By Linda Dean Cooper

The Quasi-Judicial Hearing Petition No SE 23-01 for 3RT sand mine was continued from the December 5, 2023, hearing to February 6, 2024, at 5:00 PM.  It was approved unanimously.  But it was noticeable that two senior commissioners, John Meeks and Matt Brooks were as they say “sitting on their hands” without attempting a motion or a second.  Chairwoman Mills called for the vote.  There was a very long, noticeable tense few seconds of dead silence before anything was said. Commissioner Tim Hodge broke the silence, he made the motion to approve and Commissioner Rock Meeks seconded.  Brooks and John Meeks did vote yes to approve along with Mills.  John Meeks is running for re-election for seat 1 and Matt Brooks for the Clerk of Court and both have challengers for those seats. This was a legal proceeding, and their job was to follow the law not opinions or public comments.

During the December hearing, a parade of people publicly commented for hours and hours and therefore already public record. February’s continued hearing was a quasi-judicial hearing for the BoCC to review all the special conditions and any additional conditions before voting to approve or not.

Mills started the meeting with a few reminders and housekeeping items. Mills’ instructions set a professional boardroom-type tone for the meeting with Attorney Shalley explaining the legal process. Shalley explained to the board that when it comes to quasi-judicial matters, state law is very clear and constrains your role and what you must do. Basically, in a quasi-judicial proceeding, you must provide procedural due process.

Douglas VanDeursen, Engineer representing Ryan Thomas for 3RT Sand Mine answered and agreed to all the conditions made by the board before the special exception passed unanimously.  There were at least twenty-one conditions in addition to oversight by the county after each 20 acres was mined. 

The auditorium was overflowing with the same rowdy, rude, interrupters, who spoke for hours and hours at the December 5th meeting opposing the sand mine.  They were hoping to do the same type of filibustering at this hearing.  Didn’t happen this time.  Chairwoman Mills was clear about the consequences if the meeting was not conducted in a business-type manner.  It got wild after the hearing was adjourned, with adults screaming and shouting, acting like spoiled children who didn’t get their way, throwing a temper tantrum with deputies having to tell them to leave the lobby and move on. 

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Posted February 16, 2024