The Greene County Commission unanimously approved a resolution Monday night that gives Artazn LLC, a local industry that creates coin blanks and formerly created nearly all the penny blanks for the U.S. Mint, a first right of refusal to purchase the county-owned property on Snapps Ferry Road. The first right of purchase will be for a period of 90 days.
Greene County Mayor Kevin Morrison said Monday night that the property will continue to be marketed as usual to any other interested parties, but that if the county receives an offer for the property during the 90 day period that Artazn will be given the opportunity to match or beat the offer. The minimum offer for the property is set at $1.5 million. The county has invested a total of $1.3 million in the property on Snapps Ferry Road near Thornwood Drive and Gass Drive. The county purchased the 50-acre property in 2022 and was subsequently awarded $2.8 million in grant funding from the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development to grade and prep the property for business or industrial development.
Morrison previously stated that Artazn has been working hard to overcome the fact that the U.S. is no longer minting pennies, and that the company is “looking to expand its international line,” expanding their local operations in doing so. He told the County Commission Monday night that the company is also looking to secure opportunities to make nickels and other precious metals.
Morrison noted that once an industry locates on the property, it will go from brining in a small amount of property taxes on the green belt to potentially millions.
There was no guarantee yet that the Artazn expansion willhappen, but it is close to becoming a possibility according to Morrison. He told the commission he wanted the county to be prepared for the potentially “transformational” expansion to occur, and for the county to have a place for the expansion to locate.
Morrison previously stated that if the expansion were to occur, Artazn would keep their operations in their current facility as well.
County Commissioner Tim White asked if the agreement would “discourage” other industries from looking at the property, and Morrison said that the county and state were continuing to advertise the property and did not expect the agreement to dissuade anyone from taking interest in the property as any company could still make an offer.
Commissioner Brad Peters said the agreement was beneficial to the county as it got closer to placing an industry at the site.
“I don’t know if it’s advantageous to them, but it is to us,” Peters said.
HAL HENARD ROAD LAND DONATION
In other business, the commission unanimously approved a resolution to accept a donation of a 2.5 acres of property off Hal Henard Road from the Greene County Board of Education and Town of Greeneville.
The property, located behind the Tennis Center and Greeneville Career and Technical Academy, includes a home that was constructed many years ago by vocational students at the former vocational school.
The property will serve as a buffer between the Greene County Range and Firearms Sports Complex and the Tennis Center and tech school. The home on the property will be demolished, according to officials.
The land acceptance is the final part of a land swap on Hal Henard Road that saw Greene County assume sole ownership of the range and Howard McNeese Center, and Greeneville assume sole ownership of the former Greene Technology Center (now Greeneville Career and Technical Academy), the Tennis Center, and ball fields.
NORTH GREENE UTILITIES GRANT
In addition, the County Commission unanimously approved a resolution to advance no more than $300,000 in funding to North Greene Utilities to help the water provider cash flow projects in northern Greene County.
The utility has made great strides in improving the system since a new board took over in late 2024.
The utility has been awarded hundreds of thousands of dollars in reimbursable grants, but does not have enough funding on hand to continue projects until receiving reimbursements. It can take over six months for reimbursements to be received.
The utility is working on projects to repair and rehabilitate the system, including installing new membrane filters in its water intake plant on Lick Creek, abating and restoring water storage tanks, and installing a booster station.
Instead of having to waiting on grant reimbursements, the county is providing funding so the utility can continue to cash flow projects. Once funding is reimbursed for the past projects, North Greene Utilities will then pay back the county for its funding advance.
HEAL FUNDS ACCEPTED
The commission also approved a resolution to accept an additional $5.6 million in Helene Emergency Assistance Loans (HEAL) from the state to be used by the Greeneville Water Commission. The Water Commission will now be receiving about $20 million in HEAL funds.
Once the Water Commission is refunded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency for recovery work related to Hurricane Helene, the utility will pay back the HEAL funds to Greene County which will in turn repay the state.
