Walker County Commissioners approved its most expensive budget in county history Thursday night, but many in the audience were seemingly more outraged with the passage of a 7 year old memorandum of understanding that prompted The Cloudland at McLemore development atop Lookout Mountain, along with a dedicated portion of hotel taxes for the next three decades.
The 2017 deal, brokered by the previous administration, provided a tax abatement incentive for the McLemore project’s construction.
Critics contend the county accepted a bad deal by agreeing to a thirty year term of approximately $900,000 payments annually.
“You know there’s a big difference between helping a business get started and padding pockets of people that are making lots of money,” said VRBO owner Jamie Hulsey.
But proponents say Walker County didn’t spend a dime in taxpayer money in having the county’ first hotel built outside a municipality, while creating the motel tax in question. Walker County Commission Chairman Shannon Whitfield says McLemore has already proved to be a tremendous financial asset now and going forward.
But a chorus of critics implored commissioners to table the scheduled vote and defer any decision on the matter to next year and incoming Chair Elect Angela Teems.
Walker County Commissioner Mark Askew says he understands some of the concerns being voiced from the community, but that it’s important the county live up to previous obligations entered and not to jeopardize the county’s integrity.
Askew says he and Chair-elect Teems recently spoke with McLemore officials on the 2017 premise of the project and after consulting with two legal teams including county attorney, all agree the MOU should be honored by Walker County.
Askew says the McLemore Resort is already a revenue maker for Walker tax coffers and will only grow with the addition of a second golf course and subsequent planned development. He says it’s frustrating to hear from citizens, critical of good financial stewardship. “It’s an agreement that is going to make you more than you’re giving up, you’re making money for the taxpayers versus spending money. I’d rather get two or three or four dollars and let them keep one,” sighed Askew.
In other commission news, Walker County has a new Chief of Police, with the resignation of Rossville Mayor Hal Gray from the primarily figure head post. Current Trion Police Chief David Gilliland has accepted the post on an interim basis for the remainder of the year at a salary of $500 a month.
By: Vince Lennon
