The Loudon County Economic Development Agency, Inc. was originally created on May 24, 1965, as the Loudon County Industrial Commission, Inc. and later chartered as a private non-profit organization under the Tennessee’s Secretary of State on August 9, 1985 as Loudon County Industrial Committee of 100, Inc.

OnApril 25, 2000, the Board approved a change in name, membership and expansion of the organization’s role as the Joint Economic and Community Development Board under Public Chapter 1101. Under this role, the Agency is responsible for coordinating governmental and private industrial development and economic development activities in Loudon County.

The Agency is governed by a eight-member board comprised of one member each from the three governments, and one member each representing the County Commission, Lenoir City Committee of 100 for Industrial Development, Inc., the Chamber of Commerce, Greenbelt Property Owner and one member appointed at-large. Each serves a two-to-four-year term. The Agency employs an Executive Director and staff to plan and coordinate the Agency’s development activities. Financial support for the Agency is provided by Loudon County, City of Loudon, Lenoir City and Lenoir City Industrial Committee of 100.

The current EDA director is Jack Qualls. Qualls, a Knox County resident was hired by the EDA in 2016.

So the purpose for the EDA is to bring economic development to the county, creating jobs and generally being an asset for the county and cities. There are some who believe the EDA does a good job for the county. I am not one
of those people. I guess if someone could show me one success from the EDA in the last 20 years I could get on board. But that's not the reason for this story.
 

The issue here is how the EDA is funded. Some years ago, Loudon, Lenoir City and Loudon County entered into an interlocal agreement to fund this organization. Not sure who's brain child the funding scheme was but it sure left the county tax payers holding the bag.

Currently, Loudon County pays 68.8%, Loudon City pays 15.3% and Lenoir City pays 13.9% with 1.9% coming from the Committee of 100. In dollar amounts that comes to;

Loudon County paying-$177,174.00
Loudon City paying-$39,345.00
Lenoir City paying-$35,744.00
Committee of 100-$4,886.00

Total contributions- $257,148.00

Why is the county paying nearly five times more than the two cities? Especially given that all the industries and businesses that the EDA has supposedly brought in have located in one or the other of the cities.

In last Monday's county commission budget meeting, commission voted to approve this years funding request to the EDA with the stipulation that the county would be withdrawing from the organization in two years, as is our right under the interlocal agreement. As an alternative option, the county has previously asked the two cities to agree to equalize payment to the EDA, Equal Pay For EDA. i.e., all parties pay the same rate. $84,087.00. 1st District, county commissioner, Chase Randolph, will be proposing a committee, made up of county and city representatives to reevaluate all aspects of the EDA.  

The EDA is an out dated, obsolete organization that should have been disbanded years ago. Unfortunately, quirks in state law require a joint EDA by the county and cities or potentially lose some state grants. But the state law does not mandate that the EDA have a $100,000.00+ per year director.