County Commission - Regular Meeting

Yeah. always. Is it full? $20 bill. Guess what?

Select option A. I just wanted to be more 18. There's gas. Heat. That's okay.

We need to play dress up again tomorrow. When was that? was in the homeless. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I have searched and searched something of her. Do you know where this was at?

real explain. I never figured out last time either. As long as I can fall right there.

I don't know. They'll do that. I had a set real small and somebody said we can't see that looks like little dots. Frank

What? Just stay. May I have everyone's attention? It is 6 p.m. We'll wait for Commissioner Tim Brown to get to his seat. Mr. Sheriff, come to order. This commission is now open for business. Okay. I want to invite uh brother Roy Slaughter to the podium please to lead us in an invocation. Thank you Mr. Mayor for the opportunity to be here tonight. Let's go

to the Lord in prayer. Our most dear and gracious heavenly father, we thank you for such a beautiful day. Father, thank you for all of your blessings. You just bless us beyond measure. Father, thank you for watching over us, keeping us safe, all the things that you do. Thank you for who you are and all that you do. Father, tonight we come to you as the business of this county uh is conducted. I pray that you grant each person here the wisdom and the vision to do the business of this county. Father, we pray that you continue to bless this county and as this business is done, it is done in a in a manner to make Coffee County a blessing to those who live here, for those who work here, and for those who visit. Father, thank you for hearing our prayers. Thank you for answering our prayers. And Father, we praise you every single moment of the day, for loving us so much that you sent your only begotten son, Jesus Christ, to die for us and raising him on the third day. Father, thank you again for all that you do and who you are. And we pray these things in the precious and holy name of Jesus. Amen. Amen. I want to ask Sheriff Parton if he would please lead us in the pledge of allegiance to the US flag.

nation liberty for all. Thank you for that. We do have a roll call has been established. We have three commissioners absent, meaning we have 15 present, which is a quorum. So, we will move to approval of tonight's agenda. And I make a motion we approve. But can I make an amendment or add on? Push your amendment. But well, not amendment. Can I add to the agenda? Do what? Can I add something to the agenda? You can amend the agenda after we second or now. Now, we do have a motion with a second right now. So, if you want to amend, if you would push your amend button so the girls can keep up with this. Are you showing them down there, girls? Okay. Uh, Commissioners Double Field, state your amendment, please. Uh, my amendment is to have a discussion on the office of the constant. Okay. Uh, is there a second to this discussion amendment? I'll second that amendment. I couldn't hear what he said. Thought I was talking this thing. Can you hear me now? Yes. Got to eat it. I'm sorry. Is this an amendment to the uh office of constables? Oh, well, excuse me. On amendment, a discussion. We are amending the agenda to add discussion of the office of constable. Correct. Okay. The amendment has been presented

by Commissioner Stubblefield. I saw Commissioner Benton Brown raised his hand first to second. Discussion. Any more discussion on this amendment to the agenda? open for discussion. If there's none, we can vote to Can we just vote on the the whole agenda as amended? Got you. Okay, we'll do the amendment only. Push the button. Okay, we have 14 yes, one no. The amendment is added. And if it's okay with Commissioner Stubblefield, we will may have that discussion on 11E, which is a notice of vacancy in the office of constable. So when we get to 11E, we will have a discussion that you wish to have. Okay, that'll be fine. Okay. Thank you guys. Now, the agenda, we have already have a motion to approve with a second on the agenda as presented. Now, we're going to vote on the agenda as amended. Motion by Commissioner Morris, seconded by Commissioner Mayor Surn.

15. Yes. Okay, we have 15. Yes. Thank you guys. The agenda has been approved. We now have the public comment section. So, anybody uh that has signed up to speak to any item on the agenda or any item that's been added to the agenda, uh you would be welcome to speak at this time, public comment. You're a good one to go first. I live at 565 and I am a constable pre and I would urge this body to consider not dissolve positions. I don't know if you've read anything about a constable, but the main thing a constable does, it is a layer of protection for you and all of our citizens for constitutional overreach and injustice. And if we've seen anything in the last five years, we have seen overreach. and the constable office helps provide a layer of protection for our citizens. So I would urge you to make sure you are fully informed if you plan on dissolving that position. Thank you for that, Mr. Robertson. Does anybody else have uh something they would like to say on tonight's agenda?

Mr. Mayor Jim Sanders district 59 also have to just stated most of us I'm in my second term some of us are new as possible um what we have done in the past six years a lot of things changed state of Tennessee has regulated a lot of things in the office as conible Now we have to take psychological evaluation, weapons training, everything that the local law enforcements have to go in training we do as well. School shootings number one. We have to get trained same same. It is proof through the Tennessee association that we have to go. However, we have to outside the county to get our excuse. So I would like to ask the commissioners and women sheriff Mr. Can we do a state on abortion? We ask what do you ask of us currently on the radios? We can't talk to other law enforcement agencies because they come up and said can afford them. Well, I can I just program um the only uh way of communication I have is the Excuse me. I've been on multiple calls back

