Screams from the Porch

Stacey defends comments on Huffington

2012-01-27T07:18:00.000-08:00

Ah, nothing like a good ol' dose a Stacey Campfield. I know a lot of people – even some of my peers in the media – don't like the guy. I, however, do. He makes me laugh.

Anyhoo, the good state senator gave an interview to the Huffington Post about bullies, AIDS, and gay people, and whatever. (Click right smack here for the link.)

Here's just one classic Campfield:

"Most people realize that AIDS came from the homosexual community -- it was one guy screwing a monkey, if I recall correctly, and then having sex with men. It was an airline pilot, if I recall."

"My understanding is that it is virtually -- not completely, but virtually -- impossible to contract AIDS through heterosexual sex...very rarely [transmitted]."

Now, he's busy responding on the message board, defending his facts.

And he should. Anyone who know anything about AIDS will tell ya, Stacey, that it wasn't a pilot who spread the disease, it was a steward.

Crazy.

On a side note, I kind of chuckled today when I saw that a story (as of this posting) about a guy who fell asleep while guarding key ingredients to a nuclear bomb now has about six comment under it while a story about the KTSC chairman and his email has more than 50.

Priorities.

Larry Smith, Sherry Witt bonus battle

2012-01-25T14:37:00.000-08:00

Commissioner Rrrrr. Larry Smith (left) has been somewhat on a roll lately, calling out the county's trustee and his father, the good local Congressman.

Now, he's got his sites set on Register of Deeds Sherry Witt. In fact, the good commissioner sent Sherry a note, taking her to task for accepting some incentive payments, yet wanting to meet with her to discuss the issue.

Witt's response?

“The letter is at the bottom of my bird cage,” she told me.

Heh. Now, that's funny.

Soooo, what's going on?

If you haven't been living in a cave lately (or a jerk like someone who would post comments under a stupid name like “YankeeinDixie”), then you know that county Trustee John Duncan III is under fire right now because he paid himself and some staffers a bunch of coin for doing work they didn't really do.

At the same time, Witt and a number of other elected fee officers also accepted such payments, but they actually did do the work.

(Now, to get the payments you have to get designated as a “certified public administrator.” I've written about this; no point rehashing it. To keep your certification, you have to do 16 hours of coursework, or whatever each year. Then you're allowed up to $3,000 in coin.)

Argghh Larry, however, questions whether local officials should take the money, even if they've done the work.

So, he's been checking around the state, asking other folks whether they participate in the education program and collect the coin. He apparently talked to the Hamblen County trustee, yet thought he talked to the Hamilton County trustee.

So, he goes around telling people he talked to someone from Hamilton County and says that they receive only $200 in bonuses.

Now, Sherry (right) did some checking on her own.

She called Hamilton and learned that Our Larry never talked to anyone from the Chattanooga area. So, she called out the commissioner during Monday's work session, pretty much insinuating that he was full of crap.

Then, Larry did some checking and realized his mistake. (He had actually talked to Hamblen and they get $200 in bonuses.)

So, he then gets in touch with Hamilton County (for real this time) and the trustee there tells him that he gets $0 in bonuses.

Larry, then calls out Sherry and accuses her of telling half-truths.

Good stuff.

He then pens her a note – click right smack here for that bad boy – and says that her “personal attack on my character (was) absolutely uncalled for, discourteous, and beneath your position as an elected official.”

He also says that accepting the incentive payments “is an affront to the taxpayers we serve.”

(I'm not sure if other fee officers who also get the incentive payments got a similar letter. Probably not.)

Sherry, though, isn't having any of this. And she probably won't be meeting any time soon with R. Larry.

“It's all about media attention for him,” she said, noting that the reason the Hamilton County trustee doesn't take the money is because he isn't certified. “I'm sorry he's offended but he should check out the validity of his statements.”

Heh.

Like I said: good stuff.

Audit finds 'deficiency' in Trustee's Office

2012-01-24T20:02:00.000-08:00

As expected, Knox County’s external auditor KPMG identified a “significant deficiency” in the financial reporting of the Trustee’s Office.

It’s not the end of the world, but it just doesn’t look good. Of course, if you ask the good folks in the tax collector’s office, they’ll tell you it was no big deal and that it was all the computer’s fault.

Dog ate my homework. That kind of stuff.

Click right smack here for KPMG's management letter, which talks about the issue and read what Trustee John Duncan III’s office had to say about it.

As I said, KPMG said this would probably happen. You might recall that back in October I wrote about a $6 million mistake that the auditors discovered in the some of the numbers the office provided them.

(Oddly enough, the good Trustee folks didn’t really seem to care all that much about the screw up when I asked them about it – they were more interested in who provided me the information. Strange. But I digress.)

Anyhoo, there was some back and forth and kicking and screaming, but they finally got the math right. In between that time, however, some stories changed.

Heh.

That sounds familiar.

Pension plans to cost Knox more this year

2012-01-23T08:40:00.000-08:00

Knox County will probably have to contribute between $5 million and $5.3 million to the Uniformed Officers Pension Plan, or UOPP, this upcoming fiscal year in order to keep it healthy, according to projections released this morning to the pension board.

That’s as much as $1.3 million more than the $4.1 million the county put in last summer. And that doesn’t include the $4.1 million in bond coin the county will also have to pay.

The Sheriff’s Office pension plan, however, isn’t the county’s only problem. Two closed plans – one for county officials and the old teacher’s plan – also need a cash injection. The county plan is expected to cost taxpayers another $600,000 to $800,000 and the Board of Education plan will cost an extra $150,000 to $250,000.

Last year the county plan cost about $1.5 million and the school plan cost $1.046 million.

The pension board plans to meet later in February to discuss the UOPP. At that time, members will talk about the plan’s liabilities, assumed rate of returns on investments and possible changes.

“We want to focus on the magnitude of the problem and what can get changed and what can’t,” said county Commissioner Richard Briggs, who also serves on the pension board.

Zoinks! It's old man Baumgartner!!

2012-01-23T03:53:00.000-08:00

It’s funny how pictures can jog old memories, oddities of the past, blah, blah, blah, whatever. Anyhoo, not too long ago I stumbled across this photo of former Judge Richard Baumgartner (on the KNS website taken by Michael Patrick).

It reminded me of something. Then I remembered: Scooby-Doo. Or a Scooby-Doo bad guy. So, I Googled it. And up pops “The Creeper.” And he’s exactly who was stuck in my head. Cause, you know, you might look like the creeper after eating 30 pain killers a day, having sex in your judge chambers with your pill supplier and then taking the bench while pilled out of your mind and screwing up (potentially) thousands of cases.

Remember how whenever Scooby and the gang would unmask the villain? They’d be like: “Zoinks, it’s old man Jenkins.”

Heh.

Well, apparently, the Creeper was old man Baumgartner.

Yeah, I couldn’t resist.

Trustee hires attorney amid investigation

2012-01-21T08:08:00.000-08:00

Knox County Trustee John Duncan III finally lawyered up.

On Friday Jeff "Hollywood" Hagood confirmed to me that JD3 hired him to represent him in the latest mess associated with those who think it's a great idea to serve as county trustee. (Remember there's already an investigation going on into the Mike Lowe administration from some years back.)

Anyhoo, Hagood is well-known for repping some high-profile University of Tennessee athletes as well as former UT football coach Phillip Fulmer. He's also done work for the Duncan family in the past.

Duncan has declined to comment.

Commish, BOE retreat agenda released

2012-01-20T08:39:00.000-08:00

Remember that whole retreat thing that the County Commission and the School Board wanted to do, so they could all hold hands and sing and stuff?

(Click right smack here for the story.)

Well, it's still on – next weekend in Maryville. Here's a draft version of the agenda – right smack here.

If you can find anywhere on the draft where it says the two governing bodies will talk about the county and school system's financial straits, then let me know. It must be buried on all the legal talk.

More on TBI, Trustee's Office and tests

2012-01-20T07:39:00.000-08:00

For more on the continuing meltdown in the Knox County Trustee's Office click right smack here.

And no, I am not enjoying this despite what anyone thinks. It does not please me to have to write stories that the county's tax collector (the person who is supposed to deposit a billion in coin each year so we actually have a county) is now under investigation by the TBI.

Huh? What's that you say? The TBI?

Yeah, read between the lines in today's story – again, click right smack here.

The law director's office can't do it (since it's criminal in nature), the sheriff's office won't do it (because they don't want people screaming “conflict of interest”) and the district attorney general won't do it (because they're tired of Trustee John Duncan III and his office attorney Chad Tindell coming to their office nine times a day begging them to drop it).

So, where does that leave us? Yup. Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.

It's funny, how early yesterday, they hadn't been contacted by the local peeps. Yet later in the day – when I got it on background and able to use for the Screams from da Porch blog – I start hearing that they've been contacted, it's then that the spokesperson freezes up and says “no comment.”

I don't think I need to tell you what “no comment” means.

OK, with that said, a buddy of mine was lamenting for Zach Brezina today. Brezina is the guy who works in the Trustee's Office and is accused of taking tests for some of the employees.

My question for him is whether he's been taking tests for the trustee all his life? Did he take his SAT test for him, too? Heh.

Anyhoo, my buddy is like: "I feel bad for that guy."

And I'm thinking: "Why? He's the freakin' hero of this story?"

My buddy: "Huh?"

Me: "Yeah, he's obviously the only one smart enough to pass a test in that office."

With that said, Brezina this morning stroked a check to the county for $6,000, reimbursing tax payers for his interest free loan – I mean bonus – the Trustee's Office gave him.

And speaking of that. Funny how all of a sudden everyone is cutting checks so quickly. I'm guessing that the money is coming from the trustee's campaign money. It more than likely would not be illegal.

