Law Dept. looking into whether West High PTSO email broke election law

Well, this is interesting . . .

Sooooooo, you might recall that back in January Sandra Rowcliffe, then-president of the Knox County Council PTA, sent an email to members, warning about the use of tax-exempt non-profit organizations for political purposes.

She noted:

“PTA is a non-commercial, non-sectarian and non-partisan organization. Because PTAs are 501(c)3 tax-exempt organizations, the IRS rules regulating some types of legislative activities of non-profit organizations must be followed.”

She also advised principals that “if your parent group is a PTO as opposed to a PTA that you inform them as well if they are, in fact, a 501(c)3.” 

“Certain political activities are absolutely prohibited: supporting or opposing political parties or candidates for federal, state, or local public office…”

Well, on Saturday an email started making the rounds, and it was forwarded to a number of reporters. It was initially sent Oct. 10 by West High School PTSO co-secretary Carolyn Rezler.

You can read it RIGHT SMACK HERE.

Anyhoo, as I noted, a number of us received this Saturday evening. Looks like Betty Bean over at the Knoxville Shopper beat everyone to the punch. Find her story RIGHT SMACK HERE.

Essentially, the email - written by a member of non-profit PTSO - is asking members to support a certain opponent in the 2nd District BOE race.

Um, folks, I'm not sure if you should be doing this. It appears to be a political email (soliciting political support) and these are the types of things that jeopardize non-profit status.

As Betty noted, the county law office is now looking into it.

By the way, here's another note that made the rounds. It's a document that talks about what PTAs (and by extension, PTSOs) may and may not do.

Find that one RIGHT SMACK HERE.

It may provide a glimpse into what the law department will say.

In the meantime, the three 2nd District candidates - Charlotte Dorsey, Jamie Rowe and Tracey Sanger - will participate in a forum beginning at 6 tonight at the Christenberry Community Center on Oglewood Avenue.

Go out, show your support, vote for whoever you want to. Try not to violate election laws.

Pilot Flying J dividend payment could mean another surplus for Knoxville

Last month, Standard & Poor released a report, noting that Pilot Flying J was buying back a bunch of its share. It got a little coverage, but the media that did mention it missed the big picture.

The truth is . . .  few care about a bunch of rich people buying back a company they already own more than 50 percent of. It's not like they're really buying back the company.

No, the real news is that the company will pay out $750 million in dividends to shareholders. So, what's the big deal? Well, it means the City of Knoxville can more than likely expect a whopping surplus from the Hall income tax at the end of next July.

DOCUMENT: S&P Report on Pilot

If you do the math (here, I'll do it for you) and you don't take any exemptions into account - and pretend all the shareholders live in Knoxville - then you're talking about a $16.8 million bonus check.

Now, it's not going to be that much, but if it's $15 million, don't be surprised. 

Here's a story we did about it last night. RIGHT SMACK HERE.

By the way, a similar dividend windfall happened back in 2012 when the Haslam family bought the Cleveland Browns. Joe Sullivan over the the Metro Pulse wrote briefly about it awhile back. Read that one RIGHT SMACK HERE.

Endorsements in for Siler, Briggs

Couple of endorsements here. Note that I typically don't run these things, but since I've been getting a number of them ...

First, the Cheri Siler for (7th District) State Senate campaign is pleased to announce the endorsement of the Knoxville Fraternal Order of Police,  Volunteer Lodge No. 2.  "It is a great honor to have the support of Knoxville’s police who are responsible for our everyday protection.  We pledge our campaign’s support for Knoxville’s police and will work to advance their interests when we are elected to the legislature."  

Second, the National Federation of Independent Business, Tennessee's leading small business association, has endorsed Dr. Richard Briggs, Republican candidate for State Senate, District 7. "Creating Good jobs is my number one priority. I know the impact government red tape can have on small businesses and I will use my experience (to) ensure that businesses in Tennessee thrive."

As always, send in your election/campaign stuff for publication consideration.

The election is Nov. 4

Knox County HD prepping for Ebola

With news that the Ebola patient in the Dallas hospital has died, it's probably worth noting what the Knox County Heath Department is doing regarding preparation (which - knock on wood - we hopefully won't have to worry about).

