EDA 3

The Economic Development Agency, EDA, Study Committee held their first meeting last Thursday. Members are, Loudon County commissioners, Chase Randolph and Rosemary Quillen, Loudon City councilmen, John Cardwell and James Webb and even though Lenoir City mayor Aikens refused to appoint members to the committee, councilman Todd Kennedy attended as the lone Lenoir City representative.

The purpose of the committee is to discuss future funding and participation of Loudon County in the EDA. In June, the county commission voted to withdraw all funding and participation in the EDA if a more amicable funding scheme could not be reached. Currently, Loudon County funds 68.8%, $177,174.00, of all funding to the organization, yet receives very little if any benefit, from the organization.

The first meeting of the EDA Study Committee didn't seem to reach any particular conclusions except that the Loudon city representatives sure don't want to pay any more to the EDA, but would rather let the county pay majority of the bills. Loudon City currently pays 15.3% , $39,345.00 to the EDA. Lenoir City currently pays 13.9%, $35,744.00.

There also seemed to be confusion of the county's intentions to withdraw from the EDA in two years. Loudon Councilman, John Cardwell, seemed to think the county was simply withdrawing from the interlocal agreement, but would continue to provide funding to the EDA. The county intention is also withdraw all funding to the EDA leaving the two cities to pick up the full bill.

Another point of significant conversation was the lack of communication from the EDA to county commission. EDA director Jack Qualls, rarely informs the county on any projects he's working on when many times the projects are detrimental to the county, such as the Hotchkiss Valley annexation.

Cardwell suggested the commission communicate with the EDA of our opposition to such projects even though, commission has told Qualls several times of our opposition to many of his city projects. Cardwell seemed to think it was up to the county commission to communicate with the EDA board.

At the county commission's last workshop, I introduced a resolution that would clearly communicate to Mr. Qualls and the EDA board what our expectations of the EDA are when conflicts exist between the county and the cities. See resolution below.   

Hopefully, additional meetings will be held and a financial resolution can be found before the two year deadline comes.  

Where As, in 2000, Loudon County, Loudon City, Lenoir City, Philadelphia and Greenback adopted the Comprehensive Growth Plan, Public Chapter 1101, mandated by the state of Tennessee.

Where As, under the Comprehensive Growth Plan, each city identified the areas where expected growth of the cities would likely take place in the years to come. These areas are known as the Urban Growth Boundary, UGB, and would be the only areas the cities were allowed to annex. No annexations would be allowed outside the Urban Growth Boundaries without reconvening the coordinating committee required under Public Chapter 1101 or under very limited exceptions.

Where As, in the last few years, the Loudon County Economic Development Agency, EDA, led by their director Jack Qualls, has helped the cities of Lenoir City and Loudon with legal annexations within their UGB’s and in Lenoir City, at least two illegal annexations outside their UGB, without informing the county of any of the annexations, legal or illegal.  Most recently, the EDA, led by their director Jack Qualls, has been assisting the city of Loudon to find an avenue to accomplish the annexation of nearly four hundred acres of land in Hotchkiss Valley, outside the city of Loudon’s UGB, and against the wishes of Loudon County Commission who oppose any such annexation. The nearly four hundred acres has a majority ownership of Communist China citizens.

Now Therefore let it be resolved that; when a conflict of interests arises between the local governments of Loudon City, Lenoir City and Loudon County, the funding bodies of the EDA, that the position of Loudon County would always take precedence over all others, given that Loudon County is the majority funding stakeholder of the EDA paying 68.8% of all EDA funding.    

And Finally Let It Be Known, That given the fact that Loudon County is by far the largest funding body for the EDA, it is the expectation of Loudon County that the EDA, led by their director Jack Qualls or any future directors, would always represent the county’s interests over all others in any conflicts between the funding bodies. The health, safety and welfare of Loudon County residents demand it.

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8/28/23