The MUS Board of Commissioners met last Friday, August 16, to prepare a third slate of names to submit to Mayor Danny Thomas for his recommendation of one of those individuals to the full council to replace MUS Commissioner Max Biery. [Biery's re-appointment to the MUS Board by the Mayor was rejected on July 16 by the council.]
The five MUS Commissioners recommended that the names of Bryan Dickerson, Steve Isaacs, and Wally Long be submitted to the Mayor.
BACKGROUND
The Mayor nominated Biery for re-appointment back on July 16, 2013, but four members of the council voted to reject the re-appointment. Those opposed to Biery's nomination were councilmembers Bob Garrett, former head of the MUS Water Department; Paul LeBel; Dennis Alvis; and Chris Bivens. The video and vote is here.
MUS submitted another list of three names, and five councilmembers then rejected the mayor's nomination of Jim Sexton of MAHLE to the MUS Board on August 6, 2013. Voting to reject Sexton's nomination were Bob Garrett, former head of the MUS Water Department; Dennis Alvis; Chris Bivens; Kay Senter; and Gary Chesney. The video and vote is here
There is a power struggle for control of the MUS Board of Commissioners--especially with steps being taken ever more rapidly to transfer city sewer operations to MUS.
There is a power struggle going on. It involves several boards appointed by city council. Many of these boards have control over city infrastructure and/or make recommendations to council regarding city development, tax increment financing awards, and other important issues.
At yesterday's city council meeting, an appointment to one of the most powerful boards in Morristown--the Morristown Utility Commission--was on the agenda.
The Morristown Utility Commission voted on June 27 on three names to send to the Mayor (current MUC member Max Biery, Steve Isaacs, and Terry Brimer). The Mayor then recommends one name for a full council vote. The MUS video is here:
Yesterday, Mayor Thomas recommended that Max Biery be re-appointed to the Morristown Utility Commission.
Bob Garrett, a 40+ year former employee and former head of the Water Department at MUS, immediately moved to reject Biery's nomination. He was then joined by three other councilmembers who rejected Biery by a 4-3 vote. Those voting to reject Biery were Garett, Paul LeBel, Chris Bivens, and Dennis Alvis. Voting for Biery were Mayor Thomas, Gary Chesney, and Kay Senter.
None of the four stated why they were opposed to Biery or who they have in mind for the position. Biery has served as a Morristown Utility Board Commissioner since 2001 when the Board was expanded to five-members. Biery is a retired head of J-TEKT and his initial appointment was seen as placing a representative of industrial interests on the MUS Board.
The Morristown Utilities Commission (MUC) held its regular meeting on February 23 at 8 AM. Included on the agenda was selection of a 14th slate of candidates for the MUC Board seat currently held by George McGuffin who has served over 34 years on the Board.
McGuffin's term expired July 31, 2011, but he is serving as a "holdover" until someone is officially appointed to the seat. McGuffin himself wants to be that someone, and he has refused to step aside for a new appointee.
McGuffin is at the head of the table and sounds a little sarcastic as he introduces the "resolution that we all know by heart, the fourteenth time" that we have to submit three people for consideration as a Board member. McGuffin briefly has trouble remembering the name of the 13th and last rejectee (Chris Horne) but one of the Board members helps out.
Max Biery then nominates McGuffin, Isaacs, and Joel Hice. Biery forgot that the Isaacs (both Steve and Jerry) were booted by LeBel and Company months ago. Lynn Elkins says it's "Jo Ervin." After some discussion, Biery confirms that his motion is to nominate George McGuffin, Jo Ervin, and Joel Hice. McGuffin says the list will go to the Mayor for the next meeting.
It's an odd situation. The MUC Board selects qualified people and then says nothing when (City Councilman) LeBel and Company automatically reject every (non-McGuffin) MUC candidate including bankers, contractors, businessmen, physical therapists, CPAs, plant managers, former city councilmen, etc.
It's all a little game of MUC going through the motions of selecting "qualified" people and then abandoning that person and hoping that that person, if it's not George McGuffin, is rejected by the Council.
It's odd that "news"man Bob Moore has never put a quote from one of the many rejectees in the "news"paper. Not even one of those statements that "so-and-so was contacted but had no comment."
Was the rejectee concerned about the rejection? Did the rejectee approach a member of the MUC Board about serving on the Board? Did a Board member contact the rejectee and ask if his name could be put on the MUC-candidate list before the nomination was made? Did a Board member tell the rejectee that if he was nominated by the Mayor, he wouldn't be approved?
It's odd that "news"man Bob Moore has never put a quote from an MUC Board member in the "news"paper. Not even a mention that he tried to contact a Board member for comment.
Is the Board shocked and concerned at the continuous rejection of THEIR candidates, or is the Board a part of the game and content and pleased to see each non-McGuffin candidate rejected?
The 14th list of candidates--selected by MUC--is at the City Center. LeBel and Company are sticking by George, and George is sticking by LeBel and Company. No one else matters.
On the far left in the video are the five MUC Board members (from L-R): Lynn Elkins, Max Biery, Gene Jolley, Harold Nichols, and Chairman George McGuffin.
The Morristown Utilities Commission Board, headed by George McGuffin, recently recommended three names to Mayor Danny Thomas for appointment to the MUC Board. The slate of three candidates: Steve Isaacs, George McGuffin, and Chris Horne.
At yesterday's council meeting, Mayor Thomas submitted the name of Steve Isaacs to the council, and the council quickly rejected Isaacs 5-2. Voting to reject Isaacs were Paul LeBel, Kay Senter, Bob Garrett, Chris Bivens, and Claude Jinks. Supporting Isaacs were Mayor Danny Thomas and Councilmember Gene Brooks.
Steve Isaacs is the TWELFTH person to be nominated by Thomas, and the TWELFTH person to fail to win the approval of a majority of council.
Married. Three grown children. Taught school 11 years. Entered law school in 2001. Graduated and passed the bar in 2004. Licensed attorney in Tennessee. Hamblen County Commissioner (2002-2006). Focused on accountability, ethics, and openness in government at all levels.
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