Here's is the office's response, regarding input its received from state and federal officials:

The Knox County Health Department (KCHD) has received a great deal of guidance via the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Health Alert Network advisories and CDC conference calls. Our hospitals and public health systems are able to manage such patients with the infectious disease resources, plans and protocols that were in place prior to the Ebola outbreak.  Since the Anthrax attacks in 2001, there have been crucial federal grant funds available in the form of Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Hospital Preparedness Programs to help local communities prepare for disease outbreaks and other medical emergency situations. KCHD has federal and local funding as well as dedicated staff to ensure our ability to respond to any public health threat.

At the state level, there have been numerous Tennessee Health Alert Network advisories sent to public health and hospital partners with information and guidance, including everything from triage guidance to personal protective equipment and infection control protocols for health care and EMS personnel. The Tennessee Department of Health (TDH) has created a tabletop exercise for hospitals to utilize to work through the process of triaging, identifying and isolating a potential Ebola patient while assuring the personal safety of staff and others in the hospital. Hospitals throughout the state are having the tabletop exercises this week and next. TDH is gathering data from those exercises to determine where best to direct further education and guidance. 

On the local level, we are taking it a step further and hosting a combined tabletop exercise at the end of this month with our partners in the East Tennessee Regional Office of TDH - inviting public health, hospitals, EMS and other stakeholders to work through an Ebola scenario. We also conducted a training and orientation today for the Knox County Health Department’s Public Health Investigation Team.

Ethics Committee to get new member

I joke that the panel is nothing more than a paper tiger, but you probably don't want to get called before the county's ethics committee. That never looks good.

Anyhoo, the Knox County Commission is accepting resumes from candidates seeking an appointment to the board.

They're due by Oct. 17.

Send them to:

Office of the Knox County Commission
Suite 603, City County Building
400 Main St.
Knoxville, TN 37902

Fax: 865-215-2038

Email: commission@knoxcounty.org

The commission will hold public hearing to interview the candidates (hint: Show up if you're actually interested) at 4 p.,m. Oct. 20 in the Main Assembly Room of the Death Star.

The following week, commissioners will vote on the appointment.

Bond refinancing saves $7.4 million

Knox County issued a release today, noting that it's gonna save $2.4 million more in folding paper than initially projected due to "lower-than-anticipated" interest rates.

This is all tied to some bond refinancing. Or something. 

Anyhoo, the county overall will save $7.4 million in avoided interest payments over the life of the bonds, which is until 2027. 

However, don't expect Mayor cheapo to cut you a check.

“While our state and federal governments are having trouble balancing budgets, Knox County continues to find ways to save money through efficiencies, and it’s always great when efforts like this turn out better than planned,” Mayor Tim Burchett said. “When we can save taxpayers millions of dollars by simply refinancing a portion of our debt, we’re going to do it. Common sense steps like this, combined with conservative fiscal budgeting, have put Knox County in a sound financial position.”

McInytre in DC for 'innovative' meet

Knox County Schools Superintendent Jim McIntyre is currently in Washington D.C. for a League of Innovative Schools meeting, according to his PR peeps.

From Melissa Ogden: 

The League is a small, selective group of school districts who are trying to do innovative things with technology to support student learning. The Knox County Schools was admitted last spring after a rigorous nomination and selection process, in large measure because of the Knox County Schools’ work in implementing the School Technology Challenge/Personalized Learning initiative. As part of the League meeting, Dr. McIntyre is scheduled to be at the White House on Tuesday with colleague superintendents for meetings with Obama Administration officials to discuss instructional technology and digital learning. 

Here's the original release from March, RIGHT SMACK HERE.

Burchett bringing back the cash mob

According to the latest county release, Mayor Tim Burchett is bringing back da Cash Mob. (Not sure when he held his last one as he's been focusing on those "lunch with the mayor" deals).

The next mob is set for Saturday, Oct. 11, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., which is kind of odd cause it's (a) a Saturday and (b) a game day.

Anyhoo, the mayor will host this event at Fountain City Exxon station, 5306 Broadway. Stop by, fill up on gas, grab a soft drink or get an oil change, the release notes.  Mayor Burchett also will be pumping gas at the station during this time.

The release continues:

World War II veteran Alvin Frye, 91, has owned the Fountain City Exxon station at the intersection of Broadway and Essary Road for 24 years, and for nearly 60 years has owned stations at various Fountain City locations.

