Morristown City Admin Forgives and Other Stories Hiding Out

Here's a brief round-up of new and blog reports which stand out to me - some are stories which should get more attention, and perhaps some should grab your attention with some intensity:

MORRISTOWN FIRES CITY ADMINISTRATOR WHO OFFERS FORGIVENESS FOR BEING FIRED:


"City Administrator Jim Crumley was "honored" at a reception at the City Center on August 18. At the council meeting that followed, Mayor Barile, Crumley's most ardent supporter, gave him a plaque and Crumley then gave his farewell speech to the assembled council and public. It was a whopper! He thanked the council and the staff for accepting his leadership and then said that there are issues of leadership in the current council.

Crumley added: "I forgive you all for the mistakes in judgment that you have made."

ALSO at that meeting, the City Council said they had no idea the city was pushing forward with expansion plans for their Industrial Park with the response of "we had no idea", saying:

"Sublett added that the Industrial Board is interested in an Exit 6 as well. He mentioned that the city owns no property there. Why is an exit needed there? Most of the property being looked at is in Jefferson County. Sublett closed by saying that he'd like to know if the council "has a clue" about what is going on at the Industrial Board. No one responded, but after a long silence, Mayor Barile said: "The Industrial Board is always looking to bring in new jobs."

Sublett replied: "You already have 600 acres out there. The City is already 77 Million in debt. How are you going to buy more property? Who's going to fund that?"

No member of the council spoke. If they knew anything about discussions about purchasing property in Jefferson County and two next exits, councilmembers and the Mayor were not talking. Finally, Barile thanked Mr. Sublett and said: "I will talk with the Industrial Board and see what is happening."

She may do it, but I would suggest that no one holds his or her breath while waiting for Barile to find out and actually report to the council and to the public about what is going on at the Industrial Board in regard to purchasing property in Jefferson County or pushing for two new exits on I-81.

Hopefully, Mayor Barile has not signed any "confidentiality" agreement with the Industrial Board or others--like Jefferson County Mayor Alan Palmieri did--where she has agreed to keep public business a secret from the public. [Jefferson Countians found out that their Mayor, Alan Palmieri, and two county commissioners signed confidentiality agreements with Norfolk-Southern railroad and thus agreed to keep information about public business a secret. Word got out in Jefferson County, but only after word leaked out that discussion and conduct of public business was taking place behind closed doors. Someone needs to get an understanding of what the meaning of "public business" is and what the Tennessee Open Meetings Act is about. Of course, Hamblen County has its own problems abiding with the Open Meetings Act. Here and here.]


CHATTANOOGA SUSPECT SHOT 49 TIMES BY POLICE, FEDERAL SUIT FILED:

The police are calling it "suicide by cop" as a distraught and armed man stood on his porch at home in July. The Chattanooga Times Free reports there were 53 shots fired over the course of three full volley of shots:

"The family of a man shot multiple times by six Chattanooga police officers claims the officers were not adequately trained in use-of-force policy and created an "atmosphere of illegal and unconstitutional behavior" in "deliberate indifference and reckless disregard" for the public welfare, a federal court lawsuit states.

Alonzo Heyward, 32, died July 18 with 43 bullet wounds in his body.

Mr. Heyward's parents, James and Margie Marine, filed suit last week, seeking compensatory and punitive damages, attorney fees and a judgment that the police department's policies, practices and customs are illegal and unconstitutional, according to the suit.

The lawsuit is filed on behalf of Mr. Heyward's beneficiaries, including Neka Wells and Tanisha Johnson -- the mothers of his children.

It names as defendants the City of Chattanooga, the city police department and the six officers involved in the shooting: Lauren Bacha, Deborah Dennison, Zachery Moody, George Romero, William Salyers and Bryan Wood.

"The defendants have a policy, practice or custom of allowing its officers to use deadly, excessive and/or unreasonable force without fear of discipline creating an atmosphere where such behavior is accepted, condoned, tolerated, acquiesced, approved and ratified in reckless disregard and deliberate indifference to the welfare to the public at large, including Mr. Heyward," according to the suit."

