Bradley County Commissioners said they want the few environmental cases from out in the county heard and said they are puzzled why they are not getting to court.
Tim Mason, Bradley County environmental officer, was asked by Commissioner Bobby Goins about some overgrowth cases. He said Judge Daniel Swafford "told me not to file them."
Chairman Louis Alford responded, "Something's not right here."
Commissioner Goins said in two instances on Archer Lane "the grass is not knee high. It is head high."
Commissioner Bill Winters said the problem may be that the county did not allot funding for environmental court. There was discussion of it, but it did not get put in the budget, he said.
Chairman Alford asked how many county environmental cases were being handled.
Officer Mason said about four a year.
Chairman Alford responded, "That's a lot of questions. That's all I've got to say about it."
Commissioner Charlotte Peak-Jones said, "It has to be enforced and it has to be heard."
Commissioner Thomas Crye said court costs should be raised to cover the small expenses involved rather than seeking to get money from the county.
It was suggested that Judge Swafford, who primarily handles juvenile cases, discuss the matter with the commission.
The commission got a report from Gary Austin on the condition and finances of the Fort Hill Cemetery.
He said the cemetery group has $57,000 in CDs as a reserve, but does not receive adequate ongoing funds. He said it got $12,000 each from the city and county in 1987. Now it receives $9,500 from the county and $10,000 from the city.
Mr. Austin said the veterans section of the cemetery is almost full and the indigent section is completely full.
He said the group looked at buying nearby land, but found that one available tract was "a rock."
Vice Chairman Jeff Yarber said one reason the "Potters Field" is full is that at one time a funeral home offered to throw in a lot with its services. He said the lot was the indigent section of Fort Hill. He said that was stopped.
He noted that the sheriff's department has begun helping out with cleaning part of the cemetery.
It was also suggested the inmates help with the cleanup at the large cemetery. Mr. Austin said he does not know how many acres it covers. It has 17 sections.
Mr. Austin said since a group was chartered to care for it in 1987 "we've come a long way."
Fire Capt. Stony Matthews said Bradley firefighters who went to South Carolina to help with flooding victims "made some active rescues." He said they also helped some families leave who were within a short time of being in peril.
He said the original four personnel were replaced by four others. They were returning today.