Me; How are you handling the complaint from a homeowner who called about the Optimist Club members constantly parking on top of his drain fields.
Godfrey; I passed it on to the Optimist, they told me they’d take care of it. They have to have a chance to fix it. I have to give them an opportunity to take care of it.
Me; Did you vote on the zoning of the county?
Godfrey; Yes I did.
Me; Did you know there is nothing marked commercial on Hwy 411.
Godfrey; That’s what the commission did.
Me; As I understand it in the beginning you were given maps and asked to mark areas that you thought should automatically be zoned as commercial – so I take it you didn’t think Floyd’s Market, The Seymour Business Park, the Race Track or countless other properties were not commercial?
Godfrey; We were told that anything along the major roads would be marked commercial.
Me; In regards to the Optimist Club and that fiasco, do you think they are compiling with their lease?
Godfrey; They told us they could run it as a park and they told us they needed practice fields and the last time I talked to them that’s what they said they were using it for.
Me; But the lease says it’s specifically suppose to be a community park and they’ve had it now for how long?
Godfrey; But Joe you know they work with volunteers, they’re not full time parks and recreation people, they are doing what they can, they are keeping it mowed, they’re working on it, they have plans for it. Bower field didn’t pop up over night.
Me; What do you think about all that development by your house.
Godfrey; There’s nothing I can do about it. He started work before zoning went in. He turned over dirt so he can put in what he wants to put it. He’s within his rights.
Me; What do you know about the ethics committee.
Godfrey; What are you asking about it?
Me; Do you think its effective?
Godfrey; It can be.
Me; Even Jetti said it’s a joke, cause they don’t have any power to do anything.
Godfrey; Well, once they get it organized. When you first start out it takes a while to get organized to get everything in place. They’re learning so I say lets give them an opportunity to work out the kinks.
Me; The commission voted on the new building inspector, Chris Jenkins.
Godfrey; That’s who was recommended. Usually if the committee recommends someone, they do the interviews, they looked at the resumes and if no one has any objections, why should we not vote for them.
Me; What do you think about Max Watson;
Godfrey; I like Max Watson.
Me; I mean at the last commission meeting, he wasn’t able to ask a question.
Godfrey; Larry felt he was out of order.
Me; What if you had a question to ask?
Godfrey; I think I would know the proper place to do that – and it’s not there.
Me; Where would that be?
Godfrey; I could go and sit in Larry’s office or the Sheriff’s office and ask them. I think you should go by Robert’s Rules of Order. We have an agenda and we try to follow it and if I think Max has a question he should go to Larry or the Sheriff to address it.
Me; And what about Rob Lowe.
Godfrey; You mean Brad Lowe. A motion was made and seconded and that ended the meeting. I think there again, there’s a proper place to do things. If he has problems with things he needs to address them in a correct form.
Me; How would that be since I understand he’s addressed everyone but no one seems to listen.
Godfrey; I think there is a proper place to do things.
Me; But not there.
Godfrey; Yeah there, if you have a litigate question and not just killing time, you need to address the commission and get placed on the agenda and tell what you have to talk about.
Me; What’s the rules now to get placed on the agenda?
Godfrey; You have to ask and tell them why. Talk to Larry Waters or Curtis Henry to get put on the agenda.
Me; Anything else going on? Anything you want me to write about for you? Something Positive?
Godfrey; I don’t think you have a positive thought.
Me; That’s interesting, I’m sorry you feel that way. You are probably upset because of the articles printed that so many people in the North Knob Creek area are so upset with you and Bill Oaks and Buster Norton. The stories were just what the public was relating. Over 100 upset citizens met several times to try and get it changed.
Godfrey; Maybe people tell me things differently.
Me; That is exactly why it would be a good idea for you and the other local commissioners to hold regular meetings to keep the public informed of what’s going on. Had you done that I believe the NKC group would not have been blind-sighted.
Godfrey; But you are the one that says we’ll be breaking the Sunshine Law.
Me; That’s absolutely untrue. I’ve been a big proponent of commissioners being more involved with the local community.
Godfrey; We’re just trying to do the best we can for Seymour and Sevier County. That’s all we can do.
Me; Great, that’s all I’m trying to do. Let’s work together. That’s why I think local commissioners should keep the public informed on a regular basis. Had that been the case, I do believe there would not be a major group of people against what the local commissioners are doing regarding the Optimist Club.
Godfrey; Joe I listen to my public and they talk to me and I know both sides.
Me; I believe I also know both sides, including what the person that recently called you about his drain field getting damaged. He said after calling at least a couple of times, you basically gave him lip service. I’ve heard that several times.
Godfrey; That’s his opinion. I called the Optimist and told them of the complaint. That’s all I can do.
Me; What if you went to Larry and asked him to write an official letter to the Optimist stating they are not complying with their lease and they either need to comply or vacate.
Godfrey; But we also have to allow them time.
Me; Ok, but how much time do they need. It’s been going on for months. I don’t know why you guys want this thorn in your side.
Godfrey; It’s not a thorn in our side, it’s a thorn in the Opimist side. They have the problem and they need to resolve it.
Me; No, because the commission leased the property to them and you need to enforce the lease.
Godfrey; Listen, I’ve got to go.
Me; When can we talk about this and other things?
Godfrey; Well, this is a grocery story and I don’t have my calendar. Call me.
Me; When should I call you.
Godfrey; Give me a call.
And she walked off.
I have called Godfrey at her home and at Seymour Middle School, where she works. I am still waiting to talk with her.