Commissioner Wendy Pitts Reeves has updated her blog and I am sure you will find the new entry very interesting. On my pc I have to ignore the blog roll link over to the right of this post and go directly to her blog spot at Link...

Yes Ms Reeves- we wonder why indeed.

Keep up the great work pal!

For those tuning in late, part one of this issue can be found at Link...

Let's start this with the DT's coverage of the April County Commission WorkSession

Let's look at that wonderful new firing range Blount County is getting. The DT says Link...

The agreement between the two allows for joint use of the facilities and gives the Guard priority use to meet state and federal mobilization requirements.

Buried in the Budget Committee Package Link... are a couple of interesting items on this contract. Now, I ain't no contract lawyer but I am still a taxpayer and on pdf page 26 the request for Budget Increase / Decrease it says the reason for the request is " The Sheriff's Office in cooration with the Tennessee Air National Guard will enhance our current target system with 100% funding for the target system from the Guard Bureau"

FREE! I love free! Who does not love FREE?

Oh, wait.. always a catch, eh?

Scroll on down to pdf page 32 and look at the Estimated County Share. Is that $2,100,000 I see? Really? Free cost two point one million? AH, I can't be reading this correctly can I?

Continuing to pdf page 33 I see under Project Scope, item C that someone has to provide 3,500 sq feet of dedicated space to the ANG in the new Operations Building.

Since the full contract is not included in this month's County Commission package I think it is fair to simply ask what the $2,100,000.00 is all about. Someone better ask!

UPDATE- version two of the CC info package is now online and this contract is now included in the package. No new data, simply the contract is now added.

Here ya go! Link... Just select Blount and read away.

I personally don't like this system as much as the one they used for last year's filings. It is easy to understand why the state made the changes. Last year we had to call them up and ask for clarification when the list of holdings was so long that the state's data entry people simply used the words "see attached" instead of spending hours typing investment lists.

The 2007 statements are still available here Link...

Cross posting this from R's post at Knoxviews Link... because Blount County folk need to understand how and what records they have a right to view.

Free Workshop for Public & Journalists: Open Records – Open Meetings - March 6, 2008

Citizens and working journalists are invited to a free workshop designed to teach them what records and meetings are open to the public under Tennessee law and what they can do if denied access. In partnership with the Howard H. Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy, the East Tennessee chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists (ETSPJ) is pleased to present this freedom-of-information workshop, which is open to the public and all working journalists.

My heroes have always been farmers. My grandfather farmed, my sister married a farmer, the people dearest to me are farmers and by golly- I like to eat!

Over these past few months war has been waged in Blount County and the firing line as been Letters to the Editor of the DT. Today, we finally have a no nonsense and direct accounting of the events which led up to the BZA decision.
Thank you Ms. Campbell!

The letter is here Link...

From Vice Chair to Vice Mayor?

Blount County Commission Vice Mayor Steve Samples

Link...

More on the Blount County Mayor's land grab in a later blog.

Come on! Admit it! Who likes snow?

Russians, Immigrants and Orphans, OH, MY!

Link...

You got land. We want land.

One can only wish that BT put the entire letter up on their website instead of giving us these ... One can only imagine what ol' Jerry really had to say.

Warning. This thread will either bring a tear to your eye or warm your heart and soul. All yee who enter be warned.....

psst... come closer. We don't want them to hear what I am about to talk about. See, we all know there is something going on in Blount County. We could call it a media war but that term does not really fit. Perhaps we could call it media suck up of the week award .

This week's winner is BlountToday. Congratulations to the crew over there. You did the boys just fine.

The original link to the CAR WARS article regarding the BCSO car count has been replaced with the Robert Wilson article The Audit is IN Link...

Replaced as in when folks try to find the original Car Wars article all you get is the Go Back to Sleep Blount County Everything is Fine- Nothing to see here article.

I wonder if this bit of file renaming over at BT caused a few chuckles out on the Patio. After all, anyone who was trying to link to the old Car Wars article from the Citizens for Better Government website were instead presented with GO Back to sleep......

Darn it. I really wanted to play compare the quotes with the old article and this new one. That is always so rewarding in Blount County Today.

Next Tuesday, Jan 8th at 3:00!

The MDT looks back at some of the stories that have touched the lives of our readers.

Well, yes, those are some of the stories. Which ones do you believe the DT left off this list?

Link...

Moot. Moot. Moot. " No longer an issue "

One thing I have found very interesting is that the State seems to believe ( was told? ) that the Blount County Public Building Authority is going to be forced to shut its doors at some point.

and it brings well wishes of hope, love and charity to the real Blount County A-list.

