By Linda Bolton linda@mckenziebanner.com

Council member Darra Adkins (back, right) makes a point during a meeting to discuss the issue of voting wards in McKenzie. Sitting around the table, from front left, clockwise, are council member Will Huffman, Mayor Walter Winchester, and council members Jill Holland, Adkins, Wade Allen, Jerry Arthur, and Gene Hale. In the background, left, are city clerk Charlie Beal and codes enforcement officer Ray Berryman.
 

McKenzie (February 2) - The question of whether McKenzie should abolish voting wards remains active following a February 2, 5:00 p.m. work session of the Board of Mayor and Council for the City of McKenzie. The bulk of the council spoke against eliminating the long-standing ward system that in 1994 was expanded to include a minority ward. School board member Brad Davis and McKenzie Banner editor Joel Washburn attended the meeting as concerned citizens.

Council member Jill Holland had the previous week outlined several reasons why voting wards should be abolished: citizens hoping for a seat on the council under the ward system must wait four years before they can run again, while under the "at large" system they would have to wait only two years because of staggered voting terms; people are more apt to feel they are "running against" the incumbent in the ward system, whereas in the at large system a group of candidates are running for a number of seats, not against a specific candidate; council members in a small city should be responsive to the needs of all citizens, not just a small geographic area; and other boards and departments in the city have proved balance can be attained without a minority ward.

She cited McKenzie as the only municipality in the county with a ward system and said Paris, Murfreesboro (with a population of more than 80,000) and Smyrna were examples of progressive cities without a ward system.

A nonscientific McKenzie Banner poll, published at www.mckenziebanner.com along with an article regarding Holland's reguest for a special meeting regarding the wards, as of Monday afternoon reflected 77 persons (89 percent) in favor of abolishing the wards while 9 (10 percent) said they wanted to keep the ward system.

Concerns expressed against abolishing the wards included the prospect of "factions" taking control of the city; the right of citizens to be represented by a person from their own district; and simply an attitude of "if it's not broke, don't fix it."

"This is a moot point and we need to be concentrating on the business of running the city," said Vice-mayor Gene Hale, after much discussion. He early on had defended the ward system as a right of the people to equal representation, saying, "Our state uses it, our nation uses it, our county uses it... a lot of people I talked to over the last week have the same feeling about it." While defending ward representation, he acknowledged, "I get calls from all over town."

Holland was able to convince her peers to allow the item on the agenda of the next regular meeting, scheduled for February 9 at 7 p.m. at City Hall.

She won her seat on the council on November 2, 2004, on a platform of change, promising to address council member's $150 per month salary and their receipt of free health insurance benefits, among other issues. She refused remuneration for her service and has on several occasions called upon other council members to follow suite.

The tenures of other council members include: Darra Adkins, 17 years; Hale, 14 years; Willie Huffman, 11 years; Wade Allen, 11 years; and Jerry Arthur, seven years.

Members seemed unclear on the purpose of the Thursday, February 2 workshop during which the decision was reached. The meeting date had been set after council members pled conflicting schedules when later meeting times were suggested, leaving insufficient time for appropriate notice to citizens.

Huffman said he thought the meeting was to provide a public forum for discussion on the issue. Holland said she thought the meeting was to discuss ways to gather public input, and council member Wade Allen felt like the February 2 meeting was enough.

"You got this and now you want more?" asked Allen when Holland pressed the council for a separate meeting to which to invite the public.

Adkins said citizens did not need an invitation to appear at council meetings, but that meetings were seldom attended. "I don't know if they are trusting the leadership or just don't care," said Adkins. She mentioned that she had made several calls to people about the ward issue and that she had received some calls about it as well.

"I haven't had a lot of people but I've had several calls," said Adkins, whose phone number is unlisted. "Nobody that has called me has been for going backward... If it's good enough for government and the state it ought to be good enough for us... I have people come to me who don't even know who their council person is."

Said Hale, "You're running against somebody no matter which system you use; if somebody in my ward that wants to run against me I welcome it. If they're that interested in city government they ought to be running for it."

Davis, who in August 2004 was elected to the school board, said he had considered running against Huffman in Ward 3 but thought Huffman was the better man for the job. He said he would likely run in an at large system. Huffman good naturedly encouraged Davis to run for the position.

Adkins said in the past the council had more members from "one end of town" and that the other part of town may have been neglected. She further protested that the council did not prepare the map that in 2004 redistricted the wards to equalize the population.

The council did, however, approve the plan drawn up by MTAS (Municipal Technical Advisory Service) in which gerrymandered lines guarantee each council person retains his or her interest in the ward in which they were elected. Additionally, the council did not call for the reapportionment study until three years following the 2000 census, at which time it was due.

Holland agreed, "Maybe 15 years ago there was an argument for wards but this is 2006... I just don't see that now."

However, in 1994--the year NAACP Chairman Wade Allen succeeded in installing a minority ward in McKenzie and consequently was elected from that ward--Willie Huffman, who lives in a predominantly white neighborhood, succeeded in being elected without benefit of a special district.

