Kerley seeks to question recall proponent on information on his website

While he is not a target of the current recall drive as he is already up for reelection in November, councilman Jesse Kerley put an item on the May Crossville city council meeting concerning information on the website promoting the recall.  Operated by the organization known as "Crossville Citizens for Good Government," the webpage has information criticizing actions of council members Danny Wyatt and Pam Harris the group is hoping to remove from office. 

Kerley's agenda item seeks permission from the council to question Howard Burnette about information on his website.  

The council has no way to force any response from Mr. Burnette.

A list of questions pulled from the recall website included the following:

"1. Do you agree with Harris and Wyatt’s vote to silence the taxpayer’s comments prior to ALL council votes?

2. Do you support the vote by Harris and Wyatt to eliminate work session meetings which were a forum to discuss the issues in detail and for you, the voter, to hear ALL the facts prior to a council's final vote?

3. Danny Wyatt not once but twice stated citizens who have concerns about illegal drugs in Crossville might want to move somewhere else. Do these statements reflect your views?

4. Did you agree with Pamala Harris and Danny Wyatt to give away annually $90K of city taxpayer money to golfing events held outside of the city limits?

5. Do you support Harris' and Wyatt’s decisions to block a vote to audit Crossville’s multi-million dollar airport?

6. Do you agree with Harris' and Wyatt's refusal to provide evidence or conduct an audit to determine the guilt or innocence of the city manager prior to termination of employment?

7. Do you agree with Harris' and Wyatt’s abuse of special called/emergency meetings during normal work hours for the purpose of avoiding voters' availability? (These meetings are to be reserved in severe cases where the welfare of the community demands it, in order that the public has full access, per the city charter.)

8. Would you have preferred council member Pamala Harris have disclosed in her initial campaign her close relationship with, city marketing department head, Billy Loggins? Would it bother you to know, Harris’ fraternization with her boyfriend, Billy Loggins, was brought to the attention of the public when she was forced to divulge her close personal relationship during a vote to make him City Manager?

9. Do you support Harris' and Wyatt’s decision to hire an interim city manager without going through proper human resource recruitment processes as would be required of any other city employee? (For example; an employment and background check.)This decision was made in less than one hour without any voter input or professional vetting.

10. Would you support Harris and Wyatt if they wanted to oust from office both Mayor James Mayberry and block the efforts of law enforcement, who have both stepped up efforts to stamp out drugs on the Plateau?

11. Did you know Harris and Wyatt have meet in secret away from the view of the public in violation of the Open Meetings Law? Do you support this form of corruption and backroom dealings?

12. Do you support Harris' and Wyatt's decision to pay a small vendor over $1M to manage his own business, in addition to his normal contract agreement, while voting against ALL first responders and other city employees receiving a meager 5% pay raise? How will this affect the moral of highly skilled professionals you depend on?"

My latest article in the Upper Cumberland Business Jounal

Some background on why this is the first ever attempt to recall any city council members in the history of Crossville.

New Crossville Recall Provision Making Waves

Crossville city recall battle (part 3)

Crossville's mayor pro-tem, Pamala Harris has also issued a statement in response to the recall efforts being made against her. When reached by phone earlier today, Ms. Harris said that she did not plan to lower herself to the level of those attacking her. She said watching TV this week a commentator had described politics as being a blood sport and while she said it did feel like that sometimes, would continue to take the high road in the current situation. She said she had seen the signs that have been put up and she said they are disturbing to see at first, but after looking at them she had to laugh as the signs really seemed pretty silly.

Ms. Harris' statement:

I would like to take this opportunity to set the record straight on the subject of the recall petition that has been instituted against myself and council member Danny Wyatt.

First of all, those initiating the recall have never approached me to discuss their concerns. Sadly, we have a small select group of dissatisfied people who have been grossly misinformed. Unfortunately, these citizens only know parts and pieces surrounding the issues. They have been mislead via gossip and hearsay. You can be certain that this group does not represent all 11,000 plus citizens of the City of Crossville.

