner Means.
>> Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Um, is Mr. Mark
[1:41:09] Blizzard still here? Do you know
>> he had spoke about another youth
[1:41:14] program? I just didn't know. Do you
happen to know what he's talking about
[1:41:18] that they apply for?
[1:41:23] » I know that one. One of my one of my
sons was involved in that one. I just
[1:41:28] didn't know he had mentioned another
type of program and I just thought I'd
[1:41:32] ask if he knew a grant through the
commission of arts.
[1:41:36] » Yes.
[1:41:45] » Okay. Um, well, my only issue is the the
process and obviously it's not going to
[1:41:53] get cleared up tonight. I think I've
been very clear about me being a big
[1:41:57] advocate and cheerleader of this
downtown. And so, um, I just I needed to
[1:42:03] make that statement that I believe we
need to try to to clear up a process in
[1:42:08] the future because we've got lots of
historical buildings within Sullivan
[1:42:12] County. and I got an email from a
constituent asking about Netherland and
[1:42:19] » yeah so um you I think this is a good
first step but um I also would like to
[1:42:26] just I don't know if this is in the
works you might know this or some of the
[1:42:30] folks you've been involved in thank you
for what you've been doing Pam and all
[1:42:34] the things y'all been doing over the
years but um I really love what they're
[1:42:39] doing at the exchange place and uh I
just just as a citizen, I would just
[1:42:45] love to see something similar to that
come into this area to ex to truly
[1:42:51] expound on that. So, we need to take
care of all our historical
[1:42:57] buildings. We are rich in this area. We
truly rich, but Kingsport, they have
[1:43:02] funds. This is this will be coming out
of local funds. Kingsport has funds and
[1:43:07] Bristol has funds. So, this will be
strictly local and I'll be more glad to
[1:43:11] work with Kingsport in Bristol too to
make sure they can or one of the
[1:43:16] Kingsport commissioners can ask for
money from their we need to take care of
[1:43:20] this. We're setting on we're setting on
a wealth of history here.
[1:43:26] » Yes.
>> And we need to take care of it.
[1:43:28] » So that was what I was kind of circling
back to that question is I was wondering
[1:43:32] if that new um application that program
that he was speaking about if it was any
[1:43:38] relation to something similar to what
Exchange Place does. Does anybody know
[1:43:41] that qu the answer to that? No. Okay.
All right. Thank you.
[1:43:49] » Commissioner,
[1:43:52] » did you cut your mic off? Commissioner
still.
[1:43:54] » Yes, Mr. Chair.
>> Commissioner Cross. I think I didn't cut
[1:43:59] it off.
>> Thank you, Chair. This is just a point
[1:44:01] of order. This is on old business. It's
not waver. So, that should mean Is am I
[1:44:06] correct in saying this has been read
once?
[1:44:10] So it's 13 votes for passage, not w
>> I'm sorry.
[1:44:14] » You introduced this the first time a
month ago, correct? So it's this is on
[1:44:19] it's not Weber roads.
>> Okay.
[1:44:21] » I just appreciate all of you vote for
this.
[1:44:24] » Thank you.
>> Commissioner I just want to say that uh
[1:44:28] I was on that board three years ago. The
same list actually less of the list
[1:44:34] that's that we're given tonight was
$95,000
[1:44:38] I think. Now we're at $139,000 for less
of the same thing. So the longer we kick
[1:44:43] this can the the longer I mean I'm not
I'm not opposed to what we're doing. It
[1:44:48] should bring tourism in but we just need
to take care of snow.
[1:44:51] » We need to go ahead and fix it before it
gets more expensive and we got to save
[1:44:57] these buildings. Let's just start. Let's
just start.
[1:45:03] [clears throat]
>> You heard anyone else seek recognition?
[1:45:06] Commissioner Crosslight renews her
motion for passage of item number two.
[1:45:10] When the board opens, please cast your
vote on item number two, requiring 13
[1:45:13] votes for passage.
[1:45:22] Has every member voted? Does any member
wish to change their vote? Madam clerk,
[1:45:29] » 22 yes, two absent.
>> Thank you, madam clerk. Having received
[1:45:34] the necessary majority of the votes
cast, item number two is adopted.
[1:45:39] Next order, recognize Commissioner
Harvey. Item number three.
[1:45:46] Thank you, Mr. Chairman. When I ran for
this commission seat four years ago, I
[1:45:52] knocked on hundreds of doors and at each
one of those doors, I introduced myself
[1:45:56] as a Christian. I believe this one word
told them what my core values and
[1:46:01] principles were and how my decisions and
my votes as a Selma County Commissioner
[1:46:06] should align with those core values.
This resolution to help feed our Solomon
[1:46:12] County school children who have been
identified as food insecure and
[1:46:17] chronically hungry comes down to two
words, God's love. Love overcomes
[1:46:23] division and unites people in purpose
and mission. The depth and width of our
[1:46:30] love for others simply comes from God's
love in us. I hope that our vote tonight
[1:46:35] to support this resolution to assist in
feeding hungry children in Selwin County
[1:46:40] will be a witness of God's love.
[clears throat] Thank you.
[1:46:47] » Heard explanation on item number three.
Four is open for discussion on item
[1:46:50] number three and one seek recognition.
[1:46:55] Commissioner Cal.
>> Thank you, Chair. I would like to be
[1:46:58] added as a co-sponsor.
>> Anyone else seek recognition?
[1:47:07] » Commissioner Harvey. Everyone voting in
the affirmative be all right to add them
[1:47:10] as a co-sponsor. Everyone voting in the
affirmative added as a co-sponsor. Thank
[1:47:15] you. Anyone else seek recognition?
[1:47:23] Without objection, when the board opens,
please cast your vote on item number
[1:47:27] three, requiring 13 votes for passage.
[1:47:40] Has every member voted?
Does any member wish to change their
[1:47:44] vote?
Madam clerk,
[1:47:48] » 20 yes, two no, two absent.
>> Thank you, Madam Clerk. Having received
[1:47:54] the necessary majority of the votes
cast, item number three is adopted.
[1:48:05] That brings us to the end of our old
business. Under new business, we
[1:48:08] recognize Commissioner Cole on item
number nine.
[1:48:18] Thank you, Mr. Chairman. This resolution
is to appropriate $100,000 for the
[1:48:21] operation, maintenance, staffing, and
improvement of the Blunt Athletics
[1:48:26] Facility. I thought Mr. Bailis gave us a
great presentation last week.
[1:48:32] So, I would like to ask waver rules for
this and just thank you all. Let's
[1:48:38] provide opportunities for our children's
families and keep them on the field.
[1:48:44] » You've heard the explanation of item
number nine
[1:48:46] » and everyone voting in the affirmative
be added as a co-sponsor.
[1:48:50] » Thank you, sir. You've heard the
explanation for item number nine. The
[1:48:52] floor is open for discussion. Sponsor
moves waiver of rules requiring 16 votes
[1:48:57] for passage. Recognize Commissioner
Irish.
[1:48:59] » Michael
had a person ask me a day question I
[1:49:03] couldn't answer so I got asked tonight
to make sure where we're at on it. the
[1:49:07] funding of this didn't make it in the
budget. We talked about that and TJ was
[1:49:11] here, I believe, I believe it was TJ was
his name, was here last week talking
[1:49:15] about what he's going to do and his
ideas. Um, is this TJ's budget and one
[1:49:20] additional or is this an additional
person beyond TJ's budget? And I mean,
[1:49:25] » this will be in his budget. It will fall
under him, his longtime employee.
