The So What Women Vs. The Good Old Boys Of Loudon County (Op-Ed)

***Correction by Author: LCSWDC stands Loudon County Solid Waste Disposal Commission.***

Image Credit: courthouses.co & Virginia State Parks staff / CC

By Susan E. Gingrich [Special to The Tennessee Conservative] –

I relocated to Tellico Village and Loudon County in July of 2015, and have made no secret that I wish to return to where I came from. Living here for a woman is like the 1950’s, and never having lived in anything like an HOA, I didn’t realize you give up first amendment rights to live in Tellico Village.

Loudon County is the worst county government I’ve ever dealt with professionally or personally. There are good county workers, and I have hope in one of the newly elected county commissioners. I don’t personally know all the elected county officials, but I didn’t vote for any county incumbents in the last election.  

Due to a break from bad county government, the best watchdog for county taxpayers, a woman Pat Hunter, was appointed to both the Loudon County Solid Waste Disposal Commission (LCSWDC) and the Loudon County Public Records Commission (LCPRC). Unfortunately it was only because of the consent of the biggest troublemaker in Loudon County government, who also pretty much runs county government.

This county commissioner I call the Pied Piper, because others follow him either because they really don’t know him, are afraid of him, or in the case of some other elected county officials are just too lazy to do their own homework.

In a sermon one Sunday, my wise pastor Ed mentioned the man who creates a problem just to provide the solution.  That’s this commissioner in a nutshell. He monopolizes conversation at meetings, and puts on shows including bad behavior that no respectable politician deserving of election or reelection would demonstrate. He gets away with it because he is one of the good old boys of Loudon County. 

Pat Hunter, the county watchdog, kept reminding county officials about the need to address the county records issue, and as usual they ignored her. The Loudon County Records Commission is a state legal requirement and like other neglected things, Loudon County Commission established one in 2005, and then ignored it. Before the next commission election, it was resurrected, probably to make the commission and the mayor look good to voters, with watchdog Pat Hunter on it and elected its chairman by the other members.

With minimal assistance from other records’ commission members, she’s done an excellent job advocating compliance with the law. Now, after the re-elected Pied Piper responsible for placing her there, placed himself on the LCPRC, he is trying to kick her off. Don’t think I mentioned previously that he also overtly demonstrates his disdain for women as leaders. He will probably be successful as usual, but thanks to an idea from one of the male newest commissioners, the decision was kicked down the road until the next county commission workshop. 

The county watchdog, Pat Hunter, also brought on-going problems with the Loudon County Solid Waste Disposal Commission (LCSWDC) to the county commission and was usually ignored, until taxpayers started contacting them directly. I wasn’t in Tennessee then, but I believe the LCSWDC was created by county commissioners at the time, because they didn’t want the regulatory responsibilities and wanted another entity to blame. It was allowed to function independently and did so to the detriment of county taxpayers. 

When a member of the LCSWDC was to be replaced, Pat Hunter the watchdog was added. She replaced a member from Tellico Village where I live, primarily because the commissioner who disdains women as leaders, also openly expresses disdain for Tellico Village.

Sad that our own commissioner representing the village only, who should be looking out for his constituents, went along with his friend the Pied Piper, the village and woman hater. We already get very little from the county for the amount of taxes we pay and almost zero transparency. My personal synonym for non-transparency is “sneaky”. 

Now that the election is over, already placing himself on the Records’ Commission to get rid of the county’s watchdog Hunter, the Pied Piper through his willing followers is attempting to also control the LCSWDC. He and those commissioners temporarily placed there by fellow commissioners seemed to have forgotten that their tenure there was to be temporary, and they would be replaced by qualified individuals. The only LCSWDC member remaining was Hunter, the sole no vote on a deal to extend a contract, which didn’t even expire for five years. A contact which wasn’t even being monitored properly, until Hunter became chairman.

Commonsense is so lacking in government these days. If the LCSWDC is controlled by county commissioners, why does there need to be a separate commission which costs the taxpayers even more? 

