Pat Gregory brought his battle with the Tennessee Department of Transportation to the county commission last week. At issue is a piece of land that was to be purchased for the widening of Hwy. 411, but the property transfer was never made and Gregory continued to pay property taxes for five years. Now he wants the county to return the tax money.

Gregory said the state came to him shortly after he had a stroke, so he said he would refer the matter to an attorney. “Then nothing was said for more than five years,” according to Gregory. When the contractor started tearing his fences down about a month ago, Gregory went to the Courthouse and found the land still had not been transferred. The state sent a fax to Benton to advise that the land had been taken, Gregory said, but he was still paying county taxes. Gregory said he had been waiting to receive notice from the state of the hearing.

 “The state needs to get its ducks in a row,” he said, adding neither he nor his lawyer received notice of a hearing, but he learned recently that there has been a check for him from the state that was written five years ago. He said it had been deposited in the bank by the court clerk’s office. The property transfer still has not been made.

John Pippenger recommended that the commission send the matter to the county attorney for review and to find out what the commission can do. Greg Brooks asked if they can just give Gregory his money back. Mark Bishop said there are procedures to be followed. Gregory asked if the commission can do something to see that it doesn’t happen again, noting his attorney got a letter from the state but didn’t tell him.

Brooks made the motion to table the matter for a month and have attorney Jimmy Logan sort it out. It was approved 8-0 with Fred J. Wilcoxon absent.

In other business:

• Carl and Nellie Hensley asked the commission to reconsider its earlier decision against changing the name of Fairway View Drive to Belaire Way. There had been concern about confusion with Belaire Drive and the fact there is not enough space for emergency vehicles to turn around if they take the wrong road. Carl Hensley said that problem has been fixed. He said the neighbors do not oppose the change and promised to talk to the 911 Board and dispatchers about the change, saying it should be easier to find since it is in Belaire Estates. Bishop said he is opposed to changing road names. Daren Waters said he would talk to the propertyowners and report back next month.

• For the third month, commissioners considered the sale of a small piece of property near the Health Department in Benton to the adjacent propertyowner. Pippenger said it has been confirmed that the land is county property, adding it needs to be surveyed to put it out for bid. There was concern that the cost of a survey would be more than the cost of the property. Attorney Jimmy Logan said he would have someone in his office look at the situation to see if a survey can be avoided.

• An appointment to the Copper Basin Utility District was tabled for a month.

• Easter Johnson and Bill Smith were reappointed to the 911 Board. Wayne Loudermilk was appointed to replace Bonnie Boggs.

• Donna (Kandi) Bramlett was appointed to the Planning Commission.

• A decision on whether to create the position of Youth Services Officer assistant was tabled for a month. YSO Casey Carver said the position is needed for the county to continue getting a $9,000 grant. Carver said Gary Moats took his place as assistant but his title is probation officer. Bishop voiced concern that it would affect the pay scale.