[1:49:32] So, we're going to have TJ and a
full-timer and a part-timer. Or is the
[1:49:36] full-timer TJ?
>> Fulltime TJ, fulltime, part time.
[1:49:41] » Okay. So,
I guess my concern, we showed a couple
[1:49:47] things about money and what we're going
to be making of things. Uh, we knew when
[1:49:52] we did the fields that were going to
have needed scheduling. We did an online
[1:49:56] program for that. We got a lot of that
stuff going on.
[1:50:00] Um, if TJ's not in this, then we're
probably north of $160,000
[1:50:06] of employee cost for that, about $3,000
a week. I'm kind of concerned that
[1:50:14] it seems like a pretty big step. I mean,
I understand that TJ says are very busy
[1:50:17] and I understand that and I want to make
sure we do everything we can for our
[1:50:20] citizens here, but um I'm trying to wrap
my head around adding two ball fields
[1:50:26] and a gym and pickle ball courts is two
and a half people.
[1:50:30] » I don't know if this will help or answer
the question is what Mr. Bailey gave me
[1:50:33] when he said this would work.
>> No, no, I understand. I'm not I'm not
[1:50:38] trying to because I know you're scary. I
I get that. But but two and a half
[1:50:42] people to do a couple of ball fields
that aren't used full-time weekend
[1:50:49] coverage mostly. And I'm just concerned
about that. It seems like a significant
[1:50:55] amount because I knew when we went in
that we first started talking about the
[1:50:58] park and all the expansion we're going
to do at the park, we knew we were going
[1:51:01] to have to hire somebody. That was a
given. We were going to hire somebody
[1:51:05] » and we hired TJ.
So hiring another person and a half,
[1:51:12] it just seems like a lot a lot of
employee cost for
[1:51:16] of ball fields and pickle ball court. So
just just concerned about that because
[1:51:20] that's this is not saying onetime money
onetime money now, but it won't roll
[1:51:23] into the budget next year.
>> So
[1:51:27] that's rejuring cost. Yeah.
>> Yeah.
[1:51:30] » I'm concerned about that. That's pretty
high. I mean, even even the numbers that
[1:51:34] he showed us, this one tournament got
$4,200. Well, that's barely going to
[1:51:38] cover a normal week for what we're gonna
pay for.
[1:51:41] » But he's just getting started, though.
So, I think you can make it work. I
[1:51:45] really do if we get him to help.
If not, can we revisit it? And
[1:51:53] let's revisit it.
want to make that compliment
[1:52:00] recognize Commissioner Vanover and
Commissioner Crossw.
[1:52:03] » Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I'll try to
answer try to help answer some of those
[1:52:07] questions. U Mr. Baylor's salary comes
out of the building maintenance budget.
[1:52:12] So, that's not on top of that. So, his
salary comes from a different budget.
[1:52:19] I'm sorry. And the reason that we didn't
put this in the budget was because it's
[1:52:23] hopefully it's a one-time expenditure
and we don't like to put onetime
[1:52:28] expenditures in the budget. Hopefully
when the next budget cycle rolls around
[1:52:33] that it'll be self- sustaining and we
won't need to put this in the budget and
[1:52:36] it can be a one-time expenditure. So I
hope that answers some of those
[1:52:39] questions.
[1:52:42] » Mr. Crossw.
>> Thank you chairman. Sitting through
[1:52:46] these meetings one person cannot do
this. We we talked about ball fields.
[1:52:50] Ball fields. Well, there's gyms.
Those gyms [clears throat] they have to
[1:52:54] take care of. Those ball fields have to
be just mowed a certain way. Um it's not
[1:53:01] like when we play, you know, you just
got hit in the face of a rock there. But
[1:53:07] I don't think this is unreasonable. And
like Mayor Manover said, $100,000 and
[1:53:13] that just don't make it a budget item.
Just give it to him now.
[1:53:18] But I also think this is
a a part-time and then a seasonal also a
[1:53:24] seasonal worker full one full time and
one seasonal worker and been over there.
[1:53:31] It's a lot to take care of. So I think
we're on track one time but it's needed.
[1:53:38] I truly believe it's needed. Thank you.
>> Commissioner Glover and Commissioner
[1:53:44] King.
>> Thank you Mr.
[1:53:46] just voted on the resolution before to
give $50,000 onetime funding to an
[1:53:51] organization that's nonprofit that's got
30ome million dollars laying there and
[1:53:56] we're here worrying about giving the
kids that plays baseball and wants to
[1:54:00] play ball on this campus
not the same opportunity. Okay.
[1:54:06] I think u I think it's a good idea to
invest those kids have been through hell
[1:54:11] the last year. You took their ball field
away from them up there. They didn't
[1:54:14] have no work to play and parents had to
scatter them all over the county. Now
[1:54:18] they got an opportunity to come back and
grow and make a a positive impact on
[1:54:23] Bluntville
and investing what Michael was asking
[1:54:27] for in those kids that's going to affect
hundreds and hundreds of kids and
[1:54:33] families. It's it's it's not even an
option. I'm in 100% of it. I think it's
[1:54:39] needed. uh uh Michael and and his group
there. The reason it came in like it did
[1:54:45] was just didn't have time to get all the
stuff together beforehand and I think
[1:54:50] it's a a well worthwhile effort to help
those kids. Like I said, the the Blumble
[1:54:57] ball team, they didn't ask for their
ball field to be tore down and they
[1:55:01] didn't ask for all that. But this fell
here is like you said, he was there one
[1:55:05] night till 1:30 in the morning and
another night he was there till 12:30,
[1:55:09] 1:00. So to make a go that over, he's
going to have to ask and I'm 100% in
[1:55:14] support of it.
>> Mr. King,
[1:55:18] thanks chairman. Um I agree with what
Hersville says. Being involved with our
[1:55:23] a center, I know what it takes to to do
this stuff. And when you've got uh
[1:55:28] programs at night, programs during the
day, you can't be there
[1:55:34] 20 hours, you know, a day. And you got
to have somebody there looking after it,
[1:55:40] making sure that, you know, there's no
vandalism going on, the programs are
[1:55:44] working, you know, and then you got to
do your contracts when people come in
[1:55:50] there to rent the place to do stuff.
Then, you know, hopefully we can get the
[1:55:54] gym fixed and we're working on that to
get the bathrooms and get the gym or the
[1:56:01] cafeteria, I'm sorry, the cafeteria
fixed so we can rent it out. And that
[1:56:06] will be another uh avenue of revenue
coming in. And also in in those gyms,
[1:56:13] you know, um I don't think we're getting
a whole lot of money out of gyms right
[1:56:17] now, but that can change if we've got
somebody that will be there and see
[1:56:23] who's there, who's coming in, and set up
a program to where we're getting paid
[1:56:28] for the lights and utilities and
everything. We You got to do that. If
[1:56:33] you're going to keep these buildings and
keep these uh uh facilities up, you've
[1:56:38] got to do it. If you don't, they'll
going downhill and then, you know, we
[1:56:43] wasted all this money. So, I'm in total
100% of this. I knew we was going to
[1:56:48] have to do it at some time. And now that
we've got all these ball games going on
[1:56:53] there in the afternoons and then at
night, too, we going to have to have
[1:56:57] somebody there fulltime in the in the
daytime and at night time when those
[1:57:03] programs are going on.