city have a great chief sheriff. But I do ask to give us at least 30 days to come up with an answer for what y'all communities ask of us to do because we're an asset. not being used. uh do they as traffic control paving things in that nature as traffic control we've been on tornadoes floods in the state of Tennessee we have been east Tennessee and west Tennessee have occurred which allows the local law enforcement to do her jobs as we build in like Wilson County and we were proud to do from East Tennessee Memphis County, Wilson County, Murray County. There's 721 cons. And like I said, we are so appreciate it. Thank you very much. Thank you, Mr. changes. Um, anybody else wish to comment? This is public comment section of our tonight public comment only. Agenda items only. Anybody else? Okay, we're going to move on with tonight's business by approving the minutes from our March 11th meeting. We have a motion by Commissioner Watkins, seconded by Commissioner Hurstman to approve the minutes from

March 11th. Are there any motions to amend or change the minutes? Any discussion on minutes? If there be none, we will now vote. 15. Yes, we have 15 yes to approve the minutes from our last meeting. Thank you guys. All right. Number eight, resolutions of memorial sympathy proclamations and commendations. I think we only have one. Uh, Middle Tennessee Natural Gas Association asked us to approve a proclamation declaring April a safe digging month. I don't know how many people have seen the the horrific results of somebody sticking a back hole into a natural gas line or a chisel plow hitting one out in a field. But, uh, we there are there are many many safeguards. I think 811 would be the number that you call before you dig. I would like I've got representative from El River Public Utilities, Matthew Hy. Would you please step to the podium? Thank you for being here. is you know what we're talking

I have a motion by Commissioner Stubblefield, seconded by Commissioner Hollingsworth to approve this proclamation. Any more discussion? Anybody want to have any remarks regarding safe dig month? There being none, we ready to vote, please. 15. Yes. 15. Yes. To approve the proclamation. Thank you very much. The let's see we've go [Music] to actually 989 is already 9A is already approved by approval of the agenda notaries are approved by unanimous consent unfinished business none 11 new business the opioid dispersement funds committee uh the allocation that our committee came up Can you give us a report on that, Mariana? You don't have it with you. Okay. May U Commissioner Nettles, do you have that in your 11A? Would you like to report on it? I I do. I have I have it in here. Get to it. the opioid abatement um dispersement committee had a um meeting and they divided up the funds that was allotted and some of those funds had to be dispersed right away and they come up with a plan and dispersed it to the Coffee County um collaborative coalition

um the 14th public defenders office away fentanyl and recovery is a new high. Each one of these agencies performed a application and presented it to this committee. Um and the monies that this grant that was given was divided amongst these u these different agencies. Okay. I think the total this uh these abatement funds are they are from uh lawsuits regarding retailers and uh ies and drug companies across the nation and the state of Tennessee has received quite a bit of money and I think this allocation totals [Music] $480,789 81 uh Commissioner Smith who is absent tonight actually sits on that committee so she would have been one to give this report that's why we were a little slow on this one so this needs to be voted to approve the [Music] allocations. You didn't give me a chance to say who motioned and who seconded. Yeah, I saw that, but I didn't get to say it. Commissioner Benton Brown made the motion. Who second it? Thank you, Commissioner Hman. Okay. Any more discussion on the opioid abatement allocation? We're ready to vote. 15 minutes. All right. That approved that by 15 affirmative votes. Thank you. All right. School budget amendments.

Mariana Edinger. Okay. We have one schoolboard amendment. It's 11 well attachment 11 B1. It's 141 [Music] 20259. This is a transfer with some additional fund money as well. Grant money, excuse me. And there is no increase to fund balance on that. This was approved by budget and finance on March 20th, 2025. Okay, we're voting on 11 B only, correct? Okay. Motion by Commissioner Morris, seconded by Commissioner Watkins. Any discussion? Last night there was discussion about where the money came from and I talked to April and it's money being moved from one line item to another. She is here. It's not dipping in the fund balance. I believe April, come on. Come on up. I didn't see you, April. Sorry. So, this budget amendment is just to clean up the budget, move some items around to take care of some additional things that we didn't have in our um original budget. So, this is is typical just a clean up item that um I typically bring to you guys. But I if there's it doesn't affect fund balance and I think there was one grant one additional grant

on here but other than that this is not um anything out of the normal for what I would normally get. So if you have questions I would be glad to answer any of those. Anybody have any questions for our school budget director? Right. So yeah, I had a increase in some lines for medical, dental, vision, some lines that we needed to pick up a position someone left and we needed to move additional funds. So yes, this is just movement from one line of the budget to another line. Take care of those overdates. It's a restrict. So, it's a the grant is a restricted fund that we restricted and so we're bringing that out of the restricted fund if that's what you're talking about. Um, no. So, this one doesn't have any this one doesn't have any changes. So, if you look on the second page, on the bottom of the second page, um, if this affected fund balance, this budget amendment would be listed on on the second at the bottom of the second page. Um,

