Tuesday, September 18, 2018

Cocke CLB
The Cocke County Legislative Body met in it's regular monthly session Monday evening, with 10 new members. The members took a 45 minute break to meet in closed session, reportedly to talk about the Cocke County Fire Department Civil Service Board, the findings of an Equal Employment Opportunities Commission(EEOC) investigation and the distance required from a church or school, for a business to sell beer. The EEOC investigation was launched after Cocke County EMA Director Kevin Benton and EMA Operations Officer Julie Brooks, filed a complaint alleging they had been harassed by then Fire Chief William Smallwood and Firefighter Clayton Ellison. Deborah Walker of the EEOC found that the evidence and record "establish that there is reasonable cause to conclude (Benton) was subjected to retaliation after he filed a protected complaint. And that the county failed to take prompt and immediate action." Later Benton charged Ellison with stalking and that case is still pending in court. Because of the alleged harassment, Smallwood and Ellison were fired from the fire department by Mayor Crystal Ottinger. In turn, Smallwood filed a wrongful termination lawsuit in federal court, saying he could be removed only by the Cocke County Fire Civil Service Board(CSB). Judge Curtis Collier threw out the lawsuit and held that in Tennessee, local governments may exercise only those powers granted them by the state legislature, and "because Tennessee law expressly prohibits local governments from establishing systems of classified service, the Court finds the CSB was improperly formed and therefore null." That ruling is on appeal. But last evening the CLB voted to rescind the action that in 2016 established the civil service board. The body also approved a motion by Commissioner Gayla Blazer in response to the EEOC finding, "that we attempt to enter into a conciliation agreement in the pending EEOC claim including a monitory amount decided by our insurance company, and a letter of apology." The body also voted to reduce the required distance from a church or school, to a business which desires to sell beer. The previously required distance was 2,000 feet but the body reduced the distance to 1,500 feet. In June of last year, Harold Cates of Downtown Hartford Citgo filed a lawsuit challenging the 2,000 foot rule, saying that previously, the Beer Board failed to follow it's own regulations and also failed to enforce the regulation uniformly. In other action; Clay Blazer was re-elected chairman and Forrest Clevenger was elected Vice-Chair. The current members of the Cocke County Emergency 911 Board. Lynn Ramsey of the Partnership encouraged the commissioners to get involved in activities of the organization. Bob Watkins of the DAV and Amvets expressed appreciation to those who recently participated in an American Flag Burning Ceremony, in which tattered flags were destroyed. Trustee Rob Mathis said his office has four duties; collect taxes, serve as county treasurer, county banker and oversees the investment of county funds. He said the county investments currently bring in about $100, 000 annually in interest. And in response to a question from Commissioner Calvin Ball, Mathis said the county can offer a discount of two percent if property taxes are paid in October, and one percent if payment is made in November. But such a reduction would have to be implemented by the commission.


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