Many Knoxville residents will recognize Frye’s service station for its “No Lottery, No Beer” sign displayed along Broadway – others may remember the sign as saying “No Lottery, No Beer, Not a Casino.”

Burchett occasionally hosts cash mob and “Lunch with the Mayor” events at local retail establishments and restaurants as a way of encouraging the entire community to turn out and support local business.

County, anti-Sharia group reach settlement in civil rights lawsuit

This is what ya call a $17,500 oopsie.

Knox County has reached a settlement with an anti-Sharia law group that filed a civil rights lawsuit against the school system earlier this year after officials reneged on a promise to let the organization hold an after-school event at Farragut high School.

School officials initially said Act! for America could hold a forum at the school on April 24 to talk about Sharia law and its potential threat to American culture. But, in the wake of media publicity just weeks prior to the event, Superintendent Jim McIntyre, rescinded the offer, saying it would cause a "disruption" at the school.

John Peach, director for the organization's Knoxville chapter, and Bill French, one of the scheduled guest speakers, then filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in August, suing the school board, McIntyre and Michael Reynolds, the principal of Farragut High School.

The sides officially reached an agreement Wednesday night. Under the terms, the county will pay out roughly $17,500 in attorney fees, administrative costs and monetary damages tied to advertising for the event.

In addition, the school board on Wednesday – under the terms of the settlement – amended its policy regarding the community's use of school facilities.

Read the entire story RIGHT SMACK HERE.

Settlement agreement and new county policy, RIGHT SMACK HERE.

2nd Dist. BOE candidate forum set

The League of Women Voters of Knoxville/Knox County and the Knox County Education Association will hold a moderated forum with the three 2nd district BOE candidates: Charlotte Dorsey, Jamie Rowe and Tracey Sanger.

The event will be held Oct. 13 from 6 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. at the Christenberry Community Center on Oglewood Avenue.

For more info, click RIGHT SMACK HERE.

BOE picks McMillan to serve as chair

McMillan, left, Harris, right

As my colleague Jim Matheny noted in his story last night: “What a difference less than a year makes when it comes to the direction of the Knox County school board.”

School board member Mike McMillan went from odd man out to BMIC.

On Wednesday, the board (5-4) voted him in to serve as its chairman for the next year.

All this despite the PR stunts, the media manipulation attempts, the intimidation emails and whatever else I missed.

McMillan last December was the lone dissenting vote (8-1) to extend Superintendent Jim McIntyre’s contract. Now, he’s in what appears to be a 5-member majority voting bloc that doesn’t like the direction the school system is headed.

Folks, change this dramatic doesn’t happen because the community is happy.

That said, both sides should tread cautiously.

The majority, which has opposed the ways teachers are currently evaluated and students are tested, is precarious, at best, in power right now as another election nears. They certainly should continue to ask question, but also work with the other four.

(Just because the administration comes up with an idea, doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a bad one.)

The same goes to the folks on Wednesday’s losing side of the vote. Look what happened when you didn’t work with the odd man out.

In the meantime, congratulations to McMillan and newly-elected vice chairman, Doug Harris.

Here’s Matheny’s story from last night, RIGHT SMACK HERE.

Internal audit: Knox County schools PPU fund needs better accounting

A Knox County audit that looked into the school system's physical plant upgrades account – one some officials dubbed a "slush fund" – recommends that officials do a better job tracking how the money assigned to it is spent and improve the overall accounting process to ensure that the money is spent how it was intended.

"I know it's not the most exciting thing, but it's an area that's really important," said the county's internal auditor, Andrea Addis. "To know when we spend money, when we're spending our money, that we know we're spending it in the right places. That's really what it comes down to."

The audit did not identify any areas officials found "criminal in nature," nor did it discover any "acts of fraud, waste (or) abuse," but none were expected, either.

Instead, auditors were tasked to conduct a "performance audit," something that looks at how the accounting process works and whether officials followed the rules.

Addis said "there's areas to improve," but noted: "There's nothing that jumps out that says 'hey, this is a really bad thing,' or 'there's something going on here," but it's just about building a stronger structure."

She said more controls in place would give officials the "tools to monitor their performance and hold them accountable for their performance."

The entire story, RIGHT HERE.

The audit, RIGHT HERE.