I'm in favor of
[1:57:07] » Commissioner Hopper.
>> Just uh if I did I understand that this
[1:57:11] was a one time expense this $100,000?
>> Yes.
[1:57:16] » Well, and you expect that income off
this is going to supplement over the
[1:57:21] year for the $100,000 plus. Now, are we
including in this um utility cost,
[1:57:30] electricity, water, etc.
That that's supposed to be with
[1:57:35] hopefully what we can generate
>> off what you can generate.
[1:57:38] » Yes. The tournaments brought in. You
remember last week, Mr. Bis?
[1:57:43] » Well, you're going to try to start a
business basically and most businesses
[1:57:48] don't start out unless you get enough
funding and resources, they don't do so
[1:57:53] well. So, my concern is, have you
budgeted enough for what you anticipate
[1:58:00] doing? We'll
revisit.
[1:58:05] » So next year you'll come back for more.
>> Nothing.
[1:58:09] » Okay.
[1:58:14] » Mr.
>> Thank you, Chairman. Um, no,
[1:58:20] Commissioner Iris is asking good
questions and the public should ask
[1:58:22] these questions and I kind of relate it
to observation park. I was I was the
[1:58:28] cheerleader to get rid of that place
four or five years ago. But we got the
[1:58:32] right person in there and now it's
completely turned itself around. And
[1:58:36] that's what I look at this kind of
opportunity. I think TJ, Mr. Bis is
[1:58:41] seems to be the right person uh to be
there and um and yeah, it's not going to
[1:58:47] turn a profit like Commissioner Hopper
said the first year probably, but we got
[1:58:51] to get the right tool, give him the
tools to succeed. And so u that's why I
[1:58:56] think as Commissioner King and Glover
said, it's it's the right thing to do.
[1:59:00] And I'm excited to see what we can do
there because we had a lot of meetings
[1:59:04] over there this past spring and that
place has been very wellreceived and so
[1:59:10] it's been a great investment in the Bl
community and excited to go forward.
[1:59:16] » Commissioner Ms.
>> Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Um I'm so
[1:59:20] excited about it. As you know, I I
believe we should be doing everything we
[1:59:24] can for the kids in this town, but I do
want to when this was presented years
[1:59:30] ago, the
conversation was that costs were going
[1:59:35] to remain low for the lower income
um families also. Um is that still
[1:59:45] a goal of this county for this property?
because we talk about a profit and
[1:59:50] obviously we need to have some funds to
cover that but that's still a goal here.
[1:59:55] » I'm sure Mr. Bis will work with
>> All right. Thank you.
[2:00:00] » And like I said, not to get off topic of
the resolution, but hopefully we'll have
[2:00:04] a farmer or venue venue as Commissioner
King said last week, we can have a venue
[2:00:09] in the near future. Thank you.
[2:00:14] » Anyone else?
Commissioner Cole recognizing for a
[2:00:18] final motion on item number nine.
>> I just appreciate your support.
[2:00:21] [clears throat] Anybody voting will be
added.
[2:00:24] » Waiver waiver of rules on
>> waiver of rules please. Yes.
[2:00:28] » Sponsor moves renews his motion for
waiver of rules on item number nine
[2:00:34] requiring 16 votes for passage. When the
board opens, please cast your vote on
[2:00:38] item number nine, waiver of rules.
[2:00:53] Has every member voted?
Does any member wish to change their
[2:00:58] vote?
Madam clerk,
[2:01:02] » 22 yes. 20%.
>> Thank you, Madam Clerk. Having received
[2:01:06] the necessary majority of the votes
cast, item number nine is adopted.
[2:01:11] Without objection, recognize
Commissioner Ward on item number 11.
[2:01:15] Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Thank while I'm reading this, I want to
[2:01:20] bring a couple people up that's been
here waiting on us. Couple folks in
[2:01:23] Battle Health, Brook Graham and Matt
Harper.
[2:01:27] [clears throat]
Jill, you might as well come on up here,
[2:01:30] too. I'll hide back here in the corner.
And two of our sessions court judges,
[2:01:34] Judge Nelson and Judge Vance. Uh, this
resolution approving acceptance of a
[2:01:39] $4,500 grant to create a reset room to
aid in positive mental health and stress
[2:01:45] reduction for participants for the court
proceedings. Um,
[2:01:50] Ballot has generously donated
uh proceeds for this room with only two
[2:01:58] stipulations really or two exceptions is
one that S County display a plaque
[2:02:03] outside the room uh that it was donated
and provided by Ballot Hill and that the
[2:02:08] county which I think the city judges
will take care of um a number of room
[2:02:14] uses per month and a number of uses in
that month where the user expresses
[2:02:19] feelings of improvement, benefit from
using [clears throat] this room. Uh,
[2:02:24] Judge Nelson, you talk a little bit
about this room and what it's going to
[2:02:27] do. [clears throat]
>> Good evening. I'm Teresa Nelson. I'm one
[2:02:32] of the Bristol General Sessions judges,
but I'm also a juvenile court judge
[2:02:35] along with Judge Doug Vance. And one of
the things that we face routinely are
[2:02:42] children that have been removed from
their homes as a result of dependency
[2:02:47] and neglect. And what that means is that
through no fault of the child, their
[2:02:52] home environment is no longer safe for
them. And so they are placed in the
[2:02:57] department's custody or they're placed
in a relative's custody. And so they've
[2:03:01] been removed from their home. So part of
what happens is that regularly they come
[2:03:06] to court and they see myself or judge
bands and right now what we have is a
[2:03:13] conference room and so the children come
and they sit and there's no stimulation.
[2:03:21] Um they're often there for a couple
hours. Sometimes they're called as
[2:03:26] witnesses to testify which is very
traumatic for them. It's it's an
[2:03:31] uncomfortable situation. Sometimes the
parents are not receptive. Sometimes the
[2:03:38] parents aren't willing for them to come
home. And so these children feel
[2:03:42] feelings of abandonment. Um they're
scared, they're nervous, they're in an
[2:03:46] unfamiliar setting. And so um many of
you are familiar with the Isaiah House
[2:03:52] and that is a home that is provided on
the day of removal. But what we face in
[2:03:57] the courts um on a weekly basis is
seeing children in an environment that
[2:04:03] is um very sterile um I wouldn't say
unfriendly but to them it's it's not a
[2:04:09] welcoming place and so Ballot has
graciously um extended this to our
[2:04:14] county and we are so grateful and
anxious to put this into place very
[2:04:20] quickly. Um Judge Mance can also talk
about other uses.
[2:04:25] Yeah, I'll be brief. Um, we we've spoke
to the judges in in Washington County. I
[2:04:31] believe they they have a reset room
courthouse calming room. Uh, really
[2:04:36] excited about about using this for the
juvenile for the juvenile uh court, but
[2:04:42] also uh I do the domestic violence court
in Bristol and that [clears throat] it
[2:04:46] can be uh for these for the domestic
violence victims uh coming to court. You
[2:04:52] know, one problem we have is getting
them there
[2:04:57] for multiple reasons, but uh but they
can be very anxious when when they when
[2:05:02] they get the courthouse. This would be a
resource we could use to to help them
[2:05:06] out, help them try to help them not be
as anxious so they can make it through
[2:05:12] this difficult time in their life where
they've been a victim of domestic
[2:05:16] violence. And so, anything we can do uh
to
[2:05:20] to make it easier on them is a great
appreciate Val stepping up and and
[2:05:29] donating
this these funds and we look forward to
[2:05:34] putting it together
>> and this is at no cost at all to the
[2:05:38] county. This is 100% donation um that we
will utilize and can explain a little
[2:05:44] more about what it's going to look like
when it's finished.