But it would show the absurdity of how politicians use campaign coin.

At this point, though, I think we've moved beyond absurdity.

Commish Smith and the Duncans. Heh.

2012-01-19T16:06:00.000-08:00

Commissioner Arrghhhhh Larry Smith must have heard about my blog post regarding our brief discussion about whether the good Congressman called him, regarding the good Trustee.

(I know Channel 6 did. They turned it into an entire story the other night. Heh.)

Here's the initial post right smack here. In it, I make note that it appeared that Rrrrr. Larry was ducking me. He called me a few hours after I posted the blog and he told me what U.S. Rep. John J. Duncan Jr. said to him. I wrote it down, then forgot to blog it cause all heck broke loose in the Trustee's Office.

Sooooo, here's what we talked about late Wednesday morning:

Smith: “They called me to his office and he told me to stay away from his son and that he had done nothing wrong?”

Me: “Who told you?”

Smith: “The Congressman, Jimmy Duncan.”

Me: “Why?”

Smith: “I don't know, but I was in there for about 15 minutes and he said it three different times: Stay away from my son. So, I'm thinking in the back of my mind: Does that mean I don't have to pay taxes anymore?”

Me: “Hahahahahahahaha. Good one. Good one.”

Smith: “He also said I'm the one who leaked it (the story about Trustee John Duncan III offering to pay back bonuses he and his staff collected tied to coursework they didn't complete). I didn't leak it to the press. You called me.”

Me: “Yeah, that's true, they've been throwing out names to who leaked what, trying to figure out what sticks. Not sure what difference it makes. They must not support the whistle blower law or something.”

Smith: “Well, I'm wondering why they're mad at me. I'm trying to help his son. He (the good Congressman) couldn't relate to that. It wouldn't sink in.”

On Thursday (that's today), the good Commissioner called me to add one more thing: “(The good Congressman) told me three different times that I should stay away. Another time he phrased it by saying it would be a personal favor (if he stayed away).”

Now, from what I understand, the Congressman has called all of this hogwash.

I'm sure there's a little truth on both sides.

Heh.

Officials to cut local state legislative office

2012-01-18T08:40:00.000-08:00

Awhile back Knox County Mayor Tim “Cheapskate” Burchett cut a number of jobs, including one he really didn't have authority over. That was the $50,000 spot in the Legislative Office held by Patsy Miller. (She has since retired. And Burchett did actually broach the idea with members of the local Legislative delegation. But I digress.)

Anyhoo, state Rep. Ryan, Haynes, R-Knoxville, and state Sen. Stacey Campfield, R-Knoxville, are sponsoring legislation that wipes out the entire department. Not that there was really anything left to wipe out, but it now means another governing body or official later on can't just fill the job.

Click right smack here for the state House version of the bill.

I'm not positive about what the office actually did, but from what I understand it was more an answering service for the local state senators and representatives.

Hillside amendment to be revisited?

2012-01-18T07:12:00.000-08:00

Now did anyone really believe the hillside issue would go away once the county commission approved the plan? Yeah, didn't think so.

During Monday's meeting, Commissioner Tony Norman noted that he's “trying to get a reconsideration of that amendment,” referring to a change initiated by Commissioner Richard Briggs and signed off by the board in November.

Briggs on Monday said “there's been a lot of misunderstanding about the intentions of the amendment" and again noted that he asked for it so that developers and the public would be guaranteed an appeals process.

Some, however, say the wording is superfluous.

I don't know. I quit caring in November when they supposedly passed this thing for the last time.
It's like a bad movie villain.

And it returns next Monday.

Trustee's workers to pay back half - not all

2012-01-18T05:41:00.000-08:00

UPDATE: Please note that the following entry is based off the recommendations of the finance department. After it was posted, The good Trustee John Duncan III sent me a message, noting as such. He said the office has yet to discuss it with him. "I am writing a check for $6,000. Everyone is expected to return both payments," Duncan said.

Although pay day for county employees is this Friday, the folks over in the Trustee's Office won't begin paying back their interest free loans (I mean, bonuses they received two years in a row for not completing a government-related course) until early February.

In the meantime, there is one dude who got “only” $3,000 in coin in 2010 (and who also didn't complete the class)who is no longer working in the office so he won’t be paying back jack. I mean John. Blood from a turnip and all that.

As for the rest who are still employed? All but one of them cashed $6,000 in “incentive” checks (that's two checks each). So, according to the good Trustee, they’ll pay all that back. Right?

No. They won’t. Not really.

Most will pay back half, or $3,000 in which the county’s payroll department will take a little from each check.

Then, the employees will complete the course work this spring and forgo their next $3,000 payment that they are allowed to get next fiscal year. (Please note that this free money is not mandated.)

This proposal – pay back half and not get a bonus next year – sort of makes sense and it doesn’t, I suppose. Because, let’s face it – once they complete the coursework – they’re going to keep getting those checks forever.

So, there’s no point in making the workers pay back $6,000, just to hand them back another $3,000.

Of course it would have made a whole heck of a lot more sense to have the employees graduate from the program first and then pay them. But, the Trustee’s Office feels that state guidelines only “recommend” that the employees finish first before getting paid.

“A misconception that has arisen since this issue was brought to the public's attention is the scope of the State statute, which is nothing more than a recommendation,” Trustee John Duncan III wrote to the News Sentinel.

(Please note also that the Knox County Trustee’s Office appears to be the only governmental entity in the entire state that actually believes this.)

I suppose the next time I get clocked doing 90 miles per hour in a school zone, I’m going to tell the cop that the speed limit is nothing more than a recommendation.

Commissioner Smith vs. Trustee's Office

In other related Trustee Office news, the whole interest free loan/bonus/incentive issue was moot on Monday during the County Commission’s work session.

Commissioner Rrrrrr. Larry Smith (inside joke – thanks Scott McNutt) asked the commission to hold off discussion until next Monday.

In a move often imitated by the county’s Trustee, Smith gave conflicting reasons for the delay. On the dais, he told fellow commissioners that he wanted the finance department or human resources (I don’t remember which one at this point) to provide him with a list of everyone who received a check and for how much.

We actually reported that a few days before Christmas: Click right smack here.

After the meeting, Smith told Channel 10 reporter Hillary I don’t remember her last name that he held off because next Monday the good folks from CTAS will talk to commissioners about the education program. (CTAS administers the program that officials are supposed to complete in order to get that good money.)

And that’s about the time I said: “Hey Larry, got a question.”

Smith: “Yeah, buddy?”

Me: “Can you talk about the conversation you had with Congressman Duncan. I heard John Duncan’s (as in Trustee John Duncan III) dad called you and a few commissioners. He didn’t put the fear of God in you, now did he?

Smith: (Big smile)

He then looks at Hillary and says: “Do you play softball?”

I’m not kidding.

Strange.

Thanks to Dan Andrews for reminding me that this even happened.

Charter review, commish, term limits

2012-01-17T09:54:00.000-08:00

I was out a few days, so I'm catching up on returning calls, emails, etc. To the person who called once and then the next day told an editor that I haven't returned your calls, you are last on my list.

Anyhoo, we ran a story Monday about county officials prepping to appoint a charter review committee. It didn't get much reaction. (Click right smack here for the story.)

Lot of rumors going around about what could happen. I doubt any of it will, but a few folks are talking about increasing the county commission and doing something to term limits – either eliminating them or clarifying them. (Different suggestions depending on who wants to weigh in.)

So, I got a couple documents if you're interested. The first – click right smack here – is the resolution that the commission will vote on when it appoints members.

The second – click right smack here – is a (at this point) primer on term limits. You see, there's been some debate about whether someone who was appointed and then won the office can run again. Right now, the answer is “yes.”

Mayor sharpening 2013 budget pencil

2012-01-10T08:31:00.000-08:00

Fresh off electric shock treatment and because he has absolutely nothing to do, county spin-kid Michael “Big Sexy” Grider just let me know that the “FY 2013 budget season (is) officially underway.”

According to BS and the spin release, county Mayor Tim Burchett:

“ . . . kicked-off the formal budget season during a meeting with departments’ budget staff Tuesday. 'We have done a lot of good work for the citizens of Knox County in the past year-and-a-half, putting together a fiscally responsible budget last year, increasing transparency in government and ensuring that services are provided efficiently and at a savings to taxpayers,' Mayor Burchett said. 'But our work is not finished. Now we must stay the course and continue to find the savings and efficiencies that our citizens expect.'”

When reached for comment, the mayor said it's “just another release that you can put on your blog and make fun of us.”

OK, fair deal.

(In their defense, it will be a tough budget season and I imagine Mayor Cheapskate will upset quite a few people. And while Grider probably has nothing to do, it could be worse. The city has three Griders with nothing to do. Heh.)

Ethics Committee sub-panel to disband?

2012-01-10T08:01:00.000-08:00

You know how local officials like to appoint sub-committees and then you never hear back from them? Yeah, started thinking about that the other day.

Anyhoo, the Ethics Committee meets tomorrow. (There's not a whole lot going on.) But chairwoman Elaine Davis said she might ask for an update from a sub-panel or committee or whatever that the board put together a long time back to look into possible changes to its makeup. (Long sentence, I know.)

You see, Knox County Commissioner Richard Briggs wanted to the committee to consist solely of county residents to avoid conflicts of interest among elected leaders. He also wanted to more clearly define just what the panel is supposed to preside over. And, he wanted the group to serve as a tool for elected officials who want to implement something but want to make sure it's not unethical first - for example, creating an unofficial office account or taking a trip paid for by the private sector.

Right now, the nine-member committee, which includes one commissioner and a Knox County Sheriff's Office representative, investigates ethics complaints regarding county business and employees. If it finds something amiss, it can refer the issue to the district attorney general for a further probe or to the county law director for a legal opinion or recommendation.