Thank you, Commissioner Miller. You did she explain it to you good enough? Yeah, she Thank you for that. Thank you for giving that explanation. Is there any more questions for April? If not, we're ready to vote, please. 15. We have 15 yes to approve this budget amendment. Thank you. All right. Moving on. Resolution 11C1. This is capital projects fund office equipment and data processing equipment. Mariana, this is 17120 2515. The first one is for office equipment. This is to like stated to get a a specially custommade u conference room table for the larger conference room. Number one, we have tried I have budgeted this since 2023 trying to find what would work in in that uh committee room number one because we have so many members and we have guests that come up. We wanted like a U-shaped um where everybody at the table so to speak could look out at the audience instead of person sitting with their back to the audience. It's very difficult to um be able to speak and plus with so many members we're just so close together. So, we finally found a vendor um that could do that for us. And then we're going to add some additional

chairs and microphones. So, that's what the $10,000 is for. And the $85,000, this has been an ongoing problem for quite some time in our courtrooms over the justice center. It has been piece together over the years and with all the technology the way it is now nothing is compatible. So, um the Jenny Circuit Court clerk brought a very good detailed um uh spec of what she needed and she had the vendor that they use and it was approved by capital outlay committee and was also approved by the budget and finance committee on March 20th, 2025. That is a reduction to fund balance for both of them. A total of $95,000. Okay. Motion to approve by Commissioner Benton Brown, seconded by Commissioner Joseph Hodgej. Any uh Commissioner Brown, you want to qu have any question for Aria? Okay. Thank you. Um, any discussion? There being none, we're ready to vote. 15. Yes. 15 affirmative votes to approve 11 C1. Thank you for that. Next one is 11D resolution 202508

reszoning middle Tennessee I24 industrial site formerly known as the mega site. U we have a motion from Commissioner Hen Hman to approve second by Commissioner Stubblefield. Mr. Hirshman, you have privilege to speak first in discussion. Um, I'm good with this. I've already been hearing, so we've gone through this a couple times. I don't have anything any more discussion. Commissioner Steven, just a simple question. I think I know the interest, but this will not prohibit agriculture on the site until it's developed. Correct. No, absolutely not. the the former owners have uh the privilege to continue their agriculture. There's there is a portion of the property. It's 1822 acres collectively speaking. There's a portion called the core where they feel like the biggest uh activity will take place and they are per the the the people that plant farm there are prevented from planting corn because it obstructs the view. You know when you plant something that's eight foot tall you take a when uh Annie from our industrial board take somebody out there to show them the property and all you can see is corn stalks. It's not it's hard to sell them uh the land. So they can do hay or soy beans, something that's a short crop. But uh this I I want to give a brief explanation because I had I did the communication with Tennessee Economic and Community Development who owns the property. There's four parcels. We are reszoning

the entire property tonight. So they are in the process of blending those parcel lines into one complete parcel. We Coffee County are in the process of updating our zoning map. So all properties that have been reszoned in the last two years or so have to be indicated appropriately on our zoning map. And it's a very uh extensive process and a very expensive process when we do a new zoning map. So having the industrial site zoned properly while we're preparing a new zoning map only makes sense. And the state of Tennessee uh agreed with it wholeheartedly. And now when a tenant comes in and they decide this is the 300 acres we want when they draw that line across there it's already properly zoned for that entity to start their manufacturing processes and we hope something's coming there pretty quick. So uh any more discussion on this resoning resolution? I would like to say amending our zoning resolution means the map itself is part of the zoning resolution. It's part and parcel of that document. So any changes to the zoning map is an amendment to our zoning resolution. So nobody wish to say anything else. We're ready to vote. 15. That's a unanimous consent on this one by voting. 15 yes. We appreciate that. Next item that would

be notice. There would be a we need to vote to accept the notice from our clerk. Uh, so this will be a a item to vote on and this is a TCA requirement. any elective audit office that uh is vacant due to resignation, removal for cause or death is a required for the clerk of the county to give us the notice. It's a TCA requirement. So, we have a motion by Commissioner Hodgej and seconded by Commissioner Watkins to accept the official notice of the vacancy of the office of constable. Would it be appropriate since this item was added to discuss the office to do that during our discussion on this right now or you need to wait that 104? All right, we're ready to vote unless somebody's got a something remark. 15. Okay. 15 yes vote. We accept the notice of vacancy. The next item was an amendment to the agenda um which is a discussion of the office of constable. So, uh, Commissioner Stubblefield, if you would like to open up the I vote on the floor, you're recognized to speak to this. Well, you know, since we had this vacancy, since we vote to accept this vacancy, you know, I just think it'd be

appropriate to discuss the office of the constables uh, and have a discussion. Let every commissioner, if they want to say anything about it or discuss about tonight, they can. Or, you know, I'm gonna probably recommend later on to to send it to the appropriate committee uh to be reviewed and looked at. So, if anybody wants to uh comment on this, now would be a good time. You know, I'll reserve mine till it comes the time, but I'm just wanting to get feedback from from the other commissioners on what they think about it. I'd like to ask you a question. Why did you bring it up? I mean, you must have something to say about it. So, I'd like to hear what you've got to say first. Why did I bring it up? Uh, was it four, five, six years ago? There I I will respond to this for informative reasons only. 2021 31. That's a resolution to abolish the office of conible in Coffee County. This was brought before this body in 2021. So that was what four years ago. And there's uh evidently there was and it and it failed by one vote. That takes a twothird majority to abolish the elective office of county constable. In that meeting in reviewing the minutes, it was uh it was uh I believe then we had 21 commissioners. So it took 14 votes to approve the abolishment. We got 13 votes to approve the abolishment. Uh I can say Commissioner Tim Brown that the the fact

