Williamson County Mayor Paid Chamber Of Commerce Affiliated Organization Hundreds Of Thousands In Taxpayer Dollars Under Expired Contract Without County Commission Approval
Image Credit: VoteRogersAnderson / Facebook & Williamson County Mayor’s Office
The Tennessee Conservative [By Kelly M. Jackson] –
Williamson County Mayor, Rogers Anderson, has been paying Williamson Inc., a Chamber of Commerce affiliated organization on a $400,000 contract that had apparently lapsed, without anyone noticing. The contract was renewed in May of 2022, and expired on June 30th, 2023.
The contract, which was initiated by Mayor Anderson’s office, was initiated for the purposes of economic development services in Williamson County.
Beyond working from an expired contract and disseminating funds to Williamson Inc for services rendered without approval from Williamson County Commission (the purse strings in Williamson County government), it appears that the terms of the agreement have been breached by Williamson Inc, with regard to transparency of where the funds are being spent.
Due to the lapsed nature of the contract and taxpayer funds still being disseminated, the agreement with the Chamber affiliated organization drew the attention of some of the more newly minted County Commissioners elected in 2022.
This includes D7 County Commissioner Christopher Richards. Richards sent inquiries to Mayor Anderson’s office, asking for the contracts the county has with Williamson Inc, so he could get an idea of exactly where the $400,000 is being spent.
The language in the contract with Williamson Inc, obligates the organization to not only be compliant with the terms of the agreement, but also allows the County to have the ability to terminate the agreement should those terms be found to have been breached.
The language of the contract indicates that Williamson Inc is obligated to:
• Provide an annual report to the Williamson County Board of Commissioners on or before February of each year, including data that evaluates whether the Chamber has met its benchmark goals and the effectiveness of the Chamber’s economic development services in the County, as well as any other data requested by the County.
• Ensure the Economic Development Board executive committee and the full Board meets a minimum of four times annually with the executive committee meeting at least once each calendar quarter;
• Ensure minutes of all Economic Development Board and executive committee meetings are kept.
• The Chamber shall use the funds only for those actual costs related to the operation of the Office of Economic Development and the provision of economic development services defined herein. The Chamber shall not use any of the budgeted funds for Chamber-related expenses including, but not limited to, Chamber employee salaries and Chamber operating costs, which are not relative to economic development functions. C. As a condition of funding prior to July 1 of each year, the Chamber shall provide a detailed accounting of the expended funds for the prior fiscal year, including supporting documentation. Should the annual report show that the Chamber expended funds in contradiction to this Agreement then the Chamber shall reimburse the County those funds upon receipt of written notice.
• Should the County determine, through audit or monitoring expenditures, that the Chamber expended funds for any unallowable purpose, the County may reduce any future appropriations due to the Chamber in the amount of the unallowable expenditures or demand the amount of the unallowable expenditures be refunded to the County.
According to information provided to Commissioner Richards by Mayor Anderson’s office, none of these provisions have been meet to their full obligation.
Richards has conveyed that there has never been an annual report provided with the explicit expenditures of funds, just some general benchmarks that might or might not have been a product of the agreement with Mayor Anderson’s office.
Additionally, the minutes of meetings shared with Richards indicate that Williamson Inc met maybe 3 times in a year and not the 4 they obligated to produce.
Email correspondence between the Mayor’s Office, And Williamson Inc, shared with Commissioner Richards, indicates that some of the funds were spent on salaries for staff, which is a prohibition in the language, and there is no other documents that with appropriate specificity, explain exactly where all the money they are given for “economic growth and development” is being spent.
Richards has asked for more specific information from Mayor Anderson’s office, and thus Williamson Inc as to why so many of the provisions in the contract have not been upheld and has yet to receive a satisfactory answer.
Richards feels that because of the responsibility of the County Commission to act responsibly with taxpayer money, that the mayor’s office and Williamson Inc should be compelled to provide the information they are seeking before handing them another contract for nearly half a million dollars.
This is because Monday of next week, May 13th, there is a resolution on the agenda to once again extend the agreement with Williamson Inc, for continuation of their services. Services many would argue are no longer necessary.
Post Covid, and despite the issues Tennesseans dealt with regarding government overreach here in our own state, many blue state refugees have found a new home in Tennessee, which has caused business and population to explode, particularly in Williamson County.
The Williamson County Commissioners will be holding their monthly meeting on May 13th at the Williamson County Administrative Complex, Main Auditorium 1320 W. Main St in Franklin where this issue will be addressed.
Also being addressed is a resolution to record all committee meetings that occur within the County Commission. There is resistance to this suggestion by the county due to “budgetary concerns”.
However, Commissioner Richards, who is carrying the resolution feels the constituents of Williamson County deserve to have access to full transparency and accountability when it comes to how their tax dollars are spent.
County Commissioners are encouraging their constituents to attend on the 13th and show up at 6:30 in order to sign up for an opportunity to make a public comment. The meeting begins at 7pm.
