As a result of the Tennessee Waltz arrests in 2005, the state legislature now requires that each county adopt an ethics policy no later than June 30, 2007.
Hamblen County has been considering adoption of a new Ethics Policy for several months now, but few public comments have been made by Hamblen Commissioners.
At one meeting, there were one or two comments with Larry Baker asking the county attorney whether commissioners who work for Hamblen County or for Hamblen County Schools (or who have close relatives working for the county or school system) have to declare a conflict of interest before casting a vote on budgets or issues involving their or their family's employer?
Joe Swann mentioned that he's concerned that the Ethics Policy might be used "against" sitting commissioners by potential opponents.
Avoid conflicts of interest and any appearance of impropriety and you have nothing to worry about.
Government corruption, nepotism, and conflicts of interest are everywhere. It's not just Hamblen County. It's Memphis. Sumner County. Knox County. Williamson County. Claiborne County. The State Legislature.
People are sick of it. Many people have simply dropped out of the political process entirely because of a complete sense of hopelessness in the face of widespread favoritism, cronyism, and corruption.
Shelby County is looking at a very stringent policy that applies to a broad range of government officials and employees. The Memphis Commercial Appeal has a link to the Shelby policy. Sections 4-9 provide standards and an enforcement mechanism through an Ethics Committee.
Hamblen County should take a look at the Shelby County proposal.
The standards that are set in the Ethics Policy and the effectiveness and composition of the Ethics Committee are the key elements to whatever is adopted locally.
The Ethics Committee should be selected from a broad base of individuals and should include citizens with no connection to the government payroll---as was done in Knox County and as is proposed in the Shelby Ethics Policy.
The Ethics Committee does not need to be just another elite board of just commissioners and other elected officials---government types who naturally pander to the power structure to which they themselves belong.
Officials are naturally going to resist even looking at ethical violations by their fellow "good old boys and girls." An Ethics Committee doesn't need to be another board of government-types who rule over themselves.
The fox shouldn't be put in charge of the henhouse!
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