that we had a vacancy brought the subject of constable up. you know, that's why it was and this subject comes up every time we do and we've had several vacancies. So, that's the reason that uh I feel like that Commissioner Stolefield brought it up. So, it would be something that uh the the commission needs to decide if they want to look at this again. There's a if you Google 45 counties out of 95 counties have the position of still uh as an elective office. So it's about a 50%. Um anybody want to speak to the office of constable and moving forward. Do you want to speak? I would like to speak. Commissioner Nettles, Mr. Robertson, who who does the constables report to? Who is their who is their overseer? Right. I understand that. I was just wondering who who do you report to? Right. Okay. Okay. Thank you.

Who do you report to, Mr. Sanders? State of Tennessee. So, you have a person that that's your boss that you oversee that I mean that I mean because I was just wondering like what your schedule is. Is is that Monday through Friday thing, weekends? Do you have a schedule that you work and Yes. Um, all of our documentation is controlled by Tennessee Con's association, right? Okay. Yeah. I mean, I know what a conible does. I've been in law enforcement for quite a long time, so I'm for very familiar with a conible. I just was I had just had a question about where where you know who you reported to and and what what um h how your hours work and and and things of that such and and I understand Mr. Robertson you know it's not utilized and I and I think that was the whole thing about the abolishment it's not utilized so you understand so yes well thank you I appreciate you thank you do you I I got a question go with yours I guess I have a few questions. I was in the law enforcement committee and this came up and there was some discussion at that time because there was going to be a vacancy. So I think most of us as commissioners don't know really what the guidelines are, why we need a constable, how they get paid, training, uh liability, things like that. So I think that's the reason for the discussion. Commissioner Benton Brown, you wish to

speak? Couple questions and maybe the sheriff can help me out best he can. Uh you I understand the qualifications to be a constable. I've I've read some of the TCA on it, but who maintains your training records? The Tennessee Association. Now who? And that goes to the state Tennessee and the Tennessee Ethics Commission? Yeah. So if it goes to the conipal association, then that's reported to what office in the state? Goes to the state. What office? I'm not sure. I have to contact. Okay. And you you said you're in your second term. Yes, sir. Okay. And I'm only asking because just for knowledge purposes, have you worked with the sheriff on anything that's happened in Coffee County in your terms as far as only on being responding to accidents out on the interstate, things of that nature. Sheriff had called me to go to pick up some of the personnel that works at Thompson and I pick him up and then being called the next morning to take him back home. So he has utilized me personally to do that. Like I said, I have no problem any law enforcement agency, but we have been on calls and whatnot responding being closer and then when say the sheriff's department gets there they take over the investigation because this sheriff we're there out back up the department whe The only reason I ask is I understand

what we have to go through as certified officers as far as training and inservice and things and you being a commission police officer, commissioned constable, I mean you're an elected official, you can enforce law. Are you required to go through the same things we are? We are required to maintain the 40 hour in service and every year that something comes up as as post put out we're trained to that scenario or to that training whether TCA comes down and post says yes you have to have this training we have to go and get that training and get certified by a postcertified trainer so you're qualified When you get your qualifications, you go through your training. Do you go through the sheriff's office or do you go through the association? No, we have to go outside county. Okay. The other conible, have you been through any any training? Okay. And one more question. You said you didn't have the capability for communications. You don't have digital radios in your car? No. Is that the responsibility of you to buy that equipment and install it? Everything that we have whe uniform equipment we own ourselves not one penny of taxpayers money goes to the we are not paid salary how we make our per civil process or outside hospital that need a civil process serve they'll contact us coned by a certain amount by state Tennessee that we receive once we serve that paper. If we do it the same way, but we're not utiliz

how much have you got of your personal money into this this office? my second term from $20,000. From the beginning, since you were first elected, what's your what's your price on your equipment? Over $20,000. Out of your own pocket? Yes, sir. Thank you. I appreciate it. Thank you. Do you So, you have a patrol car. You have Do you patrol? Yes, sir. Do you answer I know you answer calls like if the sheriff calls you or anything, but do you answer other calls? I mean, how do you do that? Remember the shooting at Walmart last year radio system county was involved in a pursuit PD was at Walmart center notifi which we did once they were relieved of being investigation at PD came over and we turned over everything everything. Okay. You say in your training you have 40 hours. That's what's required for the constable. 40 hours each year like a regular police officer. Okay. How much is regular police officer? What's their training now? 12 or 16 weeks? 12. 480 hours. 480 hours. Okay. Now, but you see the difference that I'm see what I'm seeing. What has changed? Like I said earlier, it has now gone up to 120 hours. However, not only going through our 40 hours service, we also go through virtual academy as well. So, in one year, just like the gentleman said, up

