Hammond proposes mediation- that's the proper solution for NRR, since both sides seem to be in violation of the contract. Let's see if this passes.

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Fighting for Reform and Representation, Fourth District
Steve Drevik, Commission Seat 4-B
(link...)

Good, they're pointing out the opportunity for abuse. Hopefully this will die.

Even better- it was withdrawn, saving us the time for a vote.

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Fighting for Reform and Representation, Fourth District
Steve Drevik, Commission Seat 4-B
(link...)

Steve: Sorry I missed your meeting. -- s.

My TV reception has been so bad, I thought a Charter Review Committee would take care of the amendments to be considered...???

My reception again was bad. Have they postponed addressing the p-card issues again?

"Four Knox County commissioners admitted at tonight's monthly commission meeting that they've recently discussed matters in private that are directly related to county business in apparent violation of the state Open Meetings Act."

(Link...)

Are the new commissioners bound by Fansler's ruling (no discussion)? I thought that just applied to the defendents in the lawsuit (e.g., new commissioners were just barred from 'deliberation').

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Fighting for Reform and Representation, Fourth District
Steve Drevik, Commission Seat 4-B
(link...)

I get fits of constant clicking on the sound. I can't hear a darn thing now, but Mooore's droning on about line item transfers, so it's not such a bad thing right now.

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Fighting for Reform and Representation, Fourth District
Steve Drevik, Commission Seat 4-B
(link...)

on CTV. What's up?

Lumpy, King of the Substitute Mition, is trying to add himself, Scott Davis, Bruce Williams, Larry Smith, Richard Cate, McKenzie, Hammond, Chuck Williams to the ridge/slope/hillside development task force for "balance."

McKenzie offers James Wade in his stead. Harmon defends list, pointing out many developers already on list (Jernigan, Graham, etc).

Substitute motion fails.

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Fighting for Reform and Representation, Fourth District
Steve Drevik, Commission Seat 4-B
(link...)

Worst reception ever from CTV. It is difficult to watch or hear. Loud burst of static come every 15 minutes or so. It is time to look under the hood at CTV. After the CTV flu during the workshop for the Charter Amendments questions need to be asked. This static problem has gone on for almost a week.

With the Fansler ruling the Commission meetings are simply to long. If Chancellor Fansler will not relent with his ruling, which has actually gone far beyond deliberation, County Commission needs to meet twice a month. This idea of punishing Commission is actually punishing the people who have to do business with Commission.

I have never seen this level of inefficiency in County government. It is not Tank's fault. It is just too much material in too short a time.

for admitting that being on a committee with Lumpy would be torturous.

Lambert is blaming long meetings on Sunshine law.

NO, no no no no. Watch the tapes and see how the time is being wasted.

Secondly, I agree with Steve that most of the dragging out of meetings is due not to Fansler's ruling, but to too much grandstanding and yakking from a few Commissioners

On more than one occasion tonight I considered suicide as a better alternative than another hour of the interminable pontificating. These performances have gone beyond embarrassing. Time to storm the barricades!

Larry Van Guilder

Ragsdale is now suffering from Scoobyitis. Politically, instead of getting even sillier, this is a time for him to keep his mouth closed, or pick a popular off-the-subject issue and run with it. But, like Scooby, he just can't. Instead, there he is, talking about subpoenas from the mayor's office. His opponents have him playing their Hutchisonesque game. The man desperately needs a savvy political advisor, which he has simply never had.

It was.

Larry Van Guilder

A few things have been left out of the coverage of Monday's County Commission meeting.

First, the taxpayers have to pay one dollar for each vote verified by the Election Commission. That is $40,000 per petition.

Second, Law Director John Owings opined that it is not legal to place five Charter Amendments on one ballot and four Charter Amendments on another ballot. Since they are currently eight Charter Amendments left, that would cost the taxpayers $320,000 dollars for eight petitions.

The Charter Review Committee is the proper process to amend the Charter. If there is not enough time left for a Charter Review Committee, then either the number of Charter Amendments should be reduced, or this process should be be done in 2010.

This all could have been avoided if the Knox Charter Petition had read the existing Knox County Charter and requested a Charter Review Committee back last September. Their failure to follow the proper process and their delay waiting until almost no time was left has put Knox County in a difficult position.

The charter provides for amendments per a petition by the people.

Therefore,petitioning the government to place charter amendments on the ballot is proper.

Futhermore,there is no proviso per charter with respect to the cost.

Nor a restriction on how many amendments can be brought forth by the people.

If the people per petition present an amendment or amendments to the Election Commission in accordence with the charter the Election Commission is required to qualify or not qualify those petitioned amendments for placement on the ballot.

It does not matter if its 1 or 100.

1.Fansler's ruling was right & the commissioners need to follow it.

2.I was for the appointment of a Charter Review Committee & sent an e-mail to both 1st district commissioners asking them to support it.I believe they both did.

3.I agree that Knox County Petitions did not dot their i's or cross their t's in their approach to the charter amendments.

(link...)

Reasonable people can disagree. I see it differently.

Fansler quotes Sunshine law from Florida, Colorado, Virginia, Texas, and Wisconsin. The most restrictive Sunshine law States.

Fansler cites "factions" on County Commission in his ruling. He labors over the definition of the word "such".

His conclusion extends the Sunshine Law as written and makes it where no communication between Commission members is allowed except in public meetings. The intent of the Sunshine law was to prevent deliberation between Commission members in private. It was not intended to make communication of a public meeting a thought crime.

I submit that Fansler's ruling does not achieve his stated goal of "enabling Commission to effectively, efficiently and collegially, go about conducting the business of Knox County in public."

The Court is not unmindful of the burdens imposed upon part time citizen legislators by the Open Meetings Act. It has been argued that the act should not apply to conversations between two district mates. The Court has pointed out that it is the Charter of Knox County that must comply with the Open Meetings Act and not the contrary. Thus, if it is difficult for the Commission to conduct its business in compliance with the Open Meetings Act with two representatives from each district then it is within the power of the Commission to remedy this issue.
In rendering this decision, the Court is uninfluenced by any motive, intent, scheme, or the lack thereof on the part of any individual Commissioner or group of Commissioners. Compliance with the Open Meetings Act is demanded regardless of one’s motive or intent.

It is the hope of this Court that this lengthy trial, the findings of fact by the jury and the conclusions of law by this Court will be instructive to the members of the Knox County Commission enabling them to effectively, efficiently and collegially, go about conducting the business of Knox County in public.