The Jackson County Park staff have worked diligently to cleanup and restore the County Park after last years storms destroyed most of the campground at the park. The Jackson County Commission should be working with the County Park Board instead of working against them and creating problems at the park. Link to the Jackson County Commission meeting. http://arklite.blogspot.com/2010/04/jackson-county-commission-commission.html
Jackson County Park prior to the 2009 early spring storms.Campers and boat owners at Jackson County Park are upset at the Jackson County Commission for their recent action attempting to remove the authority of the Jackson County Park Board. Because of the commissions actions campground representatives stated tonight at the Jackson County Park Board meeting that several campers will move due to the uncertainty created by the County Commission. The commission's actions related to the county park creates further uncertainty and a loss of revenue for the Jackson County Park.
A question one might ask, which storm will cause the most destruction, the county commission's storm of incompetent actions or the spring storm of 2009?
The County Park Board's Attorney, Mr. Gary Lackey, has filed a legal action in the attempt to block the county commission's ill advised action. Mr. Lackey stated at this evenings county park board meeting that he believes the county commissioners are overstepping their authority and has asked the Circuit Court of Jackson County to issue a ruling on the matter.
The county commission is attempting to seize the park board funds and property but leave the existing county park board intact. Commissioner Clemmons stated at a recent commission meeting that he believed the county park's money should be used to support other parks in Jackson County. Daily Sentinel link to the April 15 county commission story http://thedailysentinel.com/story.lasso?ewcd=c866e67b666885ea
In December of 2004 I made inquiry to the Jackson County Park Board and the Jackson County Commission concerning the operations authority of the Jackson County Park Board and their relationship to the Jackson County Commission. The following is a direct quote in a letter from Jackson County Commission Attorney John Porter, Esquire relating to me the relationship between the Jackson County Park and the Jackson County Commission. "The Park Board is solely responsible for the operation of the Park and the day to day activities that occur there. Fifty years ago, the governing body of the county empowered the Park Board to mange and operate the Park and the Park receives no appropriations of public funds...Certainly the County Commission does not control the operations of the Park Board or the management of the Park...issues should be directed to the Jackson County Park Board."
It is important to draw attention to the original lease of the property between the TVA and Jackson County. The following is specified in the TVA lease as documented in the Jackson County Board of Revenue Minutes February 21, 1955, "The Jackson County Board of Revenue (Jackson County Commission) shall appoint a Park and Recreation Board to administer the affairs of the said park..." the entry goes on to name the original appointed members of the Jackson County Park and Recreation Board. The entry also states, "... [Park and Recreation Board] Resolution be passed and made part of the said agreement..." The lease agreement between the TVA and Jackson County specifically includes the Park and Recreation Board to include the Park and Recreation Board's administration of the Jackson County Park as an integral part and condition of the original lease agreement.
The question now becomes, will the Jackson County Commissions actions make null and void the original lease agreement between the TVA and the Jackson County Commission? Does the county commission know what they are doing?
The Jackson County Park has come a long way. 6 years ago the park did not have any rules governing park operations and they were having problems related to accounting practices. The park, under the current management, has implemented a set of policy and proceedures which guide the park's managers in the management of the Jackson County Park. Their accounting proceedures have improved greatly and the average citizen may walk in and discuss the park's accounts and records without hassle, the staff willingly cooperates. This was not the case 6 years ago.
The Jackson County Commission's attempt to undermine and destroy the diligent and hard work which the current Jackson County Park staff have put forward in improving the parks operations is a display of incompetent leadership on the part of the current county commission. After all the problems the commission has created, one would think they would remain low key. But no, they must create further destruction
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