to 400 some hours training, no matter what he does, but yet I Hold on. Hold on. Commissioner Tim Brown, you've been you wanted to say something. Talking about the training and no disrespect to any officer because I was an officer, but background some could you give us some background on yourself? My background? Yes. Because I know you've got the training. I I just want you I've been there with you. Um, I'm 21 year military retired veteran served in the United States Army combat veteran. Um, and then under the previous administration of county sheriff's department, I was a reserve county sheriff's deputy. 1992 and through all those years I went through the full time in service and reserve in service uh up until the new administration sheriff and I didn't leave on bad circumstances I just want to serve in the conible capacity So I ran and um so over the years u I've been uh executive director of business development for medical service Tennessee almost 15 years prior to that.

So the uh my background yeah my hats are off to all but as constart He don't want allow us to attend the service department. So we have to go outside county to get that train and then if we want to attend the police academy Nashville we can. However, you got to have a department or and pay for it out of pocket. So, 12 weeks, there's nobody in this position that I know of besides me being retired because they still have a full-time job. They're not going to leave that full-time job to go to the academy for 12 weeks. However, the office of con is not required right now to be a certified police officer through the academy. Now, that change maybe. So, will it help out the hospital officer? Sure. But until that time, you know, we're all for training. we're willing to go to whether it be two hours a night or local college or whatever like that but not being able to do the training here locally it hurts us. Could you uh tell me how much combat experience you have or combat training?

So one year of experience I know Iraq is probably 20 years experience of most anything. I I know I've been there too and I appreciate that and I appreciate your service. You know what we done over there. It's hard to bring back home the scars and job we did and everything to make sure one medal you got besides that purple heart. Purple heart. Okay. Thank you. We appreciate your service. Uh, Mr. Sanders, I would like to ask if his name's been mentioned two or three times. If our chief law enforcement officer of the county, Sheriff Parton, wishes to make any comment whatsoever regarding this subject. No, not really. Um, but I'm going to have to because there's been several things here misqued and not true. Um, I appreciate Mr. Sanders and I appreciate Alex um for stepping into a position that is lawfully on the books. Uh to begin with, mayor, unless you've seen something more recent than I have, there's only 22 counties out of the 95 that still have constables. Majority of them are in East Tennessee in the more distressed county areas or distressed part of the state. Um question was

asked about who a constable answers to. I can tell you constables answer to nobody. They're their own agency. They're their own. James and Alex are their own boss. They don't answer to this body. They don't answer to the sheriff's. They don't answer to a police chief. They don't even answer to the governor. I'm going to refer all the commissioners because I know you know this is this is going to compile. So, I'm going to give you something to write down and you need to write this down and then study it. I'm going to reference you to CASS reference number. It's CTAS-5. I'm sorry, [Music] CTS-454. That's going to be Cask and Eli that you all have access to that will give you information as to the con the position of constable. We've heard Mr. Sanders talked about how they've done work outside the county. Mr. Sanders, your your authority ends at the county line. Okay. So, all those offduty jobs that you've been doing with T dot and things in a mark patrol car as a district constable in Coff County is illegal outside the boundaries of Coffee County. Okay. Um that is a problem that the sheriffs have had across state. There's been multiple attempts of bills this session to deal with that. Constables do not have statewide jurisdiction. Your jurisdiction as a constable in a county in which you have law enforcement power is just within the county boundaries. Secondly, as far as training, I the sheriff of this county and probably most sheriffs throughout the state will not train constables because it says in what

is read out in seas and also I'm going to refer you to a recent state attorney general opinion by general committee as of March of last year and that number is opinion 24-006. six opin OP24-00006. It lays out the latest attorney and there's been multitude of attorney general opinions since 1978 about the position of constable. It says in most of these opinions that the constables are a liability because they're a county elected official with no oversight. There is a reason why they're not postcertified. He's talking about post training, post this, post that. Folks, I've been on the post commission for seven years. I'm the longest serving chairman of that commission that oversees all of law 20 something thousand law enforcement officers in this state. Post commission has nothing to do with the office of constable nor their trainings. Now, what he's talking about is whatever the post commission puts forth for all of us uh full-time law enforcement officials, they try to mimic or copy that. Is there any oversight on who does that? No. He does not report to the state of Tennessee, nor does the state of Tennessee care. The ethics commission is about our election. We all have to every year do what we have to queue in to our state election ethics commission all that information. And that's what he's talking about. They don't care about their training. They don't the association. There's two constipals associations in the state. Which one of them you going by? Who's setting out the agendas? That's that's been problematic for many many years now. And that's reason a lot of counties were given the power to abolish the position. It's left