[2:05:51] » Good evening. My name is Broo Graham.
This is Matt Hoffer. We both work for
[2:05:55] Valley's Behavioral Health Division. Uh
he and I both have responsibility of our
[2:05:58] outpatient services program. And you've
got a little bit of collateral in front
[2:06:01] of you that I thought would just be
beneficial as you kind of orient
[2:06:05] yourself to what we've been doing. We
stepped into the schoolbased realm in
[2:06:09] 23. You might kind of correlate that
with the time frame of postcoid because
[2:06:15] students were needing support. And we
have found fruitful uh results from our
[2:06:20] relationships with the school systems.
We're now in 39 schools across the
[2:06:24] Appalachian Highlands region. Uh we are
in Sullivan County schools.
[2:06:27] Superintendent Carter was just here and
we've been working with him in Sullivan
[2:06:30] County Middle and a couple of additional
elementary schools. Um as Judge Nelson
[2:06:35] and Judge Vance said, we're in two
courthouse calling rooms already. That's
[2:06:39] Washington County, Tennessee and
Greenville, Tennessee, and this will be
[2:06:42] the third one. Um 50 visits to date
since November of 24 Washington County
[2:06:48] um and Green County have used. And you
may say that's a very small number, but
[2:06:51] at the end of the day, as you heard her
speak and him speak. Um, if it's
[2:06:56] successful pathway forward for that
family, then that's beneficial to
[2:06:59] everyone involved. So really, our
justification is the fact to create
[2:07:03] access points. And so we've committed
not only to providing this service, but
[2:07:07] also providing additional resources for
mental health across the spectrum. Um,
[2:07:12] because the intention is to create
access
[2:07:19] So, just in summary, what what this will
look like um once it's finished is that
[2:07:24] the room instead of being a um bare room
with a table and chairs, um Ballad will
[2:07:30] donate the funds for us to furnish um
with things like um drawing boards and
[2:07:37] dry erase markers. And I know one of the
rooms has a massage chair and bean bags
[2:07:42] and um sensory toys and so it can be
geared towards our needs and what we see
[2:07:49] as the room progresses um what kids are
responding to. And so when they come
[2:07:54] there, instead of seeing a stranger, um
they'll have that room and then when I
[2:07:59] go in, because I speak with these
children, so when I go into the room
[2:08:03] with them, they're already calm and it
will hopefully be a more pleasant
[2:08:07] experience for them um and calm the
nerves and make court be less scary. Um
[2:08:14] and that's that's the purpose of the
room. And so again, we're very excited
[2:08:18] and grateful for this opportunity.
wanted to share with you what ballot is
[2:08:22] doing and how it's going to help our
county.
[2:08:28] » Anyone seek recognition and recognize
Commissioner Hopper?
[2:08:34] » Very quickly, this is kind of the same
question I had uh last week. Your
[2:08:38] staffing is going to be incredibly
important in this in that there need to
[2:08:42] be uh individuals with background in
child management, psychology,
[2:08:48] etc., etc. And it was noted that last
week it would be staffed by volunteers.
[2:08:54] » So that
>> actually the way that will work is that
[2:08:58] on the days the children are there,
they're always accompanied by their DCS
[2:09:02] case manager and so they will never be
unattended in those rooms, we won't need
[2:09:06] volunteers because we already have the
staff there with the children. Sometimes
[2:09:12] um foster parents will bring them.
Sometimes the DCS case manager will
[2:09:17] bring them and one or the other or both
individuals will be in the room with the
[2:09:21] children at all times. So they'll never
be unsupervised.
[2:09:24] » Well, I didn't mean unsupervised, but
with supervisors who have are capable in
[2:09:31] and understanding the situation.
>> Do you mean for um to assist them with
[2:09:36] their with their anxiety?
>> Yeah, sure. We typically in those
[2:09:41] situations, those needs will be
addressed precourt. And so if there's
[2:09:46] something that the children need on a
regular basis, they're going to already
[2:09:50] be receiving that. And for dates
specific that they come to court, for
[2:09:54] example, if they're going to be
testifying, they will have already
[2:09:57] spoken with somebody. They'll have a
therapist or somebody there to meet
[2:10:01] those needs. But if it's a just a day
that they will see the court, myself or
[2:10:05] Judge Vance, um the case manager or the
foster parent will be there with them.
[2:10:10] » They're allowed to testify at what age?
>> If they're competent to testify, in
[2:10:16] other words, they understand the oath.
In other words, to tell the truth and
[2:10:19] not tell the lie, then the court can
deem them competent to testify. When I
[2:10:24] was a prosecutor, I had a child as young
as six years old testify.
[2:10:29] » Wow. You did a great job at Rotary the
other day.
[2:10:32] » Well, thank you.
>> Very nice. Mr. Cross,
[2:10:37] » if I may also add just a second there.
Um, our team is also willing and has for
[2:10:42] our other courthouse common rooms and
all also our school systems um provided
[2:10:46] evidence-based training. So, we can
provide that level of support to the
[2:10:49] team um PRN so to speak as needed. Um
but initially policy procedure will be
[2:10:55] developed in our guidance and and
they're already doing that and so we
[2:10:58] need to provide that level of training
moving forward.
[2:11:02] And then with using it with domestic
victims I know that General Stal has
[2:11:08] victim witness coordinators that that
prosecutors they'll be a big asset
[2:11:14] helping
[2:11:17] Commissioner Cross.
>> Thank you Mr. Speaker.
[2:11:24] Thank you all for this. Thank you,
Commissioner Ward, for bringing this as
[2:11:29] a teacher and a husband of a social
worker who is constantly in the court
[2:11:35] system on the Virginia side, but in the
court system. Thank you. And I would
[2:11:39] very much
advocate for doing this commission. It
[2:11:45] is very much needed. And I will tell
you, I would I would very much like to
[2:11:48] be had as a co-sponsor of this.
>> Absolutely.
[2:11:50] » Thank you. Anyone
[2:11:53] else seek recognition,
[2:11:59] » Mr. W? Absolutely. Everybody vote in
affirmatively added. Uh,
[2:12:11] you know, I just I get sometimes.
Judge Medson and Judge Vance, the things
[2:12:19] that that we sat in that office and talk
about
[2:12:24] tri
[2:12:27] blow your mind.
So
[2:12:32] I'm I'm just the presenter. Those folks
right there do all the homework. Thank
[2:12:36] you valley for what you've done for all
the kids in this neighborhood. Thank you
[2:12:40] judge suggesting us for what you guys
do.
[2:12:45] » [clears throat]
>> sponsor
[2:12:49] motion on waiver of rules. Thank you all
for being here.
[2:12:52] » Thank you. Thank you. [clears throat]
Sponsor renews his motion on item number
[2:12:57] 11 for waiver of rules requiring 16
votes for passage. Without objection,
[2:13:03] when the board opens, please cast your
vote on item number 11 requiring 16
[2:13:07] votes for passage.
[2:13:11] Has
[2:13:19] every member voted?
>> Does any member wish to change their
[2:13:24] vote?
[2:13:27] » Madam cler
>> 21, three absent.
