Tazewell officials are in the midst of mulling the creation of an Industrial Development board for their city. However, some on the board of Mayor and Aldermen (BMA) would rather drop the idea.
A motion was made by alderman Ben Enix during the regular March meeting to table the matter, making it clear he would prefer having the entire board present to discuss the issue.
Alderpersons Dot Patterson and Patrick Hurley were absent during the meeting, which would have laid the heavier burden of the decision on the backs of just four council members.
Alderwoman Betsy Shoffner, who seconded the motion, said the creation of a city industrial board seems a bit much, considering there are no properties to create new industrial endeavors and no funds in the city coffers to buy more land.
Shoffner said that all members of the board had not discussed the proposal and that she would like more information on the subject.
“We’ve not even discussed who would be on that board,” said Shoffner.
Craig Whitaker, who is the chairman of the Tazewell Planning Commission, said during a recent telephone interview that the creation of an industrial development board would bring new opportunities to the city from the state level.
“We stand to lose millions of dollars in grant money because we have no industrial board. The government is focusing on economic community development, right now,” said Whitaker.
The Planning Commission created and the BMA approved an Economic Corridor within the Tazewell city limits. That corridor provides no property taxes and “works off” only the sales taxes generated from those businesses, he said.
The BMA is expected to pick up this matter for discussion during the regular monthly meeting in April.
In other action, the council unanimously approved the addition of police officer Jacob Day to the Tazewell force.
The recent rock slide on I-75 and its subsequent influx of traffic through town prompted a change in timing of the lights at the intersection of 25E heading toward Morristown.
Police chief Mark Lamb said the timing of the left turn lane, which has been increased from 27 seconds to 50 seconds, is helping to move the traffic along.
The BMA unanimously approved a $5,000 police department equipment grant that will go towards the purchases of cameras, laptops and smaller gear like flashlights.
The city received a clean bill of health during its audit report, completed by Mitchell, Emert & Hill.
Reach Jan Runions at 423-254-5588 or on Twitter @scribeCP.