The WBIR show is typically not particularly probing from my past observations.
I quit watching them some time ago.

They are sort of like Muzak.

WATE seems a bit more aggressive.

I think John Schmid would be an excellent guest. With a strong host that asks pointed questions.

The streaming video and podcast are now available.

http://www.tennesseethisweek.com/archives/37

Mark: there's lots of questions and comments on other threads concerning the forum on Monday and the meeting on Wednesday.

Can you help out and answer them in their respective threads?

I just watched the Tennessee This Week, and two things stood out.

One, Lumpy's protestations that this stuff goes on all the time and it's no big deal and it's no different than what goes on in the U.S. Senate (guess he has higher aspirations and sees this as good experience).

George Korda continues this theme, and explains that all legislative bodies including commission break to discuss impasses and try to reach consensus.

The problem with this line of reasoning is that a zoning regulation or a school board budget is one thing. Appointing half of a county government without voter or any kind of public input or participation is quite another. Either should be deliberated out in the open and in the public view, but matters involving citizen representation where the voters aren't given any opportunity to have their voice heard ought to be held to the highest standard of openness.

The second thing that struck me was George Korda's contention that the reason for the big rush to appoint replacements was because, according to Law Director John Owings, the Tennessee Supreme Court "has given us a window of time in which to do something."

Gene should have called him on that. All they said was "those county commissioners and state constitutional officers otherwise precluded from holding the offices to which they were recently elected may continue as de facto officers until their successors are named in accordance with law." I believe the law is Article II of the Tennessee Constitution, which says '[v]acancies in county offices shall be filled by the county legislative body, and any person so appointed shall serve until his successor is elected at the next election occurring after the vacancy is qualified.'

The TSC didn't mandate anything other than the vacancies to be filled according to state law, and state law does not appear to impose any time frame.

Several commissioners called for special elections or preference polling or at least open public forums for candidates. Mayor Ragsdale called for a series of public meetings.

Clearly there was some other agenda at play. Trying to say that the TSC mandated it is a smokescreen.