[2:13:33] » Having received the necessary majority
of the votes cast, item number 11 is
[2:13:37] approved. Without objection, recognize
[2:13:47] Mr. St number 12. Thank you, Mr.
Chairman. We're withdrawing this
[2:13:52] resolution.
Sponsor moves withdraw item number 12
[2:13:59] without objection.
Do you want to speak that?
[2:14:04] » Yes, sir. Yes, sir.
[2:14:09] Commissioner Glo.
>> Thank you, Mr. Chair.
[2:14:12] [clears throat] Gary, last week,
Attorney Street brought up a good point.
[2:14:17] » Uh, county commission voted on this and
put it in law and the contract runs out
[2:14:24] in January. Correct.
>> Yes.
[2:14:27] » Okay. Even though that the sheriff's
department is unhooked from the cameras,
[2:14:32] are we notifying Block that we're
withdrawing from the contract? If we do
[2:14:37] that, we have to
either resend that old resolution that
[2:14:42] we did or they have to be a new one
formed because we're under contract till
[2:14:46] January and we're the only ones that can
renew it or or or not.
[2:14:52] » We can send a letter stating we're not
uh renewing.
[2:14:56] » I know that, but the county commission
still has to vote on the contract.
[2:15:01] » We could put it back on for uh back on
the vote on it. that would drill or just
[2:15:07] withdraw it and move forward. You guys
have to January next month and put one
[2:15:12] on the floor.
>> I don't think we should. That's the
[2:15:15] problem I've got. We're passing
everything on to the next commission.
[2:15:18] And that ain't right. It ain't right for
us to have 12 people in here responsible
[2:15:23] for something that they didn't have
anything to do with. And that's happened
[2:15:26] in here a lot. And I think that we need
to either make a motion to
[2:15:34] uh resend the old resolution that was
done two years ago and opt out of the
[2:15:39] contract completely or
bring yours back on board and put some
[2:15:44] type of amendment into street. Am I
correct or not?
[2:15:52] » It needs to be clarified. It renews, as
I said, it renews um
[2:15:59] sometime here real soon. I felt like it
was going to renew here in August, but
[2:16:04] they said it was going to renew when the
cameras came online. But but I think the
[2:16:09] point is well made that, you know, just
unhooking them doesn't necessarily
[2:16:14] cancel the contract. So, u if you want
to cancel the contract, I think you need
[2:16:20] to be clear about it.
But to be also to be clear, Commissioner
[2:16:24] Stidom has moved to withdraw item 12.
And that and that's where we're at.
[2:16:28] That's where we're at right now.
Commissioner Stidum has moved to
[2:16:31] withdraw item number 12.
>> Mr. Chairman, I'd like to make a motion
[2:16:38] to uh go ahead and opt out of this
contract, send the uh block company a
[2:16:44] letter that we're not going to resign
with them. in in l in lie of
[2:16:50] » what sir
>> in lie of bringing this back on the
[2:16:52] floor
>> um turn street we would need to do that
[2:16:56] in the form of a separate motion away
from item 12 am I am I correct
[2:17:02] » because we're not
>> the motion says now therefore be it
[2:17:05] resolved s county go on record that s
county will not renew a contract for
[2:17:09] continued service now I mean that seems
pretty straightforward of course there
[2:17:13] are three or four lines that follow that
but for a period I mean, you could amend
[2:17:18] this resolution to just
[2:17:23] what?
[2:17:27] » Do you wish, Commissioner? I'm I'm just
trying to clean it up. Uh, Commissioner
[2:17:31] Sim, do you would you wish to uh
withdraw your motion to withdraw and
[2:17:36] then amend your resolution and then we
can vote on it?
[2:17:40] » That we could go ahead and change it
from withdrawal. will go ahead and amend
[2:17:43] the resolution just not to renew the
contract and strike out everything below
[2:17:48] that.
>> Okay.
[2:17:51] Recognize [clears throat] Mr. Ward.
[2:17:57] » I was gone last week on vacation. I
missed a lot.
[2:18:02] Disappointed in you, Joe. We'll talk
about that later, but I get you to write
[2:18:05] the So, we're we're amending an
amendment to an amendment to an
[2:18:09] amendment is what we're doing here.
>> No. No. Um he he's withdrawing.
[2:18:14] » So my question
>> my question is are we just going after S
[2:18:19] County Sheriff's Department of Flock
cameras? Cuz there's [clears throat]
[2:18:22] other flock cameras. Let me finish.
There's other flock cameras in Sullivan
[2:18:26] County. We got uh Kingsport City.
Probably got some Johnson City. Not sure
[2:18:30] what Bristol uses. Uh I'm pretty sure
Lowe's has block cameras. I know Walmart
[2:18:36] does. I I could Man, we could do this
for 20 minutes.
[2:18:40] » All cameras. Well, just the ones that we
put in, we we'd have no control over the
[2:18:45] city of Bristol or Kingsport when it
comes to plot cameras. All we have
[2:18:50] control over is Southern County and
Sheriff's Department. You know, it
[2:18:54] disappoints me how this was handled. You
know, I think this could have been
[2:18:57] handled a different way instead of
lights and camera. I think this could
[2:19:01] have been handled a whole lot cleaner,
so to speak. But ban them just from the
[2:19:07] sheriff's department.
It's not going to solve anything.
[2:19:12] So, uh, I mean, if we're going to do it,
let's do it right.
[2:19:19] I'm disappointed in the attack and the
slander pretty much that you did against
[2:19:24] our sheriff and what they've done over
there. I think you're getting rid of a
[2:19:28] great tool. I think there's some guard
rails in place. [clears throat] I don't
[2:19:32] think you did your homework on this
resolution.
[2:19:36] Uh, I think it could have been modified
a little bit before we did all the
[2:19:41] lights and cameras. So maybe next time
maybe sit down. He's always got an open
[2:19:47] door policy. Go over and talk to him
about it. That's probably the best way
[2:19:51] to handle that. At no time did we say
anything negative about the sheriff's
[2:19:55] department. In fact, my first statement
about this was nothing negative about
[2:20:00] the sheriff's department. We have a
professional sheriff. We have a
[2:20:03] professionally run sheriff's department.
It was just about the cameras. It's
[2:20:07] about the tool, not the sheriff's
department. That was the only thing that
[2:20:11] was the issue. I disagree on that. I
think you're taking a valuable tool away
[2:20:15] from
some very high-profile cases in in this
[2:20:21] area that have used those cameras to put
criminals in jail,
[2:20:28] child molesters, kidnappers, murderers.
So, I think you're you're missing the
[2:20:34] boat here.
>> Commissioner Hopper,
[2:20:38] » this afternoon I had a very enlightening
conversation with Lieutenant Jagger who
[2:20:45] is in charge of the flock cameras for
Sullivan County.
[2:20:50] Um, and [clears throat] also received an
interesting
[2:20:55] unknown
uh voicemail
[2:20:59] describing what a rat I would be if I
did not vote against this and that uh I
[2:21:07] should get off the county commission,
which I'm about to do. So, I'm going to
[2:21:11] speak my mind and I hope the person that
sent that nasty uh note out not only to
[2:21:17] me but some other people is here tonight
because I'd like to meet you. Now, from
[2:21:23] what I understand is that from
Lieutenant Joerger, this this technology
[2:21:28] is can be very limited. It can be
designed within the city within the
[2:21:34] Sullivan County. And without going to a
lot of detail,
[2:21:38] I'd like for you all to think about
inviting him to a subsequent commission
[2:21:42] meeting and let him enlighten us about
his the um ins and out and how this
[2:21:49] technology works.
