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County gives Oliver Springs $10k from Tuppertown sale

Anderson County Commission agreed to give Oliver Springs $10,000 to use for renovating a park.

The funds will come from the $95,000 the county received from the sale of the Tuppertown property.

Commission approved the $10,000 gift after some discussion — including some misgivings — during it’s August meeting. “We just cut a lot of budgets and raised property taxes by 10-cents ... I can’t even believe we’re talking about this,” Commission Denver Waddell said when the item came up for discussion.

It was pointed out, however, the park is within the Anderson County portion of Oliver Springs and Roane County has agreed to give $10,000 to the project as well.

Waddell countered that the county had offered to give the Tuppertown property away to anybody who wanted it — including Oliver Springs —and nobody took it.

“Now that we sell it and get this money, now everybody comes asking for the money,” Waddell said.

Commissioner Jerry White said he felt that giving Oliver Springs $10,000 for its park was “pay back” for the two years Oliver Springs looked after the Tuppertown property. ‘They (Oliver Springs) did the upkeep and paid the utilities ... I feel like we’re just paying them back.”

Commissioner Robert McKamey said, “We don’t ask for much in our district ... We don’t get much in our district. But I’d like to do this.” McKamey and White represent the district with Oliver Springs.