About the Author: Kelly Jackson is an escapee from corporate America, and a California refugee to Tennessee. Christ follower, Wife and Mom of three amazing teenagers, she has a BA in Comm from Point Loma Nazarene University, and has a background in law enforcement and human resources. Since the summer of 2020, she has spent any and all free time in the trenches with local grassroots orgs, including Mom’s for Liberty Williamson County and Tennessee Stands as a core member. An outspoken advocate for parents rights, medical freedom, and individual liberty, Kelly also has a YouTube channel @Tennessee_Truth_Teller and is planning on expanding out to other channels soon. Kelly can be reached at kelly@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
Yesiree my fellow Willamson County conservatives, we have been living in a very nice community with a good ole boy and girl clique running things with the motto “what’s good for business is good for the county” so TRANQUILITY, conducive to profits, must be bought at all costs. It’s only through elections and support of conservative candidates can those with other interests be heard.
In this August’s Republican primary we find that one of the most liberal Republican members of the General Assembly “Worthless” Sam Whtson (TLRC-71/F) is finally retiring. Upon announcing his retirement Sam quickly endorsed ideological soulmate and good ole boy in good standing Sam Beathard, who is Chairman of the County Commission, of course. Brian is running on a platform promising to be just as worthless as Sam upon election.
Unfortunately, there are two conservatives running to succeed Sam in Dist. 65 as well. In order to defeat Beathard conservatives must unite behind one of them. I believe the conservative with the best chance of beating Beathard is Lee Reeves https://www.voteleereeves.com/ who hopefully will unite conservatives by election day.
Looked at Mr. Reeves’ website. He’s standing with Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson, who is another member of the good ole boy clique. If he’s with Johnson, he won’t be any better than Whitson’s candidate. It’s the illusion of choice. Foreman is looking like the best candidate to me.
Then again Lee’s campaign treasurer is the voice of Franklin city government conservatism Bev Burger and I had my picture taken with Lamar Alexander during one of Marsha Blackburn’s receptions. I can just imagine what would be said if that thing ever surfaced while I was running for office.
Hope Brandon doesn’t mind if we Williamson County conservatives use the Tennessee Conservative News to discuss this and unify to “Beat Beathard”. I will be very happy with either Lee Reeves or Michelle Foreman as the next Representative from Dist. 65.
Bev pushed for Franklin to build a $100 million office building when a building could be built for $35 million. That will cause a property tax increase – would a smart conservative do that? To me, Bev supporting someone doesn’t mean they’re a good conservative.
The County wastes a lot of money. Did you know the County Debt includes $200 million for the Hospital (Williamson Medical)? And they County is talking about spending $325 million to build new jails next to the Rock Quarry – in the same location damaged by blasting – that will cause a Property Tax increase.
I’m going to have to check out Michelle Foreman. When I saw that Reeves had Burger as his treasurer he lost me.
I think constructive discussion is great, and he doesn’t mind at all! Thanks guys!!
Great information guys, thank you. My sole goal in this campaign is to BEAT BEATHARD who is actually campaigning to be as worthless as Worthless Sam Whitson from succeeding him.
Ever since Whitson joined the legislature in 2017 he has been one of the most liberal Republicans in the legislature, yet he has NEVER had so much as a primary opponent in any Republican primary as I recall. This indicates to me that District 65 is less conservative than the other two Williamson County districts. Michelle just lost a campaign for the state House in Davidson County in 2022 and she has a history of being a very strong conservative activist. Just the kind of candidate that I truly love and almost always support.
BUT CAN SHE BEAT BRIAN BEATHARD IN DIST. 65? Frankly, I fear not. Brian’s campaign will make her look like a “far-right extremist outside the mainstream” which will motivate a coalition of Dist. 65
centrists/tepid conservatives and Democrats to vote for Beathard and that will be that. By contrast, Lee Reeves gives every indication of being more conservative than Beathard, but without Foreman’s ostentatious advocacy thus giving conservatives the best chance to BEAT BEATHARD.
Not surprising at all. Sad.
Williamson county leaders are corrupt as Biden.
I haven’t voted for Rogers Anderson in over 10yrs. I saw the corruption/good old boys club years ago. The depth is deep. I’m surprised there’s a commissioner who is actually questioning anything Rogers does. Wish my recently elected commissioner would follow suit but alas no, she’s just another one who does whatever Rogers tells her to do.
I had contacted both of my commissioners (Bubba & Lisa) questioning the county spending another million $$ on crappy voting machines. Neither bothered to respond to me. And of course both voted for the expenditure.
Hi Aries9899
This is Lisa Hayes, County Commissioner District 1. I wanted to reach out and offer to speak to you about my views on funding the election machines. I voted No in May And June 2023. I welcome you to watch the video of both meetings these meetings. https://www.williamsoncounty-tn.gov/AgendaCenter The other District 1 Commissioner Ricky Jones voted No in May 2023 and then flipped and voted Yes in June 2023.
I invite you to come to our next County Commission meeting this Monday at 7 pm in the auditorium at 1320 West Main Street, Franklin TN 37064. My phone number is published on the county website. https://www.williamsoncounty-tn.gov/directory.aspx?EID=2 I’m happy to have a chat about whatever you like.
Regards
Lisa Hayes
Lisa, I apologize if I got the information wrong. I had checked after I saw that the commission voted on this and I thought I saw that you had voted yes.