Image Credit: Rashidah Leverett / Facebook & Canva.
Article by Olivia Lupia, Tennessee Conservative News –
After flipping the Montgomery County Commission from Republican to Democrat control in the August election, Democrats went one step further in securing their power on the board, voting to remove the Republican County Mayor as the Commission Chair.
At one of the first formal meetings of the new commission on Monday, a motion was presented by Democrat Commissioner Walker Woodruff to replace County Mayor Wes Golden as the chairperson of the legislative body with newly elected Democrat Rashidah Leverett.
The position comes with not only the responsibility of presiding over the County Commission’s Board of Commissioner, but also casting tiebreaking votes in the event the body is stuck on legislation, policy, or appointments. Golden’s removal signifies not only the loss of a Republican setting the agenda, scheduling votes, and overseeing parliamentary procedure, but also the loss of Republicans to break a tie in their favor if necessary.
During debate on the motion, several commissioners spoke in favor of Golden, saying his leadership has been effective and that he has never put party politics over the responsibility of being chair, and also questioning if change just for the sake of change was in the best interest of the body.
“Wes Golden has run for mayor and already served for four years. He just got re-elected expecting to be the chair of this body,” one commissioner said. “He’s worked extra hard to make sure everybody in this chamber has been happy…It’s a sad day when Clarksville county commissioners choose politics and party over the chair.”
Another commissioner said that every member casting a vote should have a definitive answer as to what is not working under Golden’s chairmanship or what has changed to warrant his removal. “Not a single thing,” he said. “He hasn’t treated anyone any different, no matter what political party you are. He hasn’t denied commissioners the opportunity to be heard.”
A third member with said that he respects both candidates, but that commissioners should be cautious about making purely partisan moves for their own sake. “Just remember we have more elections coming,” he said. “And if we’re going to turn the County Commission in to partisan circus, then so be it. But that’s not in the best interest of our constituents.”
Woodruff responded by saying he thinks the chairperson vote had become an issue when it didn’t need to be one, though his motion to remove the mayor as chairperson seems to have ironically created that issue.
“We have got to work together regardless of who is chair,” he said. “Our voters voted for us for change…I see already that division is taking place, but I’m not here to cause division. I think Wes Golden has been a fantastic mayor; I don’t see anything wrong with Wes Golden… I admire him, but we’ve got to work together. I don’t know why one side thinks that we can’t make this work.”
A fellow Democrat commissioner said, “All we’re looking to do is even the playing field. And yes, we pretend not to see the division. The playing field is not even, but this will at least give us a chance; it has nothing to do with any individual person whatsoever. Mayor golden is a great mayor, he’s a great person. This has nothing to do with him being in or out of the chair, because he will still be a great mayor and person. What does this have to do with? Changing the status quo.”
Ultimately, Democrats were successful in wielding their newly won control as the vote was 11-10 in favor of removal, installing Rashidah Leverett as the new Board Chairperson.
After the vote, Golden reiterated the change in who chairs the commission does not otherwise affect his role as county and said he intends to move forward “with a spirit of cooperation.”
“Working together has always been important to me, and I believe our track record shows what we can accomplish when we do. I respect the process, and I trust this commission to continue working together. I’m grateful for the trust our commissioners and our citizens have placed in me, and I look forward to continuing that work together, having open conversations, and doing what’s best for Montgomery County and the people we serve,” Golden’s statement read.
Leverett issued her own statement thanking her fellow commissioners for placing her in the leadership position and stating a commitment to treat her colleagues “fairly”, regardless of whether they supported her bid for chair.
“One of the things I have always appreciated about this body is that while we may come from different political parties, different districts, different backgrounds, and sometimes very different perspectives, we have historically been able to work across those lines. We have laughed together, disagreed with one another, debated difficult issues, and still found a way to get the people’s business done. I fully expect that to continue,” she wrote.
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About the Author: Olivia Lupia is a political refugee from Colorado who now calls Tennessee home. A proud follower of Christ, she views all political happenings through a Biblical lens and aims to utilize her knowledge and experience to educate and equip others. Olivia is an outspoken conservative who has run for local office, managed campaigns, and been highly involved with state & local GOPs, state legislatures, and other grassroots organizations and movements. Olivia can be reached at olivia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