Yes, you know who you are. You are the ones who stand up and are counted. Those of you who don't say or think what is in it for me rather you ask how it will effect others. Week in and week out the real Blount County A-listers work to make not only Blount County but the world a better place- one person or one issue at a time. Perhaps the most amazing thing is that you simply do not realize the impact you can and do have on the lives of others.

I have had the privilege to see some of these effects first hand. So on behalf of those you all have helped in one way or another, I want to say a heart felt thank you and raise a glass of good cheer in your honor.

Happy Birthday to you!
Happy Birthday to you!

Happpppyyyyy Birrrrrrrrrrrrrthday dear you know who you are...

Happy Birthday to you!

Link...

and many, many more pal.

Link...

Blount judge criticized for turning person away

I am frankly disgusted and embarrassed to be a Blount County resident. As I read the quote of Young in that story, he had admitted turning away a person seeking redress in his court

Accordingly, he is unfit for the bench and certainly unfit for the support of officeholders who also take an oath to uphold the Constitution. That oath is obviously not worth the paper it is written on in Blount County.

Good golly, go read the whole LTTE. The Blount County GOP will have to hold the next pro judge / anti free press rally in Knoxville.

NW Blount County reporting in... it is snowing right now!

TN AG Opinion OP163 is just out regarding the use of SRO money.

Link...

With the changing of the weather there have been changes in attitudes at my bird feeder. Over the summer, one by one, my cheap small feeders fell victim to a band of raccoons. Come to think of it, this whole thing was my fault.

Many of us questioned the timing on this weeks Pro-us rally and I believe we have found the source of the actual timing.

Link...

“This school is a fraud,” Hatcher said. “They sell themselves as an accredited school and they’re deceiving people.
“I think it would be worthwhile for others to pursue refunds.”
Berrong said there “was no discussion” on whether the deputies should pay back the money or ask Columbus University for a refund. He said he “would like for them to try to obtain a lawyer to ask Columbus to do the same that they did with Tom (Hatcher).”
“I think that’s something that we can pursue,” Berrong said. “I think a letter would be relatively inexpensive to have an attorney, if we could find one,

Last Friday I went to the GSM Sustainable Tourism Townhall which the DT covered here Link...

State Route 321 will be protected from the Loudon County line to the Park

Dr. Van West, Director, Center for Historic Preservation, MTSU did a wonderful job of defining what things can be. From a new cenus of Blount County Century Farms to using those items in our local history that might not be of um, great delight to all.

Below, in five separate posts you will find questions that were presented at the Townhall. Since you most likely could not be there, now is your chance to answer each and every one of these. Please, take the time to answer these and perhaps we can get word to Nashville about what the rest of us want. After all, there were very few people in that meeting who were not wearing suits.

I stumbled upon this report of an interesting case in today's KNS.

Link...

At the end of Friday's hearing, the Roseburghs presented Judge David Duggan of Blount County General Sessions court with sworn statements in which they asked the judge to order the arrests of Assistant District Attorney Clinton Frazier, Circuit Court Judge W. Dale Young and three members of the state agriculture department staff on myriad charges ranging from false imprisonment and kidnapping to suborning perjury, stalking, extortion, making false statements in official documents, official oppression, retaliation for past actions, civil-rights intimidation and more.

This couple and their grand jury ( adventures? ) in Blount county over selling plants is really interesting. If you can skip the religious comments and issues around the case it is really fascinating. Duggan declined by the way.

So, the case is one issue. The other is why am I reading this in the KNS and not in the Daily Times? What is going on down there? Are yee all 'Judged' out on us or what?

1998.....

Link...

"Some members of the public might well assume a lawyer who had endorsed a particular judge for election may have an advantage in that judge's court over an attorney who endorsed the loser or failed to make any endorsements," Clifford said.

However, Robert Goddard, one of three county attorneys seeking endorsements for Young, said there is nothing improper about his actions.

School board attorney David Duggan and Maryville attorney Jerry Cunningham are also soliciting endorsements for Young.

I don't suppose anyone has a link showing where any of our local papers endorsed certain candidates this past election?

"Two of these things belong together, one of these things does not belong..."

Link...

DT A previous opinion by Tennessee Attorney General Robert E. Cooper Jr. indicated that Lewis could face possible ouster because of holding shares in GreenBank, which provides financial services to the county.

Link...

WBIR Tennessee's attorney general disagrees. In his opinion, he said Lewis made his connections clear from the beginning and does not own stock in the bank.

Link...

DT Shareholder clause
While this would seem to allow Lewis to hold a seat on the Purchasing Commission, Cooper’s opinion didn’t stop there:

“Tenn. Code Ann. § 5-14-114 of the County Purchasing Law of 1957 prohibits a shareholder of a bank that conducts business with the county from serving as a county commissioner, or as a member of the county budget committee or the county purchasing commission,” he wrote. “While the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals has concluded that this statute is unconstitutional to the extent it imposes criminal penalties, we think it may still constitutionally serve as the basis for an ouster action under Tenn. Code Ann. § 8-47-101, et seq.”

