New park funding
TVA provides $300K for Claxton and Ridgeview projects
The Anderson County Commission voted to accept $250,000 from the Tennessee Valley Authority to develop a new park in Claxton. (photo:Tony Cox )
The Anderson County Commission voted Aug. 16 to accept $250,000 from TVA for a new park in the Claxton community on Edgemoor Road.
Commissioners also accepted $50,000 from TVA for Lost Bottom Park on Ridgeview Drive. The measure passed unanimously, although Commissioners Tracy Wandell and Robert McKamey were absent.
Mayor Terry Frank said after the meeting that the county had not yet decided on a location for the new park, but it will be in Claxton.
She noted that TVA had delayed providing the money because of issues related to Hurricane Helene.
TVA has also agreed to demolish the Claxton Community Park’s Kids’ Palace playground after concerns arose about ash from the nearby, recently closed Bull Run Fossil Plant.
Duke University, the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, and the Tennessee Department of Health confirmed the ash’s presence.
While the funding measure prompted little discussion in August, the County Commission has previously debated whether to keep the old park open.
Wandell, who represents Claxton, has argued in past meetings that the ash was either buried under clay or no more prevalent than in other areas. Commissioners Denise Palmer and Joshua Anderson countered that the playground’s wooden structure fails to meet codes, regardless of the ash.
During public comments before the Aug. 21 meeting, Marlow resident John Todd Waterman said TVA’s contribution fell short of addressing the coal ash problem.
“When it comes to really helping the community and protecting the community from their own poisons, that’s much more expensive,” he told The Courier News after the meeting. “My guess is what they want to do is walk away from all that coal ash and leave it exactly as it is forever.”
TVA has not confirmed how it plans to address Bull Run’s ash.
Committee
restructuring
In other business, the commission voted to eliminate, merge, or reduce the size of several committees, following recommendations from the Rules Committee.
“We have a bunch of committees,” said Commissioner Robert Smallridge, who chairs the Rules Committee. “We all serve on three or four committees besides the full commission, and it’s an awful lot of meetings and time.”
The commission voted to abolish its Nominating Committee, leaving nominations to the full commission. The change passed 13-1, with Commissioner Jerry White opposed.
The panel also voted unanimously to merge the Intergovernmental and Legislative committees with the Operations Committee. Smallridge said their work would likely have gone to Operations or the Budget Committee anyway.
“The meetings may run a little longer,” said Commissioner Tim Isbel, chairman of Operations. “But it will now be easier for the public to watch broadcasts of important committee decisions.” ACTV films the Operations Committee but not the Legislative and Intergovernmental committees.
The commission also voted 13-1 to cut the Nonprofit Committee from eight members to five, with Commissioner Shain Vowell opposed.
“It’s just an outsized use of manpower for the requests that we get,” said Commissioner Phil Yager, a member of the committee.
“Committees are where the heavy lifting is done,” Vowell said. “I’m not upset about it, of course, but I don’t really see the need in that.”