Now, if you really want to get away from
[2:21:54] uh the web and all that other stuff is I
would suggest that you throw away your
[2:21:58] cell phone and that you throw away your
computer and you get a landline and you
[2:22:04] do all your correspondence by mail and
you take your check and you cash it and
[2:22:09] you spend everything. Uh don't use a
credit card. Um the first one of you all
[2:22:15] in this commission and and in the
audience should have happen to have your
[2:22:21] car stolen
um be hit and run. Uh a variety of other
[2:22:27] uh incidences that's liable to happen to
somebody in this room
[2:22:33] and somebody says, "Well, we couldn't
trace them down cuz we don't have a
[2:22:35] flock camera.
[clears throat] If we had one, we could
[2:22:39] have caught them." He said, 'Well, yeah,
I know, but it would have been an
[2:22:43] invasion of my privacy. So, I'm going to
get off this commission and leaving this
[2:22:49] unresolved,
which is kind of scary because that same
[2:22:53] person that sent me that nasty note,
um, is maybe the same kind of person
[2:22:59] that would hit and run me. I don't know.
But y'all think about it. We've got a
[2:23:06] lot to consider. Guard rails could be an
asset. the whole technique uh could be
[2:23:12] designed to be not intrusive into our
reality. Now Joe, don't you send a Guido
[2:23:20] after me to and put a contract out on
me, okay?
[2:23:24] [laughter]
[2:23:29] » Commissioner Ward
and Commissioner Carr.
[2:23:35] Barry, I probably the same guy that
called me today and said he knew where I
[2:23:40] lived and told him I'd be waiting in the
driveway, but that's probably never
[2:23:44] going to happen.
[2:23:48] It's a valuable tool tool. It can be
used. There's guard rails that can be
[2:23:53] put in place. There's limitations.
I I put this right up with the
[2:24:00] the group [clears throat] that was anti
ice that was
[2:24:05] taking all the
uh criminals, foreign criminals out of
[2:24:12] our country. And we almost jumped on
board, but we didn't. But man, everybody
[2:24:17] went full-blown on board with this.
Um my question is, what's next?
[2:24:25] Are we are we going to get rid of body
cameras? What about the incar cameras?
[2:24:30] I mean,
man, if you don't think you're being
[2:24:34] tracked right now, you're a fool
right here.
[2:24:40] » I guarantee I start getting scrolling
right now and it say fool, Gary Stumm,
[2:24:44] and me and everybody else in this room,
county commission, and
[2:24:51] so just something to think about. We
could have just sat down and said, "Hey,
[2:24:55] let's fix this right here, right now
before we did the big grand standing."
[2:25:00] So hopefully you get to Nashville, Gary.
You can do some good things down there.
[2:25:05] But
[2:25:09] » Mr. Carr,
>> thank you, Mr. Chairman. I I'd like to
[2:25:13] again reiterate that neither I nor Gary
have said anything negative about our
[2:25:18] sheriff. We've always [clears throat]
supported him. we've always believed and
[2:25:22] continue to believe that he is a good
sheriff. He does a great job. Um, you
[2:25:26] know, second week in a row we've had the
cell phones, you know, spying on you
[2:25:31] brought up and that's true, but you
know, two wrongs don't make a right.
[2:25:35] It's that in of itself is a fourth
amendment violation. That's, you know,
[2:25:40] it's been in place October of this year
will be 25 years since the Patriot Act
[2:25:45] was enacted and that was got that was
what got the ball rolling on all of this
[2:25:49] all of this. That was what started the
slow erosion of our civil liberties. Um,
[2:25:54] I just want to quote for a a brief
moment from article 1, section 7 of the
[2:25:58] Tennessee State Constitution. General
warrants whereby an officer may be
[2:26:03] commanded to search suspected places
without evidence of the fact committed
[2:26:07] or to seize any person or persons not
named whose offenses are not
[2:26:11] particularly described and supported by
evidence are dangerous to liberty and
[2:26:15] ought not to be granted. So the
constitution, the state constitution of
[2:26:19] Tennessee actually goes a lot further
than the fourth amendment of our country
[2:26:24] [clears throat] does. And the bottom
line is that these cameras are
[2:26:28] unconstitutional to our state
constitution because it says right there
[2:26:31] in black and white in our state
constitution that frivolous warrants
[2:26:36] are, you know, unconstitutional. So if
you're doing this type of search without
[2:26:42] a warrant, it's definitely
unconstitutional.
[2:26:44] and getting rid of these cameras is is
kind of a duty because the longer we
[2:26:49] keep these up, the the longer the
chances of us getting hit with a big
[2:26:52] lawsuit over them are. So, you know, I
respect the sheriff's department. I
[2:26:55] respect your opinion, but I think this
is something we need to take care of.
[2:26:59] » Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Commissioner Ward then Commissioner I.
[2:27:04] You know the way I look at that if I
drive it down the road and I go buy a
[2:27:07] Flock camera.
The worst thing they're going to get me
[2:27:11] for is cuz I've got my windows down and
I've got my George Jones player and I
[2:27:15] mean if you're not doing anything wrong,
what do you worry about? You know when I
[2:27:19] go to Lowe's there's
[2:27:55] trying the blues because we didn't have
no flop cameras and somebody's grandkid
[2:28:00] got kidnapped or killed and we're
looking for them and we can't find them.
[2:28:04] Well, we use your flock cameras. Well,
we had to get rid of those.
[2:28:09] Boy, I heaven forbid I hope that never
happens in this county. I really do.
[2:28:14] Okay,
[2:28:17] » Commissioner I
last week, we all received a email by
[2:28:23] the sheriff. He says he's not using
them. They're disabled.
[2:28:30] I think that the decision's already been
made. And at this point, we're sitting
[2:28:35] back saying, are we going to renew a
contract or not? Well, if we have
[2:28:38] cameras that aren't being used and
aren't plugged in, then we should
[2:28:41] definitely end the contract so we have
to keep paying for them. I I agree with
[2:28:44] Commissioner Glover.
That being said, I would offer a
[2:28:48] amendment to the resolution for Mr.
Stutm that in the resolution body it
[2:28:53] says devices in Sullivan County. Period.
Where it says pending equipment either
[2:28:58] statewide local guard railroads. Just
remove that. Period. And in the now
[2:29:03] therefore the exact same thing when it
says remove operation of surveillance
[2:29:06] cameras in Solen County. Period. And
remove everything after that in the body
[2:29:10] of the resolution. that I believe does
exactly what we've talked about. It
[2:29:15] sends a letter of non-renewal to the
flock cameras and since they're not
[2:29:20] being used, they've already been
disabled, we need to go and do that
[2:29:23] instead of bail on money for something
that's still disabled.
[2:29:26] » You heard [clears throat]
proposed amendment, Commissioner Stum,
[2:29:31] what is what's your desire?
>> We'll accept that.
[2:29:34] » Okay, we uh the sponsor accepts the
proposed amendment.
[2:29:39] need a restated.
[2:29:49] » So we'll be voting on it as as amended
and again commissioner still accepts
[2:29:55] that amendment.
[2:29:59] » Recognize Commissioner Lock.
You know we're a fun body
[2:30:05] and that's about it. When the sheriff
come up here and requested these clock
[2:30:09] cameras to be uh approved with funding
so they could get them in, that's what
[2:30:15] we did. He didn't come back up here
while gone.
