Commission tables review of unrecorded timber transactions after forester's report

Fred Stewart, a registered forester, told the Claiborne County Court Commission that areas of timber had been valued at $13,805 and that he could not find paperwork documenting how the timber was cut or sold. "You had areas that were valued at $13,805," Stewart said, describing missing records and mixed accounts of past transactions.

The Chair introduced Stewart for a report on timber and road concerns. Commissioners pressed for specifics about dates and parties involved; Stewart and others cited activity around 2016–2017 and named Jones Lumber Company as a potential buyer. One commissioner said the transactions "look like ... a government transaction, and it was not recorded," prompting discussion of possible recapture or legal follow-up.

Commissioners, the court attorney and staff debated whether engineers' reports had documented drainage and road impacts tied to cutting. The board expressed concern that code-engineering requirements had changed over time and that earlier paperwork might be missing or incomplete.

To allow staff time to gather records and clarify responsibilities, a commissioner moved to table the item; the motion was seconded and the board voted in favor. The motion to table was recorded as carried and the commission directed staff to collect more documentation and ask the county engineer to review the matter before it returns to the agenda.

The meeting record shows no formal mover or seconder names for the tabling motion in the transcript; the board carried the motion by voice vote. The item will return after staff compiles records and any available sale documentation.