To make a long story short, I wrote a story in December 2010 about this issue – find it by clicking right smack here.

The committee formed a committee to look into these suggestions, blah, blah, blah and I don't think it ever met.

And now it looks like the board will disband it.

“We had too many other things going on,” Briggs told me the other day. “With the change in government about a year and a half ago (when the commission dropped from 19 to 11 members and a new county mayor took office), I don't think there has been a single incident that's come up.”

Briggs said he'd still like to see an all-resident board, but he'll hold off at this point, since there hasn't been too many referrals to the committee.

(All that's coming to my mind was that mess about whether a developer got some inside info on the Midway Business Park land, and he didn't bother showing up to the inquiry, which was kind of funny. In a way. But I digress.)

Speaking of which, what ever happened to that committee that was supposed to look into other ways to use the Midway land?

Teachers can still get gifts here. I think.

2012-01-09T07:49:00.000-08:00

I was talking to Elaine Davis, the chair of the county's ethics committee, this morning, just checking to see if the board's got anything going on for Wednesday's meeting.

They don't.

Anyhoo, she said she was visiting some folks in Alabama over the holidays and was reading a local paper that talked about state problems about teachers accepting gifts. Apparently, the governor over there in that godforsaken state (yeah – I said it and I don't really care what you think about me saying it) had to come up with a plan, so that teachers could accept gifts and it wouldn't be an ethics violation.

Not sure what article Davis saw, but a Google search popped up this one from the Montgomery Advertiser – click right smack here for it.

Yeah, Alabama. Yee-freakin'-haw. I like your football team. I hope you crush LSU tonight in the Big Game. But your state makes no sense.

By the way, Elaine says she doesn't think it's an ethics violation in Tennessee for teachers to accept gifts, particularly in Knox County.

Because, you know, we don't pay them anything, anyway.

LWV to host shindig for commish, BOE

2012-01-09T07:13:00.000-08:00

OK, I got an email that was forwarded to me from the League of Women Voters Knoxville-Knox County. It's a little fuzzy, but I think I understand it. Apparently the organization is holding a meeting tomorrow (actually two meetings) to congratulate the county commission and the school board because the two governing bodies are getting together to hang out and talk shop at the end of the month.

“We've heard others applaud the goals of this retreat and we sense growing grassroots support of education in Knox County,” the email states. “We'd like to bring people together to talk about communicating to our elected officials that we have high expectations for their success, and we also need your ideas and community connections to encourage our officials to keep their collaboration intact in the coming months.”

The group will hold two meetings tomorrow. The first from noon to 1 p.m. at the East Tennessee History Center on South Gay Street; the second from 6-7 p.m. at the West High School Library off Sutherland Avenue.

The email also notes that “we have four specific suggestions to inspire our local officials, all easy and engaging . . .” but never says just what those suggestions are.

Oh well.

Hirings continue under Knoxville mayor

2012-01-06T14:02:00.000-08:00

The other day I posted about county Mayor Tim Burchett meeting with some local businesses about creating jobs.

Apparently, they met with the wrong mayor.

According to R. Neal, Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero has named a new redevelopment deputy. (You ever notice how there's never any mention in the spin releases about how much coin these folks earn? I mean, come on, that's all anyone really cares about anyway.)

Anyhoo, at this point I think she's hired a new person each day since taking office last month.

Heh.

Have a good weekend.

I'm outta here!

Yeah, about that $7 million for the schools

2012-01-05T07:32:00.000-08:00

I don't think it's a major secret that one of this year's big issues will be figuring out how and where local government will find the coin to make up the school system's $7 million shortfall, stemming from the end of the federal stimulus dollars.

That amount doesn't take into consideration another couple of million (I'm guessing about $4 million) in natural growth that the school budget also will need.

And, I'm not going to mention the county's financial increases – pension contributions, employee raises, etc.

Just here to talk about the school system and where they can find $7 million.

Because I found $7 million. Yup. Sure did.

I'm not sure if it's good or not, but it certainly hasn't been discussed yet. Strange really. Because it's right there in the budget. But, if the school system is like me, then it would rather spend someone that isn't their own.

Heh.

Anyhoo, let me explain where I found the scratch.

If you click right smack here and jump to page 27 you'll see that in the school system's adopted Fiscal Year 2011 budget, officials planned to use $2.9 million from the “fund balance.” That's fancy talk for rainy day reserve tank by the way.

You'll note also on that same page, officials expected the balance on June 30, 2011 to have a little more than $17.1 million in it.

Heh.

Guess what? Yup. It's got more than $17.1 million in it.

So, click right smack here on the recently released County Annual Financial Report, or CAFR.

It takes a second to load, but scroll on down to page 202 of the document where you'll find the balance sheet for general purpose school spending. Or whatever.

Anyhoo, check out that “unassigned fund balance” as of the end of this most recent fiscal year (June 30, 2011).

It's a cool $27.1 million.

You see, it started at about $20 million and should have dropped to about $17.1 million. (Remember the first thing I had you click on?) Instead it jumped.

How?

Well, check out the next page (203 for those not keeping up) and you'll see that revenues from 2010 to 2011 rose from around $368.7 million to about $380.3 million.

Meanwhile, expenditures only slightly increased from 2010 to 2011 ($367.2 million to $370 million).

Keep in mind that the schools were budgeted at $378.7 million, so, overall, officials spent $11 million less than budgeted.

Not bad. The school system now has some flexibility. Credit goes to them for holding down costs or whatever.

But, there's the $7 million. Now granted, it's a recurring cost, so they'd have to figure out something for 2013-2014.

But, this certainly looks like it could be a start.

Walls is finalist for university audit gig

2012-01-04T15:03:00.000-08:00

Remember awhile back when some county folks were talking about outsourcing the internal auditor's office? Whatever happened to that, anyway? I sure don't remember.

Hmmm. I should probably look that one up, huh?

Anyhoo, Richard Walls, at left, the county's internal auditor, sure didn't forget. Cause apparently he's been out looking for a new job.

You know, just in case.

According to a University of Tennessee spin release, the school's Audit Committee will meet next Monday to interview candidates for the executive director's gig for “audit and consulting services.”

They'll be held from 9 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. on the 8th floor conference room of Andy Holt Tower.

According to the fancy note: “Audit and Consulting Services provides objective, independent appraisals of accounting, financial and other operational systems in University departments and units and oversees institutional compliance.

Other candidates include Betsy Bowers, Associate Vice President for Internal Auditing and Management Consulting, University of West Florida; Judith Burns, Interim Executive Director, Audit and Consulting, University of Tennessee System; and Sandy Jansen, Assistant Chief Audit Executive, Texas Tech University System.

Mayor Burchett to meet with 'job creators'

2012-01-03T14:30:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow afternoon, a number of “job creators” and county Mayor Tim Burchett will hold a round table discussion to determine how the county can help businesses create new jobs.

That's all according to some release that wasn't sent to me by county spinster Michael “Big Sexy” Grider.

Funny stuff. Cause – other than hooking up a few pals here and there (kidding. Sort of.) - Burchett has long said that the “role of county government isn't to create job.”

In all seriousness, a number of businesses plan to meet with the mayor at the Knoxville Chamber's Market Square office from noon to 1:30 p.m. Tomorrow. There's not a whole lot more to the release.

The mayor again stressed that “our job is on infrastructure – sewers, sidewalks and roads” - so he doesn't expect Knox County government to post many “Help Wanted” signs on the Deathstar windows.

He added: “A lot of times government just gets in the way of building jobs. But, I want to make sure that whatever we're doing and the decisions we make are not putting (businesses and potential jobs) in peril. We just need to get out of their way and facilitate a business friendly environment.”

Election commission recruiting right now

2012-01-03T07:26:00.000-08:00

The Knox County Election Commission is recruiting people to help with the March 6 Presidential Preference and County Primary elections.

In a note by Cliff Rodgers, the administrator of voting says “it takes hundreds of folks to run an election in nearly one-hundred polling places across Knox County. Election officials are paid - both for working on Election Day and for training classes.”

Not everyone, however, can apply.

You have to be registered to vote in the county; able to life 50 pounds and be able to understand and follow written instructions (that immediately rules me out) and willing to work 14 hours on election day and attend training classes before each election.

Also, government employees – other than school teachers and “employees of higher education” (whatever that means) - can't serve.

The commission plans to host five orientation session for new election officials in the coming weeks.

To sign up, click right smack here.

Welcome back; it's cold; Knox newsletter

2012-01-03T06:43:00.001-08:00

Mornin' ladies and germs. I'm back. New year. All that.

I took some time off, got a little electric shock treatment; I should be better. Not really.

Anyhoo, I was cleaning out my emails, so I figure I'll share a little bit of info with you.

First, the weather sucks today. Freakin' cold. Michael "Big Sexy" Grider sent out a notification that the county's highway maintenance crews are working to treat some secondary roads in the Halls and Carter communities with salt and bring. Hmmm. Tasty.

No Knox County-owned roads are closed at this point and "all trouble spots are expected to be treated by noon," Big Sexy says.

BS also recently started a newsletter for county employees. No, it doesn't cost anything other than Grider's time and we know that ain't worth a whole lot. Heh. Kidding.

Here's the most recent newsletter right smack here.

OK, I've got some more stuff, but I better get back to doing some real work.

Hey, Happy New Year and many more

2012-01-01T09:32:00.000-08:00

Hmmm. Apparently, I'm in one piece after last night. Heh. Good show, they V-Roys were. Good show.

I tried to con Michael "Big Sexy" Grider into going, but he chickened out as his wife laid down the law and said they weren't going anywhere. Bawk, bawk, bawk, chicken.