[2:30:22] Gary did
[2:30:26] and we can talk about Bristol and
Kingsport and you know all these cities
[2:30:32] within this county.
[2:30:36] They're still going to be utilized.
They've been utilized.
[2:30:42] And the sheriff's a
constitutional office holder
[2:30:47] and his men and women that work for him.
[clears throat]
[2:30:52] They have a policy to follow. We haven't
had any problems in Sullivan County with
[2:30:57] these cameras. If anything, we've had
good outcomes, positives,
[2:31:03] unlike the rest of the United States
[clears throat]
[2:31:08] and different areas up north of people
abusing the system. We've we've had
[2:31:13] none, zero.
And you know, all this discussion
[2:31:20] about flock.
They've been at Lowe's for five and six
[2:31:25] years and retail establishment stores,
[2:31:31] you know,
[2:31:35] they were an issue, he would have
probably come back to this commission
[2:31:39] and said, "Let's not uh let's void the
contract and get them out of here." He
[2:31:45] did, but the but the skull butt and the
talk started in Nashville. So, I think
[2:31:51] we table this resolution, let you deal
with it when you get down to Nashville
[2:31:55] as a state rep. Y'all are trying to pass
a law right now. It's going to be in
[2:31:59] next session anyway.
You might as well go ahead and go down
[2:32:03] there and fix it.
But we're a funding body. We don't give
[2:32:08] money to departments
only to come back months later and take
[2:32:13] it back away from them. If Scott Murray
wants to buy
[2:32:16] a stripe
truck to stripe these roads and I drive
[2:32:22] down the road and don't see that stripe
truck and say, "I don't like the way it
[2:32:25] striped that pavement. I want to end the
contract with that company or that truck
[2:32:31] and let's sell it." We don't do that. We
don't micromanage these departments and
[2:32:36] these constitutional office holders.
[2:32:41] So table it and go to Nashville and fix
it down there the way it should be.
[2:32:47] » Commissioner Lock, before you uh before
you cut it off,
[2:32:51] » are you offering are you use the word
table? Are you offering that as are you
[2:32:56] making a motion to table?
>> I said table it.
[2:32:59] » So you're making a motion to table it.
>> I need a second.
[2:33:02] » I'll second.
>> Have a have a Okay, we have a motion
[2:33:07] tabled by Commissioner Lock, a second by
Commissioner Ward. Uh that proper motion
[2:33:12] properly second. Let me explain to y'all
how that works.
[2:33:18] That cuts off all debate but with the
exception of
[2:33:23] commission at this point commissioner
lock commissioner stiffen the person
[2:33:26] that made the tableing motion and the
sponsor sponsor of the resolution.
[2:33:30] [clears throat and cough]
and then we will vote on the tableing
[2:33:33] motion and that will
that will in essence uh kill the
[2:33:40] resolution if if if we get that requires
13 votes for passage.
[2:33:45] If it doesn't, we're back on we're back
on the floor with it. And at the end of
[2:33:50] the meeting, if it get does get tabled,
at the end of the meeting, we would
[2:33:54] require a if if you wanted to bring it
back, it would have to be someone from
[2:33:59] the prevailing party
to offer a motion to reconsider, in this
[2:34:04] case, item number 12 for reconsideration
of item number 12 to bring it to bring
[2:34:10] it back. Are we are we are we clear
about where we are in the process? But
[2:34:13] right now, debate has been cut off with
the exception of lock and stum.
[2:34:20] I recognize Commissioner STDM on the
tableabling on the tableling motion
[2:34:27] » by withdrawing it. That basically was
the process of tableabling it to put it
[2:34:32] out. Mr. Glover brought up a good point
and I do agree with him. That would just
[2:34:37] put it to the next commission to deal
with it and take care of a resolution,
[2:34:41] send a letter out.
>> There is a difference in tableabling and
[2:34:46] deferring.
So either either way it goes. If it we
[2:34:52] vote for this thing tonight, we do it.
We send the letter out. It's done. If
[2:34:58] not, if we table it, then you guys will
be dealing with it next month when it
[2:35:02] comes back in September.
>> So I would prefer just deal with it
[2:35:07] tonight as Mr. Glover says, not pass it
off. Make a decision tonight and move
[2:35:12] on.
>> Okay. Commissioner Lock, you you renew
[2:35:15] your motion to table item number 12?
>> No.
[2:35:18] » Excuse.
>> No.
[2:35:20] » So, you withdraw?
>> Yes. I mean yes.
[2:35:22] » Commissioner Lock renews his motion to
table item number 12.
[2:35:27] When the board opens, we're going to be
voting simply on the tableing motion.
[2:35:30] Everybody understand [clears throat]
where we are?
[2:35:34] » Yes, sir. You vote yes. You're voting to
table the motion. When the board opens,
[2:35:41] please cast your vote on the tableing
motion of item number 12.
[2:35:46] Requires 13 votes for passage.
[2:35:52] » Make sure
[2:35:59] we're waiting on Sarah voting on table.
We'll wait. We'll wait.
[2:36:10] We we can do a roll call vote.
And again, we're not voting on the
[2:36:16] resolution. We're voting on the table
motion.
[2:36:19] And I know it sound like a broken
record, but that that gets confusing
[2:36:22] sometimes. [clears throat] At least it
at least it would at least it does for
[2:36:26] me.
[2:36:36] She has it on the board if you want to
do that.
[2:36:41] » Do you mean
>> Okay. Do we want to do we want to take a
[2:36:47] vote on whether or not we put it on the
board or roll?
[2:36:51] » Let's just
let's put it on the board for the
[2:36:54] clerk's electronic record. And that's
not disrespectfully. Sarah worked hard
[2:36:59] to get that get that up there.
[2:37:07] We're voting on the tableling motion
[2:37:11] requires [cough] 13 votes per passage.
[2:37:30] Has every member voted?
Does any member wish to change their
[2:37:34] vote?
[2:37:40] » Madam clerk,
>> 10 yes, 11 no, three absent.
[2:37:46] » Having failed to receive the necessary
majority of the votes cast, the tableing
[2:37:50] motion fails. We're back on the
resolution as amended. Commissioner
[2:37:54] Stum, uh, you accepted Commissioner I's
amendment, correct?
[2:37:59] » Yes, Mr. Chairman.
>> Are we still there?
[2:38:01] » We are still there.
>> Okay.
[2:38:04] » You sure have.
[2:38:09] » Commissioner I.
>> Yes, sir.
[2:38:11] » Would it be correct to say that your
amendment
[2:38:15] will put a period at the end of Sullivan
County in the heading of the resolution
[2:38:20] and strike everything down to
This resolution shall take effect.
[2:38:28] The last word will be saf.
[2:38:33] [clears throat]
[2:38:38] » Okay. Would
[2:38:46] you mind to restate the motion for so
that so that I just like for everybody
[2:38:50] know what they're voting on
>> in the in the body? It says now
[2:38:54] therefore be resolved the board of
county commission Sen County goes on
[2:38:57] record now that Sullivan County shall
not renew a contract for continued
[2:39:01] service of or provision technology and
or equipment for the operation of visual
[2:39:05] surveillance cameras in Solen County.
Period.
[2:39:08] » Period.
>> And then until all that's flying out
[2:39:15] and
actually in the same thing in the
[2:39:18] resolution f the actual title of it, the
resolution after
[2:39:27] Mr. Ward.
