Scott supervisors get earful over budget situation

GATE CITY — Wednesday's regular Scott County Board of Supervisors meeting was a primer for the following budget workshop.Several residents showed up for public comment to complain about a then-possible real estate tax rate, the school system and the county Economic Development Authority."What did you campaign on?" resident Danny Kestner said of what was later a proposed 2-cent hike on the county's real estate tax rate.Kestner thanked District 3 Supervisor Eddie Skeen and District 5 Supervisor Danny Casteel "for trying to help the taxpayers."Criticizing enrollment of Tennessee children in the county school system and hours and staffing of the county's solid waste convenience centers, Kestner also complained about the EDA's progress on the Riverside housing development project.""We might as well be putting our money in a paper shredder," said Kestner. "I guess the joke's on the taxpayers … the board needs to listen to the taxpayers, not the department heads."Asking the board not to increase property taxes, resident Jerry Baker also criticized this week's EDA offer to loan the county $740,000 that the supervisors had asked the authority to give to balance the fiscal year 2027 budget. The authority had that money as proceeds from the sale of the former Duffield Pioneer Center — a building deeded to the authority after the 2003 dissolution of the Duffield Development Authority."If [the EDA] doesn't give you that money, I'd bust them," said Baker.Resident Christina Hurd claimed that the EDA had sold the Pioneer Center for $750,000 while it was appraised at a value of approximately $3 million. Later in the meeting, an audience member referring to the county's online property tax records, said the building had no county assessed value since it was EDA property."If you all managed money better, we wouldn't have all these problems," resident Bill Dockery told the board. "This EDA has done nothing for the county."Two residents — Margaret Couch and Richard Kern — went against the trend of Wednesday's public comments."Taxes are the price we pay to live in a functioning society," said Couch.Kern said taxes and services are part of a social contract between county residents and the Board of Supervisors."We're upholding our end and paying taxes," said Kern, "but the county is not keeping up its end. We're not here to service corporations and businesses."Later in the meeting, Skeen moved for and Casteel seconded for a vote of no confidence in the EDA board and authority Director John Kilgore.Skeen claimed a "lack of productivity" by the EDA, citing what he said was no progress on the Riverside housing development and economic development across the county. Supervisors Chair Chris Maness said the EDA had made progress through the recent VFP Inc. expansion in Duffield.County Administrator Josh Wilson said that the county Planning Commission is still reviewing issues related to the Riverview project, including the county's provisions for subdivisions. Compliance with state health and environmental regulations is also part of ensuring the project is done properly, he added."I know there's a lot of things that go on behind the scenes in economic development," Wilson said.District 1 Supervisor Darrel Jeter said Scott County is competing with other localities and development's such as The Pinnacle in Bristol, Tennessee, to attract businesses and new residents."I'm not completely satisfied [with the EDA]," said Jeter, "but I'm not dissatisfied."District 4 Supervisor Michael Brickey and Supervisor at Large Stephanie Addington agreed with Jeter.Skeen agreed to changer his motion to just the no-confidence vote with later consideration of the resignation demand. The motion failed with Skeen and Casteel the only yes votes.