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Resident questions Brightridge land purchase and lack of disclosure about crypto‑mining use
Summary
A resident urged the commission for transparency on a Brightridge land purchase — $525,000 for a parcel the county valued at about $193,600 — and asked whether the board was informed that the site would be used for cryptocurrency mining.
A Johnson City resident raised questions during public comment on July 22 about a Brightridge board land purchase and whether the sale included disclosure of an intended cryptocurrency‑mining use.
Sylvan Britney told the Washington County commission that Brightridge — described in the comment as a publicly owned utility — paid $525,000 for a parcel in Johnson City’s Buffalo Mountain Industrial Park that the county had valued at $193,600. Britney said public records (minutes) for Brightridge meetings held Aug. 22, 2023, and Jan. 23, 2024, did not mention crypto mining and asked whether Brightridge leadership disclosed the intended use when it approved the purchase.
Britney said commissioners and local officials, including “Commissioner Huffine and Johnson City mayor, Hunter,” had declined to answer initial inquiries and had directed questions to Brightridge CEO Jeff Dykes; Britney said Dykes had not responded to requests. She asked the commission to delay any reappointment to the Brightridge board until the public receives a “clear and documented explanation.” "These are basic questions of fiscal responsibility and public accountability," Britney said.
The county clerk announced that a rezoning application tied to Minga Drive had been withdrawn from the agenda, and the commission noted several people had signed up for public comment on that rezoning. The clerk said those speakers had been notified that the item was removed and would not be discussed that evening.
Outcome and next steps: The commission did not take formal action in response to the public comment during the meeting. The resident’s questions centered on disclosure and public record; commissioners and staff did not provide additional documentation on the record at the time. The comment was entered into the public minutes and will be part of the record for any later follow‑up.
Ending: The public comment asked for a documented explanation before any board reappointments are confirmed; commissioners did not commit to a specific follow‑up during the meeting.
