Brian Paone tells Knox County Commission to lead, follow, or get out of the way
The movement to amend Knox County’s Charter to include a recall provision is growing rapidly.
Recall Amendment leader Brian Paone of Knox County’s 4th District said, “The people aren’t going away on this one, if they won’t deal with it we will.”
That is leadership. That is what Knox County needs right now.
Mr. Paone’s group has contacted all of the Knox County Commissioners, County Mayor Mike Ragsdale, Law Director John Owings, and the Knox County Election Commission.
The message is very clear. The people demand leadership. If County Commission and the County Mayor cannot provide that leadership then the people will.
Yet sadly, or should I say typically, the response has been underwhelming; of the remaining 11 County Commissions only two have said they will support the request that Knox County Commission vote to approve the Recall Amendment. One Commissioner, Paul Pinkston, is opposed to the amendment and the other Commissioners are “undecided”.
Some of the excuses are quite pitiful. Commissioner R. Larry Smith said he, “has misgivings about how recall might be used in close elections.” Smith doesn’t even understand the amendment. Craig Leuthold says he will not discuss the Recall Amendment outside of a public meeting. Is he confused about the Sunshine Law or just afraid to confront the question? Commissioner Mike Hammond, who some think will run for County Mayor in 2010, is concerned about other districts having say in recall of district representatives. So will Commissioner Hammond now be recusing himself from all votes not in his District?
That is pitiful. The exact opposite of leadership. I agree with Brian Paone, lead, follow, or get out of the way.
October 12th, 2007 at 3:18 pm
Where can we sign the Petition?
CCA, maybe?
October 12th, 2007 at 6:42 pm
Hmmm, I’ve heard you call Pinkston a “hero” on more than one occasion. Doesn’t look so heroic now?
October 12th, 2007 at 7:24 pm
Hmmm, I’ve heard you call Pinkston a “hero” on more than one occasion. Doesn’t look so heroic now?
Opposing and refusing to discuss the Recall Amendment is a quick way to go from hero to zero in one second.
October 13th, 2007 at 3:11 pm
i don’t blame the guy for saying he wouldn’t discuss it outside of a meeting. they just got that jammed up their ass. did you forget already?
October 13th, 2007 at 8:22 pm
Commissioners can talk, discuss, and deliberate with private citizens, public citizens, Mayors, bankers, developers, anyone.
Except other Commissioners.
Using the Sunshine Law to duck talking to a citizen is gutless.
October 13th, 2007 at 11:47 pm
oh, sure. glad you’ve guaranteed that.
October 14th, 2007 at 10:20 am
Craig Leuthold makes up his own mind. He knows what the Sunshine Law is.
Do you really think for one second County Commission will have a vote on the recall amendment?
Gutless is as gutless does. The benefit of sitting in the cold to collect the signatures is that a network will be built and people will have practice in collecting signatures.
Practice makes perfect.
The next move from Commission will be to try to pass a resolution banning collecting signatures for some odd reason. Some retailer will come forward to say it hurts business or some such excuse. Remember when East Town Mall decided it did not want early voting at the Mall?
After all is said and done the County Charter will be amended and these Commissioners will behave and do their jobs. If they don’t, they will be fired. Just like in real life.
October 14th, 2007 at 4:20 pm
I kind of thought the elections we held every four years were for that purpose-to ”fire” the ones not doing their jobs. I kind of like the idea of the recall amendment because if a commissioner does something I don’t like or doesn’t do something I like, I can get a couple hundred people’s signatures and whammo-back in the voting booth. but this could be misused I feel. just my thoughts.
October 14th, 2007 at 11:23 pm
johnx:
It’s a helluva lot more complicated than just getting a “couple hundred” signatures. For a recall to be successful, the following has to happen:
* The collection and certification of nearly 40,000 signatures from registered voters in 75 days or less;
* The official named in the petition would then have to lose the special election.
If both of those things happen, it’s hard to argue that the recall was misused. That’d be a LOT of sentiment against that particular official.
Four years is too long to wait. If my boss caught me doing something unethical, I’m on the street that DAY, and rightfully so. I think – and I’m most certainly not the only one who believes this – that the citizens of Knox County are entitled to a far greater say than what they currently have concerning how to rid themselves of corrupt officials.
Of course, I’m not here to tell you how to think. You’re most certainly entitled to your opinion, and it’s your decision how to vote on the amendment. I just wanted to make sure you and everyone had the proper facts so that an informed decision could be made.