MOUNTAIN CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) — The Mountain City planning commission meeting started with a bombshell announcement.

Local residents continue to resist the plans for a 30-megawatt Bitcoin mining facility proposed by Nevada-based CleanSpark, which is set to be built on a 50-acre site near Highway 421 and Rainbow Road.

Contrarily, Jason Bryan, a member of the planning commission, revealed he does not share this opposition and plans to participate in the CleanSpark project from within the organization.

“I became an employee of CleanSpark as of June 2nd,” he said. “I took a job with CleanSpark.”

Bryan added that he would not vote or participate in future discussions.

The community has voiced worries about the mine’s possible environmental effects, its influence on the retirement plans of Mountain City residents, and the potential conflict of interest involved.

Despite public opposition, Mayor Jerry Jordan is focusing on the possible benefits of a new business in Mountain City.

“They said the same thing about the prison and it’s been great,” Jordan said. “These are also the people that I know and I trust.”

Planning commissioners recommended approving a zoning change for the 178 Rainbow Road property.

Now, only time will tell whether Mountain City’s future includes CleanSpark.