Because the LCSWDC’s attorney, also the Tellico Village lead attorney, quit without giving notice or returning records that he was permitted to keep in his legal office in Knoxville, a new attorney was needed in a hurry. Ok, yes, having the POA attorney also be the attorney for a county agency it has a contract with appears to be a conflict of interest. Usually yes, but here it seems that conflict of interest is the rule not the exception.

Chairman Hunter insisted on following the law, used the proper county procedure for hiring a new attorney, and after the male applicant dropped out, Elizabeth Murphy, an independent attorney from Nashville was selected. That didn’t satisfy one of the members affiliated with the Pied Piper who continued to advocate for a Knoxville male lawyer who didn’t even apply. Even the county mayor, who evidently doesn’t know or understand his own county’s procurement procedures, tried to prevent hiring the female attorney.

By the way, I’ve met and seen her in action, and she is a barracuda and the kind of lawyer I would want should I ever seek a divorce. By knowing her stuff, she’s put both the county and the contractor on notice that they are equally responsible for adhering to all state requirements.     

Just as she worked tirelessly for the Records Commission, Pat Hunter has given her all to try to straighten out the LCSWDC with little compensation or acknowledgement. There is no one else on either commission who has the knowledge or skills needed or even willing to devote the time necessary to do what is right for taxpayers.

At the LCSWDC’s workshop last Thursday, two of the members, commissioners, didn’t even stay until the meeting ended. (Of course they weren’t used to long meetings, since the Pied Piper prefers meetings be as short and provide as little information to the public as possible.). The two that stayed said that they were retired and had lots of time. We are also paying them lots of money, plus benefits in some cases, to do their real jobs as county commissioners, not LCSWDC commissioners. They do give earmarks to favor votes like many elected officials though. 

If you are bothered by all this and a county taxpayer, there is no time to waste because the election for LCSWDC officers is this Thursday March 16, 6 PM at the County Courthouse Annex on Mulberry Street. Come to the meeting and make a public comment in support of Pat Hunter remaining on the commission and as chair. At the least, please contact your county commissioner and tell her or him that the LCSWDC should remain an independent entity with Pat Hunter as chairman. I strongly support her efforts, but she is currently a county appointed official, at least for now, and I have not shared the content of my commentary with Chairman Hunter prior to submission.   

Chase Randolph (1st District)
100 River Rd.
Loudon, TN 37774
C (865) 257-7774
randolphc@loudoncounty-tn.gov

Bill Geames (1st District)
400 Robinson Dr.
Loudon, TN 37774
HC (865) 388-0526
geamesb@loudoncounty-tn.gov

Will Jenkins (2nd District)
139 Hidden Valley Lane
Lenoir City, TN 37771
C (865) 816-4696 / C (865) 317-0053
wjenkins27@yahoo.com

Rosemary Hines Quillen (2nd District)
100 River Rd.
Loudon, TN 37774
C (865) 207-4203
rosemaryhquillen@yahoo.com

Bill D. Satterfield (3rd District)
5616 Meadow Road W.
Greenback, TN 37742
H (865) 856-2523 / C (865) 771-4447
billsatterfield1951@outlook.com 

Gary Whitfield (4th District)
6263 Washington Pike
Philadelphia, TN 37846
C (865) 740-3731
whitfieldg@loudoncounty-tn.gov

Joe Morrison (5th District)
1850 Williams Ferry Rd
Lenoir City, TN 37771
H (865) 317-3805
jrmorris7@proton.me

Van Shaver (5th District)
568 Ford Road
Lenoir City, TN 37772
H (865) 986-6984
sarahlccom@aol.com

Michael Adam Waller (6th District)
P.O. Box 24
Lenoir City, TN 37771
C (865) 591-4446
wallera@loudoncounty-tn.gov

Henry J. Cullen (7th District)
206 Tanasi Place
Loudon, TN 37774
H (865) 408-0256 / C (865) 388-9429
BigRed495@aol.com

Susan E Gingrich MHS., a Commonwealth of PA retiree, refers to herself as a recovering bureaucrat and proud, former public servant.  She is a freelance writer and Christian, conservative activist currently living in Loudon, TN with her husband James Shurskis and Cassie and Desi, their senior Birman cats.