up to this body whether you want to keep them or not. Um, do we utilize them? No. Do we train them? No. If I train them, then I I feel if something go if somebody is elected in a position that I'm not authority off over or the chief of police or the colonel of the highway patrol or some form or fashion of responsibility, who's it going to come back on? It's going to come back on me and then that's going to come back on the county body. There's a reason why that most of the time the district attorney general doesn't prosecute cases when somebody's brought in. I mean, we can go on and on. Um, I appreciate these two fellas. I I know them both. I've known James Sanders for many, many years. Um, but there's a lot of misinformation out there and I highly suggest that you look at these opinions and you look at what CASS has put forth and what a state attorney general opinion was of just of March of last year. You can make your decision based off of that. I want to go over one other thing that was brought up was about communications. No. Uh, the coniples do not have communications currently with us. They still have communications from our old system. they still can contact our 911 system. You, this body, pay for that. Uh, we left it in place just for that interoperability. Um, we went on to the Department of Safety's um site and they're not going to approve constables to go onto that site. Nothing I can do about that. Um, but we left the old U system up. We still run it. We have the redundant system in all of our cars. Uh we can still communicate with them as

needed. But I mean, James is probably the semi only active constable here. Um but to be frank and be down to earth, it's it's it's it's an antiquated position that's just about gone and has been gone for many other counties. um back in the day when it was just the sheriff and two deputies in this county. Yeah, the constiples of the district did help a lot. I know Mr. Robson brought up that constip, you know, kind of the same define that constitutionality of the sheriff. I would ask Alex if if all hell breaks loose tonight and Armageddon happens in his district, what's he going to do and what's he going to do it with? So, I also want these constiples that put their name out there to understand what it's like to get sued and have a stack of federal lawsuits stack stacked up when you do something wrong with the use of force, improper arrest. You see it every day of what we fulltime go through. Don't ask for something and you may get something you don't want. carrying a gun and a badge in the modern day time. Um, I'll answer any questions. I have I have one question. Who covers their liability? If just I'm just saying if they're Can you hear me? Okay. I'm I'm my question is is who covers their liability if they have an incident? And in one of the two opinions, it would say more than likely that the county, if a constable is sued and he says or he she he or she says that that's in the line of duty of what they're doing, which could be 24 hours a

day in a t-shirt. Um that the county will be sued as well, the same as me. We're all going to get named in. I have one, Mr. Mayor. Hypothetically, and I'm only answering asking because I have no idea if this body was to vote tonight to abolish constable, do is this done tonight or do they finish out their turn? No, that it it could be accomplished. It would take it takes a twothirds majority to add this item to the agenda. Uh then it also takes twothirds majority to abolish this resolution. There's only one commissioner sitting in here on the prevailing side. I think he could probably ask for reconsideration. Is that not possible? Mr. Pedigo? Yeah, that would be Commissioner Hollinssworth. He was he's only commissioner that voted on that 21. he he would have the privilege to ask this to be reconsidered and that would be resolution 2021 31. My like I said my only question was is if hypothetically if we voted tonight to abolish the seat of constable those two gentlemen finish their term at the end of the election term or are they done tonight hypothetically? Attorney Mark Williams, if you can hear me. I think it takes a twothirds majority at two consecutive meetings. You're correct. Not one meeting. It takes two consecutive meetings to do it. And um and I think those that are elected do get to finish out their terms. That's all I needed. Thanks for that clarification. Our attorney stepping up and doing Thank you. I'm just getting confused and a lot of

this stuff on the agenda is kind of running together with me now. The sheriff said that the constable positions are kind of fading away. They're probably not going to be around much longer. Same with the farmland. We all voted to give 1822 acres of farmland away, but then we vote down the subdivision. So, I'm just I'm get confused with all this. No public comment period's already over. Sorry. Uh is is there any more discussion regarding con? It' be my recommendation unless somebody wants to make a motion to amend the agenda tonight. It'd be my recommendation that law enforcement revisit this law enforcement committee re uh revisit. We already have a resolution that I'm going to uh have our attorney review to be sure that the resolution that had already been through committee including legislative in 21 be sure that it would still meet 2025 TCA requirements in case something has changed. But, you know, if if if the body wants to move forward with this, I think law enforcement would, unless somebody disagrees with that, the law enforcement committee might look at that first and uh make a recommendation that uh the resolution, this one or one very similar to it, be passed to legislative and then make it back here. And and remember what our attorney just said, it takes two consecutive one of them. That's an unusual because most of the county legislative bodies, anything you vote

and pass, it's only one meeting, but we would have to do two consecutive meetings. Correct. Go ahead, Mr. Parliamentarian. Since a discussion of the constable position was added to the agenda, then parliamentary wise, it would be in order a motion to refer this to the law enforcement committee would be in motion without having to reconsider anything like that. So, you're going to need a motion. You don't need a motion. It does need a motion. I will entertain a motion to for the law enforcement committee if I feel like that's the proper committee to look into it. So, well, I think that's an appropriate committee and I'll make that motion to uh let it go before the law enforcement committee. Can you get a voting screen pulled up for us, please? There was a motion by Commissioner Stubblefield. Who seconded that? I'm going to second that motion. Okay. Second by Commissioner Hurstman. When the voting screen comes up, if each one of you would tap the appropriate button. So, I will open the floor for discussion regarding the motion in the sec which has been seconded. Uh, Commissioner Tim Brown, you're recognized. So, what we're going to do is postpone this if it goes through and let the law enforcement committee look over it and then we'll bring it back to