---

"The lawsuit alleges that Mr. Heyward kept his rifle pointed at himself at all times and did not say or do anything that would have made the officers fear for their lives. The suit also says that the officers fired in three separate volleys totaling 59 shots and, after the initial barrage, fired again "suddenly and without warning." (report via the Chatanooga Times Free Press)

CUMBERLAND COUNTY RESIDENTS SUE TVA OVER COAL ASH DUMP, BUSINESS ADDS ANOTHER LAWSUIT:

Life On Swan Pond reports: "But now comes the news that the old coal mine at the top of the hill will become a mammoth dump site for TVA's enormous stockpiles of coal ash.

"Well, for what? TVA has 2,000 to 3,000 acres of their own," Brundage said.

Brundage and 16 other neighbors are suing the county mayor and county commission under the Jackson Law, a law that says elected bodies must consider eight things before making a decision including property values and safety.

The people who live on Smith Mountain Road said both of those will be ruined.

The lawsuit alleges Mayor Brock Hill told residents it was a done deal two full weeks before the first public hearing. The residents were also led to believe, they say, that the dumping would end after three years, but it's now open-ended.

ALSO the Knoxville News Sentinel notes more legal problems for TVA and their catastrophic coal ash spill:

"The lawsuit alleges that the spill caused elevated levels of lead, thallium, arsenic and other heavy metal toxins in the river water, affecting recreation on Watts Bar Lake and other areas downstream. It claims the situation has caused property values in the 90-acre Lakefront Estates to decrease and has diminished the appeal of water recreation at the development.

Because of the spill, TVA so far has been the target of seven federal lawsuits involving hundreds of property owners and four class action suits, but this appears to be the first lawsuit filed by a commercial operation claiming damages.

The lawsuit cites TVA reports as well as a review of the ash spill by TVA's Inspector General to claim that TVA did not take proper measures to prevent the spill.

"As a result of TVA's conduct described herein, Plaintiffs have lost the sale of multiple lots, the development has diminished in value, the recreational amenities afforded by the development have been substantially affected and the whole development and its purpose herein described, has been unreasonably interfered with by TVA as a result of the spill," according to the lawsuit.

REPUBLICANS TO GATHER AT ANGRY VOTER PROTEST AGAINST GOVERNMENT:

The event is scheduled for Labor Day - a holiday created by government - and will be attended by numerous elected Republican officer holders (and some currently not in office or seeking higher office. The KPT reports:

"Event organizers are billing the Tea Party-style rally as a “nonpartisan peaceful protest giving local citizens the opportunity to voice their anger over tax rates and deficit spending. This Rally, they say, will focus on “government excess” and two pieces of legislation being debated by Congress — the so-called cap-and-trade bill and health care reform.

“This is not an (President Barack) Obama bash. We want to protest anybody of any party who would dare to spend trillions of our dollars without even reading the bill,” rally organizer Brit Buehrig said in an e-mailed release.

Speakers at the event are expected to include U.S. Rep. Phil Roe, former U.S. Rep. David Davis, Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey and state Reps. Tony Shipley, R-Kingsport, and Matthew Hill, R-Jonesborough. All are Republicans.

Buehrig said the event is “above party affiliation.”

Note that the U.S, Dept. of Labor terms the holiday as: "the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country."

Meanwhile, at KnoxViews, hysterics and rumors are reaching a full-blown crescendo of howls from the ill-informed and the downright lying prompters of The Dangerously Strange:

"A Republican candidate for Governor of Idaho joked about getting license to hunt President Obama. He later said everyone should have known he was joking because Idaho doesn't have jurisdiction over hunting in D.C.

A Baptist preacher in Arizona gave a sermon in which he prayed for the death of President Obama and his family. A member of his congregation showed up at an Obama health care rally toting an assault rifle and a handgun.

The Secret Service detained a man carrying a "Death to Obama" sign at a town hall meeting in Maryland.