September 23, 2012 Eddie Hurley Addresses Council on W.A.J./Panther Creek Road Development

Developer Eddie Hurley attempted to addess the Morristown City Council on September 18 about difficulties that he claims to have had with the city engineering department in moving forward with his project at the corner of Panther Creek Road and West Andrew Johnson Highway.

Hurley also expressed concerns about his inability to get a date from City Administrator Tony Cox for an administrative hearing before Cox on violations and fines and penalties that have been assessed against Hurley/Lakeview Management..

Cox interrupted Hurley during Hurley's comments and asked that Hurley not discuss the specifics of his grievances with Council since any appeal of Cox's administrative decision would eventually be heard by the full council. 

Cox's failure to respond and set up a hearing date was one of Hurley's grievances.  Continuing and accruing penalties was another.

City Attorney Dick Jessee said one way to stop the accruing penalties would be to pay the penalties due "under protest."

Hurley asked whether his site plan would be held up as a result of the ongoing difficulties. Cox stated that the site plan was independent of the fines and penalties.

Hurley's attorney Link Gibbons addressed the council briefly at the end of Hurley's remarks to further explain some of Hurley's concerns and to ask for specific citations to the City Charter for the conduct of administrative hearings and for the authority of Cox to act as hearing officer.