Benton County commissioners refer proposed move of mayor's office to property committee after amendment

Camden, Tenn. — Benton County commissioners debated a proposal to relocate the County Mayor's Office to a county-owned building at 21 N. Forrest Avenue before deciding to send the matter to the property committee for more detailed planning.

Mayor Mark Ward introduced Resolution 20250421-01 asking permission and authority to move the mayor's office to the Forrest Avenue building. Commissioner Kiehn moved the original resolution and Commissioner Nunnery seconded the motion.

Commissioner Arnold moved, with Commissioner Miller seconding, to amend the resolution to include the Benton County Chamber of Commerce and the Community Economic Development offices in the proposed relocation. The amendment passed on a roll call vote, 12 Ayes and 3 No (Commissioners Bain, Fowler and Kiehn); three commissioners were recorded absent.

A subsequent motion to table the resolution for three months was made by Commissioner Bain and seconded by Commissioner Kiehn; that motion failed on a roll call vote, 6 Ayes and 9 No (Commissioners Arnold, Douglas, Miller, Burke, Lashlee, Melton, Holland, Nunnery and Ward) with three absences.

Commissioner Murphy then moved, seconded by Commissioner Kiehn, to refer the amended resolution back to the property committee so the committee could determine and designate specific uses for the space. That referral passed on a roll call vote, 10 Ayes and 5 No (Commissioners Bain, Fowler, Kiehn, Price and Murphy); three commissioners were absent.

The referral leaves the final decision about space allocation and implementation details to the property committee rather than the full commission. The committee will decide how the building will be shared among the mayor's office, the Chamber and economic-development staff and return a recommendation to the commission at a later meeting.