Hamblen voices 1101 concerns
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“As Chairman of the Growth Plan Coordinating Committee, I was surprised and am now quite concerned about the outcome of the Board of Aldermen vote regarding the de-annexation of what we all refer to as Areas 5 and 6,” Hamblen said in her letter.
When representatives from McMinnville, Morrison and Warren County met in a last minute session on June 13 to ratify an 1101 Growth Plan for the county, it appeared to be a done deal. All three governing bodies agreed to approve the map as presented, which included an agreement for McMinnville and Morrison to de-annex Areas 5 and 6 and allow them to be designated as planned growth areas.
But at a subsequent meeting of the McMinnville Mayor and Board of Aldermen, the resolution to de-annex failed due to the lack of a majority in favor, leading Morrison officials to hold off on their de-annexation proceedings as well.
The failure of the two cities to institute the agreed upon de-annexations has left the legislation in a limbo of quasi-legality, which prompted the letter from Carol Hamblen to Mayor Royce Davenport expressing her concerns about the current state of the county’s 1101 plan in light of these recent developments.
In the letter Hamblen indicated the 1101 map she turned in on June 14, which was subsequently approved by state officials on June 21, had areas 5 and 6 shown as planned growth areas.
Hamblen’s letter concluded by stating her responsibility to report the situation if it is not rectified.
“If Areas 5 and 6 are not de-annexed by the city of McMinnville in order for them to be a planned growth area as presented on the Growth Plan map, I will be forced to report to the state of Tennessee that the map was not approved and that Warren County does not have a Growth Plan in effect.”
Hamblen also pointed out the detrimental financial effect such a situation would have on the entire county.
The actions of the McMinnville Board of Mayor and Aldermen has left some Warren County commissioners baffled.
“I was there the night the city agreed to initiate the de-annexation,” said Commissioner George Smartt, who was there as a representative of the Warren County Planning Commission. “We did things for them in good faith, and they crawfished on us.”
“I feel that the county had done their part,” said Commissioner Bobby Cox, “but I don’t know the city’s position on it, so I can’t really make a comment on that,” he added.
Some commissioners simply expressed their desire to get the issue cleared up in a timely manner to prevent potential economic sanctions from the state.
“My concern is for city and county representatives to get together as quickly as possible and resolve this to avert the threatened loss of badly needed grants to the county,” said Commissioner Bill Zechman. “And as a city resident and taxpayer, I’m also concerned the city will lose these much needed grants.”
McMinnville’s city administrator has reportedly said the issue is essentially dead as far as the city of McMinnville is concerned, unless one of the aldermen brings it up again.
Mayor Royce Davenport, the recipient of the county executive’s letter, had no comment at this point.
“We don’t have anything to say right now,” said Davenport. “We’re waiting to see what direction our board wants to go with it.”