Former Ragsdale operative pleads guilty to Va. campaign violations

Harber

Remember Tyler Harber? Former Knox County Mayor Mike Ragsdale's political operative and overall screw-up? Yeah, well, go figure, looks like he's hit the big time. As in the feds are going to make an example out of him for violating a campaign law they don't usually enforce.

It's the kind of thing that happens when you're dumb enough to lie to FBI agents. But whatever.

According to the Washington Post:

An oft-quoted Republican political operative pleaded guilty Thursday to illegally directing a political action committee to buy ads to help a congressional candidate whose campaign he managed — a rare enforcement of federal law that bars candidates from spending money in conjunction with their independent allies.

Federal authorities said the plea deal reached with 34-year-old Tyler Harber — who managed the unsuccessful 2012 congressional campaign of Virginia Republican Chris Perkins — sends a warning to those in politics that they need to keep a separation between candidates and outside groups. Prosecutors hailed the case as the “first criminal prosecution in the United States based upon the coordination of campaign contributions between political committees,” and four legal experts said they could think of no other examples, despite an explosion of independent groups’ spending in political races in recent years.

His sentencing is set for June. You can read the full story RIGHT SMACK HERE.

Task force to look into BEP funding

Yesterday, the Tennessean posted an article by Chas Sisk (who is a bad a$$ state reporter but not as bad a$$ as my guy Tom Humphrey) that said Gov. Big Bill has formed a task force to study the state’s Basic Education Program, or BEP, funding to schools.

Sisk notes that the formula, which factors in enrollment, tax revenues and school staffing, was last adjusted in 2007. (I know some folks don’t want to hear this, but you can thank for then-county Mayor Mike Ragsdale for that.)

The move is good news for the Big Four counties as they’ll more than likely get some more coin.

Last year Knox County received almost $172 million, but Knox is considered a “donor” county, meaning it turn into a lot more – about $40 million in sales taxes – than it gets back.

That could change.

“The students don’t get that money – it gets distributed to other schools across the state,” Knox County Finance Director Chris “Money Bags” Caldwell told me today. “But this has always been a fight between the rural and urban counties.”

He said that seven years ago, the state formed what essentially has been dubbed BEP 2.0. He said Knox County – if it was fully funded under 2.0 – should have received an additional $20 million. It didn’t. Caldwell, who was out buying ties yesterday because the county is closed and wasn’t near his finance books, said he believed it jumped “about $10 to 15 million” at the time.

The task force will report back to the governor at the end of the year.

UPDATE: Ha ha. Randy Neal weighs in. Apparently the task force already exists.

More on Ownby diversion note, censure

Jeff Ownby

I've noticed some debate lately regarding Knox County Commission Jeff Ownby's court hearing Friday and whether the judge should have or could have ordered him to write a letter, enter it into minutes of the next board meeting and turn it over to the media.

Some folks say the judge exceeded his bounds, some think it's plain mean. Whatever. The fact is Ownby had the option of not asking for judicial diversion. He could have walked away with a $500 fine. For some reason he feels judicial diversion will make everyone forget what happened. It won't.

The judge noted Friday that because Ownby sought judicial diversion, then he could impose a number of requirements. That letter was one of them. It was up to Jeff then to follow through. Or not to.

Now, on to this whole censure thing that the commission will discuss. Quite frankly, it's nothing more than a public reprimand, a symbolic expression with little practical value. Still, it creates headlines and the commission would be remiss if it didn't talk about it. That said, there will be some folks – possibly some on the commission although I don't know for sure – who will call for his resignation. I don't think he will.

The board last censured a fellow member in July 2009 when members publicly rebuked then-board member Greg “Lumpy” Lambert for his “disruptive behavior” at two meetings of the Task Force on Ridge, Slope and Hillside Development that took place weeks prior.

In June that same year, the commission also censured then-county Law Director Bill Lockett and asked for his resignation because of what members deemed “repugnant behavior.” Lockett, who would eventually resigned, later pleaded guilty to taking clients' payments that were intended for his former law firm, Kennerly, Montgomery & Finley.

Additionally, the board censured former county Mayor Mike Ragsdale in May 2008 in connection to questionable purchasing-card charges he and his top aides made.

Pi Alpha Alpha to honor John Troyer

Former county Finance Director John Troyer

The University of Tennessee's Political Science Scholastic Honor Society (Pi Alpha Alpha) in conjunction with the East Tennessee Chapter of the American Society for Public Administration will honor former Knox County Finance Director John Troyer as its “Public Administrator of the Year.”

The ceremony will take place at 11:30 a.m. today in the Toyota Room of the Howard Baker Center.

Troyer left last spring to take a job with the city of Alcoa to serve as its finance director. At the time he said it was a lower-profile position and he didn't have to deal with the media as much. Also, city government is more straightforward.

