from The Lebanon Democrat::Feb. 26, 2009
Approval of the Bible Park pushed back
By: J.R. LIND

February 24, 2008 – Observers of the Bible Park project will have to wait some more before a final answer on the theme park's fate.

The Wilson County Commission recessed rather than adjourned Monday night's meeting, with the promise to gavel the February session back in 15 minutes before March's meeting is scheduled to begin.

With two commissioners – Frank Bush and Jeff Joines – absent, Commissioner Eugene Murray asked first to push the resolution creating a tourism-development zone for the park to the end of Monday's agenda and then, once all scheduled business was complete, asked for the recess. With the February meeting still technically in session, the 6:45 p.m. March 16 meeting will satisfy the state requirement that the TDZ resolutions be voted on in consecutive meetings.

Murray said it was important that every member be present to vote on the proposal, which would allow for a 5 percent privilege tax within the park, used to pay off millions of dollars in bonds.

"We have two commissioners out tonight. .... We just want to give everybody a chance to be heard," he said.

Commissioner Mike Justice said the move is similar to the reason the proposal was OK'd by the Budget Committee.

"The Budget Committee wanted every member to vote on this," he said.

Per state law, the TDZ resolution requires two readings at consecutive called meetings to pass by a two-thirds majority, or 17 votes. In the three previous attempts, a total of 18 commissioners have voted aye. Both Joines and Bush have voted for the TDZ plan in the past.

Commissioner L.T. Jenkins, one of the most outspoken opponents of the park on the commission, said if he or another no vote had been absent, there would have been no delay.

"This is an attempt to stack the deck," he said. "What are you going to do? Move it until you get everybody here on the yes side?"

Commission rules require that monthly meetings begin at 7 p.m. on the third Monday of the month, unless that Monday is a federal holiday or during the Wilson County Fair. Two of Jenkins' fellow opponents – Heather Scott and Jim Emberton – said they may attempt to filibuster the remainder of February's meeting, forcing the March meeting to begin and torpedoing the TDZ proposal – which the park's backers say is key to it locating here.

"You can't call for the question until everybody has had a chance to speak and it takes a two-thirds vote to cut off debate," she said. "I have a big book of Robert's Rules of Order I can read."

During the debate on whether to recess, Scott said the delay should be proof enough the park is not worth it.

"If this was truly a good thing for the county, we wouldn't need to do this funky-monkey business," she said.

The motion to move the TDZ resolution to the heel of the agenda and the motion to recess until just before the scheduled March meeting both passed 15-8.