by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

More than 200 people attended the Nov. 27 Marion County Commission meeting. Eight residents representing the Jump Off community had requested time at the microphone, hoping to convince the commissioners to protect their homes, health and water by passing a County Powers Act resolution to allow regulation of sand plants. Tinsley Sand and Gravel has a contract to purchase Jump Off property for a sand plant. Seventy-five homes and farms are located within a mile of the location. The commission voted nine to four to ignore Jump Off residents’ plea for help.

Cliff Huffman stressed the proposed sand plant’s “threat to wells.” Huffman said connecting to Sewanee Utility District water cost almost $5,000 for a tap plus the cost of the service line. Huffman also noted that Tinsley’s wet sand practices to avoid dust would require containment ponds for the contaminated water.

“Anything that goes on the ground at the top of the Plateau comes out at the bottom,” said civil and environmental engineer Maureen Handler. Water could travel the distance in as little as 12 minutes. “We need building materials quarries,” Handler acknowledged, “but there are already three or four quarries operating within 5 or 10 miles.”

Doug Cameron, who has logged 50 years of service for the Sewanee Volunteer Fire Department, insisted Highway 156 which will provide access to the sand plant was not intended for heavy traffic. The road, built in the 1930s, was narrow and had no shoulder. Accidents were frequent. “We have to cut them out of their car and hope they live,” Cameron said. As an example of what Jump Off residents would have to look forward to, Cameron pointed to the deteriorated condition of Greenhaw Road used by Tinsley Sand and Gravel’s heavy trucks to access the quarry there. “I moved to Jump Off so I could do what I want to with my land and have peace and quiet,” said Cameron echoing the sentiments of many others who spoke.

Retired army Sergeant Bryan Willis served 21 years in the military and moved to Jump Off to get away from “too much noise … too many people close.” Willis dreaded the blasting the sand plant would bring. “Every time a blast goes off, you put people like me back in Iraq,” Willis said, drawing applause when he asked the veterans in the room to stand.

“People live in the Jump Off community for the freedom we enjoy, freedom from heavy industry, traffic and city problems … and for some veterans, freedom from PTSD,” said retired Colonel Ron Bailey who served 25 years in the military, seeing combat in the Middle East and Afghanistan. “We expect our elected officials to protect us from the things that will destroy us,” Bailey insisted. “You have the power to say where [sand plants] are located.” Bailey reminded the commissioners they voted in January to adopt a Powers Act, “but industry and local influences tipped the scales” leading commissioners to withdraw their support.

Tinsley Sand and Gravel provided the commissioners with documents promising to donate 50 cents per ton to Marion County for the first three years of operations, yielding $200,000-$250,000 in revenue. The documents also projected Marion County would receive $400,000 in property and sales tax revenue from the sand plant.

“Are you looking at the dollar signs or are you looking to represent your people?” asked Jump Off resident Jack Champion.

Tinsley Sand and Gravel representative Chris Hopkins insisted blasting did not impact well water “if done correctly.” Allaying concerns about damage to structures, Hopkins recommended residents neighboring the proposed quarry property have their homes inspected so damage could be verified. “If we did it, we’ll fix it,” Hopkins said.

Commission Chair Linda Mason allowed Tinsley advisor Terry Sossong to speak, despite Sossong not requesting permission to address the commission in advance, as was required.

Taking up the complaint about the deteriorating road used to access Tinsley’s Greenhaw quarry, Sossong said, “It takes time to fix things. All these things can be made very right … Why can’t a person buy land for his enjoyment when his enjoyment is to have a mining operation?”

At the outset of the meeting, Mason called for a vote on whether to allow Jump Off residents to show a PowerPoint presentation. Only commissioners Ruric Brandt and Steven Franklin voted in favor of allowing the PowerPoint. Mason did not allow any additional public comment or discussion after Sossong spoke. Nor did she call for discussion following the motion to adopt a Powers Act resolution, a required practice at county commission meetings according to the Tennessee County Technical Assistance Service.

Commissioners Don Adkins, Don Blansett, Logan Campbell, Jimmy Cantrell, Gene Hargis, Mason, Chris Morrison, Jim Nunley, and Peggy Thompson voted against adopting the Powers Act. Only Brandt, Franklin, Paul Schafer, and Sherry VanAllman voted yes.