[2:39:31] » So we even go down to the next line
where it says currently operates visual
[2:39:35] surveillance cameras under it. I mean,
are we talking about body cameras? We're
[2:39:39] talking about incar cameras.
This is law enforcement we're talking
[2:39:43] about. This ain't kindergarten stuff
we're talking about here.
[2:39:49] » Everything law enforcement does is
reported.
[2:39:58] I I don't I'm not even sure I see the
word
[2:40:02] I'm not sure I can say it. block. I
mean, since we've all received nasty
[2:40:09] phone calls and death threats, I don't
even see the word block cameras in this
[2:40:12] resolution.
[2:40:16] I mean, can we not say that that we we
can amend that where it says visual
[2:40:20] surveillance devices and put in flock
cameras in Sullivan County in between
[2:40:26] devices.
[2:40:30] And actually that's a good point on that
for the technical side of that.
[2:40:34] » Absolutely.
[2:40:38] » I have an amendment I'd like to ask.
You're recogniz I'd ask that we ban all
[2:40:47] Apple phones in Southern counties.
>> Commissioner Ward, I don't I don't think
[2:40:52] that's a that's a recording device,
[2:40:57] [clears throat]
tracking device.
[2:41:01] That that's a a personal choice.
>> All we're doing right here, Gary, all
[2:41:05] we're doing right here is handcuffing
the Solen County Sheriff's Department.
[2:41:09] All you're doing, all these other
cameras will be up and running and we
[2:41:14] have not created anything. All you have
done is handcuff the Solomon County
[2:41:18] Sheriff's Department.
[cough and clears throat]
[2:41:20] I would not quit my day job cuz you'll
not be a national law. And uh for for
[2:41:24] the record, uh Commissioner Commissioner
Ward, that was that was not a legit
[2:41:29] legitimate amendment. That was
[2:41:35] » correct.
[2:41:38] I'm going to answer yes or no. I mean,
it's probably the most tracking device
[2:41:43] in the history of the world right now.
[cough and clears throat]
[2:41:48] » And I agree with you, but the answer is
no on that. If people choose to do that,
[2:41:54] we can turn them off and leave them at
home.
[2:41:56] » People choose to drive on state and
county highways, too.
[2:41:59] » Recognize Commissioner Crosswise.
>> Thank you, Chairman.
[2:42:03] I've gotten emails. I've gotten phone
calls. I've only had one person say,
[2:42:08] "Take those cameras down. If you're not
guilty, then why you worry about them
[2:42:13] saying I went to downtown Bristol?" All
that yesterday. Don't tell anybody. But
[2:42:20] I'm sure I was tracked from the time I
got out my car to store in there.
[2:42:26] I agree with Mr. Ward. I mean, if
Kingsport's keeping letters and
[2:42:30] Bristol's keeping letters, you're not
guilty. What are you worried about?
[2:42:34] We're all being tracked.
[2:42:41] » Commissioner St. I give you final word.
I recognize Commissioner Harvey first.
[2:42:46] Commissioner Harvey, go ahead.
Thank you. Mr. Chairman, is the sheriff
[2:42:52] here? Sheriff Cassidy, is he here?
>> He was here earlier. He left too late.
[2:42:59] » Okay. I really would would before we
vote on anything. And the reason I want
[2:43:03] the table is I I feel like he needed to
come and and speak to to us in regard to
[2:43:08] the note that he sent out, have a little
more explanation.
[2:43:12] I just feel like there's a lot of
information that we don't have that that
[2:43:15] we need to discuss more thoroughly. And
so
[2:43:20] here,
>> Commissioner Ward,
[2:43:24] totally agree with Commissioner Harvey.
It's what we should have done to begin
[2:43:27] with.
>> Should have some conversations with the
[2:43:31] sheriff before you ever brought this
part of a resolution out here.
[2:43:41] » Mr. property.
>> I would probably like to rethink my
[2:43:47] position as tableabling it because
from what I can see in this and what
[2:43:53] we've discussed here tonight, there's
really some confusion as to what what
[2:43:58] the resolution is going to be.
uh it probably needs to be rewritten and
[2:44:03] redefined, put in a state that it's
readable, legible, and understandable
[2:44:10] um for the next generation.
So, I'd like to draw my my uh negative
[2:44:18] for the table if I can.
>> Uh you you can't uh change your vote.
[2:44:23] » Well, I I know I really I knew that, but
I just
[2:44:26] » You can you can express
>> I can express my regret. Okay,
[2:44:35] » Commissioner Cole.
>> Um,
[2:44:38] so with all the amendments that we've
done and so will this what you have
[2:44:43] right now, will this end in the
contract? That's all of them.
[2:44:46] » Yes.
>> Okay.
[2:44:54] Commissioner Ward,
[2:44:58] bad as I hate to I don't want to throw
him under the bus, but
[2:45:04] I'd like for Dan Street to comment on
this. I mean, if we're about to
[2:45:06] terminate a contract, [cough] I know
Gary didn't go to law school, so I know
[2:45:11] he's not an attorney, but I respect Dan
Street very highly. If he tells me to
[2:45:15] shut up, we'll terminate his contract,
I'll shut up. Attorney Street,
[2:45:19] » but I think we need to terminate this
contract in a proper way if that's going
[2:45:23] to happen.
>> Attorney Street.
[2:45:26] » Well, I'm not sure I understand the
question, but I think it's pretty clear
[2:45:30] that this motion, this resolution as it
currently exists is to terminate the
[2:45:35] contract. I mean,
and that's what is before you. You
[2:45:40] either vote to terminate it or you vote
or or you don't. Um, I think it's pretty
[2:45:47] clear. Is that what you were asking
there
[2:45:51] words?
>> And also if we could we could draw some
[2:45:56] clarity between uh and forgive me for
chiming in
[2:46:00] if we could draw some clarity between
two and 12 because uh with withdrawing
[2:46:05] two why do we need 12?
[2:46:09] We withdrew two. Why do we need 12? Just
some I was hoping someone would ask it.
[2:46:16] Not not not to you're writing not opt to
your your first your first resolution
[2:46:22] commissioner did.
>> Yes.
[2:46:24] » The the the resolution you withdrew
earlier. Forgive me for saying two. The
[2:46:29] resolution we withdrew earlier. You know
the flock representative Alex was here
[2:46:33] last week and he said you can terminate
it any time. There's no penalty or
[2:46:38] anything for that. So this it still does
what it does. You know we went through
[2:46:44] it. Mr. Mr. Glover wanted it taken care
of tonight. I respected Mr. Glover's
[2:46:49] opinion on that. We've accepted the
amendments to take everything out and
[2:46:53] make sure that it only said slot
cameras. No other surveillance cameras
[2:46:58] are affected. Again, it does not affect
Kingsport. We're not the funding body
[2:47:03] for the police department nor Bristol or
any other county in the area. This is
[2:47:08] just for us. So
that's that's where we're at on this.
[2:47:15] » Commissioner Akre.
>> Thank you, Chairman. [clears throat]
[2:47:20] And I I agreed with Hershel with his
question.
[2:47:25] And I'm thinking, are we really we're
overthinking this maybe a little bit? We
[2:47:29] had to approve the original contract.
And if the sheriff has said he is and
[2:47:34] and Dan, you may have to chime in. The
contract is going to renew
[2:47:37] [clears throat] automatically. But if
the sheriff says he's Does he not have