The Greene County Commission voted Monday to rezone property on the Asheville Highway for business use where a new Dollar General Store is planned.

The rezoning was not on the county commission's agenda, but members were told that it had been advertised in The Greeneville Sun, and thus was in accordance with public notice requirements.

The rezoning had been recommended by the Greene County Planning Commission last week.

The county commission suspended its rules to vote on the rezoning, and then approved it unanimously.

The property fronts on the Asheville Highway and backs up to Sanford Circle near Victory Church of God.

Property owner Phyllis Diane Ricker told the commission she believes that the rezoning will result in increased county taxes and more jobs. Her mother, Gladys Ricker, who owns adjoining property, also spoke in favor of the rezoning.

She said the Dollar General store will be "really good for our neighborhood" because it is a long way to drive to Walmart and other stores.

Commissioner John D. Carter, who is also a member of the county planning commission, said no opposition was voiced last week.

Ronda Sawyer, the state planner under contract to the county, said the rezoning from A-1 (agriculture) to B-2 normally would allow the sale of beer, but in this instance, proximity to a church (about 100 feet away) means that beer cannot be sold at the site.

The commission also suspended its rules to allow a vote on a resolution that provided $1,000 from the budget for enforcement of the debris ordinance, in order to complete the repair of a truck.

The same resolution also appropriated $15,500 for repairs to the hot water system at the jail/workhouse. The resolution had to be amended in order to add $8,000.

Sheriff Steve Burns said the original $7,500 in the resolution was for a heating element in a large water heater, and the additional $8,000 was to replace a large water tank for the hot water system that failed this week.

Commissioner Jan Kiker asked the sheriff why the money could not be found in the department's budget, since he was buying a patrol car.

Burns said the jail budget did not have enough surplus, and the vehicle comes from a separate part of the budget that uses money "designated by the legislature for that purpose."

Kiker and Commissioner Moss voted against the amendment, which passed 19-to-2. Kiker and Moss were joined by Commissioner Brenda Grogan in voting against the amended resolution, which passed 18-to-3.

Separately, the commission suspended its rules to vote on a resolution to let the county's Highway Department provide assistance to the Tusculum municipality for paving repairs on Ball Road.

Late in the meeting, County Attorney Roger Woolsey said Road Superintendent David Weems had been told he needs the commission's approval for county employees and equipment to do work for Tusculum municipality.

Woolsey said state law allows the county Highway Department to do work for another governmental entity, provided the Highway Department is fully reimbursed.

Also, "The law requires that the county commission know and approve," he said.

Woolsey said the matter could not wait until next month, because local asphalt plants will likely shut down soon for the winter. Approval was unanimous, both on the vote to suspend the rules and on the vote itself.

After the vote, Weems said he believes the work will only involve a few truckloads of asphalt to repair cracks.

The Greene County Commission voted to set a speed limit of 30 mph on Logwood Lane, on the second of two required readings.

The commission also approved a resolution to let the sheriff receive a $25,154 Department of Justice grant and use the money for a vehicle.

Similarly, the county commission voted unanimously to let Sheriff Burns spend a $103,898 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (stimulus) grant and use the money for equipment for the SWAT team and criminal investigation division.

During the public comment portion of the meeting, Judy Sexton voiced several criticisms about "the way the local, state and federal governments operate."

She asserted that "the United States is in bankruptcy" and pointed out that the county government has a great deal of debt.

Sexton said the grants on the agenda "consist of money that has been taken by the state or the federal government from the taxpayers of Tennessee. By taking this grant money, you are only encouraging more taxes to be levied on the citizens."

Before the vote on the stimulus grant, Commissioner Bill Brown briefly addressed Sexton's comments. Brown said "the money is there," and if Greene County were not to accept the money, "some other county will."

The county commission also approved changing the budget line items needed to pay for a 40-hour week for clerks in the Circuit Court, General Sessions Court and Juvenile Court offices. The total for the changes is $32,800, with the funds coming from a special litigation tax the commission approved earlier. Only Commissioner Bill Dabbs, a member of the budget committee, voted no.

The commission also approved a resolution to move $650,000 out of the fund balance of the county's Highway Department.

Of the total, $450,000 is to be designated for asphalt, $80,000 for construction materials and $50,000 for equipment. The resolution has been recommended by the commission's Budget Committee.

The Budget Committee has also recommended a capital projects resolution needed to make improvements to the Sunnyside Volunteer Fire Department's building so that it can serve as a voting precinct.