Carson urges long-term budget planning

8:23 p.m. Jan. 19, 2026

DUANE CROSS
MCO Publisher•Editor

At the Monday, Jan. 19, Metro Council meeting, District 2 council member Douglas Carson called for the county to move past yearly budgeting and start using 3-, 5-, and 10-year financial plans for every department.

Carson noted that last year’s property tax went up by more than 20%, showing why earlier planning and smaller, gradual changes are better than big increases all at once. He said his military experience with long-term budgeting taught him that planning ahead can help the county prepare for infrastructure needs, handle emergencies, and give taxpayers more predictability.

“We needed 3-, 5-, 10-year plans to departments as far as budget sources, plan for the future,” Carson said. He added that some of last year’s financial strain could have been eased through earlier action.

Solar Farm Raises Environmental, Roadway Concerns

Council members also discussed ongoing problems with the Silicon Ranch solar farm project, especially erosion, runoff, and road conditions near Cumberland Springs Road and Raysville Road.

Carson, a deputy with the Metro Moore Sheriff’s Department, described ongoing mud and sediment on public roads stretching for hundreds of yards, and raised concerns about runoff getting into nearby creeks and water sources. District 4 council member Peggy Sue Blackburn said the problems get worse after it rains and asked if stronger enforcement or temporary work stoppages should be considered until the issues are fixed.

District 3’s Dexter Golden said Tony Grow, the county’s environmental consultant, checks the site every week using drones and on-site visits to spot problems with erosion and runoff controls. Any issues Grow finds are sent to the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), which is in charge of enforcement. However, road problems may need to be handled by county highway officials instead of state regulators.

Council members also talked about whether the solar developer has kept its promises to maintain and clean the roads. Several members said they were frustrated that the problems have continued despite earlier assurances.

AI Data Center Moratorium Floated

Another major topic was whether future AI data centers might come to the county, and if the county should take steps now to limit or ban them.

Golden suggested a pause on building AI data centers that are single-purpose facilities, saying he was concerned about high water use, electricity demand, generator noise, and how close they might be to homes. He made it clear that this would not affect regular IT systems used by schools, government offices, or current industries, but only large, stand-alone data processing centers.

Golden pointed to other communities, like Memphis, where people have complained about generator noise and strain on infrastructure. District 5’s Gerald Burnett asked if a narrow moratorium was the right answer, and suggested the council might instead review any large industrial project that could have a big impact on natural resources.

No formal decisions were made, but members agreed to look into the issue more and may add it to a future agenda for further discussion.

• Data Center vs. AI Data Center

Other Business and Wrap-Up

In other business:

• The council approved several routine items, such as three notary public appointments, a second reading for a zoning change, and declaring a surplus vehicle from the solid waste department.

• The council spent time discussing a countywide hazard mitigation plan and decided to delay approval until next month to allow more time for review.

• Blackburn also brought up concerns about Huic acid used by 3 Rivers near water infrastructure. She asked if long-term exposure could be a health risk and if more testing or monitoring should be done.

Humic acid is usually safe and is found naturally in soil. However, concentrated forms or high doses can cause mild digestive problems like diarrhea or nausea, or irritation to the skin, eyes, or breathing passages because of its low pH or the chance it could bind heavy metals. People who are pregnant or have autoimmune conditions (like lupus or MS) should avoid it, since it may overstimulate the immune system. Studies show low doses are generally safe, but because products can vary in quality and purity, it’s best to be careful, especially with undiluted or industrial-grade humic acid.