Shelby partisan politics threaten civil rights/safety

[Pat McGarrity]

I understand Commissioner Malone introduced the parks ban that will have its final vote Monday. Now, not only does she seek to violate our civil rights in the parks we pay for by creating a safe hunting ground for violent criminals, she wants to disregard County Commission protocol in the power grab outlined below.

When Republican commissioner David Lillard left to serve as State Treasurer, Democrats on the Commission replaced him with Democrat, Matt Kuhn. This goes against tradition, and the will of the voters, by not replacing a departing member with someone from the same party. By doing that, the Democrats increased their majority to 8-5.

As a resident of District 4, I have e-mailed Commissioner Kuhn, both inviting him to our last TFA meeting and again, asking his position on the parks ban. He has never replied. I will copy him again here, and will ask him Monday, that if he wont vote in favor of our civil rights and the will of his constituents, to at least abstain from the vote and take a neutral position.

Republican Commissioners Carpenter and Ritz voted for the ban last week. I'm sure the area's predatory criminals appreciate their support.

In Liberty,

Pat McGarrity
Director - Shelby County TFA




http://www.tennesseefirearms.com




By Daniel Connolly (Contact), Memphis Commercial Appeal
Friday, July 10, 2009

Shelby County Commission chairwoman Deidre Malone doesn't deny speculation that she may run for another one-year term as leader, a step that would add new drama to the chain of events stemming from the announced departure of Memphis Mayor Willie Herenton.


Craig Collier/The Commercial Appeal files

Deidre Malone, the Shelby County Commission chairwoman, in a May 2008 file photo.


Malone may compete for the chairmanship against Republican commissioner Joyce Avery, who is in line for the job under a longstanding agreement in which the political parties have shared power by alternating control of the chairmanship each year.
At a meeting set to start at 1:30 p.m. Monday, commissioners will make nominations, then select a chairman. There will be a separate vote for chair pro tempore, or second in command.

"I'm not able to comment because there's an election on Monday and quite frankly anything can happen on Monday," Malone, a Democrat, said in a telephone interview Friday.

The stakes are especially high for this year's election of County Commission officers. If Herenton makes good on a statement that he'll leave in late July, there will be a special election to fill the city mayor's slot, perhaps in October.

The current Shelby County mayor, A C Wharton, is popular and has a good chance of winning the special election. If Wharton were to vacate the county mayor's office and become city mayor, the chairman of the County Commission would become acting mayor for up to 45 days until the commission chooses someone to serve the rest of the term.

That person wouldn't have long to wait for the next regularly scheduled election. Primaries are May 4 and the general election is Aug. 5.

Anyone who serves as mayor temporarily would have a psychological edge in the election, since voters would be used to the idea of the person in the mayor's office.

Malone is already organizing a run for county mayor, and county rules allow her to run again for chairwoman.

Malone, 46, owns her own public relations and advertising firm, the Carter Malone Group, and has been active in efforts to find ways to fund local schools.

Avery is currently serving as chair pro tempore, which means she acts as chairman whenever Malone isn't available. She said Friday that she still plans to pursue the chairmanship.

Avery, 70, has said she's willing to serve as mayor on an interim basis and that her priorities are funding schools, the Sheriff's department, health care entities such as the Regional Medical Center at Memphis, and bringing in new businesses.

Commissioner Sidney Chism, a Democrat, said he intends to support Avery's nomination.

"It's not right for us to break our commitment to Commissioner Avery, whether she's a Republican or a Democrat," he said.

If Malone becomes chairwoman, it would be the second partisan break from tradition the commission has made in recent months.

Earlier this year, Republican commissioner David Lillard left to serve as state treasurer, and Democrats on the commission replaced him with Democrat Matt Kuhn, going against the tradition of replacing a departing member with someone from the same party and creating the current 8-5 majority on the board.

Monday's election could lead to several rounds of high-stakes voting. Steve Summerall, chief administrator for the County Commission, described the process:

There are 13 commissioners, and each can nominate a candidate. Nominees may give short speeches before commissioners vote for one of them.

To be elected as chairman, a commissioner needs seven votes.

If there's no winner on the first round, candidates who have received at least two votes will face off against each other in further rounds of voting until a winner is declared. The chairman also has the right to adjourn the election until the next meeting or reopen nominations and repeat the process.

The separate vote for the pro tempore slot is also important, since whoever is elected could be bumped up to chairman if Wharton vacates the mayor's office.

-- Daniel Connolly: 529-5296

Shelby County Commission Chair

The chair can step into the county mayor's job on an interim basis if the office is vacant.

The chair's duties include running meetings, overseeing an 11-member commission administrative staff and selecting people to serve on several boards and commissions, such as the Shelby County Retirement Board, said Steve Summerall, chief administrator for the County Commission.

The chair is also paid more than the other commissioners: $32,600 per year rather than $30,600.

—Daniel Connolly: 529-5296