Former county Mayor Mike Ragsdale tapped Troyer to serve as head county bean counter after then-finance director John Werner resigned in July 2007 amid a furor over the improper use of purchasing cards by employees in the mayor's office.

Before that, Troyer, a certified public accountant, served as the county comptroller for six years. He also worked as a finance director for the city of Bartlett, Tenn., and for Blount County.

AJ Building to get 'for sale' sign?

photo by Michael Patrick

And again, there are talks that involve the possible sale/future use of the Andrew Johnson Building.

From what I understand, Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett, schools superintendent Jim McIntyre and school board Chairwoman Karen Carson met the week before last to talk about the old hotel and what to do with it.

The mayor confirmed the meetings, but was pretty tight-lipped after that.

“It's the same stuff we've been talking about for years,” he said. “You know, tearing it down and putting solar panels up and having a solar community.”

Heh.

Burchett in the past has said that he wouldn't mind selling the S. Gay Street building, if the county can get a good deal for it, and the school system can move its administrative offices elsewhere.

His predecessor Mike Ragsdale also proposed a similar plan but nothing ever happened.

We'll see.

Ballot question: Wording can trump issue

The Charter Review Committee tonight could get into some good stuff. I wrote about it right smack here.

As noted, one issue that more than like will see some heavy debate is whether to let the mayor appoint some of the fee offices, like trustee, register of deeds, county clerk, blah, blah, blah. And, yes, I know, the voters already shot it down.

And that's what I wanted to note here that I didn't have a chance to do in today's story.

On November 4, 2008 voters overwhelmingly said he!! No to giving the mayor the authority to appoint (and subject to County Commission approval) the law director, trustee, county clerk and register of deeds.

Almost 118,500 voted against it and close to 45,000 voted for it. A real beat down. Since then the issue has been brought up from time to time and folks like to point to the now-four-year-old election as to why we should put the issue behind us. (It kind of reminds me of how Superintendent Jim McIntyre likes to point to a more than 10-year-old study that says his administration isn't top heavy. But I digress.)

Anyhoo, I don't care, really, whether the positions are appointed or elected. Makes no difference to me. But, personally, I wouldn't use the 2008 vote to measure just how the voters of today feel.

Two reasons. First, Mike Ragsdale was the county mayor at the time. A lot of people didn't want him appointing dog catcher, let alone someone who manages property, money and records.

Second: Just read the actually ballot question. It was written by a thief who wanted to keep his job. I mean read it. Seriously.

Click right smack here for the ridiculousness. (It's County Charter Amendment Question 4 by the way).

It asks whether the charter should be amended “to take away from the people the ability to vote . . .” and whether the mayor should have the power to "create or eliminate major departments of county government . . ."

Really?

Why was this guy law director again? Oh yeah, he got voted in.

Heh.

Email flap: Cox gone, Salter stays

Ever since David Cox was put on paid suspension for sending county Commissioner Amy Broyles some rude emails, folks have been asking about solid waste director Tom Salter, the funny man who supposedly created an email account and pretended to be his own arch nemesis, Brad Mayes.

I blogged about it right smack here. Funny, stupid stuff.

Anyhoo, internal auditor Richard Walls on Friday fired Cox for sending the emails although that wasn't the official reason. It something to do with not being able to maintain objectivity or something.

Rebecca Ferrar wrote the story. Click for the brilliance right smack here.

So, where does that leave Salter? Some folks wonder why county Mayor Tim Burchett hasn't done anything about him.

First off, Walls answer to the county commission – not the mayor. Second, the Salter incident didn't happen under Burchett.

It happened under then-county Mayor Mike Ragsdale (back in May 2008). So, really, it's his choice. Or was.

Here's Burchett's response when I asked him about Salter: “All that happened prior to me being in office. (Salter) just needs to continue doing the job that he's supposed to. It was under a different administration and the things that went on then, aren't permitted. now.”

Larry Frank and his one-week job

Do you remember Larry Frank? The county's former wild-haired library director (some called him "Yoni") who has some even wilder ideas?

The same guy, left, former county Mayor Mike Ragsdale let quit before Tim Burchett came in and was (possibly) about to axe him? Then there was that whole severance package snafu.

Well, he got a job. Then he quit. After ONE WEEK!

Here's the story right smack here.

The story doesn't mention whether Frank will repay the $15,000 moving stipend the Grand Haven system gave him.

Mayor to seniors: Start walking

As commissioners continue to pick through county Mayor Tim Burchett's proposed budget, they continue to find more and more cuts that are ticking them off.

The latest?

A large reduction to the KAT Senior Initiative. That's where the county issues coin to the seniors to ride the bues for free. I believe Burchett's predecessor, Mike Ragsdale, initially added the money to the budget early on in his first term of office.