a full commission meeting to do the same thing again tonight. Yeah. Well, there's really nothing to postpone. We didn't have anything to vote on until he just made a motion to uh refer this to the law enforcement committee. Uh Commissioner Miller, there was something mentioned about legislative. I'm not sure I understand why we'd need that. It sounds like we're going to go to uh legal and then come back to the full commission. Is that right? Well, law enforcement would be the first committee to say, right? Yes. But I was asking that same discussion comes up all the time about legislating. Is that also necessary? I'll let Commissioner Hodgej answer that question. I think he's got an answer. previous chairman of that legislative body, that legislative committee. And it says on those responsibilities that all standing committees must go through the legislative committee to check and be sure all procedures have been followed before it comes to the CLB. That's in the guidelines responsibilities legislative committee. That's part of their responsibility. It says the state you remember do you remember the exception to those rules? Uh if it's brought by two commission can bring a a resolution before this body. So, it doesn't really have to. Two commissioners actually wanted to bring something before the body. Well, the two commissioners would bring it in the meeting to the CB from in the meeting. That's my if you read the purpose and responsibilities of legislative, it says the exception to the above two commissioners may present. So, I'm just stating what it says in her book.

Okay, we have a motion by Wait a minute. We have a motion by Stubblefield. And you the screen says motion by Hodge. Yeah. And the second was Terry Hers. Mr. Chairman, this was when we brought up for the notice of vacancy. I can't hear you. said that was when we brought were brought up about the notice of vacancy what's on the screen right now. Okay. So that's the new one. Another one hadn't popped up yet. Another motion. Okay. New one. Correct. Correct. Okay, we got a motion on the floor with a second. Uh, Commissioner Stubblefield, do you want to repeat your motion to uh my motion would be to send this to law enforcement committee for their re and they can come back with their

recommendation. The motion by Commissioner Stubblefield is to send the uh the possibility of abolishing the office of conible to the law enforcement committee. Anybody else wish to speak to this? Uh, Commissioner Miller, since we've got an opening and the uh clerk has got uh notice, do we not want to we don't want to send this out to anybody right now? Do we till we decide something? The I mean, if you want to nominate a name to fill the vacancy, you could done you could have done that. Yes. I'm saying you got the notice of a vacancy, right? But I think this is the only time this body ever discusses constable position is when there is a vacancy. That's the only time unless law enforcement moves something forward regarding the abolishment, you know, which has happened. I guess I wasn't clear. I'm thinking there's no need to send a request for people to uh apply until we decide something. Oh, yeah. I don't think we're doing that. No, we accepted the notice of vacancy from the clerk and that's it. We didn't send it out for applicants. We did not we're not doing that. Anybody else want to speak to this amendment? If not, I think we're ready to vote on this. We're moving it to committee. Correct. I was just going to speak on the behalf of the law enforcement committee. Law enforcement committee. I don't think that the law enforcement I'm sorry I got t law enforcement committee has really any

standing to recommend or they don't have anything. Oh, they're not over the constipables or have anything to do with them. I don't know that that I don't know that their comm that the law enforcement committee would be the committee that would need to bring this forward since they're not do you have a sheriff part you have the floor would ask Mark Williams to refer to this the law enforcement committee um to my understanding is dealing with the oversight basically of of the jail and issues going forth with that the the magistrates um the judicial commissioners which is the judicial commissioners and also now county probation. Again, I will I will revert you to look at the attorney general opinions by General Schimemedi from last year and also the seat opinion. Constable's answer to nobody other than this full body. Okay, I know that's that's confusing, but but our counselor up here is looking into it further, but law enforcement committee um would not be the ones to make any decisions dealing with the office of constable. It I think it has to be done by this full body. I'm not even sure that the legislative committee could even meet on it. It would I think it has to be done by the entire body. Well, And can I can I change my motion? Yes. I was just fixing to ask you, would you like to withdraw? Could I just change it? Could I just change it to be this be put on the agenda for the next meeting to be voted on? It can be put on the agenda tonight if you want to do one tonight. One the next meeting. It's

going to take two consecutive meetings either way. Whatever y'all want to do. I Mr. Stubblefield. I didn't hear you. I second Mr. Doublefield's motion to table it till the next meeting for discussion. It's going to have to go through two two meetings. Two meetings. So understand we wanted I had made that motion yet. I just asked one. Was there a motion? I didn't make you I Okay. I'm asking you as chairman. Are you withdrawing your motion to send to the law enforcement committee? Yes. I'm going to withdraw my motion to send it to law. And you're okay with that? I I withdraw my second. Okay. Thank you for that. All right. We're right back to where we started. There's no business on the floor. There's no motion whatsoever. We were in discussion mode and we got into adding Hello. Commissioner Jones. Uh, Commissioner Jones would like to make uh a motion to table the dis any further discussion about whether to do away with the constables or keep the constables because we have been given new information from our sheriff that all of us need to refer to and enlighten ourselves so that we can make uh a knowledgeable decision on what is best for our county to do. So, with that said, I make a motion that we table this and put it on the agenda for the next full commission meeting. Okay, we're not tableabling anything because we don't have a business. Let's just say postpone discussion. Okay, postpone. Change that wording, please. So, b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b basically, we're just passing on to next month so we can vote. Sounds like Okay. Yeah. If that's the case, then

