Consultants presented a progress update on the Tweetsie Trail master plan for a county segment, recommending the former highway alignment over the original railroad alignment in several places because of safety, easement and constructability concerns. The presentation outlined design elements (bank stabilization, a pedestrian bridge and protected,‑

The commission voted 19–3 to accept a $6.3 million state grant for the Tweetsie Trail master plan and development; some commissioners objected to future maintenance costs and revenue assumptions.

After hours of public comment, consultants’ presentations and commissioner questioning, the Carter County Commission voted to accept the Tweetsie Trail master plan as a guiding concept — not a spending commitment — while rejecting a separate motion to halt the project and return the governor’s grant funds.