Mon
Nov 27 2006
01:21 pm
By: R. Neal
In anticipation of the big Tennessee Supreme Court decision regarding the validity of Knox County's Charter, Mayor Ragsdale and County Commission are at odds over closed meetings to discuss legal implications of the ruling. I'd have to agree with Ragsdale on this. What do you think?
|
|
Discussing:
- Bernie Sanders vs AI (1 reply)
- SoKno discombobulation continues (2 replies)
- Execution failed!!! (3 replies)
- GOP Senator "deserves the obloquy" (2 replies)
- AI company going public says "existential risks to humanity" (2 replies)
- Michaela Barnett for Congress TN-02 (2 replies)
- Timing is everything (2 replies)
- Presidential protest? Deja vu? (3 replies)
- Republican midterm strategy 2026 (2 replies)
- Kerbela Development: Understanding the Appeal and What Happens Next (1 reply)
- 865 Neyland Entertainment District announcement (3 replies)
- Federal court rules Constitution doesn't guarantee clean water (2 replies)
Upcoming events:
- Nov 5 2026 - 5:30pm (2 weeks 2 days from now)
TN Progressive
- Tues., Oct. 20, 2026, Free Flu Shots at Blount County Health Dept. (BlountViews)
- View from the Overlook (Whitescreek Journal)
- Alcoa property taxes will probably not go up (BlountViews)
- Smith & Wesson not a good fit for Blount County (BlountViews)
- Pellissippi Parkway extension delayed again (BlountViews)
- WATCH THIS SPACE. (Left Wing Cracker)
- America As It Is Right Now (RoaneViews)
- A friend sent this: From Captain McElwee's Tall Tales of Roane County (RoaneViews)
- The Meidas Touch (RoaneViews)
- Massive Security Breach Analysis (RoaneViews)
- (Whitescreek Journal)
- My choices in the August election (Left Wing Cracker)
TN Politics
- With 2 weeks until midterms, analysts say Dems still on track to win US House majority (TN Lookout)
- Ukrainians and Sudanese with temporary legal status will keep protections for now (TN Lookout)
- Tennessee GOP senator says ‘no basis’ to expel her from caucus (TN Lookout)
- Attorney General touts success of Trump task force in Memphis (TN Lookout)
- Democrats could flip legislative chambers, break GOP supermajorities, analysis finds (TN Lookout)
- Here’s how the No Kings day of action urged early voting (TN Lookout)
Knox TN Today
- Let’s Talk: Neighbors — A new church, a Farragut legacy and community connections (Knox TN Today)
- Burials, Barns, and Backstories: The Randles of Thorn Grove (Knox TN Today)
- BBQ Meatball & Pineapple Bowls: It’s Crockpot Season! (Knox TN Today)
- Above & Beyond: $25,000 Toyota award helps Goods4Greatness keep kids in the game (Knox TN Today)
- Can I do it? Bunco beginners discover the fun is in the laughter (Knox TN Today)
- Does homeowners insurance cover your shed, fence and detached garage? (Knox TN Today)
- Girl Scouts honor trailblazing mother-daughter duo at Trefoil Luncheon (Knox TN Today)
- What financial documents should your family be able to find in an emergency? (Knox TN Today)
- Tennessee can play at home; it may can win on road (Knox TN Today)
- Trooper Cedric Roach works to alter behavior, reduce fatalities (Knox TN Today)
- Game Ball: Don Grogan tops the writers in Tennessee’s win over Alabama (Knox TN Today)
- Meet Adonis: Monday’s Parent-A-Child (Knox TN Today)
Local TV News
- Christa Pike's attorneys seek more time in constitutional case against state (WATE)
- 21 dogs euthanized in Monroe County following 2025 attack that severely injured woman (WATE)
- 'In Her Shoes’ simulation in Knoxville highlights challenges faced by survivors of domestic violence (WATE)
- Covenant Health helicopters take flight to speed up medical transport in East Tennessee (WATE)
- Heart disease is Tennessee's number one cause of death. What cardiologists want you to know (WATE)
- Kelsea Ballerini helps bring healing power of music to Dolly Parton's Children's Hospital (WATE)
News Sentinel
State News
- SEC upheaval opens door for Big 12 to put 3 teams in top 10 of AP poll and Miami to take over No. 1 - Chattanooga Times Free Press (Times Free Press)
- Tennessee Titans winless no more with chance to work on their offensive issues - Chattanooga Times Free Press (Times Free Press)
- AI agents are only as good as the personal information you share. That raises privacy concerns - Chattanooga Times Free Press (Times Free Press)
- Woman’s body recovered from water at Chester Frost Park - Chattanooga Times Free Press (Times Free Press)
Wire Reports
- Morning Bid: Korean canary in the AI coalmine - Reuters (Business)
- Parents of Bend, Oregon, shooting victim hire attorneys to investigate school plans and gun purchase - AP News (US News)
- ‘Open your doors for AI’: German chancellor urges businesses to embrace AI as Nvidia announces new investments - CNBC (Business)
- Shares stumble, oil rises as investors await AI sector earnings - Reuters (Business)
