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Commission approves Tweetsie Trail master plan; later motion to halt expansion fails
Summary
The Carter County Commission approved the Tweetsie Trail Expansion Final Master Plan – Vol. 3 by a 12–7–1 vote; a later motion by a separate group of commissioners to stop the project failed 8–12. Chair Kelly Collins disclosed a spousal relationship in a separate appointment vote and abstained where noted.
The Carter County Board of Commissioners voted to approve the Carter County Tweetsie Trail Expansion Final Master Plan – Volume 3 during its May 18 regular meeting.
The motion to adopt the final master plan was made by Charlene Thomas and seconded by Jerry Stout. The electronic vote recorded 12 yes votes, 7 no votes and 1 abstention; commissioners voting yes included Keith Range, Robert Acuff, Nancy Brown, Avery Wynn, Julie Guinn, Brad Johnson, Gary Kemp, Jerry Proffitt, Charlene Thomas, Lesley Hughes, Aaron Frazier and Chairwoman Kelly Collins. The seven who voted no were Nick Holder, Steve Burrough, Angie Odom, Danny Deal, Lisa Childress, Jason Clawson and Todd Smith. Wes Holtsclaw abstained from the vote. With the recorded tally, the motion carried.
Later in the meeting, during commissioner comments, Commissioner Brad Johnson moved — with Danny Deal seconding — to "not accept the Tweetsie Trail Expansion Project to continue any farther." That motion received eight yes votes (Nick Holder, Brad Johnson, Steve Burrough, Angie Odom, Danny Deal, Jerry Proffitt, Jason Clawson and Todd Smith) and 12 no votes (Keith Range, Robert Acuff, Nancy Brown, Avery Wynn, Julie Guinn, Gary Kemp, Lisa Childress, Charlene Thomas, Lesley Hughes, Aaron Frazier, Wes Holtsclaw and Kelly Collins), and the motion failed.
Why it matters: The master plan approval formally records the county’s adoption of the Tweetsie Trail Expansion plan and includes an electronic vote tally showing division on the board. The later failed attempt to halt the project indicates ongoing disagreement among commissioners about moving forward but leaves the previously approved master plan in place.
The commission’s actions were procedural votes recorded in the meeting minutes; the motion adopting the master plan and the subsequent motion to stop the project were both decided by roll call-style electronic votes. No additional public-comment exchanges or new funding approvals tied specifically to the Tweetsie Trail were recorded during the meeting.
What’s next: The master plan stands as approved by the commission; the failed motion to stop further work does not reverse that approval. Any future changes or funding decisions related to the Tweetsie Trail would require subsequent motions by the commission or action by relevant committees.
