John Coffelt, Editor

Manchester Alderman James Threet voiced during the Aug. 5 Board of Mayor and Aldermen meeting a sharply-worded criticism of an anti-growth movement in the county.       

“The county doesn’t want any growth,” Threet said, citing a recent Wall Street Journal article that featured Coffee County.

Threet charges that the county is undermining industry recruitment for the I-24 Industrial Complex (Megasite) with the recent passing of restrictions on developments in the A-1 agricultural districts.

“Can you imagine if you are a site selector and you … read that in the Wall Street Journal,” Threet said. “What are you going to think? These people invest billions… they aren’t going to do that (in Coffee County) especially if they know the track record here.” 

Threet criticized a Facebook group, Coffee County for Responsible Growth, as being misguided.  

“The responsible growth group…. Is there irresponsible growth?” Threet said. “I don’t know what that is. Growth just doesn’t happen orderly.”

Threet questions the popular narrative that growth is out of control. He cites projections that suggest that population will not even double by 2070. 

“I’m for irresponsible growth if there is such a thing. Why don’t they just say no growth. This (WSJ) story paints it pretty clearly what the county is up to.”

“It is funny really, you have to laugh at this place, if you took it seriously, you would probably have mental problems.”

Threet said he considered proposing a resolution to ask that the state request the I-24 complex be annexed into the city of Manchester.

“I want for once in my lifetime for somebody here to standup and say we are going to get this done come hell or high water. Manchester is going to have a Blue Oval,” Threet said.

While the county narrowly avoided a property tax increase this fiscal year, Threet said that the investment similar to that of the Memphis-area megasite would likely amount to more than the entire property tax income of the county.  

“And we are going to sit here and be dictated to by the County Commission. It’s going to strangle that.”

John has been with the Manchester Times since May 2011. John has won Tennessee Press Association awards for Best News Photo and placed in numerous other categories. John is a 1994 graduate of Tullahoma High School, a graduate of Motlow State Community College and earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Middle Tennessee State University. He lives in Tullahoma, enjoys painting, dancing and exploring the outdoors.