Rezoning recommended for Deason store

Bedford County Board of Commissioners' rules and legislative committee, meeting Tuesday night, recommended a zoning change from A-1 (agriculture) to C-1 (commercial) for a site at 3225 U.S. 231 North in Deason which has been proposed for a Dollar General Store, according to County Mayor Eugene Ray.

The zoning change was also recommended by Bedford County Planning Commission. Planners had already granted a variance to allow the septic field line system for the store site to extend outside the property lines.

Ray told the Times-Gazette that the rules committee deferred action on approval of updated rules for the commission, requesting a few minor changes in the draft presented Tuesday night.

One change will be to specify that commissioners who work for a county agency read a conflict of interest statement before votes affecting that agency; that conflict of interest statement is already required by state law and is already common practice at commission meetings.

County Commissioners Linda Yockey, Jeff Yoes and Jimmy Woodson work for the county school system, Commissioner Tony Barrett works for the Sheriff's Department and Commissioner Mark Thomas is chief of Bedford County Fire Department, which was brought back under the county's direct control this summer after years as an independent non-profit agency.

The rules committee also endorsed a model resolution from Obion County requesting that the state delay implementation of the Tennessee Voter Confidence Act. That act will require local governments to buy new voting machines so that a "paper trail" of votes is available in case of a recount or disputed election. But some counties say that even though the state will buy the new machines, the cost of ballots and other supplies will be a burden on local governments.

Courthouse committee

The commission's courthouse and property committee voted to recommend allowing Bedford County Emergency Management Agency to loan its 1998 GMC 3/4-ton pickup truck to Bedford County Rescue Unit.

The committee also heard a presentation from Steve Campbell of Bell and Associates Construction. The committee has been discussing various options for jail and courtroom space for the county; Ray said Bell and Associates made no specific proposal but merely touted its own credentials as a developer of similar justice system projects.

Law enforcement committee

Commissioner Bobby Fox told the committee that the county should investigate buying a video camera system for the jail so that some hearings and depositions could be held there, saving the expense and security risk of transporting inmates to the courthouse.