Last year, the county funded the program at $75,000. It's currently down to $70,000 and Burchett proposes dropping that to $25,000. From what I understand, there will be some discussion about the move on Monday when commissioners address the proposed spending plan.

“It's a very tough year and it's a year to make touch decisions,” Burchett told me today when I asked him if he hates seniors. “In lieu of a tax increase, this would be much more tolerable. A tax increase would be more detrimental to the seniors.”

Well, you certainly can't say the mayor is playing politics on this one. Seniors like to vote.

Office salaries: Burchett v Ragsdale

Some folks have asked me lately about the salaries and staffing levels in the mayor’s office, since the whole fee issue mess really got going.

How many employees does he have? What are the salaries? How many pals did he hire.

Etc.

I actually pulled this list back toward the end of February. Just haven’t done anything with it.

Yet.

Anyhoo, county Mayor Tim Burchett has nine (including himself) folks working directly in his department. They make about $580,652 in combined pay.

Here’s the record I got from the human resources department.

Toward the end of his tenure as mayor, Mike Ragsdale had (including himself and four part-time interns – or that’s how they’re listed anyway) 12 folks in his office between Jan. 1, 2010 and Sept. 1, 2010 - his last day in office. They made around a combined $648,933.

Here’s his file.

Burchett moved some people around and combined a few positions. The most obvious change was sending Dwight Van de Vate to the engineering department where he took a slight pay cut and replaced Bruce Wuethrich.

Despite talks about not creating any new spots, technically Burchett did when he hired Communications Manager Michael “Spin Doc” Grider.

That job, though, essentially replaced Susanne Dupes, who served as director of communications and media relations, but it’s a new classified position.

The pay isn't the same. But, Grider does get to hang out on Facebook during the day because he has one of the few county computers that doesn't block the website.

Dupes also served, in part, as a spokesperson for the mayor. Burchett and his chief of staff, Dean Rice, take their own phone calls, so they don’t need someone to speak for them.

Unless of course it involves a meeting for a board on which the mayor serves.

He tends not to make those.

Mike Arms makes his return

Was just scanning though the minutes to the Feb. 24 East Tennessee Development District meeting.

Someone around here has to.

Because it's not like anyone from the Deathstar (city or county side) attends these things.

(By the way, the ETDD is an association of local governments that provide the area with planning and development services and serves as a forum for the members to talk about problems associated with economic development and growth, according to its website.)

Anyway, close to the end of the 10-page report, I came across a familiar name: former Knox County Chief of Staff Mike Arms (above).

Remember him?

Arms and former Mayor Mike Ragsdale are working as consultants, doing something with education. (It's early in the morning. I can't remember.)

But, Arms gave a presentation to the board about the Association of Tennessee Valley Governments “and the top 10 reasons why you should join the ATVG.”

So, Arms is now an advocate for the advocates.

I guess.

Here's the Top 10 reasons if you're interested (and my side comments because I'm a smart ass):

• Your active, paid membership will increase the group's effectiveness in giving voice to the collective interests and concerns of local government and their constituents throughout the Tennessee Valley. (Give us your money!)
• There is strength in numbers (We want more money!)
• Issues represented by ATVG include TVA tax equivalent payouts, power rates, agriculture, forestry, economic and tourism and development, recreation, environmental protection, water policy, land use, hazardous waste and solid waste disposal. (We have a lot of ways to say the same thing!)
• The primary purpose is to serve the interests of local governments and the people they represent. (We put you before the people!)
• Is committed to creating a climate for cooperation where everyone benefits. (We're gonna make you rich!)
• Addressed challenges in the seven-state Tennessee Valley region by encouraging partnerships between local governments and the public and private sectors. (We know all the tricks of plundering and pillaging!)
• The ATVG network puts you in touch with 201 county plus 198 county seat governments (no I didn't make a typo) in Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. (We're getting money from all over the place!)
• When Congress debates issues like appropriated funds for TVA, deregulation in the electric utility industry, privatization, or the sale of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer lakes, dams and hydro facilities, ATVG represents members' interests. (We keep you in business – not the other guy!)
• Give you a voice, as well, with other government agencies at both state and federal level. (Because, you know, you can't pick up the phone and call your local representative yourself!)
• Provides local governments with an organized and unified approach to strengthening their relationship with TVA. (Because TVA won't talk to you if you don't join!)

According to the ATVG website the dues for local governments are based on the 1990 census as follows:

Counties: 1.2 cents x 1990 population or $400/minimum and $2,200 maximum.

Towns/Cities: 25 percent of county payment or $300 minimum and $700 maximum.

Update: By the way, Knox County under the Ragsdale administration paid dues - $2,200 each year - to join the ATVG. In fact, the county is a member right now. I imagine that will change when Mayor Tim Burchett puts together his upcoming budget.