Did you know that under Tennessee Code Annotated 6-31-301no specific grounds are required for recall? In other words, any citizen of the City of Crossville can get angry at a Council Member because of the way we vote on a specific issue and decide to initiate recall. As I'm sure you will understand, no matter how hard a Council Member may try to consider all citizens' opinions when weighing a vote, we are incapable of pleasing 100 percent of the people 100 percent of the time. Not all decisions are “cut and dry” or “black and white.” When being falsely accused as a Council Member, human nature is to call out your accuser out publicly, but you don't even when they publicly and privately attack you, because you are committed to taking the high road. But, rather then waste everyone's time trying to defend against these inaccurate allegations, I'm going to have faith that the truth will be revealed and justice will prevail.

I ran for City Council because I believe community service is important. I did not set out to do this job as a career. Being a City Council Member is a thankless job. To survive, yourservice has to become a labor of love.

Should any citizen of Crossville choose to contact me, I would be please to answer any questions that may be of concern. In the meantime, rest assured that I will continue to do my very best to fairly represent ALL the citizens of Crossville and not just a select group.

In closing, Crossville is an absolutely incredible place to live, work and play. There are other cities who would give anything to have the assets and natural resources our city possesses. We are blessed!

I consider it an honor and a privilege to serve you.  

Crossville city council recall battle keeps escalating (part 1)

Signs have been put up by the political group that calls itself Crossville Citizens for Good Government asking people to sign the recall petitions as they try to collect 2225 registered city voter's signatures on each petition to get the questions included on the November ballot.  The deadline for the group is June 24.

This sign pictured above is located at the entrance to Crossville's Walmart and a different sign is located at the intersection of 127-N and Industrial Boulevard.  

The group's website asks a series of questions and makes several accusations but presents no evidence of the allegations they make.  

Souza calls council “toxic” as hiring a new city manager put off until after November election

The Crossville city council agreed to put off hiring a new city manager until after the dust has cleared from the city election in November.

In addition to the council seats of Pete Souza and Jesse Kerley being up for election, it looks like a strong possibility that the recall votes for Danny Wyatt and Pam Harris will also take place on the November ballot.

Mr. Souza stated that since 2007 the city has had ten managers and interim managers. “We have a toxic city council. That's a fact. We need to wait. I don't think we could get anybody right now, that's any good as a professional manager that would even come here.”

While preliminary work on recruiting and vetting potential city manager candidates is expected to take place prior to the election, the final decision on who will become city manager will wait until new members, if any, are sworn in.

The council agreed to move forward using the UT Municipal Technical Advisory Service (MTAS) to provide the recruiting service at no cost to the city. Crossville mayor James Mayberry said that MTAS had recommended, and he agreed, that the final selection should be delayed until after the election.

Mayor Mayberry moved to let MTAS begin the process and to put off hiring until after the election and councilman Pete Souza supported the motion.

Councilman Jesse Kerley asked city attorney Will Ridely about the legality of putting off hiring a manager. Ridely responded that the motion was fine, but there was nothing stopping another council member from making a motion to hire a manager in the future before the date set in the motion.

The motion was approved unanimously by the council.

Council also approved an employment contract with interim city manager Steve Hill. Hill is to be paid $75,000 annual salary plus benefits offered to other city employees while he serves in the position.

The contract was approved with councilman Souza opposed. Souza felt that the agreement in place when Hill was originally appointed should not be changed.  

Recall language approval expected today.

The Cumberland Co. Election commission will meet this afternoon at 3:30 PM to review updated language in the recall petition filled against city council members Danny Wyatt and Pam Harris.  Once approved, over 2100 registered city voter's signatures will be required to place the questions on the ballot.

If the question makes it on the ballot 66 percent of voters must vote in favor if recall for a council member to be removed.