- Vegas tourist who took Peachy the flamingo from hotel exhibit is found guilty of animal cruelty - NBC News (US News)
- Police used 'justified' force in fatal shooting of one-year-old, says Mississippi attorney general - BBC (US News)
- Fact Check: Trump speaks at Kansas rally for Roger Marshall. Here’s what he got wrong - Kansas City Star (US News)
- Judge leans toward extending halt on tree clearing at golf course where Trump says redesign should start ‘immediately’ - NBC News (US News)
- ‘Help me!’ Videos of ICE violently detaining man who says he’s U.S. citizen spark outrage - Los Angeles Times (US News)
- Netflix Earnings Come After Layoffs, Questions About What's Next - Deadline (Business)
- Elon Musk’s proposed SpaceX stock giveaway would go into ‘Trump Accounts’ - The Verge (Business)
- DOJ charges 28 in California with voting crimes as election tensions escalate - NPR (US News)
- Trump faces bipartisan backlash over waiving Russia sanctions - CBS News (US News)
- The Treasury’s financing plans are sparking anxiety on Wall Street - MarketWatch (Business)
- Nscale, Anthropic in Talks for $45 Billion Cloud Computing Deal - Bloomberg.com (Business)
Local Media
Lost Medicaid Funding
To date, the failure to expand Medicaid/TennCare has cost the State of Tennessee ? in lost federal funding. (Source)
Search and Archives
TN Progressive
Nearby:
- Blount Dems
- Herston TN Family Law
- Inside of Knoxville
- Instapundit
- Jack Lail
- Jim Stovall
- Knox Dems
- MoxCarm Blue Streak
- Outdoor Knoxville
- Pittman Properties
- Reality Me
- Stop Alcoa Parkway
Beyond:
- Nashville Scene
- Nashville Post
- Smart City Memphis
- TN Dems
- TN Journal
- TN Lookout
- Bob Stepno
- Facing South

In this instance ...
I'd have to agree with Ragsdale. Let the sunshine in. Why would they have a problem with letting the public view the debate over term-limits and such? What do they have to hide?
"You can't fix stupid..." ~ Ron White"
Ragsdale's right. Open up
Ragsdale's right. Open up the meetings. Politicians have ignored the will of the people way too long. -- s.
I think Mark Harmon has it
I think Mark Harmon has it about right. If the Commission needs advice on the legal effect on the County of actions the Commission might take, an executive session might be appropriate to maintain attorney-client confidentiality.
For instance, if the Commission were thinking of authorizing a lawsuit or taking action that might cause someone to sue the County, there might be questions they would need answered by the County's attorney in a setting where the adversarial party could not be sitting in the audience listening to the answer.
IMO, however, the Law Department should not be advising the individual commissioners regarding the legalities of anything affecting the commissioners as individuals.
This is true regardless of whether such advice would be in public or in private, to the whole assembled Commission, or to individuals privately, about the charter, or term limits or anything else.
The Law Department should not represent the commissioners individually. Commissioners should hire their own attorneys if they seek advice about their individual legal matters. In fact, they pretty much all have hired their own attorneys regarding term limits already.
I agree with Mark who agrees with Mark
This case is not about individuals, contrary to what Diane Jordan says. It's about whether Weaver was correct in invalidating the charter, and if not, to whom do term limits apply. I see no need for commissioners, particularly those who may well be effectively out of office when this decision comes down to have an "executive session."
I presume the court will instruct them, and I presume they will follow those instructions -- although, based on past behavior, I realize that's pretty presumptuous on my part to presume any such thing.
And maybe, if Weaver is reversed, the plaintiffs should be ordered to pay court costs.
Can anyone tell me
If the charter is constitutional, then the eight term limited leave office. Will they automatically be replaced by the people who ran against them in the last election and lost?
If the charter is ruled unconstitutional, then what happens? Who's left in charge? Does the Supreme Court have any say in this since there will be no one left in office?
Be a blessing to someone today.
My guess is...
and it is only a guess, the State Supreme Court would probably order a special election at the same time as their decision if it upholds the term limits. They would probably set a time limit on holding the election as well, but give enough time for the ballots to be set and all that stuff.
"You can't fix stupid..." ~ Ron White"
That would be pretty wild.
That would be pretty wild. Greg Mackay only THOUGHT he'd get a breather before the 2007 city elections.