Montgomery County, TN – In an update to a story that was first reported on Wjzm radio and later on Clarksville Online, Montgomery County attorney Austin Peay is sending letters to four other local citizens who serve in some capacity with county government who may have a conflict of interest because their companies also do business with the county.
The county attorney would not release the names of those who were sent letters until it was confirmed that they had received them. As only reported here and with our radio partner, Wjzm, Mayor Carolyn Bowers and Mayor Kim McMillan met with Airport Authority board member Jerry Clark and informed him that according to the County Purchasing Act of 1957, he could either continue to serve on the authority, or continue to do business with the County, but he could not do both.Â
Clark is owner of Clark and Associates Architects, and while his firm is prohibited from doing business with the airport, Clark does do business with the county, and has done so for years.
The issue was raised during a recent audit of grant money being used to build the new airport terminal. It needs to be pointed out that there has been no wrongdoing by either parties. The conflict is the law itself. Clark is a county appointee to the Airport Authority, but the law could affect city boards and commissions as well.
An Attorney General’s opinion, according to sources, indicates that the interpretation of the law is correct by the county. But sources also tell us that attorney’s for Clark also believe an Attorney General’s opinion supports their position that Clark is not in violation of the law in question.
We expect further updates to this story, including a copy of the letter mailed to the other four citizens who may also be affected by the same law.
Stay tuned to WJZMÂ 1400AM and Clarksville Online for more on this story.