Instead, I settled for Benedict Mayoral-Shark over on the city's side of the Deathstar. Heh. Actually, we just ran into each other.

But enough about me. How was your night?

Good.

Anyhoo, I didn't think 2011 was that bad of a year, all things considered. But, I hope 2012 - barring the morons who actually think the world will end - will be better.

Anyway, Happy New Year, people!

Chamber to host reception for Rogero

2011-12-28T14:02:00.001-08:00

In their never ending effort to con, I mean, convince public officials that whatever they do is a good thing (and I’m not even sure just what the heck they do but I'm sure it is a good thing), Mike Edwards and the boys and girls at the Knoxville Chamber are hosting a reception for new city Mayor Madeline “You Can Never Have Too Many Flacks” Rogero.

Hey, better late than never. Right? Right?

The chamber plans to host the shindig on Jan. 11 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at its office in Market Square.

Click right smack here for the details, including something about free parking.

No word yet on just what the chamber is after. Heh.

Meeting notices to look a little longer

2011-12-25T22:28:00.000-08:00

So, awhile back the Knox County Commission agreed that whenever two (or more) members planned to be at the same location then they’d notice the meeting at least 48 hours in advance.

There was quite a bit of debate about whether they should notice meeting for various clubs (i.e. West Knox Republican Club, Democrats R Us Group, the Whatever Shin Dig Meeting, you get the point).

But, the board finally agreed that those meetings, too, should be noticed.

So, here’s what an old notice looked like.

Here’s what the news ones will start looking like.

UPDATE: Here is Commissioner Jeff Ownby's schedule right smack here.

Merry Christmas, best wishes and all that

2011-12-25T06:57:00.000-08:00

Good morning, folks, and Merry Christmas. If you don't celebrate Christmas, then "happy holidays" and all that.

I was going to go for something witty today, maybe invent a Christmas wish list for all those public figures out there.

(You know, Superintendent Jim McIntyre wishes for $7 million, county Mayor Tim Burchett and Chief of Staff Dean Rice wish for a third man - or woman - Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero wishes for a new flak - because she doesn't have enough - etc., etc.)

But, I'll play it straight (other than that funny picture someone sent me this morning). So, I hope everyone enjoys the day, stays safe and (fill in the blank cause I ran out of thoughts).

Take care.

Property assessor gives different bonuses

2011-12-23T08:08:00.000-08:00

I’ve got a story in today’s paper that you can read online by clicking right smack here about county officeholders giving themselves and some of their employees some nice coin. Most of scratch is tied to a program administered by CTAS (too tired to spell out the acronym) and it is supposed to go to those who earn the designation “certified public administrator.”

Anyhoo, that’s not what this blog entry is about. I pulled a lot of information while researching the story that I didn’t use, either because of space issues or because it wasn’t quite relevant.

One example is that I didn't report about the bonuses that the county property assessor’s office gives workers.

Now, keep in mind the Knox County Commission approved these bonuses years ago, so that means it’s OK to get FREE MONEY.

Oh yeah!

But, also keep in mind that the bonuses are for $650 – not up to $3,000 like the other sports were getting.

“It’s a different program,” county Property Assessor Phil Ballard told me. “We went in front of commission in 2008 or 2009 and told them we had to fill some spots and we had to hire some certified people and have some people certified.”

Ballard said the state gives officials who achieve a “Level 5” certification in property assessing a 4.5 percent incentive (whatever that means). He said something about it taking a while to move up in steps and that he wanted to reward and encourage employees who do. So, the assessor’s office gives employees a $650 reward for reaching Level 1 and Level 2. After that the state takes over.

Last year, 14 of his workers got the extra coin, which amounted to a combined $9,100. This year, only one worker got the extra $650.

That kind of makes sense, since his employees are moving up and the state is now providing the money.

When I asked Phil about whether he participates in the “certified public administrator” program, he said that he didn’t. He added that if he did, he would not take the bonus.(Of course that's easy to say when you don't participate. Heh.)

Two of his employees are in the program and they did get some extra coin this year.

Again, you can read about all that by clicking right smack here.

School board candidate Oster is eligible

2011-12-22T13:38:00.000-08:00

Knox County school board candidate Gina Oster, who is running for the 3rd District seat to replace Cindy Buttry (who decided not to run again), is in fact allowed to run.

According to a long-winded letter written in fancy lawyer talk, she is eligible.

Click right smack here for the letter.

Apparently, there was a issue about this because Oster works for the school system. (Click right smack here for the story.) I'm not up-to-date on it because I don't follow all this school stuff (hey, I got enough keeping up with the county), but the rogue blogger pretty much called this last week.

Trustee, fee offices give sweet bonuses

2011-12-22T10:38:00.001-08:00

I don't normally like to scoop myself, but what the heck. I've spent the past few days working on a story about some bonuses that county officials get, in particular the Trustee's Office. So, I'll throw a little out there right now.

If only because there's so much conflicting information about this mess and TV will probably get it wrong. Heh.

Yes, Knox County Trustee John Duncan III gave himself and 7 other workers who are not "certified public administrators" each a $3,000 bonus. Call it an early Christmas present.

Four other people who have achieved the designation also got the extra coin.

Duncan, who already makes some pretty good coin, is not the only office holder to hand out the "free money" in 2011. He is, however, the only one giving it to those who don't complete the CTAS course.

Is it legal? Go buy a freakin' newspaper ya cheapskate and find out. Or check online later.

Or maybe come back here for a possible update.

On a side note, the Register of Deeds Office paid out $12,138 to six workers; the Circuit Court Clerk paid out $1,632 to one employee, the Criminal Court Clerk paid six a combined $9,138; and the Property Assessor's Office paid two employees a combined $5,600.

Rep. Haynes looking into tattletale line

2011-12-21T08:24:00.000-08:00

Just a quick update on the county's tattletale line.

Talked to state Rep. Ryan Haynes, R-Knoxville, last week about it. You might recall that he was asked by county officials and members of the audit committee to look into whether anything can be done about so-called frivolous calls made to the hot line.

Here's the original story right smack here.

Anyhoo, Ryan (at left in a picture I clearly lifted off the state's website) said he talked to the state comptroller's office and he's now working on legislation that he'll possibly introduce by mid-January.

One of the possibilities, he said, was looking into whether something deemed frivolous (or if there are no findings against the complaint) should become public.

Right now it is, so if you want to call up the hot line and make up all sorts of crap about someone . . . .

In the meantime, I'm hoping Ryan will introduce legislation that would require the state to have a hot line system that I can prank call on a regular basis.

Van Guilder to work for Trustee's Office

2011-12-20T14:21:00.000-08:00

My boy Larry Van Guilder has taken a job with the Knox County Trustee's Office, continuing a recent trend of local reporters jumping paper ships to join the Deathstar.

Most recently, Angela Starke from some TV channel and Benedict Mayoral-Shark from the Metro Pulse joined Mayor Madeline Rogero's staff.

Anyhoo, Larry signed the papers today and starts work Jan. 16, according to his new boss John Duncan III. He fills a vacant staff accountant position. (He swears it was advertised.)

In a spin release, Duncan said: “We’ve carefully evaluated our needs over the past year. I believe Larry’s training and experience will prove a valuable addition to this office.”

He also said this is “another step forward in enhancing the services we provide” and blah, blah, blah.

Heh.

Now, don't get me wrong, Larry can actually do this job. It's just fun to make fun of spin releases.

Here's the rest:

Van Guilder is currently editor of the Shopper-News. In addition to the institutional knowledge acquired during his years of reporting on Knox County government, Van Guilder has extensive accounting experience in the private sector working with Fortune 100 companies as well as smaller organizations. He is a graduate of the University of Tennessee, a United States Air Force veteran and a Knoxville native. He and his wife, Becki, reside in the Farragut community.

Larry told me his first full-time job was with Union Camp Corporation in Morristown (it's since been bought out by International Paper). He started off as a bean counter and then somehow took a job in the sales department because it paid more. He transferred to Decatur, Ala. but left cause his boss sucked. He worked for a few local companies, got burned out and went back to UT to study history.

He thought about teaching but realized that teaching 17-year-old kids sucks, too.

Larry, however, always dabbled in writing and by late 2005 he was penning columns for the Shopper-News. He later wrote features and was covering Knox County government by the time Black Wednesday hit.

That's the abbreviated story of his life. So far.

He'll be 62 in March and hopes to retire in three years, and then – if there still is a Scripps newspaper company – freelance for us in some capacity.

“Government isn't going to go away, but newspapers? We just don't know,” he said when asked about the new job.

In addition, Larry will also oversee some public relations for the Trustee's Office.

On a personal note, I wish him well. I like the guy and I will miss his sharp wit and good-natured humor. Good luck, buddy.

2 judicial commish candidates don't vote

2011-12-16T07:35:00.000-08:00

Just got off the horn with Knox County Commissioner “Our” Larry Smith who isn't too happy with some of the candidates seeking that sweet judicial commissioner job.

Apparently, some of them want to serve the county, but they don't like to hit the ballot boxes.

“Taxpayers are paying for this judicial position and it's almost $65,000 (a year in salary), so I was wondering if they were doing their civic duty themselves,” Smith told me. “I found out that five of them aren't, yet they want taxpayers to pay their (salary).”

OK, according to Smith, Alex Brown and Scott Tsakeres are not registered to vote.

He said Charity Miles and Arun Rattan are registered but don't vote.

He added that “there was not sufficient information on Marks Woods to determine whether he was registered.”

Fifteen folks applied for the spot and the commission will make a decision on Monday. But, earlier this week, the county sessions court judges narrowed down the list, so the commission is really faced with just eight candidates.

Brown and Miles are on the list of eight.

The county overall has five magistrates. They are charged with reviewing applications for warrants and summonses and conduct the initial court appearances of prisoners via closed-circuit television.