I'll second her. Sound like no committee has the authority to look into this. That's right. And we'll take it up next meeting. There you go. That's what I'm hearing. All right. So, there's a motion to postpone discussion and it will appear on the agenda at our next monthly meeting. Okay. Okay. Yeah, I already said that one. Okay, there you go. All right, so the motion is uh Okay, we have Benton Commissioner Benton Brown. Do you want to speak to this there? You have a looks like a Commissioner Tim Brown. So, what exactly are we going to add to the menda? What's what's he going to say? What's What are we going to add to the agenda next meeting? What's he going to say? Uh the what brought up or what as though Commissioner Jones, do you want the discussion to abolish the office of constable to be on the next month agenda? I do. Okay. seconded by Commissioner Hzman. Is that correct? You agree with this? Yes, I do. Okay. So, Commissioner. Okay. Okay. So, Commissioner Jones seconded by Commissioner Stubblefield. Mr. Mayor, this is an item that you guys

are deciding you want on next month's agenda if you vote yes for it. Okay, Mr. Mayor, might I make one suggestion for my personal benefit and probably some others? If we're going to put this on the agenda for next month to vote to abolish, could we at least have somebody from the conipal association here to speak in their favor and then somebody to speak against or for abolishment just to give us knowledge on what we're voting on. I understand the sheriff has given us some information. We will read that. I know I will. But, you know, just to have a a good side and a bad side to this where nobody's making educated decision. [Music] I would think I would think the the the constables would get their guys here if they got somebody that can suggest for them. That's what I would hope they would do. Yeah. I'm just saying because I don't want to look get sit up here and look stupid. Commissioner Miller, I still see your request to speak is up here. Do you wish to speak? I guess I would like to uh request that our attorney, he's I'm sure he's going to be researching this anyway. Can you provide us with some information in our packet do uh prior to the uh meeting so we can review what he's thinking? I think TCA is going to tell you everything you need to know. uh TCA 8-10-101. Need to write that number down. That's all you need to know to act upon this or take no action. All right. This is TCA number [Music]

8-10-101. That is the TCA language regarding uh the actions that you may or may not elect to take regarding comp. Okay. Okay. Can you guys make hit your motion button, Commissioner Jones? There you go. Thank you. Now we got the electronics in order. We're voting right now. Okay. I think everybody's discussed out. Is it okay to vote even though it says law enforcement 11F? Okay. You're gonna Okay. Thank you. Commissioner Chambers. Thank you. Okay, we have 14 yes, one no. That motion carries. Okay, that gets us to report of standing committees. Okay, the standing committees. Uh, we're going to start off with the budget and finance. Commissioner Morris, you have anything? Yes, ma'am. Next meeting is April 24th, 5:00, meeting room one. I know the school board's going to be on there and I think Mr. March's budget will be presented that night. Thank you. Um, legislative commissioner Watkins. Uh,

nothing to report. Meeting will be April 28th at six o'clock. Thank you. HWR Commissioner Hollensworth. Yes, we didn't get to uh meet in March, but we'll be meeting April 22nd at 6 PM. That's a Tuesday night. Thank you. Uh, Capital Outlay, Commissioner Hirschman. in capital outlay. Um we uh signed contracts with the mayor and our construction company for the health department. So that has been done and it's been executed during the pre-construction meeting that we hel that was held this week on the 4th and that is in progress now. They're going to start construction on the uh health department approximately May the 5th and our next meeting is Thursday in May at 4 o'clock. That's good news. Thank you. Uh law enforcement committee uh Commissioner D4 is not here. Commissioner Miller, do you have anything to add? Uh a large part of it we just got through discussing. So we won't uh you can revert to the minutes. Thank you. Um policy and procedures in policy and procedures. We're meeting with all the head department heads on our next meeting on the April the 21st at 5 o'clock. And anybody who'd like to join us for that meeting, we're discussing cruel on vacation time and it's going to be a pretty good meeting. So if you'd like to Sir, we glad to have you. Thank you. That is all of the standing committees. Do we have any special committees? None that I'm aware of. Thank you to all our chairman of committees reporting. Okay. Now, we have statements and announcements. I want to say something real quick. Everybody got

to uh experience some procedural exercises tonight. If you ever hear I wanted to point this out. If you ever hear the chair use the term out of order, that's not an offensive term. It's a terminology used in procedural rules and it's uh it's just one of those like when the kids are standing on the edge of the basketball court saying you can't do that. Okay, that's basically what that is when you say out of order. Uh anybody else got any comments or statements? Motion to adjourn. So move. Motion. Second. We need to vote. Thank you for that. Thank you guys. Hey, I didn't start this. I didn't start. I did not start this. Lord mercy. Thanks for being

I know your My daddy. He's like everybody