April 6, 2012 John Hodge is MUC's SIXTEENTH REJECTEE

Morristown City Council, same tune, SIXTEENTH verse: "Nobody else can sit in the McGuffin seat on the Morristown Utilities Commission."

In the video, above, council takes all of one minute at its April 3, 2012, meeting to reject John Hodge's appointment to the MUC Board.  The vote was 5-2 in favor of rejecting Hodge.

Voting to reject Hodge were: Paul LeBel, Bob Garrett, Kay Senter, Claude Jinks, and Chris Bivens. Voting for Hodge were Mayor Danny Thomas and Councilman Gene Brooks.

Hodge's name was on the most recent list of three candidates sent to the Mayor BY MUC and deemed qualified BY MUC, but deemed unsuitable by five councilmembers. The other candidates on the sixteenth MUC list were Peter Cantwell and, of course, George McGuffin.

Hodge's name is not McGuffin, so he can't really sit in the McGuffin seat and, thus, his quick rejection.

Do you think that MUC Commissioners George McGuffin, Harold Nichols, Lynn Elkins, Gene Jolley, and Max Biery are concerned that SIXTEEN candidates selected by MUC have been rejected by the City Council?

There is no concern by MUC over this series of rejection because the commissioners are quite happy that another person (#16) took it on the chin so George McGuffin can continue to hold his MUC seat.

Now, MUC and the LeBel Five are waiting for Governor Bill Haslam to sign the McGuffin Law that was recently passed by the state legislature under the sponsorship of local Sen. Steve Southerland and local Rep. Don Miller. Then the LeBel Five get their turn to vote for the McGuffin Law, and it's done.

The McGuffin Law allows five councilmembers to override and change the current MUC appointment process that was approved by 3,202 people (72% of voters) as part of the 2001 MUC Referendum Question that MUC supported. 

Ironically, it was MUC that came up with and recommended the current appointment process to the city council back in 2001, and MUC supported and encouraged people to vote FOR the MUC Referendum Question that included the current appointment process in 2001.

Now MUC and the LeBel Five and Rep. Miller and Sen Southerland have decided that five people should be allowed to change the appointment process that was approved by 3,202 people in 2001. 

The McGuffin Law will eventually enable the five councilmembers who have caused appointment gridlock for the last 8-9 months--on behalf of George McGuffin---to "officially" put McGuff back on the MUC.

Watching state legislators and councilmembers sponsor legislation and vote to override a local referendum in order to change a local Private Act for one person is amazing.

And Sen.Southerland, who sponsored the McGuffin Law, didn't vote for it and wouldn't amend the law to call for a $250 referendum for approval!

And State Representative Don Miller, who sponsored the McGuffin Law, wouldn't allow an amendment to provide for a $250 referendum for approval!

A referendum where the people were allowed to speak through their votes wasn't scary in 2001.

What's so scary in 2012 about a $250 referendum where the people can have a voice, where there would be verification of voter status, and where there would be privacy in the voting booth?