'Like' law firm, help the Salvation Army

2011-12-15T07:09:00.000-08:00

Local law firm Ralph Brown and Associates will donate $1 to the Salvation Army (up to $5,000) for every "like" the firm receives on its Facebook page.

Yeah, it's corny. But what the heck. Once they get 5,000 likes and donate the coin, you can always "unlike" them. Heh.

So, check it out at facebook.com/rbrownlawyers

Right now, the firm has about 580 hits, so that's $580 in coin.

Think of it as your good deed for the day. And go "like" a lawyer.

Duncan takes credit for Carter, raises

2011-12-15T06:51:00.000-08:00

In his never-ending quest to collect and deposit every check the county has, Knox County Trustee John “Triple 3” Duncan has outdone himself.

Cause now he is taking credit for the administration's plan to build the Carter community a new elementary school and give employees raises beginning on Jan. 1.

Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett, who spearheaded both moves, called the Carter claim “ridiculous”. Then he chuckled in disbelief.

Here's the deal and how all this started:

Earlier this month, Duncan posted the following on Facebook:

"I'm so proud of the work of my staff! We have operated at 49% under last year's budget, yet revenues are at an all time high. I was pleased to hear State Officials remark that the Knox County Trustee's Office is the model for all others in the State to follow."

Now, I'm reading this and scratching my head. Cause this sounds a little misleading. (The 49 percent part – I just figure his aunt is the “state officials” he refers to. Heh.)

So, I sent him an email, asking what's up.

Here's his response:

Last year, the office had spent $235,744 in operating costs at this point. This year, we have spent $121,151.

For the whole year, we are now working with a $272,354 budget, as opposed to $387,735 last year.

We're trying to run everything as lean as possible and have tried to cut everything from contracted services to supplies and materials. So far, we've been very successful.

Despite the cuts, collections are higher than they've ever been. Last year, we set a new record for revenues, which allowed the Mayor and Commission to give employee raises and build Carter a new elementary school. This year, we have outpaced that number by over $1.8 million at this point.

Couple things here. Apparently, the salary suit the Trustee Office files each year – you know that lawsuit that is the budget for salaries – doesn't count as a “budget” budget. So, yes, I suppose the Trustee's Office is operating “at 49 percent under last year's budget” if all you're talking about is the money used to buy office supplies. Because that's pretty much the budget Duncan refers to.

The salaries are something else.

The other thing: You'll note the trustee says his office “set a new record for revenues” that “allowed” the county to build the Carter community a new elementary school.

Uh, that's not exactly how some other folks who work over there in the Deathstar see it.

The county could have collected $5 this year, and it was still going to build a new school.

As it stands, the administration has designated $11 million of the $13.9 million it needs to build the school.

Here's how county is paying for the new school (information courtesy of the finance department):

School Board contribution: $2.5 million
E-911 District early repayment for the center facility: $3.4 million
Solway land sale: $2 million
City repayment for Young-Williams Animal Center: $943,819
SEC settlement: $892,551
Marble Alley – initial four parcels: $771,000
Bond refinancing 2011-12 – county's share of savings: $511,685

The bill comes due in late spring 2013.

As for whether Duncan played a role in county employee raises? He could make a case for that. So, too, could the economy. And Burchett. And all the people who paid their bills on time.

Burchett, state to meet about Lakeshore

2011-12-13T08:10:00.000-08:00

Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett and Tennessee Department of Mental Health Commissioner Douglas Varney plan to meet tomorrow afternoon to talk about the state's proposal to close Lakeshore Mental Health Institute.

The meeting, which was confirmed earlier this morning will be the first time the mayor and the County Commission – which also was invited – have a chance to ask questions about future plans.

“I wanted to get him in here as soon as possible,” the mayor said. “The commissioners have a lot of questions and the sooner we can get him in, the quicker we can find solutions.”

The mayor said officials will not vote during the 4 p.m. Meeting, but rather Varney will be asked “to give us the plan on how the closure will take place as they see it.”

Varney in mid-November announced that the state plans to close the facility by the end of the fiscal year, as part of a plan to outsource mental-health care to private inpatient facilities and community-based programs.

County commissioners say they were blindsided by the proposal and want answers. A number of them said during Monday's work session that they tried to reach Varney and have not heard back.

Now, they're asking the local legislative delegation to step in and see what it can do.

"I've talked with some people involved in mental health in Knox County and the question I've asked is: 'What's the plan?' and no one seems to know," Commission Chairman Mike Hammond said. "That isn't to criticize anyone, but if Lakeshore closes, we don't know the plan."

The commission, at the request of Commissioner Jeff Ownby, agreed to ask a number of state leaders, including Gov. Bill Haslam, to delay closing the facility for at least two years. Officials said they are concerned the community doesn't have enough programs to serve many of the patients who end up at Lakeshore. They also said they expect a rise of mentally ill in the homeless and jailed populations if Lakeshore closes.

Former official Bill Tallent passes away

2011-12-12T12:19:00.000-08:00

Fred Brown of the News Sentinel reports that former county official Bill Tallent passed away on Sunday.

Here's the story:

A former Knox County official and World War II veteran whose wartime experience included an escape from a German prisoner of war camp has died.

William C. “Bill” Tallent, left, was 88.

He died Sunday at the Ben Atchley State Veterans Home.

Mr. Tallent was with the 28th Infantry Division serving with an intelligence unit when he was captured near Hosigen, Luxembourg, in December 1944.

His eventual escape from his German captors was the stuff of movies. He won the Bronze Star and a Purple Heart.

Last year, Mr. Tallent was honored for his life of service to the community and veterans. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic in Knoxville was renamed the William C. Tallent Veterans Outpatient Clinic in his honor.

Mr. Tallent was a former county commissioner of finance and also had worked as a court officer in Knox County Criminal Court.He was bailiff in Knox County Criminal Court, Division II, from 8-16-93 until Feb. 29, 2008.

More details as they develop online and in Tuesday's News Sentinel.

Commission against Sunshine changes

2011-12-12T08:01:00.000-08:00

Tom Humphrey – Tennessee's most ass kicking state government reporter – wrote a story the other day about a plan by some county commission somewhere that would screw with the Sunshine laws.

However, Gov. Wild Bill Haslam, according to Tom, is against it and “sees no need for changes . . . .”

You can read that bad boy by clicking right smack here.

In the story, you'll note a comment by Knox County Commission Chairman Mike Hammond (I actually fetched this quote for Tom) and his thoughts.

“Are you kidding me,” Hammond practically screamed.

Heh.

Anyhoo, the commission is now set to take it another step. During today's work session, members will talk about writing a letter to the county's Legislative delegation, asking that members oppose any changes to the law.

(The proposed changes by the way would let members of a commission – so long as it was less than a quorum – meet without notifying the public.)

Here's a rough draft of the resolution right smack here. It's sponsored by Commissioner Ed Shouse.

Enjoy.

March Knox County primary races set

2011-12-08T09:32:00.000-08:00

The deadline to qualify for open seats in the March county election passed this afternoon, and the races are now set.

Incumbent Law Director Joe Jarret and Property Assessor Phil Ballard, each, will face competition from former elected officials in the Republican primary. Current Criminal Court Judge Steven Sword, however, has no challengers.

In addition, two of the four school board members also face challengers for their non-partisan seats. Cindy Buttry, who represents the 3rd District, opted not to seek re-election.

Instead, Bobby Edington, Doug Harris and Gina Oster will vie for the seat.

Additionally, no one opted to challenge current school board Vice Chairwoman Indya Kincannon for the 2nd District seat.

Karen Carson, the 5th District incumbent, will face Elaine Davis, who serves on the county’s Ethics Committee. In the 8th District, incumbent Mike McMillan will face Conley Underwood, a vocal supporter of the movement in East Knox County to get a new Carter Elementary School built.

Also, former county Commissioner Richard “Bud” Armstrong will square off against Jarret; and former Property Assessor John Whitehead will challenge Ballard.

The general elections will be held in August.

School board candidates need to get 50 percent plus one of the votes cast to move on.

County did actually pay waste water fine

2011-12-08T07:35:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I posted – click right smack here for the riveting conversation – that the county did not pay a fine for waste water stuff. Apparently, that's not the case. (Thanks, Michael Grider.)

County folks got back to me last night (actually, Grider got back to me last night), letting me know that – yes – the county did actually pay some coin.

And it was due to our old pals at Natural Resources Recovery of Tennessee. I think

Grider said the details are outlined in the Consent Agreement and Final Order between the company and the county. You can read that bad boy by clicking right smack here.

Look under section II.

The county – according to Public Works and Engineering Director Dwight Van de Vate via Grider – paid $4,000 and NRRT paid $8,000.

County utility district (or something) fined

2011-12-07T13:57:00.000-08:00

So, I’m sitting around at home, doing nothing and another reporter emails me a story. You know, because he didn't want to do the work. Or something.

Anyhoo, it’s a story out of Atlanta, claiming that the EPA fined Knox County $12,000 for violating the Clean Water Act.

It states: “Waste water utilities in 14 municipalities were penalized for failing to provide biosolids reports and/or otherwise failing to comply with Section 503 of the CWA covering requirements for land disposal of sewage sludge.”

It then lists Knox County, as well as a bunch of really crappy places in Georgia and Florida.

However, the federal branch of hippies has not fined the county, according to Michael “Big Sexy” Grider, the county’s one-man spin-machine.

Our conversation:

BS: “Knox County doesn’t deal in waste water. Knox County deals in storm water. Knox County was not fined.”

The hero of this blog: “So, who was?”

BS: “I don’t know. That’s an EPA question.”

The hero of this blog: “Screw that. I got better things to do than call a bunch of hippies.”

