Mon
Jun 19 2006
06:40 pm
Everything is on the table as far as term limits are concerned
By: Number9

According to the Knoxville News Sentinel Knox County Mayor Mike Ragsdale asked the Knox County law director’s office to file a motion in Weaver’s court asking for 180 days to amend the charter to address Weaver’s concerns.

Three months from now is September 19th. Almost six weeks after the August 3rd General Election in Knox County. Is this most hypocritical act of mendacity yet to be foiled upon the people of Knox County?

Is this enough to show the utter lack of leadership? The great issue at hand is not that we don't have a Charter to govern Knox County but we do not have leaders to govern Knox County.

Yet ironically there is one lone voice on County Commission. Is he perhaps a prodigal son? One has to wonder about the atonement of John Schmid. One of the first to sue in court over term limits Schmid is now trying to fast track an appeal of Chancellor John Weaver’s ruling that invalidated the Knox County Charter. He is among the few that has standing to make such an appeal and he goes against the wishes of 18 other Knox County Commissioners. Schmid told the Knoxville News Sentinel, “The appeal’s been filed. We’re trying to get a quicker decision than the Charter Review Committee."

According to the News Sentinel Schmid decided to move forward with the appeal after talking with Chief Deputy Law Director of Knox County John Owings. Schmid asked Owings if the committee would acknowledge that term limits apply to commissioners. Owings stated, "Everything is on the table, as far as term limits."

The greatest mystery is why County Mayor Mike Ragsdale would take the chance of playing a game of who can take the moral high ground while holding back term limits for another four years. Ragsdale said term limits must stay in a revised charter yet it is clear there will be no term limits in this Knox County General Election. Is this a way of saying, "Let them eat cake"?

If ever Knox County needed a Jefferson Smith to come forward this is the time. Friday at 5:00 PM is the final time for write-in candidates to apply at the Knox County Election Commission for the August 3rd General Election. Of course Jefferson Smith was just a character in a movie. In real life heroes are much harder to find.

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Rachel's picture

Is this most hypocritical

Submitted by Rachel on Mon, 2006/06/19 - 7:38pm.

Is this most hypocritical act of mendacity yet to be foiled upon the people of Knox County?

I doubt it but them shur nuff are bodacious words.

Anonymous's picture

If ever Knox County needed a

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 2006/06/20 - 5:10pm.

If ever Knox County needed a Jefferson Smith to come forward this is the time.

 

Heck, I'd settle for a David Palmer or a Jed Bartlett... 

Bbeanster's picture

Hell, I'd vote for Jed

Submitted by Bbeanster on Tue, 2006/06/20 - 6:36pm.

Hell, I'd vote for Jed Clampett over these poltroons.
I HATE the way the NS is attempting to make John Schmid the heavy in this latest round.

Old Hickory's picture

They're all Grandstanding, Do You Think Schmid can pay McAdams?

Submitted by Old Hickory (not verified) on Tue, 2006/06/20 - 7:10pm.

They're all in it to get on television, get it the newspaper, make a big splash and be somebody.

They are all climbing over each other to get in front of a mike or a camera to show everyone how smart they are and the sad thing is, when they start talking, they really do.

The term limits thing should have been addressed in 1994 when the public voted on it, but nobody wanted to bring the sheriff under the limit, the trustee, the register of deeds, the various clerks, etc. so we languished in our own ambiguity and Weaver's court is full of cases regarding term limits and rather than decide these cases on an invalid charter, he went to the source of the problem and is telling Knox County to get it right.  The "will" of the people is not a legally recognized legal argument, i.e. prohibition, prostitution, abortion, school vouchers, etc.

Two terms on the public's nickle for everybody from Sheriff to School Board and you're gone.  No more fiefdoms that work to the detriment of the good of the county.

Oren Incandenza's picture

Amen.

Submitted by Oren Incandenza on Tue, 2006/06/20 - 7:18pm.

These people all want to govern in the worst way -- and they do.

Number9's picture

Submitted by Number9 on Wed, 2006/06/21 - 12:38am.

(link...)

From the KNS:

Mayor Mike Ragsdale said Tuesday this move would hopefully allow the county to focus on restoring term limits.

County spokesman Dwight Van de Vate said the county took this approach, as opposed to going to the Court of Appeals, in hopes of quickly "repairing the minor deficiencies in the charter." He said there's a possibility the Court of Appeals would send the case back for trial, extending the time involved in restoring term limits.

Public Service Announcement:

You, Joe or Jane Citizen can run against Knox County Mayor Mike Ragsdale. You have until Friday at 5:00 PM to sign a form at the Knox County Election Commission. You do not need 25 signatures. You only need to be a resident of Knox County and a registered voter.

Do it so people can have a way to have a protest vote. You can run as an Independent or a Democrat.

Do any of you believe the statements above? Let me remind you Ragsdale ask for a 180 day stay which makes term limits a moot point.

Remember when you asked me who we should take the government back from?

Number9's picture

Hell, I'd vote for Jed

Submitted by Number9 on Tue, 2006/06/20 - 10:38pm.

Hell, I'd vote for Jed Clampett over these poltroons.

The sad part is that a case for Jethro could be made also.

Where is the leadership?

I HATE the way the NS is attempting to make John Schmid the heavy in this latest round.

According to News Sentinel math:

Ragsdale=Good

Schmid=Evil

No small wonder no one votes. I wonder if our county will break the 18 percent mark in the General Election? The big media group think in this town is a big part of the problem. If they would just report the news it would be very different here.

Bill Villa's picture

permission to appeal

Submitted by Bill Villa (not verified) on Wed, 2006/06/21 - 2:37pm.

So when did Mike Moyers ever have to get permission from commission or the county mayor to appeal a lawsuit? Anyone know?

And now it looks like he's trying to get Schmid kicked out of the lawsuit and appeal over standing. If that's the case, then only the county gets to call the shots on the appeal.

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