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Commission considers, but does not advance, removal of planning commissioner after blasting complaints
Summary
Commissioners heard resident concerns about blasting near Hampton and considered removing planning commissioner Gary Bailey; a motion to remove Bailey failed for lack of a second after Bailey and technical staff said permits and monitoring were in place.
Carter County commissioners spent part of their Aug. 18 meeting addressing resident complaints about blasting near Hampton and considering whether to remove Planning Commission member Gary Bailey.
VCE Technical representative David Rose described the blasting process and noted seismograph monitoring had been installed to measure vibrations and that state blasting regulations govern charge size and other technical requirements. Commissioners asked questions about charge sizes and regulatory limits; Rose said the end date for the contractor’s work was not information his company would provide.
Several commissioners acknowledged that permits and state rules had been followed but said residents had raised concerns about transparency. Commissioner Todd Smith asked why neighbors had not been better informed and moved to remove Gary Bailey from the Planning Commission; the motion received no second and did not proceed.
Bailey told the commission he had leased the land to Baker Construction in December, said proper permits and forms had been obtained, and stated he had not voted on any matter that would create a conflict of interest. Multiple commissioners recorded on the transcript said the commission was not positioned to tell a property owner what they may lawfully do if zoning and permits are in order.
The commission did not take formal removal action; the record shows discussion, public concern, technical explanations of blasting monitoring, and a failed motion for removal.