BS: “Uh . . . they would know. It would be easier to call the EPA than all the districts.”

The hero of this blog: "Yeah, but I don't care. I just want to pad my blog posts for the day before I do that really good one I got planned for either tonight or tomorrow."

BS: "Uh . . . ."

The hero of this blog: "Never mind."

And at that point, I quit taking notes. Essentially the utility districts (I think we have about five of them) are governed by state law and overseen by a board of directors. So, you the “taxpayer” might not pick up the bill. But you the “rate payer” will.

If you’re still with me, then here’s the original story (Be warned, it's boring as heck):

(ATLANTA – Dec. 6, 2011) Over the past fiscal year (Oct. 1, 2010 to Sept. 30, 2011), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 4 issued Consent Agreements and Final Orders (CA/FOs) against 25 entities throughout the Southeast for violations of the Clean Water Act (CWA). As part of the settlements, the responsible parties in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee agreed to come into compliance and pay $184,317 in civil penalties. Additionally, these entities will spend an estimated $284,791 to come into compliance.

"By taking these enforcement actions, we are sending a strong message about the importance of protecting rivers, lakes and streams,” said Gwen Keyes Fleming, Regional Administrator. “By addressing the violations noted in our inspections, these entities will prevent millions of pounds of pollution from entering the environment, in addition to protecting the quality of life for families across the Southeast.”

Ten entities were cited for alleged stormwater-related violations of the CWA. Polluted stormwater runoff is a leading cause of impairment to the nearly 40 percent of surveyed U.S. water bodies which do not meet water quality standards. Over land or via storm sewer systems, polluted runoff is discharged, often untreated, directly into local water bodies. The settlements and associated penalties include:
Port of Mobile, for violations at its Buchanan Lumber Mobile, Inc. in Mobile, Ala. (civil penalty of $4,400)
The Allen Company, for violations at the Barnes Mill Road Improvement in Richard, Ky. (civil penalty of $7,200)
Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, for violations at its US 421 Widening PCN 09-1121 in Frankfort, Ky. (civil penalty of $8,000)
Mississippi Department of Transportation, for violations at its State Route 19 in Collinsville, Miss. (civil penalty of $44,000)
South East Development of NC, LLC, for violations at its Sierra Heights subdivision Phase 2 in Clayton, N.C. (civil penalty of $5,000)
Marion Retail Investments, LLC, for violations at its construction site Grandview Station in Marion, N.C. (civil penalty of $9,000)
YDV, Incorporated, for violations at its construction sites Compass Pointe Phase 2 and Compass Pointe Phase 3 in Leland, N.C. (civil penalties totaling $14,000)
City of Memphis, for violations at its Appling/I-40 Northwest Planned Development in Memphis, Tenn. (civil penalty of $2,000)
Shelby County, for violations at the Houston Levee Road Improvement in Memphis, Tenn. (civil penalty of $37,500)
Shelby County Schools, for violations at its Shelby County Schools Administration Building in Arlington, Tenn. (civil penalty of $10,000)

The above facilities were issued Administrative Orders requiring the facilities to come into compliance with its National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit and the CWA at an estimated total cost of $284,691. By returning to compliance, 7,831,700 pounds of pollutants (sediment, total suspended solids, nitrogen, etc.) were not discharged into the receiving waters.

One facility was cited for failing to comply with Section 122.23 of the CWA covering Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations, including land-application requirements in accordance with its Waste Management Plan and its South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control permit:
Mayer Dairy Farms, Newberry, S.C. (civil penalty of $2,717)
An Administrative Order was issued to Mayer Dairy requiring the facility to come into compliance with its National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit and the CWA at an estimated cost of $100. By returning to compliance, 15,000 pounds of pollutants (sediment and nitrogen) were not discharged into the receiving waters.

Lastly, wastewater utilities in 14 municipalities were penalized for failing to provide biosolids reports and/or otherwise failing to comply with Section 503 of the CWA covering requirements for land disposal of sewage sludge:

Alabaster, Ala. (civil penalty of $1,800)
Sheffield, Ala. (civil penalty of $900)
Clewiston, Fl. (civil penalty of $900)
Plantation, Fl. (civil penalty of $900)
Lake City, Fl. (civil penalty of $900)
Starke, Fl. (civil penalty of $900)
Cartersville, Ga. (civil penalty of $2,000)
Greensboro, Ga. (civil penalty of $900)
Monroe, Ga. (civil penalty of $900)
Pembroke, N.C. (civil penalty of $900)
Knox County, Tenn. (civil penalty of $12,000)
Loudon Utilities, Tenn. (civil penalty of $5,000)
Newport Utilities, Tenn. (civil penalty of $7,500)
Springfield, Tenn. (civil penalty of $5,000)
Congress enacted the CWA in 1972 to protect the nation’s rivers, lakes and stream, as well as some of the more fragile and vital wetland habitats. The entities cited violated the CWA by either failing to meet the requirements of their National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits, and subsequently causing point source discharges; failing to comply with biosolids requirements; or by filling or dredging wetlands. Pollutants of concern include nutrients, sediment, oil and grease, chemicals and metals. When left uncontrolled, water pollution can deplete needed oxygen and/or otherwise result in the destruction of aquatic habitats, as well as the fish and wildlife that depend on them. Water pollution can also contaminate food, drinking water supplies and recreational waterways, and thereby pose a threat to public health.

No matter what, taxpayers get the bill

2011-12-07T09:56:00.000-08:00

We at Screams from da Porch sometimes like to provide all two readers with some insight on a story. The most recent one ran Saturday, called “Trustee’s Office mistake to cost taxpayers $12,500.”

You can read that bad boy by clicking right smack here.

Now, this post isn’t really about the “reporting error” (or whatever they’re calling the screw-up over at the Trustee’s Office); it’s just a little inside baseball about what happened during an interview.

OK, so I’m talking to county Mayor Tim Burchett about an email from the county’s auditor, KPMG, and how officials want to bill the county some additional coin for what they say was extra work on their part to complete the audit. (The audit was completed on time by the way.)

The mayor tells me that he’s going to ask the Trustee’s Office to pay for it. He was very, very adamant about this. When I asked if it really mattered who paid (the Trustee’s Office turns over additional money it collects to the county, so technically it’s all county money), Burchett said that yes, it would be “symbolic.”

Anyhoo, I write that down and later I’m talking to Emperor Dean Rice and he’s going on about something that I can’t recall and at some point I tell him that the mayor wants the Trustee’s Office to pick up the tab.

Rice is kind of surprised. I think. That’s how I took it anyway. About 20 or 30 minutes or so later, the mayor calls, letting me know that he misspoke about wanting the Trustee’s Office to pay the bill. I asked if he had talked to Dean about this. He had. I asked Dean later if he had talked to the mayor about this. He did.

Strange.

Like I said: It doesn’t matter which office pays for it. Cause it’s really your coin.

But, I don’t expect this to be the last time the tab is mentioned.

The Audit Committee meets in late January. It’s going to be brought up again.

Too tired for a fancy headline today

2011-12-07T05:00:00.000-08:00

Miss me? Didn’t think so. Figures.

As you probably know, the paper laid off four employees. They were good people. That’s all I’m going to say about that, other than a lot of the speculation, the blah, blah, blah, I read yesterday on the message boards, blogs, whatever, is not accurate.

If I didn’t return your call yesterday, then that’s my bad. I’ve got a few days off and I was still recovering from hanging out with the original porch screamer. That and I was catching up on my latest read: The Astounding Wolf-Man by Robert Kirkman.

Good stuff.

I’ll be back later with some more posts.

(By the way, what did you think of that headline? Heh.)

One week left to qualify for county office

2011-12-01T09:54:00.000-08:00

Folks now have one week to qualify for the county offices up for re-election in the March 6 primary. I know: joy, joy.

The obvious, so far, is incumbent Law Director Joe Jarret facing off against former county Commissioner Bud Armstrong (both have already returned their petitions); and incumbent Property Assessor Phil Ballard against former assessor John Whitehead. (Both have announced but neither has turned in a petition yet.)

Steven Sword is seeking re-election for criminal court judge, division I.

The other four county races are for school board seats. Only incumbent Karen Carson has returned her petition, but others have picked up one, so we could have a few contested races.

Here's the breakdown so far:

2nd District: incumbent Indya Kincannon
3rd District: Elaine Davis and Bobby Edington
5th District: Karen Carson, Brian Bruce
8th District: Mike McMillian and Conley Underwood.

Flu mist running low, no school visits

2011-12-01T06:42:00.000-08:00

Not sure whether this merits posting on the ol' blog or not, but since most of the stuff doesn't what's one more. Heh.

Soooo, it seems some county officials expressed brief concern Wednesday that the health department didn't have enough money to give kids a second dose of the flu mist.

Not sure if this was just misinformation or what. But, Martha Buchanan, head honcho at the health department, told them that the first dose that the kids received awhile back is 90 percent effective. So, they should be OK.

However, the department doesn't have enough coin to visit local schools, so that's out for this year. You want the mist, go to the health department. (Drop my name, too. Might get you somewhere. Heh.)

Next year also could be an issue. Apparently, the federal dollars to support the misty program has dried up. (I'm not sure if this expense is included in the $7 million that the county will lose or not.)

Buchanan and Superintendent Jim McIntyre are expected to meet at some point to figure out a plan. They're supposed to look at “creative funding, grants or even corporate sponsorships.”

I like that last idea. Get your “Good Year” flu mist. Or whatever.

Corporate sponsorship.

Maybe Big Bill over at Pilot will get involved.

Naw, I doubt it. Too busy figuring out how to not get involved building local schools more like it.

Yeah, I went there.

