Several standing committee appointments — and a recommendation to do away with one committee — were made during Tuesday’s meeting of the Nominating Committee, but those decisions were overshadowed by a lengthy debate focused on the Carter County Planning Commission.
The appointments dealt with on Tuesday evening are for several standing committees that serve the county, including Carter County Tomorrow, the Civil Service Board, the Work Release Committee and the Carter County Emergency 911 Board.
First on the agenda for appointments was the Jail Information/Research Committee.
Carter County Mayor Leon Humphrey said for many years the group was known as the Jail Inspection Committee but the name was changed “in about 2007.”
Humphrey said he felt the committee was no longer needed and Carter County Sheriff Dexter Lunceford agreed. The jail is inspected by the Tennessee Corrections Institute, a state agency, Lunceford said, adding he is naming a Compliance Officer within his department to conduct regular inspections. The sheriff added the Carter County Grand Jury is also tasked with inspecting the jail.
Both Humphrey and Lunceford said they felt the job of the previous Jail Information/Research Committee could be performed by the already standing Law Enforcement Committee.
“Right now I see it’s a duplication of a committee,” Humphrey said.
Lunceford said he would allow the Law Enforcement Committee to inspect the jail whenever they wish, adding he would make the same invitation to any member of the County Commission who wanted to inspect the jail.
Humphrey added abolishing the duplicate committee would create a $3,000 savings for the county.
Committee member Nancy Brown made a motion to recommend the full commission vote to abolish the Jail Information/Research Committee. The motion was seconded by Committee member L.C. Tester and passed unanimously.
Three nominations were made for the two vacancies on the Carter County Tomorrow board — Scott Simerly, Danny Ward and Charles Von Cannon. Following a vote, Simerly and Ward were selected.
Six vacancies were filled on the Carter County Beer Board, which oversees the issuance of permits for both on-premises and off-premises sales of beers to establishments in the county.
Before the meeting of the nominating committee, Humphrey had asked members of the commission to submit to his office any interest in serving on the various standing committees.
Only six individuals submitted interest in serving on the beer board, Humphrey said, adding three of those individuals were from the same district — Nancy Brown, Mike Hill and Al Meehan, who all serve the 2nd District.
Committee member Buford Peters said he felt representation on the board should be spread out to better represent the county.
“It’s a little odd we have three commissioners from the same district,” he said.
After some discussion, which included seeking interest from other district representatives, the committee decided to add Jerry Proffitt from the 1st District to the list and remove one of the commissioners from the 2nd District.
Members of the committee were instructed to vote for the two members of the 2nd District they wished to serve on the board. On the vote, Meehan received eight votes, Brown received five and Hill received three, resulting in Meehan and Brown’s appointment to the Beer Board.
Appointments approved by the committee during the meeting are listed below:
Carter County Tomorrow:
2 members, 1-year terms
Danny Ward, 4th District and Scott Simerly 7th District
Civil Service:
Sheriff appoints members, commission confirms appointments
Jim Whaley, John Snyder, Brad Johnson
Work Release:
Sheriff appoints members, commission confirms appointments
Roger Deal, Russell Kyte, Joe Lunceford; Unpaid alternates: Robbie Fritts, Rocky Croy
Beer Board:
6 members
Jerry Proffitt, 1st District; Al Meehan, 2nd District; Nancy Brown, 2nd District; Beth Depew, 3rd District; Bobbie Gouge-Dietz, 5th District; Randal Jenkins, 6th District
Financial Management:
4 members
Charles Von Cannon, 3rd District; Danny Ward, 4th District; Bobbie Gouge-Dietz, 5th District; Ray Lyons, 7th District
Carter County Board of Health:
1 member
Timothy Holdren, 5th District
Records Commission:
2 members
Ronnie Trivett, 3rd District; Cody McQueen, 8th District
Agriculture Committee:
2 members
Charles Von Cannon, 3rd District; Ross Garland, 5th District
Carter County Emergency 911
Mayoral appointment
Carter County Sheriff Dexter Lunceford; Carter County EMA Director Gary Smith
East Tennessee Railroad Authority
1 member
Charles Von Cannon, 3rd District
Animal Shelter Advisory Board:
1 member
Cody McQueen, 8th District