Good Evening, Chairman and Commissioners, 

I represent Citizens for Old Natchez Trace and we resolve this New Year to continue our efforts to protect and preserve the recently recognized Natchez Trace Historic rural landscape as one of the Top Ten most endangered historic properties in Tennessee. 

We also want to remember fondly our former Commissioner Ernie Williams who died suddenly last month. Many of us will never forget his heartfelt eloquent plea to the county highway commission on behalf of the Old Natchez Trace. He and his wife, Nancy, truly loved the Old Natchez and were strong advocates for its protection and preservation.

Citizens will continue our advocacy and education along our community’s roadsides with our efforts to push back the density in the Stephens Valley super-sized subdivision. 

We will continue to be the squeaky wheel regarding the removal of the proposed turn lane from Sneed onto the Old Natchez Trace. We do not want to wait until more houses are built….we respectfully request that this turn lane be taken off the table now….permanently. It needs to be taken out of play as it should never have been allowed to breach the integrity of the ONT. 

We also support the county commission’s adoption of the state enabling legislation which will allow preservation and protection tools to be utilized in the endangered Natchez Trace rural landscape area. We are moving forward with this initiative and will be bringing it to you soon.  

Finally we support Resolution 1-17-23 by Commissioner Kaestner to amend the Tennessee Code Annotated to allow a county commission vote regarding the approval of any annexation that would be outside the Urban Growth Boundary of a city. The Two Farms land grab will force county taxpayers to build infrastructure and schools in an area for years to come that is now some of the most scenic intact rural landscape in our county. This resolution if adopted by the state will help counties protect their rural landscape and their taxpayers’ pocketbooks.

Thank you for your time