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Ketron defends committee selection process




Ketron

Ketron

Facing criticism from members of the public over its closed-door process of selecting committee chairs, and the potential violation of the Open Meetings Act, the Rutherford County Commission on Thursday opened the doors to let the sunshine in, so to speak.

The commission paused last month’s meeting so members of the Steering, Legislative & Governmental Committee could go into an adjoining room behind closed doors to elect their chairman and vice chairman. That move drew intense criticism from members of the public about closed-door dealings and violations of the Open Meetings Act, or Sunshine Law.

On Thursday, Mayor Bill Ketron, the chairman of the commission, defended the practice, saying the commission has operated its committee elections that way for at least four decades, and that he had consulted with the county attorney.

The commission’s other committees on Thursday elected their chairmen and vice chairman. Ketron said he spoke to commission members, who preferred to continue to go into the side room to hold elections. However, Ketron said, he decided that the door would be left open, members of the public would be invited into the room, and the committee votes would be broadcast as part of the commission’s live television production. 

County Clerk Lisa Crowell was in the room to record the votes.

The committee elections from the side room meetings are as follows:

• Budget, Finance & Investment: Chairman Robert Peay Jr.; Vice Chairman Trey Gooch

• Health & Education: Chairwoman Rhonda Allen; Vice Chairman Wayne Blair

• Property Management: Chairman Allen McAdoo; Vice Chairman Trey Gooch

• Public Safety: Chairman Pettus Read; Vice Chairman Virgil Gammon

• Public Works & Planning: Mike Kusch; Vice Chairman Steve Pearcy

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