Point goes to Joel Davis!

Linda Hageman, the newest AAUW member, is hosting a gathering to provide support for Wendy Pitts Reeves as she works through the current challenge she is facing as a Blount County Commissioner.

It will be held at Green Meadows Country Club in Alcoa at 6 pm on this Friday. Wendy and her husband will be in attendance and she appreciates our support. If you can attend, please e mail Linda at hagm04@aol.com. to enable her to order refreshments.

The country club is on Louisville Road, go past the WalMart and it is on the right about a mile after WalMart.

Dear Attorney General,

Once again you are going to be ask to issue an opinion relating to conflicts of interest under TCA 12-4-102 and 5-14-114 with regards to certain Blount County Commissioners.

The 12-4-102 stuff is simply a smoke screen since none of the commissioners in question ever voted on the contract for services.

5-14-114 however has an interesting twist that none of the local media have bothered to cover.

The vote to return Blount County to the Financial Acts of 1957 took place on August 17, 2006 and applied a July 1, 2007 effective date. This act was passed by the outgoing Commission. August 17th is exactly two weeks AFTER the Commissioners in question were first elected to serve on the County Commission and before they took office. They were elected on August 3, 2006

This vote to place Blount County under the Act of 1957 was done AFTER the outgoing Commission knew who the new mayor and the new commissioners would be. This was not done by those who would make up the Commission while under the Acts of 1957.

Sir, is there not some kind of equal protection clause in the Tennessee Constitution which prohibits such actions?

“Because I was a stockholder in the bank, I transferred ownership of that stock to my wife,” he said. “... I e-mailed all the commissioners to that effect on Oct. 15, letting them know. Hopefully that will settle any issues that are out there.”

Link...

Does this answer anything?

Link...

In previous opinions
dealing with TENN. CODE ANN. § 12-4-101, this office has opined that when spouses commingle assets,a person has an indirect interest in any contract directly affecting his or her spouse’s employment. Ops.
Tenn. Atty. Gen.88-122 (July 13, 1988); 84-030 (January 27, 1984).

Does McDonald's have stricter rules for playing their version of Monopoly than we have in Blount County government?

WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO PLAY. The In-Store Game is open only to residents ..... Persons in any of the following categories are NOT eligible to participate or win prizes in the Game: (a) any person who on..... was or is a McDonald's restaurant franchise owner or employee or a director, officer, employee, agent, or independent contractor of Sponsor, Toys"R"Us, Inc., Foot Locker Retail, Inc., American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc., Glu Mobile, Inc., RealNetworks, Inc., Hasbro, Inc., or any of their respective parent companies, subsidiaries, affiliated companies or service agencies; .......persons who are immediate family members (defined as spouse, IRS dependent, or biological or step- mother, father, sister, brother, daughter or son) of, or who reside in the same household as, any person in any of the preceding categors. The transfer of Game materials by an ineligible person to an eligible person is strictly prohibited. For ease of reference, Toys"R"Us, Inc., Foot Locker Retail, Inc., American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc., Glu Mobile, Inc., and RealNetworks, Inc., are collectively referred to in these Official Rules as the "Prize Suppliers".

Before we begin you need to assemble the required components.

The state required form SS- 8005
Link...

The very important rules and guidelines to filing such forms Link...

The Blount County Ethics Policy / Code of Ethics found here Link...

Now, let's match these to what was disclosed at the June Blount County Commission Meeting.

Hey BlountToday, your bias is showing!

Link...

What is it with the County and women? First we have an elected official who apparently does not like women regardless of race or religion. Now we have a County Mayor who circumvents the county's own ethics policy by running to CTAS for a legal opinion just because one women stands up, does her job and asks those hard questions.

Here is just one little old fact that the BT article misses and since it is obvious that at least one of the Commissioners who wants to see Reeves shut up leaked this I feel compelled to point this out. If they really, really think that having an agreement with the County's PPO that creates a situation where these health care providers MAY see county employees is a real conflict of interest then they are willing to sacrifice the Commission Chair as well.

Link...

There is much more to this and I know it will be explored but for now, this just shows that BT is willing to be the mayor's lapdog.

Now we need to ask what the status is of Mr. Commissioner Bankman because he was the subject of the AG Opinion and nothing to date has been publicly discussed regarding his situation.

[Ed. Note: "Mr. Commissioner Bankman" referenced above is Commissioner Mike Lewis, who is an officer and is (was?) a shareholder of Green Bank, which the county does business with.]

Blogger noted update. I have now attached the actual letter Commissioner Reeves gave the Commission when she resigned from the HR/Insurance Committee.