Kincannon to kick off campaign tonight

2011-11-30T11:15:00.001-08:00

As usual, I get no love from a school board member. Although that probably has more to do with me calling all of them "Lord McIntyre's disciples" all the time.

But, I digress.

Anyhoo, Knox County board of education Vice Chairwoman Indya Kincannon wrote a letter to the hippies over at R. Neal's blog - click right smack here - letting them know that she's kicking off her re-election campaign.

(Indya by the way once wrote a letter to the paper about me, but it wasn't very nice. Funny, though.)

Here's the kickoff info:

Dear Knoxviews Readers,

I'm running for re-election to the Knox County School Board and would appreciate your support. You're invited to a kick-off reception tonight, Wednesday November 30th, from 5-7pm, at the Whetsel Home, 1015 Luttrell Street, 37917.

Blah, blah, blah.

Indya also has a campaign website.

The election is March 6. The qualifying deadline is set for noon on Dec. 8.

There, that's my good deed for the day.

Finance department honored for its math

2011-11-30T08:12:00.000-08:00

The Knox County Finance Department continues to add and subtract big numbers correctly and make it all look pretty.

The Government Finance Officers Association for the 16th year in a row – see, Screams from da Porch can count, too – honored officials with the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for the FY 2011-12 budget.

In a spin release, issued from the Deathstar's 8th floor of evilness, Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett brags about finance director John Troyer, saying the honor is well-deserved because it makes him look good.

In return, Troyer brags about his staff cause they make him look good to the mayor.

“No, you're the best,” the mayor says.

“No, you are,” Troyer counters.

“We both are,” they say at the same time.

(Yeah, I made that up.)

To qualify for the award, the finance department needed to . . . . Well, I'm not exactly sure. The spin release doesn't really say, other than satisfy some national guidelines. Whatever that means.

Anyhoo, good job.

Now, get back to work, cause you've got next year's budget to do.

(Must be a slow news day or something.)

County hot line good thing, needs work

2011-11-29T19:36:00.000-08:00

I’ll have a story in tomorrow’s paper about the county’s audit hot line, which I affectionately call the tattletale line.

I’ve posted about this thing before. No clicking right smack here cause I’m too lazy to look for the initial posts. Anyhoo, the focus of the story is mostly on some of the silliness and the potential for abuse that can come out of these things.

Now, granted it’s tough to tell what’s frivolous and what’s not. Especially with Knox County’s colorful political history. But, there is potential for abuse.

For instance: Say candidate “A” is running against an incumbent. “A” gets some of his buddies to call the line a few hundred times. Every call generates a report. Say the callers claim that the incumbent has stolen a bunch of crap. Or has some illegal sexual tastes. Or whatever.

Yeah, sure, county officials might not find anything. But once the investigations are done, all that information is public record. There is nothing stopping the candidate from releasing a mailer a week before the election that says: “(Insert name here) has been the subject of more than 300 tips, linking him to (insert whatever BS accusation here).”

And yeah, that will happen. Here.

So, the issue is going to get discussed. Again, I write about this tomorrow.

What I didn’t get to in the story, however, is that there is some good that has come out of these reports. Mark Jones, the county’s director of risk management, has been charged with going through them, referring them here and there and wherever. I’ve seen them. And although a lot of them have nothing to do with fraud or wasteful spending (the real reason the state asked counties to create these things), he has referred the reports to the proper departments. And from all indications the issues were corrected.

In addition, there could very well be some minor troublesome reports that officials substantiate. Initially, Jones was asked to go through the complaints and refer them to the proper official. The audit committee recently expanded his scope and now he’s checking to see what’s happened with some of them. So, we’ll know more soon.

(All too often, folks - myself included - lose track of some of the good that gets done and we forget to mention it. Believe it or not, most county employees do work. But I digress.)

In the meantime, I’m going to call the audit line and make up some stuff.

Cause I’m mature that way.

Mayor-elect Rogero announces spin team

2011-11-29T11:13:00.000-08:00

OK, this sucker just came out of left field.

At first, anyway.

Jesse Fox Mayshark, former Sentinel reporter, former New Yorker and now former beer-drinking-hell-raising Metro Pulse editor, has taken a job with Knoxville Mayor-elect Madeline Rogero.

As I think about it, however, the whole thing makes sense. Hippies hire hippies.

Heh.

Although he might not be looking the part much longer.

According to Wild Bill Lyons (who has lots of new job titles but still pretty much runs city government): "There might be a different look."

Anyhoo, no word yet on how much coin traitor Jesse will make. (Lyons said he didn't know at this point.)

In addition, Rogero hired Angela Starke. I don't know her. I heard she used to work for the Sentinel and served as a reporter at WVLT-TV. I don't read the paper and I do not watch TV news, so . . . . Never heard of her.

UPDATE: Benedict Mayoral-Shark just wrote, saying he will get a haircut and there are rumors that he'll go on a tie-shopping expedition. Personally, we must be vigilant on reporting who pays for the ties. There is ample opportunity for graft here.

Here's the official spin job released by the city earlier today:

Mayor-elect Madeline Rogero announced today that she has appointed two experienced Knoxville journalists to communications positions in her new administration.

Angela Starke, weekend anchor and reporter at WVLT-TV, will become senior director of communications, and Jesse Fox Mayshark, managing editor of Metro Pulse, will be communications manager.

“During my campaign, I promised an open and transparent administration, and these appointments will help me carry out that pledge,” Rogero said. “Angela and Jesse bring an understanding of what media organizations need to cover city government, and they share my commitment to openness and the public’s right to know.”

In their roles, Starke will help develop strategies to communicate the administration’s programs and initiatives, and Mayshark will be responsible for day-to-day relationships with the news media.

Before joining WVLT, Starke was a reporter for WJLA TV/ABC 7 News, the network affiliate in Washington, D.C., covering local and national stories. In 2008, she won an Achievement Award from the Time to Fly Foundation for stories on domestic violence.

She began her career at the Gainesville, Texas, newspaper and then reported and held editing positions for several newspapers, including the Washington Post and USA Today. She is a graduate of Spelman College in Atlanta, a member of Delta Sigma Theta sorority and has been active with the Society of Professional Journalists.

Mayshark is a former editor of Metro Pulse who returned to Knoxville last year to become managing editor at the publication. He first joined Metro Pulse in 1997 and became editor in 2000. He left in 2002 to become an editor in The New York Times news service department and while there contributed to the paper’s Arts section.

Prior to joining Metro Pulse, Mayshark was a reporter for the Knoxville News Sentinel.

County might send residents to 'college'

2011-11-29T08:37:00.000-08:00

Who knew commissioners actually brought something back when they attended those National Association of Counties (NACo) meetings?

OK, kidding. No, not really.

Anyhoo, county Commission Chairman Mike Hammond wants to implement a “Citizens' College” for local residents to learn about county government. (Yes, I know education isn't exactly a priority for many, but still . . . .)

Under the proposal, which he heard about at one of the conferences, commissioners select two people and the mayor's office picks three. They all meet up, hang out, drink beer, whatever, at a day long session over at the Deathstar.

Good stuff. And this time I'm not kidding.

The “college” give residents input into just how local government, and each branch, works. And a lot of people (just check out the KNS message boards) have no clue.

A session, for example, might include a presentation from the law director about ordinances; or the mayor about what he's responsible for; or a commissioner about monthly meeting agendas.

County Law Director Joe Jarret said he was involved in a number of these academies when he worked in Florida. Here's a copy of the plan that Polk County did. It includes reasons why someone would want to participate. Click right smack here for it.

And go get educated. (If the commission follows through with the idea.)

County mayor announces more meetings

2011-11-28T08:33:00.000-08:00

In the latest of what county communications manager Michael Grider likes to call a “media advisory” but we at Screams from da Porch like to call “spin jobs” county Mayor Tim Burchett continues his never-ending quest to fist bump every man, woman and child in the county.

Click right smack here for the meeting dates.

Condolences to Co. Mayor Tim Burchett

2011-11-23T16:32:00.000-08:00

My condolences to county Mayor Tim Burchett.

His mother, Joyce, passed away earlier today. She had been ill for quite some time and entered a hospice a few weeks ago.

I talked to Tim briefly earlier today and he told me that “she’s now in heaven.”

She was 87.

And she was really cool. I met her twice. A very nice lady and a career educator. She also knew how to fly a plane and did so in the 1940s!

She will be missed.

The mayor, understandably, will be spending time with his family.

In a released statement administration Chief of Staff Dean Rice said: This is certainly a sad time for the mayor and his family, as well as for the many people in Knox County who knew Mrs. Burchett. I hope the community will keep the Burchett family in their prayers in the days ahead.

Mrs. Burchett was married to Charles R. “Charlie” Burchett Sr., a longtime chairman of the old Knoxville school board and a retired dean at the University of Tennessee. He passed away in November 2008.

Mrs. Burchett was born Jan. 9, 1924 in Cheatham County and graduated from Cheatham County High School. She earned a degree from the University of Tennessee and later worked at TVA during World War II. But, she spent most of her career teaching at Young High School, Bearden High School and Knoxville College.

Mrs. Burchett, who married her husband after the war, was a member of Ossoli Circle, the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Bearden Retired Association of Teachers and Grandmothers at Prayer.

She is survived by her daughter Joyce Burchett High and her husband; son, Charles Burchett Jr. and his wife; son, Tim Burchett and his wife; and six grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held in the sanctuary of Cedar Springs Presbyterian Church, 9132 Kingston Pike, on Monday at 7 p.m.

In lieu of flowers the family said donations can be made in her memory to:

Christian Academy of Knoxville

“Charlie and Joyce Burchett Tuition Assistance Fund"

529 Academy Way

Knoxville, TN 37923

Or donations can be sent to:

Salvation Army

“In Memory of Joyce Burchett”

P.O. Box 669

Knoxville, TN 37901

Lobetti has two years to pay back coin

2011-11-23T11:19:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I noted how I had a bunch of scribblings left from Monday's pension board meeting. Good stuff. Heh.

