Good Morning Fellow Petitioners,
After weeks of waiting, County Attorney Joshua Hardin has finally responded to our formal ethics complaint. The outcome was not surprising — but it was deeply disappointing. Once again, no one is being held accountable. And what breaks my heart even more than the lack of accountability is the way our community is being ignored.
I truly care for the residents of Hampton. This is a community of hardworking families, veterans, and retirees who chose our beautiful mountain area for peace and quiet. That’s why it’s so heartbreaking to see how we’ve been treated–and are continued to be treated daily.
The very person who should care most about this community has made promises he never intended to keep — pledging to “have the road paved” and to “stop the flooding.” Well, he stopped the flooding all right — by rerouting a stream so completely that it no longer flows behind our home. And the question we’re left with is: where is all that water going now? Someone should probably find out!
When we contacted TDEC about our missing stream, we were told “it is just dry.” That’s not an answer — and frankly, it’s insulting to our intelligence. Streams don’t just disappear after decades. Water doesn’t just stop flowing. Someone had the power and permits to reroute that water, and our community deserves a full accounting of how and why it happened.
County Attorney Hardin’s response never once acknowledged the daily reality our neighbors face. There was no concern for families waking up to dump trucks and jake brakes at 7:00 a.m. (or, like this morning, 6:30 a.m. in the dark). How do I know this? Because I can hear them loud and clear.
Residents are grappling every day with dump truck traffic, dust, noise, and constant disruption from the ongoing project. With the help of the Sheriff’s Department and local officers monitoring traffic, we hope conditions can improve somewhat, but for now our community lives with the impact. We will continue documenting what’s happening to our environment — including mysteriously disappearing streams — supporting neighbors dealing with daily disruption, and demanding answers about who authorized environmental changes or potential destruction without proper permits.
The blasts shake our homes and happen randomly without warning. At the meeting, the blasting company representative stood up and told us it ‘should be very minimal’ and ‘shouldn’t cause harm.’ That’s not what we’re feeling. The walls literally rattle, it is CONCERNING what this is doing to our foundations, and we’re left wondering what hidden damage might be happening. We’ve seen this before — friends who went through the Mary Patton Highway project were told the same thing, only to end up with cracked foundations and insurance companies refusing to cover repairs. Not looking too good on that topic.
At the last commission meeting, a few commissioners steered the conversation toward property rights — emphasizing that citizens have the right to do what they want on their own land. On that point, I 100% agree. But what was conveniently left out is the other half of that truth: with property rights also comes a responsibility to protect innocent neighbors who are directly impacted by next-door projects. It’s not just about one parcel; it’s about the ripple effects on surrounding families.
County commissioners are elected to represent and protect the public interest — not just individual property owners. Their role is to balance private rights with community welfare by overseeing land use, zoning, and infrastructure decisions; ensuring public safety; protecting natural resources; and maintaining transparency and accountability in government. When a project on one property has impacts far beyond its borders — increased traffic, dust, noise, flooding, or environmental degradation — commissioners have a duty to address those impacts, seek mitigation, and ensure affected residents are heard and protected. This isn’t about taking away rights; it’s about making sure no one’s rights are trampled by someone else’s project. THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT IS HAPPENING!
What we’re seeing in Hampton is a serious imbalance: the county has effectively rolled out the red carpet for one resident — a commissioner — allowing activity that appears to benefit him at the expense of his neighbors, with little regard for how it impacts the surrounding community. True balanced leadership means holding everyone to the same standards, ensuring that private projects don’t harm the public, and protecting the rights and quality of life of all residents — not just a select few.
Commissioners also remarked on how “beautiful it was up there.” Well, it’s equally beautiful on my property, on my neighbors’ properties, and across nearly every acre bordering the rock quarry. That part of the story didn’t make it into the conversation, but it matters just as much.
Despite 1,178 signatures on our petition, there was no acknowledgement of the community’s concerns. Even more telling was the lack of recognition that our property values are dropping and families are watching their life savings erode. What are families supposed to do as our property values plummet — simply pack up and leave the homes we’ve invested our lives in? Does anyone in leadership care that our life savings, our retirement plans, and our children’s inheritances are being eroded to serve one project? We’re not asking for special treatment — we’re asking for fairness, for equal protection, and for decision-makers to weigh the full cost of these projects on surrounding families, not just the profit of one resident. Our community deserves policies and oversight that protect everyone, not outcomes that enrich a few while impoverishing the rest.
For about a week, Commissioner Wynn parked in front of our house without identifying himself — an action we reported. For any citizen, this kind of behavior would be unsettling; from an elected official, it’s deeply inappropriate and intimidating. The question remains: on whose authority was this done, and why was it allowed to continue? Yet instead of investigating or condemning it, the county attorney has chosen to defend these actions as “legitimate county business.” That choice undermines public trust and raises serious, unavoidable questions about accountability and the abuse of power.
Here’s what really bothers me: If I wanted to put a rock quarry on MY property, I couldn’t. I’m not a commissioner — I couldn’t cut corners or get permits as easily, reroute streams without consequences, or call questionable activity “properly permitted.” But when you’re on the inside, apparently you can promise neighbors anything, harm their environment, and face ZERO accountability.
I love Hampton and the good people who call it home. Our community deserves better than broken promises and environmental destruction. Yet we still cannot get a clear answer on when this project will end or what its expiration date is supposed to be. Our children deserve to play in clean air, not dust clouds. Our veterans and retirees deserve the peace they came here to find. Our working families deserve to see their property values protected, not destroyed by backroom deals and open-ended projects with no accountability.
And remember — elections are coming up soon. With a few exceptions, our entire county commission will be on the ballot. If you’re frustrated, this is your chance to show it at the polls. Get involved. Ask questions. Hold leaders accountable. Vote for transparency and for representatives who will protect their constituents. Together, we can send a clear message: Hampton residents will not be ignored. I say take a pressure washer in there and CLEAN HOUSE!
We have proved we have community strength together. The county attorney may have chosen to protect those in power, but we choose to protect each other. Most importantly, we’ll keep loving this community enough to fight for its future.
Together, we protect what we love.
Please share and sign this petition far and wide — our voices are being heard and will continue to be heard. Thank you!