Holland, whose phone number is listed under the name of her husband, Michael Laughrey, said only one of 11 people she spoke with over the week had argued against abolishing wards and that person's reasoning was the need to canvas the entire town rather than a single ward while running for office.

She said people should be willing to get out and work for their votes and that the lengthy time in waiting for the next 4-year election cycle squelched interest in the positions.

Hale and Adkins said they had sent letters to everyone in their wards during their campaigns.

Frustrated, Holland commented, "As far as I'm concerned, when I look at other town's, McKenzie is at a standstill. I don't know what the reason is but... if we can change the ward system so more people can get involved maybe that's it; but I don't think we can keep shutting doors to new ideas and new things going on because McKenzie is backsliding."

She cited the loss of Wal-Mart some years ago and "half the stores downtown" as examples. She said the council does not communicate enough with the citizens or solicit sufficient feedback. She said new membership in the school board--of which she is a member and which is an at large system--also meant an influx of new ideas.

Ward cited Brownsville, Jackson, Martin, and Lexington as progressive towns with wards and said the ward system had brought about better race relations and that "three good mayors" had been elected under the system.

Holland interjected that mayors were elected at large.

He said other progress since 1994 included street improvements and the addition of College Drive, which connects downtown with Highway 22, and JL Seets Drive, which is a drive through the Webb School grounds. The planning commission had suggested that Walnut Drive be renamed JL Seets Drive, however, Allen led a committee in opposition to the idea, resulting in the concession of the paved drive.

He further cited old, dilapidated houses being torn down and replaced, the result of application for CDBG grants (Community Development Block Grants.)

Allen and Hale both suggested the McKenzie Industrial Board was responsible for recruiting industry to the town, with Hale further noting a new proclivity toward industry being located in county seats rather than outlying cities.

Holland noted it wasn't industry but small business that spurred growth in Paris. Council members agreed they needed to look at ways to enhance the city's attractiveness to new business and look for ways to promote growth.

Washburn clarified that the county commission has two representatives from each district so that a person is not running for a single seat, and that--of the county's nine districts--three are in McKenzie, resulting in six representatives.

He further said Martin has only three wards and that the University of Tennessee-Martin has some 5000 students, approximating the entire population of McKenzie.

The 2004 town elections were illustrative of Holland's comments regarding voter apathy created in part by the ward system, in a comparison of voter turnout between McKenzie and other towns in Carroll County. Between McKenzie and Huntingdon, for instance, in McKenzie 54.08 percent of 2182 registered voters participated in the November 2, 2004 elections with only half of registered voters eligible to vote for persons running for election in three wards. The other three wards would not be up for election until 2006.

In Huntingdon, 66.86 of the town's 2922 registered voters went to the polls where they were able to cast votes for four of five candidates running for council.

In McKenzie, in the three wards up for election, Allen ran uncontested in Ward 1, garnering 160 votes. In Ward IV, Holland, with 217 votes, won over incumbent James Knolton's 158 and Van Ramsey's 109 votes. In Ward 6, Adkins won with eight votes over Jimmy Patterson's 133 votes. Adkins ran on a platform of working harder to attract more small businesses and having the Industrial Board report monthly to the council, obtaining grants for sewer rehabilitation and parks, maintaining and enhancing Fire Department standards, sidewalk and street improvements, recognizing an employee of the month, ensuring handicapped accessibility to business and government facilities, and placing signage on the four-lane to direct traffic to downtown shopping.

Other items placed on the agenda for this Thursday evening at 7 p.m. include a discussion of the Fourth of July Freedom Festival and the possible purchase of the old BellSouth building for use by the police department for investigation, interrogation and vehicle storage. Holland also suggested a sign be placed outside the municipal building to alert passers by as to meetings and other scheduled events inside the building.

   
JACKSON - District 27 State Senator Don McLeary, Humboldt, switched from the Democratic to the Republican Party. He made the announcement in a press conference at the Madison County Courthouse on Friday, February 3.

Freshman senator McLeary defeated Republican incumbent Bobby Carter (R-Jackson) 27,706 (54.6%) to 23,018 (45.4%) in the November 5, 2002 general election to serve the counties of Carroll, Gibson, and Madison counties. McLeary won all three counties. In Carroll, the vote was 5,053 to 4,006; Gibson 7,897 to 6223; and Madison 14,756 to 12,789.

The change of party gives the Republicans an 18-15 majority in the Senate. Speculation of his plans rose when he was the lone Democrat to void the results of a disputed special election won by Senator Ophelia Ford, D-Memphis. Ms. Ford won the seat, vacated by her brother, John, after he resigned amidst the FBI's Tennessee Waltz sting.

Tennessee Democratic Party Chairman Bob Tuke said, "While we're disappointed that Senator McLeary decided to abandon his party and turn away from his constituents in the middle of this session of the General Assembly, we're not surprised. As a practical matter, this move will make little difference. The Senate has a strong tradition of independence, and we don't believe that Senator McLeary will change his voting pattern.

