Clarksville, TN – The Regional Planning Commission is looking for a new director. With the retirement of David Riggins last week, a search has been underway to find his replacement. During that process, it’s been discovered that the selection of that new director could be the sole responsibility of the Montgomery County Mayor, Carolyn Bowers.
The county attorney, Austin Peay VII, was asked to research the Regional Planning Commission by mayor Bowers, to determine the procedure for hiring a new director. The request came after some disagreement between Planning Commission chairman Mike Harrison, and Mayor Bowers, over some of the candidates who had applied for the job.
Last week, after reviewing the applications of over thirty applicants, and conducting interviews with some who had “made the cut,” the human resources directors for both the city and the county asked the search committee to then take a look at three other applicants.
The county attorney discovered that according to a new state law passed in 2010, if the city and the county does not have an “inter-local” agreement pertaining to the regional planning commission, then the county mayor shall appoint the new director.
According to Mike Harrison, chairman of the planning commission, the city and county entered into an agreement in 1963 to create a planning commission, and it clearly states that the planning commission shall hire the director. The planning commission has been operating under that agreement, and has hired every single director according to its provisions.
According to Austin Peay VII, “we can’t find an inter-local agreement, so the new law passed in 2010 takes precedent.”
The question is, does the law passed by the city of Clarksville, and Montgomery County in 1963 not constitute a binding contract, setting forth the agreement between the two governments on the Regional Planning Commission?
Harrison disagrees with the county attorney. “The city and county have a contract they created and passed in 1962. There’s no need for an inter-local agreement, never has been. They settled that issue back then.”
The executive committee of the planning commission met this past Monday, in a public meeting called by Harrison. At that meeting were Clarksville Mayor Kim McMillan, County Mayor Carolyn Bowers, planning commission appointee Mabel Larson, chairman Mike Harrison, city attorney Lance Baker, county attorney Austin Peay VII, city chief of staff Charlie Koon, county chief of staff, Phil Harpel and both human resources directors for the city and county. Gary Norris was also present, as he had been asked to help on the search committee because he was chairman of the planning commission for twelve years.
Clarksville Online has listened to a tape recording of that meeting, and during the discussions, Mayor Bowers became very upset. She accused chairman Mike Harrison of leaking to the news media that she (Bowers) had hand picked the next director, and after polling all of those present, determined that Harrison was the only one who could have done it. At one point she said “well maybe you had it passed to Hank Bonecutter.” Harrison denied leaking any information to the media, and this reporter only spoke to him today about the circumstances surrounding this story.
Mayor Bowers told Clarksville Online that she was upset at that meeting because she felt Harrison was trying to force his candidate on the commission without proper approval. That there were questions regarding the procedure to hire a new director and they were committed to finding the right candidate for the job. Bowers told me “sometimes you have to raise your voice to be heard, and that’s what I did.”
At the conclusion of the meeting it was determined that they would determine a search committee, and interview more candidates in hopes of finding the right person for the job. Mayor Bowers said she did not want to be the one to choose the new director, as the new state law indicates she can.
The attorney’s for both the city and county are studying the situation and will advise both mayors and the planning commission on what they’ve found.