Anyhoo, awhile back political operative Robert M. “Mose” Lobetti had a little debate with the board over some coin members say he owes.

Halls Shopper reporter Betty Bean wrote about it right smack here. Essentially, Mose, who has worked behind the scenes (and not so behind the scenes) on a number of political campaigns, including the recent failed effort by Mark Padgett to gain the Knoxville mayoral seat, is on the Uniformed Officers Pension Plan.

Yup, same plan that voters thought was for deputies, jailers and overall ass-kicking law enforcement officers out there risking their lives every day because they don't make a whole heck of a lot of money. But, yeah, he's on it, cause bailiffs (which are technically called courtroom security officers) are on it.

(Forgot one thing: Mose has also been involved in some Congressional races for the Duncans, but, uh, a trained monkey could run that family's campaign. They don't lose. In fact, if a Duncan doesn't get 80 percent of the vote, it's an upset. But, I digress.)

Soooo, some folks were pretty shocked that he's on the plan and owes some money. Again, read Bean's story for the background because I'm just jumping into what followed on Monday. Cause it's silly. And we like silly at Screams from da Porch.

Entertainment at the expense of others and all that.

(By the way, this guys is more connected to the incestuous relationships inside the Deathstar than then brick and mortar that hold the building together. So, if you think I'm picking on him – and I'm not – I don't really care. Public figure and all that. Plus, he goes around, wanting people to refer to him as “The Godfather.”)

So, the pension board/office wants the old dude to pay pack $13,000. (He should have paid it back a long time ago but, due to an “oversight,” he wasn't informed until – I think – earlier this year.)

That's the $11K he took out, plus some interest and 7.5 percent rate of return on investments even thought – during the lifetime of the UOPP – the rates have come in at negative 3.12, according to third quarter – it ended Sept. 30 – reports. (That was a mouthful.)

Heh. Good deal for the pension system. Bad deal for Mose. Now, Mose, 82, doesn't want to pay this back. And I don't blame him. But, if he doesn't, then he's not going to get the full benefits of the UOPP until the coin gets returned.

His attorney, Steve Sharp, also doesn't want him to have to pay it back. Can't blame him, either, since he's paid to not want Mose to have to pay it back.

Said Sharp: “Mr. Lobetti is not a wealthy man and $13,000 is a lot of money.”

Now, the pension board is willing to work with them. Members suggested giving him two years to pay it back. In monthly installments. (That would be $531.666 a month.)

Mose, visibly disgusted, didn't like that.

“They (the pension office) have known this for four years and didn't tell me, but I'm not blaming anybody,” he told the board.

Say what?

Mose, who makes $44,116.28 in annual salary, added: “It's going to be rough if I have to pay back (the money) every month. It may put me in bankruptcy.”

Now, historically, officials said, those transferred to the UOPP “had six months to repay any distributions to reinstate the time in the UOPP.”

Mose at one point also asked whether he could pay back part of the coin with a $10,000 life insurance policy or something or other he's had since 1950 when he served in the U.S. Navy.

Pension Board attorney Richard Beeler told him that wasn't gonna fly – no, he can't sign over a policy to the county.

Apparently frustrated, Mose told the board that when he joined the pension plan he turned over $130,000.

He made this out to be a big deal. Let me tell you something: That $130,000 isn't jack.

Under the Sheriff's Office defined benefit plan he's going to get $33,087 a year in retirement, plus a 3 percent cost of living adjustment each year. That's 75 percent of his total salary.

Now, how much a year do you think he's gonna get with that $130,000, which no doubt would be worth about 5 cents (give or take a penny) right now because of the stock market?

That's what I thought.

Now, people might think I'm being harsh, but, seriously, quit your whining.

Additionally, some folks at the meeting (and Mose a few months ago) made it out that Mose just HAD to take that $11,000 payout – that it was just forced right on into his wallet.

Nope. According to pension board executive director Kim Bennett, he received the minimal required distribution, but because he was employed, “it technically wasn't required that he take it.”

So, round and around we go.

Now, Mose says he doesn't understand “why I have to pay the interest.”

Uh . . . . Huh?

He said if the board gave him two years, then he'd pay back the $11,000. (Screw the interest or whatever, I suppose.)

Huh? So, make up your mind. Do you have the coin or not? What are you gonna do between now and then to raise $11K?

Never mind, don't answer that.

Eventually county commissioner and pension board member Richard Briggs wanted this mess to end. He said $13K was “a big chunk of money if you don't anticipate it or get blindsided by it.

He suggested giving Mose two years to repay it “with one stipulant (that's French by the way for “stipulating”): That he can't die in two years.”

He was kidding.

If Mose does, then the coin (which we will now refer to as “debt”) will be taken out of his death benefits that will be passed along to whoever.

So, the board – which at one point had no idea what it was voting to approve – agreed to give the guy two years to pay back what will eventually be more than $13K. Mose said he'll pay it in one lump sum at that time.

Bennett said her office will recalculate the coin and come back with the exact amount of scratch later. It's going to be more than $13K, but she has two years to come up with the new number.

In the meantime, Mose ain't gonna die. He'll make sure Congressman Jimmy Duncan gets a law passed to prevent that from happening.

Ownby calls Lakeshore meeting - early

2011-11-22T13:49:00.000-08:00

Commissioner Jeff Ownby sun shined a meeting today – roughly 193 hours ahead of time.

Heh. Take that! (If you know not what I'm talking about, then you should have seen yesterday's county commission meeting debate about publicly noticing meetings.)

Anyhoo, Jeff has scheduled a meeting with employees and residents to talk about the closure of Lakeshore Mental Heath Facility. (Lakeshore is in his commission district.) The meeting is set for next Wednesday (that's Nov. 30 for you) at 5 p.m. At West High School.

Here's a story (click right smack here) by Sentinel reporter Kristi Nelson about Lakeshore.

Jeff said that some employees called him, hoping he could set something up with the City Council, County Commission and the two mayors. (Cause he's the freakin' man.) He said he couldn't guarantee they'd be there, but he'd put out the word.

(Last week, the folks met with state lawmakers. I'm sure we wrote about it, but I don't read our paper, so . . . .)

“It's a big hit,” Ownby said. “It's close to 400 jobs that will be gone. And the patients – the ones who can't be treated elsewhere – will end up on the streets.”

Well, that's what happens when people decide to cut costs at the expense of quality mental health care and public safety. Er, that's what I read on a blog somewhere, anyway.

And if it's on a blog, folks. Then it's got to be true.

Heh.

Retirement plan audits to cost $42K

2011-11-22T12:41:00.000-08:00

Sat in the pension board meeting Monday for more than two hours. Exciting stuff, I'll tell ya. No, really. Good stuff. Heh.

Anyhoo, I've got a notebook full of information, most of it will never see print because we don't have the space, so I'll start dumping some of it here on the ole blog.

The County Commission recently (it might have been Monday when I was sleeping) signed a four-year contract with Pugh and Company, which will serve as its external auditor. The Knoxville-based company also will work with the pension board.

Some officials, particularly Knox County Senior Director of Finance John “Mad Dog” Troyer, have been itching to get someone to audit the county's six retirement programs.

Now, don't go and get too excited. For someone who operates with the glass half full, even I seriously doubt they're going to find anything. (Other than investment returns kind of suck. But that's true pretty much everywhere.)

In fact, Troyer called it a “straight forward vanilla” audit. (Although he might have said a “Donila” audit.)

The IRS looked over some of the plans (if not all of them) not to long ago and didn't find anything. (As I recall there were some payroll issues or something to do with the county not putting in interest or whatnot, but the plans were pretty much clean.)

The pension board will pick up the tab – about $42,000 for the first year's audit. Executive Director Kim Bennett said the scratch will come from a pot of coins set aside to purchase new software.(She hinted pretty hard Monday to the board that if she uses this money for the audit, she'd still need the software in 2013. In other words, fellas, don't be surprised if I put some extra coinage in there 18 months from now!)

ON A SIDE NOTE: Ann Acuff, who is pretty much second-in-command of the county's finance office is (or has) retired. I met her a few times and she has always been very pleasant and very helpful. Her effective retirement date is Dec. 1. She's leaving after more than 46 years.

That's pretty cool. So congrats goes out to her.

Commission passes Briggs Hillside plan

2011-11-21T16:25:00.001-08:00

The Knox County Commission tonight approved the Richard Briggs Hillside and Ridgetop Protection Plan. (Or at least seven of them did.)

If you're confused, don't feel bad. That was one cluster-F of a meeting that was made worse because of all the hijacking that went on earlier in order to delay the meeting as late in the day as possible. (Hit me up on Twitter to see what I'm talking about. I'm about to get something to eat right now, so I'm too tired to bother with it.)

Anyhoo, a lot of folks want to know just what the Briggs amendment is.

Soooo, here ya go (and yeah, I'm typing this myself cause I love ya):

This plan and the principals, objectives, policies and guidelines included herein are advisory in nature and constitute non-binding recommendations for consideration in connection with development of steeply sloped areas. While this plan is being adopted as an amendment to the Knoxville-Knox County General Plan 2033, it is intended to provide background and supplemental information of an advisory nature and to serve as a guide to future MPC staff recommendations, but it not intended to form an official part of the General Plan which would be binding on future land use decisions by City Council, County Commission, MPC, the City or County Boards of Zoning Appeals pursuant to T.C.A 13-3-304. Any comparable provisions of the Knoxville-Knox County General Plan 2033 or any Sector Plan which relate to hillside and ridgetop protection shall also be considered advisory consistent with this plan.