"Thousands of voters in District 27 elected him as a Democrat and have supported him in office as a Democrat. He has betrayed them by switching parties without an election. If Sen. McLeary felt this move was necessary, he should have finished his term as a Democrat and then run for re-election as a Republican.

"Tennesseans value loyalty and dependability in their leaders. Sen. McLeary has disappointed on both counts. We regret his decision for him as much as for anyone, and we fully expect to take this seat back in the fall," concluded Tuke.

Republicans Randy McNally and Majority Leader Ron Ramsey released the following statement.

The Senate Republican Caucus welcomes Senator Don McLeary as our newest Caucus member today. Senator McLeary increases our numbers to 18 in the Senate Majority Caucus for the first time since Reconstruction.

We all look forward to working together with Senator McLeary for the good of the people in his district and for the good of all the people of Tennessee.

Senator McLeary's fundamental core beliefs and values are in line with those of Republicans and on our side of the aisle he will provide considerable input and value to legislative considerations and discussions in the future.

Senator McLeary becomes the fourth former Democrat we know of to join us in the Senate Republican Caucus.

The most recent two, Senators Rusty Crowe and Milton Hamilton, joined our Caucus on September 15, 1995, and made history in the process by giving Republicans a 17-16 advantage in the Senate.

Senator Curtis Person initially came to the House of Representatives in 1966 as a Democrat, but by 1968 he had come to the conclusion that he really was a Republican at heart. Senator Person then ran and won a Senate seat, which he has held since 1968.

Hamilton, switched from the Democratic to the Republican Party at the end of his long tenure as a state senator. He was later granted a cabinet post in the Sundquist Administration.

Tuke issued the following statement today following Senator Don McLeary's complete reversal of position on ethics reform:

"Does changing parties make a Senator change his ethical stripes? Last week, Sen. Don McLeary, when he was a Democrat, voted for 12 stronger ethics measures that were part of today's minority report on the legislation passed by the General Assembly. Today, he voted against all 12 of those measures-his first votes as a Republican.

"Who are you, Sen. McLeary?"

Many Democrats believe McLeary has been promised a position in exchange for his party switch.

 
HUNTINGDON - Carroll County commissioners will apply for three grants, make a school board appointment, and honor the MHS cheerleaders and HHS Band during the Monday, February 13 meeting.

The county of Carroll and the town of Huntingdon will jointly apply for a Local Parks and Recreation Funds grant in the amount of $500,000 to help purchase land for the construction of the 1000-acre recreational watershed lake in the Leach community. If received, the local match of $500,000 will be provided in-kind by the value of land owned along Browning Highway known as the mitigation site. A separate resolution calls for Community Developmental Partners, LLC to assist in preparing and administering the grant.

In another grant application, the county will consider application for a $300,000 CDBG program grant for improvements to the county's fire department. If awarded, the county will match the grant with $33,000 in local funds.

In the third grant application, the county is seeking up to $500,000 in Local Parks and Recreation Funds to develop the Carroll County Shooting Complex in the Huntingdon Industrial Park-North. The value of the donated land will serve as the local match. No local out-of-pocket money will be spent. The facility would provide a venue to local, regional, and possibly state shooting contests. Competitive sport shooting teams from McKenzie and Carroll County currently compete in trap-shooting contests on the state level. McKenzie additional competes on the national level.

McKenzie High School Cheerleaders will be honored for winning their fourth straight state cheerleader championship.

Huntingdon High School Marching Mustangs will be honored for winning the Division I Small Bands Competition in Murfreesboro in October 2005.

Tanya Young has been nominated to fill the unexpired term of Amanda McMackin on the Carroll County Board of Education. Commissioners will vote on Young's nomination.

Commissioners convene at 7:00 p.m., Monday, February 13, in the Conference Room of the Carroll County Office Complex.

   

Budget Inn of McKenzie has been purchased by Nash Estafanous, 42, of Hernando, Florida. The deal was finalized Monday by Realtor Mary Perry of Tri-County Realty in McKenzie.

Dang Luong, of 20 Cloverfield Lane in McKenzie purchased Budget Inn in April 2005 from John Angra and sold the inn this week at an undisclosed price. Luong and his family are expected to relocate to another area.

Estafanous plans to completely remodel the 44-room inn, giving it a new facelift and will rename the motel "Value Inn of McKenzie." He also owns Value Inn of Hernando (Florida) and is a contractor in the process of constructing nine homes in Florida.

Originally from Cairo, Egypt, Estafanous moved to Staten Island, New York at the age of 15 and following a tour of duty in the U.S. Navy at age 19, he spent the next 26 years as a contractor in New York. He has been in the lodging business for 18 months.

The new owner said he saw the business for sale on the Internet and thought it was a good deal.

A single man, he plans to relocate to McKenzie at a later date. As well as his holdings in Florida, he also owns considerable rental property and beauty shops in New York.