From the Knox County Charter, Article II-Legislative Branch, Section 2.20-Other Powers:

H. Upon adoption of an approving resolution in each instance by the affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the entire Commission, the Commission and its authorized committees shall have full power and authority to hold public hearings, with power to subpoena witnesses and to administer oaths where necessary or desirable, for the purpose of either (1) gathering information necessary or desirable for the purpose of considering proposed Commission legislation, or (2) investigating any allegation of violations of this Charter, ordinances or emergency ordinances of the Commission brought by either the Executive of Knox County or any member of the Commission against any elected official or employee of the County. No such hearing shall be held with or without such subpoena power having been exercised except when a quorum of the Commission or any authorized committee, as appropriate, is present. (End)

Geez, more stuff for us all to be disgusted with.

Can we just lock Scoobie & Ragsdale in a closet and let them duke it out? Without Shurf Tim to help Scoobie, my $$ would be on Ragsdale.

Then we could schedule a Lumpy v. Ragsdale match. Sell tickets and give the proceeds to the school system. At least we'd get something of some small value out of this entire sorry mess.

I'm sure I read that Trammel's only education beyond high school was a year at the vocational-technical school; didn't I also read that he earns over $70,000 annually with the Sheriff Department? How often does that happen in this part of the country???

Agreed, Sandra. As a matter of degree, Ragsdale's actions (we think) are unparalleled.

knoxnative: "I say let's look at all of them..."

Again, in my utopia (repeat post)...

1) February 5: N-S sues old commission + Bolus.
2) Soon (February 26?): In their own agenda, hybrid commission (dragging along beholden appointees) opens investigation of Harber/Ragsdale.
3) Soon: In his own agenda, Ragsdale succeeds in snaring special election.
4) July: Shurf Tim gone.
5) September: Good People swarm polls to remove Bad Appointees.
6) Prior to swearing in of newly/duly elected commissioners, petulant hybrid commission pronounces guilt of Harber/Ragsdale and enjoins DA.
7) Newly/duly elected replacements to appointees sworn in.
8) Jones, fearful of votes lost in special election and of imminent votes to be lost in N-S suit, persuades courts to allow a double-header (N-S suit and DA action), so that he may sell tickets to fund Shurf Department pension plan.
9) First on deck (doesn't matter, really): N-S suit removes original perpetrators of January appointment process (plus Bolus), also condemns those term-limited and gone already.
10) Next up (or vice versa): DA condemns/removes Ragsdale, tells Harber to get outta town before sundown (we hafta haul him in to chase him out, ya know).
11) Only newly/duly elected commissioners remain to appoint their commission peers *and* Ragsdale's successor.

Ta-da!

The Dems suffer splits of this type, too--especially at the national level. Wasn't it Kerry who landed himself in hot water recently with some offhand jab at Southern Dems with Confederate flags displayed in their pick-up trucks?!

Kurt Vonnegut coined a term, which he originally applied to Hoosiers in his home state, called "grandfalloons" (sp?). These groups, he said, were all "large, meaningless associations of people." Maybe he was right.

was State Party Chair;appointed to the U.S Senate & lived in Morristown.Walters was a Clement man or,more to the point,Clement was a Walters man.When Walters passed away(1969),his nephews (George Herbert & Tracy Prater)& his proteges took control of the Hamblen County Democratic Party.These folks were very disciplined about winning elections.The only time,we split & man,did we split,was in the '78 primary between Jake & Bob Clement.But we got back together & started winning county elections.It's simple,when Party leadership is interested in winning elections;good things happen..but